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By Von Allan Issue Tl

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By Von Allan

Edited by Sam Boswell

Wolf's Head, Von Allan, and all characters and likenesses are ™ and © 2018 - 2020 Eric Allan Julien. All rights reserved. No reproduction with- out prior written permission of the publisher except brief passages in reviews. Names, characters, and incidents featured in this publication either are a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead or events, without satiric intent, is coincidental.

Published by Von Allan Studio, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Email: media@vonallan.com Web: https://www.vonallan.com

ISSN 2561-3537 (print) ISBN: 978-1-989885-00-0 (print) | ISBN: 978-1-989885-10-9 (electronic)

Von Allan and Von Allan Studio gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the City of Ottawa.

Flat City, Alaska, roughly 278 miles trom Anchorage as the crow fHies. A clearing behind The Bored Humor Rooming House. September 3rd, 2O78.

Right om Sank6é! Get the ball! Good dog!

‘Course, it would be reat if you'd ring it back

to me.

Okay, buddy, now it’s your turn!

g on, buddy! Nice catch!

two balls at the same time!

Never thought I’d become friends with both a dog and an artificial intelligence! Never thought you two would become friends, either!

ae a shape-changing Al. fe oe Sis Sauusenaees j ee Go figure!

't have a conversation with you, but we've come a /ong way from how things were back in Detroit. Felt like I was talking to a rock.

Now? As long as it's simPle, we're making progress.

on back, guys!

I know we had to do it guys, but T miss Detroit I miss Ninety-Nine and the bar. : : I miss Sketchy Dave. All my friends. I see girl dog. I paw her ae a oe att on back. If she keen, we throw down. ; 1; rr cr a A oif not, I walk away. No problem.’ P Uh-AuA. Ain’t

so easy for

Especially since we have to keep our : But it’s the on/y way to keep everyone heads down. Well, aside from doing this safe. Nobody can get close to us.

training when no one’s around. Too many people want to get their

Leaving Detroit was hard, but hands on this AT. If we can keep everyone I didn’t Know how hard being alone away, no one gets hurt. That's would be. No friends. It’s harder our goal. Right?

than I thought.

Shit, guys, cell alarm says I gotta get to work.

Okay, we know no one ever comes iS 5 out here. But still, we might be pushing it; | BBM pack aa abe a ae Buddy, You need to change into my bag. food into You before wor

Flat Food Bank, 77 Wiley Pos? Street, Flat City, Alaska. 12:23 PM.

Angela! When the boss lady calls, I come running

Hah! \f only that were

true of everyone, Lauren. You finished up your shift in the depot, rightP

N VE SN

eure

Great. MaYbe You can help me with a pesky problem. A good problem, but pesky.

Y That may mean we lose Sure is a shame. I’m . it all. Unless someone wants | gonna have to dump a// this Yeah. Donations \¥ H f__ to work some overtime. food into the garbage out back. have been good. 7h : \ What a waste, but There’s just Wondertul, If no one else to deliver it now. really.

much perishable

food and not

enough drivers to get it

Schemer! Okay, okay. Thanks. Despite mY \ I can drive the van. Overtime scheming, this'll be a 4/9 help. means bucks and I need it Besides, it'll give you a chance to, y’‘know, get to know the community. Make friends.

You must be the new driver that the food bank hired. Aren’t you the sweetest thing?

The Winnie Mae Seniors Centre. 74% Sarah Street, 1:44 PM. p : y Oh, geez, thanks, dear. ettin’ awfully GG She’s Angela’s latest hire. A few months back now. From warehouse to drivin’ delivery.

The cupboard was bare. This'II help. scene MENS

helps,

Thank You. The food reall Young lady. Times ain’t what they used to

be. Harder times now.

Mddndig {

=

ies Looks like

A®] You've settled in

pretty good. . Well, how do You like that?

~ Well: that’s that Do You have time for Rile

--actually, I need to make my next delivery.

St, =S =

N

Las Ss

: LEE Alas

EA\\

+i, Lauren. I#s Ange/a. Delivery went okay, but I’m Jetting some comPlaints about your attitude.

Complaints? AttitudeP Really?

i] Look, I know, okay? Got it “O-4." Okay? T'll try harder. It’s just--

--just. I-I gotta focus on mY driving. Talk to You later.

No friends. \Ne keep things on the down-low. Not so easy with this job, but we have to.

Besides, You know that. It’s the

Uh, yeah. Look, it’s a Social kinda job. You need +o be a bit more approachab/e--

--HeY, I’m not a social = worker, okay? I’m just trying [a to do mY Job.

I know what T’m doing.

Shit I’m already behind schedule. We’re gonna be a little late to the soup kitchen. : They're

=| not gonna like ee that.

Flat City Soup Kitchen 72 Dikeman Stree.

ig 34

EY I’m /ate. Things'll go

Look, I get it.

would help with the unloading.

a | fii faster if some of You

I get it. You don't know me. I’m from Detroit of all places. I’m an outsider. A big city girl.

My boss made that pretty damn clear.

like me. But if You want food, I’m all you've got.

What do you say

I’m not asking you to |

Uh, hello? Little help? T’'ve apologized. Let’s go.

And I'm black. Maybe that \ matters to some of You. Maybe it doesn’t.

I want to help. It’s up to you whether you'll let me. If You don’t, well...

Tl just tell the boss You guys don’t want any more food deliveries.

Just remember that ) there’s no one else at the food bank.

If I’m not driving this van, no one is.

Sank, ol’ buddy, no problems becoming friends with people here. We're really not in Kansas, huh?

Just costs You a do//ar for a lunch! A dollar! Come in to Flat City proper-like. Listen to what we have to say while You eat.

What other restaurant in town

There’s food at mY church! Come on down! Fill Your bellies.

Don’t think we need your help r Do what you need to do. T'll just be today, miss. Everything is-- : over here, giving out “ree groceries.

There’s

d

Sorry, preacher. Got a f no need,

Job to ue. And this food ; ma’am. will spoil if I don’t.

if they follow Je-- 2 You will eat, bye and

‘Work and pray, live on hay,’

Youll get pie inthe a] [we've Known each other a Wl ( ;,cuspect thats wh You, |

sky when You die.’ long time now, Jimmy. Lon : i i ee time. You know my cline: CA SUUI Ute about this.

T’ll take her free food over paYin’ you for ‘i Raaeaa Nice doggie. Nope. I was out yours any day of the goddamn week. Go on, ProsPectin’ and my that’s right. Go back to yer parish, preacher. J You usually : ol’ jeep broke down.

. . wander out of the Locked up. Can't bush to scare off fi] 4 drive it. preachers? a

Don’t mention it. He may be god-fearin’, but he’s a royal pain in the ass.

Good to see you, Chuck. Thanks for the food, ma’am.

Where’s ¥ everyone e/se

Of course they're true!

I’m liable to blow someone’s head clear off their goddamned shoulders for this shit.

Uh, easy now, Mr. Chuck. f Let’s not--

Uh, Yeah, about that, Chuck. You’ve been gone for about a week now.

Billy heard a@/ your tales of. . gold_and decided he had enough.

So he took a group out after you left.

MY granddaddy worked in the ol’ mine around here! I know there’s gold. It’s just a matter

of finding it! Where's Billy now?

They came back, bragged to people like pine then went back \ooking for more.

You! You got that sweet work van! I need a ride back out. You up for thatP

\

Sure, I could do that.

Did he now?

You know Billy. He's good in the bush. But Chuck; they found

A small one, but a nugget. Wanted me to Give it to you.

It jus’ ain't right. Ain’t right at all. All I do is share with folk. Tell ‘em stories. Teach ‘em.

And fuck me Sideways; Ya is found!

SS

ie

happens? Billy fucks me over! You believe that shit?

‘Course, a ride out is nice. But | a body needs a resurn trip. Say tomorrow evenin’?P

go snag a New pack!

GoldP Prospecting? | Can you make a living doing that?

Kinda. See, there’s o this old mine that my granddaddy \ worked on. A Payin’ mine. :

Gs

SO

1 Then? Yeah. Wow? It’s complicated. Back in the Cold War, us and the

Russkies signed a treaty. To stop apecciepee an’

all that.

As part of the treaty, everythin’ up here got mothballed.

With the

overnment he mine hidden away from pryin’ eYes, everYone plain orgot about that gold.

aeecaee I figure that mine has L2A4AZZzZZB a secret. A dark secret it : wants to keep quiet. A killin’ secret.

[\, ——— Ah, come on!

Old mine. Gold. People

ge \ disappearing. C'mon, I--

one and

But it got all shut down years ago. Sealed up tight.

i a), aa LAS, ==

It’s all mysterious. No one knows. Then the government back in the 197Os, claimed the land and built a facility right on top of it.

So ir == "nr

Not me, though. I Anow there's gold there. It’s just a matter of findin’ it. An’ every now and again, T’ve found nuggets just like ol’ Billy did.

—

rea But no? the

big un’. Not the men §=6morherlode

Others have tried, too. A lot of ‘em tend to disappear. Vanish.

--Uh, ChuckP What type of facility did the government build exactly?

ELLLEE!

Sega age KEELE, PLZZ

F BREE

This is Safeguard. gonna be built

It has a sister in North Dakota.

in Montana an’ Missouri.

Oh, Yeah Two others were

e, secretive, ass radar for e missiles.

anti-balistic missile

Oh, just Yer Lauren. Pyramid is

avera a bi th

site,

s

I heard some of the as aHOO feet. It’ p- No maps.

the ol’ mine stretches for miles underneath

,

An

shafts went as dee!

)

all sealed u

pick me ght_here. 200 PMP

omorrow. Ri Say 6

T need you to

up t

re P

kay out here

Gold. So you sure You eah

going to be o Oh,

es Not 's

But there’

Somewhere.

YP:

overnment t but not me.

g

Maybe the

have some,

anyone I know. gold.

2 84 22 56 IY) a

onna see

if I car find where

Jus’

Billy an’ friends

got to.

All the food got delivered guys, but I’m beat. ty 2S That’sa long day with a fot of driving.

Going to have to figure something else out. Soon.

Maybe get a pizza delivery gig gt

or somethin

usky miner with the four paw rive? His robot friend helping him outP MaYbeP No?

"And since I'm making peanuts, I can barely afford anything after paying for this room.

Food for me?

left after all that.

te eamannabaanosaoauserinnenn wo

Cuan

| ER ER ULES REE SITE IER T a

Or maybe I should join the hunt for gold. Whatya sayP We could all be prospectors diving underground to find gold?

Food for youP Not much

Safeguard Complex, Alaska. 5 September ¥¢h, 2079. 6:00 PM. Not even a little bit. Checked all figured. You're the usual sites, but alone. No nothin’. Couldn't Well, we're on \g luckP track shit. time, Sank6é buddy. ff (aA aera cen) Maybe Hopefully Chuck aN Me that’s for the won't be la-- : : \ :

oagies te. azar , That's what theY probably did. Pra oe Kinin earl ed { Maybe after findin’ Gnother nu If I found Billy, : : ‘ two. Would jus’ be my luck.

I mighta murdered him. Qi ay el taco : j Fuckin’ guy takin’ all that : i 7 eee se I told him and then comin’ fees Be gs in the bush an’

out here on his own. / oy ‘ * ce | find a few

nuggets! aE +

I bet they found nothin’ an’ then just skedaddled

back

Fuckin’ backs/abbin’ guys a | ye What say we get back on the screwin’ me over like that! Jesus fucking meme road? T’ve already had a full day. Let’s Christ I oughta--! ; % get you back safe and sound.

Huh? Oh. Yeah, okay, yeah. Sorry.

Get a bit

worked Up, me.

Re +7 PM. —

z They're probably all gonna . | laugh at me. Chuck the ol’ fool, lookin’ or us when we’re already back!

They shoulda been back by now. Back ages ago.

Nope, not

a one of ‘em came

Shit. I thought for sure theY’d be back.

They shoulda come back. I coulda thrashed ‘em some, and then we coulda went back together.

Propert equipped.

They’ve been gone way too long.

So where's BillyP Let?

$00

's get this over with. i 7 Ey :

You never found himP He and the others never came back!

Maybe. But if the found their way in, well, they ain equipped. They coulda scouted, sure, maYbe a bit.

Then whatP Rummage in the darkP How the hell ou genre find gold ike thatP How You gonna dig?

rin Zon FS

Lauren, I need another favour. Let’s you and I grab a cup of coffee. You up for that?

a

\

another

Jus’ few seconds, ! beats p of Good with strangers. r —~)

Nothin a hot cu coffee

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Good with cops. Make nice with them. Get them to help us.

Cops don’t like us much out here. We ain’t close to Flat City, so they can’t blame us for setting up close toa

beer store or whatever.

7 aa A

oo dal

But they'd like to. An’ they'll probably move us along soon enough. They’ve done it before.

4 Cae ; . No surprise there, huh, Lauren? I know I’m get Mea al ih : oe : ad prickly. You’ve already figured that out.

the cops. : OY oaks $5 ‘Course, most of

us don’t get on with the cops here.

So Yeah, we need someone who can talk to the cops. We need friends, Lauren. Someone like you. Can You help usP

ay \ an

Look, this is nice and all! But--

--but I’ve got to go. Gotta get the van back to the food bank!

Jesus, look at the

eR Cap ae

‘ ree; tines i

I oY pian _ go MB Sey? — ‘ Appreciate the hospitality. zi Bets ae. os I really do, but I’ve got to fy ie se! f oe loser tt er a f ne | right now.

head back.

Lauren, what did I

Fuuuuck. What was I doing? Sitting there? Without even

thinking about it.

What was I thinking? What would happen nextP

" " <7 Ss I become friends with AB all of ‘emP Get to know them? Trust GA

’ each other? Help them?

People close to me ™] get hurt. Badly. Sometimes

they d-die.

Uf

L]

ih

THIEL

l

WL

And what happens when the people looking for us eventually show upP

I’m no? gonna let that happen. I’m better off alone.

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wolf Tales

Want to get in touch?

Please write to letters@vonallan.com

In a surprise (well, at least to me!) turn of events, I’ve received a $4,000.00 grant from the City of Ottawa’s Arts Funding Program. The grant is in support of my ongoing comics project WOLF’S HEAD (this here comic) and represents a significant step in my arts career. Why significant? Well, bear with me here for a sec and I’ll try to explain.

As I’ve struggled to cobble together an arts career, there have been a number of obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. This is not unique to me, unique to Canadian comic artists, unique to visual artists, or unique to the arts in general. Despite certain stereotypes of artists (“heads in the clouds,” blah, blah, blah), it’s quite a tricky career to manage. There is not a lot of support “out there” for artists, either. Most artists I know are forced to manage their careers as best they can and there really isn’t a road map to help along the way. That’s been very true for me. While a lot of words come to mind to describe this — ‘challenging’ being a very good one — it just is what it is. And there is a certain truism to the notion that by the time acknowledgment does come (usually in the form of awards, accolades, and sales), the artist doesn‘ need as much support as they once did. That’s definitely not true of me.

Let me say that again: That’s definitely not true of me.

It’s been a fight every step of the way. The first fight was simply to become competent and that might have been the toughest battle of them all. The learning curve, at least for me, has been extremely steep with a lot of false starts and dashed hopes along the way. Then, the next fight is to survive. Truth be told, that’s been tough, too. Being pretty much a fringe artist at the best of times and a true Outsider most of the time

meant that building awareness for my work has been a never-ending struggle. In my case, at least, I find I just try to hold on, fingernails digging into the cliff face as I hold on for all of my life. Is that metaphor too far? I don’t think so. Pragmatically speaking, surviving as an artist means generating an income. In my case specifically, that primarily means selling my comics. And that has never been easy.

As some folks know, I really had hopes that TAM STILL YOUR CHILD, the documentary film I’m in, would help build awareness for my art. That really hasn’t happened, at least so far, and the disappointment was hard to place. That doesn’t mean I’m not proud of my role in the film. Far from it! And I still think the film is important for shedding light on parental mental illness, a taboo subject to this day.

That said, as my wife is fond of saying, the film was ‘kindling’ for my arts career and represented a milestone in its own right. While it hasn’t changed awareness of my work in the larger comics community, it has led to growing awareness in the local arts scene. I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t have been a finalist for the Peter Honeywell Award without it. And I certainly wouldn’t have won a CBC Trailblazer Award without it, too.

And with this announcement of winning a grant from the City of Ottawa, I’m pretty confident saying that it wouldn’t have happened without the film and the other awards. One thing does lead to another. And the grant is important from another point of view; it really does give some much needed financial support for my comics endeavors. As I’ve noted, being an artist is not an easy path and every little bit of financial support helps. When a jury of my peers determined that

my art and comics were worthy of financial support, my jaw dropped. And it’s taken a bit of time for me to really get my head around it. I’m both honored and pleased as punch to receive it. And in these pandemic times we live in, it is one helluva lift.

So yes, Von Allan Studio (that’s me, folks!) gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the City of Ottawa.

Boy, do I! Q

- Von Allan Ottawa, Ontario

UL isrtOrs, ist

Yi; WE ent EATING:

| : jf ‘ De. bs e ie be Nn ony byemsfory Nan

HTTPS://WOLFS-HEAD.VONALLAN.COM

Did you have fun with this comic? Can’t wait for the next one? Feel that this Von Allan guy ain’t too bad, huh? Well, if you want to see more of Von's work You don’ have to wait for the next chapter in my adventures!

Von has a hardcover collection of stories out now, too! Thrills, spills,

adventures, robots, wizards, and The-book: dogs! In full color! should-have-had-

moreroboss!

Fe # y !

age

Quiet, ‘bot! : It even has stories FJ us kids like!

Find it a better bookstores and comic shops. Or find it at online bookstores, too. Anywhere books are sold, you'll find “Love, Laughter, and Loss”!

ISBN: 978-1-989885-16-1

Y « ae ee y 5 es . . . . . ° ° . O o ° e o) . . . ° = ° . A ° : . e ° og . ° g ° . NY . e oe . oe a 5 ° . = ee . ° . 4 ° ° e 4 mt ‘ P a : ° ° ° 5 . . F 5 . ° a ° ° e a e = ° PR . Q 6 ° .

https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com

The song Chuck and friends sing is ‘The Preacher and the Slave’ by Joe Hill. The lyrics were published in SONGS OF THE WORKERS: ON THE ROAD, IN THE JUNGLES, AND IN THE SHOPS (15th edition) (October 1919) by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1925. Further information regarding this publication can be found at https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Songs_of_the_Workers_(15th_edition)