Critters #42

Fantagraphics' long-running Critters anthology spotlights "The Cliches of Fiction" in this 1989 issue, with Mike Kazaleh handling every creative duty — writing, art, inking, and lettering. The cover, also entirely Kazaleh's work, sets a cheerful, unhurried tone: a cartoon dog clutching a box of animal crackers sits alongside a dark-haired young woman on what appears to be a city stoop, a carton of milk nearby and a skyline of urban buildings stretching out behind them. It's a warmly offbeat slice-of-life moment that makes this installment of Critters an appealing showcase for Kazaleh's distinctive, character-driven style.