Shay Mirk and Eleri Harris are award-winning graphic journalists and longtime editors of the critically acclaimed graphic journalism website and publication The Nib. They have recently published Making Nonfiction Comics, an excellent book that combines comics, prose, interviews, infographics and so much more. The book is the perfect field guide to graphic journalism while showcasing valuable skills and practices for creating nonfiction comics.

This is a highly recommended book and the conversation with Eleri and Shay was a delight. We hope you enjoy it.

02:53 Book tour and comics festivals

05:04 The genesis of Making Nonfiction Comics: A Guide to Graphic Narratives

08:40 Eleri and Shay talk about their love of comics

14:39 Eleri and Shay talk about their love of libraries

19:20 Making Nonfiction Comics is not just a book about making comics, it’s also about journalism, ethics and so much more. They also discuss the appeal of non-fiction comics.

25:07 The ethics of non-fiction comics and graphic journalism

31:14 The process and beauty of collaboration in the making of the book

37:39 On interviews and contributions from other creators for the book

39:00 Sound advice for young creators and new creators

41:57 Eleri and Shay gives us some recommended titles:

Shay’s recommendations:

• Alex Norris Webcomic Name: https://webcomicname.com
• 100 Demons by Linda Barry
• Cannon by Lee Lai

Eleri’s recommendations:

• Our Members Be Unlimited by Sam Wallman
• Underground by Mirranda Burton
• Still Alive by Safdar Ahmed
• Big Beautiful Female Theory by Eloise Grills

Our next podcast episode (and final one for the year) will be a short episode with members of the ALIA Graphic committee talking about their favourite comics, graphic novels and manga of the year.

If you like what we’re doing, or if there’s something we could do better, or something we missed, please let us know. We always love feedback. Also, please subscribe and give us a review or five star rating so other people can find us.

To stay up to date and for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/

The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/

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In this mont's roundup Iurgi and Gabby go through some of their recent reads, news and new exciting titles.

02:04 Recent reads:

Gabby:

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris

Kindred Dragons by Sarah Mansinga

Sword of the Champion by Eric Lide

Iurgi:

One Punch Man by One, Yusuke Murata

Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor by Mark Waid, Bryan Hitch

Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet by Crystal S. Chan, Julie Choy

10:28 News:

• Alison Bechdel and Tillie Walden in conversation about art, place, and Vermont’s influence on their acclaimed, award-winning graphic memoirs and comics in a rare public conversation.
• Writer Ram V and Mariko Tamaki extended interviews
• SLJ’s Best Books 2025 graphic novels span fantasy, sci-fi, horror, memoir, historical fiction, adventure, and contemporary drama with diverse, standout titles curated by librarians.
• The Comic Book Burnings Project maps and explores post-WWII censorship of comics, documenting dozens of US public book-burnings between 1945-55 and their implications for libraries

24:47 New titles:

Iurgi:

• Making Nonfiction Comics: A Guide to Graphic Narratives by Eleri Harris, Shay Mirk (Abrams ComicArts)
• The Once and Future Riot by Joe Sacco (Vintage Publishing – Jonathan Cape)
• Reel Politik by Nathan Gelgud (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Winging It by Megan,Wagner Lloyd, Michelle Nutter (Scholastic)
• Diary Of A Nature Nerd by Tiffany Everett (Scholastic)
• Not that they need any promotion but the new Dog Man and Wings of Fire
• 
  

Our next podcast episode should be out soon and it will be a creator chat with Eleri Harris and Shay Mirk

talking about their new book Making Nonfiction Comics: A Guide to Graphic Narratives.

To stay up to date and for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/

The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the October Roundup, Iurgi and Luke start by talking about the treaty going ahead in Victoria and their love o f horror.

4:40 Luke gives a rundown of what’s happened this month

06:24 Iurgi and Luke discuss their recent reads:

Iurgi:

The Knives by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips

Godzilla: Skate or Die by Louie Joyce

The Veracity Trap by Chip Kidd, Michael Cho

The Hunger and the Dusk by G Willow Wilson, Chris Wildgoose

Luke:

Fragments of Horror by Junji Ito

Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson

Re reading Harrow Country by Cullen Bunn and artist Tyler Crook

18:16 Iurgi talks about the recent Graphic Narratives Symposium at Melbourne University

22:43 Conversation moves to news:

• The Oatmeal’s comic: A Cartoonist’s Review of AI Art
• Both Marvel and DC speak up against AI and Jim Lee delivers some beautiful words at NYCC
• Humanoids files for bankruptcy in the U.S.
• 75th Anniversary of Peanuts
• ShortBox Comics Fair

41:08 New titles out this month:

Two new titles by Australian creators:

Making Nonfiction Comics: A Guide for Graphic Narrative by Eleri Harris, Sarah Shay Mirk (Abrams ComicArts)

The Past Is a Grotesque Animal by Tommi Parrish (Fantagraphics)

Iurgi:

Asterix in Lusitania by Jean-Yves Ferri, René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo, and Didier Conrad (Papercutz)

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen (Random House)

Luke:

The Essential Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz (Abrams ComicArts)

Adorable Empire By: Laura Terry (Scholastic)

Kamudo, Vol. 1 by Akira Himekawa (VIZ Media)

Astral Panic by Katie Hicks (Flying Eye Books)

My Life in 24 Frames per Second by Rintaro (Abrams ComicArts)

The Space Between The Trees by Norm Konyu (Titan Books)

To stay up to date and for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/

The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.