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On Comics

All my pieces for The Comics Journal can be found here

Features:

‘Marsupilami Reanimated’ – My review of the excellent new Marsupilami story, a new take on Franquin’s legendary creature, and interview with its creators Zidrou and Frank Pé.

‘High Gear: An Appreciation Of Maurice Tillieux’ – One of my favourite comics artists and writers. I spoke with Joost Swarte, François Walthéry, Hanco Kolk, Stephen Desberg, Luc Cornillon, and Roby Joffo to provide some information in English on this Belgian master’s life and work.

Hanco Kolk – “A Fine Line” – My attempt to introduce the stylish minimal line work of this Dutch master to the English speaking world.

‘Must…Remember….’: 40 Years of Humanoids  – a look at the company that brought us The Incal, and so much more…

‘The Comet Of Chaland’ – There isn’t much information available in English on the excellent French comics artist, Yves Chaland, who died far too young at the age of 33 back in 1990. I decided to rectify this and spoke to Hanco Kolk, Joost Swarte, Luc Cornillon, Didier Pasamonik, and Bruno Lecigne to give a picture of his life and work.

Psychedelic Brilliance: The Teardrop Explodes’ Marvelous Origin Story – chatting to the band members about that issue of Daredevil where they found their band name

“Drawn From Life: The Archies – Alex Segura and Joe Eisma on the New Comic Book Series”– I interviewed 2/3 of The Archies team about the new series which has CHVRCHES making a guest appearance in issue #3. This piece originally appeared in Under The Radar’s Fall 2017 issue.

As If By Magic: Report on Angoulême Festival 2014

Je Suis Ici: Report on Angoulême Festival 2015

Interviews:

‘We Need Voices’: Gerard Way on His DC Comics Imprint ‘Young Animal’, Music, and Making Art To Make A Difference .

Joost Swarte: Scratching The Surface.
 Always a pleasure to speak with Joost Swarte, here about his first magazine in 40 years, Scratches.

Brecht Evens: Pantherman
 . A very interesting chat with the wild man of Flemish comics.

‘Let’s Get Physical’: An Interview with Elsa Charretier – talking to the French artist about her new Kickstarter book, ‘feminist art’, how to record a commentary for an Image Comic, the merits of getting out there and taking chances, and working with Matt Fraction on November.

‘Little Universes’: An Interview with Roman Muradov – talking to one of my favourite artists about the influence of The Fall, his wide tastes in literature, On Doing Nothing, and what it’s like to look back on one’s past art.

Haarlem Knight: Joost Swarte. Was great to chat to Joost about his love of music and involvement in Dutch records

“The Unease of the Modern Occidental Male”: Frederik Peeters  – talking to the Swiss comics artist about sci-fi, inner landscapes, and the writing process

Dreaming Magical Animals: Renaud Dillies  – I LOVE Renaud Dillies’ work, everyone should know Régis Hautière and his Abelard, one of the best stories I’ve ever read – “Dillies’ mixture of wonder, sadness, and humour beautifully capture the struggle to keep your dreams alive against the despair of the world, and the enchantment life bestows on such determination.”

Goddess Club 7: Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie 
– chatting to The Wicked + The Divinecreators about POP, problematic people, and puns

Reviews:

Brain Drain Vol. 1 & 2 – “During the autopsy after Albert Einstein’s death in April 1955, pathologist Dr. Thomas Stoltz Harvey removed and stole the great scientist’s brain. Much to one’s surprise, this is actually true, and it is from this already bizarre real life incident that cartoonist Pierre-Henry Gomont weaves an even stranger story, stylish and highly enjoyable.” (The Comics Journal)

Gentlemind – “one of the comics to read this year. It straddles both the Europe and America of the 1940s, with its setting and tone being New York City, while its feel is definitely European. Juan Díaz Canales & Teresa Valero capture something of the spirit of those times and their story has a soul of its own, which Lapone’s art animates to another level.” (The Comics Journal)

The old ‘Behold!’ Quietus Comics Round-Ups can be found scrolling through here. Some good stuff in there – Frederik Peeters’ Aama, Joann Sfar’s Pascin,  Scott McCloud’s The Sculptor, David B’s Incidents In The Night, Typex’s Rembrandt, Gillen & McKelvie’s The Wicked + The Divine, Pierre Gabus & Romuald Reutimann’s The Fantastic Voyage of Lady Rozenbilt and District 14,  Saverio Tenuta’s Legend of the Scarlet Blades, Gabriella Giandelli’s Interiorae,  Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Seconds, a few Jodorowskys, and many more.

Also here are two short pieces done early on, right at the beginning of my being Comics Editor for The Quietus:

Fafi’s The Carmine Vault

Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s One Model Nation

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