In Sequence - Comics & Manga for Everyone

Just in time for Halloween, Robin and Scout read Maw, written by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and illustrated by A.L. Kaplan; a comic about becoming something fantastically monstrous to get back at the everyday monsters lurking among us. Our conversation goes deep on feminism, misogyny, violence against women, and the ways this story does and doesn't deliver on its feminist horror label. Turns out the tr...

Today "The Panelists" discuss The Summer Hikaru Died, a queer coming-of-age horror manga. "We" discuss themes of queerness as contagion, Mokumokuren's digital art process, and horrifying moments of tenderness that we can't look away from. You'res̵̼̟̰̭̲̬̽̇͠ṫ̴̳̲̯̘͙͉̟̣̟̆i̴̡̡̧̧̧̧͙̝̣͉̯̱̰͕͋̾͊̒̀͂͑̿̀̅̚̕͝͝l̶͙͍͚̝̘̠̺̦͇̺̋͂̾͒͑̑̀̇͌̎̏̚͝l̶͕̦̠̞͙̈́͋̑͊̿͛͒̎̈́ ̷̧̤̖̳̼̫̝̻̜̖͚̲̫͇̓̑̈́̑̋̈́̔̆́͋̔͠ͅr̸̙̻͋͗̂͘e̴̥̳͓̜̫̣͊͜͜ả̶̳̥̞̉͋̐̓...

Today the Panelists discuss a book that is more of a collection of Instagram posts than a narrative. We discuss our love for Mackesy’s finished but unfinished-looking art and our mixed opinions on the words and narrative in this book. And at the end, there is a reveal that changes everything . (00:00) - “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy (01:03) - Front Matter (01:59) -...

The Panelists are back with episode 2 of our Fullmetal Alchemist readthrough. In these volumes, we learn so much about how the world of Fullmetal Alchemist works behind the scenes, the darkest plans of our villains, the atrocities committed by our heroes, and which characters make for the best horny fanart. We spoil volumes 1-9 in this episode. Check out our episode on those volumes here ! (00:00)...

Come along with the panelists as we venture back to the mythical, long-ago land of 2012. Cape comics are on the show once more with Marvel's Hawkeye, as written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by a large team of artists (David Aja chief among them). The story of oft-ignored Avenger Clint Barton and his protege Kate Bishop takes us coast-to-coast and through half a dozen different art styles, but...

Today the Panelists discuss the young adult horror novel  Hello Sunshine  by Keezy Young. This one's got everything you could want. Secret gay boyfriends. 60's fashion and art inspiration. An amateur murder investigation. Demons. And a cute dog. Content Warning : self-harm, suicide, murder, mental illness, psychosis, and homophobia (00:00) - “Hello Sunshine” by Keezy Young (00:35) - Front Matter (...

Today the panelists discuss Scott McCloud's classic, Understanding Comics , a book that purports to be a lecture but in many cases comes off as a manifesto. We discuss Scott's messy definition of the medium, his genuinely good insights, and also his strong creative biases. This book is impossible to spoil so there is no spoiler section. (00:00) - "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud (03:18) - F...

The panelists discuss "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou", an incredibly slow-paced slice-of-life about a robot named Alpha living in a world deeply shaped by climate change. Despite that dark-sounding premise, the book is very calm and beautiful to look at, dealing mostly with the mundanity of Alpha's every day as she learns about the world around her. Also the persimmons are huge ! (00:00) - "Yokohama Kai...

Today, the panelists discuss "Run Away With Me, Girl" by Battan. We're back with another yuri manga! Robin, Scout, Jillian, and Matt talk about the unique aspects of Midori's and Moko's relationship, the gendered tropes of yuri vs yaoi, the strange incel arc of the manga's antagonist, and the joy of seeing a story about the child of queer parents.  Content Warning: Domestic abuse (00:00) - “Run Aw...

Today, Scout and Matt discuss KOH-BOKU, famous for foreign readers introducing its creator to the phrase "Old Man Yaoi." They discuss the success and failures of tropes, representations of aging in manga, and the strange gender dynamics going on in this book. (00:00) - "KOH-BOKU" by Sonoo Michiru (00:46) - Front Matter (01:54) - Plot Summary (02:22) - Old man yaoi! (03:28) - This is bare bones yao...

What does it take to tell a wordless story? Today, the panelists explore that question as Jillian guides Matt and Scout through the fantastical immigrant story of The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Together, we muse on the power of reaching out and sharing our stories to bring us closer together, even when we feel worlds apart. (And also, discuss the immutable staying power of a weird little guy.) (00:00)...

Today the Panelists discuss what makes autobiography good, marvel at the eccentricity of this book's art, and learn the value of good criticism. Never forget to eat your vegetables and pull some weeds. (00:00) - “It's Lonely At The Centre of The Earth” by Zoe Thorogood (00:20) - Front Matter (01:06) - Content Warnings (01:22) - Zoe Thorogood (02:41) - Impressions (08:53) - Structure (or lack of it...

Today, it's just vibes. Your Panelists discuss Hirayasumi, the sliciest slice-of-life manga to ever exist. This vacation of a read hits on burnout and what it means to be an artist, both favorite topics for the show. But it  primarily is the story of Hiroto and his cousin, Natsumi, living in a home left to Hiroto by a woman he called "Granny."  (00:00) - “Hirayasumi” by Keigo Shinzo (01:54) - A vi...

Today, Scout pulls her fellow panelists through the gate of truth to discuss volumes 1-9 of Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa. In this, the first of three episodes we'll be doing on FMA this year, we share our varied personal histories with the series, become acquainted with the cast and their early adventures, and answer some listener questions. How is a culture shaped by the technology it cu...

Crime Alley. The Dark Knight. Gotham. Yes, yes. It's all very dour. But not anymore. Now it's VERTICAL, and the whole gang is here! We've got bats and robins pouring out of every window of this mansion, and every single one of 'em has feelings. Batman: Wayne Family Adventures is a slice of life Batfam book that is native to the vertical, scrolling webcomic platform, Webtoon. It's actually possible...

Today, Robin guides Jillian and Scout through the fuzzy and merciless landscape of Mouse Guard by David Petersen. Come along with us on an adventure in woodland politics. Did you know the mice have swords now? It says so right here, on this leaf-paper scroll I retrieved from the backpack of a messenger beetle. (00:00) - “Mouse Guard” by David Petersen (00:26) - Front Matter (01:58) - Impressions (...

Persepolis is a graphic novel memoir following Marjane Satrapi’s childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution -how her life and beliefs were affected by the political upheavel, and her eventual adolescence in Austria. Satrapi’s memoir covers the good, bad, and ugly of her life and those around her, and focuses deeply on the complexities of politics and belief. Note : This episode was recorded b...

Friend of the show Bluzo joins the panel to talk about Blue Period, volumes 1-6, by Tsubasa Yamaguchi. In our first long read of the year, we delve deep on the complicated ordeal of pursuing an art career, and the mortifying ordeal of being known. Oh and also rampant transphobia. (00:00) - “Blue Period” by Tsubasa Yamaguchi (01:05) - Front Matter (03:37) - Impressions (07:01) - It’s a sports manga...

Today, your panelists wonder: what does it look like to tell a story about prejudice but divorced from real-world analogues? What does it mean to tie concepts of hunger and desire together inexorably? Just how much money is cow bathwater going for these days? And wait, is that-? Oh my god, it's Legoshi, my close personal friend Legoshi! (00:00) - “Beast Complex” by Paru Itagaki (00:43) - Front Mat...

Today your panelists talk Frontier, a French graphic novel written and illustrated by the artist of Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2! Join us as we discuss hope among dystopia and how pacing can let down an otherwise incredible story. You can purchase Frontier in English here. (00:00) - “Frontier” by Guillaume Singelin (00:42) - Front Matter (03:26) - Impressions (05:34) - Guillaume’s art sty...

Today our panelists talk about women with swords - hey, wait a second, didn't we do this last time? Join us for a discussion of "Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon," where we talk about big swords, literary analysis, and Eisner award-winning colors! (00:00) - “Absolute Wonder Woman” (02:01) - Front Matter (03:34) - What is the Absolute Universe? (09:22) - What does Scout know about Wond...

The panelists start off the New Year by celebrating women with swords! We journey alongside the titular "Blade Maidens," exploring romance, graphic design, identity, and the medium of webcomics! You can read Blade Maidens here ! (00:00) - "Blade Maidens" by Zoe Tunnell and Valentine M. Smith (01:14) - What is Blade Maidens? (02:22) - Impressions (04:07) - The note at the end of the Prelude (12:40)...

In this special holiday episode, the panelists take a journey through the comics of Christmas past, present, and future. We recap our favorite reads of the year, talk about some great comics from the Shortbox Comics Fair , and pick some exciting new reads for the new year. Happy holidays! (00:00) - A Comics Christmas Carol (01:37) - Comics of Christmas Past (15:41) - Comics of Christmas Present (1...

Today, our panelists venture into Veil by Kotteri. We discuss the "will they, won't they, are they already?" romance, unique storytelling, and most importantly, the fashion and design present in the first two volumes of this manga. (00:00) - “Veil” by Kotteri (00:37) - Front Matter (02:09) - What we thought (06:17) - Read digital if you can! (07:51) - Piano key dress (08:09) - A summary (09:03) -...

Join our panelists today for their longest read yet! We dive into the magical world of Witch Hat Atelier to discuss the magic of creating, the pitfalls of power, and what it means to be a mentor. Take our hands and follow us down the winding path - there's more to magic than meets the eye. (00:00) - Witch Hat Atelier (01:26) - Impressions (05:42) - Front Matter (11:50) - The mangaka (14:02) - Dive...