Comics creators team to create a multi-genre labor of love with Comiculture.
Randy:
Comiculture has flown under my radar twice already; once when I didn't stop by the booth in San Diego, and again when I missed the first solicitation in Previews. The third time is the charm, however, and I was pleased to receive a review copy of the initial issue of this unusual and intriguing release from editor-in-chief and contributor Steve Buccellato.
Don:
Buccellato's is a name that should ring a bell for mainstream comics fans. He's done plenty of coloring work for Marvel, including the earlier issues of Ultimate Spider-Man. It should come as no surprise that this magazine-sized comic book is in full color. Of course, there's more to Buccellato than just coloring. He's done it all in the comics field -- from intern to editor to colorist to writer to artist -- and all of those skills come into play in this, the best comics anthology you've never heard of.
Comiculture #1
published by Mad Science Media Inc.
written and illustrated by Klaus Janson, Jessica Wolk-Stanley, Marc Siry, Ben Raab, Allen Gladfelter, Jeff Zornow, Brian Buccellato, Don Hudson, Marie Javins, Tricia Hale, Steve Buccellato & Rob Tokar
letters by Comicraft
Don:
An award-winning photographer reflects on his life and how it influences his work. In the Old West, a train is robbed by a trio of unusual bandits. A woman spells out experiences in the various forms of love throughout her life. A private eye is rescued by a rather crooked but special brute. A teenager's parents make him feel ill at ease after he has a vivid and disturbing dream. Two detectives in Prague investigate a horrifying and unusual murder. And we get a glimpse at life at Marvel Comics on a Friday afternoon. The creators offer a diverse array of genres and styles, and the good news: it's consistently entertaining from cover to cover.
Randy:
Anthology books are a hard sell in this market, and magazine-sized anthology books even more of a question mark. Nevertheless, the ambition and talent in Comiculture could very well pay off. This is a stunning package, full of gorgeous and professional writing, artwork, color and lettering, an absolutely top-notch effort from everyone involved. The oversized format really shows off the artwork, and the anthology format serves most of the stories pretty well while allowing for a wide variety of genres and styles.
Don:
It doesn't hurt that Comicraft has a hand in the book. Best known for their lettering, the Comicraft folks also have a deserved reputation for design work, from comics to websites. That, along with high production values, makes for a slick package. But that wouldn't mean anything if the stories and artwork weren't top notch as well.
Randy:
There's something here for everyone, which can be dangerous in that some might resonate only with parts of each issue, but even the stories that weren't my cup of tea had my interest for the art or for the talent involved. Klaus Janson's "Training Wheels," for instance, seemed a bit random and unclear in story for me, but the artwork is beautiful. Then there are the stories that I loved through and through, like the crime story "Lost Souls" by Steve Buccellato or Marc Siry's weird and funny "An Alien Ate My Brain." Both of these stories feature likable protagonists, a well-developed cast and artwork that is to die for. Buccellato's work reminds me of a mix of Eduardo Risso and Matt Wagner, and Siry's stuff is reminiscent of some of the Oni crowd, like Andi Watson and Chynna Clugston-Major, but each artist brings their own style to the party as well.
Don:
I thought "Training Wheels" was a wonderful character piece, reminding me of One Hour Photo, albeit it with a character with more confidence and control. Janson's not as prominent a name in comics today, but fans of Frank Miller and John Romita, Jr. will enjoy his dark, gritty style. Buccellato's artwork on "Lost Souls" reminded me more of Amanda (The Pro) Conner's work, as well as that of James Fry and John (Spider-Man: Get Kraven) McCrea. His film-noir contribution made for an entertaining and unpredictable read.
Randy:
Meanwhile, Rob Tokar tells the hilarious true story of his day in the Spider-Man costume and Ben Raab teams with a pair of artists new to me to tell a story that reminds me more than anything of the moody and effective Rex Mundi, just released from Image. Not so much in specific story elements, but in the tone and the blending of magic and mystery and in the haunting and vivid portrayal of an old world city as backdrop. I also enjoyed Don Hudson's girl power western "Gunpowdergirl and the Outlaw Squaw" and Jessica Wolk-Stanley's autobiographical "My Harlequin Romance." The variety in these tales is amazing, because "My Harlequin Romance" wouldn't be out of place at Fantagraphics, while "An Alien Ate My Brain" reads for all the world like something from Oni or from Marc Hempel, and "Lost Souls" has a charm and style reminiscent of Eisner's crime work.
Don:
Buccellato has brought together a delicious variety of work here, from Wolk-Stanley's indy-like slice-of-life tale to his own super-hero parody, "Zen Girl & Gun Gal" (which reminded me of Hawk & Dove, but played for laughs). "An Alien Ate My Brain" is thoroughly disturbing, not just for its opening dream sequence, but thanks to Siry's ability to transfer the main character's paranoia to the reader.
So let's see... you've got established comics pros like Janson, Buccellato and Raab here. Not a bad resume. Even more impressive is the fact that Walt Simonson contributes a cover, and in the book's spirit of doing things differently, his cover artwork is unlike what we usually see from him. Instead of delving into myth or super-heroics, he offers a sci-fi vision that's playful and hints at its own story.
Randy:
The creators round out this package with short features on music, film and other pop culture, which makes for nice chapter breaks and also points readers to their website for more of that kind of commentary. This is a sharp package with a lot of talent behind it, and while I'm a hard sell on anthologies, I'm sold on Comiculture. Odds are you might have to tell your retailer to order this for you, but this first issue and the second one are both solicited in the newest Previews, and it's worth your time to make the special order.
For more information about Comiculture and Mad Science Media, visit www.comiculture.com and www.madsciencemedia.com.
