Saturday, May 26, 2012

Big Planet Comics Orbit Newsletter - May 25, 2012


Big Planet Comics

May 25, 2012

Jerry Gaylord is signing on Saturday!

Jerry Gaylord, artist on the new Boom! series Fanboys vs. Zombies, will be appearing at our College Park store tomorrow, Saturday, May 26, from 1 to 3.  Fanboys vs. Zombies is a good character-based story about friends and former friends trying to put their differences aside and survive a zombie outbreak at San Diego comicon! Plus, the first issue is only $1 so it's a great way to try out this new series.

May 26 - Jerry Gaylord Signing

Jerry Gaylord, artist on the new Boom comic Fanboys vs. Zombies (written by Sam Humphries), will be appearing at our College Park store from 1 pm to 3 pm to sign copies of the first 2 issues.

Jerry is a local Maryland comic artist, so be sure to come out and meet him!

1 pm-3 pm
Big Planet Comics of College Park
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498
bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com

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 June 2 - Russ Kick Signing

Russ Kick, editor of the anthology The Graphic Canon, will be appearing at our Bethesda store for a signing on Saturday, June 2. Publisher's Weekly called The Graphic Canon "the graphic publishing literary event of the year". It is a collection of classic literature interpreted as comics by such greats as R. Crumb, Will Eisner, Molly Crabapple, and lots more, over 130 in total!

This first volume (of an eventual 3) is subtitled From The Epic of Gilgamesh to Shakespeare to Dangerous Liaisons, covering literature through the 1700s. The Odyssey, Beowulf, Lysistrata, The Book of the Dead, The Canterbury Tales, London Journal, and more.

1 pm-3 pm
Big Planet Comics of Bethesda
4849 Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-654-6856
joel@bigplanetcomics.com


___________________

Mind Mgmt #1

by Matt Kindt

After everyone on a plane gets amnesia, a reporter tries to discover who the mysterious person is who was on the flight list but disappeared after it landed. Plus a history of the government working with psychics, secret codes hidden in the letters column, and danger, action, and more mystery! A unique and fascinating new comic!

The Phoenix #1

by Daniel Hartwell, Neill Cameron, Ricardo Tangle, Jamie Smart, Sarwat Chadda, Patrice Aggs, Ben Haggerty, Garen Ewing, Simone Lia, Adam Murphy, James Turner, Lorenzo, The Etherington Brothers, Kate Brown

The first issue of the all-ages weekly British comic was even better than we hoped! Adventure, fantasy, puzzles, clues, humor, and more! Plus really, really good art. We are already running low on copies, so let us know if you want one so we can hold you a copy when we get more in stock! Issue #2 will be in next Wednesday!

Batman Incorporated #1

by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham

It's back! One of the most exciting Batman series in a while, as Talia al-Ghul puts out a hit on her son - Damian, the new Robin! Clever and funny Morrison dialogue, great dynamic art by Burnham  aaaaand an assassin called Goatboy.

The Steve Ditko Archives 3: Mysterious Traveler HC

by Steve Ditko
 
Before he reached fame with The Amazing Spider-Man and Dr. Strange, Steve Ditko drew hundreds of comic book. This volume reprints some of his best suspense, mystery, haunted houses, and unsuspecting victims stories from the pages of Tales of the Mysterious Traveler and This Magazine Is Haunted. Never before reprinted!

Justice League Dark #9

by Jeff Lemire and Mikel Janin

The team is reassembled under the leadership of John Constantine, and the new writer, Jeff Lemire! (Who you might know from Animal Man and Sweet Tooth!) Lemire instantly has great dialogue between the characters, the comic feels very lively, and the group is off to South America to fight blood cultists under the control of Felix Faust! A great jumping on point.

The Comic Book History of Comics SC

by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey

From the first American comic books to the manga explosion and more, this history of comics covers it all, including the creators' rights movement, Jack Kirby, R. Crumb, Harvey Kurtzman, Alan Moore, Stan Lee, Will Eisner, Fredric Wertham, Roy Lichtenstein, Art Spiegelman, Hergé, Osamu Tezuka and more! A fascinating AND informative history. Plus it's pretty funny.

Holliday SC

by Nate Bowden and Doug Dabbs
 
Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp come to town, a corrupt city where the cops get kickbacks from the drug dealers and no one seems to do anything about it. A modern update of the classic Tombstone story with noir flavor and plenty of gun blazin' action!

A Princess of Mars SC

by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ian Edginton, and I. N. J. Culbard
 
The first classic adventure tale of John Carter and his princess of Mars, Dejah Thoris, is adapted to comics by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Leviathan)and the amazing art of Culbard (New Deadwardians, At the Mountains of Madness, Sherlock Holmes). One of the greatest scifi adventure tales ever, full of swashbuckling swordfights, airship chases, dastardly villains and monsters and betrayal! So good.
27 (Twenty Seven) Vol 2 Second Set SC
Adventures Into The Unknown Archives Vol 1 HC
Andrew Loomis Succesful Drawing HC
Caligula Vol 1 SC
Joe Hill The Cape HC
Crossed Badlands #6
Godzilla #1
Golden Age Western Comics HC
The Guild: Fawkes
Hero Comics 2012
Interiorae SC
Mad Archives Vol 3 HC
Marvel Masterworks Amazing Spider-Man Vol 7 SC
The Mighty Thor By Matt Fraction Vol 1 SC
No Place Like Home #4
Prophet #25
Resident Alien #1
Star Wars Darth Vader Ghost Prison #1 (Of 5)
Thief Of Thieves #2 3rd Ptg
Thief Of Thieves #3 3rd Ptg
Thief Of Thieves #4 2nd Ptg
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Death of Spider-Man Fallout SC
Uncanny X-Force Vol 3 The Dark Angel Saga Book 1 SC
Xenoholics Vol 1 SC

Big Planet Comics Podcast #45
"Coney Island"
Kevin, Nick and Jared are in the new Big Planet Comics Podcast studios with more sad news about Nick's car, and reviews of all the new comics! Download now or subscribe on iTunes!
 
PODCAST REVIEWS:
Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations: Part One: 1783-1953 HC by Jean-Pierre Filiu and David B.
The Cartoon Picayune #1 by Josh Kramer
The Cartoon Picayune Fall 2011 by Josh Kramer, Bill Volk, Katherine Roy, James Sturm
The Cartoon Picayune Spring 2012 by Josh Kramer, Andy Warner, Ethan Leners, Darryl Holliday, Erik Rodriguez
Daddy Lightning by Tom Hart
Deadenders SC by Ed Brubaker and Warren Pleece
Hardcore #1 by Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri
Holliday SC by Nate Bowden and Doug Dabbs
Justice League Dark #9 by Jeff Lemire and Mikel Janin
Mind Mgmt #1 by Matt Kindt
The Phoenix #1 by Daniel Hartwell, Neill Cameron, Ricardo Tangle, Jamie Smart, Sarwat Chadda, Patrice Aggs, Ben Haggerty, Garen Ewing, Simone Lia, Adam Murphy, James Turner, Lorenzo, The Etherington Brothers, Kate Brown

Send us questions to podcast@bigplanetcomics.com or call us at 1-703-539-CAST! (1-703-539-2278)
 

5/26 - Jerry Gaylord
Signing Fanboys vs. Zombies
1pm - 3pm
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498
bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com

6/2 - Russ Kick
Signing The Graphic Canon
4849 Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-654-6856
joel@bigplanetcomics.com

6/9 - Nick Abadzis
Signing Hugo Tate
4849 Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-654-6856
joel@bigplanetcomics.com

6/16 - Free RPG Day
freerpgday.com
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498
bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com

426 Maple Ave. East
Vienna, VA 22180
703-242-9412
vienna@bigplanetcomics.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

New Next Week 5/30

(Let us know if you want any of these!)
 

Aka GN
Amazing Spider-Man #684 2nd Ptg
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #39
American Vampire #27
Americas Got Powers #2 (of 6)
Angel & Faith #10
Animal Man Annual #1
Archie & Friends Double Digest #16
Astonishing X-Men #49 2nd Ptg
Avatar Last Airbender TP Vol 02 Promise Part 2
Avengers Vs X-Men #2 (of 12) 3rd Ptg
B & V Friends Double Digest #225
Batman Annual #1 (Night of the Owls)
Batman Beyond Unlimited #4
Batman Death By Design Deluxe Ed HC
Batman Prey TP
Battle of Blood & Ink Fable of Flying City GN
Best of the Three Stooges
Best Shot in the West Adventures of Nat Love GN
Bionic Woman #2
Bloodstrike #28
Bomb Queen VII Queens World #4 (of 4)
BPRD Hell on Earth Transformation Odonnell #1
Brian Boru Irelands Warrior King GN
Call of Wonderland #1 (of 3)
Channel Zero TP Complete Collection
Cow Boy A Boy And His Horse HC
Daredevil #11 2nd Ptg
Daredevil By Brubaker And Lark Ult Coll TP Book 02
DC Nation #1
Diablo #4 (of 5)
Elephantmen TP Vol 00
Empowered TP Vol 07
Exile Planet O/T Apes #3 (of 4)
Fables Deluxe Edition HC Vol 05
FF #18
Futurama Comics #61
Game of Thrones #8
Garth Ennis Jennifer Blood #13
GFT Alice in Wonderland #6 (of 6)
GFT Jungle Book #3 (of 5)
GFT Myths & Legends #17
GFT Oversized Cosplay Special
Ghostbusters Ongoing #9
Glamourpuss #25
Gore #6 (of 12)
Graphic Canon TP Vol 01 Gilgamesh To Shakespeare
Green Arrow TP Vol 01 The Midas Touch
Grim Leaper #1 (of 4)
Hack Slash Omnibus TP Vol 04
Hawken #4 (of 6)
Hulk Smash Avengers #5 (of 5)
Incredible Hulk #8
Irredeemable TP Vol 09
Kick-Ass 2 Prem HC
Lil Depressed Boy #11
Magdalena #12
Marvel Firsts 1970s TP Vol 03
Mass Effect Homeworlds #2
Mediterranea #7 (of 14)
Mediterranea TP Vol 01
Mind the Gap #1 2nd Ptg
Monsieur Jean Singles Theory HC
Moon Moth GN
New Avengers #25 2nd Ptg
New Deadwardians #3 (of 8 )
New Mutants #43 Exiled
Next Men Aftermath #43
Peter Panzerfaust #4
Peyo Life And Work SC
Powers #10
Previews #285 June 2012
Princess of Mars Illustrated Classics GN
Puella Magi Madoka Magica GN Vol 01
Queen Sonja #29
Rachel Rising #8
Rasl #14
Ravagers #1
Rinse TP
Rocketeer Adventures 2 #3
Roger Langridges Snarked #8
Secret Avengers #26 2nd Ptg
Simpsons Summer Shindig #6
Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow #13
Sonic the Hedgehog #237
Star Trek Ongoing #9
Star Trek TNG Doctor Who Assimilation #1
Star Wars Blood Ties Boba Fett is Dead #2 (of 4)
Star Wars Knight Errant Vol 2 Deluge SC
Starman Omnibus Vol 1 SC
Stephen King Joe Hill Road Rage #4 (of 4)
Supercrooks #3 (of 4)
Superman Family Adventures #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ongoing #10
Transformers Robots in Disguise Ongoing #5
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #11
Until Death Do Us Part Vol 1 SC
Walking Dead #98
Wolverine #307
Wolverine And X-Men #11 AVX
Wonder Woman Vol 1 Blood HC
X-Men #29
X-Men Legacy #267 AVX
X-Men Phoenix: Endsong Warsong Ultimate Collection SC
Young Justice #16
Zombies HC
Zombies Vs Robots Annual 2012

Upcoming Events

6/1
Introducing Synergy!
8am, Generitech HQ

6/12
Generitech Leadership Summit
10am, AGCC

6/20
Advanced Tools Expo
3pm, AGCC
Copyright © 2012 Big Planet Comics, All rights reserved.
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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Stephanie McMillan at the RFK awards tonight

This totally slipped my mind tonight, and I'm sorry to have missed it.  Apparently I appeared in a clip in a documentary about the awards too! (sigh) However, Steve Artley got a photograph of Stephanie McMillan the cartoon winner that he's allowed me to post:

I got this shot of Stephanie holding her trophy at the RFK awards ceremony at the U.S. Institute of Peace tonight.



Steven G. Artley
artleytoons
Artley Design Inc.

Cartoon Winner
"The Beginning of the American Fall and Code Green" by Stephanie McMillan
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Stephanie McMillan self-syndicates the editorial cartoon "Code Green," which focuses exclusively on topics related to the environmental crisis. Her comics journalism piece about the Occupy protests, "The Beginning of the American Fall" was originally commissioned by the Cartoon Movement, and will be expanded into a book to be published this fall by Seven Stories Press. She has been active around social justice and environmental issues for most of her life.

New Arrivals this week at Game On!


Game ON logo

Game On! Comics Weekly Digest

Come  Visit Us!
May 23, 2012
In this issue
:: New Titles this Week
:: Game Nights
 Dear Mike,

 

Welcome to Game On! Comics

 

  

This weekend is VIVA VIENNA.  A huge festival here in Vienna, very close to the shop.  Game On! Comics will have a booth there selling comics.  Come on out and enjoy yourself at the festival.  Parking will be a nightmare so be sure to come to the shop to park.

  

Also, this weekend is our Memorial Day Sale!  Starting on Saturday and ending on Monday all graphic novels are 25% off. 

 

We will be open on Monday from 11am to 5pm.

  

 

We have officially changed our subscribers over to our new Loyalty Membership!!  This means more bonuses FOR YOU!  You will get your new membership card when you come in.

If you are not a member it is FREE to JOIN.  You can join in the store or by clicking on this link and filling out the information:  http://gameoncomics.com/Loyalty-Membership.html

 

Check out the new levels:

 

MODERN LEVEL
 

1-9 comic titles per month

 

* Free drink every visit!


* Pull your comic titles for you every week! 

BRONZE LEVEL
10-19 comic titles per month

* Free drink every visit!
* Pull your comic titles for you every week!
* 10% off all comics!



SILVER LEVEL
20-39 comic titles per month

* Free drink every visit!
* Pull your comic titles for you every week!
* Free Previews Magazine every month!
* 15% off all comics!


 
GOLDEN LEVEL
40+ comic titles per month

* Free drink every visit!
* Pull your comic titles for you every week!
* Free Previews Magazine every month!
* 20% off all comics!

 

 

  

Thank you to everyone that has kept current with picking up your comic books.  It really helps the shop out when you are picking up your comics regularly!!!
 

 

 

 

New Comic Book titles this week 5-23-12

 

Best Discounts in the area--Not just a slogan, we really do have the best price discounts when you become a Game On! Comics subscriber!
 

astonishing

Comic of the Week

Astonishing X-Men #50

 

On Tuesday, fans worldwide learned on ABC's The View that Northstar proposes to his boyfriend Kyle Jinadu in the newly released Astonishing X-Men #50 and will be married in June 20's Astonishing X-Men #51. That news has been picked up by the NY Daily News, Huffington Post, MTV Geek, Rolling Stone, USA Today, and many more major international, national, and local news outlets. 

 

  

 

 


 

All Star Western #9

Amazing Spider-Man #686

Aquaman #9

Astonishing X-Men #50

Batman Incorporated #1

Batman The Dark Knight #9

Bill Gates Co Founder Of Microsoft 1-Shot

Bionic Man (Kevin Smith) #9

Captain America #12

Captain America And Hawkeye #631

Chew #26

Clint 2.0 #1

Cobra Ongoing #13

Crossed Badlands #6

Dark Horse Presents #12

Deadpool #55

Dominique Laveau Voodoo Child #3

Elephantmen #39

Elric The Balance Lost #10

Fables #117

Fantastic Four #606

Fathom Kiani Vol 2 #2

Flash #9

Fury Of Firestorm The Nuclear Men #9

Godzilla Ongoing #1

Green Hornet #25

Green Lantern New Guardians #9

Guild: Fawkes #1

Hellraiser #14

Hero Comics 2012

Hulk #52

Hulk Smash Avengers #4

I Vampire #9

Irredeemable #37

Journey Into Mystery #638

Justice League Dark #9

Knights Of The Dinner Table #186

Lord Of The Jungle Annual #1

Magic The Gathering #4

Marvel Zombies Destroy #2

Mighty 7 (Stan Lee) #2

Mighty Thor #14

Mind Mgmt #1

Neverland Hook (Grimm FT) #5

No Place Like Home #4

Ragemoor #3

Rebel Blood #3

Reset #2

Resident Alien #1

Savage Hawkman #9

Secret Avengers #27

Smoke And Mirrors #3

Soulfire Vol 3 #8

Star Wars: Darth Vader Ghost Prison #1

Superman #9

Teen Titans #9

Transformers: More Than Meets Eye #5

True Blood Ongoing #1

Ultimate Comics X-Men #12

Unwritten #37

Vampirella #17

Voodoo #9

Warlord Of Mars Dejah Thoris #12

Wheel Of Time Eye O/World (R. Jordan) #25

Witchblade #156

Youngblood #71


 
 

 

 

NEW ALL AGES COMICS AND BOOKS


 
 

Dino Duck Prehysterical GN

Dorothy And Wizard In Oz #7

Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel Universe) #2


 
 

 

 

NEW COLLECTIONS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS


 
 

Avengers: The Contest TP

Avengers: Many Faces Of Henry Pym TP

Caligula TP Vol 01

Comic Book History Of Comics GN

Daken Dark Wolverine HC No More Heroes

Judge Dredd: Crusade TP

Mighty Thor By Matt Fraction TP Vol 01

MMWTP Amazing Spider-Man Vol 07

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man DOSM Fallout TP

Wolverine And Black Cat: Claws 2 TP


 
 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Game Nights 

 

Tuesday Nights 7pm-11pm----ON HOLD

D and D

We may change our D&D night to Saturday.  If you have mentioned that you are interested in playing then look to get an additional email this week. 

 

Come play D&D at the store.  We are currently ready to start a new campaign for 1st level characters.  If you have never played before this is your time to start.  Because each story has limited space you must email us and let us know that you would like to join.  We will be starting with just 6 people.

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Nights 7-9pm

Magic the Gathering

 

TONIGHT

 

 

Tonight, we will have Booster Draft night! For only $12 you will get 3 booster packs and then you will pass cards around the table until you have made a brand new deck to play with.

  

Saturday, 4pm to 7pm we are having a special MTG tournament.  It's free to play this Standard Constructed tournament and if at least 25 people play EVERYONE gets a free booster pack.

 

We now have Avacyn Restored in stock but our stock is going VERY FAST.  We have boosters, fat packs, and starter decks.



Friday Nights 7-9pm

Heroclix
GG Heroclix 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

Heroclix at Game On! Comics on Friday, May 25th, at 7 p.m., Memorial Day Event! Build a 600 point force, Silver Age Rules, no Colossal figures, no feats or BFC's. Team must contain at least one Soldier, MIGHT be a good idea to have more than one. Those of you who were there for this event last time will not be too surprised that special rules will be announced at the beginning of the tournament.

Also, here is the link for the Wizkids event system for those who don't have it already:


We have the next few weeks already up on the site, if you have a Wizkids ID it would be good to register for each event as soon as you can. If you don't have an ID yet, it only take a minute or two to create one.
  

Congrats to last weeks winners: 

 

 

 

1st: Tim 

 

2nd: Greyson

 

Fellowship: Alex

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rolling Stone Magazine Review

 Marvel Comics host first gay wedding

 

Back in 1992, Marvel Comics made headlines by revealing that Northstar, a Canadian superhero associated with Alpha Flight and the X-Men, was gay. Twenty years later, the character is back in the news as he is set to wed his longtime partner Kyle in Astonishing X-Men #51, in stores on June 20th.

"When gay marriage became legal in New York State, it raised obvious questions since most of our heroes reside in New York State. Northstar is the first openly gay character in comics and he's been in a longterm relationship with his partner Kyle so the big question was - how would this change his relationship?," says Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Axel Alonso. "Our comics are always best when they respond to and reflect developments in the real world. We've been doing that for decades, and this is just the latest expression of that."

As an X-Man, Northstar routinely fights against bigotry, as he is a mutant, and mutants are the most feared minority group in the Marvel Universe. Astonishing X-Men writer Marjorie Liu looked to Northstar's relationship with Kyle as a way to write an inspiring story about characters who feel like outsiders even among outsiders. "Here are two people, trying to live their lives - mutant and gay, black and gay - empowered in their own ways, but also fringe-dwellers," says Liu. "And they're making it happen. They're living life on their own terms. It doesn't matter that it's a superhero comic, the message is: You can do the same thing."

Though Northstar has been in comics since debuting in Uncanny X-Men in the late Seventies, Kyle, a regular human and not a superhero, was created more recently, so Liu has been working on fleshing out his character. "I looked at relationships between police officers, soldiers, etcetera, and their spouses," she says. "You have, for example, one partner who is always going off into dangerous situations, whose 'team' at work is an important, integral, part of their lives, and then you've got the person left behind. Like Kyle, who has a perfectly wonderful life, a great job, but is a human man who has to watch his partner go fight aliens or giant robots, or insane supervillains at the drop of a hat, and there's nothing he can do to help. On a bad day, he might even be a target himself. So, thinking about Kyle in those terms, empathizing with him, I've had to mull the strains and stresses that being with Northstar would put on him, those parts of his life that he feels are lacking, what he wants long-term that he's afraid he can't have, and so on."

These tensions will inform Liu's Astonishing X-Men stories going forward, but Alonso says the couple will also have to confront homophobia from Northstar's teammates. "Let me make it clear - this story begins with a marriage, but it ain't over with the marriage," he says. "We'd be doing the story a disservice not to reflect the controversy around it. While a lot of Marvel Universe characters will be attending Northstar's wedding, not everyone is going to accept the invitation and not everyone is going to accept the validity of Northstar's vows. At least one of Northstar's team members is going to turn down the invitation, and that's going to make for an interesting dynamic."
 

The issue, illustrated by Mike Perkins, will be in stores today.



 

 

 
Thank you so much for your support of our new comic and game shop.  We look forward to taking care of all of your comic and game needs.
 

Don't forget to go on yelp.com and write a review about us too!!
 
Find us on Yelp
 

Please tell your comic/game friends about our shop, we would appreciate their business.
 
 
 
Please visit our Facebook page and "Like" us!!

 

Like us on Facebook
 
 Please tell your friends about us, we would love their business!
Gray
 
 
Follow us on Twitter too!
Follow us on Twitter

 

 

Dave, J.R., and Louis
Game On! Comics

 

25% 

Off 

MEMORIAL DAY SALE
May 26th through 28th
All graphic novels are 25% off.

Can not be used in conjuction with any other discount.
Offer Expires: 05/29/12


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Daily Cartoonist likes Team Cul de Sac's new book

See http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2012/05/23/team-cul-de-sac-book-is-fantastic/ for Alan Gardner's opinion.

Damn! Cartoons - editorial cartoon con in DC this fall


From: Matt Wuerker 

More details about the program schedule and other special guests will be coming in the next month but in an effort to get people to pencil in the dates (Sept 14-15) it would be great to direct people to the site.......
http://damncartoons.org/

_________________________________________________________________________

Matt Wuerker
POLITICO Cartoonist
http://www.politico.com/wuerker


Team Cul de Sac editorial in Pennsylvania paper

Drawing on humor to combat disease
Observer-Reporter May 23 2012
http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/story11/05-23-2012-Drawing--Editorial

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WALKING DEAD #100
Sorry for the lateness of this email. Orders for this month's books must be placed through comiXology by 10am tomorrow morning!!
 
 
On to the highlights...
 
DARK HORSE COMICS
AXE COP: PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD  #1
Soon to have his very own Fox animated series, print & web comic sensation, Axe Cop returns to Fantom with an all-new mini-series! Everything is safe. The reason why? Axe Cop has become the President of THE WORLD! Someone should have told the aliens who are about to invade us, though. Axes up in AXE COP: PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD #1 (OF 3)! Written by 8-year old phenom Malachi Nicolle and drawn by his 31-year old brother, Ethan!

Nickelodeon's fan-favorite series returns with a new trade paperback, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER-THE PROMISE PART 3! The Harmony Restoration Movement having failed, the four nations return to war and the heroic Aang must find an end it by whatever means necessary! Written by the talent behind the sensational American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang and drawn by the mega-talented Gurihuru (Wolverine and Power Pack)!

A Star Wars franchise favorite returns  with an entirely new four-issue mini-series, STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL-DEATH SENTENCE #1! A galaxy far, far away will know fear… again. Darth Maul lives and with his brother, Savage Opress are on the run and wanted dead or alive. They are determined to stay very much alive. Covers by legendary Star Wars painter Dave Dorman!
 
 
DC COMICS
BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS #1
Len Wein, the mind behind some of comics' greatest creations, Wolverine and Swamp Thing, takes on the man who will destroy/save The Earth in BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS #1 (of 6) with Sentry co-creator and artist Jae Lee!

Damien Wayne, master assassin and current Robin, wants to be the last Robin standing and he begins with the equally deadly and unstable former Robin, The Red Hood in BATMAN AND ROBIN #11! If you haven't been following this comic, you've been missing out on one of the best, most thoughtful action series currently on the stands. Written by Peter Tomasi and one of comics' best, most innovative artists, Patrick Gleason!

A silver coin is handed to the traitor Judas and will become entwined in history and play a hand in the shaping of mankind and The DC Universe! THE JUDAS COIN is a brand new hardcover tale written by master storyteller, Walt Simonson (Thor); featuring the characters The Viking Prince, Bat Lash Two-Face and The Batman!

An iconic 1980's hero returns to DC Comics with HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #1 (of 6)! The villainous Skeletor lets loose an attack on Eternia while elsewhere, a displaced young man wakes up in a world he no longer remembers! Written by Earth 2's James Robinson and drawn by former Batman and Robin artist Philip Tan!
 
VERTIGO
PUNK ROCK JESUS #1
Science has managed to clone Jesus and the first thing they do is give him a reality TV series. PUNK ROCK JESUS #1 (of 6), sure to be one of the most controversial and most talked about series since, well… Before Watchmen; is written and drawn by Sean Murphy, the artist behind the stellar mini-series, Joe The Barbarian.
DANGER GIRL/GI JOE  #1
DW PUBLISHING
 
Jericho, geek-favorite TV series, gets the Buffy and Smallville treatment and gets its story continued in comics form in JERICHO SEASON 4 #1, a new ongoing series! Following the events of Season 3, the inhabitants of Jericho find themselves visited by John Smith, the man who may have tried to end the world.

80's babies, this is your month! IDW brings the fondly remembered toy line, BATTLE BEASTS, to comics! A linguist unlocks the secrets of an ancient scroll, unlocking the secrets of a world populated by animals born into battle. BATTLE BEASTS #1 (of 4) in July!

The 80's meet 90's in the ultimate crossover: DANGER GIRL/G.I. JOE #1 (of 4)! Two of comics' greatest covert ops teams meet to face the villainy of COBRA! We're more excited for this than anyone should have a right to be!
 
IMAGE COMICS
WALKING DEAD #100
The comics and television phenomenon reaches a significant milestone in WALKING DEAD #100! A hundred issues in and characters who've lost nearly everything will face new threats and losses. Featuring covers by Image Comics top artists such as Marc Silvestri (The Darkness), Ryan Ottley (Invincible), Sean Phillips (Fatale) and Spawn's Todd McFarlane!

A lone chicken will rise to the challenge of keeping America safe in CHEW: SECRT AGENT POYO #1 one-shot written by the Chew team of writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory!

In a small Wisconsin town, the dead will rise for just one day. On this day, the dead will take over everything and the living must try survive to see the dawn. REVIVAL #1, written by Tim Seely and drawn by Mike Norton.

 
BOOM! STUDIOS
HYPERNATURALS #1
Humanity has found a way to reach the beyond our stars. The Hypernaturals, a galaxy-wide cadre of superheroes has watched over them and when they are needed most; they simply disappear and the fate of  the universe is left to long retired Hypernaturals who must train a new generation of heroes to protect humanity from newer and deadlier threats. HYPERNATURALS #1, a new series, written by New Mutants scribes Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning.

ONI PRESS
EVERYBODY LOVES TANK GIRL #1
One of comics' best and most innovative series returns in SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HARDCOVER VOL. 1: PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE and in beautiful, living color! Relive the thrill of Scott meeting Ramona! Sex Bob-Omb band rehearsals! Includes previously never before seen bonus materials!
 
VALIANT COMICS
 
Someone in this world is a solder; a soldier trained in the art of war. Somewhere in this world is a soldier comprised of science and secrets. Somewhere in this world; this soldier has been fed lies that could end this world. Somewhere in this world; he's fallen into enemy hands. Everyone should be worried. BLOODSHOT #1, a new ongoing series, is written by Birds of Prey writer Duane Swierczynski and drawn by former Black Widow artist Manuel Garcia.
 
MARVEL COMICS
CAPTAIN MARVEL #1
Amazing Spider-Man is one of this summer's most hotly anticipated movies and Marvel Comics ups the ante! The Lizard aka Dr. Curt Connors, lead villain in the upcoming movie, has been cured; only to find the serum that used to unleash his demon has been turned onto to New York City! Add to this the returns of Morbius, The  Living Vampire and The Kingpin and Spider-Man more than has his hands full in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #689 & #690!

Something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue. This July, Carol Danvers, the former Ms. Marvel, rises to the rank of captain in the all-new ongoing series CAPTAIN MARVEL #1, written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and drawn by newcomer Dexter Soy! And, as if that weren't enough; she teams up with Spider-Man in a tale of high-flying adventure in AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #9, written by DeConnick and drawn by former Wonder Woman artist Terry Dodson!

A man walks into Marvel's office with a pitch. "Punisher. In space." Beginning in July, the four-issue mini-series SPACE PUNISHER, written by Grifter writer Frank Tieri and drawn by former Ghost Rider artist Mark Texeira!

Writer Jeph Loeb and artist Simone Bianchi, the team behind the controversial death of Sabretooth return to answer the question, "How did Sabretooth survive being beheaded by Wolverine?" He gets better in WOLVERINE #310!

From the pages of Astonishing X-Men comes an exciting new series, X-TREME X-MEN #1, featuring Captain James Howlett, Kid Nightcrawler and Emmeline Frost, The X-Men of a very different, very deadly reality!

And there you have it; the very best of the month of July! As always, if you have any questions about ordering any of these comics, feel free to contact us.
 
BEST!

Union Station - 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE | Washington, DC 20002 | 202-241-6498
www.fantomcomics.com


Magic Bullet #5 Kickstarter Campaign

From: andrew cohen
 
I just wanted to let you know that the DC Conspiracy is planning it's fifth issue of MAGIC BULLET, and is running a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds for it.  As you know, MAGIC BULLET is the group's free comic newspaper, featuring a wide array of artists and comic bookers.  This issue has a special "end of times" theme, for the end of 2012, to be interpreted however the artists wish.  The campaign features rewards of comics, t-shirts, original art and commission sketches, and it wraps up on June 21.  It can be accessed at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2104849681/magic-bullet-5  

5/23 Politics and Prose bookgroup meeting


From: Adam Waterreus

Just wanted to send out a reminder that we will be meeting tomorrow evening, 5/23, at 7:30, to discuss ARE YOU MY MOTHER?, by Alison Bechdel.

Oh, and here's an older interview, 2007, about Fun Home and her strip, Dykes to Watch Out For. Thought it might be interesting:

http://www.tcj.com/the-alison-bechdel-interview/

See you tomorrow!
Adam



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Meet a Local Cartoonist: Dechanique


Deanna Echanique, who cartoons as Dechanique, embarrassingly enough came to my attention through this Canadian interview done for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) of all places. Her webcomic La Macchina Bellica is the gay-friendly story of elves versus humans in a world where magic and technology are both used in war,. Chapters 1-5 have been collected in a trade paperback and #6 is available as a comic book. She has recently started illustrating a new webcomic Kindling. She was kind enough to answer my usual questions.


Mike Rhode: What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

Dechanique: I draw primarily long-form graphic novels. I work all steps of the process myself (thumbnailing, penciling, inking, and occasionally coloring).  While I am primarily a comic artist, I also have illustrated children’s books and enjoy oil painting, book-binding, and sculpting.

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

It depends on the project.  For La Macchina Bellica, I pencil the pages print-sized on printer paper, scan them, and ink/tone them digitally in Manga Studio. I transfer the image to Photoshop for text placement and coloring (for the first half of Ch 7). Kindling is done mostly traditionally.  Pages are penciled and inked on 11 x 17 Blue Line Pro comic boards.  I used watercolors and a combination of Copic and Prismacolor markers to color the pages.  The upcoming chapters will be in black and white, penciled and inked in the same method, and toned digitally in Manga Studio.

For inking, I generally use a Pentel pocket brush pen, the Tachikawa school g nib fountain pen, and Microns of varying sizes!

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

April 3, 1984 in Wilmington, North Carolina. TEXTBOOK ARIES

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I moved to DC after graduating from college in July 2009. I lived in by Navy Yard for a while, but relocated to Columbia Heights October 2010.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

I graduated from Salisbury University with a BFA in Drawing.  I never took any specific sequential art or cartooning courses- in that aspect I am self-taught.  I did, however, take a plethora of traditional drawing and painting classes, focusing on the figure.  The best training in creating comics I got was “on the job” - drawing lots and lots and lots of comic pages. Trial, error, practice, working outside your comfort zone!

Who are your influences?

My biggest influence has been growing up exposed to anime/manga. When I first started drawing comics, I was 11 and my classmate Chloe would loan me the French editions of Sailor Moon (Naoko Takeuchi) and Ranma ½ (Rumiko Takahashi). At the same time, anime started playing in the US more widely- Sailor Moon and G-Force (Gatchaman), Speed Racer, Tekkaman Blade. I was totally hooked! My art was pretty “generic” manga in my teenage years, but in my early 20’s began changing as I started taking traditional art classes in college (I’ve become enamored with drawing lips and noses!) and exposed to a wider range of classical art. Art Nouveau (and the Victorian era dressings/ Steampunk aesthetic became coming into my work.

My painting instructor at Salisbury University, Mr. Jin Chul Kim, has also been influential in my career. He was more or less my mentor during my years there.

More recently, my exposure to social media and broader range of indie and webcomics, and manga like Blade of the Immortal (Hiroaki Samura) and One Piece(Eiichiro Oda), all of which I feel has lead to my evolution in page layout and story-telling, and in creating a broader range of characters. Particularly Eiichiro Oda. I admire him greatly for his story-telling ability and character development, and he has no doubt influenced what I do today.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

I would say my biggest “what if” scenario is how my career would have turned out if I had put together a portfolio and applied to art schools straight out of high school. I desperately wanted to go to SVA or SCAD, but when I graduated from high school, I had a full ride at a local university, so I opted to go there because I hadn’t prepared a decent portfolio, and was daunted by the cost. I got a BA in Psychology at Florida International University.

I ended up going back to a state school for art later but due to the fact I already had a degree, I didn’t qualify for any scholarships or grants (most specify it has to be your first degree). I racked up a crapton of student loans going back to school. Going to art school straight out of high school I would have spent about the same amount, and maybe would have been in a different place (technically/skill wise) now.

With all that said, however, I wouldn’t actually change what has happened to me and my decisions given the opportunity.  I did learn a great deal from being mostly self-taught as far as sequentials are concerned, I made many friends while in college, and while I might be further along in my career had I started younger, I don’t think I would be drawing the same stories or made the professional connections I have. I think I would be a different person than I am now.

What work are you best-known for?

My webcomic, La Macchina Bellica. :3

What work are you most proud of?

The work I’m producing for Kindling. Technically, it’s the best work I’ve put out and I’m definitely very proud of it! Having a talented writer turning my creative gears and pushing my boundaries has been super helpful. I have high hopes for this series after designing the characters and thumbnailing the first book. It’s got me really excited!

What would you like to do or work on in the future?

I desperately want to learn to animate! It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but wasn’t able to find a teacher (or figure out how to do it on my own). I dabbled with animated GIFs for a while, but I just can’t make the transitions nice enough.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

Whenever I get stuck, I bust out some erotica! That usually helps break my art-block, though to be honest, I don’t find I get art blocks often. More likely, I’m just burnt out from deadlines and want to play video games and be lazy for a couple hours.

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

Hahah, I’m not really sure! But my outlook is positive!

What's your favorite thing about DC?

Ease of getting around without a car. DC is super walkable/bike-friendly. I rarely ever use my car (except to go out of town or to conventions).

Least favorite?

The lack of parking. It’s a never-ending battle. There aren’t enough parallel spaces, we have to move our cars constantly for street cleaning, and I get ticketed for stupid things like, a $50 ticket because my registration sticker wasn’t properly affixed to my windshield (the glue is shoddy, it was hanging by one corner). I wish I didn’t need a car.

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

The Smithsonian Natural History Museum! It’s my favorite. I could wander around in there all day, staring at dinosaurs and stuffed creatures. Pandas – smaller than advertised. Lions – HOLY CRAP HUGE.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Chix, on 13th and U St NW! Their food is fantastic – and they have a $10 wine bottle happy hour that is just faboo.

Do you have a website or blog?

La Macchina Bellica –http://www.macchinacomic.com

Aug 3: Rafer Roberts' exhibit in Rockville

Exhibition date Friday, August 3rd  to  Saturday, September 8th, 2012
Exhibition Cost Free
Location Common Ground Gallery
Opening Reception Friday, August 3rd - 7:00  to  9:00 PM

Fever Dreams of Organic Machines: The Comic Book Art of Rafer Roberts

Presenting Rafer Roberts' comic book art, mostly drawn with india ink on bristol, with homages to early comic pioneers and an emphasis on the creepy and unsettling.

Comic Riffs on gay cartoon characters

MARVEL ANNOUNCES 'X-MEN's' GAY WEDDING: Does this mean mainstream comics are 'evolving'?
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog May 22 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/marvel-announces-x-mens-gay-wedding-does-this-mean-mainstream-comics-are-evolving/2012/05/22/gIQAjePNiU_blog.html#pagebreak