COVID Chronicles. edited by Kendra Boileau and Rich Johnson. Graphic Mundi. 2021. 296pp. $21.95
COVID Chronicles is a unique comics anthology, a testament to the collective response to COVID-19. The comics medium is exceptionally well-suited to convey, evoke and process the massive tangle of information and expression involved. We often say that comics is known for superheroes. However, on an even grander scale, comics is known for being a communication and educational tool able to make it possible to see the forest for the trees. This remarkable anthology was put together during the first half of 2020. We were lost amid the trees then and we’re still finding our way today. As a comics creator, I fully appreciate the challenges for a book like this to stay on point. I have seen countless comics anthologies and the biggest stumbling block for such an endeavor is a lack of consistency and vision. And then we have those gems that prosper because of a clear and compelling purpose. This is such a collection.
PANDEMIX is a new benefit comics anthology featuring timely and personal work from award-winning cartoonists. Curated by Dean Haspiel, contributors include Josh Neufeld, Ellen Lindner, Kristen Radtke, Mike Cavallaro, Marguerite Dabaie, Christa Cassano, George O’Connor, N. Steven Harris, Owen Brozman, Joan Reilly, Peter Rostovsky, Jeffrey Burandt, Jen Ferguson, Morgan Pielli, Whitney Matheson, Dave Proch, Frank Reynoso and J.J. Colagrande.
All proceeds from this 56-page digital release go directly to The Hero Initiative, a not-for-profit organization that helps comic book creators in need of emergency medical aid and/or essential financial support.
In addition to purchasing the anthology, keep an eye on the Pandemix Patreon for previews and news of upcoming PANDEMIX events. Everyone at PANDEMIX thanks you for supporting this project and the comics industry! Donate $5 and the PDF is all yours! Find it HERE.
Art by Dean Haspiel
JOAN REILLY:
So many creative people are suffering right now, trying to figure out how to pay their bills in the middle of an economic shutdown. If you, like me, are looking for ways to help alleviate this suffering directly, maybe consider making the very modest investment of five dollars (or choose the $20 donation level if you’re feeling generous) to purchase this collection of comics inspired by the pandemic, edited by Dean Haspiel and Whitney Matheson: PANDEMIX: Quarantine Comics in the Age of ‘Rona
ALL proceeds go to The Hero Initiative, a not-for-profit organization that helps comic book creators with emergency medical aid and/or essential financial support.
Included in the collection are contributions from:
I contributed a story as well, and was very happy to do so. I’ll put the purchase link in the comments below. THANK YOU, take care, be well!❤️😷
TONY WOLF:
Comics creators Dean Haspiel , Whitney Matheson, and Josh Neufeld have put together a very special new benefit anthology called “PANDEMIX: Quarantine Comics in the Age of ‘Rona.” Josh has a terrific piece about his bro Jake Neufeld, assistant director of emergency management at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). Donate $5 and it’s yours. (Proceeds going to The Hero Initiative, a nonprofit organization that helps comics creators with emergency medical aid and/or essential financial support.) Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/pandemix. * So many creators involved, like Christa CassanoJen FergusonFrank ReynosoKristen Radtke , Jeffrey BurandtPeter Rostovsky, and more!!
Art by Josh Neufeld
JOHSH NEUFELD:
I’m excited to share a new comics piece that’s just been published in a benefit anthology. It’s about New York City and the COVID-19 pandemic, and it features my very own brother, Jake Neufeld.
We’ve all seen a lot of stories about the medical professionals on the front lines of this crisis. But the doctors and nurses aren’t the only ones in the hospital.
Jake, my bro, is the assistant director of emergency management at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), NYC’s cancer hospital. The story covers the way he and his team responded to one of the worst days of the crisis. The story sheds light on what challenges the “behind-the-scenes” people at hospitals (now in other parts of the country) are facing during the pandemic.
I’m proud of Jake, and I’m proud of how the story came out. And I’m triply proud to have the story featured in the benefit anthology PANDEMIX: Quarantine Comics in the Age of ‘Rona.
Put together by Dean Haspiel and Whitney Matheson, PANDEMIX has 56 pages of comics related to these crazy times, by 18 creators, most of them based in New York. It’s a fabulous collection, with a variety of different takes on what we’re all going through.
PANDEMIX is available for PDF download on Patreon, with all proceeds going to The Hero Initiative, a nonprofit organization that helps comics creators with emergency medical aid and/or essential financial support. All you need to do is donate $5 and it’s all yours!
We can all only hazard a guess if we’re asked to imagine a post-covid crisis world. COVID-19 will ultimately settle into whatever a virus like this does. Can we contain it, for all intents and purposes, like polio? Probably so, in due time. The question now is how long will this Age of Covid last? All the disruption: and all the anxiety over uncertainty. We wear masks and practice social distancing while wild animals emerge and fill the void. For all of us fortunate enough to be able to draw, write or do something else productive, we must remain grateful and patient. So, I share with you a recent drawing I did as I go about my process of reflecting and resetting. Sure, I’ll post more. It’s healing to express one’s concerns. Trying to add a bit of the whimsical is not easy. I don’t even know if I was trying to be whimsical with this piece. Life will, and must go on, amid death. Hope will, and must, prevail over despair. These are strange times but we need to remain calm, respect everyone on the front lines, and keep working towards the future.
izneo, the global online comics platform offers 1 month of subscription to izneo Premium.
Los Angeles, April 2nd, 2020 – izneo, the global online comics platform offering Comic books, European Comics, Mangas and Webtoons is giving away 1 month of its Premium subscription for free during these hard times of confinement.
In these difficult times where we should all come together, izneo encourages everyone to #StayAtHome in order to stop the Covid-19 global pandemic.
izneo Premium allows you to read 1,800 comics both offline and online. Read European Comics’ classics such as Thorgal, Aldebaran, Black Moon Chronicles or Carthago Adventures as well as the most celebrated US Comics adapted into TV series such as The Boys, or Locke & Key! By activating their free subscription to izneo Premium, readers can also enjoy their favorite manga such as the french masterpiece, Radiant, or dive into some of the best European webtoons.
Reading is one of the few forms of entertainment left that everyone can enjoy wherever they are. izneo, the global online comics platform is offering more than 30,000 Comic books, European Comics, Mangas and webtoons on izneo.com or download our application on IOS, Android, Nintendo Switch or Nvidia Shield TV.
Build your digital manga library on a budget! During the month of April, the latest publisher to join the platform is having a massive sale. Kodansha Comics is offering 270 volumes at 99c. Find renown titles like Attack on Titan, Princess Jellyfish, A Silent Voice, Witch Hat Atelier, Parasyte, Battle Angel Alita, FAIRY TALE, The Seven Deadly Sins, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Flying Witch, Space Brothers..
For more information about izeneo, discover our full catalog of more than 30,000 digital comics and start the reading experience by heading over tohttps://www.izneo.com/en/
Secrets Of New York Live! with Sarah Funky and Tom Delgado
New York City, you just gotta love it and so that leads us to this post. First off, Sarah Funky owns her own tour company where she provides you with her take on New York City. Due to COVID-19, people are hesitant to do public gatherings so that impacts all sorts of business, including all facets of the tourism industry. Sarah Funky thought she’d try a virtual tour with another tour guide, Tom Delgado, to let folks know that we’re all in this together!
New York City is made up of five boroughs, with a wide spectrum of housing options. It is that fact that makes it possible for 8.5 million people, from all strata of society, to make New York City the vibrant and diverse place that it is. These are the sort of facts that Tom Delgado proudly presents on his tours. And the same goes, of course, for Sarah Funky. These two are true blue New Yorkers proud to share their insights, and secrets, about the Big Apple.
Among the many secrets that Sarah presents on her tours is one that she’s particularly fond of. If you wander over to South Street Seaport, you will find the ultimate view of Brooklyn Bridge. It is quite a view and, no wonder, a secret that can’t stay a secret but must be shared. Sarah’s enthusiasm is priceless as she gives you a taste of her tours and shares the stage with Tom. It’s that can-do spirit that’s going to get us through this current crisis. We will get through this and we’ll come back even stronger, just like New York City. UPDATE: The time to view the virtual tour has expired but here’s a look at what Sarah has to offer on her tours and definitely something to look forward to once we return to our more routine lives:
Policemen in Seattle wearing masks made by the Red Cross, during the influenza epidemic. December 1918. (Photo: U.S. National Archives)
ECCC 2020 and Coronavirus
UPDATE: Emerald City Comic Con has rescheduled for August 21-23, 2020.
At this time of year, I would be preparing for the annual Emerald City Comic Con. Due to health concerns over the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and the relatively high profile Seattle currently has in this crisis, Emerald City Comic Con has postponed its event in Seattle which had been scheduled to be held at the Washington State Convention Center, March 12-15, 2020. The plan is now to see about holding this event sometime this summer. Time will tell. More information will tell. And, ultimately, the Coronavirus itself will speak for itself, thank you very much. If history of the Spanish Flu ((January 1918 – December 1920) is any indication, perhaps COVID-19 will take a dip in the summer only to come back even stronger by the fall. This, of course, strongly begs the question if all comics conventions and festivals, along with any mass gatherings, should just take a break for 2020. Perhaps a balance can be achieved. The main problem is that these sort of events take time and require precise planning so that makes a stronger case for firm cancellations instead of postponements. It will be interesting to see how this resolves itself since ReedPOP, the organizers of Emerald City Comic Con, are entering uncharted waters. The good news is that people are genuinely concerned and options are being considered. And speaking of good news, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced it will begin offering home-testing kits for people in the Seattle area for COVID-19 in the coming weeks.
Dan Dougherty and Friends
Emerald City Comic Con is, by all measures, the preeminent pop culture event in the Pacific Northwest. So many hardworking talented professionals depend upon ECCC as part of their livelihood. With that in mind, enterprising cartoonist Dan Dougherty has gotten creative with interacting with his fans and is holding his own online comic con. For the month of March, Dougherty has this offer: “A lot of people in the comic community are trying to make up for lost sales, and I’m no different. I’m offering a 10% discount on all purchases in my online store from now until the end of the month! This can be used as many times as you like and for your ENTIRE order! Just use the coupon code WASHYOURHANDS at checkout to apply the discount.” Find Dan Dougherty’s Beardo Comics and take advantage of the discount here. Every little bit can help displaced talent like Dougherty. Meanwhile, all we can really do is monitor the crisis and act appropriately.
The following is a statement from ReedPOP, organizers of Emerald City Comic Con:
