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DANCE
by John Hankiewicz

($8.00 from John Hankiewicz or The Holy Consumption. Also available in the Poopsheet Shop)

Reviewed by Tim O'Neil

John Hankiewicz produces comics of a confidently enigmatic nature, balancing challenging bits of formalistic sleight-of-hand with ominous narrative. Dance is a perfectly conceived mini, a small rectangular booklet bound by string and personalized with stamps. The thick pages give the book a significant heft.

I'm not sure that I understand the main feature, "Amateur Comics", but I am pretty certain that any failure to grok is purely my shortcoming and not the story's. Hankiewicz is playing a complicated game with the passage of time between panels and the use of ordinary objects to communicate complicated emotional states. There's a lot to parse here, as the narrative more precisely resembles a logic puzzle than an actual story. What it is, however, is haunting and assured, a confident experiment that has kept me engrossed for multiple rereadings.

There are a multitude of features, including what appear to be (but are probably not) sketchbook pages on the subject of dancing, as well as a shorter narrative ("The Kimball House") that reproduces a bizarre conversation in a totally abstract field of shapes and texture. The closest thing I've seen to the Kimball House is probably Mark Beyer's "Amy & Jordan", only taken one step further from the realm of literal representation and completely into new and complicated areas of visual / verbal interplay. Again, this is an incredibly dense work, requiring the reader to comprehend an increasingly abstruse set of visual symbology to understand the passage of time purely through the use of typography.

I had encountered Hankiewicz's work before in anthologies, but this is the first concentrated exposure I've had to his work on its own. Dance is an extremely impressive work, and I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't turn a few heads in the world of alternative comics.

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SEE-SAW
by Sara Edward-Corbett

($8.00, Partyka, Sara Edward-Corbett)

Reviewed by Henry Chamberlain

Sara Edward-Corbett's See-Saw is one of the highlights of this year's MoCCA without a doubt. I would even say it was the best surprise for me. This beautifully packaged collection of Sara's comix published in The New York Press presents us with a motley crew of children caught up in the often sublime and surreal world of childhood.

Sara breaks new ground with a sure hand. Embracing many a comics trope, she turns them on their heads. Charlie Brown may say, "Good Grief!", but Chucky says, "You're a Fartknocker!" It is an expression that leaves the rest of this hip Peanuts gang perpetually bewildered. It inspires Georgie, a viable match for Linus, to ask Chucky, "Perhaps you suggest that I pass gas so violently as to cause my buttocks to knock together as knees might knock?" To which Chucky replies, "Whoa...I've never thought about it so deep before...you've opened my eyes!" To which Georgie replies, "Perhaps, I am not a fartknocker but a mindblower!"

Drawn in a delicate clean line, these characters are pretty to look at but clearly have their share of demons to exorcise. In See-Saw, you will find that just as expectations are raised that something cute and innocent is transpiring, something sad and ironic occurs, a model followed by masters of the comics medium such as Charles Schulz and Tony Millionaire. Clearly, Sara shares more with the sensibilities of Millionaire but the humanity of Schulz is definately there too.

Her collection of strips is showcased under a beautiful screenprint cover and, on the back inside page, there is a cloth screenprinted ducky that holds a very cool "cootie catcher" covered with all manner of wondrous animals. It used to be that you'd call something that was retro as well as original "post-modern" and then, later on, the term became "post-post-modern." Well, Sara's book does not need that sort of labeling. It's just plain good. Do yourself a favor and get a copy soon.

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KRACHMACHER #1
by Jim Campbell

($6.50, Angry Jim)

Reviewed by Tim O'Neil

Imagine if Adrian Tomine decided to farm out an issue of Optic Nerve to Michael Kupperman and you might get some idea of just what Jim Campbell is up to with the first issue of his Krachmacher anthology. This is a really fun book, a witty and oddly touching collection of stories connected by an overriding sense of melancholy weirdness.

The lead feature is "At The Shore", featuring the adventures of a small group of high school students on a day-trip out to the beach. Our protagonist is Marianne, a good-natured but slightly peevish misfit with a pronounced overbite, who is constantly frustrated by her male friends' affection towards Elke. Elke is best described as a more competent, compelling and pretty version of Marianne herself, which certainly explains the resentment. If this sounds pretty normal, well, Marianne also has a tendency to tell odd stories about growing up in an underwater seaweed farm. This is the first chapter of an extended serial, and it leaves off right when things begin to get truly weird, with cars being swallowed into quicksand and strange snorkel-zombies creeping around the bottom of the page. (I know I probably sold the book just with the phrase "snorkel-zombies".)

The anthology is rounded out by a brief fable concerning an old man who saves the world from a vengeful robot and a "Firefox 46" story. "Firefox 46", continued from the pages of the Meathaus series, concerns the pitiful adventures of a man named Cedrick, who wears a wolf hat, and his friend the pork roast. This should be the goofiest thing going — and don't get me wrong, it is damn goofy — but it also manages to achieve a high level of pathos. Cedrick is trying to woo a grocery store clerk who doesn't want to have anything to do with him. This courtship threatens to drive a wedge between Cedrick and the pork roast. The look of dejection on the pork roast's face is classic, as is the serenely beatific look of contentment when they are reunited.

Krachmacher is also presented in beautiful full color, understated throughout, creating a pleasing and unerringly subtle effect. Campbell knows how to create a delightfully substantial package, and I look forward to reading future issues. That he could create such honest and affecting human drama out of the adventures of a man with a wolf pelt for a hat and a pork roast is just one of those things we will have to accept in order to move on with our lives.

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TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES LOVINGLY BOUND WITH TWINE #9
by Christoph Meyer

($2.00 or trade from Christoph Meyer / PO Box 106 / Danville, OH / 43014 USA)

Reviewed by Rick Bradford

Lots of hand-on attention went into this zine. This is the Dental issue and under a nice linoleum block print and between the floss-bound covers you'll find 24 pages of dental fun. Dental questions from zinesters (answered by an actual dentist), a piece of fiction called "Dental Marionette" (my favorite part of the zine, I have to admit, because it's illustrated by Jim Conatser), a comic starring teeth, tooth stickers (ready to use!), Amish dentistry and other stuff. Certainly a unique theme and a fun one as well.

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BELLY BUTTON COMIX #2
by Sophie Crumb

($4.95, 32pp comic, Fantagraphics Books)

Reviewed by Henry Chamberlain

One artist I was interested in seeing at this year's MoCCA was Sophie Crumb. I had enjoyed her Belly Button Comix when I got a copy at last year's APE. She was chatting with Jeffery Brown at APE but this time around I got a chance to see her uninterrupted. She looked lovely and was very charming, signed a copy of Belly Button Comix #2 with her Za Za character smiling back at me, and graciously accepted a copy of my own comic. I think the challenge last year was to live up to the Crumb name with her debut book but now I think she makes clear in her latest book that she's her own person with her own original take on the world.

Sophie is very comfortable in her own skin even when she's relating to us how uncomfortable she can be in her own skin. She manages to harness what's compelling about autobio comix with the right amount of self-deprecation and self-revealing information. She is a young artist who sees the current bumps in the road of life as life lessons because that's exactly what they are. She's not going to pretend she's seen it all before she actually has. So, when she relates her story about a boyfriend with drug problems, she does it with honesty and integrity. She too falls flat on her ass and partakes of one too many recreational drugs but finds a way to stand back and question what's she's doing without sounding preachy.

The indie kid rage against the mainstream is handled very well. One of my favorite pages is "The Foul Mouth Sisters" that illustrates a conversation between Sophie and her friend, Emily. Both are laughing it up over the sheer fakery of the affluent Berkeley scene: how it's all too easy for some rich kid to buy himself a life as a hipster complete with expensive tattoos and piercings. "Berkeley, you can suck my anus! Haw Haw Haw," declares Emily. They both keep laughing until they return to a sense of gloom as they realize how completely surrounded they are by the poseurs they despise.

It is an "us against them" spirit that attracts Sophie to Johnny, a layabout if ever there was one but who is infused with an unmistakable animal energy and a kind heart. Not long before meeting up with Sophie, Johnny lived in the hallway of a school. Having just turned 30, this street kid rebel wants to give up drugs but he just can't quite manage to do it and pulls Sophie into a downward spiral. As much of a mess as it all is, she acknowledges the thrill in one telling panel: A narrative reads above a moment of sexual pleasure: "Even though the place was a dump and fallin' apart, and we had to pee in buckets, it still was pretty quaint..and there were mirrors! Arf. Arf." Say what you will, Sophie is telling us, there was something about Johnny. Ultimately, however, the thrill wears thin and Sophie ends up with something she desired but was determined not to contrive: a hard won life lesson.

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BLACK SHEEP #1
by Fredo

($4.00 from Fredo, www.altgeek.net)

Reviewed by Matt Holdaway

If you haven't already, you really need to check out Fredo's Black Sheep #1. This is the beginning of a new storyline and a new approach, really, for Fredo. There are two stories. One is well-rendered but I'm not exactly crazy about the ending. But "Neighborhood of the Beast" is fucking great. Visually this is Fredo's strongest representation of his talent that I have seen in print. It starts off strong and there is not a single panel that I can say isn't correct. What I really enjoy about this new Black Sheep is Fredo's sense of pacing and the delivery of his story. There were hints of his storytelling ability in Fellowship but I feel this is where it finally really emerges. I am very interested to see the progression of this story — you have a chance to see it in the beginning.

I should mention that the cover alone is worth the four bucks. A wraparound hand-printed 4-color silkscreen. The cover as just a print would look beautiful framed.

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A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND A T-SHIRT

(83 min. DVD, $10.00, Microcosm Publishing)

Reviewed by Rick Bradford

Microcosm describes this documentary as a "cultural analysis of what causes zine makers to tick, what the hell zines are, why people make zines, the origin of zines, the resources and community available for zine makers, and the future of zines." That's a pretty good description. A Hundred Dollars is something of a snapshot of the zine scene in the Pacific Northwest but its real value is as an introduction to the subculture. It's something you can show those perplexed friends and family members who don't understand what the zine thing is all about.

Around 70 zinesters (including some no longer zining) offer their perspectives on the many aspects of what is for some a hobby and for others a lifestyle. Some of those featured include Shawn Granton, Alex Wrekk, Donna Kossy, Greig Means, jack saturn, Shannon Wheeler, Dave Roche, Nicole Georges, Moe Bowstern and Icky Apparatus.

It's really a pretty interesting DVD and, believe it or not, the first zine documentary I've had the pleasure to watch (although I know others are out there). Also on the disc is 20 minutes of bonus footage such as a trailer for the film and a cut segment on Sean Tejaratchi's KOOL Man. My only disappointment is that they didn't also include a gallery of zine covers. Most of the zines discussed in the film get some amount of screen time, but I would love to have seen a gallery of them, plus other notable zines from recent years. Still, this is only a minor complaint. Go get this DVD — it's a good way to spend an hour-and-a-half or so.

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DRAW OR DIE #1
by Jon Chandler

(£1.50 from Jon Chandler, www.bonehousebooks.co.uk)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

Ripper, who is a small-nosed humanoid elephant guy in a tracksuit, is given a creating machine by his pal Particle Man, and uses it to create the perfect underground comic: two demons, in a static panel repeated 28 times, tell a really funny dirty joke about a lion and a nasty monkey.

Very eccentric, in that British way — the story has the dry surrealism of one of Robyn Hitchcock's improvised onstage stories, spinning out in wider and wackier orbits. NB: this story's dated 2003, and so the artist probably has gobs of new work to show — write for more info.

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AN ABSTRACT LIFE
by Andrei Molotiu

(28 pages, b&w, Andrei Molotiu. E-mail)

Reviewed by Mike Hunter

The "stories" in An Abstract Life fascinatingly employ different modes of abstraction. In "Cells," there's a sensation of moving through biologic forms, which could also almost be topographic relief maps of terrain like Monument Valley's as well. The shapes are computer-generated, areas tinted for differentiation from others.

In the hand-drawn "Growth," a small lumpy shape floating in empty space develops, extrudes a shape like a horse's leg, extends "limbs" until, transformed into a sprawling network, it fills the last page of its narrative.

"The Rules of Attraction," reminiscent of Saul Steinberg's visual play with varied drawing-styles, shows a series of shapes, roughly similar in size and form, but with wildly differing textures: crystalline, furred, lumpy, flowing. Arrows point out the possibilities of interaction.

"Love" uses the most comics conventions, as two figures like crumpled paper, their forms changing, approach in a barren landscape. Word and thought balloons bear alien glyphs, one being sweats nervously, and as they finally join, hearts hover above their forms.

Lumpy figures — one reminiscent of the "Venus of Willendorf" — strain and recline, fly through space, and finally dance in "Work & Play." Some shapes are more suggestive of human forms, though much distorted.

"War" shows a foreboding landscape, a striated, puzzled-looking "face" with a question mark beside, background suggesting a gathering storm. Shapes seem to set out, arrows indicating the direction, unreadable "writing" placed about the panel. Finally the piece concludes with an explosion/release of energy.

"Birth" — the longest work here — shows a series of slightly kaleidoscope-like, computer-generated abstractions. Though we're not really "zooming in" on them (each panel bears only a passing resemblance to the previous), the feeling of forward movement is inescapable. The effect's enhanced since "Birth" starts with simple shapes, then moves on to more complex forms, as if we're approaching a great mass and discerning more and more detail. The panels grow larger, the shapes more complex — one can't help but be reminded of the "trip" sequence in 2001 — and, finally a form emerges from an abstraction: a reclining nude woman, back to us. Seen in high contrast, then with a more nuanced mezzotint effect, the only recognizable shape in the book.

Molotiu's an exceptionally gifted artist — see his expressive, sculptural abstract shapes in "Yam Seal Land,"* with chiaroscuro beautifully deployed, or his very fine color abstract comics in that site's "Gallery" section, which also shows nudes strongly rendered from life, convincingly drawn with a few strokes — and his work in An Abstract Life shows considerable intelligence as well.**

I'd have preferred the book to be more purely abstract imagery, by leaving out the titles of each of the sections (the drawings get the themes across quite nicely by themselves), or the arguably unnecessary comic-book conventions featured in "Love." Yet Molotiu might understandably have wished to make his book a tad more accessible, and in "Love" play with tools of the medium such as word-and-thought balloons, thoroughly defensible creative choices.

In his abstract comics, Andrei Molotiu is exploring where Medieval maps of the world warned, "here be monsters." For those interested in the varied aesthetic possibilities available in the medium, the bizarre bestiary of An Abstract Life is well worth checking out.


* http://www.getsivizion.com/guests/molotiu/intro.htm

** Don't just take my word for it! See his article, "Focillon's Bergsonian Rhetoric and the Possibility of Deconstruction". And this site tells of the "History of Comic Book Art" class taught by Professor Andrei Molotiu...

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WRITER'S BLOCK
by Diana Tamblyn

($3.00 from Diana Tamblyn, www.speedlines.com)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

A short, literate story from Canada. Al's a writer whose first book is wildly successful — so what does he write for a followup? The question sends him into an emotional tailspin, while his niece and nephew try to help by suggesting possible topics to write on: "Snowglobes? Bingo? Ethel Merman?"

Diana illustrates in a dense-lined realist style, and she experiments with framing the characters uniquely in the panels: a long sequence of various people talking on phones never looks static. NB: this story's dated 2003, and so the artist probably has gobs of new work to show — write for more info.

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N.I.N.N.Y. #1
by Randall Fleming

($3.00 US / $4.00 WORLD postpaid, cash only, or pre-arranged trade from Randall Fleming / Po Box 625 / New York, NY / 10276 USA. E-mail)

Reviewed by Eric Lyden

The title of this zine stands for "Now I'm IN New York". You sort of have to ignore the first I, but it's a catchy enough title so we'll ignore that. Future issues may be titled "Now I'm Not in New York" (in which case you'd have to ignore the second i) depending on Randall's geographic location at the moment. Other than a few poems Randall sneaks in here, I like this zine a lot. It's mostly about New York City ("No shit, Sherlock. I thought it was going to be about Atlanta, GA." is what some of my more smartassed readers are saying right now.), my favorite articles being an interview with NYC train conductor and zinester Fred Argoff and an article entitled "Where the Hell Have I Going? Where the Hell Am I Been?" which compares NYC and LA. Yeah, good stuff. This is the type of thing I enjoy reading on the shitter. Don't ask me why I think it makes good shitter material, but to me it does. And in my mind saying something is good toilet reading material is a high compliment indeed.

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AIR GUITAR #5
by Mike Gorman

($2.00 ppd from Mike Gorman / 6 Brown St. / Westbrook, ME / 04092 USA. Web: www.mikegorman.com. Mature Readers)

Reviewed by Henry Chamberlain

Mike Gorman definately has chops. There's no doubt about it. Take a look at his website and there will be no surprise this man is a successful illustrator. At first glance, especially on the cover to Air Guitar 5, and the first story about a miserable misfit who masturbates in public, you can't help but think of a Dan Clowes influence. Then there's another misfit story, with excellent illustrations as well, and here I began to wonder if this book was really just a mini-portfolio by an amazing illustrator but then I read the next story, "The Amazingly Stupid Adventures of Super Douche and his buddy, Harry Burrito!" and I knew there was more than first met the eye.

In "Super Douche," Gorman is in full control of the retro vocabulary. The drawings are more simple with clean cartoony lines. Unexpected fun and undeniable wit prevail. Hanging out in a dingy apartment are two very weird losers: one unemployed superhero type dude and a mass of hair with sunglasses resembling Cousin Itt from the Addams Family. They argue with another freaky character, possibly a Tarzan wannabe, make lunch, burn the TV, go shopping, and humiliate an old high school classmate they always hated. This goofy stuff is razor sharp and gives Gorman genuine cartoonist cred.

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YOU'RE NOT CREEPY AT ALL!
(BIGFOOT COMIX #9)
by DC McNamara

(50¢ or trade from DC McNamara / 2228 Dayton Ave. / St. Paul, MN / 55104 USA. E-mail)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

For your 50 cents DCM will send you five witty cartoons, and at a dime per chuckle that's good value.

The last page lists eight other Bigfoot books and two volumes of Mox Nix. The descriptions of some of these books, as supplied by DCM, will present a better idea of his ideas than if I tried to summarize the present volume.

"Bigfoot 1: Bugs talking about work.
"Bigfoot 7: Everyone's like, 'I don't get this one.' Insects, helicopters.
"Mox Nix 2: Linnaeus liked boobies."

And each is only 50 cents! That's a $5.50 investment to get them all, and I'm sure it'll be worth the splurge.

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YOU IDIOT #3
by Nate Gangelhoff

($2.00 from Nate Gangelhoff / PO Box 8995 / Minneapolis, MN / 55408. Web: www.pickyourpoison.net)

Reviewed by Alan Rankin

The subtitle of You Idiot is "Debating the Obvious Since 2002," and unfortunately that's kind of an apt description. Nate spends most of the issue poking fun at the 1980s anti-drug campaign championed by the likes of Nancy Reagan. No denyin' there's a lot of material to work with here: anybody remember Cartoon All Stars to the Rescue, in which Bugs Bunny speaks out against pot? No? How about the LA Lakers' ill-advised 1987 rap song "Just Say No to Drugs"? In Nate's words, these are "further evidence that the '80s were truly a bleak and deranged decade."

These clueless modern-day versions of Reefer Madness have always been ripe for satire, and Nate's writing is pretty funny. It's just that after forty pages or so, the material takes on a one-note quality — especially since, in my case at least, he's preaching to the converted. Debating the obvious, that is.

As a historical catalog of anti-drug propaganda, though, You Idiot succeeds. I'd totally forgotten about Papa Smurf and Alf (who both could have been dreamed up in a drug-induced burst of inspiration) preaching the abstinence gospel in Cartoon All Stars. (I must have been stoned at the time.) But Nate sometimes overlooks the subtext of these little fables. Like the fact that most of them, rap songs aside, feature only white kids being warned about drugs. The crack epidemic was already raging full-on in the nation's 'hoods and ghettos, but to the anti-drug enforcers, the worst possibility was that Little Johnny might smoke a joint and start questioning their authority.

Likewise, Nate doesn't really talk about the long-range effects of exposing kids to such ignorant hysteria. On page 24, he finally brings up the point: "Within a few years...most kids will see that the absolute-worst-case scenarios taught to them...rarely happen...[leading to] a feeling of 'What else were they lying about?'" But he stops short of the next logical thought. Certainly in my case, and probably many others, this fostered a distrust of authority figures and the status quo that seemed so important to them. In other words, not only did the anti-drug propaganda fail to turn us into good little citizens who sit up straight and do as we're told... it actually laid the groundwork for our future radicalization!

Nate mentions that this is the last drug-themed issue of You Idiot. I'm glad to hear that future issues will contain more material like "A Brief History of Drunken Robberies" and "Omnipotence Through Pseudo-Science." Both play well to his editorial approach, which might be described as "pointing out the hilarity in the public's everyday stupidity." Best of all is his examination of the brief "rapping wrestler" craze, with in-depth study of the lyrical and musical stylings of Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. I daresay T.S. Eliot himself couldn't have come up with lines like "When I hit ya with my power, your body'll start shiverin'/Hit ya to the head, to the gut, damage your liver." Wow... this shit is pure gold.

And it probably sounds even funnier when you're stoned.

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SLUG #2
by Austin English and Paul Pereira

($1.00 from Paul Pereira / 91 Prospect St., Apt. #2 / Newark, NJ / 07105 USA. E-mail)

Reviewed by Henry Chamberlain

Slug is a minicomic series by Paul Pereira and Austin English that seems to be a nice place to try things out. In issue two, the highlight is a comix jam entitled "The Ticking" with Pereira and English creating a story that begins with an odd sound of ticking which inspires piano playing that leads to a visit to the studio of Jackson Pollock.

This sort of free associating will be familiar to most readers. It's a great way to limber up and can certainly result in some interesting ideas. This particular jam doesn't seem to be going anywhere but that's definately just fine since these exercises are meant to release blocks and inhibitions. Fans of these artists, who want to see some of the raw creative process, or anyone interested in comix jams will want to take a look at Slug.

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IN A SUMPTUOUS BROWN GRAVY
by Guaranteed Katch

(CD, www.gkatch.com)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

Arse-horns, hurrah! With a crapulous flourish, this disturbed combo from Joplin, MO., lurch into battle with music. God love 'em, and I thought nobody listened to the Butthole Surfers these days.

So you've got your crunchy guitar rock stuff, over which odd voices declaim cod-operatic lyrics about the joys of bathing ("Heel of Fortune") or, sounding like Firesign Theatre's Rocky Rococco, praise a loved one's skill with serving Spaghetti-o's ("Brown Town"). In earlier days, kids from Utah would be calling the Dr. Demento request line, and, in funny voice, would ask the Dr. to play "Trash Knight" and other melted-sounding hymns from this collection.

It's good to know they're there, you know?

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THE JUNIPER #3
by Dan Murphy

(free for a 37¢ stamp from Dan Murphy / PO Box 6352 / Boise, ID / 83707 USA. Web: juniperbug.blogspot.com)

Reviewed by Eric Lyden

This is a zine about "freedom and gardening for sustainable living" which I must admit isn't exactly my cup of tea. That's not to say I don't admire the intentions, it's just not for me. However, if you are interested in gardening and whatnot then I give this zine my highest recommendation. The longest article in this zine is about soil and if you find the topic at all interesting or if you just have a general interest in gardening you owe it to yourself to check this zine out.

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THE COMICS INTERPRETER Vol. 2, #2
edited by Robert Young

(80 pages, b&w, with color wraparound cover, $5.95, tci.homestead.com)

Reviewed by Mike Hunter

Hard not to compare this magazine with The Comics Journal. In its format, focus on reviews and interviews, if not budget, page-count, and staff ("Created, edited, and designed by Robert Young," the masthead says... amazing!), there's a significant similarity. Yet, despite minor drawbacks — interview questions nowhere near as probing, graphic design more utilitarian, printing not as crisp (type's a tad fuzzy, halftones frequently plugged-up) — The Comics Interpreter acquits itself most honorably.

Among the many interviewed are Alex Maalev, Jordan Raphael (co-author with Tom Spurgeon of Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book), indie publisher Larry Young, husband-and-wife artist team Kozyndan, who contributed the wraparound cover art, and the "four members of an innovative French comics collective based in Cambodia," who tell their stories of teaching a comics class to deaf Cambodian children. Fascinating tales, and a nice change to be informed of things being done in the comics medium besides the well-covered superhero/alternative fare. The top interview in this ish is the career-spanning one of the topnotch comics painter-and-writer George Pratt. Thoughtful and politically aware, he teaches art and has incorporated his monotype prints in Batman: Harvest Breed, been taken up in Herb Trimpe's biplane to do power dives as research for his Enemy Ace graphic novel, and his love of country blues music has inspired the as-yet-unpublished See You In Hell, Blind Boy: A Tale of the Blues — "a text novel that incorporates photographs, comics, spot illustrations, and recordings" — and the award-winning documentary based on that book.

Ho Che Anderson's King: Volume 3, volume 2 of Rob Maisch's Confessions of a Cereal Eater autobio-anthology, Mattotti and Kramsky's take on Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Road to America by Baru and Thévenet, the True Porn collection, edited by Kelli Nelson and Robyn Chapman, plus several minis are capably critiqued.

There's a letters section up front, and a lengthy piece by Gene Phillips responding to Gary Groth's essay in The Comics Journal #254 on "the Death of Criticism." Phillips titles his writeup "So Die Already...", referring to what he sees as Groth's preferred school of elitist criticism, and at great length attacks that publisher's perceived inconsistencies and black-and-white attitudes regarding what constitutes worthy work. As an alternative, he thoughtfully explains the merits of pluralist literary criticism, which "tends to provide greater analysis of what different segments of the popular audience... view as desirable in entertainment."

All in all, The Comics Interpreter is a worthy addition to the field of comics criticism and journalism. I intend to order the other issues available...

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THE HOLLYWOOD ECLECTERN #40
edited by Ed Buchman

(free, but send a couple bucks or some stamps to Ed Buchman / PO Box 4215 / Fullerton, CA / 92834 USA)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

This is so sweet — a fanzine in the classic style, typewritten pages Xeroxed and held together with a single staple in the upper left corner. This longrunning newsletter is for lovers of Little Lulu and her world. Editor Ed has for us this time news and reviews of the Dark Horse reprint volumes of Lulu comics; info on some dodgy DVD repackagings of old Lulu animated cartoons; and pencil roughs drawn by John Stanley (Lulu's longtime artist) for a Nancy & Sluggo adventure.

For a deviant like me, though, the high point was a page of stories and jokes sent in by N. Chandramohan of Virudhunagar, India, which has the artless charm and ESL charisma of an Amos Tutuola novel:

"ALWIN: What do you think of butterfly?
"IGGY: It is also a fairy with wings and without magical world."

This zine has made my world a better place today.

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THE DAILY COMPULSION #2
by Nathan Rice

($1.00 from Nathan Rice / PO Box 292 / Portland, ME / 04112 USA. E-mail)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

Let there always be an unending supply of punkety-rock comics zines, filled with angular guys flipping off snotty clerks in stores and grousing about their stupid neighbors and all. Here's one of them now. Nathan, who draws himself as a spiky-hair guy with a face like an electrical socket, isn't exactly Boris Vallejo when it comes to drawing, but for this sort of comics three-chord monte, skill is not needed or wanted. His takes on whores and menstruation can be obnoxious, but the story of a poor idiot trying to return a used sex toy is some funny stuff. Tear a hole in your jeans, sit in the corner of your crappy shared flat, and dig this comic.

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KREETOR #1
by Jason DeGroot and Dann Phillips

($2.95, Repercussion Comics, ComiXpress)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

Jason DeGroot tries his hand at a serious independent fantasy comic, with superb results. Kreetor #1 is a slickly produced work, beautifully drawn by Dann Phillips, with one of the most dynamic front covers you'll see this month. The gripping narrative concerns a sort of future world, in which two distinct species have evolved to rule the planet — one bird-like, the other resembling gorillas. There is tragedy and war, camaraderie and courage. The backgrounds, of forest and sea and scenes inside a fortified city, are detailed and realistic, and the characters are engaging and believable. Especially well done are the action sequences, battle scenes with broadsword and axe that really stand out in a dramatic sense. There isn't a better written, or better illustrated comic out there today.

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LUNCH HOUR COMIX #1
by Robert Ullman

($4.95, Alternative Comics, Robert Ullman)

Reviewed by Tim O'Neil

Robert Ullman presents himself as a capable, if only blandly interesting regular Joe: in other words, a fairly typical "normal" guy. Normalcy is the hallmark of diary comics, perhaps because a more interesting life would not lend itself to bite-size chunks. The challenge is to make the mundane interesting, either through humor or whimsy or profound observations borne out of the prosaic. Obviously, the reigning master of this type of intimate chronicle is James Kochalka, who has managed to turn his contributions to the genre into something of a profound statement. The accumulation of small incidents into large chunks of calendar space is a meaningful process in every life.

Ullman's Lunch Hour Comix are exactly what they appear to be: diary observations recorded every day, with each strip taking no more than one hour to produce. He's a likeable cartoonist, with an attractive brushstroke and a good eye for faces. The trials and tribulations of his daily life are not particularly the stuff of high drama, but his endearing on-page persona manages to enliven what would be otherwise uninteresting subjects like buying coffee, walking the dog and commuting to work. Of course, "enliven" is a relative term, considering the subject matter and Ullman's generally pleasant attitude.

This is a nice enough booklet, and a good, if not great, example of an idiosyncratic genre. If the pamphlet were any logner or any more expensive, my opinion would probably be harsher, but as it is Lunch Hour Comix is a perfectly packaged trifle which should satisfy anyone with an interest for the genre. Without any of the more ambitious conceptual leaps you might expect from a more experienced or foolhardy talent, Ullman proves himself a solicitous guide through the hazards of suburbia.

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VAMPSPEW Episode Two
by Steve Feldman

($2.00 from Steve Feldman / 1402 W. Jackman St. / Lancaster, CA / 93534 USA. Web: www.stevefeldman.com)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

Vampspew is the best vampire comic out there, period. There, I said it, a bold statement, to be sure (and I'm including my own Shadow of Dracula comic... I admit it — Steve Feldman's is the best!), but... here's a book that stands up to the hype. The first issue was riveting, the story of a young adventurer who stumbles upon an ancient castle and is transformed into a vampire. The book reads like literature, not your ordinary run-of-the-mill mindless and disposable culture rot. Editor Feldman is a master of wordplay, as is even more evident in this gripping second issue. Nary a word is spoken the entire book, but the wonderfully descriptive captions inform us of "flesh eating inhabitants [who] drove their vehicles recklessly fast and with needless agression... walked like zombies through the aisles of their supermarkets... their great bodies obstructing the aisles like cholesterol in the encrusted arteries of a saturated fat sucking junky!" Whew, and that's only the first page; it gets better. There is great satire and humor here, as the young vampire finds that his condition is covered by his insurance company, he seeks God but finds strange little Martian guys instead, finds a secret book "behind an elegant painting of Isis wearing a propellor beanie cap"... I mean, this is terrific and original stuff! The art has a great, foggy, surreal quality to it. And check out the front cover, which is virtually identical to that of Episode One, except that the young vampire has begun to... decay. I have a pretty good idea what the cover for #3 is going to look like. If you love great comics, and if you think it's all been done and there's nothing original out there, especially in a scary vampire comic, you owe it to yourself to check out Vampspew Episode Two.

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CLIP TART #2
by Susan Boren

(Susan Boren / PO Box 66512 / Austin, TX / 78766 USA)

Reviewed by Eric Lyden

I have to admit, I'm not sure I get this one. I like it and I find it fascinating, but I'm really not sure I truly "get" it. Basically, this zine features collages, clip art, written excerpts from various sources and a few letters, reviews and essays. Amazing production values (including color covers and a few color pages thanks to a mysterious "copy angel") written excerpts that range from the thought-provoking to the just plain weird that at some point becomes a compelling read even though I'm at a loss to explain why exactly it was so compelling. Check it out if only to see how much of a disservice I'm giving this one with my clumsy, awkward, inarticulate review. I promise you won't be sorry. Send at least a few bucks (I don't see any pricing info here).

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BLACK STAR
by Jeff Zwirek

($2.00, www.jeffscomics.com)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

Black 120# card cover, with a star diecut window, in center of which a silver badge with a black star on it. Stylish! What about the insides? Well, there's a story about minicomics creators, which is highly critical of the "fanboys" .. then a story where Jamie Farr forms a superhero team of rock stars, and "Jesus-5", in which five versions of the Son Of God form .. a superhero team-up.

It would be mean, at this point in the review, to bring up the character in Evan Dorkin's Northwest Comics Collective story, who complains bitterly that superheros are stunting the potential of comics, but who draws nothing but superhero parodies .. so I won't do that, and instead I'll point out that Jeff's art is showing some great promise, though shaky at the beginning; and that "Saddle Shoes", which has nothing at all to do with comics, points down an interesting avenue of inquiry for the guy's work. Plus, there's a short interview with Jeffrey Brown in the back. And you get a spiffy badge!

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ELEPHANT MESS #12
by Dan Murphy

(Try a couple of stamps to Dan Murphy / PO Box 6352 / Boise, ID / 83707 USA. Web: juniperbug.blogspot.com)

Reviewed by Eric Lyden

Nice, small, low key personal zine about Dan's high school days. Mostly about those feelings of being lost, alienated and meeting and breaking up with his first girlfriend. He also writes about how writing (more specifically, poetry) saved him. Also included are a couple of the poems he wrote in high school (which are about as bad as you'd expect from high school poetry) and an article entitled "Schools are Factories, Schools are Jails" which is pretty self-explanatory. I didn't think it was great, but it was good.

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TEENAGERS FROM MARS
by Rick Spears & Rob G

($19.95, Gigantic Graphic Novels)

Reviewed by Tim O'Neil

This is an extremely accomplished debut from Spears and G, even if the book leaves me slightly baffled. On the one hand, they seem to have a confident sense of collaboration, producing a pleasantly conceived visual style that seems to rest quite nicely between the extremes of hyper-realistic manga and mainstream American adventure books. The art reminds me quite strongly of Paul Pope, but unless I miss my guess I think that has less to do with any conscious borrowing and more with shared influences.

But on the other hand, this is perhaps the most intensely juvenile book I've read in ages. I don't mean that in a pejorative way - not necessarily - but this book captures the rhythms and preoccupations of teenage life so unnerringly that the pages practically sweat surplus testosterone. If there is an emotion worth feeling, it's worth feeling to incredible extremes. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing as violently as possible. Reading this book made me realize how completely I have become an adult, with all the stodgy quietude that implies. I realize we're supposed to root for young punks out to buck "the system" and get one over on "the man", but seriously, this is so incredibly over-the-top that you can't help but occasionally roll your eyes.

The story begins after Macon loses his job at Wal-Mart and gets into a fist-fight with the store manager. After that, Macon and his new gal pal Madison stop over at the store to knock out a couple windows and end up destroying a lot more than that. Of course, it doesn't take long for the Powers That Be to figure out who did it, and from there the story progresses rapidly into a superheated outlaw story — Bonnie & Clyde with more superfluous pop culture references. Eventually Macon and Madison become full-fledged super-heroes, busting into police stations, molesting mayors and hitting the road to dispense their brand of pro-comic justice across the lower 48.

All of which tends to choke the oxygen from the atmosphere, just like being a real teenager. Quite honestly, this is a difficult book to review: it's the type of book that makes demands of the reader. You have to be able to passionately feel what's going on, or the proceedings will remain unavoidably opaque. Much like certain strains of punk music or the poetry of Sylvia Plath, you have to be seriously invested in the material yourself in order to appreciate it on anything more than a technical level. I imagine that for anyone who feels — or at least vaguely remembers what it feels like to experience — an overwhelming rush of mad impulsiveness every second of the day, coupled with a boundless societal frustration borne out of subliminal expectations of entitlement, this book will speak to them loudly and without any ambivalence. This is the type of book where brutal fist-fights are considered courtship rituals, and if that sounds like something you can relate to then this is probably the book for you.

There is no doubt that Spears and G have definitely created something of lasting endurance here: whether or not I like it is somewhat besides the point. I have every expectation, based on the sizeable underground reputation it has already achieved, that this will become one of those rare success stories that grows exponentially by sheer word of mouth. As I said, it's impossible to be ambivalent about Teenagers From Mars: you will either embrace the book like a special manifesto written in blood, or you will stand at the sidelines scratching your head in vague befuddlement. If you like it, you've probably already given your dog-eared and coffee-stained copy to ten of your best friends. I will happily count myself among the befuddled, because I strongly suspect that I am just too old to get it.

All things considered, I'm OK with that.

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DOLLTOPIA
by Abby Denson

($2.00, ComiXpress, Abby Denson)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

Kitty the ballerina doll is bored with life in the Fantasy Home with Soccer Scotty. One night she and Army Jim escape and go to Dolltopia, a city "where renengade dolls can live".

It's a charming story, told with Abby's cheerful art. Long on explanation, as most Utopian stories are. As a story about non-conformity, it makes its points over and over again — it works better if you read it as Abby's projection of life in the big dollhouse of New York City — the concept of the boutiques and nightcubs of that worthy place filled with renegade dolls making new lives for themselves is interesting, though not pursued very far here. A doll-doctor, face scarred like Black Jack's, who builds arm joints for stiff-armed dolls, is another unique idea that gets lost in this book's brief span.

Still, when I make my million I'll commission a special printing of this comic, hire a plane and drop bundles of them over the Midwest. Arise, dolls, and throw off your conformist shackles!

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ESCALATOR
by Brandon Graham

($12.95, Alternative Comics, Brandon Graham)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

One story in this collection namechecks Paul Pope, Moebius, and Vaughn Bode on the same page. You could guess this guy's influences without opening the book. Another story describes a tagging run — the author used to be heavily involved in the graffiti art scene. You could have guessed that too. Unlike other graffitistas who have taken up the comics cross, though, Brandon can spin a story, and his lines and blacks shore him up nicely — like Farel Dalyrimple inking "BEM"-era Gilbert Hernandez.

Most of the stories are shards of what should be larger works. Check out "Green Porn", a strong shot of urban magic realism, and "Ieonium Blue", which is like a lost episode of "Halo Jones". Combine with the proper music, maybe a Damo Suzuki period CAN track, and you can complete some tidy little bookmovies in your head with these comics. I hope Brandon finds the scope to do some longer stores soon.

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NOODLE #1
by B. Winter

($1.00 from winterizer.mm.st)

Reviewed by Matt Dembicki

The title of this mini is appropriate since the comics require (or inspire) some thought. Winter’s plays on words are great, and his use of different cartooning styles shows that he appreciates and knows how to use the comics medium. My favorite strip concerned a character who complained about the thought bubbles lumbering over his head. He rebels against the thought bubbles by actually jumping on them, with unexpected consequences. I also enjoyed “When Words Fail” which gives news meaning to eating your own words. Noodle is a smart, witty little ditty!

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BLOOD MONEY GAZETTE #1
by Randall Fleming

($3.00 US / $4.00 world ppd, cash only, or prearranged trade from Randall Fleming / PO Box 625 / New York, NY / 10276 USA. E-mail)

Reviewed by Eric Lyden

Ever wonder what it was like to be a human guinea pig? To get paid money to take strange pills or to be poked and prodded by doctors or even just to be stared at while you're in a little glass room trying to relax? Well, wonder no more because that's what this zine is about. It's a pretty interesting look at a world I, as a confirmed hater of all doctors and medical professionals, hope to never be a part of. Seriously, you couldn't pay me enough to go through some of the shit described in this zine, but I'm glad Randall is a braver man than I and is willing to tell his tales. I admit there are some stories that go on a bit too long for my tastes, but this is still an enjoyable zine that looks at a way of life I know nothing about.

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EXPIRATION DATE
by Justin Curfman and Niki Price

($14.95, TephraMedia)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

A dad, his daughter, his wife (locked in the attic), and a box of dehydrated kittens. It's a shaggy-Goth story that wanders from room to room, muttering, until the last cat is hung. For those who like this sort of thing .. Justin's script narrates all the horrors in a dry detached manner, like an early Lou Reed spoken piece. The wordy introduction didn't add anything to the story and could have been jopped off like a withered limb. Still, once past that blockage the tale proceeds at a clip. Sadly, Niki's art is still at beginner stage, and the out-of-proportion bodies and scratchy backgrounds keep the reader wincing.

A good shot, but not all the way to the target yet.

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I AM A ROCK
By Ben T. Steckler

($1.50 from Ben T. Steckler)

Review by Matt Dembicki

Ben Steckler does some of the best gag comics around. His new mini, I Am a Rock, is no exception. Here, Steckler parodies the Simon and Garfunkel tune "I Am a Rock," using Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, as the main character. My favorite gag is in the refrain "I am an island," which if not correctly enunciated, can sound like something else.

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THE WANNABE #1
by Chris Hollmer, Courtney Huddleston and James Taylor

($2.95, Naked Productions)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

This seems to be the introduction to a new super-hero comic series. Only thing is, the creators are taking their time telling the origin story. A guy witnesses the murder of his pregnant wife, and begins training to become a hero so that he can track down the killers. He only begins his training in this first issue, which is made up mostly of talking and remembering... although it's talking and remembering that is told with enough flair to make it interesting. And the artwork, by the incredibly talented Courtney Huddleston and James Taylor, is just amazing, a real feast for the eyes. The publisher perhaps went a bit overboard on the budget, the entire comic is printed on slick, glossy paper, but, sheesh, I guess they knew they had something special so they pulled out the stops. Chris Hollmer is the writer, and, as indicated, does an exceptional job... although I wish there had been an editorial or something to explain just where it is they're planning to go with this one. At any rate, it's a high quality production, through and through.

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WATERWISE
by Joel Orff

($14.95, Alternative Comics, Joel Orff)

Reviewed by Heath Row

I'm pretty sure this is my first exposure to the work of Joel Orff, and I think he may be my new favorite comics maker. The heavily inked, black-and-white, 132-page, squarebound book is absolutely beautiful. Resonant and redolent with the sights and sounds of summer — fireflies, crickets, and train whistles in the distance — the book is a quiet meditation on dreams and dreams deferred. A young artist without "any marketable skills" hitchhikes to his family's lakeside cabin, where he encounters a long-lost friend. Reconnecting over recent separations and memories of childhood, the two share a borderline romantic evening as adults. The book is full of moments: the eight-page drawing sequence, the rules of hitchhiking dialogue, the stretch on p. 30, the two-page canal fantasy, stepping into the water on p. 59, the spread entering the high grass, the birds on p. 100, and the badminton sequence. Wonderful and well worth reading.

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THE FAMILY GEEK #2
by Dan Murphy

(free for a 37¢ stamp from Dan Murphy / PO Box 6352 / Boise, ID / 83707 USA. E-mail)

Reviewed by Eric Lyden

This is a nice, low key kind of zine. It's basically a one-man review zine. There's a short editorial entitled "Why Publish Independently?", two pages of plugs for his other publications (perfectly reasonable seeing as how this zine is free) and then we move onto the zine reviews. Most of them are short, sweet and to the point, but you can tell which ones he really, really enjoys because he gives them more space. He also lists some other review zines and distros and has a few music reviews and while it's not the most indepth thing you'll ever see it's well worth the stamp he charges.

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NOT MY SMALL DIARY #12
edited by Delaine Derry Green

($6.00 ppd for the set from Delaine Derry Green / 1204 Cresthill Rd. / Birmingham, AL / 35213 USA. Web: mysmallwebpage.com)

Reviewed by Mark Campos

Reviewing an anthology of this type is like reviewing a fireworks show. Everything was exciting, although the green saturn ones got blown out of shape by the wind, and the hillside was crowded, but you had a great time, and it was all over too soon.

NMSD #12 captures fireworks in a bottle. This is the "After Midnight" issue — editor Delaine has collected true stories of late night adventures and revelations from 76 creators, a double-volume set with impressive sparkly covers stickered with designs by Dave K.

The theme this time seems to have pulled a number of the contributors out of their comfort zones, and their memories are tinged with strong regrets, intense reflection. There's an astonishingly disorienting dream narrative by Austin English; Matt Holdaway tells of being on the wrong end of a high-speed police chase; there's a psychedelic, melancholy page by Patty Leidy which is unlike anything she's ever done; a slow ramble through the deserted streets of predawn Rome with Carrie McNinch; Tim Winkelman's tale of degradation on Vegas's Strip .. The creators involved once again comprise a snapshot of the world of cartooning ca. right now: Ian Carney, Donna Barr, John Miller, Raina Telgemeier, Simon Mackie, Shawn Granton ..

Though there's a burnt squib or two in there (that Campos piece — what a whinybutt!) the whole is of surpassing quality. And, unlike the fireworks show, you can revisit NMSD again and again, every time you open the books.

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PUSSIES Vol. 2
edited by Josh Simmons

($3.00 from Josh Simmons, www.joshuahallsimmons.com. Also available in the Poopsheet Shop)

Reviewed by Rick Bradford

Around 40 artists focus their attentions on that most frightening and revered female body part. It's a fairly respectful collection (your mileage will vary, of course) but it's not the kind of thing you can leave on your desk at work. (Although, if you should try anyway, I'd be interested in hearing the results.)

My favorite pages in this volume are by El Quesnel, R. Sikoryak, Peter Kuper, Molly Kiely, Billy Mavreas, Paul Lyons and Mike Diana, for a variety of reasons, of course. That short list right there is probably recommendation enough but there's also work by Renée French, Johnny Ryan, Eddie Campbell, Kevin Huizenga, Ariel Bordeaux, Henriette Valium and many others. The contributions range from beautiful to fun to curious, but it's all worth looking at. A fair number of the pages were apparently gathered at comics shows, which means they may be sketches as opposed detailed drawings. In some cases this is disappointing and in others not in the slightest. The production on this is pretty nice: 3-color stencil/xerox cardstock covers and eight of the 40 interior pages are full-color. Good show.

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STARS
by Bob Corby

$1.00 from Bob Corby, www.backporchcomics.com)

Reviewed by Matt Dembicki

Stars is short and sweet. It’s simply about creator Bob Corby’s favorite painting, “The Starry Night,” and how he loses himself in it by drifting into Van Gogh’s canvas when he can’t sleep. (Corby draws himself in a stick-figure fashion with “The Starry Night” as the background.) I particularly enjoyed the cover, which was done using a block-printing technique and provides a wonderful texture. (Seeing stuff like this inspires me to try to experiment more with my comics.)

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GREEN PIECE: TEARS OF A CLONE
by Jason DeGroot and Adam Owen

$2.00 from Adam Owen, www.orbitalcomics.net)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

The intrepid lizard detective Green Piece tracks down a clone murderer on an alien world. Adam Owen does a smooth job on the artwork, inking his own work this time and he weaves pen and ink and computer generated backgrounds flawlessly, to very good effect. Jason DeGroot's scripting is more serious this time, although not entirely so, as he incorporates planetary politics into GP's world (there are pro-clone and anti-clone forces, and the planet's chancellor has his hands full trying to appease both). Dan Nauenburg contributes an excellent backcover, and Adam's very colorful frontcover is an eye-popper as well. It's another fine installment in one of the most entertaining small press series around, great for fans of sf fantasy and the noir influence just makes it that much more appealing.

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GREEN PIECE: GOOD COP, GREEN COP
by Jason DeGroot and Adam Owen

($2.00 from Adam Owen, www.orbitalcomics.net)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

Some issues of Green Piece are exciting, some are tongue-in-cheek, this one is just plain hilarious! Our hard-boiled hero is split into two persons — one angry and destructive, the other peaceful and kind of hippy-dippy. The latter GP is especially wacky, rejecting guns and violence, and espousing such crazy counter-culture dialogue as "My aura is like gettin crowded man!" and "you need to meditate... become one with your inner hatchling!" Meanwhile, his violent twin chases down the bad guys mercilessly ("any last requests 'for ya get pulverized?"). Jason DeGroot's inspired scripting really makes this issue one not to be missed, aided and abetted by the top-notch illustrating talents of Adam Owen and Rome Maynard. Green Piece has never been this much fun!

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LOUIS: DREAMS NEVER DIE
by Metaphrog with Hey and Múm

(£8.99 UK / $14.99 US / €14.99, Metaphrog)

Reviewed by Heath Row

Another beautifully produced book from Franco-Scottish comics duo Metaphrog, this 52-page work is a graphic album in the best way possible: The lushly colored story comes complete with a CD or 7-inch record containing music by Hey and Múm courtesy of FatCat Records.

First, the book. Equally charming à la Mark Crilley's Akiko, simple à la Tom Hart, and visually surreal à la Jim Woodring, the story follows Louis' search for his aunt, who suddenly stops writing him letters. After a series of dreams, Louis ventures forth into the "pathways" to track down where his aunt lives. Encountering a robot insectiform, a mysterious postman, a stylized Hitler, and a young girl who leads Louis to his destination, Louis seeks to understand why he feels lonely even when he's not alone. I don't always fully understand where Metaphrog is going or what they're doing, but their work is delightfully serene and gentle while remaining darkly comic.

On to the CD. Featuring music as well as some animation, the disc features three audio tracks. Hey's "Dreams Never Die" is a clattering, meandering number featuring piano, breathy singing in French, and a sense of spatial density. Múm's version of the piece is only slightly more electronic in nature, blending glib blurbles and post-New Age soundscapes. The multitracked vocals on this number are astounding. You can see the animation — with a soundtrack by Hey and Múm — at www.louisandfc.com.

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THE SUPERNATURALISTS
by Patrick Neighly and Jorge Heufemann

(160 pages, $9.95, Mad Yak Press. ISBN 0-9717995-4-7, Diamond Order code AUG042841)

Reviewed by David Hedgecock

Detective Edgar Drake is racing against the clock to solve an impossible crime. What Detective Drake finds is a truth more horrifying, more disturbing than anything any detective in 1920s Manhattan has ever dealt with; a truth that will rock the foundations of Manhattan's social elite as well as his own reality.

Neighly brews a tasty concoction of dialogue, pacing and characterization and then has it outdone by the amazing artistic skills of Jorge Heufemann.

Together they produce a giant, 160 pages worth of great reading in a beautifully designed package for the tiny price of $9.95. You simply can't go wrong.

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< comics/x >



SHUCK THE SULFURSTAR #1
by Rick Smith

($2.95, www.sulfurstar.com)

Reviewed by Matt Dembicki

I'd heard of Rick Smith's Shuck before but never had a chance to read it. Since Smith was relaunching the title with a new issue No. 1, I thought it'd be a good place to start and get acquainted with the book. Smith has a nice, cartoony style, but I had problems following the story. First, all the characters speak in a dialect, which makes it difficult to read through the book. Smith writes in the letters page that he did this to distinguish Shuck's world from our own. I think he could have accomplished that without using a confusing "lankwich." Second, the story is a bit fragmented. I simply didn't have a clear picture of what was happening. I know there's a play where an angel battles Shuck (a devil or demon), and at the end of it Shuck takes a break from theater and heads to a town called Thicket. It also happens that a little girl and her mom who watched the play are also headed to Thicket to see the girl's grandfather for an undisclosed reason. Shuck and the girl and her mom cross paths near the town. That's about all I was able to ascertain. The rest seemed esoteric. I'm sure Shuck fans get it, but it wasn't a good issue for a new reader to jump in. I also wanted to note that the back cover has an installment from Smith's online dream comic "Sawlogs", which I really enjoyed. I used to read it, but drifted away. I'm glad I was reminded that it's there!

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< comics/x >



FANTASY THEATER #15
by J. Kevin Carrier and company

($2.00 from J. Kevin Carrier/ 8913 Eldora Dr./ Cincinnati, OH / 45236 USA. Web: members.aol.com/fantasytheater)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

Scott McClung starts off this issue of J. Kevin Carrier's exciting anthology comic with a bang — both of the gorgeous full-color covers are by him, and both are knockouts. There are three stories within, all stylishly illustrated by J. Kev. The best is a team-up super-hero adventure, featuring Lady Spectra, Sparky, and the Reaper... and this one really pulls out the stops. Not only does the trio have to battle nazi zombies, but also flying insectoid monstrosities, a vampire, and traitorous FBI agents! Plenty of thrills, chills, and action in this one. The remaining strips demonstrate a much lighter, and wryly humorous touch... as a barbarian is tricked into sleeping with an ogre-woman, and the Grim Reaper attempts to bargain with Phantos, who is trapped in a shadowy dimension. The humor lies in the denouements of both yarns, especially the Phantos tale. Also featured is a lettercol, which includes drawings of Kevin's characters by Jim Pack, Will Terrell, and others. Fantasy Theater #15 is another fine issue of one of our favorite small press comics, a title that never fails to deliver the goods.

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SUPERNATURAL LAW #40
by Batton Lash

($2.95, Exhibit A Press, www.exhibitapress.com)

Reviewed by Heath Row

Batton Lash has been publishing this black-and-white independent comic book series for 10 years. Originally titled Wolff & Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre, the series followed its existence as a comic strip, which debuted 25 years ago. Despite the comic's history, this is the first issue I've read. With nods to Will Eisner and Dan DeCarlo, this 28-page anniversary issue is told from the perspective of the building in which Wolff & Byrd have their office, 13 Court Street in Brooklyn. The storyline addresses the other tenants of the building, as well as a hunchback, Vulcan's Mirror, a wizard, and a werewolf. While well drawn, the story isn't really my cup of tea. That said, the inclusion of an active letter column and fan art is a nice nod to the series' long run — and long-time readers.

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VAMPSPEW Episode One
by Steve Feldman

($2.00 ppd from Steve Feldman/ 1402 W. Jackman St./ Lancaster, CA 93534 USA. Web: www.stevefeldman.com)

Reviewed by Steve Keeter

You want to read a really great vampire comic? Vampspew Episode One is one heckuva fine debut from Steve Feldman. A man on a walking tour of eastern Europe stumbles upon an ancient castle, where he is bitten by strange insects and becomes a vampire. He soon encounters opposition of the traditional sort (villagers with pitchforks), and also makes some weird friends (dancing, partying, festering dead monks). The story is told entirely with captions, which makes it seem more like classic literature than the usual modern comic fare, especially as Feldman has quite a talent with wordplay. And the synergy between words and pictures is superb, the moody illustrations adding a sense of surrealism. This is some exceptionally fine work, a polished and intriguing comic you'll want to read and read again. Recommended.

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SNAKE MEAT #1 & 2
by Max Clotfelter

($1.00 for #1, $2.00 for #2 from Max Clotfelter, www.maxclotfelter.com)

Reviewed by Rick Bradford

These minis are compilations from Max Clotfelter's (Vittle Chin) sketchbooks. I'm a fan of his work and of sketchbook collections in general, so Snake Meat gets a thumbs-up from me. Max tends to focus on not-so-pleasant aspects of reality (and fantasy) in a cartoony fashion and he does it well. Every square inch of these minis is packed with texture-rich ugliness — a beautiful sort of ugliness, you understand. If you enjoy looking at artists' sketchbooks, this work deserves your attention. And when you order these, be sure to bug Max about publishing more comics!

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