Monday, March 20, 2023

My Comics Reading List: Wash Day Diaries


44. WASH DAY DIARIES by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith (Libby app)

I love, love, love this book! The writing and art really push the limits of what narrative comics can do. My favorite chapter, however, is "Bright Side". Spoilers: The slow reveal of Davena's struggle with mental illness is subtly and respectfully handled. I was nearly in tears as she finally, somewhat reluctantly, reveals this to her friend Cookie.
This is such a masterclass in precise storytelling and letting body language and facial expressions tell the story.

I also enjoyed the vibrant coloring on the "Group Chat" chapter...

I could go on and on, but just go read the book!

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New Comics in March Part Two

image from Churm Books
Tip from KUS!

PARTNERSANDSON.COM NEW ARRIVALS 3/15:

DEMON MANN TWO by Aidan Mitchell 

DEMON MANN THREE by Aidan Mitchell 
all images from Partners and Son 

QUIMBYS.COM NEW ARRIVALS AS OF 3/18:
image from instagram

YELLOW HOUSE by David Hankins
image from Atomic Books

NOT PICTURED: COMIQUE #1 by Bart Laube,  HELL CRIME #1 by Ralph Hooten, and BUGS and LAZER ATTACK #1 by David Hankins.

DOMINOBOOKS.ORG NEW ARRIVALS AS OF 3/20:



ICYMI! Restocks from organ.fail:
BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FINDS. Always make sure to go all the way to the end of the Domino page. You may find a lost classic from Sparkplug Books:
THE GOLEM OF GABIROL by Olga Volozova

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Saturday, March 18, 2023

My Comics Reading List: THE HIGH DESERT

43. THE HIGH DESERT by James Spooner (Libby app)

I just finished reading THE HIGH DESERT by James Spooner. I was a little wary when I started, as on the surface it seems like another well-intentioned poorly-executed graphic memoir. Nothing could be further from the truth. Art and story come together perfectly for this intense narrative. 
The author as a teenage punk, making his way through a year in the California high desert and high school. 

He, thankfully, never falls back on cliche or melodrama. He portrays himself as a real person throughout. I came to empathize with all the characters throughout the story, although not necessarily like them.
Another layer is the soundtrack, with song lyrics accentuating most scenes. Love this music, but even more so Spooner's historical grounding of the music.

I recommend this to all the punks out there, and anyone who had some rough teenage years.

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Friday, March 17, 2023

Broken Frontier in Review 3/19

It's been a month or so since we last checked in on Broken Frontier, and Andy Oliver and Company have been very busy!

Zoe Thorogood and Gustaffo Vargas contributions this issue

RITUALS reviewed by Andy Oliver

MOMOTEKKU reviewed by Andy Oliver

THE COLA POP CREEMEES: OPENING ACT reviewed by Andy Oliver
Previews World coming April 12th
Ray Carcases interviews Desmond Reed here

THE MAGIC NECKLACE reviewed by Andy Oliver
Not publicly available, check the link above for future ordering information 

THE FOREST reviewed by Andy Oliver
product page out of stock
For the Love of Comics examines the work of Thomas Ott here

Ed Pinsent on John G. Miller



ALICE ON THE RUN reviewed by Andy Oliver 

UGLY MUG #6 reviewed by Andy Oliver 

SHELTER: EARLY DOORS review by Rebecca Burke 

FRACTURES review by Andy Oliver 

YES, I'M HOT IN THIS review by Andy Oliver 

BABY review by Andy Oliver 

LIQUID REALM #2 review by Andy Oliver

HARVEY KNIGHT'S ODYSSEY review by Lindsay Pereira 




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Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Watching Comics: Comic Kkrakk Lockdown Edition

 I've been trolling Terence Fuller's archives on YouTube and found some great stuff from 2020, before I officially ran across him and "comics youtube" on twitter.




First up, an epic haul video entailing a comics trade with Greg Harder. He is the Joseph Koch of Canada (beautiful Winnipeg, to be more specific), owning a warehouse with a million plus comics floor to ceiling. Terence shares a video that shows Greg and the inside of the warehouse.



This was a real surprise, SleepyReader666 pops in for a chat with Comic Kkrakk early in the pandemic for maybe the first time. Stick around until the end when SleepyReader666 pulls out an absolutely incredible haul from Floating World Comics and Cosmic Monkey! Ryan C. of Ryan C.'s Four Color Apocalypse joins in the live comments, and LahRasa pops in at the very end, as well.




So, I first encountered Comic Kkrakk, LahRasa, and SleepyReader666 after seeing their Sunday live chat posted on twitter, I believe, late in 2020. That was my tentative introduction to "comics youtube". Above is the earliest chat I could find between Comic Kkrakk and LahRasa on either of their channels. What a great influence those three have had on my comic collecting mentality since then.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2023

New Comics in March Part One

This is a little bit of an experiment to widen the net in the search for new comix and comics (and a few zines, as well). In this neighborhood of self-published comics, we always start with Austin English and his Domino Books...

DOMINOBOOKS.ORG NEW LISTINGS AS OF 3/10:
JAYWALK #3 edited by Floyd Tangeman (w/Austin English) I hope this anthology lasts many more issues!

THE DEVIL'S GRIN #3 by Alex Graham sold out already! Better luck next time.

All issues have been restocked, buy the whole set.

COWLICK #5 another anthology edited by Floyd Tangeman. This issue is sold out, but issues #1 and #2 are still in stock.

THE LOWBROW READER #12 edited by Jay Ruttenberg. This is a zine, not a comic. If I have to tell you the difference, I'd like to direct your attention to a copy of FACTSHEET FIVE and a time machine. 

VENOMOUS FEATHERS SPLIT #1 by Venomous Feathers of Aotearoa is sold out. Check out the link above for a link to their store if you want to track down a copy.


KING-CAT COMIX & STORIES #82 This and the previous issue are available.



OLD SNAKE CREEK by Drew Lerman. Also available are SNAKE CREEK and SCHTICK


WEST #2 by John Grund
The above two Uncivilized comics can be found in finer comics shops, as well.


CLAMP #4 edited by George Olsen

Recently reviewed on Ryan C.'s Four Color Apocalypse Patreon.


MOAB by Mara Ramirez. These two from the Freak Comix collective have been restocked.

FUTURE #9 by Tommie Musturi. All nine issues now in stock. Here's the cover to the final issue which I'm sure Austin will be listing for sale in the near future:

QUIMBYS.COM NEW COMICS LISTINGS AS OF 3/11:

image from soberrabbit/bigcartel site

HOBBES: OR; MEMORIES I KNOW ARE REAL by Quinn Koenman. Also listed are: ONE ($10) and SPACES ($20)
images from quimbys.com and instagram, respectively. 

SUPER TEAM INTERNATIONAL '88 #1 is available digitally on Amzon
images: #1 from Amazon, #2-#6 from BroncoInk site

image from Twitter

image from howlingpages.com

HAUNT: A COLLECTION OF SPECTRAL COMIX POEMS by Tori Holder


image from mattvituccio/bigcartel

Ray Carcases reviews the first issue here

GRIXLY #59 by Nate McDonough
images from grixlycomix/storenvy

THE FIFTY FLIP EXPERIMENT #31 by Dan Hill is available free online.

Reviewed on Ryan C.'s Four Color Apocalypse Patreon

image from Polly Fossey site

image from smallbug/storenvy

DUBFACE ANNUAL #1 by Steven Gamburd, also DUBFACE ($10)

PARTNERSANDSON.COM NEW ARRIVALS IN FEBRUARY:
THE KING OF THE CASTLE by Jordan Speicher-Willis, who is a RUST BELT REVIEW contributor. This book is now sold out, but it looks really nice.

GOSHLONDON.COM NEW ARRIVALS AS OF 3/13:
Originally Shortbox Fair 2022 digital publication 


Bhanu Patrap and Malachi Ward fans take note
all images from goshlondon.com

HOWLINGPAGES.COM NEW RELEASES AS OF 3/13:
Despite the title this looks like a combination comic/role-playing game


reviewed in 2020 by Ryan C.'s Four Color Apocalypse here

WEIRD TALES OF POSTAPOLAND by Bartosz Zarkoski, as well as I'M HANGED by Marco Testa, VOODOO FOREST by John Blanche, and HEARTBREAK REINCARNATION by Daisuke Ichiba. I forgot about Hollow Press, looks like they are still filling a niche with their dark fantasy translations. 
images from howlingpages.com 


JUSTINDIECOMICS.BIGCARTEL.COM (ITALY) NEW RELEASES MARCH 19:


SWAG #5 by Cameron Arthur
other issues available
all images from justindiecomics/bigcartel

MICROCOSMPUBLISHING.COM FEBRUARY RELEASE:
123 reviews of zines? I'm there!
image from microcosmpublishing.com 

NEOGLYPHICMEDIA.COM FEBRUARY RELEASE:
image from neoglyphicmedia.com

WIGGLE BIRD MAILING CLUB MARCH ZINE:
image from WBMC Patreon

STRIPFORME.BIGCARTEL.COM NEW RELEASE:
image from stripforme.bigcartel.com 

JAMBOOKSHOP.CO.UK NEW ARRIVAL:
SHELTER: EARLY DOORS by the great Lucy Sullivan is now available to the general public!





















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