THE BLACK BOOK

THE BLACK BOOK

8-page mini-comix (4 1/4 X 7)
Published by Thru Black Holes Comix
Produced by: Michael Roden
Copyright © 1984 by Michael Roden
Ltd. Ed. of 100 signed copies
75 cents

This truly wonderful book is a perfect example of the potential inherent in the mini-comix format. From the starkly beautiful hand-assembled covers to the eerie black-and-white contents, this book is flawless.

cover untitled illustration (The Black Book)

The cover art (a carefully crafted collage-drawing incorporating elements from a popular clip-art book) is printed on tan parchment paper. This illustration was then hand-glued onto black construction paper. While zine guru STEVE WILLIS has expressed concern that the glue may ultimately cause this publication to self-destruct (which my copies seem to be doing at this very moment), it does result in an exceptionally handsome little book.

pages 1-4 Skeleton Crew

A stunning four-page wordless meditation on death. An outstanding example of the MICHAEL RODEN collage-drawing technique, this is probably one of his most gruesome (and certainly most intense) stories. Following this story is a very nice full-page drawing by the talented horror artist ROMAN SCOTT.

page 6 untitled illustration

Beautiful cosmic-fantasy page featuring a face-off between a hideous Lovecraftian horror and a rather standard 1950s overgrown monster movie lizard.

page 7 untitled drawing (Night Gaunts)

Finely detailed drawing of two bizarre dragons in an alien landscape. Reprinted (with a decorative border added) from the cover of NIGHT GAUNTS.

page 8 Dreaded Na-Hag

Reprinted (with considerable additions) from NEMESIS/Two (page 5).

Resource Notes:
Thanks to MICHAEL RODEN for providing copies of this amazing comix.
General information per MICHAEL RODEN: letter to DLC dated 1/6/85.
Thanks to STEVE WILLIS for your concern about the shelf-life of this wonderful little book.

History:
This page originally published in THE DALE LEE PLANET MICHAEL RODEN CATALOG: VOLUME 1. MINI-COMIX Version 1.0 (page 2) on 31 March 2001.
Page revised and posted to the online MICHAEL RODEN CATALOG 4 October 2003.