By: Hess Sahlollbey
Over the past few years, the number of DC and Marvel comic creators working in Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area has steadily increased. One of those creators is Seneca College Program Coordinator, Jim Zubkavich a.k.a. Jim Zub.
One of Zub’s most recent and prolific projects includes a two-year run on Samurai Jack. Published by IDW, the series picked up nine years after the cancellation of the original cartoon. In the past Zub has also worked on Spiderman and Batman series.
Currently, he is the writer on Uncanny Avengers at Marvel which features a team composed of Avengers and X-Men.
Outside of the mainstream, Zub writes his own original series, Wayward and Glitterbomb.Having worked on major Hollywood franchises, he sat down at a Fan Expo Toronto panel to talk about his career and about the art of creating comics.
“The good news is you no longer have to be centered where publishers are based. When I was growing up, New York was the hub for superhero stuff, [so] you either had to be in New York City or know those people,” said Zub.
Zub previously worked in animation, background art and storyboarding. The collaborative nature of it prepared Zub for his transition to comics.
“I started making my own web comic in the evenings. As much as you can read books or “how-to’s” on writing stories or making art, you’ll learn so much more by doing, by failing and by figuring out your own process. Making that web comic, I learned a ton about pacing, storytelling, art, lettering and Photoshop,” explained Zub.
By participating in every part of the comic creation process, Zub has learned to quickly make connections with other members of the industry.
“An important part of the creative process… is reaching out and meeting other people in the same situation as yourself... building stories and learning from each other. Every so often one person will pop up the ladder and then that person will pull everyone else up.”
Zub was an overnight success, but it took 10 years for him to break through. He was self-publishing online web-comics in 2001 and only started at DC and Marvel in 2012.
“You don’t have to be the greatest out there, but you have to be somewhere in the middle where someone could recognize you as being substantially better than the people they currently have. Then they’ll be willing to take a risk on you. They’ll be willing to invest the time in you and the best way you can show somebody that is with real examples of work.”
Zub advises that the next generation of aspiring DC and Marvel writers and artists aim to surpass what the two companies are currently publishing. Marvel and DC want stories that enhance their prestige and quality, and this has led to a larger range of stories coming out of both companies.
Zub argues that as a storytelling medium, comics are unstoppable and that new independent ideas are the most valuable commodity going forward. With the ongoing growth of the comic book industry, Zub said that now is the time for writers of all genders, races and walks of life to contribute their unique perspectives.
Creator-owned books, where the writer and artist own the creative property and choose where to steer the ship are the future of comics.
Those personal stories from fresh, diverse voices will take readers to new and extraordinary places and draw in fans that will continue to grow the industry.
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
There's something to be said about the Archie universe and how it is infinitely malleable.
While the presumption may exist that Archie comics are only for kids, there has been a serious shift to expand its line and draw in new readers. Outside of the well-known digests at grocery store checkouts, the publisher has been expanding into new genres.
What started with Afterlife with Archie, a gory and violent horror comic-book where Archie and the gang have to deal with flesh eating zombies, has now resulted in Archie becoming an avant-garde publisher.
The latest addition to their universe of horror is Jughead: The Hunger. Written by Frank Tieri (Wolverine) with cover and interior art by local Hamiltonian Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers), this oversized tale sees the ravenous appetite of the eponymous character take a sinister turn.
It is currently available online and in print.
I had the chance to speak to Walsh at Toronto ComiCon in March, a week before the release of the book, to flip through his portfolio to see firsthand some of the original art that he had put up for sale. He explained that the while his original comic may have be a one-shot tale, the cliff-hanger ending meant that this may have not be the last we saw of Jughead and his "affliction".
While he won’t be drawing the interior art anymore for this series, Walsh will continue to draw the covers when the series returns later this year.
From the first page, Tieri evokes the classic tropes of the classic American monster movies of the 70s and 80s with a cold open featuring the death of Ms. Grundy.
It's a stark juxtaposition with what follows as the reader follows Jughead’s obliviousness to his murderous night time escapades. Given Jughead's reputation as a human bottom-less pit, the mere sight of him in every panel evokes tension and a sense of uneasiness.
Tieri also gets the rest of Riverdale’s residents into the act. Mainstays like Betty, Veronica and Reggie are all present in this story with one character in particular being elevated to an impressive new role.
With a heavy, murky use of black ink, Michael Walsh brings his own flavour to the comic by using the multi-paneled format made popular by Francesco Francavilla. His substantial use of blacks is interlaced with shadowed cartoony elements that create a dark unsettling atmosphere. While the style may be clean, one can quickly surmise on a deeper analysis that it’s a perfect marriage between the emotional weight of the plotting and the art. One standout panel in particular features a dark two page spread of Jughead as he becomes more conscious of his heightened senses. His panels and designs are evocative and moody. As creepy as it is fun, this book is very much a case of the right artist on the right project.
While the plot and the art may be working in unison, the biggest factor working against this book is the restrained nature of the format. Clocking in at about 40 pages, the plotting is efficient, but could benefit from even a small expansion. Nowhere is this more evident than when it is compared to the rest of the Archie Horror books. The short suspenseful nature of the book means that we never get the opportunity to enter into the thoughts of the characters first-hand.
The series will be returning this October two weeks after the premier of the new season of Riverdale and just in time for Halloween.
By: Hess Sahlollbey
The cities that heroes defend have always been deeply connected to their mythology. Whether it was the characters of 300 hailing from Sparta or Joan d'Arc leading the French army to victory, their homes were weaved into the tapestry of the characters.
Nowhere was this more prevalent than at this past Toronto ComiCon. With Toronto's burgeoning indie comics scene, there was strong pride and celebration of homegrown heroes.The hero put at the forefront of this was the Human Lizard.
While Spiderman and the Avengers are known for defending New York City, Jason Loo, the creator of The Pitiful Human Lizard followed suit by situating the misadventures of Lucas Barrett, aka the Human Lizard, in Toronto.
In the first volume, Loo introduces us to his protagonist as a nine to five pencil pusher. He is broke, with never enough time or resources to live up to his full potential. His life outside of super heroics is anything but super. Strained by a tight budget and piling bills, Lucas becomes a paid test subject for a pharmaceutical company's experimental drug.
Despite drugs giving the Human Lizard the incredible ability to recover from any injury, the challenges of his day life continue to plague him. Written, drawn and lettered by Jason Loo, the book got its start a few years ago by blowing well past its initial Kickstarter campaign. It was then picked up and published by the Toronto-based Chapterhouse Comics.
At Toronto ComiCon, Loo noted that his biggest artistic influence was Alex Toth (Hanna-Barbera, Super Friends, Space Ghost) and it more than shows in the art.
Rendered in beautiful brushwork, the art has a flowing rhythm and slick flow to it.
This is further amplified by the vibrant colors that serve to elevate the final product even more. In a market that is becoming increasingly dominated by DC and Marvel, this is a well polished product with an essence on par with major mainstream publications.
Wha the reader is treated to instead is a tale of the nuances that plague anyone living the hustle of an urban lifestyle.
That essence however is not limited to only the production values of the graphic novel. Loo’s depiction of downtown Toronto is a unique, personal attempt from Loo to his city as he sees it.
His representation is more than just rendering some familiar locales and orange-cyan Beck taxis. What truly resonated during The Pitiful Human Lizard were the aspects that were the parts of contemporary life in the city that Loo chose to highlight. While this may be a superhero story, the bulk of each issue is instead committed to exploring love, relationships and adult responsibilities.
One stand out segment is an extended scene where Lucas attempts to date online. The reader gets to follow our protagonist as he browses profiles and starts communicating with a young lady, with expectedly mixed results. There is a charming realism to the tension created from his online match who on occasion takes hours to respond.
This is less a book about a character possessing superhuman abilities. The super heroics often take place in the background. What the reader is treated to instead is a tale of the nuances that plague anyone living the hustle of an urban lifestyle.
There is an old adage that states that writers should write what they know. Beset by money problems, dating issues and overbearing parents, it becomes evident that Loo mined his own life so that he could inject a unique realism it into his cast of characters to make them feel like flesh and bone.
Much like the heroes of Marvel comics and their allegories for real world affairs, The Pitiful Human Lizard is a funny and heart-warming comic that never once stops feeling Canadian.
By: Hess Sahlolbey
As we celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial this year, the comic book community in Canada continues to bloom in unison. With that growth has come many waves of Canadian comic book creators contributing to our nation’s growing artistic tapestry.
Nowhere was that more evident than the downtown core of Toronto for its annual ComiCon. Every March, Toronto ComiCon takes over the city center for a three-day affair full of homegrown comics and their creators.
One of the fixtures at Toronto ComiCon and FanExpo is Chapterhouse Comics. Filling almost a third of the artist alley with multiple panels throughout the show, the creatives at Chapterhouse Comics and their output is becoming impossible to miss.
The genius shepherding this expanding universe of comics and titles is Kalman Andrasofszky.
A native Torontonian, Andrasofszky continues to reside in the city, where he is a member of the Royal Academy of Illustration and Design, also known as the RAID cooperative art studio. Located in Little Italy, the studio is composed of sequential artists, illustrators and designers.
Andrasofszky’s studio-mates are working on established properties like Superman and Spiderman, and while Andrasofszky occasionally contributes cover artwork for Marvel, he has mostly left the mainstream American publishers to fill the role of Editor-in-Chief at Chapterhouse Comics, and their flagship series Captain Canuck.
“Captain Canuck started off as a design gig. One of my studio-mates was acquainted with people that were re-writing Captain Canuck... I started off by redesigning the character and the costume,” said Andrasofszky.
The classic Canadian superhero was created in 1975 by Richard Comely and Ron Leishman.
The reboot Andrasofszky contributed to consist of a new, modern version of Captain Canuck whose new story and design were used for an animated series. The series was crowd funded and aired from 2013 to 2014.
The success of the animated series allowed for a one-shot comic book which was released on Canada Day in 2014. That issue preceded a still ongoing monthly Captain Canuck series. Andrasofszky continues to write the series and collaborates with Leonard Kirk who provides the interior art in the series.
“Canada has never had really had a consistent comic book industry. There have been glimmers like the Canadian Whites in the 1940s, though there was a period during World War II where all American imports were banned. For five years all these Canadian superheroes were being published and once American comics came back our heroes faded away,” explained Andrasofszky.
“What we are trying to do now with the Chapterhouse is [to] license these old creations that have heart... and weave them into something bigger. We’re hoping that other people will understand why we love these characters and love them as much as we do.”
The next release in this expanding universe will debut on May 5 for Free Comic Book Day, co-written by Canadian actor, director and screen-writer Jay Baruchel.
“[Baruchel] is a grade-A, diehard comic book nerd and there is nobody more enthusiastic about Canada than him” said Andrasofszky.
"For five years all these Canadian superheroes were being published and once American comics came back our heroes faded away."
Kalman Andrasofszky
Editor-In-Chief,
Chapterhouse Comics
“We’re calling it Captain Canuck—Year One which is kind of a flashback for the character to his time serving in the Afghanistan war, “ said Andrasofszky. The series will be three parts which will then be collected into a graphic novel.
Adding to the row of talent working on Year One is Andrasofszky’s studio mate, interior artist Marcus To, who is currently the artist on Nightwing, while the cover art will be handled by David Finch, who is currently working on Batman.
On the long term spectrum, Andrasofszky and the team at Chapterhouse Comics are looking into a full length animated feature film, followed by possible live action Captain Canuck film.
“No dates have been set yet, but things are happening in a way that hasn’t happened for the last few months. Things are ramping up and its super exciting. Having [Baruchel] walk into the room with you really changes how seriously people take you and how willing they are to open check books.”
The success of Marvel Studios and their cinematic universe may be many years away for Chapterhouse, but the work of Andrasofszky and fellow creators have successfully laid the groundwork for a mainstream breakthrough for Canadian comic books.
Perhaps it won’t be long before a new red and white super patriot crashes enters the big screen.
By: Hess Sahlollbey
The comic-book film and TV show craze will not be relenting anytime soon. With the recent releases of Riverdale, Lego Batman and Logan on the horizon in March, movies can serve as an excellent introduction to comics and the source material. The cost of comics and the rich history of the medium however can often be seen as the two biggest barriers of entry for newcomers to the hobby. To help circumvent that; we've scoured the collection of comics and graphic novels in Mills Library on campus and prepared a list of some of the best "gateway comics" for those who are ready to take the plunge or who want to spice up their reading list this winter break.
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Artist: Fiona Staples
I love this series so much I couldn't help but start rereading it as soon as I found it in Mills. Saga is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning epic space opera/fantasy series. The series depicts Marko and Alana, a married couple from long-warring extraterrestrial races, as they flee from authorities from both sides of a galactic war while attempting to raise their daughter, Hazel. Love, loss, family, gender roles, sexuality and sacrifice are some of the most prominent themes explored in Saga as Marko and Alana learn that it takes a whole village, or in their case a whole galaxy, to raise a child.
Writer: Marjane Satrapi Artist: Marjane Satrapi
An autobiographical graphic novel by cartoonist Marjane Satrapi, this two-part series details her life in and beyond Iran along with the effect of the Islamic revolution on her home country. The first book, Persepolis 1, depicts Satrapi's childhood in Iran and the beginning of the Islamic revolution. Persepolis 2 depicts her high school years growing up in Vienna followed by her return to Iran where Satrapi attends college, gets married and later gets divorced before moving to France. Persepolis has been well received in Western countries and Europe. Persepolis has gone on to become a staple in the women's studies classes at McMaster and across the world for its strong feminist themes. The film adaptation of Persepolis, which is also available in Mills Library, was nominated for an Academy Award in 2007.
Writer: Art Spiegelman Artist: Art Spiegelman
Maus, by cartoonist Art Spiegelman depicts his interview with his father, Vladek Spiegelman, about his experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. The main narrative takes place in the past and depicts the experiences of Spiegelman's father in Europe during World War II. Those scenes in the past are juxtaposed with scenes in the present that give a picture of the estranged relationship between a father and his son, two years before Vladek's passing. The first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize, Maus has seen its fair share of controversy all across Europe. Tying into Nazi propaganda that depicted Jews as vermin, Spiegelman portrayed Jews as mice, with Germans, Poles and Americans as other animals à la Animal Farm. All of that however comes secondary to the painful scenes that depict the failing relationship between a father and son and the guilt and pain that Art's father lived with during his time in Poland.
Writer: Alan Moore Artist: Dave Gibbons
Part historical fiction part super-hero mystery tale, Watchmen is set in an alternate reality that closely mirrors the contemporary setting of the 1980s. In Watchmen, not only are superheroes real, their existence has drastically affected how history has played out regarding wars, presidencies and the position of the United States as a global power. The real focus of the story however is the personal struggles and development of a group of mostly out of commission superheroes who are forced back together when one of their own is murdered. A critical and commercial success, Watchmen is considered in the comics world to be the greatest graphic novel of all time for its nihilistic realism, dark and moody setting and the moral struggles of the main characters. The Watchmen film by Zack Snyder is also available through the McMaster library website.
Can’t make it to the comic store? Hamilton Public Library branches offer free accounts for Hoopla, to access these eBooks and comics.
By: Hess Shalollbey
Writer: James Tynion IV Artist: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez
How would batman pass on the torch to the next generation? We see the answer to that question in Detective Comics where Batman recruits a team of protégés to help him defend Gotham City.
This team of crime fighters includes Red Robin, Spoiler and the former villain, Clayface as they go against a special-ops team of Batmen. While each member of wide cast gets their moment to shine, Clayface's sympathetic role makes him a standout in the ensemble.
One major aspect that sets this title apart from the other Batman comics is the co-lead role of Batwoman.
Batwoman, a lesbian who is also of Jewish descent at times serves a more prominent role than Batman. Batwoman also provides the writer with the opportunity to break the standard comics mold. Whereas most superhero comics feature white, heteronormative characters, Detective Comics incorporates and explores religion as well as LGBT themes in the title. This exploration will continue as Batwoman will be getting her own solo series next month.
While Detective Comics writer James Tynion IV may not be experimental in his storytelling but he makes up for it with a solid, straightforward team book with excellent art from a rotating cast of artists. 
Writer: Grant Morrison Artist: Yanick Paquette
Whereas Batman and Superman both have simple origin stories, Wonder Woman's origins have always been far more complex. With this graphic novel, the team of Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette set out to provide a unique retelling of her beginnings.
For thousands of years, the Amazons that live on Paradise Island have created a thriving utopia far removed from all of mankind. Diana, aka Wonder Woman, however desires to know about the world and to travel beyond her island. Her desires get answered one day when Air Force pilot Steve Trevor crashes onto the shores of her island.
In telling this story, Grant Morrison didn't shy away from Wonder Woman's early origins. William Moulton Marston, who created the character of Wonder Woman in the 1940's envisioned her as having all of the strength of Superman while also being a doctor and scientist.
Grant Morrison also incorporated Wonder Woman's position as a positive lesbian icon by depicting her taking on many female lovers and living happily as a queer person on an island surrounded by beautiful women. None of that would be possible of course without Yanick Paquette's gorgeous art. Paquette, a fellow Canadian from Montréal, renders a stunning Greek paradise.
With Wonder Woman finally making her big screen debut this summer, Wonder Woman: Earth One is the perfect appetizer.
Can’t make it to the comic store? Hamilton Public Library branches offer free accounts for Hoopla, to access these eBooks and comics.
By: Hess Shalollbey
Stories By: Mark Waid, Chip Zdarsky, Adam Hughes Audrey Mok, Marguerite Bennett, Cameron DeOrdio and Tom DeFalco
Artists: Fiona Staples, Erica Henderson, Adam Hughes, Audrey Mok, Sandy Jarrell, Andre Szymanowicz, José Villarrubia, Jen Vaughn, Kelly Fitzpatrick and Jack Morelli
Road to Riverdale may at first seem like a comic book that’s based on a television show that’s based on a comic book. Thankfully, it’s not.
Instead, Road to Riverdale is a collection of the various rebooted Archie Comics that inspired and set the tone for the new TV series.
While the main Archie comic has already been praised before by the Silhouette, the rest of the titles are of varying quality. Torontonian Chip Zdarsky writes a hilarious Jughead comic with Erica Henderson on art duties that not only measures up to the original Archie books but surpasses it. Meanwhile Marguerite Bennett's Josie and the Pussycats keeps and equally firm handle on both its tone and humour. While Reggie and Me and Betty and Veronica are both equally great stand-alone comics, they have the bad luck of sharing their universe with their contemporaries that surpass them quality-wise.
Writer: Tim Seeley Artists: Javier Fernandez, Chris Sotomayor
For years Dick Grayson served by Batman's side as Robin. Now he sets out on his own as Nightwing to not only grow out of Batman's shadow, but to prove himself as Batman's equal. In this new Nightwing series, Tim Seeley presents us with a Dick Grayson who must pair himself with a vigilante named Raptor as the two plan to bring down an organized crime group and secret society called the “Court of Owls.”
While the series features appearances by Batman and Batgirl among others, it is Raptor who steals the show. His mysterious agenda and past keep readers guessing as to what his true intentions are and where his loyalties lie.
Credit must also be given to Javier Fernandez and Chris Sotomayor who have created what is arguably DC's best looking book. Fernandez's art is both cartoony and cutting-edge with razor sharp thin lines that create a story that is easy to follow. Sotomayor elevates the whole package by delivering colours that complement the art and render some truly striking visuals.
Writer : Sam Humphries Artists: Robson Rocha, Ethan Van Scrivner, Ed Benes
Sam Humphries was one the most poorly received writers at Marvel Comics. Both critics and fans routinely slammed his books with Marvel. This reputation followed him when he left Marvel for DC.
Green Lanterns, however, defies expectations by delivering a strong, well-grounded buddy cop partnership. With Simon Baz, the first of the two mentioned Green Lanterns, Humphries gains the opportunities to provide a social commentary on the stigmas faced by Middle-Eastern people in the post-9/11 world. Jessica Cruz, the other half of the Green Lanterns, provides Humphries with a more intimate opportunity to discuss his personal issues with anxiety and his daily battles and to provide encouragement and solidarity to anyone who might be facing the same issues. The whole package is tied together with fantastic art and colors by a team that aren't afraid to show just how far out they can go with a character-based story.
Can’t make it to the comic store? Hamilton Public Library branches offer free accounts for Hoopla, to access these eBooks and comics.
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
Whether you’re a Trekkie, an aspiring cosplayer or simply hoping to meet others who share your interests, this weekend belonged to the fans as they took over the downtown Toronto core. Punisher, Batman and Superman all have big releases this month and made their presence known from the moment I got off the subway and headed to Toronto ComicCon. An annual convention, Toronto ComicCon takes over the city center for a three-day affair full of comics, cosplay and everything in between.
What some fans may not realize though is that attending these conventions could result in your passions and hobbies one day becoming a career. That’s how it went for Michael Walsh, one of Marvel Comics’ biggest rising stars whom I had the pleasure of interviewing at the convention. We talked about his career, what he’s working on next and what knowledge he’d most want to impart on those who want to create comics for a living too.
While Batman’s home may be Gotham City, one of the biggest rising stars in comics actually calls the Hammer home. “I almost went to McMaster,” Walsh first tells me when I introduce myself to him having noticed my press badge and white McMaster T-shirt. As an alumni of OCAD, he’s familiar with touring the whole portfolio circuit when he was first trying to get published.
With a heavy, murky use of black ink, his art is difficult to describe. His substantial use of blacks is interlaced with cartoony elements. While the style may look simple, on a deeper analysis one can quickly surmise that it’s a stark juxtaposition to the emotional weight that his art carries.
While others on the Toronto ComicCon floor had booths rammed with books, art-prints, merchandise and T-shirts, Michael Walsh sat behind his desk with his portfolio of black and white art in front of him. He quipped that he doesn’t like travelling with his books, referring to all his illustration work that fans are always eager to buy straight from the creators at conventions. “They’re too heavy and I don’t want to lug them around, I’d rather put my art on full display.”
It’s that same art that has made him so prolific in all of Hamilton’s comic book shops. Whether it was Comic Connection, Big B Comics or Conspiracy Comics, the staff at all the stores held Walsh in the highest regard, eagerly describing his art style with all manner of positive superlatives. Walsh is also equally famous among his peers for his down to earth personality and eagerness to meet fans and talk shop. Even the staff at Mixed Media, an art store on James St North, pitched paintbrushes and inks to me by saying they’re the same ones Michael Walsh uses, long before I had the chance to make his acquaintance.
Walsh first work was Comeback, a comic that he looks back on fondly. Written by Ed Brisson with art by Walsh, Comeback told the story of two criminal agents, who could undo the untimely demise of a loved one, for a large nominal fee of course. “Comeback was my first professional work, it always gets compared to Looper, because of the timing of the release, but they couldn’t be any more different. Yeah they both had time-travel but Comeback was more sci-fi street-level crime. It was bad timing, but I’m always happy when it makes a Comeback [editor’s note: pun is Walsh’s own] and a fan brings it for to me to sign,” said Walsh.
These days however he’s one of Marvel Comic’s most prolific artists. His first job at Marvel was Hank Johnson: Agent of Hydra — a one shot that came out late summer. “Right now, I’m doing this X-men series, its called X-Men: Worst X-man Ever and it’s a five issue mini-series.”
Walsh’s next project will be a collaboration on The Vision with another rising star at Marvel, Tom King. King is a former CIA counter-terrorism agent and has been writing an ongoing based on the eponymous member of the Avengers. Filling in for art duties, he praises his collaborator, saying, “If you haven’t read Tom King’s work its so good. You need to check out his other work because I’m so happy to be working with him.”
His charisma and passion for talking about comics is easily contagious. Before he could get any work in comics however, Walsh was creating posters for concerts. Now he’s happily looking forward to what the future holds.
“I’m in such a good place right now, if I went back and I did something differently back then who knows where I’d be. I went through some really hard times with being unhappy with my output and thinking that my work was just not of a high quality,” he said.
“If I could impart one thing of advice on those that are coming up it’s that you won’t always be happy with what you’re doing. But to be at peace that you’re not always going to be happy with the stuff you’re doing but know that you can get better so keep striving and working for greatness in your own work.”
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
Over the past week, the upcoming slate of adaptations based on DC Comics properties has been turbulent, to say the least.
For instance, Sandman, based on Neil Gaiman’s comic-book series lost Joseph Gordon-Levitt, one of the driving forces behind it, further curtailing the project. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Preacher, which is slated to debut this May with Seth Rogen as an executive producer and starring Dominic Cooper.
Hidden in all of this news was the fact that Scalped, also from DC, has been picked up for a pilot by WGN. While it’s not certain that it’ll become a series, I couldn’t help but revisit the comic-book series in anticipation.
Written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by R. M. Guéra, Scalped is a crime comic book series published by Vertigo Comics. Originally published in 2007, the series ended after 60 issues in 2012. Along the way, guest artists jumped on to elevate the ongoing quality of the series. Scalped has been collected into ten trade paperbacks and is also currently being collected as five deluxe hardcovers. So far, three of these books have been released with numbers four and five planned for April and August respectively.
The series, while fictional, is set in the present and is inspired by elements of Native American history. Specifically, story elements are derived from the American Indian movement and the Red Power movement of the 1970’s. Set in South Dakota, Scalped focuses on the Oglala Lakota inhabitants of the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation. Our main protagonist, Dashiell “Dash” Bad Horse ran away from the “Rez” 15 years ago in search of something better. Now he’s returned home to find that nothing much has changed save for a new casino and a once-proud people overcome by drugs and organized crime. While his motivation for returning to the reservation is unknown at first, he soon finds himself working for Chief Lincoln Red Crow as a member of the Tribal Police. Unfortunately for Dash, neither his mother nor his old friends are happy to see him return. Little does anyone know that Dash’s real reason for returning is that he is actually an undercover FBI agent, tasked with taking down the corrupted officials.
With a premise as unique as that, it’s easy to see why a television network would want to adapt the comic. This is a series that wasn’t afraid to explore some pretty dark themes. Some of those explored themes include rampant poverty, organized crime, drug addiction and alcoholism, local politics and the preservation of their cultural identity. This series was never afraid to shine a light on a neglected part of society that is rarely depicted in the mass media.
Adding a neo-western setting, the series breaks certain cultural molds and could easily be seen as a contemporary western à la Breaking Bad due to its overall aesthetic. Much like western films, the idea of progress always hangs on the horizon. In the case of Scalped however, it’s the delicate lack of progress and stagnation on the “Rez” that makes the characters so interesting. The characterization is thus the strongest force behind this story. It’s fascinating to see the evolution that these characters go through over the span of the story. All of the characters feel organic and their problems and turmoil’s are captivating and depressing. While Dash Bad Horse may have a dark and questionable moral compass, Scalped showed us just how far a hero can fall from grace and still have the reader rooting for them.
The level of realism in the series, combined with the depiction of Native American society easily makes Jason Aaron comparable to Honoré de Balzac. Adding to that, R.M. Guéra complements the series perfectly with his gritty, dirty art. While I didn’t enjoy it at first, it quickly grew on me as an acquired taste and was greatly elevated by the change of colorist from Lee Loughride to Giulia Brusco.
Casting for this series will be key, as Scalped will hopefully be a chance for Native American actors to get some prime time roles. Neither of Scalped’s creators are Indigenous and there has been some controversy in the past over how Indigenous people and their issues were depicted and treated over the course of the series. We can only aspire however that this project won’t turn out like Adam Sandler’s recent film The Ridiculous 6 where Native actors, actresses and a cultural advisor left the set in protest of the depiction of their culture. Here’s hoping that the TV adaptation will do this critically acclaimed comicbook series justice.
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
Since it began in 2010, Young Justice has been critically acclaimed and has garnered a passionate following. However, it wasn’t until Young Justice was added to Netflix at the start of February that the fandom has set the internet ablaze in a bid to push for a third season. When series creator Greg Weisman tweeted that Netflix was looking at viewing numbers to create a third season, I decided to pitch in and marathon it myself to help out with the campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMs6_QOV10g
The show aired on Cartoon Network until it was cancelled in 2013. The main characters of the show are a group of sidekicks attempting to separate from their mentors and prove themselves as superheroes. In the first season, Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian, Artemis and Aqualad come together to form the eponymous team with Zatanna and Rocket joining them later on. The team works together under the authority of the Justice League to battle a team of super villains known only as “The Light.” In the second season, the series jumps forward five years as we’re introduced to an even larger and more diverse cast of heroes and villains.
While grounded somewhat in reality, the show still keeps things consistent with the traditional DC Universe continuity. If you’re not well versed in the rich history of DC Comics, the show will ease you into this world gently with plenty of explanations as well as thorough introductions to characters. Young Justice is also not afraid to explore the subjects that terrify adults. Whether it’s a father’s inability to protect his daughter from super villains, the terrors of parents being separated from their children, or a darker storyline of child abduction that involves non-consensual experimentation.
In addition to beautiful graphics, the show has a strong soundtrack that fits perfectly with the tone of the storyline. In fact, it won an Emmy for animation not long after its initial premiere.
It should be mentioned that the show is not without its controversies. In 2013, Paul Dini appeared on Kevin Smith’s podcast Fatman on Batman where he claimed that network executives cancelled it due to too many girls watching the show.
However, Greg Weiseman has stated on multiple occasions since then that the show was cancelled due to toy sales being too low to fund additional seasons. Whatever the reason may be, if there ever was a television show that could benefit from one more season, it’s Young Justice.
[UPDATE] : Almost nine months to the date after this article went live a third season was officially confirmed. WB Animation also announced that original producers Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti have both returned and that production has already begun with a premiere date to be announced later.
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