http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ckfx-LbsoFE I have to say that this is pretty cool actually. Who knew that Sub-Zero had mad dunking skills or that Spider-Man could pop so many 3's. The big man Hulk... no "D" what a shame. Better trade his ass to the Knicks.
Via Complex
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_GhZqrBPw8 You'll probably never get to see this in the States without some sort of back alley internet transaction so don't get too crazy for it, but it was actually a cool trailer.
Hey did you know that it was a slow week for news? I mean other than that big Ben Affleck news which of course we weigh in on and give you our take. Hope you're sick of it like we are! We hit you up with a lot of DC news because they're the only ones making waves at the moment which means we talk about: The real Lobo, Justice League of Canada and some old news which is the Crime Syndicate and Forever Evil. We cover some more news which we'll leave for you as a surprise to discover on your own! We got to two books this week: Today's Hero and Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin. CBMFP is GO!
Well I asked pretty late, but since we didn't hear from anyone on Twitter here's all three Lobo Cosplay pics... chose your favorite.
Well you may or may not have noticed that this week we featured an original article on just about every day of the week. These articles are actually going to be weekly reoccurring articles on the site and so in an effort to get you familiar with them I'll be recapping them at the end of the week. Now you can choose to check them out as they hit or just wait until the end and gobble them all up at once; whichever matches your desires. I'll also be spotlighting any interviews or important articles that happen during the week so check that out as well. Monday - The Spandex Retrospective
This week's article was The Meteor Man and was written by Steve. The "Retrospective" has actually been our longest running weekly article and we owe Justin Wood all the credit in its creation and maintaining. If you're unfamiliar with it, it's a look back at comic book and superhero inspired movies. This article kind of birthed the rest of the weekly features so check out The Meteor Man which you can also watch on YouTube, and then read some of the other Retrospectives.
Wednesday - My Pull List
Comic fans are familiar with the pull list. It's essentially the pre-order list that you establish at a comic shop, but in another way it's just a shopping list. Each week on Tuesday or Wednesday one of the writers will be giving you a look at their shopping list or really just the book they're looking forward to that week. This week Jordan presented his list, which was full of great recommendations to check out.
Thursday - Comic Bastards Toolbox
If you've listened to the site's podcast (that's Comic Bastards Mother Fucking Podcast or CBMFP for short) then you've already heard the toolbox. It's a look at a character or a series and what we would do to change or "fix" that character or series. Sometimes we're going to map out an incredible story that the editors would never approve and other times we're just going to flip the story on its head as I did this week when I turned Spawn into a comedy.
Friday - My Top Rack
Female characters kick-ass and let's be honest... they're a large reason we all read comics. My Top Rack will take a look at one female character that is the writer's favorite or kicked a lot of ass that week. The range of choices for this are pretty wide so you'll have to stop by and check it out each week. To start with Samantha picked Emma Stone's portrayal of Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man.
Saturday - Comics: Where Do I Start?
Everyone that reads comics knows that everyone who doesn't is afraid of them. There's this stigma that if you weren't there at the beginning of the series that you'll never know what's going on. Even though there are countless examples of this being anything but true, the stigma remains. This weekly article is going to feature comics, graphic novels and tips on how to get friends and family into reading comics. It'll also help any couples out there that might be looking for a way to get their significant other involved in their hobby as well. This week Steve has a great opener called Ethel & Ernest. If you only check out one article this week I'm going to recommend you start here and then get suckered into reading the rest.
We also had an interview with Jeremy Dale, creator/writer and artist of Action Lab's Skyward, but since this is the first recap we've thrown in some interviews from the previous week as well.
Interview With Jeremy Dale About Skyward, His Love Letter To The Action-Fantasy Genre
Interview: Jason martin Talks About Coke-Head Zombies in Night of the 80's Undead
Interview With Emily C. Martin - Illustrator For Princeless Vol. 2 and Destroyer of Worlds
That's not all! We also had one group review this week for Zombie Tramp vol. 2 #1. The book isn't out until October so check out what everyone had to say about it, including one of our newest writers Kevin Reilly!
There's not a lot of photos of this body paint set, but hey it's something. That's Elle, who I believe we've featured before and the photos are by Jim McAvoy of ArtistiCurves .
Via Geek x Girls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd096GpBMMs Remember the Blanka's a troll videos? I wonder what they would look like if they had Chun-Li in them....
My wife is many amazing things. First of all, she’s English, so that’s pretty whacky. She’s also a PhD student who speaks three and a half different languages, rocks her own teacup candle-making side gig, is an excellent chef, and remains, without intended humble-brag or undue hyperbole, the sweetest person I’ve ever met. But she’s not a comic book fan, which is valid grounds for divorce in some countries. To her credit, however, she has been extremely patient, verging on downright supportive of my comic book addiction, but she’s also maintained a firm policy of not getting directly involved. And yet, here I sit, on the eve of our one-year wedding anniversary, 10 years after meeting, and I’m once again amazed by her. See, for the first time ever, I have read, and will now review, a comic book that she recommended to me. How did we get to this strange parallel universe, you ask? It all started with a snowman.
Before we get there, though, let’s first define why we’re here. We’re here to talk about pictures and words; more specifically, pictures and words working together to tell a story, and how you can convince friends and concerned loved ones that the comic book, which uses said pictures and words as its chosen media of expression, is a viable narrative delivery system, by pointing out some exemplars of the art form. In layman’s terms: we’re here to give you and yours recommendations on where to start.
Regular readers understand that comics have long incorporated tales outside the realm of superhero stories and crime capers, masked misadventures and zombie apocalypses. Again, this is just a storytelling medium after all, and in fact, one that is particularly rich with diversity. As such, and this is true with any other venue of entertainment, you’ve either got to find something specific that will appeal to your chosen potential reader, or introduce a story that will most likely interest everyone. Thanks to the little lady, I was lucky enough to find both at once.
That’s why I’ve chosen the visually stunning, painfully sweeping and timelessly classic graphic novel Ethel & Ernest, by legendary English writer and cartoonist, Raymond Briggs, as the perfect place to begin anyone’s first or continuing foray into comics.
Now then, about that snowman...
Long before 1978, Raymond Briggs had already established himself as an award-winning, internationally-renowned children’s book illustrator. However, it was in this year that he created and illustrated (in crayon) the otherwise wordless storybook, The Snowman, which, in 1982, was adapted into an annual Christmas televised event in the UK; one which would act as a formative touchstone during the young life of my wife.
Years later, after a particularly tangential Google search, which probably began with a quest for South Indian curry recipes, my wife stumbled upon a later work by the very same Briggs: a graphic novel, of all things, about the life and times of his parents, the titular Ethel and Ernest. As mundane a premise as that may sound, this book more than deserved all of my wife’s excitement and ended up being one of the most heart-warming, crushingly emotional graphic novels I have ever read. To begin to understand why, you need look no other direction than Up.
Now, I could tell you that Ethel & Ernest is a story about two people at once in love and adrift in history, that it’s a “time-travel” story in its very truest sense, where you feel each moment as powerfully as you do each year, but I think a clearer way of explaining it is this: Ethel & Ernest is, for all intents and purposes, the first 10 minutes of Pixar’s UP. But don’t take that lightly, because it is further distilled, smoothed out and given deeper, even more resounding gravitas, but delivered with a levity that buoys the spirit of the story, from start to finish.
It begins in 1928, when a working class, would-be milkman named Ernest woos a young housemaid named Ethel. After the two quickly fall in love and get married, the book then splits into chapters by decade, from 1930 to 1970, with an epilogue of sorts, which shows the events from 1970-1971. Along the way, we follow the two as they live these brief, colorful moments that span across a kaleidoscopic life, fraught though it is with economic hardship (the depression), technological advancement (washing machines, indoor plumbing), world war and finally, the tiresome march to old age.
Throughout it all, Ethel and Ernest shine through with this inescapably charming and often downright hilarious banter, with her complaining about his acting “common” and him rallying against the system. Her stiff-upper-lippedness and devotion to a higher class snuggles up beautifully to his more throaty, yet good-natured discontent. And yet, both of them come together to do their best to sustain themselves and their son, the author, during some very difficult parts of the 20th Century.
Make no mistake, though, as much as this offers a fantastic historical perspective, Ethel & Earnest is, at its heart, one man’s love letter to his parents, written without even the slightest hint of overly-saccharine sentimentality. Briggs is just as quick to elbow his reader in the ribs while sniggering at his parents’ constant fumble with progress, as he is to marvel at their ability to overcome and prosper under the weight of adversity. And oh, what a beautiful struggle Briggs paints here.
The art in Ethel & Ernest is sublime: a treatise on innocence, perseverance and humor in crayon. In a way, it’s like a proto-Kindt, and much like the pacing and wit of his writing, his subjects are never at rest, even in the most banal of activities. Thickly sketched with furious yet thorough scratches of color, each page comes alive in the echo of the animation in The Snowman. Just like that production, this is undoubtedly a stylistic nod to Briggs’ childhood memory, like it’s been ripped from the diary a young man who was so excited about telling this story, that he couldn’t wait to get it down on paper.
That’s exactly what this story evokes in both its art and writing, particularly in the early-going: a childlike sense of wonder and discovery, but as Ethel and Ernest approach old age and inevitability, so too does the color of the story begin to fade and fallow. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed a story age and wither before, but Briggs exploits the strength of the medium to do so exceptionally well here, with a final page flourish that explodes in this - as odd as it sounds - subdued blast of color. In this last scene, Briggs exemplifies the power of every page before it: a combined image of mourning and hope. It’s stunning, and while Ethel & Ernest takes no time to get through thanks to its jaunty style, it will stick with you for some time after its reading.
My wife was on the verge of tears as she told me about it, going over scenes she’d read and that had stuck with her. That’s when I knew that not only did I have to read this book, but that it may very well be an ideal one to recommend as a comic primer. As I mentioned earlier, it takes a familiar approach and style within the sequential art medium: that of a “children’s book,” but adds an adult and indeed parental context. Of course, it will especially appeal to couples, and would be a great way to introduce your partner to light yet deft comic booking. It’s definitely helped open doors for my own wife, who has since bought another graphic novel and is markedly more interested in reading more.
Sweet and hilarious, stoic without being morose, Ethel & Ernest is one part fantastic historical graphic biography and two parts fiercely endearing love story. It’s no wonder it won the British Book Award for Best Illustrated Book shortly after its publication back in 1999. Whether you are an old hat at comics or a first timer, this is an ideal place to discover new strength in storytelling.
Writer & author: Raymond Briggs
The world’s weirdest heroes, The Skeleton, The Witch, The Devil, The Ghost, and Autumn the black cat, banded together to protect the world from harm. In this case, the threat comes from an alien invasion of Goblins. First, the writing. Any book dealing with the subject of Halloween has me curious. When that book goes on to thank Ray Bradbury in the dedication, it has me motivated. Throwing occult heroes against threats such as zombie mummies, possessed crocodiles, and goblin extra-terrestrials pleases me like a full bag of candy after a night of trick ‘r treating.
Each character has his or her own unique ability. The Devil, a young woman who happens to be the center of the story, possesses pyrotechnic abilities. The Witch, Grimalkin, naturally does magical based earth spells. Freddy the Ghost is just a kid learning the ropes of his new state in the afterlife. The Skeleton, the powerhouse of the team, boasts immortality. And Autumn the cat can scratch the heck out of furniture. Well, she also has what could be equated to as extrasensory powers.
The Goblins are pretty effective villains, for they render one of the Legion powerless, which results in a terrible loss. My only complaint would be that the team’s powers and limitations don’t get properly defined, so a sense of threat was hard to find in this book. But what I did find was some good old-fashioned Halloween themed fun.
If you have a leaning towards books like Witch Doctor or Goon, you will want to pick up this inexpensive trade paperback or hardcover. The back-up story, “Once Upon a Halloween,” is a quaint little tale of how the idea for the Halloween Legion came about. No, it doesn’t really feature the Legion at work. But as I said, it’s a great little wrap up to the volume.
As far as the art goes, I had no problem with Michael Boatwright’s illustration. In fact, his unique style added to the overall enjoyment of the book. Not once did I look at something and think that he was ripping off another property. Additionally, the blacks, purples, and oranges included in the coloring added a subtle and delightful to the hues seen around the 31st of October.
The book drops early enough that you can pick it up to start your Pre’Ween celebrations. Don’t wait too long on this one because Halloween Legion: The Great Goblin Invasion will be the perfect read on a dark fall night to curl up next to the fire with some cider and candy corn.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Martin Powell
Artist: Thomas Boatwright, Diana Leto
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $14.99
Release Date: 9/11/13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wA0cyqFYets#t=11 Our friend Jason Inman has a message for you internet about the new casting of Ben Affleck as Batman. Frankly I slept on it and no longer give two shits. I will wait to see it moving around on the screen. After all it's not like I pre-bought my ticket to this film. Honestly I'm already tired of the news and just want it to go away.
Via Toy Ark
I wanted my first pick for this article to be a big one. It took me some time to see what female made the cut and I kept going back to one character over and over. Emma Stone. Why do I feel this need to put my Sunday’s best on also while holding a six-pack of Bud Light Lime every time Emma Stone is on-screen? I don’t know. But this is what she does for me. I fell in hard for her while watching Easy A the 1st through 10th time. So then I went on this spree of watching Stone movies with my Funyuns and grape pop. I went through Superbad and Crazy, Stupid, Love. Then I got to see her in The Help. This is when my crush turned into a real life romance all built up inside of me. I know what you are thinking; that is just gas. And yes it was, but once that passed I still had this feeling called love. Oh and before all of this she brought us some zombielious goodness in Zombieland. So yeah she has been in my heart for a while. I can also speak for a lot of my friends when I say she is in their top five. Also I have never heard of anyone passing up marriage or a one-time fuck in order to kill her in the wildly fun game of “marry, fuck, or kill”. If that is reason enough that you are cool then I have grown too old to know what cool is.
Now that you can see what an awesome gal she is, you can see why I wanted to give her the title of My First Top Rack for her character of Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-man. A lot of dumb things have happened to these films. Unlike most I enjoyed the first film; the second film is going to be a whole other level though. Adding some pretty terrible members to the cast and Marc Webb revealing some bullshit picture everyday has been painful as a Spider-man fan.
This is where Emma Stone comes in. First, Stone is just down right hot. She has sex appeal in each scene. She is about the only thing that keeps me coming back to this franchise right now. Secondly, she comes across as the girl next door and manages to gracefully steal the scene from her counter partners. The Mary-Jane story had been told, so in starting this movie we needed a new female in Peter’s life. Gwen was the perfect idea since she was his first love. They couldn’t have picked this better in my opinion. She offers that girly look of being the Captain's daughter, and then she turns into that intellectual powerhouse with Peter, and turns out to a badass gf to Spider-Man. She brought everything I think Gwen needed for the movie.
It is hard to look upon this new set of Spidey movies and not want to cry yourself to sleep, but behold Emma Stone. Put on your different lens for Stone’s character. She lights up the camera and is a true professional for me in this movie. The future's looking bright for her and if that happens to include me seeing this awful movie hitting screens then so be it. I will enjoy her role and hope that she can bring some beauty to an otherwise electric rhino of a movie.
Failure is one of the most interesting things I’ve ever read/experienced in the world of comics. It’s from Karl Stevens who you may know. In fact some part of your brain is itching at the mention of his name. Failure is actually a collection of his comics from The Boston Phoenix and if his name sounds familiar it’s because he was let go from the paper for a strip that said Bud Light tasted like horse urine. I remember seeing the story make the rounds as people threw up their arms proclaiming bullshit and they were right do so; the jokes on them though as the paper went under just four months after the incident as Stevens’ points out after the introduction of the series. The weekly comic strips that are collected in the volume are… I don’t want to say random, but they’re just pieces of Stevens’ life. Be it himself or his friends, they are scenes of life captured in comic form. There is no overall narrative running from beginning to end, especially when you consider the amount of accumulated time that’s collected within its pages. As he points out in the opening, occasionally he would venture away from reality and present more comedic or surreal entries. All of this combines to form Failure, which is a strange title considering this book is anything but.
Now here’s the thing about this book. I couldn’t really point out any one page or story that I liked. Usually with a book like this, that has a very anthology feel to it, I would give you glimpses at what awaits you. With this book though I can’t, but I liked it as a whole. I think that it’s important that it exists and that Stevens produces more work like it. The slice of life he captures was familiar and while strange sometimes it was also very intimate. For instance, you know that thing you do when you’re alone? I mean like really alone, that thing you do when there isn’t a chance in the world of anyone seeing you doing it? It can be anything: a weird voice, skipping around, whatever it is… you have something. In a way Stevens has captured those moments from himself and his friends and it’s kind of magical. I may not be able to capture the essence of the book with a summary of the stories, but I hope that you get the idea what to expect.
The art is fantastic. It almost has to be due to the content of the stories. It’s incredibly photorealistic and I would venture to say that Stevens has the potential to be one of this generations finest illustrators. At times you’ll honestly think that it’s just a photo that’s been run through a photoshop filter, but if you actually look closely at the details and the brush and line work you’ll see otherwise. When the comic gets surreal, Stevens will occasionally change his style. At one point he makes fun of Garfield and it’s clear that he could match Jim Davis’ style perfectly if he wanted to, but he chooses to adjust it just enough that you know what it is without it looking exactly like Garfield. The art and visual storytelling was really what kept me going through the book and I couldn’t get enough.
You may not read this book and have the story change your life. There are several single page comics that I enjoyed and thumbing through again stopped to re-read. The thing is I don’t think the story content is as important as the art or just the fact that something like this exists. I doubt the average comic fan that has their Marvel to DC pull-list is going to pick it up and if on the off chance they do… probably won’t “get it.” And that’s okay. It’s not for them; it’s for someone like me that wants to experience sequential storytelling in a way that others haven’t tried before. It’s for someone that can understand the story that’s here and not be confused when the very next page is something completely new. I’m glad that this book exists and I hope that we’ll see more from Stevens. If what I’ve said is interesting to you then please check out the book and support an incredible collection of work.
Score: 5/5
Writer/Artist/Creator: Karl Stevens
Publisher: Alternative Comics
Price: $21.95
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant is one of the strongest arguments I have against digital one day replacing print completely. There is nothing quite like holding this book in your hands; the feeling of the lettering on the cover and the impressive built in cover flap. And how about that cover? It screams adventure and that’s exactly what this book delivers. The brilliance of the storytelling in this graphic novel is that while it is in fact about Delilah Dirk the story is told through the perspective of the Turkish Lieutenant, Erdemoglu Selim. It’s an account of his time with Delilah and because of that we enter into her world through him. What’s even better is the due to the fact that there are two main characters; it’s easy for the reader to paint themselves upon either character. That doesn’t mean that boys are with boys and girls are with girls, but rather whichever character role you associate with more. Are you the carefree adventurer that’s constantly seeking trouble and excitement along the way like Delilah? Or are you more reserved, but easily sucked into the antics of others like Selim?
The story itself begins in Constantinople (so if you have a date she’ll be waiting in Istanbul… sorry I had to) in 1807. As we catch a glimpse of Delilah sailing into the dock, we swing over and meet Selim. He’s listening to a traveler’s tales and decides to ask the shop owner who the man is. After he tells him the owner asks if he’s okay since he seems especially down. He informs the owner that it’s the last day of the month and thus pay day. The owner tells him his tea is on the house for he knows something we do not. Selim won’t take his kindness though and tells him that if he can guess every ingredient in the tea, that he must let him pay. The owner argues at first, but decides that the reverse wager is no big deal. Selim takes a sip and then lists everything in spectacular order. The owner is amazed, but then untruthfully tells him that he got everything wrong. Selim puts his coin in his hands and it’s clear that he’s a man that always pays his debts.
From there Selim heads to work where he removes most of his clothing and joins the rest of the palace guards in the throne room. Other men bring in buckets of gold coins and dump them in the middle of the room. Once their done the captain of the guard informs their guests that each man is about to be paid based on their skills. He yells, “begin” and the men rush to the middle and fight for as many coins as they possibly can. Selim isn’t the biggest man there and doesn’t have an aggressive nature. This means that the other men easily take everything from him leaving him with nothing. He’s able to secure one coin that’s dropped while leaving. His one coin is apparently the worth of his work and skills, while other men leave with filled bags.
Selim cleans up and heads to his quarters where he makes himself a delicious cup of tea. His moment of zen is interrupted when another guard summons him, saying that they’ve detained a prisoner and need someone that speaks English. He sighs for a moment, but then prepares more tea and some biscuits.
The story flashes forward and we get a great moment of past and present working together as Selim checks in with his commanding officer. He tells him everything he learned about the prisoner and we cut to their conversation. We meet Delilah officially and though she is a bit beat up; she’s still full of gumption. After some banter between the two we cut back again to Selim’s report. He’s basically learned Delilah’s entire life story, which means we’re learning her life story as well. It’s a very effective storytelling device. Instead of page upon page of exposition and convenient dialogue, we’re given the bullet points of her life and learn all about her in the process. As Selim continues reading his report we begin to see Delilah break herself out of the dungeon which matches up with Selim’s narration. Eventually their paths cross and a daze Seliem witnesses in front of his commander, Delilah’s escape… after she says hello to him that is. He’s instantly sentenced to death because he looks like an accomplice, while Delilah continues on her mission to find some scrolls that she came for.
It’s a beautiful sequence of events and of course Delilah ends up saving Selim and he joins her. He does so to pay a debt to her, which proves to be far more difficult than he expected. Frankly the opening chapters are amazing, but the book only gets bigger and better from there.
As I said before Selim’s character is more reserved. He mentions several times that he’s all about the quite life and that adventure doesn’t suit him. He doesn’t become a mega bad-ass throughout the course of the story; he’s clumsy and fairly weak all the way through. But he does have plenty of growth for his character and he uses his other abilities to help whenever he can. His journey is exactly what everyone wants for their first adventure. He has no safety net, nothing to go back to; he can only move forward and learn to deal with the situation at hand and make mistakes along the way.
Delilah on the other hand doesn’t change and her growth is small in comparison, but you know what? That’s okay. She’s a great character and already very well rounded. Really what she needs is a friend and someone to help her on her adventures, but even when she travels alone she gets by just fine; she just causes bigger messes is all.
The dialogue is fantastic. Delilah and Selim’s banter is spot on and can be funny or moving given the right moment. What was even better about the writing was the fact that it didn’t turn into a love story. Not even for a second. I was dreading it after the first couple of chapters, but then it became clear that these two characters were only ever going to be friends and that’s all either of them wanted. That right there alone makes this a brilliant action-adventure story.
If there is one thing every action-adventure story needs, its fantastic art. If there was something beyond fantastic and all the synonyms that go along with it, that is where you’d find Tony Cliff’s artwork. Cliff comes from an animation background and that is very clear by the way the visuals tell the story. Just looking at the artwork there is a fluid motion to each panel and page. Even though it’s two dimensional, it moves. You’re eyes fill in the blanks and if the dialog wasn’t there, this would be a comic in motion.
Again with action-adventure, the “action” part is very important. If the reader can’t tell what’s going on when a fight or thrilling sequence begins, then the entire scene becomes pointless. The opening scene with the fight over the coins is a true display of Cliff’s skills and sets up the reader’s anticipation for events to come. From this scene you get Selim’s struggle and the desperation of the men, but also how unfair it is. You’re worth is determined by how many coins you can fight other men for like a pack of dogs going after scraps of food. The action for this book is perfect and builds as the story continues.
We’re not done talking about the art yet. The scenery is to die for. It’s incredible to look at. There is a scene where the two characters are sitting on a hill looking out into the world and talking about how breath taking it is. Those were my sentiments as well. Every panel of every page is gorgeous, but the scenery steals the show each and every time it’s on display. Part of this comes from Cliff’s coloring which is also the influenced by his animation career. The coloring is brilliant and vibrant. It is the largest contributor to bringing this world alive and it exactly how you’d want any comic book to look.
First-Second Books is publishing fantastic stories. I went into this book just expecting a simple story and hoping that I enjoyed it. I didn’t know that I was going to fall in love with the world and crave more. It’s getting late into the year which means that there will be a bunch of new graphic novels for readers to check out; let me tell you right now that you do not want to miss out on Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant. It might be too early to say this, but it has impressed me as much as any of First-Second’s books from last year and that’s saying a lot when you consider that list.
The book releases next week, but if I were you I would I would pre-order it so that it just ships to you upon release. It’s definitely one of the best books of the year and will be fighting for a top position on my end of the year list. If you do buy it, then tell Tony Cliff how much you love it so that maybe he’ll quit animation and work on graphic novels full-time.
Score: 10/5 (The scale is broken!)
Writer/Artist/Creator: Tony Cliff
Publisher: First Second Books
Price: $15.99
Release Date: 8/27/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro4nYzpyxvc Wow this is a great trailer cut. I'm very tired of seeing that tired ass one that's basically a two minute cut of the pilot.
I first discovered the character of Chapel in Dark Horse Presents. I tend to pay close attention to any single page comic they introduce; this mostly because you know that they have to be good. The creator has one page to impress an editor to get into the issue and they did it. It says something about a creator when they can do that. The Chapel Chronicles Collection is just that, a collection. It’s the culmination of creator Emma T Capps web-series of the same name that is still currently running. Capps has managed something that most fans of comics never will and that’s writing, drawing and printing her own comic. Now, this isn’t just a printed collection of the web-series as Capps offers insight below each page about what inspired that particular comic. Sometimes it short and others can be quite lengthy, but all of them are informative.
There were some story sequences that I enjoyed. Chapel’s fascination with hats never grew tiresome and felt as if Capps had infused a part of herself into the character. I enjoyed the hedgehog and thought that it was quite cute. The story really does come across as a fantasy biography in many ways, especially when you read Capps notes at the bottom. I liked that aspect of it and think that it worked with the format and structure of the series.
Now for me personally, this book was good. Once you got the rhythm of the storytelling that’s about it; there are some interesting interludes and such, but for the most part it’s consistent with its presentation from beginning to end. I’m sure fans of the series would love to own the book, but I don’t know if it’ll bring a lot of new fans to the series. I do think that it’s a great starter comic for kids and teens looking to get into comics, but have no interest in superheroes. If this was around when I was kid I definitely would have liked it because I’ve never been content in just reading about people in capes and tights.
The art style reminded me a lot of Home Movies, which is a very good thing. I think it gave the series a stylized look which is important. More importantly it allowed the settings and backgrounds to contain a fair amount of detail without cluttering the scene. There is a good balance with the details. The coloring is also very strong and the lighting effects, while noticeable, are still effective for the scenes.
What I actually really enjoyed about the series was the bonus material in the back. Seeing Capps’ process from beginning to end, the equipment used; it was all very interesting. That’s again why I think this would be a great comic for people looking to get into comics, especially at an earlier age. The truth of the matter is that Capps has accomplished something at a very young age and that’s commendable all on its own. Then you have to take into account that the writing and art are of equal quality and it’s a bit more impressive. It also makes me feel as if I’ve wasted well over half of my life, but hey that’s my problem to deal with.
I don’t know if I would personally continuing following the life and times of Chapel, but I’ll definitely check out Capps’ next project. She’s a talented creator and I suspect that her writing and art will only get better. In the meantime though, check out the trade and get the web-series experience all in one shot.
Score: 3/5
Writer/Artist/Creator: Emma T. Capps
Self-Published
Price: $9.99
One of my favorite genres of comics is the anthology. It’s a genre with an endless potential and it’s used in so many creative ways. There’s the Dark Horse format in which a variety of stories are told and it’s often times used to test the market for new series. There’s also the themed anthology in which one subject is chosen and several creators present stories in their own voice; there is no greater example of this, than King Bone Press’ Bandthology series. The point is, they offer a glimpse into a world that usually only exists for just a few pages. If you’re not sucked into this issue by the cover alone then you’re not reading enough comics. What I noticed that was very different about this anthology is that there were several one page comics. These shorts don’t always have a narrative, but they provide some interesting reading and eye-catching art.
One of the first stories we encounter is from James Kochalka. I believe it might be from his American Elf series, but I don’t know for sure. The story is called “Am I Alive” and basically the character is hung over and trying to figure out what to do about it. It’s actually interactive because it asks you to pick a number and follow it to its ending. Of course you’re going to read both, but it’s still fun to pick one and then go back and start again. Kochalka has a second story in the issue entitled “Email.” It stars two creatures that are walking through the forest. One of them mentions that it got a new computer and the other just plays along like they know what that is. The big one that has a computer calls the little one out on not knowing what it is. Let’s just say that that neither of them knows what a computer or email is. It’s a funny story because it takes the lingo that we’ve all become familiar with and applies it to a different situation to show just how stupid the lingo is. It was one of my favorites from the issue.
Probably my favorite story from the entire issue is “It Can Only Get Better.” It follows a political cartoonist from the 1850’s as he wraps his day by exposing the evils of the Whig Party. From there he strolls around town and for some reason is treated like royalty. The guy is a dickhead though and when a commoner talks to him he fucking shoots him. I laughed so hard when I read that. The hilarious part is that the guy just wanted to touch the hem of his coat. It gets better from there. Noah Van Sciver creates a complex and interesting world with only two pages to work with. I enjoyed the art and especially the facial expressions.
Frothy Beveraged Man can only be described as Kool-aid Man’s older brother. He’s a beer mug full of beer and he gets others into plenty of trouble while continuing the mission of… beer or something. I liked this comic. The art style reminded me of something out of MAD and it was short and sweet with fast punchlines and ridiculous stories.
One of the single page stories entitled “The Ultimate Superman Tale” is actually very cool. It’s basically commentary on the role of the creator in comics with a focus on Siegel and Shuster. The art is very simple and captures the golden age of comics very well while delivering a modern message.
Another story I really enjoyed (and the last I’m going to talk about) is called “Lost and Found.” It's basically about a person that finds a lost cat and takes care of it, but before it becomes attached to it they send it out with a note. The note asks if the cat belongs to anyone. After waiting for the cat to return the person checks the note and discovers that someone has answered their question. The art was the drawl for me on this one. Obviously the story is pretty straight forward, but the art was very stylized. I say “person” because they’re genderless by design. I think this is a way of leaving the character open for you to paint own personality and gender on to them. I would definitely check out more from Allison Cole in the future because of her art style.
If you like anthologies or you just want to read some short and weird stories, than definitely check out Alternative Comics. It was a lot of fun and introduced me to a lot of creators that I would otherwise never have known about. It’s also printed on great paper stock and has the heavy ink smell. If you don’t know what I mean you should buy it just because of that.
Score: 4/5
Creators: Sam Alden, James Kochalka, Grant Snider, Noah Van Sciver, Alex Schubert, Andy Ristaino, David Lasky, Robin McConnell, Allison Cole, Sam Henderson, Mike Bertino, Craig Thopmson and Theo Ellsworth.
Publisher: Alternative Comics
Price: $5.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y1OjUWw43co Usually I find the "behind the scenes" videos or dev docs to be very boring and pointless. It's just a bunch of talking heads selling you on the game. This video has the talking heads, but it shows you a ton of footage from the game as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzkOkh1tOqE I said the same thing. Why the fuck do you have a sword on both hands and not lead with it! Fuck you Neil!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VQ6wkvDdyY This one is actually pretty decent because they didn't rely solely upon stock Lego and add to it to make it actually match the trailer. Check it out because it's pretty cool.
Skyward is Action Lab Entertainment's biggest title right now, it's so big that they upgraded it from a mini-series to an ongoing title. I had the chance to talk to creator/writer/artist (that's a lot of titles!) Jeremy Dale about the series and his experiences thus far. Sit back and check it out. Dustin) Having read all the issues released thus far I have a pretty good handle on what Skyward is about, but in your own words could you describe the series?
Jeremy) It's my love letter to the action fantasy genre, plain and simple. I've loved epic fantasy since I was a kid, whether it was reading comics like Little Nemo, Bone, and Tellos, playing video games like Secret of Mana and Legend of Zelda, or watching the amazing Miyazaki animated films like Tortoro or Kiki's Delivery Service. I know that's a lot of things to list all at once, but hey-- it's worlds of inspiration.
Skyward is the tale of Quinn and his dog, Jack as they run headfirst into a conflict and a world that's much larger and stranger than any they'd have imagined. Along the way we meet a myriad of curious characters and creatures, all affected by the events surrounding them and forcing them to take sides.
Dustin) What’s your history with the fantasy genre? Is there something about it that appealed to you while you were creating Skyward?
Jeremy) Absolutely-- I've worked on an endless amount of for-hire and licensing work in recent years. I wanted to do an action fantasy book for many reasons-- first, I've done a lot of superheroes and zombies. I love working on them, but my heart was leaning more towards something else. Imaginative fiction intrigues me, and realizing how well other mediums like books, movies, and especially video games handle it immediately caught my attention. Really, there aren't many comics that are doing this kind of fantasy right now. Why aren't we speaking to that established fanbase? Skyward is me giving my spin on it.
Dustin) What’s your creative process for putting together an issue? Do you write first then thumbnail and illustrate or do you have your own hybrid process?
Jeremy) I do a general plot, with little blurbs of dialogue here and there-- with scenes marked out more than anything. Then I go straight to thumbnailing and drawing the pages, noting key dialogue I definitely want along the way. While the pages are off being colored (by Stephen Downer, who does amazing work), I finish the dialogue and send that and the art to my letterer. It's built out of time constraints, really. I've worked on endless full scripts-- I'm having fun with my "Marvel Method" hybrid.
Exclusive Preview of Skyward #3!
Dustin) How tight of a deadline to you have to keep for yourself in order to write and draw an entire issue within a month and how far out are you on the series?
Jeremy) I'm drawing issue 6 as I write this. 4 is with the colorist, and I'm proofreading 5 in my spare time (what's that?!). I'm keeping the monthly schedule quite well so far, even with the additional Free Comic Book Day issue, the Halloween issue, and my ambitious convention and nationwide signing tour schedule. Uh... stay tuned? hehehe
Dustin) Do you have an end of Skyward in mind, an issue count or just a finale to the story that you’d like to tell? Or is the world you’ve created big enough to tell stories in for years to come?
Jeremy) I know how the story ends, yes. Do I know exactly what issue that would be? No. I know where the story goes and why-- and what I need to do to get there. This is a long-term project, though-- I have many, many more Skyward tales to tell. As long as I can afford to do this book, I will. It's my passion.
Dustin) Originally Skyward was just a mini-series, but after becoming the best-selling series in Action Lab history it was made their first ongoing. How does that feel as the creator?
Jeremy) It's tremendously rewarding, and such a relief! The first miniseries only would have taken us to the end of the first arc, and there's so much more to tell-- I'm glad I have the space to breathe and tell the story the way it deserves to be told. That's just amazing.
Dustin) With the series selling as well as it has, what’s been the fan response that you've received, especially on your comic shop tour?
Jeremy) Unbelievably positive-- in fact, of the first 5 comic shops I've hit so far, only ONE has had copies left of the book WHEN I ARRIVED. It's a good thing I'd ordered some copies myself, or those signings would have been interesting, indeed!
I've rarely had a spare moment to breathe at these-- no breaks, just signing and sketching for up to eight hours at a time. It's great seeing the enthusiasm and all the questions about each fan's favorite character from the series and so on. And don't get me started on the crazy eBay prices people are getting for the first two issues! Stunning!
Honestly, it just fuels the fire to keep working, making drawing the next issue that much easier. Thanks to all the fans and for everyone thinking about picking it up-- we'd love to have you along for the ride!
Dustin) Where can they check you out online?
Jeremy) Check me out at www.jeremy-dale.com and keep your eyes on skywardcomic.com -- we're about to launch the website with all sorts of surprising bonus features for the fans. Thanks!
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I'd like to thank Jeremy for his time and wish him the best of luck on the series and tour. I'll be keeping up with the series and hopefully you will as well. I also wanted to thank Action Lab Entertainment for helping set up the interview.