POWER KNIGHTS: BLADES OF LIBERTY #1. KID Comics. 2022. (Writer/Creator) Keithan Jones, (W) Noble Ward (Color) Salif Thompson. 28pp. $8 USD (Includes 11×17 Poster).
Imagine a precocious 10-year-old who pulls a Jack Kirby move and creates his own world of superheroes. And then life happens, time passes, and that kid is now an adult who has held onto that dream. That’s what this comic book is all about. In fact, Keithan Jones decided to carve out a little space for himself in the comics world and launch KID Comics, a place for comics packed with youthful energy and harkening back to the golden age spirit of comics meant for kids to enjoy.
Nick Cagnetti is a cartoonist based in Arizona and a graduate of Arizona State University with experience doing storyboards and commercial art but he’s been drawing forever thanks to a life-long love for comic books. He’s been making his own regularly since 2012 with books like Infinite Wonders and The Spirit of The Shadows but he’s best known for his work on Pink Lemonade.
PINK LEMONADE #1 by Nick Cagnetti
Nick Cagnetti is one of the cartoonists that inspires me and I’m happy to feature here. Looking back, I found my glowing review of Pink Lemonade #1 from 2019, when it was published by Drew Ford’s IT’S ALIVE. Nick and I talk about the legacy of Drew Ford, one of the great champions of offbeat comics. Pink Lemonade is now published by Oni Press.
“I try to keep pushing myself, to get even better. I try to make stuff I enjoy personally, that makes me smile.”
— Nick Cagnetti on his craft.
Comics can change the world, or we hope so. I’ve earned my stripes over the years championing comics of all types: comics that aspire to be pure art; comics that pursue social justice; comics that emulate literary fiction; comics by everyday amateurs; and comics by the best artists in the business at a professional level. Which comics are truly worthy of attention or best represent the medium? Well, the best comics are the ones worth reading, with something to say, and have a distinct level of authenticity. Cagnetti’s work rises to that level, much in the spirit of Daniel Clowes, Darwyn Cooke and Mike Allred. The professional cartoonist’s career is all about evolution and progress. It’s great to be able to chat with Cagnetti, a young talent who has already achieved a level of excellence he can be proud of.
I am a fan of all sorts of styles, from very simple to hyper-realistic. What matters most is that the comics, and the cartoonist, have that X-factor, that certain quality that gives the final product a compellingly human touch. Often, among all the genres and subcategories, what I truly love is offbeat and eccentric comics. That’s why I made a point of bringing up during our interview that old cult classic Marvel Comics favorite, Howard the Duck. It is not everyone’s cup of tea but that is the whole point. It was the brainchild of writer Steve Gerber. The tagline says it all, “Trapped in a world he never made!” Cagnetti’s own Pink Lemonade main character could definitely say the same thing.
The Spirit of the Shadows
Pink Lemonade is a must-read and needs to be added to your shelf if you don’t already have it. Pink Lemonade is published by Oni Press and distributed by Simon & Schuster. You can also keep up with Nick Cagnetti and his ongoing projects, like The Spirit of the Shadows. Just go to his website, Radical Realm Comics.
The Spirit of The Shadows new ashcan.
I also want to mention Nick’s new work, with Daniel Ziegler, on The Spirit of the Shadows. He will have ashcan samplers available at the upcoming Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival on March 9th and those comics will also be available on Nick’s site. And one more bit of news: keep an eye out for a comics project Nick did with writer Zack Quaintance. It’s an anthology called, Death of Comics Bookcase, presumably about the demise of Zack’s comics blog, and will be launching a campaign soon on Kickstarter.
Here is the video interview. I encourage you to give us a view, LIKE and COMMENT. Every bit helps in order to keep things moving along smoothly. You’ll miss a lot more cool stuff if you don’t visit! Thanks.
Join us for a chat with award-winning writer/artist/performer/playwright/comics creator Cynthia von Buhler! The main focus is Cynthia’s Minky Woodcock graphic novel series, published by Titan Comics. And we connect the dots on related subjects too. Cynthia von Buhler is such a versatile creative person with one of the most impressive portfolios of work. Our conversation covers the last three graphic novels: the two recent Minky Woodcock books (read my reviews here and here) and a special treat, The Illuminati Ball, which is also an immersive stage experience.
The Illuminati Ball, immersive stage experience.
As you’ll find, all three of these titles share a lot in common: a fun and pulpy sensuous vibe; a love of quirky and uncanny history; and a relentless passion to solve a mystery.
The ever-expanding universe of Minky Woodcock.
One key factor about Cynthia’s art is its distinctive point of view. I get the feeling that I’m right there with the characters in their various activities. I can feel the rooms and environments; their bodies and sensuality. And there’s good reason for it. As we discuss during our chat, Cynthia goes to great lengths to be authentic whether it requires creating miniatures; having real life models, draped or nude; even living in the actual spaces once inhabited by her subjects. All of this adds up to a lived-in immersive experience, whether on the stage, in paintings or in graphic novels. We discuss this at length regarding Cynthia’s stay in the same room that Nikola Tesla lived in at The New Yorker Hotel for a decade. There’s a distinctive sense of place that is captured here.
Cynthia von Buhler graphic novels
An auteur cartoonist, someone who both writes and draws a work of graphic narrative, especially one with a fair amount of historical data, is going to need to be passionate about their work if they want to succeed. Cynthia von Buhler most certainly succeeds. As a graphic novelist creating work that weaves facts into her fiction, von Buhler revels in bringing to light all sorts of examples of truth being stranger than fiction. We chat about this in all three books we discuss. One perfect example comes from The Illuminati Ball with its history of the actual Illuminati, formed in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt. The goal of this “secret society” of scholars was simply to help “illuminate” common sense and stamp out superstition. This is a far cry from the urban myth that developed around The Illuminati which is steeped in superstition.
America’s Stonehedge no more.
Once a conversation ensues, it’s easy to lose track and, before you know it, you can be left with a few recipes for cocktails and not much else. I do my best to set the bar high. There were certain things I wanted to make sure to include during our talk. I am always struck by how much one can uncover if you’re willing to dig deep. There’s that 3-book rule: once you read three books on any given subject, you can call yourself an expert. Well, only relatively speaking since few people are willing to dig. I find Cynthia to be a kindred spirit when it comes to storytelling: covering the whimsical and the sensual; as well as the intellectual. You will definitely learn a number of things while reading one of her graphic novels, like the story of the Georgia Guidelines, nicknamed “America’s Stonehedge,” found in The Illuminati Ball. These monumental slabs of granite provided a road map to help society but succumbed to a bombing a few years ago and are now no more. At least it survives in Cynthia’s work.
Damsel in search of a gurney.
Lastly, this is a bit of bonus material. When I stumbled upon the fact that Cynthia had appeared on an episode of Oddities, the reality TV show on Discovery, I knew I’d found something worth a closer look. In this episode, circa 2012, Cynthia is putting together a stage show about her investigating the mysterious death of her grandfather.
Evan and Ryan on the search for grandpa’s gurney.
I found the episode, “A Gurney for Grandpa,” (S3 E16), after my interview so I wasn’t able to bring it up to her. That said, it added to my appreciation of her art. Cynthia grew up with the legend, and the trauma, of this death in the family. Her grandfather was a bootlegger in the 1930s in the Bronx, New York. Ironically, it was after Prohibition that he was shot by someone on a Manhattan street. But this tale takes a evener odder twist. Cynthia’s grandmother was pregnant with her mother at the time, and upon hearing the news of the murder she went into labor. Von Buhler’s grandfather’s body was laid out in one room of their small Bronx apartment while her mother was born in the room next to it. This family mystery would ultimately lead to one of Cynthia’s crowning achievements, Speakeasy Dollhouse, a series of immersive plays based on her investigations of mysterious deaths in site-specific historic locations. This project began as a series of dioramas, a favorite subject of mine, thus the name of the stage performance.
A dollhouse can help solve a mystery.
And so that’s why Cynthia appears on that episode of Oddities since, at the time, she was looking for a gurney prop for her show. It’s a perfect behind-the-scenes look at an artist’s lifelong quest to make sense of her world. Video podcast is just below. Your views, comments and Likes are always welcome.
This was the year for some very significant comics, notably Monica by Daniel Clowes and Blood of the Virgin by Sammy Harkham. Those two titles alone represent comics at its best in any year.
Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini. by Cynthia von Buhler. Titan Comics. 2018. 112pp. $24.99
Having reviewed the Tesla book, it only makes sense for me to go back and review the Houdini book, the first in Cynthia von Buhler’s Minky Woodcock crime noir series. I like how von Buhler gives both men the treatment by exposing their peculiarities and destructive tendencies. In the case of Houdini, he was hell bent on demolishing the industry of seances, spiritualism and fortune telling. That kind of intense zeal triggers deadly enemies. Our story begins when, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, one of spiritualism’s biggest defenders, wishes to enlist the detective agency of Woodcock & Son to get to the bottom of Houdini’s own supposed magical powers.
From Murray Hill to Park Avenue to Montreal.
The only problem is that Minky Woodcock is the only one available and not exactly Sir Arthur’s first choice. Be that as it may, Minky manages to not only ingratiate herself with Doyle but with Houdini and his wife, Bess. Minky gets in so deep that she’s even trading places with the most notorious of seance mavens, Margery of Boston, who is famous for presiding nude over her events and emitting mysterious protoplasmic fumes from her body. Margery has a way of intruding into personal spaces that her collaborators find intoxicating. All except for Minky, who easily sees through Margery’s scam.
It’s a delight to have gone back and read this first book in the series as I appreciate all the more von Buhler’s storytelling and artwork. If it’s not clear by now, this book is for mature readers, starting with older and wiser teens. This is in the best tradition of pulp fiction with its own sense of discretion, most interested in achieving a light entertainment. That brings to mind master illustrator Robert McGinnis, known for his iconic movie posters (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Odd Couple and James Bond), who provides the cover art for the first single issue to the Houdini story. And, with that image, in all its wildly vintage sensibility, you get a quick idea of the marvelously retro content you will find inside. So, if that’s your cup of tea, then you’ve found a very special blend.
Naked: The Confessions of a Normal Woman. Pow Pow. 2023. 161pp. $24.95
The auto-bio genre is alive and well. It never really went away, just like figurative painting. There are these cyclical declarations on art that certain things are dead until proven wrong. No one is ever going to stop bringing up their take on the human condition in comics, movies, books or whatever content we are compelled to consume and criticize. Bring in the topic of sex and, are you kidding me? Of course, artists of all stripes have something to say on the subject. Enter cartoonist Eloise Marseille and her coming-of-age misadventures. She shares her sex life with you, every last bit of it in her still young life, providing perhaps a guidebook for those coming up the ranks.
An honest confusion.
Don’t let the title of the book fool you. Marseille is not really claiming to be “normal” as much as she is sharing her struggle with moving past any labels. As a young person who is navigating what it’s all about, Marseille revels in sharing a messy and honest confusion. Like countless other cartoonists who have come before, and will come in the future, Marseille is putting it out there: life can be complicated; people make mistakes; ultimately, if people know what’s good for them, they will trust their feelings. And, so, for example, Marseille depicts her coming to terms with her attraction to women. In the end, it’s not a big deal.
The artwork in this comic is very appealing, minimal and elegant. The two-color palette of red and blue is perfect. Color and design, pacing and composition, all work well in advancing the narrative. There’s a lot to unpack here: numerous tender and vulnerable moments, along with various points to be made about society, sex, and relationships. Through it all, Marseille confides in the reader in the way a best friend will dish about what’s been going on in their life. This is an excellent book, in the best spirit of the auto-bio tradition, from a new talent with a lot to say.
Benji Nate has a wicked sense of humor and is easily one of the best cartoonists today in what is basically a gag comic strip format. Nate has a very loose and lively drawing style which compliments all the fun mayhem. It seems like an easy enough recipe to follow: young housemates figuring out life. And that’s just the beginning. It has to be more than just funny characters in funny situations–but not too much more. Girl Juice works at the highest and wackiest level: the combo of simplicity and silliness is sublime.
Let’s just say that Nate really owns this comic strip, loves and nurtures these characters, and let’s them come to life. It’s a group of four young women and anything can happen. Bunny is, by default and her aggressive personality, sort of the leader even though she appears to offer the least. Bunny doesn’t hold down a job or offer much moral support but she has a certain charm. Nana holds some sway over the group as the thoughtful one although she would prefer to remain in the margins and pursue her cartooning. Sadie and Tallulah are a couple and most likely will someday marry and move to the suburbs. For now, life is a party, if Bunny has anything to do with it.
All in all, I love the uninhibited spontaneity to this comic. Nate makes it feel like it all comes together so effortlessly. And, to some degree, I think it does but you have to have so many factors in place before you get there. So, it’s more of a yes and no when you come down to it. Yes, it can be relatively easy but, no, it actually does take time and care to do this right. From what I understand, Nate enjoys writing, drawing comics and painting in equal measure and I totally relate. Each is inextricably linked to process. So, there are imperfections along the way but, as a whole, the gestural and expressive quality that results is priceless.
Anyway, Nate has a massive fan base who already know how great, and funny, these comics are but, if you are new, then I highly recommend that you check them out. This book collects the latest set of stories. Let’s take a quick look at the camping story. As often happens, Bunny takes the lead, letting her impulsive libido take control. It was supposed to be a girls-night-out glamping but that takes a turn when boys are involved. Bunny’s radar gets the best of her and she’s determined to hook up with one of the guys at the very next campsite. In lesser hands, this scenario would have only gone so far. In this case, Nate has Bunny lost in the woods because of her lust. The other girls, in their attempt to find Bunny, are lost too and furious. Sadie’s comments say it all: “If I die because of Bunny, I swear I’m gonna kill her!” Ah, that’s how it’s done. Comedy gold. Girl Juice is 110% unforgettably hilarious.
Old Man on Campus. James Burns. Burns Comics. 2023. 51 pp.
I’ve been a longtime admirer of the comics work by James Burns. I fondly recall his book, A Life Half-Forgotten. Here is my review. Burns often delivers a fun mix of the curmudgeon and sly humorist that I find very appealing and I believe you will too. In this new graphic memoir, Burns stumbles upon the fact that, through a special program, residents of the state of Georgia over the age of 62 are eligible for free college tuition. Burns, being from Georgia and not someone to pass up on a good deal, jumps at the chance to be Joe Cool in School again–but this time he vows to do it better as an older and wiser student. What could go wrong, right?
An old geezer goes back to college.
Well, the good news here is that nothing goes terribly wrong, although there are a number of painful/awkward moments as Burns powers through a rather protracted “old man returning to school” adjustment period. It seems for quite a long time that all young eyes are on him, passing judgment and ready to ridicule him. And perhaps not everyone was as hospitable as they could have been. But, most likely, the lack of connection is simply universal. Burns is ready to admit that the college scene today, with everyone plugged into their phones, isn’t exactly warm and inviting.
Finding one’s way in a brave new world of college today.
All in all, Burns appears to be a good guy just trying to get along and enjoy college at this point in his life. And it’s not like he’s not open to new trends. In more than one instance, he is fine with embracing the zeitgeist and invoking a sensitivity to his own “white male privilege,” perhaps a little more than necessary but I suppose it’s the thought that counts. I’m just not so sure that he needs to feel apologetic that, as a big strong young man, he wasn’t quite so vulnerable to being taken advantage of as a hitchhiker in his youth. Anyway, Burns appears to be, by the end of this story, on the right path. This is a very engaging look at one man’s initial struggles to fit in. Ultimately, Burns acts as a guide in this story about his new college life. He might be old but he’s young at heart or he’s simply managed to find his way and he can get on with his college experience.
