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Feb 27, 2026 Web Exclusive By John Paul Bullock

Joe Ollmann (Fictional Father) loves short stories. From Saki to Shirley Jackson, he’s always found comfort in the concise format’s twist endings. His new book is a collection of compact comic tales full of unexpected conclusions. The Woodchipper is comprised of a series of very loosely thematically interwoven narratives populated by characters all trapped by their own nervous anxieties. They are unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and preoccupied with horrors of all shapes and sizes, but mostly the little kind of daily stressors that grind away at everyone’s lives. This may sound unrelentingly dark but it’s quite emotionally varied, taking some of its inspiration from a compliment Ollmann received from the late Tom Spurgeon (The Comics Journal), who noted his “protagonists kind of let themselves off the hook a bit, providing their own moments of grace.”

These stories are grounded in reality but from the start it’s clear anything can happen in Ollmann’s universe, which provides the reader with a delightfully insecure, uneasy feeling. The title story does have a deadly woodchipper in it but this ain’t Fargo. The author largely avoids pulpy external dramatic moments, instead relying on interior monologues and personal observations. “Nestled All Snug” takes a classic sitcom trope and extends it to a logical and surprisingly poignant finish. “Meat,” which is the longest of the selections, could almost be an episode of The Twilight Zone. So could “The Late Checkout,” an Airbnb/cleaning/landlord nightmare told from a unique perspective. Finally, there’s “The Thought That Counts,” which will feel familiar to anyone who’s ever thrown a party.

The Woodchipper is another great book from Ollmann. It smartly balances minor modern sorrows with weirdness and humor. His drawings, especially faces, convey a genuine depth of expression. And his muted color choices and watery backgrounds subtly shape the tone and mood of each piece. If you are interested in warm yet fraught short stories that mostly focus on middle class Canadian concerns, this book is definitely for you. (https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/the-woodchipper/)

Author rating: 7.5/10