Comic Book Nominees for "Dwayne McDuffie Award 2019" Announced

Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids' Comics Announces 2019 Shortlist

Kids Read Comics has announced the shortlist for the annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics, which will be handed out at the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival on June 14, 2019.

The award honors the pioneering comics and animation writer who cofounded Milestone Media and created the teen superhero Static among others. Judges seek out excellent comics aimed at school-aged children and young teens and score the work on four main criteria: Quality, Timelessness, Originality and Diversity.

After reviewing scores of books published in 2018, the judges narrowed the field to a list of ten that showcase today’s amazing variety of comics for young readers: books that cover a wide range of topics from many viewpoints and in distinct voices.

On this year’s shortlist are:

Be Prepared, by Vera Brosgol, sends young Vera, a Russian girl living in an American suburb, to summer camp—Russian summer camp, the only one her single mom can afford and the one where she just might be able to fit in,

The Cardboard Kingdom, by Chad Sell, follows a neighborhood of kids who transform ordinary cardboard into fantastical homemade costumes as they explore conflicts with friends, family, and their own identity.

Hidden Witch, by Molly Knox Ostertag, continues the story of Asler, hero of The Witch Boy, as he takes magic lessons from his grandmother and tries to help his non-magical friend Charlie escape from a curse that's trying to attach itself to her.

Last Pick, by Jason Walz, takes readers to an earth overrun by alien invaders, where only those too young, too old, or too "disabled" have been spared from abduction...but maybe the kids last picked can step up and start a revolution.

Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass, by Lilah Sturges and polterink, finds the Janes separated during an orienteering outing, thanks to a mysterious compass that others very much want to lay their hands on.

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder, by Nie Jun, introduces Yu'er and her grandpa, who live in a small neighborhood in Beijing that's full of big personalities—with a story around every corner and a hint of magic each day.

Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter, by Atelier Sento, transports readers to the places where natural and supernatural meet, as it explores some of the lesser-known parts of Japan in a story that is part fantasy and part travelogue.

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths, by Graham Annable, tells the story of two best friends who are nothing alike—Peter loves their tree and never wants to leave, while Ernesto loves the sky and wants to see it from every place on earth.

The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang, finds Prince Sebastian hiding a secret life―taking Paris by storm wearing fabulous dresses as the Lady Crystallia―and relying on the brilliant young dressmaker Frances, who guards his secret but has dreams of her own.

Sanity & Tallulah, by Molly Brooks, features best friends who live on a dilapidated space station at the end of the galaxy―but when Sanity creates a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, the havoc it wreaks may mean the end of their outer space home.

This year, the judges for the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics are Faith Roncoroni, a high school English teacher and comics and anime club adviser; Tameshja Brooks, who works at Green Brain Comics, and Nola Pfau, managing editor for Women Write About Comics. They have been assisted by Edith Donnell, a Kids Read Comics cofounder and youth and teen librarian.

The full list of books considered for the award can be found at the end of this a2caf.com post.

Previous years' winners were Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson, Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova, Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier and The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill.

Nominations for 2019 titles can be made through January 31, 2020 by emailing mcduffiekidsaward@gmail.com.

Kids Read Comics is a Michigan-based nonprofit that hosts the annual Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival in collaboration with the Ann Arbor District Library. A2CAF is a free, weekend event for kids, teens and adults that features over 60 artists and writers and a full slate of interactive programs including many hands-on workshops. Guests at the 2019 show include comics artists and writers Jerry Craft (New Kid), Wendy and Richard Pini (Elfquest), Lucy Knisley (Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos), Raúl the Third (¡Vamos! Let’s Go to The Market!), Judd Winick (Hilo), Joamette Gil (Power & Magic: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology), Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl), and Raina Telgemeier (Share Your Smile).

A2CAF is immediately preceded by A2 Inkubate, a one-day conference for educators and librarians aimed at helping them use comics successfully in their professional settings, and includes cartoonists with whom they can collaborate in advocating for comics.

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Kids Read Comics Announces "Dwayne McDuffie Award 2016" Nominees

Kids Read Comics (http://mlatcomics.com/krc/) is proud to announce the shortlist for the second annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics, which will be handed out at the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival (http://a2caf.com/) on June 18, 2016.

The Award honors the pioneering comics and animation writer and Humanitas Prize winner Dwayne McDuffie, who cofounded Milestone Media and created the teen superhero Static among others. Judges seek out excellent comics aimed at children through age thirteen, scoring the work on four main criteria: Quality, Timelessness, Originality and Diversity.

After reading more than 100 volumes published in 2015, the judges narrowed the field to a list of ten that showcase today’s amazing variety of comics for young readers: fiction and nonfiction; of both American and international origin; fantasy adventure and slice-of-life realism; human and animal (and skeletal) protagonists; and work intended for readers from beginners to middle school.

On this year’s shortlist are the following:

AWKWARD, by Svetlana Chmakova, introduces Penelope (Peppi) Torres, a new girl at middle school who makes an embarrassing first day worse by hurting the feelings of another social misfit -- and soon compounds a rivalry between the school’s art-nerds and science-nerds. (Yen Press)

CHI’S SWEET HOME, VOL.12, by Konami Kanata, concludes the story of the lost kitten adopted by Yohei Yamada and his family -- as mischievous Chi finds her mother and faces an important decision about the future. (Vertical)

COURTNEY CRUMRIN VOL. 7: TALES OF A WARLOCK, by Ted Naifeh, tells the tale of Courtney’s Uncle Aloysius as a young man -- joining the Anti-Sorcery Society’s crusade against witches and warlocks, while hiding his own magical ancestry. (Oni Press)

FLOP TO THE TOP! by Eleanor Davis and Drew Weing offers a modern-day fable of fame and fandom -- when the picture young Wanda posts of her floppy-eared bulldog goes viral and brings all the celebrity she’s ever dreamed of…but for the dog, not for her. (Toon Books)

THE FLYING BEAVER BROTHERS AND THE CRAZY CRITTER RACE, by Maxwell Eaton III, continues the adventures of Ace and Bub, and this time they’re tangled up in an island-hopping race with more at stake than the grand prize…as a fast-growing vine starts to entangle them all! (Random House)

HUMAN BODY THEATER, by Maris Wicks, gives readers a front-row seat for a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body -- courtesy of a skeletal master of ceremonies who puts on a new layer of her costume (that is, her body) with each act. (First Second)

LUMBERJANES, VOL. 1: BEWARE THE KITTEN HOLY, by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters and Brooke Allen, follows butt-kicking best friends Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley as they spend their summer at Lumberjanes scout camp…where yetis, three-eyed wolves and giant falcons await! (Boom Studios)

NATHAN HALE’S HAZARDOUS TALES: THE UNDERGROUND ABDUCTOR, by Nathan Hale, uncovers the true-life story of abolitionist Harriet Tubman -- who was born into southern slavery and escaped to the north, embarking on a lifelong career to help other enslaved people find their freedom. (Abrams)

ULTRAMAN, by Tomohiro Shimoguchi and Eiichi Shimizu, is the story of Shinjiro, an ordinary teenager who inherits a family legacy that leads him to take on the role of Ultraman and defend planet Earth against a deadly alien invasion. (Viz)

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL, VOL. 1: SQUIRREL POWER, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson, collects the first five issues of the comic series that takes a whole new look at the Marvel universe of heroes and villains, as seen through the eyes of the nuttiest and most upbeat superhero in the world! (Marvel)

The judges for this year’s McDuffie Award are Edith Donnell, a Kids Read Comics cofounder and youth and teen librarian; Andrew Woodrow-Butcher, manager of Little Island Comics, a comic shop exclusively for kids; Eva Volin, a children’s librarian and comics-in-libraries advocate; and Marv Wolfman, a comics and animation writer and editor whose storied career goes back nearly half a century.

Kids Read Comics is a Michigan-based nonprofit that hosts the annual Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival in collaboration with the Ann Arbor District Library. A2CAF is a free, weekend event for kids, teens and adults that features over 50 artists and writers and a full slate of interactive programs including many hands-on workshops. Guests at the 2016 show include Newbery Honor winner Cece Bell (El Deafo), bestselling children’s author Tom Angleberger (Origami Yoda), and Eisner Award winner Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet).

A2CAF is immediately preceded by A2 Inkubate, a one-day conference for educators and librarians aimed at helping them use comics successfully in their professional settings, and that connects them with cartoonists to work on advocacy for comics.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 1st to 10th, 2015 - Update #29

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Variety:  CBS cancels "Extant" with Halle Berry, but is developing a legal drama with Berry.

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From InContention:  Cinematography Oscar hopefuls.

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From Variety:  "The Expendables 4" in 2017.

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From Variety:  Disney announces release dates for the next 5 years, including release dates for "Cars 3" and "The Incredibles 2."

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From YahooMovies:  Meet the new Disney princess, Moana.

From IMDb:  A photo of the young actress, Auli'i Cravalho, who will give voice to "Moana."

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From YahooMovies:  What has Rick Moranis been doing.

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From YahooMovies:  Francis Ford Coppola talks about one of my favorite movies, his film, "Bram Stoker's Dracula."

From Indiewire:  Danny Boyle says he is open to directing "28 Months Later," or whatever the third "28 Days Later" film would be called.

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From Vulture:  EEOC to investigate how few women get directing gigs in Hollywood.

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From YahooMusic:  Will Smith is reportedly returning to music with an album and world tour next year.

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From TheWrap:  The director of "Snowpiercer" is working on a monster movie, and one of his "Snowpiercer" actors, Tilda Swinton, will return for that.

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From BleedingCool:  There will apparently be a prequel to "The Shining."  Lord, have mercy!

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From  HitFix:  George Miller would like to do 2 more "Mad Max" films... in addition to some smaller non-SFX films.

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From JoBlo:  The search for the director of the 8th "Fast & Furious" film is down to 3, with F. Gary Gray apparently in the lead.

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From TheWrap:  The debut season of "Fear the Walking Dead" had better ratings than the original "The Walking Dead" had in its debut season.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  "The Martian" won the 10/2 to 10/4/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $55.7 million.  That is just short of the October opening weekend record that "Gravity" set in 2013.

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From ScreenRant:  Update on the "Power Rangers" movie reboot.

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From Variety:  Sony plans an animated "Ghostbusters" film.

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From ThePlaylist:  Lionsgate wants a "Cabin in the Woods" sequel.  So do I.

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From Variety:  "The Ring" sequel, "Rings" has lost its Nov. 13th, 2015 date, and will move to 2016, may the first quarter.

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From YahooCelebrity:  Porsche responds to Paul Walker lawsuit.  This will get ugly.


COMICS - Titles and Films:

From YahooNews:  "Ant Man" will have a sequel, "Ant Man and the Wasp."

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From SlashFilm:  In addition to being considered for "Furious 8" (the eighth "Fast & Furious" flick), F. Gary Gray is reportedly talking to Marvel about their "Black Panther" film, which is due in 2018.

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From Variety:  Seth Grahame-Smith, who is writing the "Lego Batman" movie and wrote the novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is in talks to direct "The Flash" movie...

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From BleedingCool:  Another Marvel comic book is headed to ABC.  This time, it's the late Dwayne McDuffie's "Damage Control."

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From YahooNews:  The surprising choice for director "Thor: Ragnarok" is Taiki Waititi.

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From IGN:  Marvel boss, Kevin Feige, talks about Ronda Rousey's campaign to be Captain Marvel.

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From YahooNews:  Marvel's "Doctor Strange" will be an origin story.

Review: "Justice League: Doom" Goes Boom

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 93 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Justice League: Doom (2012) – straight-to-video
Running minutes: 77 minutes (1 hour, 17 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violent action
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Lauren Montgomery
WRITER: Dwayne McDuffie (from a comic book by Mark Waid)
EDITOR: Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER: Christopher Drake
ANIMATION STUDIO: Telecom Animation Film

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION

Starring: (voices) Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Susan Eisenberg, Nathan Fillion, Carl Lumbly, Michael Rosenbaum, Bumper Robinson, Carlos Alazraqui, Claudia Black, Paul Blackthorne, Olivia d’Abo, Alexis Denisof, Phil Morris, Dee Bradley Baker, Grey DeLisle, and Robin Atkin Downes

Justice League: Doom is a 2012 direct-to-video superhero animated film from Warner Bros. Animation. Starring DC Comics’ ultimate superhero team, the Justice League, this is also the 13th feature in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line. Bruce W. Timm is an executive producer on the film, and Dwayne McDuffie wrote the screenplay before his death in February 2011.

Justice League: Doom is loosely based on the comic book story arc, “Tower of Babel,” which was published in the former Justice League comic book series, JLA #43-46 (July 2000 to October 2000 cover dates). The story was written by Mark Waid and drawn by artists Howard Porter and Steve Scott. A group of villains launch a highly-successful attack against the members of the Justice League using secret information compiled on the heroes by Batman.

The film begins with the Justice League beating up the Royal Flush Gang, but in the aftermath of this successful mission, the League doesn’t know that it is being spied upon – especially Batman (Kevin Conroy). The immortal villain, Vandal Savage (Phil Morris), is back, and he has a plot to destroy the world as we know it. To that end, he creates the Legion of Doom to make sure that the Justice League does not stand in his way.

Savage gathers supervillians who are individual enemies of particular members of the Justice League, and he shows each villain how to defeat his or her superhero nemesis. Superman (Tim Daly) takes on Metallo (Paul Blackthorne). Batman fights Bane (Carlos Alazraqui). Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg) cat-fights Cheetah (Claudia Black). Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) renews his struggle with Star Sapphire (Olivia d’Abo). Flash (Michael Rosenbaum) tries to outrace the schemes of Mirror Master (Alexis Denisof). Martian Manhunter (Carl Lumbly) meets his match in Ma'alefa'ak (Carl Lumbly). This time, however, the individual members of the League are losing to the people they usually beat.

I find that of all the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, I’m partial to the ones featuring the Justice League or Batman, and Justice League: Doom features both. Although there may be some holes in the plot regarding the Legion of Doom’s attack on the Justice League, the film is very well written, in terms of a superhero action movie. The action in the film works in such a way that it captures the spirit and energy of a superhero comic book.

The animation is of a high quality so that the film is eye-candy, at least to me. I love the characters, especially Bane, Ma'alefa'ak, and Mirror Master. The voice performances are also of a high quality, although I found Nathan Fillion’s performance as Green Lantern a tad bit dry. Carl Lumbly is superb as both Martian Manhunter and Ma'alefa'ak; these characters should have their own movie, if Lumbly can reprise the roles. To put it plainly and simply, Justice League: Doom is fun.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, September 21, 2012

Review: "All-Star Superman" is Not All-Star

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 74 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

All-Star Superman (2011)
Running time: 76 minutes (1 hour, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG for sequences of action and violence, language including brief innuendo, and some sensuality
DIRECTOR: Sam Liu
WRITER: Dwayne McDuffie (based upon the comic books by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely and the characters created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel)
PRODUCERS: Bobbie Page and Bruce Timm
EDITOR: Margaret Hou

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/DRAMA

Starring: (voices) James Denton, Christina Hendricks, Anthony LaPaglia, Edward Asner, Obba Babatundé, Steve Blum, Linda Cardellini, Alexis Denisof, John Di Maggio, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kevin Michael Richardson, Fred Tatasciore, and Arnold Vosloo

All-Star Superman is a direct-to-DVD animated film from Warner Bros. Animation. Starring DC Comics’ beloved superhero, Superman, this film is based on the 12-issue comic book series, All-Star Superman, written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quitely and published from 2005 to 2008. All-Star Superman is also the 10th feature in DC Universe Animated Original Movies series.

All-Star Superman begins with Lex Luthor’s (Anthony LaPaglia) successful plot to expose Superman (James Denton) to massive amounts of solar radiation. This overdose of solar radiation gives the Man of Steel new powers, but the radiation is also slowly killing him. Superman is left with only weeks to live and with his extraordinary powers deteriorating. As he prepares for his demise, Superman attempts to settle his affairs with Lois Lane (Christina Hendricks). However, before he dies, Superman must stop Luthor’s diabolical scheme to drastically change the world and then rule it.

Watching All-Star Superman, I could not help but be impressed by how many characters and subplots the film’s screenwriter, the late Dwayne McDuffie, managed to stuff into a movie that runs a little more than 70 minutes. Sadly, most of it really isn’t dramatic or exciting, mainly because much of this material needs to get more screen time than it ultimately does. Honestly, All-Star Superman is at its best whenever Lex Luthor (superbly voiced by Anthony LaPaglia) is onscreen, which he isn’t nearly enough.

Some of the voice performances are bad. Matthew Gray Gubler is terrible as Jimmy Olsen. Ed Asner is just wrong as Perry White, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, the newspaper where Clark Kent/Superman works.

The animation and character design is quite good. All-Star Superman is pretty to look at, but it is too bad that the entire film is such a chore to watch.

5 of 10
C+

Sunday, September 16, 2012

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"Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths" is Twice the Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 59 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) – straight-to-video
Running minutes: 75 minutes (1 hour, 15 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence
DIRECTOR: Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery
WRITER: Dwayne McDuffie
PRODUCERS: Bobbie Page with Bruce Timm
EDITOR: Margaret Hou
COMPOSERS: James L. Venable with Christopher Drake
ANIMATION STUDIO: Moi Animation Studio

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION with elements of drama

Starring: (voices) William Baldwin, Mark Harmon, Chris Noth, Gina Torres, James Woods, Jonathan Adams, Brian Bloom, Bruce Davison, Josh Keaton, Vanessa Marshall, Nolan North, Freddi Rogers, James Patrick Stuart, and Cedric Yarbrough

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a 2010 direct-to-video superhero animated film from Warner Bros. Animation. Starring DC Comics’ ultimate superhero team, the Justice League, this is also the seventh feature in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line.

The film’s premise borrows from two DC Comics stories, “Crisis on Earth-Three” (Justice League of America #29-30, 1964) and the 2000 graphic novel, JLA: Earth 2, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths follows the Justice League as the team helps a good version of the arch-villain Lex Luthor from a parallel Earth where evil versions of the Justice League dominate the planet.

While rebuilding the Watchtower, their headquarters that orbits the Earth, the Justice League: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Flash are surprised to learn that supervillain Lex Luthor insists on having a meeting with the team. But wait! Isn’t Luthor in prison? This Lex Luthor (Chris Noth) hails from an alternate universe where evil counterparts of the Justice League rule over earth.

On Luthor’s Earth, Superman is Ultraman, Batman is Owlman, Wonder Woman is Superwoman, Green Lantern is Power Ring, and Flash is Johnny Quick. They form the Crime Syndicate. Now, the Justice League must help Luthor free his Earth from the Syndicate’s tyranny, but a certain Syndicate member is hoping to set a more diabolical plan in motion.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. Why do I like it? Of all the straight-to-DVD superhero films I’ve watched, this one offers the most bang for the buck that is my viewing pleasure in terms of fights. Superheroes and supervillains fight, and Crisis on Two Earths doesn’t deny the viewer, as we see every combination of battle possible. It seems as if every member of the Justice League gets a shot at every member of the Crime Syndicate and vice versa – from battles of entire squads to skirmishes of smaller groupings of characters.

This story is also surprisingly dark – from Owlman’s (James Woods) fanatical cynicism and narcissism to Batman’s (William Baldwin) cold-blooded and calculated decision making. The characters also make blunt assessments about each other, as Rose Wilson (Freddi Rogers) does of her father, President Slade Wilson (Bruce Davison). Also, the frank nature of the relationship between Owlman and Superwoman (Gina Torres) is not glossed over for the sake of younger viewers.

The voice-over performances by the voice cast bring to life the excellent character writing from television animation writer/producer, the late Dwayne McDuffie. The direction by Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery is marvelous, especially in the framing of the action and fight scenes. Moi Animation Studio, the studio that produces the actual animation, does itself proud. This is a pretty movie that captures the color and energy of classic, four-color, superhero comic books. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths – Encore! Encore!

8 of 10
A

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Dwayne McDuffie Talks New Justice League DVD (A Bits & Bites Extra)

Some of you do not know the name Dwayne McDuffie, unless you read comics books.  However, if you have seen animated series like Justice League, Static Shock, Teen Titans, or any of the Ben 10 series, then, you probably have seen McDuffie's work.  This veteran writer and producer of television animation is interviewed at Comic Book Resources about the just-released Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, a direct to DVD release that is part of Warner Bros. Home Video's "DC Universe Original Animated Movies," which includes Batman: Gotham Knight, and Justice League: The New Frontier, among others.

McDuffie also talks about his comics work.