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riotgear's work
THE WAY #1
$2.95 (Plus Postage).
29 page black & white manga.
Penciled by Glenn Andrean
written by Tucker FitzGerald
A 15 year old slave girl sets out into the desert, her new master:
a young freedom fighter. Hunted by an Empire, and haunted by his
past, they're looking for a new beginning. But when they cross
destinies with a visionary desert nomad and a cursed messiah, their
journey takes them places they never dreamed of.
Order 5 copies to share with friends and recieve an original
inked panel from The Way #1. Just ask for the inked panel in the
comments box on any order for 5 or more (We didn't ink over the original
pencils for the record. Which is why we can offer an inked panel, and not
just the whole page).
Part one of a ten part series.
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other people's work
Christian market work
ANOINTED #0
$3.00 (Plus Postage). Full color double feature (also features a Chosen Mortals story).
Sherwin Schwartzrock's art is top notch in this supernatural book's opening issue.
Very reminiscent of Mike Mignola's work in Hellboy. Strong and bold, with a great
command of structure and form. There are occasional hints of 1970's-esque comic
art... which makes me wonder if Sherwin was penciling in the 70's? Someone let
me know. Killer color job too, I might add.
An angel (I think?) gets directed to a brutalized human dying in a park
at night. A series of flashbacks hints at this guy's supernatural gift(s?) before
everything goes nuts at the end. This story has a lot of potential. I'm not sure
if it will end up being cool, or just bizarre, but it has a lot going for it. Definitely
worth following. Check out the free preview at
www.youthspecialties.com/truewell/anointed. But then go buy the book.
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DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN #2
Full color, full length book currently in limbo
This wonderful book is currently in some limbo because of publisher difficulties.
However, for now they're putting their work up on line for free. This work is of
such outstanding quality, I can't help but imagine it will be in print soon.
The story looks strong, with only a slight tint of Sunday school sermonizing to it.
Certainly among the strongest stories being told in the Christian scene. What really
packs a punch though, is the artwork. Reminiscent of Joe Madureira's work on Battle
Chasers (an all time favorite style of mine) and with a strong nod to Jeff Smith's work in
Bone (just look at this cover) Javier Saltares tells a story with a
fierce look to it, while never loosing a comical, fun edge.
Overall I have to cite this book as the strongest work I've come across in the
Christian market. Write these people a fan letter and let them know that you're
chomping at the bit to buy a book. If you believe in this scene, this is the
strongest place I can see to put your money.
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SHELTER OF WINGS
Black and white manga coming soon from Makar Studios
Lisa Hutchinson is probably the strongest Manga artist in the Christian scene.
Her style is blended (She calls "Wenga"), and extremely well developed. Not only that, but her
writing is funny, sharp, and well paced. She's one of the rare people
who can both write and draw extremely well.
Shelter of Wings is a witty look into the life of angels and demons, ala The
Screwtape Letters or Frank Peretti. A fierce blend of non-stop banter and deadly
serious spiritual warfare, this series looks to be a blast. Check out her
preview at
www.shelterofwings.com, then go over to Makar and let them know you'll
be waiting in line once the printer stops.
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ANIME ANGELS #1
6 manga short stories, a deal at $6.95.
I was excited to open my copy of AA1 yesterday. I didn't know what to expect
from cafepress' print-on-demand printing, but my fears were for nothing. 28
pages of crisply printed b&w Christian manga shorts. Keely has been paying
her dues running AA online, and her work has paid off in this
great print collection of independent work. There's a huge range of skill
shown here, from very amateur work, ranging up to Lisa Hutchinson's top
notch Shelter of Wings, which shows off both A-list writing and art. Nods
to Psycho Ann's more traditional manga style as well. She's on the verge of fitting
in at your local comic shops' manga shelf. A game review, article, and art section
on the back page. I'll definitely be buying AA2.
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MEGAZEEN #7
$2.25 (Postage Included). 28 pages, black and white digest of the xian comic scene.
They aren't kidding when they toss "zeen" into the title of their
publication. They aren't looking for fake street cred.
They really mean underground "snuck in to use the school's copy machine" zine. It
does have a color "snuck into Kinkos at night" cover on it, but just know what you're
getting into.
That said, they've put together a really nice zine. A smattering of
Christian comic artists. Most of them are really amateur, but some of it's brilliant. And
let's face it, none of us are getting into the "brilliant" category without spending some
time in the "amateur" one first. A great venue for new artists to try out their wings, and
some seriously funny cartoonists to ply their trade. An interview, a couple of reviews, and a chance to laugh out loud
while supporting a fledging scene. Send money to these people, they're the heartbeat of something
that's about to come of age.
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SAM119
A fullcolor cyberpunk thriller going to press soon.
I was thrilled to get an e-mail from SAM119 penciler/inkist/colourist Steve Beckett letting me know
about his work on SAM119. They have 4 pages of their first issue up online, and the artwork is tight.
Three young friends fight for survival in an apocolyptic future where soldiers hunt them every step
of the way. An interesting cast (including Lili, a strong female protagonist) that is easy to
care about. Check out these guys work and let them know you're waiting to buy a copy.
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This site imagined, designed, and hand built by Tucker FitzGerald at riotgeardesign.com.