L.A. Festival of Books

REVIEWS: My Adventures with Superman

Let It Be Re-Release

Great Comics: Jack B. Quick

Website Update X.0

Though not a major redesign, I just tweaked my website a bit to make it easier to buy my recent comics releases and trade paperbacks right from the front page, with a new header and bold hero image up top—the webstore still has the full catalog.

While I don't consider my skills much beyond an advanced beginner, I'm nevertheless proud of my web design skills that have allowed me to create and maintain my own website. I'm completely self taught and first began playing with html and created my wcgcomics.com website in 1998. In 2009, I rebuilt the site from the ground up in html/CSS format. Then in 2019, I re-designed the website, still using CSS format, and in 2022, migrated the entire site into WordPress, which also made it more mobile-friendly. (After this last transition, I posted a blog with a more comprehensive history of this journey.)

With the recent changes, my goal is to make the sale of my comics the focus of the website, without having to click to a second page to the webstore. The site also serves a promotional site as well as a repository of sorts of my announcements, publishing history, convention appearances and signings, etc. this information is all still there, but slightly less front and center. As for the news and announcements, they're still posted at the website, but of course, only after they've been posted on my various social media accounts. 

Other long term goals in upgrading my website include making it more of an open fluid graphic design and integrating a more modern payment system into my website. As to the former, my website is already fluid and mobile friendly, but my current format still adheres to a classic magazine-style web format—a more dynamic format looks more modern. As to the payment system—while my PayPal program of customized purchase buttons work fine, it's considered outdated integration technology. That said, the new integrated systems have, so far, been a bit beyond my current technological and coding abilities. 

Anway, I would be lying if I didn't admit that I do also enjoy the process of web design and coding. I'm glad I've been able to keep my skills and website fairly current to support my comics publishing and selling.

Ed Piskor RIP

I was saddened—and like most people, a bit shocked—to hear of the passing of cartoonist and podcaster Ed Piskor on April 1.

Though Piskor has been an active and prolific professional cartoonist for many years, I only stumbled across him during the pandemic, through his podcast/YouTube channel, Cartoonist Kayfabe, produced with his partner and fellow cartoonist Jim Rugg. I didn't think I'd cotton to what initially felt like a "bro vibe" on the show, but I soon came to appreciate their deep and broad knowledge, love and respect for comics and cartooning history and a wide array of comics genres and styles, from Robert Crumb, to Image, to Moebius/Jean Girard, Dick Tracy and more. Their podcasts were diverse, ranging from appreciations and overviews of specific comics and magazines, comics history and of  cartoonists and characters. They also conducted interviews of many great figures from comics, such as Todd McFarlane and Gary Groth. While Rugg seemed the more genial and diplomatic of the two (and a family man), Piskor came off as more of a blue collar bad boy/rebel with a strong Hip Hop vibe. But though it was certainly part of his authentic and genuine self, his enthusiasm and passion always came through, and even when citing work he didn't necessarily like, he never came off as rude or mean-spirited. They were very prolific podcasters—although I didn't listen to them religiously, their channel was a go-to when I was looking for something to listen to and watch while drawing.

What I partly admired about the show was what started as an exercise for the two friends and fellow pros to talk about comics as they no doubt did all the time in private, it clearly turned into a great promotional tool. Their subscriber base was very devoted and they were successful in mobilizing them to support and order their comics through traditional comic book stores and online. More power to them! In fact, in 2023, I even sent both a sample of my comics to put me on their radar. 

Piskor particularly seemed to be incredibly hard working and prolific. A Kubert School for Cartooning alum, I appreciated that he made no bones about the fact that he may not have been the most naturally gifted artist and cartoonist, but he certainly worked hard on his craft, showing that commitment and discipline can go a long way (the fact that he did this while also producing a podcast on a regular schedule was particularly admirable).

At left: When I visited the Fantagraphics Comics bookstore back in October 2023, I took this photo of a bookshelf that featured Piskor's work.

When news emerged of the allegations of misconduct and grooming came to light, I was saddened and disappointed. But, of course, not having any personal connection or familiarity with Piskor or the situation, I felt no need to weigh in or express an opinion and, like I would with any developing news story, waited to see how it would play out as more information emerged.

On April 1, when I first heard news of his death, my initial thought was that it might be some kind of sick April Fool's joke. But quick verification proved it was not.

Regardless of the truth, of course, Piskor and no one else deserved this kind of end or the kind of social media (and traditional media) pressure he received. I do agree that, ultimately, it was Piskor's decision and actions that led to his passing...but it may also have been a reflection of personal mental health issues as well as the fact that his self-identity was so wrapped up and defined by his profession.

In recent days, just by chance, some of their shows looking at the work of French cartoonist Moebius popped up on my feed recently, which I watched. Listening to them express their appreciation of Moebius was a joy and informative—though not much of what they observed was new to me, they helped me look at the work with fresh eyes, with a level of admiration and enthusiasm that was infectious. It's not clear whether Rugg plans to continue the channel in some way on his own, but Piskor, and his chemistry with Piskor, will be greatly missed.

Below: A sample of their show. 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

With a new season of baseball underway, it's a perfect time to highlight issue 10 of Rob Hanes Adventures! My pitch for the story (no pun intended): the one where Rob goes undercover on a minor league baseball team to investigate steroid use and gets more obsessed with trying to get a hit and on base than solving the case, leaving all of the work to his partner, Abner McKenna!

As this all suggests, this issue's story, titled "The Pride of the Chickenhawks," was a change of pace from my usual brand of globetrotting adventure, reflecting my interest in doing different kinds of stories. I'm glad that the series and characters give me the flexibility to play in different genres. This issue is as much a sports story (and comedy) as it is a mystery. The climax sequence involves a nail biter of a game that was fun to map out to suit my story needs, culminating with Rob (quite inadvertently) solving the case at the end with a clutch hit!

I loved capturing the feel and atmosphere of a ball park and game. It was also fun to design team logos—at the time, I had fairly recently started using digital drawing applications like Photoshop and Illustrator, which were invaluable in dropping in logos where needed throughout the issue, and placing the player names and numbers on the uniforms.

Sources of inspiration and reference for the story were Will Eisner's Baseball Comics (from 1949, but re-issued by Kitchen Sink in 1991, which were already in my personal collection), as well as a syndicated comic strip called Ozark Ike, which ran from 1949–58, by Ray Gotto. Gotto's strip is beautiful, tight work and his use of extreme perspective really makes the play action pop, which influenced my work in my own story—I've included samples of his strip in the gallery. Baseball films also were on my mind as I developed the story, particularly The Natural and The Pride of the Yankees (where, of course, I lifted the story's name), a favorite "male weepie" since childhood about Yankee legend Lou Gehrig, starring Gary Cooper.

Partly because it represents such a change of pace, I often cite and show off this issue when I exhibit to demonstrate the breadth of the series. The issue also got a bit of recognition when it was included in Tony Isabella's 1000 Comic Books You Must Read, from 2009!

WonderCon 2024 is in the books!