In Search of Monkeysuit Vol. 4

Posted: Tuesday, April 8, 2003
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of In Search of Monkeysuit Vol. 4 Creator(s): Pat Giles, Chris McCulloch, Miguel Martinez-Joffre, Prentis Rollins and Michael Foran and others
Publishers: Monkeysuit Press
From: USA
Price: $9.95 (US)

Close to 130 pages of alternative comics make up this anthology. There's little in the way of common ground here, apart from a very high level of illustrations skills as befits a bunch of people who earn their money as animators. A few of the highlights for me were:

Night of the Wupass by Bradley Rodriguez
A terrifying piece of autobiographical storytelling that follows two young teenagers who entertain themselves throwing stuff at passing cars. It's all a bit of a laugh until a large piece of wood connects with the side widow of a van. Out step a couple of angry guys who chase down the kids. Things turn nasty with threats, violence and guns. This is personal violence, nothing romantic or exciting.

The Adventures of Captain Pure and his Faithful Cat Chernosliv by Andrei Poteryaylo
Strongly reminiscent of the 1960s & 70s underground comics of creators such as Robert Crumb, this story has artwork which is both rough and beautifully detailed. Events seem to be occurring in a civil war setting, perhaps in the US but it could be anywhere. Captain Pure is a troublemaker who finds himself caught up in the war, and for some reason he is accompanied by a talking cat. While the captain is trying to stay alive, a voluptuous young woman finds herself being pawed over by slobbering soldiers and a group of bondage and discipline loving women. Naughty and loopy all at once.

3 Short Little Bunny Tales by Mo Willems
This is a guilty pleasure really, in which a bunch of cute little bunnies steal, kill and have a good time. I laughed.

...and there is lots more here, so there is bound to be something that will suit every taste. Even the harshest comic reader will find their money well spent on this book.

In a Word: Polished..



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