Kind of under the weather the last little while but I will try to post a few links about Canadian comics here just to keep up to date. I’ve got the first cold of the year, probably because I don’t sleep enough or drink enough water. Also, I have a retail store and I’m always touching people and their dirty money. Drank some wine with a handful of decongestants to shore up my blogging membranes so hopefully I will last to the end of this list.
Item! Cartoonist and Sparkplug Comics publisher Dylan Williams died of cancer over the weekend. Williams was one of the half-dozen most important comics publishers of the last 20 years and his influence will be missed. I got to talk to him briefly at TCAF this year, where the confiscation of two Sparkplug books by Canada Customs was the big news, and bought some delightful books at his urging. Williams was a passionate proponent of all comics, and nothing makes that clearer than his post-TCAF blog post about the state of comics. I urge readers to check out the Sparkplug catalog to help Williams’ friends and family deal with the expenses of his estate.
Item! The news of Williams death hit hard at SPX over the past weekend, tempering the enthusiasm for the Ignatz Awards that were handed out at the show to winners voted on by attendees, including Canadians Kate Beaton and Michael DeForge.
Item! A trio of reports came in from the opening of Toronto’s Little Island Comics over the past week. It seems that everyine is enthusiastic about The Beguiling’s latest offspring. Eric Orchard took his whole family, Matt Demers scores an interview with the store manager for the Torontoist blog, and Anthony Falcone checks in for Comic Book Daily. (Last two links via Kevin Boyd.)
Item! Jeff Lemire is interviewed by USA Today about his Frankenstein series for DC.
Item! I haven’t been keeping up properly with the Inkstuds podcast. So many interviews! Recently, Robin has talked with Craig Thompson, MK Reed, and Vancouverites Robin Bougie, Rebecca Dart, and Brandon Graham. Lots to listen to!
2011-09-13