• PLASTIC FARM: Seasons of Growth in the Fields of Despair from Rafer Roberts.
  

Upcoming releases:

• Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

Events:

• Through Dec. 23: Fall Solos 2012, featuring Warren Craghead, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, Va.
• Through Nov. 30: The Joe Bonham Project exhibition, Pepco Edison Place Gallery, Washington, D.C. (exhibition features some comics art)
• Nov. 17: Deadpool NOW signing with writer Gerry Duggan, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Dec. 1: Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore signing, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Housekeeping:

This feature will be taking a break for the month of December — if you have events during that month, get them to me as soon as you can.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Monday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Tuesday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

• The Intersection of Comics and History: An Interview with Jason Rodriguez, Emilie Haertsch, Massachusetts Historical Society
• Syndicates: Richard Thompson On Ending His Beloved Comic Strip ‘Cul de Sac’, Rob Tornoe, Editor & Publisher
• Home-Schooling, Comic Con Style (Part 1), Ayun Halliday, Motherlode Blog for the New York Times

Event coverage:

• Curls Studio: Recap: Asbury Park Comic Con 2 (photos)
• Curls Studio photos from New York Comic Con
• Hanging Around … Super Art Fight, HoboTrashcan

Kickstarter:

• PLASTIC FARM: Seasons of Growth in the Fields of Despair from Rafer Roberts. He’s looking for a very reasonable $2,000.
  

Upcoming releases:

• Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

Events:

• Through Dec. 23: Fall Solos 2012, featuring Warren Craghead, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, Va. One-on-one with the artists Nov. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Oct. 23: A Dose of Design Inspiration from Comic Strips, with Ross Nover, nclud, Washington, D.C., 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free with registration
• Oct. 26: Bedlam #1 Launch Party with Nick Spencer and Riley Rossmo, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 7 to 9 p.m.
• Oct. 27: Annapolis Comic-Con, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Annapolis, Md.
• Oct. 27: District Comics signing at Big Planet Comics, U Street, Washington, D.C., 4 to 6 p.m.
• Nov. 3: Ben Hatke signing, Big Planet Comics, Vienna, Va., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Big Planet Comics, College Park, Md., from 3 to 5 p.m.
• Nov. 3: Grace Randolph and Jerry Gaylord signing at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Nov. 10: Cullen Bunn signing for Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Nov. 12: SHATTERED – The Asian American Comics Anthology Book Signing and Launch, featuring editors Jeff Yang and Keith Chow with illustrator Jamie Noguchi. Busboys & Poets, 14th and V streets, Washington, D.C., 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Nov. 17: Deadpool NOW signing with writer Gerry Duggan, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Monday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Tuesday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

News/interviews/reviews:

• Carver grad, graphic novel artist recalls his creative motivation on former Maryland resident Orpheus Collar, by Jon Meoli, The Baltimore Sun

Event coverage:

• Photos from Richmond Zinefest 2012 by Rusty Rowley
• Panel Patter: Richmond Zinefest 2012 Write-up by Rob McMonigal (His photoset on Flickr)
• Rafer Roberts on New York Comic-Con plus more photos

Kickstarter:

• PLASTIC FARM: Seasons of Growth in the Fields of Despair from Rafer Roberts. He’s looking for a very reasonable $2,000.
  

Upcoming releases:

• Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

Events:

• Through Dec. 23: Fall Solos 2012, featuring Warren Craghead, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, Va. Artist reception Oct. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. One-on-one with the artists Nov. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Oct. 23: A Dose of Design Inspiration from Comic Strips, with Ross Nover, nclud, Washington, D.C., 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free with registration
• Oct. 26: Bedlam #1 Launch Party with Nick Spencer and Riley Rossmo, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 7 to 9 p.m.
• Oct. 27: District Comics signing at Big Planet Comics, U Street, Washington, D.C., 4 to 6 p.m.
• Nov. 3: Ben Hatke signing, Big Planet Comics, Vienna, Va., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Big Planet Comics, College Park, Md., from 3 to 5 p.m.
• Nov. 3: Grace Randolph and Jerry Gaylord signing at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Nov. 10: Cullen Bunn signing for Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Nov. 12: SHATTERED – The Asian American Comics Anthology Book Signing and Launch, featuring editors Jeff Yang and Keith Chow with illustrator Jamie Noguchi. Busboys & Poets, 14th and V streets, Washington, D.C., 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Monday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Tuesday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

• Xoc: The Journey of a Great White – Review, Comikkazee!

Event coverage:

• Recap: SPX 2012, Curls Studio
• Memories of Asbury Park Comic Con 2 in Asbury Park, NJ, Dre Grigoropol, BUST Magazine

Video/podcasts:

• Two more video interviews from Full Sanction — Ben Claassen III (also linked to above) and SPX executive director Warren Bernard.

Upcoming releases:

• Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

Events:

• Through Dec. 23: Fall Solos 2012, featuring Warren Craghead, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, Va. Artist reception Oct. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. One-on-one with the artists Nov. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m.
  
• Oct. 11-14: New York Comic Con, New York, New York. I know at least Rafer Roberts  and Curls Studio will be there, although I’m sure a few others. I may be there on Saturday.
• Oct. 13: Super Art Fight, Red Palace, Washington, D.C. Doors at 9:30 p.m.; show at 10; $15 and 21 and older.
• Oct. 26: Bedlam #1 Launch Party with Nick Spencer and Riley Rossmo, Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 7 to 9 p.m.
• Oct. 27: District Comics signing at Big Planet Comics, U Street, Washington, D.C., 4 to 6 p.m.
• Nov. 3: Ben Hatke signing, Big Planet Comics, Vienna, Va., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Big Planet Comics, College Park, Md., from 3 to 5 p.m.
• Nov. 3: Grace Randolph and Jerry Gaylord signing at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Nov. 12: SHATTERED – The Asian American Comics Anthology Book Signing and Launch, featuring editors Jeff Yang and Keith Chow with illustrator Jamie Noguchi. Busboys & Poets, 14th and V streets, Washington, D.C., 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Monday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Tuesday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

While I do of course consider comic art to absolutely be art (to me, it’s not really something that’s up for debate), I think Arlington Arts Center’s Party Crashers will change a few minds who think otherwise. It is an extensive look at comics-as-art with a number of notable artists including Jim Rugg, Dash Shaw and Gabrielle Bell. The artists featured here cover a diverse number of styles, from the refined to the cartoony to the experimental. It’s a wonderful ambassador for what the medium of comics encompasses.

Seeing these images and pages out of context hanging on the gallery’s walls is a thrill. Instead of getting caught up in the story or sequential nature of the comics, I got to spend time taking in the images individual. It is, of course, always fun to see original drawings up close and getting a glimpse into the creative process.

Downstairs in the center’s Truland/Experimental Galleries is a selection of artists makings abstract comics. Now I’m still of the mind that I don’t really consider a lot of abstract comics to be “comics,” I do think these images work really well in a gallery setting and I love that they’re included here. I enjoyed Andrei Molotiu’s animated pieces quite a bit.

While you’re downstairs, be sure to check out the comics children who’ve taken classes at the art center have made. They’re awesome and while I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite part of the exhibit as a whole, I do think they point to an exciting future for comics.

The exhibit is up Jan. 16, and if it’s at all possible — like if you’re within a reasonable travel distance and have the time to do so — I think it’s absolutely worth seeing. I know that it happens, but I do think it’s a shame that this exhibit it up over the holidays since I think most of us are booked up through the end of the year.

A companion exhibit at Artisphere opens Dec. 11 and runs through Feb. 13, focusing on fine art inspired by comics. Right now, it feels pretty unlikely I’ll get over there before January, but we’ll see.

Image by Dash Shaw.