Reviews & Previews - Illustrated Fiction 36

Dec. 2011, Self-published. 12 b&w pages; plus cover, printed on colored paper stock. 5.5" x 8.5, saddle-stitch binding, handmade with no trim. $1 from
Lara McCoy-Rolofson. She plans to have another comic out next month.

Gute Nacht Geschichte is a comic adaptation of the Bedtime Story chapter of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's In A Year with Thirteen Moons. Check it out, it's some of McCoy-Rolofson's best work yet!

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Vortex #2 by Donny Robinson

Feb. 2012, The Comix Company. 28 pages including self-cover. Interior pages
b&w, cover in full color with color work by Hannah Taylor. 5.5" x 8.5",
saddle stitch binding, no trim. Available for $4.00 (plus $2.00 postage) from
The Comix Company Store.

Dexter Cockburn's Comix Company publishes several adults-only underground comix with sexually explicit material, so I was happy to see a title without all that. Vortex #2 is all Donny Robinson, or DRX, as he signs his comix. It takes me back to the 60s undergrounds; from the detailed linework and crosshatching to the counterculture sentiments and drug-infused characters driving the gags. If you're looking for a top-notch, brand new underground comix, you won't go wrong with Vortex #2. Here's an overview of what's inside those psychedelic/apocalyptic covers:

DRX provides a nice intro to the world of Vortex and its bent on the inside front cover. The first comix features Johnny Blazed in Mephisto's Mile (2 pages) about a motorcycle daredevil who's ride is powered by high and higher octane.

...Like Clockwork! (7 pages) was my favorite. A noir/EC mash-up with beautiful artwork and a hideous ending.

The title of The Flintstoners (1 page) and the sample panel above are enough to tell you all you need to know about this send-up. As American as OCCU-Pie (1 page) pits the masses against the asses. DRX lets his medieval freak fly in the beautiful center spread illustrated collage. Hey Check Out My Blog (thankfully 1 page) was the low point of the issue. Nicely drawn bathroom humor.

Catch A Better High (4 pages) a wacky what-if JD Salinger's boy had come of age during the skater era?

Last Excess in Brooklyn (1 page) a movie mashup followed by Sally Saturn (1 page) a pinup pageant with sci-fi backgrounds.

Waitin' Around to Die (4 pages) is a tribute drawn to the lyrics of a Townes Van Zandt classic. DRX wraps things up with Far Out Trip (1 page) a juiced-up space out at the drive-thru.

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Ditkomania #87 edited by Rob Imes

Feb. 2012, Rob Imes (Editor and Publisher) 28 b&w pages, plus cover, digest-size with saddle stitch binding and no trim. $1.50 (plus $1.00 postage) or part of a four-issue subscription for $10.00 (postage paid) from Diktomania.

Here's the contents:
• Front and back covers by Batton Lash.
• Inside front cover illo of Hawk and Dove by Jim McPherson.
• Editkorial (1 page) by Rob Imes.
• What's New, Ditko? An overview of Ditko's current comics (3 pages)
by Nick Caputo, with illos by Larry Blake.
• Ditko by Design, spotlighting Ditko's character designs by Javier Hernandez.
• Shade the Changing Man, a review of the Omnibus Collection (2 pages) by Nick Caputo, with an illo by Jim McPherson; followed by a conversation with Bruce Buchanan and Barry Pearl offering Two Perspectives on One Volume (3 pages on The Steve Ditko DC Omnibus Vol. 1).
• Taking a Ride on the Ditko Omnibus (3 pages) by Jason Sacks.
• Reassessing the Hawk and the Dove (2 pages) by Nick Caputo with an illo by Winston Blakely.
• Showcase on The Creeper (6 pages) by Bryan Stroud with an illo by Jim McPherson.
• UFO Checklist (1 page).
• Letters (4 pages) from Jason Sacks, Allen J. Schuler, Dave Sim, Christoph Melchert and Mike Tuz.
• Inside back cover by Larry Blake.

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Jetty by Rio Aubry Taylor

Jan. 2012, Light Riot. 24 pages, including self-cover. Interior pages b&w, cover full color. 7.5" x 10" with saddle stitch binding and machine trim. Available from the Light Riot Store.

Jetty is the latest collection of short comix by student and assistant at the Center for Cartoon Studies, Rio Aubry Taylor. Each sequence is as much an exploration of ideas as it is a story. Aubry's light approach sometimes complements and sometimes contrasts with the big questions each episode pokes or prods. Some, or all, may be assignments; they are experimental, thought-provoking and entertaining. The inside front and back covers frame the flow of the cartoonist's consciousness. Below are a few panels from the stories.

King (4 pages).

Masks that Grown-Ups Sell Me and the Lies They Tell We (4 pages)

Outer Space (3 pages)

Reincarnated Solvent Abuse (7 pages) and (not shown) I Left You a Note (2 pages).

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Archives of the Alien #1 by James Rubino

Jan. 2012, James Rubino Comics. Inks & lettering by Larry Blake. 24 b&w pages, plus color cover. Printed by Ka-Blam Digital Print, 6.5" x 10.25" with saddle stitch binding and machine trim. Available for $3.00 (plus postage) from IndyPlanet. Also see the James Rubino website and James Rubino Comics on Facebook.

If you enjoy the exploration of dystopian prophesies set in a futuristic world, you'll love James Rubino's latest epic, Archives of the Alien #1: Followers of the All. Rubino is a fine storyteller and writer and he provides such an excellent backgrounder on the series, I'll quote him:

"Followers of the All (FOTA) has a fairly lengthy history. Mr. Faith was created way back in 1983 and his first published appearance was in my magazine Concepts Illustrated #4 in 1984. Many of the other characters and concepts in FOTA debuted in subsequent issues of that publication as well. The original FOTA #1 was produced in 1986 and released as an underground comic in 1988. The series ran for six issues and an annual was produced in early 1990. A seventh issue completing the storyline up to that point was created but never released."

In Archives of the Alien #1, Rubino expanded the original FOTA origin story from 11 pages to 20, and longtime friend and collaborator Larry Blake lends his talents as inker and letterer to the epic tale.

Like the work of Michael Neno, it's easy to see the influence of Kirby in Rubino's artwork and his wildly creative cosmic concepts. The depth and breadth of his imaginary settings and characters deliver a very entertaining story, but the concepts also remind one of what happens when any ruling class becomes powerful enough to disregard the basic rights of others.

Blake's inks give Rubino's pencils a bolder look than the artist's own inks. It's a nice contrast and Blake handles the work with his usual talent.

The opening chapter of Archives of the Alien is a great example of how good an indy POD comic can be. It's a Midnight Fiction Favorite.

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Stuff That Dreams are Made Of by Jim Siergey

March 2011, Weird Muse Productions, 8-page classic mini comix format with saddle stitch binding. $1.00 plus 50¢ postage from Weird Muse.

Here's a great little mini Dan W. Taylor produced last year. It's a collection of visual puns and cartoon punditry by word wrangler Jim Siergey. The covers and one page inside are full-page gag panels, but the rest of the interior pages are single-page comix strips featuring narty art and waggy workplay. For a taste of Siergey's genius visit his website and read yourself some Cultural Jet Lag.

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Future is Now: Mini kus! #5 by Leo Kivro/Léo Quiévreux

September 2011, 16 2C pages, plus 2C cover, A6-size (approximately 4" x 6") with saddle stitch binding and trim. English and Latvian. $5.00 (postage paid) from Kushkomikss

Wouldn’t it be exciting to have the power to paint the future in bright colors?
Léo Quiévreux's futuristic view based on the past specially designed in conjunction with his solo exhibition at the contemporary art festival Survival Kit #3 in Riga calmly reminds us that we already hold the paint brush in our hands.

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Raw Power by Josh Bayer

Dec. 2011, Retrofit Comics. Front cover colored by Pat Aulsilio, back cover colored by Edwin Vasquez. 8" x 10.25", 48 b&w pages, plus color cover, with saddle stitch binding and machine trim. It's available for $6.50 from the Retrofit Comics Store, where you can also see a couple of other pages from inside. Check out the Josh Bayer website and the Bayer Blog for even more indoctrination and the Retrofit Comics blog to keep up with their titles.

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Monkey Squad One #8 by Doug Michel

Head Monkey Squadron lead, Doug Michel is on a roll this year. He's just wrapped up the third issue of his self-published series Monkey Squad One for 2011. This time, the number one squad battles their way through the zombie apocalypse. Monkey Squad One #8 (24 pages) is available for $2.50 (postage paid) from the MS1 Etsy Shop. You can follow Squad news at Monkey Squad Monday and network with dashing creator Michel at his Poopsheet Foundation page.

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Revelations #2 by Louise Cochran-Mason & Barry Southworth

2011, Hereafter Press. Series co-creators: Louise Cochran-Mason (writer) and Barry Southworth (pencils). Inks/Colors: Scott Shriver. Letters/Production: Marc Haines (inside back cover, shown above) 24 full color pages, plus covers. 6.5" x 10.25" with saddle stitch binding, machine trim. $3.99 (plus shipping) from ComiXpress.