I'm a big fan of clever, witty, independent comic and graphic novel releases. Fantagraphics is a powerhouse in the field, and I'm generally pleased with the books they produce. So how did Blecky Yuckerella slip through the publisher's quality control?

The book is a series of collected one-page, four-panel vignettes in the life of an ugly, disgusting and sick-minded little girl. It's crude. It's mean-spirited. And creator Johnny Ryan obviously believes the toilet (and its associated functions) to be the greatest source of humor known to man.

Sure, toilet humor can be chuckle-worthy in the hands of a talented writer, but there's nothing creative or original here. There's nothing remotely funny -- unless you're the sort of person who farts at parties to impress members of the opposite sex. (It hasn't worked yet, has it? Think about that.)

This slim book should be easy to overlook on the shelf. Do yourself a favor and be sure you overlook it.

- Rambles
written by Tom Knapp
published 18 June 2005