I’ve been meaning to read The Boss Is Crazy, Too since hearing about it decades ago in the brilliant fanzine Promethean Enterprises put out by Bud Plant and friends. Bud Plant is the wonderful bookseller through who I’ve found SO many incredible volumes for my collection and reading pleasure—I encourage you to do the same. And Bud, and Carolina his terrific associate, are putting together a signed edition with a special bookplate for Arf Museum. Anywho, I finally got to curl up with The Boss this past weekend.

This is a novel by Mell Lazarus who you probably know is the cartoonist behind the daily strips Miss Peach and Momma. It’s interesting to see Joseph Heller give Lazarus props on the front cover as the book does read like Catch 22 with its, for sure, crazy characters The Boss Is Crazy, Too has a zany, very Producers-esque plot (if I was Lazarus I’d be pretty miffed about that). In fact you’ll note that the bottom of the front cover says, “Soon to be a Broadway play and major motion picture”. As far as I know that didn’t happen.

Comic fans will like the setting of the sleaze magazine/comic book publishing house, Fineman Publications. The mags in Fineman’s line include Unadulterated Crime Magazine, Fake Love Stories, The D.A.R. Jokebook, True Fantasies Monthly. The Comic books the fictional publisher produces are def ones I’d like to read: Poopy The Bear Comics, Trial Marriage Comics, Communist Love Tales, Overage Romances, Skinny the Human ICBM, Werewolf Fun Comics, Rex Oedipus, Boy Lover and Supreme Court Comics.

Boss is a real fun read, worth tracking down. Actually, Bud, in addition to his friendly staff offering current cool and hard to find books, has a used and rare book business specializing in illustrated books and comic art oriented titles. So you might start with him. And, Bud, can you find me a copy of Rex Oedipus, Boy Lover?