#Blogger 40th Anniversary

[djrobblog]

40th anniversary: A music and numbers geek’s delight happened in 1983 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart… here it is

40th anniversary: A music and numbers geek’s delight happened in 1983 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart… here it is! #BHM2023 #BillboardCharts #Thriller40 #soulcharts

(February 24, 2023).  An absurdly odd statistical anomaly occurred on the Billboard soul chart (then called Hot Black Singles) in 1983 that only a numbers nerd or a chart geek could appreciate.   And this blogger, an admitted member of both clubs, is hoping to enlist others who don’t make it a habit to read Billboard’s charts, or marvel in numeration, in recognizing this freakish occurrence. It…

[formidablecompanynews]

Hello Kitty Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary, But Did You Know She’s Not a Cat? - Notice Today Web https://www.merchant-business.com/hello-kitty-celebrates-its-50th-anniversary-but-did-you-know-shes-not-a-cat/?feed_id=137752&_unique_id=669bf7aa85dbb #GLOBAL - BLOGGER BLOGGER I mean, I think the people who thought that kitty was a cat are in the majority.But nope! The beloved cartoon character, now celebrating its 50th anniversary—which officially occurs on November 1—is most definitely not an animal at all, but rather a little girl of the Homo genus.Today, on July 18, Jill Koch, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management at Sanrio, Hello Kitty’s flagship company, explained in six words that quickly left us unsettled, “Hello Kitty is not a cat.”It wasn’t enough, however, as she continued to divulge more about the character we thought we knew so well: “She’s actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London. She has a mom and dad and a twin sister, Mimmy—who is also her best friend.”Her full name is also Kitty White. Like, what?!But maybe you did know, because this wasn’t the first time Hello Kitty had this news circulating around. In fact, the character made headlines back in 2014, around its 40th anniversary, for the exact same reason.During that time, anthropologist Christine R. Yano—who authored Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across The Pacific—was corrected “very firmly” by Sanrino on the distinction between cat and little girl amid prepping for a Hello Kitty exhibit at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.“She’s a cartoon character,” Yano explained to the Los Angeles Times. “She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. She does have a pet cat of her own, however, and it’s called Charmmy Kitty.”As for the character’s London roots, Yano explained: “Hello Kitty emerged in the 1970s, when the Japanese and Japanese women were into Britain. They loved the idea of Britain. It represented the quintessential idealized childhood, almost like a white picket fence. So, the biography was created exactly for the tastes of that time.”The Japanese company Sanrio first created Hello Kitty in 1974. A year later, her image, including her signature red bow, was introduced to the public on a small children’s coin purse that sold for less than a dollar.Since then, her adorable expressionless face has popped up on toys, clothing and other merchandise around the globe, with its universal appeal being the subject of doctoral dissertations.Source Link: https://hollywoodlife.com/2024/07/19/hello-kitty-celebrates-its-50th-anniversary-shes-not-a-cat/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pexels-photo-11665783.jpeg I mean, I think the people who thought that kitty was a cat are in the majority. But nope! The beloved cartoon character, now celebrating its 50th anniversary—which officially occurs on November 1—is most definitely not an animal at all, but rather a little girl of the Homo genus. Today, on July 18, Jill Koch, … Read More

[mickeymdod]

40 Days to 40 Years - Looking Back

40 Days to 40 Years - Looking Back -- a trip down memory lane to a post I wrote for the 40th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom!

A look at the Walt Disney World sign from days gone by… 40 Days to 40 Years – Looking Back Over the years, I have had the great honor to contribute with some absolutely amazing Disney bloggers. Today, we’re taking a ride in the Wayback Machine to 2011, the year that Walt Disney World turned 40 years old. This series of posts was the brainchild of my dear friend Didi Marie, and I was fortunate…

[soulcialdent]

Anime NYC 2019: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Anime NYC 2019: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Yoshiyuki Tomino is a storyboard artist, a director that has worked in the animation industry for more than forty years.  Born in Odawara, Japan, he began his career after graduating from the Nihon University College of Art. 

(more…)

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

Tagged

I was tagged by @jjmichie - thank you! It’s nice to get to know new (to me!) bloggers, especially since I haven’t been here in forever so I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know anybody new.

Nickname: n/a although some of my best friends call me Lovely. (My name, Lily, is already too short to make into a nickname!) Although some random people IRL will also call me Lillian because it’s literally not my name. LOL

Zodiac: Taurus

Height: 5'0”

Last thing i googled:  synonyms for “approve” (I was writin’ a Twitter thread/music-related rant late last night)

favorite bands: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Journey, The Beatles, Fanny, CCR, Queen, The Police, U2, The Pointer Sisters, Romeo Void, Concrete Blonde, L7, Pearl Jam, Sleater-Kinney, Thunderpussy, The Black Tones, Big Joanie, Fatty Cakes and the Puff Pastries, Fea...and those are just bands/groups, strictly speaking.

last film i watched: Howl’s Moving Castle

last song i listened to: “Deliver Me” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

song stuck in my head: "Se Cree Joven” by Alice Bag 

favorite color: Green  

dream job:  ...music writer.................(I’m very reluctant to say that so if you poke me about it I’ll probably cry. I’M BEING TOO HONEST I KNOOOOOOW)

wearing: My TPATH 40th anniversary tour shirt and pajama pants with the Hogwarts house crests on them.

hobbies: reading, playing Pokemon, writing, listening to music (an obvious thing), eating and drinking coffee (I’d say cooking too but I kind of hate cooking. I like it if I’m making food for other people to enjoy, but just for myself I pretty much hate it), researching music history, and to risk sounding like a gigantic fucking nerd I also just like doing research in general sometimes

instruments: Voice, as those of us in choir would always assert that it’s an instrument (or more like we would be like “Yeah, okay, sure” when our choir director would tell us “YOUR VOICE IS AN INSTRUMENT AND DON’T LET ANYONE FORGET IT”)...otherwise, I can kinda play piano by ear.

inspiration or muse: Odd question, but I’m going to specify that I think of this in terms of inspirations/muses for ‘succeeding in life and being authentic,’ because that’s what I constantly feel I need to be inspired by. So my answers, that considered, are Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, Cyndi Lauper, and Alice Bag.

meaning behind your URL: To listen to music just with your ears is boring. (To love music with just your heart is cliché. IN MY HEARTFELT OPINION. LOL) Honestly, whether I like it or not sometimes, I feel music. That’s what my URL’s supposed to represent.

facts: only child of a single mother, in my early 20s, single and 92% cool with that, I was born in southern California but I’ve lived in western Washington for most of my life now (and am pretty resentful of that although now that I’ve gotten into bands from WA I feel...a little bit more mellow about it), just recently got two part-time jobs which is a huge improvement from NEVER having a job before LOL, volunteer at a DIY live music venue, actually love to dance but I don’t do it enough, still haven’t learned how to drive! I know, I’m pathetic! Bye!, was diagnosed with depression when I was 8 years old, I’m super introverted and shy but I appreciate my friends and talking to people who don’t pressure me to be social!

aesthetics: Nature, I suppose? I’ve always kind of been obsessed with the ocean (so when people from WA are like, ‘Oh gosh, the mountains are the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!!!!’ which happens a lot I’m like HARD PASS, I’LL TAKE THE OCEAN PLEASE, THANK YOU). Also, this might sound really weird in this context but just humor me - authenticity. And one last probably unexpected thing...cute/adorable things. LOL

Now I’ll tag @astoppedclock, @drummersheartbeat, @gemvictorfromtheponyverse, @happytimetravelmilkshake But don’t feel pressured to do it if you don’t want to. ♥

[animeboston]

Gundam vs. Hello Kitty: Who would win?

Place your bets. Our contenders: the 60-foot war machine Mobile Suit Gundam… and a tiny cat-like girl wearing a red bow. Somehow, this battle could go either way.

As a sponsoriffic celebration in honor of the Gundam franchise’s 40th anniversary and Hello Kitty’s 45th birthday, these two middle-aged icons are squaring off to see who is the ultimate Japanese pop culture export. Fans can use the official site to pledge their loyalty one way or the other, and we encourage you to try: it only takes one click and leads to two custom layouts.

If you happen to be in Japan, you can earn points for your chosen contender by shopping and dining at specific places, because after all, this is a battle of capitalism. But if Gundam and Hello Kitty were to really face off, who would come out on top? As an Anime Boston blogger, here is my expert commentary on each fighter’s pros and cons:

Hello Kitty

Pros

No mouth so you never know when she’s thinking about murder (which is all the time).

White fur shows bloodstains easily, intimidating enemies.

Cons

Performs better with her friends, who aren’t part of the promotion.

Somehow not actually a cat, as wrong as that seems.

Gundam

Pros

Emotionless robot, so it has no time for joy or sadness, only victory.

Has internal memory bank so it never forgets… or forgives.

Cons

Poor fashion sense compared to opponent.

Physically cannot function without the assistance of an angsty teen.

Who are you rooting for?

—Lauren, AB Staff Blogger

[disney366]

Day 2802: #Smile, we're #Celebrating the 40th #Anniversary of #BTMRR. #Disney366 @@Disneyland @@DisneylandToday ■ * LOCATION: #BigThunderMountainRailroad #Frontierland #Disneyland ■ * DISNEY: #Disneyland366 #Disney2019 #Disneyland2019 #Disney #DisneyTime #DisneySide #JustGotHappier #YourDisneyStory #HappiestPlaceOnEarth ■ * EQUIPMENT & APPS: @SamsungMobileUSA @SamsungMobile @SamsungUSA - #WithGalaxy @OtterBox - #TeamOtterBox #MyOtterBox @Anker_Official - #PowerOn @PhotoGrid - #PhotoGrid ■ * TEAM SUPPORT: #Blogger @ABC7LA - #ABC7EyeWitness @KTLA5News - #KTLA @VisitAnaheim - #VisitAnaheim ■ * SEASONAL: ■ * IMAGE: #Photography #Attraction #Dinosaur #Fossil (at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad) https://www.instagram.com/p/B17hDaGlAm0/?igshid=88j66ul0oakf

[capseycartwright]

political animals

when the golden boy of the labour party, robert sugden, is faced with a career ending scandal, theres only one solution to fix his tarnished image - fake a relationship. only, well - aaron dingle isn’t exactly robert’s type, is he?

what was once a big bang is now a big multi-chapter fic, because i have no self control.

ao3 link

“.....A man of the people. A young, working class Labour politician who vowed to advocate for the rights of young people, who vowed to work on behalf of the people of Leeds North West who elected him, a popular alternative to the well known, and less well liked political figures who had dominated the constituency for years. Robert Sugden was the alternative - from a farming background, passionate about politics, passionate about Yorkshire.

Yorkshire’s golden boy, the pride and joy of the British Labour party, Sugden has been tipped to take over party leadership come the next election, following a disastrous election led by long-time leader Thomas Harrison that ended with Labour’s lowest return of MP’s in over twenty years.

Until this week, when Mr Sugden has found himself in a spot of bother. Robert Sugden’s personal life has remained largely under the radar, aside from his surprising public coming out five years ago, where Mr Sugden announced through his social media accounts that he was bisexual, going on to become chair of Labour LGBT during the year of the organisations 40th anniversary in 2015. This week, socialite, blogger, and well known Tory supporter Rebecca White broke the news to the world media that she and Robert had carried on an affair for close to eight months, all while Robert was seeing Chrissie White, CEO of White Industries - also a massive contributor to the Conservative Party - and Rebecca White’s sister. Oh, yes, Mr Sugden decided he’d rather keep it in the family on this one.

How will Robert Sugden ever recover his career from a scandal of epic proportions like this? Tired, out-dated Thomas Harrison could be looking down the barrel of one last general election, with people calling for Sugden’s resignation from Parliament. It’s clear Sugden’s deeply held Labour values don’t run as deeply as first thought - not when there’s a woman involved.”

“They’re calling me a traitor to the party,” Robert said, furious. He couldn’t help but slam the newspaper down on his kitchen counter, anger bubbling in his veins. It’s not like they knew anything, was it? It’s not like any of these rags knew anything about Robert, about who he was, who he wanted to be with, what his past relationships meant, and they were talking as if Robert had been selling Labour party secrets to someone as absolutely gormless as Rebecca White.

“You represent working class people, Robert,” Leyla said, sitting at his kitchen island, completely unfazed as she sipped on her coffee, watching him have what felt like his fiftieth breakdown of the week - and it was only Tuesday. “You having it off with Chrissie was bad enough, but at least we could spin that as her being a respectable, hard-working CEO who’d saved her fathers drowning business.”

“That’s exactly who she is,” Robert sighed, thinking of his ex-girlfriend. They hadn't stayed together long, in the end, but it hadn’t been a relationship that the press had eaten up. Chrissie wasn’t interesting to them, no skeletons in her closet - just a business she was passionate about.

Rebecca had always been the live-wire. Maybe - maybe that had been what had drawn Robert to her, when he thought about it. Rebecca had always been exactly what the papers had wanted her to be - a ditzy blonde who disgraced her father by going on big brother and copping it off with a former footballer, a demure woman who lived and breathed the Conservative party. She was whatever got her headlines, and brand-deals, and she was exciting - Rebecca was the type of person to go to the airport with her passport in hand, and go wherever she felt like going.

Robert had craved that kind of excitement. He loved politics - he wouldn’t have ran for election, all those years ago if he didn’t love it - but sometimes Westminster felt stifling, the seriousness of it all, the etiquette, the business they had to attend to. Peoples lives were impacted every day by the decisions they made in the Houses of Parliament, and sometimes (just sometimes) Robert had craved someone who was so oblivious of it all, someone who was more concerned with having fun, than changing the world.

It had been refreshing, for a while, until Rebecca had demanded they take it public, and Robert had realised that she’d fallen in love. Maybe it was cruel, but he couldn’t imagine himself ever loving her - Robert had dreams for his future, and the Labour Party leadership was the ultimate dream for him, and that wasn’t achievable with Rebecca by his side.

He didn’t want her by his side, anyway.

Rebecca - well, she hadn’t taken it well, had she? He’d assumed she’d gotten over it, in the six months since he’d ended things, but Robert should have known better, he should have known it would come back to bite him.

An exclusive with Hello magazine. Years spent working toward becoming an MP, years of his life being damaged by a bloody Hello magazine interview, Rebecca dabbing at crocodile tears as she whined about an affair with MP Robert Sugden that bore absolute zero resemblance to the reality of it.

But then again, papers didn’t care about the truth, did they? Papers cared about selling stories, and scandalous headlines, and be damned if the truth was lost in their quest to gander the most internet traffic from people who wanted to see even the most vaguely famous of people fail.

“And you knew the moment you decided to sleep with Rebecca, that she was a risk,” Leyla said, setting her coffee mug down on the counter, flicking her hair over her shoulder, a reproachful look on her face. “She’s notoriously fame hungry, Robert.”

“I know, I know - I just, I felt stifled by it all, you know? Politics feels suffocating sometimes,” Robert sighed, flopping down onto the couch. “I didn’t sleep with her because of her insightful opinions on politics, I slept with her because she was attractive. Why does this have to impact on my career so badly?”

“You know why,” Leyla said. “You may be a politician, Robert, but that doesn’t mean you’re not free from press scrutiny. You’re a public commodity, and you’re probably one of the more interesting people in the Labour Party right now - of course the country watches when you make a mistake.”

“Journalists are vultures,” Robert mumbled, feeling the beginnings of a migraine thrumming in his neck, his forehead. It was as if he’d had a permanent migraine, since Rebecca and her ridiculous story broke.

“They are,” Leyla confirmed, moving so she was sitting opposite him on the couch, a notebook balanced on her knees. He’d worked with Leyla for years now - she was the PR powerhouse behind most of the Yorkshire based MP’s, always knowing when, and what to release something to the press. Robert had never had to have her clean up after a scandal, not in all the years he’d known her, and he didn’t like it - he didn’t like having to sit in front of her like a child, and know Leyla was about to dictate his entire life for him.

“There’s a but there, isn’t there?” Robert raised an eyebrow. He knew Leyla well enough by now to know when she was waiting to tell him a master plan of hers. There was a reason she was so good at PR, he supposed.

“Yes,” Leyla confirmed. “They may be vultures, but they’re vultures we can use to our advantage. What do you need right now?”

“A time machine and a restraining order against Rebecca White.”

“True, but I’m thinking in more achievable terms,” Leyla said. “You need to repair your image, and you do that by showing off a nice, stable relationship with someone who your voters will like - someone from Yorkshire maybe, similar background to you, someone who represents the kind of people who vote Labour.”

“Like who? I don’t have time to start dating when I’m home, and it’s not like anyone will want to date me now - I’m a disgraced politician, Ley.”

“That’s why you’re going to fake date someone,” Leyla grinned, looking incredibly satisfied with her own plan.

“Oh, good - let’s give someone else a story to sell to the papers, eh?” Robert stood up, frustrated again. It felt like an impossible situation, and he really didn’t see how starting a fake relationship in the midst of a scandal that was rocking his career to its foundations was a good idea.

“Funnily, I know a good lawyer or two, and theres such a thing as a confidentiality agreement,” Leyla said pointedly. “Anyway, I already have the perfect person for the job - and it’s the best, and quickest way for you to fix this mess. You have a general election in two years you’re supposed to be working toward, and you can’t do that if your reputation is as damaged as it is now.”

[karinnnn]

Why is “BANANA FISH”’s Ash commended by women? Thinking about lives that bear relation to #metoo

I translated an article about Banana Fish and #metoo for an acquaintance, and I decided to put it here because I figured people might be interested. Here’s the link to the Japanese Article: https://realsound.jp/movie/2018/08/post-233213.html

As a commemoration for mangaka Akimi Yoshida’s 40th anniversary, Banana Fish is airing on Fuji TV. Although the source material has been completed for over 20 years, it boasts a lasting popularity; it's lustre has not faded in the slightest. In particular, the protagonist Ash Lynx's charm is unique.

Banana fish had been airing since before I was born, so I read the bungou edition with no prior knowledge. Within that black binding, I was taken to such bloody setpieces such as the Vietnam war and mafia disputes, so I was sure that this comic was targeted towards boys. As such, when I realized halfway through “Bessatsu Shoujo Comic” that it is shoujo manga, I was very surprised. As it turns out. “Banana Fish” has a large female following.

When one stops to consider this, the work itself does indeed feature characters with slender shoulders and bodies. Undeniably, it fits right in with other shoujo from the 80s and 90s. Even in the anime, the blonde ash and other characters are colored in light tones, giving this hard-boiled world a somewhat soft impression.

Furthermore, as far as shoujo manga-esque elements go, the caucasian protagonist Ash is drawn from the standpoint of a woman. The boss of a gang of New York street boys, Ash has repeatedly suffered sexual violence from adults of the same gender as a result of his lovely and elegant appearance. These experiences have become sources of trauma carved into Ash’s memories and body, and he’s developed a hatred towards those who look at him in a sexual manner. However, within his actions, there’s a sense of an urge to “give up”.

From last year, the movement to address the issue of sexual harassment against women has been increasing due to the complaints of journalists such as Itou Shiori and the blogger/writer Achuu. However, there are still a great number of voices without much heart in them, both towards women and the movement in general. Female writers looking on such conditions are likely tortured by a sense of resignation. Is it not the case that many women live their everyday lives embracing such a sense of resignation?

This sense of resignation may be difficult to understand for men. However, while Ash is a man, he stands on the same side as we women. Ash, who displays disgust towards sex and has been ruthlessly exploited, and fights to endure and stay strong, is all the more a sympathetic figure for women.

Ash may be attractive, but he’s not merely a “cool, strong” protagonist with “a pitiful past that makes you want to support him”. He’s a figure that seemed to overlap with those of women, and lives while bearing the shared suffering that so many women live with. Because he’s in such a unique position, many women find themselves find themselves drawn to Ash.

This is a digression, but in the last volume of the bungou edition there are essays from prolific people. Distinguished people such as Sakamoto Ryuuichi and Watabe Eriko have created splendid works, but there are essays with large spoilers (at first glance, I realized that I had stepped on something of a landmine…). For people planning on reading the bungou edition of the original work, make sure to reach the end and read the essays. While I’m not particularly experienced in translation, I like to get better, so feedback is much appreciated.

[comicsbeat]

Continuing with our wide-ranging survey of creators from every end of the business on what happened and what’s coming. A lot of people who responded e this year talked about the development of a new distribution system or channel for comics as being a big story for 2019. It seem there is a lot of dissatisfaction with how comics are sold these days, no duh. What do you think?  Is there a savior on the horizon? You can check out the other parts of the survey here.

Kwanza Osajyefo, writer

2019 Projects: H1 Comics from Humanoids and WHITE, the sequel to BLACK

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? The growth of the graphic novels among titles that don’t perform as well in the direct market.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Comic distribution becoming more multi-channel along with the direct market

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? Figuring out what is going on in Paper Girls

Who inspired you in 2018? Everyone, I think so many of our peers have been operating on ten this year. I think the flood of comics content into the mainstream has really gotten us fired up, not to get our work into other mediums but to imagine on a larger scale.

  Tony Shenton. Sales rep and consultant

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? The death of Stan Lee

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? The ongoing legal battle Cody Pikrodt has started vs. small presses and creators

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? Not a guilty pleasure at all: RUN from Abrams.

Gary Tyrrell, Blogger

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? Spike Trotman. She’s tearing up the industry with Iron Circus, and she’ll be launching a YA imprint — she’s making it so a lot of future superstars have a place to start their careers.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Raina Telgemeier’s next book will have an initial print run of one million. That’s mindbending.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? Perp walks of high federal officials and Trump family members. So many perp walks.

Who inspired you in 2018? Pat Race — he and his team have put together something extraordinarily special in the Alaska Robotics Comics Camp, and it’s creating new relationships and creative networks among comics creators at all stages of their careers. The future will remember it as equivalent to the Algonquin Round Table.

Mariah McCourt, Creator

2019 Projects: STITCHED #3 and a new series for AHOY! comics

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? That comics are for everyone, stories matter, and so does representation.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Hopefully more focus on amazing creators, the diversity of content, and the continuing impact and relevancy of the medium.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? No guilty pleasures here, I’m looking forward to seeing all the new books in the works!

Joe Field, Retailer

2019 Projects: A new space to expand Flying Colors for events and sales

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? There was no one biggest story in comics. It was a thousand shards of glass rather than just one big picture window.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? Cruise to the Edge, a prog rock themed cruise in February. No cell phones, no worries, just some great people having a peace party at sea.

Who inspired you in 2018? My wife Libby continues to be my inspiration. We celebrate our 40th anniversary in late February (so good then, even better now). The non-profit work she does in helping women with crisis pregnancies while also managing Flying Colors’ back office and reveling in her role as a grandmother is so inspiring to me.

Amy Chu, writer

2019 Projects: Summit (Lion Forge), Sea Sirens with Janet Lee (Viking Press), Pros & Cons (Dark Horse)

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? Kid’s graphic novels are $$$ – Dave Pilkey 3 million print run for his fifth Dog Man book; Raina Telgemeier 1 million for Guts

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Kid’s graphic novels

Glenn Hauman, publisher at ComicMix, designated victim of “They Keep Killing Glenn”

2019 Projects: What 2019 projects am I working on that I can talk about? More omnibus editions for GrimJack, Soulsearchers & Company, and Deadbeats, and new… oh, dammit, I can’t talk about that yet. Arrgh.

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? The passing of Stan Lee. We all knew it was going to happen someday, and yet… we all thought we might get a pass on this one, you know?

And speaking of Marvel greats leaving: Bendis at DC.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? The All-New, All-Different Stan Lee 2.0!

And the bankruptcy of projects intended to get money from C*****gate people.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? The resolution of certain legal proceedings.

Thomas Ragon, Publisher

2019 Projects:

Roman Muradov’s next book “The Adventures of Munich in Marcel Duchamp”.

Thierry Smolderen & Alexandre Clérisse’s (whose “Atom Empire” & “Diabolik Summer” are translated or about to be by IDW) next graphic Novel : “Une année sans Cthulhu” (A year without Cthulhu).

After Glenn Gould, Sandrine Revel’s book about Canadian painter Tom Thomson Two major sets of exhibitions, in chronological order : Blutch has several exhibitions throughout 2019 in Strasbourg, and we’re working on a monograph to be released early March. Joann Sfar will be exhibited at the Basel Cartoon Museum and Lucerne festival “Fumetto”.

Ron Wimberly’s “Prince of Cats” French edition.

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? Ron Wimberly’s LAAB #0 ; The French authors collective movement to obtain better social and economic conditions from both publishers and government.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Borja Gonzalez having a worldwide success with his THE BLACK HOLES.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? Discovering new excellent restaurants thanks to my job. Discovering new great bookstores thanks to my job.

Who inspired you in 2018? Blutch and Joann Sfar are always inspiring me, in many ways.

Nat Gertler, writer/publisher

2019 Projects: While my 2019 writing projects are for other people to announce, my first publishing project of the new year reflects on the 90th anniversary of the Great Depression by reprinting a book of cartoons by the great Otto Soglow, done during the depression.

Preview pages below.

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? The triumph of diversity against anti-diversity forces.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Good comics. It’s always good comics, and there are always good comics for the story to be about. All the industry games mean nothing without that.

Christian Beranek, Writer

2019 projects: Kelci Crawford and I will be wrapping up Validation and then moving forward with Tiny Unicorn. (See below) Also writing loads of prose stories.

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? Black Panther. I wish its box office success translated into more sales, however. We have to find a way to turn film audiences onto the source material.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? A massive wave of quality comics bringing in new readers.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? Any time taken away from writing. I want to work as much as possible but know you need breaks. I plan on reading more books in the Foundation series. Looking forward to that show.

Who inspired you in 2018? Tony DiGerolamo. The guy is a writing machine and really understands the mechanics of storytelling. More companies should consider hiring him.

Sanika Phawde, Cartoonist

2019 Projects: My biggest project scheduled to be completed in 2019 is my newest graphic novel. The project is still untitled but it presents an autofiction story about the journey of learning to love myself, and learning to accept my body and sexuality, as a freshly adult immigrant in New York city .

The story communicates through mix-media drawings on location, memoir comics, sketchbook pages, illustrated poetry, and even a few instances of fold-out paper architecture.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? I am really looking forward to going back home to Mumbai after a year, and eating a Nescafe flavoured ice cream sandwich in the winter heat with my best friend, while sitting on the wall that keeps the Arabian sea out of the city.

Who inspired you in 2018? Julian Glander, Jaron Braxton, Veronica Lawlor, Nora Krug, Robert Sikoryak, Brian Rea, Alex Norris, Lizzo, Melissa Guerrero (practices activism through food), Janelle Monae

Christopher Butcher, TCAF Artistic Director & VIZ Media Editorial Consultant

2019 Projects: TCAF 2019 is gearing up and it’s going to have one of the strongest and most diverse guest lists in our history. It’s going to be a pretty amazing year to be there, whether you love kids comics, YA comics, Adult comics, North American or International Comics. We’re pretty hyped!

On the VIZ side of things, though there’s a ton still to be announced, several of the series I’ve had a hand in are starting or continuing into 2019. Look out for the YA LGBTQ series “That Blue Sky Feeling” to get its 2nd and 3rd and final volume next year, the amazing/disturbing BEASTARS will start next year (like if Zootopia were a little more food-chain accurate?), and the recently-debuted gorgeous SF title Ran and The Grey World will start to turn some heads.

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? That’s tough. The industry is so fragmented at this point, that stories that were huge in one area barely made a ripple in others. Straddling graphic novel publishing, manga publishing, and with a toe still in superhero publishing, it’s amazing the times people would pull me aside and ask “So what was that about, exactly? All I saw was the hashtag…”

So… yeah I dunno. I think the biggest ‘story’ probably wasn’t written, but it was about the continued evolution of this industry as it happened. The house-cleaning and secret-revealing that needed to happen, some of the editorial attitudes around projects looking pretty terrible when exposed to the light of day, the continued vertical integration in licensed properties, all of it points to a maturing industry, which is both good and bad. More professionalism, but less room for the sort of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants stuff that made comics very, very exciting about 10 years ago.

I think most folks involved will take ‘professionalism’ any day of the week though!

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? Pogs, baby! POGS!

No but seriously, I have no idea. There’s so much up in the air right now, 2019 is going to be bumpy for sure.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? If it’s not hurting anyone, then there’s no point in feeling guilty about pleasure. Enjoy yourselves, it’s tough out there. 🙂

Who inspired you in 2018? My husband, Andrew Woodrow-Butcher, who was enormously patient and supportive while I took risks and traveled around the world, all while working 60 hours a week making sure Canadian schools and libraries have the best comic collections in the world, re-opening the world’s first kids comic book store (Little Island Comics!), sending Canadians to comic festivals around the world, and of course, programming a big part of TCAF. He’s a constant inspiration to me, I’m lucky to have him.

Ben Towle, Cartoonist

2019 Projects: The main project I’ve been working on in 2018 is a non-fiction graphic novel for the new imprint Dead Reckoning, which specializes in comics about things historical and/or military-related.

The book’s called Four Fisted Tales and it’s a collection of real-life stories about animals used in combat.

Here’s a sample page:

And here’s an in-progress rough:

I’m also continuing to work on–albeit a lot more slowly–my book In the Weeds about cooking and playing rock music in the 1990’s. It’s my first foray into the great comics tradition of “funny animals” characters. Here’s an in-progress rough from that:

It probably seems like I’ve disappeared since Oyster War came out a few years back, but I’ve been hard at work on TWO books, I promise!

What was the biggest story in comics in 2018? That’s gotta be the announcement of not one, but TWO, forthcoming books from Raina Telgemeier. When the most highly-read and most popular cartoonist in North America announces a book, it’s a big flippin’ deal. TWO books in the same year is bonkers news.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2019? OK…Well, it’s only a big story for ME, but I’m really excited about the upcoming D&Q Little Lulu reprint series. These are some of the best comics ever made and it’s going to be great to see them get the D&Q treatment starting in 2019.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2019? I’m a huge Star Trek nerd and so I’m super-excited about whatever’s brewing with this new Picard show. Supposedly starting in 2019!

The Beat's Annual Creator Survey Part 4: with art from new projects by Amy Chu, Janet Lee, Roman Muradov, Otto Soglow, Ben Towle and more Continuing with our wide-ranging survey of creators from every end of the business on what happened and what's coming.

[canadianabroadvery]

“ ... The Harper Conservatives, for example, had very little to say about the 40th anniversary of the Official Languages Act or the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, both of which fell in the same year as the War of 1812 bicentennial.

Both of those, however, could be fairly described as the accomplishments of Liberal governments led by someone named Trudeau, so it's no surprise the hyper-partisan Harper Conservatives wanted them to just go away, along with the distinctly Canadian accomplishments they represented.

It was just bad luck (as it turns out) that the military bicentennial that came up while Mr. Harper's Republican-like Conservative Party of Canada was in power happened to be one that involved a confrontation with the United States in Washington, D.C., albeit a Washington that was not yet the imperial planetary capital.

Never mind that Canadians had little or nothing to do with the burning of the White House. You can blame the Royal Marines for that, along with a little help from the Royal Engineers and sundry regiments of the British Army. As far as anyone seems to know, there wasn't a single Canadian on the job inside the as-yet-unimagined Beltway that night.

Indeed, you could probably credit Canada with putting the fire out. After all, the destruction of Washington was mostly a dud as a result of a heavy rainstorm, and as all Canadian TV watchers know, our American cousins almost always blame bad weather on Canada. .. “

[coatsapparelshop]

Oliver Houlby and Jonas Barros put their best feet forward as they star in a brand-new fashion feature. The models appear in the October 2021 edition of ICON Italy. The magazine heads into fall with a story to celebrate Emporio Armani’s 40th anniversary. Alessandro Burzigotti mirrors Emporio Armani’s timeless elegance by taking black and white images for ICON Italy’s pages. Burzigotti hits the studio... [Read More] https://www.thefashionisto.com/editorial/oliver-houlby-jonas-barros-2021-icon-italy/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger Via by Dabestdoor Shop: https://ift.tt/3Bi6sJg

[thebigdogshirt]

Oliver Houlby and Jonas Barros put their best feet forward as they star in a brand-new fashion feature. The models appear in the October 2021 edition of ICON Italy. The magazine heads into fall with a story to celebrate Emporio Armani’s 40th anniversary. Alessandro Burzigotti mirrors Emporio Armani’s timeless elegance by taking black and white images for ICON Italy’s pages. Burzigotti hits the studio... [Read More] https://www.thefashionisto.com/editorial/oliver-houlby-jonas-barros-2021-icon-italy/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger Via by Dabestdoor Shop: https://ift.tt/3Bi6sJg

[animeboston]

Let's Build a Gundam! Tips for Getting Started

Forty years ago, in April 1979, Mobile Suti Gundam first aired on TV. That means that April 2019 is the Gundam franchise’s 40th anniversary!

To commemorate the occasion, there’s no time like the present to get started building Gunpla, the plastic models you can build into accurate miniature replicas of Gundam mobile suits. In “Let’s Build A Gundam!” panelist Colin Becker shared a few tips to get you started:

Know the difference between grade and scale

Gunpla kits are labeled by grade and scale. The grade indicates the complexity and usually appears like two letters. HG, for example, means “high grade” and indicates a generally simple level of complexity. More advanced builders may pursue MG, AKA Master Grade, or others.

On the other hand, scale simply refers to the size of the finished model kit in comparison to its “real life” size. If a Gunpla says it is a 1/144 scale, that means it is 144th the size that the actual Gundam mobile suit would be if it existed in real life.

Pick a Gunpla that fits your level of experience

You’ll have the most fun if you use the grade and scale guidelines to choose a model kit according to your skill level and interest. Don’t pick an extremely complex Master Grade for your first kit—it’ll take forever and be frustratingly difficult. Instead, you might want to select a small simple SD (Super Deformed) Gunpla that takes just 30 minutes to build.

You don’t need a lot of tools

No toolkit? No problem. All you really need is a pair of nippers. They don’t need to be official Bandai nippers or even hobby nippers, but can be miniature wire cutters from a hardware store or jewelry nippers from a craft store. Use the nippers to snip the Gunpla pieces out of the sprue they come out of the box in, and use your hands to snap the pieces together from there.

Advanced techniques can elevate your Gunpla

When it comes to Gunpla building, the sky’s the limit! You can repaint every part of a Gunpla with spraypaint or even an airbrush to create a custom color scheme. You can even mix and match parts from two suits of the same grade to make a unique hybrid suit. Some modelers even create elaborate diorama settings in which to pose their finished Gunpla.

But remember, there’s no wrong way to build a Gunpla!

Even though the Gunpla Builders World Cup shows a lot of creative ways to build kits, you don’t have to do anything elaborate if you don’t want to. You can just build Gunpla out of the box with no additional tweaks, pose them and enjoy. Gunpla is for everyone and you don’t need to have a minimum level of skill or experience in order to enjoy the hobby.

This weekend, why not pick up a Gunpla kit in the dealer’s room?

— John, AB Staff Blogger

[disney366]

Day 2802: #Smile, we're #Celebrating the 40th #Anniversary of #BTMRR. #Disney366 @@Disneyland @@DisneylandToday ■ * LOCATION: #BigThunderMountainRailroad #Frontierland #Disneyland ■ * DISNEY: #Disneyland366 #Disney2019 #Disneyland2019 #Disney #DisneyTime #DisneySide #JustGotHappier #YourDisneyStory #HappiestPlaceOnEarth ■ * EQUIPMENT & APPS: @SamsungMobileUSA @SamsungMobile @SamsungUSA - #WithGalaxy @OtterBox - #TeamOtterBox #MyOtterBox @Anker_Official - #PowerOn @PhotoGrid - #PhotoGrid ■ * TEAM SUPPORT: #Blogger @ABC7LA - #ABC7EyeWitness @KTLA5News - #KTLA @VisitAnaheim - #VisitAnaheim ■ * SEASONAL: ■ * IMAGE: #Photography #Attraction #Dinosaur #Fossil (at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad) https://www.instagram.com/p/B17hDaGlAm0/?igshid=88j66ul0oakf