Saturday, October 22, 2011

Canzine 2011-this Sunday, October 23

Canzine 2011 poster by Hyein Lee

I'll be at Canzine this year as a judge in the
1-2 Punch Book Pitch. I won't be tabling this year but will return next year.

2pm – 1-2 Punch Book Pitch
Live on our mainstage in front of a crowing crowd, you get two minutes to pitch your book to our panel of judges. They get one minute each to tell you why you’ll never get published in a million, billion years, or why they want to see your manuscript in their inbox ASAP.

Sign up in advance to participate in the 1-2 Punch Book Pitch at Canzine. To sign up email canzine@brokenpencil.com with your: 1. name 2. email address 3. phone number 4. two or three line description of the project you are going to pitch. Sign up now, we only have room for 8 participants and this will be first come first served.

The winner of the pitch gets bragging rights and a Broken Pencil prize pack worth $200.

This year’s judges are…

Evan Munday

Evan Munday is the publicist for Toronto-based publisher Coach House Books and an illustrator whose work has appeared in books and magazines, including the novel Stripmalling, by Jon Paul Fiorentino. Evan has written and illustrated a young adult book The Dead Kid Detective Agency, which will be published this fall by ECW Press.

Fiona Smyth

Fiona Smyth is a Toronto based painter, illustrator, and cartoonist. She is currently producing two art projects funded by the TAC and the OAC, and teaches illustration and comics at OCADU. Fiona’s first graphic novel “The Never Weres” was published by Annick Press in 2011. A collection of her Exclaim comics “Cheez 100” was published by Pedlar Press in 2001. Fiona edits the drawing and comics zine The Wilding.

Amy Logan Holmes

Amy Logan Holmes is the Executive Director of Open Book: Toronto & Open Book: Ontario, an organization that works to connect readers with Ontario authors, books and literary events. Read all about it at www.openbooktoronto.com and www.openbookontario.com.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Little Island Comics -Comic Book Store for Kids! Opens in Toronto!!

Little Island illustration by Geneve Firanski. Little Island logo by Steve Manale.

11am-7pm Saturday October 1st

12pm-6pm Sunday October 2nd

742 Bathurst Street,Toronto

It’s official: Little Island Comics’ inaugural events on the first weekend of October 2011 will mark the debut of its events space with visits from local comics creators and the launch of Claudia Dávila’s new book Luz Sees the Light.

Our Grand Opening festivities will be a celebration of children’s comics and of Toronto’s comics community. A stellar schedule of local creator visits will be augmented by fun, informal activities for kids from open to close each day during the Grand Opening weekend. As well, select titles will be offered at door-crasher prices, so be sure to check back here next week to find out about the Grand Opening deals!

Scheduled creator appearances include:

Saturday October 1st

  • 1:00pm – Fiona Smyth (The Never Weres)
  • 3:00pm – LAUNCH: Claudia Dávila (Luz Sees the Light)

Sunday October 2nd

  • 12:00pm – Clayton Hanmer (Cton’s Super A-Maze-Ing Year Of Crazy Comics!)
  • 2:00pm – Jeremy Tankard (Boo-hoo Bird)
  • 4:00pm – Kean Soo (Jellaby) and Tory Woollcott (Mirror Mind)

We’ll see you there!(post from Little Island Comics)

http://www.littleislandcomics.com/

Friday, September 9, 2011

The Tin Manx #24

Apologies to loyal Loly readers:The Tin Manx will be appearing sporadically till the spring 2012 and not following a strict once a week reading diet!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

FanExpo 2011


Visit the Koyama Press booth at FanExpo: featuring these fine Canadian cartoonists:

Thursday, August 25th.
Chris Kuzma
Steve Manale
Diana McNally
Maurice Vellekoop
Britt Wilson
Jesjit Gill
John Martz
Fiona Smyth
Steve Wolfhard
Michael DeForge

Friday, August 26th
Steve Manale
Diana McNally
Brian Fukushima
Maurice Vellekoop
Mark Laliberte
Jesse Jacobs
Diana Tamblyn
John Martz
Fiona Smyth
Steve Wolfhard
Ginette Lapalme
Patrick Kyle

Saturday, August 27th
Brian Fukushima
Vicki Nerino
Alex Perkins
Mark Laliberte
Diana Tamblyn
John Martz
Fiona Smyth
Aaron Costain
Steve Wolfhard
Ginette Lapalme
Patrick Kyle

Sunday, August 28th
Steve Manale
Diana McNally
Vicki Nerino
Alex Perkins
Britt Wilson
John Martz
Fiona Smyth
Aaron Costain
Steve Wolfhard

http://joeshusterawards.com/2011/08/23/happenings-fan-expo-appearance-schedule-at-the-koyama-press-booth/
http://www.fanexpocanada.com/genre/guest/view/577

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Girls' Day Out at Paradise Comics Saturday August 20 and FanExpo


I'll be part of the fun at Paradise Comics this Saturday, drop by and check out the Girl Power. Next week I'll be at FanExpo at the Koyama Press table, please check back here for specific days and hours. See you soon!!

http://paradisecomics.com/news
http://www.fanexpocanada.com/genre/guest/view/577

Monday, May 16, 2011

Whazamo!


Here is the interview I did for Open Book Toronto,
please check out the link to read the whole piece and see the other featured graphic novelists :

http://www.openbooktoronto.com/news/whazamo_profiles_fiona_smyth

Sunday, May 15, 2011

The Tin Manx #8

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2011

TCAF 2011 was a great success. There were a record number of folks who attended this much loved and internationally respected comics show. I was thrilled to be there with my first graphic novel and met lots of enthusiastic readers.

Joanna Karaplis thankfully took photos of my table and me sitting at it, which I didn't think to do myself.


I did come prepared to self promote with brand new business cards and free TNW buttons with an eeping Loly on it.


Thanks to author and Annick-ster Joanna for recording these moments! Check out her word-smithy site:

http://www.joannakaraplis.com/

Thank you for buying my book!! WOOT!!WOOT!!


Here's my partner Craig manning the table while I went to spend whatever money I just made on various zines and graphic novels. TCAF is the best place to be if you collect books and zines of the comics persuasion.
I got to sit beside my old OCAD class mate Maurice Vellekoop, class of 1986! He introduced me to RAW Magazine back then and the world of alternative/underground comics.


Owl Kids author/cartoonist Clayton Hanmer was drawing up a storm at the Trio Magnus table.

http://www.openbooktoronto.com/clayton_hanmer/main


The No Girls Allowed artist/cartoonist Willow Dawson was in the house:

http://willowdawson.com/willowdawson01.htm

http://www.graphicnovelreporter.com/content/girl-power-willow-dawson-no-girls-allowed-interview


I was very lucky to share a workshop with Claudia Davila. The kids’ workshop was about using comics as an information vehicle in activism. We invited the group to suggest two characters and subject matter to be discussed within a comic. The two panel comic became a debate between a big mouth and a tulip. Two Lips (anti-enviro parties) versus Tulip, fighting it out about the importance of environment. The Tulip won with the support of many people!
Thanks to Claudia for the book trade. Her great new graphic novel Luz Sees The Light will be released very soon, it's the story of a 12 year old embracing activism by creating a more self-sustainable community.

http://torontocomics.com/luz-sees-the-light-by-claudia-davila/

http://www.claudiadavila.com/




Much thanks to the hard work of Chris Butcher and Peter Birkemoe of the Beguiling for hosting THE greatest comics convention/show in the world!! And of course the Beguiling is the best comics store in da world!!

http://www.beguiling.com

TCAF was held in the Toronto Reference Library, so any question about the validity of comics as literature have been smoted.

Check out the lovely TCAF promo-short artist, cartoonist, zinester Chris Hutsul filmed for the event:

http://vimeo.com/22999575

http://hutsulville.blogspot.com/

Thanks to the Queen of Comics Anne Koyama, the army of TCAF volunteers, and all of you who came by and said hello! See you soon.