My 'Take' On: Family Bones Volume 2 Based On A True Story By Shawn Granger & Various     - Above Photo:  The Front Cover of Family Bones Volume 2, As Found at the 2010 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival! - At the Top Left: Shawn Granger and Michael D Hamersky Holding The Graphic Novel That Is Reviewed In This Blog! - At the Bottom Left: The Poster for the 3rd Annual San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival (2010 SGV).

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3258:

Would You believe that today's post is yet another blog on a publication that I found at the recent SGV Comic Book Festival that took place on Sunday, September 19th?!! As I've said here before...That 'little' comic con sure had a lot of creative comic book self-publishers on its exhibit floor!

Here is what Shawn Granger has on his web site as to what the graphic novels, (Vol. 1 & 2), are about:

FAMILY BONES Volume 1

King Tractor Press

Art by Orlando Baez, Kenneth Landgraf, Benito Olea Bellido, Mannie Abeleda, Pablo Agustin Lordi

FAMILY BONES is based on the TRUE STORY of the oldest couple of serial killers, as experienced one summer by their unwitting nephew.

This first volume collects issues 1 – 5 of the popular comic book series based on the lives of serial killers Ray and Faye Copeland.  They were the kind, elderly grandparents who murders farm hands at their home.

Sean is trapped on the Copeland farm, a slave for his uncle.  The heat simmers his skin to a full boil until the neighbor's beautiful daughter appears.  Wendy quickly becomes his hope, desire, and fear; not to mention his one trusted friend.  Together they discover each other and some very bloody family secrets.

FAMILY BONES Volume 2

This is the final volume of "Family Bones", a true crime graphic novel about the elderly serial murderers from Missouri. In their 70's, Ray and Faye Copeland were sentenced to death for the murder of many farm workers that lived with them.

The tale told through the eyes of their unwitting nephew comes to a gruesome conclusion. And through it all somehow this city boy finds young romance with a neighbor's daughter. Written by the actual great nephew of Ray and Faye Copeland, "Family Bones" is a gritty, fish-out-of-water American gothic that will send shivers down your spine.

Art by many of the rising stars in the comic book industry; including Brent Giles, Mannie Abeleda, Pablo Agustin Lordi, Stefano Cardoselli, Kyle Strahm, Will Caligan, & more.

(I'll show where you can purchase these at the end of my review.)

So what is 'My Take' on this two volume graphic novel / trade paperback series?

Well, here is the link to my 'take', (review), of Volume One.

Now here's my thoughts on Volume 2:

Since the format is being presented as a 'Trade PaperBack (TPB) / Graphic Novel (GN), I'm going to review it as such.

The Front Cover:  I find that having the front cover in black and white goes together better with the black & white interior pages.  There isn't the lack of color shock when a casual browser starts thumbing through the interior pages.  I like this approach and the illustration is ably done by Kyle Strahm.

The Inside Front Cover is blank...

The first page is illustrated by Brent Giles, with no text.

The next page is the copyright info, and publisher info.

Then starts chapter 6 'Meat Grinder'. All the chapter are written by Shawn Granger, with different artists illustrating the chapters.

It had been a while since I read and reviewed the first volume, (Saturday, November 21st of 2009), and there was no 'recap' to remind me as a previous reader as to what had gone on before.  Nor a 'story thus far' for a new reader to be brought up to date.

Yet I did find that the storyline picked up rather well from where I remember it ended...and the first chapter was illustrated very well by Brent Giles.  This chapter drew me back in to the storyline.

Chapter 7 'Run Boy, Run' was illustrated by Mannie Abeleda. The heavy usage of 'blacks' colorings in the panels fit with the storyline of this chapter, but was a reminder that I was reading a type of 'anthology' where it was the same author, but different illustrators depicting the story.

Chapter 8 'Children of the Corn' - was illustrated by Pablo Agustin Lordi. This artist had a lot of close-ups of faces, and he really had the characters down pat in their looks.  Good choice for this chapter!

Chapter 9 'Death Rides A Rusty Tractor' - was illustrated by Brent Giles again.  The storyline turns a lot darker, and his style fits the text.

Chapter 10 'The End' - Art by Stefano Cardoselli. Which is a changeup in style once again...

After 'The End' are pages about Volume 2 and promo pages.  It is here where the credits for the above mentioned chapters are shown. Plus what happened after 'The End' in real life. In addition, there is the 'Acknowledgements' page by the author. Ending up with a 'House Ad' for other series published by King Tractor Press.

As mentioned in my earlier blog post, this genre is not usually one I pick up for my own personal reading. Saying that, I found that this series of two TPB / GN format volumes was a compelling read.  

The idea of having different artists illustrate the publications made this series a constant change in illustrations styles. Most of which fit the chapter being illustrated smoothly.

Some styles I personally liked more than others, but it seemed to all flow together coherently, and without sensationalistic gore or violence.  

Having done some of my own 'genealogy research' in Northwest Missouri several years ago, I could 'tune in' to the setting where this story takes place.  The Copeland Farm was on the East side of the I-35 running through Northwest Missouri in Livingston County, while my families lived on the West side, with just a few counties separating the two areas...So I have a pretty good 'picture' of what the story setting would look like in real life.

Again, this book, while not my favorite genre to read, makes a compelling visual and written story to follow. The format shows that comics don't have to be all 'superheroes' in genre to tell a story, and could be a good read for those that like crime stories like this one is. 

My comic book grade for this publication is a VERY FINE / NEAR MINT  (VF/NM) 9.0 on a 10.0 comic book grading scale.

Here are the links to where you can buy both Volume 1 and Volume 2 of Family Bones, as we don't have them in stock at our own online store at this time:  Family Bones Volume 1: Based on a True Story. And: Family Bones Volume 2

Plus you can see other series from Shawn's King Tractor Press by clicking this link.

Thanks again, Shawn, for sharing your time and your publication with me at the recent San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,255 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 1,970 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. Please Note: I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so it might be a while before I am able to accept your request. Just send a message along with the invite that you saw my Blog!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

Update On the 2010 Long Beach Comic Con (LBCC)! Expanded Programming! Friday October 29th through Sunday October 31st - In Long Beach, California     - Above Photo:  (L-R) Mike Mignola, Katie Mignola, and Christine Beatty Mignola as seen at the February 2010 Long Beach Comic Con Expo! - At the Left: The Poster for THIS Year's LBCC - Make Plans Now!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3257:

BIG NEWS this week on the upcoming Long Beach Comic Con's 2nd Annual Event! I had hoped to present this earlier in the week, but now that the programming schedule is in .pdf format for YOU to download and print, it's time to post the link to it in this Blog!

PLUS: Before time slips away, I want YOU to make sure to mark YOUR calendars for this Great event, AND Buy YOUR tickets online now!

I say Great, because I was there for the 1st Annual LBCC last year at this time.  It's always hard to publicize a brand new comic con, because not having been to it before, you don't know what to expect, or how much you should promote it...

However, Tina and I have been both to the 1st LBCC in October 2009 that covered three days, and the LBCC Expo in early 2010, which was a one day affair.  Both were Great, although on different scales.

That's because the three day con was like the old SDCC that I first selling at back in the early 1970's, with dealers and comics creators that you could talk to on a one-to-one basis, without being trampled on during an over-sized and over croweded comic con!

The one day Expo was perfect sized for an in-between show, and reminded me of the old San Diego Quarterly Cons in the 1990's. I found myself talking to creators that I couldn't even get close to at larger shows without standing in long lines to do so. Including meeting the Mike Mignola family pictured above at the top right of this blog post!

So Tina and I have definitely booked the last weekend in October to attend this 2nd LBCC.  We suggest YOU check out the links below, both to their Facebook Fan Page, and to their own web site.  I'll be blogging more about this upcoming con in the weeks to come.  This is just an additional notice for you to check it out for the 2010 event and buy your membership online!

Here's just a few of the programs that I wanted to highlight here today that I want to attend! (Here's the link to the creators & guests that will be attending from my earlier blog.)

FRIDAY OCTOBER 29TH:

2:00 - 2:45 PM - So You Want to be a Comic Book Retailer?
Seaside Ballroom B
Your first steps to having your very own comic
book store start right here! This convention
tradition is always a lively and fun discussion of
the brick and mortar basics of launching your own
career as a comic book specialty retailer. You have
questions? ComicsPRO’s panel of experienced
retailers has answers! Hosted by Joe Field
(ComicsPRO president, Flying Colors Comics,
Concord, CA) with fellow retailers Carr D’Angelo
(Earth-2 Comics, Sherman Oaks and Northridge,
CA), Thomas Gaul (Corner Store Comics & Beach
Ball Comics, Orange County, CA), and Derrick
Taylor (Comic Oasis, Las Vegas, NV).

3:00 - 3:45 PM - HOW TO SURVIVE AS AN ARTIST
with Scott Koblish
Room 301
A panel focusing on the lifelong practical questions
an artist faces. Scott Koblish gives you tips on
how to navigate a career that can be fraught with
unusual stress. With particular attention paid to
thinking about finances in a realistic way, stressing
your flexibility in approaching assignments, what
projects can be worth doing (if they don’t pay well),
how to focus on your goals and what to think about
when you run across blind alleys and uncertainty.

4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.
MIKE MIGNOLA SIGNING
Signing area

5:00 - 5:45 PM - ZAP! -- And there was light!
Robert Crumb’s “The Book of
Genesis Illustr ated”
Seaside Lobby
The 2010 Harvey Award winning book for best artist
is a unique blend of pop culture sensibilities with
scrupulous research and fidelity to text. Panelists will
discuss the artistic, cultural, historical, and theological
impact of Crumb’s highly acclaimed -- and highly
controversial! – Best-selling adaptation of the first
book in the Bible. Sponsored by The Christian Comic
Arts Society; moderator: Buzz Dixon.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 30TH
11 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
COMIC BOOK SUNDAY!
PRESENTS MARV WOLFMAN
Seaside Ballroom B
Neo Edmund sits down with the titan himself Marv
Wolfman for a one on one chat about all things
comics, video games, and the Wolfman’s amazing
career in spanning nearly four decades, from Teen
Titans to his current work on God of War, and
more projects than we could possibly ever list.

2:00 - 2:45 PM
MIKE MIGNOLA SPOTLIGHT
Seaside Ballroom B
“Hellboy” creator and superstar artist, Mike
Mignola hosts this special “Spotlight” panel giving
fans an inside look at his award winning career.

4:00 - 4:45 PM - GETTING YOUR IP RECOGNIZED
WITH JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Room 301
A must for creators who want to
become more business savvy and reap
potential commercial success.Learn
the ins and outs of making sure your
creations and IPs get out there and
noticed from comic master writer and
artist Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex)!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 31ST

11 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
The Art of Storytelling in Graphic
Novels with Nhora Serrano , Mike
Buckley and Jason Casem
Seaside Ballroom B
What is this popular visual medium that is referred
to as the ‘graphic novel’? Too often, this important
literary genre has been dismissed as “kid’s stuff,”
but comics and graphic novels are as complex and
powerful as any other art form. In Reading Comics,
Douglas Wolk states “The cheap way of referring
to them is “comics” or “comic books”; the fancy
way is “graphic novels” (or “graphic narratives”
or “sequential art”). While the combination
“graphic novel” has floated around since the 60s,
the influential Will Eisner popularized the term
with his publication in 1978 of A Contract with
God, which did NOT pertain to superheroes. This
roundtable highlights the fact that sequential
art describes a sophisticated and complex

3 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
SLUM CIRCUS: THE ART OF DYI
BRANDING AND WORKING IN
COLLECTIVE
Seaside Lobby
This panel aims to assists artists and writers who
are interested in taking their craft to the retail
world. From creating diverse products while
earning promotional funding, to establishing
contacts to barter services and event booking -
All while on a limited budget.

---------------------------

Again, this is just the Latest Notice about this upcoming event.  I'll be sure to post more notices here in this blog and also at my own Facebook Group Page as the weekend nears. And at least one follow up blog afterwards on the event.  Plus any comic books / promos that we pick up at the LBCC from the creators for possible review blogs!

If YOU are exhibiting at this LBCC, feel free to message me on Facebook or send me an email so I can add you in future posts!

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,255 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 1,985 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"! Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page!! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. Please Note: I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so it might be a while before I am able to accept your request. Just send a message along with the invite that you saw my Blog!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

My 'Take' On: The Untold Chronicles Book 1 Everdance: A Blood Story By Geo Brawn IV     - Above Photo:  The Front Cover of The Untold Chronicles - Book One, As Found at the 2010 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival! - At the Top Left: Geo Brawn IV. Holding The Graphic Novel That Is Reviewed In This Blog! - At the Bottom Left: The Poster for the 3rd Annual San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival (2010 SGV).

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3256:

Today's post is still yet another blog on a publication that I found at the recent SGV Comic Book Festival that took place on Sunday, September 19th! As I stated earlier...That 'little' comic con sure had a lot of creative comic book self-publishers on its exhibit floor!

Here is what Geo Brawn IV has on his web site as to what the graphic novel series is about, plus a little bit on his comics bio:

"...Just Believe."

  Born George William Brawn IV, in the City of Angels (and Demons), California in 1975. Even at a young age his passion has always been in creating art. Graduating from West Covina High School with a scholarship in illustration, he attended the Pasadena Art Center of Design, even further developing his style in the craft. Then following, George studied graphic art in Long Beach. He began developing ways on just how to bring his ideas and stories into a particular medium. Ways to bring his creations to life.
  In 2002, Geo found that medium in one of his first artistic loves, comic books. Starting with his first character “Cherry Bomb”, the formation of an entire universe of characters had begun. The stories and creations Geo had were now forming in this perfect art form.
Now Geo has collected four of those stories and has named them "The Untold Chronicles". Starting with Midnight Angel, the story of what happens to an angel who falls in love and far from grace, only to realize the world has a place for even a fallen angel. Continuing with the next story, Everdance, a tale of what happens when a vampire who’s never survived on her own, suddenly must or die. This then led to the third story, Blood Rites, (the adventure story of what happens to a teenage girl who just wanted to party forever, and ended up drafted into fighting the evil she was reborn into). And   finally, The Untold Chronicles last book is known as, The Blood of Eden, the love story that spans oceans of time. Starting not with the garden of Eden and the couple who lost it… but what happen following their expulsion, and how, as time and their punishment wage on, they become the architect’s of the world we know today, with a love that knows no bounds.  
The best way to bring his creations to life for the world to see has always been Geo’s dream, and now that same dream, is becoming a reality.

A grapic novel / TPB
Black & White With color covers
Page Count: 140
 
$16.00
+shipping and handling

So what is 'My Take' on this publication?

First, the front cover: This front cover is laid out nicely. I could tell the genre of this publication right away from the hands and the eyes pictured.  I figured that today would be a good day to review blog this, what with Halloween coming up in two weeks! 

Inside Front Cover: Lays out exactly what to expect in this publication.  A well executed inside front cover page!.

Splash Page:  Grabbed my attention right away!  Which is what a 'Splash Page' is supposed to do!

Interior Pages - The artwork presented in these pages are good examples of well drawn characters.  The black / white / gray pages fit the tone of this story well. 

I for one am glad that the color 'red' was not one of the colors used in this storyline, as I've seen that technique used in other publications.  Here I believe it would have detracted from the storyline...due to all of the blood depicted.  Others might disagree...that is their perogative.

Saying that, I do have to mention that the genre of this publication is not one of my favorites to read for personal pleasure.

However, the execution of the illustrated art was fine enough to warrant a review blog.  The only problem I had reading this Graphic Novel / Trade Paper Back (TPB), is that the story line was a little 'jumpy' in parts for me as a reader.  Probably because it was written as seperate comic books and combined together in this publication?

As for a target market for this publication...I'm not for sure of the age group to recommend this to, as there is nudity, plus blood & gore involved in this illustrated novel. I do see on the web site that is 'recommended for mature readers'...

Also, the story is self contained, plus there is room for a few pinup pages in the 'Afterword' by Geo.  Also, there are illustrated character bios, which is helpful in putting this all together.

The Inside Back Cover: It's The Ka-Blam printer's ad. Which is what I mostly see on self-published comics, TPBs or Graphic Novels.  They are a good printing outfit, and by the numbers of comics that are submitted to me for possible rview, they are a natural choice. Check them out at www.Ka-Blam.com!

Okay, end of commercial for the printer!

Back Cover: Good layout to help the causal browser make up their mind to thumb through this publication at a comics store or bookstore.

Okay, now for my final 'take' on this publication...

I've already mentioned that this genre is not one of my favorite genres to read for personal reading pleasure.

However, this Blog is to inform you, my blog readers, of what publications I come across that could be a good read for You!

As stated above, the illustrations are done very well and are laid out very nicely panels wise.

I'm also glad the publication's interior pages are printed in black / white / gray as mentioned earlier, due to the subject matter.

Other than the storyline being a little 'jumpy' for me, which is probably due to different stories being melded together in a TPB / Graphic Novel format, the story and art merge together pretty well and deserve being mentioned here. !

My comic book grade for this publication is a VERY FINE / VERY FINE PLUS  (VF/VF+) 8.25 on a 10.0 grading scale. Again, please be aware of the content / subject matter. It is Not for young readers, no matter how many vampire TV shows or theatrical films they may have seen!

Here is the link to where you can buy this publication. Plus take a look at other items from Geo at his web site!

---------------------------

Thanks again, Geo and Nancy, for sharing your time and your publication with me at the recent San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,255 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 1,970 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. Please Note: I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so it might be a while before I am able to accept your request. Just send a message along with the invite that you saw my Blog!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

My 'Take' On: CODENAME: Sparrow #0  By Raul Aguirre Jr. As Found at the 2010 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival!     - Above Photo:  The Front Cover of CODENAME: Sparrow #0, As Found at the 2010 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival! - At the Top Left: Raul Aguirre Jr. Holding The Issue of CODENAME: Sparrow #0 That Is Reviewed In This Blog! - At the Bottom Left: The Poster for the 3rd Annual San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival (2010 SGV).

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3255:

Today's post is yet another blog on a publication that I found at the recent SGV Comic Book Festival that took place on Sunday, September 19th! That 'little' comic con sure had a lot of creative comic book self-publishers on its exhibit floor!

Here is what Raul Aguirre Jr. has on his web site as to what the comic book is about:

Codename Sparrow is a the highly original Romantic Spy Thriller you just can't miss!

International Playboy and Gentleman Thief Eddie Torres  while at the top of his game, and through no fault of his own, has it taken away.

Rather than rot in prison he accepts an offer to be a covert operative for a private “Good Guy” agency called N.E.S.T!!

Their mission: To save the world from itself!

Codename: Sparrow TM and © Raul Aguirre Jr.
All rights reserved.

Standard Comic
Black & White
Page Count: 28
 
$6.00
+shipping and handling

So what is 'My Take' on this zero issue?

First, the front cover: Man, that's a lot of copy on the front cover!  That was my first thought. But the figures surrounded by the copy were striking. 

Splash Page:  Wait...It's a good thing I read the inside cover first, before going to the 'splash page'.  Why? Because as the Opening Credit to this story says..."Before He Was CODENAME: Sparrow - Greatest Covert Operative In The World - He Was A Gentleman Thief."   The title of the actual story is 'HOT ICE', although I don't see it on the splash page, but read it on the inside front cover.

Interior Pages - 1st story - I find myself liking the artwork immediately. The black / white / gray interior pages are fine with me.  Everything doesn't have to be in color.  The figures are illustrated in a nice style, and I find myself getting to the end too fast.  'To Be Continued' shows up too soon for me!

Next is a CODENAME: Sparrow Tribute Page, which is kind of soon for one, but since this is a 'Zero Issue'...What the heck!  I see four other creative page with their interpretation of the character, and recognize them all as others that were at this San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival:  Javier Hernandez, Graciela Rodriguez, Jim Lujan, and Hortencia Aguirre.  Interesting on how the main character of this zero issue is portrayed by these folks!

The next page is a one page feature: Who Is The Sparrow?' Which is helpful for a zero issue.

Being a 'Zero Issue', Raul decides to next show a one page 'Development Art Sampler' to present "...some sketches I did referencing some 007 stuff to get my spy on".  Raul has the spy thriller genre down pat!

Then halfway through the publication is the second story.  It's titled 'The Name of the Game".  Whereas the first story was about Eddie's Cat Burglar Days, this second story is about how Eddie got his cool codename in his early days at the agency.

However, the art style changes with this second story. Nothing wrong in different art styles, but after the first story ended with a 'To Be Continued', I was hoping to see more of the character in the art style that was first used.

It's a cute story on how Eddie got his codename, but the change in art style made me think there was a different team on this second story.  Nope...It still said 'Story And Art - Raul Aguirre Jr.'

Okay, Raul is the creator, writer & artist for this self published series.  He can do / present what he wants in his own self published series.

However, my preference was for the first style presented in the first story of this publication. I realize that this is a 'Zero Issue', which are usually produced to introduce new readers to the characters, background, and other info needed to start a new comic book series. However, the use of two different art styles / black & white colorings makes this zero issue appear to almost be an anthology book, which are usually harder to sell to the reading public. Oh, I do want to add that origin story of Eddie's codename was entertaining! 

Next...there's some great ads on the inside back cover.  Parody ads that is!  I enjoyed reading them.

Back Cover - The Ka-Blam printer's ad. Which is what I mostly see on self-published comics.  They are a good printing outfit, and by the numbers of comics that are submitted to me for possible rview, they are a natural choice. Check them out at www.Ka-Blam.com!

Okay, end of commercial for the printer!

I gotta tell you, I enjoyed the character and premise that Raul Aguirre Jr. set forth in this zero issue.  My only concern is the changeup in art style in the two different stories.  Maybe they were presented that way because the first story was set in Eddie's suave Cat Burglar Days, while the second story was set in the current 'CODENAME: Sparrow' Days.  That could be the reason, but I didn't ask Raul.  If so, then the two different art styles for the two different periods of Eddie's life would make more sense to me as a reader and as a reviwer.

I'm not going to let my 'hangup' on the artwork styles affect my 'grading' on this comic book...too much!  That's because this zero issue is chock full of what could be done with a comic book series on this character!

My comic book grade for this publication is a VERY FINE PLUS  (VF+) 8.5 on a 10.0 grading scale. That is pretty darn good for a 'Zero Issue'!

Here is the link to where you can buy this zero issue of CODENAME: Sparrow. Plus other items from Raul Aguirre Jr. Take a moment and see what else he has for sale! 

---------------------------

Thanks again, Raul, for sharing your time and your publication with me at the recent San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,250 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 1,970 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. Please Note: I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so it might be a while before I am able to accept your request. Just send a message along with the invite that you saw my Blog!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

My 'Take' On: Cartoon Flophouse Volume 1 By Michael Aushenker As Found at the 2010 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival!     - Above Photo:  The Front Cover of Cartoon Flophouse Volume 1 Found at the 2010 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival! - At the Top Left: Michael Aushenker Holding The Issue of Cartoon Flophouse Volume 1 That Is Reviewed In This Blog! - At the Bottom Left: The Poster for the 3rd Annual San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival (2010 SGV).

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3254:

Today's post is another blog on a publication that I found at the recent SGV Comic Book Festival that took place on Sunday, September 19th!

If the name 'Cartoon Flophouse' sounds familar to you...I did blog about another 'Cartoon Flophouse' publication recently, Crying Macho Man #4 from Cartoon Flophouse.

So this is similar to another well known company using their company name as 'presenting' or 'presents' a new title.

Also, here is what Michael Aushenker has on the company web site:

"CARTOON FLOPHOUSE (based in Los Angeles, California) is the only comic book company dedicated exclusively to humor comics.

We are committed to bringing you the rapier wit and absurdist, quasi-surreal hilarity of cartoonists Michael Aushenker and Jose Cabrera (both of whom should be committed!).

If you're not laughing, then we've failed. Which in itself is pretty funny. So we win!"

Okay...enough for the intros.

What is this publication about, and what is 'My Take' on it?

First the front cover: Although I have already reviewed a different publication from this company, I didn't know the characters portrayed on the front cover of this publication. 

(Heck, I even missed Richard Carradine's bum from the Lower Class at the bottom right corner. Richard is shown near the bottom right of this post holding his new book 'The Park After Dark'.)

This looked like a fun front cover, so I turned the page..

Inside Front Cover: Good 'House Ad' with the credits. I could see that this publication was going to be varied in presentation. How varied?

Splash Page:  This showed me I would be reading comix!  (Think underground comix!)

Interior Pages - The first two pages were a 'Welcome To Cartoon Flophouse' - which was good, because it set the stage as to what was going to be presented in this issue.

The first section of this comix magazine centers on Greenblatt The Great! - Which is in Michael's own words..."I've always wanted to write the Great American Bellhop Gag Strip". Michael graduated Cornell University in 1991 and moved to Paris, France. There he became exposed to PSIKOPAT. And Cowboy Henk, and Tin Tin. Michael calls the first section his "quasi-surreal, Euro gag strip. Enclosed are all 30 chapters".

The Boom Years: 1992-1994 - In January of 1992 Michael returned to Los Angeles. He created comics for Caliber Press. He goes on to tell about his experiences there...

Then Came 1995... El Gato, Crime Mangler starts. Michael quites cartooning for others and self-publishes, and never looked back.

Los Angeles, 2001 - Enter Xeth Feinberg and "Papu". Plus other characters.

Why does Michael, (and then I in this blog), mention the above?

That's because this publication basically reprints the periods mentioned above.

So I'll start with the first section which is about Greenblatt the Great, all 30 Chapters.  Each Chapter is a one or two page comix strip. Remember this is 1992. The Black & White Boom was in full bloom. The character is introduced. The art is 'comix' style, and the lettering is also 'comix' style. The black and white presentation covers a lot of ground and introduces several other characters, which would be natural as a bellhop does meet a lot of people!

Earl the Talking Ear is shown next, (from 1991).  Then 'Bloody the Bloodhound', (also 1991). Then other strips are shown, including 'Me, My Elf, and I', 'Satan Takes A Holly-Day', 'Nix + Pix'.

Then 'Papu' is shown, in 'Papu in Switzerland'. It's a 14 page feature by Xeth Feinberg.

That is followed up by a few one page strips of 'Riding On Empty' from 1992.

The publication ends with 'Clucky & Brett'- 'Those Unstoppable Rogues In...The Model Party'.

I gotta tell you...As I've mentioned in this Blog before.  Reading AND reviewing an anthology publication has to be one of the toughest jobs going!

That's because when a reader finds a story or storyline or character that he or she likes...that story ends and another one starts.  Which the reader may or many not like as well!

I enjoyed the intro on the inside cover, the splash page, and the two page history of how Michael Aushenker started in cartooning and publishing comix.

However, as stated on the Splash Page itself?  "Zero Attenion Span? You've come to the right place..."

It was fun to see where Michael started back in 1991-92 by reading the first 30 chapters of Greenblatt the Great from that time period. The episodes / chapters still hold up almost 20 years later because the format is 'comix'. Plus they are printed in black & white, which hold up over time in this style of presentation.

The additional features presented show what Michael was also doing during his early years in cartooning.  Some I liked more than others, but heck...this is an anthology. There's always that aspect of reading an anthology.

I didn't understand why 'Papu' was in the publication after the first reading, as it wasn't by Michael.  After re-reading the 2 page history of Michael's early cartooning life, it made more sense to me.

'Riding On Empty' was a little strange...but I wish it had been continued. It was cute the way it ended with a road sign stating: T.B.C.

The last feature in this publication, of Clucky + Brett, ended the presentation on a high note.

As I stated early on in this review blog...Reviewing an anthology publication is one of the hardest thing to read / review.  No matter how much, (or little), is presented, a reader is likely to find something they didn't like, something that was okay, and something that they really liked and wished more of that was in the publication.  Very few anthologies that come in for review have multiple stories / presentations that I like everything in it.  It's just the way it is folks!

My comic book grade for this 'Cartoon Flophouse Volume 1' comix magazine publication in total is a VERY FINE / VERY FINE PLUS, (VF/VF+) 8.25 on a 10.0 grading scale. That is pretty darn good for an anthology publication.

Okay...I promised to let you know where YOU can buy this mini-series I just reviewed above!

Here is the link to where you can buy this comix magazine. Plus other comics and magazines from Cartoon Flophouse!

Plus, YOU can also meet Michael Aushenker at the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco if you are attending that this year!

---------------------------

Thanks again, Michael, for sharing your time with me at the recent San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival!

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 3,250 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this Blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app!  We currently have over 1,970 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet...I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note: Our online comic book shop carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at the link seen below.  

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:   Make It So Marketing Inc. PO Box 130653 Carlsbad, CA 92013   ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today... I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! Plus I have a chapter in a new book coming out in December of 2010, that is pictured above, "Gotham City 14 Miles"!  Click here to become a 'Fan' of the GC14M Facebook Fan Page! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. Please Note: I have reached the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so it might be a while before I am able to accept your request. Just send a message along with the invite that you saw my Blog!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others serve the page up differently, sorry about that! The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.