The Mall #3
Scout Comics 2018
Written by Don Handfield & James Haick III
Illustrated by Rafael Loureiro
Coloured by Daniel Rodrigues
Lettered by DC Hopkins
A larger crime family known as the Tessitorre's have arrived in Ft. Myers and are making life difficult for Lenny and the kids. Despite great differences in their high school social status, Diego, Dallas, and Lena must put their differences aside and work together if they want their family businesses to survive.
If you haven’t been paying attention to Scout Comics then I have a hard time understanding why. I first found them with The Elasticator and I have devoured everything they’ve had since then. This is some of the nicest, most solid storytelling around and it’s consistency never ceases to amaze me. I have to urge you all to give this series a try, if you loved any of those John Hughes 80’s films—yes think of Pretty in Pink, the Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off—you will love this book. While it mixes those teenage love and angst aspects the boys throw in some Miami Vice and Goodfella’s into the mix just because. If this sounds like a recipe for disaster think again because this soufflé rose beautifully.
One of the more progressive angles in this story is how we see Leonard portrayed here. He is reluctantly taking charge of these kids, his niece and nephews, out of familial obligation. He’s not a nice or even a good man he’s just as bad as the other mob types we see here with one huge difference. He is a homosexual and this is the 80’s and he has HIV/AIDS which at this time was a death sentence. So kudos to the guys here for bringing him to life within these pages because social commentary aside this is a part of American History whether people want to acknowledge that or not. OMG also this is your brain commercial playing in the background is literally a stroke of genius.
There is another aspect I find myself attracted to for very specific reasons to me. Nature or nurture is heavily prevalent for me here, their dad and his side of the family are part of an organised Family and does his genetic material, tendencies and the like transfer to the kids? My father used to say my European English was genetic, my father was French-Canadian, and while he joking said it the fact remains I write in an English not specific to the United States. Being brought up in a good family will that give them the conscience that will keep them on the straight and narrow or are they hard-wired to skirting the law?
The interior artwork here impresses me as well. I am very much enjoying the way that the varying weights of the linework is utilised to create such wonderful attention to detail. I have to also mention the colour work as well here because right from the opening that wallpaper is everything! Throughout the book the way we see faces and facial expressions really pop and expand the characterisation as well just look beautiful because of the linework. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows us a spectacular eye for storytelling. I love the way that backgrounds are utilised here as well and not just those but the foreground as well the way each panel is constructed makes the book both light hearted and compellingly dark at the same time.
The characterisation here is above and beyond what you expect to see these days and the care and consideration that the guys put into creating these kids, and adults, shines. With some amazing pacing, incredible plot & story development and a few twists and turns you don’t see coming alongside that characterisation and phenomenal interiors this my friends, frenemies and enemies alike, is what the industry needs more of.
Scout Comics 2018
Written by Don Handfield & James Haick III
Illustrated by Rafael Loureiro
Coloured by Daniel Rodrigues
Lettered by DC Hopkins
A larger crime family known as the Tessitorre's have arrived in Ft. Myers and are making life difficult for Lenny and the kids. Despite great differences in their high school social status, Diego, Dallas, and Lena must put their differences aside and work together if they want their family businesses to survive.
If you haven’t been paying attention to Scout Comics then I have a hard time understanding why. I first found them with The Elasticator and I have devoured everything they’ve had since then. This is some of the nicest, most solid storytelling around and it’s consistency never ceases to amaze me. I have to urge you all to give this series a try, if you loved any of those John Hughes 80’s films—yes think of Pretty in Pink, the Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off—you will love this book. While it mixes those teenage love and angst aspects the boys throw in some Miami Vice and Goodfella’s into the mix just because. If this sounds like a recipe for disaster think again because this soufflé rose beautifully.
One of the more progressive angles in this story is how we see Leonard portrayed here. He is reluctantly taking charge of these kids, his niece and nephews, out of familial obligation. He’s not a nice or even a good man he’s just as bad as the other mob types we see here with one huge difference. He is a homosexual and this is the 80’s and he has HIV/AIDS which at this time was a death sentence. So kudos to the guys here for bringing him to life within these pages because social commentary aside this is a part of American History whether people want to acknowledge that or not. OMG also this is your brain commercial playing in the background is literally a stroke of genius.
There is another aspect I find myself attracted to for very specific reasons to me. Nature or nurture is heavily prevalent for me here, their dad and his side of the family are part of an organised Family and does his genetic material, tendencies and the like transfer to the kids? My father used to say my European English was genetic, my father was French-Canadian, and while he joking said it the fact remains I write in an English not specific to the United States. Being brought up in a good family will that give them the conscience that will keep them on the straight and narrow or are they hard-wired to skirting the law?
The interior artwork here impresses me as well. I am very much enjoying the way that the varying weights of the linework is utilised to create such wonderful attention to detail. I have to also mention the colour work as well here because right from the opening that wallpaper is everything! Throughout the book the way we see faces and facial expressions really pop and expand the characterisation as well just look beautiful because of the linework. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows us a spectacular eye for storytelling. I love the way that backgrounds are utilised here as well and not just those but the foreground as well the way each panel is constructed makes the book both light hearted and compellingly dark at the same time.
The characterisation here is above and beyond what you expect to see these days and the care and consideration that the guys put into creating these kids, and adults, shines. With some amazing pacing, incredible plot & story development and a few twists and turns you don’t see coming alongside that characterisation and phenomenal interiors this my friends, frenemies and enemies alike, is what the industry needs more of.
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