Welcome back to The Webcomics Weekly!
Don’t let the hyper-dour icon fool you, we’re still here, mixing pep and whimsy into our webcomics coverage! We may have missed 4/20 (bwah bwah bwah bwaaaaah decriminalize weed because it’s been used as a racist tool of opppressi- *yanked off soap box*) but we’re still here for you all. We got quite a lineup this week, with “Wanted Gangstars” joining our returners “A Better Place,” “Order of the Stick,” and “Trekker.” Oh, and we got another print to webcomic transition in the form of AWA’s “Archangel 8.” What’s that all about? Well, we got an interview AND now a review. Pretty sweet, huh?
Yeah. Yeah it is.
Episode 1-4 and Letter from the Writer
Schedule: Sporadic
Written by Michael Moreci
Illustrated by C.P. Smith
Colored by Snakebite Cortez
Lettered by Sal Cipriano
Reformatted by Bosung Kim and Sami Brice
Reviewed by Michael Mazzacane
The present COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been affecting everything, among those effected is AWA studios the new venture from Axel Alonso, Bill Jemas, and others. They had barely gotten first issues out before things started shutting down, perhaps necessitating a change in distribution. Given the speed at which these issues were converted I’m not entirely sure reserializing them on platforms like Webtoon, Tapas, and their own website, wasn’t in the plans from the start. That isn’t a complaint, it is a great example of how the cost-access equation of the direct and digital market can decrease readership.
I would never have read this “Archangel 8” if I had to pay $3.99 for it. At that price the writing and art is just ok, if you’re into that overwrought sense of self-serious but impotent mood. As something I could read on my screen and not pay nearly $4 for it delivers a nice change of pace from the stuff that is normally featured on Webtoon or Tapas. While it isn’t a vertical scroll native it brings a production value similar to the “Cyberforce” comics Top Cow did for Webtoon originally.
The first four episodes of “Archangel 8” are built from the first issue. With how more comics are generally paced these days, where the 22 pages are roughly an act unto themselves in the overall arc, splitting the series into four creates some challenges and moments of friction. These moments aren’t deal breakers and overall these four episodes work well enough on their own, Bosung Kim and Sami Brice smartly follow the “2000 A.D.” style of always end on a cliff hanger or a question. If one of those moments do not naturally exist, do your best to make one such as in the first issue.
The conversion of a traditional comic to a vertical scroll is overall well done. Some moments that are meant to be large splashes or spreads don’t quite have that grandeur but the imagery they have posted for what is to come seems to indicate they are getting a better handle at what works in this medium. Surprisingly this set of strips do not run into the problem of overly large gutter space, Kim and Brice do a good job of placing panels near and feeding off one another. Strips create a bit of a jigsaw effect with various shapes and sizes coming together in ways you don’t normally see. There is also the addition of little effects like smoke in the gutter space that ties panels together when there is a larger gap. From a purely construction standpoint these are well put together strips.
The script by Michael Moreci is where things falter a bit. It isn’t bad in the sense that it is clearly evoking a certain nihilistic and impotent mood for 8, God’s secret assassin. Moreci expresses admiration for Garth Ennis’ run on “Punisher” as a source of inspiration but like most people inspired by that run it feels like they confuse nihilism for insight. 8 isn’t much of a character in these strips maybe as things go on it will turn more into a put-upon office worker satire, but as it is they are just one note and boring. That boredom is part of the point, but we haven’t gotten to the next step where insight is created.
Continued belowC.P. Smith and Snakebite Cortez are is the main reason to read this strip. Smith creates graphic and textured line work that Cortez enhances with their palette that goes from muted tones to gonzo bright colors. Smith’s compositions work surprisingly well in this format.
The next episode is set to come out April 21, putting it ahead of physical release. This isn’t a groundbreaking comic, but it is something different if you primarily read Webtoon or Tapas strips. Between that and the novelty of its distribution in the given moment I’ll be keeping an eye on it, which wouldn’t of happened before.
A Better Place
‘Granted Permission’ – ‘Please Don’t Let Go’
Updates: Thursdays
By Harry Bogosian
Reviewed by Elias Rosner
Bogosian has managed thus far to craft a narrative that primarily focuses on three characters: Hannah, Nina and Theo. Others like Arma, Bun, and Empress Computer are defined in relation to these central three. This holds true in these episodes as Frieda takes the spotlight for a scene but at the same time, this scene stands out as it’s really the largest extended scene to not feature one of the main trio. We’ve reached that part of the narrative and so the scope can increase, ever so slightly, to encompass narrative positions that expand the story and its ramifications. While the whole of the scene is quite fast, and could have benefited from slowing down a touch, Bogosian lays out another round of brand new information.
It’s truly amazing how well Bogosian has built this world, and how effortlessly he expresses it. The seeds for Frieda’s alignment with the anti-thesists, in some way, shape, or form has been there since her introduction but were not as explicit as they are here. The same is true of Premiyon and their suspicions of Frieda as well as what their powers are. Hannah crying in her sleep is equal parts unnerving and comforting, a reminder she remains a child at heart, full of fear and regret and lacking the control she pretends to have in front of the others. Some of this is new information, some of it extensions of older details, all of it presented so that the story does not grind to a halt with walls of exposition or unnatural dialog.
These pages also highlight how far Bogosian’s coloring has come. The richness of the lighting across the pages, muting the colors when underground and in the dark while keeping them hyper-saturated when in the day & when necessary, like with E.C.’s harsh red screens or Theo’s electric blue eye-beams. It’s reached the point where the colored pages are just as moody as the greytoned ones, and soon, I presume, they will move beyond.
Order of the Stick
Pages 216 – 220
Updates: Varies
By Rich Burlew
Reviewed by Gustavo S. Lodi
Is too much of a good thing a bad thing? That is usually right, especially when it comes to comic tropes. But on this latest set of “Order of the Stick” pages, the story is relentless on its parade of comedy at the expenses of tabletop RPG routines, but it lands every single time.
Readers will be presented to some truly outlandish situations that could only be found on the “Order of the Stick.” Wondering if there is a cost to over-playing the same repetitive strategy in battle? Covered. Curious what is the real use of a bard in combat? Yes, that too. Intrigued by how the loot-sharing system would actually work in real life? This one has that too.
We’ve said before in this column that the “Order of the Stick” works best when it mashed the RPG tropes with that of social, economical, and political satire. That is true and missed on this latest chapters, as those other component are amiss.
But, despite of that, the series is so filled with charm, personality, and sharp dialogue, that even the less-than-ideal pieces of it are a joy to read.
Trekker
Pages: 1-13 Book 05
‘The Janus Voyage’
Schedule: Mondays
Written and Illustrated by Ron Randall
Lettered by Ken Bruzenak
Continued below
Reviewed by Michael Mazzacane
Sometimes you just can’t get rid of bomb. Mrs. Fletcher just can’t seem to stop attracting murder. And Mercy St. Clair can’t seem to find herself not getting involved in some kind of funny business. As the title implies Mercy and Paul were all set off to go on a fun, friendly, interstellar cruise. Things were going so well until the funny business comes into play.
That funny business really kicks in around the halfway mark which fits the consistent structure Randall has used for these issues of “Trekker”. The first half of this issue is where Randall takes things in new and different directions. For the first time we get a switch up in internal monologue, moving out of Mercy’s head and into Paul’s for a fair bit. Paul mianly narrates what they do on their voyage, and that switch in perspective helps to highlight how uncomfortable Mercy is about the whole thing. She isn’t really impressed with any of it, though Paul does look good in a speedo.
Randall gets to flex some different artistic muscles in these section as the urban density of New Gelph is replaced with the vastness of space. Even when they are on different planets, they all appear to be wide open and pastoral the opposite of New Gelph. These new landscapes and the montage like pace of their travelogue force a different kind of page construction. Earlier “Dark Horse Present” strips were concise and often one page scenes, but here it’s about the mood and growing sense of distance between Mercy and Paul as it is moving the plot forward.
‘The Janus Voyage’ is a nice change of pace for the series. The overall structure is the same but the environments and with enough slight changes to the presentation open “Trekker” up to new possibilities.
Wanted Gangstars
Part 1
Updates: Varies
By Warren P. (Wriizzy)
Reviewed by, Jason Jeffords Jr
Sometimes in life, you come across something that is just downright fun. A piece of media whose inspiration is insanely on its nose, to the point you can reference most of where they got the ideas from. Nonetheless, you grab your favorite drink, kick back and read the piece of media. In this case, this piece of media is a Webcomic called “Wanted Gangstars.” If you ever wanted to read a Shonen inspired Webcomic that takes a lot of cues from “One Piece” (my favorite series of anything) then this is what you’re are looking for. “Wanted Gangstars” is hands down from someone who grew up loving “One Piece” and other Shonen Manga, and decided to make their own, which I am totally all for!
Warren’s story opens up with Sunrise D. Syfer dying, but before so he kicked off “The Gang Race.” In this, whoever can defeat the next man and claim themselves the “City King” then the world is theirs. Yeah, it seems kind of like a few other stories. Nevertheless, we are then introduced to Borry, our main character. Borry is a “City Girl” that wants to be a Gangstar, and is incredibly strong even though she doesn’t look it. Not just physically, but it seems mental as well. She doesn’t really seem all there, but damn is it fun watching her stumble her way through things.
The paragraph above should remind you of another series we mentioned, but damn is “Wanted Gangstars” story still fun as hell. Warren isn’t doing anything groundbreaking or revolutionary, and it doesn’t seem like they are going for that. Instead, it seems that they want to show their love for a series and genre while creating a fun chaotic story. That’s how “Wasted Gangstars” story feels, chaotic and fun in the best way that makes you want to keep going. This is because you have no idea what the hell is going to happen.
Art is usually what catches your eyes for comics/Webcomics. I mean, they are a visual medium. What initially caught my eye about “Wanted Gangstars” was how much it reminded me of “O.K. K.O.” a series I quite enjoyed. Every page is bright, cheerful, fun and insanely chaotic. As most characters have powers to some extent Warren plays around with these in unique visual ways. Each page is fun to stare at while looking like eye candy. Warren’s art fits perfectly with the story they are telling.
To say I love “Wanted Gangstars” is putting it lightly. Yeah, it feels just like someone grabbed “One Piece” and wanted to make their own story, but damn is every page a treat. Plus, who hasn’t wanted to make their own “One Piece” comic? I know I did when I grew up. Throughout reading this Webcomic I was constantly smiling because of how much fun I had. It’s such a damn fun Webcomic to indulge in and I would recommend it to anyone looking to relax. Although it does have a few negatives being some weird grammar, misspellings, and some panels being cut off, but damn, I had blast and look forward to the upcoming releases!
