Monday, May 17, 2021

PR: Baltimore Comic-Con 2021 is a GO!



Baltimore Comic-Con 2021 is a GO! 
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - May 17, 2021 - The Baltimore Comic-Con has received numerous inquiries from fans, exhibitors, retailers, guests, and even staff members as to the status of our 2021 event. We are very happy to announce that we expect to be on again in-person at the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center on October 22-24, 2021. The current status of the U.S. is migrating from a very conservative posture to a much more open approach to gatherings. We continue to be in contact with the Baltimore Convention Center staff, and all signs point to our ability to having our event this fall.

The Baltimore Comic-Con will be working with the convention center as well as following conservative best practices to ensure the safety of all attendees of our event on either side of the table. We encourage everyone to follow healthcare recommendations to ensure the safety of everyone (yourself included!), and plan for a fun return to Baltimore this fall!
Buster Crab by Marty Baumann
Tickets for the show are now on sale. Tickets currently available include:
  • VIP*
  • Weekend Pass
  • Friday only
  • Saturday only
  • Sunday only
As always, children 10 and under are free with a paid adult admission!

If you had tickets to our 2020 show, those will act as your 2021 tickets. 2020 tickets are valid for the same tier of admission at the 2021 event.
 
* VIP ticket holders receive the following package items and benefits:
  • Exclusive early admission to all 3 days of the show
  • 2021 Baltimore Comic-Con t-shirt
  • 2021 Baltimore Comic-Con yearbook
  • $40 gift voucher to the Baltimore Comic-Con Exclusives table
  • Show-exclusive Frank Cho print
TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are now on sale! Visit https://purchase.growtix.com/e/Baltimore_Comic_Con_2020/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!

2021 GUESTS

When we return to our live event on October 22-24, 2021, in addition to on-site CGC grading, next year's confirmed guests for the show include: Chris Bachalo (Non-Stop Spider-Man), Marty Baumann (Disney/Pixar), John Beatty (Secret Wars), Brian Michael Bendis (Action Comics), Brett Breeding (Superman), Howard Chaykin (Hey Kids! Comics!), Cliff Chiang (Paper Girls), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Becky Cloonan (Dark Agnes), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Katie Cook (Nothing Special), Kristina Deak-Linsner (Vampirella: Roses for the Dead), Garth Ennis (The Boys, Friday and Saturday only), Mitch Gerads (Mr. Miracle), Joe Giella (Green Lantern), Gene Ha (Mae), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook), Greg Hildebrandt (Wolverine), Jamal Igle (Wrong Earth), Tom King (Batman), Joseph Michael Linsner (Red Sonja), Bob McLeod (New Mutants), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Frank Miller (Dark Knight III: The Master Race, Saturday only), Pop Mhan (Aquaman Annual), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Mark Morales (The Next Batman: Second Son), Richard Pace (Second Coming), Tom Palmer (Hawkman), James Pascoe (Azrael), Andrew Pepoy (Simone & Ajax), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Sinestro: Year of the Villain), Tom Raney (Guardians of the Galaxy), Amy Reeder (Wonder Woman: Black and Gold), Afua Richardson (Omni), Louise Simonson (Power Pack), Walter Simonson (Ragnarok: The Breaking of Helheim), John K. Snyder III (Killers), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother), Timothy Truman (Grimjack), Robert Venditti (Hawkman), Mark Waid (Dr. Strange), Gene Luen Yang (Superman Smashes the Klan), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).
In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Ringo Awards, programming, and more. The latest developments can always be found on our websiteTwitterInstagram, and Facebook pages, and follow us on YouTube and Snapchat.
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
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 22nd year of bringing the comic book industry to the mid-Atlantic area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
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Friday, May 14, 2021

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Panic Buying"

From DC's anarchist cartoonist, Mike Flugennock -

"Panic Buying"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=3220

The Colonial Pipeline hack attack caused gas shortages all around the US, sparking massive amounts of mindless — and straight-up stupid — panic buying, and Israel was no exception — and the US, of course, was happy to sell them all the shit they could burn in Gaza this week.

12x14 inch medium-res color .jpg image, 1.2mb

----------

"More than 100 killed as Israel intensifies Gaza onslaught", Maureen Clare Murphy at Electronic Intifada, 05.14.2021 
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/more-100-killed-israel-intensifies-gaza-onslaught

"Government Warns Not To Fill Plastic Bags With Gasoline Because People Are Idiots", Aaron Ryan at Whiskey Riffs, 05.13.2021 
https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2021/05/13/government-warns-not-to-fill-plastic-bags-with-gasoline-because-people-are-idiots/

-----

Mike Flugennock, Political Cartoons: http://www.sinkers.org/stage

and follow me on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@flugennock

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Cavna takes 2nd place award for Online Blog in NHA contest

PR: Dead Reckoning Announces Fall 2021 Titles, Including Adaptation of James D. Hornfischer’s New York Times Bestseller

 [I'm most excited about my friend Ben Towle's new book]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dead Reckoning Announces Fall 2021 Titles, Including Adaptation of James D. Hornfischer’s New York Times Bestseller

 

ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 13, 2021 – Dead Reckoning will bring you three new graphic novels in Fall 2021. First up is Four-Fisted Tales by four-time Eisner-nominated cartoonist Ben Towle, which tells the story of how animals have been used to fight in the trenches, jungles, and deserts of the world’s battlefields. Next, The Jewish Brigade by Marvano follows how the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group came to fight against and hunt down Nazis who sought to murder them and their families. Last, but not least, James D. Hornfischer along with Doug Murray and Steven Sanders bring us The Last Stand of The Tin Can Sailors. Out gunned and outnumbered, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors brings to life the New York Times bestseller on the Battle off Samar where a small American task force fought to turn back an overwhelming Japanese force at Leyte Gulf.

Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat

By Ben Towle

978-1-68247-416-7 | August 18, 2021

Paperback | $24.95

In virtually every military conflict in recorded history animals have fought—and often died—alongside their human counterparts. While countless stories of the men and women who’ve served in the trenches, jungles, and deserts of the world’s battlefields have been told, Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat shares the stories of the animals who fought alongside them.

From Hannibal’s elephants in ancient Rome to mine-sniffing rats in Vietnam and everything in between, Four-Fisted Tales highlights the real-life contributions of these underappreciated animal warriors. Whether in active combat or simply as companions, these animals served and made their mark on history.

Ben Towle is a four-time Eisner-nominated cartoonist. His previous works include Oyster War; Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean (with Sarah Stewart Taylor), which received accolades from The New York Times and Publishers Weekly and was a Junior Library Guild selection; Midnight Sun; and Farewell, Georgia.

 

The Jewish Brigade

By Marvano

978-1-68247-723-6 | September 15, 2021

Paperback | $24.95

In the waning years of World War II, as the tragic plight of the European Jews was coming to light in ever more horrific detail, a Jewish fighting force, known as the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group, was born as part of the British Eighth Army. Leslie Toliver, a racecar driver in the pre-war years, eagerly joined the all-volunteer force for a chance to fight with his people against those who sought to murder them. 

Born in Belgium, Marvano, started out as an interior designer. Years later, he began an alternate career as an illustrator, eventually becoming editor-in-chief of the magazine Kuifje, then managing the comics department of Flemish publisher Den Gulden Engel. All the while he published his own comics and went on to write and illustrate dozens of graphic novels over decades, most notably adapting Joe Halderman’s famous novel The Forever War. 

 

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

By James D. Hornfischer; Adapted by Doug Murray; Drawn by Steven Sanders; Colored by Matt Soffe; Lettered by Rob Steen

978-1-68247-338-2 | October 20, 2021

Hardcover | $29.95

Adapted from the naval history classic and New York Times bestseller, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors pieces together the action of the Battle off Samar, bringing to life a riveting story of heroism against daunting odds, duty, and sacrifice in a way never seen before.

James D. Hornfischer’s gripping account of the battle, based on declassified documents as well as extensive interviews with veterans, is acclaimed as one of the most compelling works of naval history ever published. Hornfischer’s awards include the 2018 Samuel Eliot Morison Award, given by the Board of Trustees of the USS Constitution Museum.

Doug Murray is a comic book writer and novelist. He served as a non-commissioned officer in the Army in Vietnam and was the main writer on the popular comic book series The 'Nam, published by Marvel Comics.

Steven Sanders is an illustrator. His work has appeared in the distinguished SPECTRUM anthology and has drawn a number of comics for Marvel and Image Comics.

 

www.deadreckoning.org

www.usni.org/books

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Steve Conley interviews

Steve Conley 2021

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-7ce5x-10325a0

The Astounding Steve Conley drops by to talk about his latest Kickstarter;"Astounding Space Thrills: Undersea Menace from the Year 3200" and to share his secrets of Kickstarter success! Steve & Geoff talk comics and life in the days when the internet was young!  One of Geoff's favorite conversations-at least since the last time he talked with Steve Conley!

Steve Conley : https://steveconley.com

https://astoundingspacethrills.com/kickstarter

https://steveconley.com/the-middle-age/

Geoff Grogan: https://geoffgrogan.com

on Instagram:

@greenscreencomic

https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/greenscreen/list?title_no=571704

-------

Spotlight SquadCast Interview with Steve Conley and His Astounding Space Thrills

We got the chance to catch up with cartoonist Steve Conley recently. This is an interview we have been wanting to do for some time and the timing worked out great as Steve is in the middle of a fantastic Kickstarter campaign.

Steve is best known for his multi-award nominated webcomic The Middle Age, but this time around he is collecting and printing his turn of the century webcomic Astounding Space Thrills. The campaign is doing excellent and is something you definitely want to get in on.

Please enjoy this conversation where we talk about the Kickstarter for Astounding Space Thrills, Steve's career, the history and future of The Middle Age, and we throw in a little pop culture etymology for good measure.


Check out the trailer for the Kickstarter campaign below:

 

What is Astounding Space Thrills about?

According to Steve:

Astounding Space Thrills is a fun, retro-futuristic, sci-fi adventure following hero Argosy Smith as he solves cosmic mysteries. Think of Argosy as 1/3 The Doctor, 1/3 Buckaroo Banzaii, and 1/3 every kid who grew up playing RPGs and video games.

There are very accessible backer reward tiers and so far the campaign is blowing by the stretch goals.

It is an amazing effort that Steve is undertaking by resurrecting and remastering a webcomic that was designed to be viewed on a monitor that used a VGA cable and a computer that required a hard wired cable to a dial-up modem to get to the internet. This is definitely a labor of love and we are looking forward to seeing the final results.

In our conversation, Steve mentioned that he is willing and excited to go back to the world of Argosy Smith if the people want more of it.  I say that sounds like a great idea.

What are the important things to know?

The campaign ends on May 26, 2021.

You can find the campaign page here.

Steve's website is steveconley.com.

You can follow Steve on Twitter at thesteveconley.

Don't forget to check out The Middle Age as well. You can find it at Webtoon, GoComics, Tapas, or even in Kindle or Print formats on Amazon.

Steve also has a Patreon page that we highly recommend.

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Won't Somebody Think Of The Shareholders?"

From Mike Flugennock, DC's anarchist cartoonist -

(a.k.a. "Black Wednesday"; I'm guessing a bunch of knobs out there are doing the digital equivalent of selling apples off a cart in front of the Stock Exchange right about now.)

"Won't Somebody Think Of The Shareholders?"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=3210

No doubt that day last week will go down as "Black Wednesday" for all 
the death'n'misery profiteers out there: the day the US Trade 
Representative's office announced its support for a waiver of pantent 
protection for COVID19 vaccines developed by Pfizer, Biontech, 
Novavax, and Moderna — and Wall Street crapped its pants.

After week after week after week of hell raised about places like 
India, where they're dying like flies and can't get enough vaccine 
because American corporations, true to form, are hoarding the supply 
and the IP protection — the US Trade Rep has decided that waiving 
patent protection on vaccines during a worldwide pandemic might be a 
pretty good idea after all... and this hasn't stopped Wall Street from 
doing the voodoo that it do so well — setting shares of all four of 
those companies dropping like a rock on Jupiter.

Buddy, can you paradigm?

----------

"U.S. backs waiving patent protections for Covid vaccines, citing global health crisis", CNBC 05.05.2021 
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/05/us-backs-covid-vaccine-intellectual-property-waivers-to-expand-access-to-shots-worldwide.html

"Vaccine apartheid: U.S. puts world at risk for big pharma profits", 
Liberation News 04.20.2021 
https://www.liberationnews.org/vaccine-apartheid-u-s-puts-world-at-risk-for-big-pharma-profits/

"Pfizer, Biontech, Novavax, Moderna shares plunge to session lows after U.S. backs waiving patent protections on Covid vaccines", CNBC 
Now @CNBCnow on Twitter 05.05.2021 
https://twitter.com/CNBCnow/status/1390023742194061312

and follow me on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@flugennock

Monday, May 10, 2021

Panetta's Bloom part II announced

May 13: Shary Flenniken with Sarah Glidden

Shary Flenniken with Sarah Glidden

Date: 
Thursday, May 13, 2021 - 6:00pm
Location: 
Virtually Hosted by Elliott Bay Book Company

Something of a landmark publication is celebrated here today as once-up-a-time Seattle cartoonist Shary Flenniken (now based in Brooklyn), will be joined in conversation by cartoonist author Sarah Glidden, on the occasion of the release of Trots and Bonnie (New York Review of Books Comics). This book brings together, so far as we know, the first appearance in book form of Trots and Bonnie, who appeared back in the day in the pages of National Lampoon, where Shary Flenniken was an editor forty years ago. Shary Flenniken's work also appeared in such magazines as Mad, Premiere, and Details. She was a pioneer in her time - and the work, as response to Trots and Bonnie's publication, is no less fresh than it was years ago.

"Drawn in an exquisite pastiche on the classic comic strip style of George McManus (Bringing Up Father) and the like, [Trots and Bonnie is] a slyly whimsical take on feminism, hippies, the counterculture, and more. . . . Flenniken [is] . . . one of the best cartoonists of her time, full stop." —Heidi MacDonald, Comics Beat.

"Trots and Bonnie is hilarious, poignant, raunchy, gorgeously drawn, and more relevant than ever. Shary Flenniken is an absolute genius." —Roz Chast.

Sarah Glidden's books include How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less and Rolling Blackouts.

 

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Saturday, May 08, 2021

Philip Kennedy Johnson writes Venom

Philip Kennedy Johnson & Ron Lim Join Venom #200, But Not Rob Liefeld

Flugennnock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Blue Lives Matter no.2"

From Mike Flugennock, DC's anarchist cartoonist (on April 23rd but not posted)


"Blue Lives Matter no. 2"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=3196

Mere hours after the Derek Chauvin verdict was handed down, Columbus police shot 15 year-old Ma'Khia Bryant to death after she called the police for help as she was being threatened. That's right; she called the goddamn cops for help, and they shot her — after which police taunted bystanders with declarations of "Blue Lives Matter!".

And while that atrocity was going on, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was sharting out the following hot, sloppy bucket of White Liberal Bougie Politician horseshit:

Speaker Pelosi: "Thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for 
justice ... Because of you and because of thousands, millions of 
people around the world who came out for justice, your name will 
always be synonymous with justice."

The Recount @therecount on Twitter, 04.20.2021

...and here I thought Pelosi had totally hit bottom with that taking a 
knee in a kente cloth stunt. Christ, that goddamn woman needs to just shut the hell up, resign from office, and retire back to San Francisco with her huge-ass fridge full of overpriced ice cream.

--------------

"Nancy Pelosi: 'Thank You, George Floyd, For Sacrificing Your Life'", 
by Akbar Shahid Ahmed in the Huffington Post, 03.20.2021
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-george-floyd-thank-you_n_607f4d32e4b017537f0c1370

"Columbus Cops Accused of Saying 'Blue Lives Matter' After Ma'Khia Bryant Shooting", Anders Anglesey in Newsweek, 04.21.2021
https://www.newsweek.com/columbus-cops-accused-blue-lives-matter-makhia-bryant-shooting-1585314

"Speaker Pelosi: 'Thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for 
justice ... Because of you and because of thousands, millions of 
people around the world who came out for justice, your name will 
always be synonymous with justice'." The Recount @therecount on 
Twitter, 04.20.2021
https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1384624882600796167

Mike Flugennock, Political Cartoons: http://www.sinkers.org/stage
and follow me on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@flugennock

Friday, May 07, 2021

PCHH on 'The Mitchells Vs. The Machines'


The Mitchells - Katie, Rick, Linda and Aaron - hide from the robot apocalypse behind a dumpster in Netflix's The Mitchells Vs. The Machines.

Netflix

Weldon reviews 'Jupiter's Legacy'

'Jupiter's Legacy' Decodes The Superhero Genre Without Subverting It

Pop Culture Happy Hour May 7, 2021

L to R: Walter/Brainwave (Ben Daniels) and Sheldon/The Utopian (Josh Duhamel) agree to table their discussion in Netflix's Jupiter's Legacy.

Marni Grossman/Netflix

PR: Announcing Virtual SPX 2021


For Immediate Release

Contact: Warren Bernard


Bethesda, Maryland – May 7, 2021

Dear SPXers,

First, a sincere thank you from all of us. So many of you reached out to us over the last few weeks with words of encouragement and well-wishes as we attempted to navigate the treacherous waters surrounding the fate of an in-person SPX 2021. Many of you did even more than that. You offered to come to our aid, to help us organize, to raise funds, to kick ass (ok, maybe that part was implied) -- whatever would be necessary to keep the show alive. We are so grateful for your support. And today...we have news.

Today we can officially announce that SPX 2021 will be held virtually. Although we would have loved to gather talented creators, fantastic comics, and enthusiastic fans under one roof, we've decided that a virtual show is the best choice for the health and safety of our community. SPX 2021 will feature a full slate of programming along with a livestream of the Ignatz Awards ceremony. We will also be announcing special guests who will take part in the virtual panels and workshops. Stay tuned this summer for all the details.

Along with this announcement, we are relieved to share that we have come to manageable terms with the Marriott, regarding the cancellation penalty for our in-person event. Under the terms of the agreement, we will incur higher costs for our shows in 2022 and 2023, in lieu of what would have been a catastrophic cancellation penalty.

To address these additional expenses, SPX will pause funding for our charitable initiatives until 2024, at the earliest. It is painful to temporarily suspend our Graphic Novel Gift Program and our creator support of the National Book Festival but we are grateful to have come to an arrangement that gives us confidence SPX will continue for many years to come.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of the SPX community in waiting for this decision, and look forward to bringing SPX 2021 to your laptop or mobile phone, wherever you may be!!

Thanks SO Much,
The SPX Executive Committee
Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 650 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests.

The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show. The SPX Collection at the United States Library of Congress is dedicated to preserving the works of the SPX community for future generations.
Small Press Expo
P.O. Box 5704
Bethesda, Maryland
20824
STAY CONNECTED
Small Press Expo | P.O. Box 5704, Bethesda, MD 20824


PR: Watch The SpongeBob Musical — Streaming This Weekend!

Watch The SpongeBob Musical — Streaming This Weekend!

Gonzaga College High School is thrilled to present the Tony award-winning Spongebob Musical online this weekend!

Three performances will stream "live" on Friday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. This show is an ocean of fun for the whole family! Watch the preview trailer and purchase tickets at the link above.

NPR talks to Bechdel

Alison Bechdel Discusses A Lifelong Affair With Exercise In New Memoir

Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Weekend Edition Sunday May 2, 2021 

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/02/992846159/alison-bechdel-discusses-a-lifelong-affair-with-exercise-in-new-memoir

Lehoczky talks to Barry Windsor-Smith

Comics Hero Barry Windsor-Smith Is Back, And He's Brought Something Monstrous

Cavna talks to Bechdel

Alison Bechdel thought she was writing a book about exercise. It became a metaphysical adventure.

Thursday, May 06, 2021

Betancourt on Invincible, Falcon and Star Wars

'The Bad Batch' proves Star Wars animation still has a story to tell