Trying to fill that void in your life, you have started reading this article in hopes that you will acquire some new selections in the world of small press. Well, breathe a sigh of relief my friend, as collected here is a quick rundown of some of the more intriguing and promising bodies of work being released by DIY creators across the nation.
The Other Side
by J.P. Coovert
One Percent Press
Combining J.P. Coovert's simplistic, stylized cartoon style with a more awkward and cohesive storyline than most of his other work, The Other Side is the tale of two childhood friends who sneak out one night and explore the bizarre reality of suburbia. The story is insanely quick, and can literally be read in two minutes, but it is nothing short of charming. Coovert manages to capture in 12 short pages the same atmosphere that some artists struggle to capture in huge volumes of work. Coovert's book can be picked up off of http://www.onepercentpress.com
Blister No. 1
by Hellen Jo
Self-released
Hellen Jo's latest foray into her twisted world of Korean-American teenage violence and backstabbing is Blister, a bizarre two story collection that is just as fun to look at as it is to read. The first part is the actual Blister story, following the period-tormented Angela as she suffers one awkward day at the pool. The second story, "Jinju", is actually in Korean, but has subtitles at the bottom. "Jinju" is a devilishly entertaining story of betrayed love and revenge, told in a really cool stylistic approach. Jo's work is definitely not worth passing up, and those interested should check out her website, http://hellen.gq.nu, for news and ordering info.
Bromide No. 2
by David Clugh
Bromide Arts
I picked this one up out of sheer whim and was kind of surprised I hadn't heard of this artist before. Bromide definitely shows some genuine story-telling talent, and the drawings aren't too shabby either. Fans of Masashi Tanaka's Gon series would be well advised to check out Bromide. This issue features the Pastry King's vain attempts to escape the Lumberjack. That's really all there is to know. The story is told without any words, relying on a strong sense of composition and subtle grey tones to really bring the story to life. Some sample pages can be found at http://www.bromidearts.com.
The Road to God Knows ...
by Von Allan
Self-released
Though this isn't officially out yet, you can pick up advance sample copies of Von Allan's The Road to God Knows... from the author himself at http://www.vonallan.com. The Road to God Knows... follows a young girl, Marie, as she grows up under the stressful restrictions of a mother suffering from schizophrenia. Von Allan has a nice sense of pacing and gradual character buildup, and while the artwork is not perfect, it does pleasantly match the undertone of anxiety and inner-conflict that propels the story forward. This creates some promising expectations for when this full-length graphic novel actually comes out in early 2007.
Gutter No. 1
by various authors
Self-released
Gutter is put out by a small group of students from New York's School of Visual Arts, and is a bizarre combination of parody, commentary and, well, overall kooky stories. Included in this issue are such oddball protagonists as Frank the Addict, the Necro Fiend, and Sir Leotard McKinzey, juxtaposed with more narrative tales such as Conor Hughes' murder mystery "Gaijin" and "The Iceman Killeth." One problem is that there is set division between most of the stories. It has to be deduced that one segment is over when the artwork changes styles. The illustrations themselves are pretty impressive. Most eye-catching is the spastic, shaky drawing style used for Frank the Addict, which really suits a publication that calls itself Gutter. Those interested in picking up an issue can shoot an e-mail to guttermagazine@gmail.com, or perhaps try to Facebook random kids from SVA.
Invisible Summer No. 11/Clutch No. 17
by Clutch and Nicole Georges
Self-released
Combining both Nicole Georges' Invisible Summer and Clutch's Clutch, this split presents an interesting twist on the normally straightforward, anti-climactic autobiographical genre. Each page is essentially a diary entry in comic-form for the artists, displaying one day in the life of Georges and another in the life of Clutch. The vastly different approaches to story-telling that each author exhibits are a refreshing way of keeping the content interesting, showing the dissimilar outlooks of each author on their own lives and interactions.
