Podcasts about Koyama Press

A scribbly Blind Shovel, this one with cartoonist, illustrator, musician, and teacher Patrick Kyle. We discuss his many creative outlets, black metal, paintings, comics and more."Patrick Kyle is a Visual Artist based in Toronto, Canada. He studied Illustration at The Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, graduating in 2009. He has created illustrations and comics for Adidas, The New York Times, The Nation, Converse, MIT Technology Review, Bloomberg, Cartoon Network, Brasserie Dunham and many others. Patrick worked with Toronto based Koyama Press on eight titles from 2010 to 2019. He is currently published by Frémok in Europe and by Breakdown Press in the UK. Patrick is a sessional instructor in comics and illustration at OCADU in Toronto. He is a co-organizer of Zine Dream, an annual print and publication festival also in Toronto."Patrick's links:WebsiteInstagramHeader image: Patrick Kyle, "Art School Comic", 2023

O Me Indica Um Quadrinho de hoje traz a indicação do arquiteto, ilustrador e podcaster Joao Victor Cabañas. Ele fala sobre Safari Honeymoon, de Jesse Jacobs lançada na gringa pela Koyama Press. Gosta do Me Indica Um Quadrinho? Pois contribua com o HQ Sem Roteiro Podcast no site do Padrim ou no Catarse. Instagram do João Victor; Podcast Desenha Pra Mim?. Música desse programa: Banana Brain - Die Antwoord

It's that time again, Gutter Gang! The boys return with another dive into comic news, shout outs, and hip shootin'. Our special guest this week is Kentucky-based cartoonist Ben Sears, author of various Koyama Press titles including House of the Black Spot, Volcano Trash, Night Air, and The Ideal Copy. We cover the development of his style, his work in animation, and his upcoming book Young Shadow from Fantagraphics that's set to be released on April 20th, plus much more! Check out his work at freebensears.com or follow him on Instagram & Twitter @bensears. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email us at gutterboyspodcast@gmail.com and we'll read it on the next episode. In the meantime, give Gutter Boys a follow on Instagram and Twitter @gutterboyspod. And of course, please like, share, review, and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform and help grow the Gutter Gang Nation! If you're feeling generous, subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/gutterboys and browse our different donation tiers to receive exclusive merch, digital content, bonus episodes, plus much more! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gutterboys/support

Mark Laliberte is a Canadian artist, writer, editor and graphic designer — and the creator of The 4PANEL Project. He curates the strips that appear on 4panel.ca, and, as project founder, is also an active artist-participant. Recent books include: BRICKBRICKBRICK (BookThug), Grey Supreme 01 (Koyama Press), asemanticasymmetry (Anstruther Press), BookBook (above/ground) and Explosive Comic (Swimmers Group). He is the owner and operator of POPNOIR EDITIONS (established in 2016) which publishes art books, comics, zines and other creative ephemera.PopNoir’s newest book is 4Panel 3. Mark Laliberte debuted the book at this year’s virtual BookFest Windsor on October 17th. http://popnoir.ca/https://www.bookfestwindsor.com/

À l'occasion du Mois des Fiertés, j'ai décidé de mettre en avant 5 autrices de bande-dessinée dont j'adore le travail, et qui méritent d'avoir une place dans vos bibliothèques. Alors accrochez vous à vos étagères, je vous amène à la découverte de ces merveilleuses autrices et de leurs univers très différents qui, j'en suis sûre, vous donnerons envie de partir à leur rencontre. Liens divers en rapport avec l'épisode :  - On a Sunbeam (version VO webcomic) : https://www.onasunbeam.com/ - Le site d'Emily Carroll sur lequel vous pouvez lire plusieurs de ses BDs : http://www.emcarroll.com/ - Le site de Molly Knox Ostertag : http://www.mollyostertag.com/ Bibliographie des autrices présentes dans cet épisode :  TILLIE WALDEN Traduits en français :  - Spinning, ed. Gallimard BD - J'adore ce passage, ed. Gallimard BD - Sur la route de West, ed. Gallimard BD - Dans un rayon de soleil, ed. Gallimard BD Non traduits : - The End of Summer, ed. Avery Hill Publishing - A City Inside, ed. Avery Hill Publishing - Mini Meditations on Creativity, ed. Liminal 11 EMILY CARROLL Traduits en français :  - Dans les bois, ed. Casterman - L'assistante de la Baba Yaga, ed. Kinaye (dessins uniquement) - Speak, ed. Rue de Sèvres (dessins uniquement) Non traduits en français : - Ann By The Bed, ed. Youth in Decline - Beneath The Dead Oak Tree, ed. ShortBox - When I Arrived At The Castle, ed. Koyama Press (en cours de traduction) NOELLE STEVENSON Traduits en français :  - Nimona, ed. Dargaud - Lumberjanes (tome 1), ed. Urban Comics Non traduits en français : - Le reste de la série Lumberjanes - The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures, ed. HarperTeen MOLLY KNOX OSTERTAG Traduits en français :  - Le garçon sorcière, ed. Kinaye À venir : - La sorcière secrète, ed. Kinaye (03/07/2020) - The Midwinter Witch, ed. Scholastic Non traduits en français : - Shattered Warrior, ed. First Second (dessins uniquement) - Strong Female Protagonist (dessins uniquement) + Plein de mini-comics digitaux que vous pouvez acheter à tout petit prix via les liens sur son site, dans la catégorie "Short Comics" KABI NAGATA Traduit en français :  - Solitude d'un autre genre, ed. Pika À venir : - Journal de ma solitude, ed. Pika (8/07/2020) Vous pouvez retrouver le podcast sur Instagram (@formae.podcast) et Twitter (formaepodcast), et envoyer vos petits mots / idées d'épisodes / questions à formae.podcast@gmail.com

Publisher Annie Koyama checks in from Toronto. We talk about whether the pandemic has affected her plans to close down Koyama Press in 2021, and the big farewell she had planned for this year's Toronto Comic Arts Festival. We get into her guerrilla charity/grant-program to help cartoonists and other creative people, her concerns for her 92-year-old mom, the increasing racism toward people of Asian descent, how "being good in emergencies" gets tested when the emergency never ends, why she delayed her dive into Animal Crossing, and the ongoing lesson of appreciating the mundane. Follow Annie & Koyama Press on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up some of their books • Listen to our full-length podcast • More info at our site • Find all our COVID Check-In episodes • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal

Visit queenofpeaches.com for show notes! Keiler Roberts has been writing autobiographical comics for ten years. Her six books include Sunburning, Chlorine Gardens, and, most recently, Rat Time, all three of which were published by Koyama Press. Her self-published autobiographical comic series Powdered Milk received an Ignatz Award for Outstanding Series in 2016, and in 2019 Chlorine Gardens received Slate's Cartoonist Studio Prize for Best Print Comic of 2018, which was selected by The Slate Book Review and The Center for Cartoon Studies. Her work has been included in The Best American Comics in 2016 and 2018 and was mentioned on their Notables list for 2014. She has taught at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago since 2013 and lives in Evanston, Illinois, with her husband, the artist Scott Roberts, their daughter Xia, and perhaps the most famous cartoon pet since Snoopy, their dog Crooky.

Ben Passmore and Dan Berry chat about punk, drawing, what you don't see, being sued and fixing cars. Ben has a new book out with Koyama Press called Sports is Hell.  As mentioned in this episode, there are still people going through the lawsuit Ben mentioned. If you can, consider donating to help them pay their legal bills here. You can support the podcast through Patreon and get access to patron-exclusive videos and Q&As.

Born in Kingston, raised in Ottawa and living in Toronto, Michael DeForge is a multi-Ignatz and Doug Wright award winning and Eisner nominated alternative cartoonist. His body of work numbers many web comics, zines, mini comics, graphic novels, anthologies and gallery shows. He's also a prolific commercial illustrator, having done many gig posters, media illustrations, film screening announcements and album covers. He is so prolific that he's often publishing at least two comic works a year either with Koyama Press or Drawn and Quarterly, including the award-winning series Lose, as well as graphic novels Ant Colony, Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero, Brat and more recent works like Stunt, Leaving Richard's Valley and his latest work, coming out the day after this Speech Bubble episode's release, from Drawn and Quarterly – Familiar Face.Michael sits down with Aaron to talk about the issues brought up by Familiar Face, including its inspiration – the simple fact that much of our lives are at the mercy of technology whether we want it to be or not. DeForge also takes Aaron inside his early work drawing gig posters for the Ottawa punk scene for free concert tickets and tells him how he illustrated the music he heard. You'll learn what and who influences his signature art style, from pencils to inks, colours and panel construction. You'll hear his thoughts on the impending closure of Koyama Press and the story of how he first met its namesake publisher “Saint” Annie Koyama. Oh and how could we forget, his work as a designer on the Adventure Time cartoon. Michael tells the story of how he got the job and what he actually designed for each episode and he lets us know that his last work for the series will be found on the mini series, Adventure Time: Distant Lands. This episode of Speech Bubble is brought to you by Hairy Tarantula at 3456 Yonge St. for all your comic and role-playing needs and Bam Coffee Co. where you can get a Bam Box full of freshly roasted coffee and geek swag like prints and mini comics for 15% off by entering SB15 at checkout.@michael_deforge@michael.deforgeMichaelDeforge.comBuy Michael DeForge's latest, Familiar FaceJoin Michael DeForge on tour March 2020Familiar Face Publisher, Drawn and QuarterlyStunt, Publisher Koyama PressBuy the Seripop gig posters that influenced Michael DeForgeMichael DeForge on IMDBMichael DeForge on Chapters.Indigo.caMichael DeForge's All Dogs Are Dogs at Saw Gallery 2015Sponsors Hairy Tarantula Bam Coffee Co.

We hear the story of how Anne Koyama got into investing and used those investments to start her own business, Koyama Press. Plus, we speak to John Bai, the President and CEO of RBC’s Direct Investing to learn how the pros do it. Melissa provides her key takeaways that the average investor can use.

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” […]

Welcome to Graphic Novel Podcast! Your hosts Parker and Mike read and reviewed Sports is Hell by Ben Passmore from Koyama Press. This is the first book in our series of books for Black History Month.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/graphicnovelpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/graphicnovelpodcast/support

This week we revisit the cyberpunk world of BLAME!. It’s Morgana’s first time reading a manga by Tsutomu Nihei and she has a lot to say about the impressive artwork and confusing story. How does returning to this sci-fi adventure hold up for the other hosts? Tune in to find out!!! Remember to send us emails! mangamachinations@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter! @mangamacpodcast Check out our website! https://mangamachinations.com Check out our tumblr! http://mangamachinations.tumblr.com Join our Discord server and come talk to us! http://discord.me/mangamac Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro Song: “Megastructure” by Onogawa Hiroyuki from BLAME! Salvaged Disc, Opening, Introductions, Social Media 00:01:40 - Whatchu Been Reading: Transition Song: Dragon Ball Z OST “Prologue”, Seamus has decided to drop Requiem for a Rose King because of an unfortunate shojo troupe 00:03:50 - After checking out Knights of Sidonia Seamus was disappointed by the fan service and audience surrogates 00:07:53 - We discuss the risk aversion or the current manga industry 00:12:23 - Darfox watched the French live-action adaptation of City Hunter called Nicky Larson and Cupid's Perfume 00:17:44 - Darfox and dakazu saw Dragon Ball Super: Broly but Darfox was distracted by Goku’s titty muscles 00:27:01 - *SPOILERS* dakazu was happy to find out there was a new volume of The Full-Time Wife Escapist to read 00:29:13 - Butakai Ouji to 100 Kai no Kiss starts off as a fun take The Swineherd fairytale with modern twists but becomes extremely problematic with it’s treatment of the young princess 00:37:35 - dakazu gives a quick rundown on the anime adaptations of In/Spectre, Smile Down the Runway, Dorohedoro 00:41:18 - News: BEASTARS anime will be available on Netflix March 13th 00:41:44 - Koyama Press started a monthly program of giving 00:44:39 - Chiyahafuru creator Suetsugu has setup a 1 million yen grant to help vitalize the Karuta sport 00:48:55 - Next Episode Preview and Rundown: Triple Dip where we read the first volume of three different BL manga, including: 10 Dance by Inouesatoh, I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, and Classmates: Dou kyu sei by Asumiko Nakamura 00:50:46 - Main Segment Retrospective Redux: BLAME!, Transition Song: “Cibo” by Onogawa Hiroyuki from BLAME! Salvaged Disc, we revisit Tsutomu Nihei’s sci-fi series about a man traveling through an endless city structure 00:51:17 - dakazu explains the basic plot of BLAME! and the various factions within the world 00:55:51 - Morgana was confused by the story but appreciated Nihei’s amazing artwork 01:00:10 - Morgana and Darfox talk about how Cibo is pronounced in Italian and Spanish while dakazu questions to choice of using the name Kyrii 01:02:31 - We discuss the change of tone in the story as Kyrii changes and how other characters change allegiances 01:05:50 - Morgana noticed Nihei use of interchangeable female bodies 01:12:26 - Revisiting BLAME! made Seamus connects the series to video games and literature while finding the core nature of Kyrii’s character 01:18:05 - Morgana questioned if the world was actually a digital reality or the far future while reading 01:22:19 - Darfox explains how you can find anti-technology themes in BLAME! 01:27:51 - We try to parse Kyrii’s morality by examining his actions throughout the story 01:34:15 - We rip on the BLAME! anime movie and talk about the experimental OVA shorts 01:38:40 - We discuss Nihei’s Marvel comic Snikt! 01:40:46 - We talk about Nihei’s background in architecture and how he applies that to his designs and action scenes 01:44:23 - Darfox is disappointed after dakazu shares the origins of the silicon life from the prequel manga NOiSE 01:51:01 - BLAME! Academy and So On is filled with hilarious parodies and an epilogue chapter about Pcell and Kyrii 01:54:45 - We theorize about the happened in the ending 02:03:01 - Morgana can see why Nihei’s creative process starts with panel layouts 02:06:12 - None of us know why Dhomochevsky placed that vial in that small room 02:09:36 - Morgana was pleasantly surprised that there was no romantic relationship between Kyrii and Cibo 02:12:14 - We share our final thoughts on the series 02:20:41 - Next Week’s Topic: 10 Dance & I Hear the Sunspot & Classmates: Do kyu sei, Social Media Rundown, Sign Off Song: “wish men” by sunbrain from Beet the Vandel Buster

Fiona Smyth is a legend of the Toronto arts community. A true renaissance woman, she's a sculptor, a muralist, a book illustrator an animator, an art teacher and an independent comic book artist. If you're a Toronto resident, you've probably seen her work without even realizing it. Her murals adorn iconic locations like Lee's Palace's Dance Cave and Sneaky Dee's (which is known to Scott Pilgrim Fans) where she designed their sign and bonehead cow logo. In 2019, she was inducted into The Giants of The North Hall of Fame as part of Canada's Doug Wright Awards for indepedent cartooning along with the late Inuit cartoonist Alootook Ipellie (1951-2007). Her psychadelic and fluid drawing style has graced a who's who of Canadian publishers, newspapers and magazines since the time she was a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design, (now OCAD University) where she now teaches a new generation of students how to make comics. She is best known for tackling feminist issues, including issues of sexuality, gender and idenity throughout her entire body of work, which spans 30 plus years. In 2018, Koyama Press published a retrospective of her career from 1985-2018 called Somnambulance, which features excerts from her comic Nocturnal Emissions, published by Vortex Comics, as well as work she did for Vice, Drawn and Quarterly, Exclaim! Snipe Hunt, Taddle Creek and even Urban Outfitters' Slant Magazine, among others. Other work includes Cheez 100, collecting the first 100 strips of her series Cheez that was published in Exclaim! Magazine, her first and only graphic novel, The Never Wheres and two critcally-acclaimed sex education books for kids written by renowned sex educator Cory Silverberg, What Makes a Baby? and Sex is a Funny Word. On the podcast, Aaron finds out how Fiona was recruited to create the Sneaky Dee's sign, what about her childhood and catholic upbringing pushed her to explore feminism in her art, what makes her work for kids different than her work for adults, what her southern good ol' boy pen name is and how it felt going from a punk student with a D.I.Y. ethos that's skipping class at OCAD to teaching at OCAD and becoming the authority she used to rebel against. Plus, find out if Seth lived with her, where she saw herself among the “Holy Triumverate” of Toronto's autobio artists (Seth, Chester Brown and Joe Matt) in the 90s and what it's like to be featured as one of Canada's Big Four comic artists in the recently closed This is Serious: Canadian Indie Comics at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Oh, and she reveals that she and Cory Silverberg are working on a third sex education graphic novel covering puberty. Also, did you know she wanted to be a realist painter?This episode of Speech Bubble with Fiona Smyth is sponsored by Hairy Tarantula and Bam Coffee Co.@fionasmythlukkieFiona's FacebookFiona's blogFiona's TumblrFiona's Giants of the North Hall of Fame Write-upFiona's Zines OnlineWhat Makes a Baby?How to Comission Fiona Smyth for a ProjectLearn How to Make Comics from Fiona – Starts Jan. 25, 2020Society of IllustratorsWeird ThingsAlbatross Soup – a short film by Winnie Cheung with illustrations by Fiona SmythBradley of Him by Connor Willumsen – Koyama Press

The latest episode of Enemies of the State, a comics book club podcast featuring a rotating cast of comics critics. In this episode, we discuss Emily Carroll's When I Arrived at the Castle, published by Koyama Press in 2019.

Small press comics publisher Annie Koyama joins the show to talk about her decision to shut down Koyama Press after 13 years, her thoughts on how artists should be treated (and how they should treat themselves), and how to make the most out of life after getting a terminal diagnosis. We get into what comes next in her support for the arts, how the publishing business has changed and what risks she can and can't take, the near-death experience that led her to launch Koyama Press (and the accidental naming of the company), and the most surprising success in her backlist. We also discuss how her artists took the news, what she'll miss the most, the importance of supporting artists throughout all stages of their careers, how not even her previous careers in film and advertising could prepared her for the world of art comics publishing, and more! • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal

We appreciate people who love to make art, and put in the work to make that art. Ben Sears is one of the best examples in Louisville of that. We talk about his time in all sorts of bands, such as Xerxes, Black God, Mountain Asleep, Prideswallower, August Moon. Then we talk about his current career making comic books, including the incredible Double+ series being released by Koyama Press. A super fun and inspiring conversation!

In this episode, Leon is joined by special guests Marvyn Lafayette & Anthony Askew to discuss the following comics/manga: THE PROMISED NEVERLAND (https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/the-promised-neverland) THE MAXX (https://www.idwpublishing.com/product-category/the-maxx-maxximized/) WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE CASTLE (http://koyamapress.com/projects/when-i-arrived-at-the-castle/) We also briefly talk about Garth Ennis & Darick Robertson’s THE BOYS (https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?CAT=DF-The_Boys) and also Amazon Prime’s adaption of THE BOYS (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07QMKXRFL/ref=atv_me_ori_c_4R91ir_brws_2_2) Send any questions or feedback to (mailto:acecomicals@gmail.com) acecomicals@gmail.com. And also please subscribe (http://www.acecomicals.com/subscribe) and leave us a review! If you like what we do please consider donating to us (https://ko-fi.com/acecomicals) at https://ko-fi.com/acecomicals. All contributions will be used to defray the cost of hosting the website. Ace Comicals, over and out!# Special Guests: Anthony Askew and Marvyn Lafayette.

Ever wonder exactly how art directors at big publications like the New York Times work? You're not alone. In this episode of the Illustration Hour podcast, I talked with Hannah K. Lee, Art Director for the Opinion section of the New York Times about her job, the process of editorial art direction and what she looks for when she's seeking illustrators to work with. Hannah K. Lee (Website; IG) is an artist, editorial art director and published author based in Brooklyn. She graduated with a BFA at Parsons The New School of Design in 2009. Since then, she has published a collection of her zines and prints with Koyama Press in her first book: Language Barrier. I highly encourage you to check out this wonderful book, which contains some innovative and elegant typography, and thought-provoking illustrations. In this episode, we talked about Hannah's process and rationale for picking artists and illustrators to work with, what she's learned at the NYT, her experience writing and publishing her first book and much more. Comprehensive Show Notes: Episode Show Notes Follow the podcast: And remember to leave a review and/or rating on iTunes if you feel so inclined. It helps the podcast tremendously. Our Website Twitter Instagram Newsletter AKA Art Club Follow Julia: Website Instagram Behance Skillshare

Guest Host Chip Zdarsky(Spectacular Spiderman, Sex Criminals) is joined by Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) co-founder and longtime friend, Chris Butcher. They discuss the state of the Canadian comic book industry, what it's like to work for Marvel, TCAF's far-reaching influence, The Beguiling, and the void that Koyama Press' departure will create in Canadian publishing.  Support CANADALAND: http://canadalandshow.com/join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:24 - Setup of interview 00:04:41 - Interview with Keiler Roberts 01:04:06 - Wrap up 01:04:48 - Contact us In 2009 Keiler Roberts began putting out a series of self-published minicomics that she titled Powered Milk. These were brief stories and scenarios where she represented the experiences she had as a mother, wife, and friend. Many of the situations were observational in nature -- for example, some of her Powered Milkcomics were one-panel expressions of something off-beat and telling that her daughter, Xia, had said -- but occasionally she would illustrate longer narratives that concerned her life as a mother. She has gathered these earlier minicomics in collections such as Powered Milk: Collected Stories and Miseryland. Last year, however, Keiler began turning to book-length format and publishing her Powered Milkstories, what she continues to call her work, through Koyama Press. In fact, Sunburning was one of the texts discussed last year during the publisher spotlight on Koyama Press' spring 2017 releases. And this week we'll see the release of Keiler's next book, Chlorine Gardens. It's a work that's certainly in the Powered Milkspirit, but this book is notable in that Keiler engages more in long-form storytelling than she does in her previous comics. What's more, and as Derek discusses with her, Keiler brings a structure to the various stories and observations that is more apparent than in the past. In this interview, Derek talks with Keiler about the evolution of her comics-writing, the role of journaling or diary illustration in her work, the process she undergoes in creating her stories, and the power -- as well as the limitations -- of exposing herself and her loved ones as subject matters for her narratives. Keiler has been on the podcast before, albeit briefly, during the 2016 Small Press Expo, an event at which she won an Ignatz Award for Best Outstanding Series, but this is a special occasion in that Keiler gets to discuss her work in a longer, more sustained manner.  

It’s next week’s episode of Contest of Challengers six days early! Another midnight release event? Um, pass. Koyama Press is ceasing publication in 2021, but Annie Koyama will still be an important patron of the comic book arts. Bongo Comics is also ceasing publication, in October. Watching new-to-comic-shops customers discover Challengers is pure joy. Comedian Jim Jefferies went to San Diego and filmed a piece about diversity… American white people don’t like being called “White people.” There’s yet another new comic-con in Chicago, ACE, in October. We announce a new Ryan Browne event here, first! For more information (or to maybe donate) about the Alzheimer’s 5K Patrick is participating in in September, go to http://rememberingfrances.com

Fiona Smyth has been making great important comics for the past 30 plus years and most of them can be found in the recent collection from Koyama Press, Somnambulance. It’s an amazing way to get a deep understanding of one … Continue reading →

Time Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:02:30 - Media attention! 00:05:16 - XTC69 00:27:16 - Soft X-Ray/Mindhunters 00:48:16 - A Western World 01:07:00 - The Ideal Copy 01:16:21 - Winter's Cosmos 01:30:43 - Somnambulance 01:51:28 - Wrap up 01:54:48 - Contact us The Two Guys with PhDs are back with another publisher spotlight, this one focusing on the spring releases from Koyama Press. (In fact, this is the third spotlight on Koyama, with the guys having previously discusses their seasonal releases in April 2015and May 2017.) All of these books debuted at TCAF last month, and Paul and Derek indulge in exciting discussions of these six new releases. They begin with Jessica Campbell's XTC69, a wild science fiction narrative about gender relations and female empowerment. It serves as a great companion piece to her earlier Koyama book, Hot or Not: 20th-Century Male Artists. After that they discuss the largely wordless text, Soft X-Ray/Mindhunters. As with his previous work, Mighty Star and the Castle of Cancatervater, A. Degen challenges the boundaries of storytelling, and Paul and Derek have fun attempting to decipher the text. And it says something that, compared with the work of A. Degen, Michael DeForge's latest book A Western World is understandable and more "traditional." This is a collection of various DeForge stories, some of them previously published in his Loseseries, and it would serve as a great introduction to the creator's style. Next, they focus on the latest installment of Ben Sears's Double+ world, The Ideal Copy. Following 2016's Night Air and last year's Volcano Trash, this book has Plus Man and Hank out of work as treasure hunters and having to take temporary jobs as caterers...and while doing so inadvertently discovering adventure. Perhaps the most abstract and narratively challenging work of the bunch, Michael Comeau's Winter's Cosmos, is a curious mix of media, photography and illustration. Its the offbeat story of two space travelers on a mission, each with varying degrees of seriousness and dedication. Paul and Derek wrap up their Koyama Press spotlight with a discussion of Fiona Smyth's Somnambulance. This is the longest text of the bunch, and it's a fascinating retrospective of Smyth's comics from the 1980s to present day. For those unfamiliar with this creator's comics, Somnambulanceis the perfect overview.

In this episode of Graphic Novel TK, we're delighted to talk to the amazing Annie Koyama, the publisher of Koyama Press. If you don't know Koyama Press, you'll get to hear about just how cool they (and their publisher) are as you listen. And if you've always been a little bit mystified about what a publisher actually does, this is the episode for you! You'll get to hear about Annie Koyama's process of becoming a publisher, what she does in her day-to-day job, and more.

A near-fatal health condition put Annie Koyama out of commission for over a decade. One day, while taking her pain medication, she had an epiphany—someone was making a lot of money selling those meds. Soon, Annie was playing the stock market, turning her savings into a small fortune.    Once she was on the mend, Annie sought out exciting emerging comic artists and gave them money to publish their first books. Her passion project became a small publishing house, and over the course of 10 years, Koyama Press became one of the most well-respected publishers in indie comics today.    The concept of "no strings attached" may seem too good to be true, but so is Annie.   Look at 126 different artist interpretations of Koyama Press' Kickass Annie logo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia has a mandatory day off for National Women's Day so Jordy has stepped in to assist good 'ol Drew. Listen in for stories of sweet young romance, stories that may be sexy, and stories of terrifyinf space creatures. In other words, listen in to discover: The Idols of Solansehir I Love This Part Sex Fantasy I'm Not Here Prism Stalker Sonitus Why Art? War Mother Firebug Notes: www.fortheloveofindie.com Email: ftlindie@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram: @ftlindie/@ftloveofindie

Eric Kostiuk Williams is a cartoonist based in Toronto. His books babybel wax bodysuit and condo heartbreak disco are out now from Retrofit and Koyama Press, respectively  Eric joins Kevin to talk a little about working from home, online persona's, the comics, zines, and drag community Eric's Website Buy Eric's comics

Chicago cartoonist, Keiler Roberts joined me to chat about her latest book, Sunburning. Published by Koyama Press, Sunburning continues Keiler’s memoir work, much along the lines of her previous work in her Powdered Milk mini comics and collections. This latest … Continue reading →

Time Codes: 01:22 - Introduction 03:19 - Setup of the episode 04:00 - Volcano Trash 23:10 - Real Friends 48:57 – Wrap up 50:00 – Contact us For the May Young Readers show, Paul and Gwen discuss two highly anticipated graphic novels: Ben Sears's Volcano Trash (Koyama Press) and Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's Real Friends (First Second). While one text is an action adventure science fiction fantasy and the other is a memoir, both books touch upon the importance that relationships play in young people's lives. To being the show, Paul introduces Volcano Trash, the sequel to Ben Sears's acclaimed 2016 graphic novel Night Air, the first in a series that takes place in what Sears terms “the Double+” universe. Both texts feature the exploits of a young man called Plus Man, his faithful sidekick, the robot Hank, as they engage in capers and navigate a world in which adults very often have nefarious agendas. Paul explains that even though the majority of secondary characters in Volcano Trash are male, the series would be enjoyable for all readers. Gwen agrees and chimes in with her appreciation for Sears's use of color and his ability to add suspense and “motion” to the comic through the use of a variety of stylistic techniques. Gwen and Paul conclude by discussing the way that Sears's sense of humor adds a welcome levity to the hijinks. (You can also check out additional discussion of Volcano Trash on the recent Publisher Spotlight episode devoted to Koyama Press.) Next, the pair discuss Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's Real Friends, a memoir of Hale's grade school years that focuses on friendships won and lost. In addition to considering the features of Hale and Pham's collaborative work, Gwen underscores the importance of the "Author's Note," which allows Hale to look back over her childhood, explain her rationale for writing a memoir, and provide young readers with advice about navigating the complicated hierarchies that develop in grade school. Paul agrees and points to the inclusion of Hale's grade school photographs as a way to highlight the fact that the story is both real and focused on Hale's actual experiences. Both Gwen and Paul highly recommend this text as an excellent read for any young person, regardless of whether they identify more with Shannon and are struggling to find true friendships or whether they are popular and confident but might benefit from thinking about friendships from the perspective of other kids.

[This interview was conducted via Skype, so there may be some audio variation.] Jenn spoke with founder and publisher of Koyama Press (which is celebrating their 10-year anniversary), Annie Koyama on how she got into publishing, the pursuit of doing what you love, the Con circuit, and the work involved behind small presses focusing on art books and visual stories. 

Time Codes: 00:00:26 - Introduction 00:02:17 - Listener tweets! 00:08:18 - Interview with Annie Koyama 00:31:51 - You & a Bike & a Road 00:50:09 - Sunburning 01:07:19 - Crawl Space 01:24:45 - Condo Heartbreak Disco 01:38:05 - Volcano Trash 01:50:13 - So Pretty/Very Rotten 02:03:14 - Wrap up 02:04:18 - Contact us For this week's review episode the Two Guys with PhDs turn a critical spotlight on Koyama Press and its spring 2017 releases. They devoted an entire episode to Koyama a couple of years ago, but this season there are just so many great titles coming out from the press that the guys wanted to look at all of their releases and not just two or three scheduled across several weeks. First, though, they share a brief conversation with the press' founder and publisher, Annie Koyama, who provides an overview and history of the Canadian publishing house. Then the guys start discussing the new releases, beginning with Eleanor Davis's You & a Bike & a Road, a diary comic of her time biking from Arizona to Georgia and the various experiences and encounters she had along the way. Reading this book has even gotten Derek back exercising on his bike, although Andy wasn't inspired in quite the same way. After that they look at another autobiographical work in diary form, Keiler Roberts's Sunburning. The Two Guys have discussed Roberts's work on the podcast previously, but this is the first time the both of them have focused on one of her entire books, her first Koyama Press release. Next, they turn to Crawl Space, the latest from Koyama creator Jesse Jacobs. This is a visually unique work, combining Jacobs's geometric abstractions with a straightforward, yet self-reflexibly revealing, storyline. Another experimental work is Eric Kostiuk Williams's Condo Heartbreak Disco. At the center of this narrative are Komio and The Willendorf Braid, two figures whose stories are part of Williams's Hungry Bottom Comics series, of which neither of the guys are familiar (unfortunately). Then it's on to Volcano Trash, the follow up to Ben Sears's Night Air which was leased last year. This all-age adventure featuring Plus Man and Hank is one of the highlights of the week, and the guys hope Sears continues developing this series. And finally, Andy and Derek wrap up with Jane Mai and An Nguyen's hybrid text, So Pretty/Very Rotten: Comics and Essays on Lolita Fashion and Cute Culture. This is a fascinating exploration of a cultural trend that neither of the guys really knew much about -- at least in detail -- and one that caters to their scholarly sensibilities.

Daryl Seitchik's new book Exits just debuted from Koyama Press. Kevin and Daryl sit down to talk about focusing outward in order to develop their work and the thoughts they direct inward. Exits on the Koyama website Daryl's Website

On this week's review show, Derek and Andy W. look at three new titles, beginning with the new graphic novel from Ethan Young, Nanjing: The Burning City (Dark Horse). This is a riveting historically based narrative centered on Japan's actions against the Chinese Nationalist capital during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It involves a captain in the Republic of China's army trapped within Nanjing, now overrun by the Japanese, and his attempts to get himself and one of his soldiers out to safety. Young never flinches from the horrors of the war, yet at the same time he never falls prey to the temptation of demonizing the aggressor. His is a very human story, and both the invading Japanese troops and Chinese victims are shown in all of their complexities. Next, the guys discuss the first issue of Jeff Lemire and Emi Lenox's new series, Plutona (Image). This is a different kind of spin to the superhero genre, and the story begins by introducing us to a group of five suburban kids, each with his or her own personality and complications. What binds them all together is the discovery of the titular character, one of their city's crime-fighting heroes who now lies inert in the woods. What makes this first so compelling is not only Lenox's unique art, but the colors provided by Jordie Bellaire. And this more conventional narrative stands in stark contrast to the third title the guys discuss, Michael DeForge's Lose #7 (Koyama Press). This is the latest in DeForge's annual one-man anthology series, and in this issue we get three stories. The first and third are short, untitled abstract narratives, but the middle story is longer and more traditional in its construction. "Movie Star" is an unusual tale about a daughter whose father unexpectedly finds his long-lost sibling and how this discovery changes his life in unlikely ways. As Andy points out, all of the stories in this latest issue of Lose are thematically linked by a search for identity. In fact, you could look at all of the comics discussed on this episode as dealing with this very theme.

Occasionally, Derek and Andy like to devote an episode to a particular publisher, looking at the recent or seasonal releases and providing a snapshot of the kind of books they publish. So for this week, the Two Guys discuss the spring publications from Koyama Press, a Toronto-based small press founded in 2007 by Annie Koyama. This is a publisher that the guys deeply appreciate but have discussed little on the show. (They reviewed Renee French's Baby Bjornstrand in November of last year, and there have been a few reviews of Koyama books on the blog.) The conversation begins with Alex Schubert's Blobby Boys 2, a minimalist collection of stories with a punk aesthetic and a great sense of humor. This is a follow up to the first Blobby Boys book, which came out in fall of 2013. The guys discuss the book's wild and violent comedy, and while they enjoy the strips devoted to the titular characters, they particularly like the two stories focusing on Fashion Cat, a hip, powerful, yet ill-fated celebrity of the fashion world. After that, Andy and Derek look at Ginette Lapalme's Confetti. This is not really comic -- although there is a little sequential narrative in the opening pages of the book -- but more of an art book. Lapalme's illustrations, paintings, and object art are featured throughout, and the guys try to find several iconic themes that link the pieces together, such as melting heads, bodily fluids, butts with eyes on them, and the obvious prevalence of cats. Next, they turn to an unequivocal comic, A. Degen's Mighty Star and the Castle of the Cancatervater. This is special kind of superhero story, one that is largely silent. (There is text that introduces each chapter's dramatic personae, and there are vague sounds, represented by Ns and Hs, that are sprinkled throughout.) Degen's unique take on the hero or adventure genres is both compelling and metaphorical. But when it comes to thought-provoking texts, there is perhaps no book discussed this week more philosophical than Dustin Harbin's Diary Comics. This project began as an online illustrated journal that Harbin kept beginning in January 2010, where he would try to represent each of his days with at least one comics panel. He continued this experiment off-and-on until September 2012, eventually releasing hardcopy issues of this work in four short installments. Now, all of those life stories are collected in a single volume, and one of the pleasures of reading Diary Comics is seeing the development of Harbin as an writer and how his art, as well as his understanding of himself as an artist, progresses over time. Indeed, the highlight of the text is its opening and closing sections, where Harbin introduces his project and provides a interpretive context that is much more than mere navel gazing. This is the kind of meticulously crafted and experimental work, much like that other books discussed on the episode, that represents Koyama's mission and deserves far more attention from comics readers.

John Martz joined me to discuss his new kids book from Koyama Press, A Cat Named Tim. John’s illustrated work is really wonderful, filled with a great personality. John was also the founder of the very popular and much missed … Continue reading →

The Last Ship, The Multiversity #1 by Grant Morrison, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, and Nei Ruffino, Captain America #23 from Rick Remender, Carlos Pacheco, Mariano Taibo, and Dean White, Avengers Forever, Time Runs Out, God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha and Omega (Mike Costa, Si Spurrier, Alan Moore, Justin Jordan, Kieron Gillen, Rafael Ortiz, Hernan Cabrera, German Nobile, and more), Safari Honeymoon by Jesse Jacobs from Koyama Press, more pre-200 Amazing Spider-Man, Beautiful Darkness from Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët from Drawn and Quarterly, The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 animated feature, more Dark Horse Presents #1, Nightworld #1 by Adam McGovern, Paolo Leandri, and Dominic Regan from Image, The Delinquents #1 by James Asmus, Fred Van Lente, and Kano from Valiant, Clive Barker, Marc Andreyko, Piotr Kowalski, and Juan Manuel Tumburus' Nightbreed from BOOM!, Alien Legion: Uncivil War #1 from Chuck Dixon, Larry Stroman, Carl Potts, and Thomas Mason from Titan Comics, Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #1 by Joe Casey, Nathan Fox, Jim Rugg, Ulises Farinas, and Brad Simpson from Dynamite!, X-Men First Class and Days of Future Past, Robert Kirkman and Paul Azaceta's Outcast from Image, Mike Mignola's Hellboy: Seed of Destruction from Dark Horse, The Strain, and a whole mess more!

Patrick Kyle and Dan Berry talk about self publishing, risographs and dream logic. Patrick's book Distance Mover is out from Koyama Press in September. 

Annie Koyama of Koyama Press and Dan Berry get together to talk about how publishing works, the life of a book, how Annie became a publisher accidentally, trusting taste and taking risks. Consider supporting the show with as little as $1 per episode through Patreon.

On the fourth anniversary of Beginnings, I talk to LA-based artist Jon Vermilyea. Jon graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2006 with a BFA in cartooning, and his violently psychedelic comics and art have been published in numerous places including Ganzfield, Vice, MOME, Complex and Marvel Strange Tales. Jon also animated the "My Girls" video for Animal Collective, and worked as a background designer on The Cartoon Network show "The Problem Solverz". Currently, he designs backgrounds for "Uncle Grandpa", and his latest book Fata Morgana can be purchased from Koyama Press.Check out the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter!

Ryan Cecil Smith joined me to talk about his new book from Koyama Press, SF 3. Ryan’s SF work has really list a creative fire under a lot of cartoonists. His SF Supplemental File 2 A,B and C are high … Continue reading →

Quebecois cartoonist, Julie Delporte joined me to talk about her new book from Koyama Press, Journal. Julie also co-hosts her own radioshow about comics in Quebec!

Toronto illustrator and cartoonists, Maurice Vellekoop joined me to talk about his new book from Koyama Press, Gloria Badcock. It’s a filthy good time to be had. Maurice’s work is very lush and beautiful.

We prove we're more than capable of cooking up a well-balanced comic book meal as we talk about Michael Deforge's LOSE from Koyama Press, a clarification on Adams and Maroto's Zero Patrol, Zack Kruse's Mystery Solved and Big Jim Miller, Avengers #1, Legion #1, Secret Avengers #1, Thunderbolts #144, Fraction's Iron Man, The Return of Bruce Wayne #1 and #2 and Morrison's Batman and Robin, Doop, David's thrift store escapades, Age of Apocalypse, Astro City #1/2, Cable: Blood and Metal, Todd McFarlane and company's Spawn #1-25 and Image comics from the same period, Jim Valentino's Shadowhawk Chronicles, more on Jim Rugg's Rambo 3.5, Hellboy in Mexico, Richard Corben, and the Hellboy films, Scott Pilgrim Volume One, James Kochalka's Superf*ckers, Avengers Prime #1, and a whole lot more!