Anthology titles, in the mainstream, have traditionally been a showcase - or a tester - for up-and-coming artists and writers. In the alternative comics field, anthology titles have been a showcase for established artists and writers to do a little something different. Dark Horse Presents, for over 10 years, has been the leader in black and white anthologies, with Negative Burn having run just over 5 years as the follow up.
To mark little anniversaries, Dark Horse (10 years) released its first ever DHP Annual (although it was about 4 months late) and Negative Burn (50 issues) released a grand 96 pager. Let's have a look at what's inside:
Dark Horse Presents Annual 1997:
The cover and feature story is a continuation of Jason Pearson's 1996 series Body Bags. The art is as good as ever, although it looks a lot better in color, the story mildly entertaining. Mark Verheiden's American returns after a long delayed absense. Having little experience with the character, I surprisingly found this Super-hero satire quite fun, although Chris Marrinan's art stinks. John Acrudy, the master at writing farcical comics, provides a truly vague and twisted story called the Oven Traveler. The art by Scott Musgrove truly suited the story... that's about all I cans say. Classic artist Gray Morrow contributes an Aliens story written by Beau Smith. The story, as an Aliens story isn't good, but as a story itself is okay. Morrows artwork is perfect for a western story, but isn't really suitable for an Aliens story. Penn Jillette (from Penn and Teller) writes his first comic story with Renee French illustrating called "the Adventures of Rheumy Peepers and Chunky Highlights". A satire on the stage entertainment industry, it's more amusing than funny. The Stiff, by Jay Stephens and Mike Allred is a delightful spoof of the 30's private dick story. Finally there's "Four Cats" by Paul Pope. Reading this I just get the feeling I'm missing something.
Overall, a great little compilation of story, worth maybe 5 of its 7 bucks.
Negative Burn #50:
A clever introduction to the Foot Soldiers series headlines this extra-huge issue of Negative Burn. Written by Jim Krueger and drawn by Phil Hester, this 8 page intro done in poem form is one of the most interesting ideas I've seen, and it's executed well too. Brian Bolland's Mr. Mamoulian is still going with another one page done much like all his others. The Last Temptaion of Little Neil by James Owen is a poetic recounting of the meeting of Neil Gaiman and Alice Cooper which led to the making of a cd and comic book. I don't know whether this is a lighthearted spoof or a mean jab at comics best writer. Annie Ammo by Richard Case is... well... uninteresting and rather pointless. April Nightmare is a different take on the Little Red Riding Hood story by Mike Weiringo. Different, abstract, and again, pointless. I Wont Forget You is an excellent and disturbing tale of internment camps in Nazi Germani by Paul Jenkins and Michael Gaydos. Truly haunting. Blackout by Nabiel Kanan seems to be a continuation of a story that I haven't read. It stands alone well, but I would like to read more with these characters. A song by Greg Sage is adapted by Galen Showman in Stormy, a vague use of one page. Guy Davis illustrates a two page poem by Neil Gaiman... what is probably the most innovative poem I have ever read. Neil is a genious. Phil Hester continues his tongue-in-cheek tale of Boneshaker a lethal and dim-witted pro-wrestler. Great entertainment. Darko Macan and Edvin Biukovic give this amusing one page story called "the Phalanxes of the House of Order". "All Robot Style", computer generated by Scott Morse, makes no sense at all. Chicks, Hotrods, and Kudzu by Dave Johnson is abstract humour in Japanese. It's funny even though I don't get it. Joe Pruett brings another Kilroy is Here tale with art by Jon Haward. I don't really get Kilroy, but this tale sheds more light on the concept. The one page "A Few of the Many Masks I Wear" by Greg DiGenti is outright something he did not knowing what he wanted to do, and it's makes for bad reading. The Survivors, by Mark Kneece andDurwin Talon is basically the People Under the Stairs only set in a castle and not as funny. Finally, Too Much Coffee Man brings us joy with Shannon Wheeler... no wait, that's the other way around.
All in all, not a bad compilation, but not great either. The Gaiman poem almost makes it worth the $10 bucks I blew. Almost.