Weekend Pattering for May 6th, 2016-- It's All About Process

** We've been off but we're back with all of the links you need to read.

** O.k.  I've been off for a couple of weeks but most of the rest of your Patterers have been quite active for the past month or so.  Here's what we've been pattering about.

• Paknadel & Trakhanov’s Turncoat #1 (James)
• Graphic Nonfiction: Birdie Sanders and a Brief History of the Finch (Rob M.)
• The Fix #1 [Advance Review] (James)
• All-Ages or Small-Ages? #1 (Feathers by Jorge Corona and Jen Hickman) (Mark)
• The Kids Are Alright-- thoughts on Paper Girls Volume 1 and Archie Volume 1 (Scott)
• All-Ages or Small-Ages? #2 (TMNT: New Animated Adventures by Kenny Byerly, Scott Tipton, David Tipton et al.) (Mark)
• Dept. H #1 [Advance Review] (James)
• All-Ages or Small-Ages? #3 (Sonic Universe: Spark of Life by Ian Flynn, Aleah Baker, Tracy Yardley and Matt Herms) (Mark)
• Divinity II #1 (of 4) (James)
• Graphic Nonfiction: Keith Knight Talks About Prince's 1999 (Rob M.)
• 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank #1 [Advance Review] (James)
• All-Ages or Small-Ages #4 (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic by Katie Cook, Andy Price and Heather Breckel) (Mark)
• The Hero: Book One by David Rubin. (Douglas)
• All-Ages or Small-Ages #5 (Princeless by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin) (Mark)
• Ultraman Volumes 1 & 2 by Tomohiro Shimoguchi and Eiichi Shimizu (Douglas)
• Renato Jones: The One% #1 (James)

** Mini Kuš! Comics #38–41 (The Comics Journal)-- Rob Kirby reviews the latest batch of minicomics by the Latvian publisher.  

One of the pleasures of reading the Kuš! line on a fairly regular basis is gaining familiarity with its international roster of artists: through them I’ve become a fan of creators previously unknown to me, such as Emilie Östergren, Berliac, Lai Tat Tat Wing, and Jean de Wet, to name just a few. I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more from this current crop of creators, particularly Booth and Pičukāne. You can’t go wrong with Kuš!.

** What Is Obscenity? The Story of a Good for Nothing Artist and Her Pussy (The Comics Journal)--And Rob isn't done there as he also reviews Rokudenashiko new book from Koyama Press.

In her introduction, the artist explains her moniker: “Rokudenashi means ‘useless’ or ‘good for nothing’ in Japanese. Japanese mangaka (i.e., manga creators) make silly pen names for themselves all the time, so I made myself this silly pen name without much thought to it when I started my career in ‘reality manga.’ Manko art, as it happens, was also just a silly thing I did for the story.” After her harassment from law enforcement, she doubles down with firm resolve: “I’ve decided to keep making even more ridiculous work with all seriousness… I am now joking around with every ounce of my body and soul.”

** Copra Club: Talking with Cult Comics Creator Michel Fiffe (Brooklyn Magazine)-- Jeff Klingman briefly talks to Michel Fiffe about the unique comic career he's carved out for himself.

“When it comes to those old comics, I think there’s just an immediacy to them that’s so obvious. Not because they were rushed or it was done on a deadline, but it was a lot less self-aware. Old Steve Ditko comics, I can see the guy drawing it. I can imagine him drawing these cityscapes and wonderlands, and figures out of nothing. It just has this real bite to it.” Fiffe’s illustrations, his bold lines and graceful, fluid action, stand out among the hyper-muscular glean of much mainstream art. There’s something about it that feels pure.

And where there is a regrettable tendency to only frame interactions between women as equal, Genius doesn't. pic.twitter.com/QWiAYRwmfR

— Femmes in the Fridge (@FemmesinFridges) April 22, 2016

** Genius and Panel Framing (Twitter and Storify)-- El Anderson of the site Femmes in the Fridge used Mark Bernardin, Adam Freeman, and Afua Richardson's Genius to look at framing in comics.

** Comics 101 (Erik Larsen's Facebook page)-- I like it when Erik Larsen talks about comics.  This Facebook photo album contains a lot of great examples of  what works and what doesn't work in comics.

** Theory: Frank Miller’s recent work is good, but it isn’t getting the right colour treatment (James Harvey Tumblr blog)-- This piece by James Harvey offers an interesting take on Frank Miller's recent work.

Frank is an artist who is constantly evolving, and his new work seems to be somewhere between Jim Mahfood, Sergio Aragonez and Ralph Steadman. It doesn’t make sense to colour him as if he’s an Image comics artist from the 90’s, all gradients, shadows and shiny metallic finish.

Harvey's colors and design (seen above) doesn't approach DC in its house style but is as expressive and unique as Miller's work.  I still don't know if Miller's drawing is that great (what's up Edward J. Robinson as the superbaby?) but Harvey is demonstrating how out-of-the-box thinking can compliment unique line work.