-J. & Steph Talk About Comics

-J. Michael Bestul is a writer for the Addison Recorder. Stephanie Ruehl is an artist who works in a comic book shop. They’re married and have a lot of discussions about comic books and graphic novels. Combine all that into a biweekly feature and you get “J. & Steph Talk About Comics.”

When the first issue came out last fall, the series was titled Tooth & Claw. Today sees the release of the first trade collection of the series under its new name, The Autumnlands vol. 1: Tooth and Claw, and it’s an action-packed book that blends fantasy and sci-fi in a world of animals.

The Autumnlands, volume 1: Tooth and Claw

words by Kurt Busiek, art by Benjamin Dewey, published by Image Comics 

Synopsis: In a world of anthropomorphic animals and floating cities, the one form of true currency and power — magic — is fading. In a last ditch effort to resurrect it, Gharta the wizard works a massive spell to bring forth the Great Champion in the hope that he will restore their magic to what it once was.

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-J. Michael Bestul is a writer for the Addison Recorder. Stephanie Ruehl is an artist who works in a comic book shop. They’re married and have a lot of discussions about comic books and graphic novels. Combine all that into a biweekly feature and you get “J. & Steph Talk About Comics.”

May and June mark the DC Universe event Convergence, a smashing together of all DC stories and timelines– wait, no… sorry, the Marvel event Secret Wars, a smashing together of all Marvel stories and timelines.

Yup.

-J.: Please no more. I can’t. There are so many mediocre crossover events, and they just keep coming…

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-J. Michael Bestul is a writer for the Addison Recorder. Stephanie Ruehl is an artist who works in a comic book shop. They’re married and have a lot of discussions about comic books and graphic novels. Combine all that into a biweekly feature and you get “J. & Steph Talk About Comics.”

-J.: I initially thought this week would be ideal to talk about the slew of DC #1 issues coming out as part of their Convergence event. But then I read Convergence #0, a disappointing lead-in that reads like it wants to be a Neil Gaiman-penned prologue. It wasn’t bad, per se, but set a disappointing tone for the event. So, when Steph brought home the newly-released Lumberjanes, volume 1, and mentioned writing about it for J&STAC, I jumped. The question was, would it be any good?

Lumberjanes vol. 1

words by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis, art by Brooke Allen. Published by BOOM! Studios

synopsis: A group of Lumberjane scouts discover more than they bargained for during their summer at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniguigul Thistte Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. *Friendship to the Max!*

Steph: I had heard nothing but good things about Lumberjanes and I had been eagerly awaiting the release of volume 1. [Read more…]

-J. Michael Bestul is a writer for the Addison Recorder. Stephanie Ruehl is an artist who works in a comic book shop. They’re married and have a lot of discussions about comic books and graphic novels. Combine all that into a biweekly feature and you get “J. & Steph Talk About Comics.”

One of the more celebrated titles of last year was She-Hulk, a new ongoing series starring lawyer-Hulk Jennifer Walters. After twelve issues, though, Marvel cancelled the series to the dismay of many. They tried to clarify that the goal had always been to publish the first twelve issues and see if it got enough traction to keep going, but that’s not how they sold the series.

The second (and final) volume of She-Hulk issues was released today, so we decided to look at the final arc of She-Hulk’s short-lived series.

cover art by Kevin Wada

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