My Comics Reading List 2022 Finale: Ruppert & Mulot Spotlight

Welcome to our end of the year celebration of #my500comicgoal. I had a great time with this Twitter hashtag, ending with five of of the best books I've read all year. 

These five English translations of Florent Ruppert and Jerome Mulot were read on the Hoopla Digital app:

786 THE EXTRAORDINARY PART: VOLUME 1: ORSAY'S HANDS (Europe Comics)

787 THE EXTRAORDINARY PART: VOLUME 2: JULIETTE'S EYES (Europe Comics)

Many times science fiction in comics is boring and clichéd. This is so understated and well-paced I was already immersed in this version of our world before I even realized it. The absence of conflict between the humans and aliens, and the results of the interaction between the same is handled in a fresh and logical way. Then the explosion of colors and patterns from the "whols" inside and out completes the wonderful experience of these two graphic novels. (cover images from Europe Comics)

788 THE PERINEUM TECHNIQUE (Fantagraphics Books)

A very modern take on sex and relationships, some really well done narrative turns and amazingly concise visual effects. It was unsettling and almost unresolved, but a very satisfying read all things considered.

789 THE GRANDE ODALISQUE (Fantagraphics Books)

790 OLYMPIA (Fantagraphics Books)

This was the final story I read and the most conventional, or so it seems. Maybe this was from the addition of Bastien Vives to the team, but I suspect it's just what this particular narrative called for. As the narrative structure is every bit as complex as the above two, swapping out alien vistas and psychosexual dreamscapes for beautifully rendered wide angle views of the city, along the way. Hidden, I think, in the tight heist story, is an unusual story of the unbreakable bond between three women. (cover images from Fantagraphics Books)

The one Fantagraphics translation not on Hoopla Digital (that I'll be tracking down in the new year):

Still in print from Fantagraphics Books

Coming in February:

Available for pre-order from Fantagraphics Books

A BARREL OF MONKEYS, the first English translation of Ruppert & Mulot, available at Domino Books (Another one I'll be budgeting for in the new year!):

Three untranslated L'Association Ruppert & Mulot books available on Amazon:

Hopefully you all will try some Ruppert & Mulot next year if you haven't already! -Gary Usher

Last Gasp Vault: Graphic Novel/Manga Sale

Last Gasp Books and Comix is running a 50% off sale in their Graphic Novel and Manga sections through Wednesday 11/30. Here are some highlights:

ARTICHOKE TALES

Megan Kelso returned to comics in a big way after over a decade this year with WHO WILL MAKE THE PANCAKES? Here's an opportunity to get her incredible previous graphic novel.

AS YOU WERE VOLUME 4

Here's a thick digest-sized anthology co-published by Last Gasp and Silver Sprocket. Many of the usual SS suspects...

BAREFOOT GEN VOLUMES 1-10

These are new hardcover and trade paperback editions released earlier this year.

CONTRABAND

UK independent comics legend Phil Elliott illustrates this, his most recent graphic novel (written by Thomas J. Behe).

DE CAPE ET DE CROCS TOME 5

French-language anthropomorphic medieval series with an extremely odd plot description. I would take a chance...

EL VOCHO

You can't go wrong buying anything and everything by Steve Lafler. 

(image from GCD)

GOODNIGHT, IRENE

A collection of stories originally published by Fantagraphics in the 80s from GOOD GIRLS by Carol Lay. I'm still traumatized by the image of Irene's lip plate, see cover above!

JAMAIS CONTENT!

Another French-language book, this time by Walter Minus (THE NEW YORKER).

JUST THE FACTS

A collection of non-fiction comics by David Collier. Another veteran alternative cartoonist who deserves wider recognition. 

MARK TWAIN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY 1910-2011

This sounds like a ridiculous, genius, wild ride from the mind of Michael Kupperman.

MOXIE, MY SWEET

A collection of stories by the great Seattle comics creator Mark Campos, illustrated by fellow members of the Finecomix collective including my longtime favorite David Lasky.

SILLY DADDY: DEATH IN THE FAMILY

More 90s nostalgia, this time from Joe Chiappetta, a very memorable cartoonist and some truly weird art.

WENN MEIN HUND STRIBT MACH ICH MIR EINE JACKE

A German art book by Anke Feuchtenberger (W THE WHORE), from the Italian publisher Coconino Press.

Watching Comics: Gore Vidal

 Gore Vidal gives us a close up view of LOVE AND ROCKETS: THE FIRST 50 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION on his YouTube channel. The meticulous Gore points out both flaws and strengths of Fantagraphics Books presentation. I'm not going to be buying this so it's nice to get a look inside this 30 pound beast. It reminds me a lot of Russ Cochran's EC boxed sets from the 80s.

Five Highlights from The New Nostalgia Journal 27

Image from TCJ Archive

THE NEW NOSTALGIA JOURNAL #27 (July 1976)

"[...]Gary Groth, whose first fanzine was so bad it could not be read[...] " Jim Wilson, page 23. Our out-of-context quote of the day.

This is an inauspicious  beginning to THE COMICS JOURNAL media empire. Thanks to the trio of Gary Groth, Michael Catron, and Jim Wilson however the future was definitely looking up. Digging into the many pages devoted to Alan Light, THE BUYERS GUIDE TO COMIC FANDOM, and Dynapubs is well worth the occasional cringe-worthy verbiage. Groth composes a detailed history of Light's evolution from "crudzine" publisher to fanzine mogul and his business practices to get there, the kind of in-depth reporting I'm sure had never been seen in the fanzines up to that point. The first TCJ-style interview is a real hoot, with Groth (in full Mike Wallace mode) grilling Murry Bishoff relentlessly, and Light having none of it. This is really the only content of historical interest in their first effort, but there's definitely other things of specialized interest to a few of us brave souls willing to read further:

Image from GCD

DOUG FRATZ: "TNJ Listings: Fanzines" is a time capsule of all the then current fanzines published in 1976. Fratz lists underground and alternative related zines like Clay Geerdes' COMIX WORLD newsletter, BOB VOJTKO'S COMIX CONVENTION adzine, Lee Marrs' PUDGE GIRL BLIMP (Star*Reach), and Eric Vincent's CERBERUS.

image from isfdb.org

"The Unlicensed Balloon Vendor: AMONG THE DEAD AND OTHER EVENTS LEADING TO THE APOCALYPSE by Edward Bryant." Review column by author Alan Brennert, who according to ISFDB had nine science fiction short stories published by the time he authored this column. Also listed on ISFDB are twenty-two other review columns written by Mr. Brennert between 1974-77 for  LOCUS and DELAP'S F&SF REVIEW. For what the author has been up to since his brief intersection with TCJ check out his website here.

Image from GCD

BUD PLANT (pages 15-17): This is an adzine so Comics & Comix and Bud Plant are naturally represented. Mr. Plant is still in business today, of course, but back then his was a unique one stop shop for undergrounds, fanzines, semi-pro zines, classic newspaper strip reprints, golden age comics reprints, comics history, classic animation, movie serials, foreign comics,  and art books. Just five things that stick out as tangentially future Fantagraphics publications: BERNARD PRINCE: GUERILLA POUR UN FANTOME by Hermann and Greg; PHANTASMAGORIA 1-4 by future TCJ mainstay Kenneth Smith; KRAZY KAT, PRINCE VALIANT, POPEYE, MICKEY MOUSE early reprint volumes; THE HISTORY OF O by Guido Crepax; and, AMERICAN SPLENDOR 1. Oh yes, fantasy-themed belt buckles in stock, in case you needed to be reminded it was the seventies (hey, I wore enough plaid and corduroy in that decade that I'm not judging anybody's fashion choices).

image from GCD

JACK KIRBY (page 18): a May 14, 1971 interview with Jack Kirby from The Tim Skelly Show on WNUR. The interview touches on his childhood, influences, Joe Simon, Fighting American, working relationship with Stan Lee, Steve Ditko creator of Spider-Man, why he left Marvel, In the Days of the Mob, comics as film (not pulps), character design, coloring, New Gods books, and DC's problems with his depiction of Superman.

JIM WILSON "The Creative Experience: Highest Castle, Deepest Grave" (page 23-26): I wish I could just post this whole essay, as it discussed many things that resonated through the future efforts of Fantagraphics Books and the sort of people they have gravitated toward. Here was the first paragraph which set out Mr. Wilson's theory more plainly than I could have summarized: (page 23) "Hello. You are very fortunate, you out there who are reading this. You are fortunate because you are a comics fan, which-from the viewpoint of creative achievement-automatically places you several steps above most in your peer group, whether that group be grade school friends, high school friends, college friends, common men, or whatever. You are fortunate because you decided that you weren't going to let your potential for creative work and self-expression atrophy; that you wanted an intellectual atmosphere where open-mindedness prevailed; where people could consider and discuss and believe in things which weren't necessarily consistent with the status quo of their daily lives. You came to comics fandom and found, to a large degree, what you were looking for. Anybody who could sit and enjoy the offbeat beauty of a comic book against almost universal disapproval would have to have an open mind. And then you discovered that fandom was much more than just comic books." Mr. Wilson went on to discuss the place in the general society of the people that read comics and made fanzines and what set them apart, no matter their level of talent or social standing. I'll leave it at that, if you identified with Mr. Wilson's observations (like I did) please seek out the full article on the TCJ Archive.

"[...]and whose present product is without equal in design and format." Jim Wilson (page 23). The rest of the story...

Five Highlights From THE COMICS JOURNAL #115

This is the first issue of THE COMICS JOURNAL I can remember buying new, probably from Omaha's Dragon's Lair Comics (also the store where I bought my first issue of LOVE AND ROCKETS, permanently poisoning my comics brain). I've had a love/yawn relationship with the magazine over the years, somehow completely missing the Tom Spurgeon years for example. Anyway, thanks to THE COMICS JOURNAL ARCHIVE I can go and revisit, or discover, past issues and ruminate on them for all the other fans and haters out there.

1. That Don Simpson cover was the perfect bridge between mainstream comics to cool mainstream comics to groundlevel comics to alternative comics to underground comix. An amazing mix of characters I followed and, then unknown to me, future favorites.

2. It's hard to imagine what a shit show the Direct Market was in 1987 with the end of the so-called Black and White Boom. This issue has some in-depth coverage of that, as well as several articles on one of the true characters of that era: Scott Rosenberg.  "Distributor Finances Five Publishers; Sunrise Distributor's Scott Rosenberg finances and assumes presidency of five comics publishers"; "The Battle for Amazing, Wonder Color Titles: Pied Piper Comics and Scott Rosenberg claim the rights to publish the same titles"; and, "Sunrise announces it may not pay some publishers until July" all three articles written by Managing Editor Kim Fryer.

3. "It would be a lot easier to take Milo Manara seriously if he'd learn when to keep his thing in his pants." Boom, drop the mic. Review over. Seriously though, this is the classic opening line of R. Fiore's review of Hugo Pratt and Milo Manara's INDIAN SUMMER, as well as two other less salacious Catalan Communications books. (page 31, column 1)

4. Jim Shooter's Michael Fleisher libel trial testimony (pages 75-107) is summed up by publisher Gary Groth in his own inimitable loquaciousness: "In his role of Enemy of Artists Everywhere, Shooter proudly endorses the work-made-for-hire concept, which legally institutionalizes the function of the artist as nothing more than a commodities broker, as well as legitimating, however spuriously, the view that human imagination may have no moral obligation beyond that of being an adjunct to corporate profit-making." (page 63, column 3)

5. Joe "Scoop" Sacco, as he's referred to on the credits page. All kidding aside, his article on the  Friendly Frank's obscenity case is very well done. (page 24)