Swellzombie See's the Music

This is a digest sized mini zine that collects 8 comics that I illustrated based on the lyrics of 8 different song by 8 different musicians. It was originally apart of the Bureau of Drawer's comics box set called COMBO #1.

Since I'm going to the Portland Zine Symposium I've reprinted it and like the original printing I've included a mix CD with the 8 tracks that inspired the art. So if you're not a weird-o like me and don't already own these songs...

Swellzombie Sees the Music

illustration by Dalton Webb

Coming soon from the Bureau of Drawers is a comic collection titled COMBO #1. A "happy-meal"-like box will contain several mini-comics created individually by members of the drawing group that meets at the Cafe Racer on Wednesdays.

My contribution will be a mini collecting 8 out of 12 weekly comics I did last year that were based on lyrics to songs. It's titled: "Swellzombie Sees the Music". It'll be a black and white digest sized book with a CD-R included that will have all 12 of the comics in color and music to accompany the comics.

Originally it was called "Combo Mix-Tape". I had the cover all drawn and laid out the way I wanted it. Then while going through a current Previews catalog I saw the cover to Alex Robinson's "Tricked". He used a photograph of a mixed tape for both the front and back cover.

I'm always saying that "great minds think a like" but this was too close for comfort. So I came up with a new title and cover. Which I feel is superior to my previous attempt. It lends more to what's inside and less to the concept.

Keep an eye out for COMBO #1 as it debuts at Seattle's Bumbershoot 2010!! Followed up by an official gallery show release that will feature loads of original art in September.

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Inspired by the lyrics of Clear Days Always AKA Levi Bailey. He and I started an independent music and comic distribution thing called Self Satisfied in 2004. He's the President and I'm the other guy.
This particular song "Marbles" was one of the earliest pieces that Levi did on his slow slow slow computer in the winter of 2000. I always thought it was a great and creepy piece.

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Based on some of the lyrics to Beck's song Devil's Haircut from the album Odelay.

"Something's wrong 'cause my mind is fading
And everywhere I look there's a dead end waiting
Temperature's dropping at the rotten oasis
Stealing kisses from the leperous faces

Heads are hanging from the garbage man trees
Mouthwash jukebox gasoline
Crystals are pointing at a poor man's pockets
Smiling eyes ripping out of his sockets

Got a devil's haircut in my mind"

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How to Remember Your Dreams by King Missile

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Based off of the lyrics to "Love Your Brain" by the Flaming Lips

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This weeks comic is based on the Faith No More song Mid-Life Crisis.
I took a little more time with this one. I got to think and re-think this. From the sketches below you can see it's progression.


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Based on the lyrics of Dean Martin with added dialogue by me.

pen/ink and watercolor on paper.

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Based off of the song Esther by Phish from the Junta album.
ink and brush on paper

lyrics:
And he stood looking down at the innocent girl
And she stared at the bucket bewildered
Til he lifted the doll for the young girl to see
And a giant smile grew on his face
She saw the doll's eyes and she couldn't resist
And she thanked the man quickly and ran to the church
And she burst through the door with puppet held high
And a hush filled the chapel, and the people looked mean

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This week is another lyrical based piece.
Weird Al was such an influence on me as a kid. I believe that he helped me grow this nice and sick sense of humor that I have now. Without his lyrics I might not have found so much fun in the gross. His original songs have sometimes been my favorites of his. Such as the song I used in this comic. The song is Good Old Days, it's from Even Worse, Weird Al's answer to Michael Jackson's Bad. I chose this song, because as a kid, I naively enjoyed the pseudo-happiness and thought it was funny. Now... I think it's disturbing and fucked up. Still hillarious though.

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