This anthology is the result of online comics fans getting together on writer Chuck Dixon's message boards to discuss their love of the medium. For the most part, the creators here are newbies -- one might even say "amateurs" -- but the overall product isn't something I'd call amateurish at all. As is the case with many anthology, the level of quality uneven, but there are some really strong properties to be found here, and those that are a little bit weaker still show a great deal of promise. Odds are a minority of comics shops will actually carry this book, but it's worth seeking out if variety and new voices are your thing.
The biggest surprise and strongest segment in the book comes from Scott McCullar, best known as the webmaster for such comics pros as Dixon and Scott Beatty. He provides both the script and the artwork for a wonderful short story that celebrates the Golden Age of super-heroes and pays homage to (and pokes a little fun at) the Green Hornet and Kato. McCullar's linework reminds me of Mike Mayhew's pulp-influence art. The only real problems to be found here is an awkward visual flow to the arrangement of panels and lettering, and too little space for the creator to tell a complete story.
Another treat is a Western tale. Not only does "The Yellow Devil" feature the gritty artwork of industry veteran Tim Truman, but the story -- J. Morgan Neal and Gregg W. Noon -- offers a new spin on the minority gunslinger archetype. Also enjoyable were Scott Rogers's "Bedbug" -- a Tick-esque super-hero piece -- and writer Sean Taylor and artist J.P. Dupras's "38 Days," which puts one in mind of Kurt Busiek's Astro City. Both are entertaining stories, though the artwork on the former is a little crude, and on the latter, the inks are a bit heavy.
"The Veil," a story that seems to cross super-heroics with a Mission: Impossible-like feel, is rather difficult to follow, as the art style is a little rough and the writers don't have room to develop -- or even properly identify -- the cast of characters. J. Morgan Neal and Todd Fox's puts me in mind of Johnny Quest, only without the kids and with a native American sensibility. But again, Fox's art needs to develop more, and the story focuses on action rather than character.
Eric Burnham's slice-of-life piece -- "Nick Landime" -- is both funny yet unsettlingly familiar, but his attempt to incorporate supernatural elements distracts from his point and his main character. "Specimen One" is a Twilight Zone-esque science-fiction tragedy that's unfortunately so familiar that it comes off as derivative.
Dixon describes the overall strength of the book perfectly on the back cover, noting the creators' "enthusiasm for comics storytelling is infectious." The love of the medium shines through here, as does a good deal of potential.
