Graphic Novel Review: The Engineer: Konstrukt
This is the second review from my Archaia haul from C2E2. (For more on that, see my review of Archaia’s The Killer.)
I’d call it a fair bet that Brian Churilla and Jeremy Shepherd, the creative behind The Engineer: Konstrukt, are big fans of Mike Mignola and Hellboy. It’s all over their work, from the art and design stylings to the irreverent humor that infuses the moody landscape of the story. And, like some many comic creators who pull heavy inspiration from Mignola, I’d guess they are tired of hearing about it. But you’ve got to call it like you see it.
That said, the art of The Engineer is fun stuff. While Churilla’s line work may take some obvious cues from Hellboy (and also perhaps from Eric Powell’s The Goon), it doesn’t wallow in that same shadowy minimalism. There’s some strong, dynamic layouts here. Crazed movement is rendered energetically, and expressions are amusing and varied. If anything, there’s that particular sense of playful fun to the action that’s usually seen in “all ages” titles from Marvel and DC. (At one point the protagonist even dons a suit that makes him look like Mister Freeze from the DC animated run…)
Read MoreGraphic Novel Review: The Killer Volume One
In early 2011, the Loop & Hoodie gang roadtripped to Chicago for the second C2E2 (Comic Convention & Entertainment Expo). While the Wizard World Chicago Con has become entertainment and b-lister celebrity-centric, the new C2E2 event holds most of it’s focus around comics. However, Wizard has a proven track record with retailers and, after disappointing sales at the inaugural event in 2010, C2E2 didn’t attract as strong an outing of hucksters. Which means the con smelled a little better, of course, but it also meant my convention habit of buying large quantities of super-cheap trade paperbacks was significantly hindered.
The Colodin Project and Classic X-Factor
I picked up a pretty massive stack of trade paperbacks at Chicago Comic Con 2009 – those $5 bins (and cheaper, late Sunday) provide a nice way to fill holes in your collection or try out books you might have passed by at full price. Marvel books are particularly plentiful (because of their overprint policies, I presume). I also snagged some indie books from creators in artist alley. So here it is 6 months later and I’m still wading through my to-read queue. Here’s a couple I’ve read in the last couple of weeks:
Read MoreFirst Moviegoer Experience of 2010: Up in the Air
Though I’m very much a film appreciator, 2009 wasn’t a great movie year for me. I just didn’t make it out to the theater more than a handful of times, and several of those were disappointments on one level or another – Terminator: Salvation and Nine (the animated one), for instance, and the exceptionally boring Extract. Yet, it’s funny that two of the primary cast members* of Extract are supporting actors in the film I saw, and enjoyed immensely, today.
A Christmas Greeting
To all my friends, family, co-workers, assorted acquaintances and good people of earth – I hope you are having a lovely and fulfilling Christmas! (You know, if you’re into that kinda thing.)
Some Christmas Day advice: if you’re hungry, Sonic is open. However, they will forget your $4 popcorn chicken. And your fries. And you’ll be too distracted by holiday cheer to check the bag before driving home. And it’s a bit too nasty out to go back for it. And you’ll be left with mediocre burgers (but tasty tater tots…). So maybe don’t do that.
And may God/Goddess/Xenu/Flying Spaghetti Monster bless us, every one.
Read MoreAnother Flooding
It’s been a rainy Fall here in the midwest, and when the St. Louis metro gets saturated, basements start flooding. Ours is no exception. Friday night, we returned from work to find the unfinished portion of our basement with standing water, and our bedroom (which is the finished portion of the downstairs) a humid, carpety-bog.
The last time this happened, some 18 months back during a particularly nasty Spring, the rising tide destroyed our carpet and stained some baseboards. But, through fortunate timing and an hours long struggle to contain the wellspring, we managed to keep our property damage to a minimum.
This time was a reversal – the carpet survives, but the walls are soaked. And we say goodbye to two nice drawer-nightstands and a chifferobe.
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