Red Range: Pirates of Fireworld #1
It's Alive! 2019
Plot by Joe R. Lansdale & Keith Lansdale
Written by Keith Lansdale
Illustrated & Lettered by Jok
The Story So Far....
A group of Klansman attacking a black family in South Texas at the end of the Civil War are interrupted by a vigilante known only as The Red Mask. He is able to run them off, but not before they murder the father and mother. With her dying breath, the mother tells The Red Mask about her son, who they hid in a nearby well when the assault began. The Red Mask pulls the boy up, and introduces himself as Caleb Range. From that day forward, Caleb, and the young boy named Turon, are hunted by the Klan. One day while trying to escape, they are caught up in a raging river. But instead of being washed out to sea, they are instead sent down under the earth to a place that seems lost in time. Confronted by relics from the past, present and future civilisations, Caleb and Turon begin to wonder if they will ever find a way home....
I saw this was coming out and as always I checked it out and having never before read a title from It's Alive! And that it sounded interesting to me I had to find out more. I am so glad that I did too because this is a hoot and a half. I love the idea of the Land of the Lost vibe mixed with the Land that Time Forgot to create his world within a world. While there are no sleestak's there is a Seetoc so there's that. I love the way that this is being told and how the book is being structured.
The story & plot development and the character development that we see here is extremely well done. While it's definitely interesting to hear Turon keep saying Cracker a lot and it makes me laugh, considering when they come from and having been chased by the Klan I can tolerate it. But what this does is really tell me more about this young man who is so young to be this jaded by life. In this underground world you'd think all men would be given a chance to be equal but prejudices run deep and that means we see young Turon making mistakes. Mistakes that could get him killed if he isn't more careful in the future. So I the characterisation really is strong and well utilised in a variety of ways here from the dialogue to the actions and reactions of what he sees and does and that's how you get the bigger picture about who someone is.
I do very much like the interiors that we see here from Jok. The way we see the linework and how it's varying weights are utilised to create this attention to detail is sensational. The composition inside the panels and how we see depth perception, the angles utilised and how integral seeing both foregrounds and backgrounds are to enhancing the moments and bringing a size and scope to the book is beautifully done. The utilisation of the page layouts and we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off a superb eye for storytelling. The colour work is also very nice to see. That light source are utilised to create shading and shadow work through the various hues and tones is incredibly well rendered.
There is this creativity and imagination that is on display here that is undeniably fun and refreshing. It would seem anyone who has had the unfortunate pleasure to arrive here doesn't stop looking for a way home. Common goals make for interesting bedfellows indeed. Though will anyone be able to teach Turon about working with others who are different than he? Before it's too late and he's irrevocably scarred for life.
Here is my recommendation go talk to your shop or service and get them to order everything from It's Alive! Drew is working his tuchus off to bring us new modern storytelling using classic old school characters and settings. The industry needs this as much as you do.
It's Alive! 2019
Plot by Joe R. Lansdale & Keith Lansdale
Written by Keith Lansdale
Illustrated & Lettered by Jok
The Story So Far....
A group of Klansman attacking a black family in South Texas at the end of the Civil War are interrupted by a vigilante known only as The Red Mask. He is able to run them off, but not before they murder the father and mother. With her dying breath, the mother tells The Red Mask about her son, who they hid in a nearby well when the assault began. The Red Mask pulls the boy up, and introduces himself as Caleb Range. From that day forward, Caleb, and the young boy named Turon, are hunted by the Klan. One day while trying to escape, they are caught up in a raging river. But instead of being washed out to sea, they are instead sent down under the earth to a place that seems lost in time. Confronted by relics from the past, present and future civilisations, Caleb and Turon begin to wonder if they will ever find a way home....
I saw this was coming out and as always I checked it out and having never before read a title from It's Alive! And that it sounded interesting to me I had to find out more. I am so glad that I did too because this is a hoot and a half. I love the idea of the Land of the Lost vibe mixed with the Land that Time Forgot to create his world within a world. While there are no sleestak's there is a Seetoc so there's that. I love the way that this is being told and how the book is being structured.
The story & plot development and the character development that we see here is extremely well done. While it's definitely interesting to hear Turon keep saying Cracker a lot and it makes me laugh, considering when they come from and having been chased by the Klan I can tolerate it. But what this does is really tell me more about this young man who is so young to be this jaded by life. In this underground world you'd think all men would be given a chance to be equal but prejudices run deep and that means we see young Turon making mistakes. Mistakes that could get him killed if he isn't more careful in the future. So I the characterisation really is strong and well utilised in a variety of ways here from the dialogue to the actions and reactions of what he sees and does and that's how you get the bigger picture about who someone is.
I do very much like the interiors that we see here from Jok. The way we see the linework and how it's varying weights are utilised to create this attention to detail is sensational. The composition inside the panels and how we see depth perception, the angles utilised and how integral seeing both foregrounds and backgrounds are to enhancing the moments and bringing a size and scope to the book is beautifully done. The utilisation of the page layouts and we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off a superb eye for storytelling. The colour work is also very nice to see. That light source are utilised to create shading and shadow work through the various hues and tones is incredibly well rendered.
There is this creativity and imagination that is on display here that is undeniably fun and refreshing. It would seem anyone who has had the unfortunate pleasure to arrive here doesn't stop looking for a way home. Common goals make for interesting bedfellows indeed. Though will anyone be able to teach Turon about working with others who are different than he? Before it's too late and he's irrevocably scarred for life.
Here is my recommendation go talk to your shop or service and get them to order everything from It's Alive! Drew is working his tuchus off to bring us new modern storytelling using classic old school characters and settings. The industry needs this as much as you do.
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