#frank cammuso

[unfoldingmoments]

Gene Luen Yang

Quotes inspired from American Born Chinese series: “Children are mirrors; they will always show you exactly what is going on inside of you. Each phase of their growth is an opportunity to heal your own pain, to go deeper inside yourself and become more truly human”

― Vimala McClure, The Tao of Motherhood

“Kids are like a mirror, what they see and hear they do. Be a good reflection for them.”

— Kevin Heath

Popular answered Q for Gene Luen Yang from Goodreads: Q: I'm a writer & Catholic convert & I really enjoy how you explore catholic themes in a way that non-Catholics can still relate (esp in Boxers&Saints & TheEternalSmile) Any advice on how you pull that off?

Gene Luen Yang : My Buddhist creative writing professor at U.C.Berkeley told me to never write about faith directly. Instead, you should live your faith and write your life. I've been trying to follow that advice ever since.

Q: What are you currently working on?

I'm working on a middle grade graphic novel series called Secret Coders with an amazing cartoonist named Mike Holmes.

Gene Luen Yang : It's kind of like Harry Potter - tweens discover a mysterious secret school. Only instead of magic, the school teaches computer coding. We're hoping that as the readers read about our protagonists becoming coders, they'll become coders themselves.

Q: When you were writing American Born Chinese, did you actually hear those stories from your parents or did you just make it up? Also how did you start writing and drawing? Huge fan of all your books!

Gene Luen Yang : Thank you!

I first heard the Monkey King's story from my mom. Great character -- you should read Journey to the West if you want to experience the original.

I started drawing when I was two and haven't stopped!

Q: I teach English as a second language and American Born Chinese has brought excitement and depth to the conversations about the craft of writing to my classroom. My students' wonder - why did you choose to become a writer? Also, what books do you recommend for elementary students?

Gene Luen Yang: Thank you so much for teaching American Born Chinese! It's an honor to be a part of your classroom.

Both my parents are storytellers. It was a part of my childhood, so I always wanted to tell stories myself.

There are all sorts of great graphic novels for elementary students! Check out work by Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, Kazu Kibuishi, Jenny and Matt Holm, Frank Cammuso, Ben Hatke, Jarrett Krosoczka. 

[dccomicsnews]

Ahoy Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe's Snifter of Death #1

Ahoy Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1

Indie Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers] Publisher: Ahoy Comics Writers: Mark Russel and Stuart MooreArt: Peter Snejbjerg and Frank CammusoColors: Peter Snejbjerg and Madeline SeelyLetters: Rob Steen Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd Summary Return with us to those thrilling days of yesteryear in the old west…er um, how about the…

[doronjosama]

Up now on my eBay! Classic furry comic from 2002! Max Hamm: Fairy Tale Detective #1 by Frank Cammuso! Also up for grabs: my superheroine comic collection (70’s-80’s stuff), random Radio Comix books and various indie comics! My house is super small, and I am still selling off thirty years’ worth of collectibles to raise money for ongoing back taxes & various upcoming large expenses, so every little bit helps. Thanks for looking & sharing!

[graphicpolicy]

Ithacon announces Return Favorites and New Faces for Ithacon 45

Ithacon announces Return Favorites and New Faces for Ithacon 45 #ithacon

ITHACON 45 has announced the guest list for the upcoming ITHACON convention. The long-running convention will be live this year April 23 and 24th. Local hero Will Dennis returns to his alma mater –  he is graduate of the Roy H. Park School of Communication at Ithaca College. He was an editor at Vertigo/DC Entertainment for more than fifteen years, specializing in genre fiction comics and graphic…

[smashpages]

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1 kicks off another round of AHOY’s humorous horror anthology, with this first issue featuring stories by Mark Russell, Stuart Moore, Peter Snejbjerg, Frank Cammuso and more, and a cover by Richard Williams. If you’re curious to see what’s inside, check out this preview of Russell and Snejbjerg’s story.

See what else is being conjured up at your local comic shop this week.

[librarycomic]

Edison Beaker Creature Seeker: The Lost City by Frank Cammuso. Viking, 2019. 9780425291962. 176pp. http://www.powells.com/book/-9780425291962?partnerid=34778&p_bt

Edison Beaker survived the Darkness, brought back the keystone, and fought Baron Umbra, but his uncle still won't let him help with Creature Seeker business. His Grandma reveals that she knows about their adventure, and tells them about the Lost City of Pharos (which she needs them to find) -- Edison is the Torch Bearer, and needs to bring the Spark there. Soon they're being chased by underlings, reunited with their friends Knox and Alexander (a giant cat), and on their way to face Baron Umbra again. (He's a one-eyed, flaming skull with shadow tentacles? Very cool.)

Cammuso's graphic novels have everything I need in a kids book -- great plot, fun dialogue, wonderful drawings. I read everything he publishes, and recommend his books for libraries everywhere.

[thecomicon]

Ahoy Comics To Be Distributed By Diamond In Comic Shops And Bookstores

Ahoy Comics To Be Distributed By Diamond In Comic Shops And Bookstores

Ahoy Comics go from strength to strength and it would seem they’ve eaten another can of spinach as they announce their distribution deal with Diamond Book Distribution to distribute their forthcoming collections as graphic novels to book stores while Diamond Comic Distributors will distribute the books to the comic book specialty market.

Here’s the first slate of releases which I dare say will…

[englishmansdcc]

Comics… we love ’em, you love ’em, right? And nowadays we’re all for new, fresh voices on the comic book shop shelves which are going to galvanise us as readers and generally shake shit up. (Look at how we’ve been eager to pin our flag to feisty young turks such as AfterShock Comics and Black Crown Comics – and see how well that’s turned out!)

We’re also always revved up by new players to the games, especially if they’re bringing something bold to the table and have some serious spunk, some blood and grit, something they have to prove. That definitely describes AHOY Comics, the brainchild of former NYT reporter Hart Seely, former Vertigo Comics editors Tom Peyer and Stuart Moore, and Eisner-nominated author-artist Frank Cammuso, who serves as AHOY’s Chief Creative Officer. Scheduled to hit stands this September, AHOY are committed to bringing a distinctive style and flair to their books.

They’re also reviving a bold format, too: comic book magazines. Printing ‘traditional, full length comic book stories’, the books are also going to feature additional material including cartoons, prose, poems and traditional back-up strips, giving a real old school anthology feel to them.

But you can’t just slap together a bunch of content and call them ‘comics’ to stand out in 2018, you also have to back that up with some prime time talent, something AHOY are bringing in spades, with their first initial titles featuring a powerhouse line-up including Jamal Igle (BLACK), Mark Russell (FLINTSTONES), Peyer & Moore themselves, the legendary Ann Nocenti (THE SEEDS) and prose from none other than that there non-more-goth, grand wizard GRANT MORRISON (HAPPY!). Not too shabby, right? Nope, we don’t think so, either.

We were very lucky to get the opportunity to speak to Editor Tom Peyer about what AHOY have in store for readers – and what AHOY are planning to bring to the table to make them stand out from the herd…

AEISD: Comics, prose, poetry, art… It’s a bold mix, designed for a sophisticated palette. Who do you see as the typical AHOY reader – someone more mature and comic literate, or someone who’s never thought of picking up what they’ve previously thought of a comic before in their lives?

Tom Peyer: I welcome anyone who wants to read our titles for any reason. While the tendency to pigeonhole people is completely understandable, I’m not too interested in it. If you’re into comics, why assume you wouldn’t want to read prose or poetry? You don’t read comics, but something we do catches your eye? Good for you, good for us. I’d rather not try to anticipate some ideal reader. They’re all ideal.

AEISD: What are the touchstones when it comes to curating such an eclectic series of books? Any comics or publications that have come before? Away from comics, I’m definitely getting a vibe of the old school science fiction anthologies…

TP: There’s probably some of that. The disappointingly broad answer is that every comic, new and old, informs our thinking. The prose pieces harken back to comics from the ’30s to the ’50s that featured hastily-written pulp text stories. We looked at those and thought, what if they were good? And that’s how the back-matter idea started. We’re running our cover art on the back covers minus the logos and blurbs, just like Gold Key did in the ’60s. As a kid, I thought that was an unbelievably generous thing for Gold Key to do.

But none of this means we’re nostalgia-crazed revivalists; the stories we tell are of today, and we tell them in modern ways. Still, I remember so many little touches that gave me pleasure over the years, and so many others that annoyed me. Page numbers, for instance; why on earth did we all stop using page numbers? Don’t people want to know the number of the page they’re reading? Of course they do. And with AHOY, they will!

AEISD: I’d imagine those first phone calls, convincing initial creatives to get on board, were nerve-wracking… exhilarating! Who was the first names on your call-sheet and how did those first pitches go? Accepting from the off, or met with some scepticism?

TP: A few people early on might not have returned our messages, but they were a very tiny minority. Freelancers as a rule love to get work.

AEISD: Still, you’ve got some blinding ‘out of the gate’ talent involved: Mark Russell, Jamal Igle, Grant Morrison… These are World Builders of serious muscle. Who came to whom with the initial ideas? They pitch to you, or you pitch to them? Can you, in fact, tell Grant Morrison, ‘…nah, mate, sorry – not what we’re looking for!”?

TP: The idea that Grant would send me something I’m not looking for is more fantastic than anything he’s ever written. But, yes, he did send his stories out of the blue, because he and I are DOOM PATROL for life. That was an exciting day. In Jamal’s case, we brought THE WRONG EARTH to him, and he took to it immediately and added important touches of his own right away. His enthusiasm has been an inspiration.

AEISD: Any of those first story pitches that you got back which you instantly thought, “…yes, that’s AHOY!”? That encapsulated the approach you had in your head for the line?

TP: When Stuart Moore showed us CAPTAIN GINGER, there was no doubt. Funny, larger-than-life, one-of-a-kind, it couldn’t have been more perfect for AHOY. I mean, cats in space? I’ll have some.

AEISD: Today, comics marketing seem to want stories that can be tied up into a neat six-issue bow which they can then slap out as a trade – AHOY seems more like a publisher that revels and embraces the single issue floppy format. That’s risky. Thoughts?

TP: We do love monthly comics, but we plan to collect them in trades as well. I refuse to pick a side!

AEISD: It’s a tired question but a valid one: what are you wanting to see AHOY bring differently to make it stand out from the crowd on the shelves? What do think the comic industry has been lacking that AHOY can fulfil?

TP: Well, for one thing, we’re funny. We’re not interested in unfunny material. They don’t have to be comedies; some of the funniest shows on Prestige TV are dramas. But funny on some level. And we have high standards for art, colors, production and, of course, writing. And I like to think we consider The Whole Reader when we follow a couple of comics features up with a poem and a prose story.

AEISD: I’m a huge advocate for all-ages comics, bringing new blood to the readership, while I’m also a fan of books that the kiddie-winks aren’t and should be allowed to pick up! Where do you see AHOY servicing those markets? And could we be seeing a AHOY After Dark down the line?

TP: Two of our first four series carry a Mature label: HIGH HEAVEN and EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR. Mostly for swearing, although POE gets a little sweaty here and there. CAPTAIN GINGER and THE WRONG EARTH are for all ages.

AEISD: Excellent stuff. Now, I’m loving how in 2018, the online criticism is that comic sales are tanking and yet we are seeing more and more independent publishers such as yourselves, launching into the fray! What have you found to be the biggest challenges in launching AHOY in today’s busy comics landscape?

TP: So far so good. Everyone we’ve partnered with, in distribution, publicity, legal, etc., has been very encouraging and complimentary about our material. People who have dealt with many publishers, and many more attempted publishers, have told us they’re impressed. So we have some reason to hope that retailers and readers will share that view. The main challenge is letting people know you exist, of course. David Hyde of Superfan, our publicity partner, has clearly aced that job.

AEISD: He’s a good egg, that one. What’s your long term strategy for AHOY so far? Laying plans and pencilling books down the line for six months, a year? Two years? Five?

TP: We have our second wave of miniseries nailed down, and we’re well into our third. And most of the first wave series will return when ready. We’re at a point where we have to be pretty choosy or the pipeline will fill up too many years in advance.

AEISD: In summery, then, if you had to bottle AHOY as a publisher, the sum of all its parts, what five words would you use to describe what AHOY intends to be?

TP: Funny, smart, good-looking, professional… are four words enough? Oh, wait! I thought of the fifth! Eclectic!

Thanks to David Hyde of Superfan Promotions and our own Dan Berry for setting up this interview with Tom – very much appreciated.

Interview: @AhoyComicMags' Editor @TomPeyer talks bold plans, old school vibes, 'being eclectic' and 'cats in space'... Comics... we love 'em, you love 'em, right? And nowadays we're all for new, fresh voices on the comic book shop shelves which are going to galvanise us as readers and generally shake shit up.

[comicsbeat]

  It’s been a little minute since we saw the launch of a while new comics company but it looks like the tea leaves are saying go. Ahoy Comics is a new venture fronted by four people: Publisher Hart Seely, an award-winning reporter whose humor and satire has appeared in The New York Times and on National Public Radio; two founding editors of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, Tom Peyer and Stuart Moore; and Chief Creative Officer Frank Cammuso.

The line is debuting with four titles, all mini series, and a format they are calling “comic book magazines” – now before you jump up with alarm, this refers not to size – the trim is comics sized – but the contents, which will feature lead stories and back matter, all at a cover price of $3.99 for 40 pages.

So those of you saying we need more bang for you buck, look no further. Ahoy there, satisfying chunk.

“It’s time to expect more from comics,” said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Peyer. “AHOY Comics offers a wide breadth of contributors from the worlds of mainstream and indie comics and humor magazines. We’re publishing comic book magazines with full length stories, backup stories, one-off gags by a bestselling New Yorker cartoonist, political poetry by a regular Poltico contributor, and prose stories by Grant Morrison, Cienna Madrid and a sundry of talent. And I don’t want it to sound too serious, because these comic book magazines are both fun and funny. It really is a unique reading experience.”

“There is no house style at AHOY Comics, but one of the things we aim to do is to bring a sense of humor to the comics,” said AHOY Comics “Dark Ops” Manager and Captain Ginger co-creator Stuart Moore. “We’re publishing stories with a strong personal vision that provoke an occasional laugh. You know, like Preacher. Or, more recently, comics written by Mark Russell, whose sensibilities are a great match for ours. It’s a dark humor, we admit.”

“AHOY Comics offers an abundance of originality and offbeat humor,” said Hart Seely. “Some might say that launching a publishing initiative in this moment is folly. We disagree! We’re publishing comic magazines with high standards. Each issue features beautiful designs, vibrant art, exceptional colors, experienced editors and dynamic stories. We aren’t planning on being an overnight success. We’re not here to exploit IP or make movies. We’re here to publish stories for people who love comics and who love to read.”

Talent involved in the first titles includes Peyer (Hourman) and Moore (Deadpool the Duck), Jamal Igle (Black), Mark Russell (Flintstones),  and Ann Nocenti (The Seeds) and  extra material, including prose fiction by writer Grant Morrison (Happy!), cartoons by Shannon Wheeler (God is Disappointed In You), poems by Hart Seely (Bard of the Deal: The Poetry of Donald Trump), and traditional comic book back up stories.

Upcoming AHOY Comics will feature stories by Gary Erskine, Ryan Kelly, Mariah McCourt, Linda Medley, Peter Milligan, Dean Motter, Ann Nocenti, Rachel Pollack, Roger Stern and others.

The line debuts in September and here’s the deets. Spoiler: Captain Ginger.

THE WRONG EARTH 6 Issue mini-series by Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle

AHOY Comics launches with a biting superhero satire written by Tom Peyer (Captain Kid, Hourman), penciled by Jamal Igle (Black, Supergirl), inked by Juan Castro (Transformers),and colored by Andy Troy. On one world, Dragonflyman and his sidekick Stinger enjoy a life of adventure. On another Earth, the Dragonfly hunts criminal parasites like a lethal exterminator. But what happens when these two heroes change places?

 “I just want you to know that I’ve loved Tom Peyer’s genius brain for thirty years and THE WRONG EARTH is just pure, undiluted Tom Peyer as it exists in its most natural form. If you love superheroes, you NEED this. If you HATE superheroes, this will change your mind.”―Mark Millar

“I knew this was going to be good when I saw Peyer and Igle on the credits, but now I really want to see how it all plays out.”―Jeff Parker

“THE WRONG EARTH is far more than a one-note gag–Tom and Jamal have made a surprisingly deep exploration and commentary on where this medium has been, how it got to where it is, and where it can go.”―Mark Waid

 On sale on September 12, 2018, THE WRONG EARTH debut issue is a full color, 40 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with extras including:

A  prose story by comics legend Grant Morrison: ‘HUD’ HORNET’S HOLIDAY IN HELL, illustrated by best-selling artist Rob Steen

A mock “Golden Age” Stinger solo story, by Paul Constant and Frank Cammuso

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler

Chronic malcontent David Weathers dies and goes to Heaven—where everything is terrible, and everybody hates a complainer. HIGH HEAVEN is a savage satire by writer Tom Peyer (Hourman, Batman ’66) with art by Greg Scott (Black Hood, X-Files), colored by Andy Troy.

 “Delivered with that Tom Peyer panache and his sneaky habit of undercutting reader expectations at every turn. And gorgeous art by Greg Scott, giving it all personality and (seedy) visuals. I’m hooked.”―Kurt Busiek

 “HIGH HEAVEN has a great premise. I loved it and can’t wait to see where it goes next. Also: the Hashtag: Danger back-up was a riot. Chris Giarrusso is just the best!”―John Layman

 “As gorgeous as it is absurd.”―Alisa Kwitney

 On sale, September 26, 2018, HIGH HEAVEN’s debut issue is a full color, 40 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with a cover by Mad Magazine’s Richard Williams and extras including:

A HASHTAG: DANGER backup story by Peyer, with art by Chris Giarrusso (G-Man, Mini-Marvels)

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler

An all-new prose story by comics legend Grant Morrison: FESTIVE FUNTIMES AT THE NEW WORLD’S FAIR, illustrated by acclaimed artist Rick Geary

  In October, AHOY Comics will launch a creator owned title:

CAPTAIN GINGER 4 issue mini series by Stuart Moore and June Brigman

When the human race died out, the cats inherited the Earth! Or at least one starship. Now the intrepid Captain Ginger struggles to keep his fellow felines united against a hostile universe. Thirty-five pages of comic adventure—with a bite—by writer Stuart Moore (Deadpool the Duck, Batman: Noir Alley) artist June Brigman (Power Pack), inker Roy Richardson and colorist Veronica Gandini.

 “The best books usually transport me into a world with which I am largely unfamiliar and reveal its mysteries to me, whether it’s the mean streets of a great urban metroplex, a small village lying somewhere on a distant steppe in central Asia, or a starship full of individualist cats trying to keep it together long enough to survive…these may very well be the characters that June was born to draw and Stuart was born to write!” ― Walter Simonson

 “This is a great start to a great book by Stuart and June. The Captain and his misbegotten cat crew can count me along for the long haul!” ― Peter Gross

 “This comic book is INSANE, in the best possible way when one describes something as “insane”! I can’t say I got too excited when I first heard the concept, “Cats in Space”, but Stuart Moore and June Brigman have got it goin’ on! CAPTAIN GINGER rocks!  It’s solid sci-fi adventure, beautifully illustrated and electric with wonderful diverse characters, who are CATS (?!)! This “puppy” smells like a sleeper hit (but that could just be the space kitty litter)!” ― Mike Allred

On sale, October 17, 2018, CAPTAIN GINGER’s debut issue is a full color, 48 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with extras including:

An all-new text story by comics legend Grant Morrison: THE ELECTRIC SKY BEAR THAT INSPIRED BEN FRANKLIN, illustrated by Phil Hester

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler

October will also see the debut of an all star anthology series:

EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR 6 issue Mature Readers mini series

EDGAR ALLAN POE mangles classic tales and brand new stories in this cross between Drunk History and Tales from the Crypt! First, meet AHOY’s own alcohol-damaged version of Poe in The Facts in The Case of M. Valdemar, adapted by Tom Peyer (Batman ‘66) and drawn by Fred Harper. Then: Sugary cereal meets vampirism in Dark Chocolate, by writer Mark Russell (The Flintstones) and artist Peter Snejbjerg (Starman).

On sale, October 31, 2018, EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR’s debut issue is a full color, 40 page comic book magazine retailing for $3.99, with extras including:

Hunt Emerson’s take on The Black Cat

Unsettling verse by Cienna Madrid illustrated by Carly Wright

   For more updates on AHOY Comics follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

  AHOY Comics: a new publisher is coming with bigger issues, poetry and Grant Morrison – all for $3.99 It's been a little minute since we saw the launch of a while new comics company but it looks like the tea leaves are saying go.

[nevinslibrary]

Comic Book Saturday

I mean, what could go delightfully wrong (this is a kid’s book after all) when a young girl, Phoebe, meets a unicorn named Marigold and with her one wish, she wishes that Marigold would be her best friend.

It goes much as you think it would, but, also, they slowly learn about each other and of course, become friends too. Despite their inauspicious start.

You may like this book If you Liked: Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm, Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon, or The Misadventures of Salem Hyde by Frank Cammuso

Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Book 1 by Dana Simpson

[a2caf]

McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics—Shortlist Announced!

The nominees for the fifth annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics are here!

After reading scores of comics published in 2018, the judges have selected their top ten. In alphabetical order, they are: Be Prepared, by Vera Brosgol, sends young Vera, a Russian girl living in an American suburb, to summer camp—Russian summer camp, the only one her single mom can afford and the one where she just might be able to fit in,

The Cardboard Kingdom, by Chad Sell, follows a neighborhood of kids who transform ordinary cardboard into fantastical homemade costumes as they explore conflicts with friends, family, and their own identity.

Hidden Witch, by Molly Knox Ostertag, continues the story of Asler, hero of The Witch Boy, as he takes magic lessons from his grandmother and tries to help his non-magical friend Charlie escape from a curse that's trying to attach itself to her.

Last Pick, by Jason Walz, takes readers to an earth overrun by alien invaders, where only those too young, too old, or too "disabled" have been spared from abduction...but maybe the kids last picked can step up and start a revolution.

Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass, by Lilah Sturges and polterink, finds the Janes separated during an orienteering outing, thanks to a mysterious compass that others very much want to lay their hands on.

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder, by Nie Jun, introduces Yu'er and her grandpa, who live in a small neighborhood in Beijing that's full of big personalities—with a story around every corner and a hint of magic each day.

Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter, by Atelier Sento, transports readers to the places where natural and supernatural meet, as it explores some of the lesser-known parts of Japan in a story that is part fantasy and part travelogue.

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths, by Graham Annable, tells the story of two best friends who are nothing alike—Peter loves their tree and never wants to leave, while Ernesto loves the sky and wants to see it from every place on earth.

The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang, finds Prince Sebastian hiding a secret life―taking Paris by storm wearing fabulous dresses as the Lady Crystallia―and relying on the brilliant young dressmaker Frances, who guards his secret but has dreams of her own.

Sanity & Tallulah, by Molly Brooks, features best friends who live on a dilapidated space station at the end of the galaxy―but when Sanity creates a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, the havoc it wreaks may mean the end of their outer space home.

Many, many thanks to judges Faith Roncoroni, Tameshja Brooks, and Nola Pfau, who were assisted by Kids Read Comics and A2CAF co-founder Edith Donnell!

The winner will be announced on Friday evening, June 14 at the Ann Arbor District Library

                                             *********************

Here is the complete list of books that were considered for this year’s award:

5 Worlds 2 by Mark Siegel, Alexis Siegel, Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, and Boya Sun

Akissi by Marguerite Abouet and Mathieu Sapin

All Summer Long by Hope Larson

Amulet 8 by Kazu Kibuishi

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O'Neill and Ari Yarwood

Banana Sunday by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Brobots 3: Brobots and the Shoujo Shenanigans! by J. Torres and Sean Dove

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

Catstronauts: Robot Rescue by Drew Brockington

Caveboy Dave 2: Not So Faboo by Aaron Reynolds and Phil McAndrew

Chasma Knights by Boya Sun and Kate Reed Petty

The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott and Robin Robinson

Clem Hetherington 1: Clem Hetherington and the Ironwood Race by Jen Breach and Douglas Holgate

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo 2: The Monster Mall by Drew Weing

Crush by Svetlana Chmakova

Cucumber Quest 2: The Ripple Kingdom by Gigi D G

The Dam Keeper 2: World Without Darkness by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi

Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom by Terry Blas, Molly Muldoon, and Matthew Seely

Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules by Tony Cliff

Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba 1 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Dog Man 6: Brawl of the Wild by Dav Pilkey

The Dream of the Butterfly Part 2 by Richard Marazano and Luo Yin

Earth Before Us 2: Ocean Renegades! by Abby Howard

Edison Beaker, Creature Seeker 1: The Night Door by Frank Cammuso

Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner

Fruit Ninja: Frenzy Force by Halfbrick Studios and Erich Owen

The Ghost, The Owl by Franco and Sara Richard

The Girl Who Married a Skull: And Other African Stories by Nicole Chartrand et al

Gordon: Bark to the Future! by Ashley Spires

The Hidden Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag

Hocus & Pocus: The Legend of Grimm's Woods: The Comic Book You Can Play by Manuro and Gorobei

How to Spot a Sasquatch by J. Torres, J. and Aurélie Grand

Illegal by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, and Giovanni Rigano

Last Pick by Jason Walz

Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges and polterink

Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuck

Mega Robo Bros by Neill Cameron

Modo: Ember's End by Arthur Slade and Christopher Steininger

Monster Mayhem by Christopher Eliopoulos

Monsters Beware! by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

Mr. Wolf's Class by Aron Nels Steinke

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun

The Nameless City 3: The Divided Earth by Faith Erin Hicks

Narwhal and Jelly 3: Peanut Butter and Jelly by Ben Clanton

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales 8: Lafayette!: A Revolutionary War Tale by Nathan Hale

New Shoes by Sara Varon

Nick the Sidekick by Dave Whamond

Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter by Atelier Sento

Petals by Gustavo Borges and Cris Peter

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable

The Phoenix Colossal Comics Collection 1 by Robert Deas, Jamie Smart, Laura Ellen Anderson, Dan Baultwood, and Jess Bradley

Pizzasaurus Rex by Justin Wagner and Warren Wucinich

Positively Izzy by Terri Libenson

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Quirk's Quest 2: The Lost and the Found by Robert Christie and Deborah Lang

Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo 2: The Middle-Route Run by James Parks and Ben Costa

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks

Scarlet Hood by Mark Evans and Isobel Lundie

Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick and Thomas Taylor

Science Comics Sharks by Joe Flood

Sci-Fu 1: Kick It Off by Yehudi Mercado

Secondhand Heroes: The Last Battle by Justin Larocca Hansen

Secret Coders 5: Potions & Parameters by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

Secret Coders 6: Monsters & Modules by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

The Secret of the Wind by Jim Pascoe and Heidi Arnhold

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Short & Skinny by Mark Tatulli

Even More Monstrous! by Rémy Simard

Small Things by Mel Tregonning

Smash 2: Fearless by Chris A. Bolton and Kyle Bolton

Sparks by Ian Boothby and Nina Matsumoto

Star Scouts 2 The League of Lasers by Mike Lawrence

Star Wars Lost Stars 1 by Claudia Gray, Claudia and Yusaku Komiyama

Space Boy 1 by Stephen Mccranie

The Stone Man Mysteries 2: Sanctuary by Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, and Orion Zangara

Super Potato 1: The Epic Origin of Super Potato by Artur Laperla

Supergirl: Being Super by Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones

The Unsinkable Walker Bean And the Knights of the Waxing Moon 2 by Aaron Renier and Alec Longstreth

Wings of Fire 1: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland and Mike Holmes

Wires and Nerve 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin

[wits-writing]

Comic Power Picks of the Week (9/13/2018)

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I ended up missing last week, for the record my picks would’ve been Immortal Hulk #4 and Border Town #1, but I’m back this week with a double feature spotlight on some independent comics.

MCMLXXV #1 (Writer: Joe Casey, Art: Ian MacEwan, Colors: Brad Simpson)

Picking up this book might be the best decision I’ll make all week, because this is the best first issue I’ve read all year. MCMLXXV, for those of you who can’t read Roman numerals, takes place in 1975, following the life of Pamela Evans, night shift taxi driver and enchanted lead-pipe wielding demon fighter. The full scope of MCMLXXV’s urban fantasy elements get hinted to be far reaching in a flashback to Pamela’s childhood where we see her face-to-face with a hoard of giant monsters. Establishing the potential scale of future threats works to the book’s favor. Pamela’s backstory and the tragedies that lie within it don’t get fully explained this issue. Her body language when she wakes up from the nightmarish flashback says enough.

MacEwan’s command of body language makes up one of the elements that helps give MCMLXXV its distinct mood. Aesthetics from gritty 70s cinema, like The Warriors and Taxi Driver, blend with bombastic action reminiscent of Jack Kirby’s 70s comics. Simpson’s colors delineate between the fantastical and grounded tones of the action. A neon aesthetic permeates the opening action beat of Pamela taking down a gang of mystic ninjas. When stuff like that is absent, the color palette tones down, though not completely absent with some distinct color choices like the red light of the radio booth of Pamela’s boyfriend, Prefect. Lines of action are clear and well communicated to the reader, exemplified by the fight Pamela gets in with common street gangs towards the end of the issue. Her actions guide the eye along as she works her way through the gathered gangs. The sound effects follow this same principle often following the same action lines as everything else. I couldn’t be more pleased with my decision to take a chance on this book and how its influences blend together makes it one of the most notable comics of the year.

The Wrong Earth #1 (Writer: Tom Peyer, Art: Jamal Igle, Inks: Juan Castro, Color: Andy Troy)

The Wrong Earth is the flagship title of the newly-minted publisher Ahoy Comics about eras of superhero storytelling crossing and getting mixed up. Square-jawed, noble Dragonflyman and his teeth-grittingly grim counterpart, the Dragonfly, end up in each other’s universes during parallel encounters with their conceited archenemy, Number One. The conceit on its own isn’t new. Alternate versions of heroes crossing paths goes back to at least “The Flash of Two Worlds.” Using the setup to comment on the genre’s evolution has been happening since at least the early days of Vertigo Comics.  What sets The Wrong Earth apart from those so far is that the genre commentary doesn’t denigrate one time-period to make the other look better. Within the first issue, Peyer’s representations of the lighthearted 60s and the bleaker “modern” (more like 90s and early 2000s) stories the respective Dragonfly(man)s feel like balanced takes on the faults and virtues of each. It’s a difference cemented by how each of them reacts to the arrival of the police in the aftermath of fighting their villain, where neither of them gets the reaction they expect out of the officers.

Igle, Castro and Troy’s work on the art communicates a lot through the distinct styles of each world, without a complete style shift from one to the other. The costumes the different versions of the central hero wear each demonstrate a key aspect of these aesthetics. Dragonfly’s costume, a Jim Lee-esque outfit contouring to show off his musculature, ironically less “realistic” than Dragonflyman’s, which has more visible fabric creases in it without the defined muscles. How events are framed between the two Earths gets does a lot of work to show the art team’s understanding of the eras. Events in the lighter “Earth Alpha” feel almost like a stage play with how the characters pose and interact with their surroundings. Grim “Earth Omega” gets a “cinematic” feel with harsher angles, dark shadows with muted colors and wide shots of events.

While the story of the parallel heroes in The Wrong Earth ends as the premise kicks into gear, there’s plenty within the first issue to recommend it in the back matter. The headlining story at twenty-one pages, the length of the average single issue, only makes up half the total page count of this issue. The other half includes interviews with the creators behind Ahoy as a company and The Wrong Earth in specific. There’s a comedic short comic about Dragonflyman’s sidekick Stinger written by Paul Constant with art by Frank Cammuso. Finally, there’s a three-page prose story by Grant Morrison about the adventures of a delirious pilot with illustrations by Rob Steen. As a company debut, Ahoy Comics has put a pretty good foot forward.

[zinepavilion]

Here’s the 2018 ALA Comic Jam! #alaac18 Download a PDF version here. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the 2018 ALA Comic Jam created at the American Library Association Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. To see previous Jam Comics from ALA go to http://zinepavilion.tumblr.com/zines

Cover

Andrea Puttkammer (@PrincessSakura258)

Page 1

Becca Hillburn (@NattoSoup)

Kat Kruger

Cat Farris (@Cattifer)

Frank Cammuso (@FrankCammuso)

Gene Ha (@GeneHa)

Page 2

No names provided

Page 3

Nathan Hale

Jim McClain

Aron Steinke

Andy Runton

Sean O’Neill

Page 4

Cat Farris (@Cattifer)

Page 5

Andy Runton

Frank Cammuso

Cat Farris (@cattifer​)

Becca Hillburn (@nattosoup​)

Andrea Puttkammer (@PrincessSakura258)

Anna Puttkammer (@SwirlyCat147)

Page 6

Benjamin Reiss

Julie Rocheleau 

Maria Heg

Luke Howard

Hope Amico (@GutWrenchPress)

Edited by Matthew Murray (@MidniteLibrary)

(Not everyone provided their name, so not everyone is credited.)

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 10 September 2018

Quick Bits:

 Archie: 1941 #1 is fairly morose and downbeat in tone and execution as a recently graduated Archie Andrews seemingly sleepwalks through this opening chapter, depressed and anxious about the future, both in terms of what he wants to do with his life and with the growing fear of the war in Europe. It’s not bad, elevated by wonderful art from Peter Krause and Kelly Fitzpatrick.

| Published by Archie Comics

Birthright #31 returns after an extended break, opening a new arc following Kallista and Brennan, while diving into the backstory of Mastema. I like Joshua Williamson taking us off down this thread and the art from Andrei Bressan and Adriano Lucas is as beautiful as always.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Cemetery Beach #1 is a very entertaining start to this new action/sci-fi mini-series from Warren Ellis, Jason Howard, and Fonografiks. It’s been a while since I’ve seen some of Ellis’ dialogue be this funny, but it’s very welcome.

| Published by Image

Champions #24 tackles the increasing problem of school shootings with the added intersection of a world with superheroes. Now, that may sound like a recipe for disaster, condescending patronizing or an after school special with saccharine solutions, but that’s not what’s presented here. Jim Zub, Sean Izaakse, Marcio Menyz, Erick Arciniega, and Clayton Cowles instead present a thoughtful story of the helplessness of the situation, that you really should pick up and read for yourself.

| Published by Marvel

Crowded #2 is as good, possibly even better, than the first issue as we get further development of Vita and Charlie’s characters, and a broader understanding of many of the facets of the series’ world. This really is a great comic, wonderful humour, amazing premise, interesting characters, and beautiful art. Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, Tríona Farrell, and Cardinal Rae have something special here. Don’t sleep on it.

| Published by Image

Exiles #8 is a good jumping-on point, as the team’s history is explored and the issue sets up a new group of antagonists in the Watchers. Saladin Ahmed is doing a great job of building these characters and making their unique alternate realities interesting. Nice guest art this issue from Joe Quinones, Joe Rivera, Jordan Gibson, Chris Sotomayor, and Muntsa Vicente. 

| Published by Marvel

Fantastic Four #2 has a couple things in its opening page that could be considered problematic, the first in its depiction of an alien race that could be an analogue to the racial stereotype of Native Americans as the “noble savage”, the second is of the sexualization of a child. Neither are particularly endearing in how they’re presented and I’m kind of surprised they made it to print.

That being said, the rest of the issue is pretty good. It’s the kind of sci-fi adventure you’d expect from the FF, though it does feel like we’ve been dropped in at the end of an adventure we’ve never seen, and it has beautiful artwork from Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Marte Gracia.

| Published by Marvel

Hot Lunch Special #2 is just plain great storytelling. Eliot Rahal, Jorge Fornés, and Taylor Esposito are crafting a crime story here that is the perfect storm of characters, plot, and execution. It’s dense and heavy, navigating through the Khoury family and their shock at the death of their youngest, masterfully told through both dialogue and art.

| Published by AfterShock

Iceman #1 isn’t a bad start to a new series from Sina Grace, this time with Nathan Stockman and Federico Blee joining him for the art duties. While still cracking wise a bit, this seems like it’s going in a much more serious direction than some of Grace’s previous series. Great art, and an interesting hook for a new group trying to “cleanse” mutantkind.

| Published by Marvel

Infinity Wars #3 gives us the twist in the tale that’s going to deliver most of the tie-ins and spin-offs for the series, as Gamora remakes the world and causes the fusion of various heroes. It’s an idea we’ve seen before in things like the merged DC/Marvel Amalgam universe, which could be fun depending on where the creative teams take it.

| Published by Marvel

MCMLXXV #1 is kind of a mash-up of different 70s exploitation film genres, creating an interesting action horror story from Joe Casey, Ian MacEwan, Brad Simpson, and Rus Wooton. MacEwan’s art is very nice, reminding me a bit of Troy Nixey, with some interesting character designs and wonderful depictions of the action.

| Published by Image

Mech Cadet Yu #12 concludes the series with a final battle between the robos and the Sharg, again following the important themes of teamwork and sacrifice. This has been a very entertaining, action-packed story from Greg Pak, Takeshi Miyazawa, Raúl Angulo, and Simon Bowland.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Oblivion Song #7 is the big answer to the Transference, maybe, as the series turns itself on its ear again with more sweeping changes. I really quite like how Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo de Felici are keeping us on our toes as the series keeps pressing forward. 

| Published by Image / Skybound

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #309 concludes this two-parter focusing on Sandman, with gorgeous art from Chris Bachalo and his army of inkers. This one’s a lot more action-oriented than the quiet reflection upon death in the first chapter, but it’s still very satisfying.

| Published by Marvel

Runaways #13 begins a new arc with some incredible guest art from David Lafuente and Jim Campbell. Along with the return of Alex Wilder, this drops in another old threat for the team, leading to one of the more action-packed issues of the series so far. Still, amidst the chaos, Rainbow Rowell still has a laser-focused eye for character development, giving us some interesting reactions to Wilder’s return.

| Published by Marvel

Scales & Scoundrels #12 concludes this two-part arc with Dorma and with it the series for the foreseeable future. This has been a great all ages fantasy adventure series from Sebastian Girner, Galaad, and Jeff Powell, and I wish it had have caught on better since the quality has been extremely high. Great characters and beautiful art, I do hope they find a way to bring it back in some form, and I highly recommend people to check out the series in the collections. 

| Published by Image

Volition #2 is another beautiful comic. The artwork from Omar Francia is gorgeous with a nice polished sheen to the colours that enriches this world of sentient machines.

| Published by AfterShock

Weapon H #7 continues to be more entertaining than anyone probably thought possible. Though I really quite like Cory Smith’s art, I’m thinking that Ario Anindito’s is even more suited to the weird, alien creatures of this turn in the story.

| Published by Marvel

The Wrong Earth #1 is a solid debut, kicking off new publisher, Ahoy’s, foray into comics. It’s a nice package with a lead story, a back-up comic, some interviews, a one pager, and a short story. It gives nice value for what you’re picking up, especially when you consider the talent involved. 

The lead story from Tom Peyer, Jamal Igle, Juan Castro, Andy Troy, and Rob Steen is the main draw, though. It’s a rather brilliant premise of a superhero crossing alternate realities, switching from a kind of Adam West Batman-esque quaint, bright world to a much darker grim and gritty world, and vice versa. It’s executed very well, capturing the tone and atmosphere for both takes perfectly.

The backmatter also nicely enhances the experience, particularly the back-up comic featuring Stinger from Paul Constant and Frank Cammuso, presented in a kind of retro comics fashion. And a suitably bonkers adventure prose story from Grant Morrison, with illustrations by Rob Steen.

| Published by Ahoy Comics

X-23 #4 pushes further to paint the Cuckoos as out and out villains now. Which is a bit of a shame, much like with Emma Frost, but I can’t deny that Mariko Tamaki isn’t doing something interesting with them and the story overall. Also, Juann Cabal and Nolan Woodard continue to deliver stunning artwork.

| Published by Marvel

X-Men Blue #35 takes a moment for each of the time-tossed original five X-Men to chat with their present day counterparts about going back to their own time, while flashing forward to the seemingly nightmarish future that would exist if they stayed. Obviously with Extinction going on events are a bit out of order, but I still like the handle Cullen Bunn has had on these characters.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Accell #14, Amazing Spider-Man #5, Astonisher #10, The Beauty #23, Dejah Thoris #8, Charlie’s Angels #4, Daredevil #608, Domino #6, Farmhand #3, GI Joe: A Real American Hero #256, Head Lopper #9, Joe Golem: The Drowning City #1, Journey Into Mystery: Birth of Krakoa #1, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Tempest #2, Low Road West #1, Mage: The Hero Denied #12, Moth & Whisper #1, Ms. Marvel #34, Nancy Drew #4, The New World #3, Ninja-K #11, Old Man Logan #47, Proxima Centauri #4, RuinWorld #3, the seeds #2, She Could Fly #3, Sleepless #7, Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita #3, Star Wars: Darth Vader #21, Star Wars: The Last Jedi #6, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #36, Venom: First Host #3, Wasted Space #5, The Weatherman #4, The Wicked + The Divine #39, World of Tanks: Citadel #5

Recommended Collections: Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts, Dissonance - Volume 1, Dry County Complete, DuckTales - Volume 3: Quests & Quacks, Elsewhere - Volume 2, Infinity Countdown, Infinity Countdown Companion, Kick-Ass - Volume 1, Koshchei the Deathless, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Volume 6, Oblivion Song - Volume 1, Slam: Next Jam, Star Trek: The Next Generation - Through the Mirror, Star Wars: Darth Vader - Volume 3: Burning Seas, Star Wars: Thrawn, Strangers in Paradise XXV - Volume 1: The Chase

d. emerson eddy did not start a joke that started the whole world crying.

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Edgar Allan Poe's Snifter of Death #1

Edgar Allan Poe's Snifter of Death #1 preview. Irreverent, Poe-inspired tales of mystery and inebriation return in a new series. #Comics #ComicBooks

EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF DEATH #1 Mark Russell, Stuart Moore(A) Peter Snejbjerg, Frank Cammuso(C) Richard WilliamsOctober 6, 2021$4.99 Irreverent, Poe-inspired tales of mystery and inebriation return in a new series. Mark Russell and Peter Snejbjerg expose chocolate vampires, fruit-flavored Frankensteins, and other crunchy creeps in an all-new Monster Serials thriller. If we survive that,…

[tompeyer]

AHOY Comics launches with a biting superhero satire! On one world, Dragonflyman and his sidekick Stinger enjoy a life of adventure. On another Earth, the Dragonfly hunts criminal parasites like a lethal exterminator. But what happens when these two heroes change places? By Tom Peyer (iCaptain Kid/i, iHourman/i) and Jamal Igle (iBlack/i, iSupergirl/i)! And, a 'Golden Age' Stinger solo story, by Paul Constant and Frank Cammuso! Plus: An all-new text story by comics legend Grant Morrison: ''Hud' Hornet's Holiday In Hell,' illustrated by Rob Steen! All this plus a cartoon by Shannon Wheeler!