Read Comics In Public Day
This year's first annual International Read Comics In Public Day, organized by comics creators Brian Heater and Sarah Morean took place on August 28 and by all accounts was a lot of fun and a rousing success. The new event encouraged comics fans to show their pride in the medium and raise the profile of comic books by openly reading comic books in a public place on the birthday of the late great comics creator Jack Kirby. Pictures of participants celebrating the new holiday are available here, and a rundown of the day's events is available at the Read Comics In Public official site.Wertham's Papers Open to Public
The complete papers of Fredric Wertham, the anti-comics psychologist and author of the book, Seduction of the Innocent, have been opened for study at the Library of Congress. Wertham's book and his testimony before the Senate led to the creation of the self-policing Comics Code Authority and ended the Golden Age of comics. More details are available at this article on Robot 6.
2010 Harvey Award Winners
The Harvey Awards for excellence in comics were announced last weekend at Baltimore Comic Con. Winners include Chew for Best New Series and its creator Rob Guillory for Best New Talent, The Walking Dead for Best Continuing Series and Best Writer for its writer Robert Kirkman, Robert Crumb for Best Artist, Darwyn Cook for Best Cartoonist, Wednesday Comics for Best Anthology and Asterios Polyp for Best Original Graphic Album. More awards and details are available in this post from PWCW's own Heidi MacDonald.
Kirkman's Prose Walking Dead Story Previewed
Robert Kirkman's award-winning zombie comic The Walking Dead, soon to be a television show, has come to prose, and now a preview of Kirkman's new story set in that universe is available free online here.
Image Comics Gets iPad App
In coordination with the new Apple iPad mobile computing device, Image Comics has launched their own dedicated digital comics application which is now available on iTunes. Like the DC and Marvel dedicated apps, the program was created by industry leader Comixology. Readers may purchase individual comics for $1.99 each through the application, download them, load them on any app store compatible device they own, and read and reread them as many times as they desire without an ongoing subscription. The application is free, works on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices and a number of free older Image comics are available for the app.
Both Bruce Wayne & Dick Grayson to be Batman at Once
The New York Post has revealed in a new article that the upcoming title Batman Inc. will not only feature the returned Bruce Wayne as Batman, but also Dick Grayson, his adopted son and former Robin who took over the job while Bruce was presumed dead. The two Batmen will have slightly different costumes, to make distinguishing between them easier for the reader.
Shawn Martinborough interviewed by BET
Comics creator Shawn Martinborough is the subject of a new two-part interview on BET.com. Martinborough is best known for his recent award-winning graphic novel Luke Cage Noir.
Anti-Comics Political Campaign Ad
Despite mounting evidence that comics are a valuable and effective tool for getting reluctant readers interested in books, a new Maryland State Senate campaign ad has equated comics with illiteracy. “Imagine if they had to lay off teachers... Vote! Democratic Primary” says the scare quote in candidate Nancy King's ad over an image of small children reading X-Men and Superman. Interestingly, Maryland is known for having a particularly strong comics in the classroom program, as featured in this article on educational comics by Laura Hudson for Publishers Weekly Comics Week.
The “Crisis” Surrounding Collaboration in Comics
Over at the Hooded Utilitarian blog, Cartoonist James Romberger (Seven Miles A Second and Bronx Kill) looks at the relationship between the comics writer and comics illustrator and the fault lines that occur over who gets primary credit for the completed work.
Kids Comic Con Goes To Africa On Kickstarter
Kids Comic Con is looking for donations through crowd-sourced fundraiser website Kickstarter.com to make it possible for them to take the Kids Comic Con Roadshow to Senegal, Africa. The Senegal event would be a full scale event for over 700 children and their parents. Founded in 2007 by comics writer, YA novelist and educational activist Alex Simmons, Kids Comic Con caters to comics-loving children, parents and educators and focuses on comics as both entertainment and as educational tool. Events include includes panels, hands-on workshops directed by comics professionals and a wide variety of comics creator guests. Kickstarter is a website that allows artists and innovators to raise money from the general public, taking pledges of support for amounts as low as $1 and often offering incentives such as books or t-shirts for contributions of a set amount. If enough money is raised to fund the project, the pledged amount will then be withdrawn from the accounts of those who have pledged. If not, no one has lost money. Pledges can be made here.
This Week @ Good Comics For Kids
This week School Library Journal’s blog Good Comics for Kids had a review of Sonic Select, a discussion on how long to wait in between installments of a children’s comic, the 8/30 listing of “What We are Reading This Week”, a special in-depth blogging event called “The Manga Movable Feast: Kids Table” including an introduction and index andthe 8/25 listing of comics suitable for all ages.
This Week @ The Beat
This week PWCW editor Heidi MacDonald’s blog The Beat covered the popularity of comic convention Fan Expo Canada, announced the winners of the Harvey Awards – as well as the controversial discussion started during the award speeches, then discussed the inability of the local bar to cope with large numbers of comics creators in search of the fabled Bar Con experience, Baltimore Comic Con in general, Read Comics In Public Day, SPX’s programming, Image’s new comics app, the strange decline of harem manga, Marvel’s creator summit (and cake) and Dave Cooper’s book tour for the graphic novel Bent.
