Friday, December 30, 2005  
2005 in Review

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/30/2005 04:53:00 AM
The Year in Canadian Comics News
Part 1: Overview
by Bryan Munn
Dec 30, 2005


2005 saw another very interesting year in Canadian comics. New publishers, new comics, new awards, the continued growth of the graphic novel and manga markets, international success for Canadian cartoonists, and a number of sad passings all combined to make the year memorable.

Some quick notes:

Publishing

Montreal's Drawn and Quarterly continued as the English-language publisher with the largest graphic novel line and backlist in 2005 but it was joined by even more publishers in the field in 2005. Candy Coated Press of Toronto debuted with a small group of art comics in June. As well, Toronto's Speakeasy line of genre comics rose from the ashes of Dreamwave, and Mr.Comics, a company that has hung its star on licensing the Planet of the Apes franchise, both entered the highly competitive North American comic book marketplace.

The Comics

Several well-reviewed graphic novels were published in 2005, including books published by AdHouse Books (USA), Conundrum Press (Canada), Drawn and Quarterly (Canada), Fantagraphics (USA), Penguin Canada, Oni (USA), and many others. Several have already found their way onto major "Best of 2005" lists like those at Time.com and Publishers Weekly.

Awards

Besides the long-established awards given to newspaper cartoonists and the several awards handed out to Quebec creators for French-language works, 2005 saw the premier of two new awards for comic creators. Debuting within months of each other, The Wright Awards and the Shusters each targetted different aspects of the cartooning world in Canada. The Shusters focussed more on writers and illustrators creating work for the traditional pamphlet-format comic book with several awards voted on by the public, while the Doug Wright Awards handed out two juried trophies to cartoonists creating book-length works.

Retail

During 2005, Sequential linked to several stories analyzing sales of graphic novels in both the traditional Direct Market comic book shop and the (seemingly) continually expanding bookstore markets. In addition, reports of the wholesale adoption of manga by younger Canadian readers and the relative novelty of manga in general seemed to be endlessly popular with reporters.

Passages

Unfortunately, several cartoonists left us in 2005. Among the younger generation of cartoonists who passed away were Ryan Carriere (b.1974), a mini-comics artist who was killed while bicycling home on Halloween, and Bryan "Rodney" Dunn(b.1968), a cartoonist and animator who died of an illness June 6th.
Older cartoonist deaths included Owen McCarron (b.1929), a cartoonist and publisher best known for his educational comics and work for Charlton and Marvel in the 1960s and 70s, and Ed Furness (b.1911), best known for his creation of several comic book characters for Canadian publishers in the 1940s. These artists who helped to shape the culture of Canadian comics will be missed.

To be continued...

Following this brief overview, Sequential hopes to bring you several more reports on the year that was and prospects for the year(s) ahead. Please check back with us over the following weeks for more news and views about Quebec comics and the "Best of 2005."
    
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Willow Dawson Profile

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/30/2005 03:14:00 AM
News Link Source: the Tyee
(thanks to Heidi MacDonald)

An online journal I've never heard of profiles Willow Dawson and Emily Pohl-Waery (cartoonist and writer, respectively) of "Violet Miranda, Girl Pirate".

thetyee.ca Girls Who Bite, Draw and Fly
    
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   Thursday, December 29, 2005  
Election Cartoons

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/29/2005 02:45:00 PM
News Link Source: CTV



After deciding early on that the federal election campaign had yielded

little in the way of cartooning fodder (like in this CP story), cartoonists now seem to think the campaign is full of yucks, according to a CTV story today.



Both Michael DeAdder and Susan Dewar appeared on CTV news Wednesday to discuss the campaign.



Contrary to popular opinion, cartoonists who make their living drawing often-outlandish caricatures of the nation's leaders aren't exercising a mean streak.



"I don't worry about being mean too much. I worry more or less of being fair," DeAdder said.



But that doesn't mean beating around the bush.



"I like to be as clear as I can," Dewar said. "Because I find that if you're too subtle then, you know, you'll miss the moment."





CTV.ca | Cartoonists draw inspiration from campaign trail
    
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the milk of human unkindness

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/29/2005 03:49:00 AM
Profile Link Source: Globe and Mail



Canada's most beloved cartoonist David Boswell is profiled by the Globe.

Heartening news about the near-completion of Reid Feming graphic novel #2.



"In June, 1978, the artist did a one-shot cartoon of a crude milkman, naming him after the bully of his kindergarten class. The Straight received a single fan letter from men working the shipping platform of a department store, who demanded more. Mr. Boswell resisted. He then received in the mail a cartoon in his style showing Fleming tossing Laszlo out a window. Touched by the effort, Mr. Boswell returned to the drawing board, and the milkman began misadventures yet to be completed.

(Much later, Mr. Boswell learned the campaign was not the work of burly guys on a loading dock but by a single obsessed fan.)"



The Globe and Mail: B.C. cartoonist finds inspiration in the milk of human unkindness
    
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   Monday, December 26, 2005  
French Canadians Turn Comic Book into Desert Land

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/26/2005 09:12:00 AM
News Link Source: ComicBookBin



Hervé St.Louis has the low-down on a new adventure series by two Quebec creators. Called "Rash", the comic is published by Narwain.



comicbookbin.com
    
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   Saturday, December 24, 2005  
Speakeasy Cancellations

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/24/2005 02:25:00 PM
News Link Source: Christopher Butcher



Chris Butcher's blog links to an article about Canadian publisher Speakeasy

that includes veiled news of comic book series cancellations.



According to Butcher:



"I guess it's fairly clear following that interview that getting the company to break down in thirds along creator-owned/company-owned/licensed books lines didn't involve adding 30 new books to their line so much as effectively cancelling 25 existing books... I do like that no one is using the words CANCELLED here, so much as insisting that "the books must meet order minimums or see their publication format altered" or whatever. Between the lack of WE'RE CANCELLING BOOKS here and WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THE WORDS 'MATURE-READERS' in yesterday's Viz pr/interview, it's gratifying to see the comic industry putting corporate-speak to work so much more effectively.



I imagine things were a little strange at the Speakeasy Christmas Party this year."



Comics.212.net - Flurries... of activity!
    
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Comics in Schools

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/24/2005 02:17:00 PM
News Link Source: The Toronto Star



Thanks to Dave Howard for the link to this Dec. 18 piece by cartoonist Christopher Hutsul on

the changing nature of attitudes towards comics in Toronto schools.

The article includes quotes from Fiona Smyth and others.



TheStar.com - Comics gain face in schools
    
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   Tuesday, December 13, 2005  
Kröma 2005

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/13/2005 06:52:00 AM
News Link Source: Michel Viau/Forum BD Québec





Mysterious "Comics Happening" in Montreal



New company/collective displays its wares:



Les artisans et ses créations

Prospecto: Jean-François Robert (bédéiste) et Stéphane Robert (auteur)

Bastard: Simon Côté (bédéiste) et Rob St-Martin (auteur)

Le jour du repos: collections des productions The go to guys

Baby gore the zombie: Louisa Chabas (illustratrice) et Sarah Laroche (conceptrice)



The event is discussed at the BD Quebec forum:



Forum BD Québec: Kröma 2005

Publicity



    
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   Sunday, December 11, 2005  
Movie Stars Party, Cartoonists Potty

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/11/2005 04:37:00 AM
Link Source: Toronto Star



According to celebrity gossip columnist/stalker Rita Zervakis, Lynn Johnston

was spotted in Toronto making unusual purchases:



TheStar.com - Men behaving badly and gaily
    
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   Thursday, December 08, 2005  
Doug Wright Awards - 2006

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/08/2005 10:12:00 PM
News Link: Comics Journal Message Board



Doug Wright Awards organizer Brad Mackay has announced that

the awards will now be an annual affair. Now accepting submissions

for Best Book and Best Emerging Talent of 2005.



The Comics Journal Message Board

    
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   Wednesday, December 07, 2005  
Dave Cooper gets Angoulême Nomination

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/07/2005 02:47:00 AM
News Link Source: Egon

PRIX D'ANGOULÊME
The 2006 nominations for the Prix d'Angoulême awards are out.
The prizes, given out at the giant Angoulême, France comics festival,
January 26-29, are among the world's most prestigious.

This year Canada's own Dave Cooper is nominated for his graphic novel
"Ripple".

Prix du Meilleur Album (Best Album)
- "Albany et Sturgess" Vol. 4 by François Rivière & Floc'h
- "Les damnés de Nanterre" by Chantal Montellier
- "Fritz Haber" Vol. 1 by David Vandermeulen
- "Hanté" by Philippe Dupuy
- "Notes pour une histoire de guerre" by Gipi
- "Le petit bleu de la côte Ouest" by Jacques Tardi
- "Ripple" by Dave Cooper

Egon Full Story
Angoulême Festival Homepage
    
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   Friday, December 02, 2005  
Bigfoot Launch

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/02/2005 11:19:00 PM
News Link





Christopher Butcher Reports



Comics.212's Christopher Butcher blogs about the Graham Roumieu booklaunch of Me Write Book, the graphic Bigfoot memoir. Butcher also deconstructs ConNoBaka, a reportedy disastrous anime & manga convention in Toronto.



Comics.212.net - Flurries... of activity!

(above: Roumieu's window display for the Beguiling bookstore)



    
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Magic Pony Xmas Show

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/02/2005 08:26:00 AM
News Link
(courtesy of "Rachel" at Torontoist)

Partridges and Pear Trees: Art and Gift Show
Magic Pony
694 Queen West, Toronto
Opening Reception: 6-11, December 1st

Featuring many cartoonists and comic-related art and gifts.

"Admission for the opening reception is $5 with all proceeds going to Ontario Nature in memory of Ryan Carriere. Ryan, an up-and-coming artist/cartoonist, was tragically killed by a truck at the corner of Queen and Gladstone on October 31. He was cycling home to take his children trick-or-treating."

Torontoist: On the First Day of December, Magic Pony will Send Me: Partridges & Pear Trees
Magic Pony
    
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   Thursday, December 01, 2005  
Comics Workshops

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/01/2005 10:37:00 PM
News Link
(courtesy "Walter Dickinson" at the Comics Journal boards)

Comics Workshops With Dave Ross and Ty Templeton in Toronto

"Beginning January of 2006, Max the Mutt Animation School of Toronto will be presenting a series of workshops by noted Toronto mainstream cartoonists Dave Ross (Daredevil, Alpha Flight, Inhumans) and Ty Templeton (Justice League, Batman Adventures, Spiderman/ Human Torch, Bigg Time, Simpsons).

These are to include 'Extreme Figure Drawing for Comic Books' and 'Pencilling for Comics: Backgrounds and Object Design' with instruction by Ross. Templeton’s workshops include 'Panel Layout and Visual Storytelling' and 'Writing for Comics: Finding Inspiration on a Schedule'.

A fifth offering 'An Introduction to Cartooning for Comics' will be taught by Yugoslavian/Canadian cartoonist Bojan Redzic. An artist with 16 years professional experience in all aspects of animation, illustration, and comic book art, he is an international award-winner, having worked for companies in Europe, Mexico and Canada. Bojan is the author of 'Mrak' published by System Comics in Yugoslavia and has been a contributor to Stripburger. ( http://www.portfolios.com/profile.html?MyUrl=BojanRedzic , http://www.ljudmila.org/stripcore/burek/41.htm )

For more information on these workshops please go to: http://www.maxthemutt.com/flyerLarge.htm
(An automated inquiry form can also be accessed at: http://www.maxthemutt.com/comic/) "

The Comics Journal Message Board
    
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