THE HOUSE AT MAAKIES CORNER

Dook dook dook

By Mike Whybark     November 12, 2002

THE HOUSE AT MAAKIES CORNER collects the MAAKIES alt-weekly syndicated strips of Tony Millionaire for the years of 2000 through 2002. At around the time the first of these strips were appearing, a notable expansion of work for the artist had begun to occur.

Today, in addition to MAAKIES, Millionaire produces a comic book (SOCK MONKEY) for Dark Horse which includes iterations of the strip's protagonists, Uncle Gabby and Drinky Crow (in the guises of dolls Mr. Crow and Sock Monkey); he's written a pair of children's books featuring the stuffed companions, been involved in animation projects, and appears in the pages of THE NEW YORKER.

Fortunately for we hard-bitten soothsayers who recall avidly shaking each new edition of MAAKIES in the faces of passers-by in unasked assertion of Millionaire's genius, the original strips retain their signature cheery brutality. The strip has softened somewhat with the passage of time; the suicide jokes and outright celebrations of the sweet oblivion of Mother Liquor are less frequent than they once were.

Millionaire appears to have faced the watershed of many creators. If your creation is imbued with pitilessness and pain, what does one do when as an artist, it's necessary to explore the more challenging aspects of life? Where the prior collection reveled in wretched excess, suicide jokes, dismemberment, and bleak alcoholic vistas, in this one our heroes attempt to prevent each other's foibles from unmanning them, or their hijinks lead to other outcomes than the inevitable explosion of crow brain across the page.

The world of Drinky Crow and Uncle Gabby has gained depth. Death may await, but it may no longer be preferable. Drink remains sweet, but it may cause an automobile accident rather than simple, sweet suicide. Fear not, however: Millionaire hasn't abandoned the way of the gun as gag prop. He's genuinely expanded his palette, and does not hesitate to utilize his old bag of tricks when he wants.

In my opinion, MAAKIES remains the most complex and resonant of Millionaire's work. It, as well as the rest of his material, continues to evolve however, and has not suffered for the added depth. I think MAAKIES may be most like Herriman's KRAZY KAT of any daily-format (although this is weekly) strip drawn since. The same internally consistent dream logic, consequences that are consistent within the strip, and maintenance of a certain tone are visible in both strips.

Of course, Herriman's world was essentially benign; Millionaire does not present a benign vision. Rather he's struggling with the means to present an honest artistic vision of a world that is essentially unfriendly and pain-filled but not without joy and solace.