Tag Archives: Television

April 19, 2019 · 8:23 am

GoFundMe: Brother of Marvel Comics writer Bill Mantlo Needs Help with Homecare

Michael and Bill Mantlo

The brother of Marvel Comics writer Bill Mantlo has turned to GoFundMe for help in continuing to care for his brother at home after a terrible hit-and-run accident. You may recognize the name. Bill Mantlo is the co-creator of Cloak and Dagger and Rocket Raccoon. Bill is also known for his work on two licensed toy properties whose adventures occurred in the Marvel Universe: Micronauts and Rom. It is a shame that with such an impressive lineup, the Mantlo family finds themselves in urgent need but that is unfortunately the case.

Rocket Raccoon #1

Bill Mantlo was an attorney who worked as a public defender. In 1992, he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident and he’s been under care ever since. His brother, embarrassed to seek help is compelled to ask since his own funds have been completely depleted. He owes over $100,000 after having taken on the responsibility of caring for his brother. Please visit the Mantlo family’s GoFundMe page right here.

Cloak and Dagger #1

You can learn more here: https://www.gofundme.com/embarassed-to-admit-this-but-i-need-help

2 Comments

Filed under Bill Mantlo, Comics, GoFundMe, Marvel Comics

Tagged as Bill Mantlo, Cloak and Dagger, comic books, comics, Entertainment, GoFundMe, graphic novels, Marvel Comics, Media, Micronauts, Movies, Pop Culture, Publishing, Rocket Raccoon, Rom, Television

April 11, 2019 · 5:20 pm

GoFundMe: Comic Book Artist Joyce Chin Recovering From a Stroke

Joyce Chin

Joyce Chin is a highly respected comic book artist who has suffered a setback. She was on her way to a comics convention in Chicago when she experienced a sub arachnoid hemmorage in the O’Hare airport terminal. A stroke. At the same time, she also fractured her ankle. You can imagine the pain and agony–and the hospital bills. Ms. Chin needless to say, did not attend C2E2. Instead, she spent nearly two weeks in the ICU ward of Presence Resurrection hospital in Chicago undergoing multiple procedures and diagnostic tests. Lucky for her, she is on her way to recovery but she has mounting medical bills to attend to. Visit the Joyce Chin GoFundMe and help in any way that you can.

Joyce Chin cover

Joyce Chin is a comic book penciler, inker, colorist, and cover artist. She has created content under the Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dynamite Comics, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and IDW Publishing labels. A large portion of Chin’s work has been in creating comic book covers. Visit the Cartoonist Joyce Chin Recovering From a Stroke GoFundMe right here.

‘The Twilight Zone’ Hits the Ground Running

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone reboot hits the ground running by finding a way back into what made the original series work and trying to avoid adding and tweaking more to it and messing up a good thing. Just one more thing tacked on can be like playing a game of Jenga where you tear down an otherwise neatly put together structure. Without spoiling anything, if there is one criticism to the show, it is that it needs to keep to this golden rule. For the most part, it does that and that bodes well for what it shaping up to being a lively and compelling return to a classic. This series comes to you from CBS All Access and is hosted by Jordan Peele.

What would Rod Serling think of viewing Twilight Zone on a phone?

I will fast forward to the second episode as it is an example of how this series is finding its feet. We immediately start with a fresh look at something not directly referencing an iconic episode as is done in the first episode. We’re at a comedy club, which is an ideal Twilight Zone setting if ever there was one: in the darkness, the audience as well as the performer are looking for some catharsis. Our main character, comedian Samir (Kumail Nanjiani), is stuck on speaking truth to power but he’s not connecting with his audience. Then he has a talk with a veteran comedian J.C. (Tracy Morgan). The main bit of advice: Don’t try to make points; Go for the laughs by keeping it personal–but beware that once you take from your life, it’s out there and you can’t get it back. Samir goes against his better judgement and makes a detour that gets him the laughs.

Jordan Peele channeling Rod Serling

“The Comedian” is not a direct reference to any particular TZ episode, not like Richard Matheson’s monumental airplane nightmare. But it is a sly tip of the hat to Rod Serling nonetheless, just a sweet little Easter Egg (there are others, as in names used for some characters) as it refers back to one of Serling’s landmark teleplays prior to TZ. It is that sort of deep dive that will send a nice chill of recognition for diehard fans. The scirpt’s writer, Alex Rubins, would certainly be aware of that. So, we’ve got a character in crisis: Samir has made some devil’s bargain. All is set up for the chilling fun and it is delivered. In this case, a little editing somewhere in the middle to tighten things up would have been ideal. As for the end, it is spot on.

Twilight Zone on CBS All Access

I think the challenge for this reboot is satisfying an audience that is happy to take things further, like a kid in a candy store who risks a stomach ache. The first episode, “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet,” makes that mistake by pushing a bit beyond what would have been a perfect ending. And the second episode makes that mistake by packing it bit more background that drags an otherwise excellent story. There’s a very good reason that Serling and the rest of his writers concluded that the sweet spot for the show was the original half hour format. With streaming, the restrictions are lifted and so the creative team (a producing team that includes Glen Morgan, Greg Yaitanes, Simon Kinberg, and Jordan Peele) needs to be mindful of being disciplined storytellers. That said, my guess is that you can expect this reboot to indulge in providing viewers with a deluxe director’s cut excess. That could be very good news for some fans. Then again, who knows, maybe adjustments will be made and we’ll get this reboot refined to perfection.

As someone who is putting together a graphic novel that is directly related to The Twilight Zone, I am particularly intrigued by this reboot. I see the minor blemishes too. But, overall, this is a series that has its ducks in a row and I feel confident that Rod Serling, given a chance to process where we are today, would grin and give the show his blessing.

9 Comments

Filed under CBS All Acess, Comics, Rod Serling, Television, The Twilight Zone

Tagged as CBS All Access, comics, Entertainment, Fantasy, Fiction, graphic novels, Horror, Media, Movies, Pop Culture, Publishing, Rod Serling, Science Fiction, Social Commentary, Television, The Twilight Zone

March 23, 2019 · 12:00 am

Movie Review: US by Jordan Peele

While Jordan Peele has downplayed any grand subtext to his latest film, I think Us may have an even grander subtext than Get Out. It comes down to privilege. The inspiration for Us comes from “Mirror Image,” an original Twilight Zone episode written by Rod Serling. In that story, pod people are replacing humans and they are assumed to be the superior versions. Peele reverses that and has his pod people as inferior to humans and seeking revenge as they attempt to replace them. A very scary prospect indeed: your less fortunate doppelganger, in a rage of resentment, is bent upon destroying you.

“If it wasn’t for you, I would never have danced at all.” That is the best line in the movie and speaks volumes to the super eerie tension between the humans and the subhumans, or as they’re called in the movie, “the shadow people.” Or call them whatever you like: the ugly, the misfits, the forgotten and the dispossessed. Or how about, “the silent majority” who find themselves thrust out into the open ready to wreak havoc and to “disrupt.” You see where I’m going with this? Well, it’s veiled social commentary in the best spirit of a good ole Twilight Zone episode. You don’t have to spell it all out for audiences. But, if there’s any doubt, all the shadow people wear red.

With Get Out and now Us, Peele continues to refashion the art house horror film, all too often exclusively made up of white actors, by replacing them with a predominantly African American cast. This act of replacement is subtext within subtext. Sure, it’s sad that such a movie should be a novelty on racial terms but that’s where we are today. It’s a scary movie for scary times.

There are a number of creepy coincidences in the movie that help to set the tone. But, in the end, truth is stranger than fiction. On the very date of this film’s release, March 22, 2019, Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivered his report on the Russia probe to the Justice Department. For starters, it’s scary to think of all the misinformation that lies ahead from the White House response to the report. That said, Peele’s movie is not so much political as psychological at its core, at least on the face of it. You won’t find any explicit message, per se. As a fine artist, Peele paints his canvas having brought in various elements to work with. We live in an era spiked with uncertainty and that creepy feeling makes it way into all our senses. Part of what Peele does is take that creepy feeling and give it a good tweak.

4 Comments

Filed under Horror, Horror Movies, Jordan Peele, Movie Reviews, Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone

Tagged as Entertainment, Horror, Jordan Peele, Movie Reviews, Movies, Pop Culture, Race, Rod Serling, Television, The Twilight Zone, Writers, Writing

March 6, 2019 · 11:30 am

Emerald City Comic Con 2019: Dark Horse Comics Announces Schedule

Stranger Things #1 Convention Exclusive cover by Kyle Lambert

And we’re off and running with ECCC News! If you’re in Seattle and love comics, then you’ll be at Emerald City Comic Con, March 14-17, 2019. For all you Dark Horse Comics fans, have you heard….Dark Horse Comics Stranger Things #1 Convention Exclusive cover by Kyle Lambert is debuting at ECCC! Get your hands on one of these at the Dark Horse booth (#2208) or the Official ECCC Store while supplies last! Check out more ECCC Exclusives http://fal.cn/i92Q

And here’s your Dark Horse schedule of ECCC events…

Press Release:

Visit Dark Horse Comics at Booth #2208 during Emerald City Comic Con to meet some of your favorite creators and get your hands on some free swag, such as comics, pins, posters, and more! Get colorin’ on our communal coloring wall! The wall will feature pages from the #DHColors Coloring Book line! Canvases will vary throughout the weekend but include pages from Steven Universe Coloring Book Volume 1, The Legend of Korra Coloring Book, Avatar: The Last Airbender Coloring Book, Jurassic Park Coloring Book, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Coloring Book.

Dark Horse Direct will have a display with exciting upcoming products in the Dark Horse booth. Check it out after your favorite signing!

Special appearance in the Dark Horse booth from our friends at Happymatic Photo Booth! Come by with your friends or in cosplay and get your picture taken as a souvenir – for FREE!

We’ll also have a variety of Dark Horse comics, graphic novels, art books, and collectibles for sale in our booth.

Check out our signings and panels, too!

DARK HORSE ECCC 2019 SIGNING SCHEDULE

All creators signing in our booth offer their autographs for FREE. FREE prints, comics, or posters are provided for most of our signings (while supplies last). You may purchase or bring items to be signed; however, we may restrict the type or number of items to be signed as necessary.

Lines may also be closed for some signings due to crowding or time restrictions.

All events are subject to change. Some restrictions apply. Please see Dark Horse Comics staff if you have questions.

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

11:00 AM-11:50 AM:

ALIENS VS PREDATOR, PREDATOR: Brian Albert Thies

12:00 PM-12:50 PM:

TOMB RAIDER, TOMB RAIDER: INFERNO: Phillip Sevy

1:00 PM-1:50 PM:

WILLIAM GIBSON’S ALIEN 3, ANGEL CATBIRD: Tamra Bonvillain

STARCRAFT: SOLDIERS: Andrew R. Robinson

2:00 PM-2:50 PM:

LIFEFORMED: CLEO MAKES CONTACT, EXTRAORDINARY: A STORY OF AN ORDINARY PRINCESS: Cassie Anderson

3:00 PM-3:50 PM:

EMPOWERED: Adam Warren

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: Todd Nauck

4:00 PM-4:50 PM:

PROS AND (COMIC) CONS, SECRET LOVES OF GEEKS, SECRET LOVES OF GEEK GIRLS: Hope Nicholson, Amanda Deibert, Megan Kearney, Tia Vasilou, Vita Ayala, Valentine de Landro

5:00 PM-5:50 PM:

BEASTS OF BURDEN: WISE DOGS AND ELDRITCH MEN: Benjamin Dewey

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

11:00 AM-11:50 AM:

CRIMSON LOTUS: Mindy Lee

JOE GOLEM: OCCULT DETECTIVE: Patric Reynolds

12:00 PM-12:50 PM:

ROCKET ROBINSON AND THE SECRET OF THE SAINT: Sean O’Neill

1:00 PM-1:50 PM:

GOD OF WAR: Tony Parker, Chris Roberson

HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1956: Chris Roberson

2:00 PM-2:50 PM:

CALAMITY KATE: Magdalene Visaggio, Corin Howell

THE GIRL IN THE BAY: Corin Howell

3:00 PM-3:50 PM:

MATA HARI: Ariela Kristantina

LAGUARDIA: Tana Ford

4:00 PM-4:50 PM:

BERSERKER UNBOUND: Mike Deodato

GRENDEL: Matt Wagner

5:00 PM-5:50 PM:

STRANGER THINGS, STARCRAFT, PROJECT TBA: Jody Houser

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

11:00 AM-5:00 PM:

FIGHT CLUB 3, BAIT: Chuck Palahniuk

5:30 PM-6:30 PM:

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY: HOTEL OBLIVION: Nick Filardi

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

11:00 AM-11:50 AM:

BANDETTE: Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover

PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES: Paul Tobin, Ron Chan

THE WITCHER, COLDER: Paul Tobin

12:00 PM-12:50 PM:

MINECRAFT VOLUME ONE: Sarah Graley, Sfé R. Monster

1:00 PM-1:50 PM:

THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN: Adam P. Knave, D.J. Kirkbride

2:00 PM-2:50 PM:

DISNEY RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: CLICK START–A SELECT-YOUR-STORY ADVENTURE: Amy Mebberson

3:00 PM-3:50 PM:

MYSTICONS: Megan Levens

DARK HORSE ECCC 2019 PANEL SCHEDULE

Please join us at the panels below, brought to you by Dark Horse Comics and friends! Please visit this link for more panels featuring Dark Horse creators and guidelines for attending panels.

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

Artists Who Write: The Craft and Creation of Comics
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
TCC L3-R3
Panelists: Tana Ford, Adam Warren, Matt Wagner, Cassie Anderson

Many comics creators possess a diverse skill set that they’ve used to carefully hone their craft of sequential storytelling. Join Dark Horse and a panel of creators as they discuss turning an idea into a full-fledged story, and how they continue to keep their art and writing fresh.

Marketing Your Own Comics Without Being a Nuisance
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
TCC L3-R1
Panelists: Melissa Meszaros, Cara O’Neil, D.J. Kirkland, Daniel Barnes, Sarah Graley, Paul Tobin, Greg Smith, Anne Smith

The key to success in comics is knowing you are the direct line to your fans—but how do you shamelessly promote your work without going overboard? Join marketing teams from Oni Press and Dark Horse Comics, with a handful of successful self-made comics creators to learn the best social media and marketing tactics for your self-published comics.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Peeling Back the Layers: The Process of Bringing a Comic to Life
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM
TCC L3-R4
Panelists: Tamra Bonvillain, Tony Parker, Magdalene Visaggio

It takes a team of talented individuals to bring a comic book to life. Join Dark Horse and a panel of writers, artists, colorists, and letterers whose creativity and hard work produce the best comics on the shelves. Dark Horse would like to peel back the layers on the work of comics’ unsung heroes and celebrate their contributions to our beloved art form.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

Stranger Things Publishing
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
WSCC 611
Panelists: Elizabeth Schaefer, Spencer Cushing, Jody Houser, Ibrahim Moustafa

The story of Stranger Things continues in the official books and comics! Join editors from Dark Horse and Del Rey Books, along with author Gwenda Bond (Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds), writer Jody Houser (Stranger Things comics), and artist Ibrahim Moustafa (Stranger Things Free Comic Book Day comic) as they explore the further adventures of our favorite characters from Hawkins, IN.

Dark Horse Manga
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
TCC L3-R1
Panelist: Carl Horn

Dark Horse’s history with Japanese comics can be traced back to the company’s earliest years, with a legacy that includes such legendary series as Lone Wolf & Cub, Berserk, and many more! Now, Dark Horse continues to publish some of the industry’s best-selling titles, like Mob Psycho 100, Unofficial Hatsune Mix, I Am a Hero, Danganronpa, Blade of the Immortal, Cardcaptor Sakura, and many more! Join Dark Horse Editor Carl Horn for a look at the past, present, and future of manga at Dark Horse!

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

Growing Up With Comics: Introducing Younger Readers to Graphic Storytelling
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
TCC L3-R1
Panelists: Sean O’Neill, Sfé Monster, Sarah Graley

Comics are a great way to get kids interested in art, reading, and storytelling—and, well, they’re fun! Join Dark Horse comics creators to discover and discuss the ever-growing library of incredible all-ages comics!

Graphic Novel Review: PHILIP K. DICK: A COMICS BIOGRAPHY

…as the walls start to cave in.

To the tell the story of a writer and the writing process is quite a unique challenge. Sure, you want to include some scenes of the writer in the act of writing but then what do you do next? This new graphic novel, Philip K. Dick: A Comics Biography, published by NBM, solves the problem very nicely. French writer Laurent Queyssi and Italian artist Mauro Marchesi bring to life a very unusual person, famous writer or not. The appeal of this book comes from how both writer and artist tease out for the reader a portrait of very delicate, chaotic, and brilliant individual. Let the details fall into place as events unfold. See how one person can be so blind to his own destiny while bursting with intelligence and creative output. After a while, you don’t care what he’s famous for. You’re just rooting for him to survive another night as the walls start to cave in all around him.

It’s perhaps helpful for me to mention that I’m putting together a book that parallels this book on Philip K. Dick in very interesting ways. My book is about another science fiction writer, George Clayton Johnson, who was born in 1929, roughly the same year as Dick but who enjoyed a happy and long life. Dick’s life was relatively short and not without its tragedy. Johnson and Dick are very different writers but they both were part of a certain time and sensibility. Even though Dick was somewhat of a recluse, he did enjoy connecting with people on occasion. Like Johnson, he got to know some of his heroes and colleagues in science fiction, like Harlan Ellison and A.E.van Vogt. Both Johnson and Dick had high ambitions. While Johnson generally flourished among people, Dick would much rather recede into the background. Both dared to be as nonconformist as possible. Dick was darker, stranger, and willing to open more doors into the unknown.

An honest assessment, that’s what we crave from a biography. NBM is certainly amassing quite an impressive collection of them. The trickiest to get right, and probably the most satisfying, is the exploration of a creative person and the creative process. That classic writer’s block is on full view on more than one occasion in this book as is the overall struggle in a person’s life. We get a very clear and precise picture that manages to keep to a steady chronological order with necessary temporal detours. This is Philip K. Dick under the microscope. Backed my thoughtful planning, Queyssi provides a script that seems to effortlessly bring into play a myriad of carefully researched dates, places, and times. When you think of it, Dick was essentially an enigma. You didn’t necessary go see Blade Runner with a clear picture of the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Mauro Marchesi’s artwork is as clean and crisp as Queyssi’s well-chosen words. Marchesi solves another challenge: finding just the right ways to evoke the fantastical in a story about a writer writing weird and strange content. You don’t just want to play with scale and have a scene with Dick reduced to the size of an insect just because you can! But that sort of thing is irresistible so you make the most of it and, when the time is right, Marchesi pulls out all the stops. He has some beautiful wordless sequences that definitely balance out a narrative that, at times, needs to rely more on text. One that really packs in just the right dose of mystery and ambiguity has Dick seated at a park bench trading in a gem for a book with a total stranger. Like spies passing through the night, they discretely make the switch, one finely polished gem for a book that points towards another book in Dick’s future.

For fans of Philip K. Dick, as well as new readers, this will prove to be an engaging read. As I say, after a while, you’re not thinking of Dick as just a famous writer. No, he’s got some pretty compelling ordinary problems of his own along with the extraordinary ones! One of the most fascinating aspects, however, does have to do with being a famous writer. Time and again you see Dick fighting against being known as a science fiction writer. Back then in what was its golden age, science fiction was snubbed as only being “genre.” You would think someone as smart as Dick could have seen through the snobbery of the literary establishment. But, no, even Philip K. Dick wasted precious time and energy desperately trying to fit in!

Philip K. Dick: A Comics Biography is a 144-page full color hardcover. For more details, visit NBM Publishing right here.

4 Comments

Filed under Biology, Comics, George Clayton Johnson, Graphic Novel Reviews, graphic novels, Harlan Ellison, NBM, NBM Publishing, Philip K. Dick, Sci-Fi, science fiction

Tagged as A.E. van Vogt, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, comics, Entertainment, George Clayton Johnson, graphic novels, Harlan Ellison, Media, Movies, NBM Publishing, Philip K. Dick, Pop Culture, Publishing, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Television, Writers, Writing

January 1, 2019 · 9:30 am

GEORGE’S RUN: The Webcomic on George Clayton Johnson, The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and Logan’s Run!

George Clayton Johnson’s Cafe Frankenstein

Twilight Zone. Star Trek. Logan’s Run. George Clayton Johnson was a big part of it all. This is his story. Welcome to GEORGE’S RUN, my tribute to the legendary storyteller.

I created a graphic novel all about George, his work, and his times. There was no clear destination in mind other than it needed to be done. I foresee a printed book in one form or another at some point. For now, I roll out a webcomic. A work of alternative comics such as this can definitely benefit from going through the webcomic process even if it receives little obvious fanfare in that state. This is a rather strange and quirky tale as much a story as a story about stories. These pages will further reward upon a second and third contextual reading, I believe, what with the observational bits, factoids, and unexpected detours. All the more reason to see this inevitably in a proper book format.

For those familiar with what I’ve been up to here at Comics Grinder, you’ll appreciate that this announcement is a pretty big deal. That graphic novel project I’ve been referring to all of you is finally making its way into the world as a webcomic. I have loaded up some pages to kick things off and will continue to update accordingly. I will do my best to keep to a weekly schedule. The plan is to update the site every Wednesday. You can find updates here at Comics Grinder as well as enjoy the distinctive webcomic experience at the George’s Run website right here.

It all began with my podcast interviews. You can check out some of my conversations with George over here and over here. I concluded that George’s life story had to be turned into a graphic novel and I’m just the guy to do it!

George Clayton Johnson

If you are a fan of pop culture in any form, this is for you. If you enjoy a fun and quirky tale, this is for you. The best thing is that no prior knowledge is required. You don’t have to know anything about science fiction or the golden age of television or how writers sometimes work together to spin tales like magical little elves.

Prepare to embark upon a journey with a wizard storyteller into the mysterious past and onward into the marvelous future.

George keeps on running!

Okay, that’s my pitch. I know many of you out there are cheering me on. Do drop by and visit the George’s Run webcomic and just say hello. As always, I will keep you posted on the progress of this very special project as it evolves as a webcomic and ultimately finds its way into print. You know, this is something of an open letter to anyone interested in seeing where we can go with a book. Any literary agent or publisher is welcome to contact me. That said, self-publishing has evolved to such great prominence and tangible clout. The bottom line is that, like a film, a novel, a poem, whatever it is, there’s something about being able to take in a work as a whole so I’m excited about seeing this through and ultimately having a book version. Thanks for your support and I’ll continue to do my best.

6 Comments

Filed under Comics, George Clayton Johnson, graphic novels, Logan's Run, pop culture, Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Webcomics

Tagged as 1960s, Barefoot, Books, Cannabis, Entertainment, Feet, flip flops, Frankenstein, Free Love, George Clayton Johnson, graphic novels, henry chamberlain, Hippies, Media, Movies, Peace, Pop Culture, Publishing, Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Television, Theodore Sturgeon, webcomics, Writers, Writing

December 15, 2018 · 8:30 am

Book Review: ADAM by Ariel Schrag

ADAM by Ariel Schrag

I’ve recently been taking a look at some work by artist/writer Ariel Schrag. I’m becoming more familiar with her comics and I decided to read her prose novel, Adam. While reading it, I also became aware of the controversy surrounding this novel which will debut in 2019 at Sundance. I’d just gotten a quarter of the way into the novel and wondered just where these snarky kids were heading. The book depicted the author’s take on callow youth and gay culture and so I pressed on. I do understand why some people will find the book problematic. Still, it’s useful to stick with it to the end to study one writer’s process.

I’ll cut to the chase and say that Ms. Schrag’s book aims to be in the tradition of provocative novels. The characters do and say a number of nasty and questionable things and then there are also moments when Schrag dials down the snark. Here is an example, a scene that finds the main characters at a predominantly transgender gathering:

“Clarification on gender was indeed necessary. Looking around at the group, it was as if a hatful of pronouns written on scraps of paper had been thrown into the air, each group, sometimes two, landing randomly on a person, regardless of what he or she looked like. Adam had gotten used to boyish girls turning out to be trans, the general rule that masculine = he and feminine = she, but here at Camp Trans it was a free-for-all. You couldn’t be sure of anything, except that you were most likely wrong.”

So, yeah, the book has a cocky snarky vibe, an attempt to channel the great Holden Caulfield tradition of snark. It’s when an ambitious young writer feels compelled to be provocative that things will heat up for sure. The big controversy revolves around the premise of the main character, Adam, a 17-year-old straight man becoming involved with Gillian, a 22-year-old gay woman, by both lying about his age and, far more significantly, lying that he’s a female-to-male trans person. That premise is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way. You have people in the trans community saying the book is exploitive. You have the author saying the book is meant to open up a discussion. Ms. Schrag has gained notoriety over the years for her memoir comics. She is an openly gay woman who has focused on young adult themes. She has written for television, including writing for Showtime’s The L Word.

The big point of contention against this novel comes down to the idea that the main character, Adam, is essentially getting away with rape as he’s in a sexual relationship through deception. For most of the novel, Adam isn’t getting away with much as he’s depicted as being fairly creepy. Towards the end that changes when Schrag drives her novel over a cliff with an abrupt shift. Adam begins his journey as a stand-in for just an average guy, yet another typical banal young person, while Schrag steadily turns up the heat. He easily falls into fantasy. He’s so selfish that, despite all the warning signs, he continues to deceive his lover in the hopes that his fantasy will come true and she will ultimately overlook his gross betrayal.

Looking at this from a creative point of view, it is very interesting to see a cartoonist like Schrag developing into a full-on prose writer. Any number of cartoonists find themselves juggling/struggling with two distinct disciplines (writing and drawing) that are supposed to meld into one (comics). Well, the comics-making process is a whole world onto itself with many potential variations, detours and pitfalls. It’s a delicate balancing act. And, if a creator favors writing a little more than drawing, that can tip the balance. For Ms. Schrag, it seems that more often than not, when she puts pen to paper, it is only words she seeks. Deep into making a novel all out of words, those words can take on a life of their own a little more easily than within the framework of a well planned out graphic novel with storyboards and various anchors. You choose your words that much more carefully when you create a graphic novel in comparison to commanding a ship of words in a novel. You set sail for vast ports unknown. You can lose yourself in your discourse and take your mighty vessel way off course.

You get away with less in comics. You can be instantly held accountable. Stuff can get buried in a prose novel. All those words! Ms. Schrag can engage in some anti-Semitic rhetoric and no one will call her on it since the focus is on her depiction of the trans community. Around the middle of the novel, Schrag builds up to what she deems a joke involving her inept and money-grubbing Jewish landlords. Analyzed as a joke, the mechanics and execution fall flat. It’s inappropriate and serves no purpose other than to underscore the fact that the characters are prone to being intolerant and hurtful and that has already been well established. It’s a joke that would make the legendary cartoonist provocateur Robert Crumb blush mostly because it’s so not funny. You just can’t get away with stuff like that in comics. In contrast to this novel, Ms. Schrag’s recent collection of comics, Part of It, indicates a more restrained, and even polite, approach.

Ms. Schrag has said about all the controversy attached to this novel: “People are really angry specifically about appropriating an oppressed identity. I just think that’s fascinating to think about because what is so terrible about appropriating an oppressed identity?” That’s a gutsy remark with consequences attached to it. Writers can choose to provoke but then it’s fair game to listen carefully to the response. Just because you belong to a group doesn’t mean you need to shake it to its core. But for those writers who can’t resist shaking things up, they will need to be open to criticism. In this case, there’s a movie version coming out and that will undoubtedly provide another opportunity for more discussion and more controversy.

Adam is a 320-page novel, originally published in 2014 by Mariner Books, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Charles Forsman’s ‘I Am Not Okay With This’ Picked Up by Netflix

‘I Am Not Okay With This’ by Charles Forsman

Charles Forsman is a wonderful independent cartoonist. I have had the privilege to review his work. Mr. Forsman creates work that is usually intended for a relatively small audience. That is the nature of comics, especially niche comics. But things can get turned on their heads. Just imagine, a highly obscure copy of an underground comic is sitting in a trash bin when it’s picked up by a movie director and he’s so thrilled by it that he’s compelled to move heaven and earth to turn it into a hit television series. That’s what happened with Forsman’s The End of the F***king World, now available on Netflix. And it’s happened again. This time without any trash bin. The news it out that Forsman’s I Am Not Okay With This is coming to Netflix.

‘I Am Not Okay With This’ by Charles Forsman

There’s something about the fresh and quirky goodness of independent alt-comics that can catapult them from obscurity to crazy full-on stardom. It won’t happen to most of the self-published comix out there but it happens. So, don’t try this at home unless this is a labor of love first and foremost. Otherwise, it won’t work. Painfully honest stories have a greater than average chance of getting attention. That’s part of it. The rest is just the right mix of hard work and a bit of good luck. While you wait to enjoy I Am Not Okay With This, check out The End of the F***king World now on Netflix:

I Am Not Okay With This follows the misadventures of Sydney, an unassuming 15-year-old freshman with telekinetic powers. Be sure to visit Charles Forsman right here. I Am Not Okay With This is a 160-page graphic novel published by Fantagraphics Books.

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Filed under Charles Forsman, Comics, Fantagraphics Books, graphic novels, Netflix, Television, Young Adult

Tagged as British Humor, Cartoonists, Charles Forsman, Entertainment, Fantagraphics, fantagraphics books, graphic novels, Humor, Media, Movies, Netflix, Pop Culture, Publishing, Television, Writers, Writing, Young Adult

November 12, 2018 · 2:15 pm

Stan Lee (1922-2018)

Cover art by Ed Piskor

Stan Lee (1922-2018). News today that comics legend Stan Lee has passed away. There will only ever be one Stan Lee in the comics industry. You will hear that today and in the days and years to come. As a kid in the ’70s, I have fond memories of the iconic figure of Stan Lee. He was the guy leading the Marvel Comics Bullpen. He was the guy who was always yelling out, “Excelsior!” He was part salesman and part creative genius. This, in no way, takes away from the collaborative work he did with such greats as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. At the end of the day, Stan Lee was Stan Lee, a force of nature and an integral part of Marvel Comics and comics in general. May he rest in peace.