If you love me, you'll go to Tom Neely's art show and buy me this print:


I've had my eye on it ever since his Secret Headquarters show. I think I'm finally ready to start investing in some art. My walls aren't ready, though - don't nearly have enough space in the studio...A girl can dream... Doesn't it look like what Marc Chagall would do if he had a comic?

The show is called Self Indulgent Werewolf and it opens at the Black Maria Gallery this Saturday. Tom's put up some fantastic sneak peek shots on his blog iwilldestroyyou. He's wrapped the gallery in a black werewolf and even made a 6 1/2 foot vinyl toy of the main character from his graphic novel The Blot. There's 3 of the toys if it strikes your fancy and you want to take one home. Go ahead, become a local art investor. Everyone's doing it.




Saturday, Sep. 15 7:00-10:30pm
Tom Neely: Self Indulgent Werewolf Opening Reception
Black Maria Gallery
3137 Glendale Blvd
Atwater Village, 90039

Labels: art, comics, events

More stuff soon to come from this year's Comic Con. Now that I've been de-virginized, I'm still a little overwhelmed, my feet are still a little sore, but thankful to have been a part of it all. Through the seas of Storm Troopers and children the biggest deal this year at San Diego's Annual International Comic Con was these giant promotional bags from Warner Bros. I guess a couple hundred were given out each day. They held everyone's stuff and they blocked traffic at every crosswalk. By day 3 this crafty lady made her perfect ode to the Con:


The Storm Troopers got nothing on her. [image from Flickr by gruntzooki.]

Labels: comics, events, random

Stay tuned for all the interesting tid-bits and reviews I pick up this weekend from Comic Con 2007 in San Diego. On the personal schedule so far: face time with Fantagraphics, Beowulf the animated movie screening, Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen panel, Family Guy table read, and meet the Batman66 crew.

Every day I get more excited about something new to do/see there. Right now I'm completely looking forward to the Superbad sneak peek. Michael Cera is becoming quite the comic wunderkind. If you doubted his brilliance as George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development then you must rediscover his boyish charms in his and Clark Duke's hilarious new webisodic series "Clark & Michael". Episode 10 just came out today.

CBS backs the series hoping to cash in on the young Internet audiences who ad-execs don't believe have the attention span to sit through 26 minutes of regular TV programming anymore. No matter the network nor social implications, Cera and Duke have been given any young performer's dream. Consider it Curb Your Enthusiasm Jr. as the boys constantly go through new creative lengths of self-sabotage. Like another comedy-duo phenom, Flight of The Conchords, the boys play up their dorkiness as they go after unattainable women and goals, get shot down, and come home to each other. Insert the long string of awkward, homophobic moments. But that's the appeal of the buddy-buddy comedy genre. After a long day of hitting the gym (in this case, the basement workout room of the boy's Marina del Rey furnished apartment) or taking "lunch meetings", it's nice to know you've still got an ally in the industry. Don't miss the cameos by Arrested Development alumni David Cross and Andy Richter. Judd Apatow fans will also be pleased to see the camaraderie continuing with appearances by Jonah Hill (Cera's Superbad co-star), Martin Starr (aka "Martin Scorsese on coke" from Knocked Up), and John Daley (number one geek from Freaks & Geeks) . Still doubt Cera has what it takes to join the Apatow crew? Check out his video resume, "Impossible is the Opposite of Possible" originally made for an 826LA benefit last year.

Labels: comics, reviews, television, videos

There are two new books I will hole myself up in the house with and read cover to cover this weekend: #1 (obviously) Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows. #2 The Blot by Tom Neely. Neely is my new graphic novel crush. The Blot is an existential nightmare living in the form of an ink blot that plagues the cartoon protagonist's daily life panel to panel. He simply wakes up to a blot that will not go away. It pesters and festers in everything from food to taking over people's faces. The graphic style is comparable to old timey comic strips of the depression era as well as surrealist Magritte paintings. And since the comic is "silent" (no talking bubbles) one can focus on the subtleties of the narrative and the hand crafted vintage style. The complete graphic novel as well as the serialized versions are now available at Secret Headquarters and they're holding a reception for Tom Neely tomorrow night. Neely is taken but I can still get my book signed.


Friday, Jul. 20th 8:00-10:00pm
The Blot opening reception with author Tom Neely
Secret Headquarters
3817 Sunset Blvd.
Silver Lake, 90026


Also, check out Tom Neely's ode to 1940s propaganda cartoons - his political satire "Brother Can You Spare a Job?".

Labels: books, comics, events, videos

Meet comic book artists John Pham. Video gamer girls love him and you can too. His superbly hip drawings have been seen in his fan favorite Epoxy. While John has not updated his online portfolio since 1995 he has been working on a new sketchbook-style collection called Sublife. Pre-release copies will be available at Secret Headquarters tonight and John Pham might sign it when he stops by around 8:00pm. His original work will hang on the walls until July 15th. It wouldn't be a Secret Headquarters party without the beer and ChaShaw so get your drink on and your browsing on in our hood's finest comic shop. I've named the 4100 Bar for the unofficial afterparty.


Friday, Jun. 15 8:00-10:00pm
John Pham reception
Secret Headquarters
3817 Sunset Blvd.
Silver Lake, 90026

Labels: bars, comics, events

Hey kids. Get your drinking and drawing on this Saturday. Designated drawers need not apply.

Labels: art, comics, events

Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt's 3rd Animation Show kicks off today. The travelling show brings the year's best animated shorts to your city hand-picked by animators Judge (Beavis & Butthead, King of The Hill) and Hertzfeldt ("Everything Will Be OK"). Each evening promises an eclectic mixture of Oscar nominees and festival favorites as well as Hertzfeldt's latest cartoon.

Tickets are onsale now. Schedule and line-up found here.

The California tourdates:

1/16/07
Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara
Mike Judge in attendance

1/25/07
Castro Theatre, San Francisco
Special Guest VJ set by Max Hattler who's short "Collision" appears in this year's program + pre-show by students of the SFSU Animation Dept.

1/26/07
California Theater, San Jose
VJ set by Max Hattler + a show by Shrunkenheadman, San Jose State's animation/illustration club.

1/27, 1/28/07
Wheeler Auditorium, Berkeley
VJ set by Max Hattler

2/7/07
UCLA Royce Hall, Los Angeles
Gallery Nucleus store

2/8/07
Spreckels Theatre, San Diego

2/9/07
Crest Theatre, Sacramento

2/15/07
Rialto Theater, South Pasadena

Labels: comics, events, film

Secret Headquarters, the east side's greatest comic book store, is throwing another one of their intimate opening receptions for local artist Rama Hughes. I've been reading his website for days. Not only is Hughes a gifted illustrator but a beautiful writer and he's got so many nice things to say about his girlfriend. His portraits of friends from the neighborhood will adorn Secret Headquarter's walls for only two weeks. Hughes has been sketching and snapping photos around the shop for a little while. Maybe you're in one of them! The pic above is of shop owner David reading what looks like the Acme Novelty Library. Why'd you shave your mutton chops David, why?!?
3817 Sunset Friday 9/1 8:00-10:00pm

Labels: comics, events