ICYMI -- Small Press Comics Criticism and Whatnot for 11/13/17 to 11/19/17

Highlighting some great small press comics criticism being published, as well as other random things that have caught my eye over the past week.

COMICS CRITICISM 

* John Seven takes this quick look at PRESENT by Leslie Stein, saying "Stein's comics do read a lot like a gift, like that gift is an expression of something that is happening with her or something she is feeling, and it is presented with the idea that you, too, might be going through the same thing."

* Alex Hoffman reviews SHINER by Nathan Cowdry, "a weird conglomeration of sexual obsession, violence, zeitgeist-prodding, and an aesthetic that looks pulled straight out of a 60's shojo magazine."

* Sally Ingraham on LAKE JEHOVAH by Jillian Fleck, which she calls, "a good example too of how a comic is an active relationship between the maker and the reader."

* Joe McCulloch reviews Josh Simmons and Patrick Keck's TWILIGHT OF THE BAT.

* Sam Ombiri on TONGUES by Anders Nilsen, which he hesitates to call "a culmination", and yet does so for all the right reasons.

* Edward Haynes just can't seem to click with Chris Gooch's graphic novel debut, BOTTLED.

* Ryan C. takes on the problematic greatness of Aaron Lange's TRIM series. After having wrestled with my own issues with Lange's work, I'm always glad to see someone else struggle with it as well.

* Rob Kirby has this MINICOMICS ROUNDUP on four books "focused on managing the impacts of grief, trauma, or simple day-to-day struggles."

* Rob Clough looks at a number of books by LIZ SUBURBIA.

* Meg Lemke presents an excerpt from EVERYTHING IS FLAMMABLE by Gabrielle Bell.

* Kayleigh Hearn, Rebecca Henely-Weiss, and Kat Overland highlight some of their purchases in this roundup of short reviews titled SMALL PRESS BITES: SPX EDITION over on Women Write About Comics.

WHATNOT

* Hillary Brown interviews SOPHIE GOLDSTEIN about her new book, House of Women.

* Alex Deuben interviews ANDERS NILSEN about his new series, Tongues. 

* Graham Techler's EVERY SUPERHERO MOVIE IS A COMEDY.

* Nick Hanover's THREE BILLBOARDS AND THE EXPLOITATION OF BLACK ACTIVISM.

* Art Vinyl has announced the nominees for its 13th annual awards celebrating the YEAR'S BEST RECORD SLEEVE ARTWORK. Go Vote Now!

* Marjorie Ingall's TRANSGENDER JEWS FIND A PLACE IN THE MIKVEH.

* Gabriel Heller's short story, BEDTIME.