World Comics

From November 9th to 14th, I had the honor and pleasure (duh) of being a Guest of the RIO Comicon, the first comics convention in Rio de Janeiro since 1993. The seven-day arty/indie comics fest took place at the Leopoldina Central Station, a cavernous former railway station, built in 1925, the sheer grandness of which lent the proceedings an epic surreality. Also instantly impressive was the mindful 360° design of the space. U.S. con-runners take note: art direction matters! From a cheerfully pervasive purple and orange color-scheme, to an upliftingly exquisite superbly-curated art exhibition of international masters & independent Brazilian artists, to a specially-constructed “castle” showcasing Italian living legend Milo Manara’s art, guests and artists alike were transported upon arrival.

It was another busy day for Mark Millar, who is quickly becoming the Oprah Winfrey of comics, using his success in one platform to become a world wide mogul of cross-platform entertainment. Not content just to script best selling comics that turn into successful movies, he's launched a magazine and now...a comic-con: Kapow Comic Con, which will be held April 9-10 at the London Business Design Centre in Islington, a venue which holds about 5000 people a day.

It's one of the more notable aspects of the Franco-Belgian comics scene that there's no stigma either way for comics experimentalists to create genre work. Thus the trailblazing cartoonists of L'Association have variously worked on children's comics and most light-hearted fare with great success. Such a work is Lewis Trondheim's DONJON, which NBM has been publishing in the US. DONJON is a sprawling satirical fantasy about anthropomorphic warriors in a magical, ludicrous kingdom. It's a darkly whimsical epic that's a mash-up of D&D, CEREBUS, GROO, and any number of works by headliners Trondheim and Joann Sfar.

Launched in 1937 The Dandy is the oldest still-running comic in the UK, and the third oldest in the world. The weekly kids’ humour...

The 2011 Angoulême comics festival fast approaches, and they have just announced their official selections. Rather than nominate various books in different categories, these selections are a pool from which the Gran Prix and other prizes are given. A jury -- led this time by Baru -- will make final selections.

We all know that everyone wants to get in on that graphic novel boom, but did you know even the Metals Service Center Institute is getting in on the act?

Every week there are seemingly dozens of comics conventions, signings, art shows and so on around the world. Covering them all is impossible for...

Continuing our previews of ELMER, the graphic novel by Gerry Alanguilan, available this month from SLG.

I'm going to cheat here a little by breaking up the first chapter of ELMER, by Gerry Alanguilan, which is collected this month by Slave Labor. Originally published in the Philippines as a mini-comic, it's many things: a bizarre SF social satire in the style of George Orwell or (as one reader suggested to me) Poul Anderson's Brain Wave -- and also Adam Hines' recent Rex the Wonder Dog, which has some of the same themes treated very differently. It's also a beautiful example of the Filipino komiks school, all lush penwork and atmosphere. it's also just a good read. Because it's the whole first chapter I'm going to break it up over two days. Tune in tomorrow for the second part.

SpansihInq points to a sot where you can purchase original art by Jesus Saiz, Fernando Blanco, Francis Portela, and Javier Pina including the above, by Saiz.

The Eagle Awards were presented at the MCM Expo in London Last night,. And the winners are: Roll of Honour – Brian Bolland Favourite Newcomer Writer...

Robot 6 previews THE LITTLEST PIRATE KING by David B., due any day from Fantagraphics, and dealing with...pirate zombies. Oh yeah. It's based on a short story by Pierre Mac Orlan.