Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • All The Rage: 22 Rage Filled Days Until Christmas

      Daniel Elkin
      December 3, 2006
      All the Rage
    Recent
    • Revisiting the Witchblade/Fathom/Tomb Raider Crossover

      Daniel Gehen
      February 8, 2021
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • The Full Run: Hickman's 'New Avengers' #19 and 20

      Daniel Elkin
      January 4, 2016
      Big Two, Columns, Marvel Comics, The Full Run
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      January 22, 2021
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • ComicTober 2019: Monster War

      Daniel Elkin
      October 3, 2019
      Columns, Dynamite, Top Cow
    Recent
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 4.5

      Review: Oblivion Song #1

      Daniel Elkin
      March 7, 2018
      Image, Reviews, Reviews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • 2.3

      Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

      Daniel Gehen
      February 16, 2021
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Christopher Adams: Creating Comics that Can Be Enjoyed Like Songs or Poetry

      Daniel Elkin
      January 2, 2014
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade: 'Night and the Enemy' by Harlan Ellison and Ken Steacy

      Daniel Elkin
      November 27, 2015
      Classic Comics, Classic Comics Cavalcade
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • Kickstarter Spotlight: Ultimate Night of the Living Dead

      Daniel Elkin
      July 2, 2015
      Kickstarter Spotlight, News
    Recent
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • Review: 'Prison Island' is a Journey to a Close-by Strange Land

      Daniel Elkin
      September 7, 2015
      Books, Reviews, Small Press
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Collecting Profile: Blue Beetle
  • Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia
  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter
  • Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good
  • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY
  • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN'S UNIVERSE
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Reviews

Tiny Pages Made of Ashes: Small Press Comics Reviews 9/24/2012

Daniel Elkin
September 25, 2012
Reviews, Tiny Pages Made of Ashes

 

Tiny Pages Made of Ashes is Comics Bulletin's roundup of small press comics reviews.

 

Blade of the North Wind

(Jeong Mo Jang/V.R. Porter)

Creator's Edge

 

 

 

 

Blade of the North Wind is a beautifully rendered, dynamic fantasy story that had me immersed in a cinematic world where a twist in the story only pulled me out of its environment long enough for it to twist me back into where I thought I had been; only now the ground beneath my feet was slightly less solid. It played with my expectations as if it were a meat cleaver wielded by a monster of great girth and greater savagery.

The story takes place in a land called Artharu where "a race of savage warriors known as the Kgarra trample over the realms of man with a ferocity that no one has ever seen." Of course, a hero is needed to save the day — but is this all just an adventure story to fill the mind and daydreams of a young boy tired of being "trained in the everyday responsibilities of the village"? The story twists and then twists again and when I got to the end, all I wanted was to read more to get my questions answered.

But what is most impressive about Blade of the North Wind is Jeong Mo Jang's art. The layout of the book is like the storyboards for an epic feature film. I gather the book is meant to be viewed digitally, so that each panel will fill the entire screen. This only adds to its intensity. Jang's monotone brushwork is expressive and evocative of Sumi-e art, full of ferocity and velocity, with sudden splashes of blood red adding an explosive spray of violence. 

In Blade of the North Wind we have the monomyth polished anew and invigorated by masterful art. Blade of the North Wind is a fantastic example of what small press comics can do when talented people are given the freedom to create their stories on their own terms.

– Daniel Elkin

 

Revolution Aisle 9

(Brady Sullivan/Andrea Schiavone)

Back Row

 

 

 

 

A one-shot from writer Brady Sullivan and artist Andrea Schiavone, Revolution Aisle 9 is part of a series called Welcome to Kent, which tells a group of slightly interconnected stories all set in the same town. In this town, a number of strange things happen — think a bit like the X-Files crossed with Fables, but crammed into one place. This latest story shows us what would happen if a magical hag threw a Revolutionary soldier into the modern day, for example. Well, you know how it is.

It's utterly crazed, but brilliantly realized and inventively written. Schiavone in particular excels with her composition, managing to flick between shots with consummate ease. There are some great sequences here, played out in a smart, coherent fashion when they could have seemed muddled and vague. Sullivan's writing is on-point, switching tone several times as the viewpoint moves around, but without short-changing the mood or characters. There's a strong element of snuff halfway through — which I've never enjoyed — but Sullivan does a good job of keeping it low-key, instead of the main focus. It's a strong read, and shows a lot of promise from all the creative team (and not forgetting the excellent work from letterer Bernie Lee). Published through Back Row Comics and available through either the Death Springs site or Graphicly, it's well worth a read.

– Steve Morris

 

Picket Line

(Breena Wiederhoeft)

 

 

 

 

This Xeric Award-winning graphic novel is an intriguing look at morality, friendship, the complexity of politics and the awesome beauty and power of nature.

Picket Line is the story of Bea, a girl from the Midwest who aimlessly wanders out to timber country in Northern California and who finds herself stuck — pretty much accidentally in the middle of an extremely controversial battle between conservationists and developers. Bea is wedged in the middle because, like most  political stories, this battle is much more complicated than it seems at first glance. 

Bea loves her boss, the wonderful Rex Huron, a man born with freakishly short arms and an extremely large heart. Rex continually tries to do his best throughout these events, which earns the respect of everybody involved in the conflict, but a lot of the power of this book comes from the conflict between Rex's internal moral compass and the events that are happening to him at breakneck speed.

Rex is just one of the characters whose complexity, good humor and wonderful personality make him a co
mpelling figure in this book. Despite its grand themes, Picket Line is all about the memorable characters at the center of the story – rootless and aimless Bea learning more about herself, the complicated relationship between young marrieds Liz and Derek, Bea's love interest Thomas, who has dark secrets that he's unwilling to discuss.

 

 

Wiederhoeft's art style is minimalist and cartoony; one of those styles that uses a few succinct lines to render a scene rather than a slew of line. The work is almost Charles Schulz-like in its simplicity and emotional honesty — it depends on well-placed lines to emphasize the story's emotional core rather than slick pyrotechnics.

There's just enough politics in this 250-page graphic novel to give the tale some complexity, but not so much that it takes away from the emotional heart of Picket Line — a heart that reminds us that it's the people we remember from the events that happen to us, not the events themselves.

– Jason Sacks

 

Utopiates

(Josh Finney/Kat Rocha)

01 Publishing

 

 

 

 

Utopiates is an interesting look at some ideas that should be at least somewhat familiar to comics readers who are fans of Grant Morrison or Warren Ellis, which falls right in line with the Phillip K. Dick quote that opens the collection.

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, does not go away."

The big idea in Utopiates that's going through the different stories in this volume is that of injectable memes; a future where you can shoot up with a new personality whenever you need/want it. Of course, it's only a matter of time before people become addicted to the lives they're injecting themselves with, and Utopiates explores those who've become hooked, for one reason or another, on different memes and what it does to their lives.

 

 

Finney's writing isn't anything spectacular, but he's certainly got a well-crafted world with an interesting idea, which has been what I've run into with many cyberpunk stories. It's got elements of The Invisibles, The Matrix, Transmetropolitan, and quite a few other works with counter-culture themes. None of the stories Finney's telling are particularly compelling, I don't anticipate returning to Utopiates as I do the works I've mentioned that it reminds me of, but he's still kept me entertained.

The art, though, is going to make or break it for a lot of people. I still don't know how I feel about it, honestly. Seeing the credit at the end for "faces," I presume it is, as I expected, heavily photo referenced. It could even be Greg Land style lightboxing or digital editing, and while I'm usually very much opposed to this style of illustrating a comic, it feels like it at least fits here, somewhat. 

Overall, there are some interesting ideas, but I'm not really sure it would warrant me giving any attention to future volumes.

– David Fairbanks

 

 


 

Daniel Elkin has been reading and commenting on comics since the mid '70s when he used to wear a great deal of brown corduroy. Currently he lives in Northern California where brown corduroy is slowly becoming fashionable again. Daniel has worked in bars, restaurants, department stores, classrooms and offices. He is a published poet, member of MENSA, committed father, gadfly and bon vivant. He can over-intellectualize just about anything and is known to have long Twitter conversations with himself (@DanielElkin).

P.S. He keeps a blog, Your Chicken Enemy.

 


 

Steve Morris is the head and indeed only writer for Comics Vanguard, the internet's 139th most-favorite comic-book website. You can find him on Twitter at @stevewmorris, which is mostly nonsensical gibberish you may enjoy or despise. His favorite Marvel character is Darkstar, while his favorite DC character is, also, Darkstar. He's on Team X-Men, you guys.

 


 

Jason Sacks is Publisher of Comics Bulletin. Follow him at @jasonsacks, email him atjason.sacks@comicsbulletin.com or friend him on Facebook.

 


 

David Fairbanks doesn't get many things right the first time. He studied physics in college, loves science, music, comics, poetry, movies, books and education pertaining to all of the above. He will talk your ear off about Grant Morrison and Ben Folds, has an indie bookshelf larger than his Marvel, DC and Vertigo ones combined and if he ever actually grows up, more than anything else, he wants to still be happy as an “adult,” whatever that is.

Mostly self-indulgent ramblings can be found at @bairfanx and untilsomethingbreaks.blogspot.com.

Daniel ElkinDavid FairbanksJason SacksSteve Morris

Share On:
Tweet
Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians
San Diego Serendipity: An Interview with Chameleon Doug Jones

About The Author

Daniel Elkin

Danny Djeljosevic is a comic book creator, award-winning filmmaker (assuming you have absolutely no follow-up questions), film/music critic for Spectrum Culture and Co-Managing Editor of Comics Bulletin. Follow him on Twitter at @djeljosevic or find him somewhere in San Diego, often wearing a hat. Read his comic with Mike Prezzato, "Sgt. Death and his Metachromatic Men," over at Champion City Comics and check out his other comics at his Tumblr, Sequential Fuckery. His webcomic The Ghost Engine, with artist Eric Zawadzki, updates twice a week.

Related Posts

  • Announcing the Formation of Fieldmouse Press

    Daniel Gehen
    September 3, 2019
  • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

    Mark Stack
    January 2, 2019

Latest Reviews

  • 3.0

    Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

    Daniel Gehen
    February 22, 2021
  • 4.5

    Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

    Daniel Gehen
    February 19, 2021
  • 2.3

    Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

    Daniel Gehen
    February 16, 2021
  • 4.3

    Review: RADIANT BLACK #1 Shines Brightly

    Daniel Gehen
    February 12, 2021
  • 2.7

    Review: DEEP BEYOND #1 Can’t Commit to a Premise

    Daniel Gehen
    February 4, 2021
  • 2.0

    VINDICATION Falls Short of its Lofty Goals (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    February 1, 2021
  • 4.5

    DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    January 22, 2021
  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

    Daniel Gehen
    December 14, 2020
  • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

    Daniel Gehen
    December 3, 2020
  • 4.5

    TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    October 29, 2020
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders