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Mini-Comics Day 2012 in Minneapolis

2012-05-27T04:57:11Z

Mini-Comics Day in Minneapolis was a whole lot of fun… of the numerous cartoonists who showed up, at least 15 comics were completed (pictured below… apologies if I didn’t get a photo of yours for some reason). Afterwards we went to Grumpy’s to drink, eat tater tots, and give out the 2012 Stapler Award for the Best Minnesota Mini-Comics Day Mini-Comic. Eric Lorberer (Editor of Rain Taxi Review of Books), Courtney Algeo (Editorial Director of Paper Darts and Marketing Coordinator at The Loft Literary Center) and Miles Johnson (of the Read My List blog and Altered Esthetics gallery) deliberated for quite a while to determine which mini was the best one by their subjective standards… and a winner was picked! The award went to Athena Currier for her very deserving entry “My Little Sister Phoebe Just Graduated from College,” which made me laugh out loud when I read it… I wish I had remembered to take a picture of her with the award. Additionally, last year’s winner of the Stapler, Dan Murphy, was given an honorable mention for his entry “The Spider Lady,” which was good, because if he had won we would have had to change the name of the award to the Dan Murphy award.

Here are some (bad) pictures from the event, and pictures of the completed minis.

The Stapler-Award-winning comic by Athena Currier

The runner up, by Dan Murphy

Dan’s comic with the cover opened:

A.Z. McGinty‘s untitled comic:

“The Bridge” by Carlos Merino:

“Darkly Swoops” by Chris Beck (unforutnately mangled by my bag):

“Danno and the Giant Apple” by Danno Klonowski

“The Fledgling” by Erika Finne

“Hazards” by Joe Combs

Untitled mini by Lars Kommienezuspadt

“Finger Football” by Matt Reints

“Stinky & Inky” by Michelle Silva

“The First-Ever Mini-Comic About Making a Mini-Comic” by Mike Toft

“Abra-Ka Deborah” by Thomas Boguszewski

“Shift” by Vivian Meger and her Dad

“Plotz #2″ by Stwalley

#minicomicsday2012 is Today! (May 26th)

2012-05-26T04:21:36Z

Pictured above: The 2012 Stapler Award for the Best Minnesota Mini-Comics Day Mini-Comic

You’re encouraged to use the hash tag #minicomicsday2012 for whatever you may want to use a hashtag for.

Cartoonists around the world will be drawing and printing a mini-comic in a day. Any cartoonist anywhere can participate.

There are event sites this year in:
Sacramento, CA
San Francisco, CA
Baltimore, MD
Minneapolis, MN
Keene, NH
Albuquerque, NM
Norfolk, VA
and McCleary, WA
(and we had a site in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK participate last month)

If you live near one of those locations, go here for the details of your local event.

Mini-Comics Day Minneapolis 2012 (This Saturday, May 26th) Info… You Could Win the Stapler Award! Judges Announced.

2012-05-24T20:27:39Z

Pictured above: 2011 Stapler Award Winner Dan Murphy holds his prize.

The self-descriptive “2012 Stapler Award for the Best Minnesota Mini-Comics Day Mini-Comic” will be given out around 8PM or so in the side room at Grumpy’s downtown after the event at Book Arts. You will need to submit three copies of your completed-that-day comic to enter.

This year’s judges for the “2012 Stapler Award for the Best Minnesota Mini-Comics Day Mini-Comic”

Eric Lorberer, Editor of Rain Taxi Review of Books
Courtney Algeo, Editorial Director of Paper Darts and Marketing Coordinator at The Loft Literary Center
Miles Johnson of the Read My List blog and Altered Esthetics gallery (hosts for the upcoming Lutefisk Sushi Volume E project)

UPDATE: Besides the award, there will be cool prizes for the winner… a $25 gift certificate to Big Brain Comics courtesy of Big Brain Comics, and a free pass to the Northeast Ride ($25 value), courtesy of the Northeast CDC.

Here is the previously posted event info:

Mini-Comics Day is this Saturday! On Mini-Comics Day, participating cartoonists draw and print a mini-comic in a day. Any cartoonist in the world can participate in the event… if you would like to host an event in your community, contact us and we’ll get you set up.

Here is the information for those of you participating in the Twin Cities:

The Minnesota Center For Book Arts
1011 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
May 26th, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
A copier will be available on site. Copies will cost $.02 each, but Big Brain Comics and Big Time Attic will generously be helping defray some of the expense.
Table space will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
Bring your own drawing materials.
Afterwards, we will move a block over to Grumpy’s to give out “The Stapler Award for the Best Minnesota Mini-Comics Day Mini-Comic 2012.” To enter we will need three copies of your mini-comic before 7:30PM.
Grumpy’s
1111 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Steven Stwalley
webmaster(at)cartoonistconspiracy.com

This may be a good opportunity for you to get a mini-comic ready for the upcoming Lutefisk Sushi Volume E project happening at Altered Esthetics in November.

Help promote the event! Here are assets for the Minneapolis event by 2011 Stapler Award Winner Dan Murphy.

Here is a poster you can print and hang.

Here are flyers to leave around town.

Here are graphics for your website, social-networking site, etc.:

If you use facebook, you may want to sign up here.

Zinefest 2012 (September 22) Table Registration is Open

2012-05-24T12:50:17Z

Go register here!

Submission Info For City Pages 2012 Comix Issue

2012-05-23T13:01:37Z

City Pages is putting together another one of their fun Comix issues. Here are the details.

Also, Sarah Morean asks in the comments:

Will contributors be paid this year?

And City Pages replies:

Yes! City Pages always pays a predetermined fee for comics that appear in print. Those not chosen for print are offered to be displayed in honorarium online for no fee. If you download the Size & Compensation pdf it explains rates further.

Compensation is delineated in the pdf here.

Mini-Comics Day 2012 is this Saturday! (May 26th)

2012-05-21T15:04:36Z

Here is the information for those of you participating in the Twin Cities:

The Minnesota Center For Book Arts
1011 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
May 26th, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Copier will be available on site.
Table space will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
Afterwards, we will move a block over to Grumpy’s to give out “The Stapler Award for the Best Minnesota Mini-Comics Day Mini-Comic 2012.” To enter we will need three copies of your mini-comic before 7:30PM.
Grumpy’s
1111 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Steven Stwalley
webmaster(at)cartoonistconspiracy.com

This may be a good opportunity for you to get a mini-comic ready for the upcoming Lutefisk Sushi Volume E project happening at Altered Esthetics in November.

Help promote the event! Here are assets for the Minneapolis event by 2011 Stapler Award Winner Dan Murphy.

Here is a poster you can print and hang.

Here are flyers to leave around town.

Here are graphics for your website, social-networking site, etc.:

If you use facebook, you may want to sign up here.

Comics: Philosophy and Practice Videos

2012-05-21T14:54:23Z

Apparently, according to the Comics Journal, some footage from last weekend’s amazing-sounding Comics: Philosophy & Practice conference will eventually be archived here. Unfortunately, nothing is there at this time.

McSweeney’s is having a comic contest

2012-05-21T14:47:12Z

Update: The Contest has been cancelled.

~~From here.~~

Mini-Comics Day at Page One in Albuquerque

2012-05-19T01:48:52Z

Make and Print a Mini-Comic in a Day!

Join 7000 BC as we host the second annual Mini-Comics Day, an international celebration of the art of cartooning and creating hand-made comic books.

On Mini-Comics Day, participating cartoonists (this means YOU!) will write, draw, and print copies of their own mini-comics. Wildly varying in both form and content, mini-comics are a wonderful synthesis of cartooning and hand-made art objects. This is a FREE event and everyone is welcome!

Comics creators from 7000 BC will will be on hand throughout the event to answer questions and give guidance. We’ll provide some art supplies, or bring your own. We’ll even help you print, fold and staple your mini-comics as you complete them. Bring your papers, pens, and imaginations!

1:00-2:00 pm – For those who would like some guidance, a short lesson on making mini-comics and comics in general will be presented by 7000 BC.

1:00-5:00 pm – Make your minis!

Comics, mini-comics, and books by 7000 BC creators will also be available. Sponsored by Page One Books, and 7000 BC – independent comics from New Mexico!

Page One Books is located at 11018 Montgomery Blvd NE, Albuquerque, the SW corner of Montgomery and Juan Tabo.

SpringCon is This Weekend in Minneapolis! (May 19th & 20th)

2012-05-18T21:45:49Z

Springcon is this weekend! The friendly folks at the Midwest Comic Book Association put on a heck of a fun show, do yourself a favor and check it out. This year they have over 225 guest creators… all of which are generously given free table space to join the fun.

May 2012 St Paul Jam

2012-05-18T20:45:34Z

May 2012 St Paul Jam

Comics Philosophy and Practice Event Streaming Tomorrow (May 17th)

2012-05-18T04:40:25Z

Most of you not living in Chicago are really going to regret missing the Comics Philosophy and Practice event happening there this weekend when you hear about it.

Here is an article on it.

It is streaming online here (on facebook, unfortunately).

Here is the lineup of guests speaking at the event:
Lynda Barry
Alison Bechdel
Ivan Brunetti
Charles Burns
Daniel Clowes
R. Crumb
Phoebe Gloeckner
Justin Green
Ben Katchor
Aline Kominsky-Crumb
Françoise Mouly
Gary Panter
Joe Sacco
Seth
Art Spiegelman
Carol Tyler
Chris Ware

Here’s the schedule.

Minneapolis Jam: May 2012

2012-05-17T23:18:31Z

NORDEAST COMICS SUMMIT
Summary: Digital cartoonist Gordon McAlpin gave us a great tour of the mystery that is Adobe Illustrator, showing off some tricks that even the Illustrator veterans in the audience had never seen before. If you want to see Gordon’s comics in action, check out his excellent webcomic Multiplex, or better yet purchase the book!

Coming up next!:
JUNE 7: Jon Sloan, “A Brief History of Comics” – An historical look at the medium we all love so well.
UPDATE: Currently all future slots are closed as the Nordeast Comics Summit goes into indefinite hibernation.

INTERNATIONAL CARTOONIST CONSPIRACY
Get your trowels out, kiddies, because it’s time for:

MANUFACTURE DESIRE: The Best Plants for the Gardener

Click image for pdf — an evergreen 2 mb!

Please enjoy.

LUTEFISK SUSHI PODCAST episode 21: MIKE TOFT

2012-05-17T12:20:55Z

http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/sushipodcast/2012/05/lutefisk-sushi-podcast-episode-21-mike-toft/

In the twenty-first episode host DANNO KLONOWSKI talks with MN cartoonist MIKE TOFT about his long-running mini-comic series BRAIN FOOD, how the 2010′s raging against the machine is more rewarding than the 1990′s raging, dating your work with timely references that are irrelevant and forgotten just months later, and (with that in mind) we review of THE AVENGERS!

The Lutefisk Sushi Podcast is sponsored by the INTERNATIONAL CARTOONIST CONSPIRACY, the ALTERED ESTHETICS GALLERY, and the NORDEAST COMICS SUMMIT. The Lutefisk Sushi podcast is a STAPLEGENIUS.COM(cast) production.

Mini-Comics Day 2012 in Minneapolis, MN (May 26th)

2012-05-16T15:33:20Z

Mini-Comics Day is in less than two weeks! On Mini-Comics Day, participating cartoonists draw and print a mini-comic in a day. Any cartoonist in the world can participate in the event… if you would like to host an event in your community, contact us and we’ll get you set up.

Here is the information for those of you participating in the Twin Cities:

This may be a good opportunity for you to get a mini-comic ready for the upcoming Lutefisk Sushi Volume E project happening at Altered Esthetics in November.

Help promote the event! Here are assets for the Minneapolis event by 2011 Stapler Award Winner Dan Murphy.

Here is a poster you can print and hang.

Here are flyers to leave around town.

Here are graphics for your website, social-networking site, etc.:

If you use facebook, you may want to sign up here.

Saint Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy Jam on May 17!!

2012-05-14T22:16:34Z

Join the St. Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy Cell and create a jam comic at Cahoots Coffee! This locale provides us with not only a spacious room in the back of the shop, but also they have tasty mediterranean food for sale!

The jamming is easy and it’s a fun time! Just bring some drawing utensils, an idea for the jam, and a few bucks to get a tasty beverage or some chow — don’t forget to tip, the baristas really do appreciate that!

The jam will start promptly at 6:30 and run until 10:30 at the latest. Come earlier to reserve your space! Seating can be limited at times!

The meetings are open to anyone who wants to draw with us, and the results will be posted here at some date yet to be determined.

To join us come to:
Cahoots Coffee
1562 Selby Ave
St Paul, MN 55104
(Southeast corner of Snelling and Selby)

More not than often we head on over to grab a brew at:
O’Gara’s Bar and Grill
164 Snelling Ave N
St. Paul, MN 55104
(Right next to Cahoots!)

Bus info here.

The Bicycle Cartoon Show, June 8, 7pm Black Dog Cafe, Saint Paul

2012-05-12T03:22:11Z

The Bike Comics Show on June 8 at 7pm at Black Dog Cafe in Saint Paul

SPROUTS Preview: “Carob”

2012-05-11T15:26:57Z

A page of “Carob” by Glynnis Fawkes, from Trees & Hills’ new food-themed anthology Sprouts:

Pre-order our new food-themed anthology Sprouts by May 13 to get it signed, sketched, and shipped for free! Tell your friends! (seriously, it’s a big help)

Transcript of comic:

While wandering in the Judean desert (during work on the excavations at Tel Yaffir near Hebron in July 1989), [Glynnis approaches a pod-bearing tree thinking, "I'm hungry. What's that tree?"] I discovered [she reaches for a pod and puts it in her mouth] “Um? Yum! I’ll bet this is…”

carob.

Also called St. John’s bread because in the Bible, Matt 3:4, “John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea … and his food was Locusts and wild honey.” The Greek word translated “locusts” is taken by some to mean “carobs” rather than grasshoppers.

[St. John, eating pods from a tree:] “That’s good, because I’d prefer to eat these big sweet chewy pods than grasshoppers any day. & they sure beat those veggie schnitzel back at the Kibbutz.”

SPROUTS Preview: “Squarecat Comics”

2012-05-10T15:22:44Z

A “Squarecat Comic” by Jennifer Omand, from Trees & Hills’ new food-themed anthology Sprouts:

Pre-order our new food-themed anthology Sprouts by May 13 to get it signed, sketched, and shipped for free! Pre-orders increase our first print run – get your copy now and help us cut down on trips to the printer! Tell your friends! (seriously, it’s a big help)

Transcript of comic:

Jen: What’s that … I smell CHOCOLATE!!!

Matt: There’s no chocolate in here.

Jen: But I smell it.

Matt: You must be hallucineating!

SPROUTS Preview: “So Close”

2012-05-09T15:19:31Z

A page of “So Close” by Marek Bennett from the new food-themed anthology Sprouts by the Trees & Hills Comics Group:

Pre-order our new food-themed anthology Sprouts by May 13 to get it signed, sketched, and shipped for free! Tell your friends! (seriously, it’s a big help)

Transcript of comic:

Into the last of the Soviet housing projects – middle-class Slovak suburbs of the 1980s – each house like a little chunk of apartment tower -

And here it’s the tiny gaps between the houses that draw my attention… [growing in the gaps: apples, grapes, raspberries, cabbage. Pears?]

Even the bigger yards packed full of onion, cabbage, poppy.