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Jackson, Rob – It’s a Man’s Life in the Ice Cream Business #2
It’s a Man’s Life in the Ice Cream Business #2
Technically, this comic should probably be called “It’s a Man’s Life in the Ice Cream, Cheese, Sorbet, Soup, and Black Pea Business,” but I don’t want to give Rob any ideas, as that title is more than long enough as it is. As for the comic, it continues directly from the last issue (as is usually the case in any numbered series, obviously), so here’s hoping that you picked it up so that you’ll have a clue what’s happening. If not, Rob throws you in right in the middle of his quest to earn a living by selling ice cream and various other items (depending on the season and the crowd) at various markets. It was fascinating to see him trying to start things up in the last issue and navigate all of the various challenges of making it work, but this time around his business has more or less settled down. He seems to know the market circuit pretty well and he knows (more or less) what will sell to which crowds. We also get to see him making various new dishes (I’d love to try the elderflower sorbet) and dealing with some direct competition this time around from people who were selling his same dishes. In some cases they were cheaper or looked more professional than his stuff, which makes me wonder how anybody could plan to make a long-term living off of this, but I suppose we’ll find out the answer to that in the next issue. Which may be awhile, as he ends with a note that he’ll pick the series up again “once I’ve had a break from endlessly drawing gazebos.” This covers markets #25-52, just in case you were curious. I’m hoping this series is finite, as this would get more than a little dull if it went on forever, but so far it’s still a fascinating look into making a living through markets and the various people you see at them. Not sure on the price, so I’ll guess $3.
Jackson, Rob – It’s a Man’s Life in the Ice Cream Business #1
It’s a Man’s Life in the Ice Cream Business #1
OK, maybe not the catchiest title in the world, but a new comic from Rob is always welcome around these parts. In this one he says he’s going “back to basics” and tells the story of how he quit his job and what he’s doing for cash these days. Things start off with a few pages of very simple, Austin English-esque pencil drawings explaining his motivation for quitting his pointless job and trying to sell ice cream at outdoor markets for a living. Once he starts telling that story the art shifts back to his usual, tighter style, and we get reports about the 21 markets he attended to start his new career. There’s a second issue coming, so we’ll see what happens next, but this tells a familiar story of fits and starts as he tries to get things going. Weather is key to selling ice cream (hot days are obviously the best), and he also has a lousy time of it during the early hours (nobody wants ice cream for breakfast). From there he tries to come up with unique ice cream flavors to make himself stand out, and when the weather gets lousy he branches out into selling cheese and some local delicacies. The key to the success of his ice cream operation seems to be selling it in hot places and/or locations where other events are occurring. I had an idea to help with his early morning problem: why not try more breakfast oriented ice creams? Granted, this is almost certainly going to sound ridiculous, but you could probably whip some ice cream up that would taste vaguely of pancakes. That and the world is just waiting for a bacon ice cream flavor. See, this is why I don’t go into business for myself, I’d spend all my time coming up with inedible flavors that made me curious. Another solid comic from Rob and I’m curious to see what happens next. Looks like the next issue is going to have some interesting scenes, as who wouldn’t want to see a fight between ice cream makers and cupcake makers? No price, so my random guess of the day is $4.
