Shows
The Comics AlternativeOur Favorite Comics of 2018Time Codes: 00:01:28 - Introduction 00:03:49 - Context, and a few statistics 00:10:41 - Our favorite comics of 2018, part 1 00:40:03 - Our honorable mentions, part 1 00:54:46 - Our favorite comics of 2018, part 2 01:29:23 - Our honorable mentions, part 2 01:47:47 - Our favorite comics of 2018, part 3 02:08:23 - Wrapping up our favorites 02:11:19 - Contact us It's that time again! It's the end of the year, their very last weekly review episode of 2018, and so the Two Guys are ready to share what they consider to be their favorite comics of the past twelve months. This is Sterg's first time doing this, but he...
2018-12-2600 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Recent Comics about The BeatlesTime Codes: 00:00:35 - Introduction 00:02:35 - Check out Sterg's blog! 00:04:15 - Lennon: The New York Years 00:30:38 - Yellow Submarine 00:44:19 - The Beatles in Comics 01:10:55 - I Am Young 01:33:01 - Wrap up 01:35:02 - Contact us This is a special episode of The Comics Alternative, in that Sterg and Derek focus only on recent comics about The Beatles. Both of the guys are huge Beatles fans, and you can tell how excited they are in discussing these texts. They begin with David Foenkinos, Corbeyran, and Horne's Lennon: The New York Years(IDW Publishing), adapted from Foenkinos pros...
2018-11-2800 minThe Comics Alternative"The Practice of Diary Comics" Panel at SPX 2018Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:12 - Panel context, with Glynnis Fawkes 00:14:02 - "The Practice of Diary Comics" panel 01:09:40 - Wrap up 01:10:50 - Contact us The middle of last month, September 15-16, saw the Small Press Expo held in North Bethesda, MD. At the event, Derek moderated a panel on that Sunday afternoon entitled "The Practice of Diary Comics." Participating in the discussion were Glynnis Fawkes, Summer Pierre, Kevin Budnik, and Dustin Harbin. This episode of the podcast presents an audio recording of that event, and joining Derek in setting up the context is Glynnis...
2018-10-0200 minThe Comics AlternativeThe Second September Visit to Heroes Aren't Hard to Find Michael and Derek are back at their local shop, Heroes Aren't Hard to Find, to discuss recent mainstream and indie titles that have captured their attention. Mike starts the ball rolling by focusing on recent expressions of a couple of second-tier characters, Doctor Strangeand Hawkman, as handled by Mark Waid and Robert Venditti, respectively. He then takes the conversation into a more "adult" direction with the first issue in Batman: Damned, part of DC's new Black Label imprint. This title is notable for a couple of reasons. First, it's now difficult to find, and as...
2018-09-2800 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of A Contract with God: Curator's Collection, Egg Cream #1, and Hey Kids! Comics! #1 and #2Time Codes: 00:00:32 - Introduction 00:02:43 - Introducing Stergios Botzakis 00:06:41 - A Contract with God: Curator's Collection 00:55:55 - Egg Cream #1 01:19:04 - Hey Kids! Comics! #1 and #2 01:38:48 - Wrap up 01:40:25 - Contact us This week The Comics Alternativegets a new cohost: Stergios Botzakis! And on his maiden voyage, Sterg becomes an integral part in discussions of three unique titles. He and Derek begin with A Contract with God: Curator's Collection(Dark Horse Books-Kitchen Sink Books). This classic of Will Eisner's is reproduced in two beautiful volumes, one with the original pencils and another with the inks. This slip...
2018-09-1900 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of The Cardboard Kingdom, All Summer Long, and Be PreparedTime Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:03:03 - Fare-thee-well to Paul! 00:05:51 - The Cardboard Kingdom 00:28:41 - All Summer Long 00:44:11 -Be Prepared 01:06:46 - Wrap up 01:08:09 - Contact us On this episode of the Comics Alternative’s Young Readers show, Gwen and Derek discuss summer 2018 new releases, all geared to middle-grade readers. The first text, edited and illustrated by Chad Sell, is The Cardboard Kingdom, released by Random House Graphic. Readers learn about the lives and dreams of a group of neighborhood kids in short stories written by Jay Fuller, David DeMeo, Katie Schenkel, Kris Moore, Molly Muldoon, Vid...
2018-09-0600 minThe Comics AlternativeA Discussion of Five Recent #1 IssuesTime Codes: 00:00:50 - Introduction 00:03:32 - It's our 6th birthday! 00:09:03 - The Seeds#1 00:36:02 - Euthanauts#1 00:54:51 - The New World#1 01:09:38 - Unnatural#1 01:24:00 - Bone Parish#1 01:40:02 - Wrap up 01:41:15 - Contact us This is a special episode of The Comics Alternative, as it's the guys' sixth anniversary! The podcast began on August 1, 2012, and Paul and Derek discuss some of the things they've done over the past six years, the number of episodes they've published, the amount of interviews they've conducted, etc. It's a celebratory time, and the Two Guys hope that listeners will join in on the...
2018-08-0100 minThe Comics AlternativeThe June On-Location Episode at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find It's another on-location recording at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC. But with this episode the podcast is doing something different. The on-location show will be going up twice monthly -- schedules permitting -- and joining Derek on these Heroes shows will be Michael Kobre, another guy with a PhD talking about comics. On their on-location shows, Mike and Derek will discuss very recent comics, those being released in the week or two before the recording, that have caught their attention. Mike will primarily focus on the DC and Marvel mainstream titles, while...
2018-06-2500 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner and NOW #3, and a Look at the 2018 Eisner Award NominationsTime Codes: 00:00:33 - Introduction 00:02:57 - Listener mail! 00:10:23 - James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner - A Graphic Biography 00:41:38 - NOW#3 01:13:43 - A discussion of the 2018 Eisner Award nominations 02:00:49 - Wrap up 02:01:55 - Contact us This week Paul and Derek review two recent releases, and they also take the time to discuss this year's Eisner Award nominations. They start off with Alfonso Zapico's James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner - A Graphic Biography (Arcade Publishing). Originally published in Spanish, this is a look at the life of the famous Irish modernist, covering not only his a...
2018-05-2300 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of The New World: Comics from Mauretania, Young Frances, and A Walk through Hell #1Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:03:16 - Listener mail! 00:06:17 - The New World: Comics from Mauretania 00:48:32 - Young Frances 01:20:52 - A Walk through Hell#1 01:39:53 - Wrap up 01:40:52 - Contact us On this episode of the podcast, Paul and Derek look at three new releases that, while all compelling readings, are vastly different in style and narrative approach. They begin with Chris Reynold's The New World: Comics fromMauretania, recently released from Gallery 13. This is a collection of Reynold's Mauretania comics published beginning in the 1980s. This volume was designed by Seth, and he also provided a brie...
2018-05-1600 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Milk Wars, Motor Girl Omnibus, and Strangers in Paradise XXV #1 & #2Time Codes: 00:00:31 - Introduction 00:02:52 - Catching up with Paul, AKA, "Dissertation Boy" 00:04:24 - More listener mail! 00:15:50 - Milk Wars 00:49:42 - Motor Girl Omnibus 01:08:52 - Strangers in Paradise XXV#1 & #2 01:24:13 - Wrap up 01:25:47 - Contact us Paul is back on the podcast, fresh from working on his dissertation. On this episode, he updates Derek on his dissertating progress, and then the Two Guys plunge into the show proper. They begin by looking at the five issues that make up the DC Universe/Young Animal crossover Milk Wars(DC Comics). Both Paul and Derek share their ex...
2018-04-1100 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews with Magdalene Visaggio and Sonny LiewTime Codes: 00:26 - Introduction 02:57 - Setup of interview 05:11 - Interview with Magdalene Visaggio 29:37 - Interview with Sonny Liew 58:43 - Wrap up 59:20 - Contact us A couple of weeks ago the first issue of Eternity Girl, the latest title in DC’s Young Animal line, was released. Written by Magdalene Visaggio and with art by Sonny Liew, this is a title that combines parts of Element Girl with a dash of Kid Eternity, and mixes things up in an offbeat way that fits perfectly in the Young Animal world. On this interview episode, Derek talk...
2018-03-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Various IDW Translations from the Last Half of 2017Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:02:48 - Derek goes solo! 00:07:35 - Alack Sinner: The Age of Innocence 00:23:33 - Calamity Jane: The Calamitous Life of Martha Jane Cannary, 1852-1903 00:35:23 - Jerome K. Jerome Bloch, Vol. 1: The Shadow Killer 00:41:10 - Corto Maltese: Fable of Venice 00:46:25 - A Story of Men 00:56:48 - The Man from the Great North 01:02:43 - Wrap up 01:04:34 - Contact us Welcome to the January episode of The Comics Alternative's monthly Euro Comics series. That's right, the January episode. As Derek explains during the opening of this show, he and Edward had planned on covering IDW Pu...
2018-02-1600 minThe Comics AlternativeOur Favorite Comics of 2017Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:03:14 - Contexts and caveats 00:11:32 - Our favorite comics of 2017 02:09:06 - Wrapping up our favorites, and honorable mentions 02:13:52 - Contact us Paul and Derek are back with The Comics Alternative's annual "Favorites" episode. This is where the Two Guys share what they consider to be the best comics of the past year. Usually this year-end show is released as the very last regular review episode of each year, but this time around the guys had to postpone the recording due to family issues. But we're not far from the end of 2...
2018-01-2200 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Now #2, The Strumpet #5, and Barbarella # 1 & #2Time Codes: 00:00:32 - Introduction 00:03:00 - Catching up with flu-ridden Gene 00:04:21 - Now #2 00:44:07 - The Strumpet #5 01:11:49 - Barbarella #1 & #2 01:26:56 - Wrap up 01:27:55 - Contact us This week Gene and Derek discuss three recent titles, two of which are anthologies and one a blast from the past. They begin with the second issue of Fantagraphics' Now, edited by Eric Reynolds. As the guys mention, this one is comprised of various comics that run the gamut of art and narrative styles. While some of the contributions are more "traditional" in their storytelling presentation -- such as the p...
2018-01-1700 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Generation Gone Vol. 1, Assassinistas #1, and Love and Rockets IV #4Time Codes: 00:00:33 - Introduction 00:03:04 - Baby, it's cold outside 00:05:38 - Generation Gone, Vol. 1 00:37:45 - Assassinistas #1 00:55:04 - Love and Rockets IV #4 01:20:02 - Wrap up 01:21:16 - Contact us This week Gwen and Derek take a look at three recent and exciting titles. They begin with the first trade collection of Aleš Kot and André Lima Araújo's Generation Gone (Image Comics). This initial volume establishes the premise of the intriguing series. The story focuses on three hackers who attempt to get into government systems, are discovered, and "infected" with genetic codes that give them supernatural power...
2018-01-1000 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Battle Angel Alita: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1 and Children of the Whales, Vol. 1Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:02:35 - Some context, and thanks! 00:05:19 - Battle Angel Alita: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1 00:50:09 - Children of the Whales, Vol. 1 01:26:06 - Wrap up 01:27:21 - Contact us On this episode of The Comics Alternative's manga series, Shea and Derek discuss two recent publications that, in one way or another, explore a post-apocalyptic world. They begin with a classic, the first volume of Yukito Kishiro's Battle Angel Alita. Kodansha Comics has recently started to release this legendary cyberpunk series in nice deluxe hardbound editions -- the second deluxe volume is due for release in...
2018-01-0200 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Kid Lobotomy #1 and #2, Carnival of Contagion, and MonographTime Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:03:00 - Our new Kickstarter series and Slack channel! 00:08:48 - Kid Lobotomy #1 and #2 00:31:09 - Carnival of Contagion 00:48:15 - Monograph 01:20:23 - Wrap up 01:23:15 - Contact us This week Paul and Derek review three new titles that are all quite different in content and audience. They begin with the first two issues of Peter Milligan and Tess Fowler's Kid Lobotomy, the first series in IDW's new Black Crown imprint. The guys start their discussion by referencing Shelly Bond and her stated intentions behind the new creator-owned line. But while they're certainly amenable t...
2017-11-0800 minThe Comics AlternativeA Discussion of Horror Manga 2017Time Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:03:10 - Setting up this year's manga horror show 00:06:52 - Domu: A Child's Dream 00:31:12 - Panorama of Hell 00:56:25 - Mail 01:12:42 - Dissolving Classroom 01:32:47 - H.P. Lovecraft's The Hound and Other Stories 01:52:51 - Neo Parasyte M 02:03:12 - Wrap up 02:04:39 - Contact us Shea and Derek are back with their second manga episode of the month! On this show, they discuss several horror manga that will get you in the mood for Halloween tomorrow. As they did last year, the Two Manga Guys are both thrilled and chilled with by introducing l...
2017-10-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeReviews of Lighter Than My Shadow, Now #1, and The Family Trade #1Time Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:03:12 - The tragedy of the California wildfires 00:05:58 - Lighter Than My Shadow 00:48:27 - Now #1 01:14:03 - The Family Trade #1 01:31:28 - Wrap up 01:32:31 - Contact us This week Paul and Derek take on three exciting new titles. They begin with a moving memoir from UK creator Katie Green, Lighter Than My Shadow (Roar-Lion Forge). In this work, Green reveals the eating disorders she struggled with as a young girl and into adulthood. Growing up obsessive-compulsive, Green chronicles how this condition contributed to her anorexic behavior, later evolving into problems with binging. Gr...
2017-10-1800 minThe Comics AlternativeManga: Reviews of Uncomfortably Happily and Appleseed AlphaTime Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:02:26 - Getting back in the manga saddle 00:05:37 - Uncomfortably Happily 00:44:42 - Appleseed Alpha 01:22:55 - Wrap up 01:24:37 - Contact us The monthly manga series is back, and on this episode -- the first of two manga shows in October -- Shea and Derek discuss a couple of very different works. They begin with Yeon-Sik Hong's Uncomfortably Happily (Drawn and Quarterly). This is the story of Hong and his wife becoming frustrated with living in crowded and polluted Seoul, ultimately deciding to move to a house in a remote mountain community. As t...
2017-10-1600 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 242: A Discussion of the 2017 Eisner Award Nominations Earlier this month the nominees for the 2017 Eisner Awards were announced at the Comic-Con International website, and as Andy and Derek like to do every year, they're devoting a full episode of The Comics Alternative to a discussion of the nominations. On this week's show, the Two Guys give their impressions of the various nominees, both as a whole and on a category-by-category basis, making observations and trying to understand any trends underlying this year's selections. However, Derek and Andy resist the urge to play armchair quarterbacks, so they don't second-guess the six-member panel of judges or foc...
2017-05-3100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 239: Reviews of Herman by Trade, Rise of the Dungeon Master, and Eternal Empire #1Time Codes: 00:00:31 - Introduction 00:02:39 - Announcement of the 2017 Eisner Award nominees 00:08:13 - Last weekend's Free Comic Book Day 00:18:45 - Herman by Trade 00:41:43 - Rise of the Dungeon Master 01:09:03 - Eternal Empire #1 01:27:04 - Wrap up 01:27:56 - Contact us This week Andy and Derek look at three new titles, each one visiting the fantastic in one form or another. Before they jump into the reviews, however, they discuss some of the big comics news from the past week: the announcement of the 2017 Eisner Award nominations and Free Comic Book Day. The guys don't go into too mu...
2017-05-1000 minThe Comics AlternativeComics Alternative Interviews: Jeff LemireTime Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:40 - Setup of interview 00:06:49 - Interview with Jeff Lemire 01:33:07 - Wrap up 01:34:37 - Contact us On this interview episode Derek and Andy are excited to have Jeff Lemire as their guest. His new graphic novel, Roughneck, has just been released by Simon & Schuster's Gallery 13 imprint, and he has a new ongoing series through Image Comics, Royal City. The guys talk with Jeff about those works, particularly their place within Lemire's growing body of writing, but they also ask him about his other current ongoing series, such as Descender (with Dustin Nguyen on art...
2017-05-0500 minThe Comics AlternativeManga: Reviews of Ichi-F: A Worker’s Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant and Platinum EndTime Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:03:29 - Listener mail! 00:07:21 - Follow up on Revolutionary Girl Utena 00:08:40 - Ichi-F: A Worker's Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant 00:33:42 - Platinum End 01:10:43 - Wrap up 01:12:16 - Contact us This month on The Comics Alternative's manga series, Shea and Derek check out two very different titles. They begin with Kazuto Tatsuta's Ichi-F: A Worker's Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (Kodansha Comics). This is a 500+ page account of the reconstruction and cleanup in the wake of 2011's disaster in Fukushima. As the guys discuss, the text does...
2017-03-3100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 231: Reviews of The Excavation, American Gods #1, and Rat Queens #1 This week's episode is an exploration of surrealism and fantasy, and one guaranteed to both fascinate and disturb you. It begins with a discussion of Max Andersson's The Excavation (Fantagraphics). As the Two Guys with PhDs point out, this is a book that has been years in the making, and parts of it had originally appeared in other outlets, including Andersson's short-lived Death and Candy series. Derek enjoyed this book, as he does other works by Andersson, although Andy was less charitable in his assessment. He feels that the dream-like meandering of The Excavation ends up leading to nowh...
2017-03-1500 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 228: Reviews of Scooter Girl and My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:02:28 - The Blubber report 00:10:51 - Scooter Girl 00:44:42 - My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1 01:30:15 - Wrap up 01:31:35 - Contact us Mods and Monsters On this week's episode the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics do deep dives into two recent, and very different, publications. They begin with Chynna Clugston Flores's Scooter Girl, just released from Image Comics. This is a brand new color edition of a six-issue black-and-white series originally published by Oni Press is 2003-2004, and then collected as a trade in 2004. Derek describes this it as...
2017-02-2200 minThe Comics AlternativeManga: Reviews of Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition and Blame! Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 Time Codes: 00:00:29 - Introduction 00:02:37 - The holidays for Shea and Derek 00:04:30 - Listener mail! 00:11:24 - Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition 00:55:39 - Blame! Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 01:19:12 - Wrap up 01:20:08 - Contact us It's the final manga episode of the year, and to close out 2016 Shea and Derek discuss a couple of fascinating new editions of older manga. But first they talk about their holiday activities with one another and then go on to share the listener mail they received about their November manga episode. After that, it's manga time! They begin with Junji Ito's Tomie: Complete...
2016-12-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 220: Our Favorite Comics of 2016 Time Codes: 00:01:50 - Introduction 00:03:37 - Setting up our favorites 00:07:16 - Year-end statistics 00:15:54 - Our favorites of 2016 01:43:22 - Wrapping up our favorites, and honorable mentions 01:48:55 - Contact us This is the last regular review episode of 2016, and as the Two Guys with PhDs do annually, they use their final show of the year to share their favorite comics from the past twelve months. Both Andy and Derek have each chosen what he considers the 10 best of 2016 -- and in no particular order -- but neither has shared his list with the other until the recor...
2016-12-2800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 210: Reviews of Black Eye #3, Ancestor, and Frontier #13 Time Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:02:49 - Catching up with Paul 00:04:38 - Black Eye No. 3 00:46:40 - Ancestor 01:12:38 - Frontier #13 01:37:37 - Wrap up 01:38:55 - Contact us On this week's review episode, Paul joins Derek to discuss three titles that are certainly out of the ordinary. They begin with Black Eye No. 3, an anthology edited by Ryan Standfest, the publisher of Rotland Press. This is a first for The Comics Alternative in a couple of different ways. It is the first time the Two Guys are reviewing a Rotland Press title, but more significantly, this is the first time the...
2016-10-1900 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 206: SPX 2016 and the Ignatz Awards Last weekend was the Small Press Expo held in Bethesda, MD, and a big part of that event was the recognition of the 2016 Ignatz Award nominees. So for this week's episode, Gwen and Derek discuss the many and diverse titles populating that list, looking for trends and making observations about this year's selections. The nominees in all nine categories, announced last month, were chosen by a five-member jury, and then attendees voted on their favorites during the first day of the event. Gwen starts things going by asking Derek about his experiences at SPX, and then the tw...
2016-09-2100 minThe Comics AlternativeWebcomics: Reviews of The Red Hook, Kill 6 Billion Demons, and Rice Boy Time Codes: 00:00:27 - Introduction 00:07:03 - Brief comments on the 2016 Ignatz Award nominees for Outstanding Online Comic 00:18:07 - The Red Hook 00:57:28 - Kill 6 Billion Demons 01:21:11 - Interview with Jim McClain and Paul Schultz 01:41:15 - Rice Boy 02:13:55 - Wrap up 02:15:30 - Contact us On this extra-long episode of The Comics Alternative Webcomics, Sean and Derek cover a lot of territory on the webcomics front. They begin with a few brief comments on this year's Ignatz Award nominees for Outstanding Online Comic. They also contrast the way that the Ignatz judges classify webcomics with what the Eisner A...
2016-09-1200 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 202: Reviews of Smoke Signal #25, Fool's Gold, and Briggs Land #1Time Codes: 00:00:30 - Introduction 00:02:33 - Listener mail 00:11:07 - Smoke Signal #25 00:33:54 - Fool's Gold 00:44:49 - Briggs Land #1 01:00:28 - Wrap up 01:01:26 - Contact us On this week's review episode, the Two Guys with PhDs discuss three recent titles, a couple of which are probably not on most listeners' radar. They begin with one of these, the latest issue of Smoke Signal, a quarterly tabloid comics anthology published by Desert Island Comics (a shop in Brooklyn, NY) and edited by Gabe Fowler. Andy and Derek focus mainly on the summer 2016 issue, #25, although they also mention several comics in the previous spring issu...
2016-08-2400 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 197: Reviews of Cousin Joseph, Bounty #1, and The Paybacks #1This week on The Comics Alternative podcast, those funky PhDs, Andy and Derek, discuss three recent titles revolving around the mercenary side of crime fighting. They begin with Jules Feiffer's Cousin Joseph (Liveright Publishing), the second in a planned trilogy of noir-tinged graphic novels. It is the follow up to 2014's Kill My Mother, a text that Feiffer discussed with the Two Guys in a previous interview. The events in Cousin Joseph predate those of the earlier book, making it a sort of prequel. In fact, many of the major players in Kill My Mother make appearances in this new work. Mos...
2016-07-2000 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 196: Reviews of The Stranger, Snotgirl #1, and Frontier #12On this week's episode, the Two Guys with PhDs discuss three very different recent titles. They begin with the comics adaptation of Albert Camus's The Stranger, written and illustrated by Jacques Ferrandez (Pegasus Books). Originally published in French 2013 -- and translated by Sandra Smith -- this is a graphic retelling of the absurdist classic. What is most notable about their discussion is that the guys are coming at this book from different perspectives of awareness. Derek knows the work of Camus very well, while Gene had never read the original novella. This leads them to slightly different interpretations of the st...
2016-07-1300 minThe Comics AlternativeEuro Comics: Reviews of Irmina and Adam Sarlech: A TrilogyHow do the Two Guys with PhDs celebrate America's Independence Day? Why, by using the July 4th holiday to launch their brand new monthly series devoted to European comics. That's right, similar to what the podcast already does with its monthly manga, webcomics, and young readers programs, The Comics Alternative now has a new series devoted to the discussion and appreciation of European works in translation. Cohosting this monthly effort with Derek will be Edward Gauvin (a prolific translator of bandes dessinées). The guys begin by describing their plans for the new Euro comics series and layi...
2016-07-0400 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 193: Live at HeroesCon 2016This past weekend, Andy and Derek attended HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC, where they had a table in Artists Alley. On each of the three days of the event they recorded brief segments about their experiences at the con, the people they met, the panels they attended, and the comics they were able to find. So for this week's episode, you'll hear those recordings and get to experience the 2016 HeroesCon vicariously through the unique perspectives of the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics. Among the many things discussed are the guys' encounters with creators in Artists Alley, Andy's attempts to se...
2016-06-2200 minThe Comics AlternativeComics Alternative Interviews: Josh SimmonsThe second volume of Josh Simmons's Jessica Farm was released recently from Fantagraphics, and now the artist takes the time to talk with Derek for another Comics Alternative interview. In the conversation, Josh shares his ideas behind Jessica Farm and the long, involved process of its creation. Beginning in January 2000, he began drawing one page a month with plans for publishing a collection of his efforts every eight years, and then doing all of this over a fifty-year span. What's more, he plans to reissue the previous volumes of Jessica Farm each time he publishes a current volume. For example, t...
2016-06-0600 minThe Comics AlternativeManga: Reviews of Cigarette Girl and Mysterious Girlfriend X, Vol. 1For the month of May, Shea and Derek discuss two books that, at first glance, seem quite different, but whose similarities become more apparent upon closer examination. They begin with Masahiko Matsumoto's Cigarette Girl (Top Shelf Productions), a collection of eleven short comics originally published between 1972 and 1974. This is one of the few books by Matsumoto available in English -- another translation, The Man Next Door, was published by Breakdown Press in 2014 -- and the guys strongly advocate for more attention on this mangaka. Shea and Derek recall their earlier discussion of Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s A Drifting Life, where the figure of...
2016-05-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeComics Alternative Interviews: Terry MooreOn May 25, the final issue of Rachel Rising will be released. This has been a landmark horror/gothic series, an intelligent and multifaceted narrative exploring the parameters of history, gender, community, morality, and the nature of violence...and doing so without following the usual generic conventions and formulas. To mark this publishing event, Derek has the pleasure of talking with the series creator Terry Moore. What began in August 2011 as an undead murder mystery will now come full circle as we learn in the final issue, according to Terry, the identity of Rachel's killer and the connections that inextricably bind...
2016-05-2400 minThe Comics AlternativeWebcomics: Reviews of Power Nap, Necropolis, and Look Straight AheadSean and Derek are back for another month's-worth of webcomics talk, and for May they discuss three intriguing titles. They begin with Maritza Campos and Bachan's Power Nap. This is the second time the guys have focused on Bachan's art, the first occasion being his anthropomorphic humor/crime series, Vinny, back in September of last year. He provides the art on the Campos-scripted Power Nap, a story set in a dystopic future where everyone uses pharmaceuticals to stay awake 24/7 in order to produce more for their corporations...except if someone is allergic to the drug. Drew Spencer, the story's prota...
2016-05-2300 minThe Comics AlternativeComics Alternative Interviews - Jamie Richards and Edward GauvinOver the past several years, the Two Guys with PhDs have reviewed a lot of books in translation. But what they've tended to overlook, more times than not, is the translator of the work, the individual who is responsible for taking the imagetext and re-presenting it in a linguistic context that is wholly other. This came to their attention back in February, when Andy and Derek discussed Ludovic Debeurme's Renée, and then afterwards received an email of appreciation from its translator, Edward Gauvin. In fact, the guys never mentioned Edward at any point during their discussion, which was not...
2016-05-2000 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 188 - A Publisher Spotlight on Avery Hill PublishingGwen and Derek are back with another publisher spotlight episode, this one on the UK press, Avery Hill Publishing. They begin their spotlight with a short interview with the people behind Avery Hill: Ricky Miller, Dave White, and Katriona Chapman. Derek talks with them about the origins of the press, the kind of creators that have come to define Avery Hill, their distribution and publicity outside of the UK, and their plans for fall releases and beyond. After that conversation, Gwen and Derek get into the nitty gritty of the publisher's current offerings. They start by looking a...
2016-05-1800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 187 - Reviews of Panther, Mae #1, and The Walking Dead: The AlienThe Dynamic Doctoral Duo is back for another action-packed episode promising thrills and chills! This time, Gwen and Derek begin by discussing Brecht Evens's Panther (Drawn and Quarterly), a book that gives a first impression of innocence but then becomes darker and increasingly disturbing as the story develops. Gwen is a scholar of children's literature, and she points out that Evens follows many of the tropes found in picture books, and his style -- what you'd find in his earlier works, The Wrong Place and The Making Of -- may even lead readers to see this as one. But she argues...
2016-05-1100 minThe Comics AlternativeComics Alternative Interviews: Chester BrownIt's not often that Chester Brown
comes out with a new book, but his latest, Mary Wept over the Feet of Jesus, was
released last month from Drawn & Quarterly...giving
the Two Guys with PhDs an occasion to celebrate. And
compounding that celebratory spirit is the fact that the
artist is now appearing on The Comics
Alternative podcast! In this episode, Andy and Derek are
pleased to have Chester as their guest, where they talk with him
about his new book, the research that went into it, and the
reaction he's been getting from readers and critics. Mary
Wept over the F...
2016-05-0200 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of Princess Jellyfish, Vol. 1 and I Am a Hero Omnibus 1This month, Shea and Derek have a
fun time discussing two recent manga releases. They begin with the
first volume of Akiko Higashimura's Princess Jellyfish (Kodansha), a
series that is new to both of the guys. In fact, Derek comments
that he might not have given this title a try if they hadn't
decided to discuss it for the podcast. Given the "princess" part of
the book, he had wondered if this might not be too cute for him, a
fluffy shojo title that may not appeal to him (while at the same
time, admitting that he might be sho...
2016-04-2900 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 183 - Reviews of Love & Rockets: New Stories 8, Girl Crazy, and Blubber #2This week's episode is a Hernandez-centric show. On it, the Two Guys with PhDs play a little catch-up with some of Gilbert and Jaime's comics that have come out over the past few months. They begin with the latest installment of Love & Rockets: New Stories (Fantagraphics), and most of the tales in this volume continue what began in last year's annual. In fact, both Andy and Derek feel that New Stories 8 can be best appreciated, and better understood, when read alongside its predecessor. Jaime's contributions -- the Princess Animus, Maggie and Hopey, and Tonta storylines -- are fairly straightforward, although...
2016-04-1300 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of A Girl on the Shore and Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 1For the March episode of The Comics Alternative's manga series, Shea and Derek discuss two recent releases, both by Inio Asano: A Girl on the Shore (Vertical Comics) and Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 1 (VIZ Media). Before they plunge into those titles, though, they provide a bit of context about Asano's style and briefly discuss his other works that have been translated into English. The guys primarily reference Solanin and Nijigahara Holograph as key Asano texts, but they also mention the two-volume series of short stories, What a Wonderful World. In many ways, Derek feels that A Girl on the Shore is a cross be...
2016-03-2800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 180 - A Publisher Spotlight on AfterShock ComicsThe Two Guys with PhDs are back with another publisher spotlight, and this time the focus is on AfterShock Comics. This is a new publisher that began soliciting their titles back in the fall and then releasing their initial series in December 2015. With editorial oversight by two veterans of the mainstream, Mike Marts and Joe Pruett, AfterShock has been bringing in some major-league talent to write and illustrate their comics, which is something that Andy and Derek noted when they first caught wind of the up-and-coming publisher. They begin their spotlight by speculating on the possible direction and business p...
2016-03-2300 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 179 - Reviews of Patience and Visual Storytelling: An Illustrated ReaderThis week on the review show, Andy and Derek focus on two notable titles, one that has been greatly publicized and the other that has come in under the radar. The former is Daniel Clowes’s Patience (Fantagraphics), the creator’s long-awaited release and his first new book since 2010’s Wilson. (Mr. Wonderful and The Death-Ray, both published in 2011, had been previously published in different formats.) In fact, the guys begin by discussing the publicity and the excitement surrounding this event. While Andy tried to keep himself ignorant of the book’s details before its release, Derek admits that his reading ex...
2016-03-1600 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of School Judgment 1 and A Drifting LifeOn the February manga show, Shea and Derek look at a new title and an older title. They begin with a discussion of School Judgment 1, recently released by VIZ Media. Written by Nobuaki Enoki and with art by Takeshi Obata -- perhaps best known for his work on Death Note -- this is the first book in a series that has a unique premise. In fact, the guys comment several times on the wacky setup of School Judgment: a legal arbitration system established in Japan's elementary schools, where the students themselves try criminal cases serving as judge, prosecution, and defense...
2016-03-0100 minThe Comics AlternativeWebcomics - Reviews of Femme Noir, It Will All Hurt, and FreakAngelsFor the February webcomics show, Sean and Derek explore three very different titles. They begin with Christopher Mills and Joe Staton's Femme Noir, a unique twist on the crime noir genre. This is series of tales surrounding a mysterious, unnamed crime-fighting PI who dons an iconic trench coat and fedora, but whose long golden locks and fishnet hose give her away as something wholly other. The guys describe this comic as a blend of Batman, The Shadow, and The Spirit, but with a female protagonist who is anything but a victim. One of the unique contexts of this webcomic, as D...
2016-02-1500 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 174 - Reviews of Beverly, Mirror #1, and Kennel Block Blues #1It's Wednesday, which means that the Doctoral Duo return to share their recommendations of recent releases! And this week, Gwen and Derek focus on three exciting, yet quite diverse, new titles. They begin with Nick Dranso's Beverly (Drawn & Quarterly), a series of six stories set in a Midwest suburban landscape, where individuals grapple with friendships, alienation, and the uncertainties of growing up. Gwen notes the dark poignancy of these narratives, character studies that often make the reader uncomfortable and made all the more effective through Dranso's clean lines and simple illustrative style. What struck Derek was the book's construction. This i...
2016-02-1000 minThe Comics AlternativeManga: Reviews of Die Wergelder, Vol. 1 and The Strange Tale of Panorama IslandShea and Derek are back with their January episode of the manga series. But isn't this the first of week of February? Yes it is, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the guys had to postpone the recording of their January episode and had carry it over into this week. But no worries! They still bring you the same great quality manga analysis, and, in addition, this means that listeners will get a double dose of Shea and Derek's manga talk for the month of February!
They begin with Hiroaki Samura's Die Wergelder, Vol. 1 (Kodansha Comics). Those familiar Blade o...
2016-02-0500 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 172 - Reviews of My Degeneration, Aliceheimer’s, Pencil Head #1, and The Cask of AmontilladoIt's time for another round of insightful reviews, and this week Gwen and Derek have just what the doctored ordered. In fact, the first two books they discuss are part of Penn State University Press' Graphic Medicine series. Peter Dunlap-Shohl's My Degeneration: A Journey through Parkinson’s is the author's account of living with Parkinson's disease. It's not exactly a memoir, although it does explore the impact that the disease has had on Dunlap-Shohl's life over the past decade. My Degeneration is more of an instructional text, or perhaps a survival guide, on how to navigate the debilitating straits of his condit...
2016-01-2700 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 171 - Reviews of The Eternaut, Nowhere Men #7, and Amazing Forest #1This week on The Comics Alternative podcast, Derek and Andy W. get back into the regular swing of things by discussing three recent titles, one book and two single issues. They begin with something that was published late last year, Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López’s The Eternaut (Fantagraphics). This is a legendary text, and not just within the realm of comics history. The Eternaut is a post-apocalyptic tale of alien invasion, originally serialized in the Argentinian weekly, Hora Cero Semanal, between 1957 and 1959. It was revised and expanded in 1969 and 1975, respectively, and it’s notable for its poli...
2016-01-2000 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 168 - Our Favorite Comics of 2015It's the last regular review episode of the year, so that means that the Two Guys with PhDs are here to share what they consider to be the best comics of 2015! In this extra-long episode, Andy and Derek discuss their 10 favorite titles of the year. Neither knows what the other has chosen before the recording, giving the episode a sense of freshness, spontaneousness, and surprise. And there are indeed several surprises in this year's picks, including the fact that there is only one title that appears on both guys' lists. Also, noticeably absent from their selections are the titles that ha...
2015-12-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 167 - A Review of The Best American Comics 2015As has become an annual event, Andy and Derek use their penultimate show of the year to discuss the current volume of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's The Best American Comics. The series is overseen by Bill Kartalopoulos -- whom the guys interviewed on the show last year -- and this year's collection is edited by novelist Jonathan Lethem. The entries collected in The Best American Comics 2015 represent what both Lethem and Kartalopoulos consider to be the most outstanding comics published between September 1, 2013, and August 31, 2014. The guys begin by highlighting the organization of this year's volume, pointing out that Lethem has retained...
2015-12-2100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 166 - Reviews of Killing and Dying, Taddle Creek #36, Barrier #1, and The Unabridged Graphic Adaptation of iTunes Terms and ConditionsFor this week's review show, Gene and Derek are back with an extra long episode jam-packed with nougaty comics goodness. They begin with Adrian Tomine's Killing and Dying (Drawn and Quarterly), his new book collecting issues twelve through fourteen of Optic Nerve. (Be sure to check out the guys' previous reviews of Optic Nerve #13 and Optic Nerve #14.) The text contains six separate short stories, and the guys start by trying to find any connective tissue binding the pieces together. Derek observes that every other story in the collection -- "Amber Sweet," "Translated, from the Japanese," and "Intruders" -- are first-person...
2015-12-1600 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Sophie GoldsteinOn this episode, Derek is happy to have as his guest Sophie Goldstein. Her latest book, House of Women, Part II, came out in September, and her other book from this year, The Oven, was just listed by Publisher Weekly as one of the five best comics of the year. Indeed, 2015 has been fruitful time for the young red-headed creator. Regular listeners of the podcast will know that this isn't the first time that Sophie has been on the show. She spoke with Derek twice before at two different events, while at HeroesCon back in June and more recently at the S...
2015-11-1200 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 161 - A Publisher Spotlight on Top Shelf ProductionsCan it be true? Are the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics actually doing yet another publisher spotlight? Are they gluttons for punishment? Are their eyeballs going to fall out from all of the reading? Maybe so, but if their orbs do drop out of their heads, they'll do so while gazing at some of the great books coming out of Top Shelf Productions. In this episode, you'll hear Andy and Derek talking about the publisher's summer and fall releases, including:
Bacchus Omnibus, Vol. 1, by Eddie Campbell
Motorcycle Samurai, Vol. 1: A Fiery Demise, by Chris Sheridan
Tim Ginger, b...
2015-11-1100 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Omnibus 1 and One-Punch Man, Vols. 1 and 2For the September episode of the manga series, Shea and Derek discuss two very different titles, although both heavily invested in popular genres. They begin with Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki's The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Ominibus 1 (Dark Horse Books), a different take on both horror and detective narratives. Although the English-language releases of this title began in 2006, Dark Horse has just this month published the first of the omnibus editions, one that collects the first three volumes of the series. The guys begin by describing the premise as a cross between supernatural horror and Scooby-Doo, where you have...
2015-09-2900 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 154 - SPX 2015 and the Ignatz AwardsThis week's episode of the podcast is special, and in a number of ways. First, Derek and Andy W. record the show "live" from a common location and not from a distance via Skype. Also, they discuss their experiences at this year's Small Press Expo, which took place September 19-20. Most importantly, though, this episode is notable for its focus on the 2015 Ignatz Awards, the first time that the Two Guys have discussed this industry recognition in any in-depth manner. In fact, almost the entire episode is devoted to the Ignatz nominees, a substantial number of texts, and as a...
2015-09-2300 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 151 - The September Previews CatalogAnother month is upon us, so that means it must be time for Andy and Derek to open up the latest Previews catalog and begin making out their wish lists. (Actually, Derek is the only one opening up the catalog. Andy finds himself without one for this month, having to rely only on text-only order form.) Most of solicits in the September catalog will be released in either November or December, just in time for the holidays, and the guys wondered if this would be another chock-full issue leading to another longish episode of the podcast. They got their...
2015-09-0200 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of Batman: The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga and Oh My Goddess! OmnibusOn this month's manga episode, Shea and Derek discuss two distinctly different titles. They begin with Batman: The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga (DC Comics). The second in this planned three-volume series, collecting all of Kuwata's Batman work, just came out last month, and the Two Guys look at both volumes one and two. These Batmanga stories were originally serialized in Japan between 1966 and 1967, at the height of the Adam West Batman craze, and both Derek and Shea comment on how much Kuwata's stories were informed by that TV series, as well as by the "New Look" of earlier in the...
2015-08-3100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 150 - Reviews of The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane, Wolf, and AmericatownThis week the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics look at three recent titles, each one an example of genre mash-up. They begin with a new book that isn't really so new. Philippe Druillet's The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane (Titan Comics) is actually a reprint of a series of stories originally published in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Pilote between 1970 and 1971, and then later made available to English speakers through both Dark Horse Comics and NBM. Each short narrative centers on the titular character, a space wanderer/adventurer who encounters a variety of pirates, robotic threats, despotic rulers, and...
2015-08-2600 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 148 - A Publisher Spotlight on Hang Dai EditionsOn this episode of The Comics Alternative, Gene and Derek turn a critical spotlight on the upcoming releases from the small press, Hang Dai Editions. The guys begin with a brief conversation with Dean Haspiel and Gregory Benton, two of the founders of the Hang Dai Studio, a collective that they founded along with Josh Neufeld and the late Seth Kushner. In this interview, they describe the origins of their publishing line and share many of their experiences in getting it off the ground. Hang Dai Editions began as their studio imprint back in 2013, and up until recently the...
2015-08-1200 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of Monster and In Clothes Called FatFor July's manga episode, Shea and Derek discuss two distinctly different titles. They begin by looking at Naoki Urasawa's Monster series published through Viz Media. The fifth volume of the new Perfect Editions was just released last week, so the guys thought this would be a great opportunity to introduce listeners to this dramatic saga. Monster is the story of a brilliant young surgeon, Dr. Kenzō Tenma, who's accused of murder and then goes on the lam to find the real killer: a boy that he had perviously saved from a traumatic head wound. Tenma's search for the enigmatic a...
2015-07-3100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 146 - Reviews of Will Eisner’s The Spirit: A Celebration of 75 Years and Blazing QuantumAction * Mystery * AdventureOn this week's episode, Andy and Derek take a look at two very different titles. They begin with a long, extensive look at Will Eisner's The Spirit: A Celebration of 75 Years (DC Comics). In fact, their discussion of the new Spirit collection takes up the vast majority of the show, lasting for almost and hour and forty-five minutes! So there's a lot of ground that the guys cover with this book, although in many ways they only just scratch the surface. Both Derek and Andy are huge fans of Will Eisner, and The Spirit in...
2015-07-2900 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Trash MarketThis month on their manga episode, Shea and Derek discuss two very different works. They begin with Hirohito Araki's JoJo Bizarre Adventure, which is now being reissued in new editions from VIZ Media. The title has been published in smaller paperback form for quite a while, but this year VIZ began collecting Araki's world-famous -- and still ongoing -- series in larger hardcover editions, beginning with the first two volumes in the series' first narrative arc, Phantom Blood. (The third volume will be released this August.) Shea points out that one the distinguishing features of these new collections is...
2015-06-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeOn Location - Talking with Creators at HeroesCon 2015, Part 2In the second of two on-location interview episodes recorded at last weekend's HeroesCon -- the first episode went up yesterday -- Derek talks with a variety of artists tabling in Artists Alley. He begins with a conversation with Nate Simpson, discussing the recent release of Nonplayer #2, the long gap between the first and second issues, and Nate's plans for carrying the title forward. Next, Derek talks with Ed Piskor about the upcoming release of Hip Hop Family Tree, Book 3, Fantagraphics' landmark decision to release his title as a monthly series, and Ed's gold watch. After that, he discusses the...
2015-06-2600 minThe Comics AlternativeOn Location - HeroesCon 2015This year the Two....no, the Three Guys with PhDs attended HeroesCon, and they had a table there in the middle of Artists Alley. Andy Kunka, Andy Wolverton, and Derek Royal were there to check out the action, rummage through the dollar bins, search for new and interesting titles, talk with creators, get their books signed, and just generally enjoy the fun and camaraderie. On each of the three days of the con, Friday (June 19th) through Sunday (June 21st), they made it a point to record segments live from the floor, discussing the highlights and the experiences they...
2015-06-2300 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Tillie WaldenOn this episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews, Derek has a great time talking with Tillie Walden, the author of a brand new book from Avery Hill Publishing, The End of Summer. This is her debut graphic novel, and, in fact, her conversation with Derek is the very first time she's been on a podcast. (Yet another Comics Alternative exclusive!) On the show, Tillie talks about the origins of her story, her process of creation, and the unlikely events that led to her first publication. The End of Summer is a narrative of purpose in isolation, an attempt to...
2015-06-1900 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 140 - A Publisher Spotlight on AdHouse BooksThe Two Guys with PhDs are back for another Publisher Spotlight, and this time they turn their attention to recent releases from AdHouse Books. On this episode, they look at the publisher's 2015 catalog (so far), but first Derek talks briefly with AdHouse's founder and publisher, Chris Pitzer. He gives the lowdown on the origins of the press, how he translated his designer skills into publishing acumen, the process of artist acquisition, and some of his most notable (and unlikely) publishing successes over the years. After that, the guys plunge into their discussion of the five books that have come...
2015-06-1700 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 139 - Reviews of Mike’s Place, Nimona, and Optic Nerve #14This week on the podcast, Derek and Andy W. discuss three new and very different titles. They begin with a narrative based in reality, Mike's Place: A True Story of Love, Blues, and Terror in Tel Aviv, written by Jack Baxter and Joshua Faudem, with art by Koren Shadmi (First Second). This is the story of an American who travels to Israel to make a documentary, teams up with an Israeli film student, and then learns firsthand both the promises and the dangers of the conflicted culture. Mike's Place is beachfront bar in Tel Aviv where politics and religion...
2015-06-1000 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Peter BaggeWhile Derek attended this year's Fan Expo Dallas, he had the opportunity to talk with Peter Bagge not once, but twice! On the Saturday of the con Peter was kind enough to sit down for a lengthy interview -- about 30 minutes -- in-between fans, commissions, and signings. Although their back-and-forth was substantial, there were subject matters that they didn't get to cover on that first day. So they decided to follow up with another interview on Sunday. What you'll hear in this podcast episode is an edited result of two-days-worth of recorded conversation at Fan Expo Dallas. Among other...
2015-06-0200 minThe Comics AlternativeOn Location - Talking with Creators at Fan Expo Dallas 2015Fan Expo Dallas was held May 29-31, and this year Derek was there in Artists Alley talking with a variety of creators. Some of those he spoke with are famous names and individuals who have been on the show before. Others were new to him and, and Derek used the opportunity to introduce himself and Comics Alternative listeners to their fascinating works. He begins by talking with two artists who have spoken with him at various cons in the past, Robert Wilson IV and Joe Eisma. The latter shares his experiences having illustrated Bitch Planet #3, the amount of attention...
2015-06-0100 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Scott McCloudAndy and Derek are pleased to have as their guest on The Comics Alternative the artist who has done more than anyone to help us understand comics, Scott McCloud. He has just concluded an exhausting world tour -- traveling all over the United States and Europe, and then wrapping up at this year's TCAF -- and the Two Guys were able to catch him during a breather and talk with him about his latest book, The Sculptor (First Second). They begin by asking him about the reception of his new graphic novel and the kind of reader reaction he...
2015-05-2200 minThe Comics AlternativeOn Location - General Comics Talk at Collected Comics and GamesDerek is back at his local shop, Collected Comics and Games in Plano, TX, and this month the topic is open and general comics talk. Anything goes, and over the coarse of the conversation, Derek discovers that anything does go in talking with the shop's customers. Joining him for this free-flowing exchange are regulars Shea, Craig, Matt, and Chris, and the discussion topics are wide-ranging. They begin with a conversation on the relative disappearance of westerns and war comics as a popular genre. Sgt. Rock comes up a lot, of course, as well as Garth Ennis's recent revival of...
2015-05-1500 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 135 - Reviews of Exquisite Corpse, Operation Nemesis, and Palookaville 22This week on the their weekly review show, Derek and Andy W. discuss three new books that are definitely worth checking out. They begin with Pénélope Bagieu's Exquisite Corpse from First Second. This may be the first English-language publication for Bagieu (the guys aren't certain about this), and it's a great introduction from one of France's current popular creators. It's a romantic comedy with a sophisticated premise and an unexpected twist at the end. In fact, it's the narrative's quick wrap-up that puzzles the Two Guys. While they both enjoyed the story, they nonetheless read the ending as...
2015-05-1300 minThe Comics AlternativeManga - Reviews of Gyo and Satoshi Kon’s OpusBeginning in April, The Comics Alternative will be presenting a new monthly show devoted exclusively to manga. Derek will be joined by Shea Hennum, a manga aficionado and longtime friend of the podcast, to discuss both new and older titles. In this inaugural episode, Shea and Derek begin by laying out their agenda and describing the format of the show. Around the last half of every month, they will discuss two manga titles, one of which will in some way be new. (The guys define "new" as a first-time publication, a new translation, an updated edition of an older...
2015-04-3000 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Back Again with Craig YoeCraig Yoe is back for his fourth interview appearance on The Comics Alternative, and this time he has two wacky new books to share with everyone, both from IDW Publishing and Yoe! Books. First, he talks with Derek and Andy about Milt Gross' New York, a "lost" graphic novel that was originally published in 1939 to capitalize on that year's New York World's Fair. Copies of the original paperback are very difficult to find, but Craig was able to get his hands on one -- thanks to eBay -- and then work his wonders in what he does best: restoring...
2015-04-2400 minThe Comics AlternativeOn Location - Discussing Comics "Returns" at Collected Comics and GamesDerek is back at his local comic book shop, Collected Comics and Games in Plano, TX, and this month he's talking with customers and employees about returns. This is not about customers being unhappy with their purchases and then coming back into the shop to demand their money back. By "returns," Derek is referring to the various titles, characters, and events that are making reappearances after years of silence or of being out of currency. This is an appropriate topic because over the past year there have been a number of works that have come back or that have...
2015-04-1700 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 130 - Reviews of The Age of Selfishness, Lumberjanes Vol. 1, and Past Aways #1On this episode of the podcast, Andy and Derek review three new titles, each of which is a brief glimpse into a facet of our diverse comics culture. They begin by looking at the new book from Darryl Cunningham, The Age of Selfishness: Ayn Rand, Morality, and the Financial Crisis (Abrams ComicArs). This work is an extended essay focusing on the life and philosophy of Rand, the contribution of her ideas to the 2008 financial crisis, and a general discussion on growing libertarian selfishness of Western culture. In fact, the book is divided into three parts, each of which is...
2015-04-0800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 129 - The April Previews CatalogIt's the first of the month, so that means that Andy and Derek flip through the latest Previews catalog and share some of the upcoming releases they are most excited about. And April is jam-packed with solicits worth highlighting...which is one of the reasons why this week's episode is extra long. After sharing a bit of listener mail -- and it's always great to get letters, so keep those correspondences a-comin'! -- the guys jump into this month's offerings, beginning where they usually do with Dark Horse Comics. There they find intriguing titles such as Black Hammer #1, Bowery...
2015-04-0100 minThe Comics AlternativeOn Location - General Comics Talk at Collected Comics and GamesAs he does every month, Derek is back at his local shop, Collected Comics and Games in Plano, TX, to talk with customers and employees about what they are reading. For March, the topic is open and with no particular theme, so anything goes. And anything does go when Derek sits down with Shea Hennum, a long-time contributor to The Comics Alternative and, actually, the only customer who turned up to talk at the shop that evening. (For some reason, it was a very slow night at the store, for employees and customers alike.) The two guys cover a...
2015-03-1300 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 126 - Reviews of The Sculptor, Divinity #1, and Descender #1The Two Guys with PhDs are back with another review episode, and on this one they explore three fascinating titles. They begin by discussing the much-anticipated recent release from Scott McCloud, The Sculptor (First Second). In fact, Derek and Andy begin their conversation with the very fact that this was a much-anticipated, and heavily reviewed, new book, and how all of that attention may be affecting the book's reception. They speculate on the ways in which the artist's prestige and reputation feeds into the expectations. Although McCloud has created memorable narratives -- e.g., the Zot! series and The...
2015-03-1100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 123 - Reviews of March: Book Two, Copra: Round One, and Nameless #1This week on the podcast, Derek and Andy discuss three new titles. They begin by looking at the second book in John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell's March trilogy. Although the first volume from fall 2013 was a powerful debut, March: Book Two (Top Shelf Productions) is a decidedly more gripping work. There is more action and drama in this book -- and not only conflict between the protesters and the Southern white community, but perhaps more pointedly, conflict within the nonviolent movement's ranks -- than there was in the initial one. What's more, this is a much more...
2015-02-1800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 122 - Reviews of Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn, Effigy #1, and The Unwritten: Apocalypse #12This week on the podcast, Derek and Andy discuss beginnings, endings, and renewals. They start with the latter, looking at the first in a projected twelve-volume Hugo Pratt collection from IDW/EuroComics, Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn. This is a brand new English edition — translated by Dean Mullaney and Simone Castaldi — and presented in the original black-and-white. (The previous translated version of a Corto Maltese edition, 2012’s The Ballad of the Salt Sea, from Universe Publishing, was colorized.) It’s also published in a European album-sized format, roughly 11 1/2 x 9 1/2″, so that the reader can experience the clean, full radia...
2015-02-1100 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 114 - Reviews of Here, Wolf Moon #1, and Bitch Planet #1On this episode of The Comics Alternative, Derek and Andy review three new and exciting titles. First, they look at Richard McGuire's Here (Pantheon) a project that actually goes back to 1989. A different, black-and-white 6-page version of the comic appeared in the first issue of Raw Vol. 2, Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly's groundbreaking comics anthology that ran from 1980 until 1991. The new book doesn't include or build directly off of that original comic, but it does use the design and concept as a springboard into the larger, more ambitious project. Everything that takes place in this story -- and th...
2014-12-1700 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 109 - Reviews of Baby Bjornstrand, The Kitchen #1, Masterplasty, and The Humans #1This week on the podcast, Andy W. joins Derek to discuss four recent titles…and boy, are you in for a treat. First, they look at Renée French’s new book, Baby Bjornstrand (Koyama Press). The guys discuss its Samuel Beckett-like setting, the unusual characters that make up the cast, the fragmented temporal arrangements, and French’s stripped down narrative style. Yet while some readers have described the book as bleak and downbeat, both Derek and Andy see a more hopeful — and perhaps even life-affirming — ending in the story. Next, they move from French’s barren landscape outside of time to an...
2014-11-1200 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Derek McCulloch and Anthony PeruzzoOn this episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews, the Two Guys with PhDs talk with Derek McCulloch and Anthony Peruzzo, the team behind the new graphic novel from Image, Displaced Persons. This is McCulloch's second time on the podcast, and Andy and Derek waste no time in pointing out thematic links between the new book and many of McCulloch's other works, particularly Gone to Amerikay and Stagger Lee. The guys talk with the creators about the genesis of Displaced Persons, its unexpectedly long gestation period, and many of the challenges they faced in presenting such an involved and complex...
2014-08-1800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 93 - Reviews of The Maxx Maxximized, Vol. 1, Supreme: Blue Rose #1, and New Doctor Who Titles from Titan ComicsOn this week’s The Comics Alternative, Derek and Andy W. review four new titles, all of which revisit older characters and licenses. To begin, they discuss the first collected volume of Sam Kieth and William Messner-Loebs’s remastered The Maxx Maxximized (IDW Publishing). Neither of the guys read the series when it originally came out in the early 1990s, so both are looking at this title through unexperienced eyes. This is one of Kieth’s most ambitious works in terms of both story and art, highly deserving of the wonderful recoloring treatment by Ronda Pattison. Both Andy and Derek...
2014-07-2300 minThe Comics AlternativeInterviews - Derek Van GiesonOn this episode of The Comics Alternative Interviews Andy and Derek are excited to have Derek Van Gieson as their guest…or “DVG” to distinguish him from Derek R. The Two Guys are big fans of DVG’s minicomic series, Eel Mansions, with its wild premises, its absurd scenes, its plentifully pop-culture references, and its intertwining soap opera-like storylines. DVG describes it as “The Young and the Restless meet The X-Files,” and his series embraces both the drama and the freakishness of those television series. DVG shares the history behind Eel Mansions; his experiences writing for Fantagraphics’ now-defunct Mome; his new magazi...
2014-07-1500 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 88 - Reviews of Miracleman, Book 1, Purgatory Pub, Book 1, and Worse Things Happen at SeaOn this episode of The Comics Alternative, Andy and Derek review three new and unique titles. They begin by looking at Miracleman, Book 1: A Dream of Flying, the first trade in Marvel’s current reprinting of the early series by Alan Moore…AKA, “The Original Writer.” While Andy had read its first run in the U.S. through the Eclipse line, this was Derek’s first time actually reading Miracleman. (It’s one of those titles that he knew about and always intended to read, but never got around to…especially being out of print.) The guys primarily focus on the main st...
2014-06-1800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 78: The April Previews CatalogIt’s the beginning of another month, which means it’s time once again for Derek and Andy to flip through the pages of the latest Previews catalog. The Two guys find a lot of notable titles in this month’s Previews – with notable offerings from Dark Horse, IDW, Image, Drawn and Quarterly, and Fantagraphics – and they share their findings with the usual discerning and humorous mixture that have come to define the “Comics Alternative brand.” Among the moments in this week’s episode you will find: Derek’s joy at finding another Edgar Allan Poe adaptation from Richard Corben; Andy looki...
2014-04-1000 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 66 - A Review of The Best American Comics 2013This week the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics take their annual look at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s The Best American Comics collection (including material published between September 1, 2011 and August 31, 2012), this year edited by Jeff Smith. They begin by noting that this volume is significant for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that this is the last to be overseen by series editors Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. Andy and Derek marvel at the work the two have been doing since they began with the 2008 volume, and they wish Abel and Madden well in th...
2013-12-1800 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 63.1 - The Comics and Social Media Panel at the Wizard World Austin Comic ConOn this special “point one” show, we present a recording of the Comics and Social Media Panel held at the Wizard World Austin Comic Con on November 22nd. Derek Royal and Shea Hennum were two of the discussants on that panel, along with John Mayo of The Comic Book Page podcast and Russell Latham of The Longbox of Doom podcast. The title of the panel was “Comics and Social Media: The How-To, the How-Much and the Why,” and during the session the four presenters took questions from the audience and shared their various experiences. Among the topics discussed were how to s...
2013-11-2900 minThe Comics AlternativeEpisode 44 - An Interview with Derek McCulloch and Colleen DoranThis week on The Comics Alternative the Two Guys with PhDs speak with the creators behind Gone to Amerikay (Vertigo), Derek McCulloch and Colleen Doran. Here you get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this important work, including the genesis of the book, McCulloch’s strategies for crafting his narratives, the curious inspirations for Doran’s art, and the incredible synergy that brought the project to life. Andy and Derek R. also talk with Colleen and Derek M. about some of their other projects, including Colleen’s A Distant Soil and Orbiter (along with Warren Ellis), as well as Der...
2013-07-0300 minThe Comics AlternativeAndy and Derek’s 2012 Year in ReviewThis week Andy and Derek conclude their two-part holiday and end-of-the-year series, this time sharing what they consider to be some of their favorite comics of the year. Each has narrowed down his list to 10 comics series, trades, collections, and graphic novels, and in many ways it was difficult to limit the number to just 10. As a result, the Two Guys are including in the show notes some of the Honorable Mentioned titles that could have also made it onto their best-of lists. Also in this week’s podcast episode, Andy and Derek briefly discuss some of the comic-book seri...
2012-12-2600 min