#314 Tiny Comics, Novel Manga, and Manga Translation for India

Okashi na FutariBrian John Mitchell talks about his Kickstarter project to fund the making of his matchbook-sized comics. Two of these books involved a collaboration with Dave Sim!

Rook Bartly” (US Air Force active duty member Jason) tells us about “Okashi na Futari”, the Japanese novel series whose author has hired him to draw a manga version of the story.

Then, Kumar returns to tell us about a couple of his recent manga translation projects, “Stupid Guy Goes to India” (which landed him an interview in the March 25 Mumbai Sunday Mid-Day, pg 38-39) and Osamu Tezuka’s “Adolf”.

All this, plus the announcement of the winning “what do you like about Deconstructing Comics” entry!

#312 Ryan Cecil Smith: The Interview

SFSFA few weeks back on Critiquing Comics, we discussed the work of science-fiction creator Ryan Cecil Smith; we liked it so much, we decided to have him on the show! Kumar talks with him this week about his influences, producing and promoting his books, and more.

#311 Hold your comic for ransom! Will readers pay?

Evil DivaIn the course of doing this podcast, we often find comics that we’d like to read more of, but seldom can because we have to move on to the next podcast topic, and there are only so many hours in a day. This week, Mulele & Tim thought they would revisit some previously reviewed Web comics and see how their creators had progressed. But, wait, hold the phone — what’s going on with Evil Diva? (original 2009 critique was rerun November 5, 2011) The work-for-hire Web comic abruptly changed its business model last summer. Are the site’s handlers killing the comic while trying to save it?

Also, Mulele revisits Dustin Harbin‘s site, with asides about Matthew Forsythe and boycotts of Marvel & DC.

Critiquing Comics #020: Ryan Cecil Smith’s “SF”

SFComedy and tragedy, the macabre and the mundane, dwell together comfortably in the pages of “SF” #1, from Ryan Cecil Smith! Tim, Mulele, and Kumar try to figure out what makes it tick.

Critiquing Comics 019: “Black Snow” and “Electric 1937”

Tim and Mulele are back with two comics, submitted for critique by their creators:

I'm Famous/Black SnowMichael Balestreri & Alex Siquig have several comics at blacksnowcomic.com, all of them centering around a group of superheroes. We tap our feet on the non-existent floor, and invoke Chris Schweizer’s “Guide to Spotting Tangents.” (Chris appeared in Deconstructing Comics Episode 157!)

Electric 1937Michael Liggett’s “Electric 1937” is set in a fantastically imaginative alternate reality. The comic just needs to tell us about it a bit sooner.

Critiquing Comics 018: “Windmills”

WindmillsA submission from the Philippines! Josel Nicolas sent us four issues of his Windmills series. While Tim and Mulele have some fairly harsh words for it, at the same time, we can see definite issue-to-issue improvement.

See sample pages of Windmills

Available as an e-book from Amazon or FlipReads.

Josel Nicolas on Tumblr

#076 “Houdini, the Handcuff King”

FLASHBACK! Tim and Brandon snack while examining Houdini: The Handcuff King and 24-hour Comics Day Highlights 2006! (Originally published May 21, 2007) Continue reading #076 “Houdini, the Handcuff King”

#150 Jenny Frison in the Windy City

Chicago 1968FLASHBACK! Chicago artist Jenny Frison talks about her Web comic (with Len Kody) “Chicago 1968“, studying at the Joe Kubert school, the upcoming Windy City comicon, and more! (Originally published October 20, 2008)

Critiquing Comics 014: Cross Hare

Cross HareCross Hare is a rabbit who’s a detective and a handyman, not necessarily in that order. How could it be improved? Tim and Mulele look for clues…