"Jar of Fools" is a black and white, perfect-bound, 70-page "graphic novel", which spins a story of how life's magic can be won and lost. Its protagonists are the veteran trickster Al Flosso, now on the run from his bleak life in a nursing home, and his onetime protegee, Ernesto "Ernie" Weiss. Ernie is trying to help Al evade the age police; Al is helping Ernie recover his faith in life, in magic and insome moments he has either lost or feels that he cannot face.
Weiss is plagued -- and driven to drink -- by a plethora of traumas. Since losing faith in (ie the method to make) magic, he possesses little food, no rent money and small sympathy from his neighbours. His brother, an escape artist, has committed suicide some time ago. His once-significant other now lives apart, undergoing struggles of her own. (Here is the key for many of "Jar"'s female following). Weiss has lost his faith in the powers and rationale of magic. Yet "Jar (Part One)" ends on a note of mystery and strange revelation -- and, since it derives from a lively, weekly comics strip -- it also ends quite sharply.
"Jar" runs every week in Seattle's free paper "The Stranger". Here it became such a selling-point that creator Jason Lutes could publish independently. Now, after garnering huge critical praise (samples: "Lutes is a world-class storyteller"; "'Jar' is an instant classic"), it will be re-published by a "major" late in April. Part Two then follows hot on its heels in June Meanwhile, however, copies can still be ordered: for 7 (includes the postage) from The Penny Dreadful Press, Suite F, 104 14th Avenue East, Seattle, Washington, USA 98112 USA (Use traveller's cheques in dollars or an International Postal Order).
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