Time Codes: 00:00:33 - Introduction 00:02:57 - Listener mail! 00:10:23 - James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner - A Graphic Biography 00:41:38 - NOW#3 01:13:43 - A discussion of the 2018 Eisner Award nominations 02:00:49 - Wrap up 02:01:55 - Contact us This week Paul and Derek review two recent releases, and they also take the time to discuss this year's Eisner Award nominations. They start off with Alfonso Zapico's James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner - A Graphic Biography (Arcade Publishing). Originally published in Spanish, this is a look at the life of the famous Irish modernist, covering not only his accomplishments as a writer, but his family and personal relations, as well. As the guys discuss, Zapico's text provides a general outline of the major events and relationships in Joyce's life, but as with most comics-based biographies, the interiority of the subject is limited. At the same time, this is a well-paced and even detailed look at the author of Dubliners and Ulysses, with Zapico presenting a very human portrait of a writer most may only know from a critical distance. After that, the Two Guys check out the latest issue of NOW, the Fantagraphics anthology edited by Eric Reynolds. This has become an ongoing obligation of The Comics Alternative, covering each issue of this anthology as it's released. (Paul and Derek discussed NOW#1 last fall, and then Gene and Derek looked at NOW#2 back in January.) The latest collection brings together several artists contributing to previous issues -- e.g., Noah Van Sciver, Eleanor Davis, and Dash Shaw -- but also a variety of creators who are not only new to the anthology, but brand new to both Paul and Derek, as well. In fact, this is one of the things they enjoy about NOW, its diversity and the editor's dedication to exposing the work of little-known comics artists. Some of the most notable pieces in this third issue are from contributors outside of North America, including Marcello Quintanhila (Brazil), Anne Simon (France), and Roberta Scomparsa (Italy). The guys wrap up this week's show with a discussion of the 2018 Eisner Award nominations. Paul and Derek do not make any predictions, nor do they second-guess the award judges or speculate as to internal dynamics about which they had no way of knowing. What they dodiscuss are the various creators and publishers under nomination, any trends or tendencies they can possibly discern from this year's selections, the process of categorization and definition within the industry, and the sheer number of current nominees, artists and texts, that were actually discussed on The Comics Alternative.