We just unearthed a cache of this neglected, 96 page comics travelogue (that's just about ready to celebrate it's tenth birthday), nicely printed in full color and black & white.
We're not sure what Edward Said would've had to say about this, but it's the best available comics tour of southeast Asia that we know of, and it makes for an engaging, æsthetically pleasing, and informative read.
Here's a sneak peak, courtesy of the author.
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edited by Glenn Head Hotwire is a giant oversize celebration of the real and true comicbook. In the words of editor Head: "HOTWIRE doesn't believe that comics need to be elevated out of the "gutter" or put on a pedestal to be art. HOTWIRE believes that comics with great style and cool stories are already art, and no critic, museum, or journal can change that; not one whit. An individual cartoon-voice, and a goofball worldview that is the artist's own... that is the onlly requirement. An unsuspecting reader with hungry eyeballs looking for a taste, could complete the picture." Hotwire pretty much features the who's who of comics practitioners who adhere to this credo (and some who probably don't quite): Doug Allen, Max Anderson, Johnny Ryan, R. Sikoryak, David Lasky, Tony Millionaire, Onsmith, Mats!?, Carol Swain. Sam Henderson, Michael Kupperman, Matt Madden, Ivan Brunetti, Tim Lane, Mack White, Rick Altergott, Mr. Head himself, and quite a few others fill up 136 pages of good, not-so-clean fun, in full color and black and white.
Now out of print – but we have a nice copy.