Pushed over the Edge

I wish my phone had a frowny face on it when I received just that news in week two, 

it would have made it easier to stomach.

Comic Review: Cabra Cini Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman

                It’s time to dip our toes back in the Actuality Press waters once again as Sam Johnson keeps churning out title after title for our pleasure.  “Dark New Year”, the current release sees Cabra Cini back in the forefront.  Cabra Cini is a character that made an appearance a while back in the Geek Girl/Mr. Mash-up anthology.  In fact, the first story in “Dark New Year” is a reprint of that story, so I won’t get into much detail on it, but if you want to check out my review, go here. 

                After that, we get a few art pages, showing cover designs and some shots of characters before we head into preview art from the new mini-series that will be released this year.  Johnson has done a great thing here, building up the interest and anticipation for his new series with the free digital comic.  I wish Sam would start pimping out Eat @ Shrimpy’s, it would be an international success overnight. 

                The preview pages are broken down into two sections.  One is an unlettered preview, which is predictably a little hard to follow.  I have no doubt it will get easier once the text is added.  The art by R.D. Ricci is a little stiff, but the varied angles and panel types make for solid storytelling.  When there are backgrounds in the panels, they are very well executed as well.  In fact, the backgrounds blow the character work out of the water.  The coloring is pretty grey and monotone, but that’s standard comic book coloring nowadays, so I can’t really fault anyone for sticking with the trend I suppose. 

                The second section is a two page lettered preview, with art by Nathan Ramirez and colors by M.K. Dodson (everything is written by Sam Johnson, in case you didn’t gather that).  This preview is an interesting setup, and while the dialogue is about as stiff as the characters in the previous preview, the premise is interesting and one that I am actually interested in seeing to completion.  The art is dark and gloomy, fitting for this type of story.  Again, the backgrounds are a highlight as Ramirez looks like he really referenced the building/car/etc. instead of drawing them from memory.  The character work is pretty good as well.  The acting of the characters is a little hit and miss, but it doesn’t really make you stop and wonder what the hell’s going on, which is a good thing. 

                I am definitely interested in seeing where these stories go.  While “Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman” is a bit convoluted of a concept (not to mention a title), the product itself is pretty well done.

            I would suggest giving this a shot.  Hopefully it will get picked up by a publisher as well.  As an artist that has done work on spec before and never been paid for it, I would love to see these artists get paid something for their work.  If you want to check it out, “Dark New Year” can be found FREE at www.actualitypress.com and www.drivethrucomics.com.

Compensatory

This really happened, and it came back to bite me in the ass many times.

2015 Sneak Peak

2014 was a good year for the strip that saw us not stick exactly to the preordained plan when it came to the order of the storylines.  Of course, the opportunity to mix things up and do the "Dear Mr. Fantasy (Football)" storyline was something I just couldn't pass up.  That being said, 2015 will see that storyline come to an end, and the "Body Mods" story that I promised last year.  The year ends with the "Nun's the Word" storyline that has Sluggy looking for love in some holy places.

In terms of other things in the works:

Out right now, is Covers Volume I ($6)

Shrimpology ($35)

and just announced, Eat @ Shrimpy's Greatest Hits Volume I -

collecting the first six major storylines. ($17)

Coming this year, be on the lookout for Covers Volume II (collecting cover art for "issues" 25-50 as well as the corresponding trade covers), as well as Greatest Hits Volume II (collecting the second six major storylines, to be released around the end of next year).

I am working on an Eat @ Shrimpy's themed trading card game that I hope to have done by the end of the year as well.  The planning and mechanics are complete, it's just a matter of drawing all of the cards right now that is taking the most time.  As I complete various stages, I will post some of the artwork.

And finally, this year's Eat @ Shrimpy's Bracket.  It is currently in development, and will be revealed come March.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please leave them below and I'd be happy to converse with you.

Thanks for your loyalty for the last few years, and believe me, the best is yet to come!

-Matt

Punch

Week Two-

Standings:

Shrimp:		Assorted Freaks:
The Masked Shrimp	1-0	The Slugomatic	1-0
Fred	1-0	The Wormy Guy	0-1
The Masked Shrimpette	0-1	Mr. Happee	0-1

Schedule:

The Masked Shrimp v. The Slugomatic

Mr. Happee v. The Wormy Guy

Fred v. The Masked Shrimpette 

It was a rough time for all those that owned Ray Rice, when he was suspended for the year because video surfaced of him punching his then fiance (now wife) in an Atlantic City elevator.  

Shrimpette was just able to find a little well-placed, maybe ill-timed humor in that.

Trade Bait 1

This was at least a weekly occurrence in our house for the majority of the season.  It was too poignant to not include.

Not so New Comic Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (1991) #59

                In order for Starhawk to find out more about his parents, he first must save the Silver Surfer from the Saturnian Hound Hawks (they basically look like flying white cats) who are coming to feast on him.  Of course, this isn’t difficult for someone that travels at the speed of light, so he quickly avoids them.  That is the problem with any threat to many of the Guardians, especially Starhawk, he is so powerful that you never expect anything to really be his undoing. 

                After saving, then healing, the Surfer, Starhawk learns that the Surfer’s current condition has come at the hands of Galactus.  Apparently, even though that has been their arrangement, the Surfer finding sustenance for Galactus, Galactus is tired of the Surfer’s choices in terms of places to eat.  So, in grand Guardians tradition, Galactus just up and attacks the Surfer, and goes off to…find a new planet to devour I guess?

                While the Surfer is out of sorts, Starhawk notices the Quantum bands around his wrists and thinks that they might hold a clue as to his parents’ origins, and therefore his own.  However, it is not his place to touch the Quantum bands as they are supposed to be passed from the former to the new protector of the universe.  This is punctuated by Eon showing up and attacking him for even attempting to use the Quantum bands.  Eon tries to return Starhawk to his child-form but somehow Starhawk bypasses that and ages before Eon’s eyes until he is right back where we started.  I’m not sure if Eon is just not as powerful as we thought, or if Starhawk is more powerful than we thought, but this display changes Eon’s mind and he gives Starhawk the Quantum bands anyway.  So, again, a whole lot of fluff to get us to where we were going anyway.

                Starhawk was correct though, as placing the bands on his wrists shows him that his father was actually Quasar, the former protector of the universe (and I believe he was an Avenger at one point too).  This ends this story as we have to wait until the next issue to see how that all shakes out.

                In the meantime we turn our attention to Nikki, on some distant planet somewhere, in a story entitled “The Fire Down Below” which may or may not have to do with venereal disease.

                Nikki has just gotten groceries (oranges and liquor from  the looks of her bag) and is walking home in a shady neighborhood when, surprise surprise, a couple no-good-niks show up to rain on her parade.  After getting roughed up a bit by them she uses her fire-powers on them in order to get them to back off…which does nothing but remove their shirts (their pants are apparently flame retardant).  Nikki then uses a solar flare to blind them instead, and when their vision returns, Charlie is standing in front of them and beats the tar out of them.  Before we leave this party though, one of the attempted rapists says that he knows something about more Jovians being around.  For those of you that forgot, the Jovians are Charlie’s race, a race that was supposedly exterminated by the Baddoon.  Charlie and Nikki then call Vance and tell him that they’re not coming back as they are going to find the lost colony of Jovian slaves.

                Next issue: More Starhawk-y goodness with some Yellowjacket fun on the side.