Don and Randy nibble away at a couple of slices of life offered up by Ferret Press.
Don:
Newbie comics writer Dara Naraghi has teamed with artist Steve Black to form their own publishing banner, Ferret Press. Dara sent along a couple of samples of their work for review: AKA #1 and Digital Webbing Presents #4 (to which they contributed a short story), and though I can't speak for Randy, I must admit I'm impressed. They offer up some strong indy comics storytelling.
Randy:
Last time I let you speak for me, I wound up in customs for 12 hours trying to explain that you were just joking about the weapons smuggling. But I do agree with you this time, what Naraghi and Black have to offer is very impressive. We're basing this opinion on a look at A.K.A., a comic that is done in a style halfway between mini-comic and full-size, and on their segment of an anthology book, Digital Webbing Presents. We're only covering the Ferret Press story in that one, by the way... not because the rest of the Digital Webbing stuff doesn't look interesting, but because we want to keep our focus on Naraghi and Black for this review.
AKA #1
published by Ferret Press
written by Dara Naraghi
illustrated by Steve Black
edited by Bahman Naraghi
Don:
AKA takes a look at the lives and personalities of Alison Albright and Katie Kristopher, private investigators who operate the Albright/Kristopher Agency, or AKA for short. Think of Daphne and Velma all grown up and striking out on their own as PIs.
The first thing that struck me about this book is that it's not a typical PI story. Sure, there's some sort of mystery or problem set up in the cliffhanger, but the real focus of the book is who Alison and Katie are, how they do their jobs and what kind of women they are. Naraghi's got a great dialogue style. It lets the reader in on what s/he needs to know while not coming off as too heavy on exposition.
Randy:
It reminded me of an espionage story as much as it did a PI story. The two characters have to use a variety of theft and intelligence-gathering techniques, and their actions in the story are a lot more subtle and involved in avoiding conflict than your average two-fisted or gun-wielding gumshoe. And you're right, this is as much about the characters as it is the plot. After the first humorous scene that introduced them and their methods of dealing with problems, I was already in love with the characters, and that continued throughout, even as the plot deepened and got my attention as well.
Don:
More importantly, though, is that the reader really gets a good sense of who these two characters are. Alison's clearly the brains behind the operation, but Katie's no ditz either. She's better at handling people and has a wilder side that serves her well. They both bring different strengths not only to their partnership, but their friendship as well. There's a thoroughly genuine tone to the characters and the description of their work. That quality makes the mini-comic seem more like a character-driven, slice-of-life comic.
Randy:
It seems worth pointing out that this is not really a mini-comic. It has an odd size, about halfway as tall as your average comic and a half-inch or so wider, but it's printed on nice paper with cardstock covers. In addition, mini-comics conjures images of creators who are still in the amateur realm, and I'm not sure you can put Naraghi and Black into that category. Naraghi really grabbed my attention with this story, not just with the dialogue and characters but with a plot that intrigues. I'm not completely certain I trust that their client is telling the truth, but even if she is, I can't wait to see how the two PIs get out of the trouble they've gotten into at the end of the issue.
Don:
Black's art reminds me, appropriately enough, of Michael Gaydos's work on another private-eye book, Marvel's Alias. I also see some similarities to the styles of Mark (Nowheresville) Ricketts and Paul (Kane, Jack Staff) Grist. Black mixes realism, simplicity and an inky, darker quality to arrive at a unique yet accessible style.
Randy:
It's odd, because Black's work sometimes has anatomy that is very exaggerated, and a style that can be very dark and inky, but I never had any trouble following the story or in believing what I was reading. In fact, his work is great at leading the eye across the page, and his use of varying sizes of panels, close-ups and fairly realistic backdrops and props shows a strong understanding of comic-book layout and storytelling.
"A Night at Oldfield's," published in Digital Webbing Presents #4#1
published by Digital Webbing
written & lettered by Dara Naraghi
illustrated by Steve Black
Don:
This story -- more of an illustrated short story than a short comics piece -- is firmly in the realm of the slice-of-life genre, as it's Naraghi's tale of a night out he spent with a girlfriend and how he was gripped by an irrational yet completely understandable jealousy. The universal tone of the story would be enough to enable any reader to connect with it, but Naraghi's spot-on and honest narration draws one even further into his head.
Randy:
I was really impressed with this story. Naraghi's story is one that, as you say, anyone can relate to, but what's more impressive is something that Naraghi himself mentions in the story... it should be boring as hell. I mean, this is what most of us would probably do, it's a story a lot of us probably have, in one variation or another. But the universal appeal, and the way that Naraghi invites us so openly and fully into his thoughts and his feelings at the time make it very engaging.
Don:
Black's approach to this story is much different than that seen on AKA. His work here is simpler in tone and boasts a slightly surreal quality, but it's one that never interferes with the down-to-earth tone of the script. The art reminds me of the work of Eddie (From Hell the Alec books) Campbell. The layout of the story and art is inventive as well.
Randy:
I can see the comparison to Campbell's more autobiographical works, but I did think the work here could have been stronger. In particular, Black does the same thing that Bendis and Terry Moore sometimes do, dropping most of the artwork out to allow the text to come out onto the page. While it gives Naraghi plenty of room to explore, and indeed the blame may lie more with Naraghi's script than Black's layout, it seems like a cheat in a comic-book story. That said, while the layout choices weren't my favorite, the artwork is stylish and well-done, especially on what is a decidedly non-action-oriented tale, making a tough job for any artist.
Two different stories, but a strong combination of talent is the common link along both. Black and Naraghi are impressive talents, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot more of them in the comics industry in the future.
For more information on Ferret Press, visit the website at
