I’m curious to know if anyone here has a favorite local cartoonist or comic book artist they’d like to rave on about.

Some of my favorites:

Evan Dahm
Hope Larson
Will Murray
and Alexandru Sacui

This town has a shortage of super hero artists. Come on people, slum a little!

Thanks, Steve!

It surprises me that there’s a shortage of superhero artists given that neither of the comic shops in town carries anything but capes. Malaprops has ‘em both licked, but their selection is on the opposite end of the spectrum–100% critics’ darlings. (Or maybe I’m just bitter because I’ve tried three times to convince them they should carry my books and Scott Pilgrim, to no avail. Their loss.) Sword and Grail has a great space and location, and I bet they’d be doing tons more business if they’d broaden the range of books they stock.

I don’t know what it is, but people always love stories of people hitting each other. (Not that I’m much better, mind you. I spent a goodly piece of last night reading “Dragon Ball Z” comics and thinking about ordering the next few volumes of “Usagi Yojimbo.")

But, let’s just say that I did want to read something a bit less eye-laser/musclemen-in-tights oriented. Where should I start?

Something emotionally resonant like “Blankets” or “Goodbye, Chunky Rice” by Craig Thompson? Surely not something heavy like “Maus”?

Let’s have a nerdy brainstorm on the subject.

I read a lot of comics, but here are a couple from the last year (or so) that I especially liked:

MANGA SERIES
- Drifting Classroom, Kazuo Umezu (bizarre horror from the ‘60s or ‘70s)
- Monster, Naoki Urasawa (crime thriller)
- Asumanga Daioh, Kiyohiko Azuma (high school comedy; it’s only 4 volumes long and an omnibus was just released)
- Yotsuba!, Kiyohiko Azuma (I defy anyone to read a volume of Yotsuba! and not be won over.)
- Beck, Harold Sakuishi (high school rock band tries to make it big)

MISC. GRAPHIC NOVELS
- Spent, Joe Matt (very funny, slightly icky autobio)
- Misery Loves Comedy, Ivan Brunetti (darkly funny autobio I would liken to Woody Allen’s work)
- King Cat Classix, John Porcellino (sweet and charming autobio from the early ‘90s zine scene)
- Exit Wounds, Rutu Modan (a brilliant, beautiful, semi-topical GN from an Israeli cartoonist)
- House, Josh Simmons (a silent horror comic, not related to the TV show)

Tell me what kind of movies you like and I can try to be more specific.

You all might have heard about the Asheville Art Museum’s upcoming speakers series, smART Speak...and we’re bringing Art Spiegelman to Asheville on September 11th (to the Thomas Wolfe).

I’m working on programs right now - book discussions, hands-on workshops, films...and I would love to hear any ideas that you have, local people you think I should check out as workshop faculty, etc.

thanks!

Nancy Sokolove, Program Manager for smART Speak
Asheville Art Museum

828.253.3227 x120

nancysokolove - 03 March 2008 07:51 PM

You all might have heard about the Asheville Art Museum’s upcoming speakers series, smART Speak...and we’re bringing Art Spiegelman to Asheville on September 11th (to the Thomas Wolfe).

I’m working on programs right now - book discussions, hands-on workshops, films...and I would love to hear any ideas that you have, local people you think I should check out as workshop faculty, etc.

thanks!

Nancy Sokolove, Program Manager for smART Speak
Asheville Art Museum

828.253.3227 x120

I’m wacked-out crazy about Spiegelman coming to town. Christo? He’s cool, I guess. But Spiegelman ... he made comics legitimate in the public eye with works like “Maus,” and he’s one of the most original artists working in publishing today.

Ideas? The only thing that comes to mind is how awesome it would be if you could get Oz-loving writer/illustrator Eric Shanower to show up for that Dark Side of the Rainbow event you’re having later this month. How cool would that be?

Steve, is this Oz-guy local?

Also, i’m primarily interested in people’s thoughts/ideas for programming surrounding Spiegelman’s visit...I have some movies and some books for discussion in mind but I’m totally open to suggestions! 

I am not familiar with the local graphic novel/cartoon illustrating talent (i think that question began this forum but i wasn’t sure exactly....) Who are your (plural “your” as in, “y’alls") suggestions for hands-on workshops?

thanks!

nancysokolove: No, he’s not. He’s in San Diego, I think. But he is kind of a big deal in the comics world for his Oz comics. He also is the creator of the “Age of Bronze” series.

Local suggestions? There’s only a handful of locals I’d suggest, but you could do a lot worse than Hope Larson (the forum user “Hope” from a couple of posts up). Regionally, there’s also Charles Vess, illustrator for Neil Gaiman’s “Stardust,” who is based in Virginia.

Wait until my comic comes out. Xmas 2008, baby!

Hope Larson and Bryan Lee are the only ones that I know are local since I just moved here from Florida. I’m a comic book writer, so I know lots of creators, but not many in this area.

Shannon

I’m trying to find an artist to get my ideas off the ground.

we actually have four comic books in house now and will be publishing them soon. ... this is a new venture for the company but I wrote for COMIC BUYERS GUIDE and other publications for a good many years.

Ralph Roberts - 16 July 2008 07:48 PM

we actually have four comic books in house now and will be publishing them soon. ... this is a new venture for the company but I wrote for COMIC BUYERS GUIDE and other publications for a good many years.

Anything by anyone I would have heard of?

they are all four Westerns, based (officially) on Ghost Town.

most likely will be released for next season but production is finished on all four… here’s the cover of the first issue:

POSSE cover 1

Ralph Roberts - 17 July 2008 11:29 AM

they are all four Westerns, based (officially) on Ghost Town.

most likely will be released for next season but production is finished on all four… here’s the cover of the first issue:

POSSE cover 1

Who do you have writing and illustrating it?