A CALCULATED MAN #1 hits your local comic book store June 15th, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: A verifiable math genius, Jack Beans used to run the numbers for the Pinafore crime family, until one day he ran them too well and concluded that the only way out of this life was in a casket or Witness Protection. So, he turned state’s evidence and ran.
Now, the Pinafores are out to end their favorite accountant. Little do they know that Jack’s skills with math and his perfect memory have made him a better killer than they ever could have realized. What follows is a journey full of murder, mayhem and mathematics.
The series is by writer Paul Tobin and artist Alberto Albuquerque, with colors by Mark Englert, and letters by Taylor Esposito. The cover is by Albuquerque, and there is also an incentive variant by Andrea Mutti.
Check out the A CALCULATED MAN #1 preview below:
Are you looking forward to A CALCULATED MAN? Sound off in the comments!
The Prince of Parody Unites a Host of Acclaimed Artists; Collaborators include Drew Friedman, Mike & Laura Allred, Bill Plympton, Peter Bagge, Sam Vivano, Aaron Augenblick and Many More
LOS ANGELES, CA—Z2 Comics has announced a collaboration with pop culture icon “Weird Al” Yankovic to publish The Illustrated Al: The Songs of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Written by “Weird Al” Yankovic, this career-spanning visual feast unites some of the top living cartoonists to express Al’s “Yankovisions.” The Great AL-merican Songbook features 20-plus classic songs interpreted by such artists as Drew Friedman (MAD Magazine), Mike & Laura Allred (Madman), Bill Plympton (Your Face, Guard Dog), Aaron Augenblick (Superjail!, Ugly Americans), Peter Bagge (Hate), Sam Viviano (MAD Magazine), Steve Chanks (Revolver Magazine), Danny Hellman (Village Voice), Felipe Sobreiro (Luther Strode, Death’s Head), Gideon Kendall (MegaGhost), Michael Kupperman (Up All Night, The New Yorker), Wes Hargis (My New Teacher and Me!, When I Grow Up), Ruben Bolling ( Tom the Dancing Bug and Super-Fun-Pak Comix), Fred Harper (The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal), and many more! The book also features a custom print set from Jesse Philips and a foreword from legendary comic Emo Philips, who is also opening for Al on his current 133-show tour of North America
“It’s such an incredible honor to see my song lyrics brought to life by some of my all-time favorite cartoonists and illustrators,” Yankovic says. “I’ve actually been playing the long game—the only reason I spent four decades in the music business is so that one day I could have my very own graphic novel.”
“Weird Al” Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time. A five-time Grammy winner, his 2014 release Mandatory Fun was the first comedy album in history to debut at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200. He is one of only three artists to have had their own Top 40 hits in each of the last four decades. On August 27, 2018, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce awarded Weird Al with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The upcoming Roku Original film, WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story, promises to reveal every facet of Al’s life, “from his meteoric rise to fame to his torrid celebrity love affairs.” Daniel Radcliffe is portraying Al in the titular role.
“I don’t remember a time in my life before ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic and, frankly, I don’t want to. His music, lyrics, artistry, and humor have been a constant influence in my career,” project editor and Z2 Comics Chief Business Officer Josh Bernstein continues. “Having Z2 assemble this all-star roster of the greatest living cartoonists to collaborate with Weird Al has been a dream come true. I hope both new and long-time Al-fanatics appreciate the love, care, and insane art that is going into this project. As always, we dare to be stupid.”
Z2 Comics and “Weird Al” Yankovic present The Illustrated Al: The Songs of “Weird Al” Yankovic in both softcover and hardcover formats, as well as oversized hardcover deluxe, and an oversized hardcover deluxe hand-signed edition. Drew Friedman and Mike & Laura Allred provide cover art. Deluxe editions include a wax pack of collector’s cards, a 3-piece art set from Jesse Philips, a vinyl slipmat, drink coasters, and, in the Super Deluxe Edition, Al-signed books as well as a “Weird Al” Yankovic branded mini-accordion.
Writer Si Spurrier (Way Of X, Hellblazer) and artist Jan Bazaldua (Mr. & Mrs. X) team up for a stunning and complex new #1 with an insane new focus in Legion Of X #1. With Frederico Blee on colors and letters by Clayton Cowles, this new Krakoa-X comic sees the creation of a new mutant peacekeeping team with a new ideology for the Mutant utopia. With an intricate and intriguing script and jaw-dropping visuals, this comic is primed to be a headscratcher for some – but an absolute treat for others.
“The lost must be found, and the wicked must face redemption — or retribution. It’s up to the ever-soulful swashbuckler NIGHTCRAWLER to keep the spark alive and LEGION to host his unique team in the psychedelic mindspace called THE ALTAR. With PIXIE on point, JUGGERNAUT as a one-man riot squad and a host of X-favorites on the beat, the LEGION OF X will do anything to protect mutants’ right to pursue happiness and hope. Kicking off with a hunt for a missing Arakkii god and a skinjacker possessing innocent mutants, read this issue and come meet WEAPONLESS ZSEN, ORA SERRATA…and a villain worth praying for. The DESTINY OF X bares it heart and soul right here!”
Writing & Plot
Si Spurrier is back to once again guide us (and Nightcrawler) through the chaotic beauty of his view of Krakoa in Legion Of X #1. The Way Of X writer returns to the new era of X-Books with Kurt Wagner and a motley crew of mutants becoming Krakoa’s new peacekeepers. This team, consisting of faces new and familiar, is unorthodox (even by modern X-Men standards) in a way that makes this series extra unpredictable. To make matters even more interesting, this new team’s HQ is found in a dimensional bubble found in the mind of the one and only Legion. This first chapter takes readers to numerous locations and situations, from Krakoa proper chasing down fugitive murderers, to talking to extraterrestrial-mutants on Arrako (aka Mars), and into the depths of Legion’s own psyche. Every aspect of this comic’s plot is deeply engaging and intriguing – if not also a bit head-spinning. Spurrier throws quite a lot at the reader here, meaning it may take multiple reads to truly understand all the concepts he’s explaining. This is certainly not a new reader friendly comic, as a cursory knowledge of classic X-Men and a more solid, up-to-date knowledge of the Krakoa-era is needed to understand much of what is happening here. That said, this would still be a pretty entertaining read if someone went in mostly blind just by how wild some of the stuff Spurrier is throwing at the reader.
Spurrier’s sense of dialogue is both unique unto him while fitting the Hickman X-Men mold. One of the defining characteristics of X-books in this era is the snarky, clever dialogue and memorable character moments. Well, Spurrier is just the guy to call for the current brand of X-writing. Each of his interpretations of the mutant cast are diverse and fun to read in their own way. Watching Juggernaut try to be chummy with people he has no doubt tried to pummel to death is delightful. Legion awkwardly acknowledging his dismissive father, the model parent Charles Xavier, is appropriately uncomfortable. Best of all is, of course, Spurrier writing Nightcrawler. Wagner has come a long way from when he first arrived on Krakoa, and seeing him as a bearded leader of this new peacekeeping force is truly satisfying. Watching him become flabbergasted as he’s flirted with (sort of, hard to tell really) by an alien warrior woman is hilarious. Spurrier is an absolute treat in this comic, as his taste for charming characterization and intelligent story crafting are on full display here.
Art Direction
The Krakoa era of X-books is visually defined by its striking, bright, utopian visuals of this new world, and Jan Bazaldua delivers more of that beauty in Legion Of X #1. Her designs of mutants new and classic are striking, with her own style managing to carve out a niche within the house-style of this era. Her take on Legion and the mental landscape that is The Altar are absolutely stunning, fitting perfectly with the beauty of Krakoa while being an entity unto itself. Her design for a godlike Legion is wildly cool, and has to be one of the best new designs for an old character in the past few years of X-comics. Bazaldua goes just as hard with her work on Arrako, with the numerous natives – and most notably Ora Serrata – as well as the Arakii gods, all having fantastic original designs that fit with the rest of the visual language. Her page and panel composition is often just a busy as Spurrier’s script. She nails the reading experience though, with panel-heavy pages that focus on just the right frames to guide the story along in a manner that makes the busy plot as easy to parse as possible. Bazaldua’s art here is the perfect blend of grandiose and character-focused.
Frederico Blee’s colors finish off the visual experience with an incredible luster. Just like the rest of the X-comics in this era, every page is loaded with stunning, wildly colorful panels that show off this utopia is all its glory and glamour. The sequences in The Altar are especially gorgeous, with plumes of space-y energy firing off around the forms of Legion and his lover. The lettering from Clayton Cowles is solid and easily readable. He uses the same font style the rest of this era’s X-Men books use and, as always, it looks stellar. Overall, Legion is an absolutely brilliant looking comic book.
Verdict
Legion Of X #1 is a complex and stunning comic book. Si Spurrier’s script asks the reader to pay attention as he throws a ton of events and info at the reader, but what’s happening here is so engaging and entertaining that it’s hard to really fault him. The visuals from Jan Bazaldua and Frederico Blee are jaw-droppingly stunning, and make for one of the finest looking X-books in the Krakoa era. Be sure to grab this new issue when it hits shelves on May 25th!
I recently got to sit down with Plastic and Vinyl writer Doug Wagner and artist Tim Odland to talk about their upcoming absurdly fun and action-filled Norse-myth comic Beware The Eye Of Odin. It’s a blast of a read and the first issue hits shelves on June 22nd!
“VINYL and PLASTIC creator DOUG WAGNER returns with artist TIM ODLAND and colorist MICHELLE MADSEN to bring you a tale of Vikings, Trolls, Frost Giants, and Valkyries.
When a Viking prince finds the Eye of Odin, he must return it to its rightful owner or face a death of boils and decay. By his side are a one-armed warrior past his prime and a female warrior convinced she’s a Valkyrie. Monstrous mayhem ensues.”
MFR: Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to speak with me about the new book. It’s an absolute blast!
How did you come to settle on the idea behind Beware the Eye of Odin? Was playing around in the Norse mythology toybox something you both had always wanted to do, or was it a more ‘lightning strike” moment?
DOUG: It’s all Tim’s fault. I’m not gonna say he had this all planned out beforehand, but the second I asked if he’d like to work together on something, “Vikings and trolls” shot out of his mouth. No hesitation. No discussion. Just “Vikings and trolls!”
TIM: Yeah, that sounds about right. There might have been a few things floating around in my head but just for a fraction of a second. Vikings and Trolls interested me the most.
Doug is such a great collaborator that he just didn’t go away, write a script, and come back to say, “draw this.” He considered asking me what I was interested in. After knowing him for a while, I’d say he’s the type of writer that can find THE story in anything.
I thought the lore around the Norwegian trolls was a fertile ground to tell a story. I haven’t really seen too many comics or movies, here in the states, that explore that type of Troll. These guys have a little more spice than your typical giant or ogre. Like a vampire or werewolf, they have a specific set of rules to follow to best them. I thought they’d make a great villain and would be a great jumping off point to start a book. Then there’s Vikings… I mean do I need to explain myself there?
The Norse mythology thing was something I’ve always been interested in because my father is in fact Norwegian. I’m connected to it in that way.
MFR: How did you guys end up working together? What has your creative process behind this book been like?
TIM: We meet at a local “Draw Night” and discovered we lived like a mile apart. We would carpool down to Draw Night once a week and eventually we were like, “let’s work on something together.”
The creative process was great! There was a total back-and-forth dialogue we had going. Doug would bring something to the table and then I would add to it. Then I’d bring something to the table and Doug would add to it. There never seemed to be a moment for me where I got a, “No, let’s not do that.” It was always “Let’s see if this fits.” It seemed to me that we were on the same page during the whole process. We knew what would fit when we brought it.
When I’d go off to draw my pages Doug would always say, “Remember to have fun. That’s why we’re doing this!”
DOUG: That’s how I remember us gettting together as well. Two creatives carpooling to meet up with other creatives. I’ll add that the first time I saw Tim’s art I had immediate hopes we’d work together on something. I’m a huge fan of his style and his approach to story.
As far as the creative process, Tim was incredible to work with. You can tell just through his description that he’s all about delivering the best work we could over worrying about who created what or his ego. I had a fantastic time working with him, and as he said we simply tried to have as much fun coming up with something together as we could.
MFR: Tim, I’ve heard you described as a “newcomer” to the comics scene. I find that hard to believe because this book is STUNNING. What was the creative process like as an artist in terms of visually coming up with the look and feel of this mythology-based world?
TIM: Newcomer… Yeah, I’ve made my living as a designer doing illustration and graphics for products, but I’ve always loved comics. Doug was very gracious writing a script for me knowing I never really had done any comic work.
I learned so much with this book. It was literally like a thesis project for a degree in comics. I found out there where a lot more skills to consider than just drawing and uploading.
In terms of visually coming up with the look and feel of the world, I did my research and then ran it though my own visual filter. I looked at what was considered real Norse culture. I referenced the historical clothing, housing, and objects. I looked at design elements like Norse knots and runes. When it came to designing characters and environments, I had all that stuff in the back of my mind and could riff off it to create something with a familiar flavor.
For the trolls, I looked at Swedish artist John Bauer and Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen and threw in my own ample assortment of grotesqueries. Things like extra arms, double heads, multiple eyes to a socket made the Trolls a riot to draw. There was going to be a lot of them so that was also a great way to make each one unique.
MFR: Outside of the mythology itself, what were some of your biggest influences going into crafting and telling the story in Beware the Eye Of Odin?
DOUG: Oh gosh! That’s always a tough one to answer. For me, it was a mix of everything fantasy and sci-fi that I’ve engorged myself on over the years, but there are a few movies in particular that I think helped shape my approach – 13th Warrior, Clash of the Titans, and especially, the Norwegian film Trollhunter. It was fun to take what I enjoyed about those films and try to fit them into the story Tim and I wanted to tell. With all three of those movies, there’s a very everyday man confronted by the supernatural or otherworldly kind of vibe that I wanted to capture. With that said, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that Tim’s initial troll drawings had a massive impact on my approach. They were unlike any trolls I’d ever seen before, and he put this grungy, headhunter, mystical touch on them that immediately had my head racing on how to properly incorporate it. Didn’t I say earlier this whole thing was all Tim’s fault?
TIM: At the beginning of this project, I remember talking about those three movies and they were definitely a common ground of interest we both had. That might be why our creative process went so smoothly. Love for those stories to set the tone for our book’s direction.
On my end, as a kid, I always loved a good adventure movie. Some of my favorites were the Ray Harryhausen ones: Clash of the Titans, The Sinbad movies, and Jason and the Argonauts. I’m not that old. These movies were already old when I first saw them. I was always enamored by the creatures and how comparatively tiny the heroes were. I remember drawing that cyclops a hundred times. It was always the monsters that got me into drawing. It wasn’t until later in this project that I realized a lot of that inspiration was coming out of me.
MFR: So Doug, judging by your writing in your other comics like Plastic and Vinyl, it’s safe to say you very much have your own style. How did you adjust that style, if at all, when approaching this sort of comic that has a very different subject matter compared to your most popular work?
DOUG: Ha! I have to admit this is definitely different from my latest serial killer-y style of books. To be honest, I’m not sure I consciously adjusted my style as much as adjusted the tone. I wanted this to be more pure fantasy with my weird storytelling sense and humor mixed in. With works like Plastic and Vinyl, I purposefully push the edge and try my best to keep the reader off-balance emotionally. To me, that’s what makes an enjoyable horror/dark comedy. With Beware the Eye of Odin, it was more about taking the classic mythology and morphing it to fit my story senses and what I’d want to read. At its base, Beware the Eye of Odin is still one of my horror stories but with a broader audience in mind. I simply wrapped it in witch doctor trolls, venomous tiny humanoids, Earthen Smiths, and Vikings instead of serial killers and cults.
MFR: Modern takes on ancient mythology have always been popular, but they are absolutely massive right now – especially in comics. This works so well because of how myths and folklore work almost like a game of telephone going back thousands of years, with so many different interpretations of these stories being crafted and welcomed. Did either of you feel like there was any obligation to hold to any sort of “classical” version of this lore? Or are your feelings more along the lines of “hey, let’s mess around with some old toys and have a great time!” ?
DOUG: Personally, I didn’t feel any obligation to hold on to any of the “classical” lore, but I did want to use some of those “classical” tales to help set up our world, to give the reader a common frame of reference from the very start. For instance, the Eye of Odin relic is based on the classic tale of Odin giving his right eye to the Frost Giant King Mimir in exchange for “true wisdom.” In todays’ world, almost everyone knows who Odin is, what Frost Giants are, and who the Vikings were, so we used that to establish our world so we wouldn’t have to spend all of our time retelling tales. Now after that, it was Tim and Doug playing in the sandbox with our toys. No holds barred.
TIM: You’ve got it right on. Mythology is always a great starting point for any adventure story. There is already a general knowledge or structure to the world to build off and we had a great time doing just that.
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Be sure to pre-order Beware The Eye Of Odin from your local comic shop, and check out Wagner’s other comics like Plastic and Vinyl, available now!
From writer & artist Natasha Alterici comes a beautiful, funny, and kickass take on old Norse mythology in Heathen. Featuring additional art by Ashley A. Woods and lettering from Rachel Deering and Morgan Martinez, this series is an impactful tale of love, acceptance, masculinity & femininity, and how to negotiate with mermaids. Featuring a fantastic character-driven plot and stunning visuals, Heathen is a must-read for 2022.
“Aydis is a viking, a warrior, an outcast, and a self-proclaimed heathen. Aydis is friend to the talking horse Saga, rescuer of the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild, and battler of demons and fantastic monsters. Aydis is a woman. Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, she is on a mission to end the oppressive reign of the god-king
Odin.”
Writing & Plot
Natasha Alterici comes out of the gate tackling socio-political issues left and right in Heathen, while still crafting a wholly engaging and entertaining story. As the solicit states, Aydis – our protagonist – is a woman woman and a warrior, which isn’t *that* rare, but still, men will be men. On top of this, she has been banished from her village for her romantic affiliation with another woman. So, she journeys in exile to free the legendary leader of the Valkyries from a curse Odin placed on her. This is an era of warfare and superstition. Not only do the traditions of the Norsemen hold, but Christianity is making a growing impression on these Vikings’ homeland. All of these subjects and more are handled by Alterici via memorable moments throughout the story. As characters part ways for a time they come across different situations (side quests, really) that broach of particular subject matter. What’s special here is that it all fits so well. None of it feels forced, as the tone is light and fantastical enough that the whole comic has a sort of limitless story possibility. That being said, these sequences still feel grounded in reality.
Alterici’s choices in characterization and dialogue do a wonderful job of creating a consistent tone in the comic. Despite much of its serious subject matter, Heathen is often very funny. The back and forth among many of the characters is snarky and witty, without ever broaching too hard into Whedon/MCU style “quips” that are so prevalent in modern dialogue writing. While there are a lot of great scenes and memorable characters, I believe my favorites are Skoll and Hati. If they could get their own spinoff, that would be great. With all the levity this comic brings, Alterici still lands the serious moments perfectly. The importance and gravity of the major plot events and the more commentative scenes are all treated with care. Alterici pens some absolute magic in this book, with a cast of wholly memorable and unique characters and themes that will no doubt hit hard for many readers. While there is a bit of a plot contrivance near the end (some allies meeting up with other allies out of nowhere) and the final issue does feel a tad rushed, this series is very tightly constructed and wonderfully written.
Art Direction
What will doubtless stay in readers’ minds after finishing Heathen is how Alterici visually crafts her take on the Norse world. Her approach mixes a sort of watercolor and wax-pencil landscape design with phenomenal character animations to craft something completely unique. Readers will be immediately endeared to the cast just through how much attention to detail Alterici puts into facial expressions. There’s a sort of “Webtoon” style approach to her design, and this is meant entirely as a compliment. Every page has a definite “thumbnail” moment that nails down the book’s humor. On the other hand, all other ranges of emotion are felt deeply in how Alterici displays it in her cast. Animal and creature designs are also on point. It’s tempting to ask how Alterici felt while drawing so many horses and wolves, known pain-points for comic artists, but regardless she absolutely nails it every time. Her landscape and many other details are often kept to a minimalist sort of sketchbook style. This, combined with her earthy watercolor tones, makes the series feel more like an ancient scrawling of a mythical tale. This isn’t always the case, as many of the outfits and some structures are given considerable attention depending on the context of a scene. Alterici’s page and panel composition creates a steady, careful pace for the reader to move through the story with. Character moments have a great classic “comic strip” feel to them, where conversations come off as measured and impactful. The action is also well-choreographed and epic, making the badass sequences be, well, more badass. The lettering from Rachel Deering and Morgan Martinez is solid and easy to read, with a hand-drawn feel that fits the comic. The SFX notes sort of blend into the panels, making them noticeable while not standing out too much.
It should be noted that Alterici steps away from the art after issue #8, with Ashley A. Woods taking over for the final four chapters. The shift is clearly noticeable, but most readers should adjust quickly to the change. Woods does a great job of mimicking Alterici’s style and utilizing her designs to finish this comic’s story. Truthfully, I find Alterici’s work preferable, but Woods is still stellar in these final issues. Overall, Heathen is is a fantastic looking comic series with a noticeably unique visual style that suits its setting and atmosphere brilliantly.
Verdict
Heathen is yet another outstanding original creation in the Vault Comics lineup. Natasha Alterici, with the help of artist Ashley A. Woods and letterers Rachel Deering and Morgan Martinez, creates a powerful, meaningful, kickass, and hilarious 12-issue story that takes full advantage of its mythology by breaking all the fake rules that are placed upon it. With heartfelt and clever character-focused writing and perfectly fitting art, this full softcover collection of Heathen is a must-own for 2022. Be sure to grab a copy from your local comic shop today!
Firestarter manages to tell an uninteresting story that also happens to be poorly written. The original film from 1984 starred Drew Barrymore in the titular role, and while not great, it is better than this latest attempt. Firestarter does show signs of potential but is held back by its weak performances, poor editing, and a script that cause a lot of unintended laughter. Leaving little room to connect with its characters, Firestarter will not be remembered in the near future.
Based on Stephen King’s Novel, Firestarter follows Charlie, a girl with pyrokinetic powers, hunted by sinister forces that want to use her gift for mass destruction. Directed by Keith Thomas, the film stars Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Zac Efron, Sydney Lemmon, Kurtwood Smith, and Gloria Reuben. Halloween Kills co-writer Scott Teems wrote this screenplay, and it offers one of the most uninteresting narratives this year. Armstrong is acceptable in the role of Charlie, but her scenes with Efron, who stars as her father, are not very convincing.
Besides its stale acting, Firestarter has a screenplay that will make a lot of viewers struggle to comprehend certain character motivations and decisions. For instance, Charlie is in public school despite her parents knowing the danger she could cause. They are trying to hide from this agency that is after Charlie, so this seems like an obvious thing to not do if you want to hide. Charlie’s parents are very familiar with this agency, which makes this decision hard to digest.
John Carpenter’s score for Firestarter is the strongest component when considering how inferior the other aspects are. It’s working overtime to add an ounce of tension or intensity to certain scenes. I can say that the practical effects used were impressive, but it felt like more care went into displaying Charlie’s powers than it did in giving viewers a compelling story. Every character is one-note or unlikable, minimal effort is put into telling you why you should be invested in this narrative.
Thomas’ direction here just completes this messy film, as a lot feels like it’s racing to a finish that isn’t worth witnessing. Poor pacing combined with these moments that do nothing to further the plot make Firestarter a chore to sit through. One of its worst bits of dialogue comes from a character highlighting that they shouldn’t trust everything on their TV. Perhaps the way it was delivered is what made it cringe, but it seemed like a hollow attempt to virtue signal.
Firestarter might be the worst film experience I’ve had so far this year, but I enjoyed certain parts of this film. As mentioned above, humor can be found in how idiotic this story gets. Laughable dialogue is one thing, but lining yourself up to be slaughtered when there’s room to escape is another level of hilarious. Charlie has a sequence in the finale where she is taking out those that stand in her way, and none of them seem to notice the failed efforts of their peers before deciding to battle Charlie themselves.
If there’s one redeeming quality about Firestarter, it’s that it doesn’t overstay its welcome. To those that feel like they are trapped while watching, don’t worry, the film won’t drag on. However, some might argue that it loses its steam after the opening credits. Firestarter just doesn’t have much going for it outside of the effects, which become horrendous once blood tears are introduced. If Carpenter’s score wasn’t here, this would be a very rough experience. Firestarter is going to work for some people, but as a whole, this one won’t be remembered in the years to come.
Heavy Metal Drummer (published by Behemoth) is one of the most insane comics I have read in a while. Like some kind of cosmic John Carpenter acid trip, HWD is immersive, mind-bending and completely atmospheric. So when I reached out to writers Kiefer Findlow and Emiliano Plissken about an interview and they agreed, I was beyond excited. So read the chat below and make sure you add Heavy Metal Drummer to your LCS pull list, you seriously have to be reading this book.
MFR: Kiefer and Emiliano, you both created this book together, so why don’t you each drop an ‘elevator pitch’ on Heavy Metal Drummer. Like how do you describe this insane book to someone? Kiefer Findlow:I’ve had to explain it so many times and each time I get to that point of “how do I explain this in 25 words or less” and I don’t know if I’ve ever cracked it (laughs). I’d say imagine ‘They Live’ crossed with ‘Species’ with a twist of ‘Maniac’ all on a light dose of LSD. That maybe gets close to what it is as an experience.
Emiliano Plissken:The Cosmic Mirror would say: Words cannot explain the real nature of this book (laughs). I pretty much agree with Kiefer’s description. It’s an experience. If you are not easily offended and you happen to dig ’80s body & cosmic horror films, bizarre indie comics, heavy metal music and lysergic art, I think there is a big chance that you like this shit.
MFR: Yeah, I’d say that is actually a pretty good description. I didn’t even think about They Live but now that you mention it, I totally see it. You guys are dropping some vivid references I can totally see. Are there any direct comic book influences on HMD? A particular series, book, artist? EP:Two cool comics that I really love and I would say they were big influences are The Filth by Grant Morrison and Space Riders by Ziritt.
Art by Luca Vasallo & Tokebi
MFR: What about them did you find inspiring? EP: Reading The Filth for the first time was a really cool trip. That shit was crazy. I barely understood what was going on in there ha but I remember I really liked the experience of reading it, I was trapped by the dope imagery and the insane story. It inspired me to try to make that kind of comics. Also, we are all big fans of Ziritt’s art and we have used Space Riders colors as reference for HMD lysergic sequences.
KF:For me, this might sound left field but the Marvel Knights run of The Punisher by Ennis was always a reference point for the tone. That’s always been one of my favourite series and the way it would have these absurd moments of levity and comedy. But would also have quite disturbing, gritty elements balanced with it. Sin City as well and Jim Starlin’s run of Warlock probably factor in there too for me.
MFR: What’s your comic book origin story? What’s your history with comics? KF: I think the first comic I picked up as kid was that one where Superman fought Tornados (laughs)? I think it was when Twister came out. Comics in Australia when I was a kid were pretty hard to come by. There weren’t a lot of stores and I grew up in the country so it was scarce. So films were the bigger exposure point. I started properly getting into reading them at around 15 or so. Around the time Civil War was huge in 2006 I was right into it. From there I got to go back and read Alan Moore, Frank Miller and Gaiman’s The Sandman which all opened my mind to what comics could be. Things got progressively weirder and darker from there…
EP:Kiefer and I, are both filmmakers originally, we met each other at Monster Fest 2016 in Melbourne. I, personally, along with my wife Emilia, we started to work in comics at the end of 2017 after watching Jodorowsky’s Dune. We felt pretty frustrated at that time with not being able to get our films done, and in the movie, Jodorowsky says that if you can’t materialize your ideas into a film you should try to make it real using another artistic medium. We thought that comic books were a medium where our stories could fit pretty well so we gave it a try.
MFR:Alright, so we know film is a huge influence on you guys. But what about music? Emiliano mentioned heavy metal music and obviously, the book is literally called ‘Heavy Metal Drummer’…so do any particular bands or genres of metal have an impact? What would be the book’s soundtrack? EP:I believe music is very important for all of us and it always has been a big part during the creative process. Most of the time, the ideas or the imagery for a new story comes while listening to a record. In our case, when we are working with Emilia on a new story, music helps us to set the tone of the story. We also have always a record playing in the background to get the proper setup for the writing. I can name a few albums that I was listening to at the time we were working on Hmd: Slayer’s Seasons in the Abyss, Sepultura’s Beneath The Remains, Morbid Saint’s Spectrum Of Death, Death’s Leprosy & Symbolic, Ministry’s Psalm 69, Pantera’s The Great Southern Trendkill, etc. Also some post-punk bands such as The Fall, Public Image Limited, Wire and some hip hop albums as well such as Danny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition and Vince Staples’ Summertime 06.
KF: Yeah, totally. Music is a huge part of the creative process. I’ve been playing Bass since I was a teen and composed a few soundtracks for my own work. Having the right record on when writing is key. I’d have on a few different records, a mix of John Carpenter soundtracks (Prince of Darkness & once again They Live) and then lots of ’70s Metal and Prog Rock. Rush’s 2112, Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality, Dio’s Holy Diver. Some newer stuff like Earth’s Primitive but Deadly and The Sword’s Warp Riders got a few rotations too. Oh, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard were in the background a bit too.
MFR: Since we’re talking music, how did you guys link up with Behemoth? I know they put out music as well as books. Did you guys pitch this to them? And now that we’re on this topic, what was the initial origin of HMD? KF:I’ll let Emiliano answer about how we got linked up with Behemoth. As for HMD’s origin, we had both wanted to work on something together for ages. Emiliano came to me with the idea of doing a comic after he and Emilia had produced The Gatherer and Purple Oblivion. From memory, I think Emiliano came to me with the concept of the alien cat parasites taking over these elderly ladies (you can fill more on where that one came from brother). From there we had a solid starting point and it just grew from us going back and forth with pages each. Where this madness originated from is a mystery to me because so much of it just seemed to organically flow.
EP: Yes, Kiefer is right. I had this idea of an alien virus that behaves like toxoplasmosis, first infecting rats and then using them to climb up in the food chain until they get to humans. I remember also that I had this idea of these aliens invading earth and possessing women in order to use their vaginas as a teleporter machine. If I remember correctly the first draft we start working on it was called Teleprostitutes from outer space or something like that and then it ended up being called Heavy Metal Drummer. Regarding Behemoth, we started working with them at the end of 2017. They were just starting the publisher and we were just starting writing comics. We sent him a short 16 pages pitch of The Gatherer OGN. They liked it and we started to work together. They are always down to publish our crazy stuff.
MFR: So what’s the creative process with you guys? How do you guys communicate and get things done? EP:I think Kiefer put it perfectly when he said it’s been surprisingly smooth considering we have been working from opposite sides of the world (Australia-Argentina) It worked really on momentum. I would get a flow for a few pages and then when it stopped we would hand it over. Back and forth, we were able to build the story really organically. It would be great to get stuck at a point and then get Emiliano’s pages and just be thrilled… which then re-energized my momentum to pick up the next leg. We were oddly in sync the whole way through. I think that’s one of those special connections when artistic collaboration works at its best and I think it shows. I would like to add that we also had a big hand from Emilia, she helped us to get a better narrative close, and she helped us to get more explicit its “They Live-esque” vibes adding the reptilians in the main story, something we had missed during the writing process.
MFR: I also love the size and dimensions of the book. It’s very unique. What led to the book’s smaller size? EP: That’s a question for the guys from Behemoth. They took care of all the matters regarding the printing and stuff.
KF: As much as I would like us to be able to take credit for it (laughs)! I think it really did add to the experience though of picking it up for readers. Its size gives it that unique underground comic look and kinda signposts that “this is something really different”. So the process of writing was a back and forth, ‘ take a leg of pages and then send them over to Emiliano, He’d add and work on them and we would just build between each other’s flows. Sometimes one of us would have a really solid vision of say half an issue and then pass the baton on. Considering we are on opposite sides of the world it felt like we were always in sync about where the story was going. Once an issue was in a good state we would have Luca (HWD artist) work on the layouts from there. I believe Luca works digitally? (can you confirm Emiliano?). It’s been a really unique experience having such an international team through the process with Behemoth being in Texas, it’s been a real United Nations of comics!
EP:Luca has worked analog in HMD. Pencils, inks and colors have been made in photoshop.
MFR: Speaking of Luca, How did they join the team? Where did this fantastic artist come from? EP:He was born in Chile but he lives in Argentina. I met him on Instagram when Kiefer and I were looking for an artist who can fit aesthetically with what we were looking for in HMD art. We get along pretty well from the very beginning. Now we are working together on a couple of projects.
MFR: Awesome. I think Instagram is perfect for finding artists. Social media at its best! So a couple of new projects? I am glad you mentioned that because that’s my last question. What’s next for you guys? What are you working on after that drum rolls for HWD? KF: So we have quite a few coming down the pipeline. Together we have been working on 3 further books, one called Death Tripper which is a story about a cyberpunk cult of nuns that hunt down Neo-nazis and worship a worm-like being that feeds on the human experience of death. The second is a Thing-esque book about an alien rainbow liquid that begins assimilating the ground crew of a remote airport, that’s called The Unknown Spectrum. Also, a prequel to HMD called Heavy Metal Yakuza which will hopefully be the second of a trilogy. But I won’t say too much about that right now. Separately I’m working on a book called 1981 A.D. which is a post-apocalyptic, psychedelic, zombie mash-up set in rural Australia, two years after the world ends in 1979.
EP:Kiefer already told you about the new projects we are working on together. From my side, I am working along with Emilia and Luca in a couple of new projects. The Firstborns is a sci-fi horror five issues mini-series and Daemon is a horror five issues mini-series about a band of black metallers and their encounter with an evil entity summoned via an ancient mask. The Firstborns is already done and it will be published by Behemoth soon.
STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN #1 hits your local comic book shop on July 6, but thanks t Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a five-page first look for our readers. The eight-issue adaptation of the Disney+ series’ first season is written by Rodney Barnes, with art by Georges Jeanty, and Rachelle Rosenberg drops the color.
About STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN #1: The saga of the Mandalorian comes to Marvel Comics! Kicking off in July, STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN will be an eight-issue adaptation of the Disney+ series’ first season, giving fans a chance to relive the events and characters of Season 1 through the lens of writer Rodney Barnes and artist Georges Jeanty! From the thrilling introduction of Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin to his unforgettable first encounter with the Child, these iconic STAR WARS moments will be brought to life in a brand-new way.
STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN #1
Written by RODNEY BARNES
Art by GEORGES JEANTY
Inks by KARL STORY
Colors by RACHELLE ROSENBERG
Cover by ADI GRANOV – 75960609986300111
Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER – 75960609986300121
Variant Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY – 75960609986300161
Variant Cover by DAVID AJA – 75960609986300171
Variant Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU & SUNNY GHO – 75960609986300131
Pride Variant Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ & ARIF PRIANTO – 75960609986300181
Concept Art Variant Cover by NICK GINDAUX – 75960609986300151
TV Variant Cover – 75960609986300141
After a five-year break, Geof Darrow’s signature creation has wandered his way into a new series. This time, the focus has turned towards a story about parenting. Where the child happens to be a Komodo Dragon. And the parent has to save said child by waterskiing through the desert tethered to a pterodactyl. Writer/Artist Geof Darrow, Colorist Dave Stewart, and Letterer Nate Piekos all work in tandem to continue the Cowboy’s never-ending journey through the surreal. It’s almost like he never left.
WRITING
The issue opens with the Shaolin Cowboy still standing in the same intersection the last miniseries ended in, clutching the wounds from his climactic battle with King Crab. But instead of being set from the Cowboy’s perspective, Darrow frames the issue around a pair of talking father and son Komodo Dragons. While the pair sit atop the roof of an old apartment, the Father immediately recognizes the Cowboy from a distance. It turns out the aged lizard had met who he calls “the Desert Wanderer” many years ago. In a flashback, we learn that shortly after hatching from an egg in the desert, the Father had been threatened with being eaten by his own father. Wandering by at an opportune time, the Cowboy stumbled on the attempted infanticide and chose to save the fresh hatchling. The Komodo Dragon immediately decided to take the Wanderer as a new father figure. But soon, the new partners are threatened by a diminutive man riding a giant jellyfish.
Looking at all the previous Shaolin Cowboy installments, Cruel to Be Kin is tonally closest to the very first miniseries, Start Trek. While all three past series had quite a bit of spectacle, the first went furthest in throwing different scenarios at the Cowboy, jumping from an all-out desert brawl, to a city perched atop the back of a giant creature, to an underground shark pit. This issue ending with a baby man on a chi-channeling jellyfish feels like a statement of intent. That after two installments focusing on threats which were relatively grounded by Shaolin Cowboy standards, the absurdity is being ratcheted back up. Darrow mused on his Facebook that this series was created during the height of the pandemic, developing into an effort to create something worth leaving behind in case the virus prematurely killed him. So the brakes are off. This is Shaolin Cowboy at its most feverishly creative.
Which isn’t to say that the issue lacks a thematic through line. Darrow’s main obsession throughout Shaolin Cowboy has been with consumption. The Cowboy himself was kicked out of his Shaolin temple for being unable to forsake earthly pleasures. The main antagonist of past issues was the product of the Cowboy losing control at an all-you-can-eat buffet. The world is choked with graffiti and garbage. So the real-world fact that Komodo Dragons often eat their young is a perfect launching point for the series. Whether the comic will remain in flashback is yet to be seen, though the title ‘Cruel to Be Kin” makes it clear that the relationship between the Cowboy and the Dragon won’t be a purely positive one. At least they haven’t tried to eat one another.
ART
Darrow’s a born maximalist, cramming everything he can into each and every page. It works hand-in-hand in a series obsessed with excess. And after a series set squarely in a crowded town, Darrow gets to return to drawing two of his favorite subjects: Majestic desert landscapes and garbage. Whenever the action kicks into gear, the swirling desert dust goes flying, along with countless cigarette butts and beer bottles. An ancient dinosaur skeleton is covered in graffiti, ranging from a McDonalds logo to the phrase “Dick 101.” But the wildlife aren’t exactly clean either. Darrow’s people and animals constantly sweat, bleed, and spit. A few frogs even smoke. Touch any surface in this comic and your hands will come back sticky or stained.
Dave Stewart’s coloring works to emphasize the hot and heavy, sun-bleached desert most of the comic takes place in. The sky is sickly yellow and the landscape varying shades of orange, pink, and brown. The only real cool blues come from the Cowboy’s ineffective sun-blocking umbrella, and the intentionally out-of-place giant flying jellyfish. The desert is rendered as a beautiful place (aside from all the garbage), but deeply inhospitable.
Nate Piekos is given an unenviable job lettering all the captions and dialogue. Because much like everything else in Shaolin Cowboy, there’s a lot of it. The Komodo Dragons constantly provide commentary on events throughout the story, sometimes losing focus and going on tangents. But much of the dialogue is given rhythm through liberal use of italics and boldface, especially for the baby man near the end of the issue. Speechless skeletons communicate only through lowercase “clik clak.” It all helps give the dialogue personality, which is important for such larger-than-life characters.
VERDICT
Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to Be Kin #1 continues to maintain Darrow’s off-kilter sense of humor and spectacle. It’s a comic that feels like something that only Geof Darrow could make, which is one of the highest compliments a comic can get. It’s out today from Dark Horse, so make sure to pick one up.
WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #3 hits your local comic book store June 8th, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: A vision from Oracle starts to show its cards. Up in the skies, the storm does not appear to abate, falling upon everybody. Down below, the path of the hero begins to fade at every step. Nesbo sees how the lives that he took under his wings irrevocably slip through his fingers. Hototo and the reconnection team arrive at their mysterious destination; from this point on everything becomes uncertain territory that feels like moving sand. Meanwhile, Tala and Humbo’s journey to Megalopolis 9 has changed direction, and hands…
The series is by brothers Inaki & Roy Miranda (they co-write and Inaki handles the art), with colors by Eva De La Cruz, and letters by Dave Sharpe. The cover is by Inaki Miranda.
Check out the WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #3 preview below:
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