Cobalt-60

Cobalt-60 #1

by Vaughn Bodē, Mark Bodé, Larry Todd

Book by Bode, Vaughn, Bode, Mark, Todd, Larry

Genres: Comics

74 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1988

About the author

Vaughn Bodē was an American underground cartoonist and illustrator known for his character Cheech Wizard and his artwork depicting voluptuous women. A contemporary of Ralph Bakshi, Bodē has been credited as an influence on Bakshi's animated films Wizards and The Lord of the Rings. Bodē has a huge following among graffiti artists, with his characters remaining a popular subject.

Reviews

[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange book in so many ways, Cobalt 60 is a posthumous collaboration between the late Vaughn Bode and his son Mark Bode. Many have referred to Bode (the elder)as a hippie, but Cobalt 60 is anything but a story about peace and love and flowers. The plot is not terribly complex, but is satisfying enough, with a comically self-deprecating ending that carries the "peasant girl is really a princess" trope to its only logical, and ridiculous, conclusion. The dialogue ranges from informal to obscene. The artwork is what really pushes this from a 3 to a 4 star book, for me. Tracing the dates of when each was conceptualized and realized, it becomes clear that Cobalt 60 served as a strong artistic inspiration to Ralph Bakshi's movie Wizards. One also sees in the Bodes' work a powerful influence on much of the adult comic art of the late '70s and '80s as manifest in such magazines as Heavy Metal and Epic Illustrated (Mark Bode's comics have appeared in both, incidentally). This world of aliens, mutants, swords, and science fiction is brought to vivid life through the Bodes' bleak, yet endearing scenes of desolation. Even at it's most violent and bloody, the post-apocalyptic world of Cobalt 60 is, somehow, cute. Take, for instance, the horde of man-and-crocodile-eating mutant crocodile soldiers. They are stupid, crass, crude, trigger happy, cannibalistic, and, darn it, really loveable! Even the Cobalt 60's arch-nemesis, the diminutive Strontium 90, could be marketed as a plushy doll by some enterprising toy company. Cobalt 60, the serious butt-(and head)-kicking assassin is a brooding, terse figure who takes himself so seriously that his ultimate fate seems perfectly fitting and ironic.

Recommended for those who like artistic hippies who have been corrupted by a libertarian streak and post-apocalyptic sword and laser fiction that glowers, then laughs at itself. Nihilistic and heartwarming at the same time - perfect for those with a dark sense of humor, but without the stark sarcasm oftentimes present in such works.

If you can't find the work at a decent price, you might want to go to Mark Bode's website and drop him a line. That's how I found my copy - straight from the source. Of course, that was a few years back. Good luck!

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vaughn Bode was a hippy genius. His short story "Cobalt 60", which makes up only the first ten pages of this volume, is a bleak futuristic gem. Sadly, Vaughn died young, and many of his cartoon empires died with him. In this case though Vaughn's son Mark picked up his fathers mantle and carried on the story his father only hinted at. He does a decent job, invents tons of new characters and really fleshes out the world. It's worth a look if you can track it down.

[Christian D. D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this way back in 1990, during my sophomore year of high school. I really dug the comedic dialogue, political satire, post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi themes, and bloody, gory action scenes. Definitely gotta dig it up and read it again for old times' sake, and get ahold of the sequels as well!

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are STAPLED but at least they're 8.5" x 11"

Story: ****
The plot is enticing -even epic- as the story begins in mythological fashion. The characters are the best part though because they are so weird and interesting in their actions. The writer adapts the story beyond Vaughn's almost seamlessly and this first book ends with excitement for the rest.

Art: ****
The plentiful character art, two-page detailed map and ten pages done by Vaughn around 1968 make this the best of the four books. I can't explain how it's better than his son's because Mark's work is so similar. It just is.

Strangely, Mark only does the pencils which are inked and colored by, of all people, the writer. Larry Todd does an excellent job with the color even though the lines are too thick and wobbly. It doesn't look like pencils were even used by the way he used marker-style lines over top.

[Olie Sung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story and artwork by Mark Bodé following the main character 'Cobalt 60'. A visual feast in full colour, with the Bodé style that is loved and paid homage to over many years. If you are a fan of Vaughn or Mark Bodé then this is a must read.