Old Man Winter and Other Sordid Tales
Reviewed by R. Krauss
Old Man Winter and Other Sordid Tales
Reviewed by R. Krauss
By J.T. Yost
$6.95 direct or at retail
6.5" x 10.25", perfect bound softcover book
56 b&w pages, plus 2C cover
Website: http://www.BirdcageBottomBooks.com
J.T. Yost was one of the lucky winners of the 2009 Xeric Award which funded this wonderful collection of stories. The lead feature, Old Man Winter, is a poignant tale beautifully conceived that captures the loneliness of advanced age. The idea for the story was inspired by an elderly customer who shops at the art supply store where cartoonist Yost works part time.
All is Forgiven originally appeared in a comic anthology that required a story with an odd assortment of characters: A bunny, insect, zombie, monkey, alien, and a robot. An amusing premise, but not one that would seem to inspire originality. Yet Yost managed to produce a moving story based very loosely on psychologist Harry Harlow.
Logging Sanjay recounts a curious story from Yost's childhood. A practical joke gets out of hand and escalates into something closer to cruelty than humor. It's a stark contrast to the sensitive, thoughtful insights of the collection's other stories. Let's call it the yin yang effect.
Roadtrip, drawn in 2003 originally appeared in Wild Penny #6 and was later printed standalone as a handout from the Vegan Outreach Organization. It's a graphic story that reminds me of Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.
Yost explores two perspectives on the same circumstance in the book's final entry. Circus is only two pages in length, but it makes its point quiet nicely.
Old Man Winter and Other Sordid Tales is an excellent collection and a terrific introduction to Yost's work. If it's any indication, Yost is someone to keep an eye on.
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Reviewer Bio
R. Krauss reviews small press and mini comics on Midnight Fiction, Poopsheet Foundation and Comic Related.
Name: Richard Krauss
email: arkay@midnightfiction.com
Been reading comics: since I started reading Marvel comics in Junior High School.
Review Bio: After several years I discovered titles like Zap and Bijou at a headshop and was seduced by the freedom and variety they offered. When the new-wave comix era sprouted from the seeds of the undergrounds, I quickly joined the ranks of other struggling cartoonists with phenomenally low print runs. After almost a decade of small press comix, I retired and made a solemn vow never to return. Several years later the Internet happened and over time many of my favorite new-wave cartoonists got online. The bug bit again and I started exploring the new crop of small press cartoonists. Today's explosion of small press comics is more exciting than any time I've ever seen.
Favorites: Papercutter, Not My Small Diary, Slam Bang, Comic Eye, stuff from Main Enterprises and Weird Muse, to name a few.
Website: MidnightFiction.com
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