The Comics Alternative

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Episode 104 - Reviews of The Rise of Aurora West, Escapo, and Eyesight Oct 08, 2014

Show notes

This week on The Comics Alternative, the Two Guys with PhDs (who talk about comics) start off with a veritable love-fest of Paul Pope comics. They begin by looking at two recent titles, The Rise of Aurora West (First Second) and Escapo (Z2 Comics). The first, co-written with J.T. Petty and with art by David Rubín, is a follow up to last year's Battling Boy, although it is not a sequel to that earlier narrative, but a prequel. Here we are introduced to the exploits of the daughter, and young apprentice, of the adventuresome Haggard West. We see Aurora's early development, the origins of Acropolis' monster problem, and the full extent of Haggard's crime-fighting acumen. All of this is presented in Rubín's action-soaked black-and-white illustrations that, while distinct from Pope's style, reads as a visual relative to the earlier Battling Boy. Next, Derek and Andy discuss Escapo, stories and art that were originally created between 1996 and 1998 -- early Paul Pope, reminiscent of what you'll find in One Trick Rip-Off + Deep Cuts -- but now is presented in a beautiful hardbound edition in the tradition of the French bande dessinée format. The two stories that make up the core of the book surround the adventures of Vic, a young circus performer who is a modern-day Houdini, able to escape from any trap that is laid out for him, no matter how elaborate. In this way, and much like Aurora West, Vic is an adventure hero. The book includes sketches, other bonus material, and Escapo-related pin-up work from a variety of illustrators. The art is given new life through the efforts of Shay Plummer, whose vibrant colors complement the daredevil tone of Pope's story. The guys then go in an entirely different -- and more humorously disturbing -- direction with a comic that is completely new to them. Eyesight, written by Callum MacKenzie and drawn by Alex Hood, is a self-published minicomic that displays the entire DIY effect. Andy and Derek discuss issues #1-3, and they're not sure if they should laugh out loud, stand in bewilderment, or run away in unmitigated terror. This has to be one of the creepiest comics the guys have read lately. But it's a good kind of creepy, the kind that has you coming back for more...after you've cleaned your britches. And it's definitely a work Derek and Andy think their listeners should run out and get. In fact, you can support the creators by visiting their website, http://eyesightcomix.com, and getting your copy of Eyesight.

On Location - “Why Teach Batman in College?: Comics and Academia” Oct 07, 2014

Show notes

In the second of three podcasts shows recorded at this year’s Wizard World Austin Comic Con, here is a recording of the roundtable discussion held on Saturday evening, “Why Teach Batman in College?: Comics and Academia.” Derek moderated the panel, and joining him on the roundtable were Sam Canon (from the University of Texas at Austin), Aaron Delwiche (Trinity University), Andrew Friedenthal (St. Edward’s University), and Jackson Ayers (Texas A&M University-San Antonio). They began by discussing the crossroads of academia and comics culture — and how their own love of comics has informed, and has been changed by, their work as comics scholars — and then quickly moved into such topics as the role of fandom in comics scholarship, the use of superhero comics in the classroom, comics as a literacy tool, the problems of canon formation, teaching the formal system of comics, the use of comics as cultural markers, comic genres and pedagogy, and approaching history and politics through comics. The panelists covered a broad range of topics, and the audience chimed in with questions and commentary that helped guide the discussions.

On Location - Talking with Creators at Wizard World Austin Comic Con Oct 06, 2014

Show notes

This past weekend Derek headed to the Wizard World Austin Comic Con, and there he was able to interview several creators and publishers populating the con’s Artist Alley. His guests included Brandon Seifert, the writer of Witch Doctor; Peyton Freeman and Brett Williams, the creators of the new comic The Box; Jason “Java” Croft, the publisher of Bachelor Pad Magazine; Dan Parent, renowned artist at Archie Comics; Austin and Adam Tinius, the creative force behind Bogus Books; Jamie Kinosian, author of the webcomic Gods in New York; Russ Manning Award winner Kevin Maguire; the general manager of Zenescope, Jennifer Bermel; and Jason Bienven, the creator behind the successful Kickstarter campaign, The Kingdom. These are fun and informative interviews, the kind of thing one hopes for when attending a con.

Episode 103 - The October Previews Catalog Oct 01, 2014

Show notes

It’s the first of the month, and that means it’s time for the Two Guys with PhDs to look through the month’s Previews catalog. There are a number of things that catch their attention from the October solicits…that is, if they can actually see the catalog. Derek wasn’t able to get a copy of Previews in time for the podcast recording (his copy from DSBS was in the mail), so he had to rely on the uninformative order form found on the PREVIEWSWorld website. But Andy, who does have a copy, helps him by describing the visuals. Together they highlight upcoming releases from Dark Horse (Oink: Heaven’s Butcher) DC/Vertigo (Wolf Moon #1, North 40, and the final issue of Unwritten), IDW (Garbage Pail Kids Comic Book Puke-Tacular #1 and Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn), Image Comics (Bitch Planet #1 and Graveyard Shift #1), Marvel (Miracleman Annual #1), Alternative Comics (Labyrinthectomy/Luncheonette), BOOM!! Studios (Abigail and the Snowman #1), Dynamite (Shaft #1), Fantagraphics (Vapor, Run Like Crazy Run Like Hell, and Ofelia), First Second (The Sculptor), and Top Shelf (Strong Female Protagonist). So go grab your copy of the October Previews — unlike Derek — pour yourself a favorite beverage, and cuddle up with the Two Guys as they shepherd you through the wonderful world of comics solicits!

Episode 102 - Reviews of Doctors, Annihilator #1, and Stumptown: The Case of the Jack of Clubs #1 Sep 24, 2014

Show notes

This week, Derek and Andy W. discuss three just-released (or soon-to-be-released) titles. First, they look at Dash Shaw's new book, Doctors (Fantagraphics). They begin by comparing it to some of Shaw's other recent work, specifically last year's New School and the miniseries Cosplayers, especially in his unique use of colors. At times the color patterns are clearly a part of the story, contributing to the meaning-making that is going on, but at other times they are used more subtly and with less apparent intentions. But what fascinates the Two Guys the most is the very premise of Doctors. It's a narrative that raises some profound questions, and it's one that might even work well in other media, such as adapted for television. Next, the guys discuss the new series from Grant Morrison and Frazier Irving, Annihilator (Legendary). In this first issue, the creators set up an intriguing premise that is pure Morrison: a story concerning a writer, where his reality and his creation ultimately collide. In Annihilator you'll find black holes, drug-addled reality, orgies, and bad haircuts, and all cinematically illustrated by Irving. Finally, Andy and Derek look at the latest installment in Greg Rucka's Stumptown series, subtitled The Case of the Jack of Clubs (Oni Press). This follows the previous two volumes -- Stumptown and Stumptown: The Case of the Baby in the Velvet Case -- which were illustrated by Matthew Southworth. This time around, Rucka is working with Justin Greenwood, and the effect is quite different. Greenwood's is a brighter, less gritty style of art, and it lends itself well to the many soccer scenes that make up this first issue. In fact, the guys are uncertain about the large amount of page space devoted to the story's setup, largely revolving around soccer, and wonder if perhaps the exposition is a bit too much. Nonetheless, they trust Greg Rucka as a writer and look forward to big payoff in this third volume of his Stumptown series.

Special - A Roundtable Discussion on Jewish Comics Sep 22, 2014

Show notes

On this special episode of The Comics Alternative, and just in time for Rosh Hashanah, Derek pulls together a variety of comics scholars for a lively roundtable discussion of Jewish comics. Joining him on the panel are Danny Fingeroth (author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero and Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Society), Steven E. Tabachnick (author of The Quest for Jewish Belief and Identity in the Graphic Novel and editor of Teaching the Graphic Novel), Harry Brod (author of Superman Is Jewish?: How Comic Book Superheroes Came to Serve Truth, Justice, and The Jewish-American Way), and Steven M. Bergson (editor of The Jewish Comix Anthology). The conversation begins with a series of questions to help define "Jewish comics" -- What makes a comic "Jewish"? What exactly is Jewish content? Does the ethnic background of the creator matter? Can a non-Jew write a Jewish comic? -- the answers to which are mostly left open-ended. They also spend a lot of time discussing the history of comics, in the United States and elsewhere, and how Jews contributed greatly to the medium. Among the many topics they cover are superheroes and Jews, immigrant narratives, trauma and the Holocaust, comics and religion, adapting the Hebrew Bible, and tales of assimilation. They even come up with a sample syllabus or "wish list" of comic-book series and graphic novels that could be used in a class specifically devoted to Jewish comics.

Interviews - Gilbert Hernandez Sep 19, 2014

Show notes

On this episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews, Derek and Andy are honored to have as their guest one of their all-time comics heroes, Gilbert Hernandez. They begin the conversation by asking Gilbert about his two new books, Bumperhead (Drawn and Quarterly) and Loverboys (Dark Horse), and then discuss with him his work on Love and Rockets, his Fritz b-movie books, and the sheer volume of his recent output. Much of the conversation, at least in terms of Bumperhead, centers on the more autobiographical side of Gilbert's recent comics, presented most notably in last year's Marble Season. And given their focus on the artist's own life, of course they discuss 1970s rock -- "the Eagles suck" -- the role of punk, and impulsive teenage hormones. The Two Guys are also curious about the place of Loverboy in Gilbert's body of work, asking him if it is a de facto Fritz story -- the character, Mrs. Paz, bears the most distinguishing Luba family trait -- and even a return, of sorts, to the world he created with his Palomar comics. Along the way, they discuss Gilbert's more experimental side (for which he won a 2014 Eisner Award), his penchant for being graphically explicit in terms of sex and violence -- "I don't think of myself as a do-gooder cartoonist. I'm not trying to carry the flag of do-gooderness" -- and, of course, his work with his brothers, Jaime and Mario, on the legendary Love and Rockets series. In fact, during their conversation, Gilbert reveals big news about the future Love and Rockets, something that he hasn't even yet discussed with Fantagraphics, giving The Comics Alternative a scoop that both excites them and catches them completely by surprise. You have to listen to the interview to find out what it is!

Episode 101 - Reviews of Shoplifter, Sugar Skull, and The Names #1 Sep 17, 2014

Show notes

On this week's regular episode, Andy and Derek discuss three new titles. They begin with Shoplifter (Pantheon), the first graphic novel from artist Michael Cho. Among the book's many strengths, the guys highlight Cho's art, the book's monochromatic palette, Cho's narrative pacing, and his characterization. Andy is especially struck by Cho's representation of the advertising world -- having once worked briefly in that field, he can empathize -- and Derek finds the book's greatest strength lying in its handing of social media and interpersonal communications. While there is a danger that the story may veer into the territory of cliched romanticization -- its protagonist, Corinna, wants to get away from it all to become a novelist -- Cho never ultimately takes that direction, making this an impressive debut. Next, the Two Guys look at another new book from Pantheon, Charles Burns's Sugar Skull. This is the third and final work in his recent trilogy, following X'ed Out (2010) and The Hive (2012). On top of Burns's usual brand of surreal storytelling, Sugar Skull can be a challenge for readers who aren't familiar with both of the two previous books, or who have forgotten what's going on in the earlier installments. Andy, for instance, never read The Hive, and the Two Guys compare their reading experiences based on their previous knowledge of Burns's dreamlike narratives. They compare Sugar Skull, and the trilogy as a whole, to Black Hole, the work that Burns is perhaps best known for. Finally, the guys look at the first of a new eight-issue series from Peter Milligan and Leandro Fernandez, The Names (Vertigo). Both are big fans of Milligan's work, and they aren't disappointed in what they read. This is an engaging mystery set in the cut-throat culture of Wall Street, and the creators do a great job of setting up their premise without giving too much away, naturally drawing readers to the next installments. One of the things Derek and Andy love about this first issue is how Milligan establishes so many strategically placed narrative gaps. For example, who is the Dark Loop, who never make an appearance? And what's the deal with the series' title? What does "The Names" refer to? These are the kinds of questions generated by a good first issue, and the guys are anxious to see how this new Vertigo miniseries pans out.

Episode 100.2 - Talking with Creators at the Small Press Expo Sep 15, 2014

Show notes

Andy W. heads to this year's Small Press Expo, and there he talks with fifteen different creators about their work, their upcoming projects, and their experiences at the expo. In this special episode, you'll hear brief interviews with James Kochalka, Box Brown, Ellen Linder, Michael DeForge, Renee French, Ed Piskor, Jason Shiga, Nate Powell, Gregory Robison, Evan Dahm, Rachel Dukes, Luke Howard, B. M. Prager, Lucy Bellwood, Noah Van Sciver. There are a lot of fun nuggets packed into this show, so enjoy SPX vicariously through the interview prowess of Andy.

Episode 100.1 - On Location at Collected Comics in Plano Sep 12, 2014

Show notes

Derek is back at his local shop, Collected Comics and Games in Plano, TX, for a fun talk with customers and employees. For September, regulars on the on-location shows said that they wanted to discuss fantasy comics. And although some of those fantasy fans weren't in attendance this month, everyone there -- Shea, Nick, and Craig -- nonetheless tried to highlight that theme. At least Derek did, bringing up titles such as Rat Queens, Cerebus, Saga, and Zenescope's Grim Fairy Tales. The problem was that many of those present weren't familiar with or even liked many of these titles, so the talk on those comics was rather truncated. Still, there was a lot to discuss this month, and the conversation ranged from recent new releases to erotic comics to the television series The Strain. At one point, Derek and Shea go off on a tangent about plot, almost turning the discussion into a mini-course on narrative theory. But the discussion always comes back to comics, and there was plenty of that to take them through the episode.

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