A quote from Megan Abbot’s Dare Me made the rounds on Tumblr a few years ago: “There’s something dangerous about the boredom of teenage girls.” Maybe Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle had that quote in mind as they penned Squad, an original young adult graphic novel following Becca as she finds cruelty and violence where…
Our Little Kitchen Shows That Picture Books Can Be Comics
The 2021 Eisner Award winners were announced on July 23rd, and one winner in particular stood out to me. Jillian Tamaki’s Our Little Kitchen, a beautiful picture book about neighbors cooking a meal in a community kitchen, won the Eisner for Best Publication for Early Readers. In an excited instagram post, Jillian Tamaki shared her…
REVIEW: Quarks, Elephants & Pierogi is a Delicious Exploration of the Polish Language
I love the sound of Polish. I have one Polish parent, which means I grew up listening to it, and can hear sounds that others struggle to distinguish. However, that’s the limit of my understanding – I know a few basic phrases, but have no understanding of its complex grammar. I live in a city…
So You Liked the Batfam Webtoon — What’s Next?
If you’re already a Webtoon user, then adding Wayne Family Adventures to your subscription list was probably no big deal. But there’s no way none of the 544K subscribers are new, so for those of you who signed up just to read Robin hijinks but want to learn more, here are some Webtoon recommendations to…
REVIEW: The Secret to Superhuman Strength Connects Mind, Body, and Community
In the introduction to The Secret to Superhuman Strength, Alison Bechdel issues herself a swift, succinct diagnosis. Amid nonstop movement from panel to panel — she kicks, guzzles water, and shifts from a downward dog on an orange yoga mat to doing rapid bicep curls — she declares, “I’m not good at sports. I’m not…
A WWAC Guide To Gumroad Day
Today is Gumroad Day, the day when the indie publishing platform lets creators take home 100% of all sales made on their site. In the interest of that, we here at WWAC thought we’d share a few of our favorite recommendations!
Stay Warm with the Sun and Sand Comic Anthology
After a streak of below zero temperatures in Chicago in the midst of the pandemic, I’m feeling the need for some escapism. Fortunately, I’ve got a little bit of warm, pandemic-free Florida weather sitting on my coffee table, in the form of the Sun and Sand Comic Anthology. Sun and Sand was originally set to…
Bug Boys: Outside and Beyond Brings more Sweet Stories about Growing Up
Sometimes, especially when the world is terrible, you just need something sweet. Bug Boys has always been a comic that brings such sweetness. Protagonists Rhino-B and Stag-B often spend their stories worrying about what it means to grow up and become an adult, but they meet adult mentors who teach them gentle lessons, and guide…
Miss Zine Festivals? Shop at These Distros!
I’m not a social person, but I love zine festivals. In a typical year, I would have scrounged up some energy, tamped down my social anxiety and dragged my nervous self to at least a couple events. Despite myself, I always have a good time, and I spend a ridiculous amount of money on zines….
Best Small Press, Indies, & Webcomics of 2020!
This 2020 was tough for me as an indie comics reader because, well, there were no cons for me to pick up wares! No zinefests or the pleasure of perusing the indie racks at my local comic shop. Luckily, there were virtual fests and cons for me to find some good books, and Webtoons are…
Comics Academe: 2020 in Review
To close out 2020, Comics Academe asked contributors to write about the conferences, articles, and books that had the biggest impact on them. They attended virtual conferences and comic cons and read, wrote, and were recognized for groundbreaking work in and around comics studies.
REVIEW: Animorphs Graphic Novel #1: The Invasion Pulls no Punches
Our names are Alenka and Melissa. We can’t tell you our last names. We can’t even tell you the towns we live in, or what state. It’s not because we’re shy – it’s because if the Yeerks find out who we are, they’ll stop us from writing this review. Despite the danger involved, I was…