Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Oscar nominated shorts reviewed by City Paper

The Wrong and the Short of It: Jeb Stuart addresses the evil of segregation; a shorts collection celebrates quality over quantity.

By Tricia Olszewski

That wascally Tom Toles

As my long-suffering wife pointed out, Tom Toles is channeling Bugs Bunny today.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Cavna on new Judge Parker artist

Michael's been busy this week...

THIS JUST IN: 'Judge Parker' names its new artist
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 23, 2010

I like the new artists work, but it's a lot more cartoony than Baretto's.

Cavna looks into Superman million dollar comic a bit more closely

Call the Daily Planet! Superman comic book sells for record $1M [UPDATED]
Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 22, 2010

2009 Luna Brothers interview I missed

Multiversity Comics Presents: the Luna Brothers by David Harper on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

SPX 2010 press release

Announcing SPX 2010 To Be Held September 11-12 and New Executive Committee

 

For Immediate Release     
Contact: Warren Bernard

Phone: 301-537-4615

               E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com


Bethesda, Maryland; February 23 2010 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, will be held Saturday Sept 11 from 11AM-7PM and Sunday, September 12 from noon-6PM. Tables for the show are still available, but get your tables orders in quickly, as last year, the show sold out its tables in May. The Ignatz Awards, the first festival prize in the U.S. comic book industry, will be held Saturday evening, September 11, with voting held that day by SPX attendees.

Small Press Expo also announces its new Executive Committee. Karon Flage, who oversaw SPX's successful move from its old facilities to the new, much improved, Marriott Convention Center, is stepping down as Executive Director and will take over the position of Treasurer. Jeff Alexander, the previous Assistant Executive Director, is now the new Executive Director. Warren Bernard will now assume the roll of Assistant Executive Director, as well as maintaining his position as Media Coordinator.

Stay tuned for future SPX news. In the coming weeks/months, we will be announcing our guests, as well some great, new SPX attractions.

SPX brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini-comix, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. 

As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals.  For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.             

SPX will be held The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland, next to the White Flint Metro stop. Admission is $10 for a single day and $15 for both days.

Million dollar action

Both the Express and the Examiner ran stories about somebody paying a million dollars for a comic book with the first appearance of Superman. Here's the wire story they used: Superman's debut comic book issue sells for $1M By JAKE COYLE, The Associated Press, Monday, February 22, 2010.

Shutter Island comic review at City Paper site

Shutter Island, Version 2.0: The Graphic Novel by Christian De Metter
Posted by Mike Rhode on Feb. 23, 2010.

Monday, February 22, 2010

UK's Telegraph uses DC-area reviewer for Gervais show

The British newspaper, The Telegraph, is using a Washington-based reporter to review a Hollywood(iirc)-created cartoon based on British podcasts -

The Ricky Gervais Show (HBO): Review; The American cable TV channel HBO's animated series using the original recordings of The Ricky Gervais Show podcasts features the funnyman himself as well as his longtime collaborator Stephen Merchant.

By Rachel Ray, in Washington
Published: 2:35PM GMT 22 Feb 2010

R.C. Harvey on Matt Wuerker

It's pile-on the Wuerker gravy PR train, as R.C. Harvey writes on Matt Wuerker too. Remember, we'll be doing the same at the City Paper next week! Don't miss it as Matt reveals his favorite monument!

Richard Thompson is up for the Reuben and we forgot to mention it

Richard Thompson is up for the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award, which is the big enchilada. He told me before he was fleeing town recently and I stupidly forgot to scoop my peers and post something about it here. Now I'm sure it's spread all over Facebook already.

We're rooting for you, Richard!

Editorial cartoonist - New Yorker cartoonist links?

Tom Hollen has written in with an interesting observation, and a resulting question. Can anyone help him out? I've come up blank so far.

I'm a big fan of editorial cartoons and New Yorker cartoons. I was wondering you might be able to provide some background about political cartoonists who were also cartoonists for The New Yorker magazine. I know that ironically DC had two: Peter Steiner for the Washington Times and Christopher Weyant for The Hill. I think Weyant is the only one still regularly cartooning for both? Are there others?

I think it takes a special breed to be able to succeed at either type of cartooning, let alone both. I've had trouble finding any info on this subject. Have you ever covered this or do you know where I can find anything about it?

So, anyone in the collective mind got any help for Tom?

Joel Pett on Matt Wuerker

Joel Pett, whom we should pay more attention to because he cartoons for USA Today even though he lives in Kentucky (I think), has a nice little piece up about Matt - In the footsteps of Herblock: Editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker of Politico took the first of this season's cartooning awards, the Herblock Prize, Los Angeles Times (February 21, 2010).

I'll have an interview with Matt on the City Paper's blog early next week.

Comix Claptrap podcast reviews Matt Dembicki

Dylan Horrocks is no slouch of course, so you might want to listen to the whole show.

Ayuyang, Rina and Thien Pham. 2010.
Dylan Horrocks - Season 2, Episode 4.
Comix Claptrap podcast (February 18): http://comixclaptrap.blogspot.com/2010/02/season-2-episode-4-dylan-horrocks.html and http://comixclaptrap.podomatic.com/enclosure/2010-02-18T08_30_25-08_00.mp3

Thien and Rina have the huge honor of interviewing distinguished comic artist and writer, Dylan Horrocks, whose celebrated comics masterpiece, "Hicksville" has just been re-released with a beautiful new edition published by Drawn and Quarterly. In this episode, Dylan talks about his personal journey in comics-making since the first printing of "Hicksville", as well as his revealing experiences writing for mainstream comics, the decision to serialize his comics on the internet, and the inspiring comics scene in New Zealand.

We also chat with our lovely New Comics reporter, cartoonist and buddy Josh Frankel about new work by Lewis Trondheim, Oliver East, Matt Dembicki, as well as McSweeney's Panorama. We are really happy about this episode, and hope you will be too -- have a listen!

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Kevin Rechin

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Kevin Rechin

Comics on the Rack, Quick Picks for Comics Due 02-24-10

 
COMICS ON THE RACK
Quick Picks for Comics Due 02-24-10
By John Judy
 
ALMOST SILENT HC written and drawn by Jason.  Otherwise known as the Jason Omnibus from Fantagraphics.  This collects four Jason graphic novels: "You Can't Get There From Here", ""Tell Me Something", "Meow Baby" and "The Living and the Dead."  Three of these are out of print and all of them are an entertaining way to spend a few hours.
 
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #622 by Several Guys.  A Flash Thompson story and a new round with Morbius the Living Vampire.  It's been too long.
 
BATMAN AND ROBIN #9 by Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart.  Evil Zombie Clone Batman versus the Batman Family!  Boy, if Bruce Wayne goes dead for five minutes the whole place goes to heck!  Recommended.
 
BLACK LANTERN GREEN ARROW #30 by JT Krul and Will Conrad.  Oliver Queen: Dead Again!  Mostly.  Awesome Neal Adams tribute cover.
 
BLACKEST NIGHT #7 of 8 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis.  Okay, so Nekron wants to kill every living thing in the universe but he still has a dark secret?!  What, he likes reality TV shows?  Jeez!  Still recommended.
 
BLACKEST NIGHT: JSA #3 of 3 by James Robinson and Eddy Barrows.  Evil, undead, Black Lantern Earth-2 Superman comes back for one more pass at wiping out the JSA.  And he's just crazy enough to do it!
 
CAPTAIN SWING #1 of 4 by Warren Ellis and Raulo Caceres.  Electrical pirates and things that are not supposed to fly in 1830's London.  From that nice Mr. Ellis.  Gotta look!
 
CHOKER #1 by Ben McCool and Ben Templesmith.  Let's try this again, now that Image is actually releasing this comic:  There are so many reasons this comic is a must-have, but among the most compelling is this: The female lead is a cop nicknamed "Dick-Puncher."  Described by co-creator Templesmith as "A little bit like FELL with a bad case of Gonorrhea."  Highly recommended.  Not for kids.
 
CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD: LAST BATTLE #3 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Oscar Jimenez.  Pope Jacko is back from Hell with a whole world of hurt for Danny the Anti-Christ and his loved ones.  And what's with Jay getting smart again?  Not for kids or the squeamish.
 
FALL OF THE HULKS: RED HULK #2 of 4 by Jeff Parker and Ed McGuinness.  Lotsa smashing.
 
FLASH: REBIRTH #6 of 6 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver.  The Flash Family gets put in a blender set on "puree."  Of course for them that's like a slow gentle stir.  New Flash Facts start here!  Recommended.
 
HITMAN, VOL. 2: 10,000 BULLETS SC by Garth Ennis and John McCrea.  If you've never read the adventures of Gotham City hired gun Tommy Monaghan and his cohort Nat the Hat then you need to reserve your copy of this book today.  Re-released after a few years out of print, this collects issues #4-8 and Annual #2.  Highly recommended for teens and up.
 
IMAGE UNITED #0 of 6 by Robert Kirkman and Some Other Image Guys.  Beyond a new character fighting Savage Dragon, the paradoxical math on the issue numbering is the most eye-catching thing about this series.  I mean, if you're counting Zero as part of a numbered series you're always going to have one more than the number of issues you're advertising.  Unless you figure with Image's legendary lateness #6 becomes an imaginary number because we'll never see it during the lifetime of the Universe.  I have a headache now.
 
IRREDEEMABLE #11 by Mark Waid and Peter Krause.  Intrigues galore as Modeus gets closer to Tony and the remaining heroes are down to a skeleton crew.  Recommended.
 
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #36 by Bill Willingham and Jesus Marino.  Nazis.  Is there anyone that sucks worse than Nazis?  No, and the JSA must remind them of this for the next few issues.
 
MARVELS PROJECT #6 of 8 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting.  Torch versus Subby, Round Two!  And now Captain America's on the scene!  Recommended.
 
NEW AVENGERS #62 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen.  The Hood and his hoods are back to trouble the Avengers because no one has thought to put the Hood out of his misery once and for all.  Honestly, he's such a wanna-be Osborn/Loki!  If the Big Bad Wolf doesn't eventually eat this guy I will be disappointed.
 
NORTHLANDERS #25 by Brian Wood and Leandro Fernadez.  In addition to the plague outside their walls the remaining Vikings begin to get cabin fever.  Not good in a place full of swords, axes and such.  Recommended.
 
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics.  What you'll be seeing on the racks in three months, once the snow and rains subside!
 
SCALPED #35 by Jason Aaron and Daniel Zezelj.  Now that Red Crow and Bad Horse have eliminated a whole bunch of distractions it's time for a stand-alone issue about what it takes to live on the Rez, the poorest community in America.  So far.  Highly recommended.
 
SUPERMAN #697 by James Robinson and Bernard Chang.  A short breather before Brainiac comes in for some ruckus.  Guest-starring the Legion, Superboy and of course Mon-El.
 
THOR #607 by Kieron Gillen and Billy Tan.  Norman Osborn's attacking Asgard and if Oklahoma gets in the way, so be it!  Osborn hearts Freedom!
 
THUNDERBOLTS #141 by Jeff Parker and Miguel Angel Sepulveda.  Osborn orders the remaining T-Bolts to fight Asgard and the Avengers because… he wants them to die?
 
ULTIMATE COMICS ENEMY #2 of  4 by Brian Michael Bendis and Rafa Sandoval.  So the Ultimate Enemy appears to be a huge red fungus blob.  Or maybe it's the guy behind it.  Outlook cloudy. Ask again later.
 
VICTORIAN UNDEAD #70 by Ian Edginton and Davide Fabbri.  So Professor Moriarty came out of the Reichenbach Falls as a zombie.  By Jove, the game's afoot!  A delicious, tasty foot….
 
WALKING DEAD #70 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard.  Washington DC is a paradise and all it took was a plague of flesh-eating zombies.  I believe there's a lesson here.  Not for kids. Highly recommended.
 
WONDER WOMAN #41 by Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti.  WW fights Power Girl some more.  Here's hoping they kiss and make up soon.
 
X-FACTOR #202 by Peter David and Bing Cansino.  Still looking for the Invisible Woman.  And a better metaphor.  Big fight with Doctor Doom or one of his robots or something.
 
X-MEN LEGACY #233 by Mike Carey and Clay Mann.  Proteus is back from the dead and making up for lost time, evil-wise.  Punch-ups galore.
 


Sunday, February 21, 2010

Jo Chen covers Marvel's Girl Comics

You can see a preview of her cover for #3 here - Jeanine Schaefer on "Girl Comics". Comic Book Resources (February 19 2010).

Thanks to our Russian readers

Apparently an earlier post on Stalin cartoons is bringing in a lot of attention from Europe, and other places with Russian language readers - our usual readership is between 150-300 per day, but yesterday: Previous 24hrs: 1,303.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Martel speaks on Calvin and Hobbes tonight

Lifted from the Post's Going Out Guide blog:

Nerd Nite

When was the last time you went to a bar to actually learn something? Other than all the bits of obscure trivia you've picked up at quiz night over the years, we're guessing it hasn't happened too often. That's where DC9's Nerd Nite comes in: Wet your whistle while stimulating your cranium with informative discussions on insects and storm chasing, and a special presentation about elusive "Calvin and Hobbes" creator Bill Watterson by Nevin Martell, author of "Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip." Local punk rockers Authorization will perform between lectures. Don't be late: A limited number of door tickets are available, but given the size of the venue, they'll go quickly.
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Saturday at 6 p.m. DC9, 1940 Ninth St. NW. 202-483-5000. http://www.dcnine.com. $10.

Comic Riffs interviews Wuerker on winning Herblock

Politico's Wuerker says winning Herblock Prize is 'mind-boggling', by Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (February 18 2010).