Sunday, March 18, 2007

Pussey!

I hadn't bought any comics in a long time, but when I got a gift certificate to Bookpeople from my secret santa at work, graphic novels seemed like the way to go. I'm very happy with my purchases (Pussey! by Daniel Clowes, and Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud), but the graphic novel section was lamely located right next to one of those information booths, and the bookseller working there was driving me crazy with his loud talking about how crazy his night before was to anyone that would walk by. I am more of a "hide in a little nook" bookshopper than a "stand in the middle of an open space with some guy talking really loudly about how much he likes to party right behind me" shopper. I think I might be overly sensitive to the shopping experience, which is why I usually just buy things on the internet...

So, anyway: Pussey! Which is the last name of our hero, Dan Pussey, and which is actually pronounced Poo-say and not the way you think it is. This is a reissue of the 1994 collection, with a new comic introduction by Clowes. This follows the story of upcoming comic artist, Dan Pussey, as he slowly crawls his way up the comic hierarchy, and then tragically falls to a younger upcoming comic artist before really getting to enjoy his success. In his introduction, Clowes notes that most of the Pussey comics were written to vent out his frustration with the comic industry, fan boys, comic conventions, publishers, other comics, and just the whole deal. But he notes that as he has gotten older, he has more sympathy for Pussey and the whole scene, and I think that sympathy comes through in the stories.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a seminar with McCloud next week. I'll let you know if he is your next secret boyfriend.

-Am

Spacebeer said...

I'm counting on you for SB recommendations, AM.

steigrrr said...

hey, i also just recently purchased understanding comics. i bought it along with ways of seeing by john berger. they were on my list entitled "books i have thumbed through and always meant to read, and i think now is the time to read them."

my next book order is going to include reinventing comics and this graphic memoir called fun home by allison bechdel, which i was told was excellent. or maybe instead i will buy making comics and aline kominsky's new graphic memoir need more love. i am on a graphic memoir kick, myself, ever since i read persepolis.