Deconstructing Comics

Vanessa Davis is an L.A.-based creator of autobio comics Spaniel Rage, Make Me A Woman and Out of Time. Koom has been an admirer of her work, and this week he talks with her in depth about whether she sees herself as part of a “movement”; the pitfalls of reporting in your comics on what your family members do (like that time with her mom in the museum…); how her parents affected the direction of her art; and much more.

This time Tim and Mulele take on two submitted comics: Dawn of War #1, the latest Warhammer 40,000 comic from Ryan O’Sullivan and Daniel Indro, published by Titan Comics; and Snowcone City: Rocket to Pluto by Joseph Hewitt, from Polar Bear Comix.

One breakout hit comic of the past year is DC’s The Flintstones, by Mark Russell and Steve Pugh. This week, Tim and John Roberson talk with Pugh about the challenges of adapting the 1960s characters to a slightly more serious art style and discuss writer Russell’s decidedly different take on this classic Hanna-Barbera property. Patrons can hear a bonus review of Flintstones #12 on Patreon!

After TCAF, Koom sat down with Ethan Rilly, creator of the comic Pope Hats. How did he get started? Where’d the title come from? Why did he focus the story on two women? The interview covers all this and more. (NOTE: Contains a spoiler for issue 5 — we’ll warn you when it’s coming!)

Daniel Clowes’ 2010 graphic novel Wilson tells the story of a guy who can’t help but tell you exactly how he feels about you, and the pain which that attitude hides. Earlier this year, a movie version of the book was released, starring Woody Harrelson. How do the book and film compare? This week, two sets of DCP regulars approach “Wilson” from different angles. First, Tim and Mulele review the book; then, Kumar and Emmet discuss the movie.

A noir thriller… that seems very reminiscent of a very different comic strip! Tim and Mulele discuss “Spencer and Locke” by David Pepose and Jorge Santiago Jr.! Also, we talk about Marvel and the backlash toward “Secret Empire”. * No, Marvel. We’re out of patience. * What the hell is wrong with Marvel Comics, anyway?

This week, in our first Marvel-related movie review since Iron Man 2(!), Kumar and Dana discuss Logan. Is it an action movie? The action scenes are limited, but when they occur, there are no limits.

Robert Sikoryak is known for adopting the styles of various famous comics and mashing them up with classic literature, Donald Trump quotes, and even the iTunes user agreement. This week he talks with Koom how he chooses the specific pairings of comics titles and other content, why he didn’t want to do his book on Trump, what Kafka’s Metamorphosis and Schulz’s Peanuts have in common, getting inside the head of the creator whose work he’s parodying, and more.

It’s Sherlock Holmes as a kid, with a talking dog for Watson! Tim and Mulele discuss Justin Phillips, Sean Gregory Miller, and Lesley Atlansky’s Kid Sherlock! PLUS: Don’t miss Mulele’s story of the wild day-job situation that’s been keeping him from getting his comics done — but will now facilitate it!

This year’s Toronto Comic Arts Festival was held May 13 & 14. Koom was there and brought back interviews with Dave McKean, Jessica Campbell, Rick Geary, and Charlie Adlard! Dave McKean, whose work includes art on Neal Gaiman’s Sandman and his latest “Black Dog: The Dreams of Paul Nash” (pictured), talks about his style, his influences, and why it might be hard for him to work with Alan Moore. Jessica Campbell talks about her first book, “Hot or Not: 20th Century Male Artists” and about working in the friendly field of comics. Rick Geary, creator of “A Treasury of 20th Century Murder” tells us how his comics career started by chance — over 40 years ago! Charlie Adlard, artist on The Walking Dead, and current Comics Laureate of the UK, discusses that honor, what comics might be like in the future, getting comics out of the cultural ghetto, and what he might do after The Walking Dead.

This week, Gabrial and David from the Kind of Epic Show podcast join Tim to talk about their show, and various Marvel Comics highlights (and lowlights) from the past 30 years — and in particular, Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s The Vision.

Humanity has died out, and other animals — notably, squirrels — have become more intelligent, banding into factions and battling each other with primitive weapons. Why did this happen? And, now what? Tim and Mulele discuss Ashley Witter and Ash Maczko’s Squarriors.

Love and Rockets continues to impress, and in this episode Koom asks creator Jaime Hernandez some burning questions. Hernandez talks about writing Maggie and Hopey, the dynamics of working on something with your brother, why he gravitates toward female characters, his influences and art style, and more. Also, Tim and Mulele discuss the current state of the US comics market and Marvel’s recent problems.

The Comics Code, while not much more than a memory today, had a huge effect on the direction of American comics for half a decade. David Hajdu’s book The Ten-Cent Plague looks at the events that led up to the code, following the development of comics — and the protests against them — through the first half of the twentieth century. Why were comics scapegoated for social ills? Tim and Paul discuss the book.

Jake lives near a bog along a lake, and the bog makes him uncomfortable. On Halloween night, he finds a little girl in a witch costume stuck in the bog and he rescues her. Is she really a witch? What’s going on a Jake’s neighbors’ house? Tim and Mulele are reading Evil Witch Allie, by Kristin Tipping, to find out!