Whatever shall I read to her?

By James Jobe

Hello and good day to you. I’d like to start this column off with what is likely the most important thing to happen in my life so far: I became a daddy. This last Sunday, my wife and I brought to this world a beautiful baby girl. Her name is Natalie, and she weighed a whopping 7 pounds, 7 ounces. That isn’t really a huge weight for a newborn, but this particular munchkin entered the world a full three weeks early. The hospital staff was under the impression that for a baby that came that early, she was definitely full figured. I’m very happy to say that everything went extremely well and both my wife and daughter are healthy and happy. I really couldn’t ask for anything more.

I’ve spent the last few months pondering my child’s life, and my part in it. How would I figure into things? Where did I fit into it? I found that there are no definite answers to those questions, but it will be exactly what I make of it. Every bit of time spent with her is not only something I can treasure, but is something that will impact her in more ways than I can know. I want to make sure that everything I do will empower her to be the best possible person she can be.

You might ask: How does this figure into a comic book review column? That’s an easy answer. I want to be able to share my love for comics with my baby. It’ll obviously be a while before I can sit and read to her, and actually have her understand anything I’m saying. I do however want to be very prepared by the time that does happen. My problem is that most of the stuff I've read just won’t be appropriate for her until she’s a fair amount older. I’ve found myself reexamining many of my favorite titles and genres under a whole new light. I not only judge based on my on opinion of quality but on what I can share with her. The darker, grim and gritty stories that have become the meat and potatoes of many superhero comics just aren't something I want to weigh down my child’s mind with too early. Sure, we all realize that the world isn’t perfect at some point, but I shall shield her from it as long as I can.

It appears the real question here is: What can I share with her? Until very recently, I was convinced that the answer was: Not much. I want to read to her, but I don’t really want to bore my own mind in the process. I need materials that’ll appeal to both of us, and I’ve read too many modern comics aimed at a young audience that were just terrible. Being a reviewer of comics, how I could I possibly recommend stuff I wouldn’t read myself to the most important person in the world to me? I’ll never do that.

I’m extremely happy to say that thanks to a couple of people my faith has been restored that I might yet enjoy comics with the younger generation. I’d like to explicitly thank them both for what they’ve done for me. First, I’ll mention Jesse Garza from Viper Comics who has very generously donated a few batches of comics and trade paperbacks for my review in this column. He sent a perfect cross section of Viper’s catalog, and brought me right up to speed with everything that has hit the shelves in recent months. I was downright delighted to find that Viper publishes a number of stories that were exactly what I was looking for. I truly now believe that Viper may be letting the rest of us know what comics could be rather than trying to tell everyone what they should be. The larger companies out there could certainly take note of what they’ve been doing. I’m certainly hooked on all of their titles, and I’ll be a customer for a long time to come. Chances are I’ll be sharing a lot more of their stuff with my daughter than titles from the ‘big two’ combined. That alone speaks volumes.

The second person I’d like to thank is Brian Petkash from the Sphinx group from whom I’ve just received a couple of books that I’d again happily enjoy with my child. I owe both of these gentlemen an extreme debt of gratitude for opening my eyes to the possibilities open to me. Without them, I’d likely still be focused on only that which was available on the local comic store shelf. To return the favor, I’ll now share my thoughts with the rest of you, and with any luck we’ll unlock a few windows of opportunity for you too. Comics can be for kids again.

VIPER COMICS

A Bit Haywire –
I was that kind of a kid that I twisted myself into a pretzel many times wishing I was a Transformer. I was the kind of kid that imagined many times having adamantium claws burst from the top of my hand. I was the kind of kid that once had to get stitches in the chin from injuries sustained while pretending to be He-Man (and found out very quickly that I wasn’t). It must be those kinds of things that really made this story touch a place deep within me. At a young age I wanted nothing more than super powers. Seeing our main character not only discover that he has powers, but that his parents are superheroes would have been a dream come true for me.

I fell right into this story, and honestly didn’t put the book down until I finished it. From cover to cover, the story is captivating and the art is cleverly rendered in a way that is perfect for the book. This is exactly the kind of material that I referred to earlier in that it appeals to me, but is wonderfully appropriate for my daughter. This book truly has the chance to appeal to audiences of all ages.

Please visit the ‘A Bit Haywire’ website for more info and a preview of the first issue: http://www.abithaywire.com/

5 of 5

Emily Edison –
I’m very excited to have read this series in TPB form as I was able to first read the introduction which likens this story to the Saturday morning cartoons of my youth. I know I wasn’t the only one who woke up at the crack of dawn every weekend to fall into six hours worth of animated entertainment. It really was the highlight of my week. Reading the introduction to this trade brought it all back, and put me into exactly the mindset I needed to read the story.

A perfect mix of action and humor allows this story to be something that can appeal to all ages. Teen angst isn’t only for teens. We can all relate to problems within our own extended families, regardless of the viewpoint. Younger fans might relate better to the main character whereas those of us that have are married can relate to the other end of the spectrum. It is wonderful to be able to read something from multiple viewpoints, and for that reason, I’ve now read this trade twice. There aren’t too many comics coming out today that I can say that about, no matter how much I might have enjoyed them the first time through.

Like many of the titles I’ve read so far from Viper, this would lend itself to an ongoing series. I honestly think that as great as this miniseries was, it could have easily been longer. The story here was wrapped up nicely, but as with any great story, I found myself saying “What happened next?”

Please visit the Emily Edison website for more info: http://www.emilyedison.com

Even more at the Viper website including a free preview: http://vipercomics.com/

5 of 5

Oddly Normal Volume 1 –
No comic fan could possibly be in complete ignorance of the horror genre. We’re all familiar with Frankenstien and we’ve all known vampires, witches, zombies, mummies and ghosts in forms of all kinds. The first thing that usually comes to mind is something scary and intimidating. We don’t always associate horror with comedy. Somehow, in this series it seems ‘oddly normal’. Sticking these types of characters into situations that might be trivial everyday life for the rest of us is exactly what makes this series tick. The classroom scenes absolutely clenched it for me.

The characterization is absolutely perfect. There’s just something about a single person’s ability to not only write a story but also illustrate it too. Even the best writer/artist team can’t communicate things that effectively. Creator Otis Frampton is a perfect example of this. The story flows from issue to issue in exactly the way it needs to in order to draw you in for the next installment. I’m sure that those people who had the opportunity to purchase the new issues off the stands were drooling in anticipation.

I sincerely hope that there will be a second volume. I wouldn’t hesitate a second to read the next series and also add the trade to my bookshelf. I’d also like to invite you to view a preview of the first issue at Viper’s website: CLICK HERE. You can also purchase there a copy of the Volume One TPB for yourself.

5 of 5

BLUE DREAM STUDIOS

Ed’s Terrestrials –
This book was kindly delivered to me at what could not have been a more appropriate time. As much as I would love to add it to my own bookshelf, this beautiful hardcover edition shall find a permanent spot in my daughter’s collection. Again, this is a story I didn’t put down. I literally read it from cover to cover with great anticipation of each page.

A heartwarming tale of alien slave escapees befriending a human boy, the imagery created by the artist would easily translate into animated form. I’m honestly surprised this hasn’t already been developed for use on one of the children’s cable networks. If any of you executives happen across this column, take note. Your advertising would reach a larger demographic as this is something I would watch with my kids. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Please visit the Blue Dream Studios website @ http://bluedreamstudios.com/

5 of 5

FINAL WORDS

Comics can be for kids again. That’s not to say that they won’t be for the rest of us too. I’d hate to think that the future of comics is only for my generation as we grow older. It’s up to all of us to make sure that it doesn't happen. The next time you visit your local comic shop don’t just buy comics for yourself. Buy them for your kids. Buy them for the kids next door. Buy them for your friend’s kids. Buy some to donate to the local children’s hospital. You just can’t go wrong getting kids to read. It’s an investment in all our futures.

Happy holidays to all!

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