Labels: art, dreamlife, webcomics

Labels: C-List, graphic novels, webcomics

Labels: graphic novels, Quebec, webcomics

Top Shelf is proud to welcome Kathryn & Stuart Immonen (Ultimate Spider-Man, Nextwave, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Never as Bad as You Think) to the Top Shelf family with this thrilling, intimate tale of love, war, and art.

Moving Pictures is the story of the awkward and dangerous relationship between curator Ila Gardner and officer Rolf Hauptmann, as they are forced by circumstances to play out their private lives in a public power struggle. The narrative unfolds along two timelines which collide with the revelation of a terrible secret, an enigmatic decision that not many would make, and the realization that sometimes the only choice left is the refusal to choose.

In a recent interview at comicbookresources.com, Kathryn explained that "The history is just a backdrop to tell a messed-up love story that's about how we assign value to things and people, how we behave when not everyone is playing by the same rules" and "in the end, maybe it's all about the fundamentally perverse nature of desire, about not being to help wanting what you want even if you don't know why. And how, from the outside, we really don't know anything about someone else's intimacies." -- A 144-Page Graphic Novel with French Flaps, 5.75" X 8.25"

SHIPPING IN MAY!

Labels: graphic novels, upcoming, webcomics

HaHa HaHaHa HaHaHaHa HaHaHa HaHaHa HaHa Ha

Labels: canadiana, comic strips, comics, webcomics

Labels: art, comics, webcomics

Labels: About this site, comics, webcomics

Labels: digital comics, digital publishing, ipad, tablets, webcomics

Labels: conventions, events, manga, Ontario, webcomics

Labels: C-List, webcomics

Labels: international, interviews, pod casts, webcomics

So here's the latest - sort of - from him, this is the link to the comics he's promoting here, he's posting a page a day of his previously published zines online, so for those of you have not had the pleasure you can check it out now. Ok, on to the press release...

Labels: British Columbia, can-con, Vancouver, webcomics

Labels: computers, digital comics, digital publishing, ipad, islate, itablet, self-publishing, tablets, webcomics

Labels: comics, computers, digital publishing, ipad, islate, itablet, publishing, tablets, webcomics

Labels: blogosphere, British Columbia, C-List, capes, comics history, Expozine, Montreal, new books, pod casts, U.S. superhero franchises, Vancouver, video, webcomics

Hey everybody!

Even though there's tons of other stuff to look at at seanwardsuperparty.com including two full graphic novels for you to read, today is a big milestone for me. It's the tenth update since the end of the last story, so the tenth addition to the collection made just for the website.

Here is a quick and handy recap of what's happened in the Super Party so far!
AT HOME WITH BENNY BUNNY AND BERNADETTE - domestic bliss and talk of moustaches
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 1960s - the sixties were all about the three B's
THE CANADIAN SPECIAL - meet The Go-Go Girls, the Queen's enemies
BENNY BUNNY AND BIGFOOT KICKIN' IT - Bigfoot's return appearance. Now he's got a surprise for Benny Bunny
BANQUO BURGER in THE GRAND OPENING - your favorite advertising mascot meets his greatest nemesis: The Sumo Pirate
THE STORY OF THE BENNY BUNNY BUTTER BAND - When Benny goes electric, the passport office goes crazy
BIGFOOT'S BIRTHDAY - guest starring Kanye West
A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF BENNY BUNNY - see how the star prepares in the lead-up to show time
AN UNTOLD STORY OF THE BEATLES IN NEW YORK - the never-before-heard secret night after their historic Shea Stadium concert
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S MACBETH - Shakepeare's classic tragedy, Super Party style. With Benny Bunny, Bubb Rubb, and Tony Montana

Be sure to let me know which is your favorite!

And don't forget that there's all kinds of bloggedy goodness bubbling all the time at seanward.net
-Sean

Labels: Ontario, Toronto, webcomics

Labels: comic strips, new books, webcomics

Labels: awards, events, pod casts, Toronto, webcomics, wordonthestreet

Labels: comic jams, events, events links, Ontario, social ink, webcomics

"While being nominated for a Shuster or an Eisner award is a great honour for any creator, if we take a closer look at the award categories -- specifically where webcomics are concerned -- it seems like something is missing."

"Should webcomics be so thoroughly separated from the rest of the industry?

Could it be that the lack of webcomic nominations for Best Artist, Best Writer, Best Cartoonist or Best Colorist are due to their method of publication? Isn't it possible that somehow, somewhere, people are writing on the internet just as well as others are writing for print? It's too early to be pointing fingers or yelling about prejudice, but this division of suitability seems somewhat arbitrary and unfair. But how do we know this to be the case? Maybe webcomics are considered, but none have been good enough to merit a nomination. Well, this year's nominations prove that isn't so: Nominations for Best Artist list all credited work for the past year, for instance: "Steve McNiven -- Amazing Spider-Man #546-548, Wolverine #66-70 (Marvel Comics)". Yet, for Karl Kerschl, only his print work is mentioned." -->>

Labels: awards, C-List, can-con, events, events links, news, shusters, webcomics, wordonthestreet

Labels: comic strips, new books, news, webcomics

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.

See you in September!

Oscar, Elizabeth and Alex :)

We've just launched the mini-site for Sword of My Mouth, making the first two issues (and commentary from me and Shannon) available for subscribers and people who've pre-ordered the graphic novel. It's the first third (48 pages) of the book so far, and we'll be adding a chapter every other month until we launch the complete graphic novel edition at next year's Toronto Comic Arts Festival.

One of the things we did differently with this book was research, and so I'll take this opportunity to write a bit about that...

Labels: conventions, links, Montreal, new books, Ontario, publishing, Quebec, Toronto, webcomics

Labels: British Columbia, C-List, comic jams, conventions, international, interviews, links, new books, Ontario, publishing, Quebec, social ink, Toronto, Vancouver, webcomics

Labels: comics in school, graphic novels, webcomics

Labels: awards, grants, international, webcomics

Labels: blogosphere, C-List, comics in libraries, events, graphic novels, links, tcaf, TCAF09, Toronto, webcomics

Labels: digital comics, floppies, publishing, webcomics

Labels: comic strips, publishing, Toronto, webcomics

Labels: graphic novels, international, publishing, webcomics

"We then set about beating him with bamboo canes through the thin webbing of the net in which he was held. Cameron withstood the breaking process for 5 days, but ultimately, through clenched teeth, agreed to answer 13 exquisitely crafted questions. He swore he'd die before answering any more." --->>

Labels: can-con, interviews, Montreal, pod casts, U.S. superhero franchises, webcomics

Labels: comics in libraries, events, Toronto, webcomics

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN artist Stuart Immonen teams up with HELLCAT writer Kathryn Immonen for a fascinating original graphic novel! NABAYT tracks the alarming failures of paranoid urbanites, murderous waitstaff, heart-broken ambulance drivers, mariachi bands, talking cats and dogs, people who like cake and many who wield knives for a variety of purposes. This full-color printing contains all 52 strips from the Immonens' year-long web project along with two new strips and fresh, revealing bios in a perfect-bound deluxe edition hardcover designed by the House of Immonen. A gorgeous collection in a handsome limited edition!

Labels: graphic novels, publishing, webcomics

Hairy heroics
Veteran superhero artist Karl Kerschl
finds his true voice in Web comics

Though he's risen through the ranks of mainstream comic artists over the last decade and a half, notably for work on titles like Superman and The Flash, Montrealer Karl Kerschl, a native of Welland, Ontario, admits he's not the biggest superhero fan. He's more interested in the themes that transcend the genre, even the medium-"Loyalty and brotherhood," he says.

"I get excited by characters who are honest and sincerely written, and who genuinely need each other in order for the story to be told. When one of them has to rise above whatever he or she is accustomed to in order to help the other, those are the moments that resonate with me. There's heroism in that, but it goes beyond traditional genre classifications."....

Labels: cartoonists, Montreal, people, profiles, Quebec, webcomics

Labels: publishing, webcomics

Labels: publishing, Toronto, webcomics

Labels: events, webcomics

Labels: comic strips, Edmonton, Ontario, political cartooning, webcomics

• Jovan Zimzovski contributes an epic-length profile of webcartoonist Ryan North for the York University paper. The gist? The key to making money in comics is selling t-shirts.

• Social media are like comics, according to rabble.ca writer Wayne MacPhail.

• The Comic Book Bin has a pair of articles about webcomics. First, there is a look at "crowdsourcing" --the practice of strip-mining ideas from users-- popular with DC's Zuda and Canada's own Zeros to Heroes. Second, there is an article about adding to comics to facebook.

Labels: links, webcomics

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Prostateman comic wins award.

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

Labels: graphic novels, links, Newfoundland, Ontario, real world, Toronto, webcomics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labels: comics history, comics retailers, events links, graphic novels, Manitoba, Ottawa, webcomics, Winnipeg

• The Gazette profiles Francis Desharnais, creator of the strip collection Burquette (400 Coups), the story of a teenage girl forced to wear a burka.

• Double Jolt of Jeet: aside from writing about history and politics for a variety of publications, Jeet Heer occasionally writes about comics. This week, at the Sans Everything blog, Jeet muses about Archies' girls, Betty and Veronica, and bring Northrop Frye along for the ride. Then, Jeet reviews David Hajdu's The 10 Cent Plague for the Globe and Mail:

In 1949, E. Davie Fulton, an up-and-coming Tory MP from British Columbia, got Parliament to pass a private member's bill banning crime comics from our pristine dominion. Fulton's efforts were loudly praised by a 10-year-old Baie Comeau boy named Brian Mulroney, who delivered an award-winning speech denouncing crime comics.

• Chris Butcher thoroughly reviews the first issue of PiQ magazine, ostensibly devoted to fans of anime, comics, manga, and video games, and includes an interview with a local OTAKU to prove a point.

• Toronto cartoonist Jacob Blackstock was the hit of SXSW in Austin, Texas, with an application that helps users create webcomics, according to this CBC article. Bitstrips has caught the attention of the Facebook team and Wired magazine.

• The Comic Book Bin's Philip Schweier offers COMIC SHOP ETIQUETTE 101, a survival guide to Wednesday/New Comic Book Day.

• Nathalie Atkinson reviews graphic novels for kids in the Globe.

• Actor Michael Cera is the latest name associated with the Scott Pilgrim movie project. There is even some form of script floating about.

• Quebec language police investigate D+Q over signage, website.

• Vito Pilieci writes about Superman's 70th anniversary for Canwest News Service, thankfully omitting any "Superman is Canadian" nonsense.

• Jian Gomeshi interviews New Yorker cartoonist S. Gross about his new book of swastika gags on the Q podcast (the interview is right off the top).

Labels: British Columbia, comics history, comics on film, comics retailers, manga, Ontario, Quebec, Toronto, U.S. superhero franchises, webcomics

Project Wonderful uses an auction process for it’s buyers and sellers. If you want to run an ad to attract visitors to your site, you need to compete with other sites doing the same thing. You can do this on a site by site basis (someone can advertise, for example, on one or both boxes on my GirlAMatic site) or you can do it as a campaign. In the latter case, you enter in criteria and have PW bid on your behalf on sites that meet your specs. Personally, I use a combination of both. For instance, I find that I get a really good Q Rating on Wahoo Morris, probably because the two stories are somewhat similar and both Craig Taillefer and I are Ottawa-based creators. 'Course, maybe it's something entirely different. Regardless, I keep on bidding on his site because I like the results that I get.

If we assume, just for a sec, that those 4112 are unique individuals, then my $108.60 ad spend is pretty amazing. Even if it's quarter of that (say 1000 unique individuals), then I'm only spending 11 cents on each person. When I compare that to how much I spent going to various conventions slogging my work (keeping in mind that I went to both the Alternative Press Expo and the Small Press Expo from an advertising point of view and NOT to sell things), it's remarkable. $100.00 doesn't even cover the table costs, let alone manufacturing, travel, lodgings and food. I would never get that type of awareness going to a convention and I've certainly learned my lesson. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

Labels: blogosphere, graphic novels, Ottawa, webcomics

Zeros 2 Heroes Media is currently producing Gustav Hayes from Winnipeg creator Morgan Jeske. Jeske is working with editors and artists provided by Zeros 2 Heroes Media to bring his comic to life on the page.
"With 'Gustav Hayes' I hold the genre close to my heart. Science Fiction has always appealed to me, more so than Fantasy for instance. My hope is that some people read the book, and decide that they'd like to read more stories like it. In all seriousness, the fact that I'll have had a comic book published, is an amazing event for me," says Jeske on the excitement around his book.
Gustav Hayes centers on a broken anti-hero amidst the post apocalyptic nightmare of a world he is in. Gustav is a former 80's-style pop singer that battles hordes of evil creatures sent to destroy the remnants of civilization. Morgan Jeske is currently working with Zeros 2 Heroes comic editors and artists to produce his very first comic. As part of the agreement, Zeros 2 Heroes Media not only produces Jeske's book, but they will be working to get fan and media driven publicity from his hometown of Winnipeg Manitoba.
"I've been interested in the potential of Web comics for a long time," says Zeros 2 Heroes Editor-in-Chief Paul Dini. "I thought that was a very supportive way to bring new talent into what has generally been a tough business for novices."
Zeros 2 Heroes Media will be providing Jeske with his own online publication as well as putting together a plan to help get the word out to various media sources. The intention is to have not only a piece of professional work for his portfolio, but also to help him launch his professional writing career.
"Morgan's talent and creativity shines brightly in his story I think Gustav Hayes is one of those pieces of work that has potential," says Zeroes 2 Heroes Media Chairman Paul Gertz.
"This cross-platform entertainment opportunity is exactly what we're looking for in terms of our corporate mandate," says Western Region Director Earl Hong Tai of Telefilm Canada. Telefilm Canada plays in integral part in the development of Canadian writers and artists and helping pitches come to life with Canada Comic Creation Nation is another way for them to lend a hand.

Labels: British Columbia, Manitoba, pr, publishing, Vancouver, webcomics, Winnipeg

Vancouver, British Columbia (February 11, 2008) – After a month of
voting on Canada's Comic Creation Nation, the fans have crowned
writer Greg Robinson as their winner. Robinson's pitch Age of Heroes
stood out amongst all of the competition and is now in the process
of being put into production. The first issue of Age of Heroes will be
produced and published online by Zeros 2 Heroes Media. Greg Robinson
will be working with comic book editors and artists provided by Zeros 2
Heroes to bring Age of Heroes to life on the page.
"For me as a writer, I would hope the experience could maybe open a
creative door or two, or present an opportunity or two that maybe was not
there before," says Robinson on the excitement around his pitch.
Age of Heroes is centered on a world run by super-powered beings and
enslaved humans. Robinson's first issue focuses on a small resistance
group as they attempt desperate and drastic action that will either begin
them down the road of salvation or damnation.
Greg Robinson will now work with Zeros 2 Heroes comic editors and
artists to produce his very first comic that will be published online by
Zeros 2 Heroes Media. As part of the agreement, Zeros 2 Heroes Media
not only produces Robinson’'s very first book, but they will be working to
get fan and media driven publicity from Robinson’s hometown of Langley
British Columbia.
"I've been interested in the potential of Web comics for a long time,"
says Zeros 2 Heroes Editor-in Chief Paul Dini. "I thought that was a very
supportive way to bring new talent into what has generally been a tough
business for novices."
Zeros 2 Heroes Media will be providing Robinson with his own
online publication as well as putting together a plan to help get the
word out to various media sources. The intention is to have
not only a piece of professional work for his portfolio, but
also to help him launch his processional writing career.
"Fans know what a good story is and where it can go
so we trust them to decide what ideas we should
invest in. Jason's talent and creativity shined brightly in his pitch
and I have no doubt that the fans made a great decision to see
Blake Undying go into production," says Zeroes 2 Heroes Media
Chairman Paul Gertz.
"This cross-platform entertainment opportunity is exactly what
we're looking for in terms of our corporate mandate," says Western
Region Director Earl Hong Tai of Telefilm Canada. Telefilm
Canada plays in integral part in the development of Canadian
writers and artists and helping pitches come to life with Canada
Comic Creation Nation is another way for them to lend a hand.
Zeros 2 Heroes plans to award all Canada Comic Creation
Nation winners with their published online comic. All creators are
encouraged to pitch their ideas online in order to let the fans decide
what they would like to see published. As the contest continues,
members of the Zeros 2 Heroes community will rate, review and
ultimately choose one winner for every month.

Labels: British Columbia, pr, Vancouver, webcomics

Labels: links, reviews, webcomics

• Pictures of the Paul Goes Fishing launch at the D+Q blog.

• I haven't seen a review copy of the book myself, but here are 3 reviews of Kean Soo's Jellaby: 1 2 3.

• The National Post on Maid Cafes in Tokyo.

• Chip Zdarsky aka Steve Murray continues his comix reportage for the National Post, this time exploring the world of crossdressing (with a cartoon cameo by Chris Butcher).

• Just in time for Valentine's Day, The Kingston Whig-Standard profiles anti-romantic Taiwanese otaku.

• Sudbury cartoonist Rob Saccetto will draw a romantic zombie portrait of you.

• The National Post interviews U.S. cartoonist Kazu Kibuishi in Toronto.

• The first report of the Vancouver Art Gallery show to be curated by Art Spiegleman and Seth that I've seen. No real details --coming later this year.

• The University of Waterloo's Peter Trinh writes on cartoonist couples.

• Julie Doucet interviewed in the Montreal Gazette.

• Fleen webcomic reviewer Anne Thalheimer tackles Claudia Davila's Transmission X offering, Luz, Girl of the Knowing.

Labels: British Columbia, cartoonists, graphic novels, interviews, Ontario, Quebec, reviews, Toronto, Vancouver, webcomics