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

Also, welcome back ADD and In Sequence.

Did I miss anyone?

 

posted by Steven at 10:03 PM

 
Kid N' Play Style



Salgood Sam, of the ever essential Sequential, has asked his readers to make their way here for all their Canadian comic news while he goes on vacation. When he says "vacation", what he means is that he's attending the Toronto Comic Expo. He seems to have forgotten that I will also be attending said convention, and will be unable to report on the Canadian comics scene in his stead. Still, it's nice that he offered. Before I leave, however, I will post the few Canadian links that I have available. Almost all of them deal with conventions, but I'll try to spice them up a little so your eyes don't glaze over.

Here's the short list of who will be attending the aforementioned Toronto comic convention. I've enjoyed the work of all these artists, most of whom are regulars at this event, and look forward to seeing them again. I would link to each person individually, but I have a bus to catch. The guest list on the Hobbystar site has links to various individuals. Check them out, you won't regret it.

Ho Che Anderson, Karl Kerschl, Ken Steacy, Darwyn Cooke, J. Bone, Salgood Sam, Sam Hiti, Greg Hyland, Kagan McLeod, Paul Rivoche, Jay Stephens, Cameron Stewart, Ty Templeton, J.Torres, Chip Zdarsky, Scott Chantler, Troy Little. You can read an entire issue of the acclaimed series Louis Riel by attendee Chester Brown, as well as an issue of Captain Canuck by Richard Comely on the Beyond the Funnies site.

There's not much to recommend outside of Artists Alley, in either the big name signings or the programming, a first for me in my annual jaunt to this con. And where's Seth? There ain't no party like a Palookaville party. More time to rummage through back issues looking for cheap Harvey comics, I suppose. That, and I have 300 copies of a mini-comic I helped publish sitting on my desk, folded, stapled and ready to be sent out into the world. More on that in a few weeks.

The convention will also be host to the shooting of a Canadian comics documentary, the details of which you can find below. One time I was at the Toronto convention and this camera kept getting in my face while I was looking through ratty boxes of back issues. Years later I'm half-watching the documentary on Todd McFarlane, The Devil You Know, and there's a scene where they're talking about fanboys and how they seek out rare comics which they never read for fear of mussing up their pristine investments. The footage they used was of me looking at coverless copies of Kirby's Devil Dinosaur. Hopefully these other guys aren't assholes.

LONG SHOT PICTURES will be shooting their latest documentary film about the comic book scene at this year's Canadian National Comic Book Expo! You may be interviewed on camera and be a part of the film and be a part of the film "The Canadian Comic Book Connection". . All you have to do is keep your eyes open at the Expo as the crew will be filming all weekend!

On the West Coast and feeling left out? No worries. You've got a convention that has ours beat.

Comix and Stories Showcase for independent, small press and alternative comics and zines, with guests David Boswell, creator of Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, Shannon Wheeler, creator of Too Much Coffee Man, David Lasky, Marc Bell, and others. Heritage Hall, 3102 Main, Vancouver, Aug. 24, 11 am-5 pm, $3, 604-322-6412.

Three bucks! You can read the very first issue of the amazing Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, once again from the Beyond the Funnies site.

What's that? You feel the Quebecois have been slighted? Well, as the opening page of the Hobbystar Conventions site suggests, there will be a Montreal comic convention in the near future. This is good news to me, as I hate having to spend half my comic budget on the bus. While there is very little in the way of info at the moment, the Montreal Comix Jam message boards have a few more details, placing it on November 14-16 2003, at the Palais des Congres.

OK, I have to skedaddle. This is my last big hurrah before school starts up again. If you're in Toronto, maybe I'll see you around. A gang of us are meeting at Victory Cafe, on Markham (near the Beguiling) at 9pm on Saturday night, before we head over the Blow-up at Lee's Palace to shake the booty. We'll be the ones with the comics.


posted by Steven at 1:08 PM

 
Pasghetti and Meat Bulbs!



Wanna Be Smiled At truly represents a moment of epiphany in Mr. Keane's illustrious career. Unlike his previous works, which were full of optimism and levity, for this volume Keane has trained his keen but jaded eye on the seamier underside of the suburban ethos. In a stroke of genius, it is revealed that the joyous fluff of his prolific output to date merely served as a set-up for this stunning expose of the darkest corners of the human soul.

From one of the many illuminating reviews on the Family Circus which speak of the work's quality better than I could ever hope to achieve.

Fact. Bil Keane is the greatest writer the comics medium has ever seen. He is not only better than most of his peers, he has retroactively become the originator of this artform we love. You should get down on your knees and thank God for even his worst work. Titles such as Jeffy's Lookin' At Me, I Can't Untie My Shoes, and the underground classic, Mommy, God's Here are just a sampling of the treasures to be found in the immense Keane library. No other author has enriched our lives better and more consistently than Keane, with his innovative dotted line technique, the character Not Me, and, in probably the first recorded example of post-modernism, allowing his son to draw the comic while Keane is on vacation. Never mind that Keane's strip from June 16th, 1985 is probably definitely the greatest piece of art ever created by human hands.

Every other comic strip in the funny pages is based on half-formed ideas that may seem intelligent, but are only placed there to gain acceptance by gullible literati like yourself. The idea that, say, Beetle Bailey or Hi and Lois could be the greatest example of comic literature since the dawn of time is merely the result of blind, obsessive obedience to the status quo, without a shred of critical thought involved. There is no other reason to like these cartoon abortions, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to themselves. The superior status of Family Circus, on the other hand, is based on scientific fact, and cannot be disputed.

As an example, I have bought every Garfield book to hit the stands, so I know what I'm talking about. When I bought my first Garfield collection, it wasn't so bad. I usually give a comic 7 or 8 books to warm up, anyway. By book 9, the characterization in Garfield had turned to shit. What happened to Nermal? Then it entered Phase 2, where I gave it a second chance. That lasted 5 or 6 books. After that, I continued buying it for the roadkill factor, and for something to complain about on message boards. Now I'm just going along to see how it all ends, but if it doesn't get better in another 4 or 5 issues, I'll place it in Phase 3. I'm running out of patience, Jim Davis.

This argument for or against Family Circus has polarized the comics community throughout its history. Some may try to sneak in such minor talents as Morrison, Milligan, or Moore, but these are primarily writers for "comic books" and not real comics. You can only truly understand if you have read the entire Family Circus ouvre, otherwise you are coming from a stance of extreme ignorance. And if you have read these classics and still do not comprehend why Family Circus is better than Blondie, Cathy, The Wizard of Id, or B.C., tough. That's not my problem.

Until you concede, I will continue to praise the work of Keane in nearly every thread, whether on-topic or not. You can't ignore me forever. You will succumb.

- From the message board where I finally snapped.
posted by Steven at 4:02 AM