Every week we ask an interesting figure what they're digging into. Have ideas who we should reach out to? Let it fly: info@seattlereviewofbooks.com. Want to read more? Check out the archives.

Something slightly different this week! We're breaking the question-answer format to make room for some badass comic reviewing:

Kelly Froh is the Executive Director of Short Run Comix & Arts Festival. This year’s fest takes place on Saturday, Nov. 3rd at Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center. She is also a comic artist, and sometimes, after all the dishes are done, and she’s read all the comics she bought, works on her own books.

Fruit of Knowledge by Liv Strömquist (Fantagraphics, 2018)

Um. I’m 44 and I learned things about my own body in this book. Strömquist provides some pretty intense research that charts not only women’s inequality (with focus on how the studying and writing about our sex organs has changed over time in order to fit Christian ideals or freakish academic interest) but also the shoddy science behind gender binaries, and the longest, most accepted myth that conveniently sells women a lot of f-ing products. Her comics make the outrage from the information in this book a bit easier to take, sort-of, I had read it in 3 sessions.

Nausea by Abraham Díaz (Kus!, 2018)

(I ordered this book from Seite Books in LA — perhaps the greatest curated selection of zines & comics I have ever seen — but Fantagraphics Bookstore in Georgetown may carry it as well!)

Three people’s nights run parallel in gritty Mexico City. Sex, drugs, and plenty of crime, this comic hits all marks. All 3 stories end worse than you can ever imagine. I love this artist’s rough drawing style so much, it’s so refreshing in contrast to the soft and fluffy stuff that is popular right now.

PP 911! by Julia K (Cold Cube Press, 2018)

Who is this little person? Is it Julia K? Her subconscious? I really got a kick out of their quick thoughts in these short strips and single images. “Intimacy issues? Schmintimacy schissues!”

Crystal Bone Drive by Tetsunori Tawaraya (Hollow Press, 2017)

(I ordered this book from Seite Books in LA)

Ok, I admit I have no idea what the story is here (maybe like, a space adventure, with warring creatures?), but I have looked at this book 10 times because the art is done on black scratch board and printed in silver ink. It’s a beautiful book, Tawaraya’s lines are thin and perfect, you can get lost in them and forget to look at the larger image on the page. What a feat too, I mean, you can’t erase scratchboard. If you mess up you’d have to start over!