Is it really already past Valentine’s Day? Time seems to be slipping right through my fingers. The baby is already over 8 weeks old! Where has the time gone? Apparently I’ve spent a fair amount of those eight weeks reading comics! My monthly intake is now larger than ever, especially with all the donations that have been coming in from various publishers (Big Fatty Thanks to all you who have contributed!). I’ve read so much in the last two months that I can’t even remember to include it all in my columns. The back issues that I’ve read haven’t even had a chance to get in at all. It has been new stuff, and new stuff only.
I’d like to first review this week a book that I accidentally passed over. Not that I didn’t read it; I did. I actually loved it, and can’t wait to read more. Somehow though, it fell through the cracks, and didn’t make the review column in the timely fashion I had intended. So, without any further procrastination on my part, here is the review that should have been here a month ago…
Absolutely amazing. How could I have missed this story before this? This is easily some of the most impressive CGI art I’ve seen in a comic book yet. I remember when artists were first playing around with computer generated art back in the late 80’s. I’d have to say it has come a long way. It is hard to believe after reading this story that more artists aren’t using these kinds of graphic imagery on a regular basis. So many panels were simply breathtaking.
While it would be easy to talk about nothing except how beautiful the artwork was, we all know the art can’t make a story any better. That wasn’t a problem in this case. The story might have even been better than the art. The characterization was perfect at a level that truly gets the reader involved to the point that you feel as if you are there in person interacting along with them. I think it would be very tough to make fantasy characters that easy to relate to, but even all of the non-human characters here have enough emotional attributes to allow anyone to identify with each and every one of them.
Here's the teaser from the Blue Dream Studios website:
Ever since he could remember, Alexander was a dreamer. Every night when he would go to sleep he would enter a world called Dreamland. Nightly he would have adventures with his very best friends, Kiwi the fairy, Paddington Rumblebottom the rock boy, and Nastajia the princess of elves.
Together they would fly on winged horses, swim with mermaids, battle nightmare pirates, and chase after one eyed giants.
On his 12th birthday, while in Dreamland Alexander uncovers a lost tomb. Inside he finds a sword, and guarding it…a dragon. Before the dragon can kill him, Alexander wakes up…never to dream again.
Now…eight years later, Alexander finds a pendant that lets him travels back to the place of his childhood dreams. Rediscovering this magical world for the first time since his youth he meets his childhood friends who are also now grown up.
I commend creator Scott Christian Sava and the entire team that worked with him on this project. This is top quality work that could compare to anything else on the comics market today. I simply cannot wait to read the next installment. Lucky for me and everyone else, the story so far is available online in its entirety. Please visit their website here: http://www.thedreamlandchronicles.com/ There are well over 300 pages of content for you to read through. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and give this first printed volume a resounding 5 of 5.
I’ll admit right off the bat that this isn’t the kind of comics I’m used to. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it thoroughly, and if nothing else, it has opened my mind to many more opportunities in the comic world in general.
Here's the teaser from the Top Shelf website:
From the cartoonist of Van Helsing's Night Off comes another quirky introspective. Lone Racer is the story of a down-and-out racecar driver whose days of success are long gone. After a misguided attempt at a bank robbery -- where he is supposed to drive the getaway car -- Lone Racer decides that his days of going downhill are over. Will he get back on track? … A rare blend of whimsy and sadness, Lone Racer is a story of fast cars, faster women, and one man's ride from first to worst and back again.
I initially found the story to be somewhat depressing as it deals with a race car driver that is getting up in years, and has more or less been pushed out by a younger generation. Not that I’m an old man by any stretch of the imagination, but it still hit home in way I had not expected. This is something we are all bound to have to deal with eventually as one of the absolutes in life is that we’ll all keep aging. There’s no fountain of youth for any of us.
Once I really started making my way through this story, I found that even though its general demeanor might have been depressing, it had many comically entertaining moments that made sure I didn’t walk away unhappy. I particularly enjoyed the many bar scenes.
If nothing else, I finished this story knowing that even if we all fail at some points in our lives, we can all still succeed if we put our mind to it. The only thing holding us back is ourselves. A Big Fatty Thanks to creator Nicholas Mahler for reminding me of exactly that. - 5 of 5
Next, we're going to have a quick look at a couple of anthology titles from Approbation Comics, one horror and another romance. I was lucky enough to run into Approbation's writer/publisher Bart A. Thompson over at ComicSpace, and he quickly sent over a huge batch of stuff for me to flip through. These are the first two I've had a chance to read. You can be sure I'll be reviewing much more of their material soon.
EVIL INSIDE
(APPROBATION COMICS)
Story: Bart A. Thompson
Art: Paul Schulz, Jake Sumbing, Giovanni P. Timpano
Right off the bat let me say that in these days of the 'big two' companies' need for long drawn out multi-issue stories, it is certainly a breath of fresh air to have something that is done-in-one. Not only is there one story told all the way through here, but three of them. I honestly had lost touch with how much I enjoyed short stories.
Here's a teaser for this issue from Approbation:
Horror short stories (sometimes with a touch of sci-fi) that will make you take a look inside yourself and pull out everything morbid, twisted, and gruesome.
I found the first story to be entertaining, but a little confusing. I think this particular tale would have benefited from just a little bit more development. The characters that we all figure to be the antagonists at the beginning end up being the heroes of the story. I love being caught by surprise, and that makes this first section a winner in my book.
The second story in the book was definitely my favorite. It shows that there's a little bit of the devil in all of us, and Santa Claus is no exception. In fact, Santa might just be Satan himself. I found that premise to be not only humorous, but perhaps even a tad introspective. How many comic geeks out there would sell their soul for a night with a beautiful blonde? I'd think it would probably be more than you'd think.
The third and final story again left me just a bit confused, but that was cleared up in the addendum at the end of the book by Thompson. I do wish though that those missing elements were introduced in the story itself, and not after the fact. I was however again surprised at the way the story unfolded, and as I've already said that makes a winner for me. If you want to know any more about the story itself, I suppose you'll just have to go buy a copy for yourself and read it.
- 4 of 5
I honestly can't remember the last time I read a romance comic of any kind. Sure, a lot of the superhero comics that are my standard fare are rife with it, but it isn't the basic premise of the books. I suppose I went into this issue with a bit of a chip on my shoulder figuring my wife would likely enjoy this more than I. I was however wrong and I did get a kick out of it. I know now why my buddy 'Ox' is always wound up about all the vintage romance books he collects.
Here's a teaser for this issue from Approbation:
Romance short stories for men and women (that aren't cheesy and won't make you vomit... hopefully...). Celebrate diversity in comics and share with the romantic in your life!
The first story left me hanging a bit. I suppose after reading the horror anthology first, I was waiting for something dastardly to happen. Nothing did. That wasn't the only reason why I was left hanging though. The story ends on what appears to be a perfect note. Maybe it is just me, but I have yet to ever find a romance in real life that is that perfect. The worst possible scenario here though is that I was left wanting more, and there is a possibilty for this storyline to get picked up and followed through a bit more in a future issue.
The second story clued me in a little bit more to the overall idea of romance comics. Just like the movies my wife watches, the relationship does always work out or it certainly wouldn't be much of a romantic story. We see two concert goers get hooked up even with very little said to each other. Apparently knowing glances can be stronger than words.
The third story appealed to me more than the other two combined. What comic geek doesn't dream about a hot chick that digs comics, especially one who would be willing to go to a comicon? It's a dream brought to life right on the pages. This story won me over completely, and sealed the deal for my future reading of romance comics.
- 5 of 5
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thanks to Blue Dream Studios, Top Shelf Comix and Approbation Comics for their generous donations of review materials. This column was possible because of their efforts.
I'm accepting any and all comic related submissions for review! Please e-mail me HERE for my policies and snail mail address. THANKS!
