Grease Monkey » (First Edition)

Author and artist Tim Eldred lives in San Diego, California.

Praise for Grease Monkey

"Believable characters, good writing, humor and excitement. Who could ask for more?"

—Trina Robbins

"Delightful science fiction with a sense of humor, Grease Monkey is an all-ages series that doesn't write down to its readership—and that's much more rare than it should be."

—Comic Shop News

"What snuck up on me over the years was just how much is actually going on in this series. What I thought of as a loose string of stories—almost a sitcom set on a space station—was turning out more and more to be a single work, more ambitious, more structured and deeper than I'd realized. This wasn't a series, it was a novel—an episodic novel, to be sure, but a novel nonetheless."

—Kurt Busiek, author of Astro City

Publishers Weekly

First impressions can be deceiving. This tale, set in a postapocalyptic future, starts out by introducing young space cadet (and science fiction buff) Robin Plotnik as he reports for duty as a mechanic aboard the spaceship Fist of Duty. There he meets his superior, Mac Gimbensky, a talking gorilla who is rumored to eat people, and the Barbarians, a squadron of gorgeous female fighter pilots. It would seem that we are in the realm of juvenile sci-fi, bursting with undiluted adolescent male fantasies. But beneath the fantastic trappings, this is really a coming-of-age story that takes the form of a charming romantic comedy. While learning how to fit into shipboard society, Robin cautiously seeks to court a young librarian named Kara. As for the allegedly fearsome Mac, the gorilla not only becomes Robin's mentor and protector, but is something of an overgrown kid, who has a surprisingly touching romance with a female gorilla space fleet admiral. Eldred's writing is filled with gentle comedy and wise personal insights. His artwork is traditional in the best sense: not flashy but clear, efficient and handsome, and particularly good at conveying his cast's personalities. While swimming in some time-tested waters, this work should appeal to readers who appreciate a universal story and nuanced characterization with their space battles. (May) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.