SEQUENTIAL TV
a youtube playlist
spawn player
in new window
submit a youtube post
• Alberta
• B.C.
• Calgary
• Halifax
• Gatineau
• Moncton
• Montreal
• N.Brunswick
• Newfoundland
• Nova.S
• Ontario
• P.E.I.
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Saskatoon
• Toronto
• Vancouver
• Victoria
• Winnipeg
• TCAF
• TCAF'09 Special Coverage
• Expozine
• Events
• Comic
Jams • New
Books • Launches
• Zines
• Festivals
• BD
• Conventions
• Awards
• Bestsellers
• Graphic
Novels • Manga
• Links
• Comics
Retailers • News
•
| Subscribe to Sequential |
| google group site |
POSTS BY TITLE
Tintin in Quebec
Upcoming: Dave Lapp's Children of the Atom
Transmission X on London UK radio
The C-List: Identity Thieves and Others
Upton uploading
Dat guy Kalman
Tonite: Seth in New York
The C-List: Bike Thieves and Others
Interview with Chris Butcher, TCAF Director
Small Press Networking and Promotion Opportunity
MONTHLY
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
Published
by
Spilt Ink
About
This Site
Authors
B.Munn
D.Howard
Publisher
M.Douglas
CanCon
Links Page
Global
Links Page
Linky
Posts Page
Tintin in Quebec  The National Post saw fit to run this article about the Quebecois verion of Herge's Coke en Stock on its front page Saturday. It's not exactly an earth-shaking front-page style story, but hey, it was the weekend. The lowdown? The book was supposed to be the first "regional" translation of the Tintin adventures for Quebec. Even though French-speaking people in Quebec have been reading Tintin in the original Franco-Belgian for decades, the new version included a title change and the addition of Quebec slang or "juoual", and even though the book is a nominal bestseller in the province, with 10,000 copies sold to date, the critical response has ranged from indifference to outrage. If your French is up to it, you might want to read this Le Devoir article from 2008 which touches on the same points but also includes a Michel Rabagliati quote. There is a discussion and specific criticisms of the language of the book at the tintologists site. I also enjoyed this post by Eric Bouchard on the Monet bookstore's blog, which mentions the use of joual and Tintin in the comics of Valium and of Luc Giard. One of the major criticisms is that the characters in the book don't sound like themselves. No longer individuals (ie, swearing sailor, polite boy reporter, spoiled Arab brat), they all talk like working class French-Canadians. Herge published Coke en Stock in 1958 the English translation, in print since the 70s, is known as "The Red Sea Sharks" --the original title being a play on words that referred, I think, sharks, as well as to the Coke used as fuel on boats and also a codeword used by the slavetraders in the book. ("Colocs" translates as "Roommates" as far as I can tell. A little help?) I expect people are generally baffled more than angered, but what do I know. Labels: bd, international, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, February 01, 2010 Paul a Quebec wins Prix du Public Fnac-SNCF at Angouleme  Michel Rabagliati's latest graphic novel, Paul a Quebec, the sixth in his Paul series, has won an audience favourite prize at the giant Angouleme comics festival in France. This is the first time a Canadian book has won one of the many Angouleme prizes, handed out over the course of the week-long festival. The book won the complicated-sounding "Prix du Public FNAC-SNCF" (sponsored by a book site and the French national railway). Following a public vote that took place over the past two months online, a large selection of French and international titles was winnowed down and a jury selected a winner from among five finalists early Sunday morning. The winning book is scheduled for a big promotion via the FNAC stores. Basically a fan-favourite or popularity award, the Prix du Public for Paul a Quebec puts an interesting spin on our perceptions of the place of the Quebec graphic novel in France. As I wrote in the print edition of Sequential almost a year ago, in France "Quebec comics often struggle to gain acceptance on their own terms and Quebec publishers have had a hard time finding a foothold in the larger European market." This sort of looks like a foothold to me. The book is published by La Pasteque, who note on their blog that the Angouleme prize is a "consecration" that goes along way towards establishing the Paul books as classics. (The Angouleme site offers a guide to the book here.) Official announcement of prizes.  Labels: awards, bd, graphic novels, international, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, January 24, 2010 January Jam de JanvierBonjour a Tous! Hello to all! The first Montreal Comix Jam of 2010 will be this Thursday, January 28! 8 PM at L’Escalier, 552 Sainte-Catherine East, Metro Berri-Uqam. As always, bring your gear and a happy mood! See you there! View Larger Map Labels: comic jams, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Saturday, January 16, 2010 Excursion sous la terre  A collective of Montreal art comix creators, printers and friends are putting on an exhibit of work. Show will include pieces from Arthur Desmarteaux, Julie Doucet, Pascaline Knight, Le dernier cri, Jacynthe Loranger, Allison Moore, Dominique Petrin, Jesse Purcell, Seripop, Caroline Sury, Valerie Sury, Henriette Valium. More info on this site. For information: Caroline Cloutier ccloutier@arprim.org ARPRIM Coalition for the promotion of art printed 372 Sainte-Catherine Ouest, espace 426, Montreal 514 525-2621 info@arprim.org www.arprim.org Labels: art show, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, December 07, 2009 Jack Ruttan at the Montreal Comic ConThe Montreal Comic Con had it's December one day event this past Sunday. Despite plans to attend i missed it, but local writer and cartoonist Jack Ruttan [utopiamoment.ca] was there and has uploaded another impressive set of interviews and photos. We've collected the video into a playlist you wan watch bellow, along with the slide show of photos bellow that. Read Jack's musings about it on his site here. "Didn't I just do one of these in September? And then there was Expozine last month. So, many of these artist seemed like old friends. It was fun brandishing around my little Lumix DMC-FS3 and talking to artists. Sound was a little off (and some interviews are in French), but I think things are audible if you turn up the volume." In the playlist appears Convention organizers Oscar and Elizabeth. Eric Theriault, Isabelle Stephen, Michel Lacombe, Sid Vane and Gloria, Patrick Langlois, Troma, Jimmy Suzan, Fred Mahieu, Steph Dumais, Noumier Tawilah, Jipi McCloud, And Janardan. Labels: conventions, events, interviews, Montreal, photos, Quebec, video - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Harvey Graphic Novel Wins GG  Harvey, a graphic novel by writer Herve Bouchard and artist Janice Nadeau, has won two awards in the children's literature category of the Governor General's Awards. Published by Quebec publisher La Pasteque, the book won in both the writer and illustrator categories for French-language children's literature. As noted during the announcement of the awards on November 17, this is the first time one book has won in both categories of children's literature (text and illustration). The double win is also notable in light of last year's controversy over the lack of nomination for cartoonist Jillian Tamaki for her work on the English-language graphic novel Skim, for which writer Mariko Tamaki was nominated. Each award is valued at $25,000 and each winner receives a specially-bound copy of the winning book created by Montreal bookbinder Lise Dubois. The publisher receives $3,000 per winning book as well. This is the third career GG win for artist Nadeau. Harvey is described at the Awards website as a book that "makes us feel the confusion and helplessness of a little boy faced with the death of his father. [Herve Bouchard's] surprising and extremely sensitive writing is deeply moving. Through a series of poetically powerful metaphors, he allows us the freedom to explore the multiple layers of his story." Janice Nadeau's drawings depict "the sadness of spring and the melancholy of loss. The subtle drawings dance with the text and give rhythm to the reading. Herve Bouchard's Quebec comes alive under the brush strokes of the illustrator." GG Press release Labels: awards, bd, graphic novels, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, November 23, 2009 Montreal Comix Jam  Bonjour a Tous / Hello to all! The next Montreal Comix Jam will be Thursday, November 26, 8 PM at L'Escalier, 552, Sainte-Catherine East, second floor over the magazine shop, across the street from the Metro Berri-Uqam. As always, bring your pens pencils and imaginations. View Larger Map Labels: comic jams, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, November 12, 2009 EXPOZINE 2009  EXPOZINE, Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 2009, from 12 - 6 p.m. at 5035 St-Dominique (Laurier Métro). Free admission. OPENING PARTY, Friday November 13 at Sky Blue Door, 5403b Saint-Laurent (side door) 7 p.m. – 11 p.m., free admission With Pharmakon MTL, Marc-Antoine K. Phaneuf, Simon Paquet and guests. ABOUT EXPOZINE This incredible event brings together nearly 300 creators of all kinds of publications and printed matter – from books to zines to posters and graphic novels – in both English and French. In the past eight years, Expozine has become one of North America's largest small press fairs, attracting thousands of visitors as well as exhibitors from across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. And for the first time, this year’s edition will feature a program of readings and discussions each afternoon. At Expozine, you’ll discover a universe of publications and printed works that is hard to find anywhere, much less all in the same room! It’s your opportunity to meet hundreds of young and emerging authors, publishers and artists, and see what the winners of last year’s Expozine Alternative Press Awards are up to. READINGS AND DISCUSSIONS AT EXPOZINE: English readings and discussion (coordinated by Sara Spike and Jenny Lee Craig of the Greasy Goose Salon): Saturday, 3 p.m., Discussion: Printed Matter or Printed Doesn't Matter? With panelists Peggy Burns, Aaron Costain, Anna Leventhal and Jim Munroe. Moderated by Jeff Miller (Ghost Pine fanzine) Sunday 2 p.m., readings by : Nadia Moss, Alisha Piercy and Laura Boo Lectures en français à Expozine ( organisé par Les Éditions Rodrigol ) : Samedi 14h : Catherine Cormier-Larose, François Guerrette et invités mystères. Discussion en français à Expozine, dimanche 15h : Problématique de la petite édition / diffusion Animation par Greg Sadetsky (La Conspiration Dépressionniste) + conférenciers surprenants That's November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 2009, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 5035 St-Dominique (Eglise Saint-Enfant Jesus, between St-Joseph and Laurier, near Laurier Metro). [street view links] expozine@archivemontreal.org Labels: conventions, events, events links, Expozine, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, November 09, 2009 Bruno Laporte, 1964-2009  Montreal Cartoonist was BD Ambassador The cartoonist Bruno Laporte died Sunday, October 25, in a Montreal paragliding accident. Laporte was best known as the artist behind the "Rupert K." series of humourous albums. Beginning in 1988, Laporte began placing his comics work in a variety of Quebec publications. Laporte's Rupert K, his anti-authoritarian boy character, equal parts Adrian Mole and Bart Simpson, first appeared in the pages of the University of Montreal's student paper. With his writer brother Gilles Laporte, he produced three Rupert K albums between 1997 and 2001. A fourth was finished and awaiting publication at the time of his death. Laporte was an unceasing booster of Quebec bande dessinee and was also, through Rupert, one of the first Quebec cartoonists to make a foray into the European market, appearing at France's Angouleme festival in 2000. A funeral was held October 30th and a memorial website has been established at brunolaporte.net. 400 coups/Publisher's website Labels: bd, Montreal, obituaries, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, November 05, 2009 James Kochalka's Little Paintings @ Monastiraki Nov 6Galerie Monastiraki is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by international comic artist James Kochalka. More here. Little Paintings November 6 - December 4, 2009  Vernissage and live music performance : Friday November 6, 2009 7-10 pm Labels: art show, exhibits, international, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sully on Inkstuds   Sherwin Tjia aka Sully, one of my favorite people, is the latest interview subject of Robin McConnell on Vancouver's Inkstuds. Great interview, just finished listening myself.The guys talk about his latest book Hipless boy with conundrum press, the slow dance nights and strip spelling b's, some good writing and proses talk, monastiraki, and language dynamics in love. Also, really nice selection of music played throughout selected by Sully I think. Good one. Also the inkstuds mix tapes continue to rock. Labels: interviews, interweb, Montreal, pod casts, Quebec, Vancouver - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, October 29, 2009 Seth reading at the D&Q shop November 3rd  Under a cover sporting a Salgood Sam illustration, the Montreal Mirror has a short piece announcing an up coming reading at the D&Q shop with Seth...A LIFE IN PICTURES:
View Larger Map Labels: aperances, Montreal, new books, Quebec, reading, singing - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, October 26, 2009 theMMCJ: Revolutionary October Comic Jam Co: Jane Tremblay Bonjour/Hello Comrades! Veuillez prendre note que le prochain Comix Jam aura lieu ce jeudi 29 octobre, 20 heures au cafe L'Escalier (pres de la bouche de metro Berri donnant sur Ste-Catherine comme a l'accoutume. Amenez, votre attirail vos amis et votre repertoire de chansons marxistes ;)! Pleace take note that the next Comix Jam will be held this coming Thursday, October 29, 8 PM at L'Escalier (Near the Berri Metro on St-Catherine) As usual. Bring your drawing gear, friends and your favorite Marxist songs ;)! [that last part is a gage i think] Jane - La Guide Supreme de la Revolution Caviar de la Republique Boulimique. (qui ne sera pas la car elle doit travailler pour le Proletariat et les Opprimes de la Terre.) View Larger Map Labels: comic jams, events, events links, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Lancement de Veena et les spectres du temps avec Eric Theriault  Co: Eric Theriault "Hello friends! It is my pleasure to invite you to the launch of my new book Friday, October 23 at librairie Planete BD. I am glad to see this new Veena comic finished, a compilation of 3 older stories and a new novel, all in full-color and for the first time in French! The book is published by les editions 400 Coups in the Rotor collection, edited by Michel Viau. Ca me fait plaisir de vous inviter au lancement de mon nouveau livre, ce vendredi 23 octobre a la librairie Planete BD. Je suis bien content de voir termine ce nouveau livre de Veena et les Spectres du Temps qui est une compilation de 3 histoires classiques et une nouvelle inedite, tout en couleur et pour la premiere fois, en francais. Le livre est edite par les editions 400 Coups dans la collection Rotor, dirigee par Michel Viau, cartonne a toute epreuve avec une belle couverture à vernis selectif!" Eric's home page Facebook event page Friday, 23 October 2009 17:30 - 21:00 Planète BD 3883 St-Denis Montreal, QC View Larger Map Labels: book launches, Montreal, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, October 08, 2009 This Weekend: Giant Comics Rendezvous in Quebec  10th Rendez-vous international de la bande dessinee de Gatineau This weekend is the big RVIBDG in Gatineau, Quebec, featuring a select cross-section of international comics. This is a big festival, part of a book fest called the "Salon du livre de l'Outaouais" and involves the mayor and a whole swathe of culture-crats. This year, the line-up includes LOUSTAL and Lewis TRONDHEIM (France), Christophe BERTSCHY (Switzerland), Christian DURIEUX (Belgium), Lynn JOHNSTON and Ronn SUTTON (English-Canada). Quebec guests include Francis DESHARNAIS (Burquette), Jean-Philippe MORIN (Archibald le cannibale, L'Astronaute and Docteur Big Love), Gabriel MORRISSETTE (Northguard, Daisy Dreamer, Egide, etc.), Daniel SHELTON (BEN), Nicolas BOUCHER, alias Nicoco B. (DAIMON, les memoires de Nick Butch), and Myriam ROY (Nouvelle Ere) --these last two graduates in Comics from the Ecole multidisciplinaire de l'image (Universite du Quebec en Outaouais), one of the only degree-granting schools of comic art in Canada. As well, some 15 writers and artists will be joining our guests on the festival site, including Jean-Sebastien Berube, Serge Brouillet, Alain Champagne, Philippe Daveze, Tristan Demers, Cyril Doisneau, Tom Fowler, Caroline Frechette, Normand Gregoire, Jocelyn Jalette, Michel Rabagliati, Paul Roux, Craig A. Taillefer, and Stanley Wany. Lots of exhibitors and signings, too. Thanksgiving weekend, October 9 to 12, Theatre Foyer, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Quebec (free admission) Labels: bd, events, festivals, international, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, October 07, 2009 New Books: Tuer Velasquez by Philippe Girard  Tuer Velasquez by Philippe Girard Glenat Quebec ISBN # 72923621173 $19.95 A childhood memoir by the author of "The Ravine". Labels: bd, graphic novels, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, September 28, 2009 The Hipless Boy by Sully launches in Montreal September 29  "My book! I'm launching my book! I spent years making this thing! The cover is orange like a popsicle! The back cover looks like a tequila sunrise! Hope to see you there." Say for a second you're just a normal person. You live in a hipster neighbourhood but you’re not a hipster. You’re hipless. This the premise behind this collection of interlinked stories done in a graphic novel format that originally found life as a weekly column in the McGill Daily. The protagonist here tries to live his life like an open heart, and a curious cat, meeting and mingling with a collection of Montreal oddballs. He finds love, loses love, learns to like cross-dressing, and finds something else. Along for the ride are his best friends Minerva and Owen. She is a semi-bisexual private-school dropout, he is an art-school fabulist who constantly conjures up new ways to court controversy. Samples Publishers Site Drawn & Quarterly Bookstore 211 Bernard O. Montreal, QC Labels: events, events links, Montreal, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, September 18, 2009 Montreal Comic Con - new guests.Co: Eric Gibeau of the Montreal Comic Con. Subject: NOUVEL INVTE! / NEW GUEST! + Q & A Sunday / Dimanche Labels: aperances, conventions, events, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Montreal Comix Jam September 24Hello to all/Bonjour a Tous! The September Comix Jam will be this coming Thursday, September 24, 8 PM at L'Escalier at 552, Sainte-Catherine East, Metro Berri-Uqam. As always, amenez votre attirail d'artiste et votre bonne humeur! bring your gear and a happy mood! Jane Labels: comic jams, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Montreal Comic Con this weekend!  Hi everyone,The Montreal Comic-Con will be held on Sept. 19th and 20th@ Place Bonaventure. photo by orbital-vancouver I'll be attending the event this year as a guest [Salgood Sam], look forward to seeing some friends. Here's the information I've been sent so far...
Costume contest Place Bonaventure 800, De La Gauchetière Street, West Montreal (Quebec) H5A 1K6 Labels: aperances, conventions, events, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments New Books: Little Lush  by Jacinthe Leclerc (words) and Eva Rollin (pictures)
- Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, August 20, 2009 Poor Traits - Vernissage Friday Aug 22 @ 6pm  Caro Caron wrote: "prochaine expo de groupe/next group show,vernissage samedi!!!" 1649 Amherst(un peu en-haut de maisonneuve..merci Florent!) Labels: art show, exhibits, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, August 06, 2009 Anticipation 09 starts today  The 2009 Worldcon is being held in Montreal this week, from August 6th to 10th. They have some cool sounding stuff programed, read more about it all here. Guests of Honour are Neil Gaiman, Elisabeth Vonarburg, David Hartwell, Taral Wayne, Tom Doherty and Master of Ceremonies, Julie Czerneda. 2008 Nobel Laureate in Economics Professor Paul Krugman will also be in attendance, as will be Melissa Auf der Maur, presenting her new project, "Out of Our Minds" [a multimedia concept album featuring a CD, a fantasy film, and a comic]. Labels: book launches, conventions, events, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 1 comments Monday, July 27, 2009 The Monthly Montreal Comic Jam  Once a month, nearly every month! Tous les mois, ou presque!An evening of good-humoured drawing, conversation and, incidentally, a wee bit of drinking. Bring your artistic weapons of choice, be it wits or brushes. Venez dessiner, discuter, prendre un verre et liberer vos energies creatrices en notre compagnie. Aiguisez-bien vos crayons et votre esprit, on vous attend! This month: Start Time: Thursday, July 30 at 7:30pm L'Escalier 552, Ste-Catherine E Montreal, QC theMMCJgroup BLOG Labels: comic jams, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, July 19, 2009 Rick Trembles' Motion Picture Purgatory Vol. Two  Devices Tonight @Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival! Rick will be out in full zombie makeup doing his thing on the stage tonight, with his band the American Devices, billing with Futensil & Yamantaka Sonic Titan July 19 @ Bar Le Saphir (3699 boul. St-Laurent). He's also produced this 3 minute ' TV ad' for the show staring Nikki Godless as an interrogator; warning, not 'safe for the office' in most places probably. ;) If you dig this you for sure will find the show impressive. He'll also be playing with Nomeansno & Grand Trine, Suono per il Popolo Music Festival, Friday, June 26th @ La Sala Rossa (4848 boul. St-Laurent) Learn more about the awesome Fantasia fest here, Pre-order Motion Picture Purgatory Volume Two from FAB Press HERE. Labels: art show, book launches, events, events links, festivals, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, July 15, 2009 New Sites - MONTREAL COMIC-CON & Sword of My Mouth Two new web sites to check out. The Montreal Comic Con has some new crew members and a new look, the site has been re-launched with information about the upcoming September show, it's in Beta mode so they are inviting feedback - check it out and let them know...  We just launched the brand new Montreal Comic-Con website - www.montrealcomiccon.com. Please feel free to send us your comments and/or suggestions about it. Any comments and/or suggestions regarding the event itself are also welcomed. Mini-site for Sword of My Mouth & How To Enjoy Research Publisher Author and DIY king Jim Munroe has set up a mini site for Sword of My Mouth, the sequel to Therefore Repent! and also has a little advice for one of my favorite things but not his, how to enjoy Research!
Labels: conventions, links, Montreal, new books, Ontario, publishing, Quebec, Toronto, webcomics - Stumble It! - 0 comments 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! - 0 comments Tuesday, July 14, 2009 Summer Reading: Eric Theriault  Our fifth Summer Reading List comes from cartoonist Eric Theriault. Eric has some interesting news about a new Quebec comics imprint. Please send us your list. Hi guys, I won't have too much time to read a lot this summer or travel or anything because I have a lot of work and a deadline with my own book. 400 Coups, one of the big Quebec publishers of art books, kid books and art/autobio comics thru the label Mecanique Generale, have started a new label to complete the diverse genres of bande-dessinee that they want to publish. It's Rotor and it's dedicated to "genre" comics: sci-fi, fantasy, detective, adventures, etc ... Rotor: can you see the relationship with Mecanique? It's a Garage thing ! So, they asked me if I wanted to do a "complete Veena", an edition that would compile everything from my character Veena. So, it will be called Veena et les spectres du temps and will cover Veena # 1-2-3-4, plus illustrations plus a brand new story ( actually, I think my work fit exactly in between the two labels because it's not strictly genre either...) The fun thing is that I may be known for this character but many have never read it because they don't read English. So, a hard cover book, all in color and in french will be an introduction to Veena for many, 18 years after I first published the first mini-comic here in Montreal. So, I'm glad! But I still have to finish re-lettering and coloring 70 pages! I also have a 5 pages proposal for an American comic that I'm doing with a Montreal writer. It's a weird mix of humour and action. The closest thing in my mind would be Howard the Duck, or anything written by the late Steve Gerber... And I'm also still doing one page a month of Stats, a humour thing in every issue of Safarir, the Quebec answer to Mad magazine. Kurt Beaulieu is my writer. So, reading? I'll try to go thru the pile of unread comics where there is still a lot of Charles Burns, Adrian Tomine, Acme Novelty, American Splendor and anthologies like Typhon... And I'm also looking forward to reading Genesis by Robert Crumb! Ciao ! Eric Theriault http://mistertheriault.blogspot.com/ Labels: "summer reading 09", Montreal, news, Quebec, summer reading - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, July 07, 2009 Summer Reading: Daniel Ha  Our third summer reading list come from Daniel Ha, illustrator/cartoonist, part-time dentist, and a member of the AIIQ (Association des Illustrateurs et Illustratrice du Quebec). http://www.dvhstudios.com/ dvhstudios@gmail.com Sequential: What is your latest project? At the moment, I am working on 2 webcomics: "Casanovice" and "1 Page Stand." Casanovice is a comedic strip about the differences between guys and girls and about their relationships. I like to think of it as an anti-Sex and the City because it's from the male point-of-view but also because the guys in the strips are in their 20s and more of the gamer/slacker type than the late 30s and professional women of the hit show. 1 Page Stand is a 1 page comic about my observations and sometimes the place where I experiment or try to find something that expresses the truth about our lives (I said try). What books you have recently read or are planning to read? Recently finished: Kampung Boy by Lat Path of the Assassin vol2 by Koike and Kojima Chroniques Birmanes by Delisle Les petits riens de Lewis Trondheim vol 1-2 Pink by Okazaki Boule de Neige by various Planning to reread: The Arrival by Tan and a collection by Chaboute Planning to read: a Paul Auster book I saw at the library yet haven't borrowed yet, all the books I can borrow about Vietnam (research purposes) and all the BDs I can borrow to limit the money I spend on comics. I also plan on finishing Path of the Assassin, 9 volumes of Swamp Thing and Berlin by Lutes. Any upcoming events/upcoming publications? What is your next project? I have a table reserved at Otakuthon to promote/sell my work (1st time). Then I'm going to be working on a proposal for Front Froid and after that something to show at this year's expozine. I will also be continuing my research about Vietnam (for a comic about vietnamese-canadians) and updating my site's comics section with new strips or some short stories.  Labels: "summer reading 09", guest bloggers, Montreal, Quebec, summer reading - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, June 28, 2009 An argument for BloodOk, so the headline is a bit hyperbolic, but it amused me. This is pretty cool, Matt sent this to me while I was in NY an moronically i failed to post it then, dope. Sorry 'bout that. This features some interesting pencil art, no inking and a lot of texture by Mike Shoyket. [link?] Working on promoting Captain Blood, a novel adaptation I wrote for SLG, we were faced with the now-familiar quandry of how to encourage individual retailers to order the book rather than hoping to see it on shelves. Rather than get into the whole issue here, I refer you to the comic below -- rewritten and relettered pages from the original Captain Blood #1 -- that illustrate the whole situation in brilliant 1700s action! For my tardiness I claim exhaustion and a mild travelers high. Looked good right off but i only just read it all the way through now. Spoiler/Warning, "Big Publisher Beach" not cast in such a kind light here, I take it as satire myself but if you disagree perhapses you will mention this at your local comic shop and ask them what they think after showing them? Enjoy!  And, there's a trailer too of course... :) Captain Blood Trailer from SLG Publishing on Vimeo. Labels: can-con, interweb, manifestos, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 2 comments Wednesday, June 24, 2009 New Directors Announced and Creditors of Quebecor approve printing giant's reorganization plan  By Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 6/23/2009 5:44:00 AMCreditors of Quebecor in both the U.S. and Canada have approved the printing giant's reorganization plan, clearing the way for the company to emerge from bankruptcy in mid-July. The company reported that 86% of creditors in the U.S. approved the plan while 96% of Canadian creditors supported the plan. A joint confirmation hearing on the U.S. plan and the Canadian plan is scheduled for June 30 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Barring any last minute issues, Quebecor anticipates consummating both plans next month. More on PW site here ---> Labels: international, news, printing, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, June 23, 2009 Montreal Comic Jam Once a month, nearly every month! Tous les mois, ou presque!An evening of good-humoured drawing, conversation and, incidentally, a wee bit of drinking. Bring your artistic weapons of choice, be it wits or brushes. Both, ideally. Venez dessiner, discuter, prendre un verre et libErer vos Energies crEatrices en notre compagnie. Aiguisez-bien vos crayons et votre esprit, on vous attend! Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 7:30pm L'Escalier 552, Ste-Catherine E Montreal, QC theMMCJgroup BLOG Labels: comic jams, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Saturday, June 20, 2009 Hugues Labiano @ chez Planete BD   Singing with Hugues LabianoSaturday, July 4, 2009 2:00pm - 4:00pm Planete BD 3883 St-Denis Montreal, QC Facebook event page and found a clip about the work too... Labels: international, Montreal, Quebec, singing, video - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, May 26, 2009 Monthly Montreal Comics Jam May 28  The next Monthly Montreal Comic Jam, they don't say much but it'll be at L'Escalier (former L'Utopik) 552, Sainte-Catherine East, Metro Berri-Uqam this Thursday, May 28 at 7.30 PM. Someone needs to tell them they need to work on the press/announcements some - oh, guess i just did. Have a fun time guys! Facebook group Not updated in a while web site poke poke ;) Labels: comic jams, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 1 comments Friday, May 08, 2009 Sequential Pulp in the pixels
Labels: comic strips, comics criticism, comics history, comics in libraries, interviews, Montreal, new books, Ontario, profiles, Quebec, Sequential Pulp, tcaf, TCAF09, Toronto, Vancouver - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, April 20, 2009 Prix Bedeis Causa Winners  The winners of the 2009 Prix Bedeis Causa, one of the two major awards given to French-language comics in Quebec, were announced on April 17 as part of the annual Festival de la BD Francophone de Quebec in Quebec City. The long-running humour magazine Croc was awarded the historic Albert Chartier prize. The prizes, recognizing popular and critically-praised comics and creators, are as follows: PRIX REAL FILLION - Francis Desharnais, for Burquette (Editions les 400 coups) GRAND PRIX LA VILLE QUEBEC - Burquette, by Francis Desharnais (Editions les 400 coups) PRIX ALBERIC BOURGEOIS - Les Nombrils Vol. 3: Les liens l'amitie, by Delaf and Dubuc (Dupuis) PRIX MAURICE PETITDIDIER - Tout seul, by Chaboute (Vents d'Ouest) PRIX ALBERT CHARTIER - Magazine Croc, 1979-1995 --- Read the full awards coverage at ActuaBD.  Labels: awards, bd, events, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, April 10, 2009 Montreal D&D Comics Jam!  Co facebook and the D&D Montreal blogFor the next D&D we decided to resurrect the Comics Jam! [Ed:they are not dead, but they have not happen at Casa Del Popolo in about 4 or so years] What is a "Comics Jam"? It’s a collaborative drawing party, and YOU are invited. HOW: Bring a nice piece of paper, divide it up into segments, and start drawing (painting, colouring…). When you have filled one square you pass it to someone else and they fill the next square and pass it on. There are no rules, styles vary, stories unfold, people fall in love, wars break out, the world is knocked off it’s axis, Days of Our Lives is still on television, shit is fun. WHERE: Casa del Popolo, 4873 St-Laurent WHEN: Wednesday, April 15 7 p.m. WHY: Because. Labels: comic jams, events, events links, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, April 09, 2009 Publishing: Secret Identities by Nicolas Mahler  Secret Identities by Nicolas Mahler La Pasteque ISBN 978-2-922585-77-3 ISBN 978-2-922585-77-3 96 pages $ 24.95  Labels: art books, bd, graphic novels, publishing, Quebec, U.S. superhero franchises - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, April 03, 2009 Onomatopoeia BEM  This week on The Onomatopoeia Show!The long awaited interview with indie creator Bernie Mireault. I'm betting good monet Robin and Bernie geeked out big time, they will be talking about POTA, Gaimen, Grendel, Allred and a guy named The Jam. Bernie's got a very distinctive way of telling stories that i was blown away as a kid by myself when i saw his work in Grendel years ago. Check out his stuff at his site and tune in this Sunday online. The Onomatopoeia Show - Sundays from 3-4pm (eastern time) www.cartoongal.com or www.cjlo.com Labels: interviews, Montreal, pod casts, Quebec, radio - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, March 27, 2009 expo BAGARRE | Du 6 au 17 avril 2009 I was unable to do anything for this myself sadly, but I was on the mailing list Jimmy Beaulieu sent out to rope this together, voyeuristic watching it via mailings, it seems to have come together very well, little excited to see this! "...yesterday was a day of pure magic, because I've received a tremendous quantity of great pages for the expo (an astonishing total of 282 !!!) - Again, THANK YOU, I'm utterly moved by your dynamic & generous work. Jimmy (kiss to girls, handshake to guys)"Jimmy whom i've worked with, is a pretty discerning fellow, so this is a very good sign, make sure to make time for this one if you can. Labels: art show, events, events links, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Social Ink | Montreal & Moncton Comic Jams upcoming An evening of good-humoured drawing, conversation and, incidentally, a wee bit of drinking. Bring your artistic weapons of choice, be it wits or brushes. Both, ideally. Venez dessiner, discuter, prendre un verre et liberer vos energies creatrices en notre compagnie. Aiguisez-bien vos crayons et votre esprit, on vous attend! Thursday, March 26, 2 8:00pm - 12:00am @ the Cock 'n' Bull 1944 Ste-Catherine West Montreal, QC A collaborative gathering of cartoonists & doodlers passing around comix pages. Everyone contributes a panel of words, drawings or both until the page is full! Pages are then posted on the blog and eventually destined to be published in a Jam book! C'est le Monkeytown Comix Jam: Monday/lundi, March 30 mars at the Laundromat (corner St.-George and Cameron.) Les jams commencent vers 19h/ Jams start around 7pm. Jams are kid-friendly (accompanied by legal guardians) from 7pm to about 9pm. After that, we kind of become a bad influence what with the potty mouth and the questionable taste and stuff... Les mineurs sont bienvenus (lorsque leurs gardiens legaux les accompagnent) jusqu'a 21h. Catch toi there! March 30, 7:00pm - 10:00pm The Laundromat Espresso Bar 382B rue St-George Moncton, NB Labels: comic jams, events, events links, Moncton, Montreal, New Brunswick, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, March 23, 2009 Bedeis Causa Awards Nominees Announced  One of two major French-language Quebec comics awards (3 if we count the Expozine prize), the Bedeis Causa will be handed out as part of the 22nd Festival de la bande dessinee francophone de Quebec (FBDFQ). The ceremony will be held at l'Observatoire de la Capitale on April 17. You can see the awards discussed at this thread at the BDQ site. The Nominees: Prix Real-Fillion Best first album - Maryse Chouinard, Soeur mon ame (Monet Editeur) - Francis Desharnais, Burquette (Editions les 400 coups) - Yvon Roy, Agaguk (Editions Adonis) Grand prix de la Ville de Quebec Best French-language album published in Quebec - Burquette, by Francis Desharnais (Editions les 400 coups) - Les Ravins, by Philippe Girard (Mecanique generale) - Voyage en zone d'exploitation, by Louis Remillard (Editions les 400 coups) Prix Alberic-Bourgeois Best French-language foreign album by someone from Quebec - Les Nombrils 3 : Les liens de l'amitie, by Delaf et Dubuc (Dupuis) - Les Druides 4 : La ronde des geants, by Jacques Lamontagne (Soleil Producitons) - L'ordre des dragons 1 : La lance, by Denis Rodier (Soleil Productions) Prix Maurice-Petitdidier French-language foreign album) - Spirou, Journal d'un ingenu, by Emile Bravo (Dupuis) - Tout seul, by Chaboute (Vents d'Ouest) - Le combat ordinaire, volume 4: Planter des clous, by Manu Larcenet - Stumble It! - 0 comments Saturday, March 21, 2009 The Onomatopoeia Show is Back! | Pat McEwon   After a 3 year hiatus and a move cross country, Canada's oldest radio show about the graphic arts and host Robin Fisher has found a new home at Concordia Universities radio station, CJLO.Interviews, on scene reporting, music, reviews, readings, radio plays, comics, creators, cartoons, action figures, poster art, graphitti, debates about the afore mentioned and more. Onomatopoeia embraces every arm of the graphic arts octopus. For more information and the podcast go to www.cartoongal.com This week on The Onomatopoeia Show Robin interviews the legendary Pat McEwon! From his beginnings at Aircel with Dave Cooper to now, we discover there's no resting on Grendel laurels in the world of McEwon. The music will be artists' choice.    Site Feed Labels: interviews, Montreal, pod casts, Quebec, radio - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, March 17, 2009 Cartooning For Peace  The 10th Action Week Against Racism welcomes a major international exhibit of editorial cartooning in Montreal. "Cartooning for Peace" (Dessins pour la Paix) celebrates freedom of expression and recognizes the work of editorial cartoonists at the world's major newspapers. Guests of honour are Le Monde political cartoonist Plantu, and Michel Kichka, president of the Israel Cartoonists Association (ICA). The exhibit was first mounted at UN headquarters in New York on October 16, 2006, following meetings between Plantu and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. That first show featured 12 of the best-known cartoonists in the world. The exhibit features 50 editorial cartoons by international artists: Kichka (Israel) - Plantu (France) - Lefred-Thouron (France) - Khalil Abu-Arafeh (Palestine) - Baha Boukhari (Palestine) - Gianelli (Italy) - Bahgory (Egypt) - Avi Katz (Israel) - Gado (Kenya) - Joel Pett (USA) - Jiho (France) - Caro (Switzerland) - Cristina Sampaio (Portugal) - Benedicte (Switzerland) - Catherine Beaunez (France) - Luckovitch (USA) - Heng (Singapore) - Kambiz (Iran) - Zlatkovsky (Russia). Cartooning for Peace / Dessins pour la Paix March 12 to 22, 2009 Intergenerational Community Centre 999 McEachran Ave., Outremont, Quebec hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday – 8 am to 6 pm - Wednesday, Thursday – 8 am to 8 pm -Saturday - 10 am to 6 pm contact: Marie Marais, attachee de presse 514-845-2821 – marais@cooptel.qc.ca (thanks to Jeet Heer for the link) Labels: events, exhibits, political cartooning, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, March 10, 2009 Trailer for the NFB Documentary "Roadsworth" from Boing Boing Labels: art. film, graffiti, Montreal, Quebec, street art - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, March 03, 2009 Launch for Pascal Blanchet's new book: Baloney! Following White Rapids -- named "Best Comic of 2007" by The Onion -- Pascal Blanchet brings us Baloney. Winds swirl and darkness reigns over a hamlet perched atop a craggy peak. Russian fatalism sets the tone as Blanchet orchestrates the tale of a village butcher, his disabled daughter, and her tutor, in their doomed uprising against the swaggering Duke Shostakov, local governor and owner of the only heating company in town. Curvy, retro lines and atmospheric, full-page panels evoke plaintive melodies, staccato passages and soaring solos. In a graphic novel about love and despair that is also a homage to the music of the 1930s and 40s, double bassists and trombonists lean into the frame, striking up a score that blends vaudeville with Kurt Weill and Russia's great modern composers. Rendered in two-color, red and black chiaroscuro, light struggles to emerge from darkness and endurance makes way for heroism, all to no avail. Read Baloney as a reverie composed to the melodies of Prokofiev and Shostakovich: a beautiful conjuring of moods, or a call to arms against the exorbitant rates charged by utilities. Praise for White Rapids:Wednesday, March 18, 2009 7:00pm - 10:00pm 211 Bernard O. Montreal, QC 5142792224 rory@drawnandquarterly.com Labels: book launches, events, events links, Montreal, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, March 02, 2009 Kid Koala Presents Music To Draw To - Montreal  An evening of quiet time records to warm up those creative juices in this sub-zero weather.It's winter time in Montreal... Are you slacking off on knitting that scarf you started in 2004? Maybe you've been trying to finish that third act of that play you've been writing...? How's that collection of Sonnets coming along? Are you still sketching out storyboards for that animated short you wanted to make? Bring your sketchbook, yarn, or that lump of clay. Floor lamps, pens, knitting needles, and lap desks will be provided. Five bucks admission includes a free cup of hot chocolate or tea. Music will be provided by Kid Koala. Expect a full 5-hour set of some of his favorite quiet time records that he has collected on his travels around the world. Baked goods will be provided by Kid Koala's wife, Corinne, who dreams of someday opening a bakery in Montreal and would like to try some of her new creations first. Quiet people are invited. Bring something to work on. No dancing. Hope to see you there! 3 NIGHTS ONLY : 7pm until midnight : March 2, 2009 March 9, 2009 March 16, 2009 Theatre St. Catherine: 264 St. Catherine E., Montreal, QC ALL AGES! Labels: comic jams, comics with music, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments EXPOZINE Awards Gala Tuesday, March 3  The Expozine Alternative Press Awards Gala *free admission* Come and celebrate the best of the nearly 300 small presses that took part in last fall's Expozine small press, comic and zine fair! Six prizes will be awarded, recognizing the best book, comic and zine sold at Expozine. Each exhibitor was asked to submit one publication, and the winners were chosen by an esteemed panel of judges out of the hundreds of publications submitted at Expozine 2008. The gala is a rare chance for you to meet and mingle with the most talented up-and-comers of the local publishing scene, as well as purchase copies of the 36 short-listed titles. Admission is free, beer and liquor specials will be in effect, and your MC, Ed Fuller, will regale the crowd! Les nomines: Nomines francophones fanzines : Trio a emporter, par Kathey Tibo Gargouillis indigeste #003, www.gargouillis.com Ffsshmrwlbaouarf par Simon Bosse/ Mille Putois, www.myspace.com/milleputois Ectropion, collectif de cremation litteraire, www.myspace.com/zineectropion Fanzine sans titre, Genevieve Dumas Toxico (Fanzine # 3), par Delf Berg, delfberg.blogspot.com Nomines francophones BD : Hasemeister : C'etait 2007, Frederic Mahieu, www.hasemeister.com La terreur noir pâle, C. Reney Fatima, A. Desmarteaux, Egotrip Productions, www.arthuro.ca Une aventure de M. Pixel, etienne Beck, L'Employe du Moi, www.employe-du-moi.org Chimeris 1: Sirus, Adeline Lamarre, Vaar editeur, www.vaar.ca Humoro Sapiens, Yayo, Les 400 Coups, www.editions400coups.ca Nomines francophones livres : Stephane Ranger, Plusieurs excuses, Ta mere, tamere.org Isabelle Ayotte, Les solitudes de la premiere saison, www.isabelleayotte.blogspot.com Karmen Mantha, Tout est interrelie, editions du Pigeon, www.editionsdupigeon.com Mario Rendace, 28 petites fables typographiques, editions du Colporteur Marie-Andree Gilbert, Le velo couleur peau, editions Les Raboussiers, lesraboussiers.blogspot.com Maxime DeBleu, Une autre seconde, editions Ü, www.utrema.ca The nominees : English Zine: Four Minutes To Midnight no. 10, www.lokidesign.net/2356 Nailbiter: An Anxiety Zine, www.steemilie.free23.net Soulgazers II, Camilla Wynne, Michelle Sterling, Simon Reader, Jeff Miller, Spencer Krug, Anna Leventhal Lickety Split no. 7, www.licketysplitzine.com Mostly True vol.19 issue 7, Bill Daniel, Microcosm Publishing, www.billdaniel.net, www.microcosmpublishing.com Place Magazine, Winter 08 issue, www.placemag.org English Book: Words the Dog Knows, J.R. Carpenter, Conundrum Press, www.conundrumpress.com The Debaucher, Jason Camlot, Insomniac Press www.insomniacpress.com The Sunlight Chronicles, Chris Dyer, Divine Life LLC, www.sunlight-chronicles.com Fear Of Fighting, Stacey May Fowles & Marlena Zuber, Invisible Publishing, www.invisiblepublishing.com Blert, Jordan Scott, Coach House Books, www.chbooks.com Jack, Mike Spry, Snare Books, snarebooks.wordpress.com English Comic: Mourning a lover, Sofeel, myspace.com/sofeel Welcome to the Dollhouse by Ken Dahl, Microcosm Publishing, www.microcosmpublishing.com BFF by Nate Beaty, Microcosm Publishing, natebeaty.com, www.microcosmpublishing.com Hypocrite, Dakota McFadzean, dakota.mcfadzean.googlepages.com Finding Joy, Luke Ramsey, Anteism Publishing, islandsfold.com Kieffer #2, Jason Kieffer, jasonkieffer.com Le Chic Gala des Prix Expozine de l'edition alternative *c'est gratuit!* Dans ses sept annees d'existence, Expozine, la foire annuelle des fanzines, bandes dessinees et petits editeurs de Montreal, est devenu le plus grand rassemblement de publications alternative au pays. L'edition 2008 d'Expozine a battue les records, avec pres de 300 exposants presents et environs 15 000 visiteurs. Le comite organisateur a demande a chacun des exposants de soumettre leur meilleure creation. Six juges distingues ont procede au choix de six finalistes par categorie, les gagnants seront annonces au gala anime par le maître de ceremonie Ed Fuller. De plus, DES COPIES DES 36 PUBLICATIONS NOMINeES SERONT DISPONIBLES POUR ACHAT AU GALA (yay!) -- une rare occasion de se procurer des exemplaires de ces publications souvent obscures, inusitees et la plupart du temps produites a tirages tres limites! Tuesday, March 3, 7:00pm 4873. St-Laurent Montreal, QC facebookpage Labels: awards, bd, events, events links, Expozine, Montreal, new books, Quebec, zine fair, zines - Stumble It! - 0 comments Pascal Blanchet Exposition  Cartoonist and illustrator Pascal Blanchet (White Rapids, Baloney) has a big exhibit running in his home town of Trois Rivieres.Entitled "La Grande Parade", the exhibit runs until March 15th. Read all about it here. La Grande Parade Pascal Blanchet Centre de diffusion Presse Papier 73 St-Antoine, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, February 22, 2009 Montreal Comic Jam February 26 Once a month, nearly every month! Tous les mois, ou presque!An evening of good-humoured drawing, conversation and, incidentally, a wee bit of drinking. Bring your artistic weapons of choice, be it wits or brushes. Both, ideally. Venez dessiner, discuter, prendre un verre et liberer vos energies creatrices en notre compagnie. Aiguisez-bien vos crayons et votre esprit, on vous attend! Facebook page Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 8:00pm Cock ‘n' Bull 1944 Ste-Catherine West Montreal, QC Labels: comic jams, events, events links, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, February 20, 2009 COMIX AND CARTOONING WORKSHOP @ the D&Q shop.The D&Q shop has been holding a popular series of workshops, teaching comics and story telling to kids and adults. Seeding the next gen of doodlers. Picked this announcement, the first of that i know about for the 2009 season off of facebook. COMIX AND CARTOONING WORKSHOP FOR ADULTS Winter/Spring Session ¬ Sunday Nights: March 15, 22nd, 29th And April 5th 6:15-8:15 Fee: $70 for whole session. The fee covers supplies. Course Description: Participants will explore history, ideas and technique in this hands-on workshop. Through a series of projects, basic comic art methodology will be applied such as development of ideas and narrative, panel and page composition, drawing fundamentals and more. Creativity, freedom of expression and originality are key components of this workshop, encouraging each participant to develop their own unique style and interpretation of comic art. Instructor: Howard Chackowicz has been a professional artist for twenty years and has had his comic art and illustrations published and exhibited internationally. His newest book "Howie Action Comix" was released last year from Conundrum Press. To reserve a spot for the course, stop by the store during opening hours to drop off your registration deposit ($40). If you have any questions, email us at rory@drawnandquarterly.com or call 514-279-2224 Labels: comics in school, drawing classes, Montreal, Quebec, workshop - Stumble It! - 0 comments Denis Rodier launches L'Ordre des Dragons chez Planete BD  Co: FacebookDenis Rodier will be appearing at to launch the second volume of his series L'Ordre des Dragons, "Mount Moses" (with Jean-Luc Istin on Sunday). Denis Rodier revient nous visiter nous visiter pour dedicacer le deuxieme volume de son excellente serie L'Ordre des Dragons, "Le Mont Moïse" (avec Jean-Luc Istin, chez Soleil). Labels: bd, book launches, Montreal, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Jean-Claude Fournier singing at Planete BD April 5  De passage dans la province, Jean-Claude Fournier, ancien auteur des Crannibales et de Spirou et Fantasio, et, plus recemment des Chevaux du Vent (avec Lax, dans la collection Aire Libre) viendra faire un petit tour chez Planete BD pour une seance de dedicace. Jean-Claude Fournier is traveling through Quebec and will be stoping at Planete BD for a signing. Formerly an author for Les Crannibales, and Spirou & Fantasio, and more recently Chevaux du Vent [Wind Horses] (with artist Lax in the Aire Libre collection). Sunday, April 5, 2009 2:00pm - 4:30pm 3883 St-Denis Montreal, QC Labels: aperances, bd, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, February 19, 2009 Prix Bedelys NomineesThe nominees for several of the Prix Bedelys categories have been announced. The Prix Bedelys is a group of comics prizes awarded by the non-profit Promo 9e Art, and recognize French-language comics from Quebec and elsewhere. The awards will be handed out later this year. With the exception of the controversial and reputedly funny Burquette, the nominated Quebec books are among the most beautiful-looking French-language comics I've seen this year. The international list is a mixed bag. I've only seen a Bart Beaty review of one or two, but several appear ugly. Am I wrong? The nominees are: Prix Bedelys Quebec (best book from Quebec) Burquette by Francis Desharnais (Les 400 coups) Macanudo by Liniers (La Pasteque) Paresse by Pascal Girard (La Pasteque) Les Ravins by Philippe Girard (Mecanique generale) Une piquante petite brunette by Albert Chartier (Les 400 coups) Bedelys d'Or (Gold Medal for best international) Adamson tome 1 by Veys & Puerta (Robert Laffont) Coupures irlandaises by Kris & Bailly (Futuropolis) La guerre d'Alan tome 3 by Emmanuel Guibert (L'Association) Lettres d'Agathe by Nathalie Ferlut (Delcourt) Lulu femme nue by Etienne Davodeau (Futuropolis) Matteo tome 1 by Jean-Pierre Gibrat (Futuropolis) RG tome 2 by Pierre Dragon & Frederic Peeters (Gallimard) Tout seul by Chaboute (Vents d'Ouest) Spirou vol 4 by Emile Bravo (Dupuis) Zoo tome 3 by Bonifay & Frank Pe (Dupuis) The awards website hasn't been updated. Thanks to Michel Viau at the BDQ forums. - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, February 05, 2009 Pohadky book launch and talk Marek Colek & Pat Shewchuk of Tin Can Forest talk about their work Shot Friday, November 28th 2008 @ the Drawn & Quarterly Store by Salgood Sam. http://tincanforest.com http://www.drawnandquarterly.com http://www.salgoodsam.com/m Labels: book launches, drawings, events, events links, Montreal, Quebec, video - Stumble It! - 1 comments Monday, February 02, 2009 D+Q book launch | Kaspar by Diane Obomsawin Feb 3rd  D+Q presents a book launch for Diane Obomsawin's Kasparfacebook event page Tuesday February 3rd 7:00pm - 10:00pm 211 Bernard O. Bernard West Montreal, QC Kaspar is the story of a young man who appeared mysteriously in the streets of Nuremberg and died of knife wounds five years later under equally mysterious circumstances. The significance of his life has been disputed ever since.  In Kaspar, Quebec cartoonist Diane Obomsawin draws on Hauser's own writings, and contemporary accounts, to tell the foundling's strange story. Minimalist grayscale panels and the simplest of line work register the wonder and bewilderment of a trusting and sensitive soul emerging into a fickle society. Gentle and poetic, naïve and profound, Obomsawin's first book to appear in English translation is a quiet and compelling charm. ***** 2. Mardi 3 Fevrier 2009 a 19h - Lancement de l'edition anglaise par Drawn & Quarterly de Kaspar d'Obom Dans Kaspar, Obomsawin raconte l'histoire vraie de Kaspar Hauser, un jeune homme apparu mysterieusement dans les rues de Nuremberg apres avoir passe les seize premieres annees de sa vie enferme dans une chambre obscure. Cinq ans plus tard, il meurt d'une facon tout aussi mysterieuse apres de multiples coups de couteau assenes par un inconnu. L'artiste quebecoise Diane Obomsawin dessine sur les mots de Hauser lui-meme, ainsi que sur des temoignages contemporains. Ses cases epurees en degrades de gris et son trait simple et delicat mettent en scène l'emerveillement et l'ahurissement d'une ame sensible et naive face à une societe des plus volage. D'une poesie douce-amere, le premier livre d'Obomsawin est d'un charme envoutant. Diane Obomsawin Wins on thefrozenmammoth Diane Obomsawin profile on the NFB Labels: book launches, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Bijoux Numbers One Through Five | Feb 3rd  @ Galerie MonastirakiFacebook Event page Tuesday, February 3, 2009 5:00pm - 7:00pm 5478 Blvd. St-Laurent Montreal, QC BIJOUX NUMBERS ONE THROUGH FIVE Montreal-based musician, filmmaker & cartoonist Rick Trembles presents a brand new series of artworks concentrating on non-representational sculpture. Each of the five structures built especially for this particular exhibition meld ornamental elements with the mechanical & biological. All with the intention of eventually creating vignettes on film for every construct employing the various disciplines he’s experimented with over the past 30 years; 2-D animation, stop-motion animation, & musical composition. Labels: art show, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, January 23, 2009 R.I.P. Mensuhell  Mensuhell is no more. I mentioned this when it was first announced last year, and again in the year-end wrap up, but I neglected to mention the actual appearance of the final issue. The long-running fanzine went out with a bang with issue #109 in December with a "Sergeant Pepper's"-style cover by cartoonist Sirkowski featuring many of the characters and cartooning styles that had appeared in the zine during its long run. Mensuhell was basically the best comics anthology published on a regular (monthly! for 6 years!) basis in Canada, responsible for introducing many young talents from the Quebec comics scene, as well as providing a home and community for more established cartoonists and fans. It was also a source of learned history about BDQ (bandes dessinees from Quebec). The few issues I have in my possession reveal that the zine was a veritable who's who of the times and of cartooning talent. Publisher Francis Hervieux should be congratulated for his long effort. As well, congratulations are in order for the many contributors. Good luck and bon voyage. There is a long discussion of the final issue at the BDQ forum (google translation). Labels: anthologies, bd, publishing, Quebec, zines - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, January 15, 2009 Karl Kerschl makes some waves with The Abominable Charles ChristopherI was just having diner with Karl last night and remembered that he had a profile in the local weekly, the Montreal Mirror this week as part of their Noisemaker annual revue of hot local talent...
Labels: cartoonists, Montreal, people, profiles, Quebec, webcomics - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Histoire d'hiverHachette Canada 2009 Bande Dessinee Contest After the relative success of its first contest and publication, Contes et legendes du Quebec, Hachette has announced a new contest, "Histoire d'hiver." Designed to give unpublished comics creators their first professional credit, the contest will be winners will be determined by a jury made of Francois Avard, Christian Chevrier, Fabien Deglise, Marc Delafontaine, Annie Leonard, and Eva Rollin. Prizes: a grand prize of $2000, $1500 for 2nd and 3rd place, and 3 special mentions of $1000 each will be handed out to worthy recipients. All winners also get a spot in the anthology. A synopsis and 2 pages must be mailed to the contest by April 1, 2009. Concours 2009 de bande dessinee Hachette Canada 9001, boul. de l'Acadie Bureau 1002 Montreal, Quebec H4N 3H5 full details here (pdf) Labels: anthologies, bd, contest, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2008 in Review2008: The Year in Review by Bryan Munn We try to cover all aspects of the art of cartooning and comix here at Sequential, but sometimes its hard to see the big picture in the daily grind of blogging about the various press releases, publishing events and awards presentations that make up the comic book culture of Canada. That's why it's important to try to stand back and take a breath once in awhile, and the beginning of a new year is as good a time as any to look back over the past months and ask, 'what was it all about?' Of course, being a relatively tiny, amateur operation, Sequential can't hope to be anywhere near definitive in its coverage and analysis, especially when trying to get a handle on how, as our mandate has it, the "notable international tectonic movements of the Sequential arts" effect us here in our little regional tidal pool. Specifically, how does what's happening in the publishing world of New York, or in Hollywood, Europe or Japan, determine how comics are made and enjoyed (or not) in our country? This year, I've attempted to narrow the focus of this year-end review to a tiny trio of items that hopefully will speak to these questions. Here are the top stories of 2008:  1. The Economy (keywords: comics retailers, the dollar) Whether it was news of the Quebecor bankruptcy, Raincoast downsizing, or discussions by Canadian comics retailers about the dollar and the price of U.S. comics, every other story that we blogged about in 2008 seemed to have an economic aspect to it. Last year, the misadventures of the Canadian dollar were at the bottom of Sequential's list of trends and newsmakers. This year, the economy is unavoidably first and foremost, even if you take the current round of 'panic in the streets'-style hand-ringing and headline-writing with an enormous mound of salt. The fluctuation in the dollar that everyone was talking about in 2007 seemed to stabilize at parity with the the U.S. greenback before tumbling down around the 80% mark where it currently hovers. At the very least, this means that U.S. monthly comic books (floppies) are once again more expensive in Canada. As are imported graphic novels and other books. Combine this with the other effects of the recession in Canada (lost savings from the market meltdown, joblessness, and the general anxiety about the stagnating economy) and the effects on the market for comics are bound to be notable. Although I haven't seen any hard numbers, anecdotal evidence suggests that the book retail market, slowing for a decade, is in a slump, and that book sales, at least through traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, will continue to decline. Of course, graphic novel and manga sales through bookstores have been one of the few growth areas in recent years (to expect endless growth in unrealistic and really one of the causes of the current crisis), so it remains uncertain whether or not these specific categories will decline. Sales of comics and graphic novels through Canadian comic book shops also remain a numerical mystery overall, since Diamond, the U.S. company that controls distribution of most comics product in Canada (and introduced an expensive computerized ordering system for retailers in 2008), does not make separate sales figures for this country available, although a few recent Diamond statements indicate slight (5%) growth in the U.S.-Canada graphic novel market in 2008. According to Brian Garside, owner of Canadian online retailer All-New Comics, several small town comics retailers have shut down recently as prices have risen,which means that, even if sales seem to be rising in some areas, there are likely many overlooked niches where the opposite is true. How comics publishers will fare in the recession remains unclear. Certainly a larger Canadian publisher like Drawn and Quarterly, which maintains a strong international profile and exports to larger Anglo markets in the U.S. and United Kingdom, is in a better position than the handful of relatively tiny French-language and boutique English-language Canadian publishers, although these publishers are putting the most actual Canadian content into print. It is safe to say that publishers will be cautious, if not exactly draconian in terms of publishing schedules and print-runs. Certain trends are just visible: Internationally, actual new releases by U.S. manga publishers are expected to decline up to 10%, according to one source. Canadian retailer Chris Butcher has some very cogent analysis and predictions about the market for translated Japanese comics in a pair of recent blog posts here and here. Most intriguingly, Butcher predicts a greater synergy between U.S. manga publishers (including the imminent arrival of Japanese giant Kodansha) and the Direct Market. He also predicts that prestige volumes of adult-oriented art manga, pioneered by D+Q with books like Red Colored Elegy and the Tatsumi project are one of the few areas where growth may be possible. Other future aspects of the U.S. publishing industry remain a black box of mystery. U.S. retailers continue to complain about Marvel and DC publishing strategies as they seem set for the foreseeable future. The economic recession may also effect those actually making a living from creating comics, whether they are political or strip cartoonists working within the ever-shrinking newspaper industry, writers or artists producing work-made-for-hire comics for U.S. publishers, or cartoonists who make the bulk of their living doing illustration for magazine or business clients. Since record numbers of Canadians are doing comics work for foreign publishers, this is shaping up to be a big story. With the slowdown expected to last at least until the end of 2009, this story is not going away anytime soon and we encourage readers to contact us or comment about their own experiences.  2. Skim (keywords: skim) This graphic novel by two cousins, cartoonist Jillian Tamaki and writer Mariko Tamaki, was the buzz book of the year, and wins a spot in this annual summary because it personifies a number of 2008's biggest trends. First, the book is a high quality work, well-reviewed online and in the mainstream press, and a brisk seller, as seen by its regular placement on the Sequential Bestseller List. These facts alone make the book a big story. While there was quite a bit of wonderful comics released in 2008, none had quite the impact of Skim. One of the trends that the book rode to its advantage was the move to larger publishers. The book was published by Groundwood, a major children's publisher owned by Anansi Press, with excellent international distribution and a strong publicity department. Skim is Groundwood's first graphic novel but the trend is widespread, involving not only the New York publishers, but also smaller Canadian organisms like Penguin Canada and Kids Can Press. This trend relates to another which Skim embodies: the move to a focus on children's and young adult comics material at the expense of adult-oriented material. Whether or not this is actually a long-term trend, as commentators like Tom Spurgeon and Eddie Campbell have speculated, there are certainly many more teen-oriented books being issued by traditional book publishers, and Skim is the most high-profile of these. This issue was brought to prominence when Skim was nominated for a Governor General's award, the first graphic novel to receive that honour. Despite being a mature work of art, embraced by all ages of readers and reviewers, Skim was nominated in the children's book category and, notoriously, the artist Jillian Tamaki was not mentioned in the nomination. This event resulted in a campaign lead by several prominent Canadian and international cartoonists to have the awards recognize both creators. The campaign had no effect and the book lost out to a prose work, the whole debacle illustrating how, despite widespread recognition and honours, the graphic novel is still largely misunderstood by the publishing industry, even though the best possible people are on the case.  3. Lynn Johnston (keyword: Lynn Johnston) Johnston was number one on the Sequential list in 2007 and she remains one of the top comics newsmakers for 2008. Besides her status as the de facto Queen of Canadian Comics --by virtue of the enormous financial success and popularity of her For Better or For Worse comic strip-- Johnston makes our list this year almost as much for what she didn't do. Sure, her latest book collection was consistently in the top ten of the Sequential bestseller list. And sure, she was inducted into the Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame, the first woman to be so honoured. And sure, she continued to be a major philanthropist, giving of her times and money to numerous animal, medical, and cultural causes across the country and internationally. But the most significant news story, and the story that dominated comic strip news over the entire year, was the continuing saga of the drawn-out ending of For Better or For Worse and its reincarnation as a reformatted, redrawn, zombie-Frankenstein version of its former self. Johnston's decision to continue her strip, after effectively, and with much fanfare and philosophizing, ending it, wrapping up all of the plotlines and halting the Gasoline Alley-like aging of her characters, is significant in several ways. The decision to revisit aspects of the strip using a photo-album format, in essence as a mixture of legacy strip and 'greatest hits' package, drew criticism from comics fans and young cartoonists, everywhere from The Washington Post to The Comics Journal Messageboard. Many critics saw the continuation of the strip as unfair to the many cartoonists with fresh ideas and no repeats who have no hope of finding space in the newspaper. As well, Johnston's partial retirement also marks an end of sorts for an era of newspaper cartooning. She represents one of the last of the generation of creators who began their strips before 1980 and attained the kind of circulation and numbers that are almost impossible to achieve these days, influencing several generations of younger readers and cartoonists in the mean time. With the impending death of print (or at least, the death of print comic strips in newspapers), and the attendant decline in newspaper culture and journalism, Johnston can be seen as sort of a poster-child for old media and a world that is passing. Despite a robust web-presence for the strip and an active, opinionated face in public, the 62-year-old Johnston seems out of touch with the 21st-Century world of webcomics and graphic novels, preferring, as in her interview at the Giants of the North ceremony, to dwell on the past highpoints of her amazing career. --- General 2008 Overview and Summary Publishing Montreal publisher Mecanique generale had the most diverse and graphically innovative line of graphic novels in 2008, while upstart publisher Conundrum released a few gems. David Widdington's Cumulous Press closed down, as did the extremely long-running anthology and fanzine Mensuhell. (keywords: publishing, book launches, graphic novels ) Awards (keyword: awards) Those seeking a guide to some of the best and the most beautiful Canadian comics recognized this past year could do worse than review the various comix awards handed out in 2008: Prix Bedeis Causa Prix Bedelys National Newspaper Award Shuster Awards Prix Expozine Wright Awards - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, January 05, 2009 Back from a Break  Welcome back to Sequential. We hope the Holidays were good to you. First up for 2009, a quick round-up of recent news-bites about comics in Canada: -The Top BD of 2008 at Fichtre in Montreal, courtesy of Michel Viau. -cartoonist Diana Tamblyn adds one more pick to her Holiday Wishlist -Seth gallery show profiled in construction magazine -The Globe and Mail Books section, one of the highest profile book review venues in the country that devotes space to the occasional graphic novel, has ceased to exist as a separate section of the Saturday paper and will incorporate into the regular Review section of the Globe beginning January 10. -The D+Q blog features photos of mock-ups of 2009's George Sprott and Doug Wright books. -Speaking of D+Q, Matt Forsythe is interviewed by Tom Spurgeon here. -The Shuster Awards are moving to a new web address. - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Sequential Holiday Wish List: Brian Garside  Sequential has determined to single-handedly turn around the economy by increasing comic book sales in Canada. Luckily, Sequential readers keep sending in wonderful suggestions as part of our Holiday Wish List feature. While this is the last Wish List of 2008, readers are encouraged to continue sending Sequential responses to our survey, as well as general thoughts on the past year in Canadian comics (we are especially interested in hearing from people on the creative side of the North American and European comics industry about the economy and the availability of work). If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em. Thanks to all who have responded so far, and Happy New Year from Sequential! This installment of the Holiday Wish List fittingly focuses on the retail aspect of comics in Canada: 1. Name Brian Garside, co-owner of All New Comics Inc. I also have a blog, Radical Hive. 2. What was the overall best book published in 2008? (comix/graphic novel/manga/strip/history/webcomic/floppy/etc) My favourite comic of 2008 was hands down Comic Book Tattoo, which was not only a spectacular package, but a great read. I'm a huge fan of Tori Amos, so this was a pretty cool item to me. I'd also like to recommend the Zuda webcomic Bayou, which is quite simply one of the most haunting comic stories I've ever read. 2. a) Best Canadian book? I'm going to go with Cecil Castellucci's Janes in Love ... she was born in Montreal does that count enough? If not, I'll vote for what Dale Eaglesham has done this year in Justice Society of America. I've bought more pages from Dale in the last 3 years than I have from any other artist. 3. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young boy (5-10)? Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, a great read for all ages, but Mike Kunkel's art really speaks to kids. 4. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young girl (5-10)? Jill Thompson's Magic Trixie is full of innocense and fun. It's a great book. 5. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen boy? Secret Invasion was pretty fun, and I think that it worked on a couple of levels. 6. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen girl? The entire Minx line, but in particular Janes in Love. 7. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult woman 18-100? True Story Swear To God is one of those great reads that's got touchstone moments. Both my wife and I read it, and we've really enjoyed it. 8. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult man 18-100? Geoff Johns' run on Action Comics was spectacular in 2008. The Legion of Super-Heroes story was great, Bizarro was great, and the recent New Krypton storyline is fantastic as well. 9. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift? Well as co-owner of a comic shop I kinda get every comic that I could possibly want ... but I missed the Absolute League of Extraordinary Gentlemen volumes when they came out. 10. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have? 2008 was an okay year for comics, not spectacular, not horrible, but just "okay". There wasn't a great moment that made me really excited about the next issue. There wasn't an event that I just couldn't miss. 2008 was a great year for me. All New Comics continued to grow (growing about 100% year over year), but it came at a price. We are gaining customers because stores in smaller towns are shutting down. We also had to raise prices due to the massive drop in the dollar, and we're struggling not to raise shipping prices (although that may not be a big deal if gas prices continue to stay where they are). We've already seen effects of the recession with several customers cutting back significantly, and a couple having to cancel due to layoffs. I think this will continue to be the case, and it will be up to the publishers to create compelling entertainment which readers simply can't live without. 11. Best guilty pleasure of 2008? X-Force ... I can't believe that I like this book as much as I do, but there it is, month in and month out. The art is really dark and disturbing, and X-Force is bringing back a whole ton of old (mostly dead) villains without much fanfare. You didn't ask it, but... What 2008 comic would you recommend for a pre-schooler (2-5) My daughter reads Tiny Titans every month, and I've recently been picking up the Looney Tunes comics for her which she absolutely loves. Labels: holiday wish list, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, December 17, 2008 The C-List: Last Links Post of the Year?  As the blogosphere begins to shut down for the holidays, here are some links to stories and posts about comics in Canada --perhaps the last such post you will read on Sequential in 2008. Remember: keep sending in those sending in those responses to our survey. -Thanks to Tom Spurgeon for linking to "Best of 2008 lists by John Martz and Matthew Forsythe. Both writers also published interesting comics work of their own in 2008. -Dave Cooper music video -Seth, Chris Butcher on Kramers Ergot 7. Butcher's coverage of the launch in T.O. is here. -Local cartoonist profile: Martin Balcer, Montreal -Maclean's editor/publisher Ken Whyte has a new book out about U.S. newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. In this interview, he talks about Hearst's contribs to journalism and the relevance of comics. -Publishing: new graphic novel Lillian the Legend by Kerry Byrne (Conundrum Press, isbn 978-1-894994-35-4, $15 CDN / US) - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Sequential Holiday Wish List: Ronn Sutton  Our next Holiday Wish List comes from cartoonist Ronn Sutton. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey. If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em. 1. Name: I'm Ronn Sutton, comicbook penciler. My website is www.ronnsutton.com where you'll find about 100 pieces of my artwork including comic pages, illustrations, animation work and some of my courtroom sketches. 2. What was the best book published in 2008? (comix/manga/strips/history/webcomic/etc) There were a number of notable publications in 2008. For my time & money, the most interesting were: Steve Rude - Artist In Motion, the big hardcover artbook from Flesk Publishing. More than just a collection of Steve Rude's paintings, its an instructual guide by Rude on his technique and working methods. A bargain at any price. Spanish artist Jordi Bernet, best known for his TORPEDO 1936 graphic novels, drew three or four issues of DC's JONAH HEX this year. Well worth checking out. Running Press released THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST HORROR COMICS TP reprinting horror comics from the 1940s to the present day. At 544 pages all in one volume its a very big thick spooky read. And Richard Corben returned to Marvel for a three issue HAUNT OF HORROR featuring adaptations of all H. P. Lovecraft stories. Now collected into one single hardcover volume, I believe, to match his previous series of all Edgar Allen Poe strips. 2. a) Best Canadian book? Ballad of a Thin Man: In Search of Ryan Larkin by Chris Robinson for AWN Press is a slim book, but its an interesting tale. Ryan Larkin was once "the golden boy" animator of the National Film Board. In 1969 his brilliant short film "Walking" was nominated for an Academy Award and he became one of Canada's most influencial animators. Yet, years later he would end up living on the streets of Montreal as an alcoholic panhandler. The book chronicles the attempt of the Ottawa International Animation Festival to both honor him and get him drawing again. However, it was not to be. Book comes with dvd of Larkin's two best short films "Walking" and "Street Musique" as well as Chris Landreth's animated interview/documentary "Ryan" that did win an Academy Award in 2005. 3. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift? Either ACTION COMICS #1 or DETECTIVE #27 would do nicely. 4. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have? Over a 9 year period I penciled nearly 50 stories for Claypool's ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK. Since that title ended nearly two years ago I've been bouncing around from one comic assignment to another. The one I'm most proud of was "The Good Guys!" that appeared in FEAR AGENT #22 (Dark Horse - July 2008) that I did with writer/inker Hilary Barta. He and I will be working on a couple other projects that will be published shortly. The recession has already affected publishers, creators and readers. It will continue to do so for some time to come. When readers have less spending money, they cut back on their purchases which hits publishers who are employing the writers, artists, etc. It hits everyone along the line. During a time of economic restrain, publishers are less willing to take chances on new or experimental titles, so there's likely to be fewer options for readers. The good news is that it won't last forever and eventually new titles and new companies will replace the ones we are currently losing. Labels: holiday wish list, Ottawa, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments 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! - 0 comments Tonite: Kramer's Ergot Signing, Montreal  quote: "Wrap your head around this: Sammy Harkham, Ron Rege Jr, Kevin Huizenga, Souther Salazar, John Pham, and CF will all be at the D+Q Librairie at 211 Bernard thus Tuesday night to sign the massive Kramer's Ergot 7." December 9, 7:30PM Montreal, Quebec At the D+Q Store! Labels: anthologies, events, international, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, December 08, 2008 Publishing: Contes et legendes du Quebec  I'm not sure, but I think this is the first publication of the new Glenat Quebec label since the publisher, the comics subsidiary of French giant Hachette, set up shop as a separate imprint in Quebec. The book is an anthology of horror stories featuring young artists selected by a jury of prominent cartoonists, writers, and comics retailers, along with the publisher, Christian Chevirer. See details here. Contes et legendes du Quebec by various (Jean-Sebastien Berube, Patrick Boutin-Gagne, Francois Lapierre, Daniel Lafrance, Normand Gregoire, Olivier Carpentier, Gautier Langevin, Gabriel Champagne, Serge Brouillet) Glenat Quebec $19.95 49 pages November 2008 ISBN : 9782923621098 a trailer for the book is available on youtube Labels: anthologies, bd, publishing, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, December 04, 2008 Sequential Holiday Wish List: Kurt Beaulieu  Our first Holiday Wish List come's from Montreal cartoonist Kurt Beaulieu. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey. Kurt Beaulieu http://www.comicspace.com/kurtbeaulieu/ What was the best book published in 2008? Not a book, but what i think is one of the best thing i've seen this year:Hitmen For Destiny: http://www.webcomicsnation.com/thorsby/destiny/toc.php What 2008 comic would you recommend for adult readers (men and women)? To both, the Albert Chartier recent compilation. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift? Some expensive book that i couldn't afford, so i would take the latest Kramer's Ergot Was 2008 a good year for comics? As far as the Quebec scene goes, yes it was. Was it a good year for you? A bit of a status quo situation going, but the pile keeps growing. What effect will this recession thing have? The collected work of obscure eastern european cartoonists won't be published... Labels: holiday wish list, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, November 27, 2008 Friday: Pohadky Launch, MontrealLaunch of Pohadky by Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek 7 pm, Friday, November 28th Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Book Store 211 Bernard Ouest, Montreal (514) 279-2224 (an exhibit of work by the duo is also coming up at Resistor Gallery in Toronto!)  Labels: book launches, publishing, Quebec, Toronto - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, November 26, 2008 Publishing: Colosse x 4  Just in time for this weekend's Expozine in Montreal, a collection of four new books from Mecanique Generale: 1. (sans-titre) pascal girard colosse 006 ISBN 978-2-923664-05-7 6" x 3" 56 pages couleurs reliure allemande novembre 2008 (see above image)  2. Encore ca Julie Delporte colosse 007 ISBN 978-2-923664-06-4 6" x 4" 46 pages n+b reliure allemande novembre 2008  3. La Suite de Minerve David Turgeon colosse 008 ISBN 978-2-923664-07-1 6" x 9" 120 pages n+b reliure allemande novembre 2008  4. Demi-sommeil Jimmy Beaulieu colosse 009 ISBN 978-2-923664-08-8 5,25" x 7,25" 98 pages couleur reliure allemande novembre 2008 Labels: bd, graphic novels, publishing, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, November 21, 2008 This Weekend: Salon du livre de MontrealThe 31st Salon du livre de Montreal Lots of comics people! website Place Bonaventure 800, rue De La Gauchetiere Ouest, Montreal Labels: events, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, November 07, 2008 Friday: Atomic Comic Jam, Montrealfrom BDQ  Vendredi 7 novembre,et puis mensuelle a partir de. Atomic Comic Jam "Notre but est d'avoir du plaisir avec des gens qui partagent des interets communs c'est-a-dire : dessiner, faire de la bande dessinee et raconter des histoires. Vous pouvez dessiner seul ou en groupe en dessinant une case et en passant ensuite votre feuille a votre voisin pour que celui-ci continu votre BD et ainsi de suite pour le reste de la page.  De cette facon, une mrme page peut avoir plusieurs styles et aboutir a des histoires tres loufoques. Chaque premier vendredi du mois."  A new Monthly Comic Jam has been started in the East end of Montreal, at Cafe Atomic. Their goals are to "have fun with people who share common interests ie: drawing, comics and telling stories."They have liberal guidelines for the event, you can collaborate with your neighbors or doodle on your own, up to you. The event will be held every first Friday of the month! Labels: comic jams, events, events links, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 1 comments Wednesday, November 05, 2008 Publishing: Paul a Quebec  The sixth album by Michel Rabagliati, Paul a Quebec, is set to be released by Pasteque in 2009. Labels: bd, graphic novels, publishing, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Gatineau Photos  Our own Salgood Sam was a guest at this past weekend's 9th annual Rendezvous de la Bande dessinee in Gatineau, Quebec. He managed to collect some photos which you can see in slideshow or standard flickr set formats. Labels: bd, events, Gatineau, photos, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Tuesday, October 21, 2008 Skim Nominated for Governor General's Award  GGs Find Place for Graphic Novel in KidLit Category, Snub ArtistToronto --For the first time, a graphic novel has been nominated for a Governor General's Award. The Canada Council for the Arts announced its 2008 shortlist for the Governor General's Literary Awards earlier today, and writer Mariko Tamaki was nominated for Skim, a graphic novel she produced with her artist cousin Jillian Tamaki, in the category Children's Literature --Text. After the Giller Prize, the GGs are the most lucrative literary award in Canada. Tamaki's nomination marks the first time a graphic novel has been nominated in any category. Tamaki stands to win $25,000 if her book is chosen as the winner on November 18 in Montreal. According to the GG news release, "Each winner will receive $25,000 and a specially-bound copy of the winning book. The publisher of each winning book will receive $3,000 to support promotional activities. Non-winning finalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their selection as finalists, bringing the total value of the Awards to approximately $450,000." Skim was initially published as a short comic by Kiss Machine in 2005 and won a special award from the Doug Wright Awards. An extended version was published this year by Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press (distributed by HarperCollins Canada). The book has been enthusiastically and widely reviewed and has been a brisk seller on the graphic novel bestseller charts. The juror's notes for the GG nomination describe Skim as "an audacious and original graphic novel set in a girls' private school. Skim, a slightly lumpy Kimberly Cameron, stumbles around the edges of cliques, depression, sexuality, suicide, crushes and an achingly ambiguous love. The story is heart-breakingly fresh and, in the end, a small celebration of life." Tamaki's nomination is an indication of the increasing mainstream profile of graphic novels. It is also one of those happy occasions when an actual work of very high literary quality is chosen to represent the artform in the national spotlight. The nomination of the book in the "text" category, with no mention of the art by Jillian Tamaki, is an odd but understandable choice, given the lack of a graphic novel category, since the book succeeds more on the strength of its words and picture combination than on the contribution of any one creator. The nomination in the children's category also does not do much for the status of literary graphic novels as adult material, especially given Skim's darkly humourous subject matter and sophisticated comics storytelling. On her blog, Jillian Tamaki notes, "I can't help but feel a bit of disappointment in this. I simply don't believe you can separate the pictures and words in a GRAPHIC NOVEL. They do the same for Children's Books with the GGs, which I kind of think is strange, but hey, at least the authors get an acknowledgment in the Illustrator's section. (...) I think this is another illustration (snort) of the chasm the graphic novels sit in, between "Comics" and "Books". The book industry is set up for very defined genres and graphic novels can pose a strange conundrum." Labels: awards, graphic novels, news, Ontario, Quebec, skim, Toronto - Stumble It! - 1 comments Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Guests and Events for the 9th Rendez-vous international de la BD de GatineauOk, got the press kit, so here's what's going down and who will be there for the 9th Rendez-vous international de la BD de Gatineau! SPECIAL EVENTS  Opening ceremonies at the Canadian Museum of CivilizationThursday, October 23rd at 6:30 pm This year, the opening ceremony will be held at the same venue as the Rendez-vous itself, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This will be a unique occasion for visitors to celebrate in the company of guest authors, exhibitors and the organizers of the 9th Rendez-vous. Meet and Greet at the EMI (UQO) Thrusday, October 23rd Again this year, the Ecole multidisciplinaire de l'image (EMI) is proud to welcome some of the guest artists of the RVIBDG for stimulating discussions about the 9th art. An exceptional event that is open to all! VENUES 1. Canadian Museum of Civilization Level 2 / Foyer of the Museaum's Theatre 100 Laurier Street in Gatineau 2. Art Gallery of the Alliance francaise 352 MacLaren Street in Ottawa 3. Universite du Quebec en Outaouais ecole multidisciplinaire de l'image (eMI) Lucien-Brault Pavilion 101 St-Jean-Bosco Street in Gatineau Program: 1:30 p.m.: Meet and Greet with Taillefer (Ontario) and the duo Delaf and Dubuc (Quebec) 2:45 p.m.: Meet and Greet with Aymond and Johanna (France) This activity is open to the public. For more information, please visit http://www.uqo.ca/emi. Unveiling at the Alliance francaise Friday, October 24th, at 6:00 pm L'Alliance francaise d'Ottawa is pleased to host the exhibit Philippe Aymond, du reel a la BD, which includes approximately 30 of the thousands of comic strips produced by the illustrator since 1989. LAUNCH : TOUT SPIROUZ Saturday, October 25th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm Spirou and his gang find a permanent home at the UQO library! The UQO library and the Ecole multidisciplinaire de l'image (EMI) invite you to a special celebration in honour of the famous Belgian bellhop who, to mark his 70th birthday, will be setting up residence in the UQO library, thanks to the generosity of the Journal de Spirou. An evening not to be missed! A reception will be held. Information: (819) 595-3900, ext. 1628 Animations - ON THE STAGE Action... Reaction ! For every action there is a reaction; that's how the ideas that take shape in an illustrator's head become a comic strip. The audience is invited to react to the zany ideas of the activity leader and provide inspiration. Comics Action Whether as an observer or a participant, don't miss this activity, which involves the impromptu creation of a storyboard in the form of comic strip sketches. Comics to the Highest Bidder An extraordinary auction! For sale: speech bubbles! The currency: words! May the best phrase win! Live Illustration During the festival, the guest artists will improvise a drawing before the eyes of the audience. Accompanied by an interview that will shed light on the author and his or her work, the activity will end with a draw for the signed illustration. Be there! Express Yourself Comic art professionals reveal the importance of expression in creating comic art characters and stories. Discussion: Serie BD, la clef du succes? Is the publication of a comic series a determining factor in a comic artist's success? Along with the guest artists of the 9th RVIBDG, discover what motivates artists to choose this route, and the hopes and disappointment that come along the way. New Releases Each year, the Rendez-vous de la BD offers comic fans the chance to discover recent newcomers to the comic art world. For the 9th edition of the RVIBDG, Kan-J and Paul Roux present their most recent publications to comic fans from the Outaouais. Strip... teaser Armed with sheets of paper, pencils and markers, spectators become illustrators during this activity. A super-effective method for discovering the various aspects of comic art, from scripting to creating a frame, and the search for expressions and angles. Round table : La vie apres le bac BD Several graduates of the comic art program at UQO will discuss the various professional avenues that have opened up to them since they finished their studies, and talk about their plans. Animations IN THE FOYER OF THE MUSEUM'S THEATRE (Salon Marius-Barbeau) Masters at Work - Presented by Desjardins As visitors look on, the guest authors will take turns creating a giant comic strip based on a particular theme. Comic fans can watch the images take shape, plucked from the imagination of these comic art wizards! Tele-Quebec's Little Library In partnership with publishers of books for young people, Tele-Quebec is offering the youngest visitors of the Rendez-vous de la BD a selection of illustrated books and albums to read on site in a playful atmosphere and safe environment. An excellent occasion for young readers to lose themselves in the passionate adventures of the characters from the series for children aired on Tele-Quebec, such as Kaboum, Toupie et Binou, Toc Toc Toc and more! BDmix Reading Room Intended mainly for teenagers and adults, the BDmix reading room feeds into the BDmix activity by offering visitors a selection of approximately 50 albums to read on site. EXHIBITIONS BDmix - Presented by the French Embassy Visit the BDmix exhibit and retrace the steps that have marked a century of French-language comics. Through the magic of the screen, BDmix will present 35 comic strips from original collections. Then, settle in and immerse yourself in the world of French-language comics by flipping through a collection of some 50 albums at your disposal. Gilles Villeneuve... Le champion du peuple! - Presented by Desjardins Formula 1 superstar Gilles Villeneuve not only left his mark on his era and on an entire generation of adrenaline junkies, but he was also immortalized in a comic strip! To tie this publication in with the 30th anniversary of his first win, the Musee Gilles Villeneuve will be presenting a collection of objects and images that will revive memories of this "people's champion". Reality and the Fantastic: The Magic of the mundane Craig A. Taillefer's "savoir-faire" is best revealed through his illustrations, which focus on ordinary people in extraordinary situations, slices of life taken from fiction or reality. This exhibit will provide you with the opportunity to get to know the illustrator, for whom the magic of fantasy goes hand-in-hand with the equally fascinating magic of the mundane. Philippe Aymond, du reel a la BD At the Alliance francaise d'Ottawa From October 24 to 31, the walls of the Alliance francaise d'Ottawa will be adorned with an exhibit of approximately 30 original comic strips by Philippe Aymond. This selection, which represents only a fraction of the French illustrator's work, is taken from two decisive periods in his career. The first, from 1989 to 1999, looks at his collaboration with scriptwriter Pierre Christin, and the second, from 1999 to the present, looks at the creation of the series ApocalypseMania and Lady S. Contest | Invente-moi un Schtroumpf! To mark the 50th anniversary of the world-famous Smurfs, the Rendez-vous de la BD is teaming up with Radio-Canada's Premiere Chaine (90.7 FM) and LeDroit to present the contest Invente-moi un Schtroumpf! From October 14 to 17, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., listen to Le monde selon Mathieu on 90.7 FM and discover the invented Smurf of the day. Write the Smurf's name on the entry ballot published daily in LeDroit for your chance to win one of five prizes, including the complete collection of albums featuring those odd little blue men created half a century ago by the illustrator Peyo.  GUESTS shown in order in the pictures >> Barely two years after Philippe Aymond finished his studies in the plastic arts, Les Humanoides Associes charged him with the task of creating illustrations for the Canal Choc series, based on scripts by Pierre Christin. This collaboration continued with the album L'Homme qui fait le tour du monde (1994) and the adventure series Les 4 x 4 (1997 a 2000). A second series, ApocalypseMania, written by Bollee, followed in 2000. In 2003, Jean Van Hamme, who was drawn in by the elegance and simplicity of Aymond's work, asked him to illustrate Lady S, a series in which action, suspense and modern adventures come together in a perfectly controlled geopolitical environment. An architect by trade, Daniel Bosshart always had a strong penchant for comics. After publishing several illustrations, he produced his first solo work, Geteilter Traum (Shared Dream), in the late 90s. This album, which relies completely on the strength of the illustrations and contains no text, was awared the prize for Best Germanic Publication at the Erlangen Salon in 2000. Because he communicates through images, Daniel Bosshard has presented his readers with a new challenge in the form of Alberto, a work without text whose grandiose and detailed vignettes are open to endless interpretation. Sandra Breault spent most of her childhood and adolescence poring over comic books. She began with French and Belgian comics, with a brief stop at alternative comic art, before moving over to manga. After studying plastic arts at college in her home region, Lanaudiere, she began her BA in comic art at the University of Quebec at Ouaouais (UQO). She graduated in the spring of 2008 with high honours; this achievement highlights the esthetics and lyricism of her final project. In her comic art, our talented next-generation ambassador draws inspiration from fairy tales and legends to show her readers the poetry that resides in the human spirit. Thierry Coppee, a teacher originally from Brussels who studied illustration at the Ecole de Recherches Graphiques, spent four years teaching elementary school before dedicating himself to his art. Following a brief collaboration with Spirou magazine, he began working on Les Blagues de Toto for Editions Delcourt. In 2004, he created a humourous world full of teasing tenderness in which the situations and characters are centered around Toto, an impish little boy who possesses an extraordinary gift for witty retorts. With nearly 200 jokes under his belt, Thierry Coppee is currently putting the finishing touches on the 7th Blagues de Toto album while keeping a close eye on the production of the first Toto cartoons. Johanna (Schipper) was born in Taiwan in 1967 and now lives in Bordeaux, France. After Chinese and Dutch, she learned French by reading Tintin! After finishing high school, she moved to Angoulême to study comic art at the Ecole Superieure de l'Image. She has worked as a colorist and as an organizer of exhibitions on French-language comics, and has also taught master classes to young authors in Vietnam. After publishing several short stories and illustrations, she again began working on the stories of Nana, the young heroine of Les Phosfees, and presented the series in colour to Editions Delcourt in 1999. Her most recent publication, a comic for adults entitled Nos âmes sauvages and published by Futuropolis, earned her the Artemisia award in January 2008. Based in Montreal, Maxim Douglas - a.k.a. Salgood Sam - has always drawn, just like his parents. Even before leaving school, this self-taught artist began creating his own comics and selling them through specialty shops. At the age of 18, he left home and began his career as a professional illustrator. For almost 20 years, he has worked as a freelancer, producing a multitude of drawings for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Kitchen Sink and the Montreal Mirror. While putting the finishing touches on his album entitled Therefore Repent, he received a bursary from the Canada Council of the Arts in 2007 that allowed him to begin work on his next publication, Dream Life. When he was young, Marc Delafontaine dreamed of becoming a police officer. However, deciding that he was no good at swinging a baton, he instead opted for his first passion: illustrating. He began by illustrating educational brochures, then worked as an animator, and finally moved on to illustrating children's books and comics. In 2004, he and partner/scripwriter Maryse Dubuc gave birth to three hip and ruthless adolesencents who came screaming into the comic world with the series Les Nombrils, which has garnered acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Maryse Dubuc developed a marked interest in school - and more particularly in writing - at a very young age. Her love of words soon developed into a true passion that lead her to study French literature at university. A colorist, author of books for young people and partner of illustrator Marc Delafontaine, she writes the adventures of Jenny, Vicky and Karine, the three young stars growing up in the sexy and cruelly hilarious world of the scathing series Les Nombrils. Born into a family of artists from the Bas St-Laurent region, Michel Falardeau completed his studies in the late 90s, first studying plastic arts in Sainte-Foy, then animation at Riviere-du-Loup. After spending a number of years creating video games, he turned to comic books. In 2005, Les Editions Paquet (Switzerland) discovered his talent as a comic artist and published Mertownville. In the form of an intimate narrative, this three-volume series focuses on Lydia, a heroine unlike any other, who invites the reader to discover the secret lives of superheroes. While Michel Falardeau may claim that his own life is boring, he certainly cannot say the same for his characters! As Craig A. Taillefer explains it, his diet as a young boy consisted of crayons, modeling clay and comic books. It is clear that his exposure at a very young age to the worlds of Asterix, Uncle Scrooge, Turok Son of Stone and others shaped his mind. Which is why, against the advice of those around him, he chose to pursue a career in the arts. For over two decades, Craig has earned a living as an illustrator. Whether in television animation, illustration or the creation of his comic series, Wahoo Morris, the artist divides his time between his obsession for illustration and his passion for old albums ...and hammocks! SURPRISE GUESTS! Each year, the Rendez-vous international de la bande dessinee de Gatineau has the pleasure of welcoming several comic artists who, in a few strokes of a pencil, add their talent to that of the guest artists. This years suprise guests are Tom Fowler and Kan-J. These two surprise guests will be joined by Paul Roux and the comic artist-hosts from Surpriz Comix. Timetable of Events Thursday, October 23rd 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Meet and Greet at the EMI with Taillefer and Delaf et Dubuc (venue 3.) 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm - Meet and Greet at the EMI with Aymond and Johanna (venue 3.) 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Masters at Work with Salgood Sam (venue 1.) 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm - Masters at Work with Delaf et Dubuc (venue 1.) 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm - Opening ceremonies (venue 1.) Friday, October 24th 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Masters at Work with Falardeau (venue 1.) 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm - Action... Reaction! (venue 1.) 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm - Masters at Work with Coppee (venue 1.) 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm - Express Yourself (venue 1.) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm - Unveiling of the exhibit Philippe Aymond, du reel a la BD Saturday, October 25th 10:30 am to 11:30 am - Masters at Work with Bosshart (venue 1.) 11:00 am to 11:30 am - Live illustration with Salgood Sam (venue 1.) 11:30 am to 12:30 pm - Masters at Work with Aymond (venue 1.) 11:45 am to 12:30 pm - Comics Action (venue 1.) 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm - Live illustration with Taillefer (venue 1.) 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm - Round table: la vie apres le baccalaureat BD 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm - Paul Roux and Kan-J's new releases (venue 1.) 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm - Masters at Work with Johanna (venue 1.) 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm - Strip... teaser (venue 1.) 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm - Launch :Tout Spirou (venue 3.) Sunday, October 26th 10:30 am to 11:00 am - Live Illustration with Bosshart (venue 1.) 11:00 am to 12:00 pm - Masters at Work with Breault (venue 1.) 11:30 am to 12:15 pm - Action... Reaction! (venue 1.) 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm - Live Illustration with Coppee (venue 1.) 1:45 pm to 2:30 pm - Strip... teaser (venue 1.) 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Masters at Work with Taillefer (venue 1.) 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm - Discussion: Serie BD, la cle du succes? (venue 1.) 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm - Comics to the Highest Bidder (venue 1.) AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS AYMOND: Thu 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Fri 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Sat 10 :00 am to 11 :30 am and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Sun 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm BOSSHART: Thu 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm Fri 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm Sat 11:30 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Sun 11: 00 am to 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm BREAULT: Thu 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm Fri 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Sat 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm COPPEE: Fri 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Sat 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Sun 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm DELAF ET DUBUC: Fri 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Sat 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm Sun 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm FALARDEAU: Thu 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Fri 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm Sat 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm and 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Sun 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm FOWLER: Sat 10:00 am to 11:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Sun 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm JOHANNA: Thu 11:00 am to 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm Fri 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Sat 11 h 30 am to 1:30 pm Sun 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm KAN-J: Sat 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm ROUX: Thu 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm Fri 11:00 am to 1:00 pm Sat 11:00 am to 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Sun 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm SALGOOD: Thu 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Fri 11:00 am to 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Sat 10:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Sun 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm TAILLEFER: Thu 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Fri 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Sat 11:30 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Sun 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Labels: bd, book launches, can-con, cartoonists, conventions, events, events links, exhibits, festivals, Gatineau, Ottawa, profiles, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, October 12, 2008 9th Rendez-vous international de la BD de Gatineau  From the 23rd to the 26th of October, the 9th Rendez-vous international de la BD de Gatineau will be held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization!Featuring three days of events and panels with 10 creators, Philippe Aymond, Johanna, Daniel Bosshart, Thierry Coppee, Delaf & Dubuc, Michel Falardeau, Sandra Breault, Salgood Sam and Craig A. Taillefer. The Program and other details are here. Labels: bd, can-con, conventions, events, events links, exhibits, festivals, Gatineau, Ontario, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments It's on! | EXPOZINE 2008, MONTREAL'S SEVENTH ANNUAL SMALL PRESS, COMIC AND ZINE FAIR! Montreal's huge 2 day comic and zine orgy! Excuse me, Fair; will take place on Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30, 2008, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. @ 5035 St-Dominique [map] (Eglise Saint-Enfant Jesus, between St-Joseph and Laurier, near Laurier Metro). Free admission! Creators of all kinds of printed matter and crafty DIY fun will be in attendance, in numbers! - from books to zines to posters and comics - in both English and French. In the past seven years, Expozine has become one of North America's largest small press fairs, attracting thousands of visitors as well as exhibitors from as far afield as Chicago, Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City! That's the PR, but it truly is a smorgasbord of cool stuff! Drop buy and discover multitudes of things that are often difficult to find anywhere else, much less all in one room! One very big, sometimes steamy room being a November [MTL winter] crowd so bring stuff you can peal off easy, and something to carry it and all the cool books and stuff you're bound to end up buying! Also there's usually some good eats sold on sight, and lots of prime spots for food or drinks in the area. Most of the Montreal art and DIY crowd show up on one side of the tables or the other, and there's usually some off site part time stuff going on too. To reserve a table at Expozine, you can fill out the online registration form before November 17, 2008, or mail the printed form to Archive Montreal, box 1232, Place d'Armes, Montreal Que. H2Y 3K2. They are also looking for sponsors folks, contact them at expozine@archivemontreal.org if your interested. www.expozine.ca Labels: book launches, conventions, events, events links, Expozine, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, small press, Toronto, zine fair, zines - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday: Cards and Comics Expo, MontrealExposition de Cartes et Comics de Montreal Centre de la Jeunesse Ukrainienne 3270 Beaubien Est, Montreal 10am-3pm Labels: conventions, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, October 09, 2008 Jimmy Beaulieu & Pascal Girard to attend Quai des bulles festival in BrittanyGot a email with "Love and kisses" from my buddy Jimmy Beaulieu letting us know that he and Pascal Girard will be spending the month of october in St-Malo, France, as guests of the Quai des bulles festival. They have started a blog for the occasion : Les malouins temporaires, where you will be able to follow their adventures in Brittany "or not... we'll see..." he says. He also says several MG books [in french] are being printed or released for the occasion! For those not in the know Mecanique Generale is a nice little art comics publisher that has close ties with the European community and Jimmy is a bit of a publishing and teaching dynamo, not to mention very accomplished artist and story teller. Do your self a favor and at least check out the links even if you don''t read french. Original FR text includes some more extensive info. Allo, pascal girard (www.paresse.ca) et moi (velue.blogspot.com) sommes a St-Malo, en ce moment, pour tout le mois d'octobre, dans le cadre d'une residence organisee par le festival Quai des bulles (www.quaidesbulles.com). On a demarre un blog pour l'occasion : Les malouins temporaires (lesmalouinstemporaires.blogspot.com), qui vous donnera l'occasion de plus ou moins suivre nos aventures (!) bretonnes. Labels: bd, blogosphere, can-con, canadians abroad, events, events links, festivals, francophone, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments 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! - 0 comments Le congres de science-fiction et fantastique de Montreal | Montreal's science-fiction and fantasy convention  Con*Cept is Montreal's fan run annual science-fiction and fantasy convention. It kicks off this year Friday October 17 and runs till the 19th , and attempts to cover all aspects of fandom: literature, television, comics, art, gaming, and more. The Event is booked at the Days Hotel, 1005 Guy Street, Montreal. A detail that caught my eye from their facebook group is... The Montreal Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will be attending Con*Cept. Weather permitting, there will be telescopes day and night! Yes, the sun is a star, and can be observed through specialized telescopes. Two Center members are planning to bring their hydrogen alpha and calcium K solar telescopes. Also what looks like some tentative programing notes: More details here on the main site. Programmation pour les Fans du Futur Labels: conventions, events, events links, fanfic, festivals, Montreal, news, Quebec, sci-fi, zine fair, zines - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday Pickings  Eye Weekly continues to follow the Chester Brown campaign, with a report on the all-candidates debate for the Trinity-Spadina riding in Toronto. Now, the NDP candidate I'd really like to see Chester debate is Guelph's own Tom King. There is an exhibit devoted to French cartooning giant Jaques Tardi this month in Montreal. Running until October 18th, 1968-2008... N'effacez pas nos traces! takes place at Galerie Art Mur, 5826 St-Hubert. Publishing: Agaguk, a new album from Glenat adapted by Djan and Yves Roy from the famous novel, is now out. This article repeats the "Superman is Canadian" myth. Concordia offers a new graphic novel course, courtesy of prof. Anthony Sisti. Labels: links, Quebec, Toronto - Stumble It! - 0 comments Friday, October 03, 2008 TODAY: Typhon Book Launch and Art Exhibit @ Monastiraki in MTL  Co:Facebook Legendary New York cartoonist, illustrator and man about town Danny Hellman will be launching & signing his new TYPHON comix anthology Monastiraki Gallery Friday the 3rd of October in conjunction with POP Montreal Festival's Art Pop series. Not to be missed ! Gracing the walls will be kick ass pervo comic art from 12 of the anthologies contributors including Danny Hellman, Fiona Smyth, R. Sikoryak, Victor Cayro, Rupert Bottenberg, Bruno Nadelin, Rick Trembles, Dalton Web, Nicolas Gazin, Tobias Tak, Lorenz Peter and others. Friday, October 3, 2008 7:00pm - 10:00pm Monastiraki 5478 Boul St-Laurent Montreal, QC Labels: anthologies, art show, book launches, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Seen there : The ego and the squid : Ojingogo book launch @ the D&Q shop Labels: book launches, events, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 1 comments Monday, September 22, 2008 Autumn News Link-upSome quick links about comics in the mainstream press for the first Monday of Fall:
Labels: links, Lynn Johnston, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, September 21, 2008 MiniKim Launch at Librairie Planete BD  I just checked out Librairie Planete BD for the first time the other week. It's a really cool BD shop on one of the more popular and fashionable parts of town in Montreal. It's also a few blocks from both Millenium and Fichtre, but closer to downtown which will work for them. Local Artist MiniKim is Lunching her newest book there in September, you can sign up for the events facebook page here. It's the second one in the all ages series, called Alta Donna! La jeune dessinatrice MiniKim vient nous presenter sa nouveaute, le deuxieme tome de Alta Donna, une serie haute en couleurs pour toute la famille ! Sunday, September 21, 2008 2:00pm - 4:00pm Planete BD 3883 St-Denis Montreal, QC Labels: bd, book launches, Montreal, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Saturday, September 20, 2008 Saturday: Matt Forsythe at Strange Adventures, Halifax  from the D+Q press release: OJINGOGO'S MATT FORSYTHE Labels: events, graphic novels, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Toronto - Stumble It! - 0 comments 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! - 0 comments Friday, September 12, 2008 Montreal: 1001 VisagesA few new faces: the third annual 1001 Visages. Maison de la culture Frontenac, Montreal Sept 4 to Oct 12  Labels: exhibits, Montreal, political cartooning, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Monday, September 08, 2008 Lost Chartier  Albert Chartier (1912-2004) was one of Canada's greatest strip cartoonists, best-known for his extremely long-running strip Onesime, but most of his work is sadly out of print, with the exception of a few anthologies that have reprinted some strips over the last decade. As we reported earlier, the good news is that Les 400 Coups, a division of Montreal comics publisher Mecanique Generale, is publishing a collection of Chartier's sexy girl strips this fall. The book is called Albert Chartier: Une Piquant Petite Brunette and collects tons of the risque, mostly-silent strips that Chartier syndicated to one or two papers in Canada back in the 1960s. The bad news is that the publisher has some gaps in their collection and is making an appeal to collectors and archivists to help fill the gaps. Read the appeal from Jimmy B over at the bdq boards --translated here. (The best thing about the translation: apparently, thanks to this risque strip collection, we will now "be able to harness the peter.") As well, the family of Chartier is circulating a form letter to the head of Canada Post, requesting a stamp in honour of the cartoonist's 100th birthday in 2012. The full text is also at the link, as are many examples of the strips in question. Labels: bd, comic strips, comics history, help wanted, publishing, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Tonite: Ojingogo Launch, MontrealMatt Forsythe launches his Ojingogo graphic novel through D+Q. Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Wednesday, August 27 7:30 p.m. http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/211bernard/uploaded_images/poster-772434.jpg Labels: book launches, graphic novels, Montreal, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sequential Reports: Fan Expo Photos  (Mostly) Canadian Content As an event partially dedicated to Canadian comics and comics creators, FanExpo 2008 could have been alot worse. FanExpo, billed as "a multi-genre convention" by its organizers, covered over 270,000 square feet at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre this past weekend, August 22-24. Roughly one-fifth of that massive space, accessible through a labyrinthine series of hallways and escalators, was dedicated to comics and cartooning, with space devoted to over 200 artists and writers (the so-called "Artists' Alley"), as well as to publishers, comics retailers, and assorted producers of ephemera. -As Kevin Boyd notes in his wrap-up, the organizers of the comics show ("Comic Book Expo") made the wise decision this year to integrate all of the creators, regardless of genre ("indy meets pro", as the convention program has it), into one area, which made for a bustling space, with many fans discovering young artists who may have been overlooked in the past. In addition to several big-name U.S. creators like painter Alex Ross and DC editor-in-chief Dan Didio, the convention also featured a large number of Canadian artists who have made a name for themselves in the world of U.S. superhero comics. Alongside these were a huge group of more-or-less independent comics creators, self-publishers, and arts comics auteurs, representing the alternative comics world of graphic novels, minicomics, and fanzines. Jeff Lemire is perhaps the most well-known of this batch, having just won several awards for his Essex County graphic novel trilogy, published by Top Shelf. Lemire was busy sketching and selling artwork throughout the con and I personally witnessed him selling-out of copies of the newly-published final volume, The Country Nurse, around 4pm on Saturday. -Another sell-out was Benjamin Rivers' very pretty Snow mini. Rivers is a Toronto illustrator and the book he debuted at FanExpo is the first chapter of a longer graphic novel done in his deceptively simple, cartoon-y style. -It was also delightful to meet longtime Playboy cartoonist Doug Sneyd, perhaps the most successful and enduring of the comics artists present, and a local boy to boot! Doug was selling prints of some of his classic work as well as a book of cartoons called Unpublished Sneyd, dedicated to Sneyd's original Playboy editor, and fellow Canadian, Michelle Urry. Doug also has a blog where his adventures at the con are chronicled in great detail. -Something of a cross-section of Canadian comics culture was examined at the "Made in Canada" panel Saturday evening, featuring Montreal artist Yanick Paquette, the Toronto comic book creating duo of Stuart and Kathryn Immonen, and the afore-mentioned Jeff Lemire. The panelists talked about their influences and how aspects of their "Canadian-ness" may or may not filter into their work. Photos:  Michael Cho and Claudia Davila  Stuart Immonen and Kathryn Immonen --see their webcomic here  Cameron Stewart  Valentine Delandro  Ramon Perez and Rob Cloughler  Agnes Garbowska and Francis Manapul  Kalman Androsopsky and Marcus To  Jeff Lemire  Lemire signs the last copy of The Country Nurse  Cliff Chiang  Blake Bell discusses Steve Ditko with Rob Walton  Steven Silver and Ken Wheaton  Doug Sneyd and his significant other/Girl-Friday Heidi Hutson  The Bear Stories' George Todorovski and Chris Hatzopoulos  Ian Daffern and John Lang are behind the Zuda competitor Shock Effect  Hoverboy, a project of Mr. Comics' Ty Templeton and Canadian tv personality Rick Green. I happen to know from experience that the device on his belt is an antique vibrator.  The Bootcamp gang, another Ty Templeton project. The team was hyping its new mini-collection: Sex & Violence, Suffering and Wickedness.  Zen Rankin, promoting his minicomic epic, Action Satisfaction Supreme  Zen Rankin was also selling the best comics-related novelty at the con, cute little stuffed toys of his V.D. Duck character: it has pubic hair and makes a noise when squeezed!  The Durham Comics gang and their new anthology, Blitz  Michael Cherkas (saving a seat for Larry Hancock)  Jay Saobento and Bang Bang Kill Kill, which is also online.  J. Torres and Scott Chantler  Sequential has a brief chat with Ray Fawkes, writer of The Apocalipstix (thanks to ace photog Stephen Lewis for the Fawkes and Immonen photos) Labels: cartoonists, conventions, events, fanexpo 2008, graphic novels, hobbystar, photos, Quebec, Toronto - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, August 24, 2008 Co: theMMCJgroup Bonjour a Tous! The next Comix Jam will be held at Bar des Pins, 3714 Park, this coming Thursday, August 28 at 8 PM. As usual, bring your artist gear and good humor! Le Comix Jam se tiendra au Bar des Pins, 3714 rue du Parc Jeudi prochain, le 28 aout a 20hres. Comme d'habitude amenez votre attirail du dessinateur et votre bonne humeur! A la Prochaine! See You there! Jane Labels: comic jams, events, Montreal, Quebec, social ink - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, August 21, 2008 The ego and the squid : Ojingogo book launch @ the Drawn & Quarterly Store   Montrealer Matt Forsythe got the cover of this weeks Montreal Mirror and a nice big full page interview/profile inside by Rupert Bottenberg to announce the launch of his new D&Q book this coming weekend, Ojingogo."I feel like I'm just escorting this thing along, not driving it," says illustrator and comic artist Matt Forsythe of Ojingogo, his new graphic novel from Drawn & Quarterly. "It's kinda weird seeing my name on the cover-that's how dissociated I feel from it." Ojingogo book launch at the Drawn & Quarterly Store on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m. Labels: book launches, Montreal, new books, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Sunday, August 17, 2008 Summer Reading: Salgood Sam  Our next Summer Reading Survey comes from, Me. Please send Bryan yours. 1. Max Douglas. Aka Salgood Sam. Artist writer, other @ www.salgoodsam.com Cheers Labels: Quebec, summer reading, summer reading 08 - Stumble It! - 0 comments Saturday, August 16, 2008 Summer Reading: Kurt Beaulieu  Our next Summer Reading Survey comes from Kurt Beaulieu. Please send us yours. 1. Name and occupation (contact info/website/publisher's website). Kurt Beaulieu http://www.comicspace.com/kurtbeaulieu/ 2. What is your latest project (ie, what are you hyping)? I've been working on a pile of pages that i hope to turn into a graphic novel someday. Some bits have been published here. 3. Please provide a list of books you have recently read or are planning to read. I've got a particular fascination for the art movements from the 1910-1930 period, so i've been reading "The Talented Intruder", Wyndham Lewis In Canada 1939-1945. A book about the dirty drawings of illustrator Tom Poulton. (Well...) The Joker, The Greatest Stories Ever Told. For the Joker Boners story alone. Labels: Quebec, summer reading, summer reading 08 - Stumble It! - 0 comments Thursday, August 14, 2008 The Doug Wright Awards' so called 'Canadian' language controversyWith a charged OP ed piece by Herve St-Louis, the publisher and editor for comicbookbin.com has kicked off a pretty intense conversation over the question of whether or not The Doug Wright Awards has the "right" to call itself a Canadian award. Tom Spurgeon has started to act as something of a neutral presenter of the issue, posting several responses to the first posting from St-Louis on The Comics Reporter. And there's alot of back and forth in the comments of PW The Beat. So far i've found the debate very interesting. I have a problem with the tone taken at the start by St-Louis myself; I feel he was pretty wildly hyperbolic in his analogies, and presents a basically false premise. And he seems upon a little asking around, to be speculating a lot about the intentions of the DWA organizers without information. There was a small amount of communication with our own Bryan Munn informally as a DWA representative on the subject, but it seems St-Louis cut that short and ran with his story. But from a purely rhetorical point of view, many have made some very good points on the broader subject. Bryan, who is responsible for most of the posting here on Sequential now, is bowing out of commenting on the debate on our site as he's closely involved with the Doug Wright Awards, so I'm going to try to keep on top of this for Sequential, work schedule permitting. I will be thinking on it and perhaps posting my own perspective more in the future but at this time a few things seem clear to me. First I think that it's clear the DWA's present themselves as A Canadian award, not THE Canadian awards. A point made by Brad MacKay but also consistent with my impression of their promotion of the awards. St-Louis's argument seems to be build a lot on the idea that something other than this is true. The About page's first short opening paragraph from the DWA site.
And, the very relevant last one...
And if testimony is required, going back to the first year of the awards, I can confirm from my own discussions with the organizers, that what Brad MacKay says in his official statement as true; That there has all along been very active discussion of how eventually to address the question of, at some point, bringing in a french language category. But that for now they lack the resources to do so. There has been no active discrimination against french creators in anyway, or a flat refusal to address the issue. Only a recognition that they are unequipped to review french language submissions at this time in a manor suited to the standards they set out for the DWA. And far from being presented as THE Canadian comics award, they are more like A Literary Canadian Comics Award in affect. And yes we could be really precise and call them The Doug Wrights, A Literary English Language Canadian Comics Award, but frankly as precise as that would be, it would be a terrible, terrible name! OK yes I'm being a little dramatic, but The Doug Wright English Canadian Comics Awards is truly not too much better. So it's the The Doug Wright Awards, period. As Hervé points out; hyphenation, and over qualification is a pain in the arse. The idea is to make the awards appealing, and interesting. Not boring and didactic. Now It's all very fine and well to say they could make the contacts here in Quebec, associate with a local award or start a parallel operation. But it takes two to tango, and speaking as an Anglo, living in Montreal, I have to say the French community here at least, when not too busy with their own things to be bothered, is seldom very welcoming or enthusiastic of this kind of collaboration over all. Nor do they reach out often themselves in a collaborative manner to make such things happen. It's like herding cats here on both sides of the language divide. Maybe in Alberta where Hervé lives now, he's unaware of this. He started out here so he should know. It was true more so when he lived here! It's true that in their own language sphere many people have done amazing things to promote local French work to an international French audience. But making the effort to promote their work to an audience that overwhelmingly won't be able to read it is never appealing to any publisher. Frankly I for one can't fault them for that. And far from generally being ignored by English Canada, I and many Anglo's have come to Montreal thinking we would be able to connect and build bridges with the french community, only to find a wall of often disinterested backs turned on us because we speak French as poorly as many of the Quebecois speak English. For those who are more engaged and welcoming - and there are many now - it's shrugs and a lack of interest in general. Not to say it's always cold, but I have not experienced a culture in a hurry to be embraced by it's English neighbors. They want more than not to be admired in their own language in their own region or in the EU. For those few desiring more English attention, they look south, like a lot of us here, were there are many many millions more in the audience than here. A practical issues more than not. I would put it to Herve that this often kind of insular approach, and a love of confrontation and conflict expressed to me by many of my Francophone Montreal peers, and as exemplified by the rather inflammatory examples in his post - Is as much if not more a problem than any active bigotry in the English community... "If the Harvey Awards, were to refuse all comic books by blacks or women, until they bleached their skin white or undergo hormone therapy to change their gender, it would be clear to everybody that their policy and the support of those awards was morally wrong" Really? Comparing asking for translations to bleaching skin, AND forced gender reassignment. Was one over the top inaccurate analogy not enough? Hmmmmm. Numerous times have I inquired locally in Montreal, as to why more effort is not made by French creators and publishers to translate the huge amounts of work produced here into English for the larger North American market. Or why there are so few sites promoting the Quebec community outside of the Francophone sphere. Coverage and effort has improved, yes, far more of both things happen now than just 5 years ago. But it's been very, very slow. And my said inquiries are more often than not responded to with shrugs and the refrain that they rather someone else do the work. They are too busy, it's as simple as that. No bigotry, no conspiracy, no surprising undercurrent of hate. I've done my own best when I've had the time to do so to promote local work, regardless of language, as has Bryan who is I'll repeat an active member of the DWA organization. I have tried at some length to recruit contributors for this very site to help cover the Quebec scene, as well as trying to find people on the coasts and in the mid west. I have constantly failed to find interested parties on all counts. Even Herve's own site spends most of it's time reporting on American, English comics. On the site's menu there is not even a way to filter the posts to view QC or Montreal stories. Just Cunuck. And I invite you to look for yourself to see how many are for French Language books.... It seems to me Herve is asking, demanding, others to confer praise for work he seldom promotes himself. No he does not call himself THE Canadian comic news site anymore than the DWA call them selves THE Canadian comic awards, but then this only furthers my point. I can understand that there are a lot of bruised egos, as I'm always reminded when I talk to my peers here in Montreal about this sort of thing. It does not come up nearly as often as Herve's article would suggest but sure, some feel a little left out. But I have a hard time giving too much credit to said egos, when they do so little to change the situation themselves through constructive positive actions. But rather it seems - when bothered to do anything - prefer to rant at supposed arms length about it. In this case at Provincial length, and without foundation or information speculating in an overwhelmingly demonizing way about the intentions of the 'Others' they think someone may perceive themselves slighted or ignored by. So what do I think they should do instead? How about this; I've not talked to anyone about this so I don't know if the will or means can be mustered, but say they do and could be. Say someone in QC, or the french community outside of QC cares about this all that much, and wants to do something. Say maybe the Prix Bedelys have any interest in this, that they take the initiative to put together a jury and reading list for a French language award to spotlight Original French books to the rest of Canada and the English comics reading world and any French readers who may be paying attention, to be presented at The Doug Wright Awards. They can also help raise funds locally for the prize and to pay for the trophy, and The Doug Wright Awards in turn give them the additional press and attention. The DWA orginization have the current problem of a lack of resources and means on their side addressed in this way. Maybe as a way to make this a mutual trade - not to besmirch anyone's best intentions; but the Bédélys trophy is not, well, all that impressive. Perhaps they also might be able to persuade the Doug Wright Awards rather famous trophy builder to help them out as well? Call it a trade for mutual benefit, and fix the problem by doing something about it, rather than making over the top and inaccurate analogies to civil rights abuses and the intentions of others you don't actually talk with before speculating on publicly. But in the mean time, until the French Comics community is willing or wants to be bothered to take on the task of promoting their own work to the rest of the world regardless if it's Francophone or not, I think it's a little disingenuous for someone in the to cry discrimination in this manor. A lack of means does not equate a intentional bigoted refusal. LINKS comicbookbin.com : The Wright Awards Discriminate Against Canadians A Response From The DWAs Regarding The Charge That They Discriminate PW The BEAT comments section where many have made thier thoughts known A Response From The DWAs Regarding The Charge That They Discriminate And having had a quick look, notably nothing yet from any French BD sites about this, they don't seem to care as yet to comment. Labels: Alberta, analysis, awards, bd, blogosphere, can-con, cartoonists, comics history, francophone, furries, Montreal, news, people, Quebec, tcaf - Stumble It! - 4 comments New Links and News-y Links 
Labels: links, Lynn Johnston, New Brunswick, Quebec - Stumble It! - 0 comments Archive by Region Alberta - British Columbia - Calgary - Gatineau - Halifax - Moncton - Montreal - New Brunswick - Newfoundland - Nova Scotia - Ontario - PEI - Quebec - Saskatchewan - Saskatoon - Toronto - Vancouver - Victoria - Winnipeg - Archive by Month January 2006 - February 2006 - March 2006 - April 2006 - May 2006 - June 2006 - July 2006 - August 2006 - September 2006 - October 2006 - November 2006 - December 2006 - January 2007 - February 2007 - March 2007 - April 2007 - May 2007 - June 2007 - July 2007 - August 2007 - September 2007 - October 2007 - November 2007 - December 2007 - January 2008 - February 2008 - March 2008 - April 2008 - May 2008 - June 2008 - July 2008 - August 2008 - September 2008 - October 2008 - November 2008 - December 2008 - January 2009 - February 2009 - March 2009 - April 2009 - May 2009 - June 2009 - July 2009 - August 2009 - September 2009 - October 2009 - November 2009 - December 2009 - January 2010 - February 2010 - |
