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Tag: Dan Clowes
Favourite Books 2010: Brad Mackay
by Dan
Graphica + News / December 16, 2010
Acme Novelty Library #20 (AKA “Lint”)
Chris Ware
Drawn & Quarterly ISBN 9781770460201
$24.95
The past year has seen a superb bumper crop of new books come forth from Montreal’s Drawn and Quarterly, and Ware’s is among the best-of-the-best. Chris is such a reliably excellent cartoonist that he is almost taken for granted in the comics community. This is a shame, since the latest instalment of his long-running showcase comic is a revelation. Telling the cradle-to-almost-grave story of Jordan Lint, Ware delivers a warm and searing portrayal of human weakness while still flexing his considerable formalist chops.
Palookaville #20
Seth
Drawn & Quarterly ISBN 9781770460188
$20.95
Ware’s colleague in comics, Seth, also hit a landmark in 2010 with the 20th issue of his long-running series Palookaville. As expected, Seth comes out swinging here with the latest instalment of his epic Clyde Fans serialized story. But that’s not all! Here he also offers a folio of his travelling “Dominion City” exhibition, an autobiographical strip that harkens back to the early issues of his comic and a touching eulogy of sorts to the humble comic book format, which is being eclipsed by the current graphic novel boom. An exquisite package from a Canadian treasure.
Wilson
Dan Clowes
Drawn & Quarterly ISBN 9781770460072
$23.95
As if the above wasn’t enough, 2010 also gave us Dan Clowes’ first-ever all-original graphic novel. Wilson received a mixed critical reception (some disparaged the main character for being “unlikable”) but lucky for me, I don’t expect made-up characters to always make the right choices or say the right things. As I have already said elsewhere, “Clowes shines in depicting self-loathing, cynical characters who eventually succumb to their human frailties.” Go buy this book now.
Brad Mackay is a writer and co-editor of The Collected Doug Wright: Canada's Master Cartoonist, to which he contributed a biographical essay. He is also the director and co-founder of the Doug Wright Awards for Canadian cartooning.
Favourite Books 2010: Robin McConnell, Inkstuds
by Dan
Graphica + News / December 14, 2010
Market Day
James Sturm
Drawn & Quarterly ISBN 9781897299975
$23.95
There is something about the stark beauty in this book that just draws you in. A fascinating contemplation on art. This is by far James' strongest work so far, and that is coming from a man that has already done some excellent work.
The Selves
Sonja Ahlers
Drawn & Quarterly ISBN 9781770460102
$20.95
I love how representational of a certain life and culture Sonja's work is. She plans out a million idea's and arguments in simple image that speaks in volumes.
Wilson
Daniel Clowes
Drawn & Quarterly ISBN 9781770460072
$23.95
Daniel Clowes is one of my favorite cartoonists and this book is no exception to the rule of him being awesome. It's like he dropped a bomb remind the new kids who the real boss is.
Robin McConnell is the host of the Inkstuds radio show out of Vancouver and the accompanying book of the same name, published this year by Conundrum Press.
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art best of 2010 comics dan clowes inkstuds james sturm robin mcconnell sonja ahlers
Daniel Clowes Torontoist Interview
by Dan
Graphica / May 17, 2010
Dave Howard has posted a great two part interview with the influential Daniel Clowes (author of Wilson, published by D+Q) at The Torontoist:
Ten or fifteen years ago I would get a lot of comics in the mail that were very clearly—it was as if someone had read my comics and they were trying to do their own comics but they were so strongly influenced by me and it was, it felt very strange. I know my work is based on my reading of other artists and taking elements from them, so there was a new generation of artists who just weren’t ready to do their own work and it was very filtered through my sensibilities. I didn’t take offense at it or anything, I had certainly done the same thing myself, but it felt strange.
You can also read NPR's review of Daniel's new book Wilson here.
Daniel Clowes in Toronto
by Dan
Graphica / May 07, 2010
Daniel Clowes is presenting his new book Wilson tonight at the Toronto Reference Library as part of the Toronto Comics Art Festival.
The event is already sold out, but Daniel is participating in a panel discussion with James Sturm, Seth, Chester Brown, and Jim Woodring
at 11:30am in Learning Centre 1 of the Reference Library on Saturday.
If you can't make to TCAF tomorrow, however, you can read interviews with Daniel in this week's EYE Weekly and in yesterday's Toronto Star.
Clowes was also interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi on Thursday's Q on CBC Radio One. Ghomeshi recently posted this snippet from the interview on Twitter:
Me: You prefer unlikeable characters? Daniel Clowes: "Characters designed to be likeable are just pandering to the audience's narcissism."
Take that, audience!
A full schedule for the TCAF program this weekend can be found here.
Clowes Bag
by Dan
Graphica / April 21, 2010
The awesome Dan Clowes is the latest cartoonist to join an elite group of artists — including Art Spiegelman, R. Sikoryak, Seth, Adrian Tomine — who have illustrated tote bags for legendary New York bookstore The Strand.
The beautiful new bag is available in the store (where Dan Clowes will be on Wednesday May 5th), but for those of us not lucky enough to live in New York, it is also for sale now on their website.
For Canadian fans, Dan Clowes will be at the Toronto Comics Art Festival May 8th and 9th, and his new book Wilson is released next week.
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bags bookstores comics dan clowes illustration new york tcaf the strand toronto