Alphonse: A Monster For Our Time

mon*ster (mn'str) n.
1. An animal, a plant, or other organism having structural defects or deformities.
2. A fetus or an infant that is grotesquely abnormal and usually not viable.
- The American Heritage Medical Dictionary

Alphonse is the story of eight lives that intersect because of an attempted abortion. Why "attempted?" Because while there are no angels or demons on either side, there is definitely a monster in the middle: Alphonse. Rendered "grotesquely abnormal" by his unwitting mother's use of controlled substances, he is both sentient and freakishly coordinated. He is also deeply wounded, twisted by fear and rage after the attempt on his life, and bent on revenge.

But violence begets violence. Alphonse is pursued even as he is pursuing, and haunted by his only friend's insistence that there is another way...

Alphonse: Murder Sleep, the second issue in a five-issue comic miniseries from writer Matthew Lickona and artist Chris Gugliotti, is now available at IndyPlanet.

The first issue of the series, Alphonse: Untimely Ripp'd, is also available at IndyPlanet. Sample pages may be seen here.

Alphonse Twitters here.

Facebook page here.

Reviews and features here.

Donate here.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Here's where things stand. This is, for me, a labor of love. I just want to tell the story of Alphonse. But my artist and letterer need to eat. I think Chris and Wes are very good, and their work is well worth what I pay for it. But it was only because of the generosity of friends and supporters that I was able to afford the production of Issues One and Two. So, if you are curious to see what happens next, there are two ways you can help.

1. Buy Issues One and Two of Alphonse, and tell others about them. I have a feeling that support for a story like this is going to spread by word of mouth or probably not at all. If you like what you read, if you think there is something worthwhile there, tell someone. All profits from these issues will go to finance the rest of the series.

2. For Issue Three, I am once again begging for donations through the fundraiser site Kickstarter.com.  You visit, you pledge, and if I don't reach my goal everybody walks away clean.  If you pledged last time and are feeling tapped out, maybe consider passing this request along to someone else who might be interested.

Again, thank you.