Vatican Assassins by MJ Massey

“Vatican Assassins is the story of the younger members of the Vatican’s secret demon hunting militia who protect the Pope and the church.  While avoiding being eaten by the same demons they fight, they become embroiled in a 40 year old mystery in a secret diary. But there are many who want the diary’s story to stay secret forever–the heads of the Assassins who are racing the solve the mystery themselves; the Orthodox church, responsible for.”

Story

Vatican Assassins by MJ Massey doesn’t waste time jumping straight into the plot. In fact, it might jump a little too quickly, as the reader is not given much time to figure who people are and what exactly their purpose is. It can be scraped off of the sides here and there, but it may be wise to take a second to introduce characters and story lore a bit before you jump straight in.

There are some unique aspects to this story that do pull you in, including the smooth tie of reality with fantasy. Massey does an excellent job of tying the two together to create a realistic world.

Writing

There were some spelling and grammar errors in Vatican Assassins. Make sure you proofread your comics. It may be a good decision to either get someone to volunteer to proofread your story for you, or hire someone who can do it for you, so that you have fresh eyes looking over and catching any mistakes that you may have missed yourself.

Aside from the spelling and grammar errors, Massey creates strong conversational flow between characters, which only enhances the quality of the story. This, paired with minimal amounts of fluff content, allows for the relevant information to thrive and creates a clear path for the plot to progress.

Art

Massey does a fantastic job of incorporating detailed backgrounds, creating gorgeous scenes that only enhance the quality of the comic as a whole.

Massey also is not afraid to play around with perspectives, which is highly important when creating a comic filled with action scenes. The more movement and perspective that can be portrayed, the better. Although there are some areas where proportions struggle because of this, it certainly adds more than it deters. Well done.

To cap it all off, Vatican Assassins is filled with colour that only compliments the comic further. The good use of colour gives this comic an appealing look, and with more practice, Massey is sure to stun readers with their art.

Conclusion

Vatican Assassins by MJ Massey is just starting to get its legs underneath it. As the comic continues to grow, so will Massey’s talents in art and storytelling. If you enjoy an action-filled comic with a bit of a religious twist, this may be an interesting comic for you.

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You can check out Vatican Assassins by MJ Massey here.

Andy Christ by Pat Grubb

“Andy Christ is about a little boy named Andy, the devil’s six-year-old son.

The sweet-natured but genetically evil Andy is headed for a tug of war between destiny and choice. Is it really possible to be born evil? Will he succumb to his darker nature and end the world? Along the way, he has horrible adventures involving demon possession, zombie squirrels, paranormal police, mindless monsters who feed on human pain, and the demented administration of the Our Lady of Eternal Shame Orphanage. He’ll have help from his friends, the demon-possessed and clinically depressed teddy bear “Frooky” and the dangerously disturbed but remarkably resourceful Manic Mimi.”

Story

Andy Christ by Pat Grubb is not a comic that just anyone should read. This comic is filled with horrifying content, ranging from violent language to gore. However, if you aren’t phased easily by this, then you may really enjoy this terrifyingly creepy comic.

One thing to note is that there is a fair amount of controversial content that is brought up, straight from page one. There is a warning at the beginning of the comic that also highlights this, which I believe is a very smart move on Grubb’s part as it prepares the reader for the type of mindset they should have going in.

Grubbs also does a fairly suitable job introducing the characters, making sure that their personalities are quickly realized, as the story progresses into the plot fairly early. Andy Christ does not waste time getting into the nitty-gritty details.

Writing

The writing in Andy Christ is well done with minimal spelling and grammar errors. Overall, I’m very impressed with the professionalism.

Pat Grubb also shows professionalism in the structure of the conversations between characters. The back-and-forth between each character is smooth and flows well from one speech bubble to the next.

Utilizing font styles has also proven useful in providing Andy Christ with an effective gateway to the horror genre. Dripping speech bubbles and curling letters portray the menacing intent behind each word.

A few criticisms here would be that there is a fair amount of text, and it can be overwhelming to read. Although interesting, be careful to space out the conversations appropriately otherwise a wall of text may deter some readers. With a lot of conversation comes the risk of run-on sentences. Breaking up speech bubbles may help decrease any risk of run-on sentences that leave the reader gasping for breath at the end.

Art

This whole comic is very dark and creepy, and it does it well. Andy Christ is drawn in grey scale, falling perfectly into the laps of a classic horror comic style. It is also accented with pops of colour which effectively sets the stage for readers, creating the perfect atmosphere for the most enjoyable reading experience.

The cartoon style immediately contradicts the horror genre, making for a very unique comic. This is complimented by Grubb’s strong paneling skills that help the comic flow smoothly as it progresses through the plot.

Conclusion

There are moments that the gore and violence can be a bit too much. In fact, the more you read, the more concerned you get with how violent this comic is. The reason for the gore and horror is clear, but for me, it’s a little more than I would like to see in a comic. If it was paced out a bit more or even just implied instead of straight up showing it every time, maybe it would be more up my alley.

Andy Christ by Pat Grubb offers the extremes of horror comics. If this is what you are looking for in this genre, then I would highly suggest you give it a read. Full of controversial ideas, violence, and a unique style, this is certainly a comic that stands out among the rest.

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You can give Andy Christ by Pat Grubb a read here. 

 

Socializing 101 by Pandastrophiic

“Ever since he was young Mihai had always been intimidating and socially awkward making others avoid him. He grew up to become very anti-social preferring to stay within his social circle that include his grandmother, two friends and his beloved cat Muffins…. Well, that’s how it used to be until a new neighbor moves in with his friend and she turns out to be the exact opposite of him.”

Story

Socializing 101 by Pandastrophiic is a casual story about a growing friendship between multiple characters. This comic is very simple in story but makes up for it with adorable and loving characters.

The casual style allows for a light, enjoyable read about every day life and romances. Highly relatable, this is a comic that many people will be able to follow along with bringing back nostalgic memories, or it may even be an experience you are currently living.

There is plenty of opportunities for character growth, and Pandastrophiic does not disappoint in this department. Socializing 101 is the perfect title for this comic as the main characters learn how to meet and open up to people.

Writing

The writing style is very casual, which fits well with the rest of the story. However, it can feel a bit awkward at times, as if the conversations were forced, which hinders the flow. Try avoiding phrases like, “Well, anyway,” as it typically does not create a natural flow through topics and can make the conversation feel broken and uncomfortable.

The grammar and spelling could use some improvement, as well. The writing is easy to understand, though, and any errors do not really hinder the overall reading experience. Make sure you have a good editor on hand who can go over and catch any mistakes that you may have made.

Socializing 101 does have clearly defined thought versus conversation speech bubbles which make it easy to quickly read back and forth between internal conversations and external ones. Just be careful not to overdo the talking. It can be daunting to see so much text all the time in a comic, plus a picture can sometimes say more than what you want to say with words.

Art

Pandastrophiic definitely excels in art. The colouring is especially impressive, with smooth blending and a creamy texture. The soft colours and lines create an almost dream-like consistency that soothes the eyes and compliments the font.

Socializing 101 utilizes space well, having thought bubbles or conversations that weave in and out of panels, connecting each one successfully. Paneling plays an important role in portraying the scene and it is done well in this comic, maximizing the use of white space and flow from one panel to the next.

One small note to make is that the sketch lines are still visible. Although not necessarily a bad thing, it does take away from a cleaner and completed look. Consider removing these sketch lines if ever producing this comic into a more professional format, such as a printed book.

Aside from that, I’m overall very impressed with the art in Socializing 101. Pandastrophiic has done an excellent job portraying this comic, and you can feel the characters emotions in each panel as they challenge what they know and discover the truths about each other.

Conclusion

Socializing 101 by Pandastrophiic is a lovely casual read with gorgeous artwork. I would suggest finding an editor or a good friend to go through the script and make sure that the flow remains consistent and that any spelling or grammar errors are caught. This is a comic that will easily have you falling in love with the characters, wanting to follow along as they go about their everyday lives, learning how to love themselves and each other.

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You can read Socializing 101 by Pandastrophiic on Tapastic!