Comics Are Great!

To make good comics and graphic novels, all you have to do is draw really well and write pretty well, then mix them together, right? Then why is it so challenging to make comics that connect with audiences? How do you describe that unnameable quality that makes certain art and stories arresting? After a long hiatus the Comics Are Great podcast returns to address these questions with guest Mark Siegel, Editorial Director at First Second Books, author of the graphic novel Sailor Twain, and writer of the 5 Worlds graphic novel series. Mark helps us explore how comics storytelling is unique from other art forms, and describes what he calls the storyteller’s “handwriting.” Mark will appear at this year’s Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival at the Ann Arbor District Library, and the A2 Inkubate unconference on the campus of the University of Michigan, June 15-17. You can get copies of his books signed and participate in some terrific free comics workshops led by him. Links mentioned in this episode: * 5 Worlds Book 1: The Sand Warrior * Listen to My Art episode 2 with Mark Siegel * Sailor Twain * First Second Books * Three Shadows * Gunas * Science Comics: Rockets This episode was recorded at the Ann Arbor District Library. Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. Jerzy on Instagram Anne on Twitter Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Talking about composition, context, and color on CAG! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=e96lFpKwTS4 Photographers got it easy, right? All they have to do to tell their stories is point their magic box at their subject and hit click. Cartoonists, on the other hand, have to create the reality of their work from scratch. Surely photographers have zero insights to offer cartoonists. Of course we know that’s a bunch of troll talk. So this time I’ll be joined by photographer and designer Peter Baker. Together we’ll talk about how cartoonists might benefit from looking at how photographers tell stories through their medium. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Medium Format Photography * Large Format Photography * Peter Baker on Instagram * Detroit Ruin Porn * Neal Adams * Peter’s Welding School shoot for Bloomberg * Jackie Chan * Hasselblad cameras * Canon 5D * Boulder and Fleet: Adventurers for Hire Book Recommendations: * From Here to There: Alec Soth’s America * Wizzywig * Letter 44 * The Infinity Gauntlet * JLA/Avengers Live streams at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

El Deafo! Hilda and the Midnight Giant! Roz Chast, and more! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvY3-YoKV5k We’re continuing our tradition of closing out the year with Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier of The Comics Bakery. Join us for a rapid round of book talks on some of our favorite comics, which you can use as your last-minute holiday gift guide! And check out the book talks we did last year! Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * AADL Art Tools * Dec 17 is the last day to get Raina’s books signed for Christmas * Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas * A Cosmic Christmas ​ * The ALF Christmas Special may be the root of all holiday depression Book Recommendations: * Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir * Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal * Worse Things Happen at Sea * Andre the Giant: Life and Legend * Strong Female Protagonist Book One * Edward Scissorhands Comic* * The Sandman: Overture #1 * Dirty Diamonds Anthology * Pencil Pup Minicomics * Kill My Mother: A Graphic Novel * Broodhollow * Hilda and the Midnight Giant * Nothing is Forgotten, a collection of short stories * Sing No Evil * The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story * Baby’s in Black: Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and the Beatles * Beyond the Canopy * Dinosaurs in Space * El Deafo * Julia’s House for Lost Creatures * The Zoo Box * Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant? *

Talking about the special communicative power of the cartoon on Comics Are Great! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8PsQi99nok Anthropomorphic comics characters have enjoyed a wide appeal almost since the invention of the comic. Who doesn’t love Snoopy? Characters like Garfield have inspired an entire generation of professional cartoonists. Even the critically-acclaimed Maus featured talking animal characters. So what is it about “animals doing people things” that’s so compelling? Why are we so willing to invest in a character whose design is so defiantly absurd and unrealistic? I’m joined by John Green , co-creator of the Teen Boat! graphic novels and creator of the upcoming Hippopotamister, published by First Second Books. Together we unlock the secret powers held within “funny animal characters.” We’re also joined by Anne Drozd of the Ann Arbor District Library for another round of book recommendations! Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * The OTHER John Green * Teen Boat! * Superhero Tropes * Dave Roman * Turbo Teen * Jax Epoch and the Quicken Forbidden * An exclusive preview of Hippopotamister * John’s post on why animals make great protagonists * The new Lightsabers * Justice League: Comfort and Joy * Watership Down (film) * Maus * Real-Life Simpsons * Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham * The AADL “Unusual Stuff” section Book Recommendations: * Ariol * The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil * nemu*nemu * Missile Mouse * The Incredible Change-Bots * PIX: One Weirdest Weekend Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+

Broxo! Ewoks! Shakespeare! Banjo music, and more! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuLb6XdoQzs It’s time to unbox the age-old question of Talent vs. Effort on Comics Are Great! How does your comics work change when you shift your focus from “expressing yourself” to “putting in the effort?” Are these terms mutually exclusive, or does the focus oscillate between those poles throughout the project? If so, how do you know when it’s time to change your focus? I’m joined by Zack Giallongo, cartoonist behind Broxo, Star Wars: Ewoks: Shadows of Endor, and the Stratford Zoo Midnight Review series. Together we explore how a career in cartooning is equal parts creative expression and herculean effort, and how one finds balance between the two. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * UMass Dartmouth * Flow State * Acerbic * Disney’s “9 Old Men” * UHF * Calvin and Hobbes * Noelle Stevenson * Montage * The Dunning Krueger Effect * Children of the Corn * Jim Henson * Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan * Lumberjanes * Charles in Charge, Again Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Challenged Comics! Censorship! Dave Carter, and more! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5TpS-rpSnI Join us for a discussion on Banned Books Week with David Carter, Librarian at the University of Michigan’s Comics and Video Game Archive. Together we explore censorship in comics and ways we can better advocate for our medium. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Paste magazine’s top 10 banned comics * The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund * The CBLDF’s list of 22 Challenged Comics Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Gregg Schigiel! Laura Given! Erin Helmrich! Finding new audiences for your work, and more! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAAzJsOrAys It’s the 100th episode of the Comics Are Great show, recorded live before a studio audience at the 2014 Kids Read Comics Celebration! I’m joined by guest co-host Gregg Schigiel of the Stuff Said Show, librarian Laura Given, and librarian Erin Helmrich. Together we discuss the growing importance of libraries in the world of comics, and how cartoonists can better connect with libraries to promote the medium. We also spend a bit of time talking about Gregg’s new comic, PIX: ONE WEIRDEST WEEKEND, which is available for pre-order in Previews now! Item #DEC141546 Links mentioned: * The Nerdy Book Club * John Schu * Zita the Spacegirl * Dave Roman * Kids Read Comics * Chris Giarrusso * Challengers Comics Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Talking about walking the line between eerie and cute on CAG! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNhieWXymL4 In this special unscheduled episode of the Comics Are Great! show I’ll be joined by Eric Orchard, cartoonist behind Maddy Kettle: The Adventure of the Thimblewitch, published by Top Shelf. Maddy Kettle is a plucky young girl who faces witches, vampire bats, and spider goblins, yet never loses hope or refuses help when asked. She is assisted by friendly ballon-riding bears, banjo-playing raccoons, and vampire bats. So is this a creepy story or a light-hearted adventure? Maybe it can be both, thanks to the special affordances that only comics can offer! Join us for a discussion on how comics is the perfect medium to blend opposite elements together and produce something new. Links mentioned in this episode: * Edward Gorey * Maurice Sendak * Eric Orchard’s inspiration Tumblr * Fox and Duck, Eric’s new webcomic * The Warren Commission Report: A Graphic Investigation Into the Kennedy Assassination Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Talking about the role of fandom on CAG! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=-of8-cBDmHc Whatever your stance on cosplay, one can’t deny that it’s an active arena in fan participation with media. Is it simply a distracting branch that interferes with the “pure” transactions between fans and creators? Or is it a means for fans to enrich their participation with the creations themselves? When fandoms form around a creation, how should a creator respond? This time I’m joined by Rachel Ashley-Lovelace for a discussion on the culture of fandoms and cosplay and how they might coexist with the creative forces that inform them. AADL Production Librarian Anne Drozd also drops by for another round of book recommendations! Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Cosplay * Indiana Jones * Star Trek Costumes from ANOVOS * Macross Frontier * Tenth Doctor * Agent Dana Scully * Gallifrey One Convention * Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony * Prancercise * Furry Fandom * Walmart Wolverine * Small Press Expo * Power Con * Homestuck * San Diego Comic Con * New York Comic Con * Avatar The Last Puppet Bender * Dragoncon * Masters Of The Universe Power Tour * Worbla * Glimmer * The Idiot’s Lantern (Dr. Who episode) * Ebay UK * The King of Kong * Rachel Lovelace on Facebook * Two Geeks Talking * Feelax Comics and Book Recommendations: * Vader’s Little Princess * You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack: Cartoons * Starbunny Inc. * Hello Kitty Hello 40 Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the

Comics Are Great! returns with a battle between kid and adult authors! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2BmkddnAWE We grown-up cartoonists think we know what kids are and aren’t picking up on in our work. After all, we were kids once! But memory can be fickle testimony, so in the next Comics Are Great! I’ll be joined by 12-year-old cartoonist Connor to talk about what he perceives to be the anatomy of a good story for kids. I’ll also be joined by Gregg Schigiel, creator of PIX: One Weirdest Weekend, artist on Spongebob Comics, and host of the Stuff Said podcast. If you haven’t seen Gregg and Connor in action, they led some events at the 2014 Kids Read Comics festival in Ann Arbor, MI. You can see their banter during the Kids Comics Award show held that weekend here. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Stuff Said Show * Detroit Fanfare * Kids Read Comics Convention * Road Food * Eater * Judge Doom from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? * Back To The Future * Johnny Carson * Mannix * Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader * Swag * Our Gang (The Little Rascals) * Norman Bates * Weird Al * The Dick Van Dyke Show * UltraGirl * Homestuck * When I Was Your Age Lyrics Comics and Book Recommendations: * This One Summer * Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy * Sisters * The Warren Commission Report: A Graphic Investigation into the Kennedy Assassination * Meanwhile Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic!

Muppets Most Wanted, Perils of Retreading, and more! It’s another special audio-only “therapy session” of Comics Are Great! I’m joined by Dave Roman for a discussion on Muppets Most Wanted. Together we explore how this film scratched many of the itches we were left with after The Muppets movie, how revisiting a franchise almost demands self-referential humor, and why Constantine is one of the best cartoon villains of all time. Links mentioned: * CAG 40 – Jim Henson Was Complicated * The Muppets (2011) * The Muppet Movie * The Great Muppet Caper * Muppets From Space * Starbunny, Inc. Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Talking about independent publishing on the Comics Are Great! show! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpX5d1IRI2Y This time I’m joined by Jamie Gambell, writer of The Hero Code, for a discussion on the various channels available to us when publishing our comics independently. With so many options like Kickstarter, Comixology, IndyPlanet, Patreon, and publishing on the web, how do you find the right option for your comic? David Carter, Programming Librarian at the University of Michigan’s Computer and Video Game Archive, also stops by to share some exciting announcements about the Kid’s Read Comics pre-conference for educators, librarians, and cartoonists. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * The Hero Code * 2000 AD * David Goyer on Comics * The Lego Movie * Stuff Said * Jacko Energizer Commercial * The Defenders * Comixpress * Ben Burtt Sound Design of Star Wars * Jamie Gambell on Patreon * Comixology * Dark Horse Comics * Black Wraith on Comixology * Kids Read Comics Convention Comics and book recommendations: * Basewood * Plastic Farm * Rice Boy * The Black Coat * The Dreamer * G-Man * The Warren Commission Report: A Graphic Investigation Into the Kennedy Assassination Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic!

Talking about getting out from behind the desk and reaching out to new fans on the Comics Are Great! show! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2bTGpTg1FU We all know that making the work is only half of the battle facing an author or cartoonist these days. Once the work is done you have to market the work, and for many of us this means posting to social media, email lists, making YouTube trailers, and hitting the convention circuits. For many of us this can be an unpleasant part of the deal that comes with being an author. But how might our thinking change if we think of ourselves as an author/performer? On this episode I’m joined by Mark Mariano, kids’ author of The Other Side of Hugless Hill, and member of the rock band The O>Matics, for a discussion on how advocacy can be a fun way to reach out to potential fans and spread awareness of your work. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Happy Tree Friends * Stuff Said podcast * The Powerpuff Girls * Samurai Jack * Kids Love Comics * The O>Matics * Gemini * The Wiggles * Alex Simmons * Doodle! Scribble! Draw! * SPX * Transformers Insignia * Voltron Comics and Book Recommendations: * Pokemon Adventures * Superman: Kryptonite * Astro Boy * Ariol * Bloop * Starbunny Inc. * Cucumber Quest Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+ Support the show and get a PDF comic! Subscribe through iTunes RSS

Talking about everyone’s favorite Dark Knight on CAG 97! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_f7EasqzHo You may have heard that 2014 is the 75th anniversary of the first appearance of Batman. So for this episode of the Comics Are Great! show we had a roundtable discussion on why the Caped Crusader remains such an enduring character. I’m joined by Dean Trippe, author of the powerful comic Something Terrible, and Kohl Glass, film maker behind Orc Wars, and Rachel Polk, cartoonist behind Melvin the Fat Bird, who help us explore how Batman became such an iconic character whose appeal spans generations. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Footprints in the Sand * Smodcast: Fatman on Batman * Batman * Robin * Something Terrible by Dean Trippe * Kevin Conroy * Justice League Unlimited * The Dark Knight Returns * Spanx * Jon Hamm as Superman * Ayn Rand * Phoenix * Anatomy of a Bad Cover: DC’S NEW “TEEN TITANS” #1 * LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW SOME MEN TALK TO WOMEN IN COMICS * The Killing Joke * The Long Halloween * Bruce Timm * Paul Dini * Robin: Year One Comics and book recommendations: * Batman: Arkham Asylum * Lumberjanes * Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia * The Adventures of Superhero Girl * Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library. Jerzy on Google+ Find us on Google+

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=940vG8Mr7DI Talking about independent animation, working with what you got, and keeping on! In CAG 92 I talked with Ben Hatke about the importance of giving our heroes a reason to quit. Why? Because it’s so, so satisfying to see them not quit when all evidence suggests that quitting is the sensible solution. Why is that satisfying? Because creative people encounter this on a regular basis. You sacrifice time, money, and relationships in order to pursue your craft, and you’re not even sure if it’s any good at first. Often when you’re starting out you don’t have the resources or the skill to create work at the quality level you hope to. So how do you overcome these reasons to quit? I’m glad to be joined by Jim Lujan, the creator of many, many animated films, and the writer/animator of the new animated feature Kounterclockwise in Forever-Land. Jim is very nearly the living embodiment of the hero who looks those “reasons to quit” in the eye and answers it by pushing on and making wonderful things. Together we’ll discuss how he worked with what he had to leverage a career for himself as an award-winning independent animator. Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!): * Jerzy Drozd Basses * Mary Tyler Moore * Prince * Star Wars (A New Hope) * Ghettomation * Paul F. Tompkins * Uncanny Valley * Jack Of All Nerds * Andy Kaufman * Stanley Kubrick * Peter Criss * Bill Plympton * John Wayne Gacy * March of the Swizelstik Army, in which Jerzy has a cameo Comics and book recommendations: * Never Eat Alone * Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade * Fullmetal Alchemist * Murder She Writes * The Sumo Art of Jose Cabrera * My Pickel Tastes Funny * Chewing on Tinfoil Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+! Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.