Comics Alternative

Hurricane Matthew hit the U.S. Southeast coast last week, and as a result, many communities were flooded and without power. Andy was one of those affected by the storm, being without electricity and water for several days. As a result, he was unable to take part in this week's episode, what was planned as the first of a two-part series on recent crime comics. (Those shows have now been rescheduled for November.) In his place is Shea Hennum, the cohost of the monthly manga series. He joins Derek for a back-and-forth on a variety of comics-related topics. Because this was a last-minute change in the guys' schedule, they didn't have time to prepare for a regular review show, so the conversation is free-flowing and casual. Along the way, Derek and Shea discuss some of the self-published comics creators have sent them, Shea's work for the AV Club, their experiences with various publishers, some of the memorable interviews they've conducted, selecting books for review purposes, and some of the comics they've recent

Time Codes: 00:24 - Introduction 02:14 - Setup of interview 02:57 - Interview with Box Brown 53:28 - Wrap up 54:53 - Contact us On this episode of the interview series Derek talks with Box Brown, whose new book Tetris: The Games People Play has just been released from First Second. As the two discuss, this is a detailed history of the famous video game and the cultural, business, and political contexts swirling around the program's creation. Box shares his experiences and fascination with the game, explaining the genesis of the project and the research that went into it. Whereas his previous First Second book, Andrea the Giant, focused on one figure, the new work synthesizes the lives of everyone involved in the creation of Tetris including its designer Alexy Pajitnov as well as the many key players at Nintendo, Mirrorsoft, Andromeda Software, Atari, Bulletproof Software, and Elorg, the government bureau tasked with overseeing the profits and negotiations surrounding any computer products coming ou

Time Codes: 00:27 - Introduction 02:41 - Checking in and updates 04:06 - I Am Legion 31:38 - Tyler Cross: Black Rock 53:56 - Wrap up 55:04 - Contact us For the October Euro Comics episode, Edward and Derek look at two works written by Fabien Nury. They begin with I Am Legion, recently out from Humanoids and featuring the art of John Cassaday. The story takes place in 1942, and the Nazis are experimenting with a force that could spell the quick end of the war. But this isn't just any military operation. It's one infused with vampiric lore. The guys explore this supernatural, gothic take on the Second World War, discussing along the way the faint presence of the Holocaust as well as the continued fertile ground of Nazi Germany as a narrative bedrock for European albums. Next, they look at another work by Nury, this one illustrated by Brüno. Tyler Cross: Black Rock was originally published by Dargaud in 2013 but offered last year digitally in an English translation from Europe Comics. In terms of o

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:49 - Setup of interview 00:03:54 - Interview with Ethan Young 01:15:31 - Wrap up 01:16:54 - Contact us Derek and Andy W. have the pleasure of talking with Ethan Young, whose latest work has just been released from from Dark Horse Books. The Battles of Bridget Lee: Invasion of Farfall is tale set in a future world where humans fight an alien race called Marauders, creatures bent on extermination so as to colonize and populate for their own survival. The guys ask Ethan about the genesis of his Mulan-inspired hero, Bridget Lee, and his plans for taking her into further adventures. (Invasion of Farfall reads like the beginning of an action-packed adventure series.) They also take the opportunity to discuss Ethan's notable work from last year, Nanjing: The Burning City, and his long-running webcomic Tails that wrapped up last year.

Time Codes: 00:24 - Introduction 02:12 - Setup of interview 03:50 - Interview with Jason Shiga 58:26 - Wrap up 59:54 - Contact us For this interview episode, Paul and Derek have the pleasure of talking with Jason Shiga. The first volume in his Demon series comes out this week from First Second, and the cartoonist goes into a lot of detail about the efforts that eventually led to this publication. As listeners of the podcast well know -- since Demon was first discussed on the show back in December 2014 -- the title began as a webcomic, with Jason self-publishing individual issues in pamphlet form as the story progressed. This endeavor eventually caught the attention of First Second, and now we have the first in a four-volume paperback series. The guys spend most of their time discussing the unique premise of Demon, a fast-paced adventure that questions our foundations of morality, and artist's continued use of his protagonist Jimmy Yee. This is a character that readers might recognize from earlier w

It's the first week of October, the beginning of the month, so that must mean that it's time once again for Andy and Derek to look through the latest Previews catalog. However, before they delve into the current solicits they take a few moments to thank two new Patreon supporters and welcome them to the noble ranks of Comics Alternative patrons. Then, after a few comments about the upcoming Comics Crossroads Columbus, the Two Guys get  into the meat of the episode. Among the many upcoming titles they highlight from the October Previews catalog are from publishers such as Dark Horse Comics - Dead Inside #1, Moby Dick, and The EC Archives: Valor DC/Vertigo - Hellblazer, Vol. 15: Highwater and Unfollow Vol. 2: God Is Watching IDW Publishing/Top Shelf - Locke and Key: Small World, Love Is Love, Gumboils #1, and Jay Disbrow’s Monster Invasion Image Comics - Motor Crush #1, Beowulf, and Scooter Girl Alternative Comics - Dad’s Weekend and Reich #3 Big Planet/Retrofit Comics - Our Mother BOOM! Studios - 

Time Codes: 0:00:24 - Introduction 0:02:23 - Setup of interview 0:03:30 - Interview with Sarah Glidden 1:06:53 - Wrap up 1:08:11 - Contact us On this interview episode, Andy and Derek are pleased to have Sarah Glidden as their guest. Her new book, Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, comes out this week from Drawn and Quarterly, and the guys talk with Sarah about this work as well as her previous book, How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, a new edition of which has also been recently released. They begin by asking Sarah about the differences between, as well as the confluence of, memoir and journalism in her comics, and that speculative tone discussion sets the stage for the rest of the interview. The author goes into detail when sharing her philosophy of writing, and she provides a thorough history surrounding the context of the Rolling Blackouts and its differences from her earlier work.

Time Codes: 00:27 - Introduction 03:22 - Context for listeners 06:02 - The controversy surrounding Ghosts 30:26 - The Backstagers #1 40:12 - Show White 59:04 - Wrap up 59:28 - Contact us This episode of the Young Readers show begins with a special feature: Andy and Gwen return to a comic that they reviewed for the August YR show, Raina Telgemeier’s Ghosts. They present a revised review of that comic, based upon a number of issues that have been raised in the last month by scholars and librarians regarding cultural appropriation and Telgemeier’s status as an outsider writing about the California missions and about the Dia de los Muertos celebrations that are a common feature of Mexican and Mexican American cultural life. Although the two PhDs typically try to avoid spoilers in their reviews, in this case, they mention specific events in the comic, so if you would like to wait until you have read Ghosts to listen to this segment, know that it occurs between the time codes 6:02 and 30:26. As pa

In celebration of International Podcast Day 2016, Derek participates in a roundtable discussion with fellow comics podcasters, including John Siuntres of Word Balloon, Chris Marshall of Collected Comics Library, and John Mayo of Comic Books Page. The four of them talk extensively about their experiences in podcasting, the challenges of working with publishers and creators within the industry, their particular niche interests in comics podcasting, how their shows have evolved over the years, and their "wish lists" for growing as a podcast. Not only do the guys discuss the many facets of podcasting specifically about comics, they also share insights about podcasting as a social media platform. Find out more about International Podcast Day and how you can help promote podcasting worldwide. And be sure to share your thoughts on social media using #PodcastDay.

Time Codes: 00:00:28 - Introduction 00:03:51 - Queen Emeraldas, Vol. 1 00:32:13 - Otherworld Barbara, Vol. 1 01:04:54 - Wrap up 01:07:00 - Contact us It's the end of the month, so that must mean it's time for Shea and Derek to look at another round of manga. For September, they discuss two recent releases, the first of which is Leiji Matsumoto's Queen Emeraldas, Vol. 1 (Kodansha Comics). Originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine between 1978 and 1979, this is a science fiction adventure with two protagonists. Hiroshi Umino is a fearless earth boy wants to make his own way in life, and the titular character is a mysterious and much-feared figure who sees in Hiroshi a kindred spirit. Matsumoto is known for these kind of space operas, and the guys aren't entirely sure why more of his manga hasn't yet been translated into English (although Americans may be more familiar with Matsumoto's work in anime). Next, Shea and Derek look at the first of a two-volume collection, Otherworld Barbara. This i

Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:02:50 - Listener mail 00:09:42 - Comics Alternative news 00:21:20 - The Lost Work of Will Eisner 01:05:07 - Libby's Dad 01:18:31 - Blubber #3 01:37:13 - Wrap up 01:39:14 - Contact us This week on The Comics Alternative, Andy and Derek discuss three new titles that are quite different in tone. They begin with The Lost Work of Will Eisner, a collection of Eisner's earliest known professional comics. This began as a Kickstarter campaign last year from Locust Moon Press, and just last week the book went on sale to the general public. The collection is made up of two serial strips, the pantomime gag comic Uncle Otto and the espionage adventure Harry Karry. While they do talk about the former, it's Harry Karry that interests the guys more. They spend a lot of time discussing some of the problems of that action-packed strip -- e.g., its racist caricatures and its abrupt shift in narrative direction and art style -- and how it can be read as a testing ground for

Time Codes: 00:24 - Introduction 02:25 - Setup of interview 03:32 - Interview with Andy Hirsch 48:38 - Wrap up 49:43 - Contact us The Two Guys with PhDs (Talking about Comics) are happy to have Andy Hirsch as their guest. Actually, Andy has been on the podcast a number of times before, but usually for short interviews at on-location events. But now, for the first time, Andy Hirsch sits down with Derek and Andy for a sustained episode-long conversation. Most of their discussion centers on Andy's brand new book, Varmints, just out from First Second. Andy shares the genesis of the premise and how he first began mapping out his characters in a series of self-published minicomics. The guys also talk about the all-age focus of Varmints and how a publisher like First Second is the perfect platform to reach a broader audience. But they also discuss Andy's other works, such as the recently-completed Baker Street Peculiars (co-created with Roger Langdridge), his work on Garfield, and even his earlier miniseri

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:10 - Set up of episode 00:03:31 - Interview with Theora Kvitka 00:07:264 - Interview with Sophie Goldstein 00:16:21 - Interview with Melanie Gillman 00:23:14 - Interview with Carolyn Nowak 00:28:28 - Interview with Zack Soto 00:37:11 - Interview with Jarod Roselló 00:42:58 - Interview with Kevin Budnik 00:50:57 - Interview with Andrea Tsurumi 01:01:21 - Interview with Julia Gfrörer 01:09:11 - Interview with Joshua W. Cotter 01:16:08 - Wrap up 01:16:57 - Contact us In this final episode of the on-location interviews conducted at Small Press Expo last weekend, Derek talks with Theora Kvitka, Sophie Goldstein, Melanie Gillman, Carolyn Nowak, Zack Soto, Jarod Roselló, Kevin Budnik, Andrea Tsurumi, Julia Gfrörer, and Joshua W. Cotter. Much thanks to everyone who was a part of these SPX episodes, the creators as well as the publishers, and who made all of these recordings possible!

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:25 - Set up of episode 00:03:36 - Interview with Jessica Campbell 00:18:04 - Interview with Molly Ostertag 00:23:19 - Interview with Pranas T. Naujokaitis 00:33:59 - Interview with Luke Healy 00:41:54 - Interview with Kel McDonald 00:47:51 - Interview with Dakota McFadzean 00:55:23 - Interview with C. Spike Trotman 01:02:21 - Interview with Cheese Hasselberger 01:06:21 - Interview with Keiler Roberts 01:12:54 - Wrap up 01:13:38 - Contact us In this second in a three-episode series of on-location interviews conducted at Small Press Expo this past weekend, Derek talks with Jessica Campbell, Molly Ostertag, Pranas Naujokaitis, Luke Healy, Kel McDonald, Dakota McFadzean, C. Spike Trotman, Cheese Hasselburger, and Keiler Roberts.

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:12 - Set up of episode 00:03:54 - Interview with John Martz 00:17:55 - Interview with Jay Hosler 00:24:38 - Interview with Blue Delliquanti 00:34:13 - Interview with Ulises Fariñas and Storme Smith 00:36:13 - Interview with Ted Stearn 00:59:16 - Interview with Emma Glaze 01:01:07 - Interview with Daryl Seitchik 01:13:08 - Interview with Sean O'Neill 01:16:29 - Wrap up 01:17:10 - Contact us This past weekend, Andy W. and Derek attended Small Press Expo in North Bethesda, MD. While there, the Two Guys interviewed a variety of creators about their recent releases and their upcoming projects. In all, Derek and Andy were able to conduct 27 different interviews, each of which lasted from anywhere between 2 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 John Martz, Jay Hosler, Blue

Last weekend was the Small Press Expo held in Bethesda, MD, and a big part of that event was the recognition of the 2016 Ignatz Award nominees. So for this week's episode, Gwen and Derek discuss the many and diverse titles populating that list, looking for trends and making observations about this year's selections. The nominees in all nine categories, announced last month, were chosen by a five-member jury, and then attendees voted on their favorites during the first day of the event. Gwen starts things going by asking Derek about his experiences at SPX, and then the two plunge into the heart of the discussion. They do not run down the entire list of nominees in an organized manner, beginning with one category and then moving on to the next, but their exchange is more free-flowing and associational, taking up titles as they come up in the conversation. In this way, Gwen and Derek are able to cover about all of the nominees and draw insightful connections among many of the texts. They notice, for example, tha

Last week at Small Press Expo, Derek had the opportunity to sit down with Carol Tyler for a one-on-one interview. Her book from last year, Soldier's Heart: The Campaign to Understand My WWII Veteran Father: A Daughter's Memoir (Fantagraphics) was up for a 2016 Ignatz Award in the "Outstanding Graphic Novel" category. Derek talked with Carol about the book's nomination and about the impact her memoir has had on her own life since its publication. They spend a good deal of time talking about the current state of veteran's affairs, the debilitating effects of PTSD, and how Soldier's Heart both has and hasn't resonated within the veteran's community. Carol also discusses the current projects she has underway, including a follow up (sort of) to her father's story and a project documenting the days leading up to her attending The Beatles concert at Comiskey Park in August 1965. As she tells Derek, in that work she'll be channelling her inner 13-year-old-girl self. This is a moving and, at times, a deeply personal i

The September on-location episode marks a first for The Comics Alternative. Derek is now talking with customers and employees at Valhalla Games and Comics in Plano, TX...which is at the same exact physical location where he's been doing the on-location show for the past few years. What had once been Collected is now Valhalla! But the people and comics inside have remained the same. Talking with Derek this month are some of the shop regulars, including Krystle, Craig, and Nick. They begin by discussing the recent change in ownership -- and, unfortunately, neither Valhalla's owner, David Larson, nor Sabrina, the shop manager, were able to be there -- and everyone's excitement over the changes in store. But then they get into the core of this month's discussion, which is on crime comics. Craig comes prepared with a big stack of recent examples, including The Fix, The Baker Street Peculiars, and The Black Monday Murders. And Nick chimes in with crime titles he'd recommend, as well. The conversation gets even more

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:28 - Setup of interview 00:05:05 - Interview with Erica Mena 00:53:01 - Wrap up 00:54:14 - Contact us On this episode of the interview series, Edward and Derek have as their guest Erica Mena. She is the translator of two recent Spanish-language works from Fantagraphics, Paco Roca's Wrinkles and the anthology Spanish Fever. The guys actually discussed the latter on this month's Euro Comics episode, and since Edward knew its translator, they thought it'd be revealing to get Erica on the podcast to talk about her work on the anthology. They spend a good deal of time discussing the Spanish Fever project, and they also talk extensively about Wrinkles (something Edward and Derek didn't have time for on the Euro Comics show). But the guys also ask Erica about her efforts on The Eternaut, Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López's classic sci-fi narrative that was finally translated into English and published last year. During her conversation with the gu

Time Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:02:32 - Comics Alternative news 00:05:57 - Angel Catbird, Vol. 1 00:39:10 - Everafter #1 00:52:07 - Glitterbomb #1 01:05:39 - Wrap up 01:06:41 - Contact us On this week's episode, the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics look at three recent texts, each fantastical in its own way. They begin with Margaret Atwood and Johnnie Christmas's Angel Catbird, Vol. 1 (Dark Horse Books), a unique amalgamation of Golden Age superhero comics, environmental awareness, and ailurophilia. This is the first mainstream comics foray for Atwood, a Canadian novelist, poet, and winner of the Man Booker Prize. Andy and Derek spend a good deal of time talking about the tone of this book as well as its intended, or perhaps inferred, readers. They also sense a faint whiff of "Omaha" the Cat Dancer. Next, the guys turn their attention to the new addition to the Fables world, Everafter #1 (Vertigo Comics). Written by David Justus and Matthew Sturges, and with art by Travis Moore, th