Labels: blogosphere, graphic novels, mini-comics

ANKE FEUCHTENBERGER

Exhibition of original drawings / Exposition de dessins originaux

April 30 - July 4 , 2008 30 avril - 4 juillet 2008

Free admission / Entree libre

GOETHE-INSTITUT MONTREAL 418, rue Sherbrooke Est
514 499 0159

www.goethe.de/montreal

Labels: events, events links, exhibits, Montreal

• This article about changes at Little Sister's bookstore in Vancouver and the freedom fighters who run it includes a quote from employee and cartoonist Ken Boesem.

• Derek McCormack writes about superhero costumes for the National Post.

• The newspaper in Milton, Ontario, reminds us that Free Comic Book Day is coming up this Saturday, May 2, and that Milton's comic book shop is called Geekdom.

• Quill and Quire covers the Canadian Eisner nominees (subscription required).

• Canadian icon, columnist, playwright, and champion of liberty Rick Salutin, reflects on the Siegel legal decision in the U.S. and ponders the chicken/egg nature of creation and myth.

• On the subject of showing the Mohammed cartoons on CBC.

• Jeet Heer interviewed about superheroes on the CBC.

• Gary Groth and a Toronto comic buyer with a scanner interviewed by the CBC about online comics piracy.

• Newsarama at Calgary Comic Expo.

• Chris Butcher is celebrating 6 years of blogging. Congratulations!

• "BIFF! BANG! POW! Music isn't just for kids anymore!"

Labels: censorship, comics history, copyright, events links, interviews, pod casts, U.S. superhero franchises

Labels: Calgary, events

• How the comics page and London Free Press cartoonist Merle Tingley turned one paperboy into a journalist.

• The Eisner nominees: Darwyn Cooke, Pia Guerra, Jeff Lemire, Karl Kerschl, Scott Chantler, and several international volumes published by D+Q were among the nominees. It is worth noting also (if only for the purposes of vanity and self-promotion) that the category of "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" includes at least two nominees featuring the work of Canadians: Comic Art #9 has articles by Jeet Heer and myself; The Comics Reporter regularly features Bart Beaty's Eurocomics column. Sequential congratulates all the nominees! The winner will be announced July 25.

• Tom Spurgeon previewed Montreal cartoonist Billy Mavreas' upcoming (May) graphic novel, Inside Outside Overlap (Timeless Books) a few weeks ago.

Labels: awards, graphic novels, links

Labels: events, New Brunswick

Labels: awards, bd, events, Quebec

• Okay, maybe just one. Go read the latest Luz: Girl of the Knowing strip by Claudia Davila. The strip has been picked up by Briarpatch magazine!

• Although I can't seem to find the article online, a report in this Saturday's Globe suggested that the graphic novel Skim was the subject of international publishing rights bidding at the recent London Book Fair.

• Jeet Heer writes about one of George Herriman's final Krazy Kat strips, on the subject of race and passing.

• The latest review of Jeff Lemire's Ghost Stories graphic novel.

• An amazing collection of comic-strip-inspired antique toys owned by a Toronto collector.

• A report from a sci-fi convention in St. John, Nfld.

• Prostateman comic wins award.

• From last week: The Toronto Star has more details about the man found dead in the former Etobicoke comic store.

Labels: graphic novels, links, real world, webcomics

When: Saturday, April 19th, 2008. 8pm until midnight.
Where: Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant
255 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
Who: Anyone who is of legal drinking age is invited.
How Much: Free. Bring your own pencils/pens. Paper is provided.

I've reserved the upstairs room at the Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant for the Jam. The maximum capacity of the upstairs room is roughly 25 people, however this has never been an issue. If we go over, we can move to a couple of tables downstairs.

Remember to tip your waitress well!

Labels: comic jams, events, Vancouver

Labels: bd, events, Quebec

Labels: bestsellers, comic strips, comics retailers, graphic novels, manga

Labels: bd, events, Quebec

Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, graphic novels, interviews

Labels: canadian superheroes, comics on tv

Labels: anthologies, bd, graphic novels

Labels: blogosphere, conventions, events, hobbystar, Toronto

Labels: comics retailers, real world

Labels: awards, bd, events, Quebec

Labels: comic strips, events links, graphic novels

Labels: awards, bd, events, Montreal

Labels: conventions, events, hobbystar, Toronto

Labels: awards

Labels: bestsellers, comic strips, comics retailers, graphic novels, manga

Acadieman goes number two with the help of his friends

MONCTON - Acadieman Comics number two will be launched April 25th at the Cafe Aberdeen in Moncton. A year after releasing the first issue of the Acadieman series, artist Dano LeBlanc and Short Circuit Publishing have finally managed to get their act together and publish a second comic starring the popular Acadian superhero.

"It's about friggin' time", says Dano LeBlanc. Publisher, Andre Wilson claims it's mostly Dano's fault the second comic wasn't released, as planned, last October. But he forgives him. "Hey, we had a best seller with the first one. So what if he's a little slow getting the second comic finished. Besides, Dano was supposedly pretty busy this past year."

In his defense Dano says : "I'm not a machine!"

This second comic continues the story of Acadieman's origins and also presents a number of other local artists. These strips include Sniper Ninja Bears (Samuel Chiasson et Jean Sébastien Levesque), Voodoo Gun (Mark Young), l'Histoire de l'Acadie selon Roger (Daniel Fournier), The Strange Men (Adam Beaumont), Gothic Beach Party et Don't Just Stand There, Kill Something (Tim Moerman), as well as 11 comics created by sixth grade French-immersion students from Besborough school.

Asked what this second comic book represents for the arts scene in New Brunswick, LeBlanc says : "I don't have a clue." He's nonetheless happy that he's able to promote other comic book artists from the region.

This second comic contains other surprises which won't be revealed until the book launch. A comic book signing will take place during the launch. Another will be held the following day at The Comic Hunter as part of the Frye Festival.

Labels: floppies, New Brunswick, publishing

• Jeet Heer vs Michael Chabon: Wow, Jeet can't seem to stay out of the scraps this week. On the heels of his dust-up with Bart beaty last week, his review of David Hadju's 10 Cent Plague for Salon has drawn a lengthy rebuttal from novelist and comics fan Michael Chabon (for good measure, Beaty chimes in as well).

• Chris Butcher posts the 20 bestselling comic books/floppies at the Beguiling from last week.

• Johanna Draper Carlson reviews Hope Larson's new graphic novel for young adults, Chiggers.

• Cameron Stewart is interviewed about his Transmission X webcomic, Sin Titulo, at the Digital Strips site: part 1 part 2 Stewart has just finished work on a new graphic novel for Oni, The Apocalipstix.

• The World Press Freedom Day 10th Annual Awards Luncheon, featuring an exhibition of the winning and runner-up cartoons of the international political cartoon competition on the theme of "Re-writing History", will be held May 2nd, in Ottawa.

• An ad for a car dealership has stirred up controversy and the ire of the Winnipeg police. (see above)

Labels: comics history, comics retailers, events links, graphic novels, webcomics

China's Flame of Shame

Forget boycotts – human rights activists say they welcome the upcoming Beijing Olympics as an opportunity to get under China's skin.

"As an organization, we believe the Olympics are an opportunity for different movements to voice their opposition to the Chinese government; that's been clear since China was awarded the Olympics back in 2001," said Kyla Mendoza, an Ottawa organizer for the New York-based Students for a Free Tibet.

With only four months until the start of the summer games - whose slogan is "One World, One Dream," – groups like SFT have accepted the reality that participating countries are not likely to boycott China for its poor human rights record or support for countries like Sudan and Myanmar.

Instead, they've begun ratcheting up the PR pressure on Beijing, using the various photo ops and symbols that make the Olympics so memorable as leverage in their campaigns. (See photos)

Even before the violent protests and subsequent police crackdown in Tibet took centre stage in the media, Mendoza said, the Canadian branch of SFT was organizing campaigns inside China, unveiling "Free Tibet" banners at high-profile locations like the Great Wall of China and the base camp of Mount Everest.

"Basically, Beijing wants to try and to open themselves up to the world as much as possible but control their image to the world, too," he explained. "We want to show that if you open yourself up for the Olympics, you have to air your dirty laundry."

Arguably the most enduring symbol of the games, the Olympic torch has also become an important instrument for expressing dissent.

Last week, the torch was lit at its traditional starting point of Olympia, Greece and transported to Beijing, marking the start of the relay that will see it travel to all five continents before returning return to China in time for the opening ceremonies on August 8th, accord