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.

Sucker Punch #1 by Mark Jason Robards Mark Jason Robards’ first issue of Sucker Punch is essentially a three part story titled, “Today is the Day I Wish They Would Hold a Parade in My Name.” In between these three installments, Robards inserts shorter strips starring supporting characters. For his art, Robards uses a clean, effortless looking line mixed with very energetic poses; this gives his comic a real boost.

The characters in Sucker Punch look like what you might find in an Archie Comics/Eightball crossover. On the one hand, the characters are slacker types, but on the other hand, their actions are exaggerated a great degree like a “bigfoot” style throwback comic. Robards deftly uses devices like floating hearts and stars, as well as obvious physical humor like pratfalls and wildly hanging tongues. Clarence Bathwater is an aspiring writer who actually writes very little. His friend and ex-girlfriend Freida Beans serves as Clarence’s sounding board and reality check. Sucker Punch is Clarence whining about bums and not having enough time to write; he’s not a very sympathetic character. Instead, he’s just pathetic. Frieda is the character in the story you like. She calls Clarence on his bullshit. Two other characters, Harry Jiggs and Penny, serve as the stars of the shorter strips. Remember the annoying guy in the annoying movies Clerks and Mallrats, that’s Harry Jiggs. His role is thankfully small.

Sucker Punch is a 32-page mini-comic with a color wrap-around cover for $3. You can purchase a copy online at the Short Pants Press store. Short Pants Press is a group based in Chicago and St. Louis, and they have a damn fine postcard. There’s a duck on it, therefore I like them very much.

Not dead, just lazy.

In the SIZE MATTERS offices, a healthy stack of mini-comics waits patiently. The mini-comics, and their creators, wait for me to get off of my ass and review them. I appreciate their patience, even though I know it’s wearing thin.

Truthfully, the warm weather makes it difficult to stay inside and look at comics. And yet the comics keep stacking up. I see them creeping into the edge of my consciousness, even as I decide to take Kate out for drinks instead of scanning in pages and writing short reviews.

Damn summer.

And tonight it’s half-price martini night at Scholar’s Inn…

Anyway, I’ve got a lot of stuff to review; I know this. If you’re waiting for a review, I promise I’ll get to your mini-comic. I’ve glanced at most of the mini-comics before putting them into the stack; there are good comics in that stack. Stand by.

In the meantime, have you seen Dan Zettwoch's blog?

Carl is the Awesome Volume 2 by Marcos Perez

In issues 1-4 of Carl is the Awesome, you get to know the lovable, overconfident Carl. Carl is a dinosaur. He has a beaver’s tail and wears a little black vest. The ladies love him, he loves the ladies. If you haven’t read the first four issues, you should drop the $2 and pick them up. In these first four issues, Carl rules.

Issues 5-8 are slightly less engaging, but Carl is still Carl. In issue 5, Carl is the leader of a rap super group. “Our game is tighter than a jar of dills!! Twist off the top and enjoy the taste of our willis!!!” Carl makes the perfect rapper, but of course he’s so awesome that he and his mates, DJ Bill$ Murray and Miss Ill-Toe Diva, are chased by rabid fans.

In issue 6, with the help of a mystical mirror, Carl meets L’Rac, his French twin. L’Rac is every bit as awesome as Carl. Since the world can’t handle the overwhelming awesomeness of the two together, they’re forced into a competition to eliminate the loser and restore the awesomeness balance of the globe. The competition involves the ladies. That’s all I’m saying.

In issue 7, Carl recounts his experiences in community theatre. This page pretty much sums up the silliness that is Carl in community theatre. I’ll add that he’s somewhat of an improviser on stage.

Issue 8 is probably the best of this bunch, and it’s about something near and dear to all of our hearts – the small press comics festival. Carl shows you how to behave at a show like SPX or MoCCA. Not only does he teach you the fine art of swapping comics, he shows you how to navigate the sea of ladies at these shows. You go Carl.

Perez does a fine job with Carl, and it’s a great idea for a character. The packaging, presentation, and price point are all perfect for Carl’s adventures, but the nature of the stories, a dinosaur bragging about his awesomeness in different situations, can feel less fresh after the novelty wears off. However, issues 5-8 of Carl is the Awesome are packaged together in a slipcase for the price of $2.00. It’s just $2 for a nice little set of mini-comics that you can hand to almost anyone and elicit a giggle or two. You can purchase your own at the CliffFaceComics online store.

Something Very Cool

Austin English has set up a blog full of pages from a future story in his future magazine (it's like he's a robot boy or something), Windy Corner.

Anyway, drawings by Austin English are always a good thing, and he has plenty on his new blog.

If you scroll down, you can check out these pictures from Tom Neeley at MoCCA.

Madinkbeard on the loose at MoCCA

Derik was at MoCCA and he highlighted pretty much what I would have highlighted. Picturebox? Check. Global Hobo? Check. Paping? Check. He's like my evil twin. Except both of us are probably pretty cuddly once you get to know us.

Also Derik has this review of Frank Santoro's new book.

MoCCA Photos/Reports

Here are a few early reports and pictures of MoCCA. Looks like a good time.

Here are Kevin’s Photos

Pictures from Chris at Panels and Pixels

Liz Baillie’s Report with pictures.

If you have anymore let me know and I'll post them.

MoCCA Festival Time!

This weekend is the MoCCA Festival. It’s also the second year in a row that I will miss it, but I hope that everyone who goes has a blast. From my admittedly limited con perspective MoCCA and SPX are the twin giants for quality mini-comics. I haven’t been to APE, SPACE, or STAPLE, but both MoCCA and SPX rule for mini-comics. MoCCA was my first “comics convention,” and I can’t think of a better way for a comics geek to plunge into conventions. That was also the only time that Ed Cunard and I have hung out in person. The bastard has bailed on the last two SPX shows, but he’ll be at MoCCA this weekend. Here’s his recommendations this weekend for everything not mini-comics. I do have to second his Pat Lewis suggestion. Find Lewis and buy everything on his table. He brings the funny.

Who else is going to MoCCA? Well most of the cool kids will be there selling their wares. Don’t be afraid to approach the tables with the sad artists setting behind them. Look at their books, ask them questions, buy what strikes your fancy. Nothing should set you back too much cash. Another great thing about MoCCA is that the crappy publishers don’t bother attending these, so it's almost all quality.

If anyone has the gumption to do a mini-comics centric MoCCA report, I’ll post it here and give you full credit, as well as send you the biggest box of mini-comics you can imagine for your trouble. Probably should have posted this offer sooner though…

I forgot to mention how much I love the Puck Building. Have fun kids! Buy some minis and flood the surrounding bars.

Earth Minds are Weak #5 by Justin J. Fox
This in an interesting concept, and different format, for Fox’s fifth issue of Earth Minds mini-comic. To start with, issue 5 is a trio of mini-comics packaged in a brightly colored translucent vellum envelope.

“Good-Bye” is a stiff full color 8-page mini that most closely resembles the first four issues of Earth Minds are Weak. It’s a wordless reflection on loss presented in an unorthodox manner. Many of you have lost someone, but probably not like this.
With “I Love You!,” Fox takes a “guy loves girl, girl ignores guy until it’s too late” story and takes it to the extreme. Stick figures have never been so engrossing – or maybe just gross – in their quest to prove that love’s a bitch.

Poor Lincoln. In “Lincoln Isn’t the Awesome” he shows why he’ll never compare to his gregarious and popular stable mate Carl. Eight pages of woe and misery are more than enough to convince the reader that Lincoln will always play second fiddle to Carl. But just like it’s fun to read Carl and laugh at his overzealous chest thumping (sorry, Carl!), it’s fun to watch Lincoln mope about. Maybe he should trade that handlebar mustache for a little vest like Carl’s.

Earth Minds Are Weak #5 is available at Cliff Face Comics for $2. While I’m mentioning Cliff Face Comics, look for a review of the next volume of Carl is the Awesome! by Marcos Perez next week.

If you’re going to MoCCA this weekend, Fox and Marcos Perez will be there selling their minis.

Do You Like TV? by various artists
Here’s a TV themed mini-comic edited by Levon Jihanian of Igloo Tornado that includes pages by Scott Nobles, Souther Salazar, Dave Kiersh, Josh Frankel, Gin Stevens, Tom Neely, Rina Ayuyang, Toby Craig, and many others. Each artist gets a page (Levon and Tom Neely get two pages) to shout out to their favorite or not so favorite TV moments. A not so favorite moment. Although I’m a Pistons fan and I hate the hometown Pacers, so this one kind of made me giggle.

Inside, Scott Nobles does an awesome drawing of Mr. T. A-Team geeks need to find this mini-comic now. Actually between this drawing of Mr. T and Mark Todd’s Mr. T in Bad Ass, you could begin an all Mr. T anthology.

Souther Salazar’s page consists of people sitting at 3 round tables. A guy in what looks like a fair booth is cleaning out a glass, while another gentleman storms through the door. At that point, you’re a bit clueless until you notice the word in the very bottom right hand corner – “NORM!” Ah that’s it…

Remember “DYN-O-MITE!” from Good Times? Gin Stevens does.

Dave Kiersh likes those after school specials and made for TV movies. Chances are he remembers much more about them than you do.
Copies of Do You Like TV? cost $3. If you’re going to MoCCA this weekend, perhaps you can find a copy at the festival. You could also try emailing Levon through his website and begging to buy a copy. Begging sometimes works…