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May 13th, 2011
Many people involved in the comic book industry will analyze how Free Comic Book Day went this year and determine if it was a success using various metrics. Most of those metrics are based on number of issues moved, news coverage, or sales figures, and those are all valid measurements — those are industry measurements, though, and they don’t take into account what FCBD was like from the point of view of the general public.
[RALPH SPEAKS FOR ALL CHILDREN AFTER FCBD 2011]
Let me tell you as a customer, a long-time comic buyer and an uncle who brought four nephews with him, FCBD 2011 was a monumental, earth-shattering success. We attended FCBD last year as a gang, and I got the feeling the boys liked it just fine, but they weren’t quite sure what it was all about. With one under their belts, they couldn’t wait for this year’s version; two of ‘em skipped playing hockey to attend, that’s how serious they were (much credit to my sister and brother-in-law for being cool with that, by the way).
We arrived about ten minutes before Star Clipper opened, and they were thrilled there was a line of people waiting to get in. It felt like an event to them, and they were dancing around on the sidewalk with excitement. When they door opened, the 12-year old whooped “Free comics!” — I couldn’t have been prouder of him. Or so I thought; the line snaking around the tables was pretty slow moving, and they were extremely patient and didn’t jostle or grab anything until it was right in front of ‘em. Incidentally, all of the kids — and there were quite a few — were well-behaved, while several people old enough to know better reached over kids’ heads to grab issues and skip the line (adults, you can’t take them anywhere).
[HERE COMES THE JUDGE]
There were a lot more comics this year that were aimed at a young audience, which was also a welcome change. If there’s going to be a next generation of comic buyers out there, the majority of the freebies on FCBD should be kid-friendly. The four-year old went home with seven comics, everything from the Simpsons to Sonic the Hedgehog, while the six-year old and the eight-year old had five each. Although I did have to talk the six-year old out of grabbing a copy of 2000 A.D. — something about Judge Dredd on the cover captivated him, but I thought it was a little too mature for him. We also bought some comics and milled around for a bit watching the crowd. The 12-year old saw Mike Harvey’s See You Next Wednesday Comics on the counter display and had a lot of questions about what it was and how it got there; I pointed out Mike to him and explained that that was the guy who wrote it, drew it, printed it and distributed it. (His shyness kept me from introducing Mike to him — and Mike was pretty busy anyway.) But seeing a b&w, photocopied comic that was made by a real person he could see went a long way towards demystifying the process for him. You don’t need a printing press, full color interiors or glossy covers for it to be a comic book — that’s a valuable lesson to learn, and I’m glad Mike’s comic taught him that. I could see the moment when the light bulb went off over his head, and I have no doubt he’s going to try his hand at his own minicomic — that’s one of the big reasons why FCBD should exist. Kids should leave the shop inspired to make their own books, and I’m positive that all the excitement of the day helped fire his imagination and his desire to make his own comic.
[SO GREAT IT MADE AN ANTI-READER READ]
The ultimate measure of FCBD’s success happened on the car ride back to their house. I had four brothers who squabble and pick at each essentially non-stop in my car, and we made the 30 minute drive back to Affton in silence. All of them were engrossed in their new comics, even the four-year old, who can’t read anything except his name. The eight-year old has told me countless times how much he hates to read, and there he was happily reading the Captain America/Thor freebie. (If I were vindictive, I would point out again how stupid it was for Marvel to cancel Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee’s Thor the Mighty Avenger book what with the Thor movie and a bunch of kids out there looking for a Thor comic, but I’m better than that. Instead I will compliment Marvel on getting Langridge and Samnee together again on the freebie, and merely mention that it’s not too late to undo their boneheaded decision — which is a rarely-seen example of short-sightedness and utter stupidity — and get them going on a revived Thor all-ages title.) You can’t have a more successful FCBD than one that gets brothers to stop fighting and lose themselves in a comic book.
As great as this year’s was, I would offer one suggestion for improving Free Comic Book Day on behalf of my 12-year old nephew. He thinks, and I quote, “They should do this more than once a year. Maybe near Christmas.” See? Once you get ‘em hooked, they’ll keep coming back for more. Massive success. And huge thanks and credit to AJ and Ben and the hard-working Star Clipper team for making FCBD such a big deal that was welcoming to all ages of comic lovers.
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April 25th, 2011
After reading the first issue of Marvel’s summer crossover event ‘Fear Itself’ it’s clear writer Matt Fraction is trying to achieve two goals: repeat the success of Marvel’s 2006 blockbuster ‘Civil War’ and capitalize on the current ‘Thor’ and ‘Captain America’ film hype. ‘Fear Itself’ might be a crossover event featuring the entire cast of the Marvel universe, but it’s central characters are without a doubt Thor and Steve Rogers – Super Soldier (Sigh…you can’t just say Captain America now that Bucky is also trotting around in the stars and strips). Regardless of the soon-to-be hollywood heroes in the leading roles, comic fans can’t help but worry that ‘Fear Itself’ is going to be just another crossover in a long line of convoluted mega events. Fortunately, Fraction has five-years of event formulas to emulate and I think the series will be a success if he chooses to learn from past mistakes.
‘Fear Itself’ begins with Steve Rogers in the center of political riot over new developments on ground zero in Manhattan. Standing up against the crowd simply as Steve Rogers, the hero can do little to calm the rioters and is disillusioned by the madness he is unable to stop. Later at Avengers tower, Tony Stark suggests a reason behind the mob mentality, “People are mad right now, and broke and they’ve been lied to and ripped off.” Fraction is being very straightforward with the social commentary here and definitely reminds me of Marvel Civil War’s political subtext, which was a huge selling point. However, it was odd to hear this sentiment from billionaire Tony Stark, a character who also has been built up to be arguably one of the most unlikable heroes in the last five years. Clearly Fraction is trying to build up Stark’s popularity again as he has him go on to suggest rebuilding Asgard’s castle as a economic stimulus for the struggling country. To Thor’s dismay, Odin refuses Stark’s plan and demands that the gods return to Asgard fearing a conversation he had with the Watcher about a dark prophesy that signals the requiem of the gods. When Thor challenges his father decision he is forced to relinquish control of his hammer Mjölnir and taken against his will back to Asgard. Meanwhile, the Red Skull’s daughter Sin summons an ancient evil called the Worthy to earth and without the help of the gods it may be to much for the Avengers to stop.
I think the key for ‘Fear Itself’ to be a successful company-wide event is for Fraction not to promise long-lasting outcomes to the Marvel universe. A lot of readers, myself included, felt burned when mega events like “Civil War” and “House of M” promised long-lasting changes that were quickly erased in the course of a few years. If Marvel won’t stick to their guns with some of their bigger editorial directions then I don’t want to read them. Therefore, if Fraction chooses to keep the plot big enough to include all the Marvel superheroes, but small enough to not have the conclusion drag on over the course of a few years, he’ll hit the nail on the head. This is a lofty task nowadays but I think Fraction is up for the challenge, and he’ll have plenty of readers with Thor and Cap as the stars. Hell, if Fraction actually makes this a standalone epic the only thing comic fans will have to fear is the next crossover event.
-Jon
Posted in Comic Industry News, Comic Reviews, Movies | 1 Comment »
March 8th, 2011
For this next installment of Image Re-imagined, I’m going to talk about another series by writer Joe Kelly. Unlike my other favorite work of his, I Kill Giants, this story is about something far more primal; this is a story about a boy and his dragon.
Four Eyes is basically a rewrite of history with some more fantastic elements thrown into the mix. The story takes place during the Great Depression, a time in American history when just carving out a simple living was a struggle and required some questionable leaps of faith. Enrico, the main protagonist of the story, is a young Italian immigrant whose father finally managed to find some steady work. Soon after moving his family to New York, Enrico’s father dies in a blaze of fire and teeth, courtesy of a dragon’s gullet.
Soon after Enrico discovers a dark part of the world where men capture dragons, a previously undisturbed race from deep beneath the earth, and raise them up to fight in giant rings. Think cock fights, but instead with dragons. In spite of how his father died, or perhaps because of it, Enrico immerses himself in this world of fire and death, striving towards a goal that the reader can only guess at. A desire for vengeance, a want for a sense of purpose, and a determination to uphold his father’s legacy all blend together to make one fierce ten-year-old.
Just like I Kill Giants, Four Eyes is an awesome story guaranteed to take you in unanticipated directions. In a world that is as strange as it is brutal, Kelly has a lot of leeway to make unique and unexpected characters. First there’s Enrico, the ten-year-old kid who wants to hunt and train dragons, then Abraham, the self-loathing dragon trainer who looks out for him. Even Enrico’s father, who dies within the first three pages, has an interesting part to play as his memory inspires his son from beyond the grave.
Emphasizing this is artist Max Fiumara, whose art style ranges from strangely cartoony to sharply defined. The dragons seem real enough that you half-expect them to leap from the page, while the human characters seem more abstract but substantially more expressive. It essentially means that the action, gore, and the characters’ reactions are all heightened to the reader. It’s like mixing How to Train Your Dragon with Frank Miller’s 300.
In your average dark fantasy, it’s always hard to determine who the real monster is going to be by the end. When you throw in dragons, mobsters, and underground death matches, things get even more complicated. If you like blood, violence, and characters with ambiguous morals, look no further. This is a story that has two syllables, four eyes, and five stars to its name.
-Brent
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February 26th, 2011
For part five on my ongoing blog homage to Image I’m going to discuss a series that, combined with the discovery of Chew, made me give Image a second chance. To make a horrible pun, it’s Proof that Image has more to offer than beefed-up superheroes.
Proof, written by Alex Grecian and illustrated by Riley Rossmo, is a series that was first described to me as a combination of Men in Black and X-Files, with the part of Mulder being played by a sasquatch named John “Proof” Prufrock. An odd fusion of ideas, true, but nonetheless an apt description. The longer version is a story of a giant nature preserve, called the Lodge, reserved exclusively for creatures that for one reason or another need to be sealed off from humanity. Some of these creatures, like the jackalope, are put in the preserve for their protection. Other creatures, such a particularly vicious breed of carnivorous fairy, are placed there so that they would cease to be a danger to others. These creatures, collectively called cryptids, are the world’s best kept secret.
Now, unlike most of the comic series I’ve described, which have been a mix of genres, Proof keeps to one category. It’s solid science fiction, and, like all good science fiction, it takes things that are seen as impossible and makes them probable. This is accomplished in part by compelling storytelling. The way Grecian develops his characters and the events of the book helps broaden the already far-reaching powers of suspension of disbelief. Another part of it is something that Grecian calls “cryptoids,” or little bits of information that are littered throughout the issues. It’s kind of like Pop-Up Video except for in a comic series. Some are funny, some are informative, some are just random, but all of them are interesting and add a new dimension to the events unfolding in the story.
Another big selling point is the title character himself. While the bulk of the story is centered on the happenings of the Lodge, most of the real conflict comes from Proof and his search for identity. With the appearance of a missing link and a level of sophistication that hasn’t been seen since the time of Thomas Jefferson, Proof is a war of opposites. He continually straddles the line between man and monster and feels at home with neither. Adding to the effect is Rossmo’s art work and colors which seems to perfectly suit the story, a rare quality in comics these days.
The first Proof series “concluded” some time ago and spanned twenty-eight issues before ending on a huge cliff hanger, so it came as a relief when last December the series was re-launched in what could be Proof’s final run. This new series, Proof: Endangered, looks to be just as amazing as its predecessor.
In conclusion, Proof is an awesome read. It takes the essence of every urban legend and makes it a little less legendary and a little more real. How many stories can you say that about?
-Brent
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February 18th, 2011
If you shopped at Star Clipper last week you might have noticed some old faces behind the counter. No, Jim Mosley and Nick Main aren’t back full-time, but they were kind enough to fill in around the shop while Ben and I were at the 2011 ComicsPRO summit in Dallas, Texas. At the summit it was joked that this meeting was the equivalent of spring break for comic retailers, which was only perpetuated by the Boom Studios party RV stocked to the brim with good ole’ Texas Beer. Though at least one shop owner was guilty of hurling in the RV’s miniature restroom, overall the summit was very productive and educational. Here are a few of my personal highlights:
1.) The first night was mainly social networking. Ben and I went out to a Tex-Mex restaurant with some of the other retailers and I was given the daunting task of driving a giant commercial van full of drunken comic dorks on the icy roads of a city I’d never been to before. Of course, Ben was driving a separate car and we got separated on the highway, which made getting to the restaurant an adventure in and of itself. Top that off with Ben buying everyone shots before the return journey and all I can say is that I’m glad I survived the first night!
2.) The first morning was DC day and I had breakfast with Jim Lee! It’s almost guaranteed if you were born between 1980 and 1985 and were into superhero comics you worshipped Jim Lee in the early 90s. I was born in 1983 and by the time I was 7 or 8 my friends and I spent our summer days trying to replicate Lee’s signature style. At breakfast, Lee even reminisced a little about growing up in St. Louis, though he did confuse Forest park with Central Park. The other Jim Lee highlight was another retailer calling Lee and Frank Miller out on being absurdly late on “All Star Batman and Robin” and suggesting big name creators get fired for tardiness. Wow! Though I wouldn’t have the audacity to call out the co-publisher of DC comics (who I believe is actually doing a pretty darn good job), it was invigorating to see all these small businesses have such frank discussions with the publishers.
The other big news on DC day was Flashpoint. This will be a Flash-centered crossover event with 16 tie-in series. There are six ongoing series that will be cancelled to make room for the mega-event, as well as a cool button promotion similar to the Blackest Night ring promotion in 2009. But still, 16 tie-ins?! That sure is a lot for a Flash themed event.
3.) On the second day, Marvel announced they would be killing one major character during each business quarter this year. At first, people thought this was a joke. Nope. They also hope to get national news coverage similar to the media blitzkrieg on Johnny Storm’s death for each subsequent death. At a roundtable discuss with Marvel’s VP of sales David Gabriel I even asked if there was a long term strategy with these character deaths or if it was only for short term profit. He replied, “If the stories are good that’s all we care about.” I bit my tongue.
4.) Arguably, the biggest highlight of the trip was when Todd McFarlane spoke at lunch. He was funny, engaging, and genuinely wanted to unite the industry in 2011. I was never the biggest fan of McFarlane but meeting him in person changed my opinion. He suggested a system to track actual consumer sales from the direct market, which ultimately ended up being a key discussion point at the summit, making Ben a very happy comic shop owner since he’s been pushing that initiative for years.
5.) My favorite part of the trip was talking with Chris Staros from Top Shelf. Besides talking about small press comics, we talked about his time playing with his 80s heavy metal band. He had some outrageous stories that I’m sure he wouldn’t want me to share here, but wow! I guess the main point of our conversation was whether you’re making indie comics or playing in a small band you can still be a star on manageable scale.
I learned a lot from my first trip to ComicsPRO. I learned I could drive a giant commercial van. I learned Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane are very good guys and deserve their success in the industry. Finally, I learned that the big publishers may not always listen to suggestions from small retailers, but ComicsPRO at least gives us the opportunity to have a direct dialogue. In this day and age, that has to be worth something.
-Jon
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February 16th, 2011
In this bold new world of Image, there is a whole host of stories that are designed to purely entertain. However, every once in a while there is a story that also makes you think. This week I’m reviewing a book that’s one part real-world psychological drama and one part far-flung fantasy. I’m talking about Joe Kelly’s and JM Ken Niimura’s epic story, I Kill Giants.
I Kill Giants belongs to a special sub-genre of fantasy. Much like Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes, much of the fantastic events of this story seem to take place within the imagination of the main character, a young girl named Barbara Thorson. On the outside Barbara seems like a normal girl. She goes to school, lives at home with her siblings, and enjoys playing role-playing games in her spare time. She’s also quick-witted, sharp-tongued, and virtually fearless. The only thing that stands out about her is what she does with her spare time, which according to her is killing giants.
Now as you can imagine, it’s easy for most adults and children to dismiss Barbara’s “profession” as a childhood fantasy, but as the story goes on the reader sees that to Barbara the giants are quite real, as well as the dangers they represent.
Unlike Calvin and Hobbes, I Kill Giants isn’t something where you find yourself laughing out loud as you read, but it will be a story you’re unlikely to forget. Through Barbara Thorson’s eyes you get to see these nightmarish creatures larger than life and twice as ugly.
JM Ken Niimura, who is responsible for the books astonishing artwork, renders these creatures in a way that makes it seem like they’ve emerged from your deepest nightmares. When you see these massive beings with bodies that look like they were made out of flesh, shadow and jagged rocks, odds are you’ll forget that it all came from the head of one little girl. If I Kill Giants proves anything, it’s that reality is what you make of it.
Aside from the fantastic art, remarkable characters, and thrilling action scenes, I Kill Giants also has its profound moments. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that there are a few reasons a child designs fantasies on this scale, and most of them aren’t pleasant.
Sadly, there isn’t much more I can say about this book without giving out some serious spoilers, so I will leave you with these final words. It’s rare that you come across a story that feels real and at the same time impossible, and also makes you question the way you see the world. For me, I Kill Giants was one of those stories, and I thank Image for helping to bring it to the comic book community.
Until next time.
-Brent
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February 14th, 2011
You know what’s cool? A Green Lantern story that involves Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, and Kyle Rayner as they approach the same doomsday situation during their separate tenures as the only Green Lantern for their generation. Originally released back in 1999, Green Lantern: Fear Itself was released as a premium 100 page comic as a part of the new DC Comics Presents line of comics. One could view this story as means to suggest that there is/was an unofficial right-of-passage between Earth Green Lanterns that truly tested the will and limits of that generation’s emerald warrior. So let’s get right to it and find out if this is something that needs to be in your possession.
Starting in the 1940s (more precisely around 1944 or 1945) a set of Nazis uncovered the missing capstone of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which was said to contain the Eye of Osiris, in the basement of the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Using some sort of Nazi Amulet, Swastika Pentagram, and what appears to be the Necronomicon, the Nazis plot to release an ancient horror from the stars that was trapped in the capstone to be used as an ultimate weapon for dominance. Naturally, something goes wrong and the creature is summoned but it does not bend to their will. A large eyeball with tentacles (Not all that different looking than Shuma-Gorath as depicted by Marvel Comics) manifests and kills the Nazis before heading out to the streets of Washington. Meanwhile, FDR is having a photoshoot with the Justice Society of America. He explains that America must also win the propaganda war as well as the physical war, with photos of America’s heroes in support of the US effort, nothing would be able to keep our troops from winning. As this is discussed between the President and Alan Scott, word makes it to the group that there is a creature terrorizing the city. The JSA leaps to action only to be overcome with dominating fear. Each member is incapacitated with a single glare of the creature’s eye. Alan’s fear is that of a world ruled by the Third Reich, he is even attacked by his JSA allies that are now adorned in Nazi themed costumes. But in the end, Alan’s willpower is too much for the illusion and he overcomes the creature, turning it to stone.
It wouldn’t be until about 25 years later during the cold war, that the creature would appear again. This time, Green Lantern Hal Jordan is testing a new plane for Ferris Aircraft when he is suddenly shot down by a Russian submarine hanging out in the waters that border Coast City. Hal interrogates the Russians in his Green Lantern persona and learns that they were looking for and found the stone eye that Alan Scott had previously dealt with. Hal’s ring accidentally awakens the creature and it feeds on the rings power until it destroys the submarine and now stands as a giant (Godzilla-sized) mass of Lovecraft horror. As it reaches Coast City, Hal alerts the new-ish Justice League only to have a few members able to respond. The Flash, Black Canary, Aquaman, and the Martian Manhunter arrive to the scene to help Jordan out with his problem. In similar fashion, the group is crippled with their greatest fears, sadly, Jordan’s fear is the destruction of Coast City. Using similar methods as Alan Scott, the creature is once again turned the stone, and abandoned in the ocean.
Finally, we are brought to the modern age, a few years or so after the death of Parallax/Hal Jordan. Kyle Rayner stands as the only active (Space Ring) Green Lantern in the universe, and he finds himself face to face with the recently uncovered stone eye in a museum. Once again, the creature is awakened by the power of a Green Lantern ring, and all Hell breaks loose as the creature’s size becomes incomprehensible and sets up shop in the Earths Atmosphere. It begins the sap the energy of the world and even the Justice League satellite, stranding most of it’s members in space. At this juncture, we learn what Kyle’s greatest fears are, and we also see that Kyle has still yet to earn the respect of majority of the Justice League. In the end we see Kyle take a different approach to solving the problem and we also get a great no-faith line from Superman that sums up the severity of Kyle’s actions. I’ll not spoil the ending for you, but it’s safe to say that this was one of the coolest Green Lantern stories that I’ve ever read.
Written by Ron Marz (who also wrote the Emerald Twilight storyline that sees Hal Jordan become a mass murderer after the actual destruction of Coast City), Fear Itself does what I once thought was impossible. It legitimizes the character of Kyle Rayner… At least, for my stance on the character. Usually, when I thought of Kyle Rayner, all I could think of was pity and how much I hated his 90s costume. But even on a non-cynical scale, I really do feel that this is the story that will decide your opinion on Kyle Rayner as a character. I know that I’m in the minority of my age group when I say that I favor Hal Jordan over most other Lanterns, but now I have a better respect for those who would previously chose Kyle over Hal. Now if only someone could do the same thing for Guy Gardner. But I’m off focus. Marz’s story is a solid one-shot which does a great job of infusing the DC Universe with Lovecraft without it being too out of place or hokey. Plus, it never hurts when a little bit of mystery-history is used in a story. But the writing is only half the battle as the combined effort of Brad Parker’s pencils and the painted colors of The Hories do the rest of the job. When I first saw the creature, it was clear that this was the only way to go in terms of artwork. As you’ve seen by the examples in this blog, if this were done in the more traditional comic styles, it just wouldn’t have been the same. So kudos to them.
Anyway, the out of print graphic novel used to retail for $14.95, but you can get this sweet reprint for $7.99 while supplies last in the store. If you missed this the first time… or second time around, this might be your last chance in a long while. And I know that there are whole lot more GL fans now, than there were in 1999, so if you’re one of the new passengers on the GL train, definitely check this one out before its gone again. So yes, this is a comic that belongs in your possession.
-Fleet
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February 5th, 2011
Here is part two of my homage to Image – this time featuring the strange and turbulent tale of Cowboy Ninja Viking. If the name alone doesn’t grab your attention then you have earned my respect for having a tremendous tolerance for the bizarre. The first thing I said when I heard it was “Are you serious?”
I can’t say what made me read the first trade after that. Maybe it was the art, which was masterfully brought to us by Riley Rossmo. Maybe it was curiosity over whether this was some new twist on the age old Pirates versus Ninjas debate. Maybe I was just bored. Whatever the reason, I’m glad I picked it up.
The idea behind this oddly named series is simple if not a little twisted. Imagine, if you would, trying to set out to create the world’s most unpredictable assassins. These agents would be bred without a solid sense of morals and would be able to kill someone three different ways at once. Sounds like a good idea, right? Unfortunately, the human mind isn’t always meant to cope with the stress that comes with training like that, so the government turned to a select group who had the strongest chance of survival and the least chance of being missed, namely people born with three additional personalities running around their noggin. In some ways the program was a success, creating a group known as the Triplets, with the most dangerous among them being a man named Duncan, code named Cowboy Ninja Viking.
In terms of content, Cowboy Ninja Viking is a story with a lot of action, intrigue, and a fair amount of psychological conflict. If you ever wondered what a person with four fully developed personalities is like, this series will provide you with an interesting perspective. In every issue writer AJ Lieberman redefines how we think of dialogue as each of these guys finds new ways to butt heads with their other personas.
That same personality dynamic also translates into some interesting fight scenes. Between Lieberman’s writing and Rossmo’s art, the reader gets the unique experience of seeing three separate fighters occupy one space at the same time. One panel you’ll see a ninja cut off a guy’s head, the next you’ll see a Viking bisect someone with an axe, and the third you see a cowboy shooting someone in the gut. Then you realize it’s all the same person. The fact that Lieberman and Rossmo managed to do this in a way that made sense is all the more impressive.
There are a lot of stories out there that are great, but this is one of the few that qualifies as being insanely great without going into hyperbole. If you’re tired of the same old narrative this is a series that’s worth checking out, because nothing is more refreshing than reading a story where ninety percent of the main characters are clinically psychotic.
-Brent
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January 25th, 2011
This week I’m starting a compendium of my favorite Image series, the kind of series that have effectively redefined the way I view Image as a publisher, so I thought what better way to start it off than to talk about Eisner Award winner and one of my all time favorite comics, Chew.
Chew is the creation of writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory and focuses on the life of a guy named Tony Chu (obvious word play, I know). By all accounts, Tony Chu is a pretty average guy. He works hard as a member of the police force, he has a brother that he barely gets along with, and he gets psychic impressions off anything he puts in his mouth. Okay, maybe he’s not the most average guy, but living in a world where chicken can only be bought on the black market and the FDA is the most powerful government agency in the world, he’s about as average as people get.
Now aside from the hilariously bizarre premise, there’s a lot to like about Chew. First off, Chew is one of the few stories that doesn’t settle for being in one genre, but rather comfortably fits in at least three. If I had to describe it, Chew is a mixture of comedy and mystery with a healthy dose of science fiction. These qualities are brought into even sharper focus by Rob Guillory’s gritty, yet cartoonish art style, which will make you want to laugh one moment and feel a little nauseous the next. It’s an interesting state of mind, let me tell you.
[Not the words I was thinking of.]
The third quality that makes Chew worth it is of course the solid plot. From the very first installment you know there’s something larger going on in the story than you can see. There’s a history behind Tony Chu and his strange abilities, as well as a connection between the outlaw of chicken and the deaths of millions of people as the result of a mysterious “avian flu.” Tony as well as a growing cast of characters with equally bizarre food-related abilities are in the thick of it, or at least that’s what Layman’s been hinting at.
Currently Chew is on issue sixteen of a projected sixty issue run, and I for one plan on being there for every second of it. Whether you’re new to comics or just looking for something off the beaten path, this is definitely the series to try.
-Brent
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January 17th, 2011
“…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” This small phrase was initially spoken by 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, during his first inaugural address back in 1933. In reading the entirety of his address, it’s clear that this was moreso a reference to various causes behind the Great Depression, and not so much about a not-yet looming terror from the other side of the planet. (Which this phrase seems to always find itself attached too.) This March, Marvel looks to release a new 7-issue event which is entitled, “Fear Itself.” From the various interviews that I’ve seen/read, it would appear that this event’s storyline is inspired by a myriad of things both real and fictional. Things such as oil spills, bailouts, deceit, terrorism, secret Nazi missions, politics, and supposedly comics groundwork laid up to 2 years ago in advance. Also, there’s a character named the God of Fear. And Dracula.
So how does this all begin? From what is available about the series, it would appear that the catalyst stems from a mission the Red Skull initiated back in World War II and the eventual fallout that ends up wreaking havoc upon the modern Marvel age. It would appear that Steve Rogers and Namor were there to witness the mission, and so one would think that they will play a decent role in the story to come out of it. And in the case of Steve, that would be a safe bet, considering that this story may have originated as a pitch for there to be a Steve-Cap and Thor team-up, in time for both Thor and Captain America movies. What I also know, is that the Red Skull’s daughter (Sin or Synthia Schmidt) is to play a major role in the series. According to head writer, Matt Fraction (Uncanny X-Men, Invincible Ironman), Sin will be going through a sort of character transformation that will have her operating at a high tier than she currently is. Hopefully, that means she’ll become a major female villain who lacks a superpower. I think that would be a good thing.
What we can expect after the initial prologue (Pre-issue #1) issue, written by Ed Brubaker, is something that’s going to attempt the same kind of magic that Civil War created back in 2006. Even if you hated the event, you’ve got to accept a few good things in it. For one, Captain America hijacked a fighter jet then later bought the pilot a hamburger and fries after landing in a football field. Another cool thing? I’ve witnessed and have been apart of many an argument over the Registration/Anti-Registration debate. Who was right? Who was wrong? Who the hell is Speedball? Stuff like that. But also, it helped solidify my passionate dislike of Ironman. I think a lot of Marvel fans found themselves emotionally invested with Civil War, and I’d imagine that this is the plan for Fear Itself. To make the fans care again. Who doesn’t like a good crossover? I can understand not liking one if it’s a bad one. I can even understand crossover fatigue. But crossovers are pretty much what makes Marvel, Marvel. You’ve got all these heroes in one centralized area, there’s no reason why Spider-Man and Daredevil couldn’t cross paths. In fact, it really should be happening all the time. That isn’t to say that there shouldn’t be separate comics, but unlike DC comics (who spread their big heroes across various cities), Marvel pretty much had all their super eggs in one city-sized basket. Crossovers happen. They need to, if Marvel is to keep it’s “real-life, real-world” reputation.
Anyway, I’m definitely looking forward to March, so we can get the fear started in here. Also, how cool is that picture down below? Just imagine the chaos that would occur if the greatest member of the X-Men were to turn all Magneto-y. I think that’s pretty cool. And that’s it. See you later.
-Fleet
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