Sometimes, absence makes the heart go wander…

[x-posted from PopCultureShock]

What happens when the "maybe we just need a little space" trial separation makes you realize you're actually happier apart and have no interest in getting back together?

Well, if you're me and writing about and reviewing comics on a semi-regular basis is what you needed a break from, you stall one more month hoping for the good feelings to return before finally acknowledging the truth and writing the requisite farewell post for the 3-5 people who might still care.

In other words, it's officially "adios" for good this time!

To the comics internet, at least. I'm not done with comics themselves, of course; I'm just reading less of them these days and have no interest in feeling obligated to write about them, never mind writing about the incestuous and too-often petty little world of comics publishing and online fandom. Catching up on my myriad Google Reader subscriptions this weekend pretty much clinched it.

It's been real, it's been fun — I've written some things I'm proud of and made some good friends I wouldn't have otherwise — but not unlike the break from poetry that ultimately led me to reading comics again and eventually writing about them, things have come full circle and I'm going back to my first true love. More importantly, I'm taking the next big step in our relationship and building us a new home, aka the NYC-centric online literary journal I'm officially launching in January 2008 called Spindle.

To Jon, Howard, Rich, Adan, Matt and my other fellow writers here at PopCultureShock, past and present; and everyone who ever left a comment or dropped me a backchannel email, positive or negative: thanks for everything — the camaraderie, the support, the feedback, and most importantly, the passion each of you brought to the site. PCS will always be my online home for comics and I plan to check in more often now that the guilt over not carrying my weight the past few months will be lifted!

An extra-special shout-out to Katherine and Erin, whose insightful coverage gave me some helpful direction in my still nascent exploration of manga (I'm officially hooked on Eden and Planetes!) and made it that much easier to kick the Marvel/DC habit that was draining my wallet and tainting my appreciation of the form.

Remember, reading comics you don't enjoy is stupid. It's like drinking Budweiser or Coors just because they're cheaper than Magic Hat.*

Don't be stupid!

Love,
Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
PCS, 2005-2007 / CBC, 2004-2007

*NOTE: Like certain Essential and Showcase volumes, there's always a time and place for a cold PBR!

Review: The Dreamland Chronicles: Book One

The Dreamland Chronicles: Book One
By Scott Christian Sava (Blue Dream Studios, 2006; $19.95)

I have to admit that I was initially put off by the computer animated artwork when I first flipped through The Dreamland Chronicles, especially compared to Diego Jourdan's more familiar cartoony style in Scott Christian Sava's Ed's Terrestrials, which I received in the same review package. At first glance, it struck me as too similar to fumetti or cinemanga, the characters seeming unnaturally stiff, almost like the worst of Greg Land's work for Marvel over the past few years. Having enjoyed Sava's writing in Ed's Terrestrials, however, and always intrigued by the concept of our dreams actually being other worlds, I gave it a chance and halfway through, was extremely glad I did.

The Dreamland Chronicles: Book One is a fun and entertaining all-ages tale that posits the existence of a magical world of fantastic creatures, visited by children in their dreams. Alexander Carter used to visit every night as a child, and upon waking, would tell his twin brother, Dan, of his adventures, who would write them down and eventually be inspired to become a writer. Now college roommates, Alexander returns to Dreamland after nearly eight years of not dreaming, only to discover he is destined to play a part in the upcoming war between Dreamland and the Nightmare Realm. Sava has once again created an excellent cast of characters -- Paddington Rumblebottom III, the adorable dancing rock giant, is my favorite -- and deftly balances the two worlds by crafting a realistic relationship between the two brothers that is equal in dramatic weight to the more fantastic elements of Dreamland.


As the story reeled me in, I warmed up to the artwork and was eventually able to appreciate its dexterity, as the impressive team of computer artists Sava assembled not only offer distinctive character designs and settings, but manage to communicate emotion surprisingly well. Sava helps by taking full advantage of his nearly 300 pages, pacing the story in a way that allows it to breathe without feeling decompressed. The extras include a look at some of his original painted pages as well as an assortment of character models and page layouts that give the book the feel of a big-budget CGI movie.

Highly recommended for fantasy fans young and old!

[Review copy provided by Sphinx Group, for Blue Dream Studios.]

Review: The Guardian Line

Joe and Max #1
By Jason Medley, Claude St. Aubin & Chris Chuckery

Genesis 5 #1
By Lovern Kindzierski, Claude St. Aubin & Chris Chuckery

Code #1
By Mike Baron, Lovern Kindzierski, Howard Simpson, Dave Ross & Chris Chuckery
(All published by The Guardian line, December 2006)

Any sincere attempt by a comics publisher to reach new audiences (particularly from an all-ages perspective) is deserving of high praise, and Urban Ministries is doing exactly that with The Guardian Line, targeting the Christian demographic for whom the adventures of the superheroes they grew up with are neither representative of their beliefs nor appropriate for their children.

Of course, while good intentions are important, the final judgement should be based on the most basic of criteria: are they any good? The answer to that question is...they could be.

Joe & Max is the Terminator-style story of Joseph Julian Davis (the titular Joe), a young boy who is destined to defeat Steven Dark, a billionaire who appears to be an avatar or right-hand man of Satan himself. Dark has seen the future, knows that Joe will defeat him but not how, and offers him a Faustian bargain in exchange for his life. Max is an angel, chosen by God to watch over and protect Joe, to ensure he lives to fulfill his destiny. Despite the overt religious themes, Jason Medley delivers a satisfying read that won't alienate a secular audience, using a light touch and injecting humor throughout the story. Having Max speak only in biblical verse, quoting appropriate scripture, could have been a deal-breaker, but it actually works, partly because Joe himself admits, "This is going to get really annoying." Medley's entertaining, well-paced script is nicely complemented by Claude St. Aubin's excellent artwork and Chris Chuckery's eye-catching color palette. There's a Saturday morning cartoon appeal to the visuals and St. Aubin is a solid storyteller with a great eye for character design.


Genesis 5 and Code both feature similarly appealing artwork but, unfortunately, suffer from choppy pacing and considerably less secular appeal thanks to their respective religous themes being handled with noticeably heavier hands. Both are awkwardly paced setups that include appearances by Steven Dark, but unlike Joe and Max, their tone is a lot, um, darker, particularly Code, whose titular hero resembles Laurence Fishburne in full Morpheus mode, fighting demons.

Of these three launch titles, Joe and Max has the most crossover potential for non-Christians and I look forward to that story developing further. Code has potential, and I'll likely give it another issue or two for Mike Baron and Lovern Kindzierski to work out its kinks. Genesis 5, though, was the weakest of the bunch, and if not for its explicit connection to the other two titles, I'd probably skip it entirely next time around. That also represents the biggest challenge for Guardian, though, ensuring these titles can be read and enjoyed on their own merits, while still giving the sense that they are a part of something larger.

A couple of side notes: Michael Davis, the "Creator of The Guardian Line", has a letter to readers at the back of each issue that begins, "I love comics!" Of course, it's no surprise that the co-founder of Milestone Media loves comics, but his explanation of what they mean to him sets the right tone for the fledgling publisher and gives me hope that The Guardian Line can find its niche and succeed in offering "heroes who try to do the right thing."

I was also pleased to see that the advertising in all three books reflected the audience they're targeting -- HarperCollins imprint, Amistad Press, promoting Justine Simmons' children's book, God, Can You Hear Me?; Rock the Vote; Wheaton College's Entrenuity program; Comics Buyer's Guide.

Review: Ed's Terrestrials

Ed's Terrestrials
By Scott Christian Sava and Diego Jourdan (Blue Dream Studios, 2006; $19.99)

There's few things in comics that I love more than a good, all-ages graphic novel, both for my own personal enjoyment and to be able to share it with my 6-year old son. In the past, I've praised the likes of A Bit Haywire, Amelia Rules!, Bumperboy, and Superhero -- all excellent reads for kids ages 6-60+ -- and Scott Christian Sava's delightful Ed's Terrestrials joins that list.

Fans of such entertaining Nickelodeon fare as Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron will love Sava's slightly younger-skewing tale of aliens on the run who've crash landed in the titular Ed's tree house and look to him as their savior. Ed is your typical middle America pre-teen who doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up -- "I like to read comic books!" -- but comes to understand that you can do anything you want to if you follow your dreams.


Ed's nemesis -- his "bazillionaire" classmate, Natalie, who has a weakness for "shiny, pretty things" -- teams up with the Intergalatic Food Court's Mall Security Guard, Maximus Obliterus, who threatens to destroy the Earth if Ed doesn't surrender his new friends. Diego Jourdan's artwork is clean and colorful, with great attention to character design that gives the lead humans and each alien, no matter how peripheral, a distinctive identity.

While it may sound sappy and/or overly outlandish, it's neither as Sava and Jourdan keep the humor and action coming at a steady pace, and their cast of characters is extremely likeable -- even the "bad" guys. Ed and Natalie are similar to Timmy and Vicky from Fairly Oddparents, perfect foils for one another, and coupled with a potentially unlimited alien cast, Ed's Terrestrials is not only a smile-inducing winner the whole family can enjoy, but a worthy franchise-in-the-making that I'd like to see more of.

[Review copy provided by Sphinx Group, for Blue Dream Studios.]

Review: American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese
By Gene Luen Yang (First Second, 2006; $16.95)

When I first heard about American Born Chinese back in July, I pegged it as the highlight of First Second's second wave of releases purely based on a few preview images and its solicitation copy. After doing so, I crossed my fingers that it would actually live up to my lofty expectations, as Deogratias had set the bar pretty high. It took me a while to finally pick up a copy, and before I did, it was named as a finalist for this year's National Book Award in Young People's Literature, which honestly made me cringe a little bit. Prestigious awards have a way of subtly changing my perception of a book (or movie, TV show, etc...), rarely for the better, and the hubbub around a graphic novel being nominated for the first time made me think it's acclaim might be agenda-driven, similar to the overly praised Pride of Baghdad.

My concerns were unfounded, though, as Gene Luen Yang's insightful and incisive look at racism and self-acceptance is fully deserving of the accolades it has received and is a legitimate candidate for best graphic novel of the year. Yang deftly weaves three seemingly unnconnected stories -- the fabled Monkey King who wants to be a god; Jin Wang, the only Chinese-American student at his school, and his attempts to fit in; and Chin-Kee, the jaw-dropping Asian stereotype (complete with his own laugh track), who shows up every summer to embarass his white American cousin, Danny -- into a powerful, modern parable that's accessible to all ages and cultures.


On the surface, it's an empowering spin on the classic tale of the ugly duckling, with an emphasis on self-acceptance over finding one's place in society. Underneath, though, it's a surprisingly subversive indictment of the concept of cultural assimilation, aka the "melting pot".

The Monkey King's efforts to become a god and Chin-Kee's appalling adventures in humiliation seem, at first, to fit awkwardly in the midst of Jin Wang's more straightforward coming of age tale, as Yang alternates between each one a few times, never tipping his hand as to how they intersect until the very end. His visual presentation holds the three stories together, with clean, crisp and colorful images, while his square layouts -- revealing its webcomic roots -- only take up 2/3rds of a page but never feel compressed. (Or decompressed, for that matter.)

When it does all come together, it has the same effect as when a magician successfully pulls off "the prestige"* to the sheer delight of the audience.

My copy of American Born Chinese sports a nice silver "National Book Award Finalist" sticker on its cover, a unique and distinctive honor in the comics field, one Yang should be incredibly proud of receiving, and the rest of the industry should be aspiring to. For First Second, it's nothing less than the crown jewel in a first year of publishing that has been remarkable by any measure.


* In his novel The Prestige, author Christopher Priest coined the term "the prestige" -- a reference to the final stage of a magic trick where the effect of the illusion is produced -- when he "noticed its closeness to the magicians' word 'prestidigitation' (sleight of hand) [and] realized it would make a perfect title for the book [he] was then planning."

BORP! -- Bumperboy Update

It's been a while between Bumperboy updates here at CBC, but Debbie Huey just posted a sneak peek at the upcoming Bumperboy.net redesign and it looks pretty sweet.


Huey is not only a talented creator, but a savvy marketer and merchandiser, and Bumperboy.net is the perfect example of a comics web site done right. Hopefully the relaunch will integrate her own LiveJournal, while offering new updates from Gordy.

For the uninitiated, check out my review of Bumperboy Loses His Marbles, the first collected volume of Bubtopia's favorite marble-playing, sock-wearing-Bear friend-having, Borperer Supreme!

Then, hit Bumperboy's Shop to get yourself a copy, along with the equally delightful sequel, Bumperboy and the Loud, Loud Mountain and the mini-comic, First Day of School. While you're there, pick up some cool T-shirts, buttons, stickers and magnets, too.

Finally, go make friends with Bumperboy at MySpace and ComicSpace.

Borp!

Review: Viper All-Ages

A Bit Haywire
by Scott Zirkel & Courtney Huddleston (Viper Comics, 2006; $11.95)

I'm a big fan of good all-ages entertainment, and whenever something really good pops up on the comics scene, I'm especially psyched because it means I have something new I can comfortably share with my 6-year old son who's becoming an avid reader. Amelia Rules, Bumperboy and Superhero are three examples we've both enjoyed together and A Bit Haywire is the latest addition to the list and a stealth candidate for my Best of 2006 list.

Owen Bryce is a seemingly normal 10-year old boy who, while running away from an angry dog, discovers the first of several superpowers he possesses. The twist here is that his powers are a bit haywire, each one working under unusual and often inconvenient circumstances; ie: he can fly, but only when his eyes are closed. Over the course of this delightful 100+ page story, Owen comes to terms with his many powers; discovers his parents are superheroes, too; has a couple of entertaining adventures, and sets the stage for what will hopefully be many more, in print and, for some smart producer looking for the next Pixar-style breakout hit, on the large or small screen.


Scott Zirkel's dialogue and pacing hit all the right notes as Owen and his peers all come off as genuine characters, and creator/artist Courtney Huddleston's visuals (deftly complemented by Mike Garcia's great color work) set the right tone, cartoony but crisp and distinctive. From Owen's first costume, including a pink "HERS" towel as a cape, to his humorous attempts to discover what other powers he does and doesn't have, Zirkel and Huddleston tap into the inherent joy and wonder of being a superhero that few creators seem to remember these days. More importantly, they do so without condescending to the reader by dumbing down their story; Owen learns self-discipline and responsibility without things ever resorting to an after school special tone.


Owen Bryce and the Noble 7 (the government-sanctioned super team his parents belong to) deserve as wide an audience as possible and anyone who's enjoyed a Pixar movie over the past 10 years will love A Bit Haywire. Highly recommended for ages 6-60+! (Check out a preview at abithaywire.com.)

Emily Edison
by David Hopkins & Brock Rizy (Viper Comics, 2006; $12.95)

If A Bit Haywire is Pixar-style all-ages entertainment, then Emily Edison is more like something Kevin Smith would come up with. Emily is the product of an ill-fated interdimensional romance, returning to our Earth with her father when her parents divorced, and later forced to use her "otherwordly powers" to defeat her maternal grandfather who wants her back in his world and is willing to destroy the Earth to make it happen.

The back cover blurb bills the story as "the ultimate interdimensional custody battle", and it's pretty spot on as more than half of the story is comprised of extended fight scenes. Emily battling the badbots, her half-sister, the monstrous Stefah'nee, and finally, her grandfather himself. David Hopkins (who wrote the similarly off-kilter Karma, Incorporated) does a solid job of balancing the fighting with some character development, doing a particularly good job of grounding Emily's character as a believable teenage girl with believable teenage issues. Kudos also go to artist Brock Rizy for depicting Emily as a normal-looking girl, freckles and all. His distinctive overall style won't appeal to everyone, but it gives this story a unique look and feel that lives up to Viper's reputation for signature, quirky publications.


My sole criticism of Emily Edison is the aforementioned Kevin Smith-ish influence that creeps up in random places, like the occasional manga-style panty shot and the discordant chapter intros that unnecessarily inject both the writer and artist into the story. Like the best of Smith's work, though, Hopkins and Rizy keep things light and entertaining, telling a fun story, and Emily Edison is a character I wouldn't mind seeing more of in the future. That it's been nominated for the inaugural Great Graphic Novels for Teens list by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association should hopefully make that a more likely possibility. (Check out a preview at vipercomics.com.)

Belated Halloween Happiness

Bumperboy is one the reasons I could never give up comics completely!
Debbie Huey rocks.

HYPE: Bumperboy and the Loud, Loud Mountain

Bumperboy and the Loud, Loud Mountain
By Debbie Huey; Published by AdHouse Books
128 one-color pages
5.5" x 7"
$8.95 US funds
ISBN: 0-9766610-1-2
Ship date: July, 2006

Diamond Code: MAY06 2772

Industry Buzz #1: The Kids Are Alright

My latest feature over at Buzzscope is a column called Industry Buzz, a monthly roundtable featuring some of the most outspoken creators, retailers, pundits and advocates in comics commenting on the issues affecting the comics industry. Check it out and add your two cents to the discussion!

The Participants
Ronée Garcia Bourgeois - National VP / PR, Friends Of Lulu
Johanna Draper Carlson - Reviewer, Comics Worth Reading
Gerry Gladston - President, Midtown Comics
Brian Scot Johnson - Proprietor, Khepri.com
Frank Miller - Proprietor, Richmond Comix
Chris Pitzer - Publisher, AdHouse Books
Jason Rodriguez - Editor, Hoarse & Buggy
Rose Vess - Reviewer, Shrew Review
Scott Wherle - Writer, Blacklight
Plus, Special Guest: Jim Salicrup - Editor, Papercutz

The Topic:
Kids & comics. Is the comics industry so healthy that it doesn't need an infusion of fresh blood to keep it going? Where does manga fit in? And what about Marvel's 7/11 deal?

The Highlights:
IS HAWKINS CORRECT IN SAYING THAT "COMICS AREN'T REALLY FOR KIDS ANYMORE"? IF SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY?

"When you're announcing that one of your main characters has two penises (the X-Men's Nightcrawler) and you've got tentacle porn in a mainstream book -- Outsiders #20 -- then you are firmly outside the realm of Comics Are for Kids."

HOW ARE TODAY'S BEST-SELLERS - ie: NEW AVENGERS, ASTONISHING X-MEN, SUPERMAN/BATMAN - DIFFERENT FROM THE COMICS OF THE 70S AND 80S THAT WERE, PRESUMABLY, MORE KID-FRIENDLY?

"Despite some people thinking that today's comics are vastly more mature or sophisticated than comics from previous eras, they are mistaken."

WHAT ABOUT MANGA? IS IT OVERLOOKED WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TOPIC?

"...they're a big hit in book stores, not to mention across the pond where they sell in the millions and their creators are treated like rock stars as opposed to societal rejects. What are we doing wrong here?"

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MARVEL'S 7/11 DISTRIBUTION DEAL AND THE $1.99 MARVEL ADVENTURES COMIC THEY KICKED IT OFF WITH? GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY, OR JUST FOR MARVEL?

The distribution deal? Great. Marvel Adventures? Horrible. Look, the Marvel Adventures comics are dumbed-down doo-doo, based on what is perceived by parents and powers-that-be as "what kids want".

WHAT COMIC BOOKS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO A BRAND NEW PRE-TEEN/TEENAGE READER?

"Why the hell isn't Warner Bros/DC working with J.K. Rowling to add promotional comic books into the movie licensing deals? Kids would be lined up around to block for Harry Potter #0."

Indie Hype: Bumperboy

In my never-ending quest for great independent comics, I've come across some real gems and promoted the hell out of them. 100 Girls, Fade From Grace, Western Tales of Terror, Elk's Run and Skyscrapers of the Midwest are all great reads that not nearly enough people know about. The latest inductee to that stellar group is...

{drum roll, please}

Debbie Huey's Bumperboy!

I reviewed it this week for Buzzscope, but wanted to give it an extra special shout-out because it's THAT kind of good. Check out bumperboy.net if you want to really get sucked in like I've been. There's the great "Meet the Gang" section with pictures and short bios of the main cast; adorable pictures of Bumberboy's real world travels in the "sightings" section; some cool wallpaper - I have the up, up, and away one at home and at work! - in the "downloads" section; "gordy's blog," featuring the musings of Bumperboy's sock-wearing, marble-playing bear buddy; and a "shop" with some great swag that I will be purchasing later this week.

For all wannabe comics creators, bumperboy.net is marketing done the right way! If Debbie Huey doesn't get snatched up and given an animation deal by somebody in San Diego this week, Hollywood's just not doing its job!