Comics

Dream Comics: Part 2. The mysteries of our internal nocturnal imaginations have captured the interest of a burgeoning number of comics creators, and dream-themed comics are becoming a genre unto themselves. Last month I reviewed Rare Bit Fiends and Concave Up, two major ongoing comic book series which feature the illustrated dreams of real people. Here's a trio of comics collections which also spotlight real dreams.

Rip-Off Comix #28: "Dreams" (Rip-Off Press, P.O. Box 4686, Auburn, CA 95604-4686; one issue, magazine-size, b&w, 48pp, $3.50).

Rip-Off Press is one of the few surviving funnybook publishers from the gonzo age of underground comix. And the (now defunct) anthology series, during its prime, provided a haven and showcase for both new and established artists to unleash their fevered imaginations. Each issue was loosely organized around a topic, and issue #28 (from 1990) spotlighted dreams.

Two dozen comics creators, including then up-'n-coming / now present-day luminaries like Julie Doucet, Mary Fleener, The Hernandez Brothers, Ed Brubaker and Richard Sala, plus a host of lesser lights, pinned their psyches to the wall for our voyeuristic inspection. Many of these short strips were illustrated in a singularly unorthodox style. Both the Pizz and Tom Appleton constructed full size spreads of images and words that swirled around the page like a cyclone. To follow the progression, you had to keep rotating the book -- which helped put you in a state of altered awareness. Johnathan Richman (no, not the quirky pop singer) used line drawings complemented by paragraphed narrative and created a mini-storybook about a dream he had about living in Paris. John Howard composed a wordless strip of surreal imagery influenced by M.C. Escher and woodblock printing. A few artists focused on the act of dreaming itself. This is the first full comic of illustrated dreams that I'm aware of, and it illuminates how effective the anthology format can be in presenting dream material. Now out of print, this comic might be available as a back issue at your favorite comic shop, or try contacting Rip-Off Press directly to see if they have any copies warehoused. Tell 'em Maurice and Comics New Age sent you.

Dream (Pajama Rancher Books, P.O. Box 2027, Nevada City, CA 95059; trade paperback, b&w, 96 pp, $10.00).

They say all things that go around come around, and like a recurring dream, this impressive book-size anthology continues the tradition established by the aforementioned Rip-Off Comix issue. And intriguingly, several of the artists contained herein were also in that seminal book, including Doucet, Fleener, Appleton and yes, The Pizz himself (herself?). Other superstar creators include Daniel Clowes, Eddy Campbell, Joe Coleman and Jim Woodring. Also like that earlier Rip-Off comic, there's a wide variety of art styles showcased, from the surreal fantasyscapes of Woodring, George Parsons and Steven Cerio, to the primitive etchings of M. Schafer and cartoony line drawings of J.R. Williams. Not just for dream devotees, this book is a stellar collection of modern comics art. (Ma and Pa Rip-Off would be proud.)

My Most Secret Desire: A Collection of Dream Stories by Julie Doucet (Drawn & Quarterly; trade paperback, b&w/color, 96 pp, $11.95).

One of the artists featured in both of the above books is rapidly gaining recognition and respect both in this country and abroad. Julie Doucet is a Canadian bred comics chanteuse, one of a covey of women cartoonists barnstorming the (mostly) male bastion of the comics industry. For eight years Doucet has been documenting her life and observations in her intensely personal comic Dirty Plotte, which began life as a self-published mini-comic then expanded to a full size regular series. Doucet's dark, scratchy, moody art has always had a dreamlike feel to it, so it's not surprising that her comics work includes an ongoing dream diary. One of the more fascinating recurring motifs is Doucet's various fantasies about being a man, and what she would do with (shall we politely call it) male equipment. Her id provides a bountiful spillover of images embodying the frustrations and anxieties of being a '90s woman in a man's world. Doucet created two new dream strips for this collection, one illustrated in vivid color. It must take a lot of courage to open up one's psyche for mass consumption, or perhaps an overweening ego. Regardless of the motivation, this latest Doucet collection is a fine piece of work. Should this book turn you into a Doucet devotee, then check out Dirty Plotte and her other collection, Lift Your Leg, My Fish Is Dead.

Next: Comics with a dream theme.

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