TODD McFARLANE Interview Part 2

EDITOR'S NOTE: Traveling Stories is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote literacy with beginning readers. They are presently gearing up for an awareness campaign highlighted by this year's San Diego Comic Con. They have provided this interview in the hopes of drawing more attention to their good works. Please click the link at the end of this article to hear or read the interview. Also take some time to learn more about the program and consider a donation, sponsorship of a StoryTent, or volunteer. Thanks!

The following provided courtesy of Traveling Stories . . . . . .

Founded in 2010, Traveling Stories wanted to provide a program for at-risk kids that would not only help them learn to read, but also help them fall in love with reading. In 2011, Traveling Stories created the StoryTent: a mobile literacy program that would provide one-on-one reading support and motivational incentives to kids. For every book read, kids earn a Book Buck, which can be redeemed for prizes. This keeps the kids excited and motivated to learn, as well as teaches them money management skills.

We serve kids between the ages of 2 and 12 years old. From birth until 3rd grade, kids are learning to read, but from 4th grade on, kids are reading to learn. Kids in low-income households who can’t read proficiently by 4th grade are 15 times more likely to drop out of school. Sadly, in the U.S., 82% of disadvantaged kids can’t read at grade level. We currently serve over 3,000 local kids a year by our weekly programs in El Cajon, City Heights, Imperial Beach, Vista and La Mesa.

Interview: Todd Mc Farlane Part 2 – The Entrepreneur

Board member Ted Adams, and IDW Publishing and Clover Press founder, recently met up with Todd McFarlane. Todd is the artist and creator behind Spawn and President of Image, the 3rd largest comic book company in the United States after Marvel and DC. It’s truly an honor to have these two top comic icons dedicating an hour of their time for us.

We’ve split up the interview into two segments: Todd the Artist — Part 1 published June 17 and Todd the Entrepreneur — Part 2.

Both segments have the audio and the transcribed interview. It’s great to hear Todd talk about his legendary career in his own words. This interview goes beyond the typical question and answer sessions you’ll find in most mainstream outlets. It goes beyond “why did you create this character” and delves deep into Todd’s insights on how to create stories, how to build your career as a comic book artist, and offers essential writing tips.

We hope you’ll see — just as we did while working on this — how this is packed with gems!

Go to the following link to read or listen to the audio of the interview . . . . .

https://travelingstories.org/fundraising/interview-todd-mc-farlane-part-2-the-entrepreneur/

Book Review: THE RUST MAIDENS by Gwendolyn Kiste

THE RUST MAIDENS by Gwendolyn Kiste (Trepidatio Publishing, November 2018)  Paperback, 252 pages.  ISBN # 1947654446 / 9781947654440  

 

Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

Something’s happening to the girls on Denton Street.

 

It’s the summer of 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio, and Phoebe Shaw and her best friend Jacqueline have just graduated high school, only to confront an ugly, uncertain future. Across the city, abandoned factories populate the skyline; meanwhile at the shore, one strong spark, and the Cuyahoga River might catch fire. 

 

But none of that compares to what’s happening in their own west side neighborhood. The girls Phoebe and Jacqueline have grown up with are changing. It starts with footprints of dark water on the sidewalk. Then, one by one, the girls’ bodies wither away, their fingernails turning to broken glass, and their bones exposed like corroded metal beneath their flesh.

 

As rumors spread about the grotesque transformations, soon everyone from nosy tourists to clinic doctors and government men start arriving on Denton Street, eager to catch sight of “the Rust Maidens” in metamorphosis. But even with all the onlookers, nobody can explain what’s happening or why—except perhaps the Rust Maidens themselves. Whispering in secret, they know more than they’re telling, and Phoebe realizes her former friends are quietly preparing for something that will tear their neighborhood apart.

 

Alternating between past and present, Phoebe struggles to unravel the mystery of the Rust Maidens—and her own unwitting role in the transformations—before she loses everything she’s held dear: her home, her best friend, and even perhaps her own body. 

 

 

My review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

As industries declined in Rust Belt cities during the 1980’s, what happened to the neighborhoods populated by factory workers and what effect did the decline have on them?  The close-knit community living on Denton Street on Cleveland, Ohio’s west side experience that in the summer of 1980 and it changes them in profound ways. Facing an uncertain future, main character Phoebe Shaw and her close friends question their path forward when they should be engaged in joyous celebration of high school graduation. Upon notice of the closing of the local steel mill, the neighborhood is faced with an uncertain future. The decay and deterioration suddenly manifests in strange physical symptoms among five young girls, friends and acquaintances of Phoebe Shaw who is unaffected.  This is a powerful novel with fully realized characters of varying moral values and points of view - - all wonderfully depicted by Kiste who has a remarkable empathy for all varieties of humans - - male, female, young, old, blue collar, white collar, alcoholics, holy rollers, abusive personalities - - she nails her depictions of them all. 

 

   The Rust Maidens could easily serve as a straight work of fiction without the horror elements, a coming-of-age story that is specific to young women and the changes and challenges that confront them. However, Kiste has combined those elements with the horrific nature of the physical decline of the girls and juxtaposed the former with the latter in such a way that they are intertwined to make a complete tale. Make no mistake. This remains a horror novel, albeit literary horror of premium quality.  It is body horror, a helpless physical change that is more disturbing than any monster or slasher. 

 

  After several chapters into the story, I had a sense that not all the events in the story were going to correct themselves or result in a totally happy outcome. In addition, Kiste’s remarkable ability to evoke in readers the same feelings that her characters are experiencing kept me riveted to the story.  It’s nearly impossible not to feel sad and empathize with these characters, especially the incredible compassion of Phoebe. Throughout the reading of this novel, I became sad, depressed, and apprehensive along with these characters. That did not prevent me from reading to the end, which results in a small, but positive note.  A powerful novel that deserves a wide audience.

Book Review: DEVIL AND THE DEEP - HORROR STORIES OF THE SEA

THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP: HORROR STORIES OF THE SEA edited by Ellen Datlow (Night Shade books, February 2018)  Hardcover, 320 pages.  ISBN # 1597809071 / 9781597809078

 

Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

It’s only water, so why should we fear large bodies of it, such as the sea or the ocean? However, when you’re all alone, you realize how scary a place it can be.

 

In Devil and the Deep, award-winning editor Ellen Datlow shares an original anthology of horror that covers the depths of the deep blue sea. Whether its tales of murderous pirates who stalk the waters in search of treasure and blood, creatures that haunt the depths below―ones we’ve only seen in our nightmares, or storms that can swallow you whole, the open water can be a dangerous and terrifying place.

 

With new stories from New York Times-bestsellers and award-winning authors such as Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, Stephen Graham Jones, and more, Devil and the Deep guarantees you’ll think twice before going back into the water. 

 
My review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

 

     I approach themed anthologies with caution. In too many instances, the central idea begins to wear thin after multiple stories with the same approach. However, with Ellen Datlow behind the ship’s wheel as editor, I decided to read this one. I trust her story judgment.  It was also the winner of The Bram Stoker 2018 Award for Best Anthology Of The Year. 

 

     It’s not hard to see why. None of these stories were lukewarm in temperature. Everything met my expectations.  Out of fifteen stories ten were above average (hot!), and three exceeded all expectations (scalding!) which makes them  worthy of pedestal placement. 

 

The three five-star stories were:

 

• “Fodders Jig” by Lee Thomas is the name for a disease birthed by the sea. The story includes a horrific monster scene that is truly disturbing. What makes this tale even more important is how it deals with broken relationships and preserving what’s important.

 

• “Broken Record” by Stephen Graham Jones is the highly imaginative tale of a desert island castaway who sees his desert island wish list manifest in strange and wondrous ways. 

 

• “He Signs Of Salt And Wormwood” by Brian Hodge concerns free diving, driftwood statues and the call of the sea. At its’ core is a heartwarming story about relationships. 

 

The entertaining above-average four star tales include:

 

• Simon Bestwick’s “Deadwater” which is more of a crime novel with a clever amateur sleuth and a disturbing motive. The only horror element in the tale is a very ghastly method of murder.

 

• “Curious Allure Of The Sea” by Christopher Golden details an example of the power of tattoos and talismans to attract and bring up all manner of things from the sea. 

 

• “A Ship Of The South Wind” by Bradley Denton is a fast-paced story set within a steampunk apocalypse on an inland sea. 

 

• In the creepy “What My Mother Left Me” by Alyssa Wong family ties run deep, even when separated by the land and sea.

 

• Steve Rasnic Tem’s “Saudade” sees a recently windowed elderly man embark on a strange and creepy senior matchmaking ocean cruise. 

 

• In “Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You To The Sea”, Seanan McGuire shows how nobody can be meaner than one sister to another.  Rivalry can be brutal. 

 

• A.C. Wise’s “A Moment Before Breaking” is an unsettling boat journey by refugees.

 

• A haunted diving suit creates chaos in “The Deep Sea Swell” by John Langan

 

• The very funny and entertaining “Shit Happens” by Michael Marshall Smith uses the sea as catalyst for a zombie infection that begins in the gastro-intestinal tract. I almost gave this a five-star rating but it ends too abruptly with no resolution offered or hinted at.

 

• In “Haunt”, a story told in a much earlier style (like Moby Dick and other sea tales) Siobhan Carroll writes of a monstrous sea crash that results in a sinking ship as past misdeeds return across the waters to punish specific sailors. It shivered my timbers.  

 

Because the above stories were so strong and of such high quality, it hurt the impression of the two selections I rated only three stars:

 

• An old skull in a lofty room yearns for a sea view and does its’ best to communicate those desires in “The Tryall Attract” by Terry Dowling.

 

• Norwegian whalers run into spooky trouble in “Whalers’ Song” by Ray Cluley.

 

This is a superior collection, more than worthy of the awards it earned and was nominated for.

New Comics Wednesday 6/26: Pick The STEEL CAGE Winner

STEEL CAGE  #1 (Ahoy Comics, June 26 release date) Three features: 1) TRUE IDENTITY written by Tom Peyer with art by Alan Robinson; 2) BRIGHT BOY written by Stuart Moore with art by Peter Gross; and 3) NOAH ZARK written by Mark Waid with art by Lanna Souvanny.

 

     Remember when comics publishers used to release pilot-themed issues to test the market for new series?  Think of Marvel Premiere, DC’s Showcase and Dark Horse Presents - - to name just a few. Ahoy Comics takes that concept and makes it a competition, previewing three potential series in one issue and asking readers to vote online for their favorite, which presumably will become their next new series.  The Steel Cage wrestling comparison is appropriate - - only one will be declared the winner — whichever story earns the most votes. 

 

  I really like this idea.  I also love that readers get a chance to participate and influence the publisher’s direction. I hope this results in  increased sales and equally good voting so that Ahoy gets rewarded for their efforts. I just wish that one of these stories was vastly superior to the others, to make the choice easier for me. I think they are all equally good.  This is going to be a tougher decision, but I’m still going to make it - - and share at the end of this article. (But don’t let that determine your decision. We all have different likes.)

 

   As I prepare to read my preview copy of Steel Cage, I’m already considering what it’s going to take to earn my vote. I’m always looking for something that is different from standard comic book themes. Since I’ve read far too much superhero fare I’m pretty jaded about this genre and require something really unique to keep my attention. Oh no! The very first entry is a superhero story. We’re not starting off very well. 

 

    The promotional description of TRUE IDENTITY describes the story as one “in which we learn what secret anguish drives the most beloved superhero on Earth.” In case readers don’t know the definition of the word “penultimate”, the story title of “Penultiman: The Next To Last Step In Evolution”  is there to help us along.  Our hero is muscular, handsome and powerful and will remind readers of Superman and/or Captain Marvel/Shazam - which is probably deliberate. More of a missed step rather than the next to last step, Penultiman is deemed a failure by the cosmic race that birthed him. 

 

  This is what makes Penultiman different from other all-powerful superheroes he reminds us of - - - he has very low self-esteem. Unlike Superman’s alter-ego - Clark Kent, the confident star reporter for a daily newspaper - - Penultiman’s secret identity is a lowly FBI employee that is not regarded as competent enough for other agents to take him on assignment. 

 

  The Evolution Police from a future society (a race of hairless, unisex dwarfish intellectuals with cross-eyes) can’t tolerate the presence of anyone this ugly, so they send him back in time to be rid of him. 

 

   The usual Peyer brand of humor is on display here. I love the idea of a giant robotic bull attacking the Stock Market. Later, when deciding what to do with the misfit Penultiman, the best choice is to “then place him in a  more primitive population with stupider people around whom he can excel.” He’s sent back to the year 2019. 

 

   In an actual cage match, Penultiman would easily be the winner as he’s the most powerful of the three characters in STEEL CAGE. But, this isn’t a physical battle. I’m amused by this story but still undecided. Bring on the second contender. 

 

BRIGHT BOY is described as a “grim tale of the world’s smartest human - - and the havoc he leaves in his wake.” Reading that title prompted some shivers of Golden Age nostalgia to tickle my memories. 

I’m warming up to this before I even begin reading it. I’m reminded of the very short-lived superhero BRAIN BOY title, a Dell Comic from 1962-63 in which a super-smart boy with powers of telepathy, levitation and mind control worked for a secret government agency. He had no costume, just a nickname.  

 

   In “Desire Lines” the main character is a super-intellectual employed by the government, who wears business attire and adopts the “Bright Boy” nickname before the story ends.  Doctor Litman is supremely confident and a bit arrogant. In a near future U.S.A. where Trump is not the president (thank you!) he’s pulled into a stymied computer control center to help prevent a nationwide power blackout with serious consequences.

 There are also some interesting secondary characters in the presence of agents Beamer and Corman (who remind me of Mulder and Scully) and two robotic bodyguards who speak in poetic but apparently incorrect analogies. Litman resents their assistance, and prefers to work alone.  Corman explains why - - “because when you’re called in on a job people tend to die.”  Without giving too much of the story away, when Bright Boy gets stressed or excited near the completion of a challenging task, it activates some unwanted powers that others don’t want to be near when it’s released.  This is a smart tale with some clever dialogue an interesting character and an interesting Catch-22 problem. I would like to see more. 

 

NOAH ZARK is described as “an alien boy is kidnapped into an interplanetary zoo - - and becomes the protector of the animals.”  The whimsical nature of the art compliments the story, which is cute and friendly and perhaps a bit too whimsical for my tastes. This seems like its’ aimed at a younger audience and has a episodic nature to it. 

 

   Since Noah appears to be the leader/commander of the spaceship which houses the zoo, I’m wondering about that “kidnapped into an interplanetary zoo” description. Perhaps he started out as a hostage and led a revolution to take over command. That would probably make for a more interesting but much longer backstory, so we get a shorter, complete tale here. (My assumptions only, I’m not privy to inside info on this.) 

 

  In this introductory tale, the zoo is pursued by another ship from a spacefaring circus and menagerie that claims some of it’s beasts were stolen from them.  The ark eludes them and travels to the home planet of one of its zoo members, only to be enlisted into helping prevent a weather catastrophe.  It’s fast paced fun and amusing, but not something that’s going to keep me coming back month after month. 

  By the way, the art is good in all three of these tales, and the illustration style suits the contents. I especially appreciated the change in color palette and shading in the grim moments of Bright Boy.  But this isn’t about art.  It’s the stories that will bring us back and that should have the most influence on the vote. 

 

   I started out thinking this would be a tough decision, but the exercise of having to think about and then write descriptions of these stories has made my decision easier.  I vote for BRIGHT BOY. I want to read more BRIGHT BOY.  

 

Now it’s your turn.  Pick up the book and make your own decision.

SHEA FONTANA Comes To BALTIMORE COMIC-CON 2019

 

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - June 25, 2019 - Don't miss the 2019 Baltimore Comic-Con at the Baltimore Convention Center in the Inner Harbor on October 18th, 19th, and 20th. The Baltimore Comic-Con is thrilled to welcome the award-winning Shea Fontana to the 2019 event. Tickets are available now.

Shea Fontana is a writer for film, television, and graphic novels. Her credits include DC Super Hero Girls animated shorts, TV specials, movies, and graphic novels; Polly Pocket, Doc McStuffins, The 7D, Whisker Haven Tales with the Palace Pets, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, the upcoming Muppet Babies series; two Disney on Ice shows; and the feature film, Crowning Jules. She has also written for top comic titles, including Justice League, Wonder Woman, and Batman: Overdrive(coming soon).  Her DC Super Hero Girls graphic novels have been New York Times Best Sellers. Her debut graphic novel, Finals Crisis, was honored with Diamond's 2016 Gem Award for Best All-Ages Graphic Novel, and DC Super Hero Girls: Past Times at Super Hero High won the 2017 Gem Award for Best All-Ages Graphic Novel as well as the Comixology Reader's Pick award for Best All-Ages Graphic Novel of 2017. DC Super Hero Girls was also the winner of the Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel at the 2018 Ringo Awards, garnering votes against the largest number of competitors from any category on the 2018 ballot.

"It is an absolute honor to have Shea joining us this year," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Her work is such a huge hit with the kids, both in comics and television, and her work is amazingly well-received in general. We couldn't be happier!"

What's Next: The Official FRANK ZAPPA COLORING BOOK

FANTOONS EXPANDS FALL 2019 LINEUP! The Los Angeles Publisher and Animation Studio Introduces An All-New Official Frank Zappa Coloring Book! LOS ANGELES, CA—Legendary rock heroes find new life in an innovative line of books from Fantoons, best-known for their ongoing relationship with the famous rock n’ roll power trio, RUSH. The LA-based publisher now introduces an expanded fall lineup featuring a new project created in partnership with the estate of rock legend Frank Zappa! Today, the company announces an authorized coloring book packed with original art that will delight Frank Zappa fans of all ages!   “I’m blown away. This entire project brings the biggest smile to my face. People who don’t like coloring books, I fear are dead inside. I’m so happy the Zappa Coloring Book exists, and I worship David Calcano and his team at Fantoons.  They make everything better.” – Ahmet Zappa   The Frank Zappa Coloring Book includes 72 brand-new illustrations celebrating the great composer, musician, futurist and innovator… Frank Zappa! Packed with humor, muffins and references, this book will bring hours of fun for every Zappa fan! Illustrated by artists who are Zappa fans themselves, the book features stunning illustrations, from the abstract to the intricate, that are sure to delight and surprise Zappa fans on every page!   Frank Zappa is one of the most influential rock musicians of all time. He’s a Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductee with more than 70 million records sold worldwide. His unique musical genius and decades-long career has created a fanbase for his work that is both loyal and eager for new opportunities to celebrate his legacy.   Zappa was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, and is considered one of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" by Rolling Stone Magazine.    “There is no one like Frank Zappa, and there will never be anyone like Frank Zappa” says Fantoons creative director, David Calcano. “He carved his own genre with pure genius. Every record he did gave us a different experience, and that was our main inspiration for this book. Let your imagination free and color while listening to Zappa music… what’s better than that?”   The Frank Zappa Coloring Book arrives in finer bookstores everywhere on November 5th, rounding out the publisher’s fall 2019 offerings, alongside the previously announced The Making of Farewell to Kings: The Graphic Novel from RUSH, and Motörhead:Where is Lemmy?   About the Creators:   David Calcano is the creative director of Fantoons, an animation studio based in Los Angeles. David was born in Caracas, Venezuela and has been watching cartoons ever since he was inside his mom’s belly. As an adult, he moved to the UK where he worked as a systems engineer until he dropped his career many years ago, to pursue his true dream: to build an animation studio, create cartoons and publish books that combine music and creative art. Calcano has worked with some of the best companies and artists around the world, including Disney, Rush, Frank Zappa, Steve Martin, Poison, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Mr. Big, Universal Music, and Anthem, among many others!    Lindsay Lee is an artist and writer for Fantoons, as well as an online freelance artist and designer. Lindsay was born in Florida and has been drawing questionable content ever since she could hold a pencil. She currently lives in Tennessee, and when she's not busy keeping herself from freezing to death, she is working fastidiously on her own original comic.    About Fantoons:   Fantoons is an animation studio & book publisher, comprised with artists who are passionate about music in every possible way. The studio creates books, animation, comics, pop-culture merch and alternative media inspired by the world’s greatest artists. Clients include Rush, Frank Zappa, Brian Wilson, Mr. Big, Motorhead, Steve Martin, Tom Keifer, Disney, TSN, Random House, Universal Music and many more.

New Comics 6/26: Enter The STEEL CAGE, Leave By Voting

information provided by SuperFan Promotions . . . . .

AHOY Comics Invites Readers To Vote on the STEEL CAGE Competition

Fan Voting Will Determine What Comic Book Series Is Published

3 Stories Enter, 1 Comic Emerges... Victorious

June 24, 2019) AHOY Comics—the startup publisher that pledged for readers to “expect more” from its comic book magazines—is inviting readers to vote on what comic should receive its own series. On Wednesday, June 26 AHOY Comics will publish STEEL CAGE #1, a one shot comic book anthology featuring three dazzling short “pilot” stories from all star creative teams. Fans can vote on which story continues at the AHOY Comics website: https://comicsahoy.com/vote 6/26 and the outcome of the vote will determine what comic book series is published.

The competing stories in the STEEL CAGE One Shot are:

• “Noah Zark” by writer Mark Waid and artist Lanna Souvanny, in which an alien boy is kidnapped into an interplanetary zoo—and becomes the protector of the animals;

  
  

  

• “True Identity” by writer Tom Peyer and artist Alan Robinson, in which we learn what secret anguish drives the most beloved superhero on Earth;

  
  

  

• Writer Stuart Moore and artist Peter Gross’s “Bright Boy” in which we discover the grim tale of the world’s smartest human—and the havoc he leaves in his wake.

Competition between the comic book veterans is fierce.

“I mean, let's get real,” said Stuart Moore, the writer and co-creator of CAPTAIN GINGER and BRONZE AGE BOOGIE. “When you come home from a hard day at the Soylent Green plant and rip open your comics bundle, what do you want to read about? A kid in a zoo? A SUPERHERO? No—you want to read about the smartest guy in the world! Bright Boy for the win!”

Tom Peyer, AHOY Comics’ Editor-in-Chief and the writer of its acclaimed comics THE WRONG EARTH, HASHTAG DANGER and HIGH HEAVEN, said, ““When I read Bright Boy or Noah Zark—and I've been reading both stories obsessively—my head is tilted as if to say, 'what an adorable, childlike attempt to prevent the inevitable victory of Alan's and my True Identity.' And then I shed a tear, because there's something deeply sad about their efforts.”

Mark Waid, the New York Times bestselling writer of beloved comics including KINGDOM COME and IRREDEEMABLE, is contributing his first story for AHOY Comics in STEEL CAGE. Waid said, “As I look down from high above the Mount Olympus of legendary comic book writers, it amuses me to see the flailing True Identity and Bright Boy teams wander aimlessly in search of some sort, any sort. of ladder with which to ascend by standing on the backs of their adorable ‘creations.’ Perhaps there will come a day when they find themselves privileged enough to sit before Lanna and I and bask in our boundless glory. Until then, we shall simply nibble on our ambrosia and laugh.”

AHOY Comics is led by Publisher Hart Seely, an award-winning reporter whose humor and satire has appeared in The New York Times and on National Public Radio. “STEEL CAGE just might be the greatest moment of fan participation since fans called a 1-900 number and voted for a teenage sidekick to die,” Seely said.

 In addition to STEEL CAGE, AHOY Comics eclectic lineup of comic book magazines and graphic novels range from religious satire (the highly anticipated SECOND COMING comic book and the HIGH HEAVEN graphic novel) to tales of time travel (BRONZE AGE BOOGIE and PLANET OF THE NERDS) and the literary parody EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR.

Voting is live on June 26 and will end the Friday before San Diego Comic Con International. The winner will be officially announced during San Diego Comic Con International. For more updates on AHOY Comics, visit them onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About AHOY Comics

AHOY Comics debuted in the fall of 2018 with the bold promise for readers to expect more from its line up of comic book magazines, featuring comic book stories, poetry, prose fiction, and cartoons. The independent, Syracuse-based company is the brainchild of Publisher Hart Seely, an award-winning reporter whose humor and satire has appeared in The New York Times and on National Public Radio. AHOY’s Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer is committed to publishing comics with a (dark) sense of humor with titles like the superhero parody THE WRONG EARTH, the religious satire HIGH HEAVEN, the sci fi spoof CAPTAIN GINGER, and the anthology series EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF TERROR. This summer, the company will publish the highly anticipated SECOND COMING, the satirical comic book series by Mark Russell and Richard Pace in which Jesus Christ resumes His Holy Mission.

First Issue Fever: SHAM COMICS #1

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Right off the bat, I want to give credit to Source Point Press and creator Tim Fuller for reviving the word “Sham” in an amusing way. I haven’t heard that word used in conversation for decades. It’s quite apropos for these troubling times - - now, more than ever!  For those unfamiliar, the word SHAM when used as a noun indicates “a thing that is not what it is purported to be”. As an adjective, it means “bogus, false”. When used as a verb, it calls out “falsely presenting something as the truth.” To get familiar with the word, try practicing it in some sentences. . . . Here’s one for starters: “Our sham President shams shamelessly on a daily basis, hoping that the public will come to believe that his sham doesn’t smell.”

 

SHAM COMICS #1  (Source Point Press) Rewritten and designed by Tim Fuller. Sham Comics Editor David Hayes. Art Director Joshua Werner. Special Guest Shammer Daryll Collins.

 

       Since many copyrights have not been renewed and expired, a huge variety of Golden Age comics from small, defunct publishers are now in the “public domain”. They can be reprinted without having to secure any rights or payments. 

 

     The first instance of utilizing these golden classics is the creative and hilarious six-issue run of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 THE COMIC (Dark Horse), which took old comic stories, added dialogue, and inserted the MST3000 crew into the action. It repeated the funny shenanigans of the television MST3000 series to similar effect in comics. Here’s hoping there’s more to come. 

 

     In the meantime, SHAM COMICS goes one better.  It doesn’t insert any characters or apparently tamper with the original art in any way. What SHAM creator Tim Fuller does to great humorous effect is reimagine these stories and rewrite them with jokes, funny dialogue, and contemporary references.  I’ve gotta believe that he did change the names of the featured characters, but that’s about all: Bozo The Robot (Binary Over-Zealous Obliterator); Hilda Hogthrottle; The Red ‘Roid And Pooter (The Flatulent Duo); Randy Rocket (that might be the original name); and The Planet Of Pooches (wondering if maybe that last word was modified).

 

A nice bonus to this project is it puts back into print the original art from the golden days of comics for new viewers to marvel at some of the early works of some legendary illustrators. There are also some new and hilarious full-page ads for mail order devices, all done in the old style of comics. Who wouldn’t want to have a Bozo the Robot costume, a Spot Relaxxxer, or a Glow-On-The-Dork Necktie? 

 

RATING SYSTEM

 

 STORY: I’d repeat some of the funny dialogue and clever captions here to prove my point, but then you wouldn’t need to buy this book.  Trust me, you’ll laugh at these re-worked stories from Smash Comics #32 (1942), Out Of The Night #16 (1954), Wow Comics #64 (1948), Amazing Man Comics #25 (1941), and Alarming Tales #1 (1957). 3 POINTS

ART: Some of the best from that era is here, with some artists you will recognize: George Brenner (Wayne Reid), Milt Knopf, Carl Pfeufer & Bob Fujitani, Basil Wolverton, and Jack Kirby.  3 POINTS

COVER: Keeps with the Golden Age theme and makes it clear what’s in store for buyers. Love the design, especially the back page with a hilarious public service warning (“Comics Books, The Enemies Of Youth”) utilizing some early Frank Frazetta art.  2 POINTS.

READ AGAIN? Yes, I enjoyed many of the jokes the second time. 1 POINT.

RECOMMEND? Yes. I love this. Give me more. 1 POINT.

TOTAL RATING: 10 OUT OF A POSSIBLE 10 POINTS. NOT OFTEN ACHIEVED. DON’T MISS IT.

In case you remain skeptical about how funny this could really be, below is a very amusing explanation of the concept as featured on the Source Point Press web page.  Also, here’s another sample for you. Tim Fuller is taking the same approach to golden age newspaper comic strips and posting a new page every week at this link. . . . .  http://sourcepointpress.com/the-weekly-sham