One Panel Later

Angela and Kelly get heavy with a pod about diversity (or the lack thereof) in comics and manga. We're covering Black Panther (finally), Marvel's diversity SNAFUs, the homogeneity of manga, and how kids' comics are filling in the gaps. Plus, cute stories from the library about why diversity matters to our kids and teens.

Book reviews: The Flintsones by Mark Russell & Steve Pugh, Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa

Twitter: @onepanellater | Show notes: onepanellater.com

Angela and Kelly discuss comics and manga classics (no not THOSE classics). What makes something a classic and not just old? Why is the history of manga classics in the English-speaking fandom so muddled and weird? We're talking 80s cyberpunk manga, retro X-Men, why Fullmetal Alchemist deserves to be a classic, and why some of the most classic Superman titles might be part of the canon but not "canon."

Book reviews: The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, Again!! by Mitsurou Kubo

Twitter: @onepanellater | Show notes: onepanellater.com

Angela and Kelly go full librarian this week, talking about how libraries choose what books to put on the shelves--and what has to go. Ever wonder who gets to pick what manga/graphic novels your library carries? (Spoiler: it's us). Frustrated that a library got rid of your favorite series? (Guilty). We talk about budget and space constraints, out of print titles, the challenge balancing old and new, the siren call of nostalgia, and why we sometimes remove books you loved (sorry, Fushigi Yugi). Learn the darkest secrets of the library!

Book reviews: Moonstruck by Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle, Waiting for Spring by Anashin

Twitter: @onepanellater | Show notes: onepanellater.com

Angela and Kelly take a deep dive into comics minutiae this week with a discussion about the nitty gritty of page layouts. Angela can't understand why every panel in manga doesn't have detailed backgrounds. Kelly can't understand why Angela doesn't appreciate negative space. Kelly thinks comics move too fast. Angela worries about getting enough action for her $3.99. Also, a discussion of Rachel Thorn's fascinating thread on traffic laws in manga panelling and whether comics need similar guidelines or are better off without them. 

Book reviews: My Brothers Husband by Gengoroh Tagame, The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Twitter: @onepanellater | Show notes: onepanellater.com

We all love some kind of fiction with elements that might be considered, well, problematic. Age-gap romances, dubious consent, uncomfortable tropes and outdated stereotypes, sexual objectification, an author with bad behavior or objectionable views—you name it, it's in one of our favorite books or shows.  Kelly and Angela talk about liking things we feel pressure to censure in spite of ourselves, from Devilman Crybaby and the infamous Land of the Lustrous Tumblr post to Lois Lane, Rawhide Kid, and beloved 90s books like Ender's Game and Rurouni Kenshin.

Book recommendations/reviews:

Angela: Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormston, and Dave Stewart (Dark Horse)

Kelly: Kigurumi Guardians by Lily Hoshino (Kodansha Comics)

Twitter: @onepanellater | Show notes: onepanellater.com

Kelly and Angela don't know much about romance, so they bring in romance expert Sarah to help fill in the gaps! How did romance get started and why did it die in America? (hint: Angela's favorite book!) Get your toast ready, these ladies have the dokidokis!

Book recommendations:

Angela: Misfit City by Kurt Lustgarten and Naomi Franquiz (Boom!)

Kelly: House of the Sun by Ta'amo (Kodansha)

Sara: Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag (Graphix) & Finder by Carla McNeil (Dark Horse)

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Angela and Kelly sit down with Anna Cebrian, owner of Illusive Comics & Games in Santa Clara, CA (a 2017 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer nominee) to discuss how she got into the comics industry (not how you'd expect), what it's like to be a woman in the biz (spoiler: not great), and where comics are heading (or should be) in the future. Plus: Everyone gets a chance to gush about their favorite kids' books, and Kelly asks what the deal is with comic stores and manga.

Goodbye and good riddance, 2017. Kelly and Angela take one last look at geek culture in 2017, from movies and TV to anime, video games, and trends. We're talking about The Last Jedi, Stranger Things 2, the new Doctor, Made in Abyss, Fire Emblem Heroes, and how much Kelly cried during Coco. Plus, what we're looking forward to in 2018: Black Panther, Masaaki Yuasa's Devilman Crybaby, the rumored Harry Potter AR game, and more. Angela might even admit that she learned something about manga this year! For show notes: onepanellater.com

Kelly and Angela take a look at EXPLICIT CONTENT in comics and manga. Does manga get a bad rap for its sexual and violent content? If we're ok with teens having sex in a YA novel, why not in comics for teens? How do we deal with explicit content in the library? Also, did you know Iron Man and Black Widow have a canonical sex tape?

Book Reviews: The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill; That Wolf-Boy is Mine by Yoko Nogiri

As 2017 wraps up, Kelly and Angela take a look at some of the comics and manga being recognized on Best of 2017 lists around the internet. Why do these lists matter? Will manga ever make it out of the manga ghetto? Plus: our favorite comics and manga of the year, and what we're looking forward to in 2018.