The Comics Alternative

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Episode 156 - The October Previews Catalog Oct 07, 2015

Show notes

Welcome to October! And to celebrate the occasion, Andy and Derek do what they do at the beginning of every month: look through the current Previews catalog! And for October, the selections are plentiful and exciting. The guys find a number of upcoming titles from the premier publishers, but there are also many coming out from smaller presses, some of which the guys discuss for the very first time. Among the many upcoming releases they discuss on this month’s Previews show are titles from Dark Horse, Vertigo, Image, IDW, Fantagraphics, Alternative Comics, Creature, Dover Publications, Comicmix, Locust Moon Press, Humanoids, BOOM! Studios, and Viz Media. Also on this episode: Derek encourages everyone to support Salgood Sam’s Patreon campaign, Andy discusses his current situation moisture, the guys express and enthusiastic “Thank you!” to Box and Jared at Big Planet/Retrofit Comics, and Andy shares his deep and abiding love for steampunk comics.

Episode 155 - International Podcast Day 2015 Sep 30, 2015

Show notes

Today, September 30, is International Podcast Day! To celebrate the occasion the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics get together with some of the other cohosts of the show, Gwen Tarbox, Andy Wolverton, and Gene Kannenberg, Jr., to talk about podcasts and podcasting. As such, they don’t necessarily focus on comics podcasts — although podcasts about comics comes up often during the discussion — but instead, they share their insights and experiences concerning a wide variety of podcasts. For example, everybody begins by recounting the first podcasts they ever listened to, or what brought them to the medium. They also discuss how they discern podcasts in terms of topic, content, hosting, and sound quality. And of course, each shares the various podcasts she or he currently listens to on a regular or semi-regular basis…and how and when they listen to them. They even discuss their work on The Comics Alternative and how their experiences as podcasters have affected the way they listen to (and critique) other podcasts. But overall, everyone has a great time getting together — the first time more than three cohosts appear on the same show! — and talking about a medium that has increasingly become a part of their lives. So sit back, fire up that listening device of choice, and enjoy the fun that is The Comics Alternative celebrating International Podcast Day.

Manga - Reviews of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Omnibus 1 and One-Punch Man, Vols. 1 and 2 Sep 29, 2015

Show notes

For the September episode of the manga series, Shea and Derek discuss two very different titles, although both heavily invested in popular genres. They begin with Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki's The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Ominibus 1 (Dark Horse Books), a different take on both horror and detective narratives. Although the English-language releases of this title began in 2006, Dark Horse has just this month published the first of the omnibus editions, one that collects the first three volumes of the series. The guys begin by describing the premise as a cross between supernatural horror and Scooby-Doo, where you have a bunch of young investigators, each with a particular set of skills informing their unique form of "detecting." (Derek also compares Otsuka's storylines to The Rockford Files, another series featuring an unlikely investigator constantly down on his luck.) Both enjoy the title well enough, although Shea is less impressed than is Derek, feeling that the routine becomes formulaic rather quickly and that the individual characters are never fully realized, at least in the segments featured in this initial omnibus edition. Next, the Two Guys turn to the first two volumes of One-Punch Man, a satiric series by the pseudonymous One with art by Yusuke Murata (VIZ Media). This began as a webcomic by One in 2009, but then Murata helped to remake the series a few years later, and VIZ Media's recent release of volumes 1 and 2 are the first print versions in English (although originally serialized in the digital Weekly Shonen Jump magazine). Both of the guys love One and Murata's humorous spin on the superhero and shonen formulas, although Derek wonders if the premise may soon wear thin (an inverse of what the guys felt about Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service). However, it is Murata's art that solidly captures the guys' attention. As a result, both Shea and Derek are interested in seeing how this series develops, especially if it continues to bring the keen genre-deconstructing insights found in the first two volumes.

Interviews - Dean Mullaney Sep 28, 2015

Show notes

On this episode of the interview series, Andy and Derek are happy to have as their guest Dean Mullaney, the editor of IDW’s the Library of American Comics and the EuroComics series. His most recent book, The King of the Comics: One Hundred Years of King Features Syndicate will be coming out next month, just in time for the world-famous syndicate’s centennial. Dean talks with the Two Guys about the process of gathering strips, his experiences digging through library archives, the importance of working with collectors and enthusiasts, and the challenges of culling the most representative selections for each of his volumes. His new King Features project is no exception, and in fact, Dean describes it as one of his most ambitious, and satisfying, collections to date. Coming in at over 300 pages, the book covers the entire history of the syndicate, even touching upon the early days of William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers. Derek and Andy also talk with Dean about a couple of his other recent works, Bravo for Adventure, Alex Toth’s magnum opus that has been collected in book form for the first time, and the second release in EuroComics’ definitive English-language editions of Hugo Pratt’s landmark series, Corto Maltese: Beyond the Windy Isles. Both speak to Mullaney’s passion for classic comics as well as his expertise as an editor/curator. Along the way, the guys also discuss Dean’s award-winning Genius Alex Toth series, the edited Terry and the Pirates volumes, and his seminal work at Eclipse Comics. This is a must-listen episode for anyone interested in comics strips, comics history, and comics preservation.

On Location - Talking with Creators at SPX 2015, Pt. 3 Sep 26, 2015

Show notes

And here it is, the third (and final) of the three on-location shows of interviews Derek and Andy W. conducted while at last weekend's Small Press Expo. At the event, the Two Guys spoke with a number of creators attending SPX, interviewing each for anywhere from 5 to around 20 minutes. In some cases, the guys are quite familiar with the artist's works (and may even have reviewed their comics on past episodes). At other times, Andy or Derek may not know the work of the creator, but use the interview opportunity to learn more about the artist. In this episode, you will hear conversations with Amy Godfrey & Patrick Holt, Will Dinski, R. Sikoryak, Jay Hosler, Nick Bertozzi, Jason Little, Simon Rinehardt, and Mickey Zacchilli. The exhibition hall of SPX 2015 was packed, and, as a result, the din of the crowd was at times difficult to talk over. But the Two Guys addressed the sound challenges as best they could. Sometimes they talked with the creators at their tables, and at other times -- such as the interviews with R. Sikoryak, Nick Bertozzi, and Jason Little -- they were able to find a space away from the exhibition floor where the sound was less chaotic. The first two segments of the guys' on-location interview shows from SPX went up on Thursday and on Friday. And be sure to check out Derek's much longer conversation with Bill Griffith that was released separately.

On Location - Talking with Creators at SPX 2015, Pt. 2 Sep 25, 2015

Show notes

This is the second of three on-location interview shows based on Derek and Andy W.’s attendance at last weekend’s Small Press Expo. At the event, the Two Guys took the opportunity to talk with several creators exhibiting at SPX, interviewing each for anywhere from 5 to around 20 minutes. In some cases, the guys are quite familiar with the artist’s works (and may even have reviewed their comics on past episodes). At other times, Andy or Derek may not know the work of the creator, but use the interview opportunity to learn more about the artist. In this episode, you will hear conversations with Dakota McFadzean, Andy Warner, Jonathan Baylis, Amelia Onorato, Sam Spina, Keith Knight, Gregory Benton, and Dean Haspiel. The exhibition hall of SPX 2015 was packed, and, as a result, the din of the crowd was at times difficult to talk over. But the Two Guys addressed the sound challenges as best they could. Sometimes they talked with the creators at their tables, and at other times — such as the interviews with Gregory Benton and Dean Haspiel — they were able to find a space off the floor where the sound was less chaotic. The final on-location interview episode will be released on Saturday. The first was published yesterday. And be sure to check out Derek’s much longer conversation with Bill Griffith that was released separately.

On Location - Talking with Creators at SPX 2015, Pt. 1 Sep 24, 2015

Show notes

Last weekend, Andy W. and Derek attended Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD. While there, they were able to interview a variety of creators about their recent releases, their larger body of work, and any future projects they may be working on. The result was an impressive collection of interviews -- 28 in all -- each of which lasted from anywhere between 5 minutes to over 20 minutes. The guys have now edited these conversations and are presenting them in a series of three on-location interview episodes conducted at SPX. In this first installment, Derek and Andy talk with Derf Backderf, Theora Kvitka, Ethan Riley, Miss Lasko-Gross, Stuart & Kathryn Immonen, Jennifer Jordan & Sophie Goldstein, Gina Wynbrandt, Julian Hanshaw, Kristen Gudsnuk, Rune Ryberg, Ben Towle, Cole Closser, and Meags Fitzgerald. The exhibition hall of SPX was packed, and, as a result, the din of the crowd was at times difficult to talk over. But the Two Guys persevered, despite the sound challenges. Sometimes they talked with the creators at their tables, and at other times -- such as the interviews with Cole Closser and Meages Fitzgerald -- they were able to find a space outside of the hall that demonstrated less auditory chaos. Two other episodes of on-location interviews will be released on Friday and Saturday. Derek's much longer conversation with Bill Griffith was released separately. But for now, enjoy the smooth, creamy, indie goodness of today's installment.

Episode 154 - SPX 2015 and the Ignatz Awards Sep 23, 2015

Show notes

This week's episode of the podcast is special, and in a number of ways. First, Derek and Andy W. record the show "live" from a common location and not from a distance via Skype. Also, they discuss their experiences at this year's Small Press Expo, which took place September 19-20. Most importantly, though, this episode is notable for its focus on the 2015 Ignatz Awards, the first time that the Two Guys have discussed this industry recognition in any in-depth manner. In fact, almost the entire episode is devoted to the Ignatz nominees, a substantial number of texts, and as a result, this show goes longer than usual. And they break up recording the show over a two-day period: the first third after day one of SPX (and before the Ignatz winners have been announced), and the final segment after the event has ended. Andy and Derek begin by sharing some of their experiences at SPX, including the people they met, the creators they talked with, the small press publishers who attended, and the general demographics of the crowd (this was a con that definitely skewed young). Then they go into a rundown of all the 2015 Ignatz Award nominees, discussing the nine different categories and briefly highlighting the five nominees under each. There are some categories, such as "Outstanding Anthology or Collection," that the guys find a little problematic. Both Andy and Derek feel that a collection by a single artist and an anthology comprising a variety are completely different beasts and, as such, shouldn't be clumped together in this manner. There are others, including "Promising New Talent" and "Outstanding Comic," that would benefit by clearer context. (For example, what exactly defines a "new talent," and how might an "outstanding comic" be distinguished from an "outstanding graphic novel"?) In the final segments of the episode -- the last 2/3 that was recorded after that final day of SPX -- Derek and Andy go into detail about many of the titles nominated for an Ignatz. They list the winners of each category, which were made public on Saturday night of the con, and provide a few observations. The Ignatz Awards winners are chosen by popular vote, anyone who attends the event can cast a ballot, so the Two Guys with PhDs take some of the results with a sizable grain of salt. For example, they're surprised by the fact that neither Noah Van Sciver and Ethan Riley (both highly accomplished and nominated multiple times) received anything. Or that Drawn and Quarterly: 25 Years of Contemporary Cartooning, Comics, and Graphic Novels was shut out. Or how Sophia Foster-Dimino came out as she did. Still, one of the most notable takeaways from this year's ceremony is the fact that women completely swept the awards, so this is definitely a year of significance. After a brief discussion of the winners, Andy and Derek get into a detailed analysis of may of the nominated titles, especially focusing on those works they've not yet discussed on previous episodes. These include Ed Luce's Wuvable Oaf (Fantagraphics), Jillian Tamaki's SuperMutant Magic Academy (Drawn and Quarterly) and "Sex Coven" (from Frontier #7, published by Youth in Decline), M. Dean's K.M. & R.P. & MCMLXXI (1971), Walter Scott's Wendy (Koyama Press), Gina Wyndbrandt's Big Pussy (2D Cloud), Jason Little's Borb (Uncivilized Books), John Porcellino's King Cat #75, and Georgia Webber's Dumb series. There are so many great titles to cover, and as a result, the show goes longer than the guys anticipated. But that's OK. SPX and the Ignatz Awards only come once a year, so why not take advantage of this celebrated occasion?

Interviews - Bill Griffith Sep 22, 2015

Show notes

While at this year's Small Press Expo, Derek had the opportunity to talk with the great Bill Griffith, whose new book from Fantagraphics, Invisible Ink: My Mother's Secret Love Affair with a Famous Cartoonist, debuted at the event and will soon be available in stores everywhere. As the subtitle suggests, this is a different kind of book for Griffith, a radical departure from his syndicated Zippy strip. Not only is it a deeply personal and moving memoir, but it's his first long-form work in comics. It is a narrative of his mother's sixteen-year love affair with a prolific and recognizable cartoonist of the of the 1950s and 1960s. But even more than that, it's Bill's own story about the discover of his mother's hidden secret -- he learned about the affair in 1972, right after the death of his father -- and his ongoing attempts to undercover the details and understand the dynamics of a family life now long behind him. Indeed, Invisible Ink can be read as a detective narrative, with its autobiographic protagonist visiting aged relatives, investigating long-forgotten documents, and putting together the pieces of his parents' lives that may never render a complete picture. Perhaps most notable, Invisible Ink is a book about family and memory. Time itself stands as a central focus of the text, with Griffith juxtaposing past and present events in a very fluid and psychologically revealing manner. Dreams and fantasies become tangible. Reminiscences define current reality. In all, it is a narrative that is Faulknerian in scope. In his interview with Derek, Griffith discusses the circumstances surrounding Invisible Ink and the history of its gestation. But the conversation doesn't end with the new book. The two also discuss Bill's time in underground comix, his world-famous Zippy the Pinhead, the unlikely backstory of Zippy's syndication with King Features, and the eventual winding down of the strip's current Dingburg run (which began in 2007). Equal parts history, insights, and laughter, Derek's interview with Bill Griffith was perhaps the highlight of his time at SPX 2015. Yow!

Young Readers - Reviews of Baba Yaga’s Assistant and Sunny Side Up Sep 18, 2015

Show notes

The Comics Alternative is happy to feature a brand new monthly series, this one devoted to comics and graphic novels for young readers. The cohosts for this show are Gwen Tarbox and Andy Wolverton. Longtime listeners of the podcast will know that Andy is an old hand at cohosting duties, filling in for Andy Kunka occasionally and, up until recently, being the cohost on the monthly webcomics series. (In fact, Andy left the webcomics show so that he could pursue this new idea.) Gwen is a professor of children's and young adult narrative, especially as it applies to comics. This is her first time cohosting a podcast, and everyone at The Comics Alternative is excited about having her on the team. Now, every month Gwen and Andy will look at two recent comics written for a young audience, one for teenage or young adult readers and another title devoted to younger children. For their inaugural episode of Two PhDs Talking About Comics for Young Readers, discuss recent developments in comics for children and teenagers, and they reference Raising a Reader! How Comics and Graphic Novels Can Help Your Kids Love To Read! This resource, written by Dr. Meryl Jaffe and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier and Matthew Holm, provides parents and educators with advice on how to share comics with children. (A shorter version of this text is available on the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s website.) Gwen and Andy also talk about connecting kids with comics, beginning with an exploration of recommended comics lists put out by the Eisner Awards committee and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). For the last few years, the Eisner Awards have included categories for early readers, kids, and teens, and YALSA, a part of the American Library Association, publishes lists of recommended graphic novels for middle grade and high school readers. During the review section of the program, Andy and Gwen discuss Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCool and Emily Carroll (Candlewick Press). Both are impressed by the depiction of Masha, a young woman who comes to terms with changes in her family life and learns to stand up for herself by matching wits with Baba Yaga, a character who walks off of the pages of Slavic folklore and into Masha’s life. Gwen and Andy discuss the text’s effective use of flashbacks and embedded narratives, and praise Carroll’s use of color to evoke mood and to signal shifts between past and present. Next, they talk about the semi-autobiographical graphic novel Sunny Side Up (Graphix), written by Jennifer Holm and with art by Matthew Holm, the sister/brother team behind such popular children’s comics series as Babymouse and Squish. Noting that Sunny Side Up contains much to interest both adult and child readers, they focus on the way that the Holms capture many features of life in the 1970s while telling a story with contemporary relevance about the impact of substance abuse on a close-knit family. Although the text deals with serious subject matter, the Holms employ a gentle humor and a relatable child protagonist who, like Masha in Baba Yaga’s Assistant, learns to confront her fears and to turn a summer long visit with her grandfather into a journey of discovery. Parents will enjoy the many references to 1970s popular culture, and kids will learn about the transformative power of comics in the lives of Sunny and her friend Buzz. All in all, both Gwen and Andy bring their rich experiences -- she as an instructor and he as a librarian -- into their analyses, and this first show is just a small taste of many insights and recommendations to come. This is a must-listen podcast series for every teacher, librarian, parent, and reader of comics intended for younger audiences.

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