Wednesday, August 24, 2011

PR: Baltimore Comic-Con Announces Costume Contest Winners

The 3rd annual costume show was mobbed as usual...








bcc_logo_2011_700px
Baltimore Comic-Con Announces Costume Contest Winners
 
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 24, 2011 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is happy to announce the winners of the 3rd annual Costume Contest. The contest took place this past Saturday, August 20, 2011 and saw a myriad of incredible and creative costumes. With approximately 200 entries and costumes ranging from classic super-heroes to video game characters, this was by far the best and most successful contest thus far.BCC Costume Contest 2011-1

 

The grand prize winner for Best Over-all Costume, and the recipient of the $1,000 cash prize, was Robert Day for his Optimus Prime costume.

 

Winners for this year's contest include:

 

Over-13 Category

Best Male Superhero: Wade Brown - MODOK

Best Male Non-Superhero: Vincent Posbic - Master Chief from HALO

Best Female Superhero: Lisa Hissinbothan - Storm

Best Female Non-Superhero: Devin Houser - Joker

Best Group (majority of member over 13): Jay Buechle & Leigh Alexander - Bengali & Cheetara from ThunderCats

 

 

 

 

BCC Costume Contest 2011-2Under-13 Category

Best Male Superhero: Michael P. - Two-Face

Best Male Non-Superhero: Jeffery S. - Link from Legend of Zelda

Best Female Superhero: Maria H. - Hitgirl

Best Female Non-Superhero: Ashley L. - Zombie from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (tie) & R. Hill - The Corpse Bride

Best Group (majority of member under 13): RJ, Peter, and Jayden J. - Luke Skywalker and Mandalorians

 

Special thanks go to everyone who entered the contest and showed their support!

 

Save the Date! Baltimore Comic-Con 2012!

That's right! Mark your calendars now for next year's Baltimore Comic-Con, which will take place the weekend of September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center, and we'll see YOU in Baltimore!

 

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:

press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution

promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications

registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations

harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for communications regarding the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet

general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

 

About The Baltimore Comic-Con

The Baltimore Comic-Con just celebrated its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con was held August 20-21, 2011. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

  


Comic Riffs on possible Stripped documentary and Kickstarter campaign

'STRIPPED': New documentary project seeks to chronicle the seismic state of comics
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 24 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/stripped-new-documentary-project-seeks-to-chronicle-the-seismic-state-of-comics/2011/08/24/gIQA4SaGbJ_blog.html

They interviewed local comics god Richard Thompson in Ohio last fall...  I'll be tossing some money their way as soon as I post this.

Weldon's comics news

The Week in Comics: Tremors, Faults and Shake-Ups
by Glen Weldon
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog August 24, 2011
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/08/24/139902929/the-week-in-comics-tremors-faults-and-shake-ups

PR: Announcing the First Recipient of the Small Press Expo Graphic Novel Gift Program

Announcing the First Recipient of the Small Press Expo Graphic Novel Gift Program

For Immediate Release:          Contact: Warren Bernard


Bethesda, Maryland; August 24, 2011 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons, is pleased to announce that the Montgomery County Public Library (MCPL) of Montgomery County, Maryland is the first recipient of the Small Press Expo Graphic Novel Gift Program.
MCPL was chosen this year as SPX has been held in Montgomery County, Maryland since the first Small Press Expo in 1994. This new program is an outright gift of graphic novels to MCPL as selected by an MCPL Collection Specialist, who selected 15 titles, comprising 230 individual books to distribute to 20 MCPL branches.
"Montgomery County Public Libraries is pleased to be the first recipient of the new Small Press Expo Library Gift Program.  This is an example of how local businesses can support our libraries during these difficult economic times," said Parker Hamilton, MCPL director.

On September 6 at 11am the press is invited to a formal presentation of the books to Parker Hamilton the MCPL Director by Small Press Expo Executive Director Warren Bernard. The event will be held at the the Rockville Memorial Library located at 21 Maryland Avenue Rockville, Maryland 20850.

This new program by SPX is an expansion of the philanthropic and charitable endeavors that are part of its corporate charter, and is in addition to SPX's annual support to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The targets of this program are public and academic library systems in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area as selected by the Small Press Expo.

The goals of this new program are:

- Facilitate the availability of graphic novels to readers of all ages utilizing public and school libraries.

- Promote learning and literacy through the availability of graphic novels at local libraries.

- Provide library systems with additional resources by which they can purchase graphic novels and comics.

The illustrator and author Lilli Carre designed a special bookplate that will be placed on all of the books donated by SPX. To see the book plate and for more information on the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, go to http://www.spxpo.com/graphic-novel-gift-program.

SPX will be held Saturday, September 10 from 11am-7pm and Sunday, September 11, 12-6pm at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $10 for a single day and $15 for both days.

For further information on the Small Press Expo Library Gift Program, please contact Warren Bernard at warren@spxpo.com.

For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com.


Truitt on the Ultimates

'The Ultimates' kicks off Marvel's Ultimate relaunch
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY August 23 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-08-23/The-Ultimates-kicks-off-Marvels-Ultimate-relaunch/50110254/1

Aug 25: Warren Bernard on comics ads at Politics and Prose

I'll be there.

Warren Bernard - Drawing Power: A Compendium of Cartoon Advertising
Aug 25 2011 7:00 pm

The comic strip has its roots in advertising as well as in art. In the first book-length study of these dual sources, Rick Marschall, founder of Nemo: The Classic Comics Library, and Warren Bernard, a prolific commentator on and extensive collector of cartoons as well as the Executive Director of Small Press Expo, look at work from the 1870s to 1940, documenting how popular cartoon characters like the Yellow Kid, Little Orphan Annie, and Popeye have figured in advertising campaigns, and how their creators were highly sought-after pitchmen, selling products alongside the best movie stars in Hollywood. As part of his presentation, Bernard will have on-hand select original ads and other advertisting items from the era.

In anticipation of Small Press Expo (SPX) 2011 - being held September 10-11 in Bethesda, MD - a complimentary one-day pass to the show will be available with the purchase of Drawing Power at Politics and Prose on the night of the event. More information about SPX 2011 at www.spxpo.com.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Sept 9: Jim Woodring at Politics and Prose

Click for Jim Woodring's pre-SPX appearance at Politics and Prose.

And don't forget that our buddy Warren Bernard is talking comics ads this Thursday.

Baltimore Comic-Con photos from Bruce Guthrie online now

I'm not going to link to Bruce's dozen pages, but you can find them on his site.

November 8: Joseph Farris at National Geographic


A Soldier's Sketchbook

  • Date November 8, 2011
  • Time 7:30 p.m.
  • Location Washington, D.C.
  • Price NG Member: $16; General Public: $18; Veterans and Military: $10

Joseph Farris in his new Nat Geo book A Soldier's Sketchbook: From the Front Lines of World War II tells the story of life in the foxholes as a young Army photographer, before becoming a renowned cartoonist, whose work has appeared on the cover and in the pages of the New Yorker magazine since 1971. Farris will converse with Anthony Swofford, author of the critically acclaimed Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles.

Seattle Times editorial about web cartoonists

MrFuddlesticks, the Renton Police Department and online civil liberties

Recently, the Renton Police Department was able to persuade a judge to issue a warrant to seek the identity of an online cartoonist. Though the case was dropped, guest columnists Nicole Ciandella and Ryan Radia suggest the case has implications for online civil liberties.

By Nicole Ciandella and Ryan Radia

Special to The Seattle Times August 22 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2015984761_guest23radia.html


Nicole Ciandella is a research associate at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., where Ryan Radia is associate director of technology studies.

Local cartoonists Wuerker, Toles, Telnaes mentioned in article as "especially valuable"

Staff Cartoonists Make a Comeback

by: Rob Tornoe

 
Ok, Wuerker was the only 'especially valuable' one, but I'm sure the others are at least valuable.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Truitt on X-Men and Spider-island

Youth is being served, good and bad, in X-Men series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-08-16-Youth-is-served-good-and-bad-in-X-Men-comic-series_n.htm

Spider-baddies rob a bank in 'Spider-Island' digital finale
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY May 22 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011/08/Spider-baddies-rob-a-bank-in-Spider-Island-digital-finale/50091712/1

Artomatic@Frederick

From David Hagen (ComicsDC logo designer and Team Cul de Sac contributor)

Wanted to alert you that I'll be exhibiting lots of paintings at Artomatic next month.

http://www.artomaticfrederick.org/

They're holding it in Frederick, MD this year. A little outside the radius for subway riders, but a nice artsy community and trip out of town.

David
http://hagenillustration.blogspot.com/

SPX programming schedule announced

SPX programming schedule is online. For those interested in local cartoonist, Ann Telnaes is speaking on Sunday at 2:30 pm.  Ann's an animator, turned Pulitzer-prize winning self-syndicated editorial cartoonist, turned editorial animator at the Washington Post.

3 additional local comics artists met at Baltimore Comic-Con

I met 3 local comics artists that I didn't previously know at the Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend. I'll be interviewing them for the City Paper to get more information on their careers, but quickly they are:

Marty Baumann, Pixar artist, and cartoonist
http://www.martybaumann.com

Mark Burrier, Illustrator, cartoonist and skateboard designer
http://markburrier.com

Mike Imboden, Writer and Hero for Hire
http://www.imboden.org


Two comics movies free in DC this week

 
August 26 Comcast Outdoor Film Festival
                 IRON MAN 2 (PG 13)
     7:30 pm, FREE, with tickets

August 27 Comcast Outdoor Film Festival
                 DESPICABLE ME (PG)
                 7:30 pm, FREE, with tickets

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Quick Baltimore Comic-Con notes

Local cartoonists have a good presence, at what appears to be a very popular con this year.

Two that are new to me - Mark Burrier of Frederick and Pixar animator Marty Baumann of Arlington have tables. Burrier is next to Richmond's Adhouse books.

Steve Conley, John Gallagher with his new Buzzboy book, and Shannon Gallant are in the southwest corner, near Baumann. Close by them, Carla Speed McNeil and JK Snyder are on the south wall.

Jerry Carr, Jason Lytle and at least one other DC Conspiracy member are on the west wall.  Opposite them in Mark Wheatley, who has 4 sketchbooks and 2 large Giclee prints for sale.

Joe Carabeo and Carolyn Belefski of Curls have a table - they've got 3 new minis. Rafer Roberts is at one labelled FUBAR. Jacob Warrenfeltz is at the con, but I haven't found his table yet. Same with Chris Piers and Bill McCay. Jim Dougan is roaming around and can be contacted through the Act-I-Vate table. Dougan's in the Act-I-Vate Primer which is for sale at the table.

I was asked what the deal of the con that I found was - I think it's Bernie Wrightson's original art from the Punisher POV for $60/page.  For those with a love of Little Nemo, Jeremy Bastian has prints of the original art that he had last year for $25.

Back to the show. Pictures later or tomorrow.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Comic Riffs on Baltimore Comic-Con

BALTIMORE COMIC-CON: Real 'comic-lover's con' kicks off today...
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 20 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/baltimore-comic-con-real-comic-lovers-con-kicks-off-today/2011/08/20/gIQATfKeRJ_blog.html

Charles Vess and Stan Sakai & Jeff Smith panel recordings from Baltimore Comic-Con

I was fortunate enough to attend the Baltimore Comic-Con today and hear two panels with great cartoonists.

Spotlight on Charles Vess

A Conversation with Jeff Smith & Stan Sakai

The Con appeared very busy today - the busiest I've ever seen it. I met a couple of local cartoonists I hadn't met before, spent plenty of money, and still haven't done the complete tour of the artists. I'll be back there tomorrow.



Post reviews Morrison's Supergods

Book Review: "Supergods," by Grant Morrison
By Dan Kois, Friday, Washington Post August 19, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-supergods-by-grant-morrison/2011/06/28/gIQAGTqOQJ_story.html