The Comics Alternative

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On Location - Talking with Creators at the Dallas Comic Con Fan Days Event Feb 09, 2015

Show notes

In this on-location episode, Derek is at the Dallas Comic Con for this year’s “Fan Days” event, which was held at the Irving Convention Center. There he was able to talk with several creators, including Joe Eisma (of Morning Glories fame), Michael Lark (Lazarus, The Scene of the Crime), Elizabeth Breitweiser (Fatale, The Fade Out, Outcast) and Mitch Breitweiser (Captain America, Immortal Iron Fist), Nick Pitarra (Manhattan Projects), and Cal Slayton (Shades of Blue, Digital Webbing Presents). This was a smaller event than other Dallas Comic Cons, and there was a smaller Artists’ Alley than they’ve had in the past. But what the con lacked in artist numbers, the creators definitely made up for in fun and substantive conversation.

Interviews - Jim Rugg Feb 06, 2015

Show notes

Andy and Derek are happy to have on the podcast the multifaceted Jim Rugg, whose new printing of Street Angel (created with Brian Maruca) was just released by AdHouse. The guys talk with Jim about the significance of the new printing -- a colorful discussion -- as well as the book's protagonist Jesse Sanchez, an "orphan of the streets and skateboarding daughter of justice" who "fights a never ending battle against the forces of evil, nepotism, ninjas, and hunger." The artist discusses the title's early days at Slave Labor Graphics as a serial and its final issue as the launching pad for another Rugg/Maruca creation, Alan "Afrodisiac" Driesler, the mysterious, irresistible, smooth dark chocolate brother of the streets who fights to protect his turf and his ladies. And of course, it's inevitable that the guys get into a discussion of 1970s culture and comics, including kung fu, TV cop shows, blaxploitation films, and Big Jim action figures. Derek and Andy also talk with Jim about his work on other titles, including Supermag (AdHouse), The Plain Janes (DC/Minx), and his art for titles as diverse as The Guild, Adventure Time, and Henry and Glenn Forever and Ever. It's a fun conversation, one with as much savvy and street smarts as the characters who populate Jim's stories.

Episode 121 - The February Previews Catalog Feb 04, 2015

Show notes

Welcome to February, faithful listeners! And just as day follows night, every new month brings another opportunity for the Two Guys with PhDs (Talking about Comics) to discuss the latest solicits in the Previews catalog. As you might expect, Andy and Derek find a lot to discuss in the new Previews, highlighting upcoming titles from premiere publishers, smaller presses, and a few outlets you may not have even heard of. For example, they discuss future releases from Dark Horse Comics (Brian Wood and Andrea Mutti's Rebels, Gilbert Hernandez's Grip: The Strange World of Men, and the latest volume of Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamasaki's The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service), DC/Vertigo (their latest anthology, Vertigo Quarterly: SFX #1), IDW Publishing (the second volume in their new Corto Maltese reprint series, as well as IDW's new Disney comics initiative), Image Comics (new series such as Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod's Kaptara, Alexi De Campi and Carla Speed McNeil's No Mercy, and Kurtis J. Wieebe and Johnnie Christmas's Pisces), AdHouse (Sophie Goldstein's The Oven), Alternative Comics (Sam Alden's Haunted, Steve Aylett's Johnny Viable and his Friends, and a new edition of Rich Tommaso's Clover Honey), Amulet Books (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, Vol. 5: The Underground Abductor), Bergen Street Press (Michel Fiffe's Copra: Round Two), BOOM! Studios/Archaia (James Tynion IV, Noahh J. Yuenkel, and Matt Fox's Ufology #1 as well as the first collected volume of Lumberjanes), Drawn and Quarterly (the latest volume in Seth's Palookaville, Tadao Tsuge's Trash Market, and Jillian Tamaki's Supermutant Magic Academy), Fantagraphics Books (Vaughn Bodē's Cheech Wizard's Big Book of Me, Robert Goodin's The Kurdles, and Bill Schelly's new biography, Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created Mad and Revolutionized Humor in America), Goff Books (Johnny Lau's World Water Wars), Microcosm Publishing (Lisa Wilde's Snake Pit Gets Old: Daily Diary Comics 2010-2012), Oni Press (Zander Cannon's Kaijumax #1), SelfMadeHero (Julie Birmant's Pablo and Ilya's Room for Love), Top Shelf Productions (Keith Knight's Knight Takes Queen and a reprint of Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story), and Viz Media's new deluxe edition of Junji Ito's Gyo. As is the case with every Previews episode, there's a lot packed into this week's show -- so get listening, get excited, and get reading!

Webcomics - Reviews of Back, The Only Living Boy, and When I Am King Feb 02, 2015

Show notes

It's new month, so that means it's time for another episode of The Comics Alternative Webcomics. For February Derek and Andy W. discuss two current ongoing webcomics and one completed title. First, they look at K. C. Green and Anthony Clark's Back, a western/fantasy story about the end of the world, or as the website describes it, "Not post apocalyptic, just the end of it all." This is a relatively new webcomic -- with only a short prologue and what appears to be the completed first chapter -- so the guys are really getting in on the ground floor with this one. They discuss the cartoony or iconic art style, which adds to the all-age flavor of the story, while at the same time commenting on the weighty philosophical themes the authors seem to be juggling: fate, destiny, and free will. There is also a lot of action and humor that will resonate with readers young and old. The only downside to this title -- if you want to call it a "downside" -- is that it's only updated once a week, every Wednesday, and this is such an fun read that the guys are bummed that they have to wait once a week for the next installment. Next, they look at The Only Living Boy, a adventurous dystopian fantasy from creators David Gallaher and Steve Ellis (and through their studio, Bottled Lightning). This is described as a young adult title, although Andy observes that this is the kind of story he would associate more with younger readers, and that it doesn't really fit in the "Young Adult" section that he's used to in his library. Nonetheless, The Only Boy is a title that can be appreciated by readers of all age, and having started a little over two years ago, there is enough material for anyone to get into Gallaher and Ellis's evolving narrative world. There are three chapters, or three issues, of the comic so far, and the webcomic is updated three times a week. Both Derek and Andy enjoy this title, but at the same time they comment on the haphazardness of the plotting -- at least at times it appears that way -- and the awkward navigability of the comic's archival pages. Finally, they look at Demian 5's When I Am King, an early webcomic that was created between October 1999 and July 2001. Even though this is an older title, the Two Guys comment on how current or up-to-date it appears, easily standing alongside -- and even possibly outshining -- many of the webcomics written today. The story is relatively simple, but it's the way that Damian 5 tells the tale that makes it so compelling. The creator definitely utilizes the "infinite canvas" of the web page, and there are many places where the reader has to scroll up, down, and to the sides in order to get all of the narrative. This kind of interactiveness makes this "simple" story even more engaging, and this, along with the variation of art styles and occasional animation, make When I Am King a classic in the webcomics medium.

Interviews - Steve Bryant Jan 30, 2015

Show notes

On this latest episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews, Derek talks with Steve Bryant, the creator of Athena Voltaire. His latest collection, Athena Voltaire Compendium, was just released from Dark Horse Books and Sequential Pulp Comics. They begin their conversation by discussing the evolution of Athena Voltaire, how it began as a collaborative webcomic, eventually finding its way into a brief print run (via Speakeasy Comics and Ape Entertainment), turning into a successful Kickstarter campaign, ultimately resulting in a nice hardbound collection of five stories. Derek asks Steve about the ideas behind the character of Athena Voltaire, and he learns that not only did Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark serve as part of the titles’s inspiration, but so did Dave Steven’s Rocketeer as well as a broader, deep love for 1930s/1940s era pulp fiction. Steve shares the process behind the creation of the new Compendium, his passion for world building, work on the promised followup Athena Voltaire and the Volcano Goddess, and his desires to turn Athena Voltaire into more extensive ongoing series. If you love adventure and if you love pulp, this is a collection — and an interview — you don’t want to miss!

Episode 120 - Reviews of Vapor, Feathers #1, and The Dying and the Dead #1 Jan 28, 2015

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Derek and Andy W. review three new titles guaranteed to make you hyperventilate with excitement...so breathe deep and take in the good, comicy vapors. And speaking of which, they begin by discussing the new book by Spanish creator Max, Vapor (Fantagraphics). They start with a brief context on Max, whose past books include The Extended Dream of Mr. D. and Bardin the Superrealist. His latest work is just as surreal and dreamlike as the earlier ones, and the guys have a good time exploring the possible meanings embedded in the narrative. Next they turn to the new miniseries written and drawn by Jorge Corona, Feathers (Archaia/BOOM! Studios). In this inaugural issue we have a perfect mix of setup, teaser, and substantive storytelling. Andy and Derek focus on the detailed groundwork that Corona lays out in his story, one that is clearly intended for an all-age readership. Finally, the guys turn their attention to the latest creator-owned property from the ever-prolific Jonathan Hickman, The Dying and the Dead #1 (Image). On this title he reunites with Ryan Bodenheim -- whose early collaborations include A Red Mass for Mars and Secret -- and works with colorist Michael Garland. In fact, the guys spend a lot of time discussing Garland's use of color, which adds significantly to the art and especially to Hickman's storytelling. As with Corona's Feathers, this is definitely a series Derek and Andy plan to continue with, and when you throw in Vapor, you have this week's trifecta of Comics Alternative goodness.

Interviews - Ian Edginton Jan 26, 2015

Show notes

For this episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews, Derek and Andy W. talk with Ian Edginton, the creator (along with D'Israeli) behind the recently re-released Kingdom of the Wicked (Titan Comics). The guys talk with Ian about the contexts surrounding this new edition of the book, his working relationship with D'Israeli (AKA Matt Brooker), and the various changes that the Titan edition brings. They go on to ask Ian about his penchant for world building, clearly evident in Kingdom of the Wicked, but even more prominent in two of his most recent projects, the Vertigo series Hinterkind (along with Francesco Trifogli) and his 2000 AD saga with I.N.J. Culbard, Brass Sun. Ian also discusses the story behind his adaptation of H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds, and his original "sequels" to that classic, Scarlet Traces and The Great Game; his Sherlock Holmes adaptations with I.N.J. Culbard; and his work on a variety of other titles including Doctor Who, Judge Dredd, and Terminator. There's a lot packed into this interview, and the guys find Ian an extremely kind and forthcoming guest.

Interviews - Miss Lasko-Gross Jan 23, 2015

Show notes

On this episode of their interview show, Derek and Andy are happy to have as they guest Miss Lasko-Gross, whose new book, Henni (Z2 Comics), has been getting a lot of press. They begin by asking her about all of the attention her graphic novel is receiving, especially in light of the recent Charlie Hebdo tragedy. She tells the guys that while the message of her book is rather timely, she wrote it as a broader, more allegorical narrative, one that addresses intolerance and oppression in a variety of forms. As Miss points out, our culture and those of others are unfortunately never in short supply of narrow-mindedness, a condition for which Henni can be an going reminder. The guys also ask her about her creative process, the narrative catalyst of drawing, and the role of scripting in her longer-form comics. Her art-driven style gives Henni a more deliberate, measured pacing, allowing the narrative more time to breathe. Andy and Derek also ask her about her earlier semi-autobiographical books, Escape from "Special" and A Mess of Everything, and how those narratives may relate to what she's doing in her latest graphic novel. The guys ask Miss about her strategies in writing the auto-bio books and what kind of reactions she has received from her fan base. Yet while Escape and Mess may share some links to her new book -- both Melissa in the auto-bio books and Henni are curious, questioning young women on a journey -- they are nonetheless two distinct projects. While the earlier books were attempts to represent her own life story, Henni is the first of a trilogy of books centered around a fantastic, pre-industrial land populated by anthropomorphic feline characters. Miss may eventually return to her autobiographical writing -- although that's not certain -- but she's definitely deep into and committed to Henni's story. So we can expect more well-crafted comics from Miss in the coming years.

Episode 119 - Reviews of Harvey Kurtzman’s Jungle Book, Generous Bosom, Part One, and Lady Killer #1 Jan 21, 2015

Show notes

This week the Two Guys discuss three very different new titles. First, they look at Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book, another collaboration between Dark Horse Books and Kitchen Sink Books (an earlier such publication, The Best of Comix Book, was discussed last may). What's more, this is the first volume in the publishers' new Essential Kurtzman library. Andy and Derek begin by mentioning that neither of them had read Jungle Book before, although it has been on both of their radars, so they come to this volume as new contemporary readers. And that's one of the first things the guys discuss: the datedness of the stories. Originally published in 1959, Jungle Book comprises four shorter pieces, and in about all of them Kurtzman has embedded cultural references specific to the times. This is not necessarily an obstacle to enjoying the text, but both Derek and Andy appreciated this volume more as a cultural and historical artifact than they did a cohesive work of comics art. Kurtzman's original stories are accompanied by short supplemental material by the likes of Gilbert Shelton, Art Spiegelman, Peter Poplaski, Robert Crumb, and Denis Kitchen. Indeed, it is latter's essay that provides the necessary context, and the guys note that Kitchen's contribution is one of the highlights of this volume. Next they return to a creator that they discussed last summer, Conor Stechschulte, and his new book, Generous Bosom, Part One (Breakdown Press). This is a fascinating title that, while the first installment of a multipart narrative, easily stands on its own. Derek and Andy comment on the apparent raciness of comic, but they quickly point out that this is a much more sophisticated story than the title would suggest. The book has its share of sexual references (explicit at times), but it is a complex narrative that takes unexpected turns. Most impressive is Stechschulte's method of storytelling and the ways he uses his art to establish the interlocking narrative levels. Finally, the guys discuss Joëlle Jones and Jamie S. Rich's Lady Killer #1, the first in a five-part miniseries. What drew them to this title is Jones's art, which they really enjoyed when they discussed Helheim back in 2013. Now Jones has turned to scripting, on which she collaborates with Rich, and this first issue does a good job of establishing the miniseries' premise: a 1950s/60s hitwoman masquerading as an innocuous housewife. But while the story is interesting, it is Jones's art that really captures the guys' interest. Although they may wait for the trade in reading the rest of the story -- they have some issues with the first issue's pacing -- this is nonetheless a title worth checking out.

Interviews - Brian K. Vaughan Jan 19, 2015

Show notes

The guys are pleased to have on their podcast the great Brian K. Vaughan. And for this conversation, Derek and Andy K. are joined by Andy Wolverton, who actually secured this interview for the show through his library connections. The guys begin by asking Brian about his thematic ambitions in Saga, and the discussion evolves from there. Over the course of their conversation, they ask their guest about the origins of the award-winning series, his melding of the sci-fi and fantasy genres, the challenges of juggling more than one ongoing title at a time, the stories behind the artists he chooses to work with, the pay-what-you-will philosophy behind The Private Eye, the future of Panel Syndicate, his loyal (and enthusiastic) fan base, the ever-evolving nature of comic conventions, and (as much as Brian can reveal) his new series that were recently announced at the Image Expo. Along the way they discuss not only his current titles, but also Brian's ever-popular Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Swamp Thing, The Runaways, and The Pride of Baghdad. This is an exciting interview for the guys, and it's a sign of the many great guests they will have on The Comics Alternative in the coming year.

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