Each week we try to focus in on our friends in the Small Press world, those who are doing self-publishing or companies that are just getting started putting out their own comic books. This week on Small Press Sunday, a special treat as we review three different comics from two different companies. The funny thing about these books is that they all have a solid commonality of art.We have a ton of books to chose from right now and are trying to get them all covered, so be patient with us. Also, if you are interested in having your book reviewed and included here, please comment here or send us an email at admin@comicbooked.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Now onto the reviews.
Dr. 2 #1 – Dr. 2 is a new comic book from James Chiang and Peter Tieryas. This book stars an enigmatic character, a doctor and acupuncturist, who is called upon routinely to help solve crimes when standard police work fails. This is an interesting concept, but not unique. So, Chiang and Tieryas offer two things that really set this book apart from other crime stories. The first is the art. I love the colors and lines that James Chiang uses. His stark backgrounds of black and whites along with a sense of shading that makes you understand how dark the world has become and are perfect for the crime noir feel of this comic book. The second part of this story that I enjoyed was the setting. The story starts in a Japanese POW camp in 1945 and then jumps 100 years in the future to a world that is probably not too far removed from where we are heading. Economic collapse, unemployment numbers so high there is no real hope of ever working, for some people, and ecological disasters and terrorism on a daily basis. So far, I still have a lot of questions, as the character development continues, but there is a mystery as the doctor investigates a murder scene that leaves him with more questions than answers as well. I would recommend this as a great read and you can find it on Amazon and check out Chiang and Tieryas on Facebook.
DayBlack #1 and #2 – Keef Cross brings us a new modern day vampire tale that looks at how someone could cope from day to day, or night to night, without revealing the fact that there are such things as vampires. The artwork is a cool combination of graffiti, symbolism, and art that has a very urban feel with a base of black, white, and gray and the occasional splash of red and other colors. As a vampire, there would not seem to be a lot of jobs open that one could, but Merce, the star of this series, has found many, from farmhand to astronaut. His current profession, as he lives his eternal undeath, is as a tattoo artist, but with a twist. His special tattoo gun not only delivers ink under the skin, it also draws out blood to a special coffee pot contraption he has rigged so he can survive without killing people. Not that he doesn’t occasionally slip, that will happen, but usually only to cover things up or to get rid of critic who could stir up trouble. Plus, he is a bit of a narcoleptic, which adds a whole other flavor to his life. Add to this that the town of DayBlack, Georgia, is perfect for a vampire because of the cloud of pollution that blots out the sun and you have a great setting for this modern day vampire tale. Overall a very interesting story and a good read. You can check out Rosarium Publishing for how to get copies of this series.
That’s it for this week. I hope there was something that interested you here. Come back next week for a review of Snowpiercer, the French graphic novel, translated to English, that is also a major motion picture directed by a Korean director. Quite international. Leave us your comments about what you might like to see in the spotlight or if you have a comic you are trying to get out there to readers.
Astronaut sounds pretty risky for a vampire lol, I’m kinda curious how that one works out.
love the new logo!