John Porcellino is no stranger to autobiographical comics, but his comics in King-Cat are well-crafted, pared down meditations on everyday life and nature. In South Beloit Journal, John assesses his life as it’s happening, the good, the bad, and the silly.
These comics span the first half of 2011, and when we first drop in on John’s life things are not going well. John is depressed, lonely, and broke in South Beloit, IL, working on illustrating a book on Suicide (The Next Day). As spring warms northern Illinois, life seems to improve for John. He completes the book, and goes on a few tours, which seem to add excitement to his life.
For John P. fans, this is a must-read! Even in his lowest moments, John’s comics are charming and often funny! It’s interesting to see the tiny details of a career comics maker’s life, and fun to see other comics artists and popular culture make special appearances!
36 page black and white digest Uncivilized Books, 2018
