Caro Small on Asterios Polyp

Apparently, everyone is suddenly critiquing Mazzuchelli's Asterios Polyp, including DC's Caroline Small. I liked the book well enough, thought the art was stronger than the story, and thought the ending was silly. Read Craig Fischer rather than me though, because he thinks about these things.

Cul de Sac like "an anchor" says Comic Reporter readers

Tom Spurgeon often asks a Friday question of readers of his excellent The Comics Reporter blog (the only one I read 'cover to cover' although Journalista is a close second), and this past week he asked which five comic strips should be used to anchor a comic strip section. Many answered 'Cul de Sac' although there was a surprise 'Barney and Clyde' vote - a surprise since the strip didn't start until 3 days after the poll.

Comic Riffs' full court Weingarten press

The interview -

The 'Riffs Interview: GENE WEINGARTEN, New Cartoonist, dares to attempt comic pearls before breakfast
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs June 4, 2010

The discussion of the strip at the Post Hunt event -

POST HUNT: When a comic strip stands between you and $2K

PR: Wash Post Introduces Gene Weingarten's Comic Strip: "Barney & Clyde"

I meant to post on this over the weekend, but got behind. Cul de Sac has moved next to Doonesbury to make space for this strip.

The Washington Post today introduces a new comic strip by Pulitzer-Prize winning Post columnist Gene Weingarten and his son, Dan Weingarten, with illustrations by David Clark.  "Barney & Clyde" is about an accidental friendship between a billionaire and a homeless man. Fans of Weingarten's "Below the Beltway" humor column will recognize his wit and lack of social grace in this comic, a satire that re-examines measures of success, failure, and fulfillment. The comic  will run Monday-Sunday in The Washington Post's comic pages.

 Barney & Clyde is the newest addition to The Post's comics and puzzle pages in Style. Last April The Post added The Post Puzzler, a crossword puzzle from celebrated puzzle writer Peter Gordon.  

  To visit Barney & Clyde, go to http://www.postwritersgroup.com/comics/bcl2.htm#.  

 To visit the Post Puzzler, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artsandliving/crosswords/.  

 

Heroes Con pic of 3 cartoonists, 1 professor and 2 fanboy stalkers.

Dinner at Heroes Con. Left to right: Richard "Cul de Sac" Thompson, Mike "ComicsDC" Rhode, Shannon "G.I. Joe Gallant, Craig "Appalachian State" Fischer, Chris "Crogan's Vengeance" Schweizer and Chris "Cul de Sac webmaster" Sparks. Sparks and I are the fanboy stalkers because Fischer gets paid to do this stuff. The picture is Sparks' and we all had to really overtip the waitress by the time he was done asking her to take it.

Trickster’s Jacob Warrenfeltz interview online at Washington City Paper now

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Trickster's Jacob Warrenfeltz
Posted by Mike Rhode on Jun. 7, 2010 at 10:48 am

Rand Arrington chat up at City Paper

I'm still accompanying Richard T at HeroesCon so my internet access is spotty, but the interview with Rand Arrington from the Trickster anthology has been posted at the City Paper.,

Comics on the Rack, Quick Picks for Comics Due 06-09-10

COMICS ON THE RACK

Quick Picks for Comics Due 06-09-10

By John Judy

 

ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #2 of 5 by Warren Ellis and Kaare Andrews.  The X-Men must investigate why incredibly destructive, dangerous babies are being born!  Guess Professor X hasn't given them "the talk."

 

AVENGERS ACADEMY #1 by Christos Gage and Mike McKone.  The next generation of Avengers is being trained by… Hank Pym?  But... he's Hank Pym!  Gotta look.

 

BATMAN #700 by Grant Morrison and His Art Squad of Death.  A celebratory overview of the Batmen of different eras: Bruce, Dick and Damian.  Recommended.

 

BUZZARD #1 of 3 written and drawn by Eric Powell.  From the pages of THE GOON, the mysterious Buzzard strikes out on his own.  Plus a back-up feature with Kyle Hotz: BILLY THE KID'S OLD TIMEY ODDITIES.  Highly recommended.

 

CAPTAIN AMERICA #606 by Ed Brubaker and Butch Guice.  Zemo wants to finish what his dad started:  Kill Bucky America!  Good times!

 

CHEW #11 by John Layman and Rob Guillory.  Agent Tony Chu, the fed who gains psychic knowledge of whatever he eats, is on the job.  This time he's hunting down rich guys who eat exotic animals for fun, including extinct ones!  Older teens and up.  Recommended.

 

CHEW, VOL. 2: INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR SC by John Layman and Rob Guillory.  Agent Chu goes abroad, but there's nothing innocent about it!  Recommended.

 

DAREDEVIL #507 by Andy Diggle, Antony Johnston and Marco Checchetto.  DD's still tusslin' with the ninjas!

 

DAYTRIPPER #7 of 10 by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon.  The focus is on friendship in the latest issue of this insanely beautiful series.  Highly recommended.

 

THE GOLDEN TREASURY OF KLASSIC KRAZY KOOL KIDS KOMICS HC edited by Craig Yoe.  This is a sweet collection of vintage humor strips from the 40s and 50s by such legends as Kirby, Ditko, Dr. Suess, Frank Frazetta ,Walt Kelly, Jules Feiffer, Dan DeCarlo, Carl Barks, Harvey Kurtzman and many more.  If you love comics and/or have a kid you need this one.  Features an intro by Mo Willems, the creator of the "Pigeon" series of kids books.  Great for all ages.  Highly recommended.

 

GREEN LANTERN PROMO RINGS by DC Comics and the Guardians of the Universe.  Tell your local retailer you're ready to take the oath!

 

HELLBOY, VOL. 10: CROOKED MAN AND OTHERS SC by Mike Mignola, Joshua Dysart, Richard Corben, Duncan Fegredo and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Includes the Eisner-winning title story as well as the rare "They Who Go Down to the Sea in Ships", "The Mole" and "In the Chapel of Moloch."

 

HEROIC AGE: PRINCE OF POWER #2 of 4 by Greg Pak , Fred Van Lente and Reilly Brown.  Super-smart Amadeus Cho is picking up where the late Hercules left off and there's lots of folks who ain't having none of it!  Head-busting and intrigues galore!

 

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #27 by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca.  Still digging out from the Siege and his self-imposed lobotomy, Tony Stark is catching not a single break.  New faces and old conspire to keep putting the "Invincible" part of the title to the test.  Action-packed!

 

IRREDEEMABLE, VOL. 3 SC by Mark Waid and Peter Krause. The latest collection in the ongoing story of the world's most powerful superhero gone bad.  In this one his old compatriots start pushing back hard.  Recommended.

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #3 by Keith Giffen, Judd Winick and Fernando Dagnino.  Jamie Reyes gets onboard because it ain't the JLI without a Blue Beetle.  Maxwell Lord better watch his back!

 

KNIGHT LIFE: CHIVALRY AIN'T DEAD SC written and drawn by Jeff Chang. The follow-up to Chang's Harvey Award-winning daily humor strip "The K Chronicles."  If you like your sitcoms without plugging in the TV then check this out.

 

NEIL YOUNG'S GREENDALE HC by Joshua Dysart and Cliff Chiang.  A comic adaptation of an album by a rock legend.  Politics, mystery and adventure come together in a book that should go over well, except with southern men who don't need Neil Young around anyhow.

 

NEMESIS #2 of 4 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven.  The worst super-villain ever sets his sights on the White House.  That's right: Nemesis is a teabagger!  Gotta look!

 

PREDATORS #1 of 4 by Marc Andreyko, David Lapham, Guilherme Balbi and Gabriel Guzman.  Yes, that is Lawrence Fishburne and Adrian Brody you see staring at you on the cover as the world's oldest, skinniest Navy SEALS.  "Official movie adaptation" is what they call that in Da Biz.

 

PUNISHERMAX #8 by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon.  In the past all cops, even dirty ones, have gotten a pass from the Punisher.  But things are changing…  Recommended, not for kids.

 

RAWHIDE KID #1 of 4 by Ron Zimerman and Howard Chaykin.   Seven years after RAWHIDE KID: SLAP LEATHER, his previous outing with/of the character, Zimmerman has returned to use all the campy, gay sub-text innuendo he could think up during that time.  Plus gun-fights.

 

SECRET SIX #22 by Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore.  The concluding chapter of Catman's search for his son's kidnapers.  The only comic on the rack this week that actually drips blood when you pick it up.  Too intense for younger kids.

 

SHIELD #2 by Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver. In which it is possible we will actually read a story about how exactly certain historical figures beat back Galactus and other cosmic threats in the days before electricity and indoor plumbing.

 

SIEGEL AND SHUSTER'S FUNNYMAN SC by Jerry and Joe.  The story of the futile attempt by the co-creators of Superman to catch lightning in a bottle a second time.  This volume collects the humorous adventures of "the first Jewish superhero" and recounts how he crashed and burned back in 1947.  Edited by Thomas Andrae and Mel Gordon. Recommended for any creative types who might be tempted to sell the rights to their greatest creation for a pittance.

 

SOLOMON KANE: DEATH'S BLACK RIDERS #4 of 4 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara.  The final issue of the puritan avenger's battle against the hellspawn of the Black Forest.

 

TOM STRONG AND THE ROBOTS OF DOOM #1 of 6 by Peter Hogan, Chris Sprouse and Karl Story.  The great boys adventure science hero is back in a mini-series featuring time travel, Nazis and ruined weddings.  Recommended for young teens and up!

 

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #3 by Mark Millar and Leinil Francis Yu.  Ultimate Nick Fury's super-mean Ultimate Avengers are gonna go beat up/kill Ultimate Ghost Rider.  Or, if he's really evil, make him join the team.

 

UNCANNY X-MEN #525 by Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson.  The X-folk have to destroy a bunch of Nimrods.  Look out, Arizona!

 

UNWRITTEN #14 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross.  The release of the new Tommy Taylor novel promises hijinks, geekery and violence galore!  Recommended.

 

YOUNG ALLIES #1 by Sean McKeever and David Baldeon.  This team consists of Nomad, Arana, Toro, Gravity and Firestar.  Never take a bet when you're drunk at the Marvel Christmas party, kids.  Just don't.  Ever.

 

www.johnjudy.net

Mexican cartoonist obit in today's Post

Gabriel Vargas' obituary ran online a few days ago, but today it is in the hard copy - Mexico's 'Familia Burron' cartoonist dies at 95
The Associated Press
Wednesday, May 26, 2010; 6:20 AM

ComicsDC goes to Heroes Con; so does Thompson and Gallant

...but you shouldn't care about that. What you should care about is that crack local cartoonists Shannon "GI Joe" Gallant and Richard "Cul de Sac" Thompson will be appearing in Charlotte, NC at Heroes Con for three days only! No rain checks!

Pulitzer Prize cartoonists' petition online at Cartoonists Rights Network

Now you can join the nineteen Pulitzer Prize winners who've created and signed a petition against censorship. Click through the link to add your name. It's up from seventeen signatories at the last time we looked at it, and has been generalized to be opposed to all censorship of cartoons, not just South Park's specific example.

Fiore vs. Apple & Draw Mohammad followups by Comic Riffs

Steve Jobs challenges Pulitzer cartoonist's handling of app 'rejection'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 2, 2010.

SUDDEN TWIST: 'Draw Muhammad' artist gains a cartoon client -- in Pakistan
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 2, 2010

Brother Juniper's Washington connection

Fred McCarthy, the cartoonist of Brother Juniper the Franciscan monk, died last October. A newsletter account of his memorial mass mentioned an attendee "Fr. Emeric Szlezak, OFM, representing the theology classmates at Holy Name College, Washington, D.C., 1941-1945." I have no idea if he was cartooning while he lived in Washington.

Did you photograph Bill Day at the RFK awards?

If so, he'd like to hear from you - " If you have any other photos taken during the RFK Awards, could you send them to me? I posed for a number of shots with people, but I don't know whose camera was being used. I especially would like to get a copy of my United Media Syndication Director, Lisa Wilson." You can write to Bill, care of me.

Cavna on Reuben awards

Michael Cavna's got the story of who actually won what award here -'Bizarro' creator Dan Piraro named Cartoonist of the Year at Reuben Awards
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 31, 2010; C04

June 1: Superheroes special report on ABC's 2020

There's a little bit at the following link, including "Watch the full story on "SuperHumans!" a special edition of "20/20" Tuesday, June 1 at 10 p.m. ET"

Superhero Obsession: Why We Love Fantasy
From Jesus to Hercules to Superman and Iron Man, All Cultures Have Own Mythic Heroes
By JON MEYERSOHN
May 31, 2010

Another Trickster chat - Michael Auger

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Trickster Illustrator Michael Auger
Monday, May 31st, 2010

Dan Piraro, not Richard Thompson, wins Rueben

Hogan's Alley sent out an email last night saying that Dan Piraro has won the National Cartoonist Society's Rueben Award.  Piraro's been nominated multiple times, but hadn't won until this year.

Which probably means Richard will have to rent the tux and go win it next year, since the same is true for him now.

Trickster review in Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Graphic artists illustrate American Indian tales in 'Trickster'
By Jim Higgins
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 29, 2010

The City Paper will have more Trickster cartoonist interviews this week too.

The New York comics Times

Couple of things I saw while reading the paper this morning -

Itzkoff, Dave. 2010.
Flintstones Cereal Maker Rocked by Lawsuit From Hulk Hogan.
New York Times' Arts Beat blog (May 28); New York Times (May 29): C2.

On Marmaduke -

Barnes, Brooks. 2010.
Producer Is a Friend to Comic Animals.
New York Times (May 29): C1, 8.

But their weekly graphic novel sales list is still online only -
Graphic Books
May 27, 2010