DRAW BACK THE CURTAIN
According to an article in today's New York Times, the Martin Beck Theater will be renamed the Al Hirschfeld in honor of the illustrator's lengthy and accomplished career. The rededication of the midtown theater will take place on June 21, 2003, Hirschfield's 100th birthday. "Mr. Hirschfeld will become the first artist to have a theater named after him and one of the few people not directly involved in acting or producing ever so honored," writes Times reporter Jesse McKinley. "The theater will also be overhauled, with a new marquee and a gallery inside featuring Mr. Hirschfeld's work."
INFO: The New York Times
posted by Egon on Thursday, September 26, 2002

THE RAPSCALLION
The Imp #4: Historietas Perversas: Mexico's Perverse "Little Histories" has been glowingly reviewed in the latest edition of the Onion's A. V. Club. Dan Raeburn's "uncommonly attractive and well-considered 'zine" is called a "[l]oose but not undisciplined... scrupulous critical analysis" of Mexican historietas, focusing on the lurid "ghetto libretto" subgenre.
INFO: The Onion A. V. Club
posted by Egon on Wednesday, September 25, 2002

DEFECTIVE & RETURNABLE
Chris Oliveros has posted to the Comics Journal message board with news of defective Drawn and Quarterly books that have reached the market. The books are being recalled; retailers and individuals with damaged books can have them replaced. Mr. Oliveros' post reads as follows:

"The following titles have had various problems with either binding, lamination, or paper quality and are now being recalled. If you have any one of these damaged copies D&Q will replace it for you free of charge (the same goes for retailers; we will replace any damaged copies of these items you may still have):

- 32 Stories (1st and 4th printings)
Problem: Binding on first and fourth printing falls apart. Mail in either entire book or pages 32, 33, and 34 for free replacement copy.

- I Never Liked You (second edition)
About 600 bad copies of the second printing got out before the problem was resolved. Problem: paper (on those 600 copies only) is too transparent. Mail in Page 5 (caption should read: "I decide It's better to say nothing").

- Drawn & Quarterly Volume 3
Problem: cover lamination started to "bubble" about a year after it was published. Tear off cover of bad edition and mail in for replacement.

Mail to:
Drawn & Quarterly
P.O. Box 48056
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H2V 4S8"
INFO: TCJ.com
posted by Egon on Tuesday, September 24, 2002

NAMIBIAN LEAGUE: BLIND YOUTH
An editorial cartoon by Namibian cartoonist Dudley has prompted calls for censorship legislation. According to The Namibian: "Swapo's Youth League called for legislation making it a punishable offence to insult the character and dignity of the head of state" after Dudley drew President Sam Nujoma as a dog.
INFO: The Namibian
posted by Egon on Monday, September 23, 2002

DITKO SHRUGGED
Comics historian Blake Bell has pacted with Fantagraphics Book to fulfill his ambition of producing the definitive book about Steve Ditko's life and career. "Steve Ditko: The Mysterious Traveler" will be published in a format similar to Fantagraphics' recent Krigstein book and is slated for June 2003 publication. Bell seeks high quality reproductions of original Ditko artwork and continues to accumulate anecdotes and commentary from Ditko's contemporaries. Additionally, Bell indicates that he and Fantagraphics are discussing possible Ditko reprints and a complete checklist of the artist's work.
INFO: Ditko Looked Up
posted by Egon on Monday, September 23, 2002

GET A LOAD
Johnny Ryan's ephemeral scatology will soon be collected by Fantagraphics in two volumes. "PORTAJOHNNY" will be a squarebound, softcover 160-page collection of Johnny's early "Angry Youth Comix" minis and other assorted material. The book, with an introduction by Peter Bagge, is scheduled for April 2003 publication. Fantagraphics will also publish a standard comic book format collection of Ryan's "Shouldn't You Be Working?" minicomics in February. The long, joyless interim will see the release of "Angry Youth Comix" #4 in October and the inclusion of pieces in Low Jinx #4 and The Comics Journal Winter Special (starring "the Gaytriot").
LINK: Johnny Ryan's Angry Youth Comix
posted by Egon on Monday, September 23, 2002