The Comics Alternative

Time Codes:

• 00:24 - Introduction
• 02:28 - Setup of interview
• 04:50 - Interview with Mike Howlett

Halloween is just around the corner, and what could be scarier than a nest of snakes? Although to hear Mike Howlett tell it, there's nothing at all frightening about the legless reptiles. This was part of the impetus behind Snake Tales, the latest volume in Yoe Books' Chilling Archives of Horror Comics series. In it, Mike curates some of the weirdest, the most ridiculous, and the most ophidiophobia-inducing snake-related tales found in pre-code comics. Derek talks with Mike about the genesis of this project, his love of snakes, his collaboration with noted herpetologist Frank T. Burbrink, and his ongoing work with Craig Yoe and Clizia Gussoni in their never-ending quest to bring pre-code horror sensibilities to the heartland of America.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:30 - Introduction
• 00:02:49 - Catching up with Paul
• 00:04:38 - Black Eye No. 3

On this week's review episode, Paul joins Derek to discuss three titles that are certainly out of the ordinary. They begin with Black Eye No. 3, an anthology edited by Ryan Standfest, the publisher of Rotland Press. This is a first for The Comics Alternative in a couple of different ways. It is the first time the Two Guys are reviewing a Rotland Press title, but more significantly, this is the first time they have discussed a crowd-funded book before the campaign's completion. And listeners are strongly encouraged to back this project on Indiegogo. Calling itself "the anthology of humor and despair," Black Eye is a series devoted to short, offbeat comic stories, illustrations, and prose pieces, although in the current (and final) volume there is a noticeable absence of the latter. Both Derek and Paul recognize several of the contributors in this anthology -- including Joan Cornellà, Martin Rowson, Eric Haven, David Lynch, Julia Gfrörer, Onsmith, and Alejandro Jodorowsky -- but much of the joy in this volume comes from discovering the work of newer creators. And there is a lot of talent here!

Next, the guys check out a more conventional work, Matt Sheean and Malachi Ward's Ancestor (Image Comics). Although "conventional" might be a stretch here. Originally serialized in the anthology Island, this is a futuristic, or perhaps an alternate-world, narrative exploring our relationship with networked technologies and the potential consequences of complete creative freedom. As the guys point out, the story takes an unexpected turn in the final chapter, ultimately walking a fine line between paradise and dystopia.

Paul and Derek wrap up this week's show with a look at the latest in Youth in Decline's quarterly monograph series, Frontier. This thirteenth issue showcases the work of Richie Pope and is titled "Fatherson." As the guys point out, it's a poignant and idiosyncratic meditation on fatherhood, specifically African American fatherhood. In fact, Derek and Paul discuss the racial specificity of the text, while at the same time observing that the story is not bound by ethnic contexts. Pope is primarily known as an illustrator -- his work has appeared in the The New York Times, The Atlantic, Scientific American, and The New Yorker, among other titles -- but this issue of Frontier aptly demonstrates his abilities in sequential storytelling.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:25 - Introduction
• 00:02:07 - Setup of interview
• 00:03:03 - Interview with Chris Miskiewicz and Palle Schmidt

On this interview episode, Derek talks with Chris Miskiewicz and Palle Schmidt about their miniseries, Thomas Alsop, the second volume of which is being released from BOOM! Studios. In addition to discussing the genesis of and the process behind the title, Derek's guests speculate on the critical and popular response it's received, the long-term potential of the series, and creators' responsibilities in representing 9/11. Palle and Chris also discuss their use of race in America and the ways in which Thomas Alsop is undeniably an historically anchored text.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:29 - Introduction
• 00:02:49 - Listener mail
• 00:07:37 - The Last Halloween

For the October webcomics episode, Sean and Derek check out three very different webcomics, the first of which highlights the Halloween season. Abby Howard's The Last Halloween is a combination of creepy illustrations and offbeat humor including a monster apocalypse, an ebullient vampire boy, a social media-addicted ghoul, and a grieving father who crossdresses in his dead wife's clothes. The guys enjoy the fun and meandering story, although Derek wonders if the storytelling could be a little more focused in places.

Next, they look at Theora Kvitka's first webcomic, Urbanity Planet. This is a relatively new story, beginning in February of this year, so readers can experience the artist's online voice as it develops. It's a series of vignettes centered on recent college grads who can't find work on earth and, as a result, move to the planet N!#ult0n to earn a living. Filled with quirky observations, the webcomic is an alternate reality glimpse into the dilemma of millennials.

Before they look at the month's final webcomic, the guys check in with Jim McClain and Paul Schultz to get an update on their in-the-works webcomic, Poe and the Mysteriads. Things are moving right along, although Jim expresses a mea culpa. Click HERE for new sample art!

Finally, Sean and Derek discuss the completed webcomic, Odysseus the Rebel. This is Steven Grant and Scott Bieser's adaptation of the Homeric classic, but one that doesn't feel the need to be comprehensive or "true" to the original. That's what the guys appreciate about this adaptation, Grant and Bieser's ability to take the essence of The Odyssey and translate it into a contemporary voice. And with its emphasis on storytelling, Odysseus the Rebel demonstrates a particular metafictional bent.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:24 - Introduction
• 00:02:08 - Setup of interview
• 00:03:43 - Interview with Luke Howard

On this interview episode, Derek has the pleasure of talking with Luke Howard. His new book, Our Mother, was recently released from Retrofit/Big Planet Comics, but he also had another work published earlier this year from AdHouse, Talk Dirty to Me. Derek talks with Luke about both of those titles as well as his comics collected in anthologies such as Irene, Dog City, and Maple Key Comics. Over the coarse of their conversation, Luke shares the personal history that went into Our Mother, his experiences in self-publishing, and the ways in which his training as a filmmaker informs his visual storytelling.

Hurricane Matthew hit the U.S. Southeast coast last week, and as a result, many communities were flooded and without power. Andy was one of those affected by the storm, being without electricity and water for several days. As a result, he was unable to take part in this week's episode, what was planned as the first of a two-part series on recent crime comics. (Those shows have now been rescheduled for November.) In his place is Shea Hennum, the cohost of the monthly manga series. He joins Derek for a back-and-forth on a variety of comics-related topics. Because this was a last-minute change in the guys' schedule, they didn't have time to prepare for a regular review show, so the conversation is free-flowing and casual. Along the way, Derek and Shea discuss some of the self-published comics creators have sent them, Shea's work for the AV Club, their experiences with various publishers, some of the memorable interviews they've conducted, selecting books for review purposes, and some of the comics they've recently been reading.

Time Codes:

• 00:24 - Introduction
• 02:14 - Setup of interview
• 02:57 - Interview with Box Brown

On this episode of the interview series Derek talks with Box Brown, whose new book Tetris: The Games People Play has just been released from First Second. As the two discuss, this is a detailed history of the famous video game and the cultural, business, and political contexts swirling around the program's creation. Box shares his experiences and fascination with the game, explaining the genesis of the project and the research that went into it. Whereas his previous First Second book, Andrea the Giant, focused on one figure, the new work synthesizes the lives of everyone involved in the creation of Tetris including its designer Alexy Pajitnov as well as the many key players at Nintendo, Mirrorsoft, Andromeda Software, Atari, Bulletproof Software, and Elorg, the government bureau tasked with overseeing the profits and negotiations surrounding any computer products coming out of the Soviet Union. But Box also focuses on the psychology of gaming and role it plays in our lives, using Tetris as his illustrative example.

Time Codes:

• 00:27 - Introduction
• 02:41 - Checking in and updates
• 04:06 - I Am Legion

For the October Euro Comics episode, Edward and Derek look at two works written by Fabien Nury. They begin with I Am Legion, recently out from Humanoids and featuring the art of John Cassaday. The story takes place in 1942, and the Nazis are experimenting with a force that could spell the quick end of the war. But this isn't just any military operation. It's one infused with vampiric lore. The guys explore this supernatural, gothic take on the Second World War, discussing along the way the faint presence of the Holocaust as well as the continued fertile ground of Nazi Germany as a narrative bedrock for European albums.

Next, they look at another work by Nury, this one illustrated by Brüno. Tyler Cross: Black Rock was originally published by Dargaud in 2013 but offered last year digitally in an English translation from Europe Comics. In terms of of both genre and art, this book is strikingly different from the first one Edward and Derek discuss. Tyler Cross is a gritty crime noir narrative set in the American Southwest, with Brüno's stylized illustrations bringing out its bleak and violent tone. Set alongside Cassaday's realistic art, the book demonstrates the versatility of Nury's collaborative storytelling abilities. The guys also allude to the second book in this series, Tyler Cross: Angola, and speculate on future installments.

Time Codes:

• 00:00:24 - Introduction
• 00:02:49 - Setup of interview
• 00:03:54 - Interview with Ethan Young

Derek and Andy W. have the pleasure of talking with Ethan Young, whose latest work has just been released from from Dark Horse Books. The Battles of Bridget Lee: Invasion of Farfall is tale set in a future world where humans fight an alien race called Marauders, creatures bent on extermination so as to colonize and populate for their own survival. The guys ask Ethan about the genesis of his Mulan-inspired hero, Bridget Lee, and his plans for taking her into further adventures. (Invasion of Farfall reads like the beginning of an action-packed adventure series.) They also take the opportunity to discuss Ethan's notable work from last year, Nanjing: The Burning City, and his long-running webcomic Tails that wrapped up last year.

Time Codes:

• 00:24 - Introduction
• 02:12 - Setup of interview
• 03:50 - Interview with Jason Shiga
• 58:26 - Wrap up
• 59:54 - Contact us

For this interview episode, Paul and Derek have the pleasure of talking with Jason Shiga. The first volume in his Demon series comes out this week from First Second, and the cartoonist goes into a lot of detail about the efforts that eventually led to this publication. As listeners of the podcast well know -- since Demon was first discussed on the show back in December 2014 -- the title began as a webcomic, with Jason self-publishing individual issues in pamphlet form as the story progressed. This endeavor eventually caught the attention of First Second, and now we have the first in a four-volume paperback series.

The guys spend most of their time discussing the unique premise of Demon, a fast-paced adventure that questions our foundations of morality, and artist's continued use of his protagonist Jimmy Yee. This is a character that readers might recognize from earlier works such as Bookhunter, Empire State, and Meanwhile, and Jason describes his narrating strategies as similar to Tezuka's star system. Paul and Derek also ask Jason about his penchant for experimenting with form, his use of the webcomics platform, and his ambitious new project, "The Box."