Portland Zine Symposium 2009

Registration for 2009 PZS is now OPEN!

Hello PZS friends!

This is your final heads up that registration for the 2009 Portland Zine Symposium is now OPEN!

- Registration is PER DAY: Attendees will be able to register for one day, two days, or all three days.

- Registration is a $5 donation for a half table per day and a $10 donation for a full table per day: So, a full table for three days would be a $30 donation, or you could do a half table for three days for a $15 donation, or you could do a full table for two days and a half for one day for a $25 donation, etc.

- Full table registration is limited to 30 of the 90 tables: If you are planning to register for a full table this year, please keep this in mind and give us a detailed explanation as to why you'd prefer a full table when you register online. Not all table registrations will be approved, As full table registration will be limited to make sure PZS is more inclusive, so please DO NOT MAKE YOUR FULL TABLE DONATION UNTIL YOUR FULL TABLE REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND APPROVED.

- Please register ONLINE: Even if you're mailing in your donation for a table, PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE so that we have your info and you don't end up getting waitlisted.

Thanks for your continued support of PZS.

Crypticon 2009

Crypticon Seattle
Jun 5-7, 2009
The Seattle Center - The Northwest Rooms
305 Harrison St.
Seattle, WA 98109
http://www.crypticonseattle.com

BBM&E and Random Acts are proud to announce the Crypticon Seattle '09 - Three Day Horror Convention! June 5-7, 2009 - The Seattle Center – Northwest Rooms.

Come join us for the Pacific Northwest's largest Horror Convention! 3 Days of Monsters, Movies, Comics, Games and Mayhem! Once again we are going to invade Seattle!

The Seattle Center will be packed with plenty of opportunities to check out Exhibits, horror toys, t-shirts, books, movies, masks, art, comics and much more. Meet your favorite Horror Stars and get their autographs.

This year we are very excited to be partnering up with EMP(Experience Museum Project) to maximize our promotional approach as well as our overall attendance. We expect to bring to town an A-list line-up of Guests as well as some of the more memorable Guests from last year.

Our emphasis will once again be "Quality Entertainment" and with a strong line-up of guests, vendors and activities we are expecting great things in 2009!

For those of you who attended our first Convention last May, we appreciate your support and look forward to making Crypticon Seattle an Annual event.

Thank you very much.

Crypticon Staff

Lars and Zack Present CINEMAPOCALYPSE West Coast Tour!

Lars and Zack Present CINEMAPOCALYPSE West Coast Tour!

This April 24-25, Fantastic Fest presents TWO HUGE NIGHTS of white-hot exploitation thunder at some of the finest screening venues in the west!!! Austin’s Original Alamo Drafthouse Weird Wednesday programmer Lars Nilsen and Terror Tuesday curator Zack Carlson will bring the rampaging Cinemapocalypse road trip to the Pacific Coast, and will be presenting rare and absolutely unseen treasures from the American Genre Film Archive’s top secret subterranean 35mm archive, each film destined to peel the hair from your eyeballs, scorch the skin on your cortex and make you sterile for ninety weeks. From manic hicksploitation epics to bloodthirsty shoestring goreblasts, each movie is a railroad spike through the heart of limp modern cinema. Join us in shattering the wall between you and THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE!!!

Special thanks to American Genre Film Archive for making these screenings possible!

Friday April 24
PSYCHOPATHS UNLEASHED! Triple Feature
at the The Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle, WA

VICE SQUAD
Dir. Gary Sherman, 1982, 35mm, 97 min, RA highly recommended descent into the sulfurous pit of hell known as Hollywood. Direct-to-video action god Wings Hauser burst onto the scene with his intense, over-the-top performance as the psychotic killer pimp Ramrod. Seething and ranting, a homicidal twisted nerve, Hauser is incredible. This is his show all the way, he even sings the theme song, “Neon Slime!” Along the way, Hauser jumps the fence from villain into full-on monster territory, making VICE SQUAD not only one of the most exciting films you’ll ever see, but one of the scariest as well. In this truly grim urban fairy tale, a hooker named Princess (Season Hubley) must make it through a long night in a very dark forest (the streets of L.A.) without being gobbled up by the big bad wolf (Hauser), who himself is being chased by the mighty hunter (the LAPD detective who earlier allowed him to escape.) Pure entertainment from the gifted director of RAW MEAT and DEAD AND BURIED. (Lars)

NIGHT WARNING a.k.a. BUTCHER, BAKER, NIGHTMARE MAKER
Dir. William Asher, 1983, 35mm, 96 min, R - NOT ON DVD!
Listen up…this movie has the best opening scene in film history. Absolutely, without a doubt, no first 5 minutes of any other feature are more rip-rocious than what you’ll see tonight on this screen. By the time the opening credits roll, you’ll be peeling your fingernails out of the armrests. And here’s the kicker: the best is yet to come! Susan Tyrrell stars in her greatest performance as a tragic, spastic auntie with a more-than-healthy appreciation for her orphaned teen nephew. When folks get too close to this happy family, heads start to roll. Enter Joe Carlson (Bo Svenson), a tough-as-rusty-nails police detective who utters the word “faggot” with practically every breath. Easily among the most perfect and underappreciated slashers of the golden ‘80s. If you don’t go nuts for this one, get the hell out of my house. (Zack)

TOURIST TRAP
Dir. David Schmoeller, 1979, 35mm, 90 min, PG
Terror nerds are well aware that the American road holds myriad dangers. Many a frenzied sasquatch, invisible space vampire and/or cannibalistic madman has transformed our turnpikes into his personal open-air slaughterhouse, but in the great Halls of Highway Homicide, no film dares examine the darkest precipices of rural insanity like the crushingly inventive TOURIST TRAP. Rectangle-jawed screen ham Chuck “The Rifleman” Connors plays mysterious Mr. Slausen, a dubious yokel who leads a life of quiet isolation in the woods. When a couple carloads of recreation-hungry youths happen across his private property, Slausen introduces them to a bold new cavalcade of nightmares including — but not limited to — autonomous singing mannequins, gender-bent nutsoids and a telekinetic knife-throwing fiend. Goddamn! You may have watched a thousand car-broke-down-in-a-maniac’s-front-yard movies, but until you’ve seen TOURIST TRAP, you’re still wearing your horror Huggies. (Zack)

The Grand Illusion Cinema
1403 NE 50th St
Seattle, WA
www.grandillusioncinema.org

* * * * * *

Saturday April 25
at the The Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle, WA

THE SIX THOUSAND DOLLAR NIGGER a.k.a. SUPER SOUL BROTHER
Dir. Rene Martinez, 1979, 35mm, 80 min, R - NOT ON DVD!We can’t believe the title either. But that’s why they called him Wild Man Steve. We all love Rudy Ray Moore but he wasn’t the only comedian working the chitlin’ circuit back in the day. Get ready to laugh your ass off at Wild Man Steve. Wild Man Steve can say anything and make it funny. He has a slow, stoned delivery that makes even the stupidest dirty jokes gut-bustingly hilarious. In a way, Wild Man Steve is the ultimate cult comedian and this is an actual WILD MAN STEVE STAR VEHICLE! It’s about a midget mad scientist (with a full-sized D-cup girlfriend) named Dr. Dippy who helps the mob develop a formula that makes users super-strong, bulletproof, and, after about two days, super-dead. Obviously it’s hard to get sensible people to sign up for this treatment, so the mobsters grab the nearest wino, played to perfection by Wild Man Steve. Steve is hilarious, ad-libbing like crazy, stepping all over his costars’ lines. He even gives a little speech in favor of legalizing pot that’s a small masterpiece of reason and logic. If you are easily offended please stay away from this theater! (Lars)

THE DEADLY SPAWN
Dir. Douglas McKeown, 1983, 35mm, 81 min, R
McKeown’s low-budget backyard scifi terror epic is the defining accomplishment in the mighty ‘80s Homemade Horror genre. An alien meteorite unleashes a hideous, carnivorous beast that gorges insatiably on the unwitting denizens of a New Jersey town. The massive meatmonster grows exponentially while it casts off knife-faced leechlets to further the annihilation. No one is off limits; old ladies and adolescents and everyone in between are all fair game for this unstoppable eating machine. From unbelievable creature creations to some of the best dialogue ever captured, no shoestring production before or since has contained a fraction of the fearless filmmaking on display here. Shot for the cost of a new washer/dryer combo, THE DEADLY SPAWN is a bona fide, undeniable fuck-you to major studio exploitation crammed with an impossible amount of ambition, masterful latex effects and unbridled, flesh-ripping satisfaction. (Zack)

The Grand Illusion Cinema
1403 NE 50th St
Seattle, WA
www.grandillusioncinema.org

* * * * * *

…That’s it for now! But do stay tuned for more developments as we ANNIHILATE THE UNIVERSE.

Love,
Lars and Zack

Portland & Seattle Get Deep Red

Festival programmers Shade Rupe and Chris Bavota announce their first collaboration: the Deep Red International Festival of Fantastic Film, or DRIFFF, debuting in Portland, Oregon at the Clinton Street Theater, April 24-25, and in Seattle at the historic Grand Illusion Cinema, May 8-9. Intent on rescuing genre films from premiering on video store shelves, Shade and Chris set out to unearth classic and contemporary 'cult movies' that deserved to be showcased on the big screen, and thus, DRIFFF was born. Presented by Rude Shape Productions and Oddity Cinema, DRIFFF 2009 features northwest premieres, special guest Q & As, award-winning shorts, door prizes and more gore than you can stab a stake through.

We are proud to present the northwest premieres of several feature films including David Gregory’s nightmarish PLAGUE TOWN (USA), Martin Weisz's GRIMM LOVE (Germany) based on the homosexual cannibal killer Armin Miewes, Jonathan Lewis’ BLACK DEVIL DOLL (USA), a microbudget film with a big kick, Gadi Harel and Marcel Sarmiento's DEADGIRL, Justin Johnson and Aaron Marshall's ZOMBIE GIRL: THE MOVIE, the Bryan "RE-ANIMATOR" Yuzna--produced anthology film, TAKUT: FACES OF FEAR (Indonesia) and Frank “BASKET CASE” Henenlotter’s late-night 'comely' shocker, BAD BIOLOGY (USA). We will also be serving up the 1970s grindhouse classic INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (Italy), the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s latest epic.

Featured short films include DEAD BONES (Switzerland) starring Ken Foree, Richard Gale’s festival favorite THE HORRIBLY SLOW MURDERER WITH THE EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT WEAPON (USA), Carl Morano and John Carchietta's THE PICK UP, and Jason Eisener's tale of Christmas carnage TREEVENGE (Canada), and as a special treat, we're opening the festival with & TELLER and & TELLER2, two short films co-directed by Teller, the quieter, smaller half of famed magic duo Penn & Teller, and a special performance by the composers of the soundtracks for the shorts, the remarkable 3 Leg Torso, with Larold Will as a special guest performer on theremin!

Stay tuned for final films and other updates on Deep Red site, and be sure to drop by to meet directors Jonathan Lewis and David Gregory in Portland, and GRIMM LOVE screenwriter T.S. Faull in Seattle.

FINAL FANTASY® COMPOSER NOBUO UEMATSU TO ATTEND JULY 9–11 PERFORMANCES

FINAL FANTASY® COMPOSER NOBUO UEMATSU TO ATTEND JULY 9–11 PERFORMANCES

Tickets Available for Special Meet and Greet Event with Famed Video Game Composer
Productions:

Distant Worlds: Music from FINAL FANTASY
Final Fantasy Composer Reception

Seattle, WA – Widely considered to be the John Williams of video games, composer Nobuo Uematsu will attend all three performances of Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy®. Audience members will also have the opportunity to meet Uematsu in person in a separate ticketed post-concert event in the Norcliffe Founders Room. Performances of Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy® will take place Thursday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, July 10, at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, July 11, at 8 p.m.

Audience members have the opportunity to meet Nobuo Uematsu in person immediately following each of Seattle Symphony’s Final Fantasy® performances. These special meet and greet events will take place in the Norcliffe Founders Room at Benaroya Hall and are limited to 100 people each night. Tickets for the meet and greet are $100 and do not include the concert. They can be purchased by calling the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at (206) 215-4747.

Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu is one of the most celebrated composers in the video game field. He has achieved global recognition for his work on the Final Fantasy® series and his music has been performed by some of the world’s best orchestras. Uematsu is recognized as a major contributor in the increasing appreciation and awareness of video game music. The "Final Fantasy VIII" theme song "Eyes on Me,” featured Hong Kong pop star Faye Wong and sold a record 400,000 copies. It also won "Song of the Year” (Western Music) at the 14th Annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1999, marking the first time that music from a video game received this illustrious honor. Uematsu was recently named one of the "Innovators" in Time Magazine's "Time 100: The Next Wave in Music " feature.

Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy® with Seattle Symphony
Audiences are invited to celebrate the sounds of Final Fantasy® with three performances by Seattle Symphony featuring music from the popular video game series. A giant video screen will display video and art stills synchronized with the music. The program will highlight the music of Nobuo Uematsu, one of the most celebrated composers in the video game field, who has achieved global recognition for his work on the Final Fantasy® series.

Arnie Roth
Arnie Roth is a Grammy Award–winning artist known for his work with performers such as Diana Ross, Charlotte Church, Peter Cetera, Art Garfunkel, the Irish Tenors and Dennis DeYoung. Roth has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony and the BBC Symphony. Roth served as the Music Director and Conductor for Dear Friends, and More Friends Concerts–Music from Final Fantasy®. He has produced and conducted music for many films, and has produced dozens of best-selling CDs, released on American Gramophone, JVC, Mattel, Warner Bros., Sony, Koch, and Razor & Tie. Roth received the award for Best Score at the 2003 DVD Premier Awards.

Concert Ticket Information
Tickets from $17 to $85 can be purchased by calling the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at (206) 215-4747 or toll-free at (866) 833-4747, faxing the Symphony at (206) 215-4748, ordering online at www.seattlesymphony.org with the Select Your Own Seat option, or visiting the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office in Benaroya Hall at Third Avenue & Union Street, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m.

Subscriptions are now available for the 2009–2010 season. For group sales information, call (206) 215-4784. Student and senior rush discount tickets, subject to availability, go on sale in person at the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at 6 p.m. prior to evening performances and two hours prior to afternoon performances.

*Program
SYMPHONY SUMMER
DISTANT WORLDS: MUSIC FROM FINAL FANTASY® WITH SEATTLE SYMPHONY

Thursday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. (Just Added!)
Friday, July 10, 2009 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 8 p.m.
S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium
Benaroya Hall

Arnie Roth, conductor
Seattle Symphony

NOBUO UEMATSU: Music from Final Fantasy®

* All programs and artists subject to change. Photos of guest artists will be sent in a separate email following this release. Additional photos of guest artists and Seattle Symphony are available to the media on request.

CUFF programs 'Mind-Blowing' Film Fest for 2009

Calgary – The Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF) will announce the lineup for this year’s festival on Thursday, April 2 at 11:30 am at the Plaza Theatre in Kensington.

“We worked hard on this year’s programming and it shows,” explains Brenda Lieberman, co- founder and director of CUFF. “The range of genre films goes from horror, fantasy, romantic comedy, super-hero, monster and many more. We have films from across the world, including Canada, South Korea, Japan, USA and Germany. We had to program another day of the festival just to fit all the awesome programming in.”

The 6th Annual Calgary Underground Film Festival will kick off Tuesday, April 14th and run through Sunday, April 19th. All films will be screened at the Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Road NW.

Founded in 2003, CUFF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to programming features, documentaries, shorts, animation and experimental films that defy convention. CUFF brings Calgarians a unique roster of films rarely seen in North American theatres.

ABOUT THE CALGARY UNDERGROUND FILM
CUFF elevates Calgary’s cultural landscape with the best in local and international independent cinema. We challenge and entertain our audiences with boundary breaking films, compelling artist showcases and engaging events. Visit our website at www.calgaryundergroundfilm.org

Emerald City ComiCon 2009 - THIS WEEKEND!

This will be the last update as the Emerald City ComiCon is THIS WEEKEND, woo!

First, we appreciate everyone who is subscribed to the mailing list, we now have
over 1,500 members and your support of the show has let us grow in to the great
pop culture event than you know and love, so thank you very much!

EVENTS!

Regarding things happening at the show, here's a few key links:

Programming Schedule - http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/programming.php
Celebrity Photo Ops - http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/celebphotos.php
Gaming - http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/gaming.php
Costume Contest - http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/costume.php

MEDIA GUESTS!

Since our last update, we've added a third guest from Battlestar Galactica, this
time MICHAEL HOGAN who plays Colonel Saul Tigh!

EXCLUSIVES!

We've added a *TON* of new exclusives offered by our exhibitors, you can see
them all here: http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/exclusives.php

While at the show, don't forget to help support Seattle Children's Hospital by
picking up a copy of Monsters & Dames Artbook!

COMIC GUESTS!

Our crazy huge list got a bit bigger since the last update with the addition of
MATT KINDT (Super Spy), KEVIN HANNA (Clockwork Girl), MICHAEL ANGELOS (Jack the
Lantern), JEPH JACQUES (Questionable Content), SAM LOGAN (Sam and Fuzzy), DAME
DARCY (Meat Cake) and TIM VIGIL (Frank Frazetta's Dark Kingdom).

Due to unforseen circumstances Dave Stewart, Andrew Wahl, Adi Granov and Greg
Thompson will not be appearing this year.

The complete guest list can be found here:
http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/guests.php

ODDS & ENDS!

If you're down with winning cool stuff, here's your chance to do just that EVERY
HOUR OF THE SHOW! All you have to do is send a text message with the words ECCC,
a space and your zip code to 43549 (for example, if you live in zip codes 98101
your text message should read "ECCC 98101"). Then, during the show, we'll
randomly pick someone every hour to win exclusive prizes! This service is
completely free and only your standard text message rates will apply.

Speaking of all this technological hullabaloo, for all you Twitter users out
there, make sure your tweets before, during and after the show contain our
official hash mark (#ECCC) and on April 10th, we'll select a dozen random
posters to win prizes!

That's it! We're ready for the show and hope you are too!

See you this weekend,

Jim Demonakos
Emerald City ComiCon

Portland Comics Month 2009!

Hi, everyone--

Holy Moses!

For the second year in a row, the mayor has declared April "Portland Comics Month," and we've cataloged nearly FORTY comics-related events happening this month in the Rose City. Check out the current tally below, and many thanks to the Multnomah County Libraries, participating organizations, bookstores, publishers, and galleries, and our fellow comics- and beer-loving pals at MacTarnahan's.

New this year are "Comics & Music" nights, a fancy and fabulous benefit dinner for the CBLDF and the Stumptown Comics Foundation (with esteemed comics creators and Mayor Sam Adams), and more ... just look at tonight's First Thursday list. David Mack and Paul Hornschemeier FTW.

Come on out and celebrate with us!

xo,
--Portland

Portland Comics Month – April 2009
Events are free and “all ages” unless otherwise noted.

Through April 26th @ Talisman Gallery (1476 NE Alberta) – "Hand Hewn" exhibition of Philip Barasch's original comics art. Open Fri, Sat, Sun, from 12-6pm.

Wednesday April 1st 5-7pm @ Bridge City Comics (3725 N Mississippi Ave) – 4th Anniversary celebration, featuring cookies and cake!
6-9pm @ MacTarnahan's Taproom (2730 NW 31st Ave) – The very first joint “Drink and Draw" event with the Stumptown Comics Fest and MacTarnahan's! Featuring artists Brian Churilla, Mike Lawrence, Virginia Paine, Natalie Phillips, and Monica Toth creating illustrations to be auctioned for charity, plus tasty craft brews and quality collaborative vibes. Join us, and feel free to join in!

Thursday April 2nd 5:30-8:30pm @ Charles A. Hartman Fine Art (134 NW 8th Ave) – “Paul Hornschemeier: Cloistered in Crowds" First Thursday reception and book signing with the Eisner, Harvey, and Ignatz Award-nominated creator of Mother, Come Home. Sponsored by Fantagraphics Books

6-9pm @ Portland Center for the Performing Arts (1111 SW Broadway) – "Comics To The People! An Exhibition of Comic Book and Cartoon Art," First Thursday reception with various Fest artists in attendance. A collaboration between PCPA, Stumptown Comics Foundation, and the Sequential Art Gallery.

6-10pm @ Compound Gallery (107 NW 5th Ave) – Japanese illustrator Ippei Gyoubu's first solo exhibition in the US.

6-10pm @ Floating World Comics (20 NW 5th Ave #101) – “David Mack: The Alchemy” First Thursday reception, slideshow discussion, and Q&A with famed Eagle, Eisner, Harvey, and Kirby Award-nominated creator of Kabuki.

6-10pm @ Pony Club Gallery (625 NW Everett #105) – Group show featuring work by Renée French (The Ticking), Lance Simmons (Wurd Reader), Jason Overby (Jessica), Tim Root (Nerd Burglar), and Mike Bertino (Pinwheel)

6-10pm @ Sequential Art Gallery (328 NW Broadway #113) – "Lady Parts" joint show by locals Dylan Meconis (Family Man) & Erika Moen (DAR). First Thursday reception with the artists. Recommended 18+

6-10pm @ Vorpal Space (328 NW Broadway #117) – "2" by Natalie Phillips. First Thursday reception with artist in attendance.

Friday April 3rd 4pm start @ Floating World Comics – Live art show with Emonic as part of the Hot Zombie Chicks Love BrAiNs Tour. The horror/comedy team of Anthony Leano, Paul Allen, and Mike Hampton will be on hand with the premiere issue of BrAiNs, and artist Skinner (Grass Hut) will join in at 7pm for a Drink & Draw that's open to the public. 21+ after 7pm through April 9th @ Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave) – Tokyo! with segment by Michel Gondry adapting comic Cecil and Jordan in New York by Gabrielle Bell. Not MPAA rated

Saturday April 4th midnight – Stumptown Trophy Award nominations close! See www.stumptowncomics.com/awards for more info

Sunday April 5th 6:30am – Stumptown Comics Fest promoted on "Outlook Portland," channel KRCW-32
12:30-1:45pm @ the Central Library (801 SW 10th Ave, in the U.S. Bank Room) – "The Joy of Censorship." MAD magazine Senior Editor Joe Raiola discusses satire, the First Amendment, and the history of this legendary humor title. Free tickets available 30 minutes prior to start

2-4pm @ the Independent Publishing Resource Center (917 SW Oak St #218) – “Comics for Parents and Kids" workshop with John Isaacson $5-10 sliding fee; registration info at www.iprc.org

Tuesday April 7th 6:30-7:45pm @ the Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave) – "The Joy of Censorship." MAD magazine Senior Editor Joe Raiola. Free tickets available 30 minutes prior to start

Saturday April 11th 6pm-late – "Alter Egos: Power Struggle" 2nd Annual costumed pub crawl with Alter Egos Society & Drunken Rampage! Oh, yes. Starts @ secret locations TBA; go to www.alteregossociety.com for details. 21+

Saturday April 11th though Sunday April 12th 10am-10am @ Cosmic Monkey Comics (5335 NE Sandy Blvd) – “Drawpocalypse 2” 24-Hour Comic Challenge featuring David Chelsea (David Chelsea in Love). Benefit event for underground Zap Comix artist S. Clay Wilson. Sign up now and bring materials to participate

Sunday April 12th 5-8pm @ the Independent Publishing Resource Center – Ongoing second-Sunday event “Comics and Coffee,” make one and drink the other

All day – The beginning of National Library Week! Check out www.multcolib.org for events at a library near you

Tuesday April 14th 6:30pm @ the Hollywood Library (4040 NE Tillamook St) – Graphic Novel Book Group discussion of Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan

Wednesday April 15th 6:30pm @ the Belmont Library (1038 SE 39th Ave) – Graphic Novel Book Group discussion of Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story by Frederick Peeters. 18+

Thursday April 16th 4:30-5:30pm @ the Central Library (in the U.S. Bank Room) – “Wild World of Webcomics” with local cartoonist and animator Carolyn Main

7-9pm @ the Compound Gallery – Artist Camille d’Errico (Tanpopo) unveils a gallery show and an exclusive clothing line. Sponsored by Dark Horse Comics, the Stumptown Comics Foundation, and MacTarnahan's

Friday April 17th 11am-7pm @ Cosmic Monkey Comics - Portland superhero Zetaman appearance to raise funds for the March of Dimes' "March for Babies Walk-A-Thon." (Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, April 25th @ the Rose Quarter Commons.)

4:30-5:30pm @ the Central Library (in the U.S. Bank Room) – “Zinesters Talking” minicomics artists Hellen Jo and Ignatz Award-nominated Dunja Jankovic discuss their work.

Benefit Dinner @ Portland Center for the Performing Arts (1111 SW Broadway) – Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Stumptown Comics Foundation benefit dinner with Jeff Smith (Bone, RASL), Craig Thompson (Habibi), Matt Wagner (Grendel), Gail Simone (Wonder Woman), Farel Dalrymple (pop gun war), Derek Kirk Kim (The Eternal Smile), Pollyanne Birge (Portland's Arts and Culture Coordinator), and others TBA. 5:30pm – Cocktails and appetizers, with appearance by and reading of Comics Month proclamation from Mayor Sam Adams. 6:30pm - Dinner. Ticketed event, strictly limited seating. Details at www.stumptowncomics.com; $100/plate, 21+

7-11pm @ Guapo Comics and Books (6350 SE Foster Road) – Stumptown Fest kickoff event! Good times, readings, and presentation of the 2009 Maisie Kukoc Award for Comics Inspiration.

Saturday April 18th 10am-6pm @ the Lloyd Center Doubletree (1000 NE Multnomah) – The 6th Annual Stumptown Comics Fest, day one! $6/day or $10/wknd admission. Info at www.stumptowncomics.com

7pm @ Cosmic Monkey Comics – The Stumptown Comics Fest’s annual Trophy Awards Ceremony (8pm), Comic Art Battle (9pm), and jam-packed social shindig. Join us! MC'd by KUFO-FM's Fatboy. 21+

Sunday April 19th 10am-6pm @ the Lloyd Center Doubletree – The 6th Annual Stumptown Comics Fest, day two! $6 admission
7pm @ Backspace (115 NW 5th Ave) – “Dead Dog” Stumptown after-party to close out the Fest weekend
7pm @ Pony Club Gallery – After-party location #2. 21+
7:30 to 9:30pm @ Cosmic Monkey Comics - Dr. Sketchy! Burlesque life models pose for budding artists. All-ages appropriate, low-stress atmosphere, and door prizes. Some art supplies available, but it's best to come prepared. $5 admission

Monday April 20th 9pm @ Zilla Sake House (1806 NE Alberta St) – Comics & Music Night #1 with But We Don't and special guests. 21+, no cover

Tuesday April 21st 9pm @ the Someday Lounge (125 NW 5th Ave) – Comics & Music Night #2 with Dame Darcy (Meatcake) solo, Myrrh Larsen feat. John C. Worsley (Painkillers), Star St. Germain, special guests. 21+, no cover

Saturday April 25th 5-8pm @ Sequential Art Gallery - Joint book-release party for Dylan Meconis's Bite Me! and Erika Moen's DAR: A Super Girly Top-Secret Comic Diary, Vol. One.

Sunday April 26th 7-9pm @ Cosmic Monkey Comics – Ongoing “last Sunday” Drink & Draw event. All ages!

Monday April 27th 7:30pm @ Powells City of Books (1005 W Burnside) – Derek Kirk Kim (Same Difference and Other Stories), Jesse Reklaw (Slow Wave), and Sarah Oleksyk (Ivy). Featuring Kim’s new work with Gene Yang, The Eternal Smile. Sponsored by First Second Books

Tuesday April 28th 7pm @ Diesel Fuel Prints (726 SE 10th Ave) - Rock poster and comics superstar Tara McPherson (Lonely Heart) signing event. Sponsored by Dark Horse Comics.

Saturday, May 2nd - The annual Free Comic Book Day @ your local comics shop! More info at www.freecomicbookday.com

More events, info, and running updates at www.stumptowncomics.com/comicsmonth
Email info@stumptowncomics.com with additions and updates

Sakura-Con Announces Two New Guests, a Special Premiere and Record Member Pre-Registration

Seattle, WA - Guests Michael Tatum and Joel McDonald to attend Sakura-Con 2009 in honor of the premiere of Heroic Age. Sakura-Con 2009's membership pre-registration breaks all previous Sakura-Con records- with a near 75% increase!

“Among the ruins of a forgotten planet lies the salvation for the Iron Tribe, also known as humankind. This lost warrior will stand against the tyranny of the Silver Tribe, who proclaimed themselves the new dominant race after the departure of the advanced Golden Tribe.
Humanity's last hope: A wild and unruly hero, 'Age,' and an ancient prophecy.” Heroic Age is being premiered at Sakura-Con 2009 by FUNimation Entertainment.

In honor of this event Michael Tatum, who plays “Age” will be attending his first Sakura-Con. Known for his work in One Piece, Ghost Hunt, xxxHOLiC, Ouran Host Club and more Mr. Tatum has also worked as an ADR director on such titles as Aquarion, Romeo X Juliet and Save Me! Lollipop.

Also attending his first Sakura-Con is Joel McDonald, the ADR director of Heroic Age as well as the character “Iolaous”. Mr. McDonald has also done ADR direction on KenIchi the Mightiest Disciple and Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and voice work in Baccano!, Big Windup!, and more.

Sakura-Con is the first and largest Pacific Northwest convention devoted to Japanese animation (anime), comics (manga), gaming and Japanese contemporary and traditional culture and may just grow even larger this year! Our attendance number-which was expected to be 15,000 members- is unpredictable at this time. Our membership pre-registration is near 9000-almost 75% more than 2008! So while pre-registration has historically been about 40% of our total membership attendance-we are unsure what to expect based on this record breaking pre-registration number. Perhaps more members pre-registered this year than will come to our door? Or perhaps we will actually reach capacity in our venue? We are excited to find out!

ANCEA is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about popular and traditional Japanese media. Sakura-Con is ANCEA's main realization of that mission.