As promised, even though we are still in the comic drought of 2020, the good folks at YEET Comics have saved my sanity for this week with a copy of Issue #33. A wonderful anthology title that proves they obviously know what they are doing as they are on issue #33! Thanks for the assist, here’s a little backround on Yeet from the good folks themselves.
YEET PRESENTS #33 COST OF PAPER COMICS PUBLISHING
Doesn’t matter which cover you like better, you get both! Issue #33 of Yeet Comics is a classic flip book featuring cover images of both lead stories of James Reed/Greta Fantini’s Princess Marshmallow and William Messner-Loebs (say what?!) But that is far from all the excitement and adventure you get for your buck here! Like a smaller (actual dimensions) size Golden Age anthology comic, Yeet #33 contains 5 stories!
James Reed and Greta Fantini’s Princess Marshmallow harkens back to a time back in the 80’s when America was rediscovering the anime craze. 8th Grade Japanese Student Junko has to keep ditching class to fight crime as the mystical Princess Marshmallow. This time blowing off science to stop the evil Professor Lagomorph and his super hopping bunny suit from robbing Megabucks National Bank. While a bit on the silly side, the story is solid and with Greta Fantini’s matching artwork, this is definately a look back at a time when the independant market was filling up with all things in that style. Really enjoyed it.
Next up is Creator Chris Malgrain’s Sideral. As told through Steven A. Roman’s script, we are introduced to the cosmically enhanced last earthman. At first glace, Sideral appeared to be cut from the same cloth as Marvel’s Nova. Flying through space in his colorful uniform and helmet. But the story quickly proved me wrong. This is a very complicated story with many themes that actually disturbed me. As Sideral is not simply flying in space but is in actuality flying away from the destruction that was the planet Earth. Global concerns that were not handled quickly and correctly, the breakdown of mankind as a self-centered mentality takes over society, as well as father issues and the loneliness of being the last human. The artwork is excellent and I sense a definate Kirby influence in the universe backround. Very well done.
Now, we have to flip the book over and we are immediately stunned by the familiar sight of Wolverine MacAlilstaire walking through the forestland! For those of you unfamiliar with MacAlilstair’s Journey (see what I did there!) Created by fan favorite William Messner-Loebs as a backup story in 1983 in Cerebus #48 & 49, he quickly began popping up all over the face of independant comic market. Simply titled Journey, the story was a look back at life in frontier Michigan during the 19th century. In a bit of a fresh take, poor MacAlilstaire stumbles across an alien probe and has to defend himself with only his frontiersman ingenuity. Highly entertaining, it shows us that older artists still have the abilty to give us good stories and should be employed to tell them.
The most amusing of the stories, Brian Cole and Jo Wong’s Tales of Grand City is a terrific look at a man who doesn’t want to be a hero. He has an arch-nemesis, he saves all his friends that his unwanted nemesis keeps kidnapping, and he has access to a costume rental shop thats open late but his choices are limited (hence the pink bunny suit … Holy Christmas Story!) And while only 4 pages long, it manages to tell the story without needless padding. Doubled back to read it twice just based on my disbelief that the villain calls himself the Nurple who is dressed in purple!
Our final story brings me back to the days of Strange Tales and My Greatest Adventure comics. Titles that generated dozens of secondary characters that went on to become some of the best loved. Jason Krueger and Eli Jansen’s Cat Demon is based in the tried and true plot of the lost explorer (who is kind of a jerk) offending a native and is cursed to protect the jungle as the Cat Demon. The best part is that the creative team leaps us ahead two months since the characters initial transformation. This allows the reader to go straight into the action without the one-two pages of recap explaining the character coming to terms with his fate. Again, we have a good solid story with a recognizable concept that everyone can enoy.
What the good people at Yeet have sent me is proof that they know what they are doing. And while it may be awhile before we get to see issue #34, I have no doubt it will be worth picking up. Yeet Comics can be found at www.patreon.com/yeetmagazine. For back issues featuring Wolverine MacAlilstaire, they can be ordered through the Graham Crackers website. And the works of William Messner-Loebs can be found at williammessner-loebs.scottmollon.com. More of Chris Malgrain’s work can be found at http://indyplanet.com/Oniric-comics.
By the way, if you’d like a free copy of issue #33 to see what I’m talking about, just email a request to yeetpresents@gmail.com .
