The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories

Nicholas Gurewitch has finally managed through Dark Horse to release his compilation book, The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories and I finally received it yesterday. Having been given an ETA by Amazon for a week ago, I was overjoyed to receive it.

If there is one defining theme in the varied strips of The Perry Bible Fellowship, it would have to be the concept of “View”. One’s view is often limited to what is in front of one; the image one sees can be distorted; one can miss seeing something important — with terrible results.

The book at first looks like a pretty childrens’ book, with its bright colours, professional printing, hardback binding and bookmark. But look closer; the cover shows the angry mob of Lollyland burning the traitorous Sweeto at the stake. Jim Woodring’s introduction is backed by a visual pun involving Rubik’s Cube-headed people. Even before you open it, view is being played with: yours is being undermined and replaced with Gurewitch’s twisted world of life and death struggle and unexpected morality plays.

As an example, Atlantis has a very simple reading — a boy is approached by a sex offender — but is the man just dressed up as King Neptune, or is he King Neptune? The strip is ambiguous on this point.

It’s this ambiguity that often powers (or overpowers) the humour; Nude Beach keeps the reason why the beach ball flies into the air unsaid. Your guess is pretty much based on how you look at the preceding panels.

Sometimes this works better on the printed page, but in some cases it doesn’t (e.g. Basebugs, where a crucial visual element is almost invisible.)

What is showcased at all times is Gurewitch’s incredible artwork. He can range in a few strips from simple featureless characters to elaborately detailed and painted scenes; from strongly geometric forms to Art Nouveau to imitation of Gorey or Watterson.

As well as a fine selection of published material, there is a small collection of unprinted works; either too short, too obscure, too offensive, or just didn’t work for some other reason. It’s always nice to be able to see into another artists’ creative process like this.

Would I recommend it? Of course. Get your copy from Amazon today.

Posted in Comics (,) by R Cruickshank Jan 16, 03:55 PM Tags: , , , ,

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