Monkey Food is a collection of semi-autobiographical strips based on growing up in the 70s. Even though Ellen Forney and I are about the same age, I didn’t go through many of the things she remembers, like pot busts or CB radios. Then again, I did have to deal with winged hair, and the Judy Blume books were minor classics for my age group. Plus, when thinking back on childhood, some things are timeless, like the family dog having puppies, […]

R. Kikuo Johnson’s debut graphic novel Night Fisher has justifiably been praised for its fresh take on a classic story type. Loren’s friend Shane has drifted away from him during their senior year of high school. Shane’s been doing meth, and Loren tries the drug in a failed attempt to continue their friendship. He finds himself following a downward spiral, getting high and indulging in petty theft to get more money for drugs. He’s facing a big life decision, deciding […]

Romance Without Tears sets out to collect love stories from the 1950s that feature “lively, independent… outrageous” girls who don’t spend all their time crying or pining away. The opening essay by compiler John Benson provides an overview of romance comics from their early days through their later over-reliance on the cover image of “the tear-stained face”. The comics reprinted here, originally published by Archer St. John, contrast with those types of stories. These attempt to portray realistic dating scenarios […]