I usually don't blog about events that are coming up very quickly, as there isn't enough time to get the blog post distributed to all the different blog directories and search engines in time...

However the event that the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, (MoCCA) is presenting tomorrow night in New York is one that is of importance to those that can quickly re-arrange their schedules, or if they can't, then they can check out the book being discussed on their own at their usual favorite bookstore.  

Here is the gist of the invite that was sent to members of MoCCA's Facebook Group Page on Tuesday:

Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art - MoCCA and Abrams ComicArts invite you to join us for an evening in celebration of the new book, The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics.  Discussion featuring co-author Denis Kitchen and Harvey’s daughter, Nellie Kurtzman; moderated by Abrams ComicArts editor Charles Kochman.

Reception and signing with refreshments to follow.

Additional details on this special event are:

Host: Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art - MoCCA
Type: Music/Arts - Exhibit
Network: Global
Price: Admission is free 
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art - MoCCA
Street: 594 Broadway - Suite 401 (bewtween Houston & Prince)
City/Town: New York, NY

Like I said at the beginning of this blog post, the event is about the book plus the special speakers that are there that night.  However the book itself can be purchased elsewhere if you are not able to make it in attendance.  Here are details on the book itself:

The Art of Harvey Kurtzman
The Mad Genius of Comics

Authors: Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle Introduction by Harry Shearer
Imprint: Abrams ComicArts
ISBN: 0-8109-7296-4
EAN: 9780810972964
Availability: In Stock
Publishing Date: 6/1/2009
Trim Size: 11 1/4 x 10 1/2
Page Count: 256
Cover: HC-Cloth with Jacket
Illustrations: 200 full-color illustrations

For those of you that are not aware of Harvey Kurtzman's contributions to the industry, here is a very brief bio, (and I mean very brief!):

"Harvey Kurtzman (October 3, 1924, Brooklyn, New York – February 21, 1993) was a U.S. cartoonist and magazine editor. Kurtzman often signed his name H. Kurtz, followed by a stick figure (i.e., H. Kurtz-man).

In 1952, he was the founding editor of the comic book Mad. Kurtzman was also known for the long-running Little Annie Fanny stories in Playboy (1962-88), satirizing the very attitudes that Playboy promoted."

You can find more about this One Night Only special event at MoCCA's event page at:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136285919982

If you would like to join with over 2,100 other members who have 'joined' the MoCCA Facebook Group Page, feel free to do so at:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32642984894&ref=ts 

Please Note:  Tina and I will not be there, as we are on the West Coast. However, we both have been to MoCCA and believe the work that they do is very beneficial to the comics and cartooning industry.  Additionally I have not seen a preview copy of this book.  However, Harvey's works are too important not to at least mention this special event and the book to those that can make it to the evening or purchase the book later. Harvey passed away 16 years ago. It is good to see books like this one come out to continue publicizing his works.

BTW.... Whereas Tina and I don't publish comics or books (yet?), we do have thousands of indies and mainstream comics in our own online store. Be sure to check out our new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale in our online eBay Featured Store that our blogs are based on!  It's due to sales at this online store that keep us going with the ability to post blogs like the one you have read here today! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!  We do blog daily on comic book creators, comic book reviews, and other pop culture news and events including some TV shows and theatrical films! 

~ Michael @  ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

I really do enjoy bringing new comics to my blog readers attention to possibly read...

I believe that is also Dale Wilson's feelings about the comics stories he chooses to publish in his 'Caffeine Dreams' series.  

This latest issue of his series is a collaboration between him and three artists, along with letterer Robert Roach and cover artist Mulele Jarvis.

Where most people will just dream about seeing their work published in comics, Dale Wilson and his wife Astra Price, (the DW and AP in the DWAP Productions company name), have actually gone the additional steps in collaborating with other people, putting together a creative team, and seeing those dreams come to print.

As with any anthology comic book or graphic novel, there are usually stories that you like, stories you are OK with, and a  story you don't like.  What makes this issue interesting is that all three interior artists are so varied in style from each other, that it is a 'trip' to see Dale's story and dialogue come into being in a sequential art form.

I have mentioned this issue's letterer Robert Roach's comic book mini-series 'The Roach' as being one of the best mini-series I have read in recent years. (Click here for that blog post.)  In issue #4 of 'Caffeine Dreams' Robert takes the totally different art styles of the three interior page artists and adapts his lettering style to each artist's illustrations and does such a fine job of lettering you wouldn't be able to tell it was his lettering in each story without the credits!

There are three stories in this issue.  The stories and artwork remind me of the underground comix of the past, in style and presentation.  That may 'turn on' some readers and at the same time 'turn off' other readers.  I'm not saying that this comic book issue is of the genre that I usually read, but I am open to reading other genres that are sent in to me to read and possibly review blog about. 

I've read several underground comix in years gone by, and actually just recently picked up a new collection of that genre to read and resell in our online store.  Just like I don't usually read most manga art stories, but can find individual creators or projects that I do like, like Paul Dale's 'The Children of Captain Nemo' project. (Click here for that blog.)

This issue #4 of 'Caffeine Dreams' contains:

'On Becoming A Monster - Art by Alvah Smith, Story and dialogue by Dale Wilson, Lettering by Robert Roach. 

'Once Upon A Time in the Dark: Kal's Burlesque - Art by Sojj, with Story and dialogue by Dale Wilson, Lettering by Robert Roach. 

'Maggie and the Flying Dutchman' - Art by D.V. Ruiz,  with Story and dialogue by Dale Wilson, Lettering by Robert Roach.

The front cover is illustrated by Mulele Jarvis.

Please Note:  The above stories are part of a 'For Mature Readers' only publication.  This comic book is not meant for all ages readership, nor for all tastes in comics reading.  

Again, it is hard to publish an anthology comic that the reader will like all three stories contained in the issue.  This issue's main focal point to me was seeing one writer's story and dialogue set to sequential art form by three different artists!   That truly was a 'trip' to see what each artist would do with the same writer's works.  What is clear is that Dale Wilson has a vision for what he wants to see in print and will assemble a team together and see that it does make it to print.

Also, I want to thank Dale Wilson publicly here for taking the time at the last Comic Con International: San Diego (SDCC) to introduce Tina and myself to other 'The Antidote Trust' (TAT) members that were manning the TAT booth at the Con.  I have since blogged about several of the other publishers who have assembled together into a 'collective' to better promote their own independent comics titles.  Dale has a great love for the independent comics industry and I can see that so many others appreciate  what he has done is doing for that part of the total comics field both individually as a publisher and as a member of that collective.

You can find more about Caffeine Dreams and other comics that are for sale, plus free online comics at the web site:

http://www.dwapproductions.com/

Also, you can find out more about 'The Antidote Trust' collective at their Facebook Fan Page at:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7088509610&ref=search&sid=1379777333.1932220617..1 

BTW.... Whereas Tina and I don't publish comics (yet?), we do have thousands of indies and mainstream comics in our own online store. Be sure to check out our new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale in our online eBay Featured Store that our blogs are based on!  It's due to sales at this online store that keep us going with the ability to post blogs like the one you have read here today! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!  We do blog daily on comic book creators, comic book reviews, and other pop culture news and events including some TV shows and theatrical films! 

~ Michael @  ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Yesterday afternoon Tina and I attended the special book signing at the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore in San Diego...  

The book being signed was the special 'Comic-Con: 40 Years Of Artists, Writers, Fans & Friends' that was a Special Edition published for the SDCC by Chronicle Books of San Francisco! 

Gary Sassaman, (Director of Print and Publications), and Jackie Estrada, (Eisner Awards Administrator), were the co-authors of this book.  They were joined by several members of the current Comic Con International (CCI) staff, as well as by friends and fans of the CCI / SDCCI!

The setting of this event was of a more intimate nature and Tina and I had great fun with one-on-one conversations with several people that we couldn't have at the Comic-Con event itself with 125,000 other people in attendance there!

Those included conversations with:

Clydene Nee, (pictured above), who has been the longtime CCI Artists' Alley Coordinator @ Comic Con International: San Diego.  Having spent more hours than usual at this year's Artists Alley, I found talking with her gave more insight on what goes on for qualifying for the 200 tables that there are more than 500 applications for each year!

Martin Jaquish, (not pictured this blog post), is the Masquerade Event Coordinator.  Great talking with him, have not had that opportunity before, although I have attended the Masquerade for years, either in the main program hall, or the run-over hall, or even under the sails!

Eddie Ibrahim, (not pictured this blog post), is the Director of Programming.  Although our conversation was brief, I was glad to give my input on what we saw happened this past year, and what could be improved in both Tina's and my opinions. 

Batton Lash, (also pictured above), well... what I can say about him that I already haven't in previous blog posts?!  Well... let me say that Tina and I had the longest conversation of all while at this event with him, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!  Both Tina and he are East Coasters so they had a great time talking!  For those of you that are not familar with his work, check out his web site at:  http://www.exhibitapress.com/

Jackie Estrada, (see pics above), was very busy, (as usual), at these type of events, and I appreciated having a few minutes conversation with her!  She always does a fine job!

Gary Sassaman, (see pic above), is to be congratulated for his fine work on this book... go buy it now... why don't ya?!

Richard Alf, (also pictured above), helped start the SDCC back in 1969.  It was around that time period that I sold the duplicates from my collection to Richard who was already set up as a comic books dealer even at the young age of 17 years old!   It wasn't until the 1972 Con that I first set up as comic books dealer myself, at the 3rd SDCC, which was held at the El Cortez Hotel.  It was great talking with Richard again so soon.  I had re-met him at the 2009 SDCC recently and forwarded my blog post about 1970's dealers to him to read.

Mike Towry looked familar to me, so I introduced myself to him. Turns out I had seen him at the 2009 Comic Con on a program as being one of the founders of the Con.  He and I must have passed each other during the earliest cons, but we both looked different back then.  Heck, I even had long hair then!  He had left the area in the mid 1970's but started attending the Comic Con again in the early 1990's with his children!

Other Facebook Friends that I had a brief hello with prior to the even starting were Mary Sturhann, and Robin Donlan (both pictured above).

Others that I talked with briefly were Chris Sturhann - who I didn't get to say what a Great Job he does with the On Site Newsletter at the Con!, Ramona (sp.?), (1st year with CCI),  and Jan Tonnesen (husband of Linda).

Those that were also there that I didn't get to meet or talk with were: John Rogers, (President of CCI), Janet Tait, Ned Cato Jr - who was conducting a podcast from this location, and a few other individuals! 

For those that I missed naming... sorry about that!  Between taking photos, taking notes, and listening during the program, I wasn't able to see you all or get all of your names!  Feel free to contact me, as I took 45 photos during this event, which I can't use all of them in this this one blog post!  But I have them for future posts addendums! 

For More Info on this event held at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore, please see the following event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=62971681858 

For more info on other future events that Mysterious Galaxy bookstore is hosting please see their main Facebook Fan Page at: http://www.facebook.com/MysteriousGalaxy

For more info on Comic Con International: San Diego, please see:  http://www.comic-con.org/  And be sure to buy your MEMBERSHIP early for 2010!  You don't want to miss out on this Comic Con.  These folks put on the Biggest and Best Con in my opinion!

Our Thanks to the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore owners for hosting this great event!  When You are in the San Diego area, check this great store out for their vast selection of books, AND for their knowledgeable sales staff!  They haven't been around 16 Years without building a large fan base who know a great bookstore when they see one!  Tina says this is one of the Top 10 Bookstores she has been in nationwide!

Yesterday afternoon the results were announced as to the winners of the Facebook Comic Con Silver / Golden / Bronze Age Costume Contest...  

I am blogging the results here in my Blog, because once again I had the privilege of being one of the Judges for this Facebook Costume Contest!

Along with Tiya Coleman, Mark Poe, and Vincent Ferrante as co-judges, I had tough decisions to decide who would best qualify using the judging standards.

The JUDGING CRITERIA was divided into 3 categories:
1-) Character Likeness   2-) Authenticity/Prop Quality   3-) Unique Character Choice- (level of difficulty).

A RATING from 1-10 was given in each category. Being a judge only, I was not privvy to the final tally results.  But knowing how close they scored to each other in my ballot, I know that the above three contestants should all be proud of their entries!

PRIZES Were Awarded To The Winners:
First Prize Winner: Choice of- Comic Book Confidential (1989) DVD or Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked (2003) DVD
Second Prize Winner: Comic Book Artist Collection, Vol. 3 (Paperback)
Third Prize Winner: Project Superpowers Volume 1 (Paperback)! 

For More Info on how this FBCC - SILVER/GOLDEN/BRONZE AGE Costume Contest was started and more results, please click here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=62971681858 

However, this is not the first time there has been a Facebook Comic Con Costume Contest...

For more info on how YOU can easily enter for the next contest, check out the Facebook Comic Con Costume Contest main web site at:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/FBCC-Costume-Competitions/63245482692

Congratulations again to the Winners of this latest FBCC Costume Contest, and I look forward to being asked again to help judge more contests!   Thanks to Lisa Hager-Duncan, Stacey Aragon, Michael Netzer and others @ Facebook Comic Con for setting up the Summer Gala of FBCC!

Last Night Tina and I were among many who attended the third film evening of the 2009 Leo Carrillo Film Festival...  

Which is leading me to once again blog about the great work that is being done at the Leo Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad, California!

I have blogged several times about Leo Carrillo:  his ranch, his 40 different Cisco Kid comic books from Dell Comics, his role as Pancho in the 156 episodes of the Cisco Kid TV series, and over 90 films that he had a either a major or character role in.

However, what Tina and I enjoy most is walking the grounds of what remains of the Leo Carrillo Ranch, also known as 'Rancho de Los Kiotes', and attending the Leo Carrillo Film Festival each year!

This Film Festival Season was cancelled earlier, but then with a $5000 donation from an anonymous member-donor in partnership with the City of Carlsbad and The Friends of Carrillo Ranch Inc, it was brought back.

Thanks to that donor there were lots of others out there on the lawn last night to watch the 3rd night of the 2009 Leo Carrillo Film Festival!  Approximately 200+ persons gathered and watched another episode of The Cisco Kid that ran before the 1932 re-make film of Broken Wing that starred Leo Carrillo, Lupe Velez, and Melvyn Douglas. The original film was released in 1923. 

The above photos show the opening credits of The Cicso Kid TV Show. An episode of Leo as Pancho in that TV series is shown each Film Festival evening before the main feature.  The nice thing for the younger members of the audience is that the TV show was originally filmed in color, even though it was originally aired for black and white TV sets!  The series ran for 156 episodes from 1950 to 1956.  Leo started portraying Pancho when he was 70 years old!  Leo passed away a few years later in 1961 at the age of 81.

As I've stated here in my Blog before, it is really 'special' to sit under the stars at Leo Carrillo's Ranch and watch his TV Show episodes and then films he that played in.  That's because the Film Festival audience is actually sitting near the pool and cabana where Leo and his family used to entertain their guests, mostly from Hollywood, who would travel down to the ranch that once comprised the Eastern area of Carlsbad that we now live in!  Matter of fact Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon there at the ranch many years ago!  It is really nice that so many people have worked over the years to keep this little bit of local history 'alive' for the current generations to enjoy!

The film last night was pretty funny, a Paramount flick with Lupe Velez as the love interest.  Leo was great in the role of Captain Innocencio Dos Santos.  It was a love triangle story with actor Melvyn Douglas as pilot Phil Marvin who comes crashing in to become the 'King of Hearts'.  You'll have to watch the film to see what went on in this love triangle film... I'll just say that Leo was great in the role, a leading one for a change, and just wouldn't 'shut up' during the whole film.   I could see why he was 'typecasted' during most of his years in films.  He played variations of that role so well, especially in this film.  This film was among 700+ films that Paramount sold in 1958 to Universal for TV rights distribution.  

BTW, the Ranch hands also cooked hot dogs and had popcorn and candy to eat while watching the TV show episode and film for those that didn't bring food!  At the top right of this post is a placard showing the 'Carrillo Combo' for $4.00 for those that didn't bring a picnic dinner.  Of course Leo used to be a chef at his parties he would throw at the Ranch in earlier years, which is why I am publishing the picture of him on the placard here! 

There will be two more weeks of the 2009 Leo Carrillo Film Festival should you be in the Carlsbad, California area, September 26th (Saturday), and then back to a Friday night on October 2nd!  The September 26th evening will be a special 'Phantom Of the Opera' showing of the 1943 film. 

Which reminds me that I want to mention the below organizations before closing out this blog post...

For more info on the Film Festival or just to learn about the ranch, check out the web site at:  http://www.leocarrilloranch.org/

Also, don't miss out on seeing what the Friends of Carrillo Ranch Inc have done, and take a look at possibly joining them and / or donating to their worthy cause at:  http://www.carrillo-ranch.org/ !

And Thank You to Gerry Streff, Archivist @ the Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park, who emailed me after his 'Google Alerts' alerted him of my blog post.  I appreciate the kind words about my earlier blog post from last week!