I can show you where to get some Shuteye, but its not going to be enough. It's only three deep right now.
Again avoiding confusion, Shuteye is the name of a comic. I'm not actually talking about sleep because I wouldn't know the first thing about that. If I gave my advice, readers would be up until five in the morning reading comics books.
Whenever your bed time is, though, improve it by keeping the latest issue of this book under your pillow. It's the perfect bed-time story for big people.
This first thing that attracted me was the cover. It's simply a silk-screened image on a piece of colored poster board, folded in half. But something about it's simplicity just makes it stand out. The over-all construction isn't an exact science so each one is a bit unique, which is decidedly cool. Also, the texture is pure joy and the size makes it very comfortable to hold . When you're not reading 'em, you pretty much just want to touch 'em.
Flipping through one, it's simple, it's pretty and it works. But the story doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary. It's deceiving. I would have never guessed I was in for a sort of modern fairy tale. No princesses or dragons; it just regular people in an ordinary setting with a dash of something that isn't. Simple as that.
Each issue is it's own separate story as well. No cliff-hangers to trouble your slumber here. Just beginning, middle and beautiful, melancholy ending. Not quite happy, not quite sad. The endings are my favorite.
"A Catalan named Veà deserts his company of explorers in the Banda Oriental."
"In a provincial neighborhood bar, a young traveler remakes the events of his life but are they lies, or a twisted new truth?"
"While hiking through the wilderness of the Northern Midwest, a couple stumbles upon a mysterious abandoned house and suddenly find themselves off the map."
Above is a picture of each issue so far along with the synopsis that can be found on the back. I would love to retell each one for you. To be honest the stories are so much fun that I don't think it would ruin much, but I'm not taking that chance. You're just going to have to trust me on this one.
Shuteye is written and drawn by Sarah Becan and produced by Short Pants Press. The first two issues are based on stories by her brother David Becan. I haven't had much of a chance to check out much of her other stuff, but I've been meaning to check out Ouija Interviews. Apparently it documents "ACTUAL" conversations with spirits while using a Ouija board. I'm not concerned about how real the conversations are, but it looks pretty funny. Let me know if you check this or any other of her stuff out before I do.
Wanna buy some Shuteye?
Shuteye #1 - Veà
Shuteye #2 - The Liar
Shuteye #3 - Night and Day
Go ahead and check out Short Pants Press while you're at it.
I recommend Singularity if you like things a bit gruesome and a lot strange. I really haven't checked out much more than that.
Yet.
Get Some Shuteye.
Brinkerhoff
It all starts from there.
One of the first webcomics I was ever introduced to was Brinkerhoff, a weekday-ly, four panel strip focusing mostly on the life of Brink. He's the bunny that's about to get bitch slapped with divorce papers somewhere within the next four panels. Every strip usually gets at least a smile out of me, but giggles and even belly-laughs are not exactly scarce.
The style of Brinkerhoff definitely falls into the same genre as
The strip itself shows Brink dealing with a divorce, moving back in with his mom, his ex-wife boinkin their marriage counselor, kids, and reentering the dating scene. Pretty depressing subjects for the most part, yet somehow it's all really funny. It's also a bit amazing how it humorously portrays people on every end of the divorce issue without being over-the-top with cliché or stereotypes.
And on top of all that...it's just so fucking cute.
When the children are introduced all you can see are their cute little rabbit ears. Cute little rabbit ears that happen to be in complete contradiction with the smart-ass comments coming from them. Things like that don't win too many points for originality, but they're utilized really well.
To be totally honest, when I first started reading Brinkerhoff I didn't care that much about who wrote it, but in honor of this post I did some research.
The guy's name is Gabe Strine.
Turns out Gabe's a really friggin sweet guy and I wish I would have done my research sooner.
Far as I can tell he started with a webcomic called The Zoo which follows an array of animals living in the same apartment building because of zoo closings. The style of characters and major themes are different, but the punchline-type humor is much the same. It helps The Zoo get in some zingers which are worth checking out, but what really struck me during my research is the comic strip he did in between that and Brinkerhoff.
It's called Bodinski's Blog.
Just to be clear, it's not a blog in the traditional sense. It's a comic strip that was posted on a blog. But technically it does function as a blog would.
Let me explain.
Bubba Bodinski is a pen name Gabe Strine used to express himself when "Gabe Strine" couldn't. It features a miniature version of himself that looks at and converses directly with you, the reader. This cute little character details what he calls, "the two most eventful years" of his life. Eventful kind of sugarcoats it though. Carrying a hand-basket full of shit from divorce down to unemployment, Bodinski's Blog sort of worked as Gabe's diary. It was also his therapy.
It's honest, raw and it pulls no punches. So, coincidentally it's themes are a mixture. It, without a doubt, has some of the funniest strips I've ever read. But there are others that pretty much break your heart. It's brilliant.
If I were you I'd read about divorced bunnies when the boss ain't lookin, sprinkle some zoo animals in with your morning paper and find a special place to sit alone with Bubba for a while.
Time well spent I think.
Let's link it up shall we?
Brinkerhoff
Waste valuable hours of you life scouring the archive. I did.
The Zoo
This is the only place I could find some strips still posted.
Bodinski's Blog on the other hand I can't find posted anywhere.
No worries though, you can buy it along with The Zoo: Everything and Then Some at:
http://stores.lulu.com/gabestrine
P.S. If you like Brinkerhoff be sure to check the above site for the first installment of Brinkerhoff - Wild Hare. It's hysterical and only 25 cents.
Tales Designed To Thrizzle
It's funny. Really funny. You'll have to put it down mid-coitus because you'll be laughing so much. And coitus is what you'll be doing because it's just that good.
I snatched up a grab-bag assortment of comics my first visit to Quimby's and issue two of this series (which is only three deep as of now) was one of them. I was told it was funny from a rad employee, but after being slightly disappointed by another of his suggestions I put it off till last. Even so I wanted to give it a fair and honest read so I took it to a place where I could sit, relaxed, and give it my full concentration.
I imagine belly-laughs sound a bit strange coming from the bathroom with the fan on and the door closed, but honestly I couldn't help it. It's pages contain fictional ads for a robot that saves you time by giving your wife foreplay or spanking your child for you, an apiary hat, the forcible and surprise removal of your leaky penis, and a baby doll that proudly announces every deuce.
It's segregated into the sections of adult, children and old people and stories include "I Bothered a Big Fish", Cousin Granpa and the question you can only ask your closest friends - Do I Smell Like a Hobo? It even has a chose-your-own-adventure game.
Apart from it's humor what took me by surprise is that nearly every story, ad , blip, whatever were all drawn in a completely different style and all by one person, Michael Kupperman.
For me that's kind of inspirational. I've read things like Sin City or The Crow where all the writing and drawing was one person's doing, but it was the same style throughout. And while I respect and love the idea of having a "style", the diversity that Kupperman shows is pretty much, kinda awesome.
Now I've read reviews that say this series is the funniest one in a decade or the best thing since Monty Python, but I'm in no position to say such things. Just pick it up, you won't be disappointed. All three issues are available at http://www.fantagraphics.com/cart/ under Comics-contemporary-page 29.
When I get a scanner I'll put a bigger photo up here, but for now that's a robot in the background.
Catch You At Quimby's.
I've wanted to write a blog for a while, but I always took the idea too serious. So I'm not now. Long story short.
Comics have been a running motif in my life. I read comics, collect comics, talk about comics to those that can see them as something at least a little more than a child's picture book.
Now I blog about comics.
No harm factor.
Lifetime speaking I've been pretty mainstream, Marvel and even so mostly X-men. Last couple years though I've been branching out. More of the Marvel-verse, some DC, bit a Vertigo, Image, Wildstorm, IDW, Dark Horse, SLG, and whoever published The Crow.
Earlier this year I got introduced to online comic strips. Brinkerhoff and Troy to be specific.
And recently, we're talking this week here, I walked into the world of independents. And when I say "walked into the world of independents" I mean I walked into Quimby's on North Ave. in Chicago. The place is amazing and opened up so many new doors.
This leaves me with a good hold on the mainstream comic industry, a good start with the web comic industry and grab bag of possibilities for exploring the indy industry along with a shit load of local Chicago comics.
So I'm excited about it and I want to boost my ego by talking about it.
My prophesy is that I'll blog mostly about the shit I like, a bit about what I don't, stuff I can't tell from the other and sometimes about the crap I don't understand.
I'll do my best to be honest and objective, but I'm sure I'll manage, at times, to be sarcastic, cynical, and mildly offensive.
Catch you at Quimby's.
http://www.quimbys.com/
