Knee Deep in the Wire
After years of putting it off, I have finally begun watching the famed HBO series that unearths the layers of Baltimore life. The show has some amazing editing and cinematography. I especially like the jump cuts that leap to the different characters in symbolic ways, coffee cups becoming hub-caps, cans being shipping containers or beer. […]
My favorite Comix of 2010
I figured I’d give a whirl with the year-end tradition of listing things that I like and decided to list my 10 favorite comix of the past year. I include, comic books, trade paperbacks, zines, and graphic novels in my list. So here goes: 1. Planetary 2. Stumptown 3. Atomic Robo 4. New Mutants 5. Unwritten 6. Gaylord […]
A System of Comics by Groensteen
If you’re an academic and into literary theory then Thierry Groensteen is not a foreign name to you. For the rest of us he’s just a funny sounding guy that reminds me actually of Thievery Corporation for some reason. Anyway, Groensteen is a Belgian writer who has devised a theory and system of understanding comics […]
Litgraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel
I recently visited the Michener Art Museum just outside of Philly. In their traveling gallery they had an exhibition dedicated to comic book illustrations. Titled, Litgraphic: The World of Graphic Novels, the show included works by Dave Sim, Jessica Abel, Peter Kuper and probably a dozen other artists. I have mixed feelings about the exhibition. […]
Hello Me!
Today marks my official return as a full-time comix creator. Gone are the staff meetings and board room drama- to be replaced by dirty finger nails and deadlines. I’m shifting gears and putting comix on the front burner and Jewish ed-tech is taking a back seat. Stay tuned to this blog for more news about […]
She Said: Ursula Rucker Rocks out Debut Fifth Album Live in Philly
Full disclosure, I am friends with Ursula Rucker. I knew her as my boss 12 years ago before I knew her music and poetry. If you don’t know her, Ursula was the first feminine touch to The Roots early albums. Then she went on a sonic journey. I’ve seen Ursula perform at least a dozen times in […]
Ex Machina Flies Away
I just read the final issue of Ex Machina, the comic series by Brian K Vaughn and Tony Harris. The ending was compact and alluded to many of the threads woven into the 50 issue series that began back in 2004, but it was much more of a downer than I expected. We find out […]
I’m A Little Hedgehog …
It’s been a rough few weeks. Life has gone a bit haywire and I’m now seeking balance and focus to move forward. The wise words of my friend Avi, reminded me of the wisdom of hedgehogs, their indomitable focus, and their record for success. The book I am working on with Harvey Pekar is moving forward and […]
My Harvey Year: Part III
I just got the news. I’m actually shaking as I type these words. My role model, my friend, and my collaborator is gone. We hadn’t spoken in a week because of the 4th of July holiday. I was planning on calling him this afternoon to discuss pages 65-100 of the script. I miss your voice […]
Comic Books: The Academic Field
When I was growing up in the 1980s comics were seen as puerile and kinda retro. All the cool kids were playing with Atari or later Nintendo. Reading Teen Titans and or The West Coast Avengers was not an enviable past time. I never brought my comics into school for fear of being ridiculed by […]