Here’s my chat with Maia Matches. Podcast available on Apple Podcasts.
Maia is a Canadian comics artist who lives and works in the Netherlands. Since the mid 2000s, she has been a prominent artist in Amsterdam’s alternative comix scene, especially as the initiator of several free comics newspapers aimed at specific districts of the city. She graduated from the Academy of Art & Design in Den Bosch in 2003, majoring in Sculpture, while additionally self-publishing a series of zines. In 2006, she completed her first graphic novel Torontonia, a project that was awarded a small grant by de NBKS (The New Brabants Art Society) in Breda. Maia moved to Amsterdam in the same year and became a regular participant of the 24 Hour Comics Day event in comics shop Lambiek. Now living and working in the capital Amsterdam, she has earned her due as a pioneer of the underground comic scene, which is evident in her new title as City Illustrator of Amsterdam 2019.
During our chat, Maia talked about her comic book efforts in Amsterdam including her current role as the official City Illustrator for Amsterdam. She also offered insight about the comic book creator scene in Amsterdam and surrounding areas. Maia provided a glimpse into her future upcoming projects.
And to pull back the curtain, I just happened to run into Maia while visiting the Lambiek comic shop in Amsterdam during some down time while on business travel. It was a great coincidence that Maia was in the store and she graciously offered her time to chat with me.
You can discover more about Maia on Instagram at Instagram.com/mmmmatches and on online at MaiaMatches.com
Thanks also goes out to the fine folks at Lambiek in Amsterdam for allowing me to record my interview with Maia in their shop. You discover more about the shop and its amazing comiclopedia at http://www.lambiek.net
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Here’s the latest news about Canadian comic book creators and supporters.
The Joe Shuster Awards 2019 took place recently. If you were unable to go to the Guelph, Ontario event, you can hear the complete event in addition to the winners’ speeches on the Bleeding Cool site. There’s a link to the recording of the event on that site. You can read more at BleedingCool.com
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/09/16/listen-to-the-joe-shuster-awards-2019-in-full/
And speaking of Joe Shuster Awards, one of the recipients Variant Edition Comics in Edmonton was recently interviewed by CBC. Shop co-owner Danica LeBlanc spoke with CBC about winning the Harry Kremer Award for Outstanding Comic Book Retailer. Danica said: “It’s a labour of love…We basically started a store that we would enjoy and found out it’s a store that a lot of people enjoy…Our sense of community comes first. We don’t just sell books. We sell stories, we invite readers in.”
You can read more at CBC.ca/News and Variant Edition is online at VariantEdmonton.com
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/variant-edition-comics-wins-national-award-for-best-comic-book-store-1.5291233
In advance of The Word Vancouver festival that celebrates all things literary, The Georgia Straight interviewed Vancouver’s Johnnie Christmas and asked him about what books inspired him to get into writing. Johnnie said: “High-school English could put me to sleep faster than a fog descends on the Thames. ‘Important’ Victorian literature was hard to relate to in the Florida of my teenage years. Me living in a black community, under fast moving clouds churned by hurricanes, enthralled by myth. Then Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God was assigned and I was spellbound.”
Johnnie will be discussing his comic book projects including Sheltered and Angel Catbird on September 29 at 1:15 pm on the Community Stage in the central branch of the Vancouver Public Library.
You can read more at straight.com
https://www.straight.com/arts/1303046/book-changed-your-life-johnnie-christmas
Comics Beat recently interviewed Jeff Lemire about his latest project Family Tree. When asked about the status of his comic book career and if he’s reached his goal, Jeff said: “ This is it. This is beyond the dream. All I ever wanted was to make comics on my own terms. I am finally at a point where my creator-owned stuff is successful enough that I can do the projects I want, on my own terms, and I don’t need to do any Marvel or DC stuff to supplement my income. I get to wake up every day and make my own comics, in my own worlds, with a group of incredibly talented collaborators and creative partners.”
You can read more at ComicsBeat.com
https://www.comicsbeat.com/matt-chats-jeff-lemire-interview/
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True North Country Comics Podcast is copyright True North Country Comics. Copyright 2019
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