Spottswood pays tribute to the king of comic strip collectors

I’m not aware of any Kansas City connection for the late Bill Blackbeard, but his recent passing is noteworthy. Blackbeard was not a comics creator, retailer, or publisher; he was essentially a comic strip collector. An obsessive comic strip collector. Blackbeard’s immense collection of newspaper comic strips preserved entire runs of strips that might otherwise have been lost as newspapers began purging their bound libraries of back issues in the 1970s.

Blackbeard’s archives became the essential resource for books collecting classic comic strips of the early 20th century. Those books, including Blackbeard’s The Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics, influenced a great number of young readers to create their own comics.

Kansas City cartoonist Daniel Spottswood pays tribute to Bill Blackbeard:

Daniel Spottswood's Bill Blackbeard tribute

Local comic book writer takes on the the royal wedding

The Royals
The Royals

Some people care about the Friday’s wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, while others set their phasers on “ignore.” For one local writer, it didn’t matter which group he was in, it was his job to learn every detail about the royal couple.

CW Cooke’s latest comic book is The Royals: Prince William & Kate Middleton, a comics biography of the future King and Queen of England. The Kansas City-based scribe has previously penned several other bio-comics for publisher Bluewater Productions.

The 32-page comic book retails for $3.99 and is available in comic book shops now. A 40-page collectors edition graphic novel is available in bookstores for $7.99.

“This has been one of Bluewater’s most anticipated biography books,” said Darren Davis, president of Bluewater, “Fans of the royal couple will love this issue for portraying William and Kate as two well-rounded and grounded individuals. But it also has enough pomp and spectacle to match the excitement surrounding the event.”

CW Cooke will be appearing at Pop Culture Comix on Free Comic Book Day, May 7th, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Pop Culture Comix is located at 9337 W 87th St in Overland Park, Kansas.

 

Elite Comics plans Free Comic Book Day bash

Free Comic Book DayFree Comic Book Day is on the horizon, and Elite Comics of Overland Park is planning a large in-store event with comic book creators, costume characters, and bagpipe players. Elite Comics owner William Binderup says “This party should be epic!”

Free Comic Book Day is an annual event organized by the comic book industry. Comic book stores across America plan special events and give away free new comic books on the first Saturday in May.

Elite Comics’ May 7 event will include costume characters including Supergirl, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Halo soldiers, and Star Wars Stormtroopers.

A phalanx of comic book creators will also appear for an in-store signing.

  • Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt, creators of Sixth Gun
  • Kevin Mellon, artist of Gearhead and S.H.I.E.L.D. Infinity
  • Cartoonist Arie Monroe of Tornado Alley
  • Cartoonist Damont Jordan
  • Brian Fyffe, creator of Zombie Chuck
  • Alex Grecian, novelist and writer of Image Comics’ Proof
  • Chris Grine, creator of Chickenhare
  • Steve Daniels, creator of Frostbite the Snowman and The Dark Hopper

In a unique twist, the St. Andrew Scottish Bagpipe Players will perform an array of music from Star Wars at noon.

Elite Comics is located at 11842 Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas. Find them on the web at www.elite-comics.com.