#421 Graeme McNee: Minimal comics, maximum impact

mcneeSometimes simplicity is best. Just take a look at the work of Graeme McNee, a Scottish/South African who makes his home in Kobe, Japan. With just a few lines, sometimes a complex idea or story can be communicated. This week Graeme talks to Tim about how he got into doing comics and developed both his simple style of drawing and his distinctive way of publishing them.

Critiquing Comics #066: Ghoul Squad

Ghoul SquadA vampire recruits a Frankenstein-type monster, a witch, and a man-bat to turn around the public perception of “monsters” by protecting humans from supernatural evil. It’s a sound enough concept, with plenty of story opportunities on offer. Unfortunately, in Ghoul Squad #1, writer Brandon Rhiness missed most of them. Tim and Mulele discuss.

#420 Kupperman and Hanawalt: Our guides to the absurd

Tales Designed to Thrizzle and My Dirty Dumb Eyes

Michael Kupperman’s Tales Designed to Thrizzle and Lisa Hanawalt’s My Dirty Dumb Eyes are two books exhibiting bizarre humor and pointed takes on modern life. Tim, Kumar, and Tom Spurgeon discuss.

Bojack Horseman trailer

#419 “Seconds” and “Talbot Toluca”

Seconds and Talbot TolucaYou know that feeling when you love an artist’s work, but then you get their next one, and feel like… ehh, the magic’s gone? Tim was afraid that would be his reaction to Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Seconds but, as he discusses with Cassey this week, his fears were completely misplaced!

Also this week, a discussion with Kenneth Kit Lamug. His picture book A Box Story won a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, a Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval, and was a National Indie Excellence Book Award finalist, all in 2012. Now trying his hand at comics, he recently funded a Kickstarter project for The Tall Tales of Talbot Toluca: Quest for the Ore Crystals. Tim talks with him about the Kickstarter, moving from illustration to comics, not quitting his day job, and more.

#418 Boston Comicon and the future of cons

Depressed PunxComics conventions are changing. Some creators complain that it’s harder to sell books at cons than it once was. Distractions — cosplay, Hollywood — creep in and attract larger crowds, but don’t increase comics sales at the events. Having attended Boston Comicon in August, Paul shares the experience with Tim, and discussion ensues on problems that cons face going forward.

Paul did buy a couple of indy books in Boston, and we discuss them: