Comics Syllabus

[AUDIO VERSION] …and we’re back! The Comics Syllabus podcast returns, this time with a video version of our segments (look for those on this stream!), which this week include… A graphic novel review of “The Dragon Path,” the new book by Ethan Young from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint. The young prince of the Wong Clan has to lead his people through a fraught journ...

On this week’s episode, we’re graced by an interview with Mark Russell, writer of the Ahoy Comics series “Billionaire Island” with artist Steve Pugh and the newly collected first arc of “Second Coming” with artist Richard Pace. Mark Russell talks with Paul about the origins of these sharply satirical but ultimately profound comics, one about the extremes of our...

Thaaatttt's right! DRAGONSLAYER, the newest WINGS OF FIRE: LEGENDS book is just about to come out! (It's March 2020 btw.) What better time to launch the pilot episode of the WINGS OF FIRE FANCAST, where a young fan talks through every. single. book. of the absolutely, unstoppably marvelous young readers' fantasy series WINGS OF FIRE by Tui T. Sutherland, published by Scholastic. Brought to you by...

On this week’s episode, Johnny digs deep into a pair of series from Image Comics, “Little Bird” by Darcy Van Poelgeest (W) and Ian Bertram (A) and “Pretty Deadly: The Rat” by Kelly Sue DeConnick (W) and Emma Rios (A). But first, our “Picks and Shovels” segment on what we’re reading: Johnny: “Green Lantern” Seasons 1 & 2 (DC Comics) W:...

"Sports is Hell" by Ben Passmore (Koyama) Ben Passmore's new "Sports is Hell" from Koyama Press satirically sends up our intertwined sports, politics, and cultural madnesses. Paul and Johnny dig deep into the short graphic novel. But first, our "Picks and Shovels" (What We're Reading) include: Johnny: "The Last God" (DC Black Label), "Nancy" by Olivia Jaimes (Andrews McMeel), "East of West" (Image...

This week, Johnny and Paul offer a perspective and critiques of the “Dawn of X” mutant titles from Marvel, drawing on theory of the “literary carnivalesque” from Mikhail Bakhtin to describe what’s  intriguing about the X-books in the wake of Jonathan Hickman’s House of X/Powers of X relaunch. Our discussion then touches on all the DoX titles so far, including &#...

Glory! Magnificent! Kinkajou! Oh my! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicssyllabus.substack.com

What comics meant the most in the 2010s... to us, to comics, to the larger culture? "Saga"? "Ms. Marvel"? Raina Telgemeier's "Smile"? Paul and Johnny run through their list of the comics of the decade, the graphic novels, superhero books, independent or alternative comics that marked out the 2010s for them. They also try to project ahead into what these selections say about the trends and transfor...

What graphic novels in 2019 stood out as the most significant, most soul-stirring, most thought-provoking, most artistically innovative? Co-hosts Paul and Johnny are excited to share the Comics Syllabus Podcast’s favorite graphic novels of 2019. Listen as they chatter about the comics works and collections that they loved most this year. Johnny’s List: 10:  The Adventure Zone:  Murder...

On this week's Comics Syllabus, Paul (@twoplai) shares his favorite comic books series of 2019, recommendations for the holiday season and for all your year-end reading. His top ten series list includes: "Giant Days" by John Allison and Max Sarin (BOOM!) "Paper Girls" by Brian K. Vaughn, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher (Image) "Black Panther" by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Kev Walker, Daniel Ac...

On the Comics Syllabus today, guest co-host Johnny Hall (@johnnyhall3) and Paul (@twoplai) discuss Frank Santoro’s graphic novel “Pittsburgh,” (starting at 12:30) a potent reminiscence and contemplation of Santoro’s immediate family and upbringing in the city. But first, Johnny and Paul remember Tom Spurgeon, comics reporter extraordinaire and example for us all. After talk...

On the Comics Syllabus today, another installment of COMICS PLEASE! (for Parents, Librarians, Educators, and Student Enthusiasts), covering comics and graphic novels for kids and teen readers. This time, a review of the "Wings of Fire" graphic novel series, adapting Tui T. Sutherland's fantasy series as graphic novels with art by Mike Holmes from Scholastic's Graphix line. This chat is with Cohost...

On the Comics Syllabus today, our special guest is Alea Perez ( @ShhhYeah ), President-Elect of the American Library Association's Graphic Novels and Comics Roundtable and Multiversity contributor . At ( 38:40 ), we talk about Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell's "Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me" (First Second), this past summer's graphic novel hit. But first, we talk with Alea about...

This week’s Comics Syllabus podcast features a discussion of Kevin Huizenga’s “The River at Night” (Drawn + Quarterly) ( 35:20 ) with good friend of the podcast Johnny Hall. Johnny and Comics Syllabus host Paul met up at Cartoon Crossroads (CXC) Columbus , had a chance to meet Mr. Huizenga, and talk about this collection of Huizenga’s wonderful “Ganges” se...

For kids and middle grade readers: “Guts” by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix) (6:22) And for teens and young adults: “Simon and Louise” by Max de Radigués (Conundrum). (18:39) In this pilot episode of “Comics PLEASE! Kids Graphic Novels and YA Comics for Parents, Librarians, Educators, and School-aged Enthusiasts,” @TwoPlai tries out a new format for podcasting about comics for young readers. We begin w...

"Best Friends" by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham! "Might Jack and Zita the Spacegirl" by Ben Hatke! "Hilda and the Mountain King" by Luke Pearson! This week, @TwoPlai is joined by his first (and admittedly favorite) guest host of the new Comics Syllabus era-- Cohost Kid! We talk about a couple books from First Second that are the next installments of really fun kids comics series. Shannon Hale and L...

First, @TwoPlai offers an analysis of "King of King Court" by Travis Dandro (Drawn & Quarterly), an affecting graphic memoir employing comics' repertoires of subjective narrative to explore the experience of growing up with family, addiction, love, and pain. Then, a rundown of recent series that @TwoPlai has been reading in a new segment called "New Comic Book Day (NCBD) Notes." Mentioned: "On...

On the return of the Comics Syllabus podcast, we talk about “ Hot Comb” by Ebony Flowers (Drawn & Quarterly) , a memoir in vignettes about Flowers coming-of-age in the Baltimore area black community as a young woman and her experiences surrounding hair , touching poignantly on race, gender, growing up, family, societal expectations, community, class, identity, and selfhood. It&#821...

TwoPlai sets up to return to the Comics Syllabus, and he offers a remembrance of Derek Parker Royal of the Comics Alternative. Derek and the Comics Alternative: http://comicsalternative.com/ Engage with the Comics Syllabus: https://twitter.com/twoplai https://www.instagram.com/twoplai/ http://www.multiversitycomics.com/tag/comics-syllabus/ Subscribe to the Comics Syllabus on Apple Podcasts or add...

**Apologies from Producer Dad for the poor sound quality!** In this episode, Readin' Jubilee and her sidekick Dad talk about Paula Harrison's 12 book series Rescue Princesses. They're princesses. Who rescue animals. You might love it! Readin Jubilee sure did. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicssyllabus.sub...

This episode, the Reading Jubilee looks at Faith Erin Hicks' three-part graphic novel series The Nameless City from First Second books. So fun! Three books... that's a trilogy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicssyllabus.substack.com

This episode: THE MUSHROOM FAN CLUB by Elise Gravel, about as fun a book about mushrooms as you could find anywhere! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicssyllabus.substack.com

This episode, Matt and Paul talk about Mister Miracle by Jack Kirby issues 4 and 5 and the Mister Miracle (2017) series by Tom King and Mitch Gerads. Check out the podcast at the showpages at  http://www.multiversitycomics.com/tag/mother-box/   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicssyllabus.substack.com

On this episode, Matt and Paul deep dive into the fascinating lecture that celebrates Kirby's life and contextualizes his work within both the historical landscape and his career in the comics industry. The 2017 lecture from Palm Springs Comicon is a multimedia presentation by Illustrator and comic book historian Arlen Schumer (The Silver Age of Comic Book Art), and you can watch the whole thing o...

Mother Box: Episode 4! Big Barda, Happyland, and the Ballad of Goody Rickles! Full show notes at our home at Multiversity:  http://www.multiversitycomics.com/tag/mother-box/ On the show this time, Paul manages to pull an interesting discussion from the concept of Goody Rickles, Matt compares Intergang to Homer Simpson, and Big Barda has no time to suffer your neuroses! Discussed this episode: The...