Comic Jam Hawaii has been a regular part of this blog for a good portion of a year now, and for good reason: It’s been fun to see what local artists can do when they get together twice a month — at least — to socialize and draw, draw, draw.
The group is now in its third year of existence, and they’ve produced a lot of artwork in that time. I have a Nakamaboko exhibit image gallery and a quarter-inch stack of original drawings, scooped up from their year-end drawing blowout extravaganza, to prove it. And now, as another way of showcasing the group’s work from last year, a new book has been published. It’s a 9.6 MB, 64-page collection of assorted photos and sketches organized by month, and it’s a pretty good cross-section sampling of what the group is all about. As Comic Jam Hawaii coordinator Michael Cannon writes in the introduction:
The work in this book is a random, very random, sampling of Jam pieces and photos from 2012. No criterion was established to determine what would be included. It’s just basically me going through the scans from the last year and slapping things in here from that. I am completely to blame for what is included or not. I wish I could include everything we did, but I can’t bind a 5″ thick book.
Here’s a sample page, downsized a bit to fit this blog’s format (the original pages measure around 8 inches by 10 inches):
A limited number of physical copies will be available at the Comic Jam on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Pearlridge Center. If you can’t make it because you have to head in to the office to put in eight hours of work helping to copy-edit a major metropolitan daily newspaper (raises hand) or for whatever other reason you may have, the book is also available for free download online; just point your browser at artildawn.com/dl/2012_CJH_book.pdf . For more information on the group, visit www.facebook.com/groups/ComicJamHawaii (Facebook login required).
Ota-cool incoming!
“Journey of Heroes” graphic novel: If you have yet to pick up this this manga-style book chronicling the achievements of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Infantry Battalion in World War II — and you really should get it; author Stacey Hayashi and artist Damon Wong did a great job with it — it’s available for sale at the Bishop Museum gift shop. It’s a tie-in with the exhibit “American Heroes: Japanese American WWII Nisei Soldiers and the Congressional Gold Medal.” I checked out the exhibit for myself on Friday, and it complements the book and fleshes out the story perfectly. You even get to see some of the original photos that ended up “chibi-fied” in the book.
Plus you get to see this little beauty in person, all shiny and sparkly and ooh.
Over at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii gift shop (2454 S. Beretania St.), you can also get the book ($10 general, $9 JCCH members), some spiffy exclusive “Chibi Wear” aloha shirts for men and women ($75, $67.50 JCCH members) or, for you DIYers, pre-cut yards (36 inches by 44 inches) of any of the three available fabric styles ($20 per yard, $18 JCCH members). Bishop Museum exhibit on display through April 17.
Anime Manga Society at UH-Manoa: Meets every Thursday and Friday in Kuykendall Hall, room 305. Catch Cyborg 009, Kuroko no Basket and Hanasaku Iroha on Thursdays, or Magi, Psycho Pass and Toriko on Fridays. Social time/announcements 4:30 p.m.: screenings 5 to 7 p.m.
Manga character design workshop: Learn the basics of human anatomy and character design (and how to break those rules to develop your own style) from Tara Tamayori, the artist whose two-chapter story “Eternal Blade” is featured in the Hachi Maru Hachi anthology. Workshops will be held at the Honolulu Museum of Art School (1111 Victoria St., room 200) Cost: $15 per session, payable to the instructor at the beginning of each session. Designed for ages 12 and up. Email peninkinfo@gmail.com or call the art school at 532-8741 if you’re still interested. Sunday and April 14, 1 to 4 p.m.
Aiea Library Anime Club: Because attendees asked for it, librarian Diane Masaki is screening even more episodes of Black Butler this month at the library, 99-143 Moanalua Road. In other news, I’m formally launching my “Hey! Diane! Show Summer Wars! It’s a really, really good movie! Really! And you have to see it!” campaign. Who’s in? For more information or to RSVP, call 483-7333 or e-mail aiealibraryanimeclub@yahoo.com. 3 p.m. April 13.
MangaBento: This group of anime- and manga-inspired artists usually meets every second and fourth Sunday of the month at the Honolulu Museum of Art School (1111 Victoria St.). “But wait,” you say. “Isn’t Tara’s workshop on the 14th? Doesn’t MangaBento usually meet in Room 200? Where are they going to go?!?” Simple … they’ll be in Room 101. Art for everyone, yay! Visit www.manga-bento.com. Next meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. April 14.
“How to Draw Manga Faces”: If you can’t figure out what participants are going to be learning at this workshop at Treehouse (250 Ward Ave., suite 233) presented by MangaBento, you’re really reading the wrong blog. Recommended for ages 8 and older; cost is $10, art materials included. Feel free to bring your own, too, if you prefer. And yes, this is the same workshop that was supposed to be held March 9 but canceled due to lack of interest; here’s hoping for more interest this time around. Details and a link to register are at treehouse-shop.com/how-to-draw-manga-faces-workshop. 2 to 3 p.m. April 20.
Monster Drawing Workshop: With April being the month to learn how to design your own manga characters (courtesy of Tara) and how to add manga faces to them (courtesy of MangaBento), perhaps you’d like to learn how to create your own monsters to harass your manga creations (or befriend them, because hey, it’s your story)? Comic Jam Hawaii has you covered in this free workshop at Aiea Library. Paper, pencils and crayons will be provided, or bring your own art supplies if you wish. Recommended for ages 8 and older. 1 to 3:30 p.m. April 27.
Other future attractions
Free Comic Book Day: The name pretty much says it all. Of course, there will probably be other things going on as well. May 4.
Maui Matsuri Festival: Annual Japanese festival held on the University of Hawaii-Maui College campus. May 11.
Tomo-E-Ame: Friends-Drawings-Candy: MangaBento’s annual exhibit at the Honolulu Museum of Art School. June 16-July 14.
Taku Taku Matsuri: A summer festival with an anime/manga slant at Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha-Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu. Aug. 25.
Kawaii Kon 2014: Guests include voice actors Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh. Hawai’i Convention Center, April 4-6, 2014.
Otaku Ohana 
In the interest of correctness, the Nakamaboko exhibit was Mangabento’s baby. Comic Jam Hawaii only donated Jam pieces for a small section of that exhibit.