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Category Archives: Bay Area Comic News

Last Gasp seeks to publish historic manga “Barefoot Gen”

Berkeley comics publisher Last Gasp has launched a Kickstarterbarefootgen in an effort to print 4,000 hardcover editions of the historic World War II manga, Barefoot Gen. The manga, originally published in the mid-70s, tells the story of six-year-old Gen Nakaoka and his interactions with other survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Gen not only struggles with the horror that followed the aftermath of the bomb, but also being the son of a father who believes Japan’s participation in the war is led by the greed of the ruling class. It’s a gripping story dealing with themes of class, warfare, and power.

Last Gasp is seeking $36,000 to publish a hardcover edition of Keiji Nakazawa’s story and distribute it to schools. According to the Kickstarter “Keiji Nakazawa’s manga illustrates the true impact of nuclear weapons when used against a civilian population. It is vital reading for people of all ages, and especially for today’s youth. By keeping this tragedy in our collective consciousness, we can strive to never repeat it and guide humanity towards a course of peace.”

One interesting component of the Last Gasp Kickstarter is backers have the option of letting the publisher ship the finished product directly to a school of choice.

Mission: Comics and Art is on the move

Mission: Comics and Art will soon be on the move. The comic shop and art gallery will be moving from 3520 20th Street to 2250 Mission Street. Nearly two years ago Mission launched a successful Kickstarter campaign intended to raise funds for a new sign at the 20th Street location. Unfortunately, landlord issues came up preventing Mission owner Leef Smith from attaching the sign to the building. Smith noted on Kickstarter that while he loved the space it was an important moment because “the location in this building and the landlords here are not going to be conducive to further growth and the business will be better served by moving to a new location.”

One of the many benefits of moving to the new location is Smith will finally get his sign. The new location, previously occupied by Vimy Electronics, comes with a large box sign jutting out over the sidewalk. The location will help Mission: Comics and Art capture more eyeballs than ever.

missionsign

Signing & Talk: Ales Kot at Mission Comics July 22

01-ales-kot.nocrop.w529.h861.2xMuch like the character on the cover of his new series, Wolf, Ales Kot is on fire. In recent months the creator of the critically acclaimed Zero has been taking the topics he deftly tackles in his writing straight to his twitter feed and acting as a blunt catalyst for some rather lively discussions. As highlighted in a recent article on Vulture, Kos has taken to using his rising star to shine a bright light on both the prevalence of white cis-gendered males in comics and the tendency for comics to buy into the military industrial complex.

This evening, you can discuss these issues and more when Kot visits Mission: Comics and Art at 3520 20th Street in San Francisco. The comic shop and art gallery will be hosting a signing and talk starting at 5 p.m. The first two hours will mostly be a meet and greet followed by the talk starting at 7 p.m.

Tumblr: Ales Kot
Twitter: @ales_kot

 

What: Signing and talk with Ales Kot
Where: Mission: Comics and Art
When: July 22 with signing/Meet and Greet from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Talk at 7 p.m.

Signing: Kevin Wada at The Escapist on July 25

blackwidowkevinwadaWatercolor illustrator Kevin Wada is scheduled to sign at The Escapist in Berkeley on July 25. Wada, a fashion illustrator who’s turned his talents toward comics, has produced covers for titles including She-Hulk and Catwoman. The San Francisco-based illustrator was discovered by the world of comics when he started a project redesigning X-Men as fashion illustrations.

Website: www.kevinwada.com
Tumblr: kevinwada.tumblr.com
Twitter: twitter.com/kevinwada

What: Signing with Kevin Wada
Where: The Escapist
3090 Claremont Ave.
Berkeley, CA
When: July 25, 1 p.m.

Signing: “Death Head” creators Zack and Nick Keller at Dr. Comics

deathhead“I heard he lures kids into the tunnel… then chokes them till their necks snap!”

Dr. Comics and Mr. Games is hosting a signing for Nick and Zack Keller as they celebrate the release of their new series Death Head. The series was announced in March by Dark Horse Comics at Emerald City Comicon. The first issue will finally hit shelves on July 15 and the Nick and Zack will be holding court at the Piedmont neighborhood comic shop on July 18 at 3 p.m.

After the Burton family discovers an ancient mask fashioned in the style of those worn by plague doctors in the 17th Century they’re soon targeted by the mask’s owner. In an interview with CraveOnline, Zack explained “there are many haunted locations, but only one Plague Doctor. Like an urban legend, everyone knows about the creature wearing the white beaked mask. However, no one truly knows what it wants, where it comes from or why it so often takes the victim’s head. These locations—the cemetery sewer, an abandoned town in the redwoods—are real places near where we grew up that have scared us since childhood. By writing this story we’re exorcising our demons and passing them on to you.”

The story is especially relevant to those of us who call Oakland home. The graffiti sewer tunnel in Mountain View Cemetery serves as inspiration for a similar tunnel which makes several appearances in the series. It might be a fun place to set up camp and read the first issue. Or not, because plague doctors.

Find Death Head on Tumblr and Facebook.
Creator Website: Zack Keller
Creator Website: Nick Keller

What: Death Head signing with Nick and Zack Keller
Where: Dr. Comics and Mr. Games
4014 Piedmont Street
Oakland, CA
When: July 15, 3 p.m.

The Advocate names “Stripling Warrior” creator Brian Andersen one of top 15 queers to watch in 2015

Stripling_Warrior_Issue_One_Page_1-374x559Hat tip to Whatever…, 548 Castro Street, for catching that Advocate named San Francisco’s comic creator Brian Andersen one of the top 15 “Queers and Allies to Watch in 2015.” Andersen has most recently been writing the series Stripling Warrior which features the world’s first gay Mormon superhero. According to Advocate “the series tells the tale of Sam Shepard, a happily out and newly married gay man whose life is changed forever after he is visited by an angel from heaven on his wedding night and is summoned to be the Hand of God on Earth.” If you’ve been looking for a title to break the superhero mold it’s quite possible you’ve unknowingly been waiting for Stripling Warrior. The title’s available online at Andersen’s website or, if you’re local to the Bay Area, at a number of our fine local comic shoppes including the aforementioned Whatever…

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.

 

Signing: Gene Luen Yang at Mission – August 16

Mission: Comics and Art, 3520 20th Street in San Francisco, will be hosting Gene Luen Yang for a signing of The Shadow Hero. Yang’s title reaches into the Golden Age of comics and shines a spotlight on the often overlooked Asian-American hero the Green Turtle. Although the Green Turtle only made it to five issues of Blazing Stories Yang saw it as an opportunity to tell the back story of this long lost hero. Featuring beautiful art from Sonny Liew the comic was initially released digitally, but dropped as a collected paperback in July. You can read more about the title here and watch a trailer here. The signing starts at 6 p.m. on August 16.

The Shadow Hero