Tales From Under the Bed and other little things

Ethan Switch - Wednesday, 28 April, 2004 - Print Version

Soon to hit Sydney again for another year, Supanova. Not much talk comes from the Artists Alley that hosts the local and underground talent such as the forgotten names to many. One of those bracing a booth in the 2003 version, Blue Monkey Studios. Wildly more peachy than other booths, the banner shouted Tales From Under the Bed. The two underneath, Doug Holgate and Jen Hook were flogging their only ware. Brief encounters and a missing ten dollar note later, a bag was purchased from the folk. Gathering a year's worth of dust before being recovered from the mites, it was never forgotten. Just always put behind. With well under a week to go before Supanova 2004, thought it about time to get into the score.

Looking up at a downward facing brown paper bag, a .6 oz bottle hurtled its way smacking the bridge of the nose. Slightly tight, the cap revealed a soapy liquid. The underside sported a serrated hoop. Do not imbibe the contents. Floating for few seconds through the air, it might have been rather dry or the mixture too weak. Bubbles lasted no longer than a few seconds and none quite managed to reach the ground. Transient and fleeting they wanted to part in living much longer than they found themselves.

Lodged in the rolled up poster, a Screaming Mimi wizz fizz lollipop. The expiration date had long passed and the shape blurred from either ambient or radiant heat sourced from sitting atop old speakers. Rather soapy and hard, the flavour soured quickly after the first few licks and the texture was slightly unkind. Another hard and rubbery lolly found in the bottom of the bag turned out to be a noxious rubbery toy. One of those thumb deals from the '90s. Not easy to swallow at all.

Thrown in with the ill-fitted brown paper bag was a rolled up poster, using an image taken directly from the cover of the small-sized comic itself and ruined by a slapped on url for the site. Another leech, this time coming from the inside covers was a colouring sheet. That too was ruined by a slathered url that paid no mind to the aesthetics. Both of these were on pretty thick stock, at least in comparison to the Baby Blue face mask. A mask that most likely wouldn't handle the strain of being put across anybody's face. Flimsy as far as masks go. Fine thoughts in kiddie whipping with the most likely result of the thin paper snapping in the child's face or even better yet, clipping their eyeballs sending them crying. Marketing like this is ingenious.

Ethan Switch

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Speaking of:

• comics,
• aussie comics,
• doug holgate,
• jen hook,
• f1 comics

Other reviews by Ethan

• Area 51 - Robert Doherty
• Bloody Hands and a Shivering Spine; Identity
• Stuffing
• Work From Home Magazine - Insight Publishing
• Sydney Poetry Slam 05 Finals - State Library of NSW Galleries - 08/12/05
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Paradox of Sets

• Exactta international prepaid phone card
• Claude Chabrol's A Comedy of Power - Palace Academy Twin Cinemas - 04/03/07
• Sydney Morning Herald Careers and Employment Expo freebies
• Giselle - Australian Ballet - Opera Theatre, Sydney Opera House - 08/05/06
• Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas) - Palace Verona, 17 Oxford Street, Paddington
• The Dreamers at Bondi Open Air Cinema - Bondi Beach Pavilion - 03/02/05