Richard Thompson is another positive on Tom Spurgeon's year-end roundup

50 Comics Positives For 2014: Richard Thompson Had Two Giant Books Out
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/50_comics_positives_for_2014_richard_thompson_had_two_giant_books_out/

Jan 17 in Richmond: Leading Illustrator's Poe Art Surveyed in Major Exhibit

1914-16 E. Main St. Richmond, VA 23223 Phone 804-648-5523 Fax 804-648-8729

News Release

Contact: Chris Semtner Phone: 804-648-5523 chris@poemuseum.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Exhibit Surveys Four Decades of Richard Corben's Poe Artwork

From January 17 until April 19, 2015, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia will host Reimagining Poe: The Poe Illustrations of Richard Corben a major exhibit surveying forty years of illustrations to Poe's works by Eisner Award-winning artist Richard Corben. This, the first retrospective of Corben's Poe illustrations, will feature several original drawings from the artist's personal collection.  The exhibit will open with a lecture about Corben's illustrations by Randolph Macon College professor M. Thomas Inge on January 17 at 5p.m. The exhibit opening and lecture will be part of the Poe Museum's annual Poe Birthday Bash, the world's largest celebration devoted to the nineteenth century author's birthday.

Richard Corben (born 1940) is a comic book artist and illustrator named   Corben began his career in animation before turning to underground comics. In 1976 he adapted a Robert E. Howard story into what is considered the first graphic novel, Bloodstar. He is best known for his comics appearing in Heavy Metal Magazine. His illustrious career has included work in album covers and movie posters, collaboration on a graphic novel with rock musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie, and an award-winning short film Neverwhere. He is the winner of the 2009 Spectrum Grand Master Award, and he was elected to the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2012.

For over forty years, Corben has established himself as one of the most extraordinary illustrators of Poe's works. His Edgar Allan Poe adaptations have appeared on the pages of the comic books Creepy, Edgar Allan Poe's Haunt of Horror, and Edgar Allan Poe's Spirits of the Dead. Among his dozens of comic book adaptations of Poe's tales and poems are popular favorites like "The Raven" and "The Cask of Amontillado," as well as little known classics like "Alone" and "Israfel." Not content with literal illustrations of Poe's words, Corben's exquisite artwork is often paired with his own unusual and innovative reinventions of the stories. In the introduction to Corben's latest collection of Poe adaptations, Edgar Allan Poe's Spirits of the Dead, Dr. M. Thomas Inge states, "Corben has proven to be the most acute and creative interpreter of Poe in comics history."

Edgar Allan Poe is the internationally influential author of such tales of "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Black Cat." He is credited with inventing the mystery genre as well as with pioneering both the modern horror story and science fiction. Poe died under mysterious circumstances at the age of forty. Although much of his life is known through contemporary documents, some areas of his life remain shrouded in mystery.

Opened in 1922, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum of Richmond is the world's finest collection of Edgar Allan Poe artifacts and memorabilia. The five-building complex features permanent exhibits of Poe's manuscripts, personal items, clothing, and a lock of the author's hair. The Poe Museum's mission is to interpret the life and influence of Edgar Allan Poe for a global audience. Edgar Allan Poe is America's first internationally influential author, the inventor of the detective story, and the forerunner of science fiction; but he primarily considered himself a poet. His poems "The Raven," "Annabel Lee," and "The Bells" are classics of world literature.

For more information, contact Chris Semtner at the Poe Museum at chris@poemuseum.org or 888-21-EAPOE. More information and a complete list of Poe-related activities can be found at http://www.poemuseum.org/events.php.

Jan 3: Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show

I'm sending you a last reminder of our upcoming Shoff Promotions
Comic Book & Sports Card Show together again SATURDAY JANUARY 3 10am-3pm at our new added location- the Annandale Fire House Hall 7128 Columbia Pike Annandale Virginia 22003

Plenty of great collectibles for sale such as Gold, Silver, Bronze & Modern Age

Comic Books, Nonsports cards from the 1880's to the present, PLUS Vintage to present day sports cards including a wide array of hockey cards, sports memorabilia & autographs PLUS Old Records and Hobby supplies of all types.

Artists Angela McKendrick & Dan Nokes and sports author Gary Sarnoff will also be joining us.

Directions: shoffpromotions.com

START THE NEW YEAR RIGHT- SEE YOU SATURDAY JANUARY 3

Nick Shoff

WITH THIS NOTICE ONLY ************ $1 Off All ADULT Admissions in your Party* (Regularly $3 NOW only $2) *** FREE - YES -FREE admission fee:18 years old and younger..

Jan. 20: Kidd, Ishii and Kolbeins at Fantom Comics

Chip Kidd, Graham Kolbeins and Anne Ishii will be at Fantom Comics on Jan. 20 (7-9 p.m.) for the launch of "Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It" (Fantagraphics). 

From the Facebook event post: "Big, burly, lascivious, and soft around the edges: welcome to the hyper-masculine world of Japanese gay manga. Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It is the first English-language anthology of its kind: an in-depth introduction to nine of the most exciting comic artists making work for a gay male audience in Japan. Jiraiya, Seizoh Ebisubashi and Kazuhide Ichikawa are three of the irresistibly seductive, internationally renowned artists featured in Massive, as well as Gengoroh Tagame, the subject of The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: Master of Gay Erotic Manga."

Art Hondros in Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection

When Art was demonstrating against gun violence outside Capitol Hill last month, he gave me copies of his Song of Sandy Hook comic book for a couple of comic libraries. MSU's librarian Randy Scott has received and cataloged their copy.

THE YEAR IN CARTOONS: Looking at 2014 through the prism of Cavna's editorial cartoons

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 31, 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/12/31/the-year-in-cartoons-looking-at-2014-through-the-prism-of-cavnas-editorial-cartoons/

Local "Comics positives" by Tom Spurgeon

50 Comics Positives For 2014: The Bill Watterson/Richard Thompson Exhibit At The Billy Ireland

50 Comics Positives For 2014: March Won Special Recognition At The Robert F. Kennedy Book Awards

A couple or three old bits for the New Year

The Washington Post did something, probably not in the actual paper, on editorial cartoons in 2003.

In 1939, Charles Howard collected original cartoons from Washington newspaper cartoonists Clifford Berryman, H.M. Talbert and Gene Elderman. I have no idea why the Art Institute of Chicago has a 4-page finding aid to them on its website. Nor do I know who Talbert is.

Elderman, courtesy of GU

Harry Hopkins and the NewDeal: As Seen by the Cartoonists was an exhibit at Georgetown University in 1998. It also included Berryman, Elderman and Bill Talburt (note spelling)

Cartoon and comics deaths in 2014

Never a pleasant thing to have compiled, but people should be remembered for their achievements. Corrections and additions welcome. Updated with comic strip cartoonist Max Gwin, animation voice actor Christine Josephine Cavanaugh,

Deaths in 2014 included underground comix publisher and first comic book store owner Gary Arlington, Tony Auth, Dick Ayers, comics journalist Bill Baker, British car cartoonist Jim Bamber, Charles Barsotti, caricaturist Garrett Bender, underground comix store owner Stanley Bobrof, Brumsic Brandon, Jr., Prism Comics' David Paul Brown, Cambodian cartoonist Ung Bun Heang, Isabelle "Barbara" Hall Fiske Calhoun (aka Barbara Hall), Hamlet Campagna (aka Hal Camp), "Oyster Stew" cartoonist Michael Carpenter,  François Cavanna - cofounder of Hara-Kiri and Charlie Hebdo, animation voice actor Christine Josephine Cavanaugh, Brazilian comics artist André Coelho, Scottish comic book store owner Neil Craig, Robert's ex-wife Dana Crumb, Blondie cartoonist Frank Cummings, comic book artist Jeremy Dale, editorial cartoonist Bill Dunn, Joseph Escourido, Socialist Worker cartoonist Phil Evans, Al Feldstein, Paul Flannery, San Antonio Express-News cartoonist Leo Garza, Stan Goldberg, El Chapulin Colorado Mexican television superhero Roberto 'Chespirito' Gómez Bolaños, Dandy cartoonist Charles Grigg, comic strip cartoonist Max Gwin, gag cartoonist David Harbaugh, Archie Andrews radio voice and tv voice actor Bob Hastings, comic book writer C.J. Henderson, New Zealand cartoonist David Henshaw, cartoonist turned children's book author Eric Hill, PS Magazine editor Don Hubbard, Etta Hulme, Egyptian cartoonist Mostafa Hussein, comics publisher Larry Ivie, store owner Brian Jacoby, gag and comic strip cartoonist Alexander Ralston "Bud" Jones, Jr. , Pinocchio voice actor Dick Jones, animation voice Casey Kasem, editorial cartoonist Jon B Kennedy, Fred Kida, "Super" Duper cartoonist Bill Kresse, editorial cartoonist Dan Lynch, comics historian and Little Orphan Annie writer Jay Maeder, Stroker McGurk cartoonist Tom Medley, British comic book writer Steve Moore, Esquire cartoonist Babette Beinfield Newburger, minicomics cartoonist Catherine Peach, Graphic Nature cartoonist Larry Pendleton, manga and anime researcher Timothy Perper, gag cartoonist Jeff Pert, Source Comics and Games store owner Dominic "Nick Post" Postiglione, animator Arthur Rankin, small press cartoonist Chris Reilly, editorial cartoonist Mike Ritter, Vijay Narain "Vins" Seth,  Pran Sharma, Joe Shuster Awards volunteer Debra Jane Shelly, Greek cartoonist Ilias Skoulas, animator Michael Sporn, Bhob Stewart, animator Robert Taylor, Dungeons & Dragons cartoonist David A. Trampier, Disney biographer Bob Thomas, Morrie Turner, Viz book designer Courtney Utt, Morris Weiss, British pocket cartoonist Frank Whitford, Aladdin voice actor Robin Williams, sports cartoonist Amadee Wohlschlaeger, collector Art Wood, Bermudan editorial cartoonist Peter Woolcock, political cartoonist George Edward Zeleski.

Happy New Year! from ComicsDC

"Never again!" / Frank A. Nankivell, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

1908 doesn't seem so far away, does it.

Big Planet Comics New Year's day sale

Happy New Year!

New Year's eve at the hotel prosperity / Kep, courtesy of the Library of Congress

1909, but change the reservation cards slightly and run it again, Sam.

A Memorial to a Cartoonist Friend: a guest post by Kevin 'Kal' Kallaugher

a guest post by Kevin 'Kal' Kallaugher

The lessons from a fallen comrade…

Today, December 31, 2014, a memorial service is being held for a brother cartoonist in the tiny island of Bermuda. Though his name is not widely known in the international community of cartoonists and satirists, Peter Woolcock was certainly a legend to the 67,000 inhabitants of the island.

For three decades he lampooned with great dexterity, the foibles of the Bermudian political class. It was a sad shock to all when we learned last month that Peter had been hit by a car as he was delivering his weekly (and last) cartoon to the Royal Gazette newspaper.

This past summer I had the great honor of getting to know Peter during a 3-month sojourn as Artist-in-Residence at the Masterworks art Museum in Bermuda. Peter, then 88, was a sprite and engaging man with a robust curiosity and a boyish passion for the cartoon arts. We would chat for hours about the benefits of certain pen nibs and the magic of a peer's brushstrokes.

We also talked about the celebrated past and the challenging future of our profession, sharing an enormous sense of gratitude that we both managed, somehow, to eke out livings as cartoonists.

Peter would always note that cartoonists from big market countries like the USA and the UK had it very easy. Try being a cartoonist on an island, he would tell me.

He had to tread very carefully on the subject of the day because there would be a chance he might run into the very same subject (or her cousin) in the supermarket on Saturday or church on Sunday.

As I studied Peter's work, I realized how right he was. Bermuda is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit. Yet as a resident, you get a very different perspective on the island. What at first seems like a vacation paradise soon becomes a small village surrounded by a wall of water. In addition, Bermuda is one of the most densely populated jurisdictions on the planet…If peace is to be kept, everyone must find a way to coexist in a civilized fashion.  Boisterous satirical criticism may not always be welcome.

As you can imagine, this is not the natural habitat for your typical editorial cartoonist. But Peter was not your typical cartoonist. He understood the tolerance level of his audience. He opted to employ the needle rather that the hatchet in his work. Over the course of thirty years he knew an artfully aimed needle in the nether regions would certainly get his target's attention.

Today the island of Bermuda is celebrating the career and contributions of one of its unique and beloved citizens. Here in Maryland I am toasting him, as he would like, by hoisting an open bottle of India ink and a saying, with a smile:

For Peter Woolcock, a colleague whose needle was mightier than the sword.

KAL

Kevin Kallaugher

Feb 4: George O'Connor signing - Olympians

• George O'Connor signing - Olympians Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 5:00pm - 8:00pm in EST

• Show Map Big Planet Comics of College Park 7315 Baltimore Ave, College Park, Maryland 20740

Big Planet Comics is proud to welcome New York Times bestselling creator George O'Connor, for his series Olympians!

The newest book in the Olympians series is Ares: Bringer of War. In Ares, the myth continues in the tenth year of the fabled Trojan War where two infamous gods of war go to battle. The spotlight is thrown on Ares, god of war, and primarily focuses on his battle with the clever and powerful Athena. As the battle culminates and the gods try to one-up each other to win, the human death toll mounts. Who will win this epic clash of power? And how many will have to die first?

Olympians website: http://www.olympiansrule.com/

Jan 18: John Reilly signing - Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla

• John Reilly signing - Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 1:00pm - 3:00pm

• Show Map Big Planet Comics of Vienna 426 Maple Ave E, Vienna, Virginia 22180

Big Planet Comics is proud to welcome local writer John Reilly, for his new series Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla! It is published by Action Lab with art by Tom Rogers and Dexter Weeks.

When Nikola Tesla's fiancée, Amelia Earhart, steals a dangerous prototype engine for a trans-Atlantic flight, Tesla seeks out the interdimensional expertise of H.P. Lovecraft to save her. Lovecraft, however, has problems of his own as he investigates the identity of Cthulhu's Herald.

Herald facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeraldComic
Herald twitter: https://twitter.com/HeraldComic

Former DC writer on Egyptian cartooning

Jonathan Guyer

The Art of Dissent

Brown Alumni Magazine January/February 2015

http://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/content/view/3853/32/

12/31: SHIELD comic launch at Third Eye Comics

Join us New Year's Eve for our SHIELD #1 Launch Party!

 

Click here for full details!

Comic Riffs on Doonesbury

'Doonesbury' and the U-Va. campus-rape strip: Garry Trudeau says that Rolling Stone's 'flaws' didn't change point of yesterday's comic

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 29 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/12/29/doonesbury-and-the-u-va-campus-rape-strip-garry-trudeau-says-that-rolling-stones-flaws-didnt-change-point-of-yesterdays-comic/

Comic Riffs on Stan Lee

STAN LEE'S BIRTHDAY: As the comics legend turns 92 today, here are our 20 Favorite Stan Lee Quotes…

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 28 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/12/28/stan-lees-birthday-as-the-comics-legend-turns-92-today-here-are-our-20-favorite-stan-lee-quotes/

Herblock on C-Span2 Book TV

Herblock: A Political Cartoonist - History, Cartoons, Civil Rights, McCarthyism, Nixon (1993)

 Apr 12, 2014

The Book Archive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnuQWz6fm-Q

Herbert Lawrence Block, commonly known as Herblock (October 13, 1909 -- October 7, 2001), was an American editorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentary on national domestic and foreign policy from a liberal perspective