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INDONESIAN COMICS (various)

John Quickdraw kindly sent over a batch of self-published comics from Indonesia (where he currently resides) for my enjoyment and possible review in Poopsheet. Of course, most of them aren't in English so I can't properly review 'em, but I did want to share what I can. I encourage folks to send comics from all over the globe – let's make this a worldwide effort.

Okay, then, let's start with the one that is in English.



IN THE GARDEN

($5.00 US, $5.00 AUS, RP 20.000 from Athonk, www.pureblacktattoo.com)

This collection of one-pagers features Athonk's Old Skull character, lots of punk rock and rock & roll references, lots of weed and some American locales. Athonk visited the US and most of these strips were drawn in New Orleans and Monterey, California. I get the feeling that Old Skull – with his discussions of music, troubles with women, and recreational drug use – is an autobiographical character. I hope Athonk doesn't really look like that, though.



SELAMAT PAGÍ URBAZ!

(Beng Rahadían)

I really wish I could read this one. The story – apparently being told through diary pages – features a young woman who has various sorts of experiences with people and the emotional range appears to be wide (accompanied by some nicely exaggerated visuals). It seems like it might be a fairly straightforward story except that there's a fantasy element I can't quite work out. The artwork has something of a European feel but with an Asian touch.



MATIRASA (?)

(e-mail)

This is an anthology that contains a few conventional comics but even more of the art-y/conceptual variety (think Stripburger). My favorite seems to almost be an anti-comic that depicts the growth of a great beanstalk. The strip easiest to describe (and the most conventional) is about a guy who becomes a sort of superhero called Super Septictank with, you guessed it, septic tank-related powers.



DAGING TUMBUH Vol. 7

(Prawirodirjan GM 2/638 / Rt 52 - Rw 16 Jogjakarta 55121 / INDONESIA. E-mail)

This is another anthology and a huge one at that. There's a real mix of style, quality and approach but here's what really stands out for me: Agung Komikaze (whose drawings remind me a bit of Jerry Smith's), especially the "Gentho" pages; S.Joko, A (crazy, scribbly cartooning); Tera's nutty robots; Mimmo & Eddie Hara (primitive, abstract). Daging Tumbuh's got comics that are artsy, action-oriented, manga-inspired, hip-hop-flavored, collages, etc. Like I said, quite a mix.



KOMIK CINTA

(e-mail)

This one's by the duo of Suryo Nugroho and Joko Purwanto but I have no idea who did which stories or if they're all collaborations. There are two distinct drawing styles throughout, though. The odd thing about this (mostly humorous, it seems) collection is that a lot of the stories contain cameos by these two characters (the cartoonists themselves?) who respond to the action in-panel while apparently invisible to the actual stars of the stories.



BILL & BULL #1 & 2

(Reza)

These are subtitled "Total Destroy Fucking Teenager", which doesn't really make sense but still accurately describes the comics. Lots of scat humor and mindless violence played for laughs ? sort of an Indonesian version of JR Williams' Bad Boys and I imagine most fans of really lowbrow comedy would get a kick out of it. I can't read any of the dialogue but the drawings are funny on their own.

[ It should be noted that some of these comics are reproductions of the originals, so cover scans may not match the actual product. Big thanks to John! ]

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< recordings >



IN FULL COLOR
by John Beltran

(CD, Ubiquity Records)

Review by Tim O'Neil

Ubiquity presents an almost faultless blueprint for success for any up-and-coming independent music label to follow. Having established an impeccable backlist of veteran artists over the past eleven years, they have subsequently turned their attention to cementing their gains and reinforcing their unique identity in a crowded marketplace. Ubiquity releases have a refreshingly low-key vibe, uncompromisingly reflecting a non-commercial and authoritatively knowledgeable aesthetic. The money-back guarantee on every release only reinforces this friendly-neighborhood vibe – music made for music fans by music fans.

John Beltran is one of the best examples of Ubiquity’s unique appeal. There’s a surprisingly large body of work worldwide devoted to exploiting the connections between European electronic music and the Brazilian sound of the samba. Beltran has roots planted firmly in the worlds of both Latin and house music, and therefore his music reflects the kind of conscientiously eclectic worldview on which Ubiquity thrives.

In Full Color is his sixth album, and appropriately it is also a return to some of his earliest electronic work. There’s even a surprisingly deft detour into hip-hop. But the album never strays far from the irresistibly compulsive syncopated rhythms of the conga drum. It would almost be tempting to say that In Full Color was merely more of what we have always seen from Beltran – if that wasn’t such a delightfully catchy status quo.

Beltran is a musician’s musician, having built a respectable career quietly mining the synergy between disparate musical traditions in order to create something entirely new – a true “world” musician. In Full Color is simply a great album, and represents either a perfect introduction to the world of Brazilian house or a happy reminder of the genre’s irresistible appeal. It’s a perfect example of why Ubiquity is one of the best, most diverse and most gleefully underrated independent labels today.

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< comix/art >



THE ACME NOVELTY DATE BOOK

($39.95, Drawn & Quarterly, Oog & Blik)

This has been out a while but have you seen it yet? Believe it or not (perhaps you should opt not to), I didn't pay much attention to the hype for this book for a while because, silly me, I thought it was actually a "datebook". You know, a dayplanner or something with Chris Ware illustrations in it. I guess I should've known better.

In actuality, this is a collection of work from Ware's sketchbooks from 1986 to 1995. This book is a tremendous thing of beauty. The production is exquisite – hardbound, full-color, thick paper stock, lovely endpapers and even one of those goofy (oops, I mean "prestigious") bookmark-ribbon things.

The work itself is quite a treat. Like much of Ware's work, it can be quite depressing but oh, so beautiful at the same time. Personally, I love checking out artists' sketchbooks as their most interesting work is sometimes that which never gets published (or "finished"). The Date Book showcases figure studies, unfinished ideas, color studies (lots of color), still lifes... Oh, and comics. For those not so nutty about sketchbooks, there are still lots and lots of comics, some unfinished, many ready to print (in my opinion). Which, I guess, is good. Since they've now been printed. You know what I mean.

It makes me wish I could see Ware's sketchbooks themselves to get the whole story (so to speak) but I'll be contented with this collection for a while. Recommended.

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< music >



CHORD EASY

(full version $3.00, short version $1.00 from Light Living Library / PO Box 190-ce / Philomath, OR / 97370 USA)

Review by Randy Osborne

A lot of work went into this – page upon page of meticulous explanation in small typescript, with diagrams of guitar fingerings. “Talent is not needed,” Em Turner assures us on the first page. “If you can play or sing a melody, you can chord or harmonize it.” I’m taking Em’s word on the matter because I get stupefied as soon as I see a sentence like, “Instead of remembering the tones in each chord, or keeping a list handy: Notice that the B tone of Gj is 4 tone intervals higher than G.” Chord Easy is for serious musicians and makes me want to be one, although obviously not to such an extent that I might actually acquire an instrument and practice.

Affixed to the outside of Chord Easy by tiny strips of tape is a catalog that describes another publication, Dwelling Portably, which seems to be about camping in its various forms. I haven’t seen DP itself but the telegraphic outlines of various issues’ contents are like haikus, and plenty intriguing. In the September 2001 issue: “Napping in parks and terminals, p. 7” and “Car nap on city street hassled, p. 8.” Advice, too, about living even more rustically. Pants, it turns out, make an “expedient backpack” and assorted materials are tested for catching menstrual flow (which is believed by some to attract bears; this is explored in another issue). “Pesty rodents eaten. Taste varies more within than between species. Hornets trapped, cooked, eaten, p. 12.” Get DP for $1 from PO Box 190-L, also Philomath.

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< personal >



MUMBO #2 & 3

($2.00 ea. from David Tosh)

Review by Ricko

If you were reading mini-comics in the '80s (especially if you lived in Texas) you probably remember comics by D. Tosh, creator of Scratchface Doodlehead, publisher of Hey!, co-publisher of Steve Willis tribute Heir of the Dog, among others. Well, Dave had dropped out of the scene sometime in the '90s but has recently resurfaced with Mumbo, a zine about Davo and his interests. Both of these issues are entertaining reads, well-designed and left me wanting more.

The colorful second issue is dedicated to his late father and includes several pages from his dad's wartime journal from 1943 (written while stationed in the Russell Islands). It's a fascinating, sobering account of the war experience and one I'm sure that's echoed by many stationed in Iraq and elsewhere today. On a lighter note, Dave's something of a nostalgia nut and we readers reap the benefits of that particular obsession; adorning the journal pages are many WWII-era ads and cartoons. Fun stuff! This issue should be of interest, as well, to any mini-comics history buffs out there as it also contains a three-page article about the mini-comics workshops Dave used to lead at the Dallas Fantasy Fairs in the mid- to late '80s. And, on a related note, he reprints a Harvey Kurtzman tribute comic he did with Mark Stokes that originally saw print in a Fantasy Fair program book.

The primary feature in issue three is Dave's look at his obsession with the Bowery Boys film series, including what you need to know about the Boys, which films are available and lots of lobby cards and stills (scanned from his collection). Also in this issue: a rundown of recommended obscure videos (most fit right in with Mumbo's nostalgia theme) and a reprinted Tosh comic about the best bottle of soda pop he ever tasted (and his quest to find it again).

It was a real thrill for me to learn that Dave has been publishing again and I quite enjoyed these issues of Mumbo. I really hope he keeps it up – and maybe if we pester him enough he'll publish some new comics, too.

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