Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Bad News in DC #1
Read "City Paper's parent files for bankruptcy," By Bill Myers, Examiner Staff Writer 9/30/08. This would be Creative Loafing, the Florida chain that took over the City Paper last year and immediately slashed budgets, forcing the laying off of freelance cartoonists Rob Ullman and Shawn Belschwender. All of the strips in the paper were also dropped including Derf's The City, Cannon's Red Meat and Lynda Barry's Marilys.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Cartoonists visit troops at Walter Reed
I didn't witness this except to see them drive off in a minivan, but I'm told that Stephan Pastis, Jef Keane, Rick Kirkman, Tom Richmond and other cartoonists visited wounded troops at Walter Reed hospital today.
Brief account of Gaiman at LOC bookfest in Post
There's photographs online as well - "Storied Lives: Writers' Inspiration, Readers' Dedication Are on Display at Book Festival," By Bob Thompson, Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, September 29, 2008; C01.
Oct 1: Terry Pratchett on Post book chat
From the North American Discworld Convention Update Sept 27th:
The Washington Post's Book World will host a live chat with Terry on Wednesday, Oct 1st at 11 am ET, 8 am PT on their website. You can submit questions or comments now for the chat. Details can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/09/25/DI2008092502168.html . Note that registration may be required for access via the main Book World page at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artsandliving/books/index.html .
Strictly speaking, he's not a comic book writer, although I love his books. However, they have been adapted into comics.
The Washington Post's Book World will host a live chat with Terry on Wednesday, Oct 1st at 11 am ET, 8 am PT on their website. You can submit questions or comments now for the chat. Details can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/09/25/DI2008092502168.html . Note that registration may be required for access via the main Book World page at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artsandliving/books/index.html .
Strictly speaking, he's not a comic book writer, although I love his books. However, they have been adapted into comics.
Oct 3: Lynda Barry at Politics and Prose
Here's D&Q's PR:
LYNDA BARRY FALL 2008 WHAT IT IS TOUR DATES!
Slide Show and Signing unless otherwise noted!
These are the last dates until 2009! Do not miss the most enthralling and exhilarating author tour of 2009!
An exuberant, no-nonsense cheerleader for life’s outcasts, [Barry] led her smallish room’s capacity crowd in a sermon-like call to creativity without fear of failure, to engage in what she called deep play or suffer going slowly insane. Of all the convention’s professional badge wearers, she was the coolest. She finished her panel by singing, You Are My Sunshine without moving her lips and got a standing ovation.-MSNBC on COMICON 2008
BOSTON Thursday, October 2nd, 7 PM, Brookline Booksmith, brooklinebooksmith.com
WASHINGTON DC Friday, October 3rd, 7PM Politics & Prose, http://www.politics-prose.com
NYC, Saturday, October 4th, 4 PM, New Yorker Festival, festival.newyorker.com *In conversation with Matt Groening!
NYC, Sunday, October 5th, 3 PM, New Yorker Festival, festival.newyorker.com *Signing only
MADISON, Saturday, October 18th, 2PM, Wisconsin Book Festival, www.wisconsinbookfestival.org *Multi-Author Panel
TORONTO, Saturday, October 25th, 3PM, IFOA, www.readings.org
TORONTO, Sunday, October 26th, 1PM, IFOA, www.readings.org *With Chip Kidd
PORTLAND, Sunday, November 9th, 5PM, Wordstock, www.wordstockfestival.com
LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, November 18th, 7PM, Hammer Museum, www.hammer.ucla.edu *In conversation with Matt Groening!
LYNDA BARRY’S WRITING THE UNTHINKABLE TOUR DATES!
Toronto! Portland! Los Angeles! San Francisco!
http://www.myspace.com/writingtheunthinkable
PRAISE FOR WHAT IT IS:
The collages in legendary cartoonist Lynda Barry’s What It Is are a bathysphere-like odyssey through the depths of her funky subconscious.–Vanity Fair
Using ink brush, pen and pencil drawings as well as collages and luminous watercolors, many of them on lined yellow legal paper,
[What It Is] explores deep philosophical questions...–Carol Kino, The New York Times
Deliciously drawn...insightful and bubbling with delight. A –Salon
Part free-spirited workbook, part instruction in how to write... What It Is is unparalleled in originality.–Entertainment Weekly
ABOUT WHAT IT IS:
What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive wish to write or remember. Bursting with full-color drawings, comics, and collages, autobiographical sections and gentle creative guidance, each page is an invigorating example of exactly what it is: The ordinary is extraordinary. Lynda Barry explores the depths of the inner and outer realms of creation and imagination, where play can be serious, monsters have purpose, and not knowing is an answer unto itself. How do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? These types of questions permeate the pages of What It Is, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. Her insight and sincerity will tackle the most persistent of inhibitions, calling back every kid who quit drawing to again feel alive at the experiential level. Comprised of completely new material, this is her first Drawn & Quarterly book.
ABOUT LYNDA BARRY:
Lynda Barry has worked as a painter, cartoonist, writer, illustrator, playwright, editor, commentator and teacher and found they are very much alike. She is the inimitable creator behind the syndicated strip Ernie Pook\'s Comeek featuring the incomparable Marlys and Freddy, as well as the books One! Hundred! Demons!, The! Greatest! of! Marlys!, Cruddy: An Illustrated Novel, Naked Ladies! Naked Ladies! Naked Ladies!, and her first book for Drawn & Quarterly, 2008’s What It Is. D Q plans to publish a multivolume hardcover collection of Ernie Pook’s Comeek starting in 2009, as well as a collection of the Nearsighted Monkey.
Peggy Burns
Drawn & Quarterly
Director, Marketing & Publicity
400 Ave Atlantic #800
Montreal, QC H2V 1A5
t: 514/279-0691
peggy@drawnandquarterly.com
http://drawnandquarterly.com/blog/
LYNDA BARRY FALL 2008 WHAT IT IS TOUR DATES!
Slide Show and Signing unless otherwise noted!
These are the last dates until 2009! Do not miss the most enthralling and exhilarating author tour of 2009!
An exuberant, no-nonsense cheerleader for life’s outcasts, [Barry] led her smallish room’s capacity crowd in a sermon-like call to creativity without fear of failure, to engage in what she called deep play or suffer going slowly insane. Of all the convention’s professional badge wearers, she was the coolest. She finished her panel by singing, You Are My Sunshine without moving her lips and got a standing ovation.-MSNBC on COMICON 2008
BOSTON Thursday, October 2nd, 7 PM, Brookline Booksmith, brooklinebooksmith.com
WASHINGTON DC Friday, October 3rd, 7PM Politics & Prose, http://www.politics-prose.com
NYC, Saturday, October 4th, 4 PM, New Yorker Festival, festival.newyorker.com *In conversation with Matt Groening!
NYC, Sunday, October 5th, 3 PM, New Yorker Festival, festival.newyorker.com *Signing only
MADISON, Saturday, October 18th, 2PM, Wisconsin Book Festival, www.wisconsinbookfestival.org *Multi-Author Panel
TORONTO, Saturday, October 25th, 3PM, IFOA, www.readings.org
TORONTO, Sunday, October 26th, 1PM, IFOA, www.readings.org *With Chip Kidd
PORTLAND, Sunday, November 9th, 5PM, Wordstock, www.wordstockfestival.com
LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, November 18th, 7PM, Hammer Museum, www.hammer.ucla.edu *In conversation with Matt Groening!
LYNDA BARRY’S WRITING THE UNTHINKABLE TOUR DATES!
Toronto! Portland! Los Angeles! San Francisco!
http://www.myspace.com/writingtheunthinkable
PRAISE FOR WHAT IT IS:
The collages in legendary cartoonist Lynda Barry’s What It Is are a bathysphere-like odyssey through the depths of her funky subconscious.–Vanity Fair
Using ink brush, pen and pencil drawings as well as collages and luminous watercolors, many of them on lined yellow legal paper,
[What It Is] explores deep philosophical questions...–Carol Kino, The New York Times
Deliciously drawn...insightful and bubbling with delight. A –Salon
Part free-spirited workbook, part instruction in how to write... What It Is is unparalleled in originality.–Entertainment Weekly
ABOUT WHAT IT IS:
What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive wish to write or remember. Bursting with full-color drawings, comics, and collages, autobiographical sections and gentle creative guidance, each page is an invigorating example of exactly what it is: The ordinary is extraordinary. Lynda Barry explores the depths of the inner and outer realms of creation and imagination, where play can be serious, monsters have purpose, and not knowing is an answer unto itself. How do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? These types of questions permeate the pages of What It Is, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. Her insight and sincerity will tackle the most persistent of inhibitions, calling back every kid who quit drawing to again feel alive at the experiential level. Comprised of completely new material, this is her first Drawn & Quarterly book.
ABOUT LYNDA BARRY:
Lynda Barry has worked as a painter, cartoonist, writer, illustrator, playwright, editor, commentator and teacher and found they are very much alike. She is the inimitable creator behind the syndicated strip Ernie Pook\'s Comeek featuring the incomparable Marlys and Freddy, as well as the books One! Hundred! Demons!, The! Greatest! of! Marlys!, Cruddy: An Illustrated Novel, Naked Ladies! Naked Ladies! Naked Ladies!, and her first book for Drawn & Quarterly, 2008’s What It Is. D Q plans to publish a multivolume hardcover collection of Ernie Pook’s Comeek starting in 2009, as well as a collection of the Nearsighted Monkey.
Peggy Burns
Drawn & Quarterly
Director, Marketing & Publicity
400 Ave Atlantic #800
Montreal, QC H2V 1A5
t: 514/279-0691
peggy@drawnandquarterly.com
http://drawnandquarterly.com/blog/
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-01-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-01-08
By John Judy
THE ALCOHOLIC HC by Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel. A graphic novel about a writer who enjoys the occasional tipple if you can imagine such a beastly thing.
BATMAN #680 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. In which Bats faces down the Joker and the Club of Villains. Do they not realize he’s the !@#$% Batman?!
BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008 HC by Lotsa People including Chris Ware, Seth, Alison Bechdel and some guy named Matt Groening. Edited by Lynda Barry, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. What it says, people. Gotta look.
THE BOYS #23 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Beginning a new storyline so big they needed multiple covers just to…. Um…. Just to…. Take more money from gullible fans? Come on guys it’s a good series. You don’t need to do this. Plus the third BOYS trade paperback is out too, collecting issues #15-18.
DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #2 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. So we’ve learned that Lois Lane believes in small government, low taxes and a strong military. In other words there is no party in America she can vote for. I now believe this is a woman who was fooled by a pair of glasses all those years. Oh, and Green Arrow is a “librul.” Who knew? Good for DC for at least attempting to broach the subject of who a real hero would vote for.
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #9 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Doktor Sleepless: Hero, Villain, or Complete Nutjob? My money’s on “Yes.”
HARVEY COMICS CLASSICS, VOL. 4: BABY HUEY SC by Various Creators. It’s about a huge creature in a diaper who just wants someone to play with him. And it’s NOT Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana! It’s NOT, do you hear?!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. The African spider-god Anansi begins screwing with the histories of the JLA members. Is Anansi gunning for a job with DC Editorial?
MARVEL APES #3 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. They ain’t just super-hero apes, pal! They are VAMPIRE super-hero apes! Might as well just ship Kesel and Bachs their Eisners now. In your face, WATCHMEN!
NO HERO #1 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. That nice Mr. Ellis suggests that super-heroing might occasionally present certain unpleasantries.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #2 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. In this sorta out of continuity, sorta Mature Readers version Prince Namor is a scary legend of the sea who terrorizes and kills anyone dumb enough to screw with him. Milligan seems to get what Bill Everett figured out in Subby’s first appearance. The Sub-Mariner isn’t terrifying because he can breathe water. He’s terrifying because you can’t.
TOP TEN: SEASON TWO #1 of 4 by Xander Cannon and Gene Ha. The hard-working super-cops of Neoplolis are back without the guiding hand of creator Alan Moore. Still looks amazing. For fans of cop dramas and classic spandex. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
THE ALCOHOLIC HC by Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel. A graphic novel about a writer who enjoys the occasional tipple if you can imagine such a beastly thing.
BATMAN #680 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. In which Bats faces down the Joker and the Club of Villains. Do they not realize he’s the !@#$% Batman?!
BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008 HC by Lotsa People including Chris Ware, Seth, Alison Bechdel and some guy named Matt Groening. Edited by Lynda Barry, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. What it says, people. Gotta look.
THE BOYS #23 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Beginning a new storyline so big they needed multiple covers just to…. Um…. Just to…. Take more money from gullible fans? Come on guys it’s a good series. You don’t need to do this. Plus the third BOYS trade paperback is out too, collecting issues #15-18.
DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #2 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. So we’ve learned that Lois Lane believes in small government, low taxes and a strong military. In other words there is no party in America she can vote for. I now believe this is a woman who was fooled by a pair of glasses all those years. Oh, and Green Arrow is a “librul.” Who knew? Good for DC for at least attempting to broach the subject of who a real hero would vote for.
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #9 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Doktor Sleepless: Hero, Villain, or Complete Nutjob? My money’s on “Yes.”
HARVEY COMICS CLASSICS, VOL. 4: BABY HUEY SC by Various Creators. It’s about a huge creature in a diaper who just wants someone to play with him. And it’s NOT Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana! It’s NOT, do you hear?!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. The African spider-god Anansi begins screwing with the histories of the JLA members. Is Anansi gunning for a job with DC Editorial?
MARVEL APES #3 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. They ain’t just super-hero apes, pal! They are VAMPIRE super-hero apes! Might as well just ship Kesel and Bachs their Eisners now. In your face, WATCHMEN!
NO HERO #1 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. That nice Mr. Ellis suggests that super-heroing might occasionally present certain unpleasantries.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #2 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. In this sorta out of continuity, sorta Mature Readers version Prince Namor is a scary legend of the sea who terrorizes and kills anyone dumb enough to screw with him. Milligan seems to get what Bill Everett figured out in Subby’s first appearance. The Sub-Mariner isn’t terrifying because he can breathe water. He’s terrifying because you can’t.
TOP TEN: SEASON TWO #1 of 4 by Xander Cannon and Gene Ha. The hard-working super-cops of Neoplolis are back without the guiding hand of creator Alan Moore. Still looks amazing. For fans of cop dramas and classic spandex. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Small Press Expo To Be Held This Weekend, Saturday October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2008
I'm interviewing Our Man Thompson at... 5 pm on Sunday! Well, that will be a quick session.
Small Press Expo To Be Held This Weekend, Saturday October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Warren Bernard
Phone: 301-537-4615
E-Mail: webernard@spxpo.com
Bethesda, Maryland; September 29, 2008 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, will be held this weekend, Saturday, October 4 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, October 5 noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days.
In addition to a wide ranging series of panels and interviews, there will also be the presentation of the Ignatz Awards on Saturday night, October 4 at 9PM.
Information on the panels, interviews, directions and exhibitors can be found at http://www.spxpo.com.
This year, SPX is pleased to have the following special guests attending this year’s event:
Richard Thompson is a long time contributor to The New Yorker and a first time guest at Small Press Expo. Richard contributes a weekly political/social strip to The Washington Post called Richards Poor Almanac. Richard is also a contributor to The Atlantic Magazine, National Geographic and U.S. News and World Report and won the National Cartoonists Society's Magazine and Book Illustration Award. He is also a syndicated cartoonist, whose strip Cul De Sac is now in over 100 newspapers. Richard will be signing copies of Cul De Sac: No Exit, the first Cul De Sac collection at SPX.
Joost Swarte is best known to American audiences for his covers and illustrations for The New Yorker, along with his internationally recognized comic and poster work. He has extended his unique cartoon style into the world of industrial design by designing stained glass installations, sculptures and furniture, as well as the Toneelshuur Theater in Haarlem, The Netherlands. SPX is proud to host Mr. Swarte in one of his rare United States appearances.
Ben Katchor is making his first appearance at SPX. Mr. Katchor is known for his books “Julius Knippel, Real Estate Photographer”, “The Jew Of New York”, and “Beauty The Supply District”. He is a contributor of comics to both The New Yorker and the New York Times and has a regular strip that is printed in Metropolitan Magazine. Mr. Katchor has turned his talents to the stage, writing the libretto and creating the backgrounds for the plays “The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island” and “The Rosenbach Company”. Vist his web site at http://www.katchor.com
Bryan Lee O’Malley is the creator of the Scott Pilgrim (http://www.scottpilgrim.com) series of books issued by Oni Press. Scott Pilgrim was named Best Indy Comic of the Year by Entertainment Weekly and was recently optioned as a motion picture by Universal Studios. Bryan has been nominated for both the Eisner and Harvey Awards and is a past recipient of the Joe Schuster Award for Best Canadian Cartoonist and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. Bryan’s web site is http://www.radiomaru.com/.
Hope Larson is the creator of the recently released book, Chiggers, published by the Atheneum imprint of Simon & Schuster. She was the recipient of the 2006 Ignatz Award in the category Promising New Talent and the Eisner Award for Special Recognition in 2007. Her previous works include Gray Horses published by Oni Press and Salamander Dreams, her web comic subsequently published by Adhouse Books. Hope’s web site is
http://www.hopelarson.com/.
For further information on the artists or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at mailto:webernard@spxpo.com.
SPX, a non-profit organization, brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. A series of panel discussions will also be held of interest to readers, academicians and creators of graphic novels and political cartoons.
SPX culminates with the presentation of the 12th Annual Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning that will occur Saturday night, October 4. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting during the SPX.
As in previous years, all profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting 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/.
Founded in 1994, SPX is North America's premier alternative comic-book and graphic novel festival. This annual event brings together comic creators, publishers and fans together to celebrate the art of visual storytelling.
Small Press Expo To Be Held This Weekend, Saturday October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Warren Bernard
Phone: 301-537-4615
E-Mail: webernard@spxpo.com
Bethesda, Maryland; September 29, 2008 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, will be held this weekend, Saturday, October 4 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, October 5 noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days.
In addition to a wide ranging series of panels and interviews, there will also be the presentation of the Ignatz Awards on Saturday night, October 4 at 9PM.
Information on the panels, interviews, directions and exhibitors can be found at http://www.spxpo.com.
This year, SPX is pleased to have the following special guests attending this year’s event:
Richard Thompson is a long time contributor to The New Yorker and a first time guest at Small Press Expo. Richard contributes a weekly political/social strip to The Washington Post called Richards Poor Almanac. Richard is also a contributor to The Atlantic Magazine, National Geographic and U.S. News and World Report and won the National Cartoonists Society's Magazine and Book Illustration Award. He is also a syndicated cartoonist, whose strip Cul De Sac is now in over 100 newspapers. Richard will be signing copies of Cul De Sac: No Exit, the first Cul De Sac collection at SPX.
Joost Swarte is best known to American audiences for his covers and illustrations for The New Yorker, along with his internationally recognized comic and poster work. He has extended his unique cartoon style into the world of industrial design by designing stained glass installations, sculptures and furniture, as well as the Toneelshuur Theater in Haarlem, The Netherlands. SPX is proud to host Mr. Swarte in one of his rare United States appearances.
Ben Katchor is making his first appearance at SPX. Mr. Katchor is known for his books “Julius Knippel, Real Estate Photographer”, “The Jew Of New York”, and “Beauty The Supply District”. He is a contributor of comics to both The New Yorker and the New York Times and has a regular strip that is printed in Metropolitan Magazine. Mr. Katchor has turned his talents to the stage, writing the libretto and creating the backgrounds for the plays “The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island” and “The Rosenbach Company”. Vist his web site at http://www.katchor.com
Bryan Lee O’Malley is the creator of the Scott Pilgrim (http://www.scottpilgrim.com) series of books issued by Oni Press. Scott Pilgrim was named Best Indy Comic of the Year by Entertainment Weekly and was recently optioned as a motion picture by Universal Studios. Bryan has been nominated for both the Eisner and Harvey Awards and is a past recipient of the Joe Schuster Award for Best Canadian Cartoonist and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. Bryan’s web site is http://www.radiomaru.com/.
Hope Larson is the creator of the recently released book, Chiggers, published by the Atheneum imprint of Simon & Schuster. She was the recipient of the 2006 Ignatz Award in the category Promising New Talent and the Eisner Award for Special Recognition in 2007. Her previous works include Gray Horses published by Oni Press and Salamander Dreams, her web comic subsequently published by Adhouse Books. Hope’s web site is
http://www.hopelarson.com/.
For further information on the artists or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at mailto:webernard@spxpo.com.
SPX, a non-profit organization, brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. A series of panel discussions will also be held of interest to readers, academicians and creators of graphic novels and political cartoons.
SPX culminates with the presentation of the 12th Annual Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning that will occur Saturday night, October 4. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting during the SPX.
As in previous years, all profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting 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/.
Founded in 1994, SPX is North America's premier alternative comic-book and graphic novel festival. This annual event brings together comic creators, publishers and fans together to celebrate the art of visual storytelling.
BASH! Magazine #3 Now On Newsstands
I noticed the BASH! Magazine kiosks loaded with the October 2008 issue (#3) this morning at the Vienna and Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stops. It has a lovely Halloween orange tint, with an excerpt from Eamon Espey's content in the issue. Oh, and it has a full-page ad for SPX, which is cool (though I would've erred to include the writers and artists of BASH! who are attending the show in their list of attendees).
This month:
"One Person Each" by Theo Ellsworth
"Onion Head" by Bryan Stone
"Animal Stew: Taxidermy on Edge" by Matt Dembicki
"For Want of an Oomplip" by Morgan Pielli
"Something Happens" by Thomas K. Dye
"Tiny Sepuku" by Ken Cursoe (x2)
"Legs" by John Dimes
"Slow Wave" by Jesse Reklaw
"Slowpoke" by Jen Sorensen (x2)
"K Chronicles" by Keith Knight (x2)
"The First 9/11" by Dan Archer
"Limbs of the Megalith: The Sleeping or the Slain" by Eamon Espey
As in past issues, this is a mixture of the bizarre to the educational. Come see a bunch of these folks this weekend at the Small Press Expo!
This month:
"One Person Each" by Theo Ellsworth
"Onion Head" by Bryan Stone
"Animal Stew: Taxidermy on Edge" by Matt Dembicki
"For Want of an Oomplip" by Morgan Pielli
"Something Happens" by Thomas K. Dye
"Tiny Sepuku" by Ken Cursoe (x2)
"Legs" by John Dimes
"Slow Wave" by Jesse Reklaw
"Slowpoke" by Jen Sorensen (x2)
"K Chronicles" by Keith Knight (x2)
"The First 9/11" by Dan Archer
"Limbs of the Megalith: The Sleeping or the Slain" by Eamon Espey
As in past issues, this is a mixture of the bizarre to the educational. Come see a bunch of these folks this weekend at the Small Press Expo!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Interview with honorary ComicsDCian Von Allen
See "VON ALLAN'S "road" TO LI'L KIDS," by Jennifer M. Contino, Comicon's the Pulse 09-26-2008.
Small Press Expo's Owly guitar
Jeff Alexander, one of the organizers of SPX, has organized a guitar painted by Andy Runton to be auctioned off for the Comic Book Legal Defense fund.
Very cool.
Very cool.
Baltimore Comic-Con - Wrightson interview and more
I still haven't gotten my pictures online, but news from the BCC is starting to appear. (By the way, if anyone's got an extra of the Tucci Sgt Rock, poster, I'd like to get a copy of that.)
Actually I never even saw Bernie Wrightson yesterday, but here's an interview with him - "Master in horror genre is home for Comic-Con," By Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun September 28, 2008...
...an early report on the Harvey Awards "Horror Comics Haunt the Harvey Awards!" by Joseph McCabe, FEARnet September 9/28/2008...
...some panel and Harvey Award reports from Comic Book Resources...
2008 Harvey Award Winners
Sun, September 28th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
This weekend saw the presentation of the 2008 Harvey Awards, hosted by Kyle Baker and kicked off with keynote speaker Brian Bendis. Brian K. Vaughan, Darwyn Cooke and "All Star Superman" took the top honors.
Baltimore: Cup of B Panel
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
At the Cup of Bendis panel at Baltimore Comic-Con Saturday morning, a number of announcements came down including Slott on “Mighty Avengers,” Spider-Woman series finally scheduled and more.
Baltimore: The Bendis/Kirkman Debate
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
If you were unimpressed by Friday night's debate, the one between Robert Kirkman and Brian Bendis about creator-owned work held today at Baltimore Comic-Con won't disappoint. We've got all the details.
Baltimore: Tucci Presents The Return of Sgt. Rock
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Richard Chapell
Billy Tucci brought along members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to his panel Saturday morning to paint a picture of what World War II was like, which he’ll be depicting in “Sgt. Rock — The Lost Batallion.”
Baltimore: DC Nation Panel
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Richard Chapell
At today’s DC National Panel at the Baltimore Comic-Con, Dan DiDio brought Jimmy Palmiotti, Sterling Gates, James Robinson, Sean Mckeever and Ian Sattler to talk “Final Crisis” and update numerous other projects...
...and Newsarama has a bunch of stories including...
Baltimore Comic Con '08: The Kirkman - Bendis Panel
By Vaneta Rogers
Newsarama 2008-09-28
and not least, Richard and I spoke with Frank Cammusso who will also be at SPX. I was online with Frank years ago at SPX and enjoyed talking to him then and now - here's an interview on his new book...
Frank Cammuso on Knights of the Lunch Table
By Zack Smith
Newsarama 2008-09-24
Actually I never even saw Bernie Wrightson yesterday, but here's an interview with him - "Master in horror genre is home for Comic-Con," By Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun September 28, 2008...
...an early report on the Harvey Awards "Horror Comics Haunt the Harvey Awards!" by Joseph McCabe, FEARnet September 9/28/2008...
...some panel and Harvey Award reports from Comic Book Resources...
2008 Harvey Award Winners
Sun, September 28th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
This weekend saw the presentation of the 2008 Harvey Awards, hosted by Kyle Baker and kicked off with keynote speaker Brian Bendis. Brian K. Vaughan, Darwyn Cooke and "All Star Superman" took the top honors.
Baltimore: Cup of B Panel
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
At the Cup of Bendis panel at Baltimore Comic-Con Saturday morning, a number of announcements came down including Slott on “Mighty Avengers,” Spider-Woman series finally scheduled and more.
Baltimore: The Bendis/Kirkman Debate
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
If you were unimpressed by Friday night's debate, the one between Robert Kirkman and Brian Bendis about creator-owned work held today at Baltimore Comic-Con won't disappoint. We've got all the details.
Baltimore: Tucci Presents The Return of Sgt. Rock
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Richard Chapell
Billy Tucci brought along members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to his panel Saturday morning to paint a picture of what World War II was like, which he’ll be depicting in “Sgt. Rock — The Lost Batallion.”
Baltimore: DC Nation Panel
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Richard Chapell
At today’s DC National Panel at the Baltimore Comic-Con, Dan DiDio brought Jimmy Palmiotti, Sterling Gates, James Robinson, Sean Mckeever and Ian Sattler to talk “Final Crisis” and update numerous other projects...
...and Newsarama has a bunch of stories including...
Baltimore Comic Con '08: The Kirkman - Bendis Panel
By Vaneta Rogers
Newsarama 2008-09-28
and not least, Richard and I spoke with Frank Cammusso who will also be at SPX. I was online with Frank years ago at SPX and enjoyed talking to him then and now - here's an interview on his new book...
Frank Cammuso on Knights of the Lunch Table
By Zack Smith
Newsarama 2008-09-24
Much shorter Harvey Pekar biography
In spite of the evidence piling up, this isn't really a blog devoted to Harvey Pekar. I did run across something to mention today though. I've got a 248 page book devoted to Harvey out now as you're well aware, but, quoting from SMITH Magazine, in "Short memoirs: Six little words can be revealing," By Doug Mason, Knoxville News Sentinel Sunday, September 28, 2008, Harvey pretty much summed up the whole thing: "Fight, work, persevere - gain slight notoriety."
CARTOONISTS JOIN FOR "HAPPY ACCIDENTS," A DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY THEMES AND ISSUES IN GRAPHIC NOVELS AT GW'S GELMAN LIBRARY
Thanks to Herschel Kanter for sending this in! It looks like a follow-up to SPX.
CARTOONISTS JOIN FOR "HAPPY ACCIDENTS," A DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY THEMES AND ISSUES IN GRAPHIC NOVELS AT GW'S GELMAN LIBRARY
OCT. 6, 2008
EVENT:
Cartoonists Jesse Reklaw (The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production), Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button), Trevor Alixopulos (Hot Breath of War), Ken Dahl (Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome), and Sarah Edward-Corbett (See-Saw) will join a reading and panel discussion titled "Happy Accidents," about contemporary themes and issues in graphic novels. This event is sponsored by The George Washington University's Melvin Gelman Library and the University Writing Program.
WHEN:
Monday, Oct. 6, 2008; 5 p.m.
WHERE:
The George Washington University
Gelman Library, Room 301
2130 H St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom - GWU Metro Station (Orange and Blue lines)
COST:
This event is free and open to the public. Photo I.D. is required to enter the building. Media wishing to attend should contact Nick Massella at (202) 994-3087 or massella@gwu.edu.
BACKGROUND:
Jesse Reklaw turns the dreams of strangers into clever four-panel comic strips in The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production. This hardcover book collects five years of Reklaw's comic strip, Slow Wave, which appears in alternative weekly newspapers all over the country.
Twenty-five-year-old Dash Shaw's fourth graphic novel, Bottomless Belly Button, is a 720-page comedy-drama that follows the dysfunctional adventures of the Loony Family.
Trevor Alixopulos' Hot Breath of War takes seemingly unrelated episodes of life during wartime and entwines them into one experimental narrative. This subtle graphic novel explores love amidst conflict and the seduction of violence.
Ken Dahl documents alienation, incarceration, and inebriation in the new American Rome in Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome, a graphic novel anthology. Dahl is a 2006 Ignatz Award recipient and 2007 Center for Cartoon Studies Fellow.
Sara Edward-Corbett's comic strip See-Saw ran in the New York Press from 2003 - 2005. With her detail and affection for youthful insolence, she is a new contributor to Mome, the premier anthology of literary comics.
For additional information about the event, visit http://blogs.gelman.gwu.edu/blogs/news.
CARTOONISTS JOIN FOR "HAPPY ACCIDENTS," A DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY THEMES AND ISSUES IN GRAPHIC NOVELS AT GW'S GELMAN LIBRARY
OCT. 6, 2008
EVENT:
Cartoonists Jesse Reklaw (The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production), Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button), Trevor Alixopulos (Hot Breath of War), Ken Dahl (Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome), and Sarah Edward-Corbett (See-Saw) will join a reading and panel discussion titled "Happy Accidents," about contemporary themes and issues in graphic novels. This event is sponsored by The George Washington University's Melvin Gelman Library and the University Writing Program.
WHEN:
Monday, Oct. 6, 2008; 5 p.m.
WHERE:
The George Washington University
Gelman Library, Room 301
2130 H St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom - GWU Metro Station (Orange and Blue lines)
COST:
This event is free and open to the public. Photo I.D. is required to enter the building. Media wishing to attend should contact Nick Massella at (202) 994-3087 or massella@gwu.edu.
BACKGROUND:
Jesse Reklaw turns the dreams of strangers into clever four-panel comic strips in The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production. This hardcover book collects five years of Reklaw's comic strip, Slow Wave, which appears in alternative weekly newspapers all over the country.
Twenty-five-year-old Dash Shaw's fourth graphic novel, Bottomless Belly Button, is a 720-page comedy-drama that follows the dysfunctional adventures of the Loony Family.
Trevor Alixopulos' Hot Breath of War takes seemingly unrelated episodes of life during wartime and entwines them into one experimental narrative. This subtle graphic novel explores love amidst conflict and the seduction of violence.
Ken Dahl documents alienation, incarceration, and inebriation in the new American Rome in Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome, a graphic novel anthology. Dahl is a 2006 Ignatz Award recipient and 2007 Center for Cartoon Studies Fellow.
Sara Edward-Corbett's comic strip See-Saw ran in the New York Press from 2003 - 2005. With her detail and affection for youthful insolence, she is a new contributor to Mome, the premier anthology of literary comics.
For additional information about the event, visit http://blogs.gelman.gwu.edu/blogs/news.
Washington Times on Jenny, an atypical military comic strip
See "Jenny's mission of mirth: Military spouse reaches out to her peers with comic strip," by Karen Goldberg Goff, Washington Times Sunday, September 28, 2008.
Julie Negron is the creator of "Jenny, the Military Spouse," which can be seen online at www.jennyspouse.com in addition to newspapers.
Julie Negron is the creator of "Jenny, the Military Spouse," which can be seen online at www.jennyspouse.com in addition to newspapers.
Post on anti-Semitic Iranian cartoon book
This was on the wires a couple of days ago, but the Post appears to have a reporter in Iran - as much as I bash them at times, it's a good paper. I read most of the foreign reporting, but rarely note the bylines. See "Young Iranians Release Book Caricaturing The Holocaust," By Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post Foreign Service, Sunday, September 28, 2008; A23.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
SPX ad on YouTube
Fantagraphics has posted a 30-second video ad they liked on their blog. The ad is for SPX and is on YouTube. I'll be roaming around there on both days, and look much like the Simpsonized version to the right.
Corrected due to Fantagraphic's comment.
Corrected due to Fantagraphic's comment.
Post ombudsman on Oliphant cartoon
Here's the Post ombudsman on an Oliphant cartoon about Palin, with a ho-hum sort of defense of free speech as it applies to cartoonists on the web, which after all, isn't really the newspaper, but if it had been the newspaper, well, then by god, we wouldn't have run the cartoon because it criticizes beliefs in god of 750 likely non-subscribers to the Post... aw, just read the thing - "The Power of Political Cartoons," By Deborah Howell, Washington Post Sunday, September 28, 2008; B06.
Dan Wasserman, the Boston Globe's editorial cartoonist had a better response in "Pentecostals peeved at Palin cartoon" basically arguing that if you mix your politics and religion, then perhaps other people won't bother to separate them either.
Dan Wasserman, the Boston Globe's editorial cartoonist had a better response in "Pentecostals peeved at Palin cartoon" basically arguing that if you mix your politics and religion, then perhaps other people won't bother to separate them either.
Thompson and Ullman at Crafty Bastard's tomorrow
Crafty Bastards, the annual City Paper craft fair in Adams Morgan will have Rob Ullman in a booth, and Richard Thompson selling his book through Politics and Prose at 1 pm.
Back from Baltimore Comic-Con
Richard, the kids and I had a good trip to Baltimore. More notes and pics to come, but in the meantime, here's an interview about the Con that I just ran across. "This Weekend - Baltimore Comic-Con: Talking to Marc Nathan," By Matt Brady, Newsarama 2008-09-26. The Con continues tomorrow and is always fun - this year seemed rather crowded. If you go tomorrow, I'd specifically recommend visiting Arlingtonian Steve Conley and Frank Cammusso at the children's table, Ramona Fradon who's selling her Brenda Starr comic strips for $35 each (I've got 2 now), Don Rosa who has excellent Disney comics, my buddy Dean Haspiel who's got advance copies of The Alcoholic, the Top Shelf booth with Andy Runton's Owley, ... oh, there are too many people to mention.
Off to Baltimore Comic-Con
We're off to Baltimore Comic-Con - stop us and buy our books! We're each carrying copies to pawn off on willing victims.
(original photo by Marcus Hamilton, and it deserved better)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)