Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: Marble Season


The big news since the last post is Gilbert publishing a future book with Canadian publisher Drawn & Quarterly. Drawn and Quarterly 1, Drawn and Quarterly 2 (above image via this link), The Comics Reporter, Comic Book Resources 1, 2, Digital Spy, Internet Movie Database, The Beat. Tumblr posts: nebraska-admiral; mepresta; librairiedrawnandquarterly; and, entrecomics. Twitter blew up over the news, rather than link to what is basically the same sentiment retweeted ad infinitum, here is a list of people and entities that retweeted the news from D&Q and The Comics Reporter and others: Forbidden Planet International, Gert Meesters, Bryan Munn, John Linton Roberson, Russell Fox, Willdaves Machado, Chris Mautner, Entrecomics, Evan Harrison Cass, Box Brown, Vince Bonavoglia, Walter Biggins, Domitille Collardey, Christopher "Coop" Cooper, Gram M. Sigerdsawn, Heidi MacDonald, Eric Orchard, Ed Brubaker, Matthew J. Brady, Sequential, Jim Dougan, Dylan Horrocks, SMKFandom, Page 45, Graham Palm, Portal GHQ, Alexandre Nagado, Mohamed Namaka, Milena Azevedo, Robot 6, Nina Lords, Publisher Guide, Dirk Deppey, Comicbook.com, bestsellbooks, Kiana Wehinger, and Kirsten Harper.
Congratulations to Gilbert Hernandez for finding another outlet for his prolific output, and, yet again, expanding the scope of his work. Some people have been suprised that MARBLE SEASON is not being published by Fantagraphics Books. Please remember Joe Sacco, Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, and Charles Burns have had projects published at (or gravitated toward) Drawn & Quarterly after long publishing relationships with Fantagraphics. It is only logical that as Fantagraphics Books develops it's art book, classic comics strip reprint, and text novel lines that some of these graphic novel projects will be picked up by other quality publishers like D&Q or Abrams. It's good news that there are more quality graphic novels being produced today than only a couple of publishers can handle.
While waiting for MARBLE SEASON folks new to Gilbert's work might want to check out his "Kid Stuff Kids" series of one-pagers from LOVE AND ROCKETS V2#6 11 13 14 15 16, all reprinted in LUBA: THREE DAUGHTERS or LUBA hardcover.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 12/6

gossip: Michael Dooley reports on the Long Beach Comic & Horror Con and reveals where Jaime shops for comics.
gossip: Jamie McKelvie tweets that Jaime Hernandez is left-handed.
biography: NationMaster page on Gilbert Hernandez (interesting, but don't click any links).
not Jaime: But wouldn't it be cool if Jaime was the best comic book artist AND polka musician.
twitter: Jerry G tweet reviews that PALOMAR hardcover.
twitter: Lindsey Denmark tweet buys that chub HEARTBREAK SOUP collection.
twitter: Nicolas Pillai tweet buys the same, for a good reason.
twitter: Tor Ame Hegna comments on PW description of Gilbert. I, personally, think Gilbert Hernandez is the Gilbert Hernandez of comics, completely unique in every way.
twitter: Mark Frauenfelder tweet links (twinks?) to a Jordan Crane print of the cover to LOVE AND ROCKETS V1#24, or he would have if the link worked.
twitter: Gibson Twist shout out to artistic influences Evan Dorkin, Jaime, and Dan DeCarlo.
twitter: I just wanted to type @theseantcollins, though this tweet does reference Jaime.
twitter: Dustin Falconer and Sean T. Collins are having the sort of conversation you only used to be able to overhear at a comic book shop.
twitter: Salvador Munoz links to Jaime's illustrations for the Criterion dvd DIVORCE, ITALIAN STYLE.
twitter: Chris Doherty links to another Jordan Crane post of Jaime's work this time that "Ghoul Man" mini-comic.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 11/28

exhibition: Giant Robot's seventh annual "Post its" show again features a contribution by Jaime. Show runs 12-10 through 12-29.
essay: Derek A Badman ponders "What Makes a Comic Great?" and includes Jaime's "Locas" as one general example at the end.
illustration: silez + ukuk, on tumblr, post an amazing full-figure woman wrestler drawing by Jaime.
influences: comics alliance has a portfolio of work by Adam Huntley who cites Jaime as an influence.
lists: Michael Cavna @ The Washington Post calls for nominations for the best comics of 2011, he mentions LRNS#4 as an example.
tumblr: Dry The Rain (liz velrene?) posts a very early Love and Rockets Volume 1 cover, which is loved by many, many others on the net.
academia: "Comics and Graphic Storytelling: A Sample Syllabus" by Harry Jenkins, includes "Heartbreak Soup" and "100 Rooms" as course work.
original art: Albert Moy displays some nice early Volume 1 pages by Gilbert.
original art: So, page one of Gilbert's "Heartbreak Soup" is on display above, while here we have Scott Eder on eBay selling page 17! Check out the never before published page on the back of the original art.
ebay: I've never seen this Maggie & Hopey t-shirt before, very cool and color too.
twitter: Kathryn tweet review of Jaime's contribution to CBGB
twitter: Salma tweet review of Jaime's Maggie the Mechanic chub collection
twitter: PAblo Uatu links to a post of the Jaime cd cover "Flaming Burnout: An Estrus Benefit"
twitter: Chan Clementine, a Brit Love and Rockets fan evidently, enthuses about The Art of Jaime Hernandez.
twitter: Chan Clementine doesn't know who Jaime is but likes his art anyway, I've been there also about 25 years ago.
twitter: Doctor Comics links to an academic essay by Tony Venezia "California Gothic: Jaime Hernandez's Ghost of Hoppers."
twitter: Alex Segura (Executive Director of Publicity and Marketing for Archie Comics) links to his posting of the covers to Love and Rockets Volume 1 1-9.
twitter: Johnny Gabes hates Gilbert's "Scarlet by Starlight" in LRNS#4. Go for it!
twitter: Jeff Newelt recommends Gilbert's YEAH! collection.

Friday, November 18, 2011

New and Upcoming Jaime and Gilbert Books

LOVE AND ROCKETS LIBRARY: THE LOCAS COLLECTION is a boxed set of five 7.5 x 9.25 inch collections of Jaime's work from "Love and Rockets Volume One and Two" "Penny Century" and "Whoa Nellie." A great way to quickly access most of Jaime's Locas stories, on sale by the way.
THE ADVENTURES OF VENUS (June 2012, Fantagraphics Spring/Summer distributor catalog) reprints all the previously uncollected "Venus" stories from Gilbert's late, lamented "Measles" anthology. Includes a new "Venus" story. 104 page 7 x 7 inch hardcover.
GOD AND SCIENCE: RETURN OF THE TI-GIRLS (July 2012, Fantagraphics Spring/Summer distributor catalog) reprints the "Ti-Girls" stories from "Love and Rockets New Stories 1 + 2" as well as an astonishing 30-new pages of stories and covers. 144 page full-size hardcover.
FBI-MINI #4 "Before Love and Rockets" (available now) is a premium mini-comic you can request when ordering any "Love and Rockets" book. It contains several late 70s/1980 era posters by Jaime and an "Inez" story by Gilbert, originally published in "Love and Rockets Sketchbook Volume 1." (from THE FANTAGRAPHICS ULTIMATE CATALOG OF COMICS Winter 2012)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The L&M Reader's Guide to Love and Rockets

For those who like "Ti-Girls Adventures Number 34" try:
Jaime's "Maggie vs. Maniakk" in LOVE AND ROCKETS #3 (1983) is a hilarious fantasy in which Maggie finds Ultimax on skid row and becomes his sidekick, G0-G0 Girl. They finally go into battle with Maniakk and Ultimax prevails, sort of. The great part about this story (apart from the insane art!) is it's told by Maggie to a group of her friends, and each has their own reaction to Maggie's tale.
For those who want to read early Jaime, but are put off by sci-fi elements of "Mechanics" try:
One of Jaime's early epics was "100 Rooms" in LOVE AND ROCKETS #4 (1983) about Maggie and Hoppy staying with Penny Century in H.R. Costigan's mansion, ostensibly so Maggie can borrow some money for her dream boots. The main feature is of course Jaime's awesome party sequence, peopled with all sorts of odd creatures and some superheroes. This story is very character driven like later "Locas" stories, with Maggie having an affair with a mysterious man, but declaring her love for Hopey at the end of the story. With Jaime's, still developing, sophisticated storytelling we are left with only the expression on Hopey's face (who's hiding around the corner) to figure out her true feelings for Maggie (expanded version page 30, panel 7).
Love and Rockets Volume Two #16 via
For those who like "The Love Bunglers" try:
In LOVE AND ROCKETS VOLUME TWO Ray, for the first time in many years it seems, encounters Maggie at a bar while in pursuit of Frogmouth. Excerpt from "Life Through Whispers" (LRV2 #11 page 2, panels 5 + 6):
"[...]So then, I'm not two feet from the exit and blam! There
it is. My heart jolted but I still managed to make it outside"
"Damn, was it really her? Was it Maggie? Maggie with different
hair? What the hell was she doing here? Well, I know she knows Doyle, but...does
she know Vivian, too? Fuck, did she notice me? She looked right at me! My God,
what's next?"
Ray then very briefly reunites with Maggie through Frogmouth and Angel in the stories "Near Mint" and "Fine to Very Fine" (LRV2#15 and #16). Ray goes to a comics convention with Frogmouth in the first story and runs into Angel and Maggie, the second story continues as Ray spends the evening with Angel and Maggie at a couple of after-con parties. Ray's night ends on a sad notes as he leaves Maggie and goes back into the party (LRV2#16, page 6 panel 4):
"I went back into the party feelin' pretty fuckin' good.
That is, until I realized I never got any contact info from Maggie. In an
instant, I was back to my pissy, cynical self all over again."
And, that's how Jaime left Ray's short encounter with Maggie in LOVE AND ROCKETS VOLUME TWO.
I hope this helps some of you newer readers pick out a quick starting point, as all of Jaime's LOVE AND ROCKETS, WHOA NELLIE, and PENNY CENTURY stories are now in print in those chubby LOVE AND ROCKETS LIBRARY editions. I'll put out future installments of this guide if time or interest warrants.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 10/24

Commentary and Criticism on Jaime in Love and Rockets New Stories 4:
"Your Wednesday Sequence 29/Jaime Hernandez" by Matt Seneca
"Go Read: The Comics Journal Profiles Jaime Hernandez" by Tom Spurgeon
"The Best: Jaime Hernandez's 'The Love Bunglers'" by Dan Nadel
"Frank Santoro and Adrian Tomine on 'The Love Bunglers'" by Frank and Adrian
"Everybody's Talking About Jaime Hernandez and Love and Rockets New Stories #4" by Sean T. Collins
"Quote of the Day: Bad Comics Are the Disease, Jaime Hernandez is the Cure" by Sean T. Collins
"You've Come a Long Way, Jaime..." by Sean T. Collins
Tom Spurgeon comments on the last article
We are taking a break see you sometime in November.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 10/17

ebay: Jaime t-shirt with Damachers image.
tumblr: Gilbert tagged on tumblr. w/some adult images posted.
influences: Adam Pasion cites Gilbert and Love and Rockets as influences on his art.
review: Elizabeth Bird reviews Nursery Rhyme Comics, and I was suprised to see Gilbert contributes to this one, also.
review: Ron Richards @ iFanboy reviews L&RNS 4.
review: Tony Keen @ FA Online reviews L&RNS 4.
Happy Birthday Jaime: DC Women Kicking Ass
twitter: Skyla quotes Gilbert from THE COMICS JOURNAL 178.
twitter: Skyla gives us a link to Jaime's twitter account, for us non-tweets.
twitter: Gilbert's at the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, November 5.
twitter: Xavi Romiro tweet reviews the PALOMAR hardcover
twitter: @bboyspodcast find out Gilbert is nice guy, so much for his chances of getting into Curmudgeon Hall of Fame.
twitter: Aben Maler retweeted by Fantagraphics, my head is spinning.
twitter: streetecnik pictures The Girls From HOPPERS
Original Art Spotlight:
ebay: Gilbert's Iron Man 1 2
Albert Moy Comic Art: Jaime 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
twitpic: squidita posts detail of some "Death of Speedy"-era Jaime art. via FlogBlog

Monday, October 10, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 10/10

image via
Hispanic Heritage Month: Virginia Commonwealth University has been hosting an exhibit of Los Bros Hernandez (Mario, included) publications at their James Branch Cabell Library (it says a display case on the fourth floor, to be exact).
preview: thanks to Comics Alliance here's Jaime's (color!) contribution to First Second's NURSERY RHYME COMICS.
preview: Fantagraphics posts a story from Jaime's ESPERANZA collection on facebook.
shelf porn: Jaime's VILLAGE VOICE cover on Greg Farrell's wall courtesy CBR.
not Jaime Hernandez: I love this gruesome t-shirt design by another artist named Jaime Hernandez.
commentary: Rob Gonsalves at guy.com discusses LOVE & ROCKETS in relation to superhero comics in general and the DC 52.
APE: Eric Reynolds saw Mario Hernandez at the 2011 Alternative Press Expo.
twitter: Tom Spurgeon (Comics Reporter) tweets birthday wishes to JAIME HERNANDEZ (on 10/10 if you're reading this sometime other than today).
twitter: Here's another birthday wish for Jaime, this one from publisher Aben Maler (I can't actually read danish, so here's hoping this isn't an invoice for 52 copies of their new L&R collection).
twitter: Danish publisher Aben Maler has published a collection of Jaime's "Death of Speedy"-era stories. cover pictured above.
twitter: John Schork writes a twitter-review of Gilbert's LUBA hardcover.
twitter: Matt Seneca tweets a link to his in-depth analysis of an early Jaime story, "Hopey."
twitter: Salvador Munoz tweets a link to a very popular photo of Los Bros Hernandez (originally taken by Patrick Rosenkranz?).
Paul Gravett: this is his site for extra information on his 1001 COMICS TO READ BEFORE YOU DIE book, both Jaime and Gilbert are listed in the creators index.
"Comics, Creativity, and Culture : International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives" in Iowa Spotlight:
University of Iowa page with list of all events from the CCCII weekend, includes links to five related articles.
Janice Headley presents a comprehensive rundown of events at and around the University of Iowa this past weekend.
Flickr set of pieces from the "Graphic Language: The Art and Language of Comics" exhibition at the Black Box Theatre in the Iowa Memorial Union.
Samantha Gentry of the Daily Iowan reports Thursday on the comics-related events at UofI.
Jessica Abel tweets from Iowa on October 7.
Jen Shook tweets from Jaime and Gilbert's keynote speech October 8.
more links will be posted in future "links" posts if I come across any.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 10/3

IOWA: A University of Iowa gallery showing of comics art, including work by Gilbert Hernandez, called "Graphic Language: The Art and Literature of Comics" is running at the Black Box Theatre at the Iowa Memorial Union, September 24-December 11. This is in conjunction with the symposium of October 6-8 "Comics, Creativity, and Culture: International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives" where Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez are among the keynote speakers. information from here.
Here's a nicely constructed sales page, centered around Gilbert's recent books, for some enterprise called Comic Book Back Issues. I don't endorse this site (whatever it may be) but the addition of a short, old video clip of Gilbert and a picture of him signing one of his books is a nice touch.
twitter: comicgate.de plugs Jaime and others in STRANGE TALES II trade paperback in german twitter: Alicia K. is cryin' over Jaime's newest Locas story
twitter: Elin Bjurvald thinks Jaime is the greatest living cartoonist (add "one of the..." and I'd agree with that one)
twitter: Spandex comic (great background art, btw) says Jaime is their God. God says please buy 100 copies of L&R:NS #4 in tribute.
twitter: Francesco Ciaponi tweets a link to a BoingBoing post of Jordan Crane's silkscreen poster of Jaime's L&R cover, the post includes a ton of links to previous Jaime Hernandez-themed BoingBoing posts.
twitter: finally, some love for Gilberto, as Lost Caterpillar is rereading that great PALOMAR hardcover.
twitter: Carlos continues the praise-a-thon for Gilbert's L&R:NS #4 and CITIZEN REX collection.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Jack Jackson's American History Part 2: Hall of Fame


I was so excited about the new Fantagraphics Books Jack Jackson reprint series that I completely overlooked the fact Mr. Jackson was elected by judge's choice into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame along with Ernie Bushmiller, Lynd Ward, and Mart Nodell (the judges for the Eisner Awards in 2011 were Ned Cato, Karen Green, Andy Helfer, Rich Johnson, and Chris Powell). The induction ceremonies for these, and the other four generally-elected members, were at Comic-Con International just a few short months ago. Mr. Jackson's son, Sam, is reported to have accepted the honor for his late father.
Past Eisner Hall of Fame inductees from the underground comix scene are: Robert Crumb (1991) and Art Spiegelman (1999). That's it unless you want to count Vaughn Bode (2006) or Harvey Pekar (2011).
image via (c)2011 Comic-Con International

Monday, September 26, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 9/26

image via
twitter: Ella Wredenfors encounters severe health difficulties due to Fantagraphics Jaime tweets.
twitter1, twitter2, twitter3, twitter4: Tom Spurgeon invites masochistic flagellation while enraptured by Jaime's newest work.
twitter: Woodrow Phoenix continues the Jaime lovefest with a link to a VILLAGE VOICE article from last year.
twitter: Adri tweets a link to some great Jaime art they posted on tumblr.
twitter: @LaCupulaComic links to their foreign edition of PENNY CENTURY with enthusiastic accompanying text and full color cover image (one of my favorite Penny drawings, by the way).
twitter: @Earinc (aka Eric Reynolds) critique of the new DC comics while continuing our parade of praise for Jaime.
twitter: @fylovenrockets with more love for Jaime's new work
twitter: Jaime Hernandez tweets about Dylan Williams.
review: short review of Jaime's contribution to LOVE AND ROCKETS: NEW STORIES 4 by Tom Spurgeon.
review: Douglas Wolk writes three sentences about L&R:NS #4 for Comics Alliance.
crabby artists at conventions: this is a great behind-the-scenes type post by Dustin Harbin about themed-sketchbooks at conventions. Jaime is mentioned briefly as a contributor to one of these.
TCJ: Frank Santoro talks margins, comparing Gilbert Hernandez and CF. A truly unique perspective on these two artists.
IOWA: Corey K. Creekmur opinion-piece for the Iowa Press-Citizen on the upcoming comics-related events at/around the University of Iowa. Both Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez are slated to appear as keynote speakers at the "Comics, Creativity, and Culture" symposium.
influences: Mike Rhode interviews graphic novelist George O'Connor for the Washington City Paper. O'Connor, author of JOURNEY INTO MOHAWK COUNTRY, names Jaime as one of his influences.
mugshot: Bizarro Jaime's been bad
mugshot: so's this Gilbert dude (persons who are not Los Bros Hernandez but have the same names are innocent until proven guilty)
Love and Rockets fan art spotlight (inspired by/stolen from this mike baehr post):

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 9/19

LOVE AND ROCKETS: NEW STORIES #4 is in stock and available for ordering. product page
Jaime will have a story in the Alison Bechdel-edited BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2011. chicago reader
Jaime's "Top 10 Criterion Collection Titles" is like a movie mixtape from the master. here
Photo of Jaime at Bergen St. Comics signing courtesy of Will Hines on tumblr.
IOWA: "Symposium on 'Comics, Creativity, and Culture: International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives" at the University of Iowa, October 5-8. pdf bios of participants including Gilbert and Jaime.
IOWA: John Porcellino blog post on the above event in which he is also participating.
ebay: a rare, to me at least, promo poster for the unjustly-overlooked Gilbert series, GRIP.
twitter: @ComicsFilm posts a link to Sean T. Collins' review of the new L&R.
twitter: @copcomco (i.e. Copacetic Comics) links to their facebook posting on the new L&R.
twitter: @Brian_Evinou links to a video of Gary Groth interviewing Jaime at SPX 2010. Hey, it's new to me.
twitter: @pivic gives us a twitter review of Gilbert's Palomar (hardcover).
Comics Reporter Archives Spotlight:
"Comics for Kids" 1997 A long essay on all-ages comics from a mid-90s perspective. The quote "(Rumor has it that one major alternative cartoonist may edit an all-ages anthology beginning next year )" may refer to the Gilbert Hernandez-edited MEASLES anthology that began in 1998. The first issue featured all-ages stories by these alternative cartoonists: Gilbert's "Venus"; Jim Woodring; Steven Weissman; Lewis Trondheim; and Mario Hernandez.
"Five For Friday#5: Alt-Comics" 2004 Palomar by Gilbert listed by Tom Spurgeon in this early installment of our favorite CR feature.
"A Top 40 For 2004" 2005 Another early installment of a CR tradition, many Los Bros. works on this one (extra credit for picking a Joel Orff book!).
"The Five Worst Gateway Comics" 2006 This has nothing to do with the Hernandez Brothers, but has got to be one of the funniest posts I've ever read on CR.
"CCI's Con Programming, Reduced To Comics Offerings" 2007 This was the 25th Anniversary of LOVE AND ROCKETS with spotlight panels featuring Jaime and Gilbert.
"TCJ Subscriber Letter (Big)" 2009 I may have cried when I read this on CR, nice old "Mechanics" panel by Jaime for an illustration.
BONUS: "Five For Friday #1: Snapshot" 2004 The, perhaps, inauspicious debut of this long-running CR feature.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Love and Rockets Links: 9/12

IGNATZ AWARDS: Jaime won the Ignatz for his highly-lauded "Browntown" story from L&R V3#3. Excellent presentation of all the award winners on comics reporter.
ebay: Unusual double "7 vinyl record, front and back covers by Jaime, and also the vinyl labels themselves are illustrated by him. The perfect accent for your swingin' bachelor pad.
Jaime Hernandez and Frank Santoro: old photo posted on tumblr.
twitter: here are couple international tweets about Jaime's Ignatz. @lacupulacomic and @exit_smiling.
Poster for Jaime's Bergen Street Comics signing posted on flickr.
Jaime's Bergen Street Comics signing on facebook.
SPX donated graphic novels to the Montgomery County Public Libraries in Bethesda, Maryland. Gilbert Hernandez's SLOTH is mentioned in the article by Alex Ruoff.
The Copacetic Comic Company sale page for Gilbert and Mario's CITIZEN REX hardcover.
ebay: Don't miss this! An early Gilbert "Palomar" original art page for sale by Scott Eder Original Art Gallery. Awesome pictures.
twitter: Timothy O'Neil shares some love for Gilbert's time on DC's BIRDS OF PREY series.
Sean T. Collins spotlight:

Monday, September 5, 2011

Love and Rockets Links; Labor Day edition

Drawing: Gilbert/Jaime sketch posted on ffffound, Luba as Batman and Maggie as Robin.

Melissa Wiley on GeekMom previews Jaime's contribution to the First Second anthology NURSERY RHYME COMICS.

Chris Mautner's "Six by 6: Six Great Superhero Comics by Unlikely Cartoonists" on CBR ranks Jaime's "Ti-Girls" serial at #2.

"Karen" recommends LOST WOMEN & OTHER STORIES by Jaime in this comment thread call for graphic novel recommendations at Nerdy Apple Bottom.

Made in China can be a good thing: At Beijing Today english-language website the China National Publication Import and Export Corporation's bookstore recommends THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ.

Ebay: Go see one of those Gilbert Stussy X t-shirts while it lasts.
Twitter: Josh Johnson mini-review of Gilbert's LOVE FROM THE SHADOWS.
Twitter: Grey Granite links to an old MISTER X cover by Jaime.
Twitter: Kyousansei seems to be a Japanese fan of American cartoonists like Jaime.
Twitter: Max Kaufmann confesses what all comic book artists come to realize eventually.
Twitter: And, Harry Moyer gets angry with the same realization.
Twitter: Gerardo V. links to an essay about Jaime's "Locas" series. foreign language text
Twitter: Donal Fall got THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ.

Spotlight on Marc Sobel:
love and rockets postcards; a rare Mario mention; nice Gilbert image and link to TWC essay; SHELF LIFE introduction; SL: Love & Rockets 1; SL: Love & Rockets 2; SL: Love & Rockets 3; SL: Love & Rockets 4; SL: Love & Rockets 5; SL: Love & Rockets 6; SL: Love & Rockets 7; SL: Love & Rockets 8; SL: Love & Rockets 9; SL: Love & Rockets 10; SL: Love & Rockets 11; SL: Love & Rockets 12; SL: Love & Rockets 13; SL: Love & Rockets 14; SL: Love & Rockets 15. "Birdland Reconsidered" was five-part series on the original The Comics Journal website, it is not archived on tcj.com's current incarnation.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Jack Jackson's American History: February 2012

Tom Spurgeon reported on Tuesday of a forthcoming edition of Jack Jackson's LOS TEJANOS/LOST CAUSE from Fantagraphics Books. I emailed some questions to Publisher Kim Thompson at Fantagraphics and received this reply from the series editor/Publisher Gary Groth:

What are the other four titles to be collected in the second and third Jack Jackson omnibus volumes?
GG: "Tentatively, this is how the books would break down:
Los Tejanos & Lost Cause
Indian Lover & Comanche Moon
Alamo & San Saba
The first is set in stone and contains an introduction by the novelist Ron Hansen."

If sales are good enough, will there be a fourth volume of Mr. Jackson's shorter historical works (some already seen in the previous Fantagraphics collection: GOD'S BOSOM AND OTHER STORIES)?
GG: "Yes. Plus, don't forget his satirical work, which we collected in Optimism of Youth."

Are any of Mr. Jackson's family involved in the development of these collected editions?
GG: "Yes, mostly his son, Sam Jackson, who I'm working with closely. Sam provided impeccable reproductions of his father's work from which we are scanning everything."

Has an art director been assigned to the series?
GG: "It's not set in stone, but it looks like Jacob Covey will design the books."

Are there similar challenges to marketing Mr. Jackson's historical novels, and bringing Jacques Tardi's historical novels to the U.S. market?
GG: "I don't edit the Tardi series, but the only similarity between the two authors is that they have both been previously published in the US without much commercial success. We turned that around with Tardi and intend to do the same thing with Jackson, whose time, we hope, has come. Regardless of how successful his forthcoming books are, I'm only sorry he's not alive to see his life's work all published in a uniform series of volumes." [answers via email: 9/1]

I wholeheartedly commend Mr. Groth for publishing the collected works of, in my humble opinion, the best author to emerge from the underground scene. Mr. Jackson was able to create a compelling, believable world in each of his historical novels, peopled with characters that come alive through historical detail and natural dialogue. Hopefully, these works will find the wider audience (and the respect) that Mr. Jackson deserves.

Links:
Gary Groth's tribute from THE COMICS JOURNAL 278: "Recuerden Jack Jackson"
LOS TEJANOS/LOST CAUSE Fantagraphics Books product page
LOS TEJANOS/LOST CAUSE Amazon.com product page
Ron Hansen biographical/bibliographical information
Here is an in-depth documentary about Mr. Jackson by historian Patrick Rosenkranz via YouTube:

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Love and Rockets Links, Long Time Gone

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO IOWA?: Apparently, Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez will be at the Shambaugh Auditorium at the University of Iowa, October 8 at 7:30pm. Love and Maggie unfortunately is based on the other side of Iowa, sigh.
Check out the FlogBlog archives for the month of August as there are about a dozen great links and posts on Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez...
HARVEY AWARDS: FlogBlog salutes Gilbert and Jaime (LOVE AND ROCKETS V3#3) for their win in "Best Continuing or Limited Series" category.
HARVEY AWARDS: Abrams ComicArts congratulates Todd Hignite and Jaime Hernandez (THE ART OF JAIME HERNANDEZ) for their win in the "Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation" category.
Rob Clough comes through with his top 50 comics of 2010, coming in at #3 is LOVE AND ROCKETS V3#3. As always Mr. Clough discusses many high concept, obscure, and otherwise excellent uses of graphic storytelling in all forms. link via comics reporter
Thank God for Twitter?: Jaime Hernandez is now on this social media thingy. via @debaoki and others
Twitter mini-debate on Jaime's superhero drawing here.
One more twitter: personal appearance by Jaime at Bergen Street Comics 9/10. website.
Graeme McMillan splurges on the new THE COMPLETE LOVE AND ROCKETS LIBRARY: ESPERANZA.
Noah Berlatsky's summer reading list includes three from Los Bros Hernandez.
Benn Ray at Atomic Books (Baltimore, MD) lists ESPERANZA along with other new releases of note.
The Shame Idols posted two album covers by Jaime Hernandez on their MySpace page.