Hi, all. Miss me?

I’ve returned to bring you yet more on political cartoons: in this case, a traveling exhibition on “cartoons in conflict,” with international editorial cartoonists’ take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It’s sponsored by a peace group with a pretty amazing story–check out the video, and the exhibit if you’re in NYC.

The first graphic novel I ever bought was Death: The High Cost of Living. I was a teenage gothette just figuring out that there were all sorts of strange and wonderful things out there that I hadn’t discovered yet, and then one day my friend came to school with a little thing called the Death Gallery, full of these gorgeous pictures of this little goth girl that sorta even looked like me (if you squinted and washed out the color).

What the heck was that? I’d seen plenty of comics but nothing that looked like that. Her copy of The High Cost of Living was worn and well-read and I looked through it and it was a real story, not a jumped-up excuse for people in ridiculous costumes to beat things up. Comics, eh?

Well, DC/Vertigo has given my inner teenage goth girl a gigantic gift with this Absolute Death . That was fifteen years ago–literally half my life–and yet opening this huge slipcased hardcover with its thick, glossy pages is nearly as thrilling as that first look inside. The High Cost of Living and Time of Your Life are in here, as is the full Death Gallery and lots of additional art, the first-ever Death story from Sandman (though not every Death story from Sandman) and additional Death stories from Vertigo: A Winter’s Tale, The Sandman: Endless Nights, and a beautiful tale from a 9/11 themed anthology. There’s sketches and the script to the Sandman #8 (The Sound of Her Wings, the first appearance of Death) and an introduction by the fabulous Amanda Palmer, and even the short comic where Death and John Constantine explain how to use condoms.

Absolute editions aren’t cheap, but us comics people are nuts for them anyway. And really, when you’re in love with a medium that is half literature and half visual art, you can’t make it too big or beautiful. For while we all love Neil Gaiman and I read each book that comes out, the writing is only half the story here. The art, mostly from Mike Dringenberg and Chris Bachalo but also luminaries like Dave McKean, Jill Thompson (whose Death: At Death’s Door mini-manga is not included, sadly), P. Craig Russell and Colleen Doran, deserves these bigger, shinier, fresher pages that I’m afraid to touch except round the edges.

And Death deserves the attention–the morning spent with the book spread across my lap, remembering the first time I read these stories and saw these pictures, remembering what she meant to me then and means to me now, as an adult with a career and little free time for indulging. She understands, I think.

If there was a book that isn’t Sandman more deserving of oversized, supersaturated Absolute edition, Promethea is it. It’s a sometimes-skipping, sometimes-running, sometimes-strolling journey through a dream world as wild and beautiful as Neil Gaiman’s but ruled by a warrior-queen who’s everything Wonder Woman ought to be.

Promethea is a living story, and she’s just taken over a new human host. The previous incarnations, like something out of Joseph Campbell, have all left their mark on her, and they each have something to teach young Sophie Bangs, a college student whose research has led her to Promethea’s tale.

I love Alan Moore (which should almost go without saying) and yet I’d never read these stories, which are probably the most like me of any of his works. Promethea is in one sense the wealth of woman-knowledge and magic passed down from generation to generation, and that’s an idea I can certainly get behind. But the story is less about ideas than about feelings; less a story than an experience.

Imagination-scapes unfurl across double-page spreads full of symbols that evoke a visceral reaction and yet are things you’ve never seen or heard of. It makes me want to write, or dream, or write about dreams. Hell, it makes me want to draw, and I’m no good at that.

Layered into the story are thoughtful critiques of power, hierarchy, patriarchy, as well as pokes and gibes at mainstream comic storytelling. The tale gets stranger as it goes on, spinning off into splashy explanations of Moore’s thoughts on magic and myth within the myth he’s created.

It’s less a narrative than a trip, fables layered on top of stories and characters’ identities shifting into dreams. If Watchmen is Moore’s Ulysses, then Promethea is Finnegans Wake and it demands the same experience—stop trying to make it make sense and just let it wash over you and enjoy the ride.

As always, send yours to newsaramaevents [at] gmail [dot] com.

Long Beach Comic Con:

Nick Simmons, star of A&E’s GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS and creator of INCARNATE, will be at the Long Beach Comic Con on Saturday, October 3rd from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. in the “Center Court” signing area next to the Golden Apple/Atomic Comics booth #555.

Be the first to get a signed copy of issue #2 of Incarnate, which debuts at the Long Beach Comic Con and has reviewers such as Ain’t It Cool News calling it “…not your typical horror story, blending action and cool in even helpings.”

They cannot die. They feel no pain. They hunger for human flesh. They are Revenants. Centuries ago, the Revenant known as Mot was worshipped as a God. Now, he walks the Earth in search of a purpose to his immortality – but when a secret society discovers a way to kill Revenants, Mot and his fellow immortals must make a choice: Hunt or be hunted. Nick Simmons’ breakout American Manga title reveals a world that challenges even the imagination, planting its tongue firmly in cheek, then biting it off… and swallowing it.

Los Angeles/Long Beach Comic Con:

Eisner Award winner David Petersen will tour Southern California, providing fans the opportunity to meet the man behind the small but valiant swashbucklers of Mouse Guard: Winter 1152.

Petersen will also participate in the Live Art and Music party on Friday, October 2nd, at 8:30pm, in Room #204, where he and other artists, including Jim Mahfood, will draw as a band plays. The party is sponsored by Atomic Apple, ComicVine.com and Archaia.

Here are further details about David Petersen’s appearances in Southern California:

Wednesday, September 30, 4-7 p.m.
Comickaze Comics Books and More
5517 A/B Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

Thursday, October 1, 7-9 p.m.
Secret Headquarters
3817 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, Ca 90026

October 2-4, 4 p.m. daily at the Golden Apple Booth #555
Other times check at the Archaia booth, #265
Long Beach Comic Con at the Long Beach Convention Center
300 Ocean Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90802

Live Art and Music Party, Co-Sponsored by Atomic Apple, ComicVine.com and Archaia
Friday, October 2nd, 8:30 p.m.
Room #204
Long Beach Comic Con at the Long Beach Convention Center
300 Ocean Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90802

Portland, OR:

AMAZING AMAZON - A Wonder Woman Art Event
FIRST THURSDAY ARTIST RECEPTION - October 1, 6-9pm
Gallery Exhibit from Thursday, October 1 to Saturday, October 24, 2009
Lara Sydney Framing Gallery, 1230 NW Hoyt St., Portland, OR

FREE
A part of national Domestic Violence Awareness Month
A precursor to WONDER WOMAN DAY on October 25, 2009
An ALL AGES benefit and celebration for Bradley-Angle House, Raphael House of Portland, and the Portland Womens Crisis Line
Artists from Portland and worldwide celebrate the strength, power, and grace of the world’s most iconic super-heroine

ATTENDING artists at First Thursday Reception: Paul Gulacy, Anne Timmons, Ibrahim Moustafa, Keith Tucker, Matt Grigsby, Rich Ellis, Dylan Williams, Celina Hernandez, Mike Murphy, Jesse Hamm, Emi Lenox, Aaron McConnell, Ron Chan, Knate Carter, Tram Ngo, and Terry Blas. Plus Wonder Woman Day organizer and best-selling author Andy Mangels.

Exhibiting Art at the gallery from:
Alex Ross — Aaron McConnell — Anne Timmons — Bob Prodor — Celina Hernandez — DJ Jackson — Dylan Williams — Emi Lenox — Ibrahim Moustafa — Jesse Hamm — Keith Perkins — Keith Tucker — Knate Carter — Linda Chartier — Lynne Anderson — Mark Bloodworth — Matt Grigsby — Maureen Gubia — Mike Murphy — Mike Pascale — Natalie Nourigat — Nicole Falk — Paul Gulacy — Rich Ellis — Rob Jones — Ron Chan — Ryan Odagawa — Terry Blas — Todd Moniz of Thunder Road Laser Graphics — Tram Ngo - and Others!

For more information, see http://www.wonderwomanmuseum.com/WWDay4/WWDay4.html

Someone out there wants to buy me the Absolute Promethea, right? I mean, I provide y’all with plenty of entertainment, snark, and I know you’re just appalled at the fact that I haven’t read Promethea before. So, someone’s gonna pony up, put their money where their wagging fingers are, and buy me a copy, right?

Right?

While I’m still full-time-employment challenged, I guess I have to hold off on fancy pretty hardcover books for the time being. Instead, I’ll make do with a little Wolverine Weapon X, a splash of Unknown Soldier, maybe a little Gotham City Sirens and of course, The Boys Herogasm.

Anything else?

(If you’re going to comment to lecture me about the need to read Promethea, save it, I’m aware. It just might have to come from the library until I can afford to buy more books.)

I really enjoyed this video from GRITtv, with cartoonists Jennifer Camper, Carlo Quispe, and Erika Lopez, discussing drawing comics and depicting marginalized lives.

Host Laura Flanders notes that most comics have in common, “the idea of capturing different dimensions,” and her guests are people from different ethnic and economic backgrounds, telling their stories particularly through the lens of their sexuality. Camper notes that she likes to tell “regular stories about working-class people,” and Quispe discusses “being infatuated with someone for twenty minutes” while drawing them. Lopez jokes that she is popular because she is “ranting from the bottom,” and all three note that it is not just people of color, not just LGBT people who read their work.

“Those are the kinds of stories I wanted to read,” Camper said, and the others agreed.

For New Yorkers, there’s a show of these cartoonists’ work opening Thursday at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance.

As always, send ‘em to newsaramaevents [at] gmail [dot] com.

TONIGHT, Brooklyn:

Thursday, September 24th, Bergen Street is thrilled to host Josh Neufeld in honor of his latest work, A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge.

The event will start at 7pm and - of course - refreshments will be served!

Josh will be signing books and limited-edition giclée prints will be for sale - all proceeds from the sale of the prints will go to Common Ground Relief.

BSC will also be collecting donations to benefit Common Ground Relief.  If you don’t know about Common Ground Relief, please take a few minutes to check them out:

http://www.commongroundrelief.org/

If you can’t make it, we hope you will find a way to pick up this important book and also spread the word (a donation would be even better!) about Common Ground Relief.

Los Angeles:

COPE2 and CHOR BOOGIE are:  Beauty & The Beast
Mid-City Arts, September 26th, 7pm - 11:30pm
Video trailer for the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ej_Z8×6400

COPE 2 is a Graffiti legend from the Bronx whose reputation for bombing has earned him the title “God of Destruction”. He was recently tapped to customize a vinyl toy for the Bic Buddy Artist Series 1, and was hired by TIME magazine to create a unique billboard for them (see below).  CHOR BOOG IE hails from San Diego, CA and his work is purely legal, spiritual and therapeutic. A deep spiritual healing and recovery from addiction nearly a decade ago transformed his life and has had a major impact in his style of color therapy and techniques of creative innovation.

These two diverse artists come together for the “Beauty & The Beast” exhibit at Mid-City Arts, curated by POSE 2 to challenge and expand our notions of art.

Both artists have been featured in the media several times, here’s a few highlights:

* COPE 2 has been featured in a Converse/MTV Artist spotlight:
http://www.cope2kingsdestroy.com/clips_converse.html

* COPE 2 was hired by TIME magazine to create a billboard for them:
http://www.cope2kingsdestroy.com/clips_time.html

* Chor Boobgie and Pose 2 created an MTV ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teuI4Qx5AEM

* Chor Boogie explains his theory of art, color theory and healing:
http://www.vimby.com/video/art/us/all/detail/8013

Long Beach, CA:

Long Beach Comic Con programming is official. With no shortage of premieres, comic panels, guests and exhibitors, the inaugural convention kicks off Friday, October 2 with a Stan Lee hosted ribbon cutting ceremony, which is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Long Beach Comic Con is October 2-4 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.

Scheduled throughout the weekend are four movie screening events: Trick R’ Treat, a Warner Brothers celebration of Halloween starring Anna Paquin and Brian Cox, screens Saturday, October 3rd at 3:00pm. Writer/Director Michael Dougherty will host the screening and host a Q&A session. Sony Pictures Dark Country in 3-D, which marks Thomas Jane’s directorial debut, and stars Jane and Ron Perlman, screens Friday, the 2nd at 7:00pm. The 3-D projection is being provided by Stereoscopic Projection courtesy of the 3D Movie Division of the Stereo Club of Southern California (la3dclub.com). Raw Entertainment’s, Give ’Em Hell Malone, an action flick starring Thomas Jane and Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible, Surrogates, Pulp Fiction) is Saturday, October 3rd at 6:00pm. On Sunday, October 4th at 1:00pm Anime fans will have a chance to check out Dixie Dynamite, a classic kung fu myth with redneck style!

Saturday night at 8:00pm Kirby Krackle, the comic book rock band from Seattle will perform their brand new song, “Going Home” for the first time ever live at a concert, with proceeds going to the Hero Initiative.

For a complete list of events, guests, activities, ticket prices and times, visit www.longbeachcomiccon.com.

Tickets will also be available at select comic book and hobby shops in the area, including Golden Apple, Crazy Cat, Pulp Fiction, Amazing Comics and Cards, Comic Bug, Southern California Comics, Comics Unlimited, San Diego Comics, House of Secrets, Amazing Comics, Metropolis Comics, Meltdown Comics, DJ’s Universal, Geoffrey’s Comics, and Atomic Comics in the Phoenix area. Also, visit Frank & Son Collectible Show and buy your tickets there.

Manhattan Beach, CA:

CREATORS FROM ICONIC APPEAR AT LOCAL CA STORE
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA: Creators from the recently released Iconic will
be appearing at the popular Manhattan Beach comic store, The Comic Bug
on Wednesday September 30 from 6 to 8pm. Published by the Comicbook
Artists Guild, Iconic is a collection of short stories based on old
tales that are taught in schools all over the world, but each one has
a twist to it.

Included in Iconic are stories based on mythological characters such
as Prometheus, Talos and Cuchulainn. Legendary literary characters
such as Ebeneezer Scrooge and Sherlock Holmes appear in slightly
varied narrations from their original. The creators of the Guild
explore the trials and triumphs of folklore heroes Robin Hood and John
Henry. Lastly, the creators share stories based on historical figures
Mark Twain, St. George and Gustave Whitehead. All of the stories are
tied together by a fictional grandfather as he shares the stories with
his grandchildren.

The following creators are scheduled to appear at The Comic Bug:

David Gutierrez & Adam Von Arx: David and Adam co-authored Prometheus
and the Fire of Tomorrow.

Scott Ludwig: Scott created and wrote George and the Monster.

Philip Clark & Rafael Gonzalez: Phil and Raf are the creative team
behind The Life and Death of Talos the Bronze.

Gerimi Burleigh: Germini lent his artistic talent to John Henry:
America’s First Superhero.

The Comic Bug is located at 1807 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan
Beach, CA 90266. For more information on The Comic Bug or this
particular event, visit http://thecomicbug.com

.

Comic artist to TV director might not seem like the most obvious jump, but it makes sense if you think about it a bit, I suppose. Anyway, according to Splash Page, John Cassaday is set to direct an episode of Dollhouse this season.

“He’s going to f— up so much,” joked Whedon of the fan-favorite artist’s “Dollhouse” debut behind the camera.

“He’s a storyteller,” said Whedon of Cassaday. “I gave him shorter scripts than any other artist I’ve worked with because he has an extraordinary visual sense and it very much matches my own. … I know him as a person, his sensibility, the way he is with other people and I just feel that this step is logical for him, it’s something he’s been pursuing for a while.”

While the celebrated “Planetary” artist will be flexing slightly different muscles to direct the “Dollhouse” episode, he’s still looking to contribute in the area of production he knows best, too.

“The only problem we have is he wants to storyboard his episode, and I’m like, ‘You do know that it’s a script that will be late, right?’” said Whedon.

We’ve already seen the awesome that was Whedon/Cassaday in comic form; what will they dream up for live action?

The internet loves you, and it brings you fun things. Today:

Twilight-haters will no doubt have even more to complain about, but I don’t care: Stephenie Meyer’s The Host to be made into a movie.

From Wired: Get to know the Surrogates comic before the movie hits.

Fun little comic page by Matthew Sheret and Julia Scheele.

Jason Aaron has some thoughts on Scalped. You know, the best comic that comes out each month. (He didn’t say that. I did.)

Another story from Wired. I don’t know why I’m linking it, really. Those illustrations are sort of cool, I guess. Who’s the artist? Oh, some guy named Ryan Kelly…

One of the only reviews of Jennifer’s Body that I’ve seen that doesn’t spend half its time complaining about Diablo Cody (see comments on Stephenie Meyer).

I’ll repost this under events, but I found it interesting: from Johanna Draper Carlson, a lecture by Noah Berlatsky, whose blog examines classic Wonder Woman comics.

…cause it looks like it might actually be good. By Pitchfork standards, which are of course “If you’ve heard of it, it’s not cool anymore.” Well, not all the time, but often enough. While the blogger has to obnoxiously make sure that we know that he doesn’t know any of the character names in New Moon (yet of course he knows that it sucks–but I digress), he is shocked–shocked!–that artists like Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Grizzly Bear and Bon Iver are contributing tracks.

I shatter all my hipster cred constantly, so it will be no surprise to regular readers here that I like New Moon. Furthermore, I don’t like Radiohead. I find Thom Yorke’s voice far more grating than Stephenie Meyer’s dialogue, and I find pretentious indie rock bloggers more grating than either one.

Whatever, I’m just a nerd girl. But if you’re interested in the tracks on the soundtrack, here they are:

Twilight: New Moon Soundtrack:

01 Death Cab for Cutie: “Meet Me on the Equinox”
02 Band of Skulls: “Friends”
03 Thom Yorke: “Hearing Damage”
04 Lykke Li: “Possibility”
05 The Killers: “A White Demon Love Song”
06 Anya Marina: “Satellite Heart”
07 Muse: “I Belong to You (New Moon Remix)”
08 Bon Iver and St. Vincent: “Rosyln”
09 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: “Done All Wrong”
10 Hurricane Bells: “Monsters”
11 Sea Wolf: “The Violet Hour”
12 OK Go: “Shooting the Moon”
13 Grizzly Bear: “Slow Life”
14 Editors: “No Sound But the Wind”
15 Alexandre Desplat: “New Moon (The Meadow)”

Each week that I don’t have a steady job brings with it guilt over buying comics. Guilt because I’m not buying everything I want, and guilt because I spend money at all. I wish I could lay out the cash for the trades and OGN’s I want each week (um, hello, omnibus hardcover of Whedon & Cassaday’s Astonishing X-Men?) but I’m pretty broke. The lovely thing about comics, though, is that they still cost less than a beer does in Brooklyn, and so as of now, at least, they’re still in the budget.

This week includes: Hellblazer #259 (oh, John, will you ever change? Don’t ever change.), Madame Xanadu #15, No Hero #7 (of 7–how gory will the last one be? Let’s see if Warren can outdo even himself.)

Things I want but don’t know if I can afford: Labor Days volume 2 and Neil Gaiman’s newest, Odd and the Frost Giants. Seriously, Mr. Gaiman, I can’t keep up with you these days. I haven’t even read the Graveyard Book yet (cue shocked gasps).

What about you? How do you make the decision what to buy and what not to buy when money is tight? I know that technically trades come out cheaper than buying singles, but buying a couple of singles each week always feels like spending less money. It’s wrong, I know, but I can’t convince myself otherwise…

It should be a surprise to absolutely no one that I am a huge fan of Jill Thompson’s art. I had somehow missed out on the previous incarnations of Beasts of Burden, but was happy to pick up a new number one issue on little more recommendation than Thompson’s name on the cover.

Beasts of Burden looks like it could be a kids’ comic from the cover–talking dogs and cats? It could be too cute for words, especially with such bright and luscious painted art. Except the same amount of loving detail goes into some truly creepy gore and disturbing moments. A horror comic disguised as cute stuff? I’m in.

The dogs have unique and compelling enough personalities that when one is chained up in a backyard it’s oddly disturbing, like seeing a person on the end of a chain. The hints at underlying mythology–”Witch cats” and “wise dogs”–are tempting, and the humor works without breaking the tension of the story. This issue works as a one-shot, but it also sucks you in and leaves you waiting for more.

So here’s to more comics that sneak up on you, right?

I am off to Bergen Street Comics’ release party for Beasts of Burden tonight, so I’ll save my thoughts on the comic for tomorrow. For now, have some linkage:

Johanna Draper Carlson did not much like the Whiteout movie.

Warren Ellis asked artists to Remake/Remodel Black Orchid. He must’ve asked VERY nicely…

Some thoughts on comics and race in an interesting discussion thread on Racialicious.

The Rumpus brings you a review of Shane Acker’s 9.

As always, send me YOURS at newsaramaevents [at] gmail [dot] com.

Minneapolis:

Come join MITCH GERADS (artist) and SCOTT DILLON (writer) at 8PM, on Friday, September 18th, at GLUEK’s RESTAURANT & Bar ( http://www.glueks.com ) in Minneapolis, MN.  We’re celebrating our release of JOHNNY RECON No.01 from POPGUNPULP Comics.

Come by and have some drinks and some great local conversation.  You can also grab your own copy of JOHNNY RECON No.01 for $4.00 as well as an exclusive Release Party print by artist, Mitch Gerads.  For more information please visit, http://www.popgunpulp.com

Thanks and we hope to see you there!

San Francisco:

TWO COOL JAPANESE FILM EVENTS AT NEW PEOPLE NEXT WEEK

FUNUKE: Show Some Love, You Losers!
( 2007, 113min., With English Subtitles, Directed by Daihachi Yoshida)
Reviewed as “amusing Japanese dramedy” by Variety, FUNUKE was in Cannes Film Festival 2008 Official Selection. This dark comedy centers around a dysfunctional family with a history of dark secrets. When both parents die in a car accident, actress-wannabe Sumika returns home from Tokyo and takes the opportunity to harass her aspiring manga artist sister Kiyomi, whom she still blames for her own failures in life for strange some reason. More info at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films/films-9-2009/#funuke

SORASOI by Katsuhito Ishii (WHO WILL APPEAR IN-PERSON ON FRIDAY 9/25)

(2008, 89min., With English Subtitles, Directed by Katsuhito Ishii & Nice Rainbow)
Take this rare chance to see visionary Katsuhito Ishii’s latest work SORASOI, a “delightfully goofy summer-camp comedy. (-Variety)”! The story unfolds in a small beach side hostel called “SORASOI” where a group of college students practice their dance routine day and night for the upcoming competition. Meanwhile, a mysterious girl named Yuri shows up and stays in “SORAROI” and one of the male students falls in love with her at first sight. More info at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films/films-9-2009/#sorasoi

Brooklyn:

BEASTS OF BURDEN SIGNING WITH JILL THOMPSON & EVAN DORKIN AT BSC

Saturday, September 19, Starting at 6pm!

Bergen Street Comics is proud to host the Brooklyn Launch Party for “Beasts of Burden” by Evan Dorkin (writer) and Jill Thompson (artist).  Evan and Jill will be here in person to celebrate  and sign copies of the issue  on Saturday, September 19th from 6PM - close.

Fun, bubbly refreshments will be served.  And Jill has created a special print for all of the fans!

Whatever you think of the President, this ought to make you laugh.

(Counting down to “Obama vs. Star Wars” comic starting now. 3…2…1…)

I spent Sunday at the Brooklyn Book Festival running around from panel to panel, trying to catch all the wonderful, talented people reading and talking about their books. I missed most of the comics panels, but I did make sure to make it to the Act-I-Vate collective panel.

Dean Haspiel and the rest of the crew have created a smorgasbord of comics with every imaginable option available on the web, in a pretty simple, readable format. Their most significant contribution has probably been proving that giving away comics for free on the Web doesn’t prevent print sales. Jeff Newelt, “Minister of Hype,” noted “We learned a lot of our marketing from crack dealers–give ‘em that first bit for free.”

Comics creators are rather different from other media consumers–I don’t know if people who download free music also buy an album, or people who read free journalism on the Web buy the print paper, etc. Still, the model has worked for Act-I-Vate–none of them are getting rich off the site, but they are drawing attention, getting print deals for books that start on the Web, and most of all, spreading the gospel of comics, whether it’s pulling in new creators or convincing new readers to check out this awesome free webcomic.

Molly Crabapple called it “The coolest way to learn comics,” and it was pointed out that webcomics are international–they can be accessed from anywhere one has Internet access. They’re portable, you can pick them up where you left off very easily, and of course, they’re free.

It’s not a business model that is going to make creators rich anytime soon, but the Act-I-Vators seem to be happy with what they’ve created, both the website and more importantly, the cameraderie–the “collective” part of the equation. Comics as real community and as outreach–I like it.

I’m broke, but I’ve lucked into copies of The Nobody and Filthy Rich, so hope to have reviews of those sometime this week. Also last week’s DMZ, which was excellent, and The Unwritten, which was so as well.

In the meantime, this week: Air, Manhunter (well, Streets of Gotham, but who’m I kidding: Manhunter), and if the pitch I sent out this week gets accepted, maybe some remastered Tank Girl goodness.

Things I own and you should buy this week if you don’t have ‘em already: Dean Haspiel & Jonathan Ames’ The Alcoholic softcover out this week. Because it’s funny, and painful, and worth reading over again.

Since I gave you a pitch for a book, you know it’s your turn to reciprocate…

I have to say I sort of miss the days when Brian Wood did his own DMZ covers, but there was something about JP Leon’s cover to #45 that really struck me. I’m the furthest thing from an art critic, but there’s something oddly intense about the shadowy back here, the broad shoulders–funny how I never pictured Matty Roth looking threatening, menacing, but suddenly he does here, and it’s not just the gun.

I didn’t include this in yesterday’s events post because it deserves its own, really. Sunday’s Brooklyn Book Festival has an entire slate of comics-related panels: New York Comic-Con at the Brooklyn Book Festival. Check it out:

10:00 a.m. Comics Get Syncopated:  Memoir, History, Biography and Reportage in Comics Today. Brendan Burford (editor, Syncopated: An Anthology of Nonfiction Picto-Essays), comics editor at King Features Syndicate, moderates panel with other Syncopated contributors as they discuss how the comic format has opened new doors in nonfiction storytelling. Syncopated collects memoirs, profiles and reports from comics creators in a graphic novel format.

11:00 a.m. Fact vs. Fiction in Action-Adventure Comics. Comics artists and writers Matt Loux, Fred van Lente, Chris Giarruso, Kevin Pyle and Barry Lyga discuss how they are inspired by real events, scientific research and even math and physics to come up with action-packed adventure stories. They give a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating comics. For kids of all ages. Moderated by Alex Simmons.

12:00 p.m. Sci Fi and Fantasy in NYC. Is there anything hotter than sci-fi and fantasy right now? We don’t think so. Join authors S.C. Butler, Peter Brett, Anton Strout and Dave Roman as they discuss all that is paranormal in NYC.

1:00 p.m. Marvel Writers. How do they do it? Some of Marvel’s hottest writers talk about their work on your favorite comics. Moderated by Jim McCann.

2:00 p.m. Spotlight on Tom DeFalco, Phil Jimenez and Dennis O’Neil. Veteran artists Tom DeFalco, Phil Jimenez and Dennis O’Neil gather to speak about their common influences, current projects and the trends that are shaping the future. Moderated by Danny Fingeroth.

3:00 The ACT-I-VATE Renaissance. There is a comic book renaissance happening in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and members from both DEEP6 and XOXOs Studios, featuring Dean Haspiel, Mike Cavallaro, Tim Hamilton, Joe Infurnari, Simon Fraser, Molly Crabapple and Mike Dawson (among others) will discuss the genesis of ACT-I-VATE, their premier webcomix collective, and sneak-peek their upcoming print anthology, THE ACT-I-VATE PRIMER. Moderated by Jeff Newelt, who will also announce two new members to ACT-I-VATE.

4:00 p.m. Hip Hop Hearts Anime. A conversation on the cross-pollination of urban culture in Japan and hip hop into popular anime. Our group of anime fanatics, hip hop artists, activists and social entrepreneurs will come together based on their love for anime culture to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of this cultural exchange and how it will stay with our youth in the years to come.

5:00 p.m. Toon Books “Benny and Penny” Readers Theater for Children. See one of the Toon Books come alive with a performance by Geoffrey Hayes and Leigh Stein. Pirates and princesses, sweet mice and monsters next door in a staged reading of the Toon “Benny and Penny” books, author Geoffrey Hayes and actress Leigh Stein bring comics to life! For kids of all ages.

There are other comics panels to be seen, and a special “comics jam” with Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. Plus the usual mountain of cool books events. I’ll be running around like a crazy woman trying to catch lots of excellent panels, so if you see me, say hello.

Send yours to newsaramaevents [at] gmail [dot] com.

Baltimore:

Kids Love Comics Character Carnival at Baltimore Comic-Con
Baltimore, Maryland - August 31, 2009 - Come one, come all to the Comics Character Carnival at Baltimore Comic-Con.

The Baltimore Comic-Con, one of the best and biggest comic book shows around, is always a family-friendly show, offering a multitude of activities, comics, DVDs, and Manga for kids young and old.  Once again, the fine folks in Baltimore are partnering with Kids Love Comics to present the KLC Character Carnival at Baltimore Comic-Con.

Top kids creators will be in attendance to sign their kid-friendly comics, give tips on comics creation, and help guide the future graphic novelists of tomorrow.  Creators attending include Franco (Tiny Titans), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules), Scott Sava (Dreamland Chronicles), Rich Faber (Roboy Red), Steve Conley (Astounding Space Thrills), John Gallagher (Buzzboy), Mike Manley (Batman:  Brave and the Bold), and others.  This year also introduces a KLC “Artist-In-Residence” program, in which the KLC Cartoonists will set up in the KLC Big Top area, working on a drawing board and giving drawing and storytelling lessons to everyone and anyone.  Also on hand will be caricature artists, a KidzDraw area, and a special KLC Giveaway Print, courtesy of Ka-Blam Printing.

“Organizer Marc Nathan and the Baltimore Comic-Con always put on a great show,” said John Gallagher, the ringleader of this year’s KLC Carnival, “and we are so happy to be back in Baltimo re to help meet young fans and future creators of cool comics.”

Kids Love Comics is an organization of professionals and patrons of the comic book, publishing, and children’s book industries, dedicated to promoting literacy and fun(!) through comics and graphic novels.  For more information on Kids Love Comics, visit their website at http://www.kidslovecomics.com/.

This year’s Baltimore Comic-Con will be held October 10-11, 2009. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, October 10th.

New York:

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

7:00pm - 9:00pm
McNally Jackson Bookstore
52 Prince Street
New York, NY

http://www.smithmag.net/afterthedeluge

“One of the best-ever examples of comics reportage, and one of the clearest portraits of post-Katrina New Orleans yet published. An essential addition to the ongoing conversation about what Katrina means, and what New Orleans means.” — Dave Eggers

A.D.: New Orleans After The Deluge is an NY Times bestselling nonfiction graphic novel about escaping and surviving Hurricane Katrina–and what happens next in the lives of a cross-section of Crescent City residents.

Please join us Wednesday, 9/16 for a lively conversation about the making of A.D and how Josh translated these real lives into a comic book form; about the evolution of A.D from web to print; about the difference between and the synergistic coexisting of webcomics and books; and about non-fiction graphic novels.