Comics Alternative

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for another regular episode of The Comics Alternative! This week, Andy and Derek really strut their alternative creds by focusing on three titles that keenly define “alternative.” First, they discuss the recent Dark Horse/Kitchen Sink book, The Best of Comix Book. This is a collection of comics culled from the original five-issue run of Comix Book, Marvel’s ill-fated attempt to partner with the underground comix movement of the early 1970s. The project was originally initiated by Stan “The Man” Lee and edited by underground maverick, Denis Kitchen. This recent collection features the work of such major underground comix figures as Justin Green, Trina Robbins, Kim Deitch, S. Clay Wilson, Skip Williamson, Lee Marrs, Joel Beck, Art Spiegelman, and Sharon Rudahl, and it includes a wonderful historical essay by James Vance. The Two Guys discuss the various pieces that are collected, comment on some of the artists represented here, and even speculate on why certain comics from

It’s the beginning of the month, which means it’s time for Andy and Derek to flip through the latest Previews catalog. In this issue, they highlight a variety of books and comic-book series that will be coming out later this year, including new titles from Dark Horse (The Goon: Occasion of Revenge #1, Red Moon, and Sally Heathcote, Suffragette), DC/Vertigo (Bodies #1 and Trillium TP), Image (Low #1, Supreme: Blue Rose #1, Black Kiss 2: XXXmas in July Special, and Murder Me Dead), Adhouse Books (Youth Is Wasted), BOOM! Studios (Black Market #1), Dynamite Entertainment (The Devilers #1), Drawn and Quarterly (Benson’s Cuckoos), Fantagraphics (The Hip Hop Family Tree, Vol. 2, DKW: Ditko, Kirby, Wood, Jim, and Luba and Her Family), First Second (The Shadow Hero), Hill and Wang (Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me TP), and Knockabout Comics (Beatles with an A: The Birth of a Band). Among the highlights from this episode, you will hear: Derek’s frustration at not getting his copy of Previews in time, and thus, hav

Part two of The Comics Alternative‘s coverage of Free Comic Book Day 2014. In this episode, Derek visits a couple of his local shops, Madness Games and Comics and Collected, both in Plano, TX, where he takes the opportunity to interview several creators at the shops for FCBD. First, he talks with illustrator and designer, Matthew Warlick. Derek had interviewed Matthew previously at last October’s Dallas Comic Con when he was there with the rest of the crew from Space Gun Studios, but this time around he talks with the artist one-on-one. Next, the Guy with a PhD Talking about Comics heads over to his home shop, Collected, to talk with several other artists and writers. There he finds Chad Ettelbrick, creator of the new beef-filled zombie comic, Bovine. Derek also talks with Garfield illustrator and good friend of the show, Andy Hirsch. The past year has been big for Andy — working on Adventure Time comics, doing more covers, expanding his presence at Kaboom! — and he talks about many of these experiences amids

On this special episode of The Comics Alternative, Derek is on location at Collected Comics in Plano, TX, talking with customers, cosplayers, and critical readers during Free Comic Book Day 2014. Joining him via the wonders of Skype (and despite some sound issues) is Andy Wolverton, who, unfortunately, was unable to take part in FCBD at his own local shop, Third Eye Comics, in Annapolis, MD. Instead, he joins in the FCBD activities from a distance, enjoying the fun virtually. He and Derek discuss the activity surrounding them at Collected Comics, talk with customers to find out what FCBD titles they’re getting, get the lowdown on local cons from gorgeous cosplayers, and plunge into recent comics news with friends of the show. The Two Guys had a lot of fun on Saturday, and some of their guests included a great guy named Rocky and his family, and also: uperfan and Friend of the Show, Laura Rogers; Dallas Fan Girl, Laura Gasera; and Krystle “Selina Kyle” Starr. Having been some days in preparation, a splendid ti

This week on The Comics Alternative, Derek and Gene put on their happy faces to review three titles concerned with the positive and uplifting sides of life. First, they go through Loïc Dauvillier and Marc Lizano’s Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust (First Second), a new graphic novel focusing on genocide. A translation of the 2012 French album, L’enfant cachée, this is the story of a survivor telling her young granddaughter the traumas she underwent in 1940s France. Perhaps even more significantly, it’s a story about hiding: hiding from terror, hiding who you are, hiding your experiences, and hiding from your family. Among other facets of the book, the guys focus on the possible audience assumptions with this story, how it’s crafted for younger readers while at the same time having an all-age appeal. Next, they turn to Genesis (Image Comics), the new one-shot from Nathan Edmondson and Alison Sampson. Gene is uncertain about the issue, feeling that the story reaches for a deeper significance that it neve

On this episode of The Comics Alternatives Interviews, Andy and Derek talk with Liana Finck, a New York-based artist whose first book, A Bintel Brief: Love and Longing in Old New York, has just been released through Ecco Press. In their conversation, the Two Guys ask Liana about the idea behind her project — based on the “Bintel Brief” section BintelBriefthat appeared in Der Forverts (The Forward) under Abraham Cahan’s editorship — how she discovered Cahan’s work and what it meant to her, and the autobiographical links that are present in the book. Liana also discusses her work as a graphic artist, her newness to comics writing, and future projects she currently has underway. In terms of the latter, you can follow her latest installments of the new serial, Diary of a Shadow, as well as see sample pages from A Bintel Brief, at her website, lianafinck.com.

Derek is back at his local shop, Collected Comics in Plano, to discuss comics with the folks who frequent their aisles. Joining him this month are the assistant store manager, Freddy Ruiz, and loyal Collected customer and good friend of the shop, Laura Rogers. Together they cover a variety of topics and titles — from Garth Ennis’s violence to Brian K. Vaughn’s imagination, from individual buying habits to customer trends, from Star Wars to Big Trouble in Little China — and have a fun time doing so. They’re even joined by store employee Sabrina Smith, who is usually gun-shy when it comes to a podcasting microphone. She shares her experience with various disturbing comics, including the upcoming Itty Bitty Bunnies In Rainbow Pixie Candy Land. So sit back, get out your comic-book wish list, and join everyone at Collected in their audio romp through current comics-dom.

On this episode of The Comics Alternatives Interviews, Derek talks with Bob Fingerman, a man who knows what it’s like to work for Minimum Wage. They discuss Bob’s decision to bring back this landmark series though Image Comics, as well as the task of pulling together last year’s Maximum Minimum Wage (also from Image). In the interview, Derek asks Bob about any autobiographical links between him and his protagonist, Rob Hoffman, and he tries to corner Bob on whether or not Rob’s recently divorced spouse, Sylvia Fanucci, will make an appearance in the new series. Bob refuses to be cornered. Along the way they discuss the challenges of building a devoted readership, Bob’s fascination with the apocalypse and zombie stories, his forays into racial/gender politics, the joys (and limitations) of explicit sex and violence, the comics mainstream and “that Bob Fingerman feeling,” and the creative satisfaction one gets from making Bill O’Reilly a mutated and despicable villain of a decimated cultural landscape. (Wait…do

In this episode of The Comics Alternative, the third of what promises to be an unprecedented five consecutive shows for a single week, Derek and Andy W. discuss four new #1 and one-shot issues. First, they look at Christopher Sebela and Chris Visions’s Dead Letters (BOOM! Studios), focusing on the story’s clever use of narrative gaps and art-driven action. Then they turn to Shutter (Image Comics), a new series from Joe Keatinge teams up with debut artist Leila del Duca. The guys love the initial setup, but nonetheless wanted more story in this inaugural issue. From there they delve into JC De La Torre and Ray Dillon’s Star Mage from IDW Publishing, and what promises to be an intriguing new sci-fi title. Finally, Derek and Andy wrap up with a long discussion of Richard Corben’s latest adaptation, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Premature Burial (Dark Horse Comics). They point out that the issue also includes an adaption of “The Cask of Amontillado” — in fact, “Cask” takes up more of the issue than does the titular featu

The guys are back with another great guest for The Comics Alternative Interviews.  This time, Gene and Derek talk with Shannon Wheeler, the creator of Too Much Coffee Man (Dark Horse Comics) and last year’s Astounding Villain House (Dark Horse Comics), as well as the illustrator of God Is Disappointed in You (Top Shelf). The conversation gets going by jumping into the Bible and how both Shannon and Mark Russell re-present the Old and New Testaments — and with strict fidelity of content — with a humorous yet straightforward manner in God Is Disappointed in You. Sure to be loved by atheists and Judeo-Christians alike! The Two Guys with PhDs also ask Shannon about his cartooning for The New Yorker, his penchant for clowns and death, the fine art of one-panel gags, and how his New Yorker rejects find new life in the collections I Thought You Would Be Funner and I Don’t Get It (BOOM! Town). They also talk with him about his work at Dark Horse, specifically Astounding Villain House, learning that Shannon has bigger

On this special episode of The Comics Alternative, Andy and Derek devote the entire show to the 2014 Eisner Award Nominations. They take a close look at almost all of the categories, weighing in on their favorites nominees, commenting on the pros and cons of the picks, and speculating on the actual process of compiling the nominees list. What the Two Guys realize is that many of the comics that they reviewed in 2013, and many of the creators they interviewed over the past year, are noticeably present on the nominee list…leading Andy to believe that there is such a thing as a “Comics Alternative bump” for exposure and recognition. Derek, on the other hand, begins his efforts in pushing for more Comics Alternative recognition in the first of what will be five different episodes of the podcast for this week, making him (in the words of Andy) “the James Brown of comics podcasting.” So Derek feels good. You knew that he would.

This week on The Comics Alternative, Andy and Derek review three recent titles, all from IDW (they didn’t plan this…it just turned out that the comics they really wanted to discuss were all published by IDW). First, they focus on the late Doug Wildey’s collection Rio: The Complete Saga. This is a very nice paperback edition that is composed mostly of high-quality scans from Wildey’s original art — a lot like IDW’s Artist Editions, but they’re just much less expensive. The Two Guys praise Wildey’s storytelling, his mastery of the Western genre, his careful and detailed art, and his complex rendering of the title character. The only “downside” to this collection is the fact that Wildey didn’t create more Rio stories. Reading this edition leaves you not only thoroughly impressed, but also longing for more. Next, the guys look at two recent IDW serials: Judge Dredd: Mega City Two and Rogue Trooper. They point out that both titles have their genesis in the classic UK anthology, 2000 AD, and that these comics are t

It’s the beginning of another month, which means it’s time once again for Derek and Andy to flip through the pages of the latest Previews catalog. The Two guys find a lot of notable titles in this month’s Previews – with notable offerings from Dark Horse, IDW, Image, Drawn and Quarterly, and Fantagraphics – and they share their findings with the usual discerning and humorous mixture that have come to define the “Comics Alternative brand.” Among the moments in this week’s episode you will find: Derek’s joy at finding another Edgar Allan Poe adaptation from Richard Corben; Andy looking forward to the new DC trade release of a series he originally enjoyed back in the late 1980s, Cinder and Ashe; Derek ragging not only on the Angry Birds phenomenon, but on the fact that IDW is actually jumping on the bandwagon with their new Angry Bird Comics series; Andy’s semi-defense of Angry Bird Comics in pointing out the quality creators on the title; Derek still resists; the guys’ being pleased that Brian Winkeler and Robe

This week on The Comics Alternative, Andy Wolverton and Derek review three more new titles. First, they look at another great book from SelfMadeHero, Frederik Peeters’s Aama, Vol. 1: The Smell of Warm Dust. This is the first of a multi-volume series from this innovative Swiss creator. The Guys discuss Peeters’s skills at world-building and his ability to get inside and flesh out his protagonist, Verloc Nim. Next they take a look at two new #1 issues: David Lapham’s Stray Bullets: Killers (Image Comics) and Jason Starr and Andrea Mutti’s The Returning (BOOM! Studios). They spend quite a bit of time discussing the return of Stray Bullets, starting with the big new Uber Alles edition — which collects the original 40 issues of Stray Bullets, plus the recent conclusion of its last story arc in issue #41 — and then moving onto the new Killer arc. They place the new title in context of the entire series and draw out similarities between it and the earlier comics. Finally, they flip through The Returning, reading it

This week on The Comics Alternative, Andy Wolverton joins Derek to discuss three new titles. First, they sift through Oscar Zarate’s new graphic novel, The Park (SelfMadeHero). The Two Guys focus on Zarate’s handling of character development, making The Park an engaging case study in family expectations and disappointments. They also comment on the lush art and how it sets the tone for the entire narrative. Next, they look at two #1 issues, beginning with the new series from Greg Rucka and Toni Fejzula’s Veil (Dark Horse Comics). Derek and Andy W. point out the various mysteries embedded in this first issue and how it propels the reader into the issues that will follow. Along with that, they discuss Fejzula’s artwork and how his pallet is the perfect match for Rucka’s dark and ambiguous narrative. From there they turn to Sovereign, the new series by Chris Roberson and Paul Maybury (Image Comics). While both guys had some initial reservations — there is a lot packed into this first installment, perhaps more th

In this episode of The Comics Alternative, Gene and Derek look at a variety of recent comics. They begin by discussing the first volume of Sheltered (Image), focusing on the story’s concept and its pacing. Next, they look at two recent titles from Vertigo: Dead Boy Detectives and The Royals: Masters of War. Although both guys are excited that the two dead boys are with a new ongoing series — they first appeared in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman from the 1990s — they’re not sure that the current storyline is clarifying itself. With The Royals, both Derek and Gene are taken by the concept and think the first issue sets up an exciting miniseries. Finally, the Two Guys look at Black Dynamite (IDW). They’re intrigued by the series’ links to the Adult Swim cartoon — which itself is a spinoff of the 2009 Scott Sanders film — but they aren’t sure that the first issue fully establishes its parodic potential. In all, Gene and Derek want to see how the creators discussed in this episode follow up on the promise of their initial

In this episode of The Comics Alternative, Derek and Andy Wolverton discuss three new titles. They begin with the new book from R. J. Ryan and David Marquez, The Joyners in 3D (Archaia). They discuss the 3D aspect of the text and wonder if the special visual effects are really necessary. The story, though, is something worth reading, and the Two Guys recommend it on those grounds. You you don’t mind putting on cardboard glasses with red and blue plastic lenses, this book is definitely for you. Next they turn to #1 issues of two new series. With Steve Orlando and Artyom Trakhanov’s Undertow (Image Comics), they focus on the eye-capturing art and this first issue’s attempts at world-building. And while they still have a few questions about the series’ premise, they nonetheless feel that this title has a lot of promise and will continue on with subsequent issues. Next, Andy W. and Derek look at White Suits #1 (Dark Horse Comics), by Frank Barbiere and Tony Cypress. Again, they are taken by the art, especially Cy

In this episode of The Comics Alternative, Derek and Andy Wolverton discuss three new titles. They begin with the new book from R. J. Ryan and David Marquez, The Joyners in 3D (Archaia). They discuss the 3D aspect of the text and wonder if the special visual effects are really necessary. The story, though, is something worth reading, and the Two Guys recommend it on those grounds. You you don’t mind putting on cardboard glasses with red and blue plastic lenses, this book is definitely for you. Next they turn to #1 issues of two new series. With Steve Orlando and Artyom Trakhanov’s Undertow (Image Comics), they focus on the eye-capturing art and this first issue’s attempts at world-building. And while they still have a few questions about the series’ premise, they nonetheless feel that this title has a lot of promise and will continue on with subsequent issues. Next, Andy W. and Derek look at White Suits #1 (Dark Horse Comics), by Frank Barbiere and Tony Cypress. Again, they are taken by the art, especially Cy

This week on the podcast Derek is joined by Andy Wolverton, yet another doctor who talks about comics…and a regular reviewer on The Comics Alternative blog. They review two new titles: Dan Goldman’s Red Light Properties (IDW Publishing) and issue #1 of Antony Johnston and Justin Greenwood’s new Image series, The Fuse. First, the Two Guys jump into Goldman’s latest work, which originally appeared in digital format through MonkeyBrain Comics. They discuss one of the book’s greatest strengths, the author’s handling of the human drama underlying this “horror” story — what Andy calls a mix between Ghostbusters and American Beauty – as well as Goldman’s digital art and his unique approach to visual storytelling. Next, Derek and Andy turn to the first issue of The Fuse, focusing on the title’s mash-up of procedural and science fiction narratives. While mixing detective stories with other genres is nothing new — Brubaker and Phillips’s Fatale is perhaps the best recent example here of another such comic — Johnston an

This week Gene and Derek take a look at six new titles. They begin with a discussion of two new works from Image Comics, the first three issues of Alex + Ada (Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn) and Deadly Class #1 (Rick Remender and Wes Craig). They go into depth on both titles, especially Craig’s art in Deadly Class and the narrative pacing in Alex + Ada, which ultimately leads to a discussion on panel sequencing and story decompression. Next, they look at issues #1-3 of Letter 44, written by Charles Soule with art by Alberto Jiménez Albuquerque (Oni Press). They discuss its unique take on science fiction within the context of recent politics. From there, they turn to recent #1 issues from three other publishers: David Lapham’s Juice Squeezers (Dark Horse Comics), Bill Willingham and Sergio Fernandez DaVilla’s Legenderry (Dynamite Entertainment), and Curse from BOOM! Studies (written by Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel, with art by Riley Rossmo, Colin Lorimer). In this episode, the Two Guys with PhDs are all over