The Comics Alternative

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Interviews - Jules Feiffer Nov 11, 2014

Show notes

On this Veteran’s Day, the Two Guys salute one of the most talented, and certainly the most satirical, men to serve in the U.S. military: Jules Feiffer. They talk with him about his latest book, and his first graphic novel, Kill My Mother (Liveright), and about his decision to write within the noir/crime genre. Derek and Andy are particularly curious about the artist’s interest in classic film noir, his handling of fast and smart dialogue, and his use of a cinematic technique to tell his story. They spend a good deal of time asking Feiffer about the evolution of the narrative and the ways his characters unfolded during the creative process. Kill My Mother is set in the 1930s and early 1940s, and Feiffer reveals to the guys — and much to their surprise — that this is just the first in a planned trilogy of stories. The next book, Cousin Joseph, will be a prequel to the recent graphic novel, and then the third will take place during the McCarthy era and deal with the blacklist. Along the way they discuss Tantrum — a “novel-in-pictures,” not a “graphic novel” — the impetus behind the classic The Great Comic Book Heroes, his experiences writing for film and the theater, and his relationship with Will Eisner and his time on The Spirit. This is a great interview, and Andy and Derek are grateful for the time that Jules gave to them. Plus, they’re excited because this is the first time they’ve ever had a Pulitzer Prize winner and and Academy Award winner on the show!

Episode 108 - The November Previews Catalog Nov 05, 2014

Show notes

It’s the beginning of the month, and that means it’s time once again for the Two Guys with PhDs to delve into the latest Previews catalog. For November, there are a lot of interesting solicitations, more than the guys had expected for titles being released in the aftermath of the holidays. Some of the great upcoming comics they highlight include Murder Book, Demo, and Tex: The Lonesome Rider (Dark Horse); Effigy #1, Fables: The Wolf among Us #1, and Ocean/Orbiter Deluxe Edition (DC/Vertigo); The Squidder, and Imaginary Drugs (IDW Publishing); Casanova: Acedia #1, The Dying and the Dead #1, Criminal Special Edition One-Shot, and Big Hard Sex Criminals (Image Comics); Star Wars #1 and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 (Marvel); Pirate Eye: Exiled from Exile #1 and Princeless: The Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment); Museum of Mistakes: The Fart Party Collection (Atomic Book Company); Fungus: The Unbearable Rot of Being (Big Planet Comics); the five new King Features titles from Dynamite Entertainment; First Year Healthy (Drawn and Quarterly); five Thunderbirds volumes from Egmont UK; Spawn of Mars and Other Stories, Foolbert Funnies: Histories and Other Fictions, and Treasury of Mini Comics Vol. 2 (Fantagraphics); Fatherland: A Family History (Liveright); March Book Two (Top Shelf Productions); and Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter (Udon Entertainment). Plus, Derek and Andy recommend a few titles in the “Books” section of the catalog, such as Bart Beaty’s Twelve-Cent Archie, Andrew Hoberek’s Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peters Comics, and Sarah Lightman’s edited collection, Graphic Details: Jewish Women’s Confessional Comics. There’s a lot packed into this episode of solicits and recommendations, so listen carefully and take notes!

Interviews - Jim Balent and Holly Golightly Nov 03, 2014

Show notes

On this episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews, Derek has a post-Halloween conversation with the creators behind BroadSword Comics, Jim Balent and Holly Golightly. They talk about their unique collaborative relationship — both personally and professionally — and their various creative endeavors over the years. More specifically, Derek asks them about their upcoming new Kickstarter campaign, “Crossover,” which will bring together the worlds of Jim’s Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose and Holly’s School Bites. In the corse of the conversation, the two artists share the story behind their strong work ethnic, Jim’s time illustrating Catwoman and its links to the character Tarot, the ins and outs of running a small press, Holly’s history with music celebrities (and 1980s pop culture), their many experiences with their dedicated fan base, the challenges of creating a webcomic, the impact of Holly’s social media savvy, and a few of the negative reactions they’ve received from social conservatives. They wrap up their talk with Holly dubbing The Comics Alternative a smart and sexy podcast…perhaps one of the best compliments that the Two Guys have ever received. Much thanks, Holly!

Special - Halloween Comics 2014 Oct 30, 2014

Show notes

You’ll definitely find treats, and not tricks, on this special episode of The Comics Alternative. Derek and Gene take their annual look at the various comics being releases specifically for Halloween or published to coincide with the season. They begin with what is probably their favorite of the lot — at least Derek’s favorite — Richard Corben’s new book, Edgar Allan Poe’s Spirits of the Dead (Dark Horse). They point out that while this is an October release, the majority of the stories collected in this volume originally appeared as either single issues or in Dark Horse Presents over the past two years. This is yet another series of Poe adaptation from the great Corben, following his early work for Eerie and Creepy — and most recently collected in Creepy Presents Richard Corben — and Marvel’s Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe. (For more about Corben’s work on Poe, specifically commentary on the adaptations found in the new book, check out Derek’s recent interview with the artist.) Next the Two Guys turn to a new, fun book from Zac Gorman, Costume Quest: Invasion of the Candy Snatchers (Oni Press). This is based on the popular roleplaying game, Costume Quest with which neither Gene and Derek are familiar. But that doesn’t stop them from enjoying this all-age comic. Then they look at a series single issues, beginning with another game-based title, Ian Edginton and Alex Sanchez’s The Evil Within #1 (Titan Comics), and one of DC’s free releases for this year’s Halloween ComicFest, Scooby-Doo Team Up Special Edition (written by Sholly Fisch and art by Dario Brizuela). After that they discuss one of the most exciting new titles of the season, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #1 (Archie Comics). The guys feel that this will surely follow the popular and critical success of last year’s Afterlife with Archie, and it has the potential of even surpassing it. Next, they look at the first issue of Ty Thomas Kuckman, Trevor Luckman, and Dave Mim’s All Hallows’ Eve (215 Ink), Donny Cates and Daniel Warren Johnson’s Ghost Fleet #1 (Dark Horse), and Alan Robert’s Killjoy: Special Halloween One-Shot (IDW Publishing). Finally, they wrap up with a survey of Zenescope’s holiday offerings: Grimm Fairy Tales 2014 Halloween Special, Zombies vs. Cheerleaders Halloween Special, and Hollywood Zombie Apocalypse #1. As the guys reveal, it’s a mixed back with Zenescope, but if you’re looking for a little cheesecake thrown in with your cheesy horror, these titles might be for you. Whatever your tastes, you’re certain to find some good comics reading this Halloween season!

Episode 107 - A Publisher Spotlight on SelfMadeHero Oct 29, 2014

Show notes

Andy and Derek are back with another special Publisher Spotlight episode of the podcast, and this time they turn their gaze to SelfMadeHero. The guys have reviewed a variety of SelfMadeHero books in the past, but this week they decided to devote an entire episode to the publisher’s fall releases. They begin with Jörg Tittel and John Aggs’s Ricky Rouse Has a Gun, a satiric look at copyright and corporate ownership, especially as it relates to Chinese appropriation of Western icons. At least, that’s what the Two Guys assumed the book would be about. Although this premise is teased out in the setup, they read Ricky Rouse more like a Die Hard shoot-em-up set in an amusement park. Next, they turn to Rob Davis’s Motherless Oven, a coming-of-age narrative set in a world that is both familiar yet fantastic. The book’s protagonist, Scarper Lee, attempts to come to terms with his deathday (as opposed to his birthday), with the help of rebellious school companions. Think of The Wall and Quadrophenia with a bit of sci-fi mixed in. The guys also discuss two new graphic novel adaptations from the publisher, Victor Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs (written and adapted by David Hine, with art by Mark Stafford) and H. P. Lovecraft’s The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (adapted and illustrated by I. N. J. Culbard). The Man Who Laughs is truly outstanding, and it’s one of the guys’ favorites of the week. Hine does a great job of distilling the main story from Hugo’s sprawling novel, and Stafford’s illustrations help bring out the grotesque, and tragic, qualities of the narrative. Culbard, known for his work in horror — and especially for his recent adaptations of Lovecraft’s fiction — is in prime form with Dream-Quest, adapting the story in ways that retain its dream-like tone. Sense and coherency in the narrative is always, and intentionally, just out of reach. Derek and Andy then discuss two other new books from SelfMadeHero, both of them second volumes or parts of earlier stories. In Aama 2: The Invisible Throng, Frederik Peeters continues the story of Verloc Nim, his brother Conrad, and their robot ape companion, Churchill, in their quest on the desert planet Ona(ji). (The first volume was reviewed on Episode 77 back in April.) And in Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part Two: 1953-1984, historian Jean-Pierre Filiu and David B. pick up from their earlier graphic history, published in 2012, and cover events that take place between the Six-Day War and the bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The guys pack a lot into this Publisher Spotlight episode, demonstrating the impressive variety of books coming out from one of their favorite publishers.

On Location - Halloween ComicFest 2014 Oct 27, 2014

Show notes

For this year’s Halloween ComicFest, Derek is at his local shop, Collected in Plano, TX, to talk with customers, employees, and guests about the kind of Halloween and comics-related stuff going on this year. They discuss the kind of free comics being given out this year — such as reprints of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Afterlife with Archie, Rachel Rising, and Marvel’s Secret Wars (which has nothing to do with Halloween or anything horror-related) — and the kind of costumes that everyone was wearing for the event. Derek also manages to talk with artist Jefferson Muncy and professional cosplayer Krystle Starr about the work that they do and what they’re bringing to the event. Among the highlights are strong recommendations for Terry Moore’s Rachel Rising series, a primer on the art scene in Dallas, a strange and disturbing story concerning a B-list (really, more of a C- or D-list) celebrity at last weekend’s Dallas Comic Con, and Derek’s futile attempt to find someone who actually watched the first episode of NBC’s Constantine. All in all, everyone had a good time at the event…and Derek got his share of free Halloween ComicFest comics!

Episode 106 - Reviews of Skandalon, Meteor Men, and Punks: The Comic #1 Oct 22, 2014

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Derek and Andy discuss three new titles that range from the profound to the insane. They begin with the new book from Julie Maroh, Skandalon (Arsenal Pulp Press). It’s the story of a French rock star, Tazane, with international appeal and the power to move a vast legion of fans. The book is thesis driven, with Maroh exploring the dynamics, and the costs, of modern celebrity status and its affects on both the personal and collective psyche. Neither of the guys have yet read Maroh’s first graphic novel — and the one for which she’s best known — Blue Is the Warmest Color, but after digesting Skandalon they feel that their appreciation of the work may be enhanced, or at least contextualized, by the earlier book. Next, the Two Guys with PhDs move on the new work from Jeff Parker and Sandy Jarrell, Meteor Men (Oni Press). While at first they were skeptical of the potential formulaic nature of the narrative — aliens coming to Earth and the resulting aftermath — they’re fascinated by the ways in which Parker complicates conventions to make the story unique. They’re particularly struck by the book’s teenage protagonist, Alden, the complexities of his character, and the circumstances surrounding his link to the extraterrestrials. While the guys disagree as to extents of Parker and Jarrell’s deviation from the genre — Andy feels that the governmental/military response to the aliens is nuanced, while Derek thinks that it’s more predictable and even heavy-handed — they both conclude that Meteor Men presents a different perspective on a popular formula. This is no E.T. Finally, the guys wrap up with what both feel is the highlight of the week, the first issue of Joshua Hale Fialkov and Kody Chamberlain’s Punks: The Comic (Image Comics). This has to be one of the most whacked out comics they’re read in a long time, rivaling the craziness and no-holds-barred fun of Ryan Browne’s God Hates Astronauts and Evan Dorkin’s Milk and Cheese. In this first issue of the new ongoing series, we get two short stories — the funniest being the lead off, “Firsts” — a portion of an earlier, self-published Punks comic, and a three-page fun-and-activities section, complete with a card game called Nutpuncher. Andy and Derek laugh their way through the final part of the podcast, and they eagerly look forward to following the future exploits of Dog, Skull, Fist, and Abraham Lincoln. Also, the Two Guys welcome a new Podcast Patron, Tom Mathews, who believes The Comics Alternative does for comics what Sound Opinions does for music. You can’t get much better praise than that!

On Location - Discussing Horror Comics at Collected Comics and Games in Plano Oct 17, 2014

Show notes

It’s time for another visit to Derek’s local comics shop, Collected Comics and Games in Plano, TX, for an on-location podcast with customers and employees. This being the month of Halloween, the crew is talking about horror comics. The shop’s manager, Freddy Riuz, is BIG fan of the genre, so he helps to lead the talk on horror comics (and movies) in discerning ways. Joining in are customers Craig, Nick, Garrett, and Shea. Among the titles they discuss are Spread, Wytches, Nailbiter, Caliban, Ghosted, Through the Woods, George Romero’s Empire of the Dead, and of course, The Walking Dead. Don’t get spooked out. Just sit back and enjoy the terrifying talk from not-quite-so-undead fans.

Episode 105 - Reviews of Henry & Glenn Forever & Ever, Masterful Marks, and Wytches #1 Oct 15, 2014

Show notes

On this week’s episode of the podcast, Andy and Derek explore the worlds of hardcore cohabitation, biographical brilliance, and wood witches. They begin with Henry & Glenn Forever & Ever, the new collection from Tom Neely and friends (Microcosm Publishing). This follows Neely’s original minicomic Henry & Glenn Forever and collects the four-issue miniseries published between 2013 and 2014. For those unfamiliar, this is a situational satire of metal rockers Henry Rollings and Glenn Danzig, working from the premise of their love for one another and placing their relationship in a variety of different sitcom-like scenarios. Tom Neely created the original, and more narratively substantive, stories of Henry and Glenn, but he has many of his artist friends — such as Mark Randolph, Ed Luce, Johnny Ryan, and Noah Van Sciver — contribute short pieces as well. Some stories are better than others, but the Two Guys conclude that the book as a whole is hilariously fun. Next, Derek and Andy turn to Masterful Marks: Cartoonists Who Changed the World, a collection of graphic biographies edited by Monte Beauchamp (Simon and Schuster). In fact, they spend a good chunk of this week’s show talking about this book…and there is a lot to discuss. It’s composed of sixteen short comics that present the lives of such luminaries as Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Jack Kirby, Winsor McCay, Charles Schulz, Walt Disney, Osamu Tezuka, Chas Addams, Dr. Seuss, and Hergé. These biographies are written and drawn by impressive creators in their own rights, such as Nora Krug, Arnold Roth, Frank Stack, and Denis Kitchen. The guys discuss most of these biographies, but they particularly highlight two of their favorites: Peter Kuper’s take on Harvey Kurtzman and Drew Friedman’s look at Robert Crumb. In fact, the latter is not so much a biography of the legendary artist as much as it is a story of Friedman’s experiences and relationship with Crumb. Much like Kuper’s, this is more than a straight-out biography. It’s a personal and even self-reflexive narrative. Finally, the Two Guys get all excited about the new series from Scott Snyder and Jock, Wytches (Image Comics). They point out that while this could have easily been a Vertigo title, Snyder is apparently wanting to try his indie chops over at Image with a new ongoing series. And he and Jock have started off impressively! What makes the first issue of Wytches so engaging is its elaborate setup and its emersion in the everyday. Both Andy and Derek mention how the world that Snyder sets up reminds them of their own childhoods and the kind of creepy wooded areas that fueled their own imaginations. They’re both on board with this new title, and they hope — they expect — it to be another in Image’s growing line of perennials, following the likes of The Walking Dead, Saga, and Manhattan Projects.

On Location - “Comics Podcasting and Blogging” Panel Oct 13, 2014

Show notes

In the third of three podcasts shows recorded at this year’s Wizard World Austin Comic Con, here is a recording of the panel “Comics Podcasting and Blogging,” one organized by Derek and John Mayo of The Comic Book Page podcast. Joining them was Cole Houston of The Rantcor Pit: The JCU Star Wars Podcast and the Hey Kids, Comics! podcast. This discussion was devoted to the ins and outs of podcasting and blogging about comics and comic culture: how to get started, how to sustain content, how to address challenges, and how to ensure for future success. Each participant comes to comics podcasting from different perspectives — John is an old hat at this and has been podcasting since 2007, Cole juggles multiple podcasts, and (of course) The Comics Alternative looks specifically at alternative, indie, and non-superhero titles — and each shared advice, suggestions, and hard-won experience. There were a number of questions from the audience, and these were primarily about the basics of getting a podcast going and what to actually discuss on your show. They covered a lot of ground during the panel, chock-full with info. This is the kind of episode that should inspire future podcasters!

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