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Mr. Punch Returns to SLG
for A Grand Guignol
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 8/14/03
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Cover of Punch and Judy: A Grand Guignol by Jon Foster
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He murdered his family, killed the devil and brought about an apocalypse, but Mr. Punch still doesn't think he deserves to be on Santa's "naughty" list. And since no one can have Christmas if he can't, in Punch and Judy: A Grand Guignol, a new graphic novella from SLG Publishing, Mr. Punch makes it his goal to ruin Christmas for the last two good children on earth. Armed with a volatile temper, a slap-stick and painful memories of his childhood, Mr. Punch discovers the scandalous truth about Santa Claus and somehow finds himself on the noble side of things.
Scheduled for publication in October 2003, Punch and Judy: A Grand Guignol is a book that writer Christopher P. Reilly swore he'd never write. After finishing his adaptation of the classic puppet show, The Comical Tragedy of Punch and Judy, on which he collaborated with artist Darron Laessig, Reilly decided he would not write a sequel to it. "Not for a lack of love for the material," he explained, "but I just felt the story had a beginning, middle and end, and that, as they say, is that."
But the large-nosed, volatile-tempered Mr. Punch refused to give up residency in Reilly's head, and the writer relented, though only so far as to plan a four-page story with Laessig. The project outgrew their initial expectations, however, and Laessig felt his art style wasn't right for the whole book. "Darron is an intimate artist who has a beautiful, minimalist style," said Reilly, "but that would only work for one-third of the story we wanted to tell."
Fortunately, a chance encounter at an Argentinean night club resulted in Reilly meeting Jorge Santillan, who draws a comic strip called Bio-Bichos that runs in several Argentinean newspapers. Santillan also owns a copy of The Comical Tragedy of Punch and Judy. When Reilly saw Santillan's art, he knew immediately that he wanted to work with the Argentinean artist. "I had complete faith in him from the moment we met," said Reilly.
Fans of Punch and Judy will recognize a change in style in A Grand Guignol. While the first book conscientiously draws on Punch and Judy's puppet-show history with its stiffer poses and simple settings, in A Grand Guignol, Mr. Punch breaks out of the stage box to inhabit a whimsical world inhabited by palindrome bears, elves, vampires, ancient gods and, of course, Santa Claus. The two artists' work blend seamlessly and, matched with Reilly's storytelling, create a surprisingly touching adventure.
The new graphic novella doesn't forget Mr. Punch's theatrical roots, though; A Grand Guignol takes its name from the legendary Parisian Theatre du Grand Guignol, known for its shockingly violent stage shows and gruesome special effects. The theater had more in common with Mr. Punch than a penchant for carnage: "guignol" is the French word for "puppet."
Punch and Judy: A Grand Guignol is a 48-page, saddle-stitched graphic novella in a special 8 1/2 x 11" format with cardstock covers, with an introduction by Paul Di Filippo and a painted cover by Jon Foster. It will be published in October 2003 and retail for $6.95. A preview is available for viewing here, and more information may be found at www.punchandjudy.net.
Established in 1986, SLG Publishing is a San Jose, CA-based publisher of comics books and graphic novels. Operating under its imprints Slave Labor Graphics and Amaze Ink, SLG Publishing has published the work of such notable and diverse cartoonists as Evan Dorkin, Jhonen Vasquez, and Derf.
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