X-Ninja - John Campbell - I bought a few things from John Campbell. It was neat getting to meet him as I enjoy his work online. I figured I should buy things from him since he hasn't made any money from me laughing at his stuff on the internet. His work is extremely funny, and the art is absolutely perfect for what he does. It is just a step or so up from stick figures but it is clean, consistant and conveys what it needs to to make everything work. The humor is dry, funny with a twist. It can make you laugh and sigh at the same time, but mostly laugh. His webcomic is here.
Mobile Fridge - Renee Lot. I really enjoyed meeting her. She was very nice, and gave me a free button. Her web site is here. Mobile Fridge is really an awesome collection. It's like a single person variety show. It has strips and gag panels as well as slightly longer stories. The art is varied and excellent. You wouldn't guess that all of the contents were drawn by the same person. I will say that my favorite piece in the book is 'The Snack That Talks Like A Man' It is more or less about a fridge full of happy smiling food just asking (literally) to be eaten. This may be my favorite find of the show.
Sing Along Forever - A love letter to The Bouncing Souls - Liz Baillie. This is an autobiographical comic about finding that one song, that one band that speaks to you and reaches you in a way that nothing prior to it ever has before, and then making a quest later in life to document that fact and meet the band and memorialize just what it meant to you as a way of saying thank you to them. It's really well done. The art works perfectly for the book. Is it the greatest art ever? No. Is it fitting that it has a raw and personal feel to it? You betcha. The art doesn't get in the way, and is better than average in my opinion. I asked Liz to do a little sketch in my copy when she signed it, and she seemed a bit self conscious about having to do it on the spot like that, but it was great and I love it. I am anxious to read her other book 'My Brain Hurts' which is in my bag of loot, but didn't make it out in thes handfull.
Spectral-Biology - Macarthur. This is a small volume from MACARTHUR from No Lemon Press. There were three guys at the No Lemon Press table and I bought something from each I believe. This is a small volume with a cool cover that features lots of skulls. The art is trippy but good. I am not sure I fully understand this, but I liked the art and the cover a lot, and have picked it up and read back through it several times. The folks at No Lemon Press were fun to chat with and seemed nice. Yes, I like to support people who seem fun and nice.
Track Rabbit #3 - Geoff Vasile. One of the funniest exchanges of my whole time at SPX was with Geoff Vassile. It started out with him quoting Star Trek, and Me and the guy next to him pointing out that it was a Peter Pan reference, and ended with him doing a sketch of himself as a vulcan on the copy of Track Rabbit that I bought from him. He was definitely fun to meet. Track Rabbit #3 is really good. He's no Jaime Hernandez, but his work made me think of him. It is very good black and white, in a style that is reminiscent of Love & Rockets to me. The story itself was well written. I hope to get more of his work at some point.
Girl Ninja: Book 1 - Rebecca Simms. - I am not completely in love with the art on this, but I will say that it is consistent, and that there is a good bit of skill shown in the layout and the visual storytelling, etc. It is also very funny. I don't fully love what comes across as sort of broken english, but I don't think it is there as anything but a reference to the style of thing this is a sort of spoof of. Spoof is probably the wrong word, but this is a genuinely funny book that could be enjoyed by a pretty wide age range. It might appeal even more to the young female manga crowd, as it speaks in that language. This is fun. I expect that my daughters will enjoy this as much as I did.
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