Rock N Roll Sideshow!

Oct 1st – DNA Lounge
375 11th Street San Francisco

Vau de Vire and Aria Entertainment present ERIC MCFADDEN & VAU DE VIRE SOCIETY, along with special guest

Jane Wiedlin (Go-Go’s),
RonKat Spearman (P-Funk Allstars),
Robin Croomer & Sam Bass (Loopstation),
Paula O’Rourke (Animals),
Gabby LaLa (Les Claypool),
Rob Reich (Gaucho) and more…

Expect an evening of circus and dance infused rock and roll, with Eric McFadden and renowned friends offering up the musical score to accompany a slew of Vau de Vire vignettes.

Comics Alliance

Thanks to Chris Sims at Comics Alliance for the love! 🙂

Q: What are the best comics (ostensibly) “created” by people who are “celebrities” but not professional writers? — goodthingsulike

A: There’s been a bunch of books over the past few years where a celebrity has attached his or her name to a comic, with people country music star Trace Adkins (“Luke McBain”), actress Rashida Jones (“Frenemy of the State”), and Seth Green (“Freshmen”) attempting to use their star power to lure a crossover market into comic shops. And while I generally skip out on that sort of thing, the cream of the crop is pretty easy to pick out: Jane Wiedlin’s “Lady Robotika.”

And I’m not just saying that because I have a total crush on Jane Wiedlin, the cutest Go-Go, either, although I can definitely assure you that that is in fact the case. More than anything else, what makes me like it is that together with co-writer/artist Bill Morrison — the long-time writer and artist on “Simpsons Comics” whose involvement was a big part of getting me interested — Wiedlin has addressed the major problem with Celebrity Comics, which is that the celebrities in question aren’t actually in them.

Rather than just being a comic with her name above the title, “Lady Robotika” is actually about Jane Wiedlin. Specifically, it’s about her being kidnapped by aliens and going to space to battle an evil space emperor, a space dominatrix and her sexy space-soldiers, which are referred to as “Iron Maidens.” And that is awesome.

It’s also really funny. It’s a little heavy on the pop culture references, even for a book revolving around an alien society that’s built entirely around interpreting TV and radio transmissions from Earth, but when they hit, they’re pretty darn sharp:

Also, there’s the whole thing where Jane Wiedlin fights a space dominatrix. I cannot emphasize that point enough.

Great review!

Great review for Issue #2 – “Of G-Strings and Galaxies” at Comics Bulletin:

Abducted by aliens loyal to a familiar looking reptilian dictator–no, not Cheney–Jane Wiedlin awakens on an extraterrestrial examination table and discovers a metallic shell grows over her left limb. Can things possibly get worse? You betcha.

Wiedlin and Morrison combine forces for a kitschy cool scifi pulp filled with sex, nanites and rock and roll. Again, I don’t know where the writers begin and end. I don’t know who wrote what, but I’m guessing Wiedlin had to at least sign off on the things that happen to her comic book avatar.

After an altercation in a forced concert, Jane ends up in the dungeon, and the singer/songwriter doesn’t skimp on abusing her character. Bettie Page lookalikes bring out the whips and a weird looking robot enters the abbatoir to induce even more pain.

Let me just point out that you’re not supposed to be taking this seriously. That’s why Jeff Moy is a perfect fit for the book. The Legion of Super-Heroes artist is known for his light, humorous touch. So although on the surface, there’s a ball-gag in Jane’s mouth, the Bettie Page Twins are serious about their work, the after effects of Jane’s torture amount to old-fashioned cross-hatchery on strategic exposures of her skin. Really. Don’t take this too seriously. Lady Robotika is meant to be a outrageous-anything-goes-science-fiction, and it succeeds beautifully.

Even the scene in which one of Jane’s band trades sexual favors with the dictator for her life should be enjoyed. Her name is T’antra. Come on. She had to end up in somebody’s bed. What’s surprising is that the creative team don’t simply use her as a throwaway gag. Instead, they make her an important figure in the story by having her lead the reader to a most awesome cliffhanger sporting a beloved sci-fi trope.

Issue #2 of Lady Robotika available at Tfaw.com

A message from Jane & Bill

A message from Jane & Bill:

After much soul searching and number crunching, Bill & I have come to the sad realization that we can’t keep producing our beloved comic: Lady Robotika, the way we are currently operating.

Despite rave reviews, orders have been low, and that’s driven our costs up to DOUBLE what the books actually retail for!

Holy negative cashflow, it’s a rough Universe out there for a new superhero!

We have decided to jump space-ship and come up with a new plan for galactic domination. We LOVE making Lady Robotika, and we are committed to continuing her story. One way or another, Lady Robotika‘s saga MUST be told!

Stay tuned for news regarding our new plan of action. Expect new LR comics and a CD of Lady Robotika MUSIC in the near future.

Many thanks to all of you who have rallied around our creation! We REALLY hope you will stick with us during this transitional time!
Love, Jane & Bill