Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Jan. 30: Exploring Historical Comics

The "Exploring Historical Comics" at the National Museum of American History has been re-scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 30, 12:30-3:30 p.m. The event will feature the museum's Youth Civic Engagement Program, representatives from Hirshhorn’s ARTLAB+, Rebecca Goldfield, author of Captive of Friendly Cove, Troy Allen and Evan Keeling, contributor to District Comics and Andrew Aydin, co-author of March.

Jason Rodriguez on public radio

On Second Thought radio December 16, 2015: Umano Clothing | Artists Against Police Brutality | Artists Who Own
http://www.gpb.org/on-second-thought/episodes/386
https://soundcloud.com/onsecondthought/full-show-december-16-2015


"And there's a long standing connection between activism and art. Art has been used in social and political movements throughout history to inspire change. Now, a creative anthology takes a stand against violence at the hands of law enforcement. It's called "Artists Against Police Brutality" and features a collection of comic strips, flash fiction, and essays from artists and writers across the country. The proceeds from the book go to The Innocence Project. Host Celeste Headlee speak with Jason Rodriguez, who edited the anthology, and Georgia artist Melanie Stevens about art's role in the Black Lives Matter movement."

Marc Nobleman on Bill Finger's contributions to Batman

The creators of Batman and Superman have an incredible story to tell; Marc Tyler Nobleman brings attention to comic book writers and artists who went unrecognized [in print as Superhero creators get origin stories]

If you go
What: Marc Tyler Nobleman, above, will talk about his books and the secrets behind Superman and Batman.
Where: Bethesda Library,
7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda, Maryland.
When: Saturday at 2 p.m.
How much: Free.
Best for: Age 8 and older.
For more information: A parent can call 240-777-0970 or check montgomerycountymd.gov/library.

Comic Riffs on Charlie Hebdo book

From beyond grave, Charlie Hebdo editor's last manifesto preaches against hate



Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Library of Congress puts Book Festival 2015 videos online

Library of Congress put the National Book Festival 2015 videos online here.

Of specific interest to ComicsDC are:

Title: Stephan Pastis: Book Fest 15
Speaker: Stephan Pastis
Event Date: 2015/05/09
Running Time: 55 minutes

Title: Graphic Novels Panel 1: Book Fest 15
Speaker: Keith Knight ,Lalo Alcaraz ,Scott Stantis
Event Date: 2015/05/09
Running Time: 55 minutes

Title: Graphic Novels Panel 2: Book Fest 15
Speaker: Diane Noomin,Miss Lasko-Gross,Trina Robbins
Event Date: 2015/05/09
Running Time: 50 minutes

Title: Cece Bell: Book Fest 15
Speaker: Cece Bell
Event Date: 2015/05/09
Running Time: 32 minutes

Title: Jennifer Holm: Book Fest 15
Speaker: Jennifer L. Holm
Event Date: 2015/05/09
Running Time: 28 minutes

Title: Peter de Sève: Book Fest 15
Speaker: Peter de Sève
Event Date: 2015/05/09
Running Time: 43 minutes

March vol. 2 makes 'best of' list

The Good Comics for Kids 2015 Gift Guide

State Dept. blog on comic books

Kaboom! Comic books attack serious issues and find new fans.

Monday, December 14, 2015

New Iraq war graphic novel looked into on The Post's website

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Gil Rivera

by Mike Rhode

Gil Rivera
was selling prints of his comic book art concepts this past weekend at a holiday bazaar in Arlington. I took the opportunity to ask him to fill out our usual questionnaire.




What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I do sequential art (i.e. storyboards, comic books, and character designs).

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

Traditional pencil and ink, then scanned into the computer and then colored with Adobe Photoshop.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I'm a late 70's kid, born in Laredo, TX, but raised in San Antonio.

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

My wife is active duty Air Force, so she plucked me out of Hollywood once we got married and now we reside in Alexandria, VA.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

Most of my training is self taught, however, now I'm enrolled at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for Graphic Design.  I graduate in 12 weeks.

Who are your influences?

So many, but to name a few:  Will Eisner, Walt Simonson, Joe Mad, Bernard Chang, Ken Lashley, Todd McFarlane and so many others.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?


Start earlier, right out of high school.  Ignored the haters.

What work are you best-known for?

 S
toryboards for the "Theory of a Deadman" band's music video.

What work are you most proud of?

My current comic book "Nite Stalker."

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?


A live-action Nite Stalker Trilogy.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

Talk to my writing partner Christopher Paul Campbell, CEO of Dead Light Films, a long-time friend and colleague, and bounce ideas around. Youtube all my favorite artists for inspiration.

What do you think will be the future of your field?

I think we are the future now.  Comics are really starting to explode with all the new movies.  The next step is to get the young kids back to reading the books or maybe creating their own comics.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

Since we are new in town, we just starting looking at all the upcoming conventions and shows.  I would like to attend all of them if I can.

What's your favorite thing about DC?


All the history, museums, monuments, and the Metro.

Least favorite?

The cold.

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

T
he Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Faccia Luna in Old Town Alexandria.

Do you have a website or blog?

Under Construction as we speak.



Sunday, December 13, 2015

Visiting the Guadalajara International Book Fair

By Matt Dembicki

I visited Mexico Nov. 30 through Dec. 4 thanks to the U.S. State Department, which invited me as a guest of the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), the largest book fest in Latin American and second largest in the world, bringing some 750,000 visitors over its two weeks. Usually the first thing I do at book fairs is walk around the expo floor to get a feel for the show and gauge the interest in comics. Not surprisingly, Star Wars, Marvel Comics and manga dominated the comics presence. But I was pleasantly surprised to see some fairly high exposure for indie comics, including Peter Kuper's new graphic novel Ruins. There were several local comics shops and distributors at the show, as well as larger publishers and distributors featuring comics. Below are a few photos of those booths.


















The American Library Association, which includes a comics artists alley at its annual show as well a good number of panel talks on comics, also had a booth at FIL. Part of its promotion included posters of Superman and Wonder Woman.



Much of my time in Guadalajara and later in the week Mexico City was spent doing presentations on using comics for certain topics/causes, from the environment and medical/health, to history and even food. I focused mainly on how I use comics to raise awareness about environmental issues. I also did several comics-making workshops, for young kids, college students and professional illustrators. Below are a few photos from those sessions, beginning with events at the kids section of FIL, and later going to local schools and even to the University of Guadalajara, which was also holding an annual cartoonist festival that week. 



















Photos by me, U.S. State Department and the University of Guadalajara

Friday, December 11, 2015

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Speakeasies, Then And Now"



"Speakeasies, Then And Now"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1818

From the latest post at DCMJ.org:

"Even though Initiative 71 legalized cannabis, it cannot be consumed anywhere in DC other than in a private home. This is because, the week after Initiative 71 took effect, the DC Council passed emergency legislation (Act 21-149) that banned marijuana consumption at any bar, nightclub, bingo hall, or private venue in Washington, DC. Without any pressing reason, the Mayor and the DC Council severely restricted our rights as cannabis consuming adults..."

Yeah, that's right, fellow Washingtonians. You can legally drink at an alcohol bar, you can legally smoke cigars at a cigar bar, but if you want to smoke weed communally in a similar setting, you'll have to open a speakeasy -- unless the DC City Council stops doing Congress' dirty work, and Act 21-149 is allowed to expire on January 15 next year.

Library of Congress' Swann Foundation is accepting fellowship applications


The Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress is accepting applications for its graduate fellowship, one of the few in the field, for the 2016-2017 academic year. Deadline for applications is February 15, 2016. For criteria, guidelines, and application forms, please see:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html

 

Please email swann@loc.gov or call (202) 707-9115 if you have questions.

 



D.C. Conspiracy meeting/'Magic Bullet' deadlines

The local comics collective the D.C. Conspiracy gets together this Sunday, Dec. 13, at Madhatter in Dupont Circle from 5:30 to about 8 p.m. All are welcome.

Also, the submissions and advertising deadline for the group's semi-annual comics newspaper, Magic Bullet, is Jan. 4.

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Freedom Finger" [local politics this time]

"Freedom Finger"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1812

As you may recall from this past spring, my longtime comrade and BBF (Best Bud Forever) Adam Eidinger, activist extraordinaire, was jailed for basically being disrespectful to a politician at a Congressional DC Oversight Committee hearing chaired by the pompous and pasty Jason Chaffetz.

Adam's recent trial on this bogus charge ended in a mistrial last week, and a retrial has been scheduled for May 2nd.

Rawlings on Trump, Captain America and Jesus

Local cartoonist Dale Rawlings has spoofed a famous Captain America cover, replacing Adolf Hitler with presidential GOP candidate Donald Trump. Also, if you haven't been doing so, check out Rawlings' ongoing webcomic Jesus 2016,  where Jesus Christ returns to run for U.S. president.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Compleating Cul de Sac reviewed

Compleating Cul de Sac, the book of Richard Thompson's miscellany related to the comic strip that raises money for Team Cul de Sac, has been reviewed at Jason Marcy Looks at Print on Demand Comics, Part 1.

You can buy the book here.

The other December 6th Doonesbury comic strip

Only one newspaper ran a different one - the New York Times. This ad ran on page 3 of the Arts section.

Dirda recommends Betty Boop

Jan 9: Inside Media: Charlie Hebdo: One Year Later

http://www.newseum.org/event/inside-media-charlie-hebdo-one-year-later/

Inside Media: Charlie Hebdo: One Year Later

When:
January 9, 2016 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Where:
Knight TV Studio
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
USA
Cost:
Free with Newseum admission. Seating is on a space-available basis.
Inside Media: <em>Charlie Hebdo</em>: One Year Later @ Knight TV Studio | Washington | District of Columbia | United States

Pulitzer Prizing-winning editorial cartoonists Ann Telnaes of The Washington Post and Signe Wilkinson of the Philadelphia Daily News will talk about the role of political cartoonists and will reflect on the one-year anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015.

On Jan, 7, 2015, Charlie Hebdo's headquarters in Paris were attacked by terrorists who had targeted the satirical magazine because of how it had depicted Islam's Prophet Muhammad in past cartoons. The attack killed 12 people, including five cartoonists at the magazine.

Telnaes and Wilkinson will also display some of their award-winning work.

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Feb 5: Walking Dead tv show talk at Smithsonian Associates

Good News! Due to the overwhelming demand for this event, it has been moved to a larger venue to accommodate more patrons!

The Walking Dead
Poster for The Walking Dead
(Photo: Frank Ockenfels 2/AMC)


The wildly popular AMC series The Walking Dead follows a small group of survivors as they struggle to stay alive after a zombie apocalypse. The show abounds in bloody good thrills and chills—and plenty of artistry and creativity that goes into putting a believable zombie-infested world on the small screen.

Join us as Scott M. Gimple, executive producer, showrunner, and writer; Greg Nicotero, executive producer, director, and special effects makeup supervisor;  Eulyn Womble, costume designer; and  Andrew Lincoln, who stars as Rick Grimes, share insights on how they develop and bring The Walking Dead to life. 

Learn what goes on behind the scenes—from conjuring up edge-of-your-seat plotlines and complex characters to frighteningly convincing zombies.


Behind the Scenes of The Walking Dead 
Evening Program
Fri., Feb. 5 at 7 PM

Member*: $30        l      Non-Member: $45

Buy tickets

 

*Not a member? Become a Smithsonian Associates supporter today and start taking advantage of member rates immediately! Learn more>>