NEWSFLASH! IGNATZ NOMINATION

BLACK EYE 1: Graphic Transmissions to Cause Ocular Hypertension, has been nominated this year for an Ignatz Award in the category of “Outstanding Anthology or Collection.” Thanks so much to this year’s nominating committee.

For the complete list of nominees, visit: http://www.spxpo.com/ignatz-awards

The Ignatz Awards, named for the character in the classic comic strip Krazy Kat by George Herriman, is a festival prize that recognizes outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning. The ballot is created by a panel of five cartoonists and is then voted on by the attendees at the event. This offers a unique reflection of the views the professionals and their fans. The award winners are announced at an awards gala at the Small Press Expo, which is held in Bethesda, Maryland.

If you are attending SPX this year, stop by and say hello to Mr. Tom Neely of I Will Destroy You press, a contributor to BLACK EYE 1 who will be representing the book and will have copies for sale at his table, along with some free Rotland Press postcards asking you to kindly cast your vote for BLACK EYE 1. And while you are there to say hello to Tom, make sure you pick up a copy of his marvelous new graphic novel The Wolf, along with the many other fine publications he is offering.

SPX 2011 will be held the weekend of September 10 and 11, 2011 at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center in Bethesda, MD, just one mile outside the nation’s capital, Washington DC.

For more information, visit: http://www.spxpo.com/

QUIMBY’S “BLACK EYE 1″ PODCAST

Back on June 24th, just prior to the signing event for BLACK EYE 1 held at Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago, I did an interview with Quimby’s proprietor Liz Mason. It is now available as a 27 minute podcast, both on the Quimby’s site and on iTunes. It was a thrill to chat with Liz– she has a great sense of humor, but I stumbled a bit as an interview subject– making a few factual errors and using some misplaced vocabulary here and there. Nevertheless, the podcast provides a little glimpse into the assembly process for BLACK EYE 1. Enjoy.

Just click on the logo above to listen in…

DESERT ISLAND SIGNING

Here is a group portrait of the artists (minus Danny Hellman, who had to make an early exit) from BLACK EYE 1, who appeared for a signing at Desert Island in Brooklyn, New York on August 4th, 2011. This photo was taken at the end of a great evening of chatting and signing with a healthy dose of laughs. Thanks  to the one-and-only Desert Island, with tremendous support provided by proprietor and host Gabe Fowler.

(from left to right), standing: Glenn Head, Nikki DeSautelle, Ryan Standfest, James Moore and Mark Newgarden; crouching: R. Sikoryak and Michael Kupperman. Photo taken on August 4th, 2011.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4 at DESERT ISLAND, BROOKLYN

Folks, there will be another mega-signing for BLACK EYE 1 taking place this Thursday, August 4th, beginning at 7PM, at the one-and-only  Desert Island in Brooklyn, New York. Present for the signing will be seven, count-em seven super contributors to BLACK EYE, all NYC-based: Nikki DeSautelle (pictured above, relaxing on Brooklyn’s “R” Line), Glenn Head, Danny Hellman, Michael Kupperman, James Moore, Mark Newgarden and R. Sikoryak. They will be there to sign copies of BLACK EYE 1 as well as a limited edition letterpress print specially manufactured to accompany the new black humor anthology, by Onsmith & Nudd.

Desert Island is located at 540 Metropolitan Ave. / Brooklyn, NY / 11211 / 718.388.5087

Please stop by, say hello, and ask to get your BLACK EYE.

COMING SOON: “MOROSE DELECTATION (a BLACK EYE companion)”

Available now for PRE-ORDER, is a limited edition catalog to the exhibition MOROSE DELECTATION, which was curated by Cary Loren and Ryan Standfest and on public view at The Book Beat Bookstore + Gallery from June 5th to August 5th, 2011. The exhibition was an opportunity to showcase a selection of works on paper (both comix and art) by ten of the BLACK EYE 1 contributors: Max Clotfelter, Andy Gabrysiak, Ian Huebert, Kaz, James Moore, Tom Neely, Paul Nudd, David Paleo and Stephen William Schudlich. The catalog contains large full-color reproductions of works from the exhibition, as well as supplemental images that were not originally displayed. An introduction is provided, along with new written statements from each of the artists regarding their relationship to the expression of Black Humor.

MOROSE DELECTATION, the catalog, is available in an extremely limited edition of 100 copies, each signed and numbered by the editor in silver ink, and stamped with a special “Rotland Press Limited Edition” logo (see above). Pre-order your copy now by clicking on the “LTD ED.” image above. Copies are expected to ship on September 1, 2011.

NOTE: The “Pre-Order Price” of $24.95 (plus shipping), will increase to $34.95 once the first 25 copies have sold, due to the costs of a limited print run such as this.