Sunday, June 18, 2017

That darn Snoopy

The Post reviews house-cleaning manga

North Carolina caricaturist Al Phillips dies in suburban MD retirement

Al Phillips, illustrator of Charlotte's big moments and famous people for Observer, dies at 83

By Tim Funk

Charlotte Observer June 14, 2017

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article156172574.html

Marc Hempel and John Gallagher at Awesome Con

John Gallagher has his children's comics for sale while Marc Hempel had Death from Sandman stop by.


Awesome Con continues today

Here's some cosplayers from Saturday.


Friday, June 16, 2017

New award announced for Baltimore Comic-Con

The Ringo Awards – Named After Mike Wieringo – To Replace Harvey Awards At Baltimore Comic Con

by June 16, 2017
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/06/16/ringo-awards-named-mike-wieringo-replace-harvey-awards-baltimore-comic-con/

1970s TV Wonder Woman visits Library of Congress

Pic of the Week: Wonder Woman Visits the Library

Whiplash - Comic Riffs' Cavna on Cars 3 and Delisle's Hostage (within 24 hours)

Pop Culture Happy Hour on 'Wonder Woman'

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Wonder Woman' And The Tony Awards

Gal Gadot stars in Wonder Woman.

Clay Enos/Warner Bros and DC Comics

This week, now that more of you have had a chance to see it, we're finally getting around to talking about the critical and commercial success that is Wonder Woman. Petra Mayer of NPR Books joins us to talk about Diana, her island of fighters, her romance, the inevitable Great Big Ending, representation that does and doesn't exist in this movie, and more.

That darn Toles speaks up

The baseball gunman posted my cartoon on his Facebook page. Here's my response. [in print as The gunman and my cartoon].


Washington Post June 16 2017, p. A23

'Fine artists' comics at the Baltimore Museum of Art

The Sequential Art, Comics & Cartoons of Famous Artists

By: |

http://www.printmag.com/comics-and-animation/the-comics-cartoons-of-famous-artists/

Awesome Con's local faces

I was able to make into Awesome Con's main floor before it closed for the day, and tried to say hello to local cartoonists.

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In no particular order:

Evan Keeling represented the Smithsonian.

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National Geographic's booth, with my wife's colleagues.

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Joe Carabeo of Curls Studio.

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A token Canadian, Ryan North (aka writer of Dinosaur Comics and Squirrel Girl).

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Cuddles & Rage with their new picture book.

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Arsia Rozegar.

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Dawn Griffin of Baltimore.

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Matt Dembicki.

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Vanessa Bettencourt and novelist Jacob Falling.

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The Frazetta family's booth (they've got some originals for sale!)

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SL Gallant.

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Jamie Noguchi in motion.

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Marc Hempel of Baltimore.

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The Red Skull with a cosmic cube cosplayer.

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The Express and Post on Cars 3

Watch 'Cars 3' and feel like a kid again [in print as Getting into 'Cars'"It's fun when a film revs up the crowd].


Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez have the platonic automative friendship we all aspire to. (Disney-Pixar)

'Cars 3': Once more around the track, for old times sake [in print as Storyline and jokes starting to sputter].


Washington Post June 16 2017, p. Weekend 25
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/cars-3-once-more-around-the-track-for-old-times-sake/2017/06/14/b5efac32-5051-11e7-b064-828ba60fbb98_story.html

Thursday, June 15, 2017

New Muslim Superhero book by A. David Lewis

David used to live in DC, and this is a good interview.

One Scholar On What Comic Books Reveal About Attitudes Toward Muslims

Here & Now's Robin Young

June 15, 2017

http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/06/15/muslims-comics-refugees

The Express on Awesome Con

'I'm marrying Deadpool at Awesome Con.' Three superfans share their plans for this year. [in print as Is Awesome Con in your future?]


Express June 15 2017, p. 22-23
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2017/06/15/im-marrying-deadpool-at-awesome-con-three-superfans-share-their-plans-for-this-year/

"Who are the new superwomen of the universe?" - the morning after

Thanks to the courtesy of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, I was invited to attend this panel last night.

The Museum described it as:

FRESH TALK: Who are the new superwomen of the universe?


Join us for FRESH TALK on the superwomen changing the universe of comics and beyond.
For much of comics history, women characters were introduced as plot devices for the leading male characters. Join us for a conversation about the new wave of superheroines entering the comic universe, leading the fight for justice and dispelling traditional stereotypes in fiction and beyond. 
Followed by Catalyst, a cocktail hour with a topic and a twist.

SPEAKERS:

Moderated by Emily Whitten, ComicMix.com writer and moderator of Awesome Con. Emily is based in Washington, D.C.

DC Zine Fest reps, including my neighbor Anna Tecson, set up in the lobby before and after the show. The main event, in the Museum's 5th floor auditorium appeared to be sold-out. The crowed was probably 90% women. After a two introductions by museum staff, the panel began, slightly late due to Metro delays.

Carolyn Cocca gave an academic overview of the problems with women in superhero comics over a fifty-year period, including helplessness, cheesecake, under-representation, and 'fridging' or abuse to highlight a male superhero's feelings. While she spoke in a very academic fashion, she got her point across especially with her visuals, and I'll be looking for her book.

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Ariell Johnson gave a very entertaining account of her decision to open a 'safe-space' comic book and coffee shop in Philadelphia.

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Gabby Rivera had one young adult novel published when Marvel Comics sought her out to write a Puerto Rican, lesbian hero named America. Rivera was irrepressible during her talk, and I plan on following her career.

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Ashley Woods talked about growing up in Chicago and discovering comics via a convention that she attended with her mother, and then self-publishing a comic through college, until finally landing the Niobe title. Her art is anime/manga-influenced and now done digitally, but she talked briefly about not being able to afford computer tools earlier in her career.

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The talks ran a bit long, so the panel session was short and mostly taken up with the panelist's impressions of the Wonder Woman movie (which were generally positive). Everyone agreed that there should be more non-white-male work and representation in comic books. After the panel, there was a cocktail party in the main lobby, but unfortunately I had to leave at that point.

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The panel was recorded and should appear online soon.