The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s throwing a massive party on Monday in New York City with a gaggle of apple-cheeked young cartoonists sketching and toasting to first amendment rights… and your favorite laptop contortionist Dan Goldman will be there. Click flyer to see large:

The Bay Area was a total blast. Many thanks to the Haight Booksmith, Jesse McKinley, Be+Cause Clothing, Rory and the crew at Comic Relief, Ron Turner of Last Gasp and the wonderful folks at 111 Minna Gallery for making our stop on the tour so memorable.

Wednesday, Dec 5th finds us in Los Angeles, the final stop on the tour. Come see us at:

12-2pm
MELTDOWN COMICS
Talk/Signing/Q&A
7522 Sunset Blvd

7-8:30pm
BOOK SOUP
Reading/Signing
8818 Sunset Blvd.
W Hollywood, CA 90069

Today (Monday) we’re at Haight Booksmith, where we’ll be talking about Shooting War with Jesse McKinley, New York Times San Francisco Bureau Chief. 1644 Haight St. 7:00 PM

If you can’t make it to the event, you can catch us on the radio throughout the day:

KPFA’s Morning Show 8:30-9:00 AM PT

KKGN-AM GREEN 960 The Progressive News 12:00-12:20 PM PT

Peter B. Collins Show 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM PT

Ladies and gentlemen of the internet, allow me to present The Waterford Landing. Not only old school friends but truly some of the best new music I’ve heard in years. Their new BULLET PARK EP (cover illo by me below) debuts this Saturday at our SHOOTING WAR West Coast Book Launch Party; in addition to scoring our animated trailer, they’ve composed an original “Shooting War Theme” and have several original tracks available for free download, including the blazing “Getbent” from the new EP. Play them LOUD and leave your body behind.

That’s were Austin is. And that’s where we are today. Come out and check us out:

Book People, Austin, TX 7:00 PM

Yes, that’s both a Red Dawn reference and a shout-out to the great state of Michigan - where coincidentally we’re headed today. Here’s where you can catch us:

Thursday, Nov. 29:

Signing: Green Brain Comics, 13210 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 12:30-2:00 PM

Talk, Q&A and Signing: Borders, Ann Arbor 7:00 PM

Tonight you can catch us back home in NYC, for a wine tasting and talk about the book: Bottlerocket Wine, 5 West 19th St @ 6:00 PM. Hope to see you there.

In addition to our signings, we’ll be doing some local TV while in B-town. Here’s the lowdown:

NEW ENGLAND CABLE NEWS, 7:00 PM
“The Chet Curtis Report”

BNN-TV BOSTON CABLE, 7:30 PM
The Literati Scene

We know we said last week was the official book launch, but then there was this thing called Thanksgiving here in the States, so we took the week off to thanks the natives for sharing and to fatten up for the grueling two week juggernaut that your humble author and artist are about to embark on. Tuesday we’re in Boston - Cambridge to be exact - for two events. The first is at the Million Year Picnic, which BoingBoing once called America’s coolest comic shop. That’s from 4-6. Then you’ll find us at the book store for an obscure local college at 7 for a presentation, Q&A and signing. For more details our events in NYC, Michigan and Austin, Texas this week, check the book tour info on your right.

If you’re in the Bay Area, you’ll have no excuse for not catching us live. We’re doing two signings and an official Left Coast Launch Party at 111 Minna Gallery from 6-9 PM on Saturday. It’s a benefit for our friends at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and it’s sponsored by Last Gasp comics, JahFurry and SMITH. Live music from Miami’s best electro-clash band, Waterford Landing. Click on the image to see all the deets. Our talk at Haight Booksmith will feature my old friend Jesse McKinley, SF Bureau Chief for The New York Times.

In other news, our friends at MySpace Comic Books have graciously devoted their Graphic Novel feature to us for the week. In turn, we agreed to launch the premiere of our new animated trailer. It was animated by our friends at Grand Theft Country. Original score by Waterford Landing. Voiced by actor Gabe McKinley. Check it out here.

Lastly, the great press continues, with new reviews, mentions and features in the this month’s American GQ, the Observer (UK), Forbes.com, Comic Book Resources, New York Press and the Forbidden Planet NYC’s newsletter, Weekly Planet. Jeff Ayers writes, “The best compliment I got reading Shooting War on the train to work this morning was the lady next to be sucking her teeth and muttering under her breath why she had to be subjected to such filth. Guess my morning reading wasn’t laced with enough pics of Bragelina for her. Good.” Nice.

SMITH founder Larry Smith put it best, “Who/what else has been on NPR, Penthouse, Daily Candy, and Newsweek in the same breath?” The answer, as I’m guessing you might have figured out, is our lil’ ol’ comic book. Newsweek’s Matthew Phillips writes in one of the best features so far about the SHOOTING WAR story and everyone involved in making it a success, “For this horrifying vision of the future we can thank journalist Anthony Lappe and graphic artist Dan Goldman, co-authors of Shooting War, (Grand Central Publishing) a stunningly rendered graphic novel that manages to stick a red-hot skewer into the war on terror, Islamic jihad, the mainstream media and the antiestablishment blogosphere in one fell swoop.”
Daily Candy, the shopaholic’s bestfriend, pointed its devoted legions our way, noting, “Alongside commentary on celebrity, terrorism, and the blogerati are snapshots of New York media (New York columns, irreverent Dan Rather quotes, Post headlines). The visuals brilliantly blend digital illustration, photography, painting, and collage. And the book will fit nicely between your copy of The Shadow and Superman #423: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow. Obviously.”