Titlebar

Mary Fleener

High priestess of high contrast comics, Fleeners work centers on her own Boheniam California life.


Title Creator Publisher Series Price
Mineshaft #24 R. Crumb, Mary Fleener Self-published Mineshaft $6.95
($6.95 list)
Mineshaft24
Read more and comment...
Life of the Party The Complete Autobiographical Collection Mary Fleener Fantagraphics $8.88
($14.95 list)
Fleener-party
Read more and comment... 		One of the best collections of autobiographical comics -- or "autobiographix," as she calls them -- Life of the Party presents cartoonist Mary Fleener's crazy life of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll is all grist for the mill in this series of "autobiographix," as she calls them—strips based on her own life that have appeared in such anthologies as Wimmen's, Weirdo, Rip Off Review, and Snarf, and, especially, her own title, Slutburger. Growing up in the alcohol-soaked, tiki-decorated world of her parents' suburban Los Angeles, and then living on her own through a progression of loud-mouthed boyfriends, gay and straight pals of both genders, and untenable roommates, Fleener takes last-minute band gigs in dyke bars, is visited by ghosts, picks up after other people's sexual misadventures, and brews her own kitty stew to feed her cat. Her high-contrast drawing is augmented by her unique "cubismo" style: whenever characters are in agitated mental states, or their spiritual selves are interacting on some astral plane, Fleener expresses the effects in emotive geometric abstractions that would've tickled Picasso's funny bone.  This is a one of a kind collection, and now, as a result of a special purchase, we have copies available for over 40% the original price.  Recommended!
Hotwire #3 Glenn Head, Tim Lane, R. Sikoryak, Daid Sandlin and more ... Fantagraphics Hotwire $19.99
($22.99 list)
Hotwire3
Read more and comment... 		Hotwire 3 edited by Glenn Head If ever the third time is the charm, this is it.  Hotwire, the king-size comic book anthology of all new work marches forward in its unique, self-established tradition of wacky hi-jinx pieces designed to frazzle and freak. Highlights include a career high for Rick Altergott, an amazing new piece by Tim Lane, a rare full color Mack White work, a classic Mary Fleener tale, and the first new "masterpiece comic" by R. Sikoryak since his 2009 anthology of the same name – this one engaging Dennis the Menace to fill the shoes of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark – new pieces by Michael Kupperman, Max Andersson, Johnny Ryan, and editor Glenn Head, as well as a brand spankin' new David Sandlin story, "Infernal Combustion," that continues in the vein of his fabulous Swamp Preacher one-shot comic book of a couple years back. 
Newave! The Underground Mini Comix of the 1980s Mary Fleener, Wayno Fantagraphics $22.22
($24.95 list)
Newavecomix
Read more and comment... 		<<•>> by everyone and your uncle <<•>>  888 pages!!!  No holds are barred here in this anything goes blast of the first wave of self-published mini-comics.  Scatology and sexuality, perversion and punk rock, fantasy and fabulation, and general kicking out the jams were the order of the day back when the cathartic capacities of small scale self publishing were first embraced by a generation of comics creators. While the majority of the work on display here is by artists and writers that are not widely known today, there are some gems scattered throughout the book, including the rookie outings of Mary Fleener and Pittsburgh's Wayno, to name but two.
Mineshaft #21 R. Crumb, Mary Fleener, Ed Piskor Self-published Mineshaft $6.25
($6.95 list)
OUT OF STOCK!
Mineshaft21
Read more and comment... 		A counter-culture zine of comics and more that is still going strong.  This issue features a front cover and five sketchbook pages by R. Crumb, a swell 4-page comics-bio of that  beatnikita, Diane di Prima by Harvey Pekar and Mary Fleener, a selection of fine pen and ink drawings along with commentary by their creator,  William Crook, Jr., Bill Griffith's 3-panel revelation of "How I Got My Start in the Comics Business!!" a back cover and more by Cristoph Mueller, and a "Sunday" page by Jay Lynch and Pittsburgh's own Ed Piskor describing an afternoon with the one and only Chester Gould.  Plus plenty more!
The Comics Journal Special Edition 2005 (#5) Paul Hornschemeier, Igort, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez and more ... Fantagraphics $19.95
($24.95 list)
OUT OF STOCK!
Tcj2005spec
Read more and comment... 		Well, for our money at least, this volume is hands down the best so far.  It has a tripartite structure:  A survey of Manga Masters featuring pieces on Osamu Tezuka, Hideshi Hino, Suehiro Maruo, Saseo Ono and Yoshihiro Tsuge; a focus on Vaughn Bodé that features a critical appreciation, a revealing biography and a personal reminiscence  -- all amply accompanied by classic and rare Bodé comics, illustrations and rarely (if ever!) seen sketchbook pages; and then there's the giant comics feature:  this time around the theme is "seduction" and the contributions by many of today's best comics practitioners are top notch.  Among the contributors are Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, Igort (whose 4-pager is among the highlights), Mary Fleener, Rick Geary, Bill Griffith, Megan Kelso, Paul Hornschemeier, Marc Bell, Gabrielle Bell (whose submission is her most accomplished work yet published), Carol Lay and many others.  This is a great volume to have just lying around:  no matter what page you open to you'll find something engaging.
Hotwire #2 David Sandlin, Ivan Brunetti, Lauren Weinstein, Mary Fleener and more ... Fantagraphics $19.55
($22.99 list)
Hotwire2
Read more and comment... 		edited by Glenn Head It took awhile to get this second volume together, but it just goes to show that you can't rush quality.  This second 136 page oversize softcover is packed to the gills with comics work from the wrong side of the tracks.  Included this time around are extended pieces by Tim Lane, Mary Fleener, Mack White, series editor, Glenn Head, Carol Swain and Dutch artist Tobias Tak.  Also on hand are shorter pieces by the likes of David Sandlin, Jonathon Rosen, Stephane Blanquet, Craig Yoe, Christian Northeast, and Mike Wartella. There are also hot new strips by David Lasky, Rick Altergott, Lauren Weinstein, Matti Hagelberg, Danny Hellman, Bob Sikoryak, Michael Kupperman and Chadwick Whitehead and others.  And Hotwire delivers in the humor department as well, with a pile o' gag pages by Ivan Brunetti, Johnny Ryan, Doug Allen, Gary Lieb and Sam Henderson.  To learn more check out the official Hotwire site. on the lower right hand corner of which you can click onto a nice set of preview pages and so get an idea of what you're in for.