Lunch Break is a short round-up of favorite webcomics appearing here each weekday at noon. Here’s something for you to enjoy over your lunch break or whenever. The premise is simple: it’s another day on the internet. Here’s a new or forgotten comic that seems interesting. Have something to recommend? Email us: crosshatchdispatch@gmail.com.

1. Anya’s Ghost preview by Vera Brosgol // official book release is June 7, 2011
2. Sailor Twain or The Mermaid in the Hudson by Mark Siegel // November 19, 2010
3. Kisssss by Ryan Pequin // date unknown
4. Episode 12: ‘Slothanthropy’ from “Infinity Wall” by Wistful Straight & Absent Speets // March 9, 2011
5. The Bad Dream by Noah Van Sciver // ~2009

– Sarah Morean

Ryan the Truck is a bass player what fancies hisself a guit-tar man (which is to say he don’t got a job) from Oakland, CA, via Santa Cruz, CA, via San Diego, CA. Somewhere along the line he got the damn fool idea in his head he could draw. As such, he maintains his quaint lil, brand-neu, one-legged blog Big Loose Comics which is gradually approaching the present in terms of “art” from the “backlog.” He hopes (hopes) to have his first mini Big Loose #1 at least photocopied by the end of this month (we’ll see about that, won’t we?). He is currently listening to a lot of Rancid for some reason and hopes that if you are ever in the Bay Area, you come see one of his no fewer than five musical ensembles (none of which sound like Rancid) perform in some shitty dive. NAMASTE.

Would you like to guest edit Lunch Break? Send a self portrait (as a drawing or photograph) plus five links to your favorite webcomics to Sarah Morean at smorean@gmail.com.

Lunch Break is a short round-up of favorite webcomics appearing here each weekday at noon. Here’s something for you to enjoy over your lunch break or whenever. The premise is simple: it’s another day on the internet. Here’s a new or forgotten comic that seems interesting. Have something to recommend? Email us: crosshatchdispatch@gmail.com.

1. “The Date [page 1]” from Suck It, Mussolini! Comix by Tessa Brunton // July 14, 2009
2. I Don’t Drive by Noah Van Sciver // January 20, 2011
3. “Big Lizard in My Back Yard” from Nothing Nice to Say by Mitch Clem // October 16, 2006
4. “Welcome to Earth, Mr. Ward” from The Tatertotdiaperman Experiment by Lance Ward // December 16, 2010
5. Axe Cop #5 by Ethan and Malachai Nicholle // January 2006

– Sarah Morean

Circa 2008, Noah Van Sciver emerged from nothingness to mild obscurity when his comic series Blammo caught the attention of several notable comics blogs, including this one.  Now, two years later, he’s just released his sixth and best issue of Blammo.  In it, “Chicken Strips” becomes almost tolerable.  I know.  You have to see it to believe it, folks.

Van Sciver looks forward to releasing his next mini-comic called Noah Novella with Grimalkin Press and continues to work on The Hypo, a much anticipated comic about everyone’s favorite president, Abraham Lincoln.

He maintains two websites, two facebook pages, and one secret family in Celebration, Florida.  Sorry, Van Sciver, the truth is out on you.

But seriously folks, send this guy some money.  Secret families don’t get fed on gratis guest strips alone.  BUY!

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As a reviewer, I’ve taken a real interest in the career of Noah Van Sciver – not just for his promising work, but for his letters.  He sends the most heartbreaking updates with each review copy, all about how he’s giving everything to comics, how he barely has food to eat, and why he’s putting every ounce of energy into the page.  The usual fare for any cartoonist, really, but he’s the only guy around being so honest.

More importantly, he’s in this mess because of his agenda: with indie fans in mind, he’s printing semi-quarterly issues of his series Blammo, just to give them something regular to look forward to like their mainstream counterparts.  Boy’s got a dream!  Don’t you just want to send him $20 and some dry pasta?

Since I’m rooting for him, it was heartening to learn that he’s been accepted in an upcoming issue of MOME, and soon will be published with the rest of indie comics’ innovative young talent.  Proof that sometimes, kids, hard work and persistence pay off.

Sadly, a few weeks ago, his girlfriend Robin (whom he often writes about in his comics) went the hospital for serious migraines only to find something more serious behind the pain.  Can’t this guy get a break? Before that, however, he was upbeat and took the time to email a few responses about his work, his forthcoming Abe Lincoln story arc, and the general trajectory for his series Blammo.

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No doubt, the recent Cross Hatch review of Noah Van Sciver’s Blammo 2 hangs fresh on your brain.  So I’m happy to report that not only is the lastest issue – Blammo 3 – available through Van Sciver’s website, but just below the cut is a fresh Van Sciver comic, penned exclusively for the Daily Cross Hatch.

Julia Wertz, it should be noted that Van Sciver wants to be friends with you.  As do we all.

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Blammo 2
by Noah Van Sciver
Self-Published

In Blammo 2, Noah Van Sciver promotes his favorite bands, tells crude jokes, and mouths off about irritating trends polluting Denver, CO. It’s a notably zine-like comic for all its variety, education and filth – and it’s kind of a hoot.

Noah Van Sciver, it must be told, is the brother of mainstream comic artist Ethan Van Sciver. It’s a funny notion that two brothers could be the yin and yang of comics – one serious, straight and published, the other comical, expressive and indie – and that’s just what Noah seems to be. He’s making indie comics so quintessential in form, they seem entirely opposed to what’s mainstream and completely illustrative of the underground with all its rage, comedy and wince-inducing details.

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