LUCIDMEDIA

Lucid Comics – August 26th

Written by Adam A. Donaldson Wednesday, 26 August 2009 16:48

Web Comics Questionnaire – Alison Acton (Bear Nuts)

1) Why web comics?

I work in print comics full-time and though that was my goal and I really enjoy it, it can be a little creatively stifling. The project I'm on now is a licensed property called 'The Fearie Path' published by Harper Collins. FP was created by another company and Tokyopop is responsible for the comic adaptation so I essentially have to please three different editors at each step and some of them have quite contrary opinions. It can be exhausting and frustrating, but I'm well aware that it could be worse and I've been getting by on fairly light revisions...

But I'm still creating someone else's vision and thus subject to their preferences. I started my web comic, Bear Nuts, as a creative outlet that's about as different from work as I can get. I really enjoy drawing/inking/coloring those pages and the sense of satisfaction you get from looking at a finished page is great. Being a completely unknown artist means you're looking at self-publishing and the web is definitely the easiest way to do that. You can build an audience for basically free (besides web hosting and material costs for producing the work) and once you have a base, it's not too hard to get print editions done. Our first book came out this past July and I'm going to try to build on that for next summer's con season.

2) Who are your influences?

So numerous! My background was originally in animation so there are a bunch of animators and directors I love. In comics and illustration I gravitate towards Chris Sanders, Karl Kerschl and Ramon Perez from TXComics, CLAMP, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Rumiko Takahashi, Barbucci and Canepa because Skydoll is just amazing and I wish my French was better.... I could go on and on.

3) If I wasn’t making comics, I’d be…?

Probably still in animation, working as a grunt animator in a little cubicle in front of a computer all day on some silly kid's show I'd never watch. But I'd be doing comics in my spare time for the creative outlet... or I'd go crazy. Or maybe I'd be a paramedic because I don't think you'd ever get bored.

4) What’s the best comment about your work you’ve ever received?

I honestly don't know. I often get very similar comments and positive feedback is always great of course and it feels good to know that people enjoy what you produce and even look forward to your updates, but that kind of stuff doesn't tend to stick in my head like the negative stuff does.

5) Reversely, what’s the worst criticism you’ve ever received?

I've been pretty lucky in that I haven't really gotten any negative just for the sake of negative feedback, and I gather that's pretty common on the web thanks to the ability to stay anonymous. Valid criticism from someone who knows what they're talking about is infinitely more valuable and helps you to step back from your work for a second and see what they're talking about and realize that's a good point and I need to remember that from now on. (I had a particular problem with never making a human character's shoulder width proportionate to their head and got called on it a few times. It's still something I struggle with but at least I'm more aware of it.)

6) What inspires you?

That's about as across the board as my influences so I couldn't say anything in particular. I really like to read and sometimes just an interesting phrase is enough to get my gears turning. And sometimes just taking a 30 minute shower is enough to unblock whatever story point I'm stuck on.

7) What are some of the challenges that you face in getting out your comic?

I'm not tech or web savvy whatsoever. One of the main reasons I left animation was that everything went digital and I just wanted to draw (with a real pencil on actual paper, though I do use a Wacom for coloring). It took awhile to figure out how to get the comic online and then all the little extras like ad boxes and vote buttons would give us trouble. Fortunately, we've stumbled on a very beneficial relationship with a local publisher who's now helping us maintain the website and deal with merchandising. dmfcomics.com handles all the distribution of our first trade which is wonderful as having to deal with shipping and order inquires and the like would blow my mind, and prevent me from getting pages done.

8) How did you get into comics to begin with?

I've always drawn since I was little and I drew all kinds of comics throughout high school (mostly inside jokes for friends, some atrociously bad foundations to more mature ideas I'm working on now, etc.) I thought animation would be fun because I'd get to see my drawings move, and I absolutely loved traditional animation. As I mentioned above though, the industry changed for the most part so I pursued comics.

9) What’s worse: an irate fan boy or a bear with a thorn stuck in its paw?

I happen to like bears, though I've never run into one in that situation. I have however been cornered by fan boys (not irate though) that just want to discuss, in minutiae, the plot, character intentions and gaping continuity errors I've committed in some sequence or other and that can be terrifying as you're essentially trapped behind your table with nowhere to go and it usually only happens when I really need to go to the bathroom.

10) Anything you want to plug?

My web comic of course! It's a candy-coloured, somewhat sadistic comedy romp that can be found here: www.bearnutscomic.com

Volume 2 of 'The Faerie Path' should be out sometime in the next couple of months, but I don't have the specifics.

I also have a short in the latest Popgun and the upcoming Popgun vol. 4 so pick up a copy of one of those if you like eclectic comics. Those anthologies are awesome as there's something for everyone.

You can read Bear Nuts every week at its website, http://www.bearnutscomic.com/

Reviews

Ultimate Comics Avengers #1
Mark Millar and Chris Pacheco
Marvel Comics

I know I said last time that I was through with the Ultimate Universe, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. Wontedly, I picked up issue one of the newly rechristened Ultimate Avengers (no longer just the Ultimates) if only to see if the return of Mark Millar to the scripting chair meant a return to some semblance of normalcy (and subtlety) for the team he helped to create. But to say this is an Avengers story is a tad misleading. It’s mostly a Hawkeye and Captain America story with an appearance by Ultimate Red Skull. The potential background of this Red Skull is interesting, but otherwise it’s a standard superhero comic with an issue long fight and not a lot of background. Pacheco is a worthy successor for Bryan Hitch though. If nothing else, the tone is right with the Ultimates, I mean Ultimate Avengers, again.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1
Brian Michael Bendis and David Lafuente
Marvel Comics

In many ways, this new edition of Ultimate Spider-Man is very similar to the old edition. Peter Parker’s working a dead end job at Burger Frog, going to school and filling whatever spare time he has by doing a little web-slinging. The difference is that Spider-Man is now universally appreciated thanks to J. Jonah Jameson’s glowing, not-an-obit as written in Ultimate Spider-Man Requiem. Bendis proves that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, and the wrap around cover suggests a lot of interesting re-appearances coming down the pipeline. The one major difference is the artwork. Lafuente brings a colourful and energetic flare to the Wall-Crawler, but there’s something about his pin head Spidey that does kind of irk me. And I know that Hulk’s always calling people puny, but they don’t have to look like it. And do something about Peter’s emo-boy haircut too while you’re at it.

Blackest Night #2 of 8
Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis
DC Comics

Blackest Night has a couple of things going for it. First, the story continues to be compelling and wrought with mystery, weight and circumstance. On a page by page basis there are several great little scenes. There’s the Black Lanterns taking possession of Dead Man and The Spirit (naturally), the reappearance of Aquaman (along with some ghastly proof that he doesn’t just sleep with the fishes, he can still talk to them too) and there’s Green Lantern literally crashing into the Bat Signal and “borrowing” Commissioner Gordon’s car (it’s just funny). Basically, Johns and Reis are hitting all the right notes by putting story first rather than spectacle and pointless kills for the sake of doing something shocking. The issue is jammed packed, with as much going on in the background as there is in the foreground. Definitely worth reading, twice.

Adventure Comics #1
Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul
DC Comics

Back in the 90s, I followed the monthly adventures of Superboy with great zeal, that in spite of the fact of his annoying, 90s-style, hodgepodge costume. Several years later his costume is nothing more than a black t-shirt with the S-shield and pair of jeans, proving that the Punisher, with his black threads and skull shirt, did not plum the bottom-most limits of imagination for costuming. Fortunately Adventure Comics hits the ground running that makes you almost forgive Superboy’s lack of imaginative costume design. In it Superboy makes a list of how Superman became Superman and starts taking to checking things off that list. But Superboy only got half his DNA from the Man of Steel, the other came from his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor. So is there a second list? You better believe there is.

Archie #600
Michael Uslan and Stan Goldberg
Archie Comics

I remember reporting this in Lucid Comics so long ago that I thought it already happened. Oh well, let’s look at one thing for certain: Archie Comics are not written for people in my age and/or gender bracket. From the stilted elementary school level dialogue to the trademark protected brand names like “Mall-Mart” and “Spiffany’s” Archie Comics is just too old school for me. But the point here is that we’re supposed to be talking about the milestone event portrayed within these covers: the engagement of Archie Andrews to Veronica Lodge. Presumably this is leading to the biggest wedding to hit Riverdale in the next issue, but cynically I see the writing on the wall. It’s the classic Hollywood Hail Mary, the preacher’s going to ask for objections and Betty won’t be able to help herself (thanks, undoubtedly, to an extra little shove by Jughead). At which point Archie will chicken out. Oh, and did I mention that the beginning of this issue starts with talk of high school graduation but segues into college grad without explanation? Can anyone else say “Bobby Ewing?” I thought so.

Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama #1
Elliot Serrano and Ariel Padilla
Dynamite Comics

If President Obama were getting cash money every time he popped into a comic book, he probably won’t need to draw an annual salary as Commander-in-Chief. Again Obama improbably appears in the company of a comic hero, this time The Evil Dead’s Ash. But how do you get these two guys together? Well, if you’re writer Serrano you do it on the flimsiest of premises: Obama’s in Detroit to see a green car manufacturing plant and stops at a comic convention to “get something for his daughters.” Ash is there slinging S-Mart hash for some reason and so is a long box with a comic book version of the Necronomicon in it. Not to stifle a yawn, but setting the table for this fight between Ash and the Deadites to protect Obama takes a whole issue to realize, and things only really start to get interesting on the last page. And why wasn’t the guy that drew the cover contracted for the interiors? At least his Ash looks like Bruce Campbell. Not even worth getting as a piece of Obamorabilia.

New Releases

AARDVARK VANAHEIM

Cerebus Archive #3

ARCHIE COMICS

Betty & Veronica #243
Jughead’s Double Digest #153
Sonic Universe #7

BONGO COMICS

Bart Simpson Comics #49

BOOM! STUDIOS

28 Days Later #1
Incredibles #0
Jennifer’s Body HC
Muppet Show TP
Muppet Show Treasure Of Peg Leg Wilson #2 (of 4)
Toy Story Mysterious Stranger TP
Unknown #4 (of 4)

BROADSWORD COMICS

Tarot: Witch Of The Black Rose #57

COMIC SHOP NEWS

Comic Shop News #1158, AR

DABEL BROTHERS PUBLISHING

Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson Homecoming HC

DARK HORSE

Citizen Rex #2 (of 6)
Gantz TP Vol 6
Oh My Goddess TP Vol 33 (Non-Westernized Edition)
Predator #2 (of 4)
Rex Mundi #19 (of 19)
Star Wars Dark Times #14
Star Wars Legacy #39
Usagi Yojimbo #122

DC COMICS

Authority World’s End TP Book 1
Batman And Robin #3
Batman The Brave And The Bold #8
Batman: Widening Gyre #1 (of 6)
Billy Batson And The Magic Of SHAZAM #7
Blackest Night Titans #1 (of 3)
Crayon Shinchan TP Vol 9
Detective Comics #856
Final Crisis: Aftermath Ink #4 (of 6)
Flash Rebirth #4 (of 5)
Gotham City Sirens #3
Green Lantern #45
Justice Society Of America #30,
Killapalooza #4 (of 6)
Last Days Of Animal Man #4 (of 6)
Madame Xanadu #14
Red Circle: The Shield #1
Reign In Hell TP
Scalped #31
Secret Six Unhinged TP
Showcase Presents Eclipso TP
Superman #691
Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen Special #2
Teen Titans #74
Trinity TP Vol 2
Unknown Soldier #11
Wednesday Comics #8 (of 12)
Wildcats #14
Wonder Woman #35
World Of Warcraft HC Vol 2
World Of Warcraft TP Vol 1

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Borderline TP Vol 3
Boys: Herogasm #4 (Of 6)
Buck Rogers #3
Project Superpowers Chapter Two #2
Red Sonja #47
Sherlock Holmes #4 (of 5)

IDW PUBLISHING

Astro Boy Movie Adaptation #2
Complete Transformers Ark TP
Doctor Who Cold-Blooded War (One Shot)
Sparrow HC Vol 12 Sergio Toppi
Transformers: Best Of The UK Omnibus

IMAGE COMICS

Absurd Adventures Of Archibald Aardvark TP
Darkness/Pitt #1
Dynamo 5 #24
Frank Frazetta’s Sorcerer (One Shot)
Impaler #4
Invincible Presents Atom Eve Collected Edition
Killer Of Demons TP
King City #1

MARVEL COMICS

Anita Blake: Laughing Corpse, Necromancer #4 (of 5)
Avengers Initiative #27
Avengers Initiative Premiere HC Vol 4 Disassembled
Beta Ray Bill Godhunter #3 (of 3)
Cable TP Vol 2 Waiting For The End Of The World
Dark Avengers #8
Dark Reign Elektra #5 (Of 5)
Dark Reign Sinister Spider-Man #3 (of 4)
Dark Tower The Fall Of Gilead #4 (of 6)
Dark Wolverine #77
Dark X-Men Beginning #3 (of 3)
Deadpool #14
Fantastic Four #570
Ghost Rider Trials And Tribulations TP
Guardians Of The Galaxy #17
Halo Helljumper #2 (of 5)
Hulk #14
Immortal Iron Fist Premiere HC Vol 5 Escape From Eighth City
Incredible Hercules #133
Incredible Hulk #601
Lords Of Avalon HC Knight Of Darkness
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #54
Marvel Previews #73
Marvel Masterworks Incredible Hulk TP Vol 1
Ms Marvel #44
New Avengers #56
New Mutants #4
Nova #28
Riftwar #3 (of 5)
Runaways 3 #13
Secret Warriors #7
Skrull Kill Krew #4 (of 5)
Son Of Hulk #14
Spin Angels #1 (of 3)
Timestorm 2009 2099 #4 (of 4)
Ultimate X-Men Ultimate Collection TP Vol 3
Uncanny X-Men Sisterhood TP
Wolverine First Class #18
Wolverine Magazine #3
Wolverine Origins #39
X-Force #18
X-Force Cable Messiah War HC
X-Force TP Vol 2 Old Ghosts
X-Men Forever #6

RED 5 COMICS

ZMD Zombies Of Mass Destruction #5 (of 6)