Graphic Novels and New York: A Seminar/Speaker Series, Sept '09 - April '10

[Peter Gutierrez]

On four Tuesday evenings starting in September and running until next spring, the New York Center for Independent Publishing in midtown is hosting a speaker series that explores the intersection of comics and New York cultural history.

I'm moderating the panel on heroes/superheroes in New York on March 9, but the other presentations are probably even more interesting (Kent Worcester of MoCCA, political cartoons). No press releases or announcements have gone out yet, but please let me know if you'd be interested in learning more details. Cost should be $10 or $15 for each 2-3 hour program, with reduced rates for students/seniors.

Thanks -- !

-Peter ([e-mail])

[linda mishkin]

when do these happen...? night? day?

[Peter Gutierrez]

At night, about 6:30-9:00.

Thanks, Linda -- !

[SMONDRONE]

Is this still scheduled for this month?

[Peter Gutierrez]

The next one is Kent Worcester speaking on October 20th.

Address and Info: "The NYCIP is an educational program of The General Society of the Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York, located at 20 West 44th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues in midtown Manhattan. Subways: B, D, F, or V to Bryant Park; 4, 5, or 6 to Grand Central. For more information call, 212.764.7021."

Can't seem to find a dedicated Web page for the series, though. I'll follow up on that.

Thanks --

[Peter Gutierrez]

Here's the first flyer (also attached as a doc). Again, thanks for your interest. This series is really shaping up as something special.

***

The New York Center for Independent Publishing presents:
Comics History/New York History

New York City was the birthplace of the modern comic book, and the city has had a starring role in some of the greatest and most influential work the medium has produced. The New York Center for Independent Publishing will be presenting a series of events looking at the rich history of Comics and the City. Join us at our historic building at 20 West 44th Street as we explore the city through comics, from Riverdale to the Baxter Building, from Dropsie Avenue to Forest Hills, to untangle the relationship between the world’s greatest city and the comics that chronicle its history. Visit our website at www.nycip.org for more information!

New York Comics as New York History
Tuesday, October 20, 6:30 pm
Comics historian Kent Worcester will explore the connection between the city’s familiar streetscapes and the development of the comic book from the 1930s and 1940s to the post 9/11 era – looking at the ways comics history has mirrored the ups and downs of the quintessential American metropolis.

Cartooning and New York City Politics
Tuesday, November 3rd, 6:30 pm
Boss Tweed may have been the most powerful man in the City, but he was still tormented by Thomas Nast’s biting cartoons. Parsons faculty member Bill Kartalopoulos will host a panel exploring the interaction between political cartoons, New York City politicians, and the public.

New York, the Super-City
Tuesday, March 9th, 6:30 pm
New York served as the model for Gotham City, inspired Will Eisner as he created the noirish adventures of The Spirit, and became a recurring character during the 1960s resurgence of Marvel in comics such as Spider-Man and Iron Man. ForeWord Magazine contributing editor Peter Gutiérrez will moderate a talk on the relationship between superheroes and their favorite hometown... and on how comics culture has promoted potent and memorable images of New York to readers worldwide.

“Carousel” in New York
Tuesday, April 20th, 6:30 pm
The series closes with a multimedia presentation hosted by R. Sikoryak, Parsons faculty member and author of Masterpiece Comics. This event will feature work and performances from some the of the top comics artists working in New York.


Admission is $15, $10 for Members, and $5 for students.

[Peter Gutierrez]

Here are the full details for next month:

New York, The Super-City
Soaring spires, massive crowds, wisecracking characters, and international intrigue... why New York and the superhero genre are inseparable!

Host: New York Center for Independent Publishing
Type: Education - Lecture
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: 20 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036
Description Panel Event Featuring:

Danny Fingeroth
Gene Kannenberg, Jr.
Frank Tieri
Billy Tucci

New York served as the model for Gotham City, inspired Will Eisner as he created the noirish adventures of The Spirit, and became a recurring character during the 1960s resurgence of Marvel in comics such as Spider-Man and Iron Man. ForeWord Magazine contributing editor Peter Gutiérrez will moderate a high-energy roundtable on the relationship between superheroes and their favorite hometown... and on how comics culture has promoted potent and memorable images of New York to readers worldwide.

Tickets are $15, $10 for CIP Members, $5 for students - please email [e-mail] or call 212-764-7021 to reserve!

BIOS:

Danny Fingeroth was the longtime group editor of Marvel's Spider-Man line and the writer of many comics featuring Spider-Man, Iron Man, The X-Men and other iconic characters. He is the author of Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society; Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics and the Creation of the Superhero, and the Rough Guide to Graphic Novels. Fingeroth is the Sr. Vice President of Education at New York's of Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA), and has taught about comics there, as well as at The New School and New York University. He has spoken on comics at such venues as the Smithsonian Institution, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Columbia University.

Peter Gutiérrez is an Eisner-nominated comics creator and a born-and-bred New Yorker who hopes people don’t learn that he now lives in New Jersey. Peter has written about pop culture for Graphic Novel Reporter, the New York Times, the Financial Times, the Montclair Times, Screen Education, School Library Journal, Rue Morgue, the ALAN Review, and ForeWord Reviews, where he is the graphic novels columnist. He’s spoken on comics at NYCIP’s SPLAT!, the graphic novel symposium, as well as San Diego and New York Comic Cons, the New York City School Library Conference, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Massachusetts Library Association, and, in April, the International Reading Association.

Gene Kannenberg, Jr. is the author of 500 Essential Graphic Novels: The Ultimate Guide (Collins Design, 2008) as well as articles about comics for the Comics Journal, Hogan's Alley, The Chronicle of Higher Education, the International Journal of Comic Art, and several academic essay collections, some of which come from his 2002 Ph.D. dissertation on comics. His new publishing house specializing in books on comic art will debut later this year. Currently he writes graphic novel reviews for the "Ulysses 'Seen'" website and is the director of ComicsResearch.org.

Frank Tieri is an award-winning writer and creator who has worked on some of the biggest franchises in comics including WOLVERINE, X-MEN, HULK, IRON MAN and BATMAN. Current work includes: WOLVERINE/ WENDIGO, WOLVERINE/MR X,WEB OF SPIDER-MAN, DEADPOOL TEAM-UP.

Billy Tucci is an award-winning illustrator, writer and filmmaker best known for his modern-day samurai fable Shi. Shi has been featured on every major American TV network while also garnering praise in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. The character has also crossed over with many comic book icons including Daredevil, Witchblade and Wolverine.

Last year, Billy went “mainstream” with his hugely successful run on DC Comics’ Sgt. Rock – The Lost Battalion , and Flash Vs. Superman – To the Finish Line! A graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, the former US Army paratrooper traveled extensively through France and interviewed dozens of veterans, historians and their families while researching Sgt. Rock. The US Army flew a flag in his honor over Camp Victory in Iraq and Billy was bestowed the honor of Ambassador by Monsieur Michel Langloix, Vice-President du Conseil General des Vosges in the ancient town of Bruyeres. In September, he served as the keynote speaker for the heroes of the Lost Battalion battle at the Japanese/American Veterans reunion in Las Vegas.

He recently completed illustrating Jonah Hex, is currently working on a Graphic Novel of Russian hero Alexander Nevsky, and is developing several new stories for DC Comics, as well as a new Shi series and several other creator-owned projects. He lives on Long Island, NY with his wife and two sons.