Charles Burns

I've been reading a lot of comics lately. There's something about good comics that I still find mysterious; it's how I used to think about a lot of things as a child, but as an adult most things become apparent and opaque from jadedness. Maybe it's the fact that I'll never be able to make them myself (I'm terrible at drawing) that give them that impossible kind of feel. I can only dream about collaborating on one.

I discovered Charles Burns not long ago, when I was in Minotaur looking for Chris Ward. I'd read he was inspired by Charles Burns in that Rookie interview, and as soon as I saw the cover of X'ed Out I knew it was going to be the best thing ever.

It's just so weird. Weirder than anything else you're going to read. His style of drawing reminds you of pop art, which makes the whole thing even weirder because the storyline is anything but pop. It's familiar and completely new at the same time. It's the kind of thing that makes you wish you'd made it, or could make anything like it.

Anyway, I got my housemate Black Hole for Christmas, and I'm going to read it really soon. I'm excited.