This Week In WWAC History: Reviews Matter

Crack Comics 01, digital comics museum

With a new year comes my new attitude toward comics. Last year I spent money based on what I thought I’d like. This year I want to spend my money on comics I know I’ll like. That’s why reviews are becoming more and more important in my purchasing decisions. Lucky for me, WWAC gives honest reviews on a variety of comics.

For example, on January 6, 2014, Megan reviewed Yahrzeit by Leela Corman,

In 1939 Leela Corman’s grandfather was caught up in the events of of the second world war. It isn’t so much the war that haunts her, but her grandfather.

Corman is walking home one day when an ordinary neighbourhood turns into something fantastical. Trees bend, roots and branches reach out for her, drawing her into the portal that’s formed between them. Through that portal, “in that life, my first child is still alive.” She doesn’t step into the portal. Instead she thinks about her grandfather. That’s just the first page of this five page comic. Corman accomplishes all of this—setting the scene, commenting on the boundaries between the external world and the imaginary, dropping a gut wrenching bombshell—in one page. This is efficient, evocative cartooning.

yahrzeit page onePage two is dedicated to her grandfather. It’s dominated by the trunk and roots of a dark tree and the image of her grandfather carrying a rifle. The roots mark off asymmetrical, odd-sized panels that explore the possibilities of a family story—which is the truth? It doesn’t matter, really; both are awful. I find the weight of the page interesting. The tree towers over everything, but the image of Corman’s grandfather and his brother hiding in a literal hole in the ground under the tree is powerful too. Those “nineteen others,” who hid in that hole with them, are just eyes peeking out from behind branches. This is emblematic of Corman’s cartooning throughout. She uses the page to its utmost, parcelling it out in unusual ways. I like the abundance of thick black ink and imperfect lines. (Dry brush making an appearance here?) I like the simplicity of her figures—it lets their gestures speak for themselves. Of everything in this comic, the leaves are rendered with the most tidiness. READ MORE

There are also reviews on anthologies like this review of Strumpet, January 8, 2014,

Strumpet Issue 3, comic anthology, women in comicsThe transatlantic anthology Strumpet, a black and white comic featuring all women creators, sees its third volume take on the topic of taste. So what is the verdict? We’d be going back for seconds if we weren’t so full!

Plenty of parallels exist between the culinary world and comics. Like chefs, comic book creators are clearly passionate about their medium and find inspiration after consuming the work of their peers. Kitchens are as collaborative an environment as the world of comics. The Strumpet creators, alone in their kitchens and across continents, approach the subject of taste from every angle possible, from historical pieces, to autobiographical works, recipe comics, and horror tinged tales about things no one would want to eat. There are home cooked comics, made with love; tasty treats that are short and sweet; even a few that, intentionally, leave a bitter taste in your mouth. There are rare pieces in this issue that feel like they have come from the kitchen of a master in the making. That is definitely one of the selling point for anthologies like Strumpet; it is an opportunity to get in on the ground floor and witness developing creators hone their skills. You’re sure to discover one or two talents worth following in this book.

In addition to the comics themselves, interviews and reviews within the book also illustrate a recent surge in food centric comics. These non-comic highlights include an interview with Sarah Beacon, creator of webcomicSauceome, a review of Get Jiro, written by Anthony Bourdain, Joel Rose, and drawn by Langdon Foss, and several other reviews of food related graphic novels from the shelves of Strumpet contributors. This bonus material adds depth to the anthology, as it gives these newer creators and their work context within the larger world of culinary comics. READ MORE

You’ll also find reviews from the Big Two. Here we have a review of Batwoman #26, January 15, 2014,

batwoman 26 panel*Sigh*

I could leave it at that, but then you’d have no idea what I’m sighing about. Which, while potentially hilarious, would mean that I wouldn’t have the chance to go on at great length about my favorite comic book subject:Batwoman.

We all know how much I love the comic, the character, the premise … just everything about Batwoman. When I quit reading comic books years ago, it was Batwoman with the New 52 that brought me back and has, until recently, kept me going. And while my triumphant return to comics has introduced me to other phenomenal characters, Batwoman will forever maintain a special place in my heart.

When my Comixology pull list indicated that there would be a new Batwoman last week, I was skeptical. I didn’t even go to my shop to pick up, thinking that it wasn’t going to be there, since it was still advertising for what would have been the epic finale of JH Williams III, and W. Haden Blackman’s run. I was delighted, however, to pick it up today and after my first read-through, I can say one thing for sure about this new take on Batwoman: Marc Andreyko and Jeremy Haun are no Williams and Blackman.

That said, I’ll clarify that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I read an interesting article that discussed the changing climate in comic book culture, where fans cling to the creative team behind a book more now than had really been experienced in the past. There was a time in my life where I didn’t care who wrote a book as long as my first comic book love, Rogue, was in the story. But when I heard that Gail Simone was fired from Batgirl, not too long ago, I very nearly dropped the series just because the writer who had made me love the character wasn’t going to be telling anymore Batgirl stories. I very nearly did the same thing when news broke about Williams and Blackman leaving Batwoman. Ten years ago, I might not have even noticed the change, save for some art differences. Now, who’s putting a book together is enough of a pull to get me to read something. Simone writing Red Sonja got me to read a sword and sorcery book I’d never have tried otherwise. Matt Fraction’s got me reading five different books. Amy Reeder’s got me reading Rocket Girl, and, faithful to JH Williams III that I am, I even picked up The Sandman Overture #1. READ MORE

790f68803ec68ca87639c37f277cedd9Not only does WWAC review comics, but to mix things up, you’ll even find cartoonist profiles such as the one on Howard Hardiman, January 13, 2014,

Howard Hardiman fucking loves sign-language, knows quite a lot about ketamine, and has a smile for strangers that I’d bet stops babies crying. He’s the creator of The Lengths and Badger, co-creator onAngela and The Invalids, as well as Artist in Residence at Quay Arts on the Isle of Wight. He used to be a sign-language interpreter and has a way of saying “diversity strands” and “intersectionality” like they’re obvious common sense (I’m not arguing). Hardiman’s been coming to Leeds for Thought Bubble–his favoured UK convention–for “ages”. This is where I find him, Saturday, November the twenty-third, 2013. These are his books.

———————–

Angela2Angela is a collaboration with poet Chrissy Williams, an illustrated chapbook more than a comic proper, and in the artist’s words a story from the perspective of an “obsessed stalker” who cannot differentiate between “Angela Lansbury” and “Jessica B Fletcher”–Lansbury’s character in that good ol’ eighties-nineties New Englandy detective drama Murder She Wrote. Turn on your TV; an episode will eventually play.

Hardiman was initially keen to do the project as he wanted to improve his skill at likenesses, but found the greatest artistic resistance in the classic MSW title-sequence typewriter. “You should have just used the computer from the later seasons!”, I chide helpfully. But it is a very nicely done typewriter. As for the likenesses–I recently bought a new wardrobe and hold no greater ambition for it than to line the drawers with wallpaper, as a Victorian (Edwardian?) maiden might; line them with wallpaper printed from Howard Hardiman’s Lansbury Faces pattern (seen on the frontispiece and end-paper). Perhaps I am closer to the narrator of this poem than might be prudent to admit. Forgive my filthy bias. It’s a very good little book. READ MORE

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Melinda Pierce

Melinda Pierce

Contributor for WWAC, mother of 2 mini-geeks, writer, and girl geek. Dreams of having enough time to write Veronica Mars fanfiction. @melindabpierce

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