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MAC AFRO #1
"Mac Afro and the Nebula Riders Part I: Back on the Scene"
Recommended (8/10)
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Atomic Basement Entertainment
Writers: Troy Lewter & Mike Wellman
Artist: Luke Lizalde
Art Assists: Acee Cruz
Letters: Samantha Quintero
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
This was one of those concepts that was either going to be spectacularly unfunny or a whole lot of fun, without much middle ground. Happily, it turns out that the folks at Atomic Basement know what they're doing, and Mac Afro, though not perfect, should provide plenty of entertainment for those
who are looking for semi-cheesy 70s-influenced action comics. Lewter has the
"blaxploitation" dialogue down, and Lizalde serves up some very tasty artwork. I
do think that the art could have looked considerably more finished, and that
color, though pricey, would probably serve this style of book better, but
overall this is a promising and fun start, and I look forward to seeing what
else Atomic Basement has to offer us in the future.
Those who are missing Danger Girl would definitely do well to check out Mac Afro. The tone, a sort of borderline cheesy action style, is very similar to what Danger Girl offered,
and I detect more than a little J. Scott Campbell influence from Lizalde. In
fact, the artwork here is some of the most accomplished I've seen from a new
small press publisher. Though they have gone with a style that looks more like
pencils than inked and finished work, the storytelling is clear and the designs
stylish and professional. Lizalde also has a great sense of comedic and action
timing, very important for the book.
The story reminds me of any
good 70s flick, with the protagonist getting out of jail and heading back to his
old haunts, only to find that old enemies still have it in for him. The benefits
of this story structure are many-fold: For one thing, it allows Lewter and
Wellman to introduce us to a variety of supporting cast members and for another,
it gives them a chance to include any number of action sequences. An old foe
means a firefight in starships, and an old flame who happens to run a space
biker gang means a chase/fight sequence as well.
I got a big kick out of Mac Afro, the title character. His character is well-defined by the way he talks, the way he keeps his cool in action and the way he has with the ladies. He's a stereotype straight out of Shaft or Superfly, but then that's the point, and Lewter knows
the difference between parody and self-parody, acknowledging his influences
without making Afro a boring copy. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue
throughout, as the 70s slang and method of talking is a constant, and it sets
the tone for this slightly goofy science-fiction setting.
Don't get me wrong, this is probably not a book for anyone. Keeping the tone of a "blaxploitation" flick means that there's more than a little element of sex appeal in the whole thing, with the women shamelessly flaunting their bodies for the camera, and although I didn't find anything offensive in the stereotypes, "blaxploitation" does carry some negative connotations for some folks. But if the thought of "Shaft meets Star Wars" sounds
at all fun or funny to you, than this book is definitely worth a look.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board. |
