EDUCATIONAL COMICS
The National Association of Comic Art Educators website has launched a discussion board, currently comprised of four forums moderated by Tom Hart, Jeff Miller, Ben Towle and Jason Little. Says Miller, "I hope that NACAE's boards can serve as a space in which dialogue focused solely on using comics in the classr[o]om can thrive." Current discussions on the budding message board feature contributions from the moderators and from artists including Jessica Abel, Howard Cruse, Matt Madden, Jason Lutes and Ted Stearn. The website also boasts an already robust selection of syllabi, articles and classroom resources, available both as online-readable web pages and as downloadable .pdf files.
INFO: NACAE
posted by Egon on Saturday, November 09, 2002

WHAT TOTH, WROTH, WROUGHT
Tothfans.com, the extensive fan-generated website dedicated to the work of Alex Toth, now offers a new column by the artist himself. The pieces are hand-written communiques in the distinctive Toth style, including doodles, and are reproduced in facsimile online. The first three columns appeared on the website on November 4 and focus primarily on the need for artists to master the subtle variety of human representation (particularly in the face and eyes) rather than relying on well-worn tricks and shortcuts. Toth also describes his composition of a "Batman" cover, taking the opportunity to denounced un-named deconstructionists of the character and of heroic characters in general. Tothfans.com calls these columns "[t]he beginnings of what promise to be a regular feature exclusive to the ‘Toth Fans’ web site."
INFO: tothfans.com
posted by Egon on Thursday, November 07, 2002

ART BOOK
Press surrounding Art Spiegelman's November 5 talk at the University of Southern Mississippi blithely mentioned, on at least two occasions, an upcoming book by Spiegelman entitled "The Jew's Kiss," minus further information. The Comics Journal's "ˇJournalista!" reports that the book will be a collection of "New Yorker" cover illustrations by Spiegelman. An entry on the Marsh literary agency's website provides further details and a cover illustration. The book covers a ten year period and will feature an introduction by writer Paul Auster. Confusingly, the title as it appears on the illustration shown reads: "A Kiss From New York."
INFO: The Comics Journal: ˇJournalista!
INFO: The Marsh Agency
posted by Egon on Thursday, November 07, 2002

PETER BAGGE'S PRIVATE SWEATSHOP
Peter Bagge has updated his website with the cover to Hate Annual #3, due out later this year, and news about his latest project: "I'm working on a new monthly comic called "Sweatshop" for DC, which satirizes the comics industry. I'll be writing and lettering it, as well as some of the art, but in order to maintain a monthly schedule I'll be collaborating with 2 talented artists named Stephen De Stephano and Bill Wray. The first issue will be out in the Spring of 2003." Bagge also reveals that "Hate" has again been optioned for film and that he hopes to produce a "Hulk" one-shot for Marvel Comics. He continues to draw a monthly comic strip for Reason Magazine.
INFO: peterbagge.com
posted by Egon on Wednesday, November 06, 2002

SWEETNESS, I WAS ONLY JOKING
Evan Dorkin has begun writing an online journal. Taking a tip from the Mozzer, the site is titled "Big Mouth Types Again." Says Dorkin, "I guess I'll be using this forum to discuss what I'm working on, post updates about what's going on here at the House of Fun, and rant about this and that as the ill mood takes me. I also expect to be plugging other people's work (comics, music, film, whatever) quite often, as I used to do in the letters pages of Hectic Planet and Dork."
INFO: Big Mouth Types Again
posted by Egon on Tuesday, November 05, 2002

DAME DARCY WRITES, DRAWS, DATES
Dame Darcy's new Ten Speed Press book, "Frightful Fairytales," is excerpted in the debut issue of Arthur Magazine. Arthur, which is distributed for free in various venues nationwide, is also available as a low-resolution download from the magazine's website. "Frightful Fairytales" can be ordered directly from Ten Speed Press. In related news, Dame Darcy appeared on the Halloween episode of the reality dating show "Blind Date," following an appearance on the reality dating show "The Fifth Wheel" earlier this year.
INFO: Arthur
LINK: Ten Speed Press: Frightful Fairytales
posted by Egon on Tuesday, November 05, 2002

CBLDF: TO THE HIGH COURT
Comicon.com's "Pulse" website reports the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's intention to appeal the obscenity conviction of comics retailer Jesus Castillo to the United States Supreme Court. According to the piece, the Fund's Board of Directors voted unanimously to take on the appeal, which brings the "case's projected costs to more than $50,000."
INFO: Comicon.com
posted by Egon on Tuesday, November 05, 2002

INCIPIENT ICAF
The International Comic Arts Festival will convene for its eighth annual meeting October 30 through November 1, 2003, according to a Festival press release. In its first year following ICAF's separation from SPX, the event will take place entirely on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The Festival will accept proposals for academic presentations addressing "the history, aesthetics, cultural significance or critical reception of comic art (including comic books, albums, graphic novels, comic strips, panel cartoons, caricature, or comics in electronic media)" through February 28, 2003. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words in length and can be submitted to Charles Hatfield, who welcomes further inquiries at charles.hatfield@csun.edu. According to the press release, "Submitters should expect to receive confirmation of acceptance or rejection by mid-April 2003."
LINK: ICAF
posted by Egon on Monday, November 04, 2002

TEAR IT UP, THIERRY SMOLDEREN!
Thierry Smolderen announces another update and addition to his Coconino-Classics website. The complete text of his announcement, as posted to the Platinum Age Comics mailing list, follows:

"On Coconino-Classics, this week, we start the publication of the marvelous Rowlandson and Auguste Pugin book, "The Microcosm of London or London in Miniature", three volumes edited by Ackermann between 1808 and 1810. One of the most fascinating illustrated book ever. Pugin was a great draftman specialised in architecture (and light ! !), and Rowlandson was a genius observer of attitude, costume and expression. Both of them did what they did best on the same hand coloured aquatints. This is scanned from the last complete reedition of this book that I know of (Methuen 1904) - unfortunately not from the original aquatints, but it is still very very impressive on screen (with zooms). Also, 3 new scenes from Rowlandson's English Dance of Death, + the usual Krazy, Terry, Polly and Smokey,"
INFO: Coconino-Classics
LINK: Platinum Age Comics
posted by Egon on Monday, November 04, 2002

MCCLOUD U
The Bangor Daily News reports on increasing academic interest in comics, glancing briefly at the National Association of Comics Art Educators before focusing on Scott McCloud's travelling comics course. The course, a five-day intensive seminar, was recently held at at the Hutchinson Center of the University of Maine in Belfast. McCloud enthuses over grass roots interest in comics curricula: "Probably the most encouraging part is that students are the prime motivators, the ones demanding the courses... If you want to make art for a living, comics have to be more interesting than greeting cards, and might strike a young artist as less soulless than advertising." The article goes on to detail the activities comprised by the seminar, which received funding from the state and from the National Endowment for the Arts. According to the piece, McCloud will offer the class again in January at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
INFO: Bangor Daily
posted by Egon on Monday, November 04, 2002

CASTILLO APPEAL DENIED
ICv2 reports that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has denied the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's appeal of retailer Jesus Castillo's "display of obscenity" conviction. "The Castillo conviction was for the sale of an adult manga to an adult" at a Texas comic book shop, according to ICv2. The Supreme Court remains the case's final recourse; "The CBLDF board of directors is currently voting on whether to proceed with that appeal."
INFO: ICv2
LINK: CBLDF
posted by Egon on Monday, November 04, 2002