Jerzy Drozd

Photographers got it easy, right? All they have to do to tell their stories is point their magic box at their subject and hit click. Cartoonists, on the other hand, have to create the reality of their work from scratch. Surely photographers have zero insights to offer cartoonists.

Of course we know that’s a bunch of troll talk. So this time I’ll be joined by photographer and designer Peter Baker. Together we’ll talk about how cartoonists might benefit from looking at how photographers tell stories through their medium.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!):

• Medium Format Photography
• Large Format Photography
• Peter Baker on Instagram
• Detroit Ruin Porn
• Neal Adams
• Peter’s Welding School shoot for Bloomberg
• Jackie Chan
• Hasselblad cameras
• Canon 5D
• Boulder and Fleet: Adventurers for Hire

Book Recommendations:

• From Here to There: Alec Soth’s America
• Wizzywig
• Letter 44
• The Infinity Gauntlet
• JLA/Avengers

Live streams at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

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We’re continuing our tradition of closing out the year with Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier of The Comics Bakery. Join us for a rapid round of book talks on some of our favorite comics, which you can use as your last-minute holiday gift guide!

And check out the book talks we did last year!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!):

• AADL Art Tools
• Dec 17 is the last day to get Raina’s books signed for Christmas
• Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas
• A Cosmic Christmas ​
• The ALF Christmas Special may be the root of all holiday depression

Book Recommendations:

• Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
• Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal
• Worse Things Happen at Sea
• Andre the Giant: Life and Legend
• Strong Female Protagonist Book One
• Edward Scissorhands Comic*
• The Sandman: Overture #1
• Dirty Diamonds Anthology
• Pencil Pup Minicomics
• Kill My Mother: A Graphic Novel
• Broodhollow
• Hilda and the Midnight Giant
• Nothing is Forgotten, a collection of short stories
• Sing No Evil
• The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story
• Baby’s in Black: Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and the Beatles
• Beyond the Canopy
• Dinosaurs in Space
• El Deafo
• Julia’s House for Lost Creatures
• The Zoo Box
• Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant?
• The Art of the Simon and Kirby Studio
• Capture Creatures
• Sisters
• The Warren Commission Report: A Graphic Investigation into the Kennedy Assassination
• Star Wars Ewoks: Shadows of Endor
• The Shadow Hero

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Jerzy on Google+
Find us on Google+
Support the show and get a PDF comic!
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Anthropomorphic comics characters have enjoyed a wide appeal almost since the invention of the comic. Who doesn’t love Snoopy? Characters like Garfield have inspired an entire generation of professional cartoonists. Even the critically-acclaimed Maus featured talking animal characters.

So what is it about “animals doing people things” that’s so compelling? Why are we so willing to invest in a character whose design is so defiantly absurd and unrealistic?

I’m joined by John Green , co-creator of the Teen Boat! graphic novels and creator of the upcoming Hippopotamister, published by First Second Books. Together we unlock the secret powers held within “funny animal characters.”

We’re also joined by Anne Drozd of the Ann Arbor District Library for another round of book recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!):

• The OTHER John Green
• Teen Boat!
• Superhero Tropes
• Dave Roman
• Turbo Teen
• Jax Epoch and the Quicken Forbidden
• An exclusive preview of Hippopotamister
• John’s post on why animals make great protagonists
• The new Lightsabers
• Justice League: Comfort and Joy
• Watership Down (film)
• Maus
• Real-Life Simpsons
• Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham
• The AADL “Unusual Stuff” section

Book Recommendations:

• Ariol
• The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil
• nemu*nemu
• Missile Mouse
• The Incredible Change-Bots
• PIX: One Weirdest Weekend

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Jerzy on Google+
Find us on Google+
Support the show and get a PDF comic!
Subscribe through iTunes
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It’s time to unbox the age-old question of Talent vs. Effort on Comics Are Great!

How does your comics work change when you shift your focus from “expressing yourself” to “putting in the effort?” Are these terms mutually exclusive, or does the focus oscillate between those poles throughout the project? If so, how do you know when it’s time to change your focus?

I’m joined by Zack Giallongo, cartoonist behind Broxo, Star Wars: Ewoks: Shadows of Endor, and the Stratford Zoo Midnight Review series. Together we explore how a career in cartooning is equal parts creative expression and herculean effort, and how one finds balance between the two.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!):

• UMass Dartmouth
• Flow State
• Acerbic
• Disney’s “9 Old Men”
• UHF
• Calvin and Hobbes
• Noelle Stevenson
• Montage
• The Dunning Krueger Effect
• Children of the Corn
• Jim Henson
• Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan
• Lumberjanes
• Charles in Charge, Again

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Jerzy on Google+
Find us on Google+
Support the show and get a PDF comic!
Subscribe through iTunes
RSS

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Join us for a discussion on Banned Books Week with David Carter, Librarian at the University of Michigan’s Comics and Video Game Archive. Together we explore censorship in comics and ways we can better advocate for our medium.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting the links!):

• Paste magazine’s top 10 banned comics
• The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
• The CBLDF’s list of 22 Challenged Comics

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Jerzy on Google+
Find us on Google+
Support the show and get a PDF comic!
Subscribe through iTunes
RSS

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It’s the 100th episode of the Comics Are Great show, recorded live before a studio audience at the 2014 Kids Read Comics Celebration!

I’m joined by guest co-host Gregg Schigiel of the Stuff Said Show, librarian Laura Given, and librarian Erin Helmrich. Together we discuss the growing importance of libraries in the world of comics, and how cartoonists can better connect with libraries to promote the medium.

We also spend a bit of time talking about Gregg’s new comic, PIX: ONE WEIRDEST WEEKEND, which is available for pre-order in Previews now! Item #DEC141546

Links mentioned:

• The Nerdy Book Club
• John Schu
• Zita the Spacegirl
• Dave Roman
• Kids Read Comics
• Chris Giarrusso
• Challengers Comics

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

Jerzy on Google+
Find us on Google+
Support the show and get a PDF comic!
Subscribe through iTunes
RSS

Podcast: Play in new window | Download