Fraser Campbell Storyteller Spotlight

I first encountered Fraser Campbell's writing in COMIC SCENE 2021 ANNUAL from the November 2020 Kickstarter campaign, with the above "The Many Minds of Alex Automatic" drawn by the incredible James Corcoran. The story itself is almost an anti-narrative, where you aren't really sure where reality begins and ends. I was all in on anything by Campbell I came across in the future.

ALEX AUTOMATIC VOLUME ONE Print PDF

In 2021, Fraser Campbell and James Corcoran brought us pretty much the complete Alex Automatic series (to date) through another Kickstarter which I couldn't resist. As great as that is, the best part of the Kickstarter was a digital bundle of four of his earlier books: SLEEPING DOGS, THE EDGE OFF, HOUSE OF SWEETS, and the classic IND-XED.

SLEEPING DOGS first comic, self-financed. 2015 PDF Print (sold out)

Fraser Campbell's first comic also happens to be his only superhero story, with a suitably brilliant open ending. The artist Lautaro Capristo didn't do a lot of English-language comics, I believe, a pity because he's perfect for this story.

THE EDGE OFF 2018 Print PDF

This fever dream of a crime comic is the first of three collaborations between Campbell and perfect partner in comics crime, Iain Laurie! Like that first Alex Automatic story above the main character can't distinguish between fantasy and reality. Or can he?

HEART OF STEAL #1 2019* Print PDF

A science fiction story about a cat burglar who steals from the wrong people to save her brother. Very nice clear line art by Katie Fleming.

HOUSE OF SWEETS early 2020 Print PDF

The second collaboration between Campbell and Iain Laurie shows a remarkably restrained side of Laurie's art to begin with, but as the story and the characters unravel so does the art. Campbell shows himself to be a master at horror.

KNOCKOUT & TIGERSTYLE (Adam Falp artist/publisher) mid 2020* Adam Falp: Twitter Instagram Strangers Fanzine

I just had to list this "lost" comic as Adam Falp is a name I recognized from around the alternative comics scene. Maybe this will come back in print someday, I'd love to see more than the samples on the Kickstarter page. This is also a rare instance of Fraser Campbell not self-publishing his stories.

IND-XED late 2020 Print PDF

This is so utterly brilliant, a tight dystopian story and the art by Lucy Sullivan that flows like a quick and steady stream carrying the story along to the unexpected ending. This is my favorite Fraser Campbell comic and one I would recommend.

CORE DISPATCHES early 2022 PDF only

You really have to do some digging to find this most recent collaboration between Campbell and Iain Laurie, which is not technically a comic but a HR pamphlet for a  company from Hell. Campbell's slow burn from slightly weird to eye-bleedingly disturbing is perfectly matched with Laurie's bad acid trip art.

NIGHTMARE FUEL #1 early 2022 PDF                                                                                     

              I love this more adventure oriented story, it's a great concept with monster hunters, evil corporations, and a character with a secret. The art by Norrie Millar is very well done, I can't wait for future issues!                                                                         

MONSTER MATES #1 late 2022* Print PDF

This just funded on Kickstarter recently, and seems like a more humor-oriented effort with yet another new collaborator Steve Gregson. Looking forward to getting a copy from Campbell's shop.

* = I don't own a copy yet.

UPCOMING:

Like any good comics writer Fraser Campbell has a lot of irons in the fire to look forward to in the future. Subscribe to his Automatic Writing newsletter (link in his Twitter bio) for regular updates.

ALEX AUTOMATIC #6 with James Corcoran

ALEX AUTOMATIC #7 with James Corcoran

THE 'BERG

from Automatic Writing #19

THE 'BERG co-written w/Sarah Peploe and with Gavin Mitchell

HEART OF STEAL GRAPHIC NOVEL

from Automatic Writing #14

HEART OF STEAL GRAPHIC NOVEL with Katie Fleming

NIGHTMARE FUEL #2 with Norrie Millar

NIGHTMARE FUEL #3 with Norrie Millar

STARCROSSED

from Automatic Writing #13

STARCROSSED

from Automatic Writing #19

STARCROSSED with Alfie Gallagher

VAN HELSING '58

from Automatic Writing #13

VAN HELSING '58 with James Corcoran

Well, that's it for this tribute to one of the most independent comics writers working today, I highly recommend you follow the links to his store if any of these comics interests you (they are all still available in at least digital form). Check out Fraser Campbell's Twitter profile for links to all his social media, newsletter, and store.

Last Gasp Vault: Ron English's GREETINGS FROM DELUSIONVILLE

Concluding our look back at Last Gasp's new books released in 2022 (there's a couple of adult coloring books, as well).

GREETINGS FROM DELUSIONVILLE is a blending of paintings and lyrics to form an unusual narrative.

"This is Ron English's magnum opus, a subversive rock opera, featuring Ronnnie Rabbbit, and a surreal cast of characters." (from product page)

So long to 2022 with lots of love and respect for everyone at Last Gasp! Here's looking forward to what comes in 2023...

Last Gasp Vault: Brett Barris's EARLY KUSTOM KULTURE

Continuing our look back at Last Gasp's books released in 2022...

EARLY KUSTOM KULTURE: KUSTOM CARS AND HOT RODS PHOTOGRAPHED BY GEORGE BARRIS by (his son) Brett Barris.

Last Gasp Vault: Robert William's INK BLOOD AND LINSEED OIL and THE LOWBROW ART OF ROBERT WILLIAMS (REVISED EDITION)

Continuing our look back at Last Gasp's 2022 books, with three books by legend Robert Williams.

INK, BLOOD AND LINSEED OIL A collection of non-fiction writings...

Table of Contents

Introduction by Gwynned Vitello 

Preface By Robert Williams

Early Juxtapoz Prologues 1994-2006 

Quantitative Remarks by Robert Williams

Manifestos by Robert Williams 

Postscript by Darius A. Spieth Ph.D. 

(from product page)

THE LOWBROW ART OF ROBERT WILLIAMS (NEW EDITION)

softcover edition hardcover edition 

The hardcover available from Last Gasp is signed!

I love Robert William's black and white underground comix strips, glad they are still in print. This book covers Williams career up to 1979, and is one of the first alternative comix and art collections if memory serves.

Last Gasp Vault: Laurie Lipton's LAURIE LIPTON DRAWING

Continuing our look back at Last Gasp's 2022 publishing schedule. This one was just released in December, I believe. 

The cover depicting the artist at work.

LAURIE LIPTON DRAWINGS 

"Laurie Lipton draws on canvases that are improbably large, using only pencil and charcoal. The images she renders present our modern world in scathing critique.

"The artwork is part of three ongoing series entitled Techno Rococo, Post Truth, and May You Live in Interesting Times." (quoted from product description)

Laurie Lipton on Twitter

Laurie Lipton website

Watching Comics: ComicKkrakk

 Loading the Canon may be temporarily sunk, but the assassin of the haul video genre is going strong. Terence Fuller is ComicKkrakk out of Canada and has been doing weekly(?) haul videos for a decade. Specializing in my favorite kind of comics, the-ones-I-fucking-love-amongst-the-waves-of-shit-out-there. All of his videos have titles of interest, but I'm going to highlight a few of his Domino Books and direct artist order videos from 2022...

MAIL CALL 04/05/22 SEVENTH OF MAY 2019, TIN FOIL #4, BIRTH OF THE BAT, MR. INCOMPLETO, and other Josh Bayer comics.

DOMINO BOOKS PT 2 05/05/22 STRANGERS #5, TALES TO DEMOLISH #1, DEPARTMENT OF ART #1, ALONZO SNEAK, CROOKED TEETH #7.

RODGER BINYONE 05/16/22 MONSTERUM INGENIUM, MIFFED RUFFIANZ, VULCANOS REACH, REPTILE HOUSE #8, TERRAFORMONAUTS.

CROOKED TEETH & HABITAT 09/26/22 CROOKED TEETH #6 #7 #8, DEPARTMENT OF ART #1, HABITAT #2.

DOMINO & CROOKED TEETH 12/12/22 @07:00 CROOKED TEETH #9, THIMBLE HORROR COMIX, VACUUM DECAY #3, BLAH BLAH BLAH #1 #2, LONG GONE #4, MIASMA MYOPIA V#1, CRAM COMICS #1, MOODUS. This is the haul video, the next video is after Terence has read all these books.

CHRISTMAS WRAP 12/26/22 @29:00 BLAH BLAH BLAH #1 #2, LONG GONE #4, CROOKED TEETH #9, MIASMA MYOPIA V#1, VACUUM DECAY #3, CRAM COMICS #1, MOODUS.

Many of these titles are still available from Domino Books. 

New Comics in December

In the new year I'll be doing something different with "New Comic Book Day" listings. Instead of Previews and Lunar listings, I'll be taking as my starting point the weekly Quimby Blog new arrivals, the Domino Books newsletter, Broken Frontier reviews, and some of the more esoteric entries from Previews. I'm just burned out looking through a hundred or so very uninspiring mainstream comics every week. You might be also, so this listing will be chaotic and I don't exactly know where some of these are available.

NAKED RAYGUN 7" single with 14-page comic by Josh Bayer and James Romberger. Pre-order here.

(Quimby's blog)

FIVE MORE COMICS FROM QUIMBYS.COM LISTED 12/24:

FIVE MORE MINUTES by Jude Bettridge

THE ADVENTURES OF INDICO IN STONERLAND. Image.

OVERWINTERING: A ZINE ABOUT FUTURE EARTHS by Jam Doughty

HEY CAT #3 and reprints of earlier issues by Nacho Nova

ATOMKINDER: H.R GIGER CARTOONS 1960-1967 published by Rotland Press.

Image.

DOMINO BOOKS NEW AND RESTOCKS:

JAYWALK #3 (Domino Books) edited by Floyd Tangeman. Contributors include: Jade Mar, James Tonra, Nazir Hedgepeth, Marlene Frontera, Richard Alexander, Chaia Startz, and Nate Doyle. Available for Pre-order.

BLAH BLAH BLAH #3 published by Juliette Collet. Available from Domino Books.

HEELAGE #4 anthology edited by Ian Sundahl.

TSK! TSK! A STEVE DITKO TRIBUTE by Ian Sundahl.

REPTILE HOUSE #11 The famous Philadelphia underground comics anthology, many earlier issues are also available from Domino.

Missed this! THE GLASS CHAMBER #0 by the incredible Tia Roxae.

THREE RESTOCKS AND ONE NEW ISSUE OF THIS POPULAR SERIES BY NATE DOYLE:

All four issues available at dominobooks.org

Here are a couple holdovers from Previews World, you should be able to find them at your LCS:

A rare reissue of a Fantagraphics Underground title from a different publisher.

New Daria Tessler coming May 9, 2023 from Fantagraphics. 

My favorite mainstream title by far in 2022. I wish much future success to Nick Cagnetti.

Five Highlights from THE COMICS JOURNAL 32

January 1977: A date that will live in infamy, THE COMICS JOURNAL is born (in name and demeanor)...

Above two images from TCJ Archive

ADVERTISEMENT: WOWEE KAZOWIE! #2 Edited by Eclipse publisher (in two years) Dean Mullaney. Contributors include future Fantagraphics publisher Kim Thompson and farther future TCJ writer Bob (Robert) Rodi. (page 9)

Image from Poopsheet Foundation

DOC'S BOOKSHELF: Dwight Decker (who was later Managing Editor of TCJ) begins his column. Decker was an early advocate of comics from around the world. 

"[...]There's more to comics than the monthly Marvel fistfight. As Richard Kyle and Fred Patten once expressed it in their late, lamented fanzine WONDERWORLD, there's a world of comics out there. Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, and many other countries, from Asia to South America, support thriving comics communities. There are even comic books being published in East Germany and points farther east. I wouldn't be surprised if the penguins at the South Pole have comics too. As it happens, not a few of those foreign comics are far better than anything published out of New York. The printing is better. The formats are often those of books, designed to be kept and not thrown away. The art is better: artists sometimes spend up to a week on one page. The color is better: it's often painted on and reproduced directly, as opposed to the clumsy, mechanical, and limited methods employed here. And the stories! They actually tell stories! So what if you can't read them!" (pages 11-12)

Image from GCD

BLACK LIGHTNING STRIKES OUT: Gary Groth eviscerated BLACK LIGHTNING #1 in every way possible, starting a long tradition of holding mainstream comics to a higher standard (any standard). Trevor Von Eeden is singled out for praise, for his storytelling acumen. (page 12)

NewCon 76 Program Book on YouTube

BARKS IN BOSTON: Gary Groth reports on the Carl Barks panel at Boston, MA NewCon '76, including quotes from Barks and Bruce Hamilton.  (page 25)

Image from Comic Book Realm

THE FANZINE LISTINGS: Jabberwocky #1 by Brad Foster. Perhaps the greatest erotic robot artist ever, not necessarily in that order! Love this art style so much. (page 31)