Deconstructing Comics

If you think you’ve read a book like As I Dream of You before, you’re probably wrong. Yes, it’s about a romance between two teenagers, and yes, it turns tragic, but it’s the way the story is told that sets it apart, intentionally misleading you in several ways that give it heft and make rereads obligatory, just to absorb everything the book is doing. The story is by Jennifer Lee , writer and director of Frozen and other animated films; the artist is LeUyen Pham , who comes from the world of children’s book illustration but has honed her comics storytelling chops quite well. This week she talks with Tim about how those two disciplines differ, working with Jennifer Lee, inspiration from Craig Thompson and Marjane Satrapi, the meaning in this book’s coloring, and more. Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Well, it was probably inevitable: we were sent a comic made with A.I. The human creator cops to using it for the art, but the story also as an A.I. feel. Is it any good? Is it ethical to present it as “art”? Tim and Adam discuss. Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon

This time we’re rejoined by Adam Tierney , writer of Romeo and Juliet and Godzilla, as well as Italian artist Saspy . From opposite sides of the planet, they’ve collaborated on a new comedy/horror/YA graphic novel from IDW, 13 Demons Dead . Meanwhile, Koom has been at Fan Expo Canada. He’s done a brief interview with John Rhys-Davies (Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Sallah in the Indiana Jones series) and a longer talk with Captain Canuck co-creator Richard Comely . Is there a connection between Captain Canuck and Captain Canada? ( Which Captain Canada?) He talks about how he’s increasingly used the character to make a political statement, and more. Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Our supporters on Patreon

This week we finally return to Jack Kirby ’s 1970s run on Black Panther , specifically issues 9 and 10. With Panther away during a crisis, his four relatives step up and become the Black Musketeers ! Will they be comedically inept? Racially cringey? Or maybe they’ll turn out to be so great that everybody will forget about T’Challa! Also, Panther’s plight takes an amusing turn as he encounters a sci-fi film shoot in the African desert… hmmm… Brought to you by: Quarter Bin podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Consider the Incredible Hulk. He’s often referred to as the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Marvel Universe. But is he really Jekyll and Hyde on a deep level? Paul has been studying the early Hulk comics, looking at the various framings that were tried soon after the character’s debut. Does Banner turn to Hulk when the sun goes down? Can he become Hulk whenever he wants? Does Rick Jones have hypnotic control over the Hulk? These were all tried in the wacky six-issue run of Hulk’s book in 1962 and ‘63 before it was canceled. This week, a look at the struggle to arrive at the tropes of the Hulk! Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon

This summer’s Supergirl movie, while not nearly as good as sliced bread, was compelling enough to make Tim curious as to how it compares with the comic it’s based on, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Tim recruited Emmet to join in and consider questions such as: Why did this movie get made? How do we feel about the original comic? Is the movie a good adaptation? Did the story changes to the film hurt or help it? Here’s that discussion! Comic Tropes video on Bilquis Evely Brought to you by: Emmet’s comic The Shadow of Night Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Doomwar is a 2010 miniseries in which Dr. Doom sponsors a coup in Wakanda in order to get his hands on all the country’s processed vibranium. As we continue to celebrate 60 years of the Black Panther , Tim is joined by Professor Alan , whose Doomspeak podcast celebrates Dr. Doom, a character who will be cinematically very relevant in a few short months! With writing by Jonathan Maberry and art by Scot Eaton , Doomwar is a series that raises a number of questions, whether in the text itself or simply in the minds of reviewers: In what circumstances is a violent response justified? How violent? Should superhero comics, which run on their own progression of time, bring in real-life U.S. Presidents and significant events? While an issue cover with a spoiler may be justified for marketing that issue, should it really be included in the trade? Brought to you by: Doomspeak podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Emil Wilson is the author of the new graphic novel The Nightingales , about a family in 1985 who take in an AIDS patient. The book shows us the panic and misinformation that prevailed about the disease then, and government apathy about a disease that was mainly killing gay men. Wilson is a former advertising man who went to comics school in his 50s. Tim talks with him about the book. Novelist William Bernhardt also joins Tim to talk about his exhaustively researched nonfiction book The Superman Wars , a history of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s battle over ownership of Superman and recognition as his creators. All superhero fans know the outlines of this controversy, but this book fills in all the details. Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon

Superhero comics have been parodied for as long as they’ve existed. This time Tim and Kumar look at two books by comics insiders that satirized the predominant comics of their respective eras: Scott McCloud ‘s Destroy! The Loudest Comic-Book in the Universe!! (1986) distills ’80s comics to their essence: superpowered guys punching each other; and Grant Morrison & a bevy of artists poke sharp satirical sticks at the comics of The Guys who Would Be Image in Doom Force Special #1 (1992), right down to the excessive speed lines, nonsense powers, and ankles that would never support an adult human’s weight. Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Our supporters on Patreon

A number of interesting graphic novels have been brought to our attention recently — works with laugh-out-loud moments and deeper meanings as well. We review three of them in this episode: Heaven by Katie Skelly is a Fantagraphics book about a haunted strip club. Jason joins Tim to discuss it. Was That Normal? by Alex Potts (Avery Hill) gives us a neurodivergent main character and a vague threat from a crumbling tower. Adam and Tim review it. John of the Night (Avery Hill) is a wild scifi epic by Darryl Cunningham. As Emmet and Tim will discuss, Cunningham normally publishes fact-based comics journalism, such as bios of Ayn Rand and Vladimir Putin, but this time he turns in a really enjoyable work of fiction. Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon

FLASHBACK! In 1970, four students died when national guardsman inexplicably opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University. The craziness of 2020 has hindered planned observances of the craziness of 1970, but we do get this: Derf Backderf ‘s Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio , a moving account of May 1-4, 1970, through the eyes of those who lost their lives. In this episode, Tim and Kumar review the book, to be released September 8, and then Tim chats with Derf himself, answering our questions about the tragedy and the book. (Originally published September 2, 2020.) Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Our supporters on Patreon

While the characterization of Spidey in Amazing Spider-Man 2 is still spot-on, not much else in the movie is. Tim and Mulele discuss the myriad problems, and occasional strong points, of this 2014 film. (Originally published on Patreon July 4, 2020.) Brought to you by: Doomspeak podcast Our supporters on Patreon

After Sam Raimi bailed on doing any more Spidey movies, Sony decided to reboot. So, ten years after Spider-man 1, viewers got a new version of Spider-man’s origin story – a long, drawn out one with no catharsis (or did we blink and miss it?). One could call this movie unnecessary, as Mulele does, but Tim finally got the Spidey characterization he’s been waiting for! Tim and Mulele review. (Originally published on Patreon June 6, 2020.) Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon

The adventure in the Samurai City comes to a close, and Panther attempts to get back to Wakanda . As a vibranium-related crisis unfolds in his homeland, various roadblocks appear in Panther’s path to ratchet up the tension. Can he get home in time? Can his geeky relatives help stave off disaster? Who knew this about vibranium? Tim and Emmet react to surprise twists in Wakanda’s past. Brought to you by: Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi passed away on June 4. This week, Tim and Kumar recall their initial reactions to that book and talk a bit about her life and legacy. Then, we revisit segments of past episodes in which Tim and Brandon discussed Satrapi’s work: Persepolis review from episode 91, published September 3, 2007. `Persepolis 2 and the film version of Persepolis reviewed in episode 185, published June 22, 2009. Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon

(Concluding our review of past episodes featuring the work of R. Crumb.) FLASHBACK! Tim and Kumar meet in person for the first time! This calls for a podcast, but… what to review? We discuss the movie Crumb , which features not only the expected discussion of R. Crumb’s work (including an objective look at the question of whether some of the … discomforting subjects of his work should really have been published as “art”), but also a fascinating portrait of the dysfunctional family he grew up in. Then, Tim and Brandon clash over Sean Murphy’s Punk Rock Jesus , in which a former Irish Republican Army member acts as a bodyguard in a reality show claiming to be creating the clone of Jesus Christ. Is it objective and well-written, or a promo brochure for atheism? (Originally published November 2, 2015)

FLASHBACK! Perhaps one of the most puzzling comics releases in years was The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb. While it’s a virtuoso art performance, the exact purpose of the book was puzzling to Crumb fans (“It’s not a parody?!”) and religious readers (“This comic is not for kids?!”) alike. Both groups have been taken aback by how straight Crumb plays it — neither parodying nor bowdlerizing the work. That’s not to say that nothing in it is Crumb’s own interpretation. Tim and John discuss the issues raised — both by Crumb and by his audience. (Originally published August 18, 2014.) Brought to you by: Face the Music ELO podcast Our supporters on Patreon

FLASHBACK! Weirdo was a magazine started by R. Crumb, which featured Crumb’s work alongside that of a number of other underground-type comics creators. Crumb’s work from Weirdo’s 28 issues was collected in 2013 as R. Crumb: The Weirdo Years, 1981-’93 , released in the U.S. by Last Gasp. It features an astonishing variety of comics work, from Crumb rants and confessionals to a 1906 psychiatric report on sexual deviancy, fumetti, parodies, and more. This is a book that Deconstructing Comics can’t help but review, so this week Kumar and Tim do their podcasting duty! (Originally published December 16, 2013.) R. Crumb’s Snapshots: Source Material of the Legendary Comic Artist (TIME.com) Brought to you by: To the Batpoles! podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Westron is about a private investigator who investigates crimes with supernatural elements. When a girl is murdered, he feels driven to solve the crime by the memory of a childhood friend who was killed. Tim and Jason look into the case of this comic by Shawn McBee, Maciej Jankowski, Nicolas Nieto, and Matia De Vincenzo! Westron on Kickstarter

At last we complete our look at Alan Moore ‘s Swamp Thing run, looking at Swampy’s battle with Gotham City, his seeming death, and his travels through space. Along the way, Tim and Kumar have totally different takes on a certain issue, and Tim finds a fact about it that scandalizes Kumar. Join us as we traverse The Saga of the Swamp Thing issues 51-64! What are those folks on Rann saying? Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon