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Review: in Sanity, AZ #1 and #2

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Brett

Welcome to Sanity, Arizona. It’s a small town where everyone knows everyone and the natives are happy to live and let live…unless you’re visiting. The residents have developed their own systems of law, politics, ethics, religion, and morality. Left on their own, Sanity would thrive outside the view of our world, content to live their lives in their own way. Unfortunately for all involved strangers do occasionally find themselves in Sanity, AZ.

The Kickstarter project has recently seen the second release of the anthology series, in Sanity, AZ, continuing the strange tales of a town that’s so, so, so off. Anthologies are hard to do, especially from a large amount of folks such as this. It’s difficult to pull off, like herding cats or trying to rub the wolf.

As I’d expect the quality is mixed, but overall the digital release overflows with quality, especially when it comes to price. For $1.99 you get almost 60 pages of story. That’s impressive and a hell of a deal. Thanks Kickstarter!

What I like about projects like this are quite a few things. One, get to see a bunch of different visions for a common theme or a united world. Two, you get to see a lot of different talent, and there’s a lot of that here. There’s some solid storytelling and art, and a lot of potential and talent I’d expect to see greater things from down the road.

The concept on in Sanity, AZ is fun. There’s some some characters strung through and a world the stories shares, but there isn’t an ongoing story (that I’ve picked up on). There’s interweaving parts and some stories tie together, but that’s it. So, you have all of these characters and a world interpreted in different ways, in both tone and look. That’s a lot of fun as a comic reader. And all of it is twisted.

I’m a huge proponent of supporting and promoting independent comics and one that has so many folks, so many visions and so much talent is absolutely worth checking out. Start here or the first issue, do yourself and do an insane thing, and buy in Sanity, AZ.

Story: Michael Drace Fountain, Marcel Losada, James Ninness, and Joe Pezzula Art: Scott Irwin, Rich Kuhaupt, Lance Sawyer, Jorge Sevilla, Collin Fogel, Chris Collins, and Frank Luna
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

Preview: in Sanity, AZ #1

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Brett

in Sanity, AZ #1

Story: Michael Drace Fountain, Marcel Losada, James Ninness, and Joe Pezzula
Pencils/Inks: Scott Irwin, Rich Kuhaupt, Lance Sawyer, Jorge Sevilla, Collin Fogel, Chris Collins, and Frank Luna
Colors: Ben Glibert
Designs: Shannon Forrey
Cover: “Big” Chris Wood

The first issue of the Kickstarted horror anthology is finished. It’s time for us to share in Sanity, AZ.

in Sanity, AZ #1 features the stories: “Snowglobes and Albatrosses”, “Broken Water I”, “Murder”, “Burgers And Shakes”, “Friends”, “False Idols”, “Inning Five”, “Honor Parents”, “Confusion”, “Sea Of Sanity”, and “False Witness”.

The series is created and written by Michael Drace Fountain, Marcel Losada, James Ninness, and Joe Pezzula. Pencils/Inks in this issue are by Scott Irwin, Rich Kuhaupt, Lance Sawyer, Jorge Sevilla, Collin Fogel, Chris Collins, and Frank Luna. Colors by Ben Glibert. Designs by Shannon Forrey. Cover by “Big” Chris Wood.

The book will be available digitally on Tuesday, July 9, on both the Quad Shot website, and Amazon.

Digital, 54 total pages, $1.99 US – RATED 18+

Free Comic Book Day Reviews: Princeless, Molly Danger, in Sanity, Rust, Mouse Guard The Red Ten and More!

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Brett

All of these comics are recommended, it’s Free Comic Book Day!

Action Lab Princeless/Molly Danger

I’m a huge fan of Princeless, so to get more of Whitley and Martin’s comic this Free Comic Book Day is awesome. The story sees the girls freeing another princess tucked away in a tower. As always, the comic pokes fun at the tropes and misogyny we see in today’s entertainment. This is a comic everyone should grab and read.

I gave to Jamal Igle’s Kickstarter for Molly Danger, so other than my little exposure from that, this is my first full story. I can’t wait to read more! Again, we get another kick-ass female hero headlining a comic!

These two together show women can and do kick-ass! Easily my favorite release that I’ve read so far.

Story: Jeremy Whitley, Jamal Igle Art: Emily C. Martin, Jamal Igle
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9

Action Lab NFL Rush Zone/Skyward

I know very little about NFL Rush Zone and the story contained in this issue is my first experience with it. I do know it’s a cartoon series, but as far as plot… I got nada there. This story, by Freeman and Dale, explains enough about what’s going on to give folks an idea of what it’s all about. It is cute and entertaining. For young fans of football, this would be a fantastic read.

Skyward is a new fantasy series by Dale and here we get our first taste of it. Again, we get a comic with a kick-ass female lead and a story that introduces us to the world, not necessarily as to what’s to come. It’s entertaining, and shows off the diversity of Action Labs. They have a bit of everything for everyone.

Story: Kevin Freeman, Jeremy Dale Art: M. Goodwin, Jeremy Dale
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8

Mouse Guard/Rust 2013 Free Comic Book Day Flip Book

Rust, Mouse Guard, Pantalones, TX, Bolivar, Labrynth and more in this excellent release from Archaia.

Many of these series are some of my favorite reads and to get a sampler like this for free is awesome. Archaia is synonymous with quality, so it’s not a shock their release is so good.

Again, like above, the release is varied in style, tone and characters. Yay diversity!

Story: David Petersen, Royden Lepp, Sean Rubin, Cory Godbey, Nate Cosby, and Yehudi Mercado Art: David Petersen, Royden Lepp, Sean Rubin, Cory Godbey, Chris Eliopoulos, and Yehudi Mercado
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5

in Sanity, AZ

Welcome to Sanity, Arizona. It’s a small town, near the middle of the Mojave Desert, run by a different type of human. The natives of Sanity move a little bit slower, smile a little bit longer, and eat sausages made of tourists. This horror series follows the story of a different type of society, one that functions of its own accord and would rather be left alone than participate in the world the rest of us dwell in. Unfortunately for them, and everyone else, people tend to find themselves in Sanity, AZ.

An “adult” horror entry this Free Comic Book Day, the stories vary in tone and style. The stories are entertaining and helps create a nice mix to the offerings this year.

If you don’t pick up this issue, make sure to check out the series when it’s released in a few months.

Story: Michael Drace Fountain, James Ninness, Marcel Losada Art: Lance Sawyer, Mike Temple, Brian Soriano, Jorge Sevilla
Story: 8 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8

The Steam Engines of Oz

Get a special sneak peek at the upcoming re-imagining of Oz through a SteamPunk lens.

The Wizard of Oz is back in style with numerous projects in both movies and comics. This new series takes a different spin on the classic tale mashing up the world of Oz with a steampunk spin.

Again, the series has a female lead, a popular thing this year. The story is pretty decent though a little choppy at points.

Overall though, the issue has me interested in coming back and seeing what else is in store.

Story: Sean Patrick O’Reilly, Erik Hendrix Art: Yannis Roumboulias
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5

The Red Ten #0

One of the best indie comic stories gets a Free Comic Book Day issue so that even more individuals can be introduced to its awesomeness.

The story is a mash-up of the super hero genre with Agatha Christie’s classic book, Ten Little Indians (also known as And Then There Were None).

This free zero issue fleshes out the characters of the series, with a nice rundown as to who they are and also has a nice story featuring the Oxymoron and Red.

The series not only is a great spin on a classic book (one of my favorites), but it also takes on familiar super heroes in an interesting way. A great addition to the maxi-series.

Story: Tyler James, Paul Allor Art: Tyler James, Jonathan Rector, Aaron Houston, Erik Reaves, Dave Myers, Rafer Roberts, Cesar Feliciano, Philip Dunne, Carl Yonder, Alex Cormack, Jules Rivera
Story: 8 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8

Preview: Free Comic Book Day is Going to Be in Sanity, AZ

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Brett

Free Comic Book Day is almost here, and we have a preview of one of the comics you might find at your local store. The recently Kickstarted comic in Sanity, AZ will get a preview comic, showing off a peek at the eclectic art and writing that’s in store for people.

The three issue series will be released in July, August and October with a trade paperback collecting them all in December of this year.

Welcome to in Sanity, AZ

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Brett

James Ninness today announced his newest project, in Sanity, AZ. Along with Michael Drace Fountain, Marvel Losada and Joe Pezzula, in Sanity, AZ is a new comic horror anthology. The project began in November 2009 as the team wrote the book in a cabin in the woods, a perfect setting. After delays as the project went through various publishers, incarnations and production issues, it’s now here.

Ninness and his team have turned to Kickstarter to take the project the rest of the way for the entire project. If the project is successfully funded, all three comics will be released digitally and be sold for $1.99, the smallest of books clocks in at 52 pages. Afterwards a trade paperback of all three issues will be released. The single issues will be released in July, August and November and trade should be out in time for Christmas 2013.

So, what is in Sanity, AZ about?

The book focuses on a small town in the middle of the desert. You know the town. The same town you drive by every time you cross the country or hustle through the desert. The kind of town that causes you to stare from the comfort of your car and think to yourself: “who in the hell would live out here?” This particular town is a bit further down the highway, a highway not often travelled. It is as lost in time as a grain of sand in the desert. And to the natives of this town, that’s not a problem. They have adapted. They have their own way of doing things.

A long time ago, deep in the deserts of Arizona, a mayor by the name of Cambridge decided to build an asylum for the undesirables. A place the people of color could receive the mental help they needed away from the eyes of civilized society. It was a dream that turned into a nightmare. Things went wrong, as they are wont to do, and the inmates revolted. Over time the inmates settled the desert, carving out land and making it their own. Utilizing a sign from the asylum, the citizens settled on the name “Sanity”.

The Kickstarter campaign will feature a bit more information, as well as some sneak peeks of the art to come and will launch on Friday, February 1, lasting 30 days.

in Sanity, AZ #1
JULY 2013
Collecting the first eleven stories in the in Sanity, AZ saga: “Snowglobes and Albatrosses”, “Broken Water I”, “Murder”, “Burgers And Shakes”, “Friends”, “False Idols”, “Inning Five”, “Honor Parents”, “Confusion”, “Sea Of Sanity”, and “False Witness”.
Written by MICHAEL DRACE FOUNTAIN, MARCEL LOSADA, JAMES NINNESS, and JOE PEZZULA.
Art by CHRIS COLLINS, COLLIN FOGEL, BEN GLIBERT, SCOTT IRWIN, RICH KUHAUPT, FRANK LUNA and JORGE SEVILLA.
Cover by “BIG” CHRIS WOOD.
Colors by SHANNON FORREY.
Digital, 52 pgs, $1.99 US – RATED 18+

in Sanity, AZ #2
AUGUST 2013
Collecting the next ten stories in the in Sanity, AZ saga: “”Ham Tickle”, “The Motel In Sanity”, “Lords Name”, “Pointer”, “Raw”, “Breaking Water II”, “Cuckoo Clocks”, “Covet”, “Lollipop”, and “Sabbath”.
Written by MICHAEL DRACE FOUNTAIN, MARCEL LOSADA, JAMES NINNESS, and JOE PEZZULA
Art by CHRIS BURKHEART, COURTNEY CAMACHO, COLLIN FOGEL, KEVIN GEMSER, BEN GLIBERT, RICH KUHAUPT, DONALD POQUIZ, and BRIAN SORIANO.
Cover by “BIG” CHRIS WOOD.
Colors by SHANNON FORREY.
Digital, 64 pgs, $1.99 US – RATED 18+

in Sanity, AZ #3
NOVEMBER 2013
Collecting the final eight stories in the in Sanity, AZ saga: “The Orchard”, “Steal”, “Kids And Their Treasures”, “Adultery”, “Lullaby”, “Dog Tricks”, “Other Gods”, and “Broken Water III”.
Written by MICHAEL DRACE FOUNTAIN, MARCEL LOSADA, JAMES NINNESS, and JOE PEZZULA
Art by BEN GLIBERT, RICH KUHAUPT, JOHN NARCOMEY, JED SORIANO, MIKE TEMPLE, and DANIEL TOUCHET.
Cover by “BIG” CHRIS WOOD.
Colors by SHANNON FORREY.
Digital, 60 pgs, $1.99 US – RATED 18+

in Sanity, AZ (TPB)
DECEMBER 2013
Welcome to Sanity, Arizona. It’s a small town, near the middle of the Mojave Desert, run by a different type of human. The natives of Sanity move a little bit slower, smile a little bit longer, and eat sausages made of tourists. This horror series follows the story of a different type of society, one that functions of its own accord and would rather be left alone than participate in the world the rest of us dwell in. Unfortunately for them, and everyone else, people tend to find themselves in Sanity, AZ.
Written by MICHAEL DRACE FOUNTAIN, MARCEL LOSADA, JAMES NINNESS, and JOE PEZZULA
Art by CHRIS BURKHEART, COURTNEY CAMACHO, CHRIS COLLINS, COLLIN FOGEL, KEVIN GEMSER, BEN GLIBERT, SCOTT IRWIN, RICH KUHAUPT, FRANK LUNA, JOHN NARCOMEY, DONALD POQUIZ, JORGE SEVILLA, BRIAN SORIANO, JED SORIANO, MIKE TEMPLE, and DANIEL TOUCHET.
Cover by “BIG” CHRIS WOOD.
Colors by SHANNON FORREY.
Print, 180 pgs, (Price TBD) – RATED 18+

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