ANAFAE
Art by Monica Richards & James Neely
Written by Monica Richards
There are comic books which truly ascend above the medium to be more than a book with pictures generally targeted at a younger audience.
ANAFAE is one of those books.
There is so much good to say about this one, it's truly hard to know exactly where to start.
So let's start with the storyline. Monica Richards has an amazing story going through the first two issues of this book; AMAFAE: Liber Prima Awakening and ANAFAE: Liber Deux Recollection.
The story is one which draws on fantasy, with the aspect of Mother Nature playing a prominent role, and mixing that with a sci-fi twist that takes the earth forward to a point technology has all but destroyed everything.
There is of course a huge message in the storyline, one about respecting nature, and being careful where we allow technology to take us. While obvious, the message takes nothing away from the story. In fact, it makes it more compelling, because we can see the cracks which might well be leading us to the dark future the storyline portrays.
Richards said the story for ANAFAE actually grew out of a shorter story she had previously written.
“I wrote a short story entitled 'Spring – Untitled', and the story is actually shown in various parts of the graphic novel,” she said. “It follows Mother Nature manifesting as a woman and walking the earth, but the difference was it was her manifestation that caused the plague - as she took all her power with her. The story was quite vivid enough that the idea of making a graphic novel seemed - at the time - a simple thing to do.
“But, as I began moving towards how I would illustrate the story-line, I was studying Permaculture at the same time - and the change to man-caused plague came about just as Jim and I were getting into the thick of working. It is of utmost importance to me, working with - not against - nature in living one's life.”
The storyline is actually an old idea for Richards.
“I wrote the story about 10 years ago - but began really pondering on the graphic novel in 2004. But I wouldn't have been able to create ANAFAE the way it is without Jim coming in and visualizing the concepts and helping to bring her to life. We began working together in 2005,” she said.
Neely said the story certainly rang true for him as it began to develop.
“I love the old tales and myths relating to lessons and archetypal themes,” he said. “When I read Monica's short story, it all seemed to click with me in an instant. I came on board a bit later, so a fair amount of the concept had been developed by Monica already and it all just floored me.
“I saw it as very intentional with the message. Hopefully to appeal to different folks through this medium of sequential art and storytelling about not only what has been done, but also what can be done to help the Earth.”
ANAFAE's story is matched stride-for-stride by the artwork of Richards and Neely. The art is dramatic, stunning, varied, and absolutely entrances the reader in the world these two are creating on every page. I would like to compare it to something artistically for the reader here to appreciate the work, but honestly I am not sure what other title it looks like. I can tell readers, it is amazing. Just take my word for it.
Richards said in terms of influences, comic books were not really where she draws from.
“That's very hard to say, I am not deeply versed in comics, and we've had comparisons to other artists I am not familiar with - though looking them up, I am a bit blown away,” she said. “The whole thing just slowly evolved, and as we move into types of scenes, such as an action scene we are working on in Book 3, I look at how action is handled in various comics and see what works and what doesn't. It's more like directing that anything else, how do I want to approach a scene? This is where Jim is so brilliant, he brings in views and angles I wouldn't be able to visualize.”
Neely on the other hand admitted comics have been something he grew up with.
“I grew up with Epic and Heavy Metal magazines more than the regular superhero comics,” he said. “I had my share of them, but I tended to gravitate toward what was being done in Europe by the likes of Enki Bilal, Richard Corben, and the insanely detailed Philippe Druillet. Mustn't forget the wonders that Roger Dean came out with for album covers and fantasy art, and Frank Frazetta will always hold a special place in my heart. I loved the bizarre, steampunk/cyberpunk, fantasy and erotica genres.
“As far as writing influences, again, one can never go wrong with mythology. Monica does extremely well as the writer for ANAFAE, and sometimes we work out small details together as it goes.”
The good news with ANAFAE is that there is more to come.
“We are just putting the finishing touches on Book 3 "Dreams of Dragons" - which delves into the minds of both Allaine and Lagan,” said Richards.
“Indeed, Book 3 will hopefully put a very cool spin on the storyline,” added Neely.
Overall the story will roll out over several more issues.
“It will be nine books in all - we have much to finish, I think it will be a book a year, it takes so much work between the two of us,” said Richards. “There are back stories on Fauz, Robo-Kitty, flashbacks, and some mini stories that take place in another time/plane of existence.”
Neely added, “we both work full time graphic jobs, so we work on ANAFAE as we can. It has a huge potential scope, even perhaps epic. We keep it fun, that is the key.”
Richards said in terms of acceptance, she tends to write what she likes, and then hopes people enjoy it.
“We didn't know what to expect. I write and then put things out, I always hope people 'get' what I am up to,” she said. “ANAFAE has crossed boundaries, though - usually it's just fans of my music that buy my writing, now it seems to be comic fans, also environmentalists, pagans - it seems to be existing in its own world.”
Neely added the response has been appreciated.
“For me, it has actually been such a kick to hear from such amazing artists already well known in the industry that have paid such wonderful compliments to the work,” he said. “I didn't expect it to be as wide spread through different walks of life, but I had hoped it would be of interest to anyone that could relate to one simple thing, the Earth.”
If you are looking for something fantastic in way of a comic book, then ANAFAE is a must. The combination of stunning art, and outstanding story makes this one of the best comics I have read in ages, and you should seek it out too.
Check it out at www.monicarichards.com/anafae
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Monday, August 24, 2009
Review -- FINAL BLOSSOM
Final Blossom
Art by Karen Yumi Lusted
Written by Karen Yumi Lusted
Itch Publishing
If you're a reader of comics, and that's likely a given if you are reading this review, then you're probably at least aware that the Japanese have their own rather unique view of comics, to the point the manga style is really now a sub-genre of the industry.
While anime is Japanese in its roots, there are those outside Japan who have taken the style to heart, and are producing some fine manga books of their own.
Karen Yumi Lusted is one such creator, with her one-shot title Final Blossom an example of what she is doing.
Yumi Lusted said manga has always appealed to her.
“I just like the style. I like pretty things and manga contains that whereas western comics don't,” she said. “There are also varied styles in manga which I like, it's nice to be able to read something that has a completely different style to something else you like. Even though I like variation, I can't help but draw in the 'conventional' way, I feel more satisfied with the results.
The simplicity attracted Yumi Lusted too.
“Western comics contain colour which obviously takes up time to do, but manga doesn't,” she said. “I find it easier and quicker to tone in black/white. It helps me concentrate on portraying the story and getting it right rather than messing around with colouring etc.”
Like many anime tales, Final Blossom is very reflective of the interaction of man and nature. The relationship is told through a story that uses limited dialog to tell the story, yet it manages to portray the topic well.
Yumi Lusted said the story was one that came together quite quickly.
“This was initially for a competition, so I thought of it relatively quickly,” she said. “I decided to create a new story, even though I had plenty of others in my head, because it had to fit a number of pages. I also wanted to create a simple story with few characters so I could develop the elements within a short amount of space.”
Artistically, Yumi Lusted uses simple black and white art rendered in a style that uses long flowing strokes. The faces are typically anime with the large expressive eyes, and often pronounced expressions such as when a character smiles.
For a story which relates to nature, the art seems perfectly in tune with what Yumi Lusted is after in terms of telling the story.
The overall impact of Final Blossom is good. The art work while appearing simple in many of its renderings, shows a practiced touch in terms of its lines, and is appealing to look at.
The story too, works based on its simplicity, and message.
Still, this is a book that is anime, and you best be a fan of that genre of comic to truly appreciate what Yumi Lusted has created here.
The creator said she is OK with the way Final Blossom turned out.
“I'm relatively happy with it, I try not to look back on my work too often,” she said. “I at least wait a bit before I do just so I don't criticize it too much and get myself depressed over it because I can see all the mistakes that I made, and realizing, everyone else can see those mistakes! There are things I'd like to improve but I'm concentrating on my future works to even care anymore.What's done is done!”
With an eye to the future Yumi Lusted said she has many ideas at play.
“I'm working on my next project, that I'll hopefully get done for next London Expo,” she said. “It's about Superheroes, and is loosely based on a friend who likes her Superhero comics. This is the first of many ideas that I want to get done -- that is not motivated by any competition.”
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Art by Karen Yumi Lusted
Written by Karen Yumi Lusted
Itch Publishing
If you're a reader of comics, and that's likely a given if you are reading this review, then you're probably at least aware that the Japanese have their own rather unique view of comics, to the point the manga style is really now a sub-genre of the industry.
While anime is Japanese in its roots, there are those outside Japan who have taken the style to heart, and are producing some fine manga books of their own.
Karen Yumi Lusted is one such creator, with her one-shot title Final Blossom an example of what she is doing.
Yumi Lusted said manga has always appealed to her.
“I just like the style. I like pretty things and manga contains that whereas western comics don't,” she said. “There are also varied styles in manga which I like, it's nice to be able to read something that has a completely different style to something else you like. Even though I like variation, I can't help but draw in the 'conventional' way, I feel more satisfied with the results.
The simplicity attracted Yumi Lusted too.
“Western comics contain colour which obviously takes up time to do, but manga doesn't,” she said. “I find it easier and quicker to tone in black/white. It helps me concentrate on portraying the story and getting it right rather than messing around with colouring etc.”
Like many anime tales, Final Blossom is very reflective of the interaction of man and nature. The relationship is told through a story that uses limited dialog to tell the story, yet it manages to portray the topic well.
Yumi Lusted said the story was one that came together quite quickly.
“This was initially for a competition, so I thought of it relatively quickly,” she said. “I decided to create a new story, even though I had plenty of others in my head, because it had to fit a number of pages. I also wanted to create a simple story with few characters so I could develop the elements within a short amount of space.”
Artistically, Yumi Lusted uses simple black and white art rendered in a style that uses long flowing strokes. The faces are typically anime with the large expressive eyes, and often pronounced expressions such as when a character smiles.
For a story which relates to nature, the art seems perfectly in tune with what Yumi Lusted is after in terms of telling the story.
The overall impact of Final Blossom is good. The art work while appearing simple in many of its renderings, shows a practiced touch in terms of its lines, and is appealing to look at.
The story too, works based on its simplicity, and message.
Still, this is a book that is anime, and you best be a fan of that genre of comic to truly appreciate what Yumi Lusted has created here.
The creator said she is OK with the way Final Blossom turned out.
“I'm relatively happy with it, I try not to look back on my work too often,” she said. “I at least wait a bit before I do just so I don't criticize it too much and get myself depressed over it because I can see all the mistakes that I made, and realizing, everyone else can see those mistakes! There are things I'd like to improve but I'm concentrating on my future works to even care anymore.What's done is done!”
With an eye to the future Yumi Lusted said she has many ideas at play.
“I'm working on my next project, that I'll hopefully get done for next London Expo,” she said. “It's about Superheroes, and is loosely based on a friend who likes her Superhero comics. This is the first of many ideas that I want to get done -- that is not motivated by any competition.”
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Review -- NEO-DAN
Neo-Dan
Art by Nichx
Written by Carlos Rivera
Dark Vision Comics
Neo-Dan is a new limited series (it is touted to be a 12-issue set when finished), with issue #1 produced in the smaller 'ash can' book format.
The smaller format might be considered a drawback in the sense ash can books are often seen as primarily introductory offerings, or special edition products, rather than as a style for a series, but hopefully people will still give this book a look.
Neo-Dan is worth a look because it could be the basis for a pretty solid comic book career for its creators. This series may not be top-calibre, but it hints better may yet come.
As a story, Carlos Rivera relies a bit too much on the tried and true. An evil entity returns to threaten the world, one warrior is left to stand in evil's way.
Now Rivera may throw a few curves in future issues, but in issue one the plot moves rather expectedly.
Rivera said the story really grew out of the art.
“I would explain it as I was chatting with an artist friend of mine and he was showing me his portfolio until I came across three drawings of the main characters of the book and for some reason something clicked when I saw them and began to flesh out the story until I ultimately came to the book your reviewing right now,” he said.
“The influences to me as a writer are very many. I read a lot of books when I was younger like Stephen King and J. D. Salinger when I was in high school, and of course many of the great comic book writers of the past like Gardner Fox, Stan lee, Len Wein to the modern writers who showed me there was a bigger world of story telling than just the standard characters at the big two companies like Alan Moore, Garth Ennis, and Neil Gaiman.
“And right now I'm really getting into Geoff Johns and Brian M. Bendis works.”
Artistically Nichx's work is solid, if not yet spectacular, although you get the feeling the art would be aided simply by a larger comic format so that certain panels were allowed greater impact.
The art and story have a Japanese-manga 'feel' if not being truly in the eastern-style.
“Yes I am a fan of manga titles like Naruto, Lone Wolf and Cub and of course Dragonball and the subsequent anime's that are based on those manga titles but I feel that I have easier access to anime than the mangas and of course the storytelling in these books and/or shows are impeccable from the most mundane life situation to the extraordinary life and death choices these characters have to make long story short they are very compelling stories with complex characters,” said Rivera.
For both Rivera and Nichx Neo-Dan is a nice little book that I hope is just a way to cut their teeth in the buisiness, and to gain experience.
Rivera said he is satisfied with the first issue of the series.
“The moment I held the first issue in my hands I felt a sense of accomplishment, and it has been well received by the small group of fans who have actually picked up the book,” he said. “Most of the fans I continually see at conventions regularly ask me about futures issues of Neo-Dan. So I would have to say yes the response has been good and we hope to branch out to more fans out there.”
Certainly Rivera needs to take the story into a few unforeseen twists to make the story a better effort, and Nichx will grow as an artist as he gains confidence with the material and is allowed bigger format to express his art.
Fans can look at a five-page preview at www.comicspace.com/neodan and can purchase a copy at WWW.COMIXPRESS.COM and type in the search bar for Neo-Dan.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Art by Nichx
Written by Carlos Rivera
Dark Vision Comics
Neo-Dan is a new limited series (it is touted to be a 12-issue set when finished), with issue #1 produced in the smaller 'ash can' book format.
The smaller format might be considered a drawback in the sense ash can books are often seen as primarily introductory offerings, or special edition products, rather than as a style for a series, but hopefully people will still give this book a look.
Neo-Dan is worth a look because it could be the basis for a pretty solid comic book career for its creators. This series may not be top-calibre, but it hints better may yet come.
As a story, Carlos Rivera relies a bit too much on the tried and true. An evil entity returns to threaten the world, one warrior is left to stand in evil's way.
Now Rivera may throw a few curves in future issues, but in issue one the plot moves rather expectedly.
Rivera said the story really grew out of the art.
“I would explain it as I was chatting with an artist friend of mine and he was showing me his portfolio until I came across three drawings of the main characters of the book and for some reason something clicked when I saw them and began to flesh out the story until I ultimately came to the book your reviewing right now,” he said.
“The influences to me as a writer are very many. I read a lot of books when I was younger like Stephen King and J. D. Salinger when I was in high school, and of course many of the great comic book writers of the past like Gardner Fox, Stan lee, Len Wein to the modern writers who showed me there was a bigger world of story telling than just the standard characters at the big two companies like Alan Moore, Garth Ennis, and Neil Gaiman.
“And right now I'm really getting into Geoff Johns and Brian M. Bendis works.”
Artistically Nichx's work is solid, if not yet spectacular, although you get the feeling the art would be aided simply by a larger comic format so that certain panels were allowed greater impact.
The art and story have a Japanese-manga 'feel' if not being truly in the eastern-style.
“Yes I am a fan of manga titles like Naruto, Lone Wolf and Cub and of course Dragonball and the subsequent anime's that are based on those manga titles but I feel that I have easier access to anime than the mangas and of course the storytelling in these books and/or shows are impeccable from the most mundane life situation to the extraordinary life and death choices these characters have to make long story short they are very compelling stories with complex characters,” said Rivera.
For both Rivera and Nichx Neo-Dan is a nice little book that I hope is just a way to cut their teeth in the buisiness, and to gain experience.
Rivera said he is satisfied with the first issue of the series.
“The moment I held the first issue in my hands I felt a sense of accomplishment, and it has been well received by the small group of fans who have actually picked up the book,” he said. “Most of the fans I continually see at conventions regularly ask me about futures issues of Neo-Dan. So I would have to say yes the response has been good and we hope to branch out to more fans out there.”
Certainly Rivera needs to take the story into a few unforeseen twists to make the story a better effort, and Nichx will grow as an artist as he gains confidence with the material and is allowed bigger format to express his art.
Fans can look at a five-page preview at www.comicspace.com/neodan and can purchase a copy at WWW.COMIXPRESS.COM and type in the search bar for Neo-Dan.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Review -- THE DEVIL'S OWN
The Devil's Own
Art by Brian Beardsley
Written by Pete Mesling
All right, let me preface this by noting I am not a huge fan of EP CDs, as anyone following my music reviews in the paper pages of Yorkton This Week will know.
I am no more a fan of 'Issue 0' editions of new comic titles. Issue 0 books are generally short-form books which are designed to give a taste of a new story to potential fans. Sorry, comic books are a short-form medium when full-length, so when I have only 10 pages to get a feel for a title, I am left wondering just what it is I've read. It's rather difficult to get a 'feel' for a character in 10-pages, at least to knowing whether you like it enough to want to but the next issue.
“With issue #0 of The Devil's Own, we wanted to produce something right away, while the idea was hot, and we didn't yet know the scale of the series, so we did a fairly modest print issue that wouldn't commit us to any one narrow path,” said Mesling. “We also wanted to use it to feel out our working relationship and so forth. It's an integral chapter in the overall story now, as is the follow-up web issue that lives on our site. In fact, those first two short issues have set the tone in a much more significant way than either of us imagined going in. Nothing in this series gets thrown away. It all connects.”
The story here though is interesting enough from the outset that you are quickly drawn into the story.Beardsley's black and white art is expressive, and yet had a touch of cartoon to the strokes that really fits a title which will obviously take on horror with a healthy dose of humour.
Mesling said the germ of the idea for the story came from Beardsley.
“Brian pitched the idea to me of a witch and warlock who are married and spend much of their time battling demons, and he encouraged me to think of the old television series Hart to Hart colliding with Hellboy,” said Mesling. “From there the questions just started to flow. Why would a witch and a warlock be fighting against evil? What kind of balance might be struck between humour and supernatural terror with a premise like this? What kind of settings and characters would it entail? Before long, some answers began to emerge. I suppose Robert Bloch was looking over my shoulder as I wrote much of the first story arc. Maybe we've ended up with something like two parts Norman Bates to one part Lefty Feep.”
The suggestion of Hart to Hart and Hellboy influencing the storyline is quite appropriate, since there is a definite taste of humour, and fun supernatural overtones to the storyline.In terms of the book, Mesling said he and Beardsley have meshed well on the book.
“Brian and I were put in touch by a mutual friend,” said Mesling. “It's really a lucky thing the way we fell into sync. Brian has such a passion for, and understanding of, comics, and I come from a mostly literary -- especially horror -- background. It's been a really good fit that I wouldn't know how to begin to duplicate. We're fortunate to be able to meet in person every other week, and it's always a thrill to see how Brian goes about capturing in images what I've written.”
Beardsley said he found the book easy to get into in terms of art because he was in the loop from the beginning.
It was “easy, since I was already here and I was apart of the creation process,” he said. “For me it was making sure I bring enough experience and really push myself to bring quality and good storytelling abilities with hopefully enough talent to bring the story and the characters to life. I want this to be something that will make a mainstream comic publisher turn his head twice and see the potential in the work and the story.”
Overall, The Devil's Own is a story that catches your attention, and leaves you wanting to learn more about the unusual couple, Dominic and Claudia Hechs. Nicely done.You can learn more about the title at HTTP://www.facebook.com/l/; http://www.nightrailpress.com
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Art by Brian Beardsley
Written by Pete Mesling
All right, let me preface this by noting I am not a huge fan of EP CDs, as anyone following my music reviews in the paper pages of Yorkton This Week will know.
I am no more a fan of 'Issue 0' editions of new comic titles. Issue 0 books are generally short-form books which are designed to give a taste of a new story to potential fans. Sorry, comic books are a short-form medium when full-length, so when I have only 10 pages to get a feel for a title, I am left wondering just what it is I've read. It's rather difficult to get a 'feel' for a character in 10-pages, at least to knowing whether you like it enough to want to but the next issue.
“With issue #0 of The Devil's Own, we wanted to produce something right away, while the idea was hot, and we didn't yet know the scale of the series, so we did a fairly modest print issue that wouldn't commit us to any one narrow path,” said Mesling. “We also wanted to use it to feel out our working relationship and so forth. It's an integral chapter in the overall story now, as is the follow-up web issue that lives on our site. In fact, those first two short issues have set the tone in a much more significant way than either of us imagined going in. Nothing in this series gets thrown away. It all connects.”
The story here though is interesting enough from the outset that you are quickly drawn into the story.Beardsley's black and white art is expressive, and yet had a touch of cartoon to the strokes that really fits a title which will obviously take on horror with a healthy dose of humour.
Mesling said the germ of the idea for the story came from Beardsley.
“Brian pitched the idea to me of a witch and warlock who are married and spend much of their time battling demons, and he encouraged me to think of the old television series Hart to Hart colliding with Hellboy,” said Mesling. “From there the questions just started to flow. Why would a witch and a warlock be fighting against evil? What kind of balance might be struck between humour and supernatural terror with a premise like this? What kind of settings and characters would it entail? Before long, some answers began to emerge. I suppose Robert Bloch was looking over my shoulder as I wrote much of the first story arc. Maybe we've ended up with something like two parts Norman Bates to one part Lefty Feep.”
The suggestion of Hart to Hart and Hellboy influencing the storyline is quite appropriate, since there is a definite taste of humour, and fun supernatural overtones to the storyline.In terms of the book, Mesling said he and Beardsley have meshed well on the book.
“Brian and I were put in touch by a mutual friend,” said Mesling. “It's really a lucky thing the way we fell into sync. Brian has such a passion for, and understanding of, comics, and I come from a mostly literary -- especially horror -- background. It's been a really good fit that I wouldn't know how to begin to duplicate. We're fortunate to be able to meet in person every other week, and it's always a thrill to see how Brian goes about capturing in images what I've written.”
Beardsley said he found the book easy to get into in terms of art because he was in the loop from the beginning.
It was “easy, since I was already here and I was apart of the creation process,” he said. “For me it was making sure I bring enough experience and really push myself to bring quality and good storytelling abilities with hopefully enough talent to bring the story and the characters to life. I want this to be something that will make a mainstream comic publisher turn his head twice and see the potential in the work and the story.”
Overall, The Devil's Own is a story that catches your attention, and leaves you wanting to learn more about the unusual couple, Dominic and Claudia Hechs. Nicely done.You can learn more about the title at HTTP://www.facebook.com/l/; http://www.nightrailpress.com
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Review -- WITCH DOCTOR: New Strains
Witch Doctor: New Strains
Art by Lukas Ketner
Written by Brandon Seifert
Witch Doctor: New Strains is an interesting book simply because of the approach the creators have taken in producing the title.
Most comic titles are of course episodic in nature. They start a story in one issue, and that story arc progresses over a number of issues.
And, of course there is what comic fans know as a one-shot, a story told in one issue, an issue which is generally thicker, having more pages than the general comic book.
Witch Doctor fits neither mold.While the Witch Doctor title will be produced over a number of issues, each one is a stand-alone story. However, writer Brandon Seifert is keeping the stories short. The book weighs in at only eight pages.
It is interesting how Seifert manages a rather nifty little medical horror tale in only pages, in this case one dealing with a golem. The problem though is that in eight pages one only gets the most rudimentary charact
er development. Frankly I don't end up knowing much about the doctor here, and so I am not sure whether I like him, or not.
Lesser light supporting characters are even less developed, and become pretty unmemorable as a result.With anything that asks you to dole out cash on a regular basis, there has to be a connection. In eight pages you don't get much of one here. Now I will note this is the second stand-alone book, so if you have both you might start to grow some affinity for the cast of characters. The question is would I buy issue 2, after reading only eight pages?
To be honest it would be a tough decision, and Witch Doctor could easily get scratched off the list if I was a collector on a budget.Brandon Seifert sees the shorter books as a way to grab readers and build a following as he develops his own skills in the medium.
“Witch Doctor: First Incision was the first comic both Lukas and I did. And as for the page count, I think biting off more than you can chew is the biggest mistake a comics creator can create when they're starting out,” said Seifert. “Doing a short story with a definite beginning, middle and end is less work than doing a long-form story, it takes less time, it's more accessible for readers (and for editors, too), and it means you can really focus on making the entire thing good. I think a few well-done short stories can go an amazing distance towards starting a career and building a fan base.”
From Seifert's perspective it has worked.
“I honestly had ridiculously high expectations for how well Witch Doctor was going to do... and it turns out I was actually underestimating things,” he said. “The response has been amazing. We've gained a bunch of fans, we've got the attention of publishers, we've both received praise from some of our biggest artistic influences, and we've made friends with the creators of some of our favourite comics. Plus, we've both received some paying work in the comics field just based on the strength of th
e first Witch Doctor issue — and Lukas got nominated for the Russ Manning Outstanding Newcomer Award, which is being given out at the Eisner Award ceremony at Comic-Con (last weekend).”
Seifert said the stories for the series draw from the inspiration of a number of well know horror franchises.
“For Witch Doctor the inspiration is partly the sort of horror and dark fantasy Lukas and I each like — Hellboy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Goon, Lovecraft — and partly how bizarre the world of biology is when you really study it in depth,” said Seifert. “The fact that the skin of a tapeworm is basically like one of our intestines, only turned inside out? That's great inspiration for a horror comic. Combining the sickest things in biology with standard monsters from horror fiction is the biggest inspiration for the project.”
As a writer Seifert said he also has various inspirations.
“As a writer, there are a bunch of creators who inspire me: Warren Ellis, Joss Whedon, Matt Fraction, Dou
glas Adams, Neal Stephenson,” he said. “But beyond that, what influences my writing is the sorts of things that interest me in the world. Writing is the one thing that unifies all my interests, so something like Witch Doctor doesn't just stem from things I've read, it comes out of the appeal I find in Victorian architecture, the aesthetics of abandoned buildings, the eccentricities of cities I've visited, and lots of other details that have caught my eye.”
As for the artwork, Lukas Ketner does a wonderful job of proving the book with an Edwardian-era feel. The doctor has a sort of 1940s film look, in part due to the black and white art which is very appropriate for a soft horror title.
“In the case of Witch Doctor, the project was conceived as something specifically for Lukas and I to do together — so the whole thing was designed with Lukas' style in mind,” said Seifert. “We discussed a number of ideas when we first decided to try working together, and Witch Doctor was the one that stuck for both of us. It plays to both of our strengths, especially Lukas' heavily retro-horror-influenced art style”
The art draws you, but the story comes off a little thin for me. Definite talent though which begs for a bigger book to really shine.There are more stories planned for the title.
“We're also continuing to work on Witch Doctor; we plan to continue releasing short, self-contained stories spotlighting different medical interpretations of traditional horror tropes. (The next three stories we've got line up feature a riff on The Exorcist, a story based on well-known European folklore, and a piece inspired heavily by the concepts and ambiance of H.P. Lovecraft.) Ideally, the future will feature a mix of Witch Doctor and non-Witch Doctor work,” said Seifert.
The first, 16-page story is available at www.witchdoctorcomic.com, and more stories will be appearing there in the coming months. You can also find them on MySpace (www.myspace.com/drvincentmorrow) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/drvincentmorrow
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Art by Lukas Ketner
Written by Brandon Seifert
Witch Doctor: New Strains is an interesting book simply because of the approach the creators have taken in producing the title.
Most comic titles are of course episodic in nature. They start a story in one issue, and that story arc progresses over a number of issues.
And, of course there is what comic fans know as a one-shot, a story told in one issue, an issue which is generally thicker, having more pages than the general comic book.
Witch Doctor fits neither mold.While the Witch Doctor title will be produced over a number of issues, each one is a stand-alone story. However, writer Brandon Seifert is keeping the stories short. The book weighs in at only eight pages.
It is interesting how Seifert manages a rather nifty little medical horror tale in only pages, in this case one dealing with a golem. The problem though is that in eight pages one only gets the most rudimentary charact
er development. Frankly I don't end up knowing much about the doctor here, and so I am not sure whether I like him, or not.
Lesser light supporting characters are even less developed, and become pretty unmemorable as a result.With anything that asks you to dole out cash on a regular basis, there has to be a connection. In eight pages you don't get much of one here. Now I will note this is the second stand-alone book, so if you have both you might start to grow some affinity for the cast of characters. The question is would I buy issue 2, after reading only eight pages?
To be honest it would be a tough decision, and Witch Doctor could easily get scratched off the list if I was a collector on a budget.Brandon Seifert sees the shorter books as a way to grab readers and build a following as he develops his own skills in the medium.
“Witch Doctor: First Incision was the first comic both Lukas and I did. And as for the page count, I think biting off more than you can chew is the biggest mistake a comics creator can create when they're starting out,” said Seifert. “Doing a short story with a definite beginning, middle and end is less work than doing a long-form story, it takes less time, it's more accessible for readers (and for editors, too), and it means you can really focus on making the entire thing good. I think a few well-done short stories can go an amazing distance towards starting a career and building a fan base.”
From Seifert's perspective it has worked.
“I honestly had ridiculously high expectations for how well Witch Doctor was going to do... and it turns out I was actually underestimating things,” he said. “The response has been amazing. We've gained a bunch of fans, we've got the attention of publishers, we've both received praise from some of our biggest artistic influences, and we've made friends with the creators of some of our favourite comics. Plus, we've both received some paying work in the comics field just based on the strength of th
e first Witch Doctor issue — and Lukas got nominated for the Russ Manning Outstanding Newcomer Award, which is being given out at the Eisner Award ceremony at Comic-Con (last weekend).”
Seifert said the stories for the series draw from the inspiration of a number of well know horror franchises.
“For Witch Doctor the inspiration is partly the sort of horror and dark fantasy Lukas and I each like — Hellboy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Goon, Lovecraft — and partly how bizarre the world of biology is when you really study it in depth,” said Seifert. “The fact that the skin of a tapeworm is basically like one of our intestines, only turned inside out? That's great inspiration for a horror comic. Combining the sickest things in biology with standard monsters from horror fiction is the biggest inspiration for the project.”
As a writer Seifert said he also has various inspirations.
“As a writer, there are a bunch of creators who inspire me: Warren Ellis, Joss Whedon, Matt Fraction, Dou
glas Adams, Neal Stephenson,” he said. “But beyond that, what influences my writing is the sorts of things that interest me in the world. Writing is the one thing that unifies all my interests, so something like Witch Doctor doesn't just stem from things I've read, it comes out of the appeal I find in Victorian architecture, the aesthetics of abandoned buildings, the eccentricities of cities I've visited, and lots of other details that have caught my eye.”
As for the artwork, Lukas Ketner does a wonderful job of proving the book with an Edwardian-era feel. The doctor has a sort of 1940s film look, in part due to the black and white art which is very appropriate for a soft horror title.
“In the case of Witch Doctor, the project was conceived as something specifically for Lukas and I to do together — so the whole thing was designed with Lukas' style in mind,” said Seifert. “We discussed a number of ideas when we first decided to try working together, and Witch Doctor was the one that stuck for both of us. It plays to both of our strengths, especially Lukas' heavily retro-horror-influenced art style”
The art draws you, but the story comes off a little thin for me. Definite talent though which begs for a bigger book to really shine.There are more stories planned for the title.
“We're also continuing to work on Witch Doctor; we plan to continue releasing short, self-contained stories spotlighting different medical interpretations of traditional horror tropes. (The next three stories we've got line up feature a riff on The Exorcist, a story based on well-known European folklore, and a piece inspired heavily by the concepts and ambiance of H.P. Lovecraft.) Ideally, the future will feature a mix of Witch Doctor and non-Witch Doctor work,” said Seifert.
The first, 16-page story is available at www.witchdoctorcomic.com, and more stories will be appearing there in the coming months. You can also find them on MySpace (www.myspace.com/drvincentmorrow) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/drvincentmorrow
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Review -- FEARLESS DAWN
Fearless Dawn
Art by Steve Mannion
Written by Steve Mannion
Asylum Press
Now this is what comics should be about, pin-up babes, Nazi zombies and simple nonsense. I mean how can you go wrong with a scantily clad heroine who is out to foil an equally gorgeously drawn Nazi femme fatale?
Mix in the fact the Nazi femme is in control of a serum which turns her ordinary soldiers into hulking zombie brutes and you're simply in for a rollicking good time.
Now I will grant you that writer Steve Mannion isn't breaking any new ground here, but seriously, do we care?
Mannion stays to the tried and true in terms of a story like this, using a familiar plot line, good girl hero goes into steal dangerous serum from evil Nazis and gets caught, etc., throws in a few corny but still funny one-liners, and then turns over the appreciation of the story to his art.
Artistically, Mannion has a sort of 1960's Weird War feel going on. The work has a cartoon meets realism approach, which simply means it's appealing.
Mannion said Weird War was likely an influence.
“Years ago, I found an issue of Weird War #1 and often think somehow it invaded my subconscious,” he said. “I've had a strange desire to draw Nazi zombies ever since.”
In terms of the actual story line, Mannion said one character kind of led to the entire book
“The Helga (Nazi) character spawned this particular arc, she just seemed to materialize out of the pencil easily. I just had pin-ups I brought around to shows,” he said.
“The fan response was overwhelming for that bad girl!..I quick got to drawing this arc. The jet's real cool too. Again, just stuff I'd want to see in a comic.
“And it all sort of came together at the same time I must say.
“Might I add I would be a liar if I said I wasn't a fan of Good Girl art. Dave Stevens, Adam Hughes, Wallace Wood and Frank Cho. Those guys always inspire me to draw cool gals!”
The first issue of Fearless Dawn is too much fun not to want to see how the story line plays out. Yes you know the sexy Dawn will prevail, but you want to be along to find out just how she foils the Nazi plan.
“The next arc's flesh out our characters quite a bit more, there's flashbacks. And a finale I have to keep under wraps for now!” said Mannion.
Check it out at http://www.fearlessdawn.com/
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
Art by Steve Mannion
Written by Steve Mannion
Asylum Press
Now this is what comics should be about, pin-up babes, Nazi zombies and simple nonsense. I mean how can you go wrong with a scantily clad heroine who is out to foil an equally gorgeously drawn Nazi femme fatale?
Mix in the fact the Nazi femme is in control of a serum which turns her ordinary soldiers into hulking zombie brutes and you're simply in for a rollicking good time.
Now I will grant you that writer Steve Mannion isn't breaking any new ground here, but seriously, do we care?
Mannion stays to the tried and true in terms of a story like this, using a familiar plot line, good girl hero goes into steal dangerous serum from evil Nazis and gets caught, etc., throws in a few corny but still funny one-liners, and then turns over the appreciation of the story to his art.
Artistically, Mannion has a sort of 1960's Weird War feel going on. The work has a cartoon meets realism approach, which simply means it's appealing.
Mannion said Weird War was likely an influence.
“Years ago, I found an issue of Weird War #1 and often think somehow it invaded my subconscious,” he said. “I've had a strange desire to draw Nazi zombies ever since.”
In terms of the actual story line, Mannion said one character kind of led to the entire book
“The Helga (Nazi) character spawned this particular arc, she just seemed to materialize out of the pencil easily. I just had pin-ups I brought around to shows,” he said.
“The fan response was overwhelming for that bad girl!..I quick got to drawing this arc. The jet's real cool too. Again, just stuff I'd want to see in a comic.
“And it all sort of came together at the same time I must say.
“Might I add I would be a liar if I said I wasn't a fan of Good Girl art. Dave Stevens, Adam Hughes, Wallace Wood and Frank Cho. Those guys always inspire me to draw cool gals!”
The first issue of Fearless Dawn is too much fun not to want to see how the story line plays out. Yes you know the sexy Dawn will prevail, but you want to be along to find out just how she foils the Nazi plan.
“The next arc's flesh out our characters quite a bit more, there's flashbacks. And a finale I have to keep under wraps for now!” said Mannion.
Check it out at http://www.fearlessdawn.com/
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra
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