'Anonymous heroes of the Washington Post'

Illustrator Richard Johnson’s latest entry—“The anonymous heroes of the Washington Post” (June 2)—for his online feature in the Post, Drawing D.C.Together: A Journal of Urban Sketches.

“If you spend enough time in newspapers and newsrooms you begin to notice certain distinct personality types.” Read more.

Detail from Post column by Johnson

Cohen's comic for Washington Bach Consort

Local cartoonist Andrew Cohen was recently hired by the Washington Bach Consort to write and draw "Bach to School," a comic on the composer. The consort is a professional chorus and orchestra that is arguably the nation's premiere baroque orchestra. In addition to performances for adults, the group this season performed two educational plays for free for 2,500 D.C. public elementary school students, who also received a copy of the comic.

Photo/images: Andrew in front of the boxes containing the 10,000 print run of the comic. Also posted is the cover of the book and a couple sample pages. 

Video: Stephan Pastis live at The Washington Post

I attended this last night, and it was great fun.

In front of a live audience at The Washington Post last night, cartoonist Stephan Pastis sketched some of his popular characters from his Pearls Before Swine comic strip and Timmy Failure children's book series. See video of the live sketch and read the Twitter recap which includes a "non-Oscars" selfie of Pastis, Cavna, Richard Thompson and Nick Galifianakis. Video highlights from the discussion will be published later today.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/wp/2014/06/03/video-pearls-before-swine-creator-stephan-pastis-live-at-the-post/

 

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Molly Gannon

Senior Publicist, The Washington Post

Beyond Comics nominated for Eisner retailer award

Beyond Comics, which has locations in Frederick and Gaithersburg, Md., is a nominee for the 2014 Will Eisner 'Spirit of Comics' Retailer Award. A winner from the finalists will be named during Comic-Con International's Eisners Awards on July 25. If you'd like to support the store in its efforts by providing a testimonial, e-mail beyondcomics@beyondcomics.com with a sentence or paragraph and your name, age, and where you live.

President Obama autographs a comic book

Bleeding Cool has a bit on it.

That darn Toles and Zits

Letter to the Editor: A criticism that never took flight

Giles Crimi, Arlington

Washington Post May 30 2014

Letter to the Editor: Earning an F in science

Tom Ede, Washington

Washington Post May 30 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/earning-an-f-in-science/2014/05/30/ea2b9780-e525-11e3-a70e-ea1863229397_story.html

The Post on Fantasia and the Lion King this summer

The NSO's 'Fantasia,' a critic's guilty pleasure [in print as Hearing The NSO with Mouse Ears].

By Anne Midgette

Washington Post June 1 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2014/05/29/458f5134-e2c4-11e3-9743-bb9b59cde7b9_story.html

'The Lion King' always makes me cry [in print as Rifiki, or a monkey on my back].

By Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post June 1 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/the-lion-king-always-makes-me-cry/2014/05/29/6a119f70-df8c-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html

May 31: Cartoonists Draw Blood

"Cartoonists Draw Blood" Saturday May 31, 2014 -- 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM

In association with American Red Cross and National Cartoonists Society, Washington, DC area cartoonists have clotted together to help keep the local blood banks well-stocked. 

To schedule your appointment, email Troy and Carolyn at: cartoonistsdrawblood@gmail.com

All blood donors receive a complimentary cartoon sketch by a Washington, DC area cartoonist.

Seekers Church
276 Carroll Street, NW
Washington, DC 20012
(across from Takoma Metro)

Walk-ins are also welcome on May 31.

Cartoonists: Steve Artley, Carolyn Belefski, Bill Brown, Eric Gordon, Mal Jones, Teresa Roberts Logan, Jay Payne, Matt Rawson, Joe Sutliff

Facebook Event Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1437807213121707/

Blog:

http://cartoonistsdrawblood.blogspot.com/2014/04/cartoonists-draw-blood-returns-may-31st.html?m=1

Galifianakis hat-tip to Thompson today in the Post

Nick G tells me he has put a "tiny "after Rt" in the front left" of today's cartoon as "A nod to his composition." Richard Thompson's children gathered around a table began in Richard's Poor Almanack and then migrated to the Cul de Sac comic strip.

Tom King interviewed about Grayson

Seeley, King Enter the DCU's Espionage World in "Grayson"

Jeffrey Renaud
Comic Book Resources May 30 2014
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=53116

June 1: Pastis at Costco

Cartoonist Stephan Pastis ("Pearls Before Swine") will be signing his book Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done at the Costco in Arlington from noon to 1 p.m. and in Fairfax from 3-4 p.m.

Ad in May 30 Express

The Post on Disney's Sleeping Beauty revisionism film, Maleficent

Angelina Jolie stars in 'Maleficent,' a feminist-revisionist take on Sleeping Beauty

By Ann Hornaday, Washington Post May 30 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/angelina-jolie-stars-in-maleficent-a-feminist-revisionist-take-on-sleeping-beauty/2014/05/29/86dc9ec8-e75e-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_story.html

Villains: Are they all that bad?

• By Rheney Williams

• Washington Post On Parenting blog May 29 2014

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/05/29/villains-are-they-all-that-bad/
  

Angelina Jolie can't summon the powers to save 'Maleficent' [in print as The Only Good Thing]

• By Kristen Page-Kirby

• [Washington Post] Express May 30 2014, p. 17
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2014/05/30/angelina-jolie-cant-summon-the-powers-to-save-maleficent/
  

Washington cartoonists' autographs

John Adcock has a nice piece on a mysterious autograph book at Yesterday's Papers. It has a lot of illustrators and cartoonists in it from cities across the country, including a page for Washington. Clifford Berryman drew a self-portrait, but the others have just signed the page. It's worth looking at - there's some nice drawings in it.

May 31: Brown, Aulisio at Big Planet

Big Planet Comics at its U Street store is hosting a signing May 31 with Box Brown (Andre the Giant: Life and Legend) and Pat Aulisio (Bowman) from 4-6 p.m. Click for more.

Return of the bloodthirsty cartoonists

Takoma Park / Silver Spring Voice · May 23, 2014 ·

http://tpssvoice.com/2014/05/23/return-bloodthirsty-cartoonists/

Big Planet Comics named one of best shops in U.S.

Big Planet Comics’ U Street store has been named one of best comics shops in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure.

"Housed in a superhero-blue brick building, bedecked with a groovy space-things mural by Juan Pineda, Big Planet Comics’s flagship D.C. location has been a fixture on busy U Street since moving from Georgetown in 2011." Click to read more.

PR: Top Shelf on March's RFK award

MARCH: BOOK ONE wins Robert F. Kennedy Book Award — Special Recognition! Every so often, a graphic novel comes out that is so remarkable and so important, it breaks out of traditional categories, forcing readers and institutions to reconsider their expectations of what the comics medium can do. In 1992, for example, Art Spiegelman's Maus depicted the life of a Holocaust survivor with such innovative power that the Pulitzer Prize committee issued Spiegelman a "Special Award." Now, the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights has honored March: Book One, the first volume of Congressman John Lewis' civil rights memoir co-written with Andrew Aydin and drawn by Nate Powell, with a "Special Recognition" award at the 2014 Robert F. Kennedy Book Awards. Congressman Lewis and Andrew Aydin were present for the ceremony last week in Washington, shown above accepting the award from Ethel Kennedy. Fittingly for an icon of the civil rights movement, this is Congressman Lewis' second honor from the RFK Book Awards; his prose autobiography Walking with the Wind won in 1999. The awards, founded in 1980, celebrate those books which best reflect the late Senator Kennedy's ideals of justice, human rights, and equality of opportunity. In his capacity as attorney general, senator, and presidential candidate, Kennedy played a significant role in the civil rights movement throughout the 60s, and indeed will appear in the forthcoming second and third volumes of March. This honor also places the March team in fine company in another way: the RFK Book Awards' only previous use of the Special Recognition was also for comics, awarded in 1994 to the legendary editorial cartoonist Herblock. Your friend thru comics, Chris Staros Top Shelf Productions PO Box 1282 Marietta GA 30061-1282 USA chris@topshelfcomix.com www.topshelfcomix.com

Kal Performs this weekend with BIG in Baltimore

Friends and colleagues

 If you are in Baltimore this weekend and looking for a laugh check out this fun show on Friday night 8PM.

I will be joining the smart and talented folks at the Baltimore Improv group for a set of improv cartooning with audience participation. It is part of a weekend EDGEFEST sponsored by BIG. There will also be a special guest joining the show... beat boxer Shodekeh.

All the activity takes place in Hamden at 

St. Mary's Community Center

3900 Roland Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21211

Should be great fun.

Spread the word and I hope to see you there! here's a link with more info

http://www.bigimprov.org/show/edgefest-soundscape-and-almost-anyone-can-draw/

Fantastic Forum on tonight

Tonight at 9:00 PM on Prince George's Community Television

In PG County, MD tonight and every Wednesday at 9:00 PM on CTV Comcast 76; Verizon FiOS 42. On location from Victory Comics! RE-IMAGINING GENDER/ETHNICITY, WONDER WOMAN MOVIE, DISNEY/MARVEL VS. WARNER/DC MOVIES. Featuring Patrick Michael Strange's interview with Zombie Artist ARTHUR SUYDAM and our IN MEMORIAM 2013 tribute.

June 4: Edmonson signing at Fantom Comics

Comics writer Nathan Edmonson ( Black Widow and Punisher) visits Fantom Comics on June 4 for a signing from noon to 4 p.m.