FELLOW TRAVELLERS
The SPX 2003 Executive Committee announces a theme and submission information for this year's festival anthology. "The theme for 'SPX 2003' is travel. Avoid doing first person accounts of travel experiences you've had. However, there's no reason you can't use your experiences to tell stories. Exotic locations or funny stories about travel mishaps are very welcome." Submissions between four and twelve pages in length must be received by April 25th, 2003. Specifications and contact information are available on the SPX website.
INFO: SPX: The Expo
posted by Egon on Friday, February 21, 2003

TCJ PREVIEWS PANTER, GETS AURAL
The Comics Journal's website has been updated to preview the magazine's upcoming 250th issue. Preview information includes a complete table of contents and a lengthy excerpt from the issue's feature interview with Gary Panter. Additionally, a new installment of the Journal's online Audio Archive offers over an hour of conversation with Scott McCloud and Steve Bissette on the subject of creator's rights, taken from Gary Groth's 1990 interview with the pair.
INFO: The Comics Journal
posted by Egon on Friday, February 21, 2003

CFP: COMICS AND FOTONEVELAS
The International Colloquium for Vernacular, Hispanic, Historical, American and Folklore Studies issues a call for paper and panel proposals on the subject of "Comics and Fotonovelas" for the Sixth Congress of the Americas University of the Americas-Puebla, Mexico, scheduled for October 10 through 12. Abstracts are due April 15, 2003. "Participants are eligible for the annual Irene Herner Award for Comics Scholarship, awarded to the top paper presented in the Comics And Fotonovelas area of the Vernacular Congress." Further inquiries can be addressed to Jeff Williams via e-mail at jwilliams@arnet.com.ar.
INFO: Universidad de las Américas - Puebla
posted by Egon on Friday, February 21, 2003

POOPSHEET GETS THE SCOOP
Rick Bradford's "Poopsheet" comics and DIY-publishing website asks a roster of 70 cartoonists and publishers to briefly share details of current and upcoming projects. A broad range of respondents including Peter Bagge, Donna Barr, Marc Bell, Jordan Crane, Mary Fleener, Peter Kuper, Roger Langridge, Dan Raeburn, Craig Thompson, Steven Weissman and dozens more all answer the question, "What's new with you?"
INFO: Poopsheet
posted by Egon on Friday, February 21, 2003

SHARPLY DRAWN OBSERVATIONS
The New York Times reviews "The Pointed Pen: William Sharp's Courtroom Drawings, Political Caricatures and Book Illustrations From the 1930's-1950's,'' currently showing at the Queens Museum of Art. The exhibit, running through March 2, displays more than 250 pieces by the Austrian-born artist, including courtroom sketches from Berlin and New York and a selection of his incisive caricatures and political cartoons.
INFO: New York Times
posted by Egon on Friday, February 21, 2003

SPAIN ON THE BRAIN
Newsarama interviews Spain Rodriguez about "Nightmare Alley," his adaptation of the novel by William Lindsay Gresham. The book was originally conceived as part of Avon Books' short-lived "Neon Lit" series of crime-themed graphic adaptations. "But by the time I got it in there was a regime change," says Spain. "They squashed the project. But over the years I kept polishing it." "Nightmare Alley" was recently published by Fantagraphics Books.
INFO: Newsarama
posted by Egon on Thursday, February 20, 2003

TOEPFFER'S OLDBUCK IS BACK
Fummeti.com announces the republicaton of Rodolphe Toepffer's "Obadiah Oldbuck" as a special release for the Napoli Comicon. Originally published as "Les Amours de M. Vieuxbois" in 1839, the work saw American release as "Obadiah Oldbuck" in 1841 and claims arguable status as the first American comic book. In addition to a re-typset facsimile edition of Toepffer's work, the comic will include an introduction by Robert Beerbohm, a Martin Mystere strip, Italian translation of the original French captions and a new cover "in the style of a 'modern' comic book," reports publisher Alfredo Castelli to the Platinum Age Comics mailing list. "The text of the actual comic book reprint portion will be in English - all other portions will be in Italian, with a few English synopsis paragraphs," added Beerbohm in a separate message. Fummeti.com displays pages excerpted from the upcoming edition. The Napoli Comicon runs March 7 - 9.
INFO: Fummeti.org
INFO: Platinum Age Comics
posted by Egon on Wednesday, February 19, 2003

OH SE-HO: KOREAN FOLK COMICS
The Korea Times profiles cartoonist Oh Se-ho, whose work is the subject of a retrospective at the Seoul Animation Center. Unlike dominant genre-driven comics, Oh’s work draws on Korean tradition, chronicling "folk tales, traditional dances, lives of villagers and the history of fishing." The current exhibit includes "original comic drawings on traditional objects typically used in Eastern painting, such as multi-panel screens and fans."
INFO: Korea Times
posted by Egon on Wednesday, February 19, 2003

FULL STOP, FOR THE BETTER
The Seattle Times speaks with Lynn Johnston about the end of "For Better or For Worse," planned for roughly four years from now. Although she intends to write a book chronicling the characters' lives beyond the final strip, Johnston won't allow another cartoonist to continue the serial. "She knows she wouldn't be able to suppress the urge to interfere. She has talked to cartoonists who have taken over long-running strips, and they told her they couldn't wait for the original artists to die so they could be left alone to work in peace."
INFO: The Seattle Times
posted by Egon on Wednesday, February 19, 2003

FROM HELL'S VISIONARY GAZE
The latest issue of the "Image [&] Narrative" online journal, focusing on "The Uncanny," includes a lengthy, English-language essay on "From Hell." Lisa Coppin's "Looking Inside Out: The vision as particular gaze in From Hell" analyzes vision in the graphic novel as "a particular way of looking that brings the protagonist Dr. William Gull in contact with the supernatural."
INFO: Image [&] Narrative
posted by Egon on Tuesday, February 18, 2003

MOORE, ZARATE KILL AGAIN
Avatar Press announces the May 2003 republication of "A Small Killing" by Alan Moore and Oscar Zarate, reports Newsarama. The full-color graphic novel, originally published in 1991, tells "the story of Timothy Hole, a successful adman who has just been handed the biggest assignment of his life, marketing a major cola in Russia. But his smooth life begins to unravel as he is stalked by a demonic child that makes him question not just who he is, but how he really affects those around him."
INFO: Newsarama
posted by Egon on Tuesday, February 18, 2003

CRUMB IN POCKET
Pocket Essentials gives over its next comics-themed pop reference book to the work of Robert Crumb. "The Pocket Essentials Guide to Robert Crumb" by D. K. Holm promises to outline Crumb as both cartoonist and as social satirist, "with a style as distinctive as his cartoons and with a comic timing just as finely honed." The book is scheduled for May 2003 release. Other upcoming Crumb projects include "Hot Women Singers," a CD compiled and cover-illustrated by Crumb, due in April 2003 from Swedish label Klein & Aber. "Uncle Carl's R. Crumb Page" further reports the release of "Gotta Have 'em: Portraits of Women by R. Crumb," an art book from Greybull Press also due in April.
INFO: Pocket Essentials
INFO: Kein & Aber
INFO: Uncle Carl's R. Crumb Page
posted by Egon on Monday, February 17, 2003

CFP: COMIX WITH AN X
Charles Hatfield, Gene Kannenberg, Jr. and Joseph Witek solicit submissions for "Comix with an X: Critical Responses to American Underground Comics." Addressing "cultural, political and aesthetic" issues raised by the underground, the book aims to be "an essential companion for those undertaking academic study of underground comix." Abstracts no longer than 750 words should be submitted by June 6. Further inquiries can be addressed to Hatfield via e-mail at charles.hatfield@csun.edu.
posted by Egon on Sunday, February 16, 2003

LITTLE SISTER'S ARSENAL
Vancouver's Arsenal Pulp Press publishes a two-volume comics anthology in defense of the beleaguered Little Sister's Book & Art Emporium, victim of customs seizure for import of "Meatmen" comic books. Robin Fisher edits "What Right? Graphic Interpretations Against Censorship" and "What's Wrong? Explicit Graphic Interpretations Against Censorship." "The first collection... includes comic art that confronts the serious issues around the denial of civil rights and freedom of speech in particular. The second collection... includes comic art, often satirical, that epitomizes the kinds of materials that Canada Customs seems intent on censoring." All proceeds benefit the Little Sister's Defence Fund. "What Right?" will launch at Melriches Coffee House on February 27.
INFO: Arsenal Pulp Press: What Right?
INFO: Arsenal Pulp Press: What's Wrong?
LINK: Little Sister's
posted by Egon on Sunday, February 16, 2003