San Diego, CA – Arguably the largest pop-culture, entertainment event in the world, THE COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2011 was held last week with sellout attendance of more than 125,000. The CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY (CCAS) in partnership with CHALICE PRESS delivered top talent and projects to create impact at the event. Comic-Con International: San Diego (Comic-Con) is the largest comic book convention of its kind in the world. Christian Comic Arts Society, presented this year in partnership with Chalice Press, hosted three events as part of the official Comic-Con programming, and exhibited throughout the convention in a CORNER BOOTH SPACE #P-08 CCAS gave away copies of “MARVELOUS MYTHS: MARVEL SUPERHEROES AND EVERYDAY FAITH,” an outstanding review of the Marvel universe published by Chalice Press. All CCAS event attendees received a copy of the book, and booth visitors signed up to win copies during hourly drawings on the exhibit floor. Events included: Christian Comic Arts Society Open Meeting. Thursday, 7/21/11, 7:30p.m. – 9:30p.m., Room: 24ABC
Hosted by CCAS members Kevin Yong (Ragged Capes) and Ralph Miley (New Visions Anthology) of NewCreationNow.com, fans and creators alike joined for an informal after-hours time of Christian fellowship, networking, laughter and prayer and “talked shop” about the Christian comics movement. Spirituality in Comics: Is Mass Media Our New Church? Saturday, 7/23/11, 6:00p.m. – 7:00p.m., Room: 4
In comics, movies, and even Broadway musicals like "The Book Of Mormon", spiritual themed work seems to be unexpectedly coming from the least religious of sources. Panelists including SERGIO CARIELLO (The Action Bible), RUSSELL DALTON (Marvelous Myths: Marvel Superheroes and Everyday Faith), BUZZ DIXON (Serenity/Hits & Misses), and MIKE SHIELDS (Blue Blazes) discussed how a new generation of comics and pop culture are exploring timeless truths. Christian Comics: The Calling of the Artist, Sunday, 7/24/11, 2:30p.m. – 3:30p.m., Room: 23ABC
What unique challenges do artists face in developing work for both mainstream and religious audiences? How can "Christian media" avoid becoming just a pale imitation of its secular counterparts? Panelists SERGIO CARIELLO (The Action Bible), ERIC JANSEN (Missions Press), STEVE BLOUNT (Kingstone Media), ROBERT LUEDKE (Eye Witness), JOHN SHORE (I’m OK–You’re Not), MIKE SHIELDS (Blue Blazes) and moderator BUZZ DIXON (Hits & Misses) discussed the challenges and rewards of following the call of personal faith and the creative arts. “MARVELOUS MYTHS: MARVEL SUPERHEROES AND EVERYDAY FAITH” shows us that Marvel superheroes are more like us than we may think. What really makes someone a hero? In the early 1960’s, the image of a superhero was someone with a square jaw, a muscular build, and a quick smile whose biggest personal problem was trying to keep their girlfriends from guessing their secret identities. Then, writer Stan Lee and artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko created a group of superheroes who revolutionized comics. These heroes, including The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, The X-men, Iron Man, Captain America and others, were not perfect heroes who lived in a perfect world, but fallible people with physical ailments and personal problems like our own. Each chapter of Marvelous Myths reflects on the heroes’ most famous adventures and discusses the ways in which we are called to overcome many of the same types of obstacles they face as we strive to carry out the ministries to which God calls us. While the authors and artists who created them did not intend to write explicitly religious stories, their tales of imperfect heroes who try to do the right thing despite the many challenges they face provide us with the opportunity to reflect on our own faith journeys as we strive to live heroic lives in the real world. CCAS members created additional impact through Comic-Con related activities: Created by The JESUS Film Project in association with Brethren Entertainment, Barry Cook (Director of Disney’s “Mulan”), and Tokyo’s renowned Studio 4°C, “My Last Day” is a short film of regret, repentance and redemption. This 9-minute animé unfolds through the eyes of a criminal who receives the same brutal crucifixion sentence as Christ. The criminal’s own guilt causes him to realize Christ’s innocence. See it at www.tinyurl.com/jfmylastday. Kingstone Media, a central Florida publisher with three primary imprints, exhibited at the event in Booth #5531. Kingstone Comics publishes faith based comics and Biblical worldview graphic novels. Galaxy Comics produces sci-fi and action-adventure graphic novels. Bay Forest Books is the cinematic fiction imprimatur with stories that will move you and characters you will never forget. Get more at www.KingstoneMedia.com. Blue Blazes, a 168 Project 2011 Finalist, screened their short film at the CCI-IFF July 22nd, and 1140a in the San Diego Marriott Marina. Mike Shields, (Producer, Director), Amber Greenlee (Storyboard Artist) and Blue Blazes himself, Robert Adan were available to answer questions about this unique speed filmmaking competition, as well as the movie itself. Hitting up Comic-Con for the first time, Lamp Post was found at Small Press Table Q-08. Creators Jerrell Conner (Revelations: The Prophets), Brett Burner (Hand of the Morning Star), and Dan Conner (Heaven Forbid) were on hand to sign books, give portfolio reviews, and do sketches throughout the show. New books from the following series were available at the show: “Toned: Comics in Black and White,” “Revelations: The Prophets” (featuring a backup of “The Cardinal”), “Heaven Forbid,” “Finding Elim,” “God’s Love is Like a Conjoined Twin,” “Pakkins’ Land,” and “Parable.” For more, visit Lamp Post, Inc. at www.lamppostpubs.com. The Red R (also known as Revelations) is a movement of artists who aim to revolutionize how biblically related stories are told to cast a bigger net and reach a wider audience. The Red R Movement brings the highest level of art (and beyond) to present the world with the Hope and True meaning that only the greatest stories every told can deliver. Their post-apocalyptic graphic novel series “REVELATIONS: The Prophets” has released six books and debuted the NEW 7th INSTALLMENT at San Diego Comic-Con along with a new animated short. For more info, visit www.theREDr.com. He outraged parents, ticked off networks, and delighted young fans with thought-provoking classic episodes of G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Batman. Now Buzz Dixon is launching a line of Young Adult novels based on his bestselling SERENITY Christian manga series as well as brand new tales of faith and courage in a challenging world. “The surest way to get into trouble is to speak the truth, and everyone I’ve ever worked with has found me to be a troublemaker!” said Dixon. See more at http://www.SnokieStories.com. New from Kingdom Comics, “The Kingdom Zone” is a 64 page graphic novel anthology that consists of 7 different short stories with a "Twilight Zone" flair coming from a Biblical perspective. Several Christian artists within the industry have contributed their talents to this graphic novel, which will be an ongoing series with new stories every issue. Brian Bradley is the publisher of Kingdom Comics which began in 1999. His first publication, entitled “THE ANOINTED 7” has been an ongoing series. Additional titles include “The Lucifer Chronicles”, “Pledge Of Allegiance”, “Code:Evolution”, and various anthologies including “God Works” dealing with prison issues and which is a popular resource within the prison system. Writer/illustrator, Robert James Luedke, returned to Comic-Con International after a two year absence to share his award-winning “Eye Witness” graphic novel series and as a featured member of the CCAS panel on Christian comics and graphic novels. Luedke featured his new, limited edition, signed/numbered Eye Witness Slipcase Collection at Comic-Con 2011. Eye Witness, which premiered at Comic Con in 2004, has won five indy book awards and been named a finalist in 5 others, making it one of the most recognized and decorated series in the brief history of Christian themed graphic novels. His book “Unknown God” was named as a finalist in the category of Novella in the 2011 Indie Book Awards. Luedke and the series has been featured in media from coast to coast (both Christian and secular), including: LA Times, Washington Post, AP, Fox News, Publishers Weekly, Christianity Today, World Magazine, Comic Buyers Guide, Wizard Magazine and USA Radio Network. From Wonder Woman to Green Lantern to Jesus Hates Zombies, HOLLYWOODJESUS.COM covers it all. The action at Comic-Con is naturally a huge shaping force in what the comic-reading world talks about. "We continue to be excited about the spiritual conversation the comics world has with our culture," said Greg Wright, Editor-In-Chief. "Arnaldo Reyes, our Comics Editor, is always looking for new talent and new product to showcase the spiritual nature of comics." HJ’s latest comic reviews can be found at http://live.hollywoodjesus.com/?page_id=378. ABOUT CCAS:
The Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) was formed in 1984 to locate and link Christians who are interested or active in the comic book/strip medium. It sponsors Alpha Omega, the APA of Christian comics and Christian comic displays at various comic conventions across the country. The Goal and Purpose of CCAS is to support Christian professionals, hopefuls and enthusiasts within the Comic Book and related industries, accomplishing that by providing opportunities for the following: 1. The sharing of the Christian message and our Christian faith, primarily within and through the comic book industry and art form. 2. Mentoring, training, friendship and networking. 3. The collaboration on and creation of visual storytelling. The CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Eric Jansen (Missions Press,) Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media,) Geoff Strout (Artist,) and Kevin Yong (New Creation Now) along with numerous volunteer committee members from the comic industry and the Church. For more information on the Christian Comic Arts Society, go to: www.ChristianComicArts.com, Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or Twitter.com/ChristianComics. For more information on the Comic-Con International: San Diego, go to: www.comic-con.org. # # # For more information, please contact Lori Lenz – FrontGate Media
714-553-5181
Lori@FrontGateMedia.com |
