Michael Vance   Mark Allen   Michael Vance Books
The longest-running comics review column in America perhaps the World!

Suspended Animation's mission is to find and review comic books and strips that adults will enjoy.

The current issue of Nick Mag Presents isn't one of them.

It adapts the motion picture Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events that, in turn, is based on a series of successful children's books.

In addition to the adaptation, this issue features an interview with actor Jim Carrey, Unfortunate Movie Props, an article on how Carrey's make-up was applied, several puzzles, and a one-page comic strip called Vicky's Five Dollars.

Having not seen the movie or read any of the books, this review of the adaptation can at least be unprejudiced.

I didn't like it.

I didn't like Sam Hiti's very flat art. Perspective is almost non-existent and therefore destroys even the illusion of depth. His visual storytelling is strong, but his art is minimalist and crude and looks like it was drawn by a ten year old.

To make certain that my assessment was correct; I gave the issue to my ten-year-old niece.

She said the art was "cool".

I didn't like the story either. Sure, the dialog is fine, and the pacing is adequate. But Lemony Snicket and cast lack the high imagination of a Dr. Seuss or Frank Baum. Count Olaf is an unbelievable stereotype of 'bad guys', and even the orphans he terrorizes to steal their inheritance lack depth of character.

My niece thought the story was great.

So what qualifies an old fuddy-duddy like me to know what to recommend for young readers? I mean, let's face it; I don't get Bob Squarepants cartoons either.

I listen to a niece who is smarter than me.

Nick Mag's mission is to produce features that children will enjoy, and does so. This issue is recommended for preteens.

Nick Mag Presents: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Price $4.95, 58 pgs., Nickelodeon Magazine Group. Written by various artists and writers. Available at comics and book stores.

For information on Vance's short stories, comic books, and available work, query Miklvance@Yahoo.com.

Review by Michael Vance. For info on his work, send a query to MiklVance@Yahoo.com

Headstatic is an art gallery of wildly diverse style and subject heavily influenced by 'fine' art, comic books and strips, popular culture, and advertising.

No presentation on these paper walls is less than one or greater than twenty pages in length. Many of these vignettes were probably assignments in college meant to force students to try new styles. Jay A. Hacker III must have embraced each assignment (if, indeed, there were any) with enthusiasm and an inherent and impressive talent.

This guy is good.

Jay A. Hacker III is also a courageous artist. He is so because his 'fine' art pals will likely ignore this collection because of its comics influences, and his comic book buddies will turn up their spandex-clad noses because it is tainted by 'fine' art.

[Careful readers will notice that the uses of single quotation marks around the word fine indicate the philosophy of this column: there is no fine art; all art is of equal value] Among the cartoonish exploits of "X-Wina" and the realistic anatomy studies of girls that Hacker probably dated or wanted to date, you'll also discover genre flashes of horror and science fiction and adventure.

What you won't find are well fleshed out characters or plots. There simply isn't room for either in these brief paper dramas. You won't find enough dialog to guess whether Hacker is a master of that technical point in the fine, oops, art of creating comic books and strips either.

Nor will you care. Why?

This guy is good. This Hacker guy is really good. The only real criticism is that he needs to lose the III hung on the end of his name. It dredges up visions of Thurston Howell the III and the good ship Minnow.

Gilligan is bad. But Hacker is goooooooood.

There is some non-sexual nudity. Nonetheless, Headstatic is recommended.

Headstatic - 256 pages, $12.00. From Fool's Child Comix, sold at comics shops & www.foolschildcomix.com.

Review by Michael Vance. For info on his work, send a query to MiklVance@Yahoo.com

Therefore, some of my all-time favorite work in comics is that of artist Mike Parobeck. Mike Parobeck came onto the comics scene in 1989, when he became the penciler for D.C. Comics' El Diablo, a story about a non-powered, western-type hero. Later, he was brought in to pencil one of D.C.'s comics under the "Impact" banner, which was a revival of the comics characters from the publisher Red Circle.

Though not one of D.C.'s best sellers, this was a fun book of whimsical adventure. Meant for younger readers (and the young-at-heart), the light-hearted style was perfect for Parobeck's "cartoony" art.

Later, as he became heavily-involved in D.C.'s licensed properties, Mike became one of the artists on The Batman Adventures, which was a series done in the style of the then-hugely-popular Batman animated series. This is where many believe his star shined the brightest. Capturing the "feel" of the animated series superbly, Parobeck successfully conveyed the darkness necessary for the character, while retaining that element of fun for which he would become famous.

Still, fans who enjoy D.C.'s Golden and Silver Age characters probably remember his work on the short-lived Justice Society of America series most fondly. Within the ten issues, he portrayed a group of formerly-time-displaced heroes of the World War II generation seeking to find their place in modern life.

Once again, he thrilled readers with a style that was clean, vibrant, dramatic and action-oriented.

Mike Parobeck may very well be responsible for the revival of the animation-style comics art that is so popular today.

He definitely, however, made a big impression on all who knew him, and most who saw his work. Loved by fellow comics professionals, admired by comics fans, he was taken from this life in July of 1996, at just 30 years of age.

Mike Parobeck's work is highly recommended for all ages.

Review  by Mark Allen

Scott is a high school kid who has a crush.  The girl at the local Barnes & Noble has him flummoxed...tongue-tied...scared to death to talk to her.  Like any love-struck adolescent worth his weight in Playstation games and pizza, however, he screws up the ol' courage, and makes that critical first move.

Believe me, it's imaginative, funny and charming, all at once.  

Just Another Name is the brainchild of Kevin Gleason, and it reads like a biographical work.  The main character, the afore-mentioned "Scott," relays his adventures in relational awkwardness to the reading audience.  And, as his tale starts and continues better than he, or the reader, would expect, it turns out to be a fun, satisfying read. Gleason does a good job at breathing some life into his characters.  The dialogue has a definite air of reality, and the characters are sincere and believable.  Honestly, they could be anyone; I mean, who hasn't experienced the terrifying ordeal of the introduction to, and first date with that "special person," with whom you were convinced you were meant to be before the first words were spoken?  Very few, I would imagine.

As for the artwork, there are two important facts at play, here: First, it's a simple style, with practically no backgrounds, that looks to be at the beginning of the "maturation process," for lack of a better term.  Second, Kevin shows a great deal of improvement from issue one to issue two.  A more refined look.  Whereas issue one looks like it was done entirely in pencil, two looks much more professional due to the inking.  Despite fact one, it is not an unattractive style, and I could imagine the artist coming into his own very easily, with more work.

All in all, Just Another Name is a terrific small press offering, and is recommended for all but the youngest reader. 

Just Another Name, issues one and two, published by Crossroad Comics, 25 pages, $2.95. Find it online at www.crossroadscomics.com.

Review  by Mark Allen

Never miss a review! Fill in your email address below and we will notify you every time we post a new Suspended Animation.

Worry not, we won't trade or abuse you with ads, we'll just notify you when a new column arrives.

 Questions? Comments? A comic you wish reviewed? 
Write: 1427 S. Delaware Ave., Tulsa, OK, 74104. Or email Michael Vance.

©2006 Starland, PO Box 24955 Denver CO 80224-0955 Ph 303.777.6800 Fx 303.200.9009
Email