FLYMF alum Ralph Gamelli has a humor piece in the Bygone Bureau, “We Made It Through Another Winter.”
Ralph’s story, Rocky Balboa Launches Into Inspirational Speeches Too Frequently, was published in FLYMF’s Greatest Hits. He also contributed How Long Before I Use My Ejector Seat? and Twilight Zone Episodes For the Internet Age.
FLYMF alum Stefan Schumacher has published his debut novel, “Death by Strip Mall.” I’m looking forward to receiving my copy. Here’s the description that accompanies it:
“Both touching and hilarious.” Those are the words author T.C. Boyle used to describe Death By Strip Mall, a look at one man’s struggle against the modern world. One man’s choice between forgiveness and retribution. It is the story of a grown man’s encounters with love, strip malls, and a curious Fourth of July mating ritual. Max is a twenty-five-year-old man living at home with his mother. When he gets a surprise phone call from an old high school antagonist, asking forgiveness for something horrible that happened in the past, he is forced to reexamine his life. His underemployment. His undiagnosed allergy to the blinding lights of consumer America. His crippling neurotic vision of society. Set against the backdrop of the soulless America of strip malls, big box stores and chain restaurants, Max begins a quest for revenge and a way to accept the past. To attain peace, he must face his demons, and the decaying world around him.
Stefan’s work for FLYMF included I Love My Dingy Poppers.
Prince Valiant Vol. 2: 1939–1940 has all the virtues of its predecessor: lively adventure, painterly colors and fine-scale detail in action and rest. But where the first volume revolved around Camelot, this installment sees the titular prince roam Europe in search of adventure
Val seems to grow through these pages, replacing a bit of his carefree mayhem with the responsibilities of leadership and loss. He’s still surprising savage to modern eyes and cavalier about his safety as well. He’ll kill for sport and sheath his sword for laughter. Crusades catch him, but none as forcefully as his need for amusement.
These adventures in these pages take him to the doomed castle of Anderkrag and Rome at the height of its decline. The bulk of the story, though, is taken up with a full war against the Huns (of Atilla fame). The full-page vistas give Val sufficient space to display actual strategy and reversals. Graded on the curve of the times, Hal Foster doesn’t dehumanize the Huns too badly, even if they are full villains.
The art seems more assured here. Some of the compositions break the grid to showcase a single stop-and-stare drawing. The action is fun, leavened with heartbreak. And the story ends with an excellent cliffhanger, making me look forward to my third round with the Prince.
A great way to end the week…
FLYMF alum Ralph Gamelli has a short humor piece covering facts about fun in the Morning News: “Being Eddie is Fun and Other Facts.”
Ralph’s story, Rocky Balboa Launches Into Inspirational Speeches Too Frequently, was published in FLYMF’s Greatest Hits. He also contributed How Long Before I Use My Ejector Seat? and Twilight Zone Episodes For the Internet Age.