Godkillers: War on Terror #3 comes out on June 24, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you to enjoy.
About the issue: Insurgents in Syria are using a djinn as a weapon of mass destruction. Can the elite special forces unit known as the Godkillers help their Kurdish allies defeat this supernatural menace? Or, like other foreign interventions, will they only make things worse?
Godkillers: War on Terror #3 is written by Mark Sable (Grounded, Fearless, Supergirl), with art by Maan House, Hernan Cabrera dropped some color, and you will read Thomas Mauer’s letters. Jeremy Haun, with Nick Filardi, created the main cover, and Charles Pritchett designed the logo and handled production.
Check out the Godkillers: War on Terror #3 preview below:
What comics are you reading while you’re stuck at home? Sound off in the comments!
Everyone’s favorite Russian psychopathic assassin is back with the third season of Killing Eve. The first episode of the new season picks up after the events in Rome.
Following the botched mission in Rome, Villanelle (Jodie Comer) has gotten married. However, her wedding day gets interrupted when her former trainer, Dasha (Harriet Walter), arrives and recruits Villanelle back into The Twelve. Since being shot, Eve (Sandra Oh) has gone into hiding and works in a Korean restaurant in New Malden, London.
Within MI6, Carolyn Marten (Fiona Shaw) has been placed under investigation because of her unauthorized missions, whilst her son, Kenny (Sean Delaney), has left the service to work as a journalist. When Eve accidentally contacts Kenny, he reveals he has been investigating The Twelve despite the risk to his life.
“Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey” essentially acts as a pilot episode. Its job was to re-establish the character and show what has changed between the seasons. Season Two picked up where Season One left, so it went straight into the action. The gap between Season Two and Three was much bigger, so there were a lot of changes for the characters.
Since the events of the Season Two finale, Villanelle’s life was on the up, and Eve went downwards. Villanelle had a luxurious wedding in Spain, and she makes a thinly-veiled speech about her past relationship and intentions, which the guests dismissed as humor. Eve has had to go off the grid, hiding with the immigrant community and lives in squalid conditions. It’s a pretty sad existence.
Eve’s husband, Niko (Owen McDonnell) has suffered a lot because of the events in Season Two. He has been institutionalized, and the intelligence services have covered up Gemma’s death as a suicide: an action that Niko objects for the sake of Gemma’s family.
Kenny was the driving force for this episode. He was the one who tries to get Eve out of lonely existence and get her involved in his investigation. Kenny’s fate at the end of the episode is going to be emotionally important for the rest of the season.
Killing Eve‘s big selling points were the violence and humor, and Season Three continues this. The episode opens with a flashback to 1970s Moscow, where the Young Dasha (Catalina Cazacu) beat-up a male gymnast. Villanelle gets to do a skull blasting when she returns to the assassination game. The wit was present with characters having some witty lines. My favorite moment was when Villanelle sees Dasha at her wedding.
“Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey” does what it set out to do, reintroduce the characters, and set up the main plotline for the season ahead.
Welcome to ‘I’d Buy That For A Dollar’ a column where I will be exploring the weird and wonderful world of dollar bin diving. The only rule is each and every comic is purchased for one dollar (or less!).
This week’s comic is The Spectacular Spider-Man #156.
Gerry Conway’s run with Sal Buscema on The Spectacular Spider-Man is one of my favorites ever. I discovered it at a young age and it’s darker tone, psychological themes and at times almost weirdo art really stuck with me. I’ve been grabbing any I see since then.
There are a ton of great issues, but #156 is a highlight for sure. Buscema, who can be as slick as can be, has created a very raw and rough-looking cover; the interior pencils carry the same feel. The whole issue has a strong EC Comics horror vibe, especially with the very muted color palette and character design. And it has heavy Texas Chainsaw and The Hills Have Eyes echoes; the story finds Spidey lost in Appalachian mountains and running into some scary, mutated locals. It’s truly a great comic to read and flip through. Let’s look at some pages.
Love the angular way Spidey looks here. This opening page just sets the tone!
The following image has a total EC Comics horror vibe.
Buscema’s pencils are way loose here and it’s a great way to give this an odd vibe.Love the panel progression here! Buscema loves ending with those punches/slaps.Banjo is the “villain'” and he has a total backwoods horror vibe. He also ends up being somewhat sympathetic.The rounded edges on the flashback panels is a nice touch and a reminder that Buscema is a master!
See, that’s some great and very strange stuff for a mainstream Spidey comic. Again, the whole Conway/Buscema run is a real treat and well worth grabbing.
This issue also had a bunch of great videogame ads. Check them out:
Man, this game was hard!Both these games were must-haves.Remember these?!
You can find great dollar bins at almost every local comic shop. So find a shop, ask a comic clerk what they can do for you during this time and get some dollar comics! Pick them up curbside and have them delivered if you must!
FALCON #1, released in November 1983, was the first comic dedicated to Captain America’s high flying superhero partner. Readers in the past only saw the hero’s exploits in relation to his side-kick status with Cap. But this issue gave Sam Wilson his long-deserved due. What’s more, readers get a look at the hero tackling one of life’s all-pervasive problems: poverty.
Story
FALCON #1 places its focus on the two aspects of Sam that make him a hero: his superheroics and his commitment to social justice. The first scene places our hero in the middle of gang violence when a wayward teen, Miguel, drunkenly assaults a young woman named Lucia.
Sam uses a minimal amount of violence to contain the situation, but the hero, in awe-inspiring fashion, knows there’s much more to heroics than stopping crime. After hearing Miguel express his anguish at living in his poor area of the city, Falcon realizes more needs to be done.
Jim Owsley’s script is believable and engaging in its ability to portray a real world problem with grace and tact. Readers will find themselves in awe of Falcon’s care for these distressed teens. In fact, after saving Lucia and returning her to her father, he requests that he not go too hard on Miguel so as to give him hope for a future after getting his life straight.
Artwork
Paul Smith’s penciling, combined with Vince Colletta’s ink work, helps bring this story to life. We see realistic depictions of Miguel and the other characters, meshed with the fantastic outfit of Falcon. Christie Scheele’s coloring complements this with natural colors for the city streets and bright hues for Falcon’s classic costume.
Conclusion
FALCON #1 took a big step forward for its time, both in terms of Falcon’s status as a solo hero and, more importantly, as an examination of social status.
Did you think this was a worthy first solo issue for Sam? Let us know in the comments below!
Writer Matt Fraction and artist Elsa Charretier have constructed a series of mysterious and shady tales with the first volume of “November.” Along with colorist Matt Hollingsworth and letters from Kurt Ankeny, this first chapter brings along a group of intertwined stories all caused or affected by one another. The grimy urban atmosphere and non-linear progression of the story make this conspiratorial plot a convoluted but riveting page-turner.
“The lives of three women intersect in a dark criminal underground. As fire and violence tears through their city over the course of a single day and night, they find that their lives are bound together by one man—who seems to be the cause of it all.”
Writing & Plot
Matt Fraction starts off “November Vol.1,” the first in a three-part series, by giving the reader both as much and as little information as possible to progress the story. The use of drug addiction, criminal manipulation, and police corruption dance about the plot in obscure shades that force the reader to put the pieces together themselves. This non-linear and purposefully obscure manner of crime noir delivery is sure to frustrate some, but it’s a riveting puzzle for those that wish to partake in it. The dialogue is varied greatly among the cast of characters, from the three protagonists and beyond. There is a sense of scale created by utilizing three people in different walks of life that makes the conspiracy feel giant despite the limited information given. The majority of the characterization is given via internal narration, which again is both obscure and tantalizing. There’s a deeply human tragedy running through at least two of the characters (especially the first woman) that makes the story feel all the more intimate. The ending is where much of what’s happening is put together more clearly and makes the desire to read the next entry all the more strong.
Art Direction
“November” Vol. 1 benefits greatly from having the unique artistic touch of Elsa Charretier. There’s a mixture of human detail and cartoonishness that brings to mind the work of Michael Avon Oeming in Powers. The people and environments feel tangible and realistic despite their unique designs. A large part of the is attributed to the colorwork from industry veteran Matt Hollingsworth, who bathes whole sequences in matching dreary colors. Pale blues, dark oranges, and most commonly pale greys and blacks create a foreboding and dreary atmosphere for this tale of conspiracy and woe to take place in. Moments of existential dread, sorrow and panic are realized in broken up in sometimes seemingly inconsequential mages that still tug the story along with a methodical pace. This is a book that is as striking visually as it is in terms of the script.
An easy to overlook creative element to “November” that deserves mountains of praise is Kurt Ankeny’s lettering. All of the lettering is presented in a hand-written style that looks more like a stack of notes than comic lettering. Like reminders left on the refrigerator door, Ankeny’s letters deliver the scattered clues, thoughts and words to the audience in a fashion that brings more intimacy and atmosphere to the story.
“November Vol. 1: The Girl on the Roof” is an intriguing puzzle to begin a story with. Fraction’s script offers excellent characterization and dialogue while divulging just enough plot to keep the reader invested. The visual work from Charretier, Hollingsworth, and Ankeny offers a distinctly intimate and grim atmosphere that is perfect for the grimy urban conspiracy at play within these pages. If this sounds like the kind of comic experience you’re up for, this first of three parts is currently available for order from your local comic shop.
THE LOST CARNIVAL, available from DC on May 5, is a YA-focused graphic novel about an adventure in the early life of Dick Grayson. Dick is feeling the call to see the world, away from his parents and the circus life, when a mysterious carnival appears on the scene. Is this book low-brow tweeny melodrama, or is the carnival ticket worth the price of admission? Let’s find out.
Writing
THE LOST CARNIVAL was written by Michael Moreci, and he sets a very high bar for YA novels set in the DC universe. There’s a tendency among YA authors to lean heavily on teenage angst and contrived drama for emotional impact, leaving the meat of the story for a distant second place. Teenage love triangles, falling in love with the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, mean girls bullying the new student, and on and on and on. Thankfully, Moreci avoids all of that here and focuses on a top-notch story that reads more like Romeo & Juliet crossed with an episode of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories.
Plot (No Spoilers): The Flying Graysons are the headline act of a failing, traveling circus. Dick Grayon, about 17 at this time, is feeling a pull to see the world and all it has to offer. Frustrated by a life that never seems to change, Dick starts breaking a few family rules as he straggles with the need to feel independent and find his own way in the world. While dropping in on a party his parents don’t know about, Dick encounters the mysterious Luciana who is part of the nearby, competing carnival. It doesn’t take long for Dick to figure out Luciana and her carnival are not all that they seem.
Let’s set a few expectations. This Dick Grayson (known as the first Robin to Batman, and eventually Nightwing) is purely presented as the youngest member of the Flying Graysons. Aside from a brief interaction with a tarot card reader, nobody mentions Robin, Batman, or Gotham City. Effectively, Moreci’s story is Easter egg free and avoids any foreshadowing to Dick’s future, crime-fighting career. Got it? Good.
What you do get is a teenage love story wrapped in a supernatural mystery. There’s a little bit of magic, and yes, some family drama. More importantly for a mystery, Moreci wrote a twist on the bad guy reveal that I honestly did not see coming. It’s hard to surprise me with mysteries, so Moreci earns high praise for pulling a rabbit out of his hat that I didn’t expect..but truly works.
Another high point in Moreci’s writing is the dialog. Every conversation between Dick and his parents, between Dick and Luciana, between the carnival and circus folk, felt very natural and believable. I didn’t roll my eyes once during any of the exchanges. Moreci created characters that talk like real people in extraordinary circumstances, and that’s the best compliment I can give for dialog.
From start to finish, Moreci wrote an entertaining story that keeps a steady pace, is inhabited with interesting characters, and encompasses a solid mystery. Be warned – there’s a lot of crying, but it fit the story.
Pencils/Inks
Illustration credit goes to Sas Milledge with Phil Hester. Milledge does a tremendous job illustrating a fairly large graphic novel (175+ pages, not counting the covers and credits pages). This is a YA novel, so every scene is going to have somebody getting angry or sad or falling in love – in other words lots of emotion. Milledge deftly covers the range of expression on every characters face at the right time and in the right place.
The overall design of the characters and the setting gives the book a classic, B&W movie feel. Think about the simplicity and wholesomeness of the The Wizard Of Oz when Dorothy is still in Kansas. That tone works for the story and the setting perfectly.
There are two areas where Milledge’s art doesn’t quite work as well – the hair and the movement. Almost every character’s hair that isn’t cropped short seems to be constantly moving and in conflicting directions to what the character is doing. It’s a small thing but it stands out with so many close up panels. This could be improved by matching the hair movement to the motion of the character.
The other area is the movement of the characters. The Flying Graysons are acrobats, and Dick employs acrobatic movements in a few of his fight scenes. Milledge’s movement art tends to freeze the characters midway through their motion, and that kills the momentum of the panel. This could be improved by adding speed lines to the characters when called for.
Admittedly, those two points were minor distractions and were mostly prevalent in the first couple of chapters. Milledge’s art distinctly improved through the progression of the book, so it becomes less of an issue as you read through. Nice job, overall.
Favorite Panel/Page: Page 188 earns the favorite page spot for this book. Again, no spoilers. Dick has just lost something precious, and you see three successive panels where his expression changes from shock to shock to realization to grief. No dialog or narration, it all comes through by art, and it’s a gut punch.
Colors
The colors are sparse in this book as it’s drawn to mimic a B&W film, but that doesn’t prevent David Calderon from doing great work. What Calderon has done is use an old movie trick of using different filter colors to represent different settings. Dick’s circus is colored in all blue tones. Luciana’s carnival is colored in all sepia tones. Calderon’s color choice here infuses each setting with distinction, and actually helps inform where you are in the story. That’s something most coloring examples don’t do, so kudos to Calderon.
Lettering
Moreci gets praise for writing the dialog, but Steve Wands’ lettering helps bring the story to life. The word bubbles were as naturally integrated into each panel as the dialog itself. At no point did word bubbles crowd out the artwork or feel pasted on. With a few exceptions, there’s almost no narration, allowing the art to tell the story where words don’t. This was a wise choice because I never felt lost or confused by what was going on. Sometimes less is more, and this is as much a great example of lettering AND a great example of when not to letter anything at all.
Conclusion
THE LOST CARNIVAL is an almost perfect example of the type of YA novels the comics publishers should be putting out. Moreci’s story fits neatly within Batman canon so as not to put DC fans off, but it completely works if you have no knowledge of Batman lore. Forgetting a few nitpicks, the entire art team did a stellar job. Pick this book up, from DC on May 5th, for an enjoyable read.
Author’s Note: Local Comic Shops (LCS) are going through a tough time right now with the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19. Comics fans of every flavor that care about his or her LCS should try to do what they can. So, here’s my part:
If you’re in Northern Delaware, South East Pennsylvania, or Southern New Jersey area, please take a moment to visit Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, DE. Say ‘hi,’ pick up a book, order a book (they’re on Comichub.com), and let them know you support them.
If you’re nowhere near that area, please find YOUR LCS using Comic Shop Locator and lend your support.
Emily Carroll may not be a household name yet, but every comic she creates is a horror-filled masterpiece. My first brush with her name was 2019’s When I Arrived at the Castle, which became one of my favorite graphic novels of 2019. Ever since then, when I see her name on something, I can’t help but be excited. So, when I found Through the Woods at my local used book shop, I knew I had to buy it.
THROUGH THE WOODS IN FIVE TALES
Through the Woods contains five separate horror stories each created by Carroll, including woods to some degree. Horror seems to be Carroll’s forte, and this shows extremely in each tale. Whereas she could’ve had each story interact, or connect in some manner, she keeps them short, contained stories. That in mind, not much background is given, keeping each story mysterious. This works out great in her favor, as each story makes you think once you’ve finished it. Instead of giving to much in the way of plot, Carroll hides a lot, making you imagine a lot of the horror.
Emily Carroll
Nonetheless, when she does show the mysterious happenings, it’s equally terrifying. Yet, her horror isn’t just scary due to the mysterious, but for the real fears they draw upon. Through the Woods deals with isolation, a parent leaving, fear of the unknown, the guilt of killing someone, a body snatcher, and the woods. As Carroll say’s, “It came from the woods. Most strange things do.” As someone who lives next to woods, Carroll captures the creepiness in each story perfectly.
PLAYING WITH LETTERS
As a creator, Carroll has a lot of strengths. As she does every step herself, she knows what and how she wants something done. That in mind, her lettering has always been fantastic in her comics. The manner that she uses words, and the job of lettering vastly improves her stories. She not only uses this to portray what the character has to say but as a visual element as well. Her lettering is by no means the conventional manner you’d see in comics, and that’s what makes it stand out. She uses the element to its full extent to excel the story she is telling.
A fantastic example in Through the Woods is when a character say’s, “We were separated.” During this, the “We were” is outside of the panel, whereas “separated” is contained in the panel. This trick makes you pause in the middle, verbally making you separate the read. Carroll can make you feel the separation just by messing with the lettering. Nonetheless, this is but one moment of her fantastic lettering.
Emily Carroll
ART THAT SCARES
Carroll’s art is always a treat to indulge yourself in. Much like her lettering, she holds herself to no rules when it comes to storytelling. One page could contain a myriad of panels, yet the next could be empty except one panel, to emphasize what she is showing. This is what is exciting about her work. Each page is a visual phenomenon, where she uses the page to her advantage. One thing Carroll uses a lot is negative space. She uses this for different story reasons, yet never overuses it.
One scene in Through the Woods that deserves mention is when Carroll introduces three sisters. Although just looking at these characters, you could tell whose older; she uses panels to showcase even more. Carroll has the oldest sister in a bigger panel, with the sizes getting smaller for each younger sister. Nevertheless, this may not be the biggest visual achievement in Through the Woods, it’s a simple, effective one.
Emily Carroll
HORROR THROUGH THE WOODS
Emily Carroll is a master at her craft. It’s hard to pick up any of her graphic novels and not fall in love, even if it isn’t your genre. Her writing is fantastic, yet combined with her masterful eye for visuals, you’re always in for an amazing read. She completely understands how to make a gorgeous comic. This skill is showcased in every aspect of Through the Woods. Even if you aren’t a fan of horror, these five tales are worth the read.
May is the start of the summer movie season even while spring hangs in the air. Sequels are a big deal this time around with one centered around time travel, another on impossible missions, and yet another sequel is an early entry into the now decades-old Marvel cinematic universe.
One-hundred-plus years of film making provides a long, rich, and deep history to look back on. Retro reviews and analysis of old films are practically necessary full-time specialties. Month after month, films release, vying to make as much money and grab as much attention as possible. Some rise, some fall, but regardless of financial success, the lasting effect of a film in popular culture is unpredictable.
So, where does that leave past box office champs? Let’s take a look back ten, twenty, and thirty years ago at the biggest movies released in May.
1990 • Back to the Future III • 87.3 million
The 80s were over, but a holdover franchise, and two-time box office titan, that started in 1985 released its third installment. Back to the Future III starred Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as the time-traveling duo Marty and Doc. The third film completed the series and answered many of the questions left unanswered by the cliffhanger ending of the previous entry. The wild-west action was intense, and the train sequence still holds up.
After Back to the Future III, things get interesting. 1990 was transitioning from 80s experimentation to a decade of superbly crafted films, even if the stories weren’t even remotely interesting. Bird on a Wire starred superstar Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn and ended with a domestic gross of nearly 71 million. What do you get when you put actor/director Tim Robbins in a film with the legendary Robin Williams? Well, you get the poorly received box office anemic Cadillac Man. Following that, a horror film version of anthology TV series Tales from the Darkside came in a respectable fourth place. Rounding out the top five domestic earners is Fire Birds, a sort of Top Gun with helicopters starring Nicolas Cage, which did not make great money and was even further panned by critics.
2000 • Mission: Impossible II • 215.4 million
The first Mission: Impossible film from auteur Brian De Palma was a big, box office hit, enough that it spawned many sequels though De Palma would never return as director. John Woo took the reigns for the sequel, which again featured Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in another set of high-flying, stunt-crazy adventures. To date, the franchise has six films with the most recent being 2018s Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
Tom Cruise’s spy action beat out Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic Gladiator. In third place was the 39th Disney animated film, Dinosaur, which I didn’t even remember happened until I wrote this article. The raunchy comedy Road Trip starring Breckin Meyer, Seann William Scott, and Tom Green drove its way into fourth place. Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson’s Shanghai Noon, action-western finishes off the top five for the month.
2010 • Iron Man 2 • 312.4 million
Movies certainly have made more money since 2000, but it doesn’t necessarily speak to quality. Iron Man 2 is regarded as one of the low points of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the whole MCU was heating up fast, and Iron Man 2, despite Mickey Rourke and his weird bird fetish, still made a butt-ton of money.
Shrek Forever After, the fourth in the Shrek series, sucked up plenty of money on its own though it still fell 100 million or so behind Iron Man 2. Ridley Scott tried to make another monster hit set centuries ago with his version of Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe. The film did well at the box office, but it came and went with little fanfare. HBO’s Sex and the City television series released its second and last film in 2010, which went on to earn a little over 95 million domestically. Lastly, Jake Gyllenhal starred in one of many mediocre video game to movie films with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
May 2020 & Predictions
Usually, this monthly look at the box office ends with a discussion about what’s coming this month, and what I predict will be the dominant box office film. However, the global pandemic has shut down movie theaters across the world, and film productions are on pause. So, nothing is coming to theaters this month. Universal scored a big hit by releasing their recent film, Trolls World Tour, straight to on-demand. Will that be the new normal?
Stay safe, everyone, and find those gems that exist on streaming platforms until our beloved cinemas open up their box offices again!
THE GENTLEMAN, available now from Evoluzione Publishing, is an intriguing new series about the exploits of a former occult detective coaxed out of retirement to help an old friend. The first two issues are a healthy mix of H.P. Lovecraft’s eldritch horror combined with Clive Barker’s Harry D’Amour occult noir.
Writing
The inaugural issues, written by Greg Anderson Elysée, follows Detective Oliver Solomon as he investigates a string of deaths which may or may not be murders carried out by supernatural forces. Magic definitely exists in this world, and Oliver (“Ollie”) uses it to his advantage in pursuit of the truth. Ollie fights with Cthulu-like demons in the present and the relationship demons of his past, where nobody is quite what they seem.
Fans of Lovecraft and Barker will get the tone right away. Elysée has created a world that’s more surreal than real, and the reader can easily accept magic as an everyday practicality here. The character of Ollie is a haunted man that struggles with the burden of his magical abilities and the toll they take on his life. Once an old friend and flame knocks on his door for help, Ollie is forced to call upon his magic to save lives while wrestling with old, emotional scars.
Elysée impresses by taking the material seriously, and not going too over-the-top with magical antics. Remove the horror element, and Elysée has created a fairly powerful detective noir drama. Every character Elysée has written has emotional depth, motivation and dimension to who they are. The horror isn’t silly or bombastic. The magical elements have a practical quality the increases the believability of the plot. If this was simply a novel, the writing could stand on its own as an excellent read. It’s that good.
Pencils/inks
Massimiliano Veltri is credited with the artwork, and it matches the tone of the writing perfectly. Veltri chose to use deep, thick lines to give the entire series a rough, charcoal-like quality. When characters are deep in thought or conversing in scenes with heavy emotional impact, Veltri’s art plays up the shadows so the reader feels the movement as much as reads about it.
Except for one fight/escape scene in the second issue, there’s very little by way of action in the series so far. That said, Veltri infuses little movements with meaning to get you inside the heads of the characters, strongly conveying feelings of regret or suspicion or conflict. It’s those small, subtle movements that keep the story moving and keep you invested in what happens next.
Favorite Panel/Page: The favorite point of the series is a scene between Ollie and Espere, starting on page 10 of issue #2. Espere, the femme fatale of the story, initiates a Quid Pro Quo game with Ollie to build trust while prying him for information. It’s a clever way to give the reader plenty of backstory on these new characters without resorting to flat narration. The ending of the scene says so much without either character saying a word.
Coloring
Marco Pagnotta colored the first two issues and bumped the visuals from good to great with exceptionally shading. Veltri’s used heavy, thick lines to give each scene and character weight. It would have been easy for Pagnotta to fill in colors between the lines. Not here. Pagnotta fills every panel with gradients and filters to take Veltri’s shadows and give them depth and texture. In the second issue, Pagnotta pushed the coloring by using broad strokes to give each panel a watercolor look. The effect is very close to having a comic filled with mini paintings. It looks beautiful.
Lettering
Micah Myers is on lettering duty for the first issue, and Marco Della Verde lettered the second. Ollie is constantly either monologuing or hearing the voice of the magical force within him (“The Void”). Myers and Della Verde both do an excellent job of keeping multiple inner voices separate from the external conversations. There’s more verbal conversation in the second issue, so the word balloons tend to crowd the panels slightly. However, it’s not so much that it detracts from the beautiful artwork.
The lettering is clear, it integrates with the highly-stylized artwork naturally, and the dark, internal voices pop exactly where they need to.
Conclusion
THE GENTLEMAN, available now from Evoluzione Publishing, stands out as a high quality, indie series. The writing is dramatic and nuanced. The art is beautiful and surreal. This series has great potential to be a classic in the occult detective genre.
Author’s Note: Local Comic Shops (LCS) are going through a tough time right now with the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19. Comics fans of every flavor that care about his or her LCS should try to do what they can. So, here’s my part:
If you’re in Northern Delaware, South East Pennsylvania, or Southern New Jersey area, please take a moment to visit Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, DE. Say ‘hi,’ pick up a book, order a book (they’re on Comichub.com), and let them know you support them.
If you’re nowhere near that area, please find YOUR LCS using Comic Shop Locator and lend your support.
With new comics slowly returning to the shelves of shops that can stock them, Aftershock Comics have a couple of new number ones to get people back into the hobby. With Disaster Inc. written by Joe Harris and art by Sebastian Piriz, a national disaster zone becomes the holiday park for rich adventurers and environmental activists.
With an array of covers hosting magical samurai intent on destruction, the comic promises to mix a hefty piece of mysticism into the ‘underground holiday gone wrong’ scenario. In an interview with The Hollywood Report, Harris cited that Akira Kurosawa movies, Samurai stories, and illegal bungee jump parties as inspiration for his story. This gives you some idea of what to expect from the 22 pages on offer.
Disaster Inc. #1 Credit: Aftershock Comics
Booking A Place
The Fukushima Daiichi Disaster forms the backdrop for Harris’ supernatural thriller. He teases out information about the disaster, setting up the back story in the same way a movie builds the character of the killer in a slasher movie. The site and history of the disaster acts like character for the reader to get to know, a concept that Harris plays into throughout the story. A collection of news reports, spoken legends, and documents shape this mysterious character. Each reference illustrates a little bit more, hinting at things to come.
In front of all of this, acting as the main focus for the reader, is the introductory plot of a modern horror. A group of people are gathered together to enter an unknown and potentially hostile environment. The characters all have their own backstories, some of which Harris lets the reader in on from the very beginning through the use of ‘background checks’. The narration for this issue comes from the central character, Amorina, who is also the assistant to the owner of Disaster Inc. Through her role in the company, she has access to all of the ‘holiday makers’ backgrounds and Harris’ uses this as a framework to introduce each traveller.
This works well as a narrative framing device and Harris uses it brilliantly to give the reader some important information without spoiling the plot. It also allows the writer to introduce a rogue element into the narrative in the form of Melody. Melody isn’t on the Disaster Inc. books so Amorina doesn’t know anything about her; in turn the readers don’t get to know anything about her.
Disaster Inc. #1 Credit: Aftershock Comics
Step by Step
Disaster Inc. has a very steady pacing that slowly lowers the reader into the story. There is a beautiful yet horrific opening that sets the scene, introducing the location and supernatural element. The narration then turns to Amorina and the gathering of the Disaster Inc. customers. What follows is a melee of character introductions that immediately create different tensions within the group. This first issue sets up the potential personality conflicts and friendships perfectly. By the end the reader already has a sense of who people are and what they are potentially willing to do in a crisis situation.
By setting up the story in this manner, Harris is making a statement about the themes of his story. All of the supernatural and disaster elements are making up the background, the foundation of the plot, but the true nitty-gritty falls to the characters. Going into a story where it, inevitably, is going to end in disaster, the reader has to have a connection with the characters. Harris has created a group who are identifiable and that the reader can empathise with. There are traditional narrative heroes and villains within the group which becomes apparent as additional members are added. Harris makes you root for Amorina but leaves everyone else a bit of mystery about them.
Disaster Inc. #1 Credit: Aftershock Comics
Drawing Danger
For the opening issue, Sebastian Piriz keeps the artwork fairly straightforward. He uses thin, descriptive inked lines to establish the characters within the panel while allowing the color to create the beautiful background visuals. He employs a watercolor style to create a very naturalistic look. The open aired country scenes have an unoccupied feel to them, as if nature rules the landscape.
The characters themselves include more vivid colors but only a few, signature traits to differentiate them from each other and their environment. Amorina has distinctive green hair making her a focus on most of the pages, cementing her place as the central character. Other characters, however, have distinctive features separating them from the rest of the cast. Toshiro, the Japanese guide, for example has jet black hair which matches the leather jacket and dark sunglasses that he seems to wear at all times.
Carlos M. Mangual threads the speech and caption boxes throughout Piriz’s artwork maintaining a steady balance between the two. The placement of the speech acts as a leader, drawing the reader across the page highlighting elements of the visuals. Mangual uses the same font for all of the speech but creates differences in speech patterns by breaking the sentences up. Instead of using large balloons, Mangual separates the speech into smaller, easier to digest, nuggets of speech. It is the way that he then links these balloons and makes them interact on the page, that creates personality and a voice.
There is one moment where Mangual places one of Paolo’s speeches between Amorina’s with a long, sweeping connector underneath. Mangual could have used two separate balloons but by presenting it like this the reader understands that Paolo is the type of person to talk over other people while Amorina is persistent in sounding out her thoughts and ideas. She will have her say.
Disaster Inc. #1 Credit: Aftershock Comics
Conclusions
Disaster Inc. has a wonderful set up. The artwork creates scenes of beauty but Piriz demonstrates that he can produce disturbing and unsettling images also. There is a groundwork for horrific things on display in this first issue. The narrative focuses on the characters, drawing the reader in, while setting up an intriguing mystery/adventure
This comic does the one thing that first issues should do: it leaves you wanting more. More of the story, more of the characters, and more of the history leading to the creation of Disaster Inc. Joe Harris has created a fascinating collection of travellers and one hell of an intriguing world for them to explore. The second issue cannot come quick enough.
Kenny was the driving force for this episode. He was the one who tries to get Eve out of lonely existence and get her involved in his investigation. Kenny’s fate at the end of the episode is going to be emotionally important for the rest of the season.
