Blog Archives
A Love Of Comics, Art, Storytelling, And Libraries: The Toronto Comics Arts Festival (TCAF)
If you’re living in the Toronto area or are thinking about visiting the city this weekend, you’re in for a treat. The 10th anniversary of The Toronto Comics Arts Festival (TCAF) is happening on Saturday and Sunday – and if you’re a fan of sequential art and storytelling in all of its forms, TCAF is the place for you to be!
If you haven’t been before, this isn’t your usual run-of-the-mill comic book convention. No, it’s much, much more interesting: truly a celebration of art, storytelling and the small-press and independent comic book industry by and for the people that love to create in unison with the people that love to read.
Love is a word that can be used often with TCAF.
The festival is indeed an international love affair and you can find out more info and some highlights after the jump!
Time Again For Sci-Fi With Time Warp #1 On The Wednesday Run – March 27, 2013
The science fiction genre teaches you many things, but if there’s one specific lesson it reminds you of again and again, it’s that time is circular. Whether it’s a memorable episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation or a great read by Phillip K. Dick, events, we’re told, are meant to be repeated.
The same is true in comics.
Back in 1979-1980, DC Comics published the five-issue sci-fi anthology series, Time Warp. Today, the title comes back with a more sophisticated slant, courtesy of top industry writers and artists and published under the Vertigo Comics banner.
And boy! Is there a lot to look forward to here!
Dear John…And A Constantine #1 On The Wednesday Run – March 20, 2013
Dear John,
It’s not me, it’s you. That’s the only explanation I can come up with for the current state of our relationship.
We’ve known each other for a long time now – very nearly thirty years – sharing tears and laughs and smokes and pints of ale together, but things haven’t been right between us for a while now, have they? Sure, there were good times, and I’ve told you about those days on a number of occasions. But lately, it feels like you’re not even here, never present the way I want you to be present. There have been some pretty dark times. None more so than last November. I won’t go into it now. I know you remember.
That November day hurt me, John. But I know, deep down inside your seemingly callous exterior and your mischievous, plotting habits, I know that it hurt you, too.
But hope springs eternal, doesn’t it? And this day, March 20, perhaps coincidentally the first day of spring, I still have hope for our us…
A Sweet Friendship Ends With Sweet Tooth #40 On The Wednesday Run – January 9, 2013
Sometimes, you can get really attached to a fictional character.
It doesn’t matter the genre: fiction, science fiction, horror, fantasy, mystery or romance. It doesn’t matter the format: film, novel, short story, graphic novel or monthly comic book. A good character resonates, both effecting and affecting our minds and hearts. But when it comes time for that character to, well, end, when we view the last frame of the film or turn the last page of the (comic) book, we can feel like we’re losing a close friend. And, sadly, that’s what Wednesday, January 9, 2013 brings us. An ending.
The start of this new year means saying goodbye to a beloved character – no, a series of beloved characters – whose fictional lives have blossomed into friendships with a great many readers over the last four years.
With the publication of monthly issue #40 today, we say “goodbye” to Gus, Jepperd and the highly acclaimed comic book series, Sweet Tooth.
Get Haunted By Ghosts #1 On The Wednesday Run – October 31, 2012
DING DONG!
No, go ahead and answer the door. I’ll wait right here for you. Those sweet-toothed, crazy kids!
So, what’s popular in the world of Halloween costumes this year? Potter? Iron Man? Princess? And what kind of candy treats are you handing out, anyway? Jawbreakers? Chips? Caramilk? Kit Kat? Oh, I love the Kit Kat! Or are you more of a “trick” kind of person? You know, when I was trick or treatin’, back in the day, I always applauded the adults that performed magical tricks for the kids. It didn’t make me want chocolate any less, but I politely clapped. And hey! I know there’s at least one Biff Bam Popper out there that actually hands out comic books for Halloween! That, sir, is both a trick and a treat!
And that brings me to this week’s comic book of choice. Whether you’ve picked it up to read for yourself or, maybe, to hand out to a deserving kid tonight, Ghosts #1 is sure to joyously haunt… Read the rest of this entry
Historic Comics Live Forever In National Comics: Eternity #1 On The Wednesday Run – July 25, 2012
If you’re waxing poetic, you could say that everything old is new again. If you’re mildly neurotic, you might say that history isn’t done with us just yet. If you’re a bit of a pessimist, you may very well say that there’s no such thing as a new idea.
With today’s publication of National Comics: Eternity #1, you would definitely exclaim that all these above statements – and more – are absolute truths. But you wouldn’t be entirely right.
Comic-Con 2012 Exclusive: Scott Snyder: An Inside Look
Armed with a bottle of wine and his friend (and Torontonian) Jeff Lemire of Sweet Tooth fame, we got a glimpse of one of the hottest comics writer today. With Jeff moderating, the panel started with Scott Snyder’s history. He originally wanted to go to Rhode Island School of Design but because of a differing class schedule he fell more into writing than art.
While Snyder got a book deal just out of college, it turned into a tough situation where a publisher’s expectations kept him chained to an awful book. To relieve the pressure he wrote super hero stories on the side. At his eventual book opening, Vertigo approached him to write one shots. It was a dream come true for him and his foot was in the door. He eventually pitched for American Vampire and won it but that was not before he was desperate to make the bills. At times he had to work where he could, even working at Disney as a janitor and eventually as a Disney character. Without his wife’s support he could not have transitioned into comics from the literary world.
More of Scott Snyder’s Comic-Con 2012 panel after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry
Reboots and Recollections Part 2: JP Picks His Top 10 Comics in DC’s September Line-Wide Comic Book Re-launch
I know. There’s nothing quite like a “first” issue.
Of course, there’s the collector’s excitement of being present at the beginning of a potentially new, hit series, where a copy of a “first” issue might be worth thousands of dollars in seventy years time – just enough time for said collector’s grandchildren to cash in on their inheritance. (Alas, for said collector!)
But there’s also the liberating, and sometimes slightly frightening feeling of starting over, fresh, from scratch. That’s the feeling that I enjoy when picking up a new comic book first issue from the store shelves. And that’s why I’m excited for next month.
