Monthly Archives: December 2014

Seattle Focus: Dockside Cannabis and Marijuana in the Marketplace

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A really interesting thing is going on right under many folks’ noses. Whatever your views on marijuana, it is undeniable that history is being made as a huge shift is gaining momentum. The notion that someday marijuana will be on par with alcohol in the marketplace is working its way into reality. Just consider Dockside Cannabis, a very attractive and professional new retail store for recreational marijuana. Located in Shoreline, a suburban area north of Seattle, the store had its grand opening on December 6, 2014, with a whole new way of doing business and bringing about a whole new way of seeing marijuana as something as familiar and relaxing as a glass of wine at the end of the day.

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Filed under Dockside Cannabis, Marijuana, pop culture, Seattle, Travel, Trends

Review: ‘Magpie, Magpie’ by Matt Huynh

Magpie-Magpie-Matt-Huynh

Can you ever force someone to love you? No, but that’s never stopped anyone from trying. This question is handled in a grand gothic manner in “Magpie, Magpie,” a webcomic now available in print, by Matt Huynh.

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Matt Huynh provides a good honest expressive line throughout this multi-tiered dreamy tale of love on the run, running towards and away from itself. This is dream logic run amok. It’s wading into a Faulknerian swampland. And it’s fun, of course. It’s best to read through a couple of times and just let yourself get lost in it. A father is frantically running to find and connect with his young daughter while he’s also hashing out his precarious relationship with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, a persistent suitor has his eyes on the same girlfriend. All of this is rendered in a vibrant gestural style evoking the madness at play.

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This is the sort of work that I most easily relate to. It’s poetic, experimental, and open-ended. The sense of spontaneity that Huynh achieves with his sumi ink is pretty solid. I think there are some awkward passages and stilted depictions but that’s alright. Overall, Huynh leads the eye to interesting sidesteps and detours. As a webcomic, he adds some fun tweaks: there are scenes that fade in and out and magpies that actually flutter in the wind. It will be interesting to see what Huynh does when he attempts a more substantial larger scale work. That, I don’t doubt, will require tightening up in places. As for this short audacious piece, it hits the mark in pleasing ways.

Be sure to visit Matt Huynh and check out his compelling illustrations and comics right here.

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Filed under Comics, Illustration, Webcomics

Comics Grinder Comics Top Twelve Lists for 2014

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My parting thoughts for 2014: I always end up warming up to these end-of-year lists. This is based upon the batch of work that got reviewed here at Comics Grinder this year, what ranks as notable for one reason or another, with links included. I look forward to keeping to a quirky and offbeat path and see where it leads us this time next year.

I have separated things out into three main categories: Graphic Novels, Comic Books, and Small Press/Indie. I hope you will find this list useful as you look back on the year and consider what lies in store for us in 2015.

Weapons of Mass Diplomacy

Weapons of Mass Diplomacy

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Bohemians: A Graphic History “Inspiring.”

World War 3 Illustrated 1979-2014 “Enlightening.”

Weapons of Mass Diplomacy “A most relevant book.”

Truth Is Fragmentary “A persistent vision. Masterful depictions of the everyday with sly humor.”

Andre the Giant “Brown builds a case for a subject worthy of exploration. Andre the Giant proves to be a true hero.”

The Hospital Suite “Honest depictions of struggle told with simplicity and clarity.”

Megahex “Pure Genius.”

The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil “Sweet and fanciful with a nice satirical bite.”

The Wrenchies “A new generation’s ‘Quadrophenia’ with generous helpings of ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.’”

In Real Life “One of the most intriguing graphic novels of the year.”

Your Illustrated Guide To Becoming One With The Universe “Tranquil sincerity.”

The Collector “A masterwork by Sergio Toppi.”

The Wicked + The Divine

The Wicked + The Divine

COMIC BOOKS

Gotham Academy “Delivers the goods.”

The Witcher “Nicely paced chills.”

The Fade Out “Poetic and provocative noir.”

Lumberjanes “Compositions that slice right through the page.”

The Multiversity “From high concept to gut level action.”

Nightworld “Brainy, bawdy, and full of good laughs.”

Sirens “Playful, ferocious, and just plain fun.”

Loki: Ragnarok and Roll “A rock ‘n’ roll theme that gets it right.”

Dark Engine “Highly imaginative. All-out beautiful.”

The Wicked + The Divine “Gorgeous and audacious.”

Thomas Alsop “Great supernatural theme and premise.”

The Empty Man “One really good scare.”

Drag Bandits

Drag Bandits

SMALL PRESS/INDIE

Cats In Service “Quite an amusing and spooky tale.”

How I Made The World #1 “Very personal, conversational style.”

Towerkind “A true page-turner.”

Amelia: A Monsters & Girls Book “A funhouse of offbeat terror and mystery.”

Welcome to Nursing HELLo “Confronts reality head-on with quick smarts and with a heart.”

Drag Bandits #1 “This is like a truly fancy dessert or souffle, delicate yet full of life.”

Debbie’s Inferno “Great deadpan and droll humor.”

Facility Integrity “A wonderfully droll style.”

Trepanation “Both hilarious and informative.”

Study Group Magazine #3D “Fun and informative and so much more.”

Gonzo Cosmic #1 “Superhero comics grounded in a more plausible sensibility.”

Saltire “Welcome to Scotland’s first superhero, Saltire!”

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Filed under Comics, Comics Grinder Best List, Graphic Novel Reviews, graphic novels, Lists

Interview: Miss Lasko-Gross and HENNI

Miss Lasko-Gross, photo credit: © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons

Miss Lasko-Gross, photo credit: © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons

Miss Lasko-Gross has been creating comics since high school. A collection celebrating 20 years of her work, “Miss Lasko-Gross: Some Short Stories 1994-2014,” is available on comiXology. She has been published by Fantagraphics Books, A MESS OF EVERYTHING and the YALSA nominated ESCAPE FROM “SPECIAL.” Now, Lasko-Gross embarks on another storytelling adventure, HENNI, published by Z2 Comics, a new series of stories about rebellion.

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HENNI is a young female in a fanciful world. She is an anthropomorphic character, a cat-like creature. In the same spirit as Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss, and Jim Woodring, this is a strange, yet familiar world that Lasko-Gross has created. It’s a place that demands obedience and will not tolerate any questions. Well, Henni has a lot of questions to ask. She tries to maintain a low profile but she also knows that there’s a whole other world beyond her homeland’s gates and she is going to venture out. She does. And so Henni’s adventure begins.

It was a pleasure to get to chat with Lasko-Gross. We begin with thoughts on how her past work flows into her current work. We discuss the process of making comics. We talk about what it’s like to work alongside a spouse who is also an accomplished cartoonist, her husband, Kevin Colden (FISHTOWN; I RULE THE NIGHT). We also talk about her inclusion in the traveling exhibit, “Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women.” And we talk about working with the boutique graphic novel publisher, Z2.

Listen to the podcast interview right here:

“Henni” is a 168-page graphic novel and will be available in comic shops on January 6, 2015 and in bookstores on January 20. For more details, you’ll definitely want to visit Z2 Comics right here. Formerly known as Zip Comics, the newly launched Z2 Comics is run by Josh Frankel and is the place to find some of the most exciting comics available, including the work of Paul Pope and Dean Haspiel.

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Filed under Comics, Comixology, Fantagraphics Books, graphic novels, Interviews, Miss Lasko-Gross, Z2 Comics

Review: ‘Truth is Fragmentary: Travelogues & Diaries’ by Gabrielle Bell

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“Truth is Fragmentary” is the name of Gabrielle Bell’s latest comics memoir collection and it says it all. Think about it. Truth is indeed fragmentary. You can point out honest, even blunt, bits of truth all you want. People will process it however they choose. Some will deny what you said. Some will misunderstand. Some will have never even come close to getting it. Maybe a few will completely see it your way. It’s a carnival we live in. Thankfully, we have astute and witty observers like Gabrielle Bell. If you’re new to her work, or if you happen to enjoy sly humor, then this is the book for you.

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Filed under Comics, Comics Journalism, Gabrielle Bell, Travel, Travelogue, Uncivilized Books

Review: ‘Trepanation: Elective Surgery You Need Like A Hole in the Head’

Emi-Gennis-Trepanation

Trepanation, the controversial elective surgery, is not for everyone, to say the least. However, “Trepanation: Elective Surgery You Need Like A Hole in the Head,” the minicomic by Emi Gennis, is for everyone to enjoy. This latest work, which originally appeared on The Nib, is now available in print.

So what on earth is trepanation? It is the creation of a hole in the skull believed to relieve pressure and return you to the blissful state you were supposedly in as an infant. You will find this to be both hilarious and informative, and how often does that happen? Not often enough. Emi Gennis continues to work with some of the most downright strange content that any cartoonist has dared to tackle.

Visit Emi Gennis, learn about her work, and check out where you can get her comics right here.

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Filed under Comics, Emi Gennis, Minicomics

Review: HENNI by Miss Lasko-Gross

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With characters and settings removed from everyday reality, Miss Lasko-Gross has set out with “Henni,” published by Z2 Comics, to tell a fable about faith in a most stripped down manner. Henni, our main character, like all the rest of the characters, is some sort of feline creature. She lives in something like a grim version of a Dr. Seuss world. The rules of society are cut and dry: obey and don’t ask questions. And, by all means, especially if you’re a female, follow orders. Your eye is directed to a graphic novel with a distinctive focus in a pared down surreal landscape.

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Filed under Comics, Graphic Novel Reviews, graphic novels, Miss Lasko-Gross, Z2 Comics

Review: HARBINGER: FAITH #0

Harbinger: Faith #0 Variant Cover B by Lucy Knisley

Harbinger: Faith #0 Variant Cover B by Lucy Knisley

Faith Herbert is a “heavy woman,” as she puts it, but she’s totally fine with that. She loves her body and herself. In today’s society, she’s bucking the systematic glorification of supermodels–but she’s not losing any sleep over it. She’s even bucking the superhero requirements of uber-athletic builds. And, of course, she’s Valiant Entertainment’s answer to the all too typical overtly sexual depiction of women in comics.

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Filed under Comics, Comics Reviews, Valiant Entertainment

Jeremy Eaton Holiday Art Show in Seattle, Saturday, December 13, Noon to 6pm

Holiday-Art-Show-Jeremy-Eaton-Studios

For our Seattle readers, be sure to stop by and check out the boldly ironic paintings of one of Seattle’s favorite sons, Jeremy Eaton. He regularly graces the pages of our favorite alternative weekly, The Stranger. Jeremy Eaton is a published cartoonist, illustrator and painter living in Seattle. For his paintings he utilizes discarded plywood he finds in the shipyards of the city, applying acrylic paint in bold splashes of color and overlapping strokes of black in order to replicate the pulp printing of the comic books and magazines of his youth, often sublimating this with wider cultural themes and commentary. Be sure to visit Jeremy right here.

More details follow from Jeremy Eaton:

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Filed under Art, Comics, Illustration, Jeremy Eaton, Painting, Seattle, The Stranger

LA Journal: Murals

Pacoima Neighborhood Mural by Levi Ponce

Pacoima Neighborhood Mural by Levi Ponce

Every great city has its murals. Los Angeles is a great city and its murals are grand, a part of the fabric of life. As part of Comics Grinder’s visit to LA, I want to share with you some of my favorite murals.

"You Are The Star" by Tom Suriya

“You Are The Star” by Tom Suriya

On Wilcox and Hollywood Blvd, there’s a truly landmark mural depicting many of Hollywood’s all-time legends kicking back and enjoy a matinee in a grand ole movie theater. It looks like they are viewing the viewer in “You Are The Star,” by Tom Suriya, painted in 1983.

Nancy Sinatra mural by George Sportelli

Nancy Sinatra mural by George Sportelli

Across the street, just opposite the Suriya mural is a new Nancy Sinatra mural by George Sportelli. This is one of his best among others on Hollywood Boulevard.

Hollywood High School mural by Eloy Torrez

Hollywood High School mural by Eloy Torrez

Then there’s one that really tugs at my heart, the mural at Hollywood High School by Eloy Torrez, on Highland Ave, painted in 2000.

Anthony Quinn mural by Eloy Torrez

Anthony Quinn mural by Eloy Torrez

Here’s a mural with Anthony Quinn as Zorba the Greek, right opposite the Bradbury Building on 242 S. Broadway, also by Eloy Torrez, painted in 1985.

Pacoima Neighborhood Mural by Levi Ponce

Pacoima Neighborhood Mural by Levi Ponce

And, finally, a most beautiful mural, the Pacoima Neighborhood Mural, at 10335 Laurel Canyon Blvd, by Levi Ponce.

On a different topic….

Comics Grinder Nominated for an Excellence Blog Award

I want to thank Aquileana from La Audacia de Aquiles for nominating Comics Grinder for an Excellence Blog Award. She shares great insight into Greek mythology, art history, and so much more. Aquileana demonstrates a passion for her subject. At the heart of this award is reaching out to other passionate bloggers.

The rules are that each nominee then nominates ten fellow bloggers and they go on to create a post similar to the one here, including the award logo. So, I follow up by humbly accepting my nomination and nominating ten bloggers that I have come to admire.

excellence

These are my nominees for the Excellence Blog Award:

1. Pastrami Basket
2. Set to Stunning
3. Projector Magazine
4. The Night Gallery
5. Ototsy!
6. Sci-Fi Jubilee
7. Shamagaia
8. Graffiti Lux and Murals
9. The Lost Lighthouse
10. Wrong Hands

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Filed under LA Journal, Los Angeles, Murals, Travel