Category: Comics

Dave Wachter’s Rocky

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It couldn’t be more appropriate [since there were several pieces about Rocky and the Oscars in this week’s update] that we have Rocky by Dave Wachter for this week’s Stallone art. Dave’s work has appeared on the SZ before with his riff on Sly from Paradise Alley.

After the recent earthquake in Haiti, Dave offered everyone who made a donation to Doctors Without Borders to aide earthquake victims in Haiti a free sketch. The piece about is what I got for my donation. You can see what others selected, and more of Dave’s art by heading over to his website.

Thanks to Dave for my great sketch as well as his efforts to help the people in Haiti.

Jonah Hex #50 [Minor Spoilers]

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The Pitch: Darwyn Cooke [artist] teams with Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti [writers] for the 50th issue [a double-sized extravaganza] of Jonah Hex.

The Overview: Hex and a female bounty hunter named Tallulah have found that working together has benefits… their relationship has become more than just professional.  After a night spent together celebrating a huge reward, Hex wakes up alone.  Determined to find Tallulah and the reason she left, Hex accepts a bounty mission to bring in 50 criminals.  Fifty bounties is a huge burden, but it’ll be easier than accepting what he learns about Tallulah.

The Good: Darwyn Cooke’s art. The story by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti.  Tallulah is a cool character and the perfect love interest for Hex. The reason Tallulah left.  Fifty bounties for the 50th issue was a nice touch.

The Bad: What happens to those hunted by Hex or Tallulah.  Hex’s attitude after Tallulah leaves.  What happens along the way and when Hex finds her.

The Ugly: Jonah Hex.

The Summary: Jonah Hex #50 is a great read.  The story has twists that will surprise even the most jaded comic reader. It’s a double-sized issue and presents a complete story, so even the most casual comic reader can enjoy it. It’s definitely worth searching out.

Mike Torrance’s First Blood

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Mike Torrance pencils, inks and colors. Mike regular posts a sketchcard idea contest at Retro Cowboy Productions and his Deviant Art site. Here’s how it works, Mike posts a subject and the first one to make request which fits the theme is the winner! This is the second time I’ve won [the theme this time: 80’s Action Heroes — the first time I won: Detectives].

Mike is available for commissions and his prices are very reasonable. Check him out.

Steranko’s Chandler Returns

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This month’s Previews featured a full page ad for a new printing of Steranko’s classic Chandler: Red Tide.  Originally published in 1976, Chandler: Red Tide is sometimes referred to as the first graphic novel.  At the time it was published, Steranko called it an illustrated novel.  I think a more accurate description is the one used by Dark Horse in the press release:

After emerging as Marvel Comics most controversial superstar, Jim Steranko tackled his greatest artistic challenge: creating an entirely new medium, the visual novel -not an illustrated novel or novel-length comic book, but a seamless fusion of interdependent graphic and prose narratives forming a powerful and original new method of telling stories.

But why stop there?  Let’s go on… Chandler: Red Tide is an…

… artistic tour-de-force, Red Tide is hard-boiled detective fiction in the bare-knuckle tradition of Hammett, Cain, and Chandler, as well as the dark, atmospheric milieu of film noir.

Although I own an original printing that’s been in my collection since it was first published, I will be picking up the Dark Horse edition since it…

has been remastered with state-of-the-art digital colors by Eisner Award-winner Dave Stewart, in a collector’s quality hardcover edition.

How can I resist? How could anyone?

No Escaping The Crazies

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The Crazies doesn’t open until February 26th, but between now and then we’re going to be exposed to a lot of media promoting the remake of the George Romero cult classic about a small group of family and friends trying to survive after their little town is exposed to toxic materials that turn folks into crazed killers.  Not only does the group have to worry about the crazies, but also the military that has been sent in to eliminate everyone.

But back to the promotional tie-ins.  There’s this article at USAToday that talks about the comic book tie-ins.  And this digital motion comic trailer.  The Crazies web site is now live and features all of the bells and whistles.

Now all that is left is to hope the movie lives up to the hype.