World Comics

Cartoonist Sarah Glidden (HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISRAEL IN 60 DAYS OR LESS) recently got back from a second trip to the Middle East, traveling with Common Language Project. While she plans an entire book on the experience, for now she's done "The Waiting Room" a 21-page comic for Cartoon Movement, Mat Bors' political comics site, with this episode about Syrian refugees. Glidden is definitely following in the footsteps of the incomparable Joe Sacco is becoming a graphic reporter on the trouble spots of the world. While there's only one Sacco, Glidden is finding her own place in the field with her work.

Chester Brown's PAYING FOR IT is destined to be one of the most talked about graphic novels of the year -- we'd suspect it may be THE most talked about. It's a great work of comics that is nonetheless problematic for the views it espouses about human relationships and commerce. Just in case you aren't sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the book to come out, PAYING FOR IT is a memoir by Chester Brown about his experiences employing prostitutes. Brown's previous works include such masterworks as I NEVER LIKED YOU, ED THE HAPPY CLOWN and the historical narrative LOUIS RIEL, which is considered an important political work in Brown's native Canada. As one of the pioneers of the most successful schools of autobiographical comics, Brown is a major figure of the art comix era.

So after months of hype and bluster, Kapow Comic Con 2011 came to London at the weekend. Promising San Diego in London (overpriced hotels, restaurants you can't get into and panels you can't get near;) at last there was the chance to see what all of the fuss was about.

It was another busy weekend for comics around the globe, as the MoCCA Fest in NYC saw indie crowds gathering to buy the latest literary comics. Meanwhile in London, it was the inaugural Kapow! festival, organized by Mark Millar and his friends. From all accounts, although the show sold and had a capped attendance of only around 5000 people, it did achieve some of that "Movie-con magic":

This post by Kirsty Walker rounds up all the evidence FOR the upcoming KA-POW comics convention in London being a total sausage fest -- all the guests, award nominees and face time people are men.

Awards season is really shifting into high gear. The Doug Wright awards, honoring the best in English-language comics (or translations of French) by Canadians living at home and abroad, will be presented May 7th at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. In addition to the three main prizes, David Boswell, creator of Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, has been inducted into The Giants of the North, the Canadian Cartoonists Hall of Fame -- only recently we were discussing with someone far better informed than us how Boswell is a legend of the Canadian comics scene, so it's a fitting honor for him. The rest of the finalists reflect a strong slate that has been much honored in other recent awards -- the Canadian scene is kicking it!

The Eagle Awards, the long running British comics awards, have announced the 2011 nominees. Winners will be announced at the London MCM Expo in May. Online voting is now open at the above link.

Just to give you a laugh as you head out for the weekend, the trailer for THE SMURFS, which stars Neil Patrick Harris as the human who gets embarrassed and frazzled by dealing with his new friends, and Harvey Pekar Hank Azaria as Gargamel.

Darna is a popular Filipino superheroine created by Mars Ravelo and Nestor Redondo in 1950. Contemporary creators Gerry Alanguilan (story and art page 1) and Arnold Arre (letters and art pages 2-8) have created a 9 page tribute called DARNA LIVES! which is inspired by Alan Moore's Marvelman.

Chinese artist Xiao Bai was just presented with the Gold Award in the International Manga Awards. The prize, founded by Japan's former otaku-loving prime minister Taro Aso are presented to recognize international achievements in the manga style. Bai won for “So Far, So Close,” a time travel story about a woman who meets her own son.

What is the great Italian cartoonist up to?

Hiroko Tabuchi of the NY Times has alengthy piece Japan's recent legislation banning sales of adult material to minors. Along the way there's a lot of "Only in Japan!" stuff: