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| I think I'm out of Oily logo jokes. |
What is Oily Comics? Created by Charles Forsman, Oily is a mini-comics publisher that specializes in short, quarter-sized comics. They run a subscription program and give readers a chance to get a variety of comics and creators in their mailbox every month. There are certain series that run every month, while others come and go as the creators provide new issues. Given that I am a big fan of reading comics from as many different people as possible in the mini-comics world, I love services like Oily.
Without further ado, let's look at the July issues and see what's going on...
Lou #16 brings the parents back, only to find their kids are potentially in deadly danger. This could have been melodramatic, but Melissa Mendes cleverly adds Lou's friend as a sarcastic, reluctant helper, allowing her to build a few jokes into the narrative. A lot of the work this time is white space, with the focus on the parents, the kids, and their fear and tension. I'm really worried about how this one is going to end, as I've grown attached to the characters. Mendes has done a great job of making this story compelling, and I'll be sorry to see it go.
Noise Two is a strange one, and that's a good thing. A struggling artist can't get a break, even losing everything as his career hits a low ebb. But when he finds his festering arm holds artistic secrets, things are looking up. Billy Burkert's line work reminds me a bit of Simon Gane, with a lot of grime in every panel. His characters and detailing aren't as fine, but there's definitely a lot to look at here. Really curious to see where this one goes.
Real Rap #3 returns to the mix, with Duh Studge trying to show the world he's a great rapper. This time, Benjamin Urkowitz lets him get a tape out there, but the results aren't quite the acclaim he intended. Studge is a YouTube sensation for all the wrong reasons, as this character's look at the world remains entertaining and endearing. Urkowitz cleverly mimics a page of comments to help drive the story, mixed in with a lot of tight, detailed panel work that gives a lot of help to the verbal gags.
Teen Creeps #1 finds Charles Forsman returning to the Oily shipments, which is definitely a good thing. (We even got a mini-poster for it!) Opening with oral sex and unfulfilled lust, it's clear that this story is going to feature more teenagers who live outside the mainstream, with the focal characters being two girls who are hated for not giving in to bullying and rumor. Forsman's linework is in his typical style, minimalist but giving each character their own distinctive look as they go about their lives. This is definitely going to appeal to those who liked The End of the Fucking World.
Tiger Man #2 is another series we haven't seen for awhile, as Gabriel Winslow-Yost and Michael Rae-Grant continue their re-imagining of the Golden Age character Tiger Man. As with the first issue, there's not a lot of text but the art features increasingly complex and compelling patterns making great use of the black and white format, combining images almost in a collage fashion.
That's Oily for July. On to August next time!
