Just sinking into a new issue of Concrete after so many years of doing without remains as satisfying and, I guess, “cozy” is the word of the day in regards to referring to certain types of literature. Even with this issue ramping up the states with threats and cliffhangers galore (well, a couple, anyway), it still reads as if you’re hanging out with an old friend and enjoying a yarn. A deeply introspective yarn, but one nonetheless.
It seems impossible to think that Paul Chadwick is considering this his last comic with the character, moving the narrative over to prose novels (as he says in this interview — SPOILER for a detail revealed about a certain character therein). His art and storytelling are as strong as ever, and leaving comics behind would be such a loss to the medium. (Plus, there’s a reference in here that may imply Concrete believes his old friend Michael, also put into one of these rocky bodies but seemingly killed during the “origin story,” may still be alive! I want to see the story of his return, not just read it in a novel!) (Then again, Concrete is addled in this storyline, so he may be remembering incorrectly.)
It’s really weird to think that a major part of the Grendel milieu over the decades is that fact that there are just straight up vampires in this world. I remember when this was first revealed way back in the initial color series from Comico, during the storyline with Christine Spar, and what a surprise that was. I mean, I guess it shouldn’t have, given that the “hero” of the early Grendel comics, was Argent the Wolf, cursed into his canine-esque form.
It’s only fitting that the vampires are back. in full force, with a revised Christine Spar joining the other Grendels in overthrowing the vampire rulers in this devastated future. I suppose the vampires represent a chaotic, wildly destructive form of Evil and Aggression, a contrast to Grendel’s usage of those characteristics.
Regardless, it’s nice to have new Grendels back on the stands again, and written and drawn by the character’s creator, Matt Wagner, to boot.
I appreciate that there’s a willingness to pair up Plane of the Apes with multiple other franchises, like with Green Lantern, or with Star Trek, or whatever (the apex remoining this classic). And these crossovers just seem inherently ridiculous given the Apes’ involvement, in a way that, say, Batman/The Shadow, or even Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, does not.
But by and large, the Apes interacting with other franchises have been very good (including the recent Planet of the Apes/Fantastic Four mini), in thanks to the creative teams just leaning hard into the concept and making things as wild as necessary. And this Apes Vs. Predator series ain’t no exception. Continuity-wise, it’s placed right between the first and second of the original POTA films, and by golly it’s pretty much the Platonic ideal of what you’d hope such a comic should be. This issue ends on a note that has me wanting to see the next issue immediately, so ridiculous or not, I’m now invested in the story.
Speaking of ridiculous team-ups (complimentary)…I’m a very recent convert to the Santos Sisters, a fun and humorous adventure comic drawn in a pseudo-Archie Comics style but definitely not for the young’uns. I’ve been trying to track down various back issues here and there, with some success…and that was before discovering that the Sisters would be teaming up with one of the greatest comic book creations of all time, Flaming Carrot! Bob Burden is involved, even drawing one of the covers (the one pictured above) and providing a text afterword talking about both the Sisters and the Carrot. It’s an entertainingly surreal time, just as expected, and simply pure comics. More of this on my new arrivals racks, please.
But when are going to get that Concrete, Christine Spar/Grendel, Santos Sisters & Flaming Carrot versus Planet of the Apes limited series that fans are clamoring for…?
I did NOT have “death of Tim Curry” OR “Mike posts a Santos Sisters cover” on my bingo card today. Life’s full of surprises.
Lloyd Center in Portland just had its last day open after years of decline. The shops that were still in there were mostly small businesses like Floating World, a comic book store. That final day was packed — everybody showed up to visit the mall one last time. There were vendors and booths set up and a lot of free prizes you could just grab and take. One of these was a particular corner, probably set up by Floating World, that had a “FREE COMICS” sign and under it were THREE GIANT STACKS of Santos Sisters issues.
I had always meant to get into it but I never had my excuse until now. There is some connection between this comic and Floating World that I have yet to figure out. This store publishes its own books. Do they publish this one? Does whoever the uncredited person who writes and draws this comic live here? There’s a small “Floating World Comics” insignia on each cover, and there’s a giant cardboard standee of the Sisters that’s been in the picture window as long as Floating World has been in the mall. But the comic also has other publishers like “American Nature” on those covers, the “ads” in the issues aren’t really Portland-centric….I don’t really understand what’s going on.
Anyone know where this thing truly originated from?
Also, get out of here with that “mini series” nonsense, Santos Sisters. You’re an indie, you don’t have to resort to that stupid renumbering to #1 tactic that every corporate comic abuses. Not even satirically.