Review: FARMHAND #1 Ashcan

FARMHAND No. 1 - Ashcan Edition
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

FARMHAND #1 (Diamond Code MAY180011) hits stores on Wednesday, July 11th, 2018. The final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, June 18th, 2018. See preview pages here.

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Rob Guillory – @Rob_guillory
ART: Rob Guillory
COLORS: Taylor Wells
LETTERS: Kody Chamberlain
8pp, Colors, Giveaway U.S.

Rated “M/ Mature”

Farmhand created by Rob Guillory

Farmhand is an upcoming comic book series from Rob Guillory.  Guillory was the artist and co-creator with writer John Layman of the hit Image Comics title, Chew.  Guillory is a Eisner Award and Harvey Award winner for his work on Chew.

Farmhand Ashcan is a small, full-color minicomic that previews Farmhand #1 (Chapter 1: “You Can Go Home Again...But Why?), which is due for release July 11, 2018 (Diamond ID: MAY180011).  I was able to obtain a copy of Farmhand Ashcan via a friend who received several copies from Guillory.  Guillory gave me permission to post a review of this preview.

Farmhand introduces Ezekiel “Zeke” Jenkins.  He grew up on his father, Jedidiah “Jed” Elias Jenkins' farm.  Zeke, his wife, and their children (Abigail and Riley) are embarking on a tour of Jed's farm, which has a new cash crop.  For all that is new, however, something has taken root, and the dark secrets will bloom again.

Layman and Guillory's Chew, a dystopian science fiction comic book, was both humorous and satirical, similar in some ways to Terry Gilliam's film, Brazil; to the fiction of Philip K Dick, and even to the late Spain Rodriguez's Underground Comix, Trashman.  It was bright and colorful, and Guillory's small press, alt-comix, graphics aesthetic captured the gore, the violence, and the bureaucracy with glee.  Plus, Guillory's graphical storytelling was especially strong from the start of the series, unusual in emerging comic book narrative artists.

Farmhand is different.  It bears a resemblance to the macabre side of Americana captured by writer Ray Bradbury and television writer-producer, Rod Serling (“The Twilight Zone”).  It is an “American Gothic,” and Guillory is like Stephen King, peeling back the folksy charm of agrarian America and revealing its anthropological roots buried in a rich black soil of dark myths and elder things.  Rather than with despair, creator and characters will face the hoary horror with a hoary sense of humor.

Guillory gets into the story quickly with the help of his collaborators.  Colorist Taylor Wells offers rich hues and technicolor flourishes, and Kody Chamberlain's lettering captures the shifts in the story from horror shocks to strange science.

The cover of Farmhand #1 plays up the series' sly, humorous side, but I think the dark fantasy-scary tale side of this story will bloom in full.

A

http://RobGuillory.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Victor LaValle's DESTROYER #1

VICTOR LAVALLE'S DESTROYER No. 1 (OF 6)
BOOM! Studios – @boomstudios

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Victor LaValle – @victorlavalle
ARTIST: Dietrich Smith
COLORS: Joana Lafuente
LETTERS: Jim Campbell
COVER: Micaela Dawn
VARIANT COVER: Brian Stelfreeze
CHARACTER DESIGNS: Dietrich Smith and Dan Mora
28pp, Colors, $3.99 U.S. (May 2017)

Created by Victor LaValle

Victor LaValle's Destroyer is a new comic book created and written by author Victor LaValle (Slapboxing with Jesus).  The series is drawn by Dietrich Smith (who designed the characters with artist Dan Mora).  Joana Lafuente provides colors, and Jim Campbell does lettering, with covers drawn by Micaela Dawn.

Destroyer takes as it inspiration the Gothic novel, Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (first published in 1818).  In this sequel/descendant tale, a woman who can call Victor Frankenstein an ancestor uses science to recover life and justice.  Meanwhile, Frankenstein's original creation has returned to the world.

Victor LaValle's Destroyer #1 opens in Antarctica, where the creature created by Frankenstein violently reintroduces himself to humanity.  He is found by the crew of the ocean-going vessel, Robert Walton, but both the captain and his new passenger seem aware that each has dark motives towards the other.  Meanwhile, Professor Josephine Baker uses her scientific gifts and Frankenstein's alchemy to pierce the veil of death.

On a recent trip to the “local” comic book shop.  I came across Victor LaValle's Destroyer #1 on the shelf, my eyes drawn to Micaela Dawn's striking cover art.  Noticing that the cover's subject matter was a young Black male, I told myself that if this comic book's author was a Black man, I would purchase it and review it.  The small photographic image of Victor LaValle printed twice in this comic book certainly looked like that of Black man, so I picked up Destroyer #1

I make no apologies for deciding to read Victor LaValle's Destroyer #1 only if the writer were African-American.  I don't owe anybody anything.  I have been patronizing and praising a legion of White male comic book writers from all over the world (but especially North America and Europe) for decades.  Now, more than ever I want to enjoy comic books created by Black people/descendants of Africans brought to America.

Truth is, though, Victor LaValle's Destroyer #1 would be a fantastic comic book if a Red Martian wrote it.  Destroyer #1 is so dark and ominous that it is like an omens and portents generator.  The story is so honest in its brutality, but it is sweetly sly about its darker motivations.  Sometimes, it takes something to remind us that the horror of police shootings of Black men really is more horrifying that it is horrible.  I think that mixing the death of Black child with existential threat of Frankenstein is a sheer genius on LaValle's part.

I love the art that Dietrich Smith (who is also African-American) produces for this comic book.  It is powerful graphic storytelling that has a spirit which reminds me of the art produced for classic DC Comics/Vertigo titles like Sandman and Preacher.  I think Dietrich is a troublemaker like LaValle.  Let's put both of them on Jeff Sessions watch list.

Seriously, I am almost too afraid to read the second issue because this one made me feel uneasy.  But when a first issue is this good, I gotta open that crypt of the next issue.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: AFTER HOURS Volume 2

AFTER HOURS, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yuhta Nishio
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Abby Lehrke
LETTERS: Sabrina Heep
EDITOR: Pancha Diaz
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0025-7; paperback (June 2018); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
160pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

After Hours is a yuri manga from creator Yuhta Nishio.  “Yuri,” also known “girls' love,” is a genre that depicts romantic situations between female characters.  After Hours is the story of Emi Ashina, a 24-year-old, unemployed young woman who does not know what to do with her life.  At a club, Emi meets another young woman, Kei, who is a DJ and who becomes a dear friend.

In After Hours, Vol. 2 (Chapters 6 to 10), Emi and Kei tell Kei's DJ crew about their plans for a big musical event.  Emi is still a little unsure of her feelings for Kei, and Emi still has an apartment and a live-in boyfriend.  When Kei learns Emi's status, she turns distant with Emi, whose secrets and anxiety are starting to catch up with her.  Will that ruin her new relationship?

I think that I had heard about girls' love manga before reading the After Hours manga.  Now, I am reading it and Sweet Blue Flowers, a yuri title also published by VIZ Media

After Hours Graphic Novel Volume 2 deals with the awkward stage in a relationship, when secrets can quickly end everything.  Emi is trying to find herself as both a VJ and as part of Kei's professional world.  This volume is a pivotal entry in the series as far as romantic developments go.  People who read Vol. 1 will want to show up for Vol. 2.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: HOW TO DRAW Characters for the Artistically Challenged

HOW TO DRAW CHARACTERS FOR THE ARTISTICALLY CHALLENGED
HARPERCOLLINS/Harper Design – @HarperCollins @harperdesignbks

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: John Bigwood
ISBN: 978-0-06-269152-1; paperback – 5.31” x 8” (May 22, 2018)
96pp, Color, $14.99 U.S., $18.50 CAN

How to Draw Characters for the Artistically Challenged is a new how-to and art book from author, illustrator, and graphic designer, John Bigwood.  It a book for budding artists who can hone their skills and learn to draw character portraits in an original interactive guide.

Do you love to create art, but feel a little unsure about your skills?  Well, there is a small art book that can help you master the ability to draw all kinds of people and faces.  How to Draw Characters for the Artistically Challenged includes 46 different looks to sketch.  Each entry is a drawing guide and is a two-page spread.  The right-hand side features a painted watercolor outline of a face or body.  On the left side of the spread is a corresponding page of suggested facial and body features, limbs, hairdos, clothes, and adornments that a budding artist can use to finish creating the painted outline of a face or body on the opposite page.

Examples of the entries includes the “Elvis Impersonator,” which includes a lip curl and three different hairstyles to choose from: "day-off Elvis," "stage Elvis," and "dressing room Elvis," (that features his signature coif topped with foam curlers).  Another example is the “Wrestler,” which features athletes of three different body types: "heavyweight," "featherweight," and “holiday weight.”

A publicity agent for Harper Design sent me a copy of How to Draw Characters for the Artistically Challenged for review.  At first, I was put off by this book, but as I flipped through it, I became really impressed by what it offered.

Honestly, I think How to Draw Characters for the Artistically Challenged will work for artists who are already drawing or is comfortable with tracing.  You don't have to be a master, but you should at least be able to draw basic cartoon shapes and objects and also be able to cartoon the human figure and face at a minimal level.

I think that people who like to draw cartoons and use how-to-draw books will find a lot to like about this book, even if it is just to appreciate the off-beat and quirky drawings in this book.  How to Draw Characters for the Artistically Challenged is fun and accessible and different.  And I can't stop thumbing through it.

7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for June 13, 2018

BOOM! STUDIOS

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DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 13, 2018

DC COMICS

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