Obscure Comic of the Month - Crowsong

Obscure Comic of the Month is a column where I take a look at a comic or series that hasn't really been talked about. This covers independent comics, zines, weird spin-offs, webcomics and more.

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Crowsong by Tony Vanraes with art by Theo Brenni, Bentti Bisson, Justin Mason, and Chris Anderson - 2019

Contains Mild Spoilers

In the world of self-publishing it's hard to stand out. The temptation to just go four sheets to the wind and produce a magnum opus with the hopes that if-you-build-it-they-will-come is almost always at the back of your mind.

The wiser creator knows, however, that showcasing your talents on smaller projects is the smarter move. Crowsong, by Tony Vanraes, is one such example of this approach. Serving as an anthology comic, with Vanraes writing and different artists covering each strip, it aims to cover a broad variety of genres, showing not only Vanraes's versatility as a writer, but also casting a wide net towards a readership of varying interests.

The first story, The Immolated Lady, is a 'dig two graves story' of a fantasy warrior seeking vengeance for the death of her family. The story is sharp, with vivid, lively artwork depicting the conflict between two unnamed fantasy races with animal-like features. Its ending, where the protagonist chooses to perpetuate the cycle of vengeance rather than seek reconciliation, is also as cutting as it is tragic.

The Contract, a story of a hopeless future war, where mankind makes an unholy alliance with a Borg-like machine cult, is certainly more visually creative, but is one of those short comics that really feels it doesn't have the room to cover it's own backstory, and strains against it's page count. While it's ending is shocking and surprising, it does feel like a compromised version of a greater saga.

Hatchling is a very short comic about a barbarian warrior's quest for a magical crown that will bestow him great power, but at the cost of his humanity. Unlike The Contract, Hatchling benefits from it's shortened page-count, keeping the plot lean and to the point, revelling in its quick, brutal violence and jumping head-first into its grotesque final twist.

Squires tells the story of two unassuming young men who get pulled into the parody of a space adventure led by a stereotypically overenthusiastic hero in power armour, only to realise they are completely out of their depth with the death and destruction all around them. While well written and drawn, I find that genre parodies like this are a dime a dozen these days, often retreading the same kind of jokes gaming webcomics were doing back in the late 00's. Its not bad by any means, but just really not my tempo. That being said, it is written as a prologue of sorts, and if continued, Id certainly give it the chance to win me over.

All things considered, Crowsong hits more than it misses, and leaves the reader wanting to see how Vanraes work comes together on a longer project, especially with regards to the artists, who are all perfectly suited for the style of each story. Vanraes has been keeping the work up since 2019, and if Crowsong is anything to go by, he's probably got more interesting stories to bring us in the future.

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Jack Harvey 2022. Crowsong (c) Tony Vanraes. Images used under Fair Use.

Star Wars - The Kyber Conflict

 

Last year I did a little thought experiment, imagining how I would pitch a brand new Star Wars film as a fresh start to the series. New characters, a new conflict and completely unconnected to plot-lines of the past.

Today, I bring you the logical conclusion of that thought experiment, a full spec script for a totally brand new Star Wars story. With artwork by the wonderful Barry McGowan.

With the discovery of valuable Kyber crystals, the small system of Windar becomes a battleground of great significance. While the New Republic sends the wise Jedi Karis to negotiate with the Aristocracy, the Incom corporation recruits the ambitious noble Lucian to betray his brother Louis and size control of operations. Now Louis must learn the ways of The Force with Shani of the striking Mineworkers Union, and overcome their differences to decide the fate of the planet.

Read the whole thing here.

Exploring the Banality of the Bizarre in Strangehaven. An Obscure Comic of the Month Special Edition.

This column normally takes a look at obscure comics. For every every sixth month, instead of taking a look at a comic that nobody talks about, this special edition will take a look at a comic I feel not enough people talk about.

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Strangehaven Books 1 - 3 by Gary Spencer Millidge 1995 - 2005

Note. This article covers volumes 1 - 3 of Strangehaven, but will not cover the more recent, in-progress volume 4 being serialised in Meanwhile...

Contains Spoilers

I first heard about Strangehaven during my early days of exploring beyond the world of superhero comics. Strangehaven was one of many well regarded but little known titles I decided to seek out, but not being particularly internet savvy back then I never managed to find a copy and my thoughts on it drifted away.

Fast forwards to 2018 and I notice a few volumes on sale at a table at the Leeds Thought Bubble convention. The guy behind the table gives me the pitch of 'Twin Peaks but in Somerset,' (Strangehaven actually takes place in Devon) but the comic already needed no introduction and I bought the books on the spot.

Comparisons to Twin Peaks are rife when it comes to Strangehaven, and while it does work as a decent elevator pitch, I always thought it was reductive to compare the two. Strangehaven is very much it's own thing, but what I will say is that if Strangehaven does share one aspect with Twin Peaks it's the understanding of a culture's attitude towards it's sense of place.

David Lynch understands that small town America has an uncanny sense to it. America is still a young country in a lot of ways. It's populace at times still feel as though they are intruding somewhere they don't belong. No matter how old an American town is, they can sometimes look as though they simply popped into existence overnight.

Gary Spencer Millidge understands that the oppose applies to British towns. They feel old, like they belong exactly where they are. Even the newest of British towns can feel as though they were never really built, but grew out of the rock and soil in the earth itself. There's an uncanniness to both Twin Peaks and Strangehaven, but they are very different types of uncanny.

Strangehaven begins with the entrance of Alex Hunter, a traveller who after a ghost-sighting related car accident finds himself in the care of the small town. Soon enough Alex gets embroiled in the town's affairs, and it quickly becomes apparent that he is unable to leave Strangehaven. However, it remains ambiguous as to what degree he is supernaturally trapped or keeping himself in Strangehaven willingly out of a fondness for the place.

Millidge uses an, at times, almost photorealistic art style that lends itself well to this type of story, adding an extra layer of unsettling unreality that is, at it's core, just normal reality. The coastal vistas look grand and remote, the corner cottages look faded and aged beyond their years. Every British person unconsciously knows these sights. Places where you never know if you will be scowled at or welcomed a little too eagerly.

The way Alex is designed is just one of many examples of Millidge's skill at tapping in to this uncanny mood. Alex is a bit of an everyman, sure, but there's something kind of off about the guy. I sort of feel like everyone knows a person like Alex. Face a little too long, smile a little too wide. Normal at first blush, but nobody seems to really know much about them. You see them at the pub or maybe pass them at work, but there's something about them you can't quite put your finger on.

Through Alex's eyes we explore Strangehaven and it's weird idiosyncrasies. At points we are led to assume that strange, otherworldly powers might be present in Strangehaven, only to find out that there are actually banal, normal explanations instead. At one point, Alex wakes in the morning to find the inhabitants of the town celebrating Christmas. Does time work differently in Strangehaven? Has he been in a mysterious coma? No, it's simply an old town tradition. Weird, but hardly supernatural.

Alex, of course, is only one of an ensemble cast, and the inner lives and secrets of the village's inhabitants are equally enthralling. As the story continues, we soon begin to discover more about the machinations of a cultish, Mason-esque secret society that seems to be manipulating affairs from behind the scenes.

As mentioned, Strangehaven is a masterwork at pulling the rug out from under you, and it saves one of it's greatest twists towards the end of volume three. Alex, having now gotten himself embroiled into many of the town's affairs, is approached by a coven of witches, characters we had previously met, but did not know shared a connection until now. The coven explains to Alex that Strangehaven is indeed a supernatural place, sitting upon an intersection of mystical power that runs across the planet.

They explain to Alex that the secret society seeks to exploit this power for their own ends. Both Alex and the reader then expects the story to escalate towards some apocalyptic threat that needs to be stopped, but the coven reveals this is far from the case. For years they have carefully manipulated the most self-centred and short-sighted individuals into reaching the highest echelons of the cult. Their rationale being that the power will not be used for anything other than petty personal gain. Safer that way, than in the hands of a charismatic politician or corporate billionaire.

After so many stories of mysterious goings on and enigmatic ritual, Strangehaven reveals that it's greatest villains are little more than pathetic middle-aged men. No ancient evil or grand conspiracy. Just a bunch of folks who want the nicest seat in the pub or the flashiest car in town.

In the end, this is what Strangehaven is really all about. That sometimes the most mystical or surreal parts of our lives happen for the blandest of reasons. A liminal space is, at the end of the day, just a perfectly normal place. Strangehaven, in a lot of ways, feels like the Wizard of Oz having his curtain thrown back, except the wizard is the whole town.

That being said, at the end of volume three the town's conflicts and betrayals are only just beginning to reach their boiling point, and greater mysteries have yet to be revealed. The story continues into colour strips serialised in Meanwhile... magazine, and I suspect Millidge will play coy right down to the wire on what exactly is mystical and what is mere artifice. The uncanny has yet to be fully reckoned with.

Strangehaven is easily one of the greatest comics I have ever read and heartily recommend it to anyone who loves comics. The story behind it's creation and publication history is also equally fascinating, as explored in a recent video by You-tuber In Praise of Shadows that you can watch here. Millidge has said that he plans to conclude the story at the end of volume four, but also that his original plan for the comic was for it to run for years and years.

Whichever becomes the case, it's always safe to say that when it comes to Strangehaven, it's best to expect the unexpected.

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Jack Harvey 2022. Strangehaven (c) Gary Spencer Millidge. Images used under Fair Use.

Warhammer 40'000 - A Conspiracy of Riches

 Hello all. Today I'm pleased to bring you a story from the grim dark future of the 41st Millennium. A Conspiracy of Riches is a comic scripted by me and brought to life by the amazing Kristina Amuan.

This story has been a long time coming, as I've long been wanting to work together with an artist on a comic I've scripted to teach myself the intricacies of the collaborative process and show off the artwork of somebody I greatly admire at the same time.

Sent to defend one of the Imperium's largest gold reserves in the segmentum, Captain Thelonious of the Novamarines Chapter finds his faith in the Emperor tested as he is tasked with putting the Imperium's wealth and privilege ahead of it's loyalist subjects. What lines are the Captain and his Lieutenants willing to cross, and what fealty is is he willing to transgress, in his quest to stay true to his oath as incorruptible defenders of mankind?

Once again a massive thanks to Kristina who not only helped me make the story the best it could be, but also showed incredible patience with such a large project. I know she would have really liked the story to have run for more pages to give the climax more time and detail, but I wanted the story to keep to a lean 4 - 5 page size like the Warhammer Monthly strips of old.

Thanks for reading!

Sea of Spheres - Matters of State

We're back at it again folks. While it's been a long time coming for a lot of reasons, I'm finally ready to start releasing the next Sea of Spheres story, Matters of State. As always, artwork is by the fantastic Windlass.

Sophia Sloan left the Empire of Arcadia in the wake of her father's disappearance, leaving behind a prestigious naval career and many societal obligations. Having worked as an independent bootlegger, sailing the Sea of Spheres for years, Sophia is pulled back into Acadian society through a proposal of marriage. Initially suspicious, Sophia soon discovers that in the intervening years Arcadia may have changed more than she expected.

Matters of State has a little bit of action, a little bit of romance and, of course, a whole heaping of political subtext. You can read the whole thing here.

Part one is now up, with parts two to four dropping every Monday. Hope you all enjoy reading it.

Obscure Comic of the Month - Zegas

 Obscure Comic of the Month was a column I wrote from 2015 to 2017, where I would take a look at a comic or series that wasn't really talked about. This covered independent comics, zines, weird spin-offs, webcomics and more. It's been away, but now it's back.

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Zegas by Michel Fiffe - 2017 Fantagraphics Books

Contains Mild Spoilers

Michel Fiffe is probably most well know for his super-mercenary series Copra, most commonly described as 'the greatest Suicide Squad comic ever made, and it's not even a Suicide Squad comic.' Fiffe as a creator has a vivid and recognisable thumbprint, merging both retro sensibilities with a surrealist conceptualisation that makes it a style all of his own.

But we're not here today to talk about Copra (we'll get there, oh believe me we'll get there,) but instead Fiffe's short run slice of life sci-fi Zegas. Unlike Copra, describing Zegas succinctly is a little more difficult. The story follows the Zegas siblings, Emily and Boston, as they go about living their lives on a somewhat barren alien world as they desperately fight through drama and lethargy in search of fulfilment.

As with Copra, Fiffe's intense visual style is on display right from the get go. Heavy use of ink on a washed out newsprint background with limited use of colour, occasionally punctuated with psychedelic neon. Fiffe is one of those artists where, even if the story wasn't any good, you'd be able to recommend the work on the strength of the artwork alone.

There really is nobody else like him in comics right now, and his visuals stand out all the more in a time where digital artwork is strictly becoming the norm. Fiffe's artwork feels like it comes from some kind of parallel universe where digital art was never developed and illustrators were left instead to push paper and ink to it's absolute limits.

So, of course, the art is good, but what of the writing? Well Zegas essentially takes us into a world where the fantastical is treated as banal. Where psionic power and reality warping technology are just normal parts of life. Early on the siblings encounter an ethereal alien life form and treat the encounter as no more unusual as being stuck at a faulty traffic stop. The main draw of Zegas is to propose that there is no strange circumstance that human life won't adapt to, and that at the end of the day, more mundane, pedestrian issues will still be of the greatest concern to the common man.

The book is made up of a collection of strips bouncing between Emily and Boston, mostly concerned with small scale conflicts fuelled by ego and disillusionment. Emily longs for something more out of life, while Boston contends with his own deadbeat compulsions. Sometimes an alien fruit comes along that swells up your head to a bundle of fist size tumours. C'est la vie.

While Fiffe's Copra is deliberately reminiscent of Suicide Squad by design, Zegas instead calls to mind a very different comic book series, Love and Rockets, and in many ways the decision to juxtapose soap opera drama with fantastical elements feels like a nod to Rocket's early strips that hewed towards pulp sci-fi.

If Zegas is to have one real flaw, however, it's that unlike Rockets, it's web of personal connections feels too small, too limited. For a story that is primarily about the connections and consequences that weave, unknowingly between us throughout life, too often it feels as though we're on a closed set, with the wider world the Zegas siblings sit in, painfully just out of focus.

I suppose it's hardly fair to judge a short lived comic against one of the all time greatest long runners, but what I guess I'm trying to say is that Fiffe has such a way of bringing worlds to life that it feels as though we've only barely scratched the surface by the time we get to the closing pages.

Copra is obviously Fiffe's main project at the moment, and you'll hear no complaints from me about that, but I can't deny there's a part of that that's eager to see more of the Zegas twin's world, to go beyond their own personal circle and see the domino effect of how their own choices resonate out over the starry horizon.

Unless that time comes, I guess I'll just have to make do with the strips as is, which at the end of the day, is still no bad thing.

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Jack Harvey 2022. Zegas (c) Michel Fiffe. Images used under Fair Use.

Jack's April Update

We're hitting the part of the year where projects are starting to formulate into something and events can start to be organised. I'm still being cautious when it comes to convention appearances and trying not to overburden myself when it comes to work as I don't want to backslide on my writ problems. That being said, here's a quick rundown of what's coming up.

- The revisions on An Illustrated Guide to Drinking Beer are almost done and I'll be moving to a print release for local sellers and conventions very soon. As far as digital is concerned, I'm planning on releasing an abridged version of the comic with the basic intro free online in order to promote the full digital version that I'll put up on Gumroad.

- The third story in my Sea of Spheres series is almost ready to go up. Just need to give it another read-through while I wait for the wonderfully commissioned artwork to be completed for it to be finalised.

- As far as convention appearances go, West Coast Cosplay is running a small Minicon on the 23rd July at the Whitehaven Marchon Club. I'll be in attendance as a way of easing my way back in to the con routine. I'll be selling copies of my previous books, some prints and I plan to have the beer comic ready to go by then. If you can make it, come and say hello.

- The BatMinute podcast recently concluded it's series with Batman and Robin. I've had a great time as a recurring guest, and while it's sad to see the 90s Batman era come to an end, I have a feeling this won't be the last we'll have seen of Niall and Jon, nor me guesting for them.

- I was recently contacted regarding my old Jenny Everywhere comics by someone looking to update the Jenny Everywhere wiki and had noticed that the old images were hosted on Photobucket and since expired. I've now re-uploaded the comics to be accessible once more (Something I need to do for a bunch of other posts on here,) and as I did I gave them a read and realised they hadn't aged very well. While they're far from significantly problematic, a few things here and there that come across as poorly researched or ignorant of people's identities, so I've put up a short statement to that affect so new readers are aware of that.

- With the above in mind, I sort of felt it was my duty to go back and do a more modern take on my Jenny Everywhere ideas, so I'll be putting together a short comic to see how it goes down. More on this, as it develops.

Other than that, as ever, feel free to check out my other works on Twitter, Tumblr and DeviantArt and remember that all my most recent stories are posted and kept up to date on AO3.

Thanks for reading.