Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Chester Brown live at Politics and Prose

Brown is reading from his new book Mary Wept at the Feet of Jesus.

Tonight: Chester Brown at Politics and Prose bookstore

Chester Brown - Mary Wept Over the Feet of Jesus

Brown's graphic/comic work has consistently taken the genre in new directions; from his award-winning comic-strip biography of the renegade Louis Riel to his comic memoir about his own adolescence, The Playboy, and on to his adult experiences in the graphic Paying for It: A Comic-strip Memoir of Being a John, Brown has been telling startling stories and creating crisp, evocative artwork—with hand-drawn endnotes. His latest book is an iconoclastic reinterpretation of the Bible; focusing on passages related to Bathsheba, Ruth, Rahab, Tamar, Mary of Bethany, and the Virgin Mother, Brown parses scripture for its views on prostitution, including arguments for decriminalization.

Brown will be in conversation with Elizabeth Nolan Brown, staff editor at Reason magazine, where she covers sex policy, civil liberties, gender issues, and other issues  from a libertarian feminist perspective.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "He's Late!"

From DC's anarchist, and apparently pothead, cartoonist:


"He's Late!"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1932

Yesterday, following on the heels of a successful "Smoke-In" protest earlier this month, was DCMJ's historic meeting with White House officials from the Office Of National Drug Control Policy concerning the rescheduling or descheduling of marijuana from its current status at Schedule 1 -- listed alongside heroin and methamphetamine. Along with combat veteran Brandon Wyatt of the group "Weed For Warriors", DCMJ leaders Adam Eidinger and Nikolas Schiller spoke to the ONDCP representatives at length on the need for a political -- rather than scientific -- solution to the current cannabis prohibition situation. Citing the racism of Federal Narcotics Bureau Commissioner Harry Anslinger (responsible for the initial Federal ban on cannabis in the 1930s) and, later, President Nixon in the late '60s and early '70s, Eidinger asserted that because cannabis prohibition was a political act, a solution to end prohibition must also be political.

Eidinger and Schiller called for a followup to this meeting at a higher level, a "bud summit" at the White House with El Presidente himself. "He doesn't even have to say anything," commented Eidinger, "he just needs to listen. Because it's going to take a year of dialogue at the federal level to figure out federal legalization."

Listening to a recording of the ONDCP meeting at a "post-mortem" meeting back at the DCMJ office, conversation turned toward the fact that Obama was late in deciding on how to handle Federal legalization; "late for 4/20" was the joke going around the room, and it inspired a literary analogy "hook" on which to hang a "hashtag point" -- #HesLate -- and this cartoon.

He's late, he's late, for a very important date.

Bruce Guthrie on SAAM exhibit: Finding: Source Material in the Archives of American Art

by Bruce Guthrie

Smithsonian American Art Museum's archives section has a new exhibit (described below).  I volunteer there covering family day events (the Ella Fitzgerald tribute on Saturday with the Dan Dunn speed-painting event was great!) so I check out everything. 

The archives section usually talks about people I've never heard of before but it always includes some interesting spots.  The most interesting part of this exhibit was Ray Yoshida (1930-2009) who meticulously cut out a lot of panels from cartoons for reference work.  One of the open scrapbooks, for example, was a collection of how couples kissing were illustrated in comic strips.  But the Sucrets tins filled with tiny cut out tiny images and word balloons was interesting too.  Some of them were laid out in the exhibit cases in an easier to see fashion and they even reproduced some of them on the wall.   I'm sure folks here will recognize many of them (shown below).

Finding: Source Material in the Archives of American Art

April 22, 2016 – August 21, 2016
In this exhibition, the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art reveals how artists find inspiration. The Archives' collections hold a kaleidoscopic array of source materials; many of these materials are somewhat ordinary: comic- strip panels, newspaper clippings, and snapshots of mundane scenes. Yet the ways in which artists draw on them provides a glimpse into the twists and turns of their creative practices.









There were two source cartoons that Ray Lichtenstein sent to someone too (below).  My pics are up on http://www.bguthriephotos.com/graphlib.nsf/keys/2016_04_25E_SIPG_Source

The exhibit wasn't getting the attention that the Prince In Memoriam photo was getting.






__,_._,___

May 21: call for ARTSHOW_15: COMIX

HITS_15: COMIX — May 21, 2016 — CALL FOR ENTRY

[contact: Mike O'Brien at obrien@redtablepress.com with comments and questions]





ARTSHOW_15: COMIX

A showcase of work steeped in and inspired by sequential art and storytelling.


Featuring: Original pieces, concept art, prints, scripts, books, et. al by the independent creators of the DC / DMV region and beyond.


Including: A mega-merch table situation for peeps to sling additional swag.  

Food: Milk Cult

Music: [appropriate vibes TBA]


Where Hole in the Sky2110 5th St NE DC (entrance in the alley)

When: Saturday, May 21, 2016

Time: 5-11pm

Cost: $5 donations please


Poster Design Progress:

Sketch - https://www.instagram.com/p/BD2Ed-ao5h0/

Big Sketch - https://www.instagram.com/p/BEcwY6Ko5oG/

Ink Drawing - https://www.instagram.com/p/BEh1ZjFo5sU/



IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE – SUBMIT VIA THIS FORM

This is an open call for work steeped in or inspired by sequential art and storytelling. We want to not only showcase finished work and stand-alone pieces, but also provide insights into the process of sequential storytelling. Showing scripts, concept work, finished pages, etc. are all considerable.


Submit via this form to express your interest in participating and give me an idea of what you would like to include in the show. Please share this link with others of the sequential art-leaning disposition. [ HITS15 submission form — http://goo.gl/forms/5cYaCs8XhO ]


*** Work does not need to be complete by the submission deadline, you have until the drop-off date to finish pieces. ***

April 29: Superhero Homicide at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse

http://backoffice.arlingtondrafthouse.com/default.aspx?page=event&eid=4187

Die Laughing Productions enters the world of Superheroes and Supervillians with Superhero Homicide: Dawn of Deathdealer. This hilarious, interactive murder mystery show transports you to the Superhero hall of fame, the Hall of Heroes. One of the world's greatest Superheroes is about to be inducted into the Hall but unfortunately, things do not go as planned. Superheroes plus Supervillians equals a super sized murder and it's up to you figure out who did it. Superhero Homicide stars 98 Rock's own superhero, Justin Schlegel but most importantly it stars you. Everyone has a little superhero in them and this is your time to prove it. Put on your detective hat and cape and solve this murder. The future of the world depends on it. Real life Superheroes get in free.

Eat. Drink Laugh. Solve a murder.

OT: Seymour Chwast Kickstarter begins today


Ulysses E. Campbell: From TV to radio

Local comic book documentarian/journalist/fan Ulysses E. Campbell (of the comics-focused "Fantastic Forum" program on local public TV) now is part of a new radio program at 96.7 WERA in Arlington. "TMI (Too Much Information)" is not related to comics, but it's great to see (actually, hear) Ulysses taking over another medium and showing us his vast talents.
Ulysses Campbell (left) and Alvin Jones on the air at 96.7 WERA (Photo courtesy of Campbell)

Monday, April 25, 2016

City Paper on Chester Brown's DC appearance

Chester Brown at Politics & Prose Wednesday, April 27

By Dominic UmileApril 22, 2016
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/48104/chester-brown-at-politics-prose-wednesday-april-27/

David Hagen @ Artomatic@Frederick



From: David Hagen

Nothing embellished here!
Artomatic in Frederick, MD, May 7 through June 10.
Everything priced to sell!!!!

I personally own several Hagen paintings. No reasonable offer refused.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Asian comic book exhibit review

That darn Wumo and Flashbacks

Correcting the record on a D.C. 'Flashback' [in print as "Setting the record...].

OT: Seymour Chwast Kickstarter begins this week

Because of our respect for him and his work, we note that "legendary illustrator Seymour Chwast who (at age 84) is launching a Kickstarter campaign to publish his new book of antiwar illustrations: Seymour Chwast at War with War: An Illustrated Timeline of 5000 Years of Conquests, Invasions, and Terrorist Attacks."

The campaign starts on April 26th on Kickstarter. I'll be backing this.

From "At War with War." Iraq War, 2006.

Friday, April 22, 2016

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Gentlemen Prefer Hillary"


From DC's anarchist cartoonist Mike Flugennock:

"Gentlemen Prefer Hillary"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1926

Economic justice seems so sentimental,
but Wall Street is a girl's best friend --

15 an hour is so detrimental,
when Wall Street is a girl's best friend...!

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Fantastic Forum Episode #57

Fantastic Forum Episode #57

 Apr 12, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVPlbEzje-Q

Join special correspondent Daphne O''Neal as she tours The Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, CA. Producer/host Ulysses E. Campbell talks with ComiXology co-founder John Roberts and V.P. of Marketing Chip Mosher at SPX. And panelist Abigail Pritchard interviews A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) author George R.R. Martin at Capclave.

Two Minutes on Oceans with Jim Toomey: Green Fins for a Blue Planet

Two Minutes on Oceans with Jim Toomey: Green Fins for a Blue Planet

 Apr 15, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWtjifMDvUo

Dive tourism is increasing at a rate of nearly one million new divers every year. Great news for the dive industry, but what about potential impacts on coral reefs and marine ecosystems? Watch this video to learn how divers and snorkelers can enhance environmental and economic sustainability through the Green Fins certification program.


The "Two Minutes on Oceans with Jim Toomey" video series uses animation and humor to explain complex scientific issues in simple terms to the general public. The series was produced as a partnership between nationally syndicated cartoonist, Jim Toomey, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Additional videos from the series can be viewed at: www.rona.unep.org/toomey

PR: Kremos: The Lost Art of Niso Ramponi's Eisner nomination

kremos-art-eisner-mockup

"Kremos: The Lost Art of Niso Ramponi" chosen as one of the year's best books by Eisner judges

EisnerfullLogo

We are excited to share our good news with everyone: We've received a Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nomination in the category for "Best Archival Collection—Strips" for our two-volume set, Kremos: The Lost Art of Niso Ramponi.

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are considered the "Oscars" of the comics world. Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, the awards will be given out this year during a ceremony at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 22.

We couldn't be more flattered to find ourselves honored in the same category as folks like Fantagraphics Books, IDW, and Sunday Press, all publishers we've admired for years. What a great way for Lost Art Books to continue celebrating our fifth anniversary!

A decade in the making, this two-volume set covers the Italian cartoonist and animator's entire career. Ramponi was at his most prolific from the mid-1940s through the early 1960s, working with everyone from friend and colleague Federico Fellini to creating the official movie posters for Walt Disney's post-war releases in Italy. But it was as a cartoonist and cover artist for some of Italy's more irreverent satirical magazines that Ramponi left his most enduring mark. As contemporary cartoonist Jerry Carr describes in Volume 2's foreword, "Kremos's work reminds us of the layouts of Hank Ketcham, the polish of Bill Ward, the humor of Dan DeCarlo, and the grace of Jack Cole—while exemplifying something entirely original."

Benefiting from careful restoration and translation, Volume 1 collects over 200 of Kremos's bodacious black and white cartoons and illustrations and is fronted by a 6,000-word introduction by Ramponi's friend and current-day animator, Mario Verger. Volume 2 adds 250 curvaceous color comics and covers to the set, with a foreword by contemporary comic artist Jerry Carr. Combined, these volumes offer nearly 500 examples of his work and a comprehensive overview of a maverick artist at the height of his creative powers.


KREMOS: THE LOST ART OF NISO RAMPONI

Vol. 1: Bodacious B&W

Introduction by Mario Verger
Edited by Joseph V. Procopio
$27.95 • 212 pp. • 8½"x11" • paperback

Buy:
LostArtBooks.com


KREMOS: THE LOST ART OF NISO RAMPONI

Vol. 2: Curvaceous Color

Foreword by Jerry Carr
Edited by Joseph V. Procopio
$34.95 • 260 pp. • full color • 8½"x11" paperback

Buy:
LostArtBooks.com

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Nils and Ralph

Who knew that Ralph Steadman did two album covers for former Montgomery County resident Nils Lofgren? Not me. Here's a poster of one at Alexandria's Birchmere club.