John Porcellino

There's this secret little river flowing through the world of underground comics, and it's called King-Cat Comix and Stories. Since 1989, John Porcellino's simple, and simply beautiful comics (along with letters, lists, and a few photographs) have been self-published to growing acclaim. Not only did they inspire local comics-meister Zak Sally to start La Mano Press (in order to print Porcellino's wonderful Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man), but moved Drawn & Quarterly to collect the best of the 'zine in an impressive tome called King-Cat Classix. These stories are gathered from Porcellino's waking life, from his dreams, from the obviously holy lives of the cats he's known, and they move us profoundly. They're at once hilarious, sexy, violent, sad, and puzzling—Zen koans Xeroxed onto scrap paper. Porcellino is going to be appearing Thursday night at Big Brain Comics, where he'll unveil the newest King-Cat 'zine and jam on his guitar with Zak.
Thu., Oct. 11, 5 p.m., 2007