inkstuds

Inkstuds Dirtybird

2009-07-10T06:55:34Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

When I first started doing the Inkstuds show, many years ago, I had my good friend Robin Bougie design me a flyer. Knowing me as well as he does, Bougie creator a wonderfully awkward image of a bird type person as my stand in for radio show hosting. I have the nick-name Dirtybird that was given to me when I used to play hockey with some friends and was known for not being particularly good, but scrappy as all hell. So that’s how we get the Inkstuds Dirtybird. My extremely self-indulgent habit of late, has been to commission cartoonists to do their versions. I am really happy with what I have been getting in the mail. You may have already seen the Joseph Bergin III image that I posted a couple of weeks ago. Today, I got another amazing piece. Many thanks to Paul Hornschemeier for lower his standards and taking my filthy money and turning out something truly terrible and wonderful. I was going to save this for my upcoming major good news, but I couldn’t wait.

Troy Little

2009-07-10T00:16:31Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Troy Little’s Angora Napkin is fine, fun little gem of a comic. Its one of those books where you can tell that the creator is having lots of fun making it. He also has Chiaroscuro, which seems to take on the darker part of Troy’s imagination.

Caitlin Black

2009-07-09T23:35:42Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

I picked up Caitlin Black’s work after seeing it being nominated for Doug Wright award. I really enjoyed the three books that i pick up and look forward to seeing more work by this new Canadian talent.

Lauren Weinstein

2009-07-08T05:36:55Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

It’s been awhile since I laughed this hard in an interview. Lauren Weinstein was a lot of fun to talk to, and I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. Lauren’s work includes Girl Stories, Goddess of War, and Inside Vineyland. Lauren brings a unique view to comics that really expands on the artist aesthetics.

Prologue by Kenan Rubenstein

2009-07-07T13:35:36Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

I opened Kenan’s small envelope with excitement. What manner of comic goodness (or badness) would be inside? And that’s why, though Prologue, a one-page comic in booklet form that unfolds as the plot does, is available online in its entirety, I suggest getting a paper copy, so that you too can find out what comes in small packages.

Prologue’s story concerns a shy guy at a party. With each unfolding of the comic, a new thought or event occurs in what proves to be a “too good to be true” night for him. Although the whole awkward-guy-finally-meets-adored-girl set up is overused in short story alternative comics, but I wanted to see where Kenan was going to take it and in the end I wasn’t disappointed.

By getting creative with grays, Kenan sets the rollicking party scene and night streetscapes apart from the romantic drama happening in them. His main characters are in richly shadowed black and white, also highlighting the intense quality of their interaction.

Prologue is a good example of form dictating narrative flow. I’d like to see more of these Oubliettes (French for secret dungeons) and how Kenan continues to work with the folded form.

Jin & Jam 1 by Hellen Jo

2009-07-06T05:41:04Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Do you remember those post-apocalyptic 80s movies where the world is all teenagers and everybody roams in packs and smokes and is bad? Hellen Jo’s world is kind of like that except everybody is thirteen years old and Asian.

We are introduced to Jam and Hank, two greasy, smoking, kids fucking around outside of a church somewhere in Californialand. When out of the church comes Jin, bored of rabid sermons on sin, long hair flowing and a disapproving remark on her lips, a strange alliance is born between her and Jam. Add Ting and Terng, foul-mouthed conjoined twins with an appetite for fighting, a potato chip beef at the bus stop and the healing power of rock n roll, and you’ve got the first issue of a kick ass fight comic all rolled up.

The story may be slight in this first issue, but the characters are so fully formed that they’re practically heaving with back story. Occasional non-instigatory dialogue bits hint at the kids’ larger worldviews in an effective way that doesn’t break the action:
“Why would they build a playground across from a bar?”
“…So all the kids in town know where they’re going to end up.”

However, all that would be nothing without Jo’s beautiful, intricate, black and white art. Her delicate lines sketch her coarse characters perfectly. There are visual cues to the character’s secrets everywhere, like when Jin meets Jam for the first time, and Jam’s mischievous face is framed by wild and beautiful fish that seem to cloud Jin’s internal controls, signaling confusion ahead. The panels explode with the surreality of teenagedom, where every sound, smell and moment is amplified to an excruciating degree. Jo creatively uses traditional panel structure to animate the fight scenes, using the rigidity to somehow highlight the physicality of her characters in action.

I fell for Jin & Jam after the second reading. Now that I’m hooked I can only hope the next issues deliver more story with the biff bang pow.

Second Thoughts by Niklas Asker

2009-07-06T03:16:31Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

I really enjoyed Second Thoughts by Niklas Asker on an initial level. It’s quirky smart story of misguided love. Asker sets up a great story in a style similar to state side cartoonists, Nate Powell and Farel Dalrymple. He really plays with the black and white work bring the characters down to a basic level. Asker leave allot to the readers imagination to put together parts of the story in their own heads. it’s something I really enjoy in a cartoonist. It is a similar flavour in vagueness to someone like Gipi or Simon Roy, but using a completely different genre. The main fallback is that it is too short. I am curious to see what he can come up with when dealing with a longer story and has more space to play with.

Jordan Crane

2009-07-01T18:51:37Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Jordan Crane’s Uptight is one the last regular comics coming out nowadays. The series format is much like old issues of Love and Rockets or Yummy Fur, something that is a nice break in this “graphic novel” focused market. He has also been doing these incredible Silk Screen prints that blow my mind and as well as a little series of comics called Non.

Menstruation Station: Menarche Aboard! by Jen Vaughn

2009-07-01T00:59:11Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

How could I resist? Though I didn’t get my copy at a convention, and therefore missed out on the free tampon, there was no way I would miss a book with such bloody themes.

Jen Vaughn is a MFA student at CCS. Her focus in Menstruation Station is less coming-of-age wah wahs and more fantasies inspired by blood and blood production. “Safety Net” is a circus love story gone down the drain and the inside of a vagina, “VIP Seats” is about sacrifices people make for the rock and roll lifestyle, and “Charms” is a funny, Buffy-style take on teenage witchery. “So Now You Are a Woman” is the only take on menarche proper, and instead of being smug and reassuring like most stories about that first bloody day, it’s a negative (and very true) rendering of the experience.

The four short stories and assorted extras in the mini show her facility depicting motion and the emotions of the characters through facial expression. The inky brushwork in concert with light, deft lines, add a lushness to some of her subjects (hair, shadows, blood fountains) and move your eye around each panel. Perhaps I’m a bit old-fashioned, but my reading experience would have been a bit better if each story had a title panel, or some other way of signaling the start of a new story.

Because Vaughn’s character design is so good, I wanted the stories to be longer and fuller. I am looking forward to the next installment.

The Bridge Project review by Robin

2009-06-29T07:27:16Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

The Bridge Project is one of the more delightful anothologies that I have read in a while. It has all the markings of a good indie anthology, a simple theme that is easy to follow, and strong creators that were chosen for the project. The concept is pretty simple, a cartoonists from Portland and San Francisco collaborate on stories. The nice thing about it, is that while some stories are about the cities the creators live in, they avoid the easy trappings of all being autobio stries of being cartoonists in cool communities(although that is the case with a couple of the stories, it’s ok, because it’s not the majority).

Some of the favs in the book, include a nice balance piece by superstars Rina Ayuyang and Erika Moen. It highlights some of the wonders and joys of their own home towns, with the collaboration seem to be based on shared ideas but they still work independtly to their own strengths. Scott Campbell and Graham Annable team up for completely insane sea chantey that can only come from their combined minds. David Chelsea works solo for story of one mans differences and experiences between the two cities.

Overall, I am pretty happy with this book, I think people should take note of work that has gone into this book and see what goes into making a quality indy anthology.

T. Edward Bak

2009-06-25T23:42:46Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

T. Edward Bak’s Service industry is high on my list of comics that you haven’t read yet, but really should. Since putting that out, he has a great ongoing story begining in Mome 15, Drawn and Quarterly Showcase 5 and the great anthology, Orchid(worth picking up just for Lasky’s adaptation of the Raven alone). He also did a couple of great pieces that are on the National Geographic site from his trip to Alaska.

Noah Van Sciver

2009-06-25T23:30:15Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Noah Van Sciver makes some great self publish comics that read like they came from the mind of a crazed hobo. Seriously, they are great. Check out Blammo and his story in the Mome 15.

Scott McCloud on Comics as a Form of Media

2009-06-19T09:26:17Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

For the conclusion of my own going interviews regarding comics as a form of media, Scott McCloud. I am really thankful for Scott taking the time to chat with me, given the importance of Understanding Comics in courses on comics, it is vital to have him taking part in an ongoing dialogue on comics.

Matt Madden on Comics as a Form of Media

2009-06-19T09:21:11Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Matt Madden brings some really great idea’s from the artists point of view on Media topic.

Jeet Heer on Comics as a Form of Media

2009-06-19T00:12:10Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Jeet Heer brings some really interesting ideas to the table in regards to the formation and history of comics.

Tom Spurgeon on Comics as a Form of Media

2009-06-19T00:08:59Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Here is the full interview with Tom Spurgeon for the Comics and Media Audiodoc.

Eddie Campbell on Comics as a Form of Media

2009-06-18T08:57:28Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Here is my conversation with Eddie Campbell, about comics as a form of media. I think you will be Surprised by what Eddie has to say.

Dater’s Dozen by Melaina

2009-06-12T06:30:21Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Dater’s Dozen by Melaina is a fun little mini. I really enjoyed this book. It’s the kind of autobio comic I enjoy, personal, friendly and does not take it self too seriously. The art is a nice simplistic style, that at times, is reminiscent of John Porcellino. The story itself, is an engaging journey following Melaina through a series of disastrous dates. The story makes me feel a little old at times, as I forget how painful the awkwardness of attempted courtship could be. I am kind of surprised by the long list of mini comics that she has listed in the back of Dater’s Dozen, but this is the first thing that I have seen by her. I know that she is friends with MariNaomi, and you can see that carry over into this work in the type of story that she is telling. It’s not a direct type of related cartooning, but more like a similar grouping(do I make sense here). In the world of reading autobio comics by dudes, writing about their relationship mishaps, it’s nice to see it from the other side.

Carol Tyler

2009-06-11T23:58:00Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Carol Tyler’s books You’ll Never Know, Late Bloomer and The Job Thing, cover a very interesting and unique life. This is a pretty lively discussion, where we touch on alot of her work. It was such a good conversation, that we still had lots left to talk about. I hope she will be back on next year, when the second part to her You’ll Never Know series comes out.

Runx Tales #1 by Matt Runkle

2009-06-11T15:02:05Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

This 22 page B&W short story comic takes me back to my Xeroxed zine-reading days. Runx Tales chronicles the escapades of a West Coast, queer punk guy with a penchant for problematic men and marginal employment.

Inside you will learn why weddings are always gay affairs, how to ditch your dreads and stank rags and become a “crust-puff,” and the sinister intentions of Portland, OR wildlife. My favorite pieces are “Cour d’Alene” and “That’s Why I Am So Obsessed.” The former tells the tale of a road trip Runx took with his “Butch lesbian protectress” to a small, hellish town in Northern Idaho to visit his grandmother. Their adventure is marred by a dash of homophobic harassment, but they end up drowning their sorrows in a special place called the Powderhouse Saloon. There is a part two, and I found myself wondering what happens next. The latter is an illustrated list of men that Runx became enamored with including a straight librarian in a bee suit and a velvet-wearing mansion-dweller.

While you might not like Runkle’s childlike art style, I think the handwriting and messy pages compliment his sense of humor and fun, frank storytelling.

Peeps

2009-06-10T07:49:20Z

Hey Everybody on Livejournal, I noticed that there's a bunch of people that I don't know on here. Who are you? What comics are you loving right now?

Papercutter 9, edited by Greg Means

2009-06-09T22:04:20Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

With gorgeous covers by Aron Nels Steinke and Hellen Jo, Papercutter 9 sets the bar high in the lookin’-good department. The standard is upheld with Nate Beatty’s interior cover urban scenes and the work by the aforementioned artists and other contributor Elijah Brubaker.

Steinke’s story, “He Lives in Our Basement I am Sure of It, is a long auto-bio piece covering one dream, one house, one phone call and a ghost. As always, Steinke’s art is cute and detailed, and his thick black and white lines create a comfortable atmosphere, even when the characters are freaking out. He makes good use of multiple panel sizes to frame his meandering story, but in the end, the story was a bit too long and aimless. Most disappointingly, the ghost, who is such a strong and intriguing figure in the cover image, is relegated to a bit character in Steinke’s house-stalking neuroses.

Elijah Brubaker’s one-page Hubert and Ray story further develops the two misbegotten characters as they wander around town and talk about god. “I had a pet duck named Frito.” “Oh yeah, what happened to him?” “Dog.”

“Diamond Heights: A True Story” by Hellen Jo, features a pair of drunken, foul-mouthed kids wandering around what looks like a deserted California suburb on an, I assume, stolen school day. When, at the top of a street they need to cross, shoeless and giggling twins appear, the girl is strangely affected. I love how easily Jo communicates the kids’ attitude and how it changes when the ghostly girls appear. The black skies and trees, intricate, vegetal backgrounds and cool camera angles add to the cinematically creepy feel. All the action may have only taken a few minutes, but Jo stretches it out and makes it tense and effective.

While this was not my favorite issue of Papercutter, I think Hellen Jo’s work makes it worth a read. I got the newest issue at MoCCA this weekend and I’ll have a review of that soon.

Dave Lapp

2009-06-04T23:34:47Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Dave Lapp’s collection, Drop In, is a good example of the Canadian identity in cartooning. The stories cover a multicultural scope of experiences faced by impoverished children that Dave had worked with in an inner city art program.

Smell of Steve

2009-06-04T04:40:33Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Brian Sendelbach joined me to discuss his treasury collection Planet of Beer. Brian is known for his great strip, Smell of Steve. He is also been a regular visitor to Vancouver, which is good in my books.

IVY, issues 1-3 by Sarah Oleksyk

2009-06-03T22:21:24Z

Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.

Upon hearing the news that IVY #4 was finished, I decided that it was imperative to finally review the first three issues of Sarah Oleksyk’s excellent series. Chapter one introduces us to Maine high school seniors Ivy and her friends Marisa and Brad. Ivy is filled with teen rage and has artistic talent to burn. Like most kids her age she can’t modulate her feelings—when a teacher gets on her nerves, she calls her a Nazi, when her friends are casually talking trash about a classmate, Ivy pipes in with “I hate her! It looks like her face caught fire and somebody put it out with a pickaxe!”

Ivy’s attitude increases her isolation and feelings of persecution as the stress of senior years wears on. Despite her talent and encouragement from her school, Ivy’s mom wants her to skip art school for a practical degree like business, causing resentment and breeding secrets. Her friends begin leaving her out of their once-shared world as Ivy becomes more focused on why everything sucks. The guy she likes at school has a nasty girlfriend. So when a chance encounter with a boy at a Boston art fair provides a release from both horniness and her daily life, she throws herself into it. The plot doesn’t hinge on any one of these details, but slowly draws the reader into Ivy’s world—even a reader who wouldn’t go back to high school for anything.

A large part of why all of this works is Oleksyk’s amazing art. Her beautiful, fluid black lines capture movement and static details (like Ivy’s sketchbook drawings or footprints in the snow) equally well. Unlike her main character, the author doesn’t need more figure work—her anatomy is perfect and effortless-looking, giving each character a unique and memorable physiognomy.

Though set in the present day, IVY feels a lot like a loving tribute to 90s teenagerhood, what with all the letter writing and lack of ipods, but IVY is no curdled nostalgia trip. Oleksyk has mastered depicting the throb of adolescence without resorting to exploitating the sexy bits or pandering to shared memories of songs or TV shows. She manages to mix empathy with her young character with an adult, critical sensibility to create an incredibly vivid and real portrayal of Ivy and her world. Frankly, it’s a relief to read something about a teenage girl, especially having been a pretty wild and angsty teenage girl myself, that doesn’t bore or offend me.

Chapter three ends with a fight, a flight and a miserable bus ride. In other words, a cliffhanger that’s had me panting for the next installment since I closed the cover. Now that number four is out, it is at the top of my must-buy list.

For more with Sarah, listen to Robin’s interview and then head over to tryharder and read mine.