Drawn & Quarterly Solicitations: September 2007

shortcomings-212.jpgShortcomings
By Adrian Tomine
Hardcover book, 112 pages, b/w, 6.5 x 9.25 inches.
$19.95
978-1-897299-16-6

FROM THE AUTHOR OF OPTIC NERVE, THE MOST ANTICIPATED GRAPHIC NOVEL OF 2007

Ben Tanaka has problems. In addition to being rampantly critical, sarcastic, and insensitive, his long–term relationship is awash in turmoil. His girlfriend, Miko Hayashi, suspects that Ben has a wandering eye, and more to the point, it’s wandering in the direction of white women. This accusation (and its various implications) becomes the subject of heated, spiralling debate, setting in motion a story that pits California against New York, devotion against desire, and trust against truth.

By confusing their personal problems with political ones, Ben and Miko are strangely alone together and oddly alike, even as they fly apart. Being human, all too human, they fail to see that what unites them is their shared hypocrisies, their double standards. This gray zone between the personal and the political is a minefield that acclaimed cartoonist Adrian Tomine navigates boldly and nimbly. The charged, volatile dialogues that result are unlike anything in Tomine’s previous work or, for that matter, comics in general.

But Shortcomings is no mere polemic. Any issues that are raised stand on equal footing with expertly-crafted plot turns, subtle characterization, and irreverent humor, all drawn in Tomine’s heart-breakingly evocative style. What Tomine ultimately offers is more provocation than pronouncement—a brutal, funny, and insightful reflection of human shortcomings.

********White Rapids

White Rapids
Trade paperback/ 156 pages/ 2 colors/ 7 x 8.75 inches.
$19.95
978-1-897299-24-1
Pascal Blanchet

Winner of the Best Book prize for the Quebec comic industry awards, Pascal Blanchet’s graphic novel is a compelling account of the rise and fall of the small northern town of White Rapids. In the first English translation of his work, Blanchet seamlessly blends fact and fiction as he weaves together the official history of the town and snapshots of the quotidian life of its residents. Founded in 1928 in an isolated region of Quebec forest, the town was conceived and constructed by the Shawinigan Water & Power Company to function as a fully-equipped, self-contained living community for workers at the nearby dam and their families. Intended as an incentive to lure workers to the remote and inaccessible region, White Rapids provided its residents with all the luxuries of middle-class modern life in a pastoral setting—until the town was abruptly shut down in 1971, when the company changed hands. Blanchet’s unique, streamlined, retro-inspired aesthetic draws on Art Deco and fifties Modernist design to vividly conjure up idyllic scenes of lazy summer days and crisp winter nights in White Rapids, transporting the reader back to a more innocent time.

********

 

Look for Offered Again items and full-size Shortcomings cover behind the cut:
Continue reading “Drawn & Quarterly Solicitations: September 2007”

Shipping June 20th, 2007

Death Note Vol 12 CoverHi there folks. Here are a few of the more interesting comics that are scheduled to ship to The Beguiling Books & Art in Toronto, Canada this week. These books may not show up at all retailers at the same time, but if you see a title here it’s probably at least worth asking your local retailer about. Oh, and the full list of what’s shipping is underneath the cut at the bottom of this post. There are like, 200+ line items this week! Yowzers.

APR074059 DEATH NOTE VOL 12 TP (C: 1-0-0) 7.99
If you’re not so much a fan of the manga, you probably don’t differentiate the series DEATH NOTE–by creators Ohba Tsugumi and Obata Takeshi and published under Viz’s Shonen Jump line–from the rest of the avalanche of titles that are dropped onto comic and book stores every week. No less than 42 brand new manga titles this week, speaking of which. But that really is a shame, as DEATH NOTE is a stand-out work in the field. It’s certainly not perfect, and no one is going to hold it up and compare it to NEW TALES OF OLD PALOMAR #2, also out this week, as a superior work. But DEATH NOTE is a sterling example of excellent comics for a mainstream audience, the middle ground that everyone and their dad is shouting from the rooftops that the comics industry needs more of. DEATH NOTE is what Warren Ellis has been talking about for years, and what Kim Thompson was getting at, in his way, in that little essay about “crap” he wrote a while back. The series has a great high-concept (a notebook which will kill anyone who’s name is written in it), just enough sci-fi fantasy to have widespread appeal, attractive young characters, beautiful art, and an actual considered aesthetic that’s carried throughout the project. Oh, and every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, making it as addictive as crack.

DEATH NOTE ends on volume 12 this week (there is a 13th volume which acts as a guidebook to the series, but the narrative wraps up here) and I think it will easily enter the pantheon of great, lasting series that will define manga as a category as appealing to more than the 12-18 set. Literally anyone I’ve introduced the series to at The Beguiling has come back for more, and if you want to add something really good to your stack of comics this week, see about picking up the first volume for yourself. You’ll curse me for it, 12 volumes and $96 later. 🙂

(Also of Note: Ever the opportunists, the Shonen Jump people had the smart idea of launching 2 new mature-themed series today, hoping to hook the readers who are buying their final Death Note’s. GIN TAMA is a considerably more supernatural version of BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL, while STRAWBERRY 100% is… apparently about cute girls or something, I dunno. Out of my frame of expertise.)

Phonogram TPB CoverJAN071929 PHONOGRAM VOL 1 RUE BRITANNA TP 14.99
I got lost on this series 3 issues in, partly because it started to hit some shipping delays and partly because, despite our best efforts, we kept selling out of the floppies on this supernatural exploration of britpop music. PHONOGRAM picked up readers seemingly with every issue, and our sales and sell-through just kept increasing as the series progressed. I’ve heard almost no word of the series’ overall quality, but at least in terms of sales, the customers–including many new faces–kept showing up right through to the end.

Next time though, guys? Any chance of a cover design where the logo is visible over the top half of the book? It kind of makes racking a bitch.

Repo #1 CoverAPR071850 REPO #1 (OF 5) 3.50
After a detour into a zombie-filled old west, creators of TEENAGERS FROM MARS Rick Spears and Rob G. are back with a new limited series from Image Comics featuring an AKIRA-style setting and repo-men versus an army of sex-clones named Wendy. It sounds like a hoot, and promises lots of mayham and exploding set-pieces, which is both refreshingly honest and will look great, if their past work is anything to go by.

Yotsuba Vol 4 TPB CoverMAY073126 YOTSUBA MANGA VOL 4 TP 9.99
Hah, apparently fan-whinging does accomplish something. The much beloved children’s series gets a new lease on life, which is a victory for charming, funny comics everywhere. One hopes. A wierd little girl named Yotsuba moves into a new neighborhood, and is fascinated by everything she sees. It’s a little like My Neighbor Totoro, but instead of adorable plush animals, there’s an air-conditioner and some bewildered neighbors. Kids? Kids love it, we sell tons. But the grown-ups love it too, which is rare for any property, and it’s nice to see that ADV have wised up and decided to continue releasing it.

For more on the appeal of YOTSUBA, and this volume in particular, check out Tom Spurgeon’s review of this volume at ComicsReporter.com.
 

Continue reading “Shipping June 20th, 2007”

HAPPY GAY PRIDE WEEK

Happy Gay Pride Week - Tom Bouden

(Cartoon by Tom Bouden, excerpted from Stripped: The Illustrated Male, published by Bruno Gmünder.)

I almost typed “Happy Pride Week!” up top there, but I figured that too many people would confuse it for the nearly-naked-dudes-wrasslin’ league. Actually, your average Pride fight looks and sounds an awful lot like Mr. Bouden’s comic strip up there, doesn’t it? But I digress. Hopefully wherever you are you’re feeling proud and safe and happy this week, and every day of the year. Comic strips continue all week.

– Chris

About Yesterday

…my brother called to tell me that he understood what I was getting at, but that I didn’t express myself clearly enough. Alright.

The thing about commenting on much beloved popular culture is that it opens you up for all sorts of personal attacks, people trying to ascribe nefarious motives to your actions, all that shit. I knew that going in, but man, did that fucking cover really strike me the wrong way when I saw it. So, I posted it. That’s about 90% of how the blog works, and I tend to worry about the consequences later.

I could probably spend another full day responding to the various message boards, blogs, livejournals, etc., that all proclaimed to have some insight into my mind’s inner workings, but instead I’ll just leave you with this:

Mary Jane isn’t Storm or Invisible Girl, she isn’t a superhero being zombified on a classic cover. She’s a civilian, Spider-Man’s wife. She doesn’t appear anywhere in the book that she’s on the cover of, looking sexy and dismembered. This isn’t about the worry that 12 year olds will buy copies of a $25 hard cover, this is more a worry that Marvel thinks that a physically injured woman making a come-hither glance at the reader of a book that she isn’t even in, is the best way to sell their comic books. And the fact that, judging by the reaction yesterday, they’re right.

Brian Wood called it about half-way through the day yesterday; “This cover is actually a real boon for the basement dwelling set. This Mary Jane has so many more holes they can fantasize about fucking her in!” …and, yeah. It’s just a sad state of affairs and I probably should have just mocked it, rather than actually trying to engage it. Don’t worry, I’ve learned my lesson.

So, since I’ve got a comics festival to run, a few articles to write, and a few thousand other things to do, this is pretty much all I’ve got left to say on this particular issue.

Thanks for reading,

– Christopher

How to break into comics, by Jim Zubkavich

“In my experience, even if you have a great portfolio submission it won’t neccessarily translate in to a job. Reread that. I know it sounds impossible and depressing but I’ll explain…

“These jobs have an important social component. People always talk about being in the “right place at the right time” and it’s very true. What they don’t tell you is if you create enough interactions with industry people on a social level, you’ll create those right places and right times. “

Jim Zubkavich, at his Livejournal

My friend Jim Zubkavich is the head of the animation department at Seneca College here in Toronto, and also the taskmaster/co-owner at Udon Comics, so he knows a little something about getting a job in mainstream comics (or really, anywhere for that matter). Despite the fact that I don’t necessarily want it to be easier for folks to ‘break in’ (seriously, it’s not that hard now) I think his advice here is really great, and he really oughtta be writing more often, so I like to encourage him when I can.

If you’ve got any interest in becoming a comics creator, you should go check it out, it’s good stuff.
– Chris

Feminist Conspiracy Theory

From my comments section:

“Your post has left a really bad taste in my mouth. You strike me as a guy who went looking for something to feign outrage over, and ingratiate yourself to the Gails and Leas.”
Name: Jim | E-mail: pppzone@gmail.com | IP: 66.73.48.200

Hey Jim? I’m already friends with Lea Hernandez. And guess what? Gail and I shared a drink on Saturday night.

We’re coming to get you.

– Christopher

 

No, Seriously, Why Do You Put Up With This Shit?

Sexy girl as rotting corpse: Did you ever see the movie about the blood diamonds? This is what you’re really paying for when you buy any Marvel comic.

Well, that's kind of sad.

So just to reitterate: Children’s character from book for children (the kid/teen girl-oriented Mary Jane #1) used as sex symbol? Check. Sex symbol met with incredible violence, still portrayed as sexy? Check. Deliberately done to provoke fan reaction? Check.

Congratulations! Up until yesterday I was kind of excited about World War Hulk, and was going to recommend it to my customers? Today: Not so much. I feel kind of… gross.. about recommending any Marvel titles at this point.

– Christopher
Edit: Just for those not as well-versed as me in the comics, this is the cover to the fifth printing of the Marvel Zombies HC, released today by Marvel, art by Arthur Suydam. It’s a take on a cover to a children’s series featuring Mary Jane from the Spider-Man books, in high school, at about 15 I think? The original art was by Takeshi Miyazawa and you can find it here.

At The Toronto Comicon Last Night

What I like about comic shows.

I was at a comic book convention all day today, and I’m currently trying to decide if I’ll be going to one a few weeks from now. My erstwhile employer is bordering on furious with me that I’d consider leaving the country to go to a comic book show—particularly right now. (In case you forgot, I’ve got my own comic book event in August that I’m organizing in every spare hour of my day…).

Seeing as the comic show today is about 36 minutes from being over (obviously this was updated later), I figured I’d figure out why I’m even tempted to get on a plane and head to New York in a few weeks, or why I’m here today. Because right now? My feet hurt, I’m a bit cranky, and I’ve done my best to alienate that nice Dr. McNinja fellow. I’ll have to make it up to him later when we’re both drunk and easy.

Well, one of us will be.

So yeah, things that I like about comic book shows. Lets see if I can figure this out.

  1. Friends. Definitely seeing my friends. I’m a pretty social person anyway, I don’t live my whole life online and get to see the people I like once per year. I mean, once-upon-a-time? That described me pretty accurately. But now? Now I just get to see people I don’t see very often all at once, and it’s a lot of fun. Who wouldn’t have a good time at a place where a bunch of people they like are all in the same room? Well, lots of people, judging by the bitching I see in con reports. But from out-of-towners to folks I know here in Toronto whose schedules don’t quite match up with mine, comic cons a re a great place to actually sit down and have a beer with someone. Or a $4 convention coffee, as the case may be.
  2. Cute, chubby guys with beards/glasses. If that’s your ‘thing’ (or even one of your things?) then by God, the comic show is the place for you. If you’re not 100% sure what ‘bear’ subculture is? Just trust that you can find it at the comic show, and half these guys aren’t even gay. (See: Dr. McNinja, alcohol)
  3. Stuff you would otherwise never buy. I was totally lucky today, and scored two awesome purchases.  The first? A Revoltech Megatron action figure, to match (fight with?) my Revoltech Optimus Prime from San Diego. The second? A copy of Teen Titans: Scissors, Paper, Stone, an Elseworlds one-shot by Adam Warren with a criminally low print run a few years ago. I got it for $4! Thanks to Blake Bell for digging through bins for me.
  4. Nerditry. I can be as nerdy as I want at a comic show, because this is the proper place and time for being nerdy. It’s like ordering a vodka-tonic at dinner as opposed to ordering one at breakfast. Time and place.
  5. Air Conditioning. Granted, this one doesn’t always work (see: San Diego from a couple years back, Book Expo America this year), and it’s not always the temperature so much as the humidity (and the knowledge that it’s humid because of your fellow con-goers…ick), but for those of us without central air conditioning (or a job with air conditioning that just isn’t up to the task…) being at a con for three days when it’s muggy and 30 degrees outside is Bliss. Arriving while it’s still reasonably cool out and leaving after the sun’s gone down? Even better.
  6. It’s strangely relaxing. My job is one that involves a hell of a lot of multi-tasking, even on quiet days. When I’m working at a show, all I have to… or really can do… is work at the show. Sell stuff, smile, say hello. No ringing phones, and while the emails are almost certainly piling up? Nothing I can do about it (until I get that Blackberry….). Even when I’m not working the show, it’s much more social than not, since my social life is tied pretty close to the comic books on a lot of fronts. Aside from the travel time, I usually come back from San Diego or New York feeling really refreshed and excited about the industry (It’s the opposite of the “Newsarama Effect”). I think that’s gotta count for something…

And now it’s time to go… Maybe more updates later if I can work it out…

– Chris
(Written @ 7pm, June 8th)