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Metal Hurlant #8
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Once
upon a time there was a French comics magazine named Heavy
Metal. It was an anthology title filled with beautiful
art, often incomprehensible stories, graphic violence and
lots and lots of naked men and women. It went away in the
good old U.S.A.
Then there was a French and American comics magazine named
Metal Hurlant. It was also filled with beautiful
art, but most stories were understandable and enjoyable,
and the violence and sex was toned down a bit. It went away
as well.
The eighth issue explored an American icon resurrected in
the future only to be doomed by uselessness, a world where
zombies are a commonplace nuisance and a knight intent on
slaying a dragon that is a little less and a little more
than he appears.
Yes, there are three incomprehensible stories; all are possibly
chapters in continued stories. Intriguing art does not save
them from obscurity. A simple summary of what had gone before
sure would have helped otherwise befuddled readers.
The art, wildly divergent from story to story, is all excellent.
Although Metal Hurlant is again extinct, there
is much to recommend past issues to adult readers who aren't
offended by crass language, nudity, and blood. This series,
however, was never for children.
www.metalhurlant.com
Full Disclosure: R. A. Jones is one of the writers in
this issue of Metal Hurlant. He is a member of the Oklahoma
Cartoonists Hall of Fame.
MINIVIW:
Small Press Extra TruFan Pub.] "Small Press" means
self-published, and Small Press Extra is a "review-zine"
about self-published magazines. Are you interested in the
highly energetic but creatively uneven world of self-expression
in comics? It doesn't get much better than this little magazine.
For more info, please email smallpressfan@comcast.net.
Order Vance's history of the American Comics Group in Alter
Ego #61 at www.twomorrows.com.
Interested in the exciting Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection
and Toy and Action Figure Museum? Go to fourcolorcommentary.blogspot.com/
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