There are times when an illustration is most apt. Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics, by John Malahy and Turner Classic Movies, published by Running Press, inspired me to highlight some of my own favorites from this fun and informative book! Among a number of factoid-filled books, this one really stands out for some very specific reasons. This is not just a listing of popular titles. You will actually learn a lot here–about fan favorites and less familiar classics. I’m very impressed with the genuine attention to detail as the author invites the reader to try out some lost gems, like 1928’s Lonesome about a couple of star-crossed lovers who have a dream date at Coney Island and then, by the hard luck of fate, get lost from each and frantically try to reconnect.
Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics
To sweeten the deal, Malahy provides another title (double feature suggestion) for each of the 30 featured titles. Lots of fun, you’ll learn a lot, and you’ll have so many more possible options for your movie-watching pleasure.
John Cei Douglas is a freelance illustrator based in London who got on my radar with his new book, All the Places in Between, which I recently reviewed. We exchanged some email and arranged to do a conversation. To prepare for it, I read a good bit of the comics that Douglas has done since completing his MA in Illustration from Camberwell College of Arts in 2013–including his Masters thesis, Show Me the Map to Your Heart.
All the Places in Between
One striking thing about the comics and illustration of John Cei Douglas is how fluid and effortless he makes it all look. There’s a certain calm and thoughtful quality to his work that is very appealing. There’s also plenty of action and frenetic energy to be found. It’s all part of a distinctive quirky universe.
The distinctive and quirky universe of John Cei Douglas
Another striking fact to keep in mind is that, even once you reach a point of success in a career in illustration, you can never take anything for granted. That is a point that Douglas can’t stress enough. He is in it for the long term and, from what I see, he’s found a niche from where he can continue to grow and prosper.
English Summer. illustration by John Cei Douglas.
I hope you enjoy this conversation where Douglas provides insights into his creative process. For the creation of his new book, All the Places in Between, Douglas relished in giving himself space to explore where the story was going. There was no set blueprint he was working from and I think readers will appreciate those unexpected twists and turns. As I stated in my review, this is a story as much about evoking a certain feeling as it is anything else–definitely a journey worth taking.
Visit John Cei Douglas at his site here. All the Places in Between is published by Liminal 11.
Christopher Sperandio in his office at Rice University.
Christopher Sperandio got on my radar many years ago with Modern Masters, a comic book about art that I picked up in an art museum. Subsequently, I recall stumbling upon another title, in a similar vein, put together by Sperandio and his artistic partner Simon Grennan, together known as the Kartoon Kings. This was many years before you really saw an inclusion of much of any comics in a museum setting. Well, that has changed in many ways. I wonder how much the casual observer, the infrequent museum-goer, notices. Whatever the case, the comics medium maintains its presence, stays on the public’s radar as something to take seriously. Sperandio, among other things, makes wonderful contributions that add to the comics art form, like his new book, Greenie Josephinie.
MODERN MASTERS, DC Comics, 2002.
Sperandio has come a long way from Modern Masters to Greenie Joesphinie. And that is basically the framework I put to use for our conversation. Below are some notes on Sperandio’s career. I sincerely hope you enjoy this interview. I do these in depth talks as much for myself as for my audience and, in the end, it is my goal that the results help instruct and inspire, and document a bit about the ever-expanding comics and art scene. For me, the processing and discussing of these topics is like manna from heaven. I hope this exploration resonates with you as well.
Greenie Josephinie by Christopher Sperandio
In addition to putting himself through graduate school working as a truck driver, Christopher Sperandio, half of the artist team of Grennan & Sperandio, has produced 22 comics books as artworks for museums in the US and Europe. Bridging the High/Low divide, these works include Modern Masters, a cross-over comic for the Museum of Modern Art and published by DC Comics. Other works include Life in Prison and the Invisible City, published by Fantagraphics Books. He has been written about extensively in newspaper and magazines, as well as in books on the subject of art.
Protest Art as Instagram Meme.
He has produced new collaborative and artworks in conjunction with museums and art centers in the US, Germany, Northern Ireland, Denmark, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, and France. Commissioning institutions include MoMA/PS1, the Public Art Fund, Creative Time, London’s Institute of Contemporary Art and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Two of the landmark art exhibitions that he participated in are listed among the fifty most influential exhibitions of contemporary art in the book, SHOWTIME. Sperandio was also the Creator and Executive Producer of ARTSTAR, an internationally syndicated documentary television series about emerging contemporary artists filmed in New York, Chicago and Miami.
Sperandio is an Associate Professor of Drawing and Painting at Rice University in Houston TX, where he founded the Comic Art Teaching and Study Workshop. CATS is a classroom, academic research resource and exhibition space dedicated to the study of Comics. Sperandio also turned a diesel bus into an off-the-grid mobile living space, but that makes him sound… idiosyncratic. For more information, please visit: cats.rice.edu
Just click the link above for the interview. And for more information and to purchase Pinko Joe, Greenie Josephinie, or other compelling titles, be sure to visit Argle Bargle Books.
Mise-en-Scène or Depth of Field technique in CITIZEN KANE
Like any visual medium, as in painting and cinema, there are particular ways of seeing that are useful, even essential, when studying the mechanics of comics. Mise-en-Scène or Depth of Field is a fascinating aspect to comics that occurs more often than you might think. Sometimes it’s done more formally and explicitly and sometimes not so much. But, when done right, it can be very striking and truly enhance the comics experience. First, consider the picture plane, an impression of space, like the imaginary wall separating the audience and overlooking the space on the stage. Then think of foreground, middle ground, and background. We are considering everything. The term, Mise-en-Scène, in French, literally means “put into the scene” but I like to also emphasize it refers to making the most of the three planes depicted in a scene.
From work-in-progress by Henry Chamberlain
You are looking at a scene, in a painting, or a film, or in comics, from the close range, mid-range, and way in the back range. What you might place in these three planes can significantly move your narrative forward. A reliable trope would be to set up your scene to include past, present, and future: cast the middle as present tense for the main character, with the past set in the back; and the future set up front. That’s what I ended up doing with the above image after noodling around for a while. But it can be anything you like, anything that makes for an interesting composition.
You can call this process, “The Three Plane Method.” That comes to mind. Or you can use the term used in theater and cinema, Mise-en-Scène. In film and photography, think of this as playing with Depth of Field. In the end, you’re exploring what this technique can do for you as you compose a frame or a scene. If you want some truly riveting examples, take a closer look at how images are stacked upon each other in layered scenes in Citizen Cane to create mesmerizing montages. Some are stable landscape type moments and others are dazzling scenes which have the camera rolling for one long dizzying shot like the one that begins outside during a gloomy snow storm and snakes its way into a cozy cabin.
from The Leaning Girl from the The Obscure Cities series by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters.
The best comics tend to be, at least for me, thoughtfully composed. While comics has its own language and techniques unique to its medium, it does manage to borrow from other mediums–and make it its own. That said, it was interesting to go about finding a decent example in comics of true Mise-en-Scène. I think my initial impulse is proven because it wasn’t easy to just stumble upon something. Paul Pope? Nada. Blutch? Nada again. David Mazzucchelli? Frank Quitely? No and no again. You can’t ignore the fact that comics is a sequential art. In general, comics is mostly invested in a steady flow of a concise combination of words and pictures. Those visionary auteur cartoonists will, on occasion, create panels or whole pages with bravura artwork but these are usually some attempt at detailed exteriors or interiors to establish time and place. Not necessarily work making the most of all three planes. The long and the short of it is that a lot of comics involves people speaking to each other or going from one place to another and not much else. Many exceptions exist and hurray for them. I finally found the above excellent example to share with you from The Leaning Girl from The Obscure Cities series by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters.
There are a lot of kids in my neighborhood. And some are more outspoken. The other day, one said it all. The little tike had just learned to ride his bike. And, with glee, he announced to his parents: “SO LONG, SUCKERS!” The parents thought that was hilarious. But was it, really? Where did he pick that up and why did he think it was okay to say that? I guess some things are just meant not to overanalyze. However, you adopt that kind of thinking and it’s a slippery slope. You can connect it all the way up to Republicans who choose to abandon reason and integrity and follow the wrong leader off a cliff. Anyway, there’s some background that led to my drawing this cartoon.
It’s always a pleasure to get to do some shop talk with a fellow creative. Here is an interview with Kibla Ahmed, a comic artist, collector, and pop culture reviewer. I happen to have stumbled upon an online workshop that Kibla did recently from his London studio. It seemed to me a great opportunity to support a promising emerging artist. Perhaps the fact that this workshop was going on in London sealed the deal for me. For regular followers of my blog, you know how much fun Jennifer and I had on our visit to London in 2019. One of our favorite spots in London was Orbital Comics!
Illustration by Kibla Ahmet
I did my best to contact as many creative folks as possible and I did get to set up and follow through on some great interviews while I was in Europe. Well, since returning to Seattle, that trip left me wanting to seek out any opportunity to do more interviews across the pond. I did one recently with Sayra Begum. And now I present to you another UK talent, Kibla Ahmed.
The artist takes a coffee break.
It turns out that Kibla and I share quite a lot of common ground. We love comics, that’s a given. And we’re both determined to follow our own creative path. Plus we definitley have a similar interest in time travel. We both have our own ideas on how to pursue that theme in our creative work. Iconic time travel movies like Intersellar and Back to the Future, of course, resonate with us on a deep level. But, I have to say, Kibla has got me beat since his marriage ceremony included a bonafide DeLorean! Now, that’s dedication. I hope you enjoy our shop talk. We cover a little of everything and Kibla has lots to share about the creative process.
Be sure to visit Kibla Ahmed at his art site right here.
I just thought I’d share a bit on the process of making comics and illustrations, or just art in general. Right now, what’s important is establishing a certain vibe. Annie is the studios and adventurous type. She will greet someone with a question, trying to quickly gauge a person’s goals and motivations.
I ask that you keep going on this journey with me. I have been carving this niche for years and I feel like I’ve got it at quite a cozy level with just the right content and pacing. That said, it’s time for another thoughtful interview. For my video interviews, I add here a few notes and observations. Traditional journalism, like hard news reportage, will take an interview and create a concise summation. Some magazines are known for their long sprawling interviews where everything is transcribed. Of course, we also have a long tradition of various talk show formats, some thoughtful and some that are so casual as to blur right in with a dance segment on Tik Tok. Hey, I have nothing against fun and entertainment and I’ll engage in that when it makes sense. But, for interviews, I take them seriously, prepare for them, take off my Joe Cool hat and don’t engage in any dancing. Although, in a metaphorical sense, a good interview is sort of like a dance. The person conducting the interview leads while the person who is the subject of the interview goes about picking up one cue after another and making something out of it.
A bus driver finds solace through the suspension of disbelief.
Anyway, I say all this because it’s particularly relevant to this interview. Essentially, this is an interview about interviews: how to conduct one, what it means, what you attempt to get out of it. I interviewed Julia Wald about her new book, The Suspension of Disbelief (review), an illustrated collection of interviews she conducted about life and work during Covid-19. In the course of the interview, we ended up talking about what it means when you’re working at a restaurant during a world-wide pandemic and suddenly it’s like all the lights are out and then, just as suddenly, you are out of a job, your source of income. We discuss who might have stepped in to help and who didn’t.
A disadvantaged man finds hope through knowledge.
And, finally, once an artistic and talented person is inspired to create a book about Covid-19, what responsibility, if any, does she have to the vulnerable people she has interviewed? Well, part of the answer goes back to the dance. If the dance partners have established a sense of trust, then there’s a very good chance that something worthwhile will result that everyone can be proud of. We focus in a bit on American journalist Studs Terkel (1912-2008), the icon of what came to be known as “literary journalism.” Terkel was most active from the 1950s to 1990s, creating his seminal collection of interviews, Working, in 1974. He was part of that old-fashioned gumshoe journalist/creative tradition: loyal to his readers and listeners, to his Chicago, and to the art and craft of journalism. Julia says that Terkel inspired her on her Covid-19 project and it shows and, ultimately, it demonstrates that she did right by all who she interviewed. Julia did it the right way, the old-fashioned way that involves hard work and integrity. It’s the best way. And it’s what inspires me to keep going on this journey.
It seems ages ago that I posted a drawing early last year about the developing “new normal” living conditions during this pandemic. Well, as much as things have changed with vaccines on the way, we still have a journey ahead of us. Perhaps it’s safe to say we’re at the halfway point, or better. Let us hope so! For now, we keep doing all the safe things we’ve been doing and, when it’s our turn, we get vaccinated. 2021 is now here. Let’s all make the most of it as best we can.
Casey Silver is an astute member of the comics industry. He is in a very good place these days with his coloring and lettering work gracing the pages of such notable titles as the limited series, Gunning For Hits and the ongoing series Rat Queens, both from Image Comics.
The now famous sold-out issue of RAT QUEENS #22.
In this conversation, we talk about comic book shops, working in the comics industry, and being co-owner of the comic book company, 80 Percent Studios, based here in Seattle. Casey managed the downtown Zanadu comics shop and we would often chat a bit about comics when I would stop by. Zanadu is now gone and part of history but it’s not forgotten.
Lately, Casey is knocking it out of the park. Fortunate to team up with the artist Moritat, Casey’s career has taken off with his first working on Gunning For Hits and then following Moritat on to the next project, a run at Rat Queens. Moritat is a true maverick of an artist. Look him up and you’ll find exceptional work. When the comics cognescenti learned that Moritat was jumping on board to Rat Queens, that opening issue immediately sold out. So, yeah, all of this is a very big deal for Casey and for those who follow comics closely.
Chickaloonies, by Dimi Macheras and Casey Silver, 80 Percent Studios.
The life of a freelance creative, whatever the medium, has its bumps in the road. There are no guarantees. You are always scrambling for gigs. Casey has a confident way about him that should inspire many interested in entering the world of comics. The big takeaway from this interview is that Casey is a great creative in the biz with a lot of insight to share. I find the Zoom video interview format to be very fascinating–and revealing for both the guest and the host. You are juggling far more information than just a text-centric interview, whether by email or phone. It’s not just the written or verbal content we’re dealing with. It’s not totally an in-person interview either and, at the same time, it’s more. It’s a myriad of visual and body language elements. One way or another, a video interview manages to cut through more than you might ever expect. But if you’re in the moment and sincere, then things tend to work out just fine. Here is another example of just that! We end up covering some good shop talk and, overall, as I say, it’s a great conversation, whatever your interest.
Visit the GUNNING FOR HITS site here. And keep up with RAT QUEENS right here.
