ZADZOOKS: Cal McDonald uncovers the occult

"ZADZOOKS: Cal McDonald uncovers the occult," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times Wednesday, October 8, 2008. This is a series I keep meaning to read, but still haven't gotten around too. Also reviewed is the Flash, which I don't read anymore.

OT: A man's reach should exceed his grasp...

...or what's a heaven for? wrote Robert Browning. Here's a story that two of my friends sent me independently. This is very close to my idea of heaven.

MacHomer Post review

See "Double, Double Toil and D'oh!," By Nelson Pressley, Washington Post Friday, October 10, 2008; C05.

Oct 11: Kate Feiffer in Arlington

Kate Feiffer, Jules Feiffer's daughter who has done books with him, is signing books tomorrow.

Meet Author Kate Feiffer
Saturday, October 11, 2008

At 2:00 p.m.

Kate Feiffer, author of Double Pink and Henry the Dog with No Tail, will introduce her newest book, President Pennybaker. Published just in time for election season, this book tells the story of Luke Pennybaker, who when sent to his room for time out, decides to run for president and make life fair for kids once and for all. But is being president all it’s cracked up to be?

A book signing will follow. Ages 4-8. Please call to register.

Alina Gawlik
Aladdin's Lamp Children's Books and Other Treasures
2499 N. Harrison St.
Arlington, VA 22207
Tel 703-241-8281
Fax 703-241-8283
Email: aladlamp@speakeasy.net

STORE HOURS: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday & Thursday 10 am to 8 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm

OT: Out of Sequence: Underrepresented Voices in American Comics

This exhibit is by a couple of friends of mine, Damian Duffy and John Jennings.

Out of Sequence: Underrepresented Voices in American Comics
Krannert Art Museum, 500 East Peabody Drive
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
October 24, 2008-January 4, 2009

What is comics?
Out of Sequence is an exploration of that question. It is a declaration of the diversity of sequential art in the United States, diversity of creators, content and form. It is a broad survey of women, small press, minority, independent, gay & lesbian, self-published, mini, underground, web and/or gallery comics creators.
What is comics? There is no one answer. Here are many.


Out of Sequence Events List

Thurs. Oct. 23: 6-8pm, Krannert Art Museum
Out of Sequence exhibition opening reception, featuring a talk by gallery comics creator Mark Staff Brandl and music by DJ Delayney
http://illinois.edu/calendar/Calendar?ACTION=VIEW_EVENT&calId=449&skinId=578&DATE=10/23/2008&eventId=92824

Fri-Sat, Oct. 24-25: 10am-4pm, Link Gallery
The Next Panel Illinois Small Press Comics Expo
Small press comics artists, including several from the art show, will be selling their work. Mama's Boyz creator Jerry Craft will also be offering a family oriented workshop on creating comics on Saturday afternoon.
http://comicspace.com/nextpanel

Thurs. Oct. 30: 5:30pm, Krannert Art Museum
Gallery Conversation with Damian Duffy and John Jennings, co-curators and creators of The Hole: Consumer Culture (2008).

Sat. Nov. 8: 1-4pm, Krannert Art Museum Auditorium
"Emerging Out of Sequence: Examining the Past and Charting the Future of American Comics" Gallery conversation with Nancy Goldstein, author of Jackie Ormes:: The First African American Woman Cartoonist (2008), Andrei Molotiu, abstract comics creator and curator; Trina Robbins, comics creator and herstorian, and Ashley A Woods, independent comics creator. Moderated by co-curators Damian Duffy and John Jennings
http://illinois.edu/calendar/Calendar?ACTION=VIEW_EVENT&calId=449&skinId=578&DATE=11/8/2008&eventId=930

Fri. Nov. 14, 7-11pm: Artzilla
Comics Film Series in conjunction with Out of Sequence exhibition, Multimedia Hip Hop Set featuring images by John Jennings

Cartoonists at Walter Reed followup

MAD cartoonist Tom Richmond has a blog post about visiting troops at Walter Reed up now - "NCS/USO Trip- Washington D.C.,"
Tom's MAD blog (October 6 2008).

Maryland's Carla Speed McNeil interview reposted

I'm not sure when this was originally from - "Flashback Series Of Interviews: From Print To The Web With Carla Speed McNeil of Finder," October 8 2008.

MacHomer featured in Express

See "Springfield Play: When 'Macbeth' meets 'The Simpsons,' it's lay on Duff Beer!," by Express contributor Dan Miller, Express October 9, 2008. If anyone gets to see this, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

The paper also had a wire-service story about bicyclist Lance Armstrong appearing on the children's animated show, Arthur which airs on PBS. Arthur is one of the better educational cartoons.

City Paper takes note of Thompson's blog

Unsurprisingly it's Mark Athitakis who notes Richard's blog on his blog. See "Local Cartoonist Injured by Untenable Malcolm Gladwell Thesis." The City Paper's headline today is about their bankruptcy, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

Weingarten on Breathed's retirement

From the October 7th chat:

Op, US: I can't believe Berke Breathed is retiring...again.

Seriously, I was a huge fan as a high school student, a moderate fan as a college student, and a passing fan as an adult. I mean, it's a character-driven strip that hasn't been daily for nearly 20 years, so it's not like we had much opportunity to get re-attached for the last three. I just can't get choked up the way I would for, say, Trudeau or like I did for Larson or Watterston. Or like I did for Breathed, twice already.


Gene Weingarten: Well, Berkeley has been teasing us for weeks now. It's no surprise.

I liked Opus, and it remains one of the best drawn strips on the comics pages, and I will miss it. But I think the decision to go Sunday-only may hae doomed it from the start. It's very hard to gain traction without a daily dose of your characters, particularly, as you say, with a character-driven strip.

I began to feel that Berkeley's heart was not entirely in this latest enterprise when more than once we found ourselves looking at recycled Bloom County gags.

Gene Weingarten: But: Week after week, Opus delivered some of the best sky-is-falling allegorical hang-wringing about the political hypocrisy afoot in our land. It's not a voice I would vote to lose and I'm sorry to see it go.

and one of his readers feels strongly about Doonesbury in a positive way, as do I:

B.D. Grins!: Hi Gene,

It's been over a week, but I'm still smiling about seeing B.D. smile in Doonesbury.

I loved Trudeau's whole sequence about Sam's Sarah Palin doll, but the most touching thing was seeing B.D. get so tickled as Boopsie tried to explain to Sam that Palin shouldn't be her hero (or her vice president). We've seen B.D. recover from his amputation and deal with his PTSD and even reach out to other characters -- but I'm pretty sure this is the first time he's smiled. It made me unreasonably happy.

And wide-eyed Boopsie has come a long way since B.D.'s injury, too. She's been a rock for B.D. And it's nice to see her get steamed about Palin.

I can't believe how emotionally invested I've become in these characters lately. Trudeau has always been brilliant, but this is ridiculous.

Gene Weingarten: Yeah, this was the best day of a good week.

Joost Swarte sketches from Small Press Expo 2008

Joost Swarte was kind enough to sketch in some of his books for me over a cup of coffee at the Small Press Expo. I never thought I'd get to meet him. He's been one of my favorite cartoonists for years. He was very friendly and interesting. His early training in industrial design definitely influenced his work We talked a bit about a recent design of a long stained glass window for a courthouse until he had to go to a panel on Herge, but he thinks I might have the largest collection of his signed books in the States. Heh, I've got more I didn't bring to get signed... (and thanks to Barbara Poestema for bringing two of these back from the Netherlands for me this summer!) Here's shots of the sketches he did.





















And I met Istvan Banyai, the awesome illustrator, who came to the Expo to see Joost! Another one of my favorites!

Finally, Michael Cavna who I got to meet briefly has a good roundup of SPX quotes online today - "The Morning Line: Obama! Palin! Who's Got the Best Line?..." By Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs blog October 8, 2008.

Iron Man and Opus Washington Post articles

Catching up a bit, this article ran online, and then in the paper - "An 'Iron Man' of Epic DVD Proportions," By JEN CHANEY, washingtonpost.com Staff Writer Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, Washington Post (October 3).

Following up on Cavna's scoop was "Cartoonist to Put 'Opus' on Ice," By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, Washington Post Tuesday, October 7, 2008; Page C01.

Oct 25: political cartoonists Wuerker, Thompson and Kal at Writer's Center

Boy, this is going to be good! All three of these guys are sweethearts in person, if vicious in print, and are articulate and clean too. The Writer's Center is a couple of blocks from the Bethesda subway.

The Writer's Center to Host Roundtable Discussion on the Art of Political Cartooning in an Election Year, October 25th

Bethesda, MD (Oct. 8, 2008)—With less than a month before the election, candidates in both major parties are laying down broad reasons why we, the American people, should step up and vote for them. Standing on the periphery observing are the political cartoonists, keen-eyed artists whose sharp and often witty reflections of the political scene render judgment in simple, stark images.

On Saturday, October 25th The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD will celebrate the art of political cartooning with a special roundtable discussion featuring three of the nation’s most distinguished cartoonists: Matt Wuerker (The Politico), Richard Thompson (Washington Post), and Kevin Kallaugher (Baltimore Sun and The Economist). The event is made possible by a generous grant from the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation.


When: October 25th (7:30 p.m.)

Where: The Writer’s Center, Bethesda, MD 20815

This event is free and open to the public

Political cartooning has been important aspect of communication throughout American history. Since the distribution of Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die” cartoon in support of the French and Indian War in 1754, cartooning has served as a valuable tool to communicate political ideals and engage diverse audiences. It serves as a vehicle for citizens to challenge the political and cultural environment, making it a key facet of free speech, as well. The combination of narrative power and aesthetic symbolism render political cartooning an entirely unique method of expression. Additionally, both the classic comedic four-panel cartoon “strip,” and the one-panel, so-called “gag” cartoon often associated with The New Yorker, have commented on American life for decades.

About the artists:

Richard Thompson’s cartoon “Richard's Poor Almanac” appears weekly in The Washington Post and his comic strip “Cul-de-Sac” appears weekly in the “The Washington Post Magazine.” A book of his collected Almanac cartoons was published in 2005. His illustrations have appeared in U.S. News & World Report, The New Yorker, National Geographic and The Atlantic Monthly. He has received the National Cartoonist Society Magazine and Book Illustration Award for 1995, and their Newspaper Illustration Award for 1995. Visit him online at:

http://richardspooralmanac.blogspot.com/


Matt Wuerker is the staff editorial cartoonist for The Politico. Mr. Wuerker’s cartoons are syndicated by the Tribune Syndicate and NewsArt.com. Two collections of his cartoons have been published, Standing Tall in Deep Doo Doo: A Cartoon Chronicle of The Bush Quayle Years, and Meanwhile in Other New…a Graphic Look at Politics in the Empire of Money, Sex and Scandal. His work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and The Christian Science Monitor, as well as Funny Times, The Nation, The American Prospect, and Z Magazine. Visit him online at:

http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/properties/Wuerker/search_2.php

Kevin Kallaugher is the editorial cartoonist for The Baltimore Sun and The Economist. In March 1978, Mr. Kallaugher became the first resident cartoonist at The Economist in its 145-year history. His work has been included in more than 100 publications worldwide, including Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Pravda, Krokodil, Daily Yomiuri, The Australian, New York Times, Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, and The Washington Post. His cartoons are distributed worldwide by Cartoonarts International and the New York Times Syndicate.

You can view his work online at: http://www.kaltoons.com/

About the Writer’s Center:

The Writer's Center, founded in 1976, is one of the premier independent literary centers in the country. By becoming a member, you join an organization of more than 2,500 writers, editors, small press publishers and other artists. We promote the art of writing by offering workshops, hosting readings and special events, and building a community of writers, workshop leaders, publishers and audiences for contemporary writing.

The Writer's Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request. Contact the Writer's Center at 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD 20815. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage. The Writer's Center is supported in part by The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts. Our web address is www.writer.org.

Media Contact:

Kyle Semmel
The Writer’s Center
301.654.8664 ext. 15
ksemmel@writer.org
www.writer.org

Birthdays, birthdays

Harvey Pekar and Richard Thompson were both born today, supposedly years apart although I don't believe they've ever been seen together and never appear to be online at the same time. Happy birthday, gents!

(that's Richard signing his book at the Crafty Bastards fair. Pekar was nowhere to be seen, you'll note)

Comic Creator Signing at Geppi's Entertainment Museum

Yeah, it's a little off the beaten path, but our neighbors to the north have a handful of noteworthy comic creators (writers and artists, but mostly writers) popping in for a signing event at Geppi's Entertainment Museum:

Friday, October 10, 2008 from 1:00 pm -3:30 pm

SUPERSTAR COMIC BOOK CREATOR SIGNING

Meet superstars of the comic book world during a special signing event that fans won't want to miss! Scheduled creators include:

> Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition)
> Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets)
> Greg Rucka (The Complete Whiteout)
> Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother)
> Tim Broderick (Cash and Carry)
> Duane Swierczynski (The Immortal Iron Fist)
> Gary Phillips (Darker Mask)

Copies of creators' work will be available for purchase. (NOTE: available titles subject to change.)

Charlos Gary's surviving the Wash Times job...

...although the city's a bit slow for him. I remember the feeling when moving down from NJ. He's hanging at Busboys and Poets apparently, which is a cool place although it could use more books of course.

SPX 2008 - a few bits

At the Saturday panel on political cartoons, Frank Camusso said, "The internet really is a great place to suck." Ted Rall commented later in the same panel, "It gets really tiresome to do cartoons to remind people that torture is wrong."

On the Joost Swarte panel, he covered bits of his career. A few interesting points that I noted:

He designed stamps for a special December holiday mailing which have a reduced rate. He put the text of the stamps explanation of the rates in the center of the sheet so they couldn't be discarded. The stamp itself people delivering mail to each other until light shines at the end of the tunnel (ie the center of the stamp).

Swarte was majorly influenced by Willem's underground work, and then by the Americans in Zap Comix like Crumb, Shelton, Wilson, Moscosco and Spiegleman (with whom he worked on Raw).

The building he designed for Haarlem's arts center can be seen at http://www.toneelschuur.nl The photos he showed looked very cool.

He's illustrated three novels by a Dutch writer - Neskio perhaps? These looked interesting. He designed the illustrations to work as a flip book with the character's head centered throughout in one of them.

One thing he showed was his latest comic work - a short story Exercise of Style #100, based on Queneau's 99 Exercises in Style.

Jeff Kinney interview

See "Interview: Jeff Kinney; 'Wimpy Kid' Author Chats About Life and Fame," by Martha Thomases, Sun Oct 5, 2008 - he's obviously gone beyond being the University of Maryland student cartoonist.

Herblock online feature

For a basic overview of Herb Block's career, see "Stars of Political Cartooning - Herb “Herblock” Block," by Brian Cronin, Monday, October 6th, 2008.

Publishers Weekly and others on SPX

"SPX Shines Despite Down Economy," By Heidi MacDonald, Laura Hudson and Van Jensen, PW Comics Week October 7, 2008. Somehow they missed the 5:30 Sunday interview with Richard Thompson in which he announced his plan to save the American economy. Here's a link to my pictures again.

Dirk Deppey at Journalista linked to some blogs so I'll steal the ones that I can relate to.

Brian Heater -whom I had hoped to see and thank for his Harvey Pekar interview permission. Brian runs some excellent interviews every month.

Chris Mautner - my old Comix@ friend has some great photos. Sorry to hear about the head cold though.

Ben Towle - another friend of mine. His book Midnight Sun is one of my favorites of the year, telling the story of a zeppelin lost in the Arctic. We only talked briefly, but Ben's got an interesting financial breakdown of his profits/losses from Heroes Con and SPX, the two shows I've seen him at this year.

Mike Lynch - I met Mike for the first time this weekend, but he's got a great blog I've been following.

Dustin Harbin - Dustin invited Richard Thompson to HeroesCon, so as his driver, I tagged along. Dustin turned out to be an absolute sweetheart. I bought his new mini and his poster of 26 cartoonists that he met and liked.

Thompson - Post Health section split, go separate ways

Richard mentioned the other day when I was interviewing him that he wasn't doing the little cartoons for the Washington Post's Tuesday Health section anymore, so we can all stop looking for them today.

VisArts call for children's book art

And another from Casey Shaw about an upcoming exhibit that's issued a call for children's book illustration:

"TURNING THE PAGE," A unique exhibit featuring original artwork from illustrators of children's books.
The artwork will be displayed next to a copy of the book in which it appeared, and both will be offered for sale.

NOTE: Original art (or if digital, a high-quality signed print) must be available for sale.
There is no entry or hanging fee, but the Gallery will retain a portion of the proceeds.

WHERE: The new VisArts Center Gallery in downtown Rockville, MD
WHEN: Thursday December 4, 2008 - February 21, 2009
GALLERY HOURS: Monday - Friday: 10:00am - 5:00pm. Closed Saturday.
The Gallery is open two Sundays per month from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm for openings and coffee talks.

JUROR: Harriet Lesser, Director of Exhibitions.
http://www.visartscenter.org

CALENDAR:
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - Deadline for entry - receipt (no later than 5:00pm)
Friday, October 17, 2008 - Notification of decision and agreement
Monday, December 1, 2008 - Deliver accepted artwork to VisArts: 155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD 20850
Thursday December 4, 2008 - Opening Reception: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Harriet Lesser
Director of Exhibitions
VisArts at Rockville
155 Gibbs Street, #300
Rockville, MD 20850

Hanoch Piven caricature exhibit in DC

Thanks to Casey Shaw of USA Weekend for the tip about this show at the Sixth & I St, NW synagogue!

What Candidates are Really Made of & Other Famous Faces
Sunday, September 21 - Monday, November 13

Sunday, September 21, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Children's Workshop)
Sunday, September 21, 3:00 p.m. (Opening)

Israeli artist Hanoch Piven creates evocative pop portraits of celebrities and notable politicians using found objects such as bubble gum, light bulbs and electrical wire. In the spirit of the upcoming elections, the exhibition will feature two original commissioned pieces of the presidential candidates. Find out what McCain and Obama are REALLY made of! Other portraits will include musicians, entertainers and U.S. and Israeli politicians.

Several of Piven's portraits are on permanent collection at the Library of Congress. His most recent project is the creation of the Hafatzim Mitlotsetsim TV program, which airs on the Israeli children's channel, Hop. Piven has also published five children's books, one of which Time Magazine named one of the best 10 children's books of the year. Piven is a regular contributor to Haaretz and his work has appeared in major publications throughout the world, including the New York Times, Newsweek, Rolling Stone and Time Magazine in the United States. He won the gold medal from the Society of Illustrators and the silver medal from the Society of Publication Designers for his designs.

Viewing hours are Monday - Thursday and the first Sunday of the month from 12 noon - 3:00 p.m., or call 202/408-3100 to schedule an appointment.

In addition to the exhibit opening, there will also be a workshop for children on Sunday, September 21. The exhibit opening is free and the cost of the children's workshop is $6 per child. R.S.V.P. for these events to Sonia Rosen here or call 202/408-3100.

You probably all know this, but... Breathed retires, again

Michael Cavna helped break the story on his Comic Riffs blog today. As of this writing, there's 34 comments all over the map about the strip and Breathed's career.

I've been away from the computer, so it's lucky I don't get paid for this, isn't it?

And thanks for the Riffy nod over the weekend, Michael.

Nov 6: Israeli comics lecture at Library of Congress

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20540
Phone: (202) 707-2905
Fax: (202) 707-9199
Email: pao@loc.gov

October 3, 2008

ISRAELI COMICS TO BE SUBJECT OF NOV 6. LECTURE

Drawing both from Judeo-European and American cultures, comics have been a mainstay of Israeli newspapers and readers’ markets since the early 1930s. Little known outside the Middle East, these comics open an interesting window into Israeli society, past and present.

Ofer Berenstein will deliver a lecture titled “Israeli Comics: Past and Present” at the Library of Congress at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, in the Montpelier Room, located on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building at 101 Independence Ave S.E., Washington, D.C.

The lecture, which is sponsored by the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division, Serial and Government Publications Division and the Hebraic Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division, is free and open to the public; tickets are not required.

Ofer Berenstein is a founding member of the Israeli Comic Book Readers and Collectors Society. He served in the Israeli Army Home Front Command as a photographer, graphic designer and editor. He is a graduate student at Bar-Ilan University in Israel.

The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Founded in 1800, the Library holds more than 138 million items, including 21 million cataloged books, 61 million manuscripts and nearly 14 million photographs, posters, prints and drawings.

The Library’s Prints and Photographs Division houses the Library’s outstanding holdings of original cartoon and caricature drawings and makes them accessible through its online catalog at www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html. The Library’s Serial and Government Publications Division houses the world’s largest comic book collection (5,000 titles; 100,000 issues).

The Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division (www.loc.gov/rr/amed) is the center for the study of some 78 countries and regions from Southern Africa to the Maghreb and from the Middle East to Central Asia.

# # #

PR 08-181
ISSN 0731-3527
10/3/08

Stalin's favorite cartoonist finally dies, part 2

Here's a good obit that has more details - "Boris Yefimov, Sharp Russian Cartoonist Who Was Beloved by Stalin, Dies at 109," By DOUGLAS MARTIN, New York Times October 5, 2008

Small Press Expo 2008 photos

Here's some shots from Saturday. Remember that I'll be interviewing Richard Thompson at 5 pm downstairs. Richard will also be signing his books during the day (and you can always catch me to buy a Harvey Pekar: Conversations).


Richard Thompson and Joost Swart


Richard Thompson and Joost Swart


Mark Anderson of Andertoons


Mark Anderson of Andertoons


Richard Thompson, Paul Karasik and Brendan Burford


Joost Swarte and Jen Sorenson


Joost Swarte and Jen Sorenson


Derf


Jen Sorenson


Joost Swarte


Howard U. professor Marc Singer, Joost Swarte, Richard Thompson


Jason Lutes.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-08-08 (Yom Kippur!)

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-08-08 (Yom Kippur!)
By John Judy

NOTE: Be sure to read this week’s X-comics before sunset so you can atone for doing so.

ACTION COMICS #870 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. Clark fights Brainiac and gets so upset he leaves his shirt open on the front cover! Great Krypton!

AVENGERS/INVADERS #5 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. Do you want a comic in which Wolverine rides piggy-back on a flaming mutant boy in swim trunks? How about a comic in which a deaf character lip-reads Spider-Man even though Spidey is wearing a mask that covers his entire face? Okay, how about a comic in which the original Human Torch equates trashed government robots (LMDs) with Jews murdered in the holocaust? And it’s drawn almost as well as it reads. Seven more issues until we discover if a comic will ship with zero retailer orders.

DC COMICS GOES APE SC by Various Creators. You want ape-fights? You want superheroes turning into apes and fighting other superheroes who have also turned into apes? Well, buster, you came to the right place! And we don’t need no WWII secret vampire apes neither! This is Old Ape School, pally-boy! “Ook!”

FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #3 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Philip Tan. Darkseid has the anti-life equation and it will be on the test!

GOON #29 written and drawn by Eric Powell. “You’d think he’d learn not to eat sauerkraut around the Goon. He hates the smell of sauerkraut.” “There’s no learnin’ some people. You just gotta twist their heads around.” So highly recommended…

GREEN LANTERN #35 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The final chapter of the Hal Jordan/Sinestro buddy-cop movie! Good stuff.

HELLBOY LIBRARY EDITION, VOL. 2 HC by Mike Mignola, Matthew Hollingsworth and James Sinclair. Collecting the complete “Chained Coffin” and “The Right Hand of Doom” in super-sweet 9 x 12 format! Recommended.

MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #1 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Kev Walker. A surprisingly good follow-up to a series that kind of half jumped the shark a year ago. Credit the talents of artist Kev Walker and author and co-founder of EvilTwin Comics, Fred Van Lente. Worth a look if you liked the first MZ series.

PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL: BARACK OBAMA by Jeff Mariotte and Tom Morgan. IDW Publishing is putting out two graphic biographies of the men vying to become our next President: Senator Barack Obama and the guy who’s going to lose because he picked your crazy homeroom teacher as his running mate. Gotta look! Gotta vote!

SECRET SIX #2 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. Batman versus Catman! Can Ratman be far behind? No, because there is no Ratman, I made him up. How about Scatman Crothers? No, he’s dead. Okay, seriously, this is a good team book, kind of like THUNDERBOLTS only more intimate. Honest. For some reason the best super-team books lately are about teams of villains. Go figure.

SERENITY: BETTER DAYS SC by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews and Will Conrad. Collecting the three-issue space adventures of the crew that made Han Solo look like a choirboy. Stupid Fox Television!

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BLACKHAWK VOL. 1 SC by Various Creators. Collecting BLACKHAWK issues #108-127 from the fabulous fifties. They’re being eaten by a giant robot whale who is almost certainly a commie. Old school.

THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #2 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. So far this is turning out to be among the strongest adaptations of Stephen King’s work in comics or any other medium. Not kidding. Highly recommended.

THE TWELVE #8 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. Electro the mysterious robot makes his move. Finally! Recommended.

TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE #2 of 2 by Mark Sable and Jesus Saiz. Two-Face is running for election! But enough about John McCain….

WALKING DEAD #53 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. Old friends return and new ones are made. At least we think they’re friends… Recommended. Not for kids.

WONDER WOMAN #25 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. Wonder Woman is determined to stop a movie of her life from being made. If only the suits hadn’t said “Does she have to be a woman?”

X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #2 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine Di Giandomenico. A bold attempt to show the early life of one of Marvel’s iconic villains as a young Jewish boy trying to survive in Hitler’s Germany. Not your run-of-the-mill X-garbage. Worth checking out.

X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #2 of 5 by Lotsa People. Three stories of mutants with intimacy issues. Also a philosophy under which Marvel will attempt to push all other comics off the racks in order to accommodate more X-Books, regardless of quality. Nuff said!

X-MEN: ORIGINAL SIN #1 by Daniel Way, Mike Deodato, Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wolverine beats up and threatens to kill his X-friends. An artist forgets how to draw Wolver-Lad’s claws. And they re-print the first issue of CLASSIC X-MEN. The good news? This is a one-shot.

www.johnjudy.net

This week's Zadzooks

ZADZOOKS: Joe Montana, Deluxe Hellboy and Duel with Dooku reviews
Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times Wednesday, October 1, 2008

and a couple of catch-ups on Greg Bennett's best. I adore Posy Simmonds.

Bennett's Best for the week of September 21
Zadzooks Blog
POSTED October 02 2008 6:50 PM BY JOE SZADKOWSKI

Bennett's Best for the week of September 28
Zadzooks Blog
POSTED October 03 2008 5:37 PM BY JOE SZADKOWSKI

and Alcoholic is by my buddy Dean Haspiel and should be good.

Off to Small Press Expo!

We're off to Small Press Expo - stop us and buy our books! We're each carrying copies to pawn off on willing victims. I might stare at you stupidly for a moment as I had too much anesthetic for a dental procedure yesterday, but just persevere!

On Sunday, I will be interviewing Richard at 5 pm - and he's bringing original art to show - so stick around and stop in! Harvey Pekar has signed 2 copies of the book about him that will be available through the CBLDF table.



(original photo by Marcus Hamilton, and it deserved better)

Travelling to SPX cartoons continued

More at the Daily Cross Hatch:

Lamar Abrams and L. Nichols.

Sara Bauer and Monica Gallagher.

Oct 8-12: MacHomer at Woolly Mammoth

MacHomer, the one man show by Rick Miller that smashes together Shakespeare and the Simpsons will be in Washington on Oct 8-12, at Woolly Mammoth. A review by Nick Green is in the Washington City Paper October 1, 2008.

SWANN FOUNDATION ACCEPTING FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Public Affairs Office
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20540-1400
Voice: 202.707.2905
Fax: 202.707.9199

October 2, 2008

Press contact: Donna Urschel (202) 707-1639, durschel@loc.gov
Public contact: Martha Kennedy (202) 707-9115

SWANN FOUNDATION ACCEPTING FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS
Foundation Supports Research in the Humorous Arts of Caricature and Cartoon

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress, is accepting applications for its graduate fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year. Applications are due by close of business on Friday, Feb. 13, 2009, and notification will occur in the spring.

The Swann Foundation seeks to award one fellowship annually (with a stipend of up to $15,000) to assist in continuing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. Depending on the number and quality of proposals, the advisory board may elect to make multiple, smaller awards.

A fellow is required to be in residence in Washington, D.C., for a minimum of two weeks, use the Library’s extensive collections and deliver a public lecture at the Library on his or her work. Each fellow must also provide a copy of his or her dissertation, thesis or postgraduate publication upon completion, for the Swann Foundation Fund files.

Guidelines and application forms are available through the Swann Foundation’s Web site www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html, by e-mailing swann@loc.gov or by calling Martha Kennedy in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library at (202) 707-9115.

To be eligible, an applicant must be a resident of the United States and a candidate for a master’s or doctoral degree at a university based in the United States, Canada or Mexico. The applicant must be working toward completion of a dissertation or thesis for that degree or be engaged in postgraduate research within three years of receiving an M.A. or a Ph.D. Individuals who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet these academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a fellowship, contingent upon their visa eligibility.

The applicant’s research must be in the field of caricature and cartoon. There are no restrictions on the place or time period covered. To encourage research in a variety of academic disciplines, any university department may oversee a project proposed for the fellowship, provided the subject pertains to caricature or cartoon art.

Requirements for the fellowship applications include a statement of qualifications, a one-page abstract of the proposed project, a project description that specifies research needs and a budget, two letters of reference and official transcripts.

The Swann Foundation Fellowship in Caricature and Cartoon is one of a small number of scholarly fellowships that provide direct support for continuing graduate research in the field. It has supported groundbreaking research on caricature and cartoon that focuses on a variety of subjects and topics such as the Cold War; representations of race, class conflict and disease; and the early origins of caricature and political satire, and the cultural and social forces that have influenced the development of prominent cartoonists’ work. For a list of research projects, visit www.loc.gov/rr/rint/swann/swann-fellowslist.html.

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon is overseen by an advisory board composed of scholars, collectors, cartoonists and Library of Congress staff members. The foundation’s activities support the study, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of original works of humorous and satiric art by graphic artists from around the world. New York advertising executive Erwin Swann (1906-1973) established the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon in 1967.

# # #

PR08-183
10/2/08
ISSN: 0731-3527

Oct 6: Happy Accident at GWU

10/6 Happy Accident: A Comics Presentation & Panel

EVENT:

Cartoonists Jesse Reklaw (The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production), Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button), Trevor Alixopulos (Hot Breath of War), Ken Dahl (Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome), and Sarah Edward-Corbett (See-Saw) will join a reading and panel discussion titled “Happy Accidents,” about contemporary themes and issues in graphic novels. This event is sponsored by The George Washington University’s Melvin Gelman Library and the University Writing Program.

WHEN:

Monday, Oct. 6, 2008; 5 p.m.

WHERE:

The George Washington University
Gelman Library, Room 301
2130 H St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom - GWU Metro Station (Orange and Blue lines)

COST:

This event is free and open to the public. Photo I.D. is required to enter the building. Media wishing to attend should contact Nick Massella at (202) 994-3087 or massella@gwu.edu.

BACKGROUND:

Jesse Reklaw turns the dreams of strangers into clever four-panel comic strips in The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production. This hardcover book collects five years of Reklaw’s comic strip, Slow Wave, which appears in alternative weekly newspapers all over the country.

Twenty-five-year-old Dash Shaw’s fourth graphic novel, Bottomless Belly Button, is a 720-page comedy-drama that follows the dysfunctional adventures of the Loony Family.

Trevor Alixopulos’ Hot Breath of War takes seemingly unrelated episodes of life during wartime and entwines them into one experimental narrative. This subtle graphic novel explores love amidst conflict and the seduction of violence.

Ken Dahl documents alienation, incarceration, and inebriation in the new American Rome in Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome, a graphic novel anthology. Dahl is a 2006 Ignatz Award recipient and 2007 Center for Cartoon Studies Fellow.

Sara Edward-Corbett’s comic strip See-Saw ran in the New York Press from 2003 - 2005. With her detail and affection for youthful insolence, she is a new contributor to Mome, the premier anthology of literary comics.

Stalin's favorite cartoonist finally dies

"Boris Yefimov, 108; Political Cartoonist," Washington Post Thursday, October 2, 2008; B07 is the wire story in the Post.

The Interview: Alt-Political Cartoonist Ted Rall

By Michael Cavna October 2, 2008;
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2008/10/the_interview_alt-political_ca.html

Scottish Reign: Ian Rankin on the End of Det. John Rebus

Posted By Express at 8:00 AM on October 1, 2008
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/10/scottish_reign_ian_rankin_on_the_end_of.php

He talks about his Constantine graphic novel in this interview.

Mixing Up Her Media: Lynda Barry

Written by Express contributor Tim Follos
Posted By Express at 12:01 AM on October 2, 2008
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/10/mixing_up_her_media_lynda_barry.php

» Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; Fri., Oct. 3, Barry, 7 p.m.; with Tom Tomorrow, 9 p.m., free; 202-364-1919. (Van Ness-UDC)

Pilgrim's Progress: Bryan Lee O'Malley on 'Scott Pilgrim'

Written by Express contributor Scott A. Rosenberg
Posted By Express at 12:01 AM on October 2, 2008 http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/10/pilgrims_progress_bryan_lee_omalley_on_s.php


» Marriott Bethesda North Hotel, 5701 Marinelli Road, Bethesda; Oct. 4 & 5, Sat. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., $8 one day, $15 for both; 301-822-9200. (White Flint)

Written by Express contributor Scott A. Rosenberg

Posted By Express at 12:01 AM on October 2, 2008

The Uncertain Future: Tom Tomorrow

Written by Glenn Dixon

Posted By Express at 12:01 AM on October 2, 2008
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/10/the_uncertain_future_tom_tomoroow.php

This is one of 4 articles in the Express today - two other interviews are linked in separated posts, there was a wire service story on Spider-Man and Stephen Colbert and finally an online interview with Ian Rankin is also linked in another post.
» Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; Fri., Oct. 3, with Lynda Barry, 7 p.m.; Tomorrow, 9 p.m., free; 202-364-1919. (Van Ness-UDC)

Comic Riffs' Cul de Sac contest

Michael Cavna has a contest beginning this morning - "Comic Riffs will launch its "Cul de Sac" Writing Contest -- the blog's readers will be invited to submit very short verse (haiku, ode or limerick) that celebrates Richard's strip. Richard himself will judge the contest."

Since I can't see my own blog at work, I'm pre-posting this the night before and taking it on faith.

Rob Clough's SPX suggestions

Click here for Rob Clough's SPX suggestions. I haven't met Clough, but he'll be moderating a panel too.

Veitch quotes Manet

The new issue of Rick Veitch's Army @Love: The Art of War 3 lovingly quotes Manet's The Luncheon on the Grass. I've been told that Veitch's family is from Arlington - there's a Veitch street down the block from me.

Baltimore Comic-Con photos

Here's a few - more of same (literally) on my Flickr site set. These are all from Saturday.


The hour-long line to get in.


Richard Thompson examining his free can of Monster drink during the hour-long wait to get in.


Star Wars costumes.


Andy Runton signing Owly. Photo by Claire.


Kids and comics - a natural.


Jeff Kinney signing Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Photo by Claire.


Danielle Corsetto.


Nathan Fox.


Steve Conley getting a book signed by Richard Thompson.


Don Rosa drawing Uncle Scrooge.

Matt Wuerker posts Palin game on Politico site

I just got 211 points in Matt Wuerker's new online game Sarah Palin: Guardian of the Northern Frontier. I would have done better, but apparently you're not supposed to shoot the pigs or moose.

More of Matt's animation is online too. I only got 182 in Gaffe Gunner Joe.

Oct 25: Campaign Cartoons with KAL (Kevin Kallaugher)

Another missive from Bruce Guthrie:

Campaign Cartoons with KAL (Kevin Kallaugher)
Saturday, Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m., Knight Studio, Level 3

Award-winning editorial cartoonist Kevin Kallaugher brings his drawing and animation skills to the Newseum for a high-tech, humorous look at the presidential campaign and the candidates. Kallaugher will present additional sessions, including "Talk and Draw," an interactive group activity in which the artist works with the audience to create cartoons with a message, and "Learn to Draw with KAL," a hands-on activity for the whole family.

SPX political cartoonists PR

Note that two of DC's political cartoonists, Matt and Nate, will be making rare appearances.

Outside Looking In: Alternative Political Cartooning in 2008 To Be Held This Weekend Oct 4-Oct 5

Bethesda, Maryland; September 29, 2008 - Outside Looking In: Alternative Political Cartooning in 2008 will be held this weekend, Saturday, October 4 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, October 5 noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days and is good for both Outside Looking In and the Small Press Expo the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons,

In celebration of this most historical election, Outside Looking In has gathered the best alternative political cartoonist from across the United States for a special two days of panel discussions, interviews and autograph sessions.

Information on the panels, interviews, directions and exhibitors can be found at http://www.spxpo.com.

Here is a partial list of the political cartoon guests at this special event:

Tom Tomorrow is making a very rare comic convention appearance in conjunction with Outside Looking In and SPX is the award winning cartoonist, Tom Tomorrow, one of the pioneers in the alternative political cartooning field. The creator of the strip "This Modern World " and its protagonist, Sparky The Wonder Penguin, will promote his newly released book, "The Future Is So Bright I Can’t Bare To Look!". Visit Mr. Tomorrow’s web site at http://www.thismodernworld.com.

Lloyd Dangle, who is attending SPX as a guest for the first time in many years, is the creator of the long running social and political cartoon series "Troubletown". Mr. Dangle also has a new book out, "Troubletown, I Told You So!". See his cartoons at http://www.troubletown.com. Be sure to catch Lloyd interviewing Tom Tomorrow on Saturday afternoon.

Ted Rall is the President of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists (A.A.E.C.) and has traveled extensively to Central Asia. Author, ATTITUDE editor, cartoonist, columnist and sometime TV personality, Ted’s most recent book is “Silk Road to Ruin: Is Central Asia the New Middle East?” and his latest cartoon collection is, “America Gone Wild”. For more information on Ted Rall, visit his website at http://www.tedrall.com.

Ruben Bolling is the creator of the multi-faceted, multi-paneled social and political
weekly strip, Tom The Dancing Bug. His most recent book is “Thrilling Tom The Dancing Bug Stories”. SPX is grateful that Ruben is making his first appearance at SPX in a number of years. Visit his web site at http://www.gocomics.com/tomthedancingbug/.

Matt Wuerker is the cartoonist and illustrator at Politico.Com and the weekly Politico newspaper. His cartoons and illustrations have been published by Smithsonian Magazine, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and The Nation. You can see his cartoons at http://www.politico.com.

Jen Sorensen is the creator of the political/social commentary strip "Slowpoke" and is now the political cartoonist for The Village Voice. She is also syndicated nationally and is (unfortunately) one of the few women political cartoonists. She will be at SPX to sign her latest book, "One Nation, Oh My God". Visit her website at http://www.slowpokecomics.com.

Keith Knight is the creator of the syndicated daily and Sunday strip "The Knight Life", as well as his long running strips "The K Chronicles" and "(th)ink". His latest books are "The Complete K Chronicles" from Dark Horse books and his self published "I Left My Arse In San Francisco". He draws regularly for Mad Magazine and ESPN the Magazine. Visit his web site at http://www.kchronicles.com/

Nate Beeler is the syndicated political cartoonist from The Washington Examiner. He won the John Locher Memorial Award as The Best College Political Cartoonist and will be making his first appearance at SPX.Visit his web site at http://www.dcexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/NateBeelerToons.

For further information on the artists or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at mailto:webernard@spxpo.com.

SPX, a non-profit organization, brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. A series of panel discussions will also be held of interest to readers, academicians and creators of graphic novels and political cartoons.

SPX culminates with the presentation of the 12th Annual Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning that will occur Saturday night, October 4. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting during the SPX.

As in previous years, all 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/.

Founded in 1994, SPX is North America's premier alternative comic-book and graphic novel festival. This annual event brings together comic creators, publishers and fans together to celebrate the art of visual storytelling.

SPX travel plans by cartoonists

Here's a cute bit by Mei K at the Daily Cross Hatch, Brian Heater's excellent blog.

And here's more cartoons on the topic by Liz Baillie and Josh Eiserike. Note that Josh is the DC area creator of Assholes I'll be buying a copy from him if I don't complete space out. If I do, Josh, tackle me and wrestle one into my hand.

Geppi's Entertainment Museum rent?

Tom Spurgeon found this article - "Geppi, state ensnarled in museum rent dispute," LIZ FARMER, Maryland Daily Record Business Writer, September 29, 2008. If you haven't seen the museum yet, check it out. It's amazing.

Steve Conley update

I talked to Steve and his wife (? sorry!) at the Baltimore Comic-Con. Steve's wrapped up Star Trek Year 4 and there's a trade of it now. While he was buying a book from Our Man Thompson, I talked with Mrs. Conley who said he's working on a 10th anniversary Astounding Space Thrills special - yeah! I loved the clean lines and goofy humor of the strip. Zot! is an obvious antecedent and if you liked that, try AST which is still online. She also mentioned his Socks and Barney political strip. I suggested he do a mini for SPX of this - he's still got a few days so pop onto the site and second it!

UMd newspaper covers Baltimore Comic-Con

See "Baltimore Comic Convention draws a huge crowd," By Gaby Arevalo, University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Retriever Weekly September 30 2008. I personally waited in line an hour to buy a ticket. Bah. Good con though.

Oh, and here's Heidi on it - didn't see her there...

"Baltimore Showcases Comics First," By Heidi MacDonald, PW Comics Week September 30, 2008.

VCU student cartoonist featured in campus newspaper

See "Cartoonist proves artistic passion," by VERONICA GARABELLI - Associate Spectrum Editor, Commonwealth Times 9/29/08 for a story on communication arts major Allison Smith. Virgnia Commonwealth University in Richmond has been pumping up its comics collection lately - they've got the collection of my friend Tom Inge. Speaking of Richmond and Tom, his exhibit on Poe in the comics is still on view.

Bad News in DC #2

This was a good local chain that hosted comics events - Mike Carey was one of the most recent ones I went to.

Olsson's is Closed

Thanks to you and all our loyal customers who supported us for the last 36 years in the Washington area.

September 30, 2008

PRESS RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Olsson Enterprises, Inc., trading as Olsson's Books & Records closes stores and petitions court for Chapter 7 conversion.

Olsson Enterprises, Inc., trading as Olsson's Books & Records, Record & Tape Ltd., and Olsson's Books announced today that it has closed all of its locations and petitioned the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Maryland for conversion of its current Chapter 11 protection to Chapter 7.

The reasons given for the petitioning were stagnant sales, low cash reserves, and an inability to renegotiate current leases, along with a continuing weak retail economy and plummeting music sales.

Olsson's was granted Chapter 11 protection on July 11 this year in order to work on an aggressive reorganization plan involving selected store closings and large cuts in overhead costs. At the same time the Lansburgh/ Penn Quarter location on 7th Street, N.W. was shuttered to make way for a new London-based restaurant.

Olsson's was established in 1972 and grew to as many as nine retail stores in the Washington, D.C. metro area with sales over $16 million a year and as many as 200 employees. Currently there are five retail stores: Reagan National Airport, Old Town Alexandria, Arlington Courthouse, Crystal City, and one in Northwest Washington at Dupont Circle. Olsson's earned its reputation as a locally-owned community-oriented retailer with a knowledgeable staff selling a wide selection of books, music, video and gifts.

Stephen Wallace-Haines, Olsson's general manager stated: "In the end, all the roads towards reorganization led to this dead end: we did not have the money required to pay for product in advance, to collect reserves to buy for Christmas, and satisfy the demands of rent and operational costs. We were losing money just by staying open."

John Olsson, principal owner, Washington native and graduate of Catholic University had this to say, "Although it is certainly a sad day for us, I can rejoice in all the great memories of my life in retail in Washington. I began at Discount Record Shop on Connecticut Avenue in the fall of 1958, and worked there until 1972 when I left to open my own record store at 1900 L Street. Along the way books were added, more locations, a couple thousand employees, and many thousands of customers. It was exhilarating. Through it all, our best and brightest served Washington's best and brightest with love and distinction. I'm very proud of what we accomplished. My love and gratitude to all my employees, and special thanks to all those thousands of loyal customers."

Bad News in DC #1

Read "City Paper's parent files for bankruptcy," By Bill Myers, Examiner Staff Writer 9/30/08. This would be Creative Loafing, the Florida chain that took over the City Paper last year and immediately slashed budgets, forcing the laying off of freelance cartoonists Rob Ullman and Shawn Belschwender. All of the strips in the paper were also dropped including Derf's The City, Cannon's Red Meat and Lynda Barry's Marilys.

Cartoonists visit troops at Walter Reed

I didn't witness this except to see them drive off in a minivan, but I'm told that Stephan Pastis, Jef Keane, Rick Kirkman, Tom Richmond and other cartoonists visited wounded troops at Walter Reed hospital today.

Brief account of Gaiman at LOC bookfest in Post

There's photographs online as well - "Storied Lives: Writers' Inspiration, Readers' Dedication Are on Display at Book Festival," By Bob Thompson, Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, September 29, 2008; C01.

Oct 1: Terry Pratchett on Post book chat

From the North American Discworld Convention Update Sept 27th:

The Washington Post's Book World will host a live chat with Terry on Wednesday, Oct 1st at 11 am ET, 8 am PT on their website. You can submit questions or comments now for the chat. Details can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/09/25/DI2008092502168.html . Note that registration may be required for access via the main Book World page at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artsandliving/books/index.html .

Strictly speaking, he's not a comic book writer, although I love his books. However, they have been adapted into comics.

Oct 3: Lynda Barry at Politics and Prose

Here's D&Q's PR:

LYNDA BARRY FALL 2008 WHAT IT IS TOUR DATES!
Slide Show and Signing unless otherwise noted!
These are the last dates until 2009! Do not miss the most enthralling and exhilarating author tour of 2009!

An exuberant, no-nonsense cheerleader for life’s outcasts, [Barry] led her smallish room’s capacity crowd in a sermon-like call to creativity without fear of failure, to engage in what she called deep play or suffer going slowly insane. Of all the convention’s professional badge wearers, she was the coolest. She finished her panel by singing, You Are My Sunshine without moving her lips and got a standing ovation.-MSNBC on COMICON 2008

BOSTON Thursday, October 2nd, 7 PM, Brookline Booksmith, brooklinebooksmith.com
WASHINGTON DC Friday, October 3rd, 7PM Politics & Prose, http://www.politics-prose.com
NYC, Saturday, October 4th, 4 PM, New Yorker Festival, festival.newyorker.com *In conversation with Matt Groening!
NYC, Sunday, October 5th, 3 PM, New Yorker Festival, festival.newyorker.com *Signing only
MADISON, Saturday, October 18th, 2PM, Wisconsin Book Festival, www.wisconsinbookfestival.org *Multi-Author Panel
TORONTO, Saturday, October 25th, 3PM, IFOA, www.readings.org
TORONTO, Sunday, October 26th, 1PM, IFOA, www.readings.org *With Chip Kidd
PORTLAND, Sunday, November 9th, 5PM, Wordstock, www.wordstockfestival.com
LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, November 18th, 7PM, Hammer Museum, www.hammer.ucla.edu *In conversation with Matt Groening!

LYNDA BARRY’S WRITING THE UNTHINKABLE TOUR DATES!
Toronto! Portland! Los Angeles! San Francisco!
http://www.myspace.com/writingtheunthinkable

PRAISE FOR WHAT IT IS:
The collages in legendary cartoonist Lynda Barry’s What It Is are a bathysphere-like odyssey through the depths of her funky subconscious.–Vanity Fair

Using ink brush, pen and pencil drawings as well as collages and luminous watercolors, many of them on lined yellow legal paper,
[What It Is] explores deep philosophical questions...–Carol Kino, The New York Times

Deliciously drawn...insightful and bubbling with delight. A –Salon

Part free-spirited workbook, part instruction in how to write... What It Is is unparalleled in originality.–Entertainment Weekly

ABOUT WHAT IT IS:
What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive wish to write or remember. Bursting with full-color drawings, comics, and collages, autobiographical sections and gentle creative guidance, each page is an invigorating example of exactly what it is: The ordinary is extraordinary. Lynda Barry explores the depths of the inner and outer realms of creation and imagination, where play can be serious, monsters have purpose, and not knowing is an answer unto itself. How do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? These types of questions permeate the pages of What It Is, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. Her insight and sincerity will tackle the most persistent of inhibitions, calling back every kid who quit drawing to again feel alive at the experiential level. Comprised of completely new material, this is her first Drawn & Quarterly book.

ABOUT LYNDA BARRY:
Lynda Barry has worked as a painter, cartoonist, writer, illustrator, playwright, editor, commentator and teacher and found they are very much alike. She is the inimitable creator behind the syndicated strip Ernie Pook\'s Comeek featuring the incomparable Marlys and Freddy, as well as the books One! Hundred! Demons!, The! Greatest! of! Marlys!, Cruddy: An Illustrated Novel, Naked Ladies! Naked Ladies! Naked Ladies!, and her first book for Drawn & Quarterly, 2008’s What It Is. D Q plans to publish a multivolume hardcover collection of Ernie Pook’s Comeek starting in 2009, as well as a collection of the Nearsighted Monkey.


Peggy Burns
Drawn & Quarterly
Director, Marketing & Publicity
400 Ave Atlantic #800
Montreal, QC H2V 1A5
t: 514/279-0691
peggy@drawnandquarterly.com
http://drawnandquarterly.com/blog/

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-01-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-01-08
By John Judy

THE ALCOHOLIC HC by Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel. A graphic novel about a writer who enjoys the occasional tipple if you can imagine such a beastly thing.

BATMAN #680 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. In which Bats faces down the Joker and the Club of Villains. Do they not realize he’s the !@#$% Batman?!

BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008 HC by Lotsa People including Chris Ware, Seth, Alison Bechdel and some guy named Matt Groening. Edited by Lynda Barry, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. What it says, people. Gotta look.

THE BOYS #23 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Beginning a new storyline so big they needed multiple covers just to…. Um…. Just to…. Take more money from gullible fans? Come on guys it’s a good series. You don’t need to do this. Plus the third BOYS trade paperback is out too, collecting issues #15-18.

DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #2 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. So we’ve learned that Lois Lane believes in small government, low taxes and a strong military. In other words there is no party in America she can vote for. I now believe this is a woman who was fooled by a pair of glasses all those years. Oh, and Green Arrow is a “librul.” Who knew? Good for DC for at least attempting to broach the subject of who a real hero would vote for.

DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #9 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Doktor Sleepless: Hero, Villain, or Complete Nutjob? My money’s on “Yes.”

HARVEY COMICS CLASSICS, VOL. 4: BABY HUEY SC by Various Creators. It’s about a huge creature in a diaper who just wants someone to play with him. And it’s NOT Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana! It’s NOT, do you hear?!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. The African spider-god Anansi begins screwing with the histories of the JLA members. Is Anansi gunning for a job with DC Editorial?

MARVEL APES #3 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. They ain’t just super-hero apes, pal! They are VAMPIRE super-hero apes! Might as well just ship Kesel and Bachs their Eisners now. In your face, WATCHMEN!

NO HERO #1 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. That nice Mr. Ellis suggests that super-heroing might occasionally present certain unpleasantries.

SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #2 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. In this sorta out of continuity, sorta Mature Readers version Prince Namor is a scary legend of the sea who terrorizes and kills anyone dumb enough to screw with him. Milligan seems to get what Bill Everett figured out in Subby’s first appearance. The Sub-Mariner isn’t terrifying because he can breathe water. He’s terrifying because you can’t.

TOP TEN: SEASON TWO #1 of 4 by Xander Cannon and Gene Ha. The hard-working super-cops of Neoplolis are back without the guiding hand of creator Alan Moore. Still looks amazing. For fans of cop dramas and classic spandex. Recommended.

www.johnjudy.net

Small Press Expo To Be Held This Weekend, Saturday October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2008

I'm interviewing Our Man Thompson at... 5 pm on Sunday! Well, that will be a quick session.

Small Press Expo To Be Held This Weekend, Saturday October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2008

For Immediate Release
Contact: Warren Bernard

Phone: 301-537-4615

E-Mail: webernard@spxpo.com

Bethesda, Maryland; September 29, 2008 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, will be held this weekend, Saturday, October 4 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, October 5 noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days.

In addition to a wide ranging series of panels and interviews, there will also be the presentation of the Ignatz Awards on Saturday night, October 4 at 9PM.

Information on the panels, interviews, directions and exhibitors can be found at http://www.spxpo.com.

This year, SPX is pleased to have the following special guests attending this year’s event:

Richard Thompson is a long time contributor to The New Yorker and a first time guest at Small Press Expo. Richard contributes a weekly political/social strip to The Washington Post called Richards Poor Almanac. Richard is also a contributor to The Atlantic Magazine, National Geographic and U.S. News and World Report and won the National Cartoonists Society's Magazine and Book Illustration Award. He is also a syndicated cartoonist, whose strip Cul De Sac is now in over 100 newspapers. Richard will be signing copies of Cul De Sac: No Exit, the first Cul De Sac collection at SPX.

Joost Swarte is best known to American audiences for his covers and illustrations for The New Yorker, along with his internationally recognized comic and poster work. He has extended his unique cartoon style into the world of industrial design by designing stained glass installations, sculptures and furniture, as well as the Toneelshuur Theater in Haarlem, The Netherlands. SPX is proud to host Mr. Swarte in one of his rare United States appearances.

Ben Katchor is making his first appearance at SPX. Mr. Katchor is known for his books “Julius Knippel, Real Estate Photographer”, “The Jew Of New York”, and “Beauty The Supply District”. He is a contributor of comics to both The New Yorker and the New York Times and has a regular strip that is printed in Metropolitan Magazine. Mr. Katchor has turned his talents to the stage, writing the libretto and creating the backgrounds for the plays “The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island” and “The Rosenbach Company”. Vist his web site at http://www.katchor.com

Bryan Lee O’Malley is the creator of the Scott Pilgrim (http://www.scottpilgrim.com) series of books issued by Oni Press. Scott Pilgrim was named Best Indy Comic of the Year by Entertainment Weekly and was recently optioned as a motion picture by Universal Studios. Bryan has been nominated for both the Eisner and Harvey Awards and is a past recipient of the Joe Schuster Award for Best Canadian Cartoonist and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. Bryan’s web site is http://www.radiomaru.com/.

Hope Larson is the creator of the recently released book, Chiggers, published by the Atheneum imprint of Simon & Schuster. She was the recipient of the 2006 Ignatz Award in the category Promising New Talent and the Eisner Award for Special Recognition in 2007. Her previous works include Gray Horses published by Oni Press and Salamander Dreams, her web comic subsequently published by Adhouse Books. Hope’s web site is
http://www.hopelarson.com/.

For further information on the artists or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at mailto:webernard@spxpo.com.

SPX, a non-profit organization, brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. A series of panel discussions will also be held of interest to readers, academicians and creators of graphic novels and political cartoons.

SPX culminates with the presentation of the 12th Annual Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning that will occur Saturday night, October 4. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting during the SPX.

As in previous years, all 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/.

Founded in 1994, SPX is North America's premier alternative comic-book and graphic novel festival. This annual event brings together comic creators, publishers and fans together to celebrate the art of visual storytelling.

BASH! Magazine #3 Now On Newsstands

I noticed the BASH! Magazine kiosks loaded with the October 2008 issue (#3) this morning at the Vienna and Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stops. It has a lovely Halloween orange tint, with an excerpt from Eamon Espey's content in the issue. Oh, and it has a full-page ad for SPX, which is cool (though I would've erred to include the writers and artists of BASH! who are attending the show in their list of attendees).

This month:

"One Person Each" by Theo Ellsworth
"Onion Head" by Bryan Stone
"Animal Stew: Taxidermy on Edge" by Matt Dembicki
"For Want of an Oomplip" by Morgan Pielli
"Something Happens" by Thomas K. Dye
"Tiny Sepuku" by Ken Cursoe (x2)
"Legs" by John Dimes
"Slow Wave" by Jesse Reklaw
"Slowpoke" by Jen Sorensen (x2)
"K Chronicles" by Keith Knight (x2)
"The First 9/11" by Dan Archer
"Limbs of the Megalith: The Sleeping or the Slain" by Eamon Espey

As in past issues, this is a mixture of the bizarre to the educational. Come see a bunch of these folks this weekend at the Small Press Expo!

Interview with honorary ComicsDCian Von Allen

See "VON ALLAN'S "road" TO LI'L KIDS," by Jennifer M. Contino, Comicon's the Pulse 09-26-2008.

Small Press Expo's Owly guitar

Jeff Alexander, one of the organizers of SPX, has organized a guitar painted by Andy Runton to be auctioned off for the Comic Book Legal Defense fund.

Very cool.

Baltimore Comic-Con - Wrightson interview and more

I still haven't gotten my pictures online, but news from the BCC is starting to appear. (By the way, if anyone's got an extra of the Tucci Sgt Rock, poster, I'd like to get a copy of that.)

Actually I never even saw Bernie Wrightson yesterday, but here's an interview with him - "Master in horror genre is home for Comic-Con," By Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun September 28, 2008...

...an early report on the Harvey Awards "Horror Comics Haunt the Harvey Awards!" by Joseph McCabe, FEARnet September 9/28/2008...

...some panel and Harvey Award reports from Comic Book Resources...

2008 Harvey Award Winners
Sun, September 28th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
This weekend saw the presentation of the 2008 Harvey Awards, hosted by Kyle Baker and kicked off with keynote speaker Brian Bendis. Brian K. Vaughan, Darwyn Cooke and "All Star Superman" took the top honors.

Baltimore: Cup of B Panel
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
At the Cup of Bendis panel at Baltimore Comic-Con Saturday morning, a number of announcements came down including Slott on “Mighty Avengers,” Spider-Woman series finally scheduled and more.

Baltimore: The Bendis/Kirkman Debate
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Jonathan Callan
If you were unimpressed by Friday night's debate, the one between Robert Kirkman and Brian Bendis about creator-owned work held today at Baltimore Comic-Con won't disappoint. We've got all the details.

Baltimore: Tucci Presents The Return of Sgt. Rock
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Richard Chapell
Billy Tucci brought along members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to his panel Saturday morning to paint a picture of what World War II was like, which he’ll be depicting in “Sgt. Rock — The Lost Batallion.”

Baltimore: DC Nation Panel
Sat, September 27th, 2008 | By Richard Chapell
At today’s DC National Panel at the Baltimore Comic-Con, Dan DiDio brought Jimmy Palmiotti, Sterling Gates, James Robinson, Sean Mckeever and Ian Sattler to talk “Final Crisis” and update numerous other projects...

...and Newsarama has a bunch of stories including...

Baltimore Comic Con '08: The Kirkman - Bendis Panel
By Vaneta Rogers
Newsarama 2008-09-28

and not least, Richard and I spoke with Frank Cammusso who will also be at SPX. I was online with Frank years ago at SPX and enjoyed talking to him then and now - here's an interview on his new book...

Frank Cammuso on Knights of the Lunch Table
By Zack Smith
Newsarama 2008-09-24

Much shorter Harvey Pekar biography

In spite of the evidence piling up, this isn't really a blog devoted to Harvey Pekar. I did run across something to mention today though. I've got a 248 page book devoted to Harvey out now as you're well aware, but, quoting from SMITH Magazine, in "Short memoirs: Six little words can be revealing," By Doug Mason, Knoxville News Sentinel Sunday, September 28, 2008, Harvey pretty much summed up the whole thing: "Fight, work, persevere - gain slight notoriety."

CARTOONISTS JOIN FOR "HAPPY ACCIDENTS," A DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY THEMES AND ISSUES IN GRAPHIC NOVELS AT GW'S GELMAN LIBRARY

Thanks to Herschel Kanter for sending this in! It looks like a follow-up to SPX.

CARTOONISTS JOIN FOR "HAPPY ACCIDENTS," A DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY THEMES AND ISSUES IN GRAPHIC NOVELS AT GW'S GELMAN LIBRARY
OCT. 6, 2008

EVENT:

Cartoonists Jesse Reklaw (The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production), Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button), Trevor Alixopulos (Hot Breath of War), Ken Dahl (Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome), and Sarah Edward-Corbett (See-Saw) will join a reading and panel discussion titled "Happy Accidents," about contemporary themes and issues in graphic novels. This event is sponsored by The George Washington University's Melvin Gelman Library and the University Writing Program.

WHEN:

Monday, Oct. 6, 2008; 5 p.m.

WHERE:

The George Washington University
Gelman Library, Room 301
2130 H St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom - GWU Metro Station (Orange and Blue lines)

COST:

This event is free and open to the public. Photo I.D. is required to enter the building. Media wishing to attend should contact Nick Massella at (202) 994-3087 or massella@gwu.edu.

BACKGROUND:

Jesse Reklaw turns the dreams of strangers into clever four-panel comic strips in The Night of Your Life: A Slow Wave Production. This hardcover book collects five years of Reklaw's comic strip, Slow Wave, which appears in alternative weekly newspapers all over the country.

Twenty-five-year-old Dash Shaw's fourth graphic novel, Bottomless Belly Button, is a 720-page comedy-drama that follows the dysfunctional adventures of the Loony Family.

Trevor Alixopulos' Hot Breath of War takes seemingly unrelated episodes of life during wartime and entwines them into one experimental narrative. This subtle graphic novel explores love amidst conflict and the seduction of violence.

Ken Dahl documents alienation, incarceration, and inebriation in the new American Rome in Welcome to the Dahl House: Alienation, Incarceration, and Inebri in the New American Rome, a graphic novel anthology. Dahl is a 2006 Ignatz Award recipient and 2007 Center for Cartoon Studies Fellow.

Sara Edward-Corbett's comic strip See-Saw ran in the New York Press from 2003 - 2005. With her detail and affection for youthful insolence, she is a new contributor to Mome, the premier anthology of literary comics.

For additional information about the event, visit http://blogs.gelman.gwu.edu/blogs/news.

Washington Times on Jenny, an atypical military comic strip

See "Jenny's mission of mirth: Military spouse reaches out to her peers with comic strip," by Karen Goldberg Goff, Washington Times Sunday, September 28, 2008.

Julie Negron is the creator of "Jenny, the Military Spouse," which can be seen online at www.jennyspouse.com in addition to newspapers.

Post on anti-Semitic Iranian cartoon book

This was on the wires a couple of days ago, but the Post appears to have a reporter in Iran - as much as I bash them at times, it's a good paper. I read most of the foreign reporting, but rarely note the bylines. See "Young Iranians Release Book Caricaturing The Holocaust," By Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post Foreign Service, Sunday, September 28, 2008; A23.

SPX ad on YouTube

Fantagraphics has posted a 30-second video ad they liked on their blog. The ad is for SPX and is on YouTube. I'll be roaming around there on both days, and look much like the Simpsonized version to the right.

Corrected due to Fantagraphic's comment.

Post ombudsman on Oliphant cartoon

Here's the Post ombudsman on an Oliphant cartoon about Palin, with a ho-hum sort of defense of free speech as it applies to cartoonists on the web, which after all, isn't really the newspaper, but if it had been the newspaper, well, then by god, we wouldn't have run the cartoon because it criticizes beliefs in god of 750 likely non-subscribers to the Post... aw, just read the thing - "The Power of Political Cartoons," By Deborah Howell, Washington Post Sunday, September 28, 2008; B06.

Dan Wasserman, the Boston Globe's editorial cartoonist had a better response in "Pentecostals peeved at Palin cartoon" basically arguing that if you mix your politics and religion, then perhaps other people won't bother to separate them either.

Thompson and Ullman at Crafty Bastard's tomorrow

Crafty Bastards, the annual City Paper craft fair in Adams Morgan will have Rob Ullman in a booth, and Richard Thompson selling his book through Politics and Prose at 1 pm.

Back from Baltimore Comic-Con

Richard, the kids and I had a good trip to Baltimore. More notes and pics to come, but in the meantime, here's an interview about the Con that I just ran across. "This Weekend - Baltimore Comic-Con: Talking to Marc Nathan," By Matt Brady, Newsarama 2008-09-26. The Con continues tomorrow and is always fun - this year seemed rather crowded. If you go tomorrow, I'd specifically recommend visiting Arlingtonian Steve Conley and Frank Cammusso at the children's table, Ramona Fradon who's selling her Brenda Starr comic strips for $35 each (I've got 2 now), Don Rosa who has excellent Disney comics, my buddy Dean Haspiel who's got advance copies of The Alcoholic, the Top Shelf booth with Andy Runton's Owley, ... oh, there are too many people to mention.

Off to Baltimore Comic-Con

We're off to Baltimore Comic-Con - stop us and buy our books! We're each carrying copies to pawn off on willing victims.




(original photo by Marcus Hamilton, and it deserved better)