Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars

By Rod Kierkegaard Jr. (Catalan Communications)
ISBN: 0-87416-028-6

Here’s a spectacularly cool and probably dangerously litigation-prone slice of 1980’s satire that still delivers a breathtaking punch for modern readers and art-fans. This selection of short spoofs and pastiches that presages our modern obsession with celebrity and scandal by lampooning major music icons in grotesque murder-and-monster yarns, many featuring the fab, hip and cool Rock Detective Rockfort.

‘Killer!’ features that king of Pop Michael Rockson in a sex-and-blood teen-slasher tale featuring the marvellously crafted likenesses of that boy who never grew up, but also such notables as Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and a host of others. ‘Doctor Boy… And Mr. Gore’ stars Boy Gorgeous, the gender-bending Marilyn, Vanessa Williams (nee ‘Willing’) and a truly macabre tale of steroid abuse, whilst ‘Prance’ features too many stars to list in a Mary Shelley riff that sees Baron Von Funkestein build the perfect performer from the remains of dead rock stars.

This wicked, graphically sexy and devilishly funny book concludes with ‘Like a Holy Virgin’ as Rockfort is hired by superstar Madollar. It seems she’s lost her virginity and only a great detective can recover it for her… The cameos here range from Sting to Sean Penn and once again the surreal, sardonic and supremely talented Rod Kierkegaard Jr. hits the parody bullseye over and over again.

Beautifully painted, flamboyant and incisive, this trenchant, biting slice of Sex and Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll is still a great treat for adult readers, especially as his targets have stayed the course as well. One wonders if today’s stars will enjoy the same celebrity longevity…?

© 1987 Editions Albin Michel S.A. English language edition © 1987 Catalan Communications. All Rights Reserved.