Indy-Pendant is the first column ever written by Brant W. Fowler running from May 2005 to January 2007. It's a focus on independent comics creators, publishers and titles. These are the reprinted archives, which were originally published on www.comicavalanche.com.
Week 28 - Originally published on December 18, 2005
What up my peeps? Here it is, the last edition of Indy-Pendant for the year. I thought about doing the columns in advance and rounding out the year with 30 weeks, but that wouldn't be fair to Bryan who would have to spend a portion of his holidays posting the stuff since I don't have access to the site at present. So with Christmas next Sunday and New Years the following Sunday, this column will be going on hiatus while I spend time with my family. In all likelihood the column won't reappear until Jan. 8th, but there is a possibility I might pop in on New Years day and start 2006 with an indy bang. So you'll just have to wait and see.
Christmas time is a very special time for my family. We all get together, sing, eat and do all that good Christmas stuff. We have always been a very close knit family, even aunts, uncles and cousins. This is my favorite time of year, so I thank you for allowing me to step away from the column to enjoy it. And I hope each of you are able to enjoy your holiday as well.
Since this is my last column for 2005, if you don't mind I'd like to say a few things, share a little about my own projects, and just express some thanks and gratitude. I promise there will still be a review or two somewhere in the mix below.
So first off let me say this has been a trying year for me. For those of you who have followed my blog or know me to any degree know that I've definitely had my ups and downs. I left my position as EIC for one small online publishing company only to be fired from the same position at another months later. I've had projects rejected and been through many, many personal, financial and physical problems. I've been forced to look at some things and really question others.
But I've also had several good things happen for me. One of them being this column. I was made aware of this site by a couple of people I had worked with at that first publishing company who happened to have columns here. From there I pitched a few ideas for a column of my own. Most of them didn't fly, but the one that stuck is the one you have been reading for 28 weeks. I can't think Bryan Carlyle, aka Mr. Avalanche, for taking a chance on me. I honestly don't remember if I revamped the site the first time before pitching a column or after. Either way, it led to a wonderful thing for me. Bryan and I realized we were both passionate about the independent comics market and its creators, and that enabled us to be able to work together to continually improve the site for all our readers.
As I continued to write this column and redesign the website Bryan and I talked a lot, and for some reason along the way Bryan was impressed with my commitment and made a gesture giving me part ownership of the site. Regardless of what that means in technical terms, it was an honor, and one I've tried to live up to. I can say one thing. Look out, because great things are coming from The Comic Avalanche in the near future.
Another good thing that happened to me was getting my first professional writing assignment from Platinum Studios. I had pitched several ideas that didn't fly, but they were impressed enough to request a writing sample, which eventually led to them offering me an assignment. Though I can't talk about it yet, it's been a real blessing and it came at a much needed time. The people at Platinum are really great to work with and I am just glad to have that experience.
If all goes well I will be submitting two of my projects to the Dark Horse New Recruits program. Both artists on the projects are scrambling to finish the required ten pages. Most of them are done, but not all. If that doesn't fly the first part of 2006 will be a submission flurry for me!
I also have to thank those that support me daily in my dreams. You guys know who you are. Some of you had my back when I left the first company, and you stood by my side and expressed your appreciation for me and your friendship. Some of that has led to some collaborations, which I am also grateful for. Others of you I haven't known for that long, but you have become brothers in arms that I can talk to about the stuff I'm passionate about and know that you share that passion.
I also have to thank all the comic professionals that took a chance on me, whether by signing me to something or even taking the time to read my work. You'll never know just how much that did for me.
And finally I have to thank all the readers of this column, whether this is your first time or if you check in every week. I know at one point this column was at the very least one of the top two hit pages in this site, and for that I graciously thank you. My only two hopes going into this column were that I could enlighten readers with new comics and creators they may not have seen or considered before, and that I could entertain you with my writing. From what you have told me and from your actions I seem to have done that so far. Thank you.
So all in all, even through all the bad stuff, and believe me there was a lot of bad, I can't complain. It's the little things that mean the most, and knowing I have even one person out there that believes in me and supports me is reason enough to celebrate.
For more information on my own projects or just my regular musings check out my blog. It's linked in the Points of Interest box above. I try to update it daily.
I also have to plug a couple of friends here real quick. I hope you don't mind.
Jason Berek-Lewis is a fellow writer I met from the Dabel Brothers Boards. From there I visited his blog, and he visited mine. That led to some great conversations between us. Then Jason started up his own forum, the Creatorfuze forums listed in the Points of Interest box above. That forum has become a daily haunt for me and a couple of others and we have engaged in some of the most entertaining discussions for me of any board in a long time. I don't know why. Maybe it's that we all support each other and have similar interests and goals. Maybe it's because it's completely free of all the negativity that exists on almost every comic forum known to man. Whatever it is it works. And it's a great place to spend some down time, so please check it out.
But we have also all talked about our projects, and Jason has some upcoming stuff that promises to be pretty great. The most important ones he can't talk about yet, which is a good thing. Jason also writes columns for a couple of sites. I wish you the best, Jason.
Chuck Kennedy, aka Crazz, is new to this whole craze of trying to break in as a writer, yet he's on the right track. He constantly posts reviews of random comics on one of his blogs and is constantly improving. In fact he was just brought on as a news writer for Scryptic Studios, and quite possibly could be doing some stuff for this site in the near future. Chuck, I also wish you best of luck!
And Cary Kelley, a former columnist for this site is another writer as well as the co-owner of Paper Dragonz, an up and coming comic company looking to publish in early 2006. Cary and I have had our differences and been through ups and downs, but we both decided to put what was in the past in the past. The thing that initially drew us to one another was our similar passions, and that's what we focus on. I sincerely wish you and Susan the best of luck, Cary.
There are countless others I could thank, and several I am currently working with I could shout out to including Hobbes, Supreme Knight, Andrew West, Scott, David, Mark, Ken, Dan, Doug, DJ, Sean, Jon, Mike, Juan, Frank, and many others, but I don't want to take up any more of your time talking about myself. You are all important to me, and I greatly appreciate everything you've done and continue to do for me, with me and in general. God Bless, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Mele Kalikimaka, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, and all of that.
Now onto some indy coverage!
I received the cover to Cannon Hawke for via email the other day. A few weeks ago I covered the first issue in this column. I did pick up the second issue, but missed the third. I do urge anyone who's a fan of the Aspen world, or a fan of great comic with great art, great story and great action to pick this series up.
Issue 4 is due out this month. A shot of the cover is to your left (click for a larger image).
And in case you missed issue 3 like me, Aspen has a preview up on their site at the following link:
http://www.aspencomics.com/previews_fathom_5.asp
Last week I covered this title's first issue. Since then I also did an Indy Installation piece on the title, which you can find here: http://www.comicavalanche.com/indy/installation/superreal.htm
And a couple of other
comic news sites have put up previews of issue 2
(Jason, include us on your PR list! 
)
And finally, soon a Super Real banner will grace the front page of this site, and you can find a Comic Avalanche ad in the book!
And for more on the title and its creators check out superrealgraphics.com!
This is a four issue mini series from Dark Horse Comics. This was another one of the comics Jason sent me, and another I'm glad he did. I was skeptical at first, but it was a pretty cool title.
The concept is similar to Art Thiberts Chrono Mechanics actually, but a little different. Both are entertaining, though I have to admit I enjoyed Perhapanauts a little better. Basically they are a team of various beings that repair tears and rips in time and space, and send creatures who have crossed over into another reality back to their own pocket of the universe. It's a lot of fun. For instance, their base is inside a storage shed. It's just zany stuff like that that make this title enjoyable. It's only a mini, so you should check it out. You can see a preview of it here:
http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=13-070
I received this book in the mail today from Jerrell Conner. You may recall a few weeks ago I covered Jerrell for this column. He's a tremendous artist and I wish him well. I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, but it's absolutely gorgeous. If you're a fan of experimental art you have to check this out. If you like Ted "Grendel" Wing III you'll like this.
The story is a sort of Sci-Fi take on the book of Revelations, and is a really innovative direction to take. The book is an oversized paperback with a simple, yet effective and artistic cover. This is definitely one you'd have out on the bookshelf or coffee table. I urge you to head on over to jerrellconner.com and find out how to order it.
I
unfortunately haven't read this or seen the movie, but I have heard
and read quite a bit about it. I also have it on good
authority that it rocks! It's written by Frank Dirscherl, who
also writes the blog Lair Lines linked in the Points of Interest box
above.
The Wraith is a throwback to the pulp characters of yesteryear, which inspired several of our modern day heroes, such as Spider-Man. It's also a throwback to classic characters from the 70's and 80's. It has a real old school vibe that makes in endearing to comic fans of old and new.
You can read more about The Wraith at:
http://frankdirscherl.blogspot.com/
Recently the boys at Proletariat came out with the first edition of the Horizons quarterly e-magazine, which features articles, comics and all kinds of cool stuff. If you want to know what PC is all about you need to check this out. It's a free download in PDF format, so how can you beat that? Give it a try and you won't regret it.
The magazine looks absolutely gorgeous in format and content. The stories are also top notch. PC is also currently the home of my own upcoming Wanabez web strip. They took a chance on me before anyone else would, and I respect that.
Check the site out, bookmark it, and visit it often. www.proletariatcomics.com
And that's about it for this week. I wish I had more full reviews to give, but I just haven't had much time to catch up on reading the past week.
I once again want to thank all of you for your continued support in both this column and my other endeavors. It has been a very trying year, but also an amazing year in its own right. Here's to making 2006 a banner year as I publish my first comic, whether it be the Platinum book, another book at another publisher, or a self-published title. And of course, Indy-Pendant will bring in the New Year strong and continue to mold itself into your #1 source for indy comic awareness! Why?
'Cause that's how I roll!
B.-Out
CREATOR UPDATE
Didn't have time to do creator updates this week, sorry. Briefly, Proletariat is no more due to some personal tragedy Dan suffered, but last I heard he was writing for a comic news site and doing some other stuff. Frank is still going strong with The Wraith, and of course in past columns I've updated you on the goings on with Cannon Hawke and Super Real. And surely you know how successful Perhapanauts has been, seeing Todd get work at Marvel. I also apologize for any dead links, no time to go back through and check them all.
Brant W. Fowler / Writer, Letter, Creator, Reviewer, Columnist and Comic Related PR Coordinator
Brant W. Fowler has been a professional comic book letterer and logo designer for three years, and has been a freelance editor for the past five years. He has also worked with graphic design, writing and many other area of skills for several years honing his talents. You can learn all about what he's up to by visiting Gonzogoose Design. Brant is also a member of the core operations team at Comic Related.
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