Thursday, May 31, 2007  
Ben Wicks Art to be Returned

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/31/2007 06:00:00 AM
Wicks Trial Verdict

In what the Toronto Star is calling a legal precedent for the protection of artists' works, Superior Court Judge Thomas Lederer ruled yesterday that Richard Harnett is not the legal owner of over 2800 cartoons left behind by the son of cartoonist Ben Wicks.

As Sequential reported almost two weeks ago, the long-simmering case that the Wicks estate launched against Harnett several years ago when the existence of the cartoon hoard became known finally reached Superior Court in Toronto. After a week of testimony, the judge retired to write up his 11-page report, framing a verdict that seems in retrospect inevitable. In his judgement he has ordered that the artwork in Harnett's possession, found in several garbage bags when Wicks' son Vincent Wicks moved from Toronto to B.C. in 1992, be returned to the Wicks family and that $450 Harnett made selling two of the drawings also be remitted.

----
(The Halifax Chronicle-Herald has the CP version of the verdict)

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Today: Scott McCloud in Vancouver

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/31/2007 12:54:00 AM

U.S. cartoonist Scott McCloud will be appearing this Thursday evening at 7pm at Sophia Books. Located at 450 West Hastings Street at Richards in downtown Vancouver.

According to Ed Brisson, "Scott will be signing and hanging out and chatting all evening."

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Ben Wicks Link to Sponsorship Scandal

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/31/2007 12:30:00 AM
When I first read that a cartoonist was linked to the Sponsorship Scandal (specifically, the scandal over the spending by the Council for Canadian Unity & Option Canada during the Quebec referendum), I was mildly curious --but not curious enough to read the book by Normand Lester and Robin Philpot, Les secrets d'Option Canada, which started the Grenier inquiry. Likewise, I was unmoved in the direction of the recent English translation. Now that the inquiry report is out, it looks like the cartoonist mentioned might have been Ben Wicks. According to the National Post:

In total, the Council for Canadian Unity and Option Canada received $10.9-million from Heritage Canada between the PQ's arrival in power in 1994 and the referendum. Most was spent in the run-up to the official referendum campaign, which was not illegal.

Among the acceptable federal expenses noted by Mr. Grenier was $160,500 for 30,000 copies of the book Dear Canada/Cher Canada, by the late cartoonist Ben Wicks, presumably intended to win the hearts of wavering Quebecers.


The list of infractions is listed on the Electoral Officer of Quebec's website here. The full report is available as a link from here as a 170 page .pdf that crashed my computer when I tried to read it in Adobe.

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2 Reactions to the Comic Craze Show

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/31/2007 12:01:00 AM
While Sequential's hesitations about the Comics Craze show currently running in Montreal have been duly noted (artists whose books are on display were not contacted or credited), it's interesting to read these two reviews of the show, both from the Quebec weekly The Suburban.

The first discusses how teenage readers are responding to the comics in the show and the second laments the use of the space, The Liane and Danny Taran Gallery of the Saidye Bronfman Centre, for the show since it is the last show ever for the gallery before it closes for good. Alternatives suggested are something along the lines of the Masters of American Comics in New York or maybe something about the Holocaust:

In an unfitting ending to a gallery that has been in existence for more than 40 years, the Liane and Danny Taran Gallery of the Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts closes with a whimper rather than a bang with its final exhibition Comic Craze, which ends June 3.

Creating an interior maze of basically black and white tubes and inserting them with a mishmash of non-indexed Canadian French and English-language comic books does not make for an art exhibition. This stuff belongs in a library, not an art gallery.

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   Wednesday, May 30, 2007  
The Montreal Comic Jam

:: Posted by max @ 5/30/2007 12:53:00 PM
Hello to All!

This month's Comix Jam will take place at Cafe L'Utopik, 552 Ste-Catherine East, this coming Thursday May 31 at 8PM. I'll try to get there earlier to save space for us and be out of reach from the poets ;). Don't forget to bring your drawing gears.

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Tonite: Industry Night @ the Vic

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/30/2007 04:49:00 AM
A casual gathering of comics-types for news, views and libations.

MAY 30: Industry Night @ The Vic: New Night!
7PM at
The Victory Cafe, just down the street from The Beguiling.

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More from Anime North

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/30/2007 03:40:00 AM
A few more links from last weekend's Anime North event in Toronto:

-convention organizer Donald Simmons sums up the con, including security & scheduling glitches (he estimates that Anime North has now maxed out at 12,000 paid attendance)

-the only report I've read on Yaoi North and crossplay

-a round-up of several related bloggers/crossplayers

-BlogT.O. has a nice con report with photos

-Madeline Ashby's report for Frames Per Second magazine

-the artist behind the fan webcomic (febcomic?) Mystery Death Note Theatre reports on her experience in artists' alley selling hard-copies of her strip and as a newly-minted minor celebrity at the con

-a blog report about cosplaying as a member of the team from the tennis manga/anime Oshitari (Prince of Tennis)

-a nice long report from a U.S. visitor that has lots of panel coverage and tales from the Canadian Border Cops

-singing the convention hotel blues

and of course, more photos:

photos

photos

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Logger Draws Cartoons, Writes Book

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/30/2007 03:32:00 AM
From BC's Ladysmith Chronicle comes this tale of a retired logger and sometimes cartoonist. It's not clear to me if there are any cartoons in the book being profiled:

When he wasn't falling trees, Ladysmith logger Gord Barney was chopping down camp bosses with his satirical cartoons.

The caricatures and small cartoon strips found a home on the cookhouse and camp office walls. The veteran logger's drawings earned him a reputation in logging camps along B.C.'s coastline. Quietly, Barney also scribbled down the stories co-workers would tell over a beer after a hard day in the bush.

"I thought these stories were going to get lost," Barney says.

After three years of sweat and labour, Barney finished typing out the old long-hand notes for his sixth book Camp Inspector: Tales of a B.C. Logger.

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   Tuesday, May 29, 2007  
U.S. Comics in Canada: Too Expensive?

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/29/2007 04:09:00 AM
The frst of two articles I'm linking to from Comic Book Bin. Herve St-Louis turns in a timely discussion of the price of comics in Canada, now that the Canadian dollar is almost on par with the U.S. --a situation that hasn't existed for decades. Great for buying direct from the U.S., not so great when it comes to shopping at you local comic book shop:


While large comic book publishers such as DC Comics and Marvel Comics have regularly adjusted the pricing on Canadian comic books, the pricing has rarely reflected the current exchange rate between Canada and the United States.

The premium paid by Canadian comic book readers is abusive. For example, a copy of Ultimate Power # 4 costs to an American customer, $2.99. The price for the same comic book for a Canadian customer is $3.75. This means that the same comic book costs about 80% less for an American customer than a Canadian one.



Bonus link: how one cartoonist created the "Diefendollar" (sort-of)

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On Being a Young Comics Fan in 1970s Canada

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/29/2007 04:01:00 AM
The second of two good articles I'm linking to from Comic Book Bin today: The Beginning of Fandom by Philip Schweier. I like the article mostly because the time period that Schweier writes about overlaps with my own (even though I still don't appreciate the comics stylings of Jim Aparo) . Basically, one of those nostalgic "the golden age was whenever you were 9 years old" subjective approaches to comics history:

One thing about looking through those old issues is to see a very obvious time period, indicated by the "impeach Nixon" grafitti in the background and the general design of the clothes and cars. It's a window to a time of Jim Rockford and the Captain & Tennile. Many people will scoff at the hokiness of the mid 1970s, and with good reason. Watergate and leisure suits are nothing to look back on with fondness. But regardless of when we grow up, whether it's the 1930 Depression or the turbulent 1960s, it's our childhood. That ultimately is our point of reference. A 9-year old's universe rarely extends much beyond 100 yards from the front door.

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   Monday, May 28, 2007  
Wrap-Up: Anime North 2007

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/28/2007 12:11:00 AM
Anime North 2007 ended on Sunday. Here are a few links to blog posts about it:


Comics/manga

-Chris Butcher photoblogs the event here, here and here.

-a report from Scott Ramsoomair's panel devoted to his webcomic VGCats

-report from artist alley by an artist trying to make a living doing Yaoi comission drawings


Reports

-my favourite quotes from the con are from this blog about how to get deals while showing off your assets:


"I felt more loser-ish cause I didn't have a costume than the people who had them. Even the ones with bad costumes fit in better than I did."

"nerds are easy"

"Oh but some of ze cosplayers were just wrong.
There were older hairy men dressed up as the Sailor Scouts"


-report on line-ups

-shop-lifters' unite!

-my new favourite blogger with an obsession about the animated cartoon Avatar is fandrogyny who writes on the mis-use of volunteers

-one frustrated volunteer discusses venues, signage, rudeness, bootlegs, and guests

-10 things about Anime North

Photos

-photo slide-show from Friday night


-The Anime North message forum, Teahouse of the Maple Moon, includes some photo/con reports here and here

and, because I have a limitless capacity to enjoy them, more photos:

photos

photos

photos

photos

photos

photos

photos

and more

photos


Please send any manga-related reports and photos, and serious discussions of the convention to Sequential!

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Bernice Eisenstein Shortlisted for Trillium Award

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/28/2007 12:10:00 AM
Bernice Eisenstein's graphic memoir I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors has been shortlisted for the Trillium Book Award. This is the first time a comics-related effort (I Was a Child is part graphic novel, part text memoir) has been nominated for the prestigious prize. It is also the first such book to be nominated for any of Canada's more substantial literary prizes. After the Governor General Awards and the Giller, the Trillium is one of the more lucrative canlit awards. Founded by the Ontario government, the Trillium Award comes with a $20,000 pay-out and an additional $2500 bonus to the winning book's publisher for purposes of promotion.

The nomination of Eisenstein's book, created in close collaboration with her editor at McClelland & Stewart, is a further sign of a willingness on the part of the mainstream publishing world in Canada to engage with graphic novels as serious, prize-worthy literature in company with more traditional prose novels and non-fiction. The book, described by her publisher as a distillation, "through text and drawings, including panels in the comic-book format," of "Eisenstein's memories of her 1950s' childhood in Toronto with her Yiddish-speaking parents, whose often unspoken experiences of war were nevertheless always present," is part of a trend towards developing graphic novels in-house that has obviously borne fruit for M & S. Competing against several heavy hitters including Wayne Johnston, Dionne Brand, and Charlotte Gray, it does not seem likely that Eisenstein will win the prize with this, her first book, despite the good intentions of those involved in the nomination process. And who knows, maybe the example of the Trillium nod will lead to future attention for full-fledged graphic novels by more established creators.

The Minister responsible for the awards will announce the winners in Toronto at an awards luncheon at Hart House on June 4.

The nominees:

Anar Ali, Baby Khaki's Wings (Penguin Group Canada)
Dionne Brand, Inventory (McClelland & Stewart)
Bernice Eisenstein, I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors (McClelland & Stewart)
Mark Frutkin, Fabrizio's Return (Knopf Canada)
Charlotte Gray, Reluctant Genius (HarperCollins Canada)
Wayne Johnston, The Custodian of Paradise (Knopf Canada)

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Benefit for Said

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/28/2007 12:05:00 AM
A benefit for the family of deceased cartoonist Said Shiraga Rahimi is scheduled for June 23 in Hamilton, according to the Stoney Creek News:


The tragic death of a father who left seven children and a wife behind is still affecting many lives months later.

Said Shiraga Rahimi, a talented political cartoonist, was driving home one night in late January, when a train struck his van. Mr. Rahimi was killed instantly. He was delivering pizza to help support his family.

As the main source of income for his family, Mr. Rahimi's death has left his children and wife struggling to get by.

The community has reached out to this family with fundraisers to benefit his children and wife.

On June 23, Hamilton art gallery The Pearl Company is holding Cartoon Speak from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. where 40 of Mr. Rahimi's political cartoons will be on display.

CBC radio host Jeff Goodes will host the event.

Three renowned political cartoonists have been invited to speak to the crowd.

Terry Mosher from the Montreal Gazette, Brian Gable from the Globe and Mail and Graeme MacKay from the Hamilton Spectator will make a public address at 8 p.m. that evening.

Included in the benefit is Afghani food and music to represent the culture of the late Mr. Rahimi.

Tickets are $30 and can be bought at The Hamilton Spectator, Bryan Prince Bookseller, Arts Hamilton Jackson Square, The Carnegie Gallery, La Jardinere Locke Street, OPIRG McMaster University, and The Immigrant Cultural & Art Association.

The Pearl Company is located at 16 Steven St.

For more information, email cartoonsspeak@gmail.com or call (905) 524-0606.

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   Sunday, May 27, 2007  
Carousel #21 Launch in Montreal @ My Hero Gallery

:: Posted by max @ 5/27/2007 10:09:00 AM
Co:Mark Laliberte

The new issue of CAROUSEL {#21} is set to launch, and we've chosen Montreal as our debut city!

Indeed, a number of Montrealers are in the new issue (Daniel Erban, Shawn Kuruneru, Billy Mavreas to name a few), and a good opportunity to collaborate with a few of our showcased artists came up recently: Shawn Kuruneru and Jesse Harris (along with their pal Jimmy Limit) have a 3-person show opening at the beginning of June at My Hero Gallery called 'Shangri-Lost II'; CAROUSEL will be kindly sharing the stage at this event... we'll have the new issue available hot off the press. It's sure to be an excellent show!

Carousel #21 / magazine launch
(in collaboration with Shangri-Lost II art exhibition)
........Friday June 01, 8pm
@ My Hero Gallery
3655 St. Laurent Blvd, #206 / Montreal, QC

CAROUSEL 21 : Highlights + Contents

Comics:
Lorenz Peter Dr. Ultra: On the Beat
James Provost
Ethan Rilly Son of a Gun

Art:
Dearraindrop
Daniel Erban Portfolio
Jesse Harris
Shawn Kuruneru
Mark Laliberte
Billy Mavreas
Jason McLean
Paper Machete Portfolio
Luke Ramsey
Balint Zsako

Fiction:
Mike Freeman Man of Action with Life-like Hair
Joelle Renstrom What's Missing from the Internet

Interview:
a long interview with Dearraindrop by Mark Laliberte

Poetry:
Anne Baldo Aidan; Give it Up
Allan Briesmaster Enceladus '06; Solarities
Mono Brown Creak
Mike Freeman Ode to Wile E. Coyote
Andreas Gripp His and Hers
Emma Kidd Cows Eat Children
Sorouja Moll Small Gods
Joelle Renstrom Variations on a Second Head
Sandra Ridley Off the Highway; Variation on Last Summer
Antranik Tchalekian Ghost Through Me; Dream of Flying
Anne Walters A Folkshine Fable


http://www.myherogallery.ca
http://www.carouselmagazine.ca

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   Friday, May 25, 2007  
Saturday Book Launch: Hello, Me Pretty

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/25/2007 07:30:00 PM

As part of the conundrum press Montreal Spring launch party: the book launch of the translation of Line Gamache's new graphic novel, Hello, Me Pretty. The original French-language title was Te malade, toi! A few other books that are not comics (the boring kind without pictures) are also being launched.

Saturday May 26 at Mainline Theatre, 3997 St Laurent, Montreal, 9pm.

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This Weekend: Anime North

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/25/2007 03:47:00 AM

Canada's largest anime and manga-related event takes place this weekend at a variety of locations in Toronto. Anime North is a source for all things having to do with Japanese culture. Manga/comics artists who will be appearing as guests of the convention include Steve Bennett, Ben Dunn, Scott Ramsoomair, Alex Milne, Svetlana Chmakova, and Ryan North and there are large "artists alleys" for writers and artists, including fans. There are several anime film premieres as well a musical events/dances, cosplay, etc etc. As well, the queer-friendly Yaoi North event, mentioned here earlier in the week, is also taking place under the aegis of Anime North.

Tons of vendors and comics/manga dealers as well, including Toronto's The Beguiling (even my own local shop, The Dragon in Guelph, takes part, I think).

Full details at the extensive website.

Anime North 2007
Friday May 25 to Sunday May 27


admission:

-Full Weekend: $50
-Friday Only: $30
-Saturday Only: $35
-Sunday Only: $30

locations:
Doubletree International Plaza Hotel,
Toronto Congress Center,
& Renaissance Toronto Airport Hotel

(The Toronto Star offered some tips yesterday)

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Women in Comics: Kiss Machine Profile

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/25/2007 03:45:00 AM
The Women in Comics event, part of the upcoming Paradise Toronto Comicon, is teaming up with publisher Kiss Machine to spotlight KM's line of comics. The big news is that KM's next project is Summer Ink: An Illustrated Book of Letters, by Golda Fried and Vesna Mostovac. Press release:

Women of Comics II and Kiss Machine Presents

Women of Comics II (WOC II) is a two-day event, taking place on Saturday, June 9th and Sunday June 10th as part of the 2007 Paradise Toronto Comicon. Sponsored by All New Comics Inc., WOC II is designed to showcase female talent and creativity in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, the symposium will feature signings, portfolio reviews, panel discussions, and direct interaction with the artists themselves.

This year will feature a spotlight on local Toronto imprint Kiss Machine Presents, dedicated to publishing "graphic novellas" by top Canadian talent. Founded in 2005 by editor Emily Pohl-Weary, Kiss Machine Presents was launched with "Violet Miranda: Girl Pirate" by Pohl-Weary and Willow Dawson, and also features "Skim" (winner of a special Doug Wright award and soon to be a graphic novel by Groundwood/House of Anansi press) by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, and "Mendacity" by Tamara Faith Berger and Sophie Cossette.

An offshoot of Kiss Machine, a Toronto-based zine that focuses on art, literary culture, and political views, the purpose for Kiss Machine Presents was different, but no less important to publisher, Emily Pohl-Weary. "In comics it's hard to find good female characters, and they all look like Barbie," she laughs. "I wanted to create a fun, sexy, woman-run comics line that was a meeting place for innovative, unusual talents".

Next up, at the end of June 2007, is Summer Ink: An Illustrated Book of Letters, by Golda Fried (Governor General's Award Finalist for Nellcott is my Darling) and Vesna Mostovac (animator and Foolish Girl creator). Summer Ink represents two months' worth of correspondence between the long-time friends. On the pages, sticky with tears, cigarette ash, beer, coffee, ketchup and bacon grease, they document their trials and tribulations in the world of love and heartbreak, paying close attention to the songs spinning in the background. Each letter comes alive with graphics Vesna has drawn and collaged, based on images present in the writers' minds as they wrote the letter.

Learn more about this dynamic line at the Women of Comics Kiss Machine Presents panel, taking place on Saturday, June 9th at 4:30 PM featuring guests Emily Pohl-Weary, Willow Dawson, Vesna Mostovac and Mariko Tamaki.

The 5th Annual Paradise Toronto Comicon runs from June 8-10th in Hall C at the Direct Energy Centre on the CNE Grounds.

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This Weekend: Ottawa Comic Con

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/25/2007 03:42:00 AM
The Ottawa Civic Centre Comic Con is this weekend. The twice yearly event is Ottawa's largest comic book convention with over 100 dealers in comics and other collectibles.

Sunday, May 27, 2007
Ottawa, Ontario - Canada
Ottawa Civic Centre
1015 Bank St.

Guests include Dale Eaglesham (Justice Society of America), Yanick Paquette (Ultimate X-Men), Wes Craig (Wildstorm Comics - Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and Craig Taillefer (Wahoo Morris).

There is a $3.00 charge for autographs (!).

Hours:10am-4pm

Admission: FREE

Contact:
Mike Quevillon
In Ottawa 823-1837 or Toll Free 1-866-846-4281

more info

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James Turner Newsarama Profile

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/25/2007 03:34:00 AM

Toronto's James Turner is interviewed by Newsarama's Michael C Lorah about his newest project Rex Libris, which is being collected in a trade paperback in June. Turner's Nil, a stand-alone graphic novel, was a surprise gem of 2005.


NRAMA: Is it harder or easier creating stories for the limited space of serialized comics?

JT: I'd say it's harder. I like the freedom of the graphic novel format. Serialized comics forces you into an issue-by-issue rhythm. It requires much more rigorous plotting and pacing.

NRAMA: What was the inspiration for Rex Libris?

JT: Rex Libris was inspired by the whole genre of work in which mild mannered occupations are crossed with the world of action and adventure. Often this includes the supernatural and various sorts of monsters, in which case the original occupation no longer has to be mild mannered (such as the X-Files). There's all sorts of stuff out there like this. It was also a response to working on Nil, which was a satire on nihilism and quite dark. Rex is more positive. I also wanted to include a secret order, which are always popular. Sort of a communal secret identity.




Rex Libris is published by Slave Labor.

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More on Muff Mills Remebered

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/25/2007 03:27:00 AM
More on political cartoonist Muff Mills, who died earlier this year. From the Kitchener-Waterloo Record:

On a spring morning spilling with sunshine, a group of Muff Mills' friends gather at Danny's barbershop in Cambridge to remember the artist.

Muff was a real character, a guy who was so interested in people he collected friends like a child collects wild flowers: each valued for its beauty and uniqueness.

"He had that ability to make you feel you were the only one, that you were very special . . . (from) babies up to seniors," said friend Shirley Murdoch. "When anyone met him, you'd never forget him."

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   Thursday, May 24, 2007  
Yaoi North

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/24/2007 01:31:00 AM
Writing for Xtra, Miriam Boon talks to Lisa "Hideto" Lai and Matthew Schwartz, organizers behind Yaoi North, the queer component to the Anime North convention, which begins this weekend in Toronto. It sounds like things haven't always gone swimmingly but there seems to be a heckuva lot more content than at your typical convention (not counting the obsession with spandex-clad superheroes):

This year's convention will feature two rooms dedicated to all things yaoi. Programming will include viewings of yaoi films and TV shows, panel discussions with titles including "World History Of Homosexuality" and "Crossplay 101" (in other words, drag) and Cafe Nocturne -- a Japanese-style drag cafe featuring flirty female waiters dressed as men.

But Kat Williams, a Toronto-based anime artist and author who organized queer panels at the convention for several years beginning in 2000, says she's dismayed by the lack of queer content created specifically for queers at recent Anime North gatherings.

"[Last year's Yaoi North] was pretty much straight girls squealing about their favourite [gay anime] couples," says Williams.

Lai makes no bones about the genre's objectification of queer men. "But yaoi men are as ridiculous as gay porn men," she says.

Nor is she worried about the lack of gay activism at the conference. "We don't discourage people being proud and out or talking about issues like that... [but] this is a hobby, an interest. Our purview is discussing cartoons. We're not saving lives."

Schwartz is all for straight anime lovers' queer obsessions. "These people are our straight allies. They're the ones who are with us at gay pride marches, and if they relate to gay media, then that makes me happy bringing them into the gay community."

He adds that Yaoi North attendees run the gamut of gender and orientation, and notes that he hasn't heard any complaints from gay attendees about feeling objectified.

Gay men may be getting the red carpet treatment, but last year when Williams was promoting lesbian events, her experience was quite the opposite.

"I got spat at. I had things thrown at me," says Williams, adding that she heard similar complaints from other queer attendees.

Williams says she didn't report the incidents to convention security. "There isn't much security can do about people being overly rude unless [the homophobes] stick around and continue to harass someone repeatedly."

Todd Spencley, who handles security for Anime North, says he is unaware of an escalation in homophobic incidents at recent conventions.

"Anything that is reported to me, I make sure I track it down," says Spencely. "If I find somebody behaving in a discriminatory manner I have a nice long talk with them. I do not put up with that at our convention."

Spencley says that offenders may be banned from the conventions, offering as an example the hosts of The Conventioneers, a reality show on Bite TV, who reportedly harassed crossdressing attendees and body checked a child on camera without his guardian's consent at the 2006 convention.

"For those actions we decided The Conventioneers are no longer permitted to attend Anime North," says Spencley.

Williams is also disappointed with the lack of girl-on-girl anime, or Shoujo-ai (pronounced show-joe-eye), compared to yaoi. Although Williams is presenting a two-hour panel on girl-on-girl anime, it's a far cry from a 24-hour dedicated space.

Anime North's director of programming Eileen McEvoy agrees that there's room for more Shoujo-ai at the convention. She says that there had been a room set aside for a three-day track focussing on dykey fun but that panel organizers -- including Williams -- backed out at the last minute.


According to their website, Yaoi North is still looking for volunteers.

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Comic Strip Pays Tribute to Watercolourist

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/24/2007 01:21:00 AM
A recent episode of Sandra Bell-Lundy's Between Friends strip made mention of Canadian watercolour painter Jack Reid. The 81-year old Reid was surprised by the number of phone calls he received from fans of the strip, according to the Orillia Packet & Times:

Usually, when people say "see you in the funny pages," it's just an expression.

For local artist Jack Reid, however, it rings true.

Reid's name was mentioned as part of an ongoing storyline in the comic strip "Between Friends," which appeared in The Packet & Times May 11-12.

"I was very pleasantly surprised," said Reid on the phone from Quesnel, B.C., where he was holding a painting workshop last week. "That's quite an honour."

The artist, who has lived in Lagoon City for more than a year, wasn't familiar with the syndicated comic strip and didn't learn of his mention until he started receiving calls from people in Victoria and Edmonton - and even Hawaii - asking him if he is the Jack Reid in the strip.


Sandra Bell-Lundy, the creator of "Between Friends," is a big fan of watercolour art, the medium in which Reid paints, and so was familiar with the painter.

"I didn't know him, but I knew his work," she said.

When she started creating the storyline, Bell-Lundy said she thought it would make the content funnier if she inserted an artist's name, and Reid's was the first that popped into her head.

"I just really think he's got a lot of talent," she said.

Reid, who will celebrate his 82nd birthday June 1 in Whistler, B.C., said he's lost count of the number of pieces he's created over the course of his career.

Aside from his artwork, Reid has also written a number of art books and, as a rough estimate, has taught more than 25,000 people through classes and workshops.

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International Manga Award Created

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/24/2007 12:05:00 AM
The Japanese government has just announced a new trophy for manga created by non-Japanese creators, to be unveiled July 2, according to this CBC article:

The International Manga Award is the brainchild of Japan's Foreign Minister Tara Aso, who is an avid fan of manga, the term used to describe Japanese comics and print cartoons.

"Manga and anime [Japanese animated films and TV series] have been spreading overseas and are selling quite well," Aso said.

"I want to further boost the communicative power of these so-called pieces of pop culture."

Presented to an artist working abroad, the new award will honour the winner's contribution to the spread of manga around the world, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

While the award will carry no cash prize, organizers are in the process of creating a trophy and will host the winner and three runners-up at an awards ceremony in Japan.

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Scott Pilgrim volume 4: preview page

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/24/2007 12:02:00 AM
Bryan Lee O'Malley is slowly leaking out images from the next volume of his popular Scott Pilgrim series:

scott pilgrim 4

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Bleeker the Rechargeable Dog Optioned for TV

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/24/2007 12:01:00 AM
Once upon a time this sort of news involving a comics property being optioned by a production company was fairly rare but it seems more common in the era of a billion-dollar video game market and superhero blockbusters.

Anyway, Jonathan Mahood's comic strip Bleeker: the Rechargeable Dog has been optioned by Toronto animation company Radical Sheep (Big Comfy Couch) for a series of tv shorts. Mahood only recently took the strip online with the help of Universal Press Syndicate. Here's the press release:

Radical Sheep Productions, leading producer of children's programming, has recently optioned the rights to produce a new animated series for kids aged 6-12, based on Bleeker: The Rechargeable Dog, the hilarious online comic strip by Jonathan Mahood about a hapless and loveable robotic toy dog named Bleeker and his owner, Skip.

Picking up on the nuances of the online strip, Bleeker will explore Skip Smalls' sibling-like relationship with his robotic toy dog Bleeker as they navigate their friendship, co-dependence and the many crises Bleeker inadvertently causes as a result of trying so eagerly to earn the love of a hyperactive 10-year old.

"We're very excited about Bleeker. Bleeker the Rechargeable Dog is such a unique and fresh character - the first of his kind," says John Leitch, President of Radical Sheep Productions. "We feel the series will really speak to today's younger generation and their high comfort level with technology. Technology is a complex, evolving and somewhat confusing entity, and Bleeker is too. Only Bleeker's much funnier than an iPod."

"I'm very excited about seeing this little robotic dog fetch, print, download and malfunction his way across the small screen," says Jonathan Mahood, creator and illustrator of the popular online comic. "Radical Sheep's enthusiasm and strong relationship with its creators made them an excellent choice for Bleeker adaptation to television."

Radical Sheep is looking to produce 26 x 11-minute episodes of Bleeker: the Rechargeable Dog for the 6-12 audience, with broad appeal to both girls and boys.

The property is currently being presented to Canadian broadcasters.


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   Wednesday, May 23, 2007  
Seth on Thoreau MacDonald

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/23/2007 06:59:00 AM
The latest issue of The Devil's Advocate, a small journal devoted to printing and book design, features an essay by Seth on the Canadian illustrator Thoreau MacDonald. Based on a talk Seth gave a few years ago at the AGO, the essay covers the life and work of MacDonald, a relatively obscure artist today who was an early self-publisher and a fairly well-known figure in the art world during his lifetime. If you want to find out more about an artist who has influenced Seth's design sense, lettering, and obsession with landscape, seek out this article. The issue also features lots of illustrations and a separate article on MacDonald's designs for an edition of Walden.

DA #60
Spring/Summer 2007
issn 0225-7874
$11.00

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   Monday, May 21, 2007  
Quck Links: Victoria Day, 2007

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/21/2007 12:30:00 AM

Happy May 2-4!

(we mean it, man)

Today is Victoria Day in Canada.

Some links:

-Ben Wicks Cartoon Trial News: now that the hearing has wound up, The Star offers an interview with one of Wicks' daughters and the Canadian Press confirms that is may be several weeks before the judge hands down his verdict.

-Hamilton's Mark Fenton, writing for Raise the Hammer, presents a photo essay about, among other things, B. Kliban, Robbe-Grillet, entropy, and urban signage.

-Writing about publicity efforts surrounding DC's new Minx line (which includes star billing at the Women in Comics forum attached to the upcoming Toronto Paradise comicon, by the way), Herve St-Louis questions the close relationship between certain comics news sites (Newsarama, CBR) and DC. (It must be noted that, although St-Louis' Comic Book Bin shares our collective habit of routinely re-posting press releases from U.S. publishers verbatim, it does not publish any "columnists" who are also creators or editors for major publishers. I'm not sure if St-Louis's column bemoans this situation or trumpets it.) Along the way, St-Louis manages to mention the fact that Fantagraphics publishes many comics as well as The Comics Journal (a not-unusual situation, as the Journal's defenders have often pointed out (and let's not forget: the owners of DC also own many forums that often promote DC product: Entertainment Weekly, Mad, AOL, Time Magazine, BOOKSPAN, CNN, Cartoon Network)).


-Derek McCulloch's Stagger Lee has won several Glyph Awards, according to The Beat. The Glyph's honour black comics creators and subject matter.

-a letter received by Michael deAdder about his Jerry Falwell cartoon lands the letter writer Tom Spurgeon's coveted "quote of the week" status.

(top: I have no idea what this JW Bengough (aka L. Cote) cartoon refers to, but it features Queen Victoria)

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   Friday, May 18, 2007  
Jim Munroe Film Event

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/18/2007 04:19:00 AM
Writer Jim Munroe screens a $700 movie. From the Globe and Mail:

The result will be a revelation to anyone not familiar with the sorts of movies that get made on borrowed camcorders. The acting is good, the lighting is bad, the story is effective and funny. It's even got one shot, an exterior done at the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus, that's compositionally striking enough to be the centrepiece of an art film. Which this is not. It's far too messy, and too much fun. "It's a little bit like a buffet," Munroe says. Cheap and filling.

Screening tonight at 7 at Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Ave., Toronto). $5 includes show, "nanite-enhanced treats" and invitation to the after-party.

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Wicks Cartoon Trial, Day 4

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/18/2007 03:44:00 AM

According to statements made in court today, it was up to the defendant to prove that the Wicks family left the art behind on purpose.

Quote of the day

Quoted in the Toronto Star

Megan Mackey, lawyer for the Wicks family, said yesterday in her closing submissions that the legal definition of abandonment puts the onus on the finder of the property to prove that the property was abandoned.

Judge Thomas Lederer agreed, saying to Richard Harnett's lawyer, Charles Campbell, "the onus is very high here."

"We don't want people to be easily enriched at the cost of others," the judge said.


Obviously the judge has never heard of capitalism.

Close second, quoted in a later Star article:

...the defendant's lawyer, Charles Campbell told the judge, "If it was packed like garbage, looked like garbage and smelled like garbage, then it was garbage."


Then why did the defendant keep it?

Anyway, those were the closing arguments. The judge has "reserved judgement", meaning he is expected to weigh in with his verdict after pretending to think about it and write up a decision. Maybe today? The Friday of the long weekend? I doubt it.

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   Thursday, May 17, 2007  
Wicks Cartoon Trial, Day 3

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/17/2007 12:15:00 AM

The trial to decide ownership of a cache of cartoons by the late Ben Wicks continued Wednesday in Toronto. The fight is over two garbage bags full of drawings that Wicks' son left behind when he moved and that were then appropriated by Richard Harnett, a teacher for the Peel Region School Board. Harnett's approach has been basically "finders, keepers" but his attitude clashed with the estate of Ben Wicks when he contacted Wicks' agent about profiting from the drawings. The Wicks family launched the suit to have the drawings returned.

Ben Wicks was probably one of the most successful Canadian cartoonists ever. He was a popular literacy activist, tv host, syndicated cartoonist and restaurant owner (the Ben Wicks pub in Toronto is still a popular watering hole), with a ton a published cartoon collections, children's books and memoirs to his credit.

As the Toronto Star notes, "The trial centres on the issue of abandonment and whether the family of the nationally syndicated cartoonist and philanthropist deserted the property, which consists of more than 2,400 cartoons dating back to the 1960s."

The case seems to be a simple one of ownership versus copyright, with the Wicks estate also wanting to assert ownership, although I have no real idea what each sides' lawyers are arguing.

While I certainly have a great fondness for Wicks' art and persona (one of the first cartoons I remember reading as a child was a daily panel by Wicks about the Begin-Sadat peace talks), I will be the first to admit that he was not the most technically gifted artist. His alternately blocky and lumpy characters are barely more than sketches --but they are just drawn funny. Wicks was a great communicator and all of his work is characterized by a wry, self-assured humour.

The sketchiness of his art is the only factor that I can imagine contributing to several bags of his drawings being left for garbage. It is easy to imagine Wicks' son Vincent Wicks, who worked with his father as a cartoonist, making a judgement call about the value of the art in question and deciding to leave it behind, but the family says that is not what happened. And even if it wasn't an accident, I can understand the family not wanting a stranger to profit from this windfall, no matter how second-rate the work may or may not be (I haven't seen any examples, but there are said to be caricatures of several politicians, which are interesting to some people). I can even understand Harnett wanting to hold on to this work by his "hero" --no matter how garbage-y it was. Some of the comics in my own collection are positively revolting in terms of condition, smell, and art. And Harnett held on to the cartoons for many years before trying to publish them (and sought the estate's permission to do so, although a cynic would note that he waited until Wicks died before he made his move).

Final submissions are scheduled to begin today.


Coverage Roundup

-Toronto Sun has Harnett testimony

-Editor & Publisher

-The Comics Reporter's Tom Spurgeon responds to several correspondents about the legal issues involved and the perceived demand for more Wicks material

-Bob Tarantino on Canadian copyright


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ProstateMan Comic Book to Fight Cancer

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/17/2007 12:07:00 AM
Prostate Man Canadian superhero fights prostate cancer
Writing for the Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, Ward Holland reports on a manly new intitiative by the Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Centre:
He will be the central character in a series of colourful comic strips designed to teach middle-aged men about the danger of prostate cancer.
"Clearly, what we're trying to do is generate buzz," said Michael Power, vice-president of cancer services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The plan is for Prostateman to be featured on posters, Father's Day cards, television ads and billboards, where he will be shouting words of wisdom, such as, "Take it like a man."
The superhero is portrayed by Ron Hell, a 50-year-old marketer for Bearskin Airlines.
The Regional Cancer Centre approached Generator Strategy & Advertising about a new prostate cancer campaign, and the cartoon character idea was hatched.
Generator staff approached Hell, showed him some drawings and asked if he would play Prostateman. Generator's Barry Smith said they needed a flesh-and-blood character as well as a two-dimensional one.
Power said he's impressed by the campaign.
He said comic book characters were mass marketed in the 1950s and 1960s, and it's men from that era who are targeted for prostate cancer tests.


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Benoit Peeters in Montreal

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/17/2007 12:01:00 AM
Benoit Peeters at Monet Bookstore!

Comics writer and Tintin scholar Peeters is speaking at the conference "Herge 100 ans apres" on May 17 at 7pm.

2007 marks the centenary of Herge's birth and Montreal is hosting an exhibit and conference called, in translation, "Herge, 100 Years Later". As well, there are a series of exhibits happening all over this year, most notably at the Museum of Civilization in Quebec City.

La Librairie Monet
Galeries Normandie
514 337 4083
email: evenements@librairiemonet.com

(thanks to Le BeDenaute-en-chef)

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Thierry Labrosse Exhibit

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/17/2007 12:00:00 AM

Cartoonist and pin-up artist extraordinaire Thierry Laborsse has an exhibit of his work at Gallery Attakus in Montreal, May 10-July 30, in Montreal. The exhibit coincides with the publication of Labrosse's album, Morea, Volume 5.

Gallerie Attakus

5333 Casgrain Ave (Suite 603) Montreal Quebec H2T1X3

Lundi au Vendredi de 12h à 18h

Tel : 514 271 5218
Fax : 514 271 3757

infos@america.attakus.com

(thanks to Le-Bedenaute-en-chef)

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   Wednesday, May 16, 2007  
Wicks Cartoon Trial, Day 2

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/16/2007 12:20:00 AM
The Toronto Star has coverage of the second day in court for this fight over some old Ben Wicks cartoons. Cartoonist Andy Donato, among others, testified Tuesday.

As well, the CBC has a bit of coverage, including quotes from the Wicks family. The Toronto Sun reports here.

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Scholastic Picks up Manga by Kids

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/16/2007 12:18:00 AM
According to this report, a manga story about bullying by a group of Orillia students is going to be published by Scholastic. The book, titled Invisible Girl, is the product of seven students who submitted the project to a Scholastic contest.

After their submission made it to the finals in the contest, Renton received a call that one of the contest judges from the company's publishing division was interested in the book.

The students withdrew their entry from the contest and are now very excited for the day they can hold a published copy of their work in their hands.

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Shusters Fundraiser: Dave Sim Art Auction

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/16/2007 12:16:00 AM
Dave Sim has donated some original painted artwork to the Joe Shuster Awards for fundraising in 2007. The artwork, entitled "The Frost Giant's Wedgie" is a Robert E. Howard parody and is being sold via auction (the auction is on ebay).

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Vancouver Comic Jam

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/16/2007 12:15:00 AM
What: Vancouver Comic Jam.
When: Saturday, May 19th, 2007. 8pm until closing.
Where: The Jolly Alderman Pub (12th and Cambie).
Who: Anyone who is of legal drinking age is invited.
How Much: Free. Bring your own pencils/pens. Paper is provided.

RAV line construction is taking place in front of the Alderman on Cambie, so keep that in mind if you need to park. There should be plenty of parking available on the side streets.

Crosspost as you see fit.

Upcoming Comic Jam dates have been posted here: http://community.livejournal.com/vcj/profile

Visit us on Comic Space: http://www.comicspace.com/vancouver_comic_jam/

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   Tuesday, May 15, 2007  
Court Battle for Ben Wicks Cartoons

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/15/2007 04:38:00 AM
The long-simmering fight over a hoard of cartoons by the late Ben Wicks has begun to heat up again. At issue is the ownership of several garbage bags full of cartoons that Wicks' son Vincent left behind when he moved house in 1992. The people who bought the house discovered the trove of art and attempted to publish them in a book in 2001, at which point they were forced to confront the Wicks family (Wicks died in 2000). Now Wicks' estate (wife Doreen died in 2004) is battling Richard Harnett and family over the collection of 3000 cartoons, valued at $57,000. The cartoons belong in a Ryerson Univeristy archive, the estate argues.

Begun in 2003, the case reached Superior Court in Toronto yesterday and Wicks' daughter has testified that the cartoons, "a national treasure," were left behind accidentally by movers. The trial should drag on for awhile as more witnesses are called (including cartoonist Andy Donato).

Hamilton Spectator

Toronto Star

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Albert Hillier Collection Donated

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/15/2007 03:59:00 AM
A Newfoundland historical society is the recipient of a collection of artwork and photographs created by Arthur Hillier, an important local cartoonist. Dave Hillier, nephew of the artist, has donated the collection of his uncle's work to the Exploits Valley Heritage Society, according to this article from the Grand Falls-Windsor Advertiser.

Arthur Hillier (1916-2004) was the first cartoonist to work in Grand Falls, Newfoundland. His editorial page strip, Our Town, ran for 40 years in the Grand Falls Advertiser. Hillier was also known for his pen-and-ink sketches and for his photography. The collection contains a large amount of this material, as well as hand-written manuscripts and other documents:

Dave acquired Albert's collection of old photographs and other items about seven years ago when his uncle moved into a senior citizens' home. There would have been no room at the home to store the many boxes, so Dave decided to bring them to his house in St. John's for safekeeping until a decision was made about what to do with it.

However, Dave is now in the process of downsizing and will not have room for the collection, so decided the local heritage society was the best place for Albert's visual history of Grand Falls-Windsor.

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Once More, With Feeling: Von Allen on Self-Publishing & APE, pt IV

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/15/2007 03:49:00 AM
Von Allen with one more blog entry on the problems of comics self-publishing and the Alternative Press Expo:

Before we go any further, I'm gonna talk for a moment about the riddle of comic book and graphic novel marketing. Just to make sure we're all clear on this, ok? The riddle is this: how do you create enough awareness of a new book that folks are talking it up? Especially talking it up to their local retailers (be they Direct Market retailers, Book Trade retailers or both). Retailers need information before they place there orders and, with a new book by an unknown creator, there is very rarely anything for them to hang their hat on. If a book in this situation gets ordered at all, it'll often be because the retailer believes in the publisher of said book and is willing to take a chance. Even that, though, often results in "onesies and twosies" and that’s it. And, in my experience as a bookseller, it doesn't happen that often. For titles to be ordered broadly enough, there really needs to be a tangible sense of interest and excitement; retailers need to able to feel this. While some retailers will hand-sell a book (Moggy and I did this directly with Mary Doria Russell's fantastic debut novel The Sparrow), creators cannot rely on this to happen. If it does at all, it'll only happen a handful of times.

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   Monday, May 14, 2007  
Marc Beaudet Wins National Newspaper Award

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/14/2007 12:50:00 AM
Marc Beaudet
The National Newspaper Awards were handed out at a gala ceremony in Winnpeg on May 12th and Marc Beaudet won for Editorial Cartooning. Beaudet is a cartoonist for Le Journal de Montreal.

The runners-up were Brian Gable (Globe and Mail) & Graham Harrop (Vancouver Sun).

The National Newspaper Awards are the premier awards for newspaper journalism and editorial in Canada. Begun in 1949 by the Toronto Press Club, and continued today by the non-profit Canadian Newspaper Association, the NNAs present awards in 20 categories.

This is Beaudet's first win. He joins the ranks of a select few policarts including Brian Gable, Serge Chapleau, and Terry Mosher (Aislin) as a recipient of the highest award for political cartooning in the country. Beaudet was chosen based on 3 cartoons submitted by his editor.

---

Journal profile

List of Previous Winners

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Quick Links for Monday

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/14/2007 12:45:00 AM
-Rebecca Kraatz inspires rocker

-Steve Murray, Sarah Lazarovic and Kagan McLeod review Spider-Man 3 for the National Post (I don't think the strip is online but it's worth checking out --a sort of panel discussion in comics form)

-John Adcock digs up another lost Canadian cartoonist: Mial Lishness of the Lethbridge Daily Herald, circa 1926

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Lynn Johnston: Order of Manitoba

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/14/2007 12:36:00 AM
Cartoonist Lynn Johnston is among the inductees of the Order of Manitoba, announced announced Friday. Johnston, already a member of the Order of Canada, is one of twelve people to be inducted at a ceremony in July. The order is the Province of Manitoba's highest civilian honour.

According to the CBC:

Johnston lived in the northern Manitoba community of Lynn Lake, 815 kilometres north of Winnipeg, for six years in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She now lives in northern Ontario.

When she heard she'd been nominated, Johnston said she tried to turn it down.

"I said, 'I think this is wonderful, and I appreciate it, but I think it should go to somebody who lives in Manitoba and has lived all their life and, you know, people would probably complain,' " Johnston said.

"Then, I have a friend who lives in Winnipeg ... and she phoned me and said, 'You know, it's not really about how long you lived in Manitoba. It's mostly about the story line you did on the native community.' "

The story featured in the comic strip saw one of the family's daughters, Elizabeth, travelling to a northern aboriginal community as a student teacher.


Order Home

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Michael de Adder Wins Atlantic Journalism Award

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/14/2007 12:16:00 AM

The 26th annual Atlantic Journalism Awards were held Saturday night in Halifax and Michael de Adder won in the category Editorial Cartoonist. De Adder is the policart for the Halifax Daily News and is the president of the Canadian Association of Editorial Cartoonists.

He has won two previous Atlantic Journalism Awards. The award was based on a portfolio of deAdder's work submitted to the jury.

(that's de Adder on far right in photo)

Atlantic Journalism Awards home

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   Friday, May 11, 2007  
Quick links for the Weekend

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/11/2007 12:36:00 AM
Last day to vote for Shusters

Valium in Paris

Darwyn Cooke interview

kean soo on FCBD

more FCBD photos: Elfsar in Vancouver

yer semi-monthly Omega Flight hype: here (Marvel) and here (National Post)

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Steve MacIsaac, Xeric Winner

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/11/2007 12:01:00 AM
Chris Butcher notes that Toronto's Steve MacIsaac is one of the recipient's of a Spring 2007 Xeric Grant. MacIsaac is the creator of the comic Shirtlifter. The Xerics, endowed by Teenage Mutant Turtles co-creator Peter Laird, are handed out to young cartoonists for the purpose of self-publishing. See the full list of winners here (I don't think there are any other Canadians on the list?).

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Peter Puck

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/11/2007 12:00:00 AM

This Globe and Mail story reports on efforts to resurrect Peter Puck, the cartoon mascot of the NHL in the 1970s. Not exactly comics news, but Peter was a big part of Canadian visual culture at one point (he must have had a promo comic book, no?):

"I've never had a sense that people are clamouring for the return of Peter Puck. I think the fact that no one has picked it up over the past 20 years ... might be slightly telling," said Bob Stellick, a Toronto-based sports-marketing consultant.

Keith McIntyre, the president of Mississauga-based K.Mac & Associates Marketing, said he can see how Peter Puck will appeal to guys in their 40s who grew up with the character. But he said it will be harder to make him appeal to kids, who are more likely to play hockey on Xbox than to watch the game on TV.


So why not make a Peter Puck video hockey game?

links

history
wikipedia
drawn
toronto star
hockey hall of fame

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   Thursday, May 10, 2007  
Women of Comics II

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/10/2007 02:00:00 AM
The Paradise Toronto Comicon has announced its guestlist for this year's Women in Comics event. This year's event features a mix of U.S. and Canadian publishers, writers, editors and comics creators. There is a special promotion for the launch of DC Comics new Minx line of comics for girls with a focus on The Plain Janes, written by Canada's Cecil Castellucci and drawn by Jim Rugg. I read on Heidi MacDonald's blog that she's giving the Toronto con a pass this year, otherwise the guestlist should include: Shelly Bond, Cecil Castellucci, Svetlana Chmakova, Danielle Corsetto, Tania Del Rio, Janet Hetherington, Faith Erin Hicks, Joan Hilty, Liana K., Michele Laframboise , Tara McPherson, Robyn Moore, Patricia Mulvihill, Christine Norrie, Nicola Scott, Gail Simone, Tara Tallan, Diana Tamblyn, and Raina Telgemeier.


The 5th Annual Paradise Toronto Comicon runs from June 8-10 in Hall C at the Direct Energy Centre on the CNE Grounds.

Full details at the above link.

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   Wednesday, May 09, 2007  
2007 Shuster Hall of Fame Inductees

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/09/2007 05:07:00 AM


The Shuster Awards Hall of Fame have announced their 2007 inductees. The four cartoonists being honoured this year are Albert Chartier, Gene Day, Jacques Hurtubise (aka Zyx), and Golden-Ager Gerald Lazare. The inductees are an equal mix of Quebecois and English-Canadian and represent several aspects of 20th-Century Canadian comic art.

From the press release:



Joe Shuster Awards To Induct Four More Canadian Comic Book Creators to the Hall of Fame in 2007

The Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association has announced the four additional inductees to the Hall of Fame, to be presented at the Joe Shuster Awards ceremony on Saturday, June 9th, 2007. These four creators join the already inducted Hal Foster, Leo Bachle, Adrian Dingle, Ed Furness, Rand Holmes, Owen McCarron, Win Mortimer, Dave Sim and Joe Shuster, for whom the awards are named.

The 2007 Inductees are:

Albert Chartier (1912-2004)
Albert Chartier was one of the best Canadian comics artists. He turned to comics after studying fine arts. His first comic was the daily 'Bouboule', which appeared in La Patrie from 1930. Ten years later, he moved to New York, where he worked as a humorous illustrator for Columbia Comics Corporation. During World War II, Chartier was a staff artist at the information office of Ottawa. Albert Chartier created his most popular character in Le Bulletin des Agriculteurs du Quebec: 'Onesime'. For the same magazine, Chartier produced the 'Seraphin' series from 1950 to 1968. From 1968, he drew 'Les Canadiens' for the Toronto Telegram News Service. At the same time, Chartier worked as an illustrator for several magazines and promotional campaigns.

Gerald Lazare (1927-)
Gerald Lazare was born in Toronto in 1927 and left school at age sixteen to draw comic strips for Canada’s Golden Age comic publisher, Bell Features. At Bell he created such strips as Nitro; the Wing; the Dreamer; Drummy Young; Air Woman and others and acknowledges that Alex Raymond was his greatest influence for his comic book work. He went on to work as an illustrator for Saturday Night Press, Bomac Engravers, Clement Salias Inc. and Art Associates. Along the way he took the Famous Artists Course and studied for a year in Europe, before returning to Bomac as a senior illustrator. In 1956 Lazare started his freelance career working for magazines, books and television in Canada. In the United States he created historical paintings and murals for museums and governments. Lazare joined the faculty of the Ontario College of Art in 1966 and returned to gallery painting in 1974.

Gerald has been widely published and exhibited. Collections and commissions include; Confederation Life, Bank of Montreal, MacLean Hunter, McLelland and Stewart, City of Toronto Archives, The Hudson Bay Company, Metro Toronto Library, Museum of Man and the Cartier Museum.

As a cartoonist, illustrator, teacher and fine artist, Gerald Lazare fills a sizeable chapter in the history of Canadian Art.

Jacques Hurtubise / ZYX (1939-)
Jacques Hurtubise, who uses the pseudonym Zyx, was a member of the Cooperative des Petits Dessins, a group of young Canadian artists, since 1969. In November 1971 he cooperated on the launch of the periodical l'Hydrocephale Illustre. Later on in the 1970s he drew the comic about bad guy 'Sombre Vilain' for the daily magazine Le Jour. This series was later continued in the satirical magazine Croc, which he founded himself along with Pierre Huet. In the 1980s he co-founded yet another magazine, Titanic, which wasn't that successful however. Not only because of his talents in graphics, but also because of his editorial exploits, Zyx is one of the big names among Canadian artists of the 1970s and 1980s.

Gene Day (1951-1982)
Gene Day began his career in the Canadian alternative comix scene. In 1974, he published the short-lived underground comic Out of the Depths. He cooperated with Dave Sim on Oktoberfest Comics #1, published by Now and Then Publications in 1976. Day drew for the Skywald magazines Psycho and Nightmare from 1974, as well as Mike Friedrich's independent comics company Star Reach, contributing to Star Reach anthology, Image and Quack. Day did illustrations for fantasy role-playing games and published his own graphic novel, 'Future Day', in 1979.

He was a longtime inker on Marvel's 'Master of Kung Fu' title by Mike Zeck, starting in 1976. He also inked on the licensed 'Star Wars' series, pencilled by Carmine Infantino, as well as 'The Mighty Thor' and 'Marvel Two-in-One' featuring 'The Thing'. From 1985 to 1986, Renegade Press published four issues of Gene Day's 'Black Zeppelin', an anthology series primarily featuring stories and painted covers Day completed before his death, as well new contributions by Sim, Bruce Conklin, Augustine Funnell, and Charles Vess. More of his work appeared posthumously in Caliber Comics' anthology series Day Brothers Presents, which also featured the work of Day's artist brothers, David Day and Dan Day.

REMINDER: VOTING FOR THE JOE SHUSTER AWARDS ENDS THIS FRIDAY - MAY 11TH! Vote online at: www.joeshusterawards.com


(top image: Jerry Lazarre helps induct Ed Furness at the 2005 Shuster Awards)

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Chmakova Profile in Star

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/09/2007 12:02:00 AM
svetlana chmakova

Svetlana Chmakova is profiled in the Toronto Star:

If the story of her life were a comic strip, Svetlana Chmakova's creative process would span eight to 10 panels.

And she'd be a cat trapped in a box in the first frame.

In the second, Chmakova, a comic book author, would stare with wide kitten eyes at the confining walls. The next four panels might show her at various stages of bewilderment, clawing the cardboard and searching for a way out. The seventh panel could depict her stumbling into an exit.

In the eighth, she'd climb through.

"That's the Aha! moment," Chmakova says. "Maybe there would be two more panels...like when the cat gets out and is all happy, then realizes there's another, bigger box. `Oh no! there's a lot more to get through before the end.'"

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Cartoonist Paints

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/09/2007 12:01:00 AM
News about an exhibit of an editorial cartoonist who has an exhibit of paintings. Cartooning is not art. Painting is.

Well-known artists and long-time Dorval residents, John Collins and Thomas de Souza, will exhibit their works at the Dorval Cultural Centre from May 16 to 30, 2007.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1917, John Collins came to the Montreal region at the age of two. He attended school in Montreal including art studies at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts and Sir George Williams College. For more than forty years he was editorial cartoonist for the Montreal Gazette and while there illustrated editor Edgar Andrew Collard's historical column "All our Yesterdays". His sketches have illustrated five of Mr. Collard's books. The artist has won two National Newspaper Awards for cartooning and two national watercolour awards. He is an ex-president of The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and an honorary member of The Canadian Association of Editorial Cartoonists. A member of The Lakeshore Association of Artists, he has paintings in public and private collections here and abroad.

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   Tuesday, May 08, 2007  
Free Comic Book Day Reports

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/08/2007 05:30:00 AM
Free Comic Book Day took place last Saturday. I was at the Clothing Show so I missed out on the festivities (I was also away from my computing machine and missed the reminder about the Paradise Comics event from Kevin Boyd --sorry Kevin). FCBD is like a big world-wide comic book convention. The Clothing Show is sort of like a comic book convention, except with lots of fashion-obsessed women instead of cosplayers and comic book fans. I only spotted a few young women in Supergirl & Wonder Women t-shirts, one joker in a West Coast Avengers tee, the now ubiquitous "I Love You! I Know!" gay Batman and Robin image, and this leather masterpiece from the kids at MonsterMuffin:

leather wolverine logan


As for the rest of Canada, Free Comic Book Day went something like this:

-Michael Cho blogs his day at the Beguiling, including his super-awesome page from the Comics Festival comic

-Jason Truong manages to hit almost every major signing in Toronto

-John Gallant hits a few stores in Vancouver

-this fan of My Chemical Romance talks about how a comic book written by a rock star can pack in the crowds in Montreal

-Rachelle Goguen writes a funny report (with photos!) of the signing at Strange Adventures in Halifax with Andy Runton, Darwyn Cooke, et al


-a report about the Happy Harbour event in Edmonton contains a collage of Buddhist comic book characters


Please send us your own comments, links, and blog posts about FCBD 2007!

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   Friday, May 04, 2007  
May 5 is Cartoonist Day

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/04/2007 02:07:00 AM

Cartoonist Day and Free Comic Book Day are on the same day this year:

Fun-loving people everywhere are also urged to enjoy CARTOONISTS DAY and CARTOON APPRECIATION WEEK May 3-9. May 5 has been designated as CARTOONISTS DAY because the first comic strip, “The Yellow Kid,” appeared in the newspaper on May 5, 1895.

CARTOON APPRECIATION WEEK offers a chance to recognize the positive influence and laughs this art form has provided for so many years in films, books, newspapers, magazines, comic books, and commercial art.



Please, be nice to the cartoonists you know (or be nice to yourself if you happen to be a cartoonist) and don't pester them for free sketches if they are making an appearance in a comic book shop!

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Astro Comics, Montreal

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/04/2007 01:54:00 AM
Paul Stock, a comics shop owner in Montreal, wades into the Battle of the Century and tries to answer the magic question: who's stronger, The Incredible Hulk or the boxes Diamond ships its comics in?

I've been a comics retailer since the mid 1980s. Prior to that, I was a traffic manager in international freight, warehouse manager, and shipper. I have designed corrugated boxes for multiple purposes.



Diamond, in my opinion, does an excellent job in packaging. Scott criticizes the C400 boxes, but fails to mention that these are simply outer sleeves. They are single wall, relatively lightweight, but they enclose two C200 cartons, which are both doublewall. Effectively, on the sides, the comics are protected by three layers of flute and five boards. That's extreme in itself. On the top and bottom, the flaps add four layers of flute, eight layers of board. These are not simply ECT42, the UPS limits for such are simply not applicable.



Astro is a participant in Free Comic book Day, as well.

It's surprising how few shops turn up via the FCBD shop locator in Montreal:

1,000,000 COMIX
1418 PIERCE
MONTREAL, QC
(514) 989-9587

CAPITAINE QUEBEC
1837D ST-CATHERINE WEST
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 939-9970

LIBRAIRIE ASTRO
1844 SAINT CATHERINE STREET WEST
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 932-1139

KOMICO INC.
5218 QUEEN MARY
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 489-4009

LE VALET D'COEUR
4408 ST DENIS
MONTREAL, QC
(514) 499-9970

STUDIO 9 COMIC SHOP
5835 SAINT HUBERT
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 272-6043

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Last Thoughts on Gemini Closing

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/04/2007 01:35:00 AM
Since this is scheduled to be a semi-lucrative weekend for comics shops, one last note about a shop that didn't have a great year. Gemini Jetpack in Waterloo was scheduled to close April 28th. I'm posting some correspondence with a Jetpack customer (the president of the local anime and manga club) for the occasion, in memoriam, as it were:

Gemini Jetpack's closing is certainly a loss for myself and other fans
of anime and manga in the area; It certainly makes it harder to find
new
manga, or to find new anime to purchase. As far as I know, its the only
major retailer of anime in the area, and one of the best retailers of
manga in the area.

CTRL-A has a relationship with Gemini Jetpack that dates back several
years; I'm not sure quite how long, but its existed at least since I
came to University (Sept 2004). Gemini has been very supportive of
CTRL-A; Gemini regularly gave discounts on anime rentals to CTRL-A
members, and a large proportion of the anime we show is rented from
Gemini. As a show of gratitude, we would typically allow Gemini to sell
their merchandise at some of our shows, but I don't recall the last
time
this took place.

As a CTRL-A member, losing Gemini is very unfortunate. Gemini was a
great source of anime, and now we won't be able to easily obtain the
same variety of anime as previously. Additionally, our members won't
really have a place to go if they want to buy anime or manga (aside
from
Chapters). It's sad to see it go.

Regarding the closing letter, I think the Gemini crew makes some very
valid points. Anime piracy is a serious problem for small businesses
like Gemini and for groups like CTRL-A. In the letter, they mention
"bootlegs, downloads, and the bastards at YouTube", and I'd agree that
they are all serious problems. I don't think fansubs are a bad idea;
it's good to watch a few episodes of something to get a feel for it,
but
that's all that fansubs should be used for: to get a feel for a show.
Numerous times I have encountered folks that watched a 'horrible' show
all the way through, but wouldn't dream of purchasing it. If it's so
horrible, why did they watch it the whole way? I'll never know. Worse
is
when someone loves a series, but would never purchase it. I just can't
understand it. I would argue that CTRL-A has had similar problems to
Gemini, without the huge financial loss however. With fansubs and
YouTube, there's not a huge incentive for anime fans to trek all the
way
to the university campus to watch anime, even if it is on the big
screen.

As for some of the other points in the letter, I don't really have much
to say; I just don't know enough about comics or card games to comment
on those points. The marketplace for anime has certainly changed for
the
better, being more accessible than it has ever been, but its far from
perfect and Gemini's closure will certainly make anime a little less
accessible in Waterloo, at least from a purchaser's perspective.

As for CTRL-A, we do have events planned for the summer. As it is now,
there are plans for four shows this term (I can provide you with dates
if you like, but they should be available at our website
http://www.ctrl-a.org somewhere between now and May). There has also
been talk of organizing transportation to Anime North, but only talk;
nothing decisive. Really, I don't have much of an idea what will take
place during the summer, not until the new executive is elected; it's
really their call.

As for manga, the club doesn't really deal much with manga
surprisingly,
though that may change in the near future.

I don't quite know what else to say. I hope that these comments have
been helpful, and if you have any other questions I'd be glad to answer
them. Also, may I inquire as to what my comments will be used for?

-Nicholas Terwoord
W07 CTRL-A President

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   Thursday, May 03, 2007  
Big Weekend: FCBD

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/03/2007 05:46:00 AM
Free Comic Book Day

is this Saturday --May 5, 2007

There are a few Canadian publishers particpating, including the Toronto Comic Art Festival and Drawn & Quarterly. D&Q are offering maybe the best book: work by L. Barry, super-genius.

to find a participating store near you, click here.

Here are some stores near me:

THE DRAGON
WYNDHAM ST N
GUELPH, ON
(519) 763-5544

RETROROCKET COMICS AND TOYS
124 BISHOP STREET NORTH
CAMBRIDGE, ON
(519) 653-4460

J & J
230 WEBER STREET NOTH
WATERLOO, ON
(519) 725-0443

CARRY-ON COMICS & BOOKS
32 KING STREET NORTH
WATERLOO, ON
(519) 886-4267

LOOKIN FOR HEROES
93 ONTARIO ST S
KITCHENER, ON
(519) 570-4361

THE HEROES LOUNGE
58 MCGILVRAY CRESCENT
GEORGETOWN, ON
(905) 877-0497

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   Wednesday, May 02, 2007  
COMIC CRAZE 03.05.07 03.06.07

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/02/2007 04:00:00 PM
Between Gentlemen (excerpt), Rupert Bottenberg, 2003

VERNISSAGE
Wednesday, May 9, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm
Preceded by a tour of the exhibition with the curator at 6 pm.

An exhibition organized by the Walter Phillips Gallery, The Banff Centre, a cultural partner of the Biennale de Montreal 2007


This summer, the Liane and Danny Taran Gallery immerses visitors in the world of Canadian comics, graphic novels, zines, and mini-comics with its summer exhibition Comic Craze. The show will investigate the uniquely Canadian qualities that our artists bring to this medium - in particular the intimate, eccentric, superhero-free universes they create.

The books, by artists and writers including Shary Boyle, Marc Bell, Chester Brown, Genevieve Castree, David Collier, Rebecca Dart, Marc Ngui, Seth, and Maurice Vellekoop tell personal, quirky, often funny stories in all graphic and narrative styles.



"Most of us probably first encountered drawings, art, and literature through comic books, but they're rarely recognized for that role,"
Says Comic Craze curator Sylvie Gilbert.
"This exhibition pays homage to the formative role that comics have played in our creative lives. It also renews our understanding of comics by demonstrating the high level of sophistication that comic books have achieved today."
Visitors to the Gallery will walk into a completely transformed space, one that's designed for hands-on investigation and experience, an interior wilderness stacked with more than 400 comic books, zines, and graphic novels in French and English. They'll be encouraged to explore, sit, and read.

[Sequential ed note by max: It is indeed a huge pile of books! A Montreal artist included in the show and coincidentally present at the initial exhibit in Banff was surprised to find his own books there. After some asking around, it's been determined that many of the books creators were not told that their books would be put on display, or asked if they could be included. Nor are most of them listed or indexed in any of the shows press or catalogue material to our knowledge. And have not been able to add their inclusion to personal CV's or press. It seems the 'homage' only extends as far as the art, and not to the artists.]


GALERIE LIANE & DANNY TARAN GALLERY - CENTRE DES ARTS SAIDYE BRONFMAN CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
5170, Chemin de la Cte-Ste-Catherine, Montral (Qubec) H3W 1M7, (514) 739-2301 x339, www.saidyebronfman.org
GALLERY HOURS: Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 9pm; Friday, 12pm to 4pm; Sunday, 12am to 8pm.The gallery will be closed May 22,23 and 24th.

Special events connected to the exhibit
SEQUENTIAL ART & SPEECH BALLOONS: May 17 at 6:00 pm
Symposium on contemporary Canadian comic culture
Moderated by Will Straw (MTL)
With: John Bell(Ottawa), Christine Redfern & Caro Caron(MTL), Michel Viau(MTL)

KIM SIMARD : Free Sunday WORKSHOPS - May 13 & May 27 2pm – 5pm
Children & Teen workshops: the process of becoming a super-hero.

Spots are limited, Contact the saidye bronfman center to sign up.

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Talking Comics in Canadian Art

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/02/2007 05:17:00 AM
Writing for Canadian Art, Christine Redfern interviews Wayne Baerwaldt who is curating he upcoming Biennale de Montreal:

The comics are so well drawn; the narratives are so sophisticated --many, of course, from Quebecois artists. Comics are a fantastical, imaginative means of breaking open creative borders. You just have a lot more freedom to be irreverent, to go beyond the predictable even in the comic genre. I think I can really treat the narrative and artwork that go into the making of a comic book just as I would treat a painting.

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Monsieur Kaspar Hauser's big date

:: Posted by max @ 5/02/2007 02:28:00 AM

L'Oie de Cravan is proud to invite you to the launch of Obom's (Diane Obomsawin) new comic book KASPAR and introduce you to the sad and instructive story of monsieur Kaspar Hauser.

We will also take this opportunity to launch our new edition of Obom's first book PLUS TARD

There will be a screening of Obom's short animation films and some fine live music by Lou Babin, Luc Proulx, Némo Venba and Christine Lajeunesse. Alcool will also be proposed.

All this at G.I.V.
4001 rue Berri, corner of Duluth
Room 195
in Montréal
Monday may 7th from 6 to 10.

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Lulu Nominations

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/02/2007 12:01:00 AM
The Lulu Awards have opened up their nomination process to the general public. You could do worse than read Tom Spurgeon's recommendations for nominees --especially since he includes two Canadian women who produced some beautiful comics in 2006: Hope Larson and Jillian Tamaki.

From the nomination rules:

Our annual Lulu Awards bring honor and recognition to the most inspiring and noteworthy women in the comic book industry, as well as the efforts, achievements, and works that reflect Friends of Lulu's goals. It's up to you, Lulu members, to make the nominations and to vote for this year's shining stars.

Nominations for the Awards are made by and voted on by current members of Friends of Lulu. The Lulu Awards are handed out at Comic-Con International in San Diego each year.

The Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame nominees must have published work, whether self-published, company-published, or web-published. An individual cannot win more than once.

Women of Distinction nominees must have worked in the comic industry in a non-creator role, such as editing, publishing, reporting, or retail.

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   Tuesday, May 01, 2007  
Coville at the Hobbystar Con

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/01/2007 07:23:00 PM
Jaime Coville writes about his adventures at the Hobbystar Toronto Con last month:

A new issue of CollectorTimes.com is up.

In it, an live interview with Carmine Infantino, a transcript of which
can be read here:
http://www.collectortimes.com/Clubhouse.html

A convention report on the HobbyStar Toronto Comicon that took place
April 13-15th is here:
http://www.collectortimes.com/cons1.html

Pictures from the convention are here:
http://www.collectortimes.com/HobbyStar/index.html Pics

I recorded two panels from the con, the first was a Dan Slott panel
where he talks about writing corporate comics and breaking into them.
http://www.thecomicbooks.com/Audio/HobbyStar-04-14-07-DanSlottPanel.mp3

The 2nd is a Q&A panel where Carmine Infantino answers questions from
the crowd:
http://www.thecomicbooks.com/Audio/HobbyStar-04-14-07-InfantinoPanel.mp3

And for some on the floor fun, comic writer Dan Slott draws (to the
best
of his ability) She Hulk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoB2bh6x2Go&eurl=


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Free Comic Book Day

:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/01/2007 12:33:00 AM
The Torontoist reminds us about this coming weekend's Free Comic Book Day international promotion. Hopefully Sequential will have a list of books and events planned across Canada by the end of the week.

Saturday at the Beguiling, Roxanne Bielskis (Torontoist.com, Poverty), Michael Cho (Max Finder), Jason Kieffer (Downtown Toronto, BlogTo.com), Cameron Stewart (The Other Side), Zach Worton (Corpse), Jim Zubkavich (Makeshift Miracle, UDON Comics), John Martz (Drawn.ca), Brian McLachlan (Princess Planet), Jim Munroe (Therefore, Repent!, No Media Kings), Ryan North (Dinosaur Comics), and Kean Soo (Jellaby) will be appearing, signing books, etc.

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