Comics: Philosophy and Practice

From left: W.J.T. Mitchell and Spiegelman 

Comics: Philosophy and Practice (CPP) marked a turning point in my life as a researcher. If it’s not too dramatic, I’d like to say that the conference created a B(efore)CPP and an A(fter)CPP. What CPP did that no other event had accomplished previously, is show me what an academic comics-oriented career looks like and that Chicago is an epicenter for the field. Hillary Chute, an English professor at the University of Chicago, organized the conference, moderated panels, and enlisted a number of other professors to lead discussions. I doubt I was the only person that coveted her job.

So, why was this conference so mind-blowing/life changing/amazing?

• The guests: While at the conference, one of the speakers made an observation. The participants were staying at a hotel downtown and all took the same bus to Hyde Park. If something were to happen to the bus, the alternative comics world would lose all of its superstars. That bus contained R. Crumb, Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, Lynda Barry, Daniel Clowes, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Charles Burns, Seth, Alison Bechdel, and Joe Sacco among others. It’s a rare occasion when all of these people are in the same city, and an extraordinary one where they are in the same room.

From left: Chute, Burns, Clowes, Seth, and Ware

• The talks: On Friday, I heard Spiegelman’s “What the %$#! Happened to Comics” where he spoke about his career trajectory and the evolution of comics from the lowest art to being praised by academics. One would think that might be a positive thing, but Spiegelman lamented the loss of the vulgar. Aline Kominsky-Crumb’s one-on-one discussion with Kristen Schilt gave a new perspective to her work from her start in the underground to teaching classes in France. “Graphic Novel Forms Today” with Ware, Seth, Clowes, and Burns was my favorite talk because these creators formed my comics aesthetic and the publishing process fascinates me. All of these authors give special attention to how their comics are formatted. Clowes’ decision to choose a thick, cardboard cover for Wilson was an attempt to protect him from the outside world. Cornell Boxes inspired Chris Ware’s next project, which contains a narrative told across books and foldouts. I wanted to ask them if cost and affordability was an issue when considering formatting.

• The people: I was volunteering, so I got to meet other comics fanatics and have good discussions. I also met the owner of Quimby’s and Chicago Comics and interviewed him today. Look for a post about that in the next month.

I’m glad, that of all the places I could have ended up, I live in Chicago. I knew before that it had a strong reputation as a bastion of comics in the Midwest, but after CPP, I think it’s going to receive attention worldwide. 

Cruisin' Costumes at the C2E2

C2E2, Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, is the first mainstream comics event I've attended. I guess you could count Crack Bang Boom in Rosario, but compared to C2E2, it was small potatoes. C2E2 was held in McCormick Place. To put it in perspective, this is the same location where the NATO conferences took place. Comics conferences, meeting of world leaders. Practically the same thing. C2E2 lasted three days, but I only had the stamina and money for one. I spent most of the time walking around with friends, checking out merchandise, comics, and tattoo booths and the costumes. Enjoy pictures and commentary of the event:

The McCormick Place entrance hallway.

With Max in the main conference hall. Don't our swanky passes make us look super official?

People in costumes, milling about.

Zombies on stilts? These were some of the best and most elaborate costumes I saw during the conference. 

Hunger Games costumes!

And what would a comics conference be without the Disney Princesses?

Renaissance ladies. 

Now that I've posted these photos, I see a distinct theme: lots of poofy, fancy dresses. Most people were dressed up as superheroes or characters displaying an excessive amount of cleavage, but poofy dresses apparently attracted my attention the most. 

This woman was getting a tattoo. I passed by her multiple times over a four hour period. Why would you go to a comics conference to get a tattoo?

At the end of the conference. So tired. 

The Prodigal Daughter Returns

Comics: Philosophy and Practice Auditorium

I’m back.

The past few months have been intensely busy, and my time has been filled with an exciting, but exhausting internship at a political campaign. In the few hours I haven’t been interning, I’ve been applying to graduate school in Latin America, writing papers for conferences, and preparing to take terrifying tests. And that left very little time for comics. I’ve been back almost three months, but only just today checked a comic out of the library.

But, to be honest, it wasn’t just the lack of time that caused this distance from comics. After a year of studying, I wasn’t able to enjoy them anymore. I was burnt out. Contributing to this malaise was the fact that during two of the past three months unhappiness from leaving Argentina, unemployment (I’m an unpaid intern), and the intense and painful introspection that comes with thinking about the future put me in a foul mood. I though, maybe, the comics period of my life was over. (Yes, yes. A bit dramatic, I know.)

But this past weekend’s Comics: Philosophy and Practice, a three-day long academic comics conference at the University of Chicago, reinvigorated me. First of all, I was volunteering and got to meet a bunch of thoughtful, like-minded comics fans. Then, the conference included panels and interviews with some of my favorite illustrators, like R. Crumb, Alison Bechdel, Chris Ware, Lynda Barry, Seth, Daniel Clowes, Joe Sacco, Charles Burns, and Aileen Kominsky-Crumb. And finally, the conference gave me hope that I might find a way to pursue comics academically. The organizer, Hillary Chute, is a professor at the University of Chicago and writes extensively on graphic novels. An academic field exists for studying comics, and given the good turnout, I think it will be growing in the near future.

So, inspired by comics, I write again. 

Missing Argentina, but at least I have the Chicago Zine Fest

Leaving Argentina and all my friends in the comics community was quite painful. I spent the past year getting to know exciting people, learning about their lives and reading works that they’ve spent time and energy creating. When I started going to events last April, I didn’t know anyone, but the crowd was friendly and eventually I had a network of acquaintances. I wouldn’t have traded this sense of community for anything in the world. But, wait, I did. I left Argentina for the United States.

I went to the Chicago Zine Fest this past weekend and realized that I am exactly where I was last year, but this time I’m in Chicago. Zinesters (or fanzineros) have an intricate, interwoven community that I know absolutely nothing about. At first glance, most people seem pretty friendly, but probably have relationships that began years ago when they were angsty teenagers, eager to write. Do I feel discouraged, starting from square one? I still have my researcher status because I’ve been working on a report for Viñetas Series comparing income sources for Argentine and American comics creators. I do honestly want to learn about how the Chicago comics scene works. My impressions so far are favorable. Unlike in Argentina, there is a large female presence. One reason given for this is that in mainstream media there is a lack of publishing by and about women. Self-publishing offers an opportunity to people not given a voice by conventional publishing companies. Along this note, there was also a large queer community. It’s quite different from the Argentine comics community.

I started by talking with people who have done exciting things in the Chicago zine scene. Anne Elizabeth Moore, a decades-long zine creator, academic, and former Fulbright recipient, participated in an interesting talk about gender, race, and sexuality in zine culture. I spoke with her afterwards about fanzine culture in Argentina in the 90’s and later bought her book about her Fulbright teaching Indonesian women how to create zines. Sarah Becan hosted one of the workshops I attended and presented about her experiences publishing a compilation of her zines through Kickstarter. Kikstarter is a “funding platform for creative projects.” Basically, you submit a proposal and random people on the Internet send you money if they like the project. It is an alternative way of self-publishing comics that otherwise would not be able to exist. In terms of my research, Kickstarter offers a new opportunity for artists seeking to be published.

Zine Fest came at a moment when I was greatly missing Argentina. Even though I don’t know anyone and have to start over, I’m glad there is something in Chicago I can look forward to and enjoy.

Chicago Zine Fest

As many of you know, I am now back in Chicago. I deeply miss Argentina and all of my friends there, but I am also somewhat happy to be home. I am going to continue studying and writing about comics. This weekend is the Annual Chicago Zine Fest. A zine (or fanzine in Argentina) is a self-published comic. Apparently the Zine Fest also includes small and independent publishers.

If you're interested in learning more, go to the website: http://chicagozinefest.org/

And I'll be writing a bit about my impressions of the Fest when it's over.

La historieta contemporánea argentina desde una perspectiva económica

(please scroll down for english version)

Charla y proyección a cargo de Claire Denton Spalding

En el Muelle Flotante* de

La Dársena_Plataforma de Pensamiento e Interacción Artística

presentamos el jueves 22 de febrero de 2012, a las 19:30 hrs a:

la investigadora norteamericana Claire Denton Spalding

Claire Denton-Spalding ha pasado un año en Argentina con una beca Fulbright estudiando la historieta argentina desde un punto de vista económico. Ha asistido numerosos congresos de la historieta y entrevistado a 30 guionistas, dibujantes, periodistas, editores independientes y dueños de comiquerías no sólo en Buenos Aires, sino también en Córdoba y la Patagonia.

Claire hablará y proyectará sus experiencias y los hallazgos de su investigación en Plataforma La Dársena. También será una forma de despedirse hasta el año que viene, ya que Claire regresa a Chicago a fines de febrero.

http://thepapertigress.blogspot.com/

*El Muelle Flotante es el lugar de Plataforma La Dársena para la cooperación artística, el diálogo, la difusión y las presentaciones de artistas y asociaciones locales e internacionales. Está abierto a recepción de proyectos (presentaciones de libros, videoproyecciones, charlas) y funciona también por invitación.

Miércoles 22, 19:30 hrs. Entrada gratuita.

La Dársena_Plataforma de de Pensamiento e Interacción Artística

Mario Bravo 298, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Dirección: Azul Blaseotto y Eduardo Molinari

plataformaladarsena.blogspot.com

........................................................................................................................................

An economic perspective on contemporary argentinian comic

Screening and talk and with Claire Denton Spalding

On the FLOATING QUAY * of

La Dársena_Plataforma de Pensamiento e Interacción Artística

The Dock_Platform of Thinking and Artistic Interaction

we present on tuesday the 22.th of february at 19:30

the northamerican comic searcher Claire Denton Spalding

Claire Denton-Spalding spent the past year studying the economic aspects of the Argentine comic with a Fulbright Grant. She has attended numerous comics conferences and conducted interviews with thirty writers, artists, journalists, independent publishers, and comic store owners from not only Buenos Aires, but Córdoba and Patagonia as well. On February 22nd, she will present her experiences and findings at La Dársena Platform. It will also be a way of saying goodbye until next year because Claire will be returning to Chicago at the end of February.

On the Floating Quay Claire D-S will present a summary of her investigation in Argentina, whose name is the title of this show.

*The Floating Quay is a permanent section of La Dársena: the place for artistic cooperation, dialogue, diffusion, and presentations by local and international artists and organizations. Floating Quay Works by invitation, but is also open to receiving projects (book presentations, videoprojections, talks).

+ about Claire: http://thepapertigress.blogspot.com/

Wednesday 22th. february at 19:30 hrs. Free entrance

La Dársena_Plataforma de de Pensamiento e Interacción Artística

Mario Bravo 298, Buenos Aires, Argentina

plataformaladarsena.blogspot.com

The Dock_Platform of Thinking and Artistic Interaction

is a cultural and activist space, a dialogic-critical tool in Buenos Aires. Here we develope collective processual practices of contemporary art and thought in context. We create transdiciplinary networks, pedagogical projects and art methods based researchs. We realize non-profit activities, based on solidarity and reciprocity, looking for more cultural biodiversity, social incidence and communitarian Buen Vivir / Good Living. We encourage the continued blurring of aesthetic and political borders, the expansion of glocal debate and dialogue.

Concept / Direction: Azul Blaseotto & Eduardo Molinari

azulblaseotto.blogspot.com

plataformaladarsena.blogspot.com

Gustavo Sala: Transition from Fanzines to Mass Media

Y vos empezaste a ser parte de esos eventos.

Yo me venía de Mar del Plata con un bolso con revistitas, y empiezo a conocer a Lucas Varela, a Salvador Sanz, empiezo a conocer al grupo de fanzineros. En Fantabaires, que era una especie de evento muy comercial, pero que tenía autores muy copados, había charlas, proyecciones, vino José Muñoz, Neil Gaiman, fue todo muy groso que se hicieran en Argentina esos eventos. Y de todos los stands comerciales, estaba el stand de los fanzines que todos pagábamos entre todos, estaban todas las revistitas, y ahí se armó como una comunidad. Se ganó un espacio. Yo venía desde Mar del Plata y fue todo un aprendizaje ver como todos dibujaban y jugaban a ser editores, y paralelamente uno trataba de dejar muestras de trabajos en editoriales para chicos, de manuales escolares, en revistas de cualquier cosa, y empiezan a aparecer trabajos muy chiquititos. Pero empiezo a trabajar con más regularidad en noviembre del 2005, cuando empiezo a laburar con el Suplemento No del diario Página 12, con continuidad en un diario grande de distribución nacional. Todos los jueves desde entonces. Empiezo a colaborar con la revista Genios haciendo juegos, pasatiempos, láminas, la historieta con Trillo y Maicas. Ahí es la primera vez que soy dibujante en un proyecto que no escribo.

Y todo empezó a ocurrir los últimos cinco años.

Claro, empiezan a aparecer después de remarla durante diez años con fanzines, de venir con el bolsito en el tren desde Mar del Plata, de dejar muestras, viviendo de lo que se podía, porque en un momento las cosas se acomodan y empezás a recoger los frutos de un montón de años… y sale lo de Genios, lo de Página 12, empiezo a colaborar en revistas como La Mano que fue muy importante durante un tiempo, después aparece la nueva versión de la Fierro en el 2006, empiezan a aparecer algunos trabajitos de publicidad, algunas cositas en algunas revistas más importantes, después aparece la Rolling Stone, fue todo apareciendo todo en un in crescendo, ahí se va armando una cosa más profesional de medios más grandes que se mantienen hasta hoy.

And you began to take part in these events?

I came from Mar del Plata with a bag of little magazines. I began to meet people like Lucas Varela, Salvador Sanz, the groups making fanzines. In Fantabaires, a very commercial event that had cool artists, there were talks, projections, stands. José Muñoz and Neil Gaiman came. It was pretty awesome that they hosted these events in Argentina. There was a fanzine stand that we paid for as a group where we displayed our magazines. We formed a community there. We earned a space. It was a learning experience to see how everyone else drew and played at being editors. At the same time, one tried to leave samples of one’s work at publishers of children’s books, schoolbook publishers, and any sort of magazine. And from this effort, I began to get small jobs.

I began working with more regularity in November 2005, when I began at the nationally distributed newspaper Página 12 working on the supplement “No” every Thursday. I began to collaborate with the magazine Genios creating games, puzzles, prints, and a comic with Carlos Trillo and Eduardo Maicas. That was the first time I was an illustrator for a project I didn’t write.

And all of this began happening in the last five years?

Of course. These opportunities began to appear after ten years of publishing my own fanzines, of bringing bags of comics on the train from Mar del Plata, leaving samples, living on what I could. In a second things accommodate and you begin to pick the fruit of many years. I got the job with Genios, Página 12; I began to collaborate with magazines like La Mano (which was very important for a time); then came the new version of Fierro in 2006; a few advertising jobs; small things in a few of the most important magazines like Rolling Stone. Everything appeared in crescendo, organizing into a more professional career with bigger media that has continued to this day.