From Injury Comics #2.
I wonder if they're arm wrestling for pie?
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Free Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 3!
To celebrate, on Saturday we'll have 50% off all bagged & boarded back issue comics (yes, including the smut)!
Tons of graphic novels for sale at just really stupid prices!
And a box of .99 comics, for those nostalgic for the days when comics cost less than a buck. (7 for $5!)
And yes, the free comics. While supplies last.
The sale is in-store only. (Sorry, interwebs.)
Get crazy!
Festival Check 2008
It's around this time of year where you may be making your Summer plans - to visit Baltimore. Well here are the festivals to keep in mind:
This weekend alone:
May The Intertribal Powwow
May The Sheep & Wool Festival
May The Maryland Film Festival & Videopolis
Then the rest of the Summer:
May SoWeBo Festival
May Maryland Deathfest
June Honfest
July Artscape & Whartscape
August Otakon
August Virgin Mobile Festival
Into the Fall:
September Baltimore Comic Con
September Hampdenfest
September Baltimore Book Festival
September (usually) High Zero Festival
October Small Press Expo
And when you're in town, we have a handy list on our links page. And here are some suggestions by John Waters.
This weekend alone:
May The Intertribal Powwow
May The Sheep & Wool Festival
May The Maryland Film Festival & Videopolis
Then the rest of the Summer:
May SoWeBo Festival
May Maryland Deathfest
June Honfest
July Artscape & Whartscape
August Otakon
August Virgin Mobile Festival
Into the Fall:
September Baltimore Comic Con
September Hampdenfest
September Baltimore Book Festival
September (usually) High Zero Festival
October Small Press Expo
And when you're in town, we have a handy list on our links page. And here are some suggestions by John Waters.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Derby, Cake!
The CCRG were on Ace of Cakes last night. Did you see Maggie yelling?
Baltimore, Derby, Cake!
This is for Geoff fans (because, really, who isn't?).
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
MD Film Fest 08
We'll be set up at the MD Film Festival Tent Village, May 2nd and 3rd! Check out the festival, swing by and say hello!
Here are some highlights of the festival by two of the festival's programmers, Eric and Skizz.
Monday, April 21, 2008
New Season, New Arena For Roller Derby
We've got tickets.
And our Charm City Roller Girls will be on Ace of Cakes this week! A viewing party is happening at Della Rose's in Canton.
ETA: Change of location! Now the viewing party will be at the Claddagh Pub, 2918 O'Donnell Street!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Home Libraries - A Growing Trend
"In this digital age, it may surprise you to read that more people want libraries than cinemas in their homes."
Oh, wait. They're talking about the UK.
Oh, wait. They're talking about the UK.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Baltimore Curious?
Oddly, Rolling Stone named Baltimore as the Best Scene in their Best of Rock issue this week.
We carry all the best of the sounds, writing, filmmaking, comicking and designing of the city in an easy to peruse format (if we're missing anything, don't fret because we're still working on this category).
Get a drink and dig in, it's a lot to go through.
We carry all the best of the sounds, writing, filmmaking, comicking and designing of the city in an easy to peruse format (if we're missing anything, don't fret because we're still working on this category).
Get a drink and dig in, it's a lot to go through.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Murakami @ Brooklyn Museum
Just in time for the exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, we got Superflat back in:
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
But What I Really Want Is Pie
Did you eat a donut today?
We certainly did (from New System Bakery - awesome).
But my true love is pie. And my wish has come true! Dangerously Delicious Pies is opening a location in Hampden. Right off the Ave, on Chestnut, in the the now closed Finnerteas location.
They hope to be open by Honfest!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Triple Belly Band Threat!
When I see a belly band or a die cut cover I just groan inside. It's just asking to be damaged as soon as it hits the shelves.
But yeah...it's beautiful.
Oh, we hate white covers, too.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday Review - All Comics, All Benn
Cramhole #2
by Billups Allen / various
I didn't realize how much I missed Cramhole until this second issue came in (here's hoping Billups increases his frequency). This is the sort of comic/zine that used to be common at punk record stores but has, sadly, largely vanished (sort of like record stores). As a result, Cramhole feels downright refreshing as the main character Frank shows how he is difficult to live with, talks about old jobs, struggles with his resume, and generally, grumpily goes about life. The art is tackled by several people, including Amy Shapiro and Dorothy Gambrell (Cat And Girl), and it's all deft. But you don't read these sorts of comics for the art alone - the real charm of Cramhole is the character of Frank, the aging punk, and his life.
Whatever
by Karl Stevens
This is a collection of comics that were originally published in Boston's alt-weekly, The Phoenix. The subject matter focuses on a group of city-dwelling twentysomethings as they complain about mass transit, drink, smoke dope, hook up, play in bands, deal with roommate issues, etc. While not presented in a traditional straightforward narrative, these stories repeat characters and themes enough that Karl constructs a very real small community of Bostonians whom we easily get to know and either like or allow ourselves to be amused by. And reinforcing the realism of the stories in Whatever is the hyper-realistic artwork done in extravagant and intricate linework. For a sucker of crosshatching like me, Karl's Whatever isn't just a modern collection of realistic twentysomething slacker stories, it's a visual feast.
Capacity #6
Capacity #7
Paper Wasp #3
Thought Cloud Shrines
by Theo Ellsworth
It's a rare comic that I see and just stare and stare and stare at the art and wonder, "How the hell does he do that?" Theo Ellsworth's comics, a mix of fantasy and obsessively constructed (almost architectural) artwork, has me looking at his pages over and over again, wondering just that. There is a Moebius vibe to some of the work here, but, more importantly, there is a sharp sense of humor that is frequently missing from this type of comic. Ellsworth makes minis that are intensely, obsessively drawn - with punch lines.
by Billups Allen / various
I didn't realize how much I missed Cramhole until this second issue came in (here's hoping Billups increases his frequency). This is the sort of comic/zine that used to be common at punk record stores but has, sadly, largely vanished (sort of like record stores). As a result, Cramhole feels downright refreshing as the main character Frank shows how he is difficult to live with, talks about old jobs, struggles with his resume, and generally, grumpily goes about life. The art is tackled by several people, including Amy Shapiro and Dorothy Gambrell (Cat And Girl), and it's all deft. But you don't read these sorts of comics for the art alone - the real charm of Cramhole is the character of Frank, the aging punk, and his life.
Whatever
by Karl Stevens
This is a collection of comics that were originally published in Boston's alt-weekly, The Phoenix. The subject matter focuses on a group of city-dwelling twentysomethings as they complain about mass transit, drink, smoke dope, hook up, play in bands, deal with roommate issues, etc. While not presented in a traditional straightforward narrative, these stories repeat characters and themes enough that Karl constructs a very real small community of Bostonians whom we easily get to know and either like or allow ourselves to be amused by. And reinforcing the realism of the stories in Whatever is the hyper-realistic artwork done in extravagant and intricate linework. For a sucker of crosshatching like me, Karl's Whatever isn't just a modern collection of realistic twentysomething slacker stories, it's a visual feast.
Capacity #6
Capacity #7
Paper Wasp #3
Thought Cloud Shrines
by Theo Ellsworth
It's a rare comic that I see and just stare and stare and stare at the art and wonder, "How the hell does he do that?" Theo Ellsworth's comics, a mix of fantasy and obsessively constructed (almost architectural) artwork, has me looking at his pages over and over again, wondering just that. There is a Moebius vibe to some of the work here, but, more importantly, there is a sharp sense of humor that is frequently missing from this type of comic. Ellsworth makes minis that are intensely, obsessively drawn - with punch lines.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Comic Cameo
Who wants to be on reality tv when you can be in reality comics?
Bradley Kennedy shows me the page she's on in Jeffrey Brown's latest autobio comic.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Meet Your Printmaker
A handy new blog that lists noteworthy printers around the world and just around the corner.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Hooked On Comics
EW.com asked 15 "graphic storytellers" what comic got them hooked to the format. And then they asked me to post this and to link back to them.
Done.
But it's actually a fun thing to think about. What got me hooked?
It was the Rose of Versailles. Originally published in Japan, a friend of mine had copies in Korean when we were kids and lent them to me. I couldn't read it though, so she told me the basic plot, which was about a woman who was raised as a man and became a Palace officer during the French Revolution, and I tried to make out what was going on just from the illustrations.
I fell in love with the artwork which was all black and white and beautiful line work. Most of the comics I'd read back then were in color.
And I never got to read all the volumes...so it became this illusive comic holy grail that always kept me searching in every comic shop/book store I could find for the impossible get.
What got you hooked?
Done.
But it's actually a fun thing to think about. What got me hooked?
It was the Rose of Versailles. Originally published in Japan, a friend of mine had copies in Korean when we were kids and lent them to me. I couldn't read it though, so she told me the basic plot, which was about a woman who was raised as a man and became a Palace officer during the French Revolution, and I tried to make out what was going on just from the illustrations.
I fell in love with the artwork which was all black and white and beautiful line work. Most of the comics I'd read back then were in color.
And I never got to read all the volumes...so it became this illusive comic holy grail that always kept me searching in every comic shop/book store I could find for the impossible get.
What got you hooked?
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Saturday, April 05, 2008
What Is It About the Number 4?
Just because it's in Rolling Stone's Top Ten doesn't mean you should ignore it. The new Pancake Mountain DVD is in and it's totally fun, for real!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
First Panel 7
First Panel AND a review combo:
Benn read Snake Oil #1 by Charles Forsman:
By the end of this first issue, we're not sure of a lot of things in this well-crafted, self-published comic. We don't know why the buffalo men kidnapped Tim in the bathroom. We're not sure what Bob's kid and his friend were smoking. We're not sure where Tim goes when he's unconscious. And we're not sure why the man took Mickey's kid while he was in the bathroom (nor are we sure why Mickey seems to randomly turn into a bird). There are a lot of uncertainties in this comic, presented as a series of short stories (more accurately chapters to a larger whole). But the oddity is engaging in that Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron sort of way. Snake Oil promises to be a lot of fun to follow as the narrative elements come together. The screened cover, heavy stock paper, and Forsman's deft illustrations all just add to an already engaging mix.
Reading Clubs
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Rick Roll Day
Don't you think it should be Rick Roll Day instead of April Fool's?
I would never rick roll you. Serious.
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