The Complete Crumb Comics #16

Jelly Roll Morton recounts a strange, unsettling chapter from his past, where a mysterious encounter with Madame Elise and a string of misfortunes begin to unravel his once-bright career. As old memories surface—tied to Billy Young, Anita Gonzalez, and a haunting figure known only as Laura Hunter [Eulalie Echo]—the line between legend and reality blurs, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions.

Aline admires her new slim figure while teasing Robert about his flabby stomach, sparking a quiet moment of self-reflection as he wonders how far to push the explicitness of their comic. The two step into the yard, the sun casting long shadows as they set to work cutting weeds—two familiar figures navigating the everyday with a mix of humor, honesty, and the quiet rhythm of shared life.

In this strikingly personal story drawn from Philip K. Dick’s own words, the writer grapples with a vivid, unsettling vision that reorients his perception through the eyes of ancient Apostolic Christians. As the line between experience and revelation blurs, a profound shift begins to take hold—something once seen as a moment of insight starts to reshape his mind. With Tess, Christopher, Thomas M. Disch, and John the Baptist present in the unfolding narrative, the boundary between past and present, belief and madness, grows dangerously thin.