PopSyndicate.com

And I’m back! Missed me, didn’t you? Sorry for the delay. All my sad excuses are posted on the Pop Syndicate forum. Let’s get straight to the list, a top 20 countdown of the independent, small press, and alternative creators you should be keeping up with. Shame on you if you neglect them. The bottom portion of such a list can represent a few surprises, the wild cards. Here’s 20 to 16:

20. Shana Manion Okay, I’ll admit. She is the most obscure of wild cards to place on an “it list”--considering how many published creators could be mentioned but aren’t. Trust me on this one. Shana’s hilarious mini-comic “Ask Miss Anthropy” was included in the 24 Hour Comics Day Highligths 2005 book. Artistically, she has all the potential to be a huge name creator, if she’d only release another book. Someone publish her. Now.
official website: http://sugarfreecomics.com
on MySpace? Of course. http://myspace.com/sugarfreeshana

19. Danica Novgorodoff She’s this year’s Isotope winner for excellence in mini-comics. She won with her astounding book “A Late Freeze”. More than just offering an original look or approach to comics, Danica is also a complete artist in her sense of purpose, design, and storytelling. Her other work includes the 42 page Circus Songbook and Neck of the moon. If I could compare, the quirky style reminds me a bit of Paul Hornschemeier, who has been banned from this list (last year at #3) until he releases his book The Three Paradoxes from Fantagraphics. 
official website: http://danicanovgorodoff.com
on MySpace? Yep. http://myspace.com/danicanovgorodoff

18. Doug TenNapel He’s been involved in everything from film to television to video games to music to (thankfully) comic books. Last year, he released Earthboy Jacobus from Image Comics and this year, Iron West. TenNapel’s doing some of the best work of his career, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Best of all, TenNapel’s creative vision is entirely his own, the final product done on his terms, the way he wants it.
official website: http://tennapel.com
on MySpace? Maybe? Couldn’t find him.

17. Antony Johnston Antony has written several great books for Oni Press, spanning a variety of genres—Julius, F-Stop, Closer, The Long Haul, Three Days in Europe, and Spooked. However, it’s his most recent title Wastleland, an ongoing post-apocalyptic series illustrated by the equally talented Christopher Mitten, that places him on this list. Wasteland is an amazingly ambitious series, and I’m excited to see where it goes. Antony might be one of the few UK writers who hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention. Geez, what do they put in the water?
official website: http://mostlyblack.com
on MySpace? Yep. http://myspace.com/antonyjohnston

16. Chynna Clugston (last year at #11) Chynna’s the writer/artist of Blue Monday, Scooter Girl, Scholastic’s Queen Bee (expect a sequel), and Strangetown (expect a second issue). She’s possibly the funniest person in comics. Yes, yes, Kyle Baker wins that particular Eisner every year, but only Chynna would dare write a story about a floating haunted Jesus head.
official website: Not really. Although, she does have a wikipedia entry and a livejournal.
on MySpace? Yeah. myspace.com/133900 (Although, she does ask for people to NOT write her on MySpace. E-mail her instead.)

THE CHESS MATCH CONTINUES -->

Hopkins - McCloud (French Defense, Winawer Variation)
1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 Bb4
4. e5 c5
5. a3 Bxc3
6. bxc3 Ne7
7. Qg4 0-0

In advance of the 50 State Making Comics Tour, the whole McCloud family is interviewed on Fanboy Radio: http://fanboyradio.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=123623#

The rubber hits the road late Monday, August 28. They’ll be driving from Thousand Oaks California to New York City for the official launch on Sept 5!

This concludes my eighth week of “Beneath the Underdog” for Pop Syndicate. Feedback appreciated. Agree or disagree with my list? Commend (or challenge) my picks on the forum.

Come back next Thursday for #11 through #15 of the 2006 It List!

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