#580 Nicole Georges and a “bad dog”

Fetch - Beija!

This week, Nicole Georges talks about her latest book, Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home. Was her dog Beija really such a difficult dog, or was it all in Nicole’s mind? Also the prevalence of autobio comics, the public perception of comics in general, where the zine scene is today, and much more.

Critiquing Comics #121: “Void Trip”

Void Trip

Ryan O’Sullivan, whose writing on Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War we discussed a few months back, returns with a new Image book called Void Trip, with art by Plaid Klaus. The story features a couple of stoners traveling through space, with a mysterious pursuer. But what, exactly, is it about? Tim and Mulele ponder.

#579 Helioscope: Fred Chao and Ron Randall

Fred Chao and Ron Randall

This week we wrap up both Tim’s visit to Heliscope Studio in Portland, and the whole three-month string of episodes from Tim’s trip around the US this past summer.

We’ll hear from Fred Chao about the double-edged sword of living in New York and how it informed his book Johnny Hiro: Half Asian, All Hero; how his approach to photos is really old-school; and his Kickstarted childrens’ book Alison and Her Rainy Day Robot.

Then, veteran comics artist Ron Randall on the right and wrong ways to use photo reference, his experience pencilling from an Alan Moore Swamp Thing script; his creator-owned project from the ‘80s, Trekker, and why he’s reviving it now; attending the nerd Mardi Gras; and why we’re living in a golden age of comics!

#578 Helioscope: Steve Lieber, Maria Frantz, and Ben Dewey

Steve Lieber, Maria Frantz, and Ben Dewey

Three more talks with the folks at Helioscope Studio in Portland in this episode!

Steve Lieber, an artist in his own right and also manager of the studio, gives us a brief history of the studio (including its self-naming woes) and tips on how to start your own studio.

Intern/mentee Maria Frantz, a university student and web cartoonist who grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes, explains her internship and the aims of her comics work, and how her generation approaches comics.

Finally, Ben Dewey (Autumnlands, Beasts of Burden) talks about his process of doing art (involving digital pencils and analog watercolors), why you shouldn’t get too fussy over your comics, managing your comics creating time, and what was good about Rob Liefeld’s work.

#577 Why do we like “bad futures”? w/Mark Hobby

Job Dun, Fat Assassin

For the past several decades there have been a lot of comics, movies, and other fiction involving “bad futures”, with lots of poverty, violence, environmental destruction, and the like. Why has this genre been so appealing to so many?

In this episode, Emmet O’Cuana talks with Mark Hobby about why this genre endures and how Mark has approached it in his own comic, Job Dun: Fat Assassin. They also discuss why British writers have led the pack on bad future stories, how Watchmen and the X-Men fit into the discussion, why sex in media seems to upset some people more than violence, and more.

#576 Helioscope: Cat Farris and Terry Blas

Cat Farris and Terry Blas

This week, two more creators from Portland’s Helioscope Studio:

Cat Farris is working on “Emily and the Strangers” for Dark Horse, and her own web comic “The Last Diplomat.” She talks about the learning curve of drawing digitally, pacing the revealing of story information, the down side of telling people what she does for a living, and more.

Terry Blas has done covers for such comics titles as Adventure Time and Rick & Morty, and is the co-writer of a forthcoming graphic novel from Oni Press called Morbid Obesity, a murder mystery set at a fat camp. He talks about how to make stories less formulaic and more emotional, and points out a neglected segment of the American comics market.