If you have read any of Steve Lafler’s works over the last thirty plus years that he has been “feverishly making comics” you can easily imagine that in his mind the idyllic road trip would reflect the wild escapades captured in Hunter S. Thompson’s novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream.

Last week Steve embarked on his modest world tour to promote his new CO2 Comics graphic album, Ménage à Bughouse, a 408 page compilation of his Bughouse trilogy. The following is a stark itinerary of his destinations as he travels east to west on his journey back to his home in the beautiful city of  Oaxaca, Mexico.

July 11, Ada Books, Providence, RI

July 13, Bergen Street Comics, Brooklyn, NY

July 14, Locust Moon Comics, Philadelphia, PA

July 17, Boxcar Books, Bloomington IN

July 18, Daydream Comics, Iowa City, IA

July 20, Time Warp Comics, Boulder, CO

July 25, Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco, CA

July 28, Cosmic Monkey Comics, Portland, OR

Steve opened his tour at Ada Books in Providence, RI where he connected with Scott Krane who interviewed Steve and wrote an insightful blog for JazzTimes discussing the jazz themes that Steve uses as inspiration throughout Ménage à Bughouse focusing on the inspiration derived from the biography of jazz legend, Miles Davis who is the subject of a  current United States postage stamp.

Bill Cucinotta and I caught up with Steve, meeting him at Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn, NY. The folks at Bergen Street Comics were gracious  enough to to accommodate Steve at short notice when a scheduled appearance at MoCCA was suddenly canceled. The hospitality of store manager Tom Adams and his staff were greatly appreciated and the quaint, gallery-like atmosphere of the store which is decidedly friendly to independent publishers and authors is a must stop for anyone who loves comics.

Steve be-bopped his way down to Philly where he once again connected with CO2 Comics co-publisher Bill Cucinotta for the grand re-opening of Locust Moon Comics located in the University City section of the City of Brotherly Love that is the home of CO2 Comics.

Locust Moon officially opened for business at 7 pm, after having been closed for about a year. Steve was thrilled to be there there for opening day as the featured act, creating a great atmosphere while talking comics and entertaining the welcoming crowd with several songs on his accoustic guitar in the gallery room.

So, OK, there is not a lot of fear and loathing going on as Steve continues west, just a lot of love for great comics and great music, but Steve is living an American comic artist’s dream having had the opportunity to create his own personal brand of comics throughout his career.

We too are living our dream to by being able to publish great comic works like Steve Lafler’s Ménage à Bughouse, Raine Szramski’s Heaven and the Dead City, and Don Lomax’s The Heavy Adventures of Captain Obese. These books together with our collection of David Anthony Kraft’s COMICS INTERVIEW are establishing a line of product that will represent the foundation of CO2 Comics as we build toward the future.  Let the escapades begin!

Gerry Giovinco