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Jhonen Vasquez, Steve Lafler Added to 2017 Alternative Press Expo Guest List

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Graphic Policy Team

The Alternative Press Expo (APE) has announced the addition of two eclectic comic book creators to their guest list for the coming event on September 23-24. that already included My Friend Dahmer creator John “Derf” Backderf.

Jhonen Vasquez is the creator of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac from SLG Publishing and is best known as the creator of the Invader Zim cartoon show from Nickelodeon. A comic book version of Zim is currently being published by Oni Press and production is underway on an Invader Zim movie to be aired on Nick in 2018. Vasquez will only be in attendance on Saturday.

Steve Lafler is a graphic novelist specializing in low brow humor peppered with piercing transcendental revelations about, um, strong coffee and stuff like that. He is best know for the long running series Dog Boy and his Bughouse graphic novels, set in an indigo insect noir Manhattan of the 1950s; Be-Bop is king while a band of buggy musicians struggle with addiction. Lafler is currently producing a new comic book series for Cupertino’s Alternative Comics entitled Death in Oaxaca, tracing the adventures of Rex and Gertie, a couple from Portland, Oregon transported to the magical city of Oaxaca de Juarez in southern Mexico.

John “Derf” Backderf is the creator of the acclaimed My Friend Dahmer and Trashed graphic novels. Dahmer details Derf’s own relationship with the serial killer when they were both in high school.

APE 2017 will be held in the South Hall of the San Jose convention center on September 23-24. Advance tickets are now on sale and for the third year in a row educators and librarians with verified credential will be admitted free.

Conventions

Alternative Press Expo Brings Independent Comics Back to San Jose

Posted on April 16, 2017 by Graphic Policy Team

The original event for independent comics fans and creators returns to San Jose! SLG Publishing has announced that the Alternative Press Expo (APE) will take place September 23 and 24 at the San Jose Convention Center, further cementing its legacy as a celebratory tribute to all independent comics publishers and creators.

This year, APE is proud to host award-winning artist John “Derf” Backderf as its Featured Guest Artist. The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award winner is among the most widely read independent comics creators, and best known for his work on Trashed, Punk Rock & Trailer Parks, and international bestseller My Friend Dahmer, which is currently in development as a major motion picture. Backderf is the latest in a grand tradition of featured artists for APE, which in previous years has included Gene Luen Yang, Jimmie Robinson, Malachi Ward, and many more.

Exhibitor booth space is still available for APE 2017, with open registration tickets available.

Tickets for APE 2017 go on sale in June with weekend passes for $20, and day passes for $15. Teachers and librarians will be admitted free of charge when they pre-register for the event, and as always, retailers will retain free admission to the show.

Conventions

APE Welcomes Mariko Tamaki, Jason Shiga, Announces Programming

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Graphic Policy Team

Featuring comics stars like Caldecott Honoree Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer), Jason Shiga (Demon), and Jhonen Vasquez (Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Invader Zim) the Alternative Press Expo (APE) has announced its programming schedule for the upcoming comic book convention taking place on October 3 and 4 in the San Jose Event Center.

Panels include conversations about craft, diversity, and education, with programming sponsored by San Jose State University and the Cartoon Art Museum, as well as workshops and spotlights on the conventions’ special guests. APE’s programming focuses on encouraging creators and readers alike to engage with comics in an active, informed way.

Programming will take place in three separate venues, the “APE Auditorium” in the McEnery Convention Center South Hall on South Market St., where the show floor is; the gallery Anno Domini on South First St., and SOFA Market, also on South First St. A complete list and descriptions of APE programming is up at AlternativePressExpo.com.

In addition to the programming at the convention, Café Stritch will host a free night of music in honor of APE. Super Soul Brothers and Coffee Zombie Collective will perform at 9 pm on Saturday, October 3.

VENUES

McEnery Convention Center, South Hall
435 South Market St.
San Jose, CA 95113

Anno Domini
366 S 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113

SOFA Market
387 S 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113

Café Stritch
374 S 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113

Programming

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

VENUE: ANNO DOMINI GALLERY

12-1:00 pm – Just Draw: A workshop in Mindfulness and Comics for the Stressed Out
Learn skills to keep you focused on your drawing and not the siren allure of social media. We’ll explore how techniques to make your life happier can be applied to your comics for new avenues of creativity. Instructor Mark Badger has drawn comics on the war in El Salvador, Batman, digital privacy and even abstraction for over 30 years.

1-2:00 pm – Cartoon Calisthenics
Artists of all levels are invited to start their day at APE off right with healthy and fun cartooning challenges and exercises with artist and teacher Brian Kolm (atomicbearpress.com). No need to wear your sparkly sweatsuit (unless that’s your thing), just bring yourself and be ready to draw!

3-4:00 pm – The Cartoon Art Museum Presents The Bay Area Spotlight
Explore the ever-evolving Bay Area comics scene with Cartoon Art Museum Curator Andrew Farago, award-winning graphic novelists Thien Pham and Jason Shiga, and other special guests as they look back on the past 20 years of APE and look ahead to the future of comics.

4-5:00 pm – The Cartoon Art Museum and Queer Comics Expo Present the LGBT Panel
The Cartoon Art Museum’s Nina Kester, founder of the Queer Comics Expo, promises a lively discussion and probing question for the with a magical group of creatives including: Elizabeth Beier (We Belong, Bisexual Trials and Errors), Ingrid Mouth (Overshare Party), Ajuan Mance (1001 Black Men, Gender Studies), Knave Murdok (TransCat), and Jon Macy (Fearful Hunter, Teleny and Camille).

VENUE: SOFA MARKET

12-1:00 – Think It, Write It, Draw It! A Workshop for Young and New Cartoonists
Veteran cartoonists and artists Bridgett Spicer and Betsy Streeter will break down the components from characters to writing and formatting, and help out as we set you loose on your own short project. Great for all ages!

1-2:00 pm – “Where Are Your Comic Books?” Getting Graphic Novels In Your Stacks and Classrooms
So you’ve decided to get some graphic novels for your classroom or library. Now what? This panel has teachers and librarians discuss the serious ins, outs, and vagaries of comics curation, both for libraries and the classroom.3-4:00 pm – Make Read Write Draw: Enhancing Library Programming and Classroom Activities with Comics
From simple drawing and storytelling exercises to dynamic book clubs to arts and crafts projects created from recycled comics pages, we will share success stories, tips, and resources for hosting fabulous events and building partnerships with your local comics community. Audience participation encouraged!

4-5:00 pm – Mangaka: The Fast & Furious Game of Drawing Comics
Mangaka is a fast-paced card game where you draw and write comics in five-minute bursts. Choose from over 150 themes, from vampires to sports to cooking. Pens, paper and cards provided; no drawing skills required. Designed by Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide, King of RPGs).

VENUE: APE AUDITORIUM – Behind the Concession Stand

12-1:00 pm – Animation 101: Covering All the Angles
Animator Gene Hamm (The Smurfs, Gumby, Hell Toupee) will discuss character design and teach you how to visualize your creations from multiple angles.

1-2:00 pm – CBLDF: State of Censorship
CBLDF Editorial Director Betsy Gomez presents an overview of the censorship crises facing cartoonists in 2015, from the violence and legal prosecution occurring around the globe to domestic attacks on young adult books in libraries and schools across the country. Learn how comics and books are being challenged, and what you can do to fight back!

2-3:00 pm – Moving from Indie Comics to TV Animation: The Artists of Nickelodeon’s Harvey Beaks
Join creator of Harvey Beaks, C.H. Greenblatt (Chowder) as he talks with artists and writers from the show about their background in comics and their transition to cartoon production. The panel includes Shane and Chris Houghton (Reed Gunther), Monica Ray (Phuzzy Comics), Nick Sumida (Snackies) and Dani Michaeli (SpongeBob SquarePants)

4-5:00 pm – Jhonen Vasquez Panel
Jhonen Vasquez was one of the very first special guests when the Alternative Press Expo launched in San Jose 21 years ago, and APE is pleased to welcome back the celebrated creator of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Squee! and Invader Zim. This year marks the 20th anniversary of JTHM and Jhonen will look back at the last two decades in this panel.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4

VENUE: SOFA MARKET

1-2:00 pm – The Feminist Agenda in Comics
This isn’t your usual Women in Comics panel. These are your marching orders to carry out the subversive feminist agenda, one funny book at at time. Your generals are Mariko Tamaki, Jennifer de Guzman, Juliette Capra and Casey Gilly. Surprise guests may join the ranks. You have been warned.

2-3:00 pm -Add Comics to Your Teaching Arsenal: Increase Literacy with Graphic Novels
Comics and graphic novels are unique and powerful tools for literacy. They can serve as a gateway for reluctant readers, support ELD students by providing visual context clues, and bridge learning gaps for all ages. And that’s not all! Reading a comic book requires active participation and introduces participants to visual literacy, which is an increasingly important skill in our visually dense and complex modern world.

4-5:00 pm – Advanced Topics in Graphic Novels: Comics and Critical Reading
Using strong images along with the author’s own narrative, the modern graphic novel has become a popular medium for nonfiction storytelling. Learn to read between the lines as our panel of librarians introduce you to some of the most loved (and sometimes least known) titles that educators can use to provoke readers into deeper thought and higher levels of learning.

VENUE: APE AUDITORIUM

12-1:00 pm – Jason Shiga Spotlight
Jason Shiga has no limits. He does not. Whether he’s pushing action-adventure comics in bold new directions of with his epic webcomic Demon or charting unexplored worlds with his innovative choose-your-own-adventure stories including Meanwhile… and Hello World, Shiga’s comics are unlike anything you’ve ever read. Join us for a discussion with Jason Shiga as he explores his creative process, discusses his successful Patreon crowdfunding campaign for Demon, and talks about what’s next.

1-2:00 pm – Kickstarter and Crowd-Funding
Mike Shirley-Donnelly of San Jose rock band Curious Quail shares his experience with Kickstarter and crowd-funding and the steps you can take to make sure you have a successful campaign.

2-3:00 pm – Creating a Podcast
Join Zen Zenith and Chelsea Christer, co-producers and hosts of the Doctor Who podcast Doctor Hoodlums, as they go over the basics of podcasting, setting one up and keeping one going, and how it can be a promotional instrument for everything from comics, to music to blogging.

Conventions

Around the Tubes

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Brett

It was new comic day yesterday! What did everyone read and enjoy?

Around the Tubes

Bleeding Cool – Heroes in Cleveland Against Bullying (Plus: Spider-Gwen!) – Fantastic to see.

The Beat – APE moving to San Jose Convention Center for October 3-4, 2015 – Cool.

Around the Tubes Reviews

CBR – Amazing Spider-Man #9

Comic Vine – Avengers & X-Men: Axis #4

Comic Vine – Birthright #2

Talking Comics – Birthright #2

Comic Vine – Deadpool’s Art of War #2

Comic Vine – Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program #1

Comic Vine – Gotham Avademy #2

Comic Vine – Grayson #4

Comic Vine – Green Lantern #36

Comic Vine – Punks the Comic #2

Comic Vine – Robocop #5

Comic Vine – Spider-Verse Team Up #1

Comic Vine – Spread #4

CBR – Superman Unchained #9

CBR – Tooth & Claw #1

Around the Tubes

Prism Comics Announces Recipients for 2012 Queer Press Grant

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Brett

At the Alternative Press Expo, Prism Comics announced the recipients of the 2012 Queer Press Grant on October 13th during the Queer Cartoonists Panel moderated by Justin Hall. For this year’s recipients, it’s a tie between Blue Delliquanti for O Human Star and Christine Smith for The Princess. Prism Comics, which supports LGBT comics, creators and readers, established the Queer Press Grant in 2005 to encourage the publication of LGBT-themed comics. It is now the only grant today given to independent comic book creators, as the Xeric Foundation is no longer awarding grants for comics.

Blue Delliquanti’s entry, O Human Star, is a longform graphic novel, serialized online and in print. Delliquanti is an artist and illustrator based in Atlanta. She has contributed to Womanthology and Smut Peddler and has also collaborated on nonfiction comics with Nathan Schreiber and David Axe.

O Human Star concerns Alastair Sterling, an inventor who sparked the robot revolution, finding himself alive sixteen years after his death in an advanced robotic body that matches his old one exactly. He also finds that his mind has been copied into another robot, in the form of a teenage girl named Sulla, designed by his old research partner Brendan, who was also his lover. O Human Star follows the story of this unconventional family while also exploring Al’s lifelong discomfort with his gender and sexuality, Brendan’s reluctance to rekindle a relationship with the person he loves, and Sulla’s struggle to step out of Al’s shadow and form her own identity as a young woman.

Find O Human Star online at ohumanstar.com.

Christine Smith’s submission, The Princess, is an ongoing web and print comic, which has already won several webcomic community awards, including the DrunkDuck award for best strip. It has been published in Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Borgman, and No Straight Lines: Forty Years Of Queer Comics edited by Justin Hall.

Christine provided this description of herself in introducing her work: “I am a teacher, artist, and I am transgender. These are who I am and they represent what I am passionate about. At the intersection of these paths is my webcomic. It is called The Princess. It is autobiography in the form of fiction, in which I reflect on growing up as a transgender child. It is a tale of inspiration for the child I was, empowering the character who represents her with determination and moxie I wish I’d had. It is a hand reached across generations, in which I offer gender nonconforming children, LGBTQ children, and children from LGBTQ families inspiration and hope to be themselves and shine brightly.”

The Princess can be read at www.drunkduck.com/the_princess.

Prism Comics’ Queer Press Grant is awarded to assist comics creators in publishing comics with LGBT characters or themes. Entries are judged first and foremost by artistic merit, followed by concerns such as financial need, proposal presentation, and the project’s contribution to the LGBT community. They are reviewed by the Prism Board, past recipients of the Grant, and Prism’s Advisory Board.

Random

Around the Tubes

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Brett

Lots of news, lots of links to help you through your day. It’s new comic release day, what’s on your “to buy” list?

Around the Blogs:

Bleeding Cool – In Defence Of Starfire And Red Hood And The Outlaws – Some very interesting takes on the issue.

Comics Alliance – Gay Archie Comics Character Kevin Keller to Meet His Future Husband In U.S. Military – Yay the repeal of DADT!

CNN Geekout – Superhero metaphysics – A pretty interesting take and coverage of the new DCU.

ICv2 – New Batman Animated Series – Katana? Really?

Con Coverage:

Publishers Weekly – APE Spotlights Indie Publishing Spirit

DC – Get Heard at New York Comic-Con – Flame on!

Around the Tubes Reviews:

Lytherus – Bone

ICv2 – Charmed: Season 9 Vol. 2

Blogcritics – Feynman

IGN – Star Wars Omnibus: The Complete Saga

IGN – X-Men: Schism #5

Around the Tubes

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Brett

I just feel like I need to plug it once again, if you haven’t yet, check out Sunday’s GP Radio with special guest Ron Marz. It was a hell of a show. While you’re listening to that, here’s the news you might have missed.

Around the Blogs:

CBLDF – Craig Thompson Helps CBLDF Bring in $4,700 During APE! – Fantastic to see a great cause to bring in some cash (it’s not easy to do that right now in this economy). See below how you can help.

CBLDF – CBLDF Auctions Heat Up – Pony up some cash for a great cause….

Con Coverage:

MTV Geek – Mark Hamill and New-Gen Team Up at NYCC

The Beat – NYCC: White Space announces featured attendees: Doctorow, Sullivan, Tanz, Mason

Around the Tubes Reviews:

ICv2 – The Book of Human Insects

Giant Fire Breathing Robot – Creepy Archives, Volume Eleven

MTV Geek – Dark Horse Advance Reviews: Joss Whedon’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 9 #2 & Tom Morello’s Orchid #1

CBLDF News – Be Counted At APE! Comics College in NYC!

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Brett

Official Press Release

Be Counted At APE!

This weekend the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is exhibiting at table 239 at the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco, where Craig Thompson will be signing copies of his new graphic novel Habibi to raise money for our important legal work! In addition to Craig’s appearances, the Fund will be offering a wide array of items to thank you for your donations, including graphic novels signed by Charles Burns, Dan Clowes, Guy Davis, Moebius, and Paul Pope.

We’re also offering two CBLDF exclusives — a new tote bag by Jim Woodring, courtesy of SPX, for donors who sign up for $50 membership at APE, and Anders Nilsen’s limited edition, undistributed Big Questions: Extras And Outtakes, courtesy of Desert Island, for donors who sign up for $25 Membership at APE!

On top of our booth incentives you can also learn more about the CBLDF at our Censorship Then & Now program on Satuday at 11:30, hosted by CBLDF’s Executive Director Charles Brownstein. Brownstein will also be hosting Drawing Inspiration: The Secrets of Comics Creativity with Kate Beaton, Tom Neely, Craig Thompson, Mathew Thurber, Shannon Wheeler on Saturday at 6.

NYC Comics College Continues
with Jared Fletcher on October 8th!

The CBLDF’s Comic College series continues with letterer and designer Jared Fletcher (X-Men, Ex Machina, Batman and Robin). Jared’s master session will focus on the creation of a memorable logo, from brainstorming to initial design to final execution. Jared’s work on the X teams’ logos was recently featured on Comics Alliance.

Comics College is a series of master sessions held at our New York City offices, featuring expert advice and insight from professionals of the industry. These sessions are opportunity for aspiring creators to learn about the craft and business of comics from experts

Tickets are available for a $40 donation.

Around the Tubes

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Brett

It’s Saturday and tomorrow night is a new episode of GP Radio! Why the big deal? Comic book writer Ron Marz will be joining us for the show. So make sure to tune in. Until then, here’s some news to tide you over.

Around the Blogs:

Prism Comics – GLBT Presence in The New 52 – Everyone is focused on women in comics, what about the portrayal of gay characters?

The Beat – The day in gender battles: Fight the crap or wallow in the good? – More discussion of gender in comics.

Publishers Weekly – New Kindle Gets Exclusive on DC Graphic Novels – A sign DC is going all in with digital and Kindle?

Con Coverage:

Spandexless – Spandexless goes to Webcomics Con

The Beat – NYCC: Saturday sold out; pro passes going fast

The Beat – NYCC approaches — exhibit space sold out

The Beat – APE previews, debuts, parties!

Around the Tubes Reviews:

MTV Geek – Grandpa Won’t Wake Up

CBR – Justice League Dark #1