ICYMI -- Small Press Comics Criticism and Whatnot for 1/22/18 to 1/28/18

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 on PARK BENCH by Chaboute, writing "Discomfort is a universal constant and a human requirement for change, and it's contained in deceivingly static spaces like park benches. Not static emotionally, though."

* Robin Enricho on WUVABLE OAF V by Ed Luce, "a series that holds an important place in indie comics as a uniquely queer male take on the romantic comedy."

* Scott Cederlund reviews Samplerman's FEARLESS COLORS, which is "like taking a weird acid trip through comics as images fall apart and melt down in front of you, recombining with different images to form brand new comic pages."

* Sam Ombiri on Coco Moodysson's NEVER GOODNIGHT.

* Ryan C. reviews THE BIG ME BOOK by Tom Van Deusen.

* Tom Murphy on MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS by Emil Ferris.

WHATNOT 

* Andy Oliver interviews LUCY SULLIVAN, who talks about her debut OGN Barking and the power of graphic medicine.

* Kat Overland interviews ROSIE BRAND "about her upcoming book, her sculpture work, and what she's been reading lately."

*  Hillary Brown interviews TOMMI PARRISH about their new book, The Lie and How We Told It.

* ShortBox #7 is now available for PRE-ORDER until January 31st. If you're a friend of Your Chicken Enemy, you know that this is something to which you should pay attention, as three of my favorite books from last year were ShortBox releases. Unsurprisingly, Zainab Akhtar has an eye for all that is good in comics.

* And speaking of ShortBox, Rosie Knight interviews ZAINAB AKHTAR, the fantastic comics critic and curator/publisher of ShortBox.

* Ben Passmore's YOUR BLACK FRIEND has been turned into an animated short film.

* Toby Morris draws THE SIDE EYE: THIS IS NOT A TABLE.

* Sarah Horrocks' THE SPIRITUAL VERSUS THE POLITICAL IN ART.

* Marjorie Ingall's FINALLY, AN AGE-APPROPRIATE HOLOCAUST MOVIE FOR YOUNG VIEWERS which talks about the film, The Number on My Great-Grandpa's Arm.

* Lucy Bourton presents excerpts from Melani de Luca's book POST-BUTT which "looks beyond a good looking arse focusing on the 'virality of images in our mediated society'."