The Comics Alternative

For the second episode of The Comics Alternative's new Kickstarter series, Derek talks with Andy Stanleigh and Steven Bergson about their project, SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology, Vol. 2. This book will be released by Alternate History Comics (of which Andy is the publisher), and it will follow Steven's first volume of The Jewish Comics Anthology, also published by AH Comics. What will distinguish this second collection is that each of the retellings from Jewish history, legend, and myth will be set in a science-fiction setting. Contributors to this anthology will include

• Ty Templeton (Batman, Spiderman, The Simpsons)

To back this project, and to learn more about the many rewards levels, visit their Kickstarter site, or head on over to the Alternative History Comics website.

Cover

"Babel" - Neil Kleid and Jake Allen

"Stone Soup" - Keith Grachow

Time Codes:

• 00:26 - Introduction
• 02:39 - Setup of interview
• 03:51 - Interview with Deb Olin Unferth and Elizabeth Haidle

On this interview episode, Derek talks with Deb Olin Unferth and Elizabeth Haidle on the publication of their new book, I, Parrot (Black Balloon-Catapult). This is a graphic novel in the truest sense, a work of fiction, about a middle-aged woman who's prone to bad luck. She stumbles upon a bird-sitting job, caring for an aviary of exotic, rare, and very expensive parrots, and despite the help of her boyfriend and her young son, falls prey to a series of misfortunes that lead to unintended, yet not entirely tragic, consequences. Both Deb and Beth share their experiences working together on this project, the collaborative rhythm they established, and how their previous creations reflect on this graphic novel. This is Deb's first work in comics, having previously established a career as a writer of prose fiction. And while Beth's experiences in comics art is more extensive, this is her first effort in "adult" long-form graphic narrative. Derek also asks his guests about their other current projects and any possible plans to collaborate on future projects.

Time Codes:

• 00:24 - Introduction
• 03:04 - Setup of interview
• 05:16 - Interview with Katie Green

On this interview episode, Paul and Derek talk with Katie Green about her recent graphic memoir Lighter Than My Shadow, released last month from Lion Forge's Roar imprint. The Two Guys reviewed the book a couple of weeks ago, but they were so moved by Green's story that they wanted to have her on the podcast to talk about her work. This insightful conversation adds more context and texture to Katie's memoir, and she shares her struggles in narrating her various traumatic experiences, her art background and its translation into memoir comics, and her desires to reach others, specifically younger readers, who may similarly suffer from eating disorders and sexual abuse.

On this month's Previews episode, Gwen and Derek join forces to highlight the various November solicits that strike their fancy. In fact, this is Gwen's first time doing a Previews show, but she comes across as an old hand and suggests some wonderful upcoming titles that are sure to resonate with listeners. But first, the Two Academics Talking about Comics send out a BIG thank you to two dedicated -- and two very talented -- listeners, Holly English and Marc Casilli. Both have recently shared copies of their own self-published comics, and Gwen and Derek give them a shout-out and discuss how impressed they are with the issues. After that they announce The Comics Alternative's brand new Slack channel, inviting listeners to join up and take part in the discussion community. But after these announcements, they get to the heart of this week's Previews episode. Among the comics and graphic novels Gwen and Derek recommend are:

• Dark Horse Comics - Hungry Ghosts #1, Vinegar Teeth #1, Contract with God Curator's Collection, and The Paybacks Collection

Time Codes:

• 00:00:25 - Introduction
• 00:02:39 - Setup of interview
• 00:04:29 - Interview with Julia Wertz

On this interview episode, Paul and Derek are pleased to have Julia Wertz on the podcast. Her new book, Tenements, Towers and Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City, came out earlier this month from Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers. As the subtitle suggests, this is a different kind of history, a guide to the Big Apple's present as well as its past, investigating its architecture, its businesses, its facades, its entertainment venues, and the many colorful figures who have populated its boroughs. The guys talk with Julia about how different this book is from her previous works -- e.g., Drinking at the Movies, The Infinite Wait and Other Stories, Fart Party -- which are primarily autobiographical. For this project, the author considered herself an urban explorer, forgoing the inward gaze and focusing instead on the city that she called home between 2007 and 2016. Tenements, Towers and Trash includes a variety of stories that compose its past, and punctuating the text is a series of before-and-after illustrations of storefronts and city blocks that underscore New York's ever-changing nature. This isn't a nostalgic look back at what once had been, but a chronicle of a dynamic urban space in the process of becoming. And of course, the book has more than its share of Julia's poignant, even laugh-out-loud, humor.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:03:10 - Setting up this year's manga horror show
• 00:06:52 - Domu: A Child's Dream

Shea and Derek are back with their second manga episode of the month! On this show, they discuss several horror manga that will get you in the mood for Halloween tomorrow. As they did last year, the Two Manga Guys are both thrilled and chilled with by introducing listeners to a variety creepy titles, some older and some brand new. They begin with Katsuhiro Otomo's Domu: A Child's Dream (Dark Horse Manga), a story that is probably the least horrific of those discussed, but it's nonetheless one of the guys' favorites on this episode. As the guys point out, it's a shame that Otomo's canonical Akira tends to overshadows other impressive efforts such as Domu. After that they look at a markedly different kind of horror manga, Hideshi Hino's Panorama of Hell (Blast Books). This is a very violent and blood-filled work, so if you have a weak reading constitution, this might be a challenge for you. After that they cover the three-volume Mail, written and drawn by Housui Yamazaki (Dark Horse Manga). As Derek describes, this is a "lighter" narrative compared to some of the others discussed, but one that nonetheless has them wanting more.

From there Shea and Derek turn to a favorite creator of theirs, Junji Ito. However, his latest graphic cycle, Dissolving Classroom (Vertical Comics) is definitely not what they have come to expect from the horror mangaka. Somewhat similar to Fragments of Horror, which the guys discussed last year, Ito relies a little too heavily on over-the-top graphics at the expense of any bedrock terror. But the guys are more impressed with Gou Tanabe's H.P. Lovecraft's The Hound and Other Stories (Dark Horse Manga), an adaptation of three classic Lovecraft stories. In addition to the titular reference, Tanabe also presents manga versions of "The Temple" and "The Nameless City." Finally, Shea and Derek discuss Neo Parasyte M (Kodansha Comics), the latest anthology inspired by Hitoshi Iwaaki's Parasyte, which ran between 1988 and 1995. Including contributions from a wide variety of creators, this volume is similar to last year's Neo Parasyte F, which the guys discussed on the 2016 manga horror episode. However, they enjoyed this anthology even more than last year's.

The Comics Alternative is launching a brand new weekly series devoted to independent, small-press, and creator-owned Kickstarter campaigns that are comics-related. Every Saturday morning you'll hear a brief conversation with a creator, or creative team, with a Kickstarter campaign underway, where Derek talks with them about their project, the story behind their ideas, the various levels of support, and why listeners should back their efforts. Since the vast majority of creators on Kickstarter are self-publishing or with very small presses, it just makes sense that The Comics Alternative help give voice to these projects.

On this inaugural episode of the series, Derek talks with Allison O'Toole about TO Comix Press' Wayward Sisters: An Anthology of Monstrous Women. She serves as the lead editor of this collection, which will include 25 stories from 38 writers and artists. As Allison reveals, what distinguishes this anthology is its focus is on non-binary and female monsters drawn and written by creators from all over the world and who identify as women or gender-nonconforming. It's a fascinating endeavor and worth backing.

Be sure to check out their Kickstarter site, and for more information, visit the Wayward Sisters website. You can learn more about the project by contacting the creators via social media:

Twitter twitter.com/WSanthology

Facebook facebook.com/waywardsistersanthology

Instagram instagram.com/waywardsistersanthology

Tumblr waywardsistersanthology.tumblr.com

Cover

"Best Boo" - Megan Kearney

"The Wife's Shadow" - Janice Liu

Time Codes:

• 00:25 - Introduction
• 02:55 - Setup of interview
• 04:20 - Interview with Andy Hirsch

Andy Hirsch is back on the podcast, and this time he talks with Gwen and Derek about his new book, Science Comics: Dogs: From Predator to Protector. This is the next volume in First Second's important Science Comics series, one that uses comics to educate both younger readers and adults. In fact, Gwen and Derek spend a lot of time asking Andy his illustrative strategies for taking complex concepts and making them understandable to a broader audience. There is a lot of science packed into this book, and not all of it specifically devoted to canines. But Andy uses colorful charts and graphs, as well as particularly effective storytelling conventions, to present his dense subject matter. Guiding the reader through all of this information is Rudy, the lovable mixed-breed narrator who, in many ways, functions as a stand-in for Andy Hirsch himself. Over the course of the interview, Derek and Gwen talk with their guest not only about the new book, its genesis, and Andy's growing association with First Second, but they also share their own love of and histories with dogs, making this episode of the interview series somewhat of a canine lovefest.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:24 - Introduction
• 00:02:56 - Setup of interview
• 00:04:17 - Interview with R. Sikoryak

On this interview episode, Derek talks with R. Sikoryak about his latest work, The Unquotable Trump, just released this week by Drawn and Quarterly. The conversation begins with Bob's apologies for having to write the book and his distaste for the subject matter. But as he makes clear in the interview, these cartoons are his way of dealing with what he feels is a malignant force unleashed by last year's election. In fact, Bob reveals that the genesis of The Unquotable Trump actually dates from the days before the election, when he was using the figure of Donald Trump -- and more importantly, the candidate's own words -- in classic comic-book cover parodies as a way of trying to vent his anger. These black-and-white illustrations originally appeared in a minicomic released back in January, but his publisher, Drawn and Quarterly, convinced him to create more parodic illustrations and release them in a 48-page color volume, oversized in the style of a 1970s Marvel Treasury Edition.

Each page of The Unquotable Trump displays a parody of a classic comic-book cover with the figure of Trump inserted, spouting off comments that the real-life candidate-turned-president actually made. Among the many stylistic allusions Bob makes are to such legends as Jack Kirby, Wally Wood, Bob Montana, Jerry Robinson, Carl Barks, John Romita, Gil Kane, and C.C. Beck. In fact, Sikoryak documents all of his comics references in the back of the text, along with a bibliography of Trump's actual quotes. But although most of the interview is devoted to the new book, Derek also talks with Bob about other topics, such as Terms and Conditions, the complete colorized volume of what had originally been published as the two-issue mini-comic, The Unabridged Graphic Adaptation of iTunes Terms and Conditions (originally reviewed on The Comics Alternative a couple of years ago), his ongoing work mashing up comics and classic literature, and the genesis of his parodying impulses, reaching back to his days working with Art Spiegelman on Raw.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:03:05 - Setup of this year's Halloween episode
• 00:10:40 - Halloween Tales, Vol. 1

Once again, it's that creepy time of the year: the Wednesday before Halloween. And as the Two Guys have done for the past several years, they're using this occasion to highlight a variety of Halloween-specific and recent horror titles. This time around, Paul joins Derek in discussing a variety of comics, ten in all, that will appeal to a diverse community of readers. There's something for young readers, something for more mature fans, something for classic horror aficianados, something for comedy lovers, something for mainstream superhero readers, and something for those who appreciate the truly offbeat. Specifically, on this episode Paul and Derek discuss: