Comics Alternative

Time Codes: 00:00:25 - Introduction 00:02:12 - Setup of interview 00:03:56 - Interview with Craig Yoe 02:01:22 - Wrap up 02:02:17 - Contact us Welcome to 2018! And as The Comics Alternative has done for the past several years, they start off the new year with an interview of perennial   favorite of the podcast, Craig Yoe. These are called the annual Happy New Yoe shows. And this year, Derek talks with Craig about Yoe Books past, present, and future. They start off by discussing many of the books that Craig and his wife/partner, Clizia Gussoni, released in 2017. These include those published through Yoe Books/IDW Publishing -- e.g., Mummies!: Classic Monsters of Pre-Code Horror Comics; Behaving Madly: Zany, Loco, Cockeyed, Rip-off, Satire Magazines; Haunted Love Vol. 1; The Complete Voodoo Vol. 3; Jay Disbrow's Monster Invasion; and volumes of both Haunted Horror and Weird Love -- but also works that Craig published elsewhere, such as his book for younger readers, LOL: A Load of Laughs and Jokes f

Time Codes: 00:31 - Introduction 03:51 - Greetings and apologies 05:36 - Good Night, Planet 13:15 - The Dam Keeper 24:59 - Misfit City 39:30 - A look back at 2017 in young reader comics 56:56 - Wrap up 57:25 - Contact us It's the end of the year, and for their December episode of the Young Readers series, Gwen and Paul discuss three exciting titles as well look back at the past year's releases. They begin by discussing Liniers's Good Night, Planet, part of Françoise Mouly's TOON Books series. After that they look at Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi's The Dam Keeper, recently released from First Second. Then they wrap up with a comic-book series, Kirsten "Kiwi" Smith,‎ Kurt Lustgarten,‎ and Naomi Franquiz's Misfit City (BOOM! Box). They also take a look back at 2017, where both Gwen and Paul discuss what they consider the best of comics of the year for young readers.

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:03:10 - Happy Holidays! 00:04:32 - Cookies 00:20:04 - All Along the Wall 00:33:53 - Holiday Wars 01:01:51 - Wrap up 01:02:59 - Contact us It's the holiday season, and for December Sean and Derek discuss three holiday-related webcomics. The start off by looking at two shorter works, Kate Beaton's Cookies (available on her Hark! A Vagrant website) and Emily Carroll's creepy All Along the Wall. After that they look at the much more substantial Holiday Wars, written by Scott King and with art by Michael Odom. So sit back, plug in your earphones, and enjoy the holiday goodness of this month's webcomics episode.

Time Codes: 00:00:28 - Introduction 00:02:35 - In-between holidays 00:09:01 - Servant X Service 00:55:47 - Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. 1 01:32:21 - Wrap up 01:33:22 - Contact us For November Shea and Derek discuss two very different kind of manga, but both that involve romance in one form or another. They begin with Karino Takatsu's Servant X Service. The complete series was released in two volumes by Yen Press in 2016, and the guys spend much of the episode discussing this strip-like series. The title concerns civil servants on the job -- a topic you don't really encounter much in comics/manga -- and both Derek and Shea have a lot to say about the unusual subject matter and format. After that they discuss the first volume of Takako Shimura's Sweet Blue Flowers (VIZ Media). As the guys reveal, this is an example of yuri manga, where two childhood friends who have lost track of one another become reacquainted in high school, although they attend different academies. As the story unfolds, romances a

Time Codes: 00:01:26 - Introduction 00:03:48 - Post-Thanksgiving digestion 00:05:07 - Bad Mask 00:30:41 - Evolution #1 00:46:48 - Doctor Radar #1 01:03:06 - Wrap up 01:04:36 - Contact us On this week's episode Gwen and Derek discuss three recent releases that, while all being quite different, nonetheless share a common theme of mystery. They start off with Jon Chad's Bad Mask (BOOM! Box), a multimedia project that explores perspective and interpretation. With its various components in multiple print formats -- comic book, trading cards, newspaper tabloid, mainstream news magazine, business reports, etc. -- it's an intelligent exploration of how we define "hero." Next, the Two PhDs Talking about Comics explore the first issue of Evolution (Image Comics). This is a different kind of comic in that it's written by four authors...and the result is solid and far from fragmented. James Asmus, Joseph Keatinge, Christopher Sebela, and Joshua Williamson contribute to the story, with Joe Infurnari provi

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:24 - Setup of interview 00:04:23 - Interview with Tim Lane 02:13:48 - Wrap up 02:15:18 - Contact us On this interview episode Derek talks with Tim Lane about his series Happy Hour in America, Vol. 2, the first issue of which is just being released from Fantagraphics Books. This isn't the first time that Tim has been interviewed on The Comics Alternative. In January 2015, Derek published on the blog a text-based conversation with him that he had conducted via email. That was a insightful and substantive interview, but the current one goes even further, allowing Tim not only to comment on his current work, but to delve into a variety of other topics, such as the business side of the medium, the state of comic books as a publishing platform, and matters of comics pedagogy. But the core of the conversation concerns Tim's latest efforts in this new volume of Happy Hour in America, his fascination with twentieth-century Americana, his previous collections -- Ab

For this week's Kickstarter spotlight, Derek focuses on Swan Song: The Musical Anthology, a campaign underway from Cloudscape Comics. Discussing this project with him are Jeffrey Ellis and Oliver McTavish-Wisden, the assistant director/founder and the executive director, respectively, of the small Vancouver publisher and collective. Swan Song is an anthology including contributions from a wide variety of (mostly) British Columbia-based creators, all of which engage with music in one way or another. Swan Song will feature a cover by Renee Nault, and creative contributions from: Ed Appleby Arden Belfry Anthony Biondi James Brandi Emily Cowan Jonathon Dalton Jesse Davidge Monica Disher Jeff Ellis Drew Gilmour Annalise Jensen Sam Keating K. Kelsay Yashaswi Kesanakurthy Reetta Linjama Riley Masters Tamiko Masters Oliver McTavish-Wisden Angela Melick Sfé R. Monster Hannah Myers Alina Pete Jess Pollard Anat Rabkin Simon Roy G. C. Joseph Seiler Karen Shangguan Bevan Thomas Ian Thomas J

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and the folks at The Comics Alternative all gather around the virtual table to share what they are thankful for in terms of comics and comics culture. Pulling up a seat this year are Gwen, Paul, Sean, Gene, Edward, and Derek. Among the many things that they're thankful for are First Second's Science Comics and Secret Coders series, local comics shops (Comix Revolution in Evanston, IL, and Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC) and local conventions (such as CAKE), being able to meet your comics heroes, such as Gary Panter and Trina Robbins, the conclusion of Inio Asano's Goodnight Punpun series, Fantagraphics and its always impressive output, such as this year's Now and How to Read Nancy, Françoise Mouly and Nadja Spiegelman's Resist!, Craig Yoe, the growing number of publishers of Franco-Belgian comics, having dinner with Gilbert Hernandez and his family, Kodansha Comics and its ongoing efforts to publish quality editions of classic (and not-so-classic) manga, and

Time Codes: 00:25 - Introduction 02:39 - Setup of interview 03:45 - Interview with Mitch Maglio 58:47 - Wrap up 59:50 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek talks with Mitch Maglio about his new book, Fiction House: From Pulps to Panels, from Jungles to Space, just out from IDW/Yoe Books. Mitch is an aficionado on Fiction House (as well as on the jungle girl genre), so he's the perfect writer/collector to discuss this historic publisher. He talks with Derek about the origins of Fiction House, its colorful founder, the publisher's major role in the pulps, its mostly forgotten stature during the Golden Age, the many legends who worked as writers and artists on their many publications, its ironic position concerning female empowerment, and the various titles for which it was known, including Jumbo Comics, Fight Comics, Wings Comics, and of course Sheena: Queen of the Jungle.

Time Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:02:44 - Setup of interview 00:04:48 - Interview with Ryan O'Sullivan and Plaid Klaus 00:59:30 - Wrap up 01:02:24 - Contact us Sean joins Derek to interview a creative team that the two have discussed previously, Ryan O'Sullivan and Plaid Klaus. Last year the guys reviewed Ryan and Klaus's webcomic Turncoat (now available in softcover), but this time they talk with the creators about a new print publication, their Image Comics limited series Void Trip. The first of its five issues comes out this week, and the Two Guys talk with Ryan and Klaus about the genesis of this project, the psychedelic nature of the story, the dynamics of their collaboration, and their philosophies on self-contained and tightly woven narratives. They also talk with the creative duo about their previous work together, Turncoat, and any potential future plans to utilize the webcomics platform.

On this week's Kickstarter episode, Derek talks with Bruno Oliveira about his project What Now, Bruno? This is an autobiographical work exploring what can happen to a comics artist once he's established himself in the industry. Bruno has broken into the field, illustrating for such publishers as IDW (Drones), Arcana (Space, MN), and, most recently, Marvel Comics (Amazing Spider-Man Annual, Gwenpool Holiday Special, and Mosaic, among other titles). But now that he's on his way, how does he manage his work and juggle the necessities in life? What Now, Bruno? is a humorous exploration of that dilemma. This Kickstarter will end on December 7, so be sure to visit Bruno's page, see what it's all about, and back his campaign! As an extra added bonus, if you discover What Now, Bruno? through this Comics Alternative episode, then contact Bruno directly and tell him that you found out about the project through the podcast. If you do, and you back him at a level that includes a physical comic, Bruno will include a fre

Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:28 - Catching up, and listener mail! 00:11:34 - Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me 00:31:09 - Dreams in Thin Air 00:53:24 - Morton: A Cross-Country Rail Journey 01:07:05 - Getting Out of Hope 01:22:29 - Mister Morgen 01:34:31 - The Collected Neil the Horse 01:59:56 - Wrap up 02:02:25 - Contact us This week on The Comics Alternative Andy and Derek return to one of their favorite publishers, Conundrum Press, for their next publisher spotlight. They had previously released a similar episode on Conundrum two and a half years ago, and they wanted to do so again with their fall 2017 releases. The six titles under discussion vary in style and topic, although the first three books the guys review are all memoirs: Lorina Mapa's Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me, Michael Nybrandt and Thomas Mikkelsen's Dreams in Thin Air, and David Collier's Morton: A Cross-Country Rail Journey. After that they turn to James Cadelli and his first graphic novel, Getting O

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:28 - Setup of interview 00:03:47 - Interview with Mark Voger 01:05:43 - Wrap up 01:07:15 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek talks with Mark Voger about his latest work, Groovy: When Flower Power Bloomed in Pop Culture. The book comes out this week from TwoMorrows Publishing, and during their conversation Mark discusses the roots of groovy culture that reach back to early twentieth-century modernism and jazz, and are even apparent in discoveries during nineteenth century. But most of the interview is spent talking about the flowering, so to speak, of this cultural trend from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s. Obviously Derek asks Mark about the comics of the time -- Mike Sekowsky's new Wonder Woman, Steve Ditko's Hawk and Dove, Jim Steranko's Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Archie Comics' Josie, and the underground comix of R. Crumb, Trina Robbins, Jay Lynch, Kim Deitch, and Denis Kitchen -- but they also spend a lot of time discussing "groov

Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:03:36 - Edward's big life changes! 00:08:09 - Billie Holiday 00:26:53 - Josephine Baker 00:59:14 - The Green Hand and Other Stories 01:20:36 - Wrap up 01:22:17 - Contact us After having to readjust for a few major life changes -- including a new baby for first-time parents! -- Edward and Derek are back with the monthly Euro Comics series. For November they discuss two graphic biographies devoted to early twentieth-century artists as well as a collection of surreal and experimental fiction. They start with Carlos Sampayo and Jose Muñoz's Billie Holiday (NBM Publishing), a text that fully utilizes the somber, even noir uses of black-and-white (Muñoz's art was an inspiration for Frank Miller's Sin City, after all). Originally published by Fantagraphics in 1993, this work provides a skeletal overview of Holiday's life and career, both its artistic highs and its drug-filled lows. A much more detailed graphic biography is Jose-Luis Bocquet and Catel Muller's

This week Derek talks with Ronald Wimberly, Josh O'Neill, and Maëlle Doliveux about their Kickstarter project LAAB Magazine #0: Dark Matter. Published by Beehive Books, this will be a tabloid-sized newspaper annual filled with comics, interviews, artwork, cultural criticism, and writings on identity as played out in popular culture. This inaugural #0 issue will include An interview with musician and actor Saul Williams  A conversation with graphic artist Trenton Doyle Hancock James Romberger on Jean-Michel Basquiat A discussion with the poster artist Alexandra Bell A critical analysis of George Lucas's THX 1138 Ronald Wimberly's visual tribute to Sun Ra A review of BLACK, the new comic from Black Mask Studios Over a dozen pages of comics and illustration by Ronald Wimberly ...and much more! Be sure to visit the LAAB Kickstarter page, see what Ronald is up to, and back this project by Friday, December 1. And learn more about the exciting publications coming out through Josh and Maëlle's Beehive Boo

Time Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:03:00 - Our new Kickstarter series and Slack channel! 00:08:48 - Kid Lobotomy #1 and #2 00:31:09 - Carnival of Contagion 00:48:15 - Monograph 01:20:23 - Wrap up 01:23:15 - Contact us This week Paul and Derek review three new titles that are all quite different in content and audience. They begin with the first two issues of Peter Milligan and Tess Fowler's Kid Lobotomy, the first series in IDW's new Black Crown imprint. The guys start their discussion by referencing Shelly Bond and her stated intentions behind the new creator-owned line. But while they're certainly amenable to the edgy or punk mentality that had once defined Vertigo, the guys feel that in her commentary in these first two issues, Bond is trying a little too hard to be hip and get us on board. And while both Derek and Paul are fans of Milligan's storytelling, there's something a little too much, something too crowded or unwieldy, about the premise of Kid Lobotomy. Nonetheless, given the c

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:33 - Setup of interview 00:03:45 - Interview with Joseph Remnant 01:18:05 - Wrap up 01:19:38 - Contact us Derek is pleased to have Joseph Remnant on the podcast. His new book, Cartoon Clouds, was released last month from Fantagraphics. This is a graphic novel in the truest sense, a work of fiction that explores the nuances of relationships, defining yourself, and growing apart from those with whom you were once close. As Joseph reveals, this is a narrative that began in serial installments on a website he once maintained with Noah Van Sciver, but it soon developed into something more complex and ambitious. Most of the interview is devoted to Cartoon Clouds, but Derek also asks his guest about his comic-book series Blindspot and his illustration work with Harvey Pekar. Along the way Joseph talks about his contribution in the upcoming second issue of Now, and he hints at some of the new work he currently has underway. Joseph will be at CAB, Comic Arts Broo

Time Codes: 00:00:28 - Introduction 00:03:11 - Announcements! 00:09:33 - Blindsprings 00:42:07 - Albert the Alien 01:05:02 - A Fire Story 01:24:02 - Wrap up 01:25:27 - Contact us On the November webcomics episode, Sean and Derek look at three very different titles. They begin with Kadi Fedoruk's Blindsprings, a fantasy filled with magic and spirits, but one whose philosophical foundations are deeper than you may at first think. As the guys point out, the meticulous art is one of the highlights of this webcomic. After that, Sean and Derek turn to a lighthearted all-age series by Trevor Mueller and Gabo, Albert the Alien. Much like Blindsprings, this webcomic has been around since 2013, but there seems to be no foreseeable sign of story exhaustion. Finally, the guys look at a much more somber, and timely, completed webcomic, Brian Fies's A Fire Story. This is a brief account of the author's experiences in last month's devastating California fires. The story is heart-wrenching, and Fies includes

For the second episode of The Comics Alternative's new Kickstarter series, Derek talks with Andy Stanleigh and Steven Bergson about their project, SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology, Vol. 2. This book will be released by Alternate History Comics (of which Andy is the publisher), and it will follow Steven's first volume of The Jewish Comics Anthology, also published by AH Comics. What will distinguish this second collection is that each of the retellings from Jewish history, legend, and myth will be set in a science-fiction setting. Contributors to this anthology will include Ty Templeton (Batman, Spiderman, The Simpsons) Rachel Pollack (Doom Patrol) Bill Sienkiewicz (Daredevil, X-Men, Batman) Neil Kleid (X-Men Unlimited, Tales From the Crypt) Adam Gorham (Rocket, X-Files/TMNT, Dead Drop) Weshoyot Alvitre (The Boys Who Became Hummingbirds) Joe Infurnari (The Bunker, Evolution) David Mack (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Fight Club) Katherine Piro (The Chaste Maid) Michael Netzer (Batman, Superman)

Time Codes: 00:26 - Introduction 02:39 - Setup of interview 03:51 - Interview with Deb Olin Unferth and Elizabeth Haidle 51:36 - Wrap up 52:27 - Contact us On this interview episode, Derek talks with Deb Olin Unferth and Elizabeth Haidle on the publication of their new book, I, Parrot (Black Balloon-Catapult). This is a graphic novel in the truest sense, a work of fiction, about a middle-aged woman who's prone to bad luck. She stumbles upon a bird-sitting job, caring for an aviary of exotic, rare, and very expensive parrots, and despite the help of her boyfriend and her young son, falls prey to a series of misfortunes that lead to unintended, yet not entirely tragic, consequences. Both Deb and Beth share their experiences working together on this project, the collaborative rhythm they established, and how their previous creations reflect on this graphic novel. This is Deb's first work in comics, having previously established a career as a writer of prose fiction. And while Beth's experiences in c