The US branch of the international literary organization PEN America is holding an auction of “Firest EDitions/Second Thoughts” tpo help support its mission of freedom of expression. The auction, to be held at Christies, includes first editions of various famed books annotated and signed by the origianl authors. Among the works p for bid on December 2nd, City of Glass: The Graphic Novel, in a special copy signed by original author Paul Auster and adapters Paul Karasik, David Mazzucchelli and Art Spiegelman.
The book is often considered a landmark of showing how the comics medium can transform even a celebrated literary work into a new and powerful mode of storytelling. A special panel spotlight on the book was held at CAB 2013.
And there’s video….
Although The Beat is a loyal New Yorker subscriber (it’s the only thing that holds our attention whilst on the elliptical) just beause you’re a subscriber does’t mean you get the Cartoons of the Year special edition. However if our email is to be believed, this issue includes several new pieces that may necessitate a trip to the newsstand.
Michael Maslin has an index of the cartoons reprinted within—among them Emily Flake, Shannon Wheeler and Liana Finck. HE also made a screenshot of the cover, so we can find it on the newsstand.
Shannon Wheeler has also drawn a 3-page comic strip about Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson (no relation) the “father of the comic book.” His granddaughter Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson (an occasional Beat contributor) sent out a teeny preview to whet our appetites.
Paul Karasik has also written a two page article dissecting a Charles Addams cartoon. He also sent along a preview!
This week’s regular issue has a cover by Richard McGuire referencing HERE, which comes out any day now. There’s the usual cover feature explaining it:
“As I walk around the city, I’m time-travelling, flashing forward, planning what it is I have to do,” Richard McGuire says about this week’s cover. “Then I have a sudden flashback to a remembered conversation, but I notice a plaque on a building commemorating a famous person who once lived there, and for a second I’m imagining them opening the door. This is the territory of my new book, ‘Here,’ playing with time in both a historic and personal way.”
Festival poster by Tim Lane
As we noted a few days ago, Comic Arts Brooklyn, the final comics related event on the NYC calendar, will expand to two days this year, with exhibits on Saturday, November 8, and programming on Sunday November 9th, at a new venue, the Wythe Hotel. Programming director Paul Karasik has just released the lineup, and the news that, just like at NYCC, the panel room will be cleared between panels! Line up now for your Raymond Pettibon wristband!
The line-up is pretty damned solid, with em emphasis on acknowledged art stars. I imagine the marquis event will be the Chast/Spiegelman conversation, but while camping out is not allowed it would be appropriate because it’s all belly meat here.
All programming will occur on November 9, 2014 at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg.
PLEASE NOTE: Each presentation is free to the public on a first come, first served basis. In order to accommodate interest in each panel, the audience must clear the room at the conclusion of each talk. Please plan accordingly.
Al Jaffee Unfolded 11:00
Al Jaffee has drawn hundreds of features for the MAD Magazine but he is undoubtedly best known as the creator of the Mad Fold-In that he has drawn monthly since 1964. His originals will be on display concurrently at the Scott Eder Gallery in Brooklyn.
Charles Burns: Down the Black Hole 12:00
A retrospective of Burns’ work as an illustrator (Sub Pop, The Believer, The New Yorker) and as a cartoonist (Black Hole, Big Baby, RAW), with a focus on the recently released third book of his graphic novel trilogy, X’ed Out. (Burns will be interviewed by Paul Karasik.)
Tim Lane, Ben Marra, & Jim Rugg: Neo Noir 1:00
These three cartoonists love tough yeggs, mean streets, and femme fetales. All three have recent work evoking smoky, double-crossing noir. Each creator will present and discuss his own Gods of Noir. (Lane, Marra, and Rugg will be interviewed by Karen Green.)
Roz Chast and Art Spielgeman Talk About Something More Pleasant 2:00
Roz Chast’s cartoons are synonymous with the New Yorker. Her recent work, “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant”, surprised her readers as a frank memoir about her parents’ final years. Art Spiegelman is best known for his masterwork, “MAUS”, but has recently surprised his readers with a musical, “Wordless”. Together they will surprise the audience by asking each other questions.
Aisha Franz, Lisa Hanawalt, and Jillian Tamaki: Cutting Edges 3:00
These three young artists represent three different approaches to comics-making and all are focused on making comics unlike anything you have seen before. Their deeply individualized approaches toward work and working will be discussed. (Franz, Hanawalt, & Tamaki will be interviewed by Alexandra Zsigmond.)
Richard McGuire is Here 4:00
Fans of cartoonist / children’s book author / illustrator / musician, Richard McGuire, have been waiting years for the publication of the book-length “Here”, which originally ran in RAW. The wait is over. (McGuire will be interviewed by Paul Karasik.)
Raymond Pettibon and the Comics 5:00
Pettibon came to prominence in the early 1980s in the southern California punk rock scene, creating posters and album art for Black Flag and other groups on SST Records. He has since gone on to international acclaim, earning several awards and exhibiting in major galleries and museums. (Pettibon will be interviewed by Josh Bayer.)
