Popgun Volume 3
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 3:56PM
Review by Aziz Bawany, Michael Smith, Corwin Crowl, and Chris Partin
Managing Editors: Mark Andrew Smith and D.J. Kirkbride
Production Editors: Thomas Mauer and S.A. Finch
Assistant Editor: Adam P. Knave
Executive Editors: Joe Keatinge and Mark Andrew Smith
Cover Art: Tara McPherson
Cover Design: Fonografiks
Published by Image Comics
Overall Review by Aziz Bawany
Anthologies are a tricky bag when it comes to reviews because you have so many stories affecting the entire work. For the most part, I think that the Popgun Anthology Vol 3 succeeds in promoting many different talents throughout the industry that might be glanced over by your mainstream comic book reader.
I have to give credit to all the parties involved in the title. For the plethora of stories I read, there is no lack of great art and to present so much beautiful work for the price, well it’s a great deal.
If there is one thing I’d like to see from almost all the talents whose work I read, is for them to work on marketing their abilities and more series to follow out of this book. There are at least 10 stories that could be made into minis or ongoing books and hopefully this anthology will show you who the rising stars of comics are for years to come.
Overall Review by Chris Partin
Its not every day a company comes out with such a massive collaboration of writers and artists with one goal in mind. Image Comics has done it for the third time with Popgun Volume 3. I was a big fan of the second volume of this anthology, so hearing that there would be another one coming out I got pretty excited. I'm a mainstream kind of comic reader for the most part. I've been expanding my horizons, and I think the second volume of Popgun did that for me. It pushed me a bit more outside my comfort zone and I saw what else was out there as far as some very talented creators. So, knowing that a third volume was coming, I had to get it.
With this massive 472-page anthology, readers get such a stunning array of stories with such different approaches and styles there's bound to be something for everyone. On top of this book have a page count of four hundred and seventy-two the cover price is only $29.99. That's awesome! My hat is off to everyone involved in this book because it’s simply one of best books I've picked up, well, since the second volume. Go check it out and see for yourself!
Overall Review by Corwin Crowl
Honestly I am not one for anthologies. I am the kind of comic book reader who likes continuity and the possibilities of things coming back into play. I like watching the foundation being built brick by brick like a puzzle until the full picture is revealed. In anthologies the varying art styles and stories will never have a complete cohesion and you also run the risk of having varying quality from anthology to anthology. With that said, I need to add that I have never read a Popgun Anthology before. I must admit volume three really surprised me with what some of the stories managed to accomplish in so few pages. The plethora of stories contained in this book varies like colors of the rainbow and honestly most of them are print worthy. With the sheer multitude of writers and artists in this book there are bound to be some creators you are not going to like but at the same time there will be some creators that you will be completely enamored with. I for one already have two or three creators I know I am going to keep tabs on. So if you are looking for something new to read without knowing exactly what you want grab this anthology and have a flip through. Statistically speaking, something will catch your eye.
Overall Review by Michael Smith
As I first heard that Image Comics was releasing Popgun Volume 3, I was curious to see if lightning could strike a third time. The first two volumes set a high bar with the original stories and wide array of art that I found it hard to think that even Image Comics, with their diverse portfolio, would stumble if they tried to do this again.
Well obviously I was 100% wrong in that assessment. From the minute I began flipping through the stories I could not contain my enthusiasm. This is the sort of book that you never start at the beginning and go from cover-to-cover. Instead you flip through it randomly and grab a story that catches your eye and work your way out from there. My biggest problem was that I found too many stories catching my eye to decide where to start.
I am not sure how Mark Andrew Smith, Joe Keating and everyone associated with this book were able to find all of these talented people and then get their work into a single catalog but they did it. Not only did they do it but they knocked it out of the park. I really look at the work that is contained in this volume and am amazed and blown away by so many of these creators. There were countless tales and stories that made me want to see more of the work these people have to offer.
While I applaud everyone associated with the book I have to question their sanity. Over 470 pages of artistic genius packed into a single book and it is still under $30? I am getting 2009 excitement at 2007 prices. I love you guys.
I am biased as I am a genuine fan of Image Comics but in this case I think this book is different. This book is not meant for fans of Image Comics. This book is meant for fans of GREAT comic stories.
"Carjacking"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Guillaume Singelin
Page 11
With no words, writer/ artist Guillaume Singelin is able to craft a humorous, yet visceral story that follows the work’s title incredibly well. The art shines in a Gorrilaz sort of way as the carjackers get a taste of their own medicine throughout the five pages, and you come to enjoy the reversal of roles that Singeline is able to provide. It’s quite funny and definitely a great way to kick off the book.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Four Seasons"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Patricio Betteo
Page 15
The four seasons is unique in how it captures the dark beauty of the seasons. Through each change of mood, along with the season, I felt a stir inside of me that reminds me of poetic beauty. It is a short work, but it’s beautiful and to the point. Betteo’s art reminds me of a PC game called Neverhood by Doug TenNapel. The art has this recognizable beauty that is muted by the changes in colors and while things are familiar, they are eerily different just as much. It’s quite haunting.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"The Magnificent Zhao"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Sam Bosma
Page 19
There are stories that you read that you know is about more than what's on the page. I get that feeling with 'the Magnificent Zhao'. The straight forward story is about a man named Zhao who's life holds a good deal of weight to the gods and demons that surround him. There's something else, but I am missing it, and because of that I felt as if the story wasn't clear to me. It could be my ignorance, or it could be a lack of storytelling. I'm leaning more on my own shortcomings.
Artistically, this story is very well done. There's just something about this style that really says something to me. It just didn't explain the meaning of the written story.
Rating: 6 out 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"Ghost Hunter"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Cleor
Page 31
This is a story told with art that happens to have some dialogue at the end which I really enjoy. I think it takes an artist who knows their craft well enough to know its not just about the pretty pictures, but its about the journey the characters take. I think that Cleor, who is also the writer, knows how to tell a story by using just the images on the page and allowing the reader to follow along. This story has a very action oriented feel to it. The only thing missing was a cool action soundtrack playing in the background.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Vertex"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Juan Doe
Page 39
While the story of Vertex plays of cyclical nature of life and our own definition of gravity, it is the art that is the real treat throughout this story. Juan Doe’s art is in a world of its own as the colors and styling truly set it apart from anything I have read. Here is a talent that needs to be either snatched up or given a series to truly express himself even further because the art is gorgeous and if Doe wanted to do covers for the rest of his life, I could see him being a match for Dave Johnson or some of the more expressive cover artists. It’s an incredible looking piece only hampered by the words on the page.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Sushi Nachos"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer/Artist: Andre Szymanowicz
Page 45
Danny is a Hispanic male with a love for cooking sushi. He loves it so much he dreams of creating his own dishes. Unfortunately for Danny he is only a delivery boy and has to prove himself to the owner of the store. While out on a delivery Danny finds himself in an adventure of a lifetime. An adventure that may end his life before his dream of master chief can be realized. I may be wrong but Szymanowicz has a very European style to his artwork. It looks like he even used watercolors to illustrate his story. Even the page outside the panel is colored and textured to give it an old and worn look. The story is a bit outlandish but has a quick, fast paced, freestyle-like form where almost anything can happen.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Pizza Monster in The Large Hawaiian"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writers: Bobby Clark/Joshua Agerstrand
Art: Joshua Agerstrand
Page 57
Pizza Monster in the Large Hawaiian focuses on the daily life of pizza delivery boy David and the weird situations he ends up in. The tone of the story is rather sedated, despite the amounts of action that take place. The world in which the story unfolds feels like a future where emotion is lapsed, even though there is a thriving youth culture. I especially enjoyed how almost every gadget came to life in some form, especially David’s 8-bit. I wish I knew how to translate binary because the device clearly has a unique sense of humor in the R2-D2 fashion. Whatever it may be, I see this little vignette as one that provides a quick form of entertainment with lots of meaning and unique qualities.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Ramen-O-Rama!!"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: David Rubin
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Page 71
The cool thing about Ramen-O-Rama is how Rubin is able to use the idea of a Godzilla film to make a great love story. While spoken very well at the end, the idea of love dying and coming together with a big battle across a city landscape is one that’s quite humorous and enjoyable to watch, as Rubin’s art makes these aliens Human enough to relate with. Though I’m a little turned off by Ramen now (one of my favorite foods), I will say that I really did enjoy the whole idea of this short story tying into classic Godzilla monster tropes. It’s a very cool story that’s quite fun to read.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Roadkill"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer/Artist: Sam McKenzie
Colorist: Dave Collinson
Page 83
I must confess, there could not be a more apt title for this story. Sam Mckenzie writes a quick stand off between some hillbilly looking robbers and leather jacket touting Johnny in his tricked out turbo charged car with his chick in the passenger seat. Mckenzie provides a very outlandish, cartoonish art style but manages to put just enough detail in the art to keep it interesting. Dave Collinson’s colors are very much muted and gray based but work very well with the mood of the piece. This causes the corresponding yellows and reds to stand out even though they are also muted. If you like fast cars and dark humor then this story is for you.
Rating: 6 out 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"The Knight Who Would Be King"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Michael Dialynas
Page 91
What we get with this tale is one we've seen before that warns you to be careful what you wish for. I don't think we're seeing anything new with this story, but I really don't think that's the focus of the story. I think it really the art that you should be paying more attention to. Dialynas has a very interesting style that I like. His charater designs are done well. The lettering to me is a little odd, but it works with the theme of the story and the artwork. I was a little distracted by it, but as soon as I moved to the next panel or page I was okay and back into what was going on.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Spirit Room"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Peter Bergting
Letterer: Fonografiks
Story Edits: Paul Montgomery
Page 101
Up until the last 4 panels, Spirit room is quite enjoyable. Though the overall story is great, the ending is a little ambiguous and makes me want more. Did the character survive or die before he went on the hunt? That’s the question I had and this little vignette seems ripe for an Image or Vertigo mini-series. If Popgun is a way to launch talent, then flesh out this story because the art is a sight to behold and all it needs is some more plot.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Crow Rooster"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Conner Willumsen
Page 105
Brilliant! That's the first thing to come across my mind when I finished reading this story. I flipped back through this story a few times to just look at the art and the fluidity of the panels. The story is a dark tale of a young man's last minutes in life as he has made some mistake that has caused men that work for his uncle to take him out to the outskirts of the city. The dialogue is simple, yet strong. The artwork just moves so well from panel to panel. I would love to know more of this story and how we got to the opening page. Brilliant work.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Twig & Cassius"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Ulises Farinas
Colorist: Ben DeRosa
Page 120
This story tells the tale of a young man who arrives on a beach or river side either because of being driven away by someone, or because of an act of violence. I'm leaning toward the act of violence. I'm not sure what I think of this story. I want more of it. I think you can tell a story with minimal words and pages. I think you can. This story feels like its done that, but there's just something missing and I can't put my finger on it. I like the story. I like the art. There's nothing wrong with it, I'm just one of those readers that needs just that little extra, so I'm not blaming Farinas for that. Its still a good tale overall.
Rating: 6 out 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"EEKS! And SHRIEKS!"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Josh Parpan
Page 132
Ok, this is a children’s story waiting to happen. Shadowline has a kids focused group of books and I think Josh Parpan is a great choice to publish. His art is really fun and expressive while capturing a nice timeline of humanities history with monsters. While we as a species have defined these monsters that we believe to exist, Parpan does a great job of using a timeline to show history and where our shrieks will come from down the road. It’s quite funny and a nice treat.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Swordsman Monster Slayer: Monster Revenge"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Frank Stockton
Page 137
Swordsman Monster Slayer is a very humorous idea that plays out quite well. The art is most appealing because you see this big-hulking warrior with a paper bag over his head, ready to do battle with monsters at any given second. While the story is straightforward in a sense, the absurdity of it all is what makes it such a compelling work. Another story that I’d like to see continued beyond this anthology.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Max!! Get Out of My Room!"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist Mike Dawson
Colorist: Antonio Campo
Page 141
Mike Dawson’s Max get out of my room blends the idea of suburban life with super-powers adding a dash of flavor to the mix. The central focus is on Jack, a telepath who likes to play with his action figures, and his brother Max, the teleporter, who enjoys messing with Jack.
Dawson’s style lends itself well to the idea of two brothers fighting. Having a younger brother myself, I remember the amounts of stress my younger sibling caused me as he invaded every aspect of my personal space. Dawson’s writing and art works best because he hits the right beats with these two loving each other, despite their nature to fight. Combine this with a mom that has super strength, and a dad that resembles a white-collared human torch, and each of these powers comes to symbolize everyday for a suburban class family.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Agents of WTF in would you like to Dance, Papi?"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writers: D.J. Kirkbride & Adam P. Knave
Artist: Matteo Scalera
Colorist: Antonio Campo
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Page 153
So far this is the best story I’ve reviewed in this Anthology. While we’re all splitting duties up, Agents of WTF has to be one of the craziest, off the wall concepts to be put on a page.
While the idea of a superhero team is nothing new, and can feature a who’s-who of weird characters, Agents of WTF lives up to its name with a 300 but really 8 year old man-boy and a Native American princess who battle some of the odder creatures of earth. In this case it was an evil demon-summoning clown, and the agents of WTF used every trick in the book of WTF moments to make sure they won. Quite enjoyable and with its chaotic art style of Matteo Scalera, highly recommended.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"2 Copper Pieces: Gotcha!"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer: Jim Zubkavich
Art: Chris Stevens
Letters: Fonografiks
Page 159
2 Copper Pieces was okay in my book. I was a bit turned off by the World of Warcraft style, though it’s really well rendered. The humor is there as well, but for some reason the story didn’t connect with me as much. It might be that the gag went on for a little too long and when trying humor, timing is everything. An okay story with a payoff that’ll make you chuckle a bit.
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"The Last Voyage"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Scott Hallett
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Page 163
The last voyage has potential, but I think the payoff doesn’t work as well as it should. The concept behind the idea is the glory of a final battle, and by that means Hallett succeeds in telling a good story. But there is so much focus put on the faces of the masked warriors that the end of the story leaves you wondering what just happened and if you missed the point. Kind of a downer after the short build-up fades away.
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Average)
"One in Every Box"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer: Jim Zubkavich
Artist: Jason Ibarra
Letterer: Matt Moylan
Page 167
As mild mannered Alicia Weudier pours a bowl of her favorite cereal for breakfast a magic key falls out onto the table. As she reaches for the key she is magically whisked away to a magical land by Pedan a floating fox like animal who informs her that she is the last hope for his world. Things take a realistic twist as Pedan gets more than he bargained form with the sarcastic yet well grounded Alicia who has a few questions before putting her life at risk. Jason Ibarra provides what looks like digital painting and I must confess that I really love it. His colors vibrate with life and his use of highlights and shadows makes me wonder if he uses photo reference. There are also slight shifts in his color palette just for a single panel to match the mood of the story. This shift happens at such a perfect moment that it has a natural flow even if the palette for the panel contrasts what came before or even after. If there is one thing to take away from this story it is that adventure lies in every box!
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Superhero Bobby"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist Dennis Brown
Page 176
Like Juan Doe’s Vertex, Superhero Bobby is a piece that features gorgeous art, but is lacking in terms of plot. Because of my decision to review the majority of short pieces in Popgun, the emotional hook of a story is important given the lack of space to present a story. Superhero Bobby tells a story with gorgeous art, but the journey it took me on as a reader left me with a question mark above my head. It’s great looking, but there is no substance and so this romantic entanglement fizzles out pretty quickly.
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"Nudging Buddy"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Ron Turner
Page 181
While the title of the story is clever, I didn’t find nudging buddy to be that interesting in terms of action. There’s a nice underbelly to the whole plot that gives the main characters depth, but only near the end to we get any kind of hint as to what they are capable of and because of this, I was let down. Though the Popgun anthology doesn’t disappoint in art, as it’s better than ever in this story as Turner uses his panels quite well to take advantage of some beautiful scenery. I think Turner has something interesting on his hands and I hope he fleshes the world of Buddy, Doug, and the rest as a regular comic to prove something interesting compared to the condensed nature of this story.
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"Bastard Road: Cockfighter Blues"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer: Brian Winkeler
Artist: Dave Curd
Page 189
Well, I've got to say this wasn't what I was expecting at all. I found myself laughing through about half of this story before the jokes ran their course for me. I think this is a funny story, but how many times can you tell the same joke before you as a writer think you've said it enough? I think this could be a great webcomic because readers will get a few panels every couple of days and the jokes don't get overused. The art is fun, and I'd like to see more of it.
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"Error"
Review by Chris Partin
Story/Art: Jeik Dion
Script: Dominique Carrier
Letterer: Fonografiks
Page 203
Um, wow! I'm a fan of the apocalyptic storytelling. I like seeing the machines take over and how the remaining inhabitants of the world stand up and try and free themselves. This story had all of that and it had great artwork. I mean, really good stuff. The coloring is amazing. Its bright and vibrant and just packs a punch. The dialogue is very light, but I don't think its really necessary. I like the minimalist approach and allowing the art to tell the story. I'd like to see more of this story in the future.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Alien Abduction"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer/Artist: Isam S. Prado
Writing Assistance: Alisa & Amy Stern
Page 215
As someone who has been the victim of the most ironic of circumstances I can say this story made me chuckle. Unfortunately it did not come until the end of the story. The title page has a nice painted image of the main characters. Yet, the next page takes a disappointing turn to a completely different art style. The art is simplified and lack any heavy detail. The colors are pretty much the same, flat. It is like someone just used the fill color tool in Photoshop. More importantly the layout of the story is really boring. Besides the title and end page there are six pages of three same sized square panels with exposition below them. There is not any kind of action or motion in the panels and it makes the art a bit boring. While I can say the art is unappealing to me I am sure there are others who will be more into it. The same can be said about the story itself. Two UFOlogists are on the search for evidence of aliens. I found the story a little uninteresting at first but about halfway through it picked up the pace and found its footing.
Rating: 4 out of 10 (Slightly Below Average)
"Intermission: Just Outside Circus Liquor"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Dan Brereton
Page 224
If there is one thing to say about Dan Brereton’s art: it’s that it never disappoints me. The paintings are lush with an off-putting nature that captures the raw energy of the piece. Despite its two-page nature, I kept going back and looking over the piece to study it, as there is a layer of subtlety that makes things quite unique. While theatre and film intermissions give you a nice pause during long scenes, Brereton’s works by giving you a quick fill that is ripe for revisits.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Young Johnny Appleseed"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer: Frank Gibson
Artist: Becky Dresitadt
Page 226
Cute is what I thought after reading Young Johnny Appleseed. While the legend of Johnny Appleseed is fairly ingrained upon patriotic American’s, I really enjoyed the environmental yarn that this story put forth. It’s all about harmony between the planet, humans, and other animals, and this story shows that incredibly well in an effort to promote balance between all walks of life. While it’s hard for us now, maybe one day this comic’s message could come true. Until then, I’ll just enjoy the gorgeous art that the story provides and hope that these two creators put out more unique work like this one.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Rex Onazuka, The Japanese Wasp in The Godfather Of Monsters"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer: Mark Andrew Smith
Art/Colors: Johann "Ullcer" Leroux
Letters: Fonografiks
Page 231
Now that's a fun comic book that I want to see more of. Somehow, Mark Smith got more pages in this book than anyone else I've read to this point. Did it have anything to do with him being the Managing Editor on the book? Ha! I'm glad he had a chance to tell this story because its awesome! Who doesn't love big monsters tearing up a city? But this feels so much more than just a Godzilla rip-off. The story is good. The dialogue is really good. The artwork is great! Where is my copy of 'the Japanese Wasp' #1? I want it today!
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Ever Upward"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist Tonci Zonjic
Page 261
Ever Upward is the story of Joseph Kittinger and how he went against human possibility by breaking the speed of sound. Zonjic’s art works especially well for this book, as the style recreates 50s/60s atmosphere and presents that sense of unknown quite well. The writing was to the point as well, leaving much to the imagination, as one has to piece together the emotions going through the minds of Kittinger and crew. Overall, it’s a surprisingly great homage to a true maverick and hero.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Father of Two"
Review by Michael Smith
Writer: Amanda Becker & Janet Kim
Artist: Janet Kim
Page 267
This is a great tale of a widowed father’s unique love for his two daughters. We get to see sibling rivalry, in which two young girls are each trying to gain acceptance from their father who is a busy scientist and is dedicated to his work. I really enjoyed this story as it was well written and very engaging. The tale is suspenseful and really has you guessing what is around the next corner.
Artistically the style and tone played well into the overall effect and was a perfect compliment. I actually went back and read the story several times to see what hidden little gems I might have missed the first time around.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"There's Always A First Time"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Michael Diaynas
Page 279
Its always fun to see how a writer can put together a sympathetic story about the character of Death. When you look at the daily task that Death has to deal with it can be a pretty depressing existence if you're not up for it. This story takes that character and introduces a young woman that asks Death out on a date because a psychic said she would meet someone tall, dark, and handsome. The twist to this is that Death could not touch her and did all he could not to so that they would enjoy each other's company. In the end it was the young woman's decision that changed things. I think the story is cute and enjoyable. Diaynas has a very good ability of storytelling from the writing to the art, and I'm curious to see more of his work outside this book.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Cave Pat and The Early Feminist Movement"
Review by Michael Smith
Writer/Artist: Alison Acton
Colors: Jim Charalampidis
Page 285
After reading this story the words whimsical and nostalgic are the first things to come to my mind. The story is well written and funny. The art is clean and not overpowering; it compliments the narrative perfectly. As I read through this though it made me think back to a time of getting excited on Sunday mornings to get the funnies out of the newspaper because they were in color; something most children today will never understand. I could easily have seen this story played out over several weeks of shorts in the newspaper. It takes a real skill to be able to tell a story in that fashion and this one played right into those wonderful childhood memories.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Same Again"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer: Ray Fawkes
Artist: Justin Randall
Letters: Thomas Mauer
Page 302
This is a pretty interesting story. It has a Twilight Zone vibe to it. While I don't know who the major player in this story is or why he is having to deal with certain people over and over again, I do find the story intriguing. I'd like to see more of this creative team together and see them put together a longer, more detailed story. The end of the story makes you think there's a conclusion coming. Maybe not in the next telling of the story, but soon. The art is strong and the colors are really vibrant as you get to the end of the story. I'm hooked and I'd love to see more.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"The Jailhouse Swing"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer: Jamie S. Rich
Artist: Joëlle Jones
Colorist: Laura Allred
Letterer: Douglas E Sherwood
Page 303
I don’t think Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones can do wrong. Whether it’s a romance story or crime, they work together really well, and the results are quite enjoyable. The story is about a former boxer going past his prime and the risks he takes in order to secure his status as man. Whether this is acknowledged by his ability to make money or to take care of his wife, the story does follow a very tried and true noir style in order to bring about most of the plot.
While this isn’t anything ground breaking, it’s still very good to read because the creative team work so well together. Rich is at his best and Jones continues to draw some of the most beautiful looking characters I’ve ever seen on a page. I know they’re going to be working together more down the line, and this story serves as a great appetizer for what has yet to come.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"50 Miles to Marfa"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer: David Hopkins
Artist: Daniel Warner
Page 311
You know what I love? A good story where you can step into a scene and what happened before is irrelevant. Now that I give it some the thought, the scene that would come after is also irrelevant. The here and now of where we are at takes the stage. Hopkins throws us into the middle of two con artists trying to cover their tracks. The opening internal exposition serves us everything we need to know in two pages with a twist of humor and a side of honesty. Some quotes from this exposition alone are memorable and sounds like something that you would hear in a noir or crime movie. Warner brings a simplified art style to the story but his action and panels are kinetic enough to keep me it from bothering me.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On Its Way to Greatness)
"Cuffs"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer: Derek McCulloch
Artist: Peter Krause
Colorist: Ron Turner
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Page 319
Derek McCulloch takes us on the usual bank heist story as a three man job suddenly drops down to two. As the third man is hung out to dry he takes the fall for the robbery and does prison time. With years to plot on his revenge Chuck gets paroled and wastes no time catching up with his former accomplices. McCulloch has a great sense of storytelling. He takes fourteen pages and gives us a complete story with a nice call back and even builds a descent amount of suspense. In three pages Peter Krause takes twenty five panels and gives us a noteworthy suspense and climax. He was the perfect choice for art on this story. His work is heavy and full of lots of shadows yet at times he uses very light lines for small details. Ron Turner gets stuck with a story that takes place mainly at night or in dark underground places. He uses a lot of gray muted tones which really fits with the story. This story falls in the veins of Brubaker and Phillips’ Criminal and makes me wonder what they could do with a full issue.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On Its Way to Greatness)
"These Kids Today"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Colors: Eric Skillman
Artist: Connor Willumsen
Page 333
Whether it was intentional or not, the beginning and end of These Kids Today has this cyclical nature of darkness that makes this story go from a one-night-stand to one incredible cool noir story. We don’t know who the main character is, but if you pay attention to the art you can see this rich transformation that is captured so perfectly. It’s a great read and it hits some great beats in such a limited amount of pages. One of the better stories of Popgun, this team shouldn’t be missed.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Tackle Goes Fishing"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Robbie Lawrence
Page 336
So there’s one page to deal with, and a lot has to happen in order to tell a fun story. Does Tackle goes fishing work? For the most part it does. The gag is one that’s easy to follow, and so the art has to add a nice context to the story. By that last panel, it sums up the story perfectly and creates this innocent feeling to the work, which is much appreciated. I’d like to see Lawrence on more work and he’s a creator I’ll be following outside of this book.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Eternal Warrior: Endings"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Paul Grist
Colorits; Eric Stephenson
Page 337
There’s something quite enjoyable about Paul Grist. In the case of the Eternal Warrior, it’s the message he rings throughout the story that is more enjoyable than the actual plot itself. If anything, Eternal Warrior is one of those stories that walks in the shades of grey realm as Grist’s characters not only have some former relationship with each other, but come to represent the struggle between order and chaos, or even peace and conflict. All it takes is one provocation and in the case of the warrior, it doesn’t even have to be a real threat in order to strike. As I said, the message is sometimes more enjoyable than the method used to tell it, and Grist strikes home at something we can all understand today.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"The Real Incidentals in Kill Phil"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist Zac Gorman
Page 345
The end of the Real Incidentals states that they couldn’t believe this story was published, and in some ways I wonder the same. The superhero story definitely has a unique perspective when it comes to the world, and I did enjoy the send up of some of comic’s bigger names. The art is quite fun to look at and has a chaotic feel to it. The plot didn’t hold up for me as well as the art, and I think that in terms of satirizing/parodying the comic’s industry, there is more work to be done. The story is enjoyable, but a bit easily forgotten.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Sanz Pantz: Home Al-Owned!"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Chris Moreno
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Page 349
Having heard Chris Moreno in various interviews and whatnot, I have to admit that his unique perspective for the absurd shines through in Sanz Pantz. The idea of a bunch of Duck Worshipping ninjas who summon a Platypus Demon God to help them is by far one of the more insane ideas to show up in the Popgun book. Add the out of this world plot to Moreno’s unique style of art, and you have a great combination.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Curse of Silence"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: George Gousis
Page 355
In some ways, I wonder if I’m no intelligent enough to understand curse of silence. While there are obvious relations to the title and the end result of the story, there are enough clues and gags laden throughout the story that makes me wonder if I’m missing more. I guess my main concern with the story is why the choice at the end was made. If I could figure that out, things would probably make more sense. Still there is enough humor to make the story enjoyable, even though it’s somewhat haunting by the end.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Bunnyboy"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Robb Mommaerts
Page 359
Bunnyboy is hilarious. Combining 1950s sci-fi with a good dose of wicked humor, Mommaerts does a great job at making this “children’s” story into something that parents will scoff at, but kids can all secretly agree that they think this way. Bunnyboy’s art is reminds me of books that I used to read as a kid and to see something in that style transform into a piece that is a bit more haunting, well that makes me happy. I think this may be the star of Popgun for me thus far as this book truly stands out from everything else I’ve read in this anthology so far.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Lumberjack in The Root Of All Evil"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer: Stephen Reedy
Artist: Greg Titus
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: Jason Hanley
Page 367
Pure insanity is all I thought of after I read this story. There's a lot of twisted humor in it, but the overall story is a little insane. From the looks of things, plants are taking over a city and a lumberjack and a team of other people come to stop it with axes and chainsaws. At the end of it all, the lumberjack takes a break for some pancakes and then moves on to the next city as the story closes out. It sounds odd enough when you describe it, but to see it - its crazy! The art in this story is really good. Clean. Expressive. I like what I see and it really helps tell the story where words I don't think could cut it alone.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)
"Avocado Allegrando"
Review by Michael Smith
Writer/Artist: Maximo V. Lorenzo
Page 379
There are some comics that people absolutely love and get the meaning of the story and the art right off the bat, this is not that story for me. I found myself flipping back and forth between pages at times to really see if I was missing something. After a few reads I realized that while the end of the tale concerning the two brothers is poetic and true it just did not resonate with me. I found the art to be distracting at times but I think it played well with the story; unfortunately it was just a story that did not speak to me.
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Average)
"Deathnaut: Emotional Baggage"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Danilo Beyruth
Letterer: Fonografiks
Page 387
There is something I've realized while reading this book and its that there are short stories here that need to be made into a full blown comic book. Deathnaut is one of those that I think is a great concept with good writing and really good artwork. I think there's a solid message that its trying to tell and I think comic fans would love to read and see more of this, even if its in a miniseries or a back up story in another title. Its hard to say if I have a 'favorite' in this volume of Popgun, but this story is in my Top 10.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Londown"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Albert Mieglo
Page 403
With Londown, writer/artist Albert Mieglo creates a lush, gorgeous looking story that unfortunately doesn’t have the words to make it fly off the page.
The art is lush and gorgeous, with the mood almost near perfect for the type of story Mieglo is trying to tell. The character of Juan is a guy who is down on luck, as he doubts himself more than ever. While losing his girlfriend to another woman and having a friend who tries to help, but ultimately does worse, the perfect moment comes and the story starts to pick up. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy what happened next. While it’s a bit clichéd, the plot could’ve worked by ending a bit sooner and the revelation killed some of the mood that I was enjoying. Mieglo can clearly craft a great story and his art is incredible, but I think he needs a bit more practice and pages in order to create something truly remarkable.
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"Failure After Failure"
Review by Chris Partin
Writers: Vassilis Gogtzilas & K.I. Zachopoulos
Artist: Vassilis Gogtzilas
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Page 421
I read a lot of superheroes and sci-fi type comic books. I enjoy them because they're a little moment or two that I don't have to think about my problems or other things that may be getting on my nerves. I tend to not read a lot of stories that have much to do with slice of life or a more realistic type of storytelling because of that. "Failure After Failure" talks about a man who's out of work and tired of getting rejected at job interviews. His wife tries to cheer him up and help him out, and it all hits very close to home because I'm currently unemployed and I know these feelings and thoughts. I really connected with this story and I think it'll be one of those I come back to time after time to read again.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Olympus: The Say..."
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Christian Ward
Writer: Nathan Edmond
Letterer: Jeff Powell
Page 429
Olympus: They Say... is a really enjoyable story. Mixing mythological inspiration with seafaring legend, the team of Edmond/Ward does a great job at creating a story that is reminiscent of our many sea legends that feels fresh and new. While my knowledge of nautical stories tends to fall into the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I enjoyed the mystical nature that Olympus provides. Combined with some truly remarkable art, the story is very concise and ends on a high note.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"Found in the Attic"
Review by Michael Smith
Writer: Olaf Brill
Artist: Donald Hello
Letters: Thomas Mauer
Page 435
I first have to say this story was beautifully drawn and was a perfect compliment to the tale that was being told. This reminded me of the type of story that I would have found in one of my father’s childhood comics which is ironic since the title is Found in the Attic.
Besides having great art the story is well told and really could have been from an episode of the Twilight Zone. This story was creative and engaging and really made you wonder at the very end what happened to the characters. I found myself smiling once the outcome was realized. This was a pure joy to read and a perfect illustration of what makes the entire Popgun concept great.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"The Young Macaw"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer/Artist: Derek Yu
Page 443
"The Young Macaw" is a good story of coming of age in a tribe. The young man must go out and kill or be killed in a test of honor and manhood. He succeeds, but its the fear of what comes now after he is declared a man that is the most interesting. He's able to kill an owl-bear creature, but women scare him. Its funny, and true all at the same time. Overall this is a good story and I like the inner monologue the lead character has during his trial. The artwork is great! I love the painted look and feel of the story. The colors are bright and full of life. This one is in my list of favorites (that has grown out of control as I get closer to the end of this massive book).
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
"King’s Hollow: The Trade"
Review by Corwin Crowl
Writer/Artists: Ryan Cody
Colorist: Anthony Nixon
Letterer: Fonografiks
Page 453
I am going to take a guess that this story is part of a larger story. There is not any kind of explanation of who the characters are or the overarching purpose of their mission. A girl named Nissa is sent out to make a trade with a some kind of giant, however she was never given anything to trade with. Ryan Cody created a simple and quick story with simple yet serviceable pencils and color. His style is also unique and works for the type of story he is telling. There are varying degrees of interesting characters and a lot can be inferred from their conversations. The story takes place in 1943 with a war going on but magic and fairies are also real. While interesting the story does not have any real feel of payoff. It is more like a tease for what is to come next.
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Average)
"Hairballs"
Review by Michael Smith
Writer/Artist: Gary Fields
Page 461
If Tom & Jerry would have ever met up with Spy versus Spy from Mad Magazine they would have produced Hairballs. Now while on the surface that feels like a match made in heaven and something I would have liked, being a fan of both, it just did not work for me. Unfortunately I found myself skipping to the end of the story before I was finished to see if it was going to get better.
I believe that it was a nice, well told piece but in the end it was not something that I believed to be on par with the other outstanding work that I read in this volume.
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Slightly Above Average)
"Mickey Maus"
Review by Aziz Bawany
Writer/Artist: Erik Larsen
Page 463
The holocaust is a touchy subject, and to comics fans, Maus is a work of great importance. So I’m not sure how to react to Erik Larsnen’s Mickey Maus. By using Mickey, there’s a slew of commentary on the nature of Disney to the idea of ribbing Maus that can’t be brought up. Not once did I think Larsen was mocking the holocaust, and I think it’s quite ballsy to use Maus as anything because Larsen is clearly a lover of comics and I think he pushes boundaries that many would be afraid to cross.
Rating: 8 out of 10 (On its Way to Greatness!)
"Twilight"
Review by Chris Partin
Writer: Michael Woods
Artist: Nic Klein
Letterer: Fonografiks
Page 464
"Twilight" feels like the opening pages of a much longer story. The reveal that the boy's spirit is chained makes me wonder 'why' and 'will he be free'. I enjoy stories that leave me wanting more, but I'm curious to know if I'll ever get the answers. I like that this story was the last one in the book because as you close the back cover you are left wondering about the boy and about the stories you've read throughout the entire book. Will you see what happens next any time soon? Maybe that's the mark of a great story - leaving you wanting more. "Twilight" has done that with me.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Excellent!)
Image, Popgun in Yeah I Waited For the Trade 
Reader Comments