Supernatural Showcase
Gar Shanley and Cathal
Dougan
Review by Ciaran
Flanagan
Gar Shanley and Cathal
Dougan are two very sick men, and I mean this in the nicest possible
way. The team that brought us the top-notch comic satire of
Superhero Showcase have teamed up once more to bring us the
paranormally-themed Supernatural Showcase, another faux
anthology collection from the fine folks at the fictional Windell
Comics. And while Superhero Showcase was straight up parody,
its successor attempts to go in some different (and more interesting)
directions.
The visuals are
presented in stark black and white, which adds to the air of
surrealism. Dougan’s artwork, with its shades of LA fanzine artist
Raymond Pettibon, is perfect for the (intentional) atmosphere of
feeling slightly uncomfortable but not really understanding why.
There is a move away from simple parody to the out-and-out grotesque
which is delineated clearly in the superb double centre spread (in
which we the ever present reader are entreated to colour).
There are several
genuinely very funny strips, with “Ghosts! Monsters! Aliens!
Robots!” causing me to HOWL with laughter. It’s also fair to say
that Supernatural Showcase is not for everyone. I showed it to
a couple of like-minded individuals who are very much part of the
spandex set , who could barely get past the lack of colour—never
mind the David Lynchish black humour. Much like a lot of the
sketches in The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer (Masterchef) and
The League of Gentlemen (Papa Lazaru) it seems that the more
surreal elements could be off-putting to some readers. There are also
some strips that are unsettling on a whole new level. In particular
“Salvos Saturday Car” is one of the most genuinely disturbing
things I have ever encountered in any medium. The story of a bizarre
kids TV show that the country lives in fear of, it should resonate
very strongly with anyone who ever lived ( and suffered ) through an
episode of either Fortycoats or Pajos Junk Box (a
programme in itself so bizarre, that I am convinced that I dreamed
the whole thing up. A knacker punk rat presenting the Muppet Babies
from inside a washing machine crate? No sane or rational mind could
come up with that surely?)
 |
| Next up on RTE the horror of Kenny Live |
Having said all that,
this is well written and drawn , pleasingly reminiscent of one of
Marvels old collected comics thanks to its glossy cover and it’s
fair to say that if you like a bit of David Cronenberg, or you got a
kick out of old horror strips like The Thirteenth Floor,
you’ll find yourself in safe hands here. Well, I say safe…[1]
[1]You should read that
last sentence in a Garth Marenghi voice.
Support
The Irish Comics Scene . By Order of Rick Daglass MD
Supernatural Showcase
can be purchased from WWW.WINDELLCOMICS.COM
or Forbidden Planet, Dublin
Feedback ,comments or
review suggestions are gratefully received.
2dcast@gmail.com
@the2dcast
@freebirdswing
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