Just Read - Savage Brute by Pat Dorian

This week’s book (also last week’s book) Savage Brute by Pat Dorian. I pick up issues #1 and #2 because I liked the cover to #1 and I really glad I did.

Savage Brute reminds me of a classic comic remixed for the modern age adult. The art is very bigfoot style for a lack of a better term, reminds my a little of the Flintstones cartoons in places. Dorian has a very deliberate style the he delivers perfectly with lush brush strokes.

The story in issue 1 revolves around the adventures of Savage as he hunts for food for his poor Ma, after his Pa left her. There are also villains in the story, Mr. Binky and his henchman Ravage who is a perfect foil for Savage right down to his looks.

Issue 2 picks up right where issue 1 left off, Savage brings home food for his Ma and finds that his sister Lilly is missing. His Ma is not please with this turn of events and Savage finds him self back on the hunt. this time for his sister Lilly. In this issue King Cobra is added to the cast of bad guys.

Both books are told in a gag-a-page style with something funny on almost every page.  There is an odd amount of adult jokes, content and language (not porn). Most of it flows fairly smoothly with the story, but some of it falls flat. Maybe I spend to much time reading kids comics, but this content felt a little strange and forced at times. With that said, I cannot wait until issue 3.

images from issue 2

The books are self-published mini-comics with screen-printed covers. I really like the cover to issue 1 and the flaps featuring faces of each character in the book. The stories are 20+ pages long with a couple pages of preview sketches for the next issues in each book.

A special bonus, Dorian did a nice pencil and ink drawing in each book. Not sure if this is standard or not, but I found it to be an awesome touch on an excellent self published mini-comic.     

-Denny Riccelli creates comics under the pen name ‘dennmann’ he currently publishes the webcomic Cousin Harold and some mini-comics now and then, including Jenny Spookawski Ghost Girl. He lives in Peoria, Arizona with his wife and 2 kids.

Just Read - Hinges Book 1 by Meredith McClaren

I back quite a few Kickstarters, if you haven’t noticed. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to back a friends and help her publish her webcomic in a hardcover edition. That friend, Meredith McClaren and the webcomic, Hinges.

I have known McClaren for several years now and was a big fan of her work even before we actually met and became friends. I’m a hug fan of her Scraps webcomic and own about 10 of the originals. So when the opportunity came to help her publish a hardcover collection of Hinges, I jump at the chance to back her.

I originally started reading Hinges online, this still did not prepare me for how beautiful the print edition would be. McClaren has a very clean art style, the looks even better in print than it does online. While the book is not filled with a bunch of extra bells and whistles (sketchbook material and such can be found in a little mini that I received with the book) it is a solid piece of work from beginning to end. McClaren’s storytelling is just that storytelling. She uses the art and words to tell here story, neither one could exist without the other. 

The story is apparently about a town that is fill with marionettes (and mannequins) who each have some type of service animal (called an Odd) with them.  We follow the main character Orio as she is learning about herself, her purpose and the town. We also get to see the moment when Orio picks her Odd, Bauble, which appears to be a cat. Sorry if Bauble is not a cat, but it sure does remind me of one of my cats throughout the story. While many questions are answered throughout the story, even more are proposed.

The book appears to be setting the stage for a much bigger story that McClaren is telling, but unlike many story that are world building, Hinges deliver’s several character building moments, but still leaving the reader questioning and ready for more.

After reading book 1, I cannot wait for the next book, even though I follow along online. There is something about reading a book in your hands that makes it just a little more special.  Hopefully book 2 is not very far off. If you have never heard of Meredith McClaren what are you waiting for? Click a link and check out what this young lady is up to.

-Denny Riccelli creates comics under the pen name ‘dennmann’ he currently publishes the webcomic Cousin Harold and some mini-comics now and then, including Jenny Spookawski Ghost Girl. He lives in Peoria, Arizona with his wife and 2 kids.