Northwest Press

The Gay Comics List loves The Power Within!

// September 19th, 2011 // // The Power Within

One of the biggest challenges in doing “advocacy” storytelling is striking a nice balance between getting your message across and telling a good story. If you fail, you end up with something much less entertaining than preachy. The most rewarding feedback we’ve gotten since releasing our anti-bullying book The Power Within is that we’ve succeeded in telling an engaging, honest story that resonates with readers, and isn’t just a “me too” message book. François Peneaud, who reviews everything, it seems like, on his site The Gay Comics List, has seen his fair share of preachy comics, and I’m glad to say that The Power Within wasn’t one of them.

As much as one can enjoy seeing queer characters in both mainstream and indie fantasy fiction, the problems of the real world should always take precedence. Sometimes in a ham-fisted way, and sometimes in a moving, heartfelt way that shows the sincerity and skills of the creators involved. Fortunately, it is the latter that happens with Zan Christensen and Mark Brill’s The Power Within, a comic about LGBT teen bullying.

Later, he says:

The Power Within goes well beyond what’s expected of a project done with the best intentions. It’s a moving depiction of what’s unfortunately the real life of some teenagers in our society, and the creators involved can only hope it will contribute, in its own ways, to the improvement of that situation.

Check out François’ site for the whole Power Within review, and take a look at his numerous other reviews of great LGBT comics. It’s truly a treasure trove.

The Power Within reviewed at Comics Bulletin

// September 17th, 2011 // // The Power Within

Jason Sacks at Comics Bulletin recently reviewed Mark Brill and Charles “Zan” Christensen’s anti-bullying comic, The Power Within and gave the book highest marks: five out of five silver bullets! We were especially pleased to note that the book had reached beyond the LGBT audience and resonated with a straight married man with three kids; we were able to portray the experience of being bullied in school as a gay teen in a way that everyone can relate to.

This is not a maudlin or preachy comic; instead The Power Within effectively puts readers inside the head of a young teenager who’s struggling to find his own unique way in the world. In some ways it doesn’t even matter if Shannon is gay; what’s more important is that he is a depressed outsider who feels hated by everyone around him.

He’s subject to bullying, but the bullying could just as much been because he’s a creative kid, or a brain, or handicapped, or even if he’s just depressed because his parents are getting divorced. What’s important is that Shannon feels like an outsider, like someone who will never be an insider. Because of this, he’s become the victim of bullying, and that bullying helps to lead a tremendous level of self-hatred in him.

Check out the whole review of The Power Within at Comics Bulletin!

“A Waste of Time” Debut at Mission: Comics and Art

// September 8th, 2011 // // A Waste of Time, Events

We are delighted that Mission: Comics and Art will be hosting the debut party for Rick Worley’s new book A Waste of Time. Come and join us on APE weekend and mix and mingle with Rick and other Northwest Press artists, and be one of the first to take home a copy of Rick’s sweet and salty new book.

Bent-Con 2011

// September 8th, 2011 // // Events, Glamazonia, Teleny and Camille, The Mark of Aeacus, The Power Within

Northwest Press was proud to make its first solo convention appearance at the inaugural Bent-Con last December, and we’re thrilled to be attending this year’s show, which will be bigger and better than ever, in a brand-new venue, spanning two days, and with more special guests than you can imagine! This is shaping up to be a “must-go” annual convention event. Join Charles “Zan” Christensen (The Power Within, The Mark of Aeacus), Jon Macy (Teleny and Camille), Justin Hall (Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super-Tranny) for the queerest comics show you ever saw!

“That Comic Isn’t About Me” at GeekGirlCon

// September 8th, 2011 // // Events

GeekGirlCon is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of and celebrating the contribution and involvement of women in all aspects of the sciences, science fiction, comics, gaming and related Geek culture through conventions and events that emphasize both the historic and ongoing contribution and influence of women in this culture. They are having their first annual convention on October 8th and 9th at the Seattle Center Northwest Rooms in 2011, and Charles “Zan” Christensen from Northwest Press will be moderating a panel discussion about gender, sexuality and race in comics.

That Comic Isn’t About Me: Gender, Sexuality, and Race in Comics

Unless you’re a famous historical figure, a super-powered mutant, or the author of the story, odds are the comic isn’t actually about you. But that’s not usually what we mean when we think that. How important is it for us to easily identify with the characters being portrayed in a story, and what effect does that have on the diversity of the comics landscape? Why do readers so often overlook stories featuring characters whose gender, sexuality, race, class, or culture differs from their own? And how does the creator’s sense of identity seep into their creative work in both overt and subtle ways? Are we also tempted to tell stories just to people we identify with?

Join Ashley Cook (Giant Fire-Breathing Robot), Chris Lange (The Capitol Hillbillies), and Gail Simone (Batgirl, The Fury of Firestorm) (and perhaps another special guest or two) for a lively discussion about how our identities impact our comics reading and creating.

Retail Spotlight: “Mission: Comics and Art” in San Francisco

// September 8th, 2011 // // Misc

Here’s the second of my ongoing “Retail Spotlights”, to highlight those comics shops that want to reach out to LGBT customers. The goal is to connect queer folks who are already comics readers to shops they can go and find the stuff they want to read, as well as invite LGBT communities around the country to explore what today’s comics shops have to offer by visiting one near them with a great selection and welcoming staff. If you’re looking for a fun place to shop where you can “come as you are”, then look no further!

This time around, we’re going to shine a spotlight on Mission: Comics and Art in San Francisco, California, courtesy of proprietor Leef Smith. This shop is a “junction point for the worlds of fine art, comic books, and popular culture”, and has a great selection of indie and local graphic novels, as well as all your must-have superhero books. In the back of the store, you’ll find something you don’t usually find at a comics shop: a full gallery space dedicated to showing original comics as well as artwork inspired by comics. Cool!

Mission offers a lot of other stuff you might not expect from a comics shop: they offer a Graphic Novel Rental Library, so you can read more for less money; they host a “monthly Comic Creators Meetup encouraging the creation promotion and distribution of independently produced comics”; and they also have a monthly graphic novel book club where you can enjoy a new work and share a lively discussion about it with other comics lovers. No stereotypical basement-dwelling hermits here!

According to Leef, this is a great time to come explore what comics have to offer, with the new relaunched—and more diverse!—DC Comics. Mission is even playing a part in DC’s big push to embrace digital comics, with digital subscriptions and online management via Comixology.

LGBT customers can rest assured that Mission: Comics and Art will help connect them to fantastic comics and graphic novels. Says Leef:

We’ve got a dedicated LGBT section that includes award winners like Teleny & Camille and Fun Home, and new releases like Gingerbread Girl and Wandering Son. Our local shelves also include Waste of Time and fan-fave Wuvable Oaf. We’re also happy to point out the mainstream superhero comics that do a good job depicting LGBT characters, such as Batwoman, Young Avengers & X-Factor among others.

Mission: Comics & Art has a special focus on comic books as an art form, with our gallery, artist receptions, and strong selection of self-published and Indy books. We offer a Graphic Novel Rental Library, and “buy” back graphic novels to add to the library. We’ve got an excellent coffee shop right next door, Rodgers Coffee & Tea, with fabulous “brew by the cup” coffee.

Mission: Comics and Art is located in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, at 3520 20th Street, Suite B (between Mission and Valencia). They are open Tuesday through Sunday, Noon to 8pm. You can find them on Facebook and check them out on Twitter at @missioncomics. Being true San Francisco tech-heads, they’re also on Flickr, YouTube, Yelp, and Foursquare! (And, as I mentioned earlier, ComiXology…)

Mission will be hosting the big debut party for Rick Worley’s A Waste of Time at the beginning of October, during APE. Don’t miss it!

Jon Macy Interviewed for Outlook Columbus

// September 2nd, 2011 // // Teleny and Camille

Jon Macy was interviewed for Outlook Columbus recently and told interviewer Mackenzie Worrall all about the process he undertook to create Teleny and Camille.

I love the history lesson at the beginning, explaining both how you came to write it, and how Wilde came to write the original. I had no idea that this was based on a Victorian novel when I first picked it up. Do you think your work would stand on its own without the opening vignettes?

The graphic novel would be fine on its own, and that was my intention when I started it, but after working on the project for almost eight years I discovered a lot about Gay history and wanted to share that journey. It also makes it clear that I’m continuing the tradition of collaboration this novel has, which, in hindsight, I realized makes it more relevant for modern readers.

Did you leave anything out from the original that you had really wanted to put in?

Well, there is one scene where Camille fights his homosexuality by raping the maid, which is pretty horrific. I felt it was too misogynistic to include, but after reading the papers published by the Oscholars, an online group of Wilde academics, I’ve come to the conclusion that the writers were not against women, but giving a Gay male commentary on straight men of the time. This scene would come right before Camille’s suicide attempt and would better show how he had been tested greatly by trying to be something he is not. It’s still a very volatile scene and it would be tricky to pull off, but maybe I would add it to a future edition.

Check out the whole interview at Outlook Columbus!

Retail Spotlight: “All About Books and Comics” in Phoenix

// August 30th, 2011 // // Misc

So here’s something new: I’ve put out a call to retailers to let me know about their shops that cater to LGBT readers, and am going to run “Retail Spotlights” highlighting them. The goal is to connect queer folks who are already comics readers to shops they can go and find the stuff they want to read, as well as invite LGBT communities around the country to explore what today’s comics shops have to offer by visiting one near them with a great selection and welcoming staff. If you’re looking for a fun place to shop where you can “come as you are”, then look no further!

This week, I’d like to introduce you to Marsha and Alan Giroux and their store called All About Books and Comics in Phoenix, Arizona. The store boasts over one million (!) new and back-issue comics from all publishers, as well as other items such as shirts, coffee mugs, and more. They’ve been serving customers in Arizona and worldwide for 30 years and have ”the most knowledgable and friendly staff in Arizona.”

All About Books and Comics offers a free subscription service (so the books you want won’t sell out before you get them), a selection of back issues you can browse on their website, and they make regular updates about sales, promotions and new items on their email list, Facebook, and on Twitter at @AllAboutComics. All About Comics also buys and trades old comics; bring them in to the store so they can check them out!

I asked Marsha and Alan what they thought was the hottest thing in comics right now, and what they would recommend to new readers.

The most exciting thing happening in comics right now begins in September with the launch of DC’s new line of comics. They are relaunching with 52 new number ones. It is the perfect jumping on point for anyone interested in comics. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Batwoman and all the rest of the DC line are all starting fresh with a new modern day relaunch and you can start with the very first issue! All About Books and Comics will have them all! Batwoman is a lesbian and she’s finally getting her own series! For those of you that loved Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman in the 1970′s, we will not only have the first issue of Wonder Woman in September but we also carry a full line of Wonder Woman products from coffee mugs to T-shirts.

Looking for something more independent? We recommend Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Fun Home, a coming of age story of a young lesbian growing up with her father in a funeral home. Did you grow up reading Archie Comics? They are also becoming much more LGBT friendly with the recent introduction of a new gay character, Kevin. We’ve got them!

Are you watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Walking Dead? These are two of the most popular TV shows that have comics and All About has them all! Did you see any of the great comic book movies this summer? Thor, X-men, Captain America, Green Lantern? We have all the comics and related merchandise.

Have a question? Ask the Professor. He has been collecting comics for over 40 years and can tell you anything you need to know about story lines. You can reach the Professor on the blog at AllAboutComics.com and read reviews of current comics.

So if you’re in Phoenix but haven’t looked at a comic shop in a while because you didn’t think there would be anything for you there, give All About Books and Comics a try. It’s always good to support retailers that welcome everyone and try to offer stuff that appeals to all types of customers. The shop is located at 5060 N. Central in the heart of uptown Phoenix (one block North of Camelback on Central). You can also visit them online at AllAboutComics.com.

Spotlight: The Center for Artistic Revolution in Little Rock, Arkansas

// August 18th, 2011 // // The Power Within

We’re starting to send out copies of The Power Within to schools, churches, teachers and youth groups, and are starting to hear back from some of the organization about the great work that they do. I’m going to post some of their stories to the blog so that you can find out more about these great resources for LGBT youth, especially ones in places you might not expect!

First up, I want to shine the spotlight on The Center for Artistic Revolution in Little Rock, Arkansas: a 501(c)3 community-based organization that provides a wide variety of services and also advocates for LGBT youth. We heard from Executive Director Randi M. Romo:

We were very surprised that someone in Washington had heard about us down here. But we were also very excited to receive your comics here at CAR! We all think they are a wonderful tool and we’d love to have more of them.

We currently have a roster of a little over 200 youth. We also give new members a small backpack with the DYSC (Diverse Youth for Social Change) program logo on it with resource materials inside. We’d like to be able to add this comic to those bags!

FYI – DYSC is a structured weekly meeting program with a curriculum that we here at CAR have developed and the Center is the free time space for them.

What do we do? I often think not enough and then I start listing it and I get tired. Yet, there is still so much more to be done. Organizing here in the south is tough, yet we are tenacious.

CAR has been around since 2003. It was founded by LGBTQ and ally community members, many of whom were artists/activists—thus our name. Cultural work based on the creative process is very important to us in how we message, relate, build bridges, etc.

CAR works with the principals of education, organizing, advocacy and cultural work. We have organized on many campaigns in AR such as opposing efforts to ban LGBTQ from adopting or being foster parents, opposed the marriage amendment, and saw to it that Clint McCance the vice-president of a school board in the state who advocated for gay kids to kill themselves, resigned from his position.

In addition to the Center and the DYSC program we also have the La Salsa Rainbow Camp, the only organized camping experience for LGBTQ youth in the South. We are currently building a permanenet infrastructure for the camp. Then there’s the Safer Schools / Safe Spaces program where we develop materials and workshops for educators, and other school personnel, the GEAR program for our trans and gender variant community members. We also provide adult community center space.

Visit The Center for Artistic Revolution website at artisticrevolution.org. You can also find them on Twitter at @CAR4Equality and on Facebook.

You can support CAR by making a donation of money or supplies. Please support this organization that’s working so hard to support kids!

In Case You Missed it: Paul Gravett on Teleny and Camille

// August 2nd, 2011 // // Teleny and Camille

Paul Gravett wrote an article about literary adaptations in graphic novels for the Times Literary Supplement in May, which included a section about Jon Macy’s Teleny and Camille. I just stumbled across an online version of the article today and, since I don’t think we linked to it before, I wanted to share it with you.

Macy draws himself at work on the project, realising that “only adding pictures to the [complete] text would not do it justice”, but anxious about having to “trim the Victorian gingerbread”, and imagining himself “facing a tribunal for all my Wildean crimes.” Macy would not be found guilty, as he has made this book his own by focusing on its love story between two men, put in context in a prologue narrated by the London bookseller Charles Hirsch. Macy goes on to accompany the already highly charged texts with an imagery of brooding eroticism and, as required, uninhibited pornography, in some passages stripping everything down to purely visual terms. His inky linework stays sensuous and sensitive to the turbulent emotions and settings of his two idealised lovers, shifting between streamlined simplicity and more ornate flourishes from Expressionism to Art Nouveau.

Check out the whole review of Teleny and Camille as part of the article “Obvious Impostures” at Paul Gravett’s website.