Archive for January, 2007
Somebody … not mentioning any names had access to my computer the other day and decided to try out new themes. Needless to say my internet connection decided to go down just after they’d chosen a theme. We appear to be back but the second sidebar isn’t working … oh well.
Marsh Rocket has come to the end of Act 2 and the cover for Act 3 looks pretty cool. Act 2 came to a close with a great cliffhanger and inspite of the titles humour it really brought home the all too fatal consequences of failure. Some cracking storytelling here combined with excellent art. This comic has a great visual style and makes an excellent use of colour in unusual ways. Check it out.
Well the baby is now four days late so I’m carrying on with the writing for a while. Though I’m sure some artists/writers won’t be happy about that, especially if I’ve given your comic a hatchet job.
An action packed crime comic from the pen of Tim Demeter, Reckless life follows the misadventures of Locke. This is quite a long runing webcomic which is also available in print.
The comic is rapidly paced and the sparse dialogue tends towards witty banter (not always as witty as you’d think). Demeter’s protagonist is attractive in that his motivations are perfectly human and he doesn’t always pull off his stunts and tricks flawlessly.
The writing is good but somewhat formulaic but this is an accusation that can be leveled at many titles. On saying that the christmas issue certainly broke the mould.
Visually the comic is arresting but it is here that the comic falls down. I’m surprised Matt Wagner’s Lawyers haven’t been on the phone yet. The black and white pallete is interspersed with red and gives the comic a more than passing resemblance to Grendel Tales. In fact the dynamic frame layout of the action also shares a similar source of inspiration. Artistically this comic is a bit of a Monet, in that it looks best at a distance. When Demeter goes in for a close up the characters look a little awkward in the earlier chapters but the latest chapters (Locke saves Christmas and Charity begins in hell) are vastly improved with a good sense of proportion throughout. The cityscape’s and frames of action are stark and dynamic. In fact this use of silhouette is masterful as evidenced by the superb cover designs.
There’s a lot to be said for this comic but I just couldn’t get past the stylistc resemblance to Grendel Tales.
Still no baby so a quick word while I can. Johnny Saturn has just reached a great end of chapter finale and not as expected an end to this Kitsch character. If Superman can do it why not Johnny. I’m also loving Space Rabbit at the moment. Jess Mcloud monacled rodent astronaut is sooo cute and now he has a friend. 🙂 Don’t let the cuteness fool you there is lot of pathos here in the robot’s (pronounced rabbit) story. Anyhow I’m off to work with no sign of the baby, maybe it’s too cold.
This may be my last post for a while as our baby is due on Tuesday. Right now we’re on tenterhooks as birth is imminent. 😮 I’ll post when I can but I’m not sure when that will be.
Shades by David Berner and Harso Mohan Chattoraj is an intriguing little title. What happens to heroes when their nation no longer needs them. This web comic traces Stanley Miller’s urgent quest to warn his old superhero comrades of a masked groups sinister intentions.
This is in an interesting take on the genre with forgotten heroes living off faded glories and an ordinary old man’s devotion to duty.
The art is has a fantastically brooding tone. Stan does have a tendency to gurn but the creators are aware of this enough to poke fun at it in a spoof of their own strip.
The writing captures the same brooding atmosphere as the art and depicts London as the shabby heart of faded empire.
A great strip that I’ll be keeping an eye on.
Gone with the blastwave is back with us once again, Huzzah! Just have to wait for Lemmetti to do a fresh strip 🙂 Oh well, you can’t have everything.
I’ve been catching up with Digger by Ursula Vernon. Now for those of you that are familiar with this great comic you’ve heard it all before but what the hell I’m going to gush enthusiastically at embarrassing length or not as everyone keeps saying I write little reviews. Not that I’m bothered but I was trying to keep to the point.
Digger has just about everything I like in a comic. Great art, well developed characters and an intriguing plot line.
The grumpy wombat heroine, with a humour dry as shale, is a breath of fresh air in a genre dominated by pointy eared, Legolas clones. More importantly Digger is somewhat reluctant when it comes to adventures as fierce as she is when it comes to a fight she certainly doesn’t go looking for them.
Level headedness and dry humour is a much undervalued quality in a protagonist but the wombat has it in spades.
In fact all of the character s are well developed and interesting. The talking statue of Ganesh, Ed, the rather young Hag and the Shadow child are all part of a well rounded supporting cast.
The writing is superb with really engaging dialogue and a story that pulls you along even in the quieter moments, where Vernon explores the quirkier features of the world she’s created.
Speaking of which, I really love Vernon’s footnotes which are just as random and funny as you’d like, think Terry Pratchett but actually consistently funny. Even the geology stuff is funny, who’d have thought you could make rocks amusing.
Couple that with great art work and you’ve got a winning title. Vernon’s style is expressive and detailed. She is able to adapt her technique to meet the needs of the narrative and one of my favourite parts of the comic is a creation myth told via one of the characters cave paintings.
This has quickly become a favourite of mine. If you not heard of it go check it out and if you’re already a fan just “remember tunnel 17”
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Daniel Shields
WebComicGeek
vileboy@webcomicgeek.com
United Kingdom
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