Real Fake Book

Rick Snare materializes on a school bus and arrives at The Brane Institute, where an unruly band of personified brain cells, in collaboration with author Will Sonnet, are expected to conjure characters for a "e;so-called novel"e; which Rick will eventually penetrate himself. First fruits of their efforts are reunited friends Stosh Haddock and Hospice Power, struggling writers transported back to a gladder time by shared memories and a jug of Jumping Jack. Followed by Ralph Camden, resurrected from a vintage TV comedy, now claiming to have finally reached success as a post-post modern artist. Merlin Moth, the "e;Self-Reflective Modern Messenger,"e; inordinately fond of an onion. Virginia Regent, hailing from the planet Klorocks but, according to Hospice, "e;out of this world, even were she arrived from next door to borrow sugar."e; "e;New Type"e; ambassadors Jonni Hastoria, son of King Kullen on Kellog... Demon Boy, a Dryp from Sponge... Jef, a standard push broom from Abuckanawa... and Druid, a freeloading ethereal wizard. Hillbilly ventriloquist George Davis and his dadaist dummy Original. G.O.A.T. cult leader Snod Syriack, plotting to "e;hypnotize some sheep at mass 'n take over the holy vorld,"e; according to Davis. Wrestler Hercules Berserk, who would have liked to be a "e;bug doctor"e; but gets "e;stuck on the wheel."e; Comedian Frank Del Monte, second banana on The Morty London Show, who "e;traded in twenty years of pickin' up trash with a needle for twenty more of gettin' needled by trash."e; Skitch Skiffington, obituary critic for the Post Mortem and nemesis father-in-law Nathan Plate, "e;not in his right mind."e; And Morty London, host of an obscure UHF talk show, where our characters eventually convene before celebrating at the post-show blowout until Citizen Kane reporter Jerry Thompson summons Rick for a nostalgic stroll along the sidewalks of Merrick, Long Island. Was Modernism ever this much fun?