Skyscrapers of the Midwest

(AdHouse, 2004-2007)
™ and © AdHouse

It’s not often that themes of childhood fear, alienation, and despair make for great reading, but Cotter brings these all-too-familiar feelings to the surface in this powerful, albeit painful, collection of stories about youthful innocence colliding with real-world trauma.

Cotter’s world is a rural one populated by everyday people, but they are people portrayed in such non-human guises as felines and robots. The emotional blows dealt to these innocent-looking fantasy characters hit the reader like a sucker punch to the back of the head. A lonely child not allowed to play in a ballgame fantasizes a grisly death for those who spurned him. An unwanted birthday present comes to life and walks out of a boy’s life. Another boy lives in fear of his drunken father’s wrath. Each story is steeped in sorrow and sadness, yet, as in real life, they can’t just be ignored. Cotter complements the issue with fake advertisements and letter columns that add a bit of dark humor but also further hammer home the dark side of being a kid. It’s enough to make one think twice about longing to return to childhood.

— Jim Johnson

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Notes

Writer

Artist

Skyscrapers of the Midwest #1

November, 2004
Cover Price: $5.00
2 copies available from $4.98

Joshua W. Cotter

Skyscrapers of the Midwest #2

July, 2005
Cover Price: $5.00
1 copy available for $9.95

Wraparound cover by Joshua W. Cotter; B&W

Joshua W. Cotter

Skyscrapers of the Midwest #3

July, 2006
Cover Price: $5.00
2 copies available from $3.98

Wraparound cover by Joshua W. Cotter; B&W

Joshua W. Cotter

Skyscrapers of the Midwest #4

October, 2007
Cover Price: $5.00
1 copy available for $14.95

Wraparound cover by Joshua W. Cotter; B&W

Joshua W. Cotter