Hey Avatar Press fans and comic buffs, are you interested in what we have been up to recently and our newest planned releases? Well, in this newsletter you will find information on both March and April's new releases, as well as information on current happenings within the company, interviews with some of the best talent on earth, and reviews from both sources you trust and fellow fans like yourselves.
>>MARCH RELEASES
As we head into the exciting summer of 2007, Avatar Press is featuring some of the most popular ladies in comics during the month of March, including everyone's favorite femme-fatale, Lady Death.
Brian Pulido's LADY DEATH: Masterworks combines the talent of one of comic's most amazing painters with the most enduring and iconic female character in indie-comic history. Known as a forerunner among publishers of high-quality variants and limited editions, Avatar Press has pulled all stops in creating this one-in-a-million collectable. Forget ads! Every page features stunning painted art on super-deluxe stock at a price that is a value compared to most collectibles. Every cover is brand new and limited in advance to quantities that won’t be enough to fill demand! The Regular edition is limited to 3500 copies, Smoking Hot to 1500 copies, Lust for Battle 1500 copies, the Premium cover 750 copies, Luxurious only 500 copies, and the stunning Canvas cover only 250 copies! Every copy of the Canvas cover ships in a special hard case protector.
Retail Price: $4.99 US
Art: Felipe Massafera
Readership: All Ages
Format: Full Color, 16 pages
Artwork: http://www.avatarpress.net/v/ladydeath/masterworks/
And from the creator of Lady Death, in March we also feature Brian Pulido's WAR ANGEL #0 and BELLADONNA #0.
Brian Pulido's WAR ANGEL #0, features the ultimate female lead in comics, an amoral assassin with looks to kill. Bad girls, gothic horror, and celestial wars hit the fan in this sure hit. Learn the shocking truth behind War Angel’s role in the world’s demise as she faces the angelic heroics of Serapiel of the Seraphim. Could the rumors be true? Did War Angel trigger the war to end all wars, God War? This book is available with a Regular, Wraparound, and Premium cover by Lady Death series artist Gabriel Guzman, Ryp cover by Juan Jose Ryp, Amorim by Di Amorim, and HDR by Daniel HDR.
Retail Price: $2.99 US
Writer: Brian Pulido
Artist: Elvis Moura
Readership: MR
Format: B&W, 16 pages
Check out pages from a previous War Angel epic (Lady Death vs War Angel!):
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/ladydeath/warangel/
The master craftsman of female leads, Brian Pulido, revisits a classic in
Brian Pulido's BELLADONNA #0. Are you a fan of Brian Pulido, everything Irish, and women that are, let's say, pleasing to the eye? Then this Celtic vixen is right up your alley. Though Colleen MacGrath (aka Belladonna) has laid dormant for years, Morrigan the Celtic goddess forces Colleen to rise and again claim vengeance for all the Celtic people! A druid has resurrected the dead Vikings who murdered Colleen’s family and has set them upon the town. Now it is up to Belladonna to stop the Undead horde. Will Belladonna succeed? Or will the sheer numbers finally put her to rest forever? Available with Regular and Battle covers by Daniel HDR, Ortiz, Celtic Beauty and Premium by Richard Ortiz, and Rearte by Gabriel Rearte.
Retail Price: $2.99 US
Writer: Brian Pulido
Artist: Newton Barbosa
Readership: All Ages
Format: B&W, 16 pages
...and check out these other great March releases including Garth Ennis' The Chronicles of Wormwood #3 and many other great original and licensed comics from Avatar Press...
Garth Ennis' THE CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD #3 - Garth Ennis unleashes his next major religious epic in the vein of Preacher, but this-time, he’s taking it up a notch! Danny Wormwood is having all the troubles of modern man, his TV shows have issues, he cheats on his wife, and his rabbit talks back to him. But this poor sod also has to deal with the fact that his dad is Satan himself and Pope Jacko and the Catholic church are also raising Hell. Oh yeah, the Armageddon is about to start and Jesus is a right thicko, not much help there. This issue finds the boys taking a quick trip to Hell in order to sort out this whole end-of-the-world mess. But things don’t quite go as planned… Ennis drags the whole world into the gutter with his trademark razor-sharp dialogue, biting wit, and the stunning art of Jacen Burrows, all in full-color. The Chronicles of Wormwood is an on-going series of series that you will not want to miss! This sacrilegious artifact is available is two covers, Regular and Visions of Hell Wraparound, both by series artist Jacen Burrows.
Retail Price: $3.99 US
Cover: Jacen Burrows
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Jacen Burrows
Readership: MR
Format: Full Color, 32 pages, 3 of 6
Preview Chronicles of Wormwood #1:
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/Wormwood/
LADY DEATH/SHI #1 - The fan-demanded, femme fatale showdown kicks into gear! Kyoto, Japan. The Dark ages. Shi she who walks in shadow - is a folk hero to her people: the single force willing to strike at Yamada’s iron-fisted leadership. Lady Death: a lost soul desperate to save her mother from the grip of the warlock, Sagos. When Lady Death is offered her mother’s freedom in exchange for Shi’s life, two forces from two different worlds collide in a battle for the ages. Written by Lady Death creator Brian Pulido and featuring art by the masterful Juan Jose Ryp, this full-color catfight is one that you don’t want to miss! This book features these stunning covers: Regular by Shi creator Billy Tucci, Premium and Lopez by Rafa Lopez, Wraparound by series artist Juan Jose Ryp, and a special Leather cover (limited to 600 copies) by fan-favorite Matt Martin.
Retail Price: $3.99+ US
Writer: Brian Pulido
Art: Juan Jose Ryp
Readership: All Ages
Format: Full Color, 32 pages, 1 of 2
Preview Lady Death / Shi #0:
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/ladydeath/shi/
For complete graphics and info about these and all of our March solicited releases, check out
http://www.avatarpress.com/2007/01/21/march-2007-solicited-releases/
Please support your local comic shop and Avatar by asking for or ordeirng Avatar Press comics at your local retailer. If you can't get our March solicited releases locally, you can order them from our direct sales agent at
http://www.comiccavalcade.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi?product=avatar-mar07&cart_id=
>>APRIL RELEASES
Our April releases feature creators at what they do best. The infamous John Russo, co-creator of the landmark film Night of the Living Dead, unveils his next ghoulish creation, and Sharon Scott's indie-classic, More than Mortal, makes its Avatar Press debut as well as other Avatar favorites and originals.
What do you get when you mix idealistic youths, enlightened sexualities, and zombies in Army fatigues and then throw them all into a small mountain town? You get the newest Living Dead series written by the man who helped define the genre.
PLAGUE OF THE LIVING DEAD #1 is the latest Avatar series featuring John Russo, and the third mini-series by him with artist Dheeraj Verma. They've been beaten, they've been burned, they've had their brains blown out... But this time, nothing will stop them! Held prisoner in their home and awaiting a bloody execution by an unrelenting wave of flesh-eating ghouls, a family in Stone Mountain, Virginia fights for their lives against their undead assailants. There is no way out and no escape... And certain death looms by the rotting hands of an army of corpses. A nearby Army base holds prisoners of its own, however, as three soldiers who faced the terror of the undead plague in the jungles of Vietnam must now find some way to escape their own imprisonment before their knowledge of US Government-sanctioned zombie soldiers dooms the trio to death, as well. As well as the standard cover and Rotting cover by super-star Jacen Burrows, this issue is available with a Wraparound cover by Jeremy Rock, a Terror and Gore cover by series artist Dheeraj Verma, a painted cover by Lucio Rubira, and a special Blood Red Foil edition that comes with a limited poster signed by John Russo.
Retail Price: $2.50 US
Writer: John Russo
Art: Dheeraj Verma
Readership: MR
Format: Full Color, 16 pages, 1 of 6
Artwork: http://www.avatarpress.net/v/plagueofthelivingdead/
Interior pages from Escape of the Living Dead, by the same creative team:
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/escapeofthelivingdead/
Are you a fan of Belladonna or Medieval Lady Death? How about fiery, Irish redheads on a mean streak?
MORE THAN MORTAL #0 is Avatar Press' first run at the indie-classic series, with original creator and writer Sharon Scott taking up the reigns again behind the series. In ancient Ireland, the land was riddled with both internal clan rivalries and external invasions, a time of legends, great warriors, and fierce druidic magic. Although the Tuath gods no longer walked the land, their power and influence still pervaded. The battle between Man and dark Faerie had been waging for decades. The battle came to a head during a bloody siege at a temple in Kildare where Midir and his Faerie horde were devastating the Celtic army. It seemed all was lost that an entire people and their way of life would be destroyed. Desperate, a group of druids conjured a powerful spell, a plea to the Land to protect itself. The druids gave birth to a Guardian that day a being that emulated the very essence of Ireland and its distinction: beauty, strength, independence. She was an elemental, part of the land, and bound to defend it- she became Brigid The Protector. This book features these stunning covers: Regular, Wraparound, Battle and Premium by series artist Wellington Alves and Ryp by maestro Juan Jose Ryp.
See more on More than Mortal #0 below at BACK TO YOUR ROOTS...
Retail Price: $3.99 US
Writer: Sharon Scott
Art: Wellington Alves
Readership: All Ages
Format: Full Color, 32 pages
Artwork: http://www.avatarpress.net/v/morethanmortal/
Garth Ennis' CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD #4 - Garth Ennis unleashes his next major religious epic in the vein of Preacher, but this-time, he's taking it up a notch! Danny Wormwood is having all the troubles of modern man, his TV shows have issues, he cheats on his wife, and his rabbit talks back to him. But this poor sod also has to deal with the fact that his dad is Satan himself and Pope Jacko and the Catholic church are also raising Hell. Oh yeah, the Armageddon is about to start and Jesus is a right thicko, not much help there. The trio's trip to Hell has not provided the resolution they were hoping for and it looks like Satan and God are indeed heading for the final battle. Ennis drags the whole world into the gutter with his trademark razor-sharp dialogue, biting wit, and the stunning art of Jacen Burrows, all in full-color. The Chronicles of Wormwood is an on-going series of series that you will not want to miss! This sacrilegious artifact is available is two covers, Regular and Visions of Hell Wraparound, both by series artist Jacen Burrows.
Retail Price: $3.99 US
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Jacen Burrows
Readership: MR
Format: Full Color, 32 pages, 4 of 6
Preview Chronicles of Wormwood #1:
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/Wormwood/
Garth Ennis Chronicles Of Wormwood #4
Brian Pulido's LADY DEATH: Sacrilege #1
Lady Death meets her match with the sultry Nocturne! In the dreaded Blacklands, a church begins to expand at an unbelievable rate. If it is not stopped it will overtake the entire Blacklands. Lady Death and Satasha, along with Legass the historian and Harbow the trapmaster enter the church to divine the mysteries of it's sole occupant, Nocturne, and her deadly agenda. Why is the church expanding? How can they make it stop? Can Lady Death and her allies outwit an insane holy woman with near infinite power or will they succumb to the trips and traps of the holy fortress? This book is available with a Regular , Wraparound, and Premium cover by series artist Daniel HDR, Ryp by Juan Jose Ryp, Martin by Matt Martin, Lopez by Rafa Lopez, and a Leather cover by Ivan Rodriguez that is limited to just 600 copies.
Retail Price: $3.99 US
Writer: Brian Pulido
Artist: Daniel HDR
Readership: All Ages
Format: color, 32 pages, 1 of 2
Preview pages from Brian Pulido's Lady Death: Sacrilege #0
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/ladydeath/sacrilege/
For complete graphics and info about these and all of our April solicited releases, check out
http://www.avatarpress.com/2007/01/21/april-2007-solicited-releases/
Please support your local comic shop and Avatar by asking for or ordeirng Avatar Press comics at your local retailer. If you can't get our April solicited releases locally, you can order them from our direct sales agent at
http://www.comiccavalcade.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi?product=avatar-april07&cart_id=
###
>>AVATAR PRESS NAMES DAVID MARKS AS MARKETING DIRECTOR
Avatar Press has announced the addition of David Marks to the staff to begin handling press, marketing, and other communications responsibilities. The hire is the first of many announcements in a year of major new projects and evolution within the company itself. A new position at Avatar, the addition is intended to help the publisher better address the needs and concerns of audiences and the industry alike during a year which Avatar expects to be a growth period for the company.
"We have such a strong lineup of projects coming out on a continuous basis these days that we can no longer operate like the small indy company that started in 1997 with a couple guys writing and publishing their own books," notes Avatar EIC William Christensen. "We've talked about doing this for a while, but I've always been wary of trying to force expansion -- the history of the Direct Market is littered with the corpses of companies who have tried to bulk up too much. So we're going to take some steps this year to help us change carefully and organically. We've put some things in place over the past few months to help us address scheduling concerns, for example. We're going to start seeing the results of that slowly but surely. The next step is getting better at getting our message out. Bringing in David Marks as Marketing Director is the most important staffing hire we've made since the early days. Avatar will always have that indy-publisher heart, but we hope to build some big-publisher muscles to help us address the needs and concerns of the marketplace."
Marks was chosen to assume these responsibilities because of his experience and knowledge of the industry, and due to his similar interests in taste and direction. He officially began his duties two weeks ago at the Fangoria Convention in San Jose, where he helped to promote Avatar's line of horror comics.
Avatar Press is a comic book publisher that continues to push the boundaries between mainstream and independent with current or upcoming work from creators such as Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis, Brian Pulido, George A. Romero, George R.R. Martin, Joe R. Lansdale, John Russo, Mike Wolfer, Juan Jose Ryp, Jacen Burrows, and numerous others. The company has published a wide range of comic books including creator-owned titles like Garth Ennis' 303 and Brian Pulido's Lady Death, company-owned comics such as Pandora and The Ravening, licensed hits like Frank Miller's Robocop and George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, and numerous other titles. A publisher that has established itself as one of the cornerstones of the American indy comic book scene over the past decade, Avatar has published some 500 comic books since 1997.
For additional information on Avatar Press Names David Marks as Marketing Director, any interview requests or general press requests, please contact David or visit www.avatarpress.com.
###
>>CALL FOR ARTISTS
Want to work on an Alan Moore or Warren Ellis project?
Avatar Press is looking for artists for a number of projects over the coming year, including Alan Moore and Warren Ellis comics. Also needed are artists for licensed books that require the ability to draw good likenesses, artists for future Lady Death series, and over a dozen other high-profile projects.
“We currently have 22 artists working on comics for Avatar Press, and we’re still not where I’d like to be in terms of having artists available to assign to upcoming projects,” says Avatar Press EIC William Christensen. “We are focused on making inroads into addressing the scheduling issues we have had in the past, but one thing I need to do to continue to make progress on that is to hire more artists. I’ve got a number of already-written or in-progress upcoming projects currently without artists attached that I’d like to get firmed up on the schedule, so Avatar is looking for pencilers or penciler/inkers who can work in a variety of genres.”
Penciler/Inkers or pencilers may send their submissions or links to their samples to submissions@avatarpress.net
“I want to take a moment here in this release to be clear about how this process works at Avatar, and what we are looking for,” adds Christensen. “Some of these points may be a little blunt but I’d rather put it out there than have someone spend time on working up a submission and be disappointed down the road.”
Additional notes on submissions:
* We are currently looking for penciler/inkers or pencilers. We
are not in the market for additional writers, colorists, or
letterers at this time.
* We are currently not in the market for “cover-only” artists.
* You will be paid a page rate for your work at Avatar. While we
do not pay Marvel/DC rates, it is a page rate and not a back-end
deal, and is within the range of competitive indy rates.
* Samples can be e-mailed, but please send individual files, not a
compressed archive file containing lots of files.
* Please send a range of your work. We have titles in many genres.
* If we have an immediate interest in your work you will be
contacted. If we’re currently not interested, we may not have
time to critique your work and may not get back to you. That
said, if we like your stuff and have a place for you, you will
hear from us.
“All that boilerplate aside, there are a number of opportunities for artists to work with high-profile writers at Avatar,” Christensen concludes. “With the caliber of projects we have coming up, a few industrious artists will have the perfect opportunity to show the world what they can do.”
Please send your submissions to submissions@avatarpress.net.
Avatar Press is a comic book publisher that continues to push the boundaries between mainstream and independent with current or upcoming work from creators such as Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis, Brian Pulido, George A. Romero, George R.R. Martin, Joe R. Lansdale, John Russo, Mike Wolfer, Juan Jose Ryp, Jacen Burrows, and numerous others. The company has published a wide range of comic books including creator-owned titles like Garth Ennis’ 303 and Brian Pulido’s Lady Death, company-owned comics such as Pandora and The Ravening, licensed hits like Frank Miller’s Robocop and George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, and numerous other titles. A publisher that has established itself as one of the cornerstones of the American indy comic book scene over the past decade, Avatar has published some 500 comic books since 1997.
For additional information, any interview requests or general press requests, please contact David Marks at david@avatarpress.net.
###
>>BACK TO YOUR ROOTS...
A word about MORE THAN MORTAL from creator SHARON SCOTT
I can hardly believe that ten years have passed since I first began More Than Mortal. At the time the seeds of the first story came about, I was really looking for an excuse to delve into one of my lifelong passions: Celtic mythology. Funny how a little itch like that can ultimately change your life…
As I explored the various icons of birth, fertility, and death, the same goddess/heroine kept turning up again and againBride, Bridey, Brigit, Briggidda, Brigantiaand my favorite, Brigid (which means “strength” in Gaelic). I came to realize that I had come upon one of the most powerful reoccurring figures in all of Celtic mythology. It sparked in me a desire to create a story of my own, a character of my own, something steeped in the folklore and legends of my heritage.
At that time, my husband and a friend were self-publishing an obscure black-and-white superhero comic. When I first approached him about turning my research into a comic, he was far from enthusiastic. “Let me get this straight,” I remember him saying, “You want to do a non-superhero comic set in medieval Ireland with a female lead in a full suit of armor, who wields a spear and kills fairies?” I wanted More Than Mortal to be told through the story of Derdre, a young orphaned girl who inherits the power of the Protector to defend the land against an ancient threat, at a time when no one believed in myths and legends anymore. He shook his head, as if letting me down easy. “Honey, trust me. Fantasy doesn’t sell in comics.” To some extent, he was right. There were only a handful of fantasy comics in the industry at the time, and the popular “bad girl” titles that existed were far from rich in storyline.
Despite his resistance, I couldn’t set the idea aside, and continued to look for the thread that would pull the concept together. Brigid was a complex icon, and I struggled to reconcile the various aspects of her persona that I found in my readings. Then I ran across an obscure line in Michael Scott’s Irish Folk and Fairytale Omnibus, describing the Tuatha De Danann, a magical race that inhabited Ireland before the coming of humans. It read, “…and the People of the Goddess became as other lost gods: more than mortal, but less than divine.” There was the kernel I had been looking for, a perfect blend of mystery and magic. And so Brigid became Brigid the Protector, a fiery red-headed lesser godan avatar of hope that embodied Ireland as it is today: proud, independent, and strong.
As serendipity would have it, we had met a wonderful artist named Steve Firchow, who at the time was working at Wildstorm as a colorist. But Steve was also an accomplished illustrator and painter. I conspired with him to create a concept piece for More Than Mortal that not only convinced my husband to green light the project, but got us feature placement in the Diamond Previews catalog when More Than Mortal was first released in 1997.
But in crafting Brigid’s newfound backstory, I had inadvertently created a new problem for myself. Whenever Derdre and Brigid were on the pages together, I found it difficult to keep Brigid from stealing the scenes, her character was so strong. Sadly, I eventually reduced her role in the series to a ghostly mentor with her own secrets that would play out in future issues. It was a tough choice, but only the first of many hurdles that we faced getting that initial issue put together.
To our great surprise, More than Mortal was an overnight success and we spent the next 4 years and 26 issues exploring Derdre’s humanity and her struggle to come to terms with the powers of a lesser god. From there, life moved on. My experience in comics led to a 4-year stint at Disney, and later jumpstarted my career as a screenwriter.
But once planted, those comic roots ran deep. More Than Mortal was still floating in my mind and I eventually cracked the tale back open, retooling the concept into a modern-day story set in New Orleans with a new Protector. In 2005, I approached Avatar Press, who had always been a supporter of the series. But William Christensen, Editor in Chief, had an even better ideato take the series back to the character that started it all…
The story of the legend herself, the first Protector, Brigid.
All of a sudden, I had a flood of ideas. Little events only hinted at in the original series became major storylines. Characters I barely touched upon unexpectedly leapt onto the page, demanding screen time. I could hardly get it all out fast enough.
So where does the new series begin?
When Man came and the Age of the Ancients had passed, then the last of the Old Gods abandoned the mortal world of Erin. Without their rule, the land and its young race lay unprotected, ripe for conquest from those left behind in the exodus, the Ancients’ dark servants, the Faerie, who regarded themselves as the new gods of Erin.
But Man did not wish to surrender their new land. In a last, desperate effort to save their home, they gathered their most powerful druids and called upon the very soul of the land to defend itself.
And Erin answered.
She was an elemental, more than mortal, but less than divine, the very essence of Erin and its distinction—beautiful, strong, and dangerous. A magical guardian made of fire and blood and stone…
And something else…
Where most characters in comics struggle to become a hero, Brigid is a hero who struggles to be human. And while Brigid believes this to be her biggest weakness, she will come learn that it is her biggest strength.
I don’t want to give away too many of the secrets, but you can expect to see more figures from Celtic mythology, as both allies and adversaries, and unexpected challenges for Brigid beginning with the zero issue, which will launch many of the themes that will dominate the series to come.
For those of you who have tried your hand at writing or endeavored into any creative art, I have to tell you, this process
has never been easy for me. My husband would say I’m a perfectionist, and this time, he’s probably right. Whether it’s a 120-page screenplay or a 22-page comic script, my stories go through numerous rewrites as I continue to shape the elements I need to bring the project to life—theme, plot, character, action, humor—and there never seems to be enough space to cram in everything I want. And sometimes, it’s only the impending deadline that finally gets the script out the door.
But You, the readers, are worth all the hair-pulling, nail-biting, and sleepless nights. It’s only because of the unforgettable experiences I had with You—answering fan letters or talking with you at conventions—that I continue to strive for the best that I can get from myself. You gave me a purpose, made me believe I could write, even when I didn’t believe it myself. You are my heroes, and so I dedicate this effort to You.
I hope you enjoy this new series. Brigid and I have both gone out into the world and tested our skills, and while the greatest challenges are yet to be faced, this new opportunity proves that Life has a quirky way of bringing you right back where you started from.
“And blest forever is she who relied,
Upon Erin’s honour and Erin’s pride.”
-Thomas Moore
Until we meet again.
Sharon Scott
May 2006
More Than Mortal #0 is coming in April from Avatar Press.
Check out artwork at: http://www.avatarpress.net/v/morethanmortal/
###
>>MadBastard's (of http://madbastard.hypersites.com) review of
CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD #1
You know you are in trouble when Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, looks at you and says, "Don't like him." Whale sized trouble.
It is little gems such like this that make Chronicles of Wormwood a fun and funny read. The premise is ludicrous, but simple enough: Danny Wormwood is the antichrist and he doesn't want the job. Mind you, we're talking about the full deal here; he's got the 666 birthmark, he was spawned by a jackal and has a familiar (who's kind of a dick). But unlike Damien, Danny has no interest in ending the world. In fact, he rather likes it as it is. So he just refused to play his part in the apocalypse. Can't have one without the spawn of Satan after all. Fortunately, his counterpart, Jay, doesn't really care for bringing about the rapture. Unfortunately, due to some problems with law enforcement, Jay is a bit slow. However, what little dialogue he has seems to reveal that Jay still has a certain insight into the way things work.
Most of the book revolves around Wormwood and how he has made a life for himself now that he has abandoned his destiny. While that is entertaining, particularly the bits about the production company he runs, the most important thing is that Danny likes his life. But he can't seem to resist the temptation to do things that will ultimately destroy it. He has a great girlfriend, but he cheats on her. He loves his job, but takes a political stand that will paint a bullseye on him. He doesn't want to have anything to do with the end of the world, but he hangs out with second incarnation of Jesus Christ. Despite all of this, though, the team behind Wormwood has managed to create a flawed, but ultimately likable, protagonist.
It should be noted that a middle portion of the book is dedicated to a PBS broadcast that is essentially a platform for Ennis' political viewpoints. However, the Wormwood team does a couple of things to make this interesting, not the least of which is put up an advocate for these viewpoints that is as obnoxious as any. The point here is pretty clear; regardless of where you stand, taking it too far is bad for you, bad for me and generally makes you a jackass.
The artwork by Burrows and Dalhouse is great work. This isn't a book with laser beams or street fights, so subtle touches such as facial expressions are very important. The art delivers on all of these counts and as well as the fantastic when it shows up. After all, this is a story about the antichrist, so things are bound to get weird.
Bottom Line: A fun blend of satire, politics and fantasy.
Score
4 (out of 5)
© Copyright 2007 Matthew McLean. All rights reserved.
Editor's note: Garth Ennis' Chronicles of Wormwood #1 is in stores now. Please ask your local retailer about it. If you can't find it locally, you can get it from our direct sales agent here:
http://www.comiccavalcade.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=&keywords=wormwood&p4pinc=search&maxp=30%22
You can also preview issue #1 here:
http://www.avatarpress.net/v/Wormwood/
