The webcomics blog about webcomics

Controversies? Not Here, Buddy

Two items today that might have the potential to possibly get blown out of proportion and maybe cause just the teensiest bit of consternation. Onwards!

As PJ mentioned down below, Adventures Into Digital Comics is hitting the festival circuit. For a bit of historical context, recall that the last time this film was in the news (or at least the subset of news that concerns itself with webcomics), it caused a shitstorm of epic proportions, with all and sundry holding back nothing in their opinions. Remember, this was teh drama where Scott Kurtz was the calm one, and Scott McCloud got so het up that he later depublished irate verbiage. Calm and good humor returned relatively quickly, luckily.

So now we all have the chance to see the damn thing. When you do, remember to breathe, people.

In other news, last night the National Book Awards were presented in New York, and Gene Yang’s American Born Chinese did not win in the category of Young People’s Literature. That honor went to MT Anderson for The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party. We all know that some feel that Yang didn’t belong in such august company (the reaction to which opinion was satisfyingly brutal and swift), but you know what? I’m okay with last night’s outcome.

I haven’t read Octavian Nothing, but I’ve heard good things about it. Unlike Mr Long, I won’t judge a book unworthy without having read it, and it’s my feeling that for Octavian Nothing to have bested American Born Chinese, it must be pretty damn good. As I’ve stated before, my only complaint is that Yang was nominated in the category of Young People’s Literature, as I don’t think that his work is specific to any age group. Regardless, Fleen congratulates Mr Anderson, and continues to hold Mr Yang in the highest of esteem.

Speaking of Mr Yang, he’s on a mini-tour of sorts right now, so if you’re in Sacramento or Nashville, keep your eyes open. And speaking of on tour, the McCloud Family Death March returns to the US this week, with a side trip to Nashville on Sunday (hmmm, wonder who else might be there) and a lecture at NYU on Monday (no details yet, but we’re working on ’em).

Adventures Into Digital Comics… I dont think it’ll cause anything more than a “oh yeah, I remember that. It was two years out of date the last time we heard about it.” because webcomickers like their drama current.

I figure people are trying to find ways to work WCN Free into a good battle royal

Make Comics, Not War.

Webcomickers don’t like their drama current, they like their drama FUTURE. Current events have too many confirmable facts that get in the way of paranoid speculation.

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