Captain Canuck (classic edition) in Gold City

Sweet find right here, for which I take absolutely no credit.

The comic strips below were posted on the Facebook page for David E. McClain's Graphyc Rythmic Productions.  You should be able to view the full-sized versions of the images after downloading them, or by opening them in another tab or window.

Here's what Mr. McClain had to say about hem:

A 6-part Captain Canuck comic strip that ran in a few Canadian papers back in 1980 in conjunction with a local retail promotion. Classic Comely & Freeman fo' sure!

There a few (too few, in fact) newspaper strips included in IDW's Captain Canuck: The Complete Edition, but they are from 1995.  The above are not included in that book.  I don't recall coming across these in the past, so much gratitude to Mr McClain for displaying them.

Red Squirrel: Centurion Cometh

I have to begin by giving thanks and praise to Red Squirrel creator (as well as writer, artist, and pretty well everything else) Gordon Shipperbottom for getting this issue out to me. He went above and beyond in a couple of different ways and it is sincerely appreciated.

Now as to the book itself...

One thing that jumps out at me:  Aside from a reminder on the first page that Red Squirrel is in something called The Astral Chamber exploring the memories of those around him, the reader is not spoon fed anything. There aren't a bunch of caption boxes all over the pages to explain every single aspect of the book. You basically are arriving in the middle of every scene and you need to work a bit to catch up. There's a story being told and you're a spectator.

I recall feeling that the first issue ended rather suddenly. Well, this one starts much the same way. Where are we at? A press conference is being reluctantly held by a frazzled gentleman named Paniodic. Paniodic runs the Hydro Glass Dome City Complex, a project which has come under question by outsiders big (government) and small (activists) due to questionable happenings around it. People go inside and seemingly refuse to come out.

At one point, this seemed entirely irrelevant to what I'd read in the first issue, but its connection is revealed further in. Again, you're not told the entire plan, you just know that someone has one that will be revealed in due time.

I should point out one specific improvement from issue #1; that issue had a few spelling errors, most of which were of the you're/your variety. I understand that it happens, but it's distracting. There were no such errors in this issue, or at least none that I noticed. It makes the product feel a touch more professional.

The next issue is not set for release until 2015 only and is sub-titled "The Death of Commando Red". I...have no idea what that means or who that is. Issue #3 will focus on that, while revealing a little more of the big picture, no doubt.

Here's some sample art from the current issue. Clicking on it will take you to the PoorMan Comics website.

The Athenian (and Target Destroyed Comics) Arrives!

I first found out about Nick O'Gorman's The Athenian in May from his deviantart page.  The stated plan at the time was to release it as a webcomic in September and, wouldn't you know it, here it is!

The old gods are returning and a new hero rises! The premier issue of The Athenian introduces the new hero of our age. When the goddess Athena selects a museum curator in contemporary Ottawa as her new champion for justice, the haphazard forces of evil and chaos are in for a fight! But The Athenian will soon realize that ancient forces won't be resigned to simply rest on their laurels. 

Written, illustrated and created by Nicholas O'Gorman 

Dialogue written with Aaron Coons.

The above solicitation is copied from the Target Destroyed Comics website where a digital version of the first issue is available for download. Plans are underway for a print version at some point as well but in the meantime check in with Target Destroyed every Tuesday and Thursday to follow The Athenian's adventures.

Incidentally, if Nick's name seems familiar, it may be from his heavy involvement with the The Misfits book from Higher Universe. Of the four issues of that title available to this point, O'Gorman handled art duties for issues 2-4, and letters and covers for all four.  All four books are available electronically from Higher Universe's website and the first three were added to comixology earlier this year.