The calm before the storm
Another week, another interview for Go Home.
This one is an interview and a review on Comic Crusaders. They had some really nice things to say about the book in the review and the interview itself was a blast to do.
Speaking of praise this was awesome to find on Twitter this week.
Grab it on ComiXology here.
###
If you have a spare moment, please consider voting for Deer Editor for Pipedream Comics Best Digital Comic of 2016 here.
###
This week has mostly been about readying the ship for 2017 - schedules, what projects I want to put out there, etc. It's the slowing down before the exhalation of the new year and hitting the ground running.
In 2017, you should be seeing Disconnect drop. I've begun to get the finished penciled pages back from artist Gav Heryng and we're about halfway there. This is a script I'm really proud of. I've spoken about it briefly in some of the Go Home interviews, but it's about a drone pilot trying to balance a problematic home life with the guilt she feels over her actions as a drone pilot.
I spoke with former drone pilot Brandon Bryant about the project as I wanted to get the emotional complexities and the technical language right. Brandon is perhaps best known as one of the drone whistleblowers who wrote an open letter to President Obama recently. Brandon's input to the project was incredibly important to the point the entire ending of the story was changed on one of his suggestions. The book is what it is because of him.
###
I consumed a lot more comics digitally this year, which I think lead to me picking things up I wouldn't normally. It's incredibly easy to pick up an odd issue on ComiXology to test the waters with a series. Here are some favourites from this year in no particular order.
House of Penance - Peter Tomasi, Ian Bertram and Dave Stewart
This horror title is like nothing else on the stands. Using the real life inspiration of Sarah Winchester and her drive to constantly build and rebuild her house in an effort to atone for her husband's sins, the creative team portray her world as claustrophobic and chaotic. Horror lurks in every panel with the metaphorical becoming physical, wrapping itself around the characters in a way that draws the reader in at the same time as making their skin crawl.
Sheriff Babylon - Tom King & Mitch Gerads
It's the best war comic being produced right now. So this one was a no-brainer for me. King and Gerads perfectly capture the anarchic atmosphere of post-war Iraq where contractors and the military rub up against the citizens and the machinations of those who wish to see the western influence disappear. Issue #5 was perhaps my favourite single issue this year. It's just two people talking in a room for the most part, but King and Gerads imbue the scene with a truth that you can't help but engage with.
Batman - Tom King, David Finch, Mikel Janin
I'm only just working my way through the Snyder stuff in trade. Batman isn't normally a character I engage with on a regular basis apart from the odd run and trade here and there. But when King took over I had to take a look and I haven't missed an issue yet. The first run is all bombast and action, asking the question why Gotham doesn't have a guardian with super-powers.
Moon Knight - Jeff Lemire, Greg Smallwood & Jordie Bellaire
I'm a sucker for anything Moon Knight related, but few creators have come close to matching that original Moench/Sienkiewicz run. The Ellis series was great, but it was over too quickly. Lemire and co. have taken all of the best elements of the character (the tinge of madness, the mysticism, the supporting cast) and popped them into a psychological thriller where the reader is constantly questioning reality. The recent issues with guest artists such as Jeff Stokoe are fantastic. It's Stokoe drawing space werewolves for God's sake.
Black Monday Murders - Jonathan Hickman & Tomm Coker
Only a few issues have been released of this so far, but it's already something quite special. Hickman and Coker weave an epic tale of power and corruption, playing with format and design brilliantly to deliver a master class in world building and storytelling. One to pore over and deconstruct.
I wanted to limit the list to five titles, otherwise I'd be here all day. Other books I've loved this year include Negative Space (the ending of this one hit me hard in the best way), Black Hammer, Omega Men, The Vision, Invisible Republic, Injection, Barrier, Paper Girls, Midnighter, Virgil and Monstress.
###
This edition is already getting quite long so I'll drop Movies & TV into next week's newsletter.
Until then...
This one is an interview and a review on Comic Crusaders. They had some really nice things to say about the book in the review and the interview itself was a blast to do.
Speaking of praise this was awesome to find on Twitter this week.
Grab it on ComiXology here.
###
If you have a spare moment, please consider voting for Deer Editor for Pipedream Comics Best Digital Comic of 2016 here.
###
This week has mostly been about readying the ship for 2017 - schedules, what projects I want to put out there, etc. It's the slowing down before the exhalation of the new year and hitting the ground running.
In 2017, you should be seeing Disconnect drop. I've begun to get the finished penciled pages back from artist Gav Heryng and we're about halfway there. This is a script I'm really proud of. I've spoken about it briefly in some of the Go Home interviews, but it's about a drone pilot trying to balance a problematic home life with the guilt she feels over her actions as a drone pilot.
I spoke with former drone pilot Brandon Bryant about the project as I wanted to get the emotional complexities and the technical language right. Brandon is perhaps best known as one of the drone whistleblowers who wrote an open letter to President Obama recently. Brandon's input to the project was incredibly important to the point the entire ending of the story was changed on one of his suggestions. The book is what it is because of him.
###
I consumed a lot more comics digitally this year, which I think lead to me picking things up I wouldn't normally. It's incredibly easy to pick up an odd issue on ComiXology to test the waters with a series. Here are some favourites from this year in no particular order.
House of Penance - Peter Tomasi, Ian Bertram and Dave Stewart
This horror title is like nothing else on the stands. Using the real life inspiration of Sarah Winchester and her drive to constantly build and rebuild her house in an effort to atone for her husband's sins, the creative team portray her world as claustrophobic and chaotic. Horror lurks in every panel with the metaphorical becoming physical, wrapping itself around the characters in a way that draws the reader in at the same time as making their skin crawl.
Sheriff Babylon - Tom King & Mitch Gerads
It's the best war comic being produced right now. So this one was a no-brainer for me. King and Gerads perfectly capture the anarchic atmosphere of post-war Iraq where contractors and the military rub up against the citizens and the machinations of those who wish to see the western influence disappear. Issue #5 was perhaps my favourite single issue this year. It's just two people talking in a room for the most part, but King and Gerads imbue the scene with a truth that you can't help but engage with.
Batman - Tom King, David Finch, Mikel Janin
I'm only just working my way through the Snyder stuff in trade. Batman isn't normally a character I engage with on a regular basis apart from the odd run and trade here and there. But when King took over I had to take a look and I haven't missed an issue yet. The first run is all bombast and action, asking the question why Gotham doesn't have a guardian with super-powers.
Moon Knight - Jeff Lemire, Greg Smallwood & Jordie Bellaire
I'm a sucker for anything Moon Knight related, but few creators have come close to matching that original Moench/Sienkiewicz run. The Ellis series was great, but it was over too quickly. Lemire and co. have taken all of the best elements of the character (the tinge of madness, the mysticism, the supporting cast) and popped them into a psychological thriller where the reader is constantly questioning reality. The recent issues with guest artists such as Jeff Stokoe are fantastic. It's Stokoe drawing space werewolves for God's sake.
Black Monday Murders - Jonathan Hickman & Tomm Coker
Only a few issues have been released of this so far, but it's already something quite special. Hickman and Coker weave an epic tale of power and corruption, playing with format and design brilliantly to deliver a master class in world building and storytelling. One to pore over and deconstruct.
I wanted to limit the list to five titles, otherwise I'd be here all day. Other books I've loved this year include Negative Space (the ending of this one hit me hard in the best way), Black Hammer, Omega Men, The Vision, Invisible Republic, Injection, Barrier, Paper Girls, Midnighter, Virgil and Monstress.
###
This edition is already getting quite long so I'll drop Movies & TV into next week's newsletter.
Until then...
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