(belated) USA scene report
It was fun to be back in the States for Christmas. I was mostly catching up with my family.
From a cursory look, comics stores were about the same as always.
But chain stores, there's a different story. Borders now has a 'graphic novel' section, fully half of which is taken up by Manga.
In Bangkok a while back I dodged Hollywood flicks to find the translated Korean
'My Sassy Girl'. This later popped up at Vimean Tip Cinema on Monivong Boulevard, Phnom Penh.
Now, there's no hope in hell that I'll see this film at a Stateside cinema.
But I can buy the Manga at Borders, from 'ComicsOne'. This cultural bleed is intriguing.
Am thinking that if comics stores don't get hip, they may just get left behind.
There's lots more manga and mainstream stuff in them but they just can't compete in a bulk market.
* * *
Also for stateside comics, enjoyed seeing Lalo Alcaraz's La Cucaracha in the LA Times. Great to see it make the leap from newsweeklies to the comics page!
And while I love the politics of Aaron McGruder's Boondocks, it looks Photoshopped to death.
Mars was in the news:
It's got it's own beer label, a theme song from Blur, and a daily weblog.
It's the new pop Mars satellite, Beagle 2!
Too bad they can't get a signal back.
Meanwhile, was intrigued by D'Israeli's Scarlet Traces. Between that and latest
"League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", Mars is the place to be. For all your Red Planet fun try the MarsBlog www.martiansoil.com.
An interview with David Lasky, at 'Artists Without Borders'.
http://www.artistswithoutborders.org/what/interview_lasky.html
Hmm, this organization sounds interesting. Wonder if there's a 'cartoonists without borders'?
More drama in Long Beach.
* * *
On the children's books angle:
Philip Pullman
http://books.guardian.co.uk/authors/author/0,5917,798016,00.html
D. Manus Pinkwater
http://www.pinkwater.com/
Noise fest in Oz is in full effect.
http://www.noise.net.au/zinePlayer/index.htm
URL farming:
www.hotdesign.com/seybold
CSSzengarden.com
http://www.myerweb.com
www.les3moustiquaires.com
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Santanic...
Some holiday cheer courtesy Tim Danko.
And here's one from Jo Waite.
Finally, "A Noam Chomsky Christmas".
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
QuickArse is now available in Indonesian.
(Also English if you're into that kinda thing.)
Back in California visiting my family for Christmas. Haven't been back in ages.
Since I'm in the market for books for my two (soon to be three) nieces, I've been thinking a bit about the children's books I was raised on, and what constitutes a good one.
I cut my teeth on the Greek and Norse myths of Ingri and Edgar d'Aulaire. They and the Tintin books seemed to be well known to most folks in Massachusetts, but when we moved to the West coast they were much harder to find. The d'Aulaires specialized in printmaking, and their pictures gave their stories an old world feel that perfectly complemented these timeless stories. Just try to find one of their books now.
After that it was the Tove Jansson's Moomins, Peanuts, old copies of Mad magazine, and Charles Addams' collected New Yorker cartoons. (Yeah, I didn't realize at the time how lucky I was.) I remember running home from first grade, enthused 'cause I'd spotted a new Addams cartoon in a magazine. I grew up thinking the social satire of Mad was normal, and that the Addams family house would be a fun place to live.
It's a challenge to find good books for kids that aren't patronizing. One I managed to bring from Cambodia - "In the Land of the Elephants", by Srey Bandol. And there's classics to dig up, like Dr. Seuss.
A while back I got my hands on a copy of McSweeney's: a nice bound landscape format book with an insert CD by They Might Be Giants. Today I'm looking at a similar landscape format book, but it's ""Philadelphia Chickens" by Sandra Boynton. I'm finding the second one vastly more entertaining. (Maybe it's my tastes that are changing.)
http://www.georeviews.co.uk/Books/Children_s_Book/Ages_0-2/Authors/Boynton__Sandra/
Maybe I should take a stab at illustrating one. Fortunately Art Spiegelman has jumped in with the "Little Lit" series, which Barbara Kerr first clued me in on. Also on the 'Oversize' rack, now you can find Sfar's 'Little Vampire'! I'm looking forward to the next few holidays and birthdays.
And on notions of Childhood: Did Calvin and Hobbes grow up to be the protagonists in Fight Club?
http://www.disinfo.com/site/displayarticle113-mode=thread.html
Young Adults?
Harry Potter? Try Dennis Potter. Or better yet, D. Manus Pinkwater.
Happy and merry, all. Don't put too much rum in the Egg Nog.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
What's On
David Chelsea throws open the doors to his past,
http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/news/107176687214108.htm
and Braddock throws down:
Monday, December 15, 2003
It's Indonesian Comics Week at Silver Bullet Comic Books!
Darren Schroder has webbed up some interviews I've done, and will also be reviewing some local comics over the course of the next week.
http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/smallpress/107096301634235.htm
Already Journalista's blogged it, but just the interview with the smallest group, Komik Kasa.
In other news, sad to report that Stripburek may be calling it a day.
"Last Voyage of Stripburek"
http://www.ljudmila.org/stripcore/com.htm
Hoping to go to Bazaar Bizarre West:
Sunday December 14th. Q-Topia, 6021 Hollywood Boulevard. 3-9 pm.
http://www.bazaarbizarrewest.org
Back in the States for Xmas. Was hanging out to see Matrix: Revolutions when it occurred to me:
1. Matrix: Artificial intelligence goes to war with humans. Wins. Thermonuclear bombs detonated in war.
2. Terminator 3: Artificial intelligence triggers thermonuclear holocaust. Feel-good movie of the year. May have gotten Governor Schwarzenegger elected.
3. Battlestar Galactica (that's right, new version on Sci-Fi Channel): Artificial Intelligence (Cyclons) attack twelve colonies with nukes, destroy most of human race.
There's other, earlier versions - anyone remember Colossus? US supercomputer merges with Russian supercomputer, uses control of nuclear weapons to control humanity.
http://twtd.bluemountains.net.au/Rick/liz_cfp.htm
And there was Wargames, too.
Hmm... definitely a sub-genre there...
Monday, December 08, 2003
Froth / Pumice Comic & Record
Coming soon: Stefan Neville (City of Tales, Pumice) /Michael Fikaris (Froth, ProActiv) Art Exhibition & Record launch!
Remember kids, Pumice is volcanic Froth. Brought to you by Silent Army.
Sunday, December 07, 2003
non-hierarchical community building
Alohas!
This is a submissions call to creative types far and wide of a new type of
publication looking for writers and artists. UNDERGROWTH is a non-profit,
open-source collective putting together an ongoing anthology of Australian
writing for publication in a digital, downloadable magazine. We're looking
for solid writing of a speculative/ science fiction edge that comments on a
consciousness/ spirituality, psychedelic perspective and how that relates to
the rapidly changing world around us now. We embrace street culture that
comments on socio-political alternatives, technology, green ecology, Gaian
consciousness, magick, the Archaic Revival, ethnobotany, psychedelic and
doof counterculture, New Paradigm themes and writing that helps point the
way to a sustainable future.
We are drawing on the enthusiasm and verve of a youth culture that embraces
collective collaboration, network building, new media, new ways of
expression and the fire in the belly that refuses to be extinguished by the
forces of corporate-military-industrial-infotainment Spectacle! Another
world is possible and indeed, happening all around! We hope to show that by
drawing on the techno-cultural possibilities of the present, a multiplicity
of positive futures is also possible.
We would love you to be part of our evolving network and are seeking short
fiction (500 - 6000 words), non-fiction, (up to 3000 words) poetry and art
(web sized jpegs please) , as well as people wanting to be involved in
production behind the scenes. We are attempting to do all this in an
'open-source', transparent model on-line, uniting creators through the Net
and encouraging discussion and non-hierarchical community building. So
please forward this call to interested parties and check us out @
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/undergrowthdigizine/ or email us @
infoundergrowth at yahoogroups.com.au for further info.
{we live not underground, but in the undergrowth
Saturday, December 06, 2003
courtesy Natasha Cho:
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - MEANJIN: ASIAN-AUSTRALIAN ISSUE
along with chris raja, i am guest co-editing an issue of meanjin with
an
asian-australian theme. we are looking for a variety of work - fiction,
poetry, essays and other non-fiction, scripts, zines, comics, visual
art
and anything else you might want to suggest. innovation is encouraged
and in fact we might get excited by it
you don't have to be asian-australian to submit and you don't
necessarily have to submit work that's specifically about
asian-australian identity, cos it's a funny old thing, this identity
stuff. surprise us
you also don't have to be widely-published or a 'big name' to submit
and
you don't necessarily have to submit work that's specifically about you
being widely-published or a 'big name', cos it's a funny old thing,
this
prestige stuff. surprise us
(note: due to australia council funding guidelines, only a limited
amount of work from overseas contributors can be accepted)
if you're interested in submitting work or if you have any queries,
please contact me asap at natasha@diadic.com
the meanjin website is at www.meanjin.unimelb.edu.au/
Thursday, December 04, 2003
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