Recently Read: Cozmic Taco Volume 1, by Joseph Morris

 

Joseph Morris' Cozmic Taco Vol. 1 features nearly 200 pages of some of the best and most fun cartooning being produced today. Taco is only one of the strips Morris has written and drawn over many years and its influences are wonderfully apparent, some of which are: David Lynch, Vaughn Bodē, Jack Kirby, Buddhist philosophy, H.P. Lovecraft and the early 20th century works of Floyd Gottfredson, E.C. Segar and the Fleischer brothers.

This shouldn't imply that Morris isn't his own artist. The collection, encompassing several full-length stories and various shorts and ruminations, are personal, even autobiographical, both cosmic and intimate, whimsical and at the same time profound. The variety of characters (some pulled in from some of his other projects, Quixote Coyote and the Dolphin Bros) are drawn in an imaginative, seemingly carefree style, useful for fast efficiency and emotional expression. Like the best cartoonists, you can practically feel the emotions and energy of the creator drawing the work on the page.

Like all Morris' work, this collection is highly recommended.

Pin It

Tweet

Recently Read: Archie: The Best of Samm Schwartz Volume 2

 

Even in 2012, when The Best of Samm Schwartz Vol. 2 was published, $24.99 for 135 pages of stories that can be purchased in reading copies for a buck or two was a bit pricey (now that it's out of print it's going for even more). Still, it's great to read a collection of work by a superior cartoonist at the top of his game. A master of body language and comic pacing, and helped here by very funny scripts by Frank Doyle, Schwartz brought the tricksterish character of Jughead to new heights of clever foolishness. My one small complaint is that the stories chosen for the collection end in 1971 and Schwartz did, in my estimation, his best work throughout the '70s. Perhaps that material was being saved for future volumes, never published. Read, nevertheless, "Rhyme Without Reason" for a perfect example of the succinct and unique looniness the series could achieve.

Pin It

Tweet

Recently Read: Transformers Vs. G.I. Joe, Vol. 1

Pin It

Tweet

Go For Baroque!

Own an instant classical music collection. If you live in the C-Bus area, I have a collection of 250 nice condition classical LPs and boxed sets to sell, mostly Baroque and Classical era. $125, free delivery. That's less than 50 cents each! Composers include Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Handel and many more. Labels range from Deutsche-Grammophon to many Musical Heritage Society LPs (the label which specialized in premiere recordings of obscure Baroque music). There may be a few doubles. Many pricy imported discs included.This instant collection would make an awesome holiday present for the classical vinyl spinner in your family!

Pin It

Tweet