Thursday, January 29, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Brian Sendelbach (Smell of Steve, Inc.) is interviewed at the Pulse.
• Here are a couple of goofy animations from Toby Tripp.
• Dan James (of Top Shelf's new The Octopi & The Ocean) is interviewed at Silver Bullet. [ thanks to ¡Journalista! ]
• Here, take some time to read a ton of vintage "Gasoline Alley" strips. [ thanks to ¡Journalista! ]
• This week in the LA Weekly: Bob Callahan and Spain
• And in The Stranger (Seattle): Dennis Eichhorn and Sean Hurley. Also, I somehow missed it last week but check out this cover by Chico Gavacho!
• Remember Norman Dog from '80s newave comix? Did you know he does a strip for the East Bay Express?
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COMICS ON THE VERGE HITS BALTIMORE
Comics on the Verge
Decker Gallery
Maryland Institute College of Art
1400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Maryland
Friday, January 30 – Sunday, March 14, 2004
Opening Reception
Thursday, February 5, 5 – 7 pm
visit the exhibition
Comics Weekend: A Symposium on an Art Form
Funded by the Maryland Humanities Council
Friday, February 6 – Sunday, February 8, 2004
visit Comics Weekend
Every 20 years or so, underground comics go through a cultural revolution. Today, the underground has gone “overground” with the proliferation of new creators working in a wide array of media and appearing everywhere from The New Yorker and The Wall Street Journal to limited-edition, self-published comics and handsome, oversized books. With high-profile films and graphic novels, comics are in the public eye like never before.
MICA examines this phenomenon by bringing together many of the most important artists reconceiving the nature of “comics” with a groundbreaking exhibition exploring contemporary comics culture.
This exhibition originated as 'Raw, Boiled and Cooked' at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. It will travel to Sonoma Museum of Visual Art (May 15 – July 3, 2004) and the Chicago Cultural Center (August 7 – October 3, 2004).
For More Information:
410-225-2300
[ thanks to Matt Dembicki ]
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Wednesday, January 28, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Here's a Craig Thompson ( Blankets) interview at Mars Import.
• Maybe I just haven't been paying attention but I'm surprised to see an interview with Peter Bagge at Dynamic Forces. [ thanks to ¡Journalista! ]
• Rich Watson has written a small press scene report for Detroit.
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DAVE BURKE SOLO SHOW IN PALM SPRINGS, CA - MARCH 13
ISM
Sat, March 13 at M Modern Gallery in Palm Springs.
The show will feature new large-format paintings as well as new silkscreened wall element panels.
venue: http://mmoderngallery.com
artist: http://monsterfetish.com
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FRISELL AND WOODRING IN SEATTLE, FEBRUARY 8
Bill Frisell and Jim Woodring: Mysterio Sympatico
DATE: Feb 8, 2004
TIME: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Jim Woodring artist talk at 2:30 p.m.)
LOCATION: Plestcheeff Auditorium
Seattle Art Museum (downtown branch)
100 University St., Seattle, WA 98122
Tickets: $5 CAC members, $7 SAM members, $10 nonmembers.
Box Office: (206) 654-3121.
Mysterio Sympatico is a multi-media suite created collaboratively by guitarist Bill Frisell and cartoonist/visual artist Jim Woodring. The one-hour original composition thematically sequences hundreds of projected moody tone drawings by Woodring with live musical performance by Frisell. Prior to the performance, Woodring will present a thirty-minute artist talk at 2:30 p.m.
About the artists:
Bill Frisell is an internationally acclaimed guitarist whose work spans a range of styles including avant-garde and traditional jazz, folk, country, and world music. He has worked as an accompanist with an astonishing list of musicians from the jazz, classical, and pop music idioms, and his own compositions have been featured on recordings stretching back into the late 1970's. His 2003 release The Intercontinentals was nominated for a Grammy award in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category. A complete biography can be found at: www.songtone.com/artists/frisell_link.htm
Jim Woodring is a graphic artist whose meticulous, often hallucinatory artwork is well-known to readers of alternative-press comics. His 2003 collection, The Frank Book (Fantagraphics Press, Seattle), was named one of the 25 best books of the year by The Village Voice and has sold out its first printing. Examples of his work can be seen at www.jimwoodring.com and www.fantagraphics.com/artist/woodring/woodring.html.
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COMICS & MUSIC FEST - OAKLAND, JANUARY 31
On the Saturday before Groundhog day: Come be a part of a combined showcase of local music and comic book talent!
This year's featured artists include: Eli Bishop ( An Inside Job), Anthony Hon ( Jack And Lucky), Hellen Jo ( Komisches Buch), Derek Kirk Kim ( Same Difference and Other Stories [published by Top Shelf]), Joe Sayers ( The Sky), and Xeric Grant recipient Fred Noland ( Shpilkes). The artists will have their work on display and for sale. Also, minicomics distributor Global Hobo will have a selection of hand-made comics on display.
Live music will be provided at the event by groups from opposite corners of the Bay Area: alternative rock band Audrye Sessions from Livermore, post-hardcore quartet Fight Like Fight from Santa Rosa, indie-popsters The Skyflakes from San Francisco, and closing trio Cast of Thousands from Oakland/San Francisco.
- Saturday, January 31st -
GROUNDHOGFEST 2004
8pm, $5, 21 and over
The Stork Club
2330 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94612
http://www.junebugbash.com/groundhog
[ thanks to Jesse Reklaw ]
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Monday, January 26, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Take a look at these impressive prints from new outfit Buenaventura Press.
• The 50th issue of Québec's MensuHell is out with Jacques Boivin, Éric Thériault and others. More info.
• Check out Bill Wray's upcoming King Crab Space Toy.
• Indy Magazine has relaunched!
• Bob Sheairs has begun a Zine Reviews forum that culls reviews from all over the place.
• The new issue of Zine World is out. Recommended by yours truly, you can find more info here.
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Saturday, January 24, 2004
USAGI YOJIMBO CELEBRATES 75TH ISSUE AT DARK HORSE
Internationally celebrated creator Stan Sakai’s multi-Eisner Award winning adventure series Usagi Yojimbo reaches yet another milestone with issue #75 this April, which concludes the gripping two-part “Hokashi” storyline.
After surviving recent life-threatening incidents, wandering ronin Usagi and his young ward Jotaro are joined in their travels by Katsuichi-sensei and his student Shunji. Usagi is forced to consider revealing the secret of Jotaro’s parentage, even as the quartet is thrust into more danger.
Usagi Yojimbo is available April 28 for the retail price of $2.99.
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Friday, January 23, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Shpilkes' Fredo did the cover of this week's Santa Fe Reporter (New Mexico).
• MAD cartoonist George Woodbridge has died. Here's the obit at CNN.
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LEVON JIHANIAN SHOW IN L.A. OPENS FEBRUARY 7
"Twilight"
A solo exhibition of old and new works by Levon Jihanian
February 7-27
@ Kaldi Coffee & Tea
3147 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Artist's reception
Saturday, Feb. 7th, 7-10 pm
Musical performance by Orange Monkey
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PEOPLE SKILZ GALLERY SHOW IN SEATTLE
From Jason Miles:
No Space Gallery
534 Summit Ave. E (in Capitol Hill)
Seattle, WA 98102
The show is called "People Skilz" and is currated by Mike McGonigal (proprietor of the zine Yeti).
Featured artists include: Gary Panter, Jordan Crane, Jason Miles, Eric Reynolds, Eric Mast, Colleen French, Carson Ellis, Lucy Raven, John Tremblay, Kate Schmitz, Michael Rodriguez, Blair Wilson, Julie Johnson, Robert McCormack, Kevin Willis, Ryan Iverson, Jody Fausett, Mirian St. Lauent and Mark Dwinell.
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Thursday, January 22, 2004
ADHOUSE DEBUTS MONKEY & SPOON IN MAY
 In celebration of the Chinese New Year, AdHouse Books welcomes the Year of the Monkey! This May AdHouse Books will continue the "animalia novella" series by publishing Monkey & Spoon by Simone Lia.
Monkey & Spoon explores the relationship of a married anthropomorphic couple in an all-too realistic snapshot of their everyday lives. Can a monkey love a spoon? (and visa versa?)
When asked where her inspiration for Monkey & Spoon came from, Simone replied, "I was thinking about my parents when I wrote Monkey & Spoon. The arguments that they used to have with painful silences and unspoken hurt feelings. I used to have a stuffed monkey and I was thinking of those wooden spoons they used to make in the '70s – I thought it would be funny to give the toys the same human tensions."
In regards to comics across the pond... "The UK comic scene is quite exciting at the moment. Comics are getting supported here with the media and the I.C.A. (the Institute of Contemporary art) has been doing a lot to shine the light on comics and comics artists in the United Kingdom. Comics seem to be the new buzz word rather than being something exclusive for geeks and freaks. I am very excited about my U.S. solo debut, this is very cool and I can't believe this is happening."
Simone Lia has written and illustrated several books for children and she co-founded the UK based Cabanon Press with Tom Gauld in 2001. She lives and works in London.
Monkey & Spoon
by Simone Lia
4-color cover with end flaps
112 pages w/ one spot color
6" x 6" perfect bound
$9.95 US funds
ISBN 0-9721794-5-3
Shipping in May
www.adhousebooks.com
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ODDS & ENDS
• Here's a new Blecky Yuckerella strip from Johnny Ryan and another in this week's Stranger (Seattle).
• Ellen Forney offers up career advice in the LA Weekly.
• Harvey Pekar talks in the Cleveland Free Times about the American Splendor film and how it's affected his comics plans. [ thanks to ¡Journalista! ]
• Gary Panter explains how he came to do album covers for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
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Wednesday, January 21, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Jennifer Daydreamer Q&A at Silver Bullet
• Here's a feature on Jaxon from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. [ thanks to Jeff Mason ]
• Small Press Expo submission guidelines for the 2004 anthology [ thanks to ¡Journalista! ]
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SCHULZ' LI'L FOLKS COLLECTED
Charles M. Schulz Museum to release new publication that focues on pre-Peanuts work of Charles M. Schulz
 "Li'l Folks", the weekly comic panel that Charles Schulz produced before turning his attention to "Peanuts", is the subject of a new book to be released on February 21st by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center.
Charles M. Schulz: Li'l Beginnings, with a foreword by Jean Schulz and annotations, editorial commentary and an introduction by Derrick Bang, includes all 135 of the panels that Schulz created for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, his hometown paper, between June 22, 1947, and January 22, 1950. This is the first time all the "Li'l Folks" cartoons have been reproduced in one volume, giving Schulz fans a rare glimpse of the early evolution of the influential cartoonist's craft. Aside from shedding light on a formative early period of Schulz's creative output, these "Li'l Folks" strips also are noteworthy for their use of characters and themes that later reappeared in "Peanuts": a well-dressed young man with a fondness for Beethoven, a dog with a striking resemblance to Snoopy, and a boy named Charlie Brown, among others.
The 300-page book also includes the two "Just Keep Laughing" cartoon panels that Schulz produced for the Catholic comic book Topix; the two "Sparky's Li'l Folks" panels that ran in the Minneapolis Tribune (and anticipated his series in the St. Paul Pioneer Press); and examples of single-panel cartoons that were published in The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s.
Museum Director Ruth Gardner Begell had this to say about the Museum's latest publication. "One of the treasures in the Museum's archives is a fragile scrapbook that contains more than two years' worth of 'Li'l Folks' cartoons clipped from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Assembled by a young Charles Schulz more than 50 years ago, each page contains a cartoon panel neatly affixed with strips of clear tape. Prior to the publication of Charles M. Schulz: Li'l Beginnings, this scrapbook was the most complete collection of Schulz's first major body of work. All of us at the Charles M. Schulz Museum are excited to share this collection of rarely-seen cartoons in a more accessible format. These published images of 'Li'l Folks' are further enhanced by the commentary of Derrick Bang, whose broad knowledge of 'Peanuts' and extraordinary sensitivity to the nuances of Schulz's work are apparent."
The Museum will celebrate this release with a series of programs scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, February 21-22, and a temporary exhibition that will include the Museum's newly acquired "Li'l Folks" original drawing.
Charles M. Schulz: Li'l Beginnings will be available through the Museum's Store and Web site ( www.SchulzMuseum.org). For further information, call (707) 579-4452.
[ thanks to Jeff Mason ]
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COMICS AS ART 2004 - CAMBRIDGE, MA, FEBRUARY 24
Comics As Art 2004 is hosted by the Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge and is organized by collector and curator Bob Cronin. This is a rare opportunity to see a sampling of original comic art and Ephemera from some of the medium’s most notable figures, much of it on loan from private collections and rarely seen in public. Some select pieces will be available for purchase
The Zeitgeist Gallery
1353 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA
Gallery Hours: 1pm-7pm, Tuesday-Sunday
February 24th - March 14th
Featured artists: EC Comics Legends Jack Davis and Al Feldstein, Harvey Pekar's American Splendor, Rick Altergott, Peter Bagge, Nick Bertozzi, Ariel Bordeaux, Dave Cooper, Kim Deitch, Dean Haspiel, Los Bros Hernandez, Jason, Jason Little, Josh Neufeld, Ron Rege, Jr., Hans Rickheit, Frank Ridgeway, Johnny Ryan, Chris Ware, Jim Woodring, Steven Weissman
Sponsored by:
Lucky Bunny Visual Communications
Million Year Picnic
To Benefit the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, New York
http://www.djbc.net/comicart/
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SETH AND CHESTER BROWN IN TORONTO, MARCH 31
This Is Not A Reading Series
DRAWN & QUARTERLY NIGHT! With Seth & Chester Brown
Wednesday, March 31st
The Rivoli, 332 Queen St W, 6:30-8:30pm, no cover.
Co-Sponsored by Pages and The Beguiling
SETH presents his new books: Bannock, Beans and Black Tea and Clyde Fans: Book One (Drawn & Quarterly)
Illustrated by Seth, Bannock, Beans and Black Tea is the autobiography of his father, John Gallant. A gripping and poignant memoir, it recounts one boy's experience of deprivation and poverty growing up in a Prince Edward Island farming village during the Great Depression.
Originally serialized in Seth's famous Palooka-Ville comics, Clyde Fans: Book One is the first part of a trilogy that will collect all the Palooka-Ville stories about brothers and electric fan salesmen, Simon and Abe Matchcard, owners of Clyde Fans.
Come celebrate the launch of these two Seth titles on our Drawn & Quarterly night, and you'll also see Seth present an entertaining multi-media show called "20 brief stories about cartooning".
CHESTER BROWN presents his new book: Louis Riel: A Comic Strip Biography (Drawn & Quarterly)
Every Canadian school child can tell you the story of Louis Riel and the Red River Rebellion of 1869. To some Louis Riel was one of the founding fathers of a new nation, but to others he was a murderer who nearly tore a country apart. A man so charismatic he was elected to government twice while in exile, Riel took on the army, the government, the Queen of England, and even the Church in the name of his passionate vision of freedom for the people of the prairies. Come see Chester Brown in a multi-media presentation on the creation of his epic on this Canadian legend, Louis Riel: A Comic Strip Biography.
[ thanks to The Beguiling ]
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SWISS ART EXHIBIT IN TORONTO STARTS TODAY
From The Beguiling:
The Alliance Française, and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura present an outstanding array of international cartoonists in their new two-part exhibit running from January 21st to February the 27th, with the opening night reception this Wednesday evening, the 20th.
The exhibit features original art pieces from a number of creator names you should be familiar with (as they all have works available in English translation), including Thomas Ott ( T.Ott, Dead End), Nicolas Robel ( Drawn & Quarterly New Talent Showcase), and Pierre Wazem ( Like a River from Humanoids Publishing). In addition, the exhibit also features work from many cartoonists whose work we stock that is not in translation (but still sells quite well), including Alex Baladi, Frederik Peeters, Tom Tirabosco, and Anna Sommer.
This two-part free exhibit runs January 21 to February 27 at Alliance Française, 24 Spadina Rd., 416-922-2014; and at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 496 Huron St., 416-921-3802. The exhibit opens on Wednesday, January 20th at 7pm. Admittance for the opening is free, but dress is business casual to semi-formal.
http://www.alliance-francaise.ca/culture/currentexhibitions.html
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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Did you know Diamond is now distributing to Wal-Mart? Yes, you can now buy something like The Complete Crumb Comics through Wal-Mart (their site at least). Most of the comics seem to be under "Home & Garden" (go figure). [ thanks to Jeff Nicholson, whose Colonia is also available there ]
• Do you run a comic shop? Host a 24-Hour Comic Day! [ thanks to Alan Rankin ]
• A few interviews: Kurt Wolfgang of Where Hats Go at Ninth Art, My Uncle Jeff's Damon Hurd at Comic World News and Mark Wheatley at Slush Factory.
• Lark Pien has a new website.
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MAKE IT UP IV ZINE FAIR IN MELBOURNE, JANUARY 24
From Richard Watts:
Make it Up IV, the 4th Melbourne zine day, presented by Express Media with the support of the City of Melbourne [Australia], is on this Saturday 24th January from 10.30am - 5pm, at the Lower Melbourne Town Hall.
Panels about the future of zines, the point (or pointlessness) of per-zines, and graphic novels. Workshops for zine virgins. The zine fair!
If you'd like to get a table at the zine fair, get in fast! Call Richard on (03) 9326 8367.
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Friday, January 16, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Metaphrog's upcoming book, Louis - Dreams Never Die, will also include animation by the duo and music by Hey and Múm. More info.
• Did you miss Chester Brown's interview on CBC radio today? That's okay because it's archived here.
• Want to see new weekly strips by Jordan Crane, Tom Devlin, Kurt Wolfgang, Sammy Harkham, Dave Kiersh and Jason T. Miles? Check it out.
• Souther Salazar talks about his upcoming book from Giant Robot and lots more in this interview at Ostrich Ink. [ thanks to Tom Neely ]
• Library Journal has included Craig Thompson's Blankets and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis in their Best Books of 2003. The full list is here.
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Thursday, January 15, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Coming soon: an alphabet collaboration between John Hankiewicz and Onsmith
• Here's the site for the film Adventures Into Digital Comics. Look around and you'll find discussions with Mark Martin, Roger Langridge, Terry LaBan, Jesse Hamm, Peter Bagge and many others.
• Tom Devlin has announced that there will be a "tardy book launch" for Marc Bell's Shrimpy and Paul and Friends at Casa Del Popolo in Montréal on January 19th.
• This week's LA Weekly's got a page by Matt Madden.
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OPTIC NERVE #9 LAUNCH IN NYC, FEBRUARY 4
ADRIAN TOMINE DEBUTS OPTIC NERVE #9 AT HOUSING WORKS IN NYC WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4th, 7:00 PM
WHO:
Adrian Tomine, the acclaimed cartoonist of Summer Blonde, presents Optic Nerve #9, his first original comic book of the popular series in more than two years
WHAT:
A Q&A led by Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly and signing – with all proceeds donated to Housing Works
WHERE:
Housing Works Used Book Cafe
126 Crosby St. (between Houston and Prince) New York, NY 10012
212 334-3324 www.housingworksubc.com
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 PM
An online preview of Optic Nerve #9 can be viewed here.
ABOUT HOUSING WORKS:
Housing Works Inc. is a minority-controlled, community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides housing, health care, advocacy and support services to homeless men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS. Founded in 1990, Housing Works' mission is to help people living with AIDS and HIV who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to gain stability, security and independence so that they can live their lives with hope and dignity. All proceeds from the Used Book Café go towards support of these programs.
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SPARK GENERATORS II SIGNING IN SF, JANUARY 31
On Saturday, January 31, the Cartoon Art Museum will host a book signing to promote the release of Spark Generators II and the re-release of the first Spark Generators collection. Spark Generators editor Jon "Bean" Hastings will be on hand to discuss the book and sign copies. Joining Hastings will be special guests Michael Jantze, creator of nationally-syndicated comic strip "The Norm"; and Keith Knight, creator of "The K Chronicles" and "th(ink)". Other artists appearing include Jamaica Dyer, Andrew Farago, Chris Lanier, Larry Luna, Paul Madonna, Lark Pien, Jesse Reklaw and Andy Ristaino.
For more details on Spark Generators II and the book signing, please visit our website, www.cartoonart.org.
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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Here are pictures from the Legal Action Comics Volume 2 launch party courtesy of The Beat!
• Lat featured in Malaysia's The Star [ thanks to Jeff Mason ]
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[law] CBLDF JOINS MICHIGAN "HARMFUL TO MINORS" FIGHT
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has joined a coalition of booksellers, publishers and magazine distributors in filing a federal lawsuit in Detroit last Monday that challenges the constitutionality of a new Michigan law that makes it a crime to allow a minor to examine a book that is "harmful to minors." "This lawposes a serious threat to the way comic and booksellers conduct their businesses," Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund said.
It is already illegal to sell "harmful" material to minors in Michigan and most other states. But the new Michigan law goes beyond the law of any other state by requiring booksellers to prevent any possibility that a minor can examine "harmful" works, including novels and works of non-fiction that do not contain pictures.
Violations are punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. The measure was signed into law by Governor Jennifer Granholm on November 5 and went into effect on January 1. Plaintiffs filed a motion in federal district court seeking a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the law.
Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), one of the lead plaintiffs, said the new law is unconstitutional because it would make it difficult for adults and older minors to obtain books, magazines and music that they have a First Amendment right to purchase. "If booksellers can be sent to jail for two years because a kid picks up the wrong book, they will have no choice but to protect themselves by rigidly restricting what their customers can see," he said. Comic and booksellers will either have to segregate "harmful" material in an "adults only" section or to wrap it in plastic. In addition, they will be forced to impose these restrictions on books and other materials that are "harmful" to the youngest minors, including romance novels, works relating to sexual education and health, photography and art books, and classic literary texts.
Brownstein says, "This law renders classics of the graphic novel form such as A Contract With God, Stuck Rubber Baby, and Sandman vulnerable to unwarranted prosecution. If enforced, this law endangers the First Amendment rights of both sellers and readers of graphic novels and prose books."
In fighting this case, the CBLDF joined ABFFE, the Great Lakes Booksellers Association, six bookstores, the Association of American Publishers, the Freedom to Read Foundation, and the International Periodical Distributors Association.
The plaintiffs are represented by Herschel P. Fink of Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn LLP, in Detroit, and Michael A. Bamberger of Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal in New York.
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[comix] FREE COMIC READER, ZEENSTER, PUTS SMALL PRESS ON PALM OS
Open File Format Encourages Independents to Produce Their Own Micro-content
Peter S. Conrad, alternative comic artist and creator of the popular "Stymied" comic strip, has released an application called Zeenster for the Palm OS that allows users to read small magazines, web logs, or comics on handhelds. Unlike other handheld comics readers, all Zeenster content is free and beamable. A non-proprietary file format encourages individuals to create their own Zeenster content using tools available over the internet.
Zeenster, which supports both color and grayscale devices running Palm OS 3.5 or above, has a growing base of free available content including Conrad's own work, comics by Donna Barr, and non-comics content. Because Zeenster allows additional captions to be associated with the images, it is ideal for other purposes such as short magazines, brochures, or portfolios – in fact, fashion model Shari Eckert has released a handheld version of her portfolio in Zeenster format.
Zeenster is a perfect venue for viral marketing, because users can beam content to each other. By including a URL in the caption content (available in Zeenster's About menu) a content provider can attract new visitors who would not otherwise have found the web site.
"Stymied" has been available on an AvantGo channel called Sproule Handheld cartoons since its inception at the beginning of 2002, when it replaced Conrad's single-panel cartoon feature. The Sproule channel has grown steadily to a subscriber base of over 11,000 subscribers as of October 2003. Conrad is also the creator of the comix zine Attempted Not Known and a contributor to Modern Tales and several anthologies.
www.peterconrad.com
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ODDS & ENDS
• Kevin Huizenga is offering up his original art from Orchid and other places for sale here.
• And, hey, Ben Catmull too! At the Beguiling site.
• Marvel has canceled Peter Bagge's Incorrigible Hulk. [ thanks to Newsarama ]
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[comix] COMING IN MAY FROM TOP SHELF
COMIC BOOK ARTIST (Vol 2) #4
Edited by Jon B. Cooke
Join us on the long, strange trip of the unique Alex Niño! In his first ever full-length interview, the veteran discusses his journey from his start as a "komik" artist in the Philippines to his current work as an animation production designer in Hollywood, U.S.A.! Alex also shares a huge gallery of his artwork, all behind a new Niño cover painting starring Captain Fear! We also feature an exhaustive interview with Byron Preiss on his innovative career in publishing. Whether overseeing Steranko's Chandler, Harvey Kurtzman's Strange Adventures or Joe Kubert's Yossel, Byron's worked with them all! Plus CBA Classic presents the most comprehensive look ever at the great Filipino comic book artists – Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, and many more – complete with the history of Filipino Komiks! Also: An all-new Steve Rude sketchbook, as well as our usual news, views'n'reviews, and more cool stuff!
-- $7.50 (US), 112 pages, Magazine, Perfect Bound, Color Covers, B&W and Full Color Interiors, 8.5" x 11"
SAME DIFFERENCE & OTHER STORIES
by Derek Kirk Kim
Selected as one of the best books of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. "Kim captures the ups and downs of early adulthood with sensitivity and gentle wit." –The Comics Journal . After searing through the self-published run of Same Difference and Other Stories in just a few short months, Derek Kirk Kim proudly moves his debut collection to Top Shelf! Through a series of sensitive – and often hilarious – short stories, Kim deftly explores the not-so-average twenty-somethings' quarter-life crisis, romantic neurosis, and a refreshing slice of Korean-American life. Kim's self-effacing wit, ear for dialogue, and meticulous art style earned him the Xeric Grant as well as an Ignatz award in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Find out for yourself why Derek Kirk Kim is considered a standout among the new generation of cartoonists and a fresh new voice in Asian American literature.
-- $12.95 (US), 144 pages, 5.5" x 8", Graphic Novel, ISBN 1-891830-57-0
ALL FLEE!
by Gavin Burrows and Simon Gane
Humans! Beware the three-toed tread of All Flee! 32-pages of monster-sized city-trampling shenanigans, all wrapped up in a cool comic-sized format! Run! As ancient jokes long thought dead are brought back from the depths to terrorize comic-reading kind once more! Try to hide! From the monsters begat from a crazed laboratory experiment by Doctors Simon Gane and Gavin Burrows, unleashed upon innocent comic-reading kind! Buy! For only impulse purchase can save you now!
-- $3.95 (US), 32 pages, 6 1/2" x 8 1/2", Color Cover, B&W Interiors, Comic Book
DANG!
by Martin Cendreda
"(Cendreda's) cartooning is delicate and the story is just the sort of intimate tale that makes comics, with their solitary interaction with a reader, a distinct medium." –Tom McLean, Variety.com . Dang!, the first prime-time comic book by fabulous new cartoonist Martin Cendreda, follows the sad, tragic life of good ole' Herbert Hound and his encounters with obnoxious teens, fashion conscious yuppies, and twin homeless orphans. Guffaws abound in Martin's delightfully drawn comic, with an art style hinting at Clowes and Tomine, yet with chops uniquely his own.
-- $3.50 (US), 32 pages, 6" x 9", Color Cover, B&W Interiors, Comic Book
EPOXY (GIANT SIZE SPECIAL)
by John Pham
Manga meets Indy comics in this amazing large-format collection of John Pham's stories. Showcasing a completely unique style that combines the best of Asian and American cultures, Epoxy has not only been profiled in magazines like XLR8R and Publishers Weekly, but has also been named "The Best Comic of 2003" by THE FACE in the UK. This collection features the 48-page opus "Oceanus vs. the Venusian Crayfish," as well as "The Search for Astro Girl," and definitely proves that Pham is a talent to watch out for.
-- $15.00 (US), 104 pages, 8.5" X 11", Full-Color Cover, Indigo Blue Monochrome Interiors, Graphic Novel, ISBN 0-9677989-4-9
www.topshelfcomix.com
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[comix] HUMANOIDS AND DC FORM ALLIANCE
The stars of the European graphic novel are coming to America.
European artists Moebius, Bilal, and Jodorowsky, will soon be joining the likes of Will Eisner (The Spirit), Alan Moore ( Watchmen), and New York Times best selling author Neil Gaiman ( The Sandman) at DC Comics.
Paul Levitz, President and Publisher of DC Comics (a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company) and Fabrice Giger, founder of the Humanoids Group (owner of Les Humanoïdes Associés and Humanoids Publishing), announced today an agreement that calls for the publication of 36 books per year from Les Humanoïdes Associés, and Humanoids Publishing, as part of the DC Comics catalog. DC retains worldwide English language publishing rights on these titles.
The venture marks the first time that the full array of avant-garde and high-end European graphic novels have been available in the American marketplace. European stars of the Les Humanoïdes Associés library (such as Moebius, Bilal, Jodorowsky), and the big American stars of the Humanoids Publishing Catalog (Charest, Busiek, Cassaday) will now be published under the Humanoids brand name by DC. The steady supply of graphic novels will support DC Comics' continued efforts to aggressively expand into trade bookstores, while building on its impressive presence in the comic book specialty market.
"This is a rare and wonderful opportunity to bring one of the great catalogs of graphic novels to our audience," said Paul Levitz, "and to connect an extraordinary tradition of storytelling to a new generation of readers."
With the first titles slated to be released in July 2004, the Humanoids titles will benefit from a brand new visibility and access to the American market that they have not enjoyed to date. DC will use the same marketing, distribution and promotional strengths for the Humanoids books that do for the rest of their line, which includes Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and the Vertigo and WildStorm imprints.
Fabrice Giger said, "Through this deal, our books will gain more visibility in the United States. It's a real opportunity for European comics."
Based in Paris and Geneva, Les Humanoïdes Associés is one of Europe's leading publishers of graphic novels. Founded in 1975 by Moebius, Dionnet and Druillet, it published the works of cutting edge artists who revolutionized the world of graphic novels. Les Humanoïdes Associés prestigious catalogue of several hundred titles is focused in fantasy, horror and science-fiction. The company is also the creator of the magazine Métal Hurlant.
Founded in 1999, Humanoids, Inc is the US arm of the Humanoids Group, under the direction of former CAA veteran, Justin Connolly, and Giger himself. Humanoids, Inc. publishes English translations of the French books, commissions new books from US creators for both the French and US markets, sells motion picture and television rights to the graphic novels, sells French animated shows to US networks, and creates new animated television shows and motion pictures with US creators. Its website is located at humanoids-publishing.com
DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC super heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics' Web site is located at www.dccomics.com.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
[event] J.J. SEDELMAIER SPEAKS IN DENVER - JANUARY 22
J.J. Sedelmaier, creator of "The Ambiguously Gay Duo" and "The X-Presidents" will give a free public lecture on Thursday, January 22nd at 6:30 pm at Lindsay Auditorium in Sturm Hall (2000 E. Asbury) at the University of Denver, sponsored by the School of Art & History.
[ thanks to Stan Yan ]
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[event:comix] JANE IRWIN SIGNING IN MICHIGAN, JANUARY 14
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14. 5pm-8pm
Jane Irwin: Creator of Vögelein: Clockwork Faerie
will be signing her new graphic novel from 5pm to 8pm
Vögelein (a German word meaning "little bird") is the story of a clockwork faerie come to life. She was completed and first wound in 1671, though it took her creator, Heinrich Uhrmacher, over thirty years to finish her – she was his final master work as well as a tribute to his lost love. She remains "alive" as long as she is wound each day, and remembers everything she has ever seen or heard as long as she doesn't wind down. If she does, she begins to lose her memories, starting with the most recent, and continuing to her earliest recollections. The longer she remains stopped, the more she loses, and if she stays unwound for too long, she will become nothing more than a simple automaton unable to move or speak on her own.
Jane Irwin is the creator of Vögelein, an independent comic book published through her company, Fiery Studios. In between her full-time internet job and her artwork, she looks for any excuse to play or listen to Irish music. Please visit http://www.vogelein.com for more information on Jane and her work.
The book signing will be held in Green Brain Comics from 5pm-8pm with a reception immediately following.
Green Brain Comics is located at
13210 Michigan Avenue
3 blocks east of Schaefer
Dearborn, Michigan 48126
313-582-9444
www.greenbrain.biz
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[event] A NIGHT OF VOICES - SF, JANUARY 25
You are invited to
A Night of Voices
Sunday January 25th 8pm-10pm
At Mighty, 119 Utah St., San Francisco
Free
A Night of Voices is a live performance variety show. This is the nineteenth show and the first in San Francisco making its debut there at Mighty.
The show is organized and emceed by story teller and publisher of A Multitude of Voices, Matt Holdaway. There will be musical performances by Throkmorton, Attaboy, Jesse Reklaw, OTIS, A Murder of Crows and Kou Chen Jiang. There will be stories told by Tony DuShane, Trevor Alixopulos, Julie Keitges and Matt Holdaway. Global Hobo will be onsite to meet all your bay area comic needs. And there is a bar onsite to meet all of your drinking needs. 21 and over.
Performers:
Attaboy will be playing a song. He is half of the sound experiment Attaboy and Burke. He is he responsible for publishing I Hate Cartoons Volumes I & II as well as the accompanying Animation Festival Tour. His toys are fun to play with and illustrations are unstoppable.
http://www.yumfactory.com
Jesse Reklaw will be playing electric guitar and singing original material. He creates the weekly strip “Slow Wave”, just released the first Superstring CD, Artificial Stupidity, and his book Dreamtoons is available through http://www.slowwave.com/.
Julie Keitges will be telling a story. She has had a novel published by Avon Books and short stories and poetry published in various magazines such as Roanoke Review and Southern Literary Review. Her most recent novella was “Top Rated” at zoetrope.com.
Kou Chen Jiang will be playing harmonica. He is the most studied of this evening's performers. He has devoted more time to his craft than some of the other performers have spent breathing. His performance truly must been seen to be appreciated.
http://www.geocities.com/kcjmusic/
Matt Holdaway will be telling two stories. He publishes A Multitude of Voices, has lectured on how to make a zine at UC Berkeley, The Cartoon Art Museum, and Yerba Buena Center of the Arts as well as at Marin and Berkeley High. He has stories printed in over twenty publications, moderates the Pyrits and has stories and comics at http://www.altgeek.net/voices/.
Murder of Crows will be performing three songs. Influenced in equal parts by Wire & Nick Drake experimental folk pop quartet Murder of Crows are set to take by storm an independent music scene that is already practically choking to death on bands influenced by Wire and Nick Drake.
Otis is driven by Anthony Delany as a vehicle to perform the songs he has written which he sings and plays on his bass with a rotating line-up of supporting musicians. He also founded the Caliban Foundation.
http://www.calibanfoundation.org/
Throkmorton will be playing two songs and accompanied with Matt Holdaway on talking drum for a third. Throkmorton is Billy Twid and Warren Dietzl. Accomplished in bluegrass, classical, classic rock and roll with an arsenal of songs to choose from. They play every Monday at the International Club in San Francisco.
http://www.geocities.com/throckthehouse/throckmorton.html
Tony DuShane will be telling a story. Tony is stand up comic, radio show host and edits the literary 'zine Cherry Bleeds.
http://www.cherrybleeds.com
Trevor Alixopulos will be telling a story. He is the writer and cartoonist responsible for the publications Modern Fascist, Quagga, Dread, and Nil.
http://www.alixopulos.com/
Fredo created the poster and flyer. He is the creator of the Xeric winning comic Shpilkes. His comics and art can seen at http://www.altgeek.net/.
Global Hobo is a comic distro founded by Thien Pham and Jesse Reklaw. They strive to bring you the best in self-published comics from the bay and beyond.
Mighty is located at 119 Utah Street in San Francisco near the 16th Street Bart Station. It has thousands of feet of space, plenty of room to hang out with your friends, original art on display, great sound and a well-stocked bar.
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Monday, January 12, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Q&A with Alex Robinson ( Box Office Poison) at Newsarama
• Here's a Gary Baseman interview in The Boston Globe. [ thanks to Dirk Deppey ]
• Preview the upcoming Comic Art #5.
• Rick Altergott's got a page in this week's Stranger (Seattle).
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[event:art] DRAWINGS EXHIBIT IN L.A. NOW UP
From Souther Salazar:
a drawing show, all works on paper featuring:
Caroline Hwang, Daniel Peacock, Daren Wilson, Eric Jacobo, Jeff Soto, Jordon Davis, Justin Wood, Levon Jihanian, Martha Rich, PJay Fidler, Rachell Sumpter, Ryan Callis, Ryan Jacob Smith, Saelee Oh, Souther Salazar, Travis Chatham.
PENS AND PIANOS
@ CINESPACE on 6356 Hollywood Blvd.
(between Ivar and Cahuenga, 2nd floor)
ph: 310.772.8245
http://www.southersalazar.net/news/index.htm
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Friday, January 09, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• The 15th issue of Cheap Vegan, the zine for cheap vegans, is now available. More info.
• This Sunday's New York Times (January 11) will be running a reviews round-up of New York City graphic novels in the "City" section. [ thanks to Jeff Mason ]
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Thursday, January 08, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Art brut concern Le Dernier Cri is currently running two exhibitions in France, one in Lyon and the other in Salon de Provence. Also, the deadline for the upcoming Hopital Brut #7 is the end of April. For more info and eye candy check out their site.
• Hugo House's Zine Archives and Publishing Project is co-presenting "ZINEGEIST, spirit of zines." Displays from S.F. Center of the Book, local zine vendors. Also, music & cartoonist slide show. 7 p.m. FREE. At Zeitgeist Art & Coffee, 171 S. Jackson St., Seattle. (206) 583-0497. Hugo House website.
• Alternative Comics has increased the number of pages of Hi-Horse Omnibus Volume 1 (ISBN: 1-891867-67-9; Spring 2004) to 112 pages, same low price of $11.95.
• Gary Panter appears briefly in the latest issue of Ready Made magazine. [ thanks to Jonathan Bennett ]
• A couple of interviews: Dean Haspiel at Silver Bullet and Rich Tommaso at PULSE
• Online anthology Modern Tales Longplay is looking for submissions. More info at their FAQ.
• Here's a feature on Jim Woodring in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. [ thanks to Mark Campos ]
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[comix] HUMANOIDS RECEIVES TWO PRIX D'ANGOULÊME NOMINATIONS
The graphic album series Bouncer and Stéphane Clément were nominated for the 2004 Prix d'Angoulême Awards Nominations. Bouncer features art by François Boucq and story by Alexandro Jodorowsky. Stéphane Clément features art and story by Daniel Ceppi. Both books were nominated in a new category, Best Series.
The winners will be announced on January 22, 2004 by the organizers of the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée in Angoulême, France. Humanoids Publishing congratulates François Boucq, Alexandro Jodorowsky, and Daniel Ceppi on their superb work on their respective books.
Bouncer is an epic adventure of the American West turned on its ear and filled with strange characters and situations that could only have originated from the mind of El Topo Director, and Metabarons author, Alexandro Jodorowsky. The artist, François Boucq, has previously been awarded the Grand Prize of the City of Angoulême, which is awarded to a living author, cartoonist or scriptwriter (French or foreign), based on his lifetime's work or his contribution to the development of cartoons. The full-color, 56-page hardcover graphic album for Mature Readers retails for $15.95. Originally released in English in September 2002, the album is available at quality direct market comic book retailers and continues to be available by re-order from Humanoids Publishing.
Stéphane Clément details the chronicles of a contemporary traveler who finds adventure, intrigue, and danger dealing with drug traffickers, terrorists, and smugglers of ancient artifacts around the world. The full-color, series currently consists of eleven 56-page hardcover volumes. It has not yet been released in English.
http://www.humanoidsgroup.com/
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Wednesday, January 07, 2004
ODDS & ENDS
• Rumor has it that John Porcellino's Perfect Example and Ron Rege Jr.'s Skibber Bee Bye will be reprinted sometime in 2004 by Highwater Books...
• Top Shelf has signed Max Estes on for his graphic novel Hello, Again, due out by late 2004 or early 2005.
• Jim Siergey reports that his "Cultural Jet Lag" strip returns to The Door magazine with its January/February issue.
• I'm not sure the guy really knows what he's talking about but here's an article on Hickee and Further Grickle from The Orlando Sentinel.
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[zines] ZINE YEARBOOK CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
From Jen Angel:
The Zine Yearbook Volume 8 will include excerpts from zines published in 2003, but we can't pick the best without your input! Tell us what should be included! Eligible zines must have been printed in 2003 and have circulations of less than 5,000 copies per issue. All you need to do is photocopy the article or artwork that you want nominate, and include the zine's name and address with your entry. Please send your nominations to:
The Zine Yearbook
PO Box 20128
Toledo, OH, 43610 USA
All entries must be received by February 1, 2004. For more information, email.
Look for The Zine Yearbook Vol. 8 during summer 2004 from Soft Skull Press.
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[comix] TWAIN GETS COMIX TREATMENT
AMERICA'S GREATEST HUMORIST, ILLUSTRATED!
Eureka Productions is pleased to announce the publication of Graphic Classics: Mark Twain. Graphic Classics is a series of books presenting great fiction adapted in comics and heavily-illustrated text for readers of all ages. Each volume contains the works of one classic author, illustrated by some of the best artists working today in the fields of comics, book illustration and fine arts.
Graphic Classics: Mark Twain features a comics adaptation of "The Mysterious Stranger" by Rick Geary, "A Ghost Story" by Anton Emdin, "A Dog's Tale" by Lance Tooks and nine more great stories. Plus Twain's "Advice To Little Girls", illustrated by seven women artists: Mary Fleener, Shary Flenniken, Annie Owens, Lesley Reppeteaux, Toni Pawlowsky, Kirsten Ulve and Florence Cestac. With additional art by Evert Geradts, Skip Williamson, Dan O'Neill, Nick Miller, Simon Gane, Milton Knight, Dan Burr, Jackie Smith, William L. Brown and Lisa K. Weber. Cover by George Sellas. Edited by Tom Pomplun.
Graphic Classics: Mark Twain (ISBN#0-9712464-8-3) is available in bookstores, comics shops, or direct from the publisher at http://www.graphicclassics.com. 144 pages, b&w w/color cover, $9.95.
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Tuesday, January 06, 2004
[event:comix] FLUKE MINI-COMICS FESTIVAL 2004 - ATHENS, GA, JANUARY 31
This year’s FLUKE Mini-Comics Festival will take place on Saturday, January 31st at Tasty World on 312 E. Broad Street, Athens, GA from noon until 6 PM. Admission is $5.00 for all attendees, which includes a copy of the anthology. Special Guests include Sam Henderson, creator of The Magic Whistle; and Jeff Mason, owner of Alternative Press, Inc. A series of readings, music and trapeze performances will follow throughout the evening. The festival includes the debut of the third annual FLUKE anthology including the work of local Athens cartoonists and artists, including t. edward bak, Patrick Dean and Devlin Thompson, as well as outside-of-Athens cartoonists. The deadline for submissions to this publication is Friday, January 16th. Please drop off all submissions at Bizarro Wuxtry at 225 College Avenue, or mail to FLUKE, PO Box 948, Athens, GA 30603. All attendees will receive a token upon purchase of admission the day of the event to purchase a copy of the anthology at Bizarro Wuxtry.
PUBLICATION SUBMISSION DETAILS
All work must be formatted to submit in DIGEST-SIZE (8.5 inches tall x 5.5 inches wide). We will not include submissions of mini-comics that do not follow these guidelines. While there is no firm page limit, brevity is encouraged. Please submit high-quality b & w photocopies. We will not be held responsible for any original work. The FLUKE organizers reserve all rights to accept or reject work for the FLUKE 2004 anthology.
EVENT SPECS
Tables and spaces will be provided for mini comic artists and distributors on a first-come, first-serve basis. All attendees are welcome to bring enough work to fill a small (4' x 5') table space. In the interest of providing display space for as many artists as possible, attendees may not use more than one table. Large displays and booths are not permitted at FLUKE, so please do not bring them. You will be asked to keep them in your vehicle.
FLUKE’s STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/MISSION
FLUKE is a mini-comic festival that has been organized by Athens-area comic artists, underground publishers and their enthusiasts since 2002. Conceived as a venue for the discussion and exchange of timely ideas related to mini-comics, zines, and other independent publications. FLUKE is not a large comic convention or merchandising-saturated extravaganza. This isn't to say we don't like our share of stuff – 'cause we do. However, we have kept the organization of the event as simple as possible to ensure that it remains focused on work and ideas rather than merchandising.
AND on Friday, January 30th, the night before FLUKE, we're having a suggested-donation-meet-n-greet vegan/vegetarian potluck at Tight Pockets with Elf Power, ZummZumm and We VS The Shark performing. Anyone planning on attending the Friday night event should email t. edward bak for info on directions.
We would like artists to have items for preview/display at the Tight Pockets merchandise table and anybody interested in cooking for the potluck should contact bak as well.
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ODDS & ENDS
• Here's an interview at Newsarama with Ng Suat Tong, editor of the upcoming Rosetta Volume 2.
• Did you catch Gary Fields' cover for the October/November Boys Quest magazine? It was quite nice.
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[event:comix] CAROUSEL CARTOON SLIDESHOW AT MAKOR - NYC, JANUARY 11
R. Sikoryak's "Carousel" will be featured in Uptown/Downtown Makor Marathon
this Sunday, January 11 between 12-6 PM
"Carousel" presents cartoon slide shows and other projected pictures. This time around, it includes performances by:
Lauren R. Weinstein & Patrick Hambrecht
Michael Kupperman
Kaz
Todd Alcott
Megan Montague Cash
Brian Dewan
and your host, R. Sikoryak.
(there will be 2 different shows, with different performers, at 1 pm and 3 pm)
For Program details and times
www.makor.org or 212.601.1000
Information
Makor/Steinhard Center of the 92nd Street Y
35 W 67th Street (btwn Columbus & Central Park W)
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[event:comix] WARE, PANTER, CHIPPENDALE, OTHERS EXHIBIT IN CHICAGO - JANUARY 9
"Glasses Are Free: Comics and Comics Inspired Art"
Drawings, comics, paintings, prints, and collages by Brian Chippendale, Leif Goldberg, Frank Johnson, Gary Panter, Ron Rege Jr., David Sandlin, and Chris Ware.
Guest Curator: Dan Nadel
January 9 - February 7, 2004
Carl Hammer Gallery
740 North Wells Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
phone:312.266.8512
www.hammergallery.com
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ODDS & ENDS
• Q&A with David Lasky (lots of artwork too) at Interstitial Arts [ thanks to Jeff Mason ]
• The most recent "Dogsbody" reviews at The Comics Journal site.
• Sean T. Collins' interview with Phoebe Gloeckner
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[event:comix] LAUREN WEINSTEIN CARTOONING CLASS - NYC, BEGINNING JANUARY 29
"Comic Book to Graphic Novel" / West Side Makor
Modern cartooning combines drawing, graphic art and writing on themes ranging from social satires to memoirs and adventure stories. Make your own graphic novel and study the works of the greats from Robert Crumb to Craig Thompson. Learn how to develop, pencil, and ink your own stories, from short strips to longer works. Students with ambitious longer projects receive technical assistance and guidance. No previous experience required.
First Session: Thu, Jan 29, 2004, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Sessions: 12
Instructor: Lauren Weinstein
Location: Steinhardt Building ( directions)
Code: MM3NA11-01
Price: $260.00
http://www.92y.org/shop/class_detail.asp?catalog=92y%5Fcatalog&productid=MM3NA11
“This semester the course will be even better,” said Instructor Lauren Weinstein, “We'll be starting with creating gag panels and ending with multi-page narratives. Students from last semester will be working on longer independent projects.”
Register at www.makor.org or at 212.601.1000.
For more information on programs e-mail or call 212.413.8842.
Makor is a place where New Yorkers of all backgrounds can feel comfortable expressing themselves, and where they can find meaning and inspiration. Makor is a place where you can rediscover Jewish life without losing your identity, where you can hone your talents while appreciating those of others, where you can cultivate the avant-garde while finding out about your roots.
Makor reaches out to New Yorkers in their 20s and 30s with opportunities to connect and learn through imaginative programming in the arts and entertainment, education and service to others.
Lauren Weinstein’s newest graphic novel is Inside Vineyland (Alternative Comics; ISBN: 1-891867-44-X; Diamond Code: STAR 18926; http://www.vineyland.com). Her illustrations are featured in many publications.
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[event:comix] PRISON FUNNIES / INFINITE KUNG FU RELEASE PARTY - TORONTO, JANUARY 7
From The Beguiling's newsletter:
This Wednesday, January 7th, 2004
8pm until 2am @ Volume Lounge 577 King St. West (King & Bathurst)
Come meet Toronto comic artists and illustrators Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod as they celebrate the respective releases of their new comics, Prison Funnies #2 and Infinite Kung-Fu #6! Featuring comics, art, and 'hype tracks' laid down by DJ Shoontzy, this event is guaranteed to be raidtacular.
Come on, it's a Wednesday night! What were you really going to do that's better than having a drink with cool folks at an amazing bar/lounge? All of the television programs are in repeat, and it's a slow week for comics too. Come do something fun, before it's too late.
For more information, visit:
http://www.torontocomics.com - The hype
http://65.49.87.117/volumelounge/volumetour.htm - The venue
http://www.stevetastic.com/prison/tour/tour2.html - The Chip
http://www.kaganmcleod.com/ - The Kagan
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Monday, January 05, 2004
[event:comix] RAW, BOILED AND COOKED ON THE EAST COAST - BALTIMORE, JANUARY 30
From Paul Candler:
So, finally, the comic show that was the rage of the West Coast last summer is scheduled to open January 30th at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) in the Decker Gallery and will run through Sunday, March 13th. The opening night party is Thursday, February 5th, 5-7pm.
The exhibit I'm referring to is Raw, Boiled and Cooked, which ran for three months at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco as part of "Fantastic! The Art of Comics and Illusion," and included 39 of the nation's leading contemporary underground comics artists, including new works designed for the exhibit from Mr. Jim Woodring and Mr. Chris Ware.
The show has undergone some significant changes, including several new artists and a retitling. "Raw, Boiled and Cooked: Comics on the Verge" will run for seven weeks with three satelite exhibits taking place in Baltimore at the Park School, The University of Maryland, and at Creative Alliance. Peter Kuper will have an artist residency during the run of the exhibit and will (hopefully) be creating a new work that will travel on to the other venues (Chicago, you're next!)
In addition to the opening party, there will be a comics event weekend with workshops, films, lectures and panels featuring many of the exhibiting artists including Peter Kuper, Renee French, David Sandlin, David Mazzucchelli, Mary Fleener, Carol Lay, Mark Newgarden, Jennifer Wallace, Dan Nadel, Ted Stearn, Jonathon Rosen, Nicholas Blechman, Chezia Thompson-Cager, William Foster, Jose Villarubia, Arnold T. Blumberg, Tom Chalkey, Brian Ralph, and more!
If that's not enough, then come to the closing party which will be a small press expo Saturday and Sunday, March 6th and 7th, featuring several of the above participants and also Paul Pope, Dan Krall, Faith Dalyrmple, Jeffery Brown, Mark Hempel, Mark Wheatley, Harry Roland and others.
And finally, take the experience home with you by simply buying the catalog, forthcoming from Last Gasp Books in February. 96 pages and full color throughout, it features art and full stories from all 39 artists, including a never before published Zippy story from Bill Griffith! The book also includes essays by Dan Nadel, Renny Pritikin, George Ciscle's class (who took an exhibition seminar with me during the Fall semester and are responsible for much of the great stuff you see listed above), and me. You can preorder it at amazon.com or through Last Gasp and you can buy it when you come to see the show at the MICA bookstore.
There's so much more, I'm probably forgetting some key stuff but that's ok because the great students at MICA have supplied you with this handy website that should answer any and all questions you might have.
[ source: The Comics Journal messageboard ]
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[surf]
• New Hulk colorist Hermes Tadeu murdered. Read the full story at Newsarama. [ thanks to Ian Carney ]
• National Society of Film Critics names American Splendor Best Picture. Here's the Associated Press story. [ thanks to ¡Journalista! ]
• Q&A with Squid Works' Stan Yan at Silver Bullet
• Listen here to audio excerpts from The Comics Journal's 1993 interview with Jim Woodring.
• Toronto Star article on Chester Brown and Louis Riel
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Sunday, January 04, 2004
[event:comix] EMERALD CITY COMICON RETURNS - SEATTLE, FEBRUARY 29
The Emerald City ComiCon returns for its second year in beautiful downtown Seattle on February 29th, 2004. Last year ECCC established itself as the largest show of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and will once again be held at the 60,000 square foot West Field Plaza at the Seattle Seahawks Stadium.
When asked about their Second Annual show, Jim Demonakos, Organizer of the ECCC, said, "We were overwhelmed with support for our first show – a one-day show with an attendance of over 2,500? A total success for everyone and we're not changing the formula now! Again the Emerald City ComiCon will feature top-notch guests, retailers and publishers all at a great facility, ensuring that everyone will come away satisfied with their experience."
The show will feature some of best talents currently working in the comic industry including:
• Stan Sakai, who will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of his creation Usagi Yojimbo
• Brian Michael Bendis ( Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil, Powers)
• Greg Rucka ( Wolverine, Wonder Woman)
• Howard Chaykin ( American Flagg!, Bite Club)
• Matt Wagner ( Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity, Grendel, Mage)
• Kurt Busiek ( JLA/Avengers, Conan, Astro City)
• Dave Johnson ( Superman: Red Son, 100 Bullets)
• JG Jones ( Wanted, Black Widow)
• and many more!
According to Darick Robertson, 'The Emerald City con is a great time. The promoters really love comics and it shows. They've treated the creators with the utmost courtesy and I see a lot of potential for an ongoing successful show in one of the most beautiful and fun cities in America!'
The ECCC will also be host to several publishers, large and small, including Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Top Shelf Productions, Fantagraphics Books, Penny Arcade, Studio Foglio, Gagne International Press, Castle Rain Entertainment, Rorschach Entertainment and many more!
"It's always nice to be in on the start of something cool. Emerald City ComiCon started out cool and will only get better" said Phil Foglio of Studio Foglio.
To learn more about Emerald City ComiCon and to view a complete guest list, please visit www.emeraldcitycomicon.com – updated frequently with information about the guests, artists and publishers attending.
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[art] BWANA SPOONS SOLO SHOW - SAN FRANCISCO, JANUARY
From Bwana Spoons:
"I have a little solo show in San Francisco At National Product coming up. I will have a new set of three mini prints on tap and a touchy feely installation to boot. Here are the details:
Show runs from the 7th -31st of January.
OPENING PARTY IS ON THE 9TH FROM 8PM-10PM
National Product is at 1845 Market St. near Guerrero St.
415 255 1920
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[comix] MONSTER ENGINE!
Anthology of Monsters released on unsuspecting public!
After an eight-plus year run of several small-press collectives and solo projects, Toby Craig challenged his comic-friends with a request for some monster inspired tales. The results are finally here. Seven stories, each with their own varied takes on the monster theme.
Giant monster smack-downs, law and order on a different spatial plane, musings of the walking dead, bible-beasts from the deep, chatty inner demons, monsters under the bed, and things that go bump in the nightlife.
Monster Engine! edited by Toby Craig. Featuring work by Pedro Boyd, Brian Canny, Peter Conrad, Toby Craig, Jim Rugg, Dalton Webb, Todd Webb, and Tom Williams.
64 pages; $6.00; ISBN: 0-9748513-0-2; Available February 2004.
Sample Images
http://www.ithinkican.com/monsterengine/
About the Contributors
Pedro Boyd, a permanent fixture of painting studios, has cranked out his fair share of comics for the web and in his own mini-comics. Examples of his work can be found on the ithinkican.com website.
Brian Canny is a writer living in Dallas, TX where his unique grasp of the written word actually makes him some money, as opposed to his infrequent collaborations in Engine!.
Peter Conrad is an artist, writer, and illustrator in Northern California. His comics appear in numerous anthologies, a few newspapers, and movie screens in Silicon Valley.
Toby Craig is a crackpot self-publisher living in Texas. He continues to keep an out-of-focus watch on the intangible and weird with the continued publication of his Engine! books.
Jim Rugg's comics have appeared in a few anthologies and mini-comics. He currently spends his free time doing a book called Street Angel from Slave Labor.
Dalton Webb has created several comic strips, editorial cartoons, illustrations, and comic stories. He studied studio arts and graphic design in Texas before relocating to Seattle. Despite being a life long Texan, he does not have an accent. In addition to his mini-comic, The One Regret, his work has also appeared in the Vancouver Special, Moxie, and Engine!
Todd Webb is one of those fortunate few that get to draw comics all day long. When not drawing he's making music with his band 'Rangeboy' or goofing off. His book The Goldfish and Bob was very well received and his cartoon journal can be seen every week on his website.
Tom Williams was established 1974. Situated in Columbus, Ohio. C.C.A.D. grad. 1997 (b.f.a.) continues to cartoon and do the occasional illustration/design gig. His books include Crash Comics, Poof!, Looking at the Front Door, Panel, and the award winning Misa.
Order from: http://shop.ithinkican.com
Toby Craig, 116 Natures Way, Huntsville, TX 77056
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Saturday, January 03, 2004
[surf]
• Here's an Associated Press article on Portland-area comics creators Craig Thompson, Joe Sacco and Greg Rucka.
• On this page you'll find a link to three Frank animations done by Jim Woodring for the Seattle Public Library (scroll down to the bottom).
• A Jeff Zenick collection will be released by Alternative Comics in the fall. Here's a sample to whet your appetite.
• According to Variety Killer Films will be adapting Ariel Schrag's Potential for the big screen. More here.
[ thanks to Jeff Mason ]
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Friday, January 02, 2004
[surf]
• Tom Hart wishes you a Happy (interactive) New Year
• This week's East Bay Express (San Francisco) has a big section illustrating the year in comics as drawn by David Lasky, Jesse Reklaw, Lark Pien, Alixopulos, Fredo, Hellen Jo and even more. Check it out here.
• Here's an article on Dara Naraghi and Columbus, Ohio comics collective Panel
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[comix] SLG TO PUBLISH STREET ANGEL IN MARCH
 Street Angel Comes Up from the Underground to SLG!
Street Angel, the urban drama/teen comedy/tragedy/action-adventure/sci-fi/political satire/slice-of-life comic with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, is bursting forth from its underground roots into the realm of "legitimate" comics as a full-sized, ongoing quarterly series by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca from SLG Publishing. Described by its creators as "Bruce Lee meets Dan Clowes crossed with Watchmen, if Tony Hawk and Clint Eastwood had a child, and The Matrix crossed with Punky Brewster," Street Angel is a comic series defies any single genre or high-concept description to pin it down.
Creators Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca, who published the Eugene Day Memorial Prize-nominated mini-comic version of Street Angel with Aweful Books under the name "Dick Troutman," created the comic to bring fun back to superhero comics. Among the influences artist and co-writer Rugg names for Street Angel are "imaginary memories of Silver Age comics" and Jack Kirby, a sensibility that won over SLG Publishing's president Dan Vado.
"The only things that could make this comic better are an alien with a giant brain and a talking gorilla," said Vado. "And who's to say those won't show up?"
"There's definitely a lack of fun in comics these days. In some ways Street Angel is a reaction against what I see in the superhero mainstream today," said Rugg. "I think the book has some unique qualities even as a superhero book. It's extremely flexible and open to incorporating elements from other genres like horror, noir, comedy."
Rugg and Maruca's superhero comes in an unexpected package – their five-foot, 90-pound heroine, Jesse Sanchez, a homeless 13-year-old girl whose skateboarding and martial arts skills make her the most feared crime-fighter in Wilkesborough, a dangerous ghetto of Angel City. Angel City may be overrun with poverty, drug abuse, nepotism and ninjas, but Jesse will fight for the poor and destitute – and for food, if she can get it.
In the first issue of Street Angel, a Silver Age story by ways of indie comics unfolds. Angel City's mayor recruits Jesse Sanchez, known to criminals as Street Angel, to save his daughter from the evil genius Dr. Pangea, who has planned to re-unite the planet's continents in a diabolical plot for world domination. But what chance does a 13-year-old homeless girl stand against a mad genius and his army of henchninja?
Each issue of Street Angel will feature a single self-contained story with appearances from conquistadors, Incas, Irish astronauts, Jesse's friends in Wilkesborough and, of course, more ninjas. The concepts are outlandish, but it never crosses into the realm of the ridiculous, says SLG's editor-in-chief Jennifer de Guzman. " Street Angel is fun, but it's absolutely not mindless," she said.
Street Angel #1 will hit stores in March 2004, and subsequent issues will be released quarterly. Each 24-page, black-and-white issue of the ongoing series will feature color covers and will retail for $2.95. A preview of the comic is available at SLG Publishing's website, www.slavelabor.com.
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[event:comix] WORK OF JEWISH COMICS CREATORS EXHIBITED IN DENVER
No Joke: The Spirit of American Comic Books
Curated by Simon Zalkind
Singer Gallery
January 15-March 28, 2004
Opening Reception: Thursday, Jan. 15, 5-7 p.m., free (followed by Will Eisner)
Hours: M-F, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun., 1-4 p.m.
From superheroes to Marvel comics and MAD Magazine, from underground "comix" to the graphic novel… works by Carl Barks, C.C. Beck, Al Capp, Howard Chaykin, Howard Cruse, Mort Drucker, Will Eisner, Will Elder, Al Feldstein, Frank Frazetta, Kelly Freas, Justin Green, Bill Griffin, Jack Kirby, Harvey Kurtzman, Don Martin, Sheldon Moldoff, Victor Moscoso, Prohias, Trina Robbins, Gilbert Shelton, Joe Shuster, Art Spiegelman. A cartoon mural by Tom Motley depicts the history of comic books.
Also included with the exhibit: a gallery of local cartoonists, a panel discussion, comics-related films and appearances by Will Eisner (January 15), John Severin (February 8) and others.
Mizel Center for Arts and Culture at the JCC
350 South Dahlia Street
Denver, CO 80246
Box Office: 303-316-6360
For more information: http://www.mizelcenter.org/interdisciplinary.htm
[ thanks to Tom Hart ]
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