CROM Update 065 - CROM Collected gets Reviewed by Power to the Panel Podcast
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The podcast episode titled "Summer School is in session! Reading Crom with David Allan Duncan" featured hosts Deanna Soukiasian and Duncan discussing CROM Collected 2024 by Kurt Brugel. Duncan, a professor and editor at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), provided historical and artistic context for the Crom stories, emphasizing the influence of Gardner Fox and the aesthetic connections to classic pulp and underground comics. They explored the history of Crom and its evolution, noting its place among the Golden Age and Silver Age comics while praising Kurt’s efforts to revive and reinterpret the character through his own dynamic and heavily rendered art style.
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The discussion highlighted how CROM Collected 2024 stands as both an academic and an artistic piece, featuring a mix of original Gardner Fox stories and Kurt’s reinterpretations. They admired the book’s tactile newsprint format and praised the textured, over-rendered line work in Kurt’s illustrations, which resonated with Duncan’s own approach to comics. While they appreciated the historical legacy of Gardner Fox and his collaborators, they ultimately found Kurt’s modern take and the anthology’s immersive presentation particularly engaging.
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They also discussed Kurt’s other project, Turbo Pitfighter, noting its contemporary, energetic style and the tactile quality of its presentation. The podcast wrapped up by encouraging listeners to explore the CROM project, consider contributing to future collaborations, and support related academic initiatives like the Gordon zine, which funds scholarships for sequential art students. The hosts praised the project for bridging underground comics culture with classic pulp sensibilities, offering a fresh way to appreciate and revisit old stories.
Click to Watch the Video Podcast
Watch the CROM Update 065 video on YouTube:
Educational highlights:
The significance of reviving public domain characters like Crom for modern audiences.
The history of sword and sorcery comics and their evolution from the Golden Age to underground comix.
The challenges and appeal of self-publishing and reprinting on newsprint, including layout and typography considerations.
Use these links to find out more about Deanna Soukiasian & David Allan Duncan.
Use these links to find out more about Kurt inker Brugel.
