Starred review for Why I Killed Peter from PW + other reviews

Publisher’s Weekly has this week given a starred review for Why I Killed Peter, calling it “hauntingly evocative. Ka is unable to ignore his past any longer and decides to tell his story, teaming with artist Alfred to create a graphic memoir. Alfred’s blending of ink drawings and digital photographs in the final gut-wrenching scenes are perfect visual complements to Ka’s voice, which shifts effortlessly from the innocence of childhood to the responsibilities of adulthood.”

Another recent review:

“The sensitivity with which Ka and Alfred handle this real-life moment is astonishing. And the way the graphic novel plays out, with art eventually giving way to photographs taken of the actual spots where some of the story takes place, is powerful. There will be those who cannot get through the book, overwhelmed by the story and the emotional content, but for those who do, they are in for a unique graphic novel experience. ”

Marc Mason, Comics Waiting Room

Also. Andrew ‘Capt. Comics’ Smith of the Scripps-Howard News Service says of David B’s Nocturnal Conspiracies: “Recommended.”

Watch for an interview of David B. to go up on Graphic Novel Reporter soon!

sunday comes with good news

Living and working in Stockholm and having Terry and NBM all the way over in NYC is hardly ever a problem with today’s communications. One of the downsides that do come with it is the fact that I’ve had two graphic novels published (Unholy Kinship, House of Clay) and never a party or any kind of event to accompany the release.

That’s about to change! Well, knock on wood, we’ve got some preliminary plans. Apart from doing comics I’m also a painter and for about a year now the people over at the Hive gallery in LA have been wonderful enough to display my work. So – when Graylight comes out (looks like it’s gonna be fall, but things aren’t set yet and I’ve got another 30 pages to go) they’ve agreed to arranging a little celebration with me. This would include, as part of one of their large monthly shows, a corner with paintings related to the book as well as books for sale. If I have a day job* at the time I might be there in person, and hopefully meet up with you. Here’s a page from the book by the way! From chapter 7. (i’ve only lettered up to chapter 6, huff huff).

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* Painting, illustration, comics and web design are just baaaarely paying the bills right now. I’m at the studio 8am-8pm on all days when I’m not too sleepy. I’ve just decided I should probably start looking for a day job though… could be fun for a change.

Taxis

Here’s another page from one of the opening chapters of my book loosely based on my experiences in  Turkmenistan (the presently untitled book loosely based on my experiences in Turkmenistan as I mentioned in my last post). The story focuses on the friendship between an American named Joe and a Turkmen named Azat and builds to Azat’s wedding.  The plot is completely fictional, but a number of the incidents in the book actually happened. Including the one on this page where the taxi driver decided to pop the top on a hot radiator and it exploded in his face. Taxis were the quickest way to get from place to place even long distances (this trip was about 900 km). There were buses, but they were slow and always packed. For the most part the taxi drivers knew what they were doing, but this guy had no clue.  

“When all seemed lost, he does get the girl, the cake, or the dog.”

We’re talking about Happy Holigan here and this is from a great review in the California Literary Review:

“Seen in the context of this long tradition, Opper ultimately created a great gag, a caricatured layabout with an appalling taste in orange polka dot undershirts. Viewed in retrospect, post-Depression, however, he acquires a special poignancy.

Here was a man who was only ever trying to help, never asking for favors, loved by children, and here was a society intent on beating him down. The line between comedy and tragedy is a fine one, and Hooligan’s lines were pretty fine.

Yet Opper was nothing if not smart, and knew we could only put up with so much. Rarely, just rarely, the schmuck from Brooklyn gets a break. In isolated strips, when all seemed lost, he does get the girl, the cake, or the dog. ”

The Review gives our collection 4 stars out of 5.

I’m tellin ya, it’s a classic not to be missed!

Terry

See us at NY Comicon!

We’ll be at booth 1713 in a well placed corner, have our latest books out both for NBM and for our sister publishing co. Papercutz.

For NBM that means having Miss Don’t Touch Me, Nocturnal Conspiracies by David B, Happy Hooligan and fresh in: LITTLE NOTHINGS 2 by Lewis Trondheim! We’ll also have Neil Kleid of Brownsville and other comics with Slave Labor, Image, etc… Publisher Terry Nantier will be there, ready to chat with you.

For Papercutz, the big news is we’ll have Greg Farshtey on Saturday, the writer of  Bionicle and of course the latest Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tales from the Crypt and Classics Illustrated. Meet also our industry-beloved Editor-in-Chief Jim Salicrup.

See ya there at the Javitts Center Feb. 6-8.

Moresukine reviewed in Daily Yomiuri

The Daily Yomiuri, an English-language Japanese paper ran a long well-illustrated review of Dirk Schwieger’s Moresukine calling it “Highly Entertaining. Amusing look at many aspects of life in Japan.”

It goes on to describe quite a few of Schwieger’s ‘exploits’ under the command of internet readers.