Larime
08-11-2007, 12:36 AM
I hope you don't mind if I pimp the books I am lucky enough to be published alongside of. No one at ASP asked me to do this. I just really like these books and want to spread the word.
So... the books of Archaia Studios Press (http://www.archaiasp.com)! I'll start with three titles, the flagship books.
It all begins with Artesia.
http://www.archaiasp.com/titles/artesia/Artesia%20Besieged%201%20cover%20thumb.jpg
Witch. Warrior. Queen. Artesia is all of these and more.
A fantasy book that puts most others to shame, it's like reading a painted novel by your favorite fantasy author. The one man creative team of Mark Smylie (the Publisher/Owner of ASP) means that every line, bit of paint (he hand paints these pages) and word you see all come from one source. Some such creators are good at art but lack story, others are the opposite. Mark is a master of both. I want to be Mark Smylie when I grow up.
The story is very simple on the surface: concubine turned general turned witch queen Artesia must establish her claim on her new throne among kingdoms ruled by men, amidst the greatest war the Known World has seen in ages. Trial by fire, to say the least. Beneath it, however, lurk ghosts of Artesia's past, powerful gods and goddesses and the machinations of men and monsters. There are layers upon layers.
The story, the characters and the world are so richly developed that it all flows together. This is one of the most powerful female characters in comics, today. Yes, there is sex, but rather than being cheap or gratuitous, it is beautiful, erotic, and Artesia is always in charge. The nudity is both female and male, here - equal opportunity nudity. Regardless, the sex is not the focus of the story, but as with war, politics, intrigue and mysticism, it's a part of it.
A mature audience book that is quite beautiful in every aspect.
*****
Next, Alex Sheikman's steampunk-sushi-western, Robotika.
http://www.archaiasp.com/titles/robotika/robotika_hc_thumb.jpg
Where to begin? This book is like three genres were tossed in a blender and pureed to a delicious finish. I'll let the promo text sum up the wonderful mix that is Robotika:
"A steampunk sushi samurai western about loyalty, honor and revenge, in a world populated by silent samurai, fast-talking geisha, deadly mecha-betsushikime, digital djihits, morphing butterflies, and corporate corruption. Niko, a member of the elite bodyguard corps dedicated to protecting the queen, is sent on a mission to recover a stolen invention that in the wrong hands could trigger a bloody civil war. Violence and chaos reign everywhere on the fringes of a “civilized” society where few couldn’t care less about Niko and his mission...
Niko, Cherokee Geisha, and Bronski return in December 2007 in Robotika: For a Few Rubles More."
Alex writes and draws it, with colors provided by Joel Chua. Alex is, quite simply, one of the most stunning layout artists in comics, and his use of positive/negative with the heavy inks is just fantastic. His storytelling is getting stronger with each issue (he hits his stride in #4), and the art alone is worth the cover price.
*****
Lastly, we have David Peterson's Mouse Guard.
http://www.archaiasp.com/titles/mouse_guard/MG_Winter_1152_1_Cover_thum.jpg
Dude. It's freakin' Mouse Guard. David just won the Russ Manning Award in SDCC at the Eisners. If you haven't heard of Mouse Guard by now, I'd be amazed. If you haven't, well... it's mice with swords. Do you really need more than that?! Okay, maybe this will help:
"In Mouse Guard, mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all of the world's harsh conditions and predators. Thus the Mouse Guard was formed. They are not simply soldiers that fight off intruders; rather, they are guides for commonmice looking to journey without confrontation from one hidden mouse village to another. The Guard patrol borders, find safeways and paths through dangerous territories and treacherous terrain, watch weather patterns, and keep the mouse territories free of predatory infestation. They do so with fearless dedication so that they might not just exist, but truly live."
Like Mark Smylie, David does the whole thing, himself, and his texture work with ink is absolutely gorgeous. The story is fun adventure fare, and it's an all-ages book that everyone can get into. If you haven't read Mouse Guard, demand your shop carry it.
*****
I'll post on more books in the future. This should get things started, though!
So... the books of Archaia Studios Press (http://www.archaiasp.com)! I'll start with three titles, the flagship books.
It all begins with Artesia.
http://www.archaiasp.com/titles/artesia/Artesia%20Besieged%201%20cover%20thumb.jpg
Witch. Warrior. Queen. Artesia is all of these and more.
A fantasy book that puts most others to shame, it's like reading a painted novel by your favorite fantasy author. The one man creative team of Mark Smylie (the Publisher/Owner of ASP) means that every line, bit of paint (he hand paints these pages) and word you see all come from one source. Some such creators are good at art but lack story, others are the opposite. Mark is a master of both. I want to be Mark Smylie when I grow up.
The story is very simple on the surface: concubine turned general turned witch queen Artesia must establish her claim on her new throne among kingdoms ruled by men, amidst the greatest war the Known World has seen in ages. Trial by fire, to say the least. Beneath it, however, lurk ghosts of Artesia's past, powerful gods and goddesses and the machinations of men and monsters. There are layers upon layers.
The story, the characters and the world are so richly developed that it all flows together. This is one of the most powerful female characters in comics, today. Yes, there is sex, but rather than being cheap or gratuitous, it is beautiful, erotic, and Artesia is always in charge. The nudity is both female and male, here - equal opportunity nudity. Regardless, the sex is not the focus of the story, but as with war, politics, intrigue and mysticism, it's a part of it.
A mature audience book that is quite beautiful in every aspect.
*****
Next, Alex Sheikman's steampunk-sushi-western, Robotika.
http://www.archaiasp.com/titles/robotika/robotika_hc_thumb.jpg
Where to begin? This book is like three genres were tossed in a blender and pureed to a delicious finish. I'll let the promo text sum up the wonderful mix that is Robotika:
"A steampunk sushi samurai western about loyalty, honor and revenge, in a world populated by silent samurai, fast-talking geisha, deadly mecha-betsushikime, digital djihits, morphing butterflies, and corporate corruption. Niko, a member of the elite bodyguard corps dedicated to protecting the queen, is sent on a mission to recover a stolen invention that in the wrong hands could trigger a bloody civil war. Violence and chaos reign everywhere on the fringes of a “civilized” society where few couldn’t care less about Niko and his mission...
Niko, Cherokee Geisha, and Bronski return in December 2007 in Robotika: For a Few Rubles More."
Alex writes and draws it, with colors provided by Joel Chua. Alex is, quite simply, one of the most stunning layout artists in comics, and his use of positive/negative with the heavy inks is just fantastic. His storytelling is getting stronger with each issue (he hits his stride in #4), and the art alone is worth the cover price.
*****
Lastly, we have David Peterson's Mouse Guard.
http://www.archaiasp.com/titles/mouse_guard/MG_Winter_1152_1_Cover_thum.jpg
Dude. It's freakin' Mouse Guard. David just won the Russ Manning Award in SDCC at the Eisners. If you haven't heard of Mouse Guard by now, I'd be amazed. If you haven't, well... it's mice with swords. Do you really need more than that?! Okay, maybe this will help:
"In Mouse Guard, mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all of the world's harsh conditions and predators. Thus the Mouse Guard was formed. They are not simply soldiers that fight off intruders; rather, they are guides for commonmice looking to journey without confrontation from one hidden mouse village to another. The Guard patrol borders, find safeways and paths through dangerous territories and treacherous terrain, watch weather patterns, and keep the mouse territories free of predatory infestation. They do so with fearless dedication so that they might not just exist, but truly live."
Like Mark Smylie, David does the whole thing, himself, and his texture work with ink is absolutely gorgeous. The story is fun adventure fare, and it's an all-ages book that everyone can get into. If you haven't read Mouse Guard, demand your shop carry it.
*****
I'll post on more books in the future. This should get things started, though!