''Pussey!'' is a comics serial and

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

Daniel Clowes Daniel Gillespie Clowes (; born April 14, 1961) is an American cartoonist, graphic novelist, illustrator, and screenwriter. Most of Clowes's work first appeared in '' Eightball'', a solo anthology comic book series. An ''Eightball'' issue typi ...

. It was originally serialized across nine non-consecutive issues of Clowes's alternative

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...

'' Eightball'', and was later collected by

Fantagraphics Books Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint. History Founding Fantagraphics was found ...

. ''Pussey!'' tells the satirical story of a comic book artist named Dan Pussey, following him from his childhood years, through his successful career and into aged obscurity. Along the way he lampoons the comics industry as a whole, including direct satires of several creators, such art

Art Spiegelman Art Spiegelman (; born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev Spiegelman on February 15, 1948) is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his graphic novel '' Maus''. His work as co-editor on the comics magazines '' Arcade'' and '' R ...

stand-in character Gummo Bubbleman. Dave Gilson, writing for ''

Mother Jones Mary G. Harris Jones (1837 (baptized) – November 30, 1930), known as Mother Jones from 1897 onwards, was an Irish-born American schoolteacher and dressmaker who became a prominent union organizer, community organizer, and activist. She h ...

'', called ''Pussey!'' a "knowing send-up of comic

nerd A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly techn ...

dom", and

Tom Spurgeon Thomas Martin Spurgeon (December 16, 1968 – November 13, 2019) was an American writer, historian, critic, and editor in the field of comics, notable for his five-year run as editor of ''The Comics Journal'' and his blog ''The Comics Reporter'' ...

of ''The Comics Reporter'' said that "works like ''Pussey''...remind that he may also be its best living practitioner of filthy, blunt satire".The Comics Reporter, ''CR Holiday Interview #19 -- Daniel Clowes'', Tom Spurgeon, January 2011
accessed May 11, 2012

Cultural references

* In the final episode of ''

The IT Crowd ''The IT Crowd'' is a British sitcom originally broadcast by Channel 4, written and directed by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry. Set in the offices of the ...

'' ("The Internet Is Coming" Special, broadcast in September 2013),

Jen Barber Jen is a feminineSebased on U.S. Social Security Records given name, frequently a shortened form ( hypocorism) of Jennifer, and occasionally a surname. It may refer to: Given name People * Jen Adams (born 1979), Australian lacrosse coach and f ...

is seen reading the

book of the series

References

1989 comics debuts 1994 comics endings Comics about comics Satirical comics 1995 graphic novels Comics by Daniel Clowes Comics set in the United States Fantagraphics titles Fictional cartoonists Male characters in comics Novels first published in serial form {{comics-stub