Reviews - Illustrated Fiction 1

Taylor has started a new mini comix through his Weird Muse Productions. It's dedicated to the memory of Clay Geerdes, who published the long-running Comix World (later re-titled Comix Wave) Newsletter in the early days of Underground Comix and the follow-on movement of self-published Newave Comix. Geerdes supported and promoted small press and alternative comics publishers and artists with a passion and a frequency that's never been equaled. He was one of the most prolific publishers on the newave scene with dozens of 8-page mini comix printed on colored paper. Taylor wisely subscribes to a like format in his new tribute series. He's also managed to secure new material from many of the original newave cartoonists, so these minis are a rare treat!

Taylor contributes the cover and a nice introduction page to Issue #1. Next up is a great 3-pager by Valentino called "I remember Clay." It's nostalgic, but not sentimental. Bob Vojtko provides a 2-pager. Vojtko's always been one of my favorite newavers, so it's wonderful to see him back in a mini. The book closes with a beautiful back cover by Michael Roden.

Time Warp COmix #2 cover Issue #2 sports another great Taylor cover. A hypnotizing title page image by Bill Shut is followed by a riotous 3-page expose on Geerdes by D. Miller, that sensationalizes an unknown side of him heretofore never revealed. This story is a hoot! The book wraps up with a couple of one page illustrations by Roden and Taylor; and a wonderful back cover by Jim Siergey.

These minis feature the best of the old newave crowd and are a steal for $1 each at Taylor's website. Get in on the first print run of 200 copies each with Dan W. Taylor's signature of authenticity, no less.
Artwork © Dan W. Taylor

Ed #3 By Sean Azzopardi

Ed is a freelance illustrator who works out of his shared flat. He faces the usual challenges of short deadlines and the proverbial blank sheet of paper, but without the typical artistic angst. That's a refreshing change from a lot of alternative comics. Ed seems to be the world's nicest struggling artist. This issue recounts a couple of days in his life. There's not much action as his work is continuously interrupted by a series of neighbors coming to call, but that's okay. Each visitor draws you into their world and you'd look forward to their next visit anytime.

Azzopardi's artwork is clean and refreshing. The story flows nicely with good looking page layouts. The panels alternate from large frames with lots of detail to close-ups in smaller panels with no backgrounds at all. The writing is crisp, authentic, and engaging.

The book is A5-size, 32 pages, with a color cover and black-and-white interior pages printed on heavy weight white paper. The inside front cover provides a nice introduction into the world of Ed, with the cast of characters and a brief background summary. It's just enough to get you up to speed if you're starting with this issue (as I was).

Azzopardi's website is a blog about Ed, his other projects, and includes items about other UK small press comic creators and events. He also has a ComicSpace page with comic galleries. Top
Artwork © Sean Azzopardi

The Bedsit Journal #1 cover

The Bedsit Journal #1
Edited by Richard Cowdry

A bedsit, or bed-sitting room, is a one room apartment with a shared bathroom. It's an affordable abode for struggling alternative cartoonists in Great Britain. The Bedsit Journal delivers a discerning glimpse into the small press scene in Londontown. There are some nice contributions from Tim Levin, Alexandra Levin, Matt Dunton, and Takashi Makita, but the stars of the first issue are the writer/artist team of Richard Cowdry and Peter Lally, who account for the better part of the Journal's 32 pages.

It's a great read. An A4-size comix, saddle-stitched, glossy stock, 2-color cover, with black-and-white interior pages. A cover blurb cautions, "Adults Only (sorry kids)".

The Journal's comics range from 1 to 6 pages in length. The humor is topical, caustic, and dry. The cartoonists explore the world of the struggling artist; searching for meaning, trying to fit in, finding success, and relating to women. There's also a wonderfully sarcastic 2-pager about life in Japan by Makita and Cowdry.

The Bedsit Journal is available at Cowdry's website for £3.00 in the UK, £3.50 outside the UK. Payment accepted via PayPal or cheque. Top
Artwork © Richard Cowdry

You're Not Creepy At All mini comix cover You're Not Creepy At All
By DC McNamara

Although the comix inside You're Not Creepy At All are unrelated, as a group they're a great representative collection of McNamara's mini comix. His cartoons range from very simple suggestions of form to the detailed style of the cover artwork, with lots of cross-hatching and variation in line. His comix range from hilarious, over-the-top gags to dark humor with a flow-of-consciousness style. Sometimes his panels are borderless and airy with only one or two images on a page; while other strips are packed with up to 12 panels on a single page. He also experiments with phantasmagorical comix like the one on the back cover. As a single issue, this 16-pager is one of McNamara's best. Available for trade or purchase.
Artwork © DCM

Ego & Hubris by Harvey Pekar and Gary Dumm

The title aptly describes the subject of this illustrated biography about the life and sentiments of Michael Malice. Pekar and Dumm weave together pivotal moments from Malice's childhood through the beginnings of his long-sought success. Dumm's illustrations are nicely suited to Pekar's narrative.

Malice had a tough start. His family was true to their Ukrainian roots - strict, rigid, and unforgiving - psychologically brutal. He was a small kid, ripe to play the part of the victim, but he was also very smart. He learned quickly to use his superior intelligence to deal with the world around him. Combined with his exuberant chutzpah, Malice's encounters with figures of authority were sometimes cruel and painful; and at other times tempered and even-handed. Pekar is careful not to judge or preach. His approach is more like a journalist, simply reporting the facts and details based on the perspective of his source.

Perhaps it's this unique perspective that propels you through the story as you gather clues to try and understand this ego and hubris. Pekar injects brief moments of sentimentality into the narrative like Malice's pride in the jacket he won at a citywide spelling bee and his fondness for Hordak (arch enemy of He-Man).

In a way it's an epic, tracing Malice's emotional, intellectual, political, and professional development from childhood through young adulthood. As Pekar is wont to remind us, "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff." There are parts of Ego & Hubris that evoke a wide range of emotions and reactions. So whether we like it or not, there's a little bit of each of us in there too.

Cat Suit
By Steve Lafler

Lafler is offering a free PDF file of the Cat Suit comix on his website. It's a great warm-up for his graphic novels: Bughouse, Baja, Scalawag, and 40 Hour Man (Stephen Beaupre and Steve Lafler). Cat Suit is about a goof-off with no visible means of support who dresses up in what else - a cat suit - to seek nocturnal adventures in bars and clubs around town. This cat describes himself as "a very bad man". His name is Steve, but he prefers to be called Manx. Perhaps in the case of this costumed character, its his true identity. His days are filled jamming with street musicians and therapy sessions with his psychiatrist, who can't decide if she wants to treat him or treat herself to a joy ride at his expense. Lafler's storytelling, artwork, and pacing work together to provide just the right combination of grit, pulp, sarcasm, and mystery to make this a great alternative comix read. Get smart and get Cat Suit. Adult themes. Top
Artwork © Steve Lafler

Good-Bye Chunky Rice
By Craig Thompson

In this graphic novel, Thompson casts us off on a melancholy voyage of soul searching, haunting memories, and chances - some taken and some missed. His fanciful artwork complements the narrative beautifully as we're alternately lulled and rocked by wave after unexpected wave of events. The characters are cute, but they can also be quirky and even foreboding as Thompson masterfully builds toward the stormy climax. Highly recommended. 125 pages, Pantheon Books Top

Bigfoot Comix #1-5 by DC McNamara

This a great series of mini comix by DC McNamara. Issue #1 (8 pages) features a couple of insectivores discussing a mid-life crisis in the workplace. The book concludes with a one page strip on the back cover.

Issue #2 (8 pages) stars the Bigfoot himself in a heart-wrenching tale of romance and love lost. The book wraps up with a couple of one pagers with a soul snatching little devil and a collaboration with a little girl on an elevator ride. Most of the stories in this edition are wordless with only the cartoons telling the tales.

Issue #3 (8 pages) has a full color front cover with black and white interior pages. This one's also a wordless adventure about a group of ants in a doll house. If only they could've talked things out. McNamara does a great job conveying the whole misunderstanding using only his artwork.

Issue #4 weighs in at 20 pages. The main story is about The Commander and his Subordinate, a couple of space dudes who are only following orders. McNamara rounds out the issue with a few copyright factoids and a mysterious encounter between a rocketman and a sleepy time gal.

Issue #5 (12 pages) starts off with a couple of alien chronicles drawn with panels so small it's like getting 3 pages of story on a single page. But be careful, McNamara's aliens take no prisoners. Next up is a tale worth repeating, with morphing men and copy cats. Then the Subordinate from issue #4 returns with another one of his "it's not my fault" tricks. This is followed by a chance meeting between Iowa Blackie and the Creator himself. The books ends with a one page gag in a diner on the back cover.

Bigfoot Comix is a great mini series well worth the mini price. You can order them online or arrange a trade through McNamara's online coop. Top

Artwork © DCM

There's No Time Like the Present
part 6 by Paul B. Rainey

This is the sixth installment of an ambitious illustrated novel that follows the life of an eccentric fellow named Cliff and his friends. I love the artwork, characters, and dialog. In Part 6 Cliff is 80 years old. At first it seemed odd to read about a group of old farts talking about scifi TV shows and comics all day. But when you think about it, Superman is pushing 70 himself - so get used to it. Rainey began the saga in 2005 and recently published this sixth episode. He's also begun posting the pages on his website, so you can read the early episodes online. Better yet, order the books directly from the artist. A5-size for £2.50. Subscriptions available. Top

More MF Reviews

Pulp Fiction

Science Fiction

Non-Fiction

cartoon

Mini Comic Reviews

Send your mini comics and small press comics to Midnight Fiction for review. Be sure to include the cost, information on how to order, and permission to use the cover or a panel or two in the review.

Send to:
Midnight Fiction
PMB 293
6327 SW Capitol Hwy.
Suite C
Portland, OR 97239

Review Zines

Comic Fan
Ka-Whump!
Xerographic Debt

Reviews - Illustrated Fiction 1

Browse by page:

Direct link by author:

Time Warp Comix #1 & 2
Edited by Dan W. Taylor

Ed #3 By Sean Azzopardi

The Bedsit Journal #1
Edited by Richard Cowdry

Ego & Hubris by Harvey Pekar and Gary Dumm

Cat Suit
By Steve Lafler

Good-Bye Chunky Rice
By Craig Thompson

Bigfoot Comix #1-5 by DC McNamara

There's No Time Like the Present
part 6 by Paul B. Rainey

More MF Reviews

Mini Comic Reviews

Other Reviews Sites

Review Zines

Reviews - Illustrated Fiction 1

Browse by page:

Direct link by author:

Time Warp Comix #1 & 2 Edited by Dan W. Taylor

Ed #3 By Sean Azzopardi

The Bedsit Journal #1 Edited by Richard Cowdry

Ego & Hubris by Harvey Pekar and Gary Dumm

Cat Suit By Steve Lafler

Good-Bye Chunky Rice By Craig Thompson

Bigfoot Comix #1-5 by DC McNamara

There's No Time Like the Present part 6 by Paul B. Rainey

More MF Reviews

Mini Comic Reviews

Other Reviews Sites

Review Zines

Time Warp Comix #1 & 2
Edited by Dan W. Taylor

The Bedsit Journal #1
Edited by Richard Cowdry

Cat Suit
By Steve Lafler

Good-Bye Chunky Rice
By Craig Thompson

There's No Time Like the Present
part 6 by Paul B. Rainey