Mudbite

by Dave Cooper

Cult cartoonist Dave Cooper returns to comics with this suite of stories about brain-damaged Amazons, black shiny eels, and much more. This is the first new graphic novel by fan favorite Dave Cooper in more than 15 years. Eddy Table, the star of Mudbite , first appeared in Cooper’s award-winning underground comics series, Weasel .  Mudbite compiles two all-new Eddy Table stories, “Mud River” and “Bug Bite,” in which Eddy acts as Dave’s alter ego. In “Mud River,” Eddy makes a foolish mistake, causing a sweet, innocent Amazon to bonk her head, turning her into a very impressionable automaton. In “Bug Bite,” Eddy has brought his family on a vacation to Europe, but he’s soon distracted by a series of manifestations of his own obsessions ― voluptuous women, mysterious and collectible “microdevices,” and a strange, impromptu jam session. Full-color illustrations throughout.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels

72 pages, Hardcover

First published March 20, 2018

About the author

Dave Charles Cooper is a Canadian cartoonist, painter and animator.
Cooper was born in Nova Scotia in 1967 and grew up in Ottawa, where he still lives.
He began his career in underground comics in the early 90's . His most notable works are Weasel (2000, Fantagraphics), winner of an Ignatz Award and a Harvey Award in 2000, and Ripple (2003, Fantagraphics). A retrospective of his comic artwork took place in Angoulême and Paris in 2002.
In the 2000's Dave moved to painting and animation. His oil paintings have been shown at galleries and museums in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Madrid. In animation, Cooper has developed the tv shows Pig Boat Banana Cricket for Nickelodeon, The Bagel and Becky Show for Teletoon/BBC and the short adult film the Absence of Teddy Table.

Reviews

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully done artwork, full of throbbing, mutating organic fungi and flora. But also over-sexualized in a pretty juvenile way, but surreal & dreamlike enough to keep my interest. Especially the MUD RIVER half. So many naked boobs and protruding nipples. So much quivering naked lady flesh. It was gross and perplexing, but I read the whole thing and marveled at the artwork. It's definitely "grotesque," in a cartoony way. Cooper has a unique style of linework where no lines are straight or solid, and everything sort of... quivers, I guess? And I like how depth is conveyed by some things being slightly blurred and other things clearer and more solid.

[Moon Captain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Crumby Ren & Stimpy whacko adventures with bodacious nude ladies haha

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short dream-like comic. Cooper is a fantastic artists and you see that here throughout. Very sexually charged but in a bizarre near nightmarish type of way.

[Wendya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short little read that is glossy, unique and fun; Dare I say a lot like Crumb?

[Mateen Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Cooper's Ripple last year and really enjoyed that one. Two quick stories with our boob-obsessed protagonist.

[Duncan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crumple is one of my all time favorite dark-surreal comix. I've read it a few times. It always gets me. Dave Cooper is so amazingly talented, but I think he's kinda gone off the deep end. His once sharp comic line drawing has evolved into a wishy-washy painted mish-mash of soft, oozing shapes of intentional ugly art. The two stories contained w/in Mudbit appear to be two dreams Cooper might have had w/no rhyme or reason or interior logic (or ulterior logic for that matter.) He's a weird cat, for sure. If you be hankerin' for some Dave Cooper I highly recommend Crumple. That's totally weird and sick but has just enough sense to make it brilliantly coherent. Mudbite is just off-putting. Sorry, Dave.

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mudbite collects "Bug Bite" and "Mud River", two stories steeped in Dave Cooper's uniquely bizarre designs, awkward sexual energy and surreal landscapes. Both stories have a bit of a juvenile humor to them, but it matches Cooper's illustrative sensibilities well. There are ample disgusting portions throughout though Cooper renders them in a rather childlike, simplistic fashion that makes them easily palatable. The two stories follow an odd dream logic that makes them a bit challenging to follow along with and Cooper does a great job matching that energy with his loose and expressive artwork. I didn't find these stories to be quite as memorable as Ripple, but the artwork alone made this a worthwhile time.

[David Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me be the first to give this a 5 out of 5. I know it's creepy and weird and off-putting for some but why would those "some" be here with Mr. Cooper and his art and imagination in the first place? Someone mentioned that it reads like an interpretation of a dream. It has all the disjointedness and off-beat rhythm of most dreams that I've ever had. If you are here, it's probably because you know Dave Cooper's work from other publications. Mine was Ripple. If you are looking for a recommendation, I say this will more than fit the bill. You will probably find yourself looking for more after a taste of this.

[Susannah Breslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Dave Cooper’s Mudbite some years ago, lost my copy, and so I was happy to find it again and reread it. I love Dave’s work! It’s so insane. Mudbite is especially fun because it contains two stories that you read by flipping the book back and around. It’s hard to pick a favorite between “Mud River” and “Bug Bite.” The former, starring Eddy Table, who I love so much I have a figurine of him I’m on my desk, is probably my favorite; little Eddy’s bottom ride on the lady is just so hilarious! But the latter had me literally loling, too, with its crazy twists and turns and creepy critters. Anyway, this book is a two-for-one that will make a Cooper devotee out of anyone.

[Isaac Bouyack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I may have liked it better if there were no words. The images are interesting and sort of speaks for themselves as far as giving you certain feelings. The words are more or less distracting and takeaway from illustrations.

[Luc Sponger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twee fantastische comic shops bezocht tijdens recent bezoek aan Berlijn ( thanks Daan ! ) . Vond daar oa dit fraaie werk met twee korte avonturen van Eddy Table in een schitterende psychedelische bubbly wereld … wat een stilo!

[Nick Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Dave doing what Dave does best. Gorgeous presentation that revisits similar visual and narrative tropes for the Cooper-verse.

[Humbert Cumberdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sick shit, neat art. Will never look at Betty Boop the same way.

[Jameson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nightmarishly cute 1930s-style cartoons—pustular, noxious, and filled with obese Betty Boops. Amusing.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

What. The. Fuuuuuuck??????????
have i just read?????

[Betzim Gdolot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aesthetics of Ren and Stimpy with phat ladies all around.

There's no real story here, the story is used just as a vehicle of displaying Dave Cooper's amazing art.

Really a great cartoonist when it comes to creating a unique vibe with his art.