Final Hellbound Volume Debuts at MICE 2014

Press Release:

The Boston Comics Roundtable, in conjunction with River Bird Comics, is pleased to announce the publication of Hellbound V: End of Comics. Aptly themed, this will be the final installment in a series of original horror comics anthologies from some of Boston’s most celebrated creators. No fear or phobia will be left unprovoked. 

Debuting on October 4th at the fifth annual Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE), Hellbound V will also be available at select local comics shops and conventions. This limited edition, 9 by 5 inch, two-tone Risograph printed run, geared toward “Mature Readers”, will feature seven stories and two fold-out pages, boasting a roster of familiar names and new contributors, alike. 

Hellbound series creator Roho will resume his role as designer and publisher. Stephen Cartisano, who has had a hand in every Hellbound release since the New England Art Award nominated Volume II: Box of Evil, returns as Editor. Returning contributors include Dan Mazur (Comics: A Global History), Ellen T. Crenshaw (Nobodies Volume II, Womanthology), Alison Burke and Tara Harris (A.R.R.O.), Patrick Flaherty, E.J. Barnes (Tales of the Ling, An Invitation to the World of Luisa Felix), and Clayton McCormack (Dead Meat, Heavy Metal Magazine). Joining them for the first time on this volume are Gary Bonesteel (Killer Ink Comics), Ben Doane (Subcultures), and Brenton Barnes (Bartkira, Mister Reusch’s Black and White Illustration Book).

The Hellbound series has received much critical acclaim, having grown “increasingly stylish in presentation,” according to Rob Clough of High-Low. Katy England, of The Maine Edge, deemed Volume IV: GULP! to be “well worth adding to any collection,” while Brigid Alverson of Robot 6 marveled at the “impressive craftsmanship” contained within its pages. 

Featuring illustrations by Dan Moynihan (Nickelodeon Magazine, Heeby Jeeby Comix), and up and comer Jerel Dye (Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, Pigs Might Fly), Hellbound V: End of Comics promises to end the series with a bang… and perhaps some whimpering, too.

MICE Returns for 2014

Press Release:

MICE is back! On October 4th and 5th independent graphic novelists and cartoonists will converge on University Hall at 1815 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge’s Porter Square. The event is free, family friendly, and offers a weekend of activities as the Boston area’s only show dedicated to independent and alternative comics.

MICE attendees are invited to discover their new favorite comic books from over 150 local comic creators. The exhibition area at MICE will present a wide range of art and books: hand-made mini-comics and zines, anthologies, graphic novels, art prints, and sketches. Panel discussions will provide insightful conversations about the world of contemporary comics and graphic novels. Artists will share techniques, tips, and tricks for creating your own comics in a variety of workshops for all ages and skill levels. Sunday’s “Kids Comics Day” workshops are especially geared toward younger readers and budding cartoonists.

This year’s show will also welcome a number of special guests — professionals from the world of independent comics and graphic novels — including James Kochalka, Dave Roman, Raina Telgemeier, Emily Carroll, Paul Hornschemeier, and Box Brown.

MICE will be held at Lesley University’s University Hall at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue in Porter Square. The hours of the show are Saturday, October 4th, 10 am – 6 pm, and Sunday, October 5th, 11 am – 4 pm. Admission is free. More details at the website: www.micexpo.org

RSVP on Facebook!

MA – Sisters Signing

Raina Telgemeier appears at the Brookline Public Library on Friday October 3rd from 3:00 – 4:30 PM!

Press Release:

Join Brookline Public Library for a visit from one of today’s comics superstars: Raina Telgemeier is appearing in Brookline to talk about her latest #1 New York Times best-selling memoir Sisters!

Thanks to our friends at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE), the Brookine Booksmith, and Scholastic Graphix, we are bringing Raina here to your local library for a reading and signings.

The event kicks off at 3:00 pm. Please be aware that we’ll be opening the doors at 2:30 pm and the event will be seated first come, first serve. The room capacity is 96, so be sure to get there on time to get a good seat.

Raina will also be appearing over the weekend, October 4-5, at the annual MICE show over in Cambridge at Lesley College, along with a whole roster of amazing creators, so be sure to go and check out the Expo too!

Following the critical success of her graphic memoir Smile, Eisner Award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling comics creator Raina Telgemeier returns to her graphic memoir style with the companion Sisters. In full-color comic format, and with her signature humor and charm, Raina tells the story of her antagonistic relationship with her younger sister, which unfolds during the course of a road trip from their home in San Francisco to a family reunion in Colorado.

Raina Telgemeier grew up in San Francisco and moved to New York City, where she earned an illustration degree at the School of Visual Arts. SMILE, a critically acclaimed graphic memoir based on her childhood, was a New York Times bestseller, appearing for more than 95 weeks on the list, winner of the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens, and received a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor. Her most recent book, the full–color graphic novel DRAMA was another #1 New York Times bestseller and Kirkus raved in a starred review, “this book will undoubtedly make readers stand up and cheer.” Raina also adapted and illustrated The Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, which were selected for YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens list and Booklist’s Top 10 Graphic Novels for Youth list. Raina lives in Astoria, New York, with her husband and fellow comics artist, Dave Roman. To learn more, visit her online at goRaina.com and on Twitter at @GoRaina.

The Public Library of Brookline
361 Washington Street Brookline, MA 02445
(617) 730-2370

MA – Adventure Time Screening

Artists Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb appear at the Brattle Theatre to host an Adventure Time screening on Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 7pm! RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

Tickets for this special event are $10 general public; $8 students, seniors, members, and children 12 and under. No Brattle passes will be accepted. Click here for tickets!

Join us for this special evening delving deep into the universe of the hit Cartoon Network show, ADVENTURE TIME! We’ll be joined by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, the Eisner Award winning artists behind the Adventure Time comic book. Shelli and Braden will screen clips from their favorite episodes and discuss their process for illustrating the stories. There will also be a Q&A with the audience and time for a book signing. We’re excited to offer a special behind the scenes look into the wondrously surreal world of Jake the Dog and Finn the Human.

This event is co-presented with M.I.C.E. – the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo – which runs Sept 28 & 29 in Cambridge. For more information, please visit micexpo.org.

The Brattle
40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

MICE 2013 Returns With 2-Day Show

Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo hosts its first two-day show on September 28-29, 2013 at in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA! The event is a joint project between the Boston Comics Roundtable, an independent arts collective, and the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University; MICE puts a focus on the art of making comics and connects local creators with local audience. They will also run a number of workshops for children and adults, as well as panel discussions on the craft and relevance of the comics form. MICE is for anyone of any age who wants to discover new comics, learn more about the medium of comics, or is interested in making their own. Sunday is Kids Day, featuring workshops for the young cartoonist.

MICE 2013 is pleased to welcome eight comic creators to our show as our special guests: Chris Duffy, George O’Connor, Josh Neufeld, Lucy Knisley, Maris Wicks, Mike Cavallaro, Nick Abadzis, and R. Sikoryak. They will appear at their tables in the exhibition area, as well as at various panels and workshops over the weekend.

Plus MICE features 150 exhibitors including Alison Wilgus, Bob Flynn, Braden Lamb, Cathy Leamy, Colleen AF Venable, David Marshall, E. J. Barnes, Ellen Crenshaw, Emmy Cicierega, Jennie Wood, Ming Doyle, Nate Bellegarde, Renee Kurilla, Sean Wang, Shelli Paroline, Stephanie Yue, Tim Finn, Zack Giallongo, and many more!

View the exhibitor list and full schedule (TBA) at the website: www.micexpo.org

RSVP on Facebook!

 

Boston Comics Roundtable Unleashes Hellbound III at MICE 2012

Press Release:

The Boston Comics Roundtable, in partnership with River Bird Comics, is pleased to announce the publication of Hellbound III: Darkness, an anthology of all-new horror comics by artists and writers from greater Boston.

The Art Edition of Hellbound III: Darkness will debut on Saturday September 29 at the third annual Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE), and be available at selected comics shops in the region and online. The Art Edition, at 8.5 x 11 inches, features black and white art with a  wraparound full color cover nearly a yard long, designed by Roho and featuring art by Jerel Dye. Following this initial printing, a regular edition will be available at local comic stores, shows, and online.

The Boston Comics Roundtable’s annual Hellbound collections have won the praise of many comics critics. Roz Young at Sequential Tart called last year’s edition “a wonderful set of frighteningly fiendish stories.” Brigid Alverson at Robot 6 wrote, “The craftsmanship in this volume is impressive.” Jen Vaughn of the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont called the collection “perfect for the horror fan.” That edition, Hellbound II, was nominated for a New England Art Award in the category of best book.

Hellbound III: Darkness continues in the same horrifying tradition with eleven chilling tales that examine the darkness that lies within all of us. These gruesome narratives feature some of New England’s best artists and writers. Tak Toyoshima, creative director at Dig Publishing, offers a quick taste of zombies. Poet and “horror burlesque” impresario Janaka Stucky teams with tattoo artist Josh Wallis for a story set in a mortuary. Lindsay Moore, Donna Martinez, and Joey Peters explore the dark side of high-school overachievers. Even baseball gets the horror treatment in “America’s Pastime” by Stephen Cartisano and Ellen T. Crenshaw.

The creators work in a variety of styles. Kimball Anderson’s “No, He Can Come” uses totally black backgrounds while James the Vampire’s art may look light and airy but hides terror underneath. Jacob Oley and Gregery Miller collaborate on a nightmarish character sketch named “Vimshaw.” Alison Burke and Tara Harris of Arrocomic.com explore the woods at night. Joshua D. Hoaglund’s “Vengeance” and Adrian Rodriguez’s “Pedestrian” are both nearly wordless, with one story taking place on a whaling ship and the other in a modern city. Jon Clark’s “Void” closes out the volume with the chilling words of a love too far.

The editorial team for Hellbound III included Jerel Dye as story editor and Kyle Anderson as art editor with supplied additional illustrations by Gregery Miller and Roho. This volume was designed and produced by Uruguay born Roho, owner/publisher of River Bird Comics and creator of Hellbound.

The Art Edition of Hellbound III: Darkness costs $25.00 and it’s available for preorder here.

MICE 2012 Panel & Workshop Schedule

The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo has released their Panel and Workshop Schedule for 2012

WORKSHOPS

12:00PM – 12:50PM

Dig Boston Conducts Portfolio Reviews at MICE 2012

ATTENTION BOSTON COMIC ARTISTS! The Dig will be at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) next week doing portfolio reviews of your comic work. This is your chance to submit work in person, get feedback, and get a shot at being the newest members of our Sunday Comics Project! Get crackin’!

MICE occurs on Saturday September 29, 2012 at Lesley University (Porter Square campus) in Cambridge, MA. For more information, please visit www.masscomics.com.

Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo Returns

Press Release:

Boston Comics Roundtable (BCR) and the Art Institute of Boston (AIB) are proud to announce the third annual Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE). MICE is Boston’s only show dedicated to alternative comics, ‘zines, and web comics. The 2012 expo features talented regional cartoonists, including Ignatz Award-winning Box Brown (Everything Dies), veteran comics parodist Robert Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics), and 100 more indie artists on the rise.

With free admission, MICE 2012 is a great opportunity for anyone interested in the local independent comics scene to get a first-hand look at thousands of unusual, entertaining and interesting comics, as well as meet the creators. Over 100 comics artists and small publishers will be exhibiting.  The show will include demonstrations with professional artists and panel discussions on topics central to comics and an exhibit of original art.

“There’s so much exciting work being done in independent comics these days, but it’s a rare opportunity to be able to see such a great sampling of it one place,” said Dan Mazur, a MICE organizer. “The great thing about a show like MICE is that so many local creators get to gather together and connect with their fans, and with potential readers.”

The popularity of last year’s show was reflected in the fact that exhibitor tables for MICE 2012 sold out within three hours of going on sale online.

MICE will present a day-long slate of panel discussions and creative workshops, on topics including Comics and Medicine, Comics and the Art World, Comics and Religion, Injury-avoiding Exercises for Artists, and others.

Another new wrinkle for MICE this year is the addition of the NECAC (New England Comic Arts in the Classroom) Symposium, as an associated event.  NECAC is an organization that promotes the use of comics as an educational tool in K-16 classrooms. The symposium will be a three-hour event, offering workshops and discussions specifically aimed toward educators. It will be held on the same morning as MICE, and in the same building, creating a unique synergy between a creator-focused and educator-focused approaches to the art of comics.

MICE occurs on September 29 at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. For more information, please visit www.masscomics.com.

ABOUT BOSTON COMICS ROUNDTABLE
Boston Comics Roundtable draws local cartoonists and writers to collaborate, workshop and socialize since 2006. BCR publishes Inbound, an anthology of Boston-area independent comics, Outbound, a science-fiction comics anthology, and the horror anthology, Hellbound. Visit bostoncomicsroundtable.com for more information.

ABOUT THE ART INSTITUTE BOSTON / LESLEY UNIVERSITY
The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University is a college of visual arts offering the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the two-year Advanced Professional Certificate, and the low residency Master of Fine Arts degree. In addition, continuing and professional education, intensive workshops, and pre-college courses are all available.

ABOUT R. SIKORYAK
MICE 2012 Guest of Honor R. Sikoryak’s cartoons and illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, Nickelodeon Magazine, Drawn & Quarterly, Raw, Fortune, Esquire, GQ, among many other publications, and on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He is the author of the graphic novel Masterpiece Comics (Drawn & Quarterly), and the co-author, with Michael Smith, of The Seduction of Mike (Fantagraphics), a comic book funded by the NEA. He was awarded an Artist’s Fellowship from The New York Foundation for the Arts for his comics adaptations of classic literature. He is in the Speakers Program of the New York Council of the Humanities. In his spare time, he creates performances, slide shows, and animation for downtown theater and independent films.

R. Sikoryak Announced as Special Guest for MICE 2012

MICE, the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo, returns for a third year on Saturday September 29th, 2012 from 10 AM–7 PM with special guest R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics)! The Second Floor Atrium of University Hall, at Lesley University’s Porter Square campus in Cambridge, will once again be the site of the Boston area’s only show dedicated to independent and alternative comics, small publishers, webcomics, and ’zines.

The event also includes an exhibit of original comic art and a day-long series of panel discussions which will focus on the growing interaction of comics and graphic novels with other spheres of modern culture. Admission to the show and all related events will be free.

About the Boston Comics Roundtable
Formed in 2006, the Boston Comics Roundtable brings local cartoonists and writers together to collaborate, workshop and socialize. Among BCR’s publications are Inbound, an anthology of Boston-area independent comics, Outbound, a science-fiction comics anthology, and the upcoming 2nd issue of the horror anthology, Hellbound. If you’re in the Boston metro area, join us for our next meeting. Visit bostoncomicsroundtable.com for more information.

About the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University
The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University is a college of visual arts, located in the student- friendly Kenmore/Fenway area of Boston. AIB offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the two-year Advanced Professional Certificate, the low residency Master of Fine Arts degree, as well as continuing and professional education, intensive workshops, and pre-college courses.

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