Posts Tagged ‘Mad_GnG’

Mad Graphic Novel Group – The Boondocks Treasury: A Right To Be Hostile

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Graphic Novel

Title: Mad Graphic Novel Group – The Boondocks Treasury: A Right To Be Hostile
Location: MadLab
Description: A discussion group for those looking to talk, argue, debate about graphic novels, comics, comix and web-comics.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2012-02-07
End Time: 21:00

To start this year of graphic novel discussion, we are going to read a rather politically active graphic novel called The Boondocks: A right to be hostile by Aaron McGruder. This book is a collected treasury of the controversial newspaper strip, starting the story involving two contrasting brothers, Huey , an anti-government, Black rights activist who loves star wars and hates bad churned out African American comedies, and Riley Freeman, his complete opposite who idolises rappers and likes to call himself ‘Esco Freeman’. Both these brothers move to a white suburb with their grandfather, leading to many an interesting interaction with the neighbours.

The newspaper strip was famous for its exploration of what many would call ‘off-limits’ subject matter. This came across in many forms such as taking an ‘unpatriotic view’ towards the 9/11 attack, BET and its insulting representation of the African-American community and at one point, when commenting on certain individuals comparing George Bush to Hitler, Huey saying that this is outrageous as “Hitler was democratically elected by his people”.

The comic itself had circulation in around 300 newspapers (at many points, many papers also rejected certain strips), has spawned 3 collections of the complete run and spawned a cartoon that ran for 3 series.

I am also pleased to say that during this meeting we will be (drum roll please)….. ELECTING THE GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR THE NEXT YEAR!!! We have already had some suggestions but nothing will be set in stone until the next meeting, in which we will discuss it at the end. This would be a perfect time for new members who haven’t been sure when they could start coming because you will get the opportunity to contribute to the group’s reading for the next year (& beyond).

Please bring some money for food if you are interested (£5 recommended) and a donation for the Madlab, the place at which our lovely group takes place.

Hope to see you there!!!

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Mad Graphic Novel Group

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Graphic Novel

Title: Mad Graphic Novel Group
Location: MadLab
Description: A discussion group for those looking to talk, argue, debate about graphic novels, comics, comix and web-comics.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-12-06
End Time: 21:00

To end this year, we are going to read the book Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. This was originally serialized in issues #11 through #18 (June 1993 to March 1997) of Clowes’s comic book series Eightball. It was also adapted to film in 2001 starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson.

Ghost World follows the day-to-day lives of best friends Enid Coleslaw and Rebecca Doppelmeyer, two cynical, pseudo-intellectual and intermittently witty teenage girls recently graduated from high school in the early 1990s. They spend their days wandering aimlessly around their unnamed American town, criticizing popular culture and the people they encounter while wondering what they will do for the rest of their days. As the comic progresses and Enid and Rebecca make the transition into adulthood, the two develop tensions and drift apart.

We will have our usual order of food if anyone is interested so bring money for that and also bring your usual donation for the Madlab itself.

Hope to see you there:)

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Mad Graphic Novel Group

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Graphic Novel

Title: Mad Graphic Novel Group
Location: MadLab
Description: A discussion group for those looking to talk, argue, debate about graphic novels, comics, comix and web-comics.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-11-01
End Time: 21:00

For November’s session, Blankets by Craig Thompson was elected which considering winter is definitely here, seems appropriate. The discussion will be lead by our very own Roberta Vasquez. Published in 2003 it has often been held up as a shining example of autobiographical graphic novels as a genre and several translated editions have been made of Blankets. In 2005, Time chose it as one of the 100 best English language graphic novels ever written. It is a coming-of-age autobiographical graphic novel that tells the story of Thompson’s childhood in an Evangelical Christian family, his first love, and his early adulthood. Thompson has said that the novel grew out of a simple idea: to describe what it feels like to sleep next to someone for the first time.

The chosen webcomic is Sin Titulo by Cameron Stewart. This intriguingly weirdly tale is about Alex Mackay, a guy who on a visit to his grandfather finds himself sucked into a confusing adventure involving recurring dreams and nightmares, distortions of reality and recurring individuals who are shady at best.

As usual there will be Pizza or Leo’s fish bar ordered while we discuss the book, the webcomic and probably all things comics related. For more information have a look at the madlab site, facebook group

Hope to see you there.

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Graphic Novel Group Review on Black Hole

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

This month’s graphic novel group was one filled with interesting revelations about the book that was discussed. Black Hole by Charles Burns, tells the story of a group of teenagers during the 1970s affected by a disease that is transmitted by sexual intercourse. The disease causes an array of deformities; some are subtle changes like a small tail while others more obvious like a mouth growing on a person’s neck. The story focused on two characters in particular, Keith, a sweet but rather wet individual who is about to get the disease, and Chris, a girl who has the disease from the start of the book and watching her dealing with the disease. (more…)

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Mad Graphic Novel Group

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Graphic Novel

Title: Mad Graphic Novel Group
Location: MadLab
Description: A discussion group for those looking to talk, argue, debate about graphic novels, comics, comix and web-comics.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-10-04
End Time: 21:00

For October’s #Mad_Gng, we will be reading a freakish teenage drama written and illustrated by Charles Burns. The book was actually released as a 12 part comic book series (which had a sporadic run over a 10 year period) and tells the story of a group of teenagers affected by a sexually transmitted diseases which causes, to put it lightly, changes.

These changes came in many shapes and forms, some grotesque and deformed others more subtle but ultimately for whoever had it; things would never be the same again. The story focuses on a set of core characters affected by the disease, some who have it, some who are about to contract it.

There is a short film adaptation of the comic at this link here: http://www.rupertsanders.com/blackhole.html?ref=0 We could bring it up and discuss it along with the book.

We have a webcomic to go (loosely) along with the graphic novel of freaks this month. It’s called Darwin Carmichael is going to hell and is overall a humorous comic about a guy who screwed up spectacularly (you’ll find out as you read it) and because of this is pretty likely to go to hell, to redeem himself, he has to boost his Karma level. This would be much easier if not for the stoned angels, a drunk Minotaur and many a mythical creature great and small keep coming into your apartment and raiding your fridge.

We may order pizza or fish and chips so it will be put to a vote, either way if you want in on this, please bring some money and as usual, being a donation for the Mad Lab.

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