Sunday, September 19, 2021

Whoops, SPX happened and I forgot

It's just not the same via computer.  Anyway, here's the 2021 SPX panel video list.

Those darn cartoon tacos

A Florida county marked Hispanic Heritage Month with an anthropomorphic, maraca-wielding, hard-shell taco. Outrage ensued.

Belle anime and director Mamoru Hosoda profiled

In Japan's anime universe, 'Belle' seeks to rewrite script on female power [in print as Shifting Japan's view of women]

Alan Fern, RIP

A supporter of comics and cartoonists in local institutions has passed away. I would frequently see Alan at events and he was unfailingly pleasant and gracious.  - MR

ALAN M. FERN 

On September 13, 2021 Alan M. Fern of Chevy Chase, MD passed away. Dr. Alan Fern, served as Director of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery from 1982-2000. A native of Detroit, MI Alan attained both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago, before studying at the Courtauld Institute in London, and then returning to Chicago to complete his doctorate. A scholar of American prints and photographs, he worked at the Library of Congress for twenty years before joining the Smithsonian; leading the National Portrait Gallery for 18 years from 1982 until his retirement in 2000. Alan made many important decisions that shaped the museum's mission, including doubling the permanent collection to over 18,000 works before he left. A consummate director deeply knowledgeable about art and history and a long-time member of the Association of Art Museum Directors, Alan was also a decorated Chevalier Ordre de la Couronne (Belgium), Ordre des Arts et Lettres (France), Commander Royal Order of Polar Star (Sweden) and Fulbright Scholar. He is survived by his wife Lois (Karbel) Fern. A Memorial Service will take place following the Covid-19 pandemic. Memorial contributions may be made in Dr. Fern's honor to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, or the charity of your choice.    

Published by The Washington Post from Sep. 15 to Sep. 17, 2021.

Richard Thompson's Cul de Sac art on auction



Richard Thompson Cul de Sac Sunday Comic Strip Original Art (Washington Post, 2000s). The "natural warmth" that Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) praised in Thompson's work is well represented in this undated installment -- an exploration of the slapstick possibilities of static electricity. Added Watterson: "Cul de Sac avoids both mawkishness and cynicism and instead finds genuine charm in its loopy appreciation of small events. Very few strips can hit this subtle note." A personalized inscription appears at lower right. Ink over graphite on Bristol board. Image area, 16.5" x 8.25". Excellent condition.

[It's at $725 tonight, which is too much for me. According to the inscription, Richard gave it to cartoonist Jeff Stahler]

That darn WuMo

No humor in homicide — or flooding

Penny Cooper, Kathleen T. Thomas,

Washington Post September 18 2021, p. A15

John M. Baer, revisited

 11 1/2 years ago, I ran across the name of a local political cartoonist, and tracked down some info about him:

Henry Elderman? John M. Baer? UPDATED. (February 1 2010): https://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2010/02/henry-elderman-john-m-baer.html

John M. Baer. (February 2 2010): https://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2010/02/john- 

So who was editorial cartoonist John M Baer anyway? (February 9 2010): https://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2010/02/so-who-was-editorial-cartoonist-john-m.html

and then completely forgot about him until Stuart McIntire found an obituary for him and put it on Facebook with a link to my previous posts. 

Vienna, David. 1970. Cartoonist John Baer, 83, Dies, Coined FDR's 'New Deal' Slogan. Washington Post (February 23)

With his permission, here's Stu's scan of the obituary:

 


 



Saturday, September 18, 2021

More To Come 484: Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson, including YouNeek Studios

More To Come 484: Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson

Calvin Reid

In a conversation marking the 35th anniversary of Dark Horse Comics, Calvin interviews Dark Horse founder and publisher Mike Richardson, who outlines the house's rich history as major indie comics publisher and media production house. Richardson discusses the Karen Berger Books imprint, the addition of African comics publisher YouNeek Studios; the recent Scott Snyder/Comixology Originals co-publishing deal, and the state of direct market comics distribution. Photo: Luigi Novi.

Friday, September 17, 2021

Trung Le Nguyen and Roxane Gay: National Book Festival 2021

Sept 26: Fantom Comics Signing With Bill Campbell and Bizhan Khodabandeh



Fantom Signing With Bill Campbell and Bizhan Khodabandeh

26 Sep,2021
4:00 PM To 6:00 PM
Fantom Comics
Fantom Friends! We're having another Creator Spotlight this month!

We'll be having creators Bill Campbell and Bizhan Khodabandeh visiting the store to sign copies and discuss their book The Day The Klan Came To Town on Sunday, September 26th at 4pm!

The year is 1923. The Ku Klux Klan is at the height of its power in the US as membership swells into the millions and they expand beyond their original southern borders. As they continue their campaigns of terror against African Americans, their targets now also include Catholics and Jews, southern and eastern Europeans, all in the name of "white supremacy." Incorporating messages of moral decency, family values, and temperance, the Klan has slapped on a thin veneer of respectability and become a "civic organization," attracting new members, law enforcement, and politicians to their particular brand of white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant "Americanism."

Pennsylvania enthusiastically joined that wave. That was when the Grand Dragon of Pennsylvania decided to display the Klan's newfound power in a show of force. He chose a small town outside of Pittsburgh named after Andrew Carnegie, a small, unassuming borough full of Catholics and Jews, the perfect place to teach immigrants a "lesson." Some thirty thousand members of the Klan gathered from as far as Kentucky for "Karnegie Day." After initiating new members, they armed themselves with torches and guns to descend upon the town to show them exactly what Americanism was all about.
The Day the Klan Came to Town is a fictionalized retelling of the riot, focusing on a Sicilian immigrant, Primo Salerno. He is not a leader; he's a man with a troubled past. He was pulled from the sulfur mines of Sicily as a teen to fight in the First World War. Afterward, he became the focus of a local fascist and was forced to emigrate to the United States. He doesn't want to fight but feels that he may have no choice. The entire town needs him—and indeed everybody—to make a stand.

The Post on Shang-Chi and the yellow peril tradition in pulp and comics

Shang-Chi and the fight against yellow peril

Marvel's latest superhero outing is a breakthrough for Asian representation, but the character's comic book past has a complicated history

Comics Presentations Future and Past at Library of Congress

Headlines & Heroes: Newspapers, Comics & More Fine Print Blog from the Library of Congress. 09/15/2021

This weekend will bring an exciting 10-day, extended National Book Festival, as well as the 2021 Small Press Expo. Learn about these events and the many exciting comics presentations from the Library in the past.

[Note there's only 3 relevant events this year; I'll post them when the links are live]

Sept 18: Batman Day at Beyond Comics & Third Eye Comics

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Saturday, September 18th

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Celebrate the Caped Crusader on his own Day!

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Discounts On Batman

Comics * Graphic Novels * Merchandise







Thursday, September 16, 2021

Fwd: Small Press Expo Announces 2021 Virtual Programming Slate




For Immediate Release
Contact Rob Clough

Bethesda, Maryland -- In addition to the previously announced live-streamed Ignatz Award ceremony, the Small Press Expo is pleased to announce that there will be a full slate of programming on Saturday, September 18th, and Sunday, September 19th, 2021.

Beginning at 11:00 AM EST each day, the panels will stream on the SPX YouTube channel. The programming includes a documentary about the diverse creator voices at SPX and workshops from Liz Reed and Tom Hart. There will be panels on Queer Joy, innovation in the use of color, starting your own local comics scene, and many more. Our Spotlight panel will be on Bill Campbell & Bizhan Khodabandeh's book The Day The Klan Came To Town, moderated by ICAF's Dr. Qiana Whitted.

Check the SPX 2021 Program Schedule for an up-to-date list of everything that has been announced so far, and

Following the program schedule at 8:00 PM on Saturday, September 18 will be the livestream broadcast of the 2021 Ignatz Awards ceremony, also on the SPX Youtube Channel.

All the action begins on Saturday September 18th. Please join us as we celebrate comics from home and be sure to follow SPX on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
SPX 2021 Programming
(All times are Eastern Time)


SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18

Enemies of the State
11AM-12:00PM
Join moderator Alex Hoffman and fellow critics Rob Clough, Daniel Elkin, and Jules Bakes for a special SPX edition of the podcast Enemy Of The State. The panel's special guest is artist E.A. Bethea, whose Francis Bacon was nominated for a 2021 Ignatz Award. They will ask her in-depth questions regarding the comic and its remarkably dense qualities.

Personal Comics from Color, Shape, Line ... and Lyrics!
12:15-1:15PM
You can make comics only with an open heart and whatever materials you have lying around. In one of the favorite workshops at SAW, Tom Hart will guide you through making 8-page mini-comics that uses song lyrics, personal memories and simple drawing and painting to make a personal comic that says what you feel and has a magic all its own. Suitable for all ages.

Comics, Bodies, and Embodiment
1:30PM-2:30PM
Bodies take many forms, and our relationship with one's own can shift throughout our lives. Comics are a powerful tool for understanding and accepting the bodies in which we live. Joel Christian Gill, Tatiana Gill, Ashley Robin Franklin, and Robin Smith discuss their work as a means of exploring the corporeal form in a discussion led by Alison WIlgus.

Queer Joy and Queer Friendships
3:00PM-4:00PM
Join moderator Carta Monir and guests Emma Jayne, Crystal Frasier, and Walter Scott in a celebration of queer joy in comics. This discussion focuses on the power of queer friendships and happiness as both driving force and radiant rebellion.

Ourselves, In Stories: A Documentary Of The Small Press Expo
4:15PM-5:15PM
Award-winning documentarian Marjee Chmiel screens her documentary on SPX. Titled Ourselves, In Stories, it takes a look at the challenges, obstacles, and rewards of crafting new stories and redefining our cultural vision for whose stories are heard. Moderator Warren Bernard joins Marjee after the screen to ask her about the inspiration for and making of the film.

The Local Scene: Shows, Publishing, and Getting Started
5:30PM-6:30PM
While not every city has congregations of cartoonists like Chicago or Portland, every city has its own particular advantages and special qualities that can create its own unique scene. Join moderator Robin Enrico along with publishers and scene-makers Juan Fernandez, Jamila Rowser, Avi Ehrlich, and Neil Brideau as they discuss ideas regarding pedagogy, connecting with local schools and institutions, and incorporating other media and art scenes in creating your own.

Playing With The Medium
6:45PM-7:45PM
The familiar grids and linear storytelling of comics have stood the test of time. However, there are always innovators looking to stretch the formal limits of comics. Be it creating metafictional narratives, creating constraints on a page, or integrating comics with other media, there's a rich tradition of playing with the medium of comics. Formal comics expert Dr. Craig Fischer will engage with experimental cartoonists Matt Madden, Shing Yin Khor, Nguyen K. Nguyen, and Joe Kessler on their formal experiments.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19

Comics and Meditative Intention
11AM-12:00PM
What mindset is required for cartoonists to work? Is drawing a form of work or play? How does this relate to Lynda Barry's conception of play as a serious, meditative activity? How do artists escape thinking about whether or not their work is good while they are doing it? Moderator Rob Clough discusses these and other questions with Hartley Lin, Keiler Roberts, Jason Shiga, and Luke Kruger-Howard.

Mixed Media Storytelling
12:15PM-1:15PM
Liz Reed of Cuddles and Rage walks you through how to sculpt Zombie Strawberries from C&R's graphic novel Bites of Terror. This online workshop is designed to use clay and household materials to create your very own mixed media comic at home. The materials needed include: white, green, and red clay (polymer or air dry), foil, toothpicks, q-tips, a paintbrush, a gray marker or paint, cotton balls, glue, and a cutting tool. We'd love to see your zombie strawberries in action! When posting to social tag @spxcomics and @cuddlesandrage. Bites of Terror is a mixed media horror anthology by Cuddles and Rage from Quirk Books. You can find Bites of Terror online wherever books are sold or buy the book directly from Cuddles and Rage on Etsy.

World-Building And New Futures
1:30PM-2:30PM
What does the world become when any future is imaginable? From the smallest details to -all-expansive histories, alternate worlds provide a glimpse of what is possible. Alice Santos joins Kevin Czap, Maki Naro, Casey Nowak, and Alissa Salah in an exploration of the process of constructing these new futures.

Focus On The Day The Klan Came To Town
3:00PM-4:00PM
This is a special spotlight on The Day The Klan Came To Town, a powerful work of historical fiction. It's based on the real events in 1923 when the KKK came to a small Pennsylvania town to make an example of its largely Jewish and Catholic populations, and how a group of people made a stand. Join moderator Dr. Qiana Whitted and creators Bill Campbell and Bizhan Khodabandeh as they explore the event and their adaptation.

Color and Narrative Innovation
3PM-4:00PM
Color is often secondary to line in comics, but a number of cartoonists have experimented with bringing color front and center. Not only that, but their innovations have included making color central to the emotional narratives of their stories. Moderator Rob Clough talks to Dash Shaw, Shira Spector, MariNaomi, and Tillie Walden about their challenges and experiences using color in bold, new ways.

Buer's Kiss
5:30PM-6:30PM
Büer's Kiss is a genre-bending live comics performance combining projected images, voice actors, and foley effects for an unforgettable adaptation of cartoonist Carl Antonowicz's graphic novel of the same name. This recording was made during the show's debut in 2018 at Pittsburgh's New Hazlett Theater.
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.
Small Press Expo
P.O. Box 5704
Bethesda, Maryland
20824
STAY CONNECTED
Small Press Expo | P.O. Box 5704, Bethesda, MD 20824