A new issue of BERLIN is on the way

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Jason Lutes has been working on BERLIN, his tale of Weimar Germany, for something like…14 years. And although it’s been about a year between issues, a new issue has been delivered to the DQ offices and publisher Chris Oliveros marvels at their craft:

Jason is the consummate professional. Did you know that there is not a single use of “white out” on any of these 24 pages? Pen to paper for close to a couple of hundred panels, all done with flawless efficiency.

Jack Davis, Phoebe Gloeckner headline Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest

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The featured guests for this Decembers Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival have been announced, and it’s pretty spectacular: CF, Jack Davis, Phoebe Gloeckner, Lisa Hanawalt, Chip Kidd, David Mazzucchelli, John Porcellino and Brian Ralph.

If you are like us, you are most excited about the chance to meet the legendary Jack Davis, who was not only an EC Comics mainstay, but one of the original MAD artists and one of the most influential illustrators of the 60s and 70s with his unmistakeable “bigfoot” style. So YEAH. Amazing.

Comics are art

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The new issue of ARTnews has a nice survey of the fine art/Comics crossover:

2011 Ignatz Awards nominees announced

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The nominees for the 2011 Ignatz awards have just been announced. The nominees represent the best of indie comics and were selected by a five person panel consisting of Rina Ayuyang, Mike Dawson, Kris Dresen, Theo Ellsworth, and John Porcellino. Winners will be selected by attendees of the Small Press Expo and presented at the gala Ignatz Awards ceremony held on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 9:00 PM with host Dustin Harbin.

Multiple nominees include Edie Fake, Michael DeForge, Sammy Harkham and Carol Tyler.

MoCCA thoughts: The indie evolution

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The MoCCA Festival at the Lexington Armory a few days ago was a fun weekend — the numerous photo shows filled with smiling faces of dedicated artists and publishers show that. Look at Peggy Burns’ engaging set or Dan Nadel’s. Fun is fine, of course, but that’s not entirely why people go to indie shows like MoCCA, SPX, and TCAF. I’d argue that the social aspect of hanging out with fellow cartoonists is a major motivation for attending, but that’s not why D&Q or PictureBox or Fantagraphics attends. These are important shows for promoting authors and selling books.

2011 MoCCA Debuts

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Better late than never, new stuff by Austin English, Chuck Forsman, Rina Piccolo, and dozens more!!!!

To do tonight: Carousel at Parsons

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The events surrounding Cartoon Polymaths end with a bang with an outing for the comics slideshow series, Carousel. Someone go and report!

To do Saturday: Lorenzo Mattotti & Dave McKean in conversation

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Dave McKean and Italian comics artist Lorenzo Mattotti will be in London this weekend and will be hold a discussion concerning Celluloid (McKean’s upcoming graphic novel), Stigmata (Mattotti’s recent graphic novel from Fantagraphics), and who knows what else.

To do tonight: Richard McGuire at Parsons

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I haven’t written adequately about the “Cartoon Polymaths” show currently up at Parsons, the NYC art school that teaches design and illustration. It is a concise but museum-level show about cartooning and cartoonists that really sets a new standard for how these subjects can be covered. Aside from showing movies and puppets and small Marischal-designed houses, it also has its own NEON SIGN. Wow. Curator Bill Kartalopoulos really outdid himself and got Parsons’ taleted design crew on board with a fantastic installation.

Anyway, if you haven’t gone yet, tonight is the night to see a talk with pioneering artist Richard McGuire, who was multi-media before it was in fashion. Deets below.

Comics Mystery: Shiva Elvis

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TweetI work at the home office of Barnes & Noble, and we get a multitude of review copies every day. Being a bibliovore, I like to browse the shelves occasionally, to see what’s new and interesting, and to grab the occasional graphic novel for myself, or a Christmas present for my nieces and nephews. So, [...]

BCGF wrap-up

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Although my “official” news story about last weekend’s Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival was published in PW Comics Week, I still had some pictures I wanted to put up.

Over all it was an awesome day. Not much more to say. I thought last year, set in a dramatic blizzard, would be hard to top for that special something, but the cheerful, can-do spirit of this show equalled that. Everyone seemed to be finding like-minded souls to share their work. As I said several times, “Who knew so many people liked good comics?”

BCGF News: Crosby, Tong, Bell

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TweetA final look at some of the wonderful books on sale tomorrow at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. As always even if you can’t go, click through on some of the links…new, fresh stuff everywhere. Rosebud Archives This company — run by comics strip historian Rick Marschall and Jonathan Barli — is your go [...]

BCGF: D&Q – Tomine, Nilsen

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Tweet Just to wrap things up, Drawn and Quarterly has a blog post on their BCGF activities. Sadly Peggy BUrns will not be able to attend due to a lost passport (! The Terrorists have WON) but they will have this new Adrian Tomine book and the debut of the final Big Question by Anders [...]

BCGF: Pigeon Press announces new Johnny Ryan book: New Character Parade

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Tweet Pigeon Press, the new company from Alvin Buenaventura has recent books by Lisa Hanawalt amd Matt Furie available at BCBF, and the debut of a new JOhnny Ryan book: “New Character Parade” by Johnny Ryan This hilarious and irreverent tome continues the Johnny Ryan brand of gleefully perverse humor! New Character Parade features 120 [...]

More BCGF news and comics: Cotter, Blexbolex, Juliacks etc

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More news and notes from publishers and cartoonists at this Saturday’s Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. If you are not local, just check out the links for some new and different comics. We had such a fantastic outpouring of info we have ONE MORE post coming later today. It had been a blast going through all these links and finding so many new artists to follow.

BCGF: Koyama Press debuts "Spotting Deer"

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TweetNot only does Koyama Press have a spanking new website, they will also have some new books this weekend: Koyama Press will be bringing Michael DeForge, the Wowee Zonk collective and Steven Charles Manale from Toronto. We will be debuting Michael DeForge’s new book ‘Spotting Deer’. Wowee Zonk will have their new book ‘Wowee Zonk [...]