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To make good comics and graphic novels, all you have to do is draw really well and write pretty well, then mix them together, right? Then why is it so challenging to make comics that connect with audiences? How do you describe that unnameable quality that makes certain art and stories arresting?

After a long hiatus the Comics Are Great podcast returns to address these questions with guest Mark Siegel, Editorial Director at First Second Books, author of the graphic novel Sailor Twain, and writer of the 5 Worlds graphic novel series. Mark helps us explore how comics storytelling is unique from other art forms, and describes what he calls the storyteller’s “handwriting.”

Mark will appear at this year’s Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival at the Ann Arbor District Library, and the A2 Inkubate unconference on the campus of the University of Michigan, June 15-17. You can get copies of his books signed and participate in some terrific free comics workshops led by him.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 5 Worlds Book 1: The Sand Warrior
• Listen to My Art episode 2 with Mark Siegel
• Sailor Twain
• First Second Books
• Three Shadows
• Gunas
• Science Comics: Rockets

This episode was recorded at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

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Talking about composition, context, and color on CAG!

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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El Deafo! Hilda and the Midnight Giant! Roz Chast, and more!

 

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+
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Talking about the special communicative power of the cartoon on Comics Are Great!

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+
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Broxo! Ewoks! Shakespeare! Banjo music, and more!

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+
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Challenged Comics! Censorship! Dave Carter, and more!

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+
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Gregg Schigiel! Laura Given! Erin Helmrich! Finding new audiences for your work, and more!

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+
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Talking about walking the line between eerie and cute on CAG!

 

In this special unscheduled episode of the Comics Are Great! show I’ll be joined by Eric Orchard, cartoonist behind Maddy Kettle: The Adventure of the Thimblewitch, published by Top Shelf. Maddy Kettle is a plucky young girl who faces witches, vampire bats, and spider goblins, yet never loses hope or refuses help when asked. She is assisted by friendly ballon-riding bears, banjo-playing raccoons, and vampire bats. So is this a creepy story or a light-hearted adventure? Maybe it can be both, thanks to the special affordances that only comics can offer!

Join us for a discussion on how comics is the perfect medium to blend opposite elements together and produce something new.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Edward Gorey
• Maurice Sendak
• Eric Orchard’s inspiration Tumblr
• Fox and Duck, Eric’s new webcomic
• The Warren Commission Report: A Graphic Investigation Into the Kennedy Assassination

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

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing.

Jerzy on Google+
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Support the show and get a PDF comic!
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Talking about the role of fandom on CAG!

 

Whatever your stance on cosplay, one can’t deny that it’s an active arena in fan participation with media. Is it simply a distracting branch that interferes with the “pure” transactions between fans and creators? Or is it a means for fans to enrich their participation with the creations themselves? When fandoms form around a creation, how should a creator respond?

This time I’m joined by Rachel Ashley-Lovelace for a discussion on the culture of fandoms and cosplay and how they might coexist with the creative forces that inform them.

AADL Production Librarian Anne Drozd also drops by for another round of book recommendations!

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

• Cosplay
• Indiana Jones
• Star Trek Costumes from ANOVOS
• Macross Frontier
• Tenth Doctor
• Agent Dana Scully
• Gallifrey One Convention
• Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony
• Prancercise
• Furry Fandom
• Walmart Wolverine
• Small Press Expo
• Power Con
• Homestuck
• San Diego Comic Con
• New York Comic Con
• Avatar The Last Puppet Bender
• Dragoncon
• Masters Of The Universe Power Tour
• Worbla
• Glimmer
• The Idiot’s Lantern (Dr. Who episode)
• Ebay UK
• The King of Kong
• Rachel Lovelace on Facebook
• Two Geeks Talking
• Feelax

Comics and Book Recommendations:

• Vader’s Little Princess
• You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack: Cartoons
• Starbunny Inc.
• Hello Kitty Hello 40

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download