Sequential State – the comics criticism archive of Alex Hoffman

Category: Features

  • Comics That Challenged Me in 2014: Part 4

    Officially it’s the new year, and this is the last installment of my list of comics that I read in 2014 that challenged me. As a reminder, comics on this list didn’t have to be written in 2014 to be included, but now that I’m looking at everything, it seems like almost everything has been.…

  • A Year In Review: 2014

    I started Sequential State in April of last year after 5 years of blogging at Manga Widget, a blog which I recently pulled down from WordPress. 2014 was a bit tumultuous, but as far as first years go, I think it was a fairly successful one for the website. Some quick metrics for the interested:…

  • Comics That Challenged Me in 2014: Part 3

    Another week, another installment of my 2014 Books That Challenged Me List. I hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday season thus far. It occurs to me now in composing the third piece of this list that I’ve read a lot of books this year.  Something to the tune of 100-150, mini-comics and zines…

  • Comics That Challenged Me in 2014: Part 2

    Last week was part 1 of this 4 part list; if you haven’t already had a look at it, there are some comics that I recommend. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Complete List One week closer to the end of the year, five more comics on the list. A lot of the December…

  • Comics That Challenged Me in 2014: Part 1

    It’s December which means it’s time for anyone writing about comics to put together their “2014 Best Of” list. I’ve been thinking about the idea of crafting a best of list and what that means in a diverse and content rich medium like comics. The word “best” implies a finality even if the writer only…

  • Transmissions: Reflecting on Genghis Con

    Genghis Con was two Sundays ago, the weekend after black Friday. I spent a lot of money on books, had a great time, and over the course of the Sunday show and the Monday Brainstorm Lecture I met a lot of great people in person for the first time.  Thanks genghisconcleveland for a great show.…

  • Thoughts on Brainstorm: A Conversation About Comic Writing Processes with MJ Robinson and Cathy G. Johnson [First and foremost, apologies for the rustling in the audio. I recorded the talk on my phone, and having never recorded a talk before, I forgot to put the phone on a flat surface, so it sat on my…

  • Review: mini kuš! #29 – Remember This? By Disa Wallander The kind folks at kuš komiksi, the Latvian comics art anthology, recently sent 8 of their most recent minis and I’ve been poring through them in my small moments. The kuš minis seem perfect for those in-between moments, but despite their small stature (each full…

  • Pow Pow Press is a Montreal-based publisher run by Luc Bossé – he’s running a Kickstarter to help translate a selection of the press’ collection into English in time for TCAF 2015. I got in touch with Luc to ask a few questions about the project and Pow Pow Press. Interviews aren’t something I do…

  • Review: Mutiny Bay by Antoine Cossé 2014 has been something of a breakout year for Breakdown Press. The London-based micropress has published an expansive slate of challenging and ambitious comics, including the work of Antoine Cossé. Mutiny Bay is a historical drama and a retelling of the 1520 Easter day mutiny on Ferdinand Magellan’s Spanish-backed…

  • Review: Benson’s Cuckoos by Anouk Ricard Benson’s Cuckoos is my first encounter with the work of Anouk Ricard, a French cartoonist who is also the celebrated author of the Anna & Froga children’s books. Benson’s Cuckoos, despite sharing the same anthropomorphic characters and loose, blocky illustration style as Anna & Froga, sheds off much of…