hope larson – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com Thu, 18 Dec 2014 02:06:03 +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 hope larson – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com 32 32 59683043 Library Con at Petworth Neighborhood Library & Comics by Women https://www.comicsgirl.com/2014/08/03/library-con-at-petworth-neighborhood-library-comics-by-women/ Sun, 03 Aug 2014 18:32:16 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=4161 library-conYesterday, I was a speaker at Library Con at the Petworth Neighborhood Library. It was a small, mostly family-oriented event but well-organized and fun. I am always going to be a fan of events that make comics — of all genres and styles — more accessible to more people.

I first saw Jacob Mazer of Animal Kingdom Publishing discuss his work and the anthology of comics, prose, poetry and criticism he edits. It’s still a young publication, but I definitely think there’s room in the world for more things like this, allowing comics to reach audiences they may not otherwise. Not everything in the second issue is to my tastes, but there is some thought-provoking work in it.

Then I saw Gareth Hinds, whose adaptation of Romeo and Juliet came out last year. He talked about always loving to draw as a child and comics ended up coming naturally to him. He worked in video games for a long time before quitting to create graphic novels full-time. He broke down his process for each book and I was interested to hear he changes techniques and styles for each specific book. He also spoke about the challenges of adapting classic literature.

After that, it was my turn. I talked about comics by women (what else?) and I think it went well for it being such a big topic. My concept was not to give history but offer up titles that people can buy right now. I had a good discussion with the attendees too.

You can download my PowerPoint presentation or a PDF of it, but I’ve also created a list of the creators and titles I discussed below (with links to their websites where appropriate).

I have reviewed some of these books and written more about some of these creators. You should be able to find what you need through the tags.

History/background

 lumberjanesMainstream: Superheroes

Mainstream: Sci-fi/Fantasy

Children and Young Adult Comics

marblesAutobiographical

Manga

  • Kyoko Okazaki: Pink, Helter Skelter
  • Moto Hagio: A Drunken Dream, The Heart of Thomas
  • Takako Shimura: Wandering Son
  • Moyoco Anno: In Clothes Called Fat, Insufficient Direction

UK, Europe and Around the World

  • Mary Talbot: The Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes, Sally Heathcoate: Suffragette
  • Isabel Greenberg: Encyclopedia of Early Earth
  • Julie Maroh: Blue is the Warmest Color
  • Marguerite Abouet: Aya series
  • Rutu Modan: Exit Wounds, The Property

strong-femaleOnline comics

Minicomics & cutting-edge creators

Through the WoodsPublishers, groups and events

Top Picks of Comics by Women for 2014

]]> 4161 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for Sept. 19 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/09/19/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-sept-19/ Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:00:23 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3420
Jerzy Drozd and myself before the Ignatz Awards. Photo by Michael David Thomas.

While we’re here, let’s talk about Small Press Expo. It was awesome, right? Because you were there! And if you weren’t there, what was wrong with you?

I do have a few thank yous. I absolutely thank our entire board — Warren, Mike, Kevin, Bill, Charles — and especially Greg Bennett, who managed to keep me sane during these past few weeks. I thank everyone who attended and everyone who voted. I thank all of our guests and exhibitors.

I also have to give many thanks once again to Jerzy Drozd and the amazing job he did hosting the Ignatz Awards ceremony. I knew he was going to do a good job (I would not have asked him otherwise) but I was still impressed and delighted.

I am not going to post everything about SPX and I have some catching up to do, but if you have links, send them along!

News/interviews/reviews:

Upcoming releases:

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.

]]> 3420 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for Sept. 4 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/09/04/d-c-area-comics-scene-for-sept-4/ Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:00:48 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3398 News/interviews/reviews:

Kickstarter:

Upcoming releases:

  • The Lost Art of Heinrich Kley, Lost Art Books, Sept. 14 (Small Press Expo)
  • Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

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.

]]> 3398 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for Aug. 28 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/08/28/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-aug-28-2/ Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:00:04 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3378
Michael Rex at Big Planet Comics Vienna. Photo courtesy of Big Planet Comics.

My apologies for taking last week off!

News/interviews/reviews:

Announcements:

Event/con reports:

Kickstarter:

Upcoming releases:

  • Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life, Carol and Matt Dembicki, Sky Pony Press. Sept. 1.
  • The Lost Art of Heinrich Kley, Lost Art Books, Sept. 14 (Small Press Expo)
  • Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

Events:

Housekeeping:

If you are a D.C. area creator who will be at Small Press Expo, let me know! I’m putting together a list that I’d like to have up next week and I don’t want to miss anyone!

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.

]]> 3378 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for Aug. 7 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/08/07/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-aug-7/ Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:00:46 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3332
Fever Dreams of Organic Machines: The Comic Book Art of Rafer Roberts at VisArt in Rockville, Md. Photo courtesy of Rafer Roberts

News/interviews/reviews:

Event/con reports:

Upcoming releases:

  • District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC, various artists, Fulcrum Publishing. Out today.
  • Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life, Carol and Matt Dembicki, Sky Pony Press. Sept. 1.
  • Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

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.

]]> 3332 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for July 31 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/07/31/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-july-31/ Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:00:27 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3314
Matt Dembicki (left) and Evan Keeling sign copies of Xoc: The Journey of a Great White at Big Planet Comics Vienna on July 28.

News/interviews/reviews:

Event/con reports:

Announcements and debuts:

Upcoming releases:

  • District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC, various artists, Fulcrum Publishing. Now Aug. 7 (there have been some reports of Amazon already shipping copies)
  • Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life, Carol and Matt Dembicki, Sky Pony Press. Sept. 1.
  • Remake: 3Xtra, Lamar Abrams, AdHouse Books, December 2012.

Events:

Housekeeping:

  • I am compiling a standing list of D.C. area webcomics, comics-related podcasts/TV shows, yearly events and other things that I’m not always able to include in the weekly roundup, so email me with whatever you’re up to. Thanks!

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.

]]> 3314 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for May 24 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/05/24/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-may-24/ Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:07 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3144
Ben Claassen III's display at Artomatic in Arlington, Va.

News, interviews and reviews:

Announcements:

Debuts and new issues (etc.):

Kickstarter/Indiegogo:

Upcoming releases:

Events:

  • Ongoing until June 17: “Life Unreal: Art by Evan Keeling and Scott White,” Northside Social, Arlington, Va. Artist reception is May 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Ongoing until June 23: Artomatic, featuring Christiann MacAuley, Ben Claassen III, Urvi Mehta, Jeff Kollins, Sarah Palaszynski, Ivan Collich, Michael Auger and many others. (I plan on going back — I only made it through four floors Friday — and hope to come up with a more complete list before it ends. I also plan a separate post on it.)
  • May 24: Henry & Glenn Forever #1 release party with Tom Neely and Ed Luce, 7 p.m. at Atomic Books, Baltimore, Md.
  • May 26: Jerry Gaylord, artist of Fanboys vs. Zombies, singing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, College Park, Md.
  • May 27: Tumbler Tour of the Tumbler and Bat-Pod, Washington D.C. Time and place to be determined.
  • Beginning June 2: Mark Burrier: Rare Words Exhibition, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Md. Opening reception 7 to 10 p.m. June 2 with music by Old Indian.
  • June 2: Russ Kick, editor of The Graphic Canon, signing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 5: Matt Dembicki, Trickster signing, 2 to 3 p.m., Book Expo America, New York, N.Y.
  • June 6-July 8: The History of Invulnerability , Theater J, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. Tickets and showtime information at the link.

    Theater J offers $10 off tickets to readers of this blog using “DCCOMICS” either online at the Theater J website or by phone at 800-494-8497. The theater also offers a discount to those 35 and younger, which makes $15 during the week and $25 on the weekends. No discount code is needed.

  • Beginning June 7: “Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women” at the Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. More details to come.
  • June 9: Nick Abadzis, creator of Hugo Tate, signing, 3 to 5 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 9 and June 10: Robert Venditti, writer of X-O Manowar and The Surrogates signing, noon to 3 p.m, at Alliance Comics Baltimore (June 9) and Alliance Comics Silver Spring (June 10).
  • June 10: Team Cul de Sac book launch, 5 to 7 p.m., One More Page Books, Arlington, Va.

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

]]> 3144 Book of the Month: The War at Ellsmere https://www.comicsgirl.com/2010/06/02/book-of-the-month-the-war-at-ellsmere/ Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:20:16 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=1609

The War at Ellsmere
Buy at Amazon.com

Along with Raina Telgemeier and Hope Larson, Faith Erin Hicks is part of a new wave of female creators making really awesome comics aimed at younger female readers (vaguely “young adult” but their work tends to cover a range from probably 12-16 or so).

I think Hicks’ Zombies Calling is utterly delightful, but this month, I’m going with The War at Ellsmere (but do pick both of them up). Ellsmere follows Juniper, who has transferred to Ellsmere Academy and immediately makes an enemy of the school’s queen bee, Emily. She find an ally in her roommate, Cassie, who is as quirky and awkward as she is. Throughout, Hicks’ bold, cartoony art — her characters are all big eyes and smirky expressions — creates a wonderful portrait of female adolescence and how there’s really not that much separating the popular girls from the unpopular ones. Maybe you didn’t go to boarding school like the characters here, but you’ll find something to relate to.

This is one of those books that I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about it. It’s a wonderful example of an awesome comic for teenage girls. Or anyone, honestly.

Hicks is someone to watch and I’m overjoyed to see she has two works-in-progress for First Second Books. And if her Wolverine short story isn’t enough to make you love her work entirely, I don’t think I want to talk to you anymore.

]]> 1609 Review: Unlovable Vol. 2 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2010/03/09/review-unlovable-vol-2/ Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:37:20 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=1448 First, we’re going to watch a video:

Like every other former English major in the world, I love that song. I love The Smiths. I love Morrissey’s solo stuff a little less, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have piles of it.


Unlovable Vol. 2
Buy at Amazon.com

So do you remember how awesome you thought you were when you were 15? How you thought you were doing all of these totally awesome things and you were the coolest person alive? And then, as you grew up and go older, you realized what an idiot you were.

That’s exactly what Esther Pearl Watson‘s Unlovable is like (you may remember some of her work from the back page of Bust magazine). Purportedly based on a teenager’s diary that Watson found, it’s funny and it’s painful in that “this is too true and it borders on embarrassing” way. It’s hard to know if you’re laughing with or at the characters here. You’re actually probably doing quite a bit of both.

Named after The Smiths song, Unlovable Vol. 2 (Fantagraphics, 2010) follows the latter half of Tammy Pierce’s sophomore year in the late ’80s. She gets in fights with her brother, hangs out with loser guys and her best friend Kim, who is always looking to borrow a dollar and, later, develops a crush on a senior named Ken, who may idolize Morrissey a little bit too much.

Watson’s art is exaggerated and sometimes borders on the grotesque, but it’s funny and ridiculous. I love the close-ups of the faces of the characters, done in hilarious caricature. There are also plenty of fun non-sequitur pages of ’80s motifs, like Cabbage Patch Kids and Max Headroom. This keeps from feeling too mean.

I have no idea how much Watson embellished the details in the diary she found (nor am I completely sure I buy her story — but I mean that with love. It’s great if it’s true but it’s great if it’s not), but so many things are dead-on here — the mixtape of Smith songs Tammy gets from Ken (and that she transcribes the lyrics incorrectly), how much time she spends trying to impress idiot 15-year-old boys through make-up and outfits and the digestion of cliques (including The Smokers, The Rappers, The Thespian New Wave and The Invisibles). Even if this wasn’t specifically Tammy Pierce’s high school experience, I think that doesn’t matter — it’s actually all of ours.

It’s a chunky book with glitter on the cover and inside pages done in black, white and green. The drawing spill off the page. The design of this book is delightful and does feel like something a teenage girl in the late ’80s would love.

If you want to relive part of your teenage years without much sentimentalism, Unlovable Vol. 2 is the way to go.

Now we’re going to watch another video:

Yes, that’s Neil Finn covering “There is a Light That Never Goes Out.” And yes, I’m including it just because I can.

Review copy provided by publisher.

—

I reviewed Hope Larson’s Mercury over at Geek Girl on the Street. I did link to it on Twitter, but since I won’t be reviewing it here, I just wanted to make sure I pointed to it in a more permanent manner. (Here’s the short version: It’s awesome and you need to buy it when it’s out.)

]]> 1448 Graphic Details https://www.comicsgirl.com/2009/10/27/graphic-details/ https://www.comicsgirl.com/2009/10/27/graphic-details/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:07:14 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=1266 On Sunday night, I attended the Graphic Details event, featuring Hope Larson, Anders Nilsen, Gabrielle Bell and Kim Deitch, which was moderated by Chris Pitzer of Richmond-based AdHouse Books at the University of Richmond. It was sort of a preamble to the Robert Crumb event which is going on as I type this (more or less).

I realized when I took my seat the only other time I’d been in that particular theater was to see a harp concert with one of my friends when we were teenagers (more or less — I think we may have been in college at that point. And yes, we went for fun. We were — and are — rather odd people). I liked that this theater — and the University of Richmond — was playing host to these sorts of indie comic-book types. You see, there are two Richmonds — there is the “old money” Richmond, full of Southern society types that go to the University of Richmond (which is a good school, don’t get me wrong, but it’s private and full of money) and then there’s the Richmond that gave us GWAR.

I’d say the theater was probably less than half full for this event (I didn’t count so I’m not going to give estimates, but there were plenty of empty seats) and that made me sad. Yes, I know it was a Sunday night in a sort of out-of-the-way place, but to me, these people are famous. I’m guessing much of the audience was U of R students, but I did see some that seemed to have sought out this event, including a few older people. I thought that was pretty cool.

This was probably one of the best panels I’ve attended. Yes, there was some awkwardness, but comic book people are awkward. I mean that with the utmost love — after all, if these sort of people were outgoing, they probably wouldn’t be making comics but be actors or rock stars instead. It took a while for everyone to settle in. Deitch, who is considerably older than the other three, was really the one to break the ice, and I liked his perspective. He’s pretty much seen and done it all.

One of the first questions focused on each creator’s creative process. both Deitch and Nilsen tend to write and draw simultaneously, while Bell and Larson write their scripts first, then begin drawing. Larson probably had the most methodical process — she said she definitely finalizes her scripts first before drawing (and she mentioned she hasn’t drawn anything since March, I believe, since she’s working on some super-secret adaptation right now. Sadly, she wasn’t allowed to announce what it was — she said “people will either love me or hate me for it” — but I have some of my own “wishful thinking” ideas of what it might be).

Everyone had pretty harsh words for the term “graphic novel.” Deitch said it’s “just another name for comic book” and Bell said she felt there’s now too much pressure on young creators to create longer works that they may not be ready to do. Nilsen said he knows that publishers want books but he thinks the comic format lends itself better to shorts. Pitzer, a publisher himself, admitted he does make money off books rather than single issues or shorts.

Likewise, while everyone had appeared in anthologies (or Pitzer’s case, published them), no one really seemed to like doing them. Larson said that while she contributed to Comic Book Tattoo, she’s not really a Tori Amos fan. Bell said that they helped her develop her skills but she kind of resents them. No one really knew how much people actually read anthologies.

I am probably a different case, but I love anthologies. I buy them quite a bit and enjoy them. I find them a great way to discover new creators. But I guess I can see how they may not be the best entry point for people who usually don’t read comics.

At the end, Pitzer asked where everyone felt the comic industry was going. Deitch mentioned that there are now editors specifically for graphic novels. Bell says that it’s gone more to a “book” market and away from the floppies. Everyone basically agreed that most still hesitate when it comes to reading comics and that it’s a learned skill. There is a way to go before people accept comics as legitimate form of media.

I didn’t stick around for the signing since I had to drive back to Arlington that night, but I will now track down works by both Deitch and Nilsen. Everyone was lovely and awesome and I’m so glad I got to go.

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