Newfoundland

Missed it, but Timemasters turned 20 in January.

New Brunswick

The Comic Hunter, and their Kremer nomination, was featured by Here NB.

Strange Adventures manager Jason Arnold is interviewed about that Godzilla-cover-thing that’s been floating around. Plus a civilian university student dropped by the shop to have a look around. She might not “do the comic book thing”, but she likes cute cats.

Quebec

L’Imaginaire hosted four artists for book launches: Djief, Eric Theriault and Richard Gagnon from Frankenstein Réassemblé, and François Lapierre with Chroniques sauvages.

L’Imaginaire released their Top Ten sellers in 2010
#1: Thorgal #32 (Le Lombard)
#2: Donjon de Naheulbeuk #6 (Claire de Lune)
#3: Blacksad #04 (Dargaud)
#4: Largo Winch #17 (Dupuis)
#5: Assassin’s Creed #1 (Les Deux Royaumes) *This is by Corbeyran & Defali, not Cameron Stewart & Karl Kershl
#6: Les mondes de Thorgal #1 (Le Lombard)
#7: Yoko Tsuno #25 (Dupuis)
#8: Blake et Mortimer #20 (Blake et Mortimer)
#9: Antares #03 (Dargaud)
#10: Lucky Luke #4 (Lucky Comics)

What I find most interesting about this list? No Quebec-based creators or publishers. Not sure why I expected a stronger Quebec-based list; I would expect a random shop in Edmonton to have their top sellers be heavily international weighted.

This is pretty cool: Exclusively for Renaud Bray-TV, Michel Rabagliati, the cartoonist darling of Quebec, talks about the creation of Paul and a talks about his next comic.

The 4th Wall will be having a gallery show this weekend featuring customers drawing on blank comic covers.

Jimmy Beaulieu visited Planète BD for the launch of his new book Comédie sentimentale pornographique, published by Delcourt in the collection Shampoo. François Lapierre also appeared to sign his new book Chroniques sauvages, with a Planète BD exclusive bookplate.

Ontario

Looks like there has been a bit of a shake-up in Eastern Ontario. Action Packed Comics was a 2 shop company based in Kingston and Belleville. It seems that Jay Goodsell, who I believe managed the Belleville location, has purchased this store and has changed the name to Goodsell Collectables.

The Dragon switched things up and did podcasts on some mainstream comics: Identity Crisis and the J. Michael Straczynski penned relaunch of Thor.

Big B Comics has changed their hours, now opening at 10am. Beyond that, Big B just wrapped up their ‘Free Comicbook for every A on your report card‘ deal. Every shop should feel free to steal this idea. I just ask that you give out age appropriate comics, that’s key.

L.A. Mood’s hosted the Kill Shakespeare crew for a Q&A plus signing. Click to see many photos! Plus, they received a crank call. Man, I remember Marc Emery being all the news 20 years ago.

I think Pulp Comics in Niagara Falls had some sort of sponsorship or involvement in a wrestling event.

Myths, Legends & Heroes have copies of FF 587, the death issue, for $15. I know that there are still people and shops that believe in ‘collectible comics’, but FF 588 just went on sale on Feb 23rd. Should FF 587 have been sold at cover price until the next issue cycle came out or should it be pulled and marked up based on demand? I ask the question, feel free to give your opinion in the comment section.

The Beguiling manager Chris Butcher gave a talk titled Censoring Manga for Fun and Profit. For the first time in a while the Beg had no instore events. TCAF keeps rolling on. A real shame they chose to have it the same weekend as Free Comic Book Day. Since this event pulls in creators from across Canada, I would expect this to impact creator appearances for Free Comic Book Day across the country. Most harshly impacted will be shops in smaller towns, the kind of place a festival-centric creator, and the only local creator, might live. As well as smaller shops in the city of Toronto, where the majority of the local/regional creators will be at the library. How could a store counter this and not allow the Beguiling/Drawn & Quarterly run TCAF to negatively impact the Free Comic Book Day events for their shop? Perhaps a big name shop could invite and fly in a larger name creator for a Saturday appearance? Draw customers, and casual comic fans, to the in-store event for this ‘name’ creator, putting the focus of FCBD on your store. Perhaps even use TCAF to your advantage and tell the creator that they get to check out TCAF that night/the next day. Like many comic book conventions, TCAF is well known for creators drinking and chilling together.

Early in the planning stages, it looks like Rogues Gallery is stepping up their community involvement: kids comic workshops and a graphic novel club. Have they been reading our Harry Kremer Retailer of the Year criteria?

Saskatchewan

TONIGHT – Feb 26th! Unreal City is hosting a live drawing art event featuring Riley Rossmo (Proof, Cowboy Ninja Viking), Gene Day Award nominee Elaine Will (for Look Straight Ahead) and Nathen Wahl (Zap Girl, Joe the Zombie). The concept is simple, yet the possibilities are endless: three comic artists from Saskatoon will be given a large blank paper. From there, it’s up to the artists to construct an original piece of art, while those in attendance will be able to catch an intimate look at the entire process.

Alberta

Happy Harbor hosted their in-store whisky tasting.

British Columbia

Lucky’s hosted a great event featuring Aaron Renier (Unsinkable Walter Bean), Jason Shiga (Meanwhile: Pick Any Path), Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Matt Holm (Babymouse) & Dave Roman (Jax Epoch and the Quicken Forbidden)