Friday Slice of Heaven, Slice Into the Woods 1/3/2014

(Sung to the tune of Violent Femmes "Please Do Not Go")

Tell you cats, I'm stuck on this lovely book
Of course to me you should have a look
But then Moore says the title just might die
What the bee's wax, if that happens I will cry

Said, please, please, please, don't let it go
Please, please, please don't let it be soooo
Please, please, please, don't let it go

Losing Rachel Rising would be so wrong
Not when my love is so strong
And you know I cannot tell a lie, oh, oh, oh
Don't wanna see it go bye,
Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye


After last week's epic Year-End Roundup, Donist World CFO Obie (my friends' Boston terrier) and Donist World marketing director/administrative assistant/party planner/life coach Tulip (my dog, Obie's sister) and I are going to keep this brief. Now that the pizza, the blowing bubbles, the ginger brew and the eggnog (yuck!) are done with, we have left the "Room of Reflection" and are shielding our eyes from the glorious sun; something we have not seen for some time. Things have also been pretty darn hectic this past week with the coming of the new year and a certain change I have made. But I feel energized and revitalized, hopeful even. Thankfully, we found only two books in our pull this week, which we were finally able to read once our eyes had adjusted to natural lighting. So, while the puppies and I become reacquainted with Mr. Sun's life-giving rays, have a look at...


Friday Slice of Heaven


***Possible Spoilers Below***

Rachel Rising #22

Rachel Rising #22 - Everythinged by Terry Moore, published by Abstract Studio. <sigh> Okay, Donist, you can do this. On last week's FSoH/SitW Year-End Roundup, besides the fact that Rachel Rising is one of our top 13 comics of 2013, I mentioned that Terry Moore had tweeted that sales of this tremendous series were not where they need to be. Needless to say, denizens, I was stunned. Here we have yet another exemplary indie title from the creator of the masterpiece that is Strangers In Paradise and the epic sci-fi adventure that is Echo, and this man is struggling to make ends meet on his latest venture? This. Can. Not. Be. Rachel Rising has been optioned for a television series (not sure where that stands, but someone with cash-money believes in the property) and this Twin Peaksesque mystery of a murdered woman returned to life to find her sleepy town of Manson is host to witches and demons and reincarnated serial killers and a whole host of other supernatural oddities is one of the best books on the stands. Needless to say, despite this series being everything I hope for in a comic book, sales just aren't where they need to be. What can we do to keep this amazing, intelligent, scary-yet-beautiful series alive? Well, tell others about Rachel Rising and let them know that there are currently three trades available for a low price, and that the series is available on Comixology for immediate gratification on your computer or iPad. I'm not quite sure what else can be done short of the television studio announcing the release of a Rachel Rising show to spur sales. Maybe Moore could team with Image Comics to gain their added marketing power and distributive reach; yes, Image creators are responsible for a printing fee, but that seems very reasonable. Maybe Moore could renumber back to one--volume 2, issue 1?--after the release of issue 24 and have that be a jumping on point, while making the first 24 issues available as an inexpensive compendium. Maybe a combination of all of the above would do the trick. Regardless, I'm in for the long haul on this amazing series, and I hope you are as well.
James is having a wee-bit of trouble adjusting to the advancements of the 21st century. Finding himself resurrected in the body of a dead woman, who recently came back to life only to die again, doesn't help matters. Meanwhile, Dr. Siemen and Earl come up with a plan to keep Bryn/Rachel's Aunt Johnny alive as she and James/Jet set out to find the family dog who happens to be housing Aunt Johnny's soul...it's complicated. As they search, James/Jet points out to Bryn/Rachel that her recollection of events from their past life was a bit different than she remembers.
Moore's work on Rachel Rising continues to be nothing short of gorgeous in both story and illustration. The first nearly-silent page brings across perfectly the confusion the newly awakened James must be experiencing with the modern marvels that we today take for granted. He is a man lost in time, trapped in a woman's body; he also doesn't want to be there. Moore brings this sentiment across as James goes into a rage at what Bryn Erin did so very many years ago. Even without the deeply personal, imploring dialogue of the scene, Moore's art carries the emotion of each panel flawlessly. He then delivers (mostly) redrawn imagery from issue 19 as Bryn Erin remembers those events as they actually transpired; it's startling to watch her world crumble--there's also the "Look at you, Little Fawn" panel where Lilith looks oh-so beautiful, but that's something else entirely. Moore's writing and drawing stand on their own, but when combined...this creator-owned work has never been more captivating.
So, yes, I desperately want to see Rachel Rising continue for years to come, and in exactly the format and length Moore wishes to tell the story. I hope to someday watch a television show for this amazing comic series, one that does the creator's vision justice. I also wish for everyone who loves comics that are beyond the normal capes-and-tights fare to buy this book, and continue to not only keep a fantastic title on the shelves, but give one of the most important creators of the past couple decades the respect and acknowledgement he and his work deserves. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!


Other Heavenly Items:

Rocket Girl #3

Rocket Girl #3 - Written by Brandon Montclare, illustrated and colored by Amy Reeder, published by Image Comics. Dayoung (Rocket Girl) is in a bit of a pickle. The girl from the future was snatched up by New York's finest, her rocket pact taken by her "friends," and now the cops want her to answer a couple questions about resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, grand larceny...you know, typical kid stuff. Unfortunately, the last thing this teen cop from the future wants is for the folks at Quintum Mechanics to muck around with her jet pack. She also has a job to do, which involves stopping Quintum Mechanics from bringing about the very future she came from.
Rocket Girl continues to be a fun, all-ages, comic book ride. The creators' story of a teenage detective from the future returning to the present day (1986) to stop a scientific breakthrough that ruins the future is exactly the type of comic to bring new readers (young and not young) into the fold. I'm still thoroughly enjoying this series, but I will say that some panels and coloring in this issue seem a bit rushed, but this is a minor concern. This issue's cliffhanger ending of imminent danger left me anticipating the next action-filled issue. RECOMMENDED!


I Left My Day Job - I'm not going to go into too much detail about this right now, but my final day at my day job was 12/31/2013. This was completely my decision. I had a suspicion that the parent corporation for my old company had designs on ending things for my old coworkers and I anyways, I just couldn't wait another year or two for the ol' ax to fall. I will get around to writing a "Still Thinking About Up In the Air" feature (you can read my self-indulgent posts about past work nuttiness here...Wow! 2010 was when I wrote those?). Anyhow, this is something I've been preparing to do for the past four years, and finally decided I needed to stop being miserable and make a change. I won't lie, I'm terrified. I'm a bit of a Safety Sam when it comes to risky ventures, but when someone with a needle phobia (me) begins to look forward to his first ever surgery (which was a disaster in and of itself) because he won't have to step into the office...well, there's a problem. So, I'm making a change. I'm enrolled in a series of graphic design courses with the first three beginning at the end of January, and I will be devoting even more time to my novels, comics, and Donist World beginning with a "Micronauts Monday"feature. I'm kind of scared, and I'll miss some great coworkers, but ultimately I'm so very relieved to be pursuing my passions and actively changing the course of my working career. Yesterday was my first day of freedom and to kick me off properly...


Slice Into the Woods


Wait...What's Broken?!?! - My first day...FIRST DAY...the oven repair guy shows up to tell us that our ancient oven will cost ~$900 to fix, and that we are better off buying a new one. <gulp> Then, go out to start my dang car and...nothing. A quick call to Geico got my car started and after $150 I had a new battery installed and I could safely drive to the gas station for a $40 fill up of gas. One day and $1000 poorer, I'm still happy with my decision to leave the place that had made me so miserable for the past six years.

Friday Slice of Heaven, Slice Into the Woods 1/3/2014