And then there's the dark side of the midwestern experience.  When Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested for the murder of seventeen young men and teenage boys on July 22, 1991, Derf – along with the rest of the world – discovered that his high school classmate and friend (after a fashion) had transformed into a monster since graduating in 1978, and he knew almost immediately that he would have to share his story.  Not wanting to partake in the media feeding frenzy that was precipitated in the wake of the startling revelations, Derf bided his time, taking copious notes and slowly putting his story together.  He published a short excerpt in the Fantagraphics anthology ZeroZero in 1997, and then managed to self-publish a 24 page excerpt of this graphic novel as a stand alone comic book  in 2002, which made quite an impact (we remember it well) at the time and was widely acclaimed – even being adapted for a stage play – but it took another ten years for the full graphic to finally be published, courtesy Abrams ComicArts.  This 224 page graphic memoir of Derf's and Dahmer's days at Revere High School in Akron, Ohio in the mid 1970s gives both the big picture of high school life and the details of Derf and Dahmer's own days; how each blended in and how, specifically, Dahmer stood out.  Imagine Black Hole instead done by Joe Sacco and you will begin to have a vague idea of what's in store.  Sad and creepy in equal measure, My Friend Dahmer will haunt you long after putting in down. 

The creator of the long running independent newsweekly strip, The City, has created a pitch perfect tale of the classic days of punk rock.  Set in his home town of Akron, Ohio, in 1980, PR & TP gives us the senior year and then some of high school loser cum small-town-punk-rock-legend, Otto "The Baron" Pizcok.  While the central narrative is entirely fictional, its setting is not, and Derf wryly  captures the mid-Ohio ambience and recreates the hot and heavy scene at the main Akron club -- The Bank -- that was, at least for the time chronicled here, the center of the punk scene.  Plot, pacing, characterization, the supporting cast -- all are spot on.  Punk Rock and Trailer Parks will make for a thoroughly enjoyable read for anyone who likes comics and punk rock and will be a real thrill for anyone who remembers these days.  

PIX Picks is here! 40 full color pages of comics & features by over two dozen artists from the Pittsburgh area and beyond.  PIX 2016 may have passed, but its legacy lives on in PIX Picks.  

OK, these are just about gone, so we've raised the price 10,000% – from 1¢ to $1!

 

LIMIT:  ONE COPY PER CUSTOMER!!!  

(While the PayPal shopping cart will "let you" add more than one copy, please know that living sentient humans process all orders here at Copacetic and that you will only receive one copy.)

GONE!!!

 

Derf's dramatic and detailed accounting of the five days of protests at Kent State University that culminated in the killing of fours students (and the severely wounding of nine others) on May 4, 1970 is thorougly researched, heavily documented and deeply affecting.  Originally scheduled to be released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the killings, it was delayed due to the pandemic and has now been released to coincide with students "return" to school.  Much has transpired in the intervening four months, making this 280 page hardcover volume even more relevant.  

Here's an interview with Derf  about Kent State, from back in February (when it was assumed the book would be released in May).