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Friday, July 30, 2021

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Axis Of Resistance"

From DC's anarchist cartoonist, Mike Flugennock -

"Axis Of Resistance"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=3262

Cuba hanging tough, helping vaccinate the world, getting solidarity and help from all over; Bolivia bouncing that fascist hag Añez; Sandanistas standing firm against US-backed "SOS" astroturf; Venezuela clapping back at US-backed provocateurs and third-rate wannabe Jack Ryans; Peru tossing Fujimori... yeah, these are the kind of "red states" I like.

11x13 inch medium-res color .jpg image, 705kb

Mike Flugennock, Political Cartoons: http://www.sinkers.org/stage
and follow me on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@flugennock

The Library of Congress wants your original run of Love & Rockets.... and Action #1

At about minute 37 of Peculiar Pop: Genre Comic Books at the Library of Congress, reference librarian Megan Halsband says that the Library needs the first printing of most Love & Rocket comic books. They're also short on Eclipse. And need an Action #1. Also, not mentioned, but they need Saga #1.

Peculiar Pop: Genre Comic Books at the Library of Congress

Peculiar Pop: Genre Comic Books at the Library of Congress

Jesse J. Holland and Megan Halsband
Jul 29, 2021

Jesse J. Holland and Megan Halsband discuss the Library of Congress comics collection, as well as the place of comics in American culture. Halsband completed a 2021 staff fellowship looking at the non-superhero genre collections at the Library of Congress, including western, romance, education and funny animal comics. In addition to his work in Black history and journalism, Holland is the author of "Black Panther: Who Is The Black Panther?" the first novel featuring the comic book character Black Panther. For more information, visit https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-9895

Thursday, July 29, 2021

The Black Widow isn't happy with Disney

Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over 'Black Widow' digital release

An existential battle gets a lawsuit — and a big-name ally

Cartoon by Steve Artley

 

Recent Cartoon (click on Images for larger view)

"Side Effects

 ©2021Steven G Artley • artleytoons • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Aug 14: Free Comic Book Day at Fantom Comics

Saturday, August 14th @ 11am to 6pm

>>>FREE COMIC BOOK DAY - 2021

Fantom Comics is pleased to celebrate the return of Free Comic Book Day with a full day of comics giveaways, raffles, sales, and festive activities at the store.

We are also happy to announce that we will have comics artist and creator, Jamie Noguchi, in the store to promote his work, such as the recent title for younger readers, "School For Extraterrestrial Girls". Jamie will do some sketching, talk about his current and upcoming projects, and generally share his experiences as a comics creator.

Enthusiasm for Free Comic Book Day is always high, and Fantom will be limiting in-store shopping to 20 customers at a time, so we ask that all visitors be patient and observe responsible COVID practices. Masks will be required at all times in the store.

For more information, stay tuned to our social media channels.

Goodwyn Cartoons 7/28/21 newsletter

EDITORIAL CARTOONS

Welcome to this (usually) twice-monthly newsletter containing a sampling of nonsense, satire and commentary in the form of the latest Goodwyn editorial cartoons.

July 28 2021 link

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Sean Anderson

 by Mike Rhode

A friend at the Baltimore Comic Con tipped me to Sean Anderson's art, noting that he'd been in the Blacksad yearbook, as well as a variant cover for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin from IDW. I reached out to ask him our usual questions

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?
 
I do variant covers for comic books along with prints and commissions of super heroes, pop culture, etc.  I sell foil accented art prints at Comic Cons across the country from Emerald City in Seattle, San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con,  Awesome Con DC, and more.  

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

I consider myself a digital graphic artist, so I mostly use Photoshop and Illustrator.  I also draw with markers and pens and paint spray paint, watercolor, and acrylic. My art prints either have a layer of holographic refraction foil on it (which causes rainbow effects in the light) - or gold, silver, rose gold, red, or green foil accented on it. To the left is a picture of a Deadpool piece with the silver foil accents.  A lot of times, I will design my art around the foil accents.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?
 
I was born in Washington DC in 1980.  

Why are you around Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?
 
I currently live in Germantown, MD (30 minutes outside of DC).  The DMV area is the best place in America to live in, as it is right in the center of the East Coast.  It's not too far from cities like New York, Raleigh, Baltimore, Philadelphia and DC.  DC is an highly underrated city aside from the monuments - as it has a varied social scene, it's so diverse, and has plenty of restaurants.  Also, we get all 4 seasons and near beaches, mountains, forests, and cities.  This area has everything!

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
 
I attended University of Maryland, College Park in the early 2000's and graduated with a bachelors in Studio Art.  

Who are your influences?
 
My biggest influence is the Japanese digital artist, Aya Kato.  Her work is limited - but it's what I look at before I start any art project.  At the moment, I'm also big on James Jean, the graphic artist, Mike Orunda, and the comic artist Mike Del Mundo.  Those guys are the tips of the iceberg as I look at a plethora of art at all times.  

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?
 
I wish I started the comic con circuit and the super hero art 10 years earlier than when I started in 2010, but I've come to realize that everything builds you up to where you are today.   

What work are you best-known for?
 
The variant covers I recently made for the comic, 'Something is Killing the Children' is giving a new recognition I haven't received before. If there are variant covers still available, you can find my TMNT: The Last Ronin cover at Toywiz.com and my 'Something is Killing The Children' covers can be found at https://stateofcomics.com/ - I will have a few more covers coming in the future, but I'm not at liberty to talk about it at the moment.  

Variant covers are comic book covers that are commissioned through a comic shop and authorized by the parent company to accompany the main book as an alternative comic cover to that particular issue.  Usually I'm either contacted by my agent or the comic book company themselves.  The covers tend to be more expensive than the regular issue, because the print run is smaller and relegated to one particular shop. This makes them more of a collector's item as they are rarer than a typical comic book.

What work are you most proud of?
 
The art collection I made for EyesOnWall is some of the craziest art I ever made since I had to make art that was NOT superhero related.  

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?
 
I would love to have a collection of variant covers for Marvel and DC. 

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?
 
When I'm in a rut - I go back to the basics and make something easy and build the next piece from that piece.  I have to do something 'art-related' every day, to avoid getting into those ruts.  

What do you think will be the future of your field?
 
I honestly have no clue.  20 years ago I saw digital art printed on a canvas at the Canadian embassy and thought to myself, 'what can painting do now'?  Digital art creates the ability to make ANYTHING.  So how do you top that?  I was scared for a while that the environmentally-unfriendly NFTs would be digital art's future, but thank god that's looking to be more of a fad.  

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Awesome Con, or others? Any comments about attending them?
 
I will be attending Awesome Con DC in August.  As of now, I'm not sure about Baltimore.  If the Fairfax shows, Tidewater, or Ocean City come during a non-busy period, I usually attend those.  It depends on the year.  

What comic books do you read regularly or recommend? Do you have a  local store?
 
My favorite comic book series is Umbrella Academy.  I attribute it to the reason I started making comic books at the beginning of my art career.  I'm also currently reading the X-Men Grand design books.  

What's your favorite thing about DC?
 
The National Gallery and Hirschhorn are some of the best art museums in the world - AND IT'S FREE TO GO!  DC is such a cool city and doesn't get as much lip service as it deserves.  

Least favorite?
 
The random state streets that break the grid up.  I also wasn't too thrilled about the insurrectionists that attacked the capital eatlier this year.  

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?
 
Take a visitor to the National Mall between The Washington Monument, Capitol, and Smithsonian.  First Fridays at the Dupont Circle galleries used to be cool to go to, too!

How about a favorite local restaurant?

I used to like the Chi Cha Loung in U Street back in the day. 

Do you have a website or blog?
 
You can find me at https://www.facebook.com/Skyscraper48 and skyscraper48.storenvy.com if you would like to purchase prints.  

How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected you, personally and professionally?
 
Professionally, COVID was devastating.  Cons shut down and as a result, I lost half of my income.  Luckily I had my day job to fall back on. My day job is as an art director and production manager at a promotional products advertising firm based out of Rockville. It's a fantastic job I've worked at for almost 20 years that gives me flexibility in my comic dream pursuits.  The job has also taught me a lot of the business side of art and helped me reign in my wilder artistic impulses to something suitable to a generalized audience.  Advertising is the perfect mix of art and business.
 
I also miscalculated how much people were willing to spend on commissions at the beginning of the pandemic, so I held a sale that kept me busy last summer, on the cheap.  Shows are opening back up and I'm hoping they will be as strong as they were in 2019.  Personally, I got to be with my kids a lot more than I ever imagined.  That's a blessing.
 

Deandra “Nika” Tan's Kickstarter launches

 We talked with Nika in 2019, and now she's going to collect her webcomic.


VIENNA, Virg. 7/27/2021 — SIGNALS, a queer mystery-adventure webcomic created by Deandra “Nika” Tan, 

will be coming to Kickstarter on July 27th, 2021 to fund a limited print run of the complete series. 

SIGNALS follows amateur sleuth Mel Song as she tackles her first big case: searching for a woman 

who has disappeared with her boyfriend into the heart of New York City. To all appearances, there’s nothing awry...

but lurking beneath the surface are uncomfortable secrets, forgotten memories, and a criminal underworld 

about to tear itself apart in a decades-old conflict. Mel may be a fish out of water, but luckily she’s got one 

major trick up her sleeve: the ability to read minds. Now, if only she could be sure that she isn't the only telepath 

with an interest in this case.


SIGNALS blends mystery, comedy, romance, and action into a thrilling comic full of twists and turns that 

mature readers will enjoy. Since its launch in 2018 on digital publishing platform Tapas as part of their

 premium comics program, the webcomic has gained over 20,000 subscribers. 

 

The Kickstarter campaign will run for 30 days from July 27th through August 26th, and funds raised will support 

a full-color printing of the complete two-volume collection. Backers will also have the opportunity to receive 

Kickstarter-exclusive rewards contributed by special guest artists. You can visit the Kickstarter page here 

 to learn more.


###


ABOUT THE CREATOR

Deandra “Nika” Tan is an artist and writer born in New York City and living in Virginia. Her work is inspired by 

action movies, Japanese comics, and young adult fantasy novels.

Monday, July 26, 2021

Cavna talks to Tig Notaro about her cartoon standup comedy special

How Tig Notaro created a cartoon standup special about life, death and Dolly Parton [in print as Sketching out a cartoon standup show]

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Zombie Republic"

From Mike Flugennock, DC's anarchist cartoonist -

"Zombie Republic"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=3257

California... prophet on the burnin' shore... where Gavin Newsom is whipping the kids back to school so he can whip their parents back to work, where new cases of COVID-19 are up 165% in Los Angeles County at least partially due to brilliance like this:

      "...Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva stated that the mandate will not be enforced as it is 'not backed by science' and contradicts the guidelines 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends only that the 
unvaccinated wear masks."

            — "COVID-19 cases rise by 165 percent in California since              lifting of restrictions in June", wsws.org 07.22.2021


The reputation of the LAPD and the L.A. Sheriff's Department was already so deep in the toilet they couldn't possibly make it worse — until the goddamn sheriff of L.A. County decided he was going to be their goddamn doctor, too.

A hundred and sixty-five goddamn percent.

----------

"New COVID-19 Cases Up 165% In Los Angeles County", KCAL/CBS Los  Angeles, 07.08.2021 
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/07/08/new-covid-19-cases-up-165-los-angeles-county/

"COVID-19 cases rise by 165 percent in California since lifting of  restrictions in June", Brian Gene at World Socialist Web Site, 
07.22.2021 https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/07/23/cali-j23.html


Mike Flugennock, Political Cartoons: http://www.sinkers.org/stage
and follow me on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@flugennock

Friday, July 23, 2021

Working 9 to 5 by Giacomo Gambineri in The Post


Working 9 to 5

Giacomo Gambineri
Washington Post July 23 2021

From the artist: "I wanted to show a sort of balance between the two experiences of working from home versus the office. On paper, staying at home may still look like the most charming option (meaning: snooze fest) even if we all learned there are many sneaky downsides of smart working. I have a whole second season planned, where the in-laws come to visit. The working title is 'Looking for a co-working space in the area.' " — Giacomo Gambineri

NPR on Old, adapted from the French graphic novel Sandcastle

In 'Old,' M. Night Shyamalan Takes Us To The Beach


Vicky Krieps, Thomasin McKenzie, Gael García Bernal and Luca Faustino Rodriguez in M. Night Shyamalan's new film Old.

Phobymo/Universal Pictures

The psychological horror thriller Old comes with the kind of twist we've come to expect from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan. That twist is right there in the title: A bunch of tourists find themselves trapped on a secluded beach where they all age at an alarming rate.

The audio was produced by Mike Katzif, and edited by Jessica Reedy.

The Post on the Tokyo Olympics use of existing manga and anime creators

Anime and manga will take center stage at the Olympics. It could fuel a boom in interest. [in print as Spotlight on mascots gives anime and manga a chance to draw in more fans]

Tom King talks Supergirl

Exclusive: Tom King on the 'hidden strength' that drives Supergirl in new 'Woman of Tomorrow' comic

Matthew Jackson
Jul 16, 2021
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/exclusive-tom-king-on-supergirl-woman-of-tomorrow-dc-comics

Aug 6-8: Otakon in DC and August 7: Carroll County Comic Book & Nostalgia Show

Otakon is back on August 6-8, 2021, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW in Washington, DC.

Featured guests are Laura Post (Persona 5 Royal), Joe Zieja and Zach Aguilar (Fire Emblem Three Houses), Adam McArthur (Star vs. The Forces of Evil), Kaiji Tang (Gantz: O), Ricco Fajardo (Cruel Summer), Anne Yatco (Jujutsu Kaisen), Eric Roth (Final Fantasy), and Abby Trott (Carmen Sandiego).

The convention will host plenty of activities, including concerts, cosplay, gaming, and more.

The full weekend pass is $85, Friday is $50, Saturday is $60, and Sunday is $40.

All of the activities, ticket purchases, and other convention details are available at www.otakon.com.


The Carroll County Comic Book & Nostalgia Show will be held on August 7, 2021, at 3233 Old Westminster Pike in Finksburg, MD. The rain date is August 22.

Coldwell Banker Realtor Vince Brusio is helping to raise money for the Roaring Run Lion's Club District 22W through this convention. A free outdoor event, the comic and nostalgia show will feature comics, horror, toys, records CDs, DVDs, and games. Set photography and cast members from Brusio's horror comic Hackney Haunts will be there.

The convention will be open from 10 AM to 2 PM.  

Additional con details, including photos from previous events, are available on the show's website.

Olympic comic book in opening day's Washington Post

Chasing Gold is a real comic book, printed on paper. I believe it is the first published by the Washington Post. It's the story of Alexandria, VA native Noah Lyles, a track and field competitor.

20 pages long. Story by Rick Maese and Adam Kilgore, art by Andy Belanger, inks by Cary Nord, coloring by Tatto Caballero, lettering by Serge LaPointe, art direction by Joe Moore, editing by Matt Rennie and Virginia Singarayar, copy editing by Scott Silverstein.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

The Post on the deaths of Kurt Westergaard and John McMeel and new life from Shaina Feinberg (and cicadas)

Kurt Westergaard, Danish cartoonist whose Muhammad caricature stirred debate and violence, dies at 86 [in print as His Muhammad cartoon stirred debate, violence]

More on Black Widow from The Post

Opinion: The question about female empowerment at the center of 'Black Widow'

Congressman's Lewis' 'Run' bio excerpted in the New Yorker

Manufacturing Lightning: A Visual Account of John Lewis's Legacy

 

The book "Run" is an effort to distill the rich history of the civil-rights movement for a new generation.

 By Françoise Mouly and Genevieve Bormes

July 21, 2021

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/manufacturing-lightning-a-visual-account-of-john-lewiss-legacy?

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Steve Hickman's Locus obituary and his surprise presence in the National Gallery of Art

Stephen Hickman (1949-2021)

Cavna talks to Bugs Bunny's voice

The original Bugs Bunny voice was his idol. Now he plays the character in the 'Space Jam' sequel. [in print as Jeff Bergman is a little wabbit's voice in the new 'Space Jam']

Monday, July 19, 2021

A Behind the Scenes Look at Black Widow - for National Geographic

A Behind the Scenes Look at Black Widow - for National Geographic

 
Jul 13, 2021

In Marvel Studios' action-packed spy thriller "Black Widow," Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

Go behind the scenes for a special look at the real-world locations from the film for National Geographic fans. Explore our world and experience Marvel Studios' Black Widow now in theaters or on Disney+ with Premier Access.