Wednesday, December 31, 2008  
Sequential Holiday Wish List: Brian Garside

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/31/2008 12:01:00 AM
comic book tattoo tori amos naked

Sequential has determined to single-handedly turn around the economy by increasing comic book sales in Canada. Luckily, Sequential readers keep sending in wonderful suggestions as part of our Holiday Wish List feature.

While this is the last Wish List of 2008, readers are encouraged to continue sending Sequential responses to our survey, as well as general thoughts on the past year in Canadian comics (we are especially interested in hearing from people on the creative side of the North American and European comics industry about the economy and the availability of work). If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em.

Thanks to all who have responded so far, and Happy New Year from Sequential!

This installment of the Holiday Wish List fittingly focuses on the retail aspect of comics in Canada:


1. Name
Brian Garside, co-owner of All New Comics Inc. I also have a blog, Radical Hive.

2. What was the overall best book published in 2008? (comix/graphic novel/manga/strip/history/webcomic/floppy/etc)

My favourite comic of 2008 was hands down Comic Book Tattoo, which was not only a spectacular package, but a great read. I'm a huge fan of Tori Amos, so this was a pretty cool item to me.

I'd also like to recommend the Zuda webcomic Bayou, which is quite simply one of the most haunting comic stories I've ever read.


2. a) Best Canadian book?

I'm going to go with Cecil Castellucci's Janes in Love ... she was born in Montreal does that count enough? If not, I'll vote for what Dale Eaglesham has done this year in Justice Society of America. I've bought more pages from Dale in the last 3 years than I have from any other artist.

3. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young boy (5-10)?


Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, a great read for all ages, but Mike Kunkel's art really speaks to kids.

4. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young girl (5-10)?

Jill Thompson's Magic Trixie is full of innocense and fun. It's a great book.

5. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen boy?

Secret Invasion was pretty fun, and I think that it worked on a couple of levels.

6. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen girl?

The entire Minx line, but in particular Janes in Love.

7. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult woman 18-100?

True Story Swear To God is one of those great reads that's got touchstone moments. Both my wife and I read it, and we've really enjoyed it.

8. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult man 18-100?

Geoff Johns' run on Action Comics was spectacular in 2008. The Legion of Super-Heroes story was great, Bizarro was great, and the recent New Krypton storyline is fantastic as well.

9. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?

Well as co-owner of a comic shop I kinda get every comic that I could possibly want ... but I missed the Absolute League of Extraordinary Gentlemen volumes when they came out.

10. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have?


2008 was an okay year for comics, not spectacular, not horrible, but just "okay".

There wasn't a great moment that made me really excited about the next issue. There wasn't an event that I just couldn't miss.

2008 was a great year for me. All New Comics continued to grow (growing about 100% year over year), but it came at a price. We are gaining customers because stores in smaller towns are shutting down. We also had to raise prices due to the massive drop in the dollar, and we're struggling not to raise shipping prices (although that may not be a big deal if gas prices continue to stay where they are).

We've already seen effects of the recession with several customers cutting back significantly, and a couple having to cancel due to layoffs. I think this will continue to be the case, and it will be up to the publishers to create compelling entertainment which readers simply can't live without.

11. Best guilty pleasure of 2008?

X-Force ... I can't believe that I like this book as much as I do, but there it is, month in and month out. The art is really dark and disturbing, and X-Force is bringing back a whole ton of old (mostly dead) villains without much fanfare.

You didn't ask it, but...

What 2008 comic would you recommend for a pre-schooler (2-5)

My daughter reads Tiny Titans every month, and I've recently been picking up the Looney Tunes comics for her which she absolutely loves.

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   Tuesday, December 30, 2008  
Dave Lapp in the Toronto Star

:: Posted by Dave Howard @ 12/30/2008 05:42:00 PM
Dave Lapp, creator 'Drop-In', featured in the Toronto Star:

Teacher's graphic tales star kids on the fringes

By Iain Marlow
STAFF REPORTER

Dave Lapp has drawn a graphic novel homage to the Regent Park art centre he's worked in for 12 years. It says as much about him as it does about the centre and the kids who frequent it.Drop-In is defined by tension and anxiety, attained through assembling peculiar moments perched on a razor's edge between awkward and actual danger.

One, too unbearable to include in his collection of truthful, comic-book-style vignettes, involves kids who shove a shopping cart down a staircase toward the drop-in centre. It narrowly misses a little girl. Lapp, 43, runs out to yell at them.

The lead boy just glares at him."As if saying, `Is that all you got?'" Lapp recalls, shivering slightly...
Links:
Toronto Star article
Conundrum Press
Dave Lapp's site Children of the Atom

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   Saturday, December 27, 2008  
Weekly Bestsellers: December 24

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/27/2008 05:00:00 AM
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Perhaps the last of these lists for the year, featuring the bestselling comics-related books from the week before Christmas.

The Top 30 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 30 overall and (at the bottom) the top 30 by Canadian creators. See here for last week's list.

Top 30 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada

1. (1) Watchmen, Moore/Gibbons (DC)
2. (-) Naruto 33, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
3. (5) Garfield Spills the Beans, Jim Davis (Random House)
4. (6) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
5. (8) Marvel Chronicle, Tom DeFalco (DK)
6. (3) Fruits Basket 21, Takaya Natsuki (Tokyopop)
7. (10) Simpsons Treehouse Horror, Groening et al (HarperCollins)
8. (4) Naruto 32, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
9. (7) Bleach 25, Tite Kubo (VIZ)
10. (14) Naruto 31, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
-----
11. (-) DC Comics Encyclopedia, Rbt Greenburger (DK)
12. (-) Complete Persepolis, Satrapi (Knopf)
13. (18) Death Note 1, Ohba/Obata (VIZ)
14. (11) 30 Years of Laughs & Lasagna, Jim Davis (Random House)
15. (12) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
16. (-) Negima! 20, Ken Akamatsu (Random House)
17. (28) Simpsons Comics Dollars To Donuts, Groening et al (Harpercollins)
18. (21) Naruto 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
19. (9) What It Is, Lynda Barry (D+Q)
20. (-) Naruto 30, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
-----
21. (20) Louis Riel, Brown (D+Q)
22. (-) Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl Adventure 2, Shigekatsu Ihara (VIZ)
23. (16) Dilbert: This Is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value, Adams (Andrews McMeel)
24. (-) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
25. (-) Maus 1, Spiegelman (Knopf)
26. (-) The Joker (Hardcover), Azzarello/Bermejo (DC)
27. (-) The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, King et al (Marvel)
28. (25) Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 19, Clamp (Random House)
29. (-) Marvel Encyclopedia, Tom Defalco (DK)
30. (-) Heroes, Various (DC)

Standard explanation: The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. This week: The return of some of the stronger sellers of the past year, just in time for the holiday gift-giving season. The only "new" book on the list is the 20th volume in the Negima translated manga series.

In total, BookManager lists over 4000 graphic novels, trades, and strip collections. It is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Chris Onstad to Mort Todd to Edward Gorey battle for supremacy, and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200 (and into the top 30). This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where our Canadian Top 30 comes from:

Sequential's All-Canadian Top 30 from BookManager

1. (1) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
2. (2) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
3. (3) Louis Riel, Chester Brown (D+Q)
4. (5) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
5. (4) Big Foot, Graham Roumieu (Plume)
6. (6) The Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
7. (15) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al, (DC/Minx)
8. (7) Ojingogo, Matt Forsythe (D+Q)
9. (8) Milk Teeth, Julie Morstad (D+Q)
10. (10) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
-----
11. (30) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
12. (14) Essex County 1: Tales from the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
13. (16) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
14. (9) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
15. (-) Spirit 1, Darwyn Cooke (DC)
16. (-) Drop-In, Dave Lapp (Conundrum)
17. (12) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
18. (17) the great hopeful someday, Elizabeth Belliveau (Conundrum)
19. (21) Paul Goes Fishing, Michel Rabagliati (D+Q)
20. (-) Middle Age Spread, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
-----
21. (-) Zombies Calling, Faith Erin Hicks (Slave Labor)
22. (19) It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken, Seth (D+Q)
23. (11) It's the Thought That Counts, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
24. (-) Batman: Ego and other tales, Darwyn Cooke/Paul Grist (DC)
25. (13) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
26. (18) Dramacon Ultimate Edition, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
27. (20) Last Straw, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
28. (22) Graduation, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
29. (-) Dramacon 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
30. (24) Hall of Best Knowledge, Ray Fenwick (Fantagraphics)

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   Friday, December 26, 2008  
Sequential Holiday Wish List: Danny Truong

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/26/2008 02:37:00 AM

As previously mentioned, the key to ending this recession quickly is the purchase of mass quantities of comic books. To this end, we present a special Boxing Day edition of the Holiday Wish List, courtesy of another loyal Sequential reader.

Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey. If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em.


1. Name: Danny Truong (blogger) at http://thatstheheavy.blogspot.com (That's the Heavy) and all around nice guy....except when I am not!

2. What was the best book published in 2008? (comix/manga/strips/history/webcomic/etc)
Action Comics - Geoff Johns and Gary Frank at their best!
Joker HC - A more realistic, gritty perspective of the Gotham underground from the mind of crime specialist, Brian Azzarello, and the artistic rendering of Lee Bermejo.
Justice Society of America - Admittedly, there has been way too much Gog and Damage love for the last couple of months, but the Kingdom Come storyline has been moving at a gradual but pleasant pace for the patient readers.

2. a) Best Canadian book?
Essex County v3: The Country Nurse by Jeff Lemire - The final book in the Essex County Trilogy is also the best of the three.

3. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young boy (5-10)?
Tiny Titans - Just simple fun mini-stories with little easter eggs for the long term Teen Titans fans.
Billy Batson & The Magic of SHAZAM! - If you liked and thought Jeff Smith's version was cute, pick up the Mike Kunkel version because it seems to be a lot of fun. Too bad it is bi-monthly,

4. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young girl (5-10)?
Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade - I would have trouble making a recommendation, but this title recently came out. Okay first issue

5. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen boy?
Avengers: The Initiative - Still one of Marvel's most unsung books. It was created out of Civil War, took part in World War Hulk and was a major infiltration point for the Skrulls during Secret Invasion. And some of its main characters are teenagers.
Teen Titans: Year One - Karl Kerschl on art, colours are amazing, unfortunately storyline wasn't the greatest. Still, teenage angst on a maily male dominated team.


6. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen girl?
New York Four by Brian Wood & Ryan Kelly - Young girl learning to live life in the big city.
The War of Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks - Harry Potter for females, minus the magic.
Chiggers by Hope Larson - About having all your friends grow apart and learning to meet new friends.
Skim by Mariko & Jillian Tamaki - Lesbian goth learning to deal with an unrequited love....for her teacher.


7. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult woman 18-100?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 - Joss Whedon and the Scooby gang fought Japanese Vampires and future Buffy (aka Fray) during this past year. Also, another showdown between Buffy and Faith.
Birds of Prey - Hasn't been the same since Gail Simone left the title, but when she was on, this was the premiere female DC title.
Supergirl - Sterling Gates (with collaboration from Geoff Johns) has managed to stear this sinking ship around and simplify the confusing backstory by explaining the past 30 oh so issues was because of Kryptonite poisoning.....works for me!

8. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult man 18-100?
Action Comics - It is really amazing what Geoff Johns has done with Superman - make him cool! Johns has de-cluttered a lot of the crazy Superman storylines and characters. What he has done is streamline and set up a more concise Superman universe for years to come.
Justice Society of America
X-Force - Okay, this has been non-stop action in the X-Universe with a lot of surprising twists, violence, blood, death, and even resurrections! For those intrigued with the world of black ops, imagine if you combine the might of the X-Men's Wolverine, his cuter female clone, X-23, the angel of death, Archangel, join them up with a bunch of b-lister X-Men, and really let the kids' glove off of them!


9. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?
Any art books/sketchbooks by renowned cartoonists and artists! The Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle, Superman & The Legion of Super-Heroes HC by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

10. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have?
Honestly...no. Just some random thoughts and people can agree or disagree....apologies if it seems incoherent.

I did not even have that one titles that I would regularly pick up on a month by month basis in 2008.

The superhero genre that is renown-ly carried by the big two, Marvel & DC comics, had horrendous storylines for 2008. This included the ending of Spider-Man's "One More Day", Final Crisis, Trinity, Ultimates 3, Ultimate Origins, Batman R.I.P., and probably the worst storyline of the year, Countdown to Final Crisis. On top of that, a lot of titles lost steam this year including Buffy TVS, Runaways, Amazing Spider-Man, Justice League of America, Teen Titans, Birds of Prey, New Avengers, Mighty Avengers. Some titles just did not get off the ground including Young X-Men, X-Men: Legacy, Titans, Logan, Marvel Apes and Cable.

There were a few good storylines like X-Men: Messiah Complex and Secret Invasions, but for the most part, it was not an enjoyable year.

Variant covers continue to grow exponentially this year from more Zombie variants, Skrull variants, Monkey Variants, Villains Variants, and the ratio ordering variants. The over saturation of these covers may gain some immediate returns from the 'collectors' market, but will overall hurt the industry in the longer run until it stops.

Dear god! DC Comics decided to go with Grant Morrison rather than Geoff Johns to write two of their major storylines for 2008! :-o

As for the recession, we have already seen what the recession has done on the comic book industry in 2008 including the closing of companies like Virgin Comics or downsizing like Devil's Due Press and even Wizard Entertainment. On top of that, with the decision of Marvel to raise comic book prices on some titles to $3.99US, you are going to see even less purchases, titles completely dropped, less support of your comic book shops and more Amazon purchases.

I always said that reprinted covers and tons of variant covers were the first sign of the comic book apocalypse. Publishers got greedy, choosing to push quantity rather than quality products again. You are going to see an increase in smaller publishers feeling the crunch....are there still small publishers?!?

Also, a Scott Pilgrim book was not published in 2008. :-(


Anyways, to the crew of SEQUENTIAL and its readers, I hope everyone's Christmas/Holiday season has been enjoyable thus far and here's hoping to a prosperous New Year!

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   Monday, December 22, 2008  
Have a Jay Stephens Holiday

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/22/2008 03:26:00 AM

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   Sunday, December 21, 2008  
Sequential Holiday Wish List: Kevin Boyd

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/21/2008 06:00:00 AM


Our next Holiday Wish List comes from con-organizer, blogger, and industry analyst Kevin Boyd. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey. If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em.


1. Name: Kevin Andrew Boyd. Current projects --- the Feb. 1 and April 18-19, 2009 Toronto ComiCONs assembling the eligible creators lists and nominating committees for the 2009 Joe Shuster Awards , and enjoying a winter break from conventions for CGC's prestigious Signature Series program

2. What was the overall best book published in 2008? (comix/graphic novel/manga/strip/history/webcomic/floppy/etc)

I would have to say the most enjoyable book about comics that I read this year was Bill Schelly's Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert.

But actual comics... Im not sure yet. I'll be giving that some thought and making my own top 10 list over the holidays like I did last year and publishing it on my livejournal.

2. a) Best Canadian book?

So far the best graphic novel I've read this year by a Canadian is a toss-up between Jeff Lemire's Essex County Trilogy Vol. 3: The Country Nurse and Mariko and Jillian Tamaki's Skim. I haven’t read Faith Erin Hicks' The War at Ellesmere yet.

The best semi-monthly comic book by a Canadian creator has got to be Dave Sim's Glamourpuss. Forget the fashion magazine send-ups (like shooting fish in a barrel), the insights into the politics and stylistic choices of pioneer strip cartoonists is fascinating.

3. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young boy (5-10)?

My nephew Michael gets a kick out of every new issue of Franklin Richards: Son of A Genius by Marc Sumerak and Chris Eliopoulos, published by Marvel Comics.

4. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young girl (5-10)?

My niece Lauren seems to be enjoying Jill Thompson's Magic Trixie books, published by HarperCollins.

5. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen boy?

Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day Volume 1 by various, published by Marvel Comics. A little less continuity-heavy than previous years, this is the demographic that Spider-Man is perfect for. Plus, you get some great comic art by industry pros like Steve McNiven, Phil Jimenez and in later volumes John Romita, Jr., Chris Bachalo, Marcos Martin, Mike McKone, Barry Kitson and others.

6. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen girl?

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell, published by HarperCollins.

7 & 8. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult woman/man 18-100?

Regardless of male or female I always recommend the following:

Any trade paperback collection of the following: B.P.R.D. by Arcudi and Davis, Fables by Willingham, Buckingham and Leialoha w/ James Jean, Ex Machina by Vaughan and Harris, Walking Dead by Kirkman and Adlard, or Invincible by Kirkman and Ottley.

For those who like superheroes I also suggest Marvel's Captain America and DC's Green Lantern and Justice Society of America.

9. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?

It would have to be something that I didn't already order for myself. It would have to be a surprise – something someone loves but hasn't made it onto my radar yet.

10. Was 2008 a good year for comics?

With a few exceptions, I tend to think that 2008 was kind of a mediocre year for published comics in general – like we're all holding our breath waiting for something new and great to show up while at the same time mining the past for anything and everything that was any good. What was that about it being the End of History? And I think it applies to all comics --- mainstream and non-mainstream. On the big screen it was probably the best year ever for comic movies as Dark Knight, Iron Man and even the Incredible Hulk were all popular and enjoyed by the general public and critics alike. The Marvel movie DVDs and the DC direct-to-animation projects like Darwyn Cooke’s Justice League – The New Frontier do a great job of reminding people that these were comic books first and foremost.

Was it a good year for you?

For my projects --- it was a good year all around as everything seemed to go well… the HobbyStar comic conventions are doing great business in all shapes and sizes… things worked out well with the Joe Shuster Awards back in June and fundraising this fall from the Visions art auctions was better than expected, we are in a better place financially than we have ever been… and CGC's Signature Series program continues to be successful at the big conventions. Personally - aside from an early hiccup with a flood in the storage area of my old apartment (prompting a fast move to a new place) - it's been a good year for me.

What effect will this recession thing have?

The recession's effect on publishing will be more casualties as marginally profitable companies start to drop as the orders continue to decline. The bigger companies will shift towards more digital delivery systems to generate material for trade paperbacks, just as webcomics are generating material for graphic novels. Regrettably, fewer creators will look at comics as a viable commercial art form and put their energy towards something else that will pay their bills and we will suffer from their absence. On the collecting side – more quality books will show up in the dollar bins and more people will wait to get their comic pamphlets in the secondary market (conventions, eBay, used bookstores) as they shy away from the inevitable rising new issue prices (compounded by a falling Canadian dollar), all of which hurts your local comic book shop's bottom line… and shops are already feeling the pinch now during this holiday season. There will be some store closures in harder hit areas such as central and eastern Canada, shrinking Canada’s comic book store infrastructure further.

11. (suggested by Diana Tamblyn) Best guilty pleasure of 2008?

I do feel guilty that I don't miss going to comic shop on Wednesday, even though it means I don't get a chance to peruse the covers of new issues as they arrive. Having my new comics delivered to my house on Wednesday nights is definitely a guilty pleasure, it's kind of like ordering pizza.

Specific comic book guilty pleasure is still Invincible, by Kirkman and Ottley. It keeps my love of superhero comics alive and well, even with the occasional outbreak of violence and mayhem.

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   Friday, December 19, 2008  
This Weekend: Holiday Shopping

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/19/2008 05:00:00 AM
famous funnies 161
For many people across Canada, this weekend will be the final opportunity for last-minute gift buying before the December 25th holiday. It has become evident to me over the last few months, based on my careful reading of various blogs and watching Andrew Coyne on The National, that the recession would soon be over if people just bought more comic books. To that end, I encourage Sequential readers who may be considering a purchase of a graphic novel, strip collection, reprint, minicomic, or comic book pamphlet, to check out various features of this blog as an aid to buying a timeless work of art (and just maybe saving the economy in the bargain):

Primarily, you can refer to the Sequential Bestseller List for a guide to books that are popular, based on sales through independant bookstores. As well, you may want to read and contribute to the Sequential Holiday Wishlist, our reader-created "Best of 2008" feature.

If you are specifically interested in buying Canadian, and since Sequential attempts to notify its readers of as many new Canadian graphic novel releases as possible, this list of publishing news and links may be helpful (caution: it is long). You might also want to try this link for a list of publishers and this link to access all posts labeled with the "comics retailers" label. (You might also want to check out the handy "Top 15 of the Year" list at the French-language Fichtre bookstore).

Remember: Buy Early, Buy Often, and Buy Canadian!

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   Thursday, December 18, 2008  
Weekly Bestsellers: December 17

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/18/2008 01:00:00 PM
bookmanager logo

The Top 30 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 30 overall and (at the bottom) the top 30 by Canadian creators. See here for last week's list.

Top 30 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada

1. (1) Watchmen, Moore/Gibbons (DC)
2. (-) Naruto 33, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
3. (2) Fruits Basket 21, Takaya Natsuki (Tokyopop)
4. (4) Naruto 32, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
5. (3) Garfield Spills the Beans, Jim Davis (Random House)
6. (8) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
7. (5) Bleach 25, Tite Kubo (VIZ)
8. (6) Marvel Chronicle, Tom DeFalco (DK)
9. (-) What It Is, Lynda Barry (D+Q)
10. (21) Simpsons Treehouse Horror, Groening et al (HarperCollins)
-----
11. (18) 30 Years of Laughs & Lasagna, Jim Davis (Random House)
12. (15) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
13. (-) Naruto 2, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
14. (7) Naruto 31, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
15. (16) V for Vendetta, Moore/Lloyd (DC)
16. (29) Dilbert: This Is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value, Adams (Andrews McMeel)
17. (12) Che, Rodriguez/Buhle (Verso)
18. (13) Death Note 1, Ohba/Obata (VIZ)
19. (-) Vampire Knight 4, Matsuri Hino (VIZ)
20. (9) Louis Riel, Brown (D+Q)
-----
21. (24) Naruto 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
22. (23) Persepolis 1, Satrapi (Pantheon)
23. (-) Rosario+Vampire, Volume 4, Akihisa Ikeda, (VIZ)
24. (-) Vampire Knight 5, Matsuri Hino (VIZ)
25. (10) Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 19, Clamp (Random House)
26. (-) Asterix/Olmpic Games, Goscinny/Uderzo (Orion)
27. (-) Death Note 11, Ohba/Obata (VIZ)
28. (11) Simpsons Comics Dollars To Donuts, Groening et al (Harpercollins)
29. (-) Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes, Gaiman et al (DC)
30. (28) Vampire Knight 1, Matsuri Hino (VIZ)

Standard explanation: The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. This week: Lots of activity the further down the list we go, barring a new Naruto volume or two. More (holiday gift) perennial faves like Asterix start taking up more space, and new annual collections of popular strip and cartoon show comics (Dilbert) start showing up on more people's radar.

In total, BookManager lists over 4000 graphic novels, trades, and strip collections. It is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Chris Onstad to Mort Todd to Edward Gorey battle for supremacy, and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200 (and into the top 30). This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where our Canadian Top 30 comes from:

Sequential's All-Canadian Top 30 from BookManager

1. (1) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
2. (2) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
3. (3) Louis Riel, Chester Brown (D+Q)
4. (4) Big Foot, Graham Roumieu (Plume)
5. (5) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
6. (6) The Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
7. (7) Ojingogo, Matt Forsythe (D+Q)
8. (-) Milk Teeth, Julie Morstad (D+Q)
9. (16) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
10. (20) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
-----
11. (-) It's the Thought That Counts, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
12. (24) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
13. (9) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
14. (12) Essex County 1: Tales from the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
15. (13) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al, (DC/Minx)
16. (17) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
17. (18) the great hopeful someday, Elizabeth Belliveau (Conundrum)
18. (19) Dramacon Ultimate Edition, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
19. (9) It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken, Seth (D+Q)
20. (21) Last Straw, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
-----
21. (-) Paul Goes Fishing, Michel Rabagliati (D+Q)
22. (-) Graduation, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
23. (22) Rex Libris: I, Librarian, James Turner (Slave Labor Graphics)
24. (10) Hall of Best Knowledge, Ray Fenwick (Fantagraphics)
25. (11) The New Frontier 1, Darwyn Cooke (DC)
26. (14) Strange and Stranger, Blake Bell (Fanta)
27. (15) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
28. (-) Portfoolio 22, Guy Badeuax, ed (McArthur)
29. (-) Essex County 3, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
30. (26) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q)

The top 7 remain solid but lots of movement for this intense shopping season, despite the recession.

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Sequential Holiday Wish List: Brad Mackay

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/18/2008 02:01:00 AM

Our next Holiday Wish List comes from writer Brad Mackay. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey. If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em.

1. Name: Brad Mackay (www.bradmackay.com and www.wrightawards.ca)

2. What was the best book published in 2008? (comix/manga/strips/history/webcomic/etc).

I refuse to choose just one, but PictureBox's Gary Panter impressed itself on my mind, as did David Heatley's My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down - in spite of that ComicsComics dust up (and not because of it). As well, I was really blown away by the formative fun of Dash Shaw's "Look Forward, First Son of Terra," a stand-alone story (and i think his debut) in Mome #10. It's like that Benjamin Button film, except i am sure more interesting.

2a) Best Canadian book?

Ugh. I hate choosing favourites, but Michel Rabigliati's Paul Goes Fishing was a stand out. I loved the Albert Chartier Onesime cameo, largely because I knew no one outside Canada would get it.

3. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young boy (5-10)?
The Amazing Transformations of Jimmy Olsen (even though it was published in 2007), and Moomin Book Three

4. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a young girl (5-10)?
The Amazing Transformations of Jimmy Olsen (ditto), Moomin Book Three

5. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen boy?
The Amazing Transformations of Jimmy Olsen

6. What 2008 comic would you recommend for a teen girl?
Aya of Yop City, Ojingogo

7. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult woman 18-100?
Huh? Wha?

8. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult man 18-100?
Pfff! No centenarian should waste what precious little time they have left on earth reading a comic.

9. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?
This is a trick question, right? Kramer's Ergot #7

10. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have?

It was a great year for comics; maybe the best in decades. What with the tidal wave of classic strip reprints (including the amazing Bat-Manga) and original GNs. Personally, my year has been great. Thanks for asking. Got to meet Lynn Johnston at the Wright Awards, which i think was the best year yet, notwithstanding the MCs mumbling delivery.
The chief effect of the economic turn down will be lower book sales and fewer new books - or fewer experimental books.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

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   Wednesday, December 17, 2008  
The C-List: Last Links Post of the Year?

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/17/2008 01:42:00 AM


As the blogosphere begins to shut down for the holidays, here are some links to stories and posts about comics in Canada --perhaps the last such post you will read on Sequential in 2008. Remember: keep sending in those sending in those responses to our survey.

-Thanks to Tom Spurgeon for linking to "Best of 2008 lists by John Martz and Matthew Forsythe. Both writers also published interesting comics work of their own in 2008.

-Dave Cooper music video

-Seth, Chris Butcher on Kramers Ergot 7. Butcher's coverage of the launch in T.O. is here.

-Local cartoonist profile: Martin Balcer, Montreal

-Maclean's editor/publisher Ken Whyte has a new book out about U.S. newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. In this interview, he talks about Hearst's contribs to journalism and the relevance of comics.

-Publishing: new graphic novel Lillian the Legend by Kerry Byrne (Conundrum Press, isbn 978-1-894994-35-4, $15 CDN / US)

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   Tuesday, December 16, 2008  
Sequential Holiday Wish List: Ronn Sutton

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/16/2008 01:46:00 AM

Our next Holiday Wish List comes from cartoonist Ronn Sutton. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey. If you keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep runnin' 'em.

1. Name: I'm Ronn Sutton, comicbook penciler. My website is www.ronnsutton.com where you'll find about 100 pieces of my artwork including comic pages, illustrations, animation work and some of my courtroom sketches.

2. What was the best book published in 2008? (comix/manga/strips/history/webcomic/etc)

There were a number of notable publications in 2008. For my time & money, the most interesting were:

Steve Rude - Artist In Motion, the big hardcover artbook from Flesk Publishing. More than just a collection of Steve Rude's paintings, its an instructual guide by Rude on his technique and working methods. A bargain at any price.

Spanish artist Jordi Bernet, best known for his TORPEDO 1936 graphic novels, drew three or four issues of DC's JONAH HEX this year. Well worth checking out.

Running Press released THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST HORROR COMICS TP reprinting horror comics from the 1940s to the present day. At 544 pages all in one volume its a very big thick spooky read.

And Richard Corben returned to Marvel for a three issue HAUNT OF HORROR featuring adaptations of all H. P. Lovecraft stories. Now collected into one single hardcover volume, I believe, to match his previous series of all Edgar Allen Poe strips.

2. a) Best Canadian book?

Ballad of a Thin Man: In Search of Ryan Larkin by Chris Robinson for AWN Press is a slim book, but its an interesting tale. Ryan Larkin was once "the golden boy" animator of the National Film Board. In 1969 his brilliant short film "Walking" was nominated for an Academy Award and he became one of Canada's most influencial animators. Yet, years later he would end up living on the streets of Montreal as an alcoholic panhandler. The book chronicles the attempt of the Ottawa International Animation Festival to both honor him and get him drawing again. However, it was not to be. Book comes with dvd of Larkin's two best short films "Walking" and "Street Musique" as well as Chris Landreth's animated interview/documentary "Ryan" that did win an Academy Award in 2005.

3. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?

Either ACTION COMICS #1 or DETECTIVE #27 would do nicely.

4. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have?

Over a 9 year period I penciled nearly 50 stories for Claypool's ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK. Since that title ended nearly two years ago I've been bouncing around from one comic assignment to another. The one I'm most proud of was "The Good Guys!" that appeared in FEAR AGENT #22 (Dark Horse - July 2008) that I did with writer/inker Hilary Barta. He and I will be working on a couple other projects that will be published shortly.

The recession has already affected publishers, creators and readers. It will continue to do so for some time to come. When readers have less spending money, they cut back on their purchases which hits publishers who are employing the writers, artists, etc. It hits everyone along the line. During a time of economic restrain, publishers are less willing to take chances on new or experimental titles, so there's likely to be fewer options for readers. The good news is that it won't last forever and eventually new titles and new companies will replace the ones we are currently losing.

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   Monday, December 15, 2008  
Sequential Holiday Wish List: Diana Tamblyn

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/15/2008 01:13:00 AM
skim floppy cover tamaki
Our next Holiday Wish List comes from cartoonist Diana Tamblyn. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey.

1. Name: Diana Tamblyn

I'm currently working on a full-length graphic novel entitled: "From Earth to Babylon: The Story of Gerald Bull and the Supergun". It's a historical biography based on the life of Canadian Gerald Bull - considered to be one of the most brilliant scientists of the twentieth century.

I'm going to be working on this for a few long years, but am looking to release a mini-comic of the first chapter for TCAF 2009.

2. What was the overall best book published in 2008? (comix/graphic novel/manga/strip/history/webcomic/floppy/etc)

It's hard to pick just one, so I am going to pick a few that cover off different categories.

Favourite overall graphic novel
Notes for a War Story - Gipi

Yes, I don't think this came out this year, but I read it this year, so I'm counting it. I find the whole First Second line-up is extremely strong with very few misses in their whole catalogue. Of their entire catalogue, this is my favourite though.

I bought it at Mocca at the behest of publisher Mark Siegel and it completely blew me away on all levels. I wasn't familiar with Italian artist Gipi, but his storytelling and artwork is fantastic and refreshing. Anything I try to say to describe it would be a disservice to the book as it is so subtle and smart by an artist who is clearly a master in the genre. This is one of those books that I will be pulling off my bookshelf and looking at several times a year. I loved it!

Favourite Art Book
Fables: Covers by James Jean

I recently picked this up at my local comic store, and I have to say it's stunning. It collects all of Jean's covers on the book in an oversized hardcover with beautiful production to it.

The best part is it shows thumbnails of his process from pencils to full-rendered finished piece. It also gives information on the media he used -ballpoint pen on oil? Crazy!

I also found it interesting to see that Jean started mostly using traditional media - pencils, acrylics, and as time went on he started using digital media more and more while the overall look stays the same. The only bad thing about this book is how untalented I feel flipping through it. I heard that when Eric Clapton saw Jimi Hendrix live in concert, he went home and cried because he knew he could never be that good. This book kind of makes me feel like that...


Favourite Super-Hero graphic novel/Guilty Pleasure

Superman & the Legion of Super-Heroes GN - Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

OK, I can hear some of you groaning out there, but I really loved this kick-start of the Superman books by Johns and Frank. This multi-issue storyline had a fun, intergalactic super-hero story, the Legion and fantastic art. Plus, you didn't have to read a big crossover in order to get the whole story.

What more could you ask for in a super-hero book? I'll tell you what - the Legion of Substitute Heroes! I LOVE the subs. Call me a nerd it's true. My favourite subs are Polar Boy and Night Girl and they both play key appearances in the story. Yay! Add to all of this, Gary Frank's great artwork and the fact that his version of Superman looks just like Chris Reeve and you have one great super-hero story on your hands.

2. Best Canadian book?

Skim - by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

I picked this up years ago in comic book format when it was put out as a one-shot by Kiss Machine Presents. It had a really striking cover that really got your attention. Apparently it got publisher Emily Pohl-Weary into some hot water too, as some book stores refused to carry it since it had a swear word on the cover (Kiss Machine and Kiss Machine Presents are distributed in bookstores across Canada). I still have great fondness for this cover. I like it better than the graphic novel version in fact.

I wasn't familiar with the work of either Mariko, or Jillian, but the comic really blew me away! When the full-length graphic novel of it came out I read it with eager anticipation. Sure enough, it didn't disappoint. The storytelling was crisper than the comic version and Jillian re-drew pretty much the whole thing. At MOCCA, I was trying to get everyone who came by my booth to take a look at Skim (as Jillian and Mariko also had a booth at the show).

Both completely deserve all the accolades they got for this book. This very nearly got my vote as overall best book of the year.

7. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult woman 18-100?

Skim - for all the reasons mentioned above
V for Vendetta - a classic that a lot of non-comic readers respond to, especially since the movie came out.
Why I Hate Saturn - Kyle Baker
This is one of my all time favourite graphic novels, and is one of my go-to books to recommend to friends who don't read comics.
I've lent it out a bunch of times, and people do't like to give it back, so I've bought it at least 3 times now. It's laugh out loud funny, and so relatable in the relationship between the characters.

8. What 2008 comic would you recommend for an adult man 18-100?

Criminal - Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
A really great noir comic. It's just so good. Storytelling and artwork are terrific and I like that it exists in its own world. You don't need to buy any other related books to know what's going on.

I buy it in comic book format as every issue has interesting back-up articles on film noir and pulp fiction by famous writers and directors. It's usually accompanied by a nice Phillips double-page spread. These bonus features aren't reprinted in the trades.

9. What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?

I've been wanting this for a while - I'd like to get Blake Bell's Stranger and Stranger book about Steve Ditko.

10. Was 2008 a good year for comics? Was it a good year for you? What effect will this recession thing have?

I think in terms of the quality of work - yes. I know I bought a lot of comics that I read and enjoyed. For me it was also a good year. I quit my full-time job, and moved to London, Ont from Toronto. The move has been great for the whole family and I have been able to spend more time on my artwork and comics!

I know publishing wise, a few companies went out of business and layoffs are happening at big and large firms - which is disturbing, especially at the big book publishers. I remain hopeful though. There are a lot of great artists in the comic book field, and I believe long-time the form will come through this recession (maybe a little leaner and meaner though).

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   Saturday, December 13, 2008  
December 22: Monkeytown Comix Jam

:: Posted by max @ 12/13/2008 03:23:00 PM
Co: facebook

Monkeytown Comix December Jam
Show Up! Bring a Pen! Draw Comix n' Stuff!

C'est le Monkeytown Comix Jam:

Monday, December 22 at the Laundromat (corner St.-George and Cameron.)

Les jams commencent vers 19h/ Jams start around 7pm.

Jams are kid-friendly (accompanied by legal guardians) from 7pm to about 9pm. After that, we kind of become a bad influence what with the potty mouth and the questionable taste and stuff...

Les mineurs sont bienvenus (lorsque leurs gardiens legaux les accompagnent) jusqu'a 21h.


Monday, December 22, 2008
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Laundromat Espresso Bar
Street: 382B rue St-George, (coin de rue Cameron, à côté de La Guitare)
City/Town: Moncton, NB

Email:monkeytowncomixjam@yahoo.com

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   Friday, December 12, 2008  
Publishing: Imagination contre les pigeons sp@mmeurs

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/12/2008 03:56:00 AM


Imagination contre les pigeons sp@mmeurs : histoires quotidiennes peu ordinaires /
by Christ Oliver, et al
Vermillon, 2008.
ISBN 978-1-897058-77-0

details here

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   Thursday, December 11, 2008  
Weekly Bestsellers: December 10

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/11/2008 03:00:00 PM
bookmanager logo

The Top 30 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 30 overall and (at the bottom) the top 30 by Canadian creators. See here for last week's list.

Top 30 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada

1. (1) Watchmen, Moore/Gibbons (DC)
2. (2) Fruits Basket 21, Takaya Natsuki (Tokyopop)
3. (4) Garfield Spills the Beans, Jim Davis (Random House)
4. (3) Naruto 32, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
5. (-) Bleach 24, Tite Kubo (VIZ)
6. (10) Marvel Chronicle, Tom DeFalco (DK)
7. (6) Naruto 31, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
8. (7) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
9. (23) Louis Riel, Brown (D+Q)
10. (9) Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 19, Clamp (Random House)
-----
11. (8) Simpsons Comics Dollars To Donuts, Groening et al (Harpercollins)
12. (11) Che, Rodriguez/Buhle (Verso)
13. (27) Death Note 1, Ohba/Obata (VIZ)
14. (-) Bionicle 1, Elliott/Farshtey (St. Martin's)
15. (15) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
16. (12) V for Vendetta, Moore/Lloyd (DC)
17. (13) Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl Adventure 2, Shigekatsu Ihara (VIZ)
18. (19) 30 Years of Laughs & Lasagna, Jim Davis (Random House)
19. (25) Bionicle 2: Challenge of the Rahkshi! Elliott/Farshtey (St. Martin's)
20. (-) Marvel Encyclopedia (DK)
-----
21. (14) Simpsons Treehouse Horror, Groening et al (HarperCollins)
22. (-) Daniel X Alien Hunter, Patterson/Gout/Lyngeled (Little, Brown)
23. (30) Persepolis 1, Satrapi (Pantheon)
24. (16) Naruto 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
25. (-) Asterix the Gaul, Goscinny/Uderzo (Orion)
26. (-) Maus 1, Spiegelman (Knopf)
27. (20) The Joker (Hardcover), Azzarello/Bermejo (DC)
28. (-) Vampire Knight 1, Matsuri Hino (VIZ)
29. (-) Dilbert: This Is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value, Adams (Andrews McMeel)
30. (-) Red: The Heroic Rescue, Ted Dekker (Thomas Nelson)


Standard explanation: The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. This week: More perennial faves like Asterix start taking up more space, and new annual collections of popular strip and cartoon show comics (Dilbert) start showing up on more people's radar.

In total, BookManager lists over 4000 graphic novels, trades, and strip collections. It is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Lynda Barry to Wolverine duke it out, and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200. This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where our Canadian Top 30 comes from:

Sequential's All-Canadian Top 30 from BookManager

1. (1) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
2. (2) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
3. (3) Louis Riel, Chester Brown (D+Q)
4. (6) Big Foot, Graham Roumieu (Plume)
5. (5) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
6. (6) The Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
7. (-) Ojingogo, Matt Forsythe (D+Q)
8. (33) Drop-In, Dave Lapp (Conundrum)
9. (8) It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken, Seth (D+Q)
9. (7) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
10. (14) Hall of Best Knowledge, Ray Fenwick (Fantagraphics)
-----
11. (15) The New Frontier 1, Darwyn Cooke (DC)
12. (18) Essex County 1: Tales from the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
13. (19) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al, (DC/Minx)
14. (22) Strange and Stranger, Blake Bell (Fanta)
15. (21) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
16. (9) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
17. (30) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
18. (-) the great hopeful someday, Elizabeth Belliveau (Conundrum)
19. (10) Dramacon Ultimate Edition, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
20. (13) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
-----
21. (12) Last Straw, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel
22. (25) Rex Libris: I, Librarian, James Turner (Slave Labor Graphics)
23. (26) Middle Age Spread, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
24. (28) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
25. (29) Graphic Witness: Four Wordless Graphic Novels, George A Walker ed (Firefly)
26. (17) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
27. (-) Pohadky, Colek (D+Q)
28. (-) 363 Days, Julie Doucet (D+Q)
29. (-) There Goes My Baby, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
30. (-) Witness My Shame, Shary Boyle (Conundrum)

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Tonite: Kramers 7 Signing, Toronto

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/11/2008 01:09:00 AM

Kramer's Ergot #7 Event and Signing
Thursday December 11th, 2008, 7PM-10PM
918 Bathurst Street (Former Buddhist Temple)
1 Block North of Bathurst TTC
http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=30811628299
FREE

The latest, giant-sized, U.S. art comics anthology supreme Kramer's Ergot has just been released and a special event featuring many of the cartoonists involved has been organized by the Beguiling in Toronto. Editor Sammy Harkham, publisher Alvin Buenaventura, and a gang of U.S. cartooning cohorts (plus locals Shary Boyle and Seth) will be interviewed by Peter Birkemoe and then sign books.

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   Tuesday, December 09, 2008  
The C-List: Comics Links

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/09/2008 02:30:00 PM
-The Vancouver Province Province reveals the results of its reader poll for new strips.

-The Collected Doug Wright now available for pre-order: Sure to be the publishing event of 2009!

-New book of strips: Nature Calls by Berry Wijdeven (Epic Press, ISBN 978-1-55452-332-0 : $16.95).

-The Comic Book Bin has the press release for Canadian manga publisher Udon signing with online webcomics folks Crunchyroll.

-Missed it: Eric Braun launched a new b.d., Mondo Loco, along with a collective exhibit at USINE 106U : 160 Roy Est, Montreal last week.

-The man who took Ezra Leveant to the Alberta Human Rights Commission over the publication of the Danish Mohammed cartoons has ironically started a free speech organization.

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Tonite: Kramer's Ergot Signing, Montreal

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/09/2008 03:00:00 AM

quote: "Wrap your head around this: Sammy Harkham, Ron Rege Jr, Kevin Huizenga, Souther Salazar, John Pham, and CF will all be at the D+Q Librairie at 211 Bernard thus Tuesday night to sign the massive Kramer's Ergot 7."

December 9, 7:30PM
Montreal, Quebec
At the D+Q Store!

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   Monday, December 08, 2008  
Publishing: Contes et legendes du Quebec

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/08/2008 05:00:00 AM

I'm not sure, but I think this is the first publication of the new Glenat Quebec label since the publisher, the comics subsidiary of French giant Hachette, set up shop as a separate imprint in Quebec. The book is an anthology of horror stories featuring young artists selected by a jury of prominent cartoonists, writers, and comics retailers, along with the publisher, Christian Chevirer. See details here.


Contes et legendes du Quebec
by various (Jean-Sebastien Berube, Patrick Boutin-Gagne, Francois Lapierre, Daniel Lafrance, Normand Gregoire, Olivier Carpentier, Gautier Langevin, Gabriel Champagne, Serge Brouillet)
Glenat Quebec
$19.95
49 pages
November 2008
ISBN : 9782923621098


a trailer for the book is available on youtube

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   Friday, December 05, 2008  
Sunday: Mariko Tamaki in Guelph

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/05/2008 02:38:00 AM
Comics to Watch Out For
Featuring Mariko Tamaki, Douglas Davey, Jen Stewart and Amy Chop
Sunday December 7th, 2008 2pm-4pm
Ebar, 41 Quebec St., Guelph Ontario
$5-$10 suggested donation

The Dragon comic book store in Guelph and Out On The Shelf Queer Library and Resource Centre are proud to present "Comics to Watch Out For". This day-long fundraiser for Out On The Shelf will feature:

Author Mariko Tamaki, reading from her graphic novels SKIM and EMIKO SUPERSTAR.
Librarian Douglas Davey, presenting on The History of Queer Comics and Graphic Novels Comics Retailers Jen Stewart and Amy Chop, presenting on Women And Comic Books

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   Thursday, December 04, 2008  
Tonite: Jobnik! in Seattle

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/04/2008 03:22:00 PM

Jobnik! cartoonist Miriam Libicki presents a comic reading/slideshow in Seattle, WA
Thursday, December 04
Hillel UW
4745 17th Ave, Seattle
7-8PM
details

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Weekly Bestsellers: December 4

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/04/2008 01:00:00 PM
bookmanager logo

The Top 30 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 30 overall and (at the bottom) the top 30 by Canadian creators. See here for last week's list.

Top 30 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada

1. (1) Watchmen, Moore/Gibbons (DC)
2. (2) Fruits Basket 21, Takaya Natsuki (Tokyopop)
3. (3) Naruto 32, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
4. (6) Garfield Spills the Beans, Jim Davis (Random House)
5. (-) Bleach 24, Tite Kubo (VIZ)
6. (5) Naruto 31, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
7. (6) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
8. (24) Simpsons Comics Dollars To Donuts, Groening et al (Harpercollins)
9. (12) Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 19, Clamp (Random House)
10. (7) Marvel Chronicle, Tom DeFalco (DK)
-----
11. (11) Che, Rodriguez/Buhle (Verso)
12. (19) V for Vendetta, Moore/Lloyd (DC)
13. (13) Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl Adventure 2, Shigekatsu Ihara (VIZ)
14. (9) Simpsons Treehouse Horror, Groening et al (HarperCollins)
15. (8) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
16. (-) Naruto 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
17. (-) Asterix/Falling Sky, Uderzo (Orion)
18. (10) Chibi Vampire 11, Yuna Kagesaki (Tokyopop)
19. (27) 30 Years of Laughs & Lasagna, Jim Davis (Random House)
20. (23) The Joker (Hardcover), Azzarello/Bermejo (DC)
-----
21. (17) Vampire Knight 5, Matsuri Hino (VIZ)
22. (14) Fullmetal Alchemist 17, Hiromu Arakawa (VIZ)
23. (-) Louis Riel, Brown (D+Q)
24. (-) The Potpourrific Great Big Grab Bag of Get Fuzzy, Darby Conley (Andrews McMeel)
25. (-) Bionicle 2: Challenge of the Rahkshi! Elliott/Farshtey (St. Martin's)
26. (-) Death Note 4, Ohba/Obata (VIZ)
27. (15) Death Note 1, Ohba/Obata (VIZ)
28. (-) Asterix in Britain, Goscinny/Uderzo (Orion)
29. (-) Naruto 2, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ)
30. (18) Complete Persepolis, Satrapi (Knopf)

The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. This week, the latest Bleach installment debuts at #5, perennial faves like Asterix start taking up more space, and new annual collections of popular strip and cartoon show comics (The Simpsons) start showing up on more people's radar.

In total, BookManager lists over 4000 graphic novels, trades, and strip collections. It is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Maus (#46) to Lynda Barry (#50) to Moomin (#150) duke it out, and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200. This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where our Canadian Top 30 comes from:

Sequential's All-Canadian Top 30 from BookManager

1. (1) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
2. (2) Skim, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
3. (3) Louis Riel, Chester Brown (D+Q)
4. (6) Big Foot, Graham Roumieu (Plume)
5. (5) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
6. (4) The Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
7. (9) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
8. (7) It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken, Seth (D+Q)
9. (8) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
10. (10) Dramacon Ultimate Edition, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
-----

11. (11) Milk Teeth, Julie Morstad (D+Q)
12. (-) Last Straw, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
13. (-) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
14. (-) Hall of Best Knowledge, Ray Fenwick (Fantagraphics)
15. (26) The New Frontier 1, Darwyn Cooke (DC)
16. (27) Paul Goes Fishing, Michel Rabagliati (D+Q)
17. (12) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
18. (13) Essex County 1: Tales from the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
19. (14) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al, (DC/Minx)
20. (16) Emiko Superstar, Mariko Tamaki/Steve Rolston (DC/Minx)
-----
21. (15) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni)
22. (-) Strange and Stranger, Blake Bell (Fanta)
24. (17) Dramacon 3, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
25. (18) Rex Libris: I, Librarian, James Turner (Slave Labor Graphics)
26. (19) Middle Age Spread, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
27. (20) Dramacon 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop)
28. (21) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
29. (22) Graphic Witness: Four Wordless Graphic Novels, George A Walker ed (Firefly)
30. (23) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)

Not seen: Drop-In by Dave Lapp (Conundrum) debuts at #33 on the Canadian list. As well, I haven't been including KRAZY! on this list. It's the book of the exhibit from the Vancouver Art Gallery (edited by Bruce Grenville, published by Douglas & McIntyre) and would rank somewhere around #7 on the all-Canadian list (#205 overall) if it wasn't essentially an art book (or, at best, an international anthology with some essays). The book's overall sales rank puts it just above How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.

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Tonite: C-Ton Book Launch

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/04/2008 02:33:00 AM



Clayton Hamner's Christmas Party and Book Launch!
Featuring C-Ton's Super A-Maze-Ing Year Of Crazy Comics, from Owlkids.
Thursday December 4, 6pm to 9:30pm
@ Reactor Art & Design, 51 Camden St., Main Floor
http://cton.ca

Owl Magazine's Clayton Hamner launches his new kids collection "C-Ton's Super A-Maze-Ing Year Of Crazy Comics" at a Christmas Party, .

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Sequential Holiday Wish List: Kurt Beaulieu

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/04/2008 01:04:00 AM

Our first Holiday Wish List come's from Montreal cartoonist Kurt Beaulieu. Readers are encouraged to send Sequential their own responses to our survey.

Kurt Beaulieu

http://www.comicspace.com/kurtbeaulieu/

What was the best book published in 2008?

Not a book, but what i think is one of the best thing i've seen this year:Hitmen For Destiny:
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/thorsby/destiny/toc.php


What 2008 comic would you recommend for adult readers (men and women)?

To both, the Albert Chartier recent compilation.

What comic would you most like to receive as a gift?

Some expensive book that i couldn't afford, so i would take the latest Kramer's Ergot


Was 2008 a good year for comics?

As far as the Quebec scene goes, yes it was.

Was it a good year for you?

A bit of a status quo situation going, but the pile keeps growing.


What effect will this recession thing have?

The collected work of obscure eastern european cartoonists won't be published...

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   Wednesday, December 03, 2008  
First Link Dump of the Month

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/03/2008 01:17:00 PM

Some quick links about comics and cartooning in Canada:

  • Attempt to ban Tintin in Peterborough: Tintin in America targeted for depicting "aboriginal people in a 'stereotypical and offensive' way."
  • Reminder: Dave Lapp and Chester Brown in T.O. tonite.
  • Von Allan interviewed about "art, comics, trying to get better, Diamond, mental illness and a few other odds and ends."
  • Milo has a thorough report from the Toronto Fall Comicon.
  • The Walrus has a two-art interview with Lynda Barry here and here.
  • Tom Spurgeon interviews comics writer Kathryn Immonen on her Hell-Cat miniseries for Marvel and the serialized graphic novels she produces online with her husband.
  • Faith Erin Hicks is profiled by her hometwon (Milton) paper and talks about her new graphic novel, The War at Ellesmere's.

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Sequential Reports: Chris Ware

:: Posted by Bryan @ 12/03/2008 01:00:00 AM

Some blurry images from Chris Ware's appearance at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture in Cambridge, Ontario this past Saturday. Ware presented his short film, done in collaboration with Ira Glass, about Tim Samuelson's efforts to save the buildings of Louis Sullivan in Chicago. Ware also presented a slideshow of his working methods and talked a bit about what he was attempting to do with his art and his use of buildings and architecture. Later, Ware was joined onstage by Seth and the two were interviewed by Jeet Heer while the event was filmed by the intrusive and distracting cameras of the NFB. Heer gamely tried to keep on the topic of architecture while the discussion ranged widely and the two cartoonists talked about their efforts to control story pacing and emotional response to their comics. Hi-lights include Ware's assertion that Charlie Brown was the first American comic strip character to evoke empathy (to cries of 'Walt and Skeezix' and 'Wimpy' from the other participants --and a muttered "What about Little Orphan Annie?" from your humble scribe). In a discussion of religion and the god-like role of cartoonists, Ware humourously compared the creation of "superhero comics for adults" to "writing pornography for children." The 150-seat lecture hall was about 1/2 full with a lively crowd (including at least one Mies van der Rohe defender) who braved the snow and cold to turn out for this afternoon event in a beautiful, if under-construction, downtown. Rumour has it that the day concluded with the two cartoonists, accompanied by Chester Brown, making a pilgrimage to Sullivan's Guaranty Building (now known as The Prudential Building) in Buffalo, NY.


Bonus: Jeet Heer's blog features some actual clear photos from the event.

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