Tuesday, November 06, 2018

The Post on Walking Dead's changes

On 'Walking Dead,' Rick's departure is just one more opportunity to hit the reset button [in print as 'Walking Dead' mainstay exits, but the show trudges on].

Washington Post November 6 2018, C1, 5

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/on-walking-dead-ricks-departure-is-just-one-more-opportunity-to-hit-the-reset-button/2018/11/05/e7852936-e103-11e8-b759-3d88a5ce9e19_story.html

Black Panther costume in the Smithsonian

Black Panther Costume Revealed at NMAAHC

By Brianna McAdoo, Special to the AFRO

November 1, 2018

https://www.afro.com/black-panther-costume-revealed-at-nmaahc/

Monday, November 05, 2018

Comic Riffs on the Geppi collection at the Library of Congress

Want to see the first full drawings of Captain America and Mickey Mouse? Go to the Library of Congress.

By Michael Cavna

Washington Post Comic Riffs blog November 5 2018

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/11/05/want-see-first-full-drawings-captain-america-mickey-mouse-go-library-congress/

Meet John Darrin: A Chat About His Anti-Trump Cartoon Book

by Mike Rhode

Early this fall, some of my friends among local political cartoonists started telling me that they had a piece in a new book. Author John Darrin commissioned over a score of cartoonists to illustrate Who's That Man with Mr. Lincoln, Mommy? A Parent's Guide to the Trump Presidency. Darrin himself is from Frederick, MD, and local cartoonists in the book are Steve Artley, Barbara Dale, Al Goodwyn, Clay Jones and Joe Sutliff (see the bottom of this post for his list of all the contributors).

Darrin's website describes his book thusly:

Who’s That Man With Mr. Lincoln, Mommy? is a political parody intended to discredit the Trump Administration in a simple, compelling, and entertaining way. Set as a walking tour of the Mall in Washington, DC, two young parents and their children play the alphabet game to explain why President Trump is the greatest. The children unwittingly expose their parent’s absurd explanations with common sense. Interlaced with penetrating editorial cartoons from award-winning artists, this no-holds-barred tale takes us on a journey through the deception and hypocrisy of the Trump White House.

The slim volume (there are only 24 letters in the alphabet after all) features a page of text with an illustration and his imaginary family discussing a word that has gained prominence (or notoriety) due to the Trump administration. The facing page reproduces a political cartoon and a brief biography of the cartoonist.

Darrin was kind enough to send me a copy to preview and answer some questions for ComicsDC.

You're normally a novelist? Why did you decide to write a children's book parody?

Yes, I am a novelist, and also some business-based non-fiction. A parody of a children's book allowed me to present the pro-Trump arguments in the shortest and simplest form and have them rebutted not by partisanship and ideology, but by simple common sense and honest questions.

And why have it illustrated by cartoonists?

Steve Artley's drawing from the Lincoln Memorial

I believe editorial cartoons are the most compelling way to instantly communicate complex ideas. And the weakness of a children's book format for an adult is the monotony of the presentation. Letting different cartoonists not only do their cartoons, but also illustrate the story meant that each page brought fresh and interesting imagery. A surprise with each page turn.

How did you find them?

Lots of research and queries. Lists like Pulitzer and Herblock prize winners, the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, and different cartoon syndicators. Then lots of correspondence to sell the concept.

Did anyone turn you down?

Yes, lots of rejections. It turns out these guys are not sitting around waiting for someone like me to contact them, but actually have jobs and commitments. Who knew? The ones who accepted generally were excited by the concept and the chance to work with the other cartoonists.

You selected various terms for the cartoonists to choose from - how did you come up with them?

I made a comprehensive list of words that would apply to Trump's administration (page 62 of the book) and picked the ones that I felt were most important. For example. using pussy or Putin as the "P" word was an obvious choice. But I wanted this to be a catalog of Trump's failings and Puerto Rico was no longer on people's minds. With the daily barrage of lunacy, it is easy to forget earlier offenses to the American legacy. Several of my choices were changed by the cartoonist to fit their interests, such as Ingrid Rice, a Canadian cartoonist, choosing NAFTA over narcissism.

Did you write the script first, and give each appropriate page to the cartoonist after they selected a term?

Yes, the story was drafted and then the cartoonists drew to the subject and narrative.

Unlike many cartoon books about DC, the scenery among the monuments is largely accurate even though not everyone is a local cartoonist. Did you provide pictures or art direction?

I mapped out the walking tour of the family and used Google street view to get screenshots of each location and gave them to the cartoonists. That way the story followed a consistent path.

How are you selling and/or distributing this?

Joe Sutliff's drawing of the Trump Hotel (aka the Old Post Office)

The book is available on our website and on Amazon. We have been trying to get it placed in retail stores, but we don't have a wholesaler so we'll continue to work on that.

There are two sequels planned: Who's That Man Scolding Mr. Trump, Mommy?, and Who's That Man Looking So Sad, Mommy?, about the Mueller investigation and the mid-term results, respectively.

Nick Anderson, Pat Bagley, Darrin Bell, Randy Bish, Stuart Carlson, Jeff Danziger, Ed Hall, Phil Hands, Joe Heller, Clay Jones, Keith Knight, Jimmy Margulies, Robert Matson, Rick McKee, Joel Pett, Ted Rall, Igrid Rice, Jen Sorenson, Rob Tornoe and Monte Wolverton appear in addition to local cartoonists Steve Artley, Barbara Dale, Al Goodwyn, Clay Jones and Joe Sutliff.

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "The Primo Nutmeg Interview"

Mike Flugennock, our local anarchist cartoonist (born in Arlington!) is interviewed:

"The Primo Nutmeg Interview"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=2635

Hey, folks! My interview on the Primo Nutmeg show just dropped; I'm talking cartooning, media, politics, and it's... well, primo. Give a listen...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c-XeIvZ_8w

Nov 9: Nora Krug - Belonging at Politics and Prose Union Market

Nora Krug - Belonging: A German Reckons with History and Home — in conversation with the Washington Post's Nora Krug — at Politics and Prose at Union Market

Friday, November 9, 2018 - 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/nora-krug-belonging-german-reckons-history-and-home-in-conversation-washington-posts-nora

Like Art Spiegelman's Maus, Krug's graphic memoir centers on events she experienced at one remove, by inheritance—and that for that reason may have marked her all the more deeply. A member of the second generation of Germans born after World War II, Krug draws on letters, photos, flea-market artifacts, and archival materials for a powerful exploration of Heimat, the place that first forms us. Now an award-winning artist and member of the faculty of the Parsons School of Design, Krug researched her grandparents' role in the Third Reich, and her sifting of layers of history is as vital a story as what she discovered. Krug will be in conversation with Washington Post "Book World" writer and editor Nora Krug.

This event is free to attend with no reservation required. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
Click here for more information.

Politics and Prose at Union Market 1270 5th Street NE Washington DC 20008

Sunday, November 04, 2018

Bruce Guthrie's pictures of RO Blechman

Blechman spoke in town yesterday at Dumbarton Oaks - Bruce's photos of the 88-year old New York cartoonist are here: http://www.bguthriephotos.com/graphlib.nsf/keys/2018_11_03A_Blechman

Saturday, November 03, 2018

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Blue Wave no. 3: Pukin' Blue, No Matter Who"

From Mike Flugennock, DC's anarchist cartoonist:

"Blue Wave no. 3: Pukin' Blue, No Matter Who"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=2630

Welp... I've finally nailed it down. Between Ocasio-Cortez waffling on Palestine, Andrew Gillum flip-flopping on Medicare For All, all the ex-CIA types running as Democrats and all the doorknobs screaming "vote Blue, no matter who", I think I've finally figured out what the Blue Wave is going to be: the Democratic Party choking to death on its own vomit.

Root Boy Slim And The Sex Change Band: "Boogie 'Til You Puke", 1978:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY3eMd3Jp7I

Friday, November 02, 2018

Dead Reckoning's editor interviewed

An Interview with Gary Thompson

BY Daniel Schindel Nov 2, 2018

http://www.tcj.com/an-interview-with-daniel-schindel/

Scoop covers Geppi's press conference at Library of Congress

Library of Congress Launches First Exhibit of Geppi Collection

Scoop November 2 2018

http://scoop.previewsworld.com/Home/4/1/73/1012?ArticleID=220506

Thursday, November 01, 2018

Tonight: Slovenian cartoonists at Big Planet on U St

Today at 7 PM – 9 PM

Big Planet Comics of Washington DC

1520 U St NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20009

Big Planet Comics is excited to present Izar Lunaček and Nejc Juren, all the way from Slovenia for their American comics residency, as they present their graphic novel Animal Noir!

Animal Noir: Anthropomorphic animals like you've never seen them before. It's Chinatown meets Animal Farm. Private Investigator (and giraffe), Immanuel Diamond - Manny to his friends - has been asked by his uncle, an influential judge, to track down a prey fantasy movie. Adult films in this world are staged hunts where one animal eats another and the judge's wife starred in one that has been hidden (until now). Giraffe detectives, hippo mob members, prey-obsessed lions, street fighting elephants, and oppressed zebras are just part of this wild animal kingdom.

They will also presenting a history of Slovenian comics at the Slovenian Embassy that weekend.

Library of Congress' Swann Foundation is accepting fellowship applications

The Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress is accepting applications for its graduate fellowship, one of the few in the field, for the 2019-2020 academic year. Deadline for applications is February 15, 2019. Please see the following for criteria, guidelines, and application forms:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html

Please email swann@loc.gov or call (202) 707-9115 if you have questions.