Employee of the Month by Daniel Shepard (León, México, 1988) portrays the tale of a young freak called Rat Scabies, ironically given the honorific title of “Employee of the Month.” This rodent friend of ours has a hard time working in the service industry, in a world of picky costumers and contemporary urban decay.

Work never stops for Rat; he counts the cash, he cleans the oven, he dreams of a better life while dumping the trash under the moonlight. It’s hard for him to be romantic while sweeping up over by the soda machine. On top of everything, he’s an alcoholic.

Shepard’s work is a fresh look inside the lives of many working class heroes around the city and the stereotypical behavior of some annoying customers. In this zine, he illustrates a parallel universe where rats have jobs and pay taxes. - the artist