Blood Orange #1
By LJ Douresseau
March 21, 2005 - 13:35
Fantagraphics Books
Blood Orange #1
Fantagraphics Books
Editor: Chris Polkki
48 pp., B&W, $5.95 (comic book)
When it comes to BLOOD ORANGE, better late than never, right? During its publishing history (which is approaching three decades), Fantagraphics Books must have a section of its offices devoted to being a graveyard for comic book anthologies. That’s not a slight against the publisher. Over the years, such titles as Critters, Centrifugal Bumblepuppy, Pictopia, Measles, and many more have published some very good (and sometimes truly great) short comix work. With Blood Orange, editor Chris Polkki, seems determined not to be the first Fantagraphics anthology not to publish some very good work.
There is a hilarious and always welcome “Doofus” strip by the sublime Rick Altergott. David Collier’s three-page “Grandad” is another example of Collier’s exceptional ability to craft poignant vignettes about real folks. Kevin Huizenga’s “Fight or Run?” is an excellent example of how simple visual language can make powerful statements.
There is nothing great in this first issue, but there is something more important – cartoonists experimenting with the visual language of comics. I’ll raise a glass in hope that Chris Polkki will keep trying to find these cartoon scientists for future issues. A-
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