Inkstuds

Cam Collins is someone whose work really wasn’t on my radar. I haven’t really been keeping up on new cartoonists and thankfully the grant supporting Inkstuds has allowed me to bring on folks to help me see new work I should be more aware. One of the first suggestions was Cam Collins. Cam’s work is really fascinating to me. It sits in unique place where he is creating a really con...

I have always really enjoyed Tillie Walden ‘s comics. I read them as soon as I get them. Her work is really beautiful seamless cartooning. Her latest book, Charity and Sylvia is an historical narrative about their lives and love together. Charity and Sylvia were a queer couple in early to mid 19th century rural Vermont. Tillie brought their story to life utilizing a range of different histor...

Zoé Jusseret is a Vancouver based Belgian cartoonist that is currently published by Conundrum Press in Canada and Frémok in Europe. Zoé’s work is a complex form utilizing her own practice of mono-print to create these beautiful images that connect together as a complex narrative that explores ideas and places. Her first book came out in 2017, Qui Mange Des Couteaux (translates to Who Eats Kn...

Kim Deitch’s latest book, How I Make Comics , continues his tradition of great fantastic tales that he weaves his own history into a narrative that takes you to places you won’t expect. Kim has been professionally creative for 60 years now. in 1966, he pursued a career of art and hasn’t looked back. There is something about the imaginative wonders in Kim Deitch’s work that...

In the process of restarting the podcast, I wanted to do interviews were I reconnected with guests that I haven’t spoken with in quite some time. I am sure it has been more than 10 years since the last time that I had interviewed Michael Deforge . Over those years, his work has continued to excite. His comics are never static, they are constantly forming and shaping, telling stories in a way...

Welcome to a new year of Inkstuds. This episode is the first of a year of episodes that are supported by funding by the Canada Council for the Arts. With this funding, I am able to pay every guest for taking the time to chat with me about their work. I have also brought on a couple of folks that are able to provide me with guidance in terms of curatorial choices. With their support, I hope to be e...

I was visiting Winnipeg in the fall last year to visit different Winnipeg based underground artists. Since I had a little bit of flexible time, I also did a couple of interviews in the off chance I got around to posting interviews again. This is the second of those interviews, the first being the previously posted Nick Burns interview. Robert Pasternak was a name that came up quite a lot in conver...

I have been doing a lot of research into the history of Canadian comics, focusing on work from the late 1960’s to the early 1990’s. My research took me on a trip to Winnipeg, where I got a chance to visit different cartoonists and chat about their work. Winnipeg is an interesting town since the cost of housing is still quite minimal, especially compared to where I live in Vancouver. Th...

German cartoonist, Aisha Franz joined me to talk about her latest comics work, Shit is Real, out from Drawn and Quarterly. She is also one of the people behind the fantastic Clubhouse anthology, beautifully printed by Colorama . The latest issue, lucky number 13 is out now and looks amazing.

A very delayed inkstuds. Apologies to everyone! here is an interview with the Great Eric Kostiuk Williams . His latest work is Our Wretched Town Hall from Retrofit. I love love love Eric’s work. It’s political, funny and beautifully drawn. He is able to work out some really complicated topics while also keeping things strangely stunning and outrageous. Eric also has Condo Heart Break D...

Sometimes life is hard and you try to find things that get you through. Energy drinks seem to be that thing for me. I love comics. Dearly. But they are hard. It’s hard to keep up and understand what’s going on. A nice can of monster can be the only thing that gets me up and out the door in the morning. I’ve been thinking really hard about who i am and my place in the world, and i...

I was able to meet up in person with Liam Sharp while he is Vancouver for a local comics show. I have always been really into his work and fascinated by his approach. He’s currently the artist on Green Lantern with writer Grant Morrison. His most recent work includes Brave and the Bold Wonder Woman/Batman which he wrote, and the Wonder Woman work with writer Greg Rucka.

Karl Stevens joined me to talk about his painting and comics work. His latest book, The Winner from Retrofit/Big Planet , is a great move forward in his work and shows some amazing growth and introspection. I am really excited by his work and where he is taking it.

Breakdown Press Co-Founder, Designer and Cartoonist, Joe Kessler joined me to talk about his new collection, Windowpane and shine a light on a bit of the history of Breakdown Press. Breakdown is one of the most interesting publishers in the UK right now, putting out some top notch forward thinking comics. I am a huge fan of all they do and Joe’s comics are pretty great too.

Vancouver cartoonist, Steve Skroce joined me to talk about his latest book, Maestros. This is Steve’s first book written for himself, having previously worked with a wide range of writers like Alan Moore on Youngblood, Brian K Vaughn on We Stand on Guard and The Wachowskis on Doc Frankenstein. Steve is someone whose work I had been following since back when I worked in a comic store as a tee...

David Small joined me to talk about his latest book, Home After Dark . While his previous work, Stitches was a memoir, his latest is a work of fiction that still captures a similar feeling and emotion. I really liked the book and this conversation.

Here’s another in a run of interviews with dedicated folks who put together independent comics shows in North America. Los Angeles’ CALA is about to hold their fifth annual event, and guest ‘stud Kit Brash talked to two of the team behind it, Jen Wang and Jake Mumm, a couple of weeks after last year’s show. This year†s CALA will run on December 8th and 9th, from 10am til...

Last year I joined the board of Directors for the Vancouver Comic Art Festival. It’s been really fun getting more involved in supporting local events and comics happening. The first event we did outside of the regular festival, was this talk with Anna Haifisch , Olivier Schrauwen and Marian Churchland . We did the event in the new theatre in the main branch of the Vancouver Public Library. M...

Leif Goldberg joined me to talk about his new book from 2dcloud, Lost In The Fun Zone . We also cover a range of work including his time in Fort Thunder, recent mini comics, yearly calendars and animation. Leif makes some really great fun and inspiring work.

This week, I was joined by writer John Harris Dunning to discuss his latest book, Tumult, created with artist Michael Kennedy. Dunning has been really active in the UK comics scene, most notably, the Comics Unmasked exhibition in 2014 at the British Library. One of the largest shows of its kind in the UK at that point.

I have been a fan of Peter Bagge’s for longer than I can remember, and he was also one of my earliest guests on the show, so it’s always great to catch up with him. Peter was in Vancouver last month for the big Fan Expo convention, I took advantage of that time to sneak an interview in. It was supposed to be spotlight panel at the convention, but we didn’t think anyone was there...

I like catching up with Noah Van Sciver every couple of years. He’s constantly creating new work that gets better and better. His latest, like within the last 6 months, is the memoir, One Dirty Tree from Uncivilized, Fante Bukowski book 3 and Constant Companion from Fantagraphics and Blammo 10 from Kilgore books . All fantastic comics.

Guest ‘stud Kit Brash is here with the first in a run of talks with some of the dedicated folks who organise independent comics shows in North America. Seattle’s Short Run Comix & Arts Festival is in its eighth year of free entry, and happening this week in its regular home underneath the Space Needle. Hundreds of exhibitors cram shoulder to shoulder into the Fisher Pavilion, with...

Writer/Artist team of Sam Maggs and Jenn Woodall joined me to talk about their new book, Girl Squads . It’s a history book documenting different ways women have worked together in supporting each other through collective and supportive actions. It’s a fun read.

Keren Katz is my guest this week. She joins me to talk about her work in a wide variety of anthologies, including her collective in Israel and the recent Now series from Fantagraphics. Her graphic novel, The Academic Hour, published by Secret Acres , is an amazing playful journey, full colour and life. I quite enjoyed it.