The Comics Alternative

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:02:29 - More listener mail!
• 00:06:57 - Iceland

On the March manga episode, Shea and Derek discuss a couple of experimental works. They begin with Yuichi Yokoyama's Iceland, released last fall from Retrofit Comics/Big Planet Comics. The plot of this book is minimal -- two characters are searching for a third, they find him, and then they drive off in a taxi -- and it's something like you might find in Samuel Beckett narrative. But it's Yokoyama's art that propels the text. As the guys discuss, there is something kinetic, claustrophobic, and even frantic about the visuals. For Derek, futurism comes to mind.

After that they look at a book that both Shea and Derek have been eagerly anticipating, Susumu Katsumata's Fukushima Devil Fish(Breakdown Press). The core text comprises nine short stories that provide a diversity of tone. The first two are the most contemporary, originally published during the 1980s and focusing on the dangers of nuclear power. The remaining pieces reflect Katsumata's style from the late 1960s into the early 1970s, stories originally appearing in the legendary Garo andCOM. Some of these are folklore-inspired narratives, presenting a pre-modern Japan inhabited by kappa and tanuki and reminiscent of the stories found in Red Snow. Others are instances of "I-manga," introspective and highly personal pieces driven more by tone than cohesive storyline. Four critical and biographical essays, two written by Katsumata himself, round out the collection.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:30 - Introduction
• 00:03:12 - Welcoming new Patreon supporters, and more listener mail!
• 00:14:29 - Why Art?

This week Gene and Derek discuss three different titles that may or may not be connected (you'll have to ask Gene). They begin with Eleanor Davis's Why Art? (Fantagraphics Books). Going into this reading, the guys thought that the book might be more on the expository or critical side. However, they quickly discovered Davis's unique approach in combining humor, storytelling, and aesthetic analysis. After that they check out the first issue of Infidel (Image Comics), written by Pornsak Pichetshote and with art by Aaron Campbell. This is a curious combination of horror and the dynamics of intolerance, and the first issue raises a variety of questions that start off the series with good story momentum. The Two Guys with PhDs conclude with another horror title, Greg and Megan Smallwood's Vampironica #1. Although in the tradition of Archie Comics' other recent horror titles, this first issue doesn't have the same impact on the guys as did Afterlife with Archie or The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Still, the art and premise are an attention-grabbing setup.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:25 - Introduction
• 00:02:50 - Setup of interview
• 00:04:21 - Interview with John Porcellino

Gene and Derek are excited to have John Porcellino back on the podcast. His new book From Lone Mountain has just been released by Drawn and Quarterly, and John talks in depth about the time in his life covered in this collection, as well as the process of pulling all of these experiences together. The book collects King-Cat Comics & Stories #62-#68, released between 2003-2007. The Two Guys ask John about the evolution of his compositional strategies, the role that place and landscape play in his comics, how both prose and illustrations function for self-exploration, his thoughts on punk and the DIY aesthetic, and how his comics serve as a release for, as well as a reflection of, the many changes in his life. This isn't the first time John P. has been on The Comics Alternative -- he came on for an interview around the release of issue #76 of King-Cat Comics & Stories -- and the guys certainly hope that this isn't his last visit.

And be sure to check out John's online store, Spit and a Half. There you can find not only his King-Cat Comics & Stories, but also a variety of other mini- and indie comics by other creators, as well!

On this week's Kickstarter show, Derek talks with Nick Prolix about his campaign for Slang Pictorial #3. This will be a 24-page black-and-white comic, following up on on the already published first two hardcopy issues. Nick is using his first-ever Kickstarter in order to cover the comic's printing and shipping. Plus, he has a really cool promotional video!

Slang Pictorial is Nick's one-person anthology comic, and it includes his serialized retro comedy-drama The Sheep And The Wolves. This story actually began as a webcomic, and it's a light-hearted look at the broken dreams and busted schemes of the many residents of a fictional London neighborhood at the start of the Swinging Sixties. Slang Pictorial also includes an assortment of other stories set in the same world.

Backers can also get reprints of the first two issues of the anthology, and there are exclusive prints and art cards, as well. If you're a fan of Palookaville, Eightball, and Optic Nerve, then this is definitely a comic for you. Be sure to back Nick's Slang Pictorial!

For the March on-location recording at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC, the topic of discussion is comics adapted into movies and television series (especially superhero properties), and if we're about to reach the point of oversaturation. Joining Derek in the conversation are shop customers Zyg, Jack, Jesse, Erica, and Christian. All of them are fans of superhero film and TV, and each brings a unique perspective to the discussion. And, as expected, everyone varies in their opinions on how much is too much when it comes to superhero adaptations. Among the various movies and series they discuss are Black Panther, the Iron Man series, Watchmen, The Crow, Justice League, Tim Burton's Batman, Gotham, the various Netflix series, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. They also talk about non-superhero comics adaptations such as Lucifer, iZombie, Ghost World, and, of course, The Walking Dead. And toward the end of their conversation, everyone expresses her or his own wish list of other properties that could be adapted into television series or films.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:32 - Introduction
• 00:03:42 - More listener mail!
• 00:11:43 - Bizarre Romance

On this week's review episode, Gene and Derek discuss three recent, and very different, titles. They begin with Bizarre Romance (Abrams ComicArt), an unusual "graphic novel" written by Audrey Niffenegger and with art from Eddie Campbell. The various stories that compose this collection are both comics and prose-centric pieces, and all of the selections have something to do with relationships in an off-kilter manner. Next, they look at Ed Brisson and Alessandro Micelli's The Ballad of Sang #1 (Oni Press). Inspired by 1970s and 1980s kung fu and action films, this first issue in the series introduces us to a young mute street fighter who becomes a fugitive and must fend for himself. Finally, Gene and Derek wrap up with the latest comic from Jeff Lemire, Gideon Falls #1. With art by Lemire's stalwart collaborator, Andrea Sorrentino -- they had previously worked together on Green Arrow and Old Man Logan -- this is a dark and moody narrative that points to what will become a fascinating monthly series. As Lemire writes in the brief essay that closes out this first issue, Gideon Falls is the realization of a couple of story ideas that the writer has contemplated since his days as a film student.

Also, as the Two Guys share during their "listener mail" segment, English professor and dedicated listener Meghan Sweeney has set up a GoFundMe campaign that aspires, in the aftermath of the Parkland massacre, to get copies of John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell's March trilogy into the hands of teens who might not otherwise have access to them. Please go fund this idea, and help spread the word!

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:03:05 - Pascal joins the podcast!
• 00:16:560 - Listener mail
• 00:20:40 - The Initiates: A Comic Artist and a Wine Artisan Exchange Jobs

For the March episode of the Euro Comics series, Pascal Hamon joins Derek to discuss two recent books from NBM Graphic Novels. They begin with Étienne Davodeau's The Initiates: A Comic Artist and a Wine Artisan Exchange Jobs, an autobiographical account of the artist and his friend's mutual education on what the other does. As Pascal points out, the majority of this narrative concerns Davodeau learning about winemaking and literally getting his hands dirty during the process. Not as much space is given to his friend, Richard Leroy, as he is initiated into the comics industry in France, but this makes sense, given the fact that Davodeau is the author of this account and spends a lot of time revealing what he has learned.

After that, Pascal and Derek discuss Satania, the most recent collaboration between Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët. Their earlier book, Beautiful Darkness, was actually something discussed on the Euro Comics episode in January of last year. This is a similarly fantastical narrative and is, in fact, quite a bit wilder than the earlier book. On the literal level, this is a journey underground, but the guys read this text as more of a psychological narrative. Its young protagonist, Charlotte, while searching for her lost older brother is nonetheless coming to terms with her own issues as she becomes a grown woman. And, of course, Kerascoët's art is mesmerizing.

This marks the debut of Pascal as the new cohost for the Euro Comics series, taking over from Edward while he is on hiatus. Please be sure to contact the Two Guys and welcome Pascal to the podcast!

This week's Kickstarter episode is brought to you by the great folks at Kilgore Books and Comics. If that publisher sounds familiar, that's because the Two Guys have discussed a variety of Kilgore publications in the past...including a publisher spotlight episode back in 2016!

Its current Kickstarter campaign is all about their 2018 releases. Dan Stafford, Kilgore's head honcho, talks with Derek about the various titles scheduled for this year, and there are a lot. Backers can look forward to:

As listeners of The Comics Alternative know, Kilgore publishes great titles, the kind that define what the podcast is all about. So be sure to back this campaign and get your batch of 2018 releases from Kilgore Books and Comics!

Time Codes:

• 00:00:24 - Introduction
• 00:02:45 - Setup of interview
• 00:06:17 - Interview with Ho Che Anderson

On this interview episode, Gene and Derek talk with Ho Che Anderson about his new book Godhead, coming out next week from Fantagraphics Books. This is a work of speculative fiction involving corporate culture and its attempts to communicate with God. It's an ambitious narrative that zeroes in on the juncture of religion, technology, and capitalist greed. The book is the first of two volumes exploring this futuristic world, and it's a project that Anderson has been developing for years. The guys talk extensively with their guest about the genesis of and the creative process underlying Godhead, but they also ask about his larger body of work and its sheer diversity, from the erotic I Want to Be Your Dog, to the five-issue series (along with Wilfred Santiago) Pop Life, to the text he's perhaps best known for, his graphic biography of Martin Luther King. Both Gene and Derek have been big fans of Anderson's comics for years, and they're excited to finally get him on the podcast. Listen up and learn!

Time Codes:

• 00:00:32 - Introduction
• 00:03:09 - Get on our email list!
• 00:05:45 - Listener research
• 00:08:22 - Babylon Berlin

This week Gene and Derek discuss three recent titles, all of which concern mysteries. They begin with Babylon Berlin (Titan Comics), Arne Jysch's comics adaptation of Volker Kutscher's noir prose novel. It takes place in 1929 Berlin and set in the Weimar Republic, with all of its historical and cultural contexts embedded within. The guys are very impressed with Jysch and Kutscher's narrative, and they spend a lot of time not only discussing the work as an example of crime noir, but also the issues involved in adapting a text from one medium to another (including the recent Netflix series).

Next, they look at Rick Geary's latest efforts, The True Death of Billy The Kid (NBM Graphic Novels). This began as a Kickstarter campaign back in 2014, and in many ways it follows the format of Geary's true crime comics. Indeed, both Derek and Gene are big fans of Geary's art and his handling of the history and research surrounding infamous deeds. This is not a biography of Billy the Kid, but true to the book's title, it focuses on the days that lead up to the death of this legendary figure.

Finally, the Two Guys turn their attention to The Highest House #1 (IDW Publishing). Released in conjunction with the French publisher Glénat Editions, this brings back together Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Yuko Shimizu, the creative team that brought us The Unwritten. This story is more of an overt fantasy than the previous series. The inaugural issue sets a solid foundation for Carey's world building, and as both Gene and Derek observe, the larger album format allows a full display of Gross's marvelous art.