LUCIDMEDIA

Lucid Comics – October 21st

Written by Adam A. Donaldson Wednesday, 21 October 2009 09:54

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This week: a new web cartoonist answers the questionnaire, as well as the usual reviews and new releases.

Web Comics Questionnaire

This week, the Questionnaire arrives on the computer desktop of Tarol Hunt, the creator of action/adventure (and occasionally comedic) series Goblins. An avid Dungeons & Dragon fan (and master since age 8), Hunt reconciled a lifelong love of fantasy comics and put into Goblins, which has been going strong since 2005.

1) Why web comics?

As much as I’d love to say “I chose to avoid the mainstream publishers and instead went directly to webcomics”, the truth is that before the medium of webcomics ever existed, I was turned down by a lot of the publishing companies out there. The beautiful thing about webcomics is that you can skip the process of trying to convince one publisher to get your work out to potential readers. Anyone can stick there creation online and if it’s got appeal to anyone out there, it’ll grow in popularity which in turn, brings the publishers to you.

2) Who are your influences?

Wendy & Richard Pini (Elfquest), Chris Claremont (mainstream comic book writer), Arthur Adams (mainstream comic book artist), Phil Foglio (What’s New, Girl Genius and others), Heavy Metal Magazine (science fiction graphic art with multiple creators) and of course, Joss Whedon. I could go on for awhile with this list.

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

Working as a pit boss at a casino. I dealt cards at various casinos for 13 years and was actually offered the position of pit boss (the guy who oversees all the dealers in a “pit”) just before I quit to make Goblins my full time job.

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

“Hey Tarol, I just got something from your comic tattooed on my arm”. This has happened twice (that I’m aware of) and has shocked and humbled me both times. However, the best comment on my work came a few years ago when I looked out my window to see my two sons playing together as characters from my comic. They weren’t playing Star Wars or Batman, they were playing Goblins. It sounds incredibly cheesy, but I remember thinking that no matter what happened with my comic after that point, I’d already succeeded.

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

That’s hard to say, I think there are mainly two types of criticism. Angry insults which really just translate to “Hey, look at me! Give me attention!” and intelligent points from people who genuinely want to see me improve, which is invaluable to me as an author/artist. Neither of which bother me at all. I think that once your audience reaches a certain size, pretty much every opinion about your work is going to be felt by somebody, somewhere so if you’re getting negative emails along with the compliments, then you’re doing something right.

6) What inspires you?

My family inspires me greatly. My girlfriend and two sons bring out all sorts of wonderful emotions in me that I’d have a hard time writing about otherwise.

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

Deadlines. I draw very slowly. I just don’t seem to have the ability to whip out great works of art at top speed like some other folks out there (Lar DeSouza, I’m looking at you) so the battle to get the comic out at a fast enough pace that readers aren’t going to get bored and walk away is constant.

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

Well as a kid, math class was boring and I had a pencil in my hand. It was only a matter of time before that half finished division problem was covered in a cyborg t-rex fighting a jet plane. From there, I was always telling stories with artwork. I used to spend all my money to make photocopies of my comics , staple them together and hand each person in my class a copy of my latest issue of whatever I was working on at the time. I spent years mailing my work to a lot of publishing companies. Somewhere around here I have my collection of rejection letters.

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

Oh the bear. An irate fan boy will still buy your books and merchandise. He’ll complain as he does it, but he’ll still unknowingly show his support. If your not doing good work, he won’t care enough to become irate in the first place. However, wounded bears rarely buy t-shirts.

10) Anything you want to plug?

My girlfriend Danielle smells like happy! … Oh, you mean with Goblins. Yes, we actually just launched pre-orders for Goblins Book Two which is about to be released by the good folks at Keenspot. They’re also doing a limited edition hardcover version which I’m happy to say, is selling very fast. So at the risk of sounding like an infomercial, if you’d like one of those, act now!

Goblins is updated weekly at http://goblins.keenspot.com/

Reviews

Web of Spider-Man #1
Various Writers and Artists
Marvel Comics

The first time an issue of Web of Spider-Man graced the newsstands it was way back during the last great comics’ boom in the late 80s. Further, it was released shortly after the introduction of the Black Suited Spidey and the inherent coolness anyone and anything dressed in black automatically engendered to the young and the young at heart. This new Web is similarly taking something different for a spin: a Spider-Man anthology. The problem: there’s actually very little Spider-Man in it. We get one story about Kaine, which turns out to be just a teaser for more pap in Amazing Spider-Man concerning the editorial staff’s new found fascination with the Clone Saga. We also get a Spider-Girl story, which I actually rather enjoyed (and at least Peter Parker got a couple of panels that story). If these Webs are going to continue, they need to spin better yarns.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8
Jane Espenson and Georges Jeanty
Dark Horse Comics

To my disappointment, I find the novelty of Buffy Season 8 wearing off the further into the run we get. Maybe I had my eyes shut reading a couple of issues back there, but do we yet know who the heck the villainous Twilight is and why he’s so obsessed with doing away with magic? I thought not. And far be it for me to complain about over-written dialogue, but sometimes the things coming out of the word balloons kind of grate on my nerves, even though this round’s being written by Espenson, arguable the second best Buffy writer after Whedon himself. So why does this issue shine? Seven simple words: Can you use a torpedo on land? Yes you can, and it works. Beautifully. This action-heavy issue worked mostly because it’s crazier than anything possible on television, but still, I’d like to story chug along a little further, even if it means fewer visits with greatest hits like Daniel Osbourne.

Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors
Jonathan Hickman and Ed McGuinness
Marvel Comics

I think I bought the first issue of Secret Warriors but I don’t remember reading it. So you’ll forgive me if I’m ill prepared to fully understand the implications as seen in the Secret Warriors (read: Nick Fury) instalment of The List. Apparently there’s some informant that has info needed by both Fury and Norman Osborn so they put aside mutual animosities and their own separate to-do lists, in order to plug the leak, which manages to come together in rather short order. I liked the interplay between Norman and Fury, particularly Fury’s comparatively short list versus the villain that now holds his chair. (“Save the World. Punch Norman in the Face. Have a Beer.”) Other than that though, I wasn’t sure what the deal with anything else was, and the story didn’t bother to explain. And I’m sorry to say that McGuinness’ art was really out of place for an espionage thriller like Warriors, no matter how much they dull the colours.

Batman Annual #27
Fabian Nicieza and J. Calafiore
DC Comics

Series’ annuals can offer such a mixed bag of potential opportunities. It could be part of a huge crossover running through numerous annuals, it could be continuing story from the monthly series, or it could be more anthology-like with a bunch of standalone stories. This year, the Batman and Detective Comics annuals decided to reintroduce us to Azrael, a swift sword anti-hero in the vain of Punisher or Spawn whose only claim to fame was that he replaced Bruce Wayne as Batman… for a while anyway. I applaud DC for its promotional acumens, for if there’s fitting time to strike the Azrael iron again, it’s with the current hotness of the Dick Grayson as the new Batman storyline. Too bad I could care less about Azrael, and frankly what’s the point? If we wanted small-minded, quick to anger, cold-handed justice with a vengeance we’d talk to the new Robin.