The Cassetty Comics anthology features everyone’s favorite cassette tape, Cassetty. This beloved character has appeared in zines such as Used Records & Tapes, Reglar Wiglar, and Roctober. However, most of the strips included in this book were redrawn and colorized for this edition. Rewind or fast forward to any section of the book to learn about this lively and very much NOT dead format!
Whether you were there for the compact cassette tape’s rise to dominance in the ‘70s, were a part of the tape trading culture of the ‘80s, or geek out over the current tape craze, you’ll appreciate the antics of Cassetty. Gen X to Gen Z, with Millennials sandwiched in between, this comic appeals to all.
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Inside Cassetty Comics
In this issue of Cassetty Comics, Cassetty leads us to his favorite watering hole where he drowns his sorrows in isopropyl alcohol (“Cassetty Pays a Visit to the Easy Speaker”). He also takes us on a slightly disrespectful tour of his favorite city (“Cassetty Takes Chicago”), Find out what happens when this caustic cassette meets his arch nemesis in a local record store (“Cassetty Meets a CD).” Learn about “Cassetty’s Most Humiliating Moments” and let this teacherly tape school you on the formats that didn’t make it in “Dead Formats.”
Cassetty Meets a CD
Cassette Pet Cassettes
Did you know that Cassetty has a cassette label? Well, it’s true. Sort of. It’s been 12 years since the first and only release by the Cassette Pet label — and even then the cassette in question (my band Soft Targets’ album The Rise and Fall of Soft Targets) was in the can for over three years before it finally saw release at the beginning of 2012.
What took so long? Who knows. It’s orange though, and that’s all that matters.
The tape features songs from seven-inch singles, outtakes, and alternate versions of a few songs from various lineups. If you’re interested, you can read more about that and other Soft Targets releases here. You can also order a copy of the album from Cassette Pet Cassettes.
Review of Cassetty Comics by Chris Auman
Oh, the audio history that young folks will get from reading this. Quick, what’s the first method you consciously used to listen to music? If you’re roughly my age it’s a cassette, although CDs were right around the corner from that. If you’re born any time after 2000, it’s a safe bet that no physical media of any kind was involved. Well, dig into the history of the various options, and have yourself a few laughs while doing it.
There are several stories in here, all involving our good old pal Cassetty. He stops by a bar where he runs into friends and enemies of various media types (including an LP who’s very happy about the recent trend of people using records again, some CDs and an old eight track that introduces him to some even older formats). And his l’il unknown child which is, of course, a micro cassette. Other stories include Cassetty going on a rampage in Chicago (since Chris lives in Chicago, this seems like it was probably cathartic for him), a double page spread of his dreams, more evidence of his rage towards CDs, his most humiliating moments and his hazy times during the peak of his popularity in the 80’s.
Finally he really digs into some of the oldest obsolete formats, including a few I’d never heard of, along with some solid reasons as to why they didn’t make it. I’ll always have a soft spot for cassettes, even if they are objectively inferior to other formats, so watching this little man going on a rampage or two was a blast. If you don’t have that same sentimental attachment, that’s OK too, as you’ll learn a whole lot reading this comic. And there’s violence, so what else could you ask for? $7.50 — Kevin Bramer, Optical Sloth
More Like Cassetty Comics
Read Cassetty Pays a Visit to the Easy Speaker Parts 1-3 here.
Check out some of my other comic creations here.
