Monthly Archives: September 2011

Reminder: Rain Taxi Brings Craig Thompson to MCAD to Speak September 26th

Info at Rain Taxi here.

CRAIG THOMPSON
Monday, September 26, 2011, 7:00 pm
Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Auditorium
2501 Stevens Ave., Minneapolis
Click here for directions

Acclaimed graphic novelist Craig Thompson returns from a seven-year hiatus this fall with the publication of Habibi, an epic romance that investigates the history of religion and storytelling. Habibi is a hugely anticipated release that Thompson says looks at Islam the way his previous graphic novel, Blankets, looks at Christianity. Blankets was once banned from some libraries, and Habibi is expected to be no less controversial and no less enthusiastically received as a watershed moment in the art form of comics.

At this special Twin Cities appearance, Thompson will give a visual presentation and discussion of his work. Not to be missed!

. . . his brilliantly realized artwork transforms whatever potential for triteness lies in his message into profundity. . . . Goodbye, Chunky Rice is a heartfelt masterpiece.
—Rain Taxi Review of Books

Blankets magically recreates the high emotional stakes of adolescence. Thompson has set new bars for the medium not just in length, but breadth.
—Time Magazine

Craig Thompson’s previous graphic novels include Blankets (for which he received three Harvey Awards for Best Artist, Best Graphic Album of Original Work, and Best Cartoonist; and two Eisner Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Writer/Artist); Goodbye, Chunky Rice; and Carnet de Voyage. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Comics, Creativity, and Culture: International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives at The University of Iowa October 5th-8th

Yesterday, I heard for the first time about a pretty amazing-sounding event happening in Iowa City, Iowa October 5th-8th that I suspect some of you may be interested in attending (note Minneapolis folks that Iowa City is a 5 hour drive). The University of Iowa is putting on a three day symposium on comics called Comics, Creativity, and Culture: International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Comics luminaries on the guest list include Gilbert Hernandez, Jamie Hernandez, Pheobe Glockner, Joe Sacco, Craig Yoe, John Porcellino, Jessica Abel, James Sturm, Gary Groth and Peggy Burns, as well as a number of comics scholars and historians.

You can see the schedule for the symposium here.

There are other comics-related events happening in Iowa city before and after the symposium.

Here in an article about the event.

Saint Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy Jam on September 15!

Join the St. Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy Cell and create a jam comic at Cahoots Coffee! This locale provides us with not only a spacious room in the back of the shop, but also they have tasty mediterranean food for sale!

The jamming is easy and it’s a fun time! Just bring some drawing utensils, an idea for the jam, and a few bucks to get a tasty beverage or some chow — don’t forget to tip, the baristas really do appreciate that!

The jam will start promptly at 6:30 and run until 10:30 at the latest. Come earlier to reserve your space! Seating can be limited at times!

The meetings are open to anyone who wants to draw with us, and the results will be posted here at some date yet to be determined.

To join us come to:
Cahoots Coffee
1562 Selby Ave
St Paul, MN 55104
(Southeast corner of Snelling and Selby)

More not than often we head on over to grab a brew at:
O’Gara’s Bar and Grill
164 Snelling Ave N
St. Paul, MN 55104
(Right next to Cahoots!)

Bus info here.

POM POM POM

Do you hear that?



There is less than a month until 24 Hour Comics Day!

Thanks to Carlos Merino for drawing the above poster for the Minneapolis event.

We better get some sleep!

24 Hour Comics Day Minneapolis
October 1-2 9AM-9AM

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Open Book building
(Just down the street from Big Brain Comics)
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-215-2520

Questions about Mpls’s 24-hour Comic Day?

Write to: 24hourcomicday@gmail.com

Mpls. 24-hour Comic Day Facebook page.

Mpls. 24-hour Comic Day tweets.

Here is a promotional chicklet you can use for your social networking site or blog or pong or whatever.

Not in Minneapolis? Not to worry… find a location on the international event site! Click the image below to go there.

Mpls. Sat. Open Studio, Sept. 10, noon to 4 p.m.

[Artist move]

Draw and chat this Saturday with your fellow cartoonists. The Open Studio is at the Minnesota Center for Books Arts. We’ll be at the high tables, just a little past the store. There’s a coffee shop in the building and free, semi-functioning wi-fi. Perfect for cartooning.

Saturday, Sept. 10, from noon until 4 p.m., MCBA Bindery (high tables)

This is an open studio — all are welcome.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Open Book building
(Just down the street from Big Brain Comics)
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-215-2520

Future Sat. Open Studios:
** Oct. 1st – 2nd. is 24-hour Comic Day! **
Nov. 12 (bindery — high tables)
Dec. 17 (bindery — high tables)

Zander Cannon is the Featured Artist for Lutefisk Sushi Volume E!


Few people realize that Zander Cannon is actually only eight inches tall!

We voted the other week to pick who would be the featured artist for Lutefisk Sushi Volume E, and Zander Cannon won in a close race (thanks to everyone who participated). Congratulations Zander! Zander, if you do not know, is an Eisner-Award winning cartoonist whose best-known work includes The Replacement God, Top Ten, Smax, and numerous non-fiction graphic novels with his partner Kevin Cannon at Big Time Attic. Zander has around 20 years of professional cartooning under his belt… it is going to be hard to pick what pieces to feature in the exhibit. Next year will also be the debut of Zander’s wonderful romp into Hell, Heck! from Top Shelf Comix.

Lutefisk Sushi Volume E will be debuting November 2012 at Altered Esthetics gallery in Nordeast Minneapolis. As with the four previous Lutefisk Sushi shows it will feature a big, limited-edition bento box of handmade mini-comics by Minnesota cartoonists. The cover will be hand-silkscreened with a design by Zander Cannon. Any resident of Minnesota is welcome to contribute their mini-comics to be included in the box… watch this site for details.

Recent Twin Cities Cartoonist News!!!

!!!

Jon Sloan is going to be the Comic Book Guest of Honor at MarsCon 2012!!!

Tom Kaczynski was just featured on TCJ talkies, the new Comics Journal podcast!!! His Trans-Utopia mini-comic was recently nominated for an Ignatz award for outstanding mini-comic!!!

Sarah Morean was just featured in and article on her and MIX in the City Pages!!!

Bill Prendergast and his anti-Michelle Bachmann comics were just prominently featured on an Australian news site!!! Bill was featured on CNN recently as well!!!

Danno Klonowski’s art was just featured on the delightful Ink Panthers Podcast (yours could be as well… see the site for details)!!!

!!!

What do you hate to draw?

I’ve started a new blog called Things I Hate to Draw: a self-help blog for artists. Anyone can submit sketches. It is all about challenging yourself to get over mental blocks.

Every artist has strengths and deficiencies. Some of us are good with anatomy but terrible with vehicles. Some of us draw great machines but aren’t so good at plants. Some do fantastic landscapes, but can’t draw a character’s face the same way twice. Often we are slow to improve in our weak areas, because we don’t LIKE to draw certain things. You dread screwing up. You know you’ll mess up your paper with all that erasing. It will be tedious. You’ll have to start over. So you avoid drawing it altogether.

Does this sound familiar?

The first step is to admit you have a problem. The second step is to get over it. Practice drawing those subjects you can’t draw, and you might surprise yourself. After a while they won’t be such a chore anymore.

If you would like to submit a sketch to this blog, follow these easy steps:

1. Choose a subject you normally avoid drawing. Acknowledge and embrace the fact that it may not be your best work.

2. Save your art as a .jpg, .png, or .gif file

3. Attach image to an email with “I HATE TO DRAW _____” in the subject line.

4. In the body of the email, type the title of your art, your name, and website. If you would like to include a brief bio or artist statement, that’s cool too.

5. Send to volsungaloop@gmail.com

Minneapolis Jam: September 2011


NORDEAST COMICS SUMMIT
Summary: Danno Klonowski gave the audience some good practical tips on how to collaborate successfully in the comics world as either an artist and/or writer. Best tip: if someone wants you to draw their comic and promises lots of money on the back end, run far, far away. As always, we videotaped the Summit, and those videos will be posted online eventually. Thanks to Danno for bringing this month’s refreshing cold beverages. That is not a requirement of Summit hosts, but if it becomes a trend I won’t be upset.

Coming up next!:
OCT. 6: Adrean Clark, “The Secret Language of People” – a look at body language & more in comics.
NOV. 3: Maxeem Konrardy, “Theft & Borrowing in Comics” – and the idea of how do you write something new in a world where everything’s already been written.
DEC. 1: Steven Stwalley & Kevin Cannon, “First Annual Holiday Comix Game Show!” – Jeopardy-style quiz show with comics-themed trivia. THERE WILL BE PRIZES!

If there’s a topic you’d like to see or even lead yourself, contact me at nordeastcomics [at] gmail.com. The next available date is January 5, 2012.

Follow us on Twitter! handle: NORDEASTCOMICS

INTERNATIONAL CARTOONIST CONSPIRACY
As someone who recently visited the Minnesota State Fair for the first time in decades, I can honestly say that the following document is firmly rooted in reality:

State Fair and the Horror Double Feature!

Hello, Friend.
Click image for pdf — a deep-fried 10.3 mb!

Please enjoy.