Mullets, Cheesecake, and Fantasyville
For September's webcomics episode, Sean and Derek have some fun titles lined up for you, the devoted Comics Alternative listener. They begin with an incredible futuristic sci-fi series partially informed by one of the worst hairstyles to come out of the 1970s/1980s. Daniel Warren Johnson's Space Mullet is the story of an ex-United-Earth-space-marine-turned-space-trucker and his partner, a sensitive yet wisecracking Zozobian, as they try to come to terms with their pasts as their pasts doggedly continue to creep back into their lives. The guys are absolutely taken by Johnson's highly detailed art -- Sean, in particular, loves Johnson's spaceships, although he's not entirely thrilled by the way the protagonist's mustache is drawn -- as well as the complex way in which his story is unfolding. They point out that the webcomic does not come out as consistently as the creator would like, and he apologizes often for this fact. But that's OK; given the quality of Space Mullet, the guys are more than willing to wait. After that, Derek and Sean turn their attention to Bachan's Vinny: El Perro de la Balbuena. This began as a Spanish-language webcomic several years ago, and now the artist is going back and translating this strips into English...a process that is helping him to learn the language, he says. But to read Vinny, you wouldn't know there's been any translation of any sort, as the story and the comedy are smooth and seamless. This is a strip that reminds the guys of the old Tex Avery cartoons, as well as Ren and Stimpy. Lots of physical comedy, lots of action, lots of exaggerated fun. Finally, the Two Guys wrap up with a webcomic that just recently ended, Kelci Crawford's Johnson and Sir. This one is quite different from the other titles discussed in this episode. While Space Mullet is an ongoing narrative with multiple and complex story arcs, and while Vinny is a serial with a clearly discernible through-line, Johnson and Sir is more like a daily gag strip. In fact, much of Crawford's humor is reminiscent of the kind of comics you'd find in a daily newspaper. There is, at times, some story across installments, but the real impact of the comic is its one-time comedic punch. And Crawford's sense of humor includes elven police officers, fairies, dinosaurs, and aliens all populating a fantasyland that is not too dissimilar from our own. Be sure to check out all of the webcomics highlighted this month!
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