Crusher Loves Bleeder Bleeder Loves Crusher

by Thomas Stemrich, Patrick Keck (illustrator)

The old-timers in Texas’s Erzsébet county say that nature don’t ask permission, it feeds when it needs. But the bloodsucking bug in this here yarn got to thinking that nature ought not be absolute. Would you believe that this guy would rather dry up 'n die than ruin another picnic by taking his thirsty fangs to the softest baby with the deepest veins? And would you believe, just when he’s ready to die of thirst and turn to dust, a sickly human boy named Thum — a kind-hearted crusher done crushin’ — finds our starving bug — a big-hearted bleeder done bleedin’ — and hatches a plan to invite this feederfly back to where he slumbers?‘Cause what difference does it make to a deep sleeper if you punch a hole real gentle and slurp-slurp real quiet? When the fully sated feeder’s kin catch wind of his safe space for suckling, he realizes that there are matters more complicated than how and when to die. Does Thum’s frail frame house enough blood for the swarm or does devotion to the hive leave Thum a husk? How do you choose between those who are kind to you and those who are just your kind when one lives for the other’s suffering? Better pick quick, little bleeder, or you bet yer butt you’ll regret it.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels

120 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

Reviews

[Moon Captain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so wholesome :')

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crusher Loves Bleeder Bleeder Loves Crusher is the tale of a symbiotic relationship that begins between a lonely boy, Thum, and a large anthropomorphic feederfly named Bleeder. Discontent with his life as a blood-sucking being, Bleeder attempts to starve himself to death, only for Thum to intervene. Thum, for his part, is a sickly child confined to his grandmother's house due to immune related diseases. Sympathetic to Bleeder's plight, the pair become unlikely friends, until their friendship is challenged by the arrival of Bleeder's less sympathetic friends who are eager to feed on Thum completely.

A charming tale of friendship amidst conflicting feelings, we watch this unlikely duo overcome conflicts over a few episodic adventures. The story itself is funny and heartwarming, but it's Patrick Keck's unique artwork that sells the story for what it is. Bleeder's design is pretty off-the-wall; where he appears as a Disney-esque character often, but can change into a creepy vampiric being at the drop of a dime. Keck's layouts are conventional enough as he sticks to panels for the most part; it's rather the creative character designs and subdued rural setting that makes this an engaging read.

[Betzim Gdolot · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this book is what alternative comics is all about. The thick black lines mixed with delicate details create this perfect storm of ugly-beautiful that just works. It’s a wild ride that somehow manages to be funny while showing these really grotesque scenes that stick with you. The way it handles friendship isn’t your usual sappy stuff - it’s raw and real and hits you right in the gut.
This book is a mix of everything good about underground comics - it’s rough around the edges but that’s what makes it beautiful. The art style switches between crude and refined in a way that feels natural, not forced. It’s like someone took their darkest thoughts about friendship and turned them into something weirdly touching.
It’s a book that has humor in the darkest places, grotesque art that somehow becomes beautiful, and very strong emotions that sneak up on you when you least expect it. The way it makes you think about friendship and connection is surprisingly deep for something that looks so crude at first glance.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this odd alt comic about a sickly boy in rural religious Texas and the oversized blood-sucking bug he becomes besties with. The first story touches on trying to do the right thing when your basic needs depend on harming others, and when the community you’re born into conflicts with the friendships you’ve chosen. Bleeder’s cute little facing turning crazed when he first feeds on Crusher is probably my favorite page of this. The second is a sweetly existential story following what Bleeder and Crusher do as Bleeder’s considerably shorter lifespan as a bug becomes apparent; I didn’t expect to be touched as much as I was by the end. Keck’s illustration has a distinct roughness that took me a bit to acclimate to, like a lot of alt comix art, but I quickly found it really charming and fitting.

“Y’all asses live too long. That’s why you think there’s a forever. What’s another month? Probably gonna look a lot like this one.”

[Anna Voloshyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking loved the story and the illustration - gruesome and endearing at the same time, it’s hard not to feel engrossed in the way this weirdly complicated friendship grows. The ancient conflict between what is expected to what feels right - awesome and totally recommend.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gross but sweet

[Lily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eek it's a little too gross for me, lots of fluid drinking and the eating of the freshly dead, but weirdly colorful and fun? It's too much for me!

[Joe Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me hungry