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*Zed: Setting the Scene* by Duane M. Abel
 
Also by Duane M. Abel:

Zed: Rave Reviews

Zed: Backstage Pass

Zed: Loads of Love





 

Zed: Setting the Scene
by Duane M. Abel
All ages 24 pages Corkey Comics 2005 Paperback    

Zed may be retired from the world of lint, but he still loves to linger in the laundry. When he’s not performing his solo act on a mailbox, he can be found near or on something laundry-related. While perched on top of the family washing machine, Zed reveals to young Brian the hazards that can be encountered in the laundry world. Overturned boxer shorts are something Zed does not miss from his laundry dweller days!

Although Zed lives with a family who could very well do their own laundry (and, on occasion, they do), Zed would prefer they leave the fabric softener-dispensing and the clothes-ironing to him. Unfortunately, problems do occur when one performs laundry duties with too much zest. Sharp creases in the clothes after ironing mean band-aids for the wearers, and too much fabric softener in the wash turns a sweater into a cup-of-sweater concoction. With a hobby he gives his whole heart to, it’s no surprise that Zed’s eyes dance when he sees laundry baskets for sale or that he makes “Found” posters for lost buttons.

Zed may be surrounded by laundry quite a bit, but he balances his life with other interests as well. He visits retired vaudeville neighbors Floyd and Earl to learn all about the showbiz life. He goes to a restaurant with Brian for hamburger and fries, and to the library with Brian’s younger brother, Clyde, for the “thrill of a new book.” Zed likes to spend time in the kitchen, too, when pancakes are being made, or when icing-clogged beaters need to be licked.

Adopted by a kind family, Zed is a thoughtful laundry dweller. He picks out a mom for the flowers, helps Dad during a blackout on the porch, and grows useful crops in the garden. In Zed’s world, I like where the maple syrup comes from, how the wallpaper flowers grow, and the ease with which Mom can “order” her clothes. Seeing the world through Zed’s eyes is fun and makes you feel like a kid again.

Zed: Setting the Scene is Duane M. Abel’s second collection of comic strips. Twenty-two pages in length, Zed comic books can be read in any order by people of all ages. With two comic strips per page, Zed comics are clean in layout and type and entertaining to read. The cover of Zed: Setting the Scene humorously illustrates how far Zed’s family will go to help him succeed, and how imaginative Abel’s mind can be.

Born in Carrollton, Ohio, Abel writes comics that families can enjoy. He was fifteen when he created Zed. Today, Zed can be seen in the comic books Zed: Backstage Pass, Zed: Rave Reviews, Zed: Loads of Love, and Zed: A Christmas Gifting. Nominated for the Ignatz Award, Zed can also be read in several newspapers.
   


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