Mini-Comics by Robert Ullman I have a soft spot in my heart for Robert Ullman's artwork. When I lived in DC, he did illustrations for the "Savage Love" column in the alt weekly, The City Paper. His figures for that gig were vivacious and charming, managing to be both sexy and cute. It looks like, as I’ve been to DC several times and grabbed a copy of The City Paper since then, that he isn’t working for them anymore. Without his art, it's a much less enjoyable read. Luckily, Robert continues working in other venues, including mini-comics.

Issues three and four of Teeny Bikini continue where issue two left off – well done pin-ups of semi-clothed or nude girls. Each 20-page issue features finished drawings and sketches of girls next door types, coeds, and even costumed ladies like Supergirl and a few lesser known DC heroines. Each issue of Teeny Bikini is $2. That’s Just Super is a wordless 48-page mini that tells the tale of a female office worker/super hero who, while battling a giant monster, runs into a less than honorable male super hero. Even though she dispatches the Godzilla-sized beast, the male cape steals the credit. That’s Just Super has a full color cover, which looks similar to other nicely produced minis from Wide Awake Press. Inside, each page, except for a few splash pages, feature two panels of storytelling. At all times, Ullman does a great job of telegraphing the action through visual cues. That’s Just Super is $3.

Crustacean Frustration is also from Wide Awake Press. It sports a subtle tri-color cover wrapped around 28 black and white pages. The last lobster escapes from a restaurant tank as an important food critic sits waiting for his lobster dinner. This event derails the life of the chef in the story. The lobster and the chef meet again later with an silly and warm all ages ending. The pages are divided into a strict four-panel structure, except when a firearm appears on a one-panel page.

Crustacean Frustration, like That’s Just Super, is wordless. Again, Robert has a nice command of communicating without speech. The art in this mini is much simpler. The characters are more representations of characters, rather than fully fleshed out. It’s a much looser type of cartooning than any of his other work, but it’s an effective way to communicate this story. Crustacean Frustration is $.

Check out Robert’s website for more information on his minis. You can buy them here. Also go to Wide Awake Press for other interesting minis from J. Chris Campbell's shop.

Teeny Bikini #1 by Rob Ullman

Subtitled "A Scandalous Selection of Sketchbook Scrawlings," Ullman's tiny little sketchbook is a joy. I've liked Ullman's work since he did the "Savage Love" illustrations in the Washington City Paper. Teeny Bikini is short and sweet. It's 16 pages of sketches, punctuated by finished drawings and sandwiched between vellum endpapers. I love vellum, and Ullman uses it to great effect in this example.
Ullman's figures are compact and curvaceous. Thankfully, they rarely resemble the impossible freaks you find on the cover of something like The Gift or god forbid, Ant. Ullman draws girls, girls next door, gilrfriends, wives, check out girls, and waitresses. He draws women, not beasts.
If you're not familiar with his work, go check out his online store and his blog. Lots of great drawings at the blog. Teeny Bikini #1 is $2. Issue number two came out this month as well, and it's $3.