#448 “A Drifting Life”: Memoir and manga history

A Drifting LifeYoshihiro Tatsumi, although he was a somewhat influential figure in the manga of the 1950s and ’60s, is largely forgotten in Japan today. However, within the past 10 years he has gained some belated fame in the West, thanks largely to the efforts of Adrian Tomine and Drawn & Quarterly.

Tatsumi passed away last month, prompting Tim and Kumar to finally pull his comics memoir (which also includes considerable amounts of 1950s manga history) A Drifting Life off the shelf and do a review! And here it is.

#447 Rob Guillory: The other CHEW drops

Tony Chu in love

This week Rob Guillory joins Tim to give his side of the genesis of Chew (following on John Layman‘s side a few weeks ago), describe how he had trouble finding anyone who wanted him to draw in his own style, recall the shock of realizing that drawing could actually be a paying job, and more.

#446 Tom Spurgeon

Tom SpurgeonOur frequent guest Tom Spurgeon this time sits for an interview with Tim, discussing his childhood interest in comics; his lousy pre-Comics Journal job & how he got into TCJ; the Top 100 comics of the 20th Century issue (and why nothing by Dave Sim made the list); his new job, organizing an annual comics festival with the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum; the controversy over a certain recent Batgirl cover; and more.

To The Batpoles! #002: Riddle me this!

Frank Gorshin as The RiddlerNow that we’ve set the stage, it’s time to get down to business and really look at the Batman show — and where else to start but the beginning? We talk about how the series made its way to the air, and the pilot story arc Hi Diddle Riddle and Smack in the Middle, starring Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, and Jill St. John as Molly.

#445 Secrets of “The Sculptor”

sculptor

By now you’ve no doubt read or listened to several reviews of Scott McCloud’s The Sculptor — and perhaps you’ve read the book itself. Mainstream-media and average-Amazon-user reviews have been adulatory; reviews in the comics media have ranged from a hesitant thumbs-up to vitriol-fests. But, it seems to us, all of those reviewers are missing some things — both about the book’s intended message and how that message looks in light of McCloud’s own purpose in making the book.

Should comics people be concerned about the impression this book from the lionized McCloud might make on new comics readers? Is it a book about “living in the now”? Does it really read like a book for teens? Tim discusses these questions and more with Loyola Marymount University Associate Professor Juan Mah y Busch.