Comics Syllabus

Images for this episode will be at http://wp.me/p42KN3-ESt starting 7/25/2017 9am EST. On this week’s Comics Syllabus podcast, researcher, teacher, and podcaster Grace Gipson joins Paul to talk about “Black Panther: World of Wakanda” by Roxane Gay, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alitha Martinez, and others, and “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” by Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare, Natacha Bustos, and others from Marvel Comics. We’re really excited to have Grace (on Twitter @GBreezy20) as a guest, and she talks about her comics origins, her research, and her podcasting on the #BlackComicsChat team. Then, Grace and Paul explore her approach to these portrayal of black female characters in current Marvel comics, and we dig into the significance of Lunella Lafayette (Moon Girl) and Ayo and Aneka, the protagonists of “World of Wakanda.” But first, in the opening “General Ed” segment, we’d happy to have “The Non-Fiction Section” with Michelle White, Multiversity contributor and lifeblood of the “Keep It Real” column that looks at r

A little extra episode, not on usual host Multiversitycomics.com, but just on the feed for subscribers. I discuss the winners of tonight's Eisner Awards from San Diego Comic Con. Then, I encourage listeners to rate and review the Comics Syllabus on iTunes or wherever and to spread the word about the podcast. Thanks! The Comics Syllabus on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-list-comics-analysis/id1130632546?mt=2 on Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/twoplai The podcast at Multiversity: http://www.multiversitycomics.com/tag/comics-syllabus/ Paul on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TwoPlai

Images for this episode (starting 7/17, 9am EDT): http://wp.me/p42KN3-EDD On this week’s Comics Syllabus podcast, Paul and writer/poet/teacher/podcaster Rachelle Cruz talk about “Uncomfortably Happily” by Yeon-Sik Hong (translated by Hellen Jo), out recently from Drawn + Quarterly. After an introduction to Rachelle and her work, they delve into this autobiographical tale of a period of Korean manhwa artist Hong’s life when he and his wife moved out of big-city Seoul and into the mountains, maintaining their marriage, life in the countryside, and the travails and triumphs of a creative life together. Rachelle helps to shed light on why this deceptively simple work has been celebrated by Korean audiences and yet speaks to widely appealing themes. But first, in the opening “General Ed” segment, part 2 of this month’s “The Wait List” segment, where Paul discusses some of the hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and collections coming out over the next couple weeks with “trade-waiter” and casual comics fan Sonny (who a

Images at MultiversityComics.com or here: http://wp.me/p42KN3-EsC (starting 7/11/17) On this week's Comics Syllabus podcast, Paul and this episode's co-host Johnny Hall discuss "Transmetropolitan" by Warren Ellis (w), Darick Robertson (p), Rodney Ramos (i), Nathan Eyring (c), looking closely at the start of volume 3, "The Year of the Bastard" (DC/Vertigo; originally DC/Helix), originally published starting Sept, 1998. On the 20th anniversary of Transmetropolitan's debut, they dig deep into the social and political commentary of this landmark series, how Spider Jerusalem calls forth Hunter S. Thompson for contemporary times, and the prescience of Ellis and Robertson's dark comic vision of the future (or present?). But first, in the opening "General Ed" segment, Johnny and Paul talk about their lists of some "Best Comics of 2017 So Far," a non-comprehensive but wide-ranging list of some of the comics they've most appreciated in the year. They also review similar lists from AV

Images to go with this episode are available starting Tuesday 7/4 morning at http://wp.me/p42KN3-Eed On this week's Comics Syllabus podcast, Paul talks to Ethan Young, creator of "Nanjing: The Burning City" (Dark Horse), "The Battles of Bridget Lee" (Dark Horse), and "Pilgrim Finch" (STELA app). We discuss Young's art an storytelling and Motion and Emotion on the Battlefield. Let's dig deep! And in the opening "General Ed" segment, the first edition of "The Wait List," as Paul talks to a guest (his little brother) about trade paperbacks, graphic novels, and collections coming out in early July Comics Syllabus is a comics analysis podcast where we read widely and we dig deep. Every Tuesday we choose one work from a wide breadth of current and classic comics, doing analysis and close reading of various types. Like a comics seminar! In the episode, Ethan Young and I mention the first interview we did for a previous version of this podcast. You can find that discussio

Images can be found at http://wp.me/p42KN3-E7L (starting Tuesday morning) Today on the Comics Syllabus podcast, Paul is joined by Multiversity writer Kent Falkenberg to discuss "Sweet Tooth" by Jeff Lemire from DC/Vertigo. We discuss loss, longing, and the post-apocalyptic animal hybrid survivalist scenario. Kent's work at Multiversity: http://www.multiversitycomics.com/author/kfalkenberg And in the opening "General Ed" segment, Paul talks to Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou of "Strip Panel Naked": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYJAToPH5GSGShP7Yoc3jsA and the new "PanelxPanel" comics criticism digital magazine: http://panelxpanel.com SPOILER WARNING: The opening "General Ed" segment and the beginning of our discussion about "Sweet Tooth" does not contain spoilers, but soon (around 46:40 ), we start diving into close-readings of the chosen work. So if you don't want to be spoiled on the events and details of this work, please go and read it first, and come back to fi

Track image by Sonny Liew. In another .5 episode (not the usual comics analysis we do here at the Comics Syllabus podcast at multiversitycomics.com, but a filler between off-weeks during this month), Paul shouts out fellow Multiversity Podcast Network friends Pop Culture Hound podcast and Robots from Tomorrow, mentions the Process Party and Comics Alternative podcasts, and then... Discusses his picks if he had an Eisner ballot for the various categories in the 2017 Eisner Awards. List of Eisner nominees can be found here: https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards-nominations-2017 You can find archives for this podcast (previously named "Study Comics with Paul") here: http://studycomics.club/ Or find the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or Soundcloud, or copy this RSS feed to your podcatcher: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:235183739/sounds.rss A rating, review, or star on whatever podcast source would help a lot and would be greatly appreciated! Follow Paul on Twitter: ht

Images to go with this episode are at: http://wp.me/p42KN3-DJj Today on the Comics Syllabus podcast, we discuss ‘4 Kids Walk into a Bank‘  by Tyler Boss (art/design), Clare Dezutti (flatting), Thomas Mauer (lettering), Courtney Menard (wallpaper design), and Matthew Rosenberg (writing) from Black Mask Studios, along with ‘Secret Warriors’ by Rosenberg (writer), Javier Garrón (artist), Israel Silva (color artist), VC’s Clayton Cowles (letterer) from Marvel Comics.  We talk about team books and the radical difference of a collective narrative. I’m Paul, and I’m inviting you to join us for another episode of The Comics Syllabus, a comics analysis podcast. Our mantra is, we read widely and we dig deep. Each week, I choose one work from a wide breadth of current and classic comics, including superhero fare, comics from independent publishers and small presses, global comics, newspaper strip archives, and various collected editions. We spend time digging deep into the work from various perspectives, sometimes in

A one-point-five episode... not a full-fledged episode of the podcast, although Paul certainly rambles enough. Today at Multiversitycomics.com, the new home for the Comics Syllabus podcast, you should check out Pop Culture Hound's interview with Ron Marz. But to maintain the weekly schedule during this transition period, rather than a regular analysis of a single comics work, Paul invites listeners into what's coming up in the podcast and also what he's been reading. It's also an invitation to participate, interact, and contribute your thoughts to shaping the Comics Syllabus podcast. Past episodes can be found at http://studycomics.club/ Paul's on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TwoPlai Future episodes will be at http://www.multiversitycomics.com/tag/comics-syllabus/ Subscribe wherever fine podcasts are found, rate and review us if you please, and your feedback and thoughts are welcomed. Let's keep reading!

Images for this episode are at http://www.multiversitycomics.com/podcasts/comics-syllabus-001-wonder-woman-year-one/ (also, please note a correction below- 5/31/2017) This week's Comics Syllabus podcast digs deep into the "Year One" story arc from "Wonder Woman" #2, 4, 6, 10, 12, and 14 by writer Greg Rucka, artist Nicola Scott, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Jodi Wynne (leaving out an interlude in issue 8 with Bilquis Everly on art). I draw heavily on Carolyn Cocca's Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation (Bloomsbury), recently nominated for an Eisner, to consider the heavy "representational weight" that Wonder Woman has historically carried as the iconic female superhero. I think about how the "Year One" creative team deals with (or doesn't deal with) this history and the present in the pages and panels of their new origin story for Wonder Woman. (For a briefer primer on Wonder Woman and cultural history, check out this piece from the Nib by Lucy Bellwood

Mic Check and coming soon the Comics Syllabus by Paul Lai

Where have you been, Paul? On this episode, the last one for a while, Paul answers where he's been... and where this podcast is (hopefully) going. He also posts a brief progress report on his continuing efforts to "read widely" and "dig deep," talking about his "Paul List" of recent comics reads from mainstream and more indie comics (and leaving many out, in retrospect!). Finally, for March's "Trypod" initiative, and to point to some podcasting peers to tide folks over until "Study Comics" returns, Paul talks about a bunch of other comics podcasts he listens to. Episode archives and more info can be found at http://studycomics.club and you can find Paul on twitter at https://twitter.com/TwoPlai Thanks for listening, and stay in touch.

Visuals for this episode are at http://studycomics.club/post/157683673085/113-delilah-dirk-series-by-tony-cliff-from-first Our Family Friday podcast looks at ‘Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant’ and ‘Delilah Dirk and the King’s Shilling’ by Tony Cliff (all art above by Tony Cliff) from First Second. Paul drools over the lively and exhilarating art, but also heaps praise on the ranginess of the adventure stories that Cliff meticulously crafts and tells in these compelling tales of the butt-kicking Dirk and her companion and friend Selim. Let’s dig deep! Upcoming Episodes of ‘Study Comics with Paul’ (Read along! Send me your thoughts and questions!) SP4RX by Wren McDonald (NoBrow) Kamandi Challenge 1-2 by Various (DC) Bakuman by Ohba and Obata and Weekly Shonen Jump (Viz) Lazarus 22-25 by Rucka and Lark (Image) Study Comics with Paul is a comics analysis podcast. It’s like a comics seminar, but the only prerequisite is love. I’m Paul, a literacy researcher, English teacher, and comics reader, and ever

Throwback Thursday has Paul mealy-mouthed about the moral framework of Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (colored by Hollingsworth and Rambo, lettered by Clem Robins, cover above by Glen Fabry) from DC/Vertigo. Let's dig deep! Upcoming Episodes of ‘Study Comics with Paul’ (Read along! Send me your thoughts and questions!) Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant/King’s Shilling by Tony Cliff (First Second) SP4RX by Wren McDonald (NoBrow) Kamandi Challenge 1-2 by Various (DC) Bakuman by Ohba and Obata and Weekly Shonen Jump (Viz) Lazarus 22-25 by Rucka and Lark (Image) Study Comics with Paul is a comics analysis podcast. It's like a comics seminar, but the only prerequisite is love. I'm Paul, a literacy researcher, English teacher, and comics reader, and every week I take a work from a wide range of comics and apply various approaches to analysis. You can also subscribe to the podcast through iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-list-comics-analysis/id1130632546?mt=2 or through the RSS

‘Study Comics with Paul’ discusses Mosaic issue 5 (and the issues leading up to it) by Geoffrey Thorne (w), Khary Randolph (a), Thony Silas (a), cover by Mike Del Mundo (above), and others. Paul’s interested in how the new Inhuman (or NuHuman? I dunno…) manifests powers that get at questions of identity and selfhood in a very public lifeworld. Let’s dig deep! Upcoming Episodes of ‘Study Comics with Paul’ (Read along! Send me your thoughts and questions!) Mosaic (1-5) by Thorne and Randolph (Marvel) Preacher: Until the End of the World by Ennis and Dillon (DC/Vertigo) Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant/King’s Shilling by Tony Cliff (First Second) SP4RX by Wren McDonald (NoBrow) Kamandi Challenge 1-2 by Various (DC) Bakuman by Ohba and Obata and Weekly Shonen Jump (Viz) Lazarus 22-25 by Rucka and Lark (Image) Study Comics with Paul is a comics analysis podcast. It’s like a comics seminar, but the only prerequisite is love. I’m Paul, a literacy researcher, English teacher, and comics reader, and every we

A different kind of episode. More informal and chatty, "Review Session with Sonny" is where Paul tries to convince his brother Sonny, a somewhat erstwhile comics reader, to read widely and dig deep, and Sonny comes back with his honest responses and appraisals. Comics we discuss: Paul’s “Pick Remender”: Mother Panic 3, by Jody Houser and Tommy Lee Edwards (DC/Young Animal) and Jessica Jones 5, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos (Marvel) Paul’s “TryMe Hernandez”: SP4RX by Wren McDonald (Nobrow) Paul’s “Fail Simone”: Weekly Shonen Jump’s “We Never Learn” Paul’s “Elsa Chart-top-ier”: Black Monday Murders by Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker (Image) Study Comics with Paul is a comics analysis podcast. It’s like a comics seminar, but the only prerequisite is love. I’m Paul, a literacy researcher, English teacher, and comics reader, and every week I take a work from a wide range of comics and apply various approaches to analysis. You can subscribe to the podcast through iTunes or through the R

The Study Comics with Paul podcast http://studycomics.club/ looks at Melissa Mendes’ Lou from Alternative Comics (via the Sequential App), about a girl and her family in rural New England. Paul thinks about the universality and specificity of cartooning and of this story of childhoods, especially in a time when urban vs rural, or New England/West Coast vs Beltway differences are so underscored. Visuals at http://studycomics.club/post/157027358545/lou-by-melissa-mendes-alternative-comics Lou: http://indyworld.com/imprints/alternative-comics/melissa-mendes/lou/ Amazon Associates link to buy Lou: http://amzn.to/2k8xB94 Mendes’ site: http://www.mmmendes.com/ and http://www.mmmendes.com/news/2016/7/5/lou

Find visuals to go with this episode at http://studycomics.club/post/156204482625/ep108allagesfavescohostkid This week, Paul's sick, so he calls on his favorite guest, Cohost Kid, to talk about some of her favorite current comics reads, namely the DC Secret Hero Society books (by Derek Fridolis and Dustin Nguyen from Scholastic) Yotsuba (or Yotsuba&!) by Kiyohiko Azuma from Yen Press, and the Donald Ducks and Uncle Scrooge comics by Carl Barks and Don Rosa collected by Fantagraphics. Find out more or subscribe to the podcast at http://studycomics.club Let's dig (sorta) deep!

On this special episode of Study Comics, a conversation with creator Ethan Young about his book 'The Battles of Bridget Lee: Invasion of Farfall' (Dark Horse), his storytelling influences and artistic style, and why Bridget Lee is a hero we all need. Also, some explanation of the podcast's status. You can always find the podcast at http://studycomics.club Thanks for listening, and let's dig deep.

‘The Study Comics Club’ with Paul podcast explores Jiro Taniguchi’s ‘A Distant Neighborhood’ from Fanfare Ponent Mon. Translated by Kumar Sivasubramanian, Graphic Adaptation by Frederic Boilet. Find images to go with this episode at http://studycomics.club/post/155847005815/the-study-comics-club-with-paul-podcast-explores Let’s dig deep