The Participatory Book Series by Marianne R. Petit

Marrianne R. Petit has collected and drawn some facinating stories from people that have shared parts of their lives. Digest size, color covers, black and white interiors, 30 pages. Working Nine to Fine, vol 1 and vol 2, I Smell and Remember, Fells Like the First Time, I Don't Love You Anymore, and the free book when you order 3 or more: Make-A-Monster Paper Dolls and Puppet Theater.

This is from the books: "The Participatory Book Series began in January 2007. I decided I wanted to make some books and in my head I could see them, but I didn't have any content to actually make them. Life had been complicated for really long time and I didn't want to use any of my own stories. The truth is, I was sort of tired of myself and figured other people might have stories way more interesting than my own.

So I started a blog that asked questions. Have you ever had a smell trigger a memory? Do you believe in an interventionist God? Has the mental health of other people had an influence in your life? Do you remember your first love? Can you tell me the story of a breakup?

And then I asked some friends to participate."

I loved these books and I recommend them to everyone. The stories are a page turner, you can't wait to see what happens next. The art is simple but fits the stories nicely and helps tie all the books together in a nice series. I even sent in some of my stories! (5 stars out of 5) See more about Marianne HERE, and order the books at: http://www.mariannepetit.com/books/

Death Accidental #1-One Shot Productions

Death Accidental #1- One Shot Productions. Full size comic, color covers, 52 pages, black and white with gray interior art.
Story by Jay W. Davis, Pencils and Ink by Curtis Rhodes.

This story pulls you in and carries you along for the ride. The art is dramatic and gives you all the information you need to follow the story. If Curtis keeps working on his comic art I'm sure he will be an artist to watch out for. His figure work is OK but could be better. He already has a knack for nice layouts and pacing the story well. His use of shading is also very experimental yet it works well with the story. The writing is great for the most part with only a small moments that didn't totally 'ring true' for me here and there. But the main thing is he keeps the reader wanting more! A true gift when it comes to comic writing.

The story is set in a small town where a series of murders have been taking place. We don't know who is responsible but have some people we suspect along the way. You'll just have to read it as I don't want to give anything away here.
Well worth the $5 price tag as this is a 52 page comic. A lot of time, and creative energy went into this project and it shows. I'd of done the lettering differently but that is another thing that will hopefully be improved as this company continues on in the future, as they look like they put out a lot of comics and if they stay with it, could very well hit on a winning series. Though from the looks of some of their covers (this book included) they could use some one with graphic design expertise to move them in a more professional stage of production.
(4 out of 5 stars)

$5 plus $2 shipping (I'm guessing) to: One Short Productions, 3125 S. Mendenhall #194, Memphis, TN 38115-2827 Web: www.oneshotproductions.com Jay W. Davis: jay@oneshotproductions.com, Curtis Rhodes: curtis@oneshotproductions.com

Roomates and Freeloaders #1-Carson/Thomsen

Roomates and Freeloaders #1: The result of slackers in the real world. Written by Will Carson with artwork by Oliver Restorf-Thomsen. Full size comic, full color, 24 pages.

From the web site: Imagine waking up one day and realizing that all your roommates are either jobless, spend all their money on things non rent related, or were never invited to stay in your home. Then you don’t have roommates. You have freeloaders. Now take a walk with Spazz as he employs some unconventional ways to cope with the blight you once referred to as roommates. Who knows, you may even walk away without any permanent emotional scars.

This is an online web comic that has been collected into a comic book. That explains why the art doesn't fit the comic pages I guess. This could be an addictive web comic once you meet the characters and if you are just starting out on your own and have friends that hang out too much. But otherwise the stories and art left me a little cold. But then I'm not just leaving home to get my first place on my own. So check out the site and judge for yourself. A nice touch is the behind the scenes in making a web comic section in the back of the comic. Great job there. Now if the artist can work more on his figure drawing and coloring skills a bit, and the writer can work out some more universal themes to the strips this could be more popular to a wider audience. If that is what they are after. (2 stars out of 5)

Get more info at: www.roomatesandfreeloaders.com no price on the comic. Email Will at: waking.of.the.gods@gmail.com or Oliver at: rudemates@arcor.de and there is another site at: www.clovenhand.com/webcomics/roomates-and-freeloaders

The RANTER #1

Daniel Nauenbrug's The Ranter #1 is a full size full color comic book. 30 pages on gloss stock. This book is part of the Small Press Syndicate.

From the first page: "The Ranter is a rather strange amalgam of borderline mentally ill people that I have seen while riding public buses and what I imagine they would act like if they were also passionate artists commenting on various topics."

This book is a quick read but it makes you think. The art is very good and fits the story to a "T". Great work. The Ranter makes a great point about how many artists there are in the world and how hard it is to be noticed etc....Well worth the $4 admission price. (5 stars out of 5)

The book sells for $4 postage paid. Email: evildanny@hotmail.com Send payment to:
Daniel Nauenbrug / 13741 Mercado Dr. / Del Mar, CA 92014

Michael Aushenker's Chipmunks & Squirrels

Michael Aushenker's CHIPMUNKS & SQUIRRELS is a crazy rollercoaster of "mature" comic fun. Cute little characters that rob liquor stores, steal from street people and make it big in Hollywood. Tons of entertainment from what appears to be some of the earliest work from Michael Aushenker as it was done from 1992-1994. The only thing square about this book is it's size! 8.5 x 8.5 with a color cardstock cover and brilliant black and white interiors. "Kiss my butler!"
(Rated 5 stars out of 5!) The art is a little too loose but improves as it goes along and it fits the crazy stories to a tee!
Send your check or money order ($6 +$1 postage) made out to MICHAEL AUSHENKER
c/o ORIGINAL SYNDICATE PRESS
P.O. Box 480045, LOS ANGELES, CA 90048. Or just visit: http://www.cartoonflophouse.com (Man I can't wait to read some of his other comics!)

Quiblets, Edmund Conti and cartoonist Jim Siergey to be released by Doggerel Daze

A news release:

Quiblets, a unique collaboration between wordsmith Edmund Conti and cartoonist Jim Siergey, will be released by Doggerel Daze in September. The book is a collection of word-play poems, mostly comic and always intriquing, and also a series of cartoons. Part of the fun is seeing the ways in which the poems and pictures interact. Sample pages can be viewed at http://ddaze.com/02eQuiblets/Quiblets.htm

"Quiblets offer delightful word play, letter play, and mind play. The verses are so light that they float--and so substantial that the reader gains a new appreciation for the potentialities of language." --Richard Lederer

The pocket-sized book sells for only $5.95. Orders received by mail (Doggerel Daze; 10144 Riedel Place; Cupertino, CA 95014) before the release date, September 15, will receive free shipping.