Thursday, April 21, 2011

April 23: Heroclix Tournament & Demo at Beyond Comics









Beyond Comics

Beyond Comics Heroclix Tournament...

Saturday April 23rd

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Free Demonstration.

Learn to play Heroclix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2:00pm to 5:00pm

Giant Size X-men Tournament

$2 Entry Fee

Prizes include $25 Gift Card, Limited Edition GSX Figures 

At Beyond Comics

5632 Buckeystown Pike Frederick, MD 21704  

 

 

 

 

 

(301) 668-8202

 

 


Beyond Comics | Gaithersburg Square | 536 North Frederick Avenue | Gaithersburg | MD | 20878

June 9: Nick Galifianakis in Falls Church

Thurs, June 9, 7 pm: A very fun evening with Nick Galifianakis, author of If You Loved Me, You'd Think This Was Cute: Uncomfortably True Cartoons About You

One More Page | 2200 N. Westmoreland Street | #101 | Arlington | VA | 22213

John Geddes on Round Table Press

Motivational all-stars use graphic novels to inspire
By John Geddes, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-04-20-roundtable19-ST_N.htm

Weldon on Mister Wonderful by Clowes

'Mister Wonderful' Pictures An Imperfect Romance
by Glen Weldon
Books We Like April 20, 2011
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/20/135539779/mister-wonderful-pictures-an-imperfect-romance

Monkey Sees the Sandman

Book Club: Neil Gaiman's 'The Sandman: Dream Country,' Part One

by Linda Holmes and Glen Weldon

April 21, 2011

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/04/21/135598864/book-club-neil-gaimans-the-sandman-dream-country-part-one?

 

Ben Claassen does scientific illustration

Ben Claassen does an unexpected scientific illustration in today's Express, drawing how nerve cells work when you're happy.
 
He also draws a brain playing poker with a cupcake and a Blackberry.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

US News talks to political cartoon historian Stephen Hess

Cartoonists Finally Cool With Black President
By Caitlin Huey-Burns , Paul Bedard
US News and World Report April 19, 2011
http://www.usnews.com/news/washington-whispers/articles/2011/04/19/cartoonists-finally-cool-with-black-president

Ms Huey-Burns asked him a few questions after the National Archives lecture.

Truitt on Vampire Academy

First look: 'Vampire Academy' bites into graphic-novel market
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY August 18 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-04-18-vampire-academy_N.htm


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

New Flugennock cartoon online


Truitt on '68

' '68': There will be zombie blood
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY April 18 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-04-18-68zombie_N.htm

Kal says, "RIP Willie Don Schaefer"

Kal says
I was saddened to hear of the passing of the great Maryland politician William Donald Schaefer.  I have created a cartoon homage to "Willie Don" on my blog. For those of you interested you can view it here:


Best  wishes,

Kal
Kevin Kallaugher
The iKAL iPhone App is now available at the iTunes store.


Monday, April 18, 2011

Daily Cartoonist says Gary Varvel wins RFK Award

Alan Gardner at the Daily Cartoonist says Gary Varvel has tweeted that he's won the RFK Award.

I think this is pretty trustworthy.

Washington Times on Spider-Man

Damage to Spider-Man brand may have Disney climbing the walls

By Daniel Holloway - Special to The Washington Times

 April 17, 2011

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/17/unfriendly-neighborhood-spider-brand/

PR: Kal event in San Francisco Museum

From Kevin Kallaugher:

 
I wanted to alert you to an event at The Cartoon Art Museum on April 28th which is being held in conjunction with my exhibition currently on display there:


Thanks!

Kal


Kevin Kallaugher

The iKAL iPhone App is now available at the iTunes store.







Sunday, April 17, 2011

Truitt's recent comics stories

'Cobra Civil War' puts the G.I. Joe team on guard
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-04-12-CobraCivilWarZero_N.htm

First look: 'Pigs' warms up a Cold War story
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-04-13-PigsComic_N.htm

O Canada! Alpha Flight returns in Point One issue
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-04-13-AlphaFlightPointOne_N.htm


Zadzooks on Batman Beyond


Zadzooks: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and Tron: Legacy
Joker up to old tricks
By Joseph Szadkowski
The Washington Times April 14, 2011
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/14/zadzooks-batman-beyond-return-joker-tron-legacy/

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Cavna on Pulitzer possibilities

These are all excellent choices.

HANDICAPPING THE PULITZERS: Which cartoonists might get the call next week?
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog April 14 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/handicapping-the-pulitzers-which-cartoonists-might-get-the-call-next-week/2011/04/13/AFzI7qdD_blog.html

More on Frank Lewis, Stafford County Sun cartoonist

Sun cartoonist led full life
By Tracy Bell
April 13, 2011
http://www2.staffordcountysun.com/news/2011/apr/13/sun-cartoonist-led-full-life-ar-970036/

April 21: Lecture on William Kentridge at Library of Congress

William Kentridge: 'Stone Age Drawing,'

 

  Cartoon Logic & South Africa's Process of Change

 

An Illustrated Lecture by Dr. Leora Maltz-Leca

SWANN  FOUNDATION  FELLOW, 2010-2011

         



 

 THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2011, AT 12 NOON

in Whittall Pavilion, Jefferson Building, LJWH

                                                                   Ground floor

 

Sponsored by the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon

and the Prints &Photographs Division of the Library of Congress  

 

          Request ADA Accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 TTY or "ADA@loc.gov"

For further information, email swann@loc.gov or call Martha Kennedy at (202) 707-9115.

Weldon on the comics industry

 

OT: New webcomic by John Kovaleski, MAD Magazine artist

My friend John Kovaleski would like you to know about his new webcomic -

John Kovaleski has launched a new webcomic called "Dadding Badly" - all true tales of a first-time father. Not your typical parenthood stories, "Dadding Badly" has already covered such hot topics as leprechaun impersonations, square cows, and how many times you can hit your father in the head with an empty Kleenex box. Attached is a sample comic.  Please visit the site below for more fathering fun.

http://daddingbadly.com/

John Kovaleski is a cartoonist and humorous illustrator. He is the creator of the comic strip "Bo Nanas," which was syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group from 2003 to 2007, and collected in the books "Monkey Meets World" (2005) and "APPEELING: The Best of Bo Nanas" (2008). He is also a frequent contributor to MAD Magazine, making him one of the "usual gang of idiots."


------------------------------------------------
You can see more of my work here:
http://www.kovaleski.com/

As always you can find  out too much about me on my blog:
http://kovaleski.wordpress.com/

Or follow me on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/johnkovaleski

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

2 new pieces on Team Cul de Sac blog

There's 2 new pieces on the Team Cul de Sac blog - local cartoonist Steve Artley and Stephan Pastis.

Start saving your money now to bid early and often.

April 13: Hess and Northrup on political cartoons at National Archives

Stephen Hess and Sandy Northrup speak on their new book, Drawn & Quartered: The History of American Political Cartoons tomorrow:
Wednesday, April 13, 7PM, National Archives, McGowan Theater


I'll be at this.

A Drop's Life cartoon on the DC water pollution

Here's the article about a nice little cartoon on about treating runoff pollution - "A Drop's Life," produced by Free Range Studios, tells the story of DC Water's Clean Rivers Project from the perspective of a single water drop."

New Cartoon Explains DC Water Project
(WUSA) Apr 12, 2011
http://wusa9.com/news/article/146465/373/New-Cartoon-Explains-DC-Water-Project

And the A Drop's Life cartoon is on Youtube.

Flugennock answers "Are You In?"

http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=824 - click here to see his comments and cartoons.

May 6 - June 4: We Are Monsters exhibit features local cartoonists

Lifted from Facebook, courtesy of Carolyn Belefski. Marc Crisafulli, Carolyn and Evan Keeling are cartoonists that I know.

We Are Monsters

Friday, May 6 at 7:00pm - June 4 at 6:00pm
________________________________
Location
Pleasant Plains Workshop
2608 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, DC
________________________________
More Info
A hand-picked group of over twenty artists, illustrators, and designers are bringing the beasts to the heart of DC. Dual heads, third-eyes, cloven hoofs, purple fur, and forked tongues will be found in obscene abundance. Media will include painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, maybe even a little video.

Opening Friday May 6, from 7–9pm at Pleasant Plains Workshop. Artists include

Marc Crisafulli
Carolyn Belefski
Greg Pizzoli
Dana Jeri Maier
Antonio Peters
Adam Dwight
Elizabeth Graeber
John Foster
Rich Bernett
Tim Gibbon
Melinda Rainsberger
Catherine Smith
Josh Dihle
Mike O'Brien
Allison Glancey
Ivan Anic
Evan Keeling
Kristina Bilonick
Stephanie Kwak
Steve Loya
Jodi Hoover
Lisa Adang
Pia Blumenthal
Anthony Dihle

Monday, April 11, 2011

PR: Alterna Comics and Rafer Roberts present PLASTIC FARM: SOWING SEEDS ON FERTILE SOIL TPB


Alterna Comics and Rafer Roberts present PLASTIC FARM: SOWING SEEDS ON FERTILE SOIL TPB

A revised edition of the critically acclaimed underground comic book series PLASTIC FARM to be released through Alterna.

Alterna Publisher Peter Simeti and Plastic Farm creator Rafer Roberts have announced that a new revised edition of PLASTIC FARM: SOWING SEEDS ON FERTILE SOIL will be released through Alterna Comics in June 2011 and can be found in Diamond's April Previews catalog, order code APR110754. "Sowing Seeds" is the first volume in the epic PLASTIC FARM comic book series about a man who is losing his mind and how that madness reshapes reality in many strange, terrifying and hilarious ways.

To celebrate this new edition, creator Rafer Roberts has gone back into these early works and digitally cleaned up much of the artwork and re-lettered a large portion of the comic."I didn't know what I was doing early on," says Roberts. "Most of the lettering in the early issues was pretty terrible and mostly unreadable and I saw this team-up with Alterna as the perfect opportunity to correct some my youthful ignorance." Roberts sates that he spent "about a month doing new hand-lettering for the book. There's at least 100 pages with new lettering, which works out to be about a third of the book." Roberts laughs when thinking about the process. "This process about killed my wrist, but seeing the final product, I can say it was absolutely worth it."

Aside from an obvious facelift, the edition being released through Alterna will boast 352 pages in black and white with an affordable price tag of $19.99.
Alterna has been publishing creator-owned titles since 2006 and PLASTIC FARM will be no exception to that rule. With a line-up of more than 30 graphic novels in 5 years, Alterna has one of the largest libraries of creator-owned work for a small press publisher. The partnership with Alterna will allow for wider distribution and visibility for PLASTIC FARM.

"I'm ecstatic about partnering with Peter and Alterna", says Roberts. "I've long admired the other books they've put out, like AMERICAN TERROR and THE CHAIR, and to be part of this team is a thrill."Simeti echoed Roberts' comments, "Rafer has been great to work with and I couldn't be happier about having PLASTIC FARM as the second addition to our Partnership Program. We've already had a lot of success with Jeff McComsey's FUBAR as our initial selection for the program and I feel strongly that we'll repeat that success with PLASTIC FARM. It's a great book with a compelling story – what more could you want?"

PLASTIC FARM has been described as "A really strange, really engrossing good comic book" by CEREBUS creator Dave Sim and as "An epic descent into madness and, not coincidentally, hilarity" by Rob Vollmar, the Eisner nominated author of CASTAWAYS and BLUESMAN.

PLASTIC FARM began publication in 2000 as a series of mini-comics and has been published in print and online. PLASTIC FARM: SOWING SEEDS ON FERTILE SOIL is written and mostly drawn by Rafer  Roberts, and features artwork from Danielle Corsetto (Girls With Slingshots), Dennis Culver (ONI's TRUE TALES OF ROLLER DERBY), Dave Morgan, Wendi Strang-Frost (JOHNNY PUBLIC, ELFQUEST) and Jake Warrenfeltz (MAGIC BULLET, TRICKSTER).

For more information about PLASTIC FARM, please visit: http://www.plasticfarm.com
ISBN: 9780981457024
For more information about Alterna Comics and their Partnership Program, please visit: http://www.alternacomics.com

A pdf preview of the collection can be downloaded here:
http://plasticfarm.com/alterna/PlasticFarm-free-preview.pdf



###



Rafer Roberts
Plastic Farm Press
http://www.plasticfarm.com
813 S. Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301-992-7719

Comic books uh-oh

Beyond Comics puts out a weekly newsletter, listing the new comics and the like coming  out that week.

This list caught my eye as an egregious sign that speculation is back in the comic book market:

Variant Covers
 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD VAR #658
 BATMAN AND ROBIN VAR ED #22
 BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR THOR GOES TO HOLLYWOOD #517
 FLASH VAR ED #10
 GI JOE VOL 2 10 COPY INCV #1
 HELLBOY BUSTER OAKLEY GETS HIS WISH MIGNOLA VAR
 IRON MAN 2.0 DJURDJEVIC VAR #3
 JOHN BYRNE NEXT MEN 10 COPY INCV #5
 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY A ADAMS VAR #622
 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD VAR #62
 JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST VAR ED #23
 NEW AVENGERS THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD VAR #11
 SHIELD INFINITY WEAVER VAR
 SKAAR KING OF SAVAGE LAND TAN VAR #1
 SUPERMAN VAR ED #710
 TRANSFORMERS ONGOING 10 COPY INCV #18
 TRANSFORMERS RISING STORM 10 COPY INCV #3
 ULTIMATE AVENGERS VS NEW ULTIMATES CHO VAR #3
 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN MCGUINNESS VAR #157
 UNCANNY X-FORCE THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD VAR #7
 UNCANNY X-MEN THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD VAR #535
 WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS 10 COPY A ADAMS VIRGIN VAR #2
 X-MEN LEGACY THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD VAR #247

...almost 25 variant covers in one week?  Not good.

More on the Stafford County Sun's Frank Lewis

Tom Spurgeon of the Comics Reporter dug more into Frank Lewis' career and found these two articles:

Lewis contributes to children's book
By Stafford County Sun Staff
January 26, 2011
http://www2.staffordcountysun.com/news/2011/jan/26/lewis-contributes-childrens-book-ar-800749/


Frank Lewis: cartoonist and combatant
By BEN BLANKENSHIP / Stafford County Sun
 May 09, 2007
http://www2.staffordcountysun.com/lifestyles/2007/may/09/frank_lewis_cartoonist_and_combatant_05_09_07_scs-ar-296219/

Richard Thompson quoted in Little Nemo article

Winsor McCay's 'Little Nemo' brought a new animated spirit to film 100 years ago
Charles Solomon
April 11, 2011
http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/04/11/winsor-mccays-little-nemo-brought-a-new-animated-spirit-to-film-100-years-ago/

Daniel Boris still in Cartoonist Studio contest

According to his Facebook page, Daniel Boris is still in the running for the Cartoonist Studio contest.

Al Goodwyn is still in Cartoonist Studio contest

Al Goodwyn wrote in:

Just wanted you to know that the contest is still progressing.  So far I've made it into Round 7 of this 10 Round competition.  They've eliminated 70 cartoonists so far.

Here's the link to this week's entry of mine:http://tinyurl.com/6y9llrn

Here's the link to what they call the Amateur Cubicle where I have quite a few of my cartoons posted:http://tinyurl.com/3o4tzos


Artley wins 2 Virginia Press Association Awards

Steve Artley has won a couple of awards -

Saturday, I attended the Virginia Press Association awards banquet in Norfolk. I and several hundred others received awards. Just like last year, I got 1st and 2nd place for editorial cartooning in non-daily publications (they call the category "illustrations"). Last year I came home with the  Best in Show plaque, but didn't get it this time (sniff).

First Place: http://www.omnicontests3.com/vpa/omnigallery/entry/gallery_item_info.cfm?child=1&client_id=1&entry_id=4126&competition_id=2&gallery_item_id=743

 

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Tomorrow: Capicons convention

Capicons Comic Book and Pop Culture Con
Sunday, April 10 · 10:00am - 3:00pm
________________________________
Location
Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire And Rescue Department
2148 Gallows Road
Dunn Loring, VA
________________________________
More Info
Special Guest: Rafer Roberts--creator of Plastic Farm, and editor of D.C. Conspiracy's Magic Bullet! More TBA!

Admission $3 - Kids FREE!

Open to the public from 10 am - 3 pm. Buy, sell & trade: Gold, Silver, Bronze Age comics; Indie & Modern comics, Publishers & Creators, TV & Movie Collectibles. Non-sport cards; Videos & DVDs; Horror/Sci-Fi; figures, toys; Star Wars & Star Trek memorabilia; original artwork, posters and other comic-related collectibles.

Thursday, April 07, 2011

Former local comics journalist Scott Rosenberg recommends comics in NY

MoCCA: Seek out these comics and graphic novels
By Scott A. Rosenberg
amNY 4/6/11
http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/mocca-seek-out-these-comics-and-graphic-novels-1.2804543

Washingtonian Shannon Gallant identified as 'Oklahoman S.L. Gallant' in profile

Former Oklahoman S.L. Gallant to draw Family Guy comics
Matt Price
nerdblog April 6, 2011M
http://blog.newsok.com/nerdage/2011/04/06/former-oklahoman-s-l-gallant-to-draw-family-guy-comics/

Library of Congress Personal Archiving Day on April 30

Many comic collectors have their own archive of course...



April 7, 2011

Public contact: William Lefurgy (202) 707-8618, wlef@loc.gov

Pass It On:  Personal Archiving Day at the Library of Congress on April 30

Personal treasures should be safeguarded so that future generations can share in the collective memories of loved ones. Advice on how to preserve and protect precious digital and traditional photos, documents, recordings and more will be presented on Personal Archiving Day at the Library of Congress.

Pass it On: Personal Archiving Day at the Library of Congress will be  held on Saturday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in LJ 119, first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Library staff will be on hand to talk directly with individuals about how to manage and preserve their collections. There will also be videos and printed information available. For security reasons, attendees are asked not to bring collection materials to the event. No appraisals will be provided. For information about visiting the Library go to www.loc.gov/visit/.

Pass it On: Personal Archiving Day at the Library of Congress celebrates Preservation Week (April 24-30), www.ala.org/preservationweek/. This joint initiative of the Library, the American Library Association, the Institute for Museum and Library Services and other partner organizations highlights libraries and other collecting institutions as excellent sources of preservation information. The Library's Personal Archiving Day is co-sponsored by the Library's Office of Strategic Initiatives and Library Services.

 "It is a great pleasure for us to be able to help families preserve their photograph collections," said Laura Campbell, associate librarian for Strategic Initiatives. "Digital technology in particular provides new challenges and opportunities to keeping  photographs accessible over time and across generations."

Deanna Marcum, associate librarian for Library Services, said "Many of the collections currently held by the Library of Congress came originally from personal collectors. It is in the best interest of the Library to help families preserve memorabilia that help trace the history of our communities and nation."

To learn more about the event and to sign up for free digital preservation updates, visit www.digitalpreservation.gov.  

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, with nearly 145 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site, in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill, and through its award-winning website at www.loc.gov. Many of the Library's rich resources and treasures may also be accessed via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

The Office of Strategic Initiatives, National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program is pursuing a national strategy to collect, preserve and make available significant digital content, especially information that is created in digital form only, for current and future generations.

# # #

PR 11-077
04/07/10
ISSN 0731-3527

Stafford County Sun cartoonist Frank Lewis dies

Sun cartoonist dies
By Stafford County Sun  April 06, 2011
http://www2.staffordcountysun.com/news/2011/apr/06/sun-cartoonist-dies-ar-954693/

Frank Lewis was 89.

2 local publications up for Eisner Awards

2 local publications are up for Eisner Awards - Trickster in best anthology and USA Today's comics blog for best journalism.

Good luck!

Please let me know if I missed anyone else.