Reviews - Illustrated Fiction 6

This handcrafted comic collection was published in 1994, but I'd never heard of it until this year's Stumptown Comics Fest. Izumi is an illustrator and photographer and has produced a beautiful collection of art books including this one that was published through a Xeric grant. Each strip in this collection is a commentary or observation about life, culture, and/or the modern world. The messages are delivered with humor, sarcasim, and irony. The work is bodacious and thought provoking. The production is equally impressive. Printed by hand on letterpress, it's as much an art print as it is a book. You can read the book's content online, as well as many of Izumi's other comics on this website. He still has a few copies of Strip Down for sale. It's $10, as I recall. His site includes a contact link.
Artwork © Garret Izumi

Ka-Whump! #3
edited by Robert Sumner (Floydman)

Floydman is quickly establishing
Ka-Whump! as a premier destination for all things small press. The third issue of the zine is still hot off the press and the companion website has just undergone a complete design and content refresh.

This time out the zine's page count has grown and Allen Freeman takes on a lead role as Associate Editor. Although there are plenty of small press news items and reviews this issue's theme is The Women of Small Press. Included are interviews with Willie Hewes (Amaranth, Hero/Villian, Free Z), back cover artist Shawnti Therrien (I Am Immortal), Charlene Chua (Slam Bang #1), and Marianne Petit (When I Was Three, 716). The feature article, This Woman's Work highlights Karen O'Donnell (Iretha), Pam Bliss (Sparky the Dog), cover artist Sonia Leong (Romeo & Juliet), Judy and Kathy Keeter (Twilight Samurais), Jane Oliver (Tales of Jerry), and Yvonne Mojica (Bathroom Girls).

Several pages, including part of Floyd's intro, are devoted to feuds between small press publishers. Although Floyd provides a neutral venue for each side to present their perspectives, having not been involved in any of it, the details weren't particularly edifying to me. However, his conclusion that it's better to let some things go so you can spend your energy on the future and moving forward, is worth repeating.

Floyd also interviews Jake Estrada of Estrada Media about his company's entry into the Print on Demand business and its focus on serving the small press community.

Freeman contributes a blog-style report of this year's Comic-Con International loaded with photos from Dan Nauenburg and a column about the making of his Dean LeCrone vs. The Mutants of Comic-Con DVD, updates on his recent projects, and a couple of reviews.

With over 60 reviews of small press comics and zines, Ka-Whump! is practically a zine fest on paper. Floyd's 5 eyeball rating system provides a quick summary of his 3 to 5 paragraph reviews that include a small cover image of each book. Although the main focus is on small press comics, with this issue he's branched out to cover zines of other types as well.

The Funny Pages presents a nice 2-page collection of gag cartoons and comic strips by Luis Montero, Andrea McEnany, Dan Nauenburg, Terry Pavlet, and PD Wright.

Long time conventioneer, Wade Busby (Mr. Emergency) contributes a hard-learned survival guide to comic conventions in this issue's Hot Seat column - with spot cartoons by Dan W. Taylor and I.

The issue is dedicated to the memory of Michael Roden and Floyd pens a fitting tribute to the late, great artist, musician, and Thru Black Holes publisher.

There's a nice selection of ads that run through the issue too. Unlike most advertising, these actually contribute to the magazine. They promote other small press comics and zines that are mostly not the ones reviewed, so they're a useful supplement to the editorial content.

Whether you're a small press neophyte or a fanatic, Ka-Whump! #3 is a must! 48 b&w pages, plus full color covers, $3.50 (plus $1 postage) from Ka-Whump!
Cover design © Robert Sumner, Artwork © Sonia Leong

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Big Plans #2
by Aron Nels Steinke

In the second issue of Big Plans, Steinke tells us three stories. The first, My Best Memory Ever!, is about his brother's appendicitis attack. The second is a short, untitled tale about just desserts that takes place during a trip to New York. Both are drawn from memories of real events. The third is fiction, although it's rooted in the same real-life settings of the earlier memoirs. It's an amusing mystery about a missing backpack. Steinke appears in the comic himself, playing host to the stories and smoothing the transition from one tale to the next.

His artwork, writing, and publication design are all nicely aligned to deliver an inviting package that's highly accessible and engaging. In other words, it's fun to read, to look at, and to pick up and flip through.

The whole book is heavy with thick, black borders, but the production team pulls it off with rich, crisp, solid coverage. Kudos to the press operator and the production crew - it's a beautiful looking package! Many of the pages consist of six square panels, that Steinke drew individually and then cut out and pasted into position to make up his original art. Others are full page panels - some with borders and some without.

Big Plans #2 is 48 pages, plus a heavy weight cover, and available from the Sparkplug Comic Books Store. You can read the first issue online at Steinke's website. Top
Artwork © Aron Nels Steinke

Mr. Emergency #1 cover

Mr. Emergency #1
by Wade Busby & Ron McCain Jr.

Tired of men in tights, Busby revisited an action hero of his childhood when the small press bug bit him again recently. Thus, Mr. Emergency was given a new lease on life. Collaborating with McCain, the two plotters reworked the character into a well intentioned action hero who relies on his luck as much as his wits in battling white collar crime. He takes on a corporate embezzler in the first issue's story, which also serves as his origin tale. The issue concludes with a few comic strips and gag cartoons by Jesse Elliott and Busby; a nostalgic glimpse of the Mr. Emergency of old, and a pinup page of our hero by Lance "Doc" Boucher. All in all a fun, tongue-in-cheek adventure into small press comics. Issue #1 - $2, digest-sized, 20 b&w pages, plus a color cover. Top
Artwork © Wade Busby

Mr. Emergency #2
by Wade Busby & Ron McCain Jr.

The second issue of Mr. E follows the same general format and design of the first outing. However instead of one long story, this issue features 3 shorter tales from the E-team's casebooks. I enjoyed the variety and the chance to learn a little more about the rest of the team (Prophet and Cypher) in these shorter episodes. The issue concludes with fan mail and a page of Jesse Elliot's A Boy and His Tapeworm comic strips. Issue #2 - $2, digest-sized, 20 b&w pages, plus a color cover.
Order from Archetype Media,
3262 California Ave. SW, #203,
Seattle, WA 96116. Top
Artwork © Wade Busby

Reynard City #1
from Polycomical

Will Turner sent me a PDF file of the first issue of Reynard City. It's a epic tale about a robotic invasion of a world inhabited entirely by sentient animals. It's an ambitious series with a lot of potential. Check it out for yourself on their website, which includes previews from several issues. The series is sold on a CD-ROM for £5. The first disk includes issues #1-7. You can read them onscreen via Acrobat or print them out on paper. I believe the original page size is A4, but Acrobat can be set to scale the file to fit any paper you have in your printer. Top
Artwork © Polycomical

Thought Cloud Shrines by Theo Ellsworth

Ellsworth's richly textured drawings are pure viewing enjoyment. His artwork captures wonderful moments of imaginary worlds populated with ornately rendered beings and creatures going about their fanciful lives. This collection features full page, b&w illustrations printed on light brown paper. The brown background may lead you to think of the artwork as glimpses into the ancient past of another world. Yet the title suggests these are visions from inside the mind and they seem timeless, easily thought of as past, present, or future. Ellsworth's work is outstanding. Check out his website and see for yourself. Thought Cloud Shrines is 28 digest-sized pages plus a heavy weight cover that's hand silkscreened in black and gold ink. Top
Artwork © Theo Ellsworth

Capacity #7 by Theo Ellsworth

The new issue of Capacity was published just in time for the 2007 Stumptown Comics Fest and it's just plain wonderful! There are several full page illustrations in this edition, but the majority of the book is filled with comic pages. I'd never seen Ellsworth's comics before but I've been curious to see how he'd approach them and what they'd be about. Reading them was an absolute treat. The storylines are just as imaginative and fanciful as his artwork. It's wonderful to learn more about the fantastical worlds he envisions. Even the names of the characters and places are fun to read. This issue is 7" square, 32 pages (black ink on white paper), with a hand silkscreened cover printed on heavy weight, light blue paper. Ellsworth notes inside that his books are available through Secret Acres. Top
Artwork © Theo Ellsworth

Aprendiz #3 by Adam Suerte

Suerte's fascinating 5-part memoir of his tattoo apprenticeship picks up speed in the third installment. His training progresses from setup to coloring in small areas of his teacher's work, and finally to small works of his own for customers who value price over experience.

This series is excellent in every way. Suerte is an accomplished artist and cartoonist. His drawings and lettering are beautifully rendered. His pages and rows of panels are framed by the narrative. This heavy use of narration could tend to keep the reader at arms length, but Suerte is able to build a strong connection with his audience through the honesty of his writing and the authentic dialogue he recollects. This glimpse into the world of a tattoo shop is irresistible.

As in previous issues, the book concludes with a few pages of personal reflections by Suerte and his associates. In this case, Sophie Crumb, who began corresponding with Suerte and eventually moved to New York to begin her own tattoo apprenticeship under Suerte's helpful wing.

The back pages also include a few photos of the people and art featured in the story. This is a wonderful bit of backstory that contributes to the personal feel of this series. The inside covers feature some of Suerte's tattoo "flash", standard designs that can be copied instead of creating original artwork. Issue #3 is 24 b&w pages, plus a full color cover printed on heavy weight paper. Purchase through PayPal for $4.95 at Adam Suerte's website. Top
Artwork © Adam Suerte

Laterborn #5 by Jason Martin

This mini comic is like a blog, created in comics form and delivered on paper instead of a display screen. The content is drawn from personal events in Martin's life; told with pictures and narration. Some are connected with a previous tale and some are separate stories. The memories in this issue include life in the dorms, music, relationships, loss, friendship, and bands. Martin's artwork is pretty basic, but his writing keeps things interesting. 36 b&w pages with a card stock cover. Laterborn can be ordered from XIP and Microcosm. Martin's Blog. Top
Artwork © Jason Martin

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More MF Reviews

Strip Down by Garret Izumi

Ka-Whump! #3 edited by Robert Sumner (Floydman)

Big Plans #2 by Aron Nels Steinke

Mr. Emergency #1 by Wade Busby & Ron McCain Jr.

Mr. Emergency #2 by Wade Busby & Ron McCain Jr.

Reynard City #1 from Polycomical