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Monthly Archives: September 2016

October Bay Area Comic Events: Mike Mignola, Ed Brubaker, Marjorie Liu, Raina Telgemeier, and more

October is shaping up to be a big month for comic creators coming through the Bay Area. In the interest of time I’ve collected as many events as I can into this single post. Information is still developing for some of the below events (for example, Marjorie Liu is expected to have additional events at Fantastic Comics and with the Berkeley Public Library). As I receive information I’ll create additional posts.

Pudge Girl Blimp Signing with Lee Marrs
When: October 1 at 3 p.m.
Where: Escapist Comics
3090 Claremont in Berkeley
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1099632190130625/

Cape and Cowl Book Club reads The Fix with Steve Lieber in discussion
When: October 5 at 7 p.m.
Where: Cape and Cowl
1601 Clay Street in Oakland
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1807314786180695/

Borlo Comix Signing
When: October 5 at 3 p.m.
Where: Mission: Comics and Art
2250 Mission Street in San Francisco
Moe info: https://www.facebook.com/events/320113108325388/

Brief Histories of Everyday Objects Signing with Andy Warner
When: October 7 at 6 p.m.
Where: Mission: Comics and Art
2250 Mission Street in San Francisco
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1747325565508729/

Mike Mignola Reception and Signing
When: October 8 at 6 p.m.
Where: Tr!ckster
2631 Ashby Avenue in Berkeley
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/302106200160555/

The Outlaw Bible of American Art Release Party
When: October 11 at 6 p.m.
Where: 111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna Street in San Francisco
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1094193244021094/

Marjorie Liu Reception and Signing
When: October 15 at 6 p.m.
Where: Tr!ckster
2631 Ashby Avenue in Berkeley
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/651516955012133/

Box Brown Signing
When: October 19 at 12 p.m.
Where: Comix Experience
305 Divisadero in San Francisco
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/159603427818451/

7th Annual Superhero Street Fair
When: October 22 at 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Where: 250 Napoleon Street in San Francisco
More info: http://superherosf.com/

Hope Larson Signing
When October 23 at 11 a.m.
Where: Comix Experience
305 Divisadero in San Francisco
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1785716035024702/

Ed Brubaker Release Event for The Fade Out
When: October 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Booksmith
1644 Haight Street in San Francisco
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1730846033831406/

Raina Telgemeier Signing
When: October 29 at 11 a.m.
Where: Comix Experience
305 Divisadero in San Francisco
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1069281953125724/

Halloween Comic-Fest
When: October 29
Where: Everywhere
More info: http://www.halloweencomicfest.com/Home/1/1/78/1138

 

East Bay Comics Trail Signing: Ted Naifeh at Trickster & Fantastic (9/17)

The most recent project from Princess Ugg creator Ted Naifeh takes the superhero genre and mashes it up with a medieval fantasy world. Night Dominion is a slight break for Naifeh who’s earned a hefty stack of Harvey’s and Emmy’s creating young adult comics with strong female protagonists. Naifeh told the AV Club the title is more mature than some of his previous work but it still has a strong female character at the head. “It’s been nice to not worry about whether my main character looks cute,” he said, “I want her harsh and formidable, like her world.”

Naifeh, who’s based in the Bay Area, is hosting a dual launch party along the Berkeley segment of the East Bay Comics Trail. He’ll start off with a 4 p.m. signing at Fantastic Comics at 2026 Shattuck Avenue. After the signing, he’ll head across town to Trickster, 2631 Ashby Avenue, for a 7 p.m. reception and art show.

naifehnightsdominion1-620x413

Ted Naifeh
Twitter: @TedNaifeh
Website: tednaifeh.com

Fantastic Comics
2026 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA
(510) 848-2988
Website: www.fantasticcomics.net
Twitter: @FantasticComics
Facebook: FantasticComics

TR!CKSTER
2631 Ashby Ave
Berkeley, CA
(510) 665-8900
Tumblr: trickstertrickster
Twitter: @thetrickstore
Facebook: TheTRICKSTORE

BalboaCon presents a weekend of superhero cartoons and films

strangeThe late-1970s must have been an interesting time for comic book fans eager to see live-action adaptations of their heroes. Three heroes made the leap from page to pilot to, at the least, one season: Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and Hulk. One hero that wasn’t so lucky was Marvel’s Dr. Strange. In 1978, CBS produced a pilot for the Sorcerer Supreme that, unfortunately, didn’t get picked up for a full season. Outside of comic book super fans the two-hour pilot has remained mostly forgotten and unseen.

That same year DC smashed through the comic book pages and elevated their flagship hero, Superman, from funny books to the level of a cinematic star. Christopher Reeve defined the role of the Man of Steel in Richard Donner’s Superman. Christopher Reeve would go on to play the hero in three more films.

This weekend at the Balboa Theatre, 1978 will be front and center as the Balboa screens both Dr. Strange and Superman. Those two films are only a small part of comic book film programming taking place this weekend as part of Balboa Con. The historic Outer Richmond theater will be showing no less than 12 comic book-based films including the first three Superman films, Darkman, Hellboy, Tank Girl, and more. According to the event’s Facebook page:

 

We are very excited to present the first ever Balboa Con! This is going to be a whole weekend dedicated to comic book art, movies, and cartoons! There will be four days of comic book movie programming along with Q&As, special guests, and lots and lots of affordable and amazing art in the lobby.

Dr. Strange will screen on Friday alongside the 1992 cult classic Dr. Mordrid. Dr. Mordrid is essentially Dr. Strange without a mustache because the film was produced by New Moon’s Charles Band who held an expired option for the Marvel character. He made the film with slight changes to the title character.

In addition to comic book-based film the Balboa will screen thematic cartoons and present a number of artists. The full screening schedule is below and artists will be appearing throughout the weekend.

balboacon

Bay Area Comic Signing: Jason Aaron and Dennis Hopeless at Isotope (Sept. 14)

Isotope, 326 Fell Street in San Francisco, is hosting a double signing on September 14. The Hayes Valley comic shop presents Jason Aaron (Southern Bastards, Thor, Star Wars, Doctor Strange) and Dennis Hopeless (Lovestruck, All New X-Men, Avengers Arena)  between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Isotope will close briefly and reopen at 8 p.m. for a classic Isotope comics mixer. The event will feature cocktails specific to titles worked on by the two creators.

aaronhopeless

 

Bay Area Zack Kaplan “Eclipse” Signing Times Two

Eclipse01_review-1One of the many wonderful things about being a comic book reader in the Bay Area is we have a steady stream of creators passing through the region. Another one of the many wonderful things about the Bay Area is that our 6900 square feet in all likelihood contain more local comic shops than any other 6900 square feet in these United States. These two wonderful aspects of the Bay Area occasionally combine to create a delightful phenomenon of multiple opportunities in a single day to meet a creator.

Although I’m consistently inconsistent about updating this website when I do update it I think I do a reasonable job of capturing all of the appearances a creator might be making in the Bay Area. However, due to this being more of a casual side project I occasionally make mistakes. I made one of those mistakes on Monday when I posted Zack Kaplan’s appearance at Cape and Cowl in Oakland but overlooked his appearance at Fantastic Comics in Berkeley. So it goes. I revise.

Kaplan will make at the least two appearances on the East bay Comic Book Trail tomorrow. The first stop will be at Cape and Cowl, 1601 Clay Street in Oakland, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Kaplan will follow that appearance with a visit to Fantastic Comics, 2026 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Both of these appearances will celebrate the release of Kaplan’s Top Cow and Image project Eclipse. Bleeding Cool has more on the title plus a sneak peek at the comic featuring the  brightly haunting artwork of Giovani Timpano.

Signing: Zack Kaplan at Cape + Cowl on September 7

What if the Earth’s sun became a life extinguishing force?

Eclipse01_review-1Writer Zack Kaplan and artist Giovanni P. Timpano will explore that dystopian question when Eclipse hits comic store shelves on September 7. According to an Image press release:

Not long from now, Earth will be a very different place. The sun won’t be a source of life and warmth—instead, it will be the deadliest killer the world has ever known. Following an electro-magnetic solar flare cataclysm that alters our sun forever, most of the world’s population will be dead. Exposure to the sun’s immolating rays threatens to instantly kill the rest. The only choice for humanity’s survival is to adapt, living in nocturnal societies.

“We’ve all thought about droughts or food shortages, but consider what would happen if we lost a precious environmental companion like the sun,” said Kaplan. “ECLIPSE explores that catastrophic possibility, and whether we as people can survive with hope or succumb to our darker nature.”

In ECLIPSE’s recovered New York City, solar engineer David “Bax” Baxter ekes out a disillusioned existence. But the world gets even darker when the daughter of a solar industrialist is targeted by a mysterious killer, one who burns his victims in the sunlight while he walks away unscathed. When Bax agrees to protect this girl, he’s forced to confront a past he’s spent years trying to hide from.

Bleeding Cool has a sneak peek at the title and an interview with Kaplan.

Kaplan will be celebrating the launch of his new title at Oakland’s Cape and Cowl, 1601 Clay Street, on September 7 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Links:
Zack Kaplan
Twitter: @zackkaps
Website: zackkaps.com

Giovani Timpano
Twitter: GioTimpano
Website: giovannitimpano.blogspot.it

Cape and Cowl
Twitter: @capeandcowlcomics
Website: www.capeandcowlcomics.com
Facebook: CapeCowlComics

OPB confirms Image Comics moving to Portland

FLymyoRc_400x400Oregon Public Broadcasting has confirmed Image Comics will move from Berkeley, Calif. to Portland, Ore. by early next year. Image publisher Eric Stephenson told OPB that a big part of the decision was due to the culture of the Bay Area changing so much. He said, “it’s become a lot more of a very corporate place.”

The arrival of Image, the third largest comics publisher, will further establish Portland as an important hub of comic-focused creativity. The City of Roses is already home to Dark Horse, Oni Press, and Top Shelf. Portland also welcomed the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in June of this year.

Portland provides access to a pool of creators who are already part of the Image roster. “We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing, but hopefully better, thanks to our proximity to creative people,” Stephenson said.

Dozens of creators call the city home including Gail Simone, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Greg Rucka, Joshua Williamson, Kurt Busiek and many others.

The move makes a great deal of financial sense. In the interview, Stephenson said the consideration of rent, wages, and healthcare all played a role in making the decision. The cost savings could allow the company to do more as it seeks to solidify its double-digit market share.

Image Expo unlikely to return to San Francisco

San Francisco has hosted four Image Expos over the years, but this year the company chose to try a new city and partnered with Seattle’s Emerald City Comic Con. Stephenson said Portland could be in consideration for the next Image Expo but, in the interview, was careful to note the city already has two successful comic conventions. These factors combined with San Francisco losing a significant amount of convention space in 2017 as the Moscone Center enters a significant renovation phase likely means Image Expo won’t return to our backyard anytime soon.