STUFF TO GO BACK AND FIND
By Alex Ness
March 5, 2023
Over time I have read lots of comics. LOTS of them. Overall, I was really happy with most everything I read. But, in the present, comics are 4 or more dollars and take about 5 minutes to read. Yes I know, I'm an old fart, but this isn't saying everything was better back when. But back when the quarter or thirty five cents went a hell of a lot further it seems. I might be wrong. And everything on the list below cost more than that. But it seems to me the change came in about 2005-2010. I can't say how, the way it did, or why I point to that era. The comics presented before you aren't all of the same sort or variety. Some of them are superheroes, some of them are horror, and some are fantasy or science fiction tales. Some of them are allegorical or metaphors. Some are humorous and action packed. Whatever they are, I think each of these is worth a read. Without much commentary, here are 9 offerings from me, that you should look for. I think you'll enjoy them. And after viewing my choices and briefs comments, three of my best friends who read comics, give three of their choices.
SPAWN THE IMPALER from IMAGE
By MIKE GRELL
Vlad the Impaler, scourge of the Turks. Son of the Dragon, leader of a people who both fear and respect him. The enemy Turks view him with equal amounts of hatred, and terror. And his enemies endured blinding, tortures, and the most painful manner of death, being skewered upon a slightly greased pointed pole, and being made to slide down the length, bleeding out, slowly in complete agony. By taking a page from history, equating Vlad the Impaler, Vlad Tepes was one of history's most violent and ardently bloodthirsty characters with Spawn, a spawn of Hell, Mike Grell magnificently crafts a tale utilizing the possible cruelty of both of those characters. He evolves the comic concept of the many avatars of Spawn with that of historic figure Vlad the Impaler, and even manages to weave a romantic edge to it as well. I think it is more complex and well done than almost any other version or run of Spawn, with David Hine's run the only offering perhaps above it for excellence. It would be the perfect TPB and Grell surely wouldn't turn down lots of money.
SHADOW OF THE BAT from DC
By Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle
The story takes place in a very dark setting, giving Batman an opportunity to use his mind and strategy more than his gadgets or network of support. Alan Grant was a favorite writer of mine, but I never got to meet him or interview him. Norm Breyfogle, I absolutely loved as a talent, but he and I had numerous deep and inspirational conversations that gave me a foundation for my own work. I really held his work in high esteem, but his soul and being in higher esteem. This work showcases amazing talents, and telling a great story.
MIKE BARON STUFF from various publishers
I am going to keep bringing up Mike Baron and his work. He has a 40 year long career writing amazing works, and whether the character is one he created, or one from a different creator's hand, he brings excellence to the table. Nexus meeting Magnus is a fantastic way of drawing different futures and galaxies together, and left me wishing for more issues. The Badger is a Wisconsin Vietnam war veteran with PTSD that plays out in multiphasic personality disorder. He is a superhero of sorts, with a kind gentle soul towards the innocent and all wildlife, who meets epic and odd characters who come into his life. It is great, and works best if you have Wisconsin roots. The Architect is a beautiful looking work, with fantastic writing and characters. Baron is a genius.
PETER BERGTING Epic tales with his art and writing
Domovoi is a wild tale of fantasy, unusual beings, faeries, and mythic truths. It might not work for people who need linear and superheroic works, but it sure works for me. The Portent has a warrior's journey, great battles, and a visit to Hell, or similar plane of existence. Some people spoke about it being less active voice and more telling about a story instead of telling the first person story. Well baloney. The Portent is a tale that has wonderful qualities, epic, beautiful, courageous and honorable. It was a rare, but wonderful work. Cojacaru was a work that I enjoyed, but found it more standard in how it told the story. I think those wanting to see great art should definitely pick it up.
FREAK FORCE from IMAGE
Created by many hands, but including Erik Larsen and Keith Giffen, this book was a team book, but not at all like anything else from Image, nor most any other publisher. It took a gathering of mostly unique kinds of heroes, considering them outcasts at the same time as doing good acts and find justice. Now If only they could find a headquarters and pay the rent for it. The action plus humor connection make the book for me rather fun, but at the same time, the odd combination of characters and their dilemmas faced, make this a really overlooked by average fans.
BRYAN J.L. GLASS, great stuff
Two of these books, Valkyrie and Thor are creations based upon mythic characters, of Norse Mythology in particular. Bryan Glass is among the best writers in comics in the area of myth and interpretation of the hero's journey. Perhaps he is talented in telling courageous tales. Perhaps, he tells great stories, and if he was allowed to write more, and different comics, we'd learn, he has kick ass talents to tell all kinds of stories. 86 Voltz the dead girl, is a fantastic one shot tale that is clearly Mike Oeming and Bryan Glass in perfect confluence. It is actually a metaphor for me, about a spirit that runs through us, energizing us, providing a power we can only tap by giving up all control of our being. A great and overlooked book.
ATOMIKA by Andrew Dabb (writer); Sal Abbinanti (creator & artist)
This series was often pooped on by dullards, and derided by people only able to see a single way, a linear mind, but, allegorical and metaphorical works often receive that sort of reception upon arrival. Because the layers and need to know references lead the reader to have to look deeper, it causes either bliss or hatred. By it being on this list, you know I loved it. It focuses upon a world of Soviet and Russian features, considering the individuality in such a state, and reflecting upon it by how the characters within it respond to such a form of governance. I think it is brilliant. I don't worry about the dullards, and if you are bright and didn't like it, I am sorry, I don't include you in my statement.
PAUL HARMON: Brilliant Artist, Clever Writer
My first artist of a comic book was Paul Harmon, found in Josh Howard's Sasquatch. His work on it was brilliant and elevated my point, which was brief and mostly well received. His art has unique qualities that I find to be able to create a mood and setting in a single panel. His Tales of the TMNT is remarkable, for me, because while I was into comics during their rise, the Teenage Turtles never moved me, but when I bought this issue, I was rather stunned. It was perfectly moody, action packed, emotive, and made me feel for the characters, which I'd never felt before in one of these comics, or cartoon. His cover for Dingo has a similar color palette, and illuminates and enhances everything found inside the comic. His self written and drawn work MORA has a flavor about it, it is not gothic or dark, but it is about dark things, with moody characters. It features magic or powers, without feeling like a superhero book or anything like mutants. The ideas and art propel the story, but I liked it for the writing as well. I have greatly enjoyed everything I've read or viewed by Paul Harmon, and I wish there was more for me to read.
THE MAD MAD WORLD OF TED McKEEVER
Tons of people have pooped upon me for saying I like the work of Ted McKeever. Why? It isn't typical of comic book art. The style of art used by McKeever to express his story is non photo-representational. It avoids perfect photo imagery, because it is symbolic, meant to express information rather than spoon feed the reader what they need to know. I think the subjects are incredible as well. He questioned the thesis of beauty as a cause for body modification. He created manic characters who seek to answer questions that might simply be their mind having trouble interpreting the world around them. And created cities where survival was thought to be an important thing, because it wasn't such a glorious dream to exist. Remembering that a dystopia is the same as a utopia, but in reverse, asking questions that make you wonder why you might value beauty so much, or normality so much. Asking why vivisection doesn't cause a normal person to question its horrid use, when the reality of it is, the practice is torture. I don't know McKeever at all. He might be a genius and kind, or a clever prick. But his work makes me not care about the author of the work, only to wonder about the answer to the questions he asks you to consider.
AND GUEST CHOICES
Rich Chapell is a man of many skills, he is well educated, creative, artistic, and if you are on the other side of a debate with him, you have a challenge. He helped rescue me more than once with his education in medicine and science, regarding my health issues. But our greatest discussions can be about comics, obscure, common, wild and weird, or perfectly normal.
His choices were mostly without explanation but here they are...
SONIC DISRUPTORS, from DC was a 12 issue maxi series that was truncated down to 7 issues due to sales. But written by Mike Baron, it had a compelling story, which showed much promise. The series involved music and advanced technological society.
THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS from Malibu, by Gerard Jones and Will Jacobs, stands to be a slightly controversial choice, as one of the authors was arrested for and spent time in jail for doing some unpleasant things. The comic though was a humorous and satirical journey of a supposedly normal fellow who can't go out for a gallon of milk and some bread without stepping into a terrorist event or alien invasion.
SAM & MAX beginning in 1987 but well published by many publishers, by Steve Purcell is a tale about a pair of private investigators, mystery solving and adventuring experiencing characters. One is an 6 foot tall anthropomorphic Irish Wolfhound, the other is a similarly enlarged rabbit or hare or something similar. The humor is both obvious and clever, using layered references to be less than simplistic, at the same time rewarding readers who are observant. This media property ended up as video games, and other similar tangential items.
Steve Olle is a dude with similar college degrees and interests as me, but he took his life in different directions. He also worked at a magazine for collectibles and comics, COMBO, and worked for Game Designer's Workshop. He is kind, someone I adore, and a fellow who took the opportunity whenever possible to come from distant lands to meet wherever I happened to be, with wife or just with my son.
He chose POE by Jason Asala first from the publisher Cheese and continued at Sirius. This series is an interesting change from many, who would make the author a background character or have a cameo walk on. The story takes the stories from the real life of Edgar Allan Poe as inspiration for stories where Poe is himself the main actor, seeking to solve or escape the evil that is threatening the peace or the life of others. The art is rather unusual but tells a story well.
Raymond Neal is an art school graduate, who works as a librarian, and has a vast knowledge of the world of comics, books, art, bad football teams, and Southern cuisine. He's someone I find perfect for discussions about comics because his knowledge of just about every comic, publisher or talents, make him more balanced in his ideas, more intriguing in what he likes and why he likes it. And ultimately he is someone I treasure for many reasons.
"Blackhawk (DC) by Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegel I loved this comic so much I bought a subscription (my first) after reading one issue. Of course it was cancelled a little over a year later."
"Alec
by Eddie Campbell. From Hell and Bacchus get more attention, but Alec
was my favorite work of his. Top Shelf did a big honking complete
collection years ago that should still be available (Alec: the Years
Have Pants)."
"Creator: Dean Haspiel ... He’s not exactly overlooked, but I don’t think he’s as fully appreciated as he deserves to be. His webcomic the Red Hook has gotten the most attention the past few years, but his earlier work (Billy Dogma, Keyhole, scads of indie anthologies) is well worth seeking out. He’s also dipped his toe in the mainstream waters with DC, Marvel and Archie"
GREAT THANKS TO Rich, Steve and Raymond
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