Love & Mercy

Review by KC Carlson I pretty much knew what I was getting into when I began watching this movie. I own most of the Beach Boys’ (and Brian Wilson’s solo) albums in multiple versions/formats. I have also read at least a dozen books and watched several documentaries about BB/Wilson history — so I already...

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Sometimes Comics Aren’t Right for Everything

Cartoonist Cathy Leamy has recently received her master’s degree in Health Communication, and as part of her studies, she was going to make comics-format patient handouts. But that wasn’t the right choice, as this comic discusses. It was an eye-opening read for me, and I appreciated how she considered...

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Sleepy Hollow: The Complete Second Season

I enjoyed the first season of Sleepy Hollow. Its abbreviated length — 13 episodes — allowed its blend of adventure, horror, mystery, and even humor to feel like it was building to something significant. Sleepy Hollow: The Complete Second Season tries the same approach, but I didn’t like it as much....

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Last of the Sandwalkers

It’s been too long since Jay Hosler (The Sandwalk Adventures, Clan Apis) brought out one of his amazing true science comics. He’s got a gift for explaining complex biological topics in entertaining adventure stories. Last of the Sandwalkers continues that trend with the story of a group of beetles seeking...

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Death on the Prairie

The series of Chloe Ellefson mysteries, which deal with murders taking place during the 80s in various Wisconsin historical sites, expands with this latest volume by Kathleen Ernst. Death on the Prairie ranges further afield, through a series of Midwestern sites associated with Laura Ingalls Wilder...

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Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen

Dylan Horrocks’ Hicksville is one of the best graphic novels ever, about a world where comics are part of everyone’s daily life. At the time it came out, we hadn’t yet reached the point we’re at today, where it’s acceptable, even desirable, to know about comics. Then, liking comics meant something was...

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Scholastic to Publish DC Superhero Illustrated Novels

Scholastic has announced a deal with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to publish a series of three illustrated novels based on well-known DC superheroes. Written and illustrated by Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs, the DC Comics: Secret Hero Society series will debut in February 2016 with Study Hall of...

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Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 for Every Season

I like to cook, but I like most to cook simple, tasty recipes that don’t take forever. That’s why I was interested in Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 for Every Season, a cookbook by the Chew cohost that promises recipes that only have 5 ingredients and can be cooked in 5 minutes, with a focus on seasonality,...

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Gotham: The Complete First Season: More Fun to Watch Than to Live In

Review by KC Carlson I’ve been involved in comic books, both personally and professionally, for close to 50 years now. One of the more interesting trends in that field is the effort involved in “tidying up the backstory” for many of comics’ longest running characters. Notable runs of comics over the...

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Lucy Knisley’s Next Graphic Novel, Something New, Cover Revealed

Continuing her series of graphic memoirs featuring family encounters, Lucy Knisley announced her next graphic novel will be Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride, described as a funny and whip-smart new book about the institution of marriage in America told through the lens of her recent engagement...

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ComiXology Adds Drawn & Quarterly, Drops Windows 8 App

The dominoes continue to fall. Digital distributor ComiXology has announced that Drawn & Quarterly joins their near-monopoly list of comic publishers available through their service. Typical of recent announcements, and reflecting corporate owner Amazon, also included is a deal for the works to...

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The Basics of Discrimination and Harassment From an HR Perspective

In my day job, I’ve been managing people for over 15 years now, so I’ve taken multiple management training courses at Fortune 500 companies. There are some basics that should be known before letting someone be responsible for someone else and their job, since one’s manager is one of the biggest factors...

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Finding Neighbors

I was given a copy of Finding Neighbors, which comes out on DVD next week, to talk about because its protagonist is a middle-aged blocked graphic novelist. Sam (Michael O’Keefe, Caddyshack, Homeland) had early success, with his award-winning work turned into a movie, but now finds it difficult to write...

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Jessica Jones to Launch in November

I haven’t watched Netflix’s Daredevil series, because I’ve heard that it’s more violent than I’m comfortable with. So I’m looking forward to the next Marvel streaming TV show because I hope it’ll be closer to what I enjoy. Plus, I like Kristen Ritter in the role of Jessica Jones. Now, there’s an atmospheric...

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Where’s Hawkman’s Furry Chest?

The costumes for Hawkgirl and Hawkman were revealed last week, as they’ll be appearing on Arrow and The Flash before joining DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Ciara Renée plays Kendra Saunders and Falk Hentschel appears as Carter Hall. They’re lacking the color of the traditional gold and green comic book versions,...

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Mike Dawson Kickstarts Rules for Dating My Daughter

Last year, I linked to a comic strip Mike Dawson posted at The Nib titled “Rules For Dating My Daughter“. Now, he’s taken that same title for a book of similar comic essays, due out next March. He describes it as “a collection of thematically linked essays on parenting, politics, and philosophy”, reprinting...

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Love Stage!! Volume 3

Love Stage!! (published by SuBLime Manga) is now the boys’ love manga series I’ve followed the longest, making it to three volumes with me still enjoying it. That’s because the characters, as written by Eiki Eiki and drawn by Taishi Zaou, are so fun and most of their encounters so good-hearted. Over...

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The Age of Adaline

I was deeply curious about The Age of Adaline, with its premise of a near-immortal woman who stops aging in the 1930s. Like a lot of people, for me, the idea of more time is appealing. The nature of scheduling to the overbooked is a tricky thing, and coincidentally, I didn’t see the film previously...

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Toon Books Level 3: Written and Drawn by Henrietta, Flop to the Top!

Toon Books ranks its publications, which are aimed at young readers, according to reading level, to make it easier for educators, librarians, and parents to find the right books. Level 3 are for “advanced beginners”, with chaptered stories and the ability to change time and place in the telling. They’re...

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Toon Books Level 2: The Big Wet Balloon, Lost and Found, Patrick Eats His Peas, Benjamin Bear

Toon Books ranks its publications, which are aimed at young readers, according to reading level, to make it easier for educators, librarians, and parents to find the right books. Level 2 are aimed at “emerging readers” with simple sentences, the use of repetition, and basic comic format used. They’re...

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Toon Books Level 1: We Dig Worms!, Hearts, Tippy and the Night Parade, Barry’s Best Buddy

Toon Books ranks its publications, which are aimed at young readers, according to reading level, to make it easier for educators, librarians, and parents to find the right books. Level 1 are “first comics for brand new readers” that feature few images, short sentences, simple vocabulary, and easy-to-understand...

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Long Distance #4

Well, that was unexpected. I wasn’t sure how this romantic comedy about a long-distance relationship was going to play out, since I wouldn’t put it past author Thom Zahler to break my heart. Thankfully, we get a happy ending, but one I couldn’t have predicted. A lot is lumped into this issue. After...

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Drawing From Memory / The Inker’s Shadow

I wasn’t previously aware of the work of Allen Say, but he won the Caldecott Medal for Grandfather’s Journey, a picture book about immigration and how it can leave one feeling rootless, based on Say’s grandfather’s travels. Drawing From Memory continues that theme, only this time, it’s autobiographical....

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Order These Comics! Coming November 2015

From the September Previews catalog, for books shipping November 2015 or later. It’s a light month, since many of the holiday items were offered in the last catalog, so just a few recommendations this time around. News Items Capitalizing on the iZombie TV show, DC brings all the iZombie Vertigo comics...

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The Good Wife: The Sixth Season

The Good Wife is an excellent case study in how to keep a drama fresh and involving. Season 5 did it by killing off a major character (and amazingly, without the news leaking out ahead of time). The Sixth Season returns to the political underpinnings of its premise, as the title comes from the producers...

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