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THE BLOG AT THE CROSSROADS
World Premiere Stage Adaptation of Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo
Posted: October 14, 2014
Southwark Playhouse celebrate the 30th anniversary of Stan Sakai’s epic award-winning comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo, by presenting the world premiere of a brand new theatrical adaptation live onstage for the first time this Christmas, adapted for the stage by Stewart Melton and directed by Amy Draper.
17th Century Japan. A world of bandit racoons, feline ninjas and warring animal clans. A young rabbit leaves home, family and friends behind him in pursuit of one ambition: to become a great samurai warrior. Trained by a maverick old lion sensei – a teacher of the warrior’s code known as Bushido – Usagi learns that the way of the samurai is one of peace and perfection – not just masterful swordsmanship. But as war engulfs the land, he must make a choice that will test his loyalty, honour and dearest friendship.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this long-running comic book series has won numerous accolades including three Eisner Awards and the Parents’ Choice Award. Adapted for the stage for the first time with special permission from creator Stan Sakai and featuring stunning design, video projection and original live music, Usagi Yojimbo is an epic adventure for the whole family.
Performances at Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD take place from Friday 28 November 2014 to Sunday 4 January 2015. Tuesday to Sunday at 7pm Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. For full listings visit the Southwark Playhouse website…
This Christmas join our long-eared hero on the adventure of a lifetime as he takes his fate in to his own paws.
My Latest Graphic Novel Reviews for The Independent
Posted: October 9, 2014
I’ve just reviewed five excellent brand-new graphic novels, The Mammoth Book of Cult Comics, Supercrash, Woody Guthrie, Robert Moses and The Motherless Oven, in my regular round-up for The Independent newspaper, online today and in print this coming Saturday. Here’s a great page from Jeff Nicholson’s Through The Habitrails, one of 22 choice Cult Comics selected by Ilya for his Mammoth 448-page tome. Take a look at my reviews here…
The Art of Mark Beyer Exhibition in Columbus, Ohio
Posted: October 7, 2014
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Paintings and prints from Thomas Wagner’s extensive collection of art by Raw contributor and Raw Vision magazine cover artist Mark Beyer goes on show at Gallery 831 in Columbus, Ohio today till October 31st. Catch this if you can.
Jon McNaught Designs Colomiers BD Festival Poster
Posted: October 7, 2014
Nobrow artist extraordinaire Jon McNaught, who won an Angoulême Fauve Award last year for the French version of Dockwood, has designed this evocative poster for the upcoming Colomiers BD Festival in France, November 14th to 16th. McNaught’s work is also featured in an exhibition there alongside Lorenzo Mattotti, Michel Rabagliati and many more as this vibrant weekend celebration of comics in their many forms.
Dave Stewart’s Rocketeer Artwork On Sale!
Posted: October 4, 2014
Galerie 9ème Art in Paris is offering for sale the original artworks for The Rocketeer Vol. 2 by the late, great Dave Stevens. Don’t miss the extraordinary opportunity!
Tempo Lush Launch Party at Gosh Comics
Posted: October 2, 2014
This Friday October 3rd from 7-9pm also brings you the Tempo Lush Launch Party at Gosh Comics, 1 Berwick St, Soho, W1F 0DR for four new titles from Tempo Lush Comics:
Tempo Lush Tales: A Comic Book Anthology by Richy K. Chandler, Matt Boyer, Francesca Cassavetti, Martin Eden, Tim Hassan, Steve Horry, Inko, Chie Kutsuwada, Mike Medaglia, Aaron Murphy, Van Nim, Karen Rubins, Paul Shinn, Keara Stewart & Steven Walsh
Rosie and Jacinda: Demon Cloud : A Teenage Fairytale Manga by Richy K. Chandler, Francesca Dare, Inko, Chie Kutsuwada, Zarina Liew & Jade Sarson
Bang! Crash! Whizz! : A pre-school story book comic by Richy K. Chandler & Sally-Anne Hickman
Lucy the Octopus: Any Less the Freak : Third volume in the webcomic collection by Richy K. Chandler.
The night will include a short chat with comics journalist and broadcaster Alex Fitch from Panel Borders, followed by musical renditions of two of the stories from the new range, plus Lucy the Octopus themed cake! There will also be plenty of time to meet many of the talented creators involved.
Screenings of ‘Seth’s Dominion’ Documentary
Posted: September 30, 2014
Back in June at ELCAF I was lucky enough to once again interview Canadian cartoonist extraordinaire Seth. It would be hard to imagine an easier, more generous and enlightening interviewee. Seth is best known for books like Palookaville, cover art for Aimee Mann, the Criterion Collection and The New Yorker, and a collaborator of Lemony Snicket’s.
Seth was mentioning a documentary by Luc Chamberland based around his fictional locale of Dominion, part filmed reportage about his life, creative processes and philosophies, part animated/puppetry recreations of his comics. The film recently won the award for Best Feature at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
The Raindance Festival in London is screening this 42-minute gem, entitled Seth’s Dominion, on Saturday October 4th at 3.40pm - book your tickets here! It will also be screened in the UK as part of the Leeds Film Festival. Meanwhile, to savour the flavour, try one clip…. and try another clip!
Yoshitomo Nara Exhibition at Dairy Art Centre, London
Posted: September 29, 2014
This Friday also sees the opening of a major solo exhibition in London by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. As The Dairy Art Centre explains: “The largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Nara in the UK to date, it will feature seminal pieces by the artist, many of which have never been shown before in the UK. Comprising a large body of recent and previously unreleased works, the exhibition will include painting, sculpture, and a unique retrospective of Nara’s drawings spanning 30 years.” Visit it at the Dairy Art Centre, 7a Wakefield St., Bloomsbury, London WC1N 1PG till December 7th. The work above is entitled ‘Can’t wait ’til the Night Comes’ (2012 © Yoshitomo Nara).
Terror & Wonder: The Gothic Imagination at The British Library
Posted: September 29, 2014
The British Library near King’s Cross in London follows up their remarkably successful exhibition Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK, which John Harris Dunning and I co-curated, with Terror & Wonder: The Gothic Imagination, a fascinating, velvet-strewn exhibition about the roots, branches and continued flourishings of all things Gothic within literature and beyond, including of course comics and graphic novels. Dave McKean, designer of Comics Unmasked, has illustrated the suitably unsettling poster for the show, which opens this Friday October 3rd and runs till January 20th 2015. Perfect viewing as the evenings start to draw in…
This Website’s 9th Birthday!
Posted: September 28, 2014
Did you bake a cake? My website celebrated its 9th birthday last week, on September 25th 2014. So I’m now embarking on the 9th year of my regular Articles and other features and listings here - join me as we prepare to blow out the candles and make a wish on this site’s 10th anniversary next September!
So what’s new in comics for the last month of the year 2014? Well, over in the Writers’ Musical Chairs Department of American comic books, in Shadow Show #2 the late Ray Bradbury is paid tribute to by (among others) Neil Gaiman, while Grant Morrison gives a new spin on Shazam, aka Captain Marvel, and gives his (lost, now found) spin on Britain’s version Miracleman, né Marvelman, originally reinvigorated by Alan Moore in Warrior, while Moore himself extrapolates Garth Ennis’s horror-SF world of Crossed a century into the future - and Garth, well he’s probably down the pub…
Actually, December brings us a great deal more besides, from classic geniuses like Milt Gross and Higo Pratt to spunky newcomers Philippa Rice and Michel Fiffe, as well as some great Asian comics in two manga series from Viz, an exceptional collaboration between Mamoru Oshii and Satoshi Kon, Chinese artist Shang Xiao’s robot series from France, and informative tomes on gay manga and the whole wide world of Asian comics. But forced to choose, my pick of the crop has to be Scott McCloud’s bravura return to graphic novels in The Sculptor from First Second in the US and SelfMadeHero in the UK. All the previews promise that this will be proof, if it were possible, of his even greater mastery and maturity with the medium (it doesn’t hit the shelves officially till February 3rd). Don’t miss McCloud’s upcoming European appearances at the ÑAM International Comics and Graphic Novel Festival in Palencia, Spain next week, and at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Kendal, England, October 17th-19th - see you there!
2014 has given us another effervescent panoply of comics of all styles, subjects and shapes. Come back for next month’s PG Tips to find out what’s in store, and in stores, as we kick off the New Year! Till then, read my latest December recommendations here…
