Last bit of urban fantasy for now.
As much as I hate twilight I like how it's made urban fantasy popular again. The whole concept of "worlds within worlds" or "things are different then they look on the surface" are some of my favorite ideas in storytelling and werewolves play really well into those ideas.
Money is still trickling in for Everything Dies, if you haven’t gotten in on the awesome rewards available for donating you still have a few weeks left. Remember this project is now fully funded and all rewards will be mailed. Get your copies of Everything Dies before they are for sale!
I'm going to start doing a series of black and white ink drawings with the intention of selling them. For years, I've been colouring my work using photoshop and the disadvantage of this, is that there really isn't any original artwork left fit to sell. It all ends up on the hard disc, so that only prints are available to buy. Not only that, but it's so long since I last did any crosshatching, that I've basically forgotten how to do it. So the image below is a sort of half and half picture, where I've tentatively tipped my toe into crosshatching again, before launching myself into the depth of a real non-photoshop ink drawing.
Hello Livejournal my old friend. My resolution for 2010 is to use you more or leave you. Maybe Google wave will let me update you and facebook and twitter all at once.
Anyways the new book is coming together well, all my work is done so I just need to wait on everyone else to finish. In the mean time I am thinking of crazy things like best of the decade lists.
So here are my top comic reads for the decade (1999-2000):
1. Louis Riel by Chester Brown, densely layered with a wonderful atmosphere, it makes Canadian History interesting! I really enjoyed reading this, and hope Mr. Brown does more historical fiction, rather than libertarian diatribes as I've heard rumoured.
2. Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware, I am cheating here and including all books put out in this time period, because I read them all and anticipated each more than the last. Chris Ware is a genius! I often hear his work criticized as depressing, but consider the craft required to get that kind of a reaction, especially with such simple art. There are nuggets of hope in there too. It was areal pleasure to meet Mr. Ware in San Francisco in 2008.
3. Mail Order Bride by Mark Kalesniko, this was a big book in my life, one of my first "non-super hero" reads, and very affecting. A beautiful look at life and love in the interior of BC, with a strong story. I met Mr. Kalesniko in at San Diego comicon in 2002, we both have cousins in Castlegar apparently.
4. Fun Home by Alison Blechdel, an amazing read that snuck up on me. Featured at the VAG 'Krazy' exhibition and in Americas best comics 2007 this was a great book! I really like the art and want to do my own black and white with blue water colour work.
5. Berlin by Jason Lutes, I've been a fan of his since Jar of Fools was recommended by Scott McCloud. But this book is amazing! Such a well crafted portrait of Pre-Nazi Germany. I find it especially interesting that he avoids using swastikas to let the reader judge the characters by their actions and not their clothes. I can't wait for the next volume!
6. Blankets by Craig Thompson, people seem to either love it or hate it, and I definitely love it! People who don't like this book seem to have trouble relating to the character, they think he's whiny, or that the story is boring. Man, I lived some of that story, this is why people tell these kinds of stories, so we know other people went through these things! We are not alone!
7. Black Hole by Charles Burns, an amazing allegory of sorts for adolesence and sex. This book pulsated with a dark and eerie mood but also had some really beautiful moments in it, again this book evoked those feelings of growing up and being in high school.
8. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neal, the whole series has been fantastic, but I will specifically say the second volume was the highlight, I am a big HG Wells fan, so to see the Martian threat thwarted by Moores Victorian super team was something to behold, more importantly than that was the amazing come upance of the Invisible Man.
9. Daredevil - written by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, and various, I almost hesitate to put this one in here, but this is probably Bendis' best work. Especially since I couldn't give a crap about Daredevil till he started writing it. I also stopped reading once he finished.
10. Promethea by Alan Moore and J H Williams III, this was a fantastic read, a meta comic at times, Alan Moores personal religion bible at others, controversial to some, I thought this was a great read. Especially if you can open your mind to the possibility that the realm of the imagination is more powerful than the physical world. More entertaining than "the secret" and just as informative.
Honourable mentions to Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Popgun War by Farel Dalrymple, George Sprott by Seth and Chiariscuro by Troy Little.
I also would have listed From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell as my number one, by I feel it's really from the last decade despite finally seeing full collection and print in 1999.
I also neglected any and all web artists, my apologies, I am bad at following web comics. The Top five Web comics I did try to keep up on:
1. Family Man by Dylan Meconis, amazing art, just go read it, I can't do it justice here.
2. Hark a Vagrant by Kate Beaton, y'know I was trying to get her into a Cloudscape book BEFORE she was a web phenom, but I digress. This strip is funny, and she's earned her success, plus she's still incredibly down to earth. I still owe you a beer Kate!
3. Dar by Erika Moen, another down to earth comicker. I love visiting Erika at her table, she wears her heart on her sleeve in life as she does in her comic. An auto-bio that pulls no punches, the kind I like. It just wrapped up and I am excited to see what we see from her next.
4. Wasted Talent by Angela Melick, she IS in Cloudscape, so I have to. Just kidding! This is a fun strip, and well drawn! Keep your eye on this one.
5. A Mad Tea Party/Lords of Death and Life by Jonathon Dalton, yet another Cloudscaper! Yes Nepotism in action! But seriously Jon makes great comics and you should read them!
Anyways the new book is coming together well, all my work is done so I just need to wait on everyone else to finish. In the mean time I am thinking of crazy things like best of the decade lists.
So here are my top comic reads for the decade (1999-2000):
1. Louis Riel by Chester Brown, densely layered with a wonderful atmosphere, it makes Canadian History interesting! I really enjoyed reading this, and hope Mr. Brown does more historical fiction, rather than libertarian diatribes as I've heard rumoured.
2. Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware, I am cheating here and including all books put out in this time period, because I read them all and anticipated each more than the last. Chris Ware is a genius! I often hear his work criticized as depressing, but consider the craft required to get that kind of a reaction, especially with such simple art. There are nuggets of hope in there too. It was areal pleasure to meet Mr. Ware in San Francisco in 2008.
3. Mail Order Bride by Mark Kalesniko, this was a big book in my life, one of my first "non-super hero" reads, and very affecting. A beautiful look at life and love in the interior of BC, with a strong story. I met Mr. Kalesniko in at San Diego comicon in 2002, we both have cousins in Castlegar apparently.
4. Fun Home by Alison Blechdel, an amazing read that snuck up on me. Featured at the VAG 'Krazy' exhibition and in Americas best comics 2007 this was a great book! I really like the art and want to do my own black and white with blue water colour work.
5. Berlin by Jason Lutes, I've been a fan of his since Jar of Fools was recommended by Scott McCloud. But this book is amazing! Such a well crafted portrait of Pre-Nazi Germany. I find it especially interesting that he avoids using swastikas to let the reader judge the characters by their actions and not their clothes. I can't wait for the next volume!
6. Blankets by Craig Thompson, people seem to either love it or hate it, and I definitely love it! People who don't like this book seem to have trouble relating to the character, they think he's whiny, or that the story is boring. Man, I lived some of that story, this is why people tell these kinds of stories, so we know other people went through these things! We are not alone!
7. Black Hole by Charles Burns, an amazing allegory of sorts for adolesence and sex. This book pulsated with a dark and eerie mood but also had some really beautiful moments in it, again this book evoked those feelings of growing up and being in high school.
8. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neal, the whole series has been fantastic, but I will specifically say the second volume was the highlight, I am a big HG Wells fan, so to see the Martian threat thwarted by Moores Victorian super team was something to behold, more importantly than that was the amazing come upance of the Invisible Man.
9. Daredevil - written by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, and various, I almost hesitate to put this one in here, but this is probably Bendis' best work. Especially since I couldn't give a crap about Daredevil till he started writing it. I also stopped reading once he finished.
10. Promethea by Alan Moore and J H Williams III, this was a fantastic read, a meta comic at times, Alan Moores personal religion bible at others, controversial to some, I thought this was a great read. Especially if you can open your mind to the possibility that the realm of the imagination is more powerful than the physical world. More entertaining than "the secret" and just as informative.
Honourable mentions to Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Popgun War by Farel Dalrymple, George Sprott by Seth and Chiariscuro by Troy Little.
I also would have listed From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell as my number one, by I feel it's really from the last decade despite finally seeing full collection and print in 1999.
I also neglected any and all web artists, my apologies, I am bad at following web comics. The Top five Web comics I did try to keep up on:
1. Family Man by Dylan Meconis, amazing art, just go read it, I can't do it justice here.
2. Hark a Vagrant by Kate Beaton, y'know I was trying to get her into a Cloudscape book BEFORE she was a web phenom, but I digress. This strip is funny, and she's earned her success, plus she's still incredibly down to earth. I still owe you a beer Kate!
3. Dar by Erika Moen, another down to earth comicker. I love visiting Erika at her table, she wears her heart on her sleeve in life as she does in her comic. An auto-bio that pulls no punches, the kind I like. It just wrapped up and I am excited to see what we see from her next.
4. Wasted Talent by Angela Melick, she IS in Cloudscape, so I have to. Just kidding! This is a fun strip, and well drawn! Keep your eye on this one.
5. A Mad Tea Party/Lords of Death and Life by Jonathon Dalton, yet another Cloudscaper! Yes Nepotism in action! But seriously Jon makes great comics and you should read them!
I’m really glad to share this piece I’ve done for the Kessels Kramer project New Tapestry that’s all about different illustrators world wide doing pieces about major weekly news events that happened in 2009. They are all going to be assembled together as a modern recreation of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicted the current events of 1066! I had week 49 and chose to do an illustration based on the Queen of England issuing a strong warning newspapers to stop publishing paparazzi photos of the Royal Family. The whole thing can be viewed online starting January 8th.
And with this piece I’m closing out 2009! So much has happened for me this year and I’m so grateful for all my family and friends that helped and supported me through all my adventures. I’m excited to see what the futuristic world of the year TWENTY X will bring! Happy New Year everybody!
Originally published at rosemarytravale.ca. You can comment here or there.
As of tomorrow, it will be 2010, and I will be embarking on a renewed journey to live a more cruelty-free lifestyle.
I will be eating mostly vegan, but I won't BE vegan. I'll be a strict vegetarian who avoids dairy, milk and cheese. To explain: a vegan abstains from ALL animal products, including meat, dairy, cheese, honey, leather, wool, silk, and more. There are animal products in almost everything: bathroom products, and even the pigments in some of the paints I use.
So here will be the guidelines that I will use for myself as of tomorrow:
What I'm looking forward to the most is trying out exciting new recipes.Enjoy the full blue moon tonight, everyone. It's going to be a doozy of a year!
I will be eating mostly vegan, but I won't BE vegan. I'll be a strict vegetarian who avoids dairy, milk and cheese. To explain: a vegan abstains from ALL animal products, including meat, dairy, cheese, honey, leather, wool, silk, and more. There are animal products in almost everything: bathroom products, and even the pigments in some of the paints I use.
So here will be the guidelines that I will use for myself as of tomorrow:
- Transition to a full vegan diet (which I already am doing anyway) as much as possible. For me, this cuts out cheese, and dairy to stricter level. Previously, I have indulged in all kinds of foods that have plenty of dairy, eggs, cheese etc in them. From now on, I will be avoiding these foods to the best of my ability.
- Continue to avoid leather AT ALL. I'm a cheap bitch when it comes to purchasing clothes and shoes anyway so this isn't really a change to how I currently behave, I'll just be keeping a stricter eye on it. I'll also avoid wool, silk, cashmere etc.
- Choose to the best of my ability the most vegan option available when dining out. I am going to HAVE to put myself on a bit of a limb here and ask waiters etc so eliminate cheese, cream etc from dishes. This is where I failed the most last time I called myself 'vegan' (when I wasn't true to the term, really).
- Bye, bye, non-vegan chocolate. Hello, much more expensive, yet much more of a 'treat' vegan varieties!
- My mum is about to live on a hobby farm- if she knits me a beanie or something from wool she has gathered from her own sheep and hand-spun, I'm ok with that. I'll be ok with omelettes made from her well-loved chooks etc as well. This is where I'll probably be seriously deviating from being a true vegan.
- If I come across stuff with honey that I really want to consume that is otherwise vegan, I'll have it. I'll generally avoid it though.
- I will, to the best of my ability, purchase bathroom goods that are as vegan as possible. Lush, Alchemy, etc! Yum! Won't have trouble with this one at all :)
- At the moment, we eat a lot of meat analogues that aren't always vegan. However, my boyfriend is keen to eat them instead of meat to share in my vegetarian ways- we're an especial fan of Sanitarium's 'bacon' strips, which to my knowledge aren't vegan (I think it has some egg in it). So I'll keep eating some of that stuff.
What I'm looking forward to the most is trying out exciting new recipes.Enjoy the full blue moon tonight, everyone. It's going to be a doozy of a year!
link to read it all from the beginning is at the end, kids.
want to read it from the beginning( Y'ALL? )
Woof, I just watched Phantom of the Paradise, and what a tear-jerker! I can see why Jessica Harper (of Suspiria fame, duh) chose the female lead in this over Annie Hall, it might be the saddest story ever told.
want to read it from the beginning( Y'ALL? )
Woof, I just watched Phantom of the Paradise, and what a tear-jerker! I can see why Jessica Harper (of Suspiria fame, duh) chose the female lead in this over Annie Hall, it might be the saddest story ever told.
- Location:East Sneezeville
- Music:The Primitives
- Mood:
giggly
So sure enough, our unborn son has some kind of thing. His right kidney is a little larger than his left, triggering suspicion that the left one is not functioning/developing as it should. We are being referred to a kidney specialist here in the Shwa for both prenatal and post birth care.
Is it serious? No one knows. The geneticist ran through a few scenarios, none that were "fatal", but what can they know before the baby is born?
I feel pretty shitty about this. What away to end a year. I need to remind myself that, ONE, who am I to think the bad will avoid us, and TWO, our kid isn't as of yet, "sick". Aside from the kidney issue, the Ultrasound is all normal, as is the amniotic fluid (a good thing...).
So...
...
Is it serious? No one knows. The geneticist ran through a few scenarios, none that were "fatal", but what can they know before the baby is born?
I feel pretty shitty about this. What away to end a year. I need to remind myself that, ONE, who am I to think the bad will avoid us, and TWO, our kid isn't as of yet, "sick". Aside from the kidney issue, the Ultrasound is all normal, as is the amniotic fluid (a good thing...).
So...
...
- Mood:
crappy
until Jan 2d!
Ok so not only do I have most of my 500 dollars in Threadless store credit left, but I also have a ridiculous amount of street team points (even MORE store credit) and the number grows all the time!
So! I thought I would give 3 people the chance to get any shirt they want from Threadless, free of charge!
Heres how the contest will work:
You need to draw an "undesirable" person (fictional, real, or made up) riding a unicorn, or other mythical beast. You can interpret this any way you like, as long as it is generally PG!
Simply drawing a picture will enter you into the contest, so it does not have to be amazing! Just funny. After 5 PM (eastern time) on January SECOND I will randomly pick three winners!
One entry per person, please!
You must be at least 18 years of age because I don't want to get in trouble for sending a kid a shirt.
The top three will get any shirt they want from Threadless.com (if it's in stock) shipped to them free of charge. I *will* be accepting international entrants, I am just hoping the shipping won't be too much! It probably won't be a problem, though.
I would like to order the winners shirts by January Second or Third so I can take advantage of the $10 sale that's going on, so please have a shirt roughly in mind and maybe a backup shirt in case that one sells out.
Post a comment here with your entry drawing and your LJ username/or name, or the username/name of a friend if thats what you want to do!
If you are posting anonymously, please include an email address so I can contact you if you win!
This is also a good chance for people who have wanted to get a shirt from threadless, but couldn't because it does not take paypal. So hop to it, my lovelies!
Currently at Mount Sinai hospital in Toronto. Seems the baby may have a kidney thing. Waiting to see genetics right now. Ultrasound was ehhnhhh, inconclusive. baby wasn't co operating (kind of like this shitty keyboard but the web is free...). this totally takes the joy out of parenthood, let me tell you.
known about this for weeks but kept quiet. Wanted to see how this appointment went.So far I'm not liking it. been here since 1:15pm. Christ. Here's hoping for the best.
Man.This year started off good (great TCAF, MoCCA, Fanexpo, baby announcement...),but is ending shitty (no TCAF,MoCCA in 2010, and now a baby health scare....)
Fuck me.
known about this for weeks but kept quiet. Wanted to see how this appointment went.So far I'm not liking it. been here since 1:15pm. Christ. Here's hoping for the best.
Man.This year started off good (great TCAF, MoCCA, Fanexpo, baby announcement...),but is ending shitty (no TCAF,MoCCA in 2010, and now a baby health scare....)
Fuck me.
- Location:Mount Sinai Hospital,Toronto
- Mood:
anxious
Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.
My personal early days in comics, was very influenced by Dean Motter’s work. I love whatever Mr. X stuff I could track down and when Terminal City came out, I inhaled that with gusto! His new collection, Condemned, continues the fine tradition. Dean Motter is someone I have wanted to talk to for a while, and it was a great talk that we had.
Hi everybody!
You'll notice that Thingpart has a lot less drawing today. That's because Thingpart is, sadly, no more.
I apologize for the abruptness of this announcement, but it was not a decision I made lightly.
As much as I've loved drawing Thingpart for the last four and a half years, I've decided that I'd rather work on some other comics projects. Most notably, "Just So You Know #2" which should be finished in the next couple months (and hopefully, in the not too distant future, expanded to a graphic novel).
So, don't worry, I'm not finished with comics; I'm just changing direction slightly.
And I'm not finished with this blog. I'll be posting different things on it, though. Pages in progress? Sketches? Hastily drawn gag strips? Who knows?
Thanks to all of you who've come here every week to read my silly little comic strip, Thingpart.
Love,
joey alison sayers
You'll notice that Thingpart has a lot less drawing today. That's because Thingpart is, sadly, no more.
I apologize for the abruptness of this announcement, but it was not a decision I made lightly.
As much as I've loved drawing Thingpart for the last four and a half years, I've decided that I'd rather work on some other comics projects. Most notably, "Just So You Know #2" which should be finished in the next couple months (and hopefully, in the not too distant future, expanded to a graphic novel).
So, don't worry, I'm not finished with comics; I'm just changing direction slightly.
And I'm not finished with this blog. I'll be posting different things on it, though. Pages in progress? Sketches? Hastily drawn gag strips? Who knows?
Thanks to all of you who've come here every week to read my silly little comic strip, Thingpart.
Love,
joey alison sayers
I just got a new phone - in case you've tried calling me recently, the number should be working again!
Money is still trickling in for Everything Dies, if you haven’t gotten in on the awesome rewards available for donating you still have a few weeks left. Remember this project is now fully funded and all rewards will be mailed. Get your copies of Everything Dies before they are for sale!
My mum's friend needed some pictures to use for practice story-boarding at her editing job so I chucked these together for her one day.
As you can see from this I cannot draw people. What you cannot see from my last few weeks of drawing (cause I haven't shown you yet) is that I am learning! I have improved a lot in the last week alone.
Also! I am doing hourly comics for tomorrow, New Years Eve, up until I fall asleep after partying. Hopefully I get up to some interesting things so as to make good comics. I suggest that everyone else gets on board the New Years Eve Hourly Comics Bandwagon.
- Music:Hesitating Beauty - Billy Bragg and Wilco
Ok, this one was just an excuse to get all obsessively fetishistic about drawing hair and bodily secretions. I worked from a photo, if it that isn't abundantly clear. Pffthaha, as if I could draw that realistically from memory...
It's kinda fun every once in a while to try a more realistic style, although I'll always been a cartoonist at heart -- which is obvious with the next one. It's just more entertaining to go a little crazier with the expressions and stuff. Trying for photo-realism just deprives you of all that fun!
-----
Also:
"Leksand, SWEDEN -- "Jump for Joy" suddenly got a whole new meaning to it as Henrik Andersen scored his first goal of the season in his Leksand jersey, Andersen celebrated by jumping into the boards, but something went wrong..."
In 25 years of watching hockey, I have never seen that happen. What are those fucking boards put together with? Twine and snot?
It's kinda fun every once in a while to try a more realistic style, although I'll always been a cartoonist at heart -- which is obvious with the next one. It's just more entertaining to go a little crazier with the expressions and stuff. Trying for photo-realism just deprives you of all that fun!
-----
Also:
"Leksand, SWEDEN -- "Jump for Joy" suddenly got a whole new meaning to it as Henrik Andersen scored his first goal of the season in his Leksand jersey, Andersen celebrated by jumping into the boards, but something went wrong..."
In 25 years of watching hockey, I have never seen that happen. What are those fucking boards put together with? Twine and snot?
I am very much having a chilled time of late. It is very strange to be in a position of absolute leisure. I could definitely get used to it. I've been able to tend to the garden, walk the dog more often, paint, read- and even 'game'! All these things that get quite neglected when I am working. I wish I somehow was able to manage my time better to do all these things all of the time.
Today I've been playing on polyvore constructing dream outfits. It reminds me of when I played Barbies when I was little. I get a little overcome with a feverish desire to have cash to spend on all of these outfits! The internet-wide smorgasboard of Polyvore does make it seem a little more within reach. Deep, deep inside, I have a fashion maven bursting to come forth. I wanted to be a fashion illustrator before I wanted to be an art teacher. I learnt how to draw from buying outdated pattern catalogues from places like Textile Traders and copying the illustrations. Between those and How to Draw- The Marvel Way you can probably gather where the comic-style taint in my technique for drawing figures has probably come from.
I've loosely based these concepts on a possible stage persona that may or may not ever get realised. I'd like to get even a little more outrageous but it's my first play with these ideas!
A little bit steampunk, a little bit... dominatrix? Whoops!
Slightly Erisian maybe? I like me a little green. Notice a preference for utilitarian boots?
This one, perhaps, is a little too mainstream pop-starlet. Entirely accidental really, but I didn't realise that until just now. Love those heels though- and the black cuff. Definitely not a heel lover though. The slashed tights are possibly a little too on-trend aswell. I think they're super cool though.
Today I've been playing on polyvore constructing dream outfits. It reminds me of when I played Barbies when I was little. I get a little overcome with a feverish desire to have cash to spend on all of these outfits! The internet-wide smorgasboard of Polyvore does make it seem a little more within reach. Deep, deep inside, I have a fashion maven bursting to come forth. I wanted to be a fashion illustrator before I wanted to be an art teacher. I learnt how to draw from buying outdated pattern catalogues from places like Textile Traders and copying the illustrations. Between those and How to Draw- The Marvel Way you can probably gather where the comic-style taint in my technique for drawing figures has probably come from.
I've loosely based these concepts on a possible stage persona that may or may not ever get realised. I'd like to get even a little more outrageous but it's my first play with these ideas!
A little bit steampunk, a little bit... dominatrix? Whoops!
Slightly Erisian maybe? I like me a little green. Notice a preference for utilitarian boots?
This one, perhaps, is a little too mainstream pop-starlet. Entirely accidental really, but I didn't realise that until just now. Love those heels though- and the black cuff. Definitely not a heel lover though. The slashed tights are possibly a little too on-trend aswell. I think they're super cool though.
- Mood:
geeky
My lovely parents bought me a ukulele for Christmas! The one that ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
boofuls gave me for my birthday is a cute red one which I still love, but it's more of a starter. This one has an output jack and it sounds amazing! It has a really mellow sound.
I hope your holidays have been lovely, too!
boofuls gave me for my birthday is a cute red one which I still love, but it's more of a starter. This one has an output jack and it sounds amazing! It has a really mellow sound.I hope your holidays have been lovely, too!
A 40min (I think) digi painting of Christopher from District 9 :) Reference used. That was such a great film :|
I haven't done fan art in a looong time!
Originally published at Inkstuds. You can comment here or there.
I never really do best of lists, so please don’t consider it a best of list. I did this for the Daily Cross Hatch. The work on the list is more like a list of stuff I like and I think people should check out. There is a lot of other comics that I have enjoyed immensely, and if you want more suggestions, email me or just listen to some of the 200 interviews here. The image above is provided by the wonderful Noah Van Sciver. I plan on looking like that on New Years Eve.
BEST OF 2009
Pim and Francie by Al Columbia–This book shows what happens when you allow a cartoonist to do the work that they want to do, with out interference. I really think the world of Al’s work. Some of his Mome stuff has been amazing and he show’s no sign of slowing down or letting up.
A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi–Meeting Tatsumi at TCAF was a highlight of the year. The man was getting some well deserved attention and in turn, he was extremely generous with the folks there. My sketched in copy is a prize of the Inkstuds collection.
Spot 12: The Story of a Birth by Jenny Jaeckel–This is probably removed from everyones radar. I bought this off a friend that was selling it for her at a small comic convention in Vancouver. This Xeric grant winning book is an autobio story in the tradition of amphromphsizing the story to really boiled it down to the basic properties. I had no idea this comic even came from Vancouver!
You Are There by Jacques Tardi–I have been a fan of Tardi’s for a very long time and when I heard that Fantagraphics was going to start reprinting work, I was was pretty stoked. Both You Are There and West Coast Blues are fantastic. West Coast Blues serves a great purpose of showing all those guys doing cheesy crime comics, how it’s really done. You Are There on the other hand, really stands out to me even more, because of the way that he is able to play with the medium and push the comics to a point of no return.
Complete Jack Survives by Jerry Moriarty–A fine work that could have been lost to obscurity but thanks to the devotion of Alvin Buenaventura and Chris Ware, Jerry Moriarty’s masterpiece sees the light day for a new generation of cartoonists to learn from. This book works on a couple of different levels. First of, it’s cartooning or as Jerry refers to himself, paintooning at its best. Secondly is to understand how Jerry is able to break comics down into a way that hearkens to Bushmiller’s Nancy. Jerry is able to express so much with minimal activity, providing a snapshot of a point in time and a visceral experience at the same time. Buy this book!
BEST OF THE 2000’s
Journal #45 Life After Black by Barron Storey—I can’t say enough about how important Barron is. It is really a shame about the high price of the book and its limited print run. Barron is doing something in this comic that stretches the expectations of what one can do with a traditional narrative and beating it with a very large stick.
Louis Riel by Chester Brown—This book makes me proud to be a Canadian. Not only is Chester Brown a national cartooning treasure, but his take on the life of one the more formidable figures in Canadian history is unapolagetically honest and succinct. It’s an odd book, because in one way, Chester is the only cartoonist that makes war look so boring, but that seems to be his purpose. There is no glorification of events and hero making. Chester is more involved in deconstructing some essential Canadian myths.
Kramers Ergot #4 by Various—This is like the art comic equivalent of NWA’s “Straight Out of Compton.” Sammy Harkham and company put together a really amazing collection from beginning to end. For a lot of people, this was there first exposure to some of the more interesting art comics folks producing work. I don’t think that any of the previous Kramers have really stepped up the game as much as this book. It seems like the later volumes seemed to try and and create to follow the mold, but whole point of KE 4, was that they broke the mold.
Don’t Go Where I Can’t Follow by Anders Nilsen—Heart breaking and beautiful.
Notes for a War Story by Gipi–Where the hell did this guy come from! Amazing. i wish comics were always this good.
Black Hole by Charles Burns—I don’t know if i can add anything new that hasn’t already been said about this book. One of the master’s of comics creating his masterpiece.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Kim Deitch—It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Kim’s work. This book show’s that he is at the top of his game. He seems to get better with time and with each book better than the last, but this is the one that sticks out to me, as really breaking through and making a strong impact beyond his the underground roots.
Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter—I don’t know if i can really do this book justice in describing why it’s important. Panter is able to weave several stories through a dizzying complex of illustrated narratives. This book can be a challenge to read, but well worth it, once you start to explore the parts that create the whole. It’s a shame that this is so out of print now, I think of all the academic work that is being done around comics, this is probably the most deserving and essential. Each page comes carefully notated at the bottom, citing the literary sources that he uses. It creates this interesting blend where in one part you have original canto by Dante as the theme and the dialogue is an amalgamation of Classical, Biblical and Renaissance literature. With all this fancy literature, Panter places images of modern pop iconography and somehow it all makes sense, especially once you dig deep and understand how the narrative and context in each quote works together.
Schizo #4 by Ivan Brunetti—Dear Ivan, please please put out another issue. I love the anthologies you do, but I think its time for some more comics.. In an interview I did with him a couple of years ago, Ivan mentioned that he was working on a strip about Jeff Magnum from Neutral Milk Hotel. I would be happy with just that. Please Ivan, make an Inkstud happy.
Acme Novelty #19 by Chris Ware—It’s really hard for me to pick my favorite work by Chris for the decade. Acme #19 is probably the most evolved and dynamic of his output. I am sure there are a million and one reviews of this book, written by better writers than myself, so i will just say that I really liked it and you should too.
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