In a Glass Grotesquely

2020 has been a turbulent year, full of turmoil and tragedy. One of this year's biggest losses for me in the world of comics was the sudden death of Richard Sala. I love his distinctive art style, which was reminiscent of many influences, an amalgamation of Mad magazine details and Expressionism as well as elements of Charles Addams and Edward Gorey. He was excellent at creating tone and crafting punchy, creepy, compelling stories.

 

In a Glass Grotesquely contains one large story and three shorter, black and white pieces. The three final stories are more emblematic of Sala's general style: dark, claustrophobic spaces full of terrible and weird characters. The lead tale, "Super-Enigmatix," originally serially published as a webcomic, contains many elements of what made Sala's work so memorable and exciting. Tonally, it's like a old-time movie serial, packed with plot and powerful visuals. It features a mysterious genius figure bent on murder, conspiracy, and sowing chaos. There is an army of armed female assassins, giant killer plants, and many red herrings/plot twists. It also strikes me as being a story that at once recalls the past in terms of genre but in terms of theme speaks to contemporary matters such as reality television, fake news, and government manipulation. It plays as both loving homage as well as biting satire. I find it fascinating just how timeless and timely this book is. 

But, this being a work by Richard Sala, for me it's biggest selling point is the artwork. The main story is rendered in color, and it contains a number of fantastic elements, including a wonderfully disguised antagonist, a bevy of evening gown-clad women, monster plants, monster-masked villains, and some psychedelic, dreamlike layouts. He was masterful at designing worlds for bold characters and bombastic action.

All of the reviews I have read about it online have been positive, though I feel they don't quite account for how much bitterness is mixed in with its sweetness. Jason Sacks called it "a classic Sala style delight that brings new treats on every page." Graham Johnstone called it "an enjoyable romp" that will sweep readers along with its "joyful energy." Sala speaks more about all of his works, but "Super-Enigmatix" specifically in this interview.

In a Glass Grotesquely was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more here.

The Chuckling Whatsit

As I am reviewing spooky graphic novels during this month, I would be negligent if I did not include a work by one of the most prolific and macabre artists of the past few decades. Richard Sala has created a number of impressively creepy, funny, and suspenseful comics for a wide range of readers. He can make quick, violent, colorful confections like this past year's e-comic Violenzia, or suspenseful and fun children's fare like Cat Burglar Black. He is a master of combining various gothic elements in narrative and visual form. His art style is very distinctive, an amalgamation of Mad magazine details and Expressionism as well as elements of Charles Addams and Edward Gorey throughout. He is excellent at creating tone and conveying a punchy story, as you can see from the first couple pages of a story originally serialized in Zero Zero, The Chuckling Whatsit:

 

The plot of The Chuckling Whatsit is layered like an onion, partly about the search for a creepy set of dolls made from human body parts, a slack-about writer looking for work, a lost folk artist, a serial murderer who targets horoscope authors, and a secret society of villains and assassins. There are many excellent, surprising details in the backgrounds as well as visually striking characters, from the masked female burglar who is always carrying a rose to the hulking, lurking henchman who has a huge scar across his forehead and carries a sack that barks orders at him. Not only does Sala deliver an excellent plot and mystery, dropping hints and information like bread crumbs, he also provides a motley and memorable cast of players.

Among Sala's other works are his story collection Mad Night, Peculia and the Groon Grove Vampires, Delphine, Black Cat Crossing, The Hidden, and his most recent work, In a Glass Grotesquely. He speaks more about his many works and career in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this classic book have been very positive. Publishers Weekly wrote that "The wildly imaginative storytelling and sly pastiche of lurid pulp material make an appealing mix." The Onion A.V. Club's Stephen Thompson opined, "Although its ornate lettering and perfect crosshatching are great to look at, the truly admirable quality of The Chuckling Whatsit lies in its labyrinthine plot."

The Chuckling Whatsit was published by Fantagraphics Books, who provide a preview and much more here.

Violenzia

Checking in at 50 breath-taking pages, Violenzia was the first digital-only release from Fantagraphics, a storied publisher of alternative comics. The narrative is full of great pulp genre elements, including human sacrifices, a creepy cult with its tendrils in local police and politics, hill-billy meth dealers, and an action heroine whose methods are swift and deadly.

She is a woman of few words.

There is not so much a plot as there are extended action sequences where the titular heroine dispenses justice from the barrels of her guns. Still, it is an exhilarating and fun read. The artwork is classic Richard Sala style, with plenty of cheesecake, monsters, wretched villains, shocking moments, and excellent, clear storytelling. He is a well established comics creator with decades of works that meld mystery, horror, and action to his credit. He speaks more about his work on this book in this interview.

Reviews I have read about this comic have been mostly positive. The anonymous reviewer at HTMLGIANT wrote that this book smacks of white, male privilege but that it also "evokes the joy of action comics with lush colors and retro pencilings." Rich Barrett called it "a light read and a nice low cost entry into discovering Sala's work." Jason Sacks wrote, "I had so much fun reading this book and Violenzia's bloody adventures that I can't wait to see what comes next."

This book was published by Fantagraphics, and you can view a preview and purchase it at Comixology.

 

Peculia and the Groon Grove Vampires

This short, macabre adventure follows Peculia, a young woman who has had a number of run-ins with the supernatural. She is roped into babysitting the new family who has moved into Groon Grove. She joins a band of other young women to look after the little girl, baby, and grandmother who live in the house, but something is afoot. They all steer clear of the hawthorn tree, the mirrors are all covered, and - why is the baby missing? And why are the local gypsy families weary of the house?

The artwork is depicted in black and white in a gothic style reminiscent of wood carving by Richard Sala. He is a veteran artist famous for his darkly funny and suspenseful tales and his striking, unique art style. His comics are many and include The Chuckling Whatzit and Cat Burglar Black. He frequently displays his artwork and speaks about his works on his blog. This interview with Tom Spurgeon touches on much of his work and career.

Like Sala's other works, this one is noted for its humor, horror, and quirkiness. Reviewer Ray Tate notes that the book is quite graphic at points and is not for younger readers. He also enjoyed the fresh take on what can be the tired genre of vampire stories. Dave Carter called the book "spooky" and "fun." The range of reviews at Goodreads varies but mostly skews positive.

A brief preview is available from Fantagraphics Books.

Cat Burglar Black

This graphic novel opens with a bang: a young girl clad in black is running through a forest chased by a huge wild boar. As she climbs a tree to escape its sharp tusks, we turn to see what events led to this predicament.

The girl's name is Katherine, though everyone calls her K. She is an orphan who does not know much about her parents, and she was raised in an orphanage by a terrible woman named Mother Claude who trained the children to become master thieves obedient only to her. K was her best pupil but eventually was set free when the crime ring was shattered. Cast about in the world, K comes to live with her Aunt Vivian at Bellsong Academy, a boarding school full of shady, mysterious teachers and interesting students that has fallen on hard financial times. In time, K learns that there seems to be a grand scheme behind her life events, and she gets recruited to save Bellsong Academy from bankruptcy by "procuring" a few items from a couple of rich, local families.

This graphic novel was written and drawn by Richard Sala, an accomplished illustrator who has been creating comics since the early 1990s. He uses a distinctive style and specializes in tales of mystery and monsters with a an underlying black sense of humor. His most famous works are the graphic novel The Chuckling Whatsit and the stories of Peculia that appeared in his Evil Eye comic books. More news about his various and upcoming works can be found at his blog. More information about the genesis and writing Cat Burglar Black can be found in this interview from Newsarama.

Cat Burglar Black has been named to a number of "best of" lists by book and library organizations, including The Young Adult Library Services Association's Great Graphic Novel for Teens 2010, the School Library Journal's Best Comics For Kids 2009, and Booklist's Top 10 Crime Fiction for Youth. A number of reviews, plus more information about the book can be found at its official page at Macmillan. As Andrew Wheeler has noted, the book is a rare one that can appeal to a wide range of readers.

A preview is available here from the book's publisher, First Second.