We are proud to announce that Graphic Universe’s dynamic writing and translating duo of Drs. Anne and Owen Smith will be signing copies of standout GU titles this December 8, 11:00am – 1:00pm, at the Barnes & Noble in the Baker Pattillo Student Center at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

We hope you can all make it!

The Graphic Universe Crew

Photo by Mainuddinhaque and available through the Creative Commons

When I turned on NPR Monday morning I learned that Joseph Murray had died at the age of 93. Back in in 1954, he had performed the first successful kidney transplant. I had never heard of the man until this year, when some research brought me across his story. Without offering too much of a spoiler, I can say that the plot of Mortensen’s Escapades #4: The Secret Mummy involves organ transplant to some degree.

The history of early organ transplantation is really remarkable stuff. Remarkable, and tragic. Murray’s success was proceeded (and followed) by so many failures. Little was know about the immune system back then. Organs were rejected and patients died. But things started to change on 1954.

Here’s an expert from The Secret Mummy back matter. To learn more about kidneys and transplantation, look for the book this spring. I also recommend Organ Transplantation by David Petechuk, part of which can be read for free on Google Books.

The idea of organ transplantation is an old one. One of the earliest known references states that in 500 B.C. a Chinese doctor swapped the hearts of two soldiers (according to legend, they lived to tell the tale). In truth, organ transplantation only became a reality in the 20th century. To save the lives of sick patients, surgeons tried to transplant human kidneys and also kidneys from animals such as monkeys and lambs. Initially, all these attempts were met with failure. The human immune system rejects and destroys foreign tissue and organs, so transplanted kidneys didn’t last long. However, transplants between identical twins fare much better because they have body parts that are genetically similar. The first successful kidney transplant was performed in 1954 by Boston surgeon Joseph E. Murray. Richard Herrick received a kidney donated by his identical twin, Ronald.

With modern advancements in tissue matching and immunosuppressive drugs, the success rate of kidney transplantation is much higher. Today, about 90 percent of the kidney transplants that come from living donors are successful.

NYC Dept. of Education Fall Conference at A. Philip Randolph Campus High School on November 6th.

Coinciding with this event was Graphic Universe’s author-artist Zeina Abirached arrival in New York, following a conference she attended at the University of Cincinnati. Zeina, with her agent Nicolas Grivel on hand, signed and illustrated her starred review book, A Game for Swallows, which drew an impressive number of attendees to our table. She participated in a variety of other activities during the week as well.

Zeina Abirached, author-artist of A Game for Swallows signing copies of her book (top); Graphic Universe Editorial Assistant Robyn Chapman, Ms. Abirached, Graphic Universe Editorial Director Carol Burrell, and Nicolas Grivel on hand at the NYC Dept. of Ed. Conference (bottom).

On Thursday, November 8, she was invited to take part on a panel discussion in front of a large crowd at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy on Fifth Avenue. The event was moderated by Françoise Mouly, art editor of the The New Yorker. Six French Speaking comic artists were on hand to discuss their remarkable careers and field questions from the audience. In addition to Zeina, the participants included Nine Antico, Blexbolex, Anouk Ricard, Florent Ruppert, and Clément Baloup. The event was followed by a reception in the adjacent hall. It was a cool party in a grand historic building—the kind that looked as though it had been inhabited by a business tycoon from a previous century.

Zeina Abirached sitting on a panel at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in Manhattan.

The French Comic Book Party at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy on November 8th.

Then on Saturday, November 10^th, Zeina was invited to sell and sign copies of her book at the jammed-packed Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival in Williamsburg. The festival’s organizer, Bill Kartalopoulos, was gracious to invite Zeina to present Swallows at his booth. Also, Graphic Universe Editorial Assistant Robyn Chapman was there to promote her new art instruction manual Drawing Comics Lab: 52 Exercises on Characters, Panels, Storytelling, Publishing & Professional Practices.

All in all it was a production week, especially considering what just happened during Hurricane Sandy a week earlier.

A large crowd at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival on November 10th.

In vivid fashion, you can discover the Eisner and Harvey Award nominated graphic novel and webcomic series A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld. This outstanding New York Times bestseller focuses on a diverse group of gulf coast citizens, following their true story battles against the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.

Another graphic novel worth checking out is the visually appealing and aptly titled Hurricanes, written by Gary Jeffrey and illustrated by Mike Lacey. This book tells the story, through comics, about three of the most infamous hurricanes of the last 80 years. They include the unforgettable Labor Day Hurricane back in 1935; Hurricane Andrew that devastated Florida and the Bahamas in 1992; and, of course, a tragic Hurricane called Katrina in 2005.

And then there are the several comic book characters named “Hurricane” who have sprung up over the years. Perhaps the best known is Albert Potter or “Hurricane”, the former meteorologist and enemy of Captain Britain–United Kingdom’s answer to Captain America, published by Marvel Comics.

Undoubtedly, and rightly so, someone soon may create another graphic novel about our hurricane Sandy. And how about a superhero to help fight it, too?

A frenetic scene at the Graphic Universe booth at the heart of Comic Con

All the way from Denmark, came Lars Jakobsen, creator of the greatly enjoyable GU series Mortensen’s Escapades. Lars’ talent was on full display Friday as he illustrated and signed images of his eponymous time traveling main character. He feverishly drew so many original vignettes in the hour that he could have probably completed a new volume.

Eager fans lining up for autographs from Mortensen’s Escapades author-illustator Lars Jakobsen (left) and Guinea PIG author Colleen AF Venable (right)

The next day, and perhaps the most frenetic of the weekend, saw two memorable GU signings. First, the prolific author Dan Jolley provided autographs for several of his recent titles—The Girl Who Owned a City and My Boyfriend is a Monster series. It was followed that afternoon by the Eisner-nominated dynamic duo of author-illustrator Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue who captivated the crowd with their latest Guinea PIG title Raining Cats and Detectives.

Graphic Universe author Dan Jolley handing over a signed copy of his book (left); Little White Duck Illustrator Andrés Vera Martínez with Lindsay Matvick, Lerner Senior Publicist (right)

Sunday was designated “Kids Day’, which was a perfect fit for the Illustrator-author husband and wife team of Andrés Vera Martínez and Na Liu who showcased their starred reviewed book Little White Duck. Fitting because their delightful young daughter, Mei Lan, was there to sign books too. And I must say she demonstrated an early gift for the activity.

Kathleen Clarke, Lerner Trade Show Manager with Robyn Chapman, Graphic Universe Editorial Assistant (left picture); Convention goer chatting with Carol Burrell, Graphic Universe Editorial Director and GU author Dan Jolley (right)

In addition, Spanish agent and friend Eduardo Alpuente, who represents many GU contributors (illustrators, colorists, and letterists) overseas made several appearances at the GU booth. The most memorable one was when accompanied by a friend, Alberto, a master magician, who mesmerized us with an impromptu card trick.

A young Guinea PIG fan (left); One of thousands of eye catching costumes at Comic Con; and Lars Jakobsen posing as Mortensen (pictured right) with Kasper Bent Rasmussen, Assistant Cultural Officer of the Royal Danish Consulate General (left)

And, of course, the convention couldn’t have been carried out without the tireless efforts and well-honed skills of the Lerner staff, including Lerner VP, Director of Marketing Terri Souter, the very pregnant Senior Publicist Lindsay Matvick, Lerner Trade Show Manager Kathleen Clark, GU Editorial Director Carol Burrell, and GU Editorial Assistant Robyn Chapman.

 (above) A variety of fans gathered for autographs at the Graphic Universe booth

In an adjacent hall was “Artist Alley”, a venue where independent artists showcased their works.

Carol Burrell, Editorial Director, participating on a panel discussion (left); A quiet moment at the GU booth with The Little Prince display in foreground

One could easily write a large volume covering the vast history of cartoons in American politics. In this blog, I’ll spare you all the details. But suffice to say it’s a fascinating art form that has spanned the length of our republic—from the first hours of the War of Independence to the current presidential race. Some cartoons have catered to the darker biases of the American citizenry while many more have simply brought good-natured entertainment to the public.

Here are several books worth checking out that beautifully illustrate this rich tapestry of American expression:

American Political Cartoons, 1754-2010: The Evolution of a National Identity by Steven Hess and Sandy Northrop

The Best Political Cartoons of the Year, 2010 Edition, Edited by Daryl Cagle and Brian Fairrington

The New Yorker Book of Political Cartoons, Edited by Robert Mankoff

Herblock: The Life and Works of the Great Political Cartoonist by Herbert Block, Edited by Harry L. Katz, Introduction by Haynes Johnson

In the Swallows review the A.V. Club cuts to the chase by saying, “Abirached captures both the constant fear and the sense of community that defined her youth, emphasizing the latter in her warm recollections of the people who helped raise her, and getting across the latter in unusual page designs that show how the togetherness inside that one safe room was fragmented out in the streets.”

And the review doesn’t accept a knee-jerk opinion by some that A Game for Swallows is Persepolis’ (by Marjane Satrapi) twin sister. It concludes in no uncertain way that “the Persepolis comparison doesn’t work against A Game for Swallows” primarily because Ms. Abirached’s “approach to the story is quite different” than that of Ms. Satrapi’s work.

Ms. Abirached is scheduled to make a visit to New York City for book signings in early-mid November following a conference at the University of Cincinnati.

Did you miss it? September 26 was Lumberjack Day. This holiday was co-created by Graphic Universe author and former lumberjack (no joke, read the story here) Colleen AF Venable. Read all about this year’s festivities in this report at The Beat.

The inventors of Lumberjack Day: Marianne Ways and Colleen AF Venable.

Colleen displays her arm wrestling prowess.

Revelers in traditional lumberjack garb.

Guests celebrate with a pancake feast.

Heroes Convention (HeroesCon)

Charlotte, North Carolina / Month held: June

http://www.heroesonline.com/heroescon/

This summer’s Democratic National Convention is not the only major event coming out of Charlotte this year. The impressive Heroes Convention, a medium-size festival, held annually packs quite a punch. Begun in 1982, the festival is known for its well-organized production, high quality artists and writers, enthusiastic fans, and impressive guest appearances. A prime example is Marvel Comics legend, Stan Lee, who’s made several memorable visits, one as an early guest of honor in 1984 and another—to much fanfare—this year.

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2)

Chicago, Illinois / Month held: April

http://www.c2e2.com/

A challenger to the other longstanding Chicago festival—the perennial Wizard World Chicago (formerly known as Chicago Comic-Con)—is the recent arrival of C2E2. Originating with a bang in 2010 the C2CE takes place at the city’s enormous McCormick Place in downtown, which means there’s a lot of space to grow. Rapidly becoming a major national festival, attracting both local fans and many more thousands across the country, the convention has become a welcome alternative to Wizard World Chicago’s recent soaring ticket prices and regularly lamented location (Rosemont, Illinois), which has been a hinder to out-of-state visitors. This new competitor is here to stay.

Emerald City Comicon (ECCC)

Seattle, Washington / Month held: March

http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/

This dynamic Pacific Northwest event, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Seattle, is deservedly celebrating its tenth anniversary. Lauded for its wide range of activities and broad spectrum of guests, the festival has ballooned from just 2,500 in attendance in 2003 to over 50,000 today. It routinely nabs famous comic pioneers and TV icons. For instance a couple years ago the fest hosted Leonard Nimoy of “Star Trek” fame and then continued on this theme the following year by presenting William Shatner and Brent Spiner (Data from “The Next Generation).” One of the most anticipated comic events in the west coast, some predict the convention may rival San Diego in the not-so-distance future. One can rather easily image the day when attendance hits 100,000.

Maine Comics Arts Festival (MeCAF)

Portland, Maine / Month held: May

http://mainecomicsfestival.com/

This cozy little festival, held annually in May, boasts some of the industry’s most up-and-coming writers and artists. For this year’s gathering the special guests included Japanese author and artist Kazu KibKate, creator of Amulet and award-winning Canadian artist Kate Beaton, best known for her “Hark! A Vagrant” webcomic. Admission is only 5 bucks—a refreshingly small sum compared to, say, New York Comic Con that requires one to shell out between $35-65 for a single day.

Baltimore Comic-Con

Baltimore, Maryland / Month held: September

http://baltimorecomiccon.com/

This festival is right around the corner. Literally, it begins on Saturday, September 8. The feisty convention’s website banner says, “America’s Greatest Comic Book Convention!” Although probably a slight exaggeration, this festival does have its staunch loyalists and boasts an amazing international guest list (this year alone you can meet Neal Adams, Stan Lee, Garth Ennis, and Brian Bolland to name a few). The event also plays host to the prestigious Harvey Awards, named after pioneer artist/writer Harvey Kurtman, which honors excellence in the comic book industry

Just coming off a 2012 Eisner Award nomination for #3 The Ferret’s a Foot, author Colleen AF Venable and illustrator Stephanie Yue have worked their magic again with these two sprightly titles.

About this series the reviewer declares, “This is so much a world I want to be part of, from the wide-ranging friendships and cozy community of the animals to the charming neighborhood shops.”

In Fish You Were Here, The absent-minded pet shop owner, Mr. Venezi’s has finally found an assistant to help at the store. At first, Viola seems so perfect that Mr. V barely needs to be there. In fact, one day, Mr. V doesn’t come back at all. With resident detective Sasspants and her gumshoe assistant Hamisher teaming up, they manage to fish out the answers to this mystery. The reviewer praises Hamisher as having, “lots of funny lines and silly ideas that are quite entertaining.”

In Raining Cats and Detectives, the latest about a missing bookstore cat, the reviewer says, “The gags fly fast and furious, with all kinds of creative combinations surprising me.”

The reviewer states that she’s “enjoying the Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye series so much that the books have joined my permanent collection.”

To think that her permanent collection may contain Shakespeare, Tolstoy, and Hemingway, this isn’t bad at all.