APE 2009
Programming Schedule

Once again APE offers an eclectic schedule of programs geared around the special guests and various aspects of independent and alternative comics. These programs promise to be fun, informative, and enlightening conversations with some of the top creative talent working in comics today. Be sure to check out these creators' books in the Exhibit Hall once you've heard them talk about their work!

The APE programming room is located adjacent to the Exhibit Hall. If you’re facing the back of the hall, you will see the entrance to the programming room at the far end of the upper level on the left. Seating is limited, so be sure to arrive early for these must-see panels!

12:00–12:45  Spotlight on Dash Shaw—APE special guest Dash Shaw is the cartoonist of Bottomless Belly Button (Fantagraphics, 2008) and the webcomic BodyWorld, which will be published in book form in 2010 from Pantheon Books. He is a regular contributor to Mome, the Fantagraphics quarterly anthology. He recently completed a series of animated shorts for the Independent Film Channel titled The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D., which will be available online at ifc.com in November. A book of the same name (published by Fantagraphics and debuting at APE) collects preparatory drawings and storyboards for the series as well as color short stories done between 2005 and 2009. In this Spotlight Panel, Dash will screen the animated series and do a walkthrough of the Unclothed Man book, explaining the animation process and commenting on the comic short stories individually.

12:45–1:30 The ABCs and Zs: The SF Bay Area Scene of Comics, Zines, Community, and Everything in Between—The comics and zine scenes based out of the Bay Area are a great example of San Francisco's long-standing traditions of art and inclusive community. This panel features a variety of active local creators who wear a number of hats in this current scene. All are friends, fans, creators, organizers, promoters and more, each sharing their beginnings, own work and nearby favorites. Panelists include Paige Braddock (Santa Rosa, Jane’s World), Jennifer Yin (San Francisco, Asian Art Museum, coordinator of manga and Tezuka events), Ryan Germick (San Francisco, indy cartoonist, worked on iGoogle’s homepage themes by selected artists), François Vigneault (San Francisco, indy cartoonist, coordinated ZineFest for three years), Andrew Farago (San Francisco, curator, Cartoon Art Museum), and moderators Jing Mei Bentley and APE special guest Lark Pien (Oakland, indy cartoonist and artist, Long Tail Kitty). All of these panelists enjoy bringing people and comics together. Find out how they accomplish that at this panel!

1:30–2:15 Spotlight on Phoebe Gloeckner—APE special guest Phoebe Gloeckner (A Child’s Life and Other Stories and The Diary of a Teenage Girl), talks about her work as a cartoonist, illustrator, and teacher, including her upcoming novel based on the lives of several families in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

2:15–3:15 Queer Cartoonists Panel—Now entering its sixth year at APE, this popular panel will discuss depictions of sexuality and gender in comics, getting work out to a niche market, and how to draw a great looking butt! LGBT cartoonists Brian Andersen (So Super Duper), Sina Grace (Cedric Hollows), Jeff Krell (Jason Goes to Hollywood), Dale Lazarov (Sticky, Nightlife), William Tyler (The Goth Queen Needs a Mate), and Leia Weathington (Bold Riley) join moderator Justin Hall (Hard To Swallow, Glamazonia) for a spirited conversation ranging from the sublime to the sordid.

3:15–4:00 Spotlight on Batton Lash—Cartoonist Batton Lash is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the creation of his characters Wolff & Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre. In this discussion with moderator Gary Sassaman, he’ll talk about going from the comic strip medium to comic books (Supernatural Law) and then to webcomics over the past three decades. Along with comparing the pros and cons of working in the various media, Batton will talk about the challenges of being a self-publisher, the evolution of his characters, and his storytelling philosophy.

4:00–5:00 Spotlight on Jeff Smith—Join APE special guest Jeff Smith (BONE, RASL) for a Q&A session discussing current/future projects and more! Moderated by indie comic creator Larry Marder (Beanworld).

5:00–6:00 Personal Stories—All artists appearing at APE pours their hearts and souls into their work, but some stories are just more personal than others. Comics telling personal stories have been a staple in the alternative publishing world for decades, dating back to the earliest underground comix in the 1960s, and they were elevated to a new level by the work of creators such as Art Spiegleman (Maus) and Harvey Pekar (American Splendor) in the 1980s and 1990s. APE special guests Jamaica Dyer (Weird Fishes), Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, in addition to his work with Harvey Pekar [Quitter] and Jonathan Ames [The Alcoholic]), Phoebe Gloeckner (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), and Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button), along with Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), and Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese), talk with moderator Shaenon K. Garrity (Narbonic, Skin Horse) about their very personal work.

6:00–6:45 IKKI Goes APE!—San Francisco–based manga publisher VIZ Media has launched the VIZ Signature IKKI online magazine (www.sigikki.com), bringing Western readers some of the most original, challenging, and entertaining manga being published today. IKKI editors Pancha Diaz (Children of the Sea), Kit Fox (I'll Give It My All . . . Tomorrow), and Daniel Gillespie (Dorohedoro and Saturn Apartments) discuss this innovative project. Moderated by in-house IKKI mascot Misaki Kido.

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12:00–12:45  Spotlight on Jamaica Dyer—SLG editor-in-chief Jennifer de Guzman talks with Weird Fishes creator and APE special guest Jamaica Dyer about state colleges versus art school, webcomics, and her life as an artist, cartoonist, and storyteller.

12:45–1:30 Spotlight on Dean Haspiel—APE special guest Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, Street Code, The Alcoholic) talks to Image Comics' Joe Keatinge about semi-autobio comix and his collaborations with Harvey Pekar and Jonathan Ames, including his participation on the HBO show Bored To Death, and his new print anthology, THE ACT-I-VATE PRIMER (published by IDW), featuring "Bring Me the Heart of Billy Dogma."

1:30–2:15 Spotlight on Lark Pien—Join moderator Jesse Reklaw and APE special guest Lark Pien in a discussion of her art and cartooning explorations of the last ten years. Guaranteed hilarity to ensue while they make telescopic predictions for her next ten to come.

2:15–3:15 The Webcomics Panel—The Internet has revolutionized all forms of communication, and comics are no exception. Over the past decade, webcomics have transformed from a small, fringe movement to a vital and essential component of comics publishing. APE Special Guests Jamaica Dyer (Weird Fishes), Dean Haspiel (ACT-I-VATE), Batton Lash (Supernatural Law), and Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button) join Dylan Meconis (Family Man) and Jesse Reklaw (Slow Wave) as they talk to moderator Andrew Farago (Cartoon Art Museum, curator of the current “Monsters of Webcomics” exhibit) about the present—and future—of webcomics.

3:15–4:15 CBLDF Live Art Battle!—APE special guests Jeff Smith and Dean Haspiel team up with surprise special guests for a no-holds-barred art battle! Thrill as they race against the clock to see who can create the wildest art to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. All art will be available for auction and raffle with the proceeds benefitting the CBLDF's important First Amendment legal work. Indie comic creator Larry Marder referees this epic battle as it unfolds before your very eyes!

4:15-5:00 Indie Cartoonist Survival Guide—How does your average indie cartoonist manage to thrive in hard economic times? Moderator Keith Knight (The Knight Life, the K Chronicles, (th)ink), and his peers share experiences of how they've managed to navigate the economic downturn. A must for all struggling cartoonists (and the folks who love them)! Featuring Shannon Wheeler (New Yorker, The Onion, Too Much Coffee Man), Stephen Notley (Bob the Angry Flower),  Andrew Farago ("The Chronicles of William Bazillion"), Justin Hall (Glamazonia!!), and Miriam Libicki (Jobnik!).

5:00–5:45 Pop Perversity: Parody in Comics and Art—Isabel Samaras (On Tender Hooks) and R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics), parodists from the worlds of art and comics, show their work and describe how their sharp, sly images blur the boundaries between the popular and the profound, the propagandistic and the profane. Parody is a familiar part of our culture, but when done right it can still shock and awe, revealing deep truths while it makes us cackle.

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