Welcome to the Comics Syllabus podcast, where we read widely and we dig deep. Your host Paul, a literacy researcher and English teacher, introduces curious readers to a range of current and classic comics, and then engages in closer discussion and analysis of a certain title with comics critics, creators, scholars, and teachers. Let’s dig deep!
[audio: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/336962676-twoplai-009-declan-shalvey-talks-savage-town-plus-review-session.mp3]Or download the podcast episode here.
On this week’s Comics Syllabus podcast, Paul chats with comics creator Declan Shalvey about writing “Savage Town,” an upcoming original graphic novel from Image Comics (out September 20, 2017). Shalvey, who broke out as an artist for his work on Marvel’s “Moon Knight” and “Injection” from Image, has written comics before, but in “Savage Town” he presents a distinctive writing voice to a crime story set in Limerick, Ireland, this time drawn by artist Philip Barrett, with colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Clayton Cowles. Paul talks to Declan about finding just the right amount of dialect to depict in dialogue, the crime and gangster story inspirations for his tale and why crime is so effective a genre, and how “Savage Town” represents the Irish comic he’s always wanted to see. Declan also touches on why Philip Barrett was perfect for this book, how he works this time with colorist-extraordinaire/Red Cube Studio-mate/partner Jordie Bellaire, and why art credit and creator ownership matter.
(Images and links to go with our conversation are below!)
But first, in the “General Ed” segment, Paul presents “The Review Session,” a bi-monthly discussion about comics Paul is reading, making connections to the past few episodes of the podcast and looking forward to future episodes and discussions to come. Paul talk about our past couple months of Comics Syllabus episodes, and how comics discuss politics, identity, relationship and family, and culture, pointing ahead to future titles we will discuss: “Astro City” by Busiek and Anderson (Image/Vertigo), “Dept H” by Matt and Sharlene Kindt (Dark Horse), “Calexit” by Pizzolo and Nahuelpan (Black Mask), “Mech Cadet Yu” by Pak and Miyazawa (Boom!), and “Barrier” by Vaughan and Martin (Panel Syndicate).
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Thanks for listening!
IMAGES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Images below are from preview pages of “Savage Town,” by Barrett, Shalvey, Bellaire, and Cowles (Image Comics)
Red Cube Studio, creative home of Declan Shalvey (as well as Jordie Bellaire, whose new Redlands from Image is out this week!): http://www.theredcubestudio.com/
Pieces with Declan Shalvey by David Harper can be found here and here (Multiversity) and here and here (Off-Panel/SKTCHD); by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou found here (Strip Panel Naked).
Saaaavage (related to 20:20 in discussion of “savage”)
Jimmy Gets Savage
The Limerick of Savage Town
FROM THE “REVIEW SESSION” DISCUSSION WITH PAUL:
Escapist Comics Podcast episode interviewing the creators of Calexit (Black Mask): http://art19.com/shows/the-escapist-comics-podcast/episodes/037d2ba3-2e3e-413e-9489-89fd736e6744
“Can Comics Matter to Our Politics”– Paul’s piece on politics for Multiversity: http://www.multiversitycomics.com/longform/can-comics-matter/
