This batch of 'I don't know how to categorize this' comics includes the newest project from Theo Ellsworth, sharpie messages from animals, some classic EC comics, Lovecraftian libations, short comics based on the lyrics of Electric Frankenstein, a new set of modern animal tales for modern times.
SECRET LIFE HC
(W) Theo Ellsworth, Jeff Vandermeer (A/CA) Theo Ellsworth, Jeff Vandermeer
With deft insight, Secret Life observes the sinister individualism of bureaucratic settings in contrast with an unconcerned natural world. As the narrative progresses you may begin to suspect that the world Ellsworth has brought to life with hypnotic visuals is not so secret after all; in fact, it's uncannily similar to our own.
JUN211441
Why this caught my eye:
Ellsworth doesn't seem to release new material too often so it's always a nice surprise to see something on the horizon. If you've never heard of him before, do yourself a favor and check out his artwork.
ANIMALS WITH SHARPIES HC
(W) Michael Dumontier, Neil Farber (A/CA) Michael Dumontier, Neil Farber
Animals With Sharpies is a collection of paintings with hand-lettered texts. In each painting, Michael Dumontier and Neil Farber have depicted an animal holding a sharpie, ostensibly writing a message. These messages are varied in nature: they are political and religious tracts, confessions, recipes, arithmetic problems and more. Above all, these paintings are funny, but they are also startlingly poignant and jarring for the humanness of the suffering and longing depicted in these animals' simple words.
OCT211405
Why this caught my eye:
Neil Farber won me over with his #librarymdnf fake books on Instagram.
EC JACK KAMEN AL FELDSTEIN 3 FOR MONEY & OTHER STORIES HC
(W) Jack Kamen, Ray Bradbury (A) Al Feldstein
This volume of the New York Times' bestselling series includes the infamous "The Orphan" - one of the stories that got EC Comics into hot water during the U.S. Senate's investigation into comic books. Also included are "The October Game," "Frozen Assets!" and "Standing Room Only" along with the title story, all pains-takingly restored. Like every book in The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library, this volume also features essays and notes by EC experts on these classic masterpieces.
JUN211525
Why this caught my eye:
I would love the entire Fantagraphics EC library collection as I really like this format, but alas I must pace myself. This one is abit higher on the list due to that Orphan story.
LOVECRAFT COCKTAILS ELIXIRS LIBATIONS LORE OF HP LOVECRAFT
(W) Mike Slater, Red Duke Games
The author and the illustrator behind the best-selling Necronomnomnom have summoned another glorious grimoire-this time featuring cursed cocktails. These boozy and punny recipes pay homage to Lovecraftian horror themes and monsters with titles such as the "King in Jell-O," "Pink FlaMi-Go," and "Sunken Island Iced Tea." The book provides "Virgin Sacrifices" for the coachman designated to drive everyone back from the séance, or for anyone not wanting to imbibe the devil's water. There are 75 delicious and malicious recipes, each gorgeously illustrated, mercilessly tested, and hilariously written. Recipes appear in the form of cryptic rhymes and arcane rituals but are always easy (and fun) to follow.
AUG211700
Why this caught my eye:
Look, it's stupid, but I already got the Necronomnomnom. And I mean, cmon.....King in Jell-O? Like, I gotta. I'm not a dad, but the inner dad in me is being summoned like an eldritch spawn with all these horrible puns.
ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN TP
(W) Sal Canzonieri (A) Peter Bagge, Shawn Dickinson, Dirty Donny Gillies, Sal Canzonieri, Mik Baro, Graham Manley (CA) Johnny Ace, Kali Verra
Hard Punk Rock band Electric Frankenstein, Yoe Books and Clover Press mash together to bring EF lyrics ALIVE as comics!
Electric Frankenstein asked over 100 artists to create short comics based on the lyrics of their songs. What was born was sometimes beautiful and poetic, but other times just downright disturbing and raw! Judgment will not be passed on what you gravitate towards! All lay between the covers of this book.
Releasing over 100 records all over the world since 1992, Electric Frankenstein is where AC/DC meets The Dead Boys! EF's high energy punk rock and roll combines the raw and energetic sounds of Punk Rock and Garage Punk (Dead Boys, Ramones, Damned, Misfits, Sabbath etc.) with elements of hard rock played by bands like MC5, Stooges, AC/DC, Kiss, Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper, and so on.
Electric Frankenstein has proved to be highly influential, helping to spark a rock revival among the youth of the time throughout the world from the US to Europe to Scandinavia to Japan, known as the New Rock Revolution.
AUG211683
Why this caught my eye:
I missed the Kickstarter on this so it's nice to see it offered. You can get a better idea of the talents involved through the link.
ANIMAL STORIES GN
(W) Peter Hoey, Maria Hoey (A) Maria Hoey (A/CA) Peter Hoey
What separates us from animals? What connects us? Award-winning cartoonists Peter and Maria Hoey probe these mysteries across six surreal and interconnected stories.
After tremendous acclaim for their series Coin-Op Comics, two brilliant creators present their first graphic novel: a menagerie of wild tales. Pushing the boundaries of their dazzling and unique narrative style, Animal Stories weaves together six short stories exploring the mysterious relationships between humans and other animals.
A girl who keeps pigeons starts receiving messages from a new bird in her flock. A ship's crew rescues a dog, only to find far stranger things in the sea around them. A reincarnated cat with criminal intentions, a parrot who leads a revolution, and a squirrel who tempts a woman in a beautiful garden glade.
Drawing inspiration from Aesop's Fables, film noir, and the Old Testament, Peter and Maria Hoey apply their singular and sophisticated visual storytelling to create a new set of modern animal tales for modern times.
AUG210540
Why this caught my eye:
I really wanna know about that cat's criminal intentions. I mean, it all sounds good, but evil cats are always fun.
That's it for this batch, next up we'll touch on all-ages!