#233 Bears and Beatles

You’re more responsive than we thought! Tim discovers a cache of listener e-mail he didn’t notice before; he reads the messages and discusses with Mulele.

These sites are referenced:

Boom! Studios’ Mr. Stuffins was originally launched as a three-issue miniseries in 2007, but it was left unfinished. It appeared more recently as a completed graphic novel, with the same script (almost) but a different art team, giving us an opportunity to compare the choices that the two different art teams made on presenting the same story.

A comic about the Beatles! Sounds pretty cool, right? Well, The Beatles Experience (from Bluewater Comics) gets praise for presenting the Fab Four within their historical and musical context, and including some interesting anecdotes — but without a speck of sourcing. Worse yet, it veers into straight fiction in a couple of particularly egregious ways…

Finally, Mulele gives Tim some more pointers on his art. See the discussed illustrations below the break…

Continue reading #233 Bears and Beatles

#232 “Hanna is Not a Boy’s Name” and “reMIND”

Hanna is Not a Boy's Name reMIND

Since critiquing comics is what we do, Tim goes in search of struggling Web comics creators who need some pointers. Instead, he ends up with two awesome comics! Hanna is not a Boy’s Name is a comedy with horror elements, lively art, and mucho f-bombs; reMIND is a beautifully rendered work about a cat, a babe, and a mysterious lizard-man. Tim and Mulele review.

#227 dharbin.com, and Developing Your Own Style

Tim and Mulele set out to review dharbin.com, but “the gold of the site” is hidden. Mulele explains where to find Dustin Harbin’s best work.

Then an interview with (former) Tokyo resident Ed Siemienkowicz and a discussion of how to develop your own style. Tim continues to struggle with this as he is paid (!) (by an English school) to do some illustrations.

Finally, Mulele has a few words about WordPress plugin ComicPress, and why he’s switching to InkBlot — er, no, sorry, Webcomic 2.1

#223 Electronic Comics

Comics are increasingly read as bits and bytes, on PCs and handheld devices.

Blank creators Brothers of the Silence are publishing the comic in Flash on their site, and as image files on Facebook and several other sites. “Brothers” Ian LeWinter and Don Richmond talk about creating the comic and promoting it via social media sites.

Dale Wilson of DWAP Productions, making his second appearance on this podcast, discusses the ways his company is getting its traditional paper product out in handheld device formats.

Remember “Yon Kuma”? Tim and Mulele reviewed it a year ago. It’s now called “Bear Beater Bunyan,” and it’s an iPhone app. Artist Jorge Munoz talks about the path he and writer Josh Hechinger followed in making the comic available for handhelds.

“Bear Beater Bunyan” is just one of many comics available from Robotcomics.net. Robot Comics Deputy Director Dave Baxter fills us in on the state of the growing comics market for handhelds and how Robot does what it does.

Finally, Tim and Mulele review some of Robot’s output.

#222 Canadian Web Comics

Tim and Mulele review two Web comics that have little in common besides the nationality of their creators! Amya, a recently-started, manga- an fantasy-influenced comic; and Hark, a Vagrant, featuring contemporary, humorous takes on historical events.

Then Mulele critiques Tim’s recent artwork, and discussion of how to draw facial expressions ensues (view full post to see pictures below).

Continue reading #222 Canadian Web Comics

#206 Web comics portfolio sites

11/16/09 Web comics portfolio sites

Dresdencodak & 8et8

Another Web comics discussion, this time looking at two artists’ portfolio sites: Jordyn Bochon’s 8et8.net, and Aaron Diaz’s Dresdencodak.com. Both have their awesome points, but neither is perfect. Tim and Mulele weigh the good and not-so-good points.

#195 Knights and Pirates

8/31/09 Knights and Pirates

A review of Web comic Dead Heaven by Chris Steininger leads into a discussion of Tim’s pet peeves about Web comics. Tim’s been reading the pirate manga series One Piece, and Mulele recommends a site centering on print design, that could inspire unusual ways to present your comic.

#191 Awesomeness in Bolt City

8/3/09 Awesomeness in Bolt City

CopperKazu Kibuishi’s Bolt City Web site is a smorgasbord of awesomeness, featuring the monthly strip Copper, early work Clive Cabbage, first pages of his book Daisy Kutter, and how-tos for working on scanned art in Adobe PhotoShop. Kibuishi is also the editor of a series of anthology comics called Flight. Tim and Mulele review the site and the first volume of Flight.

#189 Two Mormons Named Mike

7/20/09 Two Mormons Named Mike

Madman Atomic Comics Mike Allred’s Madman Atomic Comics not only continues the trippy, colorful, highly imaginative path of previous Madman offerings, it kicks those elements up several more notches. Tim and STORM explore.
Mike Garcia Before the podcast existed, before Mulele and Tim even knew Brandon, there was the comics class. Fellow former participant Mike Garcia is now publishing a Web comic, The Adventures of Mike Garcia, which takes a sweet yet clear-eyed look at college, Mormonism, and other aspects of his life.