tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43033946583786859992024-03-05T04:36:12.014-08:00District ComicsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-504968034266026182012-11-02T09:07:00.004-07:002012-11-02T09:09:07.809-07:00Free 'District Comics' original art<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a chance to win some art from the <em><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/district-comics-matt-dembicki_n_1796591.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;">District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, D.C.</span></a></em> anthology! If you buy a copy of the book from any of the <a href="http://www.bigplanetcomics.com/"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Big Planet Comics</span></a> stores in the D.C.-area from Nov. 1-30, you are eligible for a drawing to win art from the "Ego Shine" story in the book! Just give the store your email upon purchase or you can email me a proof of purchase. Winner will be picked on Dec. 1! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo0y9B0NRa7WQwtXxubv3kayTFVH5oo8ZatB-G2xVPu_-QGsZZeLtyM6bJfh1IKLX3u5KDvFyHH20uBOoIhtC6xoOpdcvKnNtFZS9FpWUlbPEHMN66S6jFVihCBToKRtKgobi30oEmeWe/s1600/Ego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo0y9B0NRa7WQwtXxubv3kayTFVH5oo8ZatB-G2xVPu_-QGsZZeLtyM6bJfh1IKLX3u5KDvFyHH20uBOoIhtC6xoOpdcvKnNtFZS9FpWUlbPEHMN66S6jFVihCBToKRtKgobi30oEmeWe/s400/Ego.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-12050016138311525952012-10-04T19:20:00.000-07:002012-10-04T19:35:34.638-07:00How the cover evolved<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Covers for anthologies can be especially tough to design. Sometimes one image can do the trick (get it, "trick," as in <i>Trickster</i>?) but other times it requires something broader and complex. <i>District Comics</i> fell into the latter category. I wanted to include some but not all of the characters from the book on the cover; I didn't want it to be overburdening. I thought a few characters should represent the varied stories in the book and hopefully catch the buyer's eye. Initially, I thumbnailed two possible covers: one with characters from the book coming from behind the flag of D.C. (kind of pulling it open like a curtail horizontally), and the other of character opening the dome of the Capitol and jumping out (see below).</span><br />
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We were on a tight deadline, and I didn't think I could dedicate the time to do a good job on the cover. I approached a couple of contributing artists to possibly do the cover. I floated my sketches to Brooke Allen who did was Brooke does and made it magical. She included ALL the characters forming the shape of the Capitol!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVnk6ShBwDGt0MYpcLSzUKU6kuaCx4Bu-kkWT2djK2h9CY3859kav2bITXpbLX1SZ91SVre4lqCuPQZJpCEmx6frwz3SVacgZdnqeY119ZfDaquhRy_CzPPyl9zn_6Dc1bC8cladtb1F-/s1600/district+comics+cover1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVnk6ShBwDGt0MYpcLSzUKU6kuaCx4Bu-kkWT2djK2h9CY3859kav2bITXpbLX1SZ91SVre4lqCuPQZJpCEmx6frwz3SVacgZdnqeY119ZfDaquhRy_CzPPyl9zn_6Dc1bC8cladtb1F-/s400/district+comics+cover1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then came the colors and type. We considered using mostly red and white to represent the colors of the District, but fell a dominate blue color would be better. It was more eye-catching and its red, white and blue look gave the book a more recognizable historical look.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-82185624288610265432012-09-05T19:45:00.002-07:002012-09-05T19:45:44.857-07:00Zipper pulls!<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll have a limited number of 'District Comics' zipper pulls available at <a href="http://baltimorecomiccon.com/">Baltimore Comic Con</a> this weekend (my table is A194 in the artist alley area) and at the <a href="http://www.spxpo.com/">Small Press Expo</a> Sept. 15-16 in Bethesda, Md. (<a href="http://www.spxpo.com/spx-2012-floor-plan-available-now">table W2</a>). <span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">They are the perfect accessory for your fall and winter wardrobe! :)</span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-78340333845544679262012-08-22T20:35:00.002-07:002012-08-22T20:35:31.603-07:00"Taps" and Keith Clark
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<i><b>Editor's note: Contributing writer Rebecca Goldfield gives us her story behind "Taps," as well as an actual letter to Keith Clark, as well as some photo references used by artist Paul Zdepski (notice JFK is in one of them).</b></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My
husband was in The US Army Band, so I’ve heard lots of stories over the years
about that experience. Most of them are pretty amusing, like that of the colonel who displayed his musical naiveté by complaining that while the band
sounded fine, he wished the trombones would synchronize their slides so that
they all went in and out in unison (much to the merriment of the musicians, who
well understood that were multiple parts being played).<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The
story he related of Keith Clark (my husband was privileged to perform during
the funeral of President Kennedy), however, was the most poignant of the tales
he told me. There were things I wanted to include which didn’t quite fit: some
of the actual letters Keith received from the public--in a true outpouring of
gratitude and empathy. One nine year old boy in a grade school band sent a
letter of encouragement to Clark. “Anybody is bound to make a tiny mistake in
front of millions opon millions of people” he wrote and then confided, “you
should here some of the things I play.” Clark’s widow was generous enough to
supply me with those letters, along with many photos, family records and her
own memories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I
also wanted to include the fact that when Clark died in 2002, he, like JFK, was
buried in Arlington cemetery, to the strains of “Taps”. That particular
performance was flawless, but of course the bugler suffered nothing of the
ferocious pressure and poor conditions Clark had endured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A lot of people can sing in the shower”,
Clark once said. His extraordinary grace under pressure is at the heart of this
story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In
doing the research (and now this is the writer in me, speaking) I was struck by
the simple beauty of the verse. I’d heard the words hundreds of times and given
them no thought whatsoever. But now, as I read the words, really read them, I
found an unexpected sense of comfort in what seemed as much a prayer as a poem.
Here are the first 3 verses:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Day is done, gone the sun,<br />
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;<br />
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Fading light, dims the sight,<br />
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.<br />
From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks and praise, for our days,<br />
'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky;<br />
As we go, this we know, God is nigh. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Anonymous<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-33937300298718284382012-08-17T19:16:00.004-07:002012-08-17T19:20:08.669-07:00Media trifecta!<i>District Comics </i>got a lot of digital ink these last two
days! First, a little write up from the <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/43078/district-comics-at-one-more-page-books-sunday-aug-19/">Washington City Paper</a>:<br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">The graphic anthology is unconventional, definitely, but above
all, it’s ambitious.</span></li>
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Followed by a piece from <a href="http://shfwire.com/node/6794">Scripps Howard</a>:</div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">When “The
Brewmaster’s Castle” was well received by the Heurich House Museum, Dembicki
said he realized there are a lot of other D.C. stories that need to be told.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And ending the day with a Q&A in the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/district-comics-matt-dembicki_n_1796591.html">Huffington Post</a>:</span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Want to know more about Civil War soldiers who drank alcohol
from containers storing body parts? Of course you do. Which is one of the
reasons you'll want to check out local artist Matt Dembicki's new anthology
"<a href="http://district-comics.blogspot.com/"><span style="text-decoration: none;">District Comics: An Unconventional
History of Washington, D.C</span></a>."</span></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-32723649086208337422012-08-15T05:19:00.002-07:002012-08-15T12:01:01.618-07:00Signing this Sunday!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">Just a reminder that w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.4;">e'll have our first signing for the book on Sunday, Aug. 19, from 3-5 pm at <a href="http://www.onemorepagebooks.com/" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">One More Page Books</span></a> in Arlington, Va. There will be more than 20 contributors on hand to sign (this will certainly be our biggest signing), including:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Rebecca Goldfield</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Jacob Warrenfeltz</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Tabitha Whissemore</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Art Haupt</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Jason Rodriguez</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Andrew Cohen</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Rand Arrington</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Mal Jones</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Mike Rhode</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Rafer Roberts</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Gregory Robison</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Joe Carabeo</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Carolyn Belefski</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Jeff Barrus</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Michael Cowgill</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Dale Rawlings</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Michael Brace</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Steve Loya</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Kevin Rechin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Paul Zdepski</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Matt Dembicki</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Carol Dembicki</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">And, as few cherries on top, the </span><a href="http://www.spxpo.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Small Press Expo</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"> has generously donated <b>FREE</b> day passes to SPX to the first 25 people who buy a copy of the book at the signing! But wait, there's more: I did a few 5x8 sea-related illustrations (see below) that will be raffled off at the signing! (AND I'll have copies of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Xoc-The-Journey-Great-White/dp/1934964859/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345032515&sr=8-1&keywords=xoc">Xoc: The Journey of a Great White</a></i> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">on hand, and, perhaps, a few copies of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trickster-American-Graphic-Collection-Fulcrum/dp/1555917240/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1">Trickster</a></b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">? :)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.4;">What is District Comics, you ask? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><i><b>“District Comics is a graphic anthology featuring lesser-known stories about Washington, D.C., from its earliest days as a rustic settlement along the swampy banks of the Potomac to the modern-day metropolis. Spanning 1794-2009, District Comics stops along the way for a duel, a drink in the Senate’s speakeasy, a look into the punk scene, and much more.”</b></i></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-350538250714228552012-08-12T16:45:00.002-07:002012-08-12T16:47:19.102-07:00Bonus Army bonusWriter
Michael Cowgill interviewed author Thomas Allen as part of Michael's research
for his story "Skip Dillon, Son of the B.E.F."<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">There
was a photograph of two kids in a makeshift boxing ring, and when we tracked
those two guys down, they still were around, and we were able to interview
them, and again, we got a picture of the family side of the Bonus Army.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://abstractgarageblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/district-comics-interview-with-tom-allen.html">Read more....</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Photo: <a href="http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm203.html">Bonus Army camp</a>, Washington, D.C.</div>
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U.S. Library of Congress</div>
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<span style="color: #7b140e; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-39511416339112211502012-08-08T20:18:00.001-07:002012-08-08T20:23:55.718-07:00Seventh-inning stretchWriter Jason Rodriguez <a href="http://thebombbag.tumblr.com/post/28914862895"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">sheds a little more light</span></a> on the 1867 Washington Nationals, focusing on the celebration of an amazing run that was a little tarnished by allegations of throwing a game. In fact, you can read the original newspaper accounts yourself!<br />
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<a href="http://thebombbag.tumblr.com/post/28914862895"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Read more....</span></a><br />
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Jason's partner in the bullpen is artist <a href="http://www.charlesfetherolf.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Charles Fetherolf</span></a>, who produced one of the single finest images I have ever seen in comics, or anywhere for that matter. You'll know what I mean when you see it.<br />
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Below are a couple of character sketches for the "National Pastime" story that Charles has allowed us to share here:<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-70065634250687459992012-08-07T19:29:00.002-07:002012-08-07T19:31:22.960-07:00Play ball!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Writer Jason Rodriguez, who penned the story "National Pastime" in <i>District Comics</i>, talks about old-time baseball, particularly the facts surrounding his story:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;">When I was writing my story for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><em><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F1555917518%2Fref%3Das_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl%3Fie%3DUTF8%26camp%3D1789%26creative%3D9325%26creativeASIN%3D1555917518%26linkCode%3Das2%26tag%3Dthemooseinthe-20&h=jAQHgS53D" style="color: #111111; text-decoration: underline;">District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington DC</a></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;">, I was asked to recheck my references on the game scores almost every step of the way. What people just don’t get is that baseball games had basketball scores back in the day of no gloves. </span></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://thebombbag.tumblr.com/post/28835123035">Read more at his blog</a>....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And just to set the mood, here's a photo of an 1885 championship team from Washington, D.C. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-57534725209437703042012-08-06T19:00:00.002-07:002012-08-06T19:01:34.388-07:00Launch signing on Aug. 19We'll have our first signing for the book on Sunday, Aug. 19, from 3-5 pm at <a href="http://www.onemorepagebooks.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">One More Page Books</span></a> in Arlington, Va. There will be more than 20 contributors on hand to sign! It's gonna be awesome!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-3228376751482676802012-02-17T19:49:00.000-08:002012-02-17T19:54:23.011-08:00Let the role out begin!Hi, folks!<br />
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Well, the book is done and has been sent to <a href="http://www.fulcrum-books.com/">Fulcrum Publishing</a> for edits, formatting, etc. I believe it's scheduled for a September 2012 release. I'll use this blog to post news, some art from the book (including preliminary sketches) and maybe interview some of the contributors. Wouldn't that be cool?<br />
<br />
To get things rolling, here's the opening panel for the story I wrote and drew about Ego Brown, a shoe shiner in Washington, D.C. He's got a little stand near the food court area at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/map/international-square-washington">International Square</a> near the Farragut West metro station. The story, and his stand, are called "Ego Shine."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wbvvkdfSu-dk0VsdY7JVHFurAkmHzQpcD0hvMg0iQrEyrFe67Jja5dm7ZxbzQjmEo6YUesBaRBESdnF12zsJdJptjV34dOIVHPsGj-IsCIpbucf44SFvIimCc32YB_fH9ZitHiDg0y0U/s1600/ego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wbvvkdfSu-dk0VsdY7JVHFurAkmHzQpcD0hvMg0iQrEyrFe67Jja5dm7ZxbzQjmEo6YUesBaRBESdnF12zsJdJptjV34dOIVHPsGj-IsCIpbucf44SFvIimCc32YB_fH9ZitHiDg0y0U/s320/ego.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303394658378685999.post-47696952081352403822010-11-16T21:30:00.000-08:002012-02-17T19:57:16.175-08:00Overview of the project<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>District Comics</i> is an online comics anthology that will feature stories about the history of Washington, D.C., from its beginnings to contemporary times. The site will be open to the public. We want schools, libraries, comics readers and everyone else to visit the site to read some really cool stories pertaining to the nation's capital. </span><br />
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A little info about me: I'm <a href="http://matt-dembicki.blogspot.com/">Matt Dembicki</a>, a comics creator in the Washington, D.C., area. My works--both solo projects and collaborations--include <i>Xoc, Mr. Big, Brewmaster's Castle</i> and <i>Spadefoot,</i> among others. Most recently, I edited and contributed to <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1555917240/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0VKMTCK12FS4CVNHBA86&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection</a></i>, which received the 2011 Aesop Prize and was a best anthology nominee for the 2011 Eisner Awards.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0