05/23-25 The International Comic Arts Forum

The International Comic Arts Forum is dedicated to the study of comics from around the world  is an annual academic conference dedicated to promoting the scholarly study and appreciation of comic art, including comic strips, comic books, comics albums and graphic novels, magazine and newspaper cartooning, caricature, and comics in electronic media.

It looks like an exciting opportunity to learn more about about the study of the comics art form.

This conference is in Portland and has an amazing agenda

Location: University of Oregon's White Stag Building, 70 NW Couch Street,
Portland OR, 97209


Learn more about ICAF's mission and our annual conference.

• Learn more about Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon, Tommi Musturi, Chris Roberson, Matt Fraction, Diana Schutz, Greg Rucka and other invited guest artists and writers here.
• Confirmed plenary speakers: Douglas Wolk, author of Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean, and Scott Bukatman, author of The Poetics of Slumberland: Animated Spirits and the Animating Spirit.

  http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org/

05/29 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1 release party @ FWC

Press release from:  FWC

WHO: Jeff Parker
WHAT: ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1 release party, benefit for All Out
WHEN: Wednesday May 29, 5-7pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Join writer Jeff Parker on Wednesday May 29 to celebrate the release of ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1, featuring work by Jeff Parker and Chris Samnee, plus stories by Jeff Lemire and the team of Justin Jordan and Riley Rossmo. 100% of the proceeds from this issue will be donated to Allout.org to support their fight for LGBT equality.

From Portland Mercury, 2/21/13:

DC Comics recently hired Orson Scott Card to write a story in the first issue of their new Superman comic, Adventures of Superman. Card’s a hell of a writer—he wrote Ender’s Game, one of my favorite novels, the long-awaited film adaptation of which will come out this fall. He’s also a relentless, shameless bigot.

For at least 20 years, the Mormon author has been doing his sanctimonious best to deny respect and basic civil rights to everyone who isn’t heterosexual. There’s a huge chasm between the person who I imagine wrote Ender’s Game—a fantastic, nuanced story about the brutal lies of war, the strength and frailty of human beings, and neat rooms where kids can float around because there isn’t any gravity—and the person Card’s revealed himself to be through actions like serving on the board of the National Organization for Marriage. When he isn’t saying that gays and lesbians should be arrested—

What we do with small children is to establish clear boundaries and offer swift but mild punishment for crossing them. As their capacity to understand and obey increases, the boundaries broaden but the consequences of crossing them become more severe…
Laws against homosexual behavior should remain on the books, not to be indiscriminately enforced against anyone who happens to be caught violating them, but to be used when necessary to send a clear message that those who flagrantly violate society’s regulation of sexual behavior cannot be permitted to remain as acceptable, equal citizens within that society. (Via.)

—he’s (apparently seriously) vowing to overthrow any government that lets gays and lesbians get married.

Marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down. (Via.)

I also spoke with Floating World Comics’ Jason Leivian, who—like Chicago’s Challengers Comics—has found a pretty fantastic solution: Yes, he’ll be selling the issue, but 100 percent of Floating World’s proceeds from the book will be going to “All Out or another LGBT charity organization.”

“While I feel that a financial boycott may hit DC’s bottom line a little harder,” Leivian says, “I like that there has been a large public response to this story and I’d like to spin it in the opposite direction by using this controversy to directly support organizations Orson Scott Card would be opposed to.”

A couple weeks later artist Chris Sprouse announced that he would not illustrate the story written by Card, citing the media attention surrounding the controversial author. As a result DC has cancelled the Orson Scott Card story, possibly to be published later with a different artist.

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/05/15/adventures-of-superman-benefit-for-all-out-with-writer-jeff-parker/

05/22 Gabriel Ba , Fabio Moon signing at TFAW

Check out these amazing superstar artists at TFAW.     The art the creators in one of my favoritee Graphic Novels Daytripper.  

Date:Wed , May 22, 2013
Time: 7:00pm 10:00pm
Location: Things from Another World

                  2916 NE Broadway Street,  
                   Portland, OR 97232

 Press Release from TFAW:

"Superstar Brazilian artists--and twin brothers--Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon are signing at the Portland Things From Another World May 22 from 7 to 10 p.m. Meet the multiple Eisner Award-winning talents behind B.P.R.D. Vampire, Casanova, Daytripper, The Umbrella Academy, and more! Attendees will enjoy free food and beer (those 21+ with valid I.D.) and receive raffle tickets to win an original sketch by Fábio Moon (pictured in the event poster, above).

SIGNING POLICY: Get anything purchased at TFAW (with receipt) signed! Outside items (not purchased at TFAW) limited to three per customer.

Gabriel Bá rose to prominence as artist for The Umbrella Academy in 2007. Written by Gerard Way, it won the Eisner Award in 2008 for Best Limited Series. Fábio Moon delighted fans worldwide with Sugarshock, a one-shot written by Joss Whedon that won an Eisner Award for Best Web Comic. The brothers often work alongside one another, including on such acclaimed series as Casanova, with writer Matt Fraction, B.P.R.D. 1947, with Mike Mignola and Josh Dysart, and B.P.R.D. Vampire, with Mike Mignola. Their creator-owned series, Daytripper, won the 2011 Eisner Award for Best Limited Series.

In addition to their signing at the Portland TFAW, the brothers are also guests of The International Comic Arts Forum May 23-25, where they will have two tables on Friday, May 24th.

The Portland TFAW will have a wide variety of books by Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon available for purchase. Mark your calenders for this signing May 22 for your chance to meet these talents in person and enter to win an original sketch!" 

https://www.facebook.com/events/153388178169310/

05\06 "Husbands" Signing with Jane Espenson & Brad Bell @ Powell's City of Books, Portland

PORTLAND SIGNING for HUSBANDS the COMIC, Hardcover edition, by Dark Horse Comics!

Powell’s City of Books (Downtown Location)
Monday, MAY 6th, 7:30PM

Featuring Q&A with creators Jane Espenson and Brad “Cheeks” Bell + artists Ron Chan, Natalie Nourigat, and Ben Dewey!
 
"Portlanders, take note! Ron Chan, Natalie Nourigat, and Ben Dewey will be joining “Husbands” series creators Brad Bell and Jane Espenson for an evening of discussion and drawing TONIGHT at Powell’s City of Books. “Husbands” (published by Dark Horse) tells the story of famous gay newlyweds Brady and Cheeks, who sparked a media firestorm when they woke up legally wed after a weekend in Vegas. There will be a Q&A followed by a signing with copies of the hardcover comic collection on hand. The event kicks off at 7:30, see you there!"

http://periscopestudio.com/husbands-event-tonight-with-ron-chan-natalie-nourigat-and-ben-dewey/

05/02 Dash Shaw's NEW SCHOOL Tour @ Floating World

 Had fun at Stumptown.   Come see Dash Shaw at Floating world.      

 Date: Thurs, May 2, 2013
Time: 6:00pm 10:00pm
Location: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St, Portland OR

The creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Bottomless Belly Button and Bodyworld hits the road in support of his new graphic novel, New School, as well as the one-shot comic book, 3 New Stories. At Floating World, Dash Shaw will be signing copies of his new books before their wide release, with a gallery full of original artwork and presentations of his animation works (including the Sigur Rós video, "Seraph").

New School is a full-color, classic coming-of-age story that encapsulates the current generation, both trapped and enthralled by pop culture. Shaw dramatizes the story two brothers, one moving to an exotic country where an ambitious new amusement park recreates historical events and the younger one who goes to find his brother after years of little contact. New School is unlike anything in the history of the comics medium: at once funny and deadly serious, easily readable while wildly artistic, personal and political, familiar and completely new.

Dash Shaw lives in Brooklyn, NY.   He is currently writing and directing an animated feature film, The Ruined Cast.

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/03/25/may-2-dash-shaws-new-school-tour/

04\04 Bobby Madness Showing @ FWC

"London has returned one of the finest collections of Bobby Madness art known to have survived the fires, room mates, girlfriends and madness himself…

After nearly 20 years these pieces will be made available for viewing to the public Thursday Aplil 4th at none other than Floating World Comics. Pages and art from the final Soul Twinkies and early Kill City comix, demonstrating the power and glory of Bobby Madness.

WHO: Bobby Madness
WHAT: Soul Twinkies/Kill City art exhibit
WHEN: Thursday April 4, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Artwork will be on display until the end of April.
Madness is from New York, then Oakland, and now Portland. As a kid his comic collection was burned before his very eyes by bikers. His 3rd grade teacher printed his first comix in exchange for not disrupting the class. From there he has torn a hole in the ass of comix, bikes, writers, zines, and bars across the world. Come find out for yourself what it means to be an Underground Comix legend. 36% punk."

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/03/21/april-4-the-world-famous-bobby-madness-kill-city-original/

03\29 Suicide Girls at FWC

"On Friday, March 29, 2013, some of your favorite SuicideGirls will be signing their hard cover photo book of tattooed pinup girls entitled  Hard Girls, Soft Light at Floating World Comics in Portland. Make sure to get to Floating World Comics early because the first 25 people to have a copy of Hard Girls, Soft Light signed will receive a free yearlong membership to SuicideGirls.com.

After the book signing join local SuicideGirls as well as Rigel and Radeo for an official after party at Matador Bar. Interested in being a SuicideGirl? Introduce yourself to the SG model coordinator, Rigel Suicide, and show her what you are made of.
WHO: Rigel, Radeo and other local SuicideGirls
WHAT: Hard Girls, Soft Light book signing
WHEN: Friday, March 29, 5-7pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St."

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/03/12/march-29-suicidegirls-hard-girls-soft-light-book-signing/

03/13 Floating World Comics

Press Release:    Floating World Comics
 

WHO: Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Jesse Hamm
WHAT: Hawkeye Vol. 1 TP release party, signing and fundraiser
WHEN: Wednesday, March 13, 6-8pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Join Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber and Jesse Hamm on Wednesday March 13th to celebrate the release of HAWKEYE VOL. 1 MY LIFE AS A WEAPON TP. We will also have copies of the Hurricane Sandy benefit issue, Hawkeye #7 for sale. 100% of the proceeds from the event will be donated to American Red Cross, to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. Hawkeye #7 artists Steve Lieber and Jesse Hamm will draw sketches for fans in exchange for American Red Cross donations.

From CBR:

    Writer Matt Fraction was at the center of a special signing appearance for “Hawkeye” #7, autographing copies of the Hurricane Sandy-themed issue and raising money for the American Red Cross.

    “The whole book is about the dude who doesn’t have superpowers so it seemed like if we were going to try to do something to help people, that’s the book to do it…hopefully we’ll be able to write some checks and do a little good,” Fraction told CBR during the event about the special issue of the popular Marvel series.

    Inspired to write the issue after Hurricane Sandy decimated parts of New York and New Jersey, Fraction is donating his royalties from the issue to the American Red Cross. Though the Portland-based writer was not in New York when Sandy hit, the devastation left in the storm’s wake prompted him to want to do something to help the victims.

    “I spent an awful lot of time there and had lived there for business purposes,” Fraction explained. “I realized that not only would I have been evacuated, I would have been under water if I was still there in the place I had been living.”

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/category/events/