Taking the pulse of the industry.
This second issue of Stuck in the Gutters takes a large step forward. First, the comics included this time ’round are all really good, and I mean really good. Add to that some thoughtful evaluations of some industry trends, a tale detailing the journey of a story pitch, and a fun roundtable chat on the new Hawkeye world, and you’ve got a little something for everyone.
It’s hard to pull apart so much disparate content without detailing everything, so I’m just going to cherry pick some of the things that interested me the most. I really enjoyed the continuation of Jeremy Holt’s story of getting into writing comics. It’s an interesting view into a young creator trying to break into an industry that can be quite daunting for newcomers.
The comics this time were on a different level for this issue; each one impacted me deeply, though in different ways. First, Dan Hill and Alex Diotto combine to give us a short that is very timely and provocative in the present and begs us to question one of the most difficult topics in the US today. I love the simple presentation; it tells the story with little judgment, leaving it to us to navigate how we accept it.
“Drifting Dreamer” is a lovely space poem, letting loose the imagination and crafting an ode to the stars and those who have and will reach for them. Highlighting the ongoing debate on robotic vs. manned missions, we are treated to a moving piece written by Lorren Gordon and some beautiful images by Matthew Garcia.
“Wrestlers and Aliens” is a new series that seems like it will continue in the magazine, and the setup is pretty awesome. I like the possibilities of this Ricardo Mo/Jordan Kroeger short and look forward to some epic, muscle-bound silliness in the future.
The last comic in this month’s is also my favorite. “Whiz Bang the Super Hero” has all the hallmarks of a Pixar film (minus the crying . . . which I’m okay with. Pixar causes such epic, ugly cries for . . . a lot of people who are stable and responsible adults. I hear.) with a cheesy, but grin-inducing, ending that I can’t help but love. It makes my heart smile.
All this comes packaged with the other articles and great discussions on comics as literature. This issue is packed with a lot of great content and sets a good tone that, if continued, would make for an excellent monthly dive into this medium we all love so well.
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