MARK
STAFFORD’S BOTULISM BANQUET
Ed. by JAN KALINSKI & EDWARD LYNDEN
BELL
When I saw this comic at the 2005
Bristol comic convention I immediately noted the title and name “Mark Stafford”. I wondered,could this be
the Mark
Stafford who in the mid-1980s graced Black Tower Adventure with such treats as “What’s the meaning of ‘THIS’?” and…Garbage World –a world ending,survivalist all-out action zombie-killing spree which I still have exceptionally strong and loving memories of?
[Yes. Sad,indeed]
I asked Shane Chebney,who runs the Small Zone business –just as I noticed the tell-tale signature! “Well,that’s him there –in the hat”,was Shane’s reply. I quickly chased after the behatted Adonis and tapped his shoulder uttering the words:”Does ‘Garbage World’ mean anything to you?” The hat turned:”******* hell! Terry?” Yep,it was the Mark Stafford. We chatted and he introduced me to Jan Kalinski. And,always a bonus in my mind,I got a free copy of Botulism Banquet. Of course,I later purchased three copies for friends –so at least the title got to Australia,India and
Canada! It was a certain Publishing Editor at a British comics company back in the 1980s who announced,in a crowded room that I “could spot artistic talent at 5000 yards even if it was covered in concrete!” Well,back in the 1980s I told people how Mark Stafford was going to be a big talent. Then he vanished. Over the years I searched and tried every possible place to see if the man was still producing comic strips. No luck. Now,Botulism Banquet. Roger Langridge did the quality cover colouring job so it was bound to stand out. The inside cover introduction [and inside back cover outro] were superb –the outro said it all. “Glyph”,a 1994 strip I would have been proud to publish,was basic and funny. The Glyph character turns up for several other “moral tales” that got even a manic depressive like me chuckling! Now,anyone in a certain age group,say 38+ will recall TVs “Lenny The Lion”,a friendly,docile hand puppet operated by a man who….well,gave me the creeps. In the strip “Something’s Wrong With Uncle Spangley” we see a not dissimilar hand puppet totally out of control and saying the things we know as adults those hand puppets really want to say! The strip was odd because I laughed but in the final panel we see the traumatised kids. I’ll admit I was going to laugh at that panel but couldn’t! This was great stuff. “If I stumbled From Your Party At Three In The Morning…” what can I say? Sheer brilliance! You think its going to be a simplistic cartoon style about a drunk but then Mark takes us on a wild walk through a demon haunted,monster dwelling park until,finally,our hero is safe…you then see the full title and pictorial punchline:”…Would Everything Turn Out Fine?”
Then comes the 1994 strip “The Judderbaby Phenomenon”. This is great stuff that reminds me of my night time stay at the home of the legendary Tom “Lovely” Elmes in
London during one of the 1980s UKCACs. Living in
Bristol you get to see what Mark is talking about on a regular basis! Mind you,”Those Darn Hippies” hit the spot and I’m sure I knew the two in this strip! I have to ask,though:what’s the problem with Hawkwind?? “The Prick” is Quentin Tarantino like with a first person telling us all about the incident at Ramon’s Bar [where Ramon,apparently,never puts enough ice in the “High balls”]. It’s smooth dialogue that leads into seemingly pointless violence in the form of guns and exploding body parts. I laughed out loud. That disturbed others! “Graham’s Lousy Day” struck the right note from start to finish with me. I get days like Graham’s [every day] but,unlike Graham,I don’t have “The Button That Destroys The World” –be glad I don’t! “Beer Talk” I think most of us have witnessed and it’s a miracle process! “Promotion” was sheer cartoon joy. The one thing I noticed while going through this selection of
Stafford work was the craftsmanship. At times the artwork looks simplistic –as in the Glyph strips- until you look again. This shows up again when examining the “Fine Art Funnies” and “Something’s Wrong With..” strips:simplistic gags or dialogue but with art styles that are quite complex –using cross-hatching and shading to superb effect. “If I Stumbled…” is another perfect example and you don’t realise it until you look closer and realise the amount of work involved –take a look at each panel of “The Prick”!
Being honest,I wish I had had the opportunity to publish just one of the strips in this collection. I’ve read the comic over and over and studied the pages [I really do need to get out more!]. This is a 32 page-comic treat from cover-to-cover. If you don’t buy it then,well,you’ll never know the joy. I have to admit that,looking at the subject matter I have to worry about what Mark’s been up to! But this is a classic from someone who really observes people and it shows. Can I say more? Well,check out: www.smallzone.co.uk or contact the publishers at:leo.rex@virgin.net or www.hocusbaloney.com to see if you can grab a copy while still available! Terry Hooper
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