The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton

I am a huge fan of both Kyle Starks and Chris Schweizer's comics, having read pretty much all of the books they've made (click on their names in the labels, you'll see!). They are friends in real life and frequent collaborators, and in The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton they once again make an enjoyable and well-plotted action/murder mystery. The titular Trigger Keaton is an actor in adventure shows, a horribly behaved Chuck Norris type and grade A jerk, leaving a path of verbal abuse, wounded egos, and broken noses in his wake. He's got a long-term studio contract so that he appears in many different series, only his cantankerous disposition, hard drinking, and penchant for wounding stuntmen means that they are short-lived despite their popularity.

Someone has finally had enough, and they take Trigger out to pasture, but staged it as a suicide. The six actors who played his sidekicks are some of the only people who come to his funeral, and when some of them question his death, they all end up involved in a disjointed and haphazard investigation.  

These unlikely sleuths have a difficult time gelling as a squad, and their bickering is one of the bright spots of this book. The book also features lots of snappy dialogue, several carefully constructed combat scenes, and myriad pop culture references to fictional shows, including ads, movie posters, interviews, and previews. Also, the mystery plots features lots of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. This series is a real labor of love and a joy to read, especially as a child of the 1980s where many of the pop culture references come from. 

Trigger being Trigger.

All of the reviews I have read about it have praised this critically under-rated series. I agree with Sean Kleefeld who wrote, "On top of being a fun set of characters and an interesting concept, the story is told very well." Aussiemoose gushed that "the 6 Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton has everything you could possibly want in a graphic novel." Joe concluded that there is "so much packed into each issue, none of the characters or ideas feel underbaked, it all feels so fleshed out and has made for an incredibly fufilling reading experience that everyone should check out!"

The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton was published by Image Comics, and they offer previews and more info about it here. This book features copious amounts of profanity and violence, so it is suggested for folks who can handle that.

I Never Promised You A Rose Garden

I Never Promised You A Rose Garden is a sprawling memoir/historical essay that almost defies categorization. It starts off as a personal history/appreciation of actor River Phoenix, particularly his work on the film My Own Private Idaho with director Gus Van Sant. Then it delves into Phoenix's and Van Sant's interactions with the local Portland, Oregon gay community and various street hustlers. The chapters that follow change direction and begin more of a focus on the history of Oregon, its roots in white supremacy, its popular culture, how police violence and social institutions help reinforce inequity, as well as a deep dive into one memorable episode of the talk show Geraldo.

The artwork is unique, each page a sheet of old-time elementary school composition paper with a black and white water color image and handwritten text (as you can see above). I think use of this primer-like format points toward an educational aspect of the book, but it does not come off as preachy or didactic. The illustrations are moody, atmospheric, and highly expressive.

The personal connections give the book heart but it is also very well-researched and compelling. It contextualizes so many contemporary social issues and is a clarion call for awareness and action. I appreciate how well it humanizes and makes concrete historical and social happenings in a way that explains how we have arrived at our current moment, when things seem far off center and veering toward totalitarianism. Once I started reading it, I found it difficult to put down.

Mannie Murphy first published this book as a series of zines. They are a graduate of The Center for Cartoon Studies, and this is their first graphic novel. They speak more about it in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Ryan Carey wrote that there is "a strong case for this being the most affecting, inspired, and important comics release of 2021 to date." Publishers Weekly called it a "piercing debut" and concluded, "Murphy’s elegaic treatment grants a sobering reflection on the depth and deadliness of American intolerance." Oliver Sava opined, "A key aspect of that is making sure people know their history so they don’t keep making the same mistakes, and I Never Promised You A Rose Garden makes that past feel real with its accessible, emotionally driven storytelling."

I Never Promised You A Rose Garden was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more information about it here.

Cyclopedia Exotica

Cyclopedia Exotica is an amazing graphic novel that explores issues of identity in an intriguing way. The book starts off as a series of encyclopedia entries on cyclopes, their biology, and their history as a race. However, once it touches on the life of Etna, a model who became a sensation when she posed nude for a men's magazine, the book becomes an immersive look into the lives of contemporary cyclopes and all that they entail. After reading this book, I was struck by just how deft it is in creating a parallel world based on a fantastic premise and then immediately normalizing that premise. It makes the cyclopes so human and relatable that they actually seem a real ethnic group, and also acts like an extended metaphor for Orientalism.

What I find most charming and provocative about this book is how subtly it tells a long form narrative through a series of short episodes that read like an amalgamation of gag strips and short stories. Each one is finely crafted, sometimes resulting in a chuckle but more often in a poignant moment or insight into being a frequently fetishized minority. This book operates almost like a pointillist painting, with each tiny detail contributing to an artful, moving portrait of a people.

Ostensibly a book about mythological creatures, it actually has lots of insight into modern humanity and the many choices we face. Over the course of the book, I got to know each character and how they cope with the world. Some, become twin artists who make plenty of conceptual pieces that cast an interesting light on the ways cyclopes are and are not incorporated into human society. Others are trying to make their way in the world with romantic relationships, either with cyclopes or humans. Some of the characters try to do things to "pass," from having elective surgery to become a "two-eye" to wearing special clothing that shapes their bodies to be more ideally human. And one cyclop woman has to make some hard choices between being a parent and re-entering the work force. 

I loved getting to know the world and characters in this book, and the slight consolation I had when it ended were the very informative entries about each character, why they were named as they were, and the author's intentions with their plots and sub-plots. This book is so fully realized and thoughtful, and it calls to mind poet Marianne Moore's line about "imaginary gardens with real toads in them" with how much the artful fiction evokes reality.

Cyclopedia Exotica is the creation of Aminder Dhaliwal, an animator who has worked for a number of major studios. Her debut graphic novel, Woman World was nominated for a 2019 Ignatz Award. She also has published the graphic novella Dead End Jobs for Ghosts. The coloring of this book was done by Nikolas Ilic, a production artist who specializes in character design. Dhaliwal speaks about her work on the book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book sing its praises. Carmen Maria Machado wrote that "the characters in Dhaliwal’s stories sparkle. They’re tenderly rendered and their problems are real." Oliver Sava was impressed by how she tackled "complicated subject matter with empathy and humor, offering ample social critique while keeping the focus on how these characters connect with each other—and learn how to love themselves." Jeff Provine opined, "The emotional touches with the engaging characters brings the reader along through quick comic stories, always wanting more even after the final page."

Cyclopedia Exotica was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer a preview and much more here.

Child Star

Brian "Box" Brown is one of my favorite comics creators, and his prior graphic novels have been nonfiction looks at Andre the Giant, Andy Kaufman, Tetris, and Cannabis. All of these books were very well researched and obvious labors of love. His latest book is fictional, but it is based in reality and is also obviously well-sourced and personal. Child Star focuses on Owen Eugene, who displays both humor and charisma from a very young age and becomes a huge celebrity.

His life and career is clearly modeled on a melange of people such as Gary Coleman, Emmanuel Lewis, and Macaulay Culkin, but I don't think one would have to know that to enjoy this book. I am knowledgeable enough to get the references to real-life events, but I feel that readers who are not up on 1980s sitcoms and movies would just read this book as a prolonged examination of a person's life. Owen stars in commercials at first but quickly graduates into a hit TV series as well as several movies, cartoons, and other commercial venues in the form of lunchboxes and toys. And, of course, he came up with a catch-phrase that propelled him into the public consciousness but became an anchor as he grew older. Along his path through stardom, he touches a lot of people's lives.

As you can see from the excerpts above, the narrative plays out in multiple forms. There is one level of commentary that runs as a documentary, showcasing the actors, parents, and other people in Owen's life in a series of interviews. Then, there are also lengthy excerpts from fictional TV programs and movies that Owen starred in (which are colored in red, so you can tell the difference from reality).

What is impressive to me about this book is how well it plays like a documentary, with elaborate scenes from his various star vehicles included in extended excerpts. The book plays out in multiple parts, detailing Owen's rise to fame, his stream of successes, his struggles with finding work as he grew older, his disillusionment with the business side of showbiz, his fragile health situation, his dis-junction from his parents, and his eventual late-life slide into obscurity and tabloid fodder. The lengths that Brown went to in fleshing out and realizing this character and his world are extremely impressive. Also I should note the level of affection Brown has for his subject matter. Even though the TV shows and movies depicted have a tongue-in-cheek quality, this book does not parody or mock Owen, holding him in esteem while showing the pitfalls many child stars experienced. As a fan of 1980s and 1990s popular culture, I really enjoyed this book.

All the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly summed up, "This in-the-know skewering of celebrity and pop culture will entertain children of the ’80s as well as their own children." In a starred review in Library Journal, Douglas Rednour remarked that it was "thought provoking and poignant yet honest in its humanity." Paul's Picks called it "an impressively dense and thorough look at the child star phenomenon." Brown speaks more about his work on Child Star in this interview.

Child Star was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and much more here.

Mr. Puffball: Escape from Castaway Island

Another of the wonderful authors I got the chance to meet last weekend at Read Up! Greenville, Constance Lombardo created the book I am reviewing today. Mr. Puffball: Escape from Castaway Island is the third book of a trilogy (I have to admit that I had not read the other two, but that did not stop me from enjoying this book at all). It features a fun tale full of laughs and a skewering of popular culture. The title character Mr. Puffball is a stunt man trying to become a celebrity. And his avenue for finding stardom is competing on reality TV shows. First, he wins the grand prize in Feline Ninja Warrior, a send-up of this show. The fame goes to his head though, and he blows through his new-found fortune in record time.

While languishing on the trash heap of ex-celebrities he hatches a plan to embroil him and his friends in another reality show, Castaway Island (think Survivor). This motley cast of characters features many strong personalities, from the famed star El Gato to body builder/celebrity personal trainer Bruiser to a feisty kitten named Pickles to the martial arts expert Rosie. Part of the fun in reading this book is seeing this cast of characters bounce off each other, part of it is in seeing celebrity culture being ridiculed, and part of it is in delightful cat-themed puns that abound.

First rule of Castaway Island: Help no one!

Also, as you can see from the excerpt above, this book is an illustrated novel, that is a hybrid of pictures and prose in the style of books like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Big Nate series. I thought that the illustrations were hilarious and expressive, and that the interplay of text and images was very well crafted. I had a lot of fun reading the adventures of Mr. Puffball and his crew, and I think many other readers, both young and old would, too.

In addition to the Mr. Puffball trilogy, Constance Lombardo is publishing her fourth work, a children's book titled Everybody Says Meow. She talks more about this latest book in the Mr. Puffball series in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Douglas Gibson felt that this might be the best of the trilogy, adding that "a group of friends choosing connection and empowerment over money and stardom makes for a beautiful and compelling story in a world where even kids can fall prey to our celebrity-obsessed culture." Kira Moody gave it 4 out of 5 stars and called it "lively, funny, and engaging." You can see more reviews of it at Goodreads where it has a 4.38 (out of 5) star rating as of this post.

Mr. Puffball: Escape from Castaway Island was published by Harper, and they offer a preview and more here.

The Wicked + The Divine, Volume 1: The Faust Act

The Wicked + The Divine is a comics series from Image, and this volume collects the first five issues. The concept behind it is that every 90 years twelve gods become mortal for two years. During that time, the gods manifest as celebrities, the ultimate in pop stars, and they entice, entertain, entrance, and inspire humanity in various ways. The tagline points to the way this series approaches the ideas of legendary gods and postmodern celebrity: "just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever."

As you can see, these gods bicker, cavort, revel, and carry on in the ways lots of celebrities do. They also have to navigate and contend with the media coverage. The cast is a diverse one, culled from many pantheons. The main players are Luci (Lucifer), who is a hard-edged pop star (like P!nk maybe?); Amaterasu, who is sort of like Britney Spears or Taylor Swift; Baal, a Jay Z or Kanye type, Sakhmet (a catwoman); Odin, who looks like he's in Daft Punk, and the Morrigan, who is the gothest of goths.

The main plot revolves around a murder mystery, with Luci (naturally) being the prime suspect. Her acolyte Laura thinks she is being framed though, and lots of complications ensue when other forces and players enter into the picture. I have to say that I enjoyed the crisp, clean art, the various plot twists, and the cheeky humor, though there are times I feel there is a forced "coolness" (I am old, so I don't know what it's called today) where some of the characters just come off as being insipid jerks.

This book is the creation of Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and Matthew Wilson. Gillen and McKelvie have many credits in comics, and they have also collaborated on a number of other works, including the creator-owned Phonogram and Young Avengers from Marvel. Wilson has tons of comics credits and also is a host of the War Rocket Ajax podcast. All of the creators speak about their work on this series in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have leaned positive but with reservations.  Don Ventura was intrigued but called it "beautiful to look at while being uneven to read." Doug Glassman called it a "love it or hate it" book and wondered if it "would possibly make a better television series than comic book." Jean-Luc Botbyl generally enjoyed it and wrote that the series "has a lot of potential, but definitely has a long way to go."

The Faust Act is available from Image Comics, and they provide more info here. The series is ongoing, and is currently at issue 10. Issue 11 will conclude the storyline began here.

Fingerprints

Vanity may be one of the driving forces of US culture, what with our obsessions with fame and celebrity. On a more mundane level, we have huge cosmetics and body modification industries that aim to shape people into youthful ideals. Fingerprints tackles all of these issues, with a look at Dr. Fingers, an ace plastic surgeon with the duel obsessions of maintaining the perfect face while also being tops in his field.

His massive ego rests on his work on mega-celebrities, to the point where he neglects all that is going on around him in his house and at his practice. In addition to his crumbling marriage, Dr. Fingers also faces a huge obstacle when his top assistance quits his practice to peddle her own services, which are aided by a spectacular new plastic surgery invention.

 

 

Certainly, this book is the stuff of soap operas, and all that is being lampooned here is easy fodder, but I have to say that I was charmed by the simple storytelling, the stylized art style, and the way that dialogue accompanies the illustrations almost like dialogue cards from a silent movie. The artwork and story both flow in deceptively simple and smooth manners.

This debut graphic novel is the creation of Will Dinski. He has makes books, has created various other short comics, and is also known for his political story Ablatio Penis. He talks more about his work on Fingerprints in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been positive, with some reservations. Parabasis remarked that it was "built on clever iterations of theme rather than deep characterizations or world creation, and its drawing style efficiently moves the reader through the story." James Mason wrote that "it made me think about just how superficial we’ve gotten as a society" but wished it "cut deeper into this subject." Publishers Weekly commented that it "aims to be provocative, but ends up not as substantial as it could be."

Fingerprints was published by Top Shelf, and they have a preview and much more available here.

Our Movie Year

Harvey Pekar was well known for his autobiographical comics, particularly his decades long series American Splendor. He became a fixture on Late Night with David Letterman, and eventually his idiosyncratic voice was portrayed in the 2003 film American Splendor directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini and starring Paul Giamatti. This movie won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Cannes Fim Festival and also brought Pekar an unprecendented level of fame and attention. This graphic novel mostly chronicles the year the movie broke.

With its pages, Harvey worries about his post-movie life, fearing all the attention will go away and he will be seen as a flash in the pan. He also details his many travels (sometimes telling the same tale more than once), brushes with famous folk, and obsesses over care for his cats, house, and bills while he is gone. Ironically, maybe the most affecting stories, about a vet visit for a cat and another about a saltwater aquarium doomed by a power outage, have nothing to do with the movie. Also, the last third of the book contains a number of various and sundry works Harvey wrote about celebrities and musicians from the past as well as his selections for the movie soundtrack, making for an interesting, if disconnected, hodge-podge.

This book was illustrated by an all-star team of Pekar's collaborators, including R. Crumb, Frank Stack, Gerry Shamray, Gary Dumm, Ed Piskor, and Dean Haspiel. Their different styles cast different tones for the stories and events, echoing the look of past American Splendor comic books and also the metanarrative of the film. Pekar, who wrote the stories in this book, died in July of 2010, and his life is properly celebrated in this obituary.

Reviews I have read of this book have been on the negative side, perhaps due to comparison with the usual high standards set by Pekar's other works. The Onion A.V. Club's Tasha Robinson wrote, "The results are scattershot and even sometimes impersonal, which is unusual for Pekar's work. It seems incongruous that his world-hopping and his celebrity encounters should so often be humdrum, while his detailed recounting of an hour spent waiting for a tow truck is so involving." The reviewer at Grovel commented on how the book is uneven but "despite its faults this is a great companion to the movie, not least of all because it goes further behind the scenes than even the movie itself did." Kevin Forest Moreau concluded that this book was a weak offering in the American Splendor corpus, "somewhat intimidating and, yes, padded."

This book was published by Ballantine Books.