NOW #6: The New Comics Anthology

Now #6

by Eric Reynolds (Editor), Theo Ellsworth (Contributor), Mariana Pita (Contributor)

The sixth issue of Now includes many new and familiar names: from rising international talent such as Keren Katz, Mariana Pita, and Veronika Muchitsch, to acclaimed lit comics stalwarts like Noah Van Sciver, Zohar Lazar, Steven Weissman, and Tim Lane. Now aims to blow the lid off what comics are and can be.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Anthologies, Graphic Novels Comics, Short Stories, Comix

128 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2019

About the author

Eric Reynolds is a Seattle-based cartoonist, critic and comics editor who is the Vice-President and Associate Publisher for Fantagraphics Books. His work has appeared in The Stranger, The Comics Journal, The New York Times, The New York Press and other publications. He has edited or co-edited The Complete Crumb Comics, Angry Youth Comics, Dirty Stories and MOME and has inked some of Peter Bagge's comics.

Reviews

[Rod Brown]

An anthology of alternative comix filled mostly with doodles, meanders, and other bits of pointlessness.

The stand-out stories:

• LOL, just kidding. Nothing stands out in this pile of junk. Maybe next time.



FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Untitled / Theo Ellsworth -- A Day / Mariana Pita -- Bromeliads / M. Dean & C.J. Aguilera -- Shivering Story / Amandine Meyer -- Orbs / Aseyn -- B-Girl / Tim Lane -- A Given Day on the Sofa / José Quintanar -- They Who Eat Alone / Veronika Muchitsch -- Untitled / Disa Wallander -- Museum Story / Julian Glander -- Cat-a-Tonic / Jesse Reklaw -- Oof! / Zohar Lazar -- The Bastard Princess / Steven Weissman -- Now / Nick Thorburn

[Radwa]

I wanted to apperciate more of the nontraditional stories, but wasn't into them, but the ones that stood out to me, were actually really great!

favs from this issue:
- Untitled by Theo Ellsworth
- Bromeliads by M Dean and C. J. Aguilera
- Orbs by Asyen
- B-Girl by Tim Lane
- They Who Eat Alone by Veronika Muchitsch
- Museum Story by Julian Glander
- The Bastard Princess by Steven Weissman.

[Charles]

2.5 many of the stories were nonlinear. The art was often very strange and hard to folllow. Despite this, I kind of liked it at times. Just a real odd ball group of stories.

[Karl]

My mind just wasn’t ready for the non-linear storytelling of the majority of the contributors to this anthology. I get that Fantagraphics wants to push the envelope with the art and storytelling styles to be “cutting edge” but some of this stuff just missed the mark with me. I’ve long championed literary graphic novels and in my personal collection I have Raw, Weirdo, Zero Zero, Mome etc but NOW just wasn’t for me. High praise to Tim Lane though. I love his stuff.

[Jesús]

The weakest of Fantagraphics’ new anthology series so far, especially after the incredible work in the prior two volumes.

[Reid]

Not one of my favourite issues but I really liked the pieces from M Dean & C J Aguilera, Veronika Muchitsch, and Julian Glander.

[Michael Kitchen]

My introduction to this anthology comic. Quite a variety of graphic stories. Will continue to check out.

[tinaathena]

The latter half of the comics were great, especially the final one. Always a few surprises and weird things.

[Harris]

I discuss Fantagraphics' Now: New Comics anthology series in this entry of Harris' Tome Corner.