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Review
Stink Like Dog #1-#3
Posted by Mardou
The first issue of Stink Like Dog is a series of black and white flyers collected together. There’s no discernable plot, but there is a definite theme connecting the images. Etienne Le Comte’s wears his influences on his sleeve- unashamedly- the Ghost in the Machine/Matrix, Japanese sci-fi, Oddworld. Style wise there’s traces of HR Giger and Big Daddy Roth in there too.
Stink Like Dog #2 and #3 continue in this vein, but the strands of his fascinations are brought together more cohesively – urban dystopias, psychedelic pipework, test tubes, lab animals. Stink Like Dog#2 is more text heavy with design blueprints, ‘Kid in a Can’ labels, adverts and flyers recommending voluntary lobotomy, and it’s not without humour, we’re told televisual enjoyment will not be impaired!
The booklets are beautifully constructed, each issue having a fold out centre, and the attention to detail is astonishing. Although Le Comte’s influences are zeitgeisty (hell, even Charlie’s Angels is influenced by the Matrix!), few artists would even begin to try and construct the highly detailed and exactly imagined world on paper depicted here.
Whilst being particularly successful when it gets sequential, there are a few weak spots; Le Comte doesn’t seem comfortable putting humans into his machine, the mix of overly cartoony people in this tightly drawn industrial landscape isn’t quite there yet.
That aside, I hope Le Comte keeps to the sequential. His mastery of brown-acid psychedelia has me poring over the details.
Priced £1.50 ppd from
Etienne le Comte,
The Globe, Trelavour,
St Dennis, Cornwall,
PL26 8AR, UK
Contact: e_le_comte@hotmail.com
Review
"Bahala Na!" and "Don't say yes, say know!"
Posted by Andrew Luke
The Goodman Brothers have been impressive circling on five years least, actively involved in Liverpool anthologies and the Ian Hering Community Workshop, Influences range from Stan Sakai, Seth and Bill WAtterson, or similarities do. This isn't watered down ice cream, it's the real dreamily. Arthur's "Don't say yes, say know" really has my hetero heart, with characters' alienated, leftover and plain misunderstanding presented in a visually confident style.
The micromic "Chatroom Rendevous" at relaxed stroll pace using animals to make a human point about security and attitude. Dave Goodman, produces "Zappy the Magic Science Robot". This 16pg A7 tells of time travelling, perhaps aimed at a younger age group with a smack of barbarism, and reminds me somewhat of Alan Moore's Timmy Turbo tales.
Also keen on commandeering this Chickwagon, one of the brothers has produced a Google search results comic made from a selection of images and relevant findings.
"Bahala Na!" by David, also employs the use of anthromorphics, and a greater honest guv, it's research for my work, fantasy gaming and smock comics folklore. Some of it's funny, there's good detail, his Egyptain tale represent heiroglyphs and costume, with my personal fave, a re-interpreted excerpt from Blake's 'Tyger Tyger'. Thoughful.
For further details write Dave at obakeneko@usagimail.com or Arthur, bear@favouritecrayon.co.uk
Alternatively, 34 Banner Street, Wavertree, Liverpool L15 0HQ.
A pound per comic or International Reply Coupon to that value should be okay, and they have a good back store available I reckon.
Other titles to request include Zip Gun anthologies, Favourite Crayon Stories, Square Eyed Stories and for £3.50/5 U.S $ the four Pulp Kitchen collections featuring many Liverpool cartoonists.
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