Time Codes:

• 00:00:32 - Introduction
• 00:03:38 - Now#5

On this episode of the podcast Sterg and Derek look at three exciting titles. They begin with Now#5, the latest in Fantagraphics' outstanding comics anthology series. As the guys point out, they're dedicated to discussing every issue of Nowthat is released, and this one is chock-full of comicy goodness. Although all of the contributions in this issue are intriguing, some of the most notable that the guys discuss are those by Eroyn Franklin, Walker Tate, DRT, Ana Galvañ, DW, Maggie Umber, and especially Walt Holcombe.

And although Derek and Sterg spend the vast majority of their time discussing this anthology -- there's a lot to take in -- they also look at two other titles. One of those is most recent incarnation of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips's Criminal(Image Comics). In the new series' first issue, the protagonist is one familiar to Criminal enthusiasts, Teeg Lawless. But there are other manifestations of Brubaker and Phillips' world that are imbedded within. After that they look at the first three issues of Scratcher, John Wald and Juan Romera's self-published horror title that takes place at a tattoo parlor. This is actually a work that its writer alerted the guys to, and they're glad that he did.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:32 - Introduction
• 00:03:07 - Listener correspondence!
• 00:09:07 - The Unknown Anti-War Comics

On this episode, Sterg and Derek discuss three recent titles that run the gamut from sci-fi to political to slice-of-life (or what the Two Guys prefer to call  verite dessinée). They begin with the latest collection from Craig Yoe, The Unknown Anti-War Comics(IDW Publications/Yoe Books). This is a volume devoted to classic Charlton Comics stories from the 1950s and 1960s -- most probably written by Joe Gill -- that have a peaceful message to deliver. One of the highlights of this collection is the art of Steve Ditko. After that, the guys jump into the latest issue of Love and Rockets (Fantagraphics Books). Both Derek and Sterg highlight what they particularly like about this specific issue, but they also speculate on the current career trajectories of Gilbert and Jaime and even on what they see as some of the "excesses" of each brother. Finally, the guys wrap up with a discussion of the first two issues of Nnedi Okorafor and Tana Ford's LaGuardia(Dark Horse Comics/Berger Books). In fact, this is an appropriate title to bookend the episode, along with Charlton anti-war stories. Both Sterg and Derek are intrigued by the premise of this limited series, but at the same time they feel that there's something missing from the first two issues, which is half of the four-issue run. Is the narrative too decompressed? Lacking enough exposition? Regardless, both guys want to read on and see where Okorafor and Tana end with their timely story.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:25 - Introduction
• 00:02:20 - Setup of interview
• 00:03:54 - Interview with Keith Dallas and Jason Sacks

On this, the second show in The Comics Alternative's new Critical Takes series, Derek has back on the podcast Keith Dallas, coauthor of the new book, American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1990s. Listeners might remember that he talked with Keith, along with John Wells, back last summer when their Comic Book Implosion was released by TwoMorrows Publishing. In fact, that was the very first Critical Takes episode. This time around, Keith is joined by Jason Sacks, another comics scholar and historian who has worked on other texts within the American Comic Book Chroniclesseries. The two have just released their volume on the 1990s, a curious and tumultuous time in American comics history. As you’ll hear in conversation, Jason and Keith discuss in detail their first-hand experiences during this decade, the process of researching for this project, the various stereotypes that they had to overcome when encapsulating the decade, and what each of them sees as key defining moments for comics during the 1990s. They also talk about the genesis of the American Comic Book Chroniclesseries and what we might expect with future volumes.

It's the first episode of the new year, and for the January Previewsshow the Two Guys decide to try something different: invite a third person to join them in discussing the current Previewscatalog. This week Sterg and Derek are joined by Troy-Jeffrey Allen who works with community outreach at PREVIEWSworld. And given Troy's association with Diamond Distributors and the ins and outs of their monthly catalog, he's able to provide insights and additional commentary that results in an extra special discussion. And as you might expect, the addition of a third conversant makes this episode longer than usual...as if the guys' monthly Previews shows weren't long enough. Among the many publishers and titles that Troy, Sterg, and Derek highlight are:

• Image Comics - Little Bird#1, Assassin Nation#1, and Black Magick: The First Book of Shadows

A BIG THANKS to Troy-Jeffrey Allen for his contributions to this episode!

Be sure to keep up with the good people at PREVIEWSworld, and check out Troy on PREVIEWSworld's weekly YouTube show!

Time Codes:

• 00:00:29 - Introduction
• 00:02:38 - Setup of interview
• 00:07:14 - Interview with Craig Yoe

It's a new year, so that must mean that it's time for the annual Happy New Yoe show! On this, The Comics Alternative's very first episode of 2019, Derek talks with Craig Yoe about what he's been up to lately. They spend much of the time talking about the year in review for Yoe Books. And it was a busy one for Craig and his companion/colleague, Clizia Gussoni, who oversaw the publication of such titles as Limbo Lounge, Reefer Madness, We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust, Lou Cameron’s Unsleeping Dead, Super Patriotic Heroes, The Best of Don Winslow of the Navy, Super Weird Heroes: Preposterous but True!, and new collections of their Weird Loveand Haunted Horrorcomics. Craig also reveals some of the titles we can look forward to in the new year, such as The Unknown Anti-War Comics, Jungle Girls, Swamp Monsters, Clyde, Life on the Moon, and Matchless Beauties: The Art of Pin-up Matchbook Covers. Along the way, the two discuss Yoe Books' recent efforts to publish original graphic novels -- such as Limbo Loungeand Life on the Moon-- the glories of HeroesCon, the future for Craig's various comic-book series, which books caught the most fire in 2018, and plans for Yoe Books to branch out and cover more popular culture topics in addition to comics and comics history. And of course, there are the laughter and wry humor that Craig always brings to every interview he gives to podcast. And this marks the 11th occasion that Craig has been interviewed on The Comics Alternative!

And Craig is also an artist!

Design that Craig Yoe created specifically for The Comics Alternative!

Time Codes:

• 00:00:27 - Introduction
• 00:02:42 - Manga plans for the new year
• 00:08:52 - Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection

On this manga episode, their last of 2018, Shea and Derek look at two recent works of manga that are actually quite similar in a number of ways. They begin with Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection(VIZ Media). This isn't the first time, by far, that the guys have discussed Junji Ito's horror work, and whereas they've been less impressed with some of his more recent translations, they are more enthusiastic about this current collection. The standout story is Ito's adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic romance, which takes up almost half of the text. But the other stories in this collection, specifically the Oshikiri cycle ones, are gripping, as well.

After that the Two Guys check out a wild example of manga, Shintaro Kago's Dementia 21 (Fantagraphics). While both Derek and Shea had heard of Kago, until now they really hadn't read any of his works. This book, the first in a two-volume series from the publisher, is a collection of 17 stories that surround the escapades of Yukie Sakai, a young home healthcare aide. Her assignments to a variety of elderly patients all turn out surreal, taking her into mind-blowing adventures that are hilarious as they are nonsensical (and even metafictional, in some cases). Kago's manga has been described as ero guro nansensu, although in this collection there is more nansensu than there is ero guro. (For the latter, listeners are referred to another translated collection of Kago's, Super-Dimensional Love Gun, from Fakku Books.)

Time Codes:

• 00:00:24 – Introduction
• 00:03:11 – Getting caught up!
• 00:04:05 – McCay

For their December Euro Comics show, Pascal and Derek discuss two recent French titles in translation. They begin with Thierry Smolderen and Jean-Philippe Bramanti's McCay (Titan Comics), a surreal narrative surrounding the life of comics legend Windsor McCay. But this work is not a biography. Smolderen takes historical moments in McCay's life and from those weaves a fantastical tale that includes noir intrigue, metafictional elements, and the fourth dimension. After that the guys turn to the three volumes of Yann and Alain Henriet's Bear's Tooth (Cinebook).  Each of the three works -- Max, Hanna, and Werner-- is based on one of the three protagonists in this World War II tale. As Pascal reveals, Yann and Henriet's follow up to this series (not yet translated) continues the storyline, but with strange alternate history twist.

Time Codes:

• 00:01:28 - Introduction
• 00:03:49 - Context, and a few statistics
• 00:10:41 - Our favorite comics of 2018, part 1
• 00:40:03 - Our honorable mentions, part 1
• 00:54:46 - Our favorite comics of 2018, part 2
• 01:29:23 - Our honorable mentions, part 2
• 01:47:47 - Our favorite comics of 2018, part 3
• 02:08:23 - Wrapping up our favorites
• 02:11:19 - Contact us

It's that time again! It's the end of the year, their very last weekly review episode of 2018, and so the Two Guys are ready to share what they consider to be their favorite comics of the past twelve months. This is Sterg's first time doing this, but he successfully steps up to the plate to reveal what he considers his 10 favorites of 2018. And Derek does the same.

Before that, though, they go over a few statistics from the past year. Over the course of 2018 -- at least up until the time of the recording of this end-of-the-year show -- The Comics Alternativereleased a total of 171 episodes of the podcast. Of that number, 55 were interviews, 10 were webcomics shows, 11 manga episodes, 10 from the Euro comics series, 6 were young reader shows, 16 on-location episodes, and 1 special. (And since Sterg and Derek recorded this "Favorites" episode, there have been at least three other shows for the current year, an on-location, a webcomic, and a Euro comics show. Maybe a manga episode will go up before the new year, as well?)

But of much more importance are the various titles that both Sterg and Derek picked as this year's favorites. Each chooses, in no particular order, what he considers to be his 10 favorites of 2018:

• Is This Guy for Real?: The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman- Box Brown (First Second)
• Wytches: Bad Egg Halloween Special- Scott Snyder and Jock (Image Comics)
• The Nib- various, edited by Matt Bors
• Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World- Penelope Bagieu (First Second)
• Blammo#10- Noah Van Sciver (Kilgore Books and Comics)
• Coyote Doggirl- Lisa Hanawalt (Drawn and Quarterly)
• Tom the Dancing Bug- Ruben Bolling
• Lore Olympus- Rachel Smythe (Webtoon)
• Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction - Jarett Krosoczka (Graphix/Scholastic)

• Motor Girl Omnibus/Strangers in Paradise XXV - Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
• Hasib and the Queen of Serpents: A Tale of a Thousand and One Nights - David B. (NBM Publishing)
• Live/Work- Pat Palermo (AdHouse Books)
• Sabrina- Nick Drnaso (Drawn and Quarterly)
• The Arab of the Future 3: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1985-1987- Riad Sattouf (Metropolitan Books)
• The Winner- Karl Stevens (Retrofit/Big Planet)
• Young Frances- Hartley Lin (AdHouse Books)
• Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vols. 1-3 - Inio Asano (VIZ Media)
• Berlin - Jason Lutes (Drawn and Quarterly)
• The New World: Comics from Mauretania- Chris Reynolds (New York Review Comics)

• Bezoar#3- various
• Now - various, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
• Nancy - Olivia Jaimes
• Baseline Blvd- Emi Gennis (Kilgore Comics and Press)
• Tyler Cross: Black Rock- Fabien Nury and Bruno (Hard Case Crime/Titan Books)
• On a Sunbeam- Tillie Walden (First Second)
• Black Hammer- Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston (Dark Horse Comics)
• I Am Young- M. Dean (Fantagraphics)

• One Dirty Tree- Noah Van Sciver (Uncivilized Books)
• Come Again- Nate Powell (Topshelf/IDW Publishing)
• The Troublemakers- Baron Yoshimoto (Retrofit/Big Planet)
• Is This Guy for Real?: The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman- Box Brown (First Second)
• Mister Miracle- Tom King and Mitch Gerads (DC Comics)
• Will Eisner’s A Contract with God: Curator’s Edition- Will Eisner (Kitchen Sink Press/Dark Horse Books)
• The Lie and How We Told It- Tommi Parish (Fantagraphics)
• Gideon Falls- Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino (Image Comics)
• Slum Wolf- Tadao Tsuge (New York Review Comics)
• Alchemilla- Sara Volta

Time Codes:

• 00:01:18 – Introduction
• 00:04:22 – It’s the holiday season!
• 00:06:25 – Snow Daze

On this webcomics episode, the last of 2018, Sean and Derek get into the holiday spirit. They discuss three titles that concern Christmas or the winter season (i.e., has the word "snow" in the title). They begin with Leonardo Faierman and Marcus Kwame Anderson's Snow Daze, a narrative about a group of enterprising teenagers in Queens, NY, who create a business shoveling snow, all the while dealing with the challenges of urban life, especially as it concerns matters of race. After that the guys look at another snow-related webcomic, Snow by Night, written by Eric Menge and with primary art by Julie A. Wright and Brittany Michel. This is a fantasy inspired by French colonial culture in North America, and largely revolves around a manitou, a nature spirit of the wilderness, who quests to find her "heart." Finally, Derek and Sean turn to a quite different webcomic, one created by the Blizzard Entertainment corporation to supplement one of their popular video games. Michael Chu and Miki Montlló's Overwatch: Reflectionsis a Christmas story involving the character Tracer as she attempts to find a last-minute gift and (predictably enough) learns the true meaning of the season.