COMICS WATCH! MAY 2012! New Peter Bagge + classic Japanese fiction & Chester Brown!

[IDON MINE]

Here's a quick run down of what is coming out this springy summer season from your humble Comic servants:

Peter Bagge is on with a new series from DARK HORSE called RESET (clickety click here & check out some preview pages!), a 2nd of 4 issue has just come out on the 16th. Looks like a romp!

DRAWN AND QUARTERLY has the complete selection of their ambitious Yoshihiro Tatsumi short story collection out as handy soft covers, along with the NEWly published FALLEN WORDS that just came out this month: GO GO Go check out his complete catalog here!  Watch out though, his work is poetic and beautiful, but mercilessly disturbing.

For more wig-out Japanese avant-guarde action, check out SHIGERU MIZUKI's first ever english translation of ghost storie's in NONNONBA (Click the fat word!) and Imiri Sakabashira's exceptional BOX MAN.*

Speaking of disturbingly surreal/real tales of the human spirit, D&Q is also bringing out a collection of CHESTER BROWNS ED THE HAPPY CLOWN. This surrealist classic made Chester realize what he was wanting for in his work - and what a ride he took to get there!

*Needless to say, these books all are milestones in their own right and should give you a good overview of what the wild Japanese comics literature is, looking beyond all the crazy Sci-Fi trash (sic!) kids TV is floored with right now. Previews of all books should be availible on the site! Thanks for reading!

All pictures and work owned by the artists and/or respective owners.

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COMICS WATCH #1 + DORKY intro:

So I was jus' wantin' to let ya know what a steamin' hot cool load of books came out from FANTAGRAPHICS this April, you know the splendid folks that brought you the likes of EIGHTBALL, LOVE AND ROCKETs and BLACK HOLE. Click on the fat titles to get linked to FANTA SITE where you can read real info (as opposed to my clutters) and best of all preview the books either via video or .pdf. Now, ain't that some sweet providin'??? AWright, here is the run down:

#1 WALLY GROPIOUS by Tim Hensley

FIRST OFF, I want to shine a light on a book that's near and dear to my cringed little heart: The Wally Gropious Collection by Tim Hensley. It's a whipcrack of sweet cartoon sounds, strips bathed in the molten sauce of their own history and crafted to perferction ba the marvelous hands of Mr. Hensley. WALLY is what undedicated mainstream readers would decline as ABSTRACT, but really it's the source of classical cartooning brought up to modern hights, by way of keeping all of the profoundly whack standards intact that make it so great.  It's quick, it's sharp, it's terrifying but with all the sweetness you can think off. Kind of like GARAGEPUNK, it's so rough, it will cast off most, but those who dig it, are most likely to stay forever in this rich and wondrous world.

#2 Sand & Fury: A Scream Queen Adventure by Ho Che Anderson

Ho Che Anderson in Black an' White! The awesome painted cover and the broad Horror and B-Movie refferences (don't take it from me kids - see for yourself!) in this one make it a jump into your-kind-of-temprature water and will most likely please your garagerockin' eyzzzzz. Nuff said!

#3 Classic Pin-up Art of Jack Cole

In line with our nod #1 to sweet Cahmics and their background, Jack Coles Cartoons (yes, it says classic!) bring back the grandour of a time when you could still read the papers and find something else but Garfield and your local syndicated Flinstones rip off strip. If ya dig yerself some 50's raunch from the likes of the covers of the "Mens Adventure" mags and pulps, this is the cartoon stuff that would fill the space inbetween those crazy ass stories! Also of PLAYBOY fame.

#4 It Was the War of the Trenches by Jacques Tardi

Tardi is another Noir Classic, this time around from the other side of the nightpan called the Atlantic. His Books and stories around odd looking detectives and their just as odd opponents and lovers inherit low life cult status and are a thing to themselves. It's crime in black and white and just as you know that things are going to go sour for your PI/Cop character, it's likely that the story is going to be bedded in a big knockover unitl the end swings around to finally blow out the stars swirling over ones head.

#5 BLAZING COMBAT by Archie Goodwin and Various Artists  

To take a flight back to 'merica in the mid 60's, here is what Comics were when they were Comics, errrrm, you know: Classic stuff, Adventure, Horror, Romance, Pulps and of course: War Comics. Just a genre as all genres back then, but with a knack and regraded with highest praise when it comes to artists that would fill the pages: ALEX TOTH, WALLY WOOD, FRANK FRAZETTA, you name 'em they are in this book. Now I am a Punk and I couldn't give less of a damn about all this warrin' business. Neither could the authors it seems, so this is more about the gruesome effects of the warmachine and the losses connected to it. Brought to you in stark Black an' White artwork, straight from the genepool of Comics. So I'm takin' my dive into that one.

#6 THE CULTURE CORNER by BASIL WOLVERTON

"This book is funny, doh!" I really need not say more, as I just know good ol' Basil has a bunch of interested readers around the corners of the GARAGEPUNK network. But just for the sake of it: IT'S WOLVERTON DOING STRIPS! YAY!

#7 HATE ANNUAL #8 by Peter Bagge

Some new BUDDY stuff, some compiled stories from varied sources from over the year. Hell, you just gotta know that this years HATE Annual is out and you don't need to scorn thru every single magazine that the stuff in it was published in, but can read it all in a handy volume. Perfect for school when you need to hide it behind your CHEMISTRY books and do something REALLY useful. What?!?! You actually liked school? Get outta here! 

#8 ABANDONED CARS (Softcover!) by TIM LANE

Ok, I plead to end this summeration with a SLAMMER! Granted? OK: Just check out the fabulous covers on this one please, it's TIM LANE, man with a plan when it comes to his Comics. Fat as lard artwork, smooth as chevy seat leather writing. Again all in Black and White, wrapping his tales of urban confusion into one hell of sandwich.
Now it's stuuuuuupid in my op to say "this is good because it looks like that", but Tim is a living testament of the Awesomness (Capital!) of the modern Underground-gone-art-novel style Comics of CRUMB, BURNS and CLOWES and slammin' that to the table with his own finesse. He is the latest in their DNA string. But see for yourself and be petrified!

[IDON MINE]

I'm on the lookout again, there is some SWELL stuff out for the kid in all of us. I say but one thing: AFRODISIAC!

[Bibliodiscoteque]

I'm a firm believer and proponant of The Goon by Eric Powell. This guys is the garage rock of comics.

[IDON MINE]

THE GOON RULES!

SCxMS said:

I'm a firm believer and proponant of The Goon by Eric Powell. This guys is the garage rock of comics.

[Bibliodiscoteque]

I have to say, and not afraid to say it, that I can't wait for the movie. Usually I hate when stuff i love gets put out like that (I'm a snob) but this is truly going ot be amazing.

IDON MINE said:

THE GOON RULES!

SCxMS said:

I'm a firm believer and proponant of The Goon by Eric Powell. This guys is the garage rock of comics.

[IDON MINE]

True, I got film soreness as well. When Hellboy 1+2 came out I was like: You learned to turn gold into boring: Congrats! It was waaay off the mood of the source. Whatever. Hollywood sickness. The Comics still rule the ballpark though.

But tell me more about that GOON movie! Hell, I didn't even know that was being made. I live in a cave these days.



SCxMS said:

I have to say, and not afraid to say it, that I can't wait for the movie. Usually I hate when stuff i love gets put out like that (I'm a snob) but this is truly going ot be amazing.
IDON MINE said:

THE GOON RULES!

SCxMS said:

I'm a firm believer and proponant of The Goon by Eric Powell. This guys is the garage rock of comics.

[Bibliodiscoteque]

The guy who did Fight Club (Fincher?) is directing it and it is fully animated. The characters designs are spot on and there is totoaly deication to making it look like the comic came to life and not we animated some shit to appease people.

I liked the Hellboy movies for what they were. The books are, as you stated, way better and a very different direction for the character, as are the prose novels. As a fan I'm glad Mignola can allow his creation to be utilized so differently, but still be true.

[IDON MINE]

Sorry for the long not-reply!
AND thanks for the lowdown on the movie, nice to hear it summed up like that. David Fincher, that sounds rather fresh! It's almost weird, I saw myself complaining/dreaming about who (in my opinion) would do a appropriate movie on Comics and always said Fincher would be a good thing in any gritty Comic adaption... someone heard my prayer there, hehe. Now I also got to think HARD about David Lynch making a superhero movie and everything is good and well ;) But the Green Lantern is already taken... hmmm maybe Tarzan, what with the 50's craze of old David.

The Hellboy movies: Like you said, they are cool seen by themselves, sleek stuff VERY well done. I was just a bit put off, Mignola being so involved and all and it didn't look like a Cronenberg movie. You know the stupid feeling of fanboy ownage and all. Which I don't usually have. At the very least this is a Comic that helped change the mainstream around a bit in the last 15 years and it's not that you see such a weird baby grow to such power every now and then.

[Bibliodiscoteque]

I know where you are coming from. I typically avoid, for that reason, anything that DC releases as a film. I feel like they can't get out of their own way and end up destroying everything.

Do you read Criminal bu Brubaker. It is in trade, but the single issues have essays at the end of each. Fascinating if you are into crime fiction, too.

[Stevel Knievel]

Hi, I am fairly new to the Hideout and glad to see y'all chatting comics. I have read a couple from your list (The Basil Wolverton being a total joy, Also Hate which i follow for the Buddy Bradley stuff but find the rest kinda hit and miss). I am on the look out for the Jacques Tardi book as have enjoyed other stuff by him.
Today i bought X'ed Out by Charles Burns and am still digesting it a few hours after reading. Really great stuff i thought. When i heard his latest was going to be in full colour, i kinda shuddered thinking maybe some of the spooky, retro, horror movie atmosphere would be lost but the finished article was not a disapointment. The oversized format and binding has the feel of a Tin Tin book which is appealing. Then when you get reading you soon realise this ain't one for the kids. I am hooked with this first installment and hope more follows soon. I think his story telling suits the longer run volumes, giving him more space to let events unfold. I was a fan of Black Hole and it seems this is following similar themes (Fup Duck teen, druggy outsider experience). So yer, cant wait for more. Have you read it? Are you a fan?
Another great recent read was the latest Love and Rockets volume (New stories No#3) To be honest, some of Beto's later stuff has lost me a tad (was a huge fan of the original Palomar stories) but this new run has him (in my opinion) on top form. I am enjoying the concept of the adaptations of B movies being told on the page. Then mixing that with the Fritz/Killer in real life stories. The greatest stuff however has got to be Jaimes latest. His drawing style just gets better and better. His lines are so clean and look effortless. The panels just flow beautifuly. Every character has personality and expression. The pages are such a wonder visually, then mixing that with his writing, which equally has that detailed efficiency. It's just an awesome read. The Brown Town story is totally top quality. It's heavy, break your heart themes but told with subtlety and skill. Then that story seeps into his current Maggie stories, man what can i say? Just a perfect read that confirms why i love the Comic format so much.
Well thats my rant over, would be great to hear your opinions on both books if you have read them? Also would be interested in further recommendations by yourself and other folk out there. Comic stores are few and far between in the UK, with decent stores being even harder to find. So it would be great to get the heads up on titles through the Hideout.

[IDON MINE]

Hey there!

Sorry to keep you waiting for so long to get back - thanks for your insights. I'm just about to get X'ed out. Burn's books always sink in deep. I was glad to hear that Burns would tackle a longer project with Black Hole back when he started it and now can't wait to get X'ed. There is a great concept book out by him from Buenaventura Press, concentrating on the mood of the 50's-60's Comics he personally favors. It's called swipe file I think.

I have to say I'm tuned in to Gilbert's stuff. How he seems to incorporate Trash movie themes into his thought out story concepts is a very interesting route to go for him. Yes, it can get messy at times, but I just like this guys drive and the energy he puts into the stories. He gives me a lot to read (in terms of the books he brings out) and the weirdness doesn't feel tacked on in his writing, as well as being transported well into his drawings.

On a different note, there is a very trashy book out called PRISON PIT by Johny Ryan. To me it has a loose connection to the way Gilbert works his stories: It looks rough around the edges and is more about mood and flow, instead of direct storytelling. It's also filled with crude humor, best seen thru the filter of other trashy and classic fighting Manga such as Berserk, Fist of the North Star and Striker. Cooked with a huge drop of Ryans own demented ideas on humor of course. Well, I really enjoyed it and would be interested to hear what you think.

Concerning the books I selected: I'm aware that they spread out a bit far topicwise, but they are mere recommendations, hopefully meeting the interests folks here have, outside of Comics. I guess I always let my own love light shine a bit bright when I compile such a list... Anyways, I hope to do it on a somewhat regular basis in the future, thanks again for the interest.



Stevel Knievel said:

Hi, I am fairly new to the Hideout and glad to see y'all chatting comics. I have read a couple from your list (The Basil Wolverton being a total joy, Also Hate which i follow for the Buddy Bradley stuff but find the rest kinda hit and miss). I am on the look out for the Jacques Tardi book as have enjoyed other stuff by him.
Today i bought X'ed Out by Charles Burns and am still digesting it a few hours after reading. Really great stuff i thought. When i heard his latest was going to be in full colour, i kinda shuddered thinking maybe some of the spooky, retro, horror movie atmosphere would be lost but the finished article was not a disapointment. The oversized format and binding has the feel of a Tin Tin book which is appealing. Then when you get reading you soon realise this ain't one for the kids. I am hooked with this first installment and hope more follows soon. I think his story telling suits the longer run volumes, giving him more space to let events unfold. I was a fan of Black Hole and it seems this is following similar themes (Fup Duck teen, druggy outsider experience). So yer, cant wait for more. Have you read it? Are you a fan?
Another great recent read was the latest Love and Rockets volume (New stories No#3) To be honest, some of Beto's later stuff has lost me a tad (was a huge fan of the original Palomar stories) but this new run has him (in my opinion) on top form. I am enjoying the concept of the adaptations of B movies being told on the page. Then mixing that with the Fritz/Killer in real life stories. The greatest stuff however has got to be Jaimes latest. His drawing style just gets better and better. His lines are so clean and look effortless. The panels just flow beautifuly. Every character has personality and expression. The pages are such a wonder visually, then mixing that with his writing, which equally has that detailed efficiency. It's just an awesome read. The Brown Town story is totally top quality. It's heavy, break your heart themes but told with subtlety and skill. Then that story seeps into his current Maggie stories, man what can i say? Just a perfect read that confirms why i love the Comic format so much.
Well thats my rant over, would be great to hear your opinions on both books if you have read them? Also would be interested in further recommendations by yourself and other folk out there. Comic stores are few and far between in the UK, with decent stores being even harder to find. So it would be great to get the heads up on titles through the Hideout.

[Stevel Knievel]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Totally get what you say as per Beto's output. Nothing is tacked on, his output is very direct & we as readers are super lucky to be that close to the source. Thats the punk aspect innit? Sketch book immediacy. Recently read 'The Troublemakers' & found it nifty & explicicative of the whole B Movie trip he is currently rockin'. A great stand alone story (heres hoping David Lynch reads comics) but also glueing together the Love & Rockets stories of late. I love to enter that whole universe of the brothers world, find it amazing that the characters & their progeny just grow & grow. There is a great interview between Jaime and Gary Groth from Fantagraphics posted online recently ( i got it through L&R's Facebook page) worth an hour of your lives.
Other recent reads are the 'Johnny Cash - I See a Darkness' book by Reinhard Kleist. It is a familar & well trodden story with no real new revelations but beautifuly presented. Totally recommend it, he's obviously a fan with his idiosyncratic penmanship holding together the narrative beyond mere reportage. There are familiar & iconic images & events told with fresh eyes (& ears). The whole has a trippy, speedy celebratory feel to it without being indulgent or naive. Grand stuff.
Also 'Wilson' By Daniel Clowes. Nowt to say beyond read it, it's perfect. His story telling has never faltered & enjoyable to see his drawing style(s) become a tad more fluid & loose without losing the repessive tightness of the characters & issues he be dealing within.
That's me reviewed out. I've enjoyed Johny Ryans stuff previously & shall deffo check out your reccomendation. Also enjoying your own drawings posted up here. Basil Wolverton meets Charles Burns & then tells this lazy summation to fuck off.
Thanks for starting this discussion & heres hopin' others share our interests and join in.

[IDON MINE]

Just updated this with some new & weird releases that should be of interest to HIDEOUT readers. Enjoy!

And Thanks Stevel for your input!