Craig, David – Total Eclipse of Brick

July 12, 2024

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Total Eclipse of Brick

Is this the first time we see actual humans in the world of Brick, or is my memory just that bad? Betting on my memory being crap is usually the safe way to go, but I think this might be the first appearance of humans. Anyway! Several stories in this one, most involving pages much more complex than the sample image I used, but if you think I’m going to pass up a chance to post an image of Silver Surfer Brick, you are off your rocker. Stories deal with Brick and family making and eating breakfast (if you were curious which of those three holes was used for food, the mystery has been solved!), Brick cleaning house and coming up with a solid use for the funk in a vacuum bag, Brick trying to ride a bike through rush hour traffic and ending up crashing through a window (which leads to a big disagreement when the driver makes a natural assumption about how it happens; I should also point out that everybody besides Brick in this one is human), Brick winning a baseball game and the necessity of using a creative interpretation of the rule book to have it happen, Brick as Brick Tracy (although we only get one of the villains from that ridiculous rogue’s gallery, but it’s a good one), and Brick and family getting jostled on a walk home. Finally there’s the big story of the book, dealing with Brick trying to observe an eclipse, getting too close of a look at it, and ending up a cosmic surfer who just so happens to be silver. Heavily inspired by Jack Kirby (which David mentions), and it’s really a gorgeous homage to the man. I approve of Brick getting more out into the real world, as that really opens up the story possibilities. Give it a shot, everybody! I’m still hoping for Brick becoming a household hero/part of some vast cinematic universe. $15

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Posted by Kevin

Craig, David – Brick Breaks Free

February 27, 2024

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Brick Breaks Free

I can’t believe that I almost missed reviewing a Brick book. In case you were wondering, yes, it is indeed possible for a reviewer to clean their kitchen, put comics into a drawer to “sort through later,” and then completely forget to do that last step. For several years, since this is listed as 2019. Oh well, you get what you pay for! This is listed on his website as completing the “first season” of strips, and while I don’t know what that means, this is a solid collection of stories. Maybe the most practical uses for Brick that I’ve seen yet? If you’re new to Brick, the basic format is a sentient brick (or bricks) either getting into mischief or helping out in some way, usually in wordless fashion. I’m still waiting for the format to get old and I’m happy to report that it hasn’t happened yet. Stories in this one deal with Brick taking full advantage of the wind whistling through his holes, figuring out an ingenious way to entertain a child, being extremely useful as a golf caddy, fishing (his technique is unstoppable), enjoying a day on the beach both above and below the sea, what happens to a brick on a trampoline, going bowling (with a second page that’s terrifying in its implications for the other seemingly inanimate objects in this world), kinda sorta cheating at a carnival game, and meeting hundreds of tiny white bricks. There’s also a few pages of single panel strips of bricks helping people out, but there’s no way I could leave out the opus of the book, the story where the title comes from. Brick is helping out on a construction site, but that can be dangerous for a creature/item (?) who looks like construction material, and the worst happens to our hero: he’s cemented into a house. How does our hero escape? Well, that’s for you to figure out, but I think that cover might give you some idea. You know, if Brick had thought bubbles, that would have been a horrifying story. Just something to consider in this collection of otherwise lighthearted fun. I didn’t see any comics on David’s website that have come out over the last few years, but here’s hoping he’s still working on them. Either way, he still has copies of this sucker, so why don’t you get one for yourself? $10

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Posted by Kevin

Craig, David – Curse of Brick

August 8, 2022

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Curse of Brick

I’m sure David’s already thought of this, but if he doesn’t eventually put all these brick stories into a giant omnibus edition that’s shaped like a brick, he’s a fool. A fool I say! While we’re all waiting for that happy eventuality, he’s out with another hefty collection of stories about our hero, who just happens to be a sentient brick. Or is it about different bricks who all look the same? Anyway, this one is chock full of stories, and the subjects include being in the Olympics (a couple of those, actually, which makes me think he made those during the actual Olympics), trying to figure out the weakness of a hockey goalie who’s a cinderblock, a barber trying to figure out how to give Brick a shave and a haircut, feeding the wildlife, taking a union job, the price for eating too much candy on Halloween, the magical world Brick discovers under him after he hibernates for the winter (with art by Montevarious), Brick in space (with art by James Spencer, and after seeing him wearing a spacesuit I’m suddenly confused by whether or not he needs to breathe, which means I’m thinking too much), and a too brief glimpse into some of his friends, each one of whom seems like would be capable of having their own stories told. Finally there’s the sprawling title story, which starts off as an Indiana Jones parody, wanders in to a flashback dealing with how the pyramids were actually made, and ending with a cliffhanger that throws all of human history into question. Unless, once again, I’m thinking too hard, in which case it’s just funny. It’s another solid collection of stories, and once again I’m impressed and amazed at how much story David seems to get out of a literal brick. He also has plenty of samples on his website if you’re skeptical, but give it a shot why don’t you?

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Posted by Kevin

Craig, David – Brick By Brick

October 1, 2021

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Brick By Brick

How much can you really do with several stories written about bricks? Quite a bit more than you’d imagine, I’d say. This is a collection of several stories featuring this brick (or is it a different brick every time? Bricks are short on identifying features) having adventures. Sometimes they’re single page stories, sometimes they go a few pages or even longer. The whole book is silent outside of his crossover with Robb Mirsky and his Dingus and Dum-Dum characters, as their chattiness clearly could not be contained. This is yet another review where I try not to spoil too much from a mostly wordless comic, because if I did that you’d have no incentive to see what’s in here for yourself. His website also has several samples, because that’s how websites work. So, let’s see… in here you have bricks rocking out, bricks doing chores, bricks skateboarding, bricks pooping, bricks playing sports, bricks taking an eye exam, bricks carving a pumpkin, etc. There are a whole lot more stories in here, but even describing the premise tends to give away a huge chunk of the concept. I’ll just say that David is able to get more out of the three holes and square shape of a brick than I would have thought possible, and he has a few other comics available as well, so he’s not new to the concept. I read this one before the other comic he sent me, which apparently has the origin story of the brick, so maybe I’ll eventually find out how this brick got sentience? Eh, I’m just guessing here, but I doubt it. Some stories don’t need explanations. He put the price listing under Canadian monies, but it looks like it’s roughly $12 for any American types out there.

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Posted by Kevin