dash shaw – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com Tue, 07 Oct 2014 23:53:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://www.comicsgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-EdenMiller2017-1-32x32.jpg dash shaw – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com 32 32 59683043 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for July 30 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/07/30/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-july-30/ Wed, 31 Jul 2013 00:31:29 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3909 News/reviews/interviews:

Event reports:

Publications:

Kickstarter:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me by 4 p.m. Tuesday. More information is here.

 

]]> 3909 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for April 23 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/04/23/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-april-23/ Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:58:16 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3729 News/reviews/interviews:

Event coverage:

Podcasts:

Free Comic Book Day events (May 4):

  • Matt Dembicki, S.G. Artley and Michael Cowgill at Big Planet Comics,  Vienna, Va.
  • Andrew Cohen and Evan Keeling  at Big Planet Comics, Washington, D.C.
  • Art Hondros at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • Troy-Jeffery Allen and Matt Rawson at Fantom Comics, Washington, D.C.
  • Jacob Warrenfelt?z at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md.
  • Rafer Roberts and John Shine at Beyond Comics, Gaithersburg, Md.
  • Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo at Laughing Ogre Comics, Fairfax, Va.
  • Rob Anderson at Laughing Ogre, Lansdowne, Va.
  • Cary Nord, Brandon Seifert, Greg LaRocqoue, Joe Keatinge, Mike Moreci, Steve Seeley, Marc Hempel at Collectors Corner, Baltimore, Md.
  • Adam Kubert, Frank Cho, and Steve Conley at Cards, Comics & Collectibles, Riestertown, Md.

Kickstarter:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me by 4 p.m. Tuesday. More information is here. I’m still taking FCBD events.

]]> 3729 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for April 16 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/04/16/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-april-16/ Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:01:32 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3721 News/reviews/interviews/etc.

Announcements:

Free Comic Book Day events (May 4):

  • Matt Dembicki, S.G. Artley and Michael Cowgill at Big Planet Comics,  Vienna, Va.
  • Andrew Cohen and Evan Keeling  at Big Planet Comics, Washington, D.C.
  • Art Hondros at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • Troy-Jeffery Allen and Matt Rawson at Fantom Comics, Washington, D.C.
  • Jacob Warrenfelt?z at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md.
  • Rafer Roberts and John Shine at Beyond Comics, Gaithersburg, Md.
  • Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo at Laughing Ogre Comics, Fairfax, Va.
  • Rob Anderson at Laughing Ogre, Lansdowne, Va.
  • Cary Nord, Brandon Seifert, Greg LaRocqoue, Joe Keatinge, Mike Moreci, Steve Seeley, Marc Hempel at Collectors Corner, Baltimore, Md.

Kickstarter:

Events:

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. I’m still taking FCBD events.

]]> 3721 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for April 9 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/04/09/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-april-9/ Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:00:10 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3712 I will be listing Free Comic Book Day-related events starting next week. If you got them, send them along! Thanks!

News/reviews/interviews/etc. (both of these are related):

Event announcements:

Kickstarter:

Events:

Not quite comics:

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.

]]> 3712 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for April 2 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/04/02/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-april-2/ Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:30:44 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3707 Event reports:

Kickstarter:

Events:

Not quite comics:

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. I would especially love any Free Comic Book Day events!

]]> 3707 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for March 19 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/03/19/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-march-19/ Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:17 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3685 minicomicsday13
Krissy Downing, Chris Piers, Jacob Warrenfeltz and Carolyn Belefski hard at work on Mini-Comics Day March 16 in Arlington, Va.

News/reviews/interviews:

Event news:

Event coverage:

Publications:

Events:

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.

]]> 3685 Review: The Best American Comics 2011 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2011/10/09/review-the-best-american-comics-2011/ https://www.comicsgirl.com/2011/10/09/review-the-best-american-comics-2011/#comments Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:12:13 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=2858 bestamerican2011I think I’m finally sold on The Best American Comics as a series.

I’ve always understood that these books aren’t necessarily for me, but for that friend who keeps expressing interest in comics but balks when I try to hand her a graphic novel (this is a metaphorical friend for me — you, however, may have one). This friend is well suited to an anthology — if there’s something she doesn’t like, well, it’s over pretty quickly.

But I think within the past couple of years, series editor Jessica Abel and Matt Madden have figured out the voice they want these books to have. I do think guest editor Neil Gaiman did a good job with last year’s collection, but looking back, there was some of a sense of “Look at all these hip and cool indie creators!” about it. He made fun and thoughtful choices and I would’ve gladly given it to a friend newly interested in comics. I just didn’t need to own it myself.

In Alison Bechdel‘s hands, The Best American Comics 2011 (2011, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), on the other hand, is a book I would absolutely own (as well as, of course, give it to my friend interested in comics).

I love Bechdel already, but she absolutely won me over in her introduction to this collection where she pointed out how few women these collections have contained (and calls herself out for not doing that great of a job on that part — there’s a chart and everything) and also points out she didn’t manage to include any black creators in this collection. I admire her willingness to show the shortcoming in terms of diversity of this volume.

I admire the diversity of selections Bechdel has picked. Yes, of course creators like Chris Ware and Jaime Hernandez show up here, but so do Kate Beaton and Gabrielle Bell, who both deserve to be included just as much. There were even some creators I wasn’t familiar with, such as Kevin Mutch and Angie Wang. As many comics that have passed through my life in the past year, it’s a thrill to see something new.

I also love Bechdel’s willingness to embrace and showcase the weirder side of indie comics, from Michael DeForge‘s grotesquely colorful “Queen” to the excerpt from Dash Shaw‘s Body World. Surprisingly though, the book never feels alienating or like there’s an attempt to be shocking. There’s definitely some dark subject matter and imagery, like Gabby Schulz (Ken Dahl)’s “New Year’s, 2004” and Julia Gfrörer‘s “Fear of Fire” but those stories are balanced with lighter ones, like Joey Allison Sayers‘ “Pet Cat” and Jillian Tamaki‘s “Domestic Men of Mystery.”

As all collections go, not everything here is going to appeal to everyone, but I think that’s partially by design. Still, Bechdel has selected comics that are both accessible and representative of where independent comics are now.

The Best American Comics 2011 is beautifully and thoughtfully compiled collection of comics. Forget about that friend you usually buy these collections for. Buy this one for yourself. (But then maybe let said friend borrow it when you’re done.)

Advance reading copy provided through NetGalley.

]]> https://www.comicsgirl.com/2011/10/09/review-the-best-american-comics-2011/feed/ 6 2858 Party Crashers at Arlington Arts Center https://www.comicsgirl.com/2010/11/21/party-crashers-at-arlington-arts-center/ https://www.comicsgirl.com/2010/11/21/party-crashers-at-arlington-arts-center/#comments Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:38:18 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=2146 We typically consume comic art pretty quickly. And that’s by design — comics are sequential so we’re meant to be always going forward to the next panel or the next page. Yes, we may linger over an individual image every so often but that’s more the exception than the rule.

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.

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