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Upton uploadingAnother artist we don't talk about so often, at the other end of the spectrum, is obscure Punk zinester Colin Upton. So here's the latest - sort of - from him, this is the link to the comics he's promoting here, he's posting a page a day of his previously published zines online, so for those of you have not had the pleasure you can check it out now. Ok, on to the press release...January 31st, 2010 [arrived in my inbox Feb 4, 2010]  After years of floundering in the shadows in a desperate move to reach some sort of audience Colin Upton Comics is going online. In what Colin is calling his "page a day" project he is posting a page from his extensive backlog of mini-comic art every day until he runs out... considering Colin has produced over a thousand pages of mini-comic art alone and is still putting out new mini-comics this will keep him going for awhile yet. Most of the comics are 8-16 pages. So far Colin has put up the "F-word" trilogy, next will be the series "Diabetes Funnies" and later "Self-Indulgent Comics" which starts way back in 1985. So far Colin is posting on his Live Journal & Facebook and the Colin Upton Comics Facebook Fan page created, he plans to put the comics as they come out on his web site… which will happen as soon as a "technically challenged" Colin figures out how... the web site need a major overhaul.Print versions of Colin Upton Comics may still be purchased from Colin, including several collections that are a real deal! Vancouverite Colin Upton ha been doing comics for 25 years, starting with Newave mini-comics in the 1980's, Indie comics in the 1990's and back to mini-comics in the new century. A lack of interest on the part of publishers, readers and editors has not extinguished his passion for the comics art form or the need to express himself long after sensible people would have walked away. He now enjoys a dubious distinction of being a senior statesman of the Vancouver comics scene. On the way he has drawn comic books, comic strips, editorial and advertising cartoons, web comics, cartoons for a play, a series of films and for art gallery walls. Colin has been a performance artist, Lowbrow artist, drummer, radio broadcaster, lecturer, interviewer, reviewer, wargamer, miniaturist, flanuer, animist/iconoclast, illustrator and in one occasion a historical expert. Send inquiries to: 604-327-1544 Labels: British Columbia, can-con, Vancouver, webcomics - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments -   - we honor OpenID -
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 The C-List: Happy Birthday Inkstuds!  Gotta bust out a C-List! "Inkstuds, Expozine, Jesse Jacobs, ohmy!" Item: The Inkstuds podcast celebrates 4 years (!) with a Seth interview. Congratulations to Robin McConnell and friends, and here's to 4 more years, and many more! Item: Blogger and cartoonist Jack Ruttan recorded interviews at Expozine with some of the bright lights of Canadian comics. He's posted them with notes on his blog here and here, and we've created a playlist/player of them in sequence here. Item: Sequential's own Salgood Sam was briefly at Expozine as well. He shot and edited a short doc of the event around 4pm to 5pm of the last day.  Item: A good large flickr photo set cataloging zine prints buttons and art books predominantly in a minimalist & cute style. The rare blue Mermacorn is the invention of probably this years youngest exhibitor, Jasper! Posted by Montreal designer Janice Wong.Item: And rounding out the visual record of Expozine 2009 so far is an excellent set of 111 photos by Montreal Photographer Camille McOuat. The last one of Billy is perfect. Item: Vancouver cartoonist Doug Fraser has designed an Absolut Vodka bottle just in time for the Olympics. Item: Webcomics writer Ryan Sohmer in Montreal. As well, Sohmer and his "Least I Can Do" collaborator Lar DeSouza have announced a webcomics scholarship at the Vermont Center for Cartoon Studies. Item: Another profile of Jesse Jacobs! He's on a run! Item: Stuart Immonen has announced that the free webcomics serialization of his collaborations with his wife Kathryn have been pirated and that future online comics by the couple are in doubt. There is further comment here and many comments by others elsewhere. The latest collab, Moving Pictures, is due out in Mat 2010 from Top Shelf. Item: Canadian comics historian, blogger, humourist, erstwhile Sequential contributor, and scriptwriter on the perils of maintaining 4 blogs while writing animation scripts for a living. Item: The DC/Warner vs Disney/Marvel war is really heating up. Alarmed at the massive build-up of Canadian superheroes by Marvel, and with only one of their own DC plans to fire back by adding a Canadian to the Outsiders, previously a 1980s superhero team based in Batman's Gotham City. (Thanks to reader Maddy B for the tip!) Item: Jeet Heer on Marx/Barks and Tomine/Oliveros. Labels: blogosphere, British Columbia, C-List, capes, comics history, Expozine, Montreal, new books, pod casts, U.S. superhero franchises, Vancouver, video, webcomics - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, November 13, 2009 This Sunday: Vancouver Comicon  Sunday, November 15th, 2009 11amt o 5pm Admission: $4.00 Kids under 14: Free • James Stokoe (Wonton Soup, Comic Book Tattoo) • Kelly Everaert (Jungle Tales, Trilogy of Terror) • James Lloyd (Other Stuff) • Matthew Ocasio (The Matter) • Andrew Salmon (Sherlock Holmes, Secret Agent X) • Robin Thompson (Champions of Hell, Hemp Island) • Marley Zarcone (Popgun) • Mary Karaplis • Carrie McKay • Beth Wagner • Critical Hit Comics Dealer Tables: $40/centre; $50/wall For more information, please call 604-322-6412 Labels: British Columbia, conventions, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 Red Jumps to the top of Bookmanager sales lists   Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas most recent book Red is the #1 best seller this month...With the return of Sequential's All-Canadian Top 30 the Haida Manga is in fact the 4th over all best selling Graphic Novel this month, by a Canadian author or otherwise sold in Canada. At the time of this post it ranks 2nd on the Book manager list in fact, sales rank #946 and in 'high demand'. Nice way to kick things off for Michael and i thought i'd pass on some fresh links from him to mark the occasion. "Red becomes a real test of whether there is an interest, I think, in Canada, to explore the mythology of what is the Indian, in a populist form," he says. RED the Special Edition each copy includes the following One original watercolored haida manga painting 8.5" X 7" on 100 cotton 140lb Arches paper. Signed and catalogued. Painted paper bookmark. Color poster of the original mural. A unique number out of a total run of 100 copies only. Slipcased in Haida manga design with stitched in cloth marker. Autographed and can be personalized. Purchase by contacting: Angela Powell Labels: bestsellers, British Columbia, comics history, hidamanga, new books - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, August 20, 2009 "Comix and Stories" at Hertigae Hall Aug 23Co: geist.com & robotblood  Vancouver Comicon presents a celebration of alternative and small press comics, zines, artwork and culture with special guest Kate Beaton.Beaton draws comics that illustrate the often hilarious stories of famous historical figures. She is also a contributor to Geist. Sunday, August 23, 2009 Heritage Hall 3102 Main Street, Vancouver, B.C. 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Admission $4 Other creators and publishers who will be in attendance include Lars Brown (North World) David Boswell (Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman) Brandon Graham (King City; Multiple Warheads) James Stokoe (Wonton Soup) Marian Churchland (Elephantmen) Steve Rolston (Emiko Superstar) Verne Andru (420) Stephanie Blakey Ken Boesem (The Village) Robin Bougie (Cinema Sewer) Jesse Davidge (Mathemagick and Mystiphysics) Kelly Everaert (Trilogy of Terror) Susan Ferguson (Antic Comics) Trevor Frick (Centuri, Way of the Ninja) Gabriel Frizzera Sarah Haxby (Peargirl) Ira Hunter (Champions of Hell) Mary Karaplis James Lloyd (Other Stuff) Carrie McKay Josue Menjivar (Everyday Things) Mike Myhre (Space Jet) Simon Roy (Jan's Atomic Heart) Steven Snyder Robin Thompson (Champions of Hell, Zombie Jesus) Jason Turner (True Loves) Critical Hit Comics New Reliable Press Visit the Vancouver Comicon website for more information. Labels: aperances, British Columbia, conventions, events, events links, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 The C-List: Canadian Comics in the SummertimeSome quick links. Item: Dinosaur Comics' Ryan North talks internet woes with the Globe and Mail. Item: Ed Brisson notes that there will be no Vancouver Comics Jam in July. Item: Walrus comics blogger Sean Rogers talks about David Mazzucchelli. Item: Robert Fulford writes about Harvey Kurtzman and Mad for the Post. Item: Seth tells us why George Sprott will be one of Amazon's best books of 2009. Item: The Wizard Toronto comic convention has a new logo. Item: Iranian-Canadian policart Nik Kowsar talks to the Washington Post about his experiences on the wrong side of the law in Iran. Item: In case you missed yesterday's Summer Reading entry, the big (old) news is that Les 400 Coups has started a new imprint for genre comics/bd, entitled Rotor. Item: Montreal weekly The Hour reviewed Adrian Tomine's 32 Stories and Shortcomings published by D&Q Labels: British Columbia, C-List, comic jams, conventions, international, interviews, links, new books, Ontario, publishing, Quebec, social ink, Toronto, Vancouver, webcomics - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 New Interviews with Canadian Comics People  Check out the new series of interviews with comics creators and businesspeople over at The Fabler Blog, part of Calgary's Zensoft Studios interesting new project thefabler.com, a social networking comunity for Comics Creators. So far blogger Kevin de Vlaming Jay Bardyla (owner of Happy Harbor Comics) Gareth Gaudin (of Legends Comic and Books in Victoria BC, & The Magic Teeth Dailies) And more, here. Labels: blogosphere, British Columbia, Calgary, graphic novels, interviews, PEI, profiles, Victoria - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, February 20, 2009 A peek at MNY's Red A studio visit. Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas sent this to me earlier today, thought we'de share it here with you all. The book is slated for sept 09.  Michael: "I have 2 exhibits almost lined up- one in Vancouver and one in Calgary. i'm aiming institution/museum scale and during my April trip to Ottawa (Pedal to the Meddle will be installed at the National Art Center), i'm gong to see what i might find for a exhibit space as well." Labels: art show, British Columbia, Calgary, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 1comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, December 09, 2008 The C-List: Comics Links-The Vancouver Province Province reveals the results of its reader poll for new strips. -The Collected Doug Wright now available for pre-order: Sure to be the publishing event of 2009! -New book of strips: Nature Calls by Berry Wijdeven (Epic Press, ISBN 978-1-55452-332-0 : $16.95). -The Comic Book Bin has the press release for Canadian manga publisher Udon signing with online webcomics folks Crunchyroll. -Missed it: Eric Braun launched a new b.d., Mondo Loco, along with a collective exhibit at USINE 106U : 160 Roy Est, Montreal last week. -The man who took Ezra Leveant to the Alberta Human Rights Commission over the publication of the Danish Mohammed cartoons has ironically started a free speech organization. Labels: Alberta, British Columbia, C-List, comic strips, graphic novels, links, publishing, Quebec, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, December 04, 2008 Weekly Bestsellers: December 4  The Top 30 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 30 overall and (at the bottom) the top 30 by Canadian creators. See here for last week's list. Top 30 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada 1. (1) Watchmen, Moore/Gibbons (DC) 2. (2) Fruits Basket 21, Takaya Natsuki (Tokyopop) 3. (3) Naruto 32, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 4. (6) Garfield Spills the Beans, Jim Davis (Random House) 5. (-) Bleach 24, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 6. (5) Naruto 31, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 7. (6) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 8. (24) Simpsons Comics Dollars To Donuts, Groening et al (Harpercollins) 9. (12) Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 19, Clamp (Random House) 10. (7) Marvel Chronicle, Tom DeFalco (DK) ----- 11. (11) Che, Rodriguez/Buhle (Verso) 12. (19) V for Vendetta, Moore/Lloyd (DC) 13. (13) Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl Adventure 2, Shigekatsu Ihara (VIZ) 14. (9) Simpsons Treehouse Horror, Groening et al (HarperCollins) 15. (8) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood) 16. (-) Naruto 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 17. (-) Asterix/Falling Sky, Uderzo (Orion) 18. (10) Chibi Vampire 11, Yuna Kagesaki (Tokyopop) 19. (27) 30 Years of Laughs & Lasagna, Jim Davis (Random House) 20. (23) The Joker (Hardcover), Azzarello/Bermejo (DC) ----- 21. (17) Vampire Knight 5, Matsuri Hino (VIZ) 22. (14) Fullmetal Alchemist 17, Hiromu Arakawa (VIZ) 23. (-) Louis Riel, Brown (D+Q) 24. (-) The Potpourrific Great Big Grab Bag of Get Fuzzy, Darby Conley (Andrews McMeel) 25. (-) Bionicle 2: Challenge of the Rahkshi! Elliott/Farshtey (St. Martin's) 26. (-) Death Note 4, Ohba/Obata (VIZ) 27. (15) Death Note 1, Ohba/Obata (VIZ) 28. (-) Asterix in Britain, Goscinny/Uderzo (Orion) 29. (-) Naruto 2, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 30. (18) Complete Persepolis, Satrapi (Knopf) The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. This week, the latest Bleach installment debuts at #5, perennial faves like Asterix start taking up more space, and new annual collections of popular strip and cartoon show comics (The Simpsons) start showing up on more people's radar. In total, BookManager lists over 4000 graphic novels, trades, and strip collections. It is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Maus (#46) to Lynda Barry (#50) to Moomin (#150) duke it out, and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200. This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where our Canadian Top 30 comes from: Sequential's All-Canadian Top 30 from BookManager 1. (1) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 2. (2) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood) 3. (3) Louis Riel, Chester Brown (D+Q) 4. (6) Big Foot, Graham Roumieu (Plume) 5. (5) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 6. (4) The Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (D+Q) 7. (9) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 8. (7) It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken, Seth (D+Q) 9. (8) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni) 10. (10) Dramacon Ultimate Edition, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) ----- 11. (11) Milk Teeth, Julie Morstad (D+Q) 12. (-) Last Straw, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 13. (-) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 14. (-) Hall of Best Knowledge, Ray Fenwick (Fantagraphics) 15. (26) The New Frontier 1, Darwyn Cooke (DC) 16. (27) Paul Goes Fishing, Michel Rabagliati (D+Q) 17. (12) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q) 18. (13) Essex County 1: Tales from the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 19. (14) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al, (DC/Minx) 20. (16) Emiko Superstar, Mariko Tamaki/Steve Rolston (DC/Minx) ----- 21. (15) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni) 22. (-) Strange and Stranger, Blake Bell (Fanta) 24. (17) Dramacon 3, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 25. (18) Rex Libris: I, Librarian, James Turner (Slave Labor Graphics) 26. (19) Middle Age Spread, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 27. (20) Dramacon 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 28. (21) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 29. (22) Graphic Witness: Four Wordless Graphic Novels, George A Walker ed (Firefly) 30. (23) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) Not seen: Drop-In by Dave Lapp (Conundrum) debuts at #33 on the Canadian list. As well, I haven't been including KRAZY! on this list. It's the book of the exhibit from the Vancouver Art Gallery (edited by Bruce Grenville, published by Douglas & McIntyre) and would rank somewhere around #7 on the all-Canadian list (#205 overall) if it wasn't essentially an art book (or, at best, an international anthology with some essays). The book's overall sales rank puts it just above How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. Labels: bestsellers, British Columbia, comic strips, comics retailers, graphic novels, international, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, November 21, 2008 Saturday: Matt Forsythe in Vancouver  OJINGOGO'S MATTHEW FORSYTHE IN VANCOUVER Join D+Q and Lucky's Comics in launching Matt Forsythe's Ojingogo this Saturday! 5 pm, Saturday, November 22nd 2008 Lucky's Comics 3972 Main St, Vancouver (604) 875-9858 www.luckys.ca Labels: book launches, British Columbia, events, graphic novels, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 For the RecordMissed It By This Much  Skim did not win the Governor-General's Literary Award for Children's Literature yesterday. The book, a graphic novel by cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, was beat out by John Ibbitson's The Landing, a prose novel about life in 1930s Muskoka. In related categories, Sylvie Desrosiers' Les trois lieues won in the French-language category. The winning illustrators were Stephane Jorisch (an adaptation of Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat) and Janice Nadeau (Ma meilleure amie, text by Gilles Tibo). See the full list of winners here. See Neil Gaiman (bottom item), The Vancouver Sun and Heidi MacDonald for more reactions to the controversy surrounding Skim's nomination. (above Jillian Tamaki illo: a James Bond article on cbc arts) Labels: awards, British Columbia, graphic novels, skim, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, November 13, 2008 News-y LinksQuick comics-y links from the mainstream press: Miriam Libicki's "jobnik!" in the Jerusalem Post New Brunswick cartoonist exhibits plaster faces Canadian copyright law The Vancouver Province tries to replace Berke Breathed A great report from the Marc Bell opening the other night in T.O. Jeet Heer on Barack Obama, comic book nerd Jay Stephens profile in Guelph Mercury Joe Sacco on Guy Delisle's Burma Chronicle Labels: British Columbia, links, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, October 31, 2008 Quickie News LinksEdmonton comic shop owner goes missing in Mexico. Fiona Smyth ponders gender. Ben Wicks' secret stash. Mariko Tamaki writes about the book festival circuit, from the gay comic-book-writer perspective. The triumverate of great BC political cartoonists, Len Norris, Roy Peterson and Sid Barron, is featured in a new exhibit. The controversial Comic Craze show rolls into Cambridge, Ont. Labels: British Columbia, links - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, October 17, 2008 Saturday: 24 Hour Comics Day  This Saturday is 24 Hour Comics Day, the annual international comics creation marathon. Several sites across Canada are hosting groups of amateur and professional artists who will be attempting to create a complete comic in just one day. Feel free to drop by any of the locations listed below and don't forget to contact Sequential with any additional locations, reports or photos. 4-Colour, 8-Bit Comics & Games Kingston, Ontario Alberta College of Art and Design Calgary, AB The Comic Book Shoppe Ottawa, Ontario Commotion in the Ocean 207 Erb Street West Waterloo, Ontario DragonHead Studio Kanata, ON ELFSAR Comics & Toys Vancouver, BC V6B 5T4 Happy Harbor Comics Edmonton AB Image Collections Mississauga, ON Loose Canon Gallery Hamilton, ON Strange Adventures, via the Delta Hotel Fredericton Fredericton, NB Labels: Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, events, international, Ottawa, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Saturday: Vancouver Comics JamEd Brisson writes: When: Saturday, October 18th, 2008. 8pm until midnight. Labels: British Columbia, comic jams, social ink, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
This Weekend: Jobnik Book Launch, Vancouver  The launch for Miriam Libicki's graphic novel about time spent as an Israeli soldier takes place this Sunday, October 19, at RX Comics, 2418 main street, (off Broadway) in Vancouver --6 PM.Labels: book launches, British Columbia, events, graphic novels, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, October 09, 2008 Supposedly The State of the Canadian Comic Book IndustryHerve at the Bin is at it again. He's posted an OP ED style piece on 'The State of the Canadian Comic Book Industry' which merits linking to, but I feel I should post a buyer beware notice. "I've been covering the comic book industry for years and have always found the level of professionalism and maturity of players involved lacking. Many times, I have written and said that what passes for public discourse in this industry would get all participants fired from their respective jobs, were they in any other mature industry." - Herve St-LouisThis to me this is ironic as it's not how i've found MOST of the people in the business in my 18 or so years in it, just an annoying minority. The piece seems to be a little light on facts for the strong opinions it presents, and is rather dubious as a National Overview given it spends 939 of the 2727 word article raging on one small part of the huge loose collection of comics communities based in Toronto and attacks the city in a very predictable conservative mid west way for essentially being big and both commercially and culturally vibrant. Meanwhile he talks about not even half the other cities in the country. Why is it that people spend so much time bitching about Toronto, while in the same stroke so often talking about no one else very much anyway? Thus themselves only talking about Toronto for so much of their time. Herve does not even tell us anything about what is happening in his own City of Calgary other than to say "...the majority of comic book readers supported American products rather than Canadian ones". Me thinks he has something a little narrower to grind than the National state of anything, but I'm not going to waist my time speculating. I will however add a few facts and my own opinions to you perspective One small definite mistake I'm sure of is that Montreal does not actually have a regular 'Anglo' comic jam. Rupert still hosts events from time to time, but he's bilingual, if not trilingual. I'm not sure which was his first tongue, but today he's more Alophone than Anglo if you want to get all uptight about it and put everyone in boxes or schools. Bottenberg is the son of a nice pair of German/American immigrants from out east. And while i'm sure he speaks with an accent to my near uni lingual clod hopper ears he's pretty damn comfortable chatting fast and furious in French and is thoroughly integrated into his corrner of Montreals' bilingual culture. But then this also gets to why i find that aspect of the conversation annoying - the constant need to categorize and separate people by language - and specifically which one they spoke first, not what they speak now - seems even more subjective and discriminatory than to do so by race! [to be clear i'm not advocating for the latter but stating something about the former] And yet it's done often by politicized francophonie wanting to claim oppression or discrimination in this country - again pretty ironic if you think about it. Some years ago when I hosted the Monthly Montreal Comix Jams what Herve wrote would have been partly true, about it being organized by an Anglo, though the events themselves were very bilingual in attendance. But after I stopped hosting, over time the Monthly Jams shrank and are now run and attended largely by a small group of mostly francophone cartoonists who used to always sit at a table together in my day and call themselves 'the French Table'. They run the only regular comic jam in town today that I'm aware of. They seem to have fun still and the shrinking mostly has to do with the current core groups lack of interest in promoting the event beyond sending out usually a very short reminder of the event. Posting no posters or fliers that I'm aware of around any of the campuses or other locations in town that would bring in the new blood. Seems like since they stated a facebook group that's been changing a little maybe but this is very recent and remains to be seen what will come of it. The Anglo community, along with the rest of the folks in town these days do however have many 'Drink n' Draw' get togethers, vernissages and signings. They seldom reflect linguistic community boundaries so much as genre and style, and are plentiful! I frankly cant keep up with it all. There is the grand canard that the Doug Wrights Awards are discriminatory against Francophones. Not to mention he's writing about them and in the same breath saying the site does not recognize them, quite a trick. You have to ignore them if your going to do that i think but who am i to say. I've said all i care to about all that here already. Another point I'd challenge him on is the degree to which comics are supported by grants in this country, which I suspect is pretty minimal. Much of it is funding for smaller publishers that are NOT economically viable without support which includes most of the French indy press here in Montreal last time I heard.
For a few years now the council has funded graphic novels under the writing program but were talking about 4 or 5 grants at the most a year and it's reasonable to assume not all are totally successful projects in the end. Many of those works would not have been possible without the support either. As a former recipient and later juror, i think i can vouch for the fact that most of what gets funded is work generally felt to need it - in other words to merits creators who want to do something they can't just get a publisher to fund with advances or find an easy market for. That being said it would be totally misleading to suggest our comics publishing industry is substantially supported by such funding - most of it makes it or breaks it based on the efforts and sacrifices of a few small publishing outfits and the proximity of the huge US market, for whatever that's worth these days. On the other hand, not sure he meant to sound reductionist or just lacks the info readily found here on this site, but local Montreal Comic community - which is huge and decentralized - gets support and acknowledgment from many of the summer festivals and book fairs, not just Just for Laughs. Pop Montreal, Fantasia, the Fringe Festival, the Jazz fest, the Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival and Montreal's Salon du Livre all have hosted Comics and BD related events and activities. I'd love to see better, more imaginative stuff going on, but that's more pie in the sky than dire need. Personally i've always thought we are perfectly located to set up an international event here, our own Angouleme one day maybe. We are also quite aware of the Gatineau scene here, with a lot of new kids coming out of UQO each graduating year. Not the day to day blow by blow but there was quite a bit of excitement in Montreal when the programs at the university there started up. And the Rendez-vous international de la BD de Gatineau, which I'm attending this year as a guest, has been doing nicely as well. I'm sure there's some friction between Quebec city and Montreal, but i've not heard much about it in some time - mostly that's between individuals, not the communities. And i kind of doubt it has much to do with any lack of involvement here in the Gatineau scene. And the Toronto community - which is also huge, very diverse and decentralized - seems to me to be, from the conversation i have there, very aware of what goes on in the country that's good and worth paying attention to as well. Just as in other large cities with thriving scenes, not so many feel the need to track mediocre work when there is so much great stuff going in your own neck of the woods. But on the whole they get as excited as anyone over the things people else where are up to and have long standing romantic fascination with the Montreal scene. Not to mention how very much movement there is here in Montreal between Halifax, Quebec City, Gatineau, Toronto and Vancouver and other points. Each city has at least some comic's community bleed over with the others. Which reminds me I owe Marc Bell a visit; he's living in Montreal again now, after spending a long stint in BC. He also used to reside in Toronto, and hails from London Ontario originally. The man is an archetypical indy Canadian cartoonist! :) Also found it kind of funny Herve would choose of all people to present Canadian advertising guru, Terry O'Reilly as likely to argue "awards are nothing but attempts to make the public care about a product instead of using traditional advertising means" - take the nothing out and you'd be right, but O'Reilly would himself I bet point out it's a bit more multi faceted than that. They do that job, but they also help support the creators, raise the prestige of a community and the medium they celebrate, and raise awareness of specific books that the public may not even know about, let alone care about. The more elite and prestigious the Judges and selection process for the books, the more effective they are at that job. {see: I believe he implied something like this argument in it's broadest terms in Season 3, episode 16 of 'O'Reilly and the Age of Persuasion: In Defence of Advertising' 2008-04-26 } And since when was any of that bad for the state of the comics industry? Once more Harvey is casting things in a much more exclusively balkanized light than they really are. I feel in truth it's a much more fluid and vibrant national collection of communities and scenes, that has it's spats and chatty cathys, but on the whole tends to mind it's own business most of the time really. That given, here's the link again, feel free to continue the conversation in the comments. I will say the closing sentiment is positive, in a way at least. I certainly hope he finds more time to cover local stuff, though i hope he'll learn to differentiate his own balkanized opinions from those of the community at large. Labels: Alberta, analysis, awards, blogosphere, British Columbia, Calgary, can-con, cartoonists, Gatineau, grants, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Least I Could Do is Link  Some comics links for Tuesday:
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Friday, September 26, 2008 Friday: You Ain't No Dancer Launch, Vancouver  Featuring the best use of a Beatles lyric in a comix or graphic novel title, the latest issue of this annual comics anthology features a high quality roster of Canadian and international cartooning. Date: Friday, September 26, 2008 Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm Location: Lucky's Comics, 3972 Main St, Vancouver, BC Come celebrate the release of New Reliable Press's latest anthology, You Ain't No Dancer Vol. 3! We're launching the book in style, with and art show of original artwork by several of YAND3's contributors that will be on display in Lucky's gallery. Artists on display: •Catia Chien •Colleen MacIsaac •Dalton Webb •Dorothy Gambrell •Graham Kahler •Grant Reynolds •Jason Turner •Jordyn Bochon •KC Green •Kim Hoang •Lars Brown •Phil McAndrew •Steve Rolston About The Book: Featuring a wrap-around cover by Kazimir Strzepek, You Ain't No Dancer Vol. 3 clocks in at 176 pages and contains 30 new stories from indy-comic favourites and up-and-comers. Vol. 3 Contributors: Kazimir Strzepek, Becky Dreistadt & Frank Gibson, Blaise Larmee, Catia Chien, Coleman Engle, Colleen MacIsaac, Dalton Sharp, Dalton Webb, Dorothy Gambrell, Graham Kahler, Grant Reynolds, Ira Marcks, Jason Turner, Jeff Bent, Jeremy Sorese, Jon Sukarangsan, Jordyn Bochon, KC Green, Kate Beaton, Ken Dahl, Kim Hoang, Lars Brown, Lucy Knisley, Mike Laughead, Mitch Clem & Jason Oberbichler, Patrick Murphy, Phil Barrett, Phil McAndrew and Steve Rolston & Sabina. More information on the book and New Reliable Press can be found at: www.newreliable.com Labels: anthologies, book launches, British Columbia, graphic novels, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Saturday, September 20, 2008 Saturday: Vancouver Comics Jamfrom Ed Brisson: When: Saturday, September 20th, 2008. 8pm until midnight. Labels: British Columbia, comic jams, events, social ink, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Quickly HittingA few links about comics in Canada: Procastination Comics: cartoonist Paul Mason helps a Carleton University professor illustrate the psychology of putting things off. Procastination Comics II: Jovan Zimzovski's 4th (!) installment of the Ryan North profile. Abusive Comics: Sandra Bell-Lundy examines spousal abuse in her Between Friends comic strip. Krazy Comics: the Vancouver Krazy art show is extensively reviewed. The verdict? Not funny. Japanese Comics: Chris Butcher is back from vacation and has a review of a translated Japanese comic at his blog. Floppy Comics: Kevin Boyd says Summer 2008 was when the monthly superhero floppie finally died. Watching Watchmen Comics: The Sequential bestseller list is on extended hiatus, but I'm sure industry watchers will be fascinated to learn that Watchmen tops the charts this week in bookstores. Bestselling BD: The top 15 comics of the month at Fichtre in Montreal. Labels: British Columbia, links, Quebec, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, September 05, 2008 This Weekend: Vancouver Comicon  Vancouver Comicon Sunday, September 7th, 2008 11am to 5pm Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver, BC Special Guests: * Steve Leialoha (Fables, Howard the Duck, Star Wars) * Diana Schutz (Darh Horse Comics editor) * Steve Rolston (The Escapists, One Bad Day, Queen and Country) * Ken Steacy (Tempus Fugitive, Marvel Fanfare, Night and the Enemy) * Ken Boesem (The Village) * Kelly Everaert (Jungle Tales, Trilogy of Terror) * Robin Thompson (Champions of Hell, Hemp Island) * Verne Andru (420) * Heather Frayne * Donald King * Carrie McKay * Mike Myhre (Space Jet) * Owen Plummer (Flip Flop Prophets, Kittenclops) * Beth Wagner * Critty Riphick * Cale Toth * Critical Hit Comics Admission: $3.00 Kids under 14: Free Dealer Tables: $50/centre; $60/wall Labels: British Columbia, conventions, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, August 28, 2008 Vancouver Comix & Stories ReportsA few reports from this past weekend's Comix and Stories event at the Vancouver Art Gallery/KRAZY! show: Derek Kirk Kim's is the funniest Buying minis report Artist turfed Kim Dietch was there Here, too Labels: British Columbia, conventions, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, August 22, 2008 Sunday: Comics and Stories, Vancouver  The second of two big events featuring U.S. Underground and graphic novel master Kim Deitch in Vancouver. This iteration of the regular Vancouver Comicon features a "who's who" of contemporary Canadian and international graphic novelists. See here for full guest list. Sunday, August 24th, 2008 11am to 5pm Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC Free admission (if you want to go view the KRAZY! exhibit, inside the Gallery, regular admission prices apply ($19.50/adult, $14/student with ID, $6.50/children 5-12)) Labels: British Columbia, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Saturday: Kim Deitch Film Fest, VancouverOne of the top five surviving members of the U.S. Underground comics movement of the 1960s, and one of the greatest living producers of graphic novels, period, Kim Deitch will be appearing this weekend in Vancouver at several events. First up: a showing of animated cartoons from Deitch's vast collection:  See the inkstuds write-up here for more info. Vancouver Art Gallery Hornby St. entrance 7 pm $8 --limited seating Labels: British Columbia, comics history, comics on film, events, undergrounds, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Hell Passport Box Set, part of Comix and Stories at the Vancouver Art Gallery  Was sent this by Jo Cook:Perro Verlag has just put together a box set of 24 visual art chapbooks by 24 different Canadian artists. They we will be part of Comix and Stories at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday August 24th. "A day of alternative & small press comics, zines, artwork & culture" Sunday, August 24th, 11am to 5pm Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC Guest list is on the site here, Top Star Guest is Kim Deitch and there's some other pretty cool people on the list with him. The Hell Passport Project is a 24-volume series of visual art chapbooks by 24 artists riffing on hell, holes, holiday suicides, sewers, zombies, ghost tracks, acephalic vulva, evil eye families, premonition rip-offs, bone hounds, contamination, papists' passports, larva womb rat, scum, entrail readings & scabnose demons. The artists in this project come from across Canada and take a variety of approaches and styles, making this series a comprehensive survey of current contemporary drawing. Artists in the series: derek beaulieu, Lisa Cinar, Mark Connery, Rebecca Dolen, Brandy Fedoruk, Julie Feyrer, Emily Goodden, Roy Green, Sally Ireland, Ben L. Jacques, Collin Johanson, Donato Mancini, Billy Mavreas, Wesley Mulvin, Robert Pedersen, Guinevere Pencarrick, Owen Plummer, Terry Plummer, Fiona Smyth, Scheisse Wives, Colin Upton, Ed Varney, Julie Voyce and James Whitman. The sets were printed in a limited edition of 20 boxes: 10 in blue and 10 in red. The complete set sells for $150. Some individual books are also available, at $7 each. Inquiries: Jo Cook www.perroverlag.com Labels: art show, book launches, British Columbia, can-con, comic jams, drawings, ephemera, events, events links, illustration, mini-comics, social ink, Vancouver, zine fair, zines - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Sunday, August 17, 2008 A Talk with Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas on art, memory, and the power of small Admission is free; Reservations are required. Please e-mail cstudies@sfu.ca or call 778.782.5100. Find out more at:.geist.com/yahgulanaas-michael-nicoll "[His] paintings . . . represent a contemporary Haida inquiry into image and narrative . . . and they link Haida and non-Haida concerns through a popular culture medium." - Karen Duffek (UBC Museum of Anthropology, Curator of Contemporary Visual Art) Michael Yahgulanaas was born born in Prince Rupert in 1954 and raised in Delkatla, on Haida Gwaii. He has exhibited work around the world and currently has collections at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, as well as at the Kawasaki City Manga Museum in Japan. More.... Labels: British Columbia, can-con, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, August 15, 2008 This Weekend: Vancouver Comic JamFrom Ed Brisson: When: Saturday, August 16th, 2008. 8pm until midnight. Labels: British Columbia, comic jams, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, August 01, 2008 Upcoming: Comix and Stories, VancouverA big event featuring Kim Deitch. Full details here. a day of alternative & small press comics, zines, artwork & culture Sunday, August 24th, 2008 11am to 5pm Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC Special Guests: * Kim Deitch (The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Shadowland, All Waldo Comics) * Derek Kirk Kim (Good as Lily, Same Difference and Other Stories, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall) * Jesse Hamm (Good as Lily) * Julie Morstad (Milk Teeth, Where You Came From, When You Were Small) * Chris Von Szombathy (Fire Away) * James Stokoe (Wonton Soup, Popgun) * Brandon Graham (King City, Multiple Warheads, Escalator) * Moritat (Elephantmen) * Steve Rolston (The Escapists, One Bad Day) * James Lloyd (Other Stuff) * Damian Wilcox (Dorkboy) * Miriam Libicki (Jobnik) * Josue Menjivar (Everyday Things, Way Off Main) * Ken Boesem (The Village) * Robin Bougie (Cinema Sewer) * Owen Plummer (Flip Flop Prophets, Kittenclops) * Gabriel Frizzera (Codex) * Mike Myhre (Space Jet) * Robin Thompson (Champions of Hell, Hemp Island) * Kelly Everaert (Jungle Tales, Trilogy of Terror) * Steve LeCouilliard (Much the Miller's Son) * Verne Andru (420) * Toren Atkinson * Stephanie Blakey * Nick Chretien * Jesse Davidge * Laura Eveleigh * Susan Ferguson * Trevor Frick * Sarah Haxby * Mary Kim * Donald King * Carrie McKay * Justin Pasieka * Critty Riphick * Dex Thompson * Beth Wagner * Ted Wilson * Critical Hit Comics * New Reliable Press * Perro Verlag Books by Artists * The Radar Friends * and many more! Free Admission! It's true: admission to Comix & Stories is free, as the show is taking place in meeting rooms on the main and third floors of the building, but if you want to go view the exhibits, such as KRAZY!, inside the Gallery, regular admission prices apply ($19.50/adult, $14/student with ID, $6.50/children 5-12). Please note that some of the materials on display and for sale at this show may not be suitable for all ages. Creator/Publisher Tables: $35/$65 Vendor Tables: $65 Labels: British Columbia, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, July 18, 2008 This Weekend: Vancouver Comix JamFrom Ed Brisson: When: Saturday, July 19th, 2008. 8pm until midnight. Labels: British Columbia, comic jams, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Monday, June 23, 2008 Monday Gazette  A miscellany of comics-related links. 1. After-the-Rapture-all-graphic-novels-will-have-trailers Dept.: Sequential's own Salgood Sam has put together a trailer for Therefore Repent, the graphic novel he created with Jim Munroe. 2. Listen-Closely Dept: Jamie Coville has audio recordings of several panels from last week's Sequential Art Symposium/Joe Shuster Awards. 3. Comics-are-Art Dept: The KRAZY! exhibit in Vancouver slights video games in favour of comics, etc, according to this Globe review. 4. Real-World Dept: More on one of the saddest stories of the year has got to be this tale of the 9-year-old autistic comic book collector from Montreal, smothered-to-death by his teachers. 5. Publishing Dept: IDW has just released the first volume of the complete Orphan Annie strip, one of the high points of 20th-Century cartooning, with contributions from Mr. Comics History, Jeet Heer. 6. D+Q Dept: We missed Chris Oliveros in Toronto (but they often show those ideacity things on tv) but Marc Bell's blog is ongoing. 7. Finland Dept: A new collaborative anthology from Finnish and Quebecoise cartoonist, 10x makes its debut. (see top) Labels: British Columbia, links, Ontario, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Midweek Roundup
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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 Vancouver Comix Jam ChangesThis month's jam is being incorporated into the KRAZY! gallery show at the Vancouver Art Gallery: From Leonard Wong (via Ed Brisson): The artists' jam at FUSE takes place on Friday, June 27, from 6PM to 6AM. If you're wanting to take part in this event, I need to know by this Friday (June 6). The VAG is asking for a minimum four hour commitment during the evening, so if all participants can indicate to me (again, by Friday) when you'll be available/willing to draw, I can make sure there are people in the room all night, which keeps the VAG happy. Labels: British Columbia, comic jams, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, May 29, 2008 More News-y LinksTonite: Montreal Comix Jam. Details here. Political cartooning: Owen Sound Sun Times cartoonist Patrick Callaghan has Events: Superhero artist Kaare Andrews is one of the people complaining that the new KRAZY! exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery excludes local artists, local historians and superhero comics in general, according to this Georgia Straight article. Publishing: Penguin/Penguin Canada is the publisher behind a new series of books by DJ Steinberg. Illustrated by Brian Smith, The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy is up to two volumes. Labels: British Columbia, events, exhibits, graphic novels, political cartooning, Quebec, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 1comments - - we honor OpenID -
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 Midweek News and Reviews 
Labels: awards, British Columbia, copyright, events, exhibits, graphic novels, Halifax, legal news, manga, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Toronto, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Krazy! Comic Art Show Opens in Vancouver  Vancouver, and specifically the Vancouver Art Gallery, is the place to be this summer for comics fans, as Art Spiegelman and Seth co-curate the comics and graphic novels section of the multi-curator, multi-medium art show, KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art. Dumb but accurate title aside, the comics section of this exhibit looks interesting, with work from Chester Brown, Lynda Barry, and Harvey Kurtzman on display, with the added bonus of some Japanese cartoonists and related work in the field of animation (early Winsor McKay, etc). There has been a flurry of coverage of this event in the mainstream press recently. Globe and Mail: Seth and Spiegelman interview Global TV: Spiegelman profile In addition to the exhibit, there will be a series of related events, beginning with "Comic Demonstrations" running on Sundays (July 6, July 13, August 3, August 10), from 2pm-5pm in the Gallery rotunda. Local comic artists will be appearing for workshops and discussions. As well, on Thursday, August 7, at 7pm, Alywn Spies, assistant professor of Creative and Critical Studies at UBC, gives a special tour of KRAZY!'s manga artworks for an event called "Teaching Manga." From the press release: For the first time, the Vancouver Art Gallery will bring the worlds of anime, comics, cartoons, video games, manga, graphic novels and contemporary art together in one exhibition. Offering an innovative and dynamic survey, KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art reveals the uniqueness of each medium, while uncovering their histories, interrelations and future trajectories. On view from May 17 to September 7, 2009, the exhibition is cocurated by some of the art forms’ most influential artists and cultural producers, including Maus author Art Spiegelman, The Sims creator Will Wright, comic artist Seth and animated feature film director Tim Johnson. Conceived and developed by Vancouver Art Gallery senior curator Bruce Grenville, the exhibition will travel to a New York City arts institution in March 2009. "The Vancouver Art Gallery is committed to fostering new and dynamic understandings of visual culture. With the exhibition KRAZY!, we seized a tremendous opportunity to forward the study of some of the world's fastest growing art forms," said Kathleen Bartels, director of the Vancouver Art Gallery. "Despite the pervasive presence of these media, little has been done to assess the ties that bind them. By offering an interdisciplinary account in a major survey exhibition for the first time, we will illuminate their importance as a sustained cultural force." One of the largest exhibitions ever organized by the Gallery, KRAZY! will occupy two entire floors of gallery space and is designed in collaboration with Tokyo-based architectural firm Atelier Bow-Wow --a design team renowned for their understanding of informal culture and ability to enhance communal visual experiences. Divided into seven sections defined by medium, the exhibition takes viewers through everchanging gallery environments, which include a mini-theatre for viewing animated cartoons and anime, immersive video spaces and innovative reading environments for visitors to experience a deluge of manga, graphic novels and comics. Built to ensure visitors are exposed to the full breath of the media, the exhibition comprises more than 600 artworks, including original sketches, concept drawings, sketchbooks, storyboards, production drawings, films, video games, animation cels, three dimensional models, sculptures, books, manga and much more. The artists and works in the exhibition were selected by a group of co-curators, including Bruce Grenville, the exhibition's coordinating curator and curator of the visual arts section; Tim Johnson, curator of animated cartoons; Kiyoshi Kusumi, curator of manga and anime; Seth, curator of comics and graphic novels; Art Spiegelman, curator of comics and graphic novels; Toshiya Ueno, curator of manga and anime; and Will Wright, curator of video games. Each curator was invited on the strength of their unique knowledge of their particular field, favouring practitioners, artists and cultural producers who are highly regarded for their work. Using their strong historical knowledge, each curator was asked to select a small group of artists who had made a significant contribution through a particular work or body of work. To give the overall selection historical context, curators selected precursors in their respective fields, artists who had established their given genres and artists who are leading the way to the future. "The co-curators, who are also co-authors in the publication that accompanies the exhibition, are among the most active and sought-after practitioners in their respective fields. Despite their own vigorous workloads they shared their extraordinary insight and experience of this art," said curator Bruce Grenville. "No one person could have selected the work in this show, but collectively we have drawn a new map of the world of visual culture." KRAZY! is a rare opportunity to see artworks that have shaped the history of contemporary visual culture, including Art Spiegelman's drawings for the first three-page version of his Pulitzer prizewinning Maus; George Herriman's last three drawings for Krazy Kat; Lotte Reiniger's 1927 The Adventures of Prince Achmed, the first feature-length animated cartoon; a sneak preview of Will Wright's groundbreaking video game Spore; and an extraordinary selection of drawings from Yuichi Yokoyama's latest manga, New Engineering. The exhibition also includes works by Moyoco Anno, Lynda Barry, Marcel Broodthaers, Chester Brown, Cao Fei, Milt Gross, Pierre Huyghe, Ichiro Itano, Tim Johnson, Yoko Kanno, Satoshi Kon, Harvey Kurtzman, John Lasseter, Roy Lichtenstein, Christian Marclay, Winsor McCay, Sid Meier, Shigeru Miyamoto, Junko Mizuno, Mamoru Nagano, Claes Oldenburg, Mamoru Oshii, Katsuhiro Otomo, Nick Park, Raymond Pettibon, Seth, Iwatani Toru, Chris Ware, Masaaki Yuasa and many more. The PR lists the manga co-curators as: Kiyoshi Kusumi (Curator -- Manga and Anime) Kiyoshi Kusumi is a freelance writer and cultural critic. He was formerly the editor-in-chief of the Japanese art journal, BT Magazine. Kusumi is currently the editor of the Japanese manga magazine Comickers and is credited with identifying and naming the Nouvelle Manga movement. He is an established art critic and cultural theorist and is considered a global authority on manga. Toshiya Ueno (Curator -- Manga and Anime) Toshiya Ueno is a sociologist, media theorist and critic who lives and works in Japan and Amsterdam. He is currently an associate professor in the Expressive Cultures Department at Wako University, Tokyo. He has written numerous articles, essays and reviews on media, rock/pop music, film, contemporary art, architecture and urban design. Labels: British Columbia, events, exhibits, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Saturday, May 10, 2008 Billy Mavreas is Launching his Graphic Novel INSIDE OUTSIDE OVERLAP  Found on Facebook I'll be signing copies of my new comic book, INSIDE OUTSIDE OVERLAP published by Timeless Books, Toronto. Come by, say hi, have a drink, buy a book, stay and drink even more.
---- Vancouver Launch - June 7, 7:00 pm Lucky's 3972 Main Street. ph: 604-875-9858. Toronto Launch - June 25th, 7:30 pm Part of the The Beguiling monthly series http://drawrings.blogspot.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mavreas Labels: book launches, British Columbia, can-con, events, events links, Montreal, Ontario, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Free Comic Book Day ReportsThis past Saturday, May 3, was Free Comic Book Day across the U.S. and Canada, an event intended to promote comics through local comic book shops. I largely agree with Kevin Boyd that the event should be an opportunity to reach out to the larger community of people who might not venture into comic shops normally or even read comics. This is a great time for local shops to get some free press coverage and lots of potential new customers. With few exceptions, I don't really see this happening. For the most part, the people who show up for this event usually have found out about it in one of their weekly visits to the shop. No press releases are sent out and no outreach or cross-promotion with other organizations is ventured. When I wandered into my own local comic shop around 5 pm to ask how things went, the teenage clerk painting a role-playing model at the large table that takes up the front window of the empty store informed me that most of the free comics vanished in the first hour of the promotion, around 9am, gesturing to a pile of brochures and 3 copies of the VIZ/Shonen Jump giveaway to indicate all that remained. As far as I could tell, the sole message to the outside world that something unique was happening today was a lone poster in the window, competing with the other posters. The events that I heard of before hand include the signings at the Silver Snail and the Beguiling event at the Toronto Public Library (which began at noon). Here are some reports and pictures: Stuart Immonen Jason Truong reports Chris Butcher reports on the Beguiling event Strange Adventures in Halifax got some press A picture of Elfsar in Vancouver Labels: British Columbia, events, free, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Toronto, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday, May 01, 2008 Bob Bierman, 1921-2008  Cartoonist Sued by Vander Zalm Victoria Times and Monday magazine editorial cartoonist Bob Bierman died as a result of a stroke April 16, according to a report by the Globe and Mail. Born in Amsterdam, Bierman worked for a variety of Dutch publications before emigrating to Canada in 1950. He first worked as a bar doorman in Toronto before moving to British Columbia in 1954, eventually publishing his first cartoons with the Victoria Times. After the merger of the Times and the Victoria Colonist in 1976, Bierman published in the weekly alternative paper, Monday Magazine. Besides regular contributions to the annual Portfoolio collections of Canadian caricature, Bierman published one book, 1984: A Collection of Political Cartoons (New Star Books,1982). Bierman is best known for a court case involving Bill Vander Zalm. The cartoonist drew a cartoon of then-Human Resources Minister Vander Zalm pulling the wings off flies and was sued for libel by the future B.C. premiere and amusement park owner (who was also a Dutch immigrant). A $3500 decision against Bierman and his publisher was later overturned by the B.C. Court of Appeal. A collection of Bierman's cartoons can be seen here. Labels: British Columbia, obituaries, Ontario, political cartooning, Toronto - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Thursday Links
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Monday, April 28, 2008 Weekend News and Comment Catch-Up
Labels: Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, censorship, comics history, copyright, events links, interviews, Ontario, pod casts, Toronto, U.S. superhero franchises, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
Friday, April 18, 2008 This Weekend: Vancouver Comics Jamfrom organizer Ed Brisson: When: Saturday, April 19th, 2008. 8pm until midnight. Labels: British Columbia, comic jams, events, Vancouver - Stumble It! - Leave a comment!| 0comments - - we honor OpenID -
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