WINNER of the 2003 Ignatz Award for Best Graphic Novel!
" . . . a single-minded obsession with animation history informs this work even as its creator twists and tears that history into a new, hideous, and hilarious form. There's a little bit of Roger Rabbit and a whole lot of Spinal Tap at work here. Twisted and dark, funny and ...
NOOK Comics presents exciting graphic novel material in stunning detail, allowing you to read in either portrait or landscape mode as well as pinch & zoom to dive into the tiniest details of your favorite comics.
WINNER of the 2003 Ignatz Award for Best Graphic Novel!
" . . . a single-minded obsession with animation history informs this work even as its creator twists and tears that history into a new, hideous, and hilarious form. There's a little bit of Roger Rabbit and a whole lot of Spinal Tap at work here. Twisted and dark, funny and frightening, this is a deliciously evil toon history that demands attention."
-- Alan David Doane
Top Shelf is proud to present a very unique comics project. Through a series of never-before-seen interviews and rare photos, documentary-maker Rich Koslowski reveals the horrifying true story behind the Cartoon industry and our most celebrated cartoon actors -- the story that Hollywood doesn't want you to see. Told in the same style as a Ken Burns documentary, with interviews of 'toon stars today as well as historical "file footage" of the "early years," this work of fiction will forever change the way you think of those beloved characters in the white gloves. . . . Rich Koslowski has worked in the Animation and Comic Book industry for the past 12 years. Best known for his three-time, Eisner-nominated work on his self-published parody title "The 3 Geeks," this ground-breaking graphic novel is sure to appeal to everyone.
Unlike Koslowski's Eisner-nominated Geeksville series, this work takes a more realistically drawn, documentary-style approach to its story of an alternate world where cartoons exist alongside humans, albeit as second-class citizens. Mimicking a television expos 's hyperbolic format, Koslowski alternates confessional head shots of interviewees with "archival" stills that narrate the history of toons in film. Koslowski began in animation, and its influence is visible in his ability to capture finely shifting facial expressions and in his preoccupation with animated cartoons. Dizzy Walters, a visionary figure strangely reminiscent of Walt Disney, has founded an entertainment empire on the charisma of his formerly down-and-out toon prot g , Ricky Rat. But lurking beneath this rag-to-riches story are rumors of a nasty "ritual," a surgical enhancement many toons are desperate to have done hence the book's title with the implicit demand of studio executives. The pressure has driven Ricky to depression and a bad cigarette habit. The ensuing mockumentary offers testimony from Ricky's peers on the vile practice: toons such as Buggy Bunny and Sly Vester Jr. sound off on the "ritual," and celebrities come out strongly against it. Koslowski even suggests the ritual could be behind many of the notorious assassinations and deaths during the 1960s and '70s. Disappointingly, though, the ritual itself turns out to be a letdown. It's a clever tool, but is essentially a passing joke that lacks literary payoff or power. By the book's end, the earlier chapters' tension and inventiveness have petered out. Still, much like a good TV show, when it works, the audience really does want to stay tuned. (Sept.) Mystery
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Overview
" . . . a single-minded obsession with animation history informs this work even as its creator twists and tears that history into a new, hideous, and hilarious form. There's a little bit of Roger Rabbit and a whole lot of Spinal Tap at work here. Twisted and dark, funny and ...