Comics on the Brain

Go froggy with William the Curious

Comics on the Brain — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:54:30 GMT

I like knights.

It's just one the things in the world that I find interesting. Really interesting, and for the life of me I can't figure out why knights aren't more popular.

Why don't we have more TV shows, movies, novels, video games and websites dedicated to knights? Not guys with swords casting spells, but regular knights. Why aren't little boys and girls dressing up as knights on Halloween? Why don't adults with way too much time on their hands and way too much money in their pockets learning knightly skills and buying suits of armor?

Knights are pretty darn amazing, after all: They use swords and axes. They carry shields. They wear cool helmets and shiny armor. They have the world's best animal companion in their trusty steed. They have an honor system that tells them to defend the weak and honor their masters. They are not thinkers, they are doers. They are persons of action -- swift and deadly action.

And somehow, the world isn't obsessed with them.

Well, most of the world isn't obsessed with them

There is one place -- the world of children's literature. Browse any children's bookshelf and its hard not to stumble upon a book about knights, swords and princesses.

In fact, there's actually a glut of knightly virtue espoused on the picture-book crowd. Because of all that glut, it's hard to rise above the mediocrity and be different. It's hard to offer something new.

However, that is exactly what "William the Curious: Knight of the Water Lilies" by Charles Santore does.

The story of William is unlike most other knights. Instead of the story of a boy who works hard to be knighted and dashes off to defend his king, William starts out as a lowly moat frog -- and he remains that through the story. No magical kisses change him into a fairy tale superhero.

Instead, he is a brave frog with a dream. A dream to become a knight, and when he does he doesn't rush off to battle. He turns on his queen and tells her what she's doing wrong. Just like a knight is supposed to do, he defends the weak.

In fact, the story isn't so much about knightly virtues as you'd think. Instead, Santore uses the book to offer another message. He knows that every young reader knows what a knight is and what a knight is supposed to do, and allows the story to develop beyond a Wikipedia entry on what it takes to be a knight. He lets a real conflict arise. One that's about the hard choice of taking your superior to task.

Along with the expertly crafted story, Santore shows us what life is like in the moat and the castle it surrounds. He builds a colorful photo-realistic world with just a touch of whimsy. Showing his story-telling smarts, Santore also presents the story the right way by showing us what it's like to be so low that you're under the underdog.

It's the attention to story -- one that combines humility and grace -- that makes "William the Curious" a hop, skip and jump above all the other books about knights you'll find on the shelves. It's best you send yourself on a quest to dig it up.

ISBN: 0-67-88742-3 /0-679-98742-8

PUBLISHER: Random House

YEAR: 1997

AUTHOR: Charles Santore

ARTIST:Charles Santore

TOUGHEST WORDS: Ridiculous, potatoes, conversations, drawbridge

DENSITY OF TEXT: Text blocks

COMIC BOOK-NESS: Not at all, but it's an adventure story

WOULD IT BE A GOOD MOVIE? Yes, you can see how this could be expanded upon and its themes explored a little more thoroughly in a 90-minute feature.

THEMES: Duty, honor, respect, environment, litter

WEBSITE: Charles Santore on Wikipedia

Downward Spirals 24: Helping them Help Themselves

Comics on the Brain — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:36:50 GMT

Sometimes there's no reasoning with them, sometimes there is!
Sometimes there's no reasoning with them, sometimes there is ....

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This situation reminds me of a great movie ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgSSaENMuGA

Twitter Reviews: The Defenders, Jungle Journal, Lucky Luke, Conan, Betsy & Me, Dejah Thoris, Tundra

Comics on the Brain — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:55:27 GMT

I review comics on Twitter at twitter.com/johnsimcoe. Here are the January 2012 reviews!

The Legend of the Shield No. 2 (1991): Relevant exploration of Gulf War-era POWs. If another Shield comic is due, they should set it in 91.

The Butcher No. 4 (1990): It's funny how a writer in the letter column says he's a character for the 1990s. Who's the Butcher again?

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons No. 1 (1988): DC's D&D comic seems like the creators never played the game or even had a copy of the rules.

The Jungle Journal (2009): Monkeys mowing lawns, elephants playing soccer, butterflies with an attitude. If that seems fun, you'll like this.

Villains and Vigilantes No. 1 (1986): A comic/RPG tie-in that has a decent but oddly generic personality to it and serviceable art.

Warlord of Mars Dejah Thoris No. 8-9 (2011): Great good-girl art and a decent story pulls you along. A fun comic.

Tundra: The Next Degeneration (2011): Chad Carpenter works wonders with his talking animals and snowmen. A comic strip for everyone.

The Defenders No. 1 (2012): The core team plus a few newbies made for an interesting group. Plus you can't go wrong with Fraction & Dodson.

Savage Sword of Conan No. 67 (1981): The second feature here is actually better than Conan's. It had art by Baron Yoshimoto of Japan. Neat!

Betsy & Me (2007): A look at Jack Cole's final work before his suicide is benign, but the opening essay is very intriguing.

Lucky Luke No. 11 -- Western Circus (1970): Cowboy adopts a circus, bounty is posted on an elephant, indians adopt clowny warpaint. Cool.

Downward Spirals 23: Make Your Intentions Clear

Comics on the Brain — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:18:49 GMT

It's always best to just lay it all out ahead of time ....

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Sorry I was a bit late on this one! Now on to No. 24.

Journey to Margaret Wise Brown's Little Island

Comics on the Brain — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:40:46 GMT

It wasn't the name of the author, Margaret Wise Brown, that made me pull open "The Little Island." It was the art -- the Caldecott Medal winning art by Leonard Weisgard.

Almost immediately, there was something familiar about the image he created. To me, it looked as if "The Little Island" art was done by someone who worked as a background painter for animation or even someone who did backdrops for theater. The art instantly pulled you into the scene, yet at the same time it was pleasantly static and picturesque. That "static" element is what reminded me of animation backgrounds -- it was as if each page was waiting for something else to land upon it and bring movement and action to it.

And by saying all that, I don't mean to pull down the glory of the art of "The Little Island." It was this very facet of its being that makes it so interesting. It's as if you're getting to see this world before action is thrust upon it.

But instead of action, we simply experience the island's life over the course of a year or so. It's visited by boats, birds, crabs and cats, but not a one of them seems to bother this little island.

Margaret Wise Brown, best known for "Goodnight, Moon," captures images with her words just as Weisgard does with his paint. A favorite describes winter's snow as "a great secret in the night -- cold and still."

A wonderful and haunting image worthy of a book that brought home the Caldecott in 1947.

ISBN: 0-385-74640-7

PUBLISHER: Doubleday

YEAR: 1946

AUTHOR: Margaret Wise Brown

ARTIST: Leonard Weisgard

TOUGHEST WORDS: Kingfisher, seventeen, butterflies

DENSITY OF TEXT: Extremely light

COMIC BOOK-NESS: Not a bit, but its art style reminded me of animation backgrounds

WOULD IT BE A GOOD MOVIE? No, but then again it also has a "nature documentary" feel to it.

THEMES: Life, seasons, storms, calm

WEBSITE: Margaret Wise Brown and Leonard Weisgard

Relocating the Marvel Universe -- Part 35 -- North Carolina

Comics on the Brain — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:38:00 GMT

Welcome to a look at the people (and things) that ought to be located in North Carolina within the Marvel Universe.

NORTH CAROLINA

One of the most prosperous states in the union, North Carolina has undergone huge changes since the 1980s when it began to abandon its reliance on tobacco production, in fact, many would say it has redeemed itself from the backwater it was and became something new, vibrant and prosperous. The changes mostly came from new industries moving into the area and turning a blind eye to its past. In the Marvel Universe, those changes also brought a whole batch of superheroes -- many of whom started out as villains.

Charlotte (Nebulon, Supernalia)

Though his activities are closely watched by the Defenders, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, the being known as Nebulon resides in Charlotte and often serves as its primary protector. In fact, Nebulon makes it a point to show up in public often and serve as a sort of safety monitor for the humans in the entire region, jetting as far south as Florida and as far north as Pennsylvania. Despite all this benevolent activity, many of the world's superheroes are concerned: The last they knew, Nebulon was a major bad guy -- and he was quite dead. Some theorize that this Nebulon is actually another member of the Ul'lula'n race who has opted to impersonate Nebulon. Others say that he was resurrected through unknown means and also switched sides. Regardless of the circumstances, this Nebulon has shown nothing but compassion for the humans he considers "his people." The suspicious superhero community, however, has decided to keep him at an arms-length while spying on him as often as possible.
Nebulon is sometimes accompanied by Supernalia, another Ul'lula'n who has previously made her presence known on Earth. Like Nebulon, she is viewed with intense suspicion by the superhero community. Oddly, she is only ever seen in the company of Nebulon and never by herself. Some have theorized this is because he is actively trying to rehabilitate her or that she is being mind-controlled by Nebulon.
In truth, Nebulon's renewed activities on Earth are the result of a deal between him and the Iron Man-led group "The Illuminati," in which he has been given refuge on Earth in exchange for his service to the South Atlantic region of the U.S., which the group felt was under-protected at the time he was assigned. Rather than take his duty bitterly, he has opted to engage in it on whole-heartedly, though Supernalia wars with him on the subject.
Notes: Nebulon was one of the first supervillians that really intrigued me. His golden skin and strange "starfield" uniform always impressed my superhero fashion sense.
Beyond that, he has a supreme 1970s look that encapsulates that decade. Why not have him a little obsessed with the time period, but not in a kookie way. He just seems a little backward to more modern folks.

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (Sundown, Ricochet)

After multiple run-ins with Spider-Man, the superhuman known as Sundown spent time in prison and upon his release immediately moved down south where he could utilize his science degree in the the region's growing industries. Though initially considered a criminal, Sundown was only that because of his reaction to the chemicals that gave him his powers.
In reality, he was just an average scientist. Now, years later, he works in Raleigh to quell the occasional threats that surface in the area.
Notes: Sundown is one of those interesting incidental characters created as part of the Untold Tales of Spider-Man series. The ret-conning comic simply added a few extra tales into the early years of Spider-Man's history. Unfortunately, very few of those stories seem to have been fully intregrated into modern continuity.

Like Sundown, Ricochet left the Northeast to the newfound prosperity of North Carolina as well as its educational opportunities. Using his powers to land several sports scholarships, he moved to the area and led UNC to several national championships in multiple sports, an act that made him a media darling. Rather than continue his career into professional sports, he opted to retire and work the "Research Triangle" area as a news reporter, typically covering the crime beat, but also sports when the news was slow.
In truth, he uses his leads to do the same thing that every other superhero journalist does -- fight bad guys. As such, Ricochet is now affectionately called the "Spider-Man of the South." While largely a local phenomenon, he's well lrespected in the state.
Notes: We can never get too many Spider-Mans, can we? And why not put one way down South!
There he can bound around his own city, and he"ll do just fine without all the skyscrapers.

Winston-Salem (Prowler)

Things worked out really well for Hobie Brown, better known as The Prowler, and his wife, Mindy. Just as she was transferred to North Carolina and promoted up the corporate ladder of TransCorp, Hobie went down with her in search of construction jobs. Just as they moved, the southern boom hit and it wasn't long before Hobie was running his one company, specializing in pneumatic lifting devices. The couple's success helped them move up the social ladder as well, and the two worked their way into being a millionaire power couple in Winston-Salem. All the while, Hobie hit the streets as the Prowler ... the man protecting the city with his own life while adhering to a strict moral code. As his fortune grew, so has the Prowler's array of gadgets. He's got a belt full of crime-fighting and crime-solving equipment. He's got a secret lair. He's got a specialized Prowler car that roars through the streets of the city. As the Prowler's fame grew, so has the hatred of Winston-Salem's gangs and crime cartels. They've even brought in and even created super-powered talent to try to kill him, but he continues to hold on. In fact, through all the mayhem they've created, the Prowler has attracted a number of followers who help him. And you can learn more about them at the same Prowler-time and the same Prowler-channel next time ...
Notes: Let's face it, the Prowler looks an awful lot like Batman. Why not just take him a few steps further and make him Marvel's answer to the Caped Crusader. Even if such an idea doesn't fly, it only makes sense to see the Prowler head south and find success. Talk about a guy that's been forever in Spider-Man's shadow. Even without all the not-to-subtle Batman references, this would work just fine for the P-man.

Outer Banks (Namorita)

Making her home at one of the barrier island lighthouses, Namorita keeps one foot in the affairs of the surface world and the other involved in the activities of Atlantis and all the other undersea kingdoms. Serving more to protect humankind than championing her cousin, Namor, Namorita is often at odds with the Monarch of the Seven Seas. No matter, Namorita happily slips back into her civilian life as the owner and operator of a tourist trap that's typical of the area. One of the original New Warriors, Namorita has "outgrown" that club and only works with them in times of dire need. As the protector of the outer banks region, Namorita regularly finds herself battling wayward monsters and the occasional vacationing villain -- you'd be surprised how often "occassional" is. In her free time, she has taken great efforts to scour the "graveyard of the Atlantic" for all its historical and financial value, making her a sort of expert on such matters -- and wealthy too.
Notes: Namorita was always been sort of a forgotten character until she was reborn in the pages of New Warriors. There she actually became more interesting than Namor, but since that title has folded little has been done with her. Like Namor and Aquaman, she suffers from the question: "What do we do with this guy?" My answer is to stick her in a corner and only use her when she's needed.
Top Namorita picture by Vladimir Fiks!

Fayetteville/Fort Bragg (Force)

Unlike Namorita, The Force has always been, quite decidedly on the side of the surface dwellers. His first run-in with any superhero was against Namor, and since then the two have never gotten along. That problem has grown even bigger since Force has stationed himself in Fayetteville, the home of a gigantic Army base and Army air field. Though he's several hours inland and generally avoids Namor's Norfolk base, the two seem to constantly run into one another and they never end well -- with Force usually on the losing side. But still, Force has adopted Fayetteville as his place to keep safe and the good will he has fostered there has meant he is sometimes tapped for work in the military. For example, he's served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. It's this work for the military that usually ends with him squaring off against Namor, since the sea king has never been a fan of the American armed forces. Despite his differences with Namor, the Force and Namorita get along fine and often team up. In fact, there's a rumor going around that Namor better not get wind of ...
Notes: The Force has a surprisingly long history in the Marvel Universe, but only ever seems to get used as a third-banana Iron Man or, even worse, a wishy-washy superhero that's easily influenced.

Has Relocating the Marvel Universe looked at your state yet? Visit the series hub !

Downward Spirals 22: Not the Hockey Player You're Looking For

Comics on the Brain — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:40:00 GMT

You ever wonder how the other guy feels?

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Speaking of the NHL All-Star game, here's a look at the lineup for 2012:

Get your Downward Spirals comics and hockey news and tips from PA Puck!

(c) 2011 John Simcoe

Twitter reviews: Rocketeer, Shinku, Gladstone's, True Brit, Spider-Woman, Tigra, Mighty Isis, Alpha Flight, Star Wars,The Smurfs

Comics on the Brain — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:20:55 GMT

I review comics on Twitter at twitter.com/johnsimcoe. Here are the July 2011 reviews! ... And yes, I plan on posting all of them since I joined Twitter.

Shinku No. 1 (2011): It's samurai vs. Vampires, via Lee Moder's amazing art. Coloring makes it better. Alas, only limited interest in vamps.

Shinku No. 2 (2011): Still unconvinced the story is something I want to follow, but I do love the art by Lee Moder. Excellent coloring too.

Wonder Woman: Love & Murder (2007): Fine and all, but perfect example of writing for the trade. Got this in floppy form and quit at Issue 1.

Gladstone's School for World Conquerors No. 2 (2011): A lot of "sitting around" for the main characters in this ish. Hard-to-follow ending.

Tales of Evil No. 1 (1975): An Atlas horror title about a doll that possesses a girl and forces her to kill the neighborhood cats. Ewwwwwww.

True Brit (2004): John Cleese writes a British version of Superman? John Byrne draws. Sounds good, huh? Well, it wasn't. Not enough Python.

Reed Gunther No. 2 (2011): Another charming issue as cowboy Reed battles mine-dwelling goblins. This book is worth checking in on, folks!

The Mighty Isis No. 1 (1976): I finally understand Isis' powers: She can do anything! Not dull thanks to a Isis being a likeable character.

Spider-Woman No. 6 (1978): A nonsense issue featuring Morgan Le Fey, Werewolf by Night and some magic spells. Read it and try to understand!

The Incredible Hulk at Bay (1974): The comic part of a book & record set. Nothing special, but I would have loved to hear the audio to it.

Rocketeer Adventures No. 1 (2011): Comic greats put the Dave Stevens hero back in action. Fun expansion of his world, but not the old magic.

Rocketeer Adventures No. 2 (2011): Is it really a surprise that #DarwynCook had the best story this time around. That man's amazing!

Usagi Yojimbo: Shades of Death: The samurai rabbit is always a fantastic read. Should be on every library shelf in the world.

Fear Itself: Home Front No.1 (2011): Got it for Speedball story, but the photo-real art is quite off-putting if you ask me. The rest? Ehhh.

Dick Briefer's Frankenstein: Starting in the 50s, the artist took multiple stabs at making a Frank comic. Some serious, some funny. All good

Conan: Road of Kings No. 1 (2011): It's still hard for me to accept a non-Buscema Conan, but the action scenes here are great.

Elvira's House of Mystery No. 5 (1986): This was retro even as it was being published 25 years ago.

Warlord of Mars - Dejah Thoris No. 2 (2011): Drool worthy art keeps you turn thw pages. A little light on story, but its all butt-kicking.

Alpha Flight 0.1 (2011): Competently brings back the classic team and shows superheroes doing superheroy things, which is kind of rare.

Alpha Flight No. 1 (2011): It's what I like - A diverse set of heroes protecting their country. The updates Marrina rocks, by the way.

The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection No. 118 - Tigra: Makes me kinda want a solo title that's a horror/humor mix. Wait, that's Hellcat.

The New Yorker Cartoon Album (1975-1985): The cliches you hear about the mag are evident here. Some funny gags, but awfully high-falluting.

Batman-Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader: Gaiman explores various incarnations of Bats. Know what? Sometimes I just don't get Gaiman.

Captain America and Batroc No. 1 (2011): Finally, ze leaper takes a starring role. Mon dieu! Zees iz zee perfect glimpze at France's ace!

Star Wars: Tales of Mos Eisley (1996): A sci-fi Tales of the Crypt for the Jedis. Wish I recognized more of those aliens be-bopping around.

Star Wars Tales No. 20 (2004): Stories of jawas, gungans and ewoks. By far the "ewoks as post-RotJ technicians" story was most fun. Hoo-boy!

FILM REVIEW BONUS --- The Smurfs (2011)

When no one's looking in the theater, I also try to do reviews via Twitter in real time. Here's what happened at "The Smurfs."

The character design really trollified the Smurfs. You do get used to the new look, but I would have preferred Peyo's.
The plot is not deep, but it has kid-appropriate "heart." Would have loved some Peyo-style satire though. Try the comics!
Good god, why didn't they let Jonathan Winters ad lib even a little? The movie would have been 10 times better!
Hank Azaria is the best thing about it. He needed more ad-libbing though. NPH and Jayma Mays were serviceable enough.
I do wish the writers knew how to smurf the word properly. You don't say "it was smurftastic," you say "it was smurfy."
The kids in the audience loved it, and I laughed quite a bit. The 3-D smurfed though. Just see it in a regular theater.

The lure of ferrets

Comics on the Brain — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:16:49 GMT

With my young mind fueled by seeing the 1980s B-movie classic "The Beastmaster" on HBO, I craved a pet ferret as a kid. I mean, I really wanted a ferret. I begged for a ferret. Having a ferret at my side was always at the top of my Christmas lists. I did book reports on ferrets. I dreamed of ferret ownership.

Thirty years later, I have never owned a ferret. In fact, I don't think I've ever even touched a ferret in my life.

But despite that lack of ferret exposure, I still think they're darn cute. I have found myself watching ferret videos on YouTube, for example. I love their rambunctious and curious nature. I love how they are "on" one minute and floppy and chilling-out the next.

"Ferret Fun" by Karen Rostoker-Gruber and Paul Ratz de Tagyos capture the dual nature of ferrets to a tee. One moment, they are relaxing in their hammocks dreaming of a snack of raisins. The next they've adopted a challenge and running full-steam ahead.

The children's book is a quick and breezy read that's set up like a comic book, complete with panels and speech balloons.

As illustrated by Ratz de Tagyos, the ferrets, Fudge and Einstein, are lithe and full of emotion. Their nemesis, Marvel the cat, has the perfect "cat smile" that shows menace and superiority. His website, linked below, shows the same kind of ability with all sorts of animals too. But despite his ability to imbue emotions into his furry characters, Ratz de Tagyos seems to struggle with animal anatomy -- in particular with the "dog legs" bend in most four-legged creatures. (The simple rule is this: always remember that they stand on what would be our toe, not on our foot.)

The slightly skewed anatomy s a consistent aspect of his style, so he may have intended it to look that way, but it's still a little weird.

Rostoker-Gruber's story is simple enough and can easily draw a kid in, the ferret's owner is cat-sitting and the cat thinks that the ferrets are big, tasty rodents just waiting to fall under its claws. Threats are made. The ferrets, in their own laid-back way, take the threat seriously.

As the story of "Ferret Fun" unfolds, the cat goes from a threat to a friend as the ferrets show how they can help him, and that's the ultimate lesson of "Ferret Fun": With a little work and a little ingenuity, you can turn a bully into an ally.

ISBN: 978-0-7614-5817-3

PUBLISHER: Marshall Cavendish Children

YEAR: 2011

AUTHOR: Karen Rostoker-Gruber

ARTIST: Paul Ratz de Tagyos

TOUGHEST WORDS: Hammocks, refreshing, narrowed

DENSITY OF TEXT: Light and quick to read

COMIC BOOK-NESS: Quite a bit since it has speech balloons and panels

WOULD IT BE A GOOD MOVIE? Not really, but it would make for an amusing recurring sequence in a kids' show.

THEMES: Ferrets, cats, eating, carnivores, bullying

WEBSITE: Karen Rostoker-Gruber and Paul Ratz de Tagyos

Downward Spirals 21: Faceplant

Comics on the Brain — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:35:14 GMT

Injuries suck, but how can you tell when they're faking it?

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Ahhh ... Zambonis such a fantastic machine! http://youtu.be/3z9HgXLaeeM

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(c) 2011 John Simcoe

When Garfield leaves the scene

Comics on the Brain — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:38:00 GMT

There are plenty of people who hate a particular comic strip.

I was no fan of "Cathy," for example, and I'd personally like to strangle the creator of the hideously sweet "Family Circus," but he's dead now.

But some people take their displeasure with a comic strip to the next level. They take original comic strip and massage it just a bit -- and in many cases make it quite a bit better.

Today I was reminded of the likes of "Garfield minus Garfield," wherein a plucky blogger grabs "Garfield" comic strips and digitally removes the cartoon cat from all the frames.

The result?

Jon, Garfield's owner, becomes a slightly schizophrenic whackjob who babbles to himself through his dull and sad life.

Here are a few samples:

Yet another site (which probably gave birth to "Garfield Minus Garfield") shows what "Garfield" would be like if we the readers -- and Jon -- weren't privy to the fat cat's inner thoughts.

Again, Jon comes out seeming to be a little off his rocker:

Of course, Garfield isn't the only target of such tinkering. "Marmaduke Explained" takes rather malicious shots at the one-panel comic strip featuring the orange Great Dane.

In the blog, the author offers a deadpan description of how each cartoon shows what a gigantic jerk of a dog Marmaduke is.

Take a look at this panel:

The alleged humor is then described by blogger Joe Mathlete: "Marmaduke destroyed his owner-family's mailbox (and probably a number of other things) during his afternoon walk with his owner-man. Owner-Man makes light of the mailbox situation to his wife, yet another example of how the bulk of their communication is a numb, disconnected and empty series of weak jokes and ironic understatements deployed in order to distance themselves from the horror and futility of spending their lives as the prisoner-slaves of their powerful, self-serving ogre of a dog."

Likewise, Bil Keane, the artist of the afformentioned "Family Circus," has had his creation targeted by jokesters.

Over at Amazon, his books are often "reader-reviewed" with the intent to make Keane seem evil. "Bil Keane is an insensitive megalomaniac. The children in 'A family circus' ... suffer some other sort of terrible mental affliction. And yet this "man" mocks their shortcomings. There is a special place in hell for Bil Keane." says one review.

However, when Amazon spots such reviews, they delete them, so don't expect it to be there for too long.

So what comic strips do you hate? Which ones don't you get? And no, you can't nominate "The Downward Spirals."

(c) 2011 John Simcoe

Downward Spirals 20: Hockey and the Fine Arts

Comics on the Brain — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:27:58 GMT

Even a hockey player needs some hobbies! ...

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This comic marks the debut of the Coniferous Coldbloods, the team of turtles in the Meadow Hockey League. Check out their jerseys here!

Get your Downward Spirals comics and hockey news and tips from PA Puck!

(c) 2011 John Simcoe

Use your illusion

Comics on the Brain — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:52:00 GMT

The key purpose of computers, it seems, is to waste time finding weird stuff posted on the Internet and then forward it to all of your friends. Along with jokes about blondes and e-mails that say "send this chain letter on or you'll face certain death," messages full of optical illusions have always been popular.

One site, Optical Illusions, has a collection of literally hundreds of them, from the old lovers-two singers to the thing shown at right (Can you see the dragon, saint, the face and the box?).

But not every optical illusion is some impossible object conceived by M.C. Escher and other artists of yesteryear.

In fact, there are new illusions being created all the time, and there's even a website offering a yearly contest devoted to celebrating them. One of the best in recent years is "The Leaning Tower Illusion," according to the Neural Correlate Society, which hosts the annual contest.

Unlike the "Leaning Tower," most of this year's Top 10 include some sort of motion through YouTube or a hosted Flash image.

Some even include interactive features that let you peel away the layers or alter the intensity of the illusion.

The site also includes the Top 10 from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Between the contest winners and Optillusion.com, you've got plenty of fodder for your next mass e-mail.

What? You've got work to do? Come on, do we really need another report? Or more medical bills billed? And inventory to control? Come on, the inventory's pretty much in the same place it was last week!

Instead, Comics on the Brain urges you to use your computer for what it was originally meant to do -- waste time. Now get cracking!

(c) 2011 John Simcoe

Men in Black: Alien Hitchhiker Wrecks Toyota

Comics on the Brain — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:08:42 GMT

Many years ago, I discovered the D6 System, a role-playing game engine with a pleasantly simple rule set. For me, it started with the Star Wars Role-Playing Game, which I instantly loved. In truth, the game was first conceived for the Ghostbusters Role-Playing Game by the folks at the West End Games company.

From those basic sources, the game was expanded and adjusted a few times. Most commonly, it was always attached to a licensed product -- there are Hercules & Xena and DC superhero variations to the game, for example -- but occasionally it was featured in an entirely new product.

Among all those options, one stood out for me: The Men in Black Role-Playing Game. That game, in particular, showed how much fun the D6 System could be. Honestly, the system was never good for long-term gaming, but for a quick campaign or play session, it worked just fine.

With that in mind, I created a Geocities web site and began producing a few additional items for Men in Black enthusiasts. Now with the third "Men in Black" movie due out, I figured it would be nice to add those writings back to the web. You see, back in 2009, Yahoo pulled the plug on all its Geocities accounts. Luckily, my site was saved by Reocities, a site dedicated to preserving the Geocities era.

For my first Men in Black re-entry, I offer you:

"Alien Hitchhiker Wrecks Toyota."

This original Men In Black adventure is best suited for agents who've had at least two previous adventures and have a few mid-range skills.

THE TREATMENT: The director calls the agents to inform them that a young Adrevioc has gone missing from her family, a group of aliens who work on stealth technology for the U.S. government. According to reports from the hot sheets, she was last seen at a truck stop in Utah, where she apparently got flustered and tore apart a good samaritan's van.
The agents journey out to the truck stop, where they find she was picked up by a traveling acting company that has been putting on shows throughout the area.
The MiBs catch up with the group and discover that the entourage is led by a Varah (MiB RPG p.108), who confronts the agents with his blaster pistol.
Once the agents subdue the Varah, he tells them that a group of foreign based Adreviocs paid him for the teen, and were heading to San Francisco (or other port city) to transport her to their host country. The Adreviocs hope to use her knowledge to jumpstart their host country’s own stealth program.
In San Francisco, the MiBs get in touch with local alien community who admit that the city is used quite frequently for "alien smuggling" out of the United States via Dock 17, one of the city’s Merchant Marine ports. There they uncover the smuggling ring lead by a trio of Karvoans (MiB ARG Vol.1 p.26).
Once the MiBs bargain their way past the Karnoans or kill them, they find that the teen and her captors just left aboard a steamer.
The MiBs board the steamer, battle the six O2 Frenzied Adrevioc kidnappers and rescue the youngster.
THE BRIEFING: The Director tells them about, Seelie, the missing alien girl, and tells them about how she was spotted at a truck stop, shows them a clipping from the hot sheets and sends them on their way.
If the MiBs think to ask about why she tore up some poor guy's Toyota, he tells them about the Adreviocs' O2 Frenzy. If they don't ask, he doesn't bother to tell them.

SCENE 1: At "The Lucky Trucker," the MiBs search around for Clarence Bromley the man named in the hot sheets as the owner of the 1984 Toyota Van destroyed by an enraged alien.

Clarence Bromley (All stats 2D, Skills: Marksmanship 3D, Business - Scrap Metal Dealer 2D+2, Scholar -Pro wrestling 4D. Possesions: Shotgun, destroyed van)

He happily tells the MiBs of his encounter, showing them pictures of his "baby" and describing how the pretty girl just went crazy:

"I wuz talkin’ with her. We were lissenin' to some Lynrd Skynrd, when she jus' started breathing heavy. I axed her if she wuz OK, but then she just look'd at me funny an' then punched her fist right through the window.
"I pulled over as quick as spit, an' jumped out. I wuz make her to git the heck outta my baby, but by the time I got over there, she kicked the door off.
"It all went downhill frum there. She tore out the steering column, ripped open my sunroof like it wuz made a tin foil, and then ..."

After further questioning, he tells them that he heard she walked to "The Lucky Trucker," and got a ride with a "buncha actors, the ones that put on that show about the '50s -- "'Greez'"
With a little research, such as a Computer Ops roll (Difficulty 10) the MiBs can find the Greez Web site, and find out where their next stop is.

SCENE 2: The agents arrive at the theater hosting the "Greez" crew, and search around a bit. Eventually, with some Persuasion Skill use, they meet up with the show’s director, Reginald Rink. However, Rink greets the MiBs with a barrage of Blaster bolts.
It turns out that Rink is a Varah, who's on earth illegally. (All stats match those listed in MiB RPG p.109 except skills: Charm 4D+1, Disguise 5D+1, Artist - Actor 6D).
If the MiBs subdue Rink, he tells them that he sold the Adrevioc girl to another group of Adreviocs for a new set of portable stage speakers. He also adds that they said they were hoping to take her to San Francisco "to get her out of the country."
If the agents make Rink explode into a rain of blue goo, the MiBs have to ask around to the cast and crew of the show. One actress, Cicely Frazer, says her new friends had California license plates. Another actor, Timothy Dall, points out that they were all wearing '49ers football team merchandise and shirts.

SCENE 3: In San Francisco, the MiBs are guided by their director to a San Fran alien hangout known as, ahem, "Rocket Jocks." Their they meet any number of aliens, most of whom are MiB friendly, and either persuade or intimidate some informants into telling them about Dock 17.
The pier, they tell the MiBs, is a place for aliens to "jump ship" to another country without being tracked by the MiB organization.
This is a good scene for the GM to drop hints of future scenarios and introduce new aliens to the game.
It's up the GM to fill out this scene as need be, providing all the role-playing info and stats as needed.
The Karnoans are armed with 1 machine gun (Damage 6D+1, Range 35/150/370), 1 grenade (Damage 6D, Range 3/8/16) and 3 baseball bats (Damage STR+1D+2) between the three of them.

Karnoan thugs (Rocco, Guido, Althesz). Reflexes 3D+1, Coordination 3D, Strength 4D+2, Endurance 4D+1, Knowledge 4D, Perception 3D, Confidence 2D+2, Charisma 1D. Body Points: 42/41/34. Skills: Dodge 5D+1, Hand-to-Hand Combat 7D+2, Piloting - Freighters 4D+1, Hide 3D+2. Weakness: Karnoans can't breathe in an atmosphere without a high pollution content. For every hour the Karnoans aren't exposed to pollution, subtract 2 pips from their Endurance until they die.

Once the agents subdue the Karnoans or convince them to stop their attack, the MiBs can search the dock’s warehouse office. There, they find a papers that show a ship, the "Wallflower," which is going to the foreign Adrevioc’s host nation (GM’s choice), left about an hour ago. If the Karnoans are still alive, they’ll confirm that the Adreviocs are aboard.

SCENE 4: The MiBs find a vessel to take them out to the "Wallflower." Where they confront the Adreviocs holding Seelie. Once the MiBs board the ship, the six kidnappers remove their respirators, activating their mindless O2 Frenzy. One 49er Merchandise-clad Adrevioc does this per turn until they all have taken off their masks.

Adrevioc kidnappers (Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, Jimmy Johnson, O.J. Simpson) Reflexes 4D, Coordination 7D, Strength 4D+2, Endurance 3D, Knowledge 2D, Perception 2D, Confidence 3D, Charisma 2D. Body Points: 33/37/29/30/35/33. Skills: Dodge 4D+2, Hand-to-hand Combat 5D, Missile Weapons 9D, Ignore Pain 5D, Clamp 9D+2, Alien Tech 3D, Hide 4D, Disguise 3D. Special abilities: Noxious Blast, Clamp Skill, 02 Frenzy. Weakness: O2 Frenzy causes Adreviocs to collapse after 3D rounds. Possessions: 4 Small Hand Guns (Damage: 3D, Range +2/0/-2D/-), 2 Heat Ray Rods (Damage 2D+2, Range: 3/6/9), Unlimited number of lead pipes (Damage: STR+1D+1)

Sometime during the fight, the Adreviocs tell the MiBs why they're kidnapping Seelie: Because she might be able to help them develop stealth technology for her host country.
They also have her locked in a hold down below deck. The MiBs must use their lockpicking skills (Difficulty 15) to open the heavy metal door (Body points:40, Armor:5D).
If they don't announce who they are ahead of time, Seelie will force herself into a O2 Frenzy, hoping to use her strength boost to escape her characters.

Adrevioc Teen (Seelie) Reflexes 3D+1, Coordination 3D, Strength 3D+2, Endurance 1D+1, Knowledge 4D, Perception 3D, Confidence 2D+2, Charisma 3D. Body Points: 22. Skills: Dodge 3D+2, Clamp7D+2, Alien Tech 7D, Hide 4D+2, Disguise 4D. Special abilities: Noxious Blast, Clamp Skill, 02 Frenzy. Weakness: O2 Frenzy causes Adreviocs to collapse after 3D rounds.

FOLLOWUP: This adventure can lead the MiBs in many directions. They can try to figure out who runs Dock 17. They can return Seelie to her home, only to learn that she will leave again if she doesn't get to go to her original destination: Disney World. MiBs might also want to check up on Clarence Bromley, as he drives a vehicle commonly used by resident aliens.

Adrevioc (Alien Race)

WEIGHT: 100 to 300 lbs

ATTRIBUTES MIN/MAX
Reflexes 3D/5D
Coordination 4D/7D
Strength 3D/5D
Endurance 1D/3D
Knowledge 2D/5D
Perception 2D/5D
Confidence 1D/3D
Charisma 2D/4D

STARTING DICE POOLS: 26D for Attributes and 7D for Skills

COMMON SKILLS: Marksmanship, Sleight of Hand, Ignore Pain, Lifting, Alien Tech, Computer Ops, Navigation, Science.

SPECIAL ABILITIES:
-- NOXIOUS BLAST (4D vs. Endurance Roll. Failure means victim gags for 2D rounds, giving the victim a -2D on any roll. The blast emanated from the Adrevioc's oxygen respirator's fans and has a range of 5 feet).
-- CLAMP (Str skill +5D, this new skill allows an Adrevioc to lock his hands or feet into a particular position until he chooses to release them.
-- O2 FRENZY (If an Adrevioc removes his respirator mask in a Earth-like atmosphere, he goes into a frenzy, which gives him a +2D to Strength and a +3D to Endurance. This frenzy temporarily adds to all skills and body points where applicable. The frenzy lasts for 3D rounds. Once the frenzy ends, the Adrevioc falls unconscious for 1D+6 rounds.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Mammalian with sparse hair, except a heavy patch on the back of the head. Skull ends in two, rounded points. Black, rodent like eyes. Limbs are multi-jointed. Skin has orange hue. Hands and feet have four appendages. On earth, their human-like mouths and noses are almost always covered by oxygen respirators.

SOCIAL DESCRIPTION: The former natives of the planet Adrevi are a wanderers, living in small clans of 20 or so who travel the universe, meeting up with each other every four years to exchange ideas and to mate. They enjoy tinkering and developing new technology. Despite their free-wheeling nature, they often succumb under heavy mental pressure.
With their multi-jointed hands, Adreviocs are marvelous mechanics and often fun their wandering by working odd jobs for their hosts.
The Adreviocs are mostly ruled by the males of the race, who often are stronger and have a high Confidence attribute
The Adreviocs' O2 Frenzy is mostly used during mating, when the race congregates on O2-rich planets and let the strongest male mate with as many females, excepting his own kin, as he can. Despite the male-centric use of the O2 Frenzy, the same reaction occurs in females when they are exposed to too much oxygen.
Adreviocs love amusement parks, probably because of the strange mixing of technology that can be found at such places.

ON EARTH: Adreviocs are solely responsible for America's stealth technology program, and work mostly in Nevada in Area 51. This also provides them with access to amusement-park rich Las Vegas, where they spend much of their free time.

DISGUISES: Most Adreviocs disguise themselves as humans in long flowing dresses or robes to disguise their oddly shaped legs. As for their arms, they often fold them up in their sleeves, darting their hands out like a praying mantis when they need to. As for hiding their bi-lobed heads, most Adreviocs in disguise wear turbins, other headdresses or a beehive-style hairdo. Their faces and oxygen respirators are simply hidden under a MiB-issued "human mask."

TOYOTA HOVER VAN (Vehicle)

SCALE: 2D
SIZE: 16 feet long
CREW: 1
PASSENGERS: 6
CARGO CAPACITY: 165 cubic feet
MANEUVERABILITY: +3D
SPEED: 200 mph
BODY STRENGTH: 2D+2
BODY POINTS: 250

The Toyota Hover Van was produced by the Toytota Motor Corporation and an alien race in the 1980s as part of a technology exchange program. The van runs on an anti-gravity propulsion system that allows it to hover up to twenty feet in the air.

The van was ultimately classified by the Men In Black, but more than 200 vehicles were produced. Those vehicles were ultimately sent to a junk yard in Nevada to be destroyed, but weren't.

Insiders at the company arranged for some normal Toytota Vans to sent there and he sold the Hover Vans to a variety of aliens in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Thanks to the Hover Van's hardy design and relative simplicity of the anti-gravity propulsion system, most of the original 200 Hover Vans are still in operation.

Many of the body parts used on the regular Toyota Van were used on the Hover Van, including steering, frame, air conditioning, seats and other non-engine parts. Because of this interchangeablity, many aliens using the Hover Van tend to "collect" as many of the regular Toyota Vans as they can for use with repairs.

Most Hover Vans are equipped with a hologram projector that superimposes wheels on to the bottom of the Hover Van's body. It takes a Difficult Perception check to notice the Hover Van has no wheels when it's hologram generator is running.

(c) 2011 John Simcoe

Downward Spirals 19: Hi-Tech Hockey Facility

Comics on the Brain — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:34:22 GMT

One thing to love about hockey is the very buildings the game is played in ...

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So with today's edition of the Downward Spirals, I have some exciting news. I have entered a partnership with PA Puck, a website that focuses on hockey in Pennsylvania, and now the Spirals exploits will be featured there as well!
Read the story ... and learn a little bit about the Spirals by going to this article!
If you want to feature the Spirals on your hockey site, just contact me and we'll talk! (The more sites this runs on, the less my wife will complain about the time I spend on making this comic!)

Twitter Reviews: Captain America, Smurfs, Spy Vs. Spy, Treasure Island, Marvel Team-Up

Comics on the Brain — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:58:20 GMT

I review comics on Twitter at twitter.com/johnsimcoe. Here are the December 2011 reviews!

Cloak & Dagger -- Spider Island No. 3 (2011): A nice ending to set up an immediate need for an ongoing, and I'd be happy to have one!

Sonic the Hedgehog: Hide & Seek & Destroy (#FCBD): Sonic's old foe is looking for some glory, but not just yet. Strong pencils from Yardley!

Smurfs Halloween 2 (2011): Just so you know, Gargamel looks pretty badass with a skull mask on.

Laugh Comics Halloween (2011): Typical Archie fare here. You can't get any more benign and banal than this.

Marvel Team-Up No. 77 (1978): Funny, the outside says it stars Ms. Marvel, but it's Dr. Strange all the way. Gah! Dr. Strange is boring!

Tall Tales by Al Jaffee (2008): A compilation of the Mad cartoonists best gags from a syndicated vertical strip. This is some great stuff.

Spy vs. Spy 2: The Joke and Dagger Files (2007): Massive dose of spies. Good and all, but also proves how limited the joke of the strip is.

Treasure Island -- The Graphic Novel (2005): Tim Hamilton's adaptation is wonderfully faithful. It would have been even better in color.

Lords of Death and Life (2008): Xeric Award win GN by Jonathon Dalton about ancient Mexican life should appeal to superhero fans.

Wonder Girl No. 1 (2007): A solo mini has our hero cleaning up after Amazons Attack. A few guest stars including a certain Lion of Olympus.

Captain America No. 26 (2007): Mourning issue shortly after the death of Captain America. It now feels rather hollow since he's alive again.

John Carter and 'Princess of Mars'

Comics on the Brain — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:33:01 GMT

It's funny that through most of my life, I had never heard of the John Carter of Mars series. In those decades, Carter has always been completely overshadowed by Tarzan, the far more well-known creation by writer Edgar Rice Burroughs.

I remember occasionally spotting "John Carter" comic books as I vigorously collected in the 1980s and 1990s. And I remember the "Tarzan" action figure line of the 1990s that included a John Carter figure with an accompanying green Martian.

I even remember looking at that Martian and saying "Wow, that's really generic looking."
Little did I know that the reason it was so "generic" is that Burroughs' Martians were essentially the template for nearly every other alien of popular culture.

The only main change in the "generic" version is that popular fiction's aliens became "little green men" rather than 14-foot-tall green men of Mars.

In the last year, I've been sampling the Burroughs-inspired Martian comics from Dynamite Entertainment and particularly enjoying the lush art in the Dejah Thoris series. In fact, I only knew of the Dejah connection to Mars after spotting some lusty original art pin-up drawings featuring Dejah. Those pieces were always of a scantily clad, raven-haired beauty who was fiercely proud of herself. That's the kind of lady I liked so I soon found myself learning a lot more about Burroughs Mars series.

Then in the last year, I heard news of an upcoming "John Carter" movie and decided it was time to look in to the original novel.

A PRINCESS OF MARS BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS

First published in 1912 (and rarely out of print since), "A Princess of Mars" was clearly a groundbreaking book and put forth a heap of ideas that were original at the time.

In the book, for example, John Carter finds that on Mars he has some incredible powers. He has enhanced strength and reflexes, owing to the difference in gravity on his home planet and Mars. He also soon develops a level of telepathy that he uses to read the thoughts of his friends and enemies.

These powers, minus the telepathy, mirror the changes a certain Kryptonian developed by moving to a new world.

With that in mind, "Princess of Mars" was certainly one of the earliest exploration of superpowers in modern fiction. Sure, before that we had Paul Bunyon and his super strength, but it was never put together quite this way.

Likewise, I was impressed with the way Burroughs explained the telepathic powers Carter developed. His telepathy is only barely mentioned in the book, but he uses it to pick up the surface thoughts of those nearby. Such an ability gives him an amazing edge as a fighter and negotiator.

Burroughs' concept of an alien world is interesting as well. He surmises that Mars wouldn't have a breathable atmosphere and decides that the architects of Martian civilization would build a giant factory to transform the atmosphere. This idea came long before real-world scientists (and fiction writers) theorized about doing the same thing in the form of terraforming.

Utilizing the scant information available about the red planet at the time, Burroughs comes up with an idea on how the native Martians used their canals -- They use them to periodically flood their farmlands with melted polar water

Burroughs even gives us a reason why Mars is a totally uniform color -- it's covered in a planet-wide patch of moss. While we know that isn't the case in the real world, it's an interesting concept.

CHARACTERIZATION

Probably the weakest part of the book is Burroughs efforts on instilling any sort of characterization in his cast. As narrator of the book, John Carter should have been intensely in tune with all the beings he came across. After all, his telepathy, even if the power just "skims the surface" of a person's thoughts, should have made him an excellent storyteller. Instead of simply saying a character was angry, we needed to be permitted inside their mind to see the churning emotions inside.

John Carter is cast in the mold that would follow so many other heroes of fiction. Stalwart, proud, uncompromising and ready to fight for his beliefs. This is all fine, of course, but Burroughs doesn't make it very interesting. He just does what he does because he wants to do it. There is nothing particular to drive him, except his passion for his girl. He's not even terribly interested in returning to Earth. We don't really know why Carter holds any of his convictions. And he only demonstrates them with leaden efficiency. Instead, it seems like Carter simply woke up one day and decided to go on an adventure and we're along for the ride.

Dejah Thoris, the love interest, turns out to be the better character in the book because she faces some difficult choices about her society versus her interest in John Carter. Carter, on the other hand, just barrels ever forward doing only what he wants to do.

A number of secondary characters add a little to the book -- often explaining the back story and functions of the world -- but offer little to grip the reader.

PLOT

"Princess of Mars" isn't entirely plotless -- but it sure seems that way for a the first three-quarters of the book. Toward the end of the book John Carter races to save the planet, but for the 100 pages leading up to it, you wonder if he'll do anything other than give us a "National Geographic" look at the planet and pursue his lust for Dejah Thoris.

But hold on. This lack of plot isn't entirely horrible. Since this is the first Barsoom novel, it's "tour of Mars" aspect actually works quite well. Burroughs does an amazing job at world-building and each new discovery keeps you eager to read more, even if there's no real plot in evidence other than "this guy's touring a strange world."

And mind you, once the plot gets moving, Burroughs does a fine job. You just wish he sent us down that path a lot earlier in the book so we could wonder "How's John Carter gonna make everything right?"

Far more important, and vital to every reader and the reason people still read this book a century later, is the fact that there's lots of action in this book. From solo battles between the super-powered John Carter and the monsters of Mars to massive military actions between the armies of Mars there's always some sort of clash to witness.

It is that collection of images and moments that, when sewn together by Burroughs, compels you to keep reading. This is an amazing world to discover.

THE WAIT

The important thing to remember about "Princess of Mars" was published just about a century ago. Back then, it was remarkably innovative. Even today, a reader can't help but be surprised by the concepts Burroughs developed and find the book fairly gripping as a result. The ideas he generated were ideas that were written down for the first time ever. That's what makes this book worth reading. That's why I've already bought the next in the lengthy series.

That's also why I've become instantly excited by the tantalizing trailer for Disney's "John Carter" film. I read the book first and then saw the trailer, and instantly recognized characters, scenes and creatures. This should be good, and you owe it to yourself to read "Princess of Mars" just to get the inside track.

Downward Spirals 18: Major Milestones in Hockey

Comics on the Brain — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:58:00 GMT

We love to celebrate, don't we ?

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And really, how can you not love people celebrating hockey goals. It's like figure skating with enthusiasm!

Twitter Reviews: Incredible Hercules, Kirby Genesis, Dejah Thoris, Lady Mechanika, Cloak & Dagger, Deadman and the Flying Graysons

Comics on the Brain — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:38:10 GMT

I review comics on Twitter at twitter.com/johnsimcoe. Here are the August 2011 reviews! ... And yes, I plan on posting all of them since I joined Twitter.

Kirby: Genesis No. 0 & 1: An exciting debut for a new comic universe. Busiek comes up with a clever way to merge a lot of oddball concepts.

Kirby Genesis No. 2 (2011): Ever notice that Kirby looks a lot like Jay Baruchel? Great action that makes me want more... now!

The Incredible Hercules No. 113 (2008): A shakey start, but this book quickly drew me in. Of course, I've loved Herc since the Layton days.

The Incredible Hercules No. 117 (2008): A bit too much of unexplained backstory, but I loved seeing Snowbird make the anti-Skrull team.

The Incredible Hercules No. 119 (2008): Even in the heat of the Secret Invasion storyline I would have been bored by this comic.

The Incredible Hercules No. 129 (2008): Herc fights with a Skrull god and Snowbird makes a joke. The joke made all the rest worth it.

Alpha Flight: Fear Itself No. 2: A villain comes out of left Saskatchewan in this -- but it's written like readers were supposed to know.

Warlord of Mars Dejah Thoris No. 4 (2011): A gorgeous book even without much good-girl art this ish. Loved the Green Colossus

Sonic Universe No. 31 (2011): My first Sonic comic was actually quite interesting. Great art, solid story. I guess I will be buying more.

Deadman and the Flying Graysons No. 2 of 3: Remember war-time Europe's flight from Nazis? This is the same thing only with cool DC heroes.

Deadman and the Flying Graysons No. 3 (2011): Would I be spoiling it if I told you that Deadman dies at the end? It is his name after all. Heathcliff Dog Days (1988): Proof of why I like this orange cat more than the other orange cat. A mostly witty collection of 1-panelers.

Cloak & Dagger - Spider Island No. 1: Brilliant take on C&D that promises to be a fresh start for the beloved Bill Mantlo heroes. Loved it.

Grim Ghost No. 2 (2011): I tried No. 2 after a mediocre No. 1, and it's still pretty mediocre. I just have no interest in this mythology.

Lady Mechanika Collected Edition (2011): Lush artwork and elegant character design for a steampunk version of "Bionic Women." Worth buying.

Ghostbusters: Displaced Agression No. 1 (2011): A 100-penny promotion offers time-displaced Ghostbusters. Ecto-1 souped up for time travel!

Flash Gordon: Invasion of the Red Sword No. 1: The new look Flash comic offers a decent take on the story. I wish the TV show was this good.

Mystic No. 1 (2011): A CrossGen reboot that takes far too little from its namesake. Instead it weaves an all too cliched tale about orphans.

Prince of Persia: The Graphic Novel (2008): It seems I need to play the video game to understand even a bit of this nicely illustrated book.

Marvel Chillers No. 2 (1975): Mordred's origin pt 2 is nicely drawn but 'meh' story. Still I find Mordred more interesting than Dr. Strange.

What's due in 2012: More Downward Spirals and Redlighter 2

Comics on the Brain — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:05:24 GMT

Well, I'm on the tail end of my two-week break from making "Downward Spirals" comic strips. They'll be back shortly after Christmas. I do everything I can to have them posted by Thursday of each week, so look for it around Dec. 29.

Looking ahead into 2012, I plan to keep doing "Downward Spirals" strips until the end of the regular National Hockey League season. That means I should have about 30-35 comics by the time I'm done. They have been a lot of fun to do so far, even if my punchlines need a little more work. It certainly takes practice and patience to get it done right.

When that "season" is complete, I hope to assemble them into a low-priced Downward Spirals booklet.

Beyond my work on the Downward Spirals and this blog in general, I also have just begun work on my second Redlighter comic. You can even see a sample sketch on the right there. Readers of "Redlighter: Light It Up" are sure to recognize the fox -- Capt. Denny Amberjack -- and they might remember the sheep too.

The second "Redlighter" book is going to be leaps-and-bounds better than the first (though you should still buy that one too!) because I've learned a lot since I completed that.

First off, simply getting that little book published was a learning experience in it own right. I now understand the need for a uniform size, hitting a certain page count and story pacing.

But the big change will be the direct result of my work on the Downward Spirals comics. They have really helped me. First off, I expect to have a lusher look to Redlighter No. 2. You'll see lusher linework. I'll actually employ some shading. I expect to do a better job at lettering it too.

The story should be a bit more complex too. The first script I banged out quickly -- I just was so excited to get drawing -- that it was just a bit too simple. This one promises to be better.

So keep watching this space. You'll be seeing a lot more "Redlighter" and "Downward Spirals" in 2012!

(c) 2011 John Simcoe