Random Comics News Story Round-Up
* Gary Tyrrell passes along word from Fred Gallagher that he's feeling better after a recent surgery to correct a general condition.
* it's always fun to look at a gallery of mainstream comic book images. There are always about five or six pretty good ones in such an array.
http://thecoolkidztable.blogspot.com/2013/05/art-attack-july-2013s-coolest-covers.html
* the writer Matt Fraction takes a look at Bob Kane's grave. There's a funny story someone told me once that I can't quite remember about Stan Lee being at another funeral and walking around trying to find Kane's last resting place.
http://mattfraction.com/post/50977782546/everybody-thinks-im-kidding-when-i-tell-them
* the Library Of American Comics site has a longish piece up on the "Moon Maid" contests.
* I've seen people talking about a Jason mural but I've never gone to look at it until now and whoa. Yeah, that's nice. I really like the space Jason has carved out for himself in North American comics; I don't have a sense of how he does in any of the European markets
* Matthew Brady has been writing about One Piece in short bursts at his site. I'm glad when someone writes about that comic because it's super-popular and I don't quite understand it.
* finally, I greatly enjoyed this piece on sometimes comics artist Ray Houlihan, and would have even if he weren't at times a comics artist. The visuals are lovely.
Your 2013 Glyph Awards Winners
This year's winners of the Glyph Comics Awards were named last weekend in conjunction with Philadelphia's East Coast Black Age Of Comics Convention. The nominees slate was very independent-comics oriented, which to my memory was a break with how previous years broke down. It's always nice to see veteran Jerry Craft pick up an award.
Winners in bold:
STORY OF THE YEAR
* The Call; Steve Broome
* KOBK; C. J. Johnson, SMACK! * Monsters 101; Muhammad Rasheed
* Shadowlaw; Brandon Easton and Scott Kester and Ryo Kawakami
* Ultimate Comics Spider-Man; Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Samnee and Kaare Andrews and Mark Bagley
BEST COVER * Indigo: Hit List 1.0; Richard G. Tyler ll
* Jaycen Wise; Richard G. Tyler ll
* Night Stalker; David Miller
* Shadowlaw; Scott Kester and Ryo Kawakami
* Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #6; Kaare Andrews and Mark Bagley
BEST WRITER
* Steve Broome, The Call * Brandon Easton, Shadowlaw
* C. J. Johnson, KOBK
* Keith Miller, Tri-Boro Tales
* Muhammad Rasheed, Monsters 101
BEST ARTIST
* Jacob Newell, Origins Unknown: Point Of Authority
* Jerry Gaylord, Fanboys Vs. Zombies #1-9
* Charlie Goubile, Corsairs * Chris Samnee, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #6
* Richard G. Tyler ll, Jaycen Wise
BEST MALE CHARACTER
* Bomani, H.O.P.E.; Raymond Ayala and Rafael Desquitado and Jacob Elijah Hallinen and Kim Jacinto
* Dashawn, KOBK; C. J. Johnson and SMACK!,
* Miles Morales, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man; Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Samnee and Kaare Andrews and Mark Bagley * Mort, Monsters 101; Muhammad Rasheed
* Jaycen Wise, Jaycen Wise; Richard G. Tyler ll
BEST FEMALE CHARACTER
* Christina, KOBK; C. J. Johnson and SMACK!
* Larue Dalcour, Corsairs; Daniel McNeal and Charlie Goubile * Dyana, Night Stalker; Orlando Harding and David Miller
* Indigo, Indigo: Hit List 1.0; Richard G. Tyler ll
* Tia & Zari Jenkins, Surpurbia; Grace Randolph and Russell Dauterman
RISING STAR AWARD * Raymond Ayala, writer, H.O.P.E.
* Steve Broome, writer and artist, The Call
* Brandon Easton, writer, Shadowlaw
* Sharean Morishita, writer and artist, Love! Love! Fighting!
* Willie Smith, writer and artist, Blackguard: Psycho Therapy
BEST COMIC STRIP OR WEBCOMIC
* Ant; Julian Lytle
* Blackguard: Psycho Therapy; Willie Smith
* Blackwax Boulevard; Dmitri Jackson
* The Call; Steve Broome * Mama's Boyz; Jerry Craft
FAN AWARD FOR BEST WORK * Ascended: The Omega Nexus; Roger Reece and Jerry Reece
* Origins Unknown: Point Of Authority; Victor Dandridge and Jacob Newell
* Shadowlaw; Brandon Easton and Scott Kester and Ryo Kawakami
* Ultimate Comics Spider-Man; Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Samnee and Kaare Andrews and Mark Bagley
Catching Up With Syrian Cartoonist Ali Ferzat In Norway
There's a profile of the exiled Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat up on CNN here. It's kind of a odd article in that some of the flourishes confuse -- I'm not sure if you see a bloody man on the side of the road in the early morning you would process him as someone out of favor with the state for his cartoons before deciding "no thank you" on a pick-up -- but there are some details there I'm not sure I knew. For instance, the article says that Ferzat left the country not out of general political concerns but mostly for therapy, and that it was Kuwait that he went to first (some reports had Egypt).
I'd love to know what Ferzat thinks of some of the current particulars in that country's horrifying internal struggles, but I can understand why a profile would stick to the cartoonist and gallery owner's own, compelling story.
Billy Ireland Cartoon Library Confirms Current Location Closing Dates, This Fall's Big Festival
The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum has posted its official closure dates in anticipation of their move into nearby Sullivant Hall, a fine reminder that this is about to go down. I think that's a big deal as the new space is like 10 billion times more impressive and roomy and geared towards the public. It's basically a shut down of all satellite program immediately, limited access for scholars by appointment through mid-summer, and then a full shut down until mid-September. The big coming out party is in November, and I urge comics fans looking for something to do in the Fall that were maybe going to go to Brooklyn to think about that one. We should all go pay respect to Lucy Shelton Caswell in some way, I think.
Not Comics: David Simon Explains Journalism's Fall
Jonathan Korman pulls a David Simon quote out of a comments thread on his own site and presents it as a mini-primer on the fall of journalism. I certainly agree with its basic sensibility, that the pursuit of maximum profits has made that field more difficult and certainly much more depraved. Then again, no one really liked the journalism story arc on The Wire.
The difficulties facing newspaper publishing are of interest to comics fans because of the newspaper strip's role within that wider enterprise.
Gold To Paola Rivera, Silver To David Petersen In Comics Category Of Spectrum Fantastic Art Awards
The Tor blog has the results up for this year's Spectrum Fantastic Art Awards, held in Kansas City in conjunction with the recent Spectrum Live event.
In the comics category, Paola Rivera was listed as having won the Gold for Daredevil #10, while David Petersen was cited for the silver for page 19 of Mouse Guard Black Axe #4. The category was rounded out by offerings from Jennifer Meyer, Joao Ruas and Rivera again. Other names familiar to comics fans, including Charles Vess and Sam Bosma, received awards at the ceremony in non-comics categories (book illustration and editorial art, respectively).
By Request Special: Jack Kirby Book By Jeremy Kirby Here. It's close to being funded, but it hasn't been pushed over the top yet. The author is Jack Kirby's grandson, and the book sounds like it would be an enormous book solely from the amount of unpublished direct material to which it potentially has access.
This Isn't A Library: Notable Releases To The Comics Direct Market
Here are the books that make an impression on me staring at this week's no-doubt largely accurate list of books shipping from Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. to comic book and hobby shops across North America.
I might not buy all of the works listed here. I might not buy any. You never know. I'd sure look at the following, though.
*****
FEB131250 IVAN BRUNETTI AESTHETICS MEMOIR HC $25.00
The happiest surprise of the year: an Ivan Brunetti volume that reminds us how much fun Brunetti is as a cartoonist and that he's done enough non-Schizo work to fill an entire book. This came out of left field for me.
MAR131353 SUNNY HC VOL 01 $22.99
Taiyo Matsumoto has hung around just a tiny notch below widespread, across-the-board acceptance and regular new-book anticipation in North America, and it'd be nice if he could be nudged into that place. I think every one of his books is worth one's consideration, and I'm dying to see this one. That's a nice-looking, striking cover, too.
MAR131426 DRAWN TO NEW YORK ILLUS CHRON OF 3 DECADES IN NYC $29.95
A new volume from the illustrator and occasional cartoonist Peter Kuper, about his city of residence. That sounds really good, and certainly something at that price point I would want to hold in my hands before buying.
FEB130274 STAR TREK JOHN BYRNE COLLECTION HC $49.99
I've always enjoyed the John Byrne Star Trek comics I've read, although I think I may have only read the Gary Seven stuff he's done. Still, there's a nice-looking cover for this one and 12-year-old me will rest easier the more John Byrne settles into a Lion In Winter run of quality comics gigs.
MAR130444 BOUNCE #1 (MR) [DIG] $2.99 MAR130589 SEX #3 (MR) [DIG] $2.99 MAR130907 OCCUPY COMICS #1 $3.50 MAR131253 SIXTH GUN #31 $3.99 MAR130050 LOBSTER JOHNSON SATAN SMELLS A RAT ONE SHOT $3.50 MAR130196 BATMAN INCORPORATED #11 $2.99 MAR130224 GREEN LANTERN #20 (WRATH) (NOTE PRICE) $7.99 MAR130017 MIND MGMT #11 $3.99
Two Joe Casey-written comics kick off the week in standard serial comic book format works. Casey is an interesting cat, and certainly doesn't waste time or aesthetic territory in exploring specific notions in adventure comics form. I assume the Occupy Comics work is what it is, and I imagine that there's a joke to be had about comics' usual timeliness. I'm including the Sixth Gun work because that's a solid title and has been slowly building its audience over a long period of time -- I wish that comics had a dozen more like it. The Lobster Johnson is Kevin Nowlan, so I will snap this one up the next time I'm in a comics shop: he's arguably the most interesting of all occasionally working mainstream comics artists. The Batman Incorporated is arguable DC's best regular series title -- I think it's leaps and bounds above most of what they put out, and I'm not the biggest fan of Batman. The Green Lantern is writer Geoff Johns' last issue on his near decade-long burst of writing on the character -- a major achievement in those circles in that he resuscitated the character as a top ten presence sales-wise. Finally, I'm astonished to see Mind MGMT on an 11th issue already.
MAR130159 GREEN TEAM #1 $2.99
A significant portion of me is glad that DC does books like this every now and then, but when I put on my cynical "Lord Of The Basement" hat and pontificate from a business sense development by staring in comics general direction with pieces of Hot Pocket in my bear, I have to say I don't get the strategy for something like this within the wider line in even the same way I see some of Marvel's shots at books off the beaten path in terms of a place for talent development and a way of generating character ideas to be employed up the line in certain team books. I guess it's about developing certain properties for viable use. I like the idea of money as a superpower, even if it's used as bluntly to mean that money is buying superpowers.
MAR130981 BLAKE & MORTIMER GN VOL 12 ATLANTIS MYSTERY $15.95 MAR130982 LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 29 GRAND DUKE $11.95 MAR130983 LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 30 DALTONS ESCAPE $11.95
I like that classic mainstream French-language album series seem to be showing up in comics shops on a regular basis now, although how many shops actually invest in a little BD corner of their stores I could not tell you. I would smother-hug with extra money if my store did, for sure.
JAN131224 SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HC VOL 03 $24.99
This the latest in the color version of the Bryan Lee O'Malley decade-definer from the 00's. I know some young people that are picking these works up for the first time this way.
OCT121247 WALLY WOOD EERIE TALES OF CRIME & HORROR DLX SLIPCASED $69.95 OCT121246 WALLY WOOD EERIE TALES OF CRIME & HORROR HC $39.95 NOV121348 WALLY WOOD EERIE TALES OF CRIME & HORROR SC $24.95
I'll look at anything Wally Wood, one of the great visual artists working in comics in the 20th Century. And you really have to look at the stuff, too, because not all of it is of interest to every comics fans unless "Wally Wood" is the only organizing principle about which they care.
APR131204 KRAMERS ERGOT HC VOL 08 (OCT111193) (MR) $32.95 MAR130425 TORPEDO TP VOL 03 [DIG] $17.99
These are the two books that jumped out at me as already published -- I think the Torpedo is out in the form listed here -- books where if you don't have them already you should probably consider picking them up now. God bless your store if either is on its shelves.
MAR130992 MY DIRTY DUMB EYES GN (MR) $22.95 FEB130982 PROPERTY HC (MR) $24.95
There's been some significant turnover at Drawn and Quarterly the last few years, something that doesn't get tracked because of the general feeling that a certain kind of cartoonist is always at home there and a few other places. A new Rutu Modan book and a first major book from Lisa Hanawalt say a lot about the company's current state of being.
*****
The full list of this week's releases, including some titles with multiple cover variations and a long, impressive list of toys and other stuff that isn't comics, can be found here. Despite this official list there's no guarantee a comic will show up in the stores as promised, or in all of the stores as opposed to just a few. Also, stores choose what they carry and don't carry so your shop may not carry a specific publication. There are a lot of comics out there.
To find your local comic book store, check this list; and for one I can personally recommend because I've shopped there, albeit a while back, try this.
The above titles are listed with their Diamond order code in the first field, which may assist you in finding comics at your shop or having them order something for you they don't have in-stock. Ordering through a direct market shop can be a frustrating experience, so if you have a direct line to something -- you know another shop has it, you know a bookstore has it -- I'd urge you to consider all of your options.
If I failed to list your comic, that's because I hate you.
Random Comics News Story Round-Up
* there's a lengthy catch-up with Mike Diana here. It seems stupid from the vantage point of 2013 that people were once so horrified by Diana's art, which was clearly full of pretty basic symbolism and taboo-tweaking; it seems downright insane that 20 years ago people were being prosecuted and convicted for making art like that.
* Rob Clough takes another look at mentoring as practiced at Center For Cartoon Studies.
* Chris Mautner would like to see Swan collected. I always think of that stuff as already collected the way it's published, but I'm all for that material showing up in whatever form Chris would like.
* Alex Dueben talks to Peter Bagge. Steve Morris talks to Kate Brown. Casey Gilly talks to Kieron Gillen. I guess there's something in that Gillen interview about people objecting to a scene where teenagers are shown having casual sex...? That seems totally bizarre to me at this late date.
Iconic Comics/Illustration Site Drawn.ca Calls It Quits John Martz has announced the winding down of the site Drawn! on his tumblr. That was for its entire run a significant site, and by coming on-line in 2005 was particularly in those days when such things were possible a huge traffic generator for a lot of visual artists and comics-makers that were featured there -- think of it as the equivalent to stand-up comedians playing certain late-night variety and talk shows in the 1980s and 1990s. I enjoyed it a lot and stole from it more than most.
I would imagine that this is another sign we're in a potential transitional period for on-line culture as it intersects with comics. We're starting to see institutional alterations take hold as companies re-think their incentive models for that kind of work; some self-generated efforts are beginning to cycle out just in terms of what people are doing with their lives; anything that starts now does so in the context of social media efforts as opposed to the landscape that existed in the early 2000s. I don't know where we end up with all of this, but I do know it's something of a shame just for fans of this kind of material that certain efforts won't be with us when we arrive. Thank you to the Drawn! people; I hope they all have a terrific time doing whatever each one wants to do with the time this frees up moving forward.
* Sean Gaffney on 
BEST COVER
MAR131353 SUNNY HC VOL 01 $22.99
* Matt Derman on 
