Saturday, November 20, 2010

Volume Four, Number Sixteen

Over the past couple of decades that I have been a comic book writer and editor I have worked with some very talented people including Susan Dorne, Lloyd Smith, Steve Skeates, Nathan Massengill, Seppo Makinen, Dick Ayers, Scott Chantler and Dan Parsons just to name a few. One artist though who especially stands out in my mind that I have had the pleasure of doing comics with is Dave Owens of London Ontario Canada.
     
Dave and I go back to around 1996 when I was making my first attempt at starting up a comics publishing company.(a story for another day) While that endevour didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to Dave and I kept contact  and over the years worked on a wide range of projects together including Team-Omega (for the disaster riddled Silver Griffin Comics), Mister Chameleon, Solomon Wyrd, Tales of This Magic Earth and a little thing called Id the Gorilla Ghost with Honcho the Head-Cheese Dog.
     
Dave also worked as my art director when I was editor at Silver Griffin Comics and Blue Moon Comics Group as well as my go to character designer and all around "bounce ideas off of guy". All in all Dave was and is a great talent. He and I also developed a real good friendship over the years and while we don't work together on comics projects these days-something I miss very much-we still keep in touch via snailmail, email and other methods of communication.
      
Dave also has done some great stuff outside of comics including some fantastic Christmas cards, pet portraits and all sorts of other neat stuff. His most recent project is a self published book called "The Art of Dave Owens" in which Dave showcases his work including a couple of characters he and I developed together.
     
This definately is a book worth picking up to give someone as a Christmas gift and for six bucks it can be yours either via email or snailmail orders. You can contact Dave directly by email at Nebstudio@netscape.net or write him at...
Dave Owens/Nebula Studio/1349 Glenora Drive/London, Ontario/N5X 1T6/Canada.
      
Like I said, this would make a great Christmas gift and also a great addition to your personal collection. So order today.And be sure to tell Dave I sent ya.
 
 
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Next time out; well, not sure yet what I will be writing about next time out. Guess you will have to come back and find out. See ya.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Volume Four, Number Fifteen

While I have settled into my new town pretty nicely, I've yet to get an internet connection at home. So while I won't be able to post on a daily basis until that happens, I will from time to time start putting up a few short pieces.

This time out I'm going to review a comic that I have had since I was living in Formosa, Ontario, many a moon ago. Enjoy...or maybe not. lol

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GRAVE TALES #6 (VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2) 2009. Published by Cemetery Dance Publications. 40 pag. b&w horror anthology with full colour cover. Cover Price $3.95 U.S.


I really had high hopes for this comic. After all, Cemetery Dance Publications is one of the best horror publishers in the business so why WOULDN'T I expect their horror comics to be top notch.

But they aint' or at lest this issue sure as heck wasn't.

From cover to cover the contest are at best unreadable and at worst a total piece of garbage. Poor art, poor layout, blotchy use of shading, wordy, plodding dialogue and stories that were dull, dull, dull.

In short, it is a total piece of junk, folks, so don't buy it. The only horror here is the fact that they would actually charge money for this pathetic excuse for a comic; horror or otherwise. Cemetery Dance should know better. For shame.

As for the other stuff they publish that gets two thumbs up and you can check their website out at www.cemeterydance.com . But don't, and I really mean it, DON'T BUY THIS COMIC. It is so bad it will make you go blind.

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That's it for this short piece. I will be posting periodically-whatever the heck that really means-until I get hooked up at home and then I will be back online here at E-Dispatches daily like before. Take care; jag