Small Press Expo '99: The Comic Book

As I say in my Rapid Review of this comic, I bought it for one story. One little 6-page story...

To sum up what I said in my Rapid Review: Although I don't consider myself a close-minded prude, I do have a line in my mind that divides the enjoyable from the disgusting or stupid. Some, many, of the stories in this book crossed my personal line, and so I didn't find them terribly interesting. Some of them crossed the line, but I liked them anyway. This no-so-rapid review is to let you know what I liked and didn't like from the book.

First off... the cover! I liked the back cover, but then, I've always been fond of dragons. The front cover was less impressive. I just don't care for those characters, possibly because I've never been particularly inspired to go see the film they are based on. Oh well, never judge a book by its cover...

There are 38 artist/writer/teams represented within these pages. The following is a breakdown of the works and my opinion of them, in the order they appear in the book.

• Staros & Tommaso - The "Worst" Gig I Ever Had - 8 pages. This one was WELL over my line. It had all the things I dislike most in indy comics, from swearing to nudity. However, I couldn't help but enjoy it. It wasn't a whine, it didn't try to titillate, it was just a story. And surprisingly, a pretty interesting, if totally pointless, story. And it worked as a story, and as a comic. After reading this one, I knew I was in for a ride, like it or not.
• Tony Consiglio - Star Fighters: the daniel witherspoon sessions - 4 pages. I met a minor actor from Star Wars at a convention once. He was sitting there, pretty pathetic, with his action figure in front of him... alone. This story reminded me of that guy, and was a nice statement on Fandom and the various people involved in the stuff Fandom loves.
• Jay Hosler - The Low-Down, Stinking Cheater: A Clan Apis Story - 4 pages. So this is Clan Apis, huh? Widely regarded as the best "educational" comic out there, now I know why. It's interesting, nicely drawn, and funny. It deserves the buzz it gets.
• Joan Reidy & Ron Rege - Boys - 4 pages. I suppose some people would like this one. On its own, maybe I would've found it mildly interesting. But it didn't work for me here. I find the style it is drawn in to be annoying, and though it's a simple message befitting simple artwork, it still seemed out-of-sync to me.
• Joe Chiappetta - Meet the Motorberry Branch of the Berry Brigade - 1 page. Huh? Very odd.
• Chiappetta, Kolchaka, Feazel, Simmons - Maria & Magic Boy Team Up - 1 page. Again, Huh? Was there a point to the last two pages?
• Clopper & Tucker - Henchmen Therapy - 6 pages. This felt like a small part of a much larger story, and was missing a lot from that standpoint. However, it was very well drawn, especially compared to the last few pages, and had an interesting premise. Do mercenaries go to shrinks? I liked it.
• Nick Bertozzi - Objection Over-ruled: an Incredible Drinkin' Buddies Story - 14 pages. Ug. This story was a complete turn-off. Not my style at all. Not something I would want to read more of anytime soon...
• Fingerman & Bertozzi - the incredible mini-buddies: Blast from the Past - 5 pages. More ug. More of the last 14 pages. Enough of this... on to the next story.
• James Kochalka - Your Life as a Bug - 2 pages. I don't agree with the premise of the story, that we are all doomed to break up with our loved ones. If that's the premise. But otherwise it's ok. A nice message for those who do suffer heartbreak.
• Jim Mahfood - Stupid Comics - 6 pages. These crossed my line and bored me to tears (which is probably the point). 'nuff said.
• Alex Robinson - Box Office Poison 2000 - 5 pages. BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA! I don't know what Box Office Poison is normally like, but I'm going to have to check it out eventually. This was a great little standalone story, maybe the best in the book. Definitely the best so far. With a twist ending, even. Sort of.
• Dean Haspiel - Buster Browns - 2 pages. One of the more odd stories in the bunch, I'm still trying to figure out if I liked it or not.
• Jon Hastings - Smith Brown Jones: Alien Accountant in ...And Now A Word From Our Sponsor - 2 pages. I was wrong about the last story being odd. This one is the very definition of odd. And it's... a cologne ad. Sort of. It reminds me of hard days in the dorm, coming back from class and all you can manage to say to your friends is "Zombies Rule Belgium" or "The Fish".
• Joe Zabel - The Knock: A Trespassers Mystery - 8 pages. Is this one missing a few pages or something? It's a mystery, but I'm not sure I totally understand the whole point of the story. Overall it's good, but like the Private Detective, I feel like I'm missing something.
• John Gallagher - Buzzboy, Becca & Doc Cyber at the Expo - 4 pages. I love this one. I would. It's super-heroey in some ways, and it pokes fun at the Indy scene as well as at itself. Is good.
• Pete Sickman-Garner - the adventures of Young Tim - 1 page. Ok jokes, fine lead-in... nothing I'm interested in, though. Sorry.
• Eric Reynolds - Untitled - 1 page. If there is a message here, I'm missing it. Vaugely interesting imagery that does nothing for me.
• Roman & Green - The Dreams of Jax Epoch from Quicken Forbidden - 4 pages. I like it. I enjoy dream-stories, and this is one that works. I like the art, I like the character... I should check out more work by these guys.
• Rich Koslowski - The 3 Geeks in Who The Heck Is The CBLDF? - 5 pages. I don't think I'd ever actually read a 3 Geeks story until I read this, and now I don't think I'm really missing much. Sure, it's funny, I suppose. But not my kind of funny. Maybe I'll read more later and change my mind, but for now I'm satisfied that I'm not missing out.
• Chris Shadoian - This Little Piggy - 4 pages. Er, I didn't know that kindergarten boys were that advanced. Not my favorite story in the book, but an ok filler with ok art.
• Chris Yambar - yet another prelude tale of the fire breathing Pope - 2 pages. A nice little illustration of an old joke (that even I had heard before).
• Chris Yambar - Mr Beat and his sidekick Platt examine the freedom of speech - 3 pages. A very well done examination of the true meaning of free speech, and the real dangers to it. This little piece is here to remind people that although I might dislike some of the works in this book, it's a good thing they are around. Yambar also talks about responsibility, and how it is the most powerful and important aspect of freedom... one that too many people forget about. Thank you, Chris Yambar. This is one that everyone ought to read.
• Jordan Crane - Only A Movie - 20 pages. A nicely done little horror piece.
• Walker & Neufield - Titans of Finance: True Tales of Money & Business - "L@@k the Part" - 3 pages. The story of Katrina Garnett, who used her intelligence along with her femininity to climbs the peaks of business. An interesting story, well presented, but it lacks... something.
• Bruce Mutard - When Hitler Was An Artist - 6 pages. Chilling and stark, yet incredibly detailed. A wonderful tale, well worth the read.
• Kirkland, MacDicken, Jackson - Dreaming City: Beware the Horror of Trick of Treat - 7 pages. Very odd little horror story. I'm not sure if I liked it or not. The art is interesting, kind of retro.
• Jason Little - Bee in Shutterbug Follies - 3 pages. I'm not sure I like the concept of a photo developer making copies of the photos... it does make for an interesting little vignette, if not an entirely pleasant one.
• Noone & Neville - City of Tales - 4 pages. Huh? There's a message, I'm sure, but the art is so horrible I don't even feel like looking at it.
• Dan Strachota - This Used to be the Best City in America but now San Francisco Sucks! - 6 pages. Whine, Whine, Whine.
• Gregory Cook - Interlude - 5 pages. Nice little tale with hauntingly simple art. This is a poem, illustrated.
• Brian Ralph - Big Trouble - 11 pages. Caveman. Caveman gets robot. Robot saves monkey. Ok. Um. Nice art.
• Rachel Hartman - Merry Pedroolia - 6 pages. I bought the whole book for this story, of course I'm going to like it. For me, the best story in the bunch, mostly because I'm already familiar with Pau-Henoa and his role in Goredd folktales. This was a neat addition to the Amy Unbounded universe, and one that I'm glad I got. Despite all the weird and scary stories that it came with.
• Sneed & McClellan - Forty Winks - 4 pages. I like the uniform. In any case, another good little tale, one that makes me wonder how to get more like it.
• Torres & Levins - The Copybook Tales: As Good As it Gets - 6 pages. I was like these kids once. Heck, I was about that age when Jedi came out, even. I don't identify with them strongly, but there is a familiar pull. That was a pretty good year, wasn't it?
• Rich Henn - Hershal the Rat in Memorium - 4 pages. Ug.
• Cayetano - Magic Inkwell: Comic Strip Theatre - 6 pages. Another illustrated poem. This one has better art, but I like it less than "Interlude".
• Frosty - Frosty the feline ice queen - 1 pages. Gamera. Anyway, an ok little tale. Nothing to sneeze at. Very short, of course.
• Steve Conley - Bright Spots (an Astounding Space Thrills short story) - 2 pages. I sometimes run across this strip on the 'net, and it never makes any sense to me. This episode didn't either. I suppose I could spend a little time trying to figure it out... but I'm just not interested.

For the most part, the works in this book were well-constructed with a lot of thought going into them. But a lot of them lacked that something that sets a good work off from the rest. Some of the works seemed so limited in scope, like they were just more of the same old rants. Some of the works seemed to be trying too hard to be something special, and so came off weak and directionless. The ones that worked best for me seemed to be the ones that were willing to just be themselves, if you can say that about this kind of art.

Getting this book deepened my conviction that there is a lot of comic book work out there worth checking out, and reminded me at the same time that there is stuff out there that just isn't worth my time.