ANNOUNCE: TCAF 2009 MAY 9-10
We’re confirmed: The 2009 Toronto Comic Arts Festival will be held Saturday May 9th and Sunday May 10th, in Toronto, Canada. Our new digs? The Toronto Reference Library, a huge and beautiful modernist building, able to accommodate all of our growing Festival needs.
Mark your calendars now, book off some time, and get ready for the best TCAF yet.
For more info, e-mail me at 2009@torontocomics.com.
- Christopher
May 14th, 2008 | by Chris
ANNOUNCE: Cecil Castellucci & Scott Hepburn in Toronto
The Beguiling Presents
CECIL CASTELLUCCI & SCOTT HEPBURN
For the new graphic novels The Plain Janes and Star Wars: Vector
Wednesday, January 30th, 5PM-7PM
The Beguiling, 601 Markham Street
(Around the corner from Honest Ed’s, at Bathurst TTC)
FREE
“We think this is going to be a really fun signing,” enthused Beguiling Manager Christopher Butcher. “While Cecil and Scott may seem like an odd pairing at first, they’ve both produced work aimed for a young adult audience that has resonated with readers of all ages, and we think that’s going to make for a diverse and interesting group of fans!”
Following the signing, both Cecil and Scott will be discussing the nuts-and-bolts creation of their work as part of The Beguiling’s “Industry Night @ The Vic” at The Victory Café, 581 Markham Street, at 8pm.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Cecil Castellucci is the author of the award-winning young adult novels Boy Proof, Queen of Cool, and Beige, all published by Candlewick Press. Her first foray into graphic novels is The Plain Janes, from DC Comics/MINX, illustrated by Jim Rugg. Cecil’s work has received numerous honours from The American Library Association (ALA) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), with Beige and Plain Janes receiving numerous awards just this week! Cecil can be found on the internet at http://misscecil.com.
Scott Hepburn’s art career includes illustrating numerous RPG books from White Wolf Publishing, and providing lead artistic duties for the YALSA-nominated graphic novel series Sentinel from Marvel Comics. He provides the art for the new Star Wars comic series Vector, which begins in the title Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #25. A perfect introduction to the popular comics, this first issue features characters from across the Star Wars Universe including Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and many more. Scott is also currently creating the online graphic novel The Port for Canadian webcomics collective TRANSMISSION-X, at http://www.transmission-x.com/.
ABOUT THE BOOKS:
The Plain Janes is published by DC Comics/MINX, and distributed in Canada by H.B. Fenn. Boy Proof, The Queen of Cool, and Beige are published by Candlewick Press and distributed by Penguin Canada. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #25 and Star Wars: Vector are comic book serials published by Dark Horse Comics. Copies of all books will be available for sale at the event.
MEDIA QUERIES:
For queries regarding the event, contact Christopher Butcher, manager of The Beguiling, 416-533-9168 or via email at: chris@beguiling.com.
Art from The Plain Janes, by illustrator Jim Rugg. Copyright 2007 Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg.
Cover to Beige, by Cecil Castellucci. Picked as a ‘2008 Best Book for Young Adults’ by YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association.
Art by Scott Hepburn from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #25 (Vector Part 1). Copyright 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd.
January 17th, 2008 | by Chris
Scott Pilgrim Website Relaunched
Bryan Lee O’Malley just sent out a little note that the brand new promo website for Scott Pilgrim is now online, featuring a spiffy new design by Nadine Lessio… the same talented designer that produced my own site here. http://www.scottpilgrim.com/ features icons, wallpaper, press info, and even a preview of the forthcoming fourth volume of the book.
Speaking of which, I hear that print proofs have already made their way into certain reviewers’ hands, and the book is currently scheduled to drop November 7th, give or take a week for printing and distribution vagaries. I turned down the preview… I really want to read the final book and I’ve already spoiled two or three things about the story for myself by accident so I’m trying to stay as far away from the pages as possible. But if you just can’t wait, then head over and check it out.
- Christopher
October 15th, 2007 | by Chris
Newsarama bought by Imaginova.com
Just as a bit of ancillary info following the post I wrote this weekend about comics journalism, Newsarama.com announced today that it has been acquired by Imaginova.com, a science and technology reporting company. “Newsarama will serve as Imaginova’s eyes and ears in the world of genre entertainment,” according to the official press release at http://www.newsarama.com/Imaginova/announcement.html. My favourite part of the PR is where Doran and Brady recount the seven previous different iterations of the website, providing a nice bit of continuity to the announcement.
I don’t really have much else to add other than to observe that it happened. It seems Brady and Doran are quite happy, and so I am happy for them. I’m also kind of tickled that the pre-complaints about a lesser quality of service have started in the comments section related to the Press Release; it’s a very Newsarama-esque response to the news.
- Christopher
October 8th, 2007 | by Chris
COMICS FESTIVAL 2007 - Final Line Up!
Comics Festival Covers. Left by Darwyn Cooke. Right by Bryan Lee O’Malley.
Hey there folks! We just put the finishing touches on the line-up and layout for our contribution to Free Comic Book Day, Comics Festival 2007! I’m so excited that I just wanted to share it with all of you, and give you a sneak peak at some of the material in the book.
All of these creators have contributed BRAND! NEW! comic stories and comic strips to the book, that will only be available in Comics Festival! Also! This book features 16 pages of full colour material! It’s gonna be awesome!
So, here’s the line-up:
Flip Covers by Bryan Lee O’Malley and Darwyn Cooke
J. Bone, “Jett Vector”
Michael Cho, Brian McLachlan, and Darwyn Cooke, “True Romance”
Darwyn Cooke, “The Alex”
Rob Coughler and Ramon Perez, “Butternutsquash”
Ray Fawkes and Cameron Stewart, “The Apocalipstix”
Eric Kim, “Battle Academy”
Hope Larson, “S is for Salamander, S is for Snow”
Steve Manale, “Superslackers”
John Martz, “The Time Machine”
Jim Munroe and Salgood Sam, “Therefore Repent!”
Ryan North, “Dinosaur Comics!”
Bryan Lee O’Malley, “The Wonderful World of Kim Pine” & “Scott Pilgrim”
Steve Rolston, “Good For Nothing”
Howie Shia, “The Century of Love”
Kean Soo, “Jellaby”
R. Stevens, “Diesel Sweeties”
Zach Worton, “George Washington Carmack”
Doug Wright, “Nipper”
Chip Zdarsky, “Monster Cops”
Jim Zubkavich, “The Makeshift Miracle”
COMICS FESTIVAL 2007! will be available at great comic stores everywhere on Saturday, May 5th, 2007: Free Comic Book Day. If you want copies for you and all of your non-comics-reading friends, make sure to ask your local comic distributor to see if they’ll be carrying copies of the book. Let them know that the order code is:
FEB070041 - COMICS FESTIVAL 2007 FCBD ED - FREE!
For more information, visit http://freecomicbookday.com/, and look for the official Comics Festival 2007 website soon.
- Christopher
March 6th, 2007 | by Chris
Real blogging later, but…
Two quick things.
We’re giving out guestlist spots to the Toronto MySpace Black Curtain Screening of 300, which I think is in IMAX, on The Beguiling’s Mailing List right now. Go subscribe in the little box at http://www.beguiling.com. Contest details are being sent out every 4-6 hours until tomorrow at Noon.
2. The Scott Pilgrim @ The Library event tomorrow? They ran the press release in a bunch of Toronto media this morning, which is pretty darned cool. Looks like it’s going to be a fun event. Make sure you show up. Details here.
- Christopher, busy like a bee.
February 19th, 2007 | by Chris
Bryan Lee O’Malley at The Toronto Public Library
Kind of a Big Deal…
Scott Pilgrim @ the Library
Presented in partnership with Toronto Public Library
Part of Keep Toronto Reading 2007
http://www.keeptorontoreading.ca
Sit down with critically acclaimed graphic novel creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, the man behind the witty and hilarious Scott Pilgrim series, selected as the Independent Comic of the Year by Entertainment Weekly (2006). Bryan chats with The Beguiling’s Peter Birkemoe and you never know, he might just give away a few exciting teasers about the highly anticipated new volume of Scott Pilgrim.
North York Central Library (Concourse)
Tues. Feb. 20, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
http://keeptorontoreading.com/anime.php#scott_pilgrim
Also: Live chat with Bryan Lee O’Malley!
Can’t wait until the 20th? Chat online with Bryan a day before the event on Book Buzz: Toronto Public Library’s Online Book Club. It’s the perfect appetizer to what will be a highly memorable event.
Mon. Feb. 19, 4-5 p.m. FREE.
–
I have to say it’s pretty cool seeing the store logo up there with the LCBO and STARBUCKS, sort of the perfect triumverate of vice… At any rate, Keep Toronto Reading is a pretty big deal in the city, a publically-funded month-long literacy initiative by the Toronto Public Library, and the mayor even gets involved and declares it “Keep Toronto Reading Month”. Having a graphic novel event as part of the proceedings is very chic, and says good things about the library’s commitment to “graphic fiction”. All in all? The Beguiling couldn’t be more pleased to be a part of the event, and I think it’ll be a lot of fun.
- Christopher
January 29th, 2007 | by Chris
