By T.E. Pouncey
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Wednesday, December 27th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Chibi Comics
$3.00 (and available on-line)
Script, Layouts, inks — by Mike Murphy
Script, pencils, coloring, lettering — by Celina Hernandez
A lot of independent comics these days look like marketing gimmicks. You get the feeling the creators are just throwing in stuff they think might look good on a Slurpee cup or as a Happy Meal toy. So when creators like Mike Murphy and Celina Hernandez create something as a amazing as Red Town, it’s a reason for celebration among those who like story-driven comics that have something to say.
Red Town is a series of inter-related stories occurring in Hedgewiisch “” a place the residents call “Red Town” because a serial killer snuffed 40 people in 24 months. The killer was never captured.
And that’s just the sub-plot…all kinds of other interesting things happen that are dramatic, sad, sweet and even a bit surreal.
In the last few issues we’ve met Anna Walters, who used to be a movie star and lives in house full of furnished by hand-me-down dreams; her ex-husband Jacob Wazinski, who lives in a third-rate nursing home; Darrel, a nursing home attendant that may be Jacob’s only friend; Ben and Sarah, a couple of evicted junkies, and Jessica, a little girl who imagines her doll is eaten by a werewolf.
Examining the dark underbelly of small-town America was been done by many creative forces including David Lynch and William Burroughs. What makes Red Town so compelling is that it merges a complex and interesting story with art that looks deceptively simple.
All the foreshadowing, all the guessing about which “” if any “” of the characters may be the serial killer, all anxiety and strangeness, is complemented perfectly by the easy, graceful art that moves the plot along but never upstages the story.
This is “American manga” style art at its finest. Celina and Mike have created an appealing style that is easy to read, easy to follow, moody without being dark and shadowy “” film noir under florescent lights.
And just when you thought lettering was a lost art in indie books, here we have crisp lettering that doesn’t interrupt the flow of the story or bump against the art.
Like all good comics, each issue leaves you wanting more. You can relate to the lives of the various characters and identify with their quirks. I check the Red Town MySpace page frequently to see if there’s anything new.
Comment by johanna tuberville — December 27, 2006 @ 2:17 pm
My interest is definitely piqued. I will look for this!
Comment by Morticia Poppins — December 27, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
My vision of a comic book is a dog earred mini magazine with a super hero on the front being read by my little brother and his friends in a tent in the backyard. After reading the review of Red Town, I’m wondering why it’s not a hard back drama waiting to be devoured by it’s readers. The review has me curious for more. I can’t wait to read it!
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Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press
Sounds great !!! Can’t wait to read Red Town.
Comment by johanna tuberville — December 27, 2006 @ 2:17 pm
My interest is definitely piqued. I will look for this!
Comment by Morticia Poppins — December 27, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
My vision of a comic book is a dog earred mini magazine with a super hero on the front being read by my little brother and his friends in a tent in the backyard. After reading the review of Red Town, I’m wondering why it’s not a hard back drama waiting to be devoured by it’s readers. The review has me curious for more. I can’t wait to read it!
Comment by Donna — December 27, 2006 @ 5:34 pm
Greetings, Mr. Pouncey!
I find the idea of “American manga” fascinating. I look forward to hearing (seeing?) more from the Red Town folks.
Happy New Year!
Comment by Miss Namaste Peaceout — December 27, 2006 @ 9:18 pm
Hedgewiisch sounds eeriely like too many of our hometowns. But its high time we all explored this newest rage, “American Manga.”
Comment by William Holtivilch — January 2, 2007 @ 12:18 pm