Drop-In

Similar in tone to the legendary comic series Duplex Planet, Lapp’s first graphic novel is a collection of stories about his work as an art teacher in an inner city Toronto youth drop-in centre. His students are full of stories which they are eager to share. These include a family who picks worms at night on their knees, Vietnamese refugees, rope-jumping girls, Venus flytraps, bullies and tamagotchis. With a warmth of line and a uniquely charming storytelling style, Lapp’s comics evoke the work of Chester Brown, and his black humour that of Joe Ollmann.

Dave Lapp is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and the University of Western Ontario. He has been teaching art at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Avenue Road Arts School, and Regent Park for over ten years. As an extension of his work with underpriveleged kids in Regent Park, Lapp began the Jet Fuel Coffee Shop art show. Lapp co-produced the Toronto comics anthology Don't Touch Me from 2002-2007. His work can currently be seen in Taddle Creek magazine, and the Annex Gleaner. Lapp, his partner, and her son currently reside near Toronto's Wellesley village.