POW! Don’t you hate it when adventure sneaks up and hits you in the face like that? Paul Southworth, for those not in the know, is the artist behind the classic webcomic Ugly Hill. Sadly, he chose to end the strip this year, but the archives are fully functional, and worth a look. What’s going to be really interesting is meeting Paul this weekend at the first-ever Webcomics Weekend. Jamie sent Paul some artwork of “him” so he knows that he’s playing a part in our story, so it will be cool to see his reaction.
So yeah, as mentioned, Good Buddy Lar and I are hitting the open road this afternoon, destination: Webcomics Weekend. Much Red Bull will be consumed and gas expelled on our 8 hour trip to the great state of MA. I am not sure what exactly to expect from this weekend, but at the very least it’ll be cool to hang out with some good friends (and also, Sohmer) and meet some of the Webcomic folks that I have been reading a following for a while. David Willis of Shortpacked comes to mind, especially after this strip. Do you think he listens to The Watchtower…?
Before I strap myself into Gimli and take off though (yes, Lar’s car is named Gimli), I did not forget about the list of Graphic Novels that one should check out after seeing Watchmen that aren’t part of the DC catalogue. Behold:
Strangers In Paradise – Probably the most sensitive and beautiful book I’ve ever read. The story of the relationship between two women and how their lives inevitably lead back to each other. Before you worry I’ve gone all soft though, it also features plenty of murder, ninjas and Yakuza fun.
Bone – The Lord of The Rings for graphic novel fans. This book is an amazing fantasy tale, and is available in coloured editions, but I would recommend the “one volume” black and white book for the true Bone experience.
Scott Pilgrim – Scott Pilgrim is awesome. Seriously.
Astonishing X-Men – Joss Whedon gave us Buffy, Firefly, Serenity, and gave us back the X-Men. Easily the best X-Stories since Morrison and Quitely’s run on New X-Men. Gorgeous art, and the best writing of Whedon’s career, in my opinion.
Maus – This book will change your life. Just trust me. It’s hard to explain Maus, but it is simple a brilliant tale of how delicate life is in the face of the darkest times in human history.
Ultimates 1 & 2 – Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch bring their take on The Avengers to the Ultimate universe in this book that can only be described as a block-buster. Explosions, conspiracies, and yes, Freddie Prinze Jr. This book has it all.
So there ya go. We got into this a little deeper on this week’s episode of The Watchtower, including Dizzle’s favourite Graphic Novels. I’m gonna take a few of these to read in the car, and we can compare notes when I get back.
