PW Comics World: More To Come

Willingham says Fables is now in the public domain, RIP Joe Matt, Goats Flying Press, Graphix kids manga line, Lianne Sentar rises, NBA kids’ longlist, Baltimore Comic Con and SPX recaps, and Brooklyn Book Festival preview.

Interviews from Baltimore Comic Con and SPX, including: The Nib's Matt Bors, Ignatz winner Robyn Smith, and cartoonists Whit Taylor, Jamar Nicholas, John Gallagher, Johnny Parker, and Daniel and Kevin McCloskey.

A salute to co-host Calvin Reid, who has been awarded the 2023 Tom Spurgeon Award by the CXC festival; the lack of Direct Market retail sales charts; news about the upcoming New York Comic Con; the business news of the week, and preview the SPX and Baltimore Comic-Con shows which open over the past weekend

From the archives, Calvin interviews the late comics writer, editor and historian Tom Spurgeon (1969-2019), recorded at the 2019 Cartoon Crossroads Columbus comics festival, of which he was executive director; and Heidi talks with comics legend Grant Morrison about his comics past and present, and their shared comic con history, in 2015.

This week on More to Come, Calvin Reid interviews Levi Hastings and Josh Trujillo, cocreators of ‘Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben,’ a graphic biography of an intriguing leader of the American Revolution. Hastings and Trujillo talk about the life of von Steuben, a brilliant 18th century military strategist, described as being “flamboyantly gay” at a time when queer people could be put to death, and as “one of the greatest military leaders in U.S. history."

Image’s move to S&S for book distribution and the $1.6B acquisition of S&S by KKR; the cancellation of some titles planned for the IDW Originals line; malaise over Marvel’s comics and the MCU; James Gunn’s sales-boosting Twitter (X) posts, and a salute to Flame Con 2023, NYC’s LGBTQ comics and pop culture convention.

This week on More to Come, Meg Lemke interviews comics creator Peter Rostovsky about his debut MoCCA Fest excellence award winning graphic novel ‘Damnation Diaries,’ which is set in hell and follows a suffering soul through torture and, unexpectedly, psychotherapy with hell’s top therapist. Also, Kate interviews Michael Dialynas ('Wynd'), Isaac Goodheart ('Christopher Chaos'), Stephanie Williams ('Nubia and the Amazons') and Rachel Silverstein ('Renegade Rule') at Flame Con 2023, NYC's LGBTQ comic co

This week the More to Come crew is joined by PW graphic novel reviews editor Meg Lemke to recap San Diego Comic-Con 2023. Heidi describes the crowds, publishers, and mood of this year’s Comic-Con, Meg reacts to her first visit to the show; and the cohosts discuss the Eisner Awards, the parties, panels, and the Hollywood actors missing from this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

In part 3 of More to Come's SDCC 2023 coverage, Calvin Reid interviews Mark Siegel, founder of First Second Books and comics creator ('Sailor Twain', 'Tiny Dancer'); Meg Lemke talks with Tay Taylor, editorial director of Inklore; and Heidi MacDonald interviews comics creator Jeffrey Brown ('Once Upon a Space-Time','Thor and Loki: Midgard Family Madness').

In part 2 of More to Come's SDCC 2023 coverage, PW Comics Editor Meg Lemke interviews Avi Ehrlich of Silver Sprocket; Kazu Kibuishi ('Amulet'); Lara Antal ('Ronan and the Endless Sea of Stars'); Nidi Chanani ('Super Boba Cafe'); Rina Ayuyang ('The Man in the McIntosh Suit'); and Sierra Hahn and Hunter Gorinson of Oni-Lion Forge live on the convention floor.

In part 1 of More to Come's SDCC 2023 coverage, it’s a Four Women in a Hotel Room crossover as Heidi is joined by Brigid Alverson, Deb Aoki, and Meg Lemke to discuss this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Topics include metadata, Junji Ito and finding food.

A preview of San Diego Comic-Con 2023 (July 19–23, at the San Diego Convention Center); the WGA and SAG strike and its impact on the SDCC; David Harper’s new report on comics retailing; the manga-fication of the DCU Infinite; Viz Media's upcoming price hike; and Lance Fensterman’s new job at Fanatics.

In a Stargazing review segment, Calvin and Meg Lemke discuss ‘The Talk,’ a graphic memoir of the life of the Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell, the biracial son of a Black father and a fiercely protective White mother. The book offers a creative look at Bell’s life and at one family’s experience with “The Talk,” the warning parents deliver to their Black children about the racist society they will encounter outside of the home.

A talk with graphic novels reviews editor Meg Lemke about the Comics and Graphic Novel Announcement issue; plus PRH’s new Inklore comics imprint, San Diego Comic-Con news, investment in the GlobalComix platform, and the Kirby family’s response to Disney’s Stan Lee documentary.

An interview with Anelle Miller, retiring executive director of the Society of Illustrators about her long career as an illustrator, educator, and entrepreneur; and her visionary acquisition of the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art and relaunch of MoCCA Art Festival, its annual showcase of independent comics and graphic novels.

A tribute to the memories of the late Marvel comics artist John Romita Sr. and cartoonist Ian McGinty; #ComicsBrokeMe; PW’s annual Graphic Novels In Libraries feature, more layoffs at CBR; and the new animated feature ‘Across the Spider-Verse.’

Heidi talks with co-managing editors of 'The Comics Journal,' Austin English and Kristy Valenti, about 'Comics Journal Yearbook Best of 2022', a new publication spotlighting ten of the best comics of 2022, discovering emerging talent, indie comics in the pandemic and English's publishing company, Domino Books.

A recap of graphic novel authors at The U.S. Book Show; Image’s controversial change in comics shop distribution; the launch of the Ten Speed Graphic imprint at PRH; Bryce Gold joins Kickstarter, the Nib’s closing; plus manga piracy and book news.

From the archives, Heidi talks with comics creator and illustrator Jillian Tamaki in 2014 about her graphic novel 'This One Summer' (created with Mariko Tamaki) and more; Calvin interviews Stephen Graham Jones at NYCC 2022 about 'Earthdivers: Kill Columbus'; and at Flame Con 2015, Kate talks to comic creators James Tynion IV of 'Someone is Killing the Children', Owen White of 'Tripping Over You', Sophie Labelle of 'Assigned Male', and Molly Ostertag of 'Strong Female Protagonist' and 'The Owl House'.

A preview og Comics and Graphic Novel Day (May 23) at this week’s U.S. Book Show (May 22-25); the 2023 Eisner award nominations; recap layoffs, and reorganization at IDW Publishing; new Viz and Kodansha apps; creeping AI in manga; and news of a shocking Marvel death.