An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons and True Stories #2

In "null," a Kurtzman character flips through a newspaper and stumbles upon a surreal chain of cartoon parodies, each a take-off of the last—Shmill Shmeisner (Will Eisner) mocking Shm'il Shmabner (Al Capp), who parodies Shick Shmacy (Dick Tracy), who in turn skewers Shmondie (Chic Young), all tracing back through a web of satirical homage. The story’s humor lies in its self-referential loop, where every creator pokes fun at the one before, all while the original source remains just out of reach.

In "Nervous Rex, The Malpractice Suite," the familiar panels of vintage Rex Morgan, M.D. are reassembled with surreal precision, turning medical mishaps into absurdist comedy. The story plays with the rhythm and layout of the original strips, twisting the mundane into something unexpectedly strange.

In "My Mom Was a Schizophrenic," Jo Brown offers a thoughtful, personal exploration of the diagnosis through the lens of her mother’s life, challenging the medical and historical assumptions that shape how we understand schizophrenia. With quiet intensity, the story examines the weight of labels and the human experience behind a clinical term.

"Patton" traces the life of the legendary blues pioneer from his early days discovering music in the Mississippi Delta to his rise as a powerful voice in the genre, capturing the raw spirit and hard-won journey of a man whose influence echoes through generations.

In "Jerusalem Crickets," Hopey and her band La Llorona navigate the weary rhythm of a long tour, playing a show and spending a restless night in a roadside motel before being kicked off another gig. When a last-minute opportunity arises for a speed metal band to play, the group faces the uncertain grind of one more stop on the road.