Armistead Maupin is one of those writers whose work spoke to many people and whose stories felt so visceral. His books made certain individuals who felt so alone for so long feel instantly connected to a larger tapestry. 30 Miles of Crazy #7 evokes a similar feeling.

I remembered the first time I heard about Maupin. It was in the television adaptation of one of his books for Showtime. The series starred some well-known actors and their lives in and around the city of San Francisco.

I watched the series as a lover of great stories and was not disappointed at all. The series was a godsend. It made me ravage his books. Though it was a world unfamiliar to me, his tactile penchant for pacing, his endearing structure of his characters, and his layered world building made his books both worthwhile and magnetic. Very few writers since his entry into the literary world can compare. Karl Christian Krumpholz is one who does. Krumpholz has set his own standards, giving the world a modern masterpiece in 30 Miles Of Crazy #7.

In “The City,” a man marvels at how much his city has changed around him, and though he lived there for years he still feels like an outsider. In “The Mugger,” an unlikely snowfall gives way to some very strange circumstances, ones that lead to a mugger walking his would-be victim home safely. In “A Gesture,” one man gets a love branch from someone in a crisis which puts his whole place in life in perspective. In “My Uncle,” one man finds out more about a long deceased relative in his death more than when he was alive. In “Darkness,” one bargoer reminisces about a friend who was the life of the party and how those missed connections, were the only chances we have before someone is gone from this life. In “My Only Stan Lee Story,” the author replays his wife’s encounter with the iconoclast, which though truncated, is both funny and very much is within his personality. In the last story I will highlight, “Agoraphobia,” one woman’s issues with her family haunts her long after they pass away, leaving her to question what she fears now?

Overall, a beautiful collection of vignettes that both ring true and is somewhat fantastical at times. The stories by Krumpholz are funny, brilliant, and heartfelt. The art by Krumpholz is gorgeous. Altogether, stories that will make you feel as though those bricks are beneath your feet.

Story: Karl Christian Krumpholz Art: Karl Christian Krumpholz
Story: 10 Art: 9.6 Overall: 9.8 Recommendation: Buy

Where people want to live seems to come down to how you were raised and what you might consider “creature comforts.” Those comforts might be an inconvenience for the next person. I’ve been fortunate to have lived in both cities and suburbs. I also have been deployed as a service member and know how it is live in what most people would not even consider a dwelling.

This is where seeing the world makes a difference. It impacts the way one sees the world and relate to people from different backgrounds. Life is what you make it and that applies to the relationships you have with the people you come across as well. The world doesn’t revolve around one person but instead it does around all the people who inhabit it. In the final issue of 30 Miles Of Crazy, we get one last ride for fans of this anthology series.

In “Sometimes That Is Just Enough,” one homeless man laments on his life and how he got in this position. In “A Good Person,” one woman trying to do something nice ends up in a really awkward situation. In “The Old Lions,” one bar owner runs down he history of his establishment and how long it has been in his family. In “Sweet Caroline,” one man tells a melancholy tale about a prostitute that has longed stayed in his mind after she passed. In the final story “The ZFLTG Club,” a roundtable of women discusses the struggles of being a woman.

Overall, it’s a fine set of stories that rounds out this hilarious and relatable comic series about living in a metropolis. The stories by Karl Christian Krumpholz is entertaining and smart. The art by Krumpholz is remarkable and magnetic. Altogether, an excellent end to a fascinating series that redefines slice of life stories.

Story: Karl Christian Krumpholz Art: Karl Christian Krumpholz
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.7 Recommendation: Buy

Growing up, I never really understood why my parents would tell me not to hang out with certain kids. The people I made friends were the people I naturally gravitated towards. For me, my friends usually fit into more than one group. I had friends who were in to sports and were honor roll students. The kids who everyone figured was trouble, were usually really misunderstood or had other things going on which made them act out. The ones I never really got along with, was just because they had preconceived notions of who I was.

As I joined the military, I noticed many of those cliques in high school remained just in different forms. The reality is, you really are not who you are with. They may influence you but they do not make you. In the fifth and penultimate issue of 30 Miles Of Crazy, we find a few wild bunches, which challenges the boundaries of friendship.

In “The Crazy Ones,” one bar owner gives the rundown on one of his regulars, someone that has changed his life. In “Running,” one local bargoer talks about how he kept his integrity through the years. In “The Meanest Man In Scotland,” we get a tale of how it is drink abroad and the difference in distillation. In “Another Satisfied Customer,” a bartender spouts all the rules that needs to be followed when talking to the person behind the bar. In “The Failed Optimist,” one local bargoer talks about her many failed attempts at having a social life. In “Wes’ Story,” one gay man talks about how it used to be when being gay was still considered taboo.

Overall, it’s an entertaining issue which showcases some of the wildest tales about the city. The story by Karl Christian Krumpholz is funny and relatable. The art by Krumpholz is alluring. Altogether, it’s a one of the funniest issues from the series.

Story: Karl Christian Krumpholz Art: Karl Christian Krumpholz
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Bars can be lonely places. But, it’s a place where you meet people from all walks of life. Sitting in the same bar you might find things in common. I’ve met some lifelong friends in places where spirits are involved just from simple conversations we had about life. In fact, some of my noteworthy conversations have been in places with hardwood floors and familiar smiles. This is also some of the places where I said goodbye to friends.

Some of those goodbyes were merry as they were moving on to improved jobs. Then there were the ones where I said goodbye for the last time. Those were melancholy to say the least. Bars can be epicenters for moments in life that need to be recognized. In the fourth issue of 30 Miles Of Crazy, we find a few patrons whose lives has taken some interesting turns.

In “Pickup Line,” a man who gets hit by a woman in a car, tries to actually “hit” on her. In “The Incident at The Family Dollar,” an overzealous geriatric calls the cop on a patron who accidentally bumps into him. In “Decisions,” a young woman checks on a homeless person who they believe may be dead. In “Crawfish,” a drunken woman lashes out at a restaurant to only get arrested moment later. In “Alone,” a young woman shows the reader what is dreadful about eating alone in a restaurant.  In “Wake Up,” two drunks try to get a drink after last call, only to try to get their drinks from a tattoo parlor. In “That Night,” one man recounts when trying to be the good Samaritan didn’t quite workout the way he wanted. In the last and probably most sorrowful tale in the series “Seeing The World,” one widower talks about how him and his wife were going to see the world until she got sick and passed away and how took to seeing the world for both of them.

Overall, the issue is another excellent installment in this fascinating series of vignettes about life in the concrete jungle. The story by Karl Christian Krumpholz is smart, funny, and relatable. The art by Krumphol is captivating. It’s another great issue with keen observations of the city.

Story: Karl Christian Krumpholz Art: Karl Christian Krumpholz
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

That old saying “you can go home again,” is one that so many can relate to in their own way. It could be that they’ve changed. They’re no longer a product of their environment, and they have grown exponentially since they left. They’re just not the same person. The place they call home could not be the same place. Neighborhoods change all the time, not only through developments but also the myriad of people who now inhabit what you consider home.

This becomes even more difficult the older you get. You realize you’re still the same person, but you’re no longer tethered to what you considered home. To most people, they don’t realize it once they leave home, your change has already begun. The world forces you to change along with it. In the third issue of 30 Miles Of Crazy a few characters find out this lesson the hard way.

In “Appropriate Behavior,” one drunk intentionally flirts with a barfly only to step over a line. In “Humor,” a cartoonist talks up a drunk woman who makes a bad joke. In “Late One Evening,” a couple gets a stranger inadvertently wet for their mistake. In “Spare Change,” a homeless man makes a woman uncomfortable for not giving him any money. In “Please,” a heartbroken man pleads for hi solve to take him back. In “The Christmas Comic,” a man helps a drunk cross the street only to be cursed out by him. In “You Cant Go Home Again,”  a drunk woman frustrated with change at her local bar , feels the place is not the same. In “Making The Rent,” a woman laments on how her neighborhood is not longer affordable for her. In “Drinks With A Dead Man,”  a man leaves it in his will to have one last round of beers for everyone at his favorite watering hole.

Overall, the comic is a hilarious set of stories that both bewilder and amuse the reader into stitches. The stories by Karl Christian Krumpholz are smart, funny, and irreverent. The art by Krumpholz is stellar. Altogether, it’s a slice of life comic that captures the experiences that can be found in most major metropolises.

Story : Karl Christian Krumpholz Art: Karl Christian Krumpholz
Story: 10 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy