Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Comic Riffs talks to Daniel Clowes about Wilson, the movie

How sketching a dying father led Daniel Clowes to his quirky new film 'Wilson'


Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 22 2017
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2017/03/22/how-sketching-a-dying-father-led-daniel-clowes-to-his-quirky-new-film-wilson/

Regarding Wilson, in 2010 I wrote a brief review of the book and interviewed Mr. Clowes, who at conventions is very personable and approachable, unlike his characters.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Gary Cangemi, formerly local cartoonist, dies in PA

More details are in the two stories linked below, but he was born in Arlington and graduated from high school in Rockville, before spending the rest of his live in Pennsylvania.

Gary L. Cangemi Obituary

Scranton Times on Mar. 20, 2017
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetimes-tribune/obituary.aspx?n=Gary-L-Cangemi&pid=184583290

Umbert, and the Rest of Us, Will Miss You, Gary; COMMENTARY: Remembering the Register's pro-life cartoonist, Gary Cangemi.
Tom Hoopes
National Catholic Register Mar. 20, 2017
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/umbert-and-the-rest-of-us-will-miss-you-gary

Gary L. Cangemi


Sunday, March 19, 2017

Charity interview with Dana Maeir (with a Richard Thompson mention)

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Anthony Dortch

by Mike Rhode

I was recently at a local business asking about a comics-related item they were selling, and one of the staff told me that his colleague did comic books. After some followup, we interview Arlington's Anthony Dortch who currently has a Kickstarter campaign to turn his comics into film (warning: contains body-painted nudity).

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I am currently working on PURE. It's an epic tale of ingrained racism and the evils of inequality. It's a project where models get body painted to become the characters of a graphic novel and hopefully a feature-length movie.

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

PURE is a fumetti-style graphic novel.

Photo comics are a form of sequential storytelling that uses photographs rather than illustrations for the images, along with the usual comics conventions of narrative text and word balloons containing dialogue. They are sometimes referred to as fumetti, photonovels, fotonovelas, or similar terms.

Although far less common than illustrated comics, photo comics have filled certain niches in various places and times. For example, they have been used to adapt popular film and television works into print, tell original melodramas, and provide medical education. Photo comics have been popular at times in Italy and Latin America, and to a lesser extent in English-speaking countries.

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

I always say I born in the blizzard of 1978. I was born Fri., 1/13/78 in Akron, OH. I was raised in Hamilton, OH.

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

I wanted something different, but wasn't ready for New York. I currently live in the Ashton Heights neighborhood in Arlington, VA.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

I went to SCAD for graphic design.

Who are your influences?

I am often fascinated by Van Gogh. Today, Van Gogh is regarded as an artistic genius and his masterpieces sell for record-breaking prices; however, during his lifetime, he was a poster boy for tortured starving artists and sold only one painting. I find this intriguing.

In time, Van Gogh’s work evolved from dark/somber artistic style to lightened up and more color one. I like use of color and energetic strokes.

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

The time I gave up on myself. This was the time that I started believing that I wasn't talented and my art was no good as people from the outside kept telling me I should try to find a career.

What work are you best-known for?

My use of color to help tell my story.

What work are you most proud of?

I am most proud that I have stuck with this project. In 2009, I began working on a project called The Privileged Series. I traveled to Tybee Island, GA to work with fashion designer Anthony Canney, Tim Cabel and Julie Simser to do the first shoot. The goal was to represent differences between the rich and the poor through a surrealistic art form.

In 2010, The Privileged Series was displayed at Touchstone Gallery in Washington, D.C. and soon after traveled to galleries around the United States.

 In 2012, The Privileged Series was displayed at Distinction Gallery near San Diego, CA. I partnered with Keifla Antonio and his team to take things to the next level. The team painted the models, bringing my outrageously colored characters to life.

This was also the first time the characters emerged from paper into live action in the first mini-video.

In 2013, I created the first pilot comic book called PURE. The project uses real people with a wide variety of body types to become the characters in the story.

In 2014, when I met Michael Coslow The Privileged Series: PURE exploded into a series of making short videos. The small team traveled to Europe and across the United States painting people for the videos.


By 2015, I released the first official graphic novel. I also collaborated with Yogabear Studio twice; once in Washington, D.C. and again in San Diego, CA. The collaborative efforts produced our first joint book. PURE: Yogabear Studio: 2015. This book captures 19 models as they portray a variety of PURE characters.

After a stroke in 2016, I'm back to settle a goal. The goal is to create my first movie. The Kickstarter is my first opportunity.

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

I would love to work in the television industry.

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

I tend to visit the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and/or The National Gallery's East/West Wings. The two sites have both classic and contemporary in one space.

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

I think it's evolving with technology. We now have moving comics, more comic books turning into movies, and more independent artist creating and producing their own companies. It is very exciting.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? 

I've attended SPX, Awesome Con, and Baltimore Comic Con.

Any comments about attending them? 

Take your time. Their are many very talented indie artists that can be overshadowed by popular artists.

What's your favorite thing about DC? 

The free museums. There is so much to see how can you not be inspired.

Least favorite? 

The traffic (cars and metro). Grrrr!

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

I tend to visit the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery/American art Museum and/or The National Museum East/West Wings. The two museums have both classic and contemporary in one space.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

I like Cuba Libra for intriguing cuisines and decor. The inside of the resteraunt make you feel like you on a Cuban street.

Do you have a website or blog?

Facebook is www.facebook.com/dortchdesigns and web is www.dortchdesigns.com

Here's a photo gallery more of PURE work:












Bernie Wrightson has passed away

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The great comic book artist Bernie Wrightson passed away on Saturday night from cancer. I had only met him at cons, but my friend and Big Planet Comics store owner Joel Pollack was a good friend of his, and in the past has had some articles here about the two of them.

posted on ComicsDC ten years ago in 2007

Joel Pollack on 30 years of Big Planet Comics stores

http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2016/07/joel-pollack-on-30-years-of-big-planet.html


Here's some photographs I've taken of Mr. Wrightson and his work:


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100_8264 Bernie Wrightson

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Saturday, March 18, 2017

Cole Goco and other Arlington students win comic art awards UPDATED

This just came in from Cole's PR staff (wink, aka Mom, wink):

Cole Goco was just awarded a national gold medal for Comic Art from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.  In Arlington, 3 students got national medals this year in the category of Comic Art.  Cole has received a national medal 4 years in a row, but to my knowledge this is the first year there has been more than one medalist in Arlington in the Comic Art category (so that's must mean comic art is thriving here!)  Also, all the work is on display right now at the central library through March 28.  Cole's (a size-reduced version) is on the first floor near the children's section, Kate Felsenheld's is on the 2nd floor facing the quiet room, and I'm not sure where the 3rd one is.

Winners were:

Gold medal:
H-B Woodlawn 10th grader Cole Goco: Planets (Comic Art)

Silver medal:
Washington-Lee High School senior Kate Felsenheld: So You Wanna Be a Punk (Comic Art)
Swanson Middle School 8th grader Natalie Moreno: August (Comic Art)

More details are here - https://www.apsva.us/post/aps-students-earn-30-national-scholastic-art-writing-awards/

Now with Cole's cartoon.






Friday, March 17, 2017

Kennicott on cartoon-influenced fine artist

NPR on Beauty and the Beast

Gaiman interview on Pop Culture Happy Hour

Kickstarter project by Anthony Dortch

Anthony Dortch works in Arlington, and self-publishes comic books. We're trying to get our standard interview set up with him, but I didn't want to wait to note his Kickstarter project:


PURE - the feature length movie

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dortchdesigns/pure-the-feature-length-movie

We are working on PURE - a project where models get body painted to become the the characters of the graphic novel and film.

We want to make PURE into a live action movie. PURE is an epic tale of engrained racism and the evils of inequality - a project where models get body painted to become the characters of a graphic novel and a feature length movie.

The movie is based on a fumetti style graphic novel named PURE. A story built around the small nation of Seyns. It's governed by 7 feuding Western defined families (Baum, Cassidy, Dolle', Kindris, Rome, Mundi and Slaven); each with unique characteristics (heritage, social norms, cloning, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, artifacts and technologies). They don the ornate clothing and jewelry of money, beauty, and corruption. Their golden exterior and sky blue eyes belie any preoccupation with altruism, for the commoners serve as mere stepping-stones to money, power and useless things. 

The Others do not fit in to society due to a substantial shortage of earthly possessions, sex, race or class. The Others cannot camouflage their destitution. They live out side of Seyns and can only enter the nations walls to serve.


PR: Beyond Comics 20th Anniversary Sales Continue!


Beyond Comics 20th Anniversary Sales!

March - 20% Off Graphic Novels

Beyond Comics Opened Its First Store in 1997!

Celebrate Our Anniversary with year long sales!  

B&W Logo

 

All Graphic Novels 20% OFF!
Includes New Arrivals

 
Does not apply to Special Orders. 
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Beyond Comics, 18749 B North Frederick Avenue, 5632 Buckeystown Pike Frederick, MD, 207 S. Princess Street - Shepherdstown, WV, Gaithersburg, MD 20879


Shrek, the Musical returns to Arlington

A tad long, but 'Shrek, the Musical' still charms [in print as Young-at-Heart Targets of New Shows].

  • by MATT REVILLE, Staff Writer
  • online at http://www.insidenova.com/news/a-tad-long-but-shrek-the-musical-still-charms/article_462e885e-08ae-11e7-976b-d30279216ead.html

    The Post on Beauty and the Beast, Disney's latest de-animation

    Remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' convincingly springs to life [in print as A textural human touch for this classic].


    Washington Post March 17 2017, Weekend p. 27
    online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/remake-of-beauty-and-the-beast-convincingly-springs-to-life/2017/03/16/9022737c-05bf-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html

    LeFou's 'Beauty' secret revealed! [in print as LeFou in love: A 'Beauty' secret? It's not anymore].


    Express March 17 2017, p. 23