THE BOSTON COMICS ROUNDTABLE: a community of comics creators, meeting weekly since 2006.

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  • Heaps ‘o Praise: July 2010 edition

    We now take time to honor the honored.

    Ron LeBrasseur was praised by The Comics Journal for his book Blood Moon: A Love Story.

    Joel Gill earned a great review from the Small Press Syndicate for the first and second issues of Strange Fruit. Days later, he garnered a second positive review from The Poop Sheet Foundation (a much more pleasant website then the name implies).

    Cathy Leamy was called out by The Comics Journal just a few days ago for her excellent minis Greenblooded and Reggie & Brian and the Lousy Nickname.

    Dan Mazur also got accolades from The Comics Journal last month for his latest mini, The Way it Crumbles.

    Congratulations to everyone!

  • The Best Comics You Never Read in Your Life #2

    A new series feature in which comics creators discuss their favorite comics that just haven’t got the attention they deserved.

    Hello, Me Pretty
    by Line Gamache

    Story synopsis
    A family history, mostly set in 1960s Quebec, centered around the family’s mentally disabled daughter (sister of the writer/artist). This daughter makes life challenging, but she is most of all a positive force in the family.

    Why comics creator Line O loves it
    The drawings are very creative and unique. A bit as if a child had drawn them, but with the imagination of an adult, which goes well with the theme of the daughter who can not grow up, but remains small and innocent. Despite the challenges the family faces, the message of the comic is positive, without becoming sentimental: People are different and unique in their own beautiful ways.

    How to buy Hello, Me Pretty
    Amazon, Conundrum Press, local comics shops

    To see art and comics from Boston Comics Roundtable’s own Lino O, visit http://outoflinecomics.blogspot.com.

    The Man Eating Cow
    by Clay Griffith (writer), Alan Hopkins (artist)

    Story synopsis
    When heaps of partially eaten criminals start lining The City streets, the homicide local squad sets out to capture Crime Cannibal. But the real killer is a cow.

    Why comics creator Joey Peters loves it
    A spinoff from The Tick, it takes its source material in a completely different direction. Surreal, but with less overt parody elements. It’s about as grounded in reality as any comic you’re likely to see about a former crime fighting cannibal. Also, it’s very funny.

    How to buy  The Man Eating Cow
    Amazon

    To see art and comics from Boston Comics Roundtable’s own Joey Peters, visit http://tacolicious.net.

  • The Best Comics You Never Read in Your Life #1

    A new series feature in which comics creators discuss their favorite comics that just haven’t got the attention they deserved.

    The Astrosmurf
    by Peyo

    Story synopsis
    A Smurf wants to build a rocket and travel to another world, when it looks like he’ll have to give up, Papa Smurf enlists the other Smurfs to makre his dream come true.

    Why comics creator Will Clark loves it
    Quite simply, Peyo is one of the finest cartoonists who has ever put pencil to page. Plus, the story is funny and delightful.

    How to buy The Astrosmurf
    Ebay, though American reprints are supposed to start in August.

    To see art and comics from Boston Comics Roundtable’s own Will Clark, visit http://laughingboycomics.com.

    Los Tejanos
    by Jack “Jaxon” Jackson

    Story synopsis
    A beautifully-drawn black-and-white historical graphic novel based on the political career of Juan Seguin, a Mexican founding father of the republic of Texas.

    Why comics creator E. J. Barnes loves it
    This was the first comic to bring home to me the potential of the comic book and graphic novel to portray historical events in social as well as dramatic context.

    How to buy  Los Tejanos
    Pub. Fantagraphics 1982.  Out of print?

    To see art and comics from Boston Comics Roundtable’s own E. J. Barnes, visit www.ejbarnes.com.

  • Inbound #5: Now accepting submissions

    Calling all New England comics creators – Boston Comics Roundtable is now working on the fifth issue of our comics anthology Inbound! And we’re accepting submissions!

    Deadline: July 1, 2010

    The theme for Inbound #5 is FOOD. We’re looking for stories that use food as a dramatic or comedic narrative theme, the basis for great stories. Of course it’s a very conducive theme to slice of life, realistic stories, but food can also be the basis for fantastic, scary, weird and imaginative stories of all kinds. Food as metaphor, food as Macguffin, food as fantasy… personal stories, adventure stories, food as history ….

    Artwork print size will be 5.75 x 8.625” . Black-and-white artwork; scanned files must be 300dpi at print size. Target story length is 4-12 pages, but we may accomodate shorter/longer stories (email the editorial team to confirm).

    Please contact the Inbound editorial team at inboundcomics@gmail.com for instructions on how to submit your story files or if you have any questions.

  • Sci-fi anthology Outbound #2 now on sale!

    Cover of issue #2 of Outbound, the sci-fi anthology
    It’s here! The second issue of the sci-fi anthology Outbound is now on sale! Enjoy a whopping 120 pages of serialized story fun including the next chapter of tales from issue #1, brand new stories debuting this issue, and an eyecatching cover from Uruguayan artist Marcello Buchelli.

    Get your copy from the Outbound online store (Paypal-enabled) or in comic shops in the greater Boston area.
    Returning stories include:

    “Space and Time” by Josh Mills, Michael Paoloni, David Marshall, and Roho, with issue cover by Marcelo Buchelli
    “The Caerulean Dream” by Roho and Kevin Zimmerman, with chapter cover by Randy Valiente
    “The Null Device” by David Marshall
    “Flek” by Erik Heumiller
    “Scientists Gone Wild” by Eric Boeker
    “Black Fuska” by Roho, Dave Myers, and Steve Willhite, with chapter cover by Paul Marquis

    And check out these new stories:

    “The New Kid” by Dan Mazur, with chapter cover by Roho
    “The Fallout Parade” by Jesse Lonergan
    “Frequency: Breaking the Law of Gravity” by David Alluisi and Brian Boyles, with chapter cover by Jason Baroody
    “Robot 11-Three” by Kevin Kilgore, with chapter cover by Chris Ring
    “Alkehine’s Gun” by Joel Gill
    “Driftwood” by Morgan Pielli

    Outbound #2 also includes prose fiction:

    “Tin Cans and a String” by Patrick J. Flaherty, with art by Furman

  • Indie Spinner Rack honors Inbound #4

    Indie Spinner Rack has named Inbound #4 one of their top anthologies of the year. You can hear all about it at the end of episode #175 , the latter half of its two-parter 2010 “Izzer Awards” (listen for it at the 41:25 mark). We expect our tiny statuette in the shape of Rudolph Topffer to arrive in the mail any day.

    Thanks, Charlito and Mr. Phil!

    If you can’t get enough of Inbound #4 reviews, here are some more to pass the time: