I am really thankful for the support from the readers of this column. My Aunt Joan died and I received literally dozens of e-mails of condolence, and at least a couple message board memorials offsite. My auntie’s death hit me between the eyes, but so has the support from you all. Thanks to you all. Beyond life events here in this column you will see quite a number of reviews in coming days. I have found the many books for review to be a comfort to me, even those I liked less than others. It is good to escape when life is difficult to consider. Additionally a member of Pop Thought staff came to visit, site editor Alan Coil, and my dear brother-in-law Phil Wallace. With their help, I was able to escape reality through their friendship. I promise, life is good. Even when it does not seem so good. Proof of that is this pic. Your support, friendships, and having kids all help make life better.
A FEW PERFECT HOURS, AND OTHER STORIES FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA AND CENTRAL EUROPE
By Josh Neufeld
Published through a generous grant from the Xeric Foundation.
Distributed by Alternative Comics.
October 2004. 128 pages.
$12.95. ISBN: 1-891867-79 -2.
This graphic novel is a travelogue that follows the author and his life partner through their travels in Asia. There are a variety of experiences found here, amongst them food, cultural divides, religious views, and different paradigms that inspired the story. The book’s writing and art are well done. I have no issues saying that this is a book that is easy to appreciate. The quality of work componently is impressively good. I am not able however to recommend it as much as I would otherwise wish. Beyond the easy to read, complex to consider work, there is a sense of making the normal into exotic, and there is a rather deep problem with that. First off, by doing so we do not see the culture so much as the culture seen from the author’s eyes. That might sound like the inevitable result of a travel book, but it is not. The reader in any travelogue will see a foreign culture, whether inside the country or outside their country. But the eyes of the recorder of the travels needs to be less judgmental and more able to express the world considered. When I reviewed Rick Smith’s travel GN BARAKA AND BLACK MAGIC IN MOROCCO I spoke of it as being something of an apologetic for Arab culture. The reason was NOT because it was a happy little book, or because the author sought to tell us more than we might otherwise have seen. It was an apologetic of sorts because it presented the culture being considered from a perspective where good and bad, ugly and beautiful were all considered as being part of the experience. The book reviewed herein, however good otherwise seemed to take pains to make the point that Buddhists good, Christians bad, Western culture modern, Asian culture not. The point of it seemed to be “my own view is more important than anything I might have learned upon my journey.” It is honest in a sense, but less important to me than it otherwise might have been. Strangely then, I still enjoyed this work. I found it troubled by a closing of the author’s mind rather than an opening of it but it was still worth my attention and time.
KRACHMACHER
By Jim Campbell
MATURE THEMES
6x8, SC, 48pgs, FC $6.50
Krachmacher translates as "noise maker," or emotions, the mental noise, and life noise that is used to avoid and block out problems we encounter in life. The first of three stories, and the most important in this book, finds a group of friends who seek to have some fun, going down to the water’s edge, considering life, and wondering what is going on. One of the characters is made more and more uncomfortable and we are left with a full scale enigma as to why. The other two stories help to illustrate and clarify the motives and events. The artist utilizes a highly personal art style combined with an intimate writing style that brings this work into a place of being interesting, but not altogether easy to comprehend. Obviously there is more to this story, but exactly what is was, and exactly where it is going leads me to say What the hell was this? For the cost, and for the amount of completed story, this book left me curious if the work could find a readership. I see it as having worth, and see it as being well done, but incomplete, somewhat expensive and not altogether cohesive as a story. Buy it for the quality of work, but be prepared to feel as if you might have to buy more to see the complete story.
WATERWISE
By Joel Orff
for Mature Readers
128 pages; 6" x 9"; $14.95
ISBN: 1-891867-82-2
September 2004
“This is the story of two old friends who are reunited for one night and wander together through a surreal, vaguely apocalyptic landscape, pondering life, griping about their circumstances, and trying to connect. Along the way they explore the nature of dreams, the fragile facade of civilization, and the tenderness of a true friendship. Two people male and female, yin and yang, dance in the shadows by the water. They face each other’s true face, and they struggle to be real. The result is an original graphic novel which is both emotionally moving and new. The art and writing work to tell a story in a unified manner. The black and white format serves to emphasize the stark differences in gender, and the world outside of our own reality. The work was not altogether fun to read, but I do feel that there is a level of honesty that could account for my discomfort. It is not a case of a bad work, or even different taste, it is a work that by its nature is bound to leave the reader in self contemplation and reflection, and frankly, ... I have enough baggage of my own to consider.
CONGRATULATIONS
Mr. Carter Grant Warnock was born to Brett & Lisa Warnock on Wednesday (New Comics Day!), December 15, 2004 at 3:29 pm. He weighed in at 9lbs 1oz, and was 20 1/2" long. He had a rough start figuring out the whole breathing and eating gig, was on an I.V. for his first few days, and even had to spend some time at another hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. But, after this difficult transition, he miraculously turned around, healed very, very quickly, and went home almost a week later. Brett & Lisa are having loads of fun with him now (in spite of serious sleep deprivation), and he's doing fabulous, feeding, sleeping and pooping like nobody’s business. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year indeed!
Hello one and all. I hope the holidays were good to you and that Santa met all your hopes and dreams. But remember, there are men and women serving in places around the world where Santa may have had a tough time getting to. Which is why we are working hard on the second issue of the Troops book already. Joe Monks has his story almost ready and I have heard from several folks who want to contribute their own talents to the project. We reached a number of readers with our first issue, and next time out we will have at least two letters from service people who wrote to us, thanking us for our efforts. So they were successful. We don’t have to carry signs or placards to support the men and women who are ‘over there’. But telling them “Thank You” with projects like the For the Troops book demonstrates that we still miss them and care about them. Your donations of time, talent and money showed these brave people that we still have them in our hearts and minds. But, we still need help. We need artwork, cartoons, stories, strips and we need money to print. I am working on getting some grants right now and I plan on hitting up a lot of places for publicity. Our plan is still to publish twice a year, spring and fall. I also want to be able to reach out to other people who care about this issue as strongly as we do and let them know they have a way to express their relief, fear or simply well wishes to their family and friends. So, everyone work hard. And don’t worry about doing too much. If I have to divide the story into two parts, it just means that we have a start on the third issue. Our deadline is Feb. 14th, so mark that on your calendar.
DEMATTEIS AND PLOOG JOIN DESPERADO PUBLISHING
Abadazad creators bring new all-ages title Stardust Kid in May
Contact: Ian Feller
813/889-8977
ian@813sands.com
January 6, 2005, Atlanta, GA - With the announcement that Disney would relaunch Abadazad as a series of children's novels, Desperado Publishing is set to bring another all-ages comic book title by creators J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Ploog into the direct market to help fill the niche. Set for release in May, Stardust Kid will feature the same creative team of J.M. DeMatteis, Mike Ploog, Nick Bell and Dave Lanphear from Abadazad and will be suitable for kids as well as adults. Stardust Kid is planned to be a five-issue mini-series with each issue containing at least 22 pages of story and art and covers by Mike Ploog.
Here is how J.M. DeMatteis describes his new fairy tale: "Twelve year old Cody DiMarco's best friend is Paul Brightfield: The bond between the two boys is deeper than anyone could ever suspect. You see, Paul Brightfield isn't human: he's the last of The Old Ones, ancient elemental beings from The Time Before - when no man walked the Earth and magic was a given - and Cody is the only one in all the world who knows Paul's secret.
"One October night, Paul Brightfield vanishes...at the same moment that, in nearby Wilde Park,
Add A Comment to this article
Email the Author of this article
