Sequential State – the comics criticism archive of Alex Hoffman

Tag: fantagraphics

  • Review: Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann

    Review: Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann

    Welcome back, dear reader. On Monday, I ran an interview with Simon Hanselmann that I hope you take the time to read. The initial focus of the interview (although it ended up being fairly far-ranging) was Hanselmann’s latest graphic novel, Bad Gateway. Clocking in at 176 pages, Bad Gateway is Hanselmann’s latest collection of Megg…

  • Interview: Simon Hanselmann – “My greatest wish is that I could freeze time.”

    Interview: Simon Hanselmann – “My greatest wish is that I could freeze time.”

    I sat down with Simon Hanselmann at the Small Press Expo this year in North Bethesda, Maryland to talk about Bad Gateway, his latest graphic novel. Published by Fantagraphics earlier this year, Bad Gateway advances the plot of his Megg and Mogg comics past the events that appear in his first graphic novel Megahex. It’s…

  • Review: BTTM FDRS by Ezra Clayton Daniels & Ben Passmore

    Review: BTTM FDRS by Ezra Clayton Daniels & Ben Passmore

    Horror as a genre has a long history of addressing systemic injustice and BTTM FDRS falls firmly in that vein. Published by Fantagraphics, BTTM FDRS is the latest comic from Ezra Clayton Daniels and Ben Passmore, two rising stars in the small press comics world. The book stars Darla, a young and talented clothing designer…

  • Review: The Perineum Technique by Ruppert & Mulot

    Review: The Perineum Technique by Ruppert & Mulot

    My introduction to Ruppert & Mulot as comics creators was through Barrel of Monkeys, published by Bill Kartalopoulos through Rebus Books. Barrel of Monkeys was formalist and experimental, and so I expected something of the same with The Perineum Technique, their new release from Fantagraphics. What I got was a book that mimics the structure…

  • Review: The Scar: Graphic Reportage From The U.S.-Mexico Border by Andrea Ferraris and Renato Chiocca

    Review: The Scar: Graphic Reportage From The U.S.-Mexico Border by Andrea Ferraris and Renato Chiocca

    Andrea Ferraris’ recent collection of graphic reportage, The Scar: Graphic Reportage From The U.S.-Mexico Border, starts with an image of a wave, luxuriously illustrated with graphite. Throughout the book, that wave crashes into the dry sandy earth of the region, a metaphor for the current humanitarian crisis at the border (a crisis seemingly manufactured for…

  • Enemies of the State #003 – The Song of Aglaia by Anne Simon

    Enemies of the State #003 – The Song of Aglaia by Anne Simon

    Enemies of the State is a monthly virtual book club discussion on a recently published comic, featuring a rotating cast of comics critics. Episode #3 of Enemies of the State features commentary on Anne Simon’s The Song of Aglaia, published by Fantagraphics in 2018. The Song of Aglaia is the first major release of Simon’s…

  • Review: Hobo Mom by Charles Forsman & Max de Radigués

    Review: Hobo Mom by Charles Forsman & Max de Radigués

    There’s a whole story to write about the publication of Hobo Mom, a recent release from Fantagraphics. Charles Forsman and Max de Radiguès are recently published authors from the press, and Forsman specifically has had some recent popular success with the adaptation of his comic The End of the Fucking World for a Netflix series.…

  • Review: Roly Poly: Phanta’s Story by Daniel Semanas

    Review: Roly Poly: Phanta’s Story by Daniel Semanas

    There are some books published every year that have a visual impact, books that say, “pick me up and read me!” One look at Roly Poly: Phanta’s Story, and you can see why this is one of those books. The book has a strong visual sensibility, beautiful colors, and a style influenced by cyberpunk and…

  • Review: Dull Margaret, written by Jim Broadbent and illustrated by Dix

    Review: Dull Margaret, written by Jim Broadbent and illustrated by Dix

    When I heard that Fantagraphics was publishing a graphic novel loosely based on Dulle Griet, the 16th century oil painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, I was intrigued. Bruegel’s art has always been fascinating to me because of its scope and its sheer chaos. Every painting I’ve ever seen of his work seems packed to…

  • Review: The Lie and How We Told It by Tommi Parrish

    Review: The Lie and How We Told It by Tommi Parrish

    Tommi Parrish is one of my favorite rising cartoonists. Their work in NOW #1 was a highlight of the anthology, and their comic Perfect Discipline and Unbending Loyalty was one of my favorites of 2017. It seems like a lot of Tommi’s work is coming out all at the same time, but they’re back with…

  • Review: Cartoon Clouds by Joseph Remnant

    Review: Cartoon Clouds by Joseph Remnant

    Fantagraphics sent over a few new books in the Fall and I’ve been slowly working my way through them. One that I’ve been stewing over for a while is Joseph Remnant’s debut graphic novel, Cartoon Clouds. Remnant did the illustration work for Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland, and is  anthologized in NOW #2. Cartoon Clouds is a…