Deconstructing Comics Podcast, published every Monday, features comics creator discussion and comics reviews.
With a main character who “revolves” between a mundane world where he has a lousy job, and an alternate world where multiple terrorist attacks have thrown the average person into a bleak, violent survival mode, Revolver (by past guest Matt Kindt) explores issues from nature vs. nurture to violence in video games. Tim and Brandon review.
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FLASHBACK! Art Spiegelman’s Maus was one of the major ’80s works that began to break American comics into the mainstream, as well as waking the industry up to the potential of the medium. Tim and Brandon discuss in our May 28, 2007 episode.
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Tim shoots some iPhone video of the American Comics Exhibition, including appearances by both Patri(c)ks, and an interview with bigtime Japanese animator Sonic!
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You’ve heard Tim talk about the American Comics Exhibition; now hear the viewpoints of some of the other artists. Cassey Bradley talks about her take on the Joker; Jim Reddy discusses his influences; and Patrick Gannon, our favorite cut-paper artist, explains the differences between galleries in Japan and galleries in the U.S.
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Brian Michael Bendis has been the dominant writer at Marvel for a number of years now. While his books — including Ultimate Spider-man, New Avengers, Avengers, and event books like Seige — sell well, they have also generated a fair amount of controversy and just plain complaints. Some people like his work, others don’t. For Tim, there have been high points, but much of it is just kind of there. Is it just me, he wonders? Is Bendis actually a good writer and just doesn’t always appeal to me? Or are there identifiable inadequacies in his work? Tim calls on a Bendis fan — Savannah College of Art & Design student and graphic novelist Josh Smith — and a Bendis critic — Comics Waiting Room columnist Vincent Moore — to discuss the phenomenon that is Bendis.
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The 1994 release of Marvels took comics by storm. The four-issue miniseries established the places of both hyperrealistic painter Alex Ross and continuity maven Kurt Busiek in the industry. There’s still plenty here to make it a standout story 16 years later, but has some of the shine come off? And, is making a logical narrative out of a mainstream comic companies’ disparate series really doable? Tim and Kumar discuss.
Also, Patrik W resurfaces to talk with Tim about the upcoming American Comics Exhibition in Tokyo. Tim, Patrik, and 13 other artists will be displaying their work!
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From 1985 to 1995, Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes challenged newspaper readers with imaginative stories, beautiful art, philosophical discussions, and ROTFL gags. Watterson famously eschewed commercialism, not only in the strip, but in real life, approving no C&H tie-in products other than books of strips and a calendar or two. Tim and Kumar discuss this game-changing strip and how relevant it remains today.
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EC Comics are primarily remembered as gruesome horror stories, but the company published in other genres as well. One EC staple was war comics, which enjoyed great popularity during the Korean War. One such title was Frontline Combat, the comic that dared to admit that “Marines retreat!” The now-huge names behind the series — Harvey Kurtzman, John Severin, Jack Davis, Wally Wood, and more — primarily intended it as an anti-war book, but is it? Is it possible to simultaneously portray war as horrible, and painstakingly present the tanks and guns in all their glory? Tim and Kumar discuss.
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 Oglaf appears on the Web uncredited, with no merch store, and with plenty of well-written, well-drawn raunchy comedy. Very, very raunchy. Tim, Mulele, and Kumar dig on this comic (platonically). |
 The trailer for the upcoming “Thor” movie, though, does not impress. What were we expecting? Is Marvel starting to make their movies as inaccessible to the layman as their comics? What could have made this movie look more appealing to us? |
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Though the highly influential manga series, and resulting TV show, are known for non-stop action and fighting, Dragon Ball started out as a comedy strip reminiscent of Akira Toriyama’s early work, Dr. Slump! Viz’s English versions have gone through various levels of censorship over time to adjust to the low level of sexuality that most Americans expect of kids’ books. Except, most of the characters themselves don’t understand sexuality, and that’s the charm of it; it’s best enjoyed (probably by kids as well) in its pristine form…if you can find it! Tim, Kumar, and Mulele review.
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Visual censorship comparisons after the jump (NSFW but probably safe for Japanese kids):
