Pull List

Been buried to my eyeballs in work. But I'm still alive. In fact, you can see proof of this. Here is where you can find stuff by me online.

http://comicavalanche.com/columns/inkstains.htm - Every Wednesday, I rant about comics here.

http://tbsreview.blogspot.com/ - Every Friday a webcomic called The War On Literacy, drawn by me, gets put up here.

http://aspiring-sociopath.deviantart.com/ - This is my online gallery. Updated once in a while, usually in bulk.

http://comicbooks.toywizblog.com/ - The site where I review comics. Also random updates, but usually in bulk

Also, you can usually find me swimming around on www.the-engine.net

So check stuff out. Leave comments. Yeah. Back to work.

-A

And no, this isn't a post about an orgy. All of my (what, like 3?) deticated readers may have noticed that there has been an extreme lack of updates recently. The reason for this, though I hate to pull a Templesmith, is that I'v been absolutely swamped with work. Having lost my day job now nearly three weeks ago, I've thrown myself head first into stopping this nine to five shit and doing comics full time. And while financially, this hasn't been the most pleasent of times, it's been the most fun I've in ages. And there is no end in sight.

-First and foremost, I've been signed on as the penciler for a book I can't talk about yet because of the contract. But like I said two posts ago, it's one of the funniest things I've ever read, and I can't wait for you bastards to read it. You will pee yourselves with joy. Well, maybe not that funny...but you should at least buy a copy so I can eat.
-Second, and this one I can talk about, I've been taken on by Earth's Temporary Solution as the penciler for their newly revamped webcomic. It used to be called 802.11 The Comic (any of you heard of it?). But with the change in the line-up (me), it will now be called The War on Literacy. I'm really hyped about this one, like all the projects I'm working on. You can check out the newest blog from the guy writing at http://tbsreview.blogspot.com/ The post about the comic is the second one down, at the time of this posting.

So yes. That is my self promotion for the time being. Check it out, tell your friends, leave comments, let me know you are alive. I must get back to drawing, but I'll be checking email periodically for business stuff. Take care.

So, though it is common knowledge to some comic nerds, I'm guessing there are a few of you that don't know that Clive Barker, the creative mind behind Hellraiser and Candyman, also writes comics. Granted, this isn't that great of a leap. The man has also writen various TV shows and etc. But still, it's a name people respect writing comics. Also, for those that aren't living in a cave, Kevin Smith is back on the comic scene, finally finishing up his Blackcat/Spiderman run. Kevin has actually been in the comic scene for quite some time, with the Jay and Silent Bob comics, a stint on DareDevil, and the classic Clerks: The Comic Book. But Mr. Heretic, wasn't that Chasing Amy movie about a comic guy? Okay, point taken. Again, not that big of a leap. Kevin is a comic nerd through and through. A name some might not have thought to be on the creative end of the comics world, however, is Rosario Dawson, of Rent. Sure, she was in Sin City, but still, whodda thunk it? But a rather large name throwing his card into the comic hat is Stephen King, who has revelled plans to continue the Dark Tower series in the form we all know and love. Stephen King is going to write comics. And he's excited about it. Seriously. Not so long ago were the days when authors and artists would take on pen names when contributing to the world of comics, which was and to some extent still is viewed as a form of low art. A quick pulp tale to make some extra cash, but never quite making the cut on the resume. Now, comic are the driving inspiration for movies, with 2 comic adaptions in the top ten grossing movies of all time. Maus won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. A Pulitzer. A God Damn Pulitzer. Okay, so Maus was about a relevent world topic, but it was a comic none the less. These are some of the reasons I'm not afraid to make this my living, and have a stack of comics and a few articles about comics be my artistic legacy. Because this is real. And for those that get it, nothing else in the world makes as much sence.

Taking a short break from drawing. However, I am feeling the need to keep my fingers moving... so now you will all suffer. I've been alway for a while. The Official Ranting site seems to be overwith, probably from a lack of updates on my part, but I'm guessing it's more a lack of interest on the part of the site operator. Jay's a busy cat, and my reviews are not top priority. Cool while it last though. And I could be way off the mark. Anyway, let me give you all an update of sorts.

You may now all refer to me as a Professional Comic Artist. I signed my very first contract, work for hire though it may be, last week. Granted, there was a confidentiallity clause, so you won't be hearing too much about it in any specific terms. I will let you all rest assured that it is one of the funniest fucking scripts I've ever read. I'm also in discussions with a writer that has actually been in the business for a bit. Currently he is writting a follow up to his Eisner Nominated graphic novel, and a book he wrote for Marvel just came out this past Wednesday. So I am busy. And it's great. I'm also writing for the college newspaper now, which no one reads, but at least they are letting me write about comics. Which is a nice break from drawing/reading/talking about them. A few projects are closer to being submitted, and if I really get on shit this weekend, I should be able to finish up the details and send them off soon. I lost my day job, so now I have far too much free time. It is filled with Kids in the Hall on DVD, spending amazing amounts of time with the love of my life, and drawing.

Though I will be going out and job hunting come Monday, I would really like to not have to punch a time card at all. So if any of you out there have any type of drawing or comic-journalism you need done, that pays, you can drop me a line at pulpheretic@gmail.com
Please. I really don't want to have to put my pants back on...

Also, I just noticed when checking the shit I read, how annoying it is when someone posts the same exact thing in a bunch of different communities. But I am mindless and rather antsy from drawing on and off for the last 6 or so hours...so like I said. Now you will all pay the price.

Have about four pages that I need to pencil and ink before Monday, as well as a few commission pieces and a prelim. sketch for a mural. I need music to listen to. GIVE ME RECOMENDATIONS!!! What do you cats listen to when you are working?

So this is a piece of concept art, and I stress the word concept, that Ryan just did for our book, Etherian. We've been working on this book for something like three years now, plotting, creating the world, etc. And now that we are finally at the point where I've been writing scripts for the issue's, Ryan springs this shit on me. Then I sit back and giggle like a little bastard at Christmas...because this guy is going to be drawing my stories. Anyway. Just thought I would share. Back to work. More posts related to MY comics to follow, as there wasn't a single fucking thing that caught my eye at the shops today.

On the list for today (or rather for this weekend, as I don't get paid until tomorrow):

Edwardo Risso's Black and White-By the shoddy description in November's Previews, it appears to just be a collection of Risso's black and white work. However, Risso's beguiling minimilism has had me hooked since the first issue of 100 Bullets...and it'll be a killer coffee table book, if I ever live in a place that really would put a coffee table to any use.

Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities- Not really sure what I'm interested in this one. I've never really been too big of a fan in the way of Western's, save for Mavrick and Young Guns. But with how much I am enjoying Loveless right now, I figure I'll give it a chance. Consider this my Trying Something New for the week.

Exterminators #1- Read the preview of this and quite honestly, it's looks too fucking weird NOT to pick up. Besides, I'm interested to see how this compairs with the rest of Vertigo's next generation of books.

Shadowplay #4(of4) - The last in the the series, which I am extremely sad to see go. However, this means that a trade should be in the works in the not too distant future, which I'll probably also buy, as I am a sucker for both Templesmith and Wood.

Down #3(of 4) - Yep. That's right. I'm a shameless Ellis fan and not at all afraid to admit it. Now, Ellis defiantly isn't covering any new ground here. I mean, really, Warren Ellis writing about drugs, crime, and corruption? Even if it was written some three odd years ago, it's still nice to have something familiar in the mix.

Kiss & Tell- Another guilty pleasure. Noir. Those four letter usually garuentee that I'll at least give a book a shot. And, it's always nice to pick up a book that's too long to read on the ride home from the shop.

Marvel Zombies #2(of 5)- If you've read my review of the first issue, than you already know what I'm getting this. If you haven't, let me rehash the just of the review. Zombie Wolverine.

So there you have it. All of these books will be picked up between now and next Wednesday, as the ship dates are now going to return to normal following the holiday switch-up. So what are you cat's on the hunt for?

-A

This is Fell, written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Ben Templesmith. Fell tells the story of Detective Richard Fell, a detective who has just been transferred to Snowtown, the closest thing to hell one will find outside of New Jersey. With a stunning police force of three and a half officers, Detective Fell is thrown into a world far worse than your typical corrupt city. Snowtown has fallen into the realm of apathy. And it’s Detective Fells job to try and save it. Or, at the very least, figure out what the hell the deal is with the Nun wearing the Nixon mask. With it’s 4th issue out next month, the books namesake has already dealt with a suicide bomber targeting a senior citizen, a serial killer that decorates his apartment with unborn fetus’s, and alcoholic enemas. So, as you can see, there is something for everyone.

Now, with names like Ellis and Templesmith attached to it, it’s one of those books that you’ll either love or hate. This is Templesmith and Ellis at damn near their best, if not personally, in a collaborative form. However, what really puts this book over the top for me is the way it’s presented. First off, it’s dense. With a 9 panel grid as the base for each page, each issue is it’s own self contained story. Second, at the end of the issue, there are notes from the creators that are actually relevant to the story, as opposed to a letters section, as well as thumbnail progress shots of the issue. And the real kicker? It’s $1.99.
Yes. A dense, good, monthly comic with two big names working on it for less than two bucks.

You have that much change in your car. Go get it. The second printing’s of the first two issues are out now, since the originals sold out the weeks they came out, as well as the third issue. All of them for the price a pack of smokes in New York. This is the New Comic Day Hope.


-A

Wednesday. Every Wednesday has the potential to be a day of bliss, full scale war, or a day to grit your teeth. Well, I suppose every day has the potential for those, but New Comic Day is either a day of mourning or celebration for We, The Comic Nerds of America. Now, because I'm really just not all that impressed by any of the Men In Tights books that are currently out, I hit up www.comiclist.com every Tuesday to scope out the rest of the weeks goodies. This week, the Vertigo book Testament dropped, which like most Vertigo books, looks worth it. However, this as a whole has felt like a rather depressing day for comics.

While at the checkout, I was handed a book entitled Hyper Actives as a free promo. Put out by Alias, I shuddered as I paged through it on the toilet once I was home. Let me go back a few years before we go forward. When Image Comics was founded back in the 90's, it completely changed the way comic books were handled. Not adhearing to the comic code, nor really aiming for a younger audiance was something a company, as a whole, had never really done before. And between Rob Leifield and Todd Mcfarlane, the art was even more intense and characturized that ever before. And it made sense. At that point in time, the need to say Bitch and Shit in a comic was needed like never before, because all those kids that grew up reading comics were now just that, growing up. And quite frankly, if you want to breach the typical comic fan, who will read the same titles until they are 15 and then never again or read the same titles until they lose their virginity sometime in their mid forty's. And not only that, but the way the contracts between the company and the creators at Image was also unheard of, allowing the creators a kind of freedom not widely available in the past. And it was good.

Flash forward to end of 2005. We are now faced with a culture of comics were nothing is really all that taboo. Drugs, religion, sexuality, abuse, etc. And that's all availible just on the current Vertigo roster. With the introduction of computers, art is more varied now more than ever. Templesmith, Wood, Williams, Powell, Magnolia, Kelly, etc. A whole slew of brand new styles as well as the stuff we're used to. However, we are also now in a time where we have artists that have grown up on McFarlane, Leifield, Joe Mad! and Michael Turner. Now, this wouldn't be much of an issue, save for the fact that we, as comicbook artists, have this tendency. Esspiecally when concerning super hero books. If you look back at each generation, they are more exagerated and intense then their predicesor. So now, we have some of them most flat out ugly looking people. Just....bad. But what really scares me is that these are the books that get the push ya know? Local just came out, and since I'm going to mention one of Brian Wood's books in a bit here. Local came out, and the first five pages are better writen and drawn better then anything in the pages of Hyper Actives. But I couldn't even find Local outside of Manhatten in New York, let alone finding a free issue of it. Why. That is what I want to Know. WHY. Why is it that I can find some twenty odd books priced above $3 on the shelves every week of Hyper Active's calibur, that I wouldn't even use as toilet paper, but I can find a bargin bundle of Brian Woods Fight for Tomorrow for four bucks?

Now, there is a lot of good in the scene right now, and a lot of books that are breaking new ground. And I know that if every comic on the shelves was a groundbreaking book, we'd lose any sort of foundation. But sometimes I wonder if that would really be all that bad.

-A

So, after a somewhat promblematic conversation about my last post on The Engine, I've decided to post a shortened version of what I was trying to get at. Any questions as to whom I'm speaking should just be attributed to the fact that this was part of a conversation. Now, in a more streamlined form, this is what I was getting at. You may all now respond.

'...What I'm saying is that, what if Ellis had sat down at the beginning and said "Okay, i've got this story, and I want it to be readable in one sitting, with out over loading the reader"

I'm not reffering to the content of the story, nor the intended reader. Just a reader in general. I'm using Ellis as an example, because his book FELL is the book that got me thinking about it. I'm simply posing an idea. Ellis intentionally used the nine panel grid in FELL to make the book denser and more involved, so that it would be an amazing buy for the reader at a mere $1.99, or at least he has said as much. But reffering to his notes on the "666266..." formatting before he even has a story, it's obvious that he puts thought into how a book is going to flow, and then finds a story to fit it, or the other way around. Either way, it's the idea of the way the story is told, like you said. This is what I'm getting at.

Follow me on this. One has a story. One puts said story to a nine panel grid to regulate the flow of the story. One creates 22 page comics to regulate the flow. One then collects three to five issue story arcs into trades to regulate the flow. This is a common process if you look at the trade versions of longer series. Now, What if you were to take the same approach of regulating the flow, but to do it at a grander scale, only start at the beginning. From the get go, figure out how to regulate the flow of the entire story, thinking of the whole thing as one book instead of as 60 issues or 10 trades etc.

I'm not saying it should be done. I'm curious as to what effect a formulated approach to an entire storyline/plot would have on the final reading of the story. As an artistic tool, more than a commercial one."

So, I've spent the last few hours reading comics and buzzing around online, as is my usual custom when trying to get into the working headspace. I've actually just finished the collected version of Demo, which was absolutely amazing. I've seen it before, and almost bought the singles, but when I caught wind of the trade, I decided to just wait it out. And it was well worth the wait. Everything that has been said about this comic is true. But this isn't a Demo review. That'll probably show up in some time tomorrow on my other comic site, as well as reviews of Brian Wood's current monthly DMZ, Marvel Zombies, Hatter M, and the long overdue review of Fell. That is if I'm feeling ambitious. But speaking of Fell, that book has actually been on my mind quite a bit lately.

For the past few weeks, while dealing with the beginnings of a few projects, pacing has become something of a whole new universe to me. I remember reading in I think Come In Alone that Ellis used to have notebooks full of numbers. 66661666622, etc. Where each number would be the amount of panels per page, as to help with the readers pacing. Now, Ellis has openly admitted that he often views comics in the format of a pop song, in the way they are structured. Get the reader into a flow, and create a certain ambiance for the book. Frank Miller did something similar with the Sin City books, in that the were all structured in a fashion that when the pattern or typical page structure was broken, it let the reader know that something important was happening. Alan Moore did that to an ever greater extent with Watchmen. The formatting of the pages before the telling of story. It's in the same vein as the Lester Dent Pulp Fiction Master Plot, which I'd suggest checking out. But I think it can go further than that.

For instance. I read the Transmetropolitan trades over the course of about two months when I first started buying them. Usually two a week. And it was great. It gave me time to mull over the books, reread them, and get excited about buying the next one. About three months ago, I read all of them in two days. In my opinion, that is the only way to do it. The whole thing flows together so amazingly that you can sit down and read the entire 1300 and some odd pages in 48 hours and feel completely satisfied with the story. Which makes sense, considering Ellis has reffered to Transmet as a 1300 page graphic novel, implying that is meant to be read straight through. Plot wise, the book covers about four years, if I remember correctly. Now, I have also recently polished off the Preacher trades, reading one per week. Every pay day, I'd pick up the next in line, and knock it back that night. I then tried to read the whole thing in 48 hours, and I failed miserably. It was too much. I got through two trades and was completely drained. Meanwhile, having just caught up on the 100 Bullets trades, I found myself having to reread the previous trade if I was to have any hope of understanding the next in line. What the fuck does all of this mean?

Preacher only covers about two or three years. Less time than Transmet, and more time than 100 Bullets thus far. So whats the difference between these books? Here's what I've got so far. Trasmet is told as one in your face story. The pacing of the story reflects the urgency of the main character, our lord and savior Spider Jerusalem. And not to say that the character is Transmet are one dimensional, because they aren't. If you pay attention, they are all developed in a very unique and sly manor. However, Transmetropolitan seems to be about things happening in the city and Spider and the filthy assistants reacting to them. To me, this seems like Transmet would then be a character driven book, in the sense that what you want to read is what is how the characters are reacting to the things that are happening around them. But isn't Preacher also a character driven book? When you hear the title, do the name Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy come to mind? Or does the idea of a man with the power of God out for revenge come to mind? Now, when you hear Transmet, does Spiders name come to mind, or does an image of Spider pointing his Bowel Disrupter at The Beast come to mind? While reading Preacher, whenever a huge event would happen, I'd feel like I'd need to time process it, just as the characters did, to fully appreciate the situation along with the characters. With Transmet, whenever something happens, ie; the death of Dita, I wanted to see how intense and obscenity ridden Spider's response would be. I was watching what was happening to Spider. I was living with what was happening to Jesse and the gang. But both books were equally as amazing.

Now, it could have been the difference in settings and time frames, but I don't see how that would affect my ability to digest the stories in a given ammout of time. Now, with 100 Bullets I understand why it I have to reread it every time. The book is dense. Plot twists, a few similar looking characters, organizations, rules, a shit ton of characters. All in all, it's a really complicated book. And it should be. It wouldn't be as good if it wasn't. It's a mystery. That's the draw. You have absolutely no fucking clue what is going to happen from issue to issue, or in my case, trade to trade. But still, I've tried to go back and read straight through the entire series, and I did, but it didn't add or take away from the newest addition, in that it really only refreshed my memory of what the fuck was going on. So what the fuck am I getting at? This is what has started to form:

-Trasmetropolitan: A series of events propelled forward by the reactions of the main characters.
-Preacher: The story of a group of characters and the events that brought them to where they are.
-100 Bullets: An intricate web of plot using the characters, whom aren't always character specific in the need, to push the reader further into the story.

So where do you begin? In the current way comics are put together, sold, collected, etc., how does one approach that. Do you keep in mind the way the story will wind up hitting the readers? How much has really been brought to light about this aspect of the comic world is what I'm really interested in. So speak your minds. Thoughts, additions, notes, objections? This seems like it could become an important aspect to consider if we are to push the medium of comics further.

-A

This morning was windy and gray. I spent a good deal of it waiting in the parking lot of the local comic shop. You see, comic shops aren’t exactly friendly towards those of us that get up early. Most the shops I’ve found that are at all worth going to in Minnesota don’t open until 11am at the earliest. Not that there is anything wrong with this. However, when I left my house, I had planned on picking up three or four books that I had heard good things about. Being forced to wait for an hour dwindled my enthusiasm to the point of only grabbing the book I had been waiting for all month; Desolation Jones by Warren Ellis and J.H. Williams III. I command all of you to go out and buy a copy. Then read it. You will be satisfied. So like I said, there is nothing wrong with this, if the survival of your business and the perpetuation of comicbooks as a legit art form aren't concerns of yours.

However, as I sit here with the strange afterglow of reading a good comic, I note the feeling is slightly tainted. There are two reasons for this.

The first is the fact that the store doesn’t open until 11am. By 11am, the only people that are really going to be up an able to go buy comics are going to be students (who have very little money), slackers with no job (who have even less money), and people that work evenings (who usually have better things to do during the day than read comics). You want to be treated like a real store that sells things worth buying? Then keep the same hours as regular stores.
Big Brain in Minneapolis is a wonderful store. They treat comics and graphic novels as they should be treated. They are all on shelves, either in order by title or by author. The store has a clean and pleasant atmosphere. They don’t have too much in the way of back issues, but they usually keep a good backlog of every book they carry on the shelves along with the newest issues. They also cater to grumpy bastards like myself that are usually looking for books that are only available from various out of the way websites. Quit City is supposed to be sold out. Big Brain still has a stack of at least ten copies. However, Big Brain Comics doesn’t open until noon. Call me bloody mad, but some of us enjoy the morning. And there are few things in my current life as enjoyable as read good comic with a cup of coffee and a bagel before noon.

Barnes and Noble is open at 10am as well, but note that they are also open until 11pm.They are even open later on weekends. As opposed to most comic shops, which shorten their hours. But lets say I want to run to B&N during my lunch hour to grab a book that I’ve been waiting for. If it comes out that day, I know that by the time I get to Barnes and Noble, I will be able to walk to the shelf and get it. A mere two hours after they open. Lets try the same scenario with a comic shop. The shop I went to today was lucky. They know not to FUCK with Ellis fans. However, if I were to have gone to a less informed shop, do you really think I’d be able to get a new comic an hour after the store opens? I’d like to think so. And once in a while, I could. But the majority of the time, stocking the new books is at least a few hour long project, if not an all day event.

Between putting the preorders and subscriptions into peoples hold folders, counting the stock, and then placing, there is no guarantee. This upsets me. And when I’m upset, my wallet becomes tighter than a nun.

So what’s the point of the rant? You want to be treated like a real boy, put on the fucking uniform and get to work. Open you shop in the morning. Keep it open until the evening is over. Have shelves stocked before store opens. Maybe try and make your shop look like a store. Quit with the giant posters of men in spandex. In fact, unless it’s a promotional poster for a new book, keep all artwork framed, and neatly placed. It everything is running over everything else, then no one is going to see anything. Maybe try and showcase things that people other than 10 year olds are going to want to buy. Things have gotten a little better since Sin City hit it big at the theater. But we still have a long way to go. If you have giant Pokemon and Star Wars displays every two feet, people are going to go into convulsions from the bright colors before they get a chance to buy anything.

The second thing that soured my buzz today should have been a non-issue, based on logic alone (Logic in an article on comics. We’re all doomed). Every week I head into the local shop, I grab a copy of Comic Shop News. It’s a small little rag featuring various quickly written tidbits about comics. This seems like the perfect thing to drag new comers to the scene. Think about it.

A free ashcan styled, mini newspaper about the world of comics. You could have art previews, reviews, interviews, break new projects. Hell, maybe a column or two. Things that might make someone that doesn’t really know anything about any book go pick one up. Then, offer to let various interested independent or big name cats buy space to advertise, as long as it has nothing to do with company owned stories, and you’ve covered the cost of putting one of these things out, with a little more space to breathe. But keep it free.

Now you have the ability to support local people that can’t get in at Diamond, as well as a chance to showcase stuff that is just plain fucking good. Good art. Good stories. Isn’t that what comics are supposed to be about? And the best part is, it’s free. Give people a taste of things, and it won’t feel like they are taking too much of a chance when it comes to a new comic day or preorder time.

BUT… was this what I saw when looked through the pages of CSN? ohSHITno. What I saw were release dates, thumbnails, and tiny explanations about already widely covered comics, which I could gotten better versions of though Previews. I saw articles, poorly written I might add, that were about “event” story arcs and booksthat people are already guaranteed to buy, because there are the same books that have been selling for some 20 odd years.

Will someone that does not know Thing One about comics walk in, read CSN, and then be all excited that they are revamping Batman, with a famous industry artist, so that newcomers can start reading again and not be confused, as long as they get the first issue and every single one after that? Hell no. Why? Because the last image most non-comic fans have of Batman is George Clooney. Yeah. Bingo.

Also in CSN, they announced the release of the Tomb Raider- Witchblade- Magdalena- Vampirella super crossover one shot. I can’t even begin to tell you how many things are wrong with that.

I’m going to go reread Desolation Jones, drink, and pretend like I still respect at least 10% of the people involved with the comic industry.
Piss off.
-A

Wrote this a while back. Was reminded of it today for some reason. Back to work.
(orignally posted in May of 2004)

So, aparently I've been doing something right with this. A few days ago, I was offered a free .com to do with the exact same thing I am doing here. As long as I keep the explict language out, and link back to thier online store, I've got pretty much free reign over the blog. A really cool cat by the name of Mark will also be posting on their but I encourage all of you to hit this site on a daily basis, as there will be new stuff up at least every other day, if not everyday, and this much I can promise. Why you ask? Because there are a few people that own a few very important magazines relating to comics *cough*Wizard*cough that aparently will be stopping by to scope out the writing. Translation? If I don't fuck this up, I might actually get paid to do this shit for a living.

Now, some of you might be curious as to what I am going to continue to do with this, The Pull List. Rest assured, I'd never abandon my readers. This blog will still be updated. However, the focus of this site will be shifting lightly. I've going to be using this site now as my own personal scream box. Whatever pops into my head about comics will be on this site. I'm actually working on a piece about the pacing and timing in comics that should be showing up here in the next day or two. You'll all still be able to read the reviews, as I know you all seem to enjoy them. All I'm asking is that you do me the favor of clicking on the link and reading them on my new site. Be prepared. Something is forming. More later.

The New Site

I'll be adding the first review later tonight, after I finish wrestling with the new script and Bobs first few pages.

- The Pulp Heretic

Singularity 7 by Ben Templesmith


Ben Templesmith is quite possibly the hardest working artist in comics right now, and certainly has become a name worth dropping into any conversation. Known by most for his work on the 30 Days of Night trilogy, Templesmith is currently turning heads by teaming up with Warren Ellis and annihilating the current standards of comics with Fell. He is also part of Shadowplay, a split comic between him and Ashley Wood, each with their own respective writer. And lets not forget Wormwood, Ben’s own brainchild, currently appearing in LoFi. So, with Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars set to drop in December, Ben’s certainly not going to have time to read this review. So lets get to it, shall we?

Singularity 7, both written and made pretty by Ben Templesmith, is a desolate sci-fi story based on the idea of nanites, nearly sub atomic robots capable of destroying and reassembling atoms, infiltrating the world and basically taking over. With the ability to either eradicate matter, or take it as a host, the nanites are controlled by The Singularity, a specific human from the middle of nowhere that the nanites fused with upon their arrival on the planet. This gives him, and all others playing host to the nanites, the Borgesque ability to constantly be in contact with one another. In hopes to escape such a fate, the remaining humans, those left of the 7 billion that were killed instantly, a forced to flee to underground cities, that they have somehow had the time to build, with absolutely no foresight of this event. The story itself focuses on a group of humans that the nanites have taken as hosts but for some reason are not connected to The Singularity’s consciousness. These are known as The Specials, whose mission in this book is to take down The Singularity buy injecting a virus made up of good nanites that kill bad nanites, and in doing so, save all that remains of humanity, which is about twenty or so people by the looks of it. And there is a twist ending, I think…

Now, despite certain similarities to The Matrix and 28 Days Later, this book actually showed quite a bit of promise. It’s beautiful, for starters. And the idea had a lot of room to breathe. I think the only real problem was that it was only a 4 issue run. With a story this complex, and artwork as sprawling as Templesmith’s tends to be, I would have shot for about eight issues, at the very least, to get this story on it’s feet. As it stands, the come and go explanations and real lack of closure or advancement leaves the reader feeling like they have just seen a mid-season episode of a really good show they’ve never heard of before.

I think that if Ben were to put another four issue story following up this one, as well as a prelude to this one focusing on The Specials, and collect the whole bloody mess into one giant graphic novel, it would be well worth the amount money that IDW would no doubt tag it with.
Worth thinking about at least.

Rating: 5/10

Fire by Brian Michael Bendis .

Okay… I was going to rip this book to shit. I really was. I was going to hoot and holler and use a bunch of strangely coupled nouns and curse words. I really wanted to. But I don’t even know where to start. I suppose I was setting myself up for a let down, after hearing so much about Bendis’ work, and then proceeding to pick up his first serious effort. But I mean FUCK man. This book is just . . . bad.

First off, after reading this book three times, I cannot, for the life of me, figure out the plot. No, it’s more than that. It’s not that I can’t figure out the plot. It’s that I can’t find the bloody thing. Basically, to the best of my understanding, this is what happens in the book. Average Guy is contacted by the CIA. Average Guy is trained by the CIA and becomes an agent. Average guy goes on random assignments babbling to himself like some poorly written Salinger character. In fact, Average Guy even goes so far as to give a nod to Mr. Salinger. That proves to be the most sophisticated and intellectual part of the entire book. Then, Average Guy decides to take control of. . . some . . . situation after he is, gasp, double-crossed! Then, it ends.

So, apparently this was loosely based on a true story. So that might have something to do with the complete and total lack of anything interesting. But if this book owns up to it’s tag line in anyway, (The Book Your Government Doesn’t Want You To Read!), it’s because in a rare case of heart felt pity, the government wants to keep you from harm. Now, if you are looking for strictly eye candy, this book does provide a decent noir alternative to the Sin City books. But don’t hold out any hope that it will redeem the story.

I’ve been told that Bendis’ other work is much better. Especially his work on Daredevil, but I had high hopes for this book. And I have been scorned. It’ll take some mighty strong convincing for me to throw down any green for another one of the Crime novels.

Rating: 3/10

The Good Fancy Pants Edition by Eric Powell.


I picked this up on a whim. I was killing time at work and looking through some of the new Mezco toy lines. I stumbled upon the new Goon line, and for some reason, they really caught my eye. Now, any semi-comic junkie as come across at least one of the The Goon comics in their time. Granted, not all of us have bothered to get any further than the cover, but we've still seen them. We have made a big mistake. While at the shop yesterday, Mark suggested I pick this up. It's a beautiful hardcover edition, weighing in a a whopping 184 pages. It's also a limited edition signed by mister Eric Powell himself. And the best part? It's only $25. So here, you get an amazing story, with amazing artwork, in a respectable and collectible bookshelf format for the price a new DVD.

Basically, this is the best introduction to an existing and ongoing series I've come across. In this book, for the first time in the series' history, it puts the issue's in chronological order as they happened to the star of the book, The Goon. Collecting the first two self published issues, as well as issues #1, #3, #5, and #9 from Dark Horse, this book brings the reader through The Goon's life from his beginnings as a boy to his haphazard rescue of The Buzzard from the army of zombies on Lonely Street. Now, most of you know me to be a fan of more serious and mature adult fashioned books, this one is just a pure romp and stomp fun. Sure, if you looked hard enough, you could probably find some deep seeded society driven message, but why bother? With some stories, it's better just sit back and enjoy the show.

Set in what looks and sounds like 1950's America, The Goon, an orphaned ex-circus worker sets out with a little black book to make his fortune. The little black book, belonging to the man that killed his only living family member, a one Labrazio, contains the names of all the people that owed him money. After smashing Labrazio's head in with a rock, The Goon decides he might as well take the money owed to the bastard as some meager form of compensation. What follows is a story of friendship (in the form of The Goon's smaller and trigger happy sidekick Francis), Street Gangs, Football (caught me by surprise too) and zombies. Yes, zombies. No explanation. Just lots of fucking zombies.

Eric's sharp and period perfect dialogue is topped only by his unbelievably diverse and coherent artwork. Spanning from typical ink and color to some amazing three-toned pencil work, this book lets the reader be pulled through the story in ways that most wouldn't even pick up on. All flash backs stick to the three tone pencil, while anything in present moment keeps the standard inked and colored look. This eliminates any amount of concentration that might take away from what this book really is; a damn good story. Also present in the book are mixed media "bridges" that connect on chapter to the next. See, like I stated above, this book is set in chronological order, and if you take a look at the issues listed, there are some missing. The bridges, being a mixture of photography and watercolor "photographs" keeps the story tight and flowing, as well as eliminating the would-be gaps created by the other issues.

In my opinion, that is one of the best things about this collection. Yes, there are other issues. Yes, they are just as important in the long run as the ones collected here. But this is not a collection focusing on archiving the complete collection. Dark Horse has a whole other run of TPB's that follow the typical logic for those that are simply issue hungry. This presents a launching point for those interested in the story, as well as those that just want a stand alone book to sit down and read and then walk away from. This book is a statement that is frequently missing from comics. Focus on the story, as opposed to focus on the industries common month-to-month format. A true collectors item for fans of the book, and a great starting point for would-be fans of the book. And even if you hate it, it is a limited edition signed copy, so I'm sure you could make your money back on eBay. But I doubt that will be necessary.

Rating: 9/10

Revelations By Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos.
has absolutely blown me away. Now into the second of six issues, this is a comic book I'm not only excited to read every month, but actually willing to throw down the bucks every few weeks instead of waiting for the trade. The artwork is absolutely stunning, and while a few of the characters look suprisingly similar to those in Crimson, one of Ramos' earlier efforts, the writing is rich enough to make any vamp fans forget the connections. A good old conspiriacy story about a jaded English detective who lost his faith after his parents were killed by a serial rapist has been called in by a old friend at the Vatican to help solve the mysterious death of a fast rising cardinal. Satanic Cults within the Catholic Church, particularly English swear words, and stunning artwork wrap this little pulp time bomb up into something that is definately work the three bucks. And coming from an as-of-now unemployed artist/writer who is almost out of cigarettes, that's saying something.

Rating: 7/10



Shadowplay Issue One
Also, if you're into weird fucking art and even weirder fucking stories, make sure to pick up Shadowplay from IDW Press. Taking an interesting approach by splitting the typical 22 page format between two sets of artists and writers, Shadowplay is a refreshing breath of air, even for us indie cats. With haphazard visual heritics Ben Templesmith and Ashely Wood each picking up the art for their respective eleven page cockteasers, their meandering dreamlike asthetics lend themselves to the first chapters of two stores that fall somewhere between Neil Gaimen and Anton LaVey. And as strange as it may seem, the first of the stories, "Demon Father John's Pinwheel Blues, Part 1" is scripted by Amber Benson, whom some of you might know as Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is about, you guessed it; Vampires. And while I'm sure Ben is more than sick to death of drawing vampire books (see 30 Days of Night) I can't imagen anyone else picking up the visual end. But to be fair, both stories are actually about vampires... in their own way. Anyway. Enough. Buy the fucking book. The first in the four issue run is out now.

Rating: 8/10