Silly Daddy: The Long Goodbye

by Joe Chiappetta

Surrealism, before it was associated with melting clocks and absurdist imagery, was an attempt to explore the subconscious in art. In Silly The Long Goodbye Joe Chiappetta combines this exploration of the subconscious with the primitive sensibilities of an outsider artist. At times the black-and-white artwork looks like the drawings of a child. Throughout the book the art develops, though, and is slightly refined; by the end it appears more comfortable, especially when juxtaposed with the drawings of Chiappetta's 3-year-old daughter. The Long Goodbye is an autobiographical collection of important (if sometimes banal) accounts of young, inexperienced parenthood, the disintegration of Chiappetta's marriage, and his ever-deepening love and appreciation for his daughter. This comic book is spiritual in the most unpretentious truisms are never preached or presented as such, but through his stories, through the thoughts he shares with the reader, Chiappetta creates a sense of pathos, hope, and bittersweet love.

Genres: Comics

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

About the author

Joe Chiappetta is an American author and cartoonist, grateful to be married with three children. Currently living in California, his formal education was from Northern Illinois University, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with an emphasis in painting.

While trained in the more traditional arts, his lifetime creative focus has been in writing and cartooning. As one of the key members of the Independent Comics Movement of the 1990s, Chiappetta’s work is respected around the globe. He is best known as the man behind one of the longest running autobiographical comics, SILLY DADDY, which has been a rewarding creative endeavor since 1991. The series has received the following professional recognition:
- Xeric Award Winner
- Ignatz Award Nominee for Outstanding Story
- Harvey Award Nominee for Best New Series

Joe is also the author of a number of action-packed and thought-provoking Christian sci-fi novels, most notably Star Chosen. From his work, one can tell that he enjoys spending time with God, family, science fiction, and corny jokes. Also, at a moment's notice, he's usually up for a Bible study, a good game of chess, bike riding, building forts in the woods, wrestling, finding a big score of free samples while grocery shopping, and foam sword fighting.