April 24, 2010
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Jumbly Junkery #4
Are there people reading this site who aren’t cat lovers? It’s one of the things that boggles my mind, like the idea that there are Republicans out there reading this (not that there’s anything wrong with that… oh who am I kidding, I think they’re all nuts at this point). Anyway, if that’s the case with you, while there are still delightful chunks of this book that you would enjoy, the obvious cat love may turn you off. As for me, with a hungry cat meowing at me as we speak, I loved it. This is mostly a bundle of one page stories, about such subjects as the Hello Kitty idol, Sisyphus (actually L.) in action doing various hopelessly repetitive tasks, the good and bad sides of Spring, reconciling her profession with the macho jerks she inevitably runs into, making a conscious effort to get rid of her Southern accent, her mutual disappointment in her parents and their disappointment with her, and even a very brief origin story. Oh, and there are also the tales of Guard Cat, the valiant protector of the house who keeps it safe from evil, something every cat owner can relate to. I should also mention that L. is portrayed as a sort of sexless doll with buttons for eyes, not because of any lack of artistic ability, as the book is gorgeous, it’s just one of those things that reviewers are compelled to mention. Just checked the website for price info and it turns out that this is issue #4 and it’s $5, for the curious, but #2 is mysteriously missing from the site…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Cyril in the False Lands
It always makes me happy to discover someone who has a ready-made graphic novel just sitting out there, unpublished. Of course, if also makes me happy when I found out about somebody when they do their very first comic and it’s amazing. I guess I’m trying to say that I like comics, which is obvious by my running my website, which makes this whole intro pointless. That, as they say, is why they pay me the big bucks. The point is that Jason has a whole pile of minis of the adventures of Cyril and, judging from the quality of this issue, should think about putting them all together and putting them out there, if financially possible. This is the continuing story of Cyril, who is a dead young boy wandering around the afterlife, trying to figure out what is happening to him and what is going on. That’s the impression I get anyway; it’s clear that a lot has gone on before this issue. Here’s the recap of the previous issue, you can know as much as I do: “Cyril came across a group of sperm ghosts that refused to believe that he wasn’t one of them. After being chased by the sperm, the Ghost King came to Cyril’s rescue and gives Cyril vague hints about his hidden destiny.” He does kind of look like a sperm ghost, doesn’t he? Anyway, in this issue Cyril comes across the memories of a man with a dead family (or are they his memories?), almost gets eaten by a creature with an enticing diamond antennae, and is eventually arrested for “impersonating the dark master”. While in prison he meets a professor who specializes in all the life forms that come to that land, and begins to learn a bit more about himself before he’s taken away to meet the dark master. I won’t ruin the ending confrontation just in case you are able to find a copy of this (it came out in 2003 and I don’t see this specifically on his website), but it, along with the rest of the comic, did make me want to see what happens next. And before this issue, which makes this a success. I love how there are no panels, just full page spreads, as it really contributes to the feeling that he’s lost in an overwhelming world. The art seems simple enough, but there’s a wide range of odd characters floating around, most seemingly with their own tasks and motivations. It’s worth checking out if you can find it, if not there are other chapters in this story on his website. No price, but due to the thickness I’ll guess $3. Yes, I’m guessing the price of a mini based on heft…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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The 80’s #1
Full disclosure time: I got this through the recent Poopsheet sale for a couple of bucks. The fact that this was listed at $8 is astounding to me, and wouldn’t be something that I would ever pick up for that reason alone. It does have something like 80 pages (no, I’m not going to count), so it gets points for size, but $8 for a black and white mini with a color cover? Why, back in my day comics only cost $.02 and the world was a better place etc. And from here on out I ignore that cover price and focus on the comic. Are you old enough to remember the 80’s? I mean really old enough to remember them, like if you were born in the mid 70’s, not just someone who has watched all the nostalgia specials on VH1? Then you’re bound to find several things to amuse you in this issue. There are three stories, all done by different artists, all written by Jason. First up is Disappearances (art by Erik Arreaga), which makes a whole lot less sense when you read the rest of the comic. A young man with a gun and undefined powers heads down to the sewer to check into some pizza boy disappearances. He’s attacked by a group of grotesque monsters, and this is the only story in the mini that didn’t heavily feature characters from the 80’s, unless I’m just not aware of the connection… unless they’re C.H.U.D.’s, as that idea just came to me and I never did see that movie. Next up is The Spirit (art by Michael Mena), as our hero with the mysterious powers (even to him) runs across Michael Jackson in 1983 and finds out that he is, in fact, a zombie. Part-time, at least. And also a werewolf, at least briefly. It was a little confusing, but it did have a great ending and a cameo appearance by the A-Team. Finally there’s The Summer of ’85 (art by Dave Hudson), which makes up the bulk of the comic. It’s a sprawling saga involving the Doc from Back to the Future (teaching our hero about his mysterious powers), the Misfits Of Science (if I’m remembering my 80’s correctly, as it’s not like there’s a glossary or anything), Teen Wolf, the giant dog thing from the Never-Ending Story, and even an army of Gremlins. The angry kind, not the adorable mogwai variety. All kinds of mayhem in this one, and it’s quite possible that I should have at least left one of those groups out to add to the surprise. Oh well, there were still a couple of things I couldn’t identify, maybe you’ll have better luck. I liked how the stories all took place in different years (the powers of this man are to last only until the end of the 80’s) and how they all referenced older events, as it’s an excellent way to build up a story like this. He’ll have to reduce the price for future issues a bit, but there’s a lot to like about this one, although possibly less if you weren’t cognizant for the 80’s. Still worth a look though, along with his other series on this page. $8
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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A Few Perfect Hours
In the introduction to this book Sari (Josh’s partner for the past ten years and the person who went on these travels with him) says that the threat of 9/11 and terrorism in general make these stories look like “a letter from the past”, as they all take place in the 90’s. That’s true. I know people are still traveling the world and living out of their backpacks, but I can’t imagine that many of them are doing it as innocently as Josh and Sari did. Still, my problem with a lot of auto-bio (even some of the stuff that I like) is that some of these people just don’t have much to talk about. Yes, it’s important to examine their lives, but it adds a whole bunch to have stories from people who have traveled all over the world and did as much as they could to escape the beaten path at every opportunity. They start of in Bangkok, where they visit a Buddhist temple and Josh lets his hair down a bit (metaphysically speaking), while Sari deals internally with some of the local cuisine. Then it’s on to The Cave of Fear, an underground cave with tiny crawlspaces that are necessary to traverse the length of the tunnel. Next they travel to Nakhon Phanom, a city in Thailand, where they have to stay with some American fundamentalists so that they can stay in town to see a local festival. They also work at an organic farm in the hopes of meeting some locals, get cameos in a Singapore soap opera, drink with The Serbian Bear, talk with a traveling Ice Cream Man, and deal with the death of Josh’s grandmother, which brings back memories of a cremation in Bali. There are also travel tips for people who might be leaving the country, and pretty much everything there was essential reading. While I’m glad that the Xerix Foundation gave Josh money to print this, I find it a little hard to believe that the independent publishers weren’t fighting over this one. It’s a fantastic, gripping group of stories that really does feel like it’s from the past, and it’s important to read them in the context of today. Even in these countries, which are mostly not currently at war with us, would it be safe to wander around as they did and basically hope for the best at times? Regardless, there’s plenty to be learned here and there’s not a boring story in the bunch. A few of these were from some other sources, like a SPX anthology or Skeleton Key, but I hadn’t seen the vast majority of everything in here. It’s only $12.95, there’s a website up there in case the link to Amazon doesn’t work…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Keyhole #2
It’s funny how some series can fly right by me while they’re going on. I don’t remember ever seeing this as it was being published (this issue is from 1996 but is still available here, along with a few of the other issues of this six issue series) but it’s exactly the sort of thing that I would have bought whenever I saw it. It’s a hodge-podge of the works of Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld. Sometimes they write and draw their own stories, sometimes one writes while the other draws, and sometimes guest writers are used. Anyway, this is a great issue and it makes me wonder why, if there were six issues of this series, this hasn’t been collected into a graphic novel of some kind. I guess a lot of the Dean Haspiel stuff has already been collected into Billy Dogma books or something, but Josh deserves a little bit of love too. All kinds of stories in here, including Josh and his wife (or girlfriend) traveling through Southeast Asia, Billy Dogma vs. The Human Bar Code, and a story of Dean’s from when he was a child listening to his parents fighting. Throw in a few one or two page strips scattered throughout and you have a solid comic. The more I see of Dean the more I wonder how I could have missed him for all these years, and Josh looks pretty great too. I know I’ve seen his artwork here and there, maybe in anthologies or those Big Books, but his autobio stuff is well worth reading. Check out a few issues of this series or go fill in the holes in your collection if you already have a few. Unless the other issues got a whole lot worse it looks like those of us who missed these really missed out. I just checked his website and he has all kinds of comics out there. That’s it, I have to quit all future jobs just so I can keep up with the artists who are worth following out there…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Michael Neno’s Dream
Damn you Michael Neno, do more comics! I like everything I’ve seen from you so far and I’m perfectly willing to spend more money at your table when I see you at conventions, so why won’t you let me? Anyway, this is another solid comic, if tiny, but hey, it’s only a dream. It starts with Michael in a taxi with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, and the conversation goes to all sorts of things, including how they’re disappointed in Kurt Cobain for killing himself when F. Scott died of a heart attack. Tiny but good, contact info is above, and somebody please give him a grant of some kind and chain him to the drawing board!
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Quacky Pig and Friends
Three cheers for a real coloring book! Well, sure, maybe it’s not something that the whole comics world has been clamoring for, but I’m thinking about going out and getting some crayons for this baby. There’s a little bit of a story in here, mostly about Quacky and her friends getting into all sorts of mischief. It’s sort of like a children’s book that no child should ever read. It’s brutally funny at times and also absolutely silly at others, but it works for what it’s supposed to be (a coloring book, please keep that in mind at all times). What more can you really ask for than that? Contact info is above, I’m much too sleepy to actually link everything again…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Michael Neno’s Reactionary Tales #1
First review back, so I apologize to all of you if this doesn’t measure up to my usual incoherent, rambling self. Hm, that might be a good thing. Maybe this will seem more focused somehow. Anyway, how about that Michael Neno! I didn’t know a thing about this before I bought it, but anything that can make me laugh in this day and age (it’s September 21st, 2001as I’m writing this, so you know what I’m talking about) is much appreciated. He has a bizarre sense of humor that fits with me. It might not with you, but I guarantee you’ll either love it or hate it. A Kirby-esque cover and some definite mainstream influence. This Eternal Flaw (about a canine man and his troubles) is hilarious, even if I get the impression that he’s making it up as he goes. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it can get ugly for continuing stories. As long as it stays this funny it probably won’t matter much. Larvae Boy was great too. Ack, I feel like Bob Odenkirk reading to the blind guy in the Mr. Show skit. “Man, I wish you could see this, it’s so funny!” If you guys are looking for a funny book that has nothing to do with the real world or current events, here you go. The main stories are about a depressed boy who controls the insect kingdom and a canine man who can’t stop throwing acid into the face of a superhero. Funny shit.
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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The Toy Box
Believe it or not, this is actually one of those rare cases where the cover scan is slightly larger than the actual comic. The actual comic is almost too short to talk about it, as it details a young boy putting all his dolls into a box and then having the box stolen by another kid running by. It’s cute and there’s a good punchline, so yes, it is worth sending him that $.50 if you’re so inclined. That and I loved all of his other stuff, so there’s plenty of stuff worth getting. My problem with Michael is that he always has the same stuff for sale, year after year that I see him at SPACE (this one is from 2003, I just missed it, probably because it’s so tiny). A brief trip to his website shows that he’s been busy, he’s just been doing stuff for another company, which is probably why the new stuff is never displayed at his table. I’m grasping at straws here, but the only other explanation is that I’ve been missing his new stuff year after year when it was right in front of my nose while he was one of the main people I was checking into every year for new stuff. That would make me an idiot, and that couldn’t be, now could it? Anyway, this is worth checking out, at least after you check out his longer, better stuff first. $.50
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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The Signifiers #1
Jack Kirby, eat your heart out. That sampled page below, the cover, the first fantastic page of this book (a close-up of a screaming man, so close that you can make out his back teeth), everything you look at screams Kirby while still sticking to a very clear (if a little hazy to the reader) vision. There are three stories in this book, and I’m starting at the back for reasons that’ll be clear in a minute. Last up is the story of the heat-seeking dwarf (the sampled image), who is held captive by a mysterious group and eventually makes his way free to a hippie commune. In the middle of the comic is a tale of invasion, giant guns and sudden love, all told in a different format (panel-wise) than the other pieces, and it’s the only piece in here that can be read by itself with any hope of understanding fully what’s going on. Finally there’s the bulk of the comic, the main story of the Signifiers. It turns out this story started in Reactionary Tales #1, which Michael put out something like 5 years ago, so forgive me if I’m a little hazy on how that connects to this issue. This story is a mess, but that’s mostly because we’re still mostly without context in this first issue. He very clearly has a master plan here (he stops the story briefly to map out the important parties, something that may have made more sense at the start of the comic, but who am I to judge?), and I’m happy to be along for the ride. What we do see in this issue is a society of freaks, a peace rally (in which a young woman gets transformed into a dog creature), some thugs try to exert their will with varying degrees of success, a mysterious Voyst is referenced several times, and a mysterious man in bandages becomes real. Like I said, it was a bit tough to follow (although if I wasn’t still in moving transition and could locate that older issue it might help), but I could stare at this art for days, and as long as Michael knows what he’s doing a little confusion from the reader in the first issue isn’t the worst thing in the world. He also has a letter’s page where he addresses some of the more confusing elements and shows that he does have a plan, and has no intention of letting so much time lapse between issues this time around. Sounds good to me, but forgive me if I’ve gotten a bit cynical about that claim over the 8+ years I’ve been running this site… $4.95
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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The Dream Project Now Available! $2.95
And here I was thinking that my trolling the store to find comics that were never reviewed might have been a waste of time. If I hadn’t, when would I have ever finally read some of these comics that slipped through the cracks? The last of Kelli’s book I had to review (the phenomenal Horrifically Complete Non-Winner) was done over a year ago, and here this one sat. This is, as you might have been able to tell from the title, a dream comic, with brief bits at the end about the nature of dreams and a bit at the end about the best way to lower dream recall, which is an interesting change from people who want to remember absolutely everything about their dreams. This is damned near a pitch perfect representation of a dream. Kelli’s focus will shift to a light, which leads seamlessly to her staring at a clock. Figures will remain throughout the dream (but they’ll age several years through the course of the dream), Kelli knows instinctively who is evil and who she likes, regular events of the time will get thrown in along with absurdities that seem perfectly normal, like Kelli asking for the rest of the water from the pool of the INXS singer who killed himself. It’s silly to summarize the story, as it’s a dream comic, but this does manage to maintain the bizarre consistency of a dream, the sense that everything comes together at the end even though there’s no logical reason for it to do so. For those of you who may have forgotten about Kelli on this page, or for you new folks who have never seen her stuff, take a closer look. At this issue, sure, but there’s a whole pile of goodness on this page. $2.95
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Invisible Momma Now Available! $1
Not sure how this one slipped through the cracks, as it was in the box of comics that Kelli sent me for the store months ago. it was kind of buried, I guess, but I think it means I’m just stupid for not seeing it. Oh well, now that I have seen it, how is it? Shockingly, as I seem to like most of her work, I like this one a whole lot too. This is the short story of the life of her mother, a life that Kelli hadn’t thought all that much about until she was out of college. This is set up like the sample, a panel per page with one drawing above it. If she hasn’t yet she should write some stories; she has a real gift for prose. This one is mostly a tale of regret about not getting to know her mother and confusion as to how to tell her about it, and at least a little bit of a sense of loss on what her mother had to give up to raise a family. Great stuff, probably her most powerful book outside of Three Questions For Daddy, and that’s other people giving quotes. $1
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Non-Winner #3 Now Available! $1
What do you like better out of a mini, one big story or a bunch of tiny, relatively random ones? Well, if it’s the latter, you’re in luck! And if it’s the former, well, expand your horizons a bit! This one is all over the place, and there are no handy little titles to let you know when the story is changing, so pay attention! In here she talks about her main memory of a dead Uncle, getting laid at least in part because of a dream involving Dragonball Z, her immediate reaction to the divorce of her parents, supporting the troops at Lowe’s, and still having regrets for tattling in the sixth grade. Oh, and more insecurity about having all of her good stories come from when she was in grade school and how her best years are behind her. I liked this one too, although probably not as much as the other two, if that means anything to you. Still very much worth a look, contact info is up there, this is $1 and it’s also available in the online store…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Non-Winner #2 Now Available! $1
Has everybody out there read Happy #2 by Josh Simmons? If not, you may be a bit lost on this one. In it, Josh has an extended rant about the state of autobiographical comics, from the quality of the art to the depth of the stories, to everything about them, really. I’d say check it out for yourself, even if you don’t agree with it there’s still the rest of an issue by Josh Simmons to enjoy. Anyway, this is mostly Kelli’s response to that rant, with all of her insecurities and fears about her own self-worth taking over. After that is a short story about the best response that I’ve ever heard to those annoying singing wall fish that were so popular a few years back. Great stuff again, although a much quicker read than the last one, not like that’s a big deal in any way. Contact info is up there, it’s $1, you can also find this in my online store…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Non-Winner #1 Now Available! $1
Blurb! That’s one problem I have with the fact that the online store shows a sentence or two, as now I’m apparently supposed to keep that in mind when I’m rambling and try to sum it all up in a brief soundbite, and I’m completely unable to do that. Sorry. I could just say “I loved this comic!”, which I did, by the way, and then go down from there, but that would indicate order of some kind, and I’m completely against that. Anyway, review, oh yeah. This is a dense collection of tales from Kelli’s life. The first half is about a summer vacation she took with her husband, then you have facts about her personal art history and going to art school, losing the Xeric Grant, being ugly (her words), and still being ashamed today of somethiing she said more than 12 years ago. Look, all I really want out of a mini that only costs a buck is that is be entertaining, and this has that, plus it takes a while to read (she uses a lot of text), PLUS it has a cover made out of what looks like coffee holder materials. Great stuff all around and cheap too, I only hope that the other issues of this are as good as the first one. Like I said, it’s $1, contact info is up there, or you can head on over to the store, where you can also buy it. You do get that I’d be saying all these nice things even if it wasn’t in the store, right? OK, good…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Three Questions About Daddy Now Available! $4
This is one of those times where a comic is a tactile experience, or at least the cover is. I really wish there was some way for you guys to feel and smell this cover. Scientists, get on it! The cover is made out of leather (or fake leather, I’m no expert) and this will remind plenty of people immediately of childhood and the wallet that your Dad always carried around. Kelli made this comic from the responses of 16 people to 3 questions: How would you describe your father, how would you describe your relationship with your father, and what’s your most outstanding memory of your father. Responses range from relatively flip to gut-wrenchingly honest, both positive and negative. I’ll be the first to admit to being prone to hyperbole with my reviews, but this is a fantastic comic about life, really, that’s not to be missed. Unless, of course, you’re one of those mythical people who has never had a single problem with your father and have no interest in people who have. This is $4 and is in my online store, or you could just click on the contact info up there and head to her website, where you could check that out and all kinds of other things.
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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Tomato Now Available! $1
Well, as you should be able to tell from that scan, this is a dream comic and, as such, might not make much sense in any kind of linear fashion. I think it would have been funnier if she had left out the fact that it’s a dream comic and let people try to figure it out for themselves, but I’m sadistic that way. This is about a young girl who goes to join a school for girls. Whether she’s a teacher or a student isn’t exactly clear, but we do know that she’s younger than the other girls. Anyway, she hears some scandalous stuff at lunch, then is mistakenly thought to have made a racist comment, and I’m on the verge of telling you the entire comic here so I’ll just stop there. Dream comics are always interesting to me because it’s a little peek into the subconscious of the author, however unintentional. It’s a shortie, sure, but it’s a good little book. Contact info is up there, or you could just buy this in the store, if you were so inclined…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
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When I Was Brave
This is half of a split book with Robyn Chapman, just so it’s clear. It’s the story of Kelli from her first year of Junior High School, back when she was 12. It’s short, sure, but it’s incredibly dense for being such a tiny thing. It’s basically all about an old teacher of hers, an elderly (and possibly drunk) old black man who had no control of his class and was walked all over consistently. Kelli decides to tell him the truth when the class has him convinced that a test is supposed to be open book, and the rest of the book is about the consequences of her doing the right thing. I liked it. Liked the blocky art and I liked the dilemna of doing the right thing when nobody wanted her to and it might end up getting her punished. This is tiny, sure, but it’s worth checking out. Go to the website or send her an e-mail, I think this was $2. Sorry about the crappy scan…
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
Website
The Horrifically Complete Non-Winner Now Available! $13
Here it is, the perfect book for anybody who has ever enjoyed a good journal comic. Well, almost anybody, as I guess if you hated Kelli’s work for some reason this wouldn’t be for you, but what’s not to like here? This is the complete (as that cover may suggest) collection of her Non-Winner strip, done from 2001 through 2005. I’d never seen plenty of these, as she did most of these online, and it’s taken me weeks to get through the whole thing, as I’ve been picking it up and reading bits of it at a time. If you’ve ever read a journal comic and thought “what the hell were they thinking with this one?” or “this week’s strip looks like a complete waste of time”, well, Kelli is kind/neurotic enough provide commentary for every single one of these, going into details about her fractured family life and other personal details. At times the quality of the strips aren’t the best, as these were taken from her computer and some of these were designed with color or odd little tricks, but it’s only noticable on a very few of these. Topics in here include pretty much everything in Kelli’s life for those 5 years: family, married life, video games, comic conventions, dealing with publishers, hating (then eventually loving) Joss Whedon, and just about everything else you could think of. As for the commentary, I thought it would get on my nerves, but it ended up being completely fascinating. She adds all sorts of tidbits to everything, taking full responsibility when the strips sucked (mostly the “throwaway” type strips that she had to do while under deadline for something else) and adding relevant information to everything, including the awkward fact that her family did read her strip although she really, really wished they wouldn’t. For anybody who has ever wondered exactly what goes into making a journal strip, this is the perfect book for you. Hell, even if you aren’t even a little bit curious, you can still just ignore the commentary and enoy the strips. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable book, and it’s a damned shame that she decided to (temporarily?) give these up. $13
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Posted by Kevin
April 24, 2010
Website
Rummblestrips #2
Before anybody gets offended by the cover for some reason, I should point out that Joanne looks an awful lot like the woman in the center, except she’s been dressed a little more conservatively when I’ve seen her at conventions. This issue is a lot like the first, with a whole lot of dialogue and backstory for what looks a lot like a possible epic. Crash, who is very much not a robot, is on the run from somebody, and Rummble is trying to make a living through her writing while keeping a job where her boss walks all over her. Throw in some wacky cats, the editor for a porn magazine and a moron in the street and you have another solid issue. Things have to start happening eventually in the story, granted, but I’ll stick with my earlier claim that she has an incredible ear for dialogue and that’ll carry her far. It doesn’t hurt that the art’s incredible too. Check out the website, and if you’re incredibly cheap you can just wait a couple of years until the collected edition comes out, as I get the impression that she’s not going to give up on comics any time soon…
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Posted by Kevin
