Draw! comic books issue 21

Story and art by Jason Lutes. The penultimate issue of the long-running series finds Silvia Braun and David Schwartz joining forces to sabotage a neighborhood National Socialist outpost, while Marthe Müller says her final farewells to the city where she has come of age. And as darkness manifests in the alleyways of the underclass and estates of the elite, Kurt Severing glimpses the worst of all possible futures. 24 pages, B&W. Cover price $5.95.

Antarctic Press continues its series of How to Draw Manga guidebooks! Artists like Rod Espinosa, David Hutchison and Fred Perry continue to present a comprehensive guide in mastering the manga style, emphasizing different, useful aspects every issue! Each featured artist will have his own exclusive special comments. In this issue: Designing swords. Plus: Advanced weaponry by Rod Espinosa. And: Expressive and active hands by Fred Perry. 32 pages, B&W. Cover price $4.95.

For Vol. 1-19 see Palooka Ville (1991).

Volume 21 - 1st printing. By Seth. Continuing the new semiannual hardcover format for Palookaville in Volume 21, Seth presents two very different autobiographical pieces, and the continuation of Part Four of the ongoing Clyde Fans serial. In the latest dispatch from the beautifully crafted Clyde Fans, Abraham muses further on the ruins of his life. Then, in the first sustained sequence of the two Matchcard brothers, Abraham and Simon finally sit down together and begin to talk. "Nothing Lasts" is the first half of a sketchbook memoir about Seth's childhood and adolescence in small-town Ontario. It is a wryly self-conscious, often moving visit to the attic of Seth's memories: from his first attempts at cartooning to the last time he kissed his mother good night, "Nothing Lasts" is a masterpiece of the graphic short story. Finally, the third section of this volume consists of entries from the comic-strip diary Seth has been keeping for almost a decade. He employs a mixture of hand-drawn panels and rubber stamps of his own work to tell anecdotes about moments from his life. Nothing from this diary has ever been made public before. This lushly designed collection of stories comprises an anthology of the different types of cartooning work Seth has done over his two-decade-long career. Hardcover, 6 1/2-in. x 8 1/2-in., 88 pages, PC/PB&W. NOTE: For Vol. 1-19 see Palooka Ville (1991). Cover price $21.95.

In Draw! #21, we track down the Urban Barbarian-Dan Panosian! From his stint at Image as a top inker and his fan-favorite work at Marvel as a penciler on X-Force and Wolverine, as well as his independent illustration and design work, Dan has always been in demand. Now, editor Mike Manley talks shop with Panosian, as we learn the secrets behind how he produces his gritty, design-inspired work. Then, Danny Fingeroth interviews Emmy award winning writer/artist Dean Haspiel, about his creations Billy Dogma and the semi-autobiographical Street Code, and his pioneering work in personal webcomics with the invention of Act-i-vate. Cover price $7.95.