ISR goes Manga! Charlito talks with Jason Thompson, author of The Complete Guide to Manga! They discuss the history of manga from its most famous works to some of the more obscure, from the book's 900+ reviews! The manga work ethic, US reprints issues, the digital revolution and much more! Not just for the expereinced manga fan, but for the beginner as well!

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ISR's contribution to the comics podcast theme event - Politics in Comics! We talk with Fred Van Lente, writer of Comic Book Comics, who kicks his knowledge of politics in comics throughout history! Then Tom Humberstone discusses My Fellow Americans, which chronicles his 8-week roadtrip following the Presidential primaries!

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The first all Mr. Phil episode of ISR! Wait, come back! This special SPX wrap-up special includes interviews with Nate Powell of Swallow Me Whole and Corinne Mucha of My Alaskan Summer and Papercutter #8! Plus the big rundown all the books we got at the show! And mind-blowing indie cartoonist karaoke!

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ISR's Fall Preview spotlights several exciting upcoming releases such as Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka, The Ted McKeever Library editions of Transit and Eddy Current, Crogan's Vengeance by Chris Schweizer, Chris Blain's Gus & His Gang, the Fantagraphics collection of Harvey Kurtzman's Humbug and much more!

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ISR says goodbye to the summer! Our final thoughts on HeroesCon! A look back at San Diego Comic-Con and its Watchmen mania! The debut of Comic Book Tattoo! The near-death of Fred Chao! The closing of Virgin Comics! Plus the ISR mailbag, the return of Sequential Skeletons and more!

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So the summer is over and... Hey! What's this in the bottom of our beach bag? It's the first installment of the ISR Mini-Comics Book Club! We were wondering where that was (we know some of you were, too)! Alec Longstreth joins us to help kick off this recurring series! It begins here with guest Richard Krauss who discusses the beginnings of the mini-comics movement and his time as part of the newave comix scene!

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The finale of ISR at HeroesCon! One last go-around in the skybox featuring a great conversation with Tom Neely (The Blot, Your Disease Spread Quick) and Jim Rugg (Street Angel, Afrodisiac)! Plus a hilarious roundtable discussion with the Wide Awake Press crew: Duane Ballenger, Brad McGinty, Josh Latta, and J. Chris Campbell! Plus more on-the-road recordings with Joel Buxton and Shane Heron of Awesome Marcus Ninja!

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More of ISR at HeroesCon! Talking comics in the skybox with Alex Robinson (Too Cool To Be Forgotten) and Mike Dawson (Freddie & Me) on their summer sales competition with Josh Cotter! Also Rich Faber and John Gallagher (Roboy Red, Buzzboy and NASCAR Heroes)! Plus more recordings from our drive to the con with Joel Buxton and Shane Heron of Awesome Marcus Ninja!

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ISR at HeroesCon! From the skybox overlooking the show floor with guests Nicholas Gurewitch (The Perry Bible Fellowship), Jonathan Hickman (The Nightly News, Pax Romana), Pat Lewis (The Claws Come Out), and Joshua Cotter (Skyscrapers of the Midwest)! Plus road reports from our drive to the con with Joel Buxton and Shane Heron of Awesome Marcus Ninja!

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ISR talks with Rantz Hoseley about this week's release of Comic Book Tattoo, a 480-page anthology inspired by the songs of Tori Amos featuring work by nearly 100 creators! Rantz discusses with us his the beginnings of his long friendship with Tori, how he introduced her to comics, and his role in assembling and editing this highly anticipated collection!

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Mike Dawson joins us in the ISR studio to talk with us about his new graphic novel Freddie & Me! From his childhood in England, his family move to New Jeresy, and through his adulthood, the music of Queen always remained a big part of his life. So not only do we discuss all these things - we test his Queen IQ with a few rounds of 'Name That Queen Tune!' A fun episode filled with lots of music and lots of laughs!

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The finale of our 5-part coverage of the 2008 MoCCA Art Festival! In this episode Charlito and Mister Phil return to the studio for a final wrap-up of the show and the big rundown of all the books we got there! Plus an early update on the beginnings of the second Awesome anthology!

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Part Four of ISR's multi-episode wrap-up coverage of the 2008 MoCCA Art Festival! In this episode ISR Special Operative Greta Simone and Agent Eliza infiltrate the show! Their mission: find this year's hottest book and interview its creator! Will they succeed before time runs out? A fun show filled with many MoCCA exhibitors!

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Part Three of ISR's multi-episode wrap-up coverage of the 2008 MoCCA Art Festival! In this episode we present one of the MoCCA panels - Dan Nadel In Conversation with CF! Picturebox editorial director Dan Nadel talks with Christopher (CF) Forgues of Powr Mastrs and Core of Caligula about comics and art (and Rob Liefeld)! Plus we begin the rundown of comics we picked up at the show!

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Part Two of ISR's multi-episode wrap-up coverage of the 2008 MoCCA Art Festival! Following the midday interruption courtesy of the NY Fire Department, this episode features interviews conducted live at the show! Evil Twin Comics' Fred Van Lente joins us as we present the Awesome scholarship check to Chuck McBuck! House of Twelve members Cheese Hasselberger on the House of Twelve Goes to War anthology and Kate Allen on Milk-teeth! Plus Phil Miarmi and Aaron DeLaRosa on the recent passing of their friend Mark Griffin, creator of Karma Shmarma and HeroesCon creative director Dustin Harbin joins us again to discuss the upcoming show with his 'Top Five Reasons to Come to Indie Island'!

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Part One of ISR's multi-episode wrap-up coverage of the 2008 MoCCA Art Festival! This episode features interviews conducted live at the show including: Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey discussing their new Comic Book Comics series, Ryan Alexander-Tanner, our annual MoCCA talk with Michael LaRiccia, and 12-year-old mini-comic creator Jessica Weiss! Then the fire alarm goes off...

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As we prepare for the big MoCCA Art Festival this weekend, we get you (and ourselves) caught up a few things! News on the second Awesome anthology, our trip to HeroesCon, upcoming ISR shows, and some new books from the ISR mailbag!

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Part Two of our look at the state of comics distribution! Indie comics sales rep Tony Shenton and Diamond Comics Distributors purchasing assistant manager Robert Randle join us to continue our discussion of the system!

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Part One of our look at the state of comics distribution! Retailer Andrew Neal, owner of Chapel Hill Comics and publisher Chris Pitzer of AdHouse Books join us to discuss Diamond Comic Distributors - how the system works, what works well, what doesn't, and how can it be improved?

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Guests Josh Finney and Kat Rocha join us to discuss their new series Titanium Rain, from Archaia Studios Press! Plus: Talking HeroesCon with with creative director Dustin Harbin & his list of Indie Island guests that he's most excited to meet!

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ISR takes a look ahead at the upcoming 2008 MoCCA Art Festival with co-director Derrick Kennelty-Cohen! Derrick discusses what's in store this year for the always eagerly anticpated event: the panels, the exhibitors, the special guests, and the new 'Make Sale' program! Plus: We take another dip into the ISR mailbag to see what's come our way!

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Our two-part coverage of New York Comic Con concludes here with our big wrap-up show! Gathering together our final thoughts, including the much-debated 'indie factor' of the con, all the books we got and everything else we can remember from a busy, but great con!

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Part One of our New York Comic Con wrap-up with audio recorded live on the convention floor, taxicabs, and wherever else we had a chance to record! It's almost like you were there!

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Our official ISR correspondents, Lenny Cooper and Jeff Tundis, report from the Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo in Columbus, Ohio! Features the Day Prize Award ceremony hosted by Dave Sim and interviews with several of the nominees and more, including Dave Sim himself (Simself?)!

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We are very pleased to announce the recipient of the CCS scholarship raised from the proceeds of the Awesome anthology! We make a call to the lucky student and surprise them with the great news and talk about what they're up to! Plus a look at this year's Eisner Award nominations! And with this weekend's NY Comic Con, a quick look ahead to Stumptown and HeroesCon, and some new books in our mailbag!

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ISR cranks up the volume and explores the music of various cartoonists! Check out tunes by Bryan Lee O'Malley! Alec Longstreth! James Kochalka! Chris Schweizer! Steve Mannion! Ben Towle! Michele Riganese! Rock out with your comic out!

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Charlito talks with Matt Anderson and Micah Farritor, creators of APE Entertainment's White Picket Fences! Plus: ISR hits the Wild Pig sale and Rocketship's Omega signing! And do we have cool new stuff in our mailbag? Exact - Exact - Exactly!

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ISR says goodbye to two legends. Dave Stevens, the brilliant artist and creator of the wonderful adventure comic, The Rocketeer, gone far too soon. And Gary Gygax, the father of the highly influential role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons. The Phranque joins us as we discuss the legacies of these men whose creations will live on forever.

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Guest Rantz Hoseley joins us to talk about Steve Gerber: the man, his work, and his legacy! From Howard the Duck and The Defenders to Omega the Unknown, Void Indigo and more! Plus: Rantz discusses editing the upcoming anthology Comic Book Tattoo, based on the songs of Tori Amos, and his new Image series, Vix!

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An ISR Internacionale Special! ISRmy member Loris Z. joins us from Buenos Aires, through the power of Skype, to discuss the indie comics scene in Argentina! On mini-comics self-publishing, their conventions, the rich history of comics in Argentina and the legacy of Alberto Breccia! Plus: details on the ISR Heroes Con-test and more!

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T2! Ted McKeever returns for Part Two of our in-depth discussion of his work! This time we cover Metropol (returning in a new edition from Shadowline this year), Vertigo's Industrial Gothic, and Faith! Over two hours of Ted talking editors, the two sides of sobriety, his new projects, O.J. Simpson, and much, much more!

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Charlito talks with Arie Kaplan, writer of the all-new IDW series Speed Racer: Chronicles of the Racer! Plus: We once again dig into the ISR mailbag to check out some new comics sent our way!

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Part Two of our two-part in-studio interview with Jeff Smith! A very surprised Alec Longstreth joins us as we discuss Jeff Smith's new series Rasl! Plus: Talking Bone...its beginnings from his childhood to the series' end, the toys, the video games, the movie, The Art of Bone, the year-long world tour, and still more!

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ISR is very proud to present Part One of a two-part in-studio interview with Jeff Smith! Discussing the years prior to his mega-selling series, Bone and the upcoming Rasl, his adventures in indie comics publishing, and much, much more! Oh, and under false pretenses we lure Alec Longstreth to our studio where his hero awaits!

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Narrowly beating the Oscars, it's Part Two of our annual ISR Awards! Charlito and Mister Phil are once again joined by The Franque as we finish up our lists of the best indie comics of 2007 and reveal our choices for the book of the year! Plus more acceptance speeches from winners and our listeners' top picks!

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Part One of our annual ISR Awards! Charlito and Mister Phil welcome back The Franque as we begin our look at the best indie comics of 2007! Acceptance speeches from some of the winners! Plus: we count down our listeners' top picks!

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We are pleased to be joined by Jeff Lemire to discuss two of our favorite books of 2007 - the first two books of the Essex County Trilogy, Tales From the Farm and Ghost Stories! Plus a look ahead to the final volume, The Country Nurse and much ado about hockey and whiskey!

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The downloading comics debate continues! Our last disscussion on this topic generated quite a bit of heat on our forum so we've invited Josh Finney and Kat Rocha of Utopiates to offer their opinions! From the brick and mortar model to torrents and alternative digital distribution options... Where is it all going? Who benefits? Who loses?

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Back in the studio for our first show of 2008, Charlito and Mister Phil take a look back at some of the biggest stories of the past year! Plus: We also answer some listeners' e-mails, check out some recent arrivals in the ISR mailbag, and more!

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Our last show of 2007 finds us in the studio once again discussing the good, the bad and the ugly of downloading comics! Plus we continue our look through that big (but getting smaller) ISR mailbag!

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Charlito and Mister Phil finally return to the ISR studio after several on-location events! Now at year's end, we Begin the long overdue process of going through our overflowing mailbag! Listener e-mails with questions and comments, lots of comics sent to us and even a news item or two along the way!

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ISR presents a panel discussion of the Fox Atomic graphic novel The Nightmare Factory featuring Michael Gaydos, Joe Harris, Eric Lieb, Heidi MacDonald, Ted McKeever, and Stuart Moore, as moderated by Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly! This panel was part of the MoCCA Mondays programming series held at the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art!

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As huge fans of Ted McKeever's work since he entered the comics world 20 years ago, we are honored to have him join us on our show! In this first part of our in-depth discussion we cover his early work: (the as-yet unfinished) Transit, Eddy Current, and Plastic Forks! From how he got into the field, the evolution of his style, and the the themes of religion in his work, to politics, lots of great behind-the scenes stories, and much more!

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Not a dream! Not a hoax! Not an imaginary story! It's finally here - ISR #100! Recorded live at Duck Duck on Brooklyn with an audience of ISRmy members, surprise guests, and drunk cartoonists! Technical malfunctions! Inappropriate comments! Serious injuries! Retarded boners! How did we manage to salvage this mayhem into a show? Just barely!

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Making you wait just a little bit longer for ISR #100, we tide you over with this throwback to our old half-numbered episodes! Our special guest here is the legendary Paul Gravett, discussing his involvement in the UK indie comics scene of the early 1980's, publishing Escape magazine, and his recent books on comics history, including Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics and Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life (published in the US as Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know)! Sitting in with Charlito for this interview is comics creator/publisher/editor Pete Friedrich, while Mister Phil is absent and jealous to have missed it!

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Our SPX coverage finishes here with Part Two of our wrap-up of all the comics we picked up! Once again Alec Longstreth is in the house to help us out (did he mention who bought him a beer?)! Plus: Mister Phil busts out his belated SPX karaoke jam!

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Part 1 of our big two-part wrap-up of SPX! The big run-down of all the books we got at the show! And since Charlito was unable to attend SPX, we bring back Alec Longstreth to talk it up with Mister Phil, leaving Charlito feeling left out (aww!)! Tons of great books discussed! Plus: perhaps the greatest moment of Longstreth's life!

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Hot on the heels of the SPX premiere of AWESOME: The Indie Spinner Rack Anthology (in stores now!), Charlito and Mister Phil give of a run down of all the latest goings on with the book! AWESOME in Wizard! The AWESOME book launch party at Rocketship on Friday 10/19! And, of course, the first part of our wrap-up of the AWESOME SPX experience, with much more to come in a future episode! Also: the fastest turnaround of any ISR episode ever - only 4 hours from recording to posting - because we love you!

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Special guest creator Monica Gallagher joins the ISR guys to talk about her outstanding new mini-comic, Boobage! We also discuss her long-running and continuing webcomic, Gods & Undergrads, which was recently collected as a full-color trade paperback!

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Charlito and Mister Phil finally return to the studio! Now it's time to catch up on where they've been and what's been going on! Charlito's off-Broadway show (what?!), Mister Phil's child (who?!), the death of Disney Adventures (why?!) and more! A talk with Alex Cahill about Poison: The Cure! Plus: with less than a month until the release of the Awesome anthology, we give some new details on a special bonus feature! Even a new Sequential Skeletons!

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ISR begins its look back at the summer in comics beginning with the MoCCA Art Festival! Derrick Kennelty-Cohen of MoCCA joins us for the last word on this year's show! From the new seventh floor to the off-site panels to the table prices and much more! Plus a look ahead to what's in store for next year!

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