Occultists, beatniks, Alison Bechdel, trash cinema, and surrealist film makers round up a good selection of non-fiction for this batch.
You'll see that I'll try to include a little order code with most items (ex:FEB211476). Show some love to your retailer and use those codes when you can, it saves a lot of time on the data entry end of things.
LIVES OF THE GREAT OCCULTISTS
(W) Kevin Jackson (A) Hunt Emerson
Since the dawn of humanity, there have been individuals who want to mess around with Hidden Powers. Some were Mystics, some were Scientists, some were Charlatans. All were pretty bonkers. Including Faust, Giordano Bruno, William Blake, WB Yeats, Dr. Dee, Kenneth Anger, Mother Shipton, Madam Blavatsky, Isaac Newton, David Bowie, and, repeatedly, Aleister Crowley. Centuries of eccentric, bizarre lives. JAN211413
Why this caught my eye:
I kind of get a 'Big Book of....' vibe from this and it just looks like a fun project.
SECRET TO SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH GN
(W) Alison Bechdel (A/CA) Alison Bechdel
Comics and cultural superstar Alison Bechdel delivers a deeply layered story of her fascination, from childhood to adulthood, with every fitness craze to come down the pike: from Jack LaLanne in the 60s ("Outlandish jumpsuit! Cantaloupe-sized guns!") to the existential oddness of present-day spin class. Readers will see their athletic or semi-active pasts flash before their eyes through an ever-evolving panoply of running shoes, bicycles, skis, and sundry other gear. But the more Bechdel tries to improve herself, the more her self appears to be the thing in her way. The gifted artist and not-getting-any-younger exerciser comes to a soulful conclusion. The secret to superhuman strength lies not in six-pack abs, but in something much less clearly defined: facing her own non-transcendent but all-important interdependence with others.
FEB211414
Why this caught my eye:
You don't get a lot of new Bechdel material these days so always worth checking out.
BEATNIK BUENOS AIRES GN
(W) Diego Arandojo (A) Facundo Percio
Set in 1963, this graphic novel celebrates a time in Argentine history when its art scene blossomed. Writer Diego Arandojo and illustrator Facundo Percio come together to weave the rich tapestry of Buenos Aires in the time of the beatnik. Arandojo's dialogue lends a poetic quality to these lively characters, while Percio's charcoal drawings perfectly capture the rough charm of this eclectic community of artists and the seedy, smoky locales they inhabit.
FEB211300
Why this caught my eye:
Sounds like an engaging focus and I'm liking Percio's style in what untranslated previews I've seen.
Bleeding Skull!: A 1990s Trash-Horror Odyssey
(W) Joseph A. Ziemba (A) Annie Choi (CA) Zack Carlson
Bleeding Skull!: A 1990s Trash-Horror Odyssey is a celebration of the most obscure, bizarre, and brain-busting movies ever made. Curated by the minds behind BleedingSkull.com and jam-packed with rare photographs, advertisements, and VHS sleeves, Bleeding Skull! is a laugh-out-loud guide to the dusty inventory of the greatest video store that never existed.
FEB211308
Why this caught my eye:
This seems like an interesting divergence from the usual Fantagraphics project but still in line tonally. I also like learning about obscure film crap, so sounds like a win.
BUNUEL IN THE LABYRINTH OF TURTLES GN
(W) Fermin Solis (A) Fermin Solis
Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles depicts a decisive moment in the life of the great Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel: the moment when he doubted surrealism and contemplated embracing a more social type of cinema. At this crucial turning point in his career, he wanted to change the world by showing the hidden heart of reality. Buñuel was deeply affected by the harshness of Las Hurdes and the extreme misery of the people who lived in this remote region, so with his friend, the movie producer Ram n Ac n, he began work on the pseudo-documentary Land Without Bread. But in the mind of the great surrealist, reality inevitably clashed with dreams and childhood memories, threatening both the film and his friendship with Ac n. It was at this moment that the Buñuel of the future was born.
FEB211512
Why this caught my eye:
Speaking about learning film stuff, this is why I love that we have so much great non-fiction popping up in comics. I'm completely ignorant on this subject matter and this feels like a good basic intro, plus SelfMadeHero just does good work.
That's it for this batch, we'll hit up some drama and slice of life in the next installment.
Though "Fun Home" will likely never be equaled, Bechdel does deliver again with this new book.