Critiquing Comics #237: "Detective Perez: Autotropolis" and "Griz Grobus"
Release Date: 06/19/2024
#816 Chester Brown interview: "Paying for It," the movie
Deconstructing Comics
Chester Brown’s work has come up on this show a number of times over the years. We’ve discussed , , and . He’s actually published 10 graphic novels since 1989, some of which are collections of his comics series. In connection with the recent premiere of the movie version of , our own Koom got a chance to interview Brown for this week's show! Check out Koom's novel, Brought to you by:
info_outline
#593 "Reading 'Nancy'”, plus “Cat and Mouse”!
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! A comic strip gag can be a deceptively simple thing. Once you take it apart -- "deconstruct" it, one might say -- you find that it actually has many moving parts. (Click to enlarge) Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden's takes a close look at each of those parts -- as well as arguing persuasively for Bushmiller's underrated artistic chops, and giving us some comic-strip history as well. Tim and Patrick review. PLUS: , Dean Zachary, and Kevin Gallegly join Tim to talk about the of Cat and Mouse! (Originally published May 21, 2018.) Brought to you by:
info_outline
Critiquing Comics #239: "Let's Go, Coco" and "Digital Bardos"
Deconstructing Comics
What does an 11-year-old do when her "only friend" moves away? In Coco Fox's "sorta" memoir , she joins the basketball team. But when you're a pre-teen, everything's fraught with challenges. Tim and Adam discuss this book - aimed at middle schoolers, but recommended for all ages. As far from that world as possible is the first issue of King Klaus' Digital Bardos (now live on ). It introduces us to Darren -- make that "All-Mighty Darren," a digital god. The issue begins to answer the question of how he got that way. Tim and Jason critique. Brought to you by:
info_outline
#338 Everything’s Archie!
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! It’s been more than 70 years now since the debut of Archie comics, featuring (though not quite from the beginning) America’s favorite love triangle of Archie, Veronica, and Betty. Along with Jughead, Reggie, and the rest of the gang, these characters keep us coming back for more, changing with the times while still presenting an idealized America where drugs, booze, and sex seem not to exist. This week Tim talks with Archie ubercollector (and Back Issue Manager) Jack Copley about what keeps Archie interesting, some of his favorite stories and creators, and “The Archie...
info_outline
#815 Jack Kirby's "Eternals", #9-12: Judging books by their covers
Deconstructing Comics
Eternals are only human, I guess! In issues 9-12, many of the Eternals exhibit a segregationist attitude toward the Deviants, and just about everybody assumes Karkas is going to kick the Reject's butt in a fight based solely on how they look. Meanwhile, are the Celestials kind, or sadistic? Tim and Emmet discuss Jack Kirby's statements on prejudice, as well as a shocking turn of events for a group of Soviet generals, pioneering the concept of dozens of superpowered beings in costumes all hanging out together, and... exclamation points! Brought to you by:
info_outline
#134 “The R. Crumb Handbook”
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! A then-recent R. Crumb compilation is reviewed by a Crumb connoisseur (Kumar) and a Crumb newbie (Tim). The book features Crumb at his sweetest and his most shocking. But can this (or any book) claim to be the perfect Crumb compilation? (Originally published June 30, 2008.) Brought to you by:
info_outline
Critiquing Comics #238: "Jane Jet" and "The Fog Within"
Deconstructing Comics
Once again we take a look at some comics submitted by their creators; we talk about what we liked about them and what could have been better. , by writer Amal Desai and artist Paul Essenson, recalls Dave Stevens’ Rocketeer -- the art, the jet-pack concept, the time period -- but it deals with a woman getting out of an abusive relationship. Tim and Jason critique. , by writer Sean Wood and artist Deivid Deon, is a post-apocalyptic science fiction story, which... might have a few too many story elements. Tim and Adam discuss issues 1 and 2. Brought to you by:
info_outline
#591 “Promethea”: A mind-bending, life-changing comic
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! While Alan Moore and J.H. Williams’ , published from 1999 to 2005, is not one of Moore’s most remembered works, it’s not because the author wasn’t at the top of his game. Kumar and Emmet find it to be entrancing, even if you don’t buy into the various magical and spiritual elements that Moore built into it. Also, inevitably, the incorporation of Promethea and other Moore creations into the DC Universe comes up; is it really just a business decision, or is the publisher singling out Moore’s work out of spite? (Originally published April 30, 2018.) Brought to you by:
info_outline
#296 "Little Orphan Annie"
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! Harold Gray’s Little Orphan Annie debuted in 1924 and was a big success. FDR having not yet turned him against organized labor, Gray shows hardworking Annie going on strike in one of her many jobs. Tim and Kumar discuss the ’20s strips, their strengths and idiosyncrasies (one strip=one day?!), and how Gray’s outlook changed later. In observance of the strip's 100th anniversary, we re-present this episode! (Originally published September 26, 2011.) Brought to you by:
info_outline
"Captain Marvel" (2019)
Deconstructing Comics
Back in , Tim and Mulele discussed 2019's Captain Marvel; Tim enjoyed it, Mulele did not. Now that we've arrived at the time to give it a full review as part of "Tim Catches Up with the MCU," another viewing has helped us both to clarify our positions and see things we didn't realize the first time around. Join us as we take a somewhat more nuanced look at the film. (Originally published on Patreon February 29, 2020) Brought to you by:
info_outline
Paul Pate releases his third "Detective Perez" graphic novel, called Autotropolis, a turned-to-eleven detective story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Tim and Jason find a lot to like and not too terribly much to advise on -- though of course almost any work can still be improved! Right?
Griz Grobus, the latest from Simon Roy, is about a robot advocate for eating your veggies on a planet where humans have settled just in the past few hundred years. It's also about how the spirit of a war god ends up in the body of... well, that would be telling. Tim and Adam discuss whether, in this case, maybe a work can't possibly be improved!
Brought to you by: