April 22, 2010
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Strawman #4
OK, here’s a little “inside Optical Sloth” useless trivia. When I go to conventions and see anything that remotely catches my eye (or when people stop me while I’m wandering around to chat, or when the person at a table is friendly, or basically anything other than a jerk) I’ll look at what they have to offer and, if there are a ton of books, I’ll mention what I do, give them a business card and ask them what their favorite issue is. That way, I figure, I’ll be getting the best of their work, as it’s not like I have the cash to buy out the stock of everybody at a con. So anyway, long story longer, David picked this issue out, and I got the issue reviewed below because it was a measly buck. Naturally, in the universe in my head centered completely around me, this issue should stand alone, it should tell me everything I need to know about this Strawman character, and it should be fantastic. Well, one out of three isn’t bad. I still don’t have much of an idea who or what Strawman is, and, as such, the issue wasn’t really fantastic. OK fine, it doesn’t completely stand alone either, but it comes close enough. David explains in his intro the basis for aspects of this story, and also mentions that his art improves in later and earlier issues, as he started this one early on, got stuck, and then put out #2 and 3 of the series. This issue involves Strawman trying to help a man after his store is robbed, chasing a thieving midget, riding a bus with a lot of odd characters, and getting clobbered by said midget, causing Strawman to hallucinate. So yeah, it’s pretty disjointed, the art could be better, and I still don’t know much of anything about the big picture with this guy, but I came away intrigued and interested in seeing more, so I guess it all worked out in the end. $2.95
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Happy Town #11
It’s like a yearly ritual at SPACE for me, or at least it is when I see Justin there: I get to his table, see all these gorgeous Happy Town books… and draw a complete blank on where I’m at in the series, as in most cases I haven’t read it since the year before. Lovely! So this year it was even worse than usual, as the last issue I got before this one was #7, leaving quite a continuity gap. So how do you write a review without actually giving anything away regarding the contents? Luckily I perfected this years ago, so I can give it a shot. In here you have a botched launch, an attempted suicide, robot love, a punched Mayor, jetpacks, a robot with a gun and a blizzard. One of these days (and if I had a nickel for every time I said this I would have a whole lot of nickels) I’ll get all of these and get a solid idea of what’s going on here, but until then you’ll just have to settle for a yearly blast of incomprehensibleness. Oh, Justin did make it clear in the back of this that he has no idea how this story is going to end, and if you look at his website you can see that he has a lot of books available, not all of them having anything to do with Happy Town. Check it out, if you’re smart you’ll buy a collection of the stories (if such a thing exists yet) and get caught up, as the sheer fact that this is a great comic every time even though I have little idea of what’s going on is an excellent mark of quality…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Ex Revenge Project
This goes about my “policy” of not dealing with zines (there are too many comics in the world for me to get to, nothing personal to zines (if they were a person, that is)), but this is just too good to pass up. Robin, not really sure what was going to come of it, decided to ask people for their breakup stories and compromising pictures of exes. Or, in other words, free porn. What followed was apparently a deluge of e-mails and images, all from men, all looking for Robin to spread these images as far and wide as possible in the hopes of hurting these women. So what Robin ended up doing was putting snippets (or whole e-mails) in this book, with the names and addresses removed, and with drawn representations of the images instead of the actual images to protect the people involved. If you’re looking for the better side of humanity, the one that’s willing to forgive and forget and always wishes the best for their ex, this is absolutely the wrong place to go. There’s no denying how fascinating some of these stories are though. Some guys don’t even say how they broke up (most guys, actually), they just detail the most lewd things they can think of that the girl did in bed, sometimes with pictures, and practically beg Robin to post the whole thing all over the place. I’m not going to go into the individual stories, because if you’re interested in this sort of thing in any way you’re already over at Poopsheet ordering it. Same deal with samples, as it’s text on one page and the image on the right, and that text would come out as tiny in a scan. For better or worse, it’s a unique piece of work. $3
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Planet Named Desire #8 Now Available! $2
Two really great stories in this one. The first is the tale of a young swordsman who is trying to train with the best swordsman in the land. It’s about patience and not accepting everything as it appears. The second is all pictures, about a dog and its quest to find the meaning of life. It was done extremely well, with drawn backgrounds and pictures of a whole cast of characters. Then at the end of the book you have a few full page panels which showcase just how incredible of an artist this guy is. This is a great series (from what I can tell from the issues I’ve seen, anyway), and I don’t think it gets anywhere near the attention it deserves. Yes, I would be saying that even if I wasn’t selling some copies on my website. Contact info is up there if you need more samples!
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Maximum Super Excitement #2 (with Maxine Frank)
It occurred to me after reading this that I have no idea of the average age of the reader of this website. I have a general idea of the number per day, but is there any way to tell age? Anyway, I mention that because, as you can tell from the cover, this book is for adults. Trust me kids, if you’re just looking for naked people you grew up with the internets; it’s not difficult. Robin and Maxine have a simple formula: they sit together in a coffee shop, draw a panel and then pass the page to the other artist. Considering that method, this is a remarkably coherent story. This is the tale of a woman who has apparently left an island of librarians. She returns with her slave (pictured on the cover) after the whole of humanity has died out after a disgusting plague that results in maggots bursting from various parts of the body. Like I said, if it’s nudity you’re looking for, you can probably get it without maggots. Lumpino (the returning librarian) has come back for revenge, and it turns out that her slave (who enjoys raping) is infected, so he sets to work on the leader of the group and her slave. From there it’s just sheer mayhem as the rest of the librarians come out, there’s a serious gunfight and brawl, and everybody lives happily ever after. OK, maybe not that last part. It’s a funny story, there’s gore and sex (often combined), and even though this was mostly done in a coffee shop the art looks great. If you’re squeamish you may want to move onto lighter fare, but if you have a good sense of humor and are up for anything, this comic is a blast. Hey, if you can’t figure out from that cover whether or not this is for you, I can’t help you… $4
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Crash
It’s nice to see Craig tackle a serious subject. Not that I haven’t liked the light-hearted stuff, but I’m always looking for range in people. This is the story of the lead singer of one of the early punk bands in Los Angeles or, as the cover calls it, “The Life and Death of a Germ”. When the worst I can say about a book is that it’s too short, I guess that’s a winner. Still, when you reference 6 different books or articles for your comic, it would be nice if it was longer than 12 pages. Other than that, it was well done. It was a tragic tale, but the details of a lot of it were skimmed over. I would have liked to see more about the man and what drove him. The art was great, as always, and it’s a cheap book at $2. Check it out if you have any interest in the history of punk. Look up there for contact info!
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Fuchsia Galactica Summer Special
One thing Craig has no problem with at all is cover design. That’s just gorgeous. The inside is pretty good too, keeping the “all ages” feel that I talked about in his other book. Not that it’s his only other book or anything, just the only other one that I’ve seen. Fuchsia is apparently an intergalactic singing sensation, so most of the stories in here are based off of that fact. There are also a few stories in here about “Soupy -n- Crackers”, two kids who are so precocious that it’s obnoxious, but I guess it fits the idea of maybe getting kids to read this. Fuchsia’s stories involve her getting tricked into performing with a bunch of star imitators, her cat trying to take over the spotlight, and Fuchsia going on vacation with her manager to Venus. Some pretty funny stuff in here, although if you’re incredibly jaded it might be a bit too sunny for you. Hey, I liked it, and the art is gorgeous. Check out the website for more samples so you know if it’s for you, or just send Craig an e-mail. This one is $3…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Go-Go Girl #3
Another random submission, and it’s another good one. This is the one issue I’ve read, so I’m going to be making a few assumptions here, but the stories are all about one female character and her friends. Apparently she’s horny and drinks alone at bars, everything else is a mystery. Topics dealt with here are hypnotism, child bullies, falling off of bar stools and dates with rock stars. It has an “all ages” feel to it, even with all the drinking and what-not. Probably because it’s a fun read and it extremely good-natured. The art is crisp, the stories are quick and funny, and the layout (look at that cover!) is just incredible. A solid book, I’m looking forward to seeing more. Check out his website or just send him money at: 7 Weld Hill St. #2R, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Girl Who Trod On An Oaf
First off, I just don’t get it. I have every mini she ever did, or at least I think I do, and then I see this one from 1997 that I somehow missed completely. Some people, sure, I can see where I would just miss it, but Deep Girl was one of the minis that got me really interested in the whole medium, and how I missed this is a mystery to me. Anyway, this is a shortie, as the $.75 price might indicate, and you can get it at Poopsheet, which has all kinds of great stuff. It’s a modern day fable about a spoiled brat who decides to step on a bum to avoid getting her boots dirty and her eternal punishment for doing it. Another great mini from her, anyway, and now I wonder if she has a whole pile of minis tucked away somewhere that I’ve never seen…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Raisin Pie #1 (with Rick Altergott)
Ah, credits in comics. It makes reviews so much easier. Raisin Pie is the first issue of the new “regular” series from Rick Altergott and Ariel Bordeaux (sorry, but I’ve been reading independent comics for too long to believe “regular” until I see it). I’m guessing that Rick does the first story, “Blessed Be”, and Ariel does the “Maple Valley Public Library” and “The Ladies Line”. I haven’t seen much of his Doofus work, so I have little to no idea of what’s going on here or who these people are, but I like what I’ve seen so far. It’s the first part of a continuing story about a young kid who’s trying to get back at the judge who sent him to jail and something to do with Satanists. Hey, it’s early yet, I’m not sure what’s up. “Maple Valley Public Library” is basically the story of an irate woman who’s trying to get a book banned and the woman who has to deal with her. Add a cliffhanger ending and you have the second part of the book that’s going to be continued down the road, always a good sign with the whole continuing series thing. “The Ladies Line” reminded me the most of Ariel’s older work, as it’s about two women talking in a bathroom line about all sorts of things that shouldn’t be overheard. Throw in a one page story in the front and the back, one of the most ridiculous back covers in recent memory and you have a a pretty solid book. Keep ’em coming, you two…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Deep Girl #2
It’s starting to feel like I’m living on memory lane these days, between all these reviews of old minis and my moving back to the town where this website got started (Champaign Illinois, in case I ever start an Optical Sloth trivia game). Anyway, it’s reminding me of why nostalgia is as popular as it is, as I’m loving being (mostly) back in town and am also thoroughly enjoying these oldies. That was expected, but you never know when you go back and read/watch something you enjoyed back in the day if it’ll hold up. Deep Girl holds up. There are a few stories this time around, including the early days of Ariel and romance (her first time, what total losers she hung around and how she finally figured out that sex wasn’t hard to come by), Lovie Doll (who gets sick of a guy berating her for not knowing about politics and current events), and the joy of hunting for a job (in this case applying at a trendy coffee shop and feeling insulted just from the application). Again, this looks a bit cruder than her later work, but it still doesn’t look anywhere near bad and it’s still funny as hell. Hop in that time machine and grab yourself a copy, or keep hoping that something in this indifferent universe hears your pleas for a collected edition of this stuff…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
Ariel on Facebook
Deep Girl #1
It occurred to me while writing these old timey reviews that these artists might not keep their work in print because they think it was completely awful, and I’m ruining something by posting these old minis at all.  Then again, screw that. This is some funny shit. The art may look a bit crude compared to her later work, but so what? Do you lose points for not being as accomplished an artist when you first start out (as this was done in 1993) as opposed to where you are 17 years later? If anybody out there really hates that I’m posting their older work for all to see, they can let me know and I’ll take it down. In the meantime, I think it serves as a helpful reminder that a lot of these people are still making comics, just in case you’ve forgotten about that. This was one of the first minis I ever bought, and it definitely set the tone for what I was looking for. Here was this woman, putting out her first comic, who fearlessly lays herself bare for all (well, the couple of hundred people who bought this) to see. There’s probably a dozen or so cartoonists who got me interested in this business and kept me interested with how often they put out comics (back then, at least), and Ariel was definitely a big part of that. So what was in here? Pieces about her delusions of grandeur (thinking she is perpetually on the cusp of fame as an artist while working as a waitress), how shopping for a bra has always been a miserable experience, Weepy the Wee-Wee, Smile-O-Matic, and your very own monk. I’m just shouting into the wind here, but if anybody ever wanted to put these into a collection, I think they could sell some copies. Just one man’s opinion…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Ineffables #3
For any ancient historians combing through the internets who are curious about the order of these reviews and why they don’t make any sense, I believe I reviewed the first two issues of this series, followed by the graphic novel, followed by the “secret history” first issue, then finally this third issue of the regular series. And really, anybody studying the history of this time period should have better things to do than be worried about such things, unless of course comics ended up saving the world. Sorry, but it’s impossible to read this series without coming away feeling a little philosophical and/or conceptual. It appears that when I reviewed the first two issues of this series years ago this was supposed to be a “make or break” issue for me, when I decided if I liked the series. Well, other issues have already convinced me that I do, so all this issue does is reinforce that belief. In this issue we try to learn a bit about Chet’s new invulnerability, the strange ghost haunting in a cemetery, and a group of workers who disappeared seven months ago. This is all just window dressing for the high concepts Craig wants to throw at the reader, setups for the punchlines, if you will. This is one of those series that should eventually be taught in schools, as it shows that learning (and conceptual thought) can indeed be fun, while still managing to throw a few fight scenes in. This might not be the best place to start this series for newcomers, but anything you pick up is probably going to make you want to see more anyway, so you’ll get here sooner or later. $2
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Ineffables #2
When does a comic cross the line between being too stupid for words and so stupid that it’s hilarious? This one stomps all over that fine line. I’m not going to ruin what the main villain is because that’s the core of my confusion, but I will admit to laughing out loud at least twice during this, so it’s impossible to say that it’s all bad. The issue starts off with an invasion by what appears to be a government source, and they appear to be heading towards a secret government base. Sounds cliche, I know, but Craig manages to keep it fun. We also get to see the character fleshed out a little more, although I was hoping it would start leaning away from a superhero group rather than embracing it fully. And Mason reminds me almost too much of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, although maybe I’m just being paranoid. Good signs and bad signs in this one, I think I’ll have to wait for #3 to be a tie-breaker.
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Ineffables #1
Never judge a book by its cover. I say that time and time again, yet this one was still in my “probably crappy” pile from SPACE. I didn’t even realize that I had different piles until I realized that I wasn’t looking forward to reading almost everything in this pile, but decided today that that was silly and took the plunge. And I was rewarded with this which, while not fantastic, was definitely good and shows that he has things going in the right direction. The art doesn’t do much for me. He says that he had to redraw several things because it took him so long to finish it, and it shows. It’s kind of an X-Files with an odder collection of members, if you want the Hollywood description. Smarter than I thought it would be, the adventures just seem to pop up out of nowhere and the whole thing feels wonderfully (and I hope intentionally) random. It’s $2.50 per issue and it’s worth checking out. No website yet, apparently, but you can e-mail him and see what he has laying around. And here’s the snail mail: P.O. Box 13697 Columbus, OH 43213-0697.
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Strange Science Fiction #6
It’s been fun over these last six issues watching Matthew play with various types of science fiction and fantasy staples, so it’s about time that he got to the “a computer that makes dreams a reality” concept. And he mixed comic book stereotypes right into it, as Julie is reading a comic with a generic superhero fighting a Joker-like villain while plugged into the computer, so they pop right into existence. The bad guy must be stopped, and kudos to Matthew for putting together the best ending yet. Look, six issues of a solidly entertaining series isn’t easily dismissed in this business, as it’s sadly not a mark that’s reached by many people. With all the various science fiction cliches out there Matthew should be able to keep this up for ages if he’s so inclined…
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Secret History of the Ineffables #1
Oh sure, get a few issues and a graphic novel into a series and then start throwing in mini series to get me all confused. I don’t mind a bit getting to see what this group was like in the early years, as it remains a fascinating concept for a team of superheroes and in this issue we get a taste of the founding members. Just a taste though, I’m guessing the next issue will flesh them out a bit. And is that the end of this series or does this start the series over? Many questions, few answers, and that website doesn’t clear things up at all. In this issue a group of a radical animal rights group frees Schodinger’s cat and the dead start to return to terrorize the living. Not zombies though, just ghosts, spirits and skeletons. Strategy is discussed, old, dead members are contacted, and we’re left with the promise that everybody dies in the next issue. Oh, and that they come back. If that doesn’t get your curiosity up, well, I don’t know what will. $2
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Ineffables: Political Science
I seem to have been wishy-washier than usual with my old reviews for these issues. Instead of blaming myself, I’ll just stick with the theory that Craig made a pretty big leap after the first couple of issues (neither of which are reprinted in this graphic novel), not that I was a dope who couldn’t recognize a good thing when he saw it. Granted, it is an odd concept for a comic. A team of heroes, comprised of a living work of art, a fringe journalist, a living totem with a giant head and Abe Lincoln (yes, THAT Abe Lincoln) team up to take on… concepts. Really, all the battles in here are against concepts. No big brawls, I’m not sure there was even a punch thrown in this one, except when Lincoln was fighting his giant mutant clone. It’s one of them there cerebral comics, meaning in this intellectually degraded time that you need to have a basic understanding of some of the core concepts of science and politics. The origin story here deals with an attempt by an advocate of intelligent design to mathematically prove that 0=1, which would destroy the working capacity of the world’s computers. The second issue, Patriot Act, has a conspiracy from the South that involves their decades-long secret plan to come up with the master Southern race, and boy could Craig have been a lot meaner with that concept than he was. Oh, and in that one we get to see Abe Lincoln, who fell into the fountain of youth many years ago after he faked his assassination. A couple of previously unpublished shorties are next, with Moon Tunnel dealing with a master plan of taking over the Earth with mallards (which ended in a hurry and didn’t do much for me as a whole, delightful initial concept notwithstanding), and the best 24 hour comic I’ve seen, at least artistically speaking. It seems that there is a sudden plague of zombies, who have come back for one thing: to fix all the fake science that has been coming out of the government. Again, if you’re slightly caught up on current events, it’s about time somebody tried to fix that. The book ends with Political Asylum, in which Abe Lincoln decides to run against the corrupt local mayor (who had apparently taken over the world in one of the issues not collected here) and learns all he needs to know about the current state of elections in this country. Oh, and he has to fight a giant clone of himself, which proves to be all the bad press needed to sink his campaign. If I had to bitch about something here, it’s the fact that this isn’t laid out in a linear fashion at all, but there is a handy timeline at the start to keep things in context. As a whole, it’s funny, smart and suspenseful, because while we all know how fist fights in comics are going to turn out, how is a fight against a concept going to settle itself? Well worth checking out, unless the whole concept of a super hero team is just too much for you, even one as odd as this… $14
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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Less Than Hero #4
Here it is, the last issue of the Less Than Hero series. Before anyone gets sad, they say that they’re hard at work on a new series, so more is on the way. That’s great news as far as I’m concerned, as this is the first superhero series to hook me since… geez, does Preacher count? No? Concrete? Whatever the case, it’s been a while. The reason this one hooked me so thoroughly is that, even though there are costumes, dorky names and fight scenes, this is mostly about the people. And the first scenes, when they’re cool enough. This is the end of the story of this series, so I don’t want to give too much away (as I’m demanding that everyone at least look at an issue of this), but this has one of the best fight scenes involving a whole town that I’ve ever seen. OK, The Sleeper (the main villain here) has made everyone in San Francisco fall asleep, and when people fall asleep they fall under his complete control. The Punk, as he can’t sleep because of the accident that gave him his powers, is all that’s stopping The Sleeper from having complete control of the town. Citizens are thrown at him in a never-ending wave of carnage that has to be seen to be believed. This is $3.25 (I think it’s a little bit heftier than the other issues) and these two should be able to take over the world in the next few years, if they keep this kind of pace up. Contact info is up there, send them some love!
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
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The Assassin and the Whiner #11
I was starting to wonder if I would ever find any more of these issues. This is a few years old, granted, but I think she’s still working. This is one of the single most depressing comics I’ve read. She moved to Maryland to be with the woman she loved, only to find out that that woman didn’t really want to be with her most of the time. She gave up everything she knew and this issue is about her dealing with that fact and trying to accept that things just weren’t going to work out, no matter how much she might have liked to believe otherwise. Not that it’s all sad, as there are a few random strips that have nothing to do with her relationship. There’s one about her finding out that an old classmate is a porno star, one about her feelings on porn, a couple with her just walking around town thinking and her trying to adjust to living in cold weather for the first time in her life. Every single one of these that I’ve seen has been a treat and this one was no exception. E-mail the woman and get as many of these as you can, which should be a lot considering that she only charges $1…
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Posted by Kevin
