Inkstuds Radio

Ok, I don’t really get Laugh Out Loud Cats. As a part of Abrams Comic Arts line, you would think this book would have more of a critical appeal. Other books in this line include the Jack Kirby art book, as well the upcoming Harvey Kurtzman and Jaime Hernandez books which both sound amazing. The concept behind Laugh Out Loud Cats is a mix between early 20th century comics using the phrasing of LOL Catz. It basically takes a kind of cute internet concept and makes an ongoing one panel gag strip that seems to never end – Hobo cats saying stupid things in odd situations. Sure it’s cute and funny a couple of times, but a whole book, why? Maybe get this book if you want some stupid bathroom reading, but I really hope Abrams avoids doing too many of these things. I guess my main problem is that I am not huge on strip comics and like something like Krazy Kat because of the dynamic art that pushed new barriers and levels. This strip just recycles a bunch of different concepts into one package.

I  had already read Lauren Weinstein’s diary comic and really enjoyed  it, but was told that the rest of work was completely different. And it is. It’s great. I got Inside Vineyland of off Last Gasp for dirt cheap. the book is a bit of a mixed bag of different noodly stories that all seem to have some kind of common thread. Lauren seems to have a great take on a kind of odd surreal obsurd lonelyness. The main story in the book, is about a teenage robot. You want to take pitty on this poor little guy that Lauren sticks into these awful comprimising positions that look like he is having some kind of sexual encounter with daily household appliances.  The work is a playful mix throughout that doesn’t dumb down just because it’s a one page gag. It is interesting to see how she is adapting to different subject matter, and avoiding one standard genre, but still using the same great art style. As a side note, her poster that came with  Ganzfeld 7 was one of the more impressive parts of an otherwise dissapointing package.

Before I jump into today’s review, I thought I should mention a change that will be coming to the inkstuds site very soon. A very very nice man, Charles Bottomley, has been transcribing some interviews. After they are touched up and what not, i will have post them for you all to read and enjoy. I realize that not everyone wants to listen to my nasal voice, so this will be a great chance to get some interesting info. I think the first one to be posted will either be Spain or Barron Storey.

Today, I caught up with my radio reading. Tomorrow, I am going to do an interview with Mike Dawson, so I read his new book for Adhouse, Ace-Face and his web comic which directly connects to Ace-Face, Jack and Max Escape from the End of Time. I really enjoyed his book, Freddie and Me, even though I have particularly strong dislike for Queen. Ace-Face is Mike’s odd take on superheroes. It was neat, because he doesn’t fall into the normal traps of alternative artists doing superhero comics. He doesn’t make fun of his characters, instead he has fun with them. Ace-Face is born with no arms and his mad scientist uncle, gives him huge robot arms. Luckily, Ace-Face eventually grows into the arms and isn’t stuck looking too much like Popeye. Mike’s characters are pleasant almost mundane people who get thrust into unreal situations. He really plays with the story telling though and just visits certain parts of the character’s lives, leaving alot to the imagination, and I suppose room for more follow up strips.

Red Colored Elegy is one those crazy Japanese reprints that Drawn and Quarterly has been publishing recently. I really enjoyed this book. it is a 200 page testiment to minimalism and isolation. The story follows the life of an anonymous almost androgynously drawn couple that is starting out in animation/comiking. The story was originally published in 1970/71 in Garo magazine, which was a breeding ground for underground comics in Japan. The cartoonist behind this piece, Seiichi Hayashi weaves a piece of comics goodness that feels more like poetry than most manga i have seen. The art is beautiful and sparse, except when it needs to make point, and even then, he goes and uses some kind of non-sequitor to make interesting awkward transitions. The interplay of the dialogue is also interesting, in that it is very punchy and disjointed. It doesn’t really flow, but works like an off tempo jazz, like some of what Austin English does.

This one is being posted a little late, I was unable to get to a computer last night, but I did get a comic read. I finally sat down with Aya of Yop City. I had been sitting on this for a while. I wasn’t very impressed with the first book. I found it to be a little too precious. The second book of the ongoing Aya series was better. It gives a neat view into small town life in Ivory Coast Africa. The stories of the characters are whimsical and fun. I should also state that the cartooning really is top notch. I think the thing that bugs me about this series, is that it really isn’t pushing any new ideas or techniques. It is just a happy go lucky story, and that is fine if that’s what you are looking for. Personally, I am a little dumbfounded by just how Drawn and Quarterly gets so excited by this series. I am curious what other people think of the Aya books.

Time for an oldy, but a goody. I have been on a bit of an Alex Toth kick lately and buying whatever I can find. He is one of the finest draftsman in the comics world, it’s just too bad most of the stories kinda suck. I grabed Darby O’Gill and the Little People off of the daunting to be read stack. I have no recollection of ever seeing the movie, so I can’t tell you how faithful it is, but I don’t think that really matters. The story is a fun journey into Ireland featuring the story of an old man, and his confrontations with Brian, king of the leprechauns. Toth’s art is always great. His characters are always expressive and seam to have a timeless quality that is lost in most silverage cartoonists. Young and developing cartoonists can learn alot from Toth and his techniques. His pages move flawlessly, keep the readers eye transfixed to the going ons. I suggest going out an finding a cheapo comic by Toth, and just look at what he is going. A couple of bonus readings for people interested in learning more about Toth, would include Darwyn Cooke’s touching little 8 pager and Dylan Williams’ little illustrated essay in Windy Corner 2.

I have been pretty burnt out from school, so today was the day for what I like to call Comic Crack. Marvel Zombies 2 is the latest in Robert Kirkmans ongoing series of Zombie lovin comics. This book was fun, but kinda flawed in comparison with the last Marvel Zombies book. I read comics like this for mindless violence and seens like of superheroes eating eachother. Maybe its because they depend on keeping things in some ridiculous continuity, but reading about Colonel America just sounds stupid. In this story, a group of zombie Marvel characters return to Earth and come across a group of survivors and conflict ensues. The story isn’t particularily original or fantastic but I enjoyed if for what it was.  I would like to see a DC version of this concept. I really don’t care for the Marvel characters.

Today I jumped into a very out of print book and by reviewing it, may just be teasing those of you that can’t find it. For that, I am sorry, actually, not really. As a book in itself, Escapo is interesting but really in the end, not fleshed out enough. Paul Pope released this story in the midst of his flurry of production surrounding THB, and it feels like a bit of a throw away side story.

Escapo is a kind of Houdini meets Philip K Dick kind of story. Like most of Pope’s other work, it takes place in barren land with characters of no real discernable level of moral qualities. The art of the story is fantastical full and half page spreads that capture an idea of loneliness that can be found in the story, but I don’t feel it goes far enough with the characters.

Maybe my problem is that I spent more time reading the introduction, than it took to read the comic it self. There is something I find annoying about personality promotion and this book just stinks of it. The book features a prominent full page photo of Pope in his full moody glory. If you fall for his posturing, than maybe I am sounding like a douche, but I really don’t need to read about how cool the creator is. I want to hear about why the creator choose to do the work, not that he had his photo taken by someone that took a photo of Mick Jagger. The THB manifesto segment is interesting, but makes him seem more corporatist than iconoclastic.I guess what i am saying, is save your money. If you are desperate for some Pope, and have all his DC work, track down a THB. It will be way less expensive, and alot more fun. This book has its interesting moments, but is not in the required reading section.