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	Poopsheet:News


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	Thursday, May 29, 2003 [comix] FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS NEEDS YOUR HELP To Comics Lovers Throughout the World: Fantagraphics Books has just celebrated its 27th year publishing many of the finest cartoonists from all over the world as well as our flagship publication, the magazine people love to hate, The Comics Journal. We are proud of our long-term commitment to comics as an art form and our dogged determination to push excellence down everybody's throats. This is all very well and good but it doesn't mean much in the face of brute economics - and it's the wall of brute economics that we've just hit, hard. Due to two major financial obstacles over the last two years, we're hard against it. Our former and now bankrupt book trade distributor went out of business owing us over $70,000 - which we will never see. (To add insult to injury, we learned that the owner is selling copies of our books that he should've returned on e-bay!) This unexpected shortfall necessitated taking out a couple loans which have now come due. In late 2001, our line was picked up by the W.W. NORTON COMPANY, who took over our bookstore distribution, and has done a magnificent job of providing us unprecedented access to the bookstore market. Inexperience with the book trade resulted in our erring on the side of overprinting our books too heavily throughout 2002, so that our anticipated profit is in fact sitting in our warehouse in the form of books. Loans must be paid in cash, not books. The only way to get out of this hole we've dug ourselves into is to sell those books. Which is where, we hope, you come in. Over the last few weeks, we've worked to fix our in-house problems (which included, most painfully, laying off several fine and long-term employees). We have put in place a system of checks and balances by which we will watch our inventory growth scrupulously. But, we have a debt to pay down and wolves at the door. It's so severe that this month we envisaged shutting down our active publishing, seeking outside investors, or similarly odious measures. (Fantagraphics continues to be owned 100% by Messrs. Gary Groth and Kim Thompson. We'd like it to remain that way.) If you've respected what Fantagraphics stands for and what we've done for the medium, if you've enjoyed our books, and if you want to insure that this proud tradition continues into this new and ominous century, we're asking you to help us now in our especial hour of need by buying some books. Put simply, we need to raise about $80,000 above our usual sales over the next month, and the only way to do that is to convert books into cash. We've spent the last quarter century trying hard to produce the best comics the world has ever seen. You've rewarded us over the years with your loyal patronage, your moral support, your praise, your intelligent and honest feedback, all of which are more than we could ever have hoped for. We know we have tens of thousands of loyal readers: if even a fraction of you come forward and order two or three books that you've been meaning to buy, we'll be over this hump. We've published some some of the best books ever over the last year -Gene Deitch's (yes, that Gene Deitch!) THE CAT ON A HOT THIN GROOVE; B. KRIGSTEIN, Greg Sadowski's definitive biography of the pioneering artist from the '50s; the magnificent FRANK collection; and the third volume of the extraordinary KRAZY KAT series. Our publishing plans for 2003 include a huge coffee table book by Will Elder (WILL ELDER: MAD PLAYBOY OF ART); KRIGSTEIN COMICS, a 240 page follow-up collection of Krigstein's best comics from the '50s, and new collections and graphic novels by Gilbert Hernandez, Jason, Dave Cooper, Robert Crumb, A.B. Frost, Bill Griffith, Gary Panter... We already sell books by mail, so, as clichéd as it sounds, we really do have operators standing by. You can view out catalogue online. You can order by calling our 800 number or on-line at our web site (all ordering information below.) If this was a standard pitch, we'd offer you some extra incentive - a discount or free books or knicknacks or whatnot. But, it's not. We're asking those of you who believe we've contributed something worthwhile and meaningful to help us continue to do so, that's all. We need the full retail value of our books. But we can offer something that won't cost us any money: anyone (individually or collectively) who buys $500 worth of books from us will get a personal phone call from Gary Groth thanking you for saving Fantagraphics' ass. Think how much fun this could be at a party! Secure Internet Orders: http://www.fantagraphics.com phone: 206-524-6165 or 800-657-1100 via FAX: 206-524-2104 via mail: Fantagraphics Books, 7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:00 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Tuesday, May 27, 2003 [zine] LOW HUG #9 JUST RELEASED Announcing: Low Hug No. 9 Castoff Culture: a guide to noteworthy books, films, LPs, musicians, television shows and more overlooked and ignored by the mainstream! Fifteen different contributors! Over forty entries! Contributions from S.C. Bailey, Steve Bojanowski, Davida Gypsy Breier (Leeking Ink, Xerography Debt), Claire Cocco (Off-line), Maria Goodman (Secret Mystery Love Shoes), Mark Hain (Dirt and Sky), L. Rob Hubbard (Mimezine), Eric Lyden (Fish with Legs), Greig Means (Clutch), A.j. Michel, Paul Riismandel (mediageek.org), Androo Robinson (Secret Mystery Love Shoes), Donny Smith (Dawn), Susan Talbutt (christmas-baking.com), Dan Taylor (The Hungover Gourmet) and Gordon Zola The Sky is Falling... and so is my attention span: the tedium of meteor showers! Please Stand By: Low Hug attends a television focus group trying to discover the next big hit! In friendship, does there have to be a Rhoda? The friendship dynamics of Sex and the City Plus tasty zine reviews and 10,000 Cups of Coffee! 40 digest-sized pages, plus a unique postally used postcard mounted on each cover! Spot color lovingly added throughout! This is a great issue – the contributions to Castoff Culture are wonderful, and I can't thank all the contributors enough! Only $3! To order, send $3 cash to A.j. Michel, PO Box 2574, Champaign IL 61825. Or, send $3.40 via Paypal using lowhug@yahoo.com. SPECIAL OFFER! Order the new Low Hug No. 9 along with Low Hug #8 for only $5. Save a buck! To order, send $5 cash to the above address or $5.45 via Paypal using lowhug@yahoo.com. Be sure to mention that you are ordering the 8/9 special when ordering. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:57 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] TOM HART PROMOTES COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY On a site produced by the U.S. Department of Treasury you'll find an interactive page called "Design Your Own Bill" which was entirely created by Tom Hart of Hutch Owen and Trunktown fame. Go here to begin printing your own money. Elsewhere on the site you can also find "Treasure Trivia Time", the creation of which Hart was also involved in. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:51 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] HICKEE #1 SHIPS FROM ALTERNATIVE IN SEPTEMBER San Francisco, California, May 26, 2003: Alternative Comics has announced that for September 2003, it will release the first hilarious new issue of the ongoing Hickee comic book anthology series from the San Francisco cartoonists behind the Hickee anthology collection (ISBN: 1-891867-01-6; Diamond Code: STAR 13433). On the heels of the tremendous success from the February 2003 release of their Hickee collection, the issues that will comprise the second volume are guaranteed to please. Hickee vol.2 #1 Perhaps the funniest anthology ever, Hickee has become a major contributor to the underground comics scene. Edited by Grickle creator Graham Annable, Hickee is a hefty treasure trove of visually arresting, hilarious, wise, and emotionally rereadable cartoon stories. The animation backgrounds of the contributing cartoonists really shine through impeccable pacing of the strips. Don’t miss this one! By Graham Annable, Paul Brown, Vamberto Maduro, Derek Sakai, Joe White, David Bogan, Razmig Mavlian, Nathan Stapley, Scott Campbell 48pg; 8.5” x 7"; B&W; $4.95 US; ISBN: 1-891867-57-1. The official Alternative Comics website is: http://www.indyworld.com/altcomics ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 3:20 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] JOSH NEUFELD'S THE VAGABONDS SHIPS IN JUNE The Vagabonds #1 is currently at the printer and is scheduled to ship the first week of June. By Josh Neufeld. Full-color covers, green ink on cream paper interiors. 24 pages, $2.95 ISBN: 1-891867-51-2; DCD: APR03 1923 In The Vagabonds, Josh Neufeld uses gentle humor and a keen eye for revelatory detail to explore religion, global politics and the mysteries of everyday life, in locales as diverse as the Thai countryside, San Francisco and New York City. Stranded in a remote corner of Thailand, Josh and Sari are taken in by a family of Baptist missionaries. New perspectives – the missionary view of Thai life and the Buddhist view of fireboats – force them to confront their own spiritual longings. Comics Worth Reading observes that Neufeld's comics "provide a street-level view of other cultures, with nothing whitewashed... The stories often remind us of the point of travelling – to experience and come to terms with the unknown, and ultimately to address your own spirituality and reason for being." Isn't it time you took a trip with The Vagabonds? Josh Neufeld co-created Keyhole (which ran for six issues with two different publishers) with Dean Haspiel. He is the co-creator and illustrator of Titans of Finance (also published by Alternative Comics). He has been a long-time artist for Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor and has contributed to anthologies such as The EXPO, Stripburger, World War 3 Illustrated, The Big Book of Urban Legends and Duplex Planet Illustrated. His comics have also appeared in Fortune Small Business, The Village Voice, The Chicago Reader, In These Times and Green magazine, as well as many other venues.He resides in Brooklyn and makes a living mixing freelance illustration with web design. Sample pages are available at: http://www.indyworld.com/josh ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 3:10 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] SCOTT MILLS RELEASES NEW BATCH OF MINIS From Scott Mills: RoBox is a handcrafted collection of 5 sci-fi mini-comics presented in a cool little box. Each mini has a two-color cover, and they are only available through me. Send $15 (includes S/H) to Scott Mills PO Box 345 Abingdon, MD 21009 or send PayPal funds via scottmills3@hotmail.com. Here's some info on the minis: Dog Man Star is a 12-page story about a human and his dog, both scientists, attempting to upload computer information into the Sun. 12 Robots is, well, 12 illustrations of robots! Beast Inside is an 8-page mini about the effect of nanite-repression on the human brain... sort of. Artificial Flowers is about nano-conversion technology. There's those pesky nanites again! Essential Wear for Future Trips to Space is a travel guide of sorts. It features important information you may need as you pack your bags and head for the stars. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 3:05 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] NEW MINI-COMICS DIRECTORY IN THE WORKS From A.F. Dumin: In the spirit of the much lamented Factsheet 5, I'm putting together a zine-sized directory of minicomics. If you're a cartoonist who makes minis and would like to be included in this listing, please e-mail me with the following information: 1. your name and address/e-mail/website where you can be reached for ordering info. 2. minis/self-published comics you've made and have available along with any descriptive information you'd like to include. You may also include any sample art or cover images you'd like to accompany your listing. 3. price and shipping. Also, feel free to send me a copy of any minis you have and I'll spotlight the best of them in a special section. (e-mail me and I'll send you my address) P.S. This is a massive undertaking and its success or failure depends on you guys, so spread the word to fellow small-pressers and have them contact me. Thanks for participating and I'll keep you all updated on the progress of the project. Thanks everybody, A.F.Dumin peterfishsticks@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:52 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] UK AWARDS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEKEND The 2003 National Comics Awards were announced at this past weekend's Comic Festival in Bristol, England and were voted on by comic readers in the UK. Ballot forms were included in the Comic Festival programme, Tripwire magazine, Borderline magazine, 2000AD comic, The Dandy, Warhammer monthly and on the website comicfestival.co.uk Following are some of the awards presented. • COMICS INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR COMIC OF THE YEAR: 2000AD • KNOCKABOUT AWARD FOR BEST SELF-PUBLISHED OR INDEPENDENT COMIC: Jack Staff by Paul Grist • BULLETPROOF COMICS AWARD FOR BEST ONLINE STRIP: Fred The Clown by Roger Langridge The remaining awards are listed at the Comic Festival website: http://comicfestival.co.uk ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:39 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Friday, May 23, 2003 [event] ALLIED MEDIA CONFERENCE, BOWLING GREEN, JUNE 13-15 The Allied Media Conference will be June 13-15 in Bowling Green, Ohio. If you were there last year, you know that it just might be the biggest, most enjoyable weekend of cross-media collaboration there is. It's a chance to learn new skills, share your experiences, and build networks. The emphasis is on making our own media, not reforming the mainstream system. Independent art and media makers and supporters will be out in force at the conference, including street artists, hip hop activists, zinemakers, newspapers, videographers, microcinemas, radio, culturejammers, cartoonists, hip hop, street artists, and radical cheerleading. Last year, almost one thousand people from 36 states and Canada showed up. Now it's your turn to represent. For complete conference info and to pre-register ($10), visit http://clamormagazine.org/amc2003 or email amc@clamormagazine.org CONFIRMED SESSIONS: • Building: Microcinema Caucus • Building: Alternative Press Syndicate Caucus • Community Outreach and DIY Journalism for Social Change • Editing for Independent Media • Hip Hop Activism as Media Arts for Transformation: a panel • How To: Do-It-Yourself Comics • How To: Investigative Journalism • How To: Interview Techniques for Radio and Television • How To: Screenprinting Basics and Advanced (2 Sessions) • How To: Street Stenciling • How To: Web Publications on a Limited Budget • Imagenation Film Fest • Living Radio: The Art of Documentary Audio • Making Bilingual Media • Media, Justice, Democracy: A Moderated Discussion • Money Matters: A Fundraising Workshop • Newsstand Distribution Tips • Operating a Sustainable Infoshop or Community Space: A Panel Discussion • Organizing Independent Film Festivals: A Panel Discussion • Performance as Protest: A Panel Discussion with People Who Are Out There Doing It. • Photography Basics • The Popular Culture Library at BGSU • Sell Out! Owning Up to the Marketing and Politics of Self-Publishing • Sin Fronteras Short Film Festival • So You Want to Start a Print Publication? A Panel Discussion With New and Not-So-New Publishers • Progressive Enterprise: A Panel on Sustaining Yourself On Your Art/Activism/Media • Radical Art History: Print and Video • Your Revolution WILL BE Televised: Paper Tiger TV Video Organizing • Zine Guide's Readings from the Underground [ thanks to Clamor ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:55 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Wednesday, May 21, 2003 [comix:media] LEELA CORMAN, JASON LITTLE, LANCE TOOKS ON THE AIR IN NYC, MAY 23 Brian Lehrer will host New York cartoonists Leela Corman (Subway Series), Jason Little (Shutterbug Follies) and Lance Tooks (Narcissa) on “The Brian Lehrer Show” on WNYC radio live on Friday, May 23 at 11:30AM EST. The show will be available both live and then archived on-line at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl. In New York, “The Brian Lehrer Show” airs weekdays at 10AM on 93.9 FM and AM 820 and Tuesdays through Saturdays at 1AM on AM 820 [ thanks to Jeff Mason ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:33 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] DARK HORSE STRIP SEARCH II CONTINUES TO SEEK NEW TALENT From Dark Horse Comics: Dark Horse is now accepting entries for Strip Search II, the second wave of it’s on-line anthology. The project, which first began in August 2002, has posted more than forty comics by new artists on darkhorse.com. The web site receives thousands of hits every day, giving new, up and coming artists a chance to garner extensive exposure. Visitors to darkhorse.com can vote monthly for one lucky artist or team to win fabulous prizes. At the end of the contest, one of the monthly winners will receive a grand prize of $1000 cash money. Voting for grand-prize winners will begin in August, the same month that will see the first selection for Strip Search II posted on the site. Artists interested in taking part must first visit www.darkhorse.com/stripsearch for a complete list of rules. Any submissions that don't follow those rules will be discarded. A list of rules is also available by sending a SASE to: Strip Search, Dark Horse Comics, 10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222 USA. Also, keep an eye out for Strip Search, a printed anthology featuring selected stories from the first year’s entries, on sale in early 2004. Break out the art board and sharpen those pencils, Strip Search wants to make you a star! ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:25 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] NEW AMERICAN SPLENDOR IN AUGUST From Dark Horse Comics: American Splendor collection hits stands as Sundance favorite released in theatres nationwide Few authors are able to capture an honest snapshot of everyday life the way Harvey Pekar can. From ruminations on jazz musicians to back problems and traffic tickets, Pekar writes in a clear, unsentimental voice that not only explores the mundane, but celebrates it as well. This time out in American Splendor: Unsung Hero, Pekar focuses his sharp literary eye on Robert McNeill, an ordinary man who’s lived an extraordinary life. McNeill recounts his time spent as a G.I. in Vietnam, on a tour through that surreal and horrific landscape that even now, thirty years later, we’re struggling to define. Unsung Hero is a tale of cynicism and endurance, tempered by McNeill’s distinct sense of humor and Pekar’s touching wit. This is the first Dark Horse collection from the long-running comic-book series that inspired the upcoming American Splendor feature film, which won the prestigious Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and has earned both critical and popular acclaim. American Splendor: Unsung Hero by Harvey Pekar with art by David Collier arrives in stores August 20, with a retail price of $11.95. www.darkhorse.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:22 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] DONNA BARR NEWS From Donna: On May 23, the Ancient Stinz story, "Play It Again" begins at www.girlamatic.com It's 57 episodes long, full color, and continues the story started in the original Stinz novel, "An Insupportable Light" – which, by the way, I intend to publish from www.booksurge.com, with a target date around 17th July, 2003 – at the San Diego Comicon International. "The Executioner" continues at www.moderntales.com. Full-color. And yes, it's bloody and scary, but it's a bloody scary story. Donna Barr www.stinz.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:40 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Tuesday, May 20, 2003 [event:comix] 2ND SEQUENTIAL ART STUDIES CONFERENCE IN SYDNEY, MAY 23 The Interdisciplinary Studies Unit of the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building announces a Visual Culture event. It will host the Second Sequential Art Studies Conference, a mini-conference on mini-comics, at the University of Technology, Sydney on Friday 23 May from 4-8pm, in Room 6.322 and afterwards at the Clare Hotel on Broadway. At this scholarly meeting there will be presentations by both artists and academics. It is a FREE event and all students, researchers and fans of the comics medium are invited to attend. The conference will be opened by Assoc. Prof. Steve Harfield. Academics: Michael Hill on Glenn Smith Craig Norris on Manga Adam Possamaï on Superheroes Spiros Tsaousis on The Yellow Kid Artists: Alex Major (Naomi and Poggie) Komala Singh (Moshi Moshi) Bernard Caleo (Cardigan Comics) Katarina Knebel (Cult Fiction Comics) Ben Hutchings (Geeen Comix) David McDermott (Glitter Shy) All enquiries should be directed to the conference convenor: Michael Hill, Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Unit tel: (02) 9514 8967 email: Michael.Hill@uts.edu.au ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:10 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Monday, May 19, 2003 [event:comix] ST. LOUIS COMIC ART SHOW IN SEPTEMBER WITH PANTER, BURNS Below is the first bit of information (from the show's website) about this show sponsored by Comic Art, Star Clipper Comics and USS Catastrophe. Go here for full details. • A one-day event held in downtown St. Louis, at the dynamic City Museum, on Saturday, September 27th. • Spotlighting small-press comics publishers and creators. • Featuring one room for vendors and another devoted entirely to a gallery show for the work of Gary Panter and Charles Burns. • Followed by a moderated discourse by Panter and Burns at Washington University's Steinberg Auditorium on their body of work. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:38 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] NEW ALTER EGO AND WALLACE WOOD CHECKLIST COMING IN SEPTEMBER FROM TWOMORROWS ALTER EGO #28 spotlights JOE MANEELY and A DOUBLE DOSE OF FAWCETT FANTASY! There’s two cataclysmic full-color covers: A Maneely montage of 1950s Marvel (Sub-Mariner, Ringo Kid, Black Knight, et al.), and DON NEWTON (Captain Marvel and Mr. Mind)! An in-depth study of JOE MANEELY, the Timely/Atlas/Marvel titan of the 1950s - plus an interview with Joe’s daughter, and tons of magnificent Maneely art! Rare Marvel art from the 1950s by BILL EVERETT, JOHN SEVERIN, STEVE DITKO, JACK KIRBY, JOHN ROMITA, and the whole blamed bullpen! Double-size FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) section with C.C. BECK, MARC SWAYZE, STEVE SKEATES, The Shazam!/Isis Hour, and The Monster Society of Evil! LEE AMES, Golden Age artist for Quality, the Iger Studios, and pre-New Trend EC - in a fascinating interview by JIM AMASH! Plus: ALEX TOTH - MICHAEL T. GILBERT - BILL SCHELLY interviews Squa Tront’s JOHN BENSON (Part II) - and MORE!!! The 108 page, saddle-stitched 8-1/2" x 11" magazine with a full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for $5.95 in the U.S. and ships 10 September 2003. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE WALLACE WOOD CHECKLIST Released in conjunction with our trade paperback AGAINST THE GRAIN, the WALLACE WOOD CHECKLIST is the most thorough listing of Wood’s work ever published! This fully-updated, definitive edition took more than 20 Wood experts over two decades to compile, and lists in exacting detail Woody’s published comic work, including dates, story titles, page counts, and even documents the assistants who worked with him! It also includes his newspaper, advertising, and fanzine work, plus a myriad of more obscure Wood pieces such as gum cards, stickers, greeting cards, and more! Also included are listings of his unpublished work, direct from Bill Pearson, executor of Wood’s estate, who has access to Wood’s own files. Plus, it’s profusely illustrated throughout with glorious Wood artwork! It’s a must-have item for the serious collector of Wood work! This 68 page (64 pages plus a 4 page cover), saddle-stiched, comic book sized (7" x 10") magazine checklist with a four-color cover and a black & white interior retails for $5.95 in the U.S. and ships 24 September 2003. http://twomorrows.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:19 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [event:comix] ALTERNATIVE STRIP CARTOONISTS EXHIBIT AT CARTOON ART MUSEUM Alternative to What? Comic Art of the Free Weeklies June 14-October 5, 2003 Since the debut of The Village Voice in 1955, alternative weekly newspapers have provided readers with news and opinions not typically found in the mainstream media. Operating under a unique set of editorial guidelines, these free newsweeklies offer a distinctive take on current events, both in their approach and in their choice of coverage. It should come as no surprise, then, that this decidedly different form of newspaper would spawn a decidedly different form of newspaper cartoon. Alternative to What? examines the work of some of today?s most talented alternative newspaper cartoonists and the groundbreaking comics that they have created. Utilizing a format and a forum unlike that of typical daily comic-strip cartoonists, these artists have produced some of the most inspired and thought-provoking comics in the medium today, with subject matter ranging from the personal to the political to the truly bizarre. The artists featured in this exhibition are Lalo Alcaraz (Cartoonista), Ruben Bolling (Tom the Dancing Bug), Max Cannon (Red Meat), Lloyd Dangle (Troubletown), Derf (The City), Jules Feiffer (Feiffer), Sam Henderson (The Magic Whistle), Ben Katchor (Julius Knipl), Kaz (Underworld), Keith Knight (The 'K' Chronicles, (th)ink), Carol Lay (Story Minute), Tony Millionaire (Maakies), Nina Paley (Nina's Adventures) and Tom Tomorrow (This Modern World). Alternative to What? will be on display at the Cartoon Art Museum from June 14 to October 5, 2003. The date and time of the opening reception for this exhibition and the upcoming Great Comic Cats will be announced shortly. www.cartoonart.org/ ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 1:02 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [event:comix] GLOECKNER AND DANGLE SIGN IN NYC TODAY, MAY 19 Cartoonists Lloyd Dangle and Phoebe Gloeckner will be appearing in New York City for a happy hour signing of their new books. Lloyd will be signing, Axis of Trouble, an Arsenal of Troubletown Cartoons, and Phoebe will be signing her highly-acclaimed illustrated novel, The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Come and meet the artists! Monday, May 19, 4pm -- 8pm Motor City Bar 127 Ludlow St. (just below Stanton) New York City ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:55 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [zine] ALTAR MAGAZINE DEBUTS Altar Magazine is a forum for critical thought, coalition building, artistic creativity, and activism. Issue One is Available Now! FEATURING... Interviews with: * Mr. Lif on the politics of hip-hop * Sleater Kinney, ladymen in effect * Elaine Brown and Constance Curry, two civil rights activists talk about current politics * shebang!, and all-girl breaking crew from Canada chat about being b-girl pioneers * Bitch & Animal, self-described tittie tribal hoe down funk Articles: * Before and After September 11th: Notes from an Anti-Racist, Feminist Patriot by Zillah Eisenstein * Justice is a Human Right, the struggle for prison reform by Vanessa Filley * A Look at the Emergence of Graffiti Culture by J. Jarosz * Hajira: Part One, a short story about a friendship between two Pakistani women struggling to define themselves within the confines of their expected societal roles AND MORE!!! For more information about Altar Magazine, visit our website at www.altarmagazine.com or email us with any questions at info@altarmagazine.com. We appreciate your support! MISSION STATEMENT Altar Magazine believes that problems are not monolithic, and neither are solutions. It is imperative to have socially progressive women and men fighting on all fronts of the movement whether that is anti-racist work, feminism, anti-heterosexism, economic justice or any other political action. Altar Magazine exists within a community that is fragmented, but not broken. It exists in a time when coalition is crucial and must be implemented. We believe that the personal is political; therefore, all forms of creativity are inherently political. We want to create a space where critical thought and understanding happen simultaneously. This is important because before we can create social change we must be able to re-imagine communities that foster difference. We must be able to take ownership of that which we do not claim in order to effectively critique this oppressive system that we know and perpetuate. Social change is not momentous. It is a process. Our hope is that each individual recognizes his or her place within this system of change. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:31 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] MORE CONVENTION-RELATED CONTROVERSY [ If the Make-A-Wish/Pittsburgh Comicon story I posted on May 10th interested you, here's another bit about this past weekend's Motor City Comic Con in Detroit. The full article may be found here. ] Excerpted from a Detroit Free Press article: The Muscular Dystrophy Association called off an auction, said Bob Mackle, MDA's director of public information. "It was brought to our attention that some of the celebrity guests who were going to appear at the convention were either models for adult magazines or had appeared in adult movies," Mackle said, adding that the MDA didn't want to offend its donors or the families it serves. Convention coordinator Gary Bishop said, "We have Playboy playmates. That's a part of pop culture. We are a pop-culture convention." The models and volunteers police the area around their tables to keep children away, he said. Some parents said those areas should have been more clearly marked. "It needs to be more obvious that this is where you don't take your kids," said Cecelia Julien of West Bloomfield, who was at the convention with her husband and son William, 9, a.k.a. Anakin Skywalker. Bishop said it isn't just families with children that the Motor City Comic Con attracts. "The show is for the entire public," he said. [ thanks to Freddy ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:08 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Sunday, May 18, 2003 [comix] BROAD APPEAL LAUNCH PARTY IN NYC, JUNE 6 MoCCA and Friends of Lulu are hosting the premiere party for Broad Appeal, a new anthology of female cartoonists. Come join us and meet the girls featured in the book! Friday, June 6, 2003 7-10 pm MoCCA hq: 32 Union Square East Suite 600 New York, NY (212) 254-3511 http://www.moccany.org for details & RSVP The party will feature an art exhibit of some of the original artwork from Broad Appeal, free food & drinks, raffle prizes including a $50 gift certificate to Jim Hanley's Universe, and more. Free copy of the book with each admission (a mere $6 suggested!), a $10 retail value. The book features illustrated stories by: Sarah Anderson-Lock, Donna Barr, Ariel Bordeaux, Becky Cloonan, Abby Denson, Kris Dresen, Jennifer Feinberg, Fly, Ellen Forney, Amy Kim Ganter, Shaenon K. Garrity, Jenny Gonzalez, Rachel Hartman, Janet Hetherington, Jannie Ho, Hellen Jo, June K., Megan Kelso, Missy Kulik, Miss Lasko-Gross, Lela Lee, Ellen Lindner, Mary Minch, Doreen A. Mulryan, Sarah Newhouse, Lark Pien, Kirsten Peterson, Elayne Riggs, Michele Roman, Shanequa Roberts, Vanessa Satone, Jen Sorensen, Diana Sprinkle, Raina Telgemeier, Anne Timmons, Catherine Tutrone and Sara Varon. Copies will hit stores in August. [ thanks to Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 1:25 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Friday, May 16, 2003 [zine] BURNT #6 OUT NOW From Franco Ortega: BURNT #6 (Spring '03) [36pg, 1/2-legal, photocopied, $1.25 / $1 + 1 stamp / 4 stamps] Burnt is a cut & paste zine that contains personal and political pieces by a variety of people. Our quickest & thickest issue to date contains another mix of old and new writers whose stories & articles cover the following topics: - dealing with a bully - pro-condom humor rant - carriage horse rights - reaction to criticisms on pacifism - happiness vs. job security - creeps on the streets - having a project ruined by greed - a first-timer's rave story who'll never go again - remembering a friend who died while helping refugees - 78 zine/book/dvd/music reviews - zine events listing Check out the website for more info and to read samples from the zine! The forwarding URL that I was using for the website died last month, so please update any links and go here from now on: http://grub.implicate.net/burntzine/ Also, I'm looking for a new zine reviewer. Preferably someone interested in, but not limited to, really thick zines (ie. Razorcake, WonkaVision, Jersey Beat, READ, etc). Maybe someone for music too. If you are seriously interested and reliable, get in touch. And finally, we have a lot of used & promo albums for sale at the website for really cheap. Check 'em all out, and soon because things with the zine will go on hold next month while I get settled in a new home across the country. If you have any questions, let me know! con queso, franco P.O. Box 5754 \| Parsippany, NJ 07054 http://grub.implicate.net/burntzine/ ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:35 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Thursday, May 15, 2003 [comix] STRIPBUREK EXHIBITION CONTINUES IN PORTUGAL From Strip Core: Stripburger’s traveling exhibition of originals published in the anthology Stripburek – Comics from the Other Europe is successfully continuing presentation of East European comics artists. From Stockholm the exhibition is moving to Lisbon for the fifth International Festival of Comics and Illustration Salão Lisboa. This year the festival'ss main theme is “Frontiers” and with Germany as a guest country the festival will from 16th May until 22nd June present numerous comics and illustration exhibitions and new publications from Portuguese comics labels. The festival will open Stripburger’s exhibition on Thursday, 15th May 2003 at the Pavilion Portugal. This time Stripburger will be presented by Igor Prassel, the editor, who will also participate on the discussion titled "Check Point Charlie", and Serbian artists Aleksandar Opacic and Aleksandar Zograf. Aleksandar Zograf will also exhibit his works in the exhibition dedicated to comics journalism. http://www.bedeteca.com/ http://www.ljudmila.org/stripcore ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 8:58 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [zines] PHILADELPHIA ZINE FEST, JULY 13 From Andrea: The first ever Philadelphia Zine Fest will be held Sunday July 13th at the Rotunda, 4012 Walnut Street. More info can be found on the website at www.geocities.com/phillyzinefest. Please post about it on your website, link to us, spread the word, and of course, attend! Questions can be directed to phillyzinefest@yahoo.com. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 8:51 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] SPX 2003 LINE-UP ANNOUNCED From The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: The CBLDF is proud to announce the contributors to this year's SPX anthology. Published annually by the CBLDF to coincide with the Bethesda, MD small press comix convention, the SPX anthology has become the comics equivalent of serious literary magazines like Granta and The Paris Review. This year's anthology follows a travel theme and boasts 300 pages of stunning stories by the following emerging creators: Eve Englezos & Joshua Moutray, Matthew Bogart, Adam Sacks, Ken Boesem, Jeff Sharp, Andrea Gurne, Neelam Arora, Bryan O'Malley, Dan Hernandez, Mike Lowery, Jessica Fink, Sharon Furgason, Shane Durgee, Karl Kersghl & Brenden Fletcher, Tom Neely, Carl Mitsch, Melanie Lewis, Brian Musikoff, Jacob Steingroot, Metaphrog, Josh Neufeld, Miriam Katin, Rob G, Justin Hall, Michael G. Sivak, R. Sikoryak, R. Kikuo Johnson, Joselph Holsapple, J. Tanner, Corey Ross, Nate Neal, Travis Nichols, Doug Olsen, Gareth Hinds, Parrish Baker, Marc Bryant & Malcolm Jones, Bryant Paul Johnson, Mike Dawson & Chris Radtke, Ryan Browne, Shawn Cheng, Shannon Brady, Robert Bienvenu, Peter Conrad, and Joel Priddy. The book's stories range from the humorous to the heart rending, taking readers on a whirlwind tour of the world and the emotions of exploring it. Still the best bargain in comics, this year's book will come in at 300 pages for only $9.95. Preorder it now from page 307 of Previews and support the CBLDF! The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. Donations and inquiries should be directed to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at P.O. Box 693, Northampton, MA 01061. 413-584-7151/Phone 413-582-6955/fax info@cbldf.org For additional information, call 800-99-CBLDF or visit http://www.cbldf.org ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 8:46 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] PROJECT: TELSTAR TRAVELLING ART SHOW AdHouse Books is pleased to announce the following event! The Project: Telstar Travelling Art Show A compendium of paintings, serigraphs and original pen and ink art objects that were either used in or inspired by the creator's story for the book Project: Telstar. The show will contain various art objects for purchase, like: - Dave Cooper original pen & ink - the Plankton Art Company serigraphs - King Mini original alien paintings! Also, to commemorate the show, a limited edition serigraph will be created by Jay Ryan of The Bird Machine. The three-city tour will cross the United States. Each city will have an opening party where Telstar creators will be in attendance. The cities are: Richmond: Richmond Comix < 06.04.03 - 06.25.03 > www.richmondcomix.com 14249 Midlothian Turnpike Midlothian, VA 23113 804.594.2845 & Velocity Comics < 06.06.03 - 06.25.03 > 818 W. Grace Street Richmond, VA 23220 804.254.5883 Minneapolis: Big Brain Comics < 07.05.03 - 07.23.03 > 81 South Tenth Street Downtown Minneapolis 612.338.4390 Los Angeles: Meltdown < 08.09.03 - 09.02.03 > www.meltcomics.com 7522 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90046 323.851.7223 For more information about Project: Telstar or AdHouse Books: www.adhousebooks.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 8:39 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] TEXAS COMICS CREATORS FORUM IN HOUSTON The Graphic Novel Discussion Group and ithinkican.com present: COMICS CAFE: The Third Annual Texas Comics Creators Forum 8 pm Thursday, May 22, at Borders Books and Music - River Oaks location (upstairs in the cafe), 3025 Kirby (@ W. Alabama) in Houston, Texas Join us for an informal gathering of comics readers and creators. Hang out, drink coffee, meet artists and writers, talk about comics, learn about self publishing, show your portfolio, participate in a comics jam. If you publish a comic, mini-comic or zine, bring some copies to trade with other self publishers. This event is free and open to the general public. You don't have to be a comic creator (or a Texan) to attend. [ thanks to Shane Boyle ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 8:32 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Saturday, May 10, 2003 [comix/media] PITTSBURGH COMICON CENTER OF CONTROVERSY From Zwire: Protesters bombard Make-a-Wish Foundation with e-mails A Make-A-Wish Foundation chapter has become the target of a nationwide e-mail protest organized by a family values organization that claims the comic book convention where the chapter holds an annual fund-raiser is a "celebration of pornography, witchcraft, demonology and the occult." Make-A-Wish has received more than 16,800 e-mails in just over a week from people opposed to the fund-raiser at Comicon, a Pittsburgh-area comic book convention, said Judith Stone, president and chief executive director of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania & Southern West Virginia. "We know that Comicon features pornographic magazines and that they bring in people who sell their body to profit themselves and that Make-A-Wish, this chapter, doesn't have a problem with that," said Randy Sharp, a spokesman for the American Family Association, based in Tupelo, Miss., which organized the protest. The Make-A-Wish Foundation does a thorough review of all fund-raiser locations and has found nothing offensive at the festival, Stone said. The foundation holds an all-ages casino night and an auction in a hotel adjacent to the convention to raise money for children with terminal or life-threatening conditions. The foundation raised $27,000 during the event last year, using the money to grant the wishes of 38 children, including a trip to Disney World, new bedroom furniture and repairs to a pool that had fallen into disrepair. Renee George, who has run Comicon for 10 years, said four Playboy bunnies signed autographs at last year's event, but that "they were wearing more clothes than some people who just came for the show." There was also a vendor selling Playboy, though the magazines were wrapped and sold only to adults. "There's been $160,000 raised for this organization in 10 years," George said. "We have seven healthy children and we recognize this as a real important cause. This convention is a lot of fun and it is for families." A report filed by Diane Gramley, president of American Family Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, said pictures of nude and seminude playmates were visible and that she saw "several young men (early teens) 'checking out' the photos on the tables at the Playboy Playmates' tables." Comicon no longer advertises the Make-A-Wish events on its Web site, but George and the Make-A-Wish Foundation said the fund-raisers would likely continue. __ On the Net: Make-A-Wish: http://www.wishwesternpa.org/n/ Comicon: http://www.pittsburghcomicon.com/ AFA: http://www.afa.net [ thanks to Jeff Mason ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:51 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] ZOMBIE COMMANDOS FROM HELL NEWS From Steph Dumais: The comic now has it's own website! WWW.ZOMBIECOMMANDOS.COM is the new address for your bookmarks. Unfortunately, I've been busy as hell with the latest issue so I havent had time to revamp that just yet. You can still order the shit there however. The revamp will include a bunch of reviews for the soundtrack I've accumulated from various magazines and online zines. The latest news on the comic itself: artwork has been completed for issue 4, I'm now working on some corrections and layout to ship it off to the printer next week. This baby hits the shelves in June! This issue contains more art from myself than any previous one, but I still have some great guest artists such as Bryan Baugh, Meanjames, Jeff Gaither and none other than Mike Diana! Expect some sickening art! For news about my ongoing work, check out my new online blog at www.raisinlove.com. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 10:14 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Friday, May 09, 2003 [art/comix] GENE DEITCH IN BERKELEY MAY 16TH From Fantagraphics Books: YOU ARE INVITED: WHAT: AN EVENING WITH GENE DEITCH WHERE: COMIC RELIEF IN BERKELEY, CA WHEN: FRIDAY, MAY 16th, FROM 7 TO 8 P.M. FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS and COMIC RELIEF are pleased to present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: the chance to meet and mingle with the Academy Award-winning animator and cartoonist GENE DEITCH, author of THE CAT ON A HOT THIN GROOVE and father to underground cartoonist KIM DEITCH. This is the only public appearance that Deitch, 79, will be making to promote THE CAT ON A HOT THIN GROOVE. The cartoonist, who has lived in Prague for over 30 years, will be returning home that weekend, making this an extremely rare opportunity to meet a living legend. On the long road to becoming an Oscar-winning animation director, Gene Deitch became an intense jazz fan. At the age of 21 in 1945, he discovered The Record Changer magazine, a jazz collector’s magazine filled with fanatical, scholarly, and purist essays about jazz as well as listings of hard-to-find jazz albums. Deitch created a cartoon feature for Record Changer titled “The Cat,” which quickly became a fixture at the magazine. He also started drawing the covers, which graved almost every issue from 1945 to 1951 along with “The Cat.” Deitch’s stylistically virtuoso images exquisitely embodied the essence of jazz and became a visual paean to the joy of collecting and appreciating jazz. Fantagraphics Books is proud to collect all of Deitch’s Record Changer covers and “Cat” cartoons in one coffee-table, landscape-format art book, reproducing his covers in the same gorgeous colors in which they first appeared as well as the black-and-white Cat cartoons and a commentary by Deitch — who later went on to become an award-wining animator as the Creative Director of CBS/Terrytoons, where he created Tom Terrific and Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog for The Captain Kangaroo Show, as well as many other animated features. THE CAT ON A HOT THIN GROOVE • By Gene Deitch $39.95 • 200 pp. • Full-Color • ISBN: 1-56097-526-1 Fantagraphics Books: http://fantagraphics.com/ COMIC RELIEF • 2138 University Avenue • Berkeley, CA 94704 • 510.843.5002 ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:21 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Wednesday, May 07, 2003 [comix/music] K CHRONICLES SIGNING IN SAN FRANCISCO Keith Knight will be signing books and serving jello-shots at the Blue Danube coffeehouse (306 Clement St. near 4th Ave. in San Francisco's inner Richmond) this Thursday, May 8, from 7-8:30pm. Hear a sneak preview of the new Marginal Prophets (Keef's band) disc Bohemian Rap C.D. [ thanks to Andrew Farago ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:09 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [music] JAMES KOCHALKA SUPERSTAR LIVE VIA WEBCAST From James Kochalka: Saturday, May 10 you can watch me rock live on the internet. We'll be sure to play at least one new song you've never heard before. I'll be playing a James Kochalka Superstar show (opening up for Mike Watt) at Higher Ground, which you'll be able to watch live on the internet at the Digital Club Network (dcn.com)... probably at 9:00 pm (EST). Here's the link to my page there: http://www.dcn.com/contest/band_page.jsp?artist_id=10798 ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:42 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Tuesday, May 06, 2003 [art/comix] SCALZO, PETRUCCI, BRANDOU, BURKE, EXTREMO EXHIBIT IN SEATTLE Roq la Rue Gallery presents "A Sweet Sickness" new paintings by Lisa Petrucci, Kevin Scalzo, Dave Burke, Andrew Brandou and Extremo the Clown Opening Friday May 9th 6-10pm Roq la Rue is pleased to present a group show of new paintings by five artists for May. Entitled "A Sweet Sickness" the works exhibited are all varied in style, yet all share a vivid exuberance about them combined with a underlaying layer of carnivalesque creepiness. Taking cues from everything from vintage children's books, carnival sign painting, '60s TV shows, Charles Addams, and japanese cartoons, this show will be a cartoon sideshow of pop whimsy. Lisa Petrucci takes found wooden plaques, strips them, and repaints them with images of her personal and visual obsessions, such as unknown, low-budget pin up girls, Liddle Kiddles and other hyper-girly toys of the '60s and '70s, and big eyed Keane inspired animals. She then coats the painting in a thick layer of Envirotex, giving them a super glossy candy-like coating. While Lisa says her work is " technically more akin to the arts and crafts hobbies of suburban housewives than the work of serious contemporary artists" her jewel-like work is avidly collected around the country and is often sold before she paints it. Andrew Brandou is an Los Angeles painter and illustrator who's work are modern day takes on the '50s Beaver Cleaver portrayal of youthful innocence. Aesthetically akin to mid century children's books the works exudes extraordinary charm while he twists his images to juxtapoz a serene image with a creepy vibe...such as a freckled kid in dungarees playing with a troupe of barnyard animals, only in this case the kid is giving the pig a tattoo... Dave Burke's artistic forte has been the painting of monsters, monsters, monsters... no quarter asked. In his new series he will exhibit a new series of his "Monster Babies"- candy colored renditions of cute lil' shrunken heads, vampirettes, strippers, and space freaks. Kevin Scalzo is a local painter and illustrator who's signature sweaty, drippy, and cute n'creepy characters have graced both assorted alternative magazines and gallery walls. He will be exhibiting close to twenty new paintings. And then there is Extremo the Clown. A 30 year veteran commercial artist, Extremo's work has been featured in traveling carnivals across the U.S. and Canada in the form of funhouse facades and darkride murals. In a strange twist of fate, Extremo was asked to participate in an gallery show in Portland and since then has created a sensation in the West Coast art scene with his "big ass" colorful funhouse characters and creations with no less than 3 gallery shows lined up in Los Angeles this year! Always the character - Extremo says "My favorite art is the overly animated airbrushed crap you see on Cereal boxes, Snap Crackle, Pop Art I call it! That's what I aspire to". Extremo will also be gracing us with the presence of his insane artcar Mirabilis Stauarius Vehiculum at the opening. Roq la Rue Gallery 2316 2nd Avenue Seattle WA 98121 http://www.roqlarue.com/ Shows runs through May 31st. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 1:35 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix:web] FAITH ERIN HICKS' ICE JOINS MODERN TALES Modern Tales, the leading publisher of subscription-based webcomics, announced today that "Ice," by webcomics star Faith Erin Hicks ("Demonology 101") will be joining the line-up of ModernTales.com, the company's flagship anthology publication. Sneak preview artwork: http://www.talkaboutcomics.com/viewtopic.php?p=36788 "We've been wanting to get Faith on board for the longest time," said Joey Manley, Modern Tales' Publisher. "And now the stars have finally aligned. 'Demonology 101,' which Faith has described to me as a 'mere practice comic,' is phenomenal – as her thousands of readers will tell you. Her new Modern Tales series 'Ice' kicks it up a notch or two. People who know Faith's work – and, perhaps even moreso, people who don't – are going to be blown away." Creator Faith Erin Hicks said of the new series, "Despite its tongue-in-cheek first installment, Ice is a dark comic, one that I've had brewing in my head for a good while now. Its plotline, dealing with higher conspiracy, energy shortages and fridged temperatures, is quite different from Demonology 101, but certain elements, such as quirky characters (my personal favorite is the star of the show, Hunter, a dreadlocked scrounger who wasn't always so hard-bitten) and charming villains are similar. I like to think of Ice as a relationship comic wrapped in a William Gibson-esque plot. I'm excited to be trying something new and testing my artistic abilities." When asked why she had chosen to join the subscription-based webcomics anthology Modern Tales, despite having a very popular website with a large fan following, Hicks said, "I loved the story I created for Ice, and thought it was too good not to do, but the idea of creating another online comic with a setup similar to Demonology 101 didn't appeal to me at all. I was interested in being part of a group, and had heard good things about Modern Tales, so the solution seemed quite obvious. I'm very happy to be on board the Modern Tales site." "Ice" will debut today (Tuesday, May 6, 2003) on the ModernTales.com website, and update twice weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays) thereafter. Like most of the comics on ModernTales.com, the latest installment of "Ice" can be viewed freely by all. "It's like following a comic in your local newspaper," said Manley, "one strip at a time." But those who want access to the full story, and to other special features, must subscribe to the site. Paying the subscription price of 2.95/month or $29.95/year allows a subscriber to read the archives of all 32 of the constantly-updating series on Modern Tales, as well as numerous special features, including a vast library of online graphic novels in the section of the site called "Modern Tales Longplay." Modern Tales launched a little over a year ago -- on March 2, 2002 - and is now the acknowledged leader of fee-based webcomics, with thousands of paying subscribers, and tens of thousands of daily readers. For more information: http://www.moderntales.com http://faith.rydia.net/ ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 12:16 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [zines] JOHN MARR OF MURDER CAN BE FUN TO READ ON THE AIR From Roman Mars: This week on "Invisible Ink", John Marr reads two stories; "The Great Boston Molasses Flood" and "Death at Disneyland". We also talk about the origin of his zine Murder Can Be Fun, and find out about the next issue, all about music and death, that's due out this summer. The upcoming issue #19 has been five years in the making. "Invisible Ink" is a weekly radio zine, featuring stories and commentaries from the local, independent, and underground press. 2pm Sunday KALW 91.7 FM San Francisco http://www.invisibleinkradio.com (news, archived shows, blog) cheers, roman mars ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:27 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] DAVID HEDGECOCK ILLUSTRATES KAMEELMAN ALTERNATE ENDING Portland, Ore. - May 2, 2003 - A1 Oregon Publishing announces David Hedgecock is the newest guest artist brought on-board to illustrate the Kameelman comic book alternate ending. For each Kameelman printed edition, A1 Oregon publishes a fully-illustrated alternate ending and makes it available to fans for free on the Internet! The digital alternate ending is available for viewing at no charge by entering a password protected area of the Kameelman web site at www.kameelman.com. A caption box containing the "Easter egg" password is "found" inside the printed version. Hedgecock's pencil illustrations for issue #2 were inked by James Taylor. James is the regular inker on Ron Randall's pencils in the print edition. Rick Legleiter, President of A1 Oregon Publishing, says, "We are very pleased to have David working with our team. He has potential to score the 'big break' and is currently doing the right things early in his career to build for future success. He just needs the exposure. Overall we are proud to showcase and promote new artists such as David by providing illustrators a break to get more published work under their belts." As for working on the alternate ending Hedgecock says, "It's a nice concept. It gives people a reason to thumb through the book and take a second look at that great Randall/Taylor artwork. It doesn't hurt to give the audience a little something extra for their $$ either. My main goal was not to screw up." Hedgecock's other recently published works include two issues of Rabbit which he wrote, illustrated and lettered for Sharkbait Press, a one shot assignment penciling Frankenstein Rising for Hominid Press, and Furrlough short stories from Radio Comix which he also wrote and illustrated. David reports, "I've just completed pencils on a three issue series called 15Minutes which we hope will be out soon and I'm putting the finishing touches on a new Rabbit graphic novel for next January." On the personal side, David, who resides in San Diego, claims to be an eyewitness to the first landing of the space shuttle, swimming bare-skinned with a school of newborn squid, hiking down and back up the Grand Canyon in a single day, and declaring his U.S. citizenship at the Mexican border on more than one occasion. When asked what he most wants to be known for he says, "As the guy who revived Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew." Kameelman #2 is currently available in comic book shops and on the Internet at www.superherostuff.com. Retailer reorders are available from Cold Cut, FM International and Diamond comic book distributors. Kameelman #3 is listed in May Previews on page 241, (MAY03 1882) www.a1oregon.com www.kameelman.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:04 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Saturday, May 03, 2003 [zine:food] THE CHEAP VEGAN #9 NOW OUT From Stephanie: The Cheap Vegan #9 is now avaiable for all! This one has recipes for quick fried rice, beans and rice, quicker, easier vegan peanut butter cups, how to show your significant other the wonderous joys of cheap veganism, chic frugality (making cheap knock-offs of expensive goodies, what to do with zucchini, things to do with bananas and a few other thingies. Issue #1-8 are still available too. Single issues are $1 + stamp, 2 or more are $1 each, no stamps required. More info about back issues and stuff at: http://cheapvegan.cjb.net The Rabbit Fodder Addict Cookzine is still available, too, for $1 + stamp. I'm also accepting submissions for The Cheap Vegan. Any info you'd like to share on getting cheap/free vegan food, gardening, where you shop to find bargains, scavenging, dumpster diving, cheapo recipes, breadmaking, haggling, mooching techniques or anything that has to do with cheap vegan eating/shopping/cooking. If I use your submission you'll receive a free copy of the issue it appears in. Please don't heisitate to submit. My e-mail is: nurdsteph@yahoo.com My postal address is: Stephanie P. O. Box 715 Weatherford, TX 76086 thanks! steph http://diystore.cjb.net http://cheapvegan.cjb.net ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 2:23 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [art/comix] LUCHA LIBRE GROUP SHOW IN PORTLAND "VIVA LUCHA" The Lucha Libre group show Curated by Sandra Equihua & Jorge R. Gutierrez El Show opens Saturday May 3rd at 7pm and runs till June 13th. Stop in for a cerveza and show your best Santo impression. Artists showing: Gabe Swarr, Terence A. Ulrich, Sol Rac, Jorge Alderete, Charles Glaubitz, Seonna Hong, Christian Clayton, Rob Clayton, Tim Biskup, Carlos Ramos, Donovan Crosby, Carol Powell, Dave Cooper, Rhode Montijo, Joel Nakamura, Sunny Buick, Andrew Brandou, Martin Ontiveros, Chuck Sperry, Ludovic Joffrain, Ricky Garduno, Mik Gaspay, Miles Thompson, Gabe Swarr, Bwana Spoons, FATOE, Anna Chambers, Gerald de Jesus, Roman Laney, Cesar Evangelista, Alejandro Magallanes, Eddie Mort, Lili Chin, Milton Knight, Lalo Lopez Alcaraz, Rafael Navarro, Terry Marks, Tony Mora, Terrence Ryan, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Sandra Equihua To view the art online, visit http://www.mexopolis.com http://www.gallerybink.com Gallery Bink: 1416 E. Burnside \| Portland, OR \| 97214 \| 503-233-8866 http://www.gallerybink.com [ thanks to Bwana Spoons ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 1:39 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] MY UNCLE JEFF COMING FROM ALTERNATIVE THIS SUMMER Gainesville, Florida, April 30, 2003: Alternative Comics announced that it will release the new edition of Damon Hurd and Pedro Camello’s Eisner Award nominated picture novella, My Uncle Jeff, debuting the first Alternative Comics edition at Comic-Con International: San Diego this August. Nominated for the 2003 Eisner Award for “Best Single Issue,” this touching and compelling narrative tells the true story of a young man who encounters his favorite uncle for the first time in ten years and reflects on a childhood hero through adult eyes. This is a work that resonates with emotion, pain, love, and true sentiment. My Uncle Jeff is the debut release of beta, a series of graphic novels by Damon Hurd. My Uncle Jeff is by Damon Hurd and Pedro Camello; $3.95; 32 pages; ISBN: 1-891867-56-3. Damon Hurd is twenty-four years old, happily married to someone far smarter than him, and lives too far north of New York City. Besides writing and reading comix, he frequents jazz clubs, and brews amazingly good beer. One can usually find him at pubs in a little town called New Paltz where he sucks at pool, but excels at drinking. His work includes the recently released My Uncle Jeff, as well as the forthcoming works, A Sort of Homecoming and The White Elephant. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry. They are handed out each year in a gala ceremony at Comic-Con International: San Diego, the largest and oldest comics convention in the United States, drawing over 63,000 people last year. Ballots will be going out in early May to some 4,000 comics publishers, creators, and retailers. The results will be announced in a gala awards ceremony at Comic-Con: International: San Diego on the night of Friday, July 18 at the San Diego Convention Center’s new ballroom. Alternative Comics: http://www.indyworld.com/altcomics ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 1:21 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] LATEST XERIC GRANT AWARDEES ANNOUNCED The Xeric Foundation has announced its most recent grant recipients. A total of $25,452 was awarded to six comic book creators. The Foundation has awarded in excess of $1,165,000 to comic book creators and nonprofit organizations since its first grant cycle in September 1992. Established by Peter Laird, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Northampton, MA based foundation offers financial assistance to self-publishing comic book creators in the US and Canada and to qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations in western Massachusetts. The next deadline and review dates are July 31, 2003 and September 1, 2003, respectively. The charitable organization grants were decided in June 2002 and announced separately. The artists receiving grants are as follows: • Jef Czekaj - Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters • John Hankiewicz - Tepid • Jai Nitz - Paper Museum • Bishakh Som - Angel • Elena Steier - The Revenge of the Vampire Bed and Breakfast • Julie Yeh - Poppie’s Assignments: Serpents in Paradise For information, write to: XERIC FOUNDATION 351 Pleasant Street #214 Northampton, MA 01060 website: http://www.xericfoundation.com e-mail: xericgrant@aol.com [ thanks to Jeff Mason ] ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 11:05 AM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- Friday, May 02, 2003 [art] JEFF SOTO'S ALL OVER THE PLACE From Jeff Soto: Hi everyone, here's some art shows you may want to check out! If you're in Portland Oregon go see "Tres Flores", a group show with L.A. based artists Daniel Chang, Ryan Smith and myself. The gallery will also be selling a limited edition collaborative screen print by the artists. Here's the info: + "Tres Flores" at Compound Gallery. 107 NW 5th Ave. in Portland, OR. (503) 796-2733. Show opens Thursday night, May 1st, 7-10? and runs through the month. http://www.justbedesign.com/main/compound_g.html If you're in Detroit, I have two pieces in the May show "BombPop" curated by Bask at CPop Gallery. The opening is May 3rd. For more info: https://www.cpop.com/gu/index.asp I also have work in three shows still up, if you get a chance swing by before they end: + "Crazy Bastard", group show at New Image Art in Los Angeles. Up until May 10. http://www.newimageartgallery.com/ + "Tiny Electric Wonderland" show with Jason Daquino at Forbidden, Dallas TX. Up until May 3rd. http://www.hotweird.com/forbidden/current.html + "Robots Have Feelings Too" group show curated by myself at Culture Cache, San Francisco, CA. Up until May 18th. http://www.robotshavefeelingstoo.com/ http://www.culturecache.com/ My web site has a new section, the "shop" where I'll soon be selling prints and books and stuff. My first offering is a small book, "friends and robots-a book of sketches". It's 5.5" x 8.5", 24 b&w pages, plus two full color postcards and jeffsoto.com sticker, staple bound and limited to 80 books signed and numbered. They're $6 (shipping included) Visit for more info: http://www.jeffsoto.com/friendsandrobots.html Jeff http://www.jeffsoto.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 6:08 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix/art] COMIC ARTISTS EXHIBIT IN VANCOUVER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bfly Atelier presents Tales from the Cold: The Comic Art of the Northwest May 15, 2003 – May 31, 2003 Closing Ceremonies: May 31, 2003, 7pm Gathering artists from Seattle and Vancouver (and Dave Lapp of Toronto), Bfly Atelier presents a group exhibit of one of the most under-recognized art forms of today, the art of Comics. Displaying a thorough cross section of comic art, this exhibit ranges from work which continues to utilize the tradition of pen and ink to work which has expanded beyond the page, into sculpture and even into multi-media performance. Highlighting some of the ingenious developments in the world of comics, the exhibit looks into the past, the present, and the future, elucidating how not only the drawings but the narrative as well, have come to be refined both in technique and poeticism, communicating an awareness of self and of society. The Comics community has long argued for the legitimacy of its medium as an art, and Bfly Atelier wishes to recognize that and present the Comic Art of the Northwest, featuring artists: Donna Barr Henry Chamberlain Levi D. Helen Eady Ivana Filipovic Roberta Gregory Peter Haskell Alan Kato Dave Lapp David Lasky David Lester James Lloyd George Metzger Davey Oil Robin Thompson Colin Upton Dalton Webb Meet and talk with the artists over a cup of tea for Tea Vis á Vis, Thursdays 5pm – 7pm, beginning May 15th at Bfly Atelier. $3 for delicious tea and delightful conversation. The Closing Ceremonies, performances and lectures, for this exhibit will be held on Saturday May 31st at 7pm. Guest speakers include David Lasky and Robin Fisher. Admission is $5. Bfly Atelier ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 5:58 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [zines] SEATTLE'S 'ZAPP' PROFILED IN THE MEDIA The Richard Hugo House's Zine Archives and Publishing Project (ZAPP) received a nice write-up in The Seattle Times. Check out the article here. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 5:48 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix] TUPELO DEBUTS IN JULY FROM SLG SAN JOSE, CALIF. - In 1977, Captain Tupelo and the 11 O' Clock Man were part of the Famous Monsters, the band that ruled New York City's punk scene. Now, they have resurfaced, patrolling the streets of Greenwich Village in a beat-up cab and defending the city's homeless and oppressed. Captain Tupelo, the World's Forgotten Boy, has become the World's Greatest Junkie Superhero. SLG Publishing's new bi-monthly series, Tupelo by Matt DeGennaro and Phil Elliott, tells the story of Captain Tupelo and the 11 O'Clock Man, sliding between the past, when the boys played to riotous slam-dance pits at the club Zero Hour, and the present, when they cruise the streets of New York City, avenging the wrongs that the pretentious and privileged commit against the poor and unfortunate. Committed to shaking up the status quo, the Captain and the 11 O'Clock Man inevitably attract the attention of those who maintain it. After attacking a television producer, they fall into the sights of Boz Williams, a television psychic whose abilities are suspect, but whose connections are powerful. The 11 O'Clock Man and Captain Tupelo make an unlikely pair. While the 11 O'Clock Man, who got his start as a street punk handing out revolutionary tracts, is cool and cynical, Captain Tupelo still sees the world with a fresh-faced optimism. "Despite all the anarchy he's seen?and propagated?he's still an innocent," said writer Matt DeGennaro of the Captain. On the other hand, he said of the 11 O'Clock Man, "His personal motto is 'Destroy What Bores You on Sight.'" The real-life team behind Tupelo also form a contrast. Tupelo is the first comic book DeGennaro has written, but artist Phil Elliott is a veteran of the industry. He has previously worked with SLG, illustrating Bluebeard and Second City, and did the artwork for Illegal Alien, an 80-page graphic novel to be published by Dark Horse this June. DeGennaro met Elliott through a comic book message board, where he posted a want ad for an artist. After receiving many responses from well-meaning young artists who sent him sketches of superheroes, he says he "was just about to give up when I got an e-mail from Phil with a link to his site. It blew me away. I sent him a synopsis and later on some script, and he sent me back the first few pages, which were brilliant." "It all sounded really cool, something different and something I'd like to illustrate," said Elliott." He added that he was "particularly drawn to [Tupelo's] contemporary setting and how it also draws on material from the New York music scene in the mid-seventies. While I was nurtured on UK punk music as a youngster, I also had a real fascination with what was happening in the US." Tupelo will be a four-issue miniseries, and each black-and-white issue will be 32-pages long. It will published bi-monthly beginning in July 2003 and will retail for $2.95. For more information, visit SLG Publishing's website at www.slavelabor.com and artist Phil Elliott's website at www.elliott-design.com. Established in 1986, SLG Publishing is a San Jose, CA-based publisher of comics books and graphic novels. Operating under its imprints Slave Labor Graphics and Amaze Ink, SLG Publishing has distributed the work of such notable cartoonists as Jhonen Vasquez, Roman Dirge, Evan Dorkin and Lawrence Marvit. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 5:25 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [event:zines] 2003 SAN FRANCISCO ZINEFEST DATES ANNOUNCED From Jenn Star: The 2003 San Francisco Zinefest will take place on August 9th and 10th from 10-4pm. More info will be posted to sfzinefest.com as the dates get closer. starfiend distrohttp://www.starfiend.com ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:52 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [zine] NEW FAT-POSITIVE ZINE OUT* From Sabrina: I just finished my one shot zine about being fat, called Two by Four. It has a few autobiographical pieces, some essays from friends of mine, fat sex positions, an article on fat girl dance troupes, a fat paper doll, and tons more stuff. It's 60 pages, and $2.50 ppd. If you want one, send payment to Sabrina c/o Moonlight Requisition Distro, 9804 Cardinal, La Porte, TX 77571 Sabrina http://home.houston.rr.com/sabbysjunk/index.htm ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:49 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments ------------------------------------------- [comix:web] CHARLIE RED EYE JOINS MODERN TALES Modern Tales, the leading publisher of subscription-based webcomics, announced today that the comic strip The Bizarre Life of Charlie Red Eye, by Perth, Western Australia's Edward J. Grug III and Matthew William Boyd Langfield, Esq., will be joining the line-up of its flagship online anthology ModernTales.com. Joey Manley, Editor and Publisher of Modern Tales, selected this strip after sifting through more than 200 entries submitted as part of a rare open call for new comics on the site. "We usually recruit by private solicitation," said Manley. "But every now and then, it's important to open the doors to new faces and voices." Manley said that submissions of new comics are not currently being accepted at Modern Tales. "We'll make an announcement on our homepage any time we're looking for something, and we'll give a very specific date range during which we're willing to look at submissions, just like we did this time. Once the decision has been made, it's final." Modern Tales, which publishes a total of seven subscription-based webcomics sites, most appealing to different niche audiences, has always touted its flagship site ModernTales.com as its "new mainstream" offering. The Bizarre Life of Charlie Red Eye, the light-hearted tale of an elementary school kid with an enormous, bulging, probably demonic eyeball, does not conform to most people's idea of "mainstream" comics. "This isn't 'Peanuts'," said Manley, "and it definitely isn't X-Men or The Incredible Hulk. When you're talking about the web, you're talking about a new kind of mass audience – one that's accustomed to freer, stranger expression than it can find in any other medium. When we say 'new mainstream,' that's part of what we're talking about. Charlie Red Eye has the potential to become a major cult hit on the web, in the same way that, say, Joe Cartoon's Gerbil in a Microwave, or those stick-figure kung-fu fighters, rapidly reached worldwide audiences, and made tamer, corporate offerings look pale in comparison." Manley added that some of the most popular webcomics on Modern Tales, such as James Kochalka's Fancy Froglin and Jason Shiga's Eisner-nominated Fleep, have been dropped by the newspapers which originally carried them. "And yet they are incredibly popular on Modern Tales – probably more popular than they were in print. Mainstream doesn't have to be tame, or safe, or stupid," said Manley. "Modern Tales, and Charlie Red Eye, prove that the new mainstream can be bizarre, twisted, funny, and lively." "The Bizarre Life of Charlie Red Eye is actually a biographical portrayal of my childhood growing up in Australia," elaborates co-creator Matthew William Boyd Langfield Esq., "except for all of the interesting stuff. That stuff never happened. We added that so that it wouldn't be mind-numbingly dull. Or less so, anyway. Really we just wanted to do something truly unusual, something surreal, but not pretentious. Something that even folks whose only real contact with comics is through the Sunday funnies could still dig. It's just meant to be fun, so what more could you want?" Why Modern Tales? "Well that's a no-brainer," Edward J Grug III, co-creator of The Bizarre Life of Charlie Red Eye, says, "They're the premier web comic publishing company around. Modern Tales publish some of the biggest names around, and only the highest quality strips. With a broad range of genres, they make comics accessible to everyone, rather than a select few, which is something the print industry isn't really doing very well right now. Webcomics as an industry really is a viable option, and it just took companies like Modern Tales to prove it." Charlie Red Eye debuts on Modern Tales Monday, April 28, 2003. The latest installment of most Modern Tales comics is always free for all. "The idea is that you can follow the strips without paying, if you visit the site every day," said Manley. "Just like following a strip in your local alternative newsweekly. But if you want to read the entire archives of every strip to date, you have to subscribe." There are currently more than 4000 pages of comics available to subscribers only in the Modern Tales archive. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- - posted by Ricko at 4:42 PM [ Link to this item ] (0) comments -------------------------------------------


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