Joe Carabeo and Carolyn Belefski are guests on the DC Geeks podcast – released yesterday, but recorded on November 14, 2012. We discussed our own podcast (The Carolyn & Joe Show) as well as the books and characters we create for Curls Studio. We also talked about My Little Pony, Turtle Derby, the human Barbie, and more. I hope you enjoy this show and thanks to DC Geeks for having us!
On Sunday, December 16, 2012, Curls Studio traveled to Philadelphia, PA for the first Locust Moon Comics Festival at The Rotunda. The show was very similar to Philadelphia Alternative Comic Con because of the same location, similar table layout, exhibitors, and vibe. I really appreciate how the show organizers promoted the show from the street with signage. Hopefully that drew in a curious crowd to stroll in. There was an after-party at Locust Moon after the show, but we opted to hit the road for a three hour drive home.
The show had some amazing moments with our younger readers. In particular a young girl with blonde hair was with her dad and he told Joe a story about how she enjoyed Kid Roxy #1 a lot and one day she was reading under a tree and accidentally left the book there. When they went back to get the book it rained and the book got all wet. It was great to hear that story and the little girl was able to purchase Kid Roxy #1 and #2 to continue the story. She also asked me to draw in her sketchbook – very fun!
There were also a handful of other kids who purchased more of our books. It was exciting to connect with our audience in Philly! That was the last tour date of the year. We thank everyone we met this year on tour. In 2013, we are officially confirmed to be at Asbury Park Comic Con on March 30, Awesome Con on April 20-21, and Baltimore Comic-Con on September 7-8.
Check out more photos of “Locust Moon Comics Festival 2012” on the Curls Studio Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151285304127381.489544.50763422380&type=1¬if_t=like
Join Curls Studio on Sunday, December 16, 2012 from 11AM to 8PM at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, PA) for the first Locust Moon Comics Festival. This show used to be the Philadelphia Alternative Comic Con, but is now being run by Locust Moon Comics and Movies.
The festival will have lectures, panels, and conversations on comics. This unique one-day event will honor comic creators and comic creations. Artists and publishers will display and sell their works. Refreshments will be provided by Kung Fu Hoagies and Little Baby’s Ice Cream.
Exhibitors will include: Brandon Graham, Farel Dalrymple, J.G. Jones, David Mack, Jim Rugg, Michael Zulli, Jasen Lexx, Terry LaBan, Box Brown, Ben Marra, Ed Piskor, Jeffro Kilpatrick, Rafer Roberts, Joe Carabeo, Carolyn Belefski, Ad House Books, Meathaus Enterprises, Secret Acres, Koyama Press, Locust Moon Press, and many others.
Here’s a link to the event’s Facebook page, so you can RSVP and share with your friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/463379443684073/
Here’s some coverage the event is getting on CPR: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2012/12/philadelphias-locust-moon-to-hold-inaugural-comics-festival-dec-16/
On October 27, 2012, Curls Studio had our first appearance at Annapolis Comic-Con. The show was Halloween themed and it was great to see many people in costume. We also did the Carolyn & Joe Show podcast for the very first time in front of a live studio audience. You can listen to the show here. We even grew a Dinosaur Plant during the show!
I distributed the Curls bookmark created specifically for Halloween and many people dug it. Positive reports came back from fans and family members who gave out the bookmarks during actual Halloween Trick-or-Treat as well.
Here is a photograph of trading cards a fan made for us to sign for him.
There was a ton of candy and many people received a free reusable Trick-or-Treat bag provided by Annapolis Comic-Con. We we seated next to Mark Wheatley and he is a pleasure to chat with. It was a show of “firsts” for us and we definitely had a fun time. Thanks to Ben for organizing the show.
To view more photos of the event, vist the Curls Studio Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151241093037381.483268.50763422380&type=3
Our next appearance will be Sunday, December 16 for Locust Moon Comics Festival at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street) in Philadelphia, PA.
Team Cul de Sac: Cartoonists Draw the Line at Parkinson’s and District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC were two anthologies I was glad to be a part of this year. I’ve already started to reminisce about 2012, even though we still have a little over one month left. The great thing about both of these projects is that they are a team effort.
Team Cul de Sac, lead by Chris Sparks, is a cartoon community dedicated to honoring Richard Thompson’s comic strip, Cul de Sac. Richard was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which led to him retire the strip this year. You can follow his blog with current updates on his brain stimulation surgery here. Being a part of this project, I was able to attend two book signing events, one of which was at One More Page in Arlington, VA and the other at Politics and Prose in DC. I was also able to take part in the panel at Baltimore Comic-Con. All the original art was auctioned off and so far the project has raised $100,951.42 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Here is a photo of the Obama family visiting the site of the first Team Cul de Sac book signing, One More Page. The Team Cul de Sac book is on the counter display. The Team Cul de Sac book was also recently included in Tom Spurgeon’s The Comics Reporter 2012 Holiday Shopping Guide.
Here are some of my event recaps and other links related to Team Cul de Sac: http://curls-studio.blogspot.com/search/label/Team%20Cul%20de%20Sac
If you are interested in purchasing Team Cul de Sac you can order directly from this link. We all wish Richard luck and look forward to any future creative projects he’ll be a part of.
District Comics is another project I was able to contribute to this year. District Comics contains many stories about Washington, DC that you would not normally read about in a traditional history book. Matt Dembicki is the editor and he really got a great group of mostly local creators to structure something that had never been done before. We were able to attend book signings at One More Page in Arlington, VA and Locust Moon Comics and Movies in Philadelphia, PA.
I worked with Joe Carabeo on the 11-page “Spytini” story about Elizabeth Bentley “The Red Spy Queen” and her activities in Georgetown, primarily at the restaurant Martin’s Tavern. To prepare for the book, Joe and I ate at the restaurant and did research on the visuals there and I took reference photos. I used a different art approach and a lot of people have remarked that it is a more mature style.
The Washington Post recently ranked District Comics as a Top 10 Graphic/Comics Reads of 2012. It makes for a great gift this holiday season and an honor to be recognized alongside with books like Drama by Raina Telegemeier, Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis, and Drawn Together by Aline and R. Crumb. District Comics was also recognized by winning a 2012 American Graphic Design Award from Graphic Design USA.
Here is a whole rundown of the press District Comics has stirred up this year:
Washington City Paper (cover story during the week of SPX)
Huffington Post
Comic Book Resources
Kirkus Book Reviews
Scripps Howards Foundation Wire
DCist
Panel Patter
Comic Related
Here are some previous blogs I wrote about District Comics: http://curls-studio.blogspot.com/search/label/District%20Comics