A Good Review for Comics & Classics!

Check out the good word about our latest art show "Icons," featured in today's The Times-Union. We encourage everyone in Jax to support our local artists and writers!
Be on the lookout for updates on our upcoming shows. I'd like to especially thank Ed Dansart, whose coordination of this month's show made it all possible. Come see Ed's work, along with our own Rob Jones, at Club TSI Friday, August 15th!

Link to Laura Capitano's article http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/080808/enc_314853261.shtml

Reprinted from jacksonville.com

Art, icons in world of fun and games

By LAURA CAPITANO, The Times-Union
It was all very inviting, last weekend's opening reception in Jacksonville Beach for Comics & Classics' first group art show: "Icons: Interpretations in Comics & Gaming Pop Culture." Martini glasses flowed over with Jelly Bellies and the melodic yet futuristic sound of the Flaming Lips paired perfectly with a shop full of fantasy. Even the Batman-for-hire refused to break character to talk to the press. "I'm here in case things get out of hand," were his only words to me.

Kimberly Smith-Johnson, who opened Comics & Classics Books and Art Gallery 10 months ago with her husband, Percy, says the "Icons" show is the first in a series of monthly group art shows. This month's show includes works from 24 local artists and features watercolors, mixed media sculpture, photography and illustrations.

The artists come in all shapes and sizes, even an eight-months-pregnant Ellie Hoffman, who subscribes to the Juno anti-maternity-wear stance. Oh, how her T-shirt strains as she tells me about her paintings: "I'm into robot chicks, and I'm a video game dork!" she giggles, gesturing toward her collection. None of the three offerings includes a Pac-Man ghost or the BurgerTime chef, so I'm clueless. Hoffman explains her icons are from Ghost in the Shell, a game adapted from an anime series, where the main character is a cyborg chick named Motoko.
Most of the gallery space is in the back corner of the store. Additionally, I'd consider the tomes of comics and graphic novels on display an extension of the art show. From slim comics to graphic novels that weigh in like dictionaries, browsing a comics shop has the same "you never know what treasure you'll turn up" thrill as antiquing. The Prisoner had a comic book series? Whoa! A whole comic collection called I Love Led Zeppelin?

Comics & Classics currently carries three Jacksonville-grown titles. There's the dark and zombie-laden She's a Super Freak, which tracks the adventures of superhero Party Girl. Behemoth is a bounty hunter who can turn into a werecat as a means to save mankind from his evil father. The Perfect Storm spins the adventures of busty spy Erin Storm.
Smith-Johnson, a former teacher, says the store is a way to keep kids interested in reading. To play up the hang-out vibe, the couple added gaming tables and a reading lounge.
Informal "sketch societies" meet at the store Saturday mornings to exchange ideas. Youth art lessons are also available. "Icons" show director Rob Jones, artist and editor in chief of Alpha Cat Comics, heads up instruction series, at a very reasonable $5 rate, per student per class.

laura.capitano@jacksonville.com,
(904) 359-4370