Daily OCD: 2/28/11

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions:

• Review: "Battling an administration that smugly created their own reality, even if (and sometimes, especially if) it flew in the face of reason, morality and/or common sense, [in Twilight of the Assholes] Kreider employed a vicious, scorched-earth set of tactics that matched the passionate intensity of the right, only imbued with a wicked and outrageous sense of humor to go with a keen sense of observation. Whether or not one agreed with all of Kreider’s observations about American culture…, the sheer relentlessness of Kreider’s attacks combined with the elegance and intensity of his line carried a certain punishing quality." – Rob Clough, The Comics Journal

• Review: "…[L]et us celebrate a title of subtle and peculiar power from a creator of signal grace and range. Uptight #4 continues Crane’s dual and quite distinct serials: the urban romance between Leo and Dee — which, despite its superficial placidity, includes in the present chapter two scenes of disquieting violence — and the far more whimsical (if decidedly Roald Dahlicious) misadventures of the waifs Simon and Rosalyn and Simon’s lariat-tailed cat, Jack. …[T]he sublimity of Crane’s Uptight makes one gloomily deplore that so many of the main indies appear to be abandoning comic books as such." – Bryan A. Hollerbach, PLAYBACK:stl

• Review: "What is incredible about this journal is the diversity of the works represented. It appears that Mome does not favor any particular aesthetic. Rather they celebrate the multiplicity of aesthetic possibilities. As someone just barely scratching the surface of the graphic story form, I found this a terrific way to learn about the variety of comics and stylistic choices. […] There is so much to see and so much to learn in Mome. The artists are of an exceptionally high caliber and for those who are interested in teaching comics as literature, or simply learning more about comics in general, this journal would be a wonderful beginning." – Becky Tuch, The Review Review

• Review: "…[A]t the center of What I Did is 'Sshhhh!' – a rather lengthy tale of the entire life of a (bird-)man, told in pictures, without the use of any words other than the section numberings. It’s an ambitious piece by Jason… 'Hey, Wait' is a touching tale about childhood tragedy that sticks with someone for his entire life. 'The Iron Wagon' is the only tale of the three where the original isn’t currently available, because it’s out of print. The book replicates the beautiful red tone of the original, and it’s a fantastic mystery, expertly told by Jason…" – Bill Jones, Pads & Panels

• Review: "[Interiorae] is less concerned about the petty secrets and lies of people and more interested in the idea of inbetween spaces.  There’s the space between sleep and consciousness, the line between life and death, the space between commitment and detachment, the line between love and hate." – Rob Clough, The Comics Journal

• Profile: "Mascots is a collection of one to three panel comics that are really small paintings. Fenwick calls it a 'short story collection.' Though conceptually loose, the book developed from some paintings Fenwick had done, using found book covers as backgrounds and painting over top. He didn't approach the work as a narrative, but more as a series of vignettes with recurring themes and moods. […] 'It's got a foot in the world of comics — in that it's text and image – but it's mostly language and not a ton of drawings. It's kind of a loose definition of comics,' Fenwick says." – Laura Kenins, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal