Comics212

Over at Comics Comics, they’ve printed an interview with Yoshihiro Tatsumi conducted at the 2009 Toronto Comic Arts Festival. It’s by one of our customers (and a freelance writer/interviewer) named Chris Randle, and it’s really good. Randle’s got a deeper interest in comics in general and Tatsumi’s work in particular than many interviewers I’ve read, and as such I think he manages to get a little more out of Tatsumi about his life and work.

Long story short, it’s a good one. Go check it out: http://comicscomicsmag.blogspot.com/2009/10/tatsumi-in-toronto.html

- Chris

©2009 Evan Dorkin. From Dork #4 & Dork Volume 1: Who’s Laughing Now?. 40.

Abby Denson’s DOLLTOPIA Book Launch and Party!
Featuring Abby Denson and Matt Loux
Friday, October 16th, 2009, 6pm-8pm
@ The Central, 603 Markham Street (Next to The Beguiling)
FREE

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105326729762

Mini-comix Queen Abby Denson will be releasing her new full-length graphic novel DOLLTOPIA this fall, and The Beguiling and publisher Green Candy Press are teaming up to throw a party!

DOLLTOPIA is the story of a group of dolls that are tired living the factory-set, cookie-cutter existences that their owners and makers have laid out from them… and revolt! They seek DOLLTOPIA, a place where a doll can be a doll. It’s a mature rumination on the nature of identity, individuality, and making a mark in a society that tends towards sterility and monoculture, told in the style of a Todd Haynes biopic.

The evening’s event will include a reading and presentation from Abby Denson on DOLLTOPIA, the official release of the graphic novel from Green Candy Press, and Abby’s even been bringing awesome gourmet cupcakes to all of her tour stops for everyone who attends! Also joining the evening presentation will be Abby’s good friend and graphic novelist Matt Loux! Matt is the author of the Oni Press graphic novel SIDESCROLLERS (which fans of Scott Pilgrim will enjoy!), and his most recent series are the (really, really good) young readers graphic novels SALT WATER TAFFY. The third volume is the brand new The Truth About Dr. True, and Matt will be signing copies and presenting from this work!

The event is a bit of an early one, starting at 6pm right next to The Beguiling at THE CENTRAL, on the main floor! Hopefully you can come out for the event!

• For more on the DOLLTOPIA tour, check out Abby’s site at www.Abbycomix.com!
• To read a 12 page preview of DOLLTOPIA, click here: http://www.abbycomix.com/dolltopia-1/
• For more on Matt Loux’s work, check out: http://www.actionmatt.com/

- Christopher

©2009 Evan Dorkin. From Dork #4 & Dork Volume 1: Who’s Laughing Now?. 39.

©2009 Evan Dorkin. From Dork #4 & Dork Volume 1: Who’s Laughing Now?. 38.

©2009 Evan Dorkin. From Dork #4 & Dork Volume 1: Who’s Laughing Now?. 37.

…I just finished GoGo Monster by Taiyo Matsumoto, author of Tekkon Kinkreet / Black and White and it`s awesome. Full review after I’ve read it a second time, but it’s just really, really neat. I think it might start making appearances in stores today, and in comic stores in the next week or two. Published by Viz.  Run, don’t walk, to pick it up.

- Chris

Today the Federal Trade Commission revised their “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials” (click here to download), urging bloggers who review products, from a book to a video game system, to disclose if they received the product for free when giving an endorsement. According to the Washington Post, breaking these new guidelines could generate up to $11,000 in fines. – Galleycat

Well, that certainly puts the tussle that went down earlier this year in a new light.  About $11,000 of new light.

Earlier this year Heidi MacDonald went on a bit of a tangent, ripping on comics bloggers who included whether or not a book was provided gratis by a publisher in their reviews. Like adding the phrase “This review was based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.” to the end of the review. The comments section of that post heated up too, with respected newspapermen-and-women like Tom Spurgeon and Brigid Alverson coming down on opposite sides of the debate (Spurge openly-mocked the concept of noting when a book was provided by a publisher, Brigid wanted to cover all of her ethical bases). Well Guess What? Looks like the F T C came down like a sack of hammers in favour of fessing-up to your filthy filthy swag.

So, for example, if I were to review Taiyo Matsumoto’s GO GO MONSTER which I got in the mail today, or Inio Asano’s WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD which I got in the mail today, I’d have to…

Wait, wait, let me get a picture:

OMG… so beautifulllll….

Anyway, if I were to write a review about either of these fine books, I’d have to mention that these fine books were provided courtesy of the publisher, Viz LLC, or risk massive fines from the FTC! Well, if I positively reviewed… or ‘endorsed’ the books. I guess I could rip on them and not have to disclose that I got them for free.

Actually, I’m Canadian aren’t I? Fuck the FTC! They got nothing to do with me. I guess now this whole post is just me bragging that I got books early, from the pubs. Jesus, what a horrible lack of class, or tact, on my part. How utterly unprofessional. I don’t know why you even come here.

Meanwhile, as I imagined she might, Johanna Draper Carlson has all kinds of smart things to say on this very subject. Go read what she has to say.

- Christopher