Broken Icon Comics: 2011

Now, thankfully it seems that all the really cool stories always land on me when it comes to reviews. I had the amazing pleasure of sifting through a few years’ worth of Wicket and Imp created by the amazing mind of Jon Kulczar.

Wicket and Imp are the short stories based on two best friends, one with a more mellow and responsible attitude and the other with… let’s say he’s got a more alternative nature. These characters are easy to fall in love with, and that is because Jon has put in a lot of time nurturing them, or in his words he “wanted to neuter them”. Wicket brings jokes and the oddities to the story that make you laugh and question what you just read and witnessed on the page.

From the 2010 collection to the Dirty Shorts Volume 1.5, there is a huge upgrade in the artwork. Jon really advanced as an artist and obviously became more familiar and comfortable with the characters that he was bringing to life. Jon put the time in on his book and that made it all the more enjoyable to read.

Most of the stories are pretty self-contained, but sometimes refer to each other. For instance, you’ll need to read the 2010 collection before jumping into Wicket’s Furry Bits Precursor and Dirty Shorts Volume 1 is recommended beforeDirty Shorts Volume 1.5. The stories are short and have that special sick sense of humor packed in each one.

While reading these stories I found myself constantly laughing. What can I say? There is something about this little guy trying to kill a meatloaf monster with bibles, holy water and cat semen that tells me I’m reading a quality comic. The books are a great laugh and a wonderful investment for anyone with that special sense of humor; you know, the kind that finds crucifying a turkey hilarious because we are forced to watch the Detroit Lions play every Thanksgiving.

Each book contains tons of extras, including guest artwork, concept art, background stories and how the writer thought up his creation of Wicket and Imp. These books are a real bang for the buck and would be well worth the money.

To get more information on Jon Kulczar or Wicket and Imp, go to www.5chmee.deviantart.com or to Jon Kulczar’s Facebook page.

Webcomic #123: Magellan

It's not just a GPS. It's Magellan.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Webcomic #122: Phase House Burning

Word.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Review: Indestructible Universe Quarterly

Indestructible Universe Quarterly by Morgan Pielli

Review by James Maddox

Rating (Out of Five):

These days, it takes a good deal to gain the attention of a comic reader with only three or four pages. It’s bad enough to create a story that hooks with an engaging premise, but to put a limited page count on the prestige of a tale, that takes not only creativity, but technique as well. Morgan Pielli has succeeded where others have tried and failed. In his quarterly zine, Indestructible Universe Quarterly, Pielli has made it his mission to entertain his readers with the bizarre, the surreal, the spectacular.

Running a current six issues, Indestructible Universe’s stories run a very loose gamut of subject focus, genre choice, and length. All his stories are strange in the best way possible, but none are strange in the same way any other found in the publication.

In IUQ number one, the pages contain a creation myth, the return of God, and a commentary of the death penalty… in space. Issue three gives us “Dogtown Voices”, which tells an allegorical tale of the familiar conflicts surrounding racism. Finally, in issue three, Pielli’s work “Driftwood” makes its first appearance and becomes a continuous tale that begins to stretch throughout the issues of IUQ

The most compelling thing about IUQ is the way that its tales sneak up on the reader. For the most part, these stories are merely engaging and entertaining, leaving the reader with a satisfied afterglow. Though it happens many times that the ideas and images Pielli employs catches you off guard, and the ideas that the author/artist brings up stick with you for hours after the final page is turned.

This aspect of Pielli’s storytelling made IUQ a glorious find. In a convention full of talent, these tales triumph in both story and art—also the design of each issue is highly stylized and should be considered a work of art in its own right.

I don’t waste my time reading half-hearted attempts at storytelling. Pielli’s work is the real deal, and hopefully, a great number of people will join me in discovering his work, giving him the ability to keep Indestructible Universe Quarterly a quarterly publication. Well worth the money, and then some.

You can find more about Morgan Pielli at www.morganpielli.com.