Monthly Archives: April 2012
Baddeley, Kyle – Silent V #5
Silent V #5
Oh Silent V, if only you would put any kind of a synopsis at the start of the book. I was going to read the previous issues of this series before reviewing this one, but after looking at the mess of my room I’ve changed that and decided that I’m going to do that before I review #6. As it does appear to be heading towards a conclusion of sorts, that probably makes more sense anyway. Or I could write clearer reviews so that I’d be able to get myself caught up on past issues more easily, but let’s not get crazy here. This issue maintains the pattern started in the last issue of being more linear than earlier issues, which is always helpful. This time around the Lord (of some sort) has been born. He takes his faithful disciple and goes into the future to look for a bizarre living doll of some kind that is currently under construction. And, really, that’s pretty much it. The Lord and his servant have some funny conversations, the doll thing reaches completion, we get a mystifying last page (good to see that Kyle isn’t losing his touch in that regard) and that’s it for the issue. Well, there is also another story that takes up the second half of the book, it’s just that it isn’t related to the main storyline in any way. It’s about two guys gorging themselves on all the food in the room until all they’re left with are the dishes, so they gorge themselves on that. And you know what happens after you have a giant meal, right? Well, things in the story only get uglier than there. It’s a funny enough silent story, but Kyle asks on the back page if people think this is a good idea, and I have give my usual equivocal answer: sure, it’s a fine story, but what about the opus that you’ve been working on? Better to wrap that up first, then put out an issue of all the unrelated stories that you may have floating around. But I also want everything right now, so what do I know. Don’t go into this one blind, but if you’re read the rest of this series it doesn’t make any sense to stop now, does it? $3 (?)
Update for 4/11/12
New review today for Blink: So It Goes #1 – Wonka Wonka Kochalka by Max Ink. Who also has all kinds of mini comics for sale here, if you were looking to support my trip to SPACE in a couple of weeks. See how seamlessly I blended in the begging? Max was nice enough to mention another convention in Ft. Wayne Indiana on 5/12, so if all else fails with the SPACE plans maybe I can gather enough sales to get to that one instead. See, and you thought I’d waste your order money on something trivial like food…
Ink, Max – Blink: So It Goes #1 – Wonka Wonka Kochalka
Blink: So It Goes #1 – Wonka Wonka Kochalka
Huzzah for a master plan! It seems like there have been very few epics in the small press world since Cerebus ended (or at least epics that actually came to fruition), but Max is planning 13 chapters to finish this story, ending up at some point in 2016. One suggestion/quibble before I get started on the book itself: why not list projected publication dates for the chapters? Sure, there are almost certainly going to be various problems along the way that prevent it from going exactly as planned, but maybe it would be useful as a motivational tool? Eh, with the way Max has been going over the years, he probably doesn’t need the additional motivation. Anyway, this graphic novel is called “So It Goes” and this volume is called “Wonka Wonka Kochalka,” as Max admirably makes clear in his introduction. This volume is all about Blink, Sam, Hank and their group of friends, many of whom are introduced here (unless I missed them in a mini comic appearance). Hank plays some songs, the gang wanders around to different bars chatting about various topics, and I’m on the verge of making this sound incredibly boring, which it’s not. But it’s also most likely not going to be action packed, so you should get that out of your heads early on. Instead it’s just natural conversations, happening among people who might not otherwise interact (Sam especially does not suffer fools gladly), and it’s wildly entertaining. There’s not a whole lot more to say about the story, frankly, as this is very early days of this series. If you’ve liked previous Blink stories (like the many mini comics floating around or the first collection of his work), then you’ll be happy to know that Max has stepped it up yet another notch this time around. If you’ve never seen his work, well, this seems like a good investment to me. It’s rare that I’d be more surprised if an artist DIDN’T finish his proposed epic, but I have full faith that Max will manage to pull it off. But there’s more to this comic than just the comic itself. The comic is 32 pages (which doesn’t technically qualify as a “graphic novel,” but calling it a “chapter” is awkward as hell) and there are another 24 pages of extra material. When I first flipped through the book I noticed this and was instantly wary, as it looked like padding to jack up the price on this book. Then I flipped the book over and saw that it was a relatively measly $7, so that clearly wasn’t the reason for all the extra material. First off, he’s doing a letters column, something that has been sadly lacking in comics lately, and he’s already gotten some interesting material to work with. Then there’s a few sketchbook pages (with promises of much more at his website if you’re interested), a listing of the folks who donated to the Kickstarter campaign that essentially got this comic published, a story about his art gallery showing, a story about Max from a local paper and a listing of all of the future chapters. And there’s arguably the most important part of the book: his descriptions of various places that you see and various things that people are talking about. I like to think that everybody knows Joss Whedon by now, but Max sprinkles bits of Columbus throughout his stories and he takes a minute here to explain these places. It’s been said by other reviewers, but his comics just feel like Columbus, mostly because of all the local landmarks. Which is what makes his use of things like SPICE (for the annual small press convention) instead of SPACE a little jarring, as you’d think he’d go one way or another with that sort of thing. Hey look, I found a complaint! Anyway, you people should buy this book to make sure he stays nice and motivated in this endeavor. I doubt very much that you’ll be disappointed when it’s all over… $7
Update for 4/10/12
New review today for The She-Ma’am Fella Hatin’ Sorority #2 by Mister V. Please scroll down a bit to see my reasoning for you to buy comics from me to help get me to SPACE in a couple of weeks, if you have the disposable income and the inclination.
Mister V – The She-Ma’am Fella Hatin’ Sorority #2
The She-Ma’am Fella Hatin’ Sorority #2
The story of these four ladies continues, but without the “Feminazi” bit in the title. Which is probably for the best, as it’s never a good idea, however unintentionally, to give Rush Limbaugh even the slightest bit of free press. Once again, this comic is not for the people who cannot look at naked lady bits (or a strapped-on dildo) without bursting into flames, but the rest of us should get a kick out of it. First up is the Feminazi story called “Jewkkaki,” which you can possibly piece together if you look at any kind of online porn. Which you probably do, as otherwise you would have been offended at my previous warning and quit reading this review. Our heroine is forced to prove that she doesn’t hate Jewish people and that she just wears the uniform because it gives her super powers. Next is Roswella’s story, as she continues on through space searching for a good fuck. Yes, that does seem to the driving force behind her. She thinks she has finally found what she’s looking for, but we all learned way back in Star Wars that it’s dangerous to assume something when you’re only seeing part of a creature. Next is another story of Jungle Jane, this time dealing with a young man who tries to get her to have sex with him, only to have her point out that she’s fucked pretty much everything in the jungle and that his tiny man bits don’t have a thing to offer her. He makes a bargain to change things around a bit, but it’s always dangerous to transform yourself into a jungle creature. Finally there’s Sequential Sally, this time trying to nail down a publishing deal. I sampled the page that had the actual reaction to her work from the publisher, and the rest of the story has her trying to “convince” the publisher to change his mind. So far these stories are a blast (once again provided that you don’t mind a bit of nudity), and I think you people should send the man some money to buy some books. Or be cheap and read through the many free samples on his site, but you know deep down that you should order some comics after you do that. No price again, and again I’m guessing $4.
Update for 4/9/12
New review today for Riptoid by Brian Leonard. I know that the fundraiser for getting me to SPACE fell short last year, so maybe people would be a bit more reluctant to buy comics to support it again this year (although I’d hope that the enjoyment you got out of buying some comics would outweigh that), so let me peel back the curtain here a bit. 95% of the comics that I review come from people who mail me review copies. There’s not a thing wrong with that and this site wouldn’t exist without it, but that also means that there are relatively few books that I review that I’ve “discovered” by just stumbling across them. It’s damned near impossible for me to get to conventions on either coast, so SPACE is the best chance I have of finding new books. Which, coincidentally, is also the best way that you have to READ about new books. Here, at least, as there are all kinds of sites doing great work on this front, but you see what I mean. So basically you have a little less than two weeks to buy $200 worth of comics (gas alone will be at least $100) to get me there. I’ll also be selling various oddities on eBay (mostly comics and graphic novels), and I’ll be posting that link up here daily. If you’re perfectly content with the way things have been going, chances are I’ll keep getting review copies for the foreseeable future, but if you’re looking for some different comics, then helping me out financially is the easiest way to make that happen. And you get comics out of the deal!
Leonard, Brian – Riptoid
Riptoid
If I ever set up a ratings system here it would have to be something based on food. Hear me out before you wander off in bemused annoyance, please. See, the quality of any book is bound to be subjective, excepting obvious errors like misspellings or forgetting to draw eyeballs on a character. So it’s always seemed like the height of hubris to me to place permanent (after all, reviews generally come up quickly when you do an internet search for a book) ratings on books where you’re likely to have your opinion change over the course of years, especially when an artist improves significantly in later work and that lets you have a fresh opinion of an earlier comic. The food analogy comes in when you think about what you get out of a comic. Some hefty, wordy minis are full course meals, while other tinier minis (you know, the kind that you can read in about 20 seconds) are, say, popcorn shrimp. One of them is hardly a meal, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with it. And with that we finally get around to talking about this comic, which is definitely one of those popcorn shrimp. This is a rhyming tale of a creature called Riptoid as he tries to escape from people who are trying to kill him for mysterious reasons. It’s six pages of story with one completed rhyme on each page, so it’s over pretty damned quick, but it’s still a fun comic. A little insubstantial maybe, and it’s not like that ending cleared anything up, but who says there’s anything wrong with being mildly insubstantial? I did enjoy the art, although I’d have to see it in a longer story to make any kind of conclusive judgement on it, but it did make me want to see more of his work, which is all you can ask for in a tiny thing like this. $1
Update for 4/6/12
New review today for Andros #5 by Max Clotfelter. Say, is anybody from Champaign Illinois planning on going to SPACE in Columbus on 4/21? If not, would anybody be interested in buying some comics from my store so that I can maybe afford to go? Please take the weekend to mull over these thoughts.
Clotfelter, Max – Andros #5
Andros #5
For what it’s worth (and it shouldn’t be all that much, as everybody gets an opinion), I approve of Max’s recent shift into double page spreads of his art, or silent work in general. Sure, I bitch about silent comics at times, but not THESE comics. And yes, that’s supposed to make total sense. In past issues of his comics we would get the occasional glimpse of the oozing, seething horrors that populate his art, but in the last few issues I’ve seen we get to see these monstrosities in better detail. In this issue we get two double page spreads, both on the inside front cover and the centerfold of the book. Is it still called a centerfold if it doesn’t involve a naked man or woman? Let’s just say that it does. The center image is the more powerful of the two, mostly because it’s uninterrupted. Is the gelatinous pile of tumors holding a speared child of the cowering, weeping creature backed up against a tree? Why is the man (if it is indeed a man under all those clothes, but it least it has a manlike shape) holding a gun up to that cowering creature? And are all the creatures of the forest on its side, or have they merely been backed into the same corner? I probably should have put that image as the sample just so all that made sense, but trust me, you’ll be glad that you discovered it for yourself. Other bits in here that are generally more examples of linear storytelling include Max’s memories of meeting Mr. T. as a child (and how he’s confronted with the reality of that meeting as an adult), begging for food at a flea market, seeing a guy jerking off on a bus, and ending up getting way too many eyedrops when taking drugs. There are also more than a few silent pages or short stories that defy conventional explanation, and as a whole comic it’s pretty damned impressive. My only confusion is that I remember Andros as being an anthology, but it’s from a long time ago (way, way back in the fuzzy days of the 90’s), and who can remember that far back anyway? $2
Barrett, Pat – Oak and Linden #4 – Dental Damned!!
Oak and Linden #4 – Dental Damned!!
If you’re at all squeamish about dentists, run for your lives! Well, maybe that level of panic is not warranted about a comic that nobody is forcing you to read, but if you get a bit green around the gills at any mention of dental work then this thing will scare the crap out of you/force you into your underground bunker. This is the story of Baby Pat (which is maybe supposed to represent regular Pat the creator) as he goes about his day. He’s missing a tooth, so all sorts of people he meets along the way want to learn what happened to the guy. He tells each of them a different story, each more manly and impressive than the last, until he eventually runs into a guy who cannot be snowed: his dentist. This is not the gentle, careful dentist that you might tell your kids about to get them to go get their teeth cleaned. This guy carries a grudge and does not suffer fools lightly. I’d be a jerk if I described the story any further, but a lesson was definitely taught to that lying young man. This is the first of a whole bundle of comics that Pat sent me (well, the first that I’m reviewing anyway) and I’m excited to see more. The art is a pleasing blend of classic cartoons with a smidge here and there of some of the great underground artists, but all very clearly his own style. Baby Pat’s beatific face as he gets ready to tell his story to the mail carrier, or how his posture changes between approaching the dentist’s office and seeing the dentist, and really the entire encounter with the dentist, were all things of beauty. We’re all going to be seeing a lot more from the students of The Center for Cartoon Studies in the days to come and, based on what I’ve seen so far, we’re all in for a treat. And it’s in full color for a measly $2!
Update for 4/4/12
New review today for Star Pilot #7 by Frank Swartz. I’ve already checked to see if any rich fans of the site would like to give me a pile of money, right? OK, just checking.
Swartz, Frank – Star Pilot #7
Star Pilot #7
This is apparently the issue where all ties with space pilots, rhinos and chimps went by the wayside. Which is a shame, as this issue is much more straightforward than previous issues, but it’s impossible for it not to lose some of that madcap charm in the process. This is the story of a journalist who goes to study the musical history of a country that had been violently overthrown 40 years earlier, leading the new dictator to erase all records of music and the musical history of the country. The journalist finds one image in the archive that hasn’t been completely blacked out and goes on a quest to get to the bottom of things. From there we get a retelling of the history of the region before our hero does manage to find the mysterious musician from the photograph, which leads right into the finale. You know, come to think of it, that chimp might just be the journalist. It’s hard to say for sure, but he sure looks a lot like a monkey. And yes, even though the story has been toned down a bit from previous issues, the art is still inspired in its lunacy. Frank does a great job with his “camera angles” for panel placement, which is more than enough to make up for the fairly straightforward story. Which, again, isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’ve been trained for two issues to expect more outside-the-box kind of stuff. So if you’re looking for more complete madness you should check out some earlier issues, while if you like your madness tempered just a bit then you’ll be just fine with this one. No price listed (I’m guessing somewhere around $3-4), and you can see the first few pages for free at Frank’s website.
Update for 4/3/12
New review today for Genetically Modified Punk Rock Pandas by Brad Dwyer. Hey, the store is working again! You should maybe buy some comics now, if the mood strikes you. And if it isn’t actually working, please get back to me on it, but it should be fine now…
Dwyer, Brad – Genetically Modified Punk Rock Pandas
Genetically Modified Punk Rock Pandas
Oh parody comics, you are the proverbial red-headed stepchild of the small press business. Sometimes they’re a ton of fun, sometimes they improve on the thing that they’re trying to parody and show us something new, and sometimes they just exist. This one goes under the “fun” category. There’s no “#1” listed on the cover, which is probably for the best, as this would get old in a hurry. But 8 pages of these punk rock pandas beating the crap out of some cops is just good clean fun. Well, not “clean,” as there’s puke all over the place, but you know what I mean. Things start off with our four heroes facing off against the cops. They pull their weapons out (switchblade, bat and chain) while the last panda has had too much to drink to be much use in the fighting. Or so they thought, because as it turns out puking all over some cops can really throw off their game when they’re trying to shoot/fight you. Mayhem ensues, cops are beaten up, pandas run from cop reinforcements, and we’re left with a pretty funny final page. Whether or not you should seek this one out should be obvious to you from that title and the sample, but if this is something that sounds like fun to you, trust me, it is. $1
Update for 4/2/12
New review for Monkey Squad One #8 by Doug Michel, and barring any other website explosions this should be a regular week of reviews. Meaning I’ll do five, but one of them will get erased as I try to post it or something equally ridiculous and I’ll give up for the day instead of trying again, leaving the week with a total of four reviews. I will try not to let this happen. Oh, and send me your comics for review if you have new stuff coming out, as the review pile is getting slim again.
Michel, Doug – Monkey Squad One #8
Monkey Squad One #8
One thing that bugs me about most of the zombie apocalypse fiction/shows/games out there is that they rarely bothers to explain WHY said apocalypse is happening, mostly because 60 years or so after “Night of the Living Dead” everybody just understands that it’s bound to happen sooner or later and nobody knows why. Well, that’s lazy storytelling right there. Doug, to his credit, has an inspired explanation for this version of a zombie attack: they raised up just as the saddest song ever written was being sung by a man who was perfecting his depression for years. This man can also prevent the zombies from eating him if he keeps playing, but has no control over them other than that, and I’m getting ahead of myself. This one starts off with the origin story of the man who kicks things off, and it turns out that he knew Doug (Monkey Squad Doug, not real life artist Doug) back in the day and they had their own band. When things get back to the present we see the current members of Monkey Squad One gleefully taking advantage of this rare opportunity to shoot zombies at close range, while the people at their headquarters are trying to figure out how to rein things in. The sad rocker, Monkey Squad One and the other group of Monkey Squad types (I don’t remember their number) eventually all meet up, and I can’t get too much further into things without giving away large spoilery bits. I loved that cliffhanger ending, and it would be tough to think up one that was much more dramatic than that. I may have been slow getting on this particular bandwagon, but Doug (the creator, not the character) won me over the old-fashioned way: through interesting stories that were well thought out and put together. The art doesn’t hurt a thing, as he clearly spent some time on damned near every zombie in the background when he probably could have gotten away with a few faceless blobs here and there. And the violence! I’m not sure if depicting intestines as striped is anatomically accurate, but it makes for a nice touch in the double page spread of zombie mayhem. Next issue wraps up this storyline, so if you’re looking to jump into this series but are intimidated by that “#8” on the cover, pick up the last issue, this one and #9 when it comes out. One complete story just for you! $2.50
