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In Meags Fitzgerald’s previous book, Photobooth: A Biography, which documented just about anything you ever wondered about photo booths, she went far beyond her central subject, wrapping in segments of autobiography, making it a work about a wider swathe that her more intimate moments exist within. For Long Red Hair she does the exact opposite, focusing […]

Nobrow Press’ 17 x 23 series highlights accomplished smaller works in a pleasing package that speaks to graphic novel consumers who might not seek out short comics stories. Two recent releases are particularly success in the way they take story forms of old and present them through a modern lens, making traditional lessons applicable to […]

The sad clown is a trope that has been well-used in every storytelling media there is, but Whit Taylor’s Up Down Clown from Ninth Art Press takes that trope further than usual. Rather than settling for the simple dichotomy of make-up and merriment hiding gloom, Taylor examines how a mental state might fluctuate with the […]

Jane Mai isn’t merely self-deprecating. That phrase doesn’t capture her at all. Actually, I don’t know what to call it instead, but it comes out in the form of See You Next Tuesday, her comics diary from Koyama Press that mixes self-loathing with sweetness, as well as a lot of going to the bathroom and farting […]

Given the recent tragic events in Paris, Vincent Mahé’s absolutely stunning 750 Years In Paris is a sprawling reminder that this is not the first time darkness has been cast over that city, and it’s likely not the last. Paris has been home to bloodshed and destruction, as well as a site of rebuilding and […]

The Balkan comics anthology š! from kuš! is one of the more challenging delights of the comics world, grafting the sensibility of a contemporary art gallery onto the comics page. It regularly presents challenging and edgy work, often abstract, but with enough show of personality that you can see these are the works of real humans, and it comes in a striking mini-digest format that evokes Little Big Books, adding to its appeal as an object to display.

You know how you hear a name or a word for the first time and then suddenly that name or word is everywhere? Well that name is Tillie Walden, a student from Austin, TX, currently a student at the Center for Cartoon Studies in VT, who is poised to be one of the hottest cartoonists of 2016, after an already spectacular 2015. (Word on the street is that she may have even been part of the inspiration for this infamous comic.) Walden is barely 20 years old (she was born in 1996)and already has amazing drawing chops and solid storytelling—she has several short comics posted on her site that you can read in their entirety. Broken Frontier just named her their Breakout Talent of 2015 and if this is the first time you're hearing about her, it's probably not the last.

Welcome to MATT CHATS, a weekly interview series that goes live every Tuesday conducted between myself and a creator and/or player in the comic book industry, diving into subjects not broached by other comic news outlets. One of the artists most deserving of work from the Big Two or even the “Big Five” is, in my opinion, […]

§ Boom announced they’re making Over the Garden Wall an ongoing, via its KaBOOM! imprint, written by Jim Campbell (Star Wars, The Krachmacher) and  show writer Amalia Levari, with art by Campbell and Cara McGee. The series, based on the popular, cartoonist-employing cartoon, debuted as a one shot then a four-issue mini last year. Art above is […]

Panel Syndicate quietly releases new series 'Barrier" from Vaughan, Martin, and Vicente and you should pick it up!

More Amazing books and LESS money in your pocket. MORE TO COME.   Fanfare/Ponent Mon Available via Knockabout Comics Ponent Mon has been quietly rebuilding its backlist whilst preparing new material for 2016. So at the show Kiriko Nananan’s ‘Blue’ and Jiro Taniguchi’s ‘The Quest for the Missing Girl’ will both be available again after […]

This weekend it's Comic Arts Brooklyn in Williamsburg and here's a look at the books that will be debuting. Thanks to all the contributing publishers and cartoonists for supplying the info and lightening our wallets. Because there were so many new and exciting books I'm splitting this into two parts. Look for part two tomorrow!

In addition to having the most Halloween-like name ever, cartoonist Sabin Cauldron is an up and comer who will have the third issue of his comic MALEFICIUM available at CAB next weekend. Described as the story of a “lesbian separatist witch coven in 1969 San Francisco” the first issue can be purchased at Gumroad.

The wrestling/comics connection has always been strong, from their shared roots in carnival strongmen singlets to former grappler CM Punk's writing comics career. And here's a new one: Muscle Temple, an indie comics anthology spotlighting the squared circle that is currently being crowdfunded. Frank Gibson of Tiny Kitten Teeth is leading the rumble. which will include work by Maddy Flores, Sam Alden, Box Brown, Amanda Meadows, Zac Gorman. According to Gibson:

Holy Crap, CAB is in two weeks! Just enough time to save up some dosh for the last bite at the apple of indie comics amazement. As can not be stressed enough, this ear’s show will consist of TWO days with SEPARATE ACTIVITIES, ON Saturday, November 7th there will be a ONE DAY expo of […]

by Alex Dueben For the past few years Maggie Thrash has been writing fiction and nonfiction at the acclaimed Rookie Magazine. Her first book, Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir, details a single summer at camp which Thrash described as the most important few months of her life because she comes out as queer while nursing […]

A lot of newish comics companies have launched of late—Double Take, Aftershock, Z2—and I’m guessing they would all like to have films made from their comics. Well, Double Take, the branch of gaming company Take Two that is run by former Marvel to exec Bill James, has hit that brass ring. Lions gate has signed […]

Cartoonist Glenn Head talks about life on the streets of Chicago and what his next memoirs will be about.

Cartoonist Alex Robinson is a charter member of the pioneering :”indie comic graphic novel club” with Box Office Poison, an award-winning ensemble slice of life that covers the kind of Brooklyn life that existed before gentrification followed the Kale Trail out east. Originally published in serial form by Antarctic Press, Top Shelf published the collected […]

In the world of social media, no one does in depth con reports any more. Well, not quite true, Down the Tubes Antony Esmond has a quite detailed report on the Safari Festival 2015, the show organised by Breakdown Press and other forward looking UK comics types. Edmond’s report complete with reviews and photos (Such […]

Although this year’s Small Press Expo’s theme is “Cartoonists of the 21st Century,” they are allowing cartoonists older than 30 to be guests as well. Just announced, the international slate, which consists of Frederik Peeters, Dylan Horrocks and Brecht Vandenbroucke —with more to come. And peep the Gemma Correll drawn poster above. This will be […]

We’ve been telling you about the big plans from new publisher Z2 Comics for a while now, including their launch of a line of periodical comics. The flagship title is Ian McGinty’s Welcome to Showside, a charming all-ages tale about Kit, a friendly little demon, and his pals and Kit’s desire to escape from the […]

Continuing our look at this fall’s top graphic novels, Koyama Press is reissuing Julia Wertz’s Drinking at the Movies, originally published by Three RIvers press but here reissued with all new material and an intro by Janeane Garaofolo. Wertz’s comic strips are autobiographical, but fearless in their honesty, and forgiving in bringing a light touch to […]

This weekend’s premiere comics event is Autoptic, the Minneapolis stop on the ongoing indie comics festival tour. Guests include Josh Bayer, Gabrielle Bell, Charles Burns, Ines Estrada, Edie Fake, Sammy Harkham, Aidan Koch, Laura Park Jillian Tamaki, and the exhibitor list is impressive, so it’s A-list all the way. The show has a few previews […]

Once again, The Beat is looking for a sales chart analyst to take over the monthly Indie Sales charts. Kate Reynolds has done yeoman service but she's moving on to other frontiers and vistas. (Including hopefully some more writing for The Beat.)