Inside Vineland
In case my scan is too crappy and you can’t see that cover, it has floating demon cats attacking the Earth and a monkey traveling with a giant brain down a ski-lift like device. What does it mean? You have to read the book to find out! OK, the giant brain is never explained, but it doesn’t matter. Look, I read a lot of comics for this website. Does that make me an authority? No, just some guy who reads way too many comics. Most of the “funny” comics I get are things where I can see that something is supposed to be funny, or technically sound and potentially hilarious, but I rarely laugh out loud while reading them. This one had me chuckling several times. Everything in here is true and heartfelt, which is always so much better when it’s also completely ridiculous. The only big stories in here deal with a robot taking a walk and a robot trying to find love. I’ll say no more about them, as they’re the highlight of a book that’s full of highlights. The rest of it is one page strips from The Stranger, dealing with manic-depressive dogs, the bird war, life on Mars, things crashing into a Blockbuster, hot car fuckin’ fuckfest, the real world for elephants, and the seniorarium. If you think that there are plenty of unfunny people in the world who could deal with these topics and make them suck, you’re right. Luckily for us, Lauren isn’t one of these people. Look, I’ll make you a deal right now. Read the two samples. If you laugh out loud, you have to buy a copy. If you don’t, then you get to come to my house and throw a football at my groin. Deal? Send her an e-mail or just check out her website, this is only $5.95!
