We’re guessing MJ would have approved!

Photo via Deb Aoki, whose blog and Twitter we recommend following for up to the minute coverage.

As us nerds remember all too well from high school, the “jock clique” and the “geek clique” don’t often mix well. So, imagine what it was like the other day when the Mets (the favored team in Stately Beat Manor) arrived at their hotel in Pittsburgh to see a furry convention going on.

That led to a discussion about on the air last night between Mets broadcasters Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez. Uniwatch has the transcipt, including this gem:

Hernandez: I saw a guy with, with his pet beaver. He had his hand, he was stroking it, he was petting it. [Long pause.] I’m serious! It was a, like a stuffed animal, and he was comforting it. Very bizarre.

No word about whether Mr. Met got any action from anyone dressed like a cat.

[posted by mark coale]

Other special guests of the con will include: Ben Nugent, author, American Nerd; Hua Hsu, professor, Vassar College; Ed Lin, author of Waylaid and This Is a Bust; Monica Ferrell, author, The Answer Is Always Yes; Monica Youn, author, Ignatz (forthcoming); Vyshali Manivannan, author, Invictus; Paolo Javier, author, 60 lv Bo(e)mbs; Jennifer Lee, former editor, Marvel Comics and DC Comics; Kai-Ming Cha, comics and manga reporter, Publishers Weekly; Aimee Bahng, assistant professor, English, Dartmouth College; Ken Okabayashi, founder of Piggy Back Studios; Tyler Chin-Tanner, artist/writer, American Terrorist; Daniel Ketchum, editor, Marvel Comics; Karl Taro Greenfield, author, Speed Tribes; and Arune Singh, sales coordinator, Marvel Comics.

In addition, the following creators will be participating in the AACC’s Artists Alley, and will conduct signing and sketch sessions throughout the day. Each artist will also donate an original sketch for AACC’s silent auction, proceeds to benefit the nonprofit Museum of Chinese in America.

• Jimmy J. Aquino (writer, “Sampler,” SECRET IDENTITIES)
• Jeremy Arambulo (writer/artist, ROGUE SOUP & BUG)
• Bernard Chang (artist, WONDER WOMAN)
• Sean Chen (artist, IRON MAN)
• Tyler Chin-Tanner (writer/artist, AMERICAN TERRORIST)
• Robin Ha (writer/artist, THE MAGIC 8-BALL)
• Dongyun Lee (writer/artist, ZOOM)
• Yali Lin (writer/artist, SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO & JULIET)
• Jerry Ma (art director, SECRET IDENTITIES)
• Allan Norico (writer/artist, THINGS I’VE SEEN AT SHOWS)
• Khoi Pham (artist, MIGHTY AVENGERS)
• Misako Rocks! (writer/artist, BIKER GIRL)
• Sarah Sapang (artist, “16 Miles,” SECRET IDENTITIES)
• Christina Strain (colorist, RUNAWAYS)
• Alex Tarampi (artist, “Gaman,” SECRET IDENTITIES)
• Tak Toyoshima (writer/artist, SECRET ASIAN MAN)
• Paul Wei (writer/artist, THE ADVENTURES OF MAXWELL & GRANDMA)
• Ken Wong (writer/artist, SCHRODINGER’S CAT)

COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The event will be divided into three tracks: Reading Comics, Making Comics, and Creator Spotlight. Each track includes a diverse range of interactive and immersive panels and workshops, featuring leading Asian and Asian American figures from comics, literature and academia.

Reading Comics

How do we read comic books today? This track answers this question by putting comic book artists at the same table with novelists, professors and industry professionals. A mash-up of fan convention, Asian American studies conference and literary festival, this one-of-a-kind series of panels and readings confronts pressing issues, such as the globalization of pop culture, the representation of Asian Americans in comics, and, of course, the nature of nerdiness.

Sessions Include:

· Nerdpop: The Rise of the Nerds!: Asian Americans have long been stereotyped as “nerds,” but nerdiness has become something to celebrate. With the rise of digital culture and the mainstreaming of comic books and other once nerdy genres, nerds have gone from persecuted minority to masters of the universe. This panel examines the historical development of nerd identity, particularly among Asian Americans, and the aesthetics of nerd pride. Moderated by Hua Hsu, professor, English, Vassar College, featuring panelists Ben Nugent, author, American Nerd; Derek Kirk Kim, artist/writer, Same Difference & Other Stories; and Keith Chow, senior editor, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology

· Every Comic Is Asian American: The most prominent Asian American comic characters have typically been slanty-eyed sidekicks and supervillains, speaking in broken English and colored the shade of school buses. This panel starts with an all-star line-up of novelists and poets re-imagining their favorite comic book characters as Asian American and continues with a panel of professors, artists, and journalists discussing how Asian Americans have been represented in graphic novels. Moderated by Ken Chen, executive director of The Asian American Writers’ Workshop, featuring panelists like Ed Lin, author, Waylaid and This Is a Bust; Monica Ferrell, author, The Answer Is Always Yes; Monica Youn, author, Ignatz (forthcoming); Vyshali Manivannan, author, Invictus; Paolo Javier, author, 60 lv Bo(e)mbs; and Karl Taro Greenfeld, author, Speed Tribes

· The Asianization of Pop Culture: The rise of the graphic novel could really be described as the Asianization of American pop culture. In fact, the graphic novel renaissance has in many ways been powered by the popularity of manga, Japanese comics that still account for half of the new comics released in the America today. Panelists discuss the influence of manga, manhwa, and anime on American comics and American pop culture more generally. Moderated by Kai-Ming Cha, comics and manga reporter, Publishers Weekly, featuring panelists Aimee Bahng, assistant professor, English, Dartmouth College; Kuo-Yu Liang, VP, Sales & Marketing, Diamond Book Distributors; Ken Okabayashi, founder of Piggy Back Studios; and Misako Rocks!, artist/writer, Biker Girl

· The New Villains: Muslim insurgents. Chinese spies. North Korean dictators. Is it just us, or are Asians increasingly being cast in the role of the global evildoer? What’s the history of the portrayal of villainous Asians in comics and cartoon art, how does that history shape what we’re seeing in those fields today, and what does this mean for Asians and Asian Americans in the real world? Moderated by Jeff Yang, editor-in-chief, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, featuring panelists Larry Hama, creator, G.I. Joe mythology; William F. Wu, author, Hong on the Range and The Yellow Peril; Tyler Chin-Tanner, artist/writer, American Terrorist; and Sharad Devarajan, CEO, Liquid Comics

Track Two: Making Comics
This track focuses on the art and business of making comics— from alt-comics and literary graphic fiction to mainstream superhero books and syndicated strips. Featured workshops will include a hands-on demonstration by leading creators; explorations of the business side of comics; and other sessions highlighting comics as a profession, a discipline, an art form and a commercial landscape.

Sessions include:

· Writers’ Bloc: Writers of indie and superhero comics and a syndicated comic strip discuss the craft of scripting sequential art and their strategies for tackling everyday creative challenges. Moderated by Greg Pak, writer, The Incredible Hulk and War Machine, featuring panelists Fred Chao, artist/writer, Johnny Hiro; Larry Hama, creator, G.I. Joe mythology; Christine Norrie, artist/writer, Cheat; and Tak Toyoshima, artist/writer, Secret Asian Man

· Visual Storytelling—The Art of Collaboration: Top graphical storytellers share their experiences and tips for making the most of the challenges and opportunities of collaboration between pencillers, inkers, colorists, and writers. Moderated by Greg Pak, writer, The Incredible Hulk and War Machine, featuring panelists Sean Chen, artist, Iron Man; Daniel Ketchum, editor, Marvel Comics; Derek Kirk Kim, artist/writer, Same Difference & Other Stories; Khoi Pham, artist, Mighty Avengers; and Christina Strain, colorist, Runaways

· Visual Storytelling—Hands On: A diverse group of acclaimed artists sketch in real time as they discuss their different approaches in making creative choices. Moderated by Greg Pak, writer, The Incredible Hulk and War Machine, featuring panelists Bernard Chang, artist, Wonder Woman; Fred Chao, artist/writer, Johnny Hiro; Cliff Chiang, artist, Green Arrow/Black Canary; and Misako Rocks!, artist/writer, Biker Girl

· The Business of Comics: For anyone who’s ever dreamed of joining the comics world, here’s your chance to get an insider’s look at the commercial side of graphical storytelling. Comic book pros from every corner of the biz introduce their fields and discuss breaking in, maintaining a career, and keeping up with what the future has in store. Moderated by Jennifer Lee, former editor, Marvel and DC Comics, featuring panelists Bernard Chang, artist, Wonder Woman; Fletcher Chu-Fong, manager, Events & Retail, DC Comics; Kuo-Yu Liang, VP, Sales & Marketing, Diamond Book Distributors; Arune Singh, sales coordinator, Marvel Comics; Tak Toyoshima, artist/writer, Secret Asian Man; and Sharad Devarajan, CEO, Liquid Comics

Track Three: CREATOR SPOTLIGHT Sessions
In this track top comics creators paired with interesting counterparts (outside of comics) for one-on-one discussions covering craft, inspirations and influences, shared themes and future collaborations.

Sessions Include:

· Similar Differences—SPOTLIGHT on Derek Kirk Kim: A candid discussion with the brilliant author and artist of Same Difference and Other Stories and co-creator, with Gene Yang, of the new graphic novel The Eternal Smile. Moderated by Jeff Yang, editor-in-chief, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology

· From Chop-Chop to Silver Samurai—SPOTLIGHT ON: William F. Wu: A guided tour with science fiction legend William F. Wu, as he shares samples from his collection of thousands of comics depicting Asian images…good, bad, and definitely ugly. Moderated by Jeff Yang, editor-in-chief, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology

· Hama Time!—SPOTLIGHT on Larry Hama: Catching up with comics pioneer Larry Hama, creator of the G.I. Joe universe and winner of this year’s KIYAMA AWARD! Moderated by Keith Chow, senior editor, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology

All tracks are open to all AACC registrants; however, to manage traffic flow and seating, we will ask registrants to tentatively identify which sessions they intend to join upon receiving confirmation of their attendance. Space for some sessions is limited, and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, with VIP Pass holders receiving priority.

Tickets for the nonprofit Asian American ComiCon are $15 for students, $25 for adults (18 and older), and $75 for a special VIP Pass, entitling the bearer to priority reserved seating at all panels and workshops, a complimentary Asian American graphic novel, signed by its creators, and an original sketch from one of the artists participating in the event’s Artists Alley. Registration will be limited to 250 attendees, and is available in advance through the following link: https://www.nycharities.org/event/event.asp?CE_ID=4187

§ In a Cup o’ Joe installment, Mark Waid recounts a classic tale of a store signing that….wasn’t what it seemed:

Several years ago, I had done an over-the-phone college radio interview with a couple of guys in Vermont. Chat went fine, I remembered to mention what a genius Alex Ross is the requisite nine times, and we probably moved some trade paperbacks in the process. So once the interview was done, one of them explained that they ran a store in one of Vermont’s largish towns and asked if I’d be interested in doing an in-person signing. “Sure,” I said. At the time, I was living in Brooklyn, so it would be a short flight, and I’d never been to Vermont before. Fly up late on a Saturday morning, home on Sunday morning, see the sights, meet some fans. “Great,” I said. Set me up.”

That is not what happened.

§ Tucker Stone interviews Dirk Deppey, something you don’t see enough of.

Deppey: …On the one hand, I love writing and can’t seem to keep from knocking out long essays when a short note would often do just as well. (Maybe you’ve noticed.) On the other hand, there’s always the danger of turning into a Keith Olbermann-style blowhard – or worse, a Dave Sim-style crank – if you feel obliged to keep churning out 14,000-word essays three or four times a week. This became clear to me through the course of that Mary Jane Statue fiasco a while back; the more I wrote, the more I found myself circling around to points that I’d already made. Now, in a certain sense this is inevitable in blogging. Since almost everything I write is a mildly edited first draft, I find myself narrowing in on cogent points over the course of several days, refining my arguments as I read responses and get the chance to think more about a given subject. Still, it’s a gateway to intellectual stratification as well, since the further you go in defending a point, the more you feel in your bones that You Are Inarguably Correct in whatever it is you’re talking about. The longer I do this, the less I trust in such positions.

And a visionary trainer! Don’t forget the trainer!

Superhero Hype! has a new poster for THE SURROGATES, starring Bruce Willis, based on the comic book of the same name by Robert Venditti and Brett Weidele.

The movie is out in September.

THURSDAY, JULY 23
10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 1 Room 4
11:45-12:45 Superman: Two Worlds Room 6DE
2:15-3:15 Spotlight on Geoff Johns Room 6DE
5:00-6:00 JSA: The Great Society Room 5AB
6:00-7:00 Vertigo New Ongoing Series/Crime Line Room 5AB

FRIDAY, JULY 24
10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 2 Room 4
11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Darick Robertson Room 4
12:30-1:30 Batman: New Dynamic Room 6DE
3:00-4:00 DC Nation Room 6DE
4:30-5:30 Wednesday Comics Room 5AB
5:30-6:30 Vertigo: View of the Future Room 5AB

SATURDAY, JULY 25
10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 3 Room 4
11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Francis Manapul Room 4
12:45-2:00 DCU Editorial Presentation Room 6B
2:15-3:15 Green Lantern: Blackest Night Room 6quad
3:30-4:30 Wildstorm: This is WildStorm! Room 4
4:45-5:45 Vertigo Voices: The Fables Forum Room 6DE

SUNDAY, JULY 26
11:00-12:00 CMX: Bringing Manga to You! Room 4
12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Bill Willingham Room 2
2:00-3:00 Sunday Conversation with Dan DiDio Room 2
3:00-4:00 Making Webcomics Room 4

SAN DIEGO 2009 PANEL DESCRIPTIONS
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Thursday, July 23rd

10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 1
Come learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! We’ll discuss the different needs of the DC Universe, Vertigo, WildStorm, Mad Magazine and Zuda. This extremely informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

11:45-12:45 Superman: Two Worlds
Torn between New Krypton and Earth, The Man of Steel has only just begun his latest adventure. You’ve seen the stories. A new planet of Kryptonians. Scores of super-powered beings. The people behind Superman’s future are here to face the most trying times in his life. Meet the talented folks behind Superman as they give you a glimpse of what is in store for our favorite Super-family. Featuring Superman Group Editor Matt Idelson, Geoff Johns (Adventure Comics, Superman: Secret Origins), Greg Rucka (Action Comics), James Robinson (Superman), Sterling Gates (Supergirl), Renato Guedes (Superman), and more! Room 6DE

2:15-3:15 Spotlight on Geoff Johns
He is the mastermind behind the smash-hit, critically acclaimed Flash: Rebirth and DC’s most anticipated book of the year, Green Lantern: Blackest Night. Wondering what makes Geoff Johns tick? Don’t miss this panel hosted by Eddie Berganza, Group Editor—DCU, interviewing one of the most exciting talents in the DCU. Room 6DE

5:00 -6:00 JSA: The Great Society
DC’s legendary super-team enters a new era with top talent and explosive storylines in the second half of 2009! Get the inside scoop on everything JSA right here including info on the exciting spin-off title Magog and the main series Justice Society of America from the creative minds behind the franchise. Hosted by DC’s Senior Group Editor, Mike Carlin, with top talents Bill Willingham (JSA), Matt Sturges (JSA), Freddie Williams (Final Crisis Aftermath: Run), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Jimmy Palmiotti (Power Girl) and more! Room 5AB

6:00 -7:00 Vertigo New Ongoing Series/Crime Line
It’s a new beginning for Vertigo with the launch of new ongoing titles such as The Unwritten, Greek Street & Sweet Tooth. In addition to these titles we will be launching the highly anticipated Vertigo Crime Line with some of the top talents in the industry. Hosted by Senior VP - Executive Editor, Vertigo, Karen Berger and Senior Editor Will Dennis, this panel is not to be missed, especially considering the talent present: Peter Gross (Unwritten), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth, The Nobody), Jason Starr, Chris Gage, Gabriel Ba, Fabio Moon and others! Room 5AB

Friday, July 24th

10:30-11:30 Talent Search 2
Come learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! We’ll discuss the different needs of the DCUniverse, Vertigo, WildStorm, Mad Magazine and Zuda. This extremely informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Darick Robertson
Whether he’s illustrating Leatherface or reigniting super-teams like The Authority or launching videogame adaptations like Prototype, artist Darick Robertson has become synonymous with gritty, exhilarating artwork. Now’s your chance to hear the fan-favorite creator talk about his process and career alongside WildStorm Senior Editor Ben Abernathy. There’s no telling what these two might say! Room 4

12:30-1:30 Batman: New Dynamic
Now that the Battle for the Cowl has ended, what adventures lie ahead for the new Dark Knight? Join Group Editor Michael Marts, Paul Dini (Detective Comics), Dustin Nguyen (Detective Comics), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics), and more as they discuss the legend of Batman and what the future holds for the newest man behind the bat. Room 6DE

3:00-4:00 DC NATION
Calling all NATION recruits! Bring your friends and hear top talent discuss where the DC NATION is heading from 2009 and beyond. Sr. VP - Executive Editor Dan DiDio hosts this exciting discussion with Ian Sattler, James Robinson, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and more! Join them for a VIP look into the most talked about stories and events of the summer! Room 6DE

4:30-5:30 Wednesday Comics
Wednesday Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition by reinventing the classic newspaper comics section and filling it to the brim with today’s top talent and characters! Learn all you need to know about DC’s excitingly innovative weekly 12-issue series from the title’s mastermind, DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, and an all-star list of panelists! Believe us; you’ve never seen a panel or a project like this! Room 5AB

5:30-6:30 Vertigo: View of the Future
Vertigo, DC’s edgiest and most provocative imprint, returns to San Diego! Come and discover what’s going on at the imprint that birthed The Sandman, Preacher, Y: The Last Man, Fables and more? Wait ’til you hear about what new projects the Vertigo team is going to thrill us with next! Hosted by Senior VP - Executive Editor, Vertigo, Karen Berger, Group Editor Shelly Bond, and Senior Editor Will Dennis, with Jason Aaron (Scalped), Mike Allred, Mark Buckingham (Fables), Josh Dysart (Unknown Soldier), Peter Gross (Unwritten), Amy Hadley (Madame Xanadu), Jeff Lemire (The Nobody), Chris Roberson, Matt Sturges (House of Mystery), Matt Wagner (Madame Xanadu), Bill Willingham (Fables, House of Mystery), G. Willow Wilson (Air), Brian Wood (DMZ, Northlanders), and others! Room 5AB

Saturday, July 25th

10:30-11:30 DC Talent Search 3
Come learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! We’ll discuss the different needs of the DCUniverse, Vertigo, WildStorm, Mad Magazine and Zuda. This extremely informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Francis Manapul
The hot up-and-coming artist Francis Manapul takes the stage to discuss his kinetic art on one of the most anticipated projects of the year: Adventure Comics with Geoff Johns! Hosted by Group Editor Matt Idelson see what’s it like illustrating the return of Superboy. Come find out from one of the freshest artists in the biz! Room 4

12:45-2:00 DCU Editorial Presentation
Dan DiDio, Senior VP / Executive Editor DCU, Ian Sattler, Senior Story Editor—DCU, and countless DCU talent are gathering for a discussion that’s not to be missed. Now that Blackest Night is upon us, what lies ahead for your favorite heroes? Got a question for your favorite DCU creator? Come on by! There’s no greater gathering of top-tier creative talent! Room 6B

2:15-3:15 Green Lantern: Blackest Night
The dead are rising in the DCU – whowill survive when the Blank Lantern Corps attacks? This is your only chance to hear what’s coming up in Blackest Night, the most anticipated comic event of the year! Featuring all the key figures behind the biggest, coolest threat to the DCU in years! Hosted by Group Editor Eddie Berganza with Geoff Johns (Green Lantern), Pat Gleason (Green Lantern Corps) and others! Room 6QUAD

3:30-4:30 Wildstorm: This is WildStorm!
Get the inside scoop on what’s upcoming from DC’s wildest imprint from WS-VP Hank Kanalz, Senior Editor Ben Abernathy, Fiona Staples (North 40, Trick ‘r Treat), Kurt Busiek (Astro City), Adam Beechen (Killapalooza), Christos Gage (Wildcats), Darrick Robertson (Prototype), David Tischman (Red Herring), Liam Sharp (Gears of War), Jason Craig (Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash), Rebecca Isaacs, and more! Find out about what’s new in the WildStorm Universe! There will be tons of info and sneak peaks for Wildcats, The Authority, Gears of War, World of Warcraft, Ex Machina, and much, much more! Room 4

4:45-5:45 Vertigo Voices: The Fables Forum
It’s the Fables Forum – San Diego style! Come armed with your best questions and find out everything you want to know about Fables. Featuring the creators behind Fables, Jack of Fables, and House of Mystery: Vertigo Group Editor Shelly Bond is joined by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Matthew Sturges, Steve Leialoha, Lee Loughridge, Shawn McManus, Andrew Pepoy, Chris Roberson, Chrissie Zullo and Todd Klein. Room 6DE

Sunday, July 26th

11:00-12:00 CMX: Bringing Manga to You!
Manga remains one of the hottest areas in literature and CMX, the manga imprint of DC Comics, is right in the thick of it. Join Director of Manga Asako Suzuki and Editor Jim Chadwick as they discuss the latest releases from one of the most diverse lines on the market today. We are excited to talk about upcoming new series and the ongoing series such books as Crayon Shinchan, Broken Blade, Fire Investigator Nanase, Ballad of a Shinigami, The Lapis Lazuli Crown, Emma, and much, much more! Room 4

12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Bill Willingham
Both a master storyteller and an incredible artist, Bill Willingham has created a huge following for his best-selling books. His credits range from the DCU’s Justice Society of America, Salvation Run and Robin- to the already- classic Vertigo titles Fables and Jack of Fables and the new House of Mystery. Hosted by Vertigo Group Editor, Shelly Bond with Fables co-horts Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha. Room 2

2:00–3:00 Sunday Conversation with Dan DiDio
As the con comes to a close, sit back and unwind as Dan DiDio and friends invite you to a relaxed Sunday afternoon comics discussion. Share your opinions and listen to others as some of comics’ biggest names talk about their love of all things comics. All are welcome, no RSVP required. Room 2

3:00-4:00 Making Webcomics
Join Ron Perazza (ZUDA COMICS), Kwanza Johnson (ZUDA COMICS), Kevin Colden (Fishtown, I RULE THE NIGHT), Cameron Stewart (Transmission X, VERTIGO), Molly Crabapple (Act-i-vate, Dr. Sketchys Anti-Art School) and others for an inclusive, roundtable discussion about the advantages, challenges, questions, solutions, costs and benefits of making webcomics for fun and profit. Topics include working with a publisher, self-publishing, promoting yourself, best practices, style and moving from web to print (or vice-versa)! Room 4

On the other hand, too much detail can do the opposite. A round neckline tends to emphasize a bigger bust; a rope over the top of them makes them look even huger and shows you are some kind of bondage freak. A high neckline can be good camouflage but, coupled with a cutout, provides little distraction.

A clingy fabric with an interesting cut or drape will help give a more structured look.

If you’re going to wear a necklace, be mindful of where it ends, as the effect may be to draw more attention to your problem area.

On the other hand, sometimes if you’ve got it, you’ve just got to flaunt it.

Technorati Tags: Gilbert Hernandez

Above, the early fruits of some downtime when Busiek worked in Marvel’s marketing dept.

“Tom the Dancing Bug” is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate to about 50 newspapers and also appears in Salon.com. One of the characters from the comic strip, “Harvey Richards, Lawyer for Children,” is in development at New Line Cinema, where a live action comedy is planned.

• There seems to be a lot of legal issues surrounding Frank Frazetta’s artwork. Now, there are also a lot of press releases concerning the legal issues over Frank Frazetta’s artwork.

• Sandy Bilus unearths Marvel’s 1993 Annual Report — prepared at the zenith of the Ron Perelman era, it was presented in a comic book format, and the graphics provide a picture of a very, very different company 16 years ago (click for larger image).

Sweet Christmas! Can you believe it? A mere six percent of Marvel’s revenue was from licensing, while nearly half — 48.2 percent — was from trading cards! (Marvel owned Fleer at the time, and it was the height of trading card madness.) Wow, that sure didn’t last. Did anyone think it would?

Today Marvel is mostly a licensing company, with net sales in 2008 at $676 million. Much more in the link.

What: ENGLISH ARTIST JEREMY EATON TO TAKE LIBERTIES WITH VENERABLE AMERICAN ARTFORM ON 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!
When: Friday, July 3rd, from 8-10 PM, at
Where: Secret Headquarters on 3817 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

English artist Jeremy Eaton will unveil nearly two dozen new and recent works in his popular series of Cartoon Jumbles illustrated paintings, featuring the irreverent pairings of cartoon icons including Uncle Sam & Uncle Scrooge, Fred Flintstone & Alley Oop, Little Lulu & Wonder Woman, The Yellow Kid & Mr. Natural and Mark Trail & Bullwinkle, all rendered in soft gouache watercolor tones and ink, on austere, pulp-hewn manila paper.

Called Guston-like by preeminent Seattle art critic, Regina Hackett (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), Eaton’s delicate yet forceful paintings are full of surprises and deft trickery, with numerous unexpected shapes appearing within their thoughtful cross-pollinations. Having commenced upon the series during the Spring of 2008, the artist, best known for his early ’90s comics published by Fantagraphics, Kitchen Sink and other alternative imprints, has created more than three dozen of the paintings, many of which will be included in the Secret Headquarters show, made available for purchase for the very first time. Response to the enigmatic series has been strong throughout the cartooning community, and beyond. It seems Eaton’s plucky disassembling of such well-loved characters as Mr. Magoo, Charlie Brown, Nancy and Bugs Bunny, has pushed some notoriously opinionated buttons.

We esp. like Lotta Galactus, below:

• Street signs for the con are already up in San Diego and they sport teasers for James Cameron’s supposedly revolutionary AVATAR film!

{Both of these via the con’s official Twitter feed.}

• Speaking of the Twitter feed, 20 or so passes for Comic-Con are going up each day on eBay and selling out in about 3 minutes.

• KICK-ASS, the independently produced film based on the Millar/Romita JR comics will show some footage in SD. That should be….interesting.

And at Splash Page, rapper MF Grimm interviews the Scottish raconteur.

§ Many people are under the mistaken impression that comic books are for children. This isn’t the case.

§ Michael May picks out some promising comics from the September Previews. John Rozum is writing something fro DC again? Good news!

§ At the exact same time that the world’s best selling musician was pulling a Schrodinger’s cat on Twitter, Rich Johnston was interviewing Rantz Hoseley about Longbox. Now that we have a little distance, it’s time to link to this discussion of whether e-distribution spells certain doom for comics shops or not:

BC: So do you see yourself as the new Phil Seuling? Or is there danger of you being the new Marc Alessi?

RH: someone said I needed to invest in black turtlenecks. I’m happy to be an evangelist for LBX, but it’s about comics||& anything that really GROWS the market, gets new readers, gets the excited… that’s KEY||Our COO took his 13 yr old daughter to HeroesCon & she was very much “dad, I don’t want to, comics are dumb…”||& yet, an hour later, she’s back at the hotel with a huge stack of comics, laughing aloud, & asking ‘are there more?’||reaching THAT audience, making it easy for them to find stories they love, introducing them to what’s out there…||THAT is a HUGE part of our focus, & why LongBox is exciting for me speaking as a creator, parent & fan

§ Also at Robot 6, Brigid Alverson wonders why Archie is on iPhones, and just how many 7-year-olds own iPhones anyway.

Brigid Alverson: Why does it make sense for Archie to move into iPhone apps—does it extend your audience?

Steve Oswald: It definitely extends our audience, especially overseas. We hope that many people who haven’t picked up an Archie comic in a while try out some of our free downloads and see how great our books are.

§ Also in re online, Joey Manley at Comicspace is trying an interesting experiment in seeing which ad network has the best ROI to sell T-shirts. He’s testing Google Adsense, Facebook and Project Wonderful. He reports results on a regular basis and it’s getting some interesting feedback from readers as well.

§ Josh Neufeld writes: How to be an Obscure Alternative Cartoonist Specializing in Real-Life Topics.

§ Guillermo del Toro warns this won’t be your grandpappy’s HOBBIT

Asked about the film and what he wants to avoid with it, Del Toro said: “What I want to do is make the best movie I have ever done. What I want to avoid is to make some fastidious tracing of lines that were established by the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. We’re trying to be respectful of it, and what was shown in the trilogy is canon, but we are gleefully exploring new creatures, new set pieces, new territory and new avenues.

“As with everything, there is always something new to get excited about.”

JULY 2
Anime Expo 2009 kicks off. The biggest Anime show in the US runs until the 5th, in Los Angeles, CA. Guests include Yun Kouga, Takashi Okazaki, Yasuhiro NIghtow and many more.

JULY 3
White River Junction, VT

FIRST FRIDAY BOOK RELEASE PARTY
WHERE: Revolution, 26 North Main Street, White River Junction VT, 05001
WHEN: Friday July 3rd, 6pm-9pm
DEBUTING FOUR NEW COMICS:

Woman King by C. Frakes $7
5.5 x 5.5″, 88 pages, perfect bound
A story about a girl raised by bears and the cyclical nature of war.

Monsters & Girls: Amelia Part 2 by Denis St. John $5
36 pages of Twisted Terror!
Amelia faces creatures and horrors both real and imagined in this strange book that brings new meaning to the term “body horror”, for mature audiences only!

Indestructible Universe Quarterly 2, by Morgan Pielli $5
8.25 x 6.75 20 pages
The second issue of this quarterly collection of strange and surreal stories from artist Morgan Pielli.

Don’t Hate, Menstruate by Jen Vaughn $5
5 x8 1/2″ 24 pages
A 24 page comic made in 24 hours focusing on one girl’s trials and errors (and more errors) with different feminine products.

JULY 5

LOS ANGELES
Dale Sizer (above) and Miles Thompson show
July 3 – July 26, 2009
Artist reception: Friday, July 3, 2009 ~ 8:00 -11:00 pm
LA LUZ DE JESUS GALLERY, 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

July 11
LOS ANGELES:

Reception for the artists: Lou Beach (above), Hudson Marquez, Jayme Odgers, Mel Weiner
Saturday, July 11th, 7-10 pm
BILLY SHIRE FINE ARTS, 5790 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232

{Via Topless Robot}

In honor of the occasion, IDW is releasing a CAPTAIN CANUCK collection.

Also…

Now that that’s over with, let’s make some FRIENDS. Folks around the web seemed to be puzzled, irked and/or resigned by yesterday nominations. The Harveys noms are voted on by comics professional on an open ballot — you can write in whoever you please. Unfortunately, faced with the blank page, folks often decide it’s too onerous a task to remember the best of what came out in the previous year. Understandable. It’s unknown how many ballots are cast in the nominating process each year, but its suspected to be not very many because the results are invariably skewed by some voting bloc or another. The first well remembered example of this was 2002’s CrossGen showing. CrossGen’s Chris Oarr claimed he had merely distributed ballots at the company’s Florida campus/studio/sweatshop, and people had supported the home team, but it was a bit of a shock for many.

It was the first suggestion that a small voting bloc could make for a strong showing for a book outside the “usual suspects” of critical acclaim. (If you browse through the archives at this page, you’ll see that the nominees prior to 2002 — and most subsequent years — were quite respectable roundups of beloved cartoonists, many of them studied and reprinted and given other signs of mass critical acceptance.)

A few years ago Don Rosa and (later) Gemstone’s Disney comics began to show up regularly in the nominations. Once again, it seemed that a dedicated faction was getting together to represent their homeboy. It was kind of cheesy, but Disney comics are also beloved the world over, Don Rosa is a household name in Denmark, and, if it isn’t you cup of tea, at least there was some pedigree.

Unless, of course, you read Travis Seitler’s post here on the Beat that describes an organized ballot stuffing effort. Spurge calls for the Harveys to be ended , and Seitler’s whistle blowing may just be the last nail in the camel’s back — it’s going to be hard to take the Harveys seriously again.

It even makes you wonder about last year’s, strong showing for Abrams (represented again this year by Kyle Baker, Al Jaffee, and Jeff Kinney.) There’s no denying the Wimpy Kid author’s greatness, but Best Inker two years in a row is a bit of a head scratcher.

So what about this year’s nominees?

What of NASCAR HEROES #5? The equal of LOVE AND ROCKETS Volume 1? Or perhaps the equal of Al Jaffee?

Maybe no one set out to do something so embarrassing and amateurish to make the awards look even worse than they ever had. Maybe there was an organized effort…or maybe someone just handed out a lot of paper ballots locally (a lot of nominees are located around the Baltimore area, where the con is located) and the people filling out printed ballots are disproportionately represented.

The years I voted in the Harvey nominations, I had a paper ballot — a paper ballot is much harder to ignore than a link to a webpage, even if mailing it is harder. We take paper more seriously.

And before I say another word, the onus is on us. Anyone who didn’t vote in the Harvey nominations has only themselves to blame and can’t complain. That would include me, myself, the writer of this blog. I had every intention of voting in the Harvey nominations and had a paper ballot and all, knowing that this very thing could happen, and hoping my lone vote would carry some heft. But in the end I didn’t have time and I let you all down.

So…I can’t complain. I don’t know if Tom Spurgeon or Joe Keatinge or Evan Dorkin, one of the loudest complainers about the noms, voted or not. But the same strictures apply.

Are these questionable Harvey nominations bad for comics? Not really. The fact is that no one is voting is because the awards are gradually becoming something of a joke, just because of nominations like NASCAR HEROES #5. And the more things become a joke, the less people are like to vote. It’s a vicious cycle. And it is probably best to pretend none of this happened. Because people made some very very very odd choices here. Just to be clear, I’m not knocking the nominees. I’m knocking the people who VOTED for this year’s nominees. I would love to sit down and hear what they were thinking. For instance, let’s look at the nominations for Best Cartoonist…you know, cartoonist…the hallowed profession of Kirby, Takahashi, Clowes.

NOTE: The first version of this post had a long section of art sample from the Harvey nominated cartoonists followed by a lot of art samples of non-Harvey-nominated cartoonists but I decided that was kind of using a blunderbuss and have removed it. Suffice to say that if you REALLY THINK LAR DESOUZA IS A BETTER CARTOONIST THAN EDDIE CAMPBELL OR JILL THOMPSON OR SEAN PHILLIPS, then let’s talk about it. Be prepared to defend your answer. I mean really defend it.

There are a lot of puzzling choices on the Harvey ballot, choices that are odd at best and uninformed at worst. For instance, someone pointed out to me that Jamie Grant was nominated as both best colorist and best inker for ALL-STAR SUPERMAN…but as inker he is a “Digital inker” who merely digitally fixes the pencils to a point where they are clean enough to be reproduced. Is this actually inking? Did anyone who voted in this category know what inking actually IS and why people are good or bad at it?

Or take the SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION category:

COMPLETE LOCAL: HARDCOVER EDITION, Ryan Kelly and Brian Wood, Oni Press
KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, Mark Evanier, Abrams Books
QUEEN AND COUNTRY: VOLUME 3, Greg Rucka, Mike Norton, Steve Rolston, and Chris Samnee, Oni Press
TALL TALES, Al Jaffee, Abrams Books
WONDERMARK, VOL. 1: BEARDS OF OUR FOREFATHERS, David Malki, Dark Horse Comics

Now, I like Al Jaffee and TALL TALES just fine and it was a swell book but it was really a pretty ordinary little hardcover book, very well designed and executed, but there was nothing about it that made me leap up and cry “My God! This deserves an award!” Not compared to any random book published by Drawn & Quarterly, to name just one company. (PS: if the Doug Wright book doesn’t sweep of categories of this kind in 2010 I will be forced to eat my copy.)

Johanna Draper Carlson already has a post up on how to “fix” the Harveys. Seitler’s organized ballot stuffing exposé may increase calls for increased vigilance, but really, it’s up to us. Unless the people who this kind of thing irks actually get off our duffs and participate, the nominations will still be easy to game. And at this point, I’m not even sure anyone cares enough any more. Maybe Tom is right, and it’s just time to shut the thing down.