Saturday, July 31, 2010

Isn't quite this and isn't quite that is about as Beanworld as you can get--don't you think?




I wrote about my 2010 CBLDF/TFAW contribution a few weeks ago and here is the rest of the story. The email sent to solicit the art community's participation will help explain it to you:


Hi Larry,

Last year, Things From Another World and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund teamed up with you and other fantastic comics professionals to help raise more than $30,000 for the CBLDF’s annual auction at San Diego Comic-Con. Now we would like to ask you to participate in our Second Annual SDCC Autograph Card/CBLDF Auction event by generously donating an original piece of art to this effort.

We’re already off to an excellent start this year! We are thrilled to announce the participation of our flagship partner, Image Comics, one of the premier comic book publishers in the nation. The stellar folks at Image Comics are serious about supporting the CBLDF, and they are kicking things off with donations of art from many of their colossally talented creators!

However, we are determined to pack this event with every one of our favorite creators, and we hope that will include you! It's a wonderful way to support the First Amendment rights of the comics community while promoting your signings in San Diego.

As with last year, we are asking artists to create original works of art to donate to the CBLDF auction at San Diego Comic-Con. In exchange, you will receive 500 free limited-edition autograph cards of your sketch to distribute in San Diego, and we will also give out additional copies of your autograph cards at our booth during the Con.

I think this idea of TFAW's is sheer genius.
Under the guidance of Andrew McIntire, Elisabeth Forsythe, and the TFAW crew this project ended up making a substantial contribution to CBLDF though the auctioning of our original art.


Blank card


I hate to admit that I totally forgot about this until Saturday at noon when I was signing copies of Fractured Fables at the Image booth and saw a stack of someone else's cards sitting on the table next to me and realized I had not received my stack of cards.


No worries.
A quick flurry of texts uncovered the mystery--my cards had been mis-delivered to the Dark Horse booth.


Soon I had the cards in hand along with a nifty new CBLDF donation box with the "Look! I'm customized!" card tucked into it.



Folks started dropping their contributions into the slot and I started whipping out cards--each modified and personalized according the the contributors wishes. Often I'd ask for an emotion and was glad to serve up whatever came into my mind.



During slow times, I'd prepare a few in advance so Cory could keep the ball rolling when I was away from the table doing panels and the like. they are showcased in a new gallery you can find here.



Lots of fun.
Simple to do.

Each card is something that isn't quite an original drawing and isn't quite a print.
Isn't quite this and isn't quite that is about as Beanworld as you can get--don't you think?


Customized card tweeted by Chris Blanchard
" My Comic Con gift from @larrymarder via my brother."

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Kids draw the darndest Beans!

One of my greatest joys since the Beanworld reboot has been just how popular the book has become with the kids of the 21st century.


I get reports from parents and teachers all the time--a boy or a girl sits down with a Beanworld book and something starts zapping back and forth from the printed page directly into the child's mind back to the page and so on.


Is it the deceptive simplicity of the iconic art?
Can it be the intertwined concepts that make up the rules and laws of the Beanworld?
Maybe it's the maps and glossary.
Maybe it's just that this generation is totally poised to grok what I mean when I say: Beanworld isn't a place; it's a process.

This is all rather remarkable to me because I've never actually had a target audience in mind as I've written and drawn Beanworld tales over the decades. As I say all the time: Beanworld more or less writes itself and I often feel like a glorified scribe getting it all down on paper as fast as I can once it starts to emerge and flow.

Who the Beanworld audience/readership is really has little to do with whatever I (or my publisher) wants it to be.

It's a contract between Beanworld and its readers of all ages.

Beanworld has been around long enough now that folks that read it when they were kids can now share it with their own children and Beanworld appreciation becomes a shared family activity. This is something I could never have imagined when the first Beanworld stories came together in a comic book stories I genuinely believed no one would ever read.

But those stories are in fact the first few chapters of Wahoolazuma! and are the entry point for kids into the Beanworld.

Interaction with Beanworld fans (of all ages) is why I go to comic book conventions.I love the questions and observations.I like to talk about my influences.I like to talk about whatever a Beanworld fan wants to talk about.

That's why I'm there.But the most fun is interaction with young readers who "get it" and immerse themselves in the whys and wherefores of the Beanworld.

One of the true highlights of my 2010 Comic-Con was when this kid kept coming back and very politely requesting the loan of some blank beans and the use of a Sharpie and proceeding to make his own personalized Beanworld Action Figures. He's show them to me and saunter off. He came back several times--both alone and with his older brother.

Some one carried this drawing all the way from Tallahassee FL on behalf of Fiona Grace Jacoby-age six. Her Dad, Brian Jacoby is the proprietor of Secret Headquarters: Comics and Games for Everyone! and a very good friend of the Beanworld's. Fiona Grace's drawing skills have come a long way since her first contribution to the Leguminous Fan Art gallery in 2009.

Another repeat young Beanworld fan artist: Treasure Olson!
This year, Treasure was able to write her own letter and showcased her own Bean characters for me--plus she used a Beanworld Action Figure in a bit of multi-media collage. Really cool for age 6 if you ask me.

I had a lengthy chat with her Dad who delivered her drawings and he filled me in on all the Bean adventures Treasure is creating on her own. Her favorite character of her own is "Cookish" so that the one I drew for her in trade.


I think I was given this trade-in drawing at the LA Book fair and it hid out from me until today. The name Greg is on the back. I haven't found any other information. Thanks, Greg!


This goth Bean was a trade in from Teresa Gonsoski.

I love these trade-in drawings at conventions.
Next opportunity will be at New York Comic-Con in October.


Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Comic-Con is concluded!


Larry Marder and Inkpot award


Once upon a time, long long ago...starting in 1985, each summer I'd go to this oddball little conclave in San Diego called Comic-Con.

I spent all my time there in this place called Artist's Alley giving away FREE Beanworld Action Figures, and making drawings and selling my Beanworld comic books.




Larry Marder at Comic-Con in the 1980s. Photo by Cynthia Fluharty




I just got home from Comic-Con 2010.
It's no longer odd.
It's about as mainstream as Cannes or the Super Bowl gets covered in detail by all the major news and entertainment media.


It's no longer small.
It can't even be kept inside the confines of the cavernous convention center.
It spills out into the street and up the walls of the surrounding buildings.


That all said...I'm pleased to report I still spent almost all of my time sitting in this in place called Artist's Alley giving away FREE Beanworld Action Figures, and making drawings and selling my Beanworld comic books.
Although, I do have a few more things on display nowadays.



I had a great time.
Actually I had the time of my life.

I'm going to post in a sprawl over the next several days
but I want to immediately thank the Comic-Con International Board and committees that chose me to be a Guest of Honor and so professionally deployed all the operational details that made my experience so pleasant and smooth.


A particular shout-out to Tiff Hudson who was my GRT (Guest Relations Team) volunteer and made sure I was well taken care of and in time to all my obligations.

More to come!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Things you can do today at Comic-Con!


Beanworld Leguminatus Prime, Queen Paula
scored the first FLEECE Beanworld Action Figure!


1:30-2:30
Room 4
Beanworld and the Leguminous Life of Larry Marder!

Don't take my word for it: take Newsarama's advice for
"SDCC 2010: Potentially Overlooked Panels."

Plus, you'll want to see if Scott McCloud will be able to get a word on edgewise?

Tonight:
CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party!
8:00pm - 11:30pm
Westgate Hotel
1055 2nd Avenue
San Diego, CA

CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party, sponsored by Image Comics, in association with SeenAllOver.com, Soulcraft Comics and IHEARTCOMIX! Festivities include a WALKING DEAD Live Art Stage, featuring the book's co-creator Charlie Adlard and presented by Dr. Sketchy's!

PSYCHENAUT, multimedia sound and vision by Paul Pope!
DJ set by Franki Chan of IHEARTCOMIX!Plus, a photo booth provided by seenallover.com!
All this, and an auction preview gallery, featuring ETNIES/SEEN custom designed sneakers, the TFAW.com art auction, and a gift bag for the first 300 contributors!

Come dressed in your zombie finest and party down!
Free for CBLDF Members
$10 to $20 suggested donation for non-members!


Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Comic-Con 2010 Beanworld/Larry Marder things to not forget:



Larry Marder is in Artist's Alley: DD-17


Larry Marder's schedule.


Crazy Trade Ins!

I might be CRAZY but sketches
like this and this and this
will get YOU one one of these!

Here is the deal!
Come by my table in Artist's Alley (DD17) and trade-in one of your homemade Beanworld drawings for a genuine Marder-drawn, signed original sketch of the same character!

Offer open to kids of all ages!

THE DETAILS: Only one trade-in per person allowed.
If your drawing contains more than one character,
you must decide which single character you'd like as your trade-in sketch.
After the drawing exchange you agree
that I can post your sketch in the
Leguminous Fan Art Gallery.
And it would be nice if I could get a snapshot of you and your art



Saturday, July 17, 2010

More Larry Marder stuff!


Ooops!
When I posted my Comic-con schedule I forgot to say where I'll be for most of the run of the show. I fixed it on the schedule but here it anyway

LARRY MARDER in ARTIST'S ALLEY: DD-17


Also in Beanworld News is this:The above T-Shirt will be on sale at Comic-Con both at Graphitti Designs big booth #2315 and at my little slice of a table in Artist's Alley. (Hey, have I mentitoned that's DD-17?)

It's also going to be solicited and sold through all the Graphitti Designs distribution channels for the month of October.

It's a no-brainer that if this shirt goes well, the follow up has to be one that says "HOO-HOO-HA!" right?


Friday, July 16, 2010

Larry Marder ~ Comic-Con Schedule ~ 2010


LARRY MARDER in ARTIST'S ALLEY: DD-17


Thursday, July 22

Beanworld and the Leguminous Life of Larry Marder
1:30-2:30
Room 4
Panel

What is Beanworld?
Where does it come from?
How did it all begin?

Comic-Con special guest Larry Marder and moderator Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics) celebrate the 25th anniversary of Marder's most peculiar comic book experience with a visual presentation and a lively dialogue about his many influences. This is your opportunity to discover why Beanworld has captivated readers from grade school to grad school over several generations. Be the first to get a glimpse into Marder's next Dark Horse Books original Beanworld graphic novel, Something More!


CARTOON ART MUSEUM Sketch-A-Thon
5:00-6:00
Booth #1930
Larry Marder and Scott Shaw!


CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party!
8:00pm - 11:30pm
Westgate Hotel
1055 2nd Avenue
San Diego, CA
Party

CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party, sponsored by Image Comics, in association with SeenAllOver.com, Soulcraft Comics and IHEARTCOMIX! Festivities include a WALKING DEAD Live Art Stage, featuring the book's co-creator Charlie Adlard and presented by Dr. Sketchy's!

PSYCHENAUT, multimedia sound and vision by Paul Pope!
DJ set by Franki Chan of IHEARTCOMIX!
Plus, a photo booth provided by seenallover.com!
All this, and an auction preview gallery, featuring ETNIES/SEEN custom designed sneakers, the TFAW.com art auction, and a gift bag for the first 300 contributors!

Come dressed in your zombie finest and party down!
Free for CBLDF Members
$10 to $20 suggested donation for non-members!


FRIDAY, JULY 23

Graphic Novels: The Personal Touch
2:00-3:00
Room 4
Panel

You know when you read it: that certain something that sticks out in a graphic novel. It's the personal touch, a work that draws on the life of the creator or the people around him or her. Call the work autobiographical, call it reality -- many times it results in truly personal and inspiring comics. Comics creator and journalist Shaenon Garrity (Narbonic, Skin Horse) talks to Comic-Con special guests Gabrielle Bell (Cecil & Jordan in New York), Howard Cruse (Stuck Rubber Baby), Vanessa Davis (Make Me a Woman), Larry Marder (Beanworld), Jillian Tamaki (Skim), and C. Tyler (You'll Never Know Book 1: A Good and Decent Man) about their very personal work.


Indy Comics Writers Unite!
4:30-5:30
Room 3
Panel

Another in our series of "Year of the Writer" events, this panel focuses on independent comics writers (and some writer/artists!). Moderator Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Irredeemable) talks to Van Jensen (Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer), Larry Marder (Beanworld), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, Echo) about the fine art of writing comics without capes (on the protagonists, not the writers themselves).


Saturday, July 24

Fractured Fables
12:30-1:30
Image Comics Booth #2729
Signing

FRACTURED FABLES, a star-studded all-ages anthology from Shadowline and Image Comics, will have its coming out party at Comic-Con and creators are lining up for exclusive signings at the Image Comics booth to celebrate! Phil Hester, Larry Marder, Nick Spencer, Shannon Wheeler, Bill Morrison, Jill Thompson, Josh Williamson, and Royden Lepp

CARTOON ART MUSEUM Sketch-A-Thon
5:00-6:00 pm
Booth 1930
Larry Marder and Andrew Farago



Sunday, July 25

The Funny Stuff: Humor in Comics and Graphic Novels
12:30-1:30
Room 8
Panel

The world of comics isn't just about dark and mysterious superheroes. There are a lot of great funny books out there. The Cartoon Art Museum's Andrew Farago talks to Comic-Con special guests Peter Bagge (Hate), Howard Cruse (Wendel), Nicholas Gurewitch (The Perry Bible Fellowship), Keith Knight (The K Chronicles), Larry Marder (Beanworld), and Doug TenNapel (Monster Zoo) about the humorous side of comics.


Dark Horse
2:00 - 3:00
Booth 2615
Signing

Larry Marder. FREE filled-in TFAW cards


Thursday, July 15, 2010

Hoka-Hoka-Liberty Comics!



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GIVE ME FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Image Comics to release LIBERTY COMICS 2010 in October, benefiting the CBLDF
Berkeley, CA - 15 July 2010

What do Frank Miller, Jeff Smith, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and Image Comics have in common?

They all support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which protects your right to make, sell and read the comics you love. Image Comics is showing its continued support for the CBLDF with the publication of LIBERTY COMICS 2010 this October.

The CBLDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance and education in furtherance of these goals.

LIBERTY COMICS is the annual ensemble of comic book greats, all of whom have donated their time and energy to support the CBLDF. With two issues published to date, LIBERTY COMICS has raised over $50,000 for the Fund.

LIBERTY COMICS 2010 will feature some of the best in the industry, including a new The Boys story by GARTH ENNIS & ROB STEEN, the first new Megaton Man adventure by DON SIMPSON in over a decade, an all-new Milk & Cheese story by EVAN DORKIN, a preview of The Contrarian by SCOTT MORSE, a new Conan tale by DARICK ROBERTSON, Boilerplate by ANINA BENNETT & PAUL GUINAN and "Why We Fight!" by LIBERTY COMICS editor LARRY MARDER.

LIBERTY COMICS will also feature all-new short stories and illustrations by GEOFF JOHNS & SCOTT KOLINS, FRANK MILLER, GABRIEL BÁ & FÁBIO MOON, PAUL POPE, JEFF SMITH, TERRY MOORE, DAVE GIBBONS, BRIAN AZZARELLO & JILL THOMPSON, ROB LIEFELD, COLLEEN DORAN and SKOTTIE YOUNG as well as all new covers by JIM LEE and DARICK ROBERTSON. Design for the entire package is contributed, as always, by Richard Starkings and John Roshell from Comicraft.

"The comics community would be at a great loss without the CBLDF around to protect our First Amendment rights," says Marder. "LIBERTY COMICS is such a great way both creators and comics fans can show their support. Creators break into their busy schedules, donating their time and creativity. Fans can express their appreciation by purchasing LIBERTY COMICS from the CBLDF or from their favorite comics shop. I think this year's LIBERTY COMICS will be the most diverse and cool issue yet!"

Adds Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson, "We've always been enthusiastic in our support for the CBLDF, but it's both an honor and a pleasure to be involved with the many fine creators donating their talents to LIBERTY COMICS. Larry's put together an outstanding book this year!"

LIBERTY COMICS 2010, a 48-page full-color comic book from Image Comics, will be available October 6, 2010. All proceeds from LIBERTY COMICS will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit http://www.imagecomics.com/.

###

-------

So, yep, I'm the Editor this year.

Sharp-eyed Beanworld fans will find a bit of information that just might pique their interest vis a vis the next graphic novel.

Anyway...between this project and Storytime! I've been a mighty busy bean the last couple of months. But it's so much fun to work with all my fellow creators in such positive endeavors.

And now , after popping my head up to give you this news...it's back to Something More for me.


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

CBLDF/TFAW Auction!


BIG BEANWORLD ORPHAN!
8" x 10" drawing in an 11" x 14" hand decorated mat.



CBLDF Benefit Auction
Saturday, July 24
7:30-9:30
Room 3


This is it, the CBLDF's biggest auction of the year! Support free speech and walk away with incredible original art! Highlights include original art by Arthur Adams, Paul Pope, Tara McPherson, Ben Templesmith, Jim Rugg, David Hine, Shaky Kane, and many more. This auction includes highlights from auction initiatives by TFAW.com, Image Comics, and SeenAllOver.com, as well as original art created at the CBLDF Master Sessions. Stop by CBLDF booth (#1920) for a complete auction list. All proceeds from this auction will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.


Olive the cat investigating!


The reason why this original over-sized drawing was created can be found here. I don't generally work anywhere near this big--in fact the last drawing I made this size was for Scott McCloud's 50th birthday. It's a rare opportunity for Beanworld Fans to adopt a BIG Beanworld Orphan and help a good cause in its fight to protect the First Amendment rights of the entire comic book community.

If you click through to the sketches you'll see that Beanish has no eyes. That's because I'll be drawing in the expression of your choice when I'm signing the cards in exchange for a "let-your-conscience-be-your-guide donation" into a handy-dandy CBLDF Contribution Can.

On Sunday from 2:00 - 3:00, I'll be enhancing and signing TFAW cards for FREE at the Dark Horse booth.

I'll have my entire Comic-Con schedule up in a day or two.


Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Tuesday Tantalizing Teaser!



Maryann Charmoz of ByTheLakeArt just wrote
and said the Beans are bagged and on their way!

So if UPS is willing and the crick don't rise,
a bunch of these these squeezably soft li'l cuties
will be ready for you to adopt them at SD10.

After Comic-Con
Maryann and I will offer
Fleece Beanworld Action Figures
of all sizes and colors for sale from her site.

If you can't one this go 'round...
there are going to be plenty more chances in the future.

Keep watching here for more details.
(And, oh yes, they are going to be very reasonably priced!)