Indies Preview Review for March Part 3 of 3

OUR CONCLUDING CHAPTER

IDW Publishing

Desperadoes Omnibus SC (W) Jeff Mariotte (A) John Cassaday, John Lucas, John Severin, Jeremy Haun, Alberto Dose
Over the course of its decade-plus lifespan, the Western/horror series Desperadoes has traveled some long, strange trails. Since its hard-riding heroes first met while tracking a ritualistic murderer whose crimes gave him supernatural powers, they've experienced quarantine in a haunted town, a reanimated dead boy with a thirst for revenge, a spiritualist's nightmare, and a bizarre quest to the birthplace of the buffalo on behalf of Geronimo himself. Nearly 500 pages of Desperadoes badness in this special volume. $24.99

Lee: Desperadoes is an excellent series. It’s always had outstanding art but Mariotte’s writing really put it over the top. I’m looking forward to this.
Jim: These were are great stories. Jeff Mariotte created some great characters and this is a western series that had a supernatural bent to it. Great stuff and well wroth your time.

Spaghetti Bros Vol. 03 HC
(W) Carlos Trillo (A/C) Domingo Mandrafina This ongoing tale of Italian immigrants continues as Amerigo, Frank, Carmela, Tony, and Caterina move past their family infighting and learn that their family bonds are stronger than ever. Appealing to fans of the Godfather saga, Spaghetti Bros. is a tale of love, lust, jealosy, and the ever-present chance of redemption. Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $24.99

Lee: This is great story in a great format! I have Vol 1 and I love it. Spaghetti Bros is a brutal crime fiction/family story that easily matches Brubakers Criminal and other classic crime comics. If you like crime fiction then you can’t go wrong with this.
Jim: Alright then I will have to get this. I have heard nothing but good things about it, but I'm starting with Volume 1. Carlos Trillo has written a lot of good books and often was paired with Eduardo Rizzo.

New England Comics
Tick: Big Blue Destiny Complete Works SC (W/A) Eli Stone
At 320 pages, this massive tome contains the complete comics of the legendary Tick series, Big Blue Destiny! In addition to the five part story by Eli Stone, the most popular Tick creator after Ben Edlund, the volume includes The Tick's Back #0, The Tick: Big Blue Destiny Ashcan, and the entire Tick Bin trilogy! In the course of these outrageous adventures, Big Blue Destiny, with Ben's approval, explored the mysterious secrets lurking in the Tick's background and history! $29.95

Lee: I’ve been a fan of Edlund’s Tick for a very long time. Unfortunately, I never read Stone’s work. I’m fond of humor comics and the Tick is one of the best but the price seems steep to me for some reason. Maybe it’s because the Showcase and Essential lines are ½ this price for similar B&W material. I hate to be cheap but I can’t afford everything.
Jim: I also never read Eli Stone's work on the Tick. And if this is in black and white, then Lee is right, it is not even close being priced competitively.

Papercutz
Classics Illustrated Vol. 03: Through the Looking Glass HC by Lewis Carroll & Kyle Baker
Kyle Baker's adaptation of the madcap sequel to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is truly inspired. It begins when Alice wonders what's on the other side of the mirror, and is actually able to pass on through to the other side. Along the way she encounters talking flowers and such unforgettable characters such as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Lion and the Unicorn, and Humpty-Dumpty, while somehow becoming the White Queen in a surreal chess match against the Red Queen. All the inspired lunacy of Lewis Carroll's classic book comes alive in this beautiful graphic novel. A graphic masterpiece by eight-time Eisner Award-winner Kyle Baker! Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $9.95

Classics Illustrated Vol. 04: The Raven & Other Poems HC (W) Edgar Allan Poe (A) Gahan Wilson
'The Raven,' 'Annabel Lee,' 'Eldorado,' 'The Sleeper,' 'The Haunted Palace,' 'The Conqueror Worm,' 'The City in the Sea.' These are some of the world's most fascinating, best-loved poems. Edgar Allan Poe's verses - masterpieces of mystery, horror, melancholy, and haunting melody - grip the imagination and fuel the emotions. World-famous cartoonist Gahan Wilson brings the perfect, surreal touch to Poe's elegantly dark poems. Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $9.95

Lee: These look great! Back in the mid-80’s, First Comics did a relaunch of Classics Illustrated with top creators doing the stories and I think this is a reprint of that material. Gahan Wilson does so little collected work, Vol 4 is worth it for that alone. Hopefully they will also do the Bill Sienkiewicz version of Moby Dick which is just breathtaking! Yeah yeah yeah… it’s off topic but you can see lots of Moby Dick pages here and see why I rave about it!
Jim: I love Gahan Wilson, but I was burned by Papercutz on the quality of their stuff and will not trust them sight unseen again. Since my store would not order this unless someone ordered it, I will never see it.


Pantheon Books
Chicken with Plums SC (W/A) Marjane Satrapi
When celebrated Iranian musician Nasser Ali Khan, the author's great-uncle, discovers that his beloved instrument is irreparably damaged, he takes to his bed, renouncing the world and all its pleasures. Over the course of the week that follows, readers discover vivid scenes of his encounters with family and friends, flashbacks to his childhood, and flashforwards to his own children's futures. As the pieces of his story fall into place, understanding of the breadth of his decision to let go of life deepens. Marjane Satrapi, the author of Persepolis, rendered the events of her life and times in a uniquely captivating and powerful voice and vision. Now she turns that same keen eye and ear to the heartrending story of her great-uncle, a celebrated Iranian musician who gave up his life for music and love. $12.95

Lee: I’m glad to see Satrapi is still producing books but I’m not sure I’m ready for this one. Persepolis was a masterpiece but her work since hasn’t been nearly as strong. I’m interested but I might wait for some early reviews. If you’ve never read her work then start with Persepolis.
Jim: Even reading the hype I started to gloss over it and get bored. Definitely not to my taste.

Pure Imagination Publishing
Alex Toth Goes Hollywood SC (W) Greg Theakston (A) Alex Toth
Alex Toth recreates adventures on the silver screen and the small screen in this collection that features 160 pages of stories including Roy Rogers, The FBI Story, The Lennon Sisters, Range Rider, 77 Sunset Strip, Gale Storm, The Sea Hunt, and more! $25.00

Lee: I love Pure Imaginations reprints but occasionally I wonder about their choice of material. Toth’s Hollywood output???? Really? I like Toth as much as the next person but the subject material leaves me very, very cold. Since I know little to nothing about the TV series being written about I’m not sure I want to invest the money.
Jim: I have enjoyed Pure Imagination's reprints also and recently got two of the Alex Toth reprints and as much as I love Alex Toth, I have to want to read the stories and this does not cut it.

Simon & Schuster
Edgar & Ellen Graphic Novelty SC (W) Charles Ogden (A) Rick Carton
Now that Edgar and Ellen are stars of TV animation, the comic seems the perfect format for their continued misadventures. Graphic Novelty includes five hilarious graphic adventures, an epic poem featuring Pet, and a collection of wordless one-page Heimertz cartoons. $7.99 Visit the official Edgar & Ellen web site here
Lee: While Slave Labor may have cornered the market on older kid goth, it appears that Simon & Schuster are going for the kiddie goth market. E&E reminds me of Charles Addams and The Addams Family. It looks like good natured fun for that creepy little kid in your life.
Jim:The artwork is very appealing and as Lee had introduced me to a strip called Lio, this material has more appeal to me then it would have before.

Titan Publishing
Best of Wallace & Gromit (W) Dan Abnett, Simon Furman (A) Jimmy Hansen & Various
Wallace & Gromit, beloved by children and adults alike in the UK and stars of their very own Oscar-winning movie, return for more exciting comic-strip extravaganzas, along with Shaun the Sheep and Feathers McGraw! In the first of four incredible adventures Gromit is kidnapped by Feathers, forcing Wallace to rob a bank! There's more inventions madness when Wallace's creations go haywire; our heroes get mixed up in the hunt for a UFO; and finally there's mind swap mayhem as Shaun and Gromit accidentally switch brains! $12.95

Lee: I love Wallace and Gromit and if this is half as funny as the movies and shorts then it will be well worth the investment. I can’t wait to get my copy!
Jim: Wallace and Gromit are fantastic some of the best claymation ever done. I actually like the shorter features better then the movie. Not sure I want the comic book version.

Touchstone
Funny Misshapen Body GN (W/A) Jeffrey Brown
Best-known for his autobiographical comics Clumsy and Unlikely, Jeffrey Brown returns with Funny Misshapen Body, his first comic memoir in several years. It chronicles Jeffrey's coming-of-age as a comics artist, from his obsession with superhero comics as a kid to trying to fit in as a cartoonist at the snooty School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Drawn with the trademark simplicity that has made Brown's name in the comics world - drawing the attention of everyone from Ira Glass to USA Today - it also recounts how Brown survived high school, abdominal surgery and the difficulties of living with Crohn's Disease, college, binge drinking, friendships, drug experimentation, coffee shops, and his ultimate decision that comics are just as important as traditional art. $16.00 There are some sample of Jeff’s art here

Lee: To say that Brown’s art is simplistic is an overstatement. When I first saw his art I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my head because I disliked it so much. But after reading Clumsy, not only did I appreciate it, I really liked it. Brown is a great writer and his comics are always entertaining. Don’t let the art scare you off. If you’re taking a chance on a new book this month start here (or with Clumsy).
Jim: There are a lot of artists who are deceptive like that, because you are not used to their style you think they have no artistic ability. Beyond the actual art story telling and design are also important in telling a story with pictures.

Likewise SC (W) Ariel Schrag
Delving deep into the anxious heart of a teenage girl's quest for self, Likewise is a graphic story of high school in all its awkward, painful glory. It chronicles cartoonist Ariel Schrag's senior year at Berkeley High School in California in the mid-90s. Discovering James Joyce's Ulysses opens up a whole new world - and artistic style - for Ariel, and she uses the new approach to document her major longing for her ex-girlfriend (who has headed off to college), her anxiety over the college-admissions process, her parents' post-divorce relationship, the valuable life lessons she's learning from her beloved art teacher, and-as always-the personal and social complications of writing about her life as it happens. $16.00 Visit Ariel here to see more
Lee: This looks like a top-notch autobiographical comic. Since Ariel has written three other books chronicling her high school years I have to believe that these are very good.
Jim: This does sound good and I would buy it, but for the time to actually get around to reading it. Lee can attest to the fact that it takes me months to read stuff he loans me.

Transfuzion Publishing
Miskatonic Project: HP Lovecraft Bride of Dagon SC (W) Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc Lofficier (A) Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack
Before X-Files, before Torchwood, there was the Miskatonic Project! The Deep Ones have risen and their dark god Dagon awaits his bride - a member of the Miskatonic Project! Determined to break the growing power of Cthulhu, The Miskatonic Project battles slime-dripping monstrosities from the bottom of the sea! $15.99

Lee: Now this is interesting because I’ve never heard of it. Thomas and L’officier are very good writers. Mack is a very good artist. AND, to my surprise Bendis is listed as an artist! Don’t get me wrong, Bendis is a good artist, but I am surprised to see his name attached to this. I wonder if it’s any good.
Jim: I will never know, because I get my Lovecraft fix from BOOM and Roy Thomas and JM Lofficier with Bendis and Mack sound pretty bad.

Girls of Gaming Vol. 01
Play Magazine, the premier lifestyle magazine of video game culture, brings readers Girls of Gaming, a celebration of the female form in video games, anime, comics, and more! More than just a pin-up book, Girls of Gaming celebrates gaming's vast line-up of heroines, from the cute, to the sexy, and everything in-between! From Lara Croft to Aerith Gainsborough, from Vanessa Schneider (P.N.03) to Farmer (Dungeon Siege), the 'girls of gaming' are brought to life through CGI renders, concept artwork, and commissioned and exclusive original artwork. Each volume of Girls of Gaming features hundreds of full-color images, interviews with creators, gamers, and the girls themselves, plus game information and more. If you love games, you'll love Girls of Gaming! $9.95

Lee: Wow, this is such tough call. Do I want the “Girls & Corpses” magazine or this one? Decisions, decisions, decisions. And, I’m sure this is full of insightful articles.
Jim: I'm more concerned about who is buying this. What is their circulation 150 people.

Art of Monsters vs. Aliens HC
The Art of Monsters vs. Aliens is a full-color visual companion book celebrating the first animated film to use the new Stereoscopic 3-D process from start to finish. Lavishly illustrated, the book features over 400 images, including concept sketches, preliminary drawings, architectural plans, watercolor and oil paintings, and digital artwork. It also details the creative process behind developing this irreverent, modern-day action comedy that reinvents the classic '50s monster movie. $40.00

Lee: Now this is a movie I can’t wait to take the kids too! It combines my love of animation and 50’s B-movie monster flicks! Hopefully the kids will like it when I drag them to it. This book should be pretty cool too but I’m more excited about the movie right now.
Jim: This is a movie that I will have to force my wife to go to see, but I will as my kids are too old to use as cover and neither live in the same state as dear old Dad (me).

Lee: Honestly, this was an up-n-down month. There's lots to choose from but not as much as usual. But, there's enough to be excited about and that's all that matters.
Jim:I agree this was not the strongest month, but as always if you can't find something that might interest you here, then you are not looking.

WE GOT ALL OF THE MARCH PREVIEW REVIEWS IN JUST UNDER THE WIRE. We try to do our preview reviews a little while after they are released and still months before they are released so you can go and order them from you favorite comic store.

Indies Preview Review for March Part 2 of 3

ONTO PART 2

Desperado Publishing

Monsterpocalypse Vol. 01 SC (W) Stephan Nilson (A) Karl Waller, Rick Bonilla
In the tradition of Godzilla, Ultra Man, Spectre Man, and other Japanese giant monster/giant robot cult classics, the era of monsters is upon us! Giant dinosaur-like creatures roam the southern hemisphere, wrecking absolute destruction upon every city in their path. Now mankind has designed their own giant protectors, but will they be enough to save mankind - or is our time on Earth up? Three months have past since Gorghadra destroyed most of Chicago and left humanity's defender, Sky Sentinel, for scrap. Sky Sentinel has been rebuilt but his commander is gone, and the crew is not happy with the replacement, Major Jackson Chase, a lot with a less than perfect military career. Tensions among the crew members escalate when Sky Sentinel is dispatched with an untested commander to defend New York City from an unearthly monster! $9.99

Lee: I grew up on giant monster movies so I was actually kind of excited about this until I learned that it was based upon a collectable miniatures game. My problem is that for every successful tie-in, Micronauts, Transformers, there’s a dozen flops, Sectaurs, He-Man. I could be wrong, it might be great but I’m willing to get someone else find out.
Jim: This book just looks like it should be out and out fun and excitement, more like an old time comic book instead of so many books today that sometimes forget that comics have an unlimited special effects budget.

Pandora's Box GN (W) Si Spencer (A) John McCrea
From the twisted mind of Si Spencer (Books of Magick) and the dark artistry of John McCrea (Hitman)! Glamour model and actress Hope, through her addiction to kinky sex and drugs, spirals into a nightmarish world of blackmail, torture, and murder in this sexy noir thriller that weaves a sordid tale of a woman's attempt to escape her past. $9.99
Lee: Blah blah blah… whatever… it has John McCrea art so I’m sold. I’ve been a huge fan of McCrea’s art since his glory days on Demon and Hitman. I am soooo getting this.
Jim: I knew when I saw John McCrea's name in he credits Lee was buying this book.

Drawn & Quarterly
Bun Field GN (W/A) Amanda Vähämäki
Characterized by an intriguing disjointed rhythm and delicious pencil-smudged style, The Bun Field is defined by a surreal ebb-and-flow, possessing a deep sense of foreboding and hurt, yet maintaining a biting sense of humor. Amanda Vähämäki's first graphic novel is infused with a sense of abbreviated adolescence and a kind of grey sky banality. A young girl dreams of a dinosaur eating Donald Duck; wakes to find a bald, hulking stranger sharing her breakfast; leaves to take a car trip with a bear; falls and breaks a tooth, to have it replaced from her dentist's dog's mouth; and pays back the favor by plowing a field of buns. Young people and anthropomorphic animals commingle in dreamy landscapes, performing mundane tasks that are skewed with an absurd and fantastic edge. Paperback, 8 x 8 inches, 96 pages, b/w $12.95 Amanda’s biography here and a preview here
Lee: I know this is a stretch but I really like the art. I’m sure this is raw but that’s to be expected from new creators. As always, If you’re looking for something different this is a good place to start.
Jim: Certainly something I will pass on, but if I even abandon the super hero stuff, I would focus on this type of material. Often early material can be raw, but filled with passion.

John Stanley Library Vol. 01: Melvin Monster HC (W/A) John Stanley
John Stanley is celebrated as one of the great children's comics writers for his work on the Little Lulu series. In fact, the Lulu work is a small part of his output; he drew and continued to write many other comics-notably his work on the 1960s teen comics from Dell and his monster comedy strip, Melvin Monster. Drawn & Quarterly is launching an extensive reprinting of Stanley's work in handsome volumes designed by Seth. The first in this series is the two-volume Melvin Monster collection featuring all ten issues about the oddball monster boy who just wants to be good, go to school, and do as he's told. Stanley's reputation as a great storyteller and visual comedian is richly deserved; few Golden or Silver Age comics stand the test of time the way these comics do. Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $19.95 You can read about Stanley here and read a Melvin Monster story here
Lee: Stanley secured his place as a comic book genius with the classic series Little Lulu. He followed that up with Melvin Monster, and my understanding is that it’s a great little series. It should be noted that we seem to be in a great period for reprints. More and more companies are reprinting both GA and Bronze Age material. If you like comics in all their shapes and sizes it’s a good time to be a collector.
Jim: LOL, I saw Little Lulu referenced and I knew this book screamed LEE!

Fanfare / Ponent Mon
My Mommy Is in America & She Met Buffalo Bill HC (W) Jean Regnaud (A) Emile Bravo
Jean relates his daily life and adventures with his sour-tempered teacher Madame Moinot, his busy dad, his kind nanny Yvette (the Queen of iced chocolate), his little brother Paul (with whom he is always fighting), and his precocious and spiteful neighbor Michele (whose parents own a kennel), telling them all those small and amusing things that appear to make him a normal boy. But inside there is a great emptiness and a voice calling 'Where is my mommy...?' as his only maternal contact is through a series of fanciful postcards read to him by the girl next door! With sensitivity and emotion, Regnaud and Eisner nominated Bravo (Best Short Story 2008) tell their story that reminds us that children are not the only ones who would rather invent than deal with reality. Winner of Essentials Award at the Angouleme Festival, 2008. Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $25.00 See the excellent preview here
Lee: I’m a huge fan of the awards circuit. It doesn’t matter if it’s Oscars, Caldecott, or a foreign award, I like the pedigree. There’s something about being good enough to get critical acclaim that draws my initial interest. And, I was completely sold once I saw the previews.
Jim: See that just show Lee has a little of that elitist snobbery in him, which is funny because it does not really suit Lee 100%, but it is a part of him.

Fantagraphics Books
Beg the Question SC by Bob Fingerman
A caustic and hilarious love story set in 1990s New York City. Bob Fingerman's Beg the Question tells the story of Rob and Sylvia, two twenty-somethings navigating the labyrinth of New York City life. Follow Rob & Sylvia's relationship through all of its ups-and-downs, from courtship to marriage, rentals to real estate salesmen, public sex to unwanted pregnancies, and everything in between. Performance art, extended families, the comic book industry and Screw magazine are just a few of the other topics subjected to Fingerman's satirical microscope. Featuring an introduction by Penn Jillette. $16.95 Visit Bob here
Lee: Bob Fingerman is just one of those creators that I have always been interested in. I don’t know why but he always seemed to have a voice, if you will. I read his work “Recess Pieces” and I really liked it so I’ll give this a shot.
Jim: I want to check this book out also, I like the slice of life books on occasion.

Connective Tissue (W/A) Bob Fingerman
Video store clerk Darla Vogel is fed up. Fed up with her job, her wake-and-bake roommate, everything. But when one of the customers at Kwok's Video, a precocious home-schooled kid with dreams of chemically engineering authentic meat-flavoring, offers her some of his meat-tinged candies, Darla takes a plunge down the rabbit hole into a surreal world of throbbing, veinous buildings, compulsory public nudity, weird creatures and more. If William S. Burroughs, Lewis Carroll, H.P. Lovecraft and Harvey Kurtzman had a mutant lovechild, it might resemble Bob Fingerman's bold new confection Connective Tissue. Fingerman, a cartoonist and novelist best known for an acclaimed graphic novel (Beg the Question, a Gen X classic with 'dialogue worthy of the stage' according to Entertainment Weekly) and an acclaimed prose novel (Bottomfeeder, which Booklist described as 'at the front ranks of its genre' in a starred review), merges his two favorite disciplines in Connective Tissue, a genre-bending and medium-mixing work best described as a fully illustrated novella. Fingerman's visuals complement and supplement his crackling prose, giving vivid life to the surreal world and people that populate the story. Connective Tissue will further escalate Fingerman's reputation as a master of genre fiction, regardless of the medium. $19.99
Lee: Ooops, let me correct my earlier comment. I'm not getting the other Fingerman book, I'm getting this one. It reminds me of "Recess Pieces" which had excellent art and some awesomely biting satire. I'll let you know how it is in a couple of months.
Jim: Maybe we can compare notes or swap books as I would lean towards the other book first.

Hill & Wang
Beats Graphic History HC (W) Harvey Pekar, Paul Buhle (A) Ed skor
In The Beats: A Graphic History, those who were mad to live come back to life through artwork as pulsatingly vibrant as the movement itself. Told by Harvey Pekar and his frequent artistic collaborator Ed skor, and by a range of artists and writers, including feminist comic creator Trina Robbins and MAD Magazine artist Peter Kuper, The Beats takes us on a wild tour. From the Benzedrine-fueled antics of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs to the painting sessions of Jay DeFeo's disheveled studio, from the jazz hipsters to beatnik chicks, from Chicago's beatnik bistro to San Francisco's famed City Lights bookstore, we see the storied era in all its incarnations. Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $22.00
Lee: This sounds really interesting. It appears to be a graphic novel history of counter culture which is probably the only way I'll ever learn anything about the movement.
Jim: I can tell you about Lee, I was young but lived through that period. Of course I was 10 in 1965.

Houghton Mifflin Company
Best American Comics 2008 HC (W/A) Various
This newest addition to the Best American series returns with a set of both established and up-and-coming contributors. Editor Lynda Barry and brand-new series editors Jessica Abel and Matt Madden, acclaimed cartoonists in their own right, culled the best stories from graphic novels, pamphlet comics, newspapers, magazines, mini-comics, and the web to create this cutting-edge collection, 'perfect for newbies as well as fans' (San Diego Union-Tribune). This volume features such luminaries as Chris Ware, Seth, and Alison Bechdel alongside beloved daily cartoonists like Matt Groening. Hardcover W/Dustjacket. $22.00
Lee: If you’re new to independent comics and wonder what all the hub bub is, then this is a good place to start. The “Best American Comics” series always has a nice cross section of the latest non-men in tights comics. If you already get a stack of indies like I do then don’t worry about it.
Jim: It does appear to be a great sampler.

IDW Publishing
Completely Doomed SC Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, David J. Schow, Paul F. Wilson (w), Ashley Wood, Ted McKeever, Kristian Donaldson, etc. (a); Ashley Wood (c)
This special collection hearkens back to the best creepy, eerie horror comics of yesteryear, only these feature the added bonus of being adapted from stories by horror literature legends Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, David J. Schow, and Paul F. Wilson by comics luminaries like Ashley Wood, Ted McKeever, and many more. Completely Doomed features the Eisner-nominated 'Blood Son' by Wood and Chris Ryall, and fifteen other adapted tales of wretched excess and predestined downfall, all presided over by the macabre madame, Ms. Doomed. $19.99
Lee: This isn’t a new release but it’s worth mentioning because I already own this and love it. If you are looking for great horror stories with great art then this is the book for you. Doomed was a short lived magazine ala Creepy that IDW did years ago. My only complaint was that I already knew all the stories so the endings weren’t as shocking as they might have been. All the stories are adaptions of short print stories. In other words, if you read a lot of books other than comics then you probably already know the stories.
Jim: See this is a book I would have missed if not for Lee picking it out and now he just cost me $20.

PART 3 SATURDAY

PS - Gwen has been busy with real life and has had to pass on her normally weekly post, but will be back next week.

Brahm Revel - Interview - Creator of Guerillas

Guerillas has fast become a favorite book of mine, my love (some say obsession) for chimps certainly plays a role in it, but this book just is flat out a great comic. I had never heard of Brahm Revel before and read up what I could on him, but I had questions of my own and Brahm was generous enough to do an interview with us.

Jim: One of my first questions to every creator is a simple secret origin question as almost every comic fan loves to know the origin of the characters. Who is Brahm Revel and what drove him to create comic books?

Brahm: I was born and raised in the old port town of San Francisco. I lived there with my Mom and a couple of roommates in an old Victorian house in the Mission District. I later heard that some of the roommates thought it was haunted. One said there was a cold spot in the long hallway but I never noticed anything. When I got a little older my Mom and I moved to a place of our own just four houses down the block.

My Mom was a creative type and encouraged my drawing. I was exposed to Tintin and Asterix when I was fairly young and I always had comics around, but it wasn’t until sixth grade that I went to an actual comic book store and was introduced to the wider world of comics. That’s where I found the old black and white Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. From then on I was hooked.

I realized it was somebody’s job to make these comics and I decided pretty early on that that was what I wanted to do with my life. My tastes changed as I grew up, but I always loved the form and the rest of my life has been in the pursuit of figuring out how to make these damn funny books make sense.

I went to an Arts High School in SF and then to an Art College in NY where I now live and work. GUERILLAS is my first professional work as a sole creator.

Jim: When not slaving away at a drawing board or writing what do you enjoy to do in your free time?

Brahm: What do you mean when I’m not at my drawing board? You mean when I’m sleeping? Seriously, there’s not much extra time after those two things.

When I do give myself a little free time I like to look at things that inspire me. Things like books and comics. Every comic book fan has a collector inside them and I am slowly amassing a pretty respectable collection. I also love to watch movies and television. I was raised with the TV on and I’m not afraid to say I love it. I don’t know if beer and whiskey should be put down as hobbies, but I like them too. And lastly… Baseball! I have always loved baseball and in particular the New York Mets! I watch or listen to pretty much every game. It’s a great thing to have on while you work. Me and a couple friends got our names put on a brick at the new stadium they built for the Mets… Go check it out if you don’t believe me…

Jim: GUERILLAS is a great series. It is part war story, part a view on how man treats animals and a human-interest story of John Clayton. How would you describe GUERILLAS?

Brahm: I see GUERILLAS as a cool action comic that also happens to have a lot of interesting themes to explore. I see each issue as a chapter of a Graphic Novel that has a defined ending. I see GUERILLAS expanding the page count of the typical monthly. I’m trying to make each issue longer to allow for more elongated sequences of pure visual storytelling. I’m not heavily influenced by manga, but I think what Katsuhiro Otomo achieved with Akira and Domu is amazing and I’m trying to tell stories with that kind of ambition. I don’t have an agenda or a particular message that I’m trying to get across with GUERILLAS. I’m just trying to tell an interesting story with relatable characters. Ultimately, I’d like GUERILLAS to be a page-turner that you get more from each time you read it.

Jim: What was the evolution of this story? Was it as simple as the term guerilla warfare that gave you the idea or do you have an interest in the Viet Nam war? As your bio information shows you to be too young for the Viet Nam war I’m assuming no other recent war would have worked for the concept.

Brahm: As unbelievable as it may sound, I didn’t think of the name GUERILLAS until the very end. And when I did, I thought, “Wow, this is so obvious… Why hasn’t someone done this yet?” Then I was afraid someone else was gonna come up with the same idea or a very similar idea and get it out before I could.

As far as I can remember the idea came while I was watching Saving Private Ryan. The images of the soldiers walking through bombed out Europe reminded me of Chimps walking in troops through the jungle. It was as simple as that… Chimps at War… That just might work!

Originally I was thinking it would take place during WWII. Mainly because that’s the war that Private Ryan took place in, but it didn’t make as much sense logically. Vietnam ended up making much more sense… Jungle Warfare… Guerillas Tactics… and a presidency that was desperate not to lose a messy war. I didn’t have a particular affinity for Vietnam or war comics in general, but this was where the idea was going so I just followed it.

Jim: John Clayton and his girlfriend Jane are an obvious homage to Tarzan by ERB, are you a fan of his work or did you just like the humorous touch in naming the characters?

Brahm: Indeed. They are homages to the Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan, which I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never read. Tarzan is another one of those things that seems like an obvious early inspiration, but I didn’t recognize the similarities until I was well into the writing of GUERILLAS. At that point I was afraid that if I read Tarzan then, it might become too big of an influence. So I thought the names would be a nice little extra to put in for those in the know. I threw Francis in there to make it a little less obvious… but you got me!

Jim: This is a one-man project, do you consider yourself an artist first, writer second, vice versa or a storyteller?

Brahm: I never really considered myself to be a writer when I was younger. My goal was always to become a penciler and work at either Marvel or DC. I just assumed I’d have my own writer and inker to take care of those aspects of the comic. So I guess, growing up, I always saw myself as an artist first.

But I’m also a bit of a control freak and as I started working with people early on, I realized that I had a particular vision of how I wanted the stories to read. So at this point I guess I think of myself as a storyteller. I want the drawings to service the story first and look pretty second.

These days I even find it hard to compose covers or pin-ups because they are stand alone images and have no sequential storytelling to them… There is almost too much freedom because there is no story to adhere to.

Jim: This is a nine part series, so I assume you have the basics of each chapter already completed. How have you structured the work so that when you get to each chapter you know what you are doing? (A script outline, thumbnails).

Brahm: It’s a little messy… I have every chapter outlined. So I essentially know what’s gonna happen and how each issue will end. I also have lots of notes from my research that I go over to see if any little scribble I wrote months ago will apply to that episode. Things like a conversation, a short scene, or an observation or detail that might help define a theme for that particular issue. Then I make a more detailed revised outline that I try to breakdown into pages. One page for this scene, three pages for that scene. That way I can see where I stand with an overall page count. I try not to be too restrictive with how many pages I use. I try to keep it around 48, but the first 4 issues have ranged from 44 to 52 pages. If I’m at a good spot with page count I start to do thumbnails. I write most of the dialogue as I thumbnail. If there are big areas of exposition or dialogue I’ll stop and write it out as a script, but if it’s just banter I’ll write as I go. It’s kind of a back and forth thing and it’s really only something you can do if you’re the writer and the artist.

For me, doing the thumbnails is probably the most exciting aspect of making the comic. It’s like a puzzle. You have all these little pieces that you’re trying to fit together in just the right way to make this bigger story.

After that it’s the grind of drawing the 50 or more pages…

Jim: Based on some internet research and looking at your blog, you are also doing storyboard work, how does that differ from a comic book?

Brahm: With storyboards you are always working with other peoples stories. So usually I’m working from a script or I’m given some notes and I’m supposed to illustrate someone else’s vision. Other times I’m given first crack at the scene and the boards are used more as inspiration for certain shots, or as a springboard for the director to elaborate on. Either way it’s good practice for visual storytelling. You also start to learn how to stage scenes cinematically. You learn about screen direction and editing theory. It’s not essential for making comics but it doesn’t hurt.

My favorite part about doing storyboards is that they don’t have to be perfect. You are expected to draw a lot of panels so the finished boards can be loose and sketchy, and sometimes those are the nicest drawings.

Jim: Where else would you like to see GUERILLAS? Any hopes of a trade or hard cover down the road?

Brahm:I would definitely like to see GUERILLAS compiled into one book at some point. I like the idea of making comics like you would a movie or a novel. You work a year or two on a project that has a defined end point and when it’s finished you move on to the next idea. So it makes sense that each story would eventually be bound as a single object.

That’s not to say that I dislike the episodic nature of the floppy issue. I actually love that about comics. I feel it’s a part of the medium and I hope to always be able to present my stories as individual chapters with cliffhanger endings. I think it’s more fun to have to wait to find out what happens

That being said, I urge people to continue buying the floppies. Sales will have to stay high enough to warrant a collection.

Jim: Are you selling your original art or are you doing everything on the computer and therefore there is no original art? What is you process in creating the art?

Brahm: There are originals, but I haven’t been selling them yet. The early issues are in storage right now so it’s not very convenient, but I will eventually.

As far as my process goes, after the thumbnails are worked out, I start drawing the pages just slightly bigger than print size. I sketch with the non-photo blue pencils and then tighten the drawings with a regular pencil. When they’re done I blow them up to the typical comic original size (about 10” x 15”) and then ink them on a light-box. I use the classic #2 Windsor Newton series 7 brush to ink and felt-tip disposable pens for boarders and detail stuff. For the words I use a comic font, but I print out the words and paste them onto the actual originals. I feel like it makes the words look less computery. I also like that the originals actually have the words on them and can be read.

Then I scan the pages and put the gray-tones on in Photoshop.

Jim: Do you have any other comic projects in the works?

Brahm: One of my side jobs is working on a comic adaptation of a movie called “I Sell the Dead!” and as you might have guessed, it’s about grave robbers. It’s directed by Glenn McQuaid and stars Dominic Monaghan (Lost, Lord of the Rings), Ron Perlman (Hellboy, City of Lost Children) and Angus Scrimm (Phantasm). It’s a fun movie that’s as influenced by the EC horror comics of the 50’s as by the Hammer horror movies of the 70’s. The comic will be a 48 page one-shot and will most likely be in color. It’s uncertain when the comic will be coming out but it will coincide with the release of the film, which is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit.

Jim: Would you ever work for the big two? If yes, name one or two characters you would like to work on.

Brahm: I would in a limited way, like a one-shot or an anthology like Batman: Black and White, but I wouldn’t want to get into the monthly grind.

I was a big X-men fan, but they’ve been through so many changes that these days I don’t recognize anyone on the team. Wolverine was always a favorite of mine, so a solo Wolverine story would be fun. Miller’s Daredevil was a big influence and I love the Film Noir-like style, so that would be fun too. Batman and Spiderman are just fun to draw, so that could work too.

I was so into superheroes at one point in my life that it would be fun to do anything related to that genre at least once.

Jim: Is there anyway you could work Beppo the Super Monkey into this book?

Brahm: I don’t think Beppo’s gonna make it into GUERILLAS with out a lawsuit of some kind.

I know my chimps can’t fly, but they’re as super as the technology of the 60’s would allow… Plus they got machineguns… and that never hurts.

Jim: What is the one thing you would want readers to take away from this series?

Brahm: Personally, I’d like them to think that I was a quality cartoonist and someone to watch for in the future.

As far as GUERILLAS the comic, I want the readers to be entertained first. But in doing so, I also want to build a story that has many different layers and works on different levels. I think that each reader will bring their own experience to GUERILLAS and each will get something different in return.

But it’s a comic… I always want it to remain fun first.

Jim: What is been the hardest thing about trying to market your book?

Brahm: I think the biggest thing is that I’m an unknown in the industry. Readers are always more likely to support someone whose work they are familiar with. But there’s not a lot I can do there. You gotta start somewhere.

I also think the fact that it’s not in color turns some readers off. But I’ve also heard from a lot of readers that think the gray adds to the grittiness of the title.

And lastly, I think the price at $5.99 has turned some people off. But it is a 56-page book and starting with the 4th issue it’ll be going quarterly. So $6 isn’t a huge investment to ask for every three months.

Give it a chance people! It’s got monkeys shooting guns! What more could you ask for?

The more I learn about the creators the more fun the book is for me. I love that Brahm wants us to have fun first and foremost and whatever else we get out of it is just icing on the cake, so to speak. In spite of Brahm being a Met fan, I like him and hope he shows at Balto-Con this year.

Thanks again to Brahm for giving so much of his time to us and supplying all the graphics. When the next issue of Guerillas hits the stores on March 25 make sure you have ordered one from you local store.

THIS IS THE BEST COMIC EVER ABOUT CHIMPS FIGHTING IN VIET NAM!

Seriously this is a great story so far and I can’t want for the rest.

Visit his blog.
Read another interview at CBR.
Check out 28 pages of issue #1.

Spotlight Review Final Crisis #7 of 7

Final Crisis #7 of 7
Publisher DC
Writer Grant Morrison
Pencils Doug Mahnke
Inks Alot of People
Colors Alex Sinclair & friends


Okay I’m not Stephen Hawking, but I’m also not Homer Simpson. I have read comics for over 45 years now and this was one confusing ending.

I get that Grant Morrison has always wanted the DCU to evolve into a sentient being and I get that this is all about the stories. I get that Superman wanted us to have a happy ending. I even understand that Bruce Wayne is alive and will work his way back into our world, but Final Crisis was confusing and the ending left me a little cold.

I can’t help but compare the two mega-events. Marvel had Secret Invasion and DC had Final Crisis.

Secret Invasion was one of the worse books I have read and in hindsight it looks even worse as the entire thing was a plot device to take us to Dark Reign. Plus we were sold a bill of goods that this was going to impact everything. We were told to embrace change and it was hinted the change would be the Skrulls becoming part of our world. The ending of that series was so stupid as to be meaningless, but it led to Dark Reign. Now while I have many questions about the premise and it has been “hit and miss” so far, the outcome of this latest event was proof that Marvel has a plan and they execute against that plan. Regardless of what misgivings I have they have created some excitement around Dark Avengers, reset Iron Man’s status quo, reset the Thunderbolts and more. There is a cohesive universe at play and they had books launching out of this mega-event.

The ending of Final Crisis was much better as a story, but again I only feel like I saw a highlight reel of a football game and missed some of the best plays and never actually found out what the final score was. At the end we see the world being rebuilt and all of our questions of how the Final Crisis fits in fall away, because it does not have to fit with most books. The Batman Universe is dealing with the “Death of Bruce Wayne”, the Superman Universe, Wonder Woman and every other title from DC can put it in their rear view mirror. We only have to understand that the Martian Manhunter died, Batman died and Barry Allen has returned. All big moments and all things that can play into series going forward, but the true status quo was not effected one iota.

I’m sure after I read more interviews with Grant and read the entire series in one sitting it may make a lot more sense and my opinion may change. Hopefully I will find out that I just didn’t get it while reading it in seven parts over the months. I think that is a problem though, as when I read comics for entertainment I should not have to remember every story I have read the past 45 years and I should not need annotations to understand everything that was going on.

At this point what I got out of Final Crisis was that Grant had a wide ranging enormous story to tell and he crammed it into about 10 books, when you count the two Superman specials and Final Crisis Submit. I will also admit that today has been a very long day as I got up a lot earlier then normal due to the local winter weather and was tired as I read this book and as I’m reacting to it now, but it left me wanting. I wanted to understand better what Grant was getting at; I wanted all the stories that were hinted at to be given more room and I wanted this to change the status quo in the DCU the way Marvel has been daring enough to change the status quo in their world.

One final grip is Superman is way too powerful, looking at someone and recognizing their DNA, seeing the miracle machine and remembering every nut and bolt in the damn thing, powerful to the point of being ridiculous. This is why in 1985 DC rebooted Superman and brought his power levels down again. Once his powers reach this level trying to tell stories or give him anything that could challenge him becomes almost impossible.

Now I will go and read other people’s views and read an interview with Grant so I can understand what I just read. Finally if DC puts together a nice oversized hardcover with a DVD style commentary by Grant and someone who can translate Grant into decipherable information I will buy it.

Final Grade for Final Crisis – C – Moments of sheer genius, some exceptional art but a confused morass.

Indies Preview Review for March Part 1 of 3

Lee: Last month’s selections were a little sparse because of the holidays but I’m feeling the love again. That’s right, I feel like picking lots and lots of pointless books… ummm I mean books with lots of “upside”. YAHOOOOO, on with the show.

Jim: The indies are always an expensive post for me because I end up wanting too many of these, but let's see what this month brings.

AIT/Planetlar
Ursula GN (W) Fábio Moon (A) Gabriel Bá
Once upon a time, there was a story, a 'love story.' Different listeners will hear different things from the love story. For some, it might be a tale of journeys, rites of passage, battles won and foes vanquished, and happily-ever-after. For other listeners, it might be a story about dreams and desires - for all is simple, beautiful, and magical when you're young and in love. $9.95

Lee: I’m not sure how I missed this book but it’s an older book which is ‘available again.’ In case you were living under a rock, Moon and Bá are the art team on both Casanova and Umbrella Academy. As an art guy, I can never get enough of their stuff so I’ll likely get this. And, if your interested, Moon and Bá have a blog here
Jim: I'm a story guy and this is a pass for me.

Adhouse Books
And There You Are GN (W/A) Ronnie del Carmen
Xar artist Ronnie del Carmen documents the life of fan-favorite muse Nina within the pages of And There You Are. It's a story of the real and the imagined told via journals and art. Some might recall Nina from Ronnie's previous works in the Paper Biscuit series. Ronnie del Carmen is a story supervisor at xar Animation studios and has worked on Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, WALL-e and UP. He's been in comics for many years with an Eisner Award to show for it. (Best Single issue of 1995, Batman Adventures Holiday Special.) He's done work for DC, Dark Horse, AdHouse and continues a career as, designer, storyteller and children's book illustrator. $15.00 Visit Ronnie at his site here and his blog here.

Lee: I really like Ronnie’s art. Adhouse always has interesting offerings and this looks like a fine line between art book and story book.
Jim: Another book that I will pass on. When I read the solicitation it has to grab me and this solicitation is pushing the creator and not the story.

Alterna Comics Inc
American Terror Vol. 02 GN (W/A) Jeff McComsey
Victor Sheppard is an old man in a new world. He remembers a time when he couldn't be bought, fighting to save a world where everything was for sale. Victor recalls his first association with Homer Hegal (the original Smart Bomb), their journey across America recruiting true believers, and their mission: to level the playing field between newly-empowered corporate states and the developing nations that stood in their way. $7.95 Visit the artist with an 18 page preview here

Lee: A long time ago, I picked up Vol 01 of this series and I liked it. It was a neat little book that I really didn’t think would succeed. I know that’s negative but with smaller publishers you always wonder if a second issue will arrive. Well, I’m glad that it did and I’m looking forward to another installment in the story.
Jim: If has been that long between issues they should reissue it as a graphic novel and be done with it. That is always one danger of following smaller press books, no clue if the next issue will come out. Infinite Horizon from Image was a good book and I think it only made it halfway through the series.

Ardden Entertainment
Flash Gordon Vol. 01: Mercy Wars HC (W) Brendan Deneen (A) Paul Green
Discover what all the buzz is about! This beautiful hardcover collects issues #1-6 of Ardden Entertainment's critically acclaimed new Flash Gordon monthly series, and includes the almost-impossible-to-find issue #0. In this first arc of the new series, Flash, CIA Agent Dale Arden, and mad scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov rocket off to the planet Mongo and find themselves in the middle of a deadly civil war with none other than Ming the 'Merciful' at the center of the conflict! Available in Regular and Remarked Signed editions. Hardcover W/Dustjacket $24.99

Lee: Apparently everyone is releasing books to HC these days. I’m not sure this series earned enough buzz to warrant a $25 hc. I was interested but at this price I can find the back issues cheaper than this collection.
Jim: Flash Gordon is one character that I never got that interested in.

Avatar Press Inc
Rawbone #1(W) Jamie Delano (A) Max Fiumara
Jamie Delano cuts loose on a vicious rate tale, delivering a bloody, terrifying vision of a world on the high-seas! But these are not the family friendly kind, these are the roughneck, stealing, heartless bastards of the 17th century Caribbean. A rebellious young women named La Sirena has built a haven for rates called Puerto de los Suenos (Port of Dreams). It is a good life for those that want to live outside of the crushing boot heel of the Church of England. But the church is a powerful enemy. It expends a lot of its llaged wealth to bring about the downfall of the rate scum who are preying upon merchant vessels. Thus, the legend of La Sirena's life will begin, one drip of blood at a time, while the British garrison waits for the rate to slip into their ambush, tension building as seeming supernatural forces ck off the forces of law one by one, and imagination runs terror through the survivor's veins. With art by Max Fiumara (BlackGas), this is a dark story of misery not be missed and is available with a regular cover fully-painted by Felipe Massafera and a wraparound by Max Fiumara.

Jim: Avatar loves the blood and gore type stories, but it is nice to see that they are expanding their line with work by writers other then Warren Ellis and Garth Ennis. I’m onboard (pun intended) for this series.
Lee: I’m pretty much done with the guts and gore. I am impressed that Avatar has managed to go from good girl stories to gore stories. I’m still not interested but I’m impressed they could do it.

Steven Grant's Mortal Souls SC (W) Steven Grant (A) Jacen Burrows
Human beings are a merger of body and soul, but the two don't die at the same rate. Sometimes one outlives the other. When a soul outlives its body, we call it a ghost. We have no word for what happens when a body outlives its soul, but the Hebrew Qabalists did. That word is 'qelipoth': meaning, literally, the husks of the dead. Pursuing an unpredictable killer, police detective Eric Sharpe watches his life turn into a waking nightmare as he gains 'the sight' and he discovers Qelipoth not only exist, but they are everywhere. And now they want him dead. Previews here

Jim: This maybe an old series or it maybe new, but I have never seen it and I like the slightly different take on Zombies. Plus Steven Grant is a solid writer and Jacen Burrows is a good artist.
Lee: This is a relist but that’s ok. I don’t remember that much about it but I’m not a huge fan of Avatar.

Boom! Studios
Cars #1 (W) Alan J. Porter (A) Albert Carreres
Cars fans, start your engines! Before the big Dinoco 400 race, rookie sensation Lightning McQueen is interviewed by Darrel Cartrip. Full of braggadocio, McQueen reveals his scrappy origins as 'Bulldozer' McQueen - a local short track racer who dreams of the big time, and recklessly plows his way through the competition to get there! Features 2 covers by Allen Gladfelter. Available with two covers (both by Allen Gladfelter) which will be sent randomly unless ordered as a set. #1 of 4 $2.99

Incredibles #1 (W) Mark Waid (A) Marcio Takara
America's favorite family of superheroes finally returns, courtesy of legendary scribe Mark Waid (The Flash)! The Incredibles face terrifying new villains and friendly new neighbors, all while Mr. Incredible hides a troubling secret from his costumed clan. Ships with four connecting cover variants by acclaimed artist Michael Avon Oeming! A variant cover is available as part of a set of 26 copies (25 regular covers and 1 variant). #1 of 4. $2.99

Muppet Show #1 (W/A) Roger Langridge
The incomparable Roger Langridge (Doctor Who, Fred The Clown) brings his absurdist humor to The Muppet Show stage! Longing for the swamp, Kermit forlornly plucks his banjo, while Miss ggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and the entire gang tries to jolly him out of his funk. Packed full of madcap skits and gags, The Muppet Show is sure to please old and new fans alike. Available with two covers (both by Roger Langridge) which will be sent randomly unless ordered as a set. #1 of 4. $2.99

Lee: We’ve been fans of Boom! studios for a long time but they continue to amaze me. This is quite the coup to get Cars, Incredibles, AND the Muppet Show licensing. I, for one, am impressed. Then Boom! has Mark Waid writing Incredibles.. which is incredible. And, Roger Langridge, a personal favorite, doing Muppets. This looks to be very good indeed. And because I love Langrdige, go visit him here and see why he’s a perfect fit for the Muppets
Jim: I'm very happy to see BOOM doing these books. First because licensce deals usually help keep companies making money and allow them to do other things and second because I know BOOM will repect this properties.

Farscape: Strange Detractors #1 (cover A)
(W) Rockne S. O'Bannon, Keith R.A. DeCandido (A) Will Sliney Television's science fiction masterpiece Farscape continues! After the events on Hyneria, the crew of Moya find themselves in the midst of a new, mysterious menace. But the crew will learn that their greatest enemies might just be themselves! With covers by Joe Corroney and Dennis Calero.

Jim: I have enjoyed the first issue of the first mini-series, so I’m very happy to see that this should be a series of mini-series.
Lee: It’s good to see this survived. I wasn’t sure that there was enough of an audience to support it but I was wrong.

Com.X
Classwar Series 1 Collected ed. HC (W) Rob Williams (A) Trevor Hairsine, Travel Foreman
Enola Gay - A team of super-powered heroes, created by the US government as instruments of American foreign policy, help bring order to a chaotic world. But, all is not well. American, the figurehead of the team, is AWOL and angry as hell, posing a major security alert to both the President and the entire nation. But why? What made this national hero take such drastic action and turn his back on the country that made him? And how can the government bring him in without revealing the bloody truth behind their seat of power? This premium, hardcover edition collects all six issues from the critically-acclaimed miniseries, voted 'Wizard's Indie Superhero Comic Of The Year 2002". Featuring an exclusive new story written by Rob Williams with art by Trevor Hairsine, plus lots of exciting extras! Hardcover W/Dustjacket $24.99 Visit Com.X here and see lots of previews and hype

Lee: Believe it or not I think I still have the original issues to these books in my collection somewhere. I remember liking the art and being confused by the story. Obviously, the draw for this book is Hairsine’s art but I’m not sure I ready to spend $25 on it. BUT, if Com.X does a hardcover of Neil Googe’s Bazooka Jules then I am all over that.
Jim: I also may have picked up an issue of this book, but also would be unwilling to pay for a hard cover. Well so far this month has not cost me too much money.

PART 2 On FRIDAY