From Cover To Cover
Week In Comics Journalism

How Do We Respond to Trump? “God of Horror” Passes Away and a lot of reviews— The Comic Bookmarks November 10th, 2024

Scott Cederlund

Scott Cederlund

— 6 min read
How Do We Respond to Trump? “God of Horror” Passes Away and a lot of reviews— The Comic Bookmarks November 10th, 2024

O.k. So I missed last week. In my defense, it was a busy weekend (two concerts and a wedding to attend) and then this past Tuesday just knocked the wind out of everything else that was happening.

The Nice House On The Sea #4 by Tynion IV, Bueno, and Bellaire— Mini Review
Álvaro Martinez Bueno and Jordie Bellaire’s artwork enhances James Tynion IV’s The Nice House stories, highlighting the contrast between the two houses and the characters’ evolving relationships.
From Cover to CoverScott Cederlund
The Fight for Justice in Absolute Superman #1
What does Truth, Justice, and the American Way mean after November 5, 2024?
From Cover to CoverScott Cederlund

Headlines

On waking up on November 6
Post-election thoughts, on pop culture in difficult times.
PopverseGraeme McMillan

McMillan’s piece here isn’t so much about specific comics even as it uses V For Vendetta as a touchstone but about how in past periods, culture has driven the creation of art. But something that has lived in my head for 7 or 8 years ago now is a line from the the propaganda machine in V saying “… make Britain great again.”

Legendary “god of horror” manga artist Kazuo Umezu dies at 88
He was the creator of The Drifting Classroom, Cat Eyed Boy, and many other classic works
GamesRadar+Will Salmon

Kazuo Umezu’s artwork is some of the first images that come to mind when I think about manga.

This Vermonter amassed a legendary comic book collection. Some of the rarest ones are up for sale
Christine Farrell, who owned Burlington’s Earth Prime Comics, is believed to be the first person to have a complete collection of everything published by DC Comics. Her collection starts in 1935 and includes the first appearances of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, as well as more obscure comics.
Vermont PublicLiam Elder-Connors

A great story about how Christine Farrell built one of the largest comic book collections.

Comic Sites on Comic Sites

The End Of Independent Publishing And Giant Freakin Robot
After relaunching GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT in 2019, the site grew to a readership of more than 20 million a month, … Continue reading “The End Of Independent Publishing And Giant Freakin Robot”
GIANT FREAKIN ROBOTJoshua Tyler

Classifying this here as GFR has done some comic writing in the past but reading this, it’s kind of scary to realize just how much power Alphabet (the parent company of Google and YouTube) has over publishers and creators right now. Google Search is such a big way that this site gets eyes on it but it’s just at the mercy of our technological overlords, isn’t it?

Business

SB Fair 2024 sales: £491,194. Especially happy considering we had fewer exhibitors/comics this year (than in 2023). Thank you so much for all your support 🌷✨ •Average sales in 2022, 97 exhibitors: £1521 •Average sales in 2023, 135 exhibitors: £2249 •Average sales in 2024, 117 exhibitors: £4198

— ShortBox Comics Fair (@shortboxcomicsfair.bsky.social) November 7, 2024 at 7:34 AM

ShortBox Comics Fair gives us a glimpse of their sales and it’s fascinating to see the results and the growing success of this online model.

Good tip. Done.

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— Derf Backderf (@derfbackderf.bsky.social) November 9, 2024 at 6:29 AM

Some thoughts on the Absolute line, FOC, and fomo. The timing of how we have to order comics and what comics get picked by the spec sites can lead to some frustration balancing orders. Absolute Batman #1 was on FOC first, obviously. We were going in mostly blind, but lots of good incentives by...

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— Ryan Higgins (@ryanhiggins.bsky.social) November 8, 2024 at 1:37 PM

Ryan has a whole thread on this where this is just the start of it. Click on the link and check out everything he has to say about FOC and the current speculation market for comics.

Thousands of creators are getting hurt by Apple's greed. I am one of them. www.patreon.com/posts/115213...

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— Mathew Buck (@filmbrainbmb.bsky.social) November 2, 2024 at 6:10 AM

The Funny Pages

Trump-Lucy (Trucy?) prob one of the most horrifying things i’ve seen this week so now you gotta see it too

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— David Chen (@davechen.bsky.social) November 8, 2024 at 7:25 PM

Reviews & Features

Alan Moore Beckons Readers Into a Rich New Fantasy World
With the first volume of a new series and an instructional book on magic, the “Watchmen” author wants an imaginary revolution.
The New York TimesBy

I’ll admit— The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic just intimidates me. It’s been sitting on the to-read pile for a few weeks now and I almost feel like I’m going to need to sit with that one for a year or so.

The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic: Incantations of the present day - The Comics Journal
In which the new illuminated manuscript on magic practice by Alan Moore & Steve Moore is considered, on top of the state of things.
The Comics JournalJoe McCulloch

Luckily, Joe McColloch is a much braver and wiser man than I am and dove headfirst into Moore’s book.

Outracing the Collapse of the Galaxy: Ian Cordingley on THE HARD SWITCH by Owen Pomery - SOLRAD
Ian Cordingley on THE HARD SWITCH by Owen Pomery, published by Avery Hill Press
SOLRADIan Cordingley

I like reading reviews of Owen Pomery’s The Hard Switch because it is a book that I have a hard time connecting with. I keep meaning to give it another go because I loved his Victory Point but my general feel of this book was that it was just the beginning of something and that something felt like it could have been much more interesting than its beginning was.

‘Jessica Farm’ is a manic, absurd document of artistic growth
Twenty-four years of unscripted fantasy.
AIPTColin Moon

I hope I’m around to see the conclusion of Jessica Farm in 2050.

The Ultimates #6 spills the tea on death, destiny and empire - COMICSXF
The entire roster of the Ultimates unites for the first time in this high-octane, climactic conclusion of the first arc.
COMICSXFJake Murray

This is another one of those mainstream comics that feels very much of its time.

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