Inkstuds – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Kim Deitch’s latest book, How I Make Comics, continues his tradition of great fantastic tales that he weaves his own history into a narrative that takes you to places you won’t expect. Kim has been professionally creative for 60 years now. in 1966, he pursued a career of art and hasn’t looked back. There is something about the imaginative wonders in Kim Deitch’s work that keeps pulling people in and engaging with his work. He’s also been interested in telling a good story. There is a lot to explore with Kim’s vast history of comics and the way his stories can interconnect, but it’s done in a way where you can read one book and get so much out of it without knowing other stories.

How I make Comics really dives into his process while also exiting in his own unique comic book reality. I first interviewed Kim probably more than 15 years, so it was nice to get caught up with him again and see how is process has changed and also coming into a period of reflection.

This podcast is produced with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

In the process of restarting the podcast, I wanted to do interviews were I reconnected with guests that I haven’t spoken with in quite some time. I am sure it has been more than 10 years since the last time that I had interviewed Michael Deforge. Over those years, his work has continued to excite. His comics are never static, they are constantly forming and shaping, telling stories in a way that challenges the reader to take time to see the play between his language and art. Michael’s creative voice is beautifully singular and always refreshing.

His latest work from Drawn and Quarterly, All the Cameras in My Room, is anthology of short stories that feel very present and vital. He is actively navigating, organizing and participating in his world. This work feels very informed by current experiences but in way that makes it timeless. These struggles aren’t new, but they are universal. I took a lot from this book and really spent some time soaking it in after.

This Inkstuds episode is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Breakdown Press Co-Founder, Designer and Cartoonist, Joe Kessler joined me to talk about his new collection, Windowpane and shine a light on a bit of the history of Breakdown Press. Breakdown is one of the most interesting publishers in the UK right now, putting out some top notch forward thinking comics. I am a huge fan of all they do and Joe’s comics are pretty great too.

I was joined by UK cartoonist, Sean Azzopardi to talk about his comics work. Sean has a range of different work ranging from genre series Necessary Monsters for the renewed First comics to his wandering autobio work like in Rain on Glass and Twelve Hour Shift, which I especially enjoyed for how he was able to explore the world around himself with an interesting compelling distance.

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon.

Jane Mai joined me to talk about her new books, Soft from Peow and See You Next Tuesday from Koyama. Jane’s new books are very different but both great. See You Next Tuesday is a natural extension of her previous book from Koyama, Sunday In The Park With Boys. Really funny personal revealing sketchbook and off the cuff comics. Soft is more of a fleshed out contained story exploring the high drama and despair of teen romance.

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon.

New Zealand cartoonist, Ant Sang, joined me to talk about his work in comics. Specifically we discussed the release of his classic work, Dharma Punks. Collecting the series he put out in the early 2000s, Dharma Punks is a fantastic look at passing through adolescent, reconciling nihilism and coming out at the end. I really liked this book and am happy to talk to Ant about it. More recently, he took his work into a different direction with the book Shaolin Burning.

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon.

Harrow County artist Tyler Crook joined me to talk about his comics work. Tyler has been making some fantastic series with writer Cullen Bunn. Tyler also worked on a lengthy run of BPRD and Bad Blood both also for Dark Horse. Tyler first got notice for his art on the Petrograd graphic novel. He has been churning out some refined work really quickly. I am excited by his stuff and to see where he goes with it.

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon.

I caught up with Gene Luen Yang to chat about work while he was in Vancouver for a writers festival. Gene’s latest work is Secret Coders illustrated by Mike Holmes and Shadow Hero with artist Sonny Liew. Gene has been actively putting out a wide range of comics capturing the young adult market. Starting with American Born Chinese, Gene has deftly exploring sensitive topics in a way that hit’s close to home for his young readers. Gene was one of the best in his field and i was very happy to get the chance to catch up with him.

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon.

This week we’re talking to Iasmin Omar Ata who has recently finished their first longform webcomic MIS(H)ADRA. It is a meticulous exploration of the life of Isaac, a young epileptic Arab-American. It follows him as he comes to grips with his disability and attempts to move through an often inhospitable, insensitive and troublingly ignorant world. Iasmin has a unique visual voice and an intimately perceptive way of delivering a story.

You can find MIS(H)ADRA and more of Iasmins work here

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon. Special thanks to Sloane for hosting this episode.

I caught up with Meags Fitzgerald while she was in Vancouver to talk about her books from Conundrum Press. Her latest book, Long Red Hair just came out a couple of weeks ago. It’s a great book looking at personal identity. Her other book is Photobooth, an immense illustrated immersive comic on the history of the photobooth. Meags is a great Canadian talent quickly creating some stellar work.

If you like this podcast and want to hear more, please consider supporting Inkstuds on Patreon.