Cartoonists Draw Blood - American Red Cross Blood Drive is May 31 in DC

On Saturday, May 31, 2014, nine of the finest cartoonists in the Washington, DC area will be devoting their time and talents to sketch for blood donors for the second 'Cartoonists Draw Blood' event with the American Red Cross at Seekers Church (276 Carroll Street, NW in Washington, DC 20012 -- one block from Takoma Metro).

Since our first blood drive last fall was so successful, the American Red Cross asked us to do it again!

Did you know that each blood donation saved three lives? This is a great opportunity for cartoonists to perform community service, showcase our talents, and save lives. 

Blood donors are needed to sign up for appointments scheduled in 15 minute intervals between 10AM to 3:30PM. To donate blood, please email Troy and Carolyn at 'CartoonistsDrawBlood@gmail.com' with your preferred appointment time. Walk-ins are welcome.

On the day of your blood donation, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, include iron-rich foods in your diet, bring a list of medications you are taking, and bring a photo ID.

Facebook RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1437807213121707

Sponsors: Cartoonists Draw Blood, American Red Cross, National Cartoonists Society, Seekers Church

Cartoonists: Steve Artley, Carolyn Belefski, Bill Brown, Eric Gordon, Mal Jones, Teresa Roberts Logan, Jay Payne, Matt Rawson, Joe Sutliff

Thanks to Troy-Jeffrey Allen for co-chairing the May 31 event with me. Thanks to Steve Artley for his Zombie, Dracula, and Werewolf characters.

Recap: Gaithersburg Book Festival 2014

On Saturday, May 17, 2014, Curls Studio exhibited for the first time at Gaithersburg Book Festival. There were tons to fun things to do for all age groups and genre tastes! We spent most of the time at our booth in the Young Adult section of Children's Village. It was a great time to meet everyone and have the public discover our comics.

We handed out a bunch of free Magic Bullet issues. Magic Bullet is Washington, DC's comics newspaper anthology. I've been editor for nearly two years and the next issue deadline is July 1. It will be a Western themed issue.

For more of our photos from this year's Gaithersburg Book Festival, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152398331102381.1073741849.50763422380&type=3

Gaithersburg Book Festival is May 17

Curls Studio will be exhibiting for the first time at Gaithersburg Book Festival this coming Saturday, May 17, 2014. Look for us in the Children's Hall of Authors located in the center of the Children's Village. The event runs from 10AM to 6PM at Gaithersburg City Hall (31 South Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877). Hope to see you there!

Here is our Facebook RSVP page for this event so you can tell your friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/663875427000791/

ANS Sci-Fi & Comic Con is May 10

Curls Studio will be exhibiting at ANS Sci-Fi & Comic Con this Saturday, May 10 from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Admission is $5 per person (go to their website for $1 off coupon), children under 10 are FREE. 

There will be some familiar faces there including: Laura Inglis, Blue Milk Special, Dan Nokes, Bill McKay, and more. There will also be a screening of "Dear Mr. Watterson" -- an exploration of Calvin & Hobbes. 

Archbishop Neale School is located near the intersection of Route 301 (Crain Highway) and Route 6 (Port Tobacco Road), just past the La Plata Shopping Center.

104 Port Tobacco Road
La Plata, Maryland 20646

Recap: Free Comic Book Day 2014

Curls Studio had a great Free Comic Book Day at Big Planet Comics in Vienna, VA yesterday! We were there for two hours and got to meet a lot of local people who enjoy comics. So many people are interested in what we do, so it was a good feeling to see that. We handed out a ton of free Magic Bullet issues and also promoted the "Cartoonists Draw Blood" blood drive on May 31.

After our appearance, we got to meet Brooke Allen (who is also local and I tapped her to create the color center spread in Magic Bullet #8) and Grace Ellis (who flew in from Ohio). They have an excellent comic book called Lumberjanes. Check it out.

View more photos form Free Comic Book Day 2014 here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152363120952381.1073741847.50763422380&type=3

Thanks to all who came out and met us.

Herblock Prize 2014

Congrats to Jen Sorensen for winning this year's Herblock Prize for excellence in editorial cartooning. She's been at it for years and it's great to see her as the first female to win this award. It was also exciting to see a presentation by journalist Bob Woodward of Herb Block's Nixon cartoons.

I first saw Jen's cartooning while I was a student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. There was a local weekly newspaper which really blew my mind back then called Punchline and Jen's cartoon Slowpoke was published in it. This was also a time when I was discovering Elizabeth Watasin's Charm School and James Kochalka at Velocity Comics down the street from my dorm. It was a great moment of eye-opening inspiration for me on those Richmond streets.

I remember purchasing Jen's first Slowpoke book at the VCU bookstore back then. A couple of years later I would meet her at SPX when I worked as a volunteer. Last year, I got to hang out with her at the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards weekend. Above is a photo from Keith Robinson at NCS -- left to right: Barbara Dale, Carolyn Belefski, Jen Sorensen, Cathy Guisewite, Teresa Roberts Logan).

Congrats again to Jen! My favorite is her Drooly Julie character.

What a wonderful evening in DC last night. Thanks to all the local cartoonists who came out to support Jen and the US Library of Congress for hosting us.

You can see more photos for the 2014 Herblock Prize on the Curls Studio Facebook page and give us a "Like" while you're at it: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152355637727381.1073741845.50763422380&type=1

May 3 is Free Comic Book Day

Next Saturday, May 3, 2014 is Free Comic Book Day. In preparation for the "Cartoonists Draw Blood" blood drive we are putting on with the American Red Cross later in the month (May 31), several of the contributing artists will be making appearances at local comic stores to promote and encourage people to sign up to donate blood.

Visit these fine creators on May 3 for FCBD:

Joe Carabeo and Carolyn Belefski at Big Planet Comics 
426 Maple Avenue E., Vienna, VA
NOON to 2PM

Teresa Roberts Logan at Big Planet Comics 
1520 U Street, NW, Washington, DC
1PM to 3PM

Joe Sutliff  at Big Planet Comics 
4849 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD
1PM to 3PM

Troy-Jeffrey Allen and Matt Rawson at Fantom Comics 
50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC

Here is the Facebook RSVP, if you are planning to stop by the Vienna, VA location of Big Planet Comics to see Curls Studio: https://www.facebook.com/events/275630839277333/?ref=5