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Stig's Inferno
The 1980's series Stig's Inferno was Ty Templeton's first original series. It developed a powerful cult following, and ran for 8 issues from Vortex and Eclipse Comics.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 15, 2025
3.5
Not exactly what I was expecting but it doesn't overstay its welcome.
Not exactly what I was expecting but it doesn't overstay its welcome.
March 5, 2021
This must have seemed like a pretty weird comic for American audiences, even in the '80s, as its formula is distinctly European, very reminiscent of Gotlib's Rubrique-a-Brac, where he used Inspector Maigret as the basis for his parodic Inspector Bougret. Something more accessible for comparison may be A Goofy King Midas or Goofy Eiffel, also of European origin.
In essence, the referential work (in this case Dante's Inferno) is used merely as a device for wacky comedy, while a gazillion other things are happening in the background, like superhero cameos, whole different mini-stories that are rapidly forgotten, and odd items that may or may not be puns, allegories, pop culture references etc.
Aside from the one clear and simple motive the character has (in this case, find a phone and call a cab), everything else is taken in unphased stride, moving from one weird episode to the next. It does suffer from the fact that Klaus Schönefeld died before ever completing it (all of 23 years old) and it is a pity when one considers the ingenuity he had already reached by that age.
Still, it is a nice and unusual bit of comics history.
In essence, the referential work (in this case Dante's Inferno) is used merely as a device for wacky comedy, while a gazillion other things are happening in the background, like superhero cameos, whole different mini-stories that are rapidly forgotten, and odd items that may or may not be puns, allegories, pop culture references etc.
Aside from the one clear and simple motive the character has (in this case, find a phone and call a cab), everything else is taken in unphased stride, moving from one weird episode to the next. It does suffer from the fact that Klaus Schönefeld died before ever completing it (all of 23 years old) and it is a pity when one considers the ingenuity he had already reached by that age.
Still, it is a nice and unusual bit of comics history.
December 12, 2018
Stig's Inferno was one of those idiosyncratic indie books of the 80s. Similar to Mage, Cerebus, TNMT, Those Annoying Post Brother (Matt Howarth), Black Kiss, Transit, Yummy Fur, Mr. X, Love and Rockets, etc.
It's a comedic take on Dante's Divine Comedy (obviously) and the style is extreme cartooning. In retrospect, I assume Evan Dorkin's Bill and Ted was inspired by this. Perhaps even Tank Girl.
It's a comedic take on Dante's Divine Comedy (obviously) and the style is extreme cartooning. In retrospect, I assume Evan Dorkin's Bill and Ted was inspired by this. Perhaps even Tank Girl.
March 16, 2013
Stig is a deep and philosophical thinker who seems to cope fairly well with encountering outrageous demons all the time. Even when he was an infant he was capable to cogitate deep thoughts (although one of those thoughts was unfortunately "I'd sell my soul for my rattle"). Somehow he proved to be immune to being eaten by Buer (who eats everone else he encounters, but couldn't keep Stig down), unaffected by the curse Satan put on his chair to stop others sitting on it (it turned Ciriatto into a rabbit), and when we last saw him, he had just developped the ability to fire bolts of hellfire from his hands. However he still can't seem to get anyone to supply him with a pair of pants.
Stig lived in a bizarre house in the middle of nowhere, complete with a demonic netherworld, wretched spirit talisman on the wall of the master bedroom. Stig had built the house himself, but somehow the demonic netherworld, wretched spirit talisman had been there when he moved in; he figured it was the neighborhood kids playing pranks (this might be more likely if he had lived somewhere there were neighborhood kids... or even neighbors). While showing a date, Beatrice about the place, he discovered the beings living in his grand piano (their summer house, but that's another story). Rather than allow him to evict them, they slammed the lid down on his head, killing him.
And that's where it starts gettibg interesting ;-)
Stig lived in a bizarre house in the middle of nowhere, complete with a demonic netherworld, wretched spirit talisman on the wall of the master bedroom. Stig had built the house himself, but somehow the demonic netherworld, wretched spirit talisman had been there when he moved in; he figured it was the neighborhood kids playing pranks (this might be more likely if he had lived somewhere there were neighborhood kids... or even neighbors). While showing a date, Beatrice about the place, he discovered the beings living in his grand piano (their summer house, but that's another story). Rather than allow him to evict them, they slammed the lid down on his head, killing him.
And that's where it starts gettibg interesting ;-)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews