The Comics Reporter

March 16, 2010

Joe Sacco Wins Ridenhour Prize

Cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco has won the 2010 Ridenhour Book Prize for his Footnotes In Gaza, a late 2009/early 2010 release from Metropolitan. Calling Footnotes a "work of profound social significance," the prize committee will give Sacco $10,000 in conjunction with the prize.

thanks, Peggy Burns

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This Isn't A Library: New And 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. But were I in a comic book shop tomorrow I would be reading aloud from many of the following, in a loud yet lovely voice.

*****

JAN101202 BACKING INTO FORWARD JULES FEIFFER MEMOIR HC $30.00
It's Feiffer's memoir! Of course you want this. Most underrated cartoonist of the 20th Century, that guy.

NOV090223 BRONX KILL HC (MR) $19.99
This is one of those Vertigo Crime comics I haven't seen yet, one by Peter Milligan and James Romberger. I would have to imagine that it will help this line if they can sell books with a comics writer rather than an established crime writer; plus giving their better creators the chance to work on all the different lines could go a long way towards solving some of DC's talent development issues. On the other hand, I've heard next to nothing about this book and it's coming out tomorrow.

DEC090247 MYSTERIUS THE UNFATHOMABLE TP $17.99
I'm glad this one is coming out in a trade, as I thought it kind of lost as a WildStorm comic book when it came out as a limited series -- I think Jeff Parker wanted to punch me in the jaw for saying that back when the series was out, but I really did think it was an odd book out there and maybe would have been better served by a different publisher. It's not like I meant anything bad by it, I swear! Publishing is tough right now.

JAN100571 DOOMWAR #2 (OF 6) $3.99
This is a dopey Marvel comic book at least $1 too expensive for my plebeian tastes. I like the sound of that title, though, and Dr. Doom is certainly the Belle of the Bad Guy Ball right now, judging in terms of how many people want to use the armored monarch. Remember, Marvel writers, it's the fact he's as powerful as he is but still packing heat that makes Doom the villain he is today.

DEC090032 GROO HOGS OF HORDER #4 (OF 4) $3.99
DEC090729 DIE HARD YEAR ONE #7 $3.99
DEC090755 MUPPET SHOW #3 $2.99
JAN100356 JOE THE BARBARIAN #3 (OF 8) (MR) $2.99
A smattering of old-fashioned comic books, the kind that used to drive a lot more of our comics-related shopping experiences. It's all about the creators here: Aragones, Chaykins, Langridge, Morrison.

*****

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 didn't list your comic here, that's because it's cold out and my fingers don't work. It's really March?

*****

posted 4:00 pm PST | Permalink

Authorities Arrest Man Suspected Of Killing Brazil's Glauco And His Son

According to wire reports and picked up by a variety of arts advocacy organizations, a man was arrested while crossing into Paraguay that has since confessed to killing Glauco Villas Boas and his adult son last Friday. The 53-year-old Glauco were shot to death in their home in a Sao Paulo suburb early Friday morning. How this squares with initial reports that two men were involved, I'm not certain.

This article suggests additional detail, such as that the man's name is Carlos Eduardo Sundfeld Nunes, and that like the younger Boas he was a college student, and that there was a shootout involved that wounded a police officer. The article also explains the gossip that ran rampant on Friday and over the weekend that some sort of cult activity was involved: the student was a member of a spiritual center founded by the elder Boas and his wife, and the killer had access to the home of the center's patriarch.

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Go, Look: Yak Yak #2

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A Few Notes On The Kirby Family Suing For Termination Of Copyrights

* you can look at the new filing here. You should read it; it's not so bad.

* your plaintiffs are: Lisa Kirby, both as an individual and as a trustee of something called The Rosalind Kirby Trust; Barbara J. Kirby; Neal L. Kirby; Susan M. Kirby. Your defendants are the usual Marvel companies, plus the usual John Does, plus Disney.

* this comes on the heels of a December lawsuit from Marvel seeking a set-aside on September request for copyright termination on 45 Marvel characters.

* I'm not sure I understand the inclusion of characters like Rawhide Kid, that were revamped under Kirby but actually precede his return to the restaurant. I'm also not sure why we get a Wertham-driven history lesson or have to hear about the art returns, but I'm certainly not a lawyer.

* I think it's fair to say that a lot of this will come down what the legal proceeding eventually decides was Jack Kirby's relationship to Marvel while doing the work in question, whether he was a freelancer or whether he was in the kind of supervised relationship that many feel proves a work-for-hire style relationship. That should prove... interesting, especially if it comes from really nailing down Kirby's relationship with Stan Lee and Martin Goodman during the Marvel surge.

* as has been the case with Stan Lee's various legal maneuverings vis-a-vis Marvel -- and now even vis-a-vis SLM -- what was said in later agreements and how those arrangements could conceivably have an impact on how the court sees the arrangement that existed.

* finally, I usually get more upset at the fans that rage against family members suing on behalf of a deceased family members as greedy. That's still a horrible thing to say about a person of whom you actually know very little, and I still think in many cases it's a combination reaction fueled by the fear of losing one's favorite superheroes and the guilt/entitlement a certain kind of fan may feel by those companies' efforts to "share" the characters with fans.

That contempt is still there, trust me. My main objection, to be honest, is the lack of intellectual rigor it takes to presume that some violation is occurring by seeking this kind of legal outcome, because a) you don't like it, b) you see some hidden message like they've included Spider-Man whose creative pedigree is much more in doubt than that of many other characters. Just stop it. I'll argue the morality involved concerning comics' long-term relationships with creators like Jack Kirby with anyone who'd care to argue the other side, and I'm confident I'd win. But let's not presume that this is something being tried in Nerd Court. What I'm saying is that whether or not there's an ability to sue on these grounds and whether or not this suit is justified is exactly what gets resolved with these motions up to and including a trial and appeals.

Still, I do see more people looking at the Kirby Family's side of things, if not outright rooting for them. That gives me just enough breathing room to feel, well, sorry for people that can't see past a money motivation here or in similar cases, or that can't put a money motivation in its proper and relative context. In the end, these issues won't be resolved according to the devotion of comic book fans or the certainty of creators rights advocates; it'll turn on the law.

posted 2:00 pm PST | Permalink

Go, Look: Six Lithographs Of Paris Scenes By François Avril

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Your Danish Cartoons Hangover Update

* two of the people detained by Irish authorities were charged with crimes related to efforts against the Swedish artist Lars Vilks: Ali Charaf Damache was charged with making a menacing call to an individual, while Abdul Salem Monsour Khalil al Jahani was charged with failure to produce a valid passport or other valid document to establish his identity. The detention of a wider group of suspects over a week ago gained international attention when it was found to include two American women. The enmity against Vilks is related to a drawing he did of Muhammad's head on a dog's body, art created in the wake of the Danish Cartoons Controversy.

* the UK may host libel suits related to the publication of the Danish cartoonists; Denmark is seeking an injunction through the EU so that this doesn't happen.

posted 1:00 pm PST | Permalink

Go, Look: The Incrdible [Sic] Story Of Neil Abercrombie

from CR reader Richard Melendez: "Underground comix styled campaign flyer (poster?) for former U.S. Congressman Neil Abercrombie, promoting his run for the U.S. Senate back in 1970. The blog this is posted on is obviously anti-Abercrombie, and very right-leaning, but still thought this was a fascinating bit of history."

posted 12:30 pm PST | Permalink

John Kane, 1935-2010

John Kane, a New Yorker cartoonist that came to that particular vocation and venue later in life than many of that magazine's devoted artists, passed away on March 10 after what appears to be a modest period of illness. Kane may have been best known as a friendly and supportive member of the cartoonists' circle that went to lunch every week after showing their work at the New Yorker offices.

Kane worked in graphic design for several years, and approached cartooning with a broad enthusiasm that dug into the details of what made one joke work over the other. In his lovely remembrance here, Derek Van Gieson describes Kane showing up at the offices with multiple variations on individual gags. "Most people had about ten gags to show but John would come in armed with 20 or so cartoons, many of them approaching jokes from different angles or were fascinating executions of an idea constantly working itself out. You'd see an idea germinate and resolve to its final limits within his batch."

Similarly touching personal reminiscences can be found from Mike Lynch and Eli Stein.

Kane's work was first published in the New Yorker in November 2003. He lives in New York City.

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Go, Look: John Stanley Draws Lulu

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Collective Memory: ECCC 2010

*****
*****

posted 7:00 am PST | Permalink

Go, Look: Hell On Skis

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Go, Look: Nobody Likes Jamm

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Go, Look: Chip -N- Dale #24

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Go, Look: City Snicker

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Go, Look: Ruff And Reddy Go To A Party

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Random Comics News Story Round-Up

* Noah Berlatsky and the Hooded Utilitarian gang recently sponsored a copyright roundtable.

* here's Amazon.com's local Seattle Weekly with a view on The Great Omnibus Run Of 2010, complete with Jeremy Eaton illustration. (thanks, Matt Silvie)

* I found this essay by Jennifer de Guzman on San Diego's Comic-Con International to be pretty bizarre. I can't figure out why it's so hard for people to fathom that a city like San Diego might have conflicted feelings regarding Comic-Con. A lot of people in comics have conflicted feelings about Comic-Con.

* the writer and comics historian Mark Evanier notes the passing of comics fan turned filmmaker turned very occasional comics scribe Mike Valerio.

* seriously, when Todd Klein started examining logos, I think we were all waiting for this one.

* the writer Kurt Busiek explains how to break in, answers questions from his readers, does an interview with a Girl Scout and always wins.

* the cartoonist and writer Evan Dorkin uncovers a long list of projects he'd like to see collected. Someone make Dorkin the Emperor of Comics, pronto.

* that is one bitchin' letterhead.

* Ted Rall and David Essman on how to save newspapers.

* finally, after being asked to speak at this year's event, Dave Kellett reflects on Bill Watterson's 1989 address to the Festival of Cartoon Art hosted by Ohio State University.

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Happy 49th Birthday, Todd McFarlane!

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Happy 53rd Birthday, Steve Lafler!

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Quick hits
Craft
Tim Seeley Designs
How Not To Write Comics
Sean Phillips Makes A Bookplate

Exhibits/Events
Go See Cameron Stewart
Are You Ready To Rumble?
Go See Kazu Kibuishi In Istanbul

History
Boobs
Great Simon And Kirby Ad
JJJ, Morgan Edge Drink-Up
I Hope Blastaar Made The List
Archie Wins The Maggie Award 1958
Dan Dreams Of Heavy Metal Days Past

Interviews/Profiles
CBR: Greg Pak
Pop: Paul Rivoche
TCJ: Tom Kaczynski
Newsarama: Tony Daniel
Big Shiny Robot: Mark Millar
Big Shiny Robot: John Romita
Talking Comics With Tim: Jimmy Palmiotti

Not Comics
More Random Japan
But The Berlin Wall Was Built In A Weekend

Publishing
Tom Brevoort On Omega
Mike Manley Begins On Judge Parker

Reviews
Paul O'Brien: Various
Rob Clough: Graylight
Sean T. Collins: Various
Rich Kreiner: Meanwhile...
KC Carlson: Avengers Forever
Katherine Dacey: Ristorante Paradisio
Johanna Draper Carlson: Lola: A Ghost Story
Greg McElhatton: Marvelous Land Of Oz #1-4
Johanna Draper Carlson: The Return Of Kind Doug

March 15, 2010

CR Review: Map Of My Heart: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the King Cat Zine

Creator: John Porcellino
Publishing Information: D&Q, softcover, 304 pages, October 2009, $24.95
Ordering Numbers: 9781897299937 (ISBN13), 1897299931 (ISBN10)

I'd put off reading Map Of My Heart for a long while, which makes no sense at all as I'm a fiend for John Porcellino's work. While I'm not the first person to suggest his importance within the art form, I'm happy to extol his virtues with as much force as anyone out there. Porcellino employs an unadorned art style that suggests a picture of our world with as much clarity as any highly-rendered chops-having traditional master of the comics form might muster. He has a fine, intuitive skill set when it comes to work with prose as well. His best comics provide graceful evocations of moments that only Porcellino might have thought worth exploring in the first place. Beyond the comics with its pages, a regular, self-published issue of King-Cat Comics and Stories is one of comics' perfect marriages of form and function. The surge of joy I feel when I come across a new one is hard to explain. I subliminally ascribe a specific color to the white of the copy paper Porcellino uses to make his minis, which is nuts. They make an impression on me above what seems physically possible.

I realized a couple of things plowing into this anniversary-themed collection. The first is that more than any other comics series I can't tie my consumption of King-Cat into any one way of buying it or even any one general kind of purchase. I've received the minis each and every way a comics fan might get their hands on a comic book: freebies, comic shops, convention sales, mail-order, trades, area bookstores -- which makes my relationship to the work feel a lot more like the ones I have with prose authors or even creative friends with whom I trade letters, phone calls and e-mails. The second is that my reading of Porcellino's work has been greatly shaped by the autobiographically-tinged works I first encountered when I started paying focused attention to his work. Some of those comics make up the early parts of this collection, but they don't dominate; that realization was a key to grasping this volume's unique value.

The great thing that Map Of My Heart does is shake the reader out of preconceptions shaped by Porcellino's long career -- for instance, in my case, that King-Cat is about sublimely well-observed autobiography more than it is about the work where Porcellino encounters nature more than it is about the Buddhist strips more than it is about the letters pages and single drawings. It may take time and effort for many to delve into this new book with all of that material re-presented. I fought an urge to put the book down for not getting to the essential stories quickly enough, and even tried skipping over the letters. If you manage to persevere, I think you'll find the work newly rewarding. Because it's a collection rather than a run of comics, Porcellino is able to provide a few lines long-after-the-fact text commentary in a way that pushes forward yet another way to see the work (his feelings about his marriages, for one, I thought touching and raw). The cumulative effect is remarkably different than the stand-alone. The autobiographical strips read much less like a confident artist holding forth than a man struggling with a certain kind of memory; the Buddhist strips have a yearning quality I didn't see before; the nature strips can be seen in part as a retreat by the artist from a modern world that causes him spiritual and, through an ear sensitivity, actual physical pain. You can even see all the component parts, buttressed by the occasional story moment where he talks about work on King-Cat, as signs of creative restlessness or even doubt. Without the months in-between new issues, Map Of My Heart may provide a greater appreciation for Porcellino as an artist not only reporting on his world but actively reshaping it in an equivalent manner to way he whispers through so many of his comics narrative. I'm grateful for that second look. I did not imagine one existed.

posted 4:00 pm PST | Permalink

The Other Kirby Rights Shoe Drops

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Brazilian Cartoonist Glauco And His Son Killed During Friday Home Invasion

The popular cartoonist Glauco Villas Boas, who worked under the single name Glauco, was killed early on Friday in his Osasco, Brazil home by an unknown pair of assailant. Although rumors are flying and the story is developing in ways that could render this sentence obsolete upon my typing it, the shooting of the esteemed Brazilian cartoonist and illustrator was at least initially investigated as a home invasion with robbery and potentially kidnapping as a potential outcome. Glauco's 25-year-old son Raoni Boas, visiting from college, was also killed. Glauco was shot four times at close range. Both men died in a local hospital. A family lawyer told the press that the crime happened after midnight and describe Glauco's widow as being in shock.

Glauco has been a fixture in Brazil's largest newspaper, Folha de Sao Paulo, since the late 1970s.

Rob Tornoe had the first write-up in English that I've seen. Church services and a twin burial are among plans. A proper obituary should follow in the next couple of days, at which point there will hopefully be more news on the story itself.

posted 11:35 am PST | Permalink

Your 2010 Schulz Award Winner

Christopher Sharron of Kent State's Daily Kent Stater has won the Charles M. Schulz Award given to the year's best college cartoonist as part of the Scripps Howard Journalism Awards. he will received $10,000. Finalists were Bill Richard of the University of Georgia and Jake Thompson of the University of Illinois. According to the award citation, Sharron's submission was filled with a variety of different cartoons. This mini-biography of Sharron shows he's already well-ensconced in some traditional editorial cartooning circles and awards cycles. Past winners include Barry Deutsch and Frank Cho.

posted 11:05 am PST | Permalink

Your Danish Cartoons Hangover Update

* if someone out there isn't typing a screenplay right now about dueling soccer moms turned competitive jihadists, I'll eat my hat. This matter of blond Americans teasing with movements that are seeking out artists like Lars Wilks is only tangentially related to the original Danish Cartoons Controversy, but boy is it odd.

* speaking of Wilks, the newspapers that reprinted his cartoon as news of an assassination plot was revealed are circling the wagons. The thought that they would print the cartoons but not run them on-line is interesting.

* the reaction to Terry Mosher's latest cartoon shows just how strangulated the controversy has made just about any cartoon expression of an issue regarding Muslim culture, no matter what you think of this one.

posted 11:00 am PST | Permalink

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