Synopses & Reviews
Mel Bowling is the unhappy, out-of-touch creator of a very bad, daily newspaper comic strip called (a cross between and ). He spends most of his time listening to Rush Limbaugh and coming up with horrible catchphrases to merchandise, while his "sweatshop" cast of studio assistants grind out all the hard work. is a hilarious situational comedy from acclaimed author Peter Bagge () that ingeniously incorporates the visual styles of cartoonist guest stars like Stephen DeStefano () and Johnny Ryan () to give voice to Bowling's colorful cast of misfit, aspiring cartoonists (plus a cameo by Neil Gaiman!), all attempting to make it big like their boss, but on their own terms. Originally published as a six-issue series by DC Comics in 2003 that was never collected, this is one of the best and most undervalued works of one of the key voices of his generation.
Review
"...I like [] best of the post- Peter Bagge projects in a number of ways and I'm a huge Peter Bagge fan." Tom Spurgeon
Review
"Fans of the autobiographical bent of Bagge's Buddy Bradley stories might be a little uncomfortable with , because it leans more toward the broad comedy of a sitcom, but once you accept that this is more tall tale than memoir, you'll learn to appreciate its many pleasures." Paul Constant
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"The series hits its targets' bull's-eyes with unerring precision... it's good, nearly forgotten work from one of the most significant cartoonists of his generation." Tim O'Neil
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"... is entertaining stuff... Fundamentally, is a workplace comedy that takes some pokes at the comics world, mocking indie auteurs (Chris Ware, Charles Burns) as much as mainstream, kiddie-friendly fare." The A.V. Club
Review
"Multiple-award winner Bagge brings a tense, frantic-paced underground-comic style to this colorful, text-heavy anthology about the workplace. Anyone who has a job can relate to this comedy. ... Young adults to seniors will certainly be amused...when they aren't cringing." Hillary Brown Paste
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"You'll be forgiven if you missed the first time around ...but I'm not sure you'll have such a good excuse this time." Russell Miller Library Journal
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"Peter Bagge's
Synopsis
This situational comedy graphic novel is about a newspaper strip "sweatshop" of aspiring cartoonists who are attempting to make it big like their boss, but on their own terms.
Synopsis
Mel Bowling is the unhappy, out-of-touch creator of a very bad, daily newspaper comic strip called Freddy Ferret (a cross between Dilbert and Garfield). He spends most of his time listening to Rush Limbaugh and coming up with horrible catchphrases to merchandise, while his "sweatshop" cast of studio assistants grind out all the hard work. Sweatshop is a hilarious situational comedy from acclaimed author Peter Bagge (Buddy Does Seattle, Woman Rebel: The Margaret Sanger Story) that ingeniously incorporates the visual styles of cartoonist guest stars like Stephen DeStefano (Popeye) and Johnny Ryan (Prison Pit) to give voice to Bowling's colorful cast of misfit, aspiring cartoonists (plus a cameo by Neil Gaiman ), all attempting to make it big like their boss, but on their own terms. Originally published as a six-issue series by DC Comics in 2003 that was never collected, this is one of the best and most undervalued works of one of the key voices of his generation.
About the Author
Peter Bagge is the internationally acclaimed, award-winning creator of Buddy Does Seattle and Woman Rebel; he lives and teaches in Seattle, WA.Stephen DeStefano has been a professional cartoonist since he was 15. He has drawn comics for DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Oni and Fantagraphics. In 1992 he began working in television animation on Ren & Stimpy, and more recently was a supervisor on Adult Swim's The Venture Brothers. He currently resides in Hoboken, New Jersey, with his wife Siobhán.Johnny Ryan