Randy and Don turn their attention to small issues... two mini-comics, that is, both presented by Plastic Animal Studios.
Don:
More and more people seem to be realizing that having no publisher or budget for upscale aren't barriers to creating comics. Keith Giles certainly recognizes that fact, having produced a couple of mini-comics -- Digerati and Durango Silver.
Randy:
These are more than just mini-comics, though. There's some beautiful color along with the black and white stories, and while the lead stories are complete, they also serve as teasers for more, along with a couple of "backup ads" that tease other ideas.
Digerati
written by Keith Giles
illustrated by Andre Szymanowicz
Don:
Gretchen is desperately trying to cling to her identity, but as a programmed assassin who's been rebuilt more than a Lego playset, it's not easy. She's in the middle of hostile territory on a mission to retrieve a small piece of technology, and she only has a few minutes before her mind is wiped clean and she's left behind, a casualty of war.
Randy:
When I read the premise, I immediately flashed onto Image's Athena, Inc., but Digerati is a very different, and in many ways superior, effort. There's some fantastic action in this short story, and Giles really gives a sense of the inhumanity that is part and parcel of Gretchen's life. Giles blends the fearsome nature of the Terminator and the self-loathing that comes from a cybernetic assassin without free will into a seamless narrative.
Don:
This reads more as an ashcan preview of a larger project than a simple, self-contained mini-comic, and that's fine. Giles's script is sharp. His description of Gretchen's situation is vivid, drawing the reader into the story despite the extreme circumstances. The story is a thoroughly human one, and it's adorned with some delicious cynicism.
Szymanowicz's artwork is well done. For the most part, he's not hindered by the small format of the mini-comic. The Japanese and European influences in his style are clear, but they don't overpower the artwork either. He handles the intricate choreography of the action quite well. I'm also impressed with the talent lined up to contribute front and back covers -- Ben (30 Days of Night) Templesmith and Brett (Couscous Express) Weldele. Quite a coup for an independent effort like this one.
Randy:
You're right, the covers are spectacular, especially Templesmith's evocative portrait of Gretchen in fading green and black. I'd definitely agree on Symanowicz's style as well. The scenes of Gretchen taking on a roomful of security guards are spectacular, and while I could sometimes have used cleaner and more consistent lines, overall the artwork is as solid as the writing. I'd definitely like to see more.
Durango Silver
written by Keith Giles
illustrated by Geoffrey Porter
lettered by Lito Bujanda-Moore
Don:
The world has been devastated by a non-lethal weapon that's devoured the planet's entire resource of plastics and fuel, turning back the clock more than 100 years. Del Rio is a Native American woman wandering the post-apocalyptic landscape of the Southwest United States, and she's looking for five men. She wants something from them... revenge, and she's a force to be reckoned with.
This is a preview of a five-issue limited series, and Giles definitely makes the most of the post-apocalyptic Western genre. He's got a strong female protagonist, but in this brief glimpse, she's rather quiet. It's a bit hard to get to know the character, but what I do know so far has piqued my interest. Again, Giles offers up a strong, crisp script, though he could do with a better copy editor.
Randy:
You and I have seen a couple of post-apocalyptic Westerns in our time, with Last Shot and Eden's Trail, and Durango Silver stands up well to those higher-profile projects. As you say, we don't learn much about our protagonist, but that's not surprising given the limited space for the story. Still, the pacing on this one overall did seem a little erratic, as Giles stretches out some moments at the end a bit far and compresses some elements in the middle too much to get his story told.
Don:
Porter's artwork reminds me of the style of Sam (Four Women, Zero Girl Kieth. Even in the black-and-white format, he manages to convey the arid, lifeless quality of the setting, and the design for the main character captures an appropriately quiet, mysterious look.
Randy:
Sam Kieth, huh? I don't see it personally, but I agree with your other comments. The post-apocalyptic cities, devoid of plastic, concrete and other synthetic materials, were interesting settings, and though I think our protagonist could have had a bit more character in her face, the elements of clothing that defined her look certainly made her basic design clear.
Don:
This mini-comic has a couple of quick two-page looks at other Plastic Animal projects on the horizon -- UV:Target and Hard Video, both written by Giles once again. It's clear from those brief glimpses and the material reviewed above that Giles and his artistic collaborators have a lot to say, and they have the talent to back it up.
Randy:
Yep, there are a lot of ideas here, all presented as strong and interesting pitches or previews. Take the time to check out what these guys have to offer... I expect you'll be seeing some (if not all) of them in the comics industry in the future.
For more information on Plastic Animal Studios, visit
