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A musician created a track first, not knowing what imagery was to go with it. Then, animators turned in GIFs not knowing what would happen.

In my haste to publish my annual list of books, I neglected to include two (Canadian) gems from AdHouse Books, that rank with my favourite books of the year:

Even the Giants by Jesse Jacobs

Like Joe Lambert’s I Will Bite You, Even the Giants showcases the work of a young cartoonist still honing his skills and exploring the possibilities of the medium in short bursts. The book comprises a series of seemingly random comic strips woven throughout scenes of isolation, arctic wastelands, and snow monsters. The strips are poetic and suggest a stream of consciousness, but illustrated with detail and careful draftsmanship. I was blown away by Jesse’s 2008 minicomic Small Victories, and Even the Giants is a continuation of his brand of comics-as-art, and I look forward to what he has in store for us next.

Pope Hats #2 by Ethan Rilly

Ethan’s another cartoonist not rushing to pump out a graphic novel, despite his obvious capability, in favour of sharpening his skills through smaller works and traditional floppy pamphlet comics. The first issue of Pope Hats came out about three years ago, I think, and I can only hope issue #3 sees the light of day sooner than 2014. It’s remarkable how readable and engaging a story about law clerk with an office job can be in the hands of a skilled storyteller and craftsman. 

Dont’ miss Ethan’s interview at Squidface & the Meddler, and be sure to read his short comic Ex Montreal for a taste of his cartooning chops.

Interview with Canadian comic artist Jesse Jacobs on Squidface and The Meddler:
http://www.squidfaceandthemeddler.com/interviews/jesse-jacobs

"The natural world and the otherworldly converge in strange and beautiful ways in the comics of Canadian artist Jesse Jacobs. We caught up with Jesse to ask him about comics, the great outdoors, and his forthcoming book “Even The Giants”. "

Last week at Canzine I had the pleasure of snagging a copy of Jesse Jacobs’s minicomic Small Victories and was thereby introduced to his work, which I hadn’t seen before. I immediately fell in love with his cartooning upon opening it. Delicate linework and playful drawing are sandwiched between a silkscreened cover, and inside you’ll find a series of loosely-related comics dealing with Jesse’s views on religion, the Canadian identity, and childhood memories, all threaded through the adventures of escaped circus animals. I can’t wait to read more of his work.