Bethesda Magazine article on Big Planet Comics

The January issue of Bethesda Magazine has a giant article on Big Planet Comics. It's not online, but here's a teaser image.

SPX gives $10K to Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

SPX Contributes $10,000 To CBLDF, Raising A Total of $25,000 For Free Speech!
By Charles Brownstein
January 2, 2013

Jan 5: Jonathan Luna at 3rd Eye Comics

THIS SATURDAY 1/5/13 SIGNING FROM 11AM to 1PM First 15 in Line Receive a Special Limited Edition Bookplate Produced For this Event
	Welcome to 2013, Third Eye! We're kicking the NEW YEAR off with one of our most anticipated signings, featuring special guest JONATHAN LUNA, co-creator of IMAGE favorites like THE SWORD, GIRLS, and ULTRA.  Jonathan has decided to make us the final stop on his signing tour for his new IMAGE graphic novel, STAR BRIGHT AND THE LOOKING GLASS. We've been big fans of Luna for a long-time, and his work on stuff like THE SWORD (imagine a gorgeous, ultra-violent comic that reads like KILL BILL meets HIGHLANDER), and GIRLS (picture NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD but instead of zombies, it's legions of beautiful women), has kept us hooked.  His newest project, STAR BRIGHT AND THE LOOKING GLASS, is a stunning new graphic novel that is a MUST-READ for fans of FABLES, MOUSE GUARD, STUFF OF LEGEND, and so on. It's a fantastic all-ages, modern fantasy that really delivers the kind of compelling storytelling, and unique approach that Luna is known for. He decided to make us his final stop on the tour, and folks, lets help him bring his signing tour to a great conclusion!
What is STAR BRIGHT & THE LOOKING GLASS? STAR BRIGHT AND THE LOOKING GLASS is a stunning, modern fantasy tale that will grab a hold of you and not let go. This gorgeous graphic novel is a must for fans of series like FABLES, MOUSE GUARD, STUFF OF LEGEND, FINDING GOSSAMYR, and more.   When STAR BRIGHT, a forest maiden, encounters an evil sorceress who steals her beauty, she must embark on a dangerous journey to retrieve it.    This stunning 9x12" graphic novel is not just a compelling story, but it's a gorgeous book. It looks like a giant storybook, with a fantastic embossed cover, and heavy paper stock for the pages.    Luna brings his unique ability for bringing new ideas to classic genres, like seen in THE SWORD, and GIRLS, to the classic fairytale set-up, and it really is an incredible read.   Folks, you know we're big on only bringing some of the best in for signings, and trust us: Luna has a real classic-in-the-making with STAR BRIGHT here. Don't miss your chance to get this gorgeous graphic novel signed.   OTHER WORKS BY JONATHAN LUNA THE SWORD    THE SWORD may be our favorite of Luna's projects, now complete (running a total of 4 trade paperbacks worth), with it's ultra-violent visuals, and it's modern spin on classic mythology.   This series reads a lot like KILL BILL by way of HIGHLANDER, as it showcases a young girl who finds out her father is really a centuries-old keeper of a mystical Sword that has the ability to lend immortality, heal the sick, and most importantly: kill demigods.    Now, a powerful trio of beings who are the original children of a higher power, are hot on the trail of the item that can kill them.    But, with her family slaughtered, and nothing left, our young heroine has one desire: REVENGE. She's going to hunt these beings down before they find her, and she's going to kill each and every one of them.   Visually, and story-wise: this book is stunning. We highly recommend snagging a copy of the first trade paperback, THE SWORD VOL.1 FIRE this Saturday and having Jonathan sign it for you. You won't be sorry. One of our all-time favorites!   OTHER PROJECTS BY JONATHAN LUNA GIRLS       Another of our favorites by Jonathan is the survival horror / sci-fi series GIRLS, which ran for four trade paperbacks worth as well. This incredibly well-written, and gorgeously illustrated maxiseries delivered one of the coolest takes we've seen on survival horror... ever.  Imagine NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, but with beautiful women instead of zombies, raiding the town.  In GIRLS, Ethan Daniels is your typical bachelor, until one night he picks up a beautiful woman who's seemingly lost on the side of the road. She makes a pass at him, and well, the next morning, there's 10 more women who look identical to her hatching out of giant eggs in Ethan's bathroom. From there, these women attempt to murder every human woman in the town, all the while trying to convince the men of the town to help them keep the cycle going.  And, from there, things get really interesting as paranoia divides the men and women of the town into two groups, and all hell breaks loose, while the military makes it's way to the town. Another great read from Jonathan and his brother Joshua, make sure you give this one a look at the signing as well! OTHER PROJECTS BY JONATHAN LUNA ULTRA And, here's the series that first turned us onto Jonathan Luna and his brother Joshua Luna. Folks, ULTRA is one of the slickest, most kick-ass takes we've seen on super heroines. It's so well-written, so well put together, and so damn entertaining, it's ridiculous.  This stand-alone trade paperback, collects all 248+ pages of ULTRA, which is the tale of Pearl Penalosa aka ULTRA. Pearl's a workaholic, she's earned a legion of loyal fans, a great career, and a perfect life as one of the premiere superheroes in Spring City.  But the line between law enforcement and celebrity blurs a bit too much here, and a chance encounter with a mysterious fortune-teller opens her world to new, and unusual possibilities. Great dialogue, great storytelling, a must for fans of stuff like POWERS, THE BOYS, IRREDEEMABLE, etc. You'll love this book. BE ONE OF THE FIRST 15 IN LINE FOR OUR SIGNING WITH JONATHAN LUNA AND RECEIVE A FREE STAR BRIGHT & THE LOOKING GLASS BOOK PLATE CREATED ONLY FOR THIS EVENT & LIMITED TO JUST 15! We're really excited about the giveaway we've got for the signing this Saturday. Jonathan put together 15 bookplates custom for our signing with him, each one signed and numbered by Luna, which we'll be giving to those of you who're among the first 15 lined up for the signing. These are well-crafted, gorgeous bookplates, and a really a cool, one-of-a-kind giveaway. Very rad. Make sure you get here early to grab your's! Click here for the FACEBOOK event info!
Okay, Third Eye Faithful, we wanna start the new year with a bang, and you know you guys are what helps keep us pumped about doing these awesome events!  We cannot wait to begin announcing some of the stuff we've got planned for Spring!  Please make a trip out to see us this Saturday, so we can make this THE best stop on Jonathan's STAR BRIGHT tour. :) We're totally stoked to get to share this great event with you.

Comic Riffs on webcomics awards

NCS changes award rules to increase recognition of excellent webcomics
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 4 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/ncs-changes-award-rules-to-increase-recognition-of-excellent-webcomics/2013/01/04/18aae298-5628-11e2-a613-ec8d394535c6_blog.html#pagebreak

Chinese political cartoonist Kuang Biao locked off web, reports The Post

Chinese Political cartoonist Kuang Biao has been locked off web, reports The Post.

 

China's 'weibo' accounts shuttered as part of Internet crackdown [in print as Chinese activists' microblogging accounts are shut down, p. A7]

By Keith B. Richburg,

Washington Post January 4, 2013

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/chinas-weibo-accounts-shuttered-as-part-of-internet-crackdown/2013/01/03/f9fd92c4-559a-11e2-89de-76c1c54b1418_story.html

 

This blog has samples of his cartoons -

 

The political cartoons that maybe got their artist shut down on Chinese social media

Posted by Max Fisher

Washington Post's WorldViews blog January 3, 2013

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/01/03/the-political-cartoons-that-maybe-got-their-artist-shut-down-on-chinese-social-media/

Disney cartoon featuring Tim Gunn in today's Examiner

From 'Runway' to royalty: Gunn expands his mentoring to Disney. [Sofia the First animation]

Samantha Critchell / Associated Press

Washington Examiner (January 4 2013): 26

 

or it's online at the Post's site.

Advertise in the new Magic Bullet comic

Advertise in the new Magic Bullet comic, and help pay for the publication of the next issue of this Washington-based comic newspaper. 

Ohio's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

Here's a nice interview about Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. I send extra copies of comics to them (as well as Michigan State and the Library of Congress) and just donated to their capital campaign.

Tom Spurgeon
CR Holiday Interview #15 -- Jenny E. Robb
January 3, 2013
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cr_holiday_interview_18_jenny_robb/

Comic Riffs on “Dotter OF Her Father’s Eyes”

Historic Costa Book win for graphic work: 'Dotter' co-author calls it 'long overdue recognition' for graphic novels
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 3 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/historic-costa-prize-win-for-graphic-work-dotter-co-author-calls-it-long-overdue-recognition-for-graphic-novel/2013/01/03/f99efd9a-55e0-11e2-bf3e-76c0a789346f_blog.html#pagebreak

That darn Clay Bennett and Ann Telnaes

Two letters to the editor -

Choosing children over guns [Clay Bennett].
Marie Miller
Washington Post December 29 2012, p. A11
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/gender-and-guns/2012/12/28/95f62020-4dfc-11e2-835b-02f92c0daa43_story.html


Disrespectful satire [Ann Telnaes].
Ronald L. Ballard
Washington Post December 29 2012, p. A11
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/disrespectful-satire/2012/12/27/9180ca90-4e06-11e2-835b-02f92c0daa43_story.html

The Year According to Toles

Toles, Tom.  2012.
The Year According to Toles.
Washington Post (December 30): A21
online at http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-year-in-toles/2012/12/10/61c790aa-4301-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_gallery.html#photo=1

Jan 17-Feb 17: Zorro play at Source theater

The Post is reporting that Zorro will be a play at the Source from January 17 - February 17 with tickets from $30-45. More information is online. Zorro is originally a pulp character, but lives on in the comic books today.

Ann Telnaes' Year in Review

Ann Telnaes' 2012 Year in Review is online - naturally since she's doing animated editorial cartoons now.

Washington Post's Year in Cartoons

Catching up on reading the newspaper after holiday visits, I see the Washington Post's The Year in Cartoons appeared on December 29, p. A19. It's also online.

 

The print version selected cartoons from Wasserman, Kal, Sheneman (2 of them), Heller, Handelsman, Bors, Luckovich, Rogers and Pett.

Jan 2: Big Planet Comics hardcover sale begins

Comic Riffs on the transmogrification of Richard Thompson

END OF THE LINE — AND THE BLUEPRINT FOR A BEGINNING: The story behind the most compelling cartoon of the year
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 31 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/end-of-the-line--and-the-blueprint-for-a-beginning-the-story-behind-the-most-compelling-cartoon-of-the-year/2012/12/31/5f52114e-53a8-11e2-bf3e-76c0a789346f_blog.html#pagebreak

Jan 1: Big Planet Comics sale

Deaths in the comic arts 2012 UPDATED

This updated post includes more names from DD Degg of local sports, political and magazine cartoonists.

Deaths in 2012 included Argentine comics writer Carlos Albiac, San Francisco Examiner editorial cartoonist Ken Alexander, San Diego Comic-Con co-founder Richard Alf, caricaturist Rick Alley, British puppet animator Gerry Anderson, sports cartoonist Vern Anthony, editorial cartoonist Rex Babin, Don Baumgart, Croatian cartoonist and animator Žarko Beker, Spanish publisher Josep Maria Berenguer, gag cartoonist Jan Berenstain, Swiss artist Pierre-Alain Bertola, Oak Crest Village Voice cartoonist Irma Black, Canadian political cartoonist Blaine, animation voice Lucille Bliss, comic strip inker Howard King Boone, Ernie (Chua) Chan, comic book and strip artist John Celardo, gay webcartoonist Chris Companik, Alabama editorial cartoonist John Crawford, Harvey comics artist Sid Couchey, Penthouse gag cartoonist Art Cumings, Brazilian cartoonist Fernando Dias da Silva, Filipino comic book artist Tony DeZuniga, animator Jim Duffy, Splitsville and Playboy cartoonist Reynolds E. Dodson, magazine cartoonist Earl Engleman Sr, Spanish cartoonist Jose Luis Ferrer, Golden age cartoonist Martin Filchock, Argentine cartoonist Arnoldo Franchioni, Italian artist Francesco Gamba, Jean 'Moebius' Giraud, Columbus Dispatch cartoonist Louis 'Doc' Goodwin, Olive of the Ozarks cartoonist Pat Grant, Californian cartoonist Paul Gringle, Shamokin News Item editorial cartoonist Jack Gruneberg, Chautauqua (N.Y.) Daily cartoonist Ed Harmon, former cartoonist turned science fiction writer Harry Harrison, political and magazine cartoonist Arthur Henrikson, Natural Selection cartoonist Scott 'Russ Wallace' Henson, Arnold comic strip cartoonist William O. Johnson, magazine cartoonist Dennis Kilgore, Swedish comics librarian Kristiina Kolehmainen, Indonesian comics writer Raden Ahmad Kosasih, political cartoonist John Lara, French comic book historian André Leborgne, French cartoonist Bruno Le Floc'h, freelancer Jerry Garden, magazine cartoonist Herbert Green, Golden Age comic book artist Marv Lev(y), Crakbak cartoonist Gus Levy, Jack Lindstrom, Dick Louderback, Hi-De-Ho comic strip inker Charles L. Madden, French cartoonist Pat Mallet, Comics fan-turned-pro Don Markstein, comic strip artist Fran Matera, American Indian cartoonist Robby McMurtry, Josh Medors, 1940s comic strip cartoonist George Mercer, Tank McNamara writer Jeff Millar, Sheldon Moldoff, Brazilian artist Gutemberg "Goott" Monteiro, David Moynihan,  Barefoot Gen cartoonist Keiji Nakazawa, Birmingham, AL sports cartoonist Phil Neel,  Olympian sports and political cartoonist Dogulas Newton, comic strip writer Richard O'Brien, Kenyan cartoonist Frank Odoi, Belgian Luc Orient cartoonist Eddy Paape, The Passing Scene comic strip creator Eugene R. Patrick, British comics illustrator Douglas Phillips, Phantom fan/expert Ed Rhoades, Captain Easy writer Belford A. Richards, Jordanian cartoonist Jalal Rifai, Brazilian artist Al Rio, Fort Pierce News Tribune editorial cartoonist William 'Robbe' Robbins Jr., underground cartoonist Spain Rodriguez, New Yorker cartoonist Al Ross, Rural Fox cartoonist Leah Rule, Indian pocket (aka gag) cartoonist T. Samuel (aka Samuval), Spanish comic book writer Antonio Segura, Maurice Sendak, John Severin, Disney artist Mel Shaw, Disney animation music composer Robert B. Sherman, Timely comic book artist Marion T. Sitton, Golden Age comic book artist Emilio Squeglio, caricaturist and sports cartoonist Bruce Stark,  Oakland Tribune sports cartoonist Lee Susman, Captain Marvel artist Marcus Swayze, Indian cartoonist turned politician Bal K. Thackeray, Hawaiian cartoonist Dave Thorne, Italian cartoonist Sergio Toppi, Vicar, comic book writer Robert L. Washington III, Buffalo Bills program cartoonist Kevin Weil, freelance cartoonist Bill White, British cartoonist Mike White, Wizard Magazine staffer Marc Wilkofsky, Dutch cartoonist Bert Witte, anime voice actress Sayuri Yamauchi, Fantagraphics art director Dale Yarger, Half Moon Bay Review cartoonist Arthur Zich, and 3-D cartoonist Ray Zone. (This list was compiled with the assistance of D.D. Degg's list of comic artist deaths for the rec.arts.comics.strips Usenet group.)

Steve Artley's best of 2012

Steve Artley has selected his best editorial cartoons of 2012 and would like you to vote on them.

Jan 5: Jonathan Luna at 3rd Eye Comics

Meet JONATHAN LUNA, co-creator of THE SWORD, GIRLS and ULTRA, this Saturday at our STAR BRIGHT & THE LOOKING GLASS Signing

 

We are totally stoked to be having one of our favorite creators, JONATHAN LUNA, in store this Saturday for a signing of his gorgeous new IMAGE graphic novel, STAR BRIGHT and THE LOOKING GLASS. 

Jonathan is the co-creator of major Third Eye Favorites like THE SWORD and GIRLS, so when we found out he was interested in doing a special Maryland stop for STAR BRIGHT, we were totally pumped. 

We'll be giving a FREE limited edition bookplate for STAR BRIGHT to the first 15 folks who're in line, that Jonathan has provided specifically for this event. It looks like this:

These will be signed and numbered by Jonathan, printed on gorgeous heavy-weight paperstock and will ONLY be available as the giveaway at our signing this Saturday. This is a one of a kind item that really helps mark how special this event, and the release of the book is.

Click here to RSVP for the event on FACEBOOK.