Reviews & Previews - Illustrated Fiction 33

2011, 2D Cloud. 24 b&w pages, printed on good quality ivory paper, plus a color flysheet, plus color cover. 5" x 7.5", saddle stitch binding, side opposite binding is cleanly trimmed, top and bottom are hand trimmed. Story and artwork by Noah Van Sciver. Coloring and design by Raighne Hogan. Pre-press assistance by Justin Skarhus. $5 (plus postage) from 2D Cloud Shop.

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Mr. Puzzle by Chris Eliopoulos

Summer 2011, Elio House. 32 b&w pages, plus color covers. 5" x 7", saddle stitch binding, with trim. All ages. Available from Chris Eliopoulos.

Busyville is a mess. Citizens have their hands full juggling terrible traffic jams, a haunted middle school, a muddy monster laughing in a Laundromat, and a thief with sticky glue hands is running loose. But don’t worry loyal readers, an exciting new hero is here to help and his name is, Mr. Puzzle. With his incredible powers Mr. Puzzle can stretch, bend, shrink, grow and will work hard to keep the folks of Busyville safe from trouble. What a nice guy.

Mr. Puzzle, a superhero that’s a perfect fit for all problems.

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Three #2 edited by Robert Kirby

Spring 2010, Cubside Comics. Front cover by Michael Fahy. Back cover and the technical stuff by Craig Bostick. 32 color pages, plus cover. 7" x 8.5" saddle stitch binding, trimmed. Printed in Canada. $6.25 from Rob Kirby Comics

Eric Orner's Weekends Abroad from the first issue of Three was selected for the 2011 Best American Comics anthology. Three #2 opens with Dragon (9 pages) illustrated by Jon Macy, the artist responsible for Teleny and Fearful Hunter. It's an autobiographical tale of sex and sort-of romance written by Brit cartoonist-and-zinester-turned-academic Sina Shamsavari aka Sina Evil.

Help Wanted (5 pages) where veteran alterna-queer cartoonist Jen Camper and fan-favorite Michael Fahy alternate panels in a romance comic with a difference.

Nothin' But Trouble (18 pages) features a team up of Boy Trouble favorites David (Steven’s Comics) Kelly and Craig Bostick for a tale set in the early 1960s, about a country singer and a gay hustler. And Kirby already has the line-up for Three #3 all planned out:

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Main Enterprises Presents #4 edited by Jim Main

June 2011, Main Enterprises. Production Management by Marc Haines. 36 b&w pages, plus color cover. 6.5" x 10.25" saddle stitch binding, trimmed. Printed by ComiXpress. $5.00 (postage paid) from Main Enterprises.

Following the full page illustration of Betsy on the inside front cover (shown above) MEP #4's first story is part two of the Cosmic Man (17 pages) adventure that began in MEP #3. Story by Steve Keeter, with artwork by Tony Lorenz and Jeff Austin. It's a premise of sorts for an upcoming team story, The Vindicators, which Main plans to feature in a future issue of this anthology.

Betsy the Bookwriter (8 pages) returns to the pages of MEP in a 60s-inspired spy story called Double Oh Paget by Rock Baker and Jeff Austin. The two artists also provide a total of three pin-ups interspersed throughout the issue.

Ripperman (8 pages) stars in Takeout by Joe Martino, Vicen Cifuentes, and Johnny Lowe. The story is followed by two pages of letters. Main's introduction to the book includes a few comments about next issue. Scheduled are a new Betsy the Bookwriter, the return of Sam Gafford's Monster World, and a new adventure strip by Jumper Jay, previewed in this issue, called Mayhem at Malco.

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Monster Party by Chris Eliopoulos

2011 Koyama Press
24 b&w pages, plus color cover
7" x 10", saddle stitched, trimmed
$5 (plus postage) from Elio House

Everything about Chris Eliopoulos' new comic book Monster Party is top notch. Elio draws his unique characters in wacky proportions, but they're so animated they immediately come to life on the page and suck you into their world. Tapping into the vivid imagination of a child the age of the main character Oscar, Elio imagines a basement harboring a horde of reptilian/amphibious monsters, with a touch of plush. They're cute, but highly unpredictable. Elio packs plenty of action and entertainment into this issue-length, all-ages adventure.

Printed in China, the quality interior paper, the silky smooth cover stock and what must be offset printing enrich the Monster Party package well beyond most small press productions. Pure cartoon eye candy. It's a Midnight Fiction Favorite.

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Yumishira #0 by James Rubino

Easily the most beautiful girl in the universe, Yumishira was first introduced by James Rubino in Tales From the Seventh Galaxy #3. Now he's launched the character in her very own title. Yumishira #0 was published this week and is available for $4 (postage paid) directly from James Rubino or at Indy Planet. Rubino also has back issues of all three Tales From the Seventh Galaxy available in his store individually or check out his value-packed bundle with TFTSG #1 & 2 plus Ancient Tales From the Future #1. Wildly wonderful indie science fiction comix produced right here on Earth.

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Sketch Book Comix #3: In the Lost & Found
by Anthony Woodward

January 2011, AW Comix
28 b&w pages, plus cover
5.75" x 8.25", saddle stitched, trimmed
$4.00 (plus postage) from AW Comix on Etsy

Note: At the time of this writing, this issue wasn't posted in the shop. If that's still the case use the shop's Contact link to let Anthony know you want to order a copy of this fine diary comix.

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Reed Gunther by Shane & Chris Houghton

The Houghton team has created four issues of their comic book that's coming to comic stores this summer, through Image Comics. Or, you can buy most of these all-ages comics under their own imprint in the Reed Gunther Store ($3 each, plus shipping) and they'll throw in a free mini comic with each order.

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Reactionary Tales by Michael Neno

July 2001, M.R. Neno Productions, 32 b&w pages, plus color cover, 6.5" x 10.25, saddle stitched, trimmed. $4 (postpaid) from Quacky Pig

Contents includes:
• The Ballad of Michael Neno (1 page) inside front cover
• Larvae Boy Emperor of the Insect World (9 pages) to be continued
• Dubious Individuals Comix (3 pages)
• This Eternal Flaw: Fight Not Mr. Canine! Chapter 1 (4 pages),
Chapter 2 (5 pages). Chapter 3 (5 pages) to be continued
• Bobor (2 pages)
• Interlude (4 pages)
• Preview of Reactionary Tales #2 (1 page) inside back cover.

Special note: Neno's Kickstarter fundraiser to publish The Signifiers #2 ends June 5th. He was still a little short to make it last time I checked. I urge you to contribute now to what is sure to be a terrific issue.

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PPFSZT! #30 May 2011, Main Enterprises

Edited and Published by Jim Main, w/assist from Barry Southworth. Production Management by Marc Haines. Front cover by Terry Pavlet, Jeff Austin &
James Abels, back cover by Miquel Guerra 52 b&w pages, plus color covers, comic book size, printed by Ka-Blam. $7 (postage paid) by Main Enterprises

Magnet Man Make A Friend (2 pages) by Brien Wayne Powell.

Newt Tranztarr (5-page comic, to be continued) by Eric Goodell.

I (9 page prose story) by Tim Temmel, accompanied by his illustrations.

Untitled (10-page comic) by Martin Oakley.

Mr. Brunelle Explains It All (2 pages of 1/2-page comic strips) by Robert W. Brunelle, Jr.

Cause and Effect (10-page prose story featuring The Simian character created by Jim Main) by Mike Tuz, with illustrations by John Lambert.

Tea Party (9-page comic) by Robert J. Sodaro and Jack Bertram. Plus 3 pages of LOCs from PPFSZT readers. The issue also includes spot illustrations by Kevin Duncan, Brad Foster, Michael Grassia, Christopher Durant and Steve Shipley.

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