This is the opening scene from my new book, to be released this Wednesday, October 17, 2012. You’ll want to visit my “Events” page for up-to-date book release information. I’ve included below a review of my Neener Neener series, written by local Librarian, Todd Bastin.

“Steve Richter’s Neener Neener comics page series as collected in Atomic Yardsale and Existential Fish are quite something apart from other contemporary strips on teenagers such as Zits, because it isn’t about how adults react to teens, or even how adults ideally imagine teens (e.g., Archie — et alis) — and certainly not how adults think “tweens” (ages 10-12) hope their future adolescent years will be like (e.g., Nickelodeon Channel, Disney Channel — ad nauseum).  Steve has this rare capacity to actually remember what it was like to be a teenager.  That said, it is not an insular world he has created.  His teenage characters know that this phase of life is not the be-all and end-all of things — its leading to the big mystery of becoming grown-ups.  They’re perceptive in their different ways, and are practicing being adults in ways that are meaningful to them as human beings in the culture we live in.  At the same time, Steve’s characters are also trying to figure out what parts of their childhood are important enough to carry with them into adulthood.  These combination of storytelling traits make it magical and insightful, escapist and philosophical.  Oh, and I forgot to mention: Steve’s artwork captures nuanced emotions through facial expressions and body language with more subtlety and psychological penetration than anyone you care to pick in the humor comics world these days.”

Todd Bastin

Public Librarian