Wednesday, July 29, 2015

PR: SPX 2015 Announces Special Guests Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth

For Immediate Release

Contact: Warren Bernard
Email: warren@spxpo.com

Small Press Expo Announces Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth to Celebrate SPX's 21st Birthday

Bethesda, Maryland; July 29, 2015

Media Release — SPX is pleased to announce 21st Century creators Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth as guests at SPX 2016. This is in addition to the previously announced creators of the current century Kate Beaton, Luke Pearson, Noelle Stevenson, Michael DeForge, Gemma Correll and Noah Van Sciver.

SPX 2016 takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, and will have over 650 creators, 280 exhibitor tables and 22 programming slots to entertain, enlighten and introduce attendees to the amazing world of independent and small press comics.

Matt Bors irreverent take on politics and society garnished him the prestigious Herblock Award in 2012, as well as being a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning. His cartoons appear in such alt-weekly newspapers as the Sacramento Bee and the Pittsburgh City Paper as well as online. He is the editor of the widely read and critically acclaimed web site The Nib, which since its inception in 2013, has published over 2000 social and politically oriented cartoons and comics. For SPX 2015, there is a Kickstarter campaign underway to publish the first print collection of works from The Nib's wealth of graphic social commentary, with cartoons and comics by Matt Bors, Gemma Correll, Erica Moen, Emily Flake, Matt Lubchansky, Ted Rall, Keith Knight, Liza Donnelly and Ann telnaes, amongst other contributors.

Illustrator, animator and cartoonist Lilli Carré is the co-founder of the Eyeworks Festival of Experimental Animation in Chicago, which will occur November 5-7, 2015. Her animated cartoons have been shown across the world at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and the International Festival Rotterdam, amongst other venues. Her artwork has been displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and her illustration work has appeared in the New York Times, and The New Yorker. Her most recent compilation of comics, Heads or Tails published by Fantagraphics, went into its second printing this year.

SPX 2015 will see the debut of Theo Ellsworth's final installment of his dense, surreal, exquisitely drawn comics series trilogy, Understanding Monsters - Book Three, from Secret Acres. Understanding Monsters - Book One was selected for The Best American Comics 2014 and was named an Lynd Ward Prize Honor Book. Understanding Monsters - Book Two was recently selected to be represented in the Society of Illustrators Cartoon Annual in New York. Ellsworth was a contributed to the Eisner Award winning book, Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, as well as to the political anthology Occupy Comics. He also displays his two and three dimensional works in art galleries around the United States.

Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 650 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests.

The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show.

As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, which funds graphic novel purchases for public and academic libraries, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), which protects the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, visit their website at http://www.cbldf.org. For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com.

Copyright © 2015 Small Press Expo, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this e-mail as a result of your being on our long standing press release list.

Our mailing address is:

Small Press Expo

P.O. Box 5704

Bethesda, MD 20824

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Map Of Kurdistan, Revised"

Map Of Kurdistan, Revised"

http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1750

Al Jazeera reports that Turkey, ostensibly attacking ISIS, has been stomping the living crap out of the Kurds. Turkey, of course, swears up and down that they aren't targeting the Kurds. For clarity, here's a map of the region for our US readers.

"That's our story, and we're sticking to it." -Erdogan
(http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/turkey-kurds-syria-150727091258869.html)

Comic Riffs on The Nib's second act

Kickstarter of the Day: After Medium, The Nib charts a new course for excellence

By Michael Cavna July 28 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/07/28/kickstarter-of-the-day-after-medium-the-nib-charts-a-new-course-for-excellence/

Wizard World con in Richmond this weekend

Wizard World casts enticing spell at 2015 Richmond Comic Con, July 31- Aug. 2

July 27, 2015, by Web Staff, Updated at 12:28pm, July 28, 2015
http://wtvr.com/2015/07/27/wizard-world-casts-enticing-spell-at-2015-richmond-comic-con-july-31-aug-2/

Washington Times obituary for Bill Garner

Bill Garner, longtime Washington Times cartoonist, dies at 79

Artist made incisive political drawings

Editorial cartoonist Bill Garner joined The Washington Times in 1983, not long after the newspaper was founded. His drawings found new ways to deal with the biggest stories of the day. (Maya Alleruzzo/The Washington Times) more >

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Sunday, July 26, 2015
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/26/bill-garner-longtime-washington-times-cartoonist-d/?

Garfield the Musical interviews online now

How Garfield Became a Brand New Musical at Adventure Theatre

by Mike Rhode on July 27, 2015
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/theater/2015/07/27/how-garfield-became-a-brand-new-musical-at-adventure-theatre/

DSC_4295 small

Adventure Theatre, the children's theater based in Maryland's Glen Echo National Park, recently launched an original adaptation of Jim Davis' long-running Garfield comic strip. The path to creating a new work for younger kids can be bumpy and winding. Arts Desk interviewed some of the principals to find out how the show came about.

8/5: Justin Jordan at Third Eye Comics

WEDNESDAY 8/5/15: JOHN FLOOD #1 Signing event with JUSTIN JORDAN (Luther Strode, Spread)

Click here for the event info on FACEBOOK

We're HUGE fans of writer Justin Jordan and his work on series like DEEP STATE, STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE, DARK GODS, and of course, the Image series, SPREAD, so when we had the opportunity to bring Justin in to launch his new series, JOHN FLOOD, we didn't just jump at it - we dove at it!

JOHN FLOOD is a must-read for fans of John Constantine Hellblazer, and series like the DRESDEN FILES and BLACKLIST, featuring a very cool take on the classic detective story with a very metaphysical twist.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Ryan Holmberg's latest alternative manga column online

Back to the Avant-Garde: Sasaki Maki's Nonsense

BY Ryan Holmberg Jul 27, 2015
http://www.tcj.com/back-to-the-avant-garde-sasaki-makis-nonsense/

Comic Riffs on Pekar Park

New Harvey Pekar Park embraces people as uncommonly common as he was

By Michael Cavna July 27 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/07/27/new-harvey-pekar-park-celebrates-people-as-uncommonly-common-as-he-was/

The Post censors Pearls Before Swine today

Today's actual strip uses the phrase "Me gonna punch little turd" and can be seen here.

The Post ran one from 7/27/2010 about William Wordsworth.

Oddly enough, the Post's Express newspaper ran the turd strip.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Rep. John Lewis' civil rights story comes to life in comics

Jan Crawford

CBS News July 24, 2015

online at http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/rep-john-lewis-civil-rights-story-comes-to-life-in-comics/

Congressman Lewis is writing a series of comic books called "March," showing historic moments in the struggle for civil rights. Though Lewis was beaten and arrested many times as a young man during the civil rights movement, he still believes change can come through peaceful protests. That's the message he's hoping the comic books will get across to children. Jan Crawford reports.

New Big Planet Comics t-shirt (UPDATED)

Big Planet Comics Bethesda has a new retro t-shirt, designed by Joel Pollack after an old DC Comics logo. Joel says, "I'm guessing Ira Schnapp did this logo originally. Martin Pasco put this together for me. We initially printed 72, and we're going to print another 72 next week. I've been wanting to do this design for years.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Bill Garner, Washington Star and Times editorial cartoonist, has passed away

William Simpson Garner Obituary

The Capital Gazette on July 26, 2015

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/CapitalGazette/obituary.aspx?n=William-Simpson-Garner&pid=175363234

Kickstarter: 'Sagas of the Northmen'

Former D.C. resident and DC Conspiracy member Sean Fahey is publishing another comics anthology, this one on Vikings, through his imprint Black Jack Press. He has started a very modest Kickstarter campaign (a $2,500 goal) to raise money for printing Sagas of the Northmen, which is all done and just needs to be printed. Check out the video and art samples on Kickstarter to see the high-quality work on this book.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Archie cartoonist obituary in today's Post

Tom Moore, cartoonist who brought Archie to life, dies at 86 [in print as Cartoonist drew Archie and friends for decades]

By Associated Press
Washington Post July 24 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/comics/tom-moore-cartoonist-who-brought-archie-to-life-dies-at-86/2015/07/23/8f37cfc6-30c7-11e5-8353-1215475949f4_story.html

July 25: Creator meet & greet at Comic Logic

Comic Logic in Ashburn, Va., on July 25 hosts a mix-and-mingle event from noon to 5 p.m. with some local creators, including Joe Sutliff and Jason Axtell.

July 25: DC Zinefest

The fifth annual DC Zinefest July 25 (11 a.m.-5 p.m.) at St. Stephens Church in D.C. will include numerous local comics creators.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

July 23-26: Shrek the Musical at Encore in Arlington

Encore Stage & Studio will present "Shrek the Musical" with performances running July 17-26 at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre, 125 South Old Glebe Road.

Performances are Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., with another performance on Thursday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children, students, seniors and military.

For information, call (703) 548-1154 or see the Web site at www.encorestage.org.

The show is reviewed at

'Shrek' Loses its Movie Magic in Theatrical Adaptation.

by Matt Reville

Northern Virginia Sun Gazette (July 23, 2015): 12