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Young, Robert – The Comics Interpreter Volume 2 #3

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The Comics Interpreter Volume 2 #3

Why is this listed as quite possibly the last issue of this series? Is there really nobody out there who wants to find out about random small press people that you’ve probably never heard of? Is it blind, slavish devotion to The Comics Journal to the exclusion of every other magazine about comics? Whatever the case, it’s a damned shame that Robert is struggling to get to #4 of this series when he’s doing such a great job with this. #3 of this series has interview with David Rees, James Jean and Tak Toyoshima. He has a lengthy essay about whatever happened to the Moore/Sienkowitz project Big Numbers, reviews of a few comics and a special section dedicated to piling on that dipshit we have for President. In other words, a solid issue dealing with people I’ve never heard of and with more than a few comic strips. I don’t know what I can tell you about this, folks. It’s always kind of odd reviewing, um, a reviewer. I don’t agree with him on everything he writes (which is a good thing in my book), but I always find my position challenged by the way he tackles an argument or a particular comic. If you like this site because you like finding hidden gems in the comics world, you should do yourself a favor and check out this magazine. Any issue, from what I’ve seen, has all kinds of great stuff in it. And, of course, there’s the stuff that I don’t much care about, but it’s a 64 page magazine. I don’t mind “not getting” a few pages, and neither should you. Sorry if this review came off as even more of a rant than usual, but I think Robert should be given a chance to keep going with this magazine, as I want to see what it’s like 10 years from now. Check it out, contact info is up there…

Young, Robert – The Comics Interpreter Volume 2 #2

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The Comics Interpreter Volume 2 #2 Now Available! $5

Young, Robert – The Comics Interpreter Volume 2 #1

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The Comics Interpreter Volume 2 #1 Now Available! $5

It’s things like this that make me wonder if I’m wasting my time writing reviews. I have fun rambling about comics, sure, and I like to think that I’m at least giving enough information away about something to make people interested in a book, but the way this guy writes reviews… He’s informative, funny, and intelligent without crossing that “Comic’s Journal” line of being overwhelmingly pretentious at times. Granted, it’s still not a magazine that any random person could pick up on my coffee table and enjoy, but it’s impossible to make a magazine about comics that fits that criteria. Looks like this issue finally got printed, which is great news, and it’s $6. In here are plenty of reviews that put the words on these pages to shame and two hugely entertaining interviews, especially when you consider that I knew nothing at all about Hans Rickheit and Paul Pope before this. There’s also a section where readers weigh in on the most interesting person in comics, and did I mention the reviews? Check this out, give those people at Fantagraphics some competition!

Young, Robert – The Comics Interpreter #6

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The Comics Interpreter #6 Now Available! $4.95

You know, I wasn’t sure if I should give this its own page or not. It’s not an issue of whether or not it deserved it, because I enjoyed both of these. It was just because it isn’t a comic, it’s a zine about comics. Then I remembered that my decisions only have to make sense to me, so here it is. This one has an interview with both of the Hernandez Bros, which is worth the price of admission right there. The rest of the issue is a tribute to them, with all sorts of people commenting on their place in comics and what the Bros’ contributions to the field have meant to them. And, while I never really got into him, there’s also an interview with Jamie Delano. You might be better off going with #5 if you’re shooting for more of an overview of mini comics, as the theme for this issue is pretty specific. As for the actual layout of the zine, there are a couple of things that I could nitpick about, but I just don’t see any reason to. If he keeps this up we might get a viable alternative to The Comics Journal after all. Well done, and everybody out there should send him money so he keeps it up. We’d all be a lot better off if this zine does well… Visit his page, e-mail him or send money or free stuff to: TCI 5820 N. Murray Ave. Ste. D-12, Charleston, SC 29406.

Young, Robert – The Comics Interpreter #5

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The Comics Interpreter #5

Reviews, interviews (Brian Ralph, Jef Czekaj and the Bipolar Twins), essays, and what appears to be a genuine love for the medium. How can you go wrong?