CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA: MINI-COMICS

Ahh… mini-comics. Comics in their purest, rawest form. Good or bad, minis are always interesting, even if just for the spirit or energy put into making them. And when I go to a con, one of the first things I look for are interesting mini-comics to buy and bring home.

ATOMIC MONSTER TEA PARTY #1 is written and by Corwin Gibson and published through Luchadork Studios. This mini has two stories; one wherein those giant monsters do have a lovely sit-down and a spot of tea, and one that features the U.S. military using dinosaurs as weaponry in World War 2. Both stories have decent conceptual starts, though the Monster piece devolves into a sad punchline at the end. I’d have liked to see Gibson actually expand and really use the idea of the dino story, rather than using the idea as a two-page trailer. The art is, politely, rough, but there’s enough there to suggest that Gibson could find an artist and maybe produce something with a bit more substance and length.

Next we have three books from Welsh El Dorado Press. The first, SYMPATHIZERS (written by Justin Robinson and drawn by Aneurin Wright), serves as a prelude to an upcoming series to appear this fall in a series called SPACE DOUBLES. This sci-fi piece focuses on humanity taking in the victims of an alien civil war and then turning on them when the winning side shows up to try and finish the job. With internment camps and other odious reminders of poor human behavior, much of SYMPATHIZERS rings resonant with our modern times. Robinson’s script is solid, and Wright adapts his style to the material nicely. Worth keeping an eye on when it goes to series.

Chip Mosher writes, and Wright draws, LEFT ON MISSION AND REVENGE, a spy thriller. Again, this is a clever use of the mini-comic format; Mosher and Wright are looking for a publisher for the full 170-page graphic novel, so they’ve put together a trailer to try and entice some interest. I had some qualms about the pace of the storytelling; if this is 170 pages overall, and we’re seeing only 20 pages in this mini… well, this material feels way too decompressed. I could see they were aiming for a cinematic look and feel, but it put a grind into the story’s forward movement. Still, Wright again impresses, as MISSION looks zero like SYMPATHIZERS, and it’s nice to see an artist genuinely spread their wings and do something different.

We close with CARNET D’UN SAUVAGE, Wright’s homage to Craig Thompson’s CARNET DE VOYAGE. Wright took a lengthy trip to Europe and chronicled it in his sketchbook, reproducing some of the material in this quiet little mini. As I mentioned above, Wright is a very fine artist, so the material looks terrific. There’s some disjointedness in the way Wright skips ahead at some points, and you find yourself wishing he’d have included more of the material about the people he was with versus the stuff more focused on the environment, but that’s a minor quibble. I can always appreciate an intriguing travelogue, and this one qualifies.

That’s it for this weekend. See you here during the week for site updates, and back here next weekend for a new Weekend Blog Extra!

/Mason

12 hours... 8 pages... one story. What was COMICS JAM WAR 2006? Head over to the main site to find out!

/Mason

Whoops.

Updated the main site yesterday, but forgot to update the feed. Gah!

Yesterday saw a review of THE LEFT BANK GANG, Jason's alt-history take on Hemingway and Fitzgerald as cartoonists who decide to become felons. Today, a look at the end of the manga series GACHA GACHA. What more can you ask for?

Go!

/Mason

Back to the grind! Start your post-holiday weekend with reviews of TALENT, HERO SQUARED, and X ISLE! Only at the main site...

/Mason

CWR HOLIDAY WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Summer has come and gone, but the new Comics Waiting Room is still running strong. Now it’s time to put away your white shoes and read some comics. This weekend, a selection from Dork Storm Press!

DR. BLINK SUPERHERO SHRINK #3, written by John Kovalic and drawn by Christopher Jones, continues a string of excellent issues for this title. The premise stays true to its simple self: Dr Blink makes room on his couch for pastiches of famous characters (such as this issue’s “Spank”, a take on Spawn) and delves into the neuroses that make them tick. The best effort this time out deals with Blink listening to a Spidey-take who’s duplicate life is so crazy that it sends Blink himself into the office of his own therapist. The only problem this time out is the lack of Blink’s supporting cast, which grounds the book and gives it a human anchor. Still, funny stuff, terrific art. Worth your money every time.

Kovalic’s main work, DORK TOWER, reaches its 34th issue, and this is the first one I can honestly say that I wasn’t into. Kovalic takes an issue to step away from his storyline and characters to start an illustrated history of gaming itself (using the TOWER characters as his “guides”). What’s here is somewhat interesting, but as a non-gamer, I struggled to stay with it or maintain interest. Were I a gamer, I suspect I’d have dug it. Kovalic mentions in a text piece that he hopes to continue the series here and there, and I suspect he’ll be able to make a high-selling trade paperback out of it. I’m just not the audience for it.

SNAPDRAGONS VOL.1 sees Kovalic’s other series get its first trade, and I highly recommend it. Along with artist Liz Rathke, he presents a younger take on TOWER, following a precocious group of young kids who are finding their love of games and exercising their imagination. Just about anyone who picks up the book will see a little of themselves in the children, and the book is packed full of whimsical and joyous odes to better days gone by. Rathke nails the look of the book, from the fantasies of the kids to the mundane real world, and the appearances by the DORK TOWER cast only serve to enhance the bits and provide a glimpse into who they might have been when they were twenty years younger as well. Charming stuff.

Rounding out the set is KOBOLDS ATE MY BABY!, a role-playing game written by Chris O’Neill and Dan Landis, with illustrations by Kovalic. It’s a bit hard to review this, as I haven’t played the game, but what I can tell you is that the set-up is clearly detailed, the game seems nearly stupidly simple to play, and it comes across as pretty amusing. You create a Kobold; your group of Kobolds gets sent off to steal a baby to bring back for your superior to eat. Gruesomely silly, the game is described as “The Beer and Pretzels Roleplaying Game” on the cover, because its more fun to play while drinking and getting silly. Hard to find fault with that. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll create a Kobold and try my luck?

No new update on Labor Day, but I’ll be back Tuesday with new stuff at the main site and back here next weekend with a new CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA!

/Mason

Finishing the week... the new OVERSTREET GUIDE! Check it out...

/Mason

Who killed Marilyn Monroe? For that matter, who killed JFK? THE RED DIARIES asks these questions (but provides few answers). Today, over at the main site...

/Mason

Want to be charmed by a good old-fashioned romantic comic? Check out LOVE AND CAPES, reviewed today at the main site!

/Mason

Moving into Tuesday... a look at HELLBOY VOL.6: STRANGE PLACES. Over at the main site, of course...

/Mason

Starting off the week: a brand new AISLE SEAT! The ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 dvd rolled out to stores last week, and it can't possibly be any worse than the first one can it?

Can it?

Go read.

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA: JOSH HOWARD EDITION

Howard, who made a name for himself with the DEAD @ 17 series, has rolled out a couple of different projects this year. He’ll be returning with a DEAD ongoing this fall, but in the meantime let’s take a look at what else has been on his plate.

BLACK HARVEST #6, from Devil’s Due, concludes Howard’s longest work to date. The DEAD books ran four issues, so it was interesting to see how the creator would react to having more space to expand his narrative. Pace always becomes an issue in this scenario, but for the most part, Howard seems to have figured it out pretty well. The story of Zaya Vahn and her mysterious return gets resolved in tidy fashion, but the explanation for what’s really going on in Jericho isn’t quite tied up so nicely. However, the final coda to the book would seem to indicate that a sequel to the book might be in order, and it provides a smidge of new mystery that suggests that a sequel is actually a good idea. In all, BLACK HARVEST was a solid series, and Howard worked out some of the problems that have dogged the DEAD books (such as waiting too long to get into the mystery and crowding the finish), and he seems to be learning how to deliver a solid story with each chapter. Should be a trade worth buying.

Viper Comics delivers a second “sketchbook” from the creator with MOSH GIRLS AND MONSTERS: THE ART OF JOSH HOWARD VOL.2. You can really only judge an art book by whether or not you like the artist’s work (I do), so I won’t belabor that point. I also won’t belabor that Howard and I have pretty similar tastes in women. What I will say, though, is that I wish more artists and publishers would produce their art books in this format. Every time I go to a con, I see countless artists selling $10-20 sketchbooks at their tables that were manufactured on the semi-cheap. Annoying. But this 6x6 book is put together beautifully, has a spine, and is only $13. Excellent, excellent value for what you’re getting. So if you like girls with tattoos or just a nice artistic package, this is for you.

See you all week for site updates, and back here in seven for the next CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA!

/Mason

Closing out the week at the main site- a new literary journal, UNRULY, which includes some comics folks. Check it out...

/Mason

Today at the main site: Rednecks vs. Zombies in THE SAVAGE BROTHERS!

/Mason

Today at the main site... Andi Watson continues his exploration of Britain's middle class, with the parenthood-themed LITTLE STAR...

/Mason

It's manga time! Reviews of PRETTY MANIACS and LUNAR LEGEND, today at the main site!

/Mason

Today at the main site: three from NBM! LUCIFER'S GARDEN OF VERSES, ATTITUDE VOL.3, and THE CASE OF MADELEINE SMITH...

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Time for my favorite feature! This week, some new efforts from Fantagraphics!

First, WISH YOU WERE HERE #2, written and drawn by Gipi. This book comes from the Ignatz line of over-sized “pamphlets”, and is really an excellent effort. Subtitled “They Found The Car”, the story follows a man roused from his sleep by a former colleague in crime. The car used in a crime many years ago has surfaced, and punishment must be dealt to the man who was supposed to have made sure it would never be seen again. Along the way the men debate religion and the nature of faith, and the sleeping man must make a decision that will affect his future and the fate of his immortal soul. WISH YOU WERE HERE reads like the bastard child of Goddard and Tarantino, and I recommend it highly.

Next from the Ignatz line is INSOMNIA #2, written and drawn by Matt Broersma. “The Lock” is the story of two people whose lives and insecurities intersect in bizarre ways. One track follows an older gentleman as he wanders off to eat breakfast and read the morning paper, and the other involves a burlesque dancer confused about the romantic potential of a wealthy man who’s pursuing her. It is only after the older man mistakes her for the reincarnation of a former lover (or a lover that he has imagined so deeply that she’s ingrained in his memory as real) that you begin to see the fragility of these two peoples’ realities. But in the end, the question of what’s true and what isn’t turns out to be unimportant. What’s important is that an examination of the characters reveals that they’re simply as screwed as the rest of us, and happiness will continue to avoid them.

Also dropping from the Ignatz line is BABEL #2, written and drawn by David B. BABEL follows the young narrator through his childhood obsession with how the rest of the world does and does not make war. Spurred on by an article in PARIS MATCH that discussed one African tribe’s declared end to any kind of warfare, the narrator and his brother began exploring the nature of the outside world, and how most people tend to only learn about other cultures by watching how they make war and deal with conflict. Later in the book, the narrator recounts his brother’s deterioration to a form of epilepsy that is untreatable, teaching him about a different kind of war, the kind that can never be won. Everything here is technically proficient, but I never got fully engaged on an emotional level the way I did with INSOMNIA and WISH YOU WERE HERE, because in the end, the narrative feels a little too detached.

Rounding out the column is HATE ANNUAL #6, written and drawn by Peter Bagge. Anytime we get to see Buddy Bradley again, it’s a good thing, and this is no exception. The lead story, “Skeletons in the Closet” follows Buddy as he tries to keep some dirty deeds done in the past quiet, and his solution is amusing and ingenious, perfectly in tune with the character we’ve come to know over these years. Bagge also throws in a hilarious parody of the dreaded “Cosmo Quiz” titled “Are You a Cunt?” that anyone who’s ever taken one of those insipid magazine tests will get a good laugh out of. The only downside to this book is the inclusion of a ton of Bagge’s “The Adventures of Bat Boy” strips that he produced for WEEKLY WORLD NEWS. I’ve never found the strip amusing or thought that it had one-tenth of the spirit and edge that HATE does, and nothing about these efforts changed my mind. Still, new HATE is always cause for celebration.

See you through the week for site updates and back here next weekend for a new CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA!

/Mason

Closing the week... the hated FAMILY GUY. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate! Feel it! Love it! Feed off of it at the main site!

/Mason

Whoooooooooops.

Didn't mean to take yesterday off, especially since I had read material and was ready to review it. But life got in the way, and we all know how that goes...

Anyway, back today with looks at two recent efforts from Viper Comics, VILLAINS and A DUMMY'S GUIDE TO DANGER. Click on over to the main site and check it out!

/Mason

History... back in 1992, I took a job as a movie and television critic. I got away from entertainment journalism for a while, but when I was writing for Comic Book Galaxy back in 01-02, I got back into it with a column called "The Aisle Seat" (which is where I prefer to sit, whether in a theatre or on a plane). Now, after four years, The Aisle Seat is returning!

Today's spotlight falls on EUREKA, which airs Tuesdays on the Sci-Fi Channel. Go to the main site and give the piece a read, won't you?

/Mason

It's Monday, and that means... well, I don't know what that means. But I do have two new reviews posted at the main site: PHONOGRAM and DEATH JR 2. Check 'em out, if ya please...

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

I don’t know what it says about me, but doing these has become one of the things I most look forward to at the site. I may need professional help.

This weekend, a look at four recent efforts from Arcana Studio, those wacky Canadians who thought they could, and have…

First up is 100 GIRLS: THE FIRST GIRL VOL.2, written by Adam Gallardo and Drawn by Todd Demong. GIRLS is the story of Sylvia Mark, an ordinary 13-year old girl who feels the traditional teenage alienation. However, hers turns out to have a bit more substance, as she not only turns out to have super-strength, but to also have 99 other super-powered versions of her running around somewhere in the world. Complicating the matter is that she tends to absorb her sisters and gain their memories and powers when she’s nearby, and there are a metric ton of bad guys out to kill her and her sisters. From the very beginning, this has been a terrific series, one which put a young girl into the lead without sexualizing her or sacrificing her character for “kewl”, and the conclusion to the first part of her tale changes nothing. The seeds are sown here for a greater story to be told down the road, and if it’s as good as this series has been, the creators will be in good shape.

Next, we turn to EZRA #1 (written by Sean O’Reilly and drawn by Alfonso Ruiz), the newest series featuring Arcana’s she-warrior with an attitude. The original EZRA series was entertaining enough for me to get past my distaste for its genre, and the character, who is basically a sexy member of the walking dead, is interesting. But O’Reilly is sabotaged here by the art, which is too cartoony in places to give the story the dramatic heft it needs. It also forces O’Reilly to lay on the exposition in at an almost Shooter/Marvel-era level, slowing the pace of the story down. Sometimes, this just happens, but no question, it’s fixable, and EZRA can get back on the right path easily enough.

Following along is GRUNTS #1 (written by Shannon Denton and Keith Giffen and drawn by Matt Jacobs), the story of some American soldiers who had a nasty close encounter with the Germans’ enjoyment for using weird science and the occult (though which of those it is isn’t made clear, a blip by the artist). GRUNTS is actually pretty hard-boiled in its approach to its cast of characters, though Denton and Giffen do an almost comical nod at including every central-casting stereotype, right down to the chubby guy being nicknamed “Fatty.” Denton handles the scripting, so the “bwa-ha-ha” is at a minimum, but the action quotient is pretty high, and Jacobs handles it well. I’d have liked for the Nazi’s “super-warriors” to be better defined, either through the art or a caption, especially with LOST SQUAD working in a similar vein, so this ranks as a high “okay”.

Closing it out, we arrive at DRAGON’S LAIR #1 (written by Andy Mangels and drawn by Fabio Laguna), based upon the classic video game and TV cartoon. This is a triple-sized debut, reprinting the issues that MVC produced a few years ago under one cover, making it an exceptional value for your five yanqui dollars. Mangels and Laguna do a pitch-perfect job of introducing the universe, the characters, and the plot with ease, which is excellent, considering I had never played the game or watched the cartoon. Dirk the Daring (who’s kinda dumb) protects Princess Daphne (who’s kinda smart), but their roles overlap here and there. In this story, she is kidnapped by Singe, the kahuna of all the dragons, because Singe is a little pissed about all of his children Dirk has killed. Rousing adventure follows. As someone who tends to yawn his way through sword-and-sorcery stories, I found this kind of fun, likely because the book has an art style that mimics the cartoon, and because Mangels keeps the pace moving very quickly. Fun for all ages.

That’s it for this week. See you during the week for site updates, and next weekend for a new CWR Weekend Blog Extra!

/Mason

Finishing the week at the main site: new commentary! Are you thoroughly bored by the comics "news" that was announced at the big cons this summer? You aren't alone...

/Mason

Love and Brazil... two things that sound great together, and two things that read well together. Get the scoop on DeTALES: Stories of Urban Brazil today at the main site!

/Mason

Is a 22-year old computer-generated comic worth your time? Read up on SHATTER today at the main site!

/Mason

It's fun for all ages today, as BUMPERBOY AND THE LOUD, LOUD MOUNTAIN gets a look at the main site!

/Mason

It's Manga Monday today at the main site, with reviews of KAGETORA and SUGAR SUGAR RUNE! Plus, read below for this week's CWR Weekend Blog Extra!

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Archaia Studios Press was set up near “indy island” in San Diego, and I must have walked by their booth an average of five times a day. I had intended to stop and make an introduction at some point during the show, but every single time I passed by, the place was surrounded by people. Wall-to-wall fans talking to creators and buying books. So I’m guessing they had a good con.

Let’s take a look at four of their most recent releases. First up is MOUSE GUARD #3, written and drawn by David Petersen. I (and many others) have offered high praise for the two previous issues of this book, and nothing about issue three makes me regret it. While I thought issue two was a bit slow as far as moving the plot forward, this effort does a good job of picking up the pace. The traitor stands unrevealed, but the three mice guards from issue one find themselves in a lawless town where the clues begin to pile up. Petersen creates some wonderfully imaginative art, and his ability to portray action sequences shows real improvement. Halfway home, I remain entranced by MOUSE GUARD.

ROBOTIKA #3-4 conclude the first miniseries by writer/artist Alex Sheikman, and while the book was inconsistent, it still has many virtues to offer. Mixing samurais and cyberpunk, ROBOTIKA is in many ways a throwback, reminding you of Frank Miller’s late 80s-early 90s work like RONIN and HARD BOILED. Our hero, Niko, has given up the life of the sword and turned his back on his queen, becoming a true yojimbo, but that doesn’t stop him from taking on a quest to help see some pilgrims across a harsh wasteland and into the arms of their god. Fortunately, it turns out Niko doesn’t need steel to be an effective warrior, nor does he need the ability to feel… which will turn the last part of the series upside-down. While the first two issues were a struggle for me, I think Sheikman does a decent job of driving the series home. It feels to me like he’s capable of stronger work, and I’ll be interested to see how the next ROBOTIKA series plays out.

Closing out my reading was ARTESIA BESIEGED #1 from writer/artist Mark Smylie. This being the latest in a long series of Artesia books, I was worried that I would be completely lost the minute I opened the cover, especially because the book lives mostly in the “fantasy” genre. However, Smylie does so many things right that I was totally sucked in from page one. First, he provides a thorough recap. Second, he dives in and defines Artesia as a character through her actions and narration, eliminating any chance for confusion. And third, Smylie is so ridiculously talented an artist that you slow down to take in all the nuance of detail and color that he puts on the page. This is a gorgeous book with a heroine like few others in comics; strong, intelligent, powerful, in full command of her sexuality… she’s riveting to watch. I may have to go back and get some of the previous trades on this one.

See you here through the week for main site updates, and next Sunday for your Weekend Blog Extra!

/Mason

INVINCIBLE... a true sales success rarity. But why does it read so much better in collected form than in floppies? Today at the main site, a look at INVINCIBLE: ULTIMATE COLLECTION VOL.2!

/Mason

It's the return of "Should It Be A Movie?" at the main site! Today, a look at THE EXPENDABLE ONE, the story of a man who cannot die who decides to use his power to be a hero... with some disastrous and hilarious results!

/Mason

Why does a good book miss greatness? Today, Marc checks out WAR-FIX at the main site and addresses that very phenomenon...

/Mason

Alt-comix powerhouse Jordan Crane returns to the printed page with his new series UPTIGHT. Learn all about it today at the main site...

/Mason

Two new indies, ADRENALINE and ALICE IN NEW YORK, today at the main site...

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

I’ll tell you all a little secret: I kinda miss doing a regular column. With the format I’ve set up for the new site, I’m keeping things pretty separated. Reviews go up individually on the appropriate publisher page, and that’s it. Plus, I feel obligated to write longer pieces. Quick and dirty don’t rule the day. But that changes today, because they’re at least going to rule this weekend.

Today’s topic: a full suite of books from Ross Richie’s Boom Studios. Boom has become quite the overnight success story, going from fledgling indy to mover/shaker in less than a year. By publishing work by top-notch creators with high-quality production values, they’ve become hard to ignore. I have five new Boom efforts sitting here in my hands; let’s take a look and see how they’re doing.

JEREMIAH HARM #4 (written by Keith Giffen and Alan Grant, drawn by Rafael Albuquerque) is the penultimate chapter to this “space bounty hunters on steroids” saga. When last we left Harm, he had defeated one of the three baddies intent on destroying the universe itself, and had the other two in his sights. Giffen and Grant waste no time getting to the next ridiculous, over-the-top fight as the book opens, throwing as much action at the reader as possible. If you stopped to think about the logistics of the plot or the motivations of the villains, HARM would be in danger of collapsing on itself, but for pure shut off your brain entertainment, it’s hard to beat this book.

Last issue, SECOND WAVE took a bad tumble, losing some of the goodwill the book had built up from the beginning. Issue five (written by Michael Alan Nelson and drawn by Chee) spends the first two-thirds of the story mired in the trouble spot where it left off. Nelson is trying to demonstrate how quickly society has fallen apart because of the Martian attack, but it all feels too familiar. However, the final third of this issue sees the book begin to regain its composure. One good thing: the return of the Martians to the scene; their absence being part of the book’s stumble. Extra points for the creative murder of a crooked sheriff’s deputy.

Milo and Captain Valor head to therapy in HERO SQUARED #2 (written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis and drawn by Joe Abraham), and it’s easily my favorite issue of the series to date. The writers have become somewhat known for being experts and producing “talking heads” comics, and this book cements that rep. However, unlike the excesses that have marked some writers’ efforts over the past couple of years (*cough* Bendis), this never stops being a terrific, riveting piece of entertainment. By the end you realize the true theme of this book: the nature of self-loathing. Milo and Valor are the same guy, genetically, but each other’s version does nothing but remind them of what they hate most about themselves. Great work.

Never a fan of writer Joe Casey’s work, I was hesitant about THE BLACK PLAGUE #1 (drawn by Julia Bax). However, this was pretty decent. We open with a retired superhero and his retired former arch-nemesis playing a lovely game of chess in the park, but soon enough, we discover that there’s a lot more going on in this town that anyone would suspect. And that perhaps the old villain has a lot more up his sleeve than anyone could guess. BLACK PLAGUE’S strongest moments come from Bax’s art; it’s very clean and has a simple look, but conveys action and body language very well. There’s a BLACK PLAGUE mini-series coming down the road to clear up these mysteries, and despite my feelings about Casey, I think that’s a good thing.

Finally, we have THE 2006 DAVE JOHNSON FULL-COLOR SKETCHBOOK, a bookshelf-format edition presenting a wide variety of the artist’s work. Containing everything from odd doodles to designs for 100 BULLETS and CAPTAIN AMERICA, this potpourri of work is a must if you’re a fan of Johnson’s. There’s still worth to be found here if you aren’t, and even with the $10 price tag, that’s still better than laying out a ten-spot for a convention sketchbook that was printed by an artist at Kinko’s the night before the show. If Vertigo ever produces a coffee-table book of his 100 BULLETS covers, this has convinced me I’d have to buy it.

That’s it for the CWR Weekend Blog Extra. Tune in to the main site through the week for new stuff!

/Mason

Heading into the weekend... a big, tasty slice of cheesecake, as SHE-DRAGON finally arrives from Image! Check it out over at the main site!

Plus: check back here this weekend for a CWR Weekend Blog Extra featuring the latest releases from Boom Studios!

/Mason

Back in business... back from San Diego! Today at the main site, you'll find reviews of Joe Lansdale and Tim Truman's CONAN AND THE SONGS OF THE DEAD, and first-time novelist Evam Kuhlman's WOLF BOY, which incorporates some intriguing graphic novel elements...

/Mason

THE ESCALATOR-BATOR, or WHO SUBSCRIBES TO ‘HORSEFISTING ILLUSTRATED?’

This is kind of a Saturday/Sunday combo post. I woke up late this morning and decided to go finish the con instead of writing first. Turned out to be the right idea, as I was three hours and out at the show today.

Yesterday was a monster. First, at some point midday, they stopped selling new badges. To my knowledge, that’s a first. Attendance records have been obliterated, I’d think. Every day was packed beyond belief. I did only two panels, surprisingly; the “Adapting comics to the screen” screenwriters panel, and the “Hack/Slash” becoming a movie panel. My favorite con moment of the day, though, came after those, however. John Ridley was signing free copies of his novel THOSE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS. I’m a huge fan, so this was going to be a treat.

Then he ran late.

So late, in fact, that I decided to wander off and come back later. So I get a few aisles over and what do I see? Ridley at a different publisher’s booth, asking if they know where Warner Books is located. So I stepped in and played tour guide, delivering him to a grateful Warner’s staff. Fun.

The evening was again spent with friends, all but one of who was leaving today. I made some new friends this year that made this an amazing show, and I’m very grateful. Brandon, Jess, Lee… safe travels. Along with old friends Joe and Chris, we made Saturday one for the books. Not going to over-detail, but Joe helped get a guy arrested; Chris broke a waiter’s fragile heart; we marveled at a young boy who was riding the Hyatt escalators barefoot and in the wrong direction (running up the ‘down’, etc.) while playing with himself through his pockets; decisions were made about what horses drawn by Rob Liefeld would look like (no visible hooves, star-shaped tattoos over their eyes, and twenty-eight hands tall if you include their shoulder-mounted guns); and we created a trade magazine for people who artificially inseminate mares.

It went downhill from there. :-)

Today is my traditional shopping day. I focused heavily on minis, though the number of interesting efforts was way down this year. Still, I picked up new efforts from Paul Horn, Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, and Marion Vitus among others, so I left as a happy consumer.

As usual, with the show over, I’m wishing I were flying out tonight. I miss my house and bed. But thinking about it, I know I’ll miss my friends (those named above, plus Matt, Kevin, Steven and everyone else even more. See you next time gang…

/Mason

STICK A FORK IN ME…

Ugh.

I’ve tired of wandering around to promote myself and the site. I know it must be done; I need content; content brings readers, readers will bring advertisers when the time comes. But after a while, even someone with an ego the size of mine tires of talking about themselves. Hell, even typing this makes me want to smack myself.

Four panels yesterday. The blogger panel, which was fun. Spurge and Heidi are such wildly different people and are a combustible combo when in each other’s proximity. Next was IDW, supporting friends. Ryall is doing great there as EIC, and buddy John Layman had his SCARFACE mini announced. I’ve known about that one for a while, and it should be great.

Later in the day, it was BET’s animation panel. Reggie Hudlin is pushing hard to change the channel’s rep, and this was positive stuff. The highlight was a short piece called “Bid ‘em in” that dramatized a slave auction. It was a powerful punch to the gut. If the majority of their material is half as good, BET will be a huge force in animation for years to come.

The last panel stop for me was the art of Dan DeCarlo, put on by Bill Morrison, who did the book. Fantastic slides and stories, good fun.

Night saw dinner and drinking with friends, the way it should be. Back to the show…

/Mason

IT ALL LEADS TO FELLATIO RATHER QUICKLY…

Today’s quote comes from the genius of Brandon Jerwa. Funny guy, that Brandon. Good writer, too.

Thursday was Friday. That was the general consensus of the folks I polled. We had a Friday level of traffic, a Friday-sized crowd, and the Hyatt bar was at Friday fervor. The weekend may be fearsome.

Hit three panels. Del Rey manga, which was fun. Their e-i-c, Dallas Middaugh, has exactly the right attitude towards some of the mangas’ crazier plots. Sat in on Jimmy Palmiotti’s panel late afternoon. Jimmy remains one of my favorite folks in comics; good guy, works hard, and really cares. I’ll be doing a new interview with Jimmy this fall. Those are always fun.

Last panel was Random House’s graphic novel panel. More of Dallas, plus the discovery that Kazu Kibuishi’s name is pronounced “Kazoo”. I felt a twinge of sympathy for him at that moment. The FLINTSTONES must have made his life Hell.

Did a lot of catching up with publishers I know. One told me something very surprising; he said that last year was very “producer heavy” and lighter on the fan end. However, so far in the show, they weren’t as besieged by Hollywood as expected, but were surprisingly customer heavy. I liked hearing that.

Pressed the flesh with publishers I don’t know as well, trying to spread word about the new site. I’ve put in some good work so far. Ended the night with dinner and drinks with friends, the way you should here. Back to work now…

/Mason

GRANT MORRISON HAS A FIRM PIMP HAND...

...and other Preview Night notes.

S ix-year old children will go insane when "Hell's Bells" plays. I began my day at Petco Park, watching baseball. The Padres took a lead into the ninth, meaning Trevor Hoffman was brought in to get the save. The park goes insane when the song plays, including young kids. What a great Pavlovian response!

Registration this year was incredibly smooth. And if you had the barcode letter, you were gold. I was done in under five minutes, and I even needed a change in my info. Great job by the con folks.

Saw some familiar faces early. Laurenn McCubbin, Stephen Buell, Jeff Davidson, Rob Osborne, Ryan Yount, to name a few. But con is about seeing old friends, so the highlights involved John Layman and the genius of Matt Maxwell (who coined this post's title after I explained why I lack a firm pimp hand myself).

I think Top Shelf and Boom have good chances to make a splash. LOST GIRLS is now here and in print, and the package is incredible. Plus, Melinda Gebbie is here to sign them. Amano's HERO arrived at the Boom booth last night while I was visiting, and it looks gorgeous. Decent price point, too.

Off to the show!

THE WEATHER IS HERE, WISH YOU WERE LOVELY

San Diego, first full day. Taking my own advice, I arrived last night to stay a full week. Checked in, treated myself to dinner, and got a good night’s sleep.

Woke this morning and had a bagel on the patio of a nearby café. Enjoyed the breeze and the temps. Planning on hitting the Padres game tonight with Chris Allen, before all Hell breaks loose tomorrow.

The rest of the country is suffering stupid heat right now, Al Gore’s inconvenient truth rearing its ugly head. San Diego remains blissfully immune for now… the humidity is high, but that’s a fair trade. Hopefully the con a/c will be in top form, and we’ll shop and network in relative comfort. Won’t hold my breath, though.

Did my Ralph’s shopping today as well. 5 days worth of lunches for $8.65. Hard to beat that…

Sight of the day: a man exiting the Ralph’s garage in a car upon which he had painted/written some sort of manifesto. He was driving like an asshole (surprise,surprise), but I managed to catch something about Jesus being the defense attorney for the chosen somethings or other. Yeesh.

Con reports proper will begin Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Check back then…

Mason

Today at the main site... PENNY ARCADE makes my acquaintance, and the FRAGILE PROPHET tells my future.

Plus: read below for the CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA!

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA!

No reason just to use this blog as my news feed, right? Instead, I’ll be putting up new weekend content as often as I can, in this very space. Woo-hoo!

LOVE AND ROCKETS #16
Written and Drawn by Los Bros Hernandez
Published by Fantagraphics

I’ve made no secret out of the fact that I tend to prefer Gilbert Hernandez’ L&R stories over Jamie’s. It’s basically a question of the characters whose lives I find most interesting. However, that doesn’t diminish the respect and admiration I have for Jaime’s work. He’s every bit the amazing, talented genius that Beto is. And the lead story in this issue shows exactly why.

He takes his entire cast and puts them through an evening, viewing it through the eyes of one of the supporting characters. Yet, he manages, through body language and facial expressions, to tell everyone’s story effectively. By using this sort of “dual perspective”, he creates a near-perfect “slice of life night” that would tell even the newest reader who everyone is and why they react as they do.

The rest of the book contains even more fantastic goodies from both brothers, making this your usual excellent effort from the dynamic duo. Extra kudos for an outstanding cover that relates the theme of Jaime’s opening story in wonderful fashion.

DARK HORSE: 20 YEARS
Drawn by Various
Published by Dark Horse

This $.25 book offers up 20 cool pin-up style portraits of the characters that made Dark Horse the company it is today. Hellboy, Groo, Aliens, Grendel, Concrete… they’re all represented in these pages. And on the surface, that would be cool enough to get your two bits.

However, this book takes it one better. The primary creators do not provide the looks at their characters. Instead, there’s been some swapping, both direct and indirect. Stan Sakai draws SIN CITY; Frank Miller draws USAGI YOJIMBO, for instance. Then you get the train: CONAN artist Cary Nord draws ALIENS; CONAN is then drawn by Sergio Aragones; GROO then appears via Paul Chadwick; then we get CONCRETE done by Chris Warner; then Warner’s BLACK CROSS by Killian Plunkett, and so on.

I was a Dark Horse reader pretty much from the company’s inception, so this book is sort of an extra-special treat for me. I was buying DARK HORSE PRESENTS faithfully and marveling to the early appearances of many of these characters, plus many others, like FLAMING CARROT, HEARTBREAKERS, and HOMICIDE. So I tip my cap and send my warm wishes to the folks in Oregon for their first twenty years. Hopefully, the next twenty will be just as interesting.

/Mason

Why THE TOURIST is better than I expected and why FIVE FISTS OF SCIENCE disappoints... today at the main site!

/Mason

Today's new stuff: LUBA #8 from Fantagraphics, and CRYPTOZOO CREW vol.2 from NBM. Check it out!

/Mason

New today at the Site... 5 Tips for a Better San Diego experience and a review of the manga SCHOOL RUMBLE...

/Mason

RANDOM ENCOUNTER, from Viper Comics, and THE NIGHTMARIST, from Active Images, get reviewed today over at the Main Site!

/Mason

Today at the main site... reviews of G.I. JOE DECLASSIFIED #1 and VAMPIRELLA: REVELATIONS...

/Mason

Today at The Waiting Room...

TALENT and SECOND WAVE from Boom Studios go under the microscope...

/Mason

Now Open For Business!!!!!

After losing a metric ton of my work due (mainly) to stupidity and inexperience, I'm up and ready to go. Make with the clicky and check it out, I beg of you...

/Mason

A PAIR OF PREVIEWS

As God is my witness, the new site will open next week. You heard it here first.

Two from Oni Press, both reviewed from black & white photocopies:

THE LEADING MAN #1
Written by B. Clay Moore and Drawn by Jeremy Haun

Nick Walker is one of those guys the rest of us envy. He’s good looking, rich, and oh, yeah… one of the highest paid action movie stars in Hollywood. One of those guys who has it all. But Nick has even more than that; he’s also a real-life spy who uses his movements to filming locations to mask his covert activities.

That’s the plot behind THE LEADING MAN, Moore and Haun’s second stab at working together. Their first effort was last year’s wildly uneven BATTLE HYMN, so I went into LEADING MAN with some skepticism. With such a near-shark jump of a plot, would the creative team be able to hold the book together? In the broadest sense, that remains to be seen, but they’re at least off to a good start.

Where HYMN came out of the gate like Barbaro on a bum leg, LEADING MAN shows high energy and life immediately. From page one, where we meet Nick in the middle of filming a big action set-piece, to the sly scenes where his female co-stars try and figure out his sexuality, everything here feels pretty much right on target. Enjoyable.

LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE #1
Written by Jamie S. Rich and Drawn by Marc Ellerby

Tristan is the lead singer of Los Angeles’ best unsigned band, Like A Dog. Isobel has just flown in from Tokyo to meet her fiancée’s grandparents. But after locking eyes at the airport, fate brings them together again when Isobel goes to scout out a band for his label and it turns out to be Tristan’s.

LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE reads like… well, it reads just like a Jamie S. Rich story. Rich has long been comics’ hippest and slyest cat, with a knowledge of music matched by few. His novel work, like CUT MY HAIR, demonstrates his mastery of this sort of tale, so you’d expect no less than a comic that not only has a twinge of real heart to it, but also makes you feel like the coolest kid in the room for reading it.

Full of terrific supporting characters, like Tristan’s amusing brother Lance and Isobel’s best friend Branden, LOVE is fun even when it turns its focus to the edges of the story. And Rich smartly doesn’t make Isobel’s fiancée an unrepentant dick; he genuinely seems to care for her. By giving everyone in the story a stake in the outcome, LOVE gets elevated from cute toss-off to something with real deep potential. It may not have been complete love at first site, but I am definitely in deep like with this book.

/Mason

INTERIM

Site construction on the new place is nearly complete. But in the meantime, the pile must be addressed…

X ISLE #1
Written by Andrew Cosby and Michael Nelson and Drawn by Greg Scott
Published by Boom Studios


Dr. Alex Keller is a man who has some trouble balancing the priorities in his life. Unfortunately, that isn’t going to improve anytime soon; just as his daughter arrives to meet him in Hawaii (after she’s given up a vacation in France), he’s called to the shore, where a creature never seen before by man has washed up dead. And when the stomach of the creature yields more bizarre life forms, it’s clear that family time is about to get pushed to the side once again.

Of course, all of that could change in a hurry when a freak storm pushes Alex, his daughter, and his crew of scientists off course and onto the shores of an uncharted island…

Part JAWS, part LOST, and part JURASSIC PARK, the plot and concept of X ISLE more than make up for the shallowness of the character set-ups. You’ve seen the parent-child conflict in this situation plenty; plus you get the requisite surly sailor, and plenty of supporting cannon fodder as Keller’s associates. Still, you go to these types of movies, and buy these types of comics, expecting the tropes of the genre to be in place to push the tale along. Therefore, X ISLE reads true to itself.

Greg Scott’s art looks really good here, supporting the suspense and mystery being laid down, too. I probably sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I really liked X ISLE; it’s a tight piece of pop entertainment, and that’s all I was asking for.

SIBAM?

After TALENT got optioned a couple of weeks ago, I’d imagine that Hollywood’s eyes are trained a bit more closely on Ross Richie and company’s output. I can’t imagine that X ISLE, which reeks of summer tentpole flick, won’t wind up in a producer’s pocket soon enough.

PARADOX #2-3
Written by Chris Gage and Drawn by Luis Henrique Ribeiro
Published by Arcana Studio


Detective Sean Nault must leave his magic-based world and enter ours as LAW AND ORDER scribe Gage concludes his tale of sorcerers and bullets. When last we left Nault, he had discovered that parallel worlds existed, and someone in our science-based reality was crossing over and causing big trouble. Aided and abetted by a science believer from his own world (the standard love interest), Lenoir Rhyne, he must unravel the clues and expose a conspiracy to destroy two universes.

PARADOX is a clever book, and it reads almost purely as a screenplay in many ways. The art is pretty static for the most part, almost purposefully lacking dynamism, instead interpreting its role as more of a set of storyboards. That’s acceptable, of course, but you wouldn’t be disappointed if Ribeiro stretched himself a bit. Story-wise, my one qualm is that the story feels a bit rushed by squeezing it into three issues. I’d have liked to have seen a bit more in the way of fleshing out some of the smaller pieces of the plot, and in adding some extra character material. Still, I expect this to serve its purpose and find the story a Hollywood home at some point, even it winds up being to expensive to ever film.

CRY YOURSELF TO SLEEP
Written and Drawn by Jeremy Tinder
Published by Top Shelf Comix


It’s sort of difficult to know what to make of CRY. The book focuses on three very distinct individuals: Jim, a rabbit who lives an unfulfilling life while working at a sandwich shop; Andy, a young writer struggling to find his voice; and Robot, who decides he wants to find his humanity by following a bird out to the forest and following its example.

Tinder chooses to make Robot a robot for obvious purposes; a machine finding its soul is a common literature trope. But it’s the decision to make Jim a rabbit that really offers up some questions to the reader. Jim is a sad spirit, and his parents put him upon horribly. His father doesn’t accept excuses for losing a job because he’s a rabbit; it’s a tantalizing take on race, but Tinder doesn’t quite sink his claws as deep into it as you’d like. I like that he made the attempt, though.

Each character’s quest for self and meaning winds up coming together in different ways, as the trio’s path will intersect in ways they couldn’t imagine, but Tinder manages to put together a conclusion that feels right, fair, and satisfying. CRY YOURSELF TO SLEEP isn’t a book to set the world on fire, but it is a very solid debut from this creator.

MOUSE GUARD #2
Written and Drawn by David Petersen
Published by Archaia Studios Press


As the mice from issue one were on their mission, others were also working, too. Issue two of this fantastic book follows Guard member Sadie as she heads off to the shore of the Mouse territory to find out why fellow guard member Conrad has suddenly stopped responding to messages. Needless to say, that silence is a very bad sign for all mice…

Petersen’s tale of heroic mice picks up steam with this second issue. It could have been severely damaging to the story to move away from the characters we met in issue one, but he manages to make Sadie and Conrad more fascinating characters than our prior protagonists. The story movement also allows for an expansion of the story’s scope and the picture we get of the backdrop the tale is playing against.

The primary action sequence this issue involves our heroes taking on an armada of crabs bent on taking their lives. Petersen makes this scene exhilarating, putting aside thoughts of what the creatures involved are and delivering perfectly executed scenes of mayhem. Unfortunately, that leads to the one problem MOUSE GUARD faces in this issue: the story feels pretty thin and doesn’t get as far forward as it really needs to in order to keep momentum. Still, this remains a wonderful surprise, and I look forward to reading more.

STRANGETOWN #1
Written by Chynna Clugston and Ian Shaughnessy and Drawn by Chynna Clugston
Published by Oni Press


Mysterious circumstances send a young girl named Vanora on a ship ride far away from home. However, an accident at sea leaves her stranded and living in a small town off the coast of Oregon. Stranger circumstances yet then leave her looking for a room to rent, and she finds one located above a bar named THE CUTTY SARK TA HOUSE. But as weird as all that may sound, her housemates might just be weirder. And sadly for Vanora, the past is not so easily outrun.

I’ve just written that paragraph, yet I read it knowing that it’s all somewhat of a lie: by the end of STRANGETOWN, you have absolutely zero clue as to what’s going on or what the real plot of the book is going to be. But no matter; it’s all executed with such gusto and energy that you can’t help but be drawn into the tale without a problem.

Much of that is due to the presence of Chynna Clugston as co-writer and artist. Clugston is one of those creators who can do almost no wrong in my eyes. I’ve been a fan since I first laid my eyes on BLUE MONDAY, and her excellent SCOOTER GIRL did nothing to dull that shine. Chynna has a gift for making the absurd seem perfectly rational and normal, which is precisely why STRANGETOWN works. More please. Soon.

PAUL JENKINS’ SIDEKICK #1
Written by Paul Jenkins and Drawn by Chris Moreno
Published by Image Comics


Eddie Edison’s life is full of hassles. By day, he delivers pizza to people who treat him like dirt and try and screw him over. When night rolls around, though, he’s the sidekick to Mister Excellent, the greatest superhero in the city. Of course, Mister Excellent is also a dimwitted, pain-in-the-ass, prig. So you’ll pardon Eddie if he doesn’t feel guilty about fucking Mister Excellent’s wife.

Of course, Eddie’s hassles also extend to his having a voluptuous, kinky stripper for a girlfriend. So, yeah, Eddie’s kind of a dick who’s due for a little comeuppance himself. So when he schemes to get away from Mister Excellent and earn a little side money sidekicking for another hero in town, he bites off a bit more than he can chew when they all hire him…

SIDEKICK is pretty damned funny, scouring modern pop culture and classic superhero comics for every little cliché it can find, and then taking a leak on them. Whether it’s poking fun at Superman, or taking swings at hip hop culture, Jenkins observes no boundaries and no fear in aiming at his targets. Moreno finds just the right mix of slapstick and action to sell the gags. As disappointed as I was in THE LAST CHRISTMAS, I’m surprised, happy, and enthused about SIDEKICK. This is a winner.

/Mason

I WAS HOPING THE NEW SITE WOULD BE READY BY NOW…

Oh, well. Keep checking The NEW Comics Waiting Room this week, and cross your fingers.

CASANOVA #1
Written by Matt Fraction and Drawn by Gabriel Ba
Published by Image Comics

Casanova Quinn is the world’s greatest thief, a sex magnet, and luckier than anyone deserves to be. Sort of a reverse-image of James Bond, he eschews his family’s commitment to doing good in the world, leaving the secret agent stuff to his father and his twin sister. But when she’s killed in the line of duty, Casanova gets drawn into a strange scenario involving time travel, dimension shifting, giant floating brains, and more. I’d try and explain more of that, but wrapping my head around the twisty plot that Fraction put together gave me a headache. Fortunate, then, I was enormously entertained by the whole affair. CASANOVA is a blast of pop energy, not taking itself too seriously and delivering maximum bang for the buck. Plus, it looks brilliant; Ba’s pages are simply gorgeous to look at. At $1.99 this, like FELL, is something you simply cannot ignore.

DORK TOWER #33
Written and Drawn by John Kovalic
Published by Dork Storm



After a long layoff, due to some cool real world distractions for Kovalic, DORK TOWER returns, as strong as ever. This issue puts the focus on Ken, as Kovalic continues to spread the spotlight out amongst the cast. Ken’s problems are two-fold; one, he’s struggling to write good game modules for his friends, because he lacks an inherent passion and zest that pushes his stories to the next level. And that problem informs the second issue facing him: he’s oblivious to the needs of the girl in his life. Kovalic makes Ken’s troubles as a writer feel very real; anyone who’s ever sat at the keyboard and couldn’t figure out how to make their story jump from “okay” to “great” knows exactly how he feels. And you don’t have to be a writer to know how hard it is to read the signals from your significant other that she’s being neglected. Throw in well-executed movement on Matt and Igor’s plots, too, and this is a strong return for a terrific book.

SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST #3
Written and Drawn by Josh Cotter
Published by AdHouse Books


I had the good fortune to read the first two SKYSCRAPERS back when they were published as mini-comics a couple of years ago (AdHouse reprinted them at standard floppy size). They had won the Isotope Award for minis, and deservedly so; Cotter was clearly an insane genius, melding the absurd with deep emotional pathos with alacrity. Issue three is more of the same. The main storyline involves a withdrawn fifth-grader whose name we never get, but we know him well. He’s shy, loves his toy robot and dinosaur, and is terrified of declaring his feelings for the girl he admires from afar. He also gets pushed around a lot. Even if we weren’t that kid, we knew him. But alongside that plot, we also follow the path of a giant robot wandering the plains and dealing with a bizarre pack of flying cats, and a lonely farmer who likes to wander the roadside picking up cans with his faithful dog. Someway, somehow, Cotter manages to make these plots work together and feel perfectly normal and logical. It’s quite a feat. Beautifully drawn, and cleverly put together around a design resembling a fifth grade yearbook, this is an excellent book.

ELEISON #1
Written by Elena Carillo and Drawn by Jaime Carillo
Published by Here There Be Monsters Press


ELEISON isn’t a standard comic. Instead, it’s an illustrated prose story. Set in 1833, we discover a young woman teacher with a strange sickness: a bloodthirst, a hunger, that causes her to attack a student as though she were a vampire. That sends a young priest named Peck out into the wild in the hopes of returning with a legendary clergyman named Jean-Marthe Baptiste who it is believed can solve the problem. Baptiste, known to the local Native American population as Waabooz (“Rabbit”) supposedly has experience with the supernatural. But with such a strange malady, it is unclear whether or not his experience will be enough. The illustrations by Jaime are really quite lovely, though they don’t really do much to push the tale along. They are very much a solid, literal translation of what we get from the text. The story itself is fine; I never felt as grounded in the environment as I’d have liked, but that is something that can be rectified as the book progresses. Solid, if unspectacular, debut.

AUTOPSYROTICA
Written and Illustrated by Chad Michael Ward
Published by NBM


This is about as dark and disturbing of a book as I’ve seen in a while. I’m fine with that, though.

AUTOPSYROTICA is a collection of illustrated photographs, accompanied by short text pieces that present a crisply inferred story. By illustrated photographs, I mean that Ward has used a model (usually a goth or fetish model), set up a scenario and captured it on film, and then gone to work with digital paints and other media in order to complete the picture. It’s a remarkable and deeply involving set of artistic creations. This book is about the conjunction of sex and death, and the illustrations here meld the two as though there is no separation between them at all. It would be easy to say that, looking at Ward’s work, there is nothing attractive about what he puts on the page here, but you have to look deeper than that. Yes, there’s a horror in many of his pieces, but in many of the others, there’s something beautiful simmering just below the surface. This is a challenging work, but an admirable one in the attempt. I wouldn’t recommend it to any but the most advanced and open-minded readers though.

RED SONJA #10-11
Written by Mike Oeming and Drawn by Mel Rubi, Pablo Marcos, and Lee Moder
Published by Dynamite Entertainment


Issue ten concludes the storyline wherein Sonja acquires a protégée much like herself, and it is quite satisfactorily executed. Oeming sends Sonja on the girl on their mission, and it feels genuinely like the title character has come fully alive on the page. She’s clever, caring, and really seems like she has her shit together. Of course, that can’t last, so issue eleven goes a long way towards putting her life in the toilet. I’m fine with that, as it’s a dramatic necessity, but the execution was off through the issue. As she faces a foe far stronger and smarter than her, there’s a sense that Sonja regresses needlessly; with this enemy, even at her fullest strength, it would take more for her to win. There’s also an added tragedy thrown into the mix, which again, didn’t feel completely necessary for the plot to achieve its aims. SONJA continues to be a solid book, but I’m reserving judgment as we see where the next issue, revealing the series’ main villain to date, takes the character.

ARMY OF DARKNESS #7-8
Written by Kames Kuhoric and Drawn by Kevin Sharpe
Published by Dynamite Entertainment


ARMY #7 concludes the “Old School” plotline, which sent Ash back out to that cabin in the woods where he lost the love of his life and his hand those many years ago. This has been the most fun the series has delivered to date; nothing feels more like a Bruce Campbell moment than kicking a severed head and shooting it with a shotgun while it’s still in the air. Funny stuff. But Kuhoric also manages to make the ending a bit sad, as Ash discovers that he can never even consider giving up the fight for a long, long time. Issue eight begins a new story, “Ash vs. Dracula”, and it gets off to kind of a disappointing and slow start. Kuhoric decides to start us at the end of the tale and tell it in flashbacks, which is a fine device… when your opening place is a whopper. But Ash’s situation at the start of this issue is kind of pedestrian. Sadly, Sharpe’s pencils, which get colored directly, also look a little loose in issue eight as well. Disappointing, but there’s room to recover.

PAINKILLER JANE #2
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Drawn by Lee Moder
Published by Dynamite Entertainment



On the other hand, this book delivers exactly what you bought it for: ridiculous, over-the-top action, story logic be damned. In issue one, the basically indestructible Jane took out a bad guy who was being guarded by dirty cops. Now, the cops want her dead, and only her insiders on the force feeding her information keep her a step ahead of the bullets. However, the bad guy from issue one had family, and they’ve taken the women he was keeping as slaves into their own home for nefarious purposes. So Jane’s job isn’t done, and more people are going to have to die. Daring escapes, rooftop gun battles, long falls from high windows… they’re all here. Palmiotti is smart enough to know that no one picks up this book expecting to find a sensitively told tale of a woman struggling with her inability to die. This is pure fun, and I dug it.

/Mason

SNAKES IN THE GRASS

The NEW Comics Waiting Room is still a week or so away. I swear to you: it’s coming. But in the meantime, these comics aren’t going to review themselves. So here are three new efforts from Viper Comics, one of my favorite indy publishers.

MIDDLEMAN #2.4
Written by Javier Grillo-Marxauch and Drawn by Les McClane

The second MIDDLEMAN limited series draws to a conclusion, and it’s all kinds of happy goodness. Wendy parachutes into the Mexican jungle on a mission to save her boss and Sensei Ping, but her problems are far greater than that. For instance, her skill at delivering a snappy one-liner when she takes down a baddie needs more than just a bit of work (the single funniest gag in the eight issues published to date). Plus, she had to leave her critically wounded ex-boyfriend behind to possibly die. Nothing’s easy for the poor girl.

That bit of sadness aside, the conclusion to the story packs a ridiculous amount of action, funny jokes, and even character development into the remaining space. The final battle against an army of Mexican wrestlers is executed with both panache and lot of hilarity, cementing my love for this book. MIDDLEMAN is one of my favorite comics, period. Can’t wait until we get to see some more!

VILLAINS #1
Written by Adam Cogan and Drawn by Ryan Cody

Nick is a fuck-up. He has a great girlfriend who loves him, but he can’t keep out of his own way long enough to keep his job. Nor does he show her enough respect to tell her the truth. But his life is about to change, because Nick walks into the middle of a fight between the local superhero and a bad guy. And armed with the bad guy’s gun, he gets bold. Bold enough to discover that the superintendent of his apartment building used to be one of the most notorious supervillains of all time. Bold enough to decide that he doesn’t want to go looking for a regular job…

No question, the concept here is very strong. We don’t necessarily need to get behind Nick right away; there’s a character arc to be discovered here. But Cogan does make something a misstep that may make this difficult. Why? The first thing Nick does when he winds up with the aforementioned gun is to put on a mask and mug his former boss. Risky at that point to be able to sculpt an arc that will fully redeem him… if that’s even Cogan’s plan. I suppose it says a lot that I was struck hard enough by that action to care to see what happens as the story progresses. Have to call that a win for VILLAINS.

YOU’LL HAVE THAT
Written and Drawn by Wes Molebash

YOU’LL HAVE THAT is an enormously charming comic strip, done in the classic four-panel format. Molebash premieres his work on the web, and this is the first printed collection of his work. And hopefully, it’s just the first of many.

YHT is the story of newlyweds Andy and Katie. They met cute, fell in love, and now they have the true battle ahead of them: how to live together and figure out just how their marriage is going to work. Whether it’s a minor issue like how to properly share a bowl of salsa or a major issue like hygiene, the adorable pair has some work to do.

Molebash has a nice, simple art style, and his figures are very appealing. He has a solid grasp on his timing, so the punchlines flow exactly how they should. Nothing feels forced or mischaracterized. I enjoyed the book immensely, and it should do well in bookstores, having lots of appeal to the non-comics reader.

/Mason

QUARTER HORSES

All yours for a shiny two bits.

G.I.JOE: THE HUNT FOR COBRA COMMANDER
Written by Mike O’Sullivan and Drawn by Josh Medors
Published by Devil’s Due

As the main JOE series has maneuvered through its first year if issues, scribe Joe Casey has been careful not to bring out too many of the trappings from the previous volume. Cobra has been seen in spurts, and putting continuity aside in order to make the book friendlier to new readers has been paramount. But even a new reader knows that the series’ primary villain cannot be held back forever. Much like the Fantastic Four will always have to face Dr. Doom and the X-Men will have to square off against Magneto, the Joes are going to have to go head-to-head with the king snake himself, Cobra Commander. O’Sullivan’s short story that leads this issue details what’s been going on behind the scenes of the regular series since the beginning, whetting the appetite for whatever the world’s worst terrorist has in store. The back matter, which offers up dossiers and histories for the series and its characters, are very well executed and useful to readers new and old. Perfectly executed.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #0
Written by Greg Pak and Drawn by Nigel Raynor
Published by Dynamite Entertainment

To say that I’m a huge fan of the TV show would be undercutting it a tad, so I was extremely anxious to see how this was going to turn out. What makes GALACTICA the show a success are the characters and their conflicts; science fiction barely plays a role in the show. Therefore, one of my greatest concerns about taking the series into the comic realm was that the lack of budget hindrances would send Pak away from what’s brilliant about the concept and into the land of kewl. Fortunately, while there is a bit more of a sci-fi feeling here than you might get on the show, this generally feels right, story-wise. That isn’t to say that there aren’t struggles; character voice is an issue; in particular, Apollo and Starbuck aren’t quite right. But Pak nails President Roslin and the elder Adama to a t. The ending cliffhanger is either an idea steeped in genius or a scenario that Pak will never be able to satisfactorily resolve, but either way, I’ll be in it for the long haul to see how it plays out.

/Mason

LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE TONE

Building the new site wouldn’t be nearly as time consuming if I wasn’t insistent upon getting 139 SIBAM columns transferred over to the new place. Gah.

INNOCENCE AND SEDUCTION: THE ART OF DAN DECARLO
Written and Edited by Bill Morrison
Published by Fantagraphics

Anyone who’s read me for any length of time knows how I feel about the legendary Dan DeCarlo. To wit: he was one of the first artists whose work I fell in love with, he was an icon, and the opportunity to meet him at San Diego was one of the highlights of any con for me. So I’ve been highly pleased to see such items as the previous compilation of DeCarlo’s single-panel cartoons, to put it mildly. But that collection pales in comparison to this magnificent over-sized hardcover.

Not content merely to display DeCarlo’s art, Morrison provides an excellent and informative biography of the man as well. From his humble beginnings to his wartime service to his lengthy career in comics, it’s all here. Told in simple passages, and illustrated by the work he was doing during the parts of his life Morrison is discussing in each chapter, INNOCENCE AND SEDUCTION paints a portrait of a fascinating man who lived a full, yet somewhat tragic, life. From the highs of his days working with Stan Lee to the lows of losing his court battle against the Archie folks who wouldn’t acknowledge his creation of JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS or their house art style, Morrison puts it all on the page.

However, for my money, nothing tops Morrison’s coverage of how Dan met the love of his life, Josie. They met under simple circumstances; DeCarlo was stationed in Europe during World War Two, and Josie was a gorgeous Frenchwoman brought along as part of a double date scenario. But DeCarlo told a much more fantastic and ludicrous tale of how the two came together. I won’t spoil it, but needless to say, the man was a born raconteur.

But if that doesn’t sell you the book, you need look no further than the amazing amount of classic DeCarlo art in these pages. From early childhood sketches to forgotten comics to his classic work on MILLIE, you can watch his development into one of the giants of the medium. There’s also plenty of work from later in his career here as well, not skimping on how he developed Betty & Veronica into the true icons they are today.

INNOCENCE AND SEDUCTION reminds you more than just a bit of Fantagraphics’ previous hardcover works covering B. Kriegstein. And like those books, I expect this effort to be in strong contention when awards season rolls around next year. Truly a treasure, worthy of a place of honor on any true fan’s shelf.

/Mason

PLEASE HOLD. WE WILL ANSWER YOUR CALL AS SOON AS WE CAN…

While trying to get the new site together… some efforts from Image Comics.

EMISSARY #1
Written by Jason Rand and Drawn by Juan Ferreyra

A disparate group of people finds their lives turned upside down when a man floats above Times Square and announces that he has arrived to lead Earth to enlightenment in the latest effort from the Valentino-verse. Naturally, a stereotypical military leader decides that talking or exploring is right out and sends in the fighter planes, but beyond that distracting and annoying cliché, the book feels like is has some promise. The Emissary character is still a cipher, but there’s a sincere sense that his presence will call many peoples’ lives and faiths into question, and that usually makes for interesting drama. Rand has a grasp on when to shut up and let Ferreyra’s nicely attractive art take over, but otherwise, his dialogue is pretty mezzo-mezzo. I’d like to see the book get past the stereotypical use of the military leadership, but beyond that, there’s plenty of room for growth here.

LIBERTY MEADOWS #37
Written and Drawn by Frank Cho

Please turn on the Weather Channel… Hell may be freezing over. Two years later, Cho has finally produced a new issue of LIBERTY MEADOWS. Now, as someone who’s been a fan of the book long before it came to Image to roost, I think I have a bit more license to be snippy than most. That aid, I’m still damned pleased to see it return, even if we may not see another one until the day when I can grow a proper beard. However, anyone without a long memory is going to be screwed; the strips in this issue still don’t take the series up to the events in the WEDDING ALBUM issue, which dealt with Brandy’s aborted marriage to Roger. Fortunately, the ones that are here mix Cho’s usual blend of cheesecake and slapstick well, and remind you that he still does his best work in 3-to-4 panel gags instead of regular comics (sorry, SHANNA). I hope that the next one isn’t two years away… Monkey Boy.

UMBRA #1
Written by Stephen Murphy and Drawn by Mike Hawthorne

The first chapter of this mystery is an absolutely terrific gut-punch. Set in Iceland in 1999, we are introduced to young forensics investigator Askja Thorasdottir. She’s raw, inexperienced… and has to take psych meds in order to do many of the aspects of her job. But her need for those drugs is about to go through the roof when a dead body is found in a cave beneath a glacier. What appears to be an interesting find of a Neanderthal skeleton turns into so much more; the Neanderthal was wearing a sweater made by Benetton, and had been shot by a classic Soviet pistol. While dealing with the attraction between her and the woman who gets assigned the case, she must also face that someone out there doesn’t want this strange mystery to be solved. Murphy’s script and story are tight, and Askja is a very interesting character. But the whole enterprise would crumble without someone as talented as Hawthorne at the drawing board (say, Mike, where are the last two issues of HYSTERIA, anyway?). UMBRA looks great, and he sells Murphy’s work perfectly. Can’t wait to see where this goes.

/Mason

!MOOB

Ross Richie, head honcho of Boom Studios, seems to have things backwards when it comes to running a comics publisher. Instead of flooding the market with ill thought-out concepts centered on a “universe,” he’s insisted upon slow expansion, individual ideas, and solid scheduling. Doesn’t he know that’s not the road to bankruptcy? What’s he trying to do? Stay in business and make a profit?

JEREMIAH HARM #3
Written by Keith Giffen and Alan Grant and Drawn by Rael Lyra

Giffen and Grant’s testosterone-fueled sci-fi book really kicks into gear with issue three. The action and violence quotient fairly well explode off the page, as Harm faces off with the psychotic alien murderer, Ayoma. She’s ruthless, ugly, and likes to eat the flesh of her victims. In the meantime, the human doctors introduced in issue two must attempt to follow the carnage, figure out what the Hell is happening, and possibly save the world from being destroyed by Ayoma’s partners in genocide. There’s nothing too cerebral going on in these pages; this is pure lunatic fun. Lyra’s art continues to impress, though the color scheme still doesn’t flatter his work the way you’d like. Solid.

SECOND WAVE: WAR OF THE WORLDS #3
Written by Michael Alan Nelson and Drawn by Chee

The second Martian invasion continues, but the real battleground moves from the scorched Earth to the inner workings of Miles’ mind. Before the aliens returned, Miles had been medicated, believing that he was being abducted and experimented on by monsters. But not, the truth is revealed: his experiences were real. He’s validated. Now, his task is to find psychological stability and forgive himself. However, standing in his way are some horrific creatures, terrifying machines, and surviving humans who are even poorer adjusted than him. Nelson mixes pathos, action, and suspense just right, creating one of the more atmospheric efforts on the stands. This feels like a series that will sell like hotcakes once a trade gets into bookstores.

CTHULHU TALES
Written and Drawn by Various

CTHULHU TALES represents a first for me when it comes to Boom’s products. Even though some of the publisher’s previous efforts didn’t light my world on fire, I still found something interesting and intriguing about them. Unfortunately, this book is the first complete swing and miss for me. The publisher has stepped away from zombie anthologies, not wanting to press their luck; smart move. However, this paean to Lovecraft’s work never connects for me. The idea of setting stories around H.P.’s ideas works on the surface, but the material in here is so broad that it just doesn’t grab. Another issue is that there’s no real explanation of what Lovecraft’s work is actually about; everyone knows zombies, but not everyone knows the Cthulhu background. There’s some lovely art in these pages, and the effort is there, but… there was just too much missing here.

HERO SQUARED #1
Written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis and Drawn by Joe Abraham

Besides zombies, Boom came to notice by publishing the original HERO SQUARED mini-series. Seeing the authors return to their classic “Bwa Ha Ha” style of superhero stories was a treat for longtime comics fans, and many like myself were ecstatic when it was announced that the series would return to the schedule as an ongoing book. Milo, Captain Valor, and Stephie are here in all their amusing glory, as the book picks up directly from where the mini ended. Milo slept with Stephie’s evil alternate universe self, Caliginous and is keeping it secret. Captain Valor is pining for Milo’s Stephie. And Caliginous has plans of her own for Stephie, not the least of which might be breaking her heart by spilling about Milo. Few books offer you more for your money than a book by Giffen and DeMatteis; tons of dialogue, lots of laughs, a little action thrown in… superhero soap opera done on a focused scale. Delightful.

TAG #1
Written by Keith Giffen and Drawn by Kody Chamberlain

It just isn’t Mitch’s night. A dinner with his girlfriend has gone south, and their relationship looks to be over. But things can always get worse, never more so than when a ghastly looking man stumbles out of an alley, touches Mitch, and screams “Tag, you’re it!” Why? Because that action happens to kill Mitch. So you can imagine his surprise, along with the surprise of his girlfriend and the authorities, when he wakes up still walking and talking. That’s the premise of this clever burst of modern horror from Giffen. Telling you more about it would be criminal, as there are plenty of other nifty shocks in store for the reader. Chamberlain’s dark and sensual art provides the perfect backdrop for the story, and Giffen is really at his best here. Mitch and his girlfriend feel like real people, and you can’t help but get completely sucked into their story. Best comic I read this week, hands down.

/Mason

A QUICK TEASE

Coming soon... Comics Waiting Room: The Next Generation.

Hopefully, it'll be really, really cool.

Make sure you read next week's SHOULD IT BE A MOVIE? for a big clue.

/Mason

FUN THINGS

Recent press releases that caught my eye:

Chicago, IL – May 9, 2006 – In May, Devil’s Due Publishing kicks off a FREE comic book promotion - the Devil’s Due’s RIPPED-OFFer! With so many comics coming out every month from “The Big Two” these days, they can’t all be that great. We know, we read them too. If you bought a “Big Two” book you don’t like, vent your frustration and RIP THE COVER OFF! Send the cover to DDP, and we’ll send you a FREE BOOK. That’s right, a free book! It’s finally your turn to rip them off!

“I came up with this idea a few months ago when stores were beginning to get inundated with a deluge of crossover comics.” said DDP President Josh Blaylock, “This isn’t going to topple any ‘empires’, but it can be a fun way to discover a new comic and vent one’s frustrations at the same time.”

“I just dropped 2 books published by “The Big Two” from my pull box recently. I just wasn’t interested in the stories any more,” began DDP VP of Marketing Susan Bishop. “It’s nice that there’s a place for readers to send these unwanted books and get another title for free!”

To Participate – Send your name, mailing address, email address, a torn-off comic book cover and 3 comic title preferences, if any (visit http://www.devilsdue.net/ to view titles) to: Devil’s Due Publishing, Inc., Attn: Free DDP Comic, 4619 N. Ravenswood #204, Chicago, IL 60640

RULES – The comic cover sent in must have been released in the last 2 months. Covers must be from “The Big Two”. If you don’t know what that means, we’re not going to tell you. Devil’s Due does not guarantee any specific comic title will be sent, regardless of sent choices. No more than one comic per address. Comics will be shipped Media Mail within two weeks after the above is received. Ripped-off covers become property of Devil’s Due and are non-returnable.

and

Shocker Toys Announces 6" Figure Line Based on Indie Comic Characters

Buffalo NY, May 8 2006- Shocker Toys recently burst into the fully articulated action figure game with the announcement of a 7 inch line based on the cult music phenomenon GWAR. Now, Shocker takes a crack at a line including heroes, fiends, monsters, robots and other characters created by some truly unique minds. Welcome to INDIE SPOTLIGHT! Focusing on classic characters as well as underground favorites and new arrivals to the panels, INDIE SPOTLIGHT will bring these icons of the Independent Comic Universe to comic shops all over the world and into the homes of the fans who have come to love them. For the first time ever, the likes of Witchblade and Grim Jack will stand toe to toe with Scud the Disposable Assassin and Dick Tracy!

Companies who have signed onto Indie Spotlight, pitching some of their characters into the line include Top Cow, Classic Media, Image, Troma, AAApop, Blue Water Productions and King Features. Some characters in the Indie Spotlight include Solar:Man of the Atom, Magnus Robot Fighter, Dick Tracy, Lone Ranger, Jack Staff, Madman, The Atomics, Witchblade, Darkness, Nexus, Shark-Man, The Moth, Retro Rocket, The New Toxic Avenger, The Phantom, Sachs & Violens, The Wraith, Scud the Disposable Assassin, Isis, Victoria Secret Service, Judo-Girl, Shadowhawk, OZF5, Grim Jack, Fallen Angel, Badger, Cyberforce, Jetcat, Atomic City, Smoke & Mirror and God of Thunder.

Indie Spotlight will feature 20+ pts of articulation in every 6 inch scaled figure. President of Shocker Toys, Geoff Beckett stated ”We want you to be able to recreate classic moments from your favorite comics so posability and accessories are key. Shocker Toys wants to have as close a relationship with the creators of each character as you have come to have over the years of reading their books, so our figures will reflect that. We also realize that Indy Spotlight will create it's own universe as it grows, so look for scale to play a big part in expressing the diversity from character to character with giant robots staring down super powered vixens and over muscled supermen going toe to toe with sickly creatures..we'll have it all!"

I don't know about you, but...

I want a SACHS & VIOLENS, a JACK STAFF, and a FALLEN ANGEL.

/Mason

HERE THERE ARE MONSTERS

Issue one of this book exploded with potential, but act two is always the toughest to get right. Fortunately, the creative team delivers.

WAR OF THE WORLDS SECOND WAVE #2
Written by Michael Alan Nelson and Drawn by Chee
Published by Boom Studios

When last we left Miles, he was buried in guilt and grief over the death of his wife during the first Martian invasion. Gina was killed in their own home, after Miles had insisted she stay inside. There was no way to know that a tripod would destroy the dwelling, but forgiving yourself for random chance can be impossible.

Now, the Martians have returned, and Miles’ guilt and anger have an outlet: revenge. Of course, nothing is quite that simple, and gaining vengeance against a technologically superior invading force just isn’t as conceivable as Miles thinks. Plus, he’s beginning to remember the problems in his marriage, including some things buried in his subconscious that suggest that perhaps the Martians might have been on Earth a bit longer than anyone knows…

For a story that suggests a wide-screen action tenor (and which includes a nifty truck vs. tripod chase sequence), SECOND WAVE is extremely quiet and subtle as it explores Miles’ psyche and his torment over Gina’s death. Nelson keeps the story on a basis human level, making it emotionally accessible as well as viscerally exciting. Complimented by some nice work by Chee, Nelson is putting together one of the more intriguing success stories of 2006 so far. SECOND WAVE has come out of nowhere to become what looks to be a top-of-the-pile read.

/Mason

KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE

If I had to guess, I’d suspect I’ve probably used that gag before.

G.I. JOE #7-9
Written by Joe Casey and Drawn by Stefano Caselli and Nelson Blake II
Published by Devil’s Due

Comics’ longest running military soap opera continues its re-launch, as Casey works to try and find ways to satisfy readers who’ve been following the team for years as well as make the book simple enough to follow for the new readers Devil’s Due is hoping to bring to the title. His efforts are a mixed bag, but for the most part, the series remains steadily entertaining.

When last we left the Joes, they had taken vacation to go on an off-the-books rescue mission. Scarlett had been captured by classic baddie Destro, and with the government declining to support their efforts to get her back, the team was granted some shore leave to do with what they wanted to. Unfortunately, their efforts bring about the seeming demise of the most popular Joe, Snake Eyes, so no one is very happy when they get back home.

Now, if you believe that Snake Eyes, the Joes’ equivalent to Wolverine in popularity, is actually dead, then you probably believe that Iraq was behind the immigration marches of the past couple of weeks. And your lips are moving as you read this. However, if you have a couple of brain cells to rub together, you can probably guess that there’s a resurrection ahead for the silent guy in black. The key is for Casey to at least present the illusion of change, no matter how temporary, because that’s the way that a soap opera keeps fresh over time. The illusion of change keeps a series like G.I. JOE feeling vital; it can incorporate bits and pieces from the real world and maintain a zippy connection to us all, and giving the audience a vicarious thrill is always what successful soaps have done well.

G.I. JOE will never, ever, be Shakespeare. But thanks to a large number of trade paperbacks and back issues, it will always be a comforting presence for your inner thirteen-year old boy, and for many a reader, that’s more than enough.

/Mason

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

It already seems like most of the comics on the stands these days have forsaken character development altogether and focused on action. Now, we have one of the first books to hit stands that does so willingly and on purpose. The question is: how does it work?

HYSTERIA: ONE MAN GANG #1-2
Written and Drawn by Mike Hawthorne
Published by Image Comics

Port Aesteria is subdivided and ruled by four gangs. One simple tenet sets the tone: cross into another gang’s territory for any reason, no matter if it is justified, and it’s war. So when Bruce Lopez, the ass-kicker known as One Man Gang, saves a little girl from being hit by a runaway truck, he’s about to find that no good deed goes unpunished, because he crossed into the Eggs Gang’s turf to do it.

The action kicks off fast and furious, as by the bottom of page one, the tale is underway. Essentially, OMG is one long action sequence, moving from set-piece to set-piece and never really stopping to take a breath. Kung-fu fights, rooftop chases, car chases… Hawthorne is leaving no stone unturned as he moves Bruce and the little girl from one place to another. Along the way, he pays homage to some of the best action actors and sequences ever, as well as classic manga like LONE WOLF AND CUB.

Making the book even more intriguing is the behind-the-scenes material provided in issue two. Hawthorne demonstrates how he puts his pages together, and how OMG isn’t actually “written” in the traditional sense; instead, he storyboards the flow in a huge notebook and comes back to add words much later. That creates what he refers to as a “freestyle” comic, and while I think it would suck bunches for most comics to adopt this method, for OMG it works.

Why? Because the book sets out to deliver a certain type of comics with a certain type of look and tone, and it delivers what it sets out to do. If I were in a shop and looking for a pure-action book that would occupy my attention and provide plenty of cool moments, I’d eat this stuff up with a spoon. And because Hawthorne is a talented guy with the ability to mix action and sight gags like a professional chef, so much the better. I suppose some reviewers might say that HYSTERIA: ONE MAN GANG is a guilty pleasure, but they’ve got it exactly wrong. There’s no guilt here at all. This book works.

/Mason