Guests on MOKA Podcast #100

Troy-Jeffrey Allen invited Marcus Dowling, Joe Carabeo, and myself to be guests on his podcast, The Menagerie of Kick-Assery.

For their 100th episode the theme was WrestleMania. Take a listen at http://wearemoka.blogspot.com/2013/04/mokasst-100.html?m=0.

And if you enjoyed this podcast, please check out Joe and I's podcast, The Carolyn & Joe Show. Our guest this week is comic book artist and podcaster Matt Rawson, who is also a contributor in Magic Bullet #6. Look for us on Stitcher Radio and iTunes.

Be sure to listen to the MOKA podcast during the month of April. Many of their guests will be Magic Bullet contributors. Thank you MOKA for supporting the Magic Bullet crew as well as advertising in Magic Bullet #6.

Curls Studio at Annapolis Book Festival on April 13, 2013

Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo of Curls Studio will be appearing at ComicKey!, a family-friendly comic adventure at the Annapolis Book Festival at Key School (534 Hillsmere Drive in Annapolis, MD 21403) on April 13, 2013 from 10AM to 3:30PM. We will be located in Artist Alley - Manse Addition in Room 2.

There will be many activities in the room as well as throughout the entire festival. Some of the exhibitors include Charles Paul Wilson III (The Stuff of Legend), Charles Dowd, Awesome Con D.C., Steve Conley (Bloop), K. Michael Crawford, Th3rd World Studios, Dan Nokes, and more.

The Annapolis Book Festival is known for featuring top fiction and non-fiction authors, year after year. There will be science demonstrations, balloons, magic, live music, seminars on how to create your own superhero, a discussion on the history of comics with Third Eye Comics, and more. If you are an American Girl fan, you can meet author Kathleen Ernst at the festival too.

This event looks like so much fun! We can't wait to meet you there. For more information, visit: http://www.keyschool.org/community/annapolis-book-festival/childrens-activities/index.aspx

Recap: Asbury Park Comic Con 3

This past Saturday, March 30, 2013, Curls Studio exhibited for the third time at Asbury Park Comic Con. This show tripled in size, attendance, and hype as the organizers took it to a higher level. For one thing, the two previous events were held at Asbury Lanes, a bowling alley, just a short walk from the boardwalk. This time around they held the con at the legendary Asbury Park Convention center, directly on the ocean and boardwalk. It was a nice day despite some wind and everyone was very happy and cheerful. It was a good crowd.

There were two levels of exhibitors: one was the main hall and the other was upstairs which was similar to an "Artist's Alley" with the artists lined up along the parameter of the venue on the second floor. This is where Curls Studio was set-up. One thing the organizers could have done in advance was tell us we would be located here as the venue did not have an elevator and the exhibitors had to walk up the stadium stairs with their table displays and merchandise. I wish they provided a map in the program guide so I could be able to find some artists I missed. Yes, it was a big enough show to miss people's tables. I have noticed with each Asbury Park Comic Con that the promoters have upped the ante and increased the quality of the show each time with steady growth - already looking forward to the next show.

Another addition this year was the addition of panel discussions. The panels were located at Wonder Bar, just a simple walk across the street from the convention center. I broke away from the table to attend the first 20 minutes of the Al Jaffee discussion. This dude is 92 years old and can kick it better than people my own age. He is an amazing storyteller in addition to doing some amazing work for MAD magazine. I was glad to be able to see him.

The view from our table was amazing. I didn't ever dream or think of ever exhibiting comics directly over the Atlantic Ocean! It was also sweet to table in-between Jim Coon and Dave Bullock. We were also able to distribute Magic Bullet #6 to many people - already receiving many compliments about the publication and it was great to be able to expand up north in distribution.

After the show we had a nice Mexican dinner with Rafer Roberts, Jacob Warrenfeltz, and the FUBAR comics crew then headed back home to get ready for Easter the following morning.

You can check out more photos of Asbury Comic Con 3 on the Curls Studio Facebook page. Give us a "Like" while you are there!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Curls Studio table. We hope to see you again soon!

Asbury Park Comic Con is this Saturday

Curls Studio has had such a great time at the past two Asbury Park Comic Con events, that we decided to exhibit for the third edition. This time around the event is taking place at the much larger Convention Hall, directly on the boardwalk on the Jersey shore. The organizers have also added a cosplay contest and panel discussions to the festivities. Each event gets bigger and better!

There are some really great guests including Bob Camp (co-creator of The Ren & Stimpy Show), Al Jaffee (MAD magazine), Dean Haspiel (HBO's Bored to Death), Stephanie Buscema (My Little Pony cover artist), Michael Uslan (executive producer of many Batman films), Brian O'Halloran (Dante Hicks from Kevin Smith's Clerks films), Evan Dorkin (Beasts of Burden), the guys from AMC's Comic Book Men, and many more!

Tickets are available online thru March 29 for $12, but if you pay at the door they will be $15. Also I just found out that parking fees do not go in effect until April, so hooray for free parking in the entire town of Asbury Park!

We hope to see you this Saturday, March 29, 2013 from 10AM to 6PM.

Trip to U.S. Library of Congress

Yesterday I was able to take a part in a small group tour of the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. We were introduced to a treasure trove of original art being preserved in the Prints and Photographs Division followed by a gathering of selected material in the Serial and Government Publications Division.

We saw some pieces from the Small Press Expo collection, including Jim Rugg and the wonderful 2012 poster illustrated by Becky Dreistadt. (Speaking of which, my SPX banner art is also in the collection). We also saw the first appearance of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15 comic book plus original art by Thomas Nast, Garry Trudeau, Peggy Bacon, Rose O'Neill, Eric Drooker, Charles Vess, Rube Goldberg, and more!

I learned about how the material is preserved from aging as best as possible and how the librarians reference the content. In the photo above you will see how a protective box can be destroyed by florescent light damage, keep in mind that this is an acid-free box. Digital Conversion Specials are hard to work to properly scan and photograph the material as well.

Here is the hallway of over 14,000 Herblock pieces that are achieved. They also have around 4,000 New Yorker cartoons and tons more!

Now Magic Bullet #6 (Washington, D.C.'s free comics newspaper) has been added to the collection at the U.S. Library of Congress! You can also get your hands on a physical issue at one of the locations listed here. Hurry before all 5,000 copies are gone!

A lot of people don't realize you can make reservations with the librarians to view up to 15 objects per day. Thanks to the librarians for the tour and selecting materials for viewing. It was an experience I will not forget.

More photos can be found in the Curls Studio Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151470211282381.1073741825.50763422380&type=1

Magic Bullet #6 Hitting the Streets

Magic Bullet #6 (Washington, D.C.'s free comics newspaper, published by D.C. Conspiracy) went to print last Tuesday. Big thanks to Joe Carabeo who picked up all 5,000 direct from the printer in Maryland last Wednesday.

Joe commented, "who needs to be able to see behind them when they drive?" As you can see, the vehicle was loaded with bullets, Magic Bullet that is.

Currently the newspaper has been distributed with good coverage in Virginia. There will be more locations to come. I plan on meeting up with a bunch of folks at Asbury Park Comic Con in New Jersey (March 30) and they will help distribute at MoCCA Arts Festival in New York (April 6-7) and at more locations up north. A handful of Magic Bullet #6 contributors will be attending SPACE in Columbus, Ohio (April 13-14) and they plan to bring the issue there.

Don't forget, on Free Comic Book Day (May 4) we will be scattered at nine different locations in three states, plus the District of Columbia. This will be our big day everyone attending the event can meet in-person.

You can see the complete listing of where you can pick up a free issue of Magic Bullet #6 here at the bottom right column.

We are urging people to send photos or Instagram images of Magic Bullet #6 found in its natural habitat. Here are a few examples:

Our contributors will be hitting the streets hard to make it more widely distributed. If you are a shop owner or venue and want Magic Bullet #6 in your store, please reach out to us. It doesn't cost a thing to help distribute Magic Bullet #6.

Thanks,

Carolyn

Guests on MOKA Podcast #97

Troy-Jeffrey Allen, John Holmes, and Derek Scarzella invited Joe Carabeo and I to be guests on their podcast, The Menagerie of Kick-Assery.

For their 97th episode the theme was film director Sam Raimi. Take a listen at http://wearemoka.blogspot.com/2013/03/mokasst-097.html.

And if you enjoyed this podcast, please check out Joe and I's podcast, The Carolyn & Joe Show. Our theme this week also related to Sam Raimi, but with a spoiler discussion about his new film, Oz the Great and Powerful with special guests Kuni Ohi and Brian Sarvis: http://carolynandjoeshow.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/were-off-to-see-the-wizard/

Be sure to listen to the MOKA podcast during the month of April. Many of their guests will be Magic Bullet contributors. Thank you MOKA for supporting the Magic Bullet crew as well as advertising in Magic Bullet #6.