Comic Riffs talks to Disney parodist

JON COZART INTERVIEW: Student finds viral fandom by satirizing Disney princess tales with 'After Ever After'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 15 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/viral-disney-parody-texas-college-student-finds-singing-inspiration-by-tweaking-disney-princess-tales/2013/03/15/5b39449c-8d8c-11e2-9f54-f3fdd70acad2_blog.html#pagebreak

The Post reviews the new Al Capp biography

'Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary' by Michael Schumacher and Denis Kitchen
By Dennis Drabelle,
Washington Post March 17 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/al-capp-a-life-to-the-contrary-by-michael-schumacher-and-denis-kitchen/2013/03/15/2cc2320a-4dd0-11e2-839d-d54cc6e49b63_story.html

Art Hondros' comic in The Washington Post Magazine

Art Hondros has a multi-page comics piece in The Washington Post Magazine this coming Sunday, on the late animal rights activist Walt Rave - "Fox Guy" - of Takoma Park. It's online now at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/lifestyle/magazine/fox-guy/

Robert Ariail's acceptance of the Berryman Award

As Alan Gardner pointed out, Robert Ariail's acceptance of the 2012 Berryman Award is now online.

April 15: Gilbert Hernandez in Baltimore

Gilbert Hernandez goes on tour for MARBLE SEASON!



Join beloved cartoonist Gilbert Hernandez (LOVE & ROCKETS) as he launches MARBLE SEASON, the first semiautobiographical story about his childhood in suburban California. Hernandez will present "From Funny Books to Graphic Novels", a fascinating slide show tribute to the legacy of the comics he read as a kid. He'll talk about the silver age comics featured in MARBLE SEASON, which helped set the course for Gilbert, as well as his brothers Jaime and Mario, to become the legendary comics creator they are today. The presentation will be followed by a Q+A and signing, so don't miss your chance to get to know the man behind thirty years of alternative comics history.


Monday April 15th, 2013 5:30 pm
101 Mattin Center, Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
 

http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/newsEvents.php

Comic Riffs talks to Belgian animators

SXSW ANIMATION AWARD: The 'ridiculous notion': Belgian filmmakers wowed by win for poignant 'Oh Willy...'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 13 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/sxsw-animation-award-the-ridiculous-notion-belgian-filmmakers-wowed-by-win-for-poignant-oh-willy/2013/03/13/8cfcb5de-8b8b-11e2-9838-d62f083ba93f_blog.html#pagebreak

Weldon on Ben Katchor's new book

The Mundane World Illuminated In 'Hand-Drying In America'

by Glen Weldon

March 12, 2013

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/12/173456908/the-mundane-world-illuminated-in-hand-drying-in-america

Truitt on Sharky

Titan's 'Sharky' graphic novel debuts a kid demigod
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY March 11, 2013
Hormones prove powerful for a boy who learns Odin and Zeus are his grandpas.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/03/11/sharky-graphic-novel-series/1977737/

Comic Riffs on Marvel digital crash and Neil Gaiman

WHEN COMICS CRASH THE INTERNET: ComiXology site downed amid Marvel offer for 700 free digital comics [UPDATED]
By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 11 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/when-comics-crash-the-internet-comixology-site-downed-by-marvel-offer-for-700-free-digital-comics/2013/03/11/f308a01e-8a72-11e2-98d9-3012c1cd8d1e_blog.html#pagebreak

DOUGLAS ADAMS GOOGLE DOODLE : Neil Gaiman remembers 'genius' of 'Hitchhiker's Guide' humorist
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 11 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/douglas-adams-google-doodle--neil-gaiman-remembers-genius-of-hitchhikers-guide-humorist/2013/03/11/301cdac6-89d6-11e2-a051-6810d606108d_blog.html#pagebreak

Marvel Comics digital article in today's Express

Marvel Releases First-Issue Comics: Digital versions offer origin stories usually reserved for collectors.

by Matt Moore / Associated Press

Express (March 11, 2013)

Selcuk Demirel returns to the Washington Post

The great Turkish cartoonist Selcuk Demirel used to appear regularly in the Washington Post Book World, when that existed. Yesterday, an illustration by  Demirel ran in the Opinion section.

OT: March 15 - Mystery writer Brad Parks at One More Page bookstore

This is off-topic, but I quite enjoyed his last novel when I read it this weekend and was pleased by the coincidence of his speaking this week. If you read mysteries - give him a try.

Fri, March 15 at 7 pm:  One More Page welcomes back Brad Parks to discuss The Good Cop. His fourth novel featuring investigative reporter Carter Ross as he traces illegal gun smuggling from Virginia to New Jersey.

USA Weekend on Disney Worlds' redo

Mickey goes digital: A 10-year-old and his mom and dad try out Disney World's upgrade in time for spring break and summer.

By Joel, Mike and Bobbi James,

USA Weekend (March 8 2013).

Online at http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20130308/LIVING01/303080004/Mickey-goes-digital

USA Weekend is distributed locally in the Washington Examiner.

Need a book about comics? Try the National Gallery of Art

Here's my friend Bart Beaty's book, Comics Versus Art in the National Gallery of Art's bookstore. In the Art Theory section, no less.

Hank Ketchum in Navy Medicine's 1993 issue - online now

The January 1993 issue of Navy Medicine is digitized and online. It features the article "Food is Ammunition- Don't Waste It" which reproduces World War II cartoon posters, some of which were drawn by Hank "Dennis the Menace" Ketchum during his Navy career.

PSA: "Lenore" Creator Roman Dirge injured and in need of support

Roman Dirge, creator and illustrator of the Lenore comic book series, and his girlfriend Amber were injured in a hit-and-run accident in Hollywood, CA, on February 26, 2013. One of Dirge's legs was severely damaged, but he is said to be in good spirits despite facing a long recovery.

As a long time collaborator with Roman on his many exceptional projects, we at Titan Entertainment Group wish to offer him good health and a speedy recovery.

We would also love to spread the word that Roman's friend's and family have set up a fund to help him with his medical bills as they will be exceedingly large.

If you are a fan of Roman's work and would like to wish him all the best by making a contribution- please visit Give Forward at the link below:

http://www.giveforward.com/pleasehelpromancoverhismedicalexpenses

"I'm a self employed artist and I do not have insurance. The bills will start arriving next week, which I assume will add up to the cost of a small private island. One of my good friends set up a donation page to help with this. Believe me, anything helps. I've been blown away by the outpouring of support from friends, fans and family. I thank everyone, from the bottom of my jerky-like heart, and I'm just so thankful of everything." – Roman Dirge

Katharine Carroll
U.S. Publicity Director
Titan Books / Hard Case Crime - New York

www.titanbooks.com
www.hardcasecrime.com 

Weldon on Superman, for Salon

"Orson Scott Card isn't the guy to tell me a Superman story": A gay Superman expert explains why it was never a good idea for DC Comics to engage the controversial sci-fi writer

 By Daniel D'Addario

 Mar  7, 2013

 http://www.salon.com/2013/03/07/superman_biographer_on_the_orson_scott_card_fallout_supe_represents_compassion/

 

I believe Glen has his new business card - "A gay Superman expert" and his book isn't even out yet.

For the record: Gossip on Rep. Lewis' comic book

We posted the PR for this book here last week, but here's another local source picking it up -

Rep. John Lewis to write, star in graphic novel
By Judy Kurtz
In the Know: The Hill's Gossip Blog 03/06/13
 http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/286563-rep-john-lewis-to-write-star-in-graphic-novel-

Steven Heller on Thomas Nast's murals, and the Library of Congress connection

Check out this excellent article on a failed project by Thomas Nast for a Th. Nast's Grand Caricaturama:



A Caricamural View of the American Civil War.

Steven Heller

The Daily Heller blog (March 7)

http://imprint.printmag.com/daily-heller/a-caricamural-view-of-the-american-civil-war/

In the article, Heller notes, "In 1950 five of the large (8' x 12') paintings were found in a barn in Morristown, New Jersey, where Nast had lived. They were acquired by Erwin Swann, founder of the Swann Foundation of Caricature and Cartoon dedicated to scholarship on comics and cartoons in all media."

DC-area cartoon types should recognize the name Swann - his collection is in the Library of Congress. Swann curator Martha Kennedy confirmed for me that the paintings are in the Library, albeit in off-site storage because they're so large. This search should pull up the catalogue records and hi-res scans of the five 8 x 11 1/2 feet images.  Martha also says that 2 more of the paintings survive in the northeast.

More on Wertham's collection at the Library of Congress

Comic books' real-life supervillain: psychiatrist Fredric Wertham
Carol L Tilley
Boing Boing Mar 4 2013
http://boingboing.net/2013/03/04/comic-books-real-life-superv.html