The Cartoon Nightmares of Al Columbia

[@CartoonistKayfabe]

Jim's Octobriana 1976 Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimrugg/fluorescent-blacklight-outlaw-comic-book Ed's Patreon: www.patreon.com/edpiskor

[@KThorJensen1]

Al and I were roommates in the mid-90s. He was, and remains, quite the character.

[@jameslainchbury6746]

@@davidhartman2505 agree hahahha

[@J3bus]

Dude! Cool

[@Lastiri2004]

I really love his work and i feel we need a compilation of all his old material cause its all out of print

[@Trelkovsky69]

Hollow Press just put out a new edition of the biologic show: hollow-press.net/collections/al-columbia/products/the-biologic-show Unfortunately they won't do more as there was some trouble in the production of this re-edition. You cann read about that on their insta. :)

[@xrisfractal]

One of my favorite cartoonists! This guy is so amazing...we need more work from Al!!

[@fiendishlygrimly]

Ed, Ho Che, and for those unaware, Al did a fascinating two hour interview with inkstuds in 2011, after the release of Pim and Francie, where he talks quite openly about Big Numbers, confirming for the first time publicly that he indeed chopped up the artwork and why (which i was surprised by and consider to be even cooler than the crazy out of context rumors we've all heard so far, to be honest). He also talks about the reasons leading up to and why he ultimately left the project too. Amazing stuff. The interview is easy to find and highly recommended. A Sean Collins article/blog post about Al and the interview, "The day indie rock defeated Alan Moore", also recommended.

[@aaronsasson5148]

Al Columbia is a genius. We're so lucky, as comic fans, that this is the medium he chose to work in.

[@freakbuck]

Hollow Press has an insane Al Columbia print/poster up for pre order right now everyone should go support this man

[@troynixeycomix]

Huge Al Columbia fan!! Worth seeking out.

[@AntoineDennison]

Oh, guys-- Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU. I remember seeing this Comic Journal at Barnes & Noble and the excerpt from the Al Columbia story featuring the creature with the seven heads, but I didn't pick it up at the time. Since then, in my memory, I have assigned it to Chris Ware and have looked for it, fruitlessly, from time to time ever since then!

[@aasuntory459]

Another excellent episode! Can't wait for The Biologic Show collected edition that will likely be released later this year and his next book, Cheapy the Guinea Pig!

[@freakbuck]

Highly suggest pre ordering the new poster from Hollow Press as well, it's absolutely beautiful. Can't wait for them to release Biologic Show and his new book!

[@JLRoberson]

Did you know he had a recent one? Thin but DEAR GOD it's nice. And a mere ten bucks, though one of my Patreon subscribers sent me a copy because he's nice. floatingworldcomics.com/shop/art-books/amnesia-the-lost-films-of-francis-d-longfellow-by-al-columbia

[@simonlopez-xx1bi]

From Fantagraphics?

[@aasuntory459]

@@simonlopez-xx1bi No, Hollow Press.

[@enzosansone4011]

*comments that didn't age well*

[@snaabras]

Great artist! Looking forward to see what the collaboration between Al and Hollow Press will bring us in the future.

[@Trelkovsky69]

Well, now they topped the collaboration. :(

[@LukeKorolowiczArt]

you luck dogs, i'm hunting for copies of the biologic show that doesn't cost a house but pim and francie is coming in from amazon this sunday. i'm a quarter finished with a comic of my own called Pain Machines and i can only compare it to Al Columbia's work

[@darklightdays]

Any updates on your comic?

[@matchezmalone]

Wow I've never heard of Al Columbia. Thanks for showing me the light.

[@willpfeifer3312]

Love this book. It still stands as maybe the scariest single comic I've ever read. I remember hearing from Tom Spurgeon years ago that Fantagraphics was thinking about some sort of Art of Al Columbia book, but I don't know whatever happened to that project. Now I have to track down my copy of BLAB #10!

[@JLRoberson]

I love this video and love that you started with THAT story. Masterpiece. And then THERE IS MORE. By the way, I had the same binding issue. It can be fixed with PVA ph-neutral bookbinding glue. My binding is now better than it was before. Thank you guys for focusing so much on alternative stuff. It deserves more attention than mainstream superhero stuff, which is already quite represented on KZbin. Oh, the "self-portrait" in BIOLOGIC SHOW? Not Al. I seem to recall he said something about it being his dead grandad, a ghost photo. PIM AND FRANCIE: I've said that one reason it's so effective is it almost feels less like art and more like evidence. Oh, and yes it's still available--Comixology has it on Unlimited and I have a digital copy from Google Play. (in addition to print)

[@Belowone]

Wow great video ! funny thing while you dropped this video I got my Al Columbia Amnesia magazine from floating world comics today. Now I can enjoy both at the same time lol

[@Danny_Hynes]

Some profound ideas in this one...the connection between the subconscious and the creative process and dreaming...the extent to which finishing and publishing a work creates the narrative. Really makes me think of the difference between an unfinished work and a finished one and the power that a finished work has. Finished not perfect etc etc and the Kuleshov effect from film, that the act of placing two images next to one another creates an emotional effect/narrative. Invaluable discussions as everything you make has been. You guys have figured out the alternative to art school. Thanks for this one.

[@weinersmalls5684]

i agree

[@johnbutler5650]

Was Al Columbia involved with the music videos from a guy called “ Sea sick Steve “.

[@footwinner1]

Pim and Francie is easily in my top five of all time. It taught me so much about the comics making process. FYI, the original printing is all sold out, but it was reprinted in 2016 or so.

[@TheRavenQueen07]

Thank you very much for this video! About the subconscious aspect of his works in Pim and Francie, you should really check out the interview Al did with Inkstuds in 2011. He talks a lot about his life and the way he represents his fear, consciously or subconsciously in his art. It surprised me to hear how open he was about all of this.

[@DanielBaylissB]

Finally Al Columbia! Thank you guys!

[@hcanderson3787]

Great episode. You guys should dive into his involvement in Big Numbers. I've heard some wild tales about that whole episode over the years, including one story that's never made it into print to my knowledge.

[@CartoonistKayfabe]

I've heard lots of stories, but I hate to repeat things that I haven't heard first hand or can't cite where I read/heard the stories. But please feel free to share your knowledge on the subject. I think the Big Numbers story is that Columbia was taking over the art chores from Sienkiewicz. Big Numbers was at Tundra at this time. I believe Sienkiewicz drew issue 3 and Columbia allegedly drew issue 4. He showed it some people at Tundra, then he destroyed the art. This is loosely recounted in the TCJ interview with Kevin Eastman. I think it's presented that Eastman heard this same story but I don't think Eastman saw the finished art or the destroyed art from issue 4 according to that interview. There are definitely interviews online with Al Columbia for those interested in hearing some of his stories directly from the man. - JR

[@hcanderson3787]

@@CartoonistKayfabe I'm with you in my reluctance to repeat hearsay, so best to leave it alone. Sienkiewicz definitely drew issue 3, I have a pdf I got online years ago, and it is beautiful, though, while of a piece with ish 1 and 2, is nonetheless ever so slightly different in that it didn't seem to rely as much on washes and Sienkiewicz's more painterly technique, and more on straight pen and ink. The story of Columbia destroying those pages is heartbreaking...such a talented, powerhouse artist. You can find the occasional page from Al's Big Numbers contribution online...it's stunning work.

[@thefleshmachine3823]

I heard in a podcast interview with Columbia that big numbers 4 was completed but he was crashing on a friend's couch and a band called Sebadoh either lived there or came over and they needed album art, so Columbia and Lou or another band member chopped up the comic into little bits and made a collage out of it, there was no meltdown or anything just a creative stream of consciousness from my understanding

[@TheRavenQueen07]

Was it the Inkstuds interview from 2011? He said a lot of interesting stuff in there and yeah, he was apparently fed up with the way the "big artists" treated him and decided to abandon his work because of the pressure basically.

[@williamjosephdunn5879]

I wish they'd reprint the Biologic Show books. They are as hard to find as hen's teeth and pricey if you do.

[@freakbuck]

Hollow Press is reprinting it this year along with his new book. Hit up their website

[@JLRoberson]

It's weird, too, for a VERY long time you could get them new from Fantagraphics; they seemed the only Columbia in constant print till they weren't. I have both a reading and archive copy of each.

[@szlamfire]

@@freakbuck are you sure about the reprint of the biological show, They only gave out information on his new book they will be publishing in estimated 2021, can't find anything about the biological show tho.

[@solomonjack8476]

@@szlamfire He did an interview recently (its on youtube, should be easy enough to find), where he talks about it being reprinted (with extra material, new & old). It's also a damn fine interview!

[@dandykaufman2]

someone should republish some of his stuff now based on the kayfabe effect. biologic show looks amazing. Pim & Francie is on comixology and I read it that way when they were doing free trials. incredible.

[@Able-Fader]

yall are blowin my wee lil mind over here

[@Brettzcassette]

This blew my mind!

[@gudi3451]

The AL Columbia Hi Fructose issue is great too with a Pim and Francie insert: hifructose.com/2013/06/17/al-columbias-pim-and-francie-continue-their-adventures-in-new-works/ Pim and Francie is one of my favorite comics ever. Scary stuff. Still need to track down a copy of Blab! #10 which is tough to find. Great video.

[@deleonyx]

Columbia is the weird dude I wasn't cool enough to talk to in high school. What inspired, beautifully dark work!

[@psychobilly42069]

One of my favorite artists of all time!!!!

[@elyea6010]

Thank you for this video. Can’t wait for Cheapy the Guinea Pig!

[@MarsEve]

So crazy, I downloaded this on comiXology unlimited last night!

[@freakbuck]

Man I was hoping you guys would show off some of his more obscure anthology stuff, although now I desperately need BLAB 10. Maybe I should make a little video myself. There are some Pim and Francie pieces in MOME that prove he really was trying to make a narrative

[@Nuff.98]

Heard of pim and francie from the madman anniversary hardcover with the group shot of indie characters

[@Nuff.98]

Fiffe

[@jameslainchbury6746]

ooohh shit yeas!!! I just bought that Pim an Francie book!!! wooo hooo, Im a big fan of Columbia since bitd, I have the Biologic show comics AND a tattoo on my chest out of one of em too! since 96

[@jameslainchbury6746]

OH i think i bought the last one! from book depository at least! Kayfabe in full E F F E C T!

[@damienlamshed512]

@@jameslainchbury6746 Weird, I got it from Book Depository too and it changed to out-of-stock after I got the confirmation email. Was fortuitous as I've been watching it for some time and it coincidentally just had a 25% discount applied after this C.Kayfabe video so I snaffled it up. Fingers crossed we both get it - I haven't a confirmation of it been sent yet.

[@bolunixan]

Pim & Frankie is wonderful, he's like a darker brother of Chris Ware

[@JLRoberson]

That's especially evident in the Zero Zero stuff, a lot of which I posted here a long time ago: scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/tag/creator:+al+columbia

[@MatGreaves]

Check out Amnesia: The Lost Films of Francis D. Longfellow if you haven’t already, published by Floating World Comics

[@erikcjones]

Well, just added this to my special orders at the shop.

[@ALbertoDoriguzzi]

The books is great, must find it!

[@Michael-ns1ey]

Strong Jose Munoz influence in his earlier work.

[@GalaxianPunk]

Great video, he recently did a an interview with inkstuds on youtube that was good, so it would be great if you get him on the show...

[@Pflyn]

I got the sixty-five-year-old head spin from AC.

[@pedrot.9569]

Love It!

[@peterdanielman]

0:08 Jeez Ed, gross! Well done.

[@ES_Glenn]

YES

[@AceHardy]

🙌💥

[@djdoctorwhomm.c.p.8620]

Finally

[@Geoffreydarcy-pv4mq]

🔥💙🔥

[@PatrickBateman187]

😎🖌️

[@portland-182]

This is the sort of Fleischer cartoon Jim is talking about... kzbin.info/www/bejne/fITQYWqpqd97kLM

[@CRUCIFi777]

Proverbs 22:6.

[@JoeyRocket]

Revelation is singular.