Book review: Faceache, Vol. 01: The first 100 scrunges
What a genuine treasure this Ken Reid Faceache collection is. Thanks and congratulations to Rebellion and the Treasury of British Comics for putting it together with such care, and for identifying how sparsely curated and publicly unavailable is the work of one of the world’s greatest cartoonists.
There’s a depth and richness to the character of Faceache, and to the dark, parochial yet boundless little britain community he inhabits, that one finds in only a handful of strips from the weekly humour comics. This applies to Reid’s storytelling as well as the superb, gargoylesque illustration.
The reproduction work in this volume is excellent. I love the cover. It has a short but intimate and touching preface by Reid’s son Anthony, and a terrific foreword by Alan Moore, which says more about the social/cultural context of 60s/70s British comics than I ever have or could.
In short, unreservedly recommended. Essential! Every comic-loving household, library, school, museum and gallery should have a copy of this book. Not just for your own enjoyment but to help secure the memory and legacy of this uniquely talented artist for generations to come.
