Total Sell Out

Total Sell Out is basically just a collection of short strips/stories that Bendis has done over the years. Some are crime fiction (naturally) and others are just hysterical.When I read "My Blue Heaven," I just about fell out of my chair, and the Shtick section is definitely worth a laugh. By far, the gem of the book, and the funniest, is the story about Kabukiman. I won't spoil it--but it's so indicative of the state of comic book conventions."Better Living Through Chemistry" and "The Kiss Off" are superb pieces of crime fiction that feature Bendis on art. I wish this guy would pick his pencil back up!All in all, a very entertaining read. At the very least, it's a great book for bathroom reading, if you're into that kind of thing.

For people who started reading comics with Marvel's big boom in 2000, the name Brian Michael Bendis concocts images of a pretty damned good superhero writer. While it is true that he has written some killer Ultimate Spider-Man and Daredevil stuff, these fans have him figured out all wrong. Ultimate Spider-Man and Daredevil aren't his -- he's just contributing to them.This book, however -- Total Sell Out -- is the essence of Bendis. THIS is his stuff. This is where he started out; this is what he's really like. He's cartoonish, fun loving and humorous. He has an imagination that's filled with so many thoughts that he can't commit them to one style. Not to detract from his Marvel stuff, which does contain classic Bendis traits, but this is who Brian Michael Bendis really is. He's the guy who'll see the insecurities of the world and make fun of them, and he's not afraid to make fun of himself, either. Collected here is the innocence of his character. To long-time Bendis fans, this stuff is like discovering gold. It's a great artist's first achievements and it's fun to read. It's something to build upon.Collected in this book is a series of various pieces of work that Brian made in his early career. The comedy-meter ranges from chuckling to laughing out loudly. Anyone who ever wanted to learn more about Bendis and his roots, this is the place. Anyone who dares call himself a Bendis fan can't be one without having read the stuff in this book, whether is was originally seen in the comics format or in this paperback collection. So put your money where your mouth is and buy this.Included are Fortune & Glory-type strips, collaborations with other artists like Warren Ellis, original and personal art, parodies, anecdotes, essays and tons of other fanboy glory. Enjoy it.