April 22, 2010
Website
Prologue
Here’s another tiny mini from Kenan, done in the same style as the one listed below, with tiny panels opening up into bigger and bigger ones as you go. This time it’s the story of a longtime crush finally walking over to Kenan and starting a conversation, asking him to go out with her and pick up more beer for a party they’re attending. Kenan can’t really blame her for a lack of conversation up until that point, as he’s always struck dumb when she’s around, but is pleasantly surprised to be hanging out with her and hopes that (as this is on New Year’s Eve) this is the start of a wonderful new trend. Anyway, it’s a tiny thing with a great story, as the awkward dialogue is a marvel for anybody who’s ever gotten in over their head while talking to a crush. There’s even a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming even a a little bit, although in hindsight it seems a bit more obvious. Still, kudos on that. Well worth checking out, as is everything else on this page so far. There’s still no price, I’d still be surprised if it’s much more than a buck.
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Posted by Kevin
April 22, 2010
Website
On The Beach
Huzzah, finally a book that flips open where you don’t need an instruction manual to follow the story! OK that’s probably overstating the case a bit, but it seems like whenever I see a mini that folds open and progresses that it takes some serious effort to keep up. In this case there’s the tiny cover (the sample is just about actual size), then you open it, then fold up, then open again, then up again for a huge spread. Well, it feels huge when the pages are getting progressively bigger. This is the brief story of Kenan and his history with a nude beach, starting with his first time going there as a kid to trying to go back there with a far too attractive female friend. I say “far too attractive” because, well, that sort of thing can cause problems for males at a nude beach. Slight awkwardness and all, Kenan clearly loved the experience and appreciated how nude beaches are not, in fact, full of naked Playboy models, just regular people, only naked. It’s a great story, Kenan has a clear mastery of drawing naked people and I just plain dig how the whole thing unfolds. Crap, was that a pun? Oof, sorry. Worth a look, I can’t imagine this is more than $1…
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
The Wonderful Year #7 Now Available! $2
This time around I got the idea that the book is a bunch of one page comics with something of a continuing thread, unless, of course, the thread doesn’t continue. One thing’s for sure, though: I’ve run out of things to say about her comics. I like them, and she’s definitely one of those people whose comics are best described as “their’ book. You know, like if you want to describe a Sam Henderson book but run out of words you just say “You know, it’s a Sam Henderson comic”. You’ll be able to say the same thing about her very soon, to everybody I mean, because you can already say it to people who’ve read her book. The main theme in here is aging, or maybe it’s being used, or it could be not wanting to dance. Who knows? There may yet come a day when I sit down with all of these and try to make some serious sense out of them. I hope not though, because what would be the fun of trying to interpret something if I had it all analyzed into a corner? Contact info is up there, it’s still $2 and you should still buy it.
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
The Wonderful Year #4 Now Available! $2
What an absolutely incoherent comic. I mean that in the best possible sense, as it was fascinating every step of the way, but I can’t say that I understood much of it. Anybody who’s a fan of John Hankiewicz, and shame on you if you aren’t should check this comic out. It’s about, um… I’ll just tell you what’s in it. There’s a man who keeps saying “There’s a party in my pants”, screenprinting, baby birds, a woman with a shaved head, relationships, cats, harassment, and slapping. Maybe I’d have a better idea what was going on if I had seen any of the previous three issues, or if there was any information at all about the author other than an e-mail address. Still, it takes some work to get through but you’re rewarded with a remarkable sense of disquiet and uncertainty about the world. Well worth the effort to hunt it down, and here’s hoping that e-mail address is right because it’s all I could find…
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
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Take-Out #4 Now Available! $1
Back to the time capsule again, as I’m reviewing this mini from 2002 all the way in 2009. She’s gone on to bigger and better things, illustrating adaptations of Baby-Sitters Club (it seems like those were a big deal but I’m not sure), illustrating a book for Slave Labor with Dave Roman and continuing to work on her Smile story. OK fine, she’s moved on (mostly), but it didn’t hurt a thing that her minis were so good back in the day. There are a few shorties in here, my favorite is the one sampled, and I just smile every time I see that strip. Other stories include getting distracted and eating an entire box of Cap’n Crunch, just missing the subway (once by being late, once due to cockroaches), and how humidity makes her hair impossible to deal with. It may sound trite, but trust me, she makes it funny. A really great pile of stories, and I’m honestly a little surprised that there has never been a collection of these minis. Get your copies of the originals while they last, I’m sure that she’ll manage to get all these collected one of these days… $1
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
Tread #7
Is it just me or is it getting longer between Treads? Don’t you slow down on me Vonduskra! Anyway, this one is all little memories he has from childhood. In here are stories about cracking his skull after falling off his bike, tasting the cat’s food, kissing a girl, and his reaction to Reagan getting shot. There’s also a long prose piece about a kid in camp running around naked, trying not to get caught because he wants to save his only towel for swimming the next day. It was OK, but I’m a much bigger fan of his comics. Altogether not the best issue he’s ever done, but it has plenty of good moments. It’s a bit smaller than his recent books and it’s $3, but points for the cool cover. Contact info is all over this page, I’m sure you can find it. Oh, and here’s another website that he mentions in his comic. Aren’t you curious what you’ll find there?
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
Worker Bee
Ah, I love the nice people who send me all of their work.With most folks I have to read one or two things and then wonder how they progress because I don’t see anything else from them for years. But then there are people who are as nice as Greg and send me all or most of their stuff, and it’s a real treat. This is the best thing he’s sent me yet, hands down. Not that I didn’t like his other stuff (just scroll down if you don’t believe me), it’s just that this is a stand-alone story and it’s huge where all of his other stuff was scattered. It’s the story of a man who is in a cult (or something) who gets thrown out for suggesting… you know, you should read it yourself. He has to deal with the loss of everyone he apparently knows and how he can live in the outside world. The title makes a lot more sense when you read it, on a few different levels. And that’s the beauty of this book: the different levels. There’s all kinds of stuff going on here, I feel like I barely scratched the surface with one read. $5 is a bit steep, granted, but it’s huge and it looks great. You know, I don’t know why I’m rambling about this so much when you can read the first half of it here and figure it out for yourself. Keep up the good work, Greg…
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
Fart Party #5
Curse this brain of mine, it’s almost totally worthless at this point. There I was at Chicago Comics, with most if not all of the Fart Party comics just sitting there, waiting for me to buy them. This sorry brain, knowing how much I enjoyed past Fart Party issues, informed me that I must have had at least the first few issues, so I settled for getting #5-7. Alas, all I had was that sampler reviewed above. So many left behind… As you can probably tell by now, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite comics, after reading all of two of them now. This issue is a “travel” comic, which can be a dicey proposition unless you’re Julia Wertz. She doesn’t linger on any of the obnoxious, boring things that can sometimes mar a good travel comic and sticks pretty much to her format of a few panels followed by an ending involving the funny. Maybe the art’s a little choppier than in her past work, as pieces of this were done on trains and I’m sure on various couches, but who reads this for the artwork anyway? Anything that makes me laugh this often could be 100% stick figures and I’d still be telling everybody to buy it. There are also comics from various people Julia met along her travels and even a few pictures in case you were wondering what some of the people shown in here actually look like. Seriously, anybody who’s not reading this series is only hurting themselves. $3
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Mystery Theater Episode 1: The Human Brain
Hey, this isn’t a fart party! It’s OK, I believe Julia is allowed to branch out a bit if she wants. This is an intensive study of brains, Julia’s in particular. It starts with a hilarious two page summary of brains throughout history and why humanity had such a long chunk of time when no scientific study was possible (hint: it involves the bible). My favorite quote out of many good ones: “Around the late 1890’s, fancy tools like the microscope were developed, making brain studies much more sophisticated than just cutting that shit open and poking around the mess.” Then we get to the regular comic, which opens with Dr. Watson (who is apparently a tiny, tiny man) and Sherlock Holmes hoping to study Julia’s brain. Sadly, the brain has left the building (and I absolutely love the fact that Julia’s cartoon head, when popped open, makes a “boing” noise), so the two detectives have to figure out Julia’s life from her apartment and belongings. They conclude that Julia’s brain has helped and hurt her plenty over the years, but I’m done describing the contents here as any more will just cheat you out of this pile of comic goodness. I like the new direction, even though it’s not a whole lot different from the fart party stuff. I also may be one of the few who hopes she takes one of her fake future subjects listed at the back of the book and makes it into a comic. “Why On Earth Did You Ever Think That’d Be A Good Idea?” has all kinds of potential. No price listed, but I’m guessing $2.50 just for the hell of it.
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Ben’s Facebook page
Snake Pit #13
You probably got the impression from reading that last review that I’m done with Snake Pit, it’s irredeemable crap and I never want to see it again! Harumph. Well, that’s not entirely true. I hope I made it clear that I WANT to see great things from this guy and I think I will, comics-wise, before all is said and done. The first half or so of this book was giving me hope too. He was on tour, or getting to know a new girl, and there was actually change from day to day and things were interesting. Then the second half was more of the same, to the point that I think even Ben is getting sick of the format, and the conversation I had with some of the YAC people when I got this seemed to indicate that as well. I hope that’s true. I’d love to see a Snake Pit #14 (or #15, or whatever) that was in a completely different format. Even if it didn’t work at all and he just went right back to this format, at least my curiosity would be at least partially satisfied. Yes, I realize this probably comes across as selfish, but I’d be willing to bet that I’m not the only fan of his work who’s a little bit sick of the format. $2
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Ben’s Facebook page
Snake Pit #2
This seems at first glance like a really dumb comic. It’s a daily diary in the form of a three panel comic, the problem being that every day seems pretty much the same. Ben goes to a party, he smokes pot, he gets drunk (or gives up alcohol for a little while), his band plays, he goes to work, he watches a movie, and he hangs out with a pretty girl. That’s pretty much every day, and I was almost ready to give up after the first few pages. But then it started getting through to me, or perhaps the sameness of it all hypnotized me, and I started to really like it. After all, how exciting is the average day for anybody? His honesty in telling the story of his daily “adventures” is what makes this book so compelling. It’s mundane, sure, but it gets harder and harder to put down as you go. Go to the website that publishes his comic, he’s not the only artist there, look around and see what you like…
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
Crash Comics #6
Ah yes, the dreaded “it’s still in print but you’re not going to have any idea what’s going on” comic. I think my love for the work of this man is well documented throughout this page, so for this particular comic, I’ll just come right out and say it: without a synopsis of some kind this is damned near indecipherable, something useful only for those people who like pretty pictures alone and/or future comic historians, after Mr. Williams becomes famous. The second story in this book, the bulk of the comic, is part 6 in a series and, with the first five issues out of print… well, good luck with that. It involves telepathically controlled giant fish monsters, a centaur professor, Amazons, a man who can’t die, and Atlanteen guards who ride around on telepathically controlled air bubbles. Right around the time things start coming together even a little bit, the story is over. This is an odd complaint, I know, as anybody reading this in 1999 was probably very happy with it, but this is 2008, and I’m at sea over here. The first part of the comic was great, dealing with the Amish, sudden parental death and living in denial, so it’s not like the comic is all bad. Hell, even the parts that were over my head were still gorgeous. Maybe a little raw compared to his later work, but hey, this comic is early days for him. So if you’re already a huge fan of the man and can’t get enough, it’s worth picking this up, but if you’re just here to see what’s worth getting from him, I’d start with Misa By or any of the last three books on this page and work your way up. $2
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
The Wang: The Big One Now Available! $9.95
Well, I’ve been looking for something meatier from Stan, and this certainly qualifies. It’s broken up into four different chapters, all about the same size (individual issues of a comic maybe?). The first one deals with Eugene trying to juggle college, his mother and his girlfriend, and has one of the more disturbing endings that I’ve seen, although done in a humorous way. The second chapter is about Eugene entering the workforce and trying to get by as a telemarketer. The third and fourth are both about Eugene dealing with his mother and ex-girlfriend, trying to start a little romance with a crazy person and having an open mind about some self-help charlatans. It’s a funny book, no doubt about that. One thing that really sticks out for me is the lettering. I know, how often do you hear that, but it’s true. His letters bounce all over the place, while still being perfectly legible, so it adds tons to the impression of constant chaos that his bouncy artwork also conveys. Not sure if it’s intentional or if he’s just a spaz, but kudos. I think every single male in the book has a name that’s a pun about a penis, which gets old after a little bit, but the rest of the book is funny enough to make up for it. It’s a world that’s easy to get sucked into, and I could see this guy going far if he can get any publicity for this book, as this is something that could be enjoyed by just about anyone who reads comics. It’s only $9.95, click on the title to go to Stan’s page on Squidworks (scroll down a bit to get to this comic).
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Bio (sort of)
E-mail
Destined #3
It’s hard for me to convey just how peaceful and introspective these zines are without you actually reading them. Jeff is leading the life that I would like to be leading if I wasn’t so caught up in material things. Maybe some day I’ll be able to put all these things aside and live on the road like he does, biking from town to town and picking up odd jobs while selling a few zines here and there, but until then it’s great to know that I can always order a book of his and be dropped right into that world. I don’t think there’s any single thing out there that I can recommend more than his work. This issue is like the other ones I’ve seen, about the people he talks to and about his constant quest to become a better person, even though he seems just fine to me. I’ve never seen anyone that concerned about their own reactions to the assholes of the world. Cops aren’t portrayed in that favorable of a light in here either, but that’s probably because almost every cop I’ve ever met has been a dick. Really, if I could suggest a purchase plan I think you should send him $10 or so and just ask him for a pile of his zines. You’ll have reading material for weeks and I guarantee you’ll be a better person for it. Contact info is above, and I think it’s current now (thanks to Souther Salazar).
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
Null & Void #7 Now Available! $1.50
You know, there really ought to be a law: if you’re only going to put out one or two books a year and if those books are supposed to maintain some kind of a consistent storyline, you really should put some kind of synopsis somewhere in the book. Seriously, it’s a fairly simple thing to do and it would enrich the reading experience immensely. It’s been a long time since I’ve read #6 (even though there’s strangely no review of it, which I’ll fix one of these days), and whatever happened in that one is way past hazy to me. This one is easily the saddest of the Null and Void bunch, as it’s set almost entirely in a hospital, and the bits that aren’t there are getting ready for a funeral. I’d love to recommend this to you, as it’s still a pretty good story about family and dealing with death (even if only in a peripheral fashion), but I just can’t. If you haven’t read the other issues of this series, this probably won’t mean that much to you. Check out some other issues (as I really liked the earlier ones), then this might all make a bit more sense. Contact info is around here somewhere, this is $1.50 and it’s also in the online store, if you were interested…
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
Why I Hate People… And Other Stories Now Available! $1.50
The main story in here is about a trip to the supermarket. If you’re ever looking for a reason to hate humanity, Donovan has it pretty well summed up that that’s a good place to start. Pretty good stuff about stupid kids, slow check-out lane ladies (although I have to say that I’ve never been stopped for having one item too many in the express lane, but I’m sure it’s happened) and deceptive sale prices. Also in here are a couple of stories about what a horrible monster George Bush is (can I even type that without getting arrested? Can I also type that he’s a war criminal? Just checking) and meeting family members at odd places. A good assortment of stuff, and Donovan had a whole mess of new stuff available at SPACE, so scroll around the page, why don’t you? Also, the only e-mail address I had for him is old, so if somebody could tell me if it’s valid, I’d sure appreciate it… OK, it’s good now. Send him e-mail!
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
The Kernal #8
I’ll say one thing for Michael: he’s prolific. He had a ton of books available, all the ones I did end up getting were way past #1 (this one is #8, although I can’t imagine how he filled up 7 other minis with this), and he’s been cranking them out since at least 1990. This does not necessarily mean, however, that I liked much of what he had to offer. I’m bunching up the reviews I would have written for most of his minis under this one title simply because there isn’t much to differentiate them. This is one of those mini comics guys who read way too many superhero books growing up, never really stopped thinking that way, and then found out about Matt Feazell. “Hey” (the thinking seems to go), “I can’t draw, but I sure do have a lot of puns about superheroes and doing heroic things in me. Why not make a bunch of comics?” Sometimes I’d like to punch Matt. All that being said, these aren’t terrible books. There’s just nothing to distinguish them from the mountain of minis in the world. One of the books, Robostick, had the entire story lifted almost directly from Robocop, with a few bad puns thrown in. This one is the “true” story of a bad experience with Kinko’s. This is the kind of stuff you pick up (I’m guessing here) if you’re a parent and want something inoffensive that an eight year old might laugh at. One thing though, all these books are less than a dollar. You could probably get a wide selection if you sent him $5 or so, if you’re curious. E-mail him for a list of what he has available or send him money at: 4753-H Olentangy River Rd. Columbus, OH 43214-1963.
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
The Adventures of Plungerboy #4
This is pretty much in the same vein as the other two issues that I read, but it does start with a really great funeral. No, I’m not going to tell you why it’s so great, but trust me on this one. It’s hard not to like a book that has characters named Kitty Cat Man, Lactose Intolerant Man, and Man Man. Granted, you can still find the same lazy grammar and spelling, but what’s more important: funny or technically sound? OK, granted, it should have both of them, but what are you going to do? Most of this issue is about the funeral and a fight scene, but there’s also plenty of background noise about a continuing plot of some kind involving a whole bunch of supervillains and the Mayor sticking up for the superheroes. This is a buck, same as the other issues, and it’s worth checking out. Contact info is somewhere on the page, I’m sure you can find it without too much trouble…
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Posted by Kevin
April 21, 2010
Website
This is What Concerns Me Presents Remainders
So what, this is the stuff that wasn’t considered funny enough for the other collection? Or was this just all the awkward (to those of us who have to scan these things anyway) sideways strips? Either way it’s a solid enough issue all by itself. Read the review above this for a primer on the concept, this issue deals with such topics as surveillance cameras, the local food chain, dopey (but still dangerous) FBI agents, chastity pants (apparently they do exist), a list of actual school foods and their horrific names, an homage to corn, a handy vegetable recipe, a handier hard cider recipe, and a special Sarah Palin edition of Susie’s recipe column. Granted, targets don’t get much easier than Sarah Palin, but it always tickles me when small press cartoonists even touch politics. Not sure why so many of them pay not attention to it all, unless it’s because they’re, well, not paying attention to it at all. Anyway, this is another mini pile of fun, and I’m not sure where to advise you on how to check out her work. First the “regular” edition of this series, then this mini for a companion and then Favorites to round it out. Or you could always be frugal and send $5 for all three… $2
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Posted by Kevin
