Comic Tales (Graphic Novel) (Science Fiction)

by Angus McKie with Mike Feeny, Dave huxley, Alan Craddock, and William Shakespeare

Publisher: Olympic Marketing Corp (June 1988)

Softcover 56 pages

 

Nine tales from a master of the craft. Angus McKie is a partially unsung hero of the comic industry. In my opinion, he is vastly underrated as an illustrator, painter, and colorist. I first ran across his work in Heavy Metal magazine and have snapped up as much as I can when it becomes available for a reasonable price. I am obviously a fan of his stuff but I’m not going to get ripped off here. One of his books, So Beautiful and So Dangerous, is going for over sixty bucks on Amazon. Even if it did inspire one of the shorts for Heavy Metal: The Movie, the book clocks in at about sixty four pages. I’m not paying a dollar a goddamn page, I don’t care who wrote it. Jesus Christ could return and spit out the New New Testament and I wouldn’t pay that fucking much.

This book is somewhat more reasonable. I found it at the Soda City Comic Con while pawing through the discount boxes at the dealer’s tables, which is the only reason I go to those events. All these people want autographs and expensive collectables so they can brag to people who aren’t paying attention. To me, the real treasure is in the bottom of dingy cardboard boxes marked “$1 apiece”. I found that treasure when I purchased this beautiful book.

It contains nine beautifully painted works of science fiction and fantasy, all with a cynically comic twist. They range from tales where a scientist has found a way to view into the past, only to have his work turned into a pornographic blackmail machine; to adaptation of a Shakespeare soliloquy from King Lear; to tales of the Sufi and Zen masters; to a man who is bred to defeat an alien champion in single combat; to a man who finds musical superstardom through bizarre means; and so on.

The art is the main attraction here. It is beautiful and lush, with colors blending to make a truly startling display. I found myself staring at each page for half an hour, just admiring the work, drinking in its beauty. Even if you don’t like the plot, the art will carry you away. This is not a book to pass up on… if you can get it for a reasonable price.

           For more readings, try books by Rex Hurst.