Creators Edge Press
http://creatorsedgepress.com/
206 South Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98371-5916


I’m glad to bring to you folks here a PoP! Message boards premier of new independent publisher Creators Edge Press. This company is out to make there own stake in the independent scene and give writers and artists a source for distributing their work and ideas. The company’s mission statement probably says it best:

“Creator’s Edge Press was born in the back of Comic Evolution by a mix of eight artists, writers, and dreamers. We are you. We are entropy. We are the end result of frustration and exuberance. We are fellow industry people brought together by a will, and a mind, to do something about the lack of outlets for INDEPENDENT comic artists and writers. We are indie.”

Creator’s Edge unveiled its work at the Emerald City Comic Con this last weekend. Even super-nerd extraordinaire, Wil Wheaton, stopped by to pick up some books. The scope of the company seems to be a focus on one-shots and graphic novels. The company’s creators seem to have a flair for post apocalyptic world scenarios, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see any tight-clad super heroes in the future. Creator Steve Lindsay, of Jesus Hates Zombies Fame is on board with a title, and we may see some more, ‘better known’ creators in the near future.

Fresh03 and I will post reviews of the company’s titles in this thread. If you’re interested in checking them out or if you have a store that wants to support independent comics you will soon be able to purchase issues and signed art from the web-store on the site, or contact Chuck Messinger @ (253) 770-6464

Yep, I've read all of the books that were released this weekend, most of them were very enjoyable titles.

Pretty much every book released was either a post apocolypic book or a zombie book, one was different and I'll get into when I write a review of it, which is fairly typical of non hero indy books anyway, but the stories were fun takes on the ideas.

Review #1:

Breakfast with Rob #1 (One Shot)

Written by: Chuck Messinger
Art by: Thiago F. Castro

So, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into my first Creators Edge book, so as usual I kept an open mind and was delighted at the result.

The book starts out as the story of two friends meeting up for breakfast and quickly takes a turn for the worse as it appears that the Zombie Apocalypse has begun.

This isn’t a run and gun, shoot’em up style zombie book though. This book asks and answers allot of questions that would likely be far more realistic to a situation where you found yourself surrounded by zombies, your acquaintances and friends turning or going down to the horde.

If you've met Chuck Messinger, the writer/Marketing Director of Creators Edge Press/LCS owner of Comic Evolution in Puyallup Washington, it's hard to picture anyone but him as the main character of the book as you read through. The voice is pretty unmistakable, which in Chuck's case is a very good thing.

The story is presented both through the art and a running internal monologue of the main character which is presented as both intelligent and humorous, even as events go from bad to worse as the character pauses to assess the situation. For example as a zombie in the book rises the main character describes it thusly:

“He had a look that I can only describe as an elderly man having sex for the first time in forty years.”

Even in such a grim situation there little quips like that in there that you’ll find yourself chuckling at even if you know that you shouldn’t.

As I said before, this book makes you wonder exactly what you would do if such a thing as zombies were possible. Could you kill friends and acquaintances? Would you be subject to horror clichés or would you think more realistically? And overall, what would the human reaction be to a horde of flesh eating monstrosities? The book takes a very realistic approach to answering these questions which I found refreshing. Not everything has to be Zombieland or 28 Anythings Later to be a good zombie story.

The ending again made me chuckle as I realized I had been taken for a loop, and the closing dialogue capped off the issue perfectly.

The art by Thiago F. Castro wasn’t particularly what I care for, but it got the job done. You could tell exactly what was going on in each panel, he delivered good/amusing facial expressions, and the man can draw the heck out of a Dodge Nitro. The use of color was sparse in the book, but it fit where it was used and accentuated the story. My one real specific complaint about the art was the depiction of the main character’s beard. It was drawn in having a very stringy appearance. A full on shaded in beard or goatee would, in my opinion, have been a better choice for the look of the book, but that’s a minor quibble. Over all I call the art in the book serviceable, it’s not Ivan Reis by any means, but it gets the message across it was meant to clearly, and in my opinion if a story is good it doesn’t matter much to me as long as I can tell what’s going on.

As my final analysis, I’d call "Breakfast with Rob" a 4/5. The art did distract me a touch, darned beard, but the story itself was good enough that it really delivered a very fun and enjoyable read. It was a well thought out, intelligent, and original take on a scenario that’s been done more than a few times and I walked away from it with a bit of sadistic smile on my face from enjoying what Breakfast with Rob served up.

X Dementia #1
Writer: Josh “Bile” Cantrell
Artist: Thiago F. Castro
Publisher: Creators Edge Press

X Dementia is one of the premier titles from Creators Edge Press that was introduced to the public at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle this year. It incorporates the same gritty feel and story that are beyond the superhero spandex genre. The writing in the book is solid. I liken it to something that Edgar A. Poe would have written, if he knew the population of the planet could be vaporized with a nuke.

The story is told primarily in art, which Castro translates nicely in this mostly penciled story, giving a doom and gloom feel. There is really only one character in the story Seth. We follow his internal monologue through most of the story, as he searches for the mysterious sound he believes is responsible for his rations disappearing.

Held up in a grocery store after the world became a blasted landscape after nuclear war, Seth thought it would be a good place because of the lack of entrances and the abundance of non-perishables. Alone in the world, assuming his family dead he just tries to get by. His only company a small doll that he speaks with.

Proving that he has gone insane the doll of course speaks back. After the noise is heard again the doll taunts Seth to find the source. He finds it. The source of all his problems is giant, it is gross, and it is mutated. But the end of the comic is what will twist your brain just a little more and make you reminisce of reading the Tell Tale Heart in Jr. High.

The art may not be for everybody, but it gets the point across. The story definitely gets you to keep turning the pages. It has twists and turns, and definitely leaves you satisfied with your read.

4 out of 5 Nuclear Missiles.

Nightmares of the Macabre #1: Foundation 23-Part 1
Writer: Josh “Bile” Cantrell
Artist: Thiago F. Castro
Publisher: Creators Edge Press

I don’t know if this is the first book produced by this team or Creators Edge Press, but I assume it is because of the art. This is only based on a comparison of all the work I’ve seen from Castro, which greatly improves as he seems to find his grove. This is a horror/suspense book so the grittiness is expected and the art does contribute to the horrific story. My only gripe is that it looks like the inking was done with a sharpie. It just seems heavy handed over what I think is water colors. The heavy handedness just looks sloppy in some panels and makes it hard to distinguish the characters. This is the only book I’ve read that I see that from Castro, and the reader will notice immediately in Foundation 23 part 2.

The writing is solid however. The setting is in the northwest where the water table has been poisoned by some irresponsible military waste dumping. The end of the world Zombie scenario continues from there. We are introduced to enough characters but we don’t have much time to care about them, but it is only part one of course.

The senseless violence begins almost immediately as the zombies here are similar to the 28 Days Later zombies. They are fast, they are hungry, and the art and story does help convey a sense of urgency in the story. We find the main character, Jack, at home watching things unravel on TV and step outside to find he is in the middle of the apocalypse. He is picked up by a news team and they decide to make there way to the nearest military base for safety.

For a possible first book by the artist/writer team, it is a pretty solid read. They seem to understand each other and tell the story well. I stated my gripes, but promise Castro’s art improves in later issues. If you wanted something pretty, you wouldn’t be reading an independent horror comic.

3 out of 5 Zombie Speed Bumps

Nightmares of the Macabre #2: Foundation 23-Part 2
Writer: Josh “Bile” Cantrell
Artist: Thiago F. Castro
Publisher: Creators Edge Press

This is the end of a two part story, and Cantrell wraps it up with a twist at the end. We see some connections revealed between the soldier who did the dumping and our zombie hacking security guard Jack. The art is a definite step up from the heavy handed first issue. Castro brings a gritty feel to each and every death and dismemberment.

There isn’t much story to track other than: the world is ending in zombie Armageddon as prophesized by the nerds of the world for 3 decades. It is definitely the twist at the end that is a reward for sticking with the story. There are moments of slight predictability for a pessimist, but overall it was fun. There are slayings in the book that would make Woody Harelson proud.

The scenario has been seen many times in comics, novels, and cinema. Cantrell and Castro just have their own way to tell it. The story works, it wraps up nicely and the art makes it much easier to follow than part one. I would like to say so much more about this, but keeping this spoiler free so readers go pick up the book for themselves. You won’t regret it.

3.5 out of 5 Mind Screws.

Nightmares of the Macabre #3: Judge Jury Executioner
Writer: Josh “Bile” Cantrell
Artist: Thiago F. Castro
Publisher: Creators Edge Press

For starters this issue of Nightmares of the Macabre is 80 pages of awesome. Instead of breaking up the story into parts you get all the gory details in one graphic novel/trade paperback book. Creators Edge Press and their publishers put out a high quality product that equals and surpasses many of the industry giants. The binding is nice, the cover is awesome to look at, and the page quality is top notch. It is worth every penny of the $16.99 price tag.

When I mentioned in previous reviews that Castro gets better with each issue, Judge Jury Executioner is where it looks like he starts to hit is stride. The gore in this book is unbelievable, the art compliments the story greatly, as some scenes even make you cringe. There are pages of vivid details that include no words, but the images tell all.

The writing from Cantrell is phenomenal as Cantrell takes a step back from his apocalypse niche and tackles something much more. This book is one part Hostel, one part Dexter, one part Saw, and the rest is just sick and twisted.

The story opens with a court case for a scumbag that goes free because the jury was bought off, threatened, and all together fixed. That doesn’t mean there is no justice for the convicted. We are taken to a warehouse with a twisted individual wearing a mask and butcher coveralls. He has picked the scum of the earth and decided to take the role of the story’s title, Judge Jury Executioner.

The things that he does to these people go beyond the gore of the pay to play cast of Hostel. He tries his best to methodically torture and punish these criminals in ways befitting their crime. Making works of art out of some of them, and completely dismembers other and Castro captures every detail.

Cantrell did at least give us a treat in the last panel as our butcher of bad guys is revealed. All in all this is top notch work from this artist/writer team.

4.5 out of 5 Heads in a Duffle Bag

Nightmares of the Macabre #4: Improbable Apocalypse You Never Saw Coming (I.A.Y.N.S.C.)
Writer: Ashley Mearns
Artist: Thiago F. Castro
Publisher: Creators Edge Press


This is the first writing sampling readers will see from the mind of Ashley Mearns. Mearns teams up with Thiago Castro to bring us this hilarious but horrifying twist on the end game of our species. Mearns weaves a great story that has good pacing and keeps the reader involved, and tests your knowledge of Egyptian Mythology.

The art isn’t as epic as we have seen from Castro and compliments the story well. Sometimes you can’t tell much difference between the characters faces, and the lead character isn’t very feminine for a chick. That could have been the point though for this soggy tale, I don’t know much on how persistent rainfall and flooding. There could have been a little more effort into the drawing of the boobage. I couldn’t tell the lead character was female until half-way into the book. The landscape and background of a flood ravaged Pacific Northwest was done very well, as were the panels that featured the mystery protagonist of this tale. The art is enough to get the point across and has his same gritty feel to it. Don’t worry there is plenty of gore.

I don’t want to spoil anything in this review. I can tell you that the end game this time comes to us in perpetual downfall of rain and flooding. The characters are hungry, wet, and dying away as they march for their lives up to higher ground. If the flooding and the in-fighting of this group aren’t bad enough, horribly mutilated bodies start to turn up as their number continues to dwindle.

Bodies are found face down in the muck and with their backs torn open and organs missing. There are interesting theories that pop up, including cannibalism, and one that hits things right on the nose. Of course it is the crazy one that nobody would have bought into in the first place. Things twist and turn, they make it to dry upper ground as the rain stops. They find their protagonist and their possible saviors in this water logged world.

The story is put together nicely and it was a great read. One side effect is that you may want to go stand in the sunshine after words.

4 out of 5 Big Fat Rain Drops.

The Devil’s Trail
Writer: Stephen Lindsay
Artist: Jim McMunn
Creators Edge Press

I have to give props to Stephen Lindsay on this book. After reading his works like Jesus Hates Zombies, Abe Lincoln Hates Werewolves, and Massive Awesome; I didn’t think that he would even write something like this. I think that when an artist/writer can put out quality products that are as diverse as his that it leads to fan loyalty and you get to the point where your name on a title will sell the book. He is right up there now for me along with Jonathan Hickman, Robert Kirkman, Warren Ellis, Jason Aaron, and Peter David. Those are some pretty big names to be compared to, but believe me his stuff is that good.

The art in this issue suits the title very well. McMunn does an excellent job of making the setting in this book fit the tone. You can definitely feel the tone of the old west and the solemn state this world is in.

For a premier issue there is actually a lot of action. I don’t quite know how to summarize this book for people or what to compare it too, but the closest I’ve come up with is HELLBLAZER in the old west. It makes for an interesting tale none the less as we follow a former priest turned gunslinger exorcist on his journey to stop a man named Jericho. Jericho is adark character that could be the devil himself as his touch brings demons forth possessing his victims leaving murder and mayhem in his wake.

I applaud Lindsay for his attention to detail and the work he did in getting proper Latin scriptures involved in the story. It was definitely an immersive experience and I’m already excited to see what happens next along the Devil’s Trail.

4.5 out of 5 “Your mother doesn’t live here anymore(s)”

Creators Edge Press PREVIEW and Insight

Knowing the creators and sinister minds behind the titles released at Creators Edge Press has allowed me to obtain some preview material for a couple of books that are coming out this fall. As always you can go to their homepage www.creatorsedgepress.com to order books for yourself or your shop. (If you don’t own a shop be sure to inform your LCS of the insanity that their readers are missing out on.)

STINK #1
Writer: Chuck Messinger
Pencils: Kurt Belcher
Inks: Mike Lail

This book has me the most excited for release this fall, all because of how it came together. Basically one day on the Creators Edge Press Facebook page, Chuck asked everybody what his next book should be about. (Here is the link to the page www.facebook.com/pages/Creators-Edge-Press , the discussion happened in the February timeframe.) Do you have to know this to enjoy the book? No. The writing is hilarious, the story is mind twisting, and the art is everything you could expect from a fantasy world gone wrong. However, not having that prior knowledge may cause suspicions that the creative team may have had some inspiration from Timothy Leary. Yes. It is that wacked out.

Bringing together an eclectic cast of characters including a chain-smoking unicorn with a magic fanny-pack, an unemployed fairy-god-parent (his last ward was a famous NW alternative rocker), and a Frog that thinks he is a prince. These are just three guys traveling North on the I-5 in search for some “action.” Along the way the reader is introduced to some other interesting characters. My favorite is a mutant that was dealt an awful deck of cards with a power set that includes regeneration. Too bad the other powers are to be made of hamburger meat and have mustard for blood.

All of this happens as a result of the big STINK! I don’t want to give that away though, but this is the best unicorn adventure since Charlie went to . I do have to warn people that this is a mature material and could offend those sensitive to graphic language, violence, explicit content, and members of PETA. I’m sure just about everybody else will love it.

Just another Victim
Writer: Chuck Messinger
Art: Thiago Castro

This story is a follow-up to Messinger’s first graphic novel, Breakfast with Rob. You won’t have to have read BwR in order to enjoy this story, but if you are a fan of well written story driven content you should pick up both books. Those familiar with BwR may try to read a little too much into the book and look for some continuity. The one thing you should concern yourself is the little details. I don’t know what it is like to be a single mother that attends AA type meeting. I know Chuck hasn’t had that life experience either. I will be interviewing him for a future blog later and be sure to ask him where his inspiration came from for the lead in this book, because I think he nailed it. Just like Breakfast with Rob, Just Another victim seems to be much more about the human condition and perspective than it does being trapped in a horrible zombie apocalypse.

Thiago Castro continues to improve with his art and it has consistent coloring with the previous story. I think readers and fans of the genre will definitely love this book and beg for more, be sure to check it out.

Jeff #1
Created, Written, and Illustrated by Travis Bundy

I want to assure everybody from the beginning that the idea for this book came well before anybody knew what Brutal Legend ever was. Sometimes it just takes indie creators a bit of time to get things together. After reading just a couple pages of this the reader will see off the bat that this is anything but a rip-off. There are similarities but they stop at the fact that both characters are transported from one world to a world of fantasy and use an axe.

The writing will keep you laughing but engage you enough to keep you reading and in the end you will want some more. If you like the Brutal Legend game, you’ll like this. If you have no idea what I’m talking about and you ever played a game of D&D or some WoW then you will like this. If you still don’t know what I’m talking about…buy it anyway there is no reason you wont like it. I have to admit as a character I like Jeff. I feel like I know him. I think everybody does. Bundy does a great job just making this fantasy incredibly relatable.

There you go, a preview for some very different books that push the limits of both fantasy and reality.

Thanks to Chuck Messinger and Creators Edge Press for the preview, I am definitely excited for these guys and the quality writing that they have been turning out. If you can’t wait for your hard copy of these books you can check out the digital versions for your Ipad and other gadgets at http://apps.creatorsedgepress.com/2010/06/23/stink-1-available-now/