Bakersfield Kountry Comics #[nn]

In "Gearjammer," trucker Jake hits the open road with a side of charm and a dash of trouble, hitting up a roadside diner with his friend Thelma before a sudden mechanical crisis sends his rig into a tailspin. With brakes gone and the driveshaft failing, Jake’s quick thinking and nerves of steel are put to the test in a high-stakes chase down a winding stretch of highway.

In "Bakersfield Blues (A Midsummer Reminiscence)," Chuck and Eddie chase a wild night through three pulsing venues, chasing highs and each other through a haze of music, drink, and restless energy—where every step closer to connection feels like a step further from understanding.

In "Larry Sutherland's Bakersfield," the eponymous narrator delivers a no-holds-barred, razor-sharp account of the city’s history, skewering its founding myths and celebrated figures with biting satire. Written with a sardonic edge and rendered in stark, expressive art, the story offers a raw, unfiltered take on Bakersfield’s legacy—less a tribute, more a reckoning.