Comics Syllabus

This week: “Djeliya” by Juni Ba (TKO). New issues of “Crossover,” “Monstress,” “Usagi Yojimbo,” and “Made in Korea.” First, we review “Djeliya” by Juni Ba from TKO Studios (video episode here). Juni Ba’s new graphic novel is “A West African Fantasy Epic” and follows djeli (storyteller and advisor) Awa as she fights for (and with!) Monsour, heir to a throne, against gods and beasts for the rightful throne. Ba’s work artfully mixes Cartoon Network stylistics with folk narratives from Ba’s Senegal/West Africa, as he mentions in this great interview with the Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast. Paul unpacks some of why this book has jumped to the tops of his list, and Juni Ba to the group of creators Paul’s most excited about. On this week’s “Polybagged,” (video episode here) covering some new comics in shops this week (June 30, 2021), we talk about: “Usagi Yojimbo: Dragon Bellow Conspiracy” #1 by Stan Sakai and Pattison (c) (IDW), “Made in Korea” #2 by Holt and Schall (Image), “Monst

[Audio version of Comics Syllabus podcast] On this week’s audio-only version of the Comics Syllabus, first, we open with “Polybagged”, new comics in shops this week that Paul picked up, including: “Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters” #4 by Samnee and Samnee (Oni) “Good Luck” #1 by Erman and Simeone (Boom!) “The Blue Flame” #2 by Cantwell and Gorham (Vault) and “Black Hammer Reborn” #1 by Lemire and Yarsky (Dark Horse) Then, “The Infinite Unlimited” looks at some new titles available on the Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite apps. It’s Vita Ayala Week on “The Infinite Unlimited,” our segment of the Comics Syllabus where we check out new arrivals and dope archivals on Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite! Ayala’s “Static” #1 with CrissCross and Nikolas Draper-Ivey (DC) and their “Children of the Atom” #1 with Bernard Chang (Marvel) popped up on their respective apps this week, along with: DC Universe

On a new segment (series?) on the Comics Syllabus, Paul talks about comics and graphic novels of interest to Parents, Librarians, Educators, And Student Enthusiasts in “Comics P.L.E.A.S.E.” (see what I did there?) We start by discussing “Truly Tyler” from Balzer + Bray, the latest in Terry Libenson’s “Emmie and Friends” series which was kicked off by “Invisible Emmie.” Emmie reappears as one of the two main characters here, and we also get to know Tyler, her friend and cartooning partner, as the two deal with the pressures of middle school social circles and a growing friendship across boundaries. Join us as we dig deep into “Truly Tyler” and talk about why Libenson’s latest offers gifts and opportunities for different points of view for young people. Then, in “Polybagged” (21:35), new comics in shops this week that Paul picked up, including “Home” #3 (Image) by Anta and Wieszczyk, “The Many

We start this new weekly episode of the Comics Syllabus audio podcast with a review of the graphic novel “Black Star” by Eric Anthony Glover and Arielle Jovellanos (at 7:53). “Black Star” is from the new Megascope imprint of Abrams ComicArts, spotlighting comics by and about people of color (see Paul’s review of “After the Rain” here). “Black Star” is a sci-fi thriller about a competition for survival in a distant and dangerous planet, beautifully told with gripping, relentless comic book storytelling. Then, in “Polybagged” (20:57), new comics in shops this week that Paul picked up, including “Good Asian” #2 (Image), “X-Men” #21 (Marvel), “Wonder Woman” #775 (DC), “Eve” #2 (Boom!), and “Far Sector” #12 (DC/Young Animal). Let’s keep reading! Find the Comics Syllabus at its home at Multiversitycomics.com: http://www.multiversitycomics.com/tag/comics-syllabus/ Find

The Comics Syllabus continues its return with… A new segment called “The Infinite Unlimited,” exploring comics available on subscription apps like DC Universe Infinite and Marvel Unlimited, beginning with the 1993 “Static” series that was part of the original Milestone Comics line. Co-written initially by Milestone founders Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III, Static is probably Milestone’s most well known character… and a new series starring Static leads off Milestone’s revival later this month. But the original 90s Milestone series have become available for the first time digitally on DC Universe Infinite, and @TwoPlai digs into the early issues of “Static,” which feature pencils by none other than John Paul Leon, legendary artist who we recently lost to cancer. Then, at (15:48) in “PolyBagged,” our segment covering new comics in shops this past week, we discuss: “Fire Power” #12 (Image) “Iron Fist: Heart o

[AUDIO VERSION] …and we’re back! The Comics Syllabus podcast returns, this time with a video version of our segments (look for those on this stream!), which this week include… A graphic novel review of “The Dragon Path,” the new book by Ethan Young from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint. The young prince of the Wong Clan has to lead his people through a fraught journey to the Old Land through the Dragon Path! One of our favorite graphic novel creators, Ethan Young, has a new book out for young readers that builds an intriguing fantasy world set in an Asian backdrop and featuring fun characters, along with Young’s characteristic lively art. And then, a segment we’re now calling “Polybagged,” where I talk up some of the new comics out this week that I’m finding interesting. This week, we spend time talking about: “Black Panther” #25 by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Daniel Acuña, Brian Stelfreeze, and Laura Martin (Marvel) &#

On this week’s episode, we’re graced by an interview with Mark Russell, writer of the Ahoy Comics series “Billionaire Island” with artist Steve Pugh and the newly collected first arc of “Second Coming” with artist Richard Pace. Mark Russell talks with Paul about the origins of these sharply satirical but ultimately profound comics, one about […]

On this week’s episode, Johnny digs deep into a pair of series from Image Comics, “Little Bird” by Darcy Van Poelgeest (W) and Ian Bertram (A) and “Pretty Deadly: The Rat” by Kelly Sue DeConnick (W) and Emma Rios (A). But first, our “Picks and Shovels” segment on what we’re reading: Johnny: “Green Lantern” Seasons […]

Ben Passmore’s new “Sports is Hell” from Koyama Press satirically sends up our intertwined sports, politics, and cultural madnesses. Paul and Johnny dig deep into the short graphic novel. But first, our “Picks and Shovels” (What We’re Reading) include: Johnny: “The Last God” (DC Black Label), “Nancy” by Olivia Jaimes (Andrews McMeel), “East of West” […]

This week, Johnny and Paul offer a perspective and critiques of the “Dawn of X” mutant titles from Marvel, drawing on theory of the “literary carnivalesque” from Mikhail Bakhtin to describe what’s  intriguing about the X-books in the wake of Jonathan Hickman’s House of X/Powers of X relaunch. Our discussion then touches on all the […]

What comics meant the most in the 2010s… to us, to comics, to the larger culture? “Saga”? “Ms. Marvel”? Raina Telgemeier’s “Smile”? Paul and Johnny run through their list of the comics of the decade, the graphic novels, superhero books, independent or alternative comics that marked out the 2010s for them. They also try to […]

What graphic novels in 2019 stood out as the most significant, most soul-stirring, most thought-provoking, most artistically innovative? Co-hosts Paul and Johnny are excited to share the Comics Syllabus Podcast’s favorite graphic novels of 2019. Listen as they chatter about the comics works and collections that they loved most this year. Johnny’s List: 10:  The […]

On this week’s Comics Syllabus, Paul (@twoplai) shares his favorite comic books series of 2019, recommendations for the holiday season and for all your year-end reading. His top ten series list includes: “Giant Days” by John Allison and Max Sarin (BOOM!) “Paper Girls” by Brian K. Vaughn, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher (Image) […]

On the Comics Syllabus today, guest co-host Johnny Hall (@johnnyhall3) and Paul (@twoplai) discuss Frank Santoro’s graphic novel “Pittsburgh,” (starting at 12:30) a potent reminiscence and contemplation of Santoro’s immediate family and upbringing in the city. But first, Johnny and Paul remember Tom Spurgeon, comics reporter extraordinaire and example for us all. After talking about […]

On the Comics Syllabus today, another installment of COMICS PLEASE! (for Parents, Librarians, Educators, and Student Enthusiasts), covering comics and graphic novels for kids and teen readers. This time, a review of the “Wings of Fire” graphic novel series, adapting Tui T. Sutherland’s fantasy series as graphic novels with art by Mike Holmes from Scholastic’s […]

On the Comics Syllabus today, our special guest is Alea Perez (@ShhhYeah), President-Elect of the American Library Association’s Graphic Novels and Comics Roundtable and Multiversity contributor. At ( 38:40 ), we talk about Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell’s “Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me” (First Second), this past summer’s graphic novel hit. But first, […]

This week’s Comics Syllabus podcast features a discussion of Kevin Huizenga’s “The River at Night” (Drawn + Quarterly) ( 35:20 ) with good friend of the podcast Johnny Hall. Johnny and Comics Syllabus host Paul met up at Cartoon Crossroads (CXC) Columbus, had a chance to meet Mr. Huizenga, and talk about this collection of […]

For kids and middle grade readers: “Guts” by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix) (6:22) And for teens and young adults: “Simon and Louise” by Max de Radigués (Conundrum). (18:39) In this pilot episode of “Comics PLEASE! Kids Graphic Novels and YA Comics for Parents, Librarians, Educators, and School-aged Enthusiasts,” @TwoPlai tries out a new format for podcasting […]

“Best Friends” by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham! “Might Jack and Zita the Spacegirl” by Ben Hatke! “Hilda and the Mountain King” by Luke Pearson! This week, @TwoPlai is joined by his first (and admittedly favorite) guest host of the new Comics Syllabus era– Cohost Kid! We talk about a couple books from First Second […]

First, @TwoPlai offers an analysis of “King of King Court” by Travis Dandro (Drawn & Quarterly), an affecting graphic memoir employing comics’ repertoires of subjective narrative to explore the experience of growing up with family, addiction, love, and pain. Then, a rundown of recent series that @TwoPlai has been reading in a new segment called […]