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Monthly Archives: September 2014

Isotope to host APE Aftermath parties with Paul Pope and Ed Piskor

Two weekends for the publishing of this post the Alternative Press Expo will be taking over the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. While APE itself is always a great time for fans of indie comics the excitement doesn’t end when you exit the expo. Isotope – The Comic Book Lounge, 326 Fell Street, will be hosting a two-night “APE Aftermath” event featuring creators Ed Piskor and Paul Pope. Event descriptions below are from Isotope’s website:

October 4: Ed Piskor
8 p.m. until midnight
21+

Known for his historical graphic novel explorations like the fictional look at the early world of computer hacking WIZZYWIG and also THE BEATS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY with comics legend Harvey Pekar, Piskor’s most recent works are exploding in popularity and also his most funky-fresh in the flesh boks to date… HIP HOP FAMILY TREE, documenting the birth and history of the early rap scene.

In honor of Mister Piskor we will be throwing a truly old school themed bash with SF’s own DJ Grandmaster Bearzbub getting the party jumping with the best pre-1986 bodyrocking beats and Mixologist Kirsten Baldock serving up her unique maxin’ and relaxin’ libations based on Piskor’s latest works. For your uprocking needs, be sure to prepare your crew with this great resource. And don’t be shy about to breaking out your freshest gear… we suggest your furry Kangol buckets, your favorite Puma track-suit, your Carrera Porsche 5620 shades, and your Adidas shell-toes. See you then, b-boys and b-girls!

October 5: Paul Pope
8 p.m. until midnight
21+

By the most popular or popular requests, the Isotope is proud to bring Alternative Press Expo 2014 weekend to a true climax with our second-of-two APE Aftermath bashes… with the multiple Eisner Award winning cartoonist, painter, multi-media artist, fashion designer, DJ, and true America icon Paul Pope!

Pope exploded on the scene with the new comics energy indie hit THB here in the states and the crazy-cool SUPER*TROUBLE in Japan. His work also includes the stunning BATMAN YEAR 100, HEAVY LIQUID, ESCAPO, 100%, and of course, the book we will be celebrating… BATTLING BOY and the released-that-very-week BATTLING BOY: THE RISE OF AURORA WEST.

Sure to be the talk of the weekend (who wouldn’t want to party with Paul Pope?!), our event features San Francisco’s famed spinner of tunes DJ Bearzbub and bespoke cocktails based on Paul’s comics by Kirsten Baldock. This is going to be a good one!

Signing: Charles Soule at Comix Experience on October 1

When I read that Charles Soule would be hosted for a signing at Comix Experience, 305 Divisadero Street in San Francisco, it was difficult to believe. Soule is, as the Comix Experience flyer touts, on of the hardest working writers in the comic book industry. At times he’s carried eight books a month, so it’s hard to imagine he’d find time to untether from the his writing implement of choice for a signing tour. Perusing the shelves at your local comic book store you’ll find Soule’s name on Red Lanterns, Swamp Thing, She-Hulk, Inhuman, Superman/Wonder Woman, Letter 44, and The Death of Wolverine. Is Comix Experience planning to fool us with a clone?

Charles Soule flyerDoing some intense investigative digging (going to Soule’s website and reading his blog) I learned that Soule is currently embarking on a new journey and starting to wind down his DC work. Soule writes “Writing eight titles a month (which I’ve been doing for quite a while now) is no joke. It’s a constant tightrope walk, requiring serious focus and discipline. I’ve proven to myself that I can do it, but now that I have, it’s time for a different challenge – I want to know what I can accomplish with a smaller slate, where I can really dive in. I’ve accomplished breadth, now I want to see about depth.”

While he’ll be wrapping up his DC work over the next few months Soule assures readers that the fantastic Letter 44 (Oni Press) will continue. “I’m on that one until it’s done, which won’t be for a while yet,” Soule wrote.

So there you have it, no clones.

The October 1 visit to Comix Experience will take place from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.

If you haven’t read Soule’s Letter 44 the entire first issue is available for free on i09.

APE 2014: The creator spotlights

Alternative Press ExpoAlternative Press Expo 2014 is just around the corner featuring two days highlighting comic indie publishing. On September 19 the programming schedule was published revealing the time slots for creator spotlights.

October 4
1 p.m. Bob Fingerman

Meet APE special guest Bob Fingerman, the creator of such acclaimed graphic novels as White Like She, From the Ashes, Recess Pieces, and his best-known series, Minimum Wage (currently enjoying its return with all-new issues after a 15-year hiatus), as well the novels Bottomfeeder and Pariah.

3:30 p.m. Faith Erin Hicks

APE special guest Faith Erin Hicks is the Eisner Award-winning cartoonist of The Adventures of Superhero Girl, Friends with Boys, The War at Ellsmere, and Zombies Calling. She is also the artist and co-writer of The Last of Us: American Dreams and the artist of the Bigfoot Boy series (with J. Torres), and Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong (with Prudence Shen). She started drawing comics years ago “for fun” and remains surprised that writing and drawing is her career. If you would like to know how this astonishing event occurred, Faith would be happy to talk about it at this panel.

4:15 p.m. Jason Shiga

APE special guest Jason Shiga is best known for his mathematically rigorous graphic novels Fleep, Bookhunter, and Meanwhile. But did you know the vast majority of his comics are hand assembled interactive minicomics? Jason will demonstrate some of his unpublished and rarely seen interactive comic creations, including the only known comic with movable parts. He will discuss past, present, and future projects, including an exclusive peek at his latest comic, Demon.

5 p.m. Robert Williams

APE special guest Robert Williams (painter, cartoonist, The Lowbrow Art of Robert Williams) and Gary Groth (publisher of Fantagraphics Books) will discuss Williams’s career, from underground comix legend, co-producing Zap Comix in the 1960s, to co-founding Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine in the 1990s.

October 5
12:45 p.m. C. Spike Trotman

APE special guest C. Spike Trotman is responsible for Kickstarter juggernaut Smut Peddler, along with The Sleep of Reason, Poorcraft, and the webcomic Templar, Arizona. Running the one-woman Iron Circus Comics out of Chicago, she’s a font of DIY comics knowhow, vanguarding the indie comic renaissance and spotlighting underrepresented genres and themes in the work she creates and publishes alike. Drop in to hear her plans for new projects and candid advice for go-it-alone types!

2:15 p.m. Paul Pope

Hot on the heels of his #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel Battling Boy, APE special guest Paul Pope is debuting his new graphic novel The Rise of Aurora West at APE! Paul will give you the inside scoop on his creative, artistic, and storytelling process, as well as providing an inside look at the world of Battling Boy and Aurora West. Moderated by CBLDF executive director Charles Brownstein.