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#1
Books & Comics / Re: Completely Self-absorbed T...
Last post by Colin YNWA - Today at 08:16:43 AMNumber 79 - Kennel Block Blues - Part 1
Number 79 - Kennel Block Blues
Keywords: Musical, comedy, horror, anthropomorphic, dogs vs cats
Creators:
Writer - Ryan Ferrier
Art - Daniel Bayliss
Colours - Adam Metcalfe
Publisher: Boom!
No. issues: 4
Date of Publication: 2016
Last read: 2024
Well surely I can't get more obscure than a British small press title like I did last time... well ya know what I reckon this one could be. A supremely odd little mini from Boom! Studios that I'm guessing no buggers heard of, but who knows I'm often wrong about these things and in this case would be delighted to be so as you should all be reading
Copyright - Boom! Studios - I'm guessing
I have no idea what led me to pick up Kennel Block Blues when it first came out. Maybe I was just in the mood for an anthropomorphic prison musical about feuding cats and dogs. I mean we all go through that phase don't we. And yes that's right, that is what this series is. It's a comic book musical about Oliver, a French (or Boston) Terrier who is thrown into Jackson State Kennel. In the slammer he becomes embroiled in a conflict for control. The cats, led by Pickles, have wrestled control of Jackson. Sugar, a hardened chihuahua and Oliver's new cell mate, wants to remind the dogs who should be in charge, even if their leader Chester has been cast into solitary.
The thing is Oliver is a good dog and he knows doesn't belong in Jackson, he knows he doesn't. He has no real interest in the conflicts and politics within the prison. He's just a good boy who wants everyone to get along and to be loved. Anyway he also knows his owners will come and find him soon... or so he tells himself. As we learn, heartbreakingly, that belief might well just be a copying mechanism. Oliver's other copying mechanism? Why he regularly breaks into song, full on, overblown musical numbers straight out of a 40s Disney musical short cartoon. As he sings, to him at least, the world explodes into colour and those around him sing with along, join his chorus. Alas, again the reality might be very different.
Copyright - Boom! Studios - I'm guessing
And in that summary we learn so much about what makes Kennel Block Blues such a brilliant comic. It's so refreshing and different. I've read a lot of comics. A LOT and yet I've never read anything quite like this. While it plays happily with prison story tropes we all know. The characters all dance around the possibility of being cliches, they fall into archetypes that we know so well. The innocent 'fool' whose mere presence seems to incidentally spin events in unintended ways. Oliver could be played by Gene Wilder! Sugar is the hard bitten, streetwise, no nonsense smart player, who knows so much about surviving and thriving in the slammer, yet is too damned stubborn and doesn't know when to quit. Pickles, the calmer, considered prison mastermind, not far from Noel Coward in The Italian Job. There's henchmen, well cats, kindly strong dogs. Wise old wizened prison veterans. Old timers who know to keep out the trouble and try to help the weak get by.
This cast is thrown into scenarios we're seen. The attempted prison break. The prison politics, players and people pushed and pulled into position, to serve the needs of those that hold the reinds. Violence breaking out as tension comes to the boil. All of this we're seen and know from so many stories of this type from across different media.
And yet none of this falls into cliche here. Oh sure it toys with it, tetters dangerous on the brink of falling over, but never quite tips over. Rather the way it's presented, the originality of elements of both these familiar characters and the stories they play out remain utterly original. This allows the story to play with different themes and ideas within these common prison story tropes and thus keep things very new and exciting
Number 79 - Kennel Block Blues
Keywords: Musical, comedy, horror, anthropomorphic, dogs vs cats
Creators:
Writer - Ryan Ferrier
Art - Daniel Bayliss
Colours - Adam Metcalfe
Publisher: Boom!
No. issues: 4
Date of Publication: 2016
Last read: 2024
Well surely I can't get more obscure than a British small press title like I did last time... well ya know what I reckon this one could be. A supremely odd little mini from Boom! Studios that I'm guessing no buggers heard of, but who knows I'm often wrong about these things and in this case would be delighted to be so as you should all be reading
Copyright - Boom! Studios - I'm guessing
I have no idea what led me to pick up Kennel Block Blues when it first came out. Maybe I was just in the mood for an anthropomorphic prison musical about feuding cats and dogs. I mean we all go through that phase don't we. And yes that's right, that is what this series is. It's a comic book musical about Oliver, a French (or Boston) Terrier who is thrown into Jackson State Kennel. In the slammer he becomes embroiled in a conflict for control. The cats, led by Pickles, have wrestled control of Jackson. Sugar, a hardened chihuahua and Oliver's new cell mate, wants to remind the dogs who should be in charge, even if their leader Chester has been cast into solitary.
The thing is Oliver is a good dog and he knows doesn't belong in Jackson, he knows he doesn't. He has no real interest in the conflicts and politics within the prison. He's just a good boy who wants everyone to get along and to be loved. Anyway he also knows his owners will come and find him soon... or so he tells himself. As we learn, heartbreakingly, that belief might well just be a copying mechanism. Oliver's other copying mechanism? Why he regularly breaks into song, full on, overblown musical numbers straight out of a 40s Disney musical short cartoon. As he sings, to him at least, the world explodes into colour and those around him sing with along, join his chorus. Alas, again the reality might be very different.
Copyright - Boom! Studios - I'm guessing
And in that summary we learn so much about what makes Kennel Block Blues such a brilliant comic. It's so refreshing and different. I've read a lot of comics. A LOT and yet I've never read anything quite like this. While it plays happily with prison story tropes we all know. The characters all dance around the possibility of being cliches, they fall into archetypes that we know so well. The innocent 'fool' whose mere presence seems to incidentally spin events in unintended ways. Oliver could be played by Gene Wilder! Sugar is the hard bitten, streetwise, no nonsense smart player, who knows so much about surviving and thriving in the slammer, yet is too damned stubborn and doesn't know when to quit. Pickles, the calmer, considered prison mastermind, not far from Noel Coward in The Italian Job. There's henchmen, well cats, kindly strong dogs. Wise old wizened prison veterans. Old timers who know to keep out the trouble and try to help the weak get by.
This cast is thrown into scenarios we're seen. The attempted prison break. The prison politics, players and people pushed and pulled into position, to serve the needs of those that hold the reinds. Violence breaking out as tension comes to the boil. All of this we're seen and know from so many stories of this type from across different media.
And yet none of this falls into cliche here. Oh sure it toys with it, tetters dangerous on the brink of falling over, but never quite tips over. Rather the way it's presented, the originality of elements of both these familiar characters and the stories they play out remain utterly original. This allows the story to play with different themes and ideas within these common prison story tropes and thus keep things very new and exciting
#2
Books & Comics / Re: Completely Self-absorbed T...
Last post by Colin YNWA - Today at 08:14:56 AMQuote from: IndigoPrime on Today at 08:11:37 AMIt is ideal for newcomers and long-time lapsed readers. I've heard US folks on podcasts also getting annoyed (in a jokey way) because once they'd read the first two volumes they felt compelled to get the rest of eg Brink and some of the other contained strips. So job done there too.
That is good news and yeah Brink (and other stories in there) are going to pull you to the trades. As it says it a mix tape and the best mix tapes force you to the shops (well if folks still did that!) to buy more records.
The fact its still going suggests its hitting its mark somewhere as well.
#3
Books & Comics / Re: Completely Self-absorbed T...
Last post by Colin YNWA - Today at 08:13:04 AMQuote from: Funt Solo on Today at 02:24:27 AMQuote from: Colin YNWA on 02 June, 2024, 08:24:00 PMI've been tempted to check out the Best of - but it'd be an expensive curio for me and so never got to it. It does seem like a great bumper intro for a new reader and is probably where I'd now point folks curious about trying 2000ad out to. If they are still available or easy to find?
There's copies on the shelf in my local comic shop.
(I heard from someone else. I don't go into the comic shop because I've not got broad tastes and only read comics carnivorously, which makes a mess. I've been banned, basically. But I can see them through the window. They look great.)
That's cool for some reason I got the sense that the early issues had sold out but looks like its out there and a quick check in the webshop shows its still there.
Quote from: BadlyDrawnKano on 02 June, 2024, 11:13:41 PMThe O-Men sounds fantastic, anything that takes Morrison's Doom Patrol as an influence but then becomes its own thing is something I'm intrigued by, I don't really read comics digitally any more but shall have to make an exception for this one.
Digital does feel like the way to go. Especially as it will be an acquired test. Its not as obviously out there as Doom Patrol but does have that darker feel and idea of mental landscapes being dangerous places!
#4
Books & Comics / Re: Completely Self-absorbed T...
Last post by IndigoPrime - Today at 08:11:37 AMThe best-of books are great, and each one does contain a short essay about a key strip. But if you have a big 2000 AD collection, you may well already own everything in those books. (Also, the last one rather oddly gives you only a chunk of Shako, whereas all the other strips are self-contained.)
It is ideal for newcomers and long-time lapsed readers. I've heard US folks on podcasts also getting annoyed (in a jokey way) because once they'd read the first two volumes they felt compelled to get the rest of eg Brink and some of the other contained strips. So job done there too.
It is ideal for newcomers and long-time lapsed readers. I've heard US folks on podcasts also getting annoyed (in a jokey way) because once they'd read the first two volumes they felt compelled to get the rest of eg Brink and some of the other contained strips. So job done there too.
#5
General / Re: Forthcoming Thrills - 2024
Last post by Colin YNWA - Today at 08:06:57 AMI think Spectre got better as it went on and ended really well. I'd absolutely welcome more. I mean more John Wagner and more Dan Cornwell - what's not to like!
#6
General / Re: Forthcoming Thrills - 2024
Last post by 13school - Today at 08:03:19 AMYeah, Spector was great. Definitely keen for another series
#7
General / Re: Forthcoming Thrills - 2024
Last post by Trooper McFad - Today at 07:42:55 AMQuote from: Le Fink on Today at 07:00:56 AMGIVE US MORE SPECTOR, JOHN (please?)
I'll second that
#8
General / Re: Forthcoming Thrills - 2024
Last post by Le Fink - Today at 07:00:56 AMQuote from: PsychoGoatee on 02 June, 2024, 08:13:55 PMSay, when do you think we'll see Spector collected? And has their been enough for a collection so far...
I asked this of John Wagner at Lawless and he reckoned it will be collected around September this year. That'll be a very nice book, I think Carlos's final art? And tremendous follow up by Dan Cornwell - I'll be getting it. It did run for many episodes but not sure on the page count.
Quote...and do we know if it'll run again?
I also asked this. He said he was a bit discouraged to continue by some of the reaction to the first series. Personally, I really enjoyed it. Maybe us Spector fans should shout from the rooftops and perhaps he'll be encouraged to continue with it???
GIVE US MORE SPECTOR, JOHN (please?)
#9
Off Topic / Re: Boys Adventure comic blog
Last post by Richard S. - Today at 06:53:25 AMMore of Eric Parker's work painted on his holidays in Ibiza & Austria
https://boysadventurecomics.blogspot.com/2024/06/eric-parker-overseas-part-5-of-10.html
https://boysadventurecomics.blogspot.com/2024/06/eric-parker-overseas-part-5-of-10.html
#10
Books & Comics / Re: Completely Self-absorbed T...
Last post by Funt Solo - Today at 02:24:27 AMQuote from: Colin YNWA on 02 June, 2024, 08:24:00 PMI've been tempted to check out the Best of - but it'd be an expensive curio for me and so never got to it. It does seem like a great bumper intro for a new reader and is probably where I'd now point folks curious about trying 2000ad out to. If they are still available or easy to find?
There's copies on the shelf in my local comic shop.
(I heard from someone else. I don't go into the comic shop because I've not got broad tastes and only read comics carnivorously, which makes a mess. I've been banned, basically. But I can see them through the window. They look great.)