Next month Slave Labor (Amaze Ink) will publish Everything Can Be Beaten, a full color storybook written by Jhonen Vasquez (under the nom de plume, Mr. Chancre Scolex) and illustrated by Vasquez (aka Mr. Crab Scrambly).  The book's macabre storyline involves IT, a hapless creature who bored by a life spent beating an endless supply of kittens, who breaks out from a monotonous existence spent in one room.  Everything Can Be Beaten is an allegory that manages to be (like Johnny The Homicidal Maniac) strangely endearing even while it depicts the disturbing and horrible acts that IT commits.  Bowing on August 8, and retailing for $3.95, Everything Can Be Beaten is a full color, 24-page, 6'x 5' storybook with a cardstock cover.

Diamond has not solicited in Previews for Everything Can Be Beaten yet, though it will appear in the September Previews as well as in an upcoming Diamond Dateline.  Diamond has purchased 5,000 copies of the book in advance of solicitation, so it should be readily available.  Cold Cut and other distributors will also have the book.

Vasquez's previous efforts from the comic I Feel Sick to the TV series Invader Zim have all found loyal followings -- and his work sells well in many different pop culture venues (see 'Merchandising Apparel -- The Smaller Store') in part because Vasquez has a knack for creating toy and apparel items that his fans love (see 'More Zim Connections').  Perhaps his works aren't for everyone, but they do tend to find an audience.