CulturePulp.

This Saturday in Portland: Whedon's 'Serenity' screens for charity! Twice! (Once with talkbacks and beer!)

Re-posting this release for my favorite local charity event....

PDX Browncoats present:

'Can't Stop the Serenity' 2009

Saturday, June 27, 2009

@ Cinema 21

616 NW 21st Ave
Portland, Oregon

[ purchase tickets online ]

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The PDX Browncoats -- a local nonprofit group comprising fans of Joss Whedon’s "Firefly" -- are gearing up for their 4th-annual "Can’t Stop the Serenity" charity screening of "Serenity" to benefit Equality Now.

Equality Now works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world through the mobilization of public pressure.

Over the last three years, the Portland screening effort alone has raised over $28,000 for Equality Now. The screenings started in Portland, and have since become a global phenomenon -- raising more than $250,000 for Equality Now since the first round of screenings in 2006.

For the 4th-annual CSTS, we're returning to Cinema 21 with two screenings:

1. Afternoon screening
(all-ages)
Saturday, June 27
Doors open at 3 p.m., movie starts around 4 p.m.
Tickets: $10 advance, $12 day-of-show [ purchase online ]

2. Late-night "Special Hell" screening
(21 and older, with beer and wine for sale)
Saturday, June 27
Doors open at 10:30 p.m., movie starts around 11:30 p.m.
Tickets: $12 advance, $14 day-of-show [ purchase online ]
Details: Have you ever wanted to shout your favorite lines at the screen? Tell the actors to watch out? Warn Wash before that crucial moment when he meets his fate? This is your chance! The "Special Hell" screening allows fans to poke a little fun at their favorite Joss Whedon film.

That's not all. We're also teaming with the Gypsy Restaurant & Velvet Lounge across the street to bring you a pub quiz, costume contest, and "Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog Karaoke"!

Come to the early screening, stay for the fun at the Gypsy, and come back to have your say at the second show!

Tickets are on sale now at the Cinema 21 Web site. For more information, contact Anna Snyder at 503-593-5300 or pr@pdxbrowncoats.com.

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Can't Stop The Serenity 2009 (pdxbrowncoats.com)

TONIGHT! Join me on a 'First Thursday Graphic Novel Walking Tour'!

My pal Shawn Bowman (creator of the "Criminal Crafts" Shiv Cosy!) helps run these PNCA "Graphic Novel Walking Tours" that leave Floating World Comics on First Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.

I'm going on tonight's tour -- and anyone who wants to say hi, look at art and enjoy a beverage is invited to join us. (I know fellow "Serenity Tales" cartoonist Neal Skorpen is showing up, as well.)

The event details, taken from the PNCA release:

First Thursday Graphic Novel Walking Tour: June

Our last walking tour for the season.  It should be a great night -- starting off with a  series of psychedelic illustrations by E*Rock (Audio Dregs) and Cody Brant (Flaspar) at Floating World Comics. 

From there, a quick hop across Burnside to Reading Frenzy to check out Carye Bye’s reception for her book Hidden Portland -- a guide to the lesser-known museums and collections in our fair city. 

We’ll also stop at our usual haunts: Backspace Cafe, Upper Playground, the Compound, and all the great galleries on Everett Street -- including the Sequential Art Gallery and the Pony Club.

The tour leaves Floating World (located at NW 5th and Couch in Portland) at 6:30 p.m. You’ll want to head downtown early, as it is really tough to find parking at that time.

Hope to see you tonight!

First Thursday Graphic Novel Walking Tour: June (PNCA)

'Serenity' screens for charity this weekend!

 Got the following missive from the PDX Browncoats about this weekend's "Serenity" charity screenings -- which got a nice writeup in this week's Portland Mercury, BTW....

UPDATE: I just learned (on Thursday, June 19) that two cities in last year's nationwide effort (neither of them Portland) apparently failed to deliver their funds to Equality Now. Each city's screenings are separately organized and run, and Portland's effort (the one I'm promoting) has always been (a) the biggest earner nationwide and (b) completely transparent and reliable, to the best of my knowledge. Erik Henricksen of the Merc is reporting on this, too.

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LOCAL WHEDON FANS HOST 3rd-ANNUAL CHARITY SCREENINGS OF 'SERENITY' JUNE 20-21 AT HOLLYWOOD THEATRE
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PORTLAND -- The PDX Browncoats -- a local nonprofit group comprising fans of Joss Whedon's "Firefly" -- are gearing up for their 3rd-annual "CAN'T STOP THE SERENITY" charity event, screening Whedon's movie Serenity to benefit human-rights organization Equality Now.

All the excitement will take place on June 20 and 21 at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland; 503-281-4215).

Check our Web site (serenitynow.pdxbrowncoats.com) for more information on the screenings. And if you live outside Portland, visit CantStopTheSerenity.com to find a "Serenity" charity screening in your city.

This year's event is going to be bigger and better than ever... (Full details after the jump.)

'The D.K. Holm Outdoor Film Festival': free backyard movie screenings, starting May 29.

Here's a new, low-key way to support Portland-based film writer D.K. Holm during his cancer battle:

Attend a series of free backyard movie screenings curated by Doug. While you're there, throw a few bucks his way if you can.

All the details are here, at HelpDKHolm.com.

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EARLIER: D.K. Holm could use your help.

The D.K. Holm fundraiser was a smashing success.

The turnout at Cinema 21 for the cancer fundraiser for Doug was nothing short of incredible. Every silent-auction item sold (including, to my mild surprise, all three donated copies of "Santa's Lil' Gimp"). The readings and the music came off well. Spirits were high. And the preliminary estimate of money raised is in the five figures. 

Shawn Levy has the full post-show report, with photos.

There are at least two more D.K. Holm fundraisers in the works. More info soon.

REMINDER: D.K. Holm fundraiser this Sunday.

As mentioned earlier: My pal D.K. Holm has cancer and no insurance. There's a fundraiser this Sunday (April 27) at Cinema 21.

The details are here.

D.K. Holm could use your help.

So my friend and colleague, the film writer D.K. Holm, is in a serious spot of bother.

He recently found out he has esophageal cancer, explaining the months of earth-shaking coughing fits that led up to the diagnosis. Until recently, Doug was an insured employee at Powell's City of Books, but recently left to pursue a full-time writing career. He now ruefully describes himself as "the American nightmare" -- uninsured and facing thousands of dollars in medical bills.

The good news is that the cancer is very treatable. The doctors caught it early (stage 2, if memory serves), and chemotherapy combined with what I'm told is a very unpleasant surgery is probably going to lick the problem within a year. The bad news is that the debt is going to be staggering, and the treatment is currently kneecapping the energy and concentration he needs to write.

Living expenses are, to put it mildly, a serious problem for him at the moment.

Some friends of his are throwing a fundraiser at Cinema 21 on April 27. This Web page has all the details. You should go, participate, or at least drop the man a spot of cash if you've enjoyed his work.

Much praise of my slightly mad colleague after the jump. It will completely mortify him, I'm sure.

The Stumptown Comics Fest is upon us!

The Stumptown Comics Fest is happening this Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 29-30) at the Lloyd Center Doubletree in Portland. I absolutely love the Fest because

(a) it's focused solely on comics as an art-form and publishing venture -- not as a feeder market for video games and movies and toys; and

(b) because Stumptown doesn't differentiate between "mainstream" and "indie" comics -- labels that are totally outmoded in an age when manga is huge with all ages and genders and Hollywood is considering making a movie of "Scott Pilgrim." You'll find Dark Horse editors sitting next to webcartoonists at this thing.

Click the link above for the full roster of artists and events -- it's going to be fairly huge, and possibly a little boozy. Here's a roundup of local press coverage:

The Portland Mercury
Willamette Week
The Portland Tribune
The Oregonian

I'm apparently emceeing the "Comic Art Battle" on Saturday night at Cosmic Monkey (details here), so that should be nice and terrifying.