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Take
the Red Eye Press Line To Bethesda
Experimental Books Mark SPX
As East
Coast fans prepare for the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland,
less than two weeks away, it seems only appropriate to give
a push to a publisher on the verge that we encountered at
San Diego.
Red Eye
Press will be launching two experimental books at the SPX
as both a thank you to the show and a challenge to lovers
of comics that aren't the usual fare.
The
Conversation seems to be appropriating William S. Burroughs'
cut and paste technique, in which artist David Hedgecock drew
the panels, then gave them to writer Dan Wickline to assemble
in any order he pleased. Narrative was the last actual step
in this story of two old friends meeting.
"None
of the standard comic rules applied," said Wickline. "I let
the characters take the story where they wanted it to go and
the cut and paste process made it easy for the art to follow."
"I'm very interested to see not only people's reactions but
whether other artist/writer team might adopt and adapt this
cut and paste approach for their own work," said co-publisher
A. David Lewis. "Heck, I might even do it."
Lewis'
publishing partner Daniel Cooney agrees. "I like the premise
and the execution of the story. Dan Wickline is a great guy
and having a book completed prior to approaching Red Eye Press
really takes no effort on our part to see how it's going to
work." Though The Conversation is a departure from
Red Eye Press' usual fare, their other SPX debut is not. Sort
of. Mortal Coils Presents "The Line" is an 8-page color
episode from their regular black and white anthology comic,
Mortal Coils. Spanish artist Jesus Barony paints Lewis'
tale of loss of all kinds - including the supernatural.
 "Originally,
the plan had been to put it online for free then include it
as a color supplement in the first Mortal Coils trade
paperback," commented Lewis. "However, with this year's SPX
on the horizon and the work turning out so beautifully (with
cover art by James Woodward), I just had to get it out, even
if a low cover-price and atypical size would spell no profit
for me.
"Given
their indy-minded approach," he continued, "I figured if there
was any audience that would give this sampling of Mortal
Coils a try, it would be the SPX folks."
Qualifying
for the Best Debut Comic Ignatz award, "The Line"
offers "...a nice, short vignette -- with great
art -- that's fun," enthuses Lewis.
In addition
to these books, of course, Cooney and Lewis will have copies
of their regular titles, Valentine and Mortal Coils,
on hand. See our profile of
them for more information on those books.
SPX will
be held September 5 through 7 at the Holiday Inn in Bethesda.
For more information, check out their
site.
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