Margo Maloo's guest appearances

Margo Maloo

The Comics Alternative

Terry Moore

Charles Soule

James Joyce

Frederick Douglass

Magdalene Visaggio

Gene Luen Yang

Bill Griffith

Fred Van Lente

Brenden Fletcher

Brian K. Vaughan

Jim Rugg

Karl Kerschl

Charles Christopher

Joe Keatinge

Brian Hurtt

OwlTail

Time Codes:  00:30 - Introduction 02:49 - Introducing Krystal, and a Farewell to Paul 07:24 - 3x4  17:44 - The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall  32:40 -Sheets  42:54 - Wrap up 43:42 - Contact us    On this episode of the Comics Alternative’s Young Readers show, Gwen is joined by her new co-host, Dr. Krystal Howard, an assistant professor in the Liberal Studies and English departments at California State University, Northridge. Krystal has been reading, writing about, and teaching children’s and YA comics for a number of years and has a particular interest in gender and comics studies. In 2017, Krystal’s essay “Gothic Excess and the Body in Vera Brosgol’s Anya’s Ghost” appeared in Gwen’s co-edited volume (with Michelle Ann Abate), Graphic Novels for Children and Young Adults, and she has another comics-related essay, “Comics Grammar in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Picture Book Collaborations” that is forthcoming in The Artistry of Neil Gaiman: Finding Light in the Shadows. Regular listeners to the Young Readers show will already know Krystal from her spot as a panelist last summer on a special roundtable that Gwen and Paul Lai hosted on the future of children’s and YA comics. Before they begin discussing the books for this month’s show, Gwen and Krystal mention the wonderful contributions of Paul Lai, who has recently graduated with his doctorate from the School of Education in Language, Literacy, and Culture at the University of California, Berkeley, and who has begun a new position as Director of UC Berkeley’s prestigious BE3 program, which stands for Berkeley Educators for Equity and Excellence. Paul intends to return to the Comics Alternativefamily from time to time as a podcaster, and Gwen and Krystal wish him the very best in his new role. During the main portion of the show, Gwen and Krystal discuss three new releases: Ivan Brunetti’s 3 x 4, published last month by TOON Books and geared towards early elementary readers, and two Halloween-oriented middle grade graphic novels: Drew Weing’s The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall, which is the second in the Margo Maloo series from First Second books, and Brenna Thummler’s debut, Sheets, put out by Lion Forge’s Cubhouse imprint. Both Krystal and Gwen found Brunetti’s 3 x 4 to be a great addition to the plethora of STEM-focused comics that have been published in the last five years, including First Second’s Science Comics series and Mike Holmes and Gene Luen Yang’s Secret Coders. Krystal praises Brunetti for his inclusion of a diverse and eclectic group of young people, and Gwen notes that for the detail-oriented child, every page offers up an opportunity to discover the many ways that the number 12 can be divided into sets! Next, the two PhDs consider Drew Weing’s follow up to his highly successful first volume of the Margo Maloos series: The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall. Gwen appreciates Weing’s decision to continue focusing on the costs of gentrification, while Krystal notes that the inclusion of teenage characters adds a new dimension to the series. Finally, Gwen and Krystal discuss the amazing debut by Brenna Thummler, Sheets (Lion Forge), which takes place in a lake resort town and focuses on the struggles of a young woman who has become the proprietor of her family’s laundromat, all while trying to fit in at middle school. Her interactions with Wendell, the ghost of an eleven-year-old boy, end up making life a lot better for both of them. Krystal points out Thummler’s attention to figural placement and atmospherics, and Gwen suggests that while some of the plot points might seem a little far-fetched, the novel holds together well and deals with class conflict in a manner that is also present in Weing’s Margo Maloo series. In November, Gwen and Krystal will be back with another set of books to review, as well as 2018 best-of-list recommendations for our listener’s winter holiday celebrations.

Time Codes: <ul> <li>00:30 - Introduction</li> <li>02:49 - Introducing Krystal, and a Farewell to Paul</li> <li>07:24 - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3x4-Level-Easy-read-Comics/dp/1943145342/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=1f56439a78c51f5a1189883a8495023c&amp;creativeASIN=1943145342" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3x4</a> </li> <li>17:44 - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Creepy-Case-Files-Margo-Maloo/dp/162672492X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=6d19bdc28ebad00f3c0323f94965ce22&amp;creativeASIN=162672492X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall</a> </li> <li>32:40 -<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sheets-Brenna-Thummler/dp/194130267X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=a95406cdf350556b19677b52eefcbb30&amp;creativeASIN=194130267X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sheets</a> </li> <li>42:54 - Wrap up</li> <li>43:42 - Contact us</li> </ul> <a href="http://comicsalternative.com/review-relish-saga/blkfade/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="http://comicsalternative.com/?attachment_id=21400" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> On this episode of the Comics Alternative’s Young Readers show, Gwen is joined by her new co-host, Dr. Krystal Howard, an assistant professor in the Liberal Studies and English departments at California State University, Northridge. Krystal has been reading, writing about, and teaching children’s and YA comics for a number of years and has a particular interest in gender and comics studies. In 2017, Krystal’s essay “Gothic Excess and the Body in Vera Brosgol’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250040019/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1250040019&amp;linkId=aff177b968c3c8097fef1e2015dd217f" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anya’s Ghost</a>” appeared in Gwen’s co-edited volume (with Michelle Ann Abate), <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/149681844X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=149681844X&amp;linkId=21a0a5927ccca4a8a14fbbe9606012ea" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Graphic Novels for Children and Young Adults</a>, and she has another comics-related essay, “Comics Grammar in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401251420/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1401251420&amp;linkId=48c659f0e01c72948d2e97c9c384c86e" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean</a>’s Picture Book Collaborations” that is forthcoming in The Artistry of Neil Gaiman: Finding Light in the Shadows. Regular listeners to the Young Readers show will already know Krystal from her spot as a panelist last summer <a href="http://comicsalternative.com/young-readers-a-roundtable-discussion-on-contemporary-issues-in-childrens-and-young-adult-comics/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on a special roundtable</a> that Gwen and Paul Lai hosted on the future of children’s and YA comics. Before they begin discussing the books for this month’s show, Gwen and Krystal mention the wonderful contributions of Paul Lai, who has recently graduated with his doctorate from the School of Education in Language, Literacy, and Culture at the University of California, Berkeley, and who has begun a new position as Director of UC Berkeley’s prestigious BE3 program, which stands for Berkeley Educators for Equity and Excellence. Paul intends to return to the Comics Alternativefamily from time to time as a podcaster, and Gwen and Krystal wish him the very best in his new role. During the main portion of the show, Gwen and Krystal discuss three new releases: Ivan Brunetti’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3x4-Level-Easy-read-Comics/dp/1943145342/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=1f56439a78c51f5a1189883a8495023c&amp;creativeASIN=1943145342" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3 x 4</a>, published last month by TOON Books and geared towards early elementary readers, and two Halloween-oriented middle grade graphic novels: Drew Weing’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Creepy-Case-Files-Margo-Maloo/dp/162672492X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=6d19bdc28ebad00f3c0323f94965ce22&amp;creativeASIN=162672492X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall</a>, which is the second in the Margo Maloo series from First Second books, and Brenna Thummler’s debut, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sheets-Brenna-Thummler/dp/194130267X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=a95406cdf350556b19677b52eefcbb30&amp;creativeASIN=194130267X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sheets</a>, put out by Lion Forge’s Cubhouse imprint. Both Krystal and Gwen found Brunetti’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3x4-Level-Easy-read-Comics/dp/1943145342/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=1f56439a78c51f5a1189883a8495023c&amp;creativeASIN=1943145342" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3 x 4</a> to be a great addition to the plethora of STEM-focused comics that have been published in the last five years, including First Second’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626728011/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1626728011&amp;linkId=56cbc4de7fe440ac81b4651c961e9c99" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Science Comics</a> series and Mike Holmes and Gene Luen Yang’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626720754/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1626720754&amp;linkId=4bb46da869f8b899278785b84c01faa2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Secret Coders</a>. Krystal praises Brunetti for his inclusion of a diverse and eclectic group of young people, and Gwen notes that for the detail-oriented child, every page offers up an opportunity to discover the many ways that the number 12 can be divided into sets! Next, the two PhDs consider Drew Weing’s follow up to his highly successful first volume of the Margo Maloos series: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Creepy-Case-Files-Margo-Maloo/dp/162672492X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=6d19bdc28ebad00f3c0323f94965ce22&amp;creativeASIN=162672492X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall</a>. Gwen appreciates Weing’s decision to continue focusing on the costs of gentrification, while Krystal notes that the inclusion of teenage characters adds a new dimension to the series. Finally, Gwen and Krystal discuss the amazing debut by Brenna Thummler, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sheets-Brenna-Thummler/dp/194130267X/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=comicsaltern-20&amp;linkCode=w00&amp;linkId=a95406cdf350556b19677b52eefcbb30&amp;creativeASIN=194130267X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sheets</a> (Lion Forge), which takes place in a lake resort town and focuses on the struggles of a young woman who has become the proprietor of her family’s laundromat, all while trying to fit in at middle school. Her interactions with Wendell, the ghost of an eleven-year-old boy, end up making life a lot better for both of them. Krystal points out Thummler’s attention to figural placement and atmospherics, and Gwen suggests that while some of the plot points might seem a little far-fetched, the novel holds together well and deals with class conflict in a manner that is also present in Weing’s Margo Maloo series. In November, Gwen and Krystal will be back with another set of books to review, as well as 2018 best-of-list recommendations for our listener’s winter holiday celebrations.

Young Readers: Reviews of 3x4, The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall, and Sheets

On this month’s webcomics episode, Sean and Derek have some fun things in store. They begin with two currently ongoing titles, The Abominable Charles Christopher and The Creepy Casefiles of Margo Maloo. The former, written and drawn by Karl Kirschel, is a long-running series that has been around since June 2007. The guys discuss the webcomic’s irregular schedule — Kirschel posts updates whenever his work for DC and Marvel, especially Gotham Academy, allows — and, more importantly, the artist’s obvious love of his subject matter. Margo Maloo, a more recent webcomic, is Drew Weing’s fun all-age story about a monster-filled underworld outside of adult awareness. The June episode wraps up with a trip down memory lane. Breakfast of the Gods is a completed webcomic tapping into the history of breakfast cereals. Its creator, Brendan Douglas Jones, uses the mascots of General Mills, Kellogg’s, Post, Quaker Oats, Ralston, Nabisco, and other breakfast cereal producers for an epic tale pitting the vitamin-packed forces of good against the shadowy legions of morning nutrition.

On this month’s webcomics episode, Sean and Derek have some fun things in store. They begin with two currently ongoing titles, <a href="http://abominable.cc/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Abominable Charles Christopher</a> and <a href="http://www.drewweing.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Creepy Casefiles of Margo Maloo</a>. The former, written and drawn by Karl Kirschel, is a long-running series that has been around since June 2007. The guys discuss the webcomic’s irregular schedule — Kirschel posts updates whenever his work for DC and Marvel, especially Gotham Academy, allows — and, more importantly, the artist’s obvious love of his subject matter. Margo Maloo, a more recent webcomic, is Drew Weing’s fun all-age story about a monster-filled underworld outside of adult awareness. The June episode wraps up with a trip down memory lane. <a href="http://breakfastofthegods.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Breakfast of the Gods</a> is a completed webcomic tapping into the history of breakfast cereals. Its creator, Brendan Douglas Jones, uses the mascots of General Mills, Kellogg’s, Post, Quaker Oats, Ralston, Nabisco, and other breakfast cereal producers for an epic tale pitting the vitamin-packed forces of good against the shadowy legions of morning nutrition.

Webcomics: Reviews of The Abominable Charles Christopher, The Creepy Casefiles of Margo Maloo, and Breakfast of the Gods