A kid I can relate to

The folks who are voting via mail to keep/drop some of our old standby comics by and large detest "Lio," which I think is one of the most inventive strips to come out in years. They largely ignore "Frazz," too, my current favorite strip. What gives?

Lio reminds me of Charles Adams, Edward Gorey. Creator Mark Tatulli says he has always been intrigued by the artwork of an obscure 19th century artist, A. J. Volck.

"He was a political satirist during the Civil War, a Southern sympathizer, and I was always so fascinated with his darkly detailed illustrations. Every time I looked at his spidery pen-and-ink drawings I found something new. And maybe because his politics were 180 degrees from my own, often depicting Abraham Lincoln as a demonic figure, I was repulsed but still appreciated the craft of his work. I wanted to capture something like that with LIO…art that immediately stirs an emotion, simply by pen technique, even before you know what the strip is about. I don't know if I was successful, but I'm pleased with the results."

You can read more about Mark in this interview with the syndicate.