The Comics Alternative

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Episode 264: Our Favorite Comics of 2017 Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:00:27 - Introduction
00:03:14 - Contexts and caveats
00:11:32 - Our favorite comics of 2017
02:09:06 - Wrapping up our favorites, and honorable mentions
02:13:52 - Contact us

Paul and Derek are back with The Comics Alternative's annual "Favorites" episode. This is where the Two Guys share what they consider to be the best comics of the past year. Usually this year-end show is released as the very last regular review episode of each year, but this time around the guys had to postpone the recording due to family issues. But we're not far from the end of 2017, and Paul and Derek wanted to get the show out in as timely a manner as possible. So here you have it, the Two Guys' 10 favorite titles of 2017:

Paul's Top 10 of 2017

The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir - Thi Bui (Abrams)
Mech Cadet Yu - Greg Pak and Tak Miyazawa (BOOM! Studios)
Golden Kamuy - Satoru Noda (VIZ Media)
Tenements, Towers and Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City - Julia Wertz (Black Dog & Leventhal)
Lighter Than My Shadow - Katie Green (Lion Forge)
Pope Hats #5 - Ethan Rilly (Adhouse)
Spinning - Tillie Walden (First Second)
Nightlights - Lorena Alvarez (Nobrow Press)
Eartha - Cathy Malkasian (Fantagraphics)
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters - Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)

Derek's Top 10 of 2017

Goodnight Punpun, Vols 5-7 - Inio Asano (VIZ Media)
Doom Patrol - Gerard Way and Nick Derington / Shade, The Changing Girl – Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone (Young Animal - DC Comics)
Everything Is Flammable - Gabrielle Bell (Uncivilized Books)
Cartoon Clouds - Joseph Remnant (Fantagraphics)
Education - John Hankiewicz (Fantagraphics)
The Abominable Mr. Seabrook – Joe Ollmann (Drawn and Quarterly)
Uncomfortably Happily - Yeon-sik Hong (Drawn and Quarterly)
Grass Kings - Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins (BOOM! Studios) / Royal City - Jeff Lemire (Image Comics)
Palookaville 23 - Seth (Drawn and Quarterly)
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters - Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)

The Honorable Mentions…These Titles Almost, but Just Didn’t Quite, Make It onto Each Guy's List For Paul

Black - Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith III, Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph and Sarah Litt (Black Mask Comics)
Motor Girl - Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
Rock Candy Mountain - Kyle Starks (Image Comics)
Mister Miracle - Tom King and Mitch Gerads (DC Comics)
Giant Days - John Allison and Lissa Treiman (BOOM! Box)
Crickets # 6 - Sammy Harkham (Fantagraphics)
Boundless - Jillian Tamaki (Drawn and Quarterly)
House of Women - Sophie Goldstein (Fantagraphics)
Savage Town - Declan Shalvey and Philip Barrett (Image Comics)
The Stone Heart - Faith Erin Hicks (First Second)
Mighty Jack and the Goblin King - Ben Hatke (First Second)
Uncomfortably Happily - Yeon-Sik Hong (Drawn and Quarterly)

For Derek

Happy Hour in America #1 - Tim Lane (Fantagraphics)
Fire!!: The Zora Neal Hurston Story - Peter Bagge (Drawn and Quarterly)
Her Bark and Her Bite - James Albon (Top Shelf)
Unreal City - D.J. Bryant (Fantagraphics)
Time and Vine - Thom Zahler (IDW)
Resist! - Francoise Mouly and Nadja Spiegelman
Calamity Jane: The Calamitous Life of Martha Jane Cannary - Christian Perrissin and Matthieu Blanchin (IDW)
Lighter Than My Shadow - Katie Green (Lion Forge)

Comics Alternative Kickstarter: Life in Space: A Comic Book Anthology Jan 20, 2018

Show notes

This week on the Kickstarter series, Derek talks with Mike Emeritz and Marshall Couture about their current campaign, Life in Space: A Comic Book Anthology. Over the course of their conversation, Mike and Marshall reveal the genesis of this project, how they gathered a variety of creators together, and the process of decided on a particular anthology theme.

This project is coordinated by Mike Emeritz, Marshall Lee, and Chris McQuinlan, with Emeritz designing and editing the book. Kevin Cross provides the cover art, and contributors include:

Jerry Gonzalez
Carrie Schurman
Holly Brown
Mike Emeritz
Casey Roberson
Marshall Lee
Chris McQuinlan
Noah 'Ox' Baas
Dalibor Zujovic
J. Allen Ratz
Yannemal
Patrick Brown
Adam Lore
Gazbot
Scott Serkland
Karyn Lewis Bonfiglio
Lenwood Brown III
Sasha Fitzgerald
Johannes Vick

Don't miss out on this Kickstarter. Check it out to learn more about Life in Space!

Sample Art

On Location: Starting off the New Year at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

For years The Comics Alternative has held a monthly on-location episode where one or two cohosts go into -- physically or virtually -- one of their local comics shops and talk with customers and employees about the comics that their reading, what they're excited about and looking forward to, and what grumblings they may have in terms of comics culture. The last such episode was published last August, right before Derek moved to Charlotte, NC...and as things would turn out, in the final days of Valhalla Games and Comics.

But now that Derek has settled in his new environs, he heads over to Heroes Aren't Hard to Find, his new local shop in Charlotte (at 417 Pecan Avenue), to begin once again the monthly series. So January's show kicks things off, with Derek introducing customers and shop employees to the podcast and beginning what, we hope, will be a fun and informative monthly visit. Snowy weather hit Charlotte this week, so the ice and cold cut down on traffic in the shop over the past couple of days. But several did come in and take the time to talk on show, sharing what titles they're currently reading and what they're finding exciting, and frustrating, in comics and comics-related media. For example, Isaiah, coming in for his weekly comics, shares his thoughts on recent DC Rebirth storylines and the shenanigans he sees going on at Marvel. Shop employees, Karla and Eli, talk about the some of the comics that are currently or soon-to-be adapted for television -- and Eli is particularly interested in the upcoming series based on Rick Remender's Deadly Class. And shop owner Shelton Drum comes on to discuss their recent move to a new location, next week's Charlotte Mini-Con (taking place on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Gary Cole Center), and when we can expect to hear announcements about this summer's HeroesCon.

A big THANK YOU to Karla and Shelton for helping to make this on-location show happen. And if you're in the Charlotte area, be sure to come by the shop on Wednesday, February 21, for next month's on-location recording!

Comics Alternative Interviews: Seth Jan 18, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:00:24 - Introduction
00:03:27 - Setup of interview
00:06:00 - Interview with Seth
01:51:43 - Wrap up
01:52:32 - Contact us

The Man from Guelph

On this interview episode, Derek is pleased to have as his guest one of his favorite creators, Seth. His latest volume of Palookaville was published last year by Drawn and Quarterly, and while every release of Seth's signature series is worth noting, this one is particularly significant. It wraps up his "Clyde Fans" storyline, one he began in 1997 in Palookaville #10. Derek asks Seth about the process of undertaking this ongoing narrative and the considerations of sustaining it for twenty years. They also discuss the autobiographical "Nothing Lasts," a series that Seth began in volume 21 of Palookaville. Much of the conversation concerns Seth's autobiographical storytelling, or his faux-autobiographical comics (in the case of It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken), and the ways in which the past informs his sense of place and identity. Indeed, memory is a major theme in Seth's stories, and the two spend a good deal of time talking about it as a defining feature of his comics. But while much of the discussion centers on the most recent volume of Palookaville, Derek also asks his guest about the general trajectory of his career. They talk about his sketchbook comics, such as Wimbledon Green and The Great Northern Brotherhood of Canadian Cartoonists, his evolving illustration style, the creation of Dominion, the melancholy George Sprott: 1894-1975,his rubber stamp diary, his life-defining relationships with Chester Brown and Joe Matt, his design and illustration work for Fantagraphics' Complete Peanuts series and Lemony Snicket's All the Wrong Questions books, his plans for future issues of Palookaville, and his wife's business, Crown Barber Shop.

Episode 263: Reviews of Now #2, The Strumpet #5, and Barbarella # 1 & #2 Jan 17, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:00:32 - Introduction
00:03:00 - Catching up with flu-ridden Gene
00:04:21 - Now #2
00:44:07 - The Strumpet #5
01:11:49 - Barbarella #1 & #2
01:26:56 - Wrap up
01:27:55 - Contact us

This week Gene and Derek discuss three recent titles, two of which are anthologies and one a blast from the past. They begin with the second issue of Fantagraphics' Now, edited by Eric Reynolds. As the guys mention, this one is comprised of various comics that run the gamut of art and narrative styles. While some of the contributions are more "traditional" in their storytelling presentation -- such as the pieces by Susan Jonaitis and Graham Chaffee, Ariel López V., Dash Shaw, and Joseph Remnant -- others challenge our understanding of the medium. Short works by Fabio Zimbres, Conxita Herrero, and James Turek are just some of the stories in this issue that experiment with how comics mediate narrative.

Next, the guys turn to another anthology, The Strumpet #5. Edited by Ellen Lindner and Glynnis Fawkes, this collection was successfully Kickstarted last year, and the theme of this volume is origins. As Gene and Derek point out, this understanding of "origins" is rather broad, with some of the contributions focusing on origins of identity, origins of awareness, origins of memories, origins of myths, origins of tyrants (Donald Trump, anyone?), origins of sexuality, and origins via birth. This is a transatlantic anthology, with creators from both North America and the UK providing a diversity of story and style. Gene had been familiar with some previous issues of The Strumpet, but this was Derek's first exposure to the anthology. And he is sorry he hadn't discovered it earlier.

The Two Guys with PhDs wrap up by looking at a new series from Dynamite Entertainment that brings back a classic, and controversial, figure from the 1960s. Barbarella is Mike Carey and Kenan Yarar's contemporary take on Jean-Claude Forest's legendary protagonist. The cheesecakey emphasis and the eroticism is definitely a part of this title, but Carey gives the space-traveling Barbarella more agency, making her more heroic, and less of a passive vessel, than Forest's original incarnation. The guys discuss the first two issues of the series, the second of which was just recently released, and both Derek and Gene are hooked.

Comics Alternative Interviews: W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo Jan 16, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:27 - Introduction
02:43 - Setup of interview
04:32 - Interview with W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo
59:10 - Wrap up
59:50 - Contact us

On this episode of the interview series, Derek talks with W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo about their new series from Image Comics, Ice Cream Man. The first issue comes out on January 17, and Derek asks his guests about the genesis of this project and what to expect in its debut. As Will and Martín reveal, each issue of Ice Cream Man is a stand-alone story, with every release serving as a viable jumping on point into their uncanny world. In fact, both creators liken the title to Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, a series of stories that aren't connected one to the other, but linked through tone and narration. What binds the individual issues together will be the ice cream man himself, peddling his frozen treats in a small suburban community and witness to -- or instigator of? -- various macabre events that turns lives upside down. The series' inaugural issue revolves around a deadly Brazilian spider, a young boy forced to live on his own, and a police detective whose professional ennui is violently shaken. This promises to be a very different kind of comic-book series, one that may not be as soft and creamy as its title suggests.

Episode 262: Review of The Best American Comics 2017 Jan 15, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:00:28 - Introduction
00:02:26 - Better late than never
00:05:42 - The Best American Comics 2017
01:30:43 - Wrap up
01:32:15 - Contact us

On this episode of the podcast Paul and Derek discuss The Best American Comics 2017, edited by Ben Katchor along with series editor Bill Kartalopoulos. The Two Guys usually discuss Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's annual contribution to comicsdom in the penultimate episode of every year, but this time around life got in the way -- and Paul, everyone's heart goes out to you -- so they had to postpone slightly the current show. But better late than never!

As Paul and Derek reveal, this has to be the most experimental volume of The Best American Comics we've ever seen. Editor Ben Katchor does his best to challenge our understanding and definition of "comics" and to interrogate the very concept of "best." In fact, you could call these efforts provocative. This most recent anthology is attuned to the current political environment, and this is perhaps best demonstrated in Katchor's multifaceted and hilarious introduction, as well as Kartalopoulos's insightful Foreword.

The contributions themselves are perhaps the most fascinating, and definitely the most varied, of any The Best American Comics volume. There are many names that would be recognizable to listeners of the podcast -- e.g., Kim Deitch, Tim Lane, Gabrielle Bell, Ed Piskor, Joe Sacco, Josh Bayer, Michael DeForge, and Sam Alden -- but what marks this annual is the sheer number of contributors that neither Derek nor Paul had previously known. Indeed, at least a good half of this collection is comprised of creators never before discussed on the podcast, and it's exciting to discover this many new artists. To say the least, this is the most engaging, and the most challenging, volume of The Best American Comics to date.

Comics Alternative Kickstarter: Loan from the Girl Zone Jan 13, 2018

Show notes

For this week's Kickstarter episode, Derek talks with Ari S. Mulch about her project Loan from the Girl Zone. This a collection of the various minicomics that Ari has published over the past couple of years while studying in the comics program of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She talks with Derek about the various short works collected in this volume, the project's genesis, and the various reward levels for backing her campaign. But Ari also discusses the long-form comic that she currently has underway, Lucritia's Midlife Crisis.

The stories you'll find in Lone from the Girl Zone will include:

"Angie Has a Bad Day"
"Selfish"
"Cicadidae" (Unreleased!)
"Coming Back to You"
"2 Girls and a Caricature"
"I Found God in the Mosh Pit" (originally a limited edition hand printed book)
"Fat Bitch Nudes"

Check it out, and be sure to learn more about Lone in the Girl Zone!

Sample Art

Episode 261: Reviews of Generation Gone, Vol. 1, Assassinistas #1, and Love and Rockets IV #4 Jan 10, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:00:33 - Introduction
00:03:04 - Baby, it's cold outside
00:05:38 - Generation Gone, Vol. 1
00:37:45 - Assassinistas #1
00:55:04 - Love and Rockets IV #4
01:20:02 - Wrap up
01:21:16 - Contact us

This week Gwen and Derek take a look at three recent and exciting titles. They begin with the first trade collection of Aleš Kot and André Lima Araújo's Generation Gone (Image Comics). This initial volume establishes the premise of the intriguing series. The story focuses on three hackers who attempt to get into government systems, are discovered, and "infected" with genetic codes that give them supernatural powers. Gwen points out that, in some ways, this narrative is reminiscent of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira, although as Derek mentions, Kot and Araújo's world isn't anything post-apocalyptic. This first volume introduces what promises to be an engaging series and whets readers' appetites for what may follow.

Next, the Two People with PhDs Talking about Comics turn to the first of two Hernandez-infused comics covered this week. The first is Gilbert Hernandez and Tini Howard's Assassinistas #1, part of IDW Publications' and Shelly Bond's Black Crown imprint. The debut issue introduces us to three former assassins, two of which -- at least as far as we know -- have left that life and are attempting to "go legitimate" and live a normal life. However, drama erupts when one of the team, Charlotte “Scarlet” La Costa, has her son kidnapped, bringing another team member, Octavia “Red October” Price, back into a life she thought she had left behind her. And what of the third member of this one-time trio, Rosalyn “Blood” Diamond? Both of the cohosts enjoyed this title, although the paratextual material in the back of this issue, commentary from editor Shelly Bond, is a bit conspicuous and doesn't add much.

Finally, Derek and Gwen wrap up by discussing the latest issue of Love and Rockets IV (Fantagraphics). This fourth issue picks up with the various storylines that both Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez have established going back to the previous Love and Rockets annuals. For Jaime, this means continuing the Princess Animus and Isle narratives, as well as giving us glimpses into both Maggie's and Hopey's pasts growing up in Hoppers. And then there's Derek's favorite part of this issue, a two-page focus on Ray that follows up on the events in The Love Bunglers. Gilbert's contributions gives us a brief glimpse into Killer's career choices, but there is also a Pipo storyline where this foundational character tries to come to terms with a relationship she once had in Palomar. In fact, in extended flashbacks, we're taken back to "classic" Palomar and characters we haven't seen for quite a while. But as Derek points out, one of the most striking things about this issue is that we see little of Fritz...and no mention at all of any Fritz imitators. A rarity in recent Love and Rockets issues!

Webcomics: Reviews of The Shaderunners, Binary Star, and Nautilus Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

Time Codes:

00:00:27 - Introduction
00:03:05 - A new year in webcomics!
00:06:36 - The Shaderunners
00:38:16 - Binary Star
01:01:30 - Nautilus
01:24:50 - Wrap up
01:26:12 - Contact us

For their first webcomics episode of 2018, Sean and Derek discuss three fascinating and diverse titles. They begin with The Shaderunners, written by Lin with art by Capp (AKA Anna Assan). This Prohibition era-tinged webcomic concerns a group of rag-tag bohemians who attempt to bring color into their sepia-toned world. While this looks like a narrative set in early twentieth-century America, the storyworld that Capp and Lin create is actually a fantastical one. Next, the guys turn to a science fiction title, Jamie Primack's Binary Star. The protagonist of this story, Zaki, is a bounty hunter out to capture a big payoff, and in the process, ends up growing close to and working with her target. And there's quite a bit of humor. As Derek suggests, Binary Star is reminiscent of Midnight Run, yet set in a sci-fi world. Finally, Sean and Derek wrap up with an already completed webcomic, Jape's Nautilus. In it, the creator, whose real name is JT Trostle, reveals what happened after the passing of his mother and how he managed her affairs in the wake of her death. The mother, Connie, was a hoarder, and the webcomic provides a empathic look at the challenges and frustrations surrounding Connie's behavior and JT's efforts to "clean up" after her.

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