We’re up to Cranium Frenzy #35 (out of 50…so far…) here at #SundaySteveWillis, a special day as Steve Willis is happily recovering from another busy day at the Short Run Comix Festival in Seattle. Our Phoenix Master reports:
I ended up sitting with Jeff Zenick and helping him out a little. I wore a black shirt and a white necktie with Morty Dog drawings, plus a Panama hat. … A number of Morty fans approached me after seeing the tie and my mailing list just grew.
More people getting Morty Comix! More people getting Lituus panels! What a great thing.
On the subject of Lituus, did you see what one of his friends/fans, Jack Latteman, did? Stamps!
So that covers Seattle and greater Cascadia, but we aren’t entirely here to catch up on his escapades across the Pacific Northwest. #SundaySteveWillis is all about sharing his cartooning as well, and we’re up to Cranium Frenzy issue 35 in our survey of his 40-plus year cartooning journey.
Issue 35 contains a full-length story, “The Road to Bezango”. It’s a treat, following Steve’s train of thought, complete with fun/wild cartooning and dialogue, eventually landing the plane with a satisfying ending. Fifty-odd years of storytelling at its best.
So here’s the first few pages of the story, enough to give you a taste while not giving it all away. Of course, it’s a taste of Mukey the Mutant Membrane… so… yeah…
Every issue is a classic, and they’re all part of The Collected Cranium Frenzy by Steve Willis! Issue 35 is part of Volume 4, if you want to see how the story goes.
If you’re Willis-curious, might I suggest you check out the award-winning Collected Cranium Frenzy by Steve Willis Reader? Samples of the first four volumes, Morty Comix and a 2009 interview with Steve conducted by the Poopsheet Foundation’s Rick Bradford. A magazine-sized value at any price.
But if you’re ready to take the plunge and revel in the glory of one of the great nuwave/post-underground cartoonists, get yourself the entire five-volume set and perhaps The Tragedy of Morty, Prince of Denmarke – Steve’s epic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet!
(Plus, there are some great Steve Willis minicomics and mini-zines in the Ko-Fi shop…bite-sized Willis at bite-sized prices!)
Regardless of how you enjoy your Willis, make sure to keep enjoying Morty, Mukey and the crew! This is the good stuff, and I’m so proud to be able to share it with you.
