Comics Alternative

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:03:03 - Listener mail! 00:07:29 - Soft City 00:39:12 - The World of Edena 01:18:12 - Wrap up 01:19:09 - Contact us For the November episode in the Euro Comics series, Edward and Derek take a look at two new releases of older titles. They begin with Hariton Pushwagner's Soft City (New York Review Comics). Began in 1969 and completed in 1975, the book was lost for a number of years but then rediscovered in 2002. Since then, the original art from Soft City has been exhibited in the Berlin Biennial for Contemporary Art and the Sydney Biennial, both in 2008. In fact, part of the guys' coverage of the book revolves around the topic of comic art as exhibition. But most of their discussion involves the text's symmetrical construction, its poetic imagery, and its mixed futuristic tone. After that, Edward and Derek turn to a new collected edition work from one of comics' legends. The World of Edena is the first in Dark Horse Book's new Moebius Library, and it brings

Once again, Derek visits his local shop, Valhalla Games and Comics in Plano, TX, to talk with customers and employees about the various titles they're been reading. And he has a large number of people joining him for this month's on-location episode, including the owner of Valhalla, Dave Larson. Derek begins the episode by talking with Dave about the changes he's bringing to the shop and his experiences in gaming retail. But others join in on the discussion soon enough, including the shop manager, Sabrina, one of her associates, Stephanie, and several of Valhalla's regulars, Craig, Matt, and Chris. This month, the topic is open-ended, so the conversation freely flows from one subject matter to another. Along the way they cover the DC's new Young Animal series, the changes wrought by Rebirth, the current state of various Marvel titles, the growing number of superhero-based films and TV shows, the narrative worlds of Matt Kindt and Jeff Lemire, and, for at least one of the interlocutors, the discovery that Luci

Time Codes: 00:24 - Introduction 01:40 - Setup of interview 02:03 - Interview with Matt Phelan 51:30 - Wrap up 52:16 - Contact us Gwen and Andy W. are very pleased to offer up another milestone for the Young Readers edition of The Comics Alternative: their first interview! And they couldn’t have asked for a better person to talk to than Matt Phelan. The Two People with PhDs talk to Matt about his new book from Candlewick, Snow White as well as Matt’s previous books, The Storm in the Barn (2009), Around the World (2011) and Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Keaton (2013). In addition to a great discussion about Matt’s books, you’ll also hear talk on a wide range of interesting topics such as film noir, silent movies, the creative process, and teaser or two about Matt’s upcoming projects. We hope you’ll join us for a great talk with creator Matt Phelan!

Time Codes: 00:00:28 - Introduction 00:02:13 - Listener mail! 00:06:48 - Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me #1 and #2 00:30:55 - Demonic #1, #2, and #3 00:37:02 - Wolfcop #1 00:42:20 - Violent Love #1 00:54:29 - Grand Passion #1 01:04:39 - Goldie Vance, Vol. 1 01:21:07 - Wrap up 01:22:39 - Contact us In the second of their two-episode look into recent crime comics, Andy and Derek turn up some truly incriminating evidence. They begin their investigations with Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me, adapted by Devin Faraci and Vic Malhotra (IDW Publications). The guys spend much of their time comparing this adaptation to the original classic noir novel, yet at the same time they try to focus on the comic on its own terms. Next, they briefly discuss Christopher Sebela and Niko Walter's Demonic (Image Comics), a mashup of both crime and horror, and the first issue of Wolfcop (Dynamite Entertainment). The latter is Max Marks's spinoff of the 2014 movie, and despite (or because of) its over-the-t

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:25 - Setup of interview 00:03:50 - Interview with Luke Healy 01:03:07 - Wrap up 01:03:37 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek talks with Luke Healy. His new book How to Survive in the North comes out in the U.S. this week from Nobrow Press. This isn't the first time that Luke's been on The Comics Alternative. Derek spoke with him briefly while at SPX back in September as part of the on-location series of shows. But now, Luke's back for a more sustained and focused conversation. Over the course of the interview, the two discuss the genesis of How to Survive in the North, the intersections of history and fiction, a cartoonist's responsibilities concerning research and reportage, and the distinctive qualities of both mini- and long-form narration. Derek also asks Luke about his writings for small comics anthologies, including his own efforts with Dog City.

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:50 - Catching up 00:05:38 - Hubris! 00:31:05 - Hobo Lobo of Hamelin 00:56:35 - Checking in with Jim McClain and Paul Schultz 01:08:07 - Runners 01:29:15 - Wrap up 01:30:12 - Contact us On the November webcomics episode, Sean and Derek discuss three vastly different titles. They begin with Greg Cravens's Hubris!, a strip that's been going on since 2010 and revolves around the exploits of a small outdoors business owner. This can best be described as a gag strip, reminiscent of the kind of comics you would read in the newspaper (which makes sense, given Cravens's long history in newspaper comics). The guys point out that this is the first time that they've discussed a gag strip like this on their webcomics series, and perhaps it was a long time in coming. Next, the Two Guys turn to a much more experimental webcomics, Stevan Živadinović's Hobo Lobo of Hamelin. As the title suggests, the story alludes to the legendary German tale of a piper hired by a sma

Time Codes: 00:25 - Introduction 02:50 - Context for the First Second spotlight 05:56 - Brief mention of Mighty Jack 06:56 - Varmints 11:46 - Quirk’s Quest: Into the Outlands 27:52 - Bera the One-Headed Troll 39:18 - The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo 55:44 - Wrap up 57:03 - Contact us Gwen and Andy are back with something different for the Young Readers edition of The Comics Alternative: their very first publisher spotlight on First Second Books. The Two People with PhDs have looked at many First Second books in the past, but this time they’re looking at the publisher’s fall selections. (Since they covered Ben Hatke’s Mighty Jack in their August show, Gwen and Andy give it just a brief mention here, but you should definitely check it out!) They begin with Andy Hirsch’s Varmints, a wild adventure set in the Old West with sister and brother Opie and Ned, searching for the man who shot their ma. If you like Western stories filled with action, action, and more action, this is the book for

  Time Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:02:19 - Update on new Patreon campaign, and new Podcast Patron 00:05:58 - Setup of recent crime comics episode 00:07:15 - Carver: A Paris Story 00:29:33 - Angel City #1 00:43:22 - Moonshine #1 00:59:45 - Triggerman #1 01:10:55 - Peepland #1 01:20:36 - Black Dahlia 01:28:23 - The Fix, Vol. 1 01:46:59 - Wrap up 01:48:21 - Contact us There has been an abundance of crime comics published over the past several months -- see, for example, the Two Guys' earlier discussions of Weird Detective, Control, Kill or Be Killed, Cousin Joseph, Black  Monday Murders, and Sombra -- but recently this number has been almost dizzying. In the first of a two-episode series devoted to current crime comics, Andy and Derek discuss six titles that take the genre into curious directions. They range from the historical (Rick Geary's Black Dahlia), to the formula-bending (Chris Hunt's Carver: A Paris Story and Janet Harvey and Megan Levens's Angel City), to the genre-blend

Time Codes: 00:24 - Introduction 02:21 - Setup of interview 04:03 - Interview with Howard Shapiro 53:00 - Wrap up 54:05 - Contact us On this interview show, Gwen and Derek have the pleasure of talking with Howard Shapiro. The latest book in his Forever Friends Series, Hockey Karma, was just released last week from the Animal Media Group. The two talk with their guest about the series as a whole -- including the two previous graphic novels The Stereotypical Freaks (2013) and The Hockey Saint (2014) -- but specifically focus on the most recent work. Howard discusses the role that music plays in his books, which in many ways goes hand-in-hand with the premise of most of this narratives: hockey. He explains that while Hockey Karma (and The Hockey Saint) is centered on the sport, its themes transcend the ice rink. The Forever Friends Series is all about the struggles of growing up and finding your place, appropriate reading for young readers who will empathize with the books' protagonists.

Just in time for the U.S. elections, Gene and Derek hold a roundtable discussion on political and propaganda comics. Joining them in the conversation are Richard Graham, author of Government Issue: Comics for the People, 1940s-2000s (Abrams ComicArts); Rafael Medoff, co-author (along with Craig Yoe) of Cartoonists against the Holocaust (Clizia Inc.); Kent Worcester, editor of Silent Agitators: Cartoon Art from the Pages of New Politics (New Politics Associates); and Fredrik Strömberg, the writer of Comic Art Propaganda: A Graphic History (St. Martin’s Griffin). The guys talk with their guests about the significance of political cartooning and what drew each of them into this particular avenue of scholarship. Most of their conversation concerns the history of the genre (at least in the United States) as well as the process behind the research. At the same time, they also focus on the current political moment and how, as several of the participants feel, most contemporary political cartoonists haven't really me

Where did October go?! You mean the month is over, and it's already time to look at the November Previews catalog? YES! And as usual the Two Guys with PhDs rise to the occasion, looking through the most interesting solicitations and making the kind of astute observations as only they can do. For example, Andy and Derek notice an unusually large number of Spanish comics making their way into this month's listings. Is this a mere coincidence? Or might this be the kind of ethnic migratory crisis spouted by the likes of Donald J. Trump? Resisting any tendency to go batshit orange, the guys stick to the matter at hand, calmly and methodically going through the November Previews catalog and highlighting upcoming titles from publishers such as Dark Horse Comics - Black Hammer Giant-Sized Annual, Will Eisner: The Centennial Celebration, 1917-2017, and Reefer Madness DC/Vertigo - Kamandi Challenge #1 and Kid Eternity, Book One IDW Publishing/Top Shelf - Box Office Poison: Color Comics #1, Flight of the Raven,

The Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics are happy to announce their revamped and vitamin-packed Patreon campaign! They now offer seven different reward levels that include such goodies as signature Comics Alternative bookmarks, graphic novel giveaways, and cool-looking Comics Alternative t-shirts. This new campaign is a step up for both current patrons and future supporters-to-be. Check out the new video below to learn more, and go to the Two Guys' Patreon page to sign up, support, and get in on the fun!

Derek is back at his local comic shop, Valhalla Games and Comics in Plano, TX, for the October on-location episode. But it is also Halloween ComicFest 2016, adding even more flavor into mix. He is joined by customers of the shop, some of them in costume, to discuss horror comics, Halloween specials, as well as scary movies and games. They spend  much of their time discussing the many free comic-book offerings for this year's Halloween ComicFest. Derek is particularly interested in the special horror manga issues, such as VIZ Media's Tomie and Drawn and Quarterly's Shigeru Mizuki's Kitaro: Strange Fun for Everyone. But there are many other titles that the gang discusses, ranging from holiday-appropriate (e.g., Comix Tribe's Mummy's Always Right, American Mythology's The Three Stooges Halloween Hullabaloo, and the BoooOOOoooM! Box Halloween Haunt 2016) to Halloween-free, such as several offerings from DC and Marvel.

Time Codes: 00:00:58 - Introduction 00:03:22 - Set up of episode 00:07:25 - Hell Baby 00:33:27 - Fragments of Horror 01:08:53 - Lychee Light Club 01:31:52 - Portus 01:48:16 - Black Museum: The Ghost and the Lady, Book 1 02:07:46 - Neo Parasyte F 02:25:55 - Wrap up 02:27:23 - Contact us In celebration of the Halloween season, Shea and Derek devote October's episode to a discussion of horror manga. This month they look at six -- count them, six! -- books, all of which embody the eerie holiday spirit in some way. That makes this a extra-long episode, clocking in at over two and a half hours, the longest manga show the Two Guys have ever produced. They begin with a classic example of horror manga, Hideshi Hino's Hell Baby (Blast Books), and then move on to the medium's most notable practitioner of the genre, Junji Ito and his 2014 collection Fragments of Horror (VIZ Media). They then turn up the creep factor with Usamaru Furuya's Lychee Light Club (Vertical Comics) and Jun Abe's Portus (VIZ M

Time Codes: 00:00:34 - Introduction 00:02:34 - Andy's report on Cartoons Crossroads Columbus 00:15:08 - Setup of this year's Halloween episode 00:17:24 - All-age Halloween anthologies 00:43:38 - Betty Boop #1 and Spell on Wheels #1 00:59:47 - The Lost Boys #1 and American Vampire Anthology #2 01:19:48 - The Double Life of Miranda Turner and Nix Comics Quarterly #9 01:34:22 - Wrap up 01:35:55 - Contact us It's the Wednesday before Halloween, so it's time once again for the Two Guys with PhDs to look at this season's spooky, horror-filled offerings. This year, Andy and Derek discuss 10 individual titles, some of which were specifically published for Halloween 2016 and others with particular themes and release dates that nicely coincide with the holiday. They begin with four all-age anthology titles and then move on to works that, while not specifically intended as Halloween specials, capture the spirit of the season  in one form or another. In total, they discuss: The Simpsons' Treehouse of

Time Codes: 00:24 - Introduction 02:28 - Setup of interview 04:50 - Interview with Mike Howlett 56:56 - Wrap up 57:52 - Contact us Halloween is just around the corner, and what could be scarier than a nest of snakes? Although to hear Mike Howlett tell it, there's nothing at all frightening about the legless reptiles. This was part of the impetus behind Snake Tales, the latest volume in Yoe Books' Chilling Archives of Horror Comics series. In it, Mike curates some of the weirdest, the most ridiculous, and the most ophidiophobia-inducing snake-related tales found in pre-code comics. Derek talks with Mike about the genesis of this project, his love of snakes, his collaboration with noted herpetologist Frank T. Burbrink, and his ongoing work with Craig Yoe and Clizia Gussoni in their never-ending quest to bring pre-code horror sensibilities to the heartland of America.

Time Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:02:49 - Catching up with Paul 00:04:38 - Black Eye No. 3 00:46:40 - Ancestor 01:12:38 - Frontier #13 01:37:37 - Wrap up 01:38:55 - Contact us On this week's review episode, Paul joins Derek to discuss three titles that are certainly out of the ordinary. They begin with Black Eye No. 3, an anthology edited by Ryan Standfest, the publisher of Rotland Press. This is a first for The Comics Alternative in a couple of different ways. It is the first time the Two Guys are reviewing a Rotland Press title, but more significantly, this is the first time they have discussed a crowd-funded book before the campaign's completion. And listeners are strongly encouraged to back this project on Indiegogo. Calling itself "the anthology of humor and despair," Black Eye is a series devoted to short, offbeat comic stories, illustrations, and prose pieces, although in the current (and final) volume there is a noticeable absence of the latter. Both Derek and Paul recognize severa

Time Codes: 00:00:25 - Introduction 00:02:07 - Setup of interview 00:03:03 - Interview with Chris Miskiewicz and Palle Schmidt 01:22:34 - Wrap up 01:23:32 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek talks with Chris Miskiewicz and Palle Schmidt about their miniseries, Thomas Alsop, the second volume of which is being released from BOOM! Studios. In addition to discussing the genesis of and the process behind the title, Derek's guests speculate on the critical and popular response it's received, the long-term potential of the series, and creators' responsibilities in representing 9/11. Palle and Chris also discuss their use of race in America and the ways in which Thomas Alsop is undeniably an historically anchored text.

Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:02:49 - Listener mail 00:07:37 - The Last Halloween 00:38:46 - Urbanity Planet 00:57:39 - Checking in with Jim McClain and Paul Schultz 01:11:46 - Odysseus the Rebel 01:40:27 - Wrap up 01:41:31 - Contact us For the October webcomics episode, Sean and Derek check out three very different webcomics, the first of which highlights the Halloween season. Abby Howard's The Last Halloween is a combination of creepy illustrations and offbeat humor including a monster apocalypse, an ebullient vampire boy, a social media-addicted ghoul, and a grieving father who crossdresses in his dead wife's clothes. The guys enjoy the fun and meandering story, although Derek wonders if the storytelling could be a little more focused in places. Next, they look at Theora Kvitka's first webcomic, Urbanity Planet. This is a relatively new story, beginning in February of this year, so readers can experience the artist's online voice as it develops. It's a series of vignettes centered

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:08 - Setup of interview 00:03:43 - Interview with Luke Howard 01:04:41 - Wrap up 01:06:33 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek has the pleasure of talking with Luke Howard. His new book, Our Mother, was recently released from Retrofit/Big Planet Comics, but he also had another work published earlier this year from AdHouse, Talk Dirty to Me. Derek talks with Luke about both of those titles as well as his comics collected in anthologies such as Irene, Dog City, and Maple Key Comics. Over the coarse of their conversation, Luke shares the personal history that went into Our Mother, his experiences in self-publishing, and the ways in which his training as a filmmaker informs his visual storytelling.