§ Graphic Classics is still turning out themed comics anthologies, and their new one is Native American Classics: Graphic Classics Volume 24, for which they hired as many actual Native American creators as possible:
Native American Classics presents great stories and poems from America’s earliest indigenous writers. Featured are “The Soft-Hearted Sioux” by Zitkala-Sa, “Anoska Nimiwina” by William Jones, “How the White Race Came to America” by Handsome Lake, and seven more tales of humor and tragedy. The book also features eight illustrated poems, including Alex Posey’s “Wildcat Bill” and E. Pauline Johnson’s “The Cattle Thief”. The series is edited by Tom Pomplun. Associate editors for this volume are noted Native American writers John E. Smelcer and Joseph Bruchac, who each contribute a piece to the book.
Sadly, artist and teacher Robby McMurtry was killed just weeks after completing his adaptation of Charles Eastman’s “On Wolf Mountain” for this volume. Publisher Eureka Productions and editor John E. Smelcer have pledged $1 for each book sold in the months of February and March 2013 to the Robby McMurtry Scholarship for the Arts. To make an additional donation, please find more information at www.robbymcmurtry.com.
§ Tom Spurgeon interviews the great Richard Sala. Although there is much talk about his new book, DELPHINE, which is amazing, there’s also a lot about thigs that didn’t go so well, like his book for First Second and various Hollywood mishaps. But still, Richard Sala is still around and making great comics:
SALA: I don’t know. I’ve learned over the years to be much more patient about that. I’ve never been one of those cartoonists whose books are read and reviewed as soon as they’re released. No one is telling anyone that they have to read my books. But somehow people seem to find my work, eventually. I have a relatively small audience, I guess, but they seem enthusiastic and devoted. And with each new book, new readers go back and buy my older books, or so I’m told. I get letters from readers who have only recently discovered me all the time. Reviews will trickle in over months. I’ll get really thoughtful reviews of books that came out years ago. That actually makes me feel more like I’m a part of the big picture, the big sea of books — it’s kind of comforting. I feel like it points to the possibility that people will continue to discover my books long after I’m gone and that’s kind of gratifying.
§ The first Wizard World Portland was held this weekend and it was a successful show by most accounts. Jeff Ellingsonposted a pretty bleak photo from the opening day on Friday:
…but things improved, as this pic by Joe Keatinge shows.
… and the Walking Dead’s Michael Rooker got to meet Stan Lee, so that must have been a big thrill for Rooker. And nice to see Stan up and about again after a recent bout with the flu.
This fellow has a balanced report on the show. There isn’t really anything to dislike about this show aside from the fact that it was scheduled the week before next week’s Emerald City Comicon in Seattle—Con Wars timing from the olden days that was never really explained. While it seems the show did well, that was still a douche move on Wizard’s part, so you can’t exactly wish the show well.
§ The nice people at HomeownersInsurance.com sent me this infographic they made about who spent more on their gear Iron Man or Batman. They worked hard on it.
