MEGAZEEN #9

I recall a brief disagreement on this cover, that it might be too "kiddy", but we pretty quickly settled on it. It was important to allow the individual artist's interpretation and expression- that's what MZ is largely about. Jamie Cosley is a regular, dependable contributor to our book, so his turn was long overdue. I'm a sucker for collage shots when an artist draws other people's characters. Above you've got Christianman, Jethius (from Live by the Sword), Fred, Smilin' Bry the Nice Christian Guy, Fenwick (from Comics to Bore and Confuse You), a Blood Kid, Thimble (on fire again, a gag made popular on How NOT to Make a Chrsitian Comic), Todd Webb and a bug that I think had a Jewish name.  Mark Melton provided the dazzling color. He's like the Dazzler without the roller skates..

I think this issue contained the most random, weird assortment of comics, starting off with Stephen Tarplay's Grassman. This was clearly a "love it or hate it" comic. Crossett loved it, I hated it but it grew on me. Tarplay's work is very abstract, almost hypnotic in its rapid pace and bizarre content. Everyone who bought the book had an opinion on Grassman, and that's GOOD. If people aren't talking about your work, if nobody is affected by it, then you have to question if you're succeeding.

Azalea continued with its third installment, displaying a clear need to be reprinted in full size comic form. The lettering and much of Mark's fine detail is lost in the photocopied 'zine format. Memo to myself, when we print the collections this needs some special treatment.

We interviewed John Martin, who had just adapted KJ Kolka's Cardinal into a short film. This is one area that Crossett and I always agreed. We're suckers for short ameteur film. Cardinal's been around nearly 30 years now, which is pretty darn skippy.

Laurence Samples gave us a new concept called Dr Shep and Spook. Again, weird as weird could be. Please rally and demand more work from Samples, wherever he is. Great stuff.

In my opinion, the true highlight of Megazeen #9 was a series of strips called Billy. This kind of work can only come from a writer and artist that have true chemistry and creativity. The writer has to be in tune with what the artist is into, the artist has to be in tune with the writer's vision, and the art and writing has to overlap smoothly. This is the kind of team that Tom Hall and Erica Well make. The story deals with a missionary's kid from another country- he doesn't speak the language and is constantly misinterpreted. The strips have an amazing combination of edge and innocence that makes them hysterical.

Buy it. Buy it now. Buy it here.