To-do: Comics Portfolio Reviews On The Road
Like any good cartoonist and comics evangelist, a road trip cannot just be days of blasting Mates of State and stopping at roadside attractions like Corn Palace. No, no, on my trip from The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT to Fantagraphics in Seattle, WA will be punctuated by a few stops to conduct portfolio reviews and drop off some Schulz Library tote bags at great comic book stores across America.
How helping the Jack Kirby Museum could be the best response
Creator/publisher Zak Sally weighs in on the Kirby Matter, and the actions he suggests are more proactive:
actually, over the course of writing this, i think i DO have an answer– not THE answer, but an idea anyway: it’s somewhat presumptive on my part, and it is NOT what “should” happen, but it falls under the category of “the least you could do”.
Rucka and Bendis sitting around rapping
Greg Rucka's novel Alpha has just come out, and it's the debut of a whole new thriller series for him. To promote it, he's doing the rounds, including a chat with Brian Michael Bendis for publisher Mulholland Books. You really need to read the whole thing. It's quite a relaxed and candid conversation:
Meet the cartoonists behind Cartoon Network's hottest shows (Part One)
There's so many cartoonists working at Cartoon Network we couldn't fit 'em all in one post! This first post features interviews with cartoonists/animators Martin Cendreda, Hellen Jo, Michael DeForge and many more.
Interview: Regular Show creator JG Quintel on indie comics and cartoons
A chat with JG Quintel, creator of Cartoon Network's Regular Show about British TV sensibility, the Leprechaun Movies, and why good indie comics artists can also make for good animators. Featuring a special guest appearance by Regular Show storyboarder and cartoonist, Benton Connor.
Interview with Adventure Time's Pendleton Ward and friends
An interview with Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward about the post-apocalyptic movie genre, Dungeons and Dragons, the Adventure Time licensed comic, Bob's Burgers and more. With special guest appearances by cartoonist/animators Jesse Moynihan, Levon Jihanian, and Andy Tauke!
The Rainbow Orchid: An interview with creator Garen Ewing
Garen Ewing has been working on his three volume graphic novel The Adventures of Julius Chancer: The Rainbow Orchid for over a decade. The final volume was recently released by Egmont in the UK, and it seemed a good time to talk to him about his influences, his process, and his future plans.
Chris Roberson's exit interview
The Comics Journal jumps right back in the fray with an exit interview with Chris Roberson, who uses the occasion to express thoughts Twitter cannot contain. According to Roberson, his distaste with BEFORE WATCHMEN was stated in podcasts, but no one picked it up until his tweets were posted. The whole thing is one big must-read, but here are some quite nice statements that no one can possibly take issue with in the comment section:
The creator’s position viewed through the lens of Alan Moore
My—hopefully—last post on Before Watchmen and Alan Moore and the role of the comics creators.
End of a Hair-a
The date was December 9th, 2011 when cartoonist and Center for Cartoon Studies professor Alec Longstreth shaved off his beard and shaggy do. A promise to himself in 2008, he decided to chart his progress through pictures of his hair and beard growth that would undoubtedly remind him daily of his commitment. Living in a small town with a beard as his shadow, Longstreth went from industrious Fellow of the school to an instructor of both summer workshops and graduate classes to the Acting Director (while James Sturm takes a much-needed sabbatical) . Even after all the excitement, he is still growing and evolving, deciding to learn watercolor on the side. Venture on to read more about the amazing cartoonist Alec Longstreth.
Chris Roberson no longer writing FAIREST arc
Unsurprisingly, after his public statement on not working with DC over their ethical practices towards creators yesterday, it turns out Chris Roberson's arc on FAIREST, the FABLES spin-off, will not get written.
The Creator's Life #2: Cameron Stewart on working for free
Yesterday Batman artist Cameron Stewart tweeted about a particularly awful "job" offer; we put job in scare quotes because "job" usually implies something you get paid for.
