“For years, Michael Kupperman’s Fantagraphics series
Tales Designed to Thrizzle! has obliterated the funnybones of comic readers with its surrealist humor and absurd characters…If you’ve missed any issues of Kupperman’s sublime, logic-defying humor comics, this is your chance to catch up…now vividly colored for hands-down the funniest and arguably most re-readable hardcover collection of the summer.” (Kiel Phegley -
Wizard )
“The incongruity ultimately underscores how useless and silly a lot of the material we grew up on and continue to consume today really is. Though far from savage, at its heart,
Thrizzle has some rather pointed things to say about the crap we consume on a daily basis. Plus, it's really, really, really funny.” (Chris Mautner -
Robot 6 )
“A questions regarding the title of Michael Kupperman’s
Tales Designed to Thrizzle: Does 'thrizzle' mean 'pee your pants from laughing so hard'? Because if so, it just about achieved its promise…his sense of humor is so absurdist, it’s beyond absurd.” (Rod Lott -
Bookgasm )
“[Michael Kupperman's] work is sublime in the truest sense of the word....About the only other humorists who have affected me in the same way were the Marx Brothers.” (Rob Clough -
High-Low )
“
Tales Designed to Thrizzle... bring[s] a slick, hyperreal illustrative consistency that amplifies the already dreamlike mixture of familiarity and strangeness, which permeates [Kupperman's] deadpan surrealist slapstick.” (Doug Harvey -
LA Weekly )
“Even on the scale of 2008, where we had great humor comics and great humor reprints, nobody brought the funny the way Kupperman did, and unlike most of the humor stuff available on the web, nobody did it with this kind of artistic skill.” (Tucker Stone -
Comixology )
“he first four issues of Michael Kupperman's awesome comedy comics zine
Tales Designed to Thrizzle have been collected into a single hardcover volume that is a superdense wad of funny, surreal, bent humor... This is weird, funny, Subgenius-esque toilet reading that will keep you very regular.” (Cory Doctorow -
Boing Boing )
“Kupperman has been dazzling all who love a good story narrated by fast food, and all who love a good twist at the end of their story…Kupperman is brilliantly funny and maddeningly brilliant.” (Jared Gardner -
Gutter Geek )
“
Tales Designed to Thrizzle Vol. 1, Kupperman's recent collection, is brimming with such a dense compilation of Dada-inspired plots, fake ads and comic book covers that it takes a repeated read-through to absorb the book's potent aura of absurdity... Reading
Thrizzle is an expeditious experience, and like all treks you will feel exhausted and somehow improved by this entire gut-busting experience...
Tales Designed to Thrizzle is beyond recommendation.” (Ascot Smith -
Examiner.com )
“Literally jam-packed with strips that constantly vary in sizes, [
Tales Designed to Thrizzle Vol. 1] shines with Kupperman's earth-shattering wit, his excellent vintage-comics-inspired draftsmanship and his genius comedic timing. Thanks Fantagraphics!” (
Librarie D+Q )
“Either you think Michael Kupperman's stuff is hilarious or you don't. And if you don't, well, that's sad, because you suck and you have no friends...This new omnibus of all four of his can't-miss gems from Fantagraphics not only makes it easy to get his out-of-print stuff, it's the only way to go—that's because the reprints are in color for the first time, and it just looks really nice.” (Byron Kerman -
PLAYBACK:stl )
“If you can hang on to enjoy the ride, and are a fan of the humor of webcomics like
Wondermark or the prose stylings of John Hodgman, then you really need to find someone who already owns a copy of this book and kill them for it. Or, you know, buy one for yourself. Either way, I'm good. And so is
Tales Designed to Thrizzle.” (Rob McMonigal -
Panel Patter )
“Michael Kupperman is the funniest cartoonist alive, and
Tales Designed to Thrizzle is his funniest comic book...
Thrizzle has the manic joy of a really good sketch-comedy series...
Thrizzle was originally published as four comics, and Kupperman has recolored the series for its hardcover release... [It] should amuse just about anyone who can read.” (Paul Constant -
The Stranger )
“A kick to the funny bone that will leave you writhing on the floor.” (
Comic Foundry )
“That Kupperman so masterfully plays to and upsets expectation makes
Thrizzle that much funnier and finer. With stunts such as a Twain & Einstein crime-fighting partnership, Kupperman is all goofball, all the time. But Kupperman's line, even in shaping locomotive-sized garden snails, is weighty. And the weight of five years of
Thrizzle, is, well, as formidable as a locomotive-sized garden snail.” (John Reed -
Art in America )
“One of the most impressive things about
Tales Designed to Thrizzle is the versatility it shows. Kupperman’s art is instantly recognizable; his drawings are intentionally stiff, and his figures are posed oddly against his backgrounds so everything looks like collaged clip art…a constructivist looks that flirts perilously with high art.” (Noah Berlatsky -
Chicago Reader )
“[A]bsurd scenarios proliferate…, as [Kupperman] follows each loony premise through to its (il)logical end result. He's a versatile stylist as well…” (Ed Howard -
Only the Cinema )
“America's finest comic book!” (Mike Sterling -
Progressive Ruin )
“[T]his brilliant, anarchic collection of errant dips into the cultural gestalt is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Like stuff that's fearless, brilliant and non-linear?
Thrizzle is for shizzle.” (Richard Pachter -
The Miami Herald )
“It's no secret why Michael Kupperman is a favorite of Robert Smigel and Conan O'Brien—he's one of the most weirdly funny writers around...
Tales Designed to Thrizzle is the dirtiest, funniest comic book to come out in a long time.” (
New York Magazine )
“
Starred Review. The humor never lags in a book that is destined to be a comedy classic and is truly one of the funniest books in years.” (
Publishers Weekly )
“Milk and other liquids may come out your nose as you read one of the funniest comics ever put to paper. Kupperman's droll absurdism is matched by a stiff, woodcut-like art style that underplays the sometimes outré concepts. A comedy diamond.” (Heidi MacDonald -
Publishers Weekly )
“The first collection from Kupperman’s surprising hit really helped spread the word about his unique and delightfully warped genius as a gagsmith and artist.” (Rob Clough -
The Comics Journal )
“[T]here seemed to be something dangerous, something man was not meant to trifle with, something unnatural, in concentrating all that uncut hilarity in one place.” (Rich Kreiner -
The Comics Journal )
“Kupperman weeds out all the narcs at the party — meaning that if his work does not make you laugh, go back to Omega House and spank some pledges, you joyless freak. Seriously, this man is one of the all-time great comic book satirists.” (Chris Reilly -
The Comics Journal )
“Michael Kupperman's
Tales Designed to Thrizzle comics are some of the most insane, laugh-out-loud hilarious things I have ever read....Kupperman is not only a comedic genius, he's an incredible artist, and his talents are perfectly merged on the pages of his comics.” (Rachelle Goguen -
The Coast (Halifax) )
“Kupperman's work has always had that charge that the really good stuff has... I'm not certain anything under heaven or earth could make something greater than Kupperman's peerless ability to craft funny moments.” (Tom Spurgeon -
The Comics Reporter )
“The funniest comic you've never read. Laugh out loud funny. Spastic, bizarre and gut busting. Fans of
Saturday Night Live,
Mad Magazine and just anyone who likes to laugh will love this book. A fair warning, if you read this book in public, you will laugh like a mad man and most likely frighten people like I did.” (Dave Scheidt -
The Huffington Post )
“As insanely funny (and sometimes just plain insane) as usual.” (Brian Cronin -
Comic Book Resources )
“I might say Kupperman is one of the greatest satirists of our time, if I could figure out what he's satirizing. The basic facts: this collect[ion]... featur[es] dozens of short pieces done on a chaotic array of subjects in so many styles much of it comes across as found art, and almost all of it's hilarious. Any attempt to summarize things like 'Mentally Ill Gangster Comics' or 'Crime Is Pushing the Limits' would miss the point completely. Except to say this is media culture put through the grinder. Top-notch.” (Steven Grant -
Comic Book Resources )
“Michael Kupperman does funny very well…combining fine art skills with hilarious yet deadpan prose.” (Gary Chun -
Honolulu Star-Bulletin )
“This stuff is comedy gold, so get it if you haven't read it already, and hell, spend the extra money to see the non-monochromatic version if you want.” (Matthew J. Brady -
Warren Peace Sings the Blues )
“Gaspingly funny.” (Douglas Wolk -
The New York Times Book Review )
“Hallelujah... for Michael Kupperman! He returns with his second collection,
Tales Designed to Thrizzle Vol. 1, which brings under one cover the first four issues of the same-named comic. And comic it sure as hell is. I'm not entirely certain when I've read anything that made me laugh out loud as often as this volume, with the possible exception of Kupperman's debut
Snake 'n' Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret. Women who've given birth to multiple children and older readers are advised to secure some kind of adult diaper.” (
Late Reviews and Latest Obsessions )
“Buy [
Tales Designed to Thrizzle Vol. 1]! It's amazingly good.” (Jackson Publick, co-creator of
The Venture Bros. )
