Take your kids to Free Comic Book Day 2010.

It must be spring because another Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 1st.  It's a big deal in my household.  My daughter's and I can't wait to go get some free comics.  You know what's better than free comics?  Nothing.  Nothing is better than free comics.  If you are fully functional nerd then you don't need me to tell you about it and I'm sure you are already planning on going to your local comic shop but I do want to yell at parents out there for  a second.  So...

HEY PARENTS!!!  Take your kids to get some free comics already.  Yeesh.  They deserve it.  However, make sure you pay attention. A lot of the companies use FCBD as a way to bring in young readers and they make some great books for kids.  Other companies use it as a way to promote their new properties to the already existing comic shop customer.  Translation, those comics are for grown ups. (And are usually terrible.)  So, pay attention.  It's just like going trick and or treating at Halloween folks.  You need to check the bag before you give little Cody his treats.  (Also, it might be a good idea to wear reflective clothing.)

To find your nearest comic shop you need to click here.

Other clicking you need to do is to go to the Wide Awake Press website and read their FCBD anthology.  It should be ready to read on Saturday and features a lot of my most favoritest people in comix.  Check it out. The preview video is at the top of this post. Scrolly with your finger and lookie with your eye balls.

Happy Free Comic Book Day everyone!

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Thoreau at Walden by John Porcellino

Thoreau at Walden by John Porcellino.

112 page hardcover graphic novel.

Published by The Center for Cartoon Studies through Hyperion.

$16.99 retail.

If the point of this book is to introduce Thoreau's Walden to a young comic friendly audience then I think it succeeds. It reads kind of like a visual advertisement for Thoreau's Walden. But to look at it as it's own thing and consider it on it's own merits I would have to say that it is underwhelming.  I love the idea of it.  Matching up one of the definitive minimalist comics creators of his time with Thoreau's minimalist writing and philosophy is a perfect match and the book looks great but it does not feel like a story to me.  It feels more like a collection of illustrated quotes. But, again, maybe that is what it is supposed to be.  Maybe I just want to much from it.  I'm a fan of both of the creators and, I'm like, old and stuff so, maybe I'm not the target audience.  But still, I love the idea of it.  I found it at my local library and I love the idea of some kid finding a copy in their library and getting turned on to both Thoreau and Porcellino. 

This book was put out by the Center for Cartoon Studies and they make great looking books.  Hat tip to fellow former Georgian J. P. Coovert who assisted on the book's design. 

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Fluke 2010

(Image taken from Henry Eudy's Flickr stream.)

I was not able to attend Fluke this past Saturday but Henry Eudy was awesome enough to send me the following report:

The area at Cine' really didn't seem that much bigger than Tasty World, only maybe more open since there wasn't a bar or pool table taking up space. They packed two rows of six foot tables in with tables circling around the sides as well. Seemed like about the same amount of people showing comics, maybe a few more. The area was much better lit than Tasty World and the traffic around the room maybe moved a little better. There was ample room out in the lobby for people to congregate and read and not clog up the floor. There was also beer and popcorn on hand, of which many partook. 

I picked up a sketchbook collection from Eleanor Davis but didn't see anything new from Drew Weing. Got several books by David Mack at their booth that I really liked, especially one called "Wolf City." I haven't read Josh Latta's new Rashy Rabbit book, but it looks great. He was also super friendly and went around and talked to a lot of people. J. Chris Campbell's table was packed to whole show and I never did see if he had anything new. Sally Bloodbath had a new book called "Never Jump in a Lone Leaf Pile" that she tells me is her first foray into writing fiction. It's kind of a fable, I think she's preparing it for Jaberwocky. Matt Wiegle had a ton of awesome books and I finally bought a copy of the hilarious "Is it Bacon?" Joey Weiser's new "Mermin" comic is really great and a joy to read. I actually ended up with more minis at this show than at any other, ever. Lot of good stuff. There was a guy named Nate Marsh who had these faux biology books called "The Obscure Animal Compendium" which look very much in the vein of Dave Eggers' McSweeney's stuff and with lovely illustrations that look completely legit. I'm excited to give them a reed. A lot of the SCAD kids had some great stuff that made me jealous that I'm such an old man. I tabled next to Tait Howard who I had met last year and he had some pretty interesting books made in a really unorthodox manner. Like with weird covers that he seems to have made from cut up magazines and pamphlets. Interesting stuff.

Business was really brisk almost the whole day, and I either sold or traded 44 books. A new record for me. All in all, a really great day and maybe one of the best conventions I've ever attended. I, unfortunately did not take a lot of pictures, but what I did take I'll add to my Flickr account later today and you're welcome to grab them if you like. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27480400@N05/

regards, 
Henry Eudy

Thanks Henry!

From looking at the photos and posts I've seen around the web it looks like the new location is a really nice venue for this sort of show.  It looks like the crowd was big and folks brought a lot of good looking books.  I hate to have missed it.  Next year!

Other related links you should check out:

The Fluke site has photos.

Fluke Flickr. 

Fluke related twitter posts. 
Robot 6. 
Robert Ullman's report. 
JeremyNguyen's report.

Rancho Cocoa on Fluke.
Globster Press's report.
Drew Weing.
Dollar Bin podcast.

If you have a Fluke report or pics you would like me to link there then please feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment on this post.

I'm not sure if that is a microscope, a comic making device or a bong.  But knowing Mr. Latta like I do, I'm sure it's all three.  

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith 

I command you to go to Fluke.

(David Mack's Fluketastic cover for Flagpole.) 

I feel like I have not done enough this year to bully everyone into going to the Fluke show this Saturday. Maybe that is because I can not go. Yes, devastatingly sad but true. The powers of darkness have aligned and are preventing me from attending for the first time in many years.  (I won't forget this Satan.  You'd better watch your back fool.)

But that is no reason that YOU should not go.  In fact, you should double go.  They only charge $5 at the door but you should pay $10, get two copies of the anthology book and mail me one.  Because, how can there be peace in the middle east if I don't have a copy of the new Fluke anthology.  There can't.  That's how.

Seriously, if you love alt/indie/mini/web/zine/underground/other/comics/comix/diy/home/ make/junk etc. and you live in the southeaster United States of America Planet Earth then you can't not go.  Or you yes can should will go.  This is too important for grammar.  If you have never been and don't know what it is all about then visit the website which may or may not answer questions.  The show is in a new location this year so everyone needs to take pictures and email them too me.

Here is a look at the cover of the anthology you get with the price of admission. Sweet huh?

And here is a composite of some of the stuff in the book. Wow huh?

Reading comics and creating comics are very much solitary activities.  They can be soul crushingly so at times.  I firmly believe that anyone that makes or loves comics should do whatever they can to mingle with other like minded folks as often as possible.  So whether it be Fluke or whatever zine/comics/fest/show is nearest to you in your part of the world, get up and go.  

 Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

*All of these images were stolen from the Fluke blog.

Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala

Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala.

128 page full color paperback graphic novel.

Published by First Second.

$16.99 retail. 

I found this book in the kid's section when I took my girls to the library.  My eight year old daughter and I both read it and we liked it a lot.  Sala's art is vibrant and exciting.  A perfect blend of creepy and cartoony.  The colors and lettering are really great.  My daughter also commented on the colors.  She as asked me if I though it was painted and I explained that sometimes comics can be painted.  

I'm an old geezer so to me the characters were a bit cliche' and the plot was predictable but the book is not really for old geezers.  It's for kids.  But I liked it plenty.  I think readers of any age can enjoy escaping into Sala's world for a while.  The story is a mystery thriller with a strong female lead so my daughter loved it.  She is very much hoping that there will be a sequel.  The book does read like a set up for an ongoing series.  (Aren't all kid's books series now?)  If there is a sequel I would definitely want to read it.

Between my years working in bookstores and my library trips I've had the good fortune of reading a lot of First Second books.  They always look great and I can only think of one that I did not enjoy.  They do a great job of getting them in libraries.  I just have to remember to check the kid's section more often.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story by Federik Peeters

Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story by Frederik Peeters.

130 page hardback graphic novel.  Color cover with black and white interiors.

Published by Houghton Mifflin.

$18.95 retail.

This is not so much a review as it is a straight up recommendation.  I don't think I had ever heard of this book or it's author until I came across it at my local library last week.  It's one of the best things I've read in a long time.  It is a memoir about the author's relationship with his HIV positive girlfriend and her son.  It transcends my expectations of memoir and works as both a great psychological study and love story.  The story itself is very interesting and engaging but Peeter's storytelling just blows me away.   His brush drawings are very lovely but it's the way the mixes montage and stream of consciousness into the memoir structure that really impresses me.  Peeters is not a romantic and he's not telling a sappy story but by using a wide range of storytelling techniques he gives the reader a lot of chances to form their own perspective on the situation.  Simply put, instead of telling you how and why he loves he shows you from multiple angels.  It is a masterful example of how good comics can be.  Peeters makes me want to forget everything I know about making comics and start all over.  My only criticism of the book is that I wish it went on for a few hundred more pages.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

My Brain Hurts: Volume Two by Liz Baillie

My Brain Hurts: Volume Two by Liz Baillie.

128 page graphic novel.  Black and white with color cover.  Published by Microcosm Publishing.  

$7.00.

I got a nice stack of books from Microcosm a while back and they all look very nice.  I'm very impressed by the quality versus the price point.  The variety of creators is also impressive.  I've heard of most of them and have been wanting to check out their books.  I'll work up reviews of all the books as soon as time allows.  

The first book I read was Liz Baillie's My Brain Hurts Vol. 2.  I think the cover drew me to picking it up first. It's a strong cover.  Notice how the ceiling and the crowd frame the main figure below the logo.  The interiors are nice looking as well.  From what I gather, this book collects material that was originally presented as minicomics so there is some inconsistency in parts but not enough to be distracting.  Baillie is a really good storyteller.  The story has an ensemble cast and jumps around a bit but Baillie does a great job of moving things along and keeping the story threads short.  The drawing is good but inconsistent in parts.  Some pages approach a Joe Sacco level of excellence while others seem like they came from a sketchbook diary.  Baillie's character designs are simple.  I had a little bit of a problem keeping characters separate in parts.  No worse than any John Byrne comic though.  (How do you tell Byrne's Superman from Lois?  Superman has an "S" on his blouse.)  The book is mostly dialog so there are not a lot of spots for Baillie to show off but in the few scenes of physical action Baillie does a good job of illustrating the necessary gravity or intensity of the scene. 

Microcosm's website describes this book and it's preceding volume as being about "queer punks in New York City".  I did not really read this book that way.  Sure, a few of the characters are gay but the problems these young folks are dealing with are pretty universal.  Family, relationships, jobs, fitting in with society etc.  I knew a lot of people like these kids when I was in my late teens and twenties and I've never been to New York.  The book felt real and ratable to me.  It felt a lot like memoir.  Baillie does a good enough job with the characters that I was kind of sad to see a "where are they now" section at the back of the book.  I would have preferred the idea that the story would keep going and that there would be a Volume 3.  

The book also has some nice behind the scenes stuff in the back.  Alternate pages, sketches and script pages.  I always love looking at that kind of stuff.  I love looking at the process and seeing an artist work through things.  That's a big part of the charm of minicomics.  That you can often see the artist working things out and learning on the page.  I see a lot of that in this book and expect that Baillie's next projects should be very good.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Josh Latta's A RABBIT IN KING ARTHUR'S FOOD COURT

A Rabbit in King Arthur's Food Court: A Rashy Rabbit Adventure No. 6 by Josh Latta.

www.lattaland.com

Published by Wide Awake Press.

7 x 8" minicomic.  32 pages.  Black and white with color cover.

On sale here for $4.00.

I was very excited to get this sixth issue of Rashy Rabbit in the mail.  This book is such a fun read that after I finished the last page I immediately turned to the first and started over again.  This book is printed in the same style and format as the last issue which is to say it looks great.  It looks about as good as a minicomic can look without any gimmicks.  The wrap-around cover is not only lovely but hilarious.  Great design.  Great colors.  I absolutely love that cover title banner.  Very cool.

I can't believe this is the sixth Rashy Rabbit adventure.  Well, really, it's like his third adventure.  The first three issues were not really adventures.  It was with issue four that the thing really took off in the action comedy direction.  I kind of look at the first three issues as pilot attempts.  But still, six minicomics with the same lead character and most of the same supporting cast is pretty rare in minicomics.  The most amazing thing about it is that Latta continues to shake things up and push himself as an artist and storyteller.  

While Rashy is still the same working class slacker adrift in a sea of bullies and rampant consumerism, Latta has changed the look and style of the book with every issue.  This issue sees the biggest change in character design yet.  Rashy has evolved from an edgy underground comix rabbit to more of a Smurf with rabbit ears.  And it works.  It looks great but more importantly it is perfect for the kind of physical comedy Latta is working in now.  Almost every panel has a physical gag and that demands a clean style.  Personally, my favorite looking Rashy was either from the third or fourth issue but I think this version is the best for this action adventure comedy stuff. The motions are perfect and every gag works in a way that would get muddy with a lot of overdrawing.  This also the best overall looking book so far.  The inks and lettering are consistent, bold and confident. 

The storytelling is also very sharp.  And it would have to be to pull off the zany plot in 32 pages.  This issue finds Rashy working in one of those Medieval themed restaurants with knights and horses and jousting and all that nonsense.  Rashy's girl Honey Bunny is putting the pressure on Rashy to buy her a ring. So, like clockwork, Rashy will make a series of bad decisions which will of course lead to hilarious slapstick adventure featuring knights, drug dealers, cops and a baby riding a horse through a shopping mall.  The pacing, scene transitions, montages and action scenes are all seamless.  And there is a lot of action.  Fights, guns, jousting, swords, horses, a helicopter, car crashes, police brutality... it's got it all.

The characters are very enjoyable in this book.  Rashy and his girl Honey Bunny are funny and Jimmy acts as kind of stoned Obi-Wan Kenobi.  The supporting cast of jousters and gangstas are also a lot of fun.  It seems like Latta has found a cast and style that he can have a lot of fun with and is letting it go in whatever crazy direction it takes him.  I personally hope he will stick to this style for a while or at least another issue or two but the only safe assumption I can make is that Rashy Rabbit will continue to surprise me.

 Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

* Image stolen from lattaland.com because my scanner is like, way over there and stuff.