#504 Kawai Shen: The Internet in comics, tabling for introverts, and more

Kawai ShenOn the Cute Juice Comics blog, Kawai Shen recently wrote a post about problems with representing the Internet in comics and other media. On this week’s show she talks with Tim about the Net in comics, this year’s TCAF, convention tabling for introverts, following up on convention contacts, the Dirty Diamonds anthology, and Canadian government grants for artists… even comics artists!

PLUS: Simon Fraser, co-creator of the Nikolai Dante series in 2000 A.D., talks about the Dare2Draw project, and the involvement of Mike Baron and Steve Rude’s Nexus in their proposed anthology.

Become a patron! If you pledge at least $3 a month through Patreon, you can access additional audio of Tim’s talk with Kawai Shen, on writing about members of marginalized groups — or simply about cultures the writer isn’t familiar with. Example: Fifty Shades of Grey!

#503 “Concrete”

Concrete

Paul Chadwick’s Concrete first appeared in Dark Horse Presents #1 in 1986. While its hero is a human whose brain is transplanted to a huge stone body by aliens, the stories are otherwise very realistic and emotional, and often center on real-world problems. While the series had some success, and theoretically the next volume should still be on its way, Concrete does not seem to be so widely remembered.

This week, Kumar and Koom take a look at a couple of their favorite Concrete stories: Think Like a Mountain, which focuses on environmental issues; and The Human Dilemma, about overpopulation.

Critiquing Comics #093: “Trista and Holt”

Trista and HoltTrista and Holt is Andrez Bergen’s noir adaptation of the centuries-old love story of Tristan and Isolde. It’s also put together with “deliberately cut-up/dada/found objects.” Tim and Mulele take a look at issue #1 to see how well one comic can juggle all these influences.

(Note: Bergen has also done a prose version of this story)

#502 “One Punch Man”

One Punch ManOne Punch Man was originally a crudely-drawn Web comic by a guy calling himself “One”. But then the story, with art by slick manga artist Yusuke Murata, was picked up for publisher Shueisha’s Young Jump Web Comics website in 2012. It subsequently became an anime, and the manga is available in English from Viz.

This week, Tim and Kumar take a look, to discuss whether the story is really served by Murata’s typical manga art, and the good and bad points of the comic as it exists.

#501 The Billy Ireland Museum

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, on the campus of Ohio State University, houses the world’s largest collection of comic strip tear sheets and clippings, and also archives original art, manuscript materials, and other comics-related items. This week Caitlin McGurk, Associate Curator at the museum, talks to Tim about Milton Canniff’s connection to the museum, the challenges of art preservation, some highlights of the museum’s holdings, and more.

Critiquing Comics #092: Boy Zero

boyzeroA police detective sees a psychiatrist, because something is bothering him about the case he’s been working on. Something happened in the past among a group of kids. Murder? Well, we read a pretty good chunk of Charles Chester and Shiloh Penfield’s Boy Zero, and we don’t feel any closer to finding out. We discuss what went wrong for us.

#500 Stephen Bissette: Comics, Movies, and Creator Credits

Steve Bissette with Tim and PaulFive hundred episodes?! Where’d the time go? As has been typical of recent “landmark” episodes, a topic discussion is in order, this time among Tim, Paul, and famed artist, writer, and comics educator Stephen Bissette.

Steve talks about favorite film versions of comics; Mario Bava’s Diabolik; and what would have been a better way to make a Dick Tracy movie? How have certain films utilized “comics” language — even if they weren’t based on actual comics stories? What were some of our most traumatic moments in childhood TV viewing/comics reading?

Then we move on to the struggles that creators of Marvel and DC characters and storylines have had in getting proper credit for the film versions of their stories — especially focusing on Frank Miller and Daredevil. And, why do some fans have so much vitriol for Miller?

#499 Organizing Comics Events

Comics EventsWhat goes into planning a comics event? How can organizers respond to complaints from fans and cosplayers about sexual harassment and long lines? This week we ask Emerald City Comicon founder Jim Demonakos, now Global Director of Comic Talent at ReedPOP, about these issues, as well as how to maximize profits when tabling at a con, why comics events have multiplied, and what the future holds for comics conventions.

Also, Adam Pasion of Big Ugly Robot Press gives us the scoop on Big Ugly Robot and Black Hook Press‘s new event coming to Tokyo this July, Comic Art Tokyo!

Critiquing Comics #091: Doomsday Burgers, Don’t Be a Dumbass, Four Fables

Doomsday Burgers, Don't Be a Dumbass, Four Fables

Tim and Mulele dig into three more of the comics that Tim brought back from MoCCA Fest:

#498 Jason Shiga’s “Demon”

Demon

Jason Shiga’s Demon is one of the craziest comics you’ll ever read. The cartoony art makes it look unassuming, but frankly the darkly comic mayhem of this story probably wouldn’t work with a more realistic style of art. The story is about… Wait! Did you read it? You’d better do so before listening to Kumar and Dana talk about it, because this episode is — unavoidably, with a comic like this — full of spoilers. Listener beware!