Four issues in and Caroline Cash’s PeePee PooPoo finally gets its #1 “first” issue and loses that titular hyphen too. The Broken Frontier Award-winning title from Silver Sprocket continues to be one of the standout periodical titles in current comics, with Cash’s singular take on underground comix of decades past, re-imagined for a contemporary audience, gaining widespread acclaim. Not to mention both Ignatz and Eisner recognition!
Presenting another collection of autobio strips, ranging from one-pagers to longer-form affairs, PeePee PooPoo #1 once again mines that mixed but rich seam of irreverent slice-of-life and alt comics appreciation that has made it such an indie comics hit. What the always appealingly eccentric numbering signifies this time around is open to interpretation but if it is indeed an attempt to capitalise on PeePee PooPoo’s growing profile with an enticing #1 on the cover – and the opening ‘Some Things to Know About Caroline Cash’ comic may be a nod to that – it’s a perfectly understandable one.
What, as ever, stands out here is Cash’s ability to make the apparently throwaway and the everyday oddly profound; to find the universal in the minutiae; and to encourage her readers to see the familiar in the personal. In ‘Stoned Again’ we observe a befuddled and lost Cash trying to make her way home through the city streets while under the influence. Pacing and depiction of environment combining to make a witty saga out of a mishap.
There are a number of shorter entries this time including great philosophical debate on whether a poop doughnut would be vegan, reflections on tattoos, and an homage to Alison Bechdel. Perhaps the most memorable piece this time around is ‘First Date’, set in the summer of 2020 at the heart of the pandemic. What might seem slight in plot here actually has a true existential depth reminding us of that temporal scar across all our lives and yet simultaneously being delightfully light and playful as well. It’s a reminder of the sheer humanity of Cash’s work and underlines why PeePee PooPoo is currently one of the finest comics on the shelves.
Caroline Cash (W/A) • Silver Sprocket, $9.99
Review by Andy Oliver
