The Never-Ending, Four-Color Festival: Cons, Shows, Events



By Tom Spurgeon

* this weekend is Kids Read Comics! That's a very well-liked and obviously specifically-focused show.

* San Diego. San Diego, San Diego, San Diego. That's not this weekend, but next weekend. It's already dominating inboxes and comics conversation. You should see a couple of big newspaper-style pieces on the show this weekend, and several of moderate size. I think the programming looks pretty strong: there's a lot of straight-up comics programming, including spotlights with Kate Beaton, Alison Bechdel, Gilbert Shelton and Los Bros Hernandez (on the occasion of their 30th year) -- that's a whole show right there. I'll be talking to Gilbert Shelton at his CBLDF master-drawing appearance, talking to a bunch of successful cartoonists about their bookstore profiles, hanging out with my peers for an hour as we count tumbleweeds blowing through the empty hall, chatting about Prince Valiant with his modern creators and old-school writer-about-comics Bob Harvey and, in my last formal obligation of the weekend, talking to the super-talented Brecht Evens. I'm greatly looking forward to it. My attempt to grow a "Prince Valiant" 'do for the show has not gone well.

* the talented and popular cartoonist Raina Telgemeier covers the recent ALA conference here. (whoops, I had her in San Diego in an earlier draft of this column; I have no idea if she's going or not, and she's certainly not on any of the above panels!)

* SDCC on the horizon means the Eisner Awards is peeking at us from the vantage point of that weekend's Friday evening. They've sent out their official press release, which you can read in its entirety here. SyFy will sponsor the program this year. Presenters will include regulars Phil LaMarr and Bill Morrison, returning hero-presenter Jonathan Ross (his appearance with Neil Gaiman a few years back was maybe the awards' most memorable moment), franchises-of-the-moment drivers Robert Kirkman and George RR Martin (!) and comics-makers like Lynn Johnston. I will never lose an award in better company.

* the Eisners PR notes that the ceremony will get underway at 8:00 PM -- with seating to begin at 7:45 and the front area open to pros and VIPs at 7:00 PM. This is to get the awards completed in as timely a fashion as a combined slate of 28 categories, the memorial portion of the evening and four related honors (Bill Finger, Spirit Of Retailing, Russ Manning, Bob Clampett) makes possible. A few of my friends have joked about how Comic-Con pushing a bunch of its programming into the 7 PM hour -- Monkeybrain's panel, for instance, is in that time slot this year -- constitute a "War On Dinner," but that's just good-natured joshing, I swear. Food will be consumed, I'm sure -- there are comics to discuss and celebrate. I hope to see you there.

* finally, SPX has announced Francoise Mouly as a guest. That's great to hear. Toon's had an extremely interesting last 18 months or so.
 
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