Print this page, circle the comics you want, and give it to your retailer by the 2nd week of August!
A complaint worth repeating about the contemporary comics market is that the constant barrage of sexist imagery drives away women and serious-minded readers. This month's distributor catalog seems particularly strident in its sexploitational tactics, with a large-bosomed clown heroine on the front cover, and a half-naked Gigeresque femme on the back cover. Both covers are skillful illustrations with many aspects that comics fans will appreciate, but when the layman looks at them, they're only going to see two things, if you know what I mean!
I'm no prude, and I appreciate the work of cartoonists like Jaime Hernandez and Robert Crumb who are straightforward and sincere in portraying eroticism (and I can say the same about dedicated 'good girl' artists like Budd Root as well.) But in too many current titles, the large breasts and hooker wardrobes are add-ons cynically calculated to boost sales.
"PIMPIN'" shouts the slogan of one medium-small press's advertisement this month, "IT'S ALL GOOD, BABY." Beneath this it shows a manga-style nymphet in a skin-tight space suit. This particular company puts out a number of kid-friendly adventure series and one well-thought-of realistic adult comic. It saddens me to see even them stooping to such desperate tactics just to make a buck.
I realize that times are tough in the comics business, but I urge publishers with integrity to stay the course and keep trying to expand our readership, instead of appealing to the lowest common denominator.
I much prefer NMB's ad slogan this month: they show the phrase 'eye candy' crossed out, and substitute beneath it 'BRAIN FOOD.'
Top Shelf Productions MONKEY VS. ROBOT This allegory about nature striking back against technology is James Kochalka's most coherent and well-conceived work. Nearly wordless, and astonishing in its simplicity, it's a perfect demonstration of the compelling, radical theories of comics art Kochalka expounded in THE HORRIBLE TRUTH ABOUT COMICS. Kudos to Top Shelf Productions and production assistant Brett Warnock as well for another beautifully-printed volume! Top Shelf Productions P. O. Box 1282 Marietta, GA 30061-1282www.topshelfcomix.com
______________________________________________ Sick Mind Press SHEBA VOL. 1 Collecting Walter S. Crane's weird and beautifully illustrated saga about a mummified cat who bounces around with her little body wrapped in bandages (she has a spiritual incarnation with the body of a bird.) Sheba's adventures among the former gods of ancient Egypt are funny and unpredictable. Fans of CEREBUS and Eddie Campbell's BACCHUS should check out this book! Sick Mind Press PO Box 400602 N. Cambridge, MA 02140www.shebacomic.com
______________________________________________ Daddy-O Press AXEL AND ALEX BOOK TWO: MONSTERS AMONG US This collection of Terry Flippo's minicomics tales of a boy and his robot companion is a terrific example of the creative excitement at the fringes of the small press. Corny but fun, and very meticulously illustrated. Terry Flippo 205 Breezewood Ct. Mt. Airy, MD 21771 ______________________________________________ Jam Up Comics HARDLY THE HOG Jamie and Alex Coward present a droll funny-animal tale in an unusual art style (the wrap-around full-color covers are especially impressive!) Jam Up Comics P. O. Box 1466, Sheffield, England S3 9YA hardly@dial.pipex.com ______________________________________________ South Jersey Rebellion Productions JERSEY DEVIL Tony DiGerolamo's spooky serio-comic epic is about the Garden State legend's contemporary incarnation. DiGerolamo's also been busy with THE TRAVELERS for Kenzer & Company. South Jersey Rebillion Productions PO Box 439 Stratford, NJ 08084www.netcom.com/~thefix/sjrp.html
A Silent comics ARSENIC LULLABY VOL. 1 TP Collecting the Harvey Award nominated dark humor anthology! ______________________________________________ AAA Pop Comics ATOMICS #10 Mike Allred! ______________________________________________ Aardvark Vanaheim CEREBUS #259 Dave Sim! ______________________________________________ Abstract Studio STRANGERS IN PARADISE BOOK 3 PART 2 HC Terry Moore! ______________________________________________ Abnormal Fun Comics ANOMALIES #1 Sam Gaffin's super-hero tale is illustrated with photographs that've been digitally enhanced to thrust the models into battles to save the universe! ______________________________________________ AIT/Planetlar ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE: ONE SHOT, ONE BEER #1 Larry Young and Charlie Adlard return with another 72-page graphic novel in the acclaimed hard-SF series about life on the moon! ______________________________________________ Amaze Ink/Slave Labor ACTION GIRL COMICS #19 Edited by Sarah Dyer! HIGHWAY 13 #1 Newcomer Les McClaine's series is about a teen and his werewolf friend who mix it up with hot-rodding ghosts! LITTLE GLOOMY HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Landry Walker and Eric Jones feature their Goth gradeschooler in a holiday special! SPOOK GIRL #4 Mike Macropoulos series promises old-fashioned thrills as title character Trixie visits a remote Pacific Island! TOXIC PARADISE #2: ZOMBIE-O-RAMA! On the heels of the two Presidential conventions, this docu-comic focuses on America's 2-party system... Just kidding! It's yet another goth comedy from Slave Labor! WAITING PLACE VOLUME 2 #6 Not a goth in sight in this ongoing true-to-life comedy-drama by McKeever, Norton, and Yurkovich. Come on, guys, get with the program! ______________________________________________ Ancient Studios LEAGUE OF SUPER-GROOVY CRIMEFIGHTERS #1 Retro-70's superhero satire by Campbell, Massey, Taylor & Helleher is full-color and looks reasonably competent from the ad. ______________________________________________ Antarctic Press BOX OFFICE POISON #21 This final issue of Alex Robinson's great series is sure to be memorable, and includes poster-page tributes by other indy artists (including yours truly.) ______________________________________________ Asta Graphics SALEM ST. JAMES: ILLUSIONS OF THE PAST #4 Adventure fantasy as our hero faces the evil Pharaoh Rai Ai Ho! ______________________________________________ Better Comics COMPLEX CITY #1 Satire about a canine gumshoe-- looks promising! ______________________________________________ Big Hairy Ape Comics STRANGE BATTLE TALES #1 Steve Mannion wrote this anthology of 'whacked out war stories.' ______________________________________________ Blind Wolf Comics PATRICK THE WOLF BOY HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Art Baltazar and Franco's grade-school werewolf is featured in this special holiday volume! ______________________________________________ Carbon-Based Comics FAITH, A FABLE Bill Knapp's acclaimed graphic novel about a girl with extraordinary influence over others features high drama, realistic characters, and no easy solutions. It's also an extraordinary specimen of the illustrator's craft. ______________________________________________ Cartoon Books BOME #40 Jeff Smith! ______________________________________________ Chanting Monkeys Studios NIGHT TERRORS #1 Bernie WRightson and Bill Stout contribute to this all-new horror anthology! ______________________________________________ Claypool Comics DEADBEATS #44 SOULSEARCHERS & COMPANY VOL. 2 TP ______________________________________________ Comic Library International COMIC LIBRARY INTERNATIONAL VOL. 5 152-page anthology includes the welcome return of Robb Bihun's goofy crimefighter 'The Hoon.' ______________________________________________ Coppervale Press ESSENTIAL STARCHILD BOOK 2 96-page collection of James Owen's fantasy series! ______________________________________________ Cydonia Press MUSIC BOX #1 Intriguing tale by Donie Odulia about a gifted cellist's encounter with a deaf vagabond! ______________________________________________ Dancing Elephant Press KANE #29 Paul Grist! ______________________________________________ Dork Storn Press DORK COVENANT: THE COLLECTED DORK TOWER VOL. 1 Collect's John Kovalic's DORK TOWER 1-6.! NODWICK #5 Aaron Williams! ______________________________________________ Eddie Campbell Comics EDDIE CAMPBELL'S BACCHUS #56 Keep 'em coming, Mr. Campbell! _____________________________________________ El Capitan Books MURDER ME DEAD #2 David Lapham! ______________________________________________ Exhibit 'A' Press SUPERNATURAL LAW #28 Batton Lash's courtroom caldron of wacky horror! ______________________________________________ False Idol Studios THE 7 GUYS OF JUSTICE #3 Superhero satire by Brian Jones and Joshua C. Rowe! ______________________________________________ Fanboy Comics SPELLBOUND: THE MAGIC OF LOVE #3 Concludes Tomoko Taniguchi's tale of a teenage witch! ______________________________________________ Fantagraphic Books FEAR OF COMICS Collecting assorted Gilbert Hernandez stories from NEW LOVE and other anthologies! LOCAS IN LOVE Collecting Jaime Hernandez's PENNY CENTURY stories, including the aclaimed Harvey Award winner 'Home School!' MAIL ORDER BRIDE Mark Kalesniko (a Disney animator whose credits include MULAN and THE LION KING) creates a complex tale of a Korean mail order bride and her neurotic Canadian purchaser in this 264-page graphic novel. UNDERWORLD VOL. 4 TP: DUH Collecting Kaz's syndicated strip UNDERWORLD. Gilbert Hernandez continues with his favorite LOVE AND ROCKETS character! POP LIFE #5 More urban drama by Ho Che Anderson and Wilfred Santiago. ______________________________________________ G.T. Labs "TALKING" ORANGUTANS IN BORNEO From Jim Ottaviani (TWO-FISTED SCIENCE and DIGNIFYING SCIENCE) comes another true tale of heroic scientists. This time we focus on Dr. Gary Shapiro, who taught orangutans American Sign Language in the wild! Illustrated by Anne Timmons! ______________________________________________ Gettosake Comics SAY WHAT?! #3 Maurice Love! ______________________________________________ Horse Press THB 6: MEK-POWER #4 Paul Pope! ______________________________________________ Humanoids Publishing THE METABARONS #9 Alexandro Jodorowsky and Juan Gimenez! DUSK VOLUME 1: POOR TOM HC Richard Marazano and Christian de Metter's chilling mystery set in Salem, Massachusetts! THE TECHNOPRIESTS VOL. 2: NOHOPE PENITENTIARY SCHOOL Virtual reality thriller by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Zoran Janjetov. WHITE LAMA VOL. 4: THE FOURTH VOICE HC Jodorowsky and George Bess! ______________________________________________ I Box Publishing THIEVES AND KINGS-- FOURTH PRINTING #1 Promotional printing of the beginning of Mark Oakley's intelligent fantasy saga-- price is $1.00! ______________________________________________ Insight Studios Group LIBERTY MEADOWS #15 Frank Cho! ______________________________________________ Ironcat Comics FUTABA-KUN CHANGE VOL. 5 #4 Trans-sexual manga adventure! ______________________________________________ Kenzer & Company KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #48 ----and----- KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE ILLUSTRATED #3 War-gamer satire! TONY DIGEROLAMO'S TRAVELERS #6 ______________________________________________ Laughing Buddha Press BUDGET STRIPS #1 Den Zelig & R. C. Guinan III bring us a droll tale about supermarket brewski acquisition! ______________________________________________ NBM DIXIE ROAD VOLUME 1 Dufaux & Labiano's depression-era story about a homeless woman and her daughter's struggle to survive. CONFESSIONS OF A CEREAL EATER #3 Rob Maisch and Scott Hampton's collection of contemporary humorous stories. ______________________________________________ New England Comics THE PSEUDO-TICK #13 Silvia, Sandroni & Toyoshima! NUCLEAR WAR #2 --and-- WORLD WAR 2: STALINGRAD #2 Ron Ledwell's historical comics! ______________________________________________ Oni Press JINGLE BELLE: NAUGHTY & NICE TP Collecting the Christmas series by Paul Dini and Stephen DeStafano. SOULWIND IV: THE WAY THINGS NEVER HAPPENED TP Reprinting Scott Morse! ______________________________________________ Radio Comics FURRLOUGH #94 Anthropomorphic anthologies! LOVE BITES! #1 True-to-life manga romantic tale by Daniel Fu! ______________________________________________ Shanda Fantasy Arts KATMANDU #22 Curtis, Howard, and various in anthropomorphic fantasy! ______________________________________________ Sirius Entertainment SCARY GODMOTHER VOL. 4: THE BOO FLU HC More exquisite full-color painted comics by Jill Thompson! DOLL PARTS Macabre humor by Mike L. Taylor & Shawn Pacheco! OH MY GOTH: HUMANS SUCK! #3 Voltaire! ______________________________________________ Sleeping GIant Comics HAUNTED SC Stylishly talented artist David Yurkovich with an anthology of classic horror tales, including 'The Monkey's Paw.' ______________________________________________ Top Shelf Productions SPEECHLESS: TALES FROM THE SYSTEM HC Peter Kuper coffee table book! ____________________________________________ Viz Communications PULP VOL 4 #11 Manga-noir anthology! BANANA FISH VOL 4 TP Akimi Yoshida's acclaimed series about young American gangsters! EAGLE VOL. 9: PASSION Kaiji Kawaguchi's Complex political saga about a Japanese/American candidate for president! ______________________________________________ WCG Comics ROB HANES ADVENTURES #1 Randy Reynaldo's welcome return with more adventures of his globetrotting espionage hero! ______________________________________________ Non-independent Behemoth Publishers Before Which We Mere Mortals May Only Tremble! USAGI YOJIMBO #42 (Dark Horse) Stan Sakai's beloved samurai rabbit's adventures continue! MADMAN COMICS: THE G-MEN FROM HELL #3 (Dark Horse) Mike Allred! MINOR MIRACLES (DC Comics) Will Eisner!