Buttery Flow Presents: Buttery Comic Roundup 3...

In this 50-min session, I review Darwyn Cooke's New Frontier for DC, Terry Moore's SiP vol.7, Larry Hama's run on Wolverine, Alan Moore's Tom Strong Omnibus Ed. vol.2, Scott Lobdell's run on Generation X, Ken Garing's Planetoid, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction by Mignola and Sandman vol.2 "a Doll's House' by Neil Gaiman.

*phew*

2 Cent Post-Weekend Reviews - Everything second week of December

Welcome back to another instalment of Oz' 2 Cent reviews.  Come back after Wednesday for a massive pile o' goodies for third-week of December books.  Today, I'll cover Avengers Arena #1, Fantastic Four #2, Archer & Armstrong #5, Green Lantern Corps #15, Demon Knights #15, Batman & Robin #15, Stuff of Legend Volume 4 parts 1 & 2, Clone #2, and Rachel Rising volume 2.  Let's dig in eh?

Avengers Arena 1:  Cover of the year!  Arcade is back and this time, he's taking no prisoners.  Unless you count the 16 youths he's placed (against their will) into Murder World.  Someone read Battle Royale over their summer break and now he's using it as a business model for his typically low-murder rated, profit free practice.  Intense from the first panel, glad I picked it up.  I'm here to stay.

 Fantastic Four 2:  Why are we still in the introduction faze?  I thought the Four took off last issue?  Let's get a move on already.  It's been far from Fantastic.

 Demon Knights 15:  Three armies gather on the soil of Avalon and our Knights are stuck in the middle.  The issue felt a bit rushed as it is Cornell's last, but he finally got to the place he wanted to be, showing the clear connection between Storm Watch and our Knights.  Next issue is entitled "30 years later" and that should be cracking!

 Green Lantern Corps 15:  The "All Guy Gardner" issue.  He's my favourite lantern so I really liked this month's installation   It's hard to get your groove back when you fall from the top and Guy just proves that can get you into trouble.  Meanwhile, the Guardians are still fucking shit up in outer space and Salaak is their latest victim.

 Batman & Robin 15:  Death of the Family part 7 million.  Robin is on his own and decides to search for the missing Alfred.  What he ends up finding is the Joker who quickly incapacitates him.  The rest of the issue plays out like a psychological chess match.  Joker is sick of the bat family, he wants Batman all too himself and he'll do anything he must to be rid of them.  All this plus Joker Vision!

 Stuff of Legend - The Toy Collector Part 1:  This book doesn't come out very often so when it does, it's a nice surprise.  The story so far.  A human boy is kidnapped by The Boogeyman into the strange dimension known as The Dark.  He is followed by his dog Scout and 7 of his most loyal toys who all have a different physical manifestation in The Dark .  The present; the toy soldier is dead. Quackers and Harmony lead a small band of rebels. Scout has stayed behind with the recently crowned King Max and his subjects.  There's no trace of the Jester or Percy.  And The Princess remains with her people in the Indian territory.  The boy is still accompanied by the deceptive Boogeyman (disguised as a child himself) and the ex-mayor of Hopscotch who is seeking redemption.  This first chapter is all set up.  The Boogeyman has plans in motion and Max relieves himself of his new throne to continue his original mission:  find the boy!

 Stuff of Legend - The Toy Collector Part 2:  Max, Monty and Scout reach the Deep Dark.  The boy and his companions find Percy, about to be spit-roasted by a handful of savage toys.  The Princess discovers a broken half of the Jester's mask and fears the worst.  The Jester himself is a few meters away, hidden in cave on the same shore and grievously injured.  And finally, Harmony loses all hope for her quest as she finds Max' domain empty.  Quackers calms her down with his new found wisdom.  The adventure continues!!!

Archer & Armstrong 5:  The all out action issue, it's none stop fisticuffs from page one to page twenty two.  Double A are chased by Armstrong's ancient brother.  He is the eternal protector of Earth's Geomancer (who btw,  was murdered last issue), he is the honourable and noble Gilad.  Not to say that Gilad is a bad guy, it's just that he's bonded to his sacred duty.   Not even death itself can retire him from his job.  He's stuck until he avenges the murder and unlucky for Archer, the target has landed on his head.  The only thing that can stop his savagery is to locate the next Geomancer.  Will the boys make it in time?

 Clone 2:  This is such a cool freaking book, I'm really glad I gave it a chance!  We get a little bit more insight on the clone program and, OF COURSE, like anything structured and evil, it's connected to the government.  We discover in this issue that it is an experiment that has been active for over 30 years in silence.  Until it met its ultimate whistle blower, Facebook.  I'm not even kidding here.  This is just a small part in the overall bizarre awesomeness.  You must check out CLONE!  It's fast and fun, political without the bore and it even has time to be packed to the brim with violence.

Rachel Rising V2 - Fear No Malus :  Nothing I say can do this book justice.  It's my pick of the year.  But without mangling the plot or giving away spoilers,  I will simply use the quotes at the start of each issue to give you an idea of how it rolls.  Issue 7:  "Death is not a game that will soon be over.  Death is a gap you can't see, and when the wind blows through it, it makes not a sound."  Issue 8:  "Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal."  Issue 9:  "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."  Issue 10:  "Lilith wanders about at night, vexing the sons of men and causing them to defile themselves."  Issue 11:  "Let my enemies devour each other."  Issue 12:  "You never realize death until you realize love."  Some pretty grim shit right?  This book has it together so damn well and this second volume ups the stakes and reveals a lot!  If this isn't picked up and made into a movie, then I really have no faith in human kind left.

CBNAH Interview: Terry Moore

Terry Moore is a champion amongst self publishers. His long running series, Strangers in Paradise, won just about every comic award that matters, and his current book, Rachel Rising, is a critical success. Tim caught up with him to discuss Rachel Rising, next years' Strangers in Paradise anniversary and more!

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Rachel Rising Vol. 1

CBNAH: You’re one of the most hardworking guys in the industry, writing, drawing, inking and lettering your work while maintaining a five week turnaround. Can you share with us a little of your process and how you spend your time making a comic?

TM: I just work on the comic every day. I work at home so it is easy to keep drawing all the time and into the night. i usually write the comic or at least the first few scenes, then start drawing. I change the story if I get a better idea while drawing. 

CBNAH: Who were some of your influences as a young Cartoonist?

TM: Charles Schulz, Herge, Curt Swan, Frazetta, Manara. I can see their details in my art. 

CBNAH: Rachel Rising has far more horror elements to it than your previous work. How is writing horror different to writing sci-fi or drama?

TM: I would have to say it's more liberating. I am free to let the worst happen. In fact, I am expected to let the worst happen. Isn't that odd?

CBNAH: You’ve said Rachel Rising is going to be around the 24-30 issue mark, which means we’re past halfway. Can you tease us with any tasty morsels from upcoming issues? What can we expect?

TM: Nope. No spoilers!

CBNAH: Your talent for creating strong, interesting characters is well documented – currently I’m loving Aunt Johnny! Do you draw inspiration for your characters from your own life, or do they come from somewhere else?

TM: I think my characters are composites of people I've known or read about. I never make a character directly from one person, that would be dangerous!

CBNAH: I’ve noticed you tend to write women in pairs – Katchoo and Francine, Julie and Ivy, Rachel and Jet – Is that a conscious decision, or am I seeing something that’s not there?!

TM: I tend to work the yin yang of everything, including people and relationships. For every push there is a pull.

Francine and Katchoo, the main characters of SiP.

CBNAH: You spent the better part of 14 years working on SiP. What’s it like to have that hard work recognized, both through awards and sales?

TM: It's wonderful that Strangers In Paradise has not been forgotten and left behind by the world. I hoped it would outlive me. So far, so good.

CBNAH: Can you give us anything juicy on the new SiP story for next year?

TM: It is about the girls today, in the present. And they are every bit as cool now as they were then.

CBNAH: As someone who is somewhat detached from the mainstream comics industry, what do you make of the state the industry is in? Are comics a dying art form?

TM: I think comics are changing. But they won't die. They are will remain a valid art form, like classical music and oil painting. Those disciplines were once very high profile in society, but have fallen to quieter levels. So it may be with comics, but the art form will survive. Comics have been around since the the cave men, I don't think the computer will kill them.

CBNAH: You’ve expressed your take on digital comics elsewhere, but I’m curious to know what the results of making your work available digitally have been? Have you seen a decrease in print sales?

TM: I have seen a slow steady decrease in print sales but it is not because of digital... it is because that's the way comic retailers order books. They order less and less and less and less and less until a book dies. It's a nightmare for indy books, and the reason why mainstream stories are mostly short arcs that last no more than a year. No matter what people say, it's all about the new in the American direct market. Meanwhile, my digital sales have been good, helping me to survive the shrinking print market.

 

CBNAH: What comics have you been reading lately?

The last comics I read faithfully was Power Girl by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. I tend to read novels and but art books. I read good titles like Chew and The Goon when I can find them.

Creator Roundup

This week, Dan Hipp's a hero, Phil Noto's a kitty, Terry Moore fights for his supper, JH Williams III is mainstream, Joe Hill puts up a door, Sean Phillips shows off, Skottie Young casts a spell, Peter David introduces his daughter to Star Wars, Jeremy Bastian is a freak, Chrissie Zullo draws some women, Jeff Lemire is full on DC, Dustin Nguyen goes beyond the JL, Francesco Francavilla goes to space, Will Wheaton, Felicia Day and Jamie McKelvie collaborate, Ryan Ottley rsides in the DMZ and Dustin Weaver os Astonishing.

Talking Trades: Echo by Terry Moore

Terry Moore is a rare talent. While it’s not unusual for comic creators to both write and draw their comics on a regular schedule (Erik Larson, for example) few do it better than Terry Moore. Echo is a complete 30 issue story, his second after the 90-issue Strangers in Paradise. Echo is a very different story to Strangers though. Moore uses elements of science fiction, action and espionage, mixing them together in a gripping and beautiful gumbo of awesome.

Terry Moore on CBR TV

We’re fans of Terry Moore here at CBNAH, and the indie legend sat down to chat with CBR at NYCC about making a living in comics, doing mainstream work and being a bit of a perv.

Katchoo, Princess of Mars!

Here’s some more Strangers in Paradise cosplay for you care of the amazing Terry Moore. You’re welcome.

Creator Roundup

This week Dan Hipp channels his inner Willy Wonka, Mike Carey plays video games, Terry Moore shares his trash, Dave Gibbons talks about...erm...Watchmen, Gabriel Ba draws some houses, Kate Beaton puts some cartoons together and calls it a book, Jamie McKelvie offers an Icelandic nymph, Georges Jeanty doesn’t watch Buffy, Jonathan Luna makes Steve rogers a girl, Joe Hill makes a list, Brian Wood makes a sign, Bryan Lee O’Malley makes a Mario level and Chrissie Zullo makes pretty pictures.

More Strangers in Paradise Cosplay!

Katchoo is Power Girl!

Here’s another awesome Terry Moore Sketch - Katchoo from Strangers in Paradise as Power Girl!

Molly Hayes Punches an Elephant!

Just found this excellent artwork by Terry Moore: