Comic Statues & Busts: Bizarro from DC Heroes Villains

What goes on in the head of Dan Piraro-stand-up comedian, fine artist, animal rights activist, and creator of the award-winning syndicated comic strip Bizarro? This wildly inventive compendium of cartoons, never-before-seen sketches, photographs, and paintings-along with Piraro's own hilarious and thought-provoking insights into his life and the world at large-takes readers inside the mind of the mad genius with a nationwide following. Much more than just a collection of cartoons, this is the first comprehensive book incorporating all of Piraro's work in a variety of media, interwoven with autobiographical passages that shed light on the evolution of the artist's left-leaning worldview. It's a must-have for Bizarro fans and a terrific introduction for the uninitiated.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1R1X3A7IFW7R4 This book was so good I read it all in one seating.

The book is written in first person by Mr Dan Piraro himself. This book is about his life, career and comics. His write up is almost as hilarious as his comics. He seems to have a very interesting life, and the book tells it all.

Included are also some interesting and very unusual self portraits (photos). One is nude -- with the shadows hiding the crucial parts of course! Another amusing photo is one with him spotting a lion's mane hairstyle with his dad's face saying,"I'm determined to be proud of this kid in spite of the fact that he's well on his way to looking like a transvestite."

He writes from his birth, to childhood and schooling, to his band playing days, then his art and cartooning career and his move to New York City. There are lots of juicy and funny experiences he share, such as him asking people to provide lodging and take him around while he's on book tours.

Towards the end of the book, he talks more about his beliefs, which led him to be a vegan (one that consumes no animal products of any kind including eggs and dairy products). He's a huge supporter of animal rights, which is why animal rights themes sometimes appear in his comics.

This book is filled with freelance illustrations, oil paintings, comics and several discarded ideas (those deemed too saucy for general readers). Every one is captioned to explain the inspiration and the message he's trying to bring across. Oh, his oil paintings are as weird as his cartoons.

This book is not just Bizaro, it's the biography for Dan Piraro. It's wonderful and in depth. One that will constantly put a smile when read.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

One of the few good reasons to spend retirement years in America is the dependable presence of at least one laugh in your morning newspaper, aside from those sardonic guffaws you suppress with a sob when you look at the front page. Now, none of you techno-whippersnappers had better tell me that the comics are available on-line anywhere I wander, anywhere I roam, cuz looking at Bizarro on a computer screen is about as gratifying as staring at a photo of a snifter of cognac. It's the smell of the newsprint and the satisfaction of snatching the pertinent image from your lovey at her sudoku. Yes sir, that's livin'! Gets you all stirred up for tooling around Sun City in your golf cart.

Dan Piraro has been amassing a comprehensive dossier of my own particular world-view for many years, one frame at a time, but I've been abroad enough to have missed any number of his sharpest insights. But with this here book in my suitcase, I can face moving to "The Sequoias" with equanimity. What name for an assisted living facilty, eh? The Sequoias. Piraro would appreciate it.

Bizzaro is one of the best comic strips I have ever seen. Even on the all too numerous occasions when it is clear that my political etc. views are diametrically opposite to Mr. Piraro's I find his comic strips funny and very clever. I even have a reproduction of one his 'strips framed and hanging on a wall in my house. This collection is one of the funniest comic strip collections I have seen and it is also published in a very high quality (for a paperback) format- it is *not* your typical flimsily bound and poorly printed paperback collection. I also like the fact that he reveals where his ideas come from. This brings me to my second point: it's one thing to include your political and religious beliefs in your book. These illuminate the origin of many of his ideas, but it's another to have them constantly shoved down your throat in a very childish fashion. He writes with the style of an angry and idealistic high school student with no thought that anyone else with very differing views could have valid ideas or - gasp- could even be correct. It get's tiring to be constantly told that anyone with opposing views is "whacked out", to use a common phrase of his. He replaces his idealized wishful thinking for facts, and it gets annoying. Here's one example: he writes about how he admires the native American Indians for living in harmony with nature. Clearly he has not read much on this matter because, I am sorry to inform this vegan, it is pretty much accepted by anthropologists and other scientists involved that "native" Americans wiped out the pleistocene megafauna, just like the "native" New Zealanders pretty much wiped out thier megafauna. I point this out because I grew tired of his constant know-it-all attitude, and I am sure other readers will as well. I only write this because I think even this very personal book goes way overboard for a comic book collection in his attacks on people whose views he dislikes and I expect a little more restraint more from an adult author- even a cartoonist with a poor formal educational background. Still in all, I would highly recommend this book to any fan of the daily comics and plan on buying his new hardcover collection upon it's release.

Dan Piraro is undeniably one of today's most talented newspaper cartoonists, and there's much to enjoy in this overview, if you can get past the tiresome, unrelenting narcissism and vegan proselytizing. More art (there's room on the pages) and less smug self-righteousness would've served this book better (and I AGREE with most of Piraro's politics).

This book provides insight into Dan Piraro, the most consistently humorous cartoonist of our day. Buy this book!

There's a new genre rising from the underground. Its name: BIZARRO. For years, readers have been asking for a category of fiction dedicated to the weird, crazy, cult side of storytelling that has become a staple in the film industry (with directors such as David Lynch, Takashi Miike, Tim Burton, and even Lloyd Kaufman) but has been largely ignored in the literary world, until now. The Bizarro Starter Kit features short novels and story collections by ten of the leading authors in the bizarro genre: D. Harlan Wilson, Carlton Mellick III, Jeremy Robert Johnson, Kevin L Donihe, Gina Ranalli, Andre Duza, VIncent W. Sakowski, Steve Beard, John Edward Lawson, and Bruce Taylor.

If you have ever felt that the books you read are too boring, too mainstream, not weird enough and not fun enough to read, or if you think authors in general just take themselves way too seriously, then you should try bizarro fiction. Bizarro is like literature's equivalent to the cult section of your video store. They are absurd, surreal, funny, gory, over the top craziness.

If you are a fan of cult films you should definitely check this genre out. If you are expecting experimental/subversive "literary" fiction then look elsewhere, because these stories are more cinematic than they are literary. These authors weren't inspired by William Faulkner or James Joyce, they were inspired by movies such as Time Bandits, Pink Flamingos, Videodrome, Six String Samurai, Brazil, Eraserhead, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Conspirators of Pleasure, The Toxic Avenger... (the list goes on).

There is much variety in this genre. Some authors write darker surreal works, some write very comical campy/pulpy fiction. Some bizarro is intellectually stimulating art, some of it is just for entertainment value alone. It's all very weird but each author is weird in their own way. Check out all of the Bizarro Starter Kits to introduce yourselves to some of the top bizarro authors working in the scene.

I recommend this to people who always preferred movies to books because they thought always though books were supposed to be boring.

These stories work well in concept like fi the author were telling you about the story they had just written and you got to imagine it on your own. This stuff is sub-community writing club. Its just really bad.

Wow...not only a fun romp through the absurd, but also a great introduction to a previously unknown (for me) genre.

So, imagine all of the great (and not-so-great) cult films influencing a generation of authors to do exactly what those movies did: shock, awe, and inspire a new way of looking at how you perceive a story.

Many of the authors in this collection admit to enjoying the visual works of David Lynch and the authorial extrapolations of Kafka.

I think while reading this collection, many readers may have to stop and realize that what is going on in these stories is just how their world works--it is beyond Magical Realism. This collection is a landscape that covers unexplored areas of the avant-garde.

The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is simply because two of the stories I did not like all that much. One just seemed like a visceral version of Who Censored Roger Rabbit? In addition, the other story had no organization whatsoever.

I have the other collection (Blue) and I can hardly wait to start reading the many surprises it will have to offer.

Bizarro writing is not for the timid. This collection of stories by some of the genre's brightest stars proves that in spades. Anyone who is a fan of David Lynch movies or Franz Kafka's writing should pick up a copy and dive in. If those auteurs frighten you, give this collection a read and broaden your horizons. The stories and themes swing wildly from ridiculous to profane to down right confusing, all the while grabbing the reader by the short hairs and pulling him/her along for the ride. Don't get comfortable with any of the ideas in this book (as if that would be possible.) The problem with pigeonholing anything in the Bizarro genre is that is varies so much from one writer to the next. They all display incredible skills as storytellers, but the way they tell those stories could not be more different.The Bizarro Starter Kit is just that, a starting point in this ever changing, ever-challenging corner of the lit world. It also includes brief bios of the writers behind the weird works as well as links to other places the reader can find more from these uniquely talented individuals.

bUY THIS BOOK FOR A VALUABLE LESSON.
bOOKS, THEIR REPUTATIONS AND THEIR REVIEWS CAN ALL BE CREATED BY MARKETERS IN CYBERSPACE.
THIS IS A PRODUCT, CREATED TO BE CONSUMED BY PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY LIKE STRANGE EROTIC LITERATURE.
iT'S EXACTLY LIKE THOSE MASS PRODUCED PAINTINGS.
FANS OF INTERESTING LITERATURE LIKE BURROUGHS, VONNEGUT PALANIUK,BEWARE.

Commemorate the best-selling Action Comics storyline "Last Son," with a highly-detailed superhero for your action figures collection. Bizarro features multiple points of articulation and a base. Measures 7.5".

There's a new genre rising from the underground. Its name: BIZARRO. For years, readers have been asking for a category of fiction dedicated to the weird, crazy, cult side of storytelling that has become a staple in the film industry (with directors such as David Lynch, Takashi Miike, Tim Burton, and even Lloyd Kaufman) but has been largely ignored in the literary world, until now. The Bizarro Starter Kit features short novels and story collections by ten of the leading authors in the bizarro genre: Ray Fracalossy, Jeremy C. Shipp, Jordan Krall, Mykle Hansen, Andersen Prunty, Eckhard Gerdes, Bradley Sands, Steve Aylett, Christian TeBordo, and Tony Rauch.

If you have ever felt that the books you read are too boring, too mainstream, not weird enough and not fun enough to read, or if you think authors in general just take themselves way too seriously, then you should try bizarro fiction. Bizarro is like literature's equivalent to the cult section of your video store. They are absurd, surreal, funny, gory, over the top craziness.

If you are a fan of cult films you should definitely check this genre out. If you are expecting experimental/subversive "literary" fiction then look elsewhere, because these stories are more cinematic than they are literary. These authors weren't inspired by William Faulkner or James Joyce, they were inspired by movies such as Time Bandits, Pink Flamingos, Videodrome, Six String Samurai, Brazil, Eraserhead, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Conspirators of Pleasure, The Toxic Avenger... (the list goes on).

There is much variety in this genre. Some authors write darker surreal works, some write very comical campy/pulpy fiction. Some bizarro is intellectually stimulating art, some of it is just for entertainment value alone. It's all very weird but each author is weird in their own way. Check out all of the Bizarro Starter Kits to introduce yourselves to some of the top bizarro authors working in the scene.

I recommend this to people who always preferred movies to books because they thought always though books were supposed to be boring.

This is a good combination of Bizarro elements. It goes from the extreme, trippy experimentation of Steve Aylett to the absurd and funny but more restrained style of Andersen Prunty. Bradley Sands' Cheesequake Smashup is worth the price of admission by itself. Humorous, thought provoking, dirty, funny and challenging. It's everything good fiction should be.

The Bizarro Starter Kit (blue)

Introduction or What is this Book?
The first "Bizarro Start Kit" (colored orange) was an instrumental book in introducing bizarro to a wider audience. Combining eight of the top bizarro writers into one volume, it was responsible for hooking many readers (this reviewer included) on these strange new authors. This year, Eraserhead Press, Raw Dog Screaming Press, and Afterbith Books have combined forces yet again to give us "The Bizarro Start (blue)."
This time we have ten different authors contributing novellas and short stories for our reading pleasure. Due to the nature of this book, let's look at each writer individually.

The Authors

Ray Fracalossy
Fracalossy starts off the volume with twelve short shorts characterized by word-play and a strong sense of fun. These stories start the book off right, getting the reader into a strange and logically-loopy frame of mind. "A Body in Motion" is the stand-out piece in which a man's body rebels in some rather creative manners.

Jeremy C. Shipp
"Flapjack" is a novella about two men in a prison with one recounting the strange tale of how he got there. The story floats along with dream-like logic as Shipp creates new language and cultural customs. The main-character narrates with a sense of innocence and an ever present shadow of darkness. Tim Burton would be right at home directing an adaptation of this story.

Jordan Krall
Krall contributes "The Longheads," the middle novella from his collection "Squid Pulp Blues." The Longheads from the title are disfigured war vets that have some sinister plans for a small town. Meant to be read as a middle piece between two related novellas, "The Longheads" feels underdeveloped on its own. While Krall is a strong writer, one wishes he had submitted something more stand-alone appropriate for this collection.

Mykle Hansen
"Monster C*cks!" is the attention grabbing title to this contribution. It is a novella about a man who gets much more than he bargained for from a penis-enlargement system that actually works. Hansen tells a funny and thrilling story that in the hands of a lesser writer would just be juvenile. Instead, the reader receives an engaging tale that gets inside the head, and pants, of the main character.

Andersen Prunty
Shell is a sort-of bounty hunter, hired by The Rotting Man to go to Hollow City and bring back a woman named Pearl. So begins the surreal/horror/noir novella "The Devastated Insides of Hollow City." Prunty has a talent for writing dark and enthralling tales and this is no exception. For horror fans, this is the stand-out piece of the collection.

Eckhard Gerdes
"Nin and Nan" is the exceptionally strange offering from Gerdes. Nin and Nan live on top of a hill and when billboards and roads start to impede upon their space they are forced to take action. From there, they embark on a journey that takes them to the very top powers of the government. Those crazing the extremely bizarre will be sated with this story.

Bradley Sands
"Cheesequake Smash-Up" is the story of a place where buildings have the ability to levitate. To determine which fast-food franchise will monopolize the market, a race is being held with the structures themselves being used as vehicles. Sands has created a tale even weirder than the previous two sentences suggest. He easily wins the award for strangest, balls-to-the-wall weirdo-fest.

Steve Aylett
"Shamanspace" is the meta-physical offering that Aylett gives us. Dealing with the role of history, books, and self it is a complex and dense tale. Including a brief history of the story's world and a fictional bibliography, this is the most experimental story of the collection.

Christian Tebordo
"The Order of Operations" is the story of several people whose lives intersect around a common payphone. In a book filled with outlandish concepts, Tebordo's story stands out as it is mostly based in reality. Where it is unique is in its presentation, skipping back and forth between several perspectives. This one is for the more literary-minded readers.

Tony Rauch
Rauch finishes the collection with seven short stories. The reoccurring theme of his pieces is how the average person is suppressed and crushed by the weight of the world. Of course, this is told via miniature people in ant costumes and cranium enlargement. This selection of stories is a thoughtful final contribution to the book.

Final Thoughts
One could call this the second generation of Bizarro writers. They are a group of writers that are influenced by many authors contained in the first starter kit. What is most exciting is these authors, while influenced by, are not rip-offs of the first line of writers. Each of the eight authors contained within stand on their own as writers. With the shear amount of variety present here, any fan of weird fiction will find something they can love.

With an introduction into the world of Bizarro, the Starter Kits intitiates with extreme prejudice. Daring you to dive head-first into this world of stunning imagery without the exclamation point, because the subderal hematoma induced walking stage-fright dreams hold sway and what you think is real truly is. Bizarro as a genre is coming in to its own. So jump on board and don't get left behind. There's something waiting that might just eat you, my pretty. Jordan Krall's 'Longheads' stands out. I also really ate the hell out of Andersen Prunty's "Devastaed Insides of Hollow City".

Welcome all to the wonderful bizarro/fiction world known as the "Bizarro Starter Kit" (Blue). Undoubtedly this book invites in to a world of altered states in a genre known as bizarro fiction. One author Fracalossy transports you into this surreal existence in his stories that take you into the deepest darkest inner workings of your imagination. Not since Kerouac and Burroughs have I experienced such a journey in to the minds of the bizarro as i experenced with Fracalossy and Gerdes.
In Fracalossy's "Me and the Martian" the conflicts that arise from a three headed extraterrestial makes for a hilarious short story filled with excitement and humor. The human not being afraid of the martian ends with pity for this creature as well as the martian feeling quite the same about the human. GREAT STORY A MUST READ.
Although all the storys are great i have to recommend "Nin and Nan" by a Eckhard Gerdes and Fracalssy's "The Dinner Party". These are Must Reads and really encourage anyone thinking about buying the book to take that chance, step out of the conventional, beige, thinking and step in to the world of Bizarre fiction. 5 Stars.