Book Release at Desert Island Comics

Some of the good guys in the Comics world are out there putting their best panels forward. The mysterious I Know Joe Kimpel is hosting a book release and signing party this Friday night, October 16, 7-9 pm in the wilds of Brooklyn at the wonderfully named Desert Island Comics. Cat Garza, Mario Van Buren, and Jeff Lok will be there to sign the newly released anthologies DARK CORNERS and FUNNY AMINALS.

Bravo to one and all for this event. For those of you attending the Big Apple Comic Con this weekend don’t forget to support these young artists in all they are doing as well as your local comic book store. Here’s the link to the Facebook events page. I wish I could go and hang out with this group so someone else has to do it for me. Send pics please. I have my own event the following day and I’ll be slaving away in the studio probably until about an hour before the event per usual.

Those hardworking folks at Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art are doing their bit for the Big Apple Comic Con weekend and here’s the Facebook link for their events. They’re providing children’s programming on Friday to encourage the next generation of comic book readers and artists. Very Important. It’s not as easy to buy comics these days unlike the ancient past where we all went down to the corner drug store. They will also have several different artists doing signings and such all weekend including the talented Jim Salicrup and Alex Simmons. Too much to tell in a short post. Check it all out. You know this is going to be fun and you know you want to go. So do it. Again, pics please so those of us stuck in the hinterlands can see what we’re missing.

Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art

Speaking of MOCCA, the esteemed Mr. Danny Fingeroth is teaching an 8-week course on writing for the comics, beginning Tuesday, October, 20 and here’s the link to sign up. This is one you will not want to miss. Those of us who love the history of comics and that would be me, often tout the grand old men (and they are mostly men) of the early comics era but don’t forget that right here amongst us are some of the guys who carry that legacy. Taking a course from someone like Danny means that you’re not only going to learn from one of the best but you get that indefinable something that is passed on from one generation of artists to the next. People who take martial arts sometimes refer to it as chi or ki. It’s a type of unspoken transmission from the teacher to the student that carries the tradition. Go get yourself some ki from Master Fingeroth. We need to keep the good traditions going in the face of the bland corporate machine that seems determined to take over the world.

And doing his bit to kick it up a notch, here’s the amazing Mr. Uslan, not resting on his laurels, thank you very much, but toiling away and turning out the fascinating new story line for Archie Comics. The venerable gray lady herself, The New York Times, opined on the subject so big congratulations to Michael. Be sure and read the article, as the sources for Mr. Uslan’s ideas are wide-ranging and thought provoking. It certainly has everyone talking about Archie and the gang and remembering the comics.

Archie Comics should be talked about because besides Michael Uslan, there’s Jim Amash and Alex Simmons among others, who are in the Archie bullpen, and to a man, supremely nice guys and talented. I remember reading Archie Comics long after I gave up on the action guys—sorry, granddad—because there were girls in the storyline and I even had the paper dolls at one point. So a special thank you from the ladies, Michael and we’re all going to be reading to see how things turn out. Now back to the studio and that oncoming event. See you later.