I've been working for two weeks on the latest Link Dump, and thought a teaser might buy me a little time to sort out two months worth of Hernandez awesomity.
Next big thing link:
The L.A. TIMES BOOK PRIZE "Graphic Novel" category winner will be announced this Friday (4-23), according to this report by Callie Miller. The nominees are also listed:
1) LUBA hardcover Gilbert Hernandez
2) GOGO MONSTER Taiyo Matsumoto
3) ASTERIOS POLYP David Mazzucchelli
4) SCOTT PILGRIM Volume 5 Bryan Lee O'Malley
5) FOOTNOTES IN GAZA Joe Sacco
Smackdown spotlight links:
Tim Hodler reviews THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ by Todd Hignite, and the greatest comment thread in the history of the Fantagraphics Production crew ensues. Jacob Covey and Adam Grano (co-workers of TAOJH book designer Jordan Crane), Fantagraphics Co-Publisher Kim Thompson, and Abrams ComicArts executive editor Charlie Kochman, and a cast of dozens discuss design in comics-themed books in more depth than ever thought possible. Fascinating discussion by some folks you don't usually hear from.
Marc Sobel responds at "Trouble With Comics" to Tim Holder's article. I like Marc's efforts on the Hernandez Brothers, and with THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ now released to the general public it seems like a good time to revisit this discussion.
Speaking-of-Jordan-Crane link:
Jordan Crane posted the first portion of Jaime's 2002 mini-comic DEATH TALES 1, the rest is to be posted 4-28. This looks to be a limited edition comic from San Diego Comicon, or some similar event.
Calling All Academics link:
Gene Kannenberg reports on a call for papers from guest editors Christopher Gonzalez and Derek Parker Royal for a special Hernandez Brothers tribute issue of the publication "ImageTexT."
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Review: BART SIMPSON 52
SIMPSONS COMICS PRESENTS: BART SIMPSON 52 (Bongo Comics, February 2010)
"Homer Simpson: Chick Magnet" 12 pages
GILBERT HERNANDEZ: writer/artist
ALLAN HELLARD: colorist
KAREN BATES: letterer
BILL MORRISON: editor
MIKE ROTE: staff artist
Gilbert Hernandez returns for a second time to the Simpsons universe, following 2008's "Homerstein Conquers the World" in TREEHOUSE OF HORROR 14. This story tracks the journey back home of Homer and Bart from the forbidden donut shop. When Bart tries to bribe another comic from his Dad, he throws the comic into the trash. It's retrieved surreptitiously by Bart, and stashed in Homer's back pocket. Gilbert turns the comic into one of his "magical object" plot devices. The boys walk is interrupted constantly by beautiful women mistaking Homer for a TV star or lost love. Then Homer begins to think he has some kind of newfound effect on women, and has Bart pick out one on which to test his supposed animal magnetism. This works all too well as Homer is lovingly mangled by a very butch-looking gal. Bart is left holding the comic book after the melee when a little red-haired girl says "hi" to him. A nonplussed Bart shoves the comic back into Homer's back pocket, whereupon they are chased down the sidewalk by a horde of crazed women. Bart quickly throws the comic at the stampede and the ladies lose all interest in the chase. Leading Bart to conclude, "A man with a comic book attracts a woman like nothing else[...]." I enjoyed this rare opportunity to see Gilbert's work in color, as well as his take on the Simpsons character's. However, one review I read found the story hard to understand. This may be true for some folks as Gilbert paces his stories like almost no one else. The story is basically just a father and son walk with the magic comic thrown in as the action instigator. If more creators were able to tell a story with the less-is-more template, I think there would be more comics that children would want to read. In closing, I hope to see more of Gilbert in future Simpsons comics, if editor Bill Morrison sees fit. -Gary Usher
"Homer Simpson: Chick Magnet" 12 pages
GILBERT HERNANDEZ: writer/artist
ALLAN HELLARD: colorist
KAREN BATES: letterer
BILL MORRISON: editor
MIKE ROTE: staff artist
Gilbert Hernandez returns for a second time to the Simpsons universe, following 2008's "Homerstein Conquers the World" in TREEHOUSE OF HORROR 14. This story tracks the journey back home of Homer and Bart from the forbidden donut shop. When Bart tries to bribe another comic from his Dad, he throws the comic into the trash. It's retrieved surreptitiously by Bart, and stashed in Homer's back pocket. Gilbert turns the comic into one of his "magical object" plot devices. The boys walk is interrupted constantly by beautiful women mistaking Homer for a TV star or lost love. Then Homer begins to think he has some kind of newfound effect on women, and has Bart pick out one on which to test his supposed animal magnetism. This works all too well as Homer is lovingly mangled by a very butch-looking gal. Bart is left holding the comic book after the melee when a little red-haired girl says "hi" to him. A nonplussed Bart shoves the comic back into Homer's back pocket, whereupon they are chased down the sidewalk by a horde of crazed women. Bart quickly throws the comic at the stampede and the ladies lose all interest in the chase. Leading Bart to conclude, "A man with a comic book attracts a woman like nothing else[...]." I enjoyed this rare opportunity to see Gilbert's work in color, as well as his take on the Simpsons character's. However, one review I read found the story hard to understand. This may be true for some folks as Gilbert paces his stories like almost no one else. The story is basically just a father and son walk with the magic comic thrown in as the action instigator. If more creators were able to tell a story with the less-is-more template, I think there would be more comics that children would want to read. In closing, I hope to see more of Gilbert in future Simpsons comics, if editor Bill Morrison sees fit. -Gary Usher
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
New Books from the Hernandez Brothers
Hello, sorry for the long lapses between posts, family matters and a lack of cat pictures to fill up space all contributed.
All of Jaime and Gilbert's books that we have been waiting patiently for have been released in the last few weeks (and a suprise from Gilbert and Homer):
PENNY CENTURY publisher page
HIGH-SOFT LISP publishers page
THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ publishers page
All of Jaime and Gilbert's books that we have been waiting patiently for have been released in the last few weeks (and a suprise from Gilbert and Homer):
PENNY CENTURY publisher page
HIGH-SOFT LISP publishers page
THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ publishers page
BART SIMPSON 52 mycomicshop.com page
I'm leaning toward buying the first three in a package deal from amazon.com for a little over $50, here's a link to one of the books for sale on amazon that lists the deal.
We had a question from Matt in the comments section quite a while back that I will try to answer now: "I'm trying to figure out if I should get LOCAS II of PENNY CENTURY or both. Any idea what the difference is between the two collections?"
Remember that those great hardcovers like LOCAS and LOCAS II do not reprint every strip by Jaime from LOVE AND ROCKETS Volumes One and Two. If you aren't picky about that I would recommend the hardcover LOCAS II, as it reprints all under one cover most of LOCAS IN LOVE, DICKS AND DEEDEES, GHOST OF HOPPERS, and THE EDUCATION OF HOPEY GLASS. The softcover PENNY CENTURY volume will include the WHOA NELLIE graphic novel that does not appear in LOCAS II, and the eventual follow-up to this volume will include the rest of the stories appearing in LOCAS II. I'm also thinking that "La Maggie la Loca" and "Gold Diggers of 1969" from LOVE AND ROCKETS Volume Two #20 are not in the LOCAS II hardcover.
This is all vaguely confusing, so here are links to the contents pages of the two books so you will be able to see side by side which stories are in which book (you might have to click on "table of contents" in the "look inside" feature of these two sales pages):
PENNY CENTURY title page
LOCAS II title page one/page two
All artwork (c)2010 Jaime Hernandez or Gilbert Hernandez
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