Free graphic novels at Zeus

SUPER RETAILER: Neale, owner of Zeus Toys and Comics. DANIEL A. KUSNER/Dallas Voice

The economy’s pinching Richard Neal. The gay owner of Zeus Toys and Comics had to scale back his annual CAPE expo. At last year’s CAPE, Neal estimated that thousands of comic book geeks turned out for the three-day festival in Oak Lawn’s Craddock Park, which united writers, creators, artists and readers.
For 2009, CAPE isn’t happening.

“I just can’t put on such a huge event this year — not in this economy,” Neal says.
Instead, Zeus will celebrate Free Comic Book Day on Saturday at his Lemmon Avenue store. He’ll be giving away 4,000 free comics and inviting some Lone Star luminaries: Scott Kurtz (Dallas-based creator of Player Vs. Player), Matt Sturges (Austin writer for Justice Society of America, which features gay character Obsidian), Kristian Donaldson (co-creator of Supermarket) and James O’Barr (Dallas-based creator of The Crow).


Free Comic Book Day at Zeus Toys and Comics, 4411 Lemmon Ave. May 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 214-219-TOYS. ZeusComics.com

________________________________

WILEY RELEASES ‘BLACK LIGHT’
Once you see your first Kehinde Wiley canvas, you can always spot his work — portraits of heroic-looking black dudes dipped in vivid hues that would have made Versace jealous.

This month, the gay thirty-something artist releases “Black Light,” (powerHouse, $60), a compilation book of Wiley portraits.

There’s a great quote in the forward, written by Brian Keith Jackson, “Black lights are often used to authenticate antiques and paper currency, as well as exposing concealed cracks in structure. It thereby gives color to that which appears invisible without assistance.”


This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 1, 2009.