The Comics Alternative

This weekend Derek talks with Joseph Freistuhler about his current Kickstarter project, The Not So Gold Age #2. This parody of the superhero genre is actually a webcomic, the first physical issue of which Joseph and his co-creator Phil Buck successfully Kickstarted back in 2016. How they're back to bring the second issue into paper existence.

The Not So Golden Age is the story of several washed up, dysfunctional superheroes. They were once the premier heroes of their generation, but having been unused for so long, they're relegated to the dreaded public domain. As a result, they now reside in a trailer park outside of Reno, Nevada. That happens.

As Derek's talk with Joseph reveals, this is a project steeped in humor, from the narrative itself to the mock ads that populate the insides. As the writer reveals upfront in his Kickstarter disclaimer, "This comic may not actually be the best comic you will ever read. However, it is the best comic book my mother will ever read!"

So please, join Joseph's mother in enjoying the warm, nougaty, comics-filled goodness of The Not So Golden Age by backing the printing of the second issue! You'll be glad you did.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:27 - Introduction
• 00:02:56 - We get mail!
• 00:08:08 - Everblue

For the month of March, Sean and Derek discuss three webcomics that are very different in terms of art style and storytelling technique. However, what all three have in common is a focus on relationships. They start off with Michael Sexton's Everblue, a fantastical tale about two young adventurers who want to explore their world while at the same time avoiding the threats that are in pursuit. After that the guys discuss Handrava, a more realistic narrative set in Madagascar's capital city. It's author Rado R. captures the rhythms and flavors of his subject matter through both the dialogue and the visual layout of his scripting. Finally, Derek and Sean turn to a recently completed webcomic, Thom Zahler's Warning Label. As with the creator's previous works -- most notably Love and Capes, Long Distance, and Time and Vine -- the focus is on relationships and its unpredictable contours. This is yet another impressive work from Zahler, and one that will leave you, once again, with a warm and positive feeling.

It's the first of the month, and that must mean that it's time once again to look at the latest Previews catalog. For the month of March, Gene and Derek step up to the plate to take a swing at the many solicitations, highlighting what they consider the most notable upcoming titles. In fact, there's so much to choose from, that this month's Previews episode is an extra-long show...running for almost three hours! Are the Two Guys up to the challenge? Do they heroically take on an unwieldy  amount of material, or do they unnecessarily extend what could have been covered in a more manageable hour and a half? Listen to the episode, and you decide. And while doing so, you'll discover many new comic books and graphic novels such as those published by:

• Dark Horse Comics - Ether: The Copper Golems #1, Dork, Blackwood #1, and Brooklyn Blood

Time Codes:

• 00:26 - Introduction
• 02:22 - Setup of interview
• 03:26 - Interview with Ivy Noelle Weir and Steenz

Derek talks with Ivy Noelle Weir and Christina "Steenz" Steward about their new book coming out this week from Oni Press, Archival Quality. It’s the story of a young woman who gets a job as a museum archivist, but who soon discovers that her new place of employment is haunted. As she investigates the mystery behind the spectral activity, she also confronts her struggles with mental health and the relationships that have sustained her in the past. Over the course of the conversation, Ivy and Steenz share the genesis of the narrative, their methods of collaboration, and the story’s thematic observations and keen cultural awareness.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:02:37 - Setup of interview
• 00:04:05 - Interview with Denis Kitchen

We're in the middle of Will Eisner Week 2018, and over the past several years The Comics Alternative has offered special episodes to celebrate the annual event. This year is no exception. On this episode, Derek is pleased to have back on the podcast Denis Kitchen, this time discussing his relationship with the comics legend, his history with him as a publisher and businessman, and his first-hand accounts of the various career moves  Will Eisner experienced beginning in the 1970s. Along the way Denis talks with Derek about his first encounters with Eisner, how Kitchen Sink Comics helped to introduce The Spirit to a whole new generation, Eisner's evolution as a graphic novelist, and his experiences in working with Eisner as both an editor and as an agent.

On this weekend's Kickstarter episode, Derek talks with Barron Bell and Koi Turnbull about their campaign The North Star: The Emancipation of Frederick Douglass. It's a graphic adaptation of the memoir, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, and it's the first of three planned volumes on Douglass's life.

The North Star is a dramatic retelling of three pivotal moments in Frederick Douglass's story, bringing to life the legendary figure's efforts as an abolitionist, a businessman, a politician, and a man of faith. There are a variety of reward levels, some of which underscore this project's goal as an educational tool.

Support these noble intentions by backing this Kickstarter campaign. And learn more about the work of Barron Bell and Koi Turnbull.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:02:47 - Thanks to Holly English!
• 00:05:07 - The 2017 releases from kuš!

This week Gene and Derek focus a critical spotlight on the Latvian publisher kuš! This is a press that the vast majority of listeners are probably unaware of -- indeed, neither of the Two Guys knew about kuš! until about three years ago -- and that's a shame. They produce incredible comics from artists that span the globe. And as Gene points out, there's really no such thing as a "kuš! style." The sheer variety of visual approaches that can be found in kuš! publications is truly astounding.

Since kuš! publishes so many comics, Derek and Gene have decided to limit their discussion to just those titles the press released in 2017. But even that is a challenging volume of output. Last year kuš! put out four of their š! anthologies, four kuš! mono volumes, and sixteen issues in the mini kuš! series. As the guys point out multiple times during this episode, there's no way to thoroughly discuss every single title that came out in 2017, but they do their best to cover as much ground as possible, and in hopes of giving listeners incentive to check out the wonderful releases from this publisher.

Here is a complete list of kuš! releases from 2017, including the month of publication:

Time Codes:

• 00:00:29 - Introduction
• 00:02:43 - Listener mail!
• 00:07:10 - Red Colored Elegy

Shea and Derek are back with their February manga episode. This month they look at two titles that, in many ways, are diametrically opposite in terms of style and audience. They begin with Seiichi Hayashi's Red Colored Elegy, the softcover edition of which has just been released from Drawn and Quarterly. This is the story of two young artists cohabiting and the struggles they endure with their families, they work, and their relationship with one another. But there's much more going on in this narrative, as the guys abundantly point out. This is an experimental work that was originally serialized in Garo during the early 1970s, and Hayashi's variations in visual style, along with his employment of nonconventional storytelling techniques, are what make this such an intriguing and significant work.

After that, Shea and Derek discuss the first volume of Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu's The Promised Neverland (VIZ Media). It's a fantastical, and even futuristic, series about a community of orphans who learn that their comfortable life is undergirded by demonic forces. Both of the guys appreciate Demizu's art, and they're intrigued by the series' premise. At the same time, they wonder about some of the choices the creators made toward the end of this first volume, especially regarding narrative focalization. But they're both interested in seeing how things develop and if, indeed, Shirai's storytelling choices turn out to be effective as the plot unfolds. VIZ Media released the second volume of the series earlier this month, but the guys weren't able to get copies of that text in time for this recording (despite reaching out several times to the publisher's publicity department).

Time Codes:

• 00:00:25 - Introduction
• 00:02:22 - Setup of interview
• 00:03:43 - Interview with Gary Groth

On this interview episode Derek talks with Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth about his new book Sparring with Gil Kane: Debating the History and Aesthetics of Comics. It's a collection of thirteen interviews, conversations, and panel transcripts focusing on Kane and his aesthetics. The pieces that Groth collects highlight the legendary artist's thoughts on the potential and limitations of the medium, his relationship with other creators, and Kane's place within the larger context of comics history. As Groth reveals, this book was long in the making, and it's the first of several Gil Kane-related works that Fantagraphics will publish in the coming years.

This week talks with Nadia Shammas about her Kickstarter project Corpus: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments. It's a collection of comics by various creators all focused on health issues, including physical ailments, mental illness, struggles with disease, and healthcare experiences.

The anthology is in full color and will include over 200 pages of content by a wide variety of artists including

To say the least, there's a lot packed into this anthology! Be sure to back this Kickstarter campaign. It will be great for your health!