GUNK'L'DUNK e-mail newsletter for/adhesive force between readers of Larry Marder's _Tales_of_the_Beanworld_ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue 10 14 December, 1992 Gunk'l'dunk is here to provide a forum for fans of Larry Marder's _Tales of the Beanworld_ (TOTB), and to promote wider readership of this unique comic. This newsletter is sent out...slightly more often than TOTB. Compiled by Jeremy York, jeremy@stat.cmu.edu <-- NOTE NEW ADDRESS!! Submissions, and comments on content and/or format gladly accepted! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFORMATION AND ADMINISTRIVIA Hiya folks. Sorry I've been silent so long; there are two reasons why. One is that I've been busy settling into my new job & life here in Pittsburgh; the other is (unfortunately!) there hasn't been a lot to talk about. And special apologies to all those new subscribers who've been mailing me asking to be added to the list. Sorry it took me so long! Anyway, please note my new address : jeremy@stat.cmu.edu As always, back issues always available, by anonymous ftp from ocf.berkeley.edu, or by mailing me. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTIONS New to the list? Drop me a line, tell us a tale of your world. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BEAN NEWS **** gunk'l'dunk **** I wrote to Eclipse a while ago, to see what they had in stock back-issue wise... Got a letter back from the warehouse manager, who says that they still have #'s 2-19 in stock, and soft and hard bound versions of both collection books. I will update my backissues file soon; e-mail me for it if you'd like ordering information. In the letter, he also said "We're *still* waiting for TOTB #20! Larry has submitted 3.5 different scripts for it...sigh" **** gunk'l'dunk **** If you've got a few bucks to spare, I suggest you trade 'em for a Beanworld T-shirt from Planet Studios. Just got mine a little while ago, and they're fantastic! It's a really big design, with breath-taking colors; it has a bean dancing with a Cutie balanced on his foot. There are lots of background squiggles in wild colors; I've noticed that people don't seem to process what the picture is really *of* when they *first* see it -- they see all these colors and lines, and just like the way it looks without knowing what it is. Kinda like if Mr. Spook was at the Fabulous Look-See show, and didn't see the picture in Beanish's sculpture, but he liked abstract art so he enjoyed it anyway. So then they ask about it, and I tell 'em about it; after wearing it twice I'm now loaning the first paperback to a couple of people so they can find out more... Anyway, they're very high quality, and there's a little TOTB logo on the sleeve too. I bought an extra one which my wife will help me frame. You can order them directly from Planet Studios, P.O. Box 284, Chimayo, NM 87522, USA. Sizes M, L, and XL are $14.95 each; size XXL is $18.95. If ordering from the US, add $1 for shipping to your order. They take Mastercard and Visa, check, or money order (US funds only). Outside the US, add $2.25 per shirt for the first three shirts to have them shipped surface mail (no extra charge for > 3 shirts); to ship by air, use a credit card and they'll charge you for whatever the airmail cost is. Or, you can bug your local retailer to get them from the distributors. You can also contact Planet to ask about the silver Beanworld charms they've done... **** gunk'l'dunk **** The new trade paperback has been out for a while now. "Larry Marder's Beanworld : Book 2" has great colors on the cover, and the art is from "Proffy, the Snoopy Anthropologist," with the Hoi Polloi all surprised (!) while Proffy is confused (?). Back cover has a blurb from Spin Magazine -- "Against a fine-tuned fantasy ecology, the experiences of Professor Garbanzo, Beanish and the other legumes feel as old and true as many classic folk tales." The inside cover has blown-up art from "New and Improved Gunk'l'dunk," with the percussion Boom'r entertaining the Hoi Polloi on his way to the Proverbial Sandy Beach. Also, more quotes -- "Larry Marder's Beanworld is a vegetarian update on Krazy Kat with a world and lingo unto itself" -- Smithsonian Studies of American Art; "Interesting, challenging, funny, moving, involving (it's all those things and more)...once you're hooked on it, you can't get enough" -- Comic Buyer's Guide. But then we all knew all those things already... Following pages have blown-up art of Beanish (dreaming of...Dreamishness) and Mr. Spook...An introduction by cat yronwode which is, well, very abstract, very cat. We get a mention in there ("This meta-Beanworld -- the Beanworld in *our* heads -- has recently given rise to its own electronic bulletin board fan club, 'Gunk'l'dunk' (which could be subtitled 'the adhesive force between readers of the Beanworld' [and now it is! -- JY]). In keeping with the nature of an organization founded on Beanish principles, the members have invited Larry himself to participate in Gunk'l'dunk rather than relegating him to its center as an object of examination. And, being Larry, he has, of course, accepted. Thus Gunk'l'dunk is *also* a language - a meta-language, if you will - in which we can communicate with Larry about out experiences in communicating with fellow-readers about the Beanworld". Very lofty words about a humble little news-letter -- hope we can live up to them! Also, in addition to the map and glossary, there's now a one-page Beanworld primer, and a one-page review of what happened in Book 1. Then, the book contains TOTB #'s 5 (The Float Factor), 6 (Yeah! Yeah! The Clang Twang!) and 7 (New & Improved Gunk'l'dunk), along with the "Proffy the Snoopy Anthro- pologist" back-up which was in #'s (I think) 3 & 5; it's wedged in between 5 and 6. *****gunk'l'dunk***** Ten new rubberstamps have been done; they'll be available at the San Diego convention; or write to Ready-Made Rubber, P.O. Box 563, Dept BW, Downieville, CA 95936, USA. The stamps include the Big Fish, the Boom'r Band, Dreamishness, a couple of Hoi Polloi, a Cutie... **** gunk'l'dunk **** Dave Van Domelen (dvandom@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) tipped me onto a couple of things. One was an appearance by Proffy in a Hero Graphics title, "Lady Arcane." It's in #2, on page 13. It's a real brief appearance (one panel), in which Proffy gives a mystery pod and a twink to young sorceress Lady Arcane. Dave, you'll let us know if there's any follow-up, won't ya? **** gunk'l'dunk **** There's a one-page piece of art by Larry in the second Reed Waller benefit book, Images of Omaha #2. Reed draws "Omaha," an erotic, touching comix soap-opera about a cat/woman erotic dancer; Reed is recovering from colon cancer. Although he seems to be on the mend, he was uninsured, and so the benefit books are to help him cover the costs of his care. In the afterward, Kate Worley says about the artists who were friends of Reed, "I was doubtful, pointing out that many of the contributors had highly individual styles and were unlikely to try drawing Omaha...Larry Marder was the great case in point that I used, I recall. And then Larry's piece shows up and makes a fool out of me." The art has the Boom'r's and the Beans dancing a Boom, with Beanish Boom'n on Omaha's finger. (Thanks again, dvandom!) There's a cover by Dave Sim and Gerhard of Cerebus, and lots of other neat stuff in there. There's also some erotic art, and one or two fairly naughty pieces, so it's not for kids. If your local comix store has it, it will be in the adult section or behind the counter. Or call Kitchen Sink for a catalog, 1-800-365-7465. **** gunk'l'dunk **** I haven't checked this one out yet, but dvandom says "I'm not sure about this, but on panel 4 of page 19 [Of Slapstick #3], Slapstick looks an awful lot like a Goofy Jerk." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TALES FROM THE MARDERWORLD There's another interview with Larry out there; this time in Comics Scene, Feb 93, #31. There's also stuff on Hepcats, Hate, and Disney's Aladdin in there. Of the new stuff in there, which you won't find in my interview or in the Amazing Heroes interview -- * a picture of Marder & wife Cory * a sketch of the Cuties playing at being Hoi Polloi * Larry's anxious to wrap up the beginning of the story - which is all that we've been seeing so far. There are lots of new things which need to happen! On the other hand, once the deadlines got tossed aside, it left him a lot more room to play with the story and have fun with it; he feels it's some of the best storytelling he's done so far. * When Larry was born, his head was a little lop-sided, almost like a lima bean! It straightened out (on the outside, at least...) "but even in my baby book, where it says 'shape of head,' there's a perfect little bean-shaped drawing!" **** gunk'l'dunk **** I got a brief message from Larry recently; he sez that he and Cory are in the process of moving to a new house, which must be making the already slow progress on TOTB even slower. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION From Dave Van Domelen (dvandom@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) Gunk'l'dunk Gang: I was reading through my recently received copies of TOTB #6-12 today and I came across mention of the idea of a Beanworld RPG in a lettercol. Immediately my eyes began to spin like Proffy's do when she's inventing. You see, I just finished some revision work for a roleplaying game based on interactive storytelling and acting (as opposed to dice rolling), and though that the system would work great for Beanworld. Then I realized that trying to simulate the adventures of the Beans would make for a pretty sad game, one always trying to imitate or second guess what would "really" happen to the beans. It's like any 'licensed' concept...you really can't play the characters you loved reading about/seeing/whatever. So, dejected, I abandoned the idea. Then, on my way to the computer lab, I thought, "Why do a BEAN game...why not do a 'Big-Big-Picture' game?" and I was happy again. After all, we now know that there are a number of other worlds served by the Jerks, what would stop someone from having a very good campaign revolving around one of the other Pod'l'pool races? Or even one with a totally different reproductive propellant need? The game system would be simple to do, since you really don't *want* to much in the way of mechanics. Then a simple system of classifying the basic characteristics of the world (flying, swimming walking sentients? Pod'l'pool babies or some kind of self-contained reproduction? Lethal or non-lethal threats in ecosystem? That kinda thing). The HARD part would be fleshing out the details of the world and providing challenges for the characters to overcome, like figuring out some physical law, or enhancing the quality of the food supply. After all, it took Marder *years* of on-and-off thinking to come up with Beanworld...the Referee has maybe a month or so, maybe a little more if he can stall the players on some stuff. This wouldn't be a game for too many to play, since there are really only a few "Jobs": Hero, Artificer, Artist, Shaman, Musician, Warrior, Gatherer, and Heyoka (so far, anyway). The Warrior and Gatherer types eventually should Break Out, since it is assumed that the players are going to play someone with a little importance. The Heyoka doesn't seem to be very good for roleplay opportunity. So the game would be ideal for up to 5 players. Note that Beanish combines Artist and Shaman, but that isn't necessary if you need to have another job available. However, if the Shaman is combined with anything, it should be Artist or Musician. I'd say the ideal group would be 4 people: one referee and 3 players. The Referee would play the role of Spiritual Guardian and of one of the Broken Out beans (In TOTB, for example, the Boom'rs seen to be NPC's/supporting cast, since they get less character development and focus than Beanish, Spook or Proffy). The NPC bean(s) would act as plot devices (notice how the Boom'n can do an *awful* lot of useful things?). There would be two basic campaigns possible. The first has the Hero as NPC, and all players start as normal entities. Break Outs then occur throughout the game, where dramatically neat/useful. The second kind begins after several Break Outs have occurred, and players choose their professions. Late players can be accomodated by late Break Outs, like Beanish's. Of course, the hardest part of such a game would be designing the technology, the life cycle, the ecosystems, the adversaries and allies, and the long running plots....without ripping off TOTB in any obvious way. The trick is to capture the feel of TOTB, not the look. Interpret, don't copy. I plan on having alot of time on my hands soon (after my finals on Friday I'll be off for 3 weeks), and will definitely make this game, at least in draft form. Unfortunately, I left my #13-19 home, so I won't be able to flesh out the Big-Big-Picture stuff, the Heyoka, and the Jerks as much as I'd like. The game should be short enough that I'll have little trouble emailing it, and submitting it to Gunk'l'dunk. Dave Van Domelen, just *waiting* for Lady Arcane to discover the Float Factor! **** gunk'l'dunk **** From Jeremy York (jeremy@stat.cmu.edu) I'd love to hear if you've gotten anywhere with this, Dave. I've heard Larry say he doesn't like role-playing games (RPG's), but I think he's seen the wrong side of them. In a lot of the superhero games, it's all about quantifying the special powers of your hero (whether it's one of your own invention, or a published one), and then providing mechanics to determine how combat etc works. He didn't like the idea of quantifying how strong Mr. Spook is, or what the lift of a float factor is -- it's the same kind of thinking that's behind the caution to not look for explanations. But good RPG's are more about making up your own characters and stories; the plot & setting might be inspired by some particular books, but the story acted out is the creation of the players and the referee. Now that I have a little leisure time after finishing grad school, I've been rediscovering my love for RPG's (particularly the Lovecraft inspired Call of Cthulhu). I think your idea of working with the Goofy Jerks or another Pod'l'Pool reality is the way to go. The Jerks even get a chance to "advance" -- it's implied that as they do good work, they get more "Tu'ba'lu Squib'r'ish". If I lived down the street, I'd be at your gaming table for this one, Dave! jeremy@stat.cmu.edu **** gunk'l'dunk **** Also from Jeremy -- I recently found copies of TOTB #1 & #2 in the backissues box at a local store, took a deep breath, pried open my wallet, and bought them ($18 for the pair). #1 hardly says "Eclipse" on it at all, and is "Dedicated to the memory of my Gran'ma Berda 'cuz she taught me how to listen to the Canary Bird's laughter". It's got a partial description of the origin of the comic, which you can find in the first paperback and in the various interviews. The back cover is a big picture of Mr. Spook and his trusty fork. In #2, there is the first letter column. Larry said a little bit more about the dreams that led him to do the Beanworld after years of playing with characters and concepts. Although he's dreamed about other comix characters, he's never dreamed his own; what did happen, though, was that he heard a thunderous voice saying "TAKE WHAT YOU WANT BUT EAT WHAT YOU TAKE". Shortly afterwards, the Beanworld fell together. There's also a fanboy letter from Bob Burden, creator of the Flaming Carrot! Finally, there's a reference to an old activist eco-comic, called Slow Death. Larry says it "was my first contact with a comic attempting more than humor or adventure. The ecological RAGE just blew me away. I remember cornering friends and *forcing* them to read... I'm proud of the fact that my copies of those books are wrinkled and stained." Anyone know of any way to get reprints or whatever of Slow Death?? There's a picto-letter from the mysterious T. M. Maple (whose letter in TOTB #19 was partial inspiration to me to start this newsletter! Hoka Hoka Hey!) Finally, the back cover has an extreme close up of Proffy contemplating twinks... FINALLY, let me just urge any of you who don't follow comics much to try and find a book called Bone. I think that many folks who aren't ordinarily comix people, but who love TOTB, might like Bone a lot. The drawing is wonderful - spare, clean, smooth lines; it's somewhat reminscent of old masters (like Walt Kelly); and it's downright CUTE without being annoying or cloying. And believe me, I usually have a pretty low cuteness threshold. Larry, Dave Sim, and others have been raving about it; and while I'm not completely knocked off my chair by it the way I am with TOTB, it's now a comic that I must buy. Due to its popularity, the early issues are being reprinted and should be widely available. I think it's on issue number 6 now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End, Gunk'l'dunk #10