Free Comic Book Day 2008 photos from the York store!

Sorry it took me so long to put these up... my Computer-Fu is fairly weak. Behold, pictures from Free Comic Book Day 2008 in Comix Connection - York:

The line formed at 10:00AM!

Two happy fans!

Raiding the back issue bins! ONE DOLLAR EACH?!

Ned and Senior Comix Connection Counter Monkey Josh!

Manning the con.

What a great day! Thanks to all of you who came out and sampled the freebies and partook of the big sales. See you next year!

IT'S FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

What are you doing sitting there reading this! Get to the stores right away for your FREE COMIC BOOKS!

Incredible Winsor McCay movie from 1911!

Manager Jared sent me a link to this:



Yes, that's actually fabled newspaper strip artist Winsor McCay in a film about him making a short animated movie of LITTLE NEMO in 1911! Just incredibly cool. And if you've never read LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND or DREAMS OF A RAREBIT FIEND, what are you waiting for? We can getcha that!

Our American heritage

While perusing the American Heritage website I ran across this cool article on the rise of early comic strips and illustrations:

A Revolution in the Funnies
By Christine Gibson

Katzenjammer Kids? They can't hold a candle to Max und Moritz!

German kid's stories are SCARY!

See also: Der Struwwelpeter!


And, yes, I had these read to me as a child... which may explain some things.

Fantastic Tenniel Website

I ran across THIS AMAZING WEBSITE that features cartoonist John Tenniel's political cartoons during the American Civil war that appeared in England's PUNCH magazine.


You may know John Tenniel as the artist of the original illustrated ALICE IN WONDERLAND in 1865, but this website offers up a complete recounting of Tenniel's work from 1861-1865. It's an interesting look at how Civil War events were viewed from across the Atlantic... give it a look.

Todd Klein analyzes the BATMAN logo

I found a link to this cool analysis of the evolution of the BATMAN logo by letterer Todd Klein over on Metfilter recently... pretty darn cool!

Here's Part 2

Here's Part 3

Here's Part 4

Here's Part 5

Neato!

I met Al Feldstein today

Yep, I met the legendary Al Feldstein ytoday (Saturday) and had him autograph my battered copy of SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES #7 (cover by Al Feldstein!)


and my similarly-battered copy of the 1970's oversized hardcover book HORROR COMICS OF THE 1950s, right beside the autographs of Johnny Crag and George Evans. Click HERE for some background on Al Feldstein. I'm too tired to post anything else. What a great day to be a comic book geek! Back to Baltimore tomorrow!

Baltimore Comic-Con Updates!

Just a few short days until the coolest comic book convention on the East Coast... the Baltimore Comic-Con! If you haven't already, check out the amazing Guest List ... and also make sure you take a look at the Updated Programming Schedule for all the cool panel discussions, like chats with Jim Lee and Mike Mignola! Of course we will also be set up there in our usual booth, handing out crisp new one dollar bills to all who show up wearing their Comix Connection T-shirts! Stop by and receive the Über-Secret Comix Connection Convention Coupon!


THIS JUST IN:


Local fave artist and all-around swell guy Mike Hawthorne sent me this:

Just a quick note. I'll be at this year's Baltimore Comicon.
 I'm unveiling a new series of prints I'm working on called
 "the Sweet Science", which is a series of boxing related
pin-up art. Check out the blog for some pictures of the prints.
I'll also have original art on sale, as well as taking orders
for commissions during the con. You can also see previews
of upcoming issues of Un-men.
In addition to that, UMBRA writer Steve Murphy will be at
the booth signing copies of our book UMBRA. You may remember
that UMBRA is up for a Harvey Award this year, and the
actual awards ceremony will be held at the con this weekend!
links:
Photos of the prints on my blog-
http://mikehawthorne.blogspot.com/
The convention's homepage-
http://www.comicon.com/baltimore/
The Harvey Awards-
http://harveyawards.org/

Stop by and say hi!

Best,
mike

Well there you go! Another great reason to go to the Baltimore Con! See you there!

Get your Comix Connection Geek Chic™ wear!

That's right, we just received a limited number of the new ultra-hip "Ramones-style" Comix Connection T-shirts, and boy are they swell! Available in any color as long as it's black, these newly -arrived shirts are sure to raise your "cool level" in even the eyes of the most discriminating of comic geeks. If you are interested in owning one of these great shirts for a measly ten bucks a pop, ask your friendly Comix Connection Counter Monkey™ to reserve one for you today!

(T-shirt design courtesy of Michael Moppin of Art Boy Products! You've helped me fulfill a long-held dream of mine, Mike... our very own mashing-together of the Ramones and Comix Connection! Brings a tear to this old punk's eye.)

The tallest lighthouse in Florida

Today Karen and Max climbed the tallest lighthouse in Florida: The light station at Ponce Inlet, Florida, a couplefew miles south of my parents house. Today I remained on the ground with my daughter Leni, as I have a bit of an aversion to heights. (Last year I climbed to the top of the lighthouse with Max, but I was too chicken to go out on the rickety wrought-iron balcony at the top. Just call me Coward Man!)


Leni and I hung around the gift shop at the base of the lighthouse and added to her collection of elongated pennies, something I used to collect ever since my mom found two from the 1934 World's Fair which she gave to me when I was about 12 years old. I actually used to belong to The Elongated Collectors, and we would buy and swap elongated pennies back and forth. I still have the original two and am now chasing these whenever we find a "penny squisher" so that we can add to my kids' collections. Any of you have any to trade?

What I like about restaurants in the South

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but here goes. When I eat a meal, I require a lot of beverage to go with my food. It's just one of those things... I drink a lot of liquids with my food. I am forever asking the waitress or waiter to bring me more soda/milk/tea/whatever as the meal progresses. In fact, when I order I ask for the biggest glass of whatever they have and tell them to keep it coming. This usually fails to supply my beverage requirements anyway, so I often default to ordering a pitcher of beverage to keep my thirst slaked.

Now when I eat in restaurants in the American South, it seems that "bottomless Iced Tea" is required by law. It's on every menu, no matter what type of restaurant it is or how high the class of clientèle. And they don't fool around... usually the glasses are small barrels of 20 ounces or more, because hey it's HOT down here and people just might be thirsty! Well, tonight at dinner just underscored what I like about restaurants in the South. Not only did I get my giant barrel o'tea, but the waitress scrupulously filled the darn thing TWICE, when it was perilously close to being only one-third full! And then when we were ready to go, the waitress asked me "Would you like a tea to go?" With a tear in my eye, I said "Yes, ma'am." She brought me a giant fresh iced tea in a styrofoam "to go" cup topped with a huge lemon wedge. Just so I had something to take with me. It's the simple things in life, isn't it? Oh, and I love the South. And iced tea.

Ormond "Loop" gets Scenic Highway designation

I just read this article in the Daytona beach News-Journal about a stretch of roads in the Ormond Beach area that was always known as "The Loop"... it's getting a "Scenic Highway" designation from the state of Florida. This probably isn't very interesting to most of you, but when I lived in the Daytona Beach area back in the early 1980s, I used to cruise that road to take in the sheer, unspoiled "Old Florida" beauty. The road meanders through the Tomoka State Park, beneath huge, old-growth oak trees that are hung with orchids and Spanish Moss. It follows the edge of the Intercoastal Waterway along miles of tidal marsh and brackish-water lagoons. In the summer it's cool, with light breezes from the nearby beach, and is filled with all kinds of tropical wildlife, from herons to alligators. I used to take my motorcycle out at night and just soak in the cool night air, my ears filled with the unearthly croaking of a million frogs.
In the last decade or so, development has encroached on this fairly pristine wilderness, threatening to consume one of the most beautiful stretches of Volusia County, Florida. It was nice to see that this first step has been taken to preserve this area for ALL OF US. Way to go!


Can you tell I'm ready for vacation?

231 years ago today

The Declaration of Independence itself.

And here's James Smith from York, Pennsylvania, signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only lawyer in York until 1769, and he's buried in the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery on Market Street in York.

Have a great day everyone!

Boalsburg, Pa.

The Birthplace of MEMORIAL DAY?

Boalsburg is a quaint little village situated in Centre County, Pa., just off Route 322, in the picturesque foothills of the Alleghenies. It's only a dot on the map, and you as a casual driver might drive past it without even being aware that it is nestled there in the rolling valley beneath a coverlet of oaks and pines and cedars - were it not for a plain little marker by the side of the road: "Boalsburg. An American Village - Birthplace of Memorial Day."

What about that boast?

It happened in October, 1864. It was a pleasant Sunday and in the little community burial ground behind the village the pioneers of colonial times slept peacefully side by side with the recently fallen heroes of the Civil War.

Click HERE for more...

And let's not forget:

Free Comic Book Day is in the House

House of Representatives, that is.

I caught an article on Diamond Comics' website that noted that Representative C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland will introduce this new resolution into the House:

H.L.C.
.................................
(Original Signature of Member)
110TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. RES. ll
Congratulating and commending Free Comic Book Day as an enjoyable and creative approach to promoting literacy and celebrating a unique American art form.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. RUPPERSBERGER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on .......

RESOLUTION
Congratulating and commending Free Comic Book Day as an enjoyable and creative approach to promoting literacy and celebrating a unique American art form.
Whereas Free Comic Book Day promotes literacy by distributing free reading material on the first Saturday of May;
Whereas Free Comic Book Day is dedicated to increasing awareness of and an interest in comics through an innovative marketing campaign;
Whereas comics have proven to be a wonderful educational too to help reluctant readers to take an interest in, and develop a life-long love of reading;

2
H.L.C.
Whereas comic books are a fun and exciting way to introduce kids to reading and help children comprehend storylines;
Whereas a growing number of schools are using comics to teach kids narration, dialogue, and visual design;
Whereas the fastest growing section of public libraries is the comic book ‘‘graphic novel’’ section; and
Whereas comics and graphic novels are increasingly being recognized as serious literature: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates and commends Free Comic Book Day as an enjoyable and creative approach to promoting literacy and celebrating a unique American art form.

Well, there you have it. Let's hope they pass this resolution!

EXCELSIOR!

Ukranian Pysanky Eggs

One of the few connections I have to my distant Ukranian heritage is the Pysanky Egg at Easter. What is a Pysanky Egg? From The Ukranian Museum (NYC) website:

Easter egg, pysanka, decorating is one of the most interesting expressions of Ukrainian folk art. This tradition is very old and its beginnings reach back to antiquity, when in attempting to understand creation, ancient people developed myths in which the egg was perceived as the source of life, the sun and the universe. Although such similar myths are found in many cultures of the word, Ukrainians today are one of the few groups of people who still strongly adhere to many of the ancient traditions associated with the egg.

The Ukrainian pysanka (from the word pysaty, to write) was believed to possess an enormous power not only in the egg itself, which harbored the nucleus of life, but also in the symbolic designs and colors which were drawn upon the egg in a specific manner, according to prescribed rituals. The intricately colored eggs were used for various social and religious occasions and were considered to be a talisman, a protector against evil, as well as harbingers of good.

Sometime back in the 1970s my mom and my sister Vicki became interested in these intricate and fragile traditional Ukranian crafts, and purchased the dyes and the "kistka" (stylus) for applying the beeswax, plus a how-to book with pictures and traditional patterns. With a bit of trial-and-error, eventually all of us tried our hand at these, but they are a very laborious undertaking and can be destroyed in a moment of carelessness. Vicki and Mom became quite adept at creating Pysanky eggs and made many beautiful examples. Over time, some have broken, some have burst (the egg yolk and white are still inside the eggs and over many years eventually dry up into a ball inside the shell) but a good number have survived. They are like many things in life, beautiful and fragile.


Supplies and tools for making these can be found HERE.


More HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Happy Easter, everyone!