Hey there!
Sorry to keep you waiting for so long to get back - thanks for your insights. I'm just about to get X'ed out. Burn's books always sink in deep. I was glad to hear that Burns would tackle a longer project with Black Hole back when he started it and now can't wait to get X'ed. There is a great concept book out by him from Buenaventura Press, concentrating on the mood of the 50's-60's Comics he personally favors. It's called swipe file I think.
I have to say I'm tuned in to Gilbert's stuff. How he seems to incorporate Trash movie themes into his thought out story concepts is a very interesting route to go for him. Yes, it can get messy at times, but I just like this guys drive and the energy he puts into the stories. He gives me a lot to read (in terms of the books he brings out) and the weirdness doesn't feel tacked on in his writing, as well as being transported well into his drawings.
On a different note, there is a very trashy book out called PRISON PIT by Johny Ryan. To me it has a loose connection to the way Gilbert works his stories: It looks rough around the edges and is more about mood and flow, instead of direct storytelling. It's also filled with crude humor, best seen thru the filter of other trashy and classic fighting Manga such as Berserk, Fist of the North Star and Striker. Cooked with a huge drop of Ryans own demented ideas on humor of course. Well, I really enjoyed it and would be interested to hear what you think.
Concerning the books I selected: I'm aware that they spread out a bit far topicwise, but they are mere recommendations, hopefully meeting the interests folks here have, outside of Comics. I guess I always let my own love light shine a bit bright when I compile such a list... Anyways, I hope to do it on a somewhat regular basis in the future, thanks again for the interest.
Stevel Knievel said:
Hi, I am fairly new to the Hideout and glad to see y'all chatting comics. I have read a couple from your list (The Basil Wolverton being a total joy, Also Hate which i follow for the Buddy Bradley stuff but find the rest kinda hit and miss). I am on the look out for the Jacques Tardi book as have enjoyed other stuff by him.
Today i bought X'ed Out by Charles Burns and am still digesting it a few hours after reading. Really great stuff i thought. When i heard his latest was going to be in full colour, i kinda shuddered thinking maybe some of the spooky, retro, horror movie atmosphere would be lost but the finished article was not a disapointment. The oversized format and binding has the feel of a Tin Tin book which is appealing. Then when you get reading you soon realise this ain't one for the kids. I am hooked with this first installment and hope more follows soon. I think his story telling suits the longer run volumes, giving him more space to let events unfold. I was a fan of Black Hole and it seems this is following similar themes (Fup Duck teen, druggy outsider experience). So yer, cant wait for more. Have you read it? Are you a fan?
Another great recent read was the latest Love and Rockets volume (New stories No#3) To be honest, some of Beto's later stuff has lost me a tad (was a huge fan of the original Palomar stories) but this new run has him (in my opinion) on top form. I am enjoying the concept of the adaptations of B movies being told on the page. Then mixing that with the Fritz/Killer in real life stories. The greatest stuff however has got to be Jaimes latest. His drawing style just gets better and better. His lines are so clean and look effortless. The panels just flow beautifuly. Every character has personality and expression. The pages are such a wonder visually, then mixing that with his writing, which equally has that detailed efficiency. It's just an awesome read. The Brown Town story is totally top quality. It's heavy, break your heart themes but told with subtlety and skill. Then that story seeps into his current Maggie stories, man what can i say? Just a perfect read that confirms why i love the Comic format so much.
Well thats my rant over, would be great to hear your opinions on both books if you have read them? Also would be interested in further recommendations by yourself and other folk out there. Comic stores are few and far between in the UK, with decent stores being even harder to find. So it would be great to get the heads up on titles through the Hideout.