Small press publisher Markosia has so much coming out, especially with the big splash they will make at London Super Comic Con, but their latest offering, Toxic Storm #4, is first up to bat!
It’s been a while since author Adam Cheal used to write for us, back before I was editor-in-chief, and was just the head of numerous divisions, like our Zenescope brigade, and I have to say Cheal is a perfect example of comic book journalism done right! He used his time here to make connections with the likes of Zenescope superstar Pat Shand, who wrote the forward for the Toxic Storm collected graphic novel, which will be available for the first time in print at the LSCC. Toxic Storm has a real Zenescope mentality too. It combines horror with sexuality in a miniseries format that is perfectly entertaining on its own, but also leaves the story open for continuation. Forget endless number ones and reboots, this is the future of the medium. I know this will sound like I’m giving the series a cookie for something it should do anyway, but the story makes sense. It begins with a perfect superhero/anti-hero origin, and takes you on a personal journey that builds a mythos in the most natural, logical way that this kind of material can. The character designs are fully realized comic book ideals brought to vivid life by artists with a phenomenal and unique style.
Why you’ll like it: the main character of Toxic Storm is sympathetic and selfless, but not some sugar coated do-gooder. The supporting cast is every bit as important to the story as the hero, and their plight gives him the perfect kind of motivations that make an anti-hero worthwhile. Cheal knows how to introduce comic book villains in a way that gives you the classic comic book elements you desire, with out wasting time spoon-feeding you details that any fan of the genre can work out for their own. Toxic Storm doesn’t try too hard to be “epic.” You might dream up similar ideas in your mind, but I dare you to bring them to life like this, I know I wish I could. This is a fine example of how fans of comics can become creators of comics. Trust me, Cheal is one of us, and he and his cohorts have a shelf-worthy book here.
some more great continued coverage!