This week’s links, below, are brought to you by some better living through chemistry, as cold and flu season hits olde London towne, so knock up a fresh batch of chicken soup and wrap yourself in a blanket while the pseudoephedrine takes effect, because we’re quarantining up in here like it’s 2021 and doomscrolling like our lives/sinuses depend on it.
Another jolly Spider-Man drawing, from a few years ago.
— Gary Northfield (@stupidmonster.bsky.social) 2024-11-14T09:37:08.387Z
This week’s news.
• Beginning this week’s selection with a check-in on how Visa/Mastercard’s war on “adult material” is going, as it was announced that Japanese doujinshi bookstore chain Melonbooks will no longer be taking Visa or Mastercard payments from next month, following in the footsteps of retail chain Toroana and digital store DLSite, while the Manga Library Z platform announced that it will be shutting down completely due to these issues at the end of this month - credit card providers have been taking an increasingly aggressive stance against sellers of adult content over the last few years.
• Cartoonist Darryl Cunningham, author of Putin's Russia: The Rise of a Dictator and Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful, this week shared that new graphic novel Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter is unlikely to be published in other countries, following last year’s release in France by Delcourt, due to worries over potential legal action.
• In comics prizes news, it was announced this week that Maurice Vellekoop is the winner of 2024’s Toronto Book Award for graphic memoir I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together - this year marks the 50th anniversary of the prize, which brings with it $10,000 to the winning author.
• Koyama Provides this week announced the latest recipients of their funding award program, with MariNaomi and Lauren Hinds both receiving grants of $1,500.
more ms paint studies, this one took me the whole damn day!!!!
— Katherine Lam (@katherinelam.bsky.social) 2024-11-14T01:41:43.597Z
This week’s reviews.
TCJ
• Henry Chamberlain reviews the narrative theme of Eric Drooker’s Naked City - “I think of the plot to Naked City as that of a Broadway show, in the very best sense. (Perhaps someday it will be adapted for the stage, complete with songs by Isabel, our struggling singer.) While the previous two wordless books were fueled by an image-driven, pantomime-like dynamic a la silent movies, this new book is, like the talkies that changed cinema, very text-driven.”
• David Mandi reviews the subliminal hints of Golo’s B. Traven: Portrait of a Famous Unknown, translated by Donald Nicholson-Smith - “There have been numerous attempts in print to unravel his life and bewildering list of identities, including some dense academic treatments, but it feels appropriate that the final word on Traven, who so dramatically rejected the privileged world he was born into for a life among the peasants of Mexico, has come in the form of this joyful graphic bio.”
AIPT
• Collier Jennings reviews the unique reinvention of Melissa Flores, Michael Yg, et al’s Power Rangers Prime #1.
• Chris Coplan reviews the shadowy mystery of Marco Finnegan’s Calavera P.I. #1.
• David Brooke reviews the engaging adventuring of Ryan North, Derek Charm, et al’s Star Trek: Lower Decks #1.
• Kevin Clark reviews the noir bleakness of Jeff Lemire, Teddy Kristiansen, et al’s Black Hammer: Spiral City #1.
• Alex Schlesinger reviews the heartfelt return of James Tynion IV, Michael Dialynas, et al’s Wynd: The Power of the Blood #1.
• Nathan Simmons reviews the colourful combat of Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, et al’s G.I. Joe #1.
The Beat
• Jared Bird reviews the snappy dialogue of Rick Remender, Max Fiumara, et al’s The Sacrificers, Volume 1.
• Merve Giray reviews the appealing romance of Hisui, Mugi Sawai, et al’s The Small-Animallike Lady Is Adored by the Ice Prince, translated by Emma Shumacker.
• Sean Dillon reviews the stunning finale of Tom King, Bilquis Evely, et al’s Helen of Wyndhorn #6.
• Jordan Jennings reviews the familiar fun of Scott Snyder, Frank Tieri, Tom Hardy, Ryan Smallman, et al’s Arcbound #1.
• Jared Bird reviews the strong start of Jeff Lemire, Teddy Kristiansen, et al’s Black Hammer: Spiral City #1.
• Clyde Hall reviews the pulpy spirit of Marco Finnegan’s Calavera P.I. #1.
• Zack Quaintance reviews the high stakes of Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, et al’s G.I. Joe #1.
• D. Morris reviews the narrative juggling of Joe Kelly, Ed McGuinness, et al’s Amazing Spider-Man #61.
• Sean reviews the shifting world of Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, et al’s We Call Them Giants.
Broken Frontier
Andy Oliver has reviews of:
• The inter-generational comedy of Leo Healy and Torgo Wells’ Uncle Zaxlor’s Robot Repair Shop.
• The meta flourishes of Chloe Starling’s The Black Dog of Bouley Bay.
• The interesting juxtaposition of J. Webster Sharp’s The Scrapbook of Life and Death.
• The tactile delights of Alba Ceide’s Tall Tale.
• The eloquent messaging of Peony Gent’s Autobiography Has Become a Stone in My Shoe.
• The intricate plotting of Paul Cornell, Ryan Kelly, et al’s The Complete[d] Saucer Country.
• The promising start of Kai Dylan’s Fifteen Minutes.
• The sublime delivery of Joe Stone and Matthew Dooley’s Sport.
• The poetic delights of Ellie Durkin’s Seed: Part One.
• The fun showcase of The Leeds Comics Collective’s Cryptids of Leeds.
• The captivating world of Joe Latham’s Haru: Book 1, Spring.
• The touching twists of KitsuneArt, Audrey Molinatti, and Atlantisvampir’s Queer Knights.
• The haunting resonance of Harl Jones’ Hometown.
• The immersive weirdness of Mereida Fajardo’s There’s a Party in My Body (and You’re All Invited).
• The neat premise of John Lynott and Shane Melisse’s Living With the Living #1.
• The standout pacing of Annabel Hewitson’s Nostos.
• The morbid humour of Fraser Geesin and Laurie Rowan’s Pricks #4.
• The vibrant versatility of WIP Comics’ Tall Tales & Short Stories.
• The eerie revelations of Jenny Robins' Skeleton Hearts.
House to Astonish
Paul O’Brien has capsule reviews of Marvel Comics’ X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #22, X-Men #7, X-Force #5, and X-Factor #4.
Kirkus Reviews
Have starred capsule reviews of:
• The subtle elegance of Guojing’s Oasis.
• The refreshing authenticity of Jules Bakes and Niki Smith’s Sea Legs.
• The converging storylines of Tate Godwin’s Operation: Cover-Up.
Library Journal
Have starred capsule reviews of:
• The buzzing conviction of Peter Wohlleben, Fred Bernard, and Benjamin Fla’s The Hidden Life of Trees: A Graphic Adaptation.
• The compelling frankness of Sacha Mardou’s Past Tense: Facing Family Secrets and Finding Myself in Therapy.
PopMatters
Elizabeth Marshall reviews the visual treats of Carol Verburg’s The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey.
Solrad
Hank Kennedy reviews the exemplary storytelling of Golo’s B. Traven: Portrait of a Famous Unknown, translated by Donald Nicholson-Smith.
Women Write About Comics
Monita Mohan reviews the unfocused simplicity of Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, et al’s Absolute Wonder Woman #1.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day
— Michel Fiffe (@michelfiffe.bsky.social) 2024-11-14T14:29:17.744Z
This week’s interviews.
AIPT
• Michael Guerrero talks to Chris Condon about Green Arrow, the appeal of Oliver Queen, environmental disasters, and trick arrows.
• David Brooke interviews Ram V about The New Gods, cosmic scales, the influence of Jack Kirby, and alien alphabets.
• Chris Coplan speaks with Jesús Orellana about Juvenile and the universality of generational divides, and with Bryan Wizemann and Edgar Camacho about The Weakest Fish and the realities of magic.
• Chris Hassan talks to Gerry Duggan about West Coast Avengers, the Krakoan learning experience, and writing about local heroes.
Autobiographix
Nora Hickey and Amaris Ketcham interview Crucial Comix’s co-founder Shay Mirk about creating a space for and by cartoonist to publish work online.
The Beat
• Deanna Destito speaks with Jeff Parker about Zootopia, the book’s place in the timeline of its source material, and returning characters.
• Deb Aoki interviews Kakao Entertainment's Jayden Kang about the structuring of the company and the growth of mobile-first publishing.
• Christian Angeles talks to Tim Leong about Marvel Super Graphic, academic and industry history, and picking the House of Ideas to focus on over other publishers.
Broken Frontier
• Andy Oliver interviews Zheni Zheng about Home Phrases, adapting Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and artistic practices.
• Lydia Turner talks to Beatrijs Brouwer (aka Beastly Worlds) about Fox Flight Market, comics making origins, and upcoming projects.
• Ellie Egleton interviews Chris Shepherd about Anfield Road, the inspiration to be drawn from Liverpool, and the book as a love letter to the city.
Forbes
• Josh Weiss speaks with Josh Gad, Ben Berkowitz, and Max Berkowitz about The Writer, filmic inspirations, and capturing the story’s biblical nature.
• Rob Salkowitz interviews Ram V about The New Gods, nihilistic villains, collaborating with Evan Cagle on the book, and the series’ place in DC’s new line-up.
Kirkus Reviews
Michael Schaub talks to Luke Pearson about Hilda and Twig: Hide From the Rain, the inspirations behind Hilda, and bringing different vibes to the series.
Matter
Andy Downing speaks with Caitlin McGurk about Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund, and helping to rewrite the history of cartooning.
Steven Heller interviews James Sturm and Emil Wilson about Art & Courage: A Guide to Sustaining a Creative Path and the essential nature of creativity.
Publisher’s Weekly
Shaenon K. Garrity speaks with Janine Janssen about Les Normaux and future plans, and with Sarah Andersen about Adulthood is a Gift and the changing world of webcomics.
Seven Days
Ken Picard talks to the Non-Fiction Comics Festival's Teppi Zuppo and Andy Kolovos about what to expect from this weekend's event at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington.
Happy Stupid Sexy Partially Muscled Skeleton Stands By The Perimeter Fence And Screams For Thirty Seconds Before Vanishing day to all those who celebrate it!
— Jaunty Art (@jaunty.art) 2024-11-14T09:05:22.944Z
This week’s features and longreads.
• Here at TCJ, Mark Peters writes on Geof Darrow’s Shaolin Cowboy, and what happens when you remove the words from a series starring an already monosyllabic protagonist - “What’s gained from the silent treatment? Openness, especially in the scenes set in the desert. The lack of words lets the art breathe, and this art has giant lungs. The desert and city settings both feel vast in their own way, and the lack of words opens things up even more. In the wordless version, the reader becomes less of a reader and more of a silent witness to Darrow’s characters, from attacking kaijus to humping dogs.”
• Also for TCJ, RJ Casey sidesteps the question of where LeBron will buy comics, and instead focuses on the important business of drafting this month’s contenders for Arrivals and Departures’ MVP, including Lily Blakely’s Window, Jim Terry’s Paper Cuts, and Marco Pickett’s Elated #2 - “...who’s the Cooper Flagg of comics? Is the Rob Liefeld jeans commercial the closest thing comics has gotten to a NIL deal? In December I’m going to try to squeeze in those last few books of the year that I’m especially excited about. (I’m excited about alllll your submissions. Don’t worry!) See you next month, I hope.”
• From the TCJ archive, following the passing of Kazuo Umezu last month, originally published in The Comics Journal Yearbook: The Best of 2022, former TCJ co-editor Joe McCulloch writes on the contorted improvisations of Orochi: The Perfect Edition Volumes 1-3 - “That is the Shōwa era after the war. Umezz has cut open his knuckles and is painting the psychological landscape of a nation. The young man stabs his mother and bursts into tears. For all she has done, he loves her.”
• A couple of reports from recent and ongoing live events in the comics calendar, as Sebastian Smee visits the American University Museum, Katzen Arts Center’s ‘Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing’ exhibition for The Washington Post; and Four Color Apocalypse’s Ryan Carey reports from last month’s iteration of the annual Short Run Comix Festival in Seattle, with comprehensive photo-documentation of those exhibiting.
• For Print, Steven Heller presents thoughts on some recent offerings from the graphic novel market (and adjacent titles), including Brian Blomerth’s Lilly Wave, Marc Bell’s Raw Sewage Science Fiction, Edward Steed’s Forces of Nature, CF’s Distant Ruptures, Yoshiharu Tsuge’s Oba Electroplating Factory (translated by Ryan Holmberg), and Adrian Tomine’s Q&A.
• Also presenting thoughts on a selection of titles, with a little crossover, although skewing far more to the indie periodical market, Robin McConnell’s latest offering for Inkstuds comprises Ryan Siplion and Randy Siplion’s Blade Star, Christopher Swafford’s Ms. PMS, Thrasher Comics #1, Jim Chadwick and Marty Edwards’ Alpha Wave #1, CF’s Distant Ruptures, Bhanu Pratap’s Cutting Season, Peter Bagge’s Hate Revisited, Tom King and Phil Hester’s Gotham City: Year One, Tuff Shit Comics, J. Webster Sharp’s The Scrapbook of Life and Death, and Richard Corben’s Den: Dreams and Alarums.
• Closing out this week's polyptych of recent reading round-ups, the team at Women Write About Comics present a fresh batch of WWACommendations, with opinions on Miyuli's Morgana and Oz, Jim Terry's Paper Cuts, Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas' Squire, Tim Bird and Sue Bird's Adrift on a Painted Sea, and G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara's Poison Ivy #33.
• Over at ICv2, Rob Salkowitz looks ahead to what promised tariffs from the next president of the United States of America might mean for the comics industry, and Milton Griepp notes which US Direct Market publishers are printing their wares outside said land of the free and home of the brave.
• For Shelfdust, Samuel Edme charts the developing character relationships, and windfalls, to be found in Michael Sweater’s soon-to-be-collected series Everything Sucks: Noah’s Millions.
• From the world of open-access academia, in Dobri, normalni, pošteni, požrtvovani u književnosti, jeziku i umetnosti, Tamara N. Janevska (pp. 271) writes on the relative links between gender and virtue in Wonder Woman and Superman comics, and Slađana Stamenković (pp. 351) makes the argument for Doomsday Clock’s challenging of established superhero tropes.
• Mike Peterson rounds up the week’s editorial beat, over at The Daily Cartoonist, as, well, it’s the day after the night before this year’s presidential election.
Untitled (ATM) 7x10” Sumi Ink, Gel Pen, Gouache on Hotpress Arches Paper for my upcoming solo show in January at Nucleus House in Portland💓 ☎️
— Molly Mendoza (@mollymendoza.bsky.social) 2024-11-08T18:53:00.542Z
This week’s audio/visual delights.
• Lilli Carré hosted the latest meeting of the New York Comics & Picture-Story Symposium, as animator and filmmaker Melissa Ferrari spoke on the history and evolution of magic lanterns, performing with the devices as part of wider artistic practice, and the way that magic lanterns intersect with the history of comics.
• Alongside this week’s review of Naked City, Henry Chamberlain also welcomed Eric Drooker to Comics Grinder to speak about the book, New Yorker covers, the art of storytelling compression, and history with World War III Illustrated.
• 2000 AD’s Thrill-Cast took to the high seas this week, as MOLCH-R spoke with Steve White and John McCrea about Hook Jaw, the realities of shark ecology, the history of the aquatic killer, and Hook Jaw’s penchant for sea-based violence.
• David Harper was joined by Geoff Johns for this week’s episode of Off Panel, as they discussed the expansion of Image Comics’ imprint Ghost Machine, getting the band together, artistic backgrounds, and the logistics of putting a line of books together.
• Calvin Reid, Heidi MacDonald, and Kate Fitzimmons reconvened for a fresh episode of Publisher’s Weekly’s More to Come, as they discussed the crowdfunded return of Metal Hurlant, spoke in remembrance of Kazuo Umezu and Greg Hildebrandt, and covered the upcoming relocation of Brookyln’s Desert Island.
Goku and Gohan got your back.
— Evan Palmer (@handle.invalid) 2024-11-06T03:06:48.972Z
No more links this week, or next week due to the Thanksgiving break, and so I am headed to Bath Spa for a rejuvenating dip in the mineral waters to be found there.
…
— Rev. Dr. Derek M Ballard PhD (@handle.invalid) 2024-11-06T14:42:12.851Z
English (US) · 