Table of Contents

RKYV # 20 {December 2009}

RKYV ONLINE LOGO - David Marshall {current}
- Roy G. James {original}
- R.J. Pare {original online adaptation}
Virtual Cover # 20 Featured Artist Review – Marc Olivent
- Art by Marc Olivent - By R.J. Pare’
- Layouts by David Marshall
Short Fiction
Interior Art - “The Magic Mushrooms”
- by Carlos Weiser, Josh Bowe, Lee Ann Marie
Macdonald, Dragan Petrovic Debesh, Jonathan
- By Jim Gibson
Biermann, Marc Olivent, Laurie Muldoon-Haughie,
Lisa Marie Mueller, Stan Nelson, Nadide Poetry
Gurcuoglu , Victor Castro, Roger Price, Roger - By Anna Gehmacher, Stephen Campbell,
Formidable, Ryan Kelly, Cindy Renfrow CS Cartier

Editorial Column - “At the Outset:” Non-Fiction

- A Few Thoughts from the Editor - “Futurism in the Funnies”
- By RJ Pare’ - By Roy G. James

Health Pop Culture

- Tom’s Therapeutic Tidings - “Comic Book Review”
- By Tom Rossini - By Brad Bellmore
- “Raised On Saturday morning Cartoons”
Travel - By Pauline Pare
- Winter Travel
- By Tom Rossini

Untitled – By Jon Biermann

 At The Outset
A few thoughts from the Editor
– by R.J. Pare’

The New Year’s hangover… that’s

what they call it. January is a tired month
that starts off with a big celebration and
then dwindles into frozen cars [that won’t
start] and snow, snow and more snow.

Well, not at RKYV ONLINE.

We’ve got a lot of comic book goodness to dive into this month. In addition to our
regular “Comic Book Review” by Brad Bellmore, we have Marc Olivent [an indie
creator] as our “Featured Artist of the Month!”

Tom Rossini provides Health advice

again this month with his column “Tom’s
Therapeutic Tidings”; while Christina Marchetti
begins her new Recipe feature – the “Drunken
Dragon Tavern” [Murdoch is a bona fide
medieval re-enactment aficionado – she can just
as easily serve you a tankard of ale as pick up a
sword and swing it!].

Jim Gibson graces our pages with

another piece of short fiction, entitled “Magic
Mushrooms” and we are happy to announce the
return of C.S. Cartier to these pages with an
entry [based on his personal experience] in our
Poetry section.

I would like to invite you all to read on

and enjoy the words and images of the fine and
talented folks who have contributed this month
and if you haven’t contributed in the past –
what’s stopping ya? Untitled – By Josh Bowe

RKYV will gladly accept your art and writing submissions each and every month.
Don’t hesitate to share your creations with our community. Let yer hair down and set yer
creativity free!
Untitled – By Laurie Muldoon-Haughie
 Health
Tom’s Therapeutic Tidings
– By Tom Rossini
Frostbite – No Joking Matter

Every winter 1000’s of people around

the world suffer from frostbite: which is
the result of skin being exposed to below
freezing temperatures for various periods of
time. The length of time depends on the body
part as well as how cold the air is and if the
skin is wet or not.

Frostbite is a condition where the skin actually freezes and in some cases can extend
beyond the layers of skin and usually follows a condition called Frostnip. Children and the
Elderly are most susceptible to Frostbite due to the fact they lose heat more quickly then adults.

Frostnip – usually affects the areas of the body that are exposed to the frigid air.
Frostnip occurs when these area are red, and either numb or tingly.

Treatment – warm the person gradually by bringing them indoors, removing wet
clothing, soaking the body parts in warm water – not hot, and do not rub the areas as this could
lead to further damage.

Frostbite – is an emergent condition that requires immediate medical treatment – Signs

of frostbite include a white waxy skin that feels hard and is numb.

Treatment – warm them immediately, remove wet clothing, if the areas affect are on the
feet carry them do not let them walk, if you’re unable to get them to see medical treatment
immediately then warm the parts affected by soaking them in warm water approx 100 degrees
Fahrenheit. If water is not available then warm the skin using blankets and offer warm fluids –
not hot. Do not use direct heating like a fire place or a heating pad, do not rub the area. As the
skin is thawed a painful burning sensation will occur as well as skin blistering and discoloration.
Apply a sterile dressing to the site trying not to disturb any blisters. Keep the area from
refreezing.
Untitled – By Dragan Petrovic Debesh
 Winter Travel
Skiing – By Tom Rossini

I remember a day back in 1987, when I attended the now closed Grenville Christian
College for grades 11-13/OAC, leaving for a lovely trip to Big Tupper in New York for some
lovely downhill skiing on a Greyhound Coach. It was a weekly school trip and it was an event
many looked forward to. One of my roommates – Jeff, decided to go on this trip and talked me
into going. Now being from Windsor, my only experience with skiing was at Mt Holly and Mt
Brighton which are more like “Baby Bunny Hills” when compared to Big Tupper. I had told him
that I had done a little bit of skiing and thought it would be a fun time. After the 2 plus hour ride
to the resort, I went to the ski rental place where he helped me pick out some ski’s – I believe
they were a generic set but I remember they were 205’ cm… From what I understood at the time
the longer they are the faster you go, (I only wish I knew this before I “hit” the slopes).

As I prepared myself for a day of fun and jocularity, I did not realize that soon I would be
the butt of everyone’s jokes. We started out towards the tow ropes – my friend Jeff thought a
nice beginner hill would be a good start. I remember reaching out for the tow rope as everyone
looked on and grasped it only to realize I should have had my $120 Gore-Tex gloves on. So as I
slowly ascend the “hill” which in my mind looked more like Mt Brighton / Holly, I quickly try to
cool that burning sensation on my hands. Upon arriving at the top of the hill which I believe took
a good 2 min to achieve, I competently advanced myself to the start of the hill. I decided to brave
the task that lied in front of me and started my downward spiral to doom. I snow-plowed the
entire length of the hill nearly being knocked on my arse by a bunch of 5 year old professionals.
For the next hour or two I repeated this performance with more confidence only falling once. By
lunch I was on the intermediate slopes, not bad for a beginner.

After lunch which consisted of a sandwich, coffee, desert and a warm up by the fireplace
it was time to head back to the slopes. My friend Jeff who is reassuring me and boosting my
confidence said lets head on over to some other ski lifts and try a few other slopes. Like a fool I
agreed. As we arrived to the top of the hill I looked down and said … “this doesn’t look to bad”,
only to hear Jeff say “We have to go up another lift”. I looked to my left and saw another lift.
Slowly, I slid over to the line for a “trip” down memory lane. We got to the top only to be in
clouds, I could barely see 100 in front of me and realized that we were one of the last ones up the
hill as they closed the lift due to visibility factors. The conditions were getting worse by the
minute and so I began… a push from my poles and I started. I was doing great making long wide
turns only to realize that the path split into 2, one to the left and one to the right. I decided to
choose the one less travelled by only to hear my friend Jeff yell “NO… NOT THAT WAY.” By
now I was about 100 feet down when I snowplowed to a stop.

Jeff soon caught up with me, with a grin from ear to ear. He told me that I just chose the
Mogul run and it was a Black Diamond. I had no idea what all this meant but I knew that I was
screwed. I lifted up my orange goggles only to see a bunch of small bumps which in reality are
pretty good sized bumps. Jeff told me that he would go down a bit first and that I was to stop
when I got to him. He travelled down about 100 feet gliding through each mogul so precisely, so
elegantly, so smoothly and then stopped and told me to come on down. I decided to try his way
out … BIG MISTAKE… the first 2 of the moguls went just perfectly but then I lost my balance, I
lost my control and increased my speed. I just entered Chinese Downhill with the full tuck at
speeds over 75 mph or so it seemed. My face turned white and I thought I was gonna wet
myself. What seemed like 2 minutes took only 10 seconds. In front me, directly in my path, is
Jeff with a look of concern which turned to fear. I approached at what seemed like Mach speeds
and literally went over the tips of his skis. I remember the shower of sparks as I crossed over his
brand new Rossignol ski’s.

I looked up only to see a huge snow bank approaching quickly just before a line of trees.
I slammed into the snow bank, and wondered if I was still alive. I opened my eyes and only saw
darkness. I realized that I was buried in the snow bank. Hearing laugher, I knew that I was ok
and began to laugh as well. I felt a hand on the bottom of my ski jacket and someone pulling my
out. I looked like a Bugs Bunny cartoon with my ass in the air, and skis stuck in the snow bank
around me. Upon being pulled out successfully, I saw several people around me standing in awe,
one of them the headmaster of the school. All were laughing at my expense…….

The moral of the story….

Go skiing… the setting makes for a fun and an unforgettable experience.

Winter Refuge – By Lee Ann Marie Macdonald

1. R.J. Pare’: Have you always known that you wanted to be or, rather, were an artist?

Marc Olivent: Basically, yes!! I can't ever remember not drawing. And it's always been
superheroes and comics-based artwork. I do remember a brief period drawing the General
Lee from the Dukes of Hazard jumping between cliff edges, but mostly it was comic art.

2. RJP: Did you study or major in art while in school?

Marc: Yes. It was all I wanted to do at school. I remember going down the art block even
during breaks. Math, Physics, Geography.... what was all that about? I did love English
and creative writing though. I got pretty decent grades in it (which really ought to have
been better), but my focus was just totally on my art. I would shoe-horn my penchant for
drawing comics in there whenever I could; I just couldn't get excited about drawing
crushed cans. My teacher had to reclassify my exam entry to 'graphics' (as opposed to
plain old 'art') in order to get me the 'A'
because there was so much comics stuff
in there.

Title: Cover to the Seven Sentinels

Artist: Marc Olivent
Media: Steadtler pencil, pigment liners
and Photoshop

Marc: Ok- this one is from the series

The Seven Sentinels. It's an ongoing
series from Engine Comics. It was just
drawn up as a promotional poster but I
also used it for the cover to a miniature
episode that has appeared in a volume
of the UK anthology title 'Unico
Comics Collections'.

The story is set in a post-alien-invasion

Earth and concerns a group of powered
humans (and one extinct alien) who are
brought together and rise up against the
alien brutality that has beset their world
for over a hundred years.

RJP: If a piece of comic art is to be

released in B & W then it needs two
important things: pencils drawn with an eye
towards the dramatic and inks rendered
bold and striking in order to convey the illusion of depth, shadows and lighting. B & W comic art
cannot fall back on a colourist or post production effects / tweaks to sell the image and make it
“pop”. This scene appears to be an homage to the American Western – sort of “Magnificent
Seven” ready to charge into battle.
3. RJP: Who was you biggest influence or source of encouragement, as a child, in
pursuing art?

Marc: I do have fond memories of my secondary school art teacher. He was very
supportive of what I did and tried to encourage me in the direction of comics wherever he
could. It helped that he was the only art teacher I had in that period too, for consistency's
sake. But he did make me draw those crushed cans an awful lot!! I guess my parents too.
Although, bless 'em, they've never really known how to help me, they've always been
really supportive, even though my Dad really wanted me to be a sportsman (don't all
Dads?).

4. RJP: What is your favorite media to work with?

Marc: The humble pencil. That's where everything starts from. It's like everything flows
out of the end of it, it's the vessel by which your ideas and imagination are delivered and
it's totally uninhibited. It's only limited by your imagination, which really should be no
limitation at all. It's totally liberating to get that idea/image/thought in your head out of
there and onto your drawing pad and it's the pencil that makes it happen. It's also like the
foundations of everything that the image is going to become. It's pliable too. You can
make mistakes and explore and if you take a wrong turn, you just head off in another
direction. But you need to get it right, or when it comes to the inking you get found out
and the image suffers greatly- although, learning about Photoshop has become a lifesaver
somewhat.

Title: Zone Runners

promo
Artist: Marc Olivent
Media: Steadtler kit
& Photoshop

Marc: This is a very

recent piece, about
two weeks old. It
depicts the 'Zone
Runners' which is a
collaboration effort
between me and
another writer called
Chris Atkins.

We're going to pitch it around the place and see if we can generate some interest. I'm
getting really into doing those funky, abstract backgrounds.

RJP: If the style of this promotional piece [which would make a cool poster!] is any
indication… this appears to have the making of a project that would translate well to
animation and toys / action figures.
 Title: Wolfe city background variant
Artist: Marc Olivent
Media: Steadtler kit & Photoshop

Marc: Wolfe is a character from the strip

'Zone Runners'. This is the good guys'
nemesis. He is a powerful psycho-kinetic
invader from a parallel Earth. His world has
been overrun with alien vampires and he
wants a piece of our peaceful, vampire-free
world.

RJP: By variant I am assuming you mean

variant cover for an upcoming issue: always
a hit or miss marketing strategy in this
industry. When used in a fashion that gives
the readers a little something extra [as this
image does, like an alternative ending on a
DVD] then it is a successful and creative
piece of art. If however we venture into the
realm of 90’s style ridiculous foil and colour
variants… then the fans get cheated.

5. RJP: Do you use any special tools and techniques to create your art?

Marc: Honestly? Not really. I use a mechanical pencil, a Steadtler 0.3 mm with 3H lead.
I work better with a harder, narrower lead. To ink my pencils I use Steadtler pigment
liners, the ink flow is really nice (but I really only use them because I've gotten used to
them, like my beer gut, I guess). I've only ever used a brush and ink once and I thought it
was horrible. Each to their own... Then I clean everything up and colour using Photoshop
CS4 which, compared to my previous software, is a really slick and powerful program
that I'm sure makes my work look way better than it really is. You can get rid of little
mistakes or things you don't like and that 'undo' button...? Like I said; life saving. So,
short answer? Not really.

6. RJP: What inspires you to create art?

Marc: It's impossible to single out one thing, but every time I see some new Leinil
Francis Yu work it reminds me why my art form is so amazing. Not that I'm inspired by
him alone. There are tons of artists that inspire me, but it is mainly a visual thing with me
(what does that say about me??). Whenever I see some great artwork, usually comics, it
makes me want to work harder to produce something that will hopefully instill the same
sensation in someone else. Also though, I just really love the creative process of
imagining a character, building their world in your head and getting it on to paper and
making it into a format where you can tell a story about it all. All comics, animation,
even film inspires me to roll that storytelling snowball down the hill.
Title: War Jacket promo
Artist: Marc Olivent
Media: Steadtler kit & Photoshop

Marc: War Jacket. The taglines say it all

really. This was done about a year ago
though, another one of those 'one day I'll
show this to Image Comics’ type project.

RJP: The lighting and metallic surfaces are

rendered quite well. This piece, whether
intended for promotional purposes or not,
would make for a dynamic cover or poster.

7. RJP: How would you categorize your

artistic style?

Marc: Yikes. I'm not very good at this sort

of thing really. I guess I could say (and I'm
squirming already) that my stuff is dynamic,
vibrant and fun (I'm gonna read that back in
this mag and wince horribly, I know it). It's
naturally quite dark, but that's not always
right for the project, so I guess you have to decide which elements to change or forget
totally to bring it in line with the project's ideals. I like to think I'm dark and edgy
though..... but I'm the world's worst at telling others I'm any good.

8. RJP: Would you say that there is a "message" or "unifying theme" in your work?

Marc: Er... no! I do comics. But there can be in my writing. And the 'message' or
'unifying theme' can change depending on what I'm writing about. I normally find the
best writers have to have something to say in order for the story to come alive, but I'm an
artist first and I really just try to accommodate the writer's vision and get on board with
and deliver their ideas. If I'm writing though, I can get pretty eaten up with the faults of
humanity, although I'm normally a pretty positive guy.

9. RJP: Which famous artists or styles have influenced you? Why?

Marc: Leinil Francis Yu. Mike Mignola. Andy Kubert. Kevin Walker. Jock. They all
have a pretty dynamic and individual style. There are others (that I'm probably gonna
regret not mentioning later) but their stuff, to my eyes, is visually uncompromising. It's
like - 'this is how I draw, deal with it' and it's instantly recognisable (sorry, British
spelling) as their own. I don't really have the type of brain that appreciates art outside of
comics too much, although I did get excited about Magritte's work and I saw a Toulouse
Lautrec exhibition once at the Hayward which was astounding. His show posters are
merely the tip of the iceberg.
10. RJP: If you could meet any living or dead artist, who would it be?

Marc: Cripes. That's tough. Well I've met Mike Mignola from the list above so I guess
he's out and I almost met Jock once. I would maybe like to meet one of the older artists
who were doing Spider Man and Silver Surfer in the 60's to find out what it was like to be
part of that golden era back then when comics were still a relatively new and trailblazing
format. Jack Kirby would have been great to meet and just listen to. I bet he could have
told me a thing or two about Stan Lee for starters. That would have been amazing.

11. RJP: What is the one question that you would ask him/her?

Marc: Ha. I really should read ahead. I'd ask him about Stan Lee's treatment of him as an
artist.

Title: War Jacket #1 page 4

Artist: Marc Olivent
Media: Steadtler kit & Corel Paint
Shop Pro XI

Marc: a page from 'War Jacket'. This

one is about 2 years old.

RJP: Panels 2 & 3 are a nice

cinematic effect as our view is a
moving close-up around the helmed
figure’s face… His eyes [partially
visible] are shadowed and menacing.
The last two panels on the page
demonstrate a strong grasp of how to
draw action. These images are intense
and fluid; they convey the illusion of
motion on the two dimensional page.

12. RJP: What do you think of the

term "starving artist"?

Marc: I think it's insulting to people who are actually starving.

RJP: After years of asking that question in interviews… this is hands down the most
blunt, honest, straightforward and accurate response I have received. 
13. RJP: Do you feel more a sense of community with other artists or a sense of
competition?

Marc: A community definitely. I find the whole fraternity very helpful, supportive and
often insightful, but maybe I'll get jaded and bitter in a few years and think otherwise. It's
especially prevalent over here in the UK because the comics industry over here is so dire.
I think everyone wants to help everyone else because we're all in the same boat.

14. RJP: How do you market yourself?

Marc: Well at the moment I get work from bidding on jobs online and I have several
profiles on different sites like that. So I put up my best, most interesting and (relatively)
diverse work and try not to pigeonhole myself too much. I also try to be as reachable as
possible. When you have a purely online relationship with a client it has to be very
worrying that your project is in the hands of a complete stranger who only exists
somewhere in cyberspace... So I try to assure prospective clients that I'm always easily
contactable and attentive to e-mails. I'm quite a good communicator anyway and have a
pretty decent grasp of English, so I find that always helps to create a sense of
professionalism and trust. It's important to build up a relationship and a have a regular
and honest dialogue.

Title: Handknit Heroes #1, Cover

Artist: Marc Olivent, written by Stephanie
Bryant.
Media: Steadtler kit & Photoshop

Marc: Ok here's the cover to Handknit

Heroes. Could this one be on the cover? I
kinda promised to Stephanie (the writer
and payer of my fees) I'd get the comic
some decent exposure if I could do your
interview tonight and drop her ad until
tomorrow. She's totally cool with it though
so don't worry. This was done Dec. 08.

RJP: My bad, LOL. I didn’t read this far

through your interview answers prior to the
layouts on this month’s cover.  I do hope
that both you and Stephanie are pleased
with the feature exposure, though. As for
this cover it is a pretty cool ensemble shot
of the cast of what I must say is perhaps
one of the most unique “hooks” [excuse
the needlecraft pun] I’ve seen in all the
years I have followed comics: a series
aimed at the knitting community!!
 Title: Page 10, Handknit Heroes #1
Artist: Marc Olivent, written by
Stephanie Bryant
Media: Steadtler kit & Corel Paint
Shop Pro XI

Marc: This was done around June time

last year. This is page 10. One of the
main characters; Alex, has just taken a
hit. It may be for knitters, but it can get
hard-ass!!

RJP: A wonderfully paced and laid out

comic page. This is why we call it
‘sequential art’ folks. Too many
aspiring comic artists think everything
is splash pages and pin-ups. The point
is to be cinematic and ‘story-board’ –
for that is essentially what a comic
page is: a ‘story-board’ that draws the
reader into the tale in a fashion that
prose or art alone cannot do. This page
seems, to me, reminiscent of Frank
Miller’s “Sin City” or the video game /
movie franchise “Max Payne”.

15. RJP: Do you find it difficult to stay motivated / inspired?

Marc: I don't, to be honest. I love, and always have loved, comics and to get up in the
morning to know that's what I'm going to be doing today, all day, and be paid to do so,
really it is a pleasure. I've done jobs I've hated and, although I'm not currently earning as
much as I did in some of them, I love what I'm doing. So getting motivated and excited
about it just comes really naturally and easily.

16. RJP: Do you create your art full time or part time?

Marc: At the moment; full.

17. RJP: What other interests do you have, besides art?

Marc: You mean, I'm allowed to have other interests? Sorry, yeah - I like to write music
and I do write novel-style stories too. Also, and I hope I don't plummet in anyone's
estimation here, but I love getting on the PS3 and turning my eyeballs into shriveled up,
raisin-like marbles by playing ‘til the early hours. I also love films, either on DVD or
cinema. Oh, and I love beer too.
Title: Page 15, Handknit Heroes
#1
Artist: Marc Olivent, written by
Stephanie Bryant
Media: Steadtler kit &
Photoshop

Marc: This was one of the first

pages from the series I did in
Photoshop CS4 and I think you
can tell the difference! I drew it
around September time and got
it into Photoshop around
October time. This is page 15
and it shows a tender moment
between mother (Jen) and son
(Alex).

RJP: I think you captured the

Mother-Son dynamic quite well.
The scene plays out in a realistic
fashion… parent and teen
having difficulty finding the
tools to truly communicate with
each other. For fans out there of
writer / creator Josh Whedon
you will recall similar scenes
played out between Buffy and
her Mom [in the TV series
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer].

This scene carries with it that same sense of drama and the lies that we tell ourselves are
necessary.

18.What advice would you have for a young artist starting out today?

Keep at it. Work hard to make yourself a better artist. Listen to (and properly ingest)
criticism, especially if it comes from an industry specialist. Experiment and don't be
afraid to consider something new, even if it's something you never thought you'd try.
Don't be afraid to copy and incorporate (just don't publish anything copied directly, or
you're likely to end up on the naughty list). But most of all; keep at it.
19. RJP: Do you have any big plans, shows or releases coming up in 2009?

Marc: Well this year has seen the release of issue 1 of “Handknit Heroes” (which is as
odd as it sounds) and there'll also be issues 2 through 4 by the end of it. So that's pretty
much most of this year sorted for work. It's basically a comic about a group of teenage
super heroes (so far, so comics) who knit!! It's basically a comic book targeted at
knitters! I know, I know. Sounds bizarre, but if you were at that trade show in San Diego
where we launched it and saw the amazing reaction we got from the needlecraft
community (which, I discovered, is huge and flush with cash), you'd soon fall into line.
Orders for it are going through the roof so I just hope we can maintain the interest.

Title: Page 20, Handknit Heroes #1

Artist: Marc Olivent, written by Stephanie
Bryant
Media: Steadtler kit & Photoshop

Marc: Here's page 20 I did it about October

time. I sent you this one because (and do try to
keep a straight face) the main character; Ana is
wearing the bonnet/scarf that you get the
pattern for in the back of the comic so you can
actually knit it yourself!!!! I bet you've never
come across that in a comic before huh?

RJP: I must admit, the notion of getting free

knitting patterns in my comics had never
occurred to me, before this. From an artistic
point of view, you really manage to tell an
engaging story. Beyond your lines your skills
doing layouts are evident with each and every
page. I do hope this book is available in
Canada! BTW, the colours are intriguing as
well. This scene has a quite deliberately [I
think] grey tone to it except for two things:

1. The heroine’s blue tee-shirt in order to draw

the reader’s eye to her.

2. The bright knitted scarf / bonnet she wears

[which helps further this series “hook’ with its
target audience.

Marc: Here is a brief synopsis of the projects I am currently working on.

Zone Runners - they're a bunch of orphaned kids, sponsored by the British government to round
up 'slip thrus'. 'Slip-thrus' are people who have managed to cross the barrier between our world
and their own parallel Earth. This parallel Earth has been overrun by a species of parasitic,
vampiric aliens and the whole planet has gone to hell. It is the Runners' job to see they are
rounded up for repatriation. Thing is, slipping through has been going on for years and there are
those amongst them who's sole intention is to make our world suffer the same fate as theirs.
War Jacket - born in a storm and appearing out of nowhere, 17 year old Amick wears
the War Jacket and brings justice to the land of Polaria. He is the only human on an alien
world and is assumed to be the saviour spoken of in an ancient Polarian prophecy.

Handknit Heroes - twins Ana and Alex have special abilities, but when they're around
each other; they don't work. Although they don't know it, their knitting Mom and
deceased father were prolific super heroes in their day. Also and moreover, not only are
the twins super heroes, but they knit too!! And Mom has been working on a yarn, a
project her late husband started, that can take bullets and fire without a mark to show for
it!! You can subscribe to this comic at www.comicknits.com

20.How would you like your art, and by extension yourself, to be remembered?

I suppose I'd just like to have given someone a modicum of pleasure. For someone to say,
I enjoyed Captain America most when Marc Olivent was doing it. Ha! That'd be
amazing, but really, my only ambition is to one day draw for one of the big publishing
houses on a big title and put my stamp on it. Beyond that, I'd love to be remembered for
introducing a hugely successful character / series to the comics’ world. Like, you say Bob
Kane and Batman. Mike Mignola and Hellboy. Todd McFarlane... oh, you get the idea.

Title: Page 13, Handknit Heroes #1

Artist: Marc Olivent, written by
Stephanie Bryant
Media: Steadtler kit & Corel Paint
Shop Pro XI

Marc: I did this one again around June

time, page 13… [I think it’s] a good
page. I'm reasonably happy with how
it turned it out.

RJP: Is this the ‘top-secret’ & bullet

proof yarn referred to? We’ll need to
read “Handknit Heroes” to find out! I
like the way these floating panels
‘pop’ when set against the generous us
of white space.

On behalf of RKYV I would like to

thank Marc Olivent for sharing and
discussing his art and current projects
with us.

For more on Marc Olivent, feel free to

visit:

http://www.enginecomics.co.uk/engineers/molivent/molivent1.htm
Robin Williams – By Jon Biermann

Short Fiction

THE MAGIC MUSHROOMS

By Jim Gibson
 SEAN NEVER KNEW what to expect on a limousine run and didn’t worry about it. All
he did - and it was the best he could do - was stay in the moment and be conscious and aware of
his surroundings. But even if he’d tried, nothing could have prepared him for Kenny. Let’s start
from the beginning.

It was a warm late summer day and he was running errands. He’d decided to call home
after searching without success in several different stores for a certain type of cleaning product
that his wife Jenny had seen on television. His only choice, since he’d forgotten his cell was to
find a payphone, a major feat in this wireless age, especially in the east end, the more affluent
side of town.

“Where are you calling from?” asked Jenny when she realized who it was.

“A payphone,” he replied. “I forgot my cell. It’s the only way I could contact you.”

“What’s up?”

He was about to explain why he was calling when she interrupted with: “Bye the way,
before I forget, Kay just called. You’ve got a run.”

“When…” he asked?

“At two o’clock.”

“Two o’clock? To where...?”

“London.”

“London… Who...?”

“Some guy is picking up his girlfriend and bringing her back to his place. Kay was
laughing, so I don’t know much more.” Kay Fischer was the elderly but robust owner of Image
limousines.

“Kay was laughing?” he asked, curious about what he was getting himself in to.

“Yeah... I guess this guy is a bit crazy.”

“Crazy…?”

“Yeah... You’ll have to get the details from Kay. For now, just get home and I’ll have the
soup ready.”

“Yeah, okay. Got to go... I couldn’t find that cleaner. You okay?”

“I’m fine. See ya later.”

“Yeah, okay. Bye.”

 On the way home, Sean stopped in at the limo shop to check on the status of the London
run and was met at the car by Sharky, his tail wagging. “Hey Sharky, how are ya boy?” he asked
stopping to pet Kay’s constant companion; most people feared Sharky - he was protective and
would bite a stranger out of fear- but once he knew you he loved to be stroked. When Sean was
finished with Sharky, he sauntered inside to find the ever-combative Kay.

“Mr. Coldwell, how are you?” she asked, a huge smile on her broad face, her devilish
blue eyes eyeing him closely; she was sitting at the desk watching her worker, Archie wash the
black limo.

“I’m fine,” Sean replied while trying to pick up any body-language clues regarding the
London run. “So... what’s happening?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Why do I get all the weirdoes?” she responded.

Sean tried to quickly size up the situation in order to respond appropriately. But all he
could say was, “What…?”

“Wait till you see him!”

“So, the run’s still on?”

“I don’t know. He tried to pay with his credit cards but they were declined.”

“Oh yeah...?”

“Yeah, and that set him off. He says” ‘Fuck the cards! Fuck the banks! I’ll just pay cash’.
Then he leaves saying he’ll be back.”

“Back when?”

“Don’t know.”

“Then, you’ll call me if it’s really a go?”

“I guess. You’ll be home?”

“I guess. For a while...”

SEVERAL HOURS LATER while Sean was watching baseball on television- Jenny
had gone biking with her neighbour- he happened to glance at the kitchen clock just as the phone
rang.

“Kay!” he exclaimed, recognizing the caller from the call display.

“He’s back,” she replied briskly.

“With money…?” he asked.

 “Oh yeah... a money bag full... and still going to London.”

“Well, okay. And why exactly are we going to London?”

“To bring back his girlfriend to live with him... Two hours up and two hours back.”

“Fine... Then I’ll get dressed and be right over.”

Sean hung up. Then he dressed in his ‘blacks’, wrote a note to Jenny, and took his dog
Crash outside for a quick walk. A cluster of leaves had fallen from a squirrel's nest and was
skittering across the road, propelled by a brisk breeze. Crash was momentarily distracted by the
noise- he tended to chase anything that moved, particularly if it made a noise- but he finally did
his thing on the neighbor's tree before Sean took him back inside, put him in his pen and drove
over to the shop.

When he walked through the service door Kenny was standing patiently beside Kay just
inside the door, waiting for him. One couldn’t miss Kenny; it was August but he was wearing a
heavy, oversized, grey tweed suit.

“Is this my man?” Kenny asked Kay as Sean approached.

“Hey man, I’m your guy,” Sean responded enthusiastically before Kay could reply.

“Yeah, you're his man, but he's already taking advantage of me,” interjected Kay,
pointing to an electric scooter plugged into an outlet by the side door. “He’s using my electricity.”
Kay didn’t pull any punches.

“Which car...?” Sean asked Kay, anxious to get rolling as quickly as possible.

“Number nine,” she responded. “It’s filled up. If you need gas later on use Kenny’s cash:
he’s paid up for four hours at fifty an hour. The run sheet and a phone are already inside the car.”

“Well then Kenny, we’re all set. Let’s boogie,” he instructed, walking to the rear
passenger door and opening it.

When Kenny was settled in, Sean took his position in the driver’s seat, started up the car,
turned on the back power, headed out the door, and turned south on Industrial Road.

At first Kenny was quiet but midway up Industrial that abruptly changed. “I’m a singer. I
rock!” he exclaimed.

“What type of music do you like?” Sean asked, trying to be in the moment.

“Hey man. Rock...!”

“Like rock bands? Like Chicago?”

“Like Chicago,” Kenny replied in a loud, raspy, rock singer’s voice before spontaneously
starting into the lyrics of Sean’s favorite Chicago tune, ‘Look Away’, written by Diane Warren.
At the chorus, the volume of Kenny’s voice rose several decibels with the words, ‘If you see me
walking by, and the tears are in my eyes, look away, baby look away’, and lowered on the verses
as, from memory, he sang every verse.

“You’ve got a good voice, Kenny,” Sean opined.

“Yeah man! I told you, I rock!”

“So, do you know any CCR songs?” Sean was trying to sound knowledgeable but,
beyond Chicago, he was not a rock-bands fan; he didn’t buy rock albums or know many songs
(well, that wasn’t exactly true because he had owned an eight-tract album of the Moody Blues but
didn’t remember any of their songs).

“Oh yeah... let me think.” Moments later, Kenny began singing ‘Proud Mary’ (every
verse of it).

When he finished Sean asked: “Any more CCR tunes I might know?”

Instantly, Kenny swung into ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’.

When he finished- every verse- Sean asked, “CCR sang that?”

“Yep...! Man I’m rocking now!”

Then he sang songs from other groups, and when he finished, Sean asked questions like,
“Who sang that? What’s that song called?”

This went on for most of the trip to the highway and well on toward London. Then the
singing inexplicably stopped as Kenny began to rummage through a carry-on-type bag he’d
placed on the seat beside him. Sean took advantage of the solitude to enjoy the ride but was
interrupted by the smell of smoke.

“Hey Kenny, are you smoking? It’s not allowed in the limo.”

“Oh okay. Sorry man! I didn’t know.”

“There’s a sign right above the divider.”

“I can’t see it, even with these glasses.” Kenny wore heavy black framed glasses which
made his appearance even more bizarre. “What about pot? Can I smoke pot? It’s legal for me.”

“Why, do you use it for medical reasons? Do you have a card or a note from a doctor?”

Kenny didn’t answer directly. Instead he replied: “I come to London, to the hospital,
three times a week. Car accident...”

“Oh, okay, well...”

 Sean’s thoughts were interrupted by Kenny suddenly scrambling to the front and leaning
through the divider.

“What speed are you going?” he blurted out. “We need to get to London fast.”

Sean glanced at the limo clock and it read four o’clock. “The speed limit... What time are
you meeting the girl?”

“She gets off at four thirty.”

“Kenny, we’re over an hour away. There’s no way!”

“Here!” Kenny waved a hundred dollar bill through the divider. “Get us there on time and
it’s worth money.”

Sean extended his left hand over his right shoulder and took the money. “I’ll speed up to
one eighteen, but I won’t break the limit beyond that... Not for anyone!”

“Listen; if you get a ticket I’ll defend you in court.”

Sean hesitated before answering; he was tempted to be sarcastic but thought the better of
it. “Thanks, but I really don’t want to go to court. Bin there! Done that...!”

Kenny didn’t respond to the answer; it was almost as though he forgot his thoughts right
after he spoke them. Instead he said: “You should see this chick; pretty as a picture with a good
personality.” At the same time as he was speaking he was rocking back and forth across the
divider to the rhythm of some tune in his head.

“Hey Kenny, you’re blocking my view.” (Actually he wasn’t- limo drivers depended
more on the side mirrors- but Sean needed an excuse to get him out of his ear; he feared he might
start singing instead of simply moving his head to an inaudible beat.)

“Oh, okay man. Sorry.” Kenny stopped moving from side to side but stayed at the
divider.

“So Kenny, where is this pickup in London?”

“The gas station...”

“Oh okay. What gas station?”

“By the highway...”

The vague answers troubled Sean- getting specifics was going to be a process- but he
pressed on, hoping his questions would help him zoom in on the exact location.

“Wellington Road?”

“That’s it.”
 “There’s a bunch of gas stations around there. Which one...?”

Kenny didn’t answer the question. But he did move to the back. A few minutes later he
blurted out, “Sean, I need to piss man!”

“Good timing,” Sean replied as he spotted a service-centre turnoff.

Kenny fidgeted in the back seat but he didn’t respond to the comment, giving Sean the
gut feeling that he wanted to do more than just relieve his kidneys. Sean also suspected that it
wasn’t to have a normal smoke although his past experience hadn’t prepared him for what exactly
it might be; he’d dealt with irrational drunks wanting a pee break on the way to and from concerts
and druggies dashing into alleys to get a fix, but weirdoes who’d had their brains fried on drugs
was another matter. Perhaps, with Kenny, it was simply the effects from a car accident, but he
was beginning to think otherwise.

Sean followed the arrows at the service centre around to the truck stop, parked, and then
released the door lock. Kenny scrambled out and hustled across the lot to the back entrance of a
Tim Hortons.

Sensing that he might be a little while getting back (after all, being in a hurry had not
deterred him from stopping) and needing a cup-of-courage, Sean decided to get a coffee. It was
late August, with hoards of people traveling the roads, so the line to the coffee was long; but he
still managed to be first back at the limo. The solitude was welcomed, and as he opened his coffee
and took that first sip, he sighed with the sigh that no one seems to remember.

It wasn’t long after that Kenny arrived back and settled into the back seat. To Sean’s
surprise, he was silent until they reached Wellington Road; oh, he fumbled in his carry-on bag
and he tapped his feet incessantly- what Kay called the Windsor Shuffle- but he stayed at the back
and there was no talking, or singing.

“It’s up there that we’re going, right?” Sean asked, pointing north on Wellington.

“I don’t know man. You’re driving.”

“Well, you’re paying me to get you where you’re going, and to get you there safe, but I
still need directions,” Sean replied caustically.

Kenny didn’t respond.

They headed north.

The road swung left as it passed up and over the highway, then leaned right at Exeter
Road. On the right side was the first gas station.

“Is that the station?” Sean asked, pointing and at the same time glancing in the rear view
mirror to see if Kenny was paying attention.

Kenny’s face was up against the glass, trying, despite his poor eyesight, to identify a
station he’d never paid attention to from a distance.
 “I think so,” he replied.

Realizing he’d need to check each station in the area until the girlfriend was found, Sean
pulled up beside the cashier’s booth of this first station.

“This is it!” exclaimed Kenny as they approached, then began rummaging through his
bag.

Sean glanced through the windows of the cashier station looking for the girlfriend but
there was no girl, only a male attendant behind a desk. “Would you like me to go in? I don’t see a
female in there.” He could sense that Kenny was nervous. “What’s your girlfriend’s name?”

“Yeah, okay man,” replied Kenny, his voice uncertain: quiet, low, not at all the tone that
Sean had been used to so far. “Her name’s Dawn.”

Sean exited the limo and went inside, not at all confident of what he was going to say. A
young man- actually a boy in his late teens- was reading a magazine and didn’t look up until Sean
addressed him.

“Hey bud, I need some information. Does a girl named Dawn work here?”

“Dawn...? Yeah she works here, but not today. It’s her day off,” replied the attendant.

Sean laughed out loud as the attendant stared at him. “You’re kidding?” He couldn’t
believe that his client was picking up a girl from work, supposedly a girlfriend, who wasn’t even
at work.

The attendant returned to his reading and Sean turned to leave, and then stopped. "Why
was he leaving?" he wondered. After all, he’d come this far, the client had money, and the
attendant knew Dawn.

Turning around and facing the attendant, Sean interrupted the boy’s reading by saying,
“Listen, my client is Dawn’s cousin and he’s just come into town. He doesn’t know where she
lives, just that she works here. I need her address, if you don’t mind.”

The reaction was immediate: “Can’t do that,” he replied, before standing up and looking
out at the limo.

“Are you sure” Sean asked, as the attendant sat down again.

The attendant's look out the window gave Sean the motivation to push for the
information. “Listen, I’ve brought Kenny all the way from Windsor. It would be a shame for him
to go all that way home without seeing Dawn.” He watched for a softening response. There was
none.

“Sorry, no can do.”

“Okay. See ya.”

 Sean summarily walked back to the limo, got behind the wheel, then looked back at
Kenny.

“Hey Kenny, Dawn’s not working today and the attendant won’t give me her address. Do
you know it?”

There was a momentary pause. Then Kenny replied, “Money talks!” and hustled out of
the limo.

Sean watched him talking with the attendant, then observed him passing some money
over the counter; and he couldn’t help but believe that, yes, money talks.

Kenny returned a few minutes later with a scrap piece of paper in his hand.

“So you got an address?” Sean asked.

“Money talks...!”

“So, where are we going?”

Kenny moved up to the divider, handed me the scrap of paper, and then returned to the
back seat.

Sean, in turn, scanned the note; it gave directions, not just an address.

“Do you know where that is?” asked Kenny.

“Roughly... I’ll check it out on a map.”

“Well, I need to wash up.”

Kenny took his bag, got out of the limo and started toward a washroom sign posted on the
side of a car wash located to one side of the cashier’s booth. As Sean watched, Kenny turned to
respond to someone calling him from the pumps area, and then walked toward a tall black man
who was in the process of pumping gas into his late model Buick. Sean idly watched as a
conversation ensued- it lasted at least five minutes. Then Kenny started for the washroom and the
black man approached the limo.

Sean opened the window and made eye contact before asking, “Yes, can I help you?”

“Oh, no... Kenny just said that you drove him up from Windsor.”

“And you are...?

“Oh, sorry... Cat Williams...”

“Glad to meet you Cat. I’m Sean.”

Cat extended his hand and Sean shook it.

 “So, do you know Kenny?” Cat asked.

“Well... getting to.”

“Quite a character, isn’t he?”

“Uhm... yeah, that’s a good word for it. Do you know him?”

“Yes. He’s a character, but he’s alright. He likes to sing.”

“You got that right, but how do you know that?”

“He was on stage with me last night.”

“Are you a musician?”

“Yes I am.” Cat was very distinguished in his speech. “Actually, Kenny wanted me to
give you directions to the bar where I’m playing tonight.”

“Oh, okay,” Sean responded but all he could think of at that point was that Kenny was
going to be gone for more than the prepaid four hours which meant he’d better get some more
money out of him.

“It’s the Midnight Grill. Ever heard of it?”

“Nope... I’ll need directions.”

“Well, let’s see. It’s up off of Adelaide. In the north east...”

“Okay.”

“Just past Huron... The first street on the right; you can’t go left. If you go over the bridge
you’ve gone too far.”

“Okay. I've got it. We’ll probably see you there. Take care. Nice meeting you.”

Cat turned and walked into the cashier’s booth and, while Sean didn't know him he was
inclined to believe that he was indeed a musician because he seemed like one: at ease with
strangers, good voice, probably a singer. When Cat came back out, he gave Sean a quick wave,
walked to his car, and drove off.

Sean waited a few minutes for Kenny to reappear, but when he didn’t he decided to check
a map for directions to Dawn’s place and to the bar; he suspected he could find one- buy it if
necessary- in the cashier’s booth.

“What’s with that guy?” asked the attendant as Sean approached the counter; he was still
sitting but his magazine was nowhere in sight.

Why?”
 “He gave me a hundred bucks for a frickin address.”

“Yeah, well, he’s a bit crazy. Did you also give him a phone number?” Sean didn’t want
to show up at another address and find no one there.

“Yep...”

“Listen, do you have maps here?”

“Over there,” he replied, pointing to a rack of roadmaps.

Sean picked out a London-area map, opened it first to the Wellington Street area, then
searched for and found Dawn’s place. He then scrolled the accordion sections of the map to one
that covered Adelaide Street and found the location of the bar. “Thanks,” he said to the attendant
as he put the map back where he’d found it and headed back to the limo, the information stored in
his head (he was frugal).

Was Kenny shaving, washing up, or getting his head together? Sean wasn’t sure, but
whatever it was it took over twenty minutes. During this time he waited, either inside the limo or
walking around the lot stretching his limbs. Waiting is a fact of life in the limo business.

To be continued...

Untitled

– By Lisa Marie
Mueller
Untitled – By Lisa Marie Mueller
 Poetry

A Playboy’s Legacy
– By Stephen Campbell

‘Love of life makes me glad’,

I was told by my friend,
‘It’s the best fun I’ve had,
Let me play till the end,
And the day I grow old,
And leap into my grave,
About me will be told,
The great game that I craved.’

For life is a strange game,

Essentially fair,
Cheating is all the same,
The losers do not care.
But when the game is done,
A stone is all that’s won.

Coloured Digital Devil – By Stan Nelson

America’s Children – By Stephen Campbell

Look at the child smile, but if she did know,

What kind of a world she has discovered,
She would not remain, rather she would go,
And escape the blanket that smothers her.

Such a bed may be forced on her some day,

When she has to lower her life and bray
Like an ass in heat; she’ll sweat for her pay.
Poor child sleep now and forget New York’s streets,
Perverted by wars and a man bearing sweets.
Sunset on Consecon – By Lee Ann Marie Macdonald

Work In Progress – By Kris Marentette

Thought about the house where I grew up
Saw my days upon the vacant land
Drinking rain from off the roof in a coffeecup
And a dandelion was a globe of dreams you held within your hand
 IMMS
MSMI
By CS Cartier

had it when I was born,

will have it till I die
the smile is fake, ignoring the pain
unsure if decisions are normal and sane
commonly ignored, others take running for granted
watching my children playing, my feet loosely planted
walking is a struggle, balance long been gone
vision is next, need to appreciate each dawn
hands tingle and are numb, feeling is fading for sure
fatigue looks like laziness, no energy will cure
manhood was robbed along with intimate pleasure
eventful restroom breaks would be a great treasure
a good night sleep is rare indeed
dreams do not come with great speed
praying I did not pass this curse to my brood
as the world slips away; it is hard to hide my sour mood
the smile is fake, emotional weakness locked in my chest
M S M I or M I M S

Untitled

- By

Nadide
Paker
Gurcuoglu
 Non-Fiction
Futurism in the Funnies – By Roy G. James

Figure 25 – Superboy # 219, National Periodical Publications, Inc., 1976

“The Plunder Ploy of the Fatal Five”

Inter-planetary Travel
Interplanetary travel always holds a fascination for people. The media often returns to the
Star Trek-like programming. Orson Welles’ famous [or infamous] broadcast of H.G.
Wells’ “War of the Worlds” was most effective. The Apollo II project of 1969 was so
earth-shaking, I believe, not because it was a first but because what had only been
written about by sci-fi authors and futurists was now a reality. It was almost as hard to
accept as the discoveries of Copernicus – man’s accomplishments are greater but his
significance seems less.

Figure 26 [page following] – Amazing Adventures # 36, Marvel Comics Group, 1976
“Red Dust Legacy”
Character: Killraven
Flyboy promo poster for the future graphic novel “When Heroes Were”
– By Victor Castro [pencils]; Roger Price [inks]; Roger Formidable [colours]
 Family Life
The Drunken Dragon Tavern – By Christina Marchetti
Here goes…

Hi there folks, I am going here from one extreme to the next, going from a job I do
everyday to one I do on the side and absolutely love, cooking.
The recipe I am sending out is a 15th century beef stew recipe (Italian). It is a recipe that
I use when I am doing medieval demonstrations for the grade four classes at the schools
here in Windsor, or public demonstrations. The stew has a sweet/tart taste, is made of
ingredients you more than likely have in your house and is tasty served with cheese and a
salad on the side. A nice glass of red wine, (dry) really compliments this dish. I had the
Italian name for the stew, but I obviously didn't store it with the recipe as I can't find it.

Enjoy
Tina

Pie in a Pipkin
3.5 pounds of stewing beef cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Buy a cheap roast and cut it
yourself. Stewing beef can be pricey.
2 medium onions
1/2 cup of raisins
1/4 tsp each of cloves, nutmeg, mace and pepper
1 tbsp of white vinegar or to taste
salt to taste.

The raisins in this recipe are used to thicken the stew, so do not plump them before
cooking. A quick rinse if you are worried about dirt will suffice. Brown the beef in some
oil and put in stew pot along with juices. Sauté the onions in additional oil, if needed,
until they are tender and translucent and then add to the stew pot. Add spices, raisins and
about 1/2 cup of water, enough to keep the pot from scorching and in order to make the
gravy. Bring to boil and turn to simmer. Cook until beef cooked and tender, about 1.5 to
2 hours, adding water as needed to maintain gravy and keep from sticking. Remember to
stir every so often so it doesn't stick. Raisins have a lot of sugar in them and it is the
caramelization of this sugar that thickens this recipe. Once cooked, add vinegar, stir and
taste. It should have a sweet / tart flavour to it.

I absolutely love this recipe, as the ingredients are always present in my house and it
doesn't require my dredging the beef in flour to thicken the gravy. You can add some
carrots if you wish in order to add some veggies to it, but most kids just love it the way it
is, and so do the adults!!!!
Cheese and Butter – Medieval / Renaissance Food Clip-Art Collection
– By Cindy Renfrow
 Pop-Culture

Comic Book Review – By Brad Bellmore

Northlanders: The Cross and the Hammer

Vertigo began a new six issue Northlanders miniseries

called The Cross and the Hammer, written by Brian
Wood and drawn by Ryan Kelly.

The story follows Magnus, an Irish insurgent and his

daughter Brigid through eleventh century Ireland.
Magnus is doing his part to overthrow the Viking rule of
Ireland by killing off the soldiers and civil officers of the
occupying force. He does this by tracking down and
eliminating individuals, one target at a time.

Opposing him is Ragnar Ragnarsson, brother to King

Sigtrygg, ruler of Dublin. Ragnar uses rather surprisingly
twenty first century techniques and language to track
down this serial killer of his people. He is a Viking,
however, so despite his training his tools and technology
are appropriate to his time and culture.

The comic is heavy on action and light on words, which is good because the dialogue
often felt awkward or anachronistic. The latter would have been fine had it been
consistent – such as Xena gave us.

Kelly’s art is a bit on the rugged side. Part of me likes this. It seems fitting for the
situation, dealing with: Vikings, early Celtic cultures, and living off the land while on the
run from the law. It is a rugged story in a rugged time. Pretty art would almost feel out of
place in this comic. There is part of me that wants it a little bit prettier though.

Overall, I think this tale hints at something great. It just doesn’t seem to get there.
Perhaps it is only flirting with greatness and misleading us with what is in store. I plead
“let the buyer beware” on this one. I don’t plan to continue to follow this story, but I can
easily see others catching onto this pretty easily. So take a gamble, but go into it knowing
that it is a gamble.
 Brad Bellmore connected with Carlos Weiser, creator of The Armageddon
Chronicles, the 2008 winner of Platinum Studios’ Comic Book Challenge. Platinum plans
to release The Armageddon Chronicles late this spring.

Editor’s Note: Throughout the interview we will be sharing with you a sample page of
The Armageddon Chronicles from pencils – to inks – to colours – to finished page with
lettering. To see Carlos winning entry and pitch visit:

http://www.comicbookchallenge.com/pitch.php?id=2835

RKYV: Give us an overview of the story.

Weiser: The Armageddon Chronicles is set in the

near future. The Gates of Hell have been opened and
Demons have invaded and taken over Earth. Humans
tried to fight back with the help of the Angelic
Armies but their forces were not enough to resist the
massive assault. The war between all three factions
became know as The Armageddon Wars; it is during
the aftermath of the war that an unlikely hero
surfaces to save humankind. Nicodemus, Nico to his
friends, is the son of an angel and a demon. He’s
grown under the care of an old wizard named Dante;
and along with Gabby, a beautiful girl that survived
the war and is part of the Celestial Resistance and
Tartaruchi, a small demon that wants to become an
angel, he will go on a great adventure to close the
Gates of Hell and save the world.

RKYV: You did both the art and the writing?

Weiser: I came up with the idea and wrote the story.

I also do the penciling, the inking and some of the
coloring and lettering but the coloring and lettering
is mainly done by my wife, Gabriela Lander.

RKYV: What comes first for you, the story or the images?

Weiser: This is my first time creating a comic book, but to me the first thing you need is
an idea. Once you have an idea you can develop it further by adding both the story and
the images. In my case, as I draw the characters I’m already thinking on their
personalities, backgrounds, mannerisms, the way they talk, etc. But I believe that to
create a successful book you need to write the story first and then go and illustrate it. The
drawings may very well change during the process and not follow the script entirely as
long as it adds to the story and makes for better storytelling.
RKYV: Why comics? Why not another medium?

Weiser: It is a media that has grown on me since I was a kid; I’ve been a fan of comics
ever since I can remember. I like the fact that comics are accessible to everyone and you
can transmit a lot by showing both text and images at the same time. One of the things I
enjoy the most about comic books is the artwork. The phrase “an image is worth more
than a thousand words” applies perfectly to this media. I love reading and I love movies
and to me comic books is a way of combining both, you get to read and you get to see
awesome scenes and characters and different worlds without the expensive special
effects. I just love the combination of literature and art all in one book. And as I
mentioned before, it always been my dream to someday be a comic book artist and this
time I’m not only illustrating a comic book, I also get to come up with the idea and write
the whole book.

RKYV: What inspires you?

Weiser: Everything. I take inspiration

from everything I see in life but most
importantly from the things I don’t see
that I sometimes wish existed or think it
would be cool to see. My wife always
says that whenever I’m not talking I’m
inventing and imagining new things, and
I’m a very quiet person.

RKYV: Who are your influences?

Weiser: Some of my favorite artists are:

Joe Madureira, Humberto Ramos, J. Scott
Campbell, and Michael Turner. I’m not
big in adding too much realism to comic
books; I like what some would call a
“cartoony” style. I also like mythology
and fantasy books and love reading
novels that are based in alternate worlds.

RKYV: Is there anything of your own story

in this magazine?

Weiser: I don’t know if there’s anything of my own story but I can tell you that the whole idea
started with part of my philosophy of life. I believe that there’s good and evil in every one of us,
that we were created with the capacity to do both, but it is our choices in life that take us in one
direction or the other. This may not be too obvious sometimes since we live in a “gray” world and
not everything can be seen as black or white and that’s one of the reasons why I created the main
character, Nico, half demon, half angel he has both good and evil in him and his choices will
determine the outcome of the story.
RKYV: Do you use your art to discover or reveal yourself?

Weiser: I’ve always used my art as a way to hide myself from the real world. When I draw I can
forget about the rest of the world and live in my own worlds. I’m a very shy person and drawing
has been a perfect way for me to express myself and also as a way to relieve stress. Sometimes is
easier for me to just do a quick drawing on a Christmas or Birthday card instead of writing,
because sometimes I simply don’t know what to say but I usually know what to draw.

RKYV: What was the contest experience like

for you?

Weiser: The contest was an awesome

experience and it got better and better as we
kept moving up in the competition. When we
were chosen in the Top 50 I was very excited
and started right away to work on the pitch
video. Then we made it to the Top 10 and
online voting started and that’s when things
went crazy. I was getting e-mails every day
from family and friends and people I didn’t
even know just telling us that they voted and
were supporting us all the way. I created a
Facebook group thinking I could at least get 40
or 50 people to join and we ended up having
more than 500 members in just a couple of
weeks. It was great having all that people
supporting us and cheering for our story all the
way until the end.

RKYV: How did you find out about the

contest?

Weiser: There was a competition organized by

Marvel Comics to create 3 pages of comic book
art based on the Blade TV series. I didn’t know
anything about making comics but I sent my pages anyway, I even sent my pages drawn
on letter sized paper because I didn’t know comics were drawn on 11x17. I started to
learn more about how to make comic books. Some time after that I was feeling down and
my wife, to cheer me up, started looking for more contests related to comics… she found
in the internet about the first Comic Book Challenge, it was around April or May 2006,
and they were calling for submissions. In less than one week I created and put together an
idea for my first story, it was called “Greek Squad”. In that opportunity I made it to the
top 50 and pitched my idea to a panel of judges in San Diego, CA. We tried again for the
second CBC and we didn’t even make it to the Top 50. For 2008 I decided to go with a
different story and came up with the whole idea for “The Armageddon Chronicles” and I
still can’t believe we won the contest and our book will get published.
RKYV: Why did you decide to enter the contest?

Weiser: It’s been a long life dream to become a comic book artist. It is very hard to get
into the world of comics and the contest was an excellent opportunity. In my opinion it is
like the American Idol of comic books, I am very grateful I have a chance to show what I
can do and I hope it helps me by opening new doors.

RKYV: What is the plan now? Is your book in production?

Weiser: I’m in the process of

writing the script and I’ve already
started drawing the first pages. We
are still a long way to go but I’m
enjoying every second of it.

RKYV: What is the intended run?

Weiser: The prize was a deal for

88 pages in either 4 issues or just
one graphic novel. At this point
we are leaning towards publishing
the story as an 88-page book.

RKYV: When do you expect it to

be in print?

Weiser: We don’t have a set date

yet but it’ll be sometime in Spring
2009.

RKYV: Are there other projects in

the works?

Weiser: I have other ideas for

graphic novels but nothing that
I’m currently working on or that
we have any plans of publishing. I
did further develop the idea of
“Greek Squad” and would like to
someday be able to publish it.
Maybe if “The Armageddon Chronicles” is successful I’ll be able to convince a
publishing company to produce some of my other ideas. Only time will tell.

Editor’s Note: For more on Carlos Weiser and his fantastic art, visit:

http://www.carlosweiser.com/
Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons – By Pauline Pare’

ABC’s “Lost” is currently in its fifth season and still churning out the mysteries and
excitement. This show is action packed but it is also a long involved mystery with
numerous twists and turns. Certainly, “Lost” is a series worthy of long coffee shop
discussions and debates. There are more guides to “Lost” on the internet than you could
shake a stick at (I love that saying) and one could definitely get ‘lost’ trying to find the
info they want about the show.

Wikipedia’s page, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_(TV_series) has great info on the

show’s history, direction and relevance to current pop culture. I loved the section on
Casting. The producers rewrote many of the characters in order to play to the strengths
of several actors that they auditioned. Some actors had parts written especially for them
to make their talents part of the show.

There are several guide to just update the viewers but IGN’s 3 part series article,
http://stars.ign.com/articles/945/945489p1.html is my favourite. This link details each
main characters role on the island, details of who they are now in the 5th season and gives
us an opinion of what was the character’s defining moment. If you want to get more in
depth information or if you just want to look up a fact, losthatch.com is your website. I
loved how easy it was to cross reference characters with their relationships to each other
or just to see what nicknames Sawyer has used for each character though the shows
history. The site describes itself as “one of the most comprehensive searchable databases
of information about the ABC TV show LOST”. I only looked around the site a short
while but I could certainly spend a long time looking through all of the interesting facts.

Usually I am not a fan of websites put out by the networks but they gloss over details
and bombard you with advertisements, but the page that ABC set up for “Lost” fans to
publish, rate and comment on theories is a lot of fun. Half the fun of “Lost” is discussing
your own theories about the island’s mysteries ad the direction the show is taking. The
rating systems helps guide you to the most interesting theories and the discussions the
theories spark are amusing and informative.

I hope these guides will help you get the

most out of your “Lost” experience. Next
season will be the final one for “Lost” and
hopefully… all of our questions will be
answered.

Locke, to Jack: "Do you really think all

this... is an accident. That we, a group of
strangers survived, many of us with just
superficial injuries We were brought here
for a purpose, for a reason. All of us."

"Henry" (aka Ben, to Locke): "God doesn't

know where we are, John. He can't see this
island any better than the rest of the world
can."

Mr. Eko: "Do not mistake coincidence for

fate."