09.May.2013 The C-List: TCAF Preview
by Bk Munn
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival runs this weekend, May 11-12, at the Toronto Reference Library. Admission is free and there will be tons of unique world-class cartoonists (and their books and art!) on display. Let’s see, what last-minute news is out there? Julia Wertz and Blutch will not be in attendance, it seems. Cosplay and anxiety are actively discouraged.
What else?
TCAF is traditionally the place where many hotly-anticipated books are debuted, with artists working all year, right up to the last minute, trying to have a new book ready for the fest. TCAF trumpets a massive list of debut books on its site, including many from their international slate of headline guests, but I thought I’d highlight a selection here on Sequential, based on a few posts and tweets I’ve seen around the net and the odd email that creators have been nice enough to send my way. I’ll be posting a separate list of short reviews Friday of TCAF debuts I’ve actually seen and read, but here are some of the lesser-hyped unseen artifacts that you might want to check out at the show:
Item! Marc Bell will be exhibiting as part of the Wowee Zonk-curated small press section at TCAF. The latest thing from Bell’s Half World Books imprint is the just-published Cowabunga Schnauzer, which reprints in part a selection of full-colour strips he did for Maisonneuve magazine last year, as well as “several thoughtfully arranged details from new artworks including ‘Mr. Giant Stroller’, ‘Lucy Honeychurch’, ‘On/Off Solo Schnauzer Live!’” and “a modified version of Marc’s appearance in the March 2013 issue of Esquire UK.” In addition, Bell has hinted in correspondence with Sequential that he is “also making two others that may or may not happen. One is a tribute to [Norwegian comics collective] Dongery made with Tom Devlin.”
Item! I’ve enjoyed Roman Muradov’s comics in the NoBrow anthologies but I’m not that familiar with his other printed comics work. In preparation of the show, he has just completed the third issue of his The Yellow Zine, which you can see previewed here and read digitally here. Muradov will also be in the Wowee Zonk space at TCAF.
Item! Montreal’s Dan Kim is known for being recognized by a Japanese prize for his manga-inspired NNN webcomic and for an astounding kickstarter fundraiser for the same book that raised $40,000 over its $6000 goal. All of his comics have an atmospheric painterly inkwash look, great pacing, and bravura character design. Kim will have a number of poster prints and maybe even some actual print versions of his shorter comics for sale at the show.
Item! Nina Bunjevac, jewelry designer: “A little while ago I teamed up with the Toronto-based jewelry designer BBJ to create a small but exclusive collection of pendants, brooches and key-chains that feature my art. This year the festival falls on the Mother’s Day weekend, so come by and pick up something nice for that special lady in your life.”
Item! Some PR from UK outfit Great Beast Comics about cartoonist Adam Cadwell’s “Northern Slacker Vampire series” Blood Blokes the third issue of which will debut at TCAF: “Blood Blokes #3 sees Vince awaken in the vampire house with more than a few questions. When he discovers the hard way that going home isn’t an option he finds the life of a vampire to be alarmingly familiar, yet Vince still longs for a certain someone.”
Item! Russian mystery-man Uno Moralez is the feature artist in the first issue of Frontier, a new monograph art and comics series from Ryan Sands’ Youth in Decline publishing house: “Frontier #1: Uno Moralez is the first print collection of the mysterious and tantalizing work of talented Russian illustrator, Uno Moralez. Includes a number of full page spreads, narrative comics, and GIF art in printed form. (32 pages, Risograph-printed in black, fluorescent pink, burgundy, and teal ink.) Moralez is not at the show, I don’t think, but Sands is sharing a space with NYC’s Benjamin Marra.
Item! Wowee Zonk co-founder Patrick Kyle self-publishes under the Mother Books umbrella but has just made as far as I know his first venture into publishing the work of others with this new series by Keith Jones. I like Mr. Jones’ stupid plots and even stupider cartoon characters quite a bit. Described as containing “Jones’ newest work ‘Donut Daze’ where rival drivers clash in a garbage encrusted drag race through a post-apocalyptic roadside donut den. Scrawled masterfully in Jones’ unmistakeable erratic style” (24 pages, Colour Risograph, $5). I’ve seen someof this previewed on Jones’ tumblr and am very excited to get a hold of a print copy. His work is also on display in an ongoing art show (“Budsies”) at Capital Espresso (1349 Queen Street W) and at the take-out joint he owns, Hot n’ Dog (216 Close Ave off of Queen St. W). It looks like publisher Kyle will also have some of his own new comics, smartly titled New Comics, on hand for the show.
Item! I thought the first issue of Eric Kostiuk Williams’ Hungry Bottom Comics was a smart and sophisticated autobio comics debut and was part of the team that nominated it for a Doug Wright Spotlight Award. The second issue of Williams’ series is set to drop at TCAF. I think this might be one of the included pieces? Worth checking out, especially if candid, academically-tinged, and graphic youthful ruminations on relationships in the Toronto gay dating scene are your bag.
11.Apr.2013 The last week for Dracula Son of the Dragon, the kickstarter needs your help!
Full disclosure, this if a personal project of the publisher of this site.
Mark Sable (Graveyard of Empires, Unthinkable) and our own Salgood Sam (Sea of Red, Therefore Repent!) would like to tell you a story, about how the young prince of wallachia lots his soul and became Bram Stokers’ Dracula.
The book is called Dracula Son of the Dragon. To help get it started they’ve been holding a Kickstarter drive to fund the first book of a four part series.
Described as starting in young Vlad’s childhood, “he will learn hard early lessons in politics and betrayal, as a young prince in his native Wallachia. As a prisoner of the Ottoman Turks, how to inflict pain and instill fear in his enemies. And of the dark arts in a scholomance hidden on Lake Hermannstadt.”
Their Kickstarter got off to a great start but is in need of some help to make it’s goal. They are looking to raise 14k, to fund getting the book drawn, and pay for special editions created for the drive. With the bulk of the fund going to supporting Salgood Sam while he draws the book. A case of being able to directly back an independent creator while they make a book for you, personally!
They have a smart set of rewards that include a range of limited editions – drive only trade paperbacks, hand bound soft and hard leather bound editions. Art is on the table, writing chores, walk on parts for a few. One backer is even having Mark read the story to them poolside and getting swimming lessons!
Both creators have a track record in mainstream and independent comics of producing strong work. Dracula is a totally independent production, with the initial planned limited print editions being put out by Salgood’s boutique imprint Spilt Ink exclusively, And slated to be serialized in Salgood’s Revolver Quarterly for the general audience.
The same roof under which his upcoming graphic novel Dream Life will be released. Scheduled to drop at TCAF 2013 in Toronto, May 17-18th. A nearly full preview of Dream Life can be read online. It’s a different genre but contains some beautiful examples of his work. He completed that book as well with the help of a successful funding drive on Indiegogo, making this his second crowdfunding venture.
The Kickstarter dive is ending on the 17th of April, if they fall short of the goal it’s going to be by a slim margin, Mark and Sam are considering trying again there in that case, or using indiegogo perhaps. But would much rather entertain your pledges now to make it the first time.
20.Dec.2012 George Feyer: The Man in the Red Flannel Suit is Coming
Thursday Throwback
15.Aug.2012 Integrals of Luc Giard
A presentation of Luc Giard’s Art,
the first in a series of youtube collections giving an overview of his work since 1987.
“Présentation de quelques unes de mes créations. Les intégrales sont le premier volume d’un recueil qui vise à donner une vue d’ensemble de mon travail artistique depuis 1987.” - Luc Giard
Luc Giard’s art was first directly inspired by the work of Hergé & Tintin.
Years ago, he published a comic featuring the adventures of an impressionistically drawn Tintin cast as a crass Quebecois character, eating donuts and throwing curses in the street. Luc thought his work a homage to Hervé but Casterman Editions did not have the same opinion. Sued, Luc was forced pulp existing books and changed his Tintin to Ti-Coune, giving hi a cape and a mask, making a point about censorship.
Recent books are Pont du Havre [The Jacques Cartier Bridge], and Konoshiko (Les Impressions Nouvelles/The Impressions News), a new book to be published in France Octobre 2012 & Canada in Novembre.
Facebook | Youtube | Tumblr | Colosse | 400coups | D&Q | La Presse | Wikipedia
21.Jun.2012 Hey Kids, Comics!
Oh no, i’ve put this off too long,
my bookmarks have had babies!
Ok, gona plow right through them….
First, those clever canucks, Troy Little & Nick Cross
are launching Angora Napkin
online with a “Nation Wide” lunch party Eh?
Begins July 1st! ha ha!
Even have some fireworks planed. 
Check out the Angora Napkin pilot for Teletoon,
to get an idea of the craziness to look forward too!
Leading up to that,
there are many Comic Jams!
Join the doodle.
Vancouver Comic Jam this Saturday, June 23
Montréal Comic Jam Tuesday, June 26
Ottawa Comic Jam Wednesday, June 27
Also the Ottawa Comic Jam has a new blog.
And new to me, the Confiture BD Québec, literally the Québec Comic Jam!
Facebook Group page & their next Jam is Today! 7:00pm until 11:00pm
—
Brian mentioned this next thing in the C-list,
Kate posted her first magazine gig,
a nice one for The Walrus.
You can get it as a print too I hear.
Next is J.Duncan, and his strip “Mine”
I can’t say I agree with him on this,
but given my involvement and bias
when it comes to the local Student conflicts,
I thought I’d give the other side some time.
Check his site for the notes!
Have you seen Brandon Graham’s blog?
You should go look now, after reading this I scooped up out of the FB feeds.
Such zen wisdom from a young master.
France’s Boulet posted another incredible comic,
about the most shredding pizza ever. Read this now!
Ty had a few intersting posts
for Bun Toons over
the last few weeks.
One about Before Watchmen,
and one about his father,
Charles Templeton.
Wanted to include it after I saw
Bryan’s Lou Skuce Summer reading post.
Check out this weekly series
Magnet magazine is running
of the work of David Lester,
Musician and author of The listener!
The Mecca Normal guitarist
is visually documenting people,
places and events from his band’s
28-year run, with text by
vocalist Jean Smith.
Another musical cartoonist, is Simon Hanselmann.
He’s got some comics on Tumbler,
and noisy one man electronica on Bandcamp.
Now check out Hell Lost,
by James Turner,
of Nil: A Land Beyond Belief,
Rex Libris, and Warlord of Io fame!
And to round out this post,
“Down the Stairs”,
the cartoonists daily ritual
as depicted by Seth
in one of his sketchbooks.
Published first in the September 2008 issue of the Walrus.
The image links to the essay it accompanies
archived online and a zoomable version of this page.
05.Jun.2012 Hey Kids! Comics #45
Ah, comics comics comics. Yes.
Trying to get inspired to work on my own, looking at other peoples.
First something you should know about.
Aspen and DC Comics artist Oliver Nome was diagnosed with a brain tumour. His supporters are passing the hat here for help paying for his surgery and after-care. A cancer survivor myself and the privileged beneficiary of our wonderful Canadian healthcare system, I can’t say more how important it was not to have to worry about making ends meet. Got stupid lucky, had savings to cover the months I was unable to work at full steam and there were no hospital bills to speak of whatsoever. If you can, make recovery as easy for Oliver. They take both paypal and credit cards.
Noted: Oliver’s friends are using indiegogo.com for their fund raiser.
With a few distinct differences, including the option to be used for charity like this, and keeping whatever amount you do raise, even if less than your goal, Indiegogo is essentially the same thing as Kickstarter. Though fewer, a number of comics are funding creation or publication using Indiegogo. All to point out this link, all the independent creators at the moment seeking support in Canada. Here’s a link showing those that have used it in the past or already surpassed their goals. Think I’ll try funding a RevolveЯ print run with them this year.
Lookseelisten: Nicholas Rombes posted an interesting review on oxfordamerican.org of EU artist Gabriella Giandelli’s Interiorae, which was reputedly drawn to Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s first album, F# A# ∞.
The Manif de Bonhommes marches on, Mountains of new Bonhommes are yet to be added, and you can join in still if you like here.
Funny on the youtube: Writing Comics 101 with Ricky Lima, Fearless Fred, and Adam Gorham: Silver Surfer. Check out their book Teuton on BSC.
Da Comics! BD!: Associated with FBDM this weekend, was the launch of the Collectif BD Montréal-Lyon. A transatlantic project that unites 24 authors from the cities of Montreal [Qc, Canada] and Lyon [franc]. Daily during the month of June 2012, the collective will post original stories on the theme of City. Here’s a selection of the art so far. The latest by Richard Suicide, is about our mutual corner market store… I don’t think he likes it.
Lots more of that to come, check back here daily for the latest this month.
31.May.2012 Hey Kids, Comix! #44 | Drawing unrest
Hey, day one of FBDM is tomorrow!
Catching up on my irregular web comics posting, here’s a bit of what i’ve been looking at.
For one thing, i’ve been looking at these varitions on 22 Frames That Always Work,
the Brunetti version popped up in my social network streams and led to the others.
From the serious to the silly to the pornographic, all have a lot to teach about formalism.
Comics are about change and transitions.
Many 22 panels work, any cartoonists reading this, what are your reliables?
Thinking about designing a class around this,
not unlike Matt Maiden’s 99 ways to tell a story exercise.
You might have heard there have been some protests around Montreal lately.
Here’s some comics being created in sympathy and response to the issues.
"the boss of quebec say's you're costing society too much" By Yvon Roy
Yvon is recently returning from retirement, and has been drawing
and posting some very good cartoons on the subject of the strikes on his blog here.
Dstrbo, aka Montreal artist William Daniel Buller, posted this 7 year old cartoon
about the last time Charest clashed with students,
reminding us this is not a new story.
My old freind Niall Eccles has been quietly [or at least not telling me] posting comics on a site here,
some really fine work as always. He posted a few rifting on the theme of the protests recently starting here.
System Enforcers By Niall Eccles, it and the next 6 strips after loosely touch on the civil unrest in Montreal.
Matt and I both have contributed work along with many others in Montreal and Quebec city,
as well as further afar via the net, to a not quite top secret project by
À l’atelier la Maison de la bande dessinée de Montréal.
Matt Forsythe wrote "Here’s my contribution to pro-casserole propaganda. See you at eight!"
I was invited to join in as well as many more online.
The guys are busy assembling the art for une manif de bonhommes,
I’ll post an update when it’s live, for now
there’s just this small sample up of what’s been drawn.
Ok, the first official version of the site is up!
look now, here, the cartoonist’s casseroles. Manif de bonhommes!
This is the 3rd in a string of BD projects from la Maison de la bande dessinée de Montréal
built around showing sympathy with the student come social civil rights movement
taking hold here in Quebec.
Like the marches it is ment to be an ongoing and evolving Manifestation,
casseroles are meant to be added over time.
Check out the Facebook event page here for information if you wish to participate.
Here’s a template for marchers.
bonhommes en curs template - right click to download
I mentioned
this was the 3rd action
of la Maison.
The first two are Depasser la Ligne,
which you can get as a pdf here on Vincent Giard’s french blog.
And here, in the form of a blog - La hausse en question.
Fifteen cartoonists roll up their sleeves and try to explain the true impact of rising tuition, based on a paper de l'Institut de recherche et d'informations socio-économique (IRIS). If you read French, it reads quickly, there are drawings, and even jokes!
Here’s a few excerpts I found posted on contributors sites from both books. Some really nice work in them.
This is a comic about talkin’ money with police in Montréal,
By Chloé Germain-Thérien, one of several posts on the strikes by her.
This is « J’entends quelqu’un qui se moque » by Jimmy Beaulieu. Ever the romantic. Click on the page bellow to read the full comic.
Joseph Baril has posted a few things related to the marches,
most notably one satirizing the threat presented by marchers
called “L’armée terrible du Carré Rouge“
Antonin Buisson posted this little bit by from the manif de bonhommes.
Cathon Chaton did this very nice and eloquent strip expressing the democracy of free expression. Click on the art to read the full comic…
François Samson Dunlop draws gnomes gnawing at the mind with Ronger l’esprit.
Scripted by Alexandre Fontaine Rousseau.
And rounding out this protest oriented posts, as I mentioned
I took some time out of working on my web comic Dream Life,
to join in and render a bonhomme for the manif. I plan to do a few more…
I saw this guy on the bike path, he didn't have the pot and drum stick, i take full responsibility for such foolish reckless ridding. But he was clearly on his way to join the marches. The tree had led lights in it and was strapped to the back of his bike.
Some of the other artists who participated. I didn’t have time to post art from every one involved here but recently been looking at their sites. So should you! Go now.
Cédric Plante, Guillaume Pelletier, Luc Bossé, Martin PM, Nicolas Lachapelle, Sophie Yanow, & Zviane!
Many if not all are associated with À l’atelier la Maison de la bande dessinée de Montréal. I think I’ll have to vid an visit sometime soon. Great space and people.
Cheers
Max
25.May.2012 The Jason Turner TCAF 2012 Comic
I missed this last week, posted May 17th. A Journal comic by snappy dressing cartoonist Jason Turner, about his TCAF 2012 experience - Jason is a man with hap, hap, happy feet! I tried as well to work up the steam to dance that night at Lee’s, also was my 90′s haunt, and the Dance Cave upstairs. Sadly the body would not abide, 4 days of walking all over the city had done me in. But Jason does not give himself enough credit! That man dove in with great gusto! I saw him hit the boards more than once! He he. Nice comic, go read and then check out his other stuff!
08.May.2012 Jimmy Beaulieu, the FBDFQ, and students striking provocative poses
Blogger Julia Caron posted about an expo at Galerie Morgan Bridge, and Jimmy Beaulieu‘s work on the theme of the student strikes in Quebec. The exhibit was part of the FBDFQ, the Festival de la Bande Dessinée Francophone, which ran last month. It’s always interesting to get the perspective of someone not totally dedicated to comics, but most of all I wanted to mention it for this image from the show that she posted. Check out the rest of the post for more of Jimmy’s work and Julia’s notes on it all.
23.Apr.2012 Hey Comics Creators, a good idea? Also really good looking new web comic…
Saw this in Toronto two weeks ago, was struck by what a good idea it was, old school.
And that i don’t know of a lot of web comics that have done it!
For sure the Rock and Roll camp sexy pin up photo is always genius for grabbing attention.
Comic fans will notice she’s reading a comic,
everyone will notice that she’s doing it dressed in a bath.
All kinds of good WTF guerilla advertising tactics going on here.
And having a hansom and intriguing web comic be
on the other end of it when you look it up online? …love.
Fooshwa is a web comic antholagy project by John Little, or ”jOHn”.
It also appears to have full film like credits, production and special thanks…
Going to be back there for TCAF, think i’ll take my stapler.
Tip of the hat to jOHn, sir, for the inspiration.
Was going to post this with the last Hey Kids, but forgot so it gets it’s own feature!
The first story up looks really good, i’ve read parts of it in fractions leanding to
a surreal post apocalypse like impression, set in the united provinces? Are those zombies…?
so i’m going to refrain from saying what I think of story till i’ve read it properly!
But I’ll say this, I think I like it already. No presure jOHn.
21.Apr.2012 Hey Kids! comics!
Oh my, it’s been a busy spring. Sanity is almost in sight, but I’m currently planing to probably undue that and go to Toronto in a couple of weeks for TCAF. Hey did you know Megabuss is having a seat sale now? Good cheep way to get there. Not going to be tabling I think, no new books – check out the RAID studio gang in the same spot as Transmission X has been in past years – I could sell prints but you know I just want to go see the show for myself this year. Taking in the sights and recording some of it for the site here.
Oh and yes, I think i’ve mentioned it already but also there is not going to be a pulp edition this year, just don’t have enough human resources on hand to make it this time. Think you will see something in print again but only when we can do it right.
So all to say, don’t be surprised if my comics posts like this continue to be erratic in the near future.
Lots of talk about boycotts and ethics, and being a moderate I often find myself in the hairs between absolutes.
I just found this, going to go read it next – a set of scanns of a a keynote speech by Frank Miller to Diamond Comic distributors retailers seminar,
June 12th, 1994. That should be interesting.
Any who, this is about comics, not blogs about comics!
Ty posted this pointed strip for BunToons today
about the whole creators rights and dastardly publishers
and court cases and IPs, with the qualifier of
“CAUTION: Satire and irony ahead”.
…I thought it made a good additional note
to this series of Burning Itch cartoons
from Richard Pace. In order of appearance,
Also political, but less bellybutton comics related, Colin Upton posted a few old cartoons on G+ including this one. He wrote “These are cartoons I did for Degrowth Vancouver, a local free paper devoted to slowing down rampant developement. Political caricature is not something I do often (indeed I was asked to “tone down” the orginial drawing I did of mayor Robertson) but I gave it a shot. The paper also includes cartoons by rabble rousers Ted Dave, Andy Singer & Julian Lawrence! And it’s free”
And now for something more casual,
also the west coast.
Jason Turner posted
a new bit of True Loves 3…
…oh, well. Hmmm. Ok how about this,
something from that other J.Turner, James Turner? The one in Toronto?
He recently started a new Max Zing strip at Drunk Duck. This is the 5th…
“Fun to attempt the strip format.
One, two, three, zing(er).”
New Digital Book!
Marrowbones, by Eric Orchard. Just released digitally, issue #1 clocks in at 47 pages for a scant 2$.
The tale is a horror book aimed at kids that has been an idea for some time in the head the author!
Here is an interviews, a review, something short from Eric they call an essay…?
and some peeks at the art pulled from all over.
Looks pretty good! Hope it sells well for him,
this is a special close to the hart kind of project!
Also have high hopes for the whole digital sales factor myself…
…so go, support Eric and read your kids a scary bed time story!
Also big day a couple of days ago for Jonathon Dalton,
posted the 200th page of his comic A Mad Tea-Party!
Benchmarks are good.
Last bit i’ll add is one for me too,
Dream Life has reached 100 pages! yay!
ok, that’s it for now!
cheers!
18.Apr.2012 art-making for Kids! Monastiraki boutique
More art-making for Kids!
Monastiraki boutique’s next round of classes are coming up.
I think we make more canadain comic books by making more canadain comic book artists, so art classes early, get them hooked young eh? 
This is getting to be a regular thing at the boutique, they report having had a lot of fun and is looking forward to more! Here’s the details.
Classes run from May 12th – June 3rd.
Saturday mornings 10:30 – 11:30
is for 2 – 4 yr olds with a parent
Sunday mornings 10:30 – 11:30
is for 5 – 8 yr olds (on their own)
$60 all materials included. Pre-registration is preferred to secure a spot.
Billy has told me in the past it’s a popular thing with the local moms so if you want in probably you should not dally.
Happen to be in the area? Drops-ins are $18 per class, if space is available!
Contact Emilie or Billy
514-278-4879
They have plans to hold classes for older kids too so we’ll keep you posted.
17.Apr.2012 Hey Kids, Comix! (Podcasts)
What the heck is going on here? The other day Max posted a C-List and now here I am doing the Hey, Kids! thing. The world is turned upside down!
This feature is usually devoted to webcomics but instead I thought I’d use it to highlight a trio of podcasts from the past week and around the web.
First up, Alice Quinn interviews the kindly and sharing Chester Brown on the penultimate episode of her Quinntessential Comics video series. Go to her site to check out the youtube thing. The show has wrapped up its first season (you can go watch the finale party here) and really should be commended for earnestly and breezily doing a series of comics-related interviews and reviews that actually involved real live comics creators from Toronto: the season ran the gamut from guys who draw superhero comics for DC to Maurice Vellekoop. Most video stuff I see online is either focused around celebrity appearances at conventions or takes the form of a couple guys in an apartment reviewing the latest Marvel and DC offerings. So bravo to Quinn and co. for trying something a little bit different, and doing it on a regular basis.
Next is the regular podcast from the Mindless Ones blog, Silence! hosted by Gary Lactus and The Beast Must Die (the Beast is cartoonist Dan White, not sure about Gary’s secret identity). This is a weekly thing that is basically two polite English blokes who make fun of the latest comics (which they take pains to point out are available from Dave’s Comics of Brighton) and talk about old comics they find in boot sales, etc. They also do a funny little song each week. You can listen to the whole podcast of course, but the reason I’m linking to this recent episode is the song “Not For Kids” which starts around the 2 minute mark and contains the rap lyric “Comics! Not just for kids/they’re about how Canadians don’t have relationships.” Genius.
Lastly, it’s the latest Inkstuds podcast. I link to Robin’s show alot in the C-List and he’s been very busy lately with interviews from the Emerald City convention and his regular gig, but I thought I’d highlight this interview with U.S. cartoonist Evan Dorkin because I actually listened to the whole thing the other night and I’m kind of proud of myself (I had to do my taxes anyway). More of a monologue than an interview, the thing is basically over two hours of the Milk and Cheese and Dork! creator rambling on about his love of comics and how out of touch with popular culture he feels. Dorkin is fun to listen to and even schools Robin a bit on crappy comic strips and manga.
Until next time!
04.Feb.2012 Football
The Globe and Mail has this great John Martz Super Bowl Sunday strip that has 0 football in it!
A Superbowl Party Glossary
23.Jan.2012 Hey Kids, Comix! The now and then edition
A little something old, a lot of something new.
First, Reading this next blog post i realized it’s been a while, since before I started doing the hey kids comics posts, that we mentioned “Stig’s Inferno“ around here.
Comics a-go-go.com posted this glowing review of what I agree, was one of the funniest comics to come out of Vortex. With Stig’s and Mr. X it was one of the coolest line ups during the B&W boom.
“Long story short, Stig’s Infernois hilarious and should be read. Written and illustrated by comic book veteran Ty Templeton, it’s one of the books that lived too short a time after Vortex Comicsimploded. Why, oh why must the good ones pass on so soon?! Oh, the humanity!
But, at least we can enjoy what actually made it to print. Ty’s brother posted all of the issues in their glorious entirety for your reading and viewing pleasure. Seriously, take our word for it – this is funny stuff.”
It’s all true. Here, read it for yourself!
Ok, so that’s a classic.
Here’s the new wave.
Zack Soto, the southern born Portland cartoonist and instigator used to publish a nice little anthology of comics and art called Studygroup12. There were 3 issues the last of which won an Ignatz award. Extent little books from what I recall.
Zack has just relaunched Study Group as a Magazine and Webcomics site. And I have to say he could have not picked a cooler line up of artists from what I can see to feature for the first issue of the reborn series! Farel Dalrymple, François Vigneault, Ian MacEwan, Jason Leivian, Jennifer Parks, Kazimir Strzepek, Levon Jihanian, Malachi Ward, Michael DeForge, Milo George, Simon Roy, Tom Neely, and Zack himself!
Go see, be amazed.
15.Jan.2012 Hey kids, Comix!
Damn it’s cold out today.
First, Ty has a diary memoir dedicated to the soon to be closed Dragon Lady in Toronto…
It’s sad to see the old lady go. I had been wanting to paint them a new sign at some point.
So I must say, thanks to their need to index all and sundry for the awards, the folks at the Joe Shuster Awards have put together one of the most comprehensive lists of Canadian related comics links.
For the next while i’m going to tour their list of can-con web comics and post some of the highlights. First sessions is in the ‘A’s, starting with…
Asymptote by Simon Banville is a classic newspaper style gag strip available in both English and French.
Adventuresome by Keith Mclean is another gag comic, more web oriented though…
Faith Erin Hicks‘ Superhero Girl is also a classic strip, and all kinds of awesome. She’s still at it but she put up a fun holiday comic last…
Alison a fini l’école [ Alison finished school] by Alison McCreesh is a French & English art blog on which she sometimes posts comics, some of which are very good.
Ant Comic by Michael DeForge is updated a lot more regularly than i realized!
Along with other doodles he puts up a new strip roughly Every second Monday.
That guy is prolific! Damn you DeForgeeeee!
Vincent Giard is another prolific talented surealistic cartoonist, he posts doodles and cartoons often here on his blog.
He also organises the 48 hour comics international festival
and leads the St-Hubert workshop; French language comics classes held in Montreal.
Jonathon Dalton is currenlty posting a short story called The Unconquerable City as a brake from his ongoing comic A Mad Hatter Tea Party.
And that’s it for today.
As always have a look at my own comic Dream life,
i’ve set up a new site for it with improved navigation to make reading easier.
And now for a comic moment of zen:
From Poutine, a “place for Noel Tuazon and Jason Coplandto experiment, sequentially speaking.” This is ’Cookie’ by Noel Tuazon.
08.Jan.2012 Taking a moment to admire this.
Having featured his work in our print edition, arguably I’m biased.
But I really do think Simon’s work in the new image book Prophet is looking really good. [ link - link ].
Check out this post on warrenellis.com for the rabble rousing post this image comes from,
by his cohort Brandon Graham. Call to arms for taking creative chances. Here here.
04.Jan.2012 Hey kids, Stardate: [-28] 06065.00
Welcome to the future! Da da-da-Dah!
Hmm, so what say’s ye wise pontificators,
have ye some non-predictions about comics in 2012?
Strategies for the attack?
Perhaps some history to learn from lest we repeat?
A vital new ethos to live by?
Oh good, all arranged then.
So it looks like Richard has gotten the political cartoning bug eh? This one has teeth.
Oh, snap.
Kate is inspired by vintage illustrations again.
This short story by Vera Brosgol is amazing.
I have had many days like this one depicted by Boulet!
I was just introduced to Ruffle Hall by Rebecca Clements, looks fun!
Well, we’re of to a decent start.
Here’s my two bits, the last thing I posted before the new year,
A story out of Popgun 4, and page 93 of Dream Life
Aloha!
02.Nov.2011 Canadian Discontent: Burning Monster on layoffs & Can-con at Marvel
A subject i know is close to our own Bryan Munn’s hart, ALPHA FLIGHT is once more no more.
This editorial comic reflecting I’m sure most discerning reader’s feelings on it, is care of Richard Pace.
