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| I'm out of circle jokes |
If you didn't see the prior posts, Oily is a mini-comics publisher that specializes in short, quarter-sized comics. They run a subscription program, and I got a six-month sub to see what it was all about. I enjoy finding new creators and since I'm going to less cons this year, I thought taking advantage of subscriptions like these would be a good way to do it.
Here's a few thoughts on each of the comics for March. Only one of the series comics returns this time, even as new series begin.
The Buddies 1 by Anna Haifisch is your typical stoner comic, one that I've seen a lot of times before. Two dumb characters, who I think are a cat and a weasel, order cheap food and end up being really foolish about it, leading to a shock ending. It's drawn very well, looking a lot better than others of the genre I've seen. Unfortunately, it's just not something I'm interested in.
Lou 12 by Melissa Mendes focuses on the parents this time, as we learn how a pair of re-united students form a family, however unintentional it might have been. The art is stronger this time than in the last issue, and again, this one is head and shoulders above the other continuing stories by making each entry something we can appreciate on its own while knowing it's part of a larger whole. I do hope we start seeing these parts come together, however.
Noise by Billy Burkert is two short pieces that really couldn't be more different. The first is an unfunny comedian failing on stage, and I didn't really understand the point. The second revolves around various objects that have a pattern not unlike the Oily logo, eventually opening a portal. I'm not quite sure what to make of either one. Burkert's art style reminded me of Paul Grist and he may be the most detailed of the Oily creators I've seen so far.
Tiger Man 1 by Gabriel Winslow-Yost and Michael Rae-Grant is a recreation of a DC comics character from 1946. I'm pretty sure the origin didn't involve flying chicken legs back in 1946, but this simple, shape-based comic really caught my eye, with its interlocking patterns and understated humor. This was my favorite for the month.
Young, Dumb, & Full of Cum by Nick Drnaso is sure to get this blog some rather odd hits that are bound to disappoint the person searching (sorry, folks!). It's a set of stories, possibly based on the author's life, that follow a young man who didn't have the best experience growing up. This one does what it sets out to do very well, but I have to be honest, my taste for these therapy comics has waned significantly. If self-exploration is your thing, however, you'll enjoy this one.
This was definitely a better set of comics, even if two of them were in genres that I'm not particularly attached to. There was a stronger sense of craft and vision, and it didn't hurt that many of them were in their first installment. I do think that one thing Oily should make clearer to new subscribers is that the comics are often ongoing series, something I wasn't expecting when I signed on. Now that I'm used to the idea, I can adjust my expectations. On a final note, it was nice to see a second female creator involved. Hopefully that diversity will continue when I get the April batch later this month.
