Comics review: Tales of the Dinosaur No. 1
Creators: Robert A. Nelson, Mark A. Nelson, Michael Russick
Date: 1983
Publisher: Grazing Dinosaur Press
This self-published, black and white, magazine-size comic is basically 3 guys from Illinois doing their version of Heavy Metal. It contains 3 stories written and drawn by each creator and 3 full-page gag strips by one of them. All three artists work in a sci-fi/fantasy vein and draw in a detailed pen-and-ink style. Throughout the comic there’s an element of absurdity and mild self-parody, but it’s not clear to me whether it’s self-awarely intentional or not.
“Parts Paul!” by Robert A. Nelson is a sci-fi fantasia set on the planet “Jane Eyre II” and involves an “off-world trouble shooter” named Donald Fox (I don’t know who “Paul” is) who is summoned to disarm a biological WMD which arrives in the form of a crash-landed, booby-trapped missile. The story ends on a cliffhanger. The visuals and story are both full of baroque, nonsequitur detail — the artwork is like a cross between Moebius and Theo Ellsworth — including steampunkish military uniforms, greebly technology and a bow-tie-wearing alien sidekick named Zunt. “There and Back” is drawn by Michael Russick in a bigfoot Vaughn Bodé-influenced style and involves an explorer and his robot pal running into trouble with an indigenous life form, while meanwhile in orbit a prisoner makes a daring escape from his captors. Some of the slapstick and action is undercut a bit by some confusing visuals, but there’s some pretty funny dialogue. “Dragonsbane” by Mark A. Nelson is a lovingly rendered knight-vs.-dragon tale which leads up to a twist punchline ending, and the artist’s “Dinosaur Tales” strips lavish lush illustration on some groaner talking-dinosaur jokes, which somehow makes them funnier.
I’m not quite sure what to make of this idiosyncratic used-bookstore find, but I enjoy being perplexed by it. Google searching turns up no information about the title nor any subsequent issues; Mark Nelson seems to be the only contributor who continued in comics. For now it remains a curious and rather mysterious artifact.
Update: Mark Nelson emerges from the mists of the internet to leave a comment with some great background info! Check out his recent work at Grazing Dinosaur Press.
May 20, 2009 at 4:33 am
Mark was an illustration and/or painting teacher at Northern Illinois University where I went to college. This was right around the time when Aliens first got published and Dark Horse was really taking off in indie comic popularity. IIRC he worked very hard to leverage this success to attract the attention of his female students.
I doubt it is related, but NIU produced some damn fine artists from this time period. Most notable is John Porcellino who created King Kat Komix and practically created mini-comix as a viable genre. He was also guitarist for the band Smile! who self-released the wonderful album Seventh Free Record.
NIU alum Dan Grzeca has also been making a name for himself as a printmaker in Chicago, creating both fine art prints as well as tour posters for practically every worthwhile band on the planet. He has a print in Beasts! Vol 1.
May 20, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Wow, crazy connections! You went to school with John P? That’s awesome! Grzeca’s work I’m less familiar with, but that’s cool too.
July 22, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Mike thanks for the kind words. The comic was done as a love of comics. Robert is my father who grew up with Buck and Flash. Mike was a student of mine and has gone into medical illustration and now children’s books.
NIU’s Illustration department produced a good body of talented students that wen into comics and sci-fi illustration and some have moved into video games. RK Post, Jim Nelson, Jeff Laubenstien, Tom Baxa, Mike Sutfin, Theresa Darby, Pam Divid Cofre to mention just a few. Also some went into the Chicago Advertising scene. I taught in both the Fine Arts area and Illustration at NIU.