Saturday, November 30, 2024
Dirda recommends Ronin sequel at WaPo
The graphic novel fan:
Back in the 1980s, I oversaw a special issue of Book World devoted to contemporary comics and graphic novels, then a newly hot genre spearheaded by works as different as Harvey Pekar's "American Splendor," Art Spiegelman's "Maus" and Alan Moore's "Watchmen." Still, the graphic novel I most vividly recall from that era is Frank Miller's now legendary and immensely influential "Ronin." A trans-temporal samurai-action adventure only begins to describe it, but — unusually for comics — there was no sequel. Until now. In "Ronin Rising" (Abrams), Miller — joined by Philip Tan, Daniel Henriques and John Workman — focuses on an accursed female warrior, an evil and sentient AI, and, to quote a promotional brochure's understated description, "a postapocalyptic biotech war in the demon-teeming pits of a twenty-first century New York." It can hardly get any better than that.
Books are perfect holiday gifts. Here are some tips on choosing them. [in print as For the readers on your list, give wisely]
Gift-book ideas for the movie buff, the puzzle fiend, the poetry reader, the classic lover, the bibliophile and more.
Comics Research Bibliography citations update, 11/28-29/2024
By Avery Kaplan on 11/28/2024 https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-supervising-director-barry-j-kelly-on-star-trek-lower-decks/
'Moana 2' Review: It Doesn't Rock the Boat
By Natalia Winkelman
A version of this article appears in print on Nov. 29, 2024, Section C, Page 6 of the New York edition with the headline: Setting Out For Lands Beyond.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/27/movies/moana-2-review.html
The Midnight World
Michael Chabon
Glenn Fleishman's history of the comic strip as a technological artifact vividly restores the world of newspaper printing—gamboge, Zip-A-Tone, flongs, and all.
December 19, 2024 issue
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2024/12/19/the-midnight-world-michael-chabon/
Lovable Movie Robots Are Coming to Charm Your Children
The adult world is ever more full of robots. Children's entertainment feels as if it's working hard to make them seem adorable.
Diego Hadis
A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 1, 2024, Page 9 of the Sunday Magazine with the headline: Electric Dreams
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/27/magazine/the-wild-robot-dreams.html
SILVER SPROCKET EXPANDS INTO GAMES, ADDS MORE 'PEE PEE POO POO' In Spring 2025
Brigid Alverson on November 27, 2024
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58366/silver-sprocket-expands-into-games-adds-more-pee-pee-poo-poo
Unsung Heroes of Illustration celebrated by artist Pete Beard
John Freeman on November 13, 2024
https://downthetubes.net/unsung-heroes-of-illustration-celebrated-by-artist-pete-beard/
Step Back in Time to 1952: American comics in your local newsagents!
John Freeman on November 25, 2024
https://downthetubes.net/step-back-in-time-to-1952-american-comics-in-your-local-newsagents/
Forbidden Planet Bristol relaunches next month
John Freeman on November 27, 2024
https://downthetubes.net/forbidden-planet-bristol-relaunches-next-month/
In Memoriam: Scott Donaldson, the inspiration for Bananaman
John Freeman on November 28, 2024
https://downthetubes.net/in-memoriam-scott-donaldson-the-inspiration-for-bananaman/
Montrose man, 49, who was inspiration for Bananaman dies suddenly
David Donaldson says he created the iconic DC Thomson character after interactions with his son, Scott.
By Andrew Robson
October 3 2024, https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/angus-mearns/5095478/scott-donaldson-montrose-bananaman-dies/
In Memoriam: Cartoonist Peter Maddocks
John Freeman on November 26, 2024
https://downthetubes.net/in-memoriam-cartoonist-peter-maddocks/
Taking a light-hearted look at the absurdities of life. Peter Maddocks - The Fleet Street cartoonist for over fifty years talks to SUR in English about his life and work and his eventual relocation to Spain
Tony Bryant
Friday, 22 July 2022,
https://www.surinenglish.com/lifestyle/maddocks-cartoonist-alhaurin-20220722101733-ntvo.html
PETER MADDOCKS: 65 years as a cartoonist and painter
Euro Weekly News Media 02 Feb 2018
https://euroweeklynews.com/2018/02/02/peter-maddocks-65-years-as-a-cartoonist-and-painter/
Newspaper legend quick on draw: Peter Maddocks, Cartoonist
Daily Express · 23 Nov 2024
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-express/20241123/282424174768729
Friday, November 29, 2024
Matt Wuerker cartoons for sale for Cartoonists Rights
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Comics Research Bibliography citations update, 11/27/2024
Disney Agrees to $43M Deal to Settle Class Action Over Women's Pay
Winston Cho
November 26, 2024
DROPS OF GOD Named 'Best Drama Series' at the 2024 International Emmy Awards
by Rotem Rusak
Nov 26 2024 https://nerdist.com/article/drops-of-god-named-best-drama-series-at-the-international-emmy-awards-2024/
Three-Body Problem gets graphic adaptation
By Yang Yang | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-10-30
https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/30/WS6721af15a310f1265a1ca743.html
Funny-Animal Fictions: Comics Fandom and the Late Introduction of Furry
Brandy Lewis | November 27, 2024 | https://www.tcj.com/funny-animal-fictions-comics-fandom-and-the-late-introduction-of-furry/
Ploogies, rejoice: Collection of Mike Ploog work goes on the auction block at ComicConnect.com
News provided by
EIN Presswire
Pucker up: Sour Grapes comic gets its own Yacht Club Soda
By SOFIA BARR Valley Breeze
Tom Toro's "Incognito"
Putting on a friendly face.
By Françoise Mouly
November 25, 2024
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2024-12-02
How East Van's Scott Underwood made it onto the comics pages with Slylock Fox
Scott Underwood has been living his childhood dream. He contributes the art and colour for the Sunday pages of Slylock Fox, a comic strip aimed at kids.
Shawn Conner
Nov 26, 2024
https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/local-arts/east-vanscott-underwood-comics-pages-slylock-fox
Thank You For The Music – This Week's Links
Clark Burscough | November 27, 2024
https://www.tcj.com/thank-you-for-the-music-this-weeks-links/
PW Comics World: More To Come
More to Come 650: Sony and Kadokawa
Calvin Reid, Heidi MacDonald, and Kate Fitzsimons
on 11/20/2024
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/podcasts/index.html?channel=2&podcast=1344
PW Comics World: More To Come
More to Come 649: Kendra Boileau at Graphic Mundi
Meg Lemke
on 11/15/2024
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/podcasts/index.html?channel=2&podcast=1343
This Comics Creator Is Still Optimistic About N.Y.C.: PW Talks with Kay Sohini
by Shaenon K. Garrity
Nov 15, 2024
A version of this article appeared in the 11/18/2024 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: Optimistic NYC
This local comic artist introduces Singapore culture to the world through art
Following his commercial success, comic artist Sean Lam aims to shine a spotlight on Singapore's local culture.
By Rachel Genevieve Chia / 8 Aug 2022
Ben Ang of XM Studios on sculpting the Singapore superhero story through collectibles
With his handcrafted Superman, Captain America and Batman collectibles costing in the thousands, the co-founder of XM Studios, has demonstrated that comic figurines are certainly not child's play.
By Pearlyn Tham / 3 Aug 2022
'I am nothing if not persistent': Lesley Imgart, winner of our graphic short story prize 2024
It was fifth time lucky for Imgart in this year's Observer/Faber award for emerging cartoonists, with her spellbinding tale about the life of a young witch
Rachel Cooke
Sun 24 Nov 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/nov/24/lesley-imgart-witch-way-winner-observer-faber-graphic-short-story-prize-2024
Illustrating History: April 25th in Portuguese Comics
Alexandra Lourenço Dias
International Public History November 14, 2024
https://doi.org/10.1515/iph-2024-2010
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/iph-2024-2010/html
Reading comics: The effect of expertise on eye movements
Hong Yang
Journal of Eye Movement Research 17 (4):
https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/11081/14686
https://doi.org/10.16910/jemr.17.4.51
Manga reveals 'painful reality' of sexual abuse against students [Mako Saiki]
TOMOKO YAMASHITA
Asahi Shimbun November 25, 2024
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15522953
The Importance of 'Blue' in Blue Period: Interview with Tsubasa Yamaguchi
by MrAJCosplay, Nov 18th 2024
Gerry Duggan discusses spirits, secrets in 'Falling In Love On The Path To Hell'
Chris Coplan
November 19, 2024
https://aiptcomics.com/2024/11/19/falling-in-love-tpb-qa/
Two sides of justice: Christian Ward breaks new ground with a bold Two-Face solo series
David Brooke
November 26, 2024
https://aiptcomics.com/2024/11/26/two-face-solo-qa-christian-ward-dc-comics/
Curtis Clow on the life-and-death adventure in 'Slightly Exaggerated'
Chris Coplan
November 26, 2024
https://aiptcomics.com/2024/11/26/slightly-exaggerated-qa/
Mark Waid shares what to expect for 'Justice League Unlimited'
'Justice League Unlimited' #1 debuts this week.
Michael Guerrero
November 25, 2024
https://aiptcomics.com/2024/11/25/justice-league-unlimited-qa/
Holiday Gift Guide: J.C.'s Suggestions
Scoop November 27 2024
J.C. Vaughn
https://scoop.previewsworld.com/Home/4/1/73/1017?ArticleID=278810
How Crucial Comix Is Building A New Community For Non-Fiction Graphic Stories
Rob Salkowitz
Teresa Wong's search for family connection led to her graphic memoir All Our Ordinary Stories
The Calgary-based author discussed her book on Bookends with Mattea Roach
Mattea Roach
CBC Radio Bookends November 22 2024
Bookends with Mattea Roach
Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments
Book Review: Destruction, Ethics, and Intergalactic Love—Exploring Y: The Last Man and Saga by Peter Admirand
Paul Wilson
Based on: Admirand Peter, Destruction, Ethics, and Intergalactic Love—Exploring Y: The Last Man and Saga ( Abingdon: Routledge, 2023). 304 pp. £34.99. ISBN 978-1-0033-0550-7(pbk).
Society for the Study of Christian Ethics Volume 37, Issue 4 November 12, 2024
https://doi.org/10.1177/09539468241284129
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09539468241284129
Survivor Tales: Feminist Graphics Bridging Consciousness Raising into Reality
Kimberly Croswell
International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity – 12 (1), August, 2024; and 11 (1&2), 2023.
https://www.pef.uni-lj.si/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IJTDC-11-12-2023-122-2024.pdf
Joe Casey Previews Weapon X-Men
wordballoon
Nov 25, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWujz5uoKjs
Off Panel #475: All Along the Watchtower with Alex Segura
November 25 2024
https://sktchd.libsyn.com/offpanel475-all-along-the-watchtower-with-alex-segura
James Romberger & Marguerite Van Cook, November 19th, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3I7_Y7Jez0
New York Comics & Picture-story Symposium
407 Nov 19, 2024
Anna Haifisch, November 26th, 2024
New York Comics & Picture-story Symposium
Nov 26, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrpP1jCPQ_A
Ben Ang of XM Studios on sculpting the Singapore superhero story through collectibles
With his handcrafted Superman, Captain America and Batman collectibles costing in the thousands, the co-founder of XM Studios, has demonstrated that comic figurines are certainly not child's play.
By Pearlyn Tham / 3 Aug 2022
https://www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg/people/xm-studios-ben-ang-collectibles-figurines-marvel-dc-disney-singapore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLZm-mKk3OY
Eric Kripke says the world is getting more like The Boys, not the other way around
"We happen to be making a show about violent authoritarians who present as celebrities," Kripke said of reality mirroring his art.
By William Hughes | November 27, 2024
https://www.avclub.com/erik-kripke-the-boys-world-changing-to-match-show
Steve Bell Launches Windsor Tapestry At Cartoon Museum (Video)
26 Nov 2024
by Rich Johnston
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/steve-bell-launches-windsor-tapestry-at-cartoon-museum-video/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJQ_OBHv-c8
After Burning Down, Forbidden Planet Bristol Reopens On 7th December
Rich Johnston
26 Nov 2024 https://bleedingcool.com/comics/after-burning-down-forbidden-planet-bristol-reopens-on-7th-december/
Edmund Valtman papers, IHRC Archives, University of Minnesota https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/6/resources/4934
Cartoon Collection of Edmund Valtman, MS-90-15. Manuscripts.
Special Collections and University Archives
Wichita State University Libraries
https://archivesspace.wichita.edu/repositories/3/resources/168
Exhibit Review: Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing (2024) at American University Museum
Mike Rhode
ComicsDC and IJOCA blogs (November 27, 2024): https://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-ralph-steadman-exhibit-at-american.html and https://ijoca.blogspot.com/2024/11/exhibit-review-ralph-steadman-and.html
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Exhibit Review: Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing (2024) at American University Museum
Just to be clear - I really like this exhibit and recommend you see it before it closes on December 8th. The following review is written for the International Journal of Comic Art and perhaps focuses too much on museology and not enough on enjoyment. For more photos, you can see everything I took at https://www.flickr.com/gp/42072348@N00/04638dW699
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| fig. 1 self-portrait |
Ralph Steadman (fig. 1) is a British cartoonist and illustrator who has been active since the late 1950s but broke through in America with his collaborations with Hunter Thompson for Rolling Stone magazine in the early 1970s. He is a trenchant and engaged observer of politics, but also illustrates classic books and alcoholic beverage labels. His distinctive style, augmented with watercolor splotches, is immediately recognizable to those who know his work. One pleasure of this exhibit is seeing earlier works, before that style solidified. When he begins working in color regularly on a large scale, his artwork is amazing, and it is fascinating to see originals of material usually meant for smaller illustration reproductions.
This exhibit was conceived as a follow-up
to 2018’s successful Ralph Steadman: A Retrospective (see https://www.american.edu/cas/museum/2018/ralph-steadman-retrospective.cfm
). The first exhibit was curated by London’s Cartoon Museum’s Anita O'Brien.
This one is curated by Steadman’s daughter, Williams, and Harris, a
professional exhibit designer. Steven Heller[i] asked about the creation
of this exhibit which included “149 artworks and memorabilia,”
Heller: Sadie, as
co-curator and also Ralph’s daughter, how did this exhibition come together?
Williams: Between
2016 and 2019 we were touring a retrospective of 110 original artworks to
venues in the USA, including the Society of Illustrator in New York and the
Jordan Schnitzer Art Museum in Eugene, OR. It was incredibly well-received, but
in 2020 the pandemic meant we had to cancel the last two venues. That
exhibition was sponsored by United Therapeutics because their incredible CEO,
Martine Rothblatt, is a fan and has become a friend over the years.
Early in 2023,
Martine said she would like to see a new exhibition put together and that, once
again, United Therapeutics would sponsor it. It was great to assemble the team
again including co-ordinator Andrea Harris (she’s a force of nature), and start
booking in venues. It is so special to launch it at the AU [American
University] Museum, where we had such an amazing reception in 2017, and also
get the Bates College Museum of Art in Maine into the schedule, as that was one
of the venues we had to cancel.
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| fig. 2 |
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| fig. 4 |
However, if you take the elevator, you come out and what appears to be the back of the exhibit, facing Steadman’s student and early work (fig. 4). The other problem illuminated by either of these approaches is that none of the artwork’s groupings was labeled and it was left to the viewer to deduce where they might fit in his career. The building complicates this because there are no clear demarcation lines and very few walls. If you did go up the steps and see the five pieces at the top, you then had to turn about 60° to your left to actually enter the exhibit. (fig. 5)
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| fig. 5 |
And then you’re
faced with a choice. There were walls to either side of you, as well as a right-angled
temporary wall in front of you. If you're an American who’s old enough to drive,
do you head to the wall on your right? Or do you follow the wall on your left
because you’re standing closest to it? Or do you go up the middle to the two
painted temporary walls? If you chose to follow the driving conventions, you
ended up at a part of the exhibit (fig. 6) that covers Steadman’s children's books, as
well as other books such as Animal Farm and Alice in Wonderland, (fig. 6a)
and his work with journalist Will Self. Several of these children's books on
the long, curved wall and the temporary wall facing it, such as Little
Prince and the Tiger Cat (1967), are done in styles at one would not have
normally recognized as his work ((fig. 6b, fig. 6c).
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fig. 6
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| fig. 6b |
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| fig. 6c |
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| fig. 7a |
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| fig. 8c |
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| fig. 8d |
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| fig. 8e - Exhibit statement |
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fig. 9 Private Eye pages
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| fig. 11 |
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| fig. 12 beer label |
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| fig. 13 |
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| fig. 14 - Trough of Disillusionment NFT |
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| fig. 15 Teeny pocket comics |
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| fig. 16 |
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| fig. 18 |
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| fig. 19 |
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| fig. 21 |
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| fig. 22 |
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| fig. 23 |
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| fig. 24 |
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| fig. 25 - overview facing backward into the main exhibit |
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| fig. 26 - Thompson statue |
The exhibit, with a wealth of original art, was marvelous, but would have benefited from a firmer hand curating it (or perhaps one less personally embedded in his life) and better labeling. Frequently the viewer was left to deduce what part of Steadman’s career one was viewing, and how important that particular art work/style was to his whole career. If one read all the individual object labels, you would have a good overview of his career, but that is a very demanding way to see an exhibit. Actively working to bookend the previous exhibit also meant curatorial choices were made that might have benefited from additional labels or text. In the Heller interview, Williams said, “Anita O’Brien did such an amazing job with the original exhibition that I used that as a template. I am quite practical in these things, and I find having something visual to work with very helpful. I literally took one of the old catalogues from the last exhibition and replaced like with like, sticking in print-outs of pieces to replace the existing ones with. Then I pulled in a few additional pieces to bulk out some areas, like the writers, and the presidents of the United States.” In some ways, the exhibit probably catered too much to those with pre-existing knowledge of Steadman’s art and career. Since so much of his work is commercial illustration, more explanations of the original art on display versus the final product of a book, or advertisement, or magazine illustration would have been useful. However, this was an exhibit of excellent art by a long-standing master cartoonist and illustrator, and it was a true pleasure to see these treasures of original art. The fact that there is a catalogue for the show is a significant added benefit. I for one would be pleased to see this exhibit duology turn into a trilogy.
[i]
Heller, Steven. 2024. “’Serial Polluter’ Ralph Steadman Gets the Last Laugh,” The
Daily Heller (October 2): https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-ralph-steadman-exhibition/
. Also worth reading is “Ralph Steadman on Art, Poetry, and Hunter S.
Thompson's Mean Streak,” Rolling Stone (August 25, 2024): https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-pictures/ralph-steadman-illustrations-hunter-thomson-art-1235084502/george-orwell/