plastiC farM

I've run across Plastic Farm before on Comixology, but never took much of a look at it.  This morning I noticed that there were several collections, though, and that impressed me.  Any comic book--web or print--which goes to three collected editions is something special.  In fact, it looks like Plastic Farm is coming up on 700 pages.  Pretty freakin' impressive.  And then as I was peeking inside a preview or two, I saw "Chapter 34: First, There is a Mountain."  (For the youngsters out there, this is the title of a Donovan song . . . one of my favorite Donovan songs.

And the issue was only 99 cents, so I went for it.  Started reading immediately . . . and was impressed.  The artwork reminds me a bit of Chester Brown--which is meant as a high compliment, as Chester is one of my all time favorite cartoonists.  If you haven't checked out his work, you should take a look.  I'm particularly fond of his adaptations of the gospels of Mark and Matthew (the latter unfinished, alas), but I have loved all of his work since I first encountered it in Yummy Fur #1

and have followed him through Underwater, Louis Riel, & Paying For It, and even bought the collections of material I already had in the Yummy Fur comics.  He's that good.

But meanwhile, back in Plastic Farm, as noted I started reading right away, which is, I'm sorry to say, not my usual method.  Sometimes things sit for quite awhile before I get 'round to them.  I was interested pretty much right from the start of this issue.  A very strange, hallucinogenic little story.  And then I hit page 656, and there was a panel (then there was no panel, then there was) which pretty much sums up my life, you know?  In paraphrase, it goes like this: I am fully cognizant of the shit of this world, and I am not a fan of shit.  But shit can be transcended.  (And so I am still alive and kicking, and still trying to do some good in this world. Despite all of the shit.)

I decided I needed to have the original art to the page that contained that panel.

I've never bought original art before.  It's pretty expensive, and I don't have a whole hell of a lot of money.  Plus I've been trying to be extra thrifty lately so I can make a trip to Ireland.  But this was something I wanted to have.  Something that was important to me. I went online, and a few clicks later it was mine.  (I was surprised that no one had beaten me to the punch, actually.)

And now I am going to read the hell out of Plastic Farm, and when I finish the first volume I'm going to write it up and try for another Rain Taxi publication.  

If you're interested, Comixology has the whole run up to the current issue #23.  Amazon Kindle also has it, though I'm not a fan of their e-versions of comic books, as they are not nearly as pleasant to view as are Comixology's versions.  But wouldn't you rather have print versions, anyway?  Amazon has them, too. 

Do yourself a favor & buy 'em all.

And tell Rafer Roberts that Brother K. sent ya!