Comic Shop Birthday Blowout

This past Friday the 13th, local Seattle comic shop extraordinaire, Arcane Comics held their 7th annual birthday bash. Aside from promoting tasty eats and yummy beverages, they also scored big time and got four awesome local comic creators to come into the shop to sign, sketch and add some flavor to the event.

Hip Flask of Elephant Men, drawn by Moritat

Mark Rahner of Rotten fame was there.  I had a very cool chat with him about how he and Robert Horton go about co-writing an issue of Rotten.  Basically they meet up at a bar and hammer out the stories.  Rahner said he tends to write the parts that feature Agent Wade, because he is more like Wade, and Horton writes the Flynn parts because he and the character are also similar.

Rahner said they have the whole series plotted out, and know pretty much exactly how everything will play out.  There is a bit of a risk that their publisher, Moonstone, wont give them the full run they deserve, so they might need to compress things a bit to squeeze in the full plot.  My fingers are crossed that wont be the case.  Rotten is one of those under-appreciated gems.  I know I've urged you all before, but check out this comic.  It is worth a read for sure.  

Matt Southworth, the artist of Stumptown was also there doing sketches and signing stuff.  Southworth mentioned that his band was playing in town the following night so he and I talked for a while about his musical influences.  He was kind enough to hook me up with his band's CD and add an amazing sketch on the inside of my Stumptown graphic novel.

Stumptown sketch by Matt Southworth.

Also in attendance was Moritat, the artist of some Elephant Men issues and DC's fairly recent relaunch of The Spirit.  He was kind enough to draw a very cool sketch of Hip Flask, one of the characters from Elephant Men, which you can see above. 

Rounding out the comic creator crew was Stefano Guadiano, an artist who is best known for his work on the highly acclaimed Gotham Central.  He brought some original pages to sell and did sketches as well.

All in all, it was a damn fun party and a great signing/sketching event as well.  If you are a local Seattleite, I urge you to check out Arcane Comics, it is truly the finest comic shop in a city filled with some pretty amazing comic shops.

Comic Quickies: All Guns Blazin'

The Sixth Gun #'s 10 and 11:  Hoo boy, I sure am far behind on my comic reviews.  So far behind that I had the tenth issue of The Sixth Gun sitting in my review pile for a whole month before I got around to it.

Don't let my terrible reviewing habits deter you from reading this series.  It is absolutely flipping awesome.  If I had to pick my next favorite ongoing comics series after Chew and Sweet Tooth, I just might pick The Sixth Gun.  This comic is a fantastic blend of western, fantasy, and horror, and I absolutely love it.

While this second story arc has featured less of the six magical guns, and less shootin'  it has delivered some epic and exciting moments.  I will say that I enjoyed the first story arc a bit more than this second.  I guess I never felt that Sinclair, Becky, and Gord were in as much danger during this arc as they were in the first when running from General Hume and his death squad.

What looks to be the important aspects of this arc are the introduction of Kirby Hale, and some cool world building.  Some new supernatural elements are introduced, and the world of The Sixth Gun seems to be full of evil spirits, ghosts, ghouls and demons that are just itching to get their hands on the guns of power.  That means that pretty much where ever Sinclair, Becky and the guns go, trouble is likely close behind.

It should also be noted that this second story arc was just five issues long where the first arc was six issues.  Those of you looking to buy trades and jump on with the third arc, need to get yourselves prepared for some sweet six shootin' action sooner rather than later.  Awesome, and inventive writing, along with some fantastic art, make The Sixth Gun one of the finest reads on the shelves.  This is a comic you don't want to miss.

Rotten #'s 7-9:  Never in my life has anything made me say "Oh, fuck yeah!" out loud more often then Rotten.  In fact, it happens almost as much as I say, "Oh, shit, that's nasty!"  Yes, I can truly count on Rotten to always deliver the awesome, the sickening, and the balls-out action.

The seventh issue kicks off a new story arc that has our two heroes, Agent Flynn and Agent Wade split up.  While Flynn travels to Chicago to meet and debate with other intellectuals in the field of medicine, Wade Travels to a logging town in the Pacific Northwest to investigate the latest zombie outbreak.

The seventh issue stands out for what is maybe the most epic/hilarious/cathartic moment in all of comics.   I don't want to spoil too much, but I'll say that Wade dispatches a Sarah Palin zombie in a very epic way.  "Shut. The Fuck. Up. You brain-dead bitch." Is quite possibly the greatest set of speech bubbles ever.

While Wade is fucking up zombies, Flynn is living it up, socializing with other great minds, eating some tasty sausage, and courting a lovely lady.  However, he also finds himself stuck in the middle of a large, ongoing debate between the scientific minds of Chicago, and a large group of ignorant citizens who don't believe in the theory of evolution.  Flynn also crosses paths with the mysterious Aubrey, the strange albino who almost killed Wade in an earlier issue.

Though only nine issues in, Rotten, when it comes out, is proving to be one of the more entertaining reads on the shelf.  The publication rate is pretty sporadic though.  I believe this is more due to the publishing company, Moonstone, than it is the fault of the creative team.  Since there has been a fairly lengthy gap between issues, I just save 'em up till I have a full story arc, then read the whole thing.

The writing of Rotten will definitely keep you on your toes.  Not only does writer, Mark Rahner add in lots of little historical tid-bits that tie into modern day media, but he also demands your attention as the zombies evolve, and little clues are peppered in.

What sets Rotten apart from other zombie tales is the zombies themselves.  While most zombies we see all too often these days are brainless, shuffling cannon fodder, the zombies of Rotten are an ever changing beast.  In this arc Wade found himself battling hordes of untiring undead with the ability to run, and swim.  In past issues the zombies have possessed different abilities.  Though it might seem like a small thing, the fact that the zombies are different each time makes them a far more interesting adversary.  I also like the fact that Wade and Flynn pretty much have no idea what they are up against, and what the zombies will be like the next time they cross paths.

Rotten is an underrated and under appreciated comic.  It flies a bit under the radar due to that fact that it's not published by one of the bigger publishing names, but in my mind it blows away much of the competition.  This is way better than almost all other zombie stuff out there, and it truly is getting better with each issue.  When I reviewed the first Rotten graphic novel  I wasn't in love with the art, but it improves with each issue.  If you are looking for some balls to the walls action, and glorious zombie killin' that is as smart as it is entertaining, give Rotten a try.

Emerald City Comicon

My 2011 Emerald City Comicon experience was pretty much the polar opposite of last year's visit.  Whereas last year I was an awkward, uncomfortable comic newbie and pretty much directionless, attending mostly for the spectacle, this year I was a man on a mission. 

It's crazy how much can change in a year.  Last year my comic reading consisted of a few scattered titles here and there, and you could fill a library with everything I didn't know about comics.  A year later and I could still fill a library with my major lack of comic knowledge, but I certainly am much more well read in the medium, and I have a much better grasp on my comic likes and dislikes.  As a result, my comicon this year was a much more focused endeavor.

A couple nights prior to the con, I eschewed my pending schoolwork in favor of scouring the con guest list and taking note of all the writers and artists I wanted to see, and meet.  You could've titled the list: Who's Awesome Work Will I be Drooling Over on Saturday.  I even mapped out where their booths were.  Despite my awesome planning, I knew the droves of comic fans were equally, if not even more hyped than myself, so I got there early.

Being the planner that I am, I prioritized my list, starring the must-see names.  It should come as little surprise that John Layman and Jeff Lemire, were tops on that list.  I'm proud to say that every last Chew related item I own is now signed by John, (who actually remembered talking to me at a comic shop signing last December!) and a good chunk of my Jeff Lemire collection is not only signed but sporting some awesome original art by Jeff.  In the signature department, I also got the full Joe the Barbarian run signed by the super friendly and skilled artist Sean Murphy, and I got my Axe Cop graphic novel and the ultra new Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth comic signed by both the Nicolle brothers.  Getting my stuff signed by a six year old was pretty awesome, and my Axe Cop trade is sporting a sweet red lightning bolt along with Malachai's signature.  The signing aspect of the con was a complete success, as I got everything I brought with me signed.  I wish I could have lugged more around, but a backpack can only hold so many comics!

Aside from getting lots of stuff signed, I also got to talk to a lot of great comic writers and artists.  It was cool talking westerns with Brian Hurtt, the artist of The Sixth Gun, and talking about the pressure of working with Marvel characters with indie artist/writer Farel Dalrymple.  I had an interesting talk with Mark Rahner, the writer of Rotten, about how his gritty zombie comic set in the post Civil War era draws on some of the hot new items of our recent history.  Mark puts a lot of research effort into the comic, and it adds nice hidden nugget element to the comic.

I found myself spending a good chunk of time at the Image Comics booth, which was loaded with cool creators.  Probably the biggest highlight of the con for me was meeting Kurtis J. Wiebe, Scott Kowalchuk, and Nate Simpson, three young dudes who have some sweet looking comics already out or on the way this spring.  All those guys were incredibly easy to talk to, super nice, and grateful for my interest in their material.

Kurtis and Scott work together on The Intrepids a sort of science-gone-wrong action comic. Kurtis also works on the upcoming horror comic Green Wake, which looks pretty sweet, and Nate is writing and drawing the beautiful looking Non Player which is looking absolutely amazing.  Three dudes who have some great looking comics on the horizon.

I was totally pleased with my con experience.  Getting to talk to people who entertain and inspire me is always a treat, and it gives me greater appreciation for their work, but lets face it:  Part of going to comicon is to see people dressed up, so here you go, some con pics!

Ramona Flowers

It's sorta scary how much he looks like the real deal!

Wonder Woman might wanna keep an eye on Freddy.

The last unicorn.

These guys were doing a cool pose, but my camera is slow to turn on, so instead of a cool Darth Maul attack, I caught the post-battle hug.

Review: Rotten v1 Reactivated

First of all, a giant "it's about damn time" to Moonstone for finally publishing this thing.  They solicited this trade way back in September, but never got around to publishing it until early January.  When I talked to writer Mark Rahner at the Jet City Comic Show back in September he was extremely frustrated with the delays, and I can see why.  Rotten is a sparingly printed comic, that steadily sells out, yet still leaves unlucky buyers wanting the issues...Myself included.  I wanted to jump on at the fourth issue, but the first three issues were nowhere to be found, and thus had to wait for the trade to come out.  And wait, and wait, and wait.  Sometimes when I wait in anticipation for something for long periods of time, that thing I waited so long for fails to live up to my heightened expectations.  Luckily Rotten: Reactivated didn't let me down.

This comic takes place during the Rutherford B. Hayes administration, and focuses primarily on two characters, William Wade, and J.J. Flynn.  Wade is an army vet who has been forced back into service by a president who cheated and stole office.  Wade has been sent to the mining town of Shimmer to investigate a strange phenomenon...Outbreaks of the living dead! The trip to Shimmer doesn't reveal many answers, as the duo is forced to deal with scores of zombies and a mine owner who forces the town's residents to work his mine at gun-point in return for his "protection" from the strange creatures.  The two barely escape with their lives, but become separated when Wade catches a bullet and seeks succor from the Shilo family, a family that cant seem to "let go" of a daughter that is barely showing signs of life... You better believe that girl is a zombie.  Lastly, the three-part story arc is rounded out as Wade and Flynn go undercover at a dilapidated army fort.  Wade poses as the new Commander there in an attempt to discover the source of some mysterious on goings at the outpost.   The fort has been plagued by occasional zombie attacks, and upon further inspection Wade and Flynn discover yet another type of zombie.

Wade and Flynn are stuck playing catch up in every situation they find themselves in, and though they are fast learners, the zombies are never quite the same in each situation.  The cause of the outbreak is unclear, rumors abound that it could be a sign of the apocalypse, a strange new virus, or possibly even have something to do with that new fangled theory called "evolution".  What is clear though is that in each situation the zombies are different from the last batch, which leads one to think that whatever is causing the outbreaks is mutating.  A scary idea given the frontier setting, lack of communication, and the state of scientific knowledge at the time. 

The best thing about Rotten is that much of the material can easily be connected to current or very recent historical events.  The bit about Hayes is a clear poke at the Bush versus Gore election, and there is lots more.   Including the government re-conscripting former soldiers, that whole Terry Shaivo ordeal, major corporations making money off war efforts, and even the torture of prisoners in Abu Ghraib.  These elements help the story interact with contemporary issues despite it's wild west setting.  Reading Rotten and coming across these elements makes the experience all the more rewarding.  I always appreciate it when writers engage contemporary issues in intelligent ways, and in that sense Rotten succeeds.

Aside from the political/historical references, Rotten: Reactivated is a well written comic.  I am very wary of anything having to do with Zombies, but this graphic novel manages to make the story not about the Zombies, but about the survivors.  There is definitely a lot more to learn about Wade and Flynn, but the makings for great characters is there.  At this point they can only react to the zombie outbreaks, and try to patch things up.  As a reader I got the sense that I was learning just what the hell was going on alongside Wade and Flynn.  This heightened sense of mystery was an endearing trait, and left me wanting to read more.

The one glaring weakness of this Graphic Novel is the art work, which can look rather rough and flat.  There were many times when I had to take time to look too closely at a panel to figure out what was going on, and that disconnect can take away from my enjoyment.  I think the problem is that early on in the graphic novel, the panels per page ratio is a lot higher than it is later in the book.  This causes many of the pages to look busy, cluttered, and constricting.  Later on, in the Frostbite story for instance, instead of eight panel pages you get more pages with six or less panels, which opens things up and leaves more room for more detailed art.  As a result, the second half of the book looks better than the first half.  Weak art can be a major deterrent for me, but luckily the art in Rotten: Reactivated is just good enough to keep me going, and all signs point to more improvement in that area.

All told, Rotten is a pretty sweet zombie comic.  It's a great blend of western and horror, basically right up my alley.  I'm a subscriber to the monthlies now, so hopefully Moonstone can manage to make the releases more timely.  For sheer strength of story, I give this my recommendation.  Comics readers could do far worse, and there is very little out there that is better.  If the art was better I'd put this title up there with The Sixth Gun but it is sadly not on par in the art in that series.  Still, a great read, and a book that looks to be improving with each installment.  I say it's worth a look.

Grade: B-