Review -- JOHNNY VEGA: Man of the Future

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