Radiant Comics

I’m back from the comic shop this week and I got eight new comics:

Point of Impact – 1

The Phantom Stranger – 1

The Massive – 5

Creator-Owned Heroes – 5

The Walking Dead Michonne Special – 1

Archer and Armstrong – 3

Bloodshot – 4

Hoax Hunters – 4

And now for a review of something I’ve read recently.

”Mudman” Issues 1-5 by Paul Grist

This is the new series by Paul Grist that’s published by Image Comics. I’ve been a Paul Grist fan for years and bought his series “Jack Staff” regularly when it came out. It was a no-brainer for me to pick up “Mudman” since it was basically replacing “Jack Staff”.

“Mudman” is the story of a teenager who mysteriously gets mud based super-powers. It’s issue five and those powers aren’t quite explained yet but that’s okay with me. The lead character, Mudman, hasn’t quite done anything yet but interact with his regular friends, foil a small crime or two, and try to figure out what the heck is going on. I’d call it an origin story except it’s not actually that. It’s more like a first story. It hasn’t mattered how and why he’s Mudman. It just matters that he is. It’s a small and personal story so far and I like it. It’s fun.

Grist’s storytelling style is a little hard to describe. It’s sort of a start and stop style. He’s written before that a lot of his cartooning is based on his love of some British comic strip that I can’t remember the name of and I can see that. Sometimes he uses a two page spread as if it were a Sunday comic strip. He switches between scenes from two page spread to two page spread as if he was making a comic stip. It’s unusual but very well done and flows nicely. There is rarely any confusion in the story even with all the start and stop.

This is one of those comics that I hope catches on. I think Paul Grist is one of those talented cartoonists who should have a wider audience. He can draw well, tell a story, and is obviously having fun with the whole thing. I’m here for the duration.