Sufferin’ Succotash – This Week’s Links
There is no news today; instead, this post is a map to hidden treasure. Ha ha, April Fool’s! The treasure is inside all of us who share in the miracle of hyperlinks.
Features
Of the Old Guard and the New Kids
Author Brian Doherty’s forthcoming narrative history of underground comix, “Dirty Pictures”, is a big one – so big, an entire chapter had to be deleted for space. Today, we present to you that lost chapter as a standalone reflection on the generation gap (or lack thereof) between the underground cartoonists and their older, straighter inspirations.
Reamed, Not Hardly
After decades spent in the underground comics trenches, playing music and fighting careerist temptations, George Hansen has settled into a nice routine: “making the animals happy”. Bob’s ready to take a look, we’ll let Goshkin keep the score.
“I’m A Citizen Of Gay America”: An Interview With Eric Orner
Eric Orner is one of the only former U.S. Congressional aides who can lay claim to a long-running comic strip and time spent in the Disney trenches. Today, he’s talking to Alex Dueben about how that history helped inform Smahtguy, his biography of the iconic and iconoclastic Barney Frank, one of the first gay and out congressmen and a front-line defender of civil rights.
This Amoeba’s Got A Mind Of Its Own – This Week’s Links
Reticence is nothing to the flying hand of news, and here is where it is caught.
On the Neglect of Cartoons and Comics in the Literary Universe; Or, Gabrielle Bell and Contemporary Ekphrasis
Andrew Field explores the concept of ekphrasis, the vivid description of one in another–”an antithetical act of translation”–as it operates in the comics of Gabrielle Bell.
“The Main Motivation Has Been Paying The Rent”: An Interview With Hunt Emerson
Hunt Emerson catches up with TCJ’s Tasha Lowe-Newsome about his experience with cancer, COVID, and Kickstarting comics, following the successful campaign to print Phenomenomix. In so doing, he also talks about his work in Kenya, his time in bands, and the work he’s produced due to his unwillingness to turn down a gig.
The Strange Second Life of Legacy Comic Strips or: I Want Wilbur Weston Dead
We can all name daily newspaper comics that have outlived their creators: Mary Worth; Mark Trail; Nancy. But while some vanish into the background, others command the passionate and/or sardonic attention of readers. Zach Rabiroff speaks with the writers, artists and editors behind today’s legacy strips.
Friday Night, Saturday Morning – This Week’s Links
Great news, I just won the Paresseux d’Or at Angoulême for best marginal contribution to a column about comic books! I’d like to thank Clark, Gary Groth, the ghost of Coulton Waugh, and all the teachers who did not wake me in homeroom. Grazie, amici!!
Barbara: Tezuka Osamu’s Self-Denial
In this new translation of a 2020 essay, Natsume Fusanosuke holds forth on a God (of Manga) in crisis, as Tezuka Osamu attacks his own semiotics in the early ’70s serial Barbara, which was later adapted to film by Tezuka’s son, Macoto.
A Brief History Of One Of The Original Explainers: PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly
A look back at the long-running PS Magazine, which ceased publication as a periodical in 2019, and its history in the hands of Will Eisner and multiple well-known collaborators.
Catching Up With Mark Schultz
Mark Schultz talks about his journey from comics, to comics that are turned into television shows and Sega CD games, to taking over the adventures of Prince Valiant… while the whole time, Xenozoic Tales remains in the background, ready to take the spotlight once more.
Conquering The Worm – This Week’s Links
While many seek to feed the beast, we endeavor to nourish your mind.
Anne D. Bernstein, 1961-2022
The founding comics editor of Nickelodeon Magazine, the first cover artist for Drawn & Quarterly, and a longtime writer for television animation, Anne D. Bernstein travelled many paths, often at the same time. Cartoonists, editors, publishers, historians, musicians – all have gathered here to celebrate her life.
“I Really Wasn’t Considering The Reader At All”: A Conversation With Ariel Bordeaux
Cartoonist Ariel Bourdeaux catches up with Alex Dueben about her path through comics, from Raisin Pie to Patreon dailies, and all the way up to Clutter, her new work of autobiography with Fieldmouse Press.
Pass Into Nothingness – This Week’s Links
The news is so treacherous right now. I’m thinking of becoming one of those people who responds to every story, regardless of topic, with “This is a god damned shame!” But you know what’s the opposite of “a shame”? The link above, friend.
Do Not Fade Away
In the probable twilight of writer Larry Hama’s 40-year association with the G.I. Joe franchise, Tom Shapira examines the deeper meanings of Hama’s lengthy run on Marvel’s original toy license comics.
How Comic Books Have Changed
In this installment of R.C. Harvey’s long running column, he switches his focus from the comics of the past to look at the work of today: new work from Eduardo Risso, Sean Phillips, Jeff Lemire, Matthieu Blanchin, Howard Chaykin, and more. Thinks may have changed–but Bob has changed with them!
“Dealing With Comedy Is Much More Difficult Than Dealing With Drama”: Gipi Reflects on My Badly Drawn Life
My Badly Drawn Life is the newest book by the cartoonist Gipi in English translation, but it dates back to 2008 in Europe – a time when Gipi found himself at a creative crossroads. Valerio Stivé speaks with the maestro about the toughness of being light on the page.
Face Painted In The Moon Below – This Week’s Links
Why? Because you are called.
Creating the Judge Dredd by Brian Bolland Apex Edition: A How-to Guide for the Rash and Enthusiastic
Artist, editor, writer and comics archaeologist David Roach pulls back the curtain to reveal how one goes about putting together a collection of one legend’s original comics art, decades after those pages have found their way into collections and behind couches, across the globe!
“This Town Is Big Enough For All Of Us”: Ralf König On Lucky Luke
German cartoonist Ralf König grew up reading Lucky Luke, and then one day, he loudly sighed over breakfast at the idea of getting to create his own Lucky Luke comic: and then, thanks to a friend, that demonstrative moment turned into Swiss Bliss, an actual Lucky Luke story. Aug Stone has the story!
Tom Veitch, 1941-2022
Tom Veitch, well known amongst comics readers for his underground comics with Greg Irons and popular runs on Star Wars comics has passed away due to complications related to COVID-19.
