Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Publishing: The Apocalipstix
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/23/2008 06:01:00 AM 
Out today, The Apocalipstix by writer Ray Fawkes and artist Cameron Stewart. The first volume in a new series published by U.S. graphic novel publisher Oni Press, the book follows the adventures of an all-female rock band.
THE APOCALIPSTIX, Vol. 1
$11.95
Pages: 144
ISBN: 978-1-932664-45-4
Diamond Code: MAY08 4059
website
A 50-page preview is available here.
See the book profile in the Toronto Star.Labels: comics with music, graphic novels, publishing
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Publishing: Mysterious Minute-Men
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/23/2008 06:00:00 AM 
Mike Aragona's The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus is now available. A 254 page book collecting the superhero parody serialized in the Aragona-edited fanzine/APA Comicopia.Labels: publishing
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Second Life Comic-Con
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/22/2008 02:13:00 AM 
The Comic Book Bin is one of the co-sponsors of the first Comic Book convention and symposium to take place in the virtual world/video game of Second Life, a website owned by Linden Labs.
The "Second Life Web Comics Comic-Con and Conference" will be held October 3, 2008.Labels: events, webcomics
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Monday, July 21, 2008
More Photos: Paradise Con
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/21/2008 03:12:00 AM 
Jamie Coville has extensively documented last weekend's Toronto convention. That's Sean Ward above.Labels: conventions, events, photos, Toronto
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Friday, July 18, 2008
This Weekend: Vancouver Comix Jam
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/18/2008 02:00:00 PM From Ed Brisson:
When: Saturday, July 19th, 2008. 8pm until midnight.
Where: Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant 255 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
Who: Anyone who is of legal drinking age is invited.
How Much: Free. Bring your own pencils/pens. Paper is provided.
I've reserved the upstairs room at the Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant for the Jam. I've been told to let everyone know that there is a maximum capacity of roughly 25 people. If there is overflow, we can always take a table or so downstairs. It's never been an issue, just one of those things that I am asked to tell you all.
Crosspost as you see fit.
See you there!
Ed Labels: comic jams, events, Vancouver
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Today: Billy Mavreas Launch, Toronto
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/18/2008 11:11:00 AM 
Billy Mavreas' Inside Outside Overlap Book Launch
feat. Michael Comeau, Two Pack Fer Sure, DJ Marcus Boon
Friday, July 18th, 8PM
Keep Six Contemporary, 938 Bathurst (N. of Bloor)
FREE
http://www.timeless.org
Booksigning and debate.
Billy Mavreas and Michael Comeau will be expounding, expostulating and marking their metaphysical turf for the launch of Inside Outside Overlap: A Boy Priest and Lifeform the "Cat" Adventure. The new book will be celebrated in a comic-arts smack down at Keep Six Contemporary (938 Bathurst Street) as part of their two-week art show. Montreal underground legend, Billy Mavreas, pits his neo-pagan, sinister cartoons of cute bunny gods against the silk-screened, oil-mongering fundamentalist Hellbertan humans from Toronto's Punchclock hero, Michael Comeau.
Musical guests: Two Pack Fer Sure, DJ Marcus Boon
The show featuring Mavreas' and Comeau's silk screening, rock posters, illustrations, print and sound will run from July 18 to August 3, 2008.
--Labels: book launches, events, exhibits, graphic novels, Toronto
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Paradise Con Reports
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/17/2008 06:01:00 AM 
The Paradise Comicon was held this past weekend in Toronto; by all accounts a smaller version of its former self. Here are some reports:
The lads from the No Reason webcomic had fun.
Ty Buttars has a full report with photos --it's a really cute post that includes the tale of his really young nephew getting artists to draw his favourite video game character.
A nice report from "Cam" at the Comic Geek Speak forums.
Publishing news: Cameron Stewart released his new artbook at the con.
A double review: Paradise Comicon and Wall-E.
The inevitable (do not try to escape!) Jason Truong massive report.
An Agnes Garbrowska sketch.
A short report from Dave Merrill that focuses on the contraction.
Danny Truong brings the sketching news.Labels: conventions, events, Toronto
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Maximum Linkage
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/16/2008 02:17:00 AM 
Some links to Canadian-related comics stories:
Sandra Bell-Lundy's Between Friends strip profiled.
The Globe has more on the bitstrips website where you can make your own comic strip.
St. Catharines journalist is in the top 50 of some Stan Lee comic writing contest.
BlotTO profiles "superstar" Sean Ward.
Jeet Heer writes on the history of Batman's gaiety.
What's with this "Graphica" thing? First, the Globe uses it for Nathalie Atkinson's quarterly comics review. Now, the Toronto Star uses it for its review of Blake Bell's new book on Steve Ditko.Labels: links
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Sometime-Canuck Cartoonist at Centre of New Yorker/Obama Cover Flap
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/16/2008 02:06:00 AM 
Cartoonist Barry Blitt drew this caricature of Michelle and Barack Obama as Angela Davis and Osama Bin Laden for the New Yorker, spawning all sorts of chatter for what is an essentially pale gag in the Edward Sorel manner, spoofing the popular representation of the current bogeyman and -woman of the U.S. Right. Here's the Associated Press story. Simon Haupt covers the reaction for the Globe and Mail. Elsewhere, Tom Spurgeon rounds up the commentary from comics professionals and the comics blogosphere.Labels: international, political cartooning
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Friday, July 11, 2008
This Weekend: Paradise Comicon, Toronto
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/11/2008 10:51:00 AM A wonderful summer weekend. You could go to the rockabilly meetup in St. Catherines. Or you could go to the Polaris Science Fiction Convention in Toronto. Or, if you like comics even a little bit, you could go to the Paradise Comicon in Toronto. This is one of the two big comics shows of the summer in Toronto this year. This is the first year of the convention without Kevin Boyd who left the con to work with its rival, Hobbystar.
Sequential publisher Salgood Sam will be on hand to enjoy the festivities. Other guests include U.S. cartoonist Herbe Trimpe, Joseph Michael Linsner, Frank Brunner, J. Torres, Francis Manapal, Cameron Stewart, and a host of other Canadian and U.S. artists and writers.
July 12& 13, 2008
Holiday Inn on King Street
Toronto, ON
Minutes from the subway in the heart of Downtown Toronto!
$15 single day pass
Weekend Pass: $25Labels: conventions, events, Toronto
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Doing the Rounds
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/10/2008 01:35:00 AM 
Summer Reading Part I: Since I had only 3 hours sleep Tuesday night, today I read 4 old Lois Lane comics, Billy Hazelnuts, Joe Ollman's Chewing on Tinfoil, and an old issue of the Cherkas/Hancock Suburban Nightmares series that I found for 50 cents at the BMV on Bloor Street ... as well as the information at the following links:
Comic book collection stolen in Kincardine.
The U.S. vs Canada, in caricature.
Merriam-Webster dictionary finally lists "fanboy."
Happy 10th Anniversary, Editions La Pasteque, publisher of fine French-language graphic novels!
Robin Bougie on stealing money to buy comics when he was a kid. Part One. Part 2.
The most popular graphic novels in Canada are translated comics from Japan. Chris Butcher comments on the state of the manga industry in North America: Part One. Part 2.
(top image: Michael Nicoll Yahgulanass' "Haida Manga Bear")Labels: graphic novels, links, publishing, summer reading
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Crystal Fractal Comics at Paradise Con
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/10/2008 01:20:00 AM It's easy to get your press release or publishing news linked to at Sequential, Just email us and watch the magic happen!
The book below is debuting at this coming weekend's Paradise Comics Convention in Toronto.
CRYSTAL FRACTAL COMICS DEBUTS WITH PARADISE TORONTO COMICON PREVIEW EDITION OF "CRYSTAL FRACTAL UNIVERSE 0.0"
- Special CGC "Signature Series" will be available -
Crystal Fractal Comics [ED: not a great web site, their Myspace page has more art] launches at the July 12 & 13, 2008 Paradise Toronto Comicon with a special Paradise Toronto Comicon preview edition of "Crystal Fractal Universe 0.0."
 "Crystal Fractal Universe 0.0" provides a glimpse of the upcoming line of comics including "Doctor Twilight", "Magus Rex" and "Project Epsilon London Town" and includes two short stories including "CFU The Crossing" written by Derrek Lennox with Jeffrey Haas and art by Jian Yi. This printing will be limited to less than 2000 copies, with less than 133 set aside for the CGC Signature Series program. The exact print run will be released at the Convention.
"We are extremely excited to release this preview edition at the Paradise Toronto ComiCON," says Derrek Lennox, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Crystal Fractal Comics, "and of course to see the response and reaction to featured writers from the US and Canada, as well as renown artists from China, Argentia and Canada – artists from around the world that will be showcased as the comic series are released."
Crystal Fractal Comics is a Toronto, Ontario; Canada based comic book and character property company.
Labels: conventions, events, publishing, Toronto
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Monday, July 07, 2008
New Books from Les 400 Coups
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/07/2008 02:10:00 AM 
Michel Viau lists the upcoming (August to October) graphic novel and strip releases from Les 400 Coups and Mecanique Generale. Included in the list is a French-language reprint of Jules Feiffer's Tantrum graphic novel and a collection of strips by Albert Chartier, Une piquante petite brunette.Labels: bd, graphic novels, publishing
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...And We're Back
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/07/2008 01:47:00 AM 
The Mighty Sequential roars back after a long Long Weekend (in addition to Canada Day, we took the U.S. July 4th weekend off for good measure) with a roundup of news and views from and about the great Northern Comics Scene Explosion, aka Canadian Comix Culture. Let's check in with our regular departments:
Taking-a-Stand Dept: Herve St-Louis, intrepid and principled publisher of The Comic Book Bin, outlines his philosophy of publishing and journalistic integrity, including his refusal to engage in industry gossip, feud with other news sources, or blithely forward misleading press releases from Marvel and DC.
Helping-Hand Dept: Herve St-Louis, intrepid and principled publisher of The Comic Book Bin, makes an appeal to his readers to create a Comic Book Bin entry on Wikipedia because it would be unethical for him to do it himself. St-Louis helpfully provides all the info a would-be Wiki-scholar needs to create such an entry.
Zombie-Awards Dept: The Coast's Sue Carter Flinn catches Faith Erin Hicks' reaction to her recent Shuster win.
I-Speak-Freely Dept: The Supreme Court of Canada has reversed recent trends clamping down on free speech in a recent decision. The conservative editor and blogger Andrew Coyne (Maclean's) covers the judges' statements on the issue of "fair comment".
Flexi-Fingers Dept: Daniel Joseph of Laurier's Cord Weekly profiles Scott Ramsoomair, creator of the video game webcomic VGCATs.
Detournement Dept: Policart Bruce MacKinnon has recently seen his editorial cartoon about Obama winning the presidency misappropriated by diverse groups. Sequential is reminded of a somewhat similar situation from a decade-or-so ago when a pair of satirical Robert Crumb strips were reprinted by racist groups in the U.S.
Nudity Dept: Toronto cartoonist Steve Murray illustrates his trip to a nudist colony. (see top image)
Gamma Flight Dept: As a rule, Sequential only links to an Alpha Flight-related story when there is absolutely nothing else to link to, but I'm feeling generous. Thus, this Georgia Straight article about the location of a scene in the recent Hulk movie.
Lucky Ello Dept: D+Q visits the London, Ont. studio of cartoonist/fine artist Richard Thompson (EDIT: that's Peter Thompson --sorry. BM).Labels: links
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Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Happy Canada Day!
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/01/2008 02:48:00 PM  Labels: comics history, events
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Weltschmerz, R.I.P.
:: Posted by Bryan @ 6/30/2008 12:23:00 AM 
Weltschmerz, Gareth Lind's long-running weekly political comic strip, has come to an end. The final strip appeared Thursday, June 26.
Citing a need to move on after almost 15 years of producing a weekly strip, cartoonist Lind ended the adventures of uber-liberal ranter Horst Weltschmerz on an open note, wrapping up a long-running sub-plot involving comatose terrorism suspect Raj but leaving the relationship crisis of the title character in permanent limbo.
As he writes in the blog post accompanying the final strip, Lind is still planning future projects, perhaps with the same characters, but his loyalties remain with the serialized comic strip form, as opposed to the graphic novel or webcomics:
"... it was hard for me to imagine the characters not living on. They may well, somehow, in some incarnation. But right now it feels like they've lived long enough with me. It's time for Horst -- and me -- to move on [...] But my cartooning ain't over. I've got plans. Whether I can find an economic model for them remains to be seen ..."
The full text of the blog post is worth reading for anyone interested in webcomics economics and the shift away from print.
Running since 1994 in a small number of Canadian alternative weeklies that at one time included Toronto's Eye Weekly as well as Pulse (Edmonton), Echo Weekly (Kitchener-Guelph area), View (Hamilton) and Pulse (St. Catharines/Niagara), the strip revolved around the neurotic political worldview of Horst Weltschmerz (a Woody Allen-Noam Chomsky type and Lind's chief mouthpiece) and his coterie of trend-embracing, buzzword-spouting friends, rivals, and mortal enemies. The strip was decidedly left-of-centre and often concerned with issues surrounding technology and the environment, with particular venom and satire reserved for Conservative Party politicians like PM Stephen Harper and the widely-hated former Ontario premier Mike Harris. In many ways, and to use another German loan-word, with its deer-in-the headlights fascination with neo-cons, the web, sex, and global warming, the strip perfectly captured the zeitgeist of millennial and post-Sept. 11 Canada. By way of example, the most recent storyline featured Horst cyber-stalking his ex-girlfriend, who left him for a lesbian lover who is secretly streaming their sex-life to pay-per-view fans online, while Horst's friend Cosmo has embraced veganism and the SUV-diet, a parody of the 100-mile diet that involves eating only the equivalent of the bio-fuel consumed by a typical SUV in one year, all while their friend Raj hovers on death's door after being abducted by CSIS.
A restless, intelligent strip, Weltschmerz featured inventive design, tight linework, and an economy of presentation that was distinct, instantly accessible, and funny, despite its often dense wordplay and subject matter. A collection of strips featuring a linked continuity, Attack of the Same-Sex Sleeper Cells, was self-published by Lind and released in 2006.
An interview with the Guelph-based Lind, who also runs a graphic design business, accompanied the final strip in select papers.Labels: comic strips, political cartooning, webcomics
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Friday, June 27, 2008
Lynn Johnston to be Inducted Into Giants of the North
:: Posted by Bryan @ 6/27/2008 12:39:00 AM 
Straight from the source:
Lynn Johnston to headline the 2008 Doug Wright Awards for Canadian Cartooning
Event to be held at Toronto Reference Library
The Doug Wright Awards for Canadian Cartooning is pleased to announce that Lynn Johnston, the award-winning cartoonist behind the long-running strip For Better or For Worse, will be the guest of honour at their 2008 awards ceremony.
Organized in partnership with the Toronto Public Library, the free event will take place Friday Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Toronto Reference Library during which time Johnston will be inducted into the "Giants of the North"; the Canadian Cartoonists' Hall of Fame.
Carried in more than 2,000 newspapers around the world, For Better or For Worse has been collected in more than 30 best-selling books since it first appeared in September 1979; making Johnston arguably the best-known and most successful Canadian cartoonist ever.
Over her three-decade career Johnston has received a number of honours including a Gemini Award (for her animated FBorFW TV series), a Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist (the first woman winner in the history of the National Cartoonists Society) and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for her controversial gay storyline in the early 1990s. In addition, in 1992 she became a Member of the Order of Canada.
On August 8, Johnston will join other giants of Canadian cartooning like Peter Whalley, George Feyer and Doug Wright, when she is inducted into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame. The event will feature a retrospective of her more than 30-year career, a moderated Q&A with the audience and a book signing with Johnston.
The ceremony will comprise just part of the 4th Annual Doug Wright Awards, the country's premier comics awards, which recognizes the best in new and established cartoonists and graphic novelists. The 2008 Wrights will see announcement of the winners of the Best Book trophy, Best Emerging Talent trophy and the "Pigskin Peters" award; a new category dedicated to non-traditional or non-narrative cartooning. (To learn more about the 2008 nominees, visit www.wrightawards.ca.)
As usual, The Wright Awards will also play host to the best and brightest in Canada's cartooning community from Chester Brown (Louis Riel) and Seth (Palookaville) to Ho Che Anderson (King) and Mariko Tamaki (Skim).
The awards will be decided by a jury made up of members of the country's arts and cultural community, including: author and film critic Katrina Onstad, cartoonist Ho Che Anderson, Toronto book seller Marc Glassman, writer, performer Mariko Tamaki and Power Plant curator Helena Rickett. Labels: awards, comic strips, events, Lynn Johnston
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
Moncton, NB: The Return Monkeytown Comix Jam - Monday June 30
:: Posted by max @ 6/26/2008 12:08:00 PM 
CO:monkey town comix jam
Y'est back!
C'est le Monthly Monkeytown Comix Jam this Monday, June 30 at the Laundromat (corner St.-George and Cameron.)
This will be our big-ass whopping one-year anniversary jam, with literally several moderately talented comix artists likely to show up!!! It's a once-in-a-lifetime-of-unspecified-length event, the likes of which you've never noticed!!!!
Les jams commencent vers 19h/jams start around 7pm. Catch toi there!
monkeytowncomixjam.blogspot.comLabels: cartoonists, comic jams, events, Moncton
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Publishing: New Releases, Summer 2008
:: Posted by Bryan @ 6/26/2008 01:38:00 AM 
Some new books from Canadian creators that are now out or soon will be:
Chiggers, Hope Larson
A young adult book about girls at a summer camp from publisher Simon & Schuster.
Rabbit and Bear Paws 2: The Voyageurs, Chad Solomon & Christopher Meyer
Continuing the adventures of the Ojibway Asterix and Obelix. (See my review of the first volume here.)
No Girls Allowed, Susan Hughes & Willow Dawson
A collection of stories about famous "Joan of Arc" types (Kids Can Press).
Claire and the Bakery Thief, Janice Poon
A mystery graphic novel for 7-10 year olds, with recipes! (Kids Can Press)
Are you publishing a new book or is there a book you would like to see mentioned on Sequential? Please let us know.Labels: graphic novels, publishing
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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
If your in Montreal, Come see Diana Schutz tonight!
:: Posted by max @ 6/25/2008 03:42:00 PM  CO: from the D&Q blog
"I know we [D&Q] keep using this image to illustrate Diana Schutz. You think we could find another image that would work better, but actually, the repetition of this one is making you more keen to come out tonight..."
WHERE YOU CAN SEE HER IN PERSON.
7PM tonight!
DIANA SCHUTZ presents her life in comics.
Get the inside scoop from the editor for FRANK MILLER, WILL EISNER, STAN SAKAI, MATT WAGNER, MICHAEL CHABON, and NEIL GAIMAN. Want to break into mainstream comics? Schutz will be offering portfolio reviews! Diana Schutz is an award-winning editor who has worked in the comics industry since 1978. For the last eighteen of those thirty years, she has been at Dark Horse Comics, where she is now an executive editor.
She is also an adjunct instructor of comics art history and criticism at Portland Community College. Schutz is Frank Miller's editor on SIN CITY and 300, Matt Wagner's editor on GRENDEL, Stan Sakai's editor on USAGI YOJIMBOU, and Paul Chadwick's editor on CONCRETE. She also regularly works with Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, and Dave McKean, and irregularly with Harlan Ellison. She was fortunate to be Will Eisner's Dark Horse editor until his death in 2005.
211 Bernard Ouest Montreal Quebec
514 279 2224
MAPLabels: book launches, events, Montreal, new books, reading
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