Too Tough To Die: An Aging Punx Anthology

I have read a few anthologies published by Birdcage Bottom Books (like this one), and they have always been interesting and/or provocative, introducing me to some new artists along the way. Too Tough To Die is a weighty tome featuring 47 different entries. Many focus on autobiographical tales of people's punk rock fandom. There are references to lots of bands and multiple reasons why these people were drawn to punk rock. For some, there was family situations that made the scene relatable; others just liked the crass humor; some found it an appropriate response to hypocrisy, and others found kinship in the motley assortment of punks. Many of the stories speak to punk more as an ethos than a fashion or musical movement and also speak to how it was not just some youthful phase but a blueprint for being a critical and informed adult.

Art by Hyena Hell

These stories are not all about sharing mix tapes, though there is plenty of that. They are not overly nostalgic, depicting scenes of violence, some substance abuse, and a number of other poor life choices. Many also address some of the more sinister aspects of the scene, such as the presence of white supremacists and skinheads. Many of the stories puncture any pomposity of the narrators, as contemporary young people have their own particular mindsets and wonder why these lame old folk keep trying to impress them, even if they might be into the same bands.

Art by Ayti Krali

In terms of representation, I really liked seeing the multiple ways that people found their ways into punk consciousness. There are tales from men, women, people of color, city dwellers, suburbanites, and kids from the country. There is also plenty of discussion about how punk intermingled/juxtaposed with other movements, such as hair metal, grunge, and alternative music.

Art by Gideon Kendall

There are too many stories for me to explain fully, but I loved the range of formats and styles. Some are short, almost like gag strips. Many are pretty raw, featuring rough lines and splotchy black and white images, mimicking the format of zines. One of my favorites, concluding the book, is series of images and biological accounts by Haleigh Buck in the style of show posters. Maybe it's because I am squarely in the age demographic of many of these artists/stories, but I found much I could empathize with and relate to. This anthology is phenomenal.

This collection was edited by Haleigh Buck and J.T. Yost. Yost has done all sorts of comics over the years, including a memorable tale about the Westboro Baptist Church in American Cult, and also founded and runs Birdcage Bottom Books. Buck is a frequent contributor to anthologies and has created a number of comics and mini-comics.

The reviews I could find of this book have been positive. Publishers Weekly summed up, "This is one awesome and introspective ode to rebellion." It currently has a 4.7 (out of 5) star rating on Goodreads.

Too Tough To Die was published by Birdcage Bottom Books, and they offer a preview and more here. This book features profanity, some sexual situations, and drug use, so reader discretion is suggested.

Wilson

I have been struggling with ways to describe this book. Charlie Brown all grown up and even more disillusioned? Garfield meets Sartre? A Larry David comic strip without all the celebrity trappings? A Swiftian misanthropic parody of a daily comic strip? It's not quite any of these things, but what I can say is that I felt simultaneously repulsed and compelled to read this book in one sitting.

Daniel Clowes, author of acclaimed works such as Ghostworld and Ice Haven, created this series of 4-panel comic strips in slightly different styles. In them he follows the exploits of Wilson, who does little and is critical of everything. In time, we see him deal with the loss of his ex-wife, the death of his college professor father, the search for a daughter he didn't know he had, and periodically we sort of feel sorry for him. But Clowes punctuates all these moments with a reminder that Wilson is an egotistic jerk who cannot empathize with others. In many ways, his life reads like a stereotypical talk show participant, only he is supremely intellectual and self-important, and the result is a strange mix of humor and dread.

Clowes has making comics for the better part of three decades now, with most of his work appearing in independent anthologies and series such as his seminal Eightball. Wilson is his first original graphic novel to appear first in non-serialized form. Clowes has garnered many accolades for his work, winning multiple Harvey Awards for writing, artwork, and individual stories. Two of his works, Ghostworld and Art School Confidential, have been adapted into movies, and he has been working on at least two other screenplays since.

Reviews on the book have been somewhat mixed, though they all point to Clowes's skills as a storyteller. NPR's Glen Weldon comments on how Clowes grapples with "bleak truths" and self-laceration but also sheds life on the pomposity and humor of these situations. The Hooded Utilitarian's Ng Suat Tong wrote a very detailed and pointed analysis, ultimately criticizing the book and Wilson's "disjointed urban misanthropy" as "vintage Clowes made simple and unrelenting." Along with multiple spoilers he posts a good number of links to other discussions of the book. Sam Lipsyte reviewed the book for The New York Times and found it a mix of "tragedy and farce" that marks the lead character as a workable symbol for humanity, even if not in a universal manner.

As for me, I found the book alternately funny, horrifying, and unsettling, but I also found myself thinking about it days and weeks after I read it. I wouldn't call it a pleasant read but an evocative and thought-provoking one.

Tom Spurgeon has a large, in-depth interview with Clowes here.

A pdf preview is available here from publisher Drawn & Quarterly.

Koko Be Good

What does it mean to be "good?" How does one know when they have "grown up?" These are two of the major concerns in this graphic novel. The majority of the plot centers on Jon, a 20-something who is drifting about after college. He has lost touch with his friends, set aside his aspirations as a musician, and is gearing up to join his girlfriend in Peru to live charitably. Koko, a tempestuous and energetic woman bursts onto the scene, causing havoc while striving to make her impression on the world. Accompanying her much of the time is Faron, an acrobatic Latino teenager who is troubled by his family situation and his secret love of musicals. All three of the characters are having a hard time figuring out their places in the world.

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel debut was created by Jen Wang. She graduated with a Sociology degree from SFSU and has worked various jobs before her graphic novel work. Koko Be Good started out in different form as an online comic, and Wang has a number of shorter works online. This interview sheds more light on her work and inspiration for this book.

Reviews have been largely positive. Kristin Fletcher-Spear was impressed by the art and the characterization, particularly of Faron. Greg McElhatton wrote that Wang has "taken her talent to a new level with this book." Comicsgirl commented on all the intricate details in the art and story that make the book work. It seems that Jen Wang's graphic novel career is off to a great start.

A preview, a reading group guide, and some reviews are available here from the book's publisher First Second. A video preview is available here from the author.

Thanks to Gina for the review copy!