(Borderline Press, 2013)
By Dennis Wojda
One cannot help but see reviews. It’s the nature of the entertainment beast, of which I am a willing cog, that for every film trailer, book excerpt, or comic book PDF there will be a person tap-tapping away on his laptop, opining on a shadow in the corner or a too-closely-filled word balloon. At the same time, there is nothing better than being surprised and having your preconceived notions wonderfully smashed before your eyes.
(ComixTribe, 2015)
Story by Sam Read
Art by Alex Cormack
Letters by Tyler James
Edited by Steven Forbes
Comic books are a big business. Apart from many businesses though, it is also an art form, which brings it’s own set of complications. How do you judge art? It’s in the eye of the beholder of course, but there is a way to tap into the collective consciousness that makes something culturally popular and therefore financially successful, and at this point in time the term “comic book” seems to bring out wallets like never before.
Written and Drawn by Matt Bellisle
2014
Over the last couple of years I’ve become increasingly interested in the indie comic market. I go into comic shops whenever I’m traveling and look for their “indie title” or “local author” section. Sometimes there are none, but increasingly, you find that each and every little town has a dedicated cadre of comic enthusiasts, willing to put the effort into creating a book.
I found TetherMen at a shop in Wisconsin, and immediately picked it up and slapped it (lovingly of course) on top of the pile I was in the midst of purchasing. Matt Bellisle, the author and artist, has delivered a unique book in a clever package.
(Source Point Press, 2014)
Written and Illustrated by Joshua Werner
This is a bit of a departure for me as I usually stay in the realm of the comic book when I’m reviewing something. Joshua Werner is a comic writer and illustrator on top of a novelist, so I’m not straying too far from the self-made boundaries of my tiny comfort zone. Continue reading
(Boom! Studios, 2014)
Written by Bryce Carlson
Illustrated by Vanessa R. Del Rey
Colors by Archie Van Buren
Letters by Ed Dukeshire
I’ve gotten past the idea that the awesome cover art that peeks over the dividers on comic store shelves matches the art inside. My younger self was burned more than once on the deal. With Hit 1955 I was pleasantly surprised. The awesome cover art only opened into pages and pages of similarly awesome interior art. Continue reading
(Chaos! Comics, 2015)
Evil Ernie: X-Mas Special
Written by Steven Seeley
Art by Juanan Ramierez
The Chosen in: Slicing Sammy The Snowman
Written by Michael Moreci
Art by Rod Rodolfo
Let The Blood Flow
Written by Steve Seeley
Art by Carlos Reno
Colors by Rhovel Yumel
Letters by Marchall Dillon
The Chaos Holiday Special 2014 takes three classic Christmas stories/songs, and gives them a chaotic twist (pun intended). The first of the three stories is Evil “Ernie: X-Mas Special.” This story is modeled after the children’s story “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moor. And just like it’s inspiration, “Evil Ernie: X-Mas Special” takes place the night before Christmas – and that is where the similarities end. Rather than following a family asleep, waiting for Santa Clause, this story takes place at the North Pole as Santa mentally prepares himself for his big day. And since this is a Chaos story, the Santa we all know and love isn’t at all what we are used to. You see, Santa isn’t fat but built. Mrs. Clause isn’t old, but a sexy red head who can “…think of a few thing to help you [Santa] sleep.” As the title informs, Evil Ernie shows up and the fight that follows isn’t what you would think of at all. And the elves that come to help – well never-mind, I can’t give all the fun away. But take my word for it, its great! Continue reading
(Northwest Press, 2014)
Writer – Dave Ebersole
Cover, Interior Art, Colors, Letters – Delia Gable
Color Flats by Josh Lester
There’s a stifling office, a lazily spinning ceiling fan, the camera angle is near said fan, its blades cutting through the shot. A man sits at his desk, fedora tilted back on his head, a cigarette hanging from his bottom lip as he touches the buzzer on his desk, “Let her in…”
If you’ve read any detective fiction, seen a film in the last eighty years, this scene is familiar to the point of cliché. Everyone knows what “should” be in a detective story if it is to fit in the genre. And, for the first ten pages of Dash: The Case of the Mysterious Zita Makara, you think it’s another detective story, one with all of the earmarks you’d expect from someone who obviously loves the genre. There’s the setting. Continue reading
(Black Mask Studios, 2014)
Black Mask Roundup: Of Clowns and Hunters
Critical Hit #3
Written by Matt Miner
Pencils and Inks by Jonathan Brandon Sawyer
Colors by Doug Garbark
Pirouette #2
Created and Written by Mark L. Miller
Pencils and Inks by Carlos Granda
Colors by El Comic En Linea Foundation
I blame the holidays. They sneak up on you and hit you where it hurts the most, in your “to read” pile. And the comics don’t stop; they keep coming week after week. So, with apologies to the creators of these two fine books, I’m combining reviews here, hoping that I can catch up and still spread the good word about great indie books.
It’s one of the things that make it hard not to read books when I see they have that Black Mask Studios logo attached. This company has a commitment to great storytelling and some of the finest and most original art out there. These are just good comics. Continue reading
(Brewhouse Comics, 2014)
Written by Josh S. Henaman
Line Artwork by Andy Taylor
Color Artwork by Tamra Bonvillain
‘Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman’ has been an immensely epic and unique sword & sci-fi mash-up since the get-go. The entire run up to this point has followed that lead and run with it, far enough to where the lines between the normally divisive ‘fantasy’ and ‘sci-fi’ genres are so blurred they’ve become their own separate world. Continue reading
WRITER: Chris Roberson
ART: Dennis Culver
COLOR ART: Stephen Downer
The newest issue in the opus that is “Edison Rex”, issue #6, is to be released tomorrow, March 13th, from Monkeybrain Comics. I had a chance to read this issue prior to release, and was very happy to have done so. This is an exciting, somewhat tongue-in-cheek comic that has all a title needs in spades. Continue reading
(IDW Publishing, 2013) - Reviewed by Ravingnerd
A while back I was asked what I was most looking forward too about the 2013 comic industry. While I couldn’t pin just one down, I knew for sure that the relaunch of the entire G.I. Joe franchise was up there. The team of Fred Van Lente and Steve Kurth delivered a nice start to one of America’s most iconic franchises. The art is definitely the best aspect of this book, vivid, vibrant, and alive, it captures piece by piece the drama and immense action this book delivers. I don’t think I can express just how fabulous the art is. While the art was fantastic, the story was much less dynamic. While it served as a fantastic introduction to the characters involved, the plot was set up poorly. The Joe’s were sent into a mission that was poorly explained. Thus the reveal that Cobra was in control of the town they visited ended up not being a big deal. There was plenty of humor involved with the issue, which was refreshing and nice, but the overall set up was poorly set up. That being said, it is still one of the best war comics to come out of comics in the past few years. The characters are dynamic, and the direction is clear. The comic simply stumbled upon execution of its first major hurtle.
Overall a solid read, and of surprising quality. While many have laughed, the relaunch of G.I. Joe seems to be just what the franchise needs. If you have ever been interested in the title or are just looking for a good read, then this is your comic.
WRITING: 6 /10 - Nice direction, but stumbled with the execution.
ARTWORK: 8.5 /10 - Surprisingly solid and well done.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 7/10 - Surprisingly successful and quite fun.
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(Brewhouse Comics, 2013) - Reviewed by Feral Fang
After loving the launch of this title, I was very excited to pop open Issue #2, and I was not disappointed in the least. Following the awesome first issue, this 2nd one picks up with the greatest monologue in the title to date - basically Castor explaining how he sees Bigfoot (or from here on out ‘the Earthman’) as “a warrior, a poet, protector, and lover…”, things he wishes the Earthman could say for himself, were he able to talk. At this point, the Earthman has been bumming around, eating and sleeping on repeat, like an even hairier version of Conan. Castor is anxious to get things moving, and his frustration seems to be near boiling. Eventually, a beaten and bloodied woman finds them and their new crew, giving a warning concerning “the Heart of the Sun”, a long lost jewel with seemingly unlimited power and reach. “The Jewel That Shaped a World”, while also bringing with it death, destruction, and countless wars - all in an attempt to get a hold on the jewel. This sends our main characters and their crew through the hazardous environments and on a ‘sandy’ adventure, riding across the ocean of sand in a craft that excitedly reminded me of the skiffs used in ‘Return of the Jedi’. I was very happy with this issue. I really feel that, where the first issue was an action packed introduction to the world and main characters, this second issue focused a bit more on telling deeper aspects of the story and what’s to come. It was also great to see other characters take the main stage here and there, giving the reader a look into the other types of beings that inhabit Mars. What struck me the most was how much Joshua Henaman’s script and Andy Taylor’s line art has improved since we last saw them. Henaman’s writing is spot on here, with dialogue that flows more conversationally than before and a story that is more complex but also easier to follow. Andy Taylor’s work is as great as before and, while I still see the old school independent comic charm in his work - and I still find it just as loveable as I already had - there is still an awkward panel or two that I felt could have been rendered better, especially having seen what Taylor is capable of. And he’s capable of a lot, from a long list of varied aliens and creatures, to solid action and some really great reaction shots and emotional weight where needed. The coloring by Thomas Bonvillain is much more in the forefront than previously, as his work calls for shades and moods that weren’t found in the first issue, letting Thomas take his colors to new heights. This issue featured more humor and wit - on the same hilarity level as it was in the first issue, but with much more use of it here. The lettering, which is one of the main things I felt suffered the most in the opening issue is better and easier to read in this, but still feels a bit cramped, with some oddly shaped ‘word balloons’ giving one a need to re-read a line or two. None of this hampers the enjoyment of the comic, though, as I think this second issue is a much stronger, tighter comic, and a wonderful new leg for this story to continue to grow on. I think this comic is getting better each issue, which makes me even more excited to read the continuing story. This is definitely a title you’ll want to check out, as the whole package is something I think most comic fans - old and new - would have trouble putting down. Great things are ahead for Brewhouse Comics.
WRITING: 8.5 / 10
ARTWORK: 8 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 9 / 10
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(IMAGE / SHADOWLINE, 2012 - Present)
Review by Cory Thrall
“Comeback” is a 5 issue mini-series put out under the Image Comics ‘Shadowline’ imprint, and is a time travel story involving a company named Reconnect. Continue reading
Tory by Sarah Menzel
“Peace Sign” is an upcoming comic from creators Tom S. Johnson and Jane Shepard, and focuses on a team made up of LGBT Superheroes. I feel this project is not only a much needed shake of the comic book world status quo, but also something that can and will inspire many LGBT creators and fans alike. Co-creator Tom S. Johnson was able to answer some questions for us at Bag & Bored.
- Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
When I’m not writing, I enjoy hiking, bikeriding and practicing yoga. I’m also a vegetarian, and I’ve recently become interested in gardening.
- You started a comic company as a child with a close friend. What did that experience teach you, as far as the creation of comics go? Did you ever get anything published? Out of the paths you could have taken, how did you find yourself eventually creating comics again?
That was quite a long time ago. He and I did everything by hand with pencils; I don’t even think we used a copying machine. I was pretty entrepreneurial at that time, and we sold the comic books at school. I think it taught me how to tell stories with a specific market in mind, and I guess it worked because I think we sold out. It also taught me that trying to reproduce comic books with only a pencil isn’t the best idea. I’ve been a lifelong comic book and superhero fan, and a few years ago I had this idea for a series about LGBTs who discover that they have superpowers.
- ‘Peace Sign’ not only looks to be an awesome upcoming comic, but is also a rare find - an LGBT Superhero Team. The premise is brilliant, and greatly needed in the comic book ‘business’, which - with a few exceptions here and there are still a bit ‘behind’ on LGBT issues. What would you like to see different in mainstream comics? Any comic titles you’d like to see changes in, or ones you think are heading in a positive direction? Recent things come to mind, like Alan Scott/Green Lantern in DC’s ‘Earth 2′, and the wedding of Northstar and his boyfriend Kyle in ‘Astonishing X-Men’? I remember Northstar’s coming out in the early 90’s very inspiring for me at the time.
First of all, thank you for the compliments. I think it’s fantastic that you found Northstar so inspiring. I have to say I was disappointed that it was deemed necessary to remove Obsidian from the DC universe in order to revamp Alan Scott’s character, as I’ve been of fan of Obsidian since his first appearance, but it sounds like that factored into the decision to have the first openly gay Green Lantern. So maybe it’s all for the greater gay good.
- On the comic’s website, you mention some awesome characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and Cyborg, among others. How did the diversity present in some comics of the time speak to you, and how much of this led yourself to co-creating ‘Peace Sign’ with Jane Shepard?
I was watching Super Friends when it originally aired and they added more diverse characters, and I’ve always been a fan of the Global Guardians. One of my favorite eras of the Justice League was when it was called Justice League International and there was the Justice League Europe spinoff. And then there was New Guardians, which was groundbreaking in a lot of ways, especially Extrano’s journey. Today, in addition to even more ethnic diversity, I would like to see more variations of and more realistic gays and lesbians, i.e. characters with the issues we experience in real life, and most definitely more transgender characters in comic books and in the media in general.
- While creating the comic, its characters, and the overall ‘universe’ it would exist in, how did you and co-creator Jane Shepard collaborate? When did you finally feel you two had such a hold on the ideas that you knew this was going to be something special?
Jane and I collaborated in a such a wide variety of capacities in the theatre in NYC that it wasn’t a difficult transition into collaborating in a different medium. Jane has had success in comic strips, painting, television, film and music composition. I was and continue to be flattered that she agreed to co-create Peace Sign with me.
- The artwork for the book reminds me (in a very good way) of the character designs used in most DC Animated TV series and Animated Features. I love the style, and all of the artwork I’ve seen for this title, but I was wondering - did any of these animated shows/films inspire part of the character design? In all, what kind of ‘feel’ or style were you going for?
I want to start by giving props to Sarah Menzel. I agree that her work on the first issue is brilliant. From my perspective, there was absolutely no conscious or purposeful intention of being similar in style to DC Animation. However, anyone who’s shared a dwelling with me can attest to the fact that I am quite a fan of DC Animation, especially Justice League Unlimited. I guess you can’t watch anything that much and it not get into your subconscious fairly significantly. What I was consciously going for was a traditional contemporary superhero comic book style with an LGBT sensibility. I also wanted a layer of noir specific to the first issue, and Sarah Menzel depicted all of these elements exceptionally well.
- Can you tell us a bit about the main characters, their motivation, and maybe how they work together, both relationship and team-wise? What is the reason this team is originally formed, and how will this shape the arc of the book?
The main characters in the first issue are Tory, Saj and Aren. Aren is Tory’s troubled brother. Eli and Mira, who are principal characters in the series but are only seen briefly in the first issue, have sent Tory to London to retrieve Aren and Saj. So that’s Tory’s motivation, and Saj and Aren’s motivations are certainly clear at the beginning of the issue. The title of the first issue is Nexus, and a lot of the story is about the way Tory, Saj and Aren connect as LGBTs and simply as human beings who share a discovery. By the end of the first issue, the motivations of Tory, Saj and Aren have changed as their lives become more intertwined and they start to become a team. The full team will form because, as their discovery unfolds, they learn that they are vital to a clandestine intergalactic conflict.
- The synopsis you have for the first issue makes me even more interested. In this you mention the character Tory, and his work and relationship troubles. Can you give us some details on these?
Tory’s relationship and career are only referred to in the first issue in order to streamline the story. These elements will be increasingly focused on as the series progresses, which will include some compelling and unique supporting characters.
- It looks like you have a number of future storylines worked out already, which makes me curious - how long have you been in the planning stages? Can you tell us (spoiler free, of course!) a tiny bit about what we might be in store for down the line?
The plan is for all of the principal characters to be gradually introduced in the first three issues. The second issue focuses on Leo, Jimmy and Sergio, and the third issue focuses on Cameron and Vita. In the fourth issue, Eli and Mira will explain the full truth about who they are and how they’re connected.
- Some of the main themes I read in your writings about yourself and your work seem to be mostly themes of diversity, equality, and an awesome view of how the world (in comics and elsewhere) could rise to the occasion themselves with the model of your title. How do you think major comic publishers would react to such an idea, if it were proposed to them as a series? (Good and/or bad, and no need to mention specific companies).
Thank you again for complimenting both the series and me personally. I honestly don’t know how major comic book companies would react to Peace Sign. I think it’s amazing that they’ve embraced gay and lesbian characters in a way that wasn’t possible in the era of the Comics Code Authority, and I hope that will continue to grow and that Peace Sign will contribute to that expansion. One of the coolest examples I can think of is that Batwoman was originally created so people wouldn’t think Batman’s gay, and now she’s an out lesbian. That’s the kind of spinning that I hope will continue.
- Any future plans for another title, or any other creative works? I see you’ve written plays in the past. Any future plays down the line?
I’ve been pretty focused on Peace Sign and its entrance into the comic book industry, but I do have ideas for Peace Sign spinoff series. I was fortunate to have some of my plays produced in NYC, but I have no intention for any of them to be produced again.
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‘PEACE SIGN’ ON THE WEB:
http://peace-sign.wix.com/comic
http://www.facebook.com/PeaceSignComic
http://www.twitter.com/PeaceSignComic
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PHOTOS & IMAGES FROM “Peace Sign”:
Peace Sign: Nexus Copyright © 2012 Tom S. Johnson and Jane Shepard.
All characters, their likenesses and related elements featured in Peace Sign are trademarks and the property of Tom S. Johnson and Jane Shepard.
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Interview by Feral Fang
For our first edition of our Spotlight on awesome comic book shops, we talk with Kris Bartolome, main operator at Santa Rosa, California’s Comics FTW. This is an awesome and incredibly friendly guy with an amazing store, and we are very happy to have had this chance to question him a bit. So, here we go…!
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- As an introduction - Name, Rank, and Serial Number?
Kris Bartolome. Owner, manager, and janitor of Comics FTW. I’m pretty much the only one here.
- Quick question - who came up with the shop name? I love it.
Oh man, I seriously spent about a month going back and forth on a long list of names. A lot of really terrible names: The Comic Spot, The Comic Shop of DOOM (yeah, all caps on “DOOM”), 2 Guys 1 Shop (I had a business partner in the early stages), On Comic Ground (Already taken, and in hindsight I really don’t dig the name), and a bunch of other really shitty ones. One day, I was talking to my cousin and asked him if anything really caught his attention and he randomly joked “You should just call it Comics FTW.”
- Comics FTW is a relatively recent addition to Northern California’s shifting collection of comic shops. I’m curious as to how the current world-wide financial situation, as well as any personal hurdles, might have made opening Comics FTW difficult? More to the point, how did you come to doing what every comic fan dreams of - opening your own shop?
I’ve been a comic fan since 3rd grade and like so many others, I’ve always dreamed of doing this. I worked for a little while at another shop owned by a good friend of mine, and became very familiar with the processes that go on in running a comic book store. I also did the retail grind after that for seven years, and studied Business and Economics in college. At some point, I decided that I didn’t like being so directionless and wanted to pursue this comic shop thing while I was young and still able to get back on my feet in case things flopped.
The biggest hurdle in opening a new comic shop is having the start-up capital. People like to have this idea that they can walk into a bank and just get a loan like it’s nothing, but the truth is that no bank or credit union wants to fund a risky venture like comic book retail. Opening the shop meant saving a LOT of my own income and draining a lot of my own credit cards.
- Though I first visited Comics FTW after you had been open for a bit already, I’ve been able to watch the shop grow and change for the better, and in many ways. Having being lead to your shop by your awesome subscription/pull list service, it makes me wonder what changes might be your favorite since you’ve opened? Also, what kind of ideas do you see for the near (or far) future?
Initially, my plan was to have a tiered discount system, with bigger discounts for longer pull lists. I immediately decided to make the 20% discount across the board when I saw that it was a big draw. Also, the decision to bag and board all comics on the wall was made the day before opening. I had always planned to offer free bags and boards for purchased comics, but I initially thought I’d be bagging and boarding at the counter as I sold the issues. After seeing the difference in visual presentation, it seemed like a no-brainer. It’s a lot of little stuff like that. How things are presented and displayed is important to me, and I think it’s made a difference in first impressions with the shop. Most of my changes revolve around making the shop look better, or making processes more efficient. That’s why people often comment that it feels like the shop is always changing. I just always find things to improve. I’ll never have a “perfect” shop.
- One of my favorite aspects of your shop has been the way you handle the “Variant” versions of certain issues that you get from publishers. Most stores mark them up and sell them for double digit prices, yet the way FTW goes about it is very different. Could you explain first how shops get these, and maybe some of the thinking behind the way FTW handles them?
Variant covers are usually incentives for retailers for ordering more copies of an issue. A shop can order one copy for every target amount of issues they order. It usually varies in how much a shop has to order, and can be anywhere from 10 to 1000. These variant covers almost always sell well above retail price, but the cost is the same as one regular issue (provided you order the target amount of regular issues). It wouldn’t be unusual for a store to set these issues aside and mark them up and sell them at these higher prices. Stores have been doing this forever. I actually raffle off any variants for free. In order to be qualified, you just have to be subscribed to a series that gets a raffle. After a couple weeks, I randomly grab a name and drop the variant into that subscriber’s box.
Generally speaking, I prefer to think long-term with most aspects of my business. Raffling rare covers in this way foregoes any profit I would’ve made on those items, but is a very attractive feature to subscribers. Folks have more incentive with asking me to pull their books for the next few months or years. I’m sure other owners and even customers think my decision to do this is crazy, but I know my current subscribers are happy about it and I know that new, prospective subscribers find it interesting.
- You also run a good number of ‘special nights’ like your HeroClix Tournaments, group artwork sessions, midnight comic releases and more! What’s your favorite among these, and what plans do you have for future ‘special’ things like these?
The game nights are fun, but the midnight releases and Free Comic Day are great business days, but my favorite is our Chill N’ Sketch nights where artists of all ages and skill levels hang out at the shop and just draw. It’s awesome because it fosters this really fun community of cool people with shared interests, and more and more people become interested in being involved in it. I’m always looking for things to set this shop apart from the others, especially in ways that make the business feel closer to the community. Things like Chill N’ Sketch make the shop less “the place where we buy comics” and more “that place we love going to and want to support.”
- Speaking from your own sales at Comics FTW, rather than the overall sale numbers world or nation-wide, what has been the most successful ongoing title for you, so far? On that same note, which of the major crossover events have made the biggest splash? Are there any that you’re looking forward to, in either a personal or business sense? How about any that you’re not too excited about?
People don’t know this, but DC’s New 52 launch pretty much tripled my subscriptions. The first year was a real struggle, then this amazing (and controversial) thing happened and, for me, DC accomplished what they set out to do. It just made business a lot easier for me, and attracted so many new comic readers.
Event-wise, we did a midnight launch for Avengers vs. X-Men and it ended up being this huge party and drew a lot of attention to the crossover. I’ve had more subscribers for that main series than any other book. The events do well for me because of all the extra tie-ins that people want to buy, regardless of how good the story turns out to be. As a fan, I’m not too fond, but as a businessman, I keep my mouth shut. That’s not to say all of them are bad, but I’ve learned to be neutral about my tastes.
- You have an incredible amount of independent titles, from new issues to collections. Have any favorites? On the ‘business’ side’, which title/collection seems to be the most popular?
I’m not sure if Image Comics count as indy anymore, but a lot of their titles are doing extremely well lately. I do sell a decent amount of smaller press books, but the majority of them are through subscriptions as opposed to selling off of the comic wall.
- The DC and Marvel competitiveness seems to be reaching a new level, what with DC’s “New 52″ and the recently launched “Marvel NOW!”. Knowing that “Marvel NOW!” is still in its initial launch phase, while DC’s “New 52″ has already entered its 2nd year, what do you feel have been the strengths and weaknesses with the two?
The strength of New 52 is it’s across the board revamp. Anyone can jump into a book without any previous knowledge of the character’s history. I had new subscribers that were much more open-minded because they didn’t have to worry about going back too far. At the same time, a lot of the creative direction for most of the characters didn’t change too much. A few books did have some drastic changes, and some of the books were just very good in general, but it didn’t feel like the majority of it was “new”. Alternatively, it feels like Marvel NOW has taken a lot of key books in very different creative directions, bringing a fresh perspective on old characters. At the same time, a lot of these aren’t as well-received as the New 52 books were, and some are just downright horrible.
- Running a comic store usually means little to no time to actually read and experience some of your product, but I wonder - any individual title, trade collection, or graphic novel that has been important and/or cool enough that you’ve been unable to resist keeping up with or sitting down to read (in the case of trades and graphic novels)?
The truth is, my personal monthly read list is pretty small. But I always stop everything I’m doing when I pull one of the titles out of the box and read it then and there. I actually read a little of everything (good or bad) to keep up with what’s going on, but currently the only things I really wait for are: Saga, Walking Dead, Batman, and Avengers. The list rotates often though. Scalped was easily my favorite book, but it ended last year. I also really dug Wolverine and the X-Men but I just haven’t been feeling it lately. I always keep an eye out for new crime/noir and horror stuff that generally comes out more sporadically.
- You have a very wide variety of non-print comic memorabilia, as well as items from other mediums such as film and television. I must say, every time I visit I get lost in all of the figures, collector sets, etc. What are some of the Top Sellers in this area, as far as character, film, TV show, etc.? What would you say was the overall favorite? Any come to mind that have been difficult to move?
For toys, I move a LOT of older Marvel figures. It’s hard to compete against big box retailers with new action figure lines, so I tend to focus on secondary market items. Marvel figures, particularly Marvel Legends, are always popular. Superhero figures in general sell a lot better for me than Star Trek, GI Joe, or Star Wars stuff. I also stopped carrying a big selection of busts and statues as those don’t seem to move very well either, regardless of who the character is.
- Just about every fan has that one comic, that one character, or that one graphic novel that changed the way they saw the medium. For some it can be something that simply just opens their eye to the fact that comics are *awesome*, while others it’s something that took their already comic-loving mind and blew it open with new possibilities of what comics are capable of. What would yours be?
I first started reading comics in elementary school with those old Marvel Team-Ups, and continued from there into a LOT of 80’s and 90’s X-Men. I’d say my view of the medium in general changed after I read The Dark Knight Returns. I’d never really been exposed to the darker, grittier side until that book, and I read Watchmen not too long after.
Sometime in high school, I was doing a research paper on comics in the 60’s and found a bunch of books on more underground stuff by creators like Robert Crumb. That led me into reading things from Harvey Pekar, Daniel Clowes, Peter Bagge, Adrian Tomine, the Hernandez brothers and a bunch others. I’d say high school was when my comic tastes expanded the most, as I was looking for new reading in every genre and I came to be more open-minded about indy books.
- Care to talk a bit about some of your favorite people in comics? I mean in regards to writers, artists, etc.? Any new ones you’ve gotten into? Any old favorites who have kept their work strong all this time?
I’ve got a soft spot for Sergio Aragones. My dad took me to my first Comic Con when we lived in San Diego, and as an elementary school kid, I was lost. Then one day, this guy calls out to me to come over to his table and asked if I knew about Groo. He showed me a bunch of his work, drew a sketch of Groo for me, and gave me a signed copy of a first issue. I didn’t realize until way later who he was.
When I first started reading comics, I was all about Spider-Man, and Todd McFarlane was the guy. Him, Erik Larsen, and Jim Lee were my favorites. As I came to appreciate writers more in my older years, I tended to like Chris Claremont at first, then Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, and a few others.
Nowadays, I’m a huge fan of Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman, and Brian K. Vaughan. My favorite artists are Olivier Coipel and John Romita Jr. I try not to exclusively follow certain creators though, and I’m always checking out new stuff.
- Final question, and a common and cheap one, at that! Who’s your favorite comic book character, superhero or otherwise?
I started with Spider-Man, and I’m pretty sure it’ll always be Spider-Man. He’s the underdog, but he’s got heart and the true essence of his character isn’t his powers, but his sense of responsibility. Plus he’s fun to read, and that’s the most important thing to me about comics.
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MORE INFORMATION
MAIN WEBSITE: http://comicsftw.com/
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/comicsftw
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PHOTOS:
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Craig Shroeder, along with artist Daniel Hooker, are getting ready to release not only their first comic collaboration together, but also the first title for Craig’s Gentleman Baby Comics, a small press imprint sure to have a whole line of amazing titles as time goes by. The ideas for “HIT!” are fresh, the writing tight and clever, and the artwork lends its own style - making this a comic to watch for! Links for their Kickstarter, main website, and more are found at the end of the interview. Hey - even some sample pages from the comic and photos of the creators! Okay, here we go:
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- We’ll start with the basic first question: what do you do when you’re not working on “HIT!”, or on future endeavors with Gentleman Baby Comics?
Both Daniel and I have day jobs. I work for the state of Florida and Daniel does graphic design. I always get self-conscious describing hobbies and what-not, but bear with me. I’m a bit of a cinephile and I spend a lot of time watching movies and catching up on good TV shows. I also read a lot of comics. I have been reading a lot of Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire right now, I don’t think there are any better writers working currently. I’ve had to balance my full-time job with writing this comic and launching Gentleman Baby Comics so that doesn’t leave a whole lot of extra time. And I would be in big trouble if I didn’t mention by lovely wife, Jessica (we’re about to celebrate our second anniversary), and our dog Scout.
- Give us a quick rundown of the premise for this comic. I really find it excitingly interesting!
HIT! is about Connor Connolly, orphaned as a child, he was raised by Patrick O’Reilly, boss of the Irish crime syndicate in Boston. Connor becomes a brute for the mob. Their biggest muscle. Our story picks up in Hot Springs, AK., where Connor has been dispatched to perform a hit on an anonymous pair living in the suburbs. Connor is efficient and brutal, so when the plan goes sour Connor is caught off-guard. Furthermore, he discovers it’s not coincidence he’s been sent to Arkansas and a part of his past comes surging back into his life. It’s a six-issue arc, but each issue has a kind of self-contained story that propels Connor to the eventual conclusion.
- Can you tell us about your Kickstarter, and some of the awesome gifts you can get for backing it? I really love the gift package where you can have yourself drawn into #1 as a target of a hit man. Very clever!
We’re so excited about the Kickstarter. In just 12 days we reached our goal. We wanted to try and have some creative rewards. There’s some really cool comic book merch, like buttons, pins and stickers, but we wanted to do something really personal to the book. So we decided to draw some fans into the book. We have four rewards (two for men and two for women) where the backer can have their likeness drawn into a panel of the book. Of those four, we have one remaining. And for a little bit more, a backer is able to have their likeness drawn into the comic to be assassinated! We just wanted to provide some rewards that are a bit more intimate, without these backs we’d still be e-mailing ideas back and forth, so now that they are making this happen for us, we wanted to be able to give some really awesome rewards.
- Judging from the NPR interview, your meeting Daniel Hooker was almost like fate. How did you get in touch with Daniel? What drew you to his work? His style is great, and I feel a perfect fit for what I’ve seen of the book.
Yeah, it was just an opportune moment in both of our lives, unbeknownst to either of us. I had been working on HIT! for several months and needed someone to do some sample panels for me. I knew Daniel through some mutual friends though we hadn’t really connected in some time. But, we were friends on Facebook and I had seen his art before. His art (to me) had a kind of fantastic and whimsical element to it, but was still grounded in reality. Even with our kind of gritty, noir comic, there is a kind of a fantastical element (that I still can’t quite put my finger on) that just seemed to lend itself perfectly to the kind of comic we wanted to make. I contacted him to do some sample panels. I was (and still am) very naive to the industry and my original intentions were to sell my script to an indie publisher. After going to a few cons, I realized a majority of the indie publishers in Florida had started a label to produce their own comic. And I’m a control freak so that immediately was an idea I was drawn to. I contacted Daniel again and asked if he’d be interested in doing the whole book. Daniel said he was so I emailed him the whole script and we’ve been working on it since.
- You weren’t headed straight for comics coming out of college. I was wondering - did you have any goals set at the time, before comic writing banged your door in? In other words, did you see yourself in possibly a different job, or working towards a different career?
Most definitely. I always wanted to write. I just wasn’t sure what. I always loved short stories, I am a huge fan of Flannery O’Connor and Raymond Carver who write really intimate and interpersonal short stories. And I always thought that was my “thing”. I tried writing short stories, some I liked some I didn’t, but the entire process just frustrated me. As a writer, and this may seem odd to people who don’t write, but you kind of know when what you’re writing has the potential to be something better. For me at least, there is a kind of excitement when I hit a beat in a story that works really well and it propels me into writing more. The more good stuff I think I’m writing, the more I write. Well, out of college, I wasn’t really writing anything that I felt good about or proud of. I tried to write and I was really just getting frustrated. Then when I started dabbling with comic book scripts, something clicked and I got that feeling again. I was finally excited about what I was writing.
- I understand you got the original idea for this comic during the final phase of a “Intro to Writing Graphic Novels” class. How much of this idea is still in the finished scripts? Any interesting things that were left out or put into the story?
Yeah, it was through an online writing community called LitReactor. I’ve always liked comics and read comics, but since I can’t draw a lick, it never dawned on me that there is an aspect of creating a comic book that has nothing to do with drawing. So I took this class and the final assignment was to write a one-issue comic of about twenty-two pages. The original idea for HIT! and the finished product are pretty similar. The original idea just came from a love of gangster/noir comics and movies. I was just kind of musing one day and I thought what if the most ruthless and formidable gangster I can think up, just gets brought to his knees physically and emotionally in one failed job. So I started writing this comic, which I originally intended to be just a one-shot. But as I started I realized I liked the characters a whole lot and they gave me so much room to expand the story and really pick apart the relationships between these thugs, essentially.
- Speaking of this class, what can you tell us about the experience? I know there were some amazing guests/instructors. What is the strongest thing you took from the class, in terms of the ‘big picture’ of your writing comics?
It was a great class. It was taught by Bree Ogden who is a literary agent and comic writer out of Seattle. She was really great, both from a creative and business standpoint. The experience was really great and as far as extracting a single “big picture” take-home I really can’t narrow it down. I really think the class just pulled back the curtain on comics for me. It helped me realize that there is a creative process in comic books that I’m not only capable of but I relate to.
- The whole idea of Gangsters existing within a super power/superhero type of world is great! With this you mention films by Martin Scorsese as being a huge influence.
I feel like I must clarify, in that our gangsters don’t have superpowers. The template for my story I wanted to be like a classic super hero vs. villain story line but set in a kind recognizable world of gangsters and thugs. So I wanted Connor to be my Batman and Patrick to be my Joker. I feel like the majority of crime stories are about thugs vs. the law or Gang 1 vs. Gang 2; I wanted to try and create a gangster story that pitted two daunting gangsters against one another to do battle like Superman vs. Lex Luthor.
That being said, Martin Scorsese is a huge influence. I’m sure there are some subconscious parallels between my characters and his, but the part of Scorsese that I tried to emulate the most is how good he is at making you have genuine feelings for really despicable people. There’s not a whole lot of redeeming qualities to Joe Pesci’s Nicky Santoro in Casino, but when he gets in the corn field it’s hard not to feel for the guy. Connor does some awful things, but there is never a doubt in anyone’s mind that he is and will remain the hero of the piece. And I think that’s what Scorsese does at his best.
- As the writer of this upcoming series, what were some of the main themes you were trying to hit on? Also, what are some of the things you took in as inspiration for this, other than Scorsese?
Oh man, I almost want to plead the fifth here, so as not to give away the twist in Issue 1 that propels the rest of the series. But I’ll be vague and obnoxious instead: Connor, a man who has been trained to have no emotion, has lived with a sizable emotional void in his life. I kind of wanted to explore what it’s like for a guy in this world to suddenly and unexpectedly have that void fulfilled.
As far as inspiration goes, I’ve just been reading a lot! The guys who I’ve connected the most with during this whole process have been Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire. I think I like them so much because they write these really broad and ambitious stories that are so grounded and character driven. For example, Lemire’s The Underwater Welder has this really ambitious and fantastic science-fiction element that takes a complete back seat to how perfectly he explores the psyche of the main character.
- I really find your villain, Patrick O’Reilly, very interesting. From his character design to what has been mentioned about him thus far, he feels like a serious man you wouldn’t want to tangle with. Were there any heavy inspirations that brought this character to life?
I’m not sure. I’ve joked with my Dad a little bit, because I didn’t realize until Daniel started drawing the characters that he looks a lot like my father. (I want to go ahead and clarify, that he is not inspired by my dad. When the series progresses and Patrick gets really vile, I don’t want there to be any confusion). I had the most fun with Patrick because I wanted to create a really dichotomous villain. I specifically made him look non-threatening and malleable so when he turns into a monster it is that much more unsettling. I’m also a horror movie geek and my favorite kinds of horror movies are the kind of smart and calm psychopaths. I think there’s just something really unnerving about a nerd in a cabbie hat screaming obscenities and ordering murders. I knew I wanted to kind of separate him from the kind of slick looking, level-headed mobsters from the movies. I always got the feeling that Don Corleone, and mobsters of his ilk, got where they were due to a mixture of moxie and finesse. I wanted to make it clear that Patrick got to where he is because he’s brutal and unstable.
- Let’s hear about some of the other main characters. Who are they, and can you tell us something about their personal motivations and/or goals for this first story?
Other than Connor and Patrick, the other main character of Issue 1 is Bradan Byrne. Bradan’s basically a prospect, he’s been Patrick’s errand boy for years and this is the first time Patrick has sent him to do something important. Connor doesn’t like him and has basically worked out a plan so Bradan will have very few opportunities to screw anything up. Of course, I’d like to tell you about the people they’ve been sent to kill, but I think it would be best if I left you in the dark, like Connor. Throughout the series though there are a number of really cool characters that Connor embraces. One who I really enjoyed writing, is named Joey “Lips” McGee, who will appear in Issue 3. He is an antagonist to Connor and I don’t want to give away too much but he’s a bigger brute than Connor (and his nickname came about due to the gnarly scar that runs straight from under his nose to his chin, separating his lips into four quadrants).
- It really looks like you’ve been getting some great local support on this. How has that helped in the promotion for your comic, as well as the Kickstarter?
It’s been really awesome! Our friends and family have been outstanding, not only in the Kickstarter contributions but also in spreading the word and just providing moral support. The community (we both live in Tallahassee) has also been great. We’ve been embraced by our local comic shops and were even able to set up in one this past weekend and meet the customers, and hopefully, future fans. Then there’s just been an outpouring of support from unexpected places. We were able to sit down with the local NPR affiliate and do an interview and that really helped get the word out. Also, I know it’s cliche to say it, but the power of social media has definitely been on our side. We’ve been promoting pretty hard on Facebook and Twitter and have gotten nothing but support from total strangers!
- I absolutely love the mask design for this book. Can you tell us what went on behind the scenes when creating the masks? Do these masks have anything to do with the character’s personality, as far as the different animals go?
When I originally wrote the script it was two ski masks rather than a wolf and a pig. But I quickly realized how boring it is to look at two faces covered in cloth for multiple pages so I decided to change it. I wanted something that kind of represented the characters personality. At the time, I don’t think I realized how fun it would be to play around with the wolf and pig masks but as I continued to write I feel like the masks really allowed me to add some cool stuff to the script. Then, once Daniel got a hold of it, it just really took off. Daniel was able to make adjustments and play with the masks even more and I think the image of the wolf and pig will be the kind of lasting image of Issue 1.
- You’ve stated you’d like to have the first issue out by Free Comic Book Day this upcoming May. How are things looking towards having this goal completed?
Good! We’re on track as of writing this. Daniel does have a one-year old son (and another on the way) so we wanted to make sure we gave him a lot of time. Of course, there’s always obstacles and unforeseen setbacks, but as of right now we are right on track to having this thing cranked out by the beginning of May.
- You guys also seem to have plans for a lot of convention visits, including the famous San Diego Comic Con. Do you have special plans for these conventions? What conventions are you planning on hitting this year?
It all depends on how well the Kickstarter goes. We will definitely be hitting up the ones in Florida (except MegaCon which happens in March, so we won’t be able to make that one), but depending on how well the Kickstarter goes, we will be able to expand our convention schedule. If we get enough money we are hoping to make it to some of the conventions in Georgia and some of the surrounding states. I really don’t know what to expect as a vendor at these things, I’m nervous about being overwhelmed or ill-prepared. That being said, I think we have some cool ideas: I want to get a few friends to take turns dressed like Connor and Bradan in their wolf and pig outfits and have them take pictures. I think that would be super fun and a really good way to help spread the word.
- Any future plans with Gentleman Baby Comics that you can talk about? Any ideas floating around in your head? I’m curious to see it grow, and where you can take us.
We’re trying not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we have talked about some future projects. I have one story that I can’t get out of my head. I’ve talked with Daniel and he is interested in it, so hopefully when I have the time I can take these rough outlines and characters and put them together. Also, there are things I would love to try, like a great, original super hero story (who doesn’t want to write a great super hero story). Right now we’re really working hard on HIT!, but I would be lying if I said we haven’t already started thinking about what’s to come.
- Well, thank you, Craig, for sitting down with these questions! I really want to thank you for joining us here, and for working on what will surely be a great title. Best of luck to you guys!
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All the info you need, including their main website!
(IDW PUBLISHING, 2013) - Reviewed by Feral Fang
To me and a few of my good friends, the original Crow collection was an indie bible of sorts - a violent, twisted story with vibrant, black & white artwork that seemed to make every line perfect, whether it be a bit sloppy or loose. It just fit as a package. While there were many other indie titles and collections that I read throughout the years, the original collection still intrigues me (even with the horrid film they made of it). This new title, subtitled “Skinning the Wolves”, is written by Crow creator James O’Barr and the artist Jim Terry, with O’Barr handling the initial breakdowns. So, there is a lot of the older O’Barr style in this, even if just seen through some of Terry’s artwork. A few of the breakdowns really shine through, giving way for some of the classic linework we know from earlier O’Barr artwork. The addition of artist Jim Terry brings a new life to the Crow look (though this version seems to not have the Crow ‘make-up’). The story opens on a Nazi gathering at a train station, unloading the ‘passengers’ to a camp. Somewhere within this we are introduced to a tough guy/badass, who quickly takes out a few Nazi soldiers and is eventually killed. You can see where this is headed, especially as a crow circles the camp before, during, and after the confrontation. This title is pretty well done, though flawed. What I didn’t like about it was the quick pacing and small number of pages. Printed on thicker glossy stock than the usual, the book feels like a full sized story in hand, but reads in all of about 4 minutes, as there really isn’t much to it. If anything, it seems like a preview of the title, as opposed to the first issue. I’m figuring this is mostly due to the thick paper and the short ‘story’/introduction, which leaves me a bit curious as to what issue #2 might hold, yet also a bit annoyed at how little there is in this issue. It really does feel like a back story. I’ll be checking this out as it goes, so I guess we’ll see where it takes it, or doesn’t. I’m totally “eh” on this one but, as stated, I’ll be checking out the 2nd issue, at least. You just never know - Image Comics’ “Happy!” started out with a kinda-crappy first issue and grew into one of my favorite current titles.
2 1/2 out of 5 Snarls
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Matt Miner is the writer of “Liberator”, a 4-issue mini-series starring masked heroes who save, protect, and avenge abused animals. Matt and artist Joel Gomez (Wetworks, Nightmare on Elm Street, Lost Boys: Reign of Frogs, Flashpoint: Reverse Flash and Detective Comics) are working hard to fund this mini-series using Kickstarter (see link below), and have some surprising and amazing ‘gifts’ for backers. The Kickstarter page has a collection of highly positive quotes from such people as Scott Snyder, Steve Niles, Neko Case, Justin Gray and more. Most importantly, this is a comic based on horrific things that happen every day and go mostly unnoticed or are ignored - the plight of abused animals. These poor animals have no real voice with which to better their lives. These characters, and their writer himself, are their voices.
Matt was able to take some time to answer some questions for us, where you will learn why this mini-series is so important, and why it deserves the support it needs to be successful.
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- First, can you tell us a little about yourself, maybe a bit of what a normal day-in-the-life of Matt Miner might be like?
Well I’m a New Yorker, an animal rescuer and animal rights and social justice activist. I’m also a comic book writer and a dad to several rescued animals. A day in my life includes a lot of dog walks, dog poop, writing, chatting with folks on Twitter, trying to find homes for animals and pushing my Kickstarter for Liberator.
- For your new title - the mini-series “Liberator” - you are attempting to get funding from the Kickstarter program, with the idea of funding the whole mini-series in one swoop. What kind of gifts do you have up that might entice someone to back your project - other than helping a destined to be amazing series get printed, of course? Also, how did you get bands like Bad Religion to help you in this? There’s also some amazing artwork being offered.
Well we have all the offerings – the books, rad prints, variant covers, Kickstarter exclusives, limited editions, original art, etc. The thing that makes the Liberator Kickstarter a little different is that, well, good projects with a good message tend to attract other good people who want to help.
So we started inviting folks to contribute to the project – articles, interviews, stuff of that nature. An issue of Liberator is 24 pages of comic adventure story and several pages of these extras. The reward packages from bands and organizations are things they’ve bundled up specifically for us, to further help Liberator succeed.
So that’s why we have those cool swag bundles from Bad Religion and Propagandhi and the Descendents and filmmakers and activist organizations and the like. It’s because they give a damn and they’re good people who wanted to help.
Other folks are jumping onboard daily and we’ll be announcing them throughout the campaign.
- It seems every comic fan and creator has that one special title, or that one special character, or issue, etc. that got them into comics on more of a ‘serious’ level – from spectator to collector. Any comics stick out in your mind as being major influences on your life or your comic work?
Growing up in the 1980s for me it was all about those quintessential game changer Batman stories – you know: Death in the Family, Year One, Dark Knight Returns and Killing Joke. On the Marvel side I was all in with Punisher, Punisher War Journal and some of the Wolverine stories – really grim and gritty stuff compared to the bulk of superhero titles at the time. But that grim realism and heavy narrative, that dark and brooding internal dialogue, spoke to me and I really connected with those stories. In my opinion they’re still some of the best comics ever written.
- The premise for “Liberator” is pure genius, in my opinion. I’m curious as to what brought you to writing this mini-series, and how much of your own personal activism experience went into it?
That’s very kind of you to say, but the premise is heavily inspired by real life true events. There are people who actually do this type of direct action for animals and when I learned of them I thought to myself that they were kind of like superheroes but for animals. They’re masked, they do all this black ops shit, they save animals – I thought it was brilliant stuff. My own personal activism never ventured into this illegal arena – I was more on the aboveground front line with signs and bullhorns – but I’ve always been and always will be a vocal supporter of the underground. Lately I’ve been focused on rescue of abused cats and dogs and death row animals in our city shelters.
- Your efforts in saving troubled animals, ranging from outright activism to the BSL News blog, is truly amazing and inspiring. What do you think made this so important in your life, to the point of having the passion and drive needed to devote so much of your life to Animal Rights?
It’s pretty common with folks like me to have had some sort of personal trauma in their early lives where they feel alone, helpless, scared, and voiceless. Having had experiences like this, it makes it easy to empathize with abused and neglected animals.
- Can you tell us about your work with your BSL News blog, and what it’s like to be on the ‘frontlines’, so to speak? You seem to be doing some great things on there.
BSL News is a site run by my wife and me – its mission is to help combat breed specific legislation (laws targeting specific breeds of dogs for their genetics) and give us a hand in our rescue efforts. I don’t know that it counts as the frontlines, but it’s certainly been a good resource for helping open eyes to the harm that breed stereotypes can cause and call people to action to fight when breed bans or BSL is proposed.
- In the video for the Kickstarter page you can see you not only in full action, but also in an appearance on television. I also read that you were interviewed by the BBC in regards to Hurricane Sandy. I assume the BBC interview was in light of your dedicated work with helping displaced animals from the aftermath of Sandy?
I was interviewed twice by the BBC regarding Sandy, but both times it was in regards to the piss poor job LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) was doing in regards to restoring power to the poorer areas of the Rockaways. It’s really shameful how LIPA was hard at work restoring the rich Long Island neighborhoods and left the poor in Rockaway to freeze to death. They actually asked why I didn’t evacuate before the storm and I said “well, I’m not going to leave my animals” and they kind of scoffed. It was uncomfortable.
- Back to the comic, how did you get Joel Gomez in on this project? His artwork is amazing! Really sets the tone, from what I’ve seen.
Joel’s very talented and he’s really helped bring a new level to the project. I was referred to him through Freddie Williams II and Joel, even though he’s not an animal rights person, thought the story was intriguing and worth telling. He’s been great and his art is going to blow you away.
- In the press for the Kickstarter page, you mention that fans of things like ‘Batman’ and ‘Dexter’ would enjoy this book. What edge does the book ride on, in so far as vigilantism goes? It’s obvious there is some direct action going on, but how far is it taken in the mini-series?
The two heroes within the book stick to a nonviolent code of conduct, with “nonviolent” being defined as violence toward a living being. I don’t believe you can be violent to a nonliving inanimate object – therefore I consider smashing a window or flattening a tire to be a nonviolent action as long as you take all necessary precautions to avoid harming any life.
The heroes of Liberator are anally meticulous to make sure no human or animal is hurt in the course of any of their actions, which is also true for the real life animal activists that inspire the story.
- I think one of the most inspiring things about this title is that you have dedicated some of the proceeds from it to fund more of your work in dog rescue. What brought you to this idea, and what area do you feel will benefit directly from the proceeds?
My wife and I do independent dog rescue, meaning we’re not with a group or organization and work on our own. So the cost of everything from leashes to food to neutering to shots normally comes out of our pocket – for large vet bills we run fundraisers which helps a bit, but it’s still a lot of money for us. If Liberator’s successful we could afford to help more dogs and cats and out here in Rockaway, and since Sandy hit, there are a LOT of displaced animals who need the help.
- Can you tell us about the main characters in ‘Liberator’, and maybe a bit about why they took the path they’re on?
Well, we’ve got Damon Guerrero, who’s an Hispanic mid 20s slacker barista who really found his calling working in the animal liberation underground. His equal and eventual partner is Jeanette Francis, a strong and wicked smart mid 20s college student who saw what was going on in her university’s labs and it rocked her world view. They’re both fueled by separate but equally disturbing pasts and a burning drive to help those who can’t help themselves.
- You have rescued animals in your home, both cats and dogs. I wonder what might have brought them into your family? Do they have stories to tell, as well?
All our animals are rescues and all of them have stories. Our pit bull girl Dara is who got me rescuing; she was my first rescue – she had a day to live at the kill shelter and I saw her photo on Facebook and she was so scared and skinny and I fell in love with her deep soulful eyes. I got her off death row but couldn’t bring myself to adopt her out and insisted on keeping her. Our pit bull boy Joey was a neglect case in a housing project. The sweetest little boy you’ll ever meet, all he wants to do is snuggle and sleep and these “people” who had him couldn’t even bother to walk him or give him water.
We’ve got three cats, two of them rehabilitated ferals from the Bronx and one a dumped housecat who we rescued from under the Rockaway Beach boardwalk a week before Hurricane Sandy. They’re all amazing cats with huge personalities and my life is more complete from their presence.
Lastly we’ve got a foster Rottweiler in my home office. Sweet guy, huge heart, super gentle – nothing like how he looks upon first sight! He was tethered in the sun on a 3 foot chain and prong collar when we met him. Slowly we convinced his wretched “family” to let us start taking care of him there, then finally to give him up. Luckily we got him before the hurricane because he would have drowned in the shitty little shed they shoved him in when it was raining.
- You’ve done a lot of work with fighting dogs, it seems. How much of a problem is such a thing as we’re heading into 2013? Can you also talk about some of the actions you have been a part of in this area?
I’ve done some work with fighting dogs but not a lot. It’s still a huge problem in a lot of areas, and out where we live is no exception. Abandoned houses are even more common now post-Sandy and they’re regularly broken in to and used by dog fighters to store their canine victims. It’s heinous. The only good thing about this practice is that literally anyone else could also break in and remove those dogs.
- What other comic book work have you done previously? Any experiences or lessons in these works that might have helped get ‘Liberator’ put together, in terms of writing it?
Liberator’s my first comic writing work but I took it very seriously so I didn’t rush anything and I made sure to have the money to bring onboard a professional art team. I took classes under Scott Snyder to really polish the book and hone my craft. I wanted to be sure this thing was as good as it possibly can be because I’ve wanted to do the book for nearly a decade and there’s no sense in doing it half assed and having the thing suck.
- I think the work you’re doing and have done is very important and I believe it is also needed on a broader scale. Do things look to be going in the right direction, in terms of Animal Rights? What major changes would you like to see?
As long as a person thinks they should be able to use and abuse an animal for their own gain I think there’s work to be done. It’s a constant struggle and hard to gauge if things are going in the right direction.
Activism-wise we’re headed into a total loss of our first amendment rights - activists are rounded up as terrorists and nonviolent crimes are punished with decades in federal prison just due to the person’s political ideology. Anarchists are targeted for thought crime: believing that we’d be better off without the government in our affairs and Occupy folks are beaten down and maced by cops for holding a sign.
Realistic changes I’d like to see? Sure, I’d like to see felony charges be standard for animal abusers and animals not classified as “property.” Animals are a “him” or a “her”, not an “it.”
- Do you have any future comic-related plans once ‘Liberator’ is released?
I’m working on two other projects at the moment. I’m contributing a piece for the Occupy Comics anthology – I guess the publisher feels I have a unique enough view of the Occupy Sandy folks since I was here for the storm and the aftermath; I’m thrilled to be able to say “thank you” to them this way. I’m also working on a piece for an anti-bullying anthology that should be great – I’m a huge supporter of efforts to end bullying and, again, thrilled to be able to help in this small way.
- Not a question, but I really wanted to thank you for putting so much of yourself and your life into helping animals in the many ways you do. Creating/writing ‘Liberator’ while also using the sales to fund your work is seriously awe-inspiring. As someone who grew up with Pit Bulls and the like, I wanted to take this chance to applaud your dedication, and to say I’m really looking forward to this mini-series! Thank you for doing this interview with us.
Seriously, thank YOU. Since starting work on Liberator I’m thrilled to find folks who also share my passions for animals alongside a love of comics. Thanks so much for giving a damn!
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HELP “LIBERATOR” GET PUBLISHED - SUPPORT IT ON KICKSTARTER: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattminer/liberator-4-issue-comic-series-by-matt-miner-and-j
FOLLOW AND/OR GET IN TOUCH WITH MATT MINER ON TWITTER: @MattMinerXVX
IMAGES AND ARTWORK FROM “LIBERATOR”, AND MORE:
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- Interview by F. Fang / Edited by Jared Butler
(IMAGE COMICS, 2012)
Review by Cory Thrall
After reading the first two issues, I am really enjoying this book, which is said to be Grant Morrison’s “last superhero” work. Continue reading
(BREWHOUSE COMICS, 2012) - Reviewed by Feral Fang
‘Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman’ is one of those rare titles that make me remember how much fun comics can be. Much like titles such as ‘Madman’, ‘Hellboy’, or Evan Dorkin’s classic ‘Hectic Planet’, this book has it’s own unique take on small-print comics, and like those titles it has DIY charm and an excitement that can be felt from off the pages. Brewhouse Comics is, by their own press, a DIY publisher, and that is one of this title’s main strengths - it just really reminds me of reading those black and white indies when I was a kid, stuff like ‘Fish Police’, ‘Adolescent Radioactive Black-Belt Hamsters’, and even some of the more serious stuff put out under the ‘Epic Comics’ banner. The writing and art is good quality DIY, “home brewed” comics, and while this book has strengths in that area, it also has a few flaws. A small bit of the writing can come off a bit stiff, and some of the artwork can be a little messy or awkward, but these are the bumps and scratches that make books like this so endearing - it’s not this slicked up, big budget title with big budget talent. It’s people who obviously love not only reading comics but making them, as well. It makes me want to get something published; it’s that kind of book, that type of company. There is so much love put into this, it doesn’t need to even try to be flawless. It radiates throughout. All said, this is a well written and well drawn title that needs and deserves your support. These guys seem to have big plans for not only this title but future ones, as well, and I’d really love to see where they go from here. I’ll be grabbing the new issues as they come out, for sure! A fun, inspiring read. Get in on the ground floor of an upcoming indie publisher - you can buy #1 for $3.99, directly from the crew at their current website: www.bigfootcomic.com
— 4 out of 5 Fekra-Infested Blowfruits!
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