www.dannyzabbal.com

I’m in the process of moving away from Montréal so my internet connection is temporarily out of order. Blogging is a café affair, bad connections and all. It’s certainly slowing me down, but it doesn’t stop me, no sir/ma’am.

Hammerfistucles – The God of Punches

When Peter George Sims took a trip to Athens in 1997, he met the all-knowing oracle of 2218 Delphi St (apt 5). After delving into his past and recovering his lost destiny, she imparted to Peter George (from her collection of earthenware bottles and potions) his ancestral birthright. In his hand, he beheld an ancient Greek tanning lotion with magical properties. When applied to his body, Peter George becomes possessed by the spirit of Hammerfistucles, the God of Punches.

Despite his name however, he doesn’t do a lot of punching. What he loves is souvlaki, his girlfriend and going to the movies. As far as he’s concerned, that’s his destiny.

Natali Film

Last week I talked about Robby Reis’ photography and visual art but I neglected one minute detail. Foremost, he’s a filmmaker. He represents exactly one half of a partnership called Natali Film. His buddy and confidante, Dan (Vlad) Popa, represents the other half.

Where to begin? Even when I was going to school with them I was amazed at the amount of talent and sass that seemed to twinkle in their wake. They are truly a dynamic pair, from animation to experimental film, narrative and documentary, there’s no moving media that they can’t give their own special brand of character to. I even saw them re-dub some $2.99 Kung-Fu film they bought from a convenience store, just for fun.

I’ll never know anyone quite like Reis and Popa. My only hope is that after I leave Montréal, the distance between us wont stagger our friendship. I’d hate to be a stranger in their world. Regardless, I’ll still be a fan of their work.

Below is just a small sample of what they do, there’s far more on their myspace page. So, I suggest you scour and love to the fullest of your capacity. Don’t forget to go to their blog 24Karrots, managed by the very talented Vanda, whom I’m sure I’ll be writing about in the weeks ahead.

Roza

I’m a big fan of fables and fairy tales. Rather, I’m a fan of that tone, whatever the window dressing is. Roza, by Kelly Hamilton, is an embodiment of that in style and content, for me anyway. It’s an ambitious and beautifully rendered webcomic whose story and texture I can’t do justice to in words. You’ll just have to see it for yourself: http://www.junglestudio.com/roza/

Buddy Squad

Collect all six!

Chronillogical

I’m a sucker for time travel, aren’t you? I grew up watching Doctor Who on PBS and wearing out my family’s VHS copy of Back to the Future. Suffice to say, I love the concept. Not in any kind of eerie way-too-personal sort of way, I don’t wish I could go back in time and win the pennant for my high school. No, I just enjoy the freedom of the narratives. Once you take the linearity of time out of the equation, you open up the doors to any and all possibilities. Bearing all that mind, I really like John Chouinard and Greg Poulos’ strip, Chronillogical.

Chouinard and Poulos describe Chronillogial as, “…a webcomic about time traveling grad students.” But I have to say, it’s so much more, for starters it’s extremely well drawn. A sort of fusion of Chuck Jones and Kyle Baker, two artists I love and whose love child I’ve been eager to see. But like all comics, the art is only half the equation. As far as the writing, I think within its idiom it’s kind of brilliant. Each page is a satisfying addition to the narrative, while also introducing a gamut of gags and jokes. It’s the sort of strip I can’t wait to see collected into a treasury. I think the effect of John and Greg’s story on the printed page, is going to push their vision even farther.

A lot of people might describe this strip as wacky, but I wont go there. Rather, it’s frenetic and strange; high energy weirdness… Which, I think, is the effect their going for. It really is a gem.

There’s tons of content, I hope you can make the time to read it.

http://chronillogical.com/

EDIT: When I originally posted this, I forgot to mention the other half of this team, John Chouinard. My apologies John, I’ll get my eyeballs replaced.

Have you read One Swoop Fell? Wow, it’s really great. I just read the whole thing twice, so should you. The art and coloring is so beautiful, and the characters are absolutely charming. Wow.

It’s written and drawn by Mike Dutton, and you can read it here at www.oneswoopfell.com. Make sure you visit his portfolio site as well, www.duttonart.net, his illustrations are lively and vibrant.