![]() ![]() It’s crammed with symbolism, references to popular culture and cult cinema – the title comes from Russ Meyer’s sexploitation flick Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill! – and throws in references to Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, the Nazis and the mugging of CBS anchorman Dan Rather for good measure. Like A Velvet Glove is a repository for so many of the ideas Clowes would look at in more detail in later works, but it lacks the depth of human understanding he displayed in works like Ghost World. When Clay tries to track her down he’s drawn into a world of warped humanity and paranoia populated by strange deformed creatures, vindictive policemen, religious nutcases and nymphomaniacs. Loudermilk’s search takes him to a movie theatre where he views a strangely compelling S&M film staring a dominatrix who turns out to be his wife. ![]() ![]() The name is no coincidence, and like the song from which it’s taken, Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron is a tale of unrequited love and loss. The protagonist, Clay Loudermilk, is searching for his estranged wife Barbara Allen. From the first chapter it was obvious we were in very strange territory, a dream-like world of sexual fetishism and bizarre transformations with strange coincidences driving the plot. Dan Clowes’ Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron began life as a serial in Clowes’ Eightball comic, debuting in 1989. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |