Show Notes
I have always really enjoyed Tillie Walden‘s comics. I read them as soon as I get them. Her work is really beautiful seamless cartooning. Her latest book, Charity and Sylvia is an historical narrative about their lives and love together. Charity and Sylvia were a queer couple in early to mid 19th century rural Vermont. Tillie brought their story to life utilizing a range of different historical records including their own letters. It’s a very personal and intimate book that honors their story in a way that shows a lovely respect for their lives and how they lived. But it’s also a comic, in the way that Tillie is able to showcase the unique ways that comics can evoke feelings and emotions that adds to the impact of the work. Charity and Sylvia is her first published work for Drawn and Quarterly. The book as a physical object itself, also serves to brightly showcase and create an object of permanence.
More from Inkstuds
Chicago based cartoonist, Ash HG joined me to discuss his graphic novel, East District. I’ve known Ash for a number of years and it’s great to see this book come together. Published by 2dcloud, East District shows a lot of promise and work that has gone into comic. Ash’s work is steeped in a dark ink that bleeds through and into a dark work that leaves you thinking.
It had been quite some time since I had interviewed Josh Bayer. I have really been enjoying his instagram feed. I find his passion for creating to be quite infectious. Josh’s latest book is Utzy and Dusty: Swan, Swan, Hummingbird, freshly out from Church Ghost. This is a follow up to a previous volume, Utzy and Dusty: Crystal Pool, published by Domino. You don’t need to read one to enjoy the other. It’s a pretty wide ranging conversation that goes in a bunch of different directions.
Dash Shaw joins me to chat about his latest book from New York Review Comics, Like Swimmers. It’s a colourful work that looks at a difficult moment through different perspectives. His previous work Blurry was one of my favourites when it was released and rereading it for the interview was a delight and still just as engaging and pulling me in.
This week, we have Blind Alley cartoonist, Adam de Souza in the hosting chair to talk to a cartoonist that really excites him. I think he made a great choice. Both Adam and Caroline are in top form and it’s great to hear them exchanging ideas.
Raquelle Jac’s debut graphic novel from Fantagraphics is a bit of a force of nature. Bimbo Agitprop is one of the most personally revealing books I have read in quite some time. It’s over 300 pages catharsis that just keeps you moving and pulling you in. I was really struck by this book and Jac’s ability to be so forthcoming about an intense and difficult upbringing. Her comics have an incredibly immediate feeling to them where she is able to bring across so much emotion and heart. One of my favorite books I have read in quite a long while. I think it’s an important work applaud her ability to be so open and just put this all out there.