by Don MacPherson

Quick Critiques Special: Free Comic Book Day 2004 by Don MacPherson Saturday, July 3 is the third annual Free Comic Book Day, and judging from renewed media coverage out there, there's still interest in this event in that elusive non-comics reading audience. I know a guy at work is looking forward to taking his kids for the third time to the local comics shop. Now if only he'd keep taking them there more than once a year. Let's be honest... the comics offered up by the larger publishers are aimed at hooking new, and usually younger, readers. Marvel's reprinting Marvel Age: Spider-Man #1, its recent launching pad for its new younger-readers line (click HERE to read my review of the original printing). DC's wisely opted to show off the adaptation of a popular super-hero cartoon with a reprinting of Teen Titans Go! #1 (click HERE to read my original review). I would imagine the bulk of visitors to comics shops Saturday will seek out those books or other more familiar offerings, such as the Archie Comics contribution or Dark Horse's Star Wars material. Those Free Comic Book Day offerings are aimed at readers new to the medium, though. Fortunately, more small-press publishers have signed on this year than ever before, and the result is an interesting and eclectic mix that gives even the most die-hard fan of diverse and indy comics something new to discover. Allow me to share my thoughts on just a few of them. Keep an eye out for them Saturday. Like other FCBD offerings, Jimmy Gownley's Amelia Rules! Free Comic Book Day Edition (written & illustrated by Gownley - Renaissance Press) is suitable for younger readers, but it offers something a little different. Gownley's characters and sense of humor remind me a bit of Little Archie, but there's a far greater depth to be found in these cute characters. The title character contends not only with the typical cute childhood challenges, but some real-world ones as well. Amelia contends with her parents' divorce, adjusting to a new home in a new community with new friends. Gownley reprints short segments from his various Amelia comics to great effect. This is like a sitcom clip show, really. Gownley's art style is a little on the crude side, just a little more polished than those animations one sees on Lizzie Maguire reruns. To be honest, I think Gownley would have been better served by just reprinting the entirety of one issue of Amelia Rules!, as the excerpt approach makes for a slightly scattered read. I realize he's trying to give the reader an idea of the entire array of what's going on in Amelia's world, but instead of just showing us the meal and whisking it away, he ought to actually feed the reader a full course, even if it's just an appetizer. That way, he could have developed an appetite for more. 6/10 Astonish Comics offers up a FCBD title by the same name: Astonish Comics (by various). It offers excerpts from a number of the publishers titles: Herobear and the Kid, The Lab, Awesome Man, Spooner, The Dreamland Chronicles and a new title, The Land of Sokmunster. Frankly, it reads more like a creative catalog than a comic book itself, since no full stories are told here. It also goes awry by trying to appeal to different audiences. Most of the book's samplings are suitable for all ages, but Spooner is clearly aimed at 20- and 30-somethings. Furthermore, the only thing new in the book is the glimpse of Sokmunster, but the reader is offered only one page. Though the designs are appealing, there's not enough material here to indicate whether or not the property would be to one's liking. 5/10 Oni Press tops larger publishers by publishing two FCBD 2004 titles: a Barry Ween reprint and Love Fights #1 Free Comic Book Day Edition (written & illustrated by Andi Watson - Oni Press). Given the grounded nature of most of Watson's other projects, such as Dumped, Slow News Day and Breakfast After Noon, I was surprised to see that this new ongoing series brought with it super-hero elements. Fortunately, his penchant for down-to-earth storytelling is still in full force. The more fantastic elements are really just part of the setting in this first issue, not the main story. It reminds me a bit of Kurt Busiek's approach in Astro City, but with an even greater emphasis on the everyday bits of life in such a backdrop. I enjoyed the first issue of Love Fights the first time around, but what really thrilled me about this comic book was the inclusion of some rough pages from an upcoming Oni project by writer Greg Rucka and artist Scott Morse. The flip side of this comic is Everest Free Comic Book Day Previews, and in just a few pages, it offers a whole lot to the reader. It shows off Rucka's penchant for bringing intense circumstances to life, and it spotlights the effectiveness of Morse's simple style. I'm betting significant industry accolades will be heaped upon Everest once it's released. Since the pages in this preview are early scans of preliminary work, though, it also offers the reader a glimpse of the creative process that goes into comics storytelling. 10/10 Top Shelf Tales (by various - Top Shelf Productions) is an anthology with a diverse array of indy-style comics, some of which appealed to me and some that didn't. Jeffrey Brown's "Bighead" is a light super-hero spoof, but misshapen figures and crude artwork were off-putting. Fortunately, there's plenty to enjoy in this book, notably the works of James Kolchalka and Scott Morse. Readers get to see a different side of Morse's storytelling in the form of cute pieces that blend fantasy and humor. Kochalka shows off his storytelling range as well, offering American Elf, Monkey Vs. Robot and other properties. This was actually my first real exposure to Monkey Vs. Robot, and I have to admit to enjoying the odd fable about nature versus technology. Aaron Renier's "The Pharaoh's Curse's Curse" is one of the longer segments in the book, but its surreal quality and cute-animal characters didn't really appeal to me. 6/10 Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.