Rafer Roberts interview online

Unlock Your Potential With Valiant's Harbinger Renegades #1

Oct 05, 2016

http://www.previewsworld.com/Article/184584-Unlock-Your-Potential-With-Valiants-Harbinger-Renegades-1

PR - Alex Ross is Bringing his Gallery Walk Through Booth to NYCC!

Why do we care? Because Reston's ArtInsights is working on this, and also has a Ross show in their gallery.

Alex Ross Art is returning to NYCC! ArtInsights is partnering with Alex Ross Art as their official representative with NYCC EXCLUSIVE Marvel/D C lithographs and worldwide premieres of canvas prints that collectors have been requesting for years!

Just like in San Diego, the booth (2328) will be a gallery walk through, a first for NYCC. There will also be two new pieces being premiered especially for NYCC, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and CRISIS!

During the NYCC, Alex Ross Art will be giving away The Beatles Yellow Submarine Deluxe Boxed Set ($2000) to one lucky fan and one additional fan The Beatles Yellow Submarine Portfolio ($200). Fans will need to have your badge scanned at the booth for a chance to win.

Here is a list of just some of the items that will be made available for fans at the NYCC:

Guardians of the Galaxy Limited Edition Giclee on Canvas: World premiere! The new Alex Ross signed limited edition fine art giclee of the 75th Anniversary variant cover, signed & numbered by Ross.  Size: 20 x 30. Edition size: 75. $850. This will be released on October 6th at 11am eastern.

Crisis Limited Edition Giclee on Canvas: The new, highly in-demand colossus from Alex Ross that features the entire cast of Crisis on Infinite Earths in one gorgeous limited edition! Alex himself wanted this to be exactly the same size as the original, hence its size of 57 1/2 by 26 3/4! , Each piece is signed & numbered by Ross, edition size of

"Batman: Miracle on Crime Alley" New York Comic-Con Exclusive Lithograph: Alex's cover image from #679 Batman R.I.P. comic in a limited edition collectible art piece. Limited edition matted lithograph: edition of 175 size 10 x 15 1/2 unsigned: $50.00 Limited edition SIGNED lithograph: edition of 25  size 14 1/2 x 22, signed: $195.00

"Captain America Triumphant" New York Comic-Con Exclusive Lithograph: Alex's image from Captain America Volume 5 #34 in a limited edition collectible art piece. Limited edition matted lithograph: edition of 175 size 10 x 15 1/2 unsigned: $50.00 Limited edition SIGNED lithograph: edition of 25 size 14 1/2 x 22, signed: $195.00

"Doctor Strange" New York Comic-Con Exclusive Lithograph: Alex's image from Doctor Strange, Volume 4, #2 color variant cover in a limited edition collectible art piece. Limited edition matted lithograph: edition of 75 size approximately 10 x 15 1/2, unsigned: $50.00 Limited edition SIGNED lithograph: edition of 25 size 14 1/2 x 22, signed: $195.00

#1 Edition Numbers of Alex Ross Limited Editions: Highly sought-after #1s of the newest Alex Ross Art editions including Superior Iron Man, New Gods, Spider-Man, & JLA Secret Origins and more!

Video promos for 'ReDistricted'

With the launch of ReDistricted, a serialized online comics anthology that looks at unusual historical stories about Washington, D.C., I've started doing small promotional (and rather unpolished) videos for each story, either at a location related to that week's featured story, with the creative team, etc. Below is the first one regarding Robin Ha's story "Freedman's Savings Banks." That's me (Matt Dembicki), that's the U.S. Treasury Annex on Pennsylvania Avenue behind me, and you should watch it!

Here's the plaque on the annex that commemorates the Freedman's bank.

PR: March 3 finalist for National Book Award

MARCH: BOOK THREE is a National Book Award Finalist!

NEW YORK — This morning the National Book Foundation announced the finalists for the 67th Annual National Book Awards — including, for the first time since 1957, a sitting member of Congress.

Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell are now National Book Award finalists in the Young People's Literature category, for the concluding volume of their bestselling graphic novel trilogy March. The autobiographical series, which depicts Lewis's firsthand account of the Civil Rights Movement, has previously won such honors as the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, the Eisner Award, two Harvey Awards, and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. It is rapidly being adopted by universities and public school systems from New York to San Francisco, and recently spent six continuous weeks holding the top 3 spots on the New York Times Bestseller List.

"This is amazing to me," said Congressman Lewis. "I'm overwhelmed and deeply moved that March: Book Three is a finalist for the National Book Award. It is my hope that this honor inspires many more young people, and people not so young, to read March and to learn the transformative lessons of our ongoing struggle to create the beloved community."

Co-writer Andrew Aydin had this to say: "When I found out, I cried. I couldn't help it. This is such an unbelievable honor. It's been an incredibly long and difficult journey to get to this point, and I am deeply, deeply grateful to the judges and supporters who have gotten us here."

Artist Nate Powell added, "We're all blown away by how deeply this trilogy has been embraced. It's never been more urgent to understand and apply the Movement's history and perspectives — this work is for the unwritten future. We're grateful to be able to help those voices be heard."

Few graphic novels have previously reached NBA Finalist status, including such acclaimed works as American Born Chinese and Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang, Stitches by David Small, and Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. Other notable finalists include The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Profiles in Courage by Senator John F. Kennedy, who is himself a character in March.

The March team will travel to New York City to join this year's other finalists for two days of festivities November 15th and 16th. For more details, visit http://www.nationalbook.org.

Zine library opens in Richmond

Richmond's largest independent zine Library opens at Gallery 5

Words by Sarah Schuster Photos by Jake Cunningham, Courage & Co. Photography

 Oct 03, 2016

http://rvamag.com/articles/full/26581/richmond's-largest-independent-zine-library-opens

Iron Man's 1976 battle in DC could have gone nuclear

There are a lot of comic books that take place in Washington, so I don't usually take much notice of them. Recently though, I picked up Iron Man #96 from March 1976, which finished a story that I had started reading when it originally came out.

There's two points to note about this comic.

As the comic opens, Iron Man is on his knees in damaged armor while Ultimo stalks towards the White House. The book is massively overwritten by Bill Mantlo as was the style of the time.

Iron Man lures Ultimo into following him. Given a few minutes to recover in a jet that happens to be piloted by a former ally, Iron Man bails out to return to the attack. He smashes Ultimo in front of the Lincoln Memorial - this should have knocked the android into the reflecting pool.

The first interesting point occurs as they battle around the Lincoln Memorial. Artist George Tuska either had visited DC or done some research because he actually depicts Ultimo stumbling into the side of the of the Memorial Bridge, right by where Rock Creek Parkway runs under the Bridge. Tuska also drew the base of one of the Italian statues that flank the ends of the Bridge.

And then as they continue to battle comes the second point we should note. Iron Man begins digging a tunnel and luring Ultimo down into it.... as an alternative to "mobiliz[ing] a tactical nuclear strike..." Calling in a nuclear strike on DC, on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial and roughly two miles from the White House and right across the river from the Pentagon doesn't seem like a very well thought-out plan.

Fortunately Iron Man is able to dig deeply enough to engulf Ultimo in magma, somehow avoiding setting off a volcano in Washington, and the Ultimo story ends. Until the next time he shows up. And no, I don't know why an android needs a loin cloth.

Remembering Richard Thompson, by two of his friends

Between the Stacks - Remembering Richard Thompson, cartoonist and illustrator

By Susan Frohnsdorff and Gregory Frohnsdorff

Moultrie News October 5, 2016

http://www.moultrienews.com/20161005/161009896/between-the-stacks---remembering-richard-thompson-cartoonist-and-illustrator

Note that the presentation mentioned has been postponed to October 22 due to the hurricane.

Kristen Morgin work at Renwick Gallery

Sculptor Kristen Morgin has a few comics/cartoon-inspired works currently on exhibit at the Renwick Gallery. She has a decaying-look rendering to her clay sculptures that are quite remarkable. The free exhibit closes on Jan. 8.

 

"Mighty Mouse" (2006)

unfired clay, wood, wires, paint

 

"Snow White and Woodland Creatures" (2012)

unfired clay, wire, push pins, paint, ink, graphite

 

"Greetings from the Queen Mary" (2006)

unfired clay, paint, ink

 

"Popeye vs. Popeye" (2008)

unfired clay, paint, ink, cast-iron bank

Juana Medina's collaboration with the Poet Laureate

Juana unveiled this on her Facebook page:

I'm thrilled to share a new collaboration we've been working on with the fantástico Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and the Library of Congress.

After months of preparation, it's time to share The Technicolor Adventures of Catalina Neon! These adventures will evolve and come to life with the help of 2nd and 3rd graders across the country, we can't wait to see where they'll take us!

http://www.read.gov/catalinaneon/Book/#page/2/mode/2up

And here's the Library's main page on it: 

The Technicolor Adventures of Catalina Neon
Hosted by Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate, 2015-

About the Project

 Enlarge

Hello! I’m Juan Felipe Herrera, the 21st U.S. Poet Laureate. Welcome to “The Technicolor Adventures of Catalina Neon,” a bilingual, illustrated poem created with the help of artist Juana Medina ... and you. Elementary school librarians, get your second and third grade students “neonized” and help us tell Catalina’s story to the world!
Here’s how it works: Juana and I will create the initial chapter, but that’s only half the story. At the end of the chapter, we will include a prompt and give you a month to tell us where to go next. We ask that you and your second or third grade students read the prompt, talk about it, imagine what could happen next, and collaboratively help write the next chapter of Catalina’s adventure.

First Chapter  – “Meet Catalina Neon and Her Doggy, Tortilla”

Hear it
Respond to Prompt – “Where does Tortilla go? Describe in detail—make us see, hear, and feel where Catalina’s doggy is!”

Juana and I will select a submission as a starting point for the next chapter—and you and your classes will again be invited to write the next chapter of the adventure. This process will continue five times until June 2017, when Catalina Neon’s story will be complete!

What Happens Next?

Respond to prompt - “Where does Tortilla go? Describe in detail—make us see, hear, and feel where Catalina’s doggy is!”

Juan Felipe Herrera, Photo credit: Blue Flower Arts

Juana Medina, Photo credit: Silvia Baptiste

Oct 12: Signing - Angel City #1 at Big Planet Vienna

Signing - Angel City #1

Big Planet Comics Vienna

Wednesday, October 12 at 3 PM - 6 PM
https://www.facebook.com/events/527485870783573/

Big Planet Comics is excited to welcome Janet Harvey for a signing of Angel City #1 out from Oni Press.

Introducing ANGEL CITY, a hard-boiled 1930s noir starring Dolores Dare, previous Hollywood hopeful and current enforcer for the Volante mob. When her best friend turns up dead in a dumpster behind the Chinese Theater, Dolores starts her own investigation of the "April Fool's Killer." As she gets closer to the truth, the studios, the corrupt homicide division, and even her own gangland contacts work to cover up the scandal. Has she bitten off more than she can chew?

Janet Harvey is an award-winning writer of comic books, movies and games. She has written for Image Comics, IDW, Tokyopop and DC Comics, including the first full length adventure of Cassandra Cain in the "No Man's Land" storyline. Her short films have played at festivals around the world, sold at Cannes, and won awards, including honors from Colin Vaines at the Weinstein Company. She recently wrote and directed her first feature length film, Scene Queen (www.scenequeenmovie.com). She moved to Austin, Texas in 2009 to work on the DC Universe Online MMORPG, where she now lives with her husband Dave and two delightful dogs.

Follow Janet @janetharvey on twitter and https://www.facebook.com/janetharvey

Animator is heroine of new novel

Maria Semple is back with another loopy, darkly comic novel

By Elinor Lipman
Washington Post.com September 29 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/maria-semple-is-back-with-another-loopy-darkly-comic-novel/2016/09/28/79f1940c-859a-11e6-ac72-a29979381495_story.html

On Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., Maria Semple will be at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington.

Oct 22: Mount Pleasant Library talk moved to new date

Due to the possibility of a hurricane this weekend, Richard Thompson, Cartoonist and Illustrator - A Tribute has been moved to a later date.

Richard Thompson, creator of the comic strip Cul de Sac, passed away from complications of Parkinson's disease this summer. Learn more about this Reuben Award-winning artist through a screening of the 2014 documentary The Art of Richard Thompson and a presentation on Thompson's background and accomplishments by one of the late cartoonist's friends.

Mt. Pleasant Regional Library
1133 Mathis Ferry Road
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
843.849.6161 ~ http://www.ccpl.org

Comics Riffs on Luke Cage

Inside the making of 'Luke Cage,' Marvel's first black superhero show

By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 27 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/09/27/inside-the-making-of-luke-cage-marvels-first-black-superhero-show/

Simone Missick in 'Luke Cage' leads a new wave of Marvel actresses

By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 28 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/09/28/simone-missick-in-luke-cage-leads-a-new-wave-of-black-marvel-actresses/

Mike Colter on playing black superhero Luke Cage: 'I understand how important this character is'

By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 30 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/09/30/mike-colter-on-playing-black-superhero-luke-cage-i-understand-how-important-this-character-is/

Comic Riffs goes MAD

Obama's final 100 days in office, through the eyes of MAD magazine

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 30 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/09/30/obamas-final-100-days-in-office-through-the-eyes-of-mad-magazine/

Oct 12: "Rendez-Vous with Anne Simon" at Alliance Francaise

"Rendez-Vous with Anne Simon"

October 12 , 2016- 7:00PM

Meet-and-greet with French Cartoonist Anne Simon!

Register here!

French cartoonist Anne Simon will be presenting her collection of graphic novels—a collaboration with Swiss author Corinne Maier—which explore the lives of some of the most influential figures of the 21^st Century: Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, and Albert Einstein.

Anne Simon has studied at the Beaux-Arts in Angoulême and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Her first comic book, Persephone in the Underworld, received the best "New Talent" award at the Angoulême festival in 2006.

A light reception will follow this event.

This event will be in French and translated in English.

 

AFDC Member / Culture Pass: $10 + Processing Fees.
General Admission: $15 + Processing Fees

Oct 11: Wonder Women (not WOMAN) author Sam Meggs at Fantom Comics

Today's Post on Disney villains and fine art animation

Which delightfully evil Disney villain still haunts you? [in print as Drawn to Evil]
By M.G. Lord
Washington Post October 2 2016, p. E13
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/which-delightfully-evil-disney-villain-still-haunts-you/2016/09/29/dc6536a8-80f8-11e6-a52d-9a865a0ed0d4_story.html


In the galleries: Shiny fantasy worlds, undercut by body parts and company logos [in print as A gleaming world, plus logos and body parts]

By Mark Jenkins
Washington Post  October 2 2016 p. E3
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/in-the-galleries-gleaming-fantasy-worlds-undercut-by-body-parts-corporate-logos/2016/09/29/a2413f50-8402-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f_story.html

Anubis Press out of Springfield?

Does anyone know anything about Anubis Press out of Springfield, VA? I bought one of their comics at a library sale today and am curious.

Robin Ha and the Freedman's Savings Bank webcomic

A new webcomic is up at Redistricted Comics. Robin Ha tells the story of The Freedman's Savings Bank's ruin.

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Sean Causley

by Mike Rhode

Sean Causley attended SPX this year, and kindly agreed to answer our usual questions about his work.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

My current comic work is my self-published book, Panda Force. It’s about babies from the future that battle evil forces, but they usually just end up destroying everything in their path. There are a lot of one-liners, some potty humor, and a good amount of cute and crude moments. It’s a fun, lighthearted, zany project that gives me a lot of laughs as I work on it. It’s essentially a big love letter to my daughter, Rowan. I have several other projects that I have various roles on, but I do everything on Panda Force, which is nice because it gives me 100% creative control.

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

It’s evolved into a combination of traditional and digital. I sketch everything on the computer with my Wacom tablet. I then print out the rough sketches on cardstock and traditionally ink the page. Once that’s done, I scan the page and then finish it on the computer. It’s a crazy process, but I still enjoy the tangible, tactile part of creating at least a portion of the art away from the computer.

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

I was raised in the 80s and 90s — also known as THE greatest decades — in Fort Hunt, Alexandria, VA. I have many fond memories from growing up where I did, so I’m very thankful to my parents and grandparents for that.

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

I live out in Chantilly, VA. It’s a great family-friendly area. Super wholesome and what not. Most of my family still lives in the area, so that’s a big reason we’ve stuck around DC.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

Fairfax County in my mind is very progressive when it comes to education in the arts. I spent several summers at the Institute for the Arts (IFTA) which opened me up to computer art, airbrushing, character design, all these really obscure ways of creating art which expanded my vision for what art can be. I owe a lot to that program. West Potomac is where I attended high school. Their arts program in the Springbank building was really awesome—and I hear it still is. It was one of the first schools with a dedicated computer lab dedicated solely to creating art. We had a whole bunch of Apple Quadras. Google image search that if you want to truly understand how ancient I am.

This isn’t education or training related, but the Pearl Arts and Crafts store that used to be on Telegraph Road was an amazing place to me when I was a kid. You could get everything under the sun there, and the tools you use are just as important (if not more) than any training you can ever receive, since so much of creating art is based on experimentation.

I studied graphic design and illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. That was a great experience, as well. It’s almost intimidating how many amazing artists come in and out of that place. Being surrounded by all that creativity was inspiring and motivating.

Who are your influences?

I’ve always loved surreal art, and there are a variety of artists and creators that I’ve admired from afar, but none that I feel like I’ve tried to draw inspiration from. So in that sense, I don’t know if I have any real artistic influences. My main source of inspiration is family, friends and everyday life occurrences and experiences. Oh, and pizza. Definitely pizza. I’m more creative on a full stomach.

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

Nothing. No regrets! I try to keep the mindset of, “what awesome things can I create today and tomorrow” as opposed to dwelling on things I could’ve done differently in the past.

What work are you best-known for?

I did a good amount of tour and gig posters in the late 90s and early 2000s for the band 311 and a bunch of other random groups. I’m also the Creative Director for ROIAdvertising, so you can find a lot of my graphic design work online. My tumblr site that I curate with Julian Lytle called Long Boxes on 22s has a solid group of followers and fans. It’s a blog where we mash-up comics with pop and hip hop culture. I guess that is more what I’m “known for”, at least according to Google. Now that I’m getting Panda Force out there and some of the other books that I have lined-up, I’m hoping I can become better known for my visual storytelling.

What work are you most proud of?

Anything that I am currently working on. Like most artists, I’m horrified of any art that I’ve created that is over a couple weeks/months old.

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

I’m about 75% of the way done with Panda Force, so I’m kind of excited about the “unknown” after that. I’ve got a bunch of ideas swirling around in my head of things I’d like to create, but right now I’m very focused on completing this first series before I get ahead of myself.

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

Stop creating. Take a break and enjoy life. Recharge.

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

I think the future will be the acceptance that both digital and traditional forms of media, and creating things can coexist together. That one is not going to completely take over the other, as we like to try and predict. 

I also feel the future will be more focused on quality over quantity. I think right now that we as creators are too focused on producing as much content as possible, as opposed to focusing on the quality of the craft. 

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

I just got into the whole convention rigmarole this year. The local ones I’ve done are Awesome Con, Baltimore Comic Con, and SPX.

I have to say, it’s been a lot of fun. I really enjoy meeting new people, and seeing them excited about Panda Force. I have to send a special thanks to Julian Lytle, Shawn Pryor, Ronald Wimberly, and Carolyn Belefski for their guidance and support with the conventions and comic book business. An extra special thanks goes to my wife, Tracy who’s the one to actually get me off my posterior to put my art out into the world and not leave it in a closet gathering dust. High fives, all around.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

It has a little bit of everything for everybody. You also get all the seasonal changes. In comparison to most places, it’s pretty diverse and progressive.

Least favorite?

Interstate 66. Metro delays. Mondays after the Redskins lose.

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

I usually just direct people to the National Mall and say “peace be with you”, but if I had my own choice it would be a toss up between the Hirshhorn — or my own personal favorite — the National Museum of Natural History. They have dinosaur bones, the Hope Diamond and an insect zoo. I mean, how rad is that?

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Minerva in Chantilly is our go-to if we want some good Indian cuisine. My family can put away some wings, so we hit up Buffalo Wing Factory pretty frequently. When we do it up big, we go to Tuscarora Mill out in Leesburg. I also can’t forget the Silver Diner. I’m a complete sucker for a burger and shake.

Do you have a website or blog?

I’m on Twitter at @causleyconcepts. That is probably the best way to follow everything I create. If you’re a hip hop head, you can check out Longboxes on 22s at longboxeson22s.tumblr.com. You can buy book one of Panda Force at pizza-bandit.com.