I have been blogging for a few months about Small Press Idol (SPI)...  Which I just found out about this Season.  However this is not the first year that it has been running.

I recently became Facebook Friends with Michael Hutchison, who it turns out, won the SPI in 2004 with his collaborators.

Intrigued, I corresponded further with him, as to how it happened, what happened, and what has occurred since winning the SPI in 2004.

Michael was gracious enough to send me 'The Special Edition' of Metro+Med for review purposes, along with another publication of his.  For this blog post I'll only be commenting on the Special Edition - Metro + Med #1.

After winning the SPI in 2004, Metro Med Summer Special #0 was published in time for Wizard World Chicago 2005 by Shooting Star Comics.

The story was additionally published in Mysterious Visions #1 (MVA) by Dimestore Productions.  In the summer of 2008, The Special Edition #1 was printed through Ka-Blam.  That special issue was introduced at Wizard World last summer. That was followed up at FallCon with a new backdrop display and a video trailer running on a screen!

Phil Meadows, the artist for this project, has since moved on from comics, so Hutchison has been looking for a new collaborator to continue the project. 

Here are my thoughts on The Special Edition:

I am now watching Round 3 of the SPI 2009 contest.  For each project that has made it that far, I have seen the concept page with proposal in Round 1.  Round 2 had additional character bios and sketches. Round 3 has three continous pages submitted, out of the required 8 pages for those that make it to Round 4.

I can see this process in The Special Edition of Metro Med.  Which is good for a new reader, as the story is a little involved at the beginning.   Having the character sketches and the character bios is helpful in figuring out who the players are in this comic.  Especially when the two main stories are 8 pages each and a lot is happening in each story with characters you wouldn't know right off.

There is also a section of 'Footnotes, Annotations and Musings' at the end, which is very helpful based on thoughts by the creator.  The Special Edition is a good solid beginning for launching a series based on this premise.

Added in this Special Edition was another 8 page story with different characters and a different storyline.  Melvin and Marvin Middler Time Meddlers  in 'No Great Shakes'.  Being a fan of time travel stories both in Comics, TV and Films, this was of special interest to me.  I enjoyed this previously Out Of Print Short Story by the same writer and artist.

Details on this Special Edition #1 are as follows:

Writer: Michael Hutchison
Artist: Phil Meadows
Additional Contributors: Roz Terrill, Erik Burnham, Robert Bavington, Anthony Hary, Joel Moen and R.B. Propst

Standard Comic
Black & White
Page Count: 36
$3.50 Cover Priced USA

This issue reprints content from the Metro Med #0 Ashcan Edition and the out of print Shooting Star Comics Anthology #4, with new additional material. Two Metro Med stories, plus character information, annotations and as a special bonus, "Melvin and Marvin Middler, Time Meddlers" about two time-traveling British brothers who try to make their fortunes while dodging the time police.

Metro Med is an urban hospital at the hub of three cities overflowing with metahuman activity. While still catering to the general populace, the Metro Med staff must deal with the dangers of treating superheroes (and villains), anticipating the bizarre medical complications and protecting their charges' privacy from spying eyes. The dramas play out in the wild city streets of the Tri-Metro...and in the secret stories of the doctors, nurses and staff of Metro Med.

For a copy that you can purchase you could check out the following site: http://www.metromedcomic.com