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803 is a fantastic new comic written, drawn, and produced by a group of guys in and around my home town of Columbia, South Carolina. But, 'm not lauding this one for that reason. This is a well written, well drawn collection of stories from a group of talented people who deserve to be promoted. That's Columbia for ya: a hot bed of hidden talents. I really do recommend you check this one out. At the moment you can find copies at the Secret HQ eBay store. When you buy a copy, be sure to tell them you heard about the comic through Evil Genius Comics ... *wink* ... just 'cause self-promotion is eeevil! Check out Evil Genius Comics's own review of 803 below, as well as articles at Digital Webbing, and Free Times, as well as Westfield Comics's offering. Here's an alphabetical list of the people I know to be involved in this wonderful comic, comments about what they did and anything else I can say about them, where applicable, and links to other stuff on the internet where possible. I'll keep adding info as I get it. Keith Barnett- Keith provided the inks for the tale "Hand Me Downs". There's a little bit about him at the Dragon-Con website Roc Bottom- Roc penciled a pin-up based on Charlie Brown's "American Empire" Chad Bowers- Chad wrote the "Doctor Impossible" story. He's a great guy who works at the shop where I buy my comic books. He mentioned that he's working on putting his character, Doctor Impossible, up as a web comic. I'll keep you informed. Learn about him at Heroes and Dragons. Charlie Brown- Charlie wrote "American Empire" and is one of the senior editors. I spoke with him at the signing at Heroes and Dragons and he's a great guy. I hope to read more of his stuff soon. Clayton Brown- Clayton provided the inks for on "Graffiti". Learn more about Clayton at Tsunami Studios. Loki Dolza- Loki inked both "American Empire" and "Doctor Impossible", as well as Bottom's Dr. Impossible pin-up. I spent some time talking with Loki and he's an extremely creative guy who deserves more work. Check out some of his work at Dreadneck Studios and learn about this eclectic fellow on the Dreadneck Bios page. Dre- Dre provided the pencils and assisted with inks on "American Empire". Dre also penciled and inked and 803 Tag pin-up, as well as inking Lopez's Dr. Impossible pin-up. Dre's one of those guys that you just enjoy meeting, and his art is beautiful. Hopefully we'll see more of his work soon. Sanford Greene- You may have heard of Sanford from his work on Planet of the Apes, Adventures of Superman, Star Wars Tales, and Galactic. He provided the pencils and colors for the cover. Check out an interview with him from Digital Webbing. Anthony Hightower- Anthony Hightower is a highly talented artist who assisted with the inks on "Doctor Impossible" and who provided the spectacular inks and paints on "Graffiti". Check out his biography on Dragon-Con. Sammy Lopez- Sammy drew a cool Dr. Impossible pin-up. Chris Nye- Chris provided the pencils on "Doctor Impossible". Chris also writes and draws his own comic book, Brother Destiny, published by Mecca Comics. Steven Prouse- Steven wrote both "Graffiti" and "Hand Me Downs". Steven is also the other senior editor. Eric and Greg Woodard- Eric and Greg collaborated on the "Hand Me Downs" story written by Steven Prouse, and Eric provided the pencils on "Hand Me Downs". Eric also publishes "A Stranger's Tale", another anthology comic book.
Written By: Charlie Brown, Chad Bowers, Steven Prouse, and Eric & Greg Woodard Art By: Dre, Chris Nye, Anthony Hightower, Eric Woodard, Loki Dolza, Clayton Brown, and Keith Barnett Published By: 803 Comics This Issue: American Empire, Doctor Impossible, Hand Me Downs, and Graffiti
PLOT: In American Empire, Jewel attempts to enlighten the public about "those who rule from the shadows". Doctor Impossible attempts to save two fellow passengers in a plane crash. In Hand Me Downs, a superhero defends the Earth from an alien armada, and in Graffiti a homeless man brings beauty into the world. Four very interesting stories with a social conscience. Rating:
Originality: The 803 crew's originality lies in their storytelling. American Empire asks us to open our eyes, but slips the message in with fast paced action and just a glance at the society portrayed in the story. Doctor Impossible reminds us about the dangers of assumptions, not just in the protagonist's error, but in the tale itself, easily mistaken for a mere action tale, but really much more. Hand Me Downs looks at the stress of trying to do right, but not meeting your own ideal. Graffiti reminds us how easy it is to not see what's right in front of us. These guys do NOT make the mistake of overstating their messages with a heavy hand. It's subtly and enjoyably done. Rating:
Characters: The characters in 803 are wonderfully colorful. Jewel's determination to to enlighten the public is palpable, and her accomplice, Redeye, is portrayed as the thrill loving tech support working behind the scenes, and amazingly detailed despite only shown in 2 panels. Jewel's antagonist, Raze, is a wonderfully sadistic cog in the machine. Doctor Impossible is a fantastic action character reminiscent of Doc Savage, and Hand Me Down's protagonist, never given a name, could easily hold her own in a full comic book. Rating:
Continuity: Not Applicable ... yet! Rating:
Art: The artists of 803 are refreshingly good. Dre's edgy pencils render American Empire's action masterfully, giving the eye plenty to look at. Nye's artwork on Doctor Impossible perfectly fits the pulp feel of the character. Woodard's pencils on Hand Me Downs do a great job at conveying the protagonist's emotions. Hightower's art in Graffiti is simply beautiful. You should see the contrast provided by his pencils and paints on this tale. Rating:
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All reviews are © copyright 2004 W. Clark Liles and may NOT be removed from this site or reproduced without permission
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This site was last updated 09/28/04
