JOHNNY VEGA: Man of the Future
Art by Alan Bennett
Written by Alan Bennett
Johnny Vega: Man of the Future is a comic which reminds of both serial television, and comic books from the 1970s.Creator Alan Bennett has developed a main character Johnny Vega, a swashbuckling space ranger, who pays homage in my mind to the likes of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon.
However, Vega is not a solo star. He brings with him a cast of Ranger cadets, most alien in nature, from an alluring female cat alien, yes that's not particularly new, to a bipedal crow creature through to the obligatory strong guy in the form of a rock-like humanoid. The cast is a tad clichéd to be sure, but then that is part of the fun here too.
While more alien in nature, I do get the feel of those mid-1970s Legions of Superheroes (from CD Comics) in this book. The characters aren't super powered as was the Legion, but there is a somewhat similar approach to the group dynamic. Bennett himself said he draws on three main influences in terms of the work.
“As to my influences there are a number of them but three that really stand out are; the Original Star Trek series with interesting story lines and Kirk getting the ladies and the fights.
“The sci-fi movies of the 1950's in particular. "When Worlds Collide" (which John Deere is the basis for Johnny) and "War of the worlds". "Forbidden Planet" was later on as I got older.
“(And) the works of Al Williamson and Wally Wood. These two - particularly Williamson set the standard for me. I collected anything I could of his. Thankfully there was quiet a lot of artwork I could find.”
Johnny Vega is not Bennett's first work, but it is his most challenging effort to-date in the sense he has gone with a full colour book.
“Vega isn't the first project I worked on,” he said. “But, I will say that it was the first one I ever did in full colour. “The first one I ever worked on was a book called 'The Citadel' back in '98. It was a 48-page stand-alone story. There have been seven other comic books I had worked on called 'Guilded Edges' 1-7 between the time of '99 and '01.”
In terms of story, Bennett keeps things pretty standard, a planet in peril, bad guys on the loose, the Rangers, even though just cadets, are thrown in to the breech to stop the evildoers. That said, I have only issue #2 to draw from, so the story may develop along less familiar territory as it moves forward.Bennett said he has the storyline thought out through to a conclusion for the main character.
“Johnny Vega, Man of the Future is a self contained series,” he said. “Though there are a number of stories planned for him there is an end to the character's being. That's why I developed a chronology of stories and major plot points that I have mapped out for Vega. “Basically, the three stages of man but it's my answer to the riddle of Sphinx. You'll know when the change happens when I change the hair style of Johnny that he's sporting.
“But, I will say that once that last story sees print that's it. No crazy resurrections like you see in so many characters out there. Of course this doesn't include the occasional cross over, or the spin-off of the supporting characters like Corvis Corrax, Johnny's crow headed friend/sidekick. But, that is a long way off there and there is a lot I have planned for the Man of the Future.”
Artistically, Johnny Vega is a book which I found interesting to say the least. When I first thumbed through the pages I was captivated by the pastel-like digital imagery.
However, as I settled into to give the book a more thorough perusal, I found the lack of detail in many frames disquieting. There seemed too many instances where details in a frame were limited to the focus character. I felt initially that the lack of detail in some of the alien cadets in particular stole from the overall artistic affect.
That would change though as I came to appreciate the art as a whole, rather than as a specific part of a page.
The art is a bit of an acquired taste, but the bright dynamic colours, and near watercolour art effects win you over.
Bennett said going digital was a change for him, but not one which prolonged the process.
“The work on Johnny Vega in colour actually didn't take that long because I was working directly over the original in digital right over my scanned in penciled layouts,” he said.
“Lately though, I have shifted to more attention to the detail. So it takes taking me longer for each book to come out. Right now I would have to say it talking about 2 to 2 1/2 months to get a complete 24-page book to be done and off to the printer.”
In the end the art style was created in an effort to stand apart, something I feel Bennett did accomplish well.
“One of biggest issues (not a pun) I found with the readership - not the companies or the editors, is that they all want something that's new and different that they feel they can make a worthwhile investment in, not a copy of say like a Michael Turnner or Mike Mignola or any manga but something that stands apart,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with those art styles but I have a problem when companies hire on knock off artists rather giving other talented artists the chance just because it's the flavour of the week.”
Bennett said in his case art has always been an interest, and comic books are a medium to express that interest through.
“My background goes back as far as I can remember from finger painting while I was going to wash my hands,” he said.
“But officially, I studied at the Art Institute of Seattle for about a year and a half out of a two-year program. The rest of my comic book knowledge comes from me asking questions to professional comic illustrators living in my area. The other was simply picking up a book on the subject.
“My art technique is always evolving which should be goal of any artist. In looking at both issues #1 and #2 you'll see a very big leap in the art. In doing the story I realized I was no longer simply doing a black and white comic with colour added but a full colour digital book. So I decided to do away with the heavy black eclipse line around the figure. Let the colour and shade define the character. Since Vega is a science fiction story why not use the tools of science like the computer to work for the story? The same is true when you are working for a horror story. You don't want to use bright and cheery colours to evoke a sense of impending dread do you?”
You can check out the book, and find out how to acquire a copy at http://blackboxcomix.vpweb.com/
-- CALVIN DANIELS
Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Review -- THE PISTOLEERS
THE PISTOLEERS
Art by Dan Nokes
Written by Dan Nokes
You can rarely go wrong with a comic based on the old west. At least from the perspective of a 49-year-old reviewer who grew up on books such as the Rawhide Kid.
So I was pretty excited when The Pistoleers (Chapter One of Three) arrived.
Interestingly artist/writer Dan Nokes said he wasn't a western fan as a kid.
“The Pistoleers was originally like my previous series 'The Paranormals' derived from a single sketch I did back in 1996, or so that got buried in an art bin for about nine years,” he said. “In 2005, or so, I was half way through 'The Paranormals' when I came to the conclusion that I was sick of The Tolkienesque fantasy epic and wanted to do something more grounded. I dug through said storage bin, saw the pic and was inspired to elaborate.
“As to being a western fan, I can say now yes! Most definitely.
“When I was a kid no, most certainly not. The fascination came in my early 20s for sure.”
Now a comic tends to live and die by its art work. Let's face it we all thumb through the pages to check out the art before we shell out the green to take it home.
With The Pistoleers Nokes offers up an artistic style which sort of has a feel of something done in an earlier era. There is a roughness to the art, a sort of simplicity which hearkens back to a different time.
“As to artistic influences I am self taught,” said Dan Nokes in an email interview. “It's a matter of the Edisonian method of trial and error as to how I learned to draw. “
Nokes said as a youth it was some well-known comic artists he admired most, and that has tended to be the same as he as matured, always being influenced by good artists from the comic genre.
“As to artistic influences, when I was a kid it was John Byrne, and Walt Simonson all the way.
“As a teen I was caught in the 90's boom and became a huge fan of Jim Lee, as well as Mark Bagely, Sam Keith and others.
“These days guys ranging from Chris Bachallo to John Romita Jr. to Jack Kirby, and John Cassaday influence my art.”
In some respects I think of the early Steamboat Willy cartoon art, when looking at The Pistoleers, in respect to its rawness.
Rendered in black and white only adds to that 'feel'.
The look tends to grow on one, although it doesn't necessarily impress at first glance.
Now to overlook this comic would be a mistake, because Nokes writes a darned good tale of the old west, tieing the story's roots to the Civil War, and including the interaction of a black youth, and his adopted white family.
Of course there is a reoccurring villain, tied to the war, who resurfaces by the book's end, which might be a bit clichéd, but some genres survive because there is a formula which works.
I will say there is one panel early in the book, that of an old photograph that foreshadows the answer to the question at the end of the book 'will the Marcus Brothers Escape From Their Bonds?' but otherwise the suspense builds nicely.
Like a lot of indie comics, The Pistoleers took some time to go from idea to comic book.
“As to putting together a clear picture of what I wanted to do with the series, it was cultivated, outlined, and formulated over a three-year period, while I was working on Paranormals #6-12,” he said.
The western is the third title for Nokes in his career.
“As to my pre-history with comics, that started in 2002 with my 67 page one-shot 'The Reptile and Mister Amazing',” he said. “It was a straight out superhero comic about a geriatric ex-superhero teaming with a dinosapien janitor from a parallel earth to take on an omnipotent homicidal game show host.
“The Paranormals came next. It was a 12-issue maxi series I did between 2003-2008.
“In short it's an end of the world story where your heroes include: A feeble minded robot, a chain smoking English vampire, an alcoholic binge eating Australian Aborigine werewolf, a teenage witch, and angry Scottish dwarf. I just collected and will be releasing the first six issues of the book in TPB (trade paperback) format.”
As for The Pistoleers, Nokes said it is a finite story.
“The series will definitely end with issue #3!,” he said. “It's rough to do a continuous series in the indie comic world. You have to compete with the big boys for shelf space which is like a local microbrew cola competing for shelf space at the 7-11 against Coke and Pepsi!
“Besides after 'The Paranormals' I want to keep down to one shots, graphic novels and mini series of four issues or less.”
Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.myspace.com/21sandshark
-- CALVIN DANIELS
Art by Dan Nokes
Written by Dan Nokes
You can rarely go wrong with a comic based on the old west. At least from the perspective of a 49-year-old reviewer who grew up on books such as the Rawhide Kid.
So I was pretty excited when The Pistoleers (Chapter One of Three) arrived.
Interestingly artist/writer Dan Nokes said he wasn't a western fan as a kid.
“The Pistoleers was originally like my previous series 'The Paranormals' derived from a single sketch I did back in 1996, or so that got buried in an art bin for about nine years,” he said. “In 2005, or so, I was half way through 'The Paranormals' when I came to the conclusion that I was sick of The Tolkienesque fantasy epic and wanted to do something more grounded. I dug through said storage bin, saw the pic and was inspired to elaborate.
“As to being a western fan, I can say now yes! Most definitely.
“When I was a kid no, most certainly not. The fascination came in my early 20s for sure.”
Now a comic tends to live and die by its art work. Let's face it we all thumb through the pages to check out the art before we shell out the green to take it home.
With The Pistoleers Nokes offers up an artistic style which sort of has a feel of something done in an earlier era. There is a roughness to the art, a sort of simplicity which hearkens back to a different time.
“As to artistic influences I am self taught,” said Dan Nokes in an email interview. “It's a matter of the Edisonian method of trial and error as to how I learned to draw. “
Nokes said as a youth it was some well-known comic artists he admired most, and that has tended to be the same as he as matured, always being influenced by good artists from the comic genre.
“As to artistic influences, when I was a kid it was John Byrne, and Walt Simonson all the way.
“As a teen I was caught in the 90's boom and became a huge fan of Jim Lee, as well as Mark Bagely, Sam Keith and others.
“These days guys ranging from Chris Bachallo to John Romita Jr. to Jack Kirby, and John Cassaday influence my art.”
In some respects I think of the early Steamboat Willy cartoon art, when looking at The Pistoleers, in respect to its rawness.
Rendered in black and white only adds to that 'feel'.
The look tends to grow on one, although it doesn't necessarily impress at first glance.
Now to overlook this comic would be a mistake, because Nokes writes a darned good tale of the old west, tieing the story's roots to the Civil War, and including the interaction of a black youth, and his adopted white family.
Of course there is a reoccurring villain, tied to the war, who resurfaces by the book's end, which might be a bit clichéd, but some genres survive because there is a formula which works.
I will say there is one panel early in the book, that of an old photograph that foreshadows the answer to the question at the end of the book 'will the Marcus Brothers Escape From Their Bonds?' but otherwise the suspense builds nicely.
Like a lot of indie comics, The Pistoleers took some time to go from idea to comic book.
“As to putting together a clear picture of what I wanted to do with the series, it was cultivated, outlined, and formulated over a three-year period, while I was working on Paranormals #6-12,” he said.
The western is the third title for Nokes in his career.
“As to my pre-history with comics, that started in 2002 with my 67 page one-shot 'The Reptile and Mister Amazing',” he said. “It was a straight out superhero comic about a geriatric ex-superhero teaming with a dinosapien janitor from a parallel earth to take on an omnipotent homicidal game show host.
“The Paranormals came next. It was a 12-issue maxi series I did between 2003-2008.
“In short it's an end of the world story where your heroes include: A feeble minded robot, a chain smoking English vampire, an alcoholic binge eating Australian Aborigine werewolf, a teenage witch, and angry Scottish dwarf. I just collected and will be releasing the first six issues of the book in TPB (trade paperback) format.”
As for The Pistoleers, Nokes said it is a finite story.
“The series will definitely end with issue #3!,” he said. “It's rough to do a continuous series in the indie comic world. You have to compete with the big boys for shelf space which is like a local microbrew cola competing for shelf space at the 7-11 against Coke and Pepsi!
“Besides after 'The Paranormals' I want to keep down to one shots, graphic novels and mini series of four issues or less.”
Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.myspace.com/21sandshark
-- CALVIN DANIELS
Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Friday, June 12, 2009
Review -- THE UNDERSEA ADVENTURES OF CAPT'N ELI
THE UNDERSEA ADVENTURES OF CAPT'N ELI
Art by Jay Piscopo
Written by Jay Piscopo
Oh man does Capt'n Eli bring back the memories.
This is a comic which is really ideally suited to younger readers, and I initially wondered how I would get through the book, being well, a long long way from being a younger reader.
Yet, the story just pulled me in, part because it's a darned good yarn, but also because it has a nostalgic feel to it.
This is a story that is reminiscent of old television series like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and comic books like Charlton's The Phantom. When I was young those were much enjoyed shows and books because they opened a world of adventure, mystery and fantasy, all things Jay Piscopo wraps up nicely here as well.
Capt'n Eli is a genius kid who is in the midst of a grand undersea adventure, complete with secret submarines, unknown undersea races, mystery and intrigue.
Accompanied by his trusty mutt, and a 300-year-old talking parrot, Cap'n Eli moves through the adventure with the awe of a kid, and the savvy of a hero.
Interestingly, Capt'n Eli spun out of an ad campaign.
“Initially Capt'n Eli was created a a mascot for Captn Eli's Root Beer. Fred Forsley wanted to create an entertainment property in support of the soda,” explained creator Jay Piscopo in an email interview. “... Fred brought me in to help develop the project and basically gave me free reign to create what I wanted.”
Piscopo said he basically drew on those shows and books which captured his imagination as a kid.
“The time I grew up in was pretty magical for superheroes comic books, cartoons and movies. The Silver Age was still in full force. Hanna Barbera cartoons designed by the one and only Alex Toth dominated Saturday Morning. Star Trek was in syndication, and had a mystique to it that was there before the word trekkie was invented. Ray Harryhausen movies were the epitome of adventure to me.
“So characters like Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, The Fantastic Four, Captain Nemo, were imprinted in my brain at an early age.
“I rolled all this up and The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli was the result.”
Once read I knew this book was ideal material for young boys aged seven to 13, and Piscopo said that was a market he wanted to focus on.
“That's the ideal audience, but at the same time I'm trying to adopt the attitude of creators like Jack Kirby who understood comics of their time to be a children's medium, but adults would read as well,” he said. “That's why we describe the book as all ages. Involving kids back into comics is very important to me, as well as creating something for the kids that never grew up.”
In terms of art, Piscopo keeps it clean, and varied, just right to hold a young mind's attention, drawing on a number of styles.
“Well, the obvious influence is Doug Wildey's Johnny Quest and Alex Toth's Hanna Barbera work,” he said. “A big Jack Kirby and Wallace Wood influence too.
“And, a huge influence from Japanese animation and European comics with the 2D and 3D integration.”
At more than 100 pages an issue, in square bound trade paperback format, these are as much a children's storybook as it is a comic.
“We describe it as a Graphic Novel series,” said Piscopo. “Tintin is a big influence, but unlike Tintin, each book is a part of a much bigger story.”
In terms of the bigger story Piscopo said more is certainly on the horizon for Capt'n Eli.
“We have plotted up through issue 4 with concepts to go beyond,” he said. “I'm working on issue 3 right now, as well as a spin off Sea Ghost comic book
“And, another spin off of Commander X Adventures free online comic for this Christmas.”
As for the first two issues of Capt'n Eli, I know I would have reread this tale until the pages were ragged when I was a kid, and it is certainly recommended since Dad won't mind reading this one to younger children either.
Check it out at www.captneli.com
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week Web Xtra
Art by Jay Piscopo
Written by Jay Piscopo
Oh man does Capt'n Eli bring back the memories.
This is a comic which is really ideally suited to younger readers, and I initially wondered how I would get through the book, being well, a long long way from being a younger reader.
Yet, the story just pulled me in, part because it's a darned good yarn, but also because it has a nostalgic feel to it.
This is a story that is reminiscent of old television series like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and comic books like Charlton's The Phantom. When I was young those were much enjoyed shows and books because they opened a world of adventure, mystery and fantasy, all things Jay Piscopo wraps up nicely here as well.
Capt'n Eli is a genius kid who is in the midst of a grand undersea adventure, complete with secret submarines, unknown undersea races, mystery and intrigue.
Accompanied by his trusty mutt, and a 300-year-old talking parrot, Cap'n Eli moves through the adventure with the awe of a kid, and the savvy of a hero.
Interestingly, Capt'n Eli spun out of an ad campaign.
“Initially Capt'n Eli was created a a mascot for Captn Eli's Root Beer. Fred Forsley wanted to create an entertainment property in support of the soda,” explained creator Jay Piscopo in an email interview. “... Fred brought me in to help develop the project and basically gave me free reign to create what I wanted.”
Piscopo said he basically drew on those shows and books which captured his imagination as a kid.
“The time I grew up in was pretty magical for superheroes comic books, cartoons and movies. The Silver Age was still in full force. Hanna Barbera cartoons designed by the one and only Alex Toth dominated Saturday Morning. Star Trek was in syndication, and had a mystique to it that was there before the word trekkie was invented. Ray Harryhausen movies were the epitome of adventure to me.
“So characters like Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, The Fantastic Four, Captain Nemo, were imprinted in my brain at an early age.
“I rolled all this up and The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli was the result.”
Once read I knew this book was ideal material for young boys aged seven to 13, and Piscopo said that was a market he wanted to focus on.
“That's the ideal audience, but at the same time I'm trying to adopt the attitude of creators like Jack Kirby who understood comics of their time to be a children's medium, but adults would read as well,” he said. “That's why we describe the book as all ages. Involving kids back into comics is very important to me, as well as creating something for the kids that never grew up.”
In terms of art, Piscopo keeps it clean, and varied, just right to hold a young mind's attention, drawing on a number of styles.
“Well, the obvious influence is Doug Wildey's Johnny Quest and Alex Toth's Hanna Barbera work,” he said. “A big Jack Kirby and Wallace Wood influence too.
“And, a huge influence from Japanese animation and European comics with the 2D and 3D integration.”
At more than 100 pages an issue, in square bound trade paperback format, these are as much a children's storybook as it is a comic.
“We describe it as a Graphic Novel series,” said Piscopo. “Tintin is a big influence, but unlike Tintin, each book is a part of a much bigger story.”
In terms of the bigger story Piscopo said more is certainly on the horizon for Capt'n Eli.
“We have plotted up through issue 4 with concepts to go beyond,” he said. “I'm working on issue 3 right now, as well as a spin off Sea Ghost comic book
“And, another spin off of Commander X Adventures free online comic for this Christmas.”
As for the first two issues of Capt'n Eli, I know I would have reread this tale until the pages were ragged when I was a kid, and it is certainly recommended since Dad won't mind reading this one to younger children either.
Check it out at www.captneli.com
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week Web Xtra
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