What Sold at CAB
Trends in My Comic-Book Back-Issue Sales
Features
Zap: An Interview with Robert Crumb
Zap: The Interviews, Volume 9 of The Comics Journal Library, hits stores this month, collecting all the Zap-related Comics Journal interviews, plus several previously unpublished conversations with the Zap cartoonists. In celebration of this release, we’re publishing things that didn’t make the cut, starting first with the great Robert Crumb.
THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (11/19/14 – A Few Words on the Predilections of Record Collectors)
Jazz! What is it? Can I read it? Can I make love to it?? Blutch will show you the way, signore.
The Art of Divination
In Aidan Koch’s “Configurations” the psychological interval between each panel is central, impossible for the reader to ignore, and in a sense that’s what this comic is actually about.
Wonder Woman and the Unknown: An Interview with Jill Lepore
The cartoonist Ron Rege, Jr. interviews Lepore on feminism, the occult, and other matters connected to her groundbreaking book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman.
CAB 2014 Notes
A brief con report
“The Sponsor”: A Fourteen-Step Problem Comic
All about interpretation and responses to James Sturm’s comic strip “The Sponsor” . . .
THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (11/12/14 – An Experiment in Funnybook Investigation)
It’s so nice not having to cover a comics show. God, I can just show up and be myself.
Zap: Censorship and Suppression
America at mid-twentieth century was chock full of self-appointed, blue-nosed guardians of good taste who tried to control what could be shown in popular media and insisted that everyone follow their rules.
Letter to a Young Cartoonist
What is the meaning of the Internet? And what can be done about it? I am 36. Like Virgil in Dante’s Inferno I come from Another Time, the pre-Internet era, to guide you, Young Cartoonist, through the architecture of Hell.
Into the Forest with Lorenzo Mattotti
A chat with the artist of Hansel and Gretel and numerous other books and projects about process, Italian design, and the early 1980s.
THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (11/5/14 – Days of Manga Past)
Revisiting a special moment in international cooperation, before spending the first Xmas money of the season.
Nightmare Neighbors, Dream Collaborators
Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash on Bow-Wow, comics, picture books, and telling stories without words
“I’m Not on This Planet Forever”: An Interview with Charles Burns
The creator of Black Hole talks about Sugar Skull, his creative process, today’s comics community, and learning to be an artist.
“Comics Language Has an Alphabet and You Should Use It”: An Interview with Manuele Fior
The Italian-born cartoonist talks about creating female characters, psychoanalysis, comparing comics to literature, and creating art in a pop world.
THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (10/29/14 – Treats. Only treats.)
It’s very unlikely I will try to cook and eat you on this Halloween week!
“My Aim is to Be as Appealing as Possible”: An Interview with Michel Fiffe
The creator behind Copra and Zegas talks about breaking into comics, helping to found Act-i-vate, the perils of small publishing, and working for Marvel.
Ralph Steadman: Into the Gentle Darkness
In this 1989 Comics Journal interview, Gary Groth picks Ralph Steadman’s brain on the topic of his growth as an artist, changing interests, loss of faith and times working with Hunter S. Thompson in a career-spanning conversation that always finds its way back to politics and all that’s wrong in the world.
South American Spotlight: Berliac
A look at a great work by the Argentine author
Proto-Gekiga: Matsumoto Masahiko’s Komaga
One could say that Matsumoto Masahiko was the true innovator of gekiga and today’s manga. Sakurai Shōichi (cartoonist, publisher, brother of Tatsumi Yoshihiro), 1971-72 As an aside, let me point out that, around the time that the term ‘gekiga’ was born, some people used ‘komaga’ instead. In my opinion, it would be more appropriate to… Read more »
THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (10/22/14 – A European Afternoon)
I’ve found them! Yep, mostly foreigners.
Weird Sisters
Demonic forces abet and appall in this Halloween analysis of comics by Andrew Pannell, Cathy G. Johnson, and GG.
Lianhuanhua: China’s Pulp Comics
An overlooked genre of comic art.
Pete, the Rookie
At 108, former cartoonist Austin “Pete” Peterson recalls Jimmy Swinnerton, Tad Dorgan, and getting fired by William Hearst.
