The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Comical Animal Issue 1 – December 2010

Various Artists (full list)

Curated by Jim Medway

Here it is, issue one of Jim Medway’s online project Comical Animals. A collection of pieces, cartoon and text all revolving around one simple idea:

“…….a bi-monthly online publication for comic, cartoon and kids books afficianados. It’ll be taking shape over the coming months and hopefully years, hopefully attracting zillions of delighted subscribers and top-notch contributors.”

After the preview issue that appeared in September, this is the first proper issue. To be honest I wasn’t going to mention it again, since we trailed it last weekend and Kenny’s interview with Jim was published here on Friday. And I have far, far too many reviews I owe to too many people right now, and it’s extremely rare I look at online only works like this. But what the hell, lets give it a quick spin…..

I’m impressed, I really am. If this were in print, I’d be calling it lovely, telling you how great Molly thought it was and how you should all get out there and buy it. As it is, I’ll just have to tell you to all head over to the website and subscribe. Maybe even consider adopting an animal? I still find the concept a little weird – essentially it’s a blog which updates every couple of months and when it does update – suddenly there’s 25 new posts to read and look at.

But what there is is really good – in fact lovely covers it. Some absolutely quality cartooning…… rather than going through them all, I’ll just put up a few of my favourites and let you agree with me at how good they are…..

Starting with Jim Medway’s introductory cartoon inviting us all in. I’m not alone in thinking that Jim Medway’s a fantastic talent surely?

(Jim Medway)

Woodrow Phoenix and Bridget Hannigan‘s Lenny has a funny, funny payoff and some beautiful cartooning:

(Woodrow Phoenix and Bridget Hannigan)

As for cartoonists you may already know, possibly through the FPI blog, here’s Rob Jackson and Lizz Lunney, both weighing in with Panda strips, both working around a cute and original conceit – with Jackson it’s all about the bamboo and with Lunney it’s these cartoon pandas finding REAL pandas in their bedroom! Both are great:

(Rob Jackson)

(Lizz Lunney)

But best of all, like any great anthology I look at, Comical Animal has given me someone new, someone whose work I’ve never seen before and who I think is rather spectacularly good. That’s what I always hope I’ll get from anthologies and to be honest, a couple recently have failed on that count.

But Comical Animal has the brilliant Fred Blunt – who, as far as I can work out, doesn’t really do comics. He’s an illustrator by trade. But given how beautiful and cute and all round great his mouse love story is, I’m hopeful we’ll see more of his comics work sometime – maybe two months time with the next Comical Animal eh?

(Fred Blunt)

The final words here have to go to Jim Medway himself, in a perfect world he’d be regularly getting his comics out to an adoring audience, but for now, Comical Animal is his thing, and a very lovely thing it is too…..

“So here it is, our premiere issue of Comical Animal, made possible by the generosity and talent of all our contributors – thankyou thankyou thankyou; I couldn’t have wished for a better selection. Please show your appreciation by commenting on your favourites, sharing with friends, and maybe even by considering adopting a cartoon animal. Thankyou also toGood Grief! comic shop Manchester, and Blank Slate Books for their eager support of this enterprise – much appreciated.”