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/