ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP

20-page digest with color covers
Published by Thru Black Holes Comix
Published June 2006
Copyright © by the artists 2006
Signed by M. Roden
$4.95

This is another one of those amazing multi-artist books that seem to be a TBHC specialty. This one takes on a travel theme and, as one might expect in a MICHAEL RODEN comix, those travels take on some fun and unexpected twists and turns. Contents are:

cover JIM THOMPSON and M. RODEN (untitled drawing)
This great color drawing (check out the colorful bird) sets the stage for the opening story.

pp 2-7 JIM THOMPSON and M. RODEN (The Big Race)
Cool Big-Daddy Roth-inspired tale of two street racers who find a little more adventure than they had anticipated when they decide to race for pink slips.

pp 8-11 MICHAEL RODEN, TOM BRINKMANN, R. K. SLOAN, and JEFF GAITHER
(Welcome to the Old West)
This amazing story started out as part of the proposed CRAZY MEN OUT WEST comix that never saw print. Now, twenty years later, it was resurrected and reworked and, as a result, we have yet another Crazy Men masterpiece. Check out the great TOM BRINKMANN cowboy (p 8) and the trippy Crazy Men Cactus (pp 10-11). This is an especially beautiful story, with everything from the stunning wood-grain title lettering to the delightful assortment of weird characters being wonderful and perfect.

pp 12-14 M. RODEN, ANDY NUKES, BRAD W. FOSTER, and TOM BRINKMANN (Travel Mars!)
This story takes us far away from the wacky Wild West of the previous story to a psychedelic road trip on Mars! The first two pages feature some fun Martians driving through a great MICHAEL RODEN Mars-scape (which is rather reminiscent of the space-scapes from the old MR cosmic-psychedelic days). We then find a happy-go-lucky Crazy Man driving past The Great Space Head! This is a fun story.

pp 15-17 MICHAEL RODEN (The Crazy Men Forest)
This is another (previously unpublished) blast from the MICHAEL RODEN past. The detail in these drawings (check out the wood grain, for example) is dizzying. This is the Crazy Men world at its best. There are Crazy Men wandering through a Crazy Forest populated with a Crazy Man Wizard and Crazy Man Trees. This is a totally fun story and it just makes me smile every time I read it. I love this story!

page 18 information page

page 19 DAN W. TAYLOR (Road Trip)
This fun one-pager includes several funny (corny) riffs on the words "road trip."

bc MICHAEL RODEN (untitled drawing)
This cool full color drawing (drawn by hand and colored using PhotoShop) features a bewildered-looking Crazy man driving into a cartoon forest. "It looks like a scene from one of the cartoons that I watch." (MR: email to DLC dated Apr 14, 2006)

Also, be aware that an amazing animated version of the back cover is available (free) from MR simply by requesting it from him at TBHCOMIX@aol.com

Resource Note:
Thanks to MR for sending me copies of this fabulous comix!
Information about CRAZY MEN OUT WEST per MR: letter to DLC dated 3/16/86.

Available From:
Thru Black Holes Comix & Collectibles eBay Store

History:
Page posted to the online MICHAEL RODEN CATALOG 25 June 2006.