Month: April 2020

Spidey practices social distancing in this awesome fan comic

Dewey Bass creates an unofficial comic that finds Spider-Man dealing with the current pandemic.

Dewey Bass has a pretty impressive collection of Spider-Man comics, so it’s no surprise that when he decided to make a comic about the coronavirus pandemic, he turned to the wall-crawler. His completely unofficial five-page Spider-Man comic, “Social Distancing,” has been liked or shared more than 42,000 times on Tumblr.

“I guess this is how I’m processing what we’re all going through right now. I had the stray thought, ‘What is Spider-Man doing during all this?’ and this happened,” Bass said on his Tumblr blog. “On the one hand, it’s kinda sloppy and inconsistent, but on the other hand, I had the idea Sunday night and I’m posting this Wednesday night. 5 color pages in 4 nights is pretty good work. Anyway. Hope everyone’s safe out there.”

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Nominees announced for the 2020 Hugo Awards

“Monstress” receives its fourth nomination in four years, and is joined by “Die,” “Paper Girls, “Mooncakes” and more.

The nominees were announced via livestream today for the 2020 Hugo Awards, which includes a “Best Graphic Story or Comic” category. Four of the six nominees were published by Image, while Dark Horse’s Berger Books imprint and Oni Press each received one.

Presented annually since 1955, The Hugo Awards recognize the best science fiction in books, comics, movies, TV and more. The Hugo Awards are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention every year. The Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story has been awarded since 2009, with previous winners including volumes of Saga, Ms. Marvel, Girl Genius and Sandman: Overture. Monstress has won the award for the last three years and is up for the award again this year.

The nominees are:

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Smash Pages Q&A: Maria Scrivan

The creator of the comic strip ‘Half Full’ discusses her new graphic novel, ‘Nat Enough.’

Nat Enough is the debut graphic novel from cartoonist Maria Scrivan. People might recognize the name, as she’s been making the daily comic Half Full since 2013 in addition to contributing to Mad Magazine and other publications.

The book is about Natalie adjusting to middle school and the way her best friend has changed, as well as trying to meet new people while feeling like she’s good enough. It is a painfully relatable middle school story and I spoke with Scrivan over email about trying to capture that voice, structuring a book length narrative and having already finished a sequel.

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Binge-worthy Backlist Bonzana: ‘Skin Horse’

Looking for something to read while stuck at home? The Smash Pages crew recommends opening up a browser window and taking a ride on ‘Skin Horse.’

As people isolate and wait out the coronavirus, many industries, including the comics industry, are in a bit of a standstill — leaving comic shops without a supply of new weekly comics.

With that in mind, we’ve introduced a new feature, Binge-worthy Backlist Bonzana. While new comics might not be arriving for a while, your local retailer, online site, digital comics provider or favorite creator can still supply comics that you might not have read yet.

Today Tom Bondurant looks back at one of his favorite webcomics, Skin Horse.

Launched in December 2007, Shaenon K. Garrity and Jeffrey C. Wells’ Skin Horse is about a government agency charged with rescuing sentient non-humans created by mad scientists. Most of the cast are rescued non-humans, including Sweetheart the dog, the reanimated Unity, Gavotte the bee swarm and Moustachio the steampunk robot. Tip the psychologist is Skin Horse’s main human agent.

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Artists take the #SixFanarts Challenge

Melissa Capriglione kicked off a fun, art-filled meme in March — and the participants grew from there.

Way back in mid-March — which feels like a million years ago at this point, but was really just a few weeks back — Falconhyrste creator Melissa Capriglione kicked off a fun exercise that would turn into a widespread meme for artists across social media: The #SixFanarts Challenge.

What started has a simple tweet has blossomed into a fun and welcome distraction during these difficult times. And it’s pretty easy to participate: artists just ask their social media followers to throw out character names, and the artist draws six of them on a grid that Capriglione has provided.

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DC spotlights medal of honor recipient in ‘Our Fighting Forces 100-Page Giant’

Brad Meltzer, Jim Lee and Scott Williams team up on a story featuring U.S. Army Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta and Batman.

DC’s upcoming Our Fighting Forces 100-Page Giant, part of its line of anthologies available at Walmart and comic shops, will include a previously announced story about U.S. Army Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta, the first living person since the Vietnam War to receive the U.S. military’s Medal of Honor.

The eight-page story is written by Giunta and Brad Meltzer, with art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams. And it also features Batman. Here’s the description:

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Fund Me Friday: Quarantine Comix, Tinto Press and more

Support projects by Gabriel Rodriguez, Ryan K. Lindsay, Chris Panda, the ‘Ice Cream Man’ crew and more.

As crowdfunding continues to serve as a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors, comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter, Patreon and IndieGoGo. The internet also allows creators to sell their creations direct to fans, through sites like Gumroad, Etsy and of course their own websites. If you’re looking to buy something from or support a creator directly, you’ve come to the right place. And that’ a good thing to do, now more than ever.

Send any suggestions of your own to jkparkin@yahoo.com.

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Binge-worthy Backlist Bonanza: Terry Moore’s ‘Strangers in Paradise’

Looking for something to read while stuck at home? The Smash Pages crew recommends a meet-up with ‘Strangers in Paradise.’

In the current climate, many industries are in a standstill as people isolate and wait out the coronavirus. The comics industry is no different, with Diamond Comic Distributors shutting down, leaving comic shops without a supply of new weekly comics.

With that in mind, we’ve introduced a new feature this week, Binge-worthy Backlist Bonzana. While new comics might not be arriving for a while, your local retailer, favorite online site, digital comics provider or even favorite creator can still supply older comics that you might not have read yet.

Today Corey Blake revisits old friends between the pages of Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise. Watch for more from the Smash Pages crew over the next days and weeks.

In this age of social distancing and isolation, there is a strong need to reconnect with old friends, fictional or otherwise. Cartoonist Terry Moore has an uncanny ability to create instant lifelong friends in his comics. His current project Five Years brings together characters from almost all of his previous comics into one storyline. As that series (and all comics) are forced into a pause, it’s a good opportunity to revisit old friends.

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Smash Pages Q&A: Sophie Goldstein and Jenn Jordan

The duo discuss their latest graphic novel, “An Embarrassment of Witches,” now available from Top Shelf Comix.

An Embarrassment of Witches is the new book from Sophie Goldstein and Jenn Jordan. Goldstein has made a name for herself in recent years with her comics like House of Women and The Oven, but before those books came out, Goldstein and Jordan made the webcomic Darwin Carmichael Is Going to Hell, a colorful romp about life in Brooklyn where mythological creatures and minor deities live next to artists and hipsters, and the protagonist is dealing with a karmic deficit and trying to save his immortal soul.

An Embarrassment of Witches is very much a related project, mixing the fantastic and the mundane in different ways. The book is about the friendship of Rory and Angel, two longtime friends after college, each of whom are foundering in different ways that strain their friendship. It’s about relationships and changing relationships with parents. It’s also about interdisciplinary magicks, botanical alchemy, and combines these elements in a way that makes the world feel new and fantastic, but is always about character and emotional above all.

I met Goldstein and Jordan years ago at Webcomics Weekend and was thrilled to talk with them about their new book, which I think is the best work they’ve done to date.We spoke recently over email.

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Binge-worthy Backlist Bonanza: The extended John Allison library

Looking for something to read while stuck at home? The Smash Pages crew offers some helpful suggestions, starting with the many selections available from the John Allison universe.

In the current climate, many industries are in a standstill as people isolate and wait out the coronavirus. The comics industry is no different, as Diamond Comic Distributors shut down, leaving comic shops without a supply of new weekly comics.

With that in mind, we’re introducing a new feature, Backlist Bonzana. While new comics might not be arriving for a while, your local retailer, favorite online site, digital comics provider or even favorite creator can still supply older comics that you might not have read yet. Today Tom Bondurant shares the joy that comes from reading John Allison’s comics. Watch for more from the Smash Pages crew over the next few days and weeks.

Because John Allison’s Scary Go Round universe spans 20-plus years and a few different webcomics series, I feel pretty secure in describing it as “sprawling.” The main portal at www.scarygoround.com is organized helpfully by comic, with links to print versions where available.

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