LARRY JOHNSON'S EYE

Artist Larry Johnson compiles another spectacular batch of his surrealistic (wordless) inclinations in Eye, compiled over a twenty-year period.

The 91-page, hardback edition is (as should come as no surprise to Johnson's followers) vibrant and varied (in other words, eye-catching), with its first half devoted to a retelling of Adam's creation (from a pale, dough-like entity to a veritable man), following his time with apple-enticing Eve in the Garden of Eden and thereafter, the emergence of humankind. There's also Adam's exciting epilogue, which unfolds with prehistoric proportions, featuring ravenous, giant behemoths, and a special, guest appearance by King Kong, which leads to Adam's ironic rebirth, captured (and conveyed) by God's vigilant eye.   

The second half of the book caters to primitive, eye-oriented entities (wherein the eyes are, in fact, their sentient heads) and vast, eye-speckled surroundings, some in creamy color and others in elegant black-and-white. (Johnson's unique, organic flow characterizes each insertion, so that the reader will feel the spread of not only multiple orbs, but the creak of limbs and branches throughout every ornate frame.) 

If one is a Johnson fan (or if one simply enjoys striking imagery), Eye is the volume to have. It's a source one will return to whenever the weight of monotonous reality grows too heavy. 

Order Larry Johnson's provocative Eye at

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2HGCQC5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

LARRY JOHNSON'S DREAM DIARY #3: WHERE THE SURREAL GETS REAL

I've come to realize that artist/writer Larry Johnson is the ultimate when it comes to building worlds both sweet and offbeat, envisioned as they are by luxuriant artwork (rendered via captivating, technicolor and monochrome shades) and phantasmagorical storytelling.  

Johnson's latest, the 48-page Dream Diary #3, seals the deal, with scenarios that could have sprung straight from one's nightly slumber, building relatable narratives, but with peculiar angles that bud with bold, organic abandon.  

Johnson stars in these (mis)adventures, with each reverie dated, as he launches us on a full-throttle, Twilight Zone-meets-The Far Side plunge with "The Green Potato Chip" (where a smidgeon of poison ivy insinuates calamity); "The Obelisk" (a play upon The Monolith Monsters, but in this case, the ascent is more awe-inspiring than disruptive); "The Tattooed Model" (a Bradbury-ish situation set at the artist's hub); "The Living Doll" (a wee figure comes to life with sadistic results); "Nuclear Disaster" (The Day After hits down the forlorn road); "The Office Engineer" (a battery-operated mishap disrupts the work flow); "The Cave Locomotive" (bulky machinery dominates a sequestered colony); "Bad Trip" (a carefree sojourn is rocked by an explosive, hospital elevator); "Off the Record" (a strange, vinyl disc spins a haunting conundrum); "Cat Poop" (a tarp and a cat lead to a mucky outcome); "The Indignant Men's Club" (stuffed-shirt verbosity falls to rage); and the clever "Biker Gang" (in which recruitment is based not on brawling or derring-do, but an essay composition). 

Johnson's affability defines his exploits, making his stories for common people who dare to see the world through an uncommon lens. Johnson tells us that there's wonderment (sometimes strange, sometimes serene) in every nook and cranny. We just need to open our eyes to recognize it. 

Dream Diary #3 deserves to be in your library, so be smart and send $8.00 to Mr. Johnson (per Paypal at LewBrown1@verizon.net) to make it so.   

LARRY JOHNSON'S TALES OF THE BROKEN B #6: ENTER THE GYPSIES!

Writer/illustrator Larry (Horseman) Johnson's all-color Tales of the Broken B #6 hits the scene, and the otherworldly intrigue is at an all-time high for our amiable, investigative protagonists, Clyde Brittle and Ernie Malone, as well as big-hearted foreman, Sam Gladstone.

In "The Gypsies," the Broken B receives a visit from Vorko and his auspicious band, in hopes of securing a business deal, but the nomads hold a secret, which lies with a medicinal lady named Mariska and her beautiful granddaughter, Delilah, whose husband was recently murdered.   

At its start, the tale captures the essence of an episode of The Waltons that I fancy, which sports the same name as Johnson's yarn, but in the case of Tales of Broken B, the gypsies are motivated by vengeance, relegating the story to the sort of rough-and-tumble yarns one might find on Bonanza, The Rifleman and Gunsmoke, though with a ghostly twist that matches the culminating impact of The Man-Thing's "Night of the Laughing Dead." To say the least, this one pulled me in and wouldn't let go. In fact, its plaintive aura still surrounds me. 

Trust me, folks, this is one to possess!

To order Tales of the Broken B #6, send $6.50 (PPD) via PayPal to LewBrown1@verizon.net. You'll be more than pleased that you did! 

LARRY JOHNSON'S TALES OF THE BROKEN B #5: THE CHILLING TALE OF NINA

I adore Larry Johnson's Tales of the Broken B. (If you don't believe me, check out my December 2023 post.)  

Johnson's saga has a Dark Shadows/Twilight Zone vibe, in that the Broken B Ranch is a magnet for strange entities and odd circumstances. Clyde Brittle and Ernie Malone are its inadvertent protagonists and deal with the visiting strangeness much like cowpoke equivalents to Carl Kolchak, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.

For #5, we're treated to Clyde and Ernie's lovesick pal, Billy DeGroot, whose betrothed, Nina, has jilted him ... or so it seems. After some intense brawling and deep lament between Billy and Clyde, Nina at long last appears, but her missing period holds a creepy connection to the accursed Dead Man's Swamp. When Billy discovers the truth, it's as woeful as it's haunting.   

Johnson's storytelling creates a weird yet palpable ambiance for this chilling chapter, in which he mounts identifiable characters within a suspenseful context. His vibrant artwork also brings the events to idiosyncratic life, establishing "Nina" as Broken B's most startling (if not touching) fable to date. 

To purchase Tales of the Broken B #5, send $6.50 via Paypal to LewBrown1@verizon.net. Broken B #5 will make you darn tootin' pleased you took the initiative. 

LARRY JOHNSON'S HORSEMAN #6: A NEW CHAPTER BLOSSOMS

When I was introduced to artist/author Larry Johnson's Horseman series, I couldn't help but praise it (see Nov '23 post). Truly, the next anthropomorphic episode couldn't come fast enough. Well, #6 has arrived, and it not only captures the rich surrealism of the previous issues, but exceeds them with an enchanting, pantomimed experiment called "Blossom." 

"Blossom" is cut from the same ardent cloth as Johnson's excellent, dark-fantasy novel, The Mayfly (see March 11, 2024 post), establishing trysts that are off-kilter yet idyllic. 

As to the story's plot, Johnson's nomadic protagonist meets a seductive, limbed plant that simulates human, female features. As a result of cavorting with the being, Horseman becomes physically altered, at one point sprouting amber, horse-headed pollywogs, which are in turn nurtured by the seducer's diligent acolytes. The peculiar process prompts Horseman to sprout roses, which in turn spawn pink, winged colts, in an evident play upon the Pegasus myth. 

It's a matter of one extraordinary transformation ushering the next, each with strange and fruitful consequences, in what becomes an allegorical essay on life. Johnson's vibrant and intricate imagery strengthens the proceedings, ensuring that no matter how one interprets the fable, one will want more. 

I, for one, certainly want more. Horseman's ruminative possibilities are as exciting as they're endless, and that Johnson speaks volumes without an ounce of caption cements his status as a primo, visual maestro. 

If interested in purchasing Horseman #6, email Mr. Johnson at LewBrown1@verizon.net; he'll be sure to get back to you in little time at all, with all the details you need.