Matthew Smith: Profilic Wordsmith
Horror stories! Slasher stories! Geek coming-of-age stories! You'll find all of these genres under the writing style of Matthew Smith! I recently bought Matthew's table out (nearly) when we both set-up at Roanoke Valley ComicCon this past October. Out of that buying spree, three books highly impressed me.
Bee Sting is a slasher horror comic with its share of dark humor. Now, slasher films are not my favorite, but when you take a good story with great character development and bring the whole thing to life with art by the wonderfully wacky Jeremy Massie - you've got a cool read! And as with any good story, a great ending is the topper, and Bee Sting has a killer final page; no twist ending or anything like that, just a great ending to a fun story.
The Curse of Stranglehold is a dark and moody horror story that is highlighted by artist Melanie Florencio. Both a mystery and ghost story, Stranglehold has a pace that keeps you interested and speculating until the end. It's hard for this story to miss the mark once it is set with teenages camping in the woods to the backdrop of a ghostly legend. Burr!
Simon Says is a wonderful series set in 1996 around a group of high school friends. I was hooked the moment I saw the "rock and roll" sheet that is passed around among Simon and his music-loving friends. (If you want to know what a "rock and roll" sheet is, well, you'll just have to pick up Book 1, won't you?) Simon Say has it all: rock and roll, comic book geeks, girls turning into young women, and ... well, if you've got those three things, why mention anything more!
Check out Matthew's blog site by click on any of the terrific books above, and pick up some good reading for yourself.
Bee Sting is a slasher horror comic with its share of dark humor. Now, slasher films are not my favorite, but when you take a good story with great character development and bring the whole thing to life with art by the wonderfully wacky Jeremy Massie - you've got a cool read! And as with any good story, a great ending is the topper, and Bee Sting has a killer final page; no twist ending or anything like that, just a great ending to a fun story.
The Curse of Stranglehold is a dark and moody horror story that is highlighted by artist Melanie Florencio. Both a mystery and ghost story, Stranglehold has a pace that keeps you interested and speculating until the end. It's hard for this story to miss the mark once it is set with teenages camping in the woods to the backdrop of a ghostly legend. Burr!
Simon Says is a wonderful series set in 1996 around a group of high school friends. I was hooked the moment I saw the "rock and roll" sheet that is passed around among Simon and his music-loving friends. (If you want to know what a "rock and roll" sheet is, well, you'll just have to pick up Book 1, won't you?) Simon Say has it all: rock and roll, comic book geeks, girls turning into young women, and ... well, if you've got those three things, why mention anything more!
Check out Matthew's blog site by click on any of the terrific books above, and pick up some good reading for yourself.
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Want to Know a Secret?
So I'm off to confession for the envy I'm feeling over Thom Zahler's super title, Love and Capes. (He should appreicate that, since he's a good Catholic, too). In fact, that's how I first met Thom: I bummed a ride from him to go to Sunday mass while attending Mid-Ohio-Con in 2002. He may not even remember that, but I was eternally grateful not to miss my first mass since my conversion in 2001.
I first picked up issue #1 of Love and Capes some years later (before I became a publishing mogul and was still a lowly comic-con geek) and loved his use of word balloons! To say I was distracted like having a shiny object twirled before my eyes is a sad understatement (I mean, transparent word balloons! Brilliant!) He even sliced ballons with neat little crescent cuts to make room for another balloon! Dang!
But I was able to revisit that first issue at Cincinnati Comic Expo when I purchased the first volume trade, thereby giving me two issues of #1. A fool and his money, huh? (You're welcome, Thom!) So I read that volume once back home over a couple of morning coffees, and its off to confession.
Maybe someday I'll write something this good, but I doubt it. But at least I have a goal in life - to write something so good, Thom reads it and has to go to confession himself! Maybe I can even give him a ride to church. Sweet!
So I'm off to confession for the envy I'm feeling over Thom Zahler's super title, Love and Capes. (He should appreicate that, since he's a good Catholic, too). In fact, that's how I first met Thom: I bummed a ride from him to go to Sunday mass while attending Mid-Ohio-Con in 2002. He may not even remember that, but I was eternally grateful not to miss my first mass since my conversion in 2001.
I first picked up issue #1 of Love and Capes some years later (before I became a publishing mogul and was still a lowly comic-con geek) and loved his use of word balloons! To say I was distracted like having a shiny object twirled before my eyes is a sad understatement (I mean, transparent word balloons! Brilliant!) He even sliced ballons with neat little crescent cuts to make room for another balloon! Dang!
But I was able to revisit that first issue at Cincinnati Comic Expo when I purchased the first volume trade, thereby giving me two issues of #1. A fool and his money, huh? (You're welcome, Thom!) So I read that volume once back home over a couple of morning coffees, and its off to confession.
Maybe someday I'll write something this good, but I doubt it. But at least I have a goal in life - to write something so good, Thom reads it and has to go to confession himself! Maybe I can even give him a ride to church. Sweet!
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AN&P Returns -
That's What All the Hubub is About, Bub!
Sure, we release the Adventures of Nightclaw & Prowler under the Old World Comics' logo, but that doesn't mean it has to be great! But that's exactly what issue #5 of AN&P is - great! This is writer, artist and co-creator Daniel Frazier's "Sgt. Pepper"! The cover alone is a work of art!
All the elements for a great read are here: story and plot pacing, art with vibrant colors, babies gone wild with rattles - it's got it all! And of course, there's an absolutely fun villain! I don't even know if villains are suppose to be fun, but there you go!
Issue #5 is a great stand-alone issue, and an even better lead-off for the second AN&P trade ... huh, Dan?
That's What All the Hubub is About, Bub!
Sure, we release the Adventures of Nightclaw & Prowler under the Old World Comics' logo, but that doesn't mean it has to be great! But that's exactly what issue #5 of AN&P is - great! This is writer, artist and co-creator Daniel Frazier's "Sgt. Pepper"! The cover alone is a work of art!
All the elements for a great read are here: story and plot pacing, art with vibrant colors, babies gone wild with rattles - it's got it all! And of course, there's an absolutely fun villain! I don't even know if villains are suppose to be fun, but there you go!
Issue #5 is a great stand-alone issue, and an even better lead-off for the second AN&P trade ... huh, Dan?
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I Nearly Had a "Hazzum"!
I'll be honest with you, I didn't think it was possible. I didn't think another issue of PPNJ could equal (perhaps even top) the premiere issue, but I was already onboard after just reading the introduction by writer, artist and creator, Rodney Fyke. And by the time I got to the staples, I was teary-eyed! Even the fight scenes where a thing of beauty.
This title is a flat-out MUST READ book, especially if your of mine and Rodney's generation (growing up as kids in the 70s). Surely we all ran around in capes and colorful uniforms! If you didn't, here's your opportunity to do so, simply by jumping into this book and letting your memories go wild. But don't have a "hazzum"! It's never too late to be a kid again.
And by the way ... my hero is "Jelly".
I'll be honest with you, I didn't think it was possible. I didn't think another issue of PPNJ could equal (perhaps even top) the premiere issue, but I was already onboard after just reading the introduction by writer, artist and creator, Rodney Fyke. And by the time I got to the staples, I was teary-eyed! Even the fight scenes where a thing of beauty.
This title is a flat-out MUST READ book, especially if your of mine and Rodney's generation (growing up as kids in the 70s). Surely we all ran around in capes and colorful uniforms! If you didn't, here's your opportunity to do so, simply by jumping into this book and letting your memories go wild. But don't have a "hazzum"! It's never too late to be a kid again.
And by the way ... my hero is "Jelly".
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Why I Love Cons!
Even thought it wasn't a convention, it was the best outing Old World Comics has had to date! I'm talking about Free Comic Day - our very first one! But it more than just moving comics and being read. It also about the people you meet and the connections that are made - not business connections (necessarily) but personal connections. That's how I met Chuck Mullins, a great artist and great guy. I was manning the Old World table alone, and even though I was busy with customers all day, Chuck sat down and hung out with me for hours! He picked my little brain about my experiences so far in the comic book field and even bought a round of books. It's meeting people like Chuck and he son, Reese, that make it all worthwhile. Reese even ate some of my pizza ... and I didn't have to twist his arm once!
Even thought it wasn't a convention, it was the best outing Old World Comics has had to date! I'm talking about Free Comic Day - our very first one! But it more than just moving comics and being read. It also about the people you meet and the connections that are made - not business connections (necessarily) but personal connections. That's how I met Chuck Mullins, a great artist and great guy. I was manning the Old World table alone, and even though I was busy with customers all day, Chuck sat down and hung out with me for hours! He picked my little brain about my experiences so far in the comic book field and even bought a round of books. It's meeting people like Chuck and he son, Reese, that make it all worthwhile. Reese even ate some of my pizza ... and I didn't have to twist his arm once!
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"No Gods" - But Plenty of Heroes!
When you're a rookie in the comic book creating business and a newbie on the con circuit, you need someone in your corner. Dustin Carson is my "Mickey".
Come on, you know "Mickey" - and not the mouse! I'm talking about Rocky Balboa's "Mickey"! Okay, Dustin has a completely different vibe than Burgess Meredith's crotchity tough nut character. Dustin is calm, cool and collected. He's a class act. (That makes him 4C!)
What Dustin did for me was watch my back. When I met him at Up! Fair in Lexington, Kentucky, he made sure that I didn't get discouraged because the show had a smaller turn-out than most cons. He filled me in on a great number of cons that I was totally unaware existed, and then we did the Comic Creator Blood Brother thing - we exchanged books!
I debated which I should do ... a "No Gods" review, Dustin's first book series, or a bit of respect to the man himself. I decided to review the man. Others have reviewed the book, such as Broken Icon Comics, and he's been interviewed often enough to begin to carve out a name for himself, such as Comic Related's Zone 4.
But the title says "No Gods", but plenty of heroes, as in the plural. And that's do to Dustin's boy wonder sidekick brother, Brian. A connection was made there, as well, at least for me. Brian is just plain good people. He's a true comic con groupie, always right there at the shows, in Dustin's corner. And I know what that feels like.
When you're a rookie in the comic book creating business and a newbie on the con circuit, you need someone in your corner. Dustin Carson is my "Mickey".
Come on, you know "Mickey" - and not the mouse! I'm talking about Rocky Balboa's "Mickey"! Okay, Dustin has a completely different vibe than Burgess Meredith's crotchity tough nut character. Dustin is calm, cool and collected. He's a class act. (That makes him 4C!)
What Dustin did for me was watch my back. When I met him at Up! Fair in Lexington, Kentucky, he made sure that I didn't get discouraged because the show had a smaller turn-out than most cons. He filled me in on a great number of cons that I was totally unaware existed, and then we did the Comic Creator Blood Brother thing - we exchanged books!
I debated which I should do ... a "No Gods" review, Dustin's first book series, or a bit of respect to the man himself. I decided to review the man. Others have reviewed the book, such as Broken Icon Comics, and he's been interviewed often enough to begin to carve out a name for himself, such as Comic Related's Zone 4.
But the title says "No Gods", but plenty of heroes, as in the plural. And that's do to Dustin's boy wonder sidekick brother, Brian. A connection was made there, as well, at least for me. Brian is just plain good people. He's a true comic con groupie, always right there at the shows, in Dustin's corner. And I know what that feels like.
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Coin Collection Debuts!
Old World Comics' own Cory Butler has created and developed his own webcomic Coin Collection ( *sniff!* They grow up sooo fast!). And it looks great! It's about this guy who ... well, there are these two friends who ... uh, they, well ... I guess we'll all have to read it weekly to find out what is going on! Check out the updates every Monday at www.Coin-Collection.weebly.com.
Old World Comics' own Cory Butler has created and developed his own webcomic Coin Collection ( *sniff!* They grow up sooo fast!). And it looks great! It's about this guy who ... well, there are these two friends who ... uh, they, well ... I guess we'll all have to read it weekly to find out what is going on! Check out the updates every Monday at www.Coin-Collection.weebly.com.
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Better on Paper than on Bread!
"Remember when you were seven and a candy bar was the size of your head? When summer meant that you had three months to just play? When the flapping of the end of a towel tied around your neck sent your mind soaring ever deeper into the land of make believe?"
What was creator, writer and artist Rodney Fyke doing ... spying in on my childhood? The above is the promotional copy written by Fyke himself to introduce his breath-taking book to the masses, but I could have said the same things ... word for word!
I became an instant fan of PPNJ almost straight from the cover! Then I got inside and rediscovered what comics are (and should be) about - vibrant color, exciting storytelling and FUN! Since when was climbing to the roof of your house, scaling the chimney and surveying your neighborhood so exciting? Since you where a kid - that's when! And when Peanut, Puddin' and Jelly did it ... so did I - all over again in my head.
Remember when getting up early on a Saturday morning when you didn't even have to go to school was something you did because it was the only way to see your favorite cartoon shows? Yeah ... I remember now. I remembered it all when I was hanging on to that chimney with Peanut, Puddin' and Jelly and smelling the fresh cut grass from our neighbor's lawn.
That's what comic books should be and should do. That's what this one did for me. So "tag" ... you're it!
Check out Peanut Puddin' N Jelly on Facebook for more information.
"Remember when you were seven and a candy bar was the size of your head? When summer meant that you had three months to just play? When the flapping of the end of a towel tied around your neck sent your mind soaring ever deeper into the land of make believe?"
What was creator, writer and artist Rodney Fyke doing ... spying in on my childhood? The above is the promotional copy written by Fyke himself to introduce his breath-taking book to the masses, but I could have said the same things ... word for word!
I became an instant fan of PPNJ almost straight from the cover! Then I got inside and rediscovered what comics are (and should be) about - vibrant color, exciting storytelling and FUN! Since when was climbing to the roof of your house, scaling the chimney and surveying your neighborhood so exciting? Since you where a kid - that's when! And when Peanut, Puddin' and Jelly did it ... so did I - all over again in my head.
Remember when getting up early on a Saturday morning when you didn't even have to go to school was something you did because it was the only way to see your favorite cartoon shows? Yeah ... I remember now. I remembered it all when I was hanging on to that chimney with Peanut, Puddin' and Jelly and smelling the fresh cut grass from our neighbor's lawn.
That's what comic books should be and should do. That's what this one did for me. So "tag" ... you're it!
Check out Peanut Puddin' N Jelly on Facebook for more information.
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This is an incredibly terrifying film! I enjoyed every single aspect of it! Shot in black and white, it couldn't be more honest and stark. The soundtrack alone would have set the mood. The director's set-up for the awaited frightful moment was expertly crafted, and it worked in spades! Even the length of the film (at about 37 minutes) was perfect for this story. Check this one out if you can ... and if you like a good old-fashioned scare.
The Hopewell Haunting
Quickhillfilms
A Dane Sears film
The Hopewell Haunting
Quickhillfilms
A Dane Sears film
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FX - Just as Great in a Trade!
Just recently re-visited my good, old friend Wayne Osborne's FX in the collected trade paperback ... and it was better than the first time around! Sometimes reading a comic issue-by-issue makes it hard to keep a feel for the continuity. With a trade (although never as exciting as having individual comic issues!) that is not a problem. The continuity is right there as long as you are, and everything flows with more excitement and purpose.
This is an awesome story and characters, and I long for the next installment from Wayne and his new artist on the book. Published by IDW, the next adventures of Tom, Jack & Vicki will be in trade form only. No waiting for the next issue! No lose of continuity! Okay ... no exciting, individual issues - but sometimes creative forces have to bow to the powers that be! (No pun intended? Don't you believe it!)
In the photo above is Wayne-O with his posse, Kent Leedy on the left - creator of The Atomic Bowler - and myself, Todd Goodman - creator of many odd and unusual things.
Just recently re-visited my good, old friend Wayne Osborne's FX in the collected trade paperback ... and it was better than the first time around! Sometimes reading a comic issue-by-issue makes it hard to keep a feel for the continuity. With a trade (although never as exciting as having individual comic issues!) that is not a problem. The continuity is right there as long as you are, and everything flows with more excitement and purpose.
This is an awesome story and characters, and I long for the next installment from Wayne and his new artist on the book. Published by IDW, the next adventures of Tom, Jack & Vicki will be in trade form only. No waiting for the next issue! No lose of continuity! Okay ... no exciting, individual issues - but sometimes creative forces have to bow to the powers that be! (No pun intended? Don't you believe it!)
In the photo above is Wayne-O with his posse, Kent Leedy on the left - creator of The Atomic Bowler - and myself, Todd Goodman - creator of many odd and unusual things.
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Feed My Habit!
Help support production of future issues and titles from Old World Comics by checking out my auctions on eBay.
1. Click on Advanced Search.
2. Under Find Item, click on "by seller".
3. Look under the dealer name of oldworldcomics.
Contact me here for special price deals and lower shipping costs!
Help support production of future issues and titles from Old World Comics by checking out my auctions on eBay.
1. Click on Advanced Search.
2. Under Find Item, click on "by seller".
3. Look under the dealer name of oldworldcomics.
Contact me here for special price deals and lower shipping costs!
