"Dogtangle," is Chock-Full of Abstract Art, Dark Humor, and Clever Takes on Corporatism

Veron and Caressa are two people who fall in love. Veron is an activist of sorts who has been fighting in vain against zoning laws that result in quality buildings continuously being torn down and replaced. Caressa works in pharmaceutical marketing. They get married and come up with the idea of the Hypermutt, a mass of dogs that grows with every individual dog it absorbs--a modern-day cerebus of sorts. That is the plot of, "Dogtangle," by Max Huffman. It is weird, and good!

It is a silly concept, and it quickly gets out of hand (encompassing much of the state of Florida). The Hypermutt is a bit of a metaphor, clearly, for corporatism run amok. A lot of, "Dogtangle," features incredibly abstract and intriguing art as well as pitch-black dark humor and a lot of piss being taken out of how we as a Nation seem to be in a state of end-stage Capitalism. A politician jokes that his favorite thing when it comes to holding office is insider trading. A comment is made about how even if the Hypermutt keeps growing, it will eventually run out of steam due to, "built-in obsolescence," that any new product has.

"Dogtangle," has such bizaare and intriguing art that you'll find yourself studying pages as you work to fully absorb the weirdness. Huffman's style is all his own, but it does remind me a bit of the stranger pieces by Michael DeForge--and that's a compliment. Between the peculiar art, clever plotting, and general kooky vibe, Max Huffman has created a surrealist masterpiece. Due to be published by Fantagraphics this November, make sure to ask your local store/library/etc. about getting a copy!

5 out of 5 Stars.

An advance copy of, "Dogtangle," was provided upon my request by Fanatgarphics for the purpose of review.

"Tedward," and his Misadventures Make for a Hilariously Dark Comic

Tedward is his name and, "Tedward," is the title of the hardcover Fantagraphics book collecting an assortment of his adventures, which I was able to acquire (some stuff was previously published in individual comics or such). Tedward has a lot of awful stuff happen to him, but he kind of has it coming. Tedward is a loser, but thankfully, he is entertaining to watch in his misadventures that occur due to how much of a dud of a human he is. Created by Josh Pettinger, we laugh at much of, "Tedward," because it is funny and because of how glad we are the awful things witnessed aren't happening to us.

Within the, "Tedward," book a variety of vignettes occur, some end up forming an over-arching story with consequences and some just portray how amazing a job Tedward does at achieving nothing but failure. He gets roped into a job that sounds more like an MLM by the minute and involves him using a pressure washer on attendees at sex parties. He drives away a first date with off-putting comments and extreme acts of love-bombing (this comic is guest-illustrated by the fantastic Simon Hanselmann, a friend of Josh Pettinger). Oh, and the one woman he may have a chance of a relationship with due to shared interests and her being patient with his awkwardness, ends up falling apart when he tells the police he thinks she altered a television that requires quarters to operate. 

I especially enjoyed the story with a fellow Tedward meets who eagerly proposes they become best friends due to their shared interest in mopeds, but that whole ordeal ends violently when the man is more degranged than friendly (that incident is maybe a little less Tedward's fault, one could argue). Still, Tedward gets himself into bad situations and, through his own actions, makes them a lot worse. If Tedward were a real person, he'd be someone you look at with both disdain and pity. He's a pretty shitty guy, but his only skills are paper machie and saying the worst possible thing in a social situation so you almost feel guilty expending any energy disliking him--the guy sucks so why pile-on him?

Pettinger's art helps impart a great deal of the, "Vibe," we feel when reading about Tedward. He's both metaphorically a square and a literal blockhead with his awkward haircut. His fashion sense (or lack thereof) stands out amongst everything else. The world around Tedward pops with life--but he's a black hole of a human being. During a moment towards the end when Tedward has a near-death experience, the sudden shift of art into a fantastical and sci-fi look for a number of pages helps to only further emphasize how dull and dreary Tedward is when he's alive in our World--if you can call Tedward's existence living. 

Pretty much everyone else around Tedward has something (good or bad) that makes them interesting. Tedward, however? His biggest claim to fame is he once invented faulty, "Sex trousers," that make it easer than with regular pants with a zipper to take your penis out. Then, without having to take off your pants, you can have intercourse and avoid what Tedward believes is the worst part--legs touching. As I said, he is a black hole of a human, but watching him negatively impact the lives of anyone he encounters is fascinating--I highly recommend buying/getting from the library/etc. a copy of, "Tedward." He might be awful, but the book about him is great!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The, "Santos Sisters," Volume 1 Collection is Joyful, Undiluted Fun

The, "Santos Sisters," are a clever pastiche. The art style is reminiscent of vintage Archie/Sabrina/etc. strips but the jokes carry a much more modern sensibility, plus there is a bunch of gentle prodding and joking about superhero comic conceits. Created by the duo of Greg & Fake, "Santos Sisters," has been self-published, had issues released by Floating World Comics, and much of their adventures (so far) have now been collected in a snazzy hardcover printed by Fantagraphics (who sent me a copy for the purposes of review when I reached out and asked for one). I greatly enjoyed reading the adventures of sisters Ambar and Alana, that's for sure!

One reason, "Santos Sisters," works so well is the clever mish-mash of nostalgic and modern vibes. There are riffs on classic comedy tropes (for example, one unveiled villain complains about the, "Meddling," sisters in a homage to Scooby-Doo), the art looks straight out of vintage funny books but with a nice modern sheen, and the problems of today are tackled but always with a nice lighthearted and fun tone--a stalker ex-girlfriend is more hilarious than scary with her 8-ball themed explosives in one strip. "Santos Sisters," works as its own standalone piece, but is even more superb when examined as a comic for those who love comics and silly fun. 

Little in-jokes, such as a newscaster named "Rob Liefeldteeth," bump up against anthropomorphic robbers riding jet skis straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon or a character quite similar to Conan the Barbian. That isn't to say the comic is at all childish or only dedicated to gazing in the past. The grown-up story beats cleverly contrast with the other elements. A lot of raunchy jokes take place, for sure! As I said, there is a mix of old-school vintage style melting into some edgy and sharp humor.  This comic is perfect for GenX or Millenial readers, in essence, so I ate it up.

"Santos Sisters," is a fantastic comic and I am very pleased to have this hardcover collection that I can revisit and enjoy whenever I need a strong shot of fun with no downer, "Ironic," chaser. This comic is intentionally joyful, fun, sex-positive, wacky, and full of clever homages and in-jokes. It's a real treat to read and I hope we get plenty more, "Santos Sisters," comics in the years to come!

5 out of 5 Stars.

"Raised by Ghosts," is a Stellar Book About Growing Up, Finding a Place in the World, and Writing Lots of Notes!

I had the chance to acquire an advance copy of, "Raised by Ghosts," from Fantagraphics for the purpose of review. It releases to all finer bookstores and comic shops on February 4th (and the 5th for comic stores). Written and illustrated by Briana Loewinsohn, it is a semi-autobiographical account of being a teenager in the 1990s. Focused on Biana and her friends' love of writing notes, the book intersperses various thoughts jotted down by Briana with the comic segments, adding context to what we see. While the everyday Briana feels disconnected and almost alien to the World, the Briana we see within her writing is sharp, witty, and engaged. The notes are an outlet, a release, and something Briana treasures.

"Raised by Ghosts," gets its title from how Briana's parents are so removed from her life at times that they almost feel absent and a bit like otherworldly entities, only occasionally making an impact on daily life. Briana makes the most of things, however, using her love of notes and also drawing to eventually make friends and feel a bit more present in the present, despite all the challenges everyday life can bring. A lot of, "Raised by Ghosts," has a quiet and minimalist feel, until about 100 pages in where we get a fascinatingly surreal segment that offers a bit of a glimpse into Briana's psyche. The carefully constructed page borders and, "Gutters," between panels disappear into full-page splashes of lines and doodles messily strewn about before eventually being organized into Briana's many notes, drawings, and so forth--it is a masterful method of showing how she handles her many thoughts and emotions via her writing/doodling/etc.

"Raised by Ghosts," is geared towards a Young Adult audience, but anyone who grew up in the 1990s can definitely relate to it as well considering how we've all been teenagers once. Plus, those of us older folks especially recall those, "Good old/bad old," days in the past. I and many others surely have recollections of digging for records at the music store or hanging out at an all-ages space (be it a club, coffee shop, or whatever) and listening to the latest crappy local band we were convinced was bound to achieve superstardom someday. There is a mix of nostalgia and timelessness to, "Raised by Ghosts," that makes it a real treat of a read along with the fantastic art by Loewinsohn (which especially amazes in the aforementioned dreamlike section).

I'd highly recommend checking out, "Raised by Ghosts," when it hits stores in the very near future. Brianna Loewinsohn has created a superb graphic novel for readers younger or older as whether one lived through the 1990s or is a teen now in the 2020s certain things never change--for better and worse, I suppose!

5 out of 5 Stars.

"Sunday," by Olivier Schrauwen Explores the Intriguing Within the Tedious

I've got some friends (stop laughing, I do have friends) who work over in the comic biz and know what kinds of odd comics I like. Hence, when one emailed me and said there was a new book by Olivier Schrauwen titled, "Sunday," that they thought I would dig, I found myself intrigued. I'd previously read, "Arsène Schrauwen," by the same author some years ago and enjoyed that surrealist tale of a man visiting a colonist jungle in the 1940s, so I had supplied to me for the purposes of review a copy of, "Sunday."

Published by Fantagraphics, the book arrived a couple weeks ago and it took me a bit to read it because, "Sunday," is a thick publication. It is large in overall page size and a hefty read. It makes sense, though, because a lot is going on within, "Sunday," while at the same time, very little of consequence occurs too. If that sounds confusing, bear with me and I'll explain. You see, "Sunday," follows the day of a (fictional) cousin of the author. Thibault is his name, and we see/"Hear," his stream-of-consciousness thoughts as he goes about wasting much of his day. Very little happens for much of the story, but that is the point. If I had to compare, "Sunday," to any other form of media then the play, "Our Town," oddly enough springs to mind. I say that as a big compliment.

While we witness Thibaults thoughts, the visuals/camera-of-sorts moves around and we see a lot of other things. A cat chasing a rat, friends of Thibault planning a surprise birthday party for him, Thibault's partner making her way back home after a long trip, and a man getting into a fight at the bar. As I said, there is a lot going on while at the same time, nothing much happens for a good chunk of the book. Thibault's thoughts are quite random too, often not syncing up to what's going on in other places--but why should his assorted musings do so? It is all very quirky and looks gorgeous as Olivier's illustrations have a fascinating mix of pencils, pens, and watercolor-style beauty. It makes it so that even when we're just staring at Thibault in the tub, its exciting as the panels shift and break down with the beautiful colorations.

With, "Sunday," a lot of the enjoyment from the book comes from when it meanders whilst looking beautiful. I would recommend, "Sunday," to any readers after something a bit different and very experimental. I had a good time and would rate, "Sunday," as being 5 out of 5 stars.

"Ready America," by Anna Haifisch is a Unique and Fascinating Take on the Travelogue!

Anna Haifisch came to Los Angeles and as a result made, "Ready America." At first glance, it seems like a bunch of sketches of signs, buildings, shelves, and the occasional landscape. As you flip through the book you begin to see a story form, however, resulting in readers being able to piece together quite the tale from this uniquely styled travelogue. To see what I mean, look at this page where Haifisch illustrates a bar and right afterward has drawings of medicine for headaches and other pains. One can easily conclude that a good time was had at the bar--possibly too good- and help with a hangover is needed. Observe:

There are little illustrated sections just like that that give us the story of Haifisch exploring, enjoying, and otherwise absorbing America in all its weird glory within a big ol' city like L.A. This book manages to inject a lot of personality into what initially seems like random vignettes. Without actually saying a word (until some text at the end, at least) Haifisch tells us a ton about her journey in quite a witty manner. I would recommend, "Ready America," to anyone who appreciates quirky comics and it can be bought from either Rotopol (who kindly provided me with a review copy) or their co-publisher, Fantagraphics and it's Underground imprint. Give, "Ready America," a read, ASAP!

5 out of 5 Stars.

This Newest Edition of, "The Agency," by Katie Skelly is Superb

I've reviewed a number of stellar works by Katie Skelly, and back in 2018 I gave a glowing review of her short stories that were part of, "The Agency." Originally webcomics on the feminist and sex-positive site, Slutist, the stories centered on mysterious agents who often found themselves in fantastical and sexual situations. Whether getting a massage from a living skeleton in outer space or infiltrating a BDSM-styled secret base in the jungle, the stories were all quite fun, funny, and a bit erotic without being especially graphic or raunchy. I am pleased that, "The Agency," has now been republished and includes a new extra story featuring a boring date (they're obsessed with cryptocurrency) that takes a saucy turn thanks to one of the well-known, "Agents," arriving at a nightclub.

Katie Skelly recently did an interview with Dustin Holland at CBR discussing, "The Agency," as well as her other works. It's an interesting piece and gives some fun insight into the creative process that went into making the short story-styled pieces that make up the book--including the new sorry in the collection I mentioned. Hearing Skelly say she was nervous to do the original strips in, "The Agency," is interesting because the stories themselves feature characters so intriguingly self-assured and full of confidence. You don't seek any hesitation on the page, you just marvel at how superb each piece is. I continue to be as big a fan of, "The Agency," in 2023 as I was when the first stories were released online and then printed. I'm ecstatic these pieces have a new edition (with that new story) so that even more people can check out, "The Agency," and enjoy how wild it is!

5 out of 5 stars.

The Empty Shock Value of Johnny Ryan's Latest, "Porn Basket," Comic--A Review

"Porn Basket," is the title of Johnny Ryan's latest work. Released by Fantagraphics Underground (FU) imprint of Fantagraphics, it was limited to just 1,200 or so copies, and the store I ordered it from somehow managed to get a copy for me despite allocations due to a lot more folks than Fantagraphics anticipated wanting this. I've been a minor fan of Ryan's work for years. Sometimes he does something really clever and over-the-top in his works and other times it comes off as desperate to be edgy at the expense of some imaginary person clutching their pearls from offended sensibilities at Ryan's creations. "Porn Basket," is a sketchbook of sorts as opposed to actual comic strips. Everything just takes up a page or a two-page spread. The book also features Ryan, "Going there," as much as he can.

Ryan wants to offend everyone. Liberals, conservatives, white, black, gay, straight, Christian, Muslim, Jewish--anybody you can think of. If this means drawing a satanic symbol on a copy of, "Anne Frank's Diary," while it gets pooped on by Yoda, he'll do it. Well-known meme Pepe the Frog with an erection that looks like a World Trade tower being flown into? Ryan won't shy away from it. Abortion jokes? George Zimmerman as a surreal heroic figure punching youth of color? Ample Nazi symbols just for shucks? Ryan won't hesitate to show them. He's so busy often drawing really offensive stuff it loses any meaning. It's trying to be the wildest and disgusting thing possible but it's little more than empty shock value. Also, he really makes fun of Nickelodeon a lot, making me wonder what his beef is with that channel. Here is maybe the one safe-for-work strip he does at their expense (others are quite bloody or raunchy):

Ryan's going, "What horrible things can I put pen to paper for?" in this sketchbook and that's about it. There is no deeper meaning beyond, "Look at me making fun of Trump/Seth Rogen/Ruth Bader Ginsburg/Leonard Cohen/etc. or, "I have bugs shooting out the orifices of an infant while the parent screams in disgust, aren't I stinker?" Ryan is so busy attempting to disgust us the whole thing is just numbing in its inane grotesque presentation. You're just bored at a certain point, saying, "Oh, this time Ryan combined a 9/11 and bestiality joke by having a first responder at the WTC getting oral sex from an American Eagle. Whatever."

The thing about all this is Ryan really can draw when he wants to. He can make things look realistic, cartoony, or just generally impressive. When he takes a moment to just illustrate a cool castle or show his chops it is a treat. Ryan is a skilled illustrator and when he takes a break from trying to be nasty (or even when he's being nasty) his stuff is usually gorgeous. Look at this amazing sketch of Marvel's Man-Thing for example:

Hence, within, "Porn Basket," we get all style (good drawing) and no substance beyond, "This is some nasty shit!" Ryan excels at drawing things like Trump being surprised at Hillary Clinton forcing him to give her a handjob with a secret penis or portraying a seal with a massive vulva that men can't resist masturbating themselves over, but other than being drawn with skill there just isn't much to this sketchbook. If you want to be able to repeatedly say while stifling a yawn, "Yeah, that's offensive," every time you turn a page in, "Porn Basket," you can try to find a copy in stores or via the internet. You honestly aren't missing much if you skip out on this though. It's for Johnny Ryan completionists only.

2 out of 5 stars.

"Zig Zag," by Will Sweeney is a Wild and Trippy Comic

Will Sweeney has contributed some amazing psychedelic art to a number of publications I'd enjoyed reading ("Kramer's Ergot," comes to mind) and when I saw he was putting out a one-shot titled, "Zig Zag," I was quite interested. Published by Fantagraphics, I can say having read, "Zig Zag," a number of times I'm still not exactly sure what I read, but it is quite wild. There are weird robotic troopers, strange fungal things, and it's just so odd but quite gorgeous and fun.

The colors are bright, immersive, and the silent story we witness is full of strange layers as humanoid-ish characters embark on a strange multi-dimensional adventure. Each page is a feast for the eyes and even if the, "Story," left me scratching my head I love looking at this big ol' comic (it is more like a magazine-size than a standard comic). If you're into the alternative comic scene this is a real treat.

5 out of 5 stars.

"The Fang," Volume 2 is a Stellar Follow-Up Loaded with Amazing Artwork

I reviewed the first volume of Marc Palm's work, "The Fang," previously and recently bought the second volume from his Esty store (it will be distributed by Fantagraphics to all finer bookstores soon too) Fully title, "The Fang: Weekend at Medusa's," it is more fun pulpy goodness with a mixture of humor, horror, and lots of stellar artwork. Palm brings us a story of, "The Fang," as she continues hunting monsters and finds herself facing Medusa--or someone possibly posing as her!

Palm's artwork continues to be amazing, whether he's illustrating the Fang experiencing a trippy hallucination from a snake bite or bringing us a high-octane fight scene between her and Medusa. Depending on what a scene calls for Palm sometimes is hyper-detailed and other times has a fun sketchy style that is a little minimalist. It all looks fantastic.

This second volume of, "The Fang," is a lovely read. I would encourage you to order a copy from your preferred comic or book store, buy it directly at Palm's Esty (here's that link again) and you can always follow him on Patreon as well! I can't wait for volume 3!

5 out of 5 stars.

"Red Room," #1 is an Immensely Disturbing and Readable New Comic From Ed Piskor

The first issue of, "Red Room," by Ed Piskor and published by Fantagraphics is horribly disturbing and fascinating. Perhaps that is one reason that being about modern technology and cryptocurrency, it heavily reminds of the underground comics of decades past in how, "Have no cares," it is about its content. Each issue is its own self-contained story set in a World where online streams or murder and general depravity have achieved some mass-market awareness and despite being illegal do quite well online thanks to untraceable cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and identity-hiding tech. 

The comic features some of the grossest illustrations of violence I've seen in a comic for some time (it makes sense Piskor mentions Tim Vigil as an inspiration because, "Faust," pushed the limit of gore too), but it isn't just torture-porn, there is some humor and statements about society and its pathos mixed in too. The black-and-white style and over-the-top nature of the gore made me think of those old extreme underground comics that Crumb, Spain, Wilson, and so forth would do that pushed the envelope of taste--although those comics were generally more in hot-water for sexual content as opposed to just violence, and there ain't anything especially sexy in, "Red Room."

The mysterious underworld of internet-streamed torture and murder found in, "Red Room," is not for the faint of heart and I am still somewhat astounded a mainstream-ish publisher like Fantagraphics is putting this out (they did publish some wild stuff on their, "Underground," imprint, but this is the main line). That said, if you can stomach how grotesque some of Piskor's illustrations can be, there is an intriguingly twisted story to be found here. Sometimes it seems to just be shocking for the sake of shock, but it overall impresses. With each issue telling its own story I am curious where things will go next.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

"Maids," By Katie Skelly Tells a Real-Life Horror Story With Gruesome Skill

Katie Skelly is a damn fine artist and a skilled storyteller. Whether she's giving us the tale of a vampire causing a ruckus or regaling us with yarns about a sexy spy agency, Skelly's comics are a delight. Her latest release, "Maids," is interesting in that it is a mixture of non-fiction (with embellishments) and horror. Skelly takes the very real case of the Papin sisters--two French maids who murdered a mother and daughter they worked for--and morphs it into a tale of class warfare and psychosis.

Throughout the Fantagraphics-published, "Maids," tension slowly builds, with it clear Christine and Lea have a deep well of rage bubbling up in them. Is it warranted for their horrific long hours and abusive conditions? Are they insane? Could it be a mixture of both madness and legitimate anger led to the gruesome results? Skelly doesn't outright point to one reason, but does make it clear a darkness was always present in the sisters; a darkness not helped by terrible employers.

Skelly's artwork always has a colorful and flowing appearance, which makes it all the more shocking when things turn violent and grotesque. Skelly doesn't shy away from how nasty the murders were but also doesn't bathe the book in blood--instead giving a hint of the gore to come at the opening and then saving the closing pages for the gruesome murders. We are outright told they are coming on the back of the book, leaving the final result never in doubt, but watching the slow way the violent climax sneaks-up is wonderfully tense and with Skelly's amazing artwork it is always great to look at.

"Maids," is another phenomenal work by Katie Skelly and serves as yet another example of how she is among the most talented folks currently making comics. Both beautiful and grotesque, "Maids," is a must-read for those into true-crime, horror, or simply great comics.

5 out of 5 stars.

"Bad Gateway," Review AKA Simon Hanselmann Has Done it Again!

I have voiced how much I love the work of Simon Hanselmann before. Whether it is his mini-comics or his big books, he is an amazing creator who manages to mix humor and sadness in his writing like nobody else and makes some incredibly gorgeous artwork too. "Bad Gateway," is published by Fantagraphics and follows-up on all of the previous stories with the main characters, Megg and Mogg (along with all their friends/enemies/romance partners/sometimes all three at once) but it can be read by someone going-in fresh as it summarizes all the madness from before in a handy two-page spread before taking us back into the really messed-up lives of these individuals.

Megg is a witch, Mogg is a cat and they are in a long-term relationship but both are basically miserable with each other. Their current roommate is a man named Werewolf Jones who sells drugs when he isn't using them-up because their old roommate, Owl, was maybe the one responsible person they knew and they drove him away by being terrible towards him. Megg has strong feelings for Booger--she used to be Boogeyman but since transitioning to female is known as Booger--and Mogg hates Booger and blames her for the trouble in Megg and Moog's relationship although Megg cheating with Booger off-and-on is a symptom of the domestic-trouble, not a cause. Also, they really need to get money for rent but blew it all on drugs and Megg might not pass her evaluation to keep getting Governmental support, so stuff in general is pretty messed-up. This sounds dreary, and it at times is, but this book is also hilarious.

Werewolf Jones anytime he appears in any of Hanselmann's books continues to be a source of both misery and hilarity. The man is messed-up and as bad at being a roommate as he is being a Dad or hard-working employee. The only thing Jones is really good for is coming-up with terrible ideas and passing-out from being too drunk or too high to function. As readers of the book we feel a little bad for him, but also frankly disgusted with much of his behavior and general treatment towards others. Megg and Moog inspire a little more sympathy as they sometimes are somewhat trying to not just be miserable, but between their reliance on a whole lot of drugs and basically being co-enablers of their worst impulses it is just tragic to witness them go about their day-to-day lives. Again, though, this book is funny too so don't think you'll just be sobbing the whole time you read it.

Hanselmann's art-skill are top-notch, with his masterfully illustrating everything from a beautiful landscape to the garbage-covered home of Megg, Mogg, and Werewolf Jones. Whether he's drawing a nasty and crowded bus or a quiet night's drive, Hanselmann expertly balances the gorgeous and grotesque in a manner that invites readers to just be drawn into a page and dive-in to scenes no matter how disgusting the things he illustrates so incredibly are (Werewolf Jones is often naked and needs to bathe for sure). When it comes naming creators who are currently at the top of their game making comics currently, Hanselmann is someone who has to make most short-lists.

"Bad Gateway," is a book that is equally tragic and funny with some incredible illustrations that mesh perfectly with the purposely disjointed tone. I would not be surprised if this book appears on many, "Best-of," lists at the end of the year, and imagine it'll probably be one of my top titles too, with Simon Hanselmann being due lots and lost of praise heaped upon him for his incredible work. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and will most likely be singing its praises for a good long while.

"Knife Crime," by Simon Hanselmann is Twisted and Excellent

I've written previously about my affection for the works of Simon Hanselmann. He has a big book ("Bad Gateway,") due to be released from publisher Fantagraphics this July 30th, and I'm very excited. Before that book's release however, Hanselmann had another one of his self-published mini-comics come out featuring everyone's favorite terrible people/animals--Megg, Mogg, Werewolf Jones, and Booger (Owl is at work for this issue, it mentions). Titled, "Knife Crime," it is longer-form as opposed to a short-strip, showing Megg and Mogg struggling to get motivated to do anything while the television plays what feels like a never-ending ad for that new, "Trulicity," drug.

As the issue proceeds they get drunk and high at a playground, argue, have group-sex, and otherwise basically just try to stave off the miseries of life with the numbing power of intoxicants and fucking. So yeah, as with a lot of Hanselmann's work it is a mixture of both funny and terribly depressing at the same time. Megg and Moog continue to argue about how doomed their relationship is, and a bit earlier in the book (before the playground-drugs and orgy) is my favorite segment of the book where Megg and Booger get into an argument with Werewolf Jones when he learns they have made their own offshoot band from the group's one, "Horse Mania," titled, "Knife Crime," as per the comic's name. It apparently consists of loops and mumbling about Disney Princesses and Ketamine, or, "Soundcloud Rap," as Moog dismissively describes it.

Hanselmann's art continues to be fantastic, imparting a twisted vibe with the weird assortment of animals, animal-human hybrids, witches, and a boogey monster all just hanging-out and trying not to be miserable. A bit cartoony but still grounded in a harsh and sad realism, Hanselmann is one of the best modern talents working today in comics, and you can take that statement to the bank and cash it in for a hit of whatever Werewolf Jones is smoking today. I can't wait for, "Bad Gateway," but this was a great read to get me extra-hyped.
5 out of 5 stars.

"Twilight of the Bat," Comic Review

I've always been intrigued by Josh Simmons' comics about a vigilante who is known as a man who dresses as a Bat...but isn't Batman. Simmons seems to just barely skirt a lot of copyright and trademark laws by arguably making his tales with a Bat-character parodies of Batman, and of course satire is protected from certain copyright elements, hence all those unapproved-by-DC porn parodies of Batman that exist.

Simmons did a tale about this Bat-character before that I enjoyed in how bizarrely twisted it was as the Bat talked about his obsession in regards to fighting-crime (as a Catwoman-style character said how he'd become a bit pathetic) and came up with a disturbing concept for mutilating criminals. While when it was published as a mini-comic it was titled, "Batman," Simmons was able to include it in his utterly disturbing collection of his work, "The Furry Trap," (a book I've talked about before) by changing some elements, such as naming it, "Mark of the Bat." I heard he had another comic with the Bat that came out in late 2017, but utterly forgot about it until I saw some writing about it recently. I immediately ordered a physical copy from publisher Cold Cube Press (because even if it can now be found digitally, I like physical comics a lot). I've now read the comic and will share my thoughts.

The first thing that I noticed/realized about, "Twilight of the Bat," is that while it has Josh Simmon's credited as the writer of the story, outside of the artwork on the back-cover of the comic he does not contribute any further art. Instead, Patrick Keck is the artist. While I enjoy Simmon's illustrative skills, this was not a bad thing at all as Keck's work is perfect for this story, which involves G---- City now utterly destroyed due to some kind of explosions/bombs/etc.

The place now is covered in snow and fires, with Batman for months unable to find anyone, until he spots his unnamed (within the story) laugh-loving criminal counterpart. The book never says its the Joker, but it is. Keck's artwork makes the snow and ruined city looks absolutely perfect in how ruined and destroyed it all is. Plus, as the comic proceeds and Bats finds his patience wearing thin with a completely laissez faire Joker, Keck's work perfectly expresses all kinds of blood and gross body-matter being exposed.

Simmon's writing always is a weird mixture of quiet subtly and over-the-top grossness. "Twilight of the Bat," has a moment where the Joker dances around at Batman has ripped-off a finger from him in rage, waving his hands about (as blood sprays around) before proceeding to take a dump on the ground--all it turns out, in the hopes of simply making the stone-faced Batman laugh. Much of the comic discusses how the Joker doesn't think he's doing things to be mean or nice, he just feels he likes a good joke, and Batman's obsession with right-and-wrong is just a hilarious thing to mess with, in his mind. It is a comic that is a mixture of fan-fiction, satire, and its own interesting take on the whole mythology of how Batman and the Joker both need and despise each other. I enjoyed reading it and would say Simmon's and Keck did a great job.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Twilight of the Bat," is available for free digitally. You can order your own copy of the comic itself at the aforementioned Cold Cube Press website. It is also contained in a collection of works by Simmons that came out in 2018, "Flayed Corpse and Other Stories," which is published by the great folk over at Fantgraphics.

Individual Issue of the Year: "Real Deal Comix," #8--2018 in Review

Extreme, Offensive, and Genius

In June I discussed the hardcover collection of, "Real Deal Comix," that was released by Fantagraphics as well as the 8th issue of the series, which was also released by Fantagraphics after how earlier issues were strictly a small-press affair. Created by Lawrence Hubbard (AKA, "Rawdog,") and H.P. McElwee (AKA R.D. Bone) in 1990 and published off-and-on since then (with Hubbard the main creative voice since McElwee's passing), "Real Deal Comix," is in essence a reflection of the complexities and difficulties of inner-city life boiled down to pure wild violence--"Urban Terror"--and has consistently been a clever mixture of satire and destruction.

The issue that came out this year introduced concepts of governmental forces conspiring to make people fight and hate each other instead of realizing the rich and powerful are turning folk upon one another.  The idea is introduced as a complex conspiracy theory, but at this point the overall gist of it is all too clearly realistic. Both ferociously graphic as well as viciously clever, "Real Deal Comix," is like a smack to the face of absurdity so over-the-top it starts making shockingly reasonable points. I look forward to whenever Hubbard is able to put out another issue as the variety of wild violence and sharp political commentary makes for a wild read.

"The Agency," By Katie Skelly is as Fun as it is Frisky!

I am of course a big fan of Katie Skelly, having said she was one of my favorite writer-artists of 2017 thanks to her works such as, "My Pretty Vampire." She has a new book out from the Fantagraphics' line, "Fantagraphics Underground," titled, "The Agency," and I loved it! "The Agency," collects a number of web-comics she did for Slutist (a sex-positive and feminism-focused cultural website) and self-published over a few years, all about various women with agent-number designations.

Skelly's writing as well as her artwork are both just amazing, with a mixture of subtlety and clever wit expressed through the dialogue, plotting, and gorgeous illustrations. "The Agency," has a heavy focus on the agent-women and their adventures in space, at the lairs of mysterious villains, or simply having a peppy photo-shoot. A lot of the stories result in sexual content, but it is never portrayed in a nasty or dirty way, instead given a fun and frisky element, often loaded with humorous content (a space-skeleton giving a massage to Agent 8 that turns decidedly raunchy is both erotic and hilarious).  Also, throughout each story an overall plot starts to emerge about mysterious individuals, cults, and other intriguing mysteries the book slowly unveils.

Katie Skelly's books are always such a delight to read. Her artistic talent and masterful storytelling are truly a marvel to witness, and "The Agency," is another example of her genius put to paper. I would without a doubt recommend acquiring a copy of, "The Agency," via Fantagraphics' website, or via asking your local comic shop to order you a copy. This is for sure a stupendous addition to my bookshelf!
5 out of 5 stars.

"The Fang," is Pulpy Goodness

I was at one of the local comic-shops I enjoy browsing and spotted on the shelves with newer releases what looked like a fun little book, sized like the pulp stories of old. It was titled, "The Fang," and upon my skimming through it I was impressed and bought it! Having now read the entire comic I can say it is good fun thanks to its mixture of supernatural violence, eroticism, and humor. I'm quite glad I picked it up!

Written and illustrated by Marc Palm, "The Fang," is focused on its titular character, a vampire who also is an assasin-for-hire who kills other monsters in exchange for a big payday. The book follows her as she almost kills a werwolf, but hesitates because they have some romantic chemistry and agree to meet-up again later. Then we witness her burn-up a slime monster, get high with her friend the Hash Hag, and later hook-up with the werewolf via some saucy, "Mouth-stuff," as folk call it these days...before shooting him with some silver bullets because she may have thought he was cute, but she's still a professional! Also, there is an extra chapter about her fighting a Dr. Jekyll-type person that turns from a man into a huge monster baby. It is all good fun and boosted by Palm's stellar artwork.

Marc Palm's art-style reminds me a bit of Colleen Coover's thanks to its light and fun appearance, meshed with the more stark shapes and minimalism of Mike Allred. It has just the right mixture of cute and sexy when needed and gross and rough when a scene calls for it too. This results in The Fang and her Wolfman-date's scenes looking quite sexy whilst Palm also excels as showing a slime monster melt into sludge. It is fantastic stuff.

Marc Palm can be found at his Tumblr and also maintains a Patreon for those interested in following his work. If you want to purchase a copy of, "The Fang," he actually sells it in his own Etsy store, and it was recently picked-up for wider distribution via Fantagraphics, which is how I imagine it ended-up in the comic-shop where it caught my eye. I am so happy to have stumbled upon this book and eagerly give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I Read Three Comic Collections by Simon Hanselmann and Loved Every Moment

Simon Hanselmann (he often dresses as a woman but declines to identify as female or transgender so-much as a, "Straight male," who likes to dress as a female, therefore the male pronoun will be used in this article as he identifies).

I read three books by popular comic-creator Simon Hanselmann, pictured above. He is best known for his work involving a witch, cat, and owl named (respectively), Megg, Mogg, and Owl. Megg and Mogg are a couple who spend most of their time dealing with anxiety and depression through large amounts of drug use whilst Owl struggles to pay most of the rent, hold down a job, and sometimes do drugs too when he's not off making questionable romantic choices (he has many STI's from not using protection). They have some friends, such as Booger, a former Boogeyman who transitioned to being a female, Mike, who kind of looks like a garden gnome, and utterly reckless Werewolf Jones, whom I'll discuss more in a bit. The comics with these characters don't have an overarching plot at first glance, although some general stories begin to form over time. Often it is just weird little segments that can be hilarious, depressing, or both.

I read three collections, "Megahex," Megg and Mogg in Amsterdam and Other Stories," and the latest 2017 book, "One More Year." The characters will often appear in a variety of comics, magazines, websites, and such so having these books to collect much of their adventures is wonderful and saves me time tracking-down a variety of publications/webpages. When reading the comics it is clear that Megg and Mogg are not bad people per se, they just are horrifically flawed, need help dealing with their issues (both personal and relationship-based) and have a codependency with Owl who honestly enables a lot of their worst behavior. Then there's Werewolf Jones.

Now, Werewolf Jones, he's just chaos in a humanoid form. As addicted to drugs and mayhem as he is attention-seeking, WWJ will run a cheese grater on his genitals, crash a car into a Target to steal baby-seats to sell, and take all the drugs available just because he can. He has two middle-schooler sons who are always jacked-up on sugar, leftover drugs, or a mixture of both. He's a supporting character so as to not wear out his welcome in the book, but man is he wild with his insane schemes--such as selling fabric hats on Etsy and at a trade show, but then getting stopped by airport security, stripping naked in front of everyone, and declaring they can search him before he passes out from all his drugs and ends up in prison, asking his son's about the Etsy store.

The assorted adventures of Megg, Mogg, Owl, and everyone else may sound like mostly idiotic stoner comedy, and that is an element, but there is some sharp and incisive commentary running through the book. Owl tries to act like a stand-up citizen and better than everyone else, but has a lot of his own vices and is so obsessed with status-climbing at a miserable telemarketing job he struggles at realizing just how deeply unhappy he is. Plus, throughout the books we see the sadness as Megg and Mogg come to terms with how their relationship is one of distrust and anger with them only getting along when deeply intoxicated. Plus, gender issues are discussed with Booger and how people treat her as a transgender Boogeyman/Boogeywoman. Oh, and we never see Megg's mother or hear/read her voice, but the times she is discussed it is made clear Megg's relationship with her mother is really damaged and miserable. Oh, and the flashback in, "One More Year," to everyone in high school is mostly heartbreaking. Basically, a whole lot of sadness and drama lurks just beneath the surface of some great humor--and don't get me wrong, despite the misery these books are hilarious and made me literally laugh at loud.

Left to right: Owl, Megg, Mogg, Werewolf Jones.

Some of the comics/mini-comics and magazines that have featured Megg, Mogg, and Owl are long since sold-out or out-of-print. However, thanks to Fantagraphics having these three big collections it is easy to take-in Hanselmann's genius. Between his stellar illustrative skills, masterful storytelling, and keen sense of humor these were all amazing comics. I look forward to the upcoming book Hanselmann has discussed, "Megg's Coven," for sure and any other work he puts out!
5 out of 5 stars (for all three books).

Real Deal Comix is as Nasty and Violent as it is Funny and Clever

From 1990 to present there has been an underground comic published off-and-on titled, "Real Deal Comix." Created by Lawrence Hubbard (AKA, "Rawdog,") and H.P. McElwee (AKA R.D. Bone) they both took the money they had from their jobs to put-out a periodical absurdly over-the-top and full of what they described as, "Urban Terror." McElwee Sadly passed away at the age of 43 due to a stroke followed by a heart attack in the 1990's but Hubbard has continued the comic with a variety of contributors too. Just what is, "Real Deal Comix," and what is, "Urban Terror," at that?

In the first issue Hubbard and McElwee said, "Urban Terror," was in essence a reflection of the complexities and difficulties of inter-city life boiled down to pure wild violence. Everyday events such as getting some fast food or relaxing over drinks at a bar suddenly erupt into a, "Massacre," of everyone punching, stabbing, and shooting. The comic often will focus on the character of, "G.C.," a large and anger-prone pimp who will just as quickly give a friend a hug as curb-stomp a homeless person who irritates him. Earlier issues also had a twisted version of The "A" Team called instead, The "R" Team who operate like a uber-violent and twisted version of that popular crew. 

I was able to read the first seven issues by purchasing a big Fantagraphics hardcover reprinting them and picked-up the most recent release of issue #8--now published by Fantagraphics as opposed to its underground days. They hit you right in face with the brutality expressed by these characters with caricature-ish faces yet realistic bodies (something Hubbard said he focuses on doing in his drawing in an interview I read within the hardcover). The vignettes we witness drawn by Hubbard (and initially written by McElwee) are full of foul language, anger, and everyone within the stories tends to be just an awful human. It is all done with a bit of a wink however and some super-dark humor. 

For an example of some immensely, "Wrong," humor, one of my favorite bits is when at the end of G.C. and a friend totally wrecking a, "Slop-burger," with their fighting they throw someone's dead body upon a car. A man declares how that was his his new vehicle and is asked what he thinks he's going to do about it. We get a spread of the burning Slop-burger and him simply responding, "Not a Goddamn thing," knowing any cross word could easily get him killed.

"Real Deal Comix," is not a pleasant or easy read. It is full of horrific slurs, extreme violence, and is just incredibly nasty. It is doing this to illustrate a clever self-aware point however about how for all the ways we try to act polite and civilized we as a society often are on a razor's edge of it all falling apart and everyone just fighting and killing each other--think Thomas Hobbes', "Leviathan," and his statements about life being, "Nasty, brutish, and short," if not for humankind agreeing to try and be orderly instead of living in anarchic chaos. Well, in "Real Deal Comix," anarchic chaos is the deal of the day and for many people life is a nasty and brutish as it can get, and very short.

These sociopolitical ideas actually are further touched upon in the newest issue #8 where G.C. meets a mysterious individual who informs G.C. he's been working to get rich off of the violence and mayhem caused by our protagonist and laughing all the way to the bank whilst the minority and impoverished individuals suffer. As is evident, beneath the over-the-top violence and mayhem lie some very insightful ideas within, "Real Deal Comix."

Hubbard and the sadly-departed McElwee created something supremely weird and fascinating with, "Real Deal Comix," and Hubbard continues to keep things entertaining as he does the book with various collaborators. The, "Real Deal Comix," comic-books are not laid-back breezy reads, they are nasty and rough. They still are very clever and quite funny too though and worth checking-out if you're into comic-books with a bit more of a edge.
5 out of 5 stars.
You can buy the, "Real Deal Comix," hardcover as well as issue #8 at Fantagraphic's website and all finer comic shops.