Innocent Bystander

Gary Sassaman’s Innocent Bystander (1995–1998) ran for six issues from Ollie Ollie! Oxen Free Press, offering a quirky, character-driven slice of small-town life filtered through a gently surreal lens. Sassaman’s art and writing anchored the series, which earned a cult following for its warm, offbeat humor and its refusal to follow conventional superhero or genre tropes. A quiet gem of the mid-90s indie comics scene, it remains a fondly remembered showcase for Sassaman’s distinctive voice and gentle absurdity.