< comics/x >
COMIC ART #2
($9.00 ppd from Comic Art / 5715 Nottingham Ave. / St. Louis, MO / 63109 USA. Web:
www.comicartmagazine.com)
For many comic art enthusiasts, this magazine is like a dream come true. It's full-color, on glossy paper and particular attention is given to design, but the best part is the art reproduced. Each issue features good-sized articles profiling some of the most interesting artists in the history of the medium and each of those articles is accompanied by a mouth-watering selection of original art, much of it rarely seen and some that was previously unpublished. This latest issue features Jack Cole (his girlie cartoons from the '50s), Hergé (Paul Gravett discusses the artist's "Clear Line" approach), Savage Pencil on the late Rory Hayes, the photorealistic comic strip trend of the '50s & '60s (lots of Alex Raymond originals), a career profile of Richard Sala, and an informative article about the
Grand Comic Book Database. The issue also comes with a new 2-color comic insert by David Collier, a nice touch for a magazine focused mostly on the past.
Lest you think this issue is some kind of fluke, you should know that the premiere issue featured Frank King, Noel Sickles, Dan Clowes, Gary Panter, Tarpe Mills and an interview with Chris Oliveros of Drawn & Quarterly (and the comic insert is by Jaime Hernandez). These folks are not messing around.
Nine dollars may seem a bit pricey for a magazine, but no other magazine does what
Comic Art does. I recommend it highly and hope they can keep doing it for a long, long time.
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< comics/x >
SHOULDN'T YOU BE WORKING?
(published by Fantagraphics Books,
www.fantagraphics.com; Johnny Ryan's site:
www.johnnyr.com)
This is an 80-page collection of drawings Johnny Ryan (
Angry Youth Comics) did while on the clock at a urological clinic (no, really). I really enjoy looking at other artists' rough sketches and doodles, so naturally, I dig this book. If you've read Johnny's comix, then you know what to expect: grotesque characters engaging in juvenile gags about bodily functions. Et cetera. Lots of classic lowbrow influences show up in his work just as he's become one himself. Not for the easily offended, but recommended just the same.
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SNAKEPIT #29
vs. AMAZING ADULT FANTASY #18
(send a stamp to Ben Snakepit / PO Box 49447 / Austin, TX / 78765 USA or Tim Doyle / 924 E. 40th, #106 / Austin, TX / 78751 USA. Snakepit online:
www.youngamericancomics.com/snakepit)
When I first became aware of Tim Doyle and Ben Snakepit they worked across the street from each other and both were publishing monthly diary comics (still are) that you could pick up around town. As you might imagine, the local market for free diary comics is a cruel one. Well, it seems now that all of the tension and fierce competition has finally come to a head and this combo/split issue will decide who shall be forever victorious. Yep, the readers are asked to vote for their favorite of the two (at the URL above) and the loser "has to stop drawing comics
forever!". They both swell guys who draw fun comics, so it's a tough call and puts me in quite a moral dilemma, as I'm sure you can imagine. Both of their strips are presented here in chronological order, alternating with one another, and it's interesting to see how similar or different any given day's content can be. This issue also features intimidating centerspread photos of the two cartoon combatants. Frightening!
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