The Squirrel Machine

Hans Rickheit's The Squirrel Machine (2013–present, Fantagraphics) is a singular, meticulously crafted work of surrealist horror and psychological unease. Across its single, dense issue, Rickheit's intricate, crosshatched artwork renders a nightmarish, Victorian-tinged world where organic and mechanical forms grotesquely intertwine. This series stands as a powerful, uncompromising statement from an underground cartoonist known for his disturbing and beautiful visions, cementing his place in the tradition of art-comics that challenge the medium's boundaries.