This 132 page, full-color graphic novel is the first, complete story arc of the battle between underdog mystery man, Johnny Saturn, and his worse enemy, Dr. Horatio Synn, a master terrorist bent on proving his theory of creating ultimate Chaos using Johnny Saturn’s hometown of Spire City as his testing ground. And not only does Johnny Saturn have to stop Dr. Synn, he has to fight Spire City’s group of superheroes, the Squadron Premiere, lead by The Utopian, who believes that fighting world-class criminals should be left to those with meta-powers. But not even Heaven or Hell can stop Johnny Saturn from doing his job.

Described as “The best post-modern, deconstructionist, paranormal, superhero, crime noir comic with mythological overtones there is!” Johnny Saturn is the underdog who bites back!

This is from Bob Freeman’s Blog:

Johnny Saturn has become a tentpole of Graphic Smash in it’s time with us and I’m happy to let you know that you can now purchase the entire first arc of Johnny Saturn in retro physical form!

Not only is Johnny Saturn one of my favorite comics in any medium, but Scott and Benita Story are two of my favorite people in this crazy business. Please support them and Johnny and all around great comics by purchasing the Johnny Saturn collection here.

I’ve been listening to “Johnny Cash: Solitary Man,” one of his great recordings near the end of his days, and before that I was listening to Neil Young’s “Comes A Time.” Needless to say, I’m in a pensive, wistful, bittersweet mood, and loving it. I’m not sure if the mood inspired the choice of albums, or the albums inspired the mood, but there you go!

As a lot of the Spire City characters you’ve come to know appear in the new Johnny Saturn stories, many of them will have new or modified costumes or hairstyles. I’m a firm believer that, while metaheros are well aware of personal branding issues and their logos, they also will change their costumes regurally. In our world, for example, we don’t demand that pop stars always dress the same way. They might have a fashion style, a mode of dressing that is recognizably them, but they change clothing daily. That’s the way Spire City is. If I licensed these characters out for various products, then I would have a different take on this issue, but I do not license them.

As a corrallary to this, I also allow characters to age and change. One founding character has but on about 60 lbs, and another has to use bifocals to read from her PDA. Age happens, and I see no reason to freeze these characters in their youth. I admire and love old people, always have, so our metaheroes are allowed to age too.

This is a pic I colored in a caffeinated haze.  Enjoy!

Scott

I got issue 1 uploaded, so now the whole Johnny Saturn backlog is up and ready for your viewing pleasure!  Remember, these are the revised pages, as they appear in the trade paperback, with extra episodes, corrected art, and corrected dialogue!  It was a big job reformatting these, and I’m proud of their new presentation.

If you look at the middle of the top of the page, you will notice a Johnny Saturn banner.  That’s an ad rotation plug-in, and I plan to offer this place to other folks.  So, keep your eyes on this spot! 

More Tomorrow!  Scott.

1)      We never hear Johnny’s thoughts or see what goes on inside his head.  We’ve often said the strip is more about the people around Johnny Saturn than Johnny Saturn himself.

2)      Pages that are framed in black are usually done so because the action is taking place underground, or because the point of view character is depressed.

3)      The original black & white issue one appeared in grayscales.  Then, it got colored, got an additional fourteen pages, and was repackaged as issues one and two of the regular color series.

4)      In issue five, when the heroes are blasting the demonic Dr. Synn, Persephone (his daughter) joins in.  Her power goes not to destroying the demon, however, but insuring that her father is safely disentangled from the demon that has possessed him.

5)      In issue five, When Johnny Saturn draws the magic circle around Dr. Synn, few notice that the Angel of Noble Failures first whispers instructions into Johnny’s ear, and then empowers the circle that Johnny has drawn.

Not much news today… I flatted two pages, and they look spiffy.

Last night, I watched the Tom Cruise version of “War of the Worlds.”  The opening was artfully done, but pretty much everything else about this movie left me cold.  It was all right, really.  What did impress me was the effects sound track—it was spooky, and exceptionally well done.  It practically sounded like paranoia. 

Today, I read World War Hulk.  Such a cool concept, and a really interesting story.  The ending was weak.  I guess it had to be weak, because it was not like they would really kill of their key characters like they did Captain America…  Oh, yeah… Scratch that.  Anyway, the writing was quite good, and John Romita Jr. is the best action comic art since Jack Kirby.  I just don’t see any living comic artist that comes close.  Klaus Jansen inked, and did so beautifully, and even upped his game, it seemed to me.  I’m glad I read it, even if the end whiffled out. 

Have a great weekend!  Scott.