The Power Within is an emotionally affecting anti-bullying comic published by Northwest Press and created by Charles “Zan” Christensen and Mark Brill. I had read Christensen and Brill’s previous collaboration, The Mark of Aeacus, and enjoyed it, but Power Within is a very different and far more resonant book.

It’s a didactic story, about a gay teenager dealing with bullying peers and adults indifferent to his situation, who retreats into superheroic fantasies to cope with his problems. The story exists strongly within the shadow of the recent media attention given to the high suicide rate in gay teens and the “It Gets Better” project, but successfully avoids any hints of maudlin emotion or preachiness. Instead the story feels very honest and is genuinely affecting. Christensen’s script deserves credit here, but so does Brill’s art, which has an approachable, cartoony feel that still allows for very expressive characters. There are also a number of short stories by guest creators rounding out the package and expanding upon the central theme, and while none are as successful as the central story they are all worthwhile pieces in and of themselves.

The Power Within is available from Diamond, with order code: #JUL111189 and Northwest Press has a website devoted to the book with material aimed at comics retailers and information on how youth groups and educators can receive copies.

A fun little book was brought to my attention, Zombielicious by Timothy McGivney. It’s a horror book, or maybe a gay romance book. Or rather, a book about surviving the zombie apocalypse with gay characters and some steamy sex scenes.

A sample chapter is available at Amazon, and what I’ve read of the book is fun, if you’re looking for something off the usual path for either a horror novel or a gay romance.

The second episode of my favorite web series is up!
Go watch.

No, go watch it. Now.

March 15, 12-5 PM, Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, CA

A FREE Community Concert
Featuring:
DISHWALLA, THE UPBEAT, DOMINIC BALLI, STILL TIME
Sunday, March 15, 2009 – 12:00PM-5:00PM
Earl Warren Show Grounds, Santa Barbara
In coordinated efforts with Santa Barbara City Fire, Santa Barbara County Fire, Montecito Fire, Carpentaria/Summerland Fire, US Forest Service, Cal Fire, CHP, Santa Barbara Police, Santa Barbara County Sheriff, Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue, and Equine Evac the community is encouraged to come together to celebrate the lives of Lance & Carla Hoffman and help assist their road to recovery. Every department will be on site to support this event in raising funds for the Hoffman’s. Their finest equipment will be brought in to the Earl Warren Showground parking lot for display, giving families and the community the opportunity to express thanks for their efforts. Lance Hoffman’s grandfather was a Santa Barbara City Fireman.
Santa Barbara favorites, Dishwalla, The Upbeat, Dominic Balli, and Still Time have come together with KRUZ radio to provide FREE entertainment for the community, with the desire to bring people together and encourage relief efforts for the Hoffman’s through donations.

On Thursday, November 13, 2008, the lives of Lance & Carla were forever changed as they fell victim to the devastating flames of the disastrous Tea Fire in Santa Barbara, Ca, destroying 230 homes. After an unlikely escape from the fire, they were immediately taken to burn centers in southern California to begin the recovery process. An update from their family on a Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43752383254) states:

This “Lance and Carla update” is four weeks post-hospital discharge and their improvements are still quite exciting. They are able to do most things independently and although I just returned to my home last night, most of this last week I was only minimally needed. Even my job as the chauffeur is unnecessary because Lance can drive comfortably now! Their Occupational Therapy is definitely still needed, but the healing of the burns has gone well and the biggest danger is in avoiding the sun for the next year. Lance received his pressure garments for both hands and arms, and needs to wear these 23 hours/day. Carla’s are arriving later this week and next. The purpose of these is to provide constant pressure to help flatten scar tissue and allow for optimal healing of the grafts. Their hope is to be able to return to Santa Barbara and find a new home, maybe as soon as next month sometime. When they check up with their doctor they’ll get her recommendation about transferring their rehab needs to Santa Barbara, where Carla says she wants to live on a small island surrounded by water, or in a fire station. In reality, returning to home in Santa Barbara, wherever they settle, will be a joyous occasion! –Linda Hoffman (dated 2/11/09)

Come and be a part of this amazing community effort to help Lance & Carla Hoffman.
WHEN: Sunday, March 15, 2009. 12pm: Gates;
1pm: STILL TIME (www.stilltimemusic.com);
2pm: DOMINIC BALLI (www.dominicballi.com);
3pm: THE UPBEAT (myspace.com/upbeatska);
4pm: DISHWALLA (www.dishwalla.com)
WHERE: Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
TICKETS: On sale date: FREE Food & Drink will be available for purchase from Woody’s BBQ with proceeds benefitting the Hoffman’s recovery efforts.
Being produced by TWIIN PRODUCTIONS at twiinproductions.com 1221 Chapala Street, 2nd Floor Santa Barbara, CA 93101

As many of you are probably already aware, Carla Hoffman and her husband Lance were badly injured in the most recent fires to hit Santa Barbara. Doctors are optimistic that both Carla and Lance will make full recoveries, but in the meantime their home was completely destroyed. Carla is a friend of mine, a terrific writer, and the sort of enthusiastic front-lines type that the comic industry needs. If you would like to help her and her family out, there is a Facebook group where you can stay updated, and a fund has been set up at one of the local banks. You can send your donations to:
The Lance and Carla Burn Fund
Santa Barbara Bank & Trust
1483 East Valley Road
Montecito, CA 93108-1248

Dale Lazarov passed this on to me, so I’m passing it on to all of you.

Right now, I am casting for a colorist for MANLY, a 72-page book that I and the illustrator have to submit to Bruno Gmünder Verlag (a German gay art book publisher) in part by October 1st and complete by January 10th. There is no page rate for the work but the colorist would get 20% of the advance and the royalties for the length of the book’s contract (usually, seven years; for the first year’s print run of 2500, you’d make $500). This publication is a DONE DEAL — this is not speculation. They want to publish MANLY. Right now, we need a colorist to meet the deadlines.

Cheers,
Dale Lazarov
writer/editor
MANLY

A couple of quick notes before I forget again*.

Friday, September 22 at A Different Light, San Francisco, Sticky and Shirtlifter artist Steve MacIsaac and Boy Trouble‘s Robert Kirby, as well as Justin Hall and David Kelly of Hard to Swallow will be appearing to promote The Book of Boy Trouble and a new issue of Hard to Swallow. I’ve enjoyed every comic I’ve read from these creators, and these books in particular.

And here’s an interview with Sticky creators Dale Lazarov and Steve MacIsaac which touches on Sticky, Shirtlifter and Lazarov’s upcoming collaborations with Theo Bain and Amy Colburn.

Prism comics is accepting applications for the second annual Queer Press Grant, a $1,000 grant to assist lesbian, gay, bi and/or transexual comics creators to self-publish LGBT themed comics.

There is a submission guidelines page you can go to for more information.

Full press release:
Atlanta, GA — Prism Comics is proud to announce the second annual Queer Press Grant. The grant, in the amount of $1,000 this year, was established to help and encourage LGBT creators to self-publish LGBT themed comics. The winner of last year’s award, Steve MacIsaac, used the grant to self-publish Shiftlifter, which debuted at the 2006 Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco and is for sale at his website: http://stevemacisaac.com.

“Prism Comics is thrilled to be able to offer the Queer Press Grant for a second year,” said Prism Comics Public Relations Chair David Stanley. “We were amazed last year at the high level of talent who submitted work and we’re very proud that we were able to help the winner, Steve MacIsaac, publish his work.”

The application deadline for the Prism Comics Queer Press Grant is October 1 and the winner will be announced November 1.

Go to http://www.prismcomics.org/grant.php for the submission guidelines.

Prism Comics is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the work of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) creators in the comics industry, as well as LGBT themes in comics in general. Incorporated in 2003, Prism Comics publishes the annual resource guide, Prism Comics: Your LGBT Guide to Comics. Please go to http://www.prismcomics.org for more information or contact David Stanley, PR Chair for Prism Comics, at david@prismcomics.org.

A Different Light in Los Angeles to host a book signing for the hard-cover edition of Steve MacIsaac’s and Dale Lazarov’s Sticky. It’s this Friday, May 12th, at 7:30 at 8853 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood.

That there is a drawing of the original X-Men by Seth. I like Seth’s work a great deal. He’s got a classical style that still manages to look very slick and sophisticated.

The piece is being made available in an auction to benefit the Doug Wright Awards, which recognize Canadian cartooning talent.

You can read more about it, or go and bid on the auction.