Comics Alternative

This week on the Kickstarter show, Derek talks with Jason Beirens about his current campaign for the second issue of his series, Skullduggery. Jason calls Skullduggery a "legal fiction," a Disney-inspired crime narrative that is less police procedural and more based in the courtroom. His previously Kickstarted first issue of Skullduggery is described as the beginning of a look into a double homicide of two known criminals by Judge Stewie Sponte, his assistant Maggie P.I. (a magpie) and his owl. Other characters come into play, two street smart tough guys, brothers Vinnie and Berg De Novo. Lastly, Whimsy Noir, as every detective story needs a dame, right? Populated by anthropomorphic figures, curious criminals, and unusual courtroom proceedings, this will be a fully colored story worth checking out. And there's even a reward level where you can get not only the second, but also the first issue, of Jason's Skullduggery the series so as to get the entire story up to this point. Head on over to #2 campaign a

Time Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:02:33 - Setting up the episode 00:04:17 - More listener mail! 00:06:49 - Completing Monster 00:49:03 - Completing Otherworld Barbara 01:14:28 - Completing other manga series 01:26:25 - Wrap up 01:27:47 - Contact us On this episode of the monthly manga series -- the April show, actually, albeit late -- Shea and Derek revisit some of the titles that they had previously discussed. They talk about these series now that they have more volumes under their belts, and in some cases, have completed the entire series. The first of these that they discuss is Naoki Urasawa's Monster(VIZ Media), a title that they first discussed in their July 2015 episode. The last volume of the English-language Perfect Editions was released in summer of 2016, and both Shea and Derek explore their experiences finishing up the series. As they reveal, Urasawa has a penchant for vast, multi-leveled narratives, filled with a wide cast of characters, and the guys discuss this style of sto

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:29 - Setup of interview 00:04:08 - Interview with Bill Schelly 01:06:00 - Wrap up 01:06:40 - Contact us There’s perhaps no better historian on American comics fandom than Bill Schelly. Having been a part of the zine scene in the 1960s and early 1970s, and starting when he was a teenager, Schelly worked with many of the movers and shakers within the fan community and published several fanzines of his own. In the early 1990s he returned to comics as a chronicler and as a historian, writing various overviews of comic fandom, and then later making his mark as a comics biographer, covering the lives of such creators as Joe Kubert, Otto Binder, John Stanley, and Harvey Kurtzman, the latter biography earning him a 2016 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Book. On this interview episode, Derek talks with Bill about his new book, Sense of Wonder: My Life in Comic Fandom – the Whole Story, and his decisions to revise and expand this memoir from its original 2001 v

Time Codes: 00:00:25 - Introduction 00:02:14 - Setup of interview 00:04:00 - Interview with Zach Worton 00:59:46 - Wrap up 01:00:27 - Contact us 01:01:46 - “Gotta Get You Outta My Head,” by Zorton and the Cannibals Zach Worton was last on the podcastabout two years ago, around the time of the publication of the second volume in his Charley Butters series, The Search for Charley Butters. On that interview show, Zach discussed the development of his storyline and what to expect in the third and final volume of the series, The Death of Charley Butters. As fate would have it, Zach and his publisher, Conundrum Press, decided to hold off on publishing the third stand-alone installment, and instead, put out the entire series in one complete volume. The result is The Curse of Charley Butters, just released last month, and including the first two Charley Butter stories and what would have been the third. In fact, this complete collection reads as a tight, cohesive narrative, and getting all of the Charle

This week, Paul and Derek take an extensive look at the May Previews catalog. In fact, their look is so extensive that their discussion evolves into an extra-long episode, spanning almost three hours! (Then again, listeners of the podcast probably are used to these long Previews episodes.) The Two Guys begin by sharing listener mail, and then they make a few comments about some of the changes Diamond has made to their catalog over the past couple of months. After that, they jump into the nitty gritty of the episode, highlighting a variety of solicitations that catch their eye this month. Among the many publishers and titles that they focus on are: Image Comics - Farmhand #1, Unnatural#1, The New World#1, Outpost Zero#1, and Memoirs of a Very Stable Genius Dark Horse Comics - The Quantum Age#1, She Could Fly#1, The Alcoholic: Tenth Anniversary Edition, and Criminy, Vol. 1 DC Comics/Vertigo - Astro City: Broken Melodyand Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles IDW Publishing - Real Science Adventure

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:41 - Setup of interview 00:04:04 - Interview with Pat Palermo 01:06:50 - Wrap up 01:07:33 - Contact us Pat Palermo is an artist and Xeric Award-winning cartoonist living and working in Brooklyn. In fact, the intersection of “living and working” is the subject matter of his new series coming out from AdHouse Books, LIVE/WORK. The first issue of this magazine-sized comic came out last month, and it’s an ensemble narrative concerning the exploits of New York artists as they try to make their marks in the art world, while at the same time worrying about their living arrangements. In this episode of the interview series, Derek talks with Pat about the origins of his new series, how it began as a self-published endeavor, the autobiographical links embedded among his ensemble cast, and his thoughts on writing in a more realistic or slice-of-life mode – what's been called before on The Comics Alternative, verite dessinée. Along the way Pat discusses his own non-c

For the May on-location episode, Derek is back at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find for Free Comic Book Day. This is a big occasion, and business at Heroes was bustling and crowded, with customers lining up to get in as early as 5:30 am. In fact, this show was recorded outside of the shop where things were less chaotic. Joining Derek was Zyg (who has become a regular at these on-location shows), David, Adam, Jake, and Emily. Everyone talks about the various FCBD titles and which ones they're particularly drawn to, but they also discuss other comics-related topics, such as the recent Avengers movie, the kind of comics that they're currently reading, and upcoming titles that they're particularly looking forward to.

Derek talks with Zack Sot0 about his Kickstarter project The Secret Voice, Vol. 1. Zack describes it as "as psychedelic fantasy epic" filled with psychic warrior monks, wild kung fu magic battles, monsters, and even a bit of romance. Over the coals of their conversation, Zack discusses the origins of The Secret Voice in a minicomic, its development as a webcomic and then a comic book, and its maturation as a book-length narrative. The creator describes the premise this way: Doctor Galapagos, a goggled, bandaged mystery man is just one of many agents of the ineffable Red College that we meet in the pages of The Secret Voice. Doctor Galapagos is our hero, our mystic battle man on the spot. He seems wildly capable of facing any and all hand to hand combatants. But Dr. G isn't justbattling hundreds of angry trolls or brigands all at once, he's also fighting an unseen, unknown, psychic menace. He's finding his grip on reality becoming more and more tenuous, just when he needs it the most. There are a variety

Time Codes: 00:25 - Introduction 02:19 - Setup of interview 03:38 - Interview with Hazel Newlevant 53:01 - Wrap up 53:31 - Contact us Hazel Newlevant is an artist and editor, known for their graphic novella Sugar Town, which they call “a queer poly rom-com,” as well as Tender-Hearted, winner of the 2017 Ignatz Award for outstanding minicomic. In 2016 the Two Guys discussed Hazel’s edited collection, Chainmail Bikini, an anthology of comics by and about women games released in 2016, and for which Hazel served as editor. Earlier this year they have had two other collections where they served as co-editor: Puerto Rico Strong, released in March by Lion Forge, and Comics for Choice: Illustrated Abortion Stories, History, and Politics, an anthology of comics about abortion and reproductive rights published by Alternative Comics. During this interview, Derek talks with Hazel primarily about Comics for Choice, but they also discuss some of their other work as well, including their many efforts as an edit

Time Codes: 00:00:25 - Introduction 00:02:49 - Setup of interview 00:03:58 - Interview with Mairghread Scottand Robin Robinson 01:03:26 - Wrap up 01:04:32 - Contact us First Second has recently published The City on the Other Side, a historically based fantasy written by Mairghread Scott and with art by Robin Robinson. Gwen and Derek talk with the creators about their new book, the genesis behind the concept, and their decision to base their narrative in San Francisco. This is a compelling story that should have wide appeal, and not only with younger readers. Over the course of the conversation, Mairghread and Robin share their experiences researching various cultures' folklore (upon which many of the figures are based), the importance of character design, their methods of collaboration, and the significance of maps.

Time Codes: 00:00:32 - Introduction 00:03:09 - A few words (and a gripe) about the 2018 Eisner Award nominations 00:11:02 - Terminal Lance Ultimate Omnibus 00:37:29 - Death or Glory#1 00:47:28 - Black [AF]: Widows and Orphans#1 01:03:08 - Wrap up 01:04:46 - Contact us This week Paul and Derek focus on three titles that are strikingly different in nature. They begin with Maximilian Uriarte's Terminal Lance Ultimate Omnibus: The World's Most Popular Military Comic Strip(Little Brown and Company). This is a hardbound volume of the entries included on Uriarte's webcomic, and it collects strips published between January 2010 and December 2016, most of what you'll find on the site. Terminal Lance Ultimate Omnibus also include the strips published in the Marine Corps Times. Although the guys know next to nothing about military (specifically Marine) life, they approach this text on its own terms and with a full awareness of its intended audience. Next, they look at Rick Remender and Bengal's Death o

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:28 - Setup of interview 00:03:51 - Interview with Neal Adams, Rafael Medoff, and Craig Yoe 01:05:12 - Wrap up 01:05:48 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek talks with Neal Adams, Rafael Medoff, and Craig Yoe about their new book We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust(Yoe Books/IDW Publishing). All three of these guests have been on the podcast before. Derek briefly interviewed Neal Adams at a couple of different cons, releasing those conversations as part of our on-location convention shows. Rafael Medoff was part of the special roundtable on politics and comicsthat was releases on election eve 2016. And of course, as listeners of the podcast well know, Craig Yoe has been on the show so many timesthat it's easy to lose count. What makes this such a notable episode is that all three of these guys come together at the same time to talk about their new book. Each comes with his own set of experiences with this collection, but what comes across

Time Codes: 00:00:31 - Introduction 00:03:21 - Setup of the discussion 00:04:00 - The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America  00:27:07 - The Lost Path 00:47:59 - A discussion of the children's comics-related book market 01:10:32 - Wrap up 01:11:47 - Contact us In this episode of the Comics Alternative Young Readers Show, Gwen and Paul review two new releases, both of which have a connection to folklore and fairy tales: Jaime Hernandez’s The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America from Toon Graphics, and Amélie Fléchais and Jonathan Garnier’s The Lost Path from Lion Forge Comics’ children’s imprint, Cub House. Additionally, Paul and Gwen discuss Brian Hibb’s “Tilting at Windmills #268: Looking at BookScan 2017,” an overview of comics sales that demonstrates that the children’s and YA market continues to grow and that young people are getting comics in a variety of venues, from direct distribution at comics shops to major booksellers to Comixology. In Part I of the show, Paul and Gwen

Play It Again This weekend Derek talks with Tom Manning about his Kickstarter campaign Eric: A Graphic Novel. This is a substantive graphic novel about a fictional musician with a wild and memorable life. Eric, once a popular Los Angeles musician in the ’60s and ’70s, is now is a drug-addled relic grappling with his irrelevance. But, after he snaps on live TV while promoting his greatest hits album, Eric finds himself in the center of what may be a terrifying conspiracy spanning multiple realities. Tom Manning describes his project as TheBig Lebowski meets Jacob’s Ladder. Ericis a graphic novel about Americana, and the horrific implications found just beneath its pop and artifice. Be sure to back Eric: A Graphic Novel! Sample Art

It's the April on-location visit to Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC. As he usually does, Derek is at the shop talking with customers about comics-related matters. But his time at Heroes also corresponds with the visit of Queens University Prof. Michael Kobre’s class, "Secret Identities, Diversity, and Popular Culture."    

Paul and Derek discuss Anna Haifisch's Von Spatz, Joe Henderson and Lee Garbett's Skyward #1, and Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse's Resident Alien: An Alien in New York #1.

Time Codes: 00:26 - Introduction 03:02 - Setup of interview 05:10 - Interview with Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden 56:08 - Wrap up 58:29 - Contact us Gene and Derek are happy to have on the podcast Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden. Their book How to Read Nancy: The Elements of Comics in Three Easy Panelswas released last fall from Fantagraphics Books. The authors are back on the circuit discussing their close reading of Ernie Bushmiller, but they took time to talk with the Two Guys about their landmark work. Over the course of the conversation, Mark and Paul reveal their history reading the Nancystrip, their original "How to Read Nancy" essayand the book that grew from there, the educational function of their detailed analysis, the work -- research, technological, and otherwise -- that went into this project, and, of course, there's the August 8, 1959 comic strip itself that comes under such meticulous scrutiny. Over the course of 44 steps, Paul and Mark pick apart this Nancystrip with painstaking

Time Codes: 00:00:31 - Introduction 00:02:52 - Catching up with Paul, AKA, "Dissertation Boy" 00:04:24 - More listener mail! 00:15:50 - Milk Wars 00:49:42 - Motor Girl Omnibus 01:08:52 - Strangers in Paradise XXV#1 & #2 01:24:13 - Wrap up 01:25:47 - Contact us Paul is back on the podcast, fresh from working on his dissertation. On this episode, he updates Derek on his dissertating progress, and then the Two Guys plunge into the show proper. They begin by looking at the five issues that make up the DC Universe/Young Animal crossover Milk Wars(DC Comics). Both Paul and Derek share their experiences reading JLA/Doom Patrol Special#1, Mother Panic/Batman Special#1, Shade, the Changing Girl/Wonder Woman Special#1, Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye/Swamp Thing Special#1, and Doom Patrol/JLA Special#1. A significant difference between the guys' appreciation of the Milk Warcrossover is linked to each of their post reading history with both the Young Animal titles and DC's current superhero happenings

Time Codes: 00:26 - Introduction 02:22 - Setup of interview 03:46 - Interview with Grace Ellisand Shae Beagle 43:14 - Wrap up 43:49 - Contact us Mythical figures, anthropomorphic characters, and heavy dose of magic, all set in a contemporary urban landscape complete with coffeehouses, mobile devices, and garage bands. This is the world of Moonstruck, a series that began last year and coming out from Image Comics. The writer and artist of this series, Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle, were kind enough to come on The Comics Alternativeto talk about the completion of the first narrative arc and what we might expect with the second. These two creators have known each other for a long time, and, along with their editor and designer, Laurenn McCubbin, have experienced a curious incubation period for their project. Derek talks with Grace and Shae about the origins of Moonstruck, their unique mix of fantasy and contemporary cultural concerns, the process of collaboration, and their attempts to build a reading

Time Codes: 00:00:28 - Introduction 00:02:47 - Pascal on the podcast, Round 2 00:04:19 - Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World  00:49:37 - Yellow Negroes and Other Imaginary Creatures 01:31:45 - Wrap up 01:32:39 - Contact us This month Pascal and Derek look at two recent books that, while strikingly different in their storytelling approaches, are both insightful examinations of the socio-historical forces that shape individuals' lives. They begin with Pénélope Bagieu's Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World(First Second), a collection of 29 short biographies profiling women throughout history who have pushed back and defined themselves on their own terms. This book began as a series of webcomics that appeared on Le Monde's blog between January and October 2016. There was actually one original entry, a biographical look at Phulan Devi, that didn't make it into the American text, and the guys speculate as to why this might have been. After that they discuss Yvan Alagbé's Yellow Negroes an