Comments on: Sandusky Review vol. III: “The Grief; or, A Mississippi Terror Story,”

By: gorjus

gorjus — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:39:21 +0000

BRD, you’re exactly right. This was originally going to be a little booklet of JUST illustrations; there was to be no text. That kernel of idea still remains, where you have to parse the illustrations and the text for information regarding the story. In fact, you have to “read” the image and the illustration’s text separately as well.

The River is my favorite, and it’s equal parts Hokusai and Good-Bye, Chunky Rice. I also wanted it to evoke the flames which would inevitably consume Johnny Tindime.

By: brd

brd — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:12:41 +0000

Can I call this my first graphic novel? I loved it mr. g. The images are, of course, the high point but in everything you have outdone yourself.

Because you prepped us with some of the pix, I was ready to engage in the story, and read through it quickly. It seemed so sparse. Then I went back and took a more proper look, at text and images combined. The images are so integrated into the telling of the story, that one cannot be “read” without the other, can they?

But I think, that there is a third element that is essential to your novella. That is the references to the delta, the levee, Greenville, 1935, all those things that you are counting on to inform but not define this town that is no more Greenville than Wormwood.

I think my favorite image is the river. It is so powerful an image and filled with internal energy, ready to explode, but not yet, as the surface maintains the tension with only mists escaping. Within it, I imagine I see life forms (are they the ancient gods?) burroughed here and there in the waves. I love it.

But I also love the Model 500 Western Electric handset. Oh, I can hear the solid click of the receiver and the tic-tic-tic of the fingerwheel. Even in the tension of the story, there is some comfort here.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

By: lula

lula — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:39:38 +0000

I could not agree with Prof. Fury more. This is my favorite SR to date. Amazing job, Gorjus!

By: Professor Fury

Professor Fury — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:01:03 +0000

You know, I’d already read the text and seen some of the images, but it really works even better than expected when put all together.

By: polly

polly — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:21:25 +0000

I want my copy transcribed in front of my house, on the street, in sidewalk chalk. i have multiple colors if you need.

By: The Diplomat

The Diplomat — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:30:00 +0000

congrats, yo. I’ll take a hardcopy. I stare at a computer enough at work.

By: Dr. Wagner

Dr. Wagner — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Well done, sir. I really enjoyed that. Congrats.

By: gorjus

gorjus — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:16:53 +0000

If you’re interested in buying the original scratchboard panels (which you can see blurrily here), my sister is currently framing them up at FRAME HQ in Starkville. She’s coming to visit in a week or two and maybe you can get one? Or we’ll have a show of them someplace or something? I don’t know, this summer is basically going to be awesome.