Saturday Revue September 2: Lonely Skeleton

And Now, For The World Weary Reader, Presenting

 The Lonely Skeleton!

Sounds like the title of a kid's Halloween book, doesn't it? 'The Lonely Skeleton'. You can practically predict the plot. Poor Lonely Skeleton will be lonely. Then he'll make a friend. Then he'll be HAPPY!
....ahem. Not exactly. Imagine that kid's book was written by Kafka or Nietzsche. After a few shots of bad vodka. 

You get the idea....
That's 'Lonely Skeleton', a gaga gag-a-day strip created by João Duarte Silva.You were warned.

The Rating

Well played, sir. Well played.

The Raves

This offbeat comic will regularly have you bursting out in small spurts of giggling, because it states so baldly facts that we spend our entire lives dancing around that you laugh almost in self defense. Reminiscent of the Farside at its best, 'Lonely Skeleton' holds up a mirror to our lives and points out just how absurd the life we call 'real' is. Its main point is the meaning of life: that is, how desperate we all are for there TO BE ONE. Skeleton and Rock's pitifully desperate search for things to occupy their ENDLEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS time is at once hugely amusing and darkly satisfying. 

When you've had a rotten day at work, when you've realized that the paper you spent days writing will be read by the professor in about 5 minutes and then tossed, this is the comic to soothe your savage breast with. In future I know I'll flop down after a crappy day, flip through a few pages, smirk grimly and murmur 'damn straight!' to myself. And that, ladies and gentlemen, takes some skill. It isn't easy to tell people blatant truths in an amusing way, but Silva pulls it off with aplomb.

The style is classically gag-a-day simplistic, and has what I call the 'DIY aesthetic', meaning that a skilled artist is doing something with casual ease by hand. They aren't afraid for you to KNOW it's hand drawn, with slightly wobbly lines here and there, but the very fact that clean, well rendered drawings can be created in such a casual manner shows the skill of the creator. It took me back to reading Gary Larsen, PHD, Love And Rockets and some of my favorite indie zines.

The Razzes

Just one suggestion? Work on the lettering a touch; some of the hand-drawn letters are a touch blurry and difficult to parse at a glance. No big deal, but something to keep in mind. Other than that, as a reader I'd LOVE to see updates on a more regular basis, and would love even more to buy the print book of strips. When does it come out? Granted, I already know Skeleton's answer...

The Revue

Grab a shot of grey goose and give it a read when the boss has been an ass. You'll feel oddly validated in the ultimate meaninglessness of life...oh and you'll laugh too.

Sunday Revue June 5th: Brain Teaser Comics

Ladies and Gentlemen...

...Let your imagination run free with...

Brain Teaser Comics by Bruce Otter reminds me of the Rick and Morty episodes where they channel surf through inter-dimensional television (NSFW), because the TV shows they come across are surreal, gory, and at times defy explanation. You might also think of Brain Teaser Comics like Far Side strips because those were also surreal and expressed with wit through 1-panel of art, but these days I'm more familiar with Rick and Morty than I am with The Far Side.

Rating

Surreal, gory, Lovecraftian.

Raves

Whatever they remind you of, these stand-alone comics are wildly imaginative, and Bruce was really good at coming up with different concoction of ideas every week while this comic was running.

You do have to think of it like hors d'oeuvres for the mind (hence "brain teasers"). They're almost like writing prompts, or at least prompts to guide your idle, daydreaming imagination.

I didn't think I'd go through all of the teasers, but I did because I liked the combination of writing, Lovecraftian themes, and the sometimes shocking and off-putting graphic violence that accompanied it all.

A few more examples of the weirdness you'll find in Brain Teaser Comics:

This one has to be my favorite.

I don't even want to know how that "messy breakup" went down.

Joseph, you married poorly.

Razzes

The problem with Brain Teaser Comics though is that as a binge reader, it's like flipping through TV channels. After a while, I wonder why I'm doing it and I nod off. The comic doesn't further a plot nor is there any kind of shared continuity that follows through them, which is fine. I think it really means that this comic is better off read once a day -- you know, like if you had a comic-a-day calendar.

It seems like a work that's ideal for disseminating through social media. I don't know if Bruce ever considered it, but if not, even with the comic's run finished, maybe it could find some renewed life there.

Revue

If you're fine with a bit of shock and gore (or a fan of The Far Side or Rick and Morty) then feed your brain some of these surreal comics.