Sunday, April 06, 2008
Post covers Garfield minus Garfield
See Amy Orndorff's "When the Cat's Away, Neurosis Is on Display," Washington Post Sunday, April 6, 2008; N02. This one's been making the rounds for a couple of weeks on the internet, but I must confess that it doesn't do much for me.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Another slice out of my 15 minutes
While at the Civitan flea market today, scooping up comics and cartoon related material including an original Oglethorpe strip (never heard of it), a Gibson girl knockoff drawing from 1908 signed G.F.T./08, Mr. Punch's History of the Great War, Bendini's Philadelphia, Madman Bubblegum Cards, William Hamilton's Anti-Social Register Cartoons, etc, etc (pictures and information to follow), I was accosted by a camera crew. Actually they were really polite so accosted isn't the right word, but they noticed me buying some Star*Reach and Heavy Metal comics. They asked if I was happy and if so if I'd explain why I was buying them. Of course, I was happy even though my wife wasn't so I talked for a few minutes and put in a plug for Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection which gets material that I decide I actually can part with. It's supposed to air on this coming Friday.
Cue Bowie's Fame, please.
Cue Bowie's Fame, please.
April 16: Oliphant exhibit opens...
...at Stanford in Washington at 2661 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20008.
new International Journal of Comic Art is out!
602 pages! US$15.00! There's lots of manga, manwha and Rusty Witek's call to academic arms from the 2007 ICAF, "American Comics Criticism and the Problem of Dual Address." The website is out of date but the ordering information is still current.
Speaking of Thompson...
...today's Richard's Poor Almanack is a slashing, biting attack on the comics page, or at least the people who put them together. Theoretically you'll be able to see it on the Post site eventually, but right now that link goes to last week's. This link might work in a few days.
Where in the world is Richard Thompson?
According to his blog, he's foolishly venturing out to the Cherry Blossom festival today, so he may never been seen again and we'll just have to read rerun after rerun of Cul de Sac for the next forty years. He's been posting cherry blossom cartoons all week at his blog by the way. But the real reason we're mentioning him today is so that stalkers can track him down at the festival and have Petey drawn on their chests.
Ha, ha! as they say. No, the real reason is that he was interviewed by a Texas paper, a state which also has an Arlington in it. Coincidence? You decide.
Ha, ha! as they say. No, the real reason is that he was interviewed by a Texas paper, a state which also has an Arlington in it. Coincidence? You decide.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Geppi's Entertainment Museum reviewed
See "Travel Through Time — One Exhibit at a Time," by William Gatevackes, Broken Frontier April 02, 2008.
City Paper recommends seeing Hajdu on Monday
Again, I'll be there. And it's pronounced Hay-du.
Here's the article - "David Hajdu, Monday, April 7, at Politics and Prose," by Mark Athitakis, Washington City Paper April 4, 2008.
Here's the article - "David Hajdu, Monday, April 7, at Politics and Prose," by Mark Athitakis, Washington City Paper April 4, 2008.
Kliban on pot, not cats, or A Secret History of Comics post
This is from the well-known Cat cartoonist, the late B. Kliban.
It appeared in Apple Pie, January 1976.
It appeared in Apple Pie, January 1976.
Comics action in Cosmo 1957
Robert Day ad for Bell Telephone from Cosmopolitan, April 1957, in which they kindly define 'ubiquitous' for the reader.
Boy, public telephones certainly aren't 'ubiquitous' now, are they? In fact, this ad is incomprehensible to anyone under 20, isn't it?
Florida Cartoonists Poke Fun at Their State, p. 1, Cosmopolitan, April 1957. Featuring Lowell Hoppes and Charles E. Sharman.
Florida Cartoonists Poke Fun at Their State, p. 2, Cosmopolitan, April 1957. Featuring Martin Filchock and Bandell Linn.
OT: April 4: Illuminations exhibit opens
A friend at work is part of an art gallery co-op in Baltimore and the following card is from the latest show of works on paper. The opening is tonight.
April 13: Capital Associates comic book show
April 13: Capital Associates comic book show at the Dunn Loring, VA fire dept as usual, 10-3, $3.00. Pop Mhan guest stars again.
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 04-09-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 04-09-08
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #556 by Zeb Wells and Chris Bachalo. Creepy Mayan blood cults, snowstorms, and Spidey finds a new use for the Daily Bugle. Nuthin’ dirty but your mind, Mister Man.
BATMAN: DEATH MASK #1 of 4 written and illustrated by Yoshinori Natsume. A Prestige Format manga mini from the creator of “Toguri.” Ask your kid.
BOOSTER GOLD #8 by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, and Dan Jurgens. Still a really good title but the recurring presence of those stupid OMAC things is cause for concern. OMACs are the evil future clones of the DCU.
CRIMINAL 2 #2 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Another done-in-one story featuring Teeg Lawless, patriarch of the low-rent Lawless crime family. This issue has an expanded number of main story and back-up pages and is pure Blue Magic heroin for lovers of the crime noir genre. Too rough for kids. Highly recommended for clever teens and up.
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #6 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Injury to the eye motif! Comics Code Authority turning in its grave! Avatar website still horrible. Somebody call me a Doktor!
FANTASTIC FOUR #556 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Big fights with Robo-Cap in the snow. It's a ride.
GOON #23 written and illustrated by Eric Powell. Overheard outside Madame Elsa’s Burlesque: “Back off, youse mugs! I swiped this here salmon and I’m gettin’ the squeezin’s!” Recommended!
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #14 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, and Dale Eaglesham. Why, God, why? Why are the clouds laughing at our heroes? And why do the clouds have fangs and crows feet? It’s an Alex Ross cover and thus filled with hidden meaning. Really. Look for the word “Nina.”
MARVEL ZOMBIES: DEAD DAYS HC by Lotsa People. Featuring all those Marvel Zombie stories that didn’t appear in the two mini-series. Twisted kicks. NOT for kids.
NUMBER OF THE BEAST #1 of 8 by Scott Beatty and Chris Sprouse. It’s the Apocalypse done up Wildstorm style! Featuring the return of a hero we all thought Warren Ellis had killed off! (Okay, that doesn’t narrow it down much, I know…)
PUNISHER #56 by Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov. The final Garth Ennis story-arc in which eight Special Forces soldiers are ordered to take out the Punisher, knowing that he won’t fire back on U.S. military and The Law. Not for kids, no-how, but highly recommended for all others.
SERENITY: BETTER DAYS #2 of 3 by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, and Will Conrad. The crew goes on vacation in the good ol’ days before fan favorites died horribly on the big screen.
TITANS #1 by Judd Winick and Ian Churchill. Looks like a return of the original Marv Wolfman/George Perez line-up so that’s a nice nod to us geezers. Gotta look.
WHATEVER GN written and drawn by Karl Stevens. A collection of short stories about life in the college town of Allston, Massachusetts. No capes, no tights, no kidding. Neat stuff.
WOLVERINE #64 by Jason Aaron and Ron Garney. Crazy, bloody chase caper continues! Great fun from Aaron and Garney. Ron Garney's tears cure athlete's foot.* Recommended!
WONDER WOMAN #19 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. WW’s having trouble with a nasty bunch of Khunds. They’re an alien race, so help me.
YOUNG LIARS #2 written and drawn by David Lapham. If you’re missing your fix of Lapham’s “Stray Bullets” you should certainly be reading this. Nihilistic fun, but not for younger kids.
www.johnjudy.net
*disclaimer from the blog owner. Probably not, but Mr. Garney did write in and ask that he be acknowledged as one of the creators of the comic in response to one of Mr. Judy's recent posts.
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #556 by Zeb Wells and Chris Bachalo. Creepy Mayan blood cults, snowstorms, and Spidey finds a new use for the Daily Bugle. Nuthin’ dirty but your mind, Mister Man.
BATMAN: DEATH MASK #1 of 4 written and illustrated by Yoshinori Natsume. A Prestige Format manga mini from the creator of “Toguri.” Ask your kid.
BOOSTER GOLD #8 by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, and Dan Jurgens. Still a really good title but the recurring presence of those stupid OMAC things is cause for concern. OMACs are the evil future clones of the DCU.
CRIMINAL 2 #2 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Another done-in-one story featuring Teeg Lawless, patriarch of the low-rent Lawless crime family. This issue has an expanded number of main story and back-up pages and is pure Blue Magic heroin for lovers of the crime noir genre. Too rough for kids. Highly recommended for clever teens and up.
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #6 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Injury to the eye motif! Comics Code Authority turning in its grave! Avatar website still horrible. Somebody call me a Doktor!
FANTASTIC FOUR #556 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Big fights with Robo-Cap in the snow. It's a ride.
GOON #23 written and illustrated by Eric Powell. Overheard outside Madame Elsa’s Burlesque: “Back off, youse mugs! I swiped this here salmon and I’m gettin’ the squeezin’s!” Recommended!
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #14 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, and Dale Eaglesham. Why, God, why? Why are the clouds laughing at our heroes? And why do the clouds have fangs and crows feet? It’s an Alex Ross cover and thus filled with hidden meaning. Really. Look for the word “Nina.”
MARVEL ZOMBIES: DEAD DAYS HC by Lotsa People. Featuring all those Marvel Zombie stories that didn’t appear in the two mini-series. Twisted kicks. NOT for kids.
NUMBER OF THE BEAST #1 of 8 by Scott Beatty and Chris Sprouse. It’s the Apocalypse done up Wildstorm style! Featuring the return of a hero we all thought Warren Ellis had killed off! (Okay, that doesn’t narrow it down much, I know…)
PUNISHER #56 by Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov. The final Garth Ennis story-arc in which eight Special Forces soldiers are ordered to take out the Punisher, knowing that he won’t fire back on U.S. military and The Law. Not for kids, no-how, but highly recommended for all others.
SERENITY: BETTER DAYS #2 of 3 by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, and Will Conrad. The crew goes on vacation in the good ol’ days before fan favorites died horribly on the big screen.
TITANS #1 by Judd Winick and Ian Churchill. Looks like a return of the original Marv Wolfman/George Perez line-up so that’s a nice nod to us geezers. Gotta look.
WHATEVER GN written and drawn by Karl Stevens. A collection of short stories about life in the college town of Allston, Massachusetts. No capes, no tights, no kidding. Neat stuff.
WOLVERINE #64 by Jason Aaron and Ron Garney. Crazy, bloody chase caper continues! Great fun from Aaron and Garney. Ron Garney's tears cure athlete's foot.* Recommended!
WONDER WOMAN #19 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. WW’s having trouble with a nasty bunch of Khunds. They’re an alien race, so help me.
YOUNG LIARS #2 written and drawn by David Lapham. If you’re missing your fix of Lapham’s “Stray Bullets” you should certainly be reading this. Nihilistic fun, but not for younger kids.
www.johnjudy.net
*disclaimer from the blog owner. Probably not, but Mr. Garney did write in and ask that he be acknowledged as one of the creators of the comic in response to one of Mr. Judy's recent posts.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Piskor covers City Paper
The new issue of the Washington City Paper has a really nice cover of books as buildings by Pekar-collaborator Ed Piskor. He did interior illos for the story too. I'm willing to entertain requests for tear sheets if they come in soon.
April 21: Jef Thompson painting exhibit
Big Planet Comics' Jef Thompson has a show of Icelandic and English Landscapes in Baltimore from April 21-May 16. Viola!
Oliphant exhibit in April
There's one opening around April 14th - the exhibit that had been in Georgia - somewhere on Connecticut Ave in a Stanford gallery or something. More and better details will follow and clear up this post.
9 Chickweed Lane
Neither the Post nor the Times run 9 Chickweed Lane which I can't understand and I really don't get Gene Weingarten's professed dislike especially when it has strips like this.
Al Hirschfeld and Flash Gordon
Now how often do you see a duo in a title like that? Here's a couple of pieces I picked up recently, which is the only thing they have in common.
Al Hirschfeld cover for Man of La Mancha - note there's one Nina in there (click on the picture to open a larger one in Flickr). Record albums frequently used to have covers by cartoonists. I pick up a few, but there's some hard-core collectors out there with big collections.
Ming the Merciless paper toy from Playboy, January 1981. Print and make it now!
...and the instructions.
I love paper...
Al Hirschfeld cover for Man of La Mancha - note there's one Nina in there (click on the picture to open a larger one in Flickr). Record albums frequently used to have covers by cartoonists. I pick up a few, but there's some hard-core collectors out there with big collections.
Ming the Merciless paper toy from Playboy, January 1981. Print and make it now!
...and the instructions.
I love paper...
April 5: 6th Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon.
The Freer-Sackler's showing anime this weekend for their 6th Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon and details are in Rachel Kaufman's "Animated Imports: What's as Japanese as cherry blossoms? An Anime Marathon," [Washington Post] Express (April 3): E5.
Here's the film info from their website:
Sixth Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Meyer Auditorium
In celebration of this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Freer Gallery of Art, in conjunction with the Japan Information and Cultural Center and Otakorp, Inc., presents a day-long festival of four Japanese Anime films. This year’s event includes a costume show courtesy of the DC Anime Club as well as surprise special guests.
Free tickets for all films (limit 2 per person per film) will be distributed beginning at 10:30 AM, and will be available throughout the day.
All films are in Japanese with English subtitles, unless otherwise indicated.
11:30 AM
Jungle Emperor Leo
Adapted from a manga comic by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, this charming fable directed by Yoshio Takeuchi is a treat for animal lovers of all ages. Leo, a majestic white lion, rules the jungle at the foot of mysterious Moon Mountain, living in harmony with the other beasts – until humans show up and threaten to shatter their peaceful existence. 1997 / 100 min., Rated PG, Dubbed in English.
2:30 PM
Atagoal: Cat's Magical Forest
Hideyoshi is, literally, a fat cat who loves nothing more than gorging himself on tuna and rocking out at the annual town festival in the magical land of Atagoal. He gets into trouble, however, when he accidentally releases the imprisoned Botanical Queen Pileah, who has sinister plans for Hideyoshi and his feline friends. Mizuho Nishikubo’s film is fun for the whole family. 2006 / 81 min., suitable for all ages.
5:00 PM
5 Centimeters Per Second
The title of Makoto Shinkai’s wistful coming-of-age film describes the velocity at which cherry blossom petals fall – a metaphor for the impermanence of human relationships that is the theme of its three connected stories. Each story takes place at a different point in the lives of the film’s three main characters, from puppy love thwarted by a family move, to an unrequited teenage crush, to melancholy reminiscences in adulthood. 2007 / 62 min., unrated, appropriate for all ages.
7:00 PM
Appleseed: Ex Machina
The year is 2138. Society is divided between humans and peaceful cyborgs developed to prevent the wars that killed half of the world’s population. But what happens when nefarious forces find a way to make them violent? Inspired by a popular manga comic, Shinji Aramaki’s sci-fi braintwister offers state-of-the-art animation, thrilling action scenes, and a provocative meditation on what our world might become. 2007 / 105 min., PG-13.
Here's the film info from their website:
Sixth Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Meyer Auditorium
In celebration of this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Freer Gallery of Art, in conjunction with the Japan Information and Cultural Center and Otakorp, Inc., presents a day-long festival of four Japanese Anime films. This year’s event includes a costume show courtesy of the DC Anime Club as well as surprise special guests.
Free tickets for all films (limit 2 per person per film) will be distributed beginning at 10:30 AM, and will be available throughout the day.
All films are in Japanese with English subtitles, unless otherwise indicated.
11:30 AM
Jungle Emperor Leo
Adapted from a manga comic by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, this charming fable directed by Yoshio Takeuchi is a treat for animal lovers of all ages. Leo, a majestic white lion, rules the jungle at the foot of mysterious Moon Mountain, living in harmony with the other beasts – until humans show up and threaten to shatter their peaceful existence. 1997 / 100 min., Rated PG, Dubbed in English.
2:30 PM
Atagoal: Cat's Magical Forest
Hideyoshi is, literally, a fat cat who loves nothing more than gorging himself on tuna and rocking out at the annual town festival in the magical land of Atagoal. He gets into trouble, however, when he accidentally releases the imprisoned Botanical Queen Pileah, who has sinister plans for Hideyoshi and his feline friends. Mizuho Nishikubo’s film is fun for the whole family. 2006 / 81 min., suitable for all ages.
5:00 PM
5 Centimeters Per Second
The title of Makoto Shinkai’s wistful coming-of-age film describes the velocity at which cherry blossom petals fall – a metaphor for the impermanence of human relationships that is the theme of its three connected stories. Each story takes place at a different point in the lives of the film’s three main characters, from puppy love thwarted by a family move, to an unrequited teenage crush, to melancholy reminiscences in adulthood. 2007 / 62 min., unrated, appropriate for all ages.
7:00 PM
Appleseed: Ex Machina
The year is 2138. Society is divided between humans and peaceful cyborgs developed to prevent the wars that killed half of the world’s population. But what happens when nefarious forces find a way to make them violent? Inspired by a popular manga comic, Shinji Aramaki’s sci-fi braintwister offers state-of-the-art animation, thrilling action scenes, and a provocative meditation on what our world might become. 2007 / 105 min., PG-13.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Positive review of Cul de Sac
"'Cul de Sac,' the Comic Strip You Need to Read: Richard Thompson mixes childish innocence and adult neuroses to perfection," by Van Jensen, ComicMix Tue Apr 1, 2008.
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