Who was that Masked Man?

Who is the Route 29 Batman? This guy.
By Michael S. Rosenwald
Washington Post's Rosenwald, MD blog (March 28 2012)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/who-is-the-route-29-batman-this-guy/2012/03/28/gIQA8nPjgS_blog.html

Donna Lewis on Comic Strip of the Day's site

Donna Lewis and 'Reply All' is featured on the Comic Strip of the Day's site which notes that she has a Kindle book out.

Kirchner's The Bus collected again

I got a review copy of the new collection of Paul Kirchner's alt-strip The Bus, which I haven't had a chance to read yet.  But! this was one of my favorite strips when it used to appear in the Washington City Paper. Tom Spurgeon notes that you can buy it via Picturebox.  Do that now. Don't wait for my review.

May 5: Cinco de Sandra Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

MARCH 26, 2012

CINCO DE SANDRA:  A CELEBRATION OF COMIX, STORYTELLING, AND MUSIC

 

On May 5, 2012, an all-star lineup of DC and NYC storytellers will come together to blow your mind with live performances of poetry, comix, and stories at the Hillyer Art Space in Dupont Circle. Venues represented include Trip City, Act-i-vate, SpeakeasyDC, and Barrelhouse. And after that? We'll get the music spinning.

 

CINCO DE SANDRA's lineup of performers includes:

 

Sandra Beasley (author of DON'T KILL THE BIRTHDAY GIRL, I WAS THE JUKEBOX)

Dean Haspiel (Emmy winner for BORED TO DEATH title sequence, artist of THE ALCOHOLIC w/Jonathan Ames and THE QUITTER w/Harvey Pekar, creator of BILLY DOGMA)

Molly Lawless (cartoonist of HIT BY PITCH, FROG & OWL)

Jim Dougan (comics writer, SAM & LILAH, CRAZY PAPERS, others at ACTIVATEcomix) 

Jennifer Tress (DC-based storyteller, author of YOU'RE NOT PRETTY ENOUGH)

Natalie E. Illum (Spoken word poet, mothertongue organizer)

Tony Mancus (BARRELHOUSE contributor and co-editor of Flying Guillotine Press)

 

Plus, the whole shebang will be hosted by man-about-town Brandon Wetherbee (YOU, ME, THEM, EVERYBODY) and featuring the sweet sounds of DJ P-Vo (Hometown Sounds DC). We will have a merch table. We will have beer and non-beer. We will have a helluva lotta hijinks. And, in case you were wondering, we will have a birthday girl on hand: Sandra Beasley.

 

Be there, or be…

...Just be there.

 

When:

Saturday, May 5 at 8 PM

 

Where:

Hillyer Art Space

9 Hillyer Ct NW

Washington, DC  20008

This space is down the alley from the Phillips Collection on 21st Street. Metro access from the Red Line, Dupont Circle Station (Q Street exit). Street parking is available but may be limited.

 

How Much:

$5 suggested donation (to help us recoup costs for the event space)

 

For more information on our performers:

Sandra Beasley (www.sandrabeasley.com)

Dean Haspiel (www.deanhaspiel.com, www.welcometotripcity.com)

Molly Lawless (tyrnyx.wordpress.com)

Jim Dougan (www.activatecomix.com)

Jennifer Tress (www.yourenotprettyenough.com)

Natalie E. Illum (www.natalieillum.net)

Tony Mancus (www.inlandskirting.blogspot.com)

Brandon Wetherbee (www.youmethemeverybody.com)

DJ P-Vo (www.hometownsoundsdc.com)

 

This event is hosted and coordinated by International Arts & Artists, LLC.  For more information about the venue and IA&A:

http://www.artsandartists.org/hillyer.html

To get your name on the list and be ensured of seeing any event updates, visit our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/events/255811644513842/ and RSVP.

 

Brad Meltzer signing in McLean, VA and Bethesda, MD

(The Brad Meltzer social outreach continues with this mailer we received.)

"Where the heck's my book?!"
- Lila Meltzer, age 6, every single day
since Heroes For My Son was released

HarperCollins
cordially invites you to a
READING & BOOK SIGNING
with
Brad Meltzer
reading from his new book

McLean, Virginia
Wednesday, April 11 - 7:00 pm
Books-A-Million
1451 Chain Bridge Road

Bethesda, Maryland
Thursday, April 12 - 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble
4801 Bethesda Avenue

Feel free to bring your own hero
(kids, parents and grandparents welcome!)

Galifianakis up for Rueben; Trudeau suggested for Medal of Freedom

CARTOONING AWARDS: 'Rango' and 'Rio,' McCoy and Galifianakis among NCS nominees
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (March 26 2012)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/cartooning-awards-rango-and-rio-mccoy-and-galifianakis-among-ncs-nominees/2012/03/26/gIQAFOVOcS_blog.html#pagebreak

Medal campaign for Garry Trudeau
By PATRICK GAVIN | 3/23/12
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74390.html

Truitt on Green Lantern and Voodoo

Voodoo' expands sci-fi scope with more action and aliens
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY March 26 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-03-26/Voodoo-comic-book-series/53784390/1

Hal Jordan keeps it balanced on 'Green Lantern' cartoon
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY March 26 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-03-26/Green-Lantern-animated-series/53780326/1

April 18: Graphic Intelligence Program at the International Spy Museum

Graphic Intelligence: Comics, The KKK, and Covert Ops

WEDNESDAY, 18 APRIL at 6:30 pm
International Spy Museum: 800 F Street, NW Washington, DC Gallery (Place/Chinatown Metrorail Station)

Tickets: $15

 

 

Truth, Justice, and the American Way seems to include spying.

 

Comic books often reflect the time in which they are created.  Since the Cold War, spies have been hot, and the world of comics has had a great assortment of espionage volumes.  National security lawyer and comic collector/dealer Mark S. Zaid has assembled a rich array of comics that address spies and espionage.  He'll showcase some of the coolest and rarest volumes in his collection while he describes how spy comics mirrored the intelligence issues of the time period in which they were published—some purporting to reveal true spy cases. He'll also share tales of how comics may have been used as intelligence tools and to push social agendas involving war, race, and sex. Then there is the story of the famous superhero who teamed up with actual spies to strike a blow for justice and equality in the United States. Award-winning author Rick Bowers shares the story behind his new book Superman vs. the Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate. Bowers reveals how the producers of The Adventures of Superman radio show took on the resurgent Ku Klux Klan in 1946, teaming up with infiltrators within the secret society to produce a ground-breaking, 16-part radio drama in which the Man of Steel conquered the hooded hate mongers.

 

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM   800 F Street, NW   Washington, DC 20004

 

Daniel Govar interview

Daniel Govar - Cartoonist Survey #262
by David Paccia, March 21, 2012
http://david-wasting-paper.blogspot.com/2012/03/daniel-govar-cartoonist-survey-262.html

David says he lives in Baltimore, but works for a DC company

Cul de Sac strip gets inker

Richard Thompson's returning to Cul de Sac, but with the assistance of Stacy Curtis who will ink Richard's pencils. This is a standard job in American comic books, and has been the case for many comic strips, but it's less credited there.

Chris Sparks talks Team Cul de Sac

Episode 140 – Chris Sparks
by Tom Racine on March 25, 2012
http://www.talltaleradio.com/episode-140-chris-sparks/
http://traffic.libsyn.com/talltaleradio/TTR_140-Chris_Sparks_FIN.mp3

"Team Cul de Sac" mastermind Chris Sparks joins me to talk about his amazing project to help raise money for Parkinson's Disease via the Team Fox organization, started, of course, by Michael J. Fox.  Cartoonist and all around mensch Richard Thompson was diagnosed with Parkinson's back in 2009, and Chris has organized 150 artists to contribute original work that will be auctioned off this summer, and has been compiled into a 144 page hardcover book coming out on June 5th.  Order your copy here!

The book and art auction contain works from a veritable "who's who" list of cartoonists, including 14 Reuben Award winners, 3 Pulitzer Prize winners, and a score of great artists from the web as well.  There's not much of a worthier cause out there, so do your part by picking up a copy.  You can stay abreast of the current information on when the actual art auction is this summer by reading Chris's blog. And naturally, if you're not keeping up with the man himself, here's a link to Richard Thompson's blog. Go forth and see the work of a master of our time!

We also manage to talk about comic books and comic shops, as Chris once owned one. He has a fascinating insider's look from the "brick and mortar" shop owner's perspective, and is something I've wanted to talk about for some time.

Annapolis cartoonist Jim Hunt profiled

Illustrated man: Local cartoonist draws on diverse list of clients
By Theresa Winslow, Staff Writer
Annapolis Capital Gazette 03/25/12
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/lif/2012/03/25-05/Illustrated-man-Local-cartoonist-draws-on-diverse-list-of-clients.html

Nate Beeler's last Best-of-Week cartoon

Sigh.

Batman ticketed in Montgomery County

Batman pulled over on Route 29

 3/23/2012

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=52&sid=2799175

He was ticketed because his Lamborghini didn't have state tags.

Spiegelman in town on Monday

Art Spiegelman at D.C. JCC Monday, March 26
By Christopher Heller • March 23, 2012
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/42385/art-spiegelman-at-dc-jcc-monday-march-26/

Onion newspaper not printed in DC anymore

The DCist reports that the Onion has ended its paper in the city after five years. The print version was still carrying 1 comic strip - Red Meat, and possibly Ward Sutton's fake editorial cartoon, as well as interviews with cartoonists.

Truitt on Derf's Dahmer

'My Friend Dahmer' depicts the boy before the monster
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY March 22 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-03-22/Derf-Jeffrey-Dahmer-graphic-novel/53708368/1

Fwd: Big Planet Comics Orbit Newsletter - March 22, 2012

March 23, 2012

Reap the Corto Maltese Whirlwind Well, all of us here at Big Planet Comics were pretty disappointed by the poor production quality on the new Corto Maltese book, as well as it being a later version that edited down the original art to present in a different format. So we published an open letter to the publisher. Then the internet exploded. We wrote up a post on our website showing the poor production quality, and how the later version they had used was vastly inferior to the original edition. The publisher put out their reply, and tweets galore went out. Comics news sites covered it in several places, with some very interesting commentary from the European side of things, and many arguing for and against it. In any case, we sincerely hope that the next volume (or version) of Corto Maltese, and any import/reprint/translation, lives up to the excellent current standards of comics that we are seeing these days. If you missed it, here's our first open letter with commentary by Heidi Macdonald at the Comics Beat: http://www.comicsbeat.com/2012/03/19/horrible-production-may-have-doomed-corto-maltese-in-the-us-yet-again/ Our post about the book with lots of examples comparing to older editions: http://www.bigplanetcomics.com/how-to-destroy-a-comics-classic The publisher's reply is covered at http://www.comicsbeat.com/2012/03/20/more-on-corto-maltese-rizzoli-responds-on-production-problems/ Also, the Big Planet Comics Podcast now has a call-in phone number if you'd like to leave us a question or comment! Call 703-539-2278! Feel free to forward on our newsletter, and please send us any comments or mailing list requests to vienna@bigplanetcomics.com Thanks!   - the Big Planet Comics kids UPCOMING April 3 - Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Early Release Party Marvel is calling it their biggest event yet, building on the last 10 years of storytelling, but really, who doesn't just want to see the superheroes throw down against each other? We will be having a special release party for Avengers vs. X-Men #1 one day early, on Tuesday April 3! So not only will you be able to buy AVX #1 a day early, but you will have access to some other specials, including limited variant covers, and other limited items, like a pin to show your allegiance to either the X-Men or the Avengers, so start thinking now about which team you support! Poor Wolverine, he's got to fight himself. 8-9 pm All 4 Big Planet Comics stores! UPCOMING April 14 - Justin Jordan & Tradd Moore Signing Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore, creators of the great new series The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, will be appearing at both our Vienna and College Park stores on April 14 to celebrate the release of the collection of the series. 11 am-1 pm Big Planet Comics of Vienna 426 Maple Ave. East Vienna, VA 22180 703-242-9412 vienna@bigplanetcomics.com 3 pm-5 pm Big Planet Comics of College Park 7315 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740 301-699-0498 bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com ___________________ Supercrooks #1 (Of 4) by Mark Millar and Leinil Yu Millar and Yu are back after teaming up on Superior with another crazy superhero series! This time, after their supervillain mentor gets caught trying to rob a casino, some ex-supervillains have to help him raise millions of dollars. But it's hard to be a crook in the USA since there are so many superheroes! But what about trying to be a supervillain in Europe? A great start! Dinopopolous SC by Nick Edwards An amazingly inventive adventure by another rising British talent! Teenager Nigel and his pal Brian (a dinosaur!) get into a crazy adventure, searching for The Miracle Bird of Ndundoo, which shoots out jewels! So they must find the Bird before their rivals Julian and the Evil League of Lizards do! Time for a journey towards the center of the earth! Crazy cartooning and ideas. John Carter: The Gods Of Mars #1 (of 5) by Sam Humphries and Ramon Perez The second John Carter novel is adapted into comics, this time by rising writer Sam Humphries and the amazing artist of A Tale of Sand, Ramon Perez! John Carter finally gets back to Mars, only to run into his Martian pal Tar Tarkas again, where they begin a quest into the holy sanctuary where the gods of Mars live! Plus, you know, betrayal and swordfighting and monsters! Such good art! Axe Cop 3 SC by Malachai Nicolle, Ethan Nicolle and Christopher Hastings A new collection of Axe Cop strips! Extra commentary by the creators, 6 year old Malachai who writers it and his older brother who draws it! In addition to discovering new secret attacks, there is a crossover with Dr. McNinja! As inventive, violent and strange as your stories were when you were 6! Plus truly, truly hilarious. Big Planet Comics Podcast #38   Kevin, Nick and special return host Julian talk about Beast, apparently, and review all the new comics! Download this week's now or subscribe on iTunes! Send us questions to podcast@bigplanetcomics.com or call us at 1-703-539-2278!   4/3 - Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Early Release Party All stores! 8pm-9pm   4/14 - Justin Jordan & Tradd Moore Signing The Strange Talent of Luther Strode 11am-1pm 426 Maple Ave. East Vienna, VA 22180 703-242-9412 vienna@bigplanetcomics.com Signing The Strange Talent of Luther Strode 3pm-5pm 7315 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740 301-699-0498 bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com   5/5 - Free Comic Book Day All stores! freecomicbookday.com   5/5 - Jeremy Whitley Signing Princeless 11am-1pm 426 Maple Ave. East Vienna, VA 22180 703-242-9412 vienna@bigplanetcomics.com   Signing Princeless 3pm-5pm 7315 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740 301-699-0498 bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com 5/5 - Jorge Aguirre Signing Giants Beware! 11am-1pm 426 Maple Ave. East Vienna, VA 22180 703-242-9412 vienna@bigplanetcomics.com   Signing Giants Beware! 3pm-5pm 7315 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740 301-699-0498 bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com 7/4 - 20% off Sale All stores! 7/28 - Matt Dembicki Signing Xoc 11am-1pm 7315 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740 301-699-0498 bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com Signing Xoc 3pm-5pm 426 Maple Ave. East Vienna, VA 22180 703-242-9412 vienna@bigplanetcomics.com   Cartoon Monarch: Otto Soglow & the Little King HC by Otto Soglow Hilarious cartoons by Soglow that are still used in the New Yorker! Dominique Laveau Voodoo Child #1 by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and Denys Cowan A woman gets caught up in voodoo magic in New Orleans. Hoax Hunters #0 by Michael Moreci & Steve Seeley and JM Ringuet & Axel Medellin A team assembles to disprove the supernatural, or cover it up! Ichiro HC by Ryan Inzana Ichiro moves to Japan and learns about war and the mythology of Japan. Nancy Is Happy: The Complete Dailies 1943-1945 SC by Ernie Bushmiller The original Nancy strips, collected at last! Ragemoor #1 by Jan Strnad and Richard Corben A man attempts to gain ownership of his nephew's cursed home. Rebel Blood #1 (Of 4) by Alex Link and Riley Rossmo A forest ranger tries to get back to his family after a zombie apocalypse. Rocketeer Adventures 2 #1 (Of 4) by Marc Guggenheim, Sandy Plunkett, Peter David, Bill Sienkiewicz and Stan Sakai More new adventures of the Rocketeer! Smoke And Mirrors #1 (Of 5) by Mike Costa and Ryan Browne In a world where everyone can do magic, some technology is unknown! Take What You Can Carry SC by Kevin C. Pyle The lives of a boy in the 70s and a Japanese boy in the 40s intersect. Undertow SC by Ellen Lindner A girl tries to survive a tumultuous weekend, set in the 1950s.

like us on Facebook | follow us on Twitter | subscribe on iTunes | forward to a friend  Big Planet Comics  -  426 Maple Ave. East, Vienna, Virginia 22180  -  703.242.9412 Big Planet Comics  -  7315 Baltimore Ave., College Park, Maryland 20740  -  301.699.0498 Big Planet Comics  -  4908 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, Maryland 20814  -  301.654.6856 Big Planet Comics  -  1520 U St. NW, Washington, DC 20009  -  202.342.1961

Annapolis Comic-Con is This Weekend!

THIS WEEKEND! Saturday 3/24th & Sunday 3/25th  SATURDAY: 10AM-6PM * SUNDAY: 10AM-4PM The Truxton Park Recreactional Center 273 Hilltop Lane Annapolis, MD 21403    Our Stores Will Be Open NORMAL Hours ALL Weekend SAT: 11AM-8PM SUN: 11AM-6PM ADMISSION    TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW CLICK HERE   TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT THE DOOR! ADULTS (1-DAY PASS): $10.00 ADULTS (2-DAY PASS): $15.00 KIDS 10 & UNDER: FREE     LOCATION     TRUXTON PARK REC CENTER 273 HILLTOP LANE ANNAPOLIS, MD 21403   Click here for directions from Google Maps!   www.annapoliscomiccon.com www.thirdeyecomics.com CON EVENT SCHEDULE    Whether it's the highly anticipated ANNAPOLIS COMIC-CON COSPLAY CONTEST (with a grand prize of $200 in Third Eye gift card goodness!), or the Comic Writer's Workshop with John Ostrander, we've got a TON of great panels and events for this show planned.   Click here to check out the full details.   ATTN: Aspiring Creators - Visit The "Selling Your Comic" Panel! Saturday: 3PM   Are you trying go get your own comic started? Got aspirations of entering the creative side of the industry?  Make sure to pop into MIKE DEVITO (Th3rd World Studios, publisher of STUFF OF LEGEND) and I's panel on SELLING YOUR COMIC. We'll be talking in detail about the things that we look for in new comic books.   Greetings Third Eye Faithful!    It's finally here! The 2012 Annapolis Comic-Con! And, folks, we are totally stoked to be bringing you this stellar show we've put together.    This weekend at the Truxton Park Rec Center, we'll be bringing you over 60 dealers, 30 artists, and some marquee special guests, like STAR WARS LEGACY & STAR WARS DAWN OF THE JEDI writer JOHN OSTRANDER, and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 artist JO CHEN.    We've also got loads of panels booked ranging from how to survive a zombie outbreak to how to market and sell your own comics.   We were really stoked with the turnout and response to the first convention, and really do hope that all of you come out and join us for this second outing.    If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me directly at info@thirdeyecomics.com or by responding to this e-mail. :)   For the official Annapolis Comic-Con website, click here!   Third Eye Comics Will Be Open Normal Hours During the Convention SAT: 11AM-8PM SUN: 11AM-6PM Visit us while you're in town for the convention! We'll be open normal hours on both Saturday (11AM-8PM) and Sunday (11AM-6PM). Stop by, and pay us a visit!     We'll see you all this weekend, Third Eye Faithful!       SPECIAL GUESTS    Not only will we have a variety of vendors carrying everything from Golden and Silver Age back issues to toys and trading cards, as well as recent hits, but we'll also have some very special guest appearances by creators. JOHN OSTRANDER - Is a comics heavyweight who's done legendary runs on SECRET SIX / SUICIDE SQUAD, STAR WARS LEGACY and STAR WARS DAWN OF THE JEDI. We're honored to have John as a very special guest.   JO CHEN - Is the incredibly talented cover artist of Joss Whedon's BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 series and SERENITY comic series. Her covers brought Whedon's incredible world to life every month for the entire run of that series, and still conjure up some of the most iconic images of the Buffyverse.   GREG LAROCQUE - Is the artist who defined The Flash as we know him, with a brilliant modern character design that still shows itself in the current art of Flash. A true icon of '80s and '90s comics.   STEVE CONLEY - Is an indie comics all-star who has wowed the heck out of fans with his work on the Astounding Space Thrills comic, as well as his other work on Star Trek, and The Escapist.     ...and many more!       We look forward to seeing you all at the con, and at the shop, Third Eye Faithful!

Third Eye Comics | 45 Old Solomons Island Rd | Suite 102 | Annapolis | MD | 21401

Truitt on Spider-Man again

Something Sinister develops in 'Amazing Spider-Man' series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY March 20 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-03-20/Spider-Man-Ends-of-the-Earth-comic-book-story/53672198/1