MOC Report LinkRound-Up

In addition to Comic Related's great comprehensive coverage of the show, here are a few links from blogs I've found on the internets with people's personal experiences about this year's Mid-Ohio-Con:

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2008_10_05.html#015965

http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/2008/10/mid-ohio-con-report.html

http://www.scottstoryillustrator.com/johnnysaturn/?p=898

http://matttauber.blogspot.com/2008/10/mid-ohio-con-report.html

http://www.ferretpress.com/weblog/2008/10/bankies-2008-mid-ohio-con-awards.htm

(I'm busy trying to work on my Blink comic strip, but feel it's important to disseminate this info.)

A little MADness...

Sunday Comix mainstay Molly Durst (M.A.D.) was one of many comic book creators who were mentioned (and photographed) in Bill Gladman's "Life In Four Colors" online journal at the Comic Related website.

24 Hour Comic Day begins October 18

Columbus' Laughing Ogre comics shop (located at 4258 North High Street) is the official Central Ohio host site for this year's 24 Hour Comic Day (24HCD). (There are dozens of host sites around the world!) The event will kick off at 12 noon on Saturday, October 18 and go until 12 noon on Sunday, October 19. The store will be open for the entire 24 Hour period.

Anyone who wants to come and participate may do so. (And if you're just curious about what goes into making a comic book, here's a prime opportunity to see artists in action!) If you're interested in spending 24 hours writing and drawing a 24 page comic book, email Norah Curry (norah@laughingogrecomics.com) ahead of time so that she can make sure the store has enough of everything. The Ogre will be providing some art supplies (thought not enough for everyone to do an entire 24 page comic), a place to work, refreshments, a place to rest and the glorious entertainment provided by their dedicated staff.

(While the Ogre is not one to stifle anyone's creativity or freedom of expression, they'd like to remind everyone that they're a family friendly store. So, if you think your mom would freak out about what you are producing you might want to rethink it.)

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, ideas, please feel free to send Norah an email. Let her know you're in Columbus (since they also have another participating Laughing Ogre shop in Fairfax, VA).

*If this is your first time participating (or if you just want to get to know more about 24HCD), check out Scott McCloud's wonderful (and in-depth) "24-Hour Clock." There, you can read the official Dare, see Scott's first 24 Hour comic, "A Day's Work," which he wrote and drew on August 31, 1990, and see a huge list of 24 Hour Comics.

Getting back into the swing of things

Over the summer, this blog was left fallow and that's entirely my fault. But recent events and circumstances have rejuvenated me and I will (along with some of my fellow Sunday Comixers) be updating this site with the sort of information you readers have come to expect. Such as this one (be warned, this event is probably not for the kiddies nor for the faint of heart!):

Nicole Hollander Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial: A Reading

Tue, Oct 21, 2008 - 7:00 PM
Wexner Film/Video Theater

Nicole Hollander is the creator of the comic strip Sylvia, which appears in over 80 newspapers across the country. On October 21, she will read from Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial, her humorous and very personal reflection on the realities of aging. Famed cartoonist Jules Feiffer calls the book, “infectious, smart, wacky, laugh-out-loud funny and gorgeously written.” Ms Hollander is alos the author/illustrator of Cats with Attitude and Psycho Kitties. A book signing at the Wexner Center Store follows.

This event is co-sponsored by the Cartoon Research Library, Wexner Center for the Arts, Project Narrative, Department of Women's Studies, and Geriatrics and Gerentology Center.

Way, Wood @ Laughing Ogre in October

Wednesday, October 8: Daniel Way signing from 4pm-8pm
Writer of Wolverine: Origins and Deadpool

Daniel Way is an American comic book writer. He received the Xeric Foundation's Xeric Grant in 2000 for his first publication, Violent Lifestyle #1. Through Violent Lifestyle, Way was introduced to Marvel Comics editor Axel Alonso. Way's first published work for Marvel was the "Heartbreaker" storyline in Spider-Man's Tangled Web #16-17. This was followed by Gun Theory, a mini-series with artist Jon Proctor under the revived Epic Comics imprint. Way's subsequent work for Marvel includes Agent X #12, Bullseye: Greatest Hits, Ghost Rider, the "Prelude to Planet Hulk" storyline in The Incredible Hulk, Sabretooth: Open Season, Supreme Power: Nighthawk, Venom, What If: Enemy of the State, Wolverine, and Wolverine: Origins. Currently he is writing the new Deadpool series.

Saturday, October 11: Brian Wood signing from 3pm-7pm
Writer of DMZ and Northlanders

Brian Wood is a writer, illustrator and graphic designer living in Brooklyn, New York. Wood both writes and illustrates graphic novels and serialized monthly comics for a variety of publishers. During his comics career, Wood held a day job for several years as a staff designer for Rockstar Games, designing for video game franchises such as Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Max Payne, Smuggler's Run and Manhunt. He is also one of the most distinctive graphic designers in the comics industry, having created covers for Warren Ellis' Global Frequency, his own DMZ and many others. Wood's illustrations have appeared in Punk Planet, Bail Magazine, the SF Bay Guardian, and short films for Nike.

The Laughing Ogre
4258 North High St.
Columbus OH 43214
(614)A-MR-OGRE

Google map

Thanks for a great Mid-Ohio-Con

Just a quick note of thanks to everyone who showed up at the Con and helped to make it a wonderful show. I hope to get around to writing a more detailed post on my website and here about the whole weekend. Chuck Moore (of Comic Related) posted some photos of the show. If you don’t know Comic Related, get to know it.

Jeff Stahler at PM Gallery

Friday night, I was on my way to the pre-Mid-Ohio Con party at Barley's. (No offense meant to Panel, the party's sponsor, but it wasn't quite as good as the GOGs of old. GOG being the Great Ogre Gathering, the pre-con parties put on at the Laughing Ogre comic book shop by its former owners. At least one year, I skipped the con, but made sure to make the party.) Before I left home, I discovered an ad in Columbus Alive! touting an opportunity to meet Jeff Stahler. Jeff is the editorial cartoonist for the Columbus Dispatch and was at the PM Gallery that night signing copies of 21st Century Confusion: A Moderately Confused Collection, the latest collection of his syndicated panel daily comic Moderately Confused and kicking off an exhibition of several MC originals, which, if you've got $200 burning a hole in your pocket, you can purchase.

The exhibit consists mostly of cartoons that were part of a caption contest sponsored by the Dispatch and include the winning reader submitted punchline. A few panels with Stahler's punchlines are included as well, and those ones also appear in the book.

I picked up a copy of the book, complete with Stahler's autograph, and handed him in return a copy of my own Wasted Paper, collecting the first year of my web-comic Wasted Potential.

The Stahler exhibit at PM Gallery is slated to run through October 30.

Mid Ohio Con (Part One)

Just a quick few links to share with you what's gone on so far at this year's MOC. Comics Related has a load of coverage at their site with a podcast and page of photos and Max Ink wrote up a brief post about his own personal experiences on Saturday.

craft festival in Merion Village 10/4

"The Merion Village Association will hold its 16th Annual Crafters & Artisans Market this weekend.

'The event, the major fundraiser for the civic association, will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 at Gates-Fourth United Methodist Church, 1234 S. Fourth St.

"'It's amazing to me that that is the 16th year,' said Bob Leighty, president of the Merion Village Civic Association. 'I don't know where the time goes.'

"Proceeds benefit the association's upkeep."

the full story

Gallery Hop and other events this weekend

Hello all. My name is Rich Watson and I'm the newest member of Sunday Comix, not to mention being a new resident of Columbus as of this summer. I'm originally from New York City, and I've been involved in small press in one form or another since 1993. I've been a writer, artist, self-publisher, editor, journalist and even retailer. I've recently started an autobiographical webcomic about my time here in C-bus called City Mouse Goes West, at Web Comics Nation. I also write a blog about black comics and creators called Glyphs, at Pop Culture Shock (hence my username - my blog used to be on Blogger).

In addition to posting about the goings on here at Sunday Comix Central, I'd like to also post about the cool arts-related stuff in Columbus. Its thriving cultural environment is perhaps the major reason I moved here. This place styles itself as the "Independent Art Capital of the World," and the moniker is a justifiable one. The visual and performing arts are almost as much a part of the town's identity as Buckeye football, and part of my intent here will be to highlight it as much as possible.

This weekend, obviously, is the Mid-Ohio Con (which, I regret to say, I'll be unable to attend), but it's also the weekend for Gallery Hop, the Short North tradition held on the first Saturday of every month. The galleries along this stretch of North High Street will stay open later than usual for everyone to check out their wares. It's a very festive occasion, something I look forward to every month. You can read more about it here.

In addition:
- The Wexner Center is currently running the "Andy Warhol: Other Voices, Other Rooms" exhibit. (I went to this recently with Jonathan, Ray, Mike L. and Fearless Leader Max and I found it an overwhelmingly vast experience. Worth seeing.) This Sunday marks the first of in a series of First Sundays Drag Day at the Wex - free admission! (Admission is also free Thursday evenings for the duration of the Warhol show.)

- The Columbus International Film Festival continues tonight at Studio 35 with How Ohio Pulled it Off, followed by the Vice-Presidential debate.

Plus:
- The North Market Harvest Festival is this Saturday.