Comics

Torsten gave a fantastic review of things to do this weekend but I'll focus on two fun events for the Maine and Washington people, who desperately should enjoy themselves while the sun is still out!

Sweet Kirby Crackle! It's a busy weekend, with comics shows in: New York, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Maine, Pennsylvania [sic], South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Pennsylvania (again), and the United Kingdom! They're taking place at colleges, schools, convention centers, hotels, and community centers!

Artist John Cebollero has a new sketchbook out called DEEP DRAG. IF you're a fan of deeply caustic Will Elder/Richard Corben-inspired comics art, Cebollero is the man for you.

There's so many cartoonists working at Cartoon Network we couldn't fit 'em all in one post! Here is Part Two featuring interviews with cartoonists/animators Calvin Wong, Rebecca Sugar, John Pham and many more.

While any noteworthy comics events are taking place this weekend, the not notable—and perhaps the most notable in recent comics history—is taking place at the University of Chicago's new $114 million Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts: the Comics: Philosophy and Practice symposium organized by Hilary Chute. The lineup?

Also this weekend, The Maine Comics Art Festival, one of our favorite shows. Topline guests include Kate Beaton and Kazu Kibuishi. The Portland Press Herald has a preview:

As the UK's big three-weekend rolling convention rolls on, Kapow! is the big multimedia/Big Two and Image/mancave convention, with movie premiere stuff, Joe Quesada, Dan DiDio, Eric Stephenson, Jonathan Ross, and even Warren Ellis and Peter Serafinowitz. The show is being held at the fairly intimate London Business Design Centre—total capacity is about 6500 people—and all tickets are already sold out, meaning there will be no walk-up tickets at all—so mastermind Mark Millar's wish to give the UK a mini San Diego has come true.

A while ago, a few very select comics press outlets were invited to the NY and Burbank offices of DC Comics to look at the pages of the BEFORE WATCHMEN prequels. Of course, only the tip top of the comics media were allowed in: MTV Geek, IGN, CBR, , Comicvine, and 670 The Score Chicago Sports Radio. We call shenanigans! Anyway, caveats were entered, impressions gleaned. Writers were not allowed to actually discuss plot points but rather give overall thoughts and gestaltic reactions.

By J. M. Walter, via Cartoon Brew.

You never know where the next round of cuts is going to come from. DC appears to have been cutting titles from their subscription program, not based on overall sales, but based on how many subscriptions they're getting. Which is to say, while Aquaman, which has caused much head scratching over it's omission from the subscription list while being a top 10 Diamond seller, may be more of a Direct Market title than a mainstream title.

Thun'da is a bit of an oddity from the tail end of the golden age (1952). On the surface, it's a variation on the Tarzan mythos, with a bit of a cold war spin. It only ran for six issues. On the other hand, the first issue was one of legendary painter/illustrator Frank Frazetta's comic projects. It also was tapped for a movie serial starring Buster Crabbe. According to comics.org, Gardner Fox was the scripter on the first issue, adding a little most historical flavor to it.

I guess it's all come full circle now.