October 7: 'Piled Higher and Deeper' movie coming to DC area

Jorge Cham's webcomic is now a movie, and the details are covered in this article -  PHD Comics, Coming to a Theater Near You. Wired.com's Wired Science blog (September 13 2011): http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/09/phd-comics-movie/

According to the movie's website it will be at both University of Maryland College Park and Georgetown University on October 7th.

PR: Spy vs. Spy is back! Win free swag from the Spy Museum and Catalog Spree

This rolled in recently:

Remember the Spy Vs. Spy comic strip and animated series from when you were a kid? That beloved pair of conniving black and white spies who were constantly trying to one-up each other?

Now you can relive all the fun – and the mischief – with the line of Spy vs. Spy books, accessories and apparel available through the Spy Museum Store. To celebrate the availability of this Spy vs. Spy merchandise, the Spy Museum is offering comic fans everywhere a chances to win some of the gear in a sweepstakes exclusively hosted by Catalog Spree, the free catalog shopping app on the iPad.

The sweepstakes offers up two $50 Spy Museum Store gift cards and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on October 9th. For a valid entry, you must go to Catalog Spree Facebook Page and fill out the online entry form. Each entrant may enter only once. Entrants are not required to make any purchases from Sponsor or pay any fees to Sponsor to participate in the Sweepstakes. For more official rules, please visit: http://catalogspree.com/spy-rules.

To enter, please visit Catalog Spree's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/catalogspree?sk=app_181335378572390 or download the app at www.catalogspree.com and click on the "Dare to Enter" banner above any International Spy Museum catalog.

PR: The 2012 Economist Wall Kalendar and other Kal news

From: kevin Kallaugher

I have some news for you that I hope you will find of interest.

I am pleased to announce the new Economist wall calendar is at the printers! This is very exciting. The artwork has been 6 months in the making and I believe this year's product is the best one yet.

That Darn Toles, redux

Letter to the Editor
Our lefthanded president
Washington Post September 10 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/our-lefthanded-president/2011/09/08/gIQAP5szFK_story.html

Tom Toles, in his caricatures of public figures, often is spot on, but his depiction of President Obama making a golf swing in his Sept. 7 cartoon was inaccurate. The president is known to be a "southpaw," and his clubs are made to reflect that. Unless Toles's image was intended to be a mirror image, Obama's swing and club were both inaccurate.

R. Lance Gardner, Arlington

Michael Auger featured in Gazette

Gaithersburg artist isn't 'tooning' around
Newspaper featuring local comics distributed around town
by Cody Calamaio, Staff Writer
September 12 2011
http://www.gazette.net/article/20110912/ENTERTAINMENT/799999735/1020/gaithersburg-artist-isn-t-tooning-around&template=gazette

SPX article at Comics Worth Reading

SPX 2011: Quick Thoughts and Mini Reviews
 by Johanna Draper Carlson on September 11, 2011
http://comicsworthreading.com/2011/09/11/spx-2011-quick-thoughts-and-mini-reviews/

Comic Riffs on the fairness of Doonesbury

THE RIFF: Must a cartoon like 'Doonesbury' really be 'fair'?
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 13 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/the-riff-must-a-cartoon-like-doonesbury-really-be-fair/2011/09/13/gIQArvPuPK_blog.html

SPX covered at Publishers Weekly

Small Press Expo Gets Bigger Despite Earthquake
By Heidi MacDonald and Calvin Reid
Sep 13, 2011
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/48662-small-press-expo-gets-bigger-despite-earthquake.html

PR: Fantom Comics Early Closing Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 14th

Just a quick head's up: Union Station is closing the West Wing of the station at 5pm sharp on New Comic Book Day tomorrow, Wednesday, September 14th.   So please be sure to pick up your books before 4:30pm, to be safe. Or on Thursday, when we'll be back to our regular schedule once again.   Thank you for your patience, and very sorry for the inconvenience. Union Station - 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE | Washington, DC 20002 | 202-216-9478 www.fantomcomics.com

Voice of America on webcomics

Sidestepping Newspapers, Comics Go Online
Artists earn income from online ads, merchandise sales
Faiza Elmasry | Washington, D.C.
Voice of America September 12, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/arts/Sidestepping-Newspapers-Comics-Go-Online-129662013.html

I love Danielle Corsetto's Girls with Slingshots.

Donna Lewis comments on 9-11 comic strip project

Down in the comments section -

My feelings on Comics and 9/11
by Alan Gardner
Daily Cartoonist September 11, 2011
http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2011/09/11/my-feelings-on-comics-and-911/

Here's an earlier post I had about this topic with comments from local cartoonists.

Politico on Bluewater's biographical comics, and the CDC's educational ones

Political comic books super success
By PATRICK GAVIN | 9/11/11
 http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/63201.html

CDC to fight HIV with comic books
By DAVID SALEH RAUF | 9/12/11
This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 1:11 p.m. on September 12, 2011.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/63262.html

Wash Post on latest Doonesbury flap

In 'Doonesbury,' Palin biography 'The Rogue' gets a comic-strip tease
By Michael Cavna,
Washington Post September 12 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/doonesburys-satirical-comic-strip-tease-with-mcginniss-and-palin-excerpts/2011/09/09/gIQABAXVLK_story.html

And the slightly different and longer blog version...

‘DOONESBURY’s’ ‘strip tease: Garry Trudeau offers sneak-peak of McGinniss’s new Palin bio
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 12 2011

PR: HEART #1 SIGNING Meet BLAIR BUTLER (G4TV) & KEVIN MELLON, creators of HEART

 

HEART #1 SIGNING Meet BLAIR BUTLER (G4TV) & KEVIN MELLON, creators of HEART

 

Time	Saturday, November 12 · 11:00am - 8:00pm
Location	THIRD EYE COMICS 45 OLD SOLOMONS ISL RD Annapolis, MD
Created By	THIRD EYE COMICS
More Info	SAT. NOV 12th 11AM-8PM *************************** HEART #1 LAUNCH PARTY WITH SPECIAL GUESTS BLAIR BUTLER and KEVIN MELLON! *Meet the creators of the biggest IMAGE series of 2011 with our special HEART #1 launch party! We'll have writer BLAIR BUTLER (G4TV's FRESH INK) and artist KEVIN MELLON (LOVESTRUCK, GEARHEAD) on hand signing copies of their brand new series HEART, a compelling journey through the world of MIXED MARTIAL ARTS from IMAGE COMICS! *Get the HEART #1 THIRD EYE VARIANT! November 12th will also be the first day that we'll have our special HEART #1 THIRD EYE COMICS Exclusive variant cover available! This is the grand finale of our big 6 WEEK HEART ATTACK, which you can keep up on the event schedule by going to www.6weekheartattack.com. Attend ALL 6 Week HEART ATTACK events, and receive a special VIP early admission pass to the Nov 12th signing, allowing you to enter 1 hour before the doors open!

Intervention con interview at Comics are Great podcast

Comics Are Great! 26 – Gathering Your Community
 by Jerzy Drozd 
September 8, 2011
http://comicsaregreat.com/cag26
http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.blubrry.com/comicsaregreat/p/comicsaregreat.com/audio/cag26.mp3

Mark Burrier interviewed

Mark Burrier - Cartoonist Survey #239
David Paccia
David-Wasting-Paper blog
September 6, 2011
http://david-wasting-paper.blogspot.com/2011/09/mark-burrier-cartoonist-survey-239.html

You'll see this subject line again soon, because David beat me into (print?) press with an interview with the Frederick, MD artist.  I've got one that should be up on the City Paper site soon - Burrier and Mike Imboden got bumped by the slew of SPX interviews. 

Comic Riffs interviews Yoe on Herriman

SPX 2011: Author CRAIG YOE hatches celebration of Herriman with dazzling new 'Krazy Kat'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 11 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/spx-2011-author-craig-yoe-hatches-celebration-of-herriman-with-dazzling-new-krazy-kat/2011/09/08/gIQAKAgBKK_blog.html

SPX day one impressions

But first - an ad. I'll be speaking to Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes at 2:30. Stop in and hear us and interrupt with questions.

Wow, SPX was the busiest I've ever seen. Wear light clothing, because it got hot in the exhibit floor.

Prints I liked and bought - Jason Little's Bee poster, Roger Langridge's Snarked print, Brooke Allen's print at the NBM table, Sara Varon's book launch poster, Joe Gill's 2 Little Nemo parody prints, and CCCS' annual ICAF poster.

Books by friends bought - Keith Knight, Roger Langridge and Jennifer Hayden's new books. Anything that DC Conspiracy has out that's new since the last time I've seen them.

One that got away - Charles Vess art page of Jeff Smith's Rose at the CBLDF auction. Couldn't figure out how to explain that one at home.

Roger Langridge

Alexis Fajardo

Roz Chast

Chester Brown


Jennifer Hayden


Sara Varon

Truitt on Star Wars animation

Admiral Ackbar stars in animated 'Star Wars'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY September 10 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/story/2011-09-10/Admiral-Ackbar-stars-in-animated-Star-Wars/50324746/1

Comic Riffs' SPX interviews and 9-11 comic strips

9/11 ART: From honor to anger, 10 cartoonists reveal feelings behind Sunday's funnies to mark anniversary
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 9 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/911-art-from-honor-to-anger-10-cartoonists-reveal-feelings-behind-sundays-funnies-to-mark-anniversary/2011/09/08/gIQA4ASwEK_blog.html

9/11 ART: Spain's Ana Juan shares the inspiration behind her evocative New Yorker anniversary cover
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 10 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/911-art-spains-ana-juan-shares-the-inspiration-behind-her-evocative-new-yorker-anniversary-cover/2011/09/10/gIQA2oOPHK_blog.html

SPX 2011: Through his interviews, G.B. TRAN constructs an especially compelling 'Vietnamerica'
Winyan Soo Hoo
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 10 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/spx-2011-through-long-interviews-gb-tran-constructs-an-especially-compelling-vietnamerica/2011/09/09/gIQA64XSHK_blog.html

SPX 2011: Brooklyn's JULIA WERTZ on the cartooning life — after giving up the drinking life
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 10 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/spx-2011-brooklyns-julia-wertz-on-the-cartooning-life--after-giving-up-the-drinking-life/2011/09/08/gIQAH4DmHK_blog.html

SPX 2O11: New Yorker's great ROZ CHAST tells us what she hates
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 10 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/spx-2o11-new-yorkers-great-roz-chast-tells-us-what-she-hates/2011/09/07/gIQA30LZHK_blog.html

Editorial cartoonist Jim Hunt interview online

Q&A: Jim Hunt, Annapolis Cartoonist with National Reach
You've seen his work—now get to know the man behind it.
    By Donna L. Cole
Historic Annapolis Patch September 9 2011
http://historicannapolis.patch.com/articles/qa-jim-hunt-annapolis-cartoonist-with-national-reach

Roger Langridge interview online for SPX

Meet an SPX Cartoonist: A Chat With Roger Langridge
by Mike Rhode on Sep. 9, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/09/09/meet-a-visiting-spx-cartoonist-a-chat-with-roger-langridge/

A Chat With Colleen Frakes for SPX

Meet an SPX Cartoonist: A Chat With Colleen Frakes
Posted by Mike Rhode on Sep. 9, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/09/09/meet-a-visiting-spx-cartoonist-a-chat-with-colleen-frakes/

9-11 animation featured on Post blog

Sept. 11 cartoons give the tragedy back to the victims
By Melissa Bell
Washington Post's Blog Post blog (September 9 2011)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/sept-11-cartoons-give-the-trag\
edy-back-to-the-victims/2011/09/09/gIQA6ZeiFK_blog.html

Team Cul de Sac zine available at SPX

Craig Fischer will have copies of the TCDS fanzine for sale at SPX. You can certainly find him when he's moderating a panel for sure, or if you know Mike, buttonhole me and I'll lead you over to him.

Geppi's Entertainment Museum's 5th anniversary this month

GEM Celebrates Fifth Anniversary

Scoop September 9 2011

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=34&s=265&ai=112779

Oct 19: Comic Strips & Culture exhibit opens at McDaniel College

Comic Strips & Culture 1895-1950

http://www.mcdaniel.edu/11672.htm

 

 

 

Dates: October 19, 2011 -- November 19, 2011
Rice Gallery, Peterson Hall (near Alumni Hall Theatre)
2 College Hill, Westminster, MD

About:
The unique exhibition, designed by graduate students at the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C., features such classics as Krazy Kat, Blondie, Pogo and Peanuts and was inspired by Associate Professor of Communication Robert Lemieux's quest to educate the public about the cultural and historical relevance of the Sunday funnies. See original, hand-drawn panels and early newsprint pieces on loan from The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State University.

Complementing the exhibition will be a speaker series featuring contemporary cartoonists

Admission to campus programs is free and open to the public. Call 410.857.2290 for gallery hours.

Noah van Sciver SPX interview online

Meet an SPX Cartoonist: A Chat With Noah Van Sciver

by Mike Rhode on Sep. 9, 2011

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/09/09/meet-an-spx-cartoonist-a-chat-with-noah-van-sciver/

Lauren Weinstein's SPX feelings

Matt Dembicki passed along this amusing link to Lauren Weinstein's feelings about SPX.

PR: The CBLDF At SPX 2011!

SPX 2011 Is Here!

The 2011 Small Press Expo  kicks off on Saturday and the CBLDF will be there with an extremely limited advance premiere edition of Craig Thompson's Habibi, the launch of Sara Varon's Bake Sale, a special benefit appearance by Roz Chast, and an incredible auction featuring original art by Charles Vess, Tony Millionaire, Roger Langridge, Dean Haspiel, Jessica Abel and many more.  Read on for all the details!

Craig Thompson Launches Habibi At SPX
With 100 Copy Limited Preview Edition
Auction for Lunch with Craig & #1/100 Habibi Ends Tonight!

CBLDF is delighted to launch Craig Thompson's highly anticipated new graphic novel, Habibi, during SPX 2011. You can get one of 100 signed and numbered advance copies of this gorgeous book during the show! CBLDF is also auctioning an exclusive lunch with Thompson.  Bid on the lunch & book now - bidding ends tonight! 

SPX 11: Jeff Alexander Memorial Auction Preview

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the organizers of SPX are proud to honor the memory of Jeff Alexander by launching an annual benefit auction in his name at this year's convention. Jeff Alexander was a friend to the small press community, both as a cartoonist and an organizer of SPX and the Ignatz Awards. He passed away earlier this year.

The first annual Jeff Alexander Memorial Benefit Auction includes pieces from Jeff's collection that he donated to the CBLDF, including original art by Charles Vess & Jeff Smith, Tony Millionaire, and Roger Langridge. The auction also includes contributions from the SPX community, including Keith Knight, Raina Telgemeier, Jeffrey Brown and many more.

Below is a full listing of items that will be available in the auction, which will happen this Saturday at 4:30 at SPX.  Internet bids will be received by emailing charles.brownstein@cbldf.org by Saturday afternoon at 1 PM ET.

Charles Vess - Bone Prequel: Rose page signed by Charles Vess and Jeff Smith
Tony Millionaire - Billy Hazelnuts page
Hannibal King - Eyes Only
Pete Sickman Garner - Hey Mister page
Roger Langridge - The Pest in the Vest . Homage to Dr Suess
Billy Tucci - Shi: Heaven and Earth, issue 4, page 25
Jeffrey Brown - CBLDF Year In Review page
Molly Crabapple Mermaid
Chynna Clugston Flores pin-up
Jonathan Ames & Dean Haspiel - Portrait of Ames screen print 5/5
Peter Bagge - Pizza Scholar pencil drawing
Camilla D'Errico - Caverns pin-up
Bill Morrison - Simpsons & Terry Moore pin-up
Jeffrey Brown - Emerald City Comic-Con ad original art
Ray Fawkes Painting
Roger Langridge - Gump Beach
Jim Mahfood & David Mack painting
Matt Madden - Shirin & Morgan playing pinball (Odds Off study) India ink and watercolor on sketchbook paper (11" x 8 1/2")
Jessica Abel - Clay, Nate Krusher, Junko, and Azteka reading comics, from Drawing Words & Writing Pictures, Chapter 1, India ink on bristol board (~8" x 8")
Roger Langridge - Knuckles The Malevolent Nun #1 Original art
Lisa Hanawalt - Genital Kicks -- fully painted sneakers

Events at SPX to benefit Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

Roz Chast original cartoons

New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, known for her single-panel cartoons, illustration work and children's books, will draw and sell original cartoons at the SPX signing table. Proceeds will be divided equally between SPX's new Graphic Novel Gift Program and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Pen and ink drawings will be $25 and watercolor drawings $50; Ms. Chast will be drawing on Saturday, 1:30-3:30PM and 5:00-6:30PM, and on Sunday from Noon-1:30PM. Additionally, books will be available for purchase at the signing table from our good friends at Politics & Prose.

Sara Varon Bake Sale Premiere!

Sara Varon will be signing at the CBLDF's table signing her new book Bake Sale on Saturday from 3 PM to 5 PM!

Sara Varon returns with an ageless tale as dreamy and evocative as her break-out hit graphic novel Robot Dreams. At once deeply metaphorical and hilariously literal, Bake Sale is a story for anyone who's ever looked for an easy answer to life's intractable difficulties. It's also a cookbook: Varon includes seven delicious recipes, from classic cupcakes to sugared flower petals to marzipan.

SPX 2011 happens Saturday Sep 10 and Sunday Sep 11 at the Bethesda North Marriott Convention Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, Bethesda, MD 20852.  For more info visit http://www.spxpo.com

 

PR: Jim Woodring at Politics & Prose tonight, SPX parking, and SPX print sets

From Warrren Bernard:

 

I made a tremandous faux pas and left off the list of SPX related events the book signing by Jim Woodring tomorrow at 7PM at Politics & Prose. Jim will be talking about totally different stuff than his SPX panel appearances, plus Politics & Prose has the best graphic novel section of any store in the DC area. They are great fans of both the graphic novel form and SPX, so please go support them and maybe see some stuff that you will not see at SPX in their graphic novel section. More info on the store, which is located at the corner of Nebraska and Connecticut Ave in DC,  and the signing can be found at http://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/jim-woodring-congress-animals.

For those of you that have not seen it, below is a picture of the amazing tote bag that Jim Woodring designed for us. $10 a pop!! Whutadeal!!

And once again, we have created a limited edition print set with prints of the posters, flyers, etc. etc. by Woodring, Craig Thompson, Kate Beaton,Sara Varon, Diane Noomin, Lille Carre and others, over 10 signed and numbered prints for $50. There are only 25 sets available, no, wait, now that I think of it 23 sets available as I will take one and one is going to the SPX Collection at the Library of Congress.

Both the tote bag and limited edition set will be for sale at the Registration Counter in front of the main doors.

For those of you coming to SPX and planning to park, be aware that if you stay over 4 hours in the Marriott parking lot, it will be $15. There is a free parking lot down the street from the White Flint Metro, at the corner of Marinelli and Citadel on the north east corner check out the Google map here. It is .3 miles, about a 7 minute walk to get from the free (that is no money!!) parking garage to the Marriott. And that is like $15 that is better off spent on cool mini-comix at SPX.

Sept 9: Roger Langridge at Vienna Big Planet. Georgetown Big Planet moving!

from their new e-newsletter...

Roger Langridge is signing tomorrow, Friday, September 9, from 5 to 7 pm, at our Vienna store! Roger Langridge did the amazing Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Fred the Clown, The Muppets, and his new Snarked! series. We are giving a free copy of Snarked! #0 to everyone at the signing. Stop by and meet a cartooning master! 426 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, VA 22180, 703-242-9412

 

Big Planet Comics is moving! Our Georgetown store is moving across town a bit to the bustling U Street corridor! Our new address will be 1520 U St. NW, in between 15th and 16th Streets, and only 2 and a half blocks from the U Street metro stop on the Green and Yellow Lines. The new location will open at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 28th, and we are now having an Inventory Reduction Moving Sale of 25% off hardcovers and trade paperbacks in our Georgetown store through September 24. (Yes, we don't want to carry EVERYthing to the new location.)

Falls Church comic book stores profiled

Trio of Stores Caters to Comic Book Lovers in Falls Church
By Hannah Bristol  
Falls Church News-Press September 07 2011
http://www.fcnp.com/arts/10056-trio-of-stores-caters-to-comic-book-lovers-in-falls-church.html

USA Today profiles Code Word: Geronimo

Graphic novel recounts U.S. hunt for Osama bin Laden
By John Geddes, USA TODAY September 7 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-09-07/Graphic-novel-recounts-US-hunt-for-Osama-bin-Laden/50300810/1

September 9: Atomic Books pre-SPX party

On September 9th, at 7 pm, Atomic Books continues their tradition of a pre-SPX party in Baltimore. Details here.

Sept 11: NP Clearly signs The 9-11 Comic Book in Arlington

I'll be interviewing Ann Telnaes at SPX when this happens so I won't be able to make it...

Sunday, Sept 11 at 2 pm: Reflecting on events of 9/11 10 years ago, N. P. Clearly discusses her graphic novel, "The 9-11 Comic Book". Haunted by 9-11 after her husband's escape, she wrote the graphic novel to seek expression for her feelings. A portion of proceeds benefits The Yellow Ribbon Fund.

A unique teaching tool, here's what some teachers have said:

"THE 9-11 COMIC BOOK is not only timely, tightly written, and boldly illustrated, it should be in the hands of everyone who remembers. It also must be read by kids who were too young to remember and should be aware of this horrific event. As a teacher, I'd wish a copy for every student. Graphic novels are a potent medium to inform, and this one is very effective." Helene C., California

One More Page | 2200 N. Westmoreland Street | #101 | Arlington | VA | 22213
Remember, in addition to street parking, there is retail parking available in the WestLee garage while you are shopping at One More Page. Follow the store signs to our back door, ring the buzzer and we'll welcome you in.

We are only 5 blocks from the East Falls Church Metro! Go right on 19th Street and follow the curve right to Westmoreland Street.

Phone: (703)-300-9746

Comics A.M. links to FOUR local writers about comics

Comics A.M., in one post, linked to my Craig Thompson interview, Greg McElhatton's review of Mike Dawson's collected webcomic, Troop 142, Xavier Xerxes review of Zahra's Paradise webcomic and a profile of Falls Church's comic book stores.*


*there's also at least 2 cartoonists living within blocks of those stores, but they don't do comic books.

Weldon on superhero movies

The Spandex Awards: The Highs And Lows Of The Summer's Superheroic Cinema

by Glen Weldon

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (September 8, 2011)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/09/08/140280254/the-spandex-awards-the-highs-and-lows-of-the-summers-superheroic-cinema

A Chat With Dustin Harbin online

Meet an SPX Cartoonist: A Chat With Dustin Harbin
by Mike Rhode on Sep. 8, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/09/08/meet-an-spx-cartoonist-a-chat-with-dustin-harbin/

 

PR: Small Press Expo welcomes diverse comics guests from the The New Yorker, ‘70s Comix Underground, and animated political cartooning.

Everybody under The Big Tent: Small Press Expo welcomes diverse comics guests from the The New Yorker, '70s Comix Underground, and animated political cartooning.

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Warren Bernard
                                                                   E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com

Bethesda, Maryland; September 8, 2011 –  SPX boasts an exceptionally diverse exhibitor and guest list this year, featuring one of the long time top cartoonist working at The New Yorker, a vanguard editor/creator in Underground Comix, as well as a Pulitzer-Prize winning editorial cartoonist and animator.

Cartoonist Roz Chast has been one of the most versatile and talented cartoonists at The New Yorker since she became a staff cartoonist in 1979, a year after her first cartoon was published in the magazine. Respected for her talent as a writer and for her canny eye for finding the humor in trivial everyday things, she has published 10 collections of her work that appeared in The New Yorker. Ms. Chast has also illustrated other peoples books, as well as writing her own childrens books, her most recent one is titled Too Busy Marco.

As one of the original contributors to Wimmen's Comix, the first series of comics drawn exclusively by women, Diane Noomin challenged the male-dominated landscape of '60s underground cartooning and helped set the stage for the extraordinary diversity of voices in contemporary cartooning. Her character Didi Glitz was introduced in 1974 in the comic "Didi Glitz: She Chose Crime",  and in 1976, Noomin founded the Twisted Sisters anthology series in collaboration with Aline Kominsky (now Crumb).

SPX is proud to have Ann Telnaes, one of only two women to win the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, as a guest at this year's show. Telnaes started as a designer and worked for several years at Walt Disney Imagineering, later working for different companies across the world as an animator.  She turned to political cartooning where she won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning, and a few years ago decided to combine her passions. She now does two to three animated cartoons a week for the Washington Post, which can be viewed at http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/telnaes.

Roz Chast, Diane Noomin and Ann Telnaes are but three of the over 120 women creators who will be at this years SPX, the list as well as links to most of their web sites is available at http://www.spxpo.com/exhibitors/women.

The SPX website also features a full list of exhibitors and guests at http://www.spxpo.com/exhibitors. Watch the site for expanded profiles of these Big Tent cartoonists.

About SPX

SPX is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators, as well as a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests.

SPX has established the  first of its kind Small Press Expo Collection at The Library of Congress to preserve the works of  the creators  in the indie comics field who either exhibit or are a guest at SPX,  as well as the history of the SPX Festival istelf.

As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, which gifts graphic novels to public and academic libraries, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), which protects the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org.

The hours for SPX 2011 are 11am–7pm Saturday, September 10, and 12–6pm Sunday, September 11. Admission is $10 for a single day or $15 for the weekend.

For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com.

PR: AUTHOR GALIT SELIKTAR AT SPX THIS WEEKEND

Just a quick note to let you know that Galit Seliktar, author of our Spring release 'Farm 54' has confirmed that she will be attending the superlative SPX in Bethesda this Saturday, 10^th September. Come along and meet her at our table E7 during the day. Signing times will be posted in the morning but she will be around for a chat and to introduce her daughter Tamuz who is five and a quarter.

 

The  inimitable Stephen Vrattos will also be there and will happily guide you through all our titles and ensure you participate in our free entry prize draw.

 

If you are not attending this year then you are missing a great event that you can learn more about here: http://www.spxpo.com/about

 

Enjoy your weekend whatever you're doing.

 

Stephen Robson

www.ponentmon.com

 

Darryl Ayo's SPX interview online at City Paper

Meet An SPX Cartoonist: A Chat With Darryl Ayo
by Mike Rhode on Sep. 8, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/09/08/meet-an-spx-cartoonist-a-chat-with-darryl-ayo/

Small Press Expo, Sarah Glidden, and Kate Beaton featured in Express

Drawing Power
 By Fiona Zublin
[Washington Post] Express September 8, 2011, p. E5
online at http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2011/09/drawing_power.php

 

Jim Woodring at Politics and Prose tomorrow, and in the paper today

Creature Discomfort: Artist Jim Woodring takes his characters to unexpected places in a new graphic novel.
Stephen Deusner
[Washington Post] Express September 8 2011 p. E7
online at http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2011/09/creature_discomfort_jim_woodring.php

 

Comix Riffs interviews Collardey for SPX

SPX 2011: Pizza Island's DOMITILLE COLLARDEY sings the creative praises of shared artistic space

By Michael Cavna

Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 8 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/spx-2011-pizza-islands-domitille-collardey-sings-the-creative-praises-of-shared-artistic-space/2011/09/07/gIQA6iF2BK_blog.html

Meet a Visiting SPX Cartoonist: A Chat with Rob Ullman

Rob Ullman should be familiar to Washington readers of the City Paper because he illustrated Dan Savage's Savage Love sex advice column for years with both humor and hot babes. I believe I may have one of DC's largest collections of original sketches by Rob...

CDC: What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

RU: I'm kind of all over the place...I started doing auto-biographical comics and strips about 15 years ago, and have continued to do them in various forms over the years. I also have recently been doing hockey comics: biographies of players (usually those who've met untimely deaths...I have a thing for tragedy), strips about odd events and funny incidents in the sport's colorful history. I also have managed to make a bit of a name for myself as a drawer of pretty cartoon ladies...pin-ups and whatnot. It's a label I embrace wholeheartedly.

CDC: What work are you best-known for?

RU: In DC, I'm probably best known for doing the spot illustrations for Dan Savage's Savage Love column in the City Paper from 1999-2008. It's the one thing I've done that everybody in Washington has seen, and was instrumental in my discovery that I could draw naked people pretty well.

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

RU: Traditional for pencilling and inking, then all computer for coloring and layout. The computer is just another tool, like a brush or a bottle of ink. I'm not adamantly anti-drawing-on-the-computer, but I haven't found/invested in a method of doing so that doesn't end up making the process more difficult and slow rather than less.

CDC: Can you tell us a little about your books that you'll have with you at SPX?

RU: As far as new books, I'll have the brand new issue of Old-Timey Hockey Tales, which has stories by Jeffrey Brown and I. I'm really proud of it, and I can't wait to show it off. I'll also have all my other books...a hardcover artbook of all my Savage spots and pin-up work called Atom-Bomb Bikini, two collections of my autobiographical strip Traffic & Weather, Grand Gestures from a bunch of years back, and about a dozen other mini-comics. I'll have a ton of prints and original art as well.

CDC: You've attended the Small Press Expo in the past - do you have any thoughts about your experience?

RU: This will be my 14th SPX...I haven't missed one since 1997. It's the closest I have to a "local" show, and it's always my favorite weekend of the year.

CDC: What are you looking forward to buying or seeing or doing for this year's event? Or who do you want to see, to catch up on old times, or to have a fanboy experience?

RU: Hoo, boy...we had a baby back in May, and I've been so busy with him and my other kid that I haven't even been able to even find out what'll be there! SPX for me is like a yearly class reunion, catching up with old pals and having a drink or five.

CDC: What's your favorite thing about the DC area? Least favorite?

RU: Favorite thing? So much to choose from. Great vibe, amazing restaurants. Least favorite has gotta be the traffic. Or maybe the Capitals.

CDC: What monument or museum do you like or wish to visit when you're in town?

Always like to visit the Hirshhorn when I have time.

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

RU: I can't speak for the larger comics "industry", but I think type of people who exhibit at SPX will always make comics, whether it's in print or on a screen, whether there's money in it or not, because they're compelled to, against all common sense. It is nice to make a few bucks, though.

CDC: Do you have a website or blog?

RU: Both! My oft-neglected "professional" website is robullman.com, but it's mostly for Fancy-Dan illustration clients and whatnot. The real fun is over at my blog, atombombbikini.net. Updated a few times a week. Usually. I promise.

PR: The 2011 Top Shelf Massive $3 Sale

Note that these prices will be available at SPX!

THE TOP SHELF MASSIVE $3 SALE  And we'll be honoring these prices at the SPX too (so we'll have a blast there as well!). All the best, Chris For the next two weeks -- thru Friday September 23th -- Top Shelf is having a giant $3 web sale. When you visit the site, you'll find 175 graphic novels and comics on sale -- with over 100 titles marked down to just $3 & $1! To help us continue doing what we do, please participate in this sale. With the economy as it's been, it's getting harder and harder to keep publishing such quality material. But if enough people participate, we'll be able to finish paying for this year's amazing releases, and "kick start" a full rollout for next year. Thanks in advance for your support (as the comics community IS the best community)! To go directly to the list of items on sale at the Top Shelf website, just click here: http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals But here are a few sample sale items: -- Slashed Prices: League 1910 & 1969, the new Blankets Hardcover, and more! -- Slashed Prices: Infinite Kung Fu, Any Empire, Lucille, and more! -- Slashed Prices: The Homeland Directive, Incredible Change-Bots, and more! -- Slashed Prices: Lost Girls, Chester 5000, From Hell, and more! -- Slashed Prices: Essex County, Alec, Tricked, Ax, and more! -- Slashed Prices: Owly, Korgi, Johnny Boo, Dragon Puncher, and more! -- $3 Titles: The Playwright, Fingerprints, Voice of the Fire, and more! -- $3 Titles: Dodgem Logic, Super Spy (V2), The Surrogates (V1&V2), and more! -- $3 Titles: Regards from Serbia, Comic Book Artist, The King, and more! -- $3 Titles: Will You Still Love Me If I Wet The Bed, Woodsman Pete, and more! -- $3 Titles: The 120 Days of Simon, Hey Princess, The Troll King, and more! -- $3 Titles: Pinky & Stinky, Yam, I Am Going To Be Small, and more! -- $1 Titles: Sulk (Vols 1, 2, & 3), SuperF*ckers #1-#4, and more! -- $1 Titles: The Surrogates #1-#5, The Sketchbook Diaries #1-#4, and more! -- $1 Titles: Lower Regions, Feeble Attempts, Conversations #1 & #2, and more! -- $1 Titles: Comic Diorama, The Man Who Loved Breasts, 24x2, and more! -- $1 Titles: Tales of the Great Unspoken, Black Ghost Apple Factory, Dang!, and more! -- $1 Titles: Mephisto & The Empty Box, Hey Mister, Yearbook Stores, and more! *** Please note that Top Shelf accepts PayPal (as well as Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover -- all secure), and that this sale is good for retailers as well (and comic book shops will get their wholesale discount on top of these sale prices). http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals And please re-post this, so your friends can find out about it as well! Your friend thru comics, Chris Staros Top Shelf Productions PO Box 1282 Marietta GA 30061-1282 USA chris@topshelfcomix.com www.topshelfcomix.com http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals

September 9: Cartoonists at U of MD

Lifted from Carolyn Belefski's blog...

University of Maryland this Friday, September 9, 2011 from 1-3PM.

Bleeding the Narrative: Comics in Art and Culture

Panelists: Jim Rugg, Robert Ullman, Monica Gallagher, Alexis E. Fajardo, Carolyn Belefski

The University of Maryland is in College Park, MD, 20742. The roundtable will be in the Michelle Smith Collaboratory for Visual Culture, which is on the 4th floor of the Art-Sociology Building.

Open to the public.

Griff the Invisible reviewed in City Paper, Onion

Griff The Invisible C+
 by Alison Willmore

Onion (online August 18, in print September 1 2011): 14
http://www.avclub.com/articles/griff-the-invisible,60576/

Griff the Invisible: Yet another film about a wannabe superhero with a heart of gold [in print as Caped Copycats, p. 38]
By Tricia Olszewski 

Washington City Paper September 2, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/41410/griff-the-invisible-reviewed-yet-another-film-about-a-wannabe/

Jen Sorensen interview online at City Paper

Meet an SPX Cartoonist: A Chat With Jen Sorensen
by Mike Rhode on Sep. 7, 2011 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/09/07/meet-an-spx-cartoonist-a-chat-with-jen-sorenson/