Blog Archives
Bagnall, John – Double Woodwork
Double Woodwork
If you’re not convinced after reading the first two reviews that this is something you should check out, I don’t know what else to say to convince you. I don’t know if there’s any art that I enjoy just staring at more than John’s, which is a pretty big deal with all the comics I see. In here you learn a little more about the man, have a few more disappearing phrases, read a diary-style two page strip, see some class photos and learn the sordid things the vestment supplier hears. Oh, and if I had a million dollars I’d love to see every single page he’s ever drawn done up in the coloring of the front and back cover. $3
Bagnall, John – Bushels of Coalsmoke
Bushels of Coalsmoke
A welcome problem to have when I’m trying to pick a sample from a comic is having something be worth showing on every page. It doesn’t happen often, but I honestly believe that I could have sampled anything in here (with the possible exception of a page in the long story here, just because it wouldn’t make much sense out of context) and it would show you just how incredible this is. More disappearing phrases, a sampling of some daily strips that he did, a story about the dangers of sloth and an old remedy for the flu called Police Bottle. I don’t know if I’m legally allowed to call art “quaint” without sounding like a jackass, but that’s the best that I can come up with for this. Also, every single panel in here has plenty going on. No lazy drawings of people living in a vacuum so the strip is easier to draw, there’s all kinds of detail here, the kind of stuff that’s more rewarding each time you look at it. Kudos all around on this one, I don’t have a bad thing to say about it.
Bagnall, John – Get Yourself a Gobstopper
Get Yourself a Gobstopper
You know what I love? I love the fact that I can come home from a crappy day of work and have a random, wonderful comic waiting for me from the UK. Can’t beat it. So, I guess I ruined the surprise a bit on this one, huh? So what’s it about? Do you still want to know after that cover and that sample? OK, fine. It’s a collection of short snippets, such as disappearing phrases, single pages about different crafts, different places and grumpy people. What I love about this is that he seems to care as much about the characters (granted, not that they’re allowed to do much in a page or two) as he does about their surroundings. It’s always great to see this level of detail put into the backgrounds without giving up a bit on the characters. It’s a bit short, but luckily he sent a few more along with this one, so I should be able to tell you more about his other works in a week or so. $3, or $8 for this and the two other minis he sent…
