Congrats to ADDTF for one solid year of reading comics naked.

Also, welcome back ADD and In Sequence.

Did I miss anyone?

 
"It's Big. It's Cold. Is it a threat?"

The above is a headline from CNN concerning Canada. One of our Prime Ministers compadres called Shrub a moron and they were all over it. How this makes Canada a threat, I don't know. I figure that would make at least 90% of the world a threat, including most of the States.

It is cold, though.

What does this have to do with comics? It's just a lead-in to a few Canada-centric things I've run across in the last half-hour. First up, why didn't anyone tell me that Exclaim Magazine had stopped running comics?!? That's a real disappointment. Exclaim is a monthly cross-country alternative mag that regularly showcased the work of such fine artists as Jay Stephens, Marc Bell and Alan Hunt.

It was actually thanks to Alan Hunt via the Comics Journal message board that I found out about this. Please check out his site. He has the entirety of his strip, Maciek and Fiona online. It ran monthly in Exclaim for four years and is the story of a day in the life of the aforementioned couple. He's actually one of my favourite cartoonists. Oh, and congratulations to Alan and his new bride, Marianne.

I remember when Exclaim stopped running a regular feature on 'zines. Now this. They're coming to the end of the road, for sure. In the meantime, it looks like they're still running the odd piece on cartoonists. You'll find a small conversation with Toronto artist Seth here. There's also a piece on Montreal's Pope of Comics, Henriette Valium.

From the ashes of Exclaim, and also courtesy of Alan Hunt, it appears that someone is picking up the slack for good venues for comics in the Great White North. Taddle Creek magazine is printing Hunt's comics, as well as interviews with cartoonists, like Joe Matt.

It's a little late for me to recount my trip to the Ben Katchor lecture at McGill University a few weeks ago, but I will provide you with this very interesting interview with the man, as well as the student newspaper's write-up on the event. Also, please go to cartoonist Salgood Sam's blog for his impression of the event.

Well, that's my Canadian conent out of the way. One more bit of news. Sarah Dyer of Action Girl fame, mentions in her blog that Duke University is archiving comics and 'zines by women. I know at least a few women who make 'zines and read this blog, so if you're looking for academic immortality, send them your stuff!




posted by Steven at 11:35 PM