Local #4 cover and solicits

LOCAL #4 - "The Two Brothers"
(w) Brian Wood
(a) Ryan Kelly

The quiet peace of Missoula, Montana is broken when two estranged brothers are reunited and the definitions of what makes a "good" and "bad" sibling become blurred. In a series of violent and disturbing scenes, poor Megan McKeenan plays an unwilling witness to the ultimate in family breakdowns.

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A couple new reviews of note

Greg at icomics.com:

"The first issue of Local is by all means a success; it kicks off the twelve-issue series with a strong story about choices taken and otherwise, as well as providing a strong hook in the form of Megan to make people want to come back for future installments. Add in an attractive cover completing the package (and it sounds silly but the brown-and-blue color combination up in the logo comes across so strongly that I can't help but love it) and you've got a real winner. Here's looking forward to eleven more installments."

Metamorphostuff:

"It's a true collaborative effort between Kelly & Wood - you've got to be good to tell the same basic story four times in one issue and keep the reader interested. How good is Local? I read it on my way home on the streetcar. I read it once, and wasn't quite sure what I'd read, so I read it again. It was on my third time through that I realized I'd missed my stop by about ten blocks."

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my Local - Kathleen Robbins

This is Bunny's Superette, in Manchester, New Hampshire, which is about an hour north of Boston. Manchester is called "The Queen City" and has a population of about 110,000. That's big for New Hampshire. It's an old mill town, but now the beautiful, old, brick mills have been turned into restaurants and condos and office space. There is a major airport in Manchester, as well as a Verizon Wireless Arena. Manchester is also known as "Manch Vegas," which is kind of funny at first, then dumb.

My grandmother lived in Manchester, so when my family would make the half-hour drive from Bow, NH to visit her we'd sometimes stop at Bunny's for a "treat" like a candy bar or gum or a Hostess cake. My sisters and I would wait in the car while my mom or dad ran in; I don't remember ever going in. I'd stare at the giant white posters with big, black letters announcing that day's meat specials, patiently anticipating my Necco wafers, the car idling.

I love Bunny's not only because it reminds me of a time when a parent running into a store and returning with candy was an act of pure magic, but because Bunny's is a real survivor, a mom-and-pop hold-out in this age of Wal-Marts and Super Stop 'N Shops and Costocos. As long as Bunny's is still around, I know the world isn't too far gone yet. Long Live the Superette! Long Live Bunny's!

Kathleen Robbins - Manchester NH

The Fourth Rail - Critiques

Don gives Local #1 his "Best Of The Week", and also sees superpowers:

"...time and time again, as the young woman continues to replay events, tweaking them each time to achieve a different result. But even her abilities can't turn a bad situation into a good one....

One could interpret the repetition of events as the main character playing possible scenarios through her mind before finally taking action, but given that Demo was a series about special people in mundane or unfortunate circumstances, I expect the same holds true here. Wisely, Wood doesn't play up the superhuman/supernatural elements in the story, but instead focuses on the reality of an ugly situation from different perspectives. The boyfriend's extreme behavior and inability to think clearly rings true, and the heroine's sense of being trapped by her bad decisions has a genuine feel to it as well..."

my Local - Dave Golbitz

I took this picture when I thought I was leaving Omaha for good, when I'd return only once a year, to spend Thanksgiving with my family, and to see old friends who hadn't yet managed to escape.

Not born, but raised in Omaha, I longed for an end to my suburban confinement. As I grew, so too did the city. Once, my family lived as far west as the city went. Nothing but grass and trees for miles beyond my house. And now? Asphalt and concrete as far as the eye can see. The roads, badly in need of widening, are congested with communters and shoppers. And glass office buildings glint in the sunlight, a blinding reminder of the price we pay for "progress."

I became sick of the shopping malls, the restaurants and fast food joints that seemingly sprung up on every street corner. I grew weary of the people and their undying devotion to Cornhusker football. Remember, this is a state that elected the former football coach to Congress for no reason other than he won a lot of football games. The city grew, yet still managed to feel like a dull, lifeless prison, the sense of sameness pervading everything.

"I know there's more to life than this," I thought. "I know there's so much more out there that I need to see."

I've left Omaha many times over the years, for many reasons, only to return, as if the city were a black hole and I, no matter how far I went, was forever trapped within its grasp. Each time, upon my return, I would wander the streets downtown, contemplating my life, my history, and that of my city, comforted with the knowledge that, regardless of both my reasons for leaving and for returning, I would always be welcomed with open arms.

The truth about Omaha is this: it's a nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit here. There's relatively little crime, and decent jobs to be had if you want to work in one of those glass-skinned office buildings. It's a good place for young families to put down roots, but that just isn't me right now.

Omaha's been home for a long time, and it always will be. But that doesn't mean I'm not chomping at the bit to hit the road again.

-Dave Golbitz, Omaha, NE

my Local - Seth Hurley

That's how we do.

- Seth Hurley, Rhode Island native.

my Local - Tina Treason

The Pink Pig rollercoaster sits on top of Lenox Mall. It's one of those wacky, only-in-America local traditions by which I'm both embarrassed and mystified. The ride goes up sometime in November every year--it marks the holiday shopping season. It sits on top of Macy's, in a tent bursting with pink pig merchandise, nostaligic pictures of pink pigs from the past, pink carpet, a christmas tree decorated with pigs. I guess the idea is that people will want to go to the mall even more if it is also an amusement park. Take a break from that hectic shopping and ride the rollercoaster! Entice your kids to come to the mall while you shop for other people!

To me, it seems silly and indulgent and another one of those weird effects of rampant consumerism. But then again, it's only a dollar to ride. And everybody's got to have some local holiday tradition.

--Tina Treason, Atlanta, GA local

Who's Reading This?

Yo, drop us a note in the comments, let us know you exist.

thx!

-The Management

Some people talking...

I feel like Local's already been out for ages, since we've been very liberal with pdf previews and review copies, bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifut for almost all of you out there, is a brand new book. Some feedback:

32 pages: "...the writing itself is simply awesome. Wood manages to capture the tension of the scene without overwhelming the reader with made-up drama. The result is that the reader feels privy to an intimate, slightly awkward scene that is palpably real.

"Someone else said it and I apologize in advance for not remembering and giving credit to the source, but one of the strengths of the book is that the script seems to match perfectly the artist's sense of rhythm. Panels that are more powerful standing alone are left uncluttered. The choice of black and white art was a savvy one as the lack of color seems to force the reader to focus on the tension of the scene, replayed again and again for the reader."

Chris Butcher: "..What struck me was that, as good as the first issue is both on the art and story fronts, every piece of art I see from the series is an improvement on the last. I hope he's able to finish all 12 issues of LOCAL before the usual bunch of poachers show up and offer him $600 a page to do an ICEMAN mini-series..."

Ichiban: "I love that each episode will be self-contained--thanks for the finality."

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Local #1 Out Today - Official Comment Thread

Today's the day! After a false alarm last week, Local #1 is out. Let us know what you think.

Also, as a bonus, here's a 7-page preview of Local #2.

-bri

Local #1 In-store date

everyone:

Local #1 is going to be out next week, Nov 16th, as opposed to the 9th. There was a minor problem at the distributor that caused the books to not be shipped out in time. Sorry about that. There will be copies, however, at the shops who have signing events this week.

Everyone else: Nov. 16th.

-bri

from Local #2

from Local #2
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

yes, the art in #2 is BETTER than it is in #1, as impossible as that seems.

(click image to see it bigger)