Reviewed by Avril Brown

CHEW’s latest story arc ‘Major League Chew’ is in full swing with parts two and three covering a lot of (rather painful) ground for our hero. Just when Tony Chu thinks he will be able to settle in nicely in his new position as a traffic cop where he is beloved, appreciated and celebrated, he gets the living shit beaten out of him by a blast from the recent past.

Before readers are given the story behind Chu’s run in with a baseball bat, issue #22 covers the variety of shit assignments Agent Caesar Valenzano has found himself saddled with since Chu’s transfer to traffic, and what Caesar’s former partner, Savoy, has been trying to accomplish with Chu’s daughter since he kidnapped young Olive. When that issue wraps up, you can practically hear the ominous music playing in the background as Olive finally shows us what she’s got.

Issue #23 shows readers what Colby’s been up to since his transfer…to the all-female (and animal) operated USDA. We got a glimpse of these badass chicks and their animal partners in the final showdown involving Poyo, the homicidal rooster, and they are unsurprisingly a little frosty towards their new male recruit. Colby is left trying to solve cases with his new partner, Buttercup the lion, and having to deal with his cantankerous boss (a peace with he is hoping to achieve by utilizing a method we’ve seen before), all the while trying to get a hold of Chu, who seems to have disappeared.

Back to the baseball bat, as Tony is being held hostage by a rather unstable gentleman with an unorthodox mission which is so bizarre, even by CHEW standards, that you have to read it to believe it. CHEW continues to score points on all the boards it has become famous for, and as always delivers a great story while leaving readers hungry for more.

By Avril Brown

I am a Rogue and Gambit fan. This is evident by the first comic book I ever purchased, my many rants on the subject, the rather large tattoo on my upper back, and the multitude of prints, posters and pictures covering the walls of my petite studio. They are one of my favorite couples in all of fandom, and I cherish every panel starring the two of them where they are not fighting, breaking up or trying to kill one another.

When I first met the X-Men, they were a cartoon show I obsessively watched after school in the early ‘90’s. I immediately fell for Rogue’s sauciness and Gambit’s sexiness, they way they snipped at each other but obviously still cared for one another, and the bittersweet tension between the two of them due to her inability to have skin-to-skin contact without draining him of his life force. Manna from heaven for an eleven-year-old Cancer sign with a penchant for fantasy and true love. I can still remember how my heart lurched during one episode when she lost her powers, and right before she’s about to be experimented on by the bad guys Gambit confesses his love and kisses her. Oh, swoon…

The possibility exists that I am still in love with that cartoon couple. Though Rogue and Gambit from ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ are the reason I got into comics in the first place, comic book Rogue and Gambit are different creatures than the moving pictures. A lot has happened in the years since these characters were first created, both before the show and after, changing the couple for the better, and for the worse, and back again.

One, or even ten columns would not be sufficient space to dive into the details of Rogue and Gambit’s relationship, so fast forward to the latest drama: Rogue recently acquired control over her life/power-sucking powers, which have long been an understandable thorn in the side of their on-again, off-again affair. Though Rogue requested breathing room following this immense alteration in her life, it appeared, briefly, that she was going to spend her time with Gambit. Enter the third party.

Magneto, the Master of Magnetism, is as old a character as the original X-Men. He was their first, and arguably their greatest, villain. A complex, scarred, and incredibly powerful individual, Max Eisenhardt aka Erik Lehnsherr has been a foe, a friend, a hero, and a teacher, but most of all he has been the source of many an unforgettable story.

One such tale occurred years ago in the Savage Land, Marvel’s equivalent to the Lost World, complete with dinosaurs, pet saber-tooth kitties and hot people in skimpy animal print scraps. For reasons too complex and comic-y to get into, a de-powered Rogue and a weakened Magneto had teamed up with Savage Land native Ka-Zar to save his people from the evil Zaladane. Though nothing was explicitly stated, several panels and well-chosen words alluded to the fact Rogue and Magneto had something akin to a relationship while fighting side-by-side. However, by the end of the story arc Magneto had in essence declared himself when he killed Zaladane over Rogue’s protests that they bring her in alive, thus ending whatever it was they started in the Savage Land.

When Rogue returned to Westchester with her powers intact she met recent X-Men recruit Remy LeBeau, a red-eyed, sweet-talking scoundrel who seemed to take a liking to her despite her untouchable nature and his obvious love of skin-to-skin loving. Sparks immediately flew between the Southern Belle and the Cajun Swamp Rat, and twenty years of heartwarming and soul-crushing stories have followed as their relationship has taken up-turns and downward spirals. One could even argue that they were written for each other: the beautiful, emotionally damaged woman who cannot touch, and the handsome, womanizing man who cannot stop. Both Southern, both spicy, both former villains trying to walk the straight and narrow.

However, change is constant in the comic book world, thus bringing us back to the love triangle. Following the devastating effects of three little words uttered by a crazy witch (“No more mutants”), the mutant race went from being one step away from dominating the planet to numbering under two hundred individuals. A lot of craziness followed, and in the midst of it all Cyclops, an original X-Man, became a general and leader for the remnants of mutant kind, relocating them to an island off the coast of San Francisco known as Utopia.

Magneto has been many things, but his primary goal has never changed: he seeks unity among mutant kind. After witnessing Cyclops’ success, he bent the knee and acknowledged him as leader, abandoning his life of villainy and joining the X-Men, thereby putting him on the same island as a recently-made-touchable Rogue.

There have been several hints, heated words and light touches between the two since his arrival, and the frequency of those moments increased after Gambit called an end to he and Rogue’s holding pattern and asked her to either be with him or set him free. Rogue did not say yeah or nay to Gambit’s request, but neither was there anything concrete witnessed between her and Magneto…until last issue where they were naked in bed together. My good friend and fellow nerd Ms. Molly Jane was eager to see my response to that particular scene as I read the issue in front of her, but she was a little shocked at my outrage and pain. Her reaction made me wonder: am I living in the past? Are Rogue and Gambit as a happy couple a fanciful notion that has long since been retired? Is it time for her to move on?

The more I think, and write, about it, the more I realize no matter what has occurred in X-Men history and what is to come in their future, Rogue and Gambit are still my favorite couple. I love Magneto as a character; I think he is fantastically multi-faceted, and in some circumstances I like the idea of him and Rogue as a couple. However, Rogue and Gambit, as I have read and experienced and adored the characters throughout the years and their evolutions, remain to me the perfect pair.

I’m a sucker for bad boys who better themselves for love, and while Gambit’s road to redemption includes his own motivations apart from Rogue, there is no doubt she has been a large part of his determination to stay on the wagon. While Magneto obviously cares for her, he had several chances to choose love and redemption over his own goals and refused, and even now it was solely for the good of his people that he hung up his villainous spurs. Gambit is cheeky, lively and loves to tease, while Magneto is largely reserved. Gambit has been there for Rogue as a friend, a non-consummate boyfriend and a lover, while Magneto has barely been there at all.

I know where I stand and for whom my heart beats, but frankly it is all a moot point anyway, and not just because they are fictional characters. The writers of the X-Men books, and almost every major comic on the market, are always changing, therefore the characters are always changing. The creative minds behind the books can stick to a general idea of a character’s personality but they will write the story they want to write, and the editors in turn will publish at will. Fans have no control over what direction the books take (hence the need for fan fiction), only our choice of whether or not we want to continue to follow. Besides, even if Rogue and Gambit get back together, it will only be a matter of time before something else arises to challenge their relationship and their love. Comic books are like soap operas: there are no happy endings for anyone, because there are no endings. The stories (fans, fate and reasonable fees willing) will go on, as will Rogue and Gambit, one way or another.

By Marc Mason

This coming Wednesday, I am making my comic book debut on the stands.

There. I said it. Okay, I’ve been saying it since November on my Twitter feed and my Facebook account, but I’ve never really been quite sure of how to talk about it here. CWR was something I started in order to talk about other peoples’ comics. I wasn’t sure of how self-serving it would be if I spent a lot of time talking about mine. Thus, I have hesitated on it. But now I’ve reached the “fuck it” point- my book is on stands next week and it is something I am incredibly proud of.

I first pitched RED SONJA: RAVEN to Dynamite Entertainment in September of 2009. The story went through a long gestation period, until late this past August, editor Joe Rybandt asked me to pitch a slightly altered version of the story. I did, and it got the green light. I spent the next couple of weeks working on it, getting some excellent early notes from Joe that really guided me in the right direction, then it went out to the amazing hands of artist Lui Antonio (he’s done Sonja before, as well as TERMINATOR and WARLORD OF MARS stuff) and he put my words to page. I’m serious when I tell you this: Lui is a terrific talent. He can do stunning action, quiet moments full of emotion, and everything in-between- and do it well. I couldn’t ask for a better looking book for my first time on the stands. Lui made RAVEN better than I could have hoped for, and I would write something for him again at the drop of a hat. Really, the entire crew at Dynamite is awesome- there is a reason that huge names like Garth Ennis, Alex Ross, and Kevin Smith do books at DE. From Nick Barrucci on down, the place is filled with smart people dedicated to making great comics. The entire process was pain-free.

The genesis of RAVEN came one evening when I was at the grocery store. I was looking at the covers of the awful tabloids at the checkout counter and almost all of them were talking about men leaving women for younger, more attractive mates and/or offering ways for women to make sure that their men never leave them for younger, more attractive mates. It was appalling, a stunning reminder of just how terribly we treat women in our society. As progressive as we like to believe we are, this is still a patriarchal society that is politically and financially dominated by males. Women are making progress but still facing a stacked deck.

Anyway, I went home that night and was reading some comics, and an issue of RED SONJA was one of them. I have a solid history with Dynamite’s version of the character; when I resurrected The Aisle Seat for the magazine version of CWR, the first column was was a lengthy look at the character and the series. A number of outstanding talents have been writing her adventures over the past few years- Mike Oeming, Brian Reed, Eric Trautmann, Arvid Nelson, Luke Lieberman- and the stories have been excellent. So as I read that evening, the thought popped into my head that at least Sonja never had to worry about being replaced by a younger woman…

And then it hit me- what if she was?

Since she doesn’t have a husband or steady lover, it would have to mean that she was replaced in another way. Sonja was resurrected and made into a warrior by the goddess Scathach. What if the goddess found another girl in the same situation she had found Sonja and turned her favored eye to her instead?

What would that mean for Sonja? And what kind of warrior would the new girl turn out to be? Dynamite’s version of Sonja is an intelligent, clever warrior, and though she isn’t exactly enamored of men, she has taken a lover in the series. She accepts that there must be peaceful coexistence between the sexes, even as she proves time and again that a woman is the greatest warrior in the land. The previous Marvel incarnation of the character was more militant about gender issues, which was one of the reasons I never cared much for her. The nuances of that idea were never fleshed out particularly well. Then my nerd side kicked in hard- I had this particular thought roll through my head:

“Dynamite Sonja is kinda like Professor X and Marvel’s version was a little more Magneto.”

That’s when I knew I had my story. Sonja’s replacement was going to turn out to be militant, but with good reason (much like Magneto is, really). She would repudiate Sonja’s ability to live and work alongside men. She would rip Sonja for her costume. She would be the flip side of the coin to the legendary redheaded heroine. She would also be a brunette, just to set the physical differences up as well.

I went back through my Sonja comics and noticed that her primary villains were men. Kulan Gath. Thulsa Doom. Even Loki in these past couple of years. One miniseries did set her up against a sorceress, but it really felt like I had some room to create someone new for Sonja’s rogues gallery: a dark mirror of who Sonja could have been had things turned out slightly different. I named her Raven, wanting to symbolize that dichotomy. From there it went to laying out the details. The one thing I knew was that I had a story that was about something. There was an underlying theme to the action, and a hero’s journey for Sonja to take – as well as one for Raven – for the first time, I genuinely felt like I could step across the line and write the comics instead of just write about them. It was a damned fine feeling.

So I went to work writing the pitch and waited to see how it would all fall out. Some time passed, but now here I am, four days from the book hitting the shelves. I’m not harboring any illusions- I’m an unknown name to most comics readers so it’ll be easy for RAVEN to get lost on the shelves. But I am hopeful that those that find the book enjoy it and see that I did my best to give them their money’s worth.

I’ll share this with you: writing action sequences is not easy. I went into the scripting figuring it would be the easiest part, but it turned out to be far more difficult than I could have ever imagined. But the moment I was most worried about turned out to be my favorite panel in the book. Here is the script for the top of page thirteen:

Panel one:
Let’s go for the iconic shot here, a panel taking up two-thirds of the page, showing why Sonja is the deadliest warrior in the land. On the left side of the panel, which is SONJA’s rear flank, she is being attacked by an ELITE FOLLOWER- and SONJA has blocked the woman’s attack by using the previous ELITE FOLLOWER’s dead body to catch the sword being thrust at her from behind. She is holding the body up by the neck with her right arm. On the right side of the panel, she is blocking the swords of the other two ELITE FOLLOWERS using her own sword in her left hand.

Here is Lui’s incredible version of that panel:

RED SONJA: RAVEN goes on sale Wednesday, January 18th. If your shop doesn’t have it or is out, ask them to reorder. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Reviewed by Marc Mason

Two new high-profile releases from the Image crew have crossed my desk. Let’s take a look…

FATALE arrives with more heat than any Image book I can recall in recent memory. This is of course due to the creative team. Ed Brubaker has become a household name over the last few years thanks to his Marvel work (especially CAPTAIN AMERICA), and his previous collaborations with Sean Phillips have all been excellent (POINT BLANK, SLEEPER, among others). So the odds were that this was going to be a pretty good book, and… this is a pretty good book. The story follows two different time periods, a corrupt cop, a reporter, a patsy, and a woman who appears to be an immortal femme fatale… plus a little bit of occult drama thrown in, to boot. The script is fantastic, the art is gorgeous, the story captivates. It is precisely what you would expect from this creative duo. I saw that issue one is already heading for a second print, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it had to go to a third. Comics readers are going to want this. It’s definitely something to seek out.

The Luna brothers have made a strong name for themselves through their first three Image series they’ve done together. ULTRA, GIRLS, and THE SWORD all showed a distinctive look and voice from the pair, something that is to be treasured and respected in an era that too often produces bland-looking comics. But now, we have our first Luna solo project. WHISPERS is the story of a young man afflicted with a horrific case of OCD named Sam. However, his disorder is the least of his problems, because Sam is now discovering a new ability- when he sleeps, he leaves his body and can travel to those he knows and hear their thoughts. To say that it becomes sad, as well as creepy, would be underselling it. We don’t get a lot of story in issue one- the pacing is off a little bit- but you do see the potential for where Luna might take the book. I suspect a high level of interest for this book is out there, but Luna is going to have to pick up the pace in order to keep it going.

By Marc Mason

The new year is here, but that isn’t such a big deal- comics come out every week, holidays be damned. However, when it comes to comics conventions, things are a little different. There is a definite “convention season” that runs through late summer, though there are smaller cons running across the country year-around. Phoenix has a decent sized one that’s been running for a few years now, taking place on Memorial Day weekend. But last year, my home town got a second show- the Amazing Arizona Comicon.

I promptly missed the entire thing.

In a lovely bit of irony, I was in San Diego last year during the first Amazing con. The American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference was taking place in the exact same venue where I and 125,000 other people spend a week every July for the largest comicon of them all. As I sat on the edge of the ocean having drinks and dinner during that trip, I texted a couple of friends that I felt like I was cheating on them. All the while, my local comics pals were back here having a good time without me, and all reports indicated that the first year of this new show was a hit.

Still, if I had been here, I’m not sure I would have ultimately enjoyed it. The Saturday of that first show (today is the exact same Saturday, one year later) was the assassination attempt on Gabrielle Giffords. Over in San Diego, I was hanging out with some fellow Arizona library peeps, and we were all pretty freaked out. I took time out of the day to watch some truly terrible news coverage, and that was a mistake that I still wish I could take back. I was also frantically texting friends who live in Tucson, trying to ascertain if they were safe and unharmed by the gunman’s rampage. In short- like many, I was buried in my thoughts for a while, and it was a rough day. Had I been home and the con that day, I would have actually heard the news earlier and likely left the show anyway.

I thought about that a lot today.

But it’s a new year and this time around I’m sitting out the ALA conference, so this afternoon, I made my way to the Mesa Convention Center to check out the new kid in town. The venue itself is one I’m very familiar with- the Phoenix con used it for a few years, and the Arizona Library Association has also used it for annual conferences in the past. It’s a decent venue with many problems- space is limited, and public transportation sucks beyond belief. A big key to getting kids to turn out for a show is making it easy for them to get there. If they struggle to get a ride, well, you’re boned. The Phoenix con now sits right off of the light rail, which has really driven attendance upward. Still, as I arrived, I couldn’t help but notice that I had to park in East Jesus, Ohio- the parking lot was packed. As I and my Sherpa finally made it to the front door, I could see that the show was definitely hopping, which was nice to see.

The front desk was easy to spot, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. This in itself is huge- new shows usually struggle a bit to pull things together and find something resembling efficiency, but Amazing was a smooth operation. I got my wristband and headed in.

As I did my initial walk through the floor, I bumped into John Layman (CHEW) who was off to do a writers’ panel. That sounded like a good way to get my feet wet with the show, so I joined up and we wandered the convention center until we found the room. The panel was pretty entertaining- John, Joe Casey, J.T. Krul, Scott Lobdell, Kyle Higgins, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Tom Hutchison, and moderator Brian Augustyn entertained the crowd with their thoughts on scripting, pacing, structure, and planning. We got a couple of interesting glimpses of what it’s like working in DC’s new 52, discovered just how differently everyone handles the writing process, and Lobdell- a former standup comedian- did his best to get the audience laughing. The only downside was that the room had no microphones (whoops!) and the guys wound up removing the table and sitting in a semi-circle. I would have liked to tape it, but there was no place to put my recorder. Oh- and I also came to the realization that, as strange and offbeat as his comics are, they are merely a reflection of the real Joe Casey. He might just be the lunatic you’re looking for.

(Apologies to Billy Joel.)

From there, it was down to business. I wanted to get a few interviews done, but crowds were so steady, it was difficult to carve out time to talk. I managed to get Joshua Hale Fialkov and Sina Grace done, and I’ll have those online in the next couple of weeks. They were both excellent subjects and offered up great material. You’re gonna love ‘em.

I also did some shopping. Spazdog Comics, who are local, had a large chunk of cheap graphic novels, and I got four books for $20. Can’t beat that. I also had a good chat with the always excellent Henry Barajas, who was stepping away from doing standup for the weekend to help out his comics pals. I also managed to squeeze in brief chats with some of the folks I know on the Phoenix retailer scene, including Marco Regalado of Pop Culture Paradise. PCP is the shop closest to my house, the one shop where I still pop in and occasionally drop cash, and also the place where I’ll be signing on the day that RED SONJA: RAVEN comes out. Marco was set up at the show with a really nice booth, and he had child actor Chandler Riggs signing. Riggs plays “Carl” on the TV version of THE WALKING DEAD and that’s a huge coup for the store. Hopefully it brings Marco tons of traffic and wallets waiting to be emptied.

If there was a truly disappointing aspect to the show, it was Artists’ Alley. The size and layout were fine, but… Look, there were just way too many people there with banners featuring ridiculously drawn women. Poses that would result in a broken back. Tits that would result in a broken back. There were far too few people with, y’know, actual sequential art skills. I get that everybody has to do their own thing, but there was a lot of arrested development in that area of the show.

I was also surprised at some high profile absences. Todd McFarlane and his company were absent. Some other local pros like Jay Fotos and his crew weren’t there. And shops like Collector’s Paradise and Gotham City Comics didn’t set up, either. If this show continues to stick around, I’ll be interested to see if more of the locals filter in.

The big draw of the show was the presence of writer Robert Kirkman. At this point, Kirkman has come close to establishing himself as the face of the American comics market. THE WALKING DEAD remains a ratings juggernaut on television, and the comics continue to rise in sales. Throw in his incredible trade paperback sales, and it is entirely possible that he could have bought a ton of cars and had them parked in the lot, just to make me have to walk that far to get into the show.

He could do that. Really.

I’d have tried to set up an interview with him, but at this point, it may require the sacrifice of a fatted calf. I’m not sure what I’d ask him anyway. Besides “can I have all the cash in your wallet?” I suppose.

Kirkman’s presence was another way in which the show impressed me. The lines were orderly and never blocked any of the nearby aisles. Trust me when I tell you: that never happens in San Diego. The convention folks showed great wisdom in where they placed the Skybound booth, period. This is the kind of detail that can easily get lost or overlooked, but the Amazing folks did a terrific job of laying out the entire show- traffic flowed smoothly at every hour of the day.

So, yeah- Amazing is a solid little show. Here’s the issue, though- it’s going to remain little if it stays in Mesa. Space is limited there. Maybe that’s a good thing- a convention should never try to be more than what it really is. It’ll be interesting to see what happens, and I honestly don’t know where they could go that would give them greater space without them fully duplicating the May show. For now, though, I’ll give this one a tip of the hat and suspect that you’ll see me there again a year from now.

By Avril Brown

Irredeemable #33
Written by Mark Waid and Illustrated by Diego Barreto

‘Irredeemable’ opened with the world’s greatest, and more powerful, hero flipping out to an extreme degree as he murders several of his former teammates and millions of people. Building upon that amazing introductory issue this book has evolved into one of the most entertaining superhero dramas available on the racks today.

The Plutonian has been through a lot since his little tantrum on Earth, and now after working as alien slave labor, battling (and recruiting) his way through an intergalactic insane asylum and sneaking a teleport back to Earth, readers finally learn his origin. We know why the Plutonian snapped, we’ve seen some of his past, but now we witness his origin and what made him a hero.

‘Irredeemable’ is at a great point right now for new readers as the crossover between its sister series, ‘Incorruptible’ is in full swing, and as they both are explaining the beginnings of their title characters it allows first-timers a chance to enjoy the story without getting confused by continuity.

Incorruptible #25
Written by Mark Waid and Illustrated by Marcio Takara

The writing on ‘Incorruptible’ has not been as consistently entertaining as that on ‘Irredeemable,’ but I do still enjoy watching Max Damage attempt to figure out what the hell he is doing. The concept was intriguing enough from the beginning: a super villain goes straight after watching the straightest superhero eviscerate several continents, and after two years of up and down story lines I feel like the book is finally getting somewhere.

Max has been a little slow on the uptake since he went un-evil, but although he does not always go about things the smartest way he does seem to genuine want to do good in the post-Plutonian world. Now his actions are shrouded in mystery as he has been cut off from every person he ever trusted and invested himself on an unknown project.

As with ‘Irredeemable,’ this book is primed for new readers due to the origin crossover happening now for both titles, and with the next issue of ‘Incorruptible’ it will be concluding, hopefully with one hell of a bang. All readers, both fresh and vintage, will be granted new information about Max Damage, and hopefully inspiring new creative avenues for this former bad boy.

7 Warriors #1-2
Written by Michael Le Galli and Illustrated by Francis Manapul

I was intrigued by the idea of a title starring seven women warriors, but two issues in and I am not impressed. Seven warriors are recruited in a monarchial society by a worried queen who wishes her son to be transported to a safe location, where he is to breed with the healthiest and most genetically viable high-born woman there to preserve the royal line.

SPOLIER ALERT: The fact that these seven top female warriors are serving as stud-escort aside, three of them also happen to die by the end of the second issue, thus confusing me as to why this title is called ‘7 Warriors.‘ I will give it a couple more issues to see if ‘7’ fleshes out anymore, but I was hoping for a bit more from such a promising premise.

Key of Z #1-3
Written and Created by Claudio Sanchez and Chondra Echert, and Illustrated by Aaron Kuder

Attempting to bring in ‘yet another zombie comic book’ in this saturated market means the book needs a good strong start and something new to bring to the zombie-infested table. Though it has yet to be confirmed, three issues in and ‘Key of Z’ would hint as to possessing both.

There is a supernatural aspect to this book, besides the obvious, in the form of some form of musical mind control over the undead. Politics and weapons dominate almost every zombie story at some point or another, and this one is no different. ‘Key’ also takes place in Manhattan, which is unoriginal but practical for a post-zombie apocalyptic world as it provides lots of architectural variety within a smaller space.

Time will tell if ‘Key of Z’ will be able to hold its own against the other zombie books present today, but ideally there are enough different subsets within the zombie world that ‘Key’ will be able to present itself as a fresh concept worthy of a comic book and/or zombie lover’s attention.

By Avril Brown

When I am not off gallivanting half-naked at various Comic Conventions across the country, I have a day job working in the Animal Behavior and Training Department at the Anti-Cruelty Society in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. The ACS is Chicago’s oldest animal shelter, founded in 1899 with the objective to improve the lives of working horses, and it has grown over the years into a multi-faceted animal welfare organization, not only adopting out dogs and cats to new homes, but also spaying and neutering thousands of animals every year, educating the public in animal care, responding to animal cruelty calls, offering dog training classes and providing a free animal behavior hotline.

Needless to say, the ACS is no stranger to the media, particularly since exposure to the public is essential for a non-profit agency that depends solely on donations. The work my colleagues and I do, however, is not normally advertised. We make no secret of the fact Anti-Cruelty is an open admission shelter: we will accept almost any dog and cat, regardless of health or behavior. Given the fact we are a large but not limitless facility, this naturally means we cannot guarantee that every animal we take in will find a home. There are several reasons why an animal cannot be re-homed, but the two most common are medical and behavioral. The latter is where I come in.

A large part of my job entails performing temperament evaluations on shelter dogs to learn more about their personalities (whether or not they know basic obedience commands, or if they like to play fetch, for example), and to test for aggressive tendencies. The animals who demonstrate a dangerous level of aggression are euthanized, but there is a whole lot of gray area in between ‘mushy mutt’ and ‘deadly dog.’ Given my knowledge and experience in animal behavior, shelter workings and dog training, I have to make the decision of what animals can be saved.

A little over a month ago this aspect of my job was featured in the Chicago Tribune newspaper, written by reporter John Owens and photographed by Nancy Stone. The front page had a picture of my boss and I sandwiched around a little feathery yapper of a dog named Lily, who was in the process of licking our faces, and the main article found on page seven boasted a ginormous picture of yours truly, getting all smiley and curvy with a mutt named Oscar. My boss loves that picture, citing how “awesome” the body language is on both me and the dog. (I must admit, my admiration of the quarter-page-sized picture extends beyond body language and into somewhat vain territory, such as how great my hair looks.) The article itself was much larger than I had anticipated and it expanded beyond the pages of the Tuesday Tribune; an online version coupled with the companion video Mr. Owens put together and released several weeks before the article came to print was available on the Tribune website, and the Chicago Redeye featured an abbreviated version as well.

Though initially I bristled at the headline, “Making life-or-death choices,” I realized it was a knee-jerk reaction to a familiar sore spot, because that is the truth. I do make life or death decisions every single work day, and more often than not, I hate it. My co-workers and I are only half-joking when we say we love dangerous, aggressive, I-want-to-feast-on-your-entrails type dogs. They make it easy. All dogs CAN bite, just like all humans possessing the necessary motor functions CAN pick up a gun and shoot someone, but that is not to say either species WILL do such a thing unless provoked to a breaking point. The truly terrifying animals are the ones who barely need a nudge one way or another before deciding to act with extreme prejudice, because they are in fact faster, stronger and deadlier than us puny humans. If a dog wants to bite you he or she is going to bite you, therefore allowing one of these hair-trigger canines out into the world is the equivalent of handing a loaded gun to an unstable person in the middle of Daley Plaza. Someone IS going to get hurt. So when it comes to making a life or death decision about such a dog, I do not hesitate. I actually feel like I am doing a good thing by choosing death, because with that choice I could very possibly be saving a life.

Fortunately, there are few animals surrendered to the shelter that are considered to be extremely dangerous. Unfortunately for me, my job is emotionally harder because I am choosing death for some dogs that, for any number of reasons, may not necessarily need to be euthanized. I never make the decision lightly, and I do feel I am making an educated and informed choice, but my soul still aches.

When John Owens asked if he could write an article about my work, I made it abundantly clear what exactly it is I do and I explained the strength and range of my emotions regarding my position. Like a good reporter, he didn’t let it go and pursued what he felt was something worthy of an article, and like a good writer, he presented the subject matter in a clear, engaging manner. After reading the article, I was impressed, relieved and grateful. He understood the job, he did not pass judgment, and he included quotes which demonstrated our love of animals in addition to the necessity and the positives of what we do.

Having the details of my job illustrated in a major Chicago newspaper felt…good. There were the obvious upsides to my new-found fame: my phone was blowing up all day with congrats and comments from friends and family. Over the holidays I had several relatives tell me how they saved a copy, they pointed it out to their co-workers, I look so adorable in the pictures, etc. Even my gynecologist sent me a copy of the Redeye article with a note saying she enjoyed the read. Of course, there were a few scathing comments left on the online version, mostly from inflexible “no kill” advocates with one or two made by obvious idiots, but for the most part the feedback was positive. I am not so malleable where my entire world is comprised of other people’s opinions, but it lightens my heart to know people can read that article and tell me they understand the difficulty of my every day decisions.

Emotional heaviness aside, being almost famous is pretty cool. Admittedly, I sort of enjoy being in the spotlight (shocking, I know, coming from someone who traipsed about three comic conventions this past year wearing nothing but white straps). This may be a childhood thing, but growing up (and GOD do I feel old just starting a sentence like that) the newspaper was still a big deal. Naturally the really famous people are the ones frequently seen on movies and television, but it still meant something to be written about in the paper. Though the abundance of social media platforms have diluted the strength of the paper, my feelings about making the front page of the Chicago Tribune are as giddy now as they would’ve been when I was ten.

Yes, I enjoy being a feature here and there, and although Mr. Owens’ article made me happy, and sad, just like my work, the question remains of whether I want to continue making headlines as Avril Brown, Animal Behavior Specialist, or Avril Brown, Writer, Interviewer, Reviewer, Professional Nerd. I like being photographed at Cons and interviewed by people in cosplay. When donning my Clark Kent clothes, I also relish being the interviewer, razzing with my subject and learning more about comics and the culture. I love immersing myself in almost every aspect of the comic world, in front of the camera or behind the lens.

Making life-altering decisions has never been my strong suit, but it is beyond time I gain some clarity and focus. Though I would never be able to choose one or another (I will always be an animal advocate, and I will always adore comics and nerdy pop culture), here’s hoping with a brand new year and the dreaded 3-0 creeping up (in six months, people, so let’s not go crazy) I will be able to make some choices on what life I want to live.

By Marc Mason

Even though it seems like it, I have not read every graphic novel released in the past year. So it would be foolish, not to mention arrogant, to put together a “ten best” list. What I can do, however, is give you a list of ten outstanding books and point you in their direction. With this list, I can at least guarantee you a reading experience that is more than worth your time and money. Oh, and I will, at least, name a “book of the year.” Again, this is all my opinion- and I am more than happy to argue with you!

DAYTRIPPER (DC/Vertigo) collects the award-winning miniseries under one cover. Writer/artist/wonder twin combo Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba had long been proving how amazing they are, but DAYTRIPPER represented a leap even further forward into greatness.

ANYA’S GHOST (First Second) by writer/artist Vera Brosgol was the most stunning rookie debut that I saw this year. By turns humorous and flat-out frightening, this was also the best book for teen girls that I read this year as well.

LITTLE NOTHINGS VOL. 4 (NBM) is another amazing installment in writer/artist Lewis Trondheim’s art blog. I consider Trondheim to be the great living comics creator in the world right now, and this book shows him at the height of his powers.

THOR BY WALT SIMONSON OMNIBUS (Marvel) is not only an outstanding book, but also a potential murder weapon. This 1200 page beast collects the defining run on the character by the character’s defining creator. Great stories, great art, don’t drop it on your foot.

LEVEL UP (First Second) by writer Gene Luen Yang and artist Thien Pham captures the angst of young adulthood perfectly, throws in an interesting conceit involving the nature of spirituality and death, and also tickles the funny bone a bit. Yang is a force to be reckoned with.

SIXTH GUN VOL. 1-2 (Oni Press) is the cream of the crop when it comes to Western horror right now. Exciting stories, great characters… writer Cullen Bunn and artist Brian Hurtt have sucked me into their world in a genre I tend to ignore. I read the first two trades back-to-back, not able to put them down.

RASL VOL. 3 (Cartoon Books) propels writer/artist Jeff Smith’s latest epic into the stratosphere. Sexy, action-packed, inventive… and he makes you think about what’s going on. The over-sized trade paperbacks allow the gorgeous art to breathe. One volume to go, and I can’t wait.

CHEW OMNIVORE EDITION 2 (Image Comics) won the Eisner for Best Continuing Series, and it isn’t hard to see why. Writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory are telling one of the most complex stories on the stands, and the book rewards you at every turn for paying attention. Funny, romantic, sick, and twisted. Brilliant.

ASTRONAUT ACADEMY (First Second) by writer/artist Dave Roman was the best all-ages book I read this year. Period. I have managed to give away both of my copies and need a new one. Great stories, great characters, great art, clever payoffs… there is nothing here to not love.

And… my book of the year:

HABIBI (Pantheon) by writer/artist Craig Thompson. It had been seven long years since Thompson had released new work, but it was worth the wait. Staggering in scope and ambition, this massive book (700 pages) delivers page after page of art that your eyes can get lost in. The love story at its core is warm, yet also horribly tragic, and while many will quibble with aspects of the tale focused on religion and culture (and I would agree with some of those quibbles) you cannot deny the sheer power that the book carries in its pages. Thompson carries you to someplace new and different, asking for your trust in his pen and ink, and if you give it to him, the rewards are grand.

Read my interview with Thompson here.

Looking over my list, I suppose I have a “publisher of the year” as well. First Second had another outstanding year- just another in a remarkable run as of late. I can’t remember the last time I read one of their books and felt “bleah” or “meh” about it. They don’t get a lot of play in the mainstream comics media, but that doesn’t matter- they just produce great books.

Reviewed by Marc Mason

Last review of the year. Let’s get to it…

THE LAST BATTLE (Image Comics) is a nice surprise; a nifty work of historical fiction set in the time of Julius Caesar, something I would normally have zero interest in reading. But artist Dan Brereton’s name in the credits meant that it had my attention, and I’m glad for that. He and writer Tito Faraci have created a compelling (and beautifully drawn) action story with compelling characters- a combination you just can’t beat. We follow retired General Rodius as Caesar sends him on one last mission- to kill his former protégé, a rebel named Cammius who threatens Rome’s standing and security. Thus we get a true emotional stake to go along with a liberal dose of hacking, slashing, and beheading. Throw in a nice, low price point of eight bucks, and this one is a winner across the board.

NBM delivers SALVATORE VOL.2 by artist Nicolas De Crecy, and it is every bit as fantastic as volume one, if not better. SALVATORE is one of the more unusual books to cross the pond in the last couple of years- told with anthropomorphic characters, Salvatore is a dog whose lady love has moved across the ocean, and he has worked as a mechanic in order to finish building a machine that he can both drive and sail to South America and be reunited with her. In the passenger seat is his assistant/pet human, and in a secondary plot we follow a pig who has lost one of her litter and begins a strange odyssey to try and find him again. Both plots get a lot of play in volume two, but it is Salvatore’s journey into temptation when he picks up a hitchhiking beauty that carries this book along. Rich in character and filled with one remarkably strange moment after another, this one is well worth your time.

Many years back, I read some really good minicomics by writer/artist Aneurin Wright that focused on his work as a caretaker for his terminally ill father. Now it is a great pleasure to see he has completed his journey with the story and collected it all in one massive volume. THINGS TO DO IN A RETIREMENT HOME TRAILER PARK (Myriad Editions) is a 300pg+ tome that tells the whole story of Wright’s move to his father’s side during a bout of unemployment, the progression of his father’s disease, the last sputtering gasps of their tortured relationship, and much more. This is one of the most involved and affecting portraits of how terminal illness affects both the afflicted and the survivors that I have ever seen, and Wright’s naked emotional honesty makes it work. Intriguingly, he draws both his father and himself as anthropomorphic characters, though every other important character is presented as standard human. This ultimately has the effect of showing just how Wright and his father presented masks to each other for their entire lives, and it’s only when Wright takes his off that he connects to everything happening to him. This is an outstanding book, and well worth the effort you might have to make to get it (it doesn’t have a U.S. publisher yet, only a U.K. edition).