I discovered this comic a couple of years ago. It’s done by David Lapham. It’s not your ordinary comic book. It’s been described as a comic noir. Unsavory characters, unsettling topics, and lots of sex and violence. It had been published approximately every six weeks.
Issue #33 was due in June.
It’s December and I’m still waiting. The website for the comic is gone and I can’t seem to find any news.
First, anybody else read this?
Second, what the heck is going on?
heyup!
Indeed, I read this, and I LOVE it, but I only started with the TPBs, as such I collect it in TPB format. I don’t really follow the scheduling, when I see a Trade, I grab it.
I personally love Amy Racecar, she’s such a wonderfully vengeful character (it’s been a while since I read any SB, so details are rusty).
Amy died in one of the early stories, didn’t she? and we are now seeing events from throughout her early life from the point where she killed that kid during Hallowe’en (was that Amy?) and on to her time in the town in the desert with the boardwalk for the seaside that never came.
Yes indeed, VERY noir, and such wonderfully quirky-if awful characters. One of my favourite, stories, but one I NEVER need to read again when the kid sneaks into his brother’s car when the brother goes on a date. Brother kills girlfriend and is then killed by someone else. Kid brother is left locked in the boot in an abandoned car in the middle of nowhere. I know there details in there that are wrong. If someone wants to correct me, feel free.
If you read the latest TPB, you will learn Amy Racecar’s secret.
As with a lot of the other issues, it’s quite a stunner.
You can add Lapham to the list of “I Don’t Want To Know Where This Guy Gets His Ideas” along side Stephen King.
what number is the latest TPB? I believe I have up to vol.6
(the grey cover- is that the latest?
I don’t WANT to know where his inspiration comes from - considering how many kids get hurt or killed in the series (which always makes me question why I keep reading, cos it ALWAYS gives me nightmares! And yes, for all your bystanders, lurkers and non-geeks, this is “JUST A COMIC”!).
-band name!
It looks like the whole series is to catch up with issue #1…the guy who goes on a mass killing spree because he’s mad at his boss. He’s the little kid who grows up during the 80’s watching all sorts of depravity, death and all sorts of bad things going on around him.
My favorite line:
GODDAMMIT MONSTER, CAN’T YOU SEE WE’RE FUCKING HERE???
David Lapham pisses me off. :mad:
I mean, I love his work, but the series started more than 10 years ago, and we’re up to, what, issue #33?
Plus, I’m not entirely convinced he has any idea where he’s headed. He seems to introduce interesting characters solely as a vehicle to kill them later on. Other character weave their way in and out of other threads, seem to die repeatedly, and yet find their way back. (Spanish Scott comes to mind.)
However, since he puts out about two issues a year, I think I can find it in my heart (and wallet) to continue buying them.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on his other “work,” “Murder Me Dead.” Another unfinished masterpiece.
I’ve been reading the series through the TPs. I love it. Murder Me Dead was great, too. As far as delays, I think Lapham right now is working on a project for DC.
I read several random issues (not in any order), and I couldn’t get into it. I have a high tolerance for violence and weirdness, especially in comic books, but some of Lapham’s stuff was too sick and perverse and twisted and scary for me to derive any enjoyment from. Way too much brutality and horrible things happening to kids for me. Like Matt Wagner of Grendel and Mage fame, I worry that Lapham may have had a miserable and abusive childhood. (If not, then I’m just glad I don’t come up with ideas like he does!)
Then again, I was repulsed when I read the first Preacher TPB in 1996, and then a friend made me reread it in 2001 and I read all 9 TPBs over the course of three nights, and now it’s one of my favorite series of all time. Maybe I’ll revisit Stray Bullets one day (preferably in order), and find a deeper appreciation for it. In the meantime, it just wasn’t for me.