Jason Conquers America

I've been digging the new Fantagraphics release “Jason Conquers America” which commemorates ten years of the venerable publisher's relationship with the Norewegian artist. I've glanced at his work a little bit over the years and was blown away by the “Low Moon” story that was serialized in The New York Times Magazine. The new release is a collection of strips that were previously unavailable in the US along with tribute strips and interviews with Jason and colorist/collaborator Hubert (Yeah, everyone around here seems to go by one name. Jason offers a humorous take during his interview on why he's gone with only one name).

The characters in Jason's work are usually animals who, at least in “Jason Conquers America”, are not particularly verbose. Despite that, Jason has a distinct flair for telling stories that do not require words. My favorite story in the collection revolves around a crow who naps in a bed in a field and wakes up obliviously in an entirely new life. (Telling any more would spoil the revelation.) In 23 short wordless panels, Jason creates a powerful and compelling commentary that proves how powerfully expressive comics can be.

You can pick up “Jason Conquers America” at your local cool comic shop or directly from Fantagraphics.

Photo courtesy of www.fantagraphics.com.

Fallout Records

As a result of this meme going around about deceased record stores and writing about the comic “Hate", my thoughts drifted to the late great Fallout Records up on Seattle's Capitol Hill. I have never encountered a cooler record store in all of my days. I suppose Fallout has a special place for me because my patronage there coincides with a time in my life where I was bored and was in desperate need for change. One side was devoted to punk and garage vinyl and the other was devoted to comics and zines. Had they sold food and beer (and, ahem, a few other things), they would've covered all of my basic needs back in the 90s.

One thing I will credit Fallout for is for re-kindling my interest in comics. My current interest in alternative comics started with the shelves at Fallout. As a kid I grew up on Marvel superheros but by my early teens, I had stopped reading as those stories no longer held sway for me. It was at Fallout where I discovered the world of Fantagraphics Comics and people like Peter Bagge, Daniel Clowes, and Los Bros Hernandez. The characters and lifestyles those artists brought to life were a much better reflection of where I was at than the universe of Marvel (though I have since come back to the fold).

My musical tastes also undertook a major permanent shift at Fallout. That's where I learned about labels like Crypt Records and Norton Records and had my mind blown by bands like The Gories and Dead Moon. The free live shows that took place in that cramped space are etched in the memories of those that were fortunate enough to have experienced them. Much of what I listen to today is based upon what I found at Fallout and expanded upon later as the internet grew and facilitated my musical detective work.

All of this rumination makes me really miss the sense of community that indie shops like Fallout were able to create and sustain. I'm pretty sure that lots of people who hung out at Fallout back then would share the same sentiment. Sure, the internet has its upsides in terms of discovery and distribution but it's way cooler to walk in the door of a physical store, hear something new, and chat up the person behind the counter about it (especially the young petite female that I was infatuated with). The ability to easily Google something takes away the sense of accomplishment of having found something by getting your hands dirty.

I still have some of the best vinyl I bought there as well as all 30 issues of the original “Hate” (some of which had to be supplemented years later outside of Seattle). Recently, I found a Joe Coleman book I picked up at Fallout that has a caricature of me drawn by Coleman as we talked about a minor police riot that took place on Capitol Hill that weekend. I've been shlepping some of these items around for a long time and as I've been getting ready to move once again, these artifacts from Fallout are coming along for the ride.

**Photo courtesy of the great Ten Things zine.  Read it today (but after you're done here).

Hate Is Alive And Kicking

One of my favorite memories about my time in Seattle during the 1990s was the comic "Hate".  20 or so years later, I can still conjure up the feelings of amped-up joy I got from walking into the now-defunct Fallout Records on Capitol Hill and seeing the latest issue on the shelves.

The comic, released from 1990-1998, followed Buddy's adventures as a beer drinking, junk collecting dirtbag and at the same time provided a painfully accurate and often sardonic look at what the Seattle 90s scene was all about.  I liked the idea that Buddy, like me, was a Jersey guy who moved to Seattle and then back again.  Since 2000, Bagge has been keeping us up to date on Buddy Bradley with the yearly-or-so “Hate Annual”.   Buddy is now a junkyard-owning Family Man with a shaved head and, inexplicably, an eye patch and captain's hat.

In “Hate Annual #9”, Buddy returns to Seattle to meet the dysfunctional family of his wife Lisa who he has never met despite having been with Lisa for close to 20 years. In a tension-filled 72 hours, Buddy is subjected to senile parents, criminals, and drug addicts. Each page is filled with the sardonic humor and high drama that are staples of Bagge's work. The short “Home Of The Brave”, appearing at the end of the book, allows Bagge the opportunity to cast his sarcasm towards our current political state.

Read this issue slowly because once you're done laughing your head off, you are sure to be sad that you'll have to wait another year to check in with one of the best characters of alternative comics.

Order it here or buy it at cooler comic shops near you.