From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:41:27 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:41:27 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Attempted Not Known #8 Message-ID: Attempted Not Known #8 Review by Mardou Well, never say never! Where as I found previous ANK's a little cold in tone, number 8 delivers all the missing elements, namely humour and warmth. A collection of shorts by a more mature Peter S Conrad, among the stand out material here is a piece called Oh the Joys. In this story, Conrad employs a split level page layout, where he talks about the pressures of buying up and renovating a house that was more of a 'fixer-upper' than he or his girlfriend anticipated. In the top-panels, the domestic squabbles are played out, a circular soap opera of bickering and compromise, "I hate this place as much as you! But I'm trying to be a happy person!" Peter snaps to his stressed out companion. In the lower panels; the cellar of the house, there's reflection and rumination on the past as an older neighbour helps Peter fix the joists and tells him about the past. The strip ends on a hopeful note, on both levels of the story, and it's a particularly satisfying short, rendered in a more cartoony style than usual. It reminds me a little of Ivan Brunetti or Steve Weissman, but its all Conrad's own, suited to the tale and to his confident penmanship. Circulation is my favourite piece here. Conrad writes about a workmate: Phil, who has died. We get to meet Phil, through his tastes in books, the stories that he told, stories about Phil told by relatives at his funeral, and through the story here, which Conrad is telling us about him; where this workmate and friend fit into his own world. There are many layers: Conrad uses visual echoes throughout the piece, and the elements of storytelling, stories within stories, to relate a little echo of this man: Phil. At Phil's funeral, his books are laid out for guests to take. Conrad poignantly reflects that the books could have belonged to an older version of himself, so similar are his tastes. The story is begun and wound up in a library, a building full of stories, we are pushed to consider, and a book from the funeral, which wasn't Phil's but the library's, is returned by Conrad, put back into circulation. Just as the story of a man's death, is told from the point of view of people living, so Phil's presence is kept in circulation, by the layers of stories, which make up a man's life. It's a quietly powerful piece, its nuances are subtle but it rewards re-reading. The artwork is simple, taut and does its job of story telling perfectly here. By putting more of himself into the stories, Attempted Not Known has become truly his own: a really strong issue. Highly recommended. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/a/ANK.html#8 Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=374 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:42:57 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:42:57 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] The Last Sane Cowboy Message-ID: The Last Sane Cowboy Review by Mardou There's a sense of coming full circle with Daniel Merlin Goodbrey's comics. Best known for his innovation in web and 'hypercomics', Goodbrey uses his clip-arty style in the folded and stapled paper format; and it's really good! A simple but hugely quirky tale of a crazy young Cowgirl who, "Intends to get sane" before she gets old, on a mission to rescue her brother (who's a goldfish) from his kooky captors: the inmates of a Wild West town named Insanity. (Ah, that's what you get when you go messing around with your older sister's special mescal!) Though there's nothing hand-drawn about the book, which is where my tastes are firmly rooted, there's something really likable about Goodbrey's pixellated artwork. He keeps it simple for one thing: using black, white and grey-tone, and good balance with pictures that are well composed and dramatic: there's a strong design sense here. The main thing which makes the project work so well, is the strength of the writing, something that will always win out in a comic book as far as I'm concerned. Razor-sharp, it's uber-cool without trying too hard and there's an affectionate lilt to the ending which stops the cool being too superficial. It's also laugh-out-loud funny in a couple of places, a slapstick sensibility which I really like; reminiscent of the film making of Hal Hartley or (though I'm loathe to say it) Tarantino. Ah, the Web-Wizard now trumps the world of papery small press too, by making this near-perfect little gem of a comic book. The bar's been raised, this is great stuff. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/l/lastsanecowboy.html Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=375 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:43:58 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:43:58 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Whitby Message-ID: Whitby Review by mooncat Silly me... that old song, "Only a Prawn in Whitby" rattles through my head... I guess that might be one of the reasons I picked this comic up at Caption... Whitby's creator, Gavin Ross does proclaim his interest in music in the comic, but not C86 indie music; he runs a Marc Bolan fanzine, so whether he would even have a passing likeness for Cud is highly debatable. The point is moot; this comic has nothing to do with music. In the editorial Gavin mentions that he saw the film American Splendour detailing Harvey Pekar's ordinary life, & the idea impressed him greatly. From this I would also surmise that Gavin is not heavily involved with the alternate comics scene, as 'whittering about self' is an alternative comix mainstay. This lack of artifice is also apparent in the artwork; Gavin has a quite conventional realist art style. In a way it is quite plain & would not look out of place in a mainstream magazine: an asset to the comic as a whole. Unfortunately this means that it is a little plain & functional; there is no bold experimentation with the line or style. But then, this might only serve to distract from the story telling. There are 2 stories in the book & both are satisfying reads. The first, Whitby is thus called because this is the destination of Gavin & his pal Martin as they set out to celebrate Martin's birthday with a 'night on the town'. The story is in the telling - this is presumably as close to real life as Gavin feels he can make it, but it strikes me that there may be little in the way of planning & forethought involved in the creation the comic itself. It starts off at a leisurely pace but there are a couple of points where the panel to panel layout gets a little confusing, (at one point he resorts to 'directional' arrows) & the final page seems somewhat cramped (it would have worked better as 2 pages, even if the final panel filed half the page). To counter, it also has to pointed out that Gavin is an accomplished comics artist, as the art sample that accompanies this review should testify - he is quite capable of putting together a very good page of comic art (i.e. compostion & flow). The second story details a visit to see his father, but as his father is in prison at the time, it details the getting there rather than the encounter itself. The actual meeting; the point where they meet in a fond family hug is just the denouement to the process of 'visiting'. I am fond of these stories as they appeal to my comics sensibility - the understated nature focusing on the moments of life that are mundane, yet magic which life throws up all the time if you care to look. Although autobiographical comics are not uncommon, this sort of impartial documentation of the everyday is less common. It might also be considered voyeuristic, but it is also informative - it reflects directly the lives of people in a way that is rarely seen. So much of modern life is reflected poorly in the media in general. Soap Operas engender a rational that something 'dramatic' must happen all the time. Life is challenging enough without the desire to insert a cliché ridden 30 minute story arc with a cliff-hanger ending to every situation. This is what makes Whitby a refreshing change. In a way the lack of "planning & forethought" is a strength - Gavin knows what happened - it is his view of what happened & he has committed it to the pages of this entertaining comic. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/wx/whitby.html Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=376 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:46:12 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:46:12 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Dishes #8 Message-ID: Dishes #8 review by mooncat On the first page of this comic there's a declaration of contents: Dishes: Humanist Gazette of Dots & Scratching Dishes: "Art" project with no deadline of grade Dishes: Fashionably late adolescence Dishes: An apologetic insert in every overdue letter Dishes: A way of cleaning out my room (in preparation for moving house) of scraps of paper of ideas and half-ideas. Printed extra small because that's all it deserves. Magnifying Glass not included. "Is it a comic is it a zine or something that's in between" There you go - thoughtful, erudite & ultimately self deprecating; very British. Get the immolation in before the critics get to you. So, as you'd gather this, is a little bit of a hodge-podge: little ideas firing off & sometimes sparkling, & sometimes sort of fizzling out & not really doing much at all. Overall though, it has charm: something which I value deeply. Ian is a talented artist. I recall Dishes #3 fondly with it's artistic (if messy) flair & ambition. The flair is still evident in parts here, but in the diminished size restrictions of this booklet it has little room to really flow. 'The Monsters in the Cupboard' strip is the worst afflicted by the confines & it's sort of difficult to see what's happening in a couple of panels, but a little extra thought makes it work out (or is it my rationalisation of ambiguity). Because of the sporadic nature of the comic and the format it's not something that you can really demand great intellectual prowess from. However, there are some thoughtful strips, like 'Georgio - Historian In The Information Age' which also, like others shares the theme of disaffection with mainstream culture. This flip flopping from insightful & throwaway moments gives the comic a kind of conversation feel: like a slightly inebriated chat down the pub with an good friend; it has that kind of ingratiating intimacy. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/d/dishes.html#8 Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=377 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:47:54 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:47:54 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Hope For The Future #6 Message-ID: Hope For The Future #6 Review by Matthew Badham I should hate Hope for the Future (HFTF). It should come across as puerile Buffy-lite. It doesn't however, mainly because of high quality writing and art from Simon Perrins (script and pencils) and Andrew Livesey (inks). HFTF follows the exploits of Hannah, Greg and Lee, three monster-busting slackers whose world, though packed with all manner of spooks and ghouls, is very like our own. In this edition they take on a demonic Santa Claus and a town that's gone unexpectedly pagan and severely sex-mad. HFTF 6 is the second of a two-part story, but fortunately the inside front cover gives a story-so-far rundown of previous issues, which makes the action pretty easy to follow. HFTF is a quality product. Perrins' pencils remind me of Simon Fraser's, circa Fraser's collaboration with Martin Millar on 'Lux And Alby Sign On And Save The Universe'. His script doesn't disappoint either: it's light and funny, with characters that are well drawn and dialogue that sparkles. HFTF has a great 'real people dealing with extraordinary events' feeling and, in that way, echoes 'Skizz' or 'Wired World'. Livesey's inking is impressive too, with a clean line that serves rather than swamps Perrins' art. Livesey also contributes a one-page pin-up to HFTF 6, a good piece of work that's slightly reminiscent of Jamie Hewlett. On this evidence, I would like to see more complete art from Livesey. My feeling is that his work is of the standard that could easily sustain a whole comic. HFTF is a little gem, a page-turner that, while not rocking your world with profundity, will make an otherwise dull half-hour fly. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/h/hopeferfuture.html#6 Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=378 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:51:07 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:51:07 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Louis: The Clown's Last Words Message-ID: Louis: The Clown's Last Words Review by David Birchall I guess the most obvious comparison to Louis is Orwell's 1984: updated and twisted ever so slightly to fit something resembling a more modern world. The constant barrage of "digital entertainment (sponsored by Mort)" like Orwell's ever present TV screens and omnipresent Big Brother (it always amused me that we ended up watching BIg Brother...), people seen as numbers, anonymous buildings, uniformity of life and interrogation with cheese, all seem to have obvious resonances of Orwell and the of the state becoming ever more invasive. The story itself follows Louis' return from 'The Bee Farm' (or somewhere). I think this story is part of a series, but it seems to stand on its own as well. We see the build up to an obligatory 'Fun Day Out' for all the inhabitants of Louis' town, with Louis designing a game for a competition; the prize for which will be given out at this 'Fun Day Out'. Louis also potters about his daily business and occasionally gets tortured with cheese. Underneath all this is some kind of simmering conspiracy, climaxing in various twists at the 'Fun Day Out'. The book is beautifully produced, drawn in a style that reminds of kids TV animations, but I'm not sure quite what; maybe Postman Pat coloured in complimenting water coloury pastels. Later on there's a brilliant page where the registration of the colours is slightly mismatched to give a feeling of fear/speed/pandemonium. How language is used in the book also really interested me here, the Metaphrog team has a good grasp of different voices and characters and obviously enjoy language. The use of childlike alliterations, "frenzy of fruit" and Louis' bird named, "Formulaic Companion" give a sense of play and occasional tweeness, but in a good kind of way. The phrase from the TV that is echoed by several characters, "this is almost the beautiful house we Quidnuics deserve" makes an interesting point concerning the need to consume and create consumers, there's always something newer and shiner to buy that we probably don't need (like camera phones, maybe I'm getting old but I really don't see the point!). The frog character whose voice shifts in and out of audibility is also fascinating, leaving the reader grasping for what they might have missed, imagining, moments where you see something moving out of view to left, off in the bushes; the comic as a whole has this feel to it: moments left unexplained, unsaid, the vast conspiracy theory underlying the plot that is never quite fully revealed, and leaves you with the feeling that the story we're reading is actually circling and weaving around the real story. On a first reading I loved this aspect of the story, you're left feeling like you've just watched a David Lynch film, trying to piece together if any of what you just saw made sense, dragging meaning and understanding from what you've been presented with into a coherent form. However, the more times I read the story, the less I liked it for precisely this reason, it started to feel like the reader was stumbling along, trying to figure what is really going on and starting to get the feeling that maybe there might not be that much underneath the semantic tricks. It reminds me of the Fugazi song Waiting Room, waiting to get to the point; for a feeling of functionality and it never quite arriving, leaving you in confusion. I'm not quite sure why didn't work for me in the end, as I said before I often tend to thoroughly enjoy stuff that is willfully obscure. Maybe because it took so long trying to write this review, I just got put off in the end. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/l/louisclown.html Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=380 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:52:06 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:52:06 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Pirates Message-ID: Pirates Review by David Miles Golding This is a very professional looking product excellently printed with 13 short stories about... well, pirates. The stories are from different creative teams and as such are of varying quality. Printed in black and white each story is 3 or 4 pages long; some drawn in pencil and brush others in black ink. Some are good and some very bad; same goes for the stories. My personal favourite 'All that Glisten is not Gold' is a 3 page tale using only Lego pirate play sets and figures, which I though was very clever and very funny. Altogether a very well put together effort, I'm not sure if it's worth the cover price of £3.50, but I'm sure it's that high only to cover the printing costs. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/pq/pirates.html Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=381 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:53:06 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:53:06 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Pet Static #4 Message-ID: Pet Static #4 Review by David Golding What can I say about this comic... WOW! This thing should be called Dazed and Confused... It's the closest thing to an acid trip on paper as you can get. The art is very trippy ... reminiscent of the American underground comics of the 60s and 70s. Story wise I have no idea what was happening. There was something going on but I didn't know what it was, but I don't mean that in a bad way. Every page is full of energy and imagery, and at times is a little scary looking. I don't think its every ones cup of tea... I don't know if its my cup of tea... but in a perverse way I think it's wonderful and well worth checking out. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/pq/petstatic.html#4 Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=382 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:54:07 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:54:07 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Coffee is for Grown Ups #2 Message-ID: Coffee is for Grown Ups #2 Review by David Golding This is a great little comic, a autobiographical account of the making of this issue and the things that go through the creators head as she writes and draws, wonderfully written and very heart felt, you can tell that the writer, Lucy has talent. There are recollections about her parents divorcing and how this has affected her as a person. I imagine that it's very therapeutic for the writer to put this on paper. With a strong sense of story telling she gets her point across and makes you want to read more. Art wise its not the best in the world a little simple but used to great effect, I personally loved the little demon like character she uses to symbolise her conscience...it kind of looks like a Pokemon with a drinking problem. All in all a great little comic... a little hard going due to the subject matter but well worth your time. For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/c/coffeegrownup.html#2 Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=383 From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:56:36 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:56:36 +0000 Subject: [review] [TRS] Fragments #2 Message-ID: Fragments #2 Posted by: John Robbins The will for things to be right with the world is commendable subject matter for creative endeavour. Fragments #2 is pretty much beyond reproach in this respect. However, in terms of the application of craft and imagination in realising a satisfying, engaging whole, this title is somewhat lacking. Certainly in its current not-quite-there state, it's more document-driven than 'arty'. Much like the rudimentary narrative of Fragments #1, the pieces in this second issue are made symbiotic by the obvious, inherent 'voice' of author Christine Harper and by esoteric subtext. Among the offerings is comic strip 'Nazi Sock Puppets', juxtaposed dialogue/poem/illustration 'The Tragedie Of Richard The Turd', and text piece 'Room 101'. Though there exists an inconsistency of cartooning style, the shared polish and bold clarity of the visuals provide the required cohesion, and the work just about hangs together as a curiously shorthand whole. That it resembles some form of ethics instruction booklet (with no hint of parody) cut & pasted to appeal to attention-deficient children, is unfortunate; but with some design-tweaking, subsequent issues could achieve the less free-form, more adult delivery of Totem/Icon Books' Introducing/For Beginners series. As the recent wealth of cinema-released documentaries suggest, there is an audience for pressing, universal issues discussed/raised with personality and intelligence. In this respect (and though no 'The Corporation'), the brief soapboxery of Fragments #2 won't disappoint. It's a didactic, mostly relevant tuppence-worth. Check ordering details and Fragments Online at Chez Chrissie. for more info see: http://www.bugpowder.com/trs2/04/11/29/fragments_2.html From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sun Jan 2 22:58:05 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 22:58:05 +0000 Subject: [review] [TRS] The Ex Revenge Project Message-ID: The Ex Revenge Project Posted by: John Robbins Cinema Sewer creator Robin Bougie mines the=20 bilious online-subculture of jilted males bent on=20 the humiliation of ex-partners by means of=20 pushing once private knowledge into the public=20 domain, both through written description and=20 photographic evidence. With names withheld and=20 pornographic snaps converted to pen & ink=20 drawings, Bougie's oblique reproduction of the=20 pathogenic effect of break-ups is agreeably=20 sanitised and succeeds in absolving the reader of=20 indirect involvement in the abuse - that is,=20 beyond the reader-as-consumer responsibility for=20 maintaining this residual market. The Ex Revenge Project offers eighteen=20 illustrations accompanied by inherently depraved=20 accounts of sexual activities as detailed by an=20 assortment of vengeful males intent on the=20 promotion of their own sexual proclivity through=20 the profound embarrassment of ex-girlfriends.=20 There's no Heathcliff or Mr Darcy here; expect no=20 semblance of punishment as prompted by moral=20 outrage at transgressed values. No, here=20 civilised society takes a backseat with Vaughan=20 from Ballard's Crash, and Bougie doesn't need to=20 tilt the rear-view mirror much to allow us an=20 eyeful of sexual displacement, psychological=20 disinhibition and a dismantling of repression. Repulsive and compelling, and with well-directed=20 restraint, The Ex Revenge Project captures=20 confused emotion pervaded by a sexuality gone=20 sour. You'll mourn the loss of our biologic=20 'mating season' regulation; you'll wince at the=20 emergence of a taboo-breaking, confessional=20 society; and you'll embrace asexuality with a=20 gnawing despair. Look away, S. Clay Wilson - this=20 is dynamite! In the pages of The Ex Revenge=20 Project, man will delight you not, no, nor women=20 neither=8Anor women neither. Available at Atomic Books. for more info see: http://www.bugpowder.com/trs2/04/12/12/the_ex_revenge_project.html From reviews@lists.zumcomics.info Sat Jan 15 22:59:44 2005 From: reviews@lists.zumcomics.info (reviews@lists.zumcomics.info) Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:59:44 +0000 Subject: [review] [ZUM!] Pirate Monkeys: The Curse of the Black Banana Message-ID: Pirate Monkeys: The Curse of the Black Banana review my mooncat Now here's something of a novelty: a full colour small press comic. It doesn't look 'printed' per se, and it's not produced on an Inkjet... so the nerd in me is interested in how this was manufactured; the production method involved and how others might be able to make use of it... I suspect that there some form of colourcopier involved, but whether that's a 'home', 'office' (ahem) or 'shop' variety, I'm unsure. There's a distinct possibility of the latter as it's a little pricey, but whatever the circumstances Richard deserves a hearty slap on the back (the intensity of said may indicate your level of jealousy) for pulling this off. Richard J Smith is making a good name for himself in the UK Small Press. His prolific levels of productivity, his nifty cartooning and overall high 'funnies' level have seen to that. This particular comic matches most all his previous output on these criteria; it's a good wee comic and there are a few good chuckles to be had on the way and I recommend it to you on this basis. But... oh, that accursed reviewer's but (butt?)... There's something that's just 'not quite there'. Richard's cartooning is full of life - the lines have energy and the gags are well played but... It could 'read' better. Now, I don't mean that the panels do not follow one another, I don't mean that in some way the story is unclear... all these things are good and work fine - it's more to do with construction and composition. On the whole there are set 'scenes' within the comic, each lasting a few pages. These are framed with scene changes and the occasional 'splash panel' but generally, all the action takes place within pages of 6-panel grids featuring a variety of 'mid shots'. Unfortunately this does little to accentuate tension or humour. The instances where this approach works best is in gags that require an amount of 'static' action (waiting for a reaction, for instance). It does not serve the screaming and leaping about that is in evidence in a lot more of the comic - all this action stuff 'reads' a little flat. While this the comic reads 'OK' and is fun, and there's nothing inherently 'wrong' here it is just 'OK'. It misses out on something that could make it a much more visually exciting. Richard could take his work to a whole new level if he were to put more consideration into the pacing and layout of the comic on a page to page basis and in its entirety. I suspect that it would also allow the reader to be drawn into the comic to a greater degree, heighten the emotional intensity and allow the gags more room to deliver the punch. It would probably also make the comics longer as a whole - which may be no bad thing. Also, although this is a full colour comic, I have to admit I am not all that convinced that it adds a lot more than, say; a layer of grey (spot colour) separations and deft use of line weight. It helps to separate out the individual items in the images, but it is not really used to reflect the mood (atmospherics), nor change the pace of the comic (density of colour variation used); the palette of colours remains about the same all the way through. It is used separate out speech - the word balloons are at times colour coded for each individual, and there are times that this works well, but overall it doesn't appear to have an colour scheme in mind as such. Now, this review may seem a little too hash, and I would not want any of this to put someone off thinking about buying this comic. You should want to buy it - it's a laff! - You'll enjoy it! I whitter on like this because I think that Richard's comics are at the border of becoming something really desirable. I believe if he pushed it that little bit further he could be a force to be reckoned with.... then you'd really see something! For more info see: http://www.zumcomics.info/pq/piratemonkeys.html Discussion: http://forums.pauljholden.com/viewtopic.php?t=395