We’ve been talking a lot lately about how much comics cost, and alternate ways of writing and marketing comic book stories in the current economic climate. In jumps Silber Mini Comics, postage stamp sized books by writer Brian John Mitchell that have one panel per tiny page, printed on regular paper, and sold for a dollar each. Are they worth it at any price? Is this the wave of the future, or a relic of the past?

To get a sense of what this means, I decided to do mini reviews of Silber Mini Comics. Pretty clever, I know, I’m amazing:

XO #5: Most adorable little crime comic ever? It may be the size, but this was like if Bazooka Joe decided to try crack one day.

WORMS #4 & #5: The Prisoner, by any other name, but also a good, dream-like use of the Mini Comic format.

JUST A MAN #1, #2 & #3: What if you took every Clint Eastwood Western and made them into a tiny comic? But what if we could?

MARKED #1: The phrase, “They’ll be back in in two nights. I can smell their plans,” should let you know whether you’re interested in this or not.

LOST KISSES #9, #10 & #11: The first two issues are blog posts in comic form. Issue #11 is the most focused story of this whole bunch of comics… With art by Cerebus’ Dave Sim.

On a whole, the books aren’t breaking any new ground, and with the exception of Lost Kisses #11, they lack a certain clarity of focus to the story, aping other people’s ideas rather than creating their own. Also, only occasionally does Mitchell really make the format work for him, as it does in Worms (each page is like a deepening nightmare).

However! Since this does sometimes work, Mitchell, with the help of a good editor (or a little self editing) could really focus on a unique idea that works specifically with this format, and be on to something. Or, bring on other writers and artists (as he does with the Dave Sim issue), and let them play, working instead as a publishing house. Either way, $1 is a bargain in this economy, and Mitchell, with a little perseverance and smart choices, could really build Silber Mini Comics into something interesting.

As it is, they’re an interesting glimpse at one possibility for the printed pamphlet’s future.

Have you ever wanted to write your own Batman comic? Here’s your chance: The Batman & Robin Comic Generator.

Where do they get those wonderful toys, you ask? INTERNET!

FEARLESS DAWN #1 (ASYLUM): Okay, I’m a little behind on this one, as it came out way back in December of ‘09… Remember those days? Conan O’Brien was still hosting The Tonight Show, Brittany Murphy was still with us, and nobody had ever heard of Haiti… But I digress. Steve Mannion’s Fearless Dawn is a riff on ’50s adventure comics, with all that implies: over-sexed women; barrel-chested strong-men; and more evil Nazi scum than you can shake a stick at. It plays as both parody, and tribute, while not easily settling into either category.

To give you a little sense of the plot, Fearless Dawn is our big-chested heroine, flying on a rocket into Manitoba to investigate a new fight drug that grants its user super strength for a limited period of time. Turns out, its being used by undead Frankenstein monster Nazis. Dawn gets captured, and its up to the hunky Old Number 7 to save her neck from the clink, and being tortured by the also sexy, big-chested Nazi general who’s running the whole racket. Things go south, and…

Honestly, the plot barely matters. Mannion is taking a bit of every genre cliche and throwing them through a blender, to get a cheeky, nostalgic look at the comics of yesteryear. Personally? I like my tributes with purpose, something that either skewers, or illuminates the previous works, giving your own work a reason to exist. Otherwise it strikes me like a written version of cosplay: these things are cool, I’m doing these things, so look how cool I am! But! I do understand this may not be my cup of tea, but others will find it appealing.

Things are slightly more positive for me on the art side… Mannion’s pencils and inks are dynamic and cartoony. One sequence in particular lovingly references Flash Gordon/Batman/any male adventurer type fights that’s perfectly drawn and fun to read. And yes, I do realize the hypocrisy in liking straight reference on the art side and not on the writing side. Stop pointing out my hypocrisy!

Point is, this is a fun issue, but I’m curious to see if it will grow into something lifted beyond its genre roots (like say, Tank Girl) in the next issue. Only time will tell…

FEARLESS DAWN #2 (ASYLUM): …Hey, time told! Because I’ve got the second issue right here! So how does it stack up to the first, and does Mannion start to address my criticisms (given that he’s had no time to read them between the first review and the second)? Well… Yes and no. The parody and humor is certainly much broader in this issue, which matches the more cartoony style well. The addition of Frank Forte on colors has made the whole thing look slicker and more four-color. I’m now pretty curious to see whether every issue, we’ll be moving forward a little bit in comic-book style, until we reach the present; though, that could just be wishful thinking on my part.

Again, personally, I’d like a little bit more of something going on to keep me coming back to this comic, whether its over-the-top situations, genre subversion, or something else other than tribute. But again, I realize there’s a place for this sort of comic, as well.

(By the way, the second issue came out mid-January, so only slightly less behind… The next issue is coming out Mid-March, so I’ll try to review that sometime in 2012.)

So first off the author is as interesting as the book and the book is ridiculously interesting. Jason Shiga is the author and he is known for being a reclusive math genius. At age 12, Shiga was the 7^th highest ranked child go player in Oakland. He has won the Xeric award, Eisner award, Ignatz award, and Stumptown Comics Award. Plus another cool fact, Bookhunter is based on actual events.

This is book is over the top fun. You ever wanted to see a hard core Liberian mess people up because of over due or stolen books?! Well, not really but it is a smart, fun look at the crime of people stealing old expensive books. The main character is seriously hilarious.The story unfolds in such a fun who done it kind of way. The art is perfect. It really supports the whole idea of the story. There is also a great balance of action and story here. There isn’t a wasted page in this whole book, we are sucked into this world is such a detailed, well thought out artist way, it is inspiring. Thank you Jason Shiga and thank you Sparkplug Comics. So, if you love fun, smart, over the top cartoon action, you will love the Bookhunter!

When I announced plans to members of the Comic Blog Elite toplist for this showcase column, one of the first bloggers to contact me about it was Jim Callaway from Attention, Children–Sequential Art. The guy was full of energy and eager to get the word out about his website–so much so, that he offered to write an original post for me. I had to remind him that I was interested in promoting blogs and bloggers, so he agreed to just go ahead and keep doing his thing at ACSA, while I promised to give him the first showcase.

When Jim isn’t writing for himself, he contributes content to PopMatters.com. One recent PM piece he wrote was a review of Fall of the Hulks: Alpha, which inspired him to dig a little deeper on his own blog into the relationship between the Incredible Hulk (the green one) and his archnemesis the Leader. It isn’t the voluntary PR for Marvel’s Hulk-centric event that you might expect from other sites, nor is it a goofy numbered list of “funny” quips about green skin and gamma rays. Jim writes as a fan and an enthusiast, simply getting geeky about a subject that struck his fancy.

And this is how it is on ACSA all the time (the site has been running for about a year now). Jim has a great enthusiasm for what he writes about and for writing in general, and he does a really fine job of balancing his fanboy glee with actual research and deeper insights. Other reasons to check out ACSA include Jim’s requesite snark, his choice of a simple Blogger template design that doesn’t strain the eyes or pain the brain, and his freshly unexpected topics that tend to lean more toward the personal than the promotional.

ACSA is currently hovering around #143 on the CBE, so it has a long climb up the list before it falls into the top 10. Let’s give it a push.

And be sure to visit the CBE toplist for links to all the other great sites that make up your comics Internet!

THE CBE TOP 10: February 3, 2010

TOY STORY #1: The “first” issue of this ongoing delightfully follows up on the zero issue… However, a quick note before continuing: if you haven’t read the zero issue, go back and pick it up first. For some reason, rather than the usual zero issue which just functions as a simple intro/tease, in this case it really was the first issue of the series. This #1 picks up right where the last left off, and if you haven’t read it, you’re missing out. So! That bit of business out of the way, writer Jesse Blaze Snider continues to find fun, original ways to play with the Toy Story concept, essentially delivering what might as well be Toy Story 3. It’s fun, funny, and got a lot of heart. And while this second issue (yeah, I know, it’s confusing) is very much getting us from point A to point B, it’s a joy to read while we’re getting there… And the Point B promises delirious fun for the next (third? second?) issue.

KILL AUDIO #5: Who would have thought that physically representing the eternal battle between art, music, and commerce would look so insane? Well, probably anybody, and it’s certainly crazy to look at here. This series focuses on its own internal logic, letting the ideas and images flow together like the audio of its title, and it makes for a unique comic book reading experience. If anything, I’d put it somewhere in the same realm as Grant Morrison’s “The Painting Who Ate Paris” arc on Doom Patrol, though even less grounded than that. Like I said, it does have an internal logic at play, and though occasionally the panel flow is a little bit off in this issue (scenes crest or start in the middle of a page, or on the last panel), for the most part, it flows and sways like a good piece of music. It’s not for everybody (you’ll have to be very into surreality to enjoy this), but there’s also nothing else like it on the stands.

DINGO #3: I’ll be honest, I haven’t read the first two issues of this series, but if they’re as gleefully violent, creative, and propulsive as this one, I’ll definitely be going back and checking them out. The Sin City meets Greek Myth/Horror vibe is creative enough, but paired with Michael Alan Nelson’s pitch perfect noir narration it goes to a whole new level. I didn’t know these characters, but I felt every punch, understood exactly who they were at what they wanted, and how high the stakes were with no prior knowledge. Picking up the third issue of a series blind and coming out with everything clear, and as exciting as the author meant it is a true accomplishment. And Francesco Biagini’s art is the perfect compliment… His creature design, in particular, is unique and terrifying: there are at least two splash pages in here that mix action and horror to a degree I haven’t seen since Gabriel Rodriguez’s work on Locke & Key. Consider this added to my pull list.

CABLE #23: We’re getting close to the end here, and Duane Straczynski brings his run on the title full circle. Cable and Hope are jumping through time, avoiding Bishop, and trying to get back to the present – something they’ve been doing since the first issue. But here, it’s given an extra sense of urgency, just because we’re so darn close to the finish line. There’s some fun action beats and visits with old friends in this issue, and here’s hoping the whole thing ends with a huge, huge bang. Whatever happens, next issue, the conflict between Cable and Bishop is over, and I can’t wait to see how Straczynski will tie up two years of increasingly dangerous cat and mouse. He hasn’t disappointed yet.

DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #896: Deadpool teams up with U.S. Ace, and fights a biker gang of genetically modified raccoons. Especially when the script is written by Stuart “reliable” Moore, what’s not to love? The whole thing is as fun as you’d want it to be, and you even get a pretty soulful U.S. Ace story as a bonus, so there you go. Plus, Deadpool being, you know, Deadpool. Fun, silly stuff, just as it should be.

GHOST RIDERS: HEAVEN’S ON FIRE #6: And with that, at least for now, Jason Aaron finishes up the best run on Ghost Rider, ever. Did you miss the whole thing? Because if you did, do yourself a favor, and pick up the back issues, pick up the trade when it comes out, pick it all up. Not only did Aaron get how a dude with a flaming skull riding a bike should be bad-ass, but he also realized how ridiculous it was. There’s a new character introduced in this issue that made me laugh out loud, and then on the next page, that same character appears in a two page spread that kicks so much butt its unbelievable. For those of you – like me – who avoided Ghost Rider because of ’90s-itis: we were all wrong.

Comics are amazing! I love all the different types of art and stories. I wanted to blog about some of my favorite comics and trades, seeing how Alex focuses on all the new comics, I figured I could talk about some of my favorites. The first one is called 365 Samurai, And A Few Bowls Of Rice. The first thing that attracted me to this book was the art. I thought to myself where have I seen this art before. I found out the artist is Swiss. He has done art for Burton snowboards, Thrasher magazine, Amnesty International, and Wyclef Jean CD art.

So anywho, this book is thick and small. It is a comment of life’s journey. It also touches upon the meaning of life. The art is very cool because it is mostly an action comic. The way the artist uses the pages to speak for the main character is a really cool choice that fits the genre. There isn’t much dialogue, which makes it a fast read, but all the pages are full and powerful. There is a pace to the comic, a rhythm. It is all black and white, which I am a sucker for. But it works really well here because it takes place in the days of the Samurai.  There are some really thick lines in the art as well as thin; some pages look like they were done in charcoal.  It is 17 bucks for the book, but I would say it is worth it. The chapters are broken up into seasons, which also is a cool choice. Personally this is the kind of book that stays with you. I have read it twice already and will read it again. If you like samurai stories that have a touch of philosophy and artistry then check this out.

ROBOCOP #1: There’s certainly many of the hallmarks of the Robocop series in this book: the faux commercials; the ultra-violence; the social satire. There’s even the all powerful OCP, and a few huge potentially evil robots in the mix. Heck, the gangs all here, so why does it feel empty for 75% of the issue? It’s probably because it’s not quite violent enough. It’s not quite on target enough with the satire (recycling poop is not the most current joke ever). And even though this takes place after the original Robocop, there’s still shades of Robocop 2 in there. So I say about 75% of the issue, because as it goes on, writer Rob Williams gets a better handle on the characters and story. And there’s great character moment with Officer Murphy towards the end that I’m very curious to see how it plays out in future issues, as well as a last page splash that’s intriguing, to say the least. While I’m not completely sold on this series yet, I’m definitely willing to give it another shot.

THE COMPLETE ALICE IN WONDERLAND #2: I’m going to try to not just rehash my review of the first issue of this book, which boiled down to, “It’s a fine adaptation, perhaps a little bit flat in the text department, but the real star is the art.” That’s still true this issue, though I think Leah Moore and John Reppion have a bit more fun this time around. On the other hand, the art is occasionally curiously flat in this issue, particular PC Siqueira’s shading on some of the characters, without much consistency. I’m still a fan of what the team is doing here, and it does, for the most part look like a nice mixture between painted and anime art, with a dash of the current European style. But those instances do take me out of the story.

BUCK ROGERS #8: The first half of this issue, where our time-lost spaceman hero is told about the supposed Communist domination of Earth by insane underground dwellers is one of the most purposefully insane things in comics I’ve read this week, and I kind of love it. In fact, as usual, Scott Beatty channels the adventure and humor of Buck perfectly, while everything else seems a bit disposable. Luckily, this issue, we only get a page or two of this disposable stuff, and the rest is pure, underground adventure. When this title lets Buck be Buck, it soars.

BLACK TERROR #7:Is it possible for a comic to be too packed? This issue is so chock full of plot, huge fights, and unstoppable enemies, that we end up losing track of the hero, Black Terror, in the middle of everything. And writer Phil Hester does pack on the danger, with not one, but two unstoppable armies versus our hero, and a third waiting in the wings. It’s a ton of fun to read, but I can’t quite get over the panel layout, which ends up putting too much on each page, and not enough room to see everything that’s going on. Don’t get me wrong, the action, and the thrust of it, is clear; it’s just not giving heft to the things it should be giving heft to. Still, this is easily my favorite of the Project Superpowers titles.