Cantes de Confesión — This Week’s Links

2 days ago 9

Clark Burscough | June 6, 2025

The summer convention and festival season is kicking into gear this week, and yet I remain steadfastly indoors, waiting impatiently for an essential day one patch to install on Nintendo Co., Ltd’s latest handheld gaming console, in order that I can continue that which our forebears intended for us — blasting a nonstop stream of digital information directly onto my retina, in a vain attempt to distract from the futility of life, as also with this week’s links, below.

Comic I did for ArtReview earlier this year. Really like this one. Thanks to @cfitewassilak.bsky.social for his wonderful support on it.

— Bhanu pratap (@bhanupratap.bsky.social) 2025-06-02T13:58:43.812Z

This week’s news.

• Checking in with the Diamond bankruptcy train, as it continues trundling along, with ICv2 and The Beat doggedly tracking its progress, as the last week or so saw Dynamite Entertainment raising a claim for $500,000 owed by Diamond prior to its Chapter 11 filing, Alliance (the failed bidder on Diamond’s assets) and Universal (the successful bidder on Diamond’s associated games distro arm) appear to be hiring former Diamond employees, Udon Entertainment have halted all business with Diamond due to lack of communication from the distributor’s new owners, and retail eyes have begun looking for new successors to fill growing market gaps, as Diamond's post-bankruptcy losses mount.

• In other legal news, as it's now mandatory for 2025 to have comics bankruptcy proceedings and lawsuit news in the same week, a federal judge this week ruled in favour of Frazetta Properties LLC in its case against Jesse David Spurlock and Vanguard Productions, stating that a document submitted to the court, apparently authorising use of Frank Frazetta's works "Death Dealer II" and "Death Dealer V," in a 2022 publication was, in fact, a forgery, with the court ordering that “Mr. Spurlock must respond to this distraction and waste of resources by covering Plaintiffs’ attorney fees,” while Frazetta Properties prepares a brief for damages sought.

Old drawing of The Demon, created by Jack Kirby. I didn't read Kirby's 1970's DC comics until the 90s. I love them, and I think I would've loved them as a kid. And I adore The Demon. A feral Hellboy linked to a paranormal investigator. Hot damn. One of the few comics characters I'd want to write.

— Evan Dorkin (@evandorkin.bsky.social) 2025-06-04T21:49:01.056Z

This week’s reviews.

TCJ

• Hagai Palevsky reviews the pro-corporate low-stakes of Tsuchika Nishimura’s The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store, translated by Jan Cash — “The world of The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store is one that fundamentally believes that the coming-together of community can be brought about through materialist means — that care, love, and sentiment are best expressed through the right store-bought cake, the right accessory, the right perfume. It’s like being admitted to the spectacle of a party, isn’t it? So grab a drink and a plate, head down to the buffet, and get to eatin’ — who cares what the meat is made of? Just be thankful that there’s someone serving you.”

• Kristian Williams reviews the nightmare clarity of Sue Coe and Stephen F. Eisenman’s The Young Person’s Illustrated Guide to American Fascism — “Of course, oppression is bad enough, and perhaps it is worse if the oppression is also fascist. But I suspect that the need to bend all injustice so that it points back to a purported fascist center, or else to expand the definition of fascism so that it covers every conceivable cruelty, evinces a certain poverty of our political or moral imagination. We have accepted a single absolute evil, and so it becomes the standard by which all else is judged.”

• Henry Chamberlain reviews the authentic narrative of Taha Siddiqui and Hubert Maury’s The Dissident Club: Chronicle of a Pakistani Journalist in Exile, translated by David Homel — “It would be an understatement to say that Siddiqui’s story must be told. Just the other day, I was in a conversation with a colleague who doubted just how efficient comics are at storytelling. I didn’t put a fine point on my disagreement because it wasn’t the time nor the place for it. But I will say here what I’ve said before: comics have a built-in mechanism to tell stories with great efficiency, from the medium's unique ability to be concise to its compelling use of words and pictures.”

AIPT

• Ryan Sonneville reviews the switching perspectives of Saladin Ahmed, Martin Coccolo, et al’s Wolverine: In The Bones.

• Collier Jennings reviews the perfect mix of Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Davide Tinto, et al’s Star Trek #32.

• Rory Wilding reviews the compelling dynamics of Melissa Flores, Michael YG, et al’s Power Rangers Prime, Volume 1.

• Kevin Clark reviews the brooding atmosphere of Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Lisandro Estherren, et al’s Be Not Afraid #1.

• David Brooke reviews the bold start of Jonathan Hickman, Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini, et al’s Imperial #1.

The Beat

• Jordan Jennings reviews the emotional grounding of Daniel Warren Johnson, Riley Rossomo, et al’s The Moon Is Following Us.

• Jared Bird reviews the balanced horror of Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Lisandro Estherren, et al’s Be Not Afraid #1.

• Michael VanCalbergh reviews the compelling absurdity of Marc Torices’ Cornelius – The Merry Life of a Wretched Dog, translated by Andrea Rosenberg.

• Kerry Vineberg reviews the skilful construction of Kit Anderson's Second Shift.

• AJ Frost reviews the effective resonance of Steve Curzor’s adaptation of Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage.

• Zack Quaintance reviews the playful action of Cody Ziglar, Ryan Lee, et al’s Goobers; and the engrossing mosaic of DC’s DC Pride 2025 #1.

• Hayame Kawachi reviews the outdated humour of Igarashi Masakuni’s Detectives These Days Are Crazy, Volume 1.

Broken Frontier

• Edward Picot reviews the fragmented construction of Sara L. Jewell’s Souvenir; and the witty wordiness of George Takei, Harmony Becker, et al’s It Rhymes with Takei.

• Andy Oliver reviews the unflinching intensity of Rein Lee’s Tidal Waves, the freeform intricacy of Anna Trench’s Florrie: A Football Love Story, and the mythic qualities of Leo Fox's Boy Island.

Canadian Slavonic Papers

Sean Eedy reviews the insightful approach of Ewa Stańczyk’s Cartoons and Antisemitism: Visual Politics of Interwar Poland.

Comics Grinder

Henry Chamberlain reviews the purposeful storytelling of Micah Liesenfeld’s A-T Walker #1 & #2.

From Cover to Cover

Scott Cederlund reviews the teasing invitation of Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt, et al's The Sixth Gun: Road to the Six #0.

House to Astonish

Paul O’Brien has capsule reviews of Marvel Comics’ Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #23, Uncanny X-Men #15, Magik #5, Deadpool/Wolverine #5, Giant-Size X-Men #1, Cable: Love & Chrome #5, Rogue: Savage Land #5, and Wolverine & Kitty Pryde #2.

Kirkus Reviews

Have starred capsule reviews of:

• The tender emotions of Mike Curato’s Gaysians.

• The confident approach of K. Woodman-Maynard’s adaptation of Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting.

• The timely reminders of Pablo Leon’s Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide.

• The exceptional atmosphere of Eugene Yelchin’s I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This.

• The dynamic perspectives of Damian Alexander’s Absolutely Everything.

Library Journal

Thomas Batten has starred capsule reviews of:

• The resonant advocacy of George Takei, Harmony Becker, et al’s It Rhymes with Takei.

• The urgent explorations of Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot.

• The candid chronicling of Jeff Lemire’s 10,000 Ink Stains: A Memoir.

• The ambitious narrative of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ The Knives.

The New Yorker

Charlie Tyson reviews the easy resolutions of Alison Bechdel’s Spent.

Solrad

Tasha Lowe reviews the nuanced approaches of Peter Hoey and Maria Hoey’s Coin-Op Comics, In Perpetuity, and Trance: Boulevards and Cinema.

Yatta-tachi

• Kelly S reviews the fluffy laughs of Syundei’s Go For It, Nakamura!.

• Reuben Baron reviews the cute explorations of Hayate Kuku’s Black Blood.

🐤

— beluga's kin (@emmartian.bsky.social) 2025-06-03T09:30:56.204Z

This week’s interviews.

TCJ

John Kelly and Mark Newgarden interview Kayla E about Precious Rubbish, the freedom of the book being out in the world, the beauty of making art, and comics making processes — “There have definitely been a few moments along the way where I've felt discouraged or discounted. I think that is one of those things that many of us in a lot of industries feel — the fear that you're overselling yourself, or that you should be taking up less space. But I refuse to give up. I see firsthand the impact this work has on readers. I know that it can be used as a tool for good and I am determined to get it read.”

AIPT

• Chris Coplan speaks with Greg Rucka and Michael Lark about Lazarus: Fallen and the thrill of a comics page coming together, with Patrick Horvath about Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring and the shifts in the world of the book, with Michael Schwartz about Armored and positive reader responses, and with Joseph Illidge about Bloodletter and the allure of Spawn's universe.

• David Brooke talks to Adrian Wassel and Nathan Gooden about Big Rig, the emotional core of the story, and historical research.

• Gail Simone interviews David Marquez about The Unchosen, shifts between Big Two work and creator-owned, and the book’s conceptual gestation.

• Marvel Maximus speaks with Christopher Priest about Marvel Knights: The World To Come, returning to Black Panther’s adventures, and looking back on older work.

Anime News Network

Lynzee Loveridge interviews Sumiko Arai about The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All, comics making origins, and working in shorter formats.

Artblog

Oli Knowles talks to Partners and Son’s Gina Dawson and Tom Marquet about the business’ origins, personal artistic practices, and rare COVID silver linings.

The Beat

• Deanna Destito speaks with Jason Rosen about Monsterwood, familial inspirations, and three dimensional concept design.

• Jared Bird talks to Lucy Sullivan about Barking and the manifestation of grief, and to Mat Wakeham about Phoo Action and what went into bringing the work therein back into print.

Forbes

Rob Salkowitz interviews Tessa Hulls about Feeding Ghosts, winning the second Pulitzer Prize in history awarded to a graphic novel, and the power of comics to communicate complex situations.

The Guardian

Sam Jones talks to Paco Roca about the Instituto Cervantes' exhibition "Memory: An Emotional Journey Through the Comics of Paco Roca," mapping the comics making process, and the solitude of illustration.

The Nation

Steve Brodner speaks with Peter Kuper about Insectopolis: A Natural History, personal connections to insects, and upcoming projects.

Polygon

Matt Patches talks to Leeanna M. Krecic (aka Mongie) about Let’s Play, the comic’s adaptation to animation, SEO title regrets, and international readerships.

Publisher’s Weekly

Lorraine Savage interviews Michelle Wong about House of the Beast, moving from comics to prose, anime inspirations, and worldbuilding via Dungeons & Dragons.

Style Weekly

Don Harrison speaks with Brian Baynes about the imminent 2025 edition of Bubbles Con, the selection of 8mm films being screened at the event by Charles Burns, and the (also) imminent opening of Brian’s Books.

Friend of the pigeons. Risograph print in fluorescent orange, mint, bright red and medium blue ink 🐦

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— Jenn Woodall @ TCAF table 200 (@funeralbeat.bsky.social) April 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM

This week’s features and longreads.

• Here at TCJ, Valerio Stivé writes in remembrance of writer, actor, and musician Gianfranco Manfredi, creator of Magico Vento, who passed away in January of this year aged 76 — “His recipe took fundamental ingredients from the heritage of the great masters of Italian comics — Hugo Pratt, Toppi, early Milo Manara — and blended their grandiose storytelling, anti-hero esthetics and socio-political overtones with the unquenchable tradition of the Bonelli trademark pop canon, which made the publishing company based in Milan a success for decades.”

• Also for TCJ, excerpted from The Comics Journal #311, Ben Juers writes on the history and techniques of the Lettrist movement, and the work of Isidore Isou, Gabriel Pomerand, and Roberto Altmann — “The semi-cogent theory behind Lettrist hypergraphy is that all forms of human communication undergo an “amplic” (swelling) and “chiseling” (subsiding) phase. Most Lettrist works are chiselers. They tunnel through language, cutting visual / phonetic ties, leaving mounds of signifiers and signifieds. Though nonsensical, the image-text combos left in this wake, with all their potential meanings, speak to countless alternate realities.”

• Finally for TCJ this week, R. Fiore writes on racial obscenity and explorations of racial psychosis in the work of R. Crumb, civil and social rights movements across the 20th and 21st centuries, and the decisions readers make on what it is they shall read — “The choice of whether to exclude the racial obscenity or the no-court-will-convict-you-for-calling-it-misogyny, which is frankly a far greater issue in his work than race, is one that will face editors of Crumb’s work for all time to come. Including it is easier to get away with in a complete Crumb or a collected Crumb, and the idea of a bowdlerized Crumb is antithetical to everything he ever stood for and tantamount to a crime against nature. Nevertheless, to publish something is to endorse it, and there will be those who will not let that shit in their anthology just as some would not have that shit in the house.”

• For The Guardian, Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton writes in remembrance of author and editor Richard Appignanesi, co-founder of Icon Books and series editor of the Manga Shakespeare line of books, who has died at the age of 84.

• For The Beat, Brian Hibbs is Tilting at Windmills once more, this edition reckoning with the realities of trying to figure out the status quo of a post-Diamond retail world when publishers and distributors are keeping surprisingly mum about their decisions.

• Over at SKTCHD, David Harper shares a (free-to-read) report from 2025’s Alaska Robotics Mini-Con, speaking with exhibitors and organisers about what makes the event so special in a hectic comics event calendar.

• For Shelfdust, Martyn Peddler looks back on Marvel Comics’ Generic Comic Book, and considers why those living in glass houses of ideas may not want to throw rocks.

• Amaris Ketcham continues Autobiographix’s series of essays on the love of drawing a place, pre-empting a trip to bonnie Scotland with thoughts on using memory, found imagery, and online resources for creating a sense of place in comics.

• The Mindless Ones return with a fresh weekly newsletter, this edition including thoughts on British comics invasions, robots in disguise, and CrossFit in spite of Brian Wood.

• From the world of open-access academia, in Impossibilia, David F. Richter presents a study on Ilu Ros’ Cosas Nuestras, considering the ways in which Ros’ work plays with form and interrogates intergenerational cultures of resistance.

• For the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, Ashley Morningstar shares analysis of Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon, examining Takeuchi’s subversion of shōjo manga traditions of the time, and tallying the forms of fighting girl violence to be found in the series’ run.

• Mike Peterson rounds up the week’s editorial beat, for The Daily Cartoonist, as tariffs, national debt, deportations, freedoms of speech, and campus life all shared the spotlight once more.

a bit further back, one from 2018 #reruns

— tonči zonjić (@tozo.today) 2025-06-04T16:38:00.109Z

This week’s audio/visual delights.

Some recent interviews from across the World Wide Web as Chris Weston spoke with the Comix Experience Graphic Novel Club about Paranoid Gardens and the visual designs for the book and with 2000 AD’s Thrill Cast about work across a storied career and being your own harshest critic, David Harper welcomed Gabriel Bá to Off Panel to discuss the Umbrella Academy’s return and not being made for work-for-hire, and Heidi MacDonald spoke with Tiffany Babb about comics journalism in 2025 and The Comics Courier’s sophomore edition for Publisher’s Weekly’s More to Come.