| Complex City |
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A walking, talking bulldog cop?
An adolescent scientific genius with a mechanical gauntlet capable
of detecting radiation? An
older, even more brilliant scientist named Doctor Handsome??
All this, plus a love-sick super hero, a rampaging robot with two
human brains, and magical
(at least they'd like you to think they are) "critters" from
near the earth's core!!
This is the recipe for a decidedly different comic book called
Complex City.
Inspector Bulldog Malone is the hard-boiled top cop of a place
called, well, Complex City. One
of the most advanced, and
popular cities in the nation, it also has more than it's share of
weirdness; but then, what would you expect from a burg that boasts a
two-footed canine cop?
J.E. Smith is the creator, writer and artist of this strangely
appealing comic,
and, in my try-to-be-humble opinion, he's on to something.
The first issue does a respectable job of introducing new readers
to the city and it's main players, as well as providing a solid
amount of story, as Malone confronts and outsmarts a shadowling, discovers
the contents of the box it was safeguarding, and is confronted by a
murderous man-robot.
The following three issues are also strong on storyline and
characterization, which seems to be Smith's strong suit.
What's good about this book?
Besides characterization and storyline, the sheer scope of
imagination and bold originality, which, in today's comic market, is a
near-miracle in itself.
What needs work is the art. Smith's
pencils, while well-defined and of original
style, still have a very amateurish look about them, which may hinder the
book from competing with other comic works out there.
Still, Complex City is unlike any other comic work on the racks
today, and is recommended for readers of all ages.
Complex City can be found at comic shops (call 1-888-comicbook for
the one near you), or by logging on to www.complexcity.com
or www.bettercomics.com.
Complex City, published by J.E. Smith, under the Better Comics
banner, 34 pages,
$2.50.
Review by Mark Allen |
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 Light's
End Audio Series
Michael Vance has teamed with William Windom to present an incredible collection of SF and fantasy stories. Set in the eerie town of Light’s End, Maine, these stories have been called “[a] meshing of myth and reality, [of] stack details of place, an...unromantic vision of horror...” Light’s End is a gathering place for the worst in human nature. Mr. Windom's impressive experience has prepared him well for the telling of these scary tales. He is well known for his TV roles on Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, All In The Family, and Barney Miller. He also won an Emmy for his TV series My World…and Welcome to It. His movie roles in To Kill a Mockingbird and True Crime won him additional acclaim. His stage performances as James Thurber and Ernie Pyle have entertained thousands. He's performed in eighteen Broadway plays, countless radio shows, and several books-on-tape. Michael Vance's work is published in numerous magazines. He has appeared as a syndicated columnist and cartoonist in over 500 newspapers. His history book, Forbidden Adventure has been called a "benchmark in comics history”. Vance, best known for his Suspended Animation columns, briefly wrote the comic strip Alley Oop and his own strip for five years, Holiday Out. He also wrote comic books including Straw Men, Angel of Death, The Adventures of Captain Nemo, and Bloodtide. His work has appeared in comics anthologies, and he is listed in the Who's Who of American Comic Books. With novelists Mel Odom and R.A. Jones, he co-wrote Global Star, a world where babies born with bowling balls in their stomachs are common, and the New York Times is “trash journalism”. Special Offer! Suspended Animation readers will be able to order a copy of Lights End Volume 1 personally autographed by both William Windom and Michael Vance. Volume 1 contains the stories "A Change of Heart" and "Cross Purposed." What are you waiting for? It's just $19.95 signed or $11.95 not, plus shipping. |
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