Comic Related: Bill Gladman's Life in Four Colors

Life In Colors: Independent Thinking Part Three
By: Bill Gladman

Who would have thought that two days at a comic convention could have fueled so much activity here on the Comic Related web-site….we’re talking hours upon hours of audio which turned into days of podcasts…..seven days I believe. Hundreds of photographs and I think there’s more on the way….and now the book reviews are coming in about the stuff that John and I picked up while attending this years Mid-Ohio Con.

Raichal also has at least two columns on the way about the Chris Claremont panel and her review of Jesse Rubenfeld’s Into the Dust issues #1-3. And I think she’s going to talk about the Jason Mewes panel as well.

And I have two more columns in the works myself…the fourth and final Independent Thinking column featuring the book that I’m most excited about picking up at the con…and a special Spotlight column highlighting the Fat Momma comic book series and what makes those books so noteworthy here at Comic Related. That column (if things go as planned) will feature additional commentary and added viewpoints from one of the many talented people associated with that book…Comic Related family member…TONY MIELLO!

All that from a comic convention in Ohio….imagine what you’re in store for as Chuck, Eric, and Russell hit New York this coming February.

But the Big Apple is still a few months away….so until then why don’t you pull up a good book or two to help pass the time ...here’s a few suggestions.

Wild Breed #1 written and illustrated by Troy Gillogly. Troy is an incredible guy…and an upcoming talent in the small press comic arena who I’m sure will be gathering legions of fans in the years to come. I’m proud to say I’m already a member and can’t wait to see what this gentleman has in store for us in the future.

With the first issue of his Wild Breed book Troy pulls back the veil that separates our world from the troubled kingdom of magical Arisa.

Arisa is ruled by a fair king who, at the start of the story, is quite unaware of a threat growing just past the borders of his land. He spends time with his beloved family and friends while the treacherous Appolyons start to gather their forces.

Lead by the mighty Metalix, a group of Appolyonian assassins are sent off by their mysterious leader to kill King Ulric. At the conclusion of the first issue it appears that the only thing that may be able to save the good king from certain death could be his firstborn son, Quarr, who knows nothing of his father’s dire straits.

Thankfully…there is somebody else who senses great danger within the land of Arisa. A blue skinned warrior by the name of Jakaar.

But the question is will Jakaar be able to stop the assassination of the king? And if King Ulric is slain is Quarr next?

Troy’s story is solid and full of amazing artwork that at times reminds me of Ron Lim, famous Silver Surfer artist, especially his renditions of Jakaar.

It’s amazing that Troy can shift gears between this book and his other labor of love, Snuffy the Vampire Rabbit with such ease.

Both books have Troy’s signature art style, solid characterization and his consistently recognizable lettering but other than the fact that you should be reading both books….that’s where the comparisons end.

More info:
www.SeaGoatcomics.com

The next book….Chimera: The Collection.

Sunday, the second day of the Mid-Ohio Con, Jon Hodges dropped by the Comic Related booth for a few minutes and brought a friend…..

“Bill, this is Mike Indovina. The guy that created Chimera. It’s really good stuff. I think you should check it out. You’ll like it.”

Well….when a guy like Jon makes that type of endorsement….a guy like me is going to listen. It was later that same afternoon I finally made my way over to Mike’s table in the creator commons. I was blown away by the amount of different Chimera books he had to offer (along with books that featured his other creation, Satyr).

I wasn’t sure which one or two to pick up….Mike pointed out a collected trade paperback that had all the Chimera books I was looking at (but one) all in one book. Plus the original five mini-comics which he didn’t have on the table that started the entire Chimera story. And if that wasn’t enough…a brand new never before seen 10 page story. All for fourteen smackers.

Boy, did that guy know how to throw a package together.

Needless to say I bought a copy of the trade paperback and as Mike was trying to make change I asked about the only other Chimera book that wasn’t included in the trade paperback.

The Chimera Strikes.

“That’s a new book, written by me and penciled by a friend of mine…Paul E. Shultz.”

“Paul E. Shultz….the same guy that does The Serial Squad!?”

“The same guy.”

Needless to say I left with a copy of that as well. After all Paul was also on the Jon Hodges “people you have to check out list.”

The Chimera Collection ….reprints all of Mike’s Chimera stories leading up to the new book with Paul. The introduction to the book explains in Mike’s own words how the Chimera started out as a five issue mini-comic. After a few years went by Mike wanted to relaunch the character in a new ongoing full length comic at which time he changed the origin slightly.

The story behind the Chimera is this. The Chimera was a pulp fiction character created by a man named Richard Penn in 1936. Later he was brought to life on the movie screen in a series of movie serials by actor Richmond Kane (not sure but this almost seems to be a play on the name of Kyle Richmond…also known as Nighthawk from Marvel’s Defenders. Maybe I’m just being a little too geekified.).

Eventually Richard’s grandson would later inherit most of his grandfather’s old pulp magazines and a few props from the movies, including an antique radio and the mask worn by actor Richmond Kane.

Mike kicks the first of the five mini-comics off with this information being narrated by Andrea Webb….girlfriend of Jack Penn who falls pretty much in the vein of Lana or Lois from Smallville. Sometimes she’s in need of being rescued by the hero…other times she’s the one doing the rescuing.

Mike is a workaholic on this book…with the exception of a story called “Job Hunt”…one of my favorites in the book….he writes, pencils, inks (Job Hunt was inked by a gentleman named Bill Halliar) and letters the whole book! Wow. That’s a motor that just doesn’t know how to stop.

Mike’s art can vary from story to story as he experiments with different styles and techniques and when he’s really in the zone….his stuff reminds me A LOT of early David Mack during the time Mack was working on Kabuki: Circle of Blood. Really very good stuff.

I’ve got to admit (and I’m sure Mike has heard varied accounts of the following statement)…I liked the story direction of the mini-comics more so than the new direction he went with the character when he started doing the full length stuff.

By that I mean….I liked every installment of the five original stories…and thought each was better than the one that came before. I liked the element of a “psychotic break” that centers the spotlight on the true mental health of Jack Penn, the man called the Chimera.

I also like the art the best in these five stories.

“All the World’s a Cage” parts one and two deal with the unique relationship between Chimera and his arch enemy, The Phantom Voice…with a classic twist at the end that reminded me a little of the Sentry by Paul Jenkins. Except I like Mike’s take on this idea much better…and he had it first.

“Kindred Spirits” parts one and two focuses on a wrestler by the name of El Diablo and how he challenges the Chimera to a contest to see who is the better man. Tight characterization keeps this story rolling as we get to see exactly what drives a man like Diablo and Chimera. How the two are similar but at the same time very different.

“Character Assassination” was my favorite story in the whole book both art and story wise. Mike tells half the story in Claymation like figures and the other half in that tight pencil and ink style of his that I love so much. The story deals with a comic book that portrays Chimera has a violent, thrill seeking vigilante. Jack takes offense of this and confronts the publisher. Who only understands one form of language.

The next few stories which reprinted the full length comic tales (or in some cases several different stories in a full sized book) were also pretty good…but I thought the original concept of the character was better. Mike of course knows the character and where he wants to go with him much better than I and he crafts some good action dramas in the feel of the era the Chimera was born .

Personal favorites include the already mentioned “Job Hunt” and “The Mummy’s Tale”…once again this story feels like a pulp story which is what Mike obviously intended. A very intelligent story with a really thought provoking reason why the bad guy in the piece was doing what his was doing.

I would love for Ron Fortier to get hold of this book and read it. I’d like to see what he thinks of it. I believe he would like it very much.

Another highlight of the book…the last story entitled “Identity Theft” In this story Andrea is framed for the murder of a dirt bag porn dealer who we met in “Job Hunt” by another character we also met earlier.

Andrea manages to clear her name with the help of…if you thought I was going to say the Chimera….you’re way off. In this story Jack doesn’t even remember that Andrea is his girlfriend and thinks she’s crazy as ….jailbird…for lack of a better term.

So it’s the Phantom Voice who aids Andrea in her darkest hour. The end of the story hints that there is some kind of connection between the Chimera and Andrea that gives him his power (no real super-powers here other than as Jack….he’s a normal guy…as Chimera he has mad fighting skills and nerves of steel.).

I hope there’s more to come because this dangling plot line can literally spawn another five stories or so very easily. As a matter of fact I would love to write them….who knows??

Stranger things have happened.

That’s not the end of Chimera as far as this column goes he’s also featured in the last book of this review. The Chimera Strikes.

This time around Mike only writes the book (and I’m assuming he also letters) while he allows the very capable Paul E. Shultz to handle the artistic chores. That seems to work out just fine. Although I love Mike’s art on the Chimera…Paul brings a fresh and energetic feel to the character….and he seems to enjoy drawing the character. That’s a good thing as well because Paul actually draws the Chimera in…..almost slipped up there. I’ll cover that book in the next column.

The writing on this book tightens up a good deal compared to the earlier stuff. Not to say the earlier stuff was bad because it most definitely wasn’t. But without having to do everything on the book Mike seems to have had more time to think out the storyline more. Or perhaps Paul (who is a talented writer in his own right) helped a little. Either way the story seems to take off right where the trade ended. There’s more hints of a connection of sorts between Andrea and Chimera and we even learn that Andrea shares the same last name as the assistant to the Chimera in the silver screen version of the character.

Very interesting.

I hope this is just the first issue of at least a three to four issue series (if not ongoing). There is a cliffhanger element to the end of the book that seems to indicate that there’s more to come.

And if there isn’t….never fear. I know for a fact we haven’t seen the last of Mike, Paul, The Chimera, and Miss Webb.

Want to read the above stories for yourself?

As always…..here’s your gentle nudge in the right direction.

www.geocities.com/mikeindovina/Satyr.html

Until next time…see you in the funny papers.

Bill Gladman - Bill is a writer and illustrator and currently working on several different projects including the first issue of an ongoing comic book series (Prodigy), an illustrated fantasy novel (The Book of Noheim), and the first of four illustrated science fiction/fantasy novels (Jack the Rabbit, Living Legend of the Purple Plains) as well as a light-hearted on going mini-comic (Three Wise Men). Bill also pens a column for Comic Related and will be doing a mix of regional convention coverage.