Category Archives: News Review

Americas

Brazil

Culture

The first issue of Antílope, an independent magazine on comics, and comics criticism, has just been published. Link (Portuguese, GS)

United States 

Business

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. report on their 100 best selling comics for February 2013. Link (25/03/2013, English, HMS)

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. report on their 100 best selling graphic novels for February 2013. Link (25/03/2013, English, HMS)

The Comics Beat reports that Monkeybrain Comics will be venturing into print format with IDW and Image. Link (27/02/2013, English, HMS)

Brooks Barnes of the New York Times discusses Marvel’s display of commitment to digital formats by releasing hundreds of first issues for free on Comixology. Link (10/03/2013, English, HMS)

Jeet Heer conducts an interview with Walter Biggins, who is about to quit his role as acquisitions editor for the University of Mississippi Press. Biggins has been behind a number of notable comics related academic texts from the Press. Link (18/03/2013, English, WG)

Culture

The Comics Beat’s Heidi MacDonald reports that the Small Press Expo has revealed its 2013 poster and the Expo’s invited guests. Link (04/03/2013, English, HMS)

The first ever Slate Cartoonist Studio Prize winners have been announced, including Chris Ware. The finalists in the 2013 Spectrum Fantastic Art Awards have also been announced, with video content of finalists and their artwork. Link (04/03/2013, English, HMS)

Publisher’s Weekly’s Calvin Reid interviews the Society of Illustrators on its role in giving the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art a new location and a redesigned festival in April in New York. Link (12/03/2013, English, HMS)

The Soho Gallery for Digital Art in New York, in conjunction with former Marvel editor and writer Danny Fingeroth, will host a Comic Book Round Table discussion entitled “The Man of Steel vs. Orson Scott Card”  to address the recent controversy over Card’s openly anti-gay politics and the industry. Panellists will include David Gerrold, Joseph Phillip Illige, Paul Kupperberg, Jeff Trexler, Danny Fingeroth, and Adam Dekraker.  The event will be held on the 10th April. Link (English, HMS)

Alex Lockwood of PhD Comics takes us to the Comic Arts Conference to explore the academic side of Comic-Con. Link (English, WG)

Education

Betsy Gomez at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund updates reports that Persepolis has been reputedly banned in a Chicago School. Link (15/03/2013, English, HMS)

Law & Politics

Betsy Gomez at The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund announces that the CBDLF will defend Persepolis by sending a letter of condemnation. Link (15/03/2013, English, HMS)

Research

The Third Triennial Academic Conference at the Festival of Cartoon Art announces a call for papers. The conference will be held at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University on the 14th and 15th November. 250-500 word abstracts and a one-page CV are due by the 1st July. Link (English, HMS)

There is a call for papers for a collection entitled Contemporary Uses of Fairy Tales. The editor seeks submissions focusing upon comic texts Lost Girls and Fables amongst other things. Abstracts are due by the 19th June. Link (19/03/2013, English, WG)

Technology

Bruce Lidl at The Comics Beat discusses the emergence of new digital devices and upgraded technology on smart phones and tablets in the wake of Marvel’s new digital initiative. Link (22/03/2013, English, HMS)

Asia

Japan

Culture

Manga artists Katsuya Terada, Tadahiro Uesugi, and Daisuke Tsutsumi talk about the SKETCHTRAVEL project at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, on the 20th April. Link (English, JBS)

Singapore

The first 24 Hour Comics Day in Singapore was held in 2010. After three editions, an exhibition of the works was held at the Jurong Regional Library, after which it will travel to two other public libraries to reach out to the community. The exhibition is from the 19th March to the 31st July. Link (14/03/2013, English, LCT)

Europe 

Belgium

Culture

Belgian author François Schuiten donates 80% of his original work to the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the Roi Baudoin Foundation. The BNF will receive the originals of the Cités obscures series. The Belgian Centre for Bande Dessinée (CBBD) and the Angoulême Bande Dessinée Museum will also receive works. Link (26/03/2013, French, LTa)

Recyclart’s exhibition “Don’t Shoot! We Are Not Armed!” displays a variety of South African underground comics artwork. Link (27/03/2013, English, MR)

Obituary

Belgian bande dessinée writer Didier Comès, author of Silence and Le Dieu vivant, has died at the age of 71. Link 1 (07/03/2013, French, LTa), Link 2 (07/03/2013, French, LTa)

Croatia

 Culture

Comic book illustrator and film animator, Borivoj Dovniković Bordo, held a talk on the 19th March at the book club, Booksa. The artist, who has already won several lifetime achievement awards, talked about his career in Yugoslavia, Croatia, and abroad.  Link (19/03/2013, Croatian)

Denmark

Culture

Danish comics celebrate their 100th birthday. Link (04/03/2013, Danish, RPC)

France

Business

Publisher Dupuis has bought out Marsu Productions, which was founded by Spirou author André Franquin. Dupuis will take control of Marsu’s catalogue, including Spirou and 150 other titles. Link 1 (26/03/2013, French, LTa), Link 2 (26/03/2013, English, LTa)

Germany

Culture

“Chicks on Comics”, is an exhibition by female comic artists, taking place in Berlin at Alpha Nova Kulturwerkstatt & Galerie Futura from the 15th March to the 26th April. Link (18/03/2013, German, MdlI)

Research

The ComFor weblog has published a series of posts on unreliable narration in comics. Link (24/03/2013, German, MdlI)

Greece

Culture

The dates and full program of Comicdom Con Athens 2013 have been announced. The event takes place between the 19th and the 21st April. Link (English, LTs)

Asterix visits the Archeological Museum of Kisamos. Link (Greek, LTs)

The exhibition “Comics and Crisis” sees Greek, Spanish, and Argentinian comic artists display works inspired by the current crisis. Link (Spanish, LTs)

“Food, Glorious Food! Bost and the Press” is an exhibition focused on Bost’s satirical cartoons featured in the press and periodicals, from the end of the 1950s until 1980. It will take place between the 5th April and the 19th May. Link (English, LTs)

Education

“Writing with the Incredible Mr. Escher” is an educational program for children aged between 7 and 11 focusing on comics and storytelling. The program ends on the 14th April. Link (English, LTs)

Research

Discussion panels on the digital age, art, and comics and crisis, took place at the Cervantes Institute in Athens on the 20th March. Link 1, Link 2 (Spanish, LTs)

Norway

Culture

Norway gets a new comics festival for children and young adults. Seriefest will take place between the 26th and 28th April. Link (14/03/2013, Norwegian, RPC)

Romania

Culture

Romania hosted its first Comic Con. The ”East European Comic Con” took place in Bucharest between the 30th and 31st March. It featured the work of local cartoonists, as well as gaming, illustration, and cosplay competitions. Link (Romanian, MP)

 Serbia

Culture

Serbian artists made an event in honor of the departed comic book artist Jean Giraud (a.k.a Moebius). On the 21st March (the first anniversary of Moebius’ death), a 24-hour drawing competition took place in the French Institute in Belgrade. This was a part of the exposition “To Be Continued… – Three Generations of Contemporary Serbian Comics.” Link (22/03/2013, Croatian, LO)

Spain

Culture

XVIII Granada Comic Festival took place between the 8th and the 12th March. Quino, famous creator of popular Mafalda, was the special guest, among other national and international artists. Link (Spanish, EC)

The 31st International Comic Convention will take place in Barcelona, from the 11th to the 14th April. The most important event on comics in Spain will host artists such as Gilbert Shelton and Guy Delisle. Exhibitions are thematic, such as one on 75 years of Superman, and others devoted to the work of award winning and recognised national artists. Link (Spanish, EC)

There is a comics and architecture exhibition, featuring Max Vento’s work alongside other artists work that is related to architecture. The exhibition will be open until the 30th April. Link (07/03/2013, Spanish, EC)

“Homage-Exhibition: A Century of Comics” is a retrospective of comics from the Valencian community (1913-2013). Valencia has been at the core of comic creation for the last century. Even during the difficult times of Francoism, Valencian artists managed to keep the quality of their works and combine them with entertainment, and mass production working conditions. This is a homage to their careers and a display of their wonderful past and present works. Link (Spanish, EC)

Jobs

“Fundación Botín” Arts Grant has one grant available for national and international artists, with comics creators included. The grant will last 9 months and applications are due by the 23rd April. Link (Spanish, EC)

UK                 

Culture

The special guests for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (18th-20th October) have been announced. Link (English, WG)

Obituary

The Guardian reports on the death of Colin Andrew, who drew strips for Dr Who Magazine, and Eagle, amongst other things. Link (24/03/2013, English, WG)

Research

There is a call for papers for a collection upon the various works of Neil Gaiman, entitled “Magic and Dreams and Good Madness: Sociology and Neil Gaiman.” 500 word abstracts, along with a short biography, are due on the 1st June. Link (13/03/2013, English, WG)

There is a call for papers entitled “Time Travel in the Media”. Amongst other mediums, the editors seek submissions looking at time travel in comics and graphic novels. 500 word abstracts are due on the 16th June. Link (12/03/2013, English, WG)

There is a call for papers for a collection focusing upon Josh Whedon’s Firefly. Amongst other things, the editors seek submissions focusing upon the comic book series. 300-500 word abstracts are due on the 1st May. Link (20/03/2013, English, WG)

Registration is now open for the International Graphic Novel and International Bande Dessinée Society Conference, taking place in Glasgow/Dundee (24th-28th June). Link (English, WG) 

Registration is now open for Ethics Under Cover, Comics, Medicine and Society: 4th International Conference on Comics and Medicine, taking place in Brighton (5th-7th July). Link (English, WG)

*                    *                    *

News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto (JBS, Japan), Esther Claudio (EC, Spain), Rikke Platz Cortsen (RPC, Scandinavia), William Grady (WG, UK), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Germany), Nicolas Labarre (NL, France), Mihaela Precup (MP, Romania), Hannah Means-Shannon (HMS, North America), Luka Ostojic (LO, Croatia), Moray Rhoda (MR, South Africa), Greice Schneider (GS, Brazil), Lida Tsene (LTs, Greece), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France), Lim Cheng Tju (LCT, Singapore).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.

Africa

South Africa

Culture

The creators behind the graphic novel, Rebirth, will be in conversation Andy Mason at Book Lounge, Cape Town, on the 7th March. Link (English, MR)

Americas

Canada

Culture

The Vancouver Art Gallery is having a retrospective exhibition of Art Spiegelman’s work. Spiegelman also gave a lecture on the 13th February at Simon Fraser University Woodwards Campus associated with the event. Link (English, PW)

Shawn Conner of the Vancouver Sun interviews Art Spiegelman on his new exhibit, “CO-MIX: A Retrospective of Comics, Graphics, and Scraps” running from the 16th February to the 9th June, at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Link (14/02/2013, English, HMS)

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) updated its list of featured guests. Link (English, PW)

The Joe Shuster Awards produced a “work in progress” list of Canadian creators who published work in 2012 and are therefore eligible for the 2013 awards. Link (20/02/2013, English, PW)

The Vancouver Comic Arts Festival is gearing up for its May event. Link (English, PW)

United States 

Business

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. announce their top selling 100 comics for January 2013. Link (English, HMS)

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. announce their top selling 100 graphic novels for January 2013. Link (English, HMS)

Kevin Melrose for Robot 6 at Comic Book Resources reports that comic sales may have hit a 20 year high at 715 million dollars. Link (18/02/2013, English, HMS)

Culture

The Comics Beat reports that Tom Tomorrow, cartoonist creator of This Modern World, has been announced as the winner of the 2013 Herblock Prize, established in 2004 to honor editorial cartooning. Link (26/02/2013, English, HMS)

The Comics Beat features three graphic novels as winners of this year’s Cybil Awards, Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards, for books gaining attention from young readers and libraries. Link (21/02/2013, English, HMS)

Will Eisner Studios, Inc. announces upcoming Will Eisner Week events in several cities including readings, panels, and celebrations of the life and works of Will Eisner. Link (17/02/2013, English, HMS)

The LA Times features honorees in the field of graphic novels and comics for their prestigious Book Awards 2013.  Link (English, HMS)

The Comics Beat reports that Spain Rodgriguez and Mort Meskin have been nominated for automatic inclusion in the Eisner Award Hall of Fame, as well as listing other potential inductees. Link (04/02/2013, English, HMS)

Education

Columbia University announces the addition to its graphic novels archive of Elfquest materials, the latest acquisition in the library’s ongoing support for the research and teaching of graphic novels. Link (25/02/2013, English, HMS)

Ball State University announce registration for a Massive Open Online Course (MOCC) entitled, Gender Through Comics, for Spring 2013 running from the 2nd April to the 10th May. Led by Christina Blanch, the course will feature interviews with industry professionals such as Mark Waid, Brian K. Vaughn, and Terry Moore. Link (English, HMS)

Peter Gutierrez at Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. “Bookshelf” newsletter provides tips and resources for “Creating Effective Teaching Guides for Graphic Novels” in school curriculums. Link (27/02/2013, English, HMS)

Research

The Comics Beat discusses the current reassessment of Frederick Wertham’s life and works, including library professor Carol Tilley’s recent accusation that Wertham falsified his research. Link (13/02/2013, English, HMS)

The call for papers for SANEjournal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education 4.1: “The Singularity Plurality” has been posted. The editors are seeking articles that examine the works and theories of individuals in relation to how their ideas can shape the integration of comics into educational settings. Submissions expects in November 2013. Link (English, WG)

inkt|art, a new journal dedicated to women working in graphic narrative, released its first issue. Link (English, WG)

The comix-scholars discussion list has recently launched an archive service (Link). You have to be a member of the list to get access, details of the list and how to join are available here: Link (English, WG)

The conference, Graphic Art: Violence and Healing in Comics and Graphic Novels (28th-30th May 2013), has extended its deadline for abstracts to the 15th March. This is alongside the announcement of special guest, Chris Ware, appearing at the conference. Link (20/02/2013, English, WG)

The call for papers for panels on Collaboration in Comics, Transnational Comics, and Fine Art and Comics are available on the Comics and Graphic Narratives website. The panels are for the MLA Annual Convention (January 2014). Abstracts for Collaboration in Comics, and Transnational Comics, are due by the 8th March 2013. Abstracts for Fine Art and Comics are due on the 1st April 2013. Link (English, WG)

Fantastic! Heroic! Disabled? “Cripping” the Comic Con is a one day symposium taking place at Syracuse University on the 11th April. The symposium will engage with the representations of disability in comic books, graphic novels, and manga. Link (English, WG)

Technology

Peter Kafka at All Things D reports on the possibilities of combining comics and augmented reality on an iPad platform via Anomaly Productions at the ‘D: Dive into Media’ conference. Link (23/02/2013, English, HMS)

Asia

Japan

Culture

There is an exhibition at the Kyoto International Manga Museum – SKETCHTRAVEL – featuring illustrations from artists from all over the world. It takes place from the 7th March to the 2nd June. Link (English, JBS)

The Kita Kyushu Manga Museum is exhibiting work by artists from the oldest fanzine (dojinshi) circle in Japan, between the 2nd and the 10th March. Link (Japanese, JBS)

Research

The Foreign Manga Study Group (including comics, BD, etc.) of the Japan Society for the Study in Cartoon and Comics will hold its fifth meeting on the 10th March, at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, 3F, 12:30-17:30. Link (Japanese, JBS)

The Japan Society for the Study in Cartoon and Comics is now accepting abstract submissions for presentations at their 13th Conference on the 6th and 7th June (only members of the JSSCS are eligible), the deadline is the 1st April. Link (24/01/2013, Japanese, JBS)

There is a call for papers for the conference, Exporting Young Japan: Between Text and Image, which seeks to explore the dynamic relations between Japan and Europe through the specific angle of the exportation of visual and textual representations of Japanese youth. 300 word abstracts are due on the 4th March, for the conference taking place between the 29th and 30th June, at Konan University. Link (English, WG)

Singapore

Culture

The inaugural Manga Festival outside of Japan was held in Singapore from the 15th to the 17th February. The festival consisted of lectures, business forum, autograph sessions and an exhibition. There was a discussion with young fans to understand how they consume and procure their manga and anime. Link (English/Japanese, LCT)

Europe 

Belgium

Obituary

Maurice Rosy, who notably wrote the first Boule et Bill story died on the 23rd February, aged 86. Rosy was one of lesser known figures in the classic Spirou magazine. He wrote many scripts for Tif et Tondu, from 1955 to 1968, a series for which he created the super-villain M. Choc. He also co-wrote two Spirou stories with Franquin: Le dictateur et le champignon (The Dictator and the Mushroom) and Les pirates du silence (Pirates of Silence). Link (24/02/2013 French, NL) Link 2 (25/02/2013, French, LTa)

Croatia

Culture

It has just been announced that the comic book and street art festival OHOHO! will be held from the 18th to 20th April, at the club Attack/Medika in Zagreb. Link (27/02/2013, Croatian, LO)

Internationally acclaimed comic book illustrator Igor Kordej, who is now working for the French publisher Delcourt, participated in the discussion event that took place in Zagreb on the 19th February. Kordej talked about his early work and his international career. This was a part of the regular comic book program Strip-tease at the book club Booksa. Link (19/02/2013, Croatian, LO)

A radio show Na kraju tjedna, that is being aired on the public radio channel HR3, featured Saša Čobanov, a freelance journalist specialized on comic books, and Marko Šunjić, a comic book publisher. Čobanov and Šunjić talked about the social and economic status of the comic book art in Croatia. Link (12/02/2013, Croatian, LO)

Denmark

Business

Comics magazine nummer9 reports that the comics store, Komics, in Aarhus has been closed down. Link (07/02/2013, Danish, RPC)

Finland

Culture

Pop-up Comics @XL art space lists its workshop and exhibitions. Link (02/02/2013, English/Finnish, RPC)

The Helsinki Nordic Comics Competition in 2013 is looking for new children’s comics artists from Nordic/Baltic countries. The competition will also produce a Finnish-language anthology from the comics and publish it at the Helsinki Comics Festival (6th September 2013). Link (04/02/2013, Finnish/English/Swedish, RPC)

France

Business/Technology

250 Dupuis bande dessinée titles are made available on the digital book-streaming platform Youboox. Link (26/02/2013, French, LTa)

Culture

Marjane Satrapi’s paintings are on display at the Galerie Jerome de Noirmont, in Paris. They are brightly colored women portraits, echoing her familiar style, but also drawing on Matisse or Balthus in their flirtation with abstraction. Link (French, NL)

Les fantômes du Louvres./ The Ghosts of the Louvre, is an Enki Bilal exhibit, currently being shown at the Musée du Louvres until the 18th March. Bilal worked on photos of 400 of the works and paintings in the museum’s collection, then retained 23 of them, which he painted over, to include them in a dialogue with his own characters and visual motifs. Link (French/English, NL)

An exhibition centred on the work of bande dessinée artist Enki Bilal will be presented at Paris’ Musée des Arts et Métiers from the 4th June until the 5th January 2014. Link (08/02/2013, French, LTa)

The author of bande dessinée series Quai d’Orsay is revealed as French diplomate Antonin Baudry. Link (03/02/2013, French, LTa)

Germany

Business

Spanish publisher Diábolo Ediciones will start publishing German translations of Spanish and French comics. Link (18/02/2013, German, MdlI)

Culture

Wonderfully Vulgar, an exhibition on early British comics, opens at Oldenburg University Library on the 14th March. Link (12/02/2013, German, MdlI)

Research

Students in a comics analysis class at Freiburg University have started an accompanying weblog. Link (German, MdlI)

A workshop on the “audiovisuality” of comics will take place at Ruhr-Universität Bochum on the 27th April. Link (18/02/2013, German, MdlI)

Ireland

Culture

2D Comics Festival, taking place between the 30th May and the 2nd June in Derry/Londonderry, has just announced several guests set to appear at the event. Link (14/02/2013, English, WG)

There is a William Simpson (Judge Dredd, et al.) exhibition at Belfast’s W5 Centre, which will be hosted until the 28th April. Link (English, WG)

The first Irish comic month is being held in March, boasting a number of events. Link (22/02/2013, English, SC)

Research

The symposium, Grant Morrison And The Superhero Renaissance, held at Trinity College in September 2012, has been reviewed. Link (English, SC)

Norway

Research

Sven-Arve Myklebost defends his PhD thesis on manga and Shakespeare. Link (28/02/2013, Norwegian, RPC)

Scandinavia

Research

The second issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Comic Art has been published online. Link (English, RPC)

Switzerland

Culture

The annual festival Fumetto – Internationales Comix-Festival Luzern is announced to be held from the 16th to the 24th March, and will feature the exhibition “Robert Crumb & The Underground (US).” Link (28/02/2013, German, MdlI)

UK                 

Culture

The Dundee Comics Expo will take place at the University of Dundee on the 30th March. A talk will be given by David Lloyd, and a talk and workshop by Karrie Fransman. Link (26/01/2013, English, WG)

The BD & Comics Passion Festival will take place at London’s Institut Français from the 30th May to the 2nd June. The festival will include workshops, live drawing, and special guests  Patrick Sobral (Les Légendaires), Etienne Davodeau (Les Ignorants), and François Boucq (Bouncer, Jérôme Moucherot). Link (21/02/2013, English, WG)

Leeds based comics festival, Thought Bubble (17th to the 24th November 2013), has announced its first wave of special guests. Link (English, WG)

Jobs

The University of London has AHRC block grant studentships available in humanities and social sciences. Applications are due by the 18th March. Link (English, WG)

Research

A number of UK academics are looking at the possibility of creating a Comics Studies Network, and are seeking the participation by means of filling out a brief survey to find out what people would want from such a network. Link (English, WG)

A call for papers has been posted for Graphic Justice, a one-day symposium on the intersection of comics and graphic fiction with the concerns of law and justice. Abstracts are due by the 22nd March, for the event to be held at St Mary’s University College in London on the 11th September 2013. Link (15/02/2013, English, WG)

Registration is now open for the 4th APGR / Graphic Novel Symposium, taking place at Central Saint Martins on the 23rd March. Presentations from research students will explore the fields of animation and graphic novels. Link (English, WG)

 

*                    *                    *

News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto (JBS, Japan), Rikke Platz Cortsen (RPC, Scandinavia), Shelley Culbertson (SC, Ireland), William Grady (WG, UK), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Germany), Nicolas Labarre (NL, France), Hannah Means-Shannon (HMS, North America), Luka Ostojic (LO, Croatia), Moray Rhoda (MR, South Africa), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France), Lim Cheng Tju (LCT, Singapore), Peter Wilkins (PW, Canada).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.

Americas

Canada

Research

The call for papers has been posted online for the New Narrative conference, taking place at the University of Toronto on the 10th May. Deadline for proposals in the 31st March. Link (English/French, WG)

United States 

Business

Publishers Weekly reports that Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7, has exceeded the 1 million copies sold mark in print format, like its preceding volume. Link (20/12/2012, English, HMS)

Torsten Adair of The Comics Beat analyses The New York Times’ bestselling graphic books list rankings of manga titles comparatively with non-graphic works in 2012. Link (30/12/2012, English, HMS)

Image publisher Eric Stephenson, having been named Comics Industry Person of the Year by The Comics Beat is interviewed by The Comics Beat on the tremendous success of Image in 2012 and reflects on the year ahead in 2013. Link (11/01/2013, English, HMS)

The Comics Beat announces and previews several new creator-owned comics slated to appear in July of 2013 from Titan Comics in digital platforms. Link (08/01/2013, English, HMS)

Torsten Adair of The Comics Beat analyses The New York Times’ bestselling graphic books list rankings comparatively with non-graphic works in 2012. Link (29/12/2012, English, HMS)

Calvin Reed reports for Publishers Weekly that Viz Media, Manga Publisher and Anime distributor, have launched simultaneous release of Japanese and English manga beginning the 21st January with Weekly Shonen Jump. Link (21/01/2013, English, HMS)

Culture

A live comics projection Carousel event will be held on the 6th February at Dixon Place in New York City, featuring the work of Dean Haspiel, Amy Herzog, Lauren Rosenwald, Jim Torok and others. Link (26/01/2013, English, HMS)

On the 20th March at 7 PM, the Soho Gallery of Digital Art in New York City will host a unique discussion event focused on the life, work, and impact of Frederick Wertham on comics, entitled “Surely You’re Joking, Dr. Wertham”. Panelists will include former DC president Paul Levitz, authors David Hajdu, Craig Yoe, and Sharon Packer, and former Marvel editor and author Danny Fingeroth. Link (English, HMS)

Mike Carbo’s New York Comic Book Marketplace convention has announced a new revised date for the event, the 13th April, at Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. Link (English, HMS)

Education

Author and comics scholar Glen Downey reports on “Changing Attitudes to Comics in the Classroom” at Sequart Research and Literary Association. Link (10/01/2013, English, HMS)

Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Collection has announced a significant contribution to its graphic novel related archive in the form of the complete collection of research material assembled by author Larry Tye in the completion of his Superman biography, Superman: The High-Flying History of the World’s Most Enduring Hero. Also announced is the acquisition of six 1940’s Batman scripts from the estate of Jerry Robinson. Link (23/01/2013, English, HMS)

Law & Politics

Maren Williams of The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund reflects on the decision of Beverly James, library director in Greenville County, South Carolina, to support a ban on Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows, Neonomicon, in the face of contrary decisions from her content review committee, letters of protest from CBLDF and others. Link (07/01/2013, English, HMS)

The Comics Beat reports on The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s press release announcing that best-selling author of the Babymouse series, Jennifer Holm, will be joining the CBLDF board focusing on youth reading activities and advocacy. Link (10/01/2013, English, HMS)

Obituaries

Controversial publisher, and comic con promoter, Richard L. Olney, passed away on the 28th December 2012, at the age of 58. Olney was the founder of ORCA, Organized Readers of Comics Associated, a reader’s advocacy group. Link 1 (30/12/2012, English, HMS), Link 2 (English, HMS)

Research

The third issue of SANE journal (which publishes on sequential art narrative in education) is
available online now, featuring articles on comics in the classroom and teaching rationales. Link (English, WG)

The poster for the Michigan State University Comics Forum (1st-2nd March) has been published online. Proposal deadline is the 31st January. Link (17/01/2013, English, WG)

A call for papers has been published for the collection The Comics of Joe Sacco: Journalism in a Visual World. The volume is part of the Critical Approaches to Comics Artists, by the University of Mississippi Press. 500-1000 word abstracts are expected by the 25th March. Link (29/01/2013, English, WG)

Technology

Leslie Kaufmann of The New York Times discusses recent Scholastic Inc. figures that suggest digital reading is on the rise among children aged between 6 and 17, but that this has not necessarily translated into a desire to read more widely over time. Link (13/01/2013, English, HMS)

Asia

Japan

Culture

There is an exhibition of graduation works by students from Kyoto Seika University, Faculty of Manga, during the Kyoto Manga Anime Week. It will take place from the 2nd to the 24th February, at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. Link (Japanese, JBS)

Research

Four doctoral students of Kyoto Seika University’s Faculty of Manga’s graduate school will present their research at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, 3F, on the 20th February, between 14:30-17:45. Link (Japanese, JBS)

Five manga and anime researchers will appear on a panel presenting the first stage of the Manga & Anime Research Mapping Project, and discuss the relevance and timeliness of manga and anime research (incl. Comics Studies). The venue is the Roppongi Hills café SPACE, on the morning of the 17th February, 11:00-12:30. Link (30/01/2013, Japanese, JBS)

There is a research presentation in Fujimoto Yukari’s seminar at Meiji University, on the 2nd February, from 10:30-18:20 (with breaks) . Presentations will center on manga, animation, gaming, fandom, and TV. Link (23/01/2013, Japanese, JBS)

Singapore

Culture/Research

A forum was held on the 19th January at the Bishan Public Library to discuss the depictions of Singapore and Japan in the 1970s in Ten Sticks And One Rice and Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s Midnight Fishermen: Gegika of the 1970s. Creators of Ten Sticks And One Rice, Koh Hong Teng and Oh Yong Hwee, and comics critic, Lim Cheng Tju, were the speakers. Both books are published in Singapore. Link (English, LCT)

Europe 

Austria

Culture

An exhibition titled Nippon Chinbotsu, on the eponymous manga by Tokihiko Ishihi, opens at MAK, Vienna. Link (15/01/2013, English, MdlI)

Croatia

Culture

A Walter Neugebauer retrospective is being held in Zagreb, at the museum Klovićevi dvori. Walter Neugebauer (1921-1992) was one of the first comic book authors in Croatia, and also one of the most significant authors. The retrospective opened on the 30th January and it is going to be running until the 3rd March. Link (29/01/2013, Croatian, LO)

Stjepan Sejić, the Croatian artist known by his work on Top Cow books such as Witchblade and Artifacts, has been working on his new comic book Ravine for the past 11 years. Ravine was made in collaboration with the American writer Ron Marz and it will have its debut on the 13th February. Link (20/12/2012, English, LO)

Law & Politics

Comic books have been VAT-free in Croatia until this year. However, since the 1st January 2013, a value added tax (VAT) was introduced on all the books (including comic books). There is now a 5% VAT on paper books and a 25% VAT on e-books. Link (01/01/2013, Croatian, LO)

Denmark

Culture

The Danish Comics Museum now has a new home at the Storm P. Museum. Link (16/01/2013, Danish, RPC)

Finland

Culture

There is a Mari Björklund exhibit at the Comics Center Helsinki from the 7th January to the 2nd February. Link (Finnish, RPC)

Heikki Paakanen has been awarded the PuuPää-hat prize. Link (17/01/2013, Finnish, RPC)

France

Business

Delcourt is the first French publisher to join American digital publishing specialist Comixology. Delcourt, the second most important publisher in France, plans to make its whole catalog available on the platform, starting with its translation of Image’s The Walking Dead. Other publishers may follow the example, as Comixology is looking to expand its presence in Europe. Link (01/02/2013, French, NL)

Eight of the most important comics publishers in French (Bamboo, Casterman, Dargaud, Dupuis, Fluide Glacial, Grand Angle, Jungle, Le Lombard) have announced the creation of the “48 heures de la BD”, a promotional event modeled on the American “Free Comic Book Day”, which is to take place on the 5th and 6th April. Eight different albums will be given away – 10.000 books in total will be made available – with a focus on first volumes of ongoing series. Link (22/01/2013, French, NL)

Louis Delas, the former CEO of Tintin’s publisher, Casterman, is set to create as strong comics department at his new company, L’Ecole des loisirs. L’Ecole des loisirs specializes in children books and magazines, but is looking to expand its activities and could become a significant new publisher in the field: books by Lewis Trondheim, David Chauvel, Fred Simon, David de Thuin, Bruno Heitz and Richard Marazano, some of them reprints from other publisher, are already announced. Link (26/01/2013, French, NL)

After stopping their sponsorship of the Angoulême Festival, FNAC have created a new bande dessinée prize. Link (23/01/2013, French, LTa)

Benoit Mouchart, artistic director of the Angoulême Festival, will become editorial director of bande dessinée at Casterman from March. Link (16/01/2013, French, LTa)

Yann Lidingre, author of Tintine, is the new editor of the monthly bande dessinée magazine Fluide Glacial. Link (29/01/2013, French, LTa)

Culture

Dutch cartoonist Willem wins the Grand Prize in Angoulême. Though mostly renowned for his activities as an editorial cartoonist, Willem is also a talented comics artist, who played a crucial editorial role in France in the seventies as the editor in chief of Charlie Mensuel. The choice was surrounded by some amount of controversy as a new system was devised to take into account the input of all the comics artists present at the festival, and not just previous Grand Prize winners. Link (03/02/2013, French, NL)

The prize for the best comics of the year (the “Fauve d’or”) at the Angoulême Festival has been awarded to the second volume of Quai d’Orsay. Chronique diplomatiques, by Blain and Lanzac. The two volume story, a fictionalized account of the inner workings of French foreign policy around the time of the second war in Iraq, has been a critical and popular success, making the choice fairly consensual. Other notable winners at this year’s festival include comics blogger Marion Montaigne (Tu mourras moins bête), who received the prize of the public, Frederik Peeters (Aama. Tome 2. La multitude invisible), for the best on-going series and Jon McNaught (Automne/Autumn stories) who received the prize for the best new talent. Link (03/02/2013, French, NL)

Geluck will stop drawing his character Le Chat in newspapers from the 23rd March. Link (22/01/2013, French, LTa)

Rosinski, the artist behind Thorgal, has been made an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government. Link (25/01/2013, French, LTa)

Obituaries

Jacques Sadoul passed away on the 18th January, at the age of 78. He was mostly known for his work on science-fiction – he edited several important thematic anthologies, created influential collections and wrote noteworthy studies in the field – but he also worked on comics alongside other French precursors such as Moliterni and Lacassin. His most famous book on comics L’enfer des bulles, first published in 1968, deals with eroticism and censorship in the medium. Link (***Adult content. 20/01/2013, French, NL)

Germany

Business

Book industry magazine buchreport reports comics sales in Germany for 2012. Link (09/01/2013, German, MdlI)

The current, tenth issue of anthology magazine Orang is announced to be its last. Link (24/01/2013, German, MdlI)

Comic Report reports on a new publisher, BSV Hannover, which reissues Classics Illustrated. Link (26/01/2013, German, MdlI)

Culture

Comics researcher Bernd Dolle-Weinkauff talks about Uncle Scrooge’s 65th birthday on the television programme hallo hessen. Link (02/01/2013, German, MdlI)

An exhibition of German comic artists opens on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of publisher avant-verlag at Neurotitan im Haus Schwarzenberg, Berlin. Link (11/01/2013, German, MdlI)

An exhibition on Nick Knatterton and its author Manfred Schmidt (Nick Knatterton und andere Abenteuer – Manfred Schmidt zum 100. Geburtstag) opens at Wilhelm Busch – Deutsches Museum für Karikatur und Zeichenkunst in Hanover. Link (13/01/2013, English, MdlI)

An exhibition on the Czech comic Alois Nebel opens in Berlin. Link (14/01/2013, German, MdlI)

Berlin-based tabloid B.Z. awards comic author Reinhard Kleist with its 22nd annual “Kulturpreis”. Link (18/01/2013, German, MdlI)

Scott McCloud and Chris Ware will be guests at internationales literaturfestival berlin on the 15th March. Link (29/01/2013, German, MdlI)

Research

The protestant church institution Evangelische Zentralstelle für Weltanschauungsfragen publishes a book on religion in manga (Von Geistern, Dämonen und vom Ende der Welt. Religiöse Themen in der Manga-Literatur, no. 222 in their series EZW-Texte). Link (German, MdlI)

A conference titled “Comic-Kolloquium 2013: Das Erzählen und seine Transformationen im Comic” will take place at the University of Duisburg-Essen between the 21st and the 23rd March. Link (21/01/2013, German, MdlI)

ComFor weblog announces six individual lectures on comics in different German cities. Link (31/01/2013, German, MdlI)

Greece

Culture

The dates, official guests, and exhibition of the annual festival Comicdom Con Athens have been announced. Link (English, LTs)

Education

“Writing with the incredible Mr. Escher” is a new educational program on comics, hosted by Comicdom Press at the Herakleidon Museum. Link (English, LTs)

Iceland

Culture

The Nordicomics Exhibition is at the City Library in Reykjavik between the 12th January and 10th February. Link (English, RPC)

Sweden

Business

The Swedish comics publisher Optimal Press closes after 21 years. Link (27/01/2013, Swedish, RPC)

Culture

There is an exhibition about Stockholm in Comics at the Stockholm City Museum, between the 24th January and the 5th May. Link (Swedish, RPC)

UK                 

Jobs

The University of Nottingham’s School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies have announced a number of doctoral studentships in areas such as Cultural, Film, and Media Studies, American/Canadian Studies, and Francophone Studies. Study to commence September 2013, and applications are due by the 13th May. See Link 1 for more details, and Link 2 for application forms. Link 1 (English, WG), Link 2 (English, WG)

The Department of Media and Communication at the University of Leicester is offering two Graduate Research Assistantships for October 2013 entry to its Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme. The closing date for applications in the 28th February. Link (English, WG)

The New London Graduate School consortium (the universities of East London, Greenwich, London South Bank and Middlesex) are offering a fully-funded AHRC PhD studentship in Cultural Studies (commencing September 2013), alongside nine fully-funded AHRC Masters studentships in the areas such as Creative Writing; Film and Digital Media Production; Design; Fine Art; and Publishing Studies. Link (English, WG)

Research

A call for papers has been issued by Brighton and Sussex Medical School in collaboration with Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust for the Graphic Medicine fourth international conference on Comics and Medicine. This year’s topic is “Ethics Under Cover: Comics, Medicine, and Society” and the conference will be held from the 5^th to the 7^th of July. 300 word proposals including abstracts should be sent by the 22nd February  to submissions@graphicmedicine.org. Link (English, HMS)

Berghahn Books have announced the recent publication in paperback of Laurence Grove’s Comics in French – The Bande Dessinée in Context. Link (English, WG)

 

*                    *                    *

News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto (JBS, Japan), Rikke Platz Cortsen (RPC, Scandinavia), William Grady (WG, UK), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Austria & Germany), Nicolas Labarre (NL, France), Hannah Means-Shannon (HMS, North America), Luka Ostojic (LO, Croatia), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France), Lida Tsene (LTs, Greece), Lim Cheng Tju (LCT, Singapore).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.

Americas

Brazil

Research

Revista Universitária do Audiovisual (RUA) released a collection of articles devoted to comics and animation, on subjects ranging from page as symbolic space, comics canon and autobiography. Link (16/12/2012, Portuguese, GS)

United States 

Business

The Beat reports that longtime editor Karen Berger has stepped down from DC’s Vertigo imprint. Link (03/12/2012, English, HMS)

Joey Esposito of IGN announces that Batgirl writer Gail Simone has been fired from her post on the series. Link (09/12/2012, English, HMS)

The Beat confirms that Batgirl writer Gail Simone has been rehired to write Batgirl after public outcry and pressure on DC to keep Simone on the title. Link (21/12/2012, English, HMS)

Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly announces that Karen Berger’s successor at Vertigo has been named as Shelley Bond. Link (19/12/2012, English, HMS)

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. presents sales figures on the top 100 comics for November 2012. Link (English, HMS)

Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. presents sales figures on the top 100 graphic novels for November 2012. Link (English, HMS)

The Beat reports on Robert Kirkman’s (The Walking Dead) assertion that digital comics media has not cannibalised print comic sales. Link (19/12/2012, English, HMS)

The Beat reports that Devil’s Due Entertainment, after a period of financial instability and the loss of its top titles, is back in business with new publications and goal. Link (19/12/2012, English, HMS)

The Beat reports on the Eisner Award judges named for 2013. Link (12/12/2012, English, HMS)

Culture

Wizard World announces the addition of Comic Cons in St. Louis from the 22nd-14th March, and Nashville from the 18th-20th October, to its 2013 schedule. Link (English, HMS)

Matthew Katz of DNAinfo.com in New York reports that a special one-day exhibit will celebrate the 75^th anniversary of Superman on the 27th January  2013 at the Center for Jewish History in New York. The exhibit will include a panel hosted by Larry Tye, author of  Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero. Link (21/12/2012, English, HMS)

Law and Politics

Betsy Gomez of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund announces the CBLDF’s new  advisory board for 2013, including Dennis Kitchen and Neil Gaimain. Link (11/12/2012, English, HMS)

Research

Michigan State University announces its 2013 Comics Forum to be held from the 1st-2nd March 2013 and issues a call for abstracts for individual presentations as well as panels and roundtable discussions. 250 word abstracts in PDF format should be submitted by the 31st January 2013, to Ben Chabala at michstatecomicsforum@gmail.com. Link (English, HMS)

Tom Spurgeon of The Comics Reporter interviews critic Marc Sobel about his upcoming books from Fantagraphics, The Love and Rockets Companion and The Love and Rockets Reader, as well as the work of the Hernandez Brothers. Link (26/12/2012, English, HMS)

Technology

The Beat reports on the launch of Symbolia, a tablet app for graphic non-fiction journalism, edited by Erin Polgreen. Link (03/12/2012, English, HMS)

Asia

Japan

Obituaries

The Beat reflects on the death of Barefoot Gen‘s Keiji Nakazawa on the 19th December 2012, and his impact on comics. Link (26/12/2012, English, HMS)

Research

The evolution of BL aesthetics in BL (Boys’ Love) Manga, a talk by Dr. Nishihara Mari and .Dr. Nagata Natsuki, will take place on the 19th January 2013. You can follow this talk on this Ustream channel link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sunnyfunny99. Link (06/01/2013, Japanese, JBS)

Malaysia

Culture

The 11th edition of Comic Fiesta, touted the largest ACG (Animation Comics Games) gathering in Malaysia, was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on the 22nd and 23rd December. Link (English, LCT)

The Philippines

Research

The Fine Arts Programme of the Ateneo de Manila University organised Panel by Panel: A Dialogue on Comics in Southeast Asia on the 10th December. Speakers included Lim Cheng Tju (Liquid City 2), Otto Fong (Sir Fong’s Adventures in Science), Mark Tores (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Carlo Vergara (Zsazsa Zaturnnah). Link (English, LCT)

Europe 

Austria

Culture

Comics convention Vienna Comix (formerly “Comicbörse”) is held with guest Joscha Sauer. Link (02/12/2012, German, MdlI)

Belgium

Culture/Law

A Brussels court has refused to remove Tintin in the Congo from sale after ruling that the album is not racist under Belgian law. Link (05/12/12, French, LTa)

Croatia

Business

The Ministry of Culture has announced a list of state literary grant winners. The grant (from 21000 to 42000 kunas, which is around 2800 to 5600 euros) has been awarded to 53 literary projects that should be made in 2013, including one comic book project. Alem Ćurin will thus receive 2800 euros to create his comic book Whether You Sail Or Not (original title: Vesl`o ti ne vesl`o). Link (20/12/2012, Croatian, LO)

Culture

The Croatian comic book collective Komikaze will be presented at the Angoulême International Comics Festival that will take place from 31st January to 3rd February in France. Link (26/11/2012, French, LO).

Denmark

Research

The Nordic Network for Comics Research has its 5^th newletter out describing the network’s activities. Link (03/12/2012, English, RPC)

Finland

Research

Finland gets another PhD in comics as Mervi Miettinen successfully defended her thesis. Link (15/12/2012, Finnish, RPC)

France

Business

Satirical publication Charlie Hebdo must pay 40000 euros in damages, and print an apology, to cartoonist Siné for unfair dismissal. Link (09/12/2012, French, LTa)

December’s large bande dessinée auction at the Maison Millon raised 1.2 million euros. Link 1 (14/12/2012, French, LTa), Link 2 (11/12/2012, French, LTa)

Cultura replaces FNAC as the sponsor of the Angoulême bande dessinée festival. Link (03/12/2012, French, LTa)

The ACBD (association des critiques et journalistes de bande dessinée) has published its yearly report, the “Rapport Ratier” on the state of the comics market in France, including bandes dessinées, but also comics and manga. The report indicates that while the number of titles is still growing, the number of top-sellers – 50,000 copies and above – appear to be eroding. The market is still dominated by four massive publishers, amounting to nearly half of the production in the sector. Link (27/12/2012, French, NL)

Culture

Before the Angoulême festival, the Critique/ACBD grand prize has been awarded to Alan Guibert for L’enfance d’Alan. The book is a follow up to La guerre d’Alan/Alan’s war, the three impressive volumes Guibert had written and drawn about the life of his American friend Alan Ingram Cope during the Second World War. Link (09/12/2012, French, NL)

Quino, creator of Mafalda, has been made an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the France’s culture ministry. Link 1 (01/12/2012, French, LTa), Link 2 (01/12/2012, French, LTa)

Jacques Tardi has turned down an official distinction from the French government, “la légion d’honneur”. Tardi was apparently not aware that his name had been included in this year’s list – ministries establish a list of deserving citizens – and he willfully turned down the honor, mentioning his desire to remain free from any political influence. Such a refusal is not without precedent, and was indeed a badge of honor for some of the influential writers and intellectuals of the 20^th century, who similarly refused to be coopted by the institution. Link (02/01/2013, English, NL)

Law

Charlie-Hebdo has been the focus of much controversy, publishing a special issue on “The life of Mohammed” on the 2nd January 2013, which is described as a historically informed approach to the subject albeit with a humorous graphical treatment. The media coverage mostly chose to emphasise the free speech angle, while relying on the authors’ statements regarding their intents. Link (02/01/2013, French, NL)

Two Muslim organisations are suing Charlie Hebdo for provocation and incitement to racial hatred, after the magazine published cartoons of Mohammed in September 2012. Link (07/12/2012, French, LTa)

Research

Noted comics theorist Thierry Groensteen has conducted a series of interviews with prolific author Joann Sfar. Entretiens avec Joann Sfar. Groensteen explains in his introduction that the book brings together the many autobiographical and artistic clues heretofore scattered in Sfar’s comics and graphic diaries. The book is to be published on the 4th January. Link (10/12/2012, French, NL)

Germany

Business

After a hiatus of 16 years, venerable adult comics magazine U-Comix will be published again from May 2013. Link (***Adult Content. 13/12/2012, German, MdlI)

Culture

Comicfestival München 2013 is announced to take place from the 29th May to the 2nd June. Link (16/12/2012, German, MdlI)

Research

The yearbook Deutsche Comicforschung 2013 is published (ed. Eckart Sackmann). Link (01/12/2012, German, MdlI)

Andreas Veits and Jonas Engelmann have been awarded the Roland Faelske-Preis for research in comics and animation. Link (13/12/2012, German, MdlI)

Ireland

Culture

Bryan Coyle’s and Lee Robson’s Babble graphic novel has once more been delayed. Link (English, SC)

Sweden

Culture

Comics artist Joanna Helgren receives the newpaper Expressen’s youth culture prize. Link (17/12/2012, Swedish, RPC)

Research

The Swedish Foundation Riksbankens Jubileumsfond awards comics scholar Michael Scholtz funding for the project “Entertainment or Propaganda. Comic Strips in Sweden during World War II” (1.251.000 Skr/£167.685). Link (English, RPC)

UK                 

Culture

Comicbookmovie.com have announced that Mark Millar’s Kapow! Comic Convention won’t return to London until 2014. Link (21/12/2012, English, WG)

On the 31st December, BBC1 Scotland aired a documentary, “Just Dandy”, looking at The Dandy comic book. Link (English, WG)

Downthetubes offers a photo review of 75 Years of the Dandy at the University of Dundee, running until the 12th January, 2013. Link (09/12/2012, English, WG).

Obituary

The Guardian has posted an obituary for Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, et al.) who died on the 26th December. Many of his creations were adapted into comic books. Link (26/12/2012, English, WG).

Research

The calls for presentations of the second global conference on The Graphic Novel has been posted online. 300 word abstracts are expected on the 22nd March, and the conference will take place at Mansfield College, Oxford, between the 23rd & 25th September, 2013. Link (English, WG)

Oceania

Australia

Research

The conference, “Women’s Manga in Asia: Glocalizing Different Cultures and Identities”, will take place from the 23rd-25th January, in the Department of Japanese Studies, at the University of Sydney. Link (English, JBS)

*                    *                    *

News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Rikke Platz Cortsen (RPC, Scandinavia), Shelley Culbertson (SC, Ireland), William Grady (WG, UK), Martin de la Iglesia (Austria & Germany, MdlI), Nicolas Labarre (NL, France), Hannah Means-Shannon (HMS, North America & Japan), Luka Ostojic (LO, Croatia), Greice Schneider (GS, Brazil), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France & Belgium), Lim Cheng Tju (LCT, Malaysia & The Philippines).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.

Americas

Brazil

Business

Brazilian publisher Barba Negra is closing its doors, after almost three years investing in national comics (Morro da Favela) and foreign editions (Killofer, Bastien Vivés and David Small, among others). Link (21/11/2012, Portuguese, GS)

Culture

Moonflux collects some unnoticed cases of racism and prejudice in translations to Portuguese. Link (Portuguese, GS)

Canada

Culture

CBC radio featured a lengthy documentary on Montreal-based publisher, Drawn and Quarterly. Link (22/11/2012, English, BB)

The Montreal Gazette profiles the Drawn and Quarterly bookstore on the occasion of its fifth anniversary. Link (09/11/2012, English, BB)

Also celebrating an anniversary is the legendary Toronto comic book store, The Beguiling, profiled in The National Post on their twenty-fifth anniversary. Link (12/11/2012, English, BB)

In Burlington, Ontario, a public park has been named after cartoonist Doug Wright, the creator of “Doug Wright’s Family” and “Nipper”. Link (06/11/12, English, BB)

Research

A call for papers for the Graphixia, and Comics Grid, Spring Conference 2013: Comics and the Multimodal World, has been posted online. It will take place at Douglas College, Vancouver, between the 13th and 16th of June, 2013. Link (04/10/2012, English, WG)

United States 

Business

Diamond Distribution, Inc. reports sales figures for the top 100 comic titles in October of 2012. Link (29/11/2012, English, HMS)

Diamond Distribution, Inc. reports sales figures for the top 100 graphic novel titles in October of 2012. Link (29/11/2012, English, HMS)

Culture

GeekGirlCon announces 2013 dates of the 19th and 20th of October, 2013, to be held in Seattle Washington. Link (English, HMS)

Heidi MacDonald of Publishers Weekly reports that Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival garnered record numbers and attracted notable comics celebrities, including Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, and Richard MacGuire. Link (12/11/2012, English, HMS)

Jobs

There is a job vacancy for a publishing operations analyst at DC Comics, New York. Link (English, WG)

Law & Politics

Pádraig Ó’Méallóid interviews Alan Moore and discusses the Superfolks dispute for The Comics Beat in three parts, including a case for the prosecution and the defense. Part 1 (25/10/2012), Part 2 (11/11/2012), and Part 3 (18/11/2012, English, HMS))

 Laura Sneddon interviews Grant Morrison, in reply to the Superfolks case and Alan Moore’s statements, for The Comics Beat. Link (24/11/2012, English, HMS)

Graeme McMillan of Comicsalliance.com announces that the legal battle between Robert Kirkman and Terry Moore over ownership of The Walking Dead properties has been settled, following three lawsuits. Link (25/09/2012, English, HMS)

Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly reports that the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has re-elected Larry Marder president, re-elected Milton Griepp as vice-president, and elected Jeff Abraham as treasurer. Link (20/11/2012, English, HMS)

Robot6 of Comic Book Resources covers the Gaiman Foundation’s $60,000 donation to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund to be used for educational purposes. Link (28/11/2012, English, HMS)

Obituaries

The Comics Beat reports the death of former Wizard Magazine editor Mark “Wilco” Wilkofsky on the 25th of November. Link (English, HMS)

Colin Dabkowski provides the obituary for Buffalo-born underground cartoonist Spain Rodriguez for The Buffalo News. The influential artist passed away on the 28th of November in San Francisco. Link (29/11/2012, English, HMS)

The Comics Beat reports the death of comics artist Josh Medors, a frequent collaborator with Steve Niles, after battling a rare form of spinal cancer. Medors, who helped establish the Help for Heroes charity, passed away on the 29th of November. Link (29/11/2012, English, HMS)

Research

Meredith Schwartz of The Library Journal reports on the partnership between Kansas State University Salina and Kansas Wesleyan University to produce a graphic novel explaining library research methods entitled Legends of the Library Ninjas. Link (20/11/2012, English, HMS)

The Southwest/Texas Popular Culture and American Culture Association announces a call for papers for its 13th to the 16th February 2013 conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico on the subject of  “Indigenous Deep Space: Indigenous Absence and Presence in Sci-Fi and Comics”. The deadline for submissions has been extended to the 2nd of December. Link (English, HMS)

The Rocky Mountain Conference on Comics and Graphic Novels, held in conjunction with the Denver Comic Con, to be held in Denver between the 28th and 30th of May 2013, announces a call for papers on the subject of “Graphic Art: Violence and Healing in Graphic Novels”. Deadline for submissions is the 1st of March. Link (27/11/2012, English, HMS)

Bob Batchelor, Maja Bajac-Carter, and Norma Jones have issued a call for chapter proposals for an anthology focused on pop culture heroines entitled: “Heroines: Images of Women through Literature and Popular Culture” due by the 15th of January, 2013. Link (20/11/2012, English, HMS)

Asia

Japan

Culture

The Takabatake Kasho Taisho Romanticism Museum in Ehime prefecture, in cooperation with the Kyoto International Manga Museum, is holding a Showa and Taisho Era Bishonen (Beautiful boys) Exhibition until the 11th of February, 2013.  Link (21/10/2012, Japanese, JBS)

The Kitakyushu Municipal Gender Equality Center MOVE is holding a lecture with two manga researchers on the 15th of December. Link (Japanese, JBS)

The Meiji University Yonezawa Yoshihiro Memorial Library is holding a talk show on the late Naiki Toshio and his contributions to manga culture through rental manga, on the 15th December. Link (Japanese, JBS)

Research

The cartoon study group of the Japanese Society for Studies in Cartoon and Comics has its 78th meeting on the 8th December. Link (Japanese, JBS)

The gender study group of the Japanese Society for Studies in Cartoon and Comics has its 19th meeting on the 15th December. Link (Japanese, JBS)

Singapore

Culture

The fifth Anime Festival Asia was held in Singapore from the 9th to 11th of November at the Singapore Expo. Link (English, LCT)

Research

Europe 

Denmark

Culture

There is an exhibition with new Danish comics art and animation at Gammel Holtegaard between the 16th of November, to the 16th of December. Link (Danish, RPC)

There is an exhibition with comics artist Strid at the Storm P. museum in Copenhagen. Link (02/11/2012, Danish, RPC)

Education

Denmark now has a state approved four year professional bachelors course in graphic storytelling. Link (28/11/2012, English, RPC)

Research

The well reknowned Danish journal, KRITIK, has a theme on comics research with 4 articles on the subject. Link (31/10/2012, Danish, RPC)

Denmark now has three PhDs in comics, Rikke Platz Cortsen successfully defended her thesis. Link (23/11/2012, Danish, RPC) 

Finland

Business

The nordicomics artist in residence recipients have been announced. Link (19/11/2012, English, RPC)

Culture

A Comics Festival in Oulu took place between the 16th and 17th of November. Link (Finnish, RPC)

France

Business

Comics publishing company Casterman is now owned by Gallimard. Through a virulent open letter, notable authors (Bilal, Tardi, etc.) have expressed their worries regarding Casterman’s evolution and editorial policy. Antoine Gallimard has since publicly reiterated his intention not to sell Casterman, as well as his respect for the company and its authors. Link (16/11/2012, French, NL)

Louis Delas steps down as director of Casterman after the company is bought by the publisher Gallimard. Link (08/11/2012, French, LTa)

Louis Delas’ resignation prompted several prominent bande dessinée authors (including  Enki Bilal, Philippe Geluck, François Schuiten, Jacques Tardi, Régis Loisel, Frank Margerin, Benoît Sokal and Jacques de Loustal) to write an open letter to Antoine Gallimard, detailing their concerns over the future of Casterman: they threaten to publish their work elsewhere. Link (13/11/2012, French, LTa)

Culture

The program and selection for the 40^th Angoulême Festival were announced on the 17th November. The festival will be held from the 31st January to the 3rd February, 2013 – one week later than usual. Link (27/11/2012, French, NL)

The Official Selection of the 2013 Angoulême Festival has been announced, along with details of the exhibitions taking place as part of the festival. Exhibitions include Uderzo and Jean-Claude Denis retrospectives, in addition to Algerian bande dessinée. Link (27/11/2012, French, LTa)

An André Franquin retrospective exhibition will take place in Paris from the 28th of November 2012 to the 17th of February 2013. Link (21/11/2012, French, LTa)

The Centre Wallonie Bruxelles in Paris is hosting a Franquin exhibit, from the 28th November to the 17th February. The Center’s website includes a downloadable introduction to Franqui (dossier de presse). Link (21/11/2012, French, NL)

On the 9th of December, there will be a major auction of original bande dessinée art, including Tintin, Spirou, Gaston and more, in Paris and Brussels. Link 1, Link 2 (26/11/2012, French, LTa)

The magazine Lire has declared Tintin in Tibet the best comic of all time. Link 1 (long article on Tintin au Tibet) Link 2 (details of the Top 10) (23/11/2012, French, LTa)

Law & Politics

Rodolphe & Louis Alloing, who wanted to publish a biography of Edgar P. Jacobs (Blake and Mortimer), won their case against publisher Dargaud, which argued that the book cover was too similar to Jacobs’s style, and Jacobs’s heirs, who disagreed with the way the author was presented. The ruling is consistent with earlier decisions regarding biographies of comics authors. Link (31/10/2012, French, NL)

Research

Benoit Peeters publishes a book of interviews with famed Mangaka Jirô Taniguchi. Link (09/11/2012, French, NL)

Germany

Business

After a hiatus of twelve years, venerable children’s/comics magazine Yps will be published on a quarterly schedule from March 2013. Link (26/11/2012, German, MdlI)

Research

A working group for comics research (AG Comicforschung) has been founded within the Gesellschaft für Medienwissenschaft (Society for Media Studies). Link (German, MdlI)

The proceedings of the conference “Comic: Intermedial & Interdisziplinär” (Bochum 2011) have been published as Comics intermedial (eds. C. A. Bachmann, V. Sina, L. Banhold). Link (German, MdlI)

Greece 

Culture

A comics exhibition – “Bougatsa With Ink” – took place at the French Institute of Thessaloniki from the 22nd-25th November. Link (Greek, LTs)

A collaborative comics storytelling workshop was organised by Comicdom Press, hosted at the Hellenic Institute of International Relations (I.D.I.S.) in Plakain between the 22nd and 24th of November. Link (English, LTs)

Research

A session was dedicated to the relation between Grimm folktales and comics took place during the “ The Brothers Grimm and the folktale: narrations, readings, transformations” conference, at the University of Athens (22nd-24th November). Link (English, LTs)

Ireland

Culture

The winners have been announced for the Irish Comic News Awards 2012. Link (English, SC)

Judge Dredd scribe Michael Carroll will be in store on the 5th of January 2013 signing copies of his latest work in both 2000AD and Judge Dredd Megazine at Sub City Dublin. Link (English, SC)

Irish Comic News shared the poster for the Dublin Comic Market (01/12/2012). Link (English, SC)

Education

Fintin Taite is running 10 weeks of night classes in illustration and cartooning at the Bray Institute of Further Education and Newpark Adult Education Centre in Blackrock. The classes will cover editorial cartooning, picture book illustration, drawing comics, character design, and the practical side of life as a commercial artist. Link (English, SC)

Research

The Postgraduate Faculty of Arts Symposium (University of Ulster, 29th to the 30th of January, 2013), has a call for papers – abstracts from all disciplines (including comics) will be considered. Send any queries or 250 word abstracts to shelleyculbertson21@hotmail.co.uk before the 14th of December.

Romania 

Technology

The first app for reading Romanian comics on both iPhone and Android systems was launched in Bucharest during the Gaudeamus Book Fair. The app’s name is ”Jumatatea Plina” and it will be downloadable for free starting on the 1st January, 2013. Link (21/11/2012, Romanian, MP)

Sweden

Culture

The traveling exhibition on August Strindberg, “Livet är inget för amatörer”, reaches the Sandviken library. Link (28/11/2012, Swedish, RPC)

Comics artist Ninna Hemmingson receives the author Karin Boye’s literary prize. Link (15/11/2012, Swedish, RPC)

Switzerland

Culture

The exhibition “Comics Deluxe! Strapazin – the comics magazine” has been opened at the Cartoonmuseum Basel. Link (10/11/2012, English, MdlI)

UK                 

Culture

Dr Mariko Murata presented a talk on manga museums and their audiences, at Birkbeck, University of London, on the 23rd of November. Link (05/11/2012, English, WG)

Downthetubes hosts a photo review of Thought Bubble 2012, the comics convention which took place in Leeds between the 17th and 18th of November. Link (24/11/2012, English, WG)

The Guardian reports on the two graphic novels (Joff Winterhart’s Days of the Bagnold Summer, and Bryan & Mary Talbot’s Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes) that have been nominated for the Costa Book Awards, 2012 (the first time comic works have been shortlisted). Link (20/11/12, English, WG)

The British Science Festival is seeking artists and writers to collaborate with scientists to create a comic book to be given away at the event. Those wanting to get involved need to fill out an expression of interest form on their website. Link (English, WG)

Research

Graphixia have uploaded a videoblog of some of the conversations that the team had with some of the speakers at Comics Forum, Leeds, 2012 (15th-16th Nov). Link (21/11/2012, English, WG)

*                    *                    *

News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Lim Cheng Tju (LCT, Singapore), Lida Tsene (LTs, Greece), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France), Shelley Culbertson (SC, Ireland), Rikke Platz Cortsen (RPC, Scandinavia), Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto (JBS, Japan), Mihaela Precup (MP, Romania), Greice Schneider (GS, Brazil), Hannah Means-Shannon (HMS, North America), William Grady (WG, UK), Bart Beaty (BB, Canada), Martin de la Iglesia (Germany & Switzerland, MdlI), Nicolas Labarre (NL, France).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.