Most of you were probably expecting to read Part Two of “Hunt for Consistency†this week.
Rest assured. It will be published. Next week.
However, this week, I had to do something special.
I picked up the latest issue of “Shades of Blue†last week; a small, independent title which I reviewed a few months ago. It quickly became one of my favorites and something I recommended to all my customers.
The book centers upon a teenage girl who develops electricity-controlling powers after being attacked by a shadowy figure in the mall. It is similar in tone to Bendis’ “Ultimate Spider-Man†in its’ perfect balance of superhero action and drama. And like that book, the dialogue sounds like real teenagers talking. And as far as the art goes, the characters look like real teenagers; a welcome change from the waifish supermodel figures usually used to depict teenage girls in most mainstream superhero books.
Sadly, “Shades†doesn’t have quite as much financial backing as those mainstream books. And despite being able to stand toe-to-toe with “Ultimate Spidey†on all grounds, “Shades†hasn’t found nearly as big a following as it deserves. This, combined with “Writer, Publisher, Accountant, Financial Backer, Co-Editor, One-Time Letterer and Co-Creator†of the book Jim S. Harris’ having a baby on the way, has resulted in the book closing down. After all, it’s hard to self-publish a book that only makes half its’ costs and start a family.
Harris explains all this in an editorial at the start of “Shades of Blue #5†(which is also on his website) and wonders if maybe the reason the book hasn’t taken off was because the traditional Indie Comics fans won’t read a superhero book and the Superhero fans won’t read a book that is in just black-and-white. I don’t know if that’s the case but I do know that I can’t let the book go out like this. It is too good a treasure to be lost. Besides, after the cliff-hangers dropped in the latest issue, I need to know how things end!
That is why I am taking this week’s column to make a request of all of you out there. See, Jim really wants to get the rest of the story out in one fashion or another but he wants some reassurance that there are enough people out there who want to read his work and care enough to let him know.
Now, I don’t expect you all to write in if you’ve never read the book. Lord knows I’d never say good or bad things about a book that I never read. That’s why I’m asking you all to go out and give “Shades of Blue†a try. You can get the trade of the entire first volume as well as all five issues of the second volume at Digital Webbing.
Once you’ve read it or if you’ve already had the good fortune to ready it, do as Unca Stars did and pop off a quick e-mail to Jim and tell him what you think.
Thanks for indulging me folks. More Huntress next week. Promise.
Tune in next week. Same Matt time. Same Matt website.
