Sunday, April 8, 2012

SPACE ANTHOLOGY 2012 review, part I


The SPACE Anthology is a collection of comic stories by small press comic creators that are attendees of the Small Press and Alternative Comics Exposition (SPACE convention).  The Anthology is available as a free PDF download here and will also be available in print form at the SPACE convention.
I have set upon myself the task of reviewing the comics contained within the SPACE Anthology 2012.  There are a large variety of strips, so anyone should eb able to find something they like.  Then, you can follow up with these creators to get more information and more comics from them!!

Iris by John Steventon

Iris is an interesting combination of whimsical artwork and a serious story.  The story is about a man who’s wife has gone into early labor, and the consequences thereof, including having a premature, fragile child.  It’s a very sentimental story that is very emotional for such a short page count (6 pages) and it’s something I can empathize with.  I’m not familiar with John’s work, but I really like the look of this comic. 

Her Eyes by Jon Michael Lennon & Thor Fjalarsson

This comic, on the other hand, sound like it would be sentimental, but is in fact a more philosophical account of the fate of mankind.  Well…that’s not really true, either.  It’s really a very PG-13 set up for a punch line I won’t spoil.  I thought it was rather clever, if brunt.

Cowboy by Leslie Anderson

Cowboy is a whimsical story about death.  Really.  It has scratchy, black and white art and the lettering is a bit hard to read at times, but that is typical of traditional small press comics.  If you like such things, you’ll enjoy this little story and its nice little ending.

Whatever by Shawn "Scott" Smith

Whatever tales advatage of the color format of the SPACE Anthology by utilizing simple, colored pencil art.  It looks to be a set up for a nice comic about single Mr. Bear, but I was disappointed in the abrupt ending.

Vugz by Bob Corby

I own a lot of Bob Corby’s work.  In addition to running SPACE, he’s a very talented cartoonist and his Vugz short shows he hasn’t lost his edge.  Vugz is a little alien guy trying to take over the world.  And he’s funny.


Kathleen's Patronus Memory by Kathleen Coyle & Jason Young

If (like me) you love Haryy Potter and (like me) you love Star Wars, or if you know someone (like me) who does, you’ll get this comic.  If not, I feel sorry for you….


Shimmer by Brian John Mitchell

Is a rather philosophical poem with little pictures that help with the meaning.  It’s neat.

Dragon's Breath by Mari Naomi

Dragon’s Breath is a well-told and well-drawn story about a difficult, tragic situation.  It’s about a girl’s memories of the Grandfather and how those memories do not reflect the true person he was.  Mostly I thought it sad.  I applaud Mari on her storytelling here.  Very well done!

Spy Guy in Paper vs. Pad by Mike Kitchen

I have Spy Guy #1, and I love the artwork of Mike Kitchen.  His work is a very neat combination of reality and absurdity.  His work has a very crisp, clean look. This short tale is about the obsession some people have with modern technology.  I can relate!  Definitely!

Mutant Elf by Steve Myers

Is my story.  I’m not going to review it, so it’s a good place to stop today.  I still have 9 more comics to go, so I’ll continue as soon as I can!

For now, here’s some websites for the artists reviewed above:









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