The Comics Journal 305

This issue of the award-winning magazine shines a light on how comics creators are affected by chronic disease, disability, and our nation's health care system. This issue also features a document that is significant not only in terms of comics history ― but American history, as well. Created by the civil rights organization SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and the Black Panther Party in 1967, this hand-printed zine is a report about a black community in Alabama that attempted to take back their voting rights in their local elections. There is also a profile on cartoonist Kevin Huizenga (Ganges), and much more.

In this issue, Gary Groth interviews Roz Chast, the New Yorker humor cartoonist turned graphic memoirist (Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?). TCJ #306 focuses on the intersections between comics and politics. It includes op-eds on the importance (and lack thereof) of modern political cartooning. Also featured is a meditation on the creator of the Dilbert newspaper comic strip, Scott Adams; a piece about Daisy Scott, the first African American woman political cartoonist; a gallery of underground cartoonist John Pound’s code-generated comics; portraits of mass shooting victims; a selection of Spider-Gwen artist Chris Vision’s sketchbook pages; and other essays and galleries.

A spectacular anniversary issue featuring intergenerational dialogues between alt wiz Kevin Huizenga and reigning Maus king Art Spiegelman, indy comics publisher Zak Sally and Love and Rockets co-creator Jaime Hernandez, Bottomless Belly Button auteur Dash Shaw and David Mazzucchelli and many, many more.

This issue of the award-winning magazine of comics interviews, news, and criticism focuses on the relationship between animation and comics. Gary Groth interviews this issue’s cover artist Cathy Malkasian (Eartha), the PBS/Nickelodeon animation director (Curious George, The Wild Thornberrys) turned graphic novelist, about her first middle-grade GN, NoBody Likes You, Greta Grump. In addition to this issue’s featured interview with Cathy Malkasian, MLK graphic biographer Ho Che Anderson shares his animation storyboards, and Anya Davidson talks to Sally Cruikshank about how the underground comics movement influenced the latter’s aesthetic in a career that encompasses indie shorts and Flash animation, as well as work for feature film credits and Sesame Street. Other features include: an unpublished Ben Sears (Midnight Gospel) comic, and Jem and the Holograms cartoon creator Christy Marx talks about the behind-the-scenes advantages and disadvantages of both art forms. Plus! Sketchbook art by Vanesa Del Rey (Black Widow), an interview with Amazon warehouse worker-turned-cartoonist Ness Garza, Paul Karasik’s essay on an unseen gem, and much more. For more than 45 years, no magazine has chronicled the continuum of the comic arts with more rigor and passion than The Comics Journal.

Insights into the aesthetics of one of popular culture's favorite art forms

Comics artist Kevin O'Neill explains how he broke into the comics field at the age of 16 and discusses how his artistic vision meshes with writer Alan Moore's on the hit series League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and the title's switch from DC to indy publisher Top Shelf. Also, syndicated political cartoonist and Academy Award-nominated animator Bill Plympton talks about his long and varied career.

For military cartoonists the absurdity of war inspires a laugh-or-cry response and provides an endless source of un-funny amusement. Cartoons by hundreds of artists-at-arms from more than a dozen countries and spanning two centuries are included in this study--the first to consider such a broad range of military comics. War and military life are examined through the inside jokes of the men and women who served. The author analyzes themes of culture, hierarchy, enemies and allies, geography, sexuality, combat, and civilian relations and describes how comics function within a community. A number of artists included were known for their work with Disney, Marvel Comics, the New Yorker and Madison Avenue but many lesser known artists are recognized.