Friday, April 07, 2017

Off-topic: Buy a print to benefit cartoonists

John Kelly of the Toonseum in Pittsburgh says, "Proceeds are going to the NCS Foundation to help old cartoonists in need: https://www.etsy.com/listing/506735712/underground-cartoonist-legend-jay-lynch

Carol Tyler will be signing them this weekend at PIX as well. I've got my order in.

Ralph Baden - An Artomatic Interview

by Mike Rhode

Ralph Baden's work at Artomatic was quite a surprise as it's often NSFW, or families. The centerpiece of his exhibit is a large painting of a man with an erect penis and a caption that wouldn't make it through many Internet filters. We reached out to him to ask our usual questions, some of which are less relevant to a painter than a cartoonist, and he gamely answered them.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

Large scale political satire and comical oil paintings.


How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

Oil painting on canvas.

20170325_174244

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

1960's Maryland.


What neighborhood or area do you live in?

Baltimore.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

The Corcoran School of Art


Who are your influences?

I'm doing pretty original stuff. Nobody takes oil painting and makes the most vulgar painting -- except maybe the old Dutch masters -- paintings where people got drunk in the streets -- they were funny.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

To do it over I'd have to have a career- but I would have gone twice as loud, twice as big and twice as early.


What work are you best-known for?

Nobody knows of me -- I'm amazed you contacted me.


20170325_174250

What work are you most proud of?

 In 2016, being expelled from 2 un-juried shows with 2 completely different bodies of work -- also not being allowed to sell at a farmers market under the freeway by the prison in Baltimore because my work wasn't family friendly... and also not being accepted into The Bromo Seltzer building because my work was considered"too unique".


What would you like to do or work on in the future?

Bigger larger scales. I would like to have a room full of people laughing at my work at The Met or The MOMA


What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

Stare at a light bulb.


What do you think will be the future of your field?

Trash can, dumpster, landfill.

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

The Phillips -- I love to go sit in the Mark Rothko meditation room and wonder why.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Mangialardo's

Do you have a website or blog?

www.ralphbaden.com

The Post on Your Name anime and Smurfs cartoon

'Smurfs: The Lost Village' is a kitschy, psychedelic trip to nowhere [in print as Color-swirled movie has little to hold interest of anyone but tots].


Washington Post April 7 2017, p. Weekend 31, 33
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/smurfs-the-lost-village-is-a-kitschy-psychedelic-trip-to-nowhere/2017/04/06/ff8c6e8e-1898-11e7-855e-4824bbb5d748_story.html


'Your Name': A romantic, teeny-bopper version of 'Freaky Friday' [in print as Treat for the eyes, but not the ears].


Washington Post April 7 2017, p. Weekend 33
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/your-name-a-romantic-teeny-bopper-version-of-freaky-friday/2017/04/06/1ebda30c-1977-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html


Mitchell MacNaughton - An Artomatic Interview (updated)

by Mike Rhode

Mitchell MacNaughton's caricatures and cartoons recall the 1960s as well as today's issues. He's sharing a room at Artomatic in Crystal City and agreed to answer our usual questions.

20170325_173258


What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

Many people would label my work as political cartooning, although that’s not quite how I would describe it. Sure, for many pieces I use ink and my subject is political, but I think that there in a certain refinement that would put it closer to the art side rather than the cartooning side.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

If I’m solely creating a black and white piece, my tools include micron pens, black India ink, and either charcoal or a black colored pencil. If I’m creating a piece in color, it could range from gouache to watercolor with certain elements re-colored digitally.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I was born in 1989 on farmlands in Western New York, where I would live for 17 years until I left for Pittsburgh.

Why do you draw and comment on characters and events from the 1960s?

I find mid-century America fascinating because the dynamic of the country completely shifted in a handful of years. President Kennedy came to office on a wave of optimism as the U.S. came to terms with it’s post-war life, then his death is the first in a dark period that saw other assassinations along with riots and strife, and the decade comes to a close with the start of one of our lowest points of the modern century - The Vietnam War. It’s span of years that starts out on a high and bottoms out in a low, and for some reason that intrigues me.

20170325_173312

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I had always wanted to live in DC, as it’s a natural fit for somebody with my artistic themes, and after years of plotting a planning I finally got my chance when I was offered a job at a political direct mail agency. While here, I have never lived in any neighborhood outside of Alexandria.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

While in studying for my degree in graphic design, I knew that my priority was becoming an illustrator. Thankfully for my perseverance, I had many teachers who insisted that I would fail or that the market was too crowded, so while I was in their classes I would look up artists and and search illustration advice websites out of spite. I took what I was learning in my design courses and let that influence certain facets of my drawing that created my current style.

Who are your influences?

Currently I am obsessed with Kukryniksy - a group of 3 artists who created work out in Russia during World War 2. In fact, I would say that the whole era of political art during World War 2 had a great effect on me. Artists used their astounding talent at a time when the world was witnessing pure evil, and the artwork was unyielding.


20170325_173321

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

I would work up the confidence to promote myself much earlier. I am the only artist in my family, so I was (and to an extent still am) blindly wandering around trying to figure out what to do, and that creates a sense of never being good enough to compete with those who seem to have it figured out.

What work are you best-known for?

To the extent that I am known, it would probably be for my drawing style and political subject matter.

What work are you most proud of?

I am most proud of creating artwork that highlights certain news stories in the world that may not get as much attention, such as the human rights abuses of Bashar al-Assad or civilian casualties of drone strikes. When you are a political artist, it can be very easy to take the easy attack on a subject, suck as making Trump bright orange, and while that can be fun it should not be at the expense of using your skill to touch on other issues.

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?

One project that I have had on my mind is an animated story/documentary about my uncle’s time in Vietnam and his life after being exposed to Agent Orange, but that is a hefty project that requires many steps in the build-up. Another interest I have been wanting to purse is taking classic literature and spoofing/rewriting them to mock out current political climate.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

If I’m feeling the rust coming on then I have to get up and step away from my desk, because I know that if I don’t I will just end up on Youtube and destroy my entire night. Usually I can go play video games for an hour or so to refresh myself and get back in a work mode.


20170325_173305
What do you think will be the future of your field? 

That’s so hard to say. The illustration and art field feels like it is and has been going through such a rapid transformation with the shifting a mediums that they depend on, such as print media and the freelancing economy. All I can do is keep making my work and hoping that I can find new ways to keep it from becoming stale.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

I have only attended Small Print Expo as a visitor, where I spent most of my time at the Fantagraphics’ tables.
What's your favorite thing about DC?

I absolutely love the amount of food choices. Possibly it’s because I’m originally a small-town rube, but I’ve become so much more adventurous in my eating here simply because the options are all present for you to try.

Least favorite?
Transportation as a whole. The Metro system only functions in various stages of broken, making a two station trip take upwards of 30 minutes. That isn’t to say that driving is any better, because the drivers here are absolutely wild. Trying to get out of D.C. on these roads with it’s drivers is like trying to escape from a Supermax prison. Nearly impossible.

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

My favorite without hesitation is the Presidential portrait room at the National Portrait Gallery.

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How about a favorite local restaurant?

Cape Banh Mi in Alexandria. The catfish is one of the best things I have eaten.


Do you have a website or blog?

macnaughtonillos.com for my art and artotunion.com for my blog.

Thursday, April 06, 2017

Fantom Comics named City Paper's Best Comic Book Store (UPDATED)

It's its annual Best of D.C. edition, the Washington City Paper named Fantom Comics the city's best comics book store. Big Planet Comics and Third Eye Comics were runners up. 

The issue also had a nice-size photo of Fantom Comics manager Jake Shapiro stocking the shelves.



Perennial WCP staff favorite Exotic Planterium and Card & Comic Collectorama in Alexandria also got a shout-out.

Kramer to host workshop at Center for Cartoon Studies

Former D.C. resident Josh Kramer and Em DeMarco, co-creators of the CoJo List newsletter and freelance journalists and cartoonists, will run a five-day workshop on creating nonfiction comics this summer at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont. The cost is $1,000, but you can email them to see if you're eligible for a discount.

Per email from Josh: "Em and I are teaching our first class this summer at the school I went to, The Center for Cartoon Studies. It's also the first Comics Journalism workshop ever offered by the school. We're pretty excited about it. We've come up with a week that's going to be pretty hands-on, with exercises that work for all levels of interested writers and drawers."

Drawing Comics Episodes by Sean Hill

Our interview with Sean Hill ran earlier today, and while researching it, we ran across his Youtube channel where he's posted these process videos about drawing comic books electronically.

Drawing Comics Episode1: Page Process for Zenescopes Evil Heroes issue 4
Sean Hill
Sean Hill
Dec 12, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3htAgQdPTw

----------
Zenescope Entertainments DeathForce issue 2 cover process
Sean Hill
Apr 11, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuvbgyAF8iA

cover process for the cover of Deathforce issue 2,

-----------
Zenescope Entertainments DeathForce issue 1 cover process
Sean Hill
Apr 8, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_DqeSUWJW4

its rare i get to do covers, but this was a great opportunity. this is the cover to Deathforce issue 1 due out May 18th next month. the tools used for this work are Manga Studio 5EX

----
Zenescope Entertainment Tales of Terror issue 8 The Monkeys Paw process vid
Sean Hill
Apr 9, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5if6lD5RM6k

Process for Page 1 of Zenescope Entertainments Tales of Terror Issue 8, done in Manga Studio 5EX

Rob Ullman, sometimes of WCP, profiled in Richmond mag

Rob Ullman: A Story in Pictures

McGuigan

 http://northofthejames.com/rob/

Longtime DC residents will remember that Rob illustrated the Washington City Paper's Savage Love column for years, and still sometimes does a cover for them.

NPR ED interviews Boss Baby book creator

The Picture Book Behind The New Movie 'Boss Baby'

Elissa Nadworny

NPR Ed April 6, 2017

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/04/06/522581126/the-picture-book-behind-the-new-movie-boss-baby

 

All Things Considered on comic book publisher Native Realities

Changing Colors In Comics

Changing Colors In Comics

Comics and graphic novels have become a flourishing space for explorations of race and identity. But what are the compromises they have to make to reach and please wide audiences?

Shannon Wright for NPR

Gene and guest host Glen Weldon (our play cousin from Pop Culture Happy Hour) explore how comics are used as spaces for mapping race and identity. Gene visits Amalgam Comics and Coffeehouse in Philadelphia and chats with proprietor Ariell Johnson, who is reclaiming the comic book store, which once made her uneasy as a black fan. Meanwhile, C. Spike Trotman, another black woman, has made a name for herself as an online comics publisher of Iron Circus Comics in Chicago. We also talk to artist and designer Ronald Wimberly for his perspective as a black creator who has worked for Marvel and DC, the titans of corporate comics.

World War II animated films at National Archives' website

April 9: Baltimore Comic-Con Spring Fling


Baltimore Comic-Con's photo.

Baltimore Comic-Con Spring Fling
Public
· Hosted by Baltimore Comic-Con
April 9 2017,

  • Sunday at 10 AM - 5 PM


  • 1743 W Nursery Rd, Linthicum, Maryland 21090

    Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Sean Hill

    Nazir Studiosby Mike Rhode


    Sean Hill is a local comic book artist, born and raised in DC proper, who seems poised for a breakout via his work for Zenescope. He was recently interviewed by another blog and I realized we hadn't submitted our usual questions to him.

    What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

    Well some of the very first jobs I got hired for were horror based short stories, the most recent works for those are for Zenescope Entertainment's Dark Shaman mini series. It was about  long dead Native Shaman that returns from the dead to try and exact revenge/justice for the death of his tribe. Not to long afterwords I got a chance to draw Grimm Tales of Terror: The Monkeys Paw, I was really happy for that gig because it was a horror story I already knew of. I have also worked on some action/adventure for Jaycen Wise: Secret of the Rose, Route 3 for Terminus Media, and most recently issues 4 through 6 of Zenescope's E.V.I.L Heroes which was more superhero action. 
    Zenescope Entertainments: Dark Shaman trade paper back

    How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

    It's a combination of traditional and digital, I work out my thumbnails traditionally in my sketchbook. I own an 11x17 moleskine sketchbook that I draw up 2x3 inch rectangles, then I work out all my thumbs in those. After that, I open a story file in Manga Studio 5EX (a story file is a file created by the program that has as many pages as you determine you need to draw), I scan and copy/paste all my thumbnails onto the subsequent pages and work over them.



    When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

    I was born in Washington DC waaaayyyyy back when in 1981.

    Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

    I grew up in the Georgia Avenue/Perworth area in DC. That area has gone through so many changes but is the nature of the city, anything can change within 15 years or so. Right now I live in Hybla Valley in Alexandria, VA.

    What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

    My grandfather, Otis Hill, used to to show me a lot of stuff when I was 6 years old, after that I was introduced to my mento Kofi Tyus, Kofi has been working as an artist in D.C. His whole life so most of my training comes from him. I also went to and arts high school, Duke Ellington School of the Arts and a short stint at Maryland college of art and design. I mostly had a lot of fine art training most of my life.

    Who are your influences?

    Too many to name but from a kid I was inspired by Bernie Wrightson, Jim Lee -- that kind of stuff -- also artists like Mshindo Kuumba, Ivan Reis -- the list goes on.

    If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change? 

    It's kinda funny, but whenever I get asked for advice by a artist wanting to do comics, I typically advise they first start making there own books, it's more fulfilling working on your own thing and telling your own stories. But when I was trying to break in I thought I needed to start working for a publisher, any publisher. I think if I could do it over I would take my own advice.

    What work are you best-known for?

    I'm not really sure, I guess it would be between Route 3 or E.V.I.L Heroes right now.



    Zenescope Entertainments: Grimm tales of Terror: Monkeys Paw
    What work are you most proud of?

    I'm honestly really proud of my work on Route 3 and some upcoming work I did on a book called the Guilded Age (issue 3). I put a lot work in trying to make sure that story had the vibe of taking place in its own multi-layered world.

    What would you like to do  or work on in the future?

    I have two personal projects I would like to have done. One is Nazireth, a fantasy retelling of the Christ story, drawing from the historical social and political issues that influenced the narrative of those events. The other is Yasuke: Lineage a story of a former slave turned Samurai, based on the historical figure Yasuke whom served under Oda Nabunaga.

    What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

    I think all visual story-telling is a form of problem solving, so when I'm in a rut, I honestly look at as many artists as I can to open up my mind to the possibilities of solving a story-telling issue.

    What do you think will be the future of your field?

    Comics is a slow changing river: it flows, the current changes but not to dynamically. I hope the Indy Comics market will grow in the sight of the consumers. Much of the diversity that's being called for in mainstream comics is already available in Indy Comics. In Japan, Manga is marketed towards almost every youngster's walk of life, but here it's dominated by adult male audiences. I'm fine with those male audiences holding the share of consumerism they have, but if the  medium were marketed to even wider audiences, it could only grow stronger.

    What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

    Not too many Cons. I'm typically at Awesome Con and I have attended Baltimore and New York Comic Con pretty recently. I hope to expand on that in the near future.

    Terminus Media: Route 3 trade paperback

    What's your favorite thing about DC?

    Honestly, it's because we're so small, you could grow up here with you childhood friends and make something of yourself, without loosing contact, because we still have some of the opportunities of a metropolitan city.

    Least favorite?

    Sometimes DC seems like it's trying to be a mini New York, in how it advertises to business and resources outside the city, while not making as much use of its resources in the city. Not to get too political, but so much of the growth in DC for the last 20 years have been stimulated from outside the city. I sometimes think "Come on, we don't have to be New York, we're D.C. -- we got this" but I digress.

    Zenescope Entertainments E.V.I.L Heroes #5

    What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?

    Oh man, the National Gallery of Art, The Portrait Gallery is a definite favorite, I love the African American museum, and most definitely the American Indian Museum.

    How about a favorite local restaurant?

    The Good Stuff Eatery -- no question.

    Do you have a website or blog?

    Yup, it is www.nazirstudios.blogspot.com

    Wednesday, April 05, 2017

    April 8-9: Studio Ghibli series at West End Cinema

    West End Cinema in D.C. continues its spring Studio Ghibli series with "My Neighbor Totoro" on April 8 and 9 at 1:00 p.m.

    April 8: Paul Zdepski comics-making workshop

    Paul Zdepski will host a comics-making workshop this Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, Va., which also has an exhibit by Alex Ross. The workshop is $35 for the general public. Registration is required.

    Here's a fun live Facebook interview recorded with Paul to promote the workshop.

    https://www.facebook.com/facesofwin/videos/1237236416371949/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE


    April 8: Hello Kitty truck in Arlington; thousands expected

    Hello Kitty Cafe Truck Is Stopping At Pentagon Row On Saturday

    Tuesday, April 04, 2017

    Ruben Bolling's Herblock speech

    School Library Journal recommends March vol. 3

    "March" Madness: Congressman Lewis's Graphic Novel Wins SLJ's Battle of the Books

    Bob2017_winnerThe acclaimed graphic memoir marches to victory once again, the latest in a long line of accolades. The ultimate win in SLJ's ninth annual virtual book competition goes to the much-lauded final volume in the "March" graphic nonfiction series (Top Shelf) by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell.

    Continued at http://www.slj.com/2017/03/books-media/march-madness-congressman-lewiss-graphic-novel-wins-sljs-battle-of-the-books/

    April 26: March vol 1 bookclub meeting at East City Bookshop

    Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30pm
    Reality Literature Book Club reads MARCH: BOOK ONE by John Lewis, et al.

    Reality Literature, East City Bookshop's narrative nonfiction book club, will discuss the first volume in John Lewis's graphic novel memoir of his childhood through his young adulthood in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
    Learn More

    East City Bookshop
    645 Pennsylvania Ave SE
    Suite 100
    Washington, DC 20003