BugHouse: It was 20 Years Ago Today
Time flies when you’re having fun (aka drawing comics!) It’s twenty years since my first BugHouse graphic novel from Top Shelf Productions hit the stores. While that edition is out of print, you can still score my classic indigo-noir story of Bebop jazz and insect addiction. Here is the Cat-Head Comics edition of BugHouse at my Lulu store.
BugHouse traces the rise of tenor sax genius Jimmy Watts and his piano cohort Slim Watkins to the pinnacle of the jazz world. Will they fall to the depths of addiction and depravity?
Here’s what some of my peers have to say about BugHouse:
“I’m going to recommend a graphic novel that is great because it is good, solid and delivers in spades what I most enjoy in a comic book; a comfortable mastery of the form, fun, surprises, a story I can get into and a light touch. In short its the kind of book you can flop down on the couch with of an afternoon, lie back and enjoy.” – Jim Woodring, commenting on BugHouse for Boing Boing
I love BugHouse. I’m fond of the little bug-creatures that inhabit it. With his masterful storytelling, Steve Lafler has created an alternate universe. His characters are not particularly cute (well, some of them are), but one can easily emphasize with their meaty human struggles with addiction, love, power, greed, and lust. Check it out! -Phoebe Gloeckner, A Child’s Life
“Steve Lafler’s comics will have you keeling over backwards with laughter.” – Peter Bagge, Hate
“Stop! Stop! My sides are aching! You’re driving me to Buggyland with this stuff!” –Lux Interior, the late, great lead singer for legendary Psychobilly punk band, The Cramps
Well, I guess Lux was more of a rock & roll Demi-God than my peer, but you get the idea…
Best,
Steve