In Memoriam: Another Dimension

I was very disappointed to learn that one of my local comic shops - Another Dimension - is closing its doors at the end of April. Although I haven't been a regular shopper there in a decade I always felt it was the best comic book store in the city.

Before I even lived in Calgary, Another Dimension was the shop I most enjoyed visiting when my family would come to Calgary. In the early 1990s there were a lot of comic shops in Calgary (Another Dimension had more than one store in that day) but a number of elements at Another Dimension made a big impression-- they carried virtually every new comic book being published, they carried a library of trade paperbacks and they had a vast well-organized selection of back issues.

When I moved to the city Another Dimension wasn't the nearest shop (there were two other stores geographically much closer to my home) but it became the one I visited most often, thanks in part to it being nearby SAIT, where I attended college. I have happy memories of traipsing to Another Dimension in between classes so that I could delve into back issues. I also recall reading some comics on campus after a visit there, particularly an issue of the mini-series Blaze of Glory that I read in the SAIT library during my practicum.

In time, I moved to other parts of the city and Another Dimension became the nearer shop. I opened up a file at the store and was pleasantly surprised that unlike other shops in the city where I'd previously had files, I didn't have to pay a fee to open the file and I didn't get pushback if someone put the wrong book into my file. If they made a mistake, they apologized (there are other shops in the city that seem to think the customer is always wrong).

Eventually my relationship with the shop changed, in part because of my own career at Marvel Comics, especially writing for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. I now needed access to all kinds of back issues that I would normally never have sought out. I vividly recall buying a stack of issues for research that included an issue of Nighstalkers. At the till, my friend Riley held up that comic at me then slowly shook his head in disbelief.

Riley Rossmo was another part of what changed; he was a clerk at Another Dimension, but he was also a rising comic book artist. Because I knew him personally, I started following his career as of his Image series Proof. Although our careers in comics were very different, he and I always supported and boosted each other. One of my fondest memories is from the year when the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo declined to grant me a table in their artist's alley; instead, Another Dimension offered to have me sign at their booth, next to Riley. That one just one of many conventions where I encountered Riley and they were always fun.

Since quitting my job at Marvel and buying my own home (thus moving far from any comic shops) I haven't had the need or time to visit Another Dimension. I'm very sad to see the shop go - it was the best.

Proof: On TV?

My friends Riley Rossmo and Alex Grecian have recently had their comic book series Proof optioned as a television series! This isn't the first time they've had a TV option picked up but this one sounds more certain to pan out. I'm very happy for my friends! I myself contributed a few character profiles of Proof cast members to their last story, "Endangered." If this means my old profiles will get reprinted with their stories, so much the better!

"I'm quite certain the wine's been poisoned." Rasputin #1 review

Rasputin is a new Image comic book series from creators Alex Grecian (writer) & Riley Rossmo (artist), collaborators best-known for their series Proof. In the interests of disclosure, I should mention I contributed a series of character profiles for their series Proof: Endangered; Riley is a long-held acquaintence and both are facebook friends of mine. With that out of the way, what's their current project like?

Rasputin launched only last week, barely before Halloween. As the title suggests, the lead figure is the historical Grigori Rasputin who was associated with the family of Tsar Nicholas and most infamous for the unusual way he died (drowning after surviving poison, stabbing, shooting and beating). The various "mysteries of the unexplained" books made a lot of hay out of Rasputin's death and books such as those would be where I first learned of him. Beyond those books and a grade 11 curriculum which included viewing the 1971 film Nicholas and Alexandria, that's the extent of my knowledge.

However, the back cover references another film - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - when it quotes, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." Thus, although the historical Rasputin was likely not a master of mystic arts, we're in the realm of fiction here - the historical record is merely a jumping-off point.

Because Grecian & Rossmo are dealing with a well-known historical story, it's interesting to see how they chose to approach the subject of Rasputin's death; the issue opens with Rasputin poisoned to drink the poisoned wine which will (at least in the historical version) soon lead to his demise. Rather than a slow burn to this moment, Grecian & Rossmo put out there in the first issue. While it's not quite clear where the story is going to carry on from here, there's a sense that they're not holding back from the audience, rather putting their strongest foot forward. It actually takes a little chutzpah to open their first story by tackling the lead character's last story. It suggests they're not only free from fidelity to the historical account, but free to subvert the audience's expectations.

The bulk of the issue is devoted to a flashback to Rasputin's youth in Siberia. These events serve to affirm his mystic powers and demonstrate something of his conscience. The flashback portion is very light on dialogue - so much so that if you told your local comic dealer to tie his shoelace, you might have the entire script read by the time he looked up again. However, you'd be cheating yourself out of some very fine storytelling if you did.

The emphasis on telling the flashback story of young Rasputin and his father with very few words is an interesting show of 1) Grecian's humility, 2) Rossmo's confidence & 3) the ease of the duo's collaboration. It's at this point that I noticed Rasputin is a property owned jointly by Grecian & Rossmo. I think it's worth pointing this out since we still live in a time of "auteur theory comics" where writers (like Image's own Robert Kirkman) take all the ownership of their properties, sharing none with their artists. It's something Steve Ditko once noted when reacting to Stan Lee being called Spider-Man's sole creator - that the final creation was incomplete until Ditko's visuals brought it to life. If these writers are so hot, why aren't they selling their stories as prose? This is a story told by Grecian and Rossmo, not "a Grecian story adapted by Rossmo." Telling the death of Rasputin's father almost completely through visuals points to that.

I made a passing reference to Rasputin's conscience above. The flashback explores his character not through the lengthy monologues most writers adore, but through action and (intriguingly) inaction. Rasputin uses his powers to heal his mother; he uses his powers to save the life of a bear; he pointedly does not use his powers to save his father. All of this in virtual silence.

I don't know where Grecian & Rossmo will take this, but having followed them from start to finish on Proof, I have confidence the journey will be engaging!

Three days of reviews part 2: "I'm gonna eat this one and see what it does to my head."

Disclosure: Riley Rossmo is an old friend of mine.

Drumhellar#1 begins a new project by Riley Rossmo at Image, this time joined by scripter Alex Link. Considering how Riley's previous projects have delved into weirdness (Proof, Cowboy Ninja Viking, Green Wake), I will not astonish you by declaring Drumhellar is a weird comic book. However, you might be astonished by just how weird this one is.

How best to explain Drumhellar? Perhaps I could recap the first four pages: Drum Hellar is on a golf course in a lady's bedrobe when he's struck by lightning. This causes him to witness a bloody peacock rising out of a pool of water. The peacock leaves behind an egg, which Hellar picks up; this causes him to peer into some kind of vision. Reeling from this, he converses with a creature living inside his golf bag and declares they need to consult with someone named Padma.

A terribly weird opening, yes? Naturally, some of this is explained as the story progresses - we learn what's inside the golf bag (Drum's "imaginary friend" Harold) and we learn who Padma is (Drum's ex-girlfriend and naturopath doctor). But is there a plot? Not exactly... some weird things happen, which leads to some banter. Then more weird things happen, followed by banter. There may be a plot behind this (Hellar behaves as though he's carrying some important information), but it's not in these pages.

Typical of the book is this conversation:

Padma: "How would you recognize that flower anyway?"

Drum Hellar: "I was a paleobotanist for a while."

Padma: "Of course you were."

It's not that the reader has formed any expectations of Hellar's fields of expertise (or if, indeed, he has any expertise), but Padma surely has. The reader is very much thrown into the middle of a quite strange world and no everyman to guide him (unlike Proof). Hellar himself is some sort of recreational drug user exploring the world of the paranormal, rendering him quite outside the everyday. The characters banter about how strange the world they inhabit is, but what we might call weird, they call typical. It's rather like a Terry Gilliam picture - the characters inhabit a strange world and we in the audience have to pay attention and make no assumptions about what the rules this world operates under might be.

As I see it, Drum Hellar has two great strengths - Rossmo's continually-expanding art (gorgeous colouring included) and the very "lived in" feel of the universe he's created here, one where a man mentions repeatedly he was bitten by a werewolf and receives virtually no reaction from his audience.

I meant to post this...about two years ago...

I only just stumbled upon an interview at Comixtreme from 2009 where I was sitting next to Riley Rossmo at the Another Dimension signing table as he was being interviewed; because it was being taped, after I interjected one line, I suddenly found myself being asked for my credentials and found the subject matter shifting over to my work. You can read it here.

Looking at it now, I'm surprised at how well I come across; I felt a bit cheap for intruding on Riley's spotlight with what was supposed to be a single off-the-record remark (about Riley's work, no less). I especially love this:

RR: He was buying $20 worth of Force Works and I asked him, “Are you sure?”

MH: It’s research.

RR: I think only half the time, it’s actually research - I think most of them are just guilty pleasures.

Oh, the things I own from years of handbook writing; I had to pay through the nose to get a set of Terry Kavanagh's Marc Spector: Moon Knight.

A digression with Proof

Proof#24, the most recent issue of Alex Grecian & Riley Rossmo's Image series was recently released. Diverging wildly from what was originally solicited ("My date with Bigfoot"), this doesn't even feature Rossmo on art, instead utilizing Chris Grine. It also steps back from the main cast to tell a story about one of the minor supporting characters, a fairy boy named Joy.

I'm reminded of Bill Willingham's Fables which has often told done-in-one stories of minor Fables and with guest artists to deliver said digressions. Also like Fables, this issue takes some cues from a classic children's story, namely Pinocchio.

Joy was adopted by the Chupacabra shortly after his birth way back in Proof#5. Although the Chupacabra is a horrendous carnivore who feeds on anything, it also seems to play the part of whatever creature's skin it's currently inhabiting. Garbed in the body of a kindly mother, it's been playing the part (with many fiendish overtones) and now little Joy has decided to find his father, determined to learn if he's alive.

Those of us who recall the series lore on fairies are already assured of his father's grim fate. I'm not sure why excerpts from Pinocchio run through the story when the two tales don't seem to parallel at all. Given that Joy's quest is ultimately fruitless, the accompanying text may as well have been from Huckleberry Finn.

Grine's artwork is definitely a far cry from Riley's scratchy Sienkiewicz-influenced style; if anything, Grine seems to pine for the likes of Disney or Tezuka; check out those Astro Boy-like eyes on Joy above!

Oh, Proof#24 also has another installment of Kelly Tindall's Archie Snow! What's the good word, Archie?

Wha--? Well! Fine! Be that way! Ornery old cat...

Looking one weekend back: the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo

The 2009 Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo was the best experience I've had as a guest thus far. I spent the weekend stationed at Another Dimension's booth. Also in attendance there were Riley Rossmo & Dave Casey of Proof and Fiona Staples of Wildstorm briefly joined us on the first day.

The advantages to signing at Another Dimension were many. For one, it placed me nearer to the crowds as they pressed their way through, often stopping for something from Another Dimension's wares and discovering me by chance. Second, it provided me with a crowd of people (there were about ten of us at Another Dimension at most) to converse and pass the time with during the slower moments. Third, Another Dimension provided me with food and that's the way to a man's heart.

I, in turn, was good to them. They provided some shelves of Marvel books I had written and did my best to sell them to passerbys. Although I had a stock of my own books to sell, I often helped people find items which I knew Another Dimension had in stock which really pleased them.

A few of my friends came by; a few mutual friends appeared as well. The most memorable person to visit my table was a boy who identified so strongly with Iron Man that he would claim to be Iron Man. He did share his real name with me, but I was sworn to secrecy.

In all I signed 29 copies of my books. I also signed 2 copies of the convention sketchbook even though I had nothing to do with it.

After completing one sketch of Proof Riley asked me, "How's your lettering?" I replied, "I've never lettered." He returned with, "How's your printing?" I admitted that I could print and he had me provide a speech balloon for the sketch.

I made a little time to see a few guests whose work really mattered to me; I collected autographs from Bryan Lee O'Malley, Michael Golden and Sergio Aragones. I didn't intend to spend much time or money on product at the show, but the crowd at Another Dimension - particularly Riley - spurred me on as we started informal competitions to see who could find the most interesting/rare comics at the lowest prices. At one point, I unearthed a copy of DC Special#5, an all-Joe Kubert book. When Riley saw it he reached out and grabbed it, creating a brief tug-of-war! It was like something from a sitcom, but Riley relented in my favour (I later gave it to him as a gift). I also bought a page of Riley's Proof art when I saw it had the Ink Monkey; Ink Monkey is my favorite Proof character. I also received a Robocop on a Unicorn sketch from Dave.

After each day's work I joined the Another Dimension crowd for dinner/drinks, a relaxing way to close each evening.

My Five Day Roadtrip: To Seattle and Back Again

DAY ONE

- In the morning I rose, dressed and packed my only travel bag. Realizing that I probably wouldn't have lunch and needing to eliminate food which would otherwise spoil, I took in a large breakfast. I left the house to catch a bus to Edmonton.

- On the way to the bus I made a brief excursion to look for shoes; all of my sneakers had been worn out and discarded and I realized that my boots would be too much for traveling around Seattle. However, the store I visited had nothing to interest me.

- I caught the Red Arrow bus to Edmonton. Red Arrow remains the superior bus between Calgary and Edmonton; I can't believe that Greyhound hasn't got an express.

- I was received in Edmonton by Olav, who was providing his car for the roadtrip. Olav brought his Calgary Flames jersey along, even though we planned to stop in Vancouver. After gathering Earl, the third member of our entourage, we departed from Edmonton.

- It was a long drive that evening. During the trip, the "check engine" light came on in the car, even though Olav had left the car with the mechanic before the trip. Unable to find any clue to the problem and not experiencing any unusual performance, we carried on. Had supper at A&W's.

- We arrived in Kamloops and stopped at a hotel for the night.

DAY TWO

- Departed Kamloops in the morning and headed for Vancouver. We didn't stop for breakfast so I made do with a muffin from a gas station

- Delayed while entering the city when an accident tied up traffic. When we passed the scene of the accident, I was stunned to see that one of the cars was a blackened, smoldering wreck.

- Went to meet Olav's friend Nathan for lunch. Nathan was attending a Stargate convention in Vancouver and Olav thought it might be funny to attend the convention. When we learned it was $200 at the door, we thought better of it.

- By now, Olav's Flames jersey was winning him some colorful remarks (and occasional warnings) from the locals. We met Nathan at a Red Robin's for lunch. When Calgary had a Red Robin's I frequented it often with Craig; I was amazed to find that the franchise still existed on the west coast. It was a good thing I had a harty meal because we didn't have supper that night.

- Earl & I dropped Olav off to visit some relatives, leaving the two of us with the car. We tried our best to navigate the city and finally found a mall where I bought two pairs of sneakers. With plenty of time to kill, Earl offered to treat me to the film Fast & Furious. Since he was paying, I accepted.

- We met up with Olav again in the evening. I was ashamed to admit I had gone to see Fast & Furious and was evasive about what we had been up to. When Olav noticed that the "check engine" light had gone off, he assumed that Earl and I had done something to the car, possibly taken it to a garage. Earl and I played along with this idea, neither confirming nor denying Olav's assumptions. This would later prove to be a BAD IDEA.

- We decided to continue on to Seattle that night, but getting out of Vancouver and on to the correct highway was a lengthy and difficult task. We experienced no problems crossing the border, but Olav tired out before we could reach Seattle; we stopped at a hotel 30 minutes from the city and remained there for the rest of our stay.

DAY THREE

- We all slept in, missing the complimentary breakfast I had hoped to catch. We traveled on to Seattle, located the convention center where the Emerald City Comic Con was being held, then took a quasi-breakfast/lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Concerned about the number of meals I was missing, I took in another big lunch.

- At last, we went on to the convention. We traveled the floor both together and separate. Olav was most interested in acquiring new Robocop on a Unicorn sketches, while I had a lengthy list of autographs to seek out.

- Passing Gail Simone's table, I was surprised when Earl expressed ignorance of her work. I cajoled him into buying a Birds of Prey trade from her.

- Olav and I stood in Paul Smith's line for a lengthy period; I only wanted some autographs, but Olav was hoping for a sketch. I conversed with another person in line for most of the wait and he showed me a sketchbook full of great images which had been gathered over years, including the likes of Gulacy, Eisner & Kaluta. Smith was funny and gracious, but declined to sketch Robocop on a Unicorn.

- I visited the Proof table to see the book's complete creative team. Although I've known Riley Rossmo & Kelly Tindall for some time, I had never met writer Alex Grecian before. I collected autographs and admired a Dr. Who sketch Kelly was working on.

- I visited Stan Sakai's table to collect an autographed poster and receive his autograph on Usagi Yojimbo#99. I introduced myself as a friend of Texcap and related how Tex had convinced me to purchase the single issue. I mentioned that I was waiting for the collected Usagi trade so that I could follow the title from its beginning. "Oh, you're one of those." Sakai replied.

- I introduced myself to Christos N. Gage, collected some autographs and chatted about his work. I also apologized for not following his Wildstorm work, telling him that I couldn't follow Wildstorm's continuity. I also told him how I had used my blog to help promote the recent Avengers: The Initiative Featuring Reptil#1.

- I spent a ridiculous amount of time (1.5 hours?) at Jeff Parker's table, chatting him about Interman, Mysterius and others. Jeff kindly introduced me to one of his fans as "the guy who keeps me from making mistakes." I spent a great deal of time admiring the sketches Jeff drew for fans. I asked Jeff for a Robocop on a Unicorn on Olav's behalf and he supplied one.

- I met Jay Faerber and purchased a new copy of Dynamo 5 Vol.1 (Olav lost my copy) and the not-even-in-stores-yet Noble Causes Archives Vol.2 from him. I also apologized to him for insulting him at comicboards.com about 10 years ago.

- I also collected autographs from Khoi Pham, Ben Templesmith and Greg Horn.

- I finally went through the vendors and found myself searching for 1950s Atlas comics. One vendor had an amazing stock of Atlas books at reasonable prices; I walked away with a $50 stack of books.

- Near the end of the day, Olav mentioned that he had seen Lars Brown at the Oni booth and mentioned I was here. I sped to Oni, only to find Lars had left. Right then, I knew I would have to return the next day.

- After the show we wandered around looking for a place to have dinner. We finally chose a Mexican grill.

- We returned to the hotel reasonably early that night and spent some time reading the comics we purchased before bed.

DAY FOUR

- Earl and I rose early enough to take in the free breakfast.

- We went back to Seattle and rode the monorail to the Science Fiction Museum/Hall of Fame (rock n' roll) facility. Olav had free passes.

- The sci-fi museum was interesting - it displayed costumes, props and models from the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, Terminator, Outer Limits, Battlestar Galactica, Planet of the Apes and so forth. There was also a lot of emphasis on sci-fi novels, with many of them displayed in cases throughout the exhibits.

- Unfortunately, the museum gift shop was a major letdown. It's a rather small shop with only a few shelves of books and most of them the sort of sci-fi books you can find at any Chapters. Given all the acclaimed and hard-to-find books on display at the exhibit, you would think the curators would use the gift shop to seize an opportunity for people to read the books for themselves while the titles are fresh in their minds. I just may write a complaint letter.

- The Hall of Fame wasn't that interesting to me; the exhibits included a history of guitars, a history of Seattle-area music and a display of local concert posters. Borrrring. But free.

- We took in lunch at the Cheesecake Factory again. While Olav and Earl went off to explore more of Seattle, I went back to the con to see Lars and other guests I had missed.

- Lars was the first person I sought out on arrival; we caught up briefly (we had been side-by-side at the 2007 Calgary Expo) and I bought an autographed copy of North World Vol.2 (not available at any of my local shops).

- I sought out a few autographs from Kurt Busiek and apologized for insulting him at comicboards.com about 10 years ago. This was a good weekend for my karma.

- I also obtained autographs from Mike Mignola, Stuart Immonen and Matt Fraction; that made everyone on my list.

- I visited the Proof table again while Riley was doing a Dr. Who sketch. I asked Riley for some paper and a pen: I had a special mission to undertake; when Riley learned what it was, he threw in a crayon. This would prove vital.

- I stood in line for Star Trek's Wil Wheaton, although he was absent from his booth when I arrived. Ahead of me was an attractive woman named Madison who was an exuberant Wheaton fan; when he finally arrived she began shrieking and jumping about. Without any paper for him to sign, instead she had him autograph her left breast; sayeth Wil: "I feel like a rock star." She loaned me her camera to take their picture.

- And now it was my turn and I presented Wil with the paper, pen and crayon along with my request for a sketch. Without flinching, Wil went to work with the crayon, commenting on the picture as he drew, much to the delight of his onlooking fans. Wil completed his masterpiece and I gratefully returned the pen and crayon to Riley, allowing the Proof team a chance to soak in Wil Wheaton's Robocop on a Unicorn.

- I went back to the vendors and picked up a Usagi Yojimbo poster, Fell trade and Losers trade, all for Earl. For myself, I found a $0.50 bin full of my own Marvel Universe handbooks; I took them all.

- I met up again with Olav and Earl at the end of the con. We had originally intended to visit a Travis concert in the evening, but Olav suggested that we start back toward Alberta instead. We agreed.

- We crossed the border back without incident and took in supper at a White Spot.

- It was on the drive back that the "check engine" light came on again. Earl and I confessed that we hadn't been to a garage as Olav had assumed, earning us his ire.

- We stopped again in Kamloops, albeit at a different (cheaper) hotel.

DAY FIVE

- Again we started out without taking breakfast. Lunch was spent at a Denny's.

- I should mention that aside from some snow & fog on the first night, this trip was full of clear, sunny weather. Certainly not what Seattle's reputation led me to expect.

- Olav & Earl dropped me off in Calgary after 6 PM. And so, the trip is finally over.

TALLY

Number of Autographs Collected: 15 different creators Number of Meals Missed: 5 Number of Vehicles Used: 5 (2 buses, 1 LRT, 1 car, 1 monorail) Number of Bad Vin Diesel Movies Seen: 1