The Comics Journal – Review

The Comics Journal

#193, $5.95 (Fantagraphics,7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle,WA 98115)
by Ryk McIntyre

One of the basic trade journals for the Comic Biz, The Comics Journal is the editorial forum and plaything of publisher Gary Groth, a man who seemingly hates and will not even acknowledge any comic book or strip that isn’t a) black and white, and b) at least fifty years old, and/or produced by a European or someone whose book is, curiously enough, published by Fantagraphics. Which is also his. Still, separating magazine from publisher personality, The Comics Journal is about the best editorial forum that delves into Comics; not the “new releases,” but the history of the medium with interviews from the best and most worthy. For instance, artist/writer Seth who, along with his ongoing title Palookaville, and other comics projects, has also had his illustrations in and on the cover of The New Yorker, showing an Art Speigelman-like ability to cross over. This issue includes a dense and meaty Q & A session with this true storyteller with an art style unmistakably “his own.” Also interviewed is Terry Moore, creator of Strangers In Paradise, one of the best comics of the past few years.

Monthly features include several editorial pieces, news from the comics scene (especially global news), reference sections and, of course, “Blood and Thunder,” the monthly pulpit shout from Gary Groth. The man is self-righteous in a way that would school God. Lord knows Dave (Cerebus) Sims had to nearly hit Gary with an issue of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman before Gary even acknowledged its existence, let alone admit that a (shudder, gasp) color book from (the pain!) DC Comics might even be good. This was some years into Sandman‘s reign over the comics-that-cool-people-with-lives-like-to-read. Still, curmudgeon that he is, Gary Groth is an unending voice in favor of the artform, artistic freedom, and anti-censorship. Probably the most annoying thing about him is that usually, he’s right months before all the rest of us catch on.