• Cartoonist Jeff Kinney’s “Wimpy Kid” Books Started at the University of Maryland, Anna Weaver
  Capital News Service
• The World of Eco-Comics: A Hapless Manatee, Self-aware Dogs, a Chain-Smoking Pig, Marc Silver, National Geographic Magazine (and yes, I also pointed him to Matt Dembicki’s comics).
• Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life, Children’s Review, Publishers Weekly

Event coverage:

• PHOTOS! National Book Fest + DC and Philly visits!, Raina Telgemeier
• Raina Telgemeier Signing September 22, Big Planet Comics
• Recap: Baltimore Comic-Con, Curls Studio
• Small Press Expo was so wonderful! Thank you …, Emily Huff/Birds of Yay

Video/podcasts:

• Podcast Special! “SPX 2012,” Big Planet Comics podcast
• Small Press Expo YouTube channel has been posting all kinds of great things, like the video featured above with Full Sanction creators Rusty Rowley and Joe Mochove interviewing Matt Dembicki’s sons Adam and Rome, but also Evan Keeling, SPX Tumblr-master and all-around super-amazing human being Michael David Thomas, Lamar Abrams, Matt Dembicki (minus his adorable children) and RM Rhodes. And those are just the area people! Watch all the videos! I think the rest of the panels and the Ignatz Awards (with, you know, me) will be up soon enough)

Upcoming releases:

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

Events:

• Oct. 6: Richmond Zine Fest, Richmond, Va., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Oct. 11-14: New York Comic Con, New York, New York. I know at least Rafer Roberts 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.

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.

Most people proclaim dislike for their hometowns and I certainly did this while I was there (did I mention the suburbs part?). I was convinced absolutely nothing cool was ever going on there. But the longer I’m away, I see how wrong I was about Richmond. There are plenty of cool things going on there (Virginia Commonwealth University’s art department has produced both Charles Vess and GWAR and the German department offers up translations of the original Shockheaded Peter).

So this weekend when I was pointedly failing to go to my high school reunion, I went to Richmond Zine Fest. It was totally cute and I don’t mean that in any sort of condescending way. I really liked it and spent a bunch of money really quickly (here’s a conversation I had with myself: “Weren’t you at Small Press Expo last weekend? Didn’t you buy a bunch of stuff there?” “Yes, but … wait, what’s your point?”). While I love that SPX was as crowded as it was, I found it easier to shop here. I bought more minicomics, a few zines and the first compilation of Nicole J. Georges‘ “Invincible Summer” zine, which is a combination of both comics and zines.

I also saw a lot of the usual suspects there — I’m not saying this is bad, but just that it indicates that perhaps I go to too many small/indie press shows in the Mid-Atlantic. (Of course I’m kidding. You can never go to too many small/indie press shows!)

I would’ve loved stuff like this a teenager (although I didn’t have a car, so getting there would’ve been an issue) So yay for Richmond. I am proud to say it’s my hometown. Even if I do have to thrown in that suburbs part.