I was asked recently what my favorite comic was, and at the time, I had only read the first issue of
PREZ- the unlikely rise of nineteen year old fast food worker Beth Ross to the highest political office in America- but it was still the best comic I was reading. Now that issue three is in stores, I'd say this hilarious satire of politics, celebrity, and social media culture is still the best comic I'm reading now. Check out some sample pages from each of the first three joints...
I bought the first issue of PREZ on a whim... I think I went in to get my hands on the first issue of David Walker's
Cyborg, but it was sold out. Strolling along the books from previous weeks, I was intrigued by the cover art of the first issue. After buying it and burning through the first issue, I couldn't find any connection between
PREZ and any other DC book.
Even now, I keep looking at the DC logo, puzzled at why they were publishing it instead of a creator owned imprint like Image. I'm still not sure... but when I saw the second issue on the racks a few weeks later, I eagerly snapped it up just the same.
This is probably my favorite comic book page of 2015. In the middle of one of the most wonderfully absurd stories I've ever read, this scene is incredibly touching. The profound dissonance between the paternal strength and the physical vulnerability of the ailing Mister Ross is perfectly illustrated. This is fatherhood 101, yo. It's a testament to the creative team that this tender moment doesn't feel at all out of place.
...
Writer Mark Russell loads his script with ideas like Grant Morrison, creating an all-too-near future full of cultural worst-case scenarios involving endless advertising, corporate Illuminati, hashtag-fueled decision making and the like. From the writing perspective, I am totally buying what Russell is selling. The art by Ben Caldwell and Mark Morales is likewise splendid, and along with the coloring by Jeremy Lawson, reflects the fun, irreverent and absurd tone of the writing. All of this makes PREZ feel like a brilliant creator-owned indie book, not the product of an entrenched corporate intellectual property shelter like DC. Believe it or not, that is a compliment to everyone involved, including the editorial and business staff that approved this series. If PREZ makes it to the end of it's scheduled twelve issue run without jumping the shark, it will be a welcome miracle. Because right now, this book is a very pleasant surprise and a breath of fresh air in a sea of the same old thing. When this inevitably becomes a crappy streaming teevee show starring Miley Cyrus, I will be glad to tweet that the comic was SO much better.
Peace,
Samax Amen is a professional illustrator and cartoonist, but even YOU can afford to hire him to draw your characters. Trust me, it'll be DOPE! 
FWIW, DC came up with the idea (or rather, resurrected their old property) and assembled the creative team etc.
ReplyDeleteLike I said, nuff respect to everybody involved.
ReplyDeleteFaith in the medium:
resurrected.