John Dimes in Oh, ME!!!! The Shrunken Wool Comic Anthology

 John Dimes has another story out -

 

Shrunken Wool

The Twofold Comics' short story anthology series

Written and Illustrated by Various
Featuring: Caveman,

Pole Vault

(Written & Illustrated by John Dimes),

The Star Power,

Time,

Daisies and Deadmen,

The Working Man,

Critical Mass (Part 2)

Cover Illustrated by John Dimes

http://www.indyplanet.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2302

Has Beyond Comics moved from the Lakeforest Mall?

Has Beyond Comics moved from the Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg? I heard a rumor about that today, but their website is unchanged.

DC Comics buttons at Laughing Ogre Comics

Offer from Laughing Ogre Comics

Thanks to Robert Montgomery for the tip.

National Digital Newspaper Program adds millionth page and expands

The Library of Congress has sent out a press release about the National Digital Newspaper Program which should interest us as it will provide free sources for scans of comics strips and articles about cartoonists. Quotes from the PR follow -

Library of Congress, National Endowment for the Humanities to Announce Expansion of Historic Newspaper Digitization Program

The Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 16 at the Newseum’s Knight Studio, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. in Washington, D.C., to announce the posting of the millionth historic newspaper page in the National Digital Newspaper Program and the expansion of the program.

The two cultural agencies have collaborated to bring the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) to the Internet through a website, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). The site offers a searchable database of historically significant American newspapers published between 1836 and 1922, based on original material from libraries or other agencies in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American People. Many of the Library’s rich resources and treasures may be accessed through the Library’s website, www.loc.gov, and via interactive exhibitions on myLOC.gov.

The National Digital Newspaper Program is part of the Endowment’s We the People program, which is designed to encourage and enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history, culture, and democratic principles.

July 1: Lynda Carter in DC

Colin Solan, Senior Editor of www.comicartfans.com and www.conventionscene.com

reports that Lynda Carter, who will always be Wonder Woman for those of us of a certain age, will be in DC at one of the downtown Barnes & Noble stores. See http://www.conventionscene.com/2009/06/10/dc-wonder-woman-sings/

Former local writer Aguirre-Sacasa on his new Marvel Comics series

See "Aguirre-Sacasa Talks Marvel Divas," by Dave Richards, Tue, June 9th, 2009.

PR: Bamn #2 is Now Available At Comixpress

Troy Allen writes in:

 

The Bamn crew is happy to announce that Bamn #2 is now available at Comixpress.

Pictured above is the cover for #2. It's our first attempt at Color. You have Jay Payne and David Dean to blame for that!

You can purchase #2 HERE or at the following link: http://store.comixpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1389&zenid=s5r5gdsdbj219dgkc5l4l9vrf5 

BAMN #2

Written by TROY JEFFREY ALLEN
Penciled by JAY PAYNE

Edited by RON CRISTOBAL

Bamn, a fallen pro wrestling superstar, has spent the postscript of his career throwing up in bars and living out of his car.

A chance encounter brings Bamn to a group of teenage fans who have long-idolized the has-been wrestler. Wanting to impress Bamn, the kids invite him to their backyard wrestling show. Unfortunately, the only audience they attract is the group of bullies that comprise their school s amateur wrestling team. Bamn arrives to end a confrontation between the kids and offers to teach the backyarders how to fight back. Training day has begun...

24PGS.(each)/Black & White/Parental Advisory …$3.50 (each)

June 13, 14, 20, 21: Lucky Luke at NGA

National Gallery of Art
Family Programs

Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure
June 13 and 20, 10:30 a.m.
June 14 and 21, 11:30 a.m.
ages 7 and up
In French with English subtitles

Based on the popular Franco-Belgian comic book series, Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure (Tous a l'Ouest: Une aventure de Lucky Luke) is the first feature film about the renowned wandering cowboy who rides Jolly Jumper, fights crime and injustice, and is known to "shoot faster than his shadow." This adventure has Luke leading a group of settlers from New York to California—a trip they have to make in eighty days in order to claim their land from the evil Crook—while also battling the bumbling Dalton Brothers, a gang of robbers who have hidden their loot in a covered wagon but can't remember which one. Filled with sight gags, action sequences, and witty narrative, this comedy entertains both children and adults. (Olivier Jean Marie, France, 2007, 90 minutes)

All film programs are shown in the East Building Auditorium, and admission is free. No registration is required. Seating is offered on a first-come, first-seated basis. Groups are welcome.

Weingarten on Doonesbury's perceived 'anti-Semitism', comic strip salaries and Ted Rall

Here's some bits from Weingarten's last two chats:

Chatological Humor: Grammatically Speaking; Late-Term Abortion (Updated 6.5.09)
aka Tuesdays With Moron
Gene Weingarten
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 2, 2009; 12:00 PM

Isn't this your guy, Gene?: From Illinois' State Journal-Register last Friday, 5/29:

"From health care to torture to the economy to war, Obama has reneged on pledges real and implied. So timid and so owned is he that he trembles in fear of offending, of all things, the government of Turkey. Obama has officially reneged on his campaign promise to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. When a president doesn't have the nerve to annoy the Turks, why does he bother to show up for work in the morning?

"Obama is useless. Worse than that, he's dangerous. Which is why, if he has any patriotism left after the thousands of meetings he has sat through with corporate contributors, blood-sucking lobbyists and corrupt politicians, he ought to step down now - before he drags us further into the abyss."

Rush Limbaugh? Nope. Dick Cheney? Nope. Bill Ayers? Nah. It's none other than Ted Rall, whose cartoon work and political insights you've always admired so much. Here's the whole column.

Enjoy.

Gene Weingarten: This is CLASSIC Ted Rall.

Rall often has good points to make, but then makes them with such wild overstatement that he undercuts himself. And occasionally has to apologize.

Here's a cartoon of his

after Antonin Scalia said he'd be in favor of slapping terrorist prisoners under certain circumstances.

Here's another one

that's self-explanatory.

----------------------

15th Street, D.C.: Gene- What do you think of Sunday's "Doonesbury"? Do you think it could have been perceived as a tad anti-semitic? I am not even close to being politically correct but thought Trudeau took an...interesting path to make a not funny or interesting point.

Best- A 31 married Jewish guy in D.C.

Gene Weingarten: I don't see any antisemitism here, and I think it was a very funny and interesting comic.

The joke is about the current economy, and what bankers have done to us.

_______________________


Chatological Humor: Insuring Your Weekly Quota of Yuks. And Yucks (UPDATED 5.29.09)
aka Tuesdays With Moron
Gene Weingarten
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 26, 2009; 12:00 PM

Westminster, Md.: Gene, I am curious about how cartoonists are paid. If a cartoonist is syndicated in 1,000 newspapers, as some are, and is paid a mere $5 by each paper, the cartoonist (and his distributor, agent, etc.) make $5,000 PER DAY for drawing a cartoon. But it seems equally unreasonable that a paper like The Post pays a mere $5 for something that may draw more eyes than the headline story on the Metro page. So what's up?

Gene Weingarten: As the old Yiddish expression goes, re wishing something stated were true: "From your mouth to God's ear."

Alas, no. The formula for comic strips is that the author and the syndicate split about $1,000 a YEAR for each newspaper that runs the strip. So, if a strip is in 1,000 newspapers (this is almost unheard of) the cartoonist would get $500,000 a year.

A typical, moderately successful strip might be in 100 papers. Do the math. It isn't pretty.

June 8: Superman: The Movie at Crystal City

Crystal Screen - Superheroes

Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities.

Date(s):
May 4, 2009 - September 21, 2009

Location:
18th and Bell Street - Courtyard Across from Crystal City Metro Station & Marriott Hotel

Event Fee:
Free

Hours:
Movies begin at sundown

Description:
Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities. Check back here for more information.

CRYSTAL KID BONUS: Since it gets dark later in the summer and movies often start past bedtime, the BID has partnered with Crystal City Sports Pub to rebroadcast each movie at 3:30 PM on the 3rd Floor of CCSP on the Wednesday following the outdoor showing, starting May 6. Bring your kids and a blanket and enjoy the fabulous surround network of TVs.

Festival Rules: Patrons can bring their own picnics as long as they abide by city and festival rules. Low-backed chairs and blankets are allowed, but grills, umbrellas, and pets are prohibited.


Schedule

June 8, 2009 - Superman: The Superman Movie
June 10, 2009 - Superman: The Superman Movie - at CCSP
June 15, 2009 - Superman 2
June 17, 2009 - Superman 2 - at CCSP
June 22, 2009 - Superman 3: Superman vs. Superman
June 24, 2009 - Superman 3: Superman vs. Superman - at CCSP
June 29, 2009 - Superman 4: The Quest for Peace
June 31, 2009 - Superman 4: The Quest for Peace - at CCSP
July 6, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns
July 8, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns - at CCSP
July 13, 2009 - X-Men
July 15, 2009 - X-Men - at CCSP
July 20, 2009 - X2
July 22, 2009 - X2 - at CCSP
July 27, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand
July 29, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand - at CCSP
August 3, 2009 - Fantastic Four
August 5, 2009 - Fantastic Four - at CCSP
August 10, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
August 12, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - at CCSP
August 17, 2009 - Batman
August 19, 2009 - Batman - at CCSP
August 24, 2009 - Batman Returns
August 26, 2009 - Batman Returns - at CCSP
August 31, 2009 - Batman Forever
September 2, 2009 - Batman Forever - at CCSP
September 7, 2009 - Batman & Robin
September 9, 2009 - Batman & Robin - at CCSP
September 14, 2009 - Batman Begins
September 16, 2009 - Batman Begins - at CCSP
September 21, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight
September 23, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight - at CCSP

David Hagen interview online

David Hagen was interviewed at Artomatic by Tammy Vitale and it's online now at http://tammyvitale.typepad.com/women_art_life_weaving_it/2009/06/artomatic-2009-artist-interview-david-hagen.html

That darn Post!

Actually, I mostly agree with this letter - a rarity - except for the 'understandable reaction' since comic strips are apparently among the most popular features of the paper.

Stop All That Razzmafrazz
Washington Post Saturday, June 6, 2009

Earlier this year, The Post reduced the number of comic strips it carries in print and shrank the size of those that remained.

This was an understandable reflection of the economic pressures that The Post and the newspaper industry face. At the same time, the comic strip "Agnes" was relegated to the KidsPost page, a move that was rightfully criticized by readers as not being the best example for children. It was then replaced with "Frazz."

However, KidsPost does not appear every day, depriving those of us who enjoy "Frazz" of two installments a week. When "Frazz" appears, we adults are reduced to searching for KidsPost and surreptitiously reading the comic before we are accused of being juvenile, or worse.

Returning "Frazz" to its rightful place with the other comics would be appreciated by those of us who pretend to be adults while enjoying the humor of the comics.

-- Ken Poole

White Post, Va.

Brad Meltzer, former local writer, interviewed

Although Brad's gone onto hotter climes, we've got a fond spot in our hearts for him, even after the rotten things he did to Sue Dibney. See "Meltzer Talks "Book of Lies" & "Buffy"," by Jeffrey Renaud, Staff Writer, Wed, June 3rd, 2009.

Superhuman Resources' Ken Marcus interview

I met Ken at Big Planet Comics this winter and just finished reading the 4th and last issue of his humorous miniseries about a temp at a superhero employment agency. It's good fun and I recommend it. Here's an interview with him - "Super Human Trade," by Frederik Hautain, Broken Frontier June 3, 2009.

Bennett's best is Melvin Monster and manga

See "Bennett's Best for the week of May 24," By Greg Bennett, on May 31, 2009 Zadzooks blog

Washington Times reviews Demanding Respect book

See "BOOKS: 'Demanding Respect' - History of a four-color world," By Ron Capshaw , Washington Times Sunday, June 7, 2009

for their review of-

DEMANDING RESPECT: THE EVOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN COMIC BOOK
By Paul Lopes
Temple University Press. $24.95, 256 pages

which in a conservative paper leads to interesting paragraphs like this one-

Mr. Lopes suffers, too, from a desire to be politically correct. Assigning comic book censorship in the 1950s to Cold War hysteria, he completely overlooks the fact that the chief proponent of this drive, Dr. Frederic Wertham, was a former communist party member and whose characterizations of superheroes as Nazis was trumpeted in the party press for decades.

Ariel Schrag in the Onion?

This should be in the new Decider feature section towards the back of the paper - "Interview: Ariel Schrag. The L Word(s): love, literature, and lesbianism in Likewise" by Shauna Miller May 29, 2009.

June 7: Capital Associates comic book convention

Free admission at the Dunn Loring fire dept. on June 7th from 10 am-3 pm. See www.capicons.com for details.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 06-10-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 06-10-09
By John Judy

ACTION COMICS #878 by Greg Rucka and Fernando Dagnino. Meet Krypton’s own Bonnie and Clyde! Awe! Some! Recommended.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #597 by Joe Kelly and Marco Checchetto. Babies and weddings! It’s what you buy super-hero books for, right?!

ANGEL: BLOOD AND TRENCHES #4 written and drawn by John Byrne. Your favorite vampire with a soul continues his World War One adventures. This issue he meets Snoopy! (If only….)

BATMAN #687 by Judd Winick and Ed Benes. Winick and Benes have some tough competition from Morrison and Quitely over at BATMAN AND ROBIN. Still, let’s give each team their shot. Nothing wrong with having more than one good Bat-book on the stands each month.

BETA RAY BILL: GODHUNTER #1 of 3 by Kieron Gillen and Kano. He’s got the power of Thor and the face of a horse! He’s like Ann Coulter with muscles! He’s Beta Ray Bill and he’s back to fight Galactus! And that’s why it’s a mini-series.

BUCK ROGERS #1 by Scott Beatty and Carlos Rafael. The original Man Out of Time is relaunched for the latest generation. Featuring covers by Alex Ross and John Cassaday and nary a dwarf robot in sight. Lotsa jetpacks and blasters though! Gotta look!

FANTASTIC FOUR #567 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. The Marquis of Death is back to slap around his old Padwan Learner, Victor Von Doom. Yeah, that’ll work out well for all…

FLASH: REBIRTH #3 of 6 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver. Barry Allen vs. Superman in a race to the finish. Oh yeah, it’s on. Must-Have!

JSA VS KOBRA: ENGINES OF FAITH #1 of 6 by Eric Trautmann and Don Kramer. The JSA takes on Kobra! Because GI Joe just ain’t hackin’ it, kids!

MISS AMERICA COMICS #1 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL by Jen Van Meter and Andy MacDonald. Featuring a golden-age reprint and a new story of Timely Comics’ biggest female super-star! Okay, she was no Wonder Woman but these 70th Anniversary issues are turning out to be a lot of fun, especially if you already have a soft spot for the old-timers. Recommended.

PUNISHER: FRANK CASTLE MAX #71 by Victor Gischler and Goran Parlov. The Punisher’s in Louisiana with something bad in his trunk. Do you really need any more info to know this one’s gonna rock? Not for kids. Recommended.

RED ROBIN #1 by Christopher Yost and Ramon Bachs. Someone’s wearing that old costume from KINGDOM COME and looking for Bruce Wayne’s carcass! But who?

UNCANNY X-MEN #511 by Matt Fraction and Greg Land. Well, well, well, look who’s back. She always comes back, doesn’t she? Gotta look!

UNWRITTEN #2 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross. This one’s heating up fast, kids. It’s the story of a guy who may or may not have been written into the real world and all that implies about other pop fiction characters. This is not your father’s Earth-Prime! Recommended.

WALKING DEAD #62 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. Okay, who were those creeps in the bushes? Not for kids. Recommended.

WOLVERINE #74 by Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert & Daniel Way and Tommy Lee Edwards. Two stories! Two creative teams! One left standing! Half-Highly Recommended!

X-FACTOR #44 by Peter David and Valentine DeLandro. A little number titled “Dirty Sexy Monet.” Oh, Peter David…..!

X-MEN FOREVER #1 by Chris Claremont and Tom Grummett. Ever wonder what would have happened if X-scribe Chris Claremont hadn’t been unceremoniously axed from the X-Men book he launched with Jim Lee back in the nineties? Me neither, but now he’s getting his chance to tell the story he always wanted, separate continuity and all. Hey, the guy built the foundations of a billion-dollar multimedia empire 30 years ago then got treated like a dog. I’m checking it out. Recommended.

www.johnjudy.net

Comic Riffs interviewed Tinsley on Mallard Fillmore

Not one of my favorite strips as I find it rather one note, but see "The Interview: 'Mallard Fillmore' Creator Bruce Tinsley," By Michael Cavna, June 5, 2009. For some odd reason I do wonder if he's related to Theodore Tinsley who wrote some of the later Shadow pulps.