Autumn

By Darryl Ayo

Let’s Go.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

xoxoxoxoxoxo

One thing that I never talk about enough is how much the climate effects me. Nas had a line that said “My actions are one with the seasons” that always resonated with me. I perspire a lot when it’s humid and now that we are beginning to feel the first turns autumn I can finally leave my house. Which is wonderful because my air conditioning unit just broke. Autumn means more of all things Ayo: I read more, I drink more coffee, I draw much more, I listen to more music, I’m more active. This is the greatest part of life, these browning days.

Today Wednesday, I started by reading some of my minicomics from SPX2011:

I was given this Homegrown Alien comic by Joe Davidson, which has a completed date of September 8th, 2011. Do your homework before the last minute, Joe! It was a very entertaining comic, right up my alley with monsters, aliens and meanspirited violence all for the low, low price of FREE. Thank you very much, Joe!

I read a mini by James Kochalka called “All Her Cats” which is a chronicle of a woman’s life in the form of portraits of her cats. It’s very understated and when Kochalka does understated, I grab my fork and knife. He’s got such a subtle touch with his brushwork and it is a wonderful treat to see him dial down the frantic tone of many of his usual comics for these kinds of pieces. Brief chat with Kochalka at the show also, which was very pleasant.

I got “DO WHAT YOU CAN” by Jessi Zabarsky which is a cute comic about bunnies and apples. There is cooking and climbing of trees; ugh, so charming. She was there with her friend Geneva Hodgson who had a cute comic about bunnies and apples called “FUN TIME FUNNIES.” Man, if there was ever such a thing as “truth in advertising.” Hodgson had me dying with her puns.

I bought “PEACE SIGNS” off of Kevin Czap, you know, the guy who I share this blog with. It’s a weird, dreamy, ethereal, twisty short comic. Beautifully design, loved the cover (simplicity wins), and just a pleasure to look at and to read.

I bought “TURTIE NEEDS WORK” from Steve Wolfhard and jeez, Steve. This is really funny, dude! It’s about a little tiny turtle named Turtie, who is too small to effectively do anything, but keeps trying his hardest to find a job. It’s a comic for our times, it’s THE comic of our times, maybe. It’s just adorable, come on–the turtle…is too small!

Back-to-back with me at the show was Ashley Quigg from whom I bought a tiny comic called “DANCE!” which shows a character dancing. It was just cute and I love it when comic characters dance. Observe:

Then I read digital comics on Comic Plus, Graphic.ly, ComiXology and Panelfly on the trains to and from work. Each application has a different personality and a different way of operating.

I checked out Daily Ink, which is is a cool antidote to people who badmouth newspaper strips.

Finally I read the new comics that shipped this week, since it was Wednesday. Adrian Tomine’s OPTIC NERVE #12 came out and it’s difficult to explain why I like this so much while I’m so unthrilled by Daniel Clowes’ past ten years. There’s a lot of anger on Tomine’s pages but also sadness and forgiveness and regret. When I read Clowes’ MISTER WONDERFUL, I didn’t feel any such thing. I wanted to kick the book into the street instead (however, it was a library book). On the other hand, Tomine–often derided as Clowes’ protege, his imitator, his impostor–steps in to really deliver some meaningful punches and what’s worse, using Clowes’ neo-classical-newspaper-comic style. It’s clear to anybody who is even reading these damned comic books that Tomine and Clowes aren’t even attempting to do the same thing. Since poor readers insist on playing one against the other, I’m just making it a point to indicate which direction the curious ought to point their toes and march.

But my personal favorite of today’s comic-shop comics was the one about the multiple-personality zombie and the two masked ninjas. I’m telling you, if you’re not reading Uncanny X-Force, you’ve been led astray. I blame bad parenting.