Magic Bullet #6 Cover and Contributor List

I am pleased to present to you the cover of Magic Bullet #6. Magic Bullet is Washington, D.C.’s free comics newspaper published by 
D.C. Conspiracy, a comics creators’ collective in the capital region. 

Art Hondros illustrated the cover art and El Jefe Design was tapped to create our new nameplate/masthead. S. G. Artley did the color center spread. The issue is schedule to go to print tomorrow with a run of 5,000 and will be hitting the streets shortly. Be sure to look for it around town and pick up this free publication.

Here are the contributors who made the final cut for print publication in Magic Bullet #6:

Henry and Jacob Warrenfeltz
Jason E. Axtell
Adam McGovern, Diana Leto
Nick Liappis
Rob Anderson, Dafu Yu, E.T. Collman, Paul Allor
Matt Rawson, Derek Scarzella, Troy-Jeffrey Allen
Michael Brace
R.M. Rhodes, Evan Keeling
Rafer Roberts
Arsia Rozegar
Kevin Panetta, Mike Short
Eric Gordon
Matt Dembicki
Dale Rawlings
John Shine
S. G. Artley
Jeff McClelland, Kurt Belcher, Jonathan Brandon Sawyer, Tom Ziuko
Andrew Cohen
Josh Kramer
Joe Sutliff
JTW
M. Jacob Alvarez
Sean Fahey, Ben Passmore, Kel Nuttall
Lauren Silberman
Michael Cowgill
William Brown
Joe Carabeo, Carolyn Belefski

We received many submissions and had to fit advertising along with a budgeted page count. Thank you to all who submitted and we urge you to submit your comics to be considered in future editions.

More information will be released soon about the digital download, which will be available for $0.99.

I plan to bring several bundles with me to Asbury Park Comic Con on March 30. We will also be distributing Magic Bullet to local establishments in DC, MD, and VA (places like book stores, restaurants, theaters, tattoo parlors, record shops, etc.).

May 4, 2013 is Free Comic Book Day and Magic Bullet #6 contributors are scheduled to appear at many local comic shops. Be sure to stop by and meet us in-person. Please refer to the graphic above to see who will be appear and the nine locations we'll be at.

I will also be promoting Magic Bullet at Capicons on June 16 (Father's Day) at the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department. We'll be distributing Magic Bullet #6 for free at all Curls Studio tour stops in 2013.

Stay 'tooned for more information about distribution of Magic Bullet #6 as well as details about advertising and comic submission for the next issue. If you are interested in advertising and comic submission guidelines, connecting with us, or attending our meetings, visit magicbulletcomics.com for information.

It has been a pleasure editing this edition of Magic Bullet. I hope you get the opportunity to find it and enjoy reading it. May the hunt begin!

XOXO,
Carolyn

Magic Bullet #6 Announcement

Here's some news I haven't shared publicly on this blog. I am now the editor of Magic Bullet, starting with the upcoming Magic Bullet #6. Magic Bullet is Washington, DC’s free comics newspaper published by the DC Conspiracy, a comics creators’ collective in the capital region established in 2005. The publication is primarily distributed in the DC area, but with many of our contributing artists attending various shows across the country, Magic Bullet has a growing readership, as well as a growing print run of 5,000. 

I will be bringing Magic Bullet #6 to all shows I'll be attending in 2013, so be sure to pick up your free physical copy. We are also working on a downloadable issue, available for a small fee online. The Magic Bullet #6 newspaper will be hitting streets this spring. We are also arranging our contributors to appear at several locations during Free Comic Book Day on May 4. Stay 'tooned for more info about the downloadable issues and FCBD events.

For the past few months, I've been working hard to attract advertisers to pay for the upgraded print run of 5,000 and am excited to say we have achieved our goal. At the time of this writing, some of the advertisers include: Indie Comics Magazine, Jason E. Axtell, Franks and Beans, ComicsDC, Steve Artley, SPX, Society of Illustrators/MoCCA, Graphic Illusions Comics, St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (thanks to Art Hondros for securing the ad), ANS Sci-Fi & Comic Con, Shoff Promotions, Awesome Con DC, Matt Dembicki, Jim Coon, American Physical Society, Big Planet Comics (thanks to Matt Dembicki for securing the ad), Beyond Comics (thanks to Rafer Roberts for securing the ad), and more to come!

Thanks to the advertisers who have made this project possible and thanks to Rafer Roberts and Matt Dembicki for their input and guidance as former editors.

There is still time to contribute your comic to Magic Bullet #6. The due date for your one page comic submission is March 1, 2013. Please review our requirements and specs here: http://magicbulletcomics.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html

We look forward to your stories!

Thanks,

Carolyn

"District Comics" Teaching Recommendations

"District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC" was recently reviewed in Katie's Korner: Graphic Novel Review for Schools and Libraries. She cites it as one of he favorite all-time graphic novels and includes many lesson plans, discussion questions, and other teaching materials for students (craft, structure, plot, characters, themes, historical insight, etc.).

It was such an awesome opportunity to be a part of this book. Look for the story "Spytini" by Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo in "District Comics" and view all of Katie's teaching material here, from Diamond Bookshelf: http://www.diamondbookshelf.com/Home/1/1/20/836?articleID=131069

Recap: Tall Tales from A Large Man

On Wednesday, January 16, 2013, I attended AIGA DC's event "Tall Tales from A Large Man" with speaker Aaron James Draplin of the Draplin Design Co. I knew going into the event that he would be a dynamic speaker based on all the online hype from AIGA DC and the fact that the event sold out and then they switched venues to open additional seating. People wanted to see this dude talk! He's not your typical designer with thick black glasses and a crisp shirt. He's a big man with a beard who looks like he stepped out of the wilderness. He discussed his upbringing and early design career: hopping around from Detroit, Alaska, Minnesota, and Portland. He started working for other people, then he discovered, "I could make more money after 6PM when I got home than I could going to meetings about meetings." Eventually, he saved his money and went full-time working for himself.

Draplin commented on the current state of design, "Graphic design used to be a trade. Direct marketing garbage. That's our life now. Flickering and flashing online ads. Now we are making garbage all day long." He didn't tell me things I didn't know, it was just the way he delivered the message that was different than most people would have. There was no restraint when he wanted to talk bad about something or someone and we all learned that he hates Republicans. We were reminded this many times throughout the presentation. 

To get a taste of his style, take a listen to his feelings on how America is F*cked (Graphically at least): http://vimeo.com/1465284

The most interesting parts in his presentation were showcasing three projects in more detail with his "tall tales." The first project was an identity design he did for his friend's Cobra Dogs hot dog truck. It was fun to see a designer speak about how much he enjoyed a project. Also comparing it to a more well-known company he designed for and saying he got more out of creating something for a less-known company was refreshing to hear. Especially in DC, where I am often asked where I work as an introductory sentence before asking what my name is.

Draplin also discussed how excited he was to work for Obama on the ARRA and TIGER projects. He showed his logo process and his enthusiasm for our President. I think it is really great that they sought him out to contribute to the country.

The third project was designing an identity for a farm in Illinois. He got to know his client on the phone and they had personal conversations throughout he course of the project. They both agreed the logo design set price at $1,000. After some time, Draplin realized the man he was working with was John Hughes, the legendary Hollywood director of movies such as The Breakfast Club, Uncle Buck, Home Alone, and more. They had a phone relationship and Hughes appreciated that once Draplin discovered who he was he didn't add on an extra 0 to the fee. Hughes had Draplin design business cards for his fictional characters. Then he died. Draplin spoke on the phone with his sons and they said the business cards were given out at the funeral.

We also found out that besides his hate of Republicans, Draplin also dislikes Kid Rock, Toby Keith (he said he had a nose job and I later researched it online and could not find evidence), sandals at a wedding, Guy Fieri, and more. Draplin is definitely a man who wants to preserve good design, pays respect to the past, and knows his culture. He also reminded me not to forget logos that read well when reproduced at a small size. He knows himself and for that I appreciate his quality work and his talk.

Carolyn Belefski - Nominee for Best of D.C.

I am nominated for Washington City Paper's Best of D.C. Readers Poll in the category of "Best Visual Artist." It only takes a couple seconds to vote. I'd appreciate if everyone took a moment to vote. Thank you!

Please spread the word and vote using this link: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/bestofpoll/nominations/vote/1336?year=2013

The poll closes March 1st at 11:59PM EDT

Carolyn Belefski has been nominated for Best Visual Artist

Carolyn Belefski is the writer and artist of the comic strip Curls at www.curls-studio.com/curls. She is constantly improving her skills and touring the east coast appearing at comic conventions and art shows.

Donkeys & Elephants: A Celebration of American Political Cartoons

On Saturday, January 12, 2013, I attended "Donkeys & Elephants: A Celebration of American Political Cartoons" at Studio Gallery in DC.

Here are some photos I took of the exhibit.

Here is more information on the exhibit from the press release:

In January, 2013 Studio Gallery will present a special exhibit which celebrates America’s editorial cartoonists and their work. The show focuses on donkeys and elephants, icons of partisan imagery since the 1800’s, and features more than 70 pieces. It includes some of the earliest cartoons by Thomas Nast portraying donkey and elephants, a special exhibit of some of Herb Block’s (Herblock) work, and over 50 contemporary cartoons from around the country and the world illustrating America’s political scene during 2012.  

 On Tuesday, January 22, from 6 – 8 PM, Kevin Kallaugher, editorial cartoonist for The Economist Magazine, will give a presentation titled “From Pen to Pixel: The Cartoons of Kal.”  His presentation will include a review of Kal’s cartoons on the Obama administration.  The presentation is open to the public.  

 Donkeys and Elephants is a timely and thematically colorful exhibit whose goal is to inform the public about the history of political cartoons and the important role they play in the media and in American democracy today. Editorial cartoonists have always played a critical role in America’s editorial pages. Today, in a technologic world that communicates increasingly through images, they have found a renewed importance in the online and social media sphere. 

The exhibit has been made possible with the generous support of the Herblock Foundation.   Studio Gallery will also feature a lecture by Kevin Kallagher, editorial cartoonist for The Economist magazine who has been described by The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons as "one the premier caricaturists of the (twentieth) century."

WHERE: Studio Gallery, 2108 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008

District Comics in 'A literary introduction to Washington'

District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC was featured on the cover of The Washington Post's Style section yesterday and included in their 'literary guide to Washington.'

You can read about it here along with their other book choices, including Carla Hall from The Chew, one of my favorite TV shows.

It's really an honor to be getting so much press coverage from The Washington Post. They also recently named it one of the best books of 2012 in addition to the Top 10 Graphics/Comics Reads of 2012.

Joe Carabeo and I worked on the story "Spytini" for District Comics about the Red Spy Queen, Elizabeth Bentley.

Thanks to Matt Dembicki for editing District Comics and thanks to Dale Rawlings for the top photo of the newspaper.