The Sleeze Brothers
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The Sleeze Brothers was a short-lived comic published by Epic Comics, between August 1989 and January 1990 (UK release dates), lasting for 6 issues. A collection of the six issues were later released in 1990, along with a final extended issue in 1991.
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[edit] Overview
The comic depicts a futuristic Earth rife with extraterrestrials, pollution, crime and corruption. The focus of the stories are El' Ape and Deadbeat Sleeze, two private eye brothers, who ply their trade in the seedy underbelly of The Big Apple, a futuristic city taking it's name from the nickname of New York City.
In the comics Deadbeat and El' Ape Sleeze are described as dysfunctional orphans who grew up in an orphanage for unwanted boil in the bag testtube babies. As adults they use amoral and often underhanded methods to get the results demanded by their insalubrious and eclectic clients.
[edit] Influences
The title characters in the Sleeze Brothers comics were loosely inspired by Jake and Elwood Blues from the cult movie The Blues Brothers, but were actually based on Andy Lanning's two cousins, Phil and Pete Carmichael. These two characters appeared on the front cover of the collected edition. However, other influences also shine through, specifically Ridley Scott's hugely popular movie Blade Runner.
[edit] Undercurrents
The comics themselves are littered with contemporary parodies of both real and fictional characters, and occasional real life current affairs from 1989 and 1990. Additionally, the Sleeze Brothers storylines feature a variety of comical adult situations, and colorful (though not profane) language.
[edit] Supporting Characters
- Sergent Pigheadski: a two-headed humanoid swine police captain;
- President Sinatra: a part-cyborg amalgam of Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan;
- The Cosmos Father: an intergalactic mafia don;
- Wong: an Asian restraunteur thinnly veiled as a humanoid feline.
- Papa Beatbox: the aging African American caretaker of the orphanage and the Sleeze Brothers' father figure.
[edit] Issues
- Issue #1: "Nice And Sleezy" (aka "Anytime, Anyplanet, Anything!")
- Issue #2: "Reel To Real"
- Issue #3: "The Big Leap"
- Issue #4: "Murder In Space"
- Issue #5: "Down In The Sewer"
- Issue #6: "The Maltese Egg"
- Six issue collection: "The Sleeze Brothers Case Files"
- Additional final issue: "The Sleeze Brothers: Some Like It Fresh"
[edit] Creative Credits
- Writer / Creator: John Carnell
- Penciller / Creator: Andy Lanning
[edit] Sources
- The Sleeze Brothers, issues 1 through 6
- "The Sleeze Brothers: Some Like It Fresh"
- The Sleeze Brothers website
- El 'Ape and Deadbeat Sleeze: The Sleeze Brothers
