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I'm Cathy Leamy, an East Coast cartoonist and blogger on comics, pop culture, and design. Check out my comics! They tend to be about me.
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Monday, September 6, 2010
GladRags and Greenblooded are spreading the word!
Neat menstrual news, people! GladRags, my favorite makers of cloth pads, are now offering my minicomic Greenblooded for sale on their website (read their review!). Now you can get a copy of my cartoon intro to eco-friendly feminine products AND buy some for yourself at the same time!
I’m also September’s Monthly Friend on the GladRags Gab blog! LET’S HEAR IT FOR MY UTERUS! Check out the rest of their blog for cool links, advice, and more writing on sustainability and other green topics.
In all seriousness, I really can’t say enough good things about GladRags. They were the ones that introduced me to the world of cups and pads and healthier ways of ladyliving, way back in the day, and their pads are still the ones I use every month. Kudos to them and the work they do!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Comic: MERMAIDS.
So this is the year I finally got to hit the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. HELLA BONKERS YOU GUYS. The creativity (and exhibitionism!) behind the costumes bowls you over. That and the two hours of standing in the hot New York summer sun. We cooled down afterwards by going to the dark theater of the carny-style sideshow.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
This Sunday: Mass Market DIY craft fair!
What’s up this Sunday? A craft fair!
Come on over to Mass College of Art’s Pozen Center on Sunday, June 27 for Mass Market, a DIY flea market with art, jewelry, bookbinding, baked goods … and comics! I’ll be there hawking my minicomics along with a few other pals from Boston Comics Roundtable. 11am-5pm, $1 entry fee, 621 Huntington Avenue (Longwood stop on the MBTA’s Green E line). See you there!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Comic: UNPLUGGED.
If you’ve never seen the Harry Potter-themed band Harry and the Potters do a live show, you’re missing out on one of life’s greatest delights! Why not watch the documentary We are Wizards online for free and get a flavor of it?
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Maine Comics Arts Fest - fun times for all!
Convention season rolls on, and last weekend this lucky kitty got to be one of the exhibitors at the second Maine Comics Arts Festival in Portland, Maine!
This show has been such a great addition to the comic show schedule, with its focus on indy creators, its outstanding organizing crew, and its setting in a fun-as-hell city that I love exploring.
What were some of the best parts?
- Meeting cartoonist Betsey Swardlick - the one behind those hilarious werewolf stories I picked up at MoCCA - and finding that aaah! Now she has a new comic with those stories reprinted and a completely new one! Swear to God my wallet got whiplash at that table.
- Hearing the strange "ding" of a bell all day long and eventually discovering that it was a little silvery shell-shaped bell on Jen "Mermaid Hostel" Vaughn’s table
- Finding a comic with an absolutely bonkers premise and running around all day telling people about it. "YOU GUYS it’s the American Revolution but instead they have battles of the bands aaaaah that’s so awesome". Check it out here: Paul Reveres
- Boggling at the bizarre sheet of fog that sat just beyond the convention center, still as a brick wall. If I’d taken a shot for every time someone said "Hey wasn’t there some Stephen King story? About fog?", I would’ve had a big drunken Sunday.
- Spending the day surrounded by so many awesome and creative people doing what they love, and spending the weekend ambling around a funky city. MeCAF creators - next year, make a weekend out of it! The art museum is free on Friday nights!
Once again, huge kudos to Rick and the Casablanca Comics organizing crew for putting together a fantastic weekend. Count me in for next year!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
This Sunday: Maine Comics Arts Festival
Fun times this weekend in Portland, Maine! Come to Portland’s Ocean Gateway this Sunday, May 23, for the Maine Comics Arts Festival - meet loads of comics creators and buy loads of cool stuff to read! I’ll be there selling my minicomics (including the latest, my all-ages story Reggie & Brian and the Lousy Nickname), and my pals from Boston Comics Roundtable will be selling our group anthologies Inbound and the shiny new second issue of Outbound.
The festival also includes a full day of free workshops on Saturday, May 22, and a gallery show of original comics art in the Portland Public Library’s Lewis Gallery.
Come and check out the festival on Sunday from 10am - 5pm - admission is $5, and kids 12 and under get in free. Catch you there!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Reggie and Brian all-ages minicomic - now on sale!
Who’s ready for some fishing fun!
My new all-ages minicomic Reggie & Brian and the Lousy Nickname is now available for sale online! Seashores, boats, waves, more English fishermen than you can shake a stick at, and one stinky nickname that gets stuck to poor Reggie. Can merman buddy Brian help him to shake it? Find out inside! $3.50 gets you 20 pages of seaside storytime:
And check out my comics page for other fun cartoons and minicomics - autobio wacky scrapes, metal concerts, women’s health, and plenty more.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
MoCCA Art Fest 2010 and a new all-ages minicomic!
It’s MoCCA time! This coming weekend is the annual NYC indy comics celebration MoCCA Art Fest. I’ll be there along with my pals from Boston Comics Roundtable, and I’ve got something new!
I’ll be debuting my new all-ages minicomic, Reggie & Brian and the Lousy Nickname. The crew of fishermen all have nicknames, but when the fishing boss picks one for young Reggie, it’s definitely not appreciated! Can his little merman pal Brian help him ditch it? Pick up a copy and find out!
I’ll also be selling the usual array of minicomic awesomeness, from autobio fun (Geraniums and Bacon) to menstrual 411 (Greenblooded). Check out the Boston Comics Roundtable area, too, for the newest issue of the sci-fi serial anthology Outbound and our recent anthology hit Inbound 4: A Comic Book History of Boston.
And if you’re in the Boston area and can’t make it down to NYC, head to the waterfront this weekend for the ever-expanding Boston Comic Con and say hi to other members of the Roundtable, pals from Agreeable Comics, and other hometown and out-of-town creators.
Look for Reggie and Brian to be available for purchase online soon, and hope to see you at MoCCA!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Join me for some upcoming conventions
The official start of spring is nearly here, and with it comes the comics convention season! I’ll be bopping around a few shows from now through the summer. Hope to see you at one of them!
March 20: Boston Zine Fair (Cambridge, MA)
-- This show is a mini zine fest in collaboration with Whitehaus Family Record’s Blastfest music celebration. Come for the comics and DIY, stay for the rocking out.
April 10-11: MoCCA Art Fest (New York, NY)
-- The classic indy comics show has a new timeslot this year and a ridiculously neat guest list. And if you decide to stick around the Hub instead, stop by Boston Comic Con, also being held that weekend!
May 23: Maine Comics Arts Festival (Portland, ME)
-- I’m so looking forward to the sophomore showing of this event (the first one last year was a well-organized blast). This year, the festival will expand to include a Saturday dedicated to panels and workshops. Can’t wait!
July 18: New England Small Press Assembly (NESPA) (Warwick, RI)
-- The first time for a new Northeast con! EAST COAAAAST!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
This Thursday: Inbound #4 creator talk and signing!
Let’s rock this New Year with a local comics event!
On Thursday, January 21, join Boston Comics Roundtable at 7pm at Porter Square Books for a (free!) talk by some of the writers and artists behind Inbound #4 - A Comic History of Boston.
Come and learn about comics creation - we’ll be talking about working from a script, using thumbnails, creating cartoon versions of famous historical people, and more. I’ll be speaking about thumbnails and going from drafts to the final version of my burlesque theater story "The Old Howard". You can expect me to say "James Michael Curley" about 40 times.
And come to just hang out! Say hi to New England comics creators and fans and pick up a signed copy of Inbound #4 of your very own. (And take the opportunity to enjoy some book shopping and coffee from a great independent bookstore!)
WHERE: Porter Square Books, 25 White St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
WHEN: Thursday, January 21, 7pm (free event!)
WHO: Boston Comics Roundtable and writers and artists from Inbound #4
Sunday, December 6, 2009
This Saturday: Comicazi Con! Also, comics parties are awesome
’Tis the season for buying comics! This Saturday, come on by the Comicazi Con in Somerville’s Davis Square - I’ll be there selling my minicomics and (seasonal bonus) holiday cards!
Boston Comics Roundtable will also be there, selling our new anthology Inbound #4: A Comic History of Boston as well as books and minis by BCR members. One-stop holiday shopping!
WHERE: Saturday, December 12, 10am-4pm
WHEN: George Dilboy VFW, 371 Summer St, Davis Square, Somerville, MA
DETAILS: Admission fee $4, hosted by Davis Square comics shop Comicazi
Comics parties!
Fun times this weekend with two release parties for New England comics! Boston Comics Roundtable held a coffeeshop party to celebrate Inbound #4 as well as the opening of an exhibit of original Inbound #4 art at Cambridge’s Atomic Bean Cafe (on display now - stop by and see it!). I’m always amazed by how many people manage to squish into that place, and the coziness was a very welcome escape from the snow clumping down outside.
Afterwards, a bunch of us made our way over to Somerville’s Hub Comics to hang out with a few buddies from our northern pals Trees and Hills, in town to promote two new books: their group anthology Shelter and Marek Bennett’s Nicaragua Comics Travel Journal. Two dogs and a ukelele on the premises - always a guarantee of good times. Pick up Trees and Hills’ comics if you get the chance - you’ll never meet a nicer bunch of comics activists.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Inbound #4 is now on sale!
They’re here! The Boston history comics are here!
Boston Comics Roundtable is thrilled to announce that Inbound #4 is now on sale! This special book-length issue of our comics anthology is packed with dozens of stories from Boston history, brought to you by the minds and pens of local creators.
Including me! This is the one with my comic about Boston’s burlesque theater, the Old Howard, as featured on Radio Boston. If you’ve only heard the radio drama version, you’re missing half the story! The full comic has much more - MORE strippers! MORE hot dogs! MORE Sammy Davis Jr.! Pick up a copy of Inbound #4 to get the whole scoop.
And if you’re in the Boston area yourself, come and hang out with us! We’re celebrating the book’s release this Saturday, December 5, from 4-6pm in Central Square’s Atomic Bean Cafe. Meet comics creators from around New England and see original art from Inbound #4!
Inbound #4 is now available for purchase on the Boston Comics Roundtable website, in Boston-area comic shops, and at a bunch of upcoming Boston-area holiday and craft fairs. BUY IT. LOVE IT. BOSTON IS AWESOME.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Comics! Space Cabby and Boston history comics
I drew Space Cabby for Dave’s Space Cabby collection! If you’re not familiar with Space Cabby, all you need to know is right there in his name. He’s a CABBY. In SPACE. There you go! And if that’s not enough, every Sunday Dave’s blog highlights one of the guy’s stories … IN SPACE!
And now for some comics a bit more down to Earth: Boston Comics Roundtable’s upcoming Inbound anthology of Boston history stories is now available for pre-order! Get your name on the list for over a hundred pages of historical awesomeness: the Great Molasses Flood, Sacco and Vanzetti, the Athenaeum’s most infamous book, and my story about Boston’s world-famous burlesque theatre. $12 plus $3.50 shipping and handling - order yours today!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
On the air with me and Boston Comics Roundtable!
Hey Boston, you’ve got comics on your radio!
Last week, 90.9 WBUR (Boston’s NPR affiliate) invited Boston Comics Roundtable to be interviewed on their weekly show Radio Boston. The episode’s theme was "Literary Boston", tying in with that weekend’s Boston Book Festival.
We talked about the Roundtable and about our upcoming fourth issue of our comics anthology, Inbound - the issue devoted to stories from Boston history. They love the concept of comics set in Boston, and we love talking about our creative work, so it was a blast all around!
You can listen to the entire program on Radio Boston’s website. The BCR interview begins just after 40:00.
As a bonus, the WBUR team and Boston Comics Roundtable joined forces to put together a little radio drama based on my story from Inbound #4, "The Old Howard". Kudos to Braden Lamb for adapting the comic for the radio, the BCR for voice talent, and WBUR for sound effects! And extra solid gold kudos to WBUR for assembling an online version including graphics from the original comic - check out the YouTube clip below (narrated by me!).
This is an abridged version - the actual comic is four pages long and includes so much more awesomeness. Strippers! Censors! Hot dogs! James Michael Curley! Godalmighty, you guys, Boston is just the coolest, except for the times when they’re knocking down funky parts of town to put up office buildings.
Want to read more? Stay tuned for the release of Inbound #4, coming later this fall! Boston Comics Roundtable is accepting pre-orders for this book - visit the website to send in your order, to sign up for our news mailing list, and to see preview art.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Radio Boston interviews Boston Comics Roundtable!
We’re on the air!
This week’s Radio Boston show on 90.9 WBUR has the theme of "Literary Boston", and it includes an interview with Boston Comics Roundtable! We’ll be talking about Boston-based comics and the upcoming fourth issue of our anthology Inbound, which will be a special extra-large edition devoted to tales from Boston history.
And as a bonus, the show will include a short radio drama based on my story from Inbound #4, "The Old Howard"! Thrill to the true story of the rise and fall of Boston’s own burlesque theater!
Catch the show: "Literary Boston" will air on 90.9 WBUR at 1pm on Friday, October 23, and again at 1pm on Saturday, October 24. After the Friday airing, the show will be available for download on the Radio Boston website.
You can also get a sneak preview of the radio drama on Radio Boston’s blog, complete with visuals from the comic itself (and me narrating with my best "NPR voice")!
Inbound #4 is slated for release later this year. Read more about it on the Inbound #4 website, where you can also sign up for email announcements about the project or pre-order the book. This one is jam packed full of awesomeness!
Monday, October 19, 2009
This weekend: Boston Comic Con!
Are you in the Boston area? Are you into comics?
If you’re shouting "Yeah!", then come on by this weekend for Boston Comic Con - bargain reads, guest artists, and more! I’ll be there with local comics posse Boston Comics Roundtable, selling our anthology Inbound and minicomics by our members.
Come by, say hi, and buy a few comics!
Where: Back Bay Events Center, 180 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA
When: Saturday & Sunday October 24-25, 10am-5pm
Admission: $10 each day
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
One last trip to *Planet Wifey*, and one guest stint on *Sordid City Blues*!
Slip into the orbit of Planet Wifey one more time, and check out some incredible news! Things will never be the same!
And with this earth-shaking chapter, my part in telling the tales of Planet Wifey draws to a close. Thanks to Clarence and PW herself for inviting me to join in on this project - it’s been a fun trip! I’m looking forward to reading whatever Clarence works on next (like this), and most of all I’m looking forward to seeing what becomes of that great big news!
Meanwhile, in another orbit of the internet, webcomics guy and all-around cool fella Charles Schneeflock Snow has tapped me and writer Daniel Barlow for a guest strip in his webcomic Sordid City Blues. Check out the results in "I Owe You Everything"!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
News flashes!
Whoa, brace yourselves for lots of news!
Boston Comics Roundtable has a brand spankin’ new website! Head over to www.bostoncomicsroundtable.com and check out the handiwork of designer and illustrator Shelli Paroline - nice job, Shelli! Look for tutorials, discussion, and art from Roundtable members as the site continues to grow.
And keep an eye on that space for news of the upcoming fourth issue of Inbound, the Boston Comics Roundtable anthology. Kudos to everyone who attended our fundraiser in August! Thanks to the "Fastest Artist" improv-style competition, I can finally say I’ve seen a drawing of Danny Devito wrapping Christmas presents at the Crucifixion. At last. This fast-approaching next issue of Inbound will be packed with tales from Boston history, including a story by me about a very special and, sadly, vanished site in Boston entertainment. Spoiler alert! It features ladies without many clothes on.
And who else is up to something new around here?
- Chris Sims and Eugene Ahn are rocking your ears with their comics and pop culture podcast, War Rocket Ajax - high-profile guests and hours of hilarious commentary.
- The Kevin Church empire expands with two new comics: She Died In Terrebonne (noir mystery) with artist T.J. Kirsch and The Loneliest Astronauts (cosmic dickishness) with artist Ming Doyle
- Planet Wifey writer Clarence has revealed his latest fiction project: Savage Negro, unfolding daily into action
- Dr. K is kicking it old school with Blackhawk Wingsday. Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Blackhawk!
- Meanwhile, Andrew delves into the suckier pits of comics history with his Nobody’s Favorites series. Don’t you even bring up Power Pack, Andrew. I’ll find you.
- And once you hit the weekend, the comics don’t stop! Party with Mike Sterling’s Sluggo Saturdays and Dave’s Space Cabby Sundays!
Friday, August 21, 2009
An extended trip to Planet Wifey!
A few spins around and we’re back in the orbit of Planet Wifey! Catch up on all the antics: fun and games around the house, Twitter-based romance with a Star Trek bonus, squirrels who mean business, gorgeous guest art by Chris Piascik, and the first two parts of how Clarence met Planet Wifey! Woooo!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Event! August 20 - WILD INK, a Boston Comics Roundtable fundraiser
Come and hang out with Boston’s cartoonists!
Our local crew of comics creators, Boston Comics Roundtable are hosting a fundraiser night to benefit the fourth issue of our comics anthology, Inbound!
Come on over to P.A.’s Lounge in Somerville, MA, on Thursday, August 20 for a night of caricatures, sketch battles, raffle prizes, and live music from the band Rotary. The fun starts at 9pm (doors open at 8), tickets are $12 at the door, and the event is 18+. [ press release with details ]
Inbound #4 will be devoted to stories of Boston history - strange tales, naughty memories, and inspiring characters galore. It’s going to be a rock solid collection of fun reading, so join us at P.A.’s Lounge and help make this issue happen!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
NOW ON SALE: Greenblooded, an introduction to eco-friendly feminine hygiene
It’s here! My newest minicomic is available for purchase online!
A good read for ladies and fellas alike, this nonfiction mini gives you the rundown on more eco-friendly approaches to handling your period. It covers the basics of several alternative products, the facts of the menstrual cycle, greener disposables, and discussion about why this is an important issue. 12 pages, $2, good for teens and up!
This has been a bit of a departure from my usual autobio-based storytelling, and I’ve enjoyed the heck out of it. I’d like this project to start conversation, so if you have feedback, corrections, advice, or funny stories of your own, please share them with me!
And if you’re looking for more fun stuff to read, skip on over to my comics page for a list of my other print minicomics and some web-only stories!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Reminder: MoCCA Art Fest 2009 in NYC this weekend!
Don’t forget - this weekend is the annual MoCCA Art Fest in New York City! 11am-6pm Saturday and Sunday at the 69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue, between 25th and 26th Streets. Look for me and my new comics!
Also this weekend is the birthday of Sir Tom Jones. 69 years young, ladies! Celebrate by watching this video and chucking your panties at the monitor.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
This weekend: MoCCA Art Fest and NEW COMICS!
It’s that time of year again!
This weekend is the annual MoCCA Art Festival in New York City, and that means it’s time for some new comics! Come on by my table and check out the debut of my new minicomic, Greenblooded: An introduction to eco-friendly feminine hygiene!
This comic is an educational effort, straying a bit from the autobio wackiness I typically write. It’ll give you the basics on greener ladyproducts with plenty of background on the menstrual cycle and the environmental impact of handling it. If you like ladies, if you are ladies, if you just want to learn more about an issue that’s usually kept on the hush-hush, pick up a copy and start the conversation! If you can’t make it to MoCCA, look for the comic to be on sale on this website next week.
Update: This comic and others are on sale online! Check out my comics page!
This weekend will also see the debut of two new Star Wars fanbooks from the group that brought you Harvest is When I Need You the Most (with even more creators this time)! Look for Only What You Take With You and And Don’t Forget the Droids, including a two-page story by me! It’s about R2D2. That little guy’s made of awesome.
Forget this coming weekend - do you want to read some comics right now? Then check out the latest trip to Planet Wifey, where black girls rock!
And never mind comics - are you hankering for up to 140 characters of rockin’? Good news for you, then - I’m now on Twitter under @metrokitty. Look for comics updates and plenty of disgusting medical facts.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Maine Comics Arts Festival: Conventions done right
This past weekend, I had an absolutely lovely time attending the Maine Comics Arts Festival. A bunch of pals from the Boston Comics Roundtable and I made the trek up north for the one-day show, where we peddled our wares and hung out with comics buddies and luminaries like Trees and Hills, Becky Cloonan, Kean Soo, and plenty of others.
I’m blown away by the fact that this was the festival’s first time around. Rick of Casablanca Comics and his team made the event run so smoothly and with such organization that I’d think it’d been going for years. I’d like to break down what I thought was successful, to take away for other events.
Organization
- The MeCAF crew set up a main festival website and a blog, which they kept updated constantly with fresh information. I knew that if I had any questions, the blog would be a reliable resource. It was very easy to find directions and instructions.
- They sent plenty of alert emails to participants with festival details and reminders.
- The contact information for MeCAF organizers was convenient to find, and they responded quickly to questions.
Support
- On the festival day, staff wore the bright orange festival T-shirts, and their name badges clearly showed the word "STAFF" (guests’ badges said "GUEST"). They circulated and frequently checked in about anything that they could do to help.
- Free coffee! Good God, have you found the way to my heart.
- MeCAF staff arranged for lunch by taking sandwich orders and payment in the morning and dropping off the goods at your table midday. I was so relieved not to have to abandon my table.
- Prior to the festival, the organizers set up deals with local hotels for special convention rates. This saved cash and worry about having to look up hotels in the area.
Kid-friendliness
As BCR member Alexander Danner points out, the place was flooded with kids and their parents - way more than any of us anticipated. I think my sales wound up lower than usual as a result, since all of my comics are geared for older audiences (I had to shoo a lot of little fingers away from I Survived GWAR), but I’m happy to shrug this away to celebrate kids just lovin’ on comics and bringing new blood and energy into the scene.
- Cheap admission for adults and free admission for kids under 12. This made the event an affordable outing for a whole family. I can’t remember how many times I’d talk to the adults and they’d say "I’m just here with our little budding artist - talk to her!"
- A fun, colorful, and easy-to-read promotional poster
- An all-ages creator as a high-profile guest: Kean "Jellaby" Soo
Social opportunities
In addition to putting on the show itself, the MeCAF crew provided some great get-togethers for the creators to meet and mingle.
- On Saturday night, they held a reception party over on an island in the bay. Taking a ferry to hang out with other comics creators? Pretty cool. Open bar and free appetizers? I’m now your BFF for all time.
- Following the show, they also held an afterparty at a bar within walking distance of the festival. I couldn’t make it to this, but I loved the idea of a wind-down hangout.
Attractions
My weekend in Maine ended up being flat-out fun and pretty to look at. Some of that was intentional from the MeCAF crew and some was just a side result of the locations, but in any case, I walked away having enjoyed where I’d been and actively looking forward to the next show. This is a factor in my choosing conventions - what else can I do while I’m there, and will the space be comfortable?
- The convention center offered plenty of natural light, walking space, and a lovely view of the water.
- The reception party was held at a classy inn - a very warm and welcoming space (which would have had a great view too if the fog hadn’t camped out in the city that day).
- Portland itself turned out to be a walkable city with plenty to do and funky shops and eateries. I helped out Maine’s economy way too much this weekend via cool handbags, comics, and tricked-out fries.
Again, I can’t get over how well-organized and on-the-ball the MeCAF crew turned out to be. My whole experience at this con was effortless and very enjoyable. Here’s hoping this will be the first show of many!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Sunday: Maine Comics Arts Festival
If you like indy comics and you like Maine, come on up to Portland this Sunday for the Maine Comics Arts Festival! It’s a full day with a huge list of comics creators and great selection of workshops and discussions. Look for me and plenty of Boston Comics Roundtable members as well as our pals from Trees and Hills!
Where: Ocean Gateway in Portland, Maine
When: Sunday, May 17 10am-5pm
Details: $5 admission (free for kids under 12)
If you’re a city kitty like me and don’t have a car, the Amtrak Downeaster train runs from Boston’s North Station to Portland with trains leaving at 8:50am and 11:10am and returning at 3pm and 8pm.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Promo: Inbound #3 and Planet Wifey!
It’s here! Check out the brand-new third issue of Inbound, a comics anthology by the buckets of creative talent at the Boston Comics Roundtable! 72 pages about love and relationships from local creators: You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll admire the zombies and dinosaurs. If you’re new to Inbound, catch up with the bundle deals on our back issues (issue #2 has a story by me!).
In the mood for more comics? Hop on over to Planet Wifey, where peeps are gettin’ hiiiiiiigh.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Promo: Planet Wifey - Sexy When Mad (and more!)
Take a trip to Planet Wifey, where the consequences of lost luggage are sexy!
And if you’re looking for more reading awesomeness, check out The Chronicles of Solomon Stone, the face-kickingly cool adventures of the World’s Greatest Half-Vampire Private Detective (brought to you by Chris Sims, Matthew Allen Smith, and Benjamin Birdie!
Still looking for more? Pop on over to (postmodernbarney.com) for the heartache of Uncomfortable Plot Summaries. Sick burn, Hollywood.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Comics events for April 4-5 - Party! Convention!
Plenty of comics news today!
Inbound #3 release party this Saturday
Boston Comics Roundtable is celebrating the brand-new third issue of our comics anthology Inbound! Come hang out with Boston comics creators and check out a coffeeshop exhibit of original artwork!
where: The Atomic Bean Cafe, 902 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA (between Harvard and Central Squares, where Mojo Records used to be)
when: Saturday, April 4, 2009 7-9pm
Boston Comic-Con this weekend
Stop by the Boston Comic-Con this weekend to stock up on comics and meet local creators (including members of Boston Comics Roundtable and Trees and Hills). I’ll be there hawking my comics - hope to see you there!
where: Back Bay Events Center, 180 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA
when: Sat-Sun April 4-5, 2009 10am-5pm ($10 admission fee)
Fall into the orbit of Planet Wifey
Belated shout-out for the latest Planet Wifey! Go check it out - it involves bras and squirrels.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Scrooge Down Under
And it was after three o’clock in the morning
and I found this story about Scrooge McDuck going walkabout with a shaman in the Australian outback
whaaaaaaaaaat
The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck is blowin’ my mind, guys.
In other news, bop on over to Planet Wifey for everything you need to know about Clarence buying sneakers!
And a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mike Sterling!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Promo: Planet Wifey - Kangaroo Smackdown
Check out the newest strip at Planet Wifey, where you can learn all about wailin’ on kangaroos.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Promo: Planet Wifey now in orbit
Start the Valentine’s Day lovin’ a day early - check out the debut strip of Planet Wifey, a webcomic with writing by Clarence Smith Jr. and art by me! Look for a new trip to Planet Wifey every other Friday.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Promo: I Saw You ... Comics Inspired by Real-Life Missed Connections
Check this! The Craigslist-inspired comics anthology I Saw You... is finally out and in bookstores near you! It’s packed like a sardine can full of excellent indy comics creators, including a one-page comic by me. You’ll know it. You’ll love it. It’s about colonoscopies.
Kudos to Julia Wertz for bringing the book together. Look for it in bookstores or order a copy online!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Arisia 2009 - now with added Boston Comics Roundtable content!
If you’re a Boston-area geek looking for a weekend of nerdpartying, come on over to Cambridge this Friday to Arisia, New England’s largest sci-fi and fantasy convention!
This year’s comics panels include appearances by members of the Boston Comics Roundtable. If you’re interested in learning more about indy comics in Boston and our current/upcoming projects, this is the place for you!
To prep for the weekend, why not have a refresher on stuff geeks love, the worst comic this guy owns (NSFW), the entire run of The Prisoner, or the classic geek hierarchy?
Monday, December 8, 2008
This Sunday: Comic show in Davis Square
If you’re in the Davis Square area this Sunday (December 14), come on over to a comic show!
Comicazi will be hosting the Comicazi-Con and Bad-*ss Christmas Bazaar at the Dilboy VFW in Davis Square. 9am-3pm, $3 admission (includes free comic and toy). Get ready to buy loads of comics! And come and say hi to the Boston Comics Roundtable - we’ll be there selling copies of our anthology Inbound and minicomics by our members!
BeaucoupKevin.com has a lovely flyer for the event.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Hooray for the Boston Zine Fair 2008!
We had a ZINE FAIR. And it was AWESOME.
Boston Zine Fair 2008 has come and gone already, and it left a big pile of stuff to read in my living room.
This was my first year of helping to organize the fair. I was pretty nervous - we were dealing with a sack full of new factors: different location, different time of year, a two-floor layout instead of a single floor, and a new group of organizers.
But the fair came together, and I ended up having a blast. Loads of tablers came in from all over New England and beyond, and the fair wound up being crammed full of creativity and dozens of points of view. Fair attendees got the chance to sign up for membership in the Papercut Zine Library, get a sneak preview of the newest issue of Boston Comics Roundtable’s anthology Inbound, pick up the latest Trees and Hills collaboration Seeds, and buy/swap for plenty of other zines, comics, and books.
And me, I managed to sell a pretty decent number of comics, I got to hang out with creative friends all day, I attended some mind-opening workshops, and I drank a lot of coffee (Dunkin Donuts REPRESENT). Woo!
I also learned that there was a freaking skeleton on the second floor, Charlie Cards can be used for devious purposes, Newbury Street keeps going after it hits Mass Ave, and Jay is actually a ninja. The more you know, people!
I’d also like to give a huge thumbs up to a couple of great Trees and Hills creators: Anne Thalheimer, who led a fun crafts workshop and shared thoughts on her approach to crafting (including a "zero discard" policy for her new effort My Monster Hat); and Marek Bennett, who led an inspiring workshop and discussion on comics and education/activism. Marek has posted notes from his talk over on his blog - it’s worth the read.
Cool finds of the zine fair!
- An issue I was missing of Matt Reidsma’s High Maintenance Machine
- Several instructional books from Microcosm Publishing
- A mini about a monster from Dan Mazur
- Seeds, the latest anthology from Trees and Hills
- A handful of feminist zines from Learning to Leave a Paper Trail
- The Star Wars fanbook Harvest is When I Need You the Most, which I saw at the fair but didn’t actually pick up until about a week later because I’m a forgetful doofus
I enjoyed the fair so much (and I’m not the only one), and I’m really looking forward to the next one and doing more to grow this excellent Boston alt-media event.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
This weekend: Boston Zine Fair!
The Boston Zine Fair is this weekend!
Come and check out the crazy array of zines, comics, crafts, and more! Dozens of tablers and a great lineup of workshops are waiting for you this weekend just around the corner from Kenmore Square in Boston. And look for the second issue of the Boston Comics Roundtable anthology Inbound, making its debut at this event (with a nine-page story by me)!
Where: 601 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
When: 10am-6pm, Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21 2008
Admission: Free!
Check out the Boston Zine Fair website for full details including directions and the workshop schedule. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Comic: Sounds of Doctor Who
(You can support the Brattle Theatre and help them to keep bringing fine programming like "Genesis of the Daleks" to the big screen! Click here to find out how.)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Geraniums and Bacon #5! Now on sale!
It's here, everyone!
The fifth issue of my minicomic Geraniums and Bacon debuted at last weekend's MoCCA Art Festival, and now it's available for sale online!
This one's 20 pages of black and white comic awesome: decrepit expired Halloween pumpkins, medieval English mecha, bra shopping, and Kitty's completely unneeded trip to Filene's Basement's Bridal Sale!
$2 dollars gets you all this and more, so pick up your copy today!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
MoCCA 2008: The awesomeness goes to 11
Another year, another MoCCA art fest!
This year, we had a posse: me, Charles, and the rest of the Boston Comics Roundtable. All of our tables clustered like a New England colony out in the wilds of New York City. We're pilgrims in an unholy land!
And we brought some amazing goods to trade with the natives. I debuted the latest Geraniums and Bacon, Charles sold out of his two collections of Sordid City Blues, our pals sold out of the Star Wars fan comic Harvest is When I Need You the Most, and the Boston Comics Roundtable hit the ground running with the first issue of our new anthology, Inbound (now available for sale online). Rock solid!
The sun didn't like us and kicked out some fierce upper-90's heat. We skated through most of it due to our table sitting directly underneath a ceiling fan, but the inevitable struck on Sunday: a fire alarm and evacuation of the building. Kudos to the poor firefighters in their pounds of full-body protective gear.
I love the amazing selection of indy comics every year at MoCCA. It's like strolling into a walk-in treasure chest. It can be overwhelming, though. You risk the coolfinder's anxiety: "There could be hidden gems that I'll never see again at every single table! I must examine all of them! Wah!" Coming in as a creator, too, is a different level of social fun. You get to meet up with rarely-seen friends from around the country and immediately swap your latest creations, like little kids trading Halloween candy.
The social kept on flowing in the afterhours. We hit the Friday party at Rocketship, got copious drinks with new and old buddies, and laughed our heads off at karaoke. Comics geeks rock out like you'd never believe. And comics geeks shout out too: I had great times running around with or just running into Ed, Kevin, Birdie, Neilalien, Gina FirstSecond, Bill Roundy, Joe Rice, Mildly Astonishing Mike, the Satisfactory Comics crew, the Trees and Hills gang, Bully the Little Stuffed Bull and his human pals, and the Karaoke All-Stars. Not to mention dozens of other people I'm totally blanking on because my weekend was filled to bursting with comics and no sleep and gin and tonics. Take my word that they are all made of awesome as well.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Coming soon: Geraniums and Bacon #5
It's coming! Are you ready for this?!
Geraniums and Bacon issue #5!
This one's got something for everyone!
BRAS!
BRIDAL GOWNS!
BUDDHISM!
The next issue of Geraniums and Bacon will be debuting at the upcoming MoCCA Art Fest in New York City on June 7. Come by my table on the upper floor and get yourself a copy!
And in the meantime, catch up on the awesomeness by ordering issues 1-4!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
This weekend: SPX (where sadly I won't be)
The Small Press Expo is going down in Maryland this weekend, and I'm the saddest kitty on the block that I couldn't be there.
If you're there or if you're at home and want to read along, check out The Beat's ongoing coverage.
And if you're there, look for my friends from the Boston Comics Roundtable selling loads of minicomics and creations from New England talent. And you can pick up a copy of Geraniums and Bacon or I Survived Gwar for yourself!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
promo a-go-go
So much is going on!
Friends of Lulu has an anthology (with a cartoon by me)!
Friends of Lulu has released their new comics anthology, The Girls' Guide to Guys' Stuff. This book is bursting with great talent and female cartoonists of all kinds ... including me! Pick up a copy and check out my four-page short comic on neckties (and get a sneak preview on the anthology's MySpace updates page). If you're going to the San Diego Comic Con, look for the Friends of Lulu booth, where the book will be on sale; otherwise, you can order a copy from their website.
Marek has a blog!
Cartoonist and comics activist Marek Bennett has a blog: http://marekbennett.blogspot.com. Check out this guy's adventures in comics in New Hampshire and his own comic strip Mimi's Doughnuts, which is a delightful read!
Satisfactory Comics has a blog!
Check out this new blog by Mike and Isaac, the jam-masters behind Satisfactory Comics and a number of other collaborative and experimental comics: http://satisfactorycomics.blogspot.com. And take a look at the comics themselves - they're fun stories with surprising amounts of layers to peel and explore.
Trees & Hills has an anthology!
Trees & Hills, the comic group for creators in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts, has released a new anthology, the Field Guide. This thing is 52 pages bursting with mad cartooning skills - order a copy on their site!
Sordid City Blues is on sale in Cambridge!
The first print volume of Charles Schneeflock Snow's webcomic Sordid City Blues is available for sale at my favorite comic shop, Cambridge's Million Year Picnic. If you're in Harvard Square, stop in and pick it up!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
promo: MoCCA Art Fest this weekend, June 23-24
This coming weekend is the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) Art Festival in New York. I am very excited for this - the exhibitor lineup looks fantastic, and it's a great chance to socialize with comics creators and readers and pick up some excellent reads.
I'll be there at a table hawking copies of Geraniums and Bacon and I Survived Gwar. Come and visit, and buy some comics!
Details:
When? June 23-24, 2007, 11-6 both days
Where? Puck Building (293 Lafayette at Houston), New York City
Website? http://www.moccany.org/artfest-main.html
Monday, March 26, 2007
new! Geraniums and Bacon issue 4!
It's here, everyone! The newest issue of my minicomic, Geraniums and Bacon! This one's the travel issue: Boggle at what Kitty and pals do when luggage goes missing! Explore Dublin on a solo trip! Crush on public TV travel writer Rick Steves! Plus travel snaps, Milo Mercury and Ginger, and more! 20 pages of good times!
Check out a sample short from this issue: We're Gonna Have a Rick Steves Party Tonight!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
this weekend, March 24-25: Boston Zine Fair!
Do you like zines and minicomics? If you do, make time this coming weekend (March 24-25) to visit the Boston Zine Fair, the annual event for small press, self-publishers, and anyone interested in expressing themselves. I've attended this for several years now and every time it's more packed and even more full of amazing writing and artwork.
I'll be there hawking my minicomics, including the brand spanking new issue of Geraniums and Bacon (soon to be for sale on this website)! Come on over, say hi, and get yourself a copy!
I'll also be sharing a table with pal Charles, who will be selling the first print volume of his webcomic Sordid City Blues. Stop by and check it out!
What: Boston Zine Fair (official website)
When: March 24-25, 10am-6pm both days
Where: Massachusetts College of Art, Pozen Center (621 Huntington Ave, Boston; MBTA Green 'E' line, Longwood stop; more directions here)
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
upcoming: Geraniums and Bacon #4
Currently hacking away at the latest issue of my minicomic Geraniums and Bacon. Coming soon, issue 4: the travel issue! Wish you were here!
Keep an eye on this blog or join the comics mailing list for further news!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
comic: Medical Terminology
Saturday, December 16, 2006
comic: The Paper Mirror
I'm still thinking about DC's upcoming Minx line and the reaction to the gender makeup of its creative teams (i.e., not many women for an imprint aimed at young girls).
From a business sense, there's nothing wrong about this. DC isn't building some FUBU girlpower collective. Their goal is to get girls to buy DC comics, full stop.
Good creators can build stories about people who aren't like them. Men can write about women (Whiteout), women can write about men (Finder), $apples can write about $oranges, and so on. And DC has hired some great creators for this venture.
At the same time, I wonder about Minx's potential lack of paper mirror moments, especially for an audience who really needs them. Sometimes only the people who've been there can really capture the mood and, maybe even more importantly, the details. Hacker movies sporting fakey Hollywood OS, on-location tales with incorrect or mishmashed backgrounds - the devil's in the details, and when the details are wrong, my conviction in the story falters and sometimes I even feel disrespected. "Hey, I'm glad that me and my kind are such great story fodder for you guys - now could you take five minutes to actually talk to one of us and get some facts about what we're really like?"
Monday, September 4, 2006
Comic: Switzerland
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Comic: Whole Lotta School Still
And yet I keep entertaining the idea of grad school. What the heck?
SCHOOL: "Aw, you come back to me, baby, I won't hurt you so much this time, you know I love you."
ME: "Awright, honey, just this once more!"
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
See you at MoCCA this weekend
Coming up this weekend in Manhattan: MoCCA Art Festival! This is my first time hitting this cartoons and comics fiesta, and I'm really looking forward to it.
If you're there, hit me up for a free Geraniums and Bacon sampler issue! I'll be giving away a minicomic with shorts from G&B issues 1-3 and oh crazy! sneak preview material from this year's upcoming Geraniums and Bacon #4!
Hope to see you peeps in New York!
Thursday, May 4, 2006
comic: kitty's wishlist
(And you know I'd buy it tomorrow if it existed, too.)
Thursday, March 30, 2006
invitation to madness: goodbye
And that wraps things up for March Madness! Thanks to everyone who sent in comments - I hope you've enjoyed the comics. You can find them all archived on the comics page, under "Online Comics". Please stay tuned to this blog for more webcomics in the future!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
invitation to madness: muffin
Friday, March 24, 2006
invitation to madness: quilt
Friday, March 17, 2006
invitation to madness: bathroom
Thursday, March 2, 2006
invitation to madness: the new place
Wednesday, March 1, 2006
march madness: an invitation to madness event!
Stay tuned through the month of March for new Invitation to Madness cartoons starring everyone's favorite shrieky moppet Raging Mary and introducing Raging Mommy!
And if you're looking for even more cartoons, why not pick up a copy of the original Invitation to Madness minicomic?
Monday, January 16, 2006
Fill-in City Blues
Go and check out pal Charles' webcomic Sordid City Blues - the page for Monday, January 16 is a fill-in piece guest-created by me!
Monday, December 12, 2005
new! Geraniums and Bacon issue 3!
It's here! The latest issue of my minicomic Geraniums and Bacon is now available! Pick up a copy and gawk at Kitty's true confessions: adult ed addiction, inappropriate thoughts, ethical grooving, and more! Plus fun stories, quirky cartoons, and new adventures with Milo Mercury and Ginger - 20 pages of rock-out fun!
Here's a sample short from this issue - Miss Manners' Guide to Ethical Grooving!
Get your copy today with the power of Paypal!
Sunday, November 27, 2005
velvety goodness
Nuts, and typical: just when I get back into reading the adventures of The Velvet Marauder and add the feed to my feedreader, the blog goes on hiatus. Damn! Many big fuzzy kudos to Dave Campbell for all of the excellent and hilarious writing so far - hopefully the blog will resurface at some point. If you haven't already read it, head on over and start back at the beginning of the archives. Great way to completely blow a day's work!
Velvet Marauder fan art by Kitty
Sunday, October 2, 2005
essential iron man!
I don't usually tend to pick up the Marvel "Essential" series, but I've already chomped my way through many of the graphic novels at the library, and now I'm going through the remainders. Plus, I just like to know things. Everyone in Blogistan goes on about genius drunkie Tony Stark and his fighting robot suit, and I feel like a kid at the grown-ups' table. "What? What? I wanna know!"
Essential Iron Man Volume 1 samples stories from early in Iron Man lore, back when he was still a highlight in comic Tales of Suspense. Right off, the old-school Marvel break-the-internet-in-half promo copy sucks me in: "Watch his awesome approach! Listen to his ponderous footsteps as he lumbers closer ... closer ... for today you are destined to encounter - - the invincible IRON MAN!" Cripes! That's solid gold hyperbole with a chaser of SAT vocab. AWESOME.
The premise of Iron Man is also primo old-school material. Science genius millionaire playboy Tony Stark (played by Errol Flynn) develops revolutionary transistor-based military weapons, which will be used in Vietnam. On location on the jungle outskirts, he stumbles across a booby trap, takes life-threatening shrapnel in the chest, and is kidnapped by guerrillas. Forced to create weaponry for the enemy, he secretly creates a robot suit to artificially keep him alive and to enable him to go all jackbooty on his captors. Which he does. Cue return to America, return to military R&D, and a new Marvel-brand tragic and secret nature ("No one can ever know that I wear this hidden iron chest plate to keep me alive!") and matching secret identity as Iron Man, Fighter of Baddies and/or Commies! Take that, gangsters and Reds!
Eventually, the story acquires more of a supporting cast in the form of a cute girl and hapless buddy, and that's when it turns into a Stan Lee mad lib:
Hero: "How could $female ever love a man with $ailment? She'd be better off loving $schlubby_guy_buddy."
Female: "Why doesn't $hero love me? Sob!"
::insert a few scenes of beatin' on peeps, saving lives::
Caption: "He's the most tragic hero EVAR!!!11!"
Seriously, I liked the original premise behind Iron Man, but didn't anyone back then notice that it was turning out exactly like the other Stan Lee comics of that era: Daredevil, Thor, and so on? Hero has fights, maintains unrequited love with girly girl, ends issues with the obligatory "I'm so tragic" panel? Then again, years from now, people will probably look back and say that about our pop culture. "Didn't those fools notice that all their movies were pretty much all the same movie? Volcano and Dante's Peak, Deep Impact and Armageddon?"
Iron Man also gets his own cheesy Yellow Peril techno-villain in this volume. Enter ... the Mandarin!
I enjoyed the cameos by other Marvel greats: Angel, Hawkeye and the Black Widow, the Avengers. Shared universes like that play havoc with tragic heroes' woes, though. Actual Iron Man quote: "Nobody can help me! Nobody can repair my damaged heart! Nobody can guarantee how much longer it will keep beating! Nobody can ever know the torment felt by Iron Man!" Meanwhile, he's a member of the Avengers, where his teammates are a Whitman's Sampler of gods and science genius types, and he lives in the same world as the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and god knows who else. You're telling me he can't find someone to teleport/magic/science-ify that piece of shrapnel out of him? Mm-hmm. I'd buy it if it were written more as "Tony Stark is a stubborn SOB with an ego the size of Maryland and wants to prove that he can fix himself." That kind of pride-failing is more convincing than "rich bastard with robot suit surrounded by super-super types has woeful pity party every night."
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
fan art: yay for luther
Fan art of Luther from Sordid City Blues. Hooray for web graphic novels!
Friday, June 24, 2005
milo 'n' ginger
I hung out with Mister Wolf yesterday, checking out the ICA and talking about comics. If you haven't already read his comic Sordid City Blues, go and take a look - it's fun reading!
And now I'm all jazzed about making comics and drawing again. Hooray! Here's a pinup of my pop adventurers Milo Mercury and Ginger - look for more on them in Geraniums and Bacon #3 (with luck, coming later this summer).
Saturday, June 4, 2005
klimtalicious
The first "woo hah" of the day was for making it to the Busch-Reisinger Museum's exhibit Crises of Representation in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna before it ended. The second "woo hah" was for finding out that a special talk on the exhibit was happening just after I got there. Sweet!
I highly recommend swinging by this exhibit if you get the chance before it ends next Sunday, June 12. The selection of artwork is great (including a painting and some drawings by my main man Gustav Klimt), and there's a fantastic wall full of patterns designed by Koloman Moser.
P.S. Now back from Iceland. Cool photos of Iceland shortly.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
comic: school
Sunday, July 11, 2004
minicomics: part of this nutritious breakfast
Currently working on the second issue of my minicomic Geraniums and Bacon and having a great time. Weather beautiful; wish you were here. Love, Kitty.
If you're interested in issue 1 of Geraniums and Bacon or any of the other minicomics I've been working on, please check out the new minicomics page. Thanks!
in other thoughts
Watching The Blues Brothers is ten times funnier if you pretend that the two leads are agents from The Matrix.