Comics Express is a limited-edition comic book conceived by Carmen Morais (a former editor at Nickelodeon Magazine) to benefit kids affected by the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, which destroyed 30% of the city and made thousands homeless. She assembled a bunch of award-winning comic artists and former colleagues from Nickelodeon to donate the content and labor. The comic book will give young kids up to teens something more fun to think about than damaged neighborhoods and uprooted lives. The Joplin Public Library will coordinate with local groups to distribute the comic books to kids free in July.

This went great, and the local media in Joplin ran a story about it. It made me happy to actually see kids reading the comic I did, “How to Draw Eye-Catching, On-the-Nose, Loud-Mouth Cartoon Faces!!” – I hope some of them tried it!:

My fabulous class with their minicomics in front of their final exhibit:

Here’s the schedule online and after the jump.

This Friday, August 5, from 2 to 7 pm, Cornish College of the Arts is pleased to present an exhibition and performance of work by Summer at Cornish program participants.

Summer at Cornish is an exciting intensive visual and performing arts experience for students ages 15 to 18 who want to explore the arts in a professional art school setting. Participants immerse themselves in art–making, dance, music, and performance to become part of a creative community, meeting and working with other talented artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. These students have been working hard and wish to share their work with the Seattle community. We invite you to attend this afternoon exhibition and performance to enjoy the work of these emerging artists.

All events are free and open to the public.

SCHEDULE
2-5:30 pm: Art + Design exhibition, Cornish Main Gallery
2-3 pm: Theater performances, Room 109
3-4:15 pm: Dance performances, Room 109
4:30 pm: Congratulatory remarks by Dr Lois Harris, Provost and VP of Academic Affairs, Cornish Main Gallery
5 pm: Guitar Master class concert, PONCHO Performance Hall
7 pm: Rock Project concert, PONCHO Performance Hall

Locations:
Cornish Main Gallery and Room 109, 1000 Lenora St., Seattle
PONCHO Performance Hall, 710 E. Roy St., Seattle

The special guests at next week’s reading party are confirmed: Ellen Forney and Derek Erdman! Comix themed! Both of them are insanely prolific, both of them have been on the cover of The Stranger a bunch (here and here and here and here), and both of them will be there, sitting on couches or wingback chairs, reading whatever they feel like reading, just like you.

The special is a $4 Manhattan. Kyle O’Quin will be back on piano, playing Chopin and whatever else he feels like. Starts at 6 pm, takes place at Sorrento’s Fireside Room, and it’s free.

Someone Photoshopped this ridickiliss graphic: my I Love Led Zeppelin cover self-portrait, a car-not-a-Cougar by Derek (his work is here, it’s great) and the Sorrento’s fireside lounge. Come if you can, I’ll bring some extra comics with me.

Free Library of Philadelphia and Walmart Host Online Book Chat with Ellen Forney, Contributing Artist for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

What: One Book, One Philadelphia online book chat

Who: Chat led by Ellen Forney, illustrator of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

When: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. EST

Where: Chat will be hosted at http://walmartphiladelphia.com/

Join readers nationwide as Walmart and the Free Library of Philadelphia host the first ever One Book, One Philadelphia online book chat. On Wednesday, February 23, at 2:00 p.m. EST, visit walmartphiladelphia.com to participate in a live chat with Ellen Forney, contributing artist for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, on how the themes in this year’s book are developed through the 65 comics she created for the novel.

Comics: The Extraordinary Power of Words and Pictures
Presentation by Ellen Forney
Thursday, February 3, 1:00PM
Univ. of the Arts, CBS Auditorium
Philadelphia PA

Comics are enjoying a new respect as a compelling literary medium. Join Ellen Forney, creator of the art in this year’s One Book selection The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, as she enthuses about their quirky appeal in a presentation about both her solo projects and her work with the novel.

Comics Studio with Ellen Forney
Saturday, February 5, 2:00PM
Central Library
Philadelphia PA

Cartoonist Ellen Forney, a Philadelphia native and the mind behind the clever artwork in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, will teach participants how to develop their own comic art. Please call 215-567-7710 to reserve a space.

14 y.o. Philly girl. Feathered hair!

Since this is by far the longest comic I’ve done (about 200 pages, as opposed to, well, 14 pages), I’m having to figure out my systems as I go along – brainstorm on 11″ x 17″ sheets of paper, thumbnail on 8.5″ x 11″ templates, etc. I need to see a whole chapter in order to wrap my head around it, so a long hardwood hallway is great:

Rearranging, editing out, adding in.

Day 6: Goodbye, house. Sweep floor, clean sink, reflect and review and– shit, the ferry!

Whoa! A mad dash for the ferry dock, and I am again the last one on the boat. Kind of a Dukes of Hazzard jump there at the end. (Screee!) Goodbye for now, Friday Harbor! Back to rearranging papers in the hall at home.

Thanks again a shmagillion times, Alix, your place is perfect.