Jason Leivian, Christophe Blain, Stephanie (translator)

Some highlights from memory:

On storytelling - “Good stories are about asking questions. It is not enough to just have a good idea. If you say, ah I have a good idea… this would be a good idea for a story, bad start.”

“Sometimes people like to act smart when writing a story. If you act smart, in fact you are stupid.”

photos here by Linda Witt and Brandon Seifert:
http://picasaweb. google. com/lindawitt1/May2008ChristopheBlainVisit

CHRISTOPHE BLAIN & T. EDWARD BAK
IN STORE READING AND SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION

May First Thursday, Christophe Blain visits from France to read from his award winning graphic novel, Isaac the Pirate. This is an amazing opportunity to meet one of France’s most brilliant new comic creators.

T. Edward Bak returns to Portland from his residency at the Savannah College of Art to read from his long awaited comic, Service Industry.

TRIPLE BOOK RELEASE PARTY

Floating World Comics is proud to present its debut publication, Diamond Comics. This newsprint anthology features mind blowing experimental comics and art from around the world.

Brandon Siefert and artist Lukas Ketner deliver the first issue of their cutting edge, medical horror comic, Witch Doctor: First Incision.

Capture Release is a new publisher in Portland that features avant garde gallery artists as well as undiscovered artists on the rise. The first issue of their eponymous magazine features Jason Traeger and Peter Lavigne-Chalek.

WHEN: Thursday, May. 1st, 6-10PM

WHERE: Floating World Comics
20 NW 5th Ave 101
Portland, OR 97209
(503)241-0227

Show runs through May. 31st

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(poster by Nicholas Gurewitch)

This April, artists Nicholas Gurewitch and Tony Millionaire are brought together for one exciting exhibition. On April 3rd, 2008 Floating World Comics, Dark Horse Comics & Stumptown Comics Fest are proud to present the art of Gurewitch’s Perry Bible Fellowship and Millionaire’s Sock Monkey. Both comic strips have been featured in alternative weekly newspapers all over the world and are collected in book form by Dark Horse Comics.

Original art will be available for view and sale from both artists. Gurewitch will also be producing dozens of oversized prints of his favorite Perry Bible Fellowship strips which will also be on display and available for sale. The art opening is on First Thursday, April 3rd. Nicholas will appear in person on Last Thursday, April 24th at the store from 7-9PM.

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For the show “Repeat After Me”, the three friends produced an original series of works that flows like an illustrated game of telephone. One artist starts with an image of any kind, and then they pass it on to the next artist who interprets it with their own personal style and attention to detail. Then the 3rd artist just gets to see the 2nd illustration so their final drawing could be totally different than the original. The artists themselves are keeping the finished illustrations secret until the night of the show so even they don’t know what the results will be. See each artist’s interpretation of themes like space station inspectors, international bicycle races, ‘Weekend At Bernies’ themed dance parties, made up gods, and other electric awesomeness.

(poster by Stefan Saito, Sean Christensen, and Catherine Peach)

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Portland art lovers are invited to view their latest show here at Floating World Comics. Cartoonists are also encouraged to bring their pads and pens for any impromptu drawing sessions that may take place!

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 7th, 6-10PM

(poster by Scott Faulkner and David Lasky) (more…)

The show was a tribute to comic creator Bill Mantlo, who wrote every issue of ROM, as well just about every other Marvel title in the 80’s. This show was organized as a fundraiser for Mantlo, who was injured in a hit and run accident 15 years ago. Severe brain injuries left him without motor functions, and he will live the rest of his life in a brain damage institute. This show was organized with the blessing of Bill’s brother and caregiver, Mike Mantlo.

We sold over $600 worth of posters that evening, but the turnout for the silent auction did not meet our expectations. With the blessing of everyone who bid that evening, we decided to extend the auction online until the end of the month.

This gives an opportunity to all the ROM fans elsewhere to get a chance to own an original illustration of their favorite character. And best of all, all the proceeds go towards Bill Mantlo’s medical care.

The following original pieces are all available on ebay until the auctions end Friday, Dec. 28th. Click on the artist’s name to link to their corresponding auction where you can place your bid. The auctions end on Friday in the order that they are listed below:

GUY DAVIS (11×17, illustration board) (more…)

***

Hi, we’re asking artists who are crazy about movies to contribute artwork to the SUPERTRASH FEST taking place Feb. 1-3, 2008 at Portland’s gigantic Bagdad Theater. Take a look at the attached SUPERTRASH press release to get an idea about the ambience of the event. Basically it’s a film fest that combines fantasy, sci-fi, horror, action, live burlesque and a special art exhibit sponsored by Fantagraphics Books.

Here are the guidelines for the show: using any medium you choose, we’d like you to re-imagine an original ‘movie poster’ for an existing movie (preferably a movie that is either very trashy or very pretentious). You can send originals to be displayed at the theater, or you can submit the work digitally and we will print it out to display. The best submissions will be compiled in a book to be published by Fantagraphics. In return, for the right to exhibit and reprint your work, you will receive five free copies of the finished book, and three all-weekend festival passes.

For digital submissions: Hi-res PDF or TIFF, RGB color, full size 11″x17″ dimensions, at least 300dpi. The deadline is Tuesday, Jan. 15th, 2008.

Reply to: jason@floatingworldcomics.com

Here’s a great link for inspiration: http://nightgallerypdx.com/supertrash.htm

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“SPACENIGHT – A TRIBUTE TO BILL MANTLO”

NON-PROFIT FUNDRAISER FOR BILL MANTLO FEATURING OVER 100 ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF ROM SPACEKNIGHT BY ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

(illustration by Renee French)

Thursday, Dec. 6th, 6-10pm. Show runs through Jan. 1st.

This December our First Thursday show is a tribute to my favorite comic character of all time, ROM Spaceknight, and the man who brought his adventures to life, Bill Mantlo. There will be over 100 contributors including: Jeffrey Brown, Sal Buscema, Guy Davis, Renee French, Simon Gane, Ken Garduno, Brandon Graham, Maureen Gubia, Kevin Hooyman, Corey Lewis, Al Milgrom, Jeff Parker, Ron Rege Jr, Zack Soto, Peter Thompson, Gordon Wiebe, Danijel Zezelj and more! A silent auction will be held for original art, and 11×17” poster prints of every contribution will be available for a suggested donation of $5 or more.

(l to r: Jeffrey Brown, Jonathan Case, Jim Rugg, Pete Toms, Jeff Lemire, Ricardo Venancio, Hyeondo Park, Simon Gane)

The first comic I ever read was ROM Spaceknight, a silver cyborg fighting evil monsters throughout the universe. I collected every issue until the series was cancelled at #75 (when I asked the comic clerk why it was cancelled he kindly replied, “Well, they just ran out of stories to
tell.”). Years later I learned that all of these incredible stories were written by one man, Bill Mantlo. At the same time I learned that he had been injured in a hit and run accident in 1992. Due to the severe injuries, Bill currently resides in a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Nursing Home, and will probably do so for the rest of his life.

This show will serve as a fundraiser and celebration of the stories Bill has given us. All of the artwork and more will be compiled in a tribute comic next year that will be sold as a non-profit benefit book for Bill’s brother/caregiver, Mike Mantlo, to provide funding to enable Bill to enjoy
somewhat of a quality of life.

Based off an unsuccessful Parker Bros. toy, Bill Mantlo turned ROM into a series that ran for 75 issues and has since become a cult favorite. It has been an honor to connect with ROM fans all over the world and share their feedback and contributions with the Mantlo family. Due to licensing issues with Hasbro, Marvel Comics is unable to reprint any ROM stories or do anything new with the character. This show will mark the first new ROM material fans have seen in over 20 years.

Earlier this year, Publisher David Yurkovich and Mike Mantlo collaborated on a 72-page magazine, Mantlo - A Life in Comics, that was also designed to raise money for Mantlo. Copies of this magazine will also be available at the show and private donations for Bill Mantlo can be sent to his
brother, Mike, at 425 Riverside Drive, Apt. 12-E, New York, N.Y. 10025.

Special thanks to Mike Mantlo, David Yurkovich, Steve Duin, Brian K. Vaughan, Hero Initiative, Dark Tower Comics, Isotope Comics, and everyone who helped spread the word.

Thanks to Greg Pak for interviewing me on the Broken Frontier website. Read the interview here.

Make a private donation to the SPACENITE - BILL MANTLO FUND directly from your Paypal account. 100% of the funds go to Mike Mantlo:

Farel Dalrymple’s debut book Pop Gun War featured a cast of surreal characters (a young boy with wings growing from his shoulders, a dwarf that becomes a giant) reacting to very human situations and conflicts, wandering (or flying) through a dreamlike version of New York City. Farel moved to Portland from Brooklyn a few years ago. With this in mind it seems appropriate that he is now working with award winning novelist Jonathan Lethem (Motherless Brookly, Fortress of Solitude) on Marvel’s latest indy experiment, a remake of a weird comic from the 70’s, Omega the Unknown. (more…)

(illustration by Renee French, a friend of ROM & Bill Mantlo)