From: lf7z@midway.uchicago.edu (The Glenner)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.info
Subject: A1, Epic style
Date: 10 Nov 92 17:51:20 GMT
Article-I.D.: midway.1992Nov6.053108.23588
Reply-To: lf7z@midway.uchicago.edu
Followup-To: rec.arts.comics.misc
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations


Well, version 2.0 of A1 is out, and while it's a poor cousin to it's
predecessor, I found it surprisingly enjoyable.  To wit, Review the
First:

I respect Dave Elliot a lot, and I think he showed excellent taste in
the first incarnation, so I expected good things from the Epic mini,
despite the stark changes in line-up of artists involved.  It profits
a great deal from the use of mostly spectacular color; however, there
is a great deal less bang for the buck.  And those wonderful margin
notes are completely gone :(.  Apparently Garry Leach is no longer
involved, though he is credited with part ownership of A1 and Atomeka.
Also MIA is the "star-studded" group of creators that worked on the
first run, they're all doing Spawn, I imagine :^).  The only holdover,
really, is Fabry, even Bill Mumy's Trypto the Acid Dog is curiously
absent...  Overall, though, a good read.

A1, vol.2, no.1
Epic, $5.95 US, $6.95 CAN
Dave Elliot, editor  Intro by Eastman	Cover by Fabry

Along for the Ride
	Story: Igor Goldkind, Art: Glenn Fabry, 9 pp.

99% of the time I'm not all that picky about the art, if the writing
excels I'm really forgiving.  On the other hand, there are only a very
few artists that I'll pick up irregardless of the writing quality.
But Fabry is an exception (I've also taken pains to ensure I get a
copy of Darrow's Comics & Stories :^), and the art here is great
stuff, even though it looks a little "Steve Pugh-ish" here and there,
and that I could do without.  It ain't Bricktop, which I dearly miss,
but it's good story, as well.  It's sort of an outsider's take on
middle America, opening up with a British tourist in a Redneck bar.
After a little good old American disillusionment (tm), he hitches a
ride with a fairly bizaare trio on their way to Mexico, and the story
gets really allegorical.  I thought this to be the best episode in the
book, and I enjoyed it a great deal.  It's very reminiscent of
Milligan's work in Shade, particularly parts of 'American Scream' and
'The Road'

Cyrano de Bergerac's Voyage to the Moon
	Adapted by P. Craig Russell, Coloring: Lovern Kindzerski, 20 pp.

   This one didn't do anything for me.  Yeah, I know it's Russell, but
the art seemed way too cartoonish, and I found the story really silly
and uninteresting, although others may find it more to their taste.
It has a rather hallucinogenic feel to it, as Cyrano travels to the
Moon where no one can communicate with him, since the nobility
communicate with music and others use gestures.  So they treat him as
an animal, keeping him first in a cage and later on a perch, until he
is befriended by a creature of the Sun, who eventually takes him home.
Along the way there are whole lot of cultural quirks illustrated, like
smelling your food for nourishment, or hunting with ammo that cooks
and seasons, as well as kills.  Possibly for Yellow Submarine fans,
which can only be a little more plentiful than Blue Whales (see below
:^).

Goofing
	Scott Hampton (fully painted), 8 pp.

   Autobiographical look at how Scott works, and how he met a favorite
musician, John Renbourne.  A fairly amusing treatment of George Pratt
is included as well.  I enjoyed this, though I couldn't really tell
you why.  A nice light-hearted romp that I found entertaining.

Fanciful Head Case
	Art: Ilya, Words: Simon, 5 pp.

  Very nice art here as well, of course.  A very unkind look at a
particular kind of male, i.e. the 'Pick-up Artist'.  It feels more
like an illustrated song or coffee house rap than a comic story, done
James Ellroy-gritty, entirely in rhyme.  It will hit people
differently, but powerful and haunting, in my view.  Simon might be a
pseudonym for Ilya, as the contents page only lists Ilya in the
credits.

Frankenstein Meets Shirley Temple, 2 pp.
	Roger Langridge

   A philosophical Frankie and a smart-ass Shirley float in space
contemplating the Universe and jelly doughnuts.  Good stuff, Maynard.

Wonderful Life
	Steve White

   A very pretty one-page argument to Save the Blue Whale, which
reminds me a great deal of Hajime (the painting, of course :^).  I'm
not exactly sure why it's in the Table of Contents, since it's really
a Public Service Announcement sort of thing, or how one should review
such a thing, but there you are.  It is pleasant to look at, and I
would like to see these creatures survive this century as much as
anyone.

And of course, next vol is due in 30 days :^)  Hey, it could happen!

Pax ex machina, 
Glenn
......................................................................
"Part the First: In which the origins of the Universe are mulled over,
 chewed up and spat out again in favor of a good cup of coffee."
   --- Frankenstein Meets Shirley Temple
g-carnagey@uchicago.edu, if you must know
......................................................................


--
-Hades (Brian V. Hughes) 
	"Hey, we're on the Cutting Edge!"
	"Too bad we're not on the side you keep." - Mr. Boffo