By Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics Books)
ISBN: 978-1-56097-701-8 (Billy Hazelnuts HB) 978-1-56097-917-3 (Crazy Bird HB)
Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Gobsmacking Graphic Wonderment… 9/10
Cartoonists have more than their fair share of individuals possessing a unique perspective on the world. Elzie Segar, Ronald Searle, Charles Addams, George Herriman, Gerald Scarfe, Rick Geary, Steve Bell, Berke Breathed, Ralph Steadman, Bill Watterson, Matt Groening, Norman Dog, Gary Larson – the list is potentially endless. Perhaps it’s their power to create entire sculptured worlds coupled with the constant promise of vented spleen that so colours their work – whether they paint or draw.
Born Scott Richardson, Tony Millionaire clearly loves to draw and does it very, very well; seamlessly referencing classical art, the best of children’s books and an eclectic blend of pioneer draughtsmen like George McManus, Rudolph Dirks, Cliff Sterrett, Frank Willard, Harold Gray as well as the aforementioned Segar and Herriman with European engravings from the “legitimate†side of the ink-slinging biz. He especially cites Johnny Gruelle (Raggedy Ann and Andy) and English illustrator Ernest H. Shepard (The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh) as formative influences.
As well as assorted children’s books and the fabulous Sock Monkey, Millionaire produces powerfully bizarre weekly strip Maakies: delineating the absurdly rude, crude and surreal adventures of an Irish monkey called Uncle Gabby and his alcoholic nautical comrade Drinky Crow. You really should see Drinky Crow’s Maakies Treasury for further details and lots of riotous reprobate shenanigans.
In 2007, he produced the acclaimed and award-winning Billy Hazelnuts. It’s the salutary tale of a Golem built from garbage by oppressed, vengeful rats and mice. Originally a ghastly, fly-bedecked monstrosity, Billy is rescued and redeemed by little girl/mad scientist Becky who gives him Hazelnut eyes and a fresh-baked confectionary body, after which they undertake a series of incredible adventures in and around the solitary domain of Rimperton Farm.
Apart from conquering the unknown through science, Becky’s major goals in life are having uniquely fantastic adventures and avoiding the unwelcome attentions of prissy nerd and aspiring poet Eugene. However, just as she and Billy explore the heavens above them, the odious ode-ster – fuelled by rejection – turns to sky-borne piracy, leading a crew of robots… until they mutiny…
Thankfully Hazelnuts is a forgiving loon and accepts his apology just in time to bring him aboard their new animal ark for a showdown with the mechanical malcontents and an eye-popping exploration of the starry night…
In 2021 the entire crew returned for further fantastic frolics in another strident, striking, fantastical folktale voyage. Irascible, good-hearted, fiery-tempered and super-strong, Billy is adapting to life on the farm, but has a few philosophical problems with the natural world: notably everything in it is icky, oozy and wants to eat everything else in it.
After a titanic tussle with the farm cat and an owl, Billy reluctantly takes responsibility for a newly hatched owl chick – an ugly, vicious, violent baby brute that keeps consuming whole chunks of his baked pre-fab body…
After consulting the confectionary conjuror and all-around wise man Rupert Punch, Billy resolves to return the chick to its lost mother, undertaking a hazardous and utterly surreal journey through Millionaire’s incredible signature land, sea and sky-scapes, with the malevolent and opportunistic farm cat “assistingâ€. He has to hurry though: the ungrateful fledgling has already eaten the back of his head and an entire arm…
Rendered in Millionaire’s captivating monochrome line, this is another darkly frantic race against time and charmingly belligerent fantasy yarn with the requisite happy ending that will appeal to kids on any age, full of action, wonder, imagination and good intent, clearly promising that the author will soon be the worthiest contemporary successor to Baum, Sendak, the Brothers Grimm and Lewis Carroll.
Brilliant, scary, poignant and lovely, make Billy Hazelnuts a part of your leisure-life now.
© 2005, 2010 Tony Millionaire. All rights reserved.