If you think that comic books pander uncreatively to the power
fantasies of computer dweebs like you, you're right--with a few
exceptions. Soon to realize its fourteenth issue, Eightball is one such
exception. Inked and scripted by Chicago-bred Dan Clowes, Eightball
is a creative cry from the margins of what is, for the most
partt, a stale comics industry.
Clowes is best known for his addictive series Like a
Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, a compilation extracted from Eightball that
disturbs as it amuses with its surreal caricatures and bizarre plot
twists. But Eightball is replete with other imaginative stories,
including such titles as Lloyd Llewellyn and the Dan Pussey/Dr.
Infinity story, all of which are definitely worth the read.
Clowes's latest serial creation,
Ghost World, cap an impressive and evolving body of work.
Displaying a breadth of talent perhaps unrivaled in comics, Ghost
World offers the same compelling artwork and twisted, uniquw characters as his previous work.
Last and least, you'll soon see Clowes's distinctive faces
stamped all over a new
OK Cola ad campaign if you haven't already
seen the host of album covers he's designed (The Supersuckers, for
example).
Dan spared us generous amounts of his time for a tour of the
industry, a discussion of
his art,
and a little
autobiographical info (which is true inspriation for all slackers). I
found him to be affable, intelligent, and above all, full of artistic
integrity.
So without further ado . . .
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