Alec Longstreth Launches Isle of Elsi, All-Ages Fantasy Webcomic

Alec Longstreth has announced his new all-ages fantasy webcomic with a comic strip! Isle of Elsi will, apparently, involve palindromes as well as magic. A new page posts every Thursday. The comic goes on beyond what I’ve excerpted here, with a flashback and information on why it’s for kids and free. Longstreth will be supporting the comic with a Patreon. He promises, “People who pledge $2 or more per month get access to the Backer Blog, where they will be [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1ZDWhGf


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

KC’s First Podcast: Beau Smith on Wynonna Earp

I edited my first podcast! While traveling from Virginia back to Wisconsin after the holidays, KC and I stopped off to have lunch with old buddy and comics maven Beau Smith. KC asked him some questions about his creation Wynonna Earp, soon to be a TV show, I recorded them, and the result became a 16-minute audio interview. Find out more at KC’s latest Westfield column, where you can listen to the two of them.
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1mTQxKg


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

How Times Have Changed: The Graphic Novels Amazon Is Promoting

It’s just past Christmas, so time to get people to spend those gift cards! Amazon sent out an email this morning promoting Graphic Novels, and I found their organizational system fascinating. There were six categories listed: Media Tie-In Graphic Novels Religion & Spirituality Graphic Novels Educational & Nonfiction Graphic Novels Contemporary Women Graphic Novels Romance Graphic Novels Literary Graphic Novels All the superhero, zombie, or science fiction stories lumped into only one “tie-in” category! And that fourth category is a [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1mbHqVe


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Master Keaton Volume 1

Naoki Urasawa is a modern manga master, well-known here for his works Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto. That reputation means we get the pleasure of seeing his earlier, more adventure-oriented stories in Master Keaton. Urasawa was the artist here, with story by Hokusei Katsushika and later, Takashi Nagasaki. Originally published beginning in 1988, this series is being released in deluxe, oversized volumes (matching the Monster re-release) with color pages. Viz is calling the series “post-Cold War detective suspense” — [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1S9Zn2A


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Yowamushi Pedal Volume 1

Yowamushi Pedal volume 1 seems like it might be a sports manga, with its focus on cycling, but it’s really about a loner guy learning how special he is. Sakamichi is a meek nerd. He regularly rides his “mommy bike” a long distance over hilly roads to get to Akiba, where he can buy limited-release DVDs and toys and other signs of fandom. (Thanks to the translation notes, I found out “Sakamichi” means “hilly roads”.) He doesn’t realize how hard [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1O7ptlb


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Shonen Jump Plus Manga Contest

Shonen Jump Plus (a free digital publication in Japanese) and MediBang (which “provides free digital painting apps and software to illustrators and comic book artists worldwide”) are holding a manga contest to discover new artists. Unlike other manga auditions, this contest is set up to translate English, Korean, and Chinese submissions into Japanese for review by the editors. Entries will be accepted through March 3, 2016. Enter through MediBang’s site. They’re looking for completed one-shot comics under 50 pages. On [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1YuDm3q


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor

Nathan Hale is extraordinary at not only bringing history to life, but also including well-researched bits of the story most people aren’t aware of. The latest entry in the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series is also outstanding in another way. The Underground Abductor is the first of the stories to star a woman, Harriet Tubman. Hale isn’t afraid to tackle difficult topics, either. The book starts with Nathan Hale’s captors — the spy, about to be hanged, has magically become [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1JrUYRk


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

So Cute It Hurts!! Volumes 3-4

The twins’ gender-switching is over, and everyone is trying to deal with whether their relationships will continue now that the truth is known. This series is so fluffy it’s a great escapist read. But it does leave me with odd questions. Like… Megumu’s crush Aoi is one of those only-in-manga tough guys who’s “allergic” to women. As in, he actually faints if he gets too close to one. Where did this idea come from and who finds it at all [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1Yudl4v


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

A Bride’s Story Volume 7

As expected, I greatly enjoyed A Bride’s Story Volume 7, although my recommendation comes with caveats. Kaoru Mori’s artwork is as lovely and detailed as always, but much of it this time around is dedicated to drawing women at the bathhouse, which means lots of lovingly illustrated naked breasts. Americans who get upset over nudity won’t want to read this volume (but they probably aren’t aware of this series anyway). There is something refreshing about the variety of bodies she [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1JqoEhT


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Idol Dreams Volume 1

Idol Dreams puts a clever twist on a typical manga situation, that of becoming famous in show business. Only Chikage is a 31-year-old office worker, unpopular, lonely, and nervous around men. She’s having a mid-life crisis, feeling she peaked when she graduated high school. She attends her class reunion, dreaming of reuniting with her crush from back then, only to be embarrassed by a classmate blurting out her status as a virgin. She’s hopeless and suicidal. But then comes the [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1QDnUxF


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Kiss Him, Not Me! Volume 2

I enjoyed Kiss Him, Not Me! volume 2 more than the first book, since the harem of guys are developing distinct, recognizable personalities. Fangirl Kae has four admirers, and here, they go on a series of dates in expected manga situations. First, there’s the school festival, and due to the cosplay theme, Kae gets to make outfits for several of the guys (including one who’s playing princess). They get upset at spending all their time with her in a group, [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1mx1HVi


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Emma Volume 3

Emma Volume 3 is where William and Emma’s relationship really gets interesting. But first, there’s a charming digression that establishes essential background information about William’s family. (See Volume 2 for more history.) William’s father Richard Jones had money but no background. His attempts to join society were rebuffed, with the “right people” blatantly talking about how unsuited he was. We see him meet his eventual wife Aurelia, who is considered hopeless for having no talents. The two marry and create [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1mwPqjH


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

The Manga Guide to Physiology

It’s been three years since the last Manga Guide, but it’s a pleasure to see the series continue with The Manga Guide to Physiology. I always learn things reading these volumes. It’s a shame, though, that this came out so close to Human Body Theater, which tackled a similar topic — how the body is put together and how it works — in a way that’s more appealing to American audiences. I found the humor there, particularly having the organs [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1O4Dno5


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step

Top Secret Recipes Step-by-Step: Secret Formulas with Photos for Duplicating Your Favorite Famous Foods at Home isn’t just a fun idea for a cookbook; it’s also a portrait of how, and what, we choose to eat. Todd Wilbur calls himself “America’s #1 food hacker”, and he’s made a career out of dissecting recipes from favorite chain restaurants. This copiously illustrated (multiple photos per dish) volume has 125 recipes, 75 of which are new, and 50 of which are improved from [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1U0oWBG


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

School-Live! Volume 1

The premise of School-Live! Volume 1 is amusing, but I found reading the book frustrating. It’s got too many hints, too little actually happening or explained. Four girls are living in their school after a zombie apocalypse. Thankfully, the school has a well-stocked science lab, a school store for consumer products, solar panels for power, and a full garden on the roof. Yuki is the cute, naive one who doesn’t seem to be accepting the reality of the situation. Kurumi [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1ZlgjoT


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

L♥DK Volume 1

Sometimes there’s a place for a completely unchallenging formula story. They can be relaxing or comforting, as events play out as expected. That’s the best way I can describe this shojo manga. L♥DK gives us a hard-working girl who gets involved with the good-looking “school prince” due to their living situation. Aoi lives on her own, so instead of school activities, she spends her time out of class hunting for grocery bargains and cooking. Her new neighbor turns out to [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1JkpufO


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Alison Wilgus’ Next Graphic Novel From Tor

According to a brief mention in Publishers Weekly, Alison Wilgus, author of A Stray in the Woods and Apartment Hunting, will be publishing a new graphic novel called Chronin with Tor. The book is described as “a science fiction historical adventure about a college student named Mirai Yoshida who winds up stranded in 1864 Japan after a project for her time travel–studies class goes awry.” It’s the first book in a two-book deal. Sounds like a great concept — congrats, [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1TWAjdE


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

The Tithe #5

Well, Top Cow’s got balls. I thought the first storyline, issues #1-4 of The Tithe, was gutsy, taking on mega-churches and criminal preachers, but this one goes even further. This time around, the subject is Muslim terrorists. Issue #5 kicks off a new story arc with the bombing of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. It’s written by Matt Hawkins, with layouts by Rahsan Ekedal and art by Phillip Sevy. With all the action and investigation, this is the [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1Mm1eKl


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

The Beauty #1

Jeremy Haun, aided by Jason A. Hurley on story, has come up with a doozy of a premise. There’s a sexually transmitted disease that makes its victims beautiful — skinny, clear-skinned, and glowing — so people want to catch it. I was intrigued by the kinds of stories that could be told with this idea, pieces about how relationships were changed or how society reacted. Unfortunately, what the creators do with this outstanding starting point winds up pedestrian and typical. [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/22eyAqn


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

KC Talks Comics in 1981

Memories by KC Carlson Well, this is odd… What we have here is an interview that I did for a local Eau Clare, Wisconsin, television show called “Thirteen Interview” sometime around 1981. The interviewer is Geoff Welch, a old classmate of mine at the University of Wisconsin — Eau Claire, which I attended (and occasionally actually went to class) in the late 1970s. I could usually be found working for the UWEC Davies University Center as a film projectionist or [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1k70MsL


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Reality Check Returns as Kickstarter

I first read Super Information Hijinks: Reality Check! when it was a comic book series back in 1997, written by Rikki Simons and illustrated by Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons. (It was self-published, then it ran 12 color issues from Sirius Entertainment.) It’s the story, set in the then-future of 2012, of a boy and his pet cat. When she climbs inside his virtual reality helmet, Catreece becomes a catgirl on the internet. Then they have adventures. It was one of the early [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1mcO1OQ


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Oni Press Reissues Wet Moon: Feeble Wanderings

Wet Moon is a series of graphic novels by Sophie (née Ross) Campbell about a group of art students in a Southern town. The first volume, Feeble Wanderings, debuted in 2005, with the most recent sixth book appearing in 2012. (A seventh volume has been delayed but is still planned.) Now that Campbell has gained new attention for her work on the Jem and the Holograms (and changed her name), Oni has announced that they will be re-releasing the first [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1QsvOda


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Hank Ketcham’s Dennis The Menace Volume 1: The Cult-Classic Comicbooks by Al Wiseman & Fred Toole

Review by KC Carlson Dennis the Menace, the classic American comics panel by Hank Ketcham, debuted in 1951, introducing tiny terror Dennis Mitchell (based on Ketcham’s own four-year-old son) and his family: father Henry (sometimes “Hank” — who remarkably resembled creator Hank Ketcham), mother Alice, and oversized mutt Ruff. Before long, there was also a whole neighborhood of kids, frightened-for-their-life babysitters, and exasperated neighbors (mostly just George (“Mr.”) Wilson… his wife Martha quite liked Dennis and constantly provided freshly-baked cookies). [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1Ykm6IX


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

Platinum End From Death Note Creators Available as Digital Chapters

The newest series from Tsunami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the creative team behind Death Note and Bakuman, is Platinum End. It’s available in English digitally, with a new 99-cent chapter monthly. You can get it on the Viz Manga app, at VIZManga.com, through the digital Weekly Shonen Jump, or at ComiXology. It’s an odd story, with echoes of the “student affected by supernatural being with questionable motives” story of Death Note. Viz provided this description: Mirai is a boy who [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1YdeTPZ


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More

School Judgment Gakkyu Hotei Collection Due February

I enjoyed the chapters of School Judgment Gakkyu Hotei I read in Weekly Shonen Jump last year, so I’m glad to see it will be collected. I should have known that was inevitable, since the story is drawn by Takeshi Obata, who’s well-known on these shores for Death Note and Bakuman. The premise, as written by Nobuaki Enoki, involves disputes among elementary school students being settled with lawyers and court-like class arbitration sessions. As the introduction page says, “the government [...]
from Comics Worth Reading http://ift.tt/1Z9YKIi


Sourced by "The typist writer". The place where writers, bloggers, and publicists come to expand their knowledge in the field content production and publication.

Read More