New review for Francis Sharp in the Grip of the Uncanny! Chapter 1 by Brittney Sabo and Anna Braxton.
Update for 11/17/10
November 17, 2010
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Posted by Kevin
Sabo, Brittney & Bratton, Anna – Francis Sharp in the Grip of the Uncanny! Chapter 1
November 17, 2010
Francis Sharp in the Grip of the Uncanny! Chapter 1
Just to make it clear, Brittney drew and co-wrote the book, with Anna being the other co-writer. As I usually put the writer first in the title, just wanted to make sure everybody understood that. So hey, Brittney is branching out into the world of graphic novels! I swear, if it wasn’t for the fine people at the Xeric Foundation, I shudder to think of the state of the small press comics world. Good thing that those TMNT guys have a genuine interest in promoting the medium. Anyway, this is the story of Francis Sharp, back in the days when a kid had to listen to the radio for his tales of mystery and intrigue. Francis is so caught up in the grips of these stories that he’s worrying his parents, and when he fails at watching the cattle it turns out to be the last straw and they have to sell the radio. A friend comes over to listen to the show, they end up playing outside because of the lack of a radio, and then chase a mysterious, half-seen creature through the forest. His friend gets caught on something, Francis forges ahead, and the next thing you know… well, look at the sample image. I love how this child who lives mostly in his own head, with a clear love for fantasy and odd creatures, turns into a shrieking machine when confronted with something that is actually fantastic. He spends the night hiding under a stoop until he is discovered in the morning by one of the inhabitants of this odd town, and it quickly becomes apparent that he’s not from around those parts. This first volume seems to be setting things up for future adventures, as we’re mostly dealing with Jack, the split between his rich fantasy life and his dreary home life, and the first early hints of what exactly the new town is all about. Oh, and the slight problem that there doesn’t seem to be a way for Francis to get home. I love the idea of setting it in a time where wonder was still an option, before technology could be used as the answer to a number of mysteries. I hope the two of them have big plans for this, and I hope that they can scrounge up the money to keep putting the chapters out in such gorgeous packages, as I was thoroughly taken in by this story. Francis freaking out at all the “monsters” was a perfect touch, as he may have a vivid imagination, but a child being exposed to that sort of thing probably would freak out a bit. I think this qualifies as “all ages” too, if you happen to have a small child who appreciates good adventure stories, but there’s also plenty here to keep an adult interested. $10
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/16/10
November 16, 2010Top Shelf Tuesday! New review today for The Troll King by Kolbeinn Karlsson.
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Posted by Kevin
Karlsson, Kolbeinn – The Troll King
November 16, 2010
The linked website is in Swedish, so you may want to use the Google translator feature, some other translator or perhaps just learn Swedish. This book is ridiculously gorgeous while being occasionally grotesque. No, I have no idea how he pulls it off either. If ever a comic screamed out for the full color treatment it’s this one, and Top Shelf was kind enough to make that happen. This is a collection of stories, occasionally barely hanging together by a thread only to be yanked back into a coherent narrative, dealing with various mystical beings of the forest. Things start off with the two Kings of the Forest working out, then disguising themselves to be able to head to town and stock up on carbs. They don’t disguise themselves to protect us, they do it because humans aren’t worthy of their presence. The two Kings continue on in their loving relationship until another character performs a ceremony that results in the birth of their two children. How do two guys give birth? About how you would expect, but if you honestly have no idea I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise. From here we transition to the story of a dwarf who has fallen into a river and ended up as the happy steed for another group of beings, then onto a sentient carrot being that got wet, the rejuvenation of a killed troll, the wild west, and finally the growing pains of those two children. Yes, I am being vague, and yes, I am doing it on purpose. It’s hyperbolic to say that every page was a revelation, so I’ll tone it down a bit and say that every other page was a revelation. While those two hairy guys in the beginning may be Troll Kings, the hierarchy of the forest is never explained and they seem to rule by everyone knowing exactly what they want in life and thus avoiding any problems. The dwarf getting turned into a steed had all the potential to be a creepy mess, especially with the method of his transformation, but the guy was so happy with the result that the story managed to succeed on every level. If the fact that you still read comics has anything to do with a love of great visuals, this book deserves a place on your shelf. If you stick around for the stories, yes, it also passes that test with flying colors. If you still read comics to see what happens with your favorite characters from month to month, OK, you’re allowed to skip this, but you should really work on broadening those horizons. This guy is relatively new in the comics world, so put me down for somebody who cant’ wait to see what he comes up with next. $14.95
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/15/10
November 15, 2010New review for Retail Duncan by Edgar Castro, which I should have reviewed ages ago but kept getting distracted. It should also be available in my store, but as the store seems to be broken at the moment I haven’t bothered to add it just yet, at least until I can get it fixed. If you would like a copy let me know and we can do this the old fashioned way: through an exchange of e-mails.
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Posted by Kevin
Castro, Edgar – Retail Duncan #1
November 15, 2010
Retail Duncan #1
Here’s a simple way to keep “your” and “you’re” straight: if you are saying “you’re”, would it work if you switched it out with “you are”? Same thing with “your”: if “you are” fits in that spot, don’t use “your”. Sorry to start off with a rant, but if there’s one thing that’s fingernails-on-a-chalkboard annoying to me, that’s it. Well, that and the difference between “their, they’re and there”, but only rant per review is the legal limit around these parts. I mention it mostly because it’s the only thing that bugged me in an otherwise funny and occasionally insightful comic. Our hero, Duncan, needs to find a bathroom in the mall. OK, not the most promising of starts. He finds one, happens to sit next to an old friend, and ends up applying for a job. From there he’s given a series of tasks, including 18 hours of filling out a form, killing the Rancor monster, cleaning up after Lone Wolf & Cub and fighting off Chunk. If you don’t know who that is, kids, ask your parents. It’s a pretty funny comic, with a larger point or two thrown in about the whole retail experience. Maybe you should buy a copy and see for yourself? $2
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/14/10
November 14, 2010New review for Crass Sophisticate #25 by Josh Reinwald & Justin Rosenberg, or possibly it’s #24 or #26, they’ve done so many that they seem to have lost count.
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Posted by Kevin
Reinwald, Josh & Rosenberg, Justin – Crass Sophisticate #25
November 14, 2010
Crass Sophisticate #25
In this issue of Crass Sophisticate we learn the meaning of life, the love of family and how true love always wins out. Did I have any of you going for a second there? All those things may have been touched on, and some of them were, but this is supposed to be a fun comic, and it has managed to succeed in that task every time I’ve read an issue. This gets off to a great start with a Tom Waits quote (and ladies, if any of you like Tom Waits you’ll be the first woman I’ve heard of who does, also I would like to propose to you sight unseen), then heads off to the coffee shop where Justin strikes up a conversation with the attractive female worker. Ah, we’ve all been there. Things go passably well, then later Justin has the terrible idea to mention this coffee shop lady to his cousin Josh, who decides to see her and mention that his cousin “wishes to court her.” Oh, and he also offers her a gift of rat jerky that looks suspiciously like a turd. Justin mourns the loss of any shot with this girl and his upcoming birthday, Josh goes back and invites her to join them for the celebration, and somewhere in the middle of all this is that goofy looking lady on the cover. It’s funny, mildly creepy and informative all at once, in other words it’s a success! OK fine, a few unerased pencil lines slip through here and there, but with this much dialogue and this many pages that’s bound to happen, right? Especially with the two of them being so prolific. Buy it and enjoy if you’re not easily offended and like things that are funny, if you are easily offended maybe you should buy it anyway just to loosen yourself up a bit, you could probably use it… $2
P.S. I just noticed that I already have a review up for issue #25 of this series, even though there are two distinct cover, each with “#25” prominently featured on them. This one definitely comes after the other #25, making this #26? Or this #25 and the other one #24? Damned if I know.
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Posted by Kevin
Update fofr 11/12/10
November 12, 2010New review for Walking Man Comics #71 by Matt Levin, and I’m playing the whole “reviewing during the weekend” thing by ear this time around. Maybe no reviews, maybe several, who knows?
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Posted by Kevin
Levin, Matt – Walking Man Comics #71
November 12, 2010
Walking Man Comics #71
I don’t care if the guy does make comics based around different stamps he’s managed to find, getting to #71 in the small press comics world is still a big deal. This one is a bit more defined than some of his past issues that I’ve seen, as there’s a distinct story happening and more than a few stamps that he’s working with. It’s all about, as you can see from that cover, a super hero frog. He mostly flies around, being all super hero like, and we get to see his origin story: playing with chemicals while being struck by lightning. Kids, that is a sure-fire way to get super powers. I’m also not entirely sure why a frog would need a fiery steed, but it sounds good to me. It almost seems like there’s a page missing between 6 and 7, as I’m not entirely sure what the little guy was upset about. Other than that it’s an entertaining story, if a bit sloppy here and there (or maybe his super power on page 5 involved his having a tinier pair of legs dangling behind his regular legs), but a fun read. I think you should dig up any old stampers you have laying around and e-mail the guy to see if he could use them, as I’m all for increasing the variety of his stamper collection. $1
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/11/10
November 11, 2010New review for what is still, albeit in a very loose sense, Dan W. Taylor Thursdays: Pork Belly #4. It’s an issue that’s all Tom Brinkmann, but Dan did publish it, so it still barely fits the theme. That’s the last of his comics though, so it’s back to random Thursdays unless somebody else wants to send me a stack of books. And why do people say “Happy Veteran’s Day?” I don’t get it. Thank them for their service, sure, but is it really supposed to be a happy day? It’s always baffled me…
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Posted by Kevin
Brinkmann, Tom – Pork Belly #4
November 11, 2010
Pork Belly #4
Technically this is part of Dan Taylor’s Pork Belly series, but as he doesn’t seem to have anything to do with this (other than publishing it), I won’t put his name in the subject line. Probably not even worth mentioning that, but I wanted to work Dan’s name in here somewhere. This is, as the cover indicates, an “All Brinkmann issue,” featuring eight images of varying levels of “what the hell?” I mean that in the best possible way. I generally think calling art “psychedelic” is a lazy way to describe it, but I’m at a loss as to how else I should describe this. The issue contains an image of a trippy clown face from 1970, a melting face, flying body parts and the sampled image. Everything else is up to you to figure out, as I have no idea, but I do know that it is invariably interesting as can be. If you like your comics to be a visual blast, step right up ladies and gents! If you like a thoughtful story that builds up to a satisfying conclusion, I’d say you have plenty of other options around this site… $1
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/9/10
November 9, 2010Top Shelf Tuesday! New review today for Fingerprints by Will Dinski.
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Posted by Kevin
Dinski,Will – Fingerprints
November 9, 2010
I have a list of people making mini comics who should really have been published by now (well, not a literal list, but I could rattle some names off the top of my head pretty easily), and Will Dinski has long been one of those names. His “Habitual Entertainment” series, “An Endorsement of Smoking” and some other shorties have long had me wondering why none of the “big” small press publishers have gobbled him up yet. Well, the wait is over, as Top Shelf turns out to be the smart ones of the group. In this gorgeous graphic novel Will tells the story of a plastic surgeon, a female actor that he has basically completely remade (and she’s almost JUST RIGHT), the surgeon’s assistant and a closeted gay male movie star. Oh, and the aging wife of the surgeon, can’t forget her. We get to see these mostly soulless people in all their glory, and our “hero” the surgeon has the world by the tail before his assistant starts her own practice with a revolutionary new invention: a helmet you can put on to change your features into one of the two previously mentioned stars. The order of the plastic surgery universe is turned on its head, but gosh, that invention sure did come about awfully quick, and who knows what the side effects will be? Anybody who has seen Will’s work knows that it’s damned near flawless, and this time you get that quality alongside a full color package. He says plenty about the culture’s obsession of youth and beauty over common sense, but it never gets to a the preachy obnoxiousness which would have been so very justified. He even manages to be funny! I often say that books are worth a look, but your buying this one will probably help convince Top Shelf that he deserves more graphic novels as well, which will lead to more wonderful books like this one about any number of topics that are undoubtedly floating around Will’s brain. Think of a purchase of this book as a step towards the artistic development of one of the more gifted artists around and do your small press civic duty! $14.95 Oh, and “duty” probably comes across too strong, as that implies it’s more a chore than anything else. Not so! But if you wonder why there aren’t more quality comic options available, supporting a book like this will only increase those choices in the future. I’m having trouble thinking of a single thing wrong with that…
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/8/10
November 8, 2010New review for Simpler Times by Adam Jakes, don’t forget the Zombre update if you guys don’t come around here over the weekends…
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Posted by Kevin
Jakes, Adam – Simpler Times
November 8, 2010
Simpler Times
Huzzah, an e-mail address! It’s still not a website but at least it’s a quick way of contacting the guy, as if you check my review for his last comic you’ll see that he only listed a postal address. One quick complaint before I launch into the praise: more fat people please! I don’t mean obese, but every character in this book is full of bulging muscles with 0% body fat. Granted, we learn in this issue that these people have exceptionally long lives and 20 years of solid training would make you pretty buff, but at least some fans of small press books have a natural aversion to their character being too muscley. This book is way too funny for people to not even give it a chance because everybody looks ripped. Now that I have that thoroughly ridiculous complaint out of the way, this is one great comic. Well, maybe parts of the story seem a bit rushed, but a little bit of funny goes a long way, and this book has a lot of funny. The one-liners are fast and furious and the vast majority of them hit the mark; I even laughed out loud a few times, which remains a rare occurrence while reading comics. Crap, I should get to the plot. This comes after the events in “Dark Dreams” (which was apparently also known as Floid #4, with this one being Floid #5), which I learned thanks to the handy comic listing in the back. No recap this time around though, although the comic did a decent job of that on its own. So Guedo is still stuck in time, fighting whatever looks like a good fight, and as he dozes we get to see his origin story. He trained for decades with his sister, their teacher was coerced into graduating them before he thought they were ready, they meet up with Floid, and I don’t want to spoil any more, sorry. The story wasn’t always the most complicated thing in the world, but the constant humor propelled it past any weak spots. It’s well worth a look if you’re not scared off by too many muscles. I’d be interested in seeing the early issues just to check if he honed his art or his humor over the years, or if it’s possible that he was this polished when he started. No price again but it’s another hefty offering, so $5?
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Posted by Kevin
Udpate for 11/6/10
November 6, 2010New review for Zombre #2: The Magic Forest by Ansis Purins, and if all goes well I should be able to get another review together tomorrow.
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Posted by Kevin
Purins, Ansis – Zombre #2: The Magic Forest
November 6, 2010
Zombre #2: The Magic Forest
I have one problem with Ansis, and one problem only: he doesn’t make enough comics. Yep, if you’re looking for the final verdict on this one, you can probably figure it out from there. Getting a new Zombre comic is like a ray of sunshine being belched into my face by a unicorn. And even if the man does take some time to put out individual issues (making him right in line with every single other small press guy on the planet not named “Brian John Mitchell”), he really delivers when the issue does come out. This is a behemoth with a large cast of characters and it’s absolutely gorgeous. My scanner couldn’t handle the sheer orange of that bird and had to tone it down a bit. This time around we’re introduced to a hippy park ranger and the forest in general before finally getting around to Zombre. He eats a butterfly, gets his eyes seared by the sun and terrorizes some campers before using his mildly defective problem solving skills to throw a tire through the ranger’s car window. A daughter and her overprotective father enter the picture, Zombre eventually meets them, and I used one of the very few menacing pages for a sample. Hey, he’s not a bad guy! I will say no more, as each bit of this should be read and savored, but I will say that I noticed the “to be continued” after that fantastically ridiculous ending. It’s huge, it’s only $4, and it’s Zombre. There’s still time to get in on the ground floor (more or less) of this soon-to-be global phenomenon. Hey, “The Walking Dead” did huge numbers, just think of how a zombie with a heart of gold would go over with the public…
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 11/4/10
November 4, 2010New review for Unleashed on this Dan Taylor Thursday.
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Posted by Kevin
Taylor, Dan W. – Unleashed
November 4, 2010
Unleashed
I had to use the back cover of this comic as a sample because all the inside pieces had nudity that offended my delicate sensibilities. Well, not mine, but it might offend a reader or two, and we can’t have that. There’s also the fact that I liked the back cover image, so make of that what you will. It’s all Dan this time around and it’s all for mature audiences, as he deals with the Kardashians (using an image that reminds me of a similar piece in National Lampoon from the 70′, and no I’m not quite that old but I did manage to find a pile of them from back when that magazine was funny), curse words and their shock value, a tapeworm joke, a clever pun on a Lady Gaga song, and a ribald song from his youth. Kids, if you’re looking for a secret way to look at boobs that your parents might not suspect, there are plenty of more revealing images on this very internet or on network tv. Adults, if you like a bit of funny that assumes that everybody reading it is a “mature” adult, I believe you will find at least a few stories in here that you will find amusing. All for a measly buck!
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Posted by Kevin
