See Ya in the Funny Pages

Fantomah

Get used to seeing the name Fletcher Hanks, as an upcoming collection of his work will be released this summer from Fantagraphics. I haven't seen much outside of what's available on the web, or the stand alone representation in Art out of Time, but I'm already quite taken by the comic (featuring a world of tense, grotesque characters framed in eye-popping primary colored jungles, both urban and wild, spartan diaglogue and severe moralizing). The blunt storytelling, fantastic settings and outrageous situations give it a wonderfully naive, fever dream quality. That's not to say I find it kitschy, quite the opposite really. There seems to be a real sense of personality behind the work, with a unique pen in hand and an unusual creativity unbound. The grave seriousness lends itself to unintentional humor, but the pay-off is in the louder, quirkier and more perverse elements of the adventure. I'm sure it will keep me indoors on many a sunny day. I'm glad Fanta has done so well for itself with the Peanuts property, allowing them to put together great, and risky, collections like this, Pogo and my personal favorite, Popeye.