Meatmen Volume 22

Rating:
Summary: When does Zach get his own anthology?
Review: I purchased this entry in the series because of Zach's stunningly erotic "Bike Boy," which I rate the hottest piece of erotica - written, drawn, or filmed - I've ever seen. Not simply because the story-line and action are a pell-mell erotic variation on the theme of innocence initiated, but because the artist is truly that: an artist. He knows, and has obviously studied, and mastered, anatomy and design; the action in his panels is never badly imagined or executed (or just suggested, as in so much mediocre erotica.) It's exciting, fresh, imaginative, and drawn with beauty and extraordinary concision. He isn't just drawing penises and rectums - he's depicting the way male bodies react to sex, fully and with complete abandon. Besides knowing where all the body parts go - at every moment and from whatever angle he draws and whatever position that body in - Zach knows how to make those bodies, angles, and positions the most arousing.

The rest of the stories, with the notable exceptions of a grease-monkey tale and John Blackburn's Coley story, are highly variable. But I tremble with anticipation every time I open "Bike Boy." More, Zach! And while we're at it, More Zach!

Rating:
Summary: Vol.22: HOT mix of fantastic & execrable
Review: Winston Leyland's MEATMEN books each contain a widely varied mix of styles among their contributors. With 160 pages on good paper with slick covers, they're a sizeable package (to borrow a turn of phrase), although I question the choice of some of the material. Amateurish below-fanzine-level hackwork is presented side-by-side with stunning, exceptionally high-quality art, and this may turn off some potential paying customers.

Highlights of VOL.22 include: "Bike Boy" by Zack, very European-in-style art I only wish was printed in its original full color (as I discovered on a website); "Coley On The Lost Coast" by John Blackburn, one of the nicest and hottest Coley short stories to appear in MEATMEN (Blackburn has appeared in every collection from #13-up, often contributing the best work in each book); cartoons by Gerard Donelan (cute and funny, another "regular" in this series); and "Straight Man's Burden" by Kurt Erichsen (very entertaining with a cartoon style reminiscent of Phil Foglio's).

I've been buying the MEATMEN books mostly to have a complete run of "Coley" stories. While I've enjoyed quite a few of the other features, if I had my druthers I'd enjoy seeing somebody collect all of Blackburn's short stories in a single volume (color optional!). But until then, these are the only place to read them.

Rating:
Summary: Vol.22: HOT mix of fantastic & execrable
Review: Winston Leyland's MEATMEN books each contain a widely varied mix of styles among their contributors. With 160 pages on good paper with slick covers, they're a sizeable package (to borrow a turn of phrase), although I question the choice of some of the material. Amateurish below-fanzine-level hackwork is presented side-by-side with stunning, exceptionally high-quality art, and this may turn off some potential paying customers.

Highlights of VOL.22 include: "Bike Boy" by Zack, very European-in-style art I only wish was printed in its original full color (as I discovered on a website); "Coley On The Lost Coast" by John Blackburn, one of the nicest and hottest Coley short stories to appear in MEATMEN (Blackburn has appeared in every collection from #13-up, often contributing the best work in each book); cartoons by Gerard Donelan (cute and funny, another "regular" in this series); and "Straight Man's Burden" by Kurt Erichsen (very entertaining with a cartoon style reminiscent of Phil Foglio's).

I've been buying the MEATMEN books mostly to have a complete run of "Coley" stories. While I've enjoyed quite a few of the other features, if I had my druthers I'd enjoy seeing somebody collect all of Blackburn's short stories in a single volume (color optional!). But until then, these are the only place to read them.