by BK Munn

The world of a record dealer is only slightly more respectable than the profession of cartoonist or comic shop owner, as Lorenz Peter knows well.

Peter, the award-winning artist behind Dark Adaptation and Chaos Mission, is also a musician and record collector. A few years ago he opened up a small record shop in Toronto called LP’s LPs, and started buying and selling vinyl in earnest.

Now we have a sort of record of his years in the vinyl mines in the form of a new graphic novel, a semi-fictional account called On Vinyl, due this spring from Conundrum Press.

Based on the publisher’s description, the book promises to do for record shops what It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken did for obscure New Yorker cartoonists:

“High Fidelity for a new generation

Living in Toronto has its challenges, especially when duct tape-wielding landlords and ever-encroaching developers are involved. For Lenny, the antidote to the chaos at home is the realization of a dream: opening a used record store with a carefully curated selection. He works hard, sneaking bites of cold noodles between customers, and politely tolerating even the most ridiculous requests.

Unfortunately, Lenny’s store isn’t much more stable than his home life. Rent is sky-high, and sales are sporadic. Some days, he’s run off his feet while other days, smashing unwanted records is the only way to pass the time. Hope arrives in the form of an old press release tucked away in the sleeve of a record. The discovery launches Lenny into his next quest: to track down the long-lost record collection of Hot Walter, an elusive and aging disco DJ. But will it be enough to save Lenny’s Vinyl Boutique?

On Vinyl is a love letter to vinyl and an exploration of the role nostalgia plays in the decisions we make.”

The book is set to debut at TCAF in May.