TÖPFFER & CO. IN CANADA
The Vancouver Sun traces comics' roots to Rodolphe Töpffer and examines his legacy among Swiss and international cartoonists in light of "Töpffer & Cie" (Töpffer & Co.), a travelling exhibition of contemporary work currently at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. "The Töpffer & Cie exhibition brings together more than 25 of Switzerland's best and most artfully demented creators of comic-books, cartoons and graphic novels. The show debuted at the 2001 International Festival of Comic Books of Angoulême." "Töpffer & Cie" runs at the Institute's Charles Scott Gallery through August 17 with workshops and lectures to be given by exhibiting artists Helge Reumann and Nicolas Robel. The exhibit will then travel to other Canadian galleries.
INFO: Vancouver Sun
LINK: Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
posted by Egon on Saturday, July 19, 2003

PALM SPRINGS RECALLS SWINNTERTON
Southern California's Press-Enterprise offers a brief biography of early American strip cartoonist Jimmy Swinnerton, who lived in the area for nearly seventy years after a medical misdiagnosis predicted his early death. Swinnerton was best known for his Little Bears and for his strip "Little Jimmy."
INFO: The Press-Enterprise
LINK: Lambiek.net
posted by Egon on Saturday, July 19, 2003

2003 EISNERS AWARDED
The 2003 Eisner Awards were given at the Comic-Con International in San Diego Friday, July 18. Winners included Lynda Barry, Kim Deitch, Jerry Kransky and Lorenzo Mattotti, Tony Millionaire and Jason Shiga. Fantagraphics' "Krazy & Ignatz" series was named "Best Archival Collection/Project." Jack Davis, Will Elder, Al Feldstein and John Severin were elected to the award's Hall of Fame along with judges' choices Herge and Bernie Krigstein. A full list of winners is available at Comic-Con International's website.
INFO: Comic-Con International
posted by Egon on Saturday, July 19, 2003

KIWI COMICS
The New Zealand Herald investigates that country's emerging comics scene, focusing on cartoonist Simon Morse but garnering insight from "comic guru" Dylan Horrocks. "The local scene - really it's a joke when people talk about an industry - has always been mostly underground," Horrocks tells the Herald. "But now there are more and more local cartoonists doing more mainstream or commercial stuff and you can attribute that to the influx of manga."
INFO: New Zealand Herald
posted by Egon on Friday, July 18, 2003

BEYER IN THE PANTHEON
In late June, Chip Kidd announced to the Comics Journal's message board Pantheon Books' plans to publish a book of comics by Mark Beyer. Kidd wrote: "Pantheon will be publishing Mark Beyer's Amy & Jordan next spring ('04). It will be over 300 pages long and collect his weekly strips that appeared in New York Press and elsewhere in the late 80s into the 90s. The format will be somewhat similar to Tony Millionaire's House at Maakies Corner (horizontal, one strip per page). We're very excited about this, and are looking into reprinting Agony (although no concrete plans have been set on that yet)."
INFO: The Comics Journal
posted by Egon on Friday, July 18, 2003

KUNZLE, ROSENKRANZ TO ICAF
Scholars David Kunzle and Patrick Rosenkranz will attend the ninth International Comic Arts Festival at Georgetown University, conference organizers announce. Kunzle is the author of the seminal historical work, "The History of the Comic Strip;" Rosenkranz is the author of the recent "Rebel Visions: The Underground Comix Revolution, 1963-1975." Kunzle and Rosenkranz join previously announced guests Lalo Alcaraz, Francesca Ghermandi and Stefano Ricci for the event, running September 4 - 6.
INFO: ICAF
posted by Egon on Thursday, July 17, 2003

SPOTLIGHT: ST. LOUIS
Sunday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran two articles covering significant comics-related activity in that city. "Big talents in minicomics" profiles cartoonists Kevin Huizenga, Ted May and Dan Zettwoch: "What's unusual about Huizenga, May and Zettwoch... is the close sense of camaraderie they share. They push and pull each other along in what too often is the singular and isolated world of the minicomics artist. They get together weekly to draw and share ideas. They plan projects and explore new ways to promote their craft." A separate piece covers Todd Hignite's St. Louis-based Comic Art Magazine.
INFO: STLtoday: Big talents in minicomics
INFO: STLtoday: His thesis is: Comics are serious art
posted by Egon on Monday, July 14, 2003

THE LONGPLAY'S THE THING
"The Playwright," written by Daren White and drawn by Eddie Campbell, is now online as part of Modern Tales' "Longplay" subscription website. The material, which originally appeared in DeeVee magazine, has been reformatted for online display.
INFO: Modern Tales: Longplay
posted by Egon on Monday, July 14, 2003

CURRENT KATCHOR
Ben Katchor's most recent strip for Metropolis Magazine is available online, along with other material from the publication's July issue. Katchor's contribution to the Jewish Museum's "Entertaining America: Jews, Movies, and Broadcasting" exhibit is still on show through September 14. Katchor curated an installation entitled "The Myopic Voluptuary," descibed as "an investigation into the origins of Groucho Glasses."
INFO: Metropolis Magazine
INFO: The Jewish Museum
posted by Egon on Monday, July 14, 2003