I'm not quite sure if it's a couple of weeks late or 12 months early but the Christmas issue of Dodgem Logic thudded through my letterbox this week. For anyone who hasn't heard, Dodgem Logic, or to give it it's full title Alan Moore's Dodgem Logic is the Nothampton genius' latest venture; a 72 page underground type mag full of counter culture, comedy, comic strips, and other fascinating stuff.
If you swear by, rather than at, the Daily Mail, you'll probably hate it. But this is/was Christmas so who could fail to have their heart uplifted by that festive cover by comic genius Kevin O'Neill? It's like a Christmas card itself; a dark wintry sky, snow-topped houses, a decorated tree, and the Grim Reaper in a Santa outfit riding a demonic reindeer scorching the flesh off a small child with a death ray from its nose. Well, at least it's like the Christmas cards that Kev used to send out.
Inside there's a new 8 page text story from Alan Moore, Steve Holland writing about The Third Eye by Lobsang Rampa, Melinda Gebbie reporting on a convention in Rio, a new strip by Lee Healey and Barney Farmer (creators of The Drunken Bakers from Viz), contributions by Stewart Lee, Savage Pencil, and much more.
Admittedly Dodgem Logic isn't a comic but there are some comic strips in there. Anyway, who reads nothing but comics? If you have a curiosity for a range of subjects and are open minded for its counter-culture attitude you should find something in there to interest you. I should add that this is definitely not a children's publication.
Fans of old British comics should appreciate Kevin O'Neill's back cover, - a dark comedy spoof of 1930s UK comics featuring Christmas Capers with Lady Gaga, Radio's Screwball Sweetheart. It's not for the easily offended. And that's why it's funny.
http://www.dodgemlogic.com/shop
or buy from tonyknockabout on eBay
3 comments:
.. and Kev revisits his own Christmas Past by liberally sprinkling snow across the Beano style logo.
Got my copy in time for New Year at least, but have had his cover on my work desktop for the last few weeks. Proved to be quite the conversation piece.
I've enjoyed Dodgem Logic over the last year, not least because it's been out on a fairly regular bi-monthly schedule. Reminds me a bit of the old 70's undergrounds - I can quibble over the quality of the contents but the very fact of its existence is inspiring.
I bought my copy from a shop on 23rd December, so got it in time for Christmas - sounds like subscription copies went out a lot later.
My local shop isn't so hot on ordering these kind of publications. I had Crikey! on my pull list for about 6 months without receiving a single copy. They've been patchy with Dodgem Logic and were uncertain whether or not they'd carry Clint.
It pains me to say this because my own career has been spent in retail, but the internet makes it so much simpler to buy comics or music direct from the publisher or creator and cut out the shops entirely.
It's particularly true if you're interested in niche artists rather than chart toppers or comics from the big two.
Is this a better business model for the creator? They presumably keep a bigger cut of the cover price but do they lose sales from missing in-store exposure to casual buyers ?
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