Archive - Jun 15, 2008

An Interview with the Creator of SPQR Blues -- Carol "Klio" Burrell

By: Xaviar Xerexes
Department: Interviews
Issue: June 2008 Issue

SPQR Blues by Carol "Klio" Burrell

Carol "Klio" Burrell is the Glyph Award nominated creator of SPQR Blues -- a webcomic set in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius in the era of the Roman Empire. Burrell is really talented which is a great thing because a historically-based webcomic like SPQR Blues appears to be a really  demanding task:  set in Roman times with a wide-ranging cast;  all of it meshing with our collective sense of the Roman empire both in terms of the writing and the visuals -- it's extremely interesting to say the least and perhaps the education-oriented publishing company (Graphic Universe)  Burrell works for ought to consider putting it out as a book when she's done.

I was really excited to see Burrell's Roman take on "steampunk" for our cover at ComixTalk this month.  I think there's a whole new subgenre of speculative fiction waiting to emerge from that image.  I got a chance to interview Burrell about her and her webcomic via email earlier this month.

Happiness Is A Warm Gun

By: Dr. Haus
Department: Reviews
Issue: June 2008 Issue

Gun Baby by Matt and Gabe White

Many people died to bring us this comic review.

Okay, no one died, but one brave Doctor did have to go several hours without power over the span of 3-4 days. For the first time in awhile, I turned off the laptop and I went to the library to read a book. A book printed on real paper.

And then I used their free wi-fi to surf the Internet.

Catching Up With Dylan Meconis

By: Xaviar Xerexes
Department: Interviews
Issue: June 2008 Issue

Dylan Meconis

Dylan Meconis created the popular and well received webcomic Bite Me!ComixTalk reviewed it back in 2003.  Nowadays Meconis is working on the webcomic Family ManFamily Man is being serialized by Meconis on her website and as she discusses below is a work with a lot more ground to cover before it will be completed.

Meconis also wrote a regular column called Juxtapose This! for ComixTalk in its first years.  Aside from Paul Bryant Johnson's comics, it's the only thing I think we've published that had footnotes.  But really good footnotes! (honest!)  Being the fifth anniversary year of ComixTalk I thought it would be a great idea to catch up with Meconis and see what she's up to in 2008.

Joe Shuster Calling: An interview with Canada's Favorite Comic Book Creator, Faith Erin Hicks

By: Xaviar Xerexes
Department: Interviews
Issue: June 2008 Issue

Faith Erin Hicks

Faith Erin Hicks is the creator of two critically well received webcomics, Demonology 101 and Ice.  She most recently put out the graphic novel Zombies Calling for which Hicks was just named "Favourite Canadian Comic Book Creator - English Language Publications" at this year's Joe Shuster awards.

We've covered much of Hicks' career in webcomics at ComixTalk from a review of D101 in March 2003 to interviews with her at the completion of D101 and during the start of her webcomic Ice.  She even did one of my favorite covers for ComixTalk for the April 2005 issue

Given the very recent news of her Shuster award it was great timing to catch up with her on life in Halifax, Nova Scotia and to get a few words on the new graphic novel, The War at Ellsmere, she's currently working on.

I won a Shuster Award! and other cool things.


A bit of a non-update update. First of all, what has two thumbs, knows limited French and just won a Shuster Award? THIS MOI. *points thumbs at herself* ... that probably doesn't work very well in text. But yeah, oh wonder of great wonders, I won the "Favourite Canadian Comic Book Creator - English Language Publication" division, otherwise known as the popular vote, so I just wanted to give everyone who voted for me a shout out and big ol' THANK YOU. I really appreciate all your support, I do.

BOOK SIGNING in Manhattan Beach


You So Loco Book Signing with Jose Cabrera

I'll be signing copies of my new book YOU SO LOCO at The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach this coming Wednesday along side Michael Aushenker.  Come by and support the funny cause. These days, we could all use a laugh!

Mosquitoes


Don't you just hate mosquitoes?! Check out the lengths that one woman went through to get rid of them.
MOSQUITOES