Shoulda, woulda, coulda

I had every intention of running home from the MOME exhibit opening last Saturday, but something distracted me. The damage room held a piece of gold I've been trying to find for a while: Schizo #1. Ivan Brunetti and his indiosyncratic musings have held me captive, so apologies to the Fantagraphics crew for not singing your praises immediately after your event.

Okay, so onto the opening....

We didn't expect a big crowd, for several reasons. As Eric Reynolds mentioned, the Seahawks game thwarted any potential non-nerd attendence. Secondly, MOME isn't very well known outside of the niche market that enjoys independent comic anthologies. And third, not everyone can be as dedicated as Dylan and I are to attending openings where the artists are not publicized as being there. I'm not sure what this says about us, but I digress.

It's no secret to any reader who has paid attention to our posts during the past year and a half that I am borderline crazy about John Pham. Once I entered the room, I beelined it for the gallery wall, which was partially guarded by an enviable court, including Fantagraphics own Rhea Patton.

To kill some time while waiting for the crowd holding John Pham's originals hostage to break up, I snuck some photos of some of the gorgeous originals that here displayed.

(clockwise) Jeffrey Brown, Sophie Crumb, Jonathan Bennett

Martin Cendreda

Finally victory was mine, and I was able to plant myself in front of Pham's artwork and drink it in. It was lovely, and all I have is this crappy photo to show for it.

If you live in or near Seattle, you should really check out this lovely art. Even if you don't like comics, I think there is something to appreciate on all levels. From Andrice Arp's beautiful full color piece to the pen sketches of Anders Nilsen, there is plenty to enjoy.

Chelo's Burden

Remember that gigantic Love and Rockets project that I came up with? You know, the one where I go book by book and break down important points? I didn't forget about it, but times were hectic with the holidays. Anyway, now I am back on track and ready to bring you the second installment.

CHELO'S BURDEN
Sopa de Gran Pena: Gilbert's Palomar storyline develops, with the introduction of characters in the setting of this impoverished, complicated town colored by jealousy and insecurities and some of the strongest female characters in comics. Here we see death, pregnancy, sexuality, poverty, and love all rolled into one giant mess with Chelo's burden being one of titanic proportions: how can one woman keep these people intact while preserving herself?



Love and Rockets: A film noir colored hero dream sequence courtesy of Penny Century and Jaime's art. Beautiful, beautiful stuff.


Maggie vs. Manniak: Maggie has the heart of a super heroine - she wants to right the wrongs of the world, she's adorably naive in her belief that things do change, she has the pride and courage to carry her through battle, and she even looks good in spandex. Here we are reminded that despite the human tragedy and sensitivity of our beloved Locas characters, this is still a comic. Thank goodness, cause it was starting to get heavy in here....

Music for Monsters III: Another sci-fi story by Gilberto nudges it's way into the collection. Armed with a beautiful thin lined style, this smart adventure piece shows some of Los Bros Hernandez's influences.

Hey Hopey: At long last, Hopey's lesbianism is addressed, even if it is in a jested accusation from her brother. I'll take what I can get. While I'm glad her sexual preference isn't made into a huge political debate because it would detract from the universality of the dramas Jaime's characters, I think it's an important element to her character.


Untitled: Gilbert shows off a real talent for the short story comic in this book, with a strange but endearing one-page story featuring a very sad fellow being forced to do something he does not want to do.

100 Rooms: Arguably one of the most interesting exploration of Locas' characters taking place in the mansion of Penny Century's boyfriend/lover/sinister power-hungry billionaire H.R. Costigan. Featuring a kidnapping, topless sunbathing, a costume ball, clashing of egos, and a mental breakdown, there is certainly something to entice all readers.

Twitch City: Showing more artisitic versatility than he is ever given credit for, Gilbert presents a futuristic society fraught with sinister characters, cruelty, and paranoia. Another great short story.

Toyo's Request: Revisiting some characters from the Mechanics storyline, Rena Titañon fulfills a dying request. Ever the protector, she lets people presume what they need to while fighting off enemies in a way only a female wrestling champion could.

Locas Tambien: Functioning as a quick check-in with Hopey and Maggie, we find that there is a food and work shortage that is compounded by love confusion and ambiguity. You know, the usual.

Somewhere in California: Mario's contribution is a wonderfully drawn story of a pornographer, terrorists, and kidnapping. How I feel about this story summarizes how I feel about Mario's work in general: all kinds of good stuff wrapped up in a questionably constructed way. Maybe Mario is over my head, but it's frustrating to not understand where the story is going until the end, then having to go and re-read it so you can enjoy the story.

Out O' Space: Rocky and Fumble play stick-the-flag-in-the-unclaimed-planet until a menacing, lonely rock beast stops them. Wonderfully drawn with a "cute" sensibility makes this a nice conclusion to this book.

2006 in Comics

I agree with Serene's assessment of year end lists in general, yet I, too, am bowing to the pressure to recap 2006. Inlcuding a series of unranked, unrated, list-like groupings. Please note, nitpickers, that these are not "Bests," but more like "Favorites." Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.

Floppy Comics (Ongoing or Limited, at least partly published in 2006):

DMZ is possibly the mainstream success story of the year, getting coverage everywhere from the New York Times to Utne Reader, thank to its timely subject matter and high quality. It's grown into its high concept over the year, as Wood and Burchielli flesh out their version of war-torn Manhattan.

Nextwave: Agents of HATE has been an amazing excercise in taking things just too damn far, in a good way. It's the only book that consistently makes me laugh out loud multiple times per issue, and the fact that Marvel is publishing it never ceases to amaze. Although, there's only one more issue to come, at least for now.

Speaking of amazing, Grant Morrison has brought the same reverent-yet-revisionist touch he used on New X-Men to All Star Superman, with Frank Quitely's gorgeous, well-thought-out illustration talents backing him up. It's a reminder that superhero comics can still be fun, smart, and surprising, when they want to be.

A little company called Tugboat Press started putting out a great little anthology title called Papercutter this year, which hasn't had anywhere near the attention it deserves. Aaron Renier's cover for the debut issue is one of my all-time favorite covers, hands down, and the first three issues include stories by him, Liz Prince, Elijah Brubaker, Graham Annable, Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover, Nate Beaty, Becca Taylor, Sean Aaberg, and JP Coovert are top-notch. Sure, Mome and Kramer's Ergot and other big anthologies like that get all the attention, but there's more happening in anthology land.

Kevin Huizenga's Or Else #4 and Ganges #1, while technically separate series, are both continuations of the life of Glenn Ganges, the everyman character at the heart of much of Huizenga's work. Both books are wildly experimental, pointing towards new possibilities in the medium, while retaining a very human heart and a sense of fun and exploration that many art comics lack.

Other notables: Shaolin Cowboy still chugging along every few months, raising the bar for insanity and daring. Dead Girl giving us some of that old X-Statix charm back. Local slowly becoming something very different, and more unified, than its original concept. And Love & Rockets, for still being one of the best after all these years.

Books & Graphic Novels

La Perdida, Jessica Abel's tale of a naive young American trying to get by in Mexico City, was finally released as a collected edition, in hardcover, with incredible painted covers. The story is gripping and realistic, with a lead character who's likable despite her sizable flaws.

Hope Larson's Gray Horses sealed her position as one of the most talented young cartoonists working today, with a clean art style married to ambitious storytelling. Sweet, melancholy, and ultimately uplifting, without being at all saccharine.

Larson's husband, Bryan Lee O'Malley released the third installment of his ongoing series of hilarious and poignant graphic novels, Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness. I've never seen a book so perfectly capture the touchstones of my generation's childhood and adolescence, with its young protagonists playing in indie rock bands trapped in an incestuous scene, relating their life experiences to video games they've played, and fumbling through love, lust, friendship and rivalry all the while.

And of course, Kaz Strzepek's The Mourning Star, which I first discovered as a mini-comic, before it was released by Bodega Distribution late this year. There's a lot of buzz about this book, as there should be. It's an accomplished debut by a relatively new face with a strong grasp of the language of comics, and a unique vision to share. Hopefully, it's the first of many books we'll see from him.

Comics Blogs

Paul Pope and Eddie Campbell have recently started excellent blogs about their own creations, and have proved to be insightful and prolific posters. From Pope's musings on his influences, to Campbell's in depth look behind the scenes of his (and Alan Moore's) most famous creation, From Hell, both are welcome additions to the comics blogosphere.

The best addition to the blogosphere, of course, is the return of the site that arguably got it rolling, or at least connected many of its disparate regions. I'm talking about Dirk Deppey's Journalista blog, at the Comics Journal site. While his reign as editor of the Journal itself was sadly short-lived, we are still blessed by his presence online, and his prolific and all-encompassing linking remains unmatched.

It's been a good year. Lots of good books, series, conventions, adn other events. We got to see Marjane Satrapi, Harvey Pekar, Ellen Forney, Peter Bagge, and Jessica Abel right here in Seattle, and got to see and meet plenty of other cartoonists at APE and Stumptown. We bought way too many comics, and enjoyed almost all of them to some degree. All the bullshit "mainstream" crossovers, promotions, and drama? Ignore it. It'll go away. And we'll probably all be better off for it.

Have a good 2007!

Too Cool for School

Traditions be damned - screw your top lists of the year! I hate you all!

...

Okay, now that's off my chest and the world now knows the fiery hate I have for the requisite year end pat-on-back-because-you-have-an-opinion-and-no-one-really-cares, I'm going to do mine. But because I didn't read everything that came out this year, I won't approach this as a tool to persuade anyone to read something because I put my stamp of approval on it. Fuck, I'm not even going to do this so the anonymous people in Internet Landtm think I am a smart or interesting person. But I am compelled to do a little 40 oz pour out to my favorites because everyone deserves a little praise and ego stroking. So despite my reservations, here are what I consider the highlights of our nub and paper world.

In no order, other than what comes to mind first:

Castle Waiting (both collected and single issues) by Linda Medley
American Splendor by Harvey Pekar and a fantastic cast of artists including Gilbert Hernandez and Dean Haspiel
Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness by Bryan Lee O'Malley
I Love Led Zeppelin by Ellen Forney
Dork #11 by Evan Dorkin
DMZ by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli
Don't Go Where I Can't Follow by Anders Nilsen
The Mourning Star by Kaz Strzepek
Schizo #4 by Ivan Brunetti
Nebuli by Vasilis Lolos and Becky Cloonan


And since we all know the internet exists for nerds to feel popular and a part of a community, I figured I'd mention some comic blogs that I actually like read and not just skim over. And pointing out that these are already on the sidebar will annoy me. People need love too, jerkface.

Gumpop
Beaucoup Kevin
Ian Brill
Chris Butcher
Journalista
Bully Says

And because I feel like it, I'll round this off with the two things that piss me off about comics this year:
ComicSpace and the untimely and unfortunate death of the Comic Weblog Update page.