Tag Archives: Books

November 2, 2025 · 5:30 am

TALES OF PARANOIA by R. Crumb comics review

Tales of Paranoia. R. Crumb. Fantagraphics. 2025. 36pp. $5.99.

A lot of the public has caught up with cartoonist-provocateur R. Crumb. More people than ever are ready to do some of their own provoking. But don’t count the master out. Fantagraphics is releasing, Tales of Paranoia, Crumb’s first new comic book in 23 years. A show featuring original pages from the book is on view (and for sale) at David Zwirner gallery in Los Angeles thru December 20, 2025. The leading cartoonist of the Sixties underground, one of the greatest ever, Crumb’s influence cannot be overstated. Whenever you see the work of a comics artist that features an alter ego stand-in for the creator, commenting and complaining about life’s foibles, you can thank R. Crumb. He single-handedly invented the one-person comics anthology with the launch of Zap Comix in 1967, a progenitor to the whole “autobio comics” genre that was to evolve into the “alternative comics” scene into the 21st century. Following the Crumb tradition of a Larry David-like anti-hero are countless cartoonists, including such notables as Julie Doucet, Gabrielle Bell, Julia Wertz and Noah Van Sciver. With this in mind, it is no small feat to have R. Crumb yet again hold his own—and at the age of 81!

Page from R. Crumb, I’m Afraid, 2025
© Robert Crumb, 2025
Courtesy the artist, Paul Morris, and David Zwirner

Everything you could expect in a R. Crumb comic book can be found in this new book. I have read Tales of Paranoia a number of times and I am thoroughly impressed with how well it all holds together, one story blending into the next, not an easy thing to do well with a collection of short works. I’m delighted right away to see that distinctive, and consistent, lively drawing line. Crumb is a sui generis cartoonist: a one-of-a-kind artist who is highly accessible; sort of inviting other cartoonists to join in but most likely leaving them creating lesser replicas of his work. For the reader, Crumb is casually inviting you into his world: creating an illusion that you have entered an inner sanctum, whether it is the human condition, the national psyche or what may or may not be his own mind.

Reading every crumb of Crumb.

It is important to process every crumb of Crumb. He has written and rewritten, formatted and reformatted, to the point that he’s amassed layers of meaning, leaving room for argument and counterargument and further interpretation. Like any artist, he has absorbed the current zeitgeist and reflects it back to the reader. This leaves me wondering about his current batch of rants and riffs, as much expressions of his beliefs as a satire of how we collectively express ourselves: begin with the outrage and go from there, just like one podcaster emulates another podcaster, ad infinitum. Or, if you wish to take a longer view, it’s all about finding a way to tell the most compelling story, going back to the first stories ever told.

Crumb’s hobby horse of choice in this book is the potentially nefarious background attached to the Covid-19 vaccine and the cottage industry that has grown around it. This is not the only subject that Crumb sinks his teeth into but it is definitely at the top and provides a structure for further “ranting.” As any good storyteller knows, it’s all in the pacing. Like a good conversationalist, Crumb eases into this or that fact, gently but firmly citing his sources. Crumb makes his case for Big Pharma’s track record of corruption and encourages the reader to do their own research. Crumb finds nuggets of wisdom from a wide range of books and publications that he dutifully cites. He also includes such controversial figures as Joe Rogan and RFK Jr. which gives me pause. That said, Crumb insists you don’t have to like or agree with them but be open to what is coming from their corners. I conclude, if it is information resonating with the public, then it takes on a value, at the very least, for doing that.

We have gone from a tradition of “serious people” in high office and places of authority (John Kerry, Robert Reich, Hillary Clinton) to this current Trumpian transgressive period of unqualified “unserious people” in places of power (Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, RFK Jr.). Midway through the book, the comic “Deep State Woman,” points out that even a “highly qualified” person isn’t always your best bet. Here, Crumb can ease up on his “paranoid” character and simply focus on presenting a compelling portrait of a dangerous career bureaucrat.

With a nod to the mind-boggling complexity of all the world’s machinations, Crumb, more than once, looks upward and pleads for some words of encouragement from a higher power. Crumb depicts himself asking for some clarification from God and receiving the bare minimum for his efforts. All we can do is try. It’s nice to see that Crumb hasn’t given up.

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October 12, 2025 · 1:35 pm

Maria La Divina by Jerome Charyn book review

Maria La Divina. Jerome Charyn. Bellevue Literary Press. 2025. 

Maria Callas (1923-1977), the celebrated opera singer, has gotten on more people’s radars with Angelina Jolie’s portrayal in Maria, on Netflix. Add to your appreciation of Maria Callas with the new novel by Jerome Charyn. Callas had the look, the poise, and, most assuredly, the voice. While keeping to her opera sphere of influence, she was certainly heard beyond it. Novelist Jerome Charyn, known for his in-depth explorations of notable figures, including Emily Dickinson and Abraham Lincoln, delivers a rags-to-riches tale of Callas at the level befitting such a towering diva.

Maria Callas is this novel’s clay, which Charyn molds into this beautiful melancholic character: perpetually hungry for cheese and chocolate; perpetually starving for love; blessed with extraordinary raw talent; burdened with poor eyesight and awkwardness. Callas came from humble origins. So humble that a Dickensian treatment, at least in part, is apropos to tell her story. Once she found her voice, she began to soar, even while still a teenager, at the height of World War II, living in occupied Greece, and fearing for her life. But Callas, at her core, isn’t especially fearful in this novel. She is gifted with an out-sized operatic singing voice that preoccupies her every waking moment. Displaced as she is growing up, her neurotic stage mother moving her and her sister from New York to Greece, she gains much solace from the companionship of three canaries, particularly her prized Stephanakos. Her lovers fated to doom. Callas, truly a tragic figure.

Maria Callas, portrait by Cecil Beaton, 1956.

Charyn, a masterful writer by any measure, is a delight to read. He sets in motion a narrative that you do not want to put down. His prose has a distinctive poetic magic to it, a relentless drive that charms and intrigues the reader. He will highlight certain aspects, features, quirks, of a character and return to them: Maria’s devouring, like a wolf, cheese and chocolate; Maria’s aspirations to master the art of “bel canto,” an impossible goal for any singer; Maria’s myopia, leaving her to memorize every inch of the stage since she won’t easily see it when she performs. Charyn, the writer and artist, diligently researches his subject to the point where he has a palette to dive into, like a painter, that sets him free to express the essence, meaning and purpose of a character, a story.

Maria Callas was to know world-wide fame but happiness was to allude her. In many ways, she was trapped: another VIP among other VIPs. It is in this bittersweet world of privilege and deprivation that Maria navigated. In such a world, she could be both miserable and mesmerized. In such a world she could find herself on the yacht of one of the richest men in the world, Aristole Onasis, circa 1959, the start of an extended love affair with Onasis. Here is just a brief excerpt as Charyn, amid all the glamour and pomp, has Callas, in an unhappy marriage with her manager, return to the simple pleasures of her canaries while speaking with Winston Chruchill:

“Madame Meneghini,” Sir Winston said, “you keep staring at poor Toby. Does my bird delight you?”

A shiver ran through Maria. Somehow this pompous bird reminded her of Stephanakos, her lost canary, and how much she missed singing duets with that bright yellow wonder of a male soprano.

“Forgive me, Sir Winston. I did not mean to stare. But I must kiss your hand.” And she did. His hand felt rough against her lips.

“That’s cheeky,” said Sir Winston’s bodyguard from Scotland Yard.

“Shut up,” Sir Winston said, his eyes half closed, “and let the opera singer explain herself. I’m sure she had an excellent reason, Sergeant Marley.”

“You see,” Maria said, “I was in Athens during the civil war, when you arrived in your armored car. It ignited the population.”

The old man with the babyish bald head was suddenly alert. “I remember that afternoon, indeed. I couldn’t afford to have Greece fall to the Reds. All of Europe would have fallen.”

Sir Winston’s head began to droop. His bodyguards transferred him to the outsize wheelchair, trundled him as far as they could, then cradled him in their arms and carried him to Aristotle’s lavish suite on the bridge deck.

Maria La Divina by Jerome Charyn is available now. I highly recommend that you seek out this engaging tale of bittersweet existence, the story of Maria Callas, La Divina, considered the greatest diva that ever lived.

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October 5, 2025 · 6:08 pm

Mary Shyne Interview: YOU AND ME ON REPEAT

You and Me on Repeat, published by Henry Holt & Co., is a delightful graphic novel. You can read my review here. This is the first major graphic novel for Mary Shyne, also known for her own self-published graphic novel, Get Over It. So, keep in mind that Mary Shyne is very well-versed in the world of comics with numerous achievements: establishing a solid reputation with a self-published work; working in the book industry (Penguin Random House, no less); earning an MFA from the well respected Center for Cartoon Studies; getting her work published by a major publisher (Henry Holt & Co.); and, to top it off, Mary holds a key position at the Charles Schulz Museum. Alright then, no doubt, Mary Shyne is an exceptional person to talk about comics with. It was a pleasure to chat about Mary’s career path and her new book, a story about two star-crossed time-traveling teenagers.

Given that Mary’s career covers so much ground, this turned out to be a great opportunity to discuss various aspects of comics, specifically, the independent artist who self-publishes and often works alone (the auteur cartoonist) versus a new breed of comics artist that works within a team environment, including an agent, editor and publicist. There are variations to this. For instance, some well-established professional cartoonists retain the “auteur cartoonist” work method, giving up little to no control. While other cartoonists embrace working with others from the very start. Add to that the fact that many independent cartoonists are not thinking in terms of a “comics career” in the first place. But today such a path is potentially more viable if you follow certain steps. Your mileage will vary! There are so many variations on a theme, especially when it comes to a comics artist, etc.

Circa 2003: On a wing and a prayer, emerges The Center for Cartoon Studies.

We also dig deeper into the attitudes and approaches of cartoonists who came up the ranks with little to no formal training compared to cartoonists who have gained this new level of specialized comics training that was not quite possible a generation or so ago. The Center for Cartoon Studies stands out as a place of higher learning that trains those individuals who aspire to some kind of comics career, outside of working in the more mainstream superhero environment. These aspiring cartoonists are setting their sites on all kinds of comics that fit outside of the superhero genre (although there’s always unique exceptions) and these comics tend to be more personal “autobio” slice-of-life type of work, a genre all its own. These stories often find a home at more independent publishers or major book publishers interested in quirky offbeat work that tends to fit primarily into their young adult demographic (age 12 to 18), or the young reader market (age 8 to 14). And there’s more markets and age groups. The point is that there’s a strategy in place long before there’s a story. I suppose the trick, for any enterprising cartoonist, is to transcend any strategy. Those who manage to do that are really the ones who will thrive. After chatting with Mary, I can see she absolutely fits into that group.

All You Need is Kill

It was so much fun to chat with such an enthusiastic and experienced member of the comics community. Mary was very generous in sharing about her work and provided a window into her process. We bounced around a lot of ideas and covered a lot of ground. For instance, we talked about the graphic novel series, All You Need is Kill.

Palm Springs, on Hulu.

We talked about one of the great time loop movies, Palm Springs.

Lowlife (1992) by Ed Brubaker.

We talked about Ed Brubaker’s amazing comic book series, Lowlife.

My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea by Dash Shaw

We talked about Dash Shaw and his amazing animated feature, My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea.

Osamu Tezuka

We talked about Osamu Tezuka and his “star system” approach to comics.

Chuck Todd

Given that comics and pop culture are so closely aligned, and the fact that any conversation today can’t help but get a little self-referential, I brought up a giant in media, Chuck Todd, a recent sign of the times. Folks who find themselves pulled out of their high profile positions often turn to doing a podcast. At the time, I could not think of the title of Chuck Todd’s podcast. Well, it’s actually easy: it’s The Chuck Toddcast! I had not planned on mentioning Todd but it made sense. Chuck is someone who did everything right, loved his work, was respected by his peers, and yet it wasn’t enough. He was replaced as moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, by Kristen Welker, who he graciously mentored. He came to my mind in terms of dealing with the demands of any industry attempting to gain top market share. It’s a war out there and good people can get caught in the crossfire.

Charles Schulz

And we round things out with wondering what Charles Schulz would do in the brave new world that is comics today. Mary thinks that Sparky would have most likely avoided social media, but that’s just a little bit of fun speculation.

I hope you enjoy the video interview. As always, your views, LIKES and COMMENTS directly at the Comics Grinder YouTube channel are crucial to our survival. Any bit of engagement is very welcome and appreciated.

Editor’s Note: If you are in San Francisco, be sure to view original art from Mary Shyne’s new graphic novel, You and Me on Repeat, at the Cartoon Art Museum. The exhibit runs from September 27, 2025 through January 18, 2026.

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October 1, 2025 · 8:00 am

Joe Sacco Interview: As Goes India, So Goes the World

I want to make clear that Joe Sacco did not say, “As Goes India, so goes the world.” That’s just my summation, my interpretation, as trite as it may sound. But I’m sure Joe would acknowledge my attempt at finding the universal truths in his latest work of comics journalism: The Once and Future Riot, published by Henry & Holt, releasing on October 14, 2025 and available for pre-order. Well, we had a most agreeable conversation. No doubt, Joe Sacco is a towering figure in comics, known for such landmark work as Palestine and Footnotes in Gaza. My main concern was simply to focus on the new book at hand and resist getting caught up in so many other things we could have talked about. But that was easy since the point I kept coming back to is that this new book has so much to say and proves timeless and highly relevant.

“They are rich people. We are poor people.”

This was an easygoing conversation, just like you’d expect in a coffee shop. I wasn’t there to argue this or that fiery point. I was there to, I suppose, coax along insights. A revelation for me, when I think about it, is that Joe Sacco is quite a regular guy in the sense that he’s not there to persuade you with any sort of slanted rhetoric. No “slanters,” just a progression of logical observations. All of this in the service of talking about this book, an exploration of political violence and focusing on a prime example in India: the communal hatred between Hindus and Muslims that led to the 2013 riots in Uttar Pradesh. How, and why, did this happen? All of this emerges in layers within layers.

“No one is left in the middle.”

Here’s the thing to keep in mind about any book by Joe Sacco: the background is essential because that’s where the meat of the story resides, made up of numerous personal stories. Joe’s tried and true method has been to go about capturing these moments with all their subtle nuances in words and pictures which provides an uncanny result by a reporter who literally has gone beyond the initial hard news to uncover the sort of details that can so easily get lost in the shuffle. During our conversation, I was struck by Joe’s patient and calm delivery, his response to my sometimes excitable questions. He was so engaged in the moment, which is undoubtedly the ideal state you want your guest to be in, that we were able to truly enjoy a conversation and let ideas flow.

The Lie becomes Truth.

One of the most interesting things about this new book is that it poses a lot of questions, more than we can hope to fully answer although we will keep on seeking solutions. As I suggest, this is a book not only about India but about the state of the whole world. Everywhere, we must confront demagoguery; we must confront those with power who prey on those without power; and we must confront our lesser selves who contribute to a polarized society. I shared with Joe what I believed to be the book’s conclusion: a primary way to end the vicious cycle of political violence among a nation’s people is to have a government that the people can rely upon and trust. He asked me if I thought that was his conclusion and I readily said, yes. And he agreed. We played with the thread of that idea. Joe shared that he thought of himself as a Democrat, but with a small “d,” as far from the established Democratic Party as possible. What other options did one have within the current reality? A very good question.

War on Gaza

I brought up something during our conversation that I didn’t think I would, and then I did. At the time that Joe Sacco did his War on Gaza limited series, published by The Comics Journal, I was on the fence about it because I feared it would help, in its own modest way, to contribute to a Democrat loss in the presidential election. It feels like a lifetime ago but, back then, Americans were facing a very close election, which it was, if you admit Trump’s 77 million to Harris’s 75 million votes was close, which it was, the closest one this century. With hindsight, I conclude that Sacco’s comics revisit of Gaza, his calling out genocide, was an honest response that made sense and still does. Democrats are far from perfect but, compared to the current administration, well, you tell me.

Ultimately, Joe and I both let out a collective sigh at confronting the hard truth that the big, truly substantial, leaps of progress still lay way ahead in the distant future. And yet the effort must continue towards that future, no matter how elusive, no matter how far out of reach, it may be.

Enjoy the video interview. As always, your views, LIKES and COMMENTS are very welcome and help us continue to do what we do here at Comics Grinder.

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September 16, 2025 · 11:00 am

You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne comics review

You and Me on Repeat. Mary Shyne. Henry Holt. 2025. 224pp. $17.99.

A good time travel story these days walks a fine line as a genre all to itself: self-aware, serious and ironic all at once. I can see that Mary Shyne has given this a lot of consideration which has resulted in a graphic novel with a fresh take. Clearly, Shyne knows her way around all the time travel tropes, and so do her characters.

Chris and Alicia, two teenagers who have just graduated high school, are quick to accept the reality of time travel but not so quick to accept themselves. This is the premise that Shyne plays with as she has these two endure an endless loop of re-living their high school graduation day. Chris is a science geek and he’s a bit uptight. Alicia is an aspiring writer and she’s a free spirit. These two seem unlikely as a romantic couple but only time will tell, right? Shyne is way ahead of it and manages to keep thickening the plot, even for the most jaded young adult, this book’s prime audience.

As with any good time-looping story, the journey is what it’s all about. Shyne paves the way with a light manga art style that is pleasing to the eye and compliments the breezy nature of the narrative. It’s a very impressive work that checks all the boxes in what makes for a highly marketable work in comics. In its layout, its humor and overall vibe, there’s something lean, clean and perfect about Shyne’s work. That said, Shyne elevates her work to something personal and idiosyncratic that defies the most perfectly calculated marketing stratagem.  Could it be a bit of genuine heart-felt magic? I think so.

The best time travel stories have less to do with time travel and more to do with characters and so it is the case here. The two main characters, Chris O’Brien, who is white, and Alicia Ochoa, who is Mexican, are a mixed-race star-crossed couple of kids. The trend in the book and entertainment industry, if you haven’t noticed in the last five years, is diversity. I’ve been very mindful and supportive of diversity for much longer than five years. How about all my life? I’m Mexican American and, as a creator of comics and stories, that unique perspective is always there in my own work, whether it is noticed or not. In the case of this work, it is supposed to be noticed. Alicia Ochoa steals the show as the oldest sibling among many in a large Mexican family. Not all Mexican families are large but it’s a compelling trope and it works well here. Alicia is a restless soul who wishes to explore as many versions of herself as possible, including romance with girls and boys. What could be better than to be stuck in a perpetual loop where you repeat the same day, do whatever you want, wipe the slate clean and dig in for more?

Remember, the reason we can’t seem to get enough of time travel stories, at least good ones, is that they promise to deliver a bit of genuine heart-felt magic. I really enjoyed this book all the way to the last page and that’s because of its heart and honesty. And, hey, Shyne manages to do something that keeps getting more difficult to do in the genre. Shyne taps into that magic we keep craving and hoping for when we seek out a good time travel yarn.

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September 8, 2025 · 10:16 pm

THE KING’S WARRIOR by Huahua Zhu comics review

The King’s Warrior. Huahua Zhu. Bulgilhan Press. 2024. 65pp. $15.00.

From the cover, all the way through, I am completely swept into the exquisite world that Huahua Zhu has created in her new comic. I love fantasy when it works for me and this does. Recently, I was browsing through a bunch of zines at a certain shop and I was struck by the art on the cover, the delicate and ethereal lines holding up a bold eccentricity.
When a comic sparks my curiosity, that’s a very good sign. The best fantasy will do that: somehow turn the genre on its head, give you something refreshingly new and will its own reality. By simply jumping into the story, in just the right understated manner, Zhu has achieved this. One wonders what led up to this moment while, at the same time, ready to follow along.
The two leading characters are rather enigmatic: a brother and sister with elfin ears. All we know, at first, is that this is a world of monsters, especially dragons.  Zhu’s approach is to not give too much away. The first page is a trio of close-up panels depicting a slaughter of dragons. This is followed by a couple of pages of combat. And then a page featuring a castle and an inset close-up panel that only shows part of a craggy face. A textbox below dares someone to come and kill him. Finally, the next page has our leads, Mara and Echo: an animated page of various panels that gently introduces the siblings with light hints of yellow and blue watercolor.
An ambiguous and fanciful tempo is kept up all the way to the end of this book. The connections between characters are not altogether clear hinting at a larger backstory. There is no apparent reason why the actions of one character should determine the fate of another but that seems to be the point. Mara and Echo have both ended up being kidnapped by a mysterious queen who won’t set them free until a warrior has completed his task of assassinating a wizard. Once this chain of events has been set into motion, more things are triggered and there’s no turning back.

Zhu has a wonderful way with drawing horses, dragons, gnomes, elves, wizards, all the stuff of fantasy, including a magical golden coin. The trick is to not bring out the big swords too often or all at once. Good fantasy, or any good story, is made up of a number of well-timed moments, constantly moving forward, toward something greater than its parts. This Zhu does well. I buy it in every quiet scene she’s conjured up with the mighty warrior and Growl, his chimera sidekick. Yes, Zhu manages a bit of humor. This is an ideal work of comics fantasy, both spooky and enchanting.

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September 6, 2025 · 2:25 pm

The Once and Future Riot by Joe Sacco graphic history review

The Once and Future Riot. Joe Sacco. Henry Holt & Co. 2025. 144pp. $27.99

India was once a confident and reliable ally of the United States. Lately, due to the Trump administration’s belligerence and blundering, India has leaned deeper into Russia and China’s orbit. India is simply not enough on the radar of the average American, without some tie to India, to really know or care one way or another but, as Joe Sacco’s book makes clear, there are undeniable universal truths that India has to share with the rest of the world. Once again, Joe Sacco lays out the essential, and ever elusive, truth.

The elusive truth, lost in an instance. At its core, this is what Joe Sacco’s new book is about and what all of his comics journalism books are about. You don’t think you can relate to India, or to Palestinian genocide in Gaza at the hands of the Netanyahu administration? Well, think again. We live in a world where up is down and down is up and, all too often, we fight shadows and ignore the substance. In the case of this new work, Sacco focuses on the conflict between Hindus and Muslims in India. Some would say it is irreparable. Others would say it is a manufactured conflict that favors those in power who gin up the public, stoke the flames of hatred, exploit resentment and distrust.

Sacco interviews a Muslim cleric during his travels in India who plainly lays it out: The media is responsible for the hostility between Hindu and Muslim. “You start telling a lie again and again to make it a truth. TV channels have done it. TV channels are liars. They keep telling lies 24 hours a day.” Where there once was a friend, now there is a demon.

India, it must be stressed is a democracy, with a federalist framework similar to the United States. What happens in India is not from some distant and remote region. The world grows smaller every day, as it is. And India reflects this in a powerful way. Joe Sacco’s book lays out the dynamics that led to the bloody 2013 riots in the streets of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous and diverse state in India. What caused the violence is misinformation that fueled a mob mentality. It can happen again in India. It can, and is, happening in the United States. And it can happen anywhere.

“I was crying. Like anything . . .”

As easily as the United States can experience a collapse of order by the insurrectionists on January 6, 2021, so can a region of India once celebrated for harmony. The lethal power of demagoguery can not be overstated, despite what others who traffic in misinformation may say. We live in dangerous times with no sign of it letting up in our collective lifetimes. As long as there are people in power with the time and money but no wisdom or integrity, we remain in an endless cycle. Well, this should be painfully obvious. Sacco does not beat one over the head with the obvious but steadily covers the specifics of a specific moment in time. The reader gets to know particular people. The reader is guided along as these individuals confront their struggles, some needlessly to die. And it is through this specificity that Sacco reaches the universal.

When will this horror end?

It is within this calm and steady approach that Sacco builds up to the horror and tragedy of the riots in Uttar Pradesh. In one incident that Sacco documents, Muslims ambush droves of Hindus attempting to flee. The Muslim attack is relentless. Hindu farmers attempt to hide behind their trolley trucks only to have their vehicles ransacked. They are attacked with guns, rocks, swords and knives. One man witnesses his son bludgeoned and tossed off a truck. When he attempts to help him, he is overwhelmed by an oncoming mob. He calls out to the police who manage to get his son to a hospital, where he dies. It begs the question, When will this horror end? It is a question that perpetually begs for an answer.

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August 17, 2025 · 7:00 pm

Partisans: A Graphic History of Anti-Fascist Resistance book review

Partisans: A Graphic History of Anti-Fascist Resistance. Editors: Raymond Tyler & Paul Buhle. Between The Lines. 2025. 148pp. $34.95.

A bold statement is asserted in the introduction to this book: “History does not repeat itself. But the example offered of the Partisans’ courage must not, cannot, be forgotten in our time. We must find our own creative ways, individually and collectively, to rise to the challenge.” This is a collection of short works in comics that chronicle the fight against fascism leading up to and all through the Second World War. I don’t know what to make of the relatively calm assertion that history does not repeat itself when, each day, it looks like history is repeating itself. The best I can come up with to reconcile this statement is to say that we must embrace the calm before the storm, even seek it out during the storm. Each story here offers some moments of contemplation, featuring stories from survivors with their own set of insights.

“Freedom or Death: The French Partisans” by Daniel Selig

For these sort of works in comics, especially a collection such as this, I believe the most compelling work cuts to the chase. This is why I find the straightforward piece by Daniel Selig, known in Europe for this work with Éditions FLBLB, so compelling. He sets out to outline the evolution of French Partisans and does exactly that. There’s even a quick and precise nod to the creative and intellectual contingent on one page featuring Jean Paul-Sartre, Paul Eluard and Elsa Barraine. Food for thought as we engage with our own times.

“The Hungarian Resistance” by Sander Feinberg and Summer McClinton

There are a number of more traditional depictions of testimony coming from the average person. In that vein, some examples: David Lasky‘s rendering of diary entries from Eastern Europe; Trina Robbins and Anne Timmons honoring teenage Paritsans in Holland; and Sander Feinberg and Summer McClinton‘s tribute to the Hungarian resistance. Each work brings the struggle down to the human scale in very distinctive ways in terms of style and approach.

“Andartiko: Fighting Fascism in Greece” by David Lester

Another more straightforward approach focuses on the fight in Greece. David Lester, known for his historical graphic novels with a dramatic flair (Revolution by Fire: New York’s Afro-Irish Uprising of 1741) , offers a study of the Andartiko Partisans, with roots going back to the Ottoman Empire. His approach is gritty, bold and dynamic and really keeps the narrative moving.

“Piccola Staffetta” by Isabella and Franca Bannerman

What each piece in this book has in common is that urgency to connect the dots from the past with the present. The most explicit example comes from long-time World War 3 Illustrated contributor Isabella Bannerman. In her piece, she depicts the words of her mother, Franca Bannerman, who grew up during the rise of Mussolini and can’t help but see a distinct similarity between that fascist dictator and our current U.S. president. Well, someone had to say it and this one hits the nail on the head. So, where do you go from here? Days, let alone months, even years, can go by and the future remains murky and sinister. One thing is for sure, we can all use as much calm contemplation as we can get.

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August 6, 2025 · 6:15 pm

Molly and the Bear creator interview with Bob & Vicki Scott

Pages from Molly and the Bear.

We continue the Molly and the Bear coverage with a special creator interview with the husband-and-wife team of Bob and Vicki Scott. In this interview, we cover quite a lot of ground, from the origins of Molly and the Bear comics to a number of creative insights. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me. Great to have both of you.

It’s nice to be here!  Thank you for chatting with us!

Please share with us what both of you would like to tell folks about your new book.

Bob:  Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware is the follow-up to our first book, Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair, which came out a year ago.  Both books are fun graphic novels for middle grade readers who like the idea of hanging out with a very large, very real Bear who has real issues.  Hmm, I guess I would like to let people know that these are fun books, full of heart and laughs.

Vicki: I’d like to let people know that they may be hard-pressed to find the books in the big stores like Barnes and Noble or Target, but online shopping is not their only option!  We peek into as many indie bookstores as possible, and we’ve been delighted to find the indie booksellers stocking out books!  It is a real thrill to see the books on the shelf.  We’ve also found Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair in public and school libraries!!!  (We hope they pick up the new book too!) Of course, the online retailers carry the books, but we love and appreciate the indies and libraries!!!

Would you share about the evolution of Molly and the Bear, from comic strip to book series?

Bob: Molly and the Bear started back when Universal Press Syndicate ran Comics Sherpa, a web platform for budding comic strips.  Sherpa was open to anyone, and the fellow creators were so supportive and encouraging.  GoComics is the syndicate’s “Invite-Only” web syndication platform and I jumped on Go in 2009.  I love the immediacy of posting a strip and getting immediate reaction.

Vicki: However.

Bob: GoComics audiences tend to hit a plateau, and Molly and the Bear had a couple thousand subscribers and the audience was not growing.  But I really wanted more people to see my work.  Vicki began suggesting adapting the strip into graphic novels.

“An Unlikely Pair”

Tell us about getting into the zone for your readers, the middle grade kids.

Bob: I released 2 compilation books, which my friends dutifully bought.  Fortunately, they left the books lying around on their kitchen tables long enough for their kids to get curious.  We got reports that the 11 – 12-year-old daughters LOVED the characters.

Vicki: Since doing a graphic novel was my big idea, I had the pleasure of reaching into Bob’s huge pile of strips and pulling out story lines that focused on Molly and Bear. It was the same process I used when I had worked for the Schulz family adapting TV specials and comic strips into the long-form comics for Boom Comics. By knowing the characters super well and weaving strips into the script, the integrity of Bob’s work (and Sparky’s) was maintained.   I love Molly and Bear and it is a pleasure to help shape the story into a long graphic novel.

Bob: While we kept the story focused on Molly and Bear, we added Harper, a best friend for Molly. Harper has become a regular in the strip too.

Vicki: By adding a best friend for Molly, and taking her to school, it helped make the story just right for 11 -12-year-olds.

Vicki: (whispering) A small note, the books are for middle grades, which is book-speak for 8 – 12- year-olds.  Books for middle school kids is YA.  It’s confusing even for us.  Bob and I nearly came to blows once over the term “chapter book”. Kidding.

“Campers Beware”

What can you share about your process? Anything is fair game: panels, lettering, coloring, layout, software used, any physical art process?

Bob: My process for the new books and the strip has only a couple of small differences.  Both are drawn in blue (or red) pencil on Bristol Board, then inked with a Windsor Newton Sable brush and waterproof India Ink. I love the feel of drawing on the board, the meditative nature of inking, and the satisfaction of holding the end product in my hands.

For both the books and the strips, I scan them and use Photoshop to remove the blue (or red) pencil lines.  For the strip, I usually ink the borders; for the books I do the borders in Photoshop.  All color is done in Photoshop.

The biggest difference is that I made a font of my lettering to use for the books. This made edits and possible translations easier.

Vicki: Once Bob got the art to the scan stage, I helped as much as I could as he held a full-time job for most of the books’ production.  I was tasked with coloring the book.  I made a conscious decision to not use shadows or gradations or anything fancy with the color so Bob’s beautiful inkwork remained the star.

Let’s get psychological. What does the Bear symbolize?

Bob: All the characters have large parts of me. I can be fearful, pessimistic, optimistic, brave, cranky.  We all have many sides to us, and I think when artists tap into those common threads sincerely, the art is relatable, and people connect to it.

Vicki: Yeah, we all contain multitudes.  And Bob blends them into comedy.

What’s it like working as a team?

Vicki: Lawyers were not called at any time.  No, seriously, Bob and I have worked together many times. My first job after graduating art school was inking US Acres, which he was co-penciling for Jim Davis.  It saved so much time, really.  We didn’t have to have that hour long conversation, “How was your day?” because we already knew.  We sat next to each other all day.  I love Bob’s art, I respect what he does and keep my hands off everything that makes Bob’s art his.

Bob: I like what Vicki brings to the work.  She adds a side to the characters that I wouldn’t think of.  Example: I drew Harper in an oversize sweater. I thought it was cute, and kind of in fashion right then.  Vicki made up the back story that the sweater belongs to Harper’s mom, and since the mom works long hours, Harper misses her.  So, Harper snuggles into the sweater every day like a portable Mom-hug.  I would never have thought of that, and it added so much to Harper.

Anything you’d like to share about the writing process–about the comedic timing?

Vicki: Writing a comic strip is like the haiku of comedy writing.  Bob is a master of it, and it is harder than it looks.  I like to blather on and on, so I can take Molly and Bear into full-length stories.  I like call-backs, long-running jokes and soap-opera-esque drama.

Bob: If I can make a joke work with a great, funny drawing, that’s what I love.  I love the slapstick of cartoons, the wild takes, the animation I can put into the comic strip and the books.  I love a pun as much as anyone, and Bear is always fun to write, but he is way more fun to draw.

Vicki: To be clear, Bob writes and draws his strip completely solo.  I help with the books, but the strip is all Bob.

Share with us anything you like about your early years.

Bob: I have been making comic strips since I was little. I saw strips in the newspaper every day (newspapers used to be on paper and delivered to your house.  Crazy times) and I drew my favorites.  Pretty soon I was making my own strips.  I have been on a quest for syndication my whole life.   Fortunately, I also wanted to be an animator.

Vicki: I don’t remember it very well, but I wasn’t always this tall. My feet were always this big, however.

Bob: Ha! Ha!

What would you tell someone just getting into making comics. Some folks do it as a creative outlet and others are looking to pursue it as part of a creative career. Any advice?

Bob: A lot of people ask me how to make a comic strip. I walk them through finding a size to draw the strip that works for them and turn them loose.  That’s it!  There is no big list of requirements for strips.  It’s why I love strips.  I work on animated features and TV series all day and I LOVE that I’m my own boss on the strip. Three panels? Sure!  Five panels? Why not?  Web-based syndication is very free.

Interestingly, people roll up their sleeves and do about 8 strips.  That’s about when everyone sees it is a lot of work.  Endless.  But I love that too.  Every single day, I get to make a new strip.  Tell a new joke.  Draw something funny that makes me laugh.

It’s not for everyone.

Vicki: When Bob was young, making a living doing a comic strip was a real possibility.  He was just a few years behind Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes).  But when the papers began failing, comic strips entered a dark period where almost no one could launch a strip that would support them.  Now, there are more ways to get comic strips out there, and the future for comic strip artists may be looking better.  Strange Planet is a good example of a web-based comic “making it big”.

Any final thoughts are welcome. What is in store for the future?

Bob: We would love to continue the Molly and the Bear graphic novels, but publishing is a business and that means we need Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair and Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware to sell through the roof.   I hope we get to do a third: Molly is going to do a school play, Bear will need to stand in for a sick kid, and of course the theater is haunted.

Vicki: Hilarity will ensue.

Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware and Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair are published by Simon & Schuster.

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August 5, 2025 · 12:00 pm

Molly and the Bear by Bob & Vicki Scott book series review

Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair and Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware. By Bob Scott and Vicki Scott. Simon & Schuster. (ages 8-12) 240pp each. $14.99 each.

Molly and the Bear is a syndicated comic strip by Bob Scott with a wide fan base going back to 2010. Bob Scott is a highly regarded cartoonist and animator who has worked with many of the greats in the comics industry including Jim Davis as well as with such high profile animation studios as Warner Brothers, DreamWorks and Pixar. Molly and the Bear is about an 11-year-old girl and her best friend, a very sensitive 800-pound bear. In partnership with his wife, Vicki, Bob turned this webcomic into a middle-grade graphic novel series. It is a wonderful collaborative project by two respected creatives in the world of comics and animation. The first two books in the series have just come out and I’m thrilled to share with you such a wildly inventive work.

“An Unlikely Pair”

Both of these books are coming out together and so make a perfect pair. That leads me to the title of the first book, “An Unlikely Pair,” which acts as an entry point, especially if you enjoy seeing two characters meet for the very first time. A big point I need to stress is that I’m always intrigued and overjoyed to see just how much quirky, artful and original storytelling is found within the pages of a book that has a younger demographic of readers. In this particular case, I firmly believe that Bob and Vicki Scott have achieved that classic “all-ages” appeal, and that has a lot to do with Bob’s refined sense of meeting the demands of a comic strip, traditionally meant to be enjoyed by any reader, whatever the age. This first book opens with Molly’s parents off to enjoy a drive and trusting their daughter to mind the home alone. This leads to Molly exchanging text messages with her pal, Harper, followed by her just dancing and enjoying a little freedom. But then, suddenly, a huge bear crawls in from an open window. In short order, Molly discovers this bear has some serious issues with living outside–and inside: he’s a complete mess who needs help. Molly decides to let him stay and just hope for the best. Of course, she will have to deal with Bear’s intricate system of worries. For instance, he’s afraid of heights, especially “mid-level heights.” Enough to boggle the mind of any therapist. And there’s your very unusual and funny premise.

Even if you are a highbrow comics connoisseur, I ask that you put on your white gloves, monocle and top hat and examine this work for yourself, just as you would any number of other works with a mass media following created by industry professionals (Carl Barks, Ernie Bushmiller, etc.). I think you’ll find the waters you swim here to be rather pleasant. Not only are the gags set up with precise timing but the compositions are consistently compelling. There is a level of skill here that can go underappreciated because it doesn’t call attention to itself but it’s there in every well-rendered figure and face, every well-established interior and exterior. I’m really charmed by the example above. Molly is luring her new best friend Bear to the safety of her bedroom with some ice cream, having him climb up a few stairs that he’s been terrified over. She manages to navigate a close call with her parents. By the next page, she races up the same stairs to check in on his progress and finds he’s overcome with a really bad case of stress-shedding. You see on these two pages Bear go through a roller coaster of emotions: from an all-time high to a lowest low.

“Campers Beware”

I actually read the second book first and only later went back and read the first book second. And I’m glad that I just leapfrogged into the material. Again, it’s all very polished and professional work with a certain subversive edge to it, just the sort of thing you find in all the old favorite animated TV shows like The Jetsons and The Flintstones. In the case of “Campers Beware,” Bob and Vicki deliver a hilarious story involving Bear beside himself attempting to befriend Dad while battling his fears of the great outdoors–and other bears. Really priceless stuff. Seek it out!

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