Indie Corner - 10/29/2014

Each week I'll spotlight a couple independent books I've read and may have flown under people's radar.

Rasputin 1

RASPUTIN 1

Powerful first issue that's short of dialogue but tells one helluva story.  Rasputin begins just before this death (or rather one of) before quickly transitioning to his childhood.  Things don't go well.  The writing is tight, knowing how to tease us with enough tasty bits and when to back off.  The art is equally impressive.  I'll be adding this to my pull, and recommend giving it a shot.

DARK GODS 1

If you're into Avatar books (Crossed, Uber, God is Dead, etc.), you'll probably like this.  I used to like Avatar, or at least Warren Ellis Avatar books like Strange Kiss and Dark Blue.  And I like Justin Jordan, so I figured I'd give this a shot... and it's just not my thing.

P.S. to colorists: If you've got an office worker in dark pants and shoes, don't give him white socks.

BLACK SCIENCE 10

Last time I wrote, "The art is gorgeous, the characters are all well written, but the story... it's barely there."  And it's still true.  I've decided to give this until the end of the arc (next issue), and if I still feel the same, I'm cutting it loose.  Things happen - mostly relationship drama -  and the art is still good, but I continue to struggle with wanting to like it more than I actually do.

THE BUNKER 7

It likely wouldn't be as good, but I hope someday there's a chronological version of Bunker put out.  Maybe Zero could do the same.  Anyway.  This is a Heidi issue, taking place in both the present and future.  As the future gets further fleshed out, scenes from the present are intercut and may contradict events from the first issue.  Is this a sign that things are changing, or merely adding detail to what's already been established?

LITTLE NEMO: RETURN TO SLUMBERLAND 2

I've never read McCay's Slumberland.  I've wanted to for quite some time, and even back two Kickstarters that failed to get funded.  I feel like if I had been alive 100 years ago, my mind would have been properly blown.  But I wasn't, I've spent 25 years reading comics and watching movies that drew inspiration from McCay.  So my mind isn't blown that way it might have been.  Still, if I had to name one person to draw this series, it would be Gabriel Rodriguez, hands down.  It just feels like I'm late to the party.

SAGA 24

This will likely be the last time I include Saga, since it really doesn't fit the "under people's radar" mandate.  That said, a little story:

What people may not know about Saga, -but has been scientifically proven- is that its gotten better over time.  Seriously, there was a claim made that Fiona isn't as good in this issue as she was back in issue one.  So we pulled the first trade to compare side-by-side.  Survey says: she's even better now than she was then.  Case closed.