Saturday, May 29, 2010

Overview of Small Press Idol round 3



Alright, while I have said that Japanese comics are usually better because of competition, this does not mean that American comics cannot apply the same principal and become successful. Hence bringing us to the Small Press Idol competition, where a bunch of small time artists duke it out for a publishing deal. This amuses me, due to the simple fact that it forces new talent to show their best work for the slim chance that they MAY get their dreams fulfilled.

Now then, this contest works a lot like the American Idol system, except only for comic book artists, and a better fanbase. There are three judges that talk about the persons work, although we are deprived of Simon’s jackassery, and then the readers go and vote for the project on a daily basis. This helps show fanbase loyalty and a projects staying power. Plus its lots of fun.

While I have talked to a few of the artists and found that their work appears to have potential, it does show a bit of bias. Because of this, I will talk about the top three projects, along with my current faves.

Clown Town: Currently number 1 one in the contest, holding a strong lead. This is the story about a town being harassed by a large assortment of clowns that like to torture and maim those who victimize the children they were meant to entertain. It certainly looks sadistic, and will most likely appeal to fans of shows like Death Note, at least when the clowns are around. On the other hand, the plot will be featuring am unlikely group of heroes trying to fight back against the psychotic clown invasion, including a retired rodeo clown. Looks like it has potential to be an interesting psychological horrors that plays on every child’s worst fear….
Curse of the Vessel: Currently the only story to be competing with Clown Town on a serious level (and by serious I mean votes.) This project is based around the story of a man who has been cursed to be possessed by the spirits of the deceased. This causes him to take on missions of vengeance given to him by the recently deceased. Unfortunately, our lead cannot actually control when or what the dead do when they possess him, getting him into severe legal trouble. The book appears to be based both around the spirits possessing our lead, and the journey to release him from the curse he has fallen under.
The People that melt in the Rain: While this project is holding third place, Curse of the Vessel has a significant lead on it. This project is about a town cursed to melt in the rain, along with irregular types of rain such as dogs, cats, and sausages. The story revolves around some of the townsfolk’s journey to figure out the mysteries of WHY this occurs, how to predict it, and how to stop it. Although it has the most simple concept, I feel that it pushed out one the strongest first few pages in the competition, along with possibly the best art.


Now then, you’ve also seen me write about a couple other competitors in this contest such as:

The Cure: One of the few major superhero stories in this contest, complete with the main character getting his superpowers from radiation. This project is currently at 6th place, although its votes are starting to catch up with the project immediately above it. It should be noted that the art in this story is some of the best in this contest. This is the story of a post apocalyptic world filled with filth and corruption, where one man wants to stand up to the tyranny that rules the people. This man is… THE CURE!  Read more here




Egg Finger: This comic is about a cartoon mascot’s dissent into darkness, and his quest for vengeance against the mascot that replaced him. Unfortunately, he’s a bit behind on the votes, and needs a lot of help in order to catch up. Fear not, for that is what we’re here for, right? Anyways, this is a dark comedy about corporate greed and the things that people do in desperate situations. Read more here.

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