April 23, 2010
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Col-Dee
OK, I just have to ask: what happened to the cat? Seriously, was that part of the story just forgotten about or are we supposed to assume the worst? Oh, sorry, I kind of started in the middle. Anything he does is going to be compared to The Last Lonely Saturday in my book, and this both falls short of that book and improves on it by leaps and bounds. The subtle human interactions, like the bit with the Mom trying to get a job, are incredibly accurate and poignant. The ability of the the child to believe in magic so easily was also brilliant. It’s just… I don’t know, maybe it is just about the cat. See, there’s this sick cat in the book, and it’s a big deal, and it’s just kind of left hanging, unless I missed it. I don’t think so, because I scoured the book when I was done to see if a couple of pages stuck together or something, but no such luck. The bottom line is that it’s a good book, well worth a read for a wide variety of reasons. I just don’t like having important things left over to worry about…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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The Last Lonely Saturday
In a perfect world, it wouldn’t matter how much this book cost. As it is, if I hadn’t ordered it through the mail sight unseen, I probably wouldn’t have gotten it. Why? Because it’s tiny and it’s mostly wordless, and it’s $8. Don’t get me wrong, it looks beautiful. I’m happy that I have it now for the sheer design alone. But this honestly could have been a mini comic, or a less expensive regular sized thing. If we’re going to give up on anybody who isn’t a cartoonist actually buying comics, then fine, continue to put out books that are tiny and cost $8, and we can all sit in our clubhouse for the rest of our lives, secure in the knowledge that we’re right and the rest of the world will never get it. If we want regular folk to start reading these, they have to, somehow, be made more affordable. Paradoxically, the design of this book makes it stand out on a shelf, but the price tag would drive away all but the most diehard of fans.
Climbing down off my soapbox now, this was a moving, vibrant piece of work. The story of a man who goes out to visit the grave of his dead wife, it’s over almost before you know it. But what you see here sticks with you. Anybody out there ever think about getting old and visiting the graves of your loved ones? Think about it, then read this again. We’re none of us that far from it, no matter how young we are. I hope he does more outside of Non (which has to be the best anthology currently going), and I hope he makes a bigger book. Regardless of my qualms about the price, this is a worthwhile read that makes any collection of comics automatically better. If you have $8 laying around, buy this. It might take a few months (trust me, I know), but it’s worth the effort.
You can also visit his web page at: www.reddingk.com
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Engine #5
Do you like comics about robots fighting? Are you tired of comics with too much of a coherent storyline? Then you should check this out. Maybe I just missed it, but it kind of looked like a robot was fighting a bunch of other robots to try and find an arm that would help him out for some reason. It looks good, the fighting is just cool in places, but I’m not going to lie to you and say that I had much of an idea what was going on here. If that’s not that big of a deal to you then, by all means, check this book out. There’s also another story, this one clearly about a couple of guys who find a job testing robots and that, strangely enough, also turns out to be a giant battle involving robots. It’s drawn by Todd Gail and is fun, like the rest of the book, and that’s plenty to recommend it in my book. It makes no apologies for what it is, so there you go. Contact info is up there, it’s $3 and it’s random, fun mayhem.
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Engine! #6: Stone Cold Fish
A comic made on a computer? What’s this world coming to? Seriously, if he didn’t mention how he did the art in the back of the comic I never would have known, so obviously it’s not that big of a deal. This is a story of loneliness and regret, about a man who’s getting prank phone calls and is depressed because he’s afraid that he should talk to that person more just to get some human contact. It’s a sad tale, sure, but it works well and there are a few pages of really great dialogue in the middle of the silent pages. Check out the website, it’s worth a couple of bucks to check out the issue if you’re looking for a synopsis of a wasted relationship. Looks like he’s done cheerier things too, at least judging from the descriptions of his other comics…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Box 9
Refer to the previous review for my thoughts on these tiny comics, as this one is only 6 pages too. This one is about a few boys who bump into a couple of girls and go down by the river with them. It’s to Bradford’s credit that there is really a lot more to it than that. A nice, simple comic that again, makes me want to see what else he can do. This one is only a quarter too, send the guy some money at the address above.
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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The Story of a Modern Boy
This feels like another lazy review, but there just isn’t that much to say about a six page book. This is the story of a young man who doesn’t seem to care about life very much, but he does have an internet girlfriend from Austria. I’ve always been a bigger fan of stuff that’s, well, bigger, but this is good for what it is. Maybe it’s better this way because now I know his name and will be a lot quicker to pick up a bigger book from him if I see one. Send him a dollar (these are only a quarter each) and see what he sends you at: The Octagon c/o Bradford 341 Strawberry Wynde Marietta, GA 30064.
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Skyscrapers of the Midwest #2 (Adhouse edition)
Just to make this perfectly clear, this is all new material, put together in a lovely comic (have you seen a bad looking Adhouse book? I didn’t think so). It’s just a bit confusing on this page because Joshua already went the mini comic route, and now he’s “big time”. As for this comic, granted, it’s been years since I’ve seen the minis, but this is a wonderful thing. Everything ties together, even the characters in the Sunday funnies. It’s all about a boy who’s getting baptized even though he doesn’t much believe in religion, a woman with migraines sent from God (who looks a lot like a Cylon, if you’re dorky enough to watch Battlestar Gallactica like me), white trash love, and a cat and a mouse (and wait’ll you see which part of that turns out to be tragic). Sad and beautiful at the same time, it’s the best self-contained comic I’ve read so far in 2007. Granted, it’s early, and this was put out in 2005, but you get the idea. Well worth the $5, and a great introduction to his work if you’re never heard of Joshua Cotter somehow…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Skyscrapers of the Midwest #2
I think this one was a bit more normal than the last one. Not that I mean that in a bad way, and I think it mostly has to do with the fact that there weren’t any robots… oh wait, there was a robot in the last story. Just talking out of my ass again then, don’t mind me. You have in here highjinx with the Optimistic Youth Summer Camp, a young boy playing around in his head to avoid going to church, a brief but very effective comic about why life isn’t fair, and the story I forgot about with the robot. Also in here are letters answered by a drunk, angry cowboy, a pamphlet about the summer camp, and a listing of all the merit badges that the kids could get, which was easily the funniest part of the book. What, you’re still wasting time reading me when you could be reading this comic? What’s wrong with you? The guy has done two incredible comics, what else is it going to take to get you to spend $2? Christ!
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Nate Corrigan’s Gumshoe Sketchbook #3
Number 3 in a series of sketchbooks� As a general rule, it’s best to have more comics available than sketchbooks. Granted, this is based on my limited knowledge of the man and I’m probably completely wrong about the amount of work he’s produced, but that’s a lesson for everybody out there. Free of charge! Anyway, this one is mostly about detectives and hobos, although there’s also dinosaurs, cowboys, indians, a ninja meatball, and a giant carrot attacking the starship Enterprise. As always, sketchbooks are mostly for people who are already fans of a certain artist, and you’d certainly have a lot more fun with the comic posted above this one. If you’re already a fan, there are certainly plenty of creepy/odd images in here to keep you entertained… $.50
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Captain Spectacular #4
I missed an issue in there (maybe I can find it at the next SPACE), but this issue seems to me to be a big improvement over #2, and I liked that one just fine. It had (and I know this is a big claim) the single best kick to the groin in the history of comics. This issue deals briefly with Captain Spectacular fighting the Geyser Geezer, and after that’s taken care of it’s time for him to use him secret identity: The Janitor. It turns out that The Janitor is also a super hero, although his job is exactly what it sounds like: he sneaks into buildings under cover of darkness and cleans them. This has set off local law enforcement, as they seem to hate vigilantes of all types. This had the feel of a bit of an “in between” issue, as it starts with a fairly meaningless (but amusing) fight and ends with the appearance of what must be the next big villain. In the meantime we get to see both heroes in action, the obsessed detective and get a clear view of how the world sees both the heroes. The art seems to have improved as well, as the backgrounds are impressive in their scope and Nate can definitely tell a story with facial expressions alone. As far as superhero parodies go, there are a lot of stinkers out there, but this one seems like it’s worth keeping an eye on. $2.50
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Captain Spectacular #2
As I hope you were able to guess from that wonderful title, this comic doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yes, it is a super hero parody, so if you hate them all go ahead and move along, I won’t be offended. If you only like the really good parodies, well, this one is somewhere in the middle so far. #2 in a series is, in all fairness, still pretty early in the game. I missed the first issue, but this one starts off right at that cover image, namely with the Captain about to get beat up by a giant mushroom. In the background of this story there’s another vigilante super hero wandering around, this time apparently a janitor, and spend some time with the owner of the farm where this fight is going down. If you can look at that sample without grinning then you’re probably not going to like the rest of this. As for me, I’m curious to see where it all goes, but this one was still pretty fun on its own. $2
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Questor
Ah, my favorite genre: the indescribable silent mini. I love it so because it gives me a chance to prove my complete lack of insight in interpreting these things. Well, here goes. This starts off with a creature tearing off his umbilical cord. When he looks into the cord, he sees a man on a journey, eventually falling into the mouth of a giant king. The man guts the king and takes his intestine back to the creature from the start of the comic, and anything more I tell you will ruin the whole thing. It’s gorgeous, especially after the two main characters finally meet up, all loops and whorls. It’s also a compelling story, as long as you don’t mind more than a little ambiguity. No price on it, but I’d say $2 at a guess…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Queen’s Day
Here’s an older work from Leela. I’m mentioning that fact now because I didn’t like it nearly as much as Subway Series but, as that’s the later work, she’s doing great work now. This one has three stories. The first is a dream involving the Baba Yaga, but she’s nothing like the stories. She’s just a kind old woman. The second is the most powerful of the bunch, a story about the suicide of a young man and his sister trying to get over it. At least I think it’s a suicide, sometimes it seems like he died on the mountain. The last one is a story about a young woman in Holland trying to find herself after things didn’t work out as she’d planned. The suicide story was great. The sister climbing that mountain was cathartic as could be, and grandma offered her some great advice about the absurdity of death. The other stories I didn’t think much of one way or the other, honestly. Still, $4.95 is a pretty cheap price for one great story and two OK ones. Maybe you should wait a few years until she’s rich and famous before getting this, unless you’re already a big fan.
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Subway Series
Here’s another one from the long list of names that I was supposed to check out years ago. As far as I can tell from the legal stuff in the front this is a book of entirely new material. It’s slice-of-life type stuff, the story of a girl who’s trying to live her life while being pursued by two different boys. Yes, that’s as vague as I can be and nothing in this is anywhere near as simple as that, but thanks to the wonders of the internet this book is at your fingertips. Ain’t life grand? I thought this book was great. Liked the art. loved the dialogue, thought she did a really great job of capturing the confusion of dealing with members of the opposite sex who also happen to be dating other people while chasing you. This is the first thing I’ve seen from her, like I said, but I’d like to see more. The ending was kind of abrupt, I guess, unless you stop to consider that that’s how these things usually end. Anyway, it’s big, it’s $10, and it’s well worth a look.
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Moving Forward
No, the whole comic doesn’t look like that, if you were curious. I do like the cover though, it sums up the feeling of the comic pretty well. This is another shortie from JP about driving, thinking, and holding out hope for the thinking 1% of the population. Or at least that’s what I read into it, but I’m just some schmuck with a website. It’s a combination of two different prose pieces combined with images, so the writing has a very lyrical quality to it. There’s a tiny glimmer of hope here for the world, which is always nice to see in a comic. Contact info is up there, I’d say this is $2 if I had to guess…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Untitled (Green)
Jp is one of those guys where I always feel like I’m cheating writing a review. His books (that I’ve seen so far) are short, quick poems adapted into comic form, and I’m just not that big of a fan of taking something line by line and analyzing the hell out of it. So all you get here is my rambling, but what’s new about that? This one is about reaching for something better and possibly failing while nobody even knows that you tried. Like I said, not much more to be said about it than that. This is $1, contact info is up there…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Untitled (Blue)
Hey, that’s how it’s listed on their website, so that’s what I’m going to call it. I think there are other minis with covers of different colors, so it’s sort of like a series that’s not connected in any way. Or maybe it is, I haven’t gotten to the other issues yet. This one is all about a young man ruminating on how it’s always easier to go up. He tries to play his piano becuase it seems to bring him peace but that bothers his neighbor, so he’s forced to go watch television. It’s a quiet book about making the choices that are best for you. And maybe about how stupid tv is, but maybe I’m reading too much into it. It’s a shortie but an interesing concept. $2, I already linked the website once but I’m feeling generous, so there you go again.
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Untitled
Ah, the untitled mini comic. Make up your own! Also, some of you may be looking at that cover and thinking this should be on the page for Barry Rodges, but this really is from Jim Coon. Have I mentioned yet how impressed I am by the sheer range of books he has available? This is the wordless story of two creatures who meet and fall in love. Which wouldn’t be much of a story, but one of said creatures is a space explorer who accidentally crash lands on an odd planet. It’s love at first sight with a local creature… at least until science catches up to them. And boy is it tempting for me to describe what that means, but I’m going to resist. Kudos on that one page spread amidst all the cuteness…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Tail of the Samurai Cat
Well, when all is said and done, this comic at least has the honor of having the best reaction from a character after being cut in half. No, I’m not going to say what it was (as this is an 8 page shortie and I’m not going to post the best line from it), but trust me on this one. Other than that, this is the story of a samurai cat who’s seeking revenge after somebody else put a price on his head. Not sure why he was out on a revenge quest BEFORE said villain killed his wife and kids, but really it’s just a perfunctory set-up for some samurai mayhem. I don’t think this has much of a long term future as a series, as the cat meets up with his nemesis at the end of the first issue, but who knows? This was an OK issue overall, but it’s entirely possible that the novelty of a fat cat samurai could wear thin quickly. I’m guessing this is a $1…
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Posted by Kevin
April 23, 2010
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Zombie Preschool
Ok sure, zombie stories have been done to death, much in the same way that monkey stories have been. But have you ever seen a story about zombie preschoolers? If so, I guess this is redundant, but it’s all new to me. Not a whole lot of plot here, but this is a fun little story about an average day of zombie preschool, one in which a new kid has the misfortune of wandering into this place. We never see the teacher, so we don’t know if he/she is also a zombie, but it doesn’t make much difference. This is a real shortie, and as such there’s not even much of a chance for mayhem. A solid mini overall, but nothing that really jumps out and grabs you either. If you’re a big fan of all things zombie, I’d say pick this up. Otherwise go with Jim’s other work first and work your way down… $1
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Posted by Kevin
