Resurrection: Comics in Post-Soviet Russia

by José Alaniz

Resurrection: Comics in Post-Soviet Russia traces the “kopecks to rubles” journey of Russian comics at the turn of the century. As the follow-up to José Alaniz’s groundbreaking Komiks: Comic Art in Russia (2010), Resurrection authoritatively and exhaustively details the Russian comic landscape of the last three decades: beginning after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union and encompassing the fourth Putin administration, the COVID-19 crisis, and beyond. Bolstering his analysis with interviews with some of the major figures in Russia’s comics industry, Alaniz particularly focuses on the representation of masculinity, disability, historical trauma, and superheroes, as well as on the recent rise of fandom, alternative micropresses, and nonfiction graphic narrative. Resurrection is a sweeping discussion of the metamorphosis of contemporary Russian comic art from its rebirth to its entry into mainstream culture.

266 pages, Paperback

Published February 22, 2022

About the author

José Alaniz is Professor in the Departments of Slavic Languages & Literatures and Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle. He is the author of Komiks: Comic Art in Russia and Death, Disability, and the Superhero: The Silver Age and Beyond.

Reviews

[Brody Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s amazing to think that a literary phenomenon that is so prominent (and yet still criticized) in America is still in its infancy in Russia. It’s a great modern example of why we need to take comics seriously and view them as a valuable art form.

I think the Alaniz does a great job outlining the (short) history of Russian comics. I feel that sometimes he relies on block quotes too much. I want more of what he thinks. I am by no means a scholar, though. Still great work!

I am using this book as a primary source for a presentation I am giving in Texas this weekend - so more of an academic read, but also partly a fun read since I enjoy comic books so much.