Critiquing Comics #155: “Raptor Cop” and “Equilux”

Raptor Cop and Equilux

A policeman splashed with chemicals turns into a reptilian human: that’s the idea for J. Pedicini’s Raptor Cop. While it has accomplished art, we find some problems that make it hard to follow the story.

Equilux, by Karterpiller, aims to present a real-time story of people living in a futuristic apartment building. The series is just on the edge of being considered a comic rather than illustrated prose. That’s fine, but Tim and Mulele have some suggestions for aspects that may need to be rethought.

#624 “Conan: Red Nails”

Conan: Red Nails

In the 1970s, in an effort to diversify its line, Marvel began adapting Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian stories. To push (at least a little bit) beyond what the Comics Code would allow, some of these stories were published in magazine format, as Savage Tales. The second and third issues of this series featured an adaptation of the classic Conan story Red Nails, featuring writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith. In this episode, Koom talks with Rob and Sam about the basic idea of Conan, where the title “Red Nails” came from, the strengths and shortcomings of Smith’s art at this early point in his career, and more.

Critiquing Comics #154: “Some Strange Disturbances” and Tim sees a Marvel movie!

Strange Disturbances & Capt Marvel

This time, we diverge from the normal format and discuss a variety of topics:

1:17 Writer Craig Hurd-McKenny sent us three of his LGBTQ+-friendly comics, and we discuss them all: The Magic If (art by Gervasio, Melisa Jones, and Tyler Smith-Owings), The Brontes: Infernal Angria (art by Rick Geary), and Some Strange Disturbances (art by Gervasio, Carlos Aon, and Tyler Smith-Owings).

32:16 In Deconstructing Comics last week, Tim talked to some comics retailers in Chicago about the state of the industry. Tim and Mulele react to the retailers’ comments.

55:17 Tim talks about the movies he saw during his visit to the U.S.: Captain Marvel, Dumbo, and Shazam!

1:26:53 We read mail from creators whose comics we’ve discussed in past episodes.

#623 Remembering Ed; Asking retailers

Chicago Ed, Retailers

When someone you know, someone who had an impact on your life, leaves us too soon, it can be tough to process. Struggling to accept the 2017 death of comics creator and all-around renaissance man Ed Siemienkowicz (who appeared in DCP episodes 227 and 393) at age 43, Tim spent part of his recent visit to Chicago meeting some of Ed’s friends and family, to commiserate and share memories — and check the progress of Ed’s comic that his friends are finishing for him.

Also, Tim talks to Hamster Rage creator Brian Crowley about his ongoing Kickstarter and the state of the U.S. comics industry, and visits three Chicago comics retailers to see how healthy the comics market seems from their perspective, and how it could be better.

Challengers Comics

Graham Crackers Comics

G-mart Comics

Ed’s cousin Kristen, drawing group friend Garry Vettori, sister Renee, brother Bob, Tim, aunt Carol, online gaming friend Darrell Degreve

Tim, Kristen, Carol, Brian Crowley

Ed carved this Cesar Romero Joker into cardboard, and then spray-painted it green!

Ed with a bus he designed when he was employed by the Golf Channel.

#622 “A Small Killing” – and also “Jerusalem”

asmallkilling-jerusalem

A man is being stalked by a child who wants to kill him. Who is the child? Or perhaps the question is, what does the child symbolize? Could this book be an autobiography in disguise? Koom and Mike discuss Alan Moore and Oscar Zarate’s underappreciated 1991 work A Small Killing— as well as Moore’s prose novel Jerusalem and simply the nature of Alan Moore.

Critiquing Comics #153: “The Sequels” and “Metaphorical HER”

The Sequals and Metaphorical HER

That special, ’80s-movie moment in your life: What if you could bring it back? Writer Norm Harper and artists Val Halvorson and Bobby Timony explore this question in The Sequels #1: Curcuit Boarders.

Metaphorical HER, by writer James Maddox and artist David Stoll, is a comic employing eye-catching visual metaphors and exploring the world of poetry. Why is there hardly any poetry in it? Tim thinks Mulele’s got it figured out. Together they critique both books.

#621 Denny O’Neil and Sam Agro

Denny O'Neil (r) and Sam Agro
Denny O’Neil (r) and Sam Agro

Our own Koom recently attended the Toronto Comicon, leading to this episode’s two interviews! First, Denny O’Neil talks about his experiences and collaborations in the comics industry, why he imagines Gotham City to be in New Jersey, and more. Then cartoonist and animator Sam Agro talks animation, superhero movies, the evolution of comics conventions, and more.

Critiquing Comics #152: “Monogatari”

Monogatari

This time we look at the second anthology from Tokyo Collective, called Monogatari. The title is Japanese for “story” and is made up of words meaning “thing” and “talk about,” and the stories in this book do indeed talk about things —  things that are found in Tokyo. We discuss our favorites, and others that we found less compelling.

Also: Are America’s Big Two comics companies headed for a cliff? We look at recent articles by Matt McGloin on Marvel and DC‘s business woes, and consider what it might mean if the Big Two went under.

#620 “Daredevil: Born Again”

Daredevil: Born Again came out in 1986, when US mainstream comics were changing in ways that now are either taken for granted or now look a bit antiquated (so much story in so few pages!). Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli were making their mark. But does their storytelling style hold up 33 years later? How does it look alongside Miller’s contemporaneous The Dark Knight Returns? Koom and Rob discuss this classic story arc from Daredevil #226-233.

Critiquing Comics #151: “Days of Dark Fire” and “Rage in the Shadows”

"Days of Dark Fire" and "Rage in the Shadows"

Days of Dark Fire (by Giovanni Smith and Mike Gaughran) is a somewhat lighthearted sword-and sorcery tale, about a screwup prince who’s trying to save his kingdom. Rage in the Shadows (by Ralph Henriquez and Emilio Utrera) is about a homeland security agent who’s been given a super-soldier type serum that’s killing her. Tim and Mulele discuss both comics, and give advice about how to make them better!