#764 “Past Tense”, Tough Translation, and Audio Drama

Past Tense

In the year 2038, invisible drones are sent to the past to pick up any event you want to see, if you have the money to pay for it. One woman using the service discovers a secret that puts her in danger in the present. Our friend Jason McNamara, author of such graphic novels as The Rattler and The Martian Confederacy, is back with the forthcoming Past Tense, his first work from Dark Horse, with art by Alberto Massaggia. Jason joins Tim to talk about the book, and then Kumar and Tim review it.

Kumar also fills us in on how his resignation as translator of Cipher Academy, a nearly untranslatable manga, went viral.

Also, Alex Squiers tells Tim about his audio drama The StarWell Foundation, in which a company which recruits superheroes and other celebrities to meet sick kids and the like, deals with one kid’s unusual request: they want to meet a villain.

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Critiquing Comics #219: “Rougarou” and “The Poet and the Flea”

Rougarou-Flea

This week, a Critiquing Comics double feature:

During the U.S. Civil War, a confederate soldier is changed into a dangerous creature by a mysterious woman. His comrade, now a marshal, tracks him after the war as he takes more innocent victims. But is everything as it appears? Tim and Jason enjoy the twist in Rougarou, by Giles Clark and Jose Rondon.

Our second entry takes us further back in history, to 1790, when poet-painter William Blake claims to have met a horrific lizardlike creature, the Ghost of a Flea. GE Gallas’ The Poet and the Flea presents a take on Blake’s work and experiences. Emmet joins Tim to school all of us in Blake. What kind of image does it give us of Blake, and is it accurate? And, is this comic of interest to non-Blake fans?

Everyone is Tulip got an Eisner nomination! Hear our review and creator interview here.

Noel Fielding: Ghost of a Flea’s birthday song

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#725 Jim Rugg on “Street Angel” “Hulk: Grand Design” and more!

Street Angel

Jim Rugg is known for his indy hit Street Angel, for being half of the duo hosting the super-prolific Cartoonist Kayfabe videos series, and for illustrating other works such as Cecil Castellucci’s The Plain Janes. Now he’s about to be known for the Hulk retrospective Hulk: Grand Design. This time, Kumar talks with him about how the Hulk work came about, the development of Street Angel, his ever-changing artistic process, the making of Cartoonist Kayfabe, and more!

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Critiquing Comics #201: “Adora and the Distance”

AdoraAlthough it’s currently only available digitally, Adora and the Distance, by Marc Bernardin, Ariela Kistantina, Bryan Valenza, and Bernardo Brice, has garnered a fair amount of mainstream attention (Vanity Fair, Syfy) — reportage that doesn’t even seem aware of the fact that it’s spoiling the book’s twist ending. Of course, we’ll have to spoil it in this episode as well (though we’ll warn you first!). But, might it have been better to reveal that information at the start of the book, anyway? Tim and newcomer Rachelle Meyer (whose book was previously discussed on this show) critique.

#701 Barry Windsor-Smith’s “Monsters”

MonstersA story originally conceived as an Incredible Hulk tale in — really — the 1980s, Barry Windsor-Smith‘s Monsters has finally seen the light of day. How is it? Kumar and Dana find it a joy to look at, and containing a number of astonishing scenes and mind-blowing plot points, but also to have some serious drawbacks. Does the good outweigh the bad? Here’s their review.

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#697 “Everyone is Tulip”

Everyone is TulipMost people have some dreams of fame and fortune. A certain portion of those people make their way to Hollywood in hopes of getting that big break. But how much are you willing to give up to achieve that goal? And what if the fame isn’t as great as you expected? These are the questions arising from the forthcoming graphic novel Everyone is Tulip, by Dave Baker and Nicole Goux. This time, Dave and Nicole tell Tim about their collaboration style, how comics writers are (often unfairly) seen as more important than artists, why rejection doesn’t really exist in the publishing field, and more.

Then, Tim and Jason review Everyone is Tulip!

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#690 “Dragon Age: Dark Fortress” and “Haha”

HAHA and DRAGON AGE

Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, following up on their appearance in episode 653, are back on the show to discuss their upcoming miniseries Dragon Age: Dark Fortress. How does the Dragon Age fan base compare with other ardent fan bases? How is Christina and Nunzio’s relationship with Dragon Age artist Fernando Heinz Furukawa? They discuss this and more with Emmet.

Then, Emmet and Tim discuss another miniseries, Haha, by W. Maxwell Prince with a variety of artists. The first two issues feature Vanessa DelRey and, a favorite of ours from episode 674, Zoe Thorogood!

#671 Derf’s “Kent State”

Kent State

Fifty years ago, four students died when national guardsman inexplicably opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University. The craziness of 2020 has hindered planned observances of the craziness of 1970, but we do get this: Derf Backderf’s Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, a moving account of May 1-4, 1970, through the eyes of those who lost their lives.

In this episode, Tim and Kumar review the book, to be released September 8, and then Tim chats with Derf himself, answering our questions about the tragedy and the book.

#668 Baron and McNamara: Writing and Crowdfunding Comics in the “Corona” Era

"Florida Man" and "Nocturnal Commissions"

A couple of past guests return to the show with new material! Mike Baron, best known as writer of the Nexus series, talks about his comedy graphic novel (with artist Todd Mulrooney) Florida Man, and Jason McNamara has reunited with artist Greg Hinkle for a slightly creepy comedy series, Nocturnal Commissions. Both writers share with Tim their thoughts about crowdfunding (which was the publishing mechanism for both comics), story writing, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on fiction writing.

#667 Freelancer problems

Many of us have dreamed of getting paid to make comics. Except in rare cases, working in American comics means being a freelancer. While a creative career can be rewarding, there are plenty of downsides, too.

First, there are the day-to-day problems. Tim talks to Howard Simpson, a freelancer in Los Angeles, about time management, letting friends and family know you’re not ALWAYS free, dealing with lack of health insurance, and more.

Then, Asher Elbein talks about his recent article in The Daily Beast about how the recent allegations of top freelancers abusing their power to seduce young women, or certain publisher staff members outright abusing freelancers and others, are of a piece with the well-documented problems of freelancers like Alan Moore or Siegel and Schuster, who were vastly undercompensated for making wildly successful comics like Watchmen and Superman!