zine, [zeen] noun. 1. abbr. of fanzine; 2. any amateurly-published periodical. Oxford Reference

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Human Waste #3 & #4

Human Waste #3 & #4 by Brent Moore 40 pages both, digest size, PO Box 7182, Bend OR 97708, USA

Human Waste #3 is a comic about an old man, Mr Emmons, who tells his story beginning with the death of his wife, and his resulting depression. He muses on his life, his body that is failing him, but his mind remains sharp so when his son puts him in a nursing home he resents and rebels against the staff who treat him and other residents like babies and idiots. The drawing is simple and naive, which is fine with me. It works well with the story. The writing is strong and I was impressed with the way Brent seems to have got inside the head of this old man. (Maybe he has worked at a nursing home. I wouldn't be surprised.)
Human Waste #4 isn't a comic, but a collection of single-page illustrations of people accompanied by statements and comments by those people (and it's printed on REALLY heavy paper stock, almost cardboard!) Some of the characters are musicians ("I brought a bit of barefaced honesty to music, which I don't think was there before.") or related to the music industry ("Radio airplay is still the most powerful and vital element needed to break new bands."), others are drug fiends ("I smoke weed and drink syrup all day, to tell you the truth.") and some I can't figure out what they're about because they say such strange things (" I should be driving the Grave Digger.") Reading these pages one after the other had an interesting effect on my brain and perceptions, I spent half the time wondering where these people came from, and do they only exist in the mind of Brent. Still, I enjoy his comics more, so hope this format is nothing more than an experiment or one-off.




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