While drawing My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, I did a series of pamphlet comics titled Cosplayers. The character Verti appears in both stories, partly inspired by how Osamu Tezuka would use the same character designs across different comics. The Cosplayers stories are little allegories about how people relate to and use popular culture. This short story is about being excited to see a blockbuster movie, being disappointed by it, but still holding out hope that the next blockbuster will be good-- something we all can relate to! My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea is my dream blockbuster movie: an explosive, disaster art film. A collection of Cosplayers short stories appear in the book Cosplayers: Perfect Collection (Fantagraphics), the "perfect collection" a reference to anime box sets. Thanks for reading, and thanks, Talkhouse, for hosting this online.
An Exclusive Comic From My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea’s Writer-Director Dash Shaw
The day before his debut directorial feature comes out, Shaw shares a cine-centric comic from his latest book, Cosplayers: Perfect Collection.

Related Stories
Is It Protest or Is It Entertainment?
After attending a Cornell Seven demonstration, filmmaker Sophia Dunn-Walker shares some strong feelings on protest in the age of social media.
A Love Letter to Powwows
Sky Hopinka shares the backstory to making his latest film, Powwow People, which is out now in theaters.
The Record Store That Accidentally Became My Film School
Holler director Devin Smock on how he found community, collaborators and inspiration at Pizza Records in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That: Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer
The married writer-directors behind Sundance crowdpleaser Wicker, which hits theaters on Friday, discuss night terrors, magpies, mullets and more!
Stories of Beauty and Strength
Native actress and producer Cara Jade Myers on her deeply personal connection to her new film How We Stand, which is currently playing festivals.
Three Great Things: Garth Jennings
The director of the new concert film Pulp: What Do You Do For An Encore? on the joys of classic Lubitsch, his sons and unbridled enthusiasm.






