New Comic Book Day 12/14

My recommendations from the weekly New Comics listings in Previews World:

This collects AGE OF BRONZE #20-#26 in color. I've never read any of this Eric Shanower series, so I'm glad Image is keeping it in print. 

Age of Bronze website

An OGN illustrated by Howard Caykin will always get my attention. 

Image Comics: Howard Chaykin page

Howard Chaykin Instagram: howardvictorchaykin

It must be THE KILLER Week from Boom Studios! 

An excellent Matz interview

Lambiek: Luc Jacamon

Casterman Le Tueur page

I just love the look of Rachele Aragno's art, and it's nice to have a Mignola book not tied into thirty years of continuity.

Bao Publishing: Rachele Aragno bio

Rachele Aragno Twitter: RacheleAragno 

Rachele Aragno Instagram: rachelearagno82

Your weekly (it seems) Michael Avon Oeming release is an affordable Omnibus reprinting of POWERS.

My main collecting energies in the 80s were spent on John Byrne's FANTASTIC FOUR, but for some reason I wasn't as in to this Thing solo series that followed SECRET WARS. The big draws in this volume are the Barry Windsor Smith "Thing" story from MARVEL FANFARE #15 and the Bernie Wrightson "Thing/Hulk" Graphic Novel.

Looking through these endless new comics listings it is so great to see classic independent publishers resurrected and putting out quality comics.

Caliber Comics website

AC Comics website

Probably the most memorable Alley Oop stories are the time travel stories. The daily version of those have been collected in the past by Kitchen Sink, I believe. Here's a rare chance to see some rare full color VT HamlinSundays, as well.

Comics Revue website

Alley Oop for sale on Bud's Art Books

A classic collection of art spiegelman's underground comics work in a new expanded edition.

I read this in short suspenseful installments in the weekly 2000 A.D. Magazine. I highly recommend this book, it's not even really necessary to have read the previous 4 volumes. 

I.N.J. Culbard Twitter: injculbard

Dan Abnett Twitter: VincentAbnett 

Some prime Crepax Valentina and Emmanuelle (and a later 1990 story with the latter).

Fantagraphics product page

I think this is the penultimate issue of this series from Craig Thompson. 

Craig Thompson website

Uncivilized Books product page

My Manga choice for the week. 

Denpa Books website

Panpanya website

A new edition of this Milo Manara graphic novel.

Humanoids product page

This sounds like an amazing historical collection of a comic strip that's lost to time until now.

New York Review Comics product page

That's a long list, lots of varied books this week! See you at the LCS.

New Comic Book Day 12/13

 My recommendations from comics coming 12/13 from Lunar Distribution:

CAT SUIT published by Cat Head Comics

Steve Lafler has been doing comics his way since the 80s, anything he publishes is recommended.

DANGER STREET #1 published by DC Comics

The new series from Tom King/Jorge Fornes (RORSCHACH) sounds terrible, but this rare variant cover by Steve Rude is not to be missed!

I AM BATMAN #16 published by DC Comics

John Ridley continues his run on one of many Batman titles, this one being notable as one I'd actually want to read.

PROJECT MK-ULTRA VOLUME ONE and VOLUME TWO published by Clover Press

Stewart Kenneth Moore illustrates this two volume history of the CIA and LSD. I've had this one on my radar for months, can't wait to see Moore's art in full color.

THUD DOUBLE VISION #1 published by Scout Comics

Those with LCS serviced by Lunar should see this one this week.

WHO'S WHO OMNIBUS HC VOLUME 2 published by DC Comics

I wasn't reading DC when these follow ups to the original WHO'S WHO series were published in the 90s, there's none of the classic artists like Jack Kirby or Joe Kubert although quite a few UK artists show up. The Legion series would be fun to look through.

Five Highlights from THE NEW NOSTALGIA JOURNAL 30

THE NEW NOSTALGIA JOURNAL #30 (NOVEMBER 1976)

Gary Groth's THE EDITOR'S BALLOON: Continuing his discussion of writing about comics from the last issue Groth nails the description of bad fan writing that still holds true in the social media age, "Writing about comics is an activity seductive to buffs, fanatics, apologists, and publicists, all of whom do not address themselves to the successes and failures of the medium. Rather, they deal with their personal cravings, idiosyncratic obsessions, and childhood memories. The questions of content, value, story, and weight are left unanswered, so the estheticians, theorists, and other squares who would elevate the medium to an artform with all the heavy questions, obligations, and standards that go with their point of view dry up because their voices are not heard." ( page 2)

Subscription page detail from The TCJ Archive

FAN ART: I think this Green Arrow/Black Canary drawing is by Joe Zabel, who went on to draw AMERICAN SPLENDOR in the 80s. (page 3)

TNJ MEMOS: Lambs Lead to Slaughter Department, Part two: Abel Mills joins Alan Friedman as Editorial Assistant on TNJ and SOUNDS FINE. (page 4)

View this comic on comicbookplus.com

JACK KIRBY INTERVIEW, PART ONE: Not the greatest Kirby interview, however his opinion on EC Comics is definitely worth reading. Also a Kirby sketch from Gary Groth's collection graces the cover. (page 21-22)

Undated recent photo of Artie Romero

Comixjoint gives us an array of REALM 6 covers

TNJ LISTINGS: Very early fanzines by Larry Blake, Jim Pack, and Tim Corrigan are included, they became prominent small press publishers in the 80s. On the underground spectrum of fanzines: Artie Romero's REALM #6. (page 31)

Broken Frontier in Review 12/10

The week's reviews at Broken Frontier:

BIRDKING VOLUME 1 reviewed by Andy Oliver

Dark Horse Comics

CROM Twitter: CROM_INK

CROM Instagram: crom.ink

CROM on Patreon

Daniel Freedman Instagram: notdanielfreedman

JOHN'S WORTH reviewed by Tom Baker

Breakdown Press

Jon Chandler website

Jon Chandler Twitter: NewmanCruise

Jon Chandler Instagram: newmancruise

The Comics Journal interview (2015)

THE FOREST reviewed by Andy Oliver

Jacek Matysiak Etsy shop

Jacek Matysiak Twitter: bighippoart

Jacek Matysiak Instagram: big.hippo.art

Top image from Dark Horse Comics.

Last Gasp Vault: Weirdo

Unbelievably, Last Gasp Books and Comix still has some copies of Robert Crumb's WEIRDO available. I had a near complete set of this at one time, for some reason I connected with it more than RAW at the time. It evolved from a personal-zine to a RAW alternative to a venue for alternative women cartoonists. 

WEIRDO #1

First Printing (if that interests you). This is all Crumb, except a section of work by B.N.Duncan (who should be legendary, but I don't know if that's the case).

WEIRDO #5 (FIRST PRINTING)

WEIRDO #5 (SECOND PRINTING)

By this time the magazine was a proper anthology with contributions from Drew Friedman, Macedonio Garcia, and others.

WEIRDO #9 (FIRST PRINTING)

The last issue before Peter Bagge takes over as editor. Aline Kominsky-Crumb and Maxon Crumb complete the family affair. 

WEIRDO #15 (FIRST PRINTING)

I love the issues edited by Peter Bagge with all the 80s alternative cartoonists, although this one also includes vets like S. Clay Wilson and Kim Deitch. 

WEIRDO #20

Aline Kominsky-Crumb is now in place as editor for the rest of this series, and all her issues are very strong. If you want to sample this series out of curiosity, one of these five final issues would be where to go.

WEIRDO #21

WEIRDO #24

WEIRDO #26

WEIRDO #28 (FINAL ISSUE)

This is a perfect cross section of the series, and not prohibitively expensive.

Happy Birthday David Lasky (1967-)

 

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David Lasky, middle

April 4, 2008

David Lasky was one of the first people I came into contact with when I sent my first minicomics into the tabloid COMICS F/X in the early 90s. If memory serves the mail brought his now famous ULYSSES adaptation (and, I think, a mini version of his BOOM BOOM series).

Original printing of ULYSSES

Even in these early days David was experimenting, the first issue of the digest-sized BOOM BOOM had a die-cut cover. This series was published after he moved to Seattle in 1992.

BOOM BOOM #1 (1993)

Lasky was in the second class of Xeric Grant recipients and published the James Joyce-oriented third issue of BOOM BOOM (1993).

BOOM BOOM #3 (1993)

Seattle publisher MU Press brought out David Lasky's BOOM BOOM as a regular-sized comic in 1994. The second issue of this version featured a biography of James Joyce in the style of 60s Jack Kirby comics!

BOOM BOOM #2 (1994)

Our paths intersected again when he published my Peanuts collage in the first issue of his OM anthology the following year. Note the similarity between this and the above cover.

Well, that's our tribute to the early comics of David Lasky in honor of his birthday. Follow his current work on Patreon.

Watching Comics: Earl Grey

 Everybody's favorite international comics YouTuber, Earl Grey, analyzes early issues of LOVE AND ROCKETS on his Panellogy channel.

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#1:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#2:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#3:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#4:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#5 #6:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#7 #8 #9:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#10 #11 #12:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#13 #14 #15:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#16 #17 #18:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#19 #20 #21:

LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#22 #23 #24:

That's as far as Earl Grey has gotten in the original series so far, it's a great opportunity for those of you thinking of buying the very expensive LOVE AND ROCKETS FIRST FIFTY boxed set to get a look at the insides of about half the issues in the first volume. Also an overview of past collections of LOVE AND ROCKETS, including a look at some rare early editions.