Monthly Archives: October 2011

Happenings: Toronto draws Tintin at the Steamwhistle Gallery this November

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Opening Party
Wednesday November 2nd, 7pm-11pm
@ Steamwhistle Gallery, 255 Bremner Boulevard (Near Rogers Centre)
Free to attend

Gallery Closing & Silent Auction
Featuring the book launch for “The Adventures of Herge” with artist Stanislas in attendance
Sunday November 27th, 7pm-11pm
@ Steamwhistle Gallery, 255 Bremner Boulevard (Near Rogers Centre)
Free to attend

Check out the event website for previews of some of the artwork on display

Press release

The Beguiling Books & Art and Steamwhistle Brewery are teaming to produce one of the most interesting art shows of the fall, TORONTO DRAWS TINTIN. Featuring the work of dozens of comics artists and illustrators from Toronto, and the rest of Canada. Join us for the opening night of this exciting show on November 2nd, and celebrate the legacy of one of comics’ greatest creations!

See the world of Tintin through the eyes of some of Canada’s greatest cartooning talents, including Chester Brown, Michael DeForge, Joe Ollmann, Zach Worton, and Faith Erin Hicks. More information and art previews can be found at http://torontodrawstintin

Many artists will be in attendance — EVERYONE IS WELCOME! This is an all-ages event.

TORONTO DRAWS TINTIN will hang at the Steamwhistle Brewery’s gallery space, for the month of November and close out with a jam-packed celebration of comics, illustration, and art on Sunday November 27th! All art on display will be auctioned off in support of The Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund at that time, and a graphic novel biography of Tintin’s creator Herge will be launched with the French author, Stanislas, in attendance! Come to both events!

This event is sponsored by The Beguiling Books & Art and Steamwhistle Brewery.

2012 Categories update:

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Earlier this month we asked for feedback on our categories as we determine which will make up the list for the 2012 Awards. Based on your feedback and our internal debates this is the list as it stands:

2012 Categories:

* Outstanding Artist/Artist Team (no change)

* Outstanding Cartoonist (no change)

* Outstanding Cover Artist (no change)

* Outstanding Webcomics Creator/Creative Team (no change)

Note: after a lot of discussion and debate, the team has decided that we will leave webcomics as a unique category again. A line of distinction is being drawn between digital comics (online versions of concurrent with print edition comics or online previews of digital comics) which will not be eligible for the category. This remains for comics content created exclusively for the internet (later print editions are irrelevant and are considered reprints in the print categories), and one of the nominating and judging criteria will be usage of the online delivery system itself in the storytelling and presentation of these comics.

* Outstanding Writer (no change)

* Comics for Kids Award – Beginner Reader Level
* Comics for Kids Award – Intermediate Reader Level

Note: if there are enough books of each criteria to justify having two categories, the Comics for Kids Award will be split into two categories — Beginner, for younger readers, and Intermediate, for older children. For example, Binky the Space Cat might be considered a Beginner book, while Three Thieves: Tower of Treasure might be considered an intermediate level entry. The hope is to provide more information and recommendations to parents, teachers, librarians and of, course, young readers!

* Gene Day Award for Self-Publishing (no change)

* Harry Kremer Award for Comic Book Retailing (no change)

* Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame (1-2) (no change)

There is one additional category currently being reviewed by our group and is at the proposal stage.

* TENTATIVE: Outstanding Original Graphic Novel by Canadian Creator / Creative Team

The members feel that it should be specifically for original (i.e. new) graphic novels published in French or English during the previous calendar year. Unfortunately new collections of serialized comics that are later collected that same year are not going to be eligible for this award (if it happens). We are still VERY concerned about this being duplication of efforts as many of these books may be recognized in the Cartoonist, Writer and Artist categories. As it stands, we would like to follow the lead of Comics for Kids and have a similar nomination and judging process for this potential new category.

Unfortunately we’ll be placing two categories “on hiatus” for 2012: Outstanding Publisher and Outstanding Colourist.

Les Nombrils: Un couple d’enfer – in stores this November + Release Party 11/8

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Delaf and Dubuc are back! This November sees the release of the nextbook in the Les Nombrils series (translated as The Bellybuttons) and Editions Dupuis, Renaud-Bray, ERPI-DLM and the creative team – writer and Joe Shuster Award winner Maryse Dubuc and artist Marc Delafontaine are having a release party on Tuesday, November 8 at 5PM:

Librairie Renaud-Bray
4380, rue Saint-Denis, Montréal (Québec) H2J 2L1

Les Nombrils: Un couple d’enfer

  • Genre : Humour
  • Format : 22 cm X 30 cm Hardcover
  • Price : $17.95
  • ISBN-10: 280015022X
  • ISBN-13: 978-2800150222

Description (in French):

Marre d’être gentille et de se faire avoir par tout le monde ! Karine a pris une grande décision : elle allait CHANGER. Et d’abord de look : le pantalon rose et les barrettes dans les cheveux font place au look gothique et au noir hyper classe. Ensuite de caractère : Karine décide d’apprendre à dire non. Il y aura évidemment des rechutes mais elle peut compter sur Albin, son nouveau petit ami, pour l’aider à tenir ses bonnes résolutions et à prendre confiance en elle. A l’école, tout le monde trouve la nouvelle Karine sexy et sûre d’elle, beaucoup mieux que l’ancienne. Tout le monde sauf trois personnes : Dan, son ex, qui ne reconnaît par la fille qu’il a aimée ; Jenny et Vicky, ses deux meilleures amies qui craignent, à raison, de voir leur esclave et faire-valoir favori se détacher d’elles. Jenny, Vicky et Dan vont donc enquêter sur Albin, persuadé qu’il n’est pas un petit ami recommandable pour Karine et qu’il cache des secrets inavouables. Leurs découvertes vont leur glacer le sang ! Mais qui ment, qui prétend être ce qu’il n’est pas et qui veut vraiment le bien de Karine ? La réponse vous attend (peut-être) au bout de cet épisode haletant rempli de coups de théâtre.

——–

Also, a new Hardcover volume collecting the first four books of the series is also going to be available this winter – here’s the cover:

Kingston, ON comic shop owner released from prison on drug charges

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As reported in the Kingston Whig earlier today, Jorge M. Carquez, owner of Action Packed Comics in Kingston, ON, “has been released from jail after six months in pretrial custody.”

From the article:

Carquez, who was identified in Kingston’s Ontario Court of Justice as the owner of Action Packed Comics on Princess Street, pleaded guilty to possessing proceeds of crime — the money — when he was initially arrested in February; two counts of possessing marijuana and THC tablets for the purpose of trafficking; additional counts of illegally possessing morphine and psilocybin (magic mushrooms); and two subsequent violations of drug conditions attached to bail he received after his initial arrest.

While the Action Packed Comics Facebook page has been very quiet, looking at Carquez’ personal Facebook page there has some activity over the past 6 months, Jorge noting he has “been really busy”.

The Crown and Defence have recommended Carquez “be sentenced to time served in respect of the 188 days he spent in jail before dealing with the charges. The lawyers agreed, as well, that $608,594 in Canadian currency seized from the Carquez’s bedroom closet would be forfeited to the Crown.”

While the majority of cash and drugs were seized from Carquez’ home following an initial warrant, a second warrant which involved a drug sniffing dog entering Action Packed Comics, where “the canine’s nose detected a concealed shelving unit on the building’s main floor stocked with eight quarter-ounce bags of marijuana, one two-ounce bag, and 33 one-gram packages of the weed.”

After he was arrested Carquez “told police that he sold marijuana “on the side” and estimated that he was moving about a pound of it a month.”

Carquez used to own two comic shops, Action Packed Kingston and Action Packed Belleville. The Belleville store was sold to long time manager Andrew Goodsell less than a year ago, and renamed Goodsell Collectables. When asked about the timing of the sale, Goodsell said, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

And people say comics are like drugs.

Happenings: Central Canada Comic Con this weekend October 28-30, 2011

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The 2011 Central Canada Comic Con (C4) is a three-day pop culture event held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Featuring celebrity guests, comic book artists, exhibitors, costume contests, video rooms, gaming, and more.

Last year the show was picked up and then in the summer of 2011 inexplicably dropped by Wizard Entertainment. The original organizers pulled up their socks and have managed to recover and have assembled another larger pop culture festival for the enjoyment of the many fans in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Continue reading →

2012 Joe Shuster Awards – Saturday, September 15, 2012 in Montreal, QC

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I’m happy to report on behalf of the Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Organization that we have agreed in principle with the organizers of the Montreal Comic Con and will be presenting the 8th Annual Joe Shuster Awards in conjunction with that event on the evening of Saturday, September 15, 2012.

In preparation for the ceremony, the CCBCAA will be working with members of the comics community to provide a fully bilingual awards ceremony, and we are all excited at the possibilities of providing better translation services on this site in order to help spread the word on comics and graphic novels by Canadians in both official languages.

The Montreal Comic Con will be held on the weekend of September 14-16, 2012. Due to unexpected demand, the MCC will be expanding to a full three days in 2012.

The MCC will also be changing facilities in 2012. It will no longer be held at Place Bonaventure but will be moving into the newer, larger and more colourful (!) convention facilities at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal, QC (pictured, right).

http://www.montrealcomiccon.com

This marks the second time that the Joe Shuster Awards will be presented outside of Toronto. Earlier this year we presented the 7th Annual Awards at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo. Plans are for the JSAs to be presented in conjunction with a different comic book convention in Canada each year.

Upcoming: Michel Rabagliati’s Paul au Parc, Expo Paul and The Song of Roland.

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Set to debut in November 2011 from Montreal-based publisher La Pastèque is the seventh Paul graphic novel by Michel Rabagliati Paul au Parc. In this volume we go back to Paul’s childhood and his days scouting and mentoring, during the time of the FLQ and the October Crisis.

Paul au parc par Michel Rabagliati
ISBN  978-2-923841-05-2
144 pages, 7.5×10 inches, black and white
$24.95

For a preview of six pages from the book, please visit here!

Also, in Montreal this November to coincide with the release, a special exhibit entitled EXPO PAUL opens – it’s a look at the world of Paul and his creator, and includes original art, reference materials, notes & photos. It will be held in two locations:

* Bibliothèque Parc-Extension – November 2-28, 2011 – 421, Rue Saint-Roch, Montréal, 514-872-6071
* Maison de la culture Mercier – December 4-January 17, 2012 – 8105 rue Hochelaga, Montréal, 514-872-8755

In May 2012, just in time for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, Conundrum Press will be releasing THE SONG OF ROLAND, the English translation of Michel Rabagliati’s acclaimed graphic novel Paul à Québec (published by La Pastèque), for which he was honoured as the Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist / Créateur Canadien Exceptionnel de Bandes Dessinées in 2010. It is the sixth book in the Paul series

Here’s the specifics:

The Song of Roland by Michel Rabagliati
May 2012
ISBN 978-1-894994-61-3
192 pages, 7.5×10 inches, black and white
$20
BDANG Imprint
Translation by Helge Dascher

The Song of Roland focuses on the life and death of the father-in-law of Rabagliati’s alter-ego Paul, who has been called “The Tintin of Quebec” By Le Devoir. The French edition, Paul à Québec, was critically hailed, winning the FNAC Audience Award at France’s Angouleme festival, a Joe Shuster Award for Outstanding Cartoonist, and was nominated for the City of Montreal’s Grand Prize, and the Audience Award at Montreal’s Salon du Livre. The book is currently in production by Caramel Films. In his classic European cartooning style Rabagliati effortlessly tackles big subjects. As the family stands vigil over Roland in his hospital bed, Rabagliati weaves a story of one man’s journey through life and the legacy he leaves behind. The Song of Roland is a mid-career masterpiece from one of Quebec’s finest draftsmen.

“A formidable ode to life that reminds us of the importance of knowing how to say goodbye” – La Presse

“A novel that goes straight to the heart” – Le Soleil

“His stories are personally revealing but gentle, full of kind people with common problems… Rabagliati employs a light, curvy drawing style and episodic plotting that overtly recalls Herge’s Tintin adventures.” — The Onion

Michel Rabagliati was born in 1961 in Montreal, where he grew up in the Rosemont neighbourhood. Having developed an interest in typography, he studied graphic design and in 1988 moved into freelance illustration. Since 1998, his graphic novels have revolutionized the comic-book art form in Quebec. With his six books, Michel Rabagliati has become an essential figure in the comics scene of Quebec. In April 2005, he was awarded the Grand Prix de la ville de Québec, care of the Festival de BD de Québec, and was selected as a Personality of the Week by the daily newspaper La Presse. In 2007, Rabagliati’s body of work to date earned a Special Mention from the Prix des libraires du Québec.

Bibliography (includes translated editions).

Is Darwyn Cooke working on Watchmen prequels?

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That was the big rumour circulating late last week, as Bleeding Cool published some stories related to DC Comics’ rumoured revival of the Watchmen franchise with some prequel mini-series featuring the Watchmen characters such as Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan. Rich Johnston’s sources tell him Darwyn is tapped in a writing/coordinating capacity and will be doing some artwork. Whether or not this is true remains to be confirmed so we’ll have to wait for some kind of official announcement from DC and/or Darwyn.

If it is, it will certainly be a controversial announcement. Many people feel Moore and Gibbons’ Watchmen should be left alone, without any prequels or sequels. However, Watchmen is a huge commercial property and there’s enough of a backstory in the Watchmen graphic novel (some 50 years of alternate earth history) that could easily accommodate prequel stories featuring those characters, this could actually be a successful move creatively and commercially.

Happenings: CANZINE Toronto is today – Oct 23

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Canzine is today! There are radical readings, book pitch and zine competitions , panels, art installations, a food market and, oh yeah, like a million zines that you will not find anywhere else! If you’re anywhere in or around Toronto, swing by 918 Bathurst Centre (just above Bloor) from 1 to 7pm today and check the indie culture extravaganza!

FULL SCHEDULE

Wizard Toronto update… April 14-15 at the MTCC

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You might recall that a while back I mentioned that Wizard’s Toronto Comic Con was not happening on March 24-25 at the Direct Energy Centre and that there was some confusion as to whether or not it was happening at all…

New dates and a new facility have been announced… April 14-15 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

This is an interesting change for a couple of reasons:

First, the change in facility is beneficial to the show, as the Direct Energy Centre just doesn’t work in getting people out. Update: The Wednesday press release claims unprecedented growth which is interesting considering that Wizard took less than half the space in 2011 as they did at their first show in 2010.

Second, it is an aggressive move against a number of other conventions as it:

(a) for the second year in a row conflicts with Reed Pop’s already announced C2E2 (April 13-15) in Chicago that same weekend – and looks like a deliberate counter-scheduling move,

(b) conflicts with Ad Astra (literary science fiction convention with some comic and media guests) again, also scheduled April 13-15 – as it did in 2010 (last year Hobbystar’s Fan Appreciation weekend conflicted with Ad Astra — AA just can’t seem to catch a break), and I have to wonder whether or not Renee will convince Joe Jusko (booked for AA) to switch over,

(c) it is just three weeks before TCAF 2012 (which is really not much of a conflict since TCAF is the better and stronger event – attracting a different audience), and finally

(d) is in Hobbystar’s facility (how did that happen?), around the traditional time of the year of it’s Fan Appreciation Toronto ComiCON, and is using a similar name… not much of an issue when it’s at a different facility at a different time of the year.

This move could reignite the “Con War”. Is this what anyone really wants to see happen again?

Simon Roy and Brandon Graham reimagine Liefeld’s Prophet in 2012

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At the New York show last weekend, Image Comics unveiled it’s plans to revive Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Comics line of books – Youngblood, Supreme, Prophet, Glory, et al.

Of interest to us here at the JSA’s is the PROPHET, written by Brandon Graham (formerly of the USA), with art by SIMON ROY and a cover by MARIAN CHURCHLAND.

Rob Liefeld had this to say in his Comic Book Resources interview:

On “Prophet,” you’ve got Brandon Graham writing and Simon Roy on art. What stood out for you in their pitch?

I was a fan of Brandon Graham and his work on “King City,” and his outline for “Prophet” was fantastic. “Prophet” from the outset will appear to be the biggest departure from the original look and feel of the “Prophet” that myself and Stephen Platt made popular, but it’s no less amazing. The storytelling of Graham and Simon Roy is staggering. You can read the book without any word balloons and follow the story effortlessly. The look of the book is reminiscent of Moebius and Geoff Darrow — it’s a gorgeous, European-style graphic novel. Don’t sleep on this book. In the original “Prophet” series, John Prophet was awakened from cryo-sleep in a sarcophagus and had to deal with the reality of a brave new world. This new series finds John Prophet awakened from cryo-sleep in a brave new world where he has to deal with a much harsher reality than anything he faced in the original series. There are some massive spoilers and twists that I can’t reveal, but these guys have attacked this series and it’s easily my favorite of the bunch!

Canada Reads Top 40 Announced – 3 Graphic Novels on the list

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It’s that time of year again, things are gearing up for this winter’s annual Canada Reads competition. Last year, as you’ll recall, Jeff Lemire’s Essex County Trilogy made the Top 5. This year, Scott Chantler writes to inform us that three Canadian graphic novels have made the Top 40 of the Canada Reads: True Stories list and now is the time to select the Top 10 for that category:

Hi again all,

Thanks to the votes and word-of-mouth of family, friends, and fans, I’m happy to report that TWO GENERALS has made the CBC Canada Reads list of the Top 40 Canadian non-fiction books of all time: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/2012/canada-reads-true-stories-vote-for-the-top-10.html. Thanks to all of you who filled out nomination forms, or voted in the previous poll. It’s really an incredible honour to be included among some of the classics on that list (like Pierre Berton’s THE LAST SPIKE) and I’m pleased that my book is one of three graphic novels to make the list (the other two being Sarah Leavitt’s TANGLES and Chester Brown’s classic LOUIS RIEL).

From here, online voting cuts the list down to ten, then down to the five that will appear in the televised debates. I don’t have a lot of confidence that the book can go all the way against the likes of Berton and Romeo Dallaire, but it sure would be cool to make the top ten. We’re already seeing a slight sales jump just from making the longlist, so the longer the book can stay in the running the better.

So once again I’m asking you to go vote (at the link above) for TWO GENERALS (and up to four other books of your choice) and to spread the word as far and wide as you’re able. And thanks once again to everybody for their support. For this book in particular, it really means a lot.

Scott Chantler

Deciding the 2012 Categories

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Here at the JSAs we’re fairly open to making changes to the existing award categories if a solid argument can be made for the alteration, or for adding new or retiring old categories. In recent years new awards have included The Comics for Kids Award, The Gene Day Award, as well as the Outstanding Cover Artist and Outstanding Colourist Awards. Retired Awards include Outstanding Achievement, Favourite French and Favourite English creator.

As we are beginning our work in compiling the eligible comics for the 2012 Awards, the discussion has begun on the subject of Award categories. I’ve nothing to announce at present, other than over the next couple of weeks we will be hopefully deciding which of our current categories will continue on into the next Awards season and which ones will be put “On Hiatus”.

2011 Categories included:

Outstanding Artist/Artist Team
Outstanding Cartoonist
Outstanding Colourist
Outstanding Cover Artist
Outstanding Publisher
Outstanding Webcomics Creator/Creative Team
Outstanding Writer
Comics for Kids Award for Material Aimed at Younger Readers
Gene Day Award for Self-Publishing
Harry Kremer Award for Comic Book Retailing
Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame

The Webcomics Award is something that is being discussed – should webcomics (one of the most popular and well regarded awards) be retired and incorporated into the other categories (which have been exclusively for printed, distributed works)? It’s something we are debating internally so we’d love to read your thoughts on the subject.

Generally we are looking to maintain the same number of awards in 2012 — 12.

If you have any suggestions, thoughts or recommendations, please reply to this post or email me at kevin@joeshusterawards.com

Happenings: The Tamblyn Show Nov.1-12 in London, ON

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Diana and John Tamblyn

Conceived at a family dinner over Christmas last year, “The Tamblyn Show: Trees and Trains” will finally come to life on the walls of The Arts Project from November 1st -12th, 2011. The niece/uncle duo of Diana and John Tamblyn represents two generations who work in two very different media — drawing/illustration (Diana) and photography (John).

Diana Tamblyn moved back to London with her husband and daughter three years ago to continue a career as a web producer, graphic novelist, and artist (just 250 kms closer to family and old friends now). She immediately started showing at various venues in this city and regularly returned to exhibit at many of her old haunts in Toronto. Most recently, her imagination and drawing skills have shifted to capturing the fascinating variety of those local trees which define London as “The Forest City”.

Diana toured the city, using ReForest London’s “Amazing Tree Quest” map as her guide, documenting and drawing the most spectacular trees she found. She will be also showing some of her oil pastel landscapes and comic book work.

John Tamblyn is a photographer who has worked in London for over three decades. Off the clock, he reacts to and attempts to capture in photographic form interesting and curious images that present themselves to him. Sporadic exhibitions and group shows have enabled John to share his favourite “light paintings” with others. This time around his focus is on the graffiti sprayed on the train cars that constantly pass through London on both the CN and CPR lines.
Opening Reception

A reception for and celebration of the collaboration of Diana Tamblyn and John Tamblyn will be held on Saturday, November 5th, from 2:00 – 5:00 PM. In addition to two generations of friends and fans, others who might be interested are welcome to come and have a look!

The Arts Project
203 Dundas Street
London, ON N6A 1G4
(519) 642-2767

About Diana Tamblyn

Diana Tamblyn is an Ignatz-nominated cartoonist who has been actively writing and drawing comics for over 14 years. She’s exhibited her comics at small press fairs and comic book shows in both Canada and the US, and has had artwork displayed in various group and solo shows. In 2005, She was chosen by the Globe and Mail as a “Canadian cartoonist to watch”.

Her latest comic project is “From Earth to Babylon: The Story of Gerald Bull and the Supergun”. This is a historical based work on the life of Canadian Gerald Bull – considered to be one of the most brilliant artillery scientists of the 20th century. His work on artillery led him across the globe, from Canada to the Pentagon, Barbados, South Africa and Iraq – where he ultimately developed the “Supergun” for Saddam Hussein. He was assassinated in Brussels in 1990 by two shots to the head and three in the back, and was never able to finish his dream project. Diana has been awarded a Canada Council Grant to assist in the production of this work in progress.

Currently living in London, Ont, she works as a freelance web consultant. She graduated from Concordia University in 1994 with a BFA in Film Animation.
Her website is http://www.dianatamblyn.com

About John Tamblyn

John Tamblyn is a photographer whose works have been exhibited in London and regional survey exhibitions. He most recently presented a selection of his photographs in the exhibition “Mass Culture and Society”, at the McIntosh Gallery, UWO, London. Currently he has been working on a massive project for McMaster University, taking over 2,500 photographs of their collection in order to digitize it.

With over 30 years of professional experience, John is an expert at taking pictures of people, places, and things, and is based in London, Ontario.