LOCAL

Local #8: Wicker Park, Chicago Available Today

2007-02-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Local #8: Wicker Park, Chicago
"Food As Substitute"
Release; Feb. 21, 2007

Local 7: Tempe, Arizona

2007-02-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

Local 7: Tempe, Arizona
"Hazardous Youth"

Coco Roco

2006-08-27T14:12:00.000-04:00

Local #6

"Megan and Gloria, Apartment 5a"

Release: 9/6

Local #6 breakdown

2006-05-26T10:21:00.000-04:00

Local #5: Coming next week.
Local #6: The experts are working on it.

Local #1 sells out, back to print w/ new cover

2006-03-17T09:08:00.000-05:00

local01_finalcover_reprint
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

A year's worth of extra copies gone in 3 months! The book's doing very well, and here's Ryan's new cover to the reprinted #1, due at the end of this month.

If you're missing any of the issues, here's a list of order codes that any sensible comic shop can get them with. If your shop is not sensible, try Khepri.

#1 - SEP053052
#2 - OCT053136
#3 - NOV053064
#4 - DEC053141
#5 - FEB063204 (out next month)
#6 - MAR063339 (out the month after)

--

on Local #4, part 2

2006-03-10T17:57:00.000-05:00

It's nice when a reviewer nails it. Local has enough built-in ambiguity that lends itself to a lot of interpretations, but also to someone just not getting it. Don MacPherson gets it:

"Wood crafts a character with such a delusion that he's owed the American Dream simply because he believes he fits the description of the stereotypical upper-middle-class man."

much more in link.

-bri

on Local #4

2006-03-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

Chris's Invincible Super-Blog:

In the best issue of Brian Wood's [and Ryan Kelly's!] miniseries so far, our erstwhile hero Megan learns that maybe doing things like letting guys come into your apartment and leave pictures of themselves isn't such a good idea after all. It's a fantastic bit of character development: Surprising, funny, and chilling at the same time, and I get the feeling that Wood's going to parley it into a turning point for the character in upcoming issues...

---

Local #4 "Two Brothers" Out Today

2006-03-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

local04_finalcoverfile
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

Let us know what you think!

Brian talks Megan & women in comics

2006-02-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

Here on Venuszine.com:

Do you find writing female characters to be any harder than writing male characters?

Not at all. If anything, I find them easier because I've done more of it. The lead in this one book I'm writing now, called DMZ, is a guy in his early-twenties. It should be a breeze for me to write, but it's often rather difficult. I mean, there isn't a huge difference in writing men and women because, as human beings, we all tend to have the same basic instincts and reactions to things. Sarcasm and joy and anger in a broad sense are totally gender-neutral, and the difference lies in the details, but I always find it easier when it's Megan McKeenan I'm writing.

--

much more in the link.

-bri

on Local, 2/2/06

2006-02-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

One thing that occured to me as I was prepping Local #4 for print is that, unlike Demo, I am consciously considering the collected edition as I write the stories. Demo was deliberatly such a pure single-issue experience, that during the act of creating it I never considered how the stories would sit next to each other, read back to back, without a month's time separating them.

But now that I have the experience of seeing Demo collected all in one book, this is informing how I write Local. Interesting. To me, anyway.

---

AICN chimed in on Local yesterday, as well as other recent Oni releases:

and yielded this very flattering quote:

"So big ups to Wood and Kelly. They’re working in some kind of magical synchronicity, they’ve got a concept the biz has never seen, and they’re at the forefront of the movement to revitalize the standalone issue in comics (see also, JONAH HEX; FELL). Pretty cool stuff. In fact, at three issues in I’m confident enough in the series to start thinking of it as an early frontrunner for best miniseries of ’06."

---

Graeme on Local #3

2006-01-29T16:06:00.000-05:00

via The Savage Critic:

"LOCAL #3... manages to be an anthology of four shorter stories all about what happens afterwards, while Wood also has a character talk about creativity for an issue, giving people like me the opportunity to wonder if he’s really talking about his own creativity with lines like “To be really blunt, we were growing up. That hardcore stuff was just getting old – Or rather, we were just getting too old to be doing it… As artists, as any kind of creative person, you progress. You adapt, your art grows up with you, and to me there’s nothing sadder than musicians who’re still cranking out the same stuff 20 years later.” So, no more Channel Zero any time soon, looks like. Despite that, it all holds together well."

--

was waiting for someone to see a connection there. i mean, there was never any plan for more Channel Zero anyway, but the rest of it - there are some parallels.

-b

Jog

2006-01-28T08:09:00.000-05:00

I find myself anticipating Jog's comments every month: (scroll a bit for Local)

"It seems that every new release in this series is determined to play around with a different approach to presentation - we had the repeating imagination structure of #1 and the long silent stretches of #2, and now we have a drifting mass of events floating from one member of a recently-disbanded musical quartet to the next, as all of them attempt to engage with a post-band life...

Involuntary narration is provided by the band’s singer/guitarist, who spends way too much of his day talking on the phone with a music journalist, who largely seems intent on relating everything going on now to the band’s past. Why did you leave Virginia? How was your sound changed? What do you think of your fans’ reactions? Writer Brian Wood quite nicely handles the tenor of the interview, the journalist adopting an apologetic stance for tough questions, gently flattering the subject to get him back on track (“Happy birthday.”) - I’ve listened to the recordings of interviews like this. The singer/guitarist thus represents the inescapable presence of what’s gone on before, (literally) stuck dealing with his and his bandmates’ own past accomplishments.

Elsewhere (as the narration continues), we have the group’s bassist/vocalist, who’s attempting to restart a relationship that got shunted aside for the sake of her art. We have the drummer, who’s dealing with the economic side of things, hawking off his old works at inflated prices... And we have the (non-singing) guitarist, who’s playing a solo set at a small club. All the while, the conversational narration continues, sometimes complimenting what we see, and sometimes contrasting with it. It’s ultimately clear that the realities of the breakup situation and the ephemeral qualities of recognition are so great, that the only truly lasting pleasure comes from the act of creation itself, and only one band member is ultimately glimpsed in what can be read as a state of unrestricted happiness.

It’s a good, low-key little story, possessed with authenticity of theme, and willing to allow its themes to simmer. The space-spanning narrative structure allows for some nice local color, and Kelly continues to do a good job with the atmosphere. For bonuses, there’s the expected essays, two pages of designs and roughs, a pair of pin-ups by Richmond-connected guest artists Chris Pitzer and Rob G., and two pages of the new ‘My Local’ feature, in which readers can send in pictures and words about their own surrounding environs."

--

theories, reviews...

2006-01-27T10:43:00.000-05:00

Spatula!

"Continuing one of my favorite new series and even better than the first two issues. Another self-contained story (with a slight link to the first two), it's the tale of a band, Theories and Defenses, after it's broken up and returned home to Richmond, Va., after years of traveling and touring. Each of the band's four members look at picking up the pieces of their lives. Writer Brian Wood weaves all four stories around an interview the band's acerbic frontman is giving to a music magazine, and it's a real masterpiece of pacing, storytelling and setting. Each character is drawn with fine details in a tiny amount of space -- the weary, witty frontman, the sleazy drummer, the quiet professional. You get a feel for the nomadic life of a musician and how easy it is to get lost in it. Loving details by artist Ryan Kelly such as album cover art and a vivid imagined history for Theories and Defenses make this issue feel real and lived-in. Local #3 is just a great, compact and evocative little comic book, and one I'll pass on to people who think comics are all capes and spandex to show them otherwise. Grade: A+"

--

Kadymae!

"It's the art of the short story, told by somebody who knows how to tell a short story.

But even better than that, it's the short story told by someone who knows how to leverage the nature of comics (that unique synthesis of word and picture) to tell the story in a way that no other medium can.

I said that Local #1 was the coolest short film you'll never see on the IFC or Sundance Channel.

To tranlate all the layers and nuances found in this issue would require a frikkin feature film.

And it's got to be one of the most perfect examples of just knowing (and using) how comics work and what they can do that words and film can't to load layers of meaning ... the medium is integral to the content of the story -- it's richness, it's depth.

Go. Buy. Read. Look at what is said and how it is said and marvel at how elegantly it all comes together."

--

9A, L3

2006-01-23T07:59:00.000-05:00

Ninth Art talks a little bit about this week's LOCAL #3

"Far more interesting, to me at least, is central character Megan McKeenen. Like a number of Wood's characters, Megan labours under a kind of despondent isolation. And like the characters in the first issue of DEMO, she's a runaway, although we're not yet privy to why. The first two issues have had her moving from one doomed relationship to another as if, in her need to forge some sort of replacement roots, she's had to bypass her common sense. So while I'm keen to see how well - or how badly - Megan copes with her naiveté, I'm hoping that she turns the corner sooner rather than later."

This wednesday.

PSA - Local #3

2006-01-18T16:36:00.000-05:00

Release date is Jan 25th.

-The Management

Local #5 solicits

2006-01-18T12:21:00.000-05:00

LOCAL #5

by Brian Wood & Ryan Kelly

The last lonely days at the Oxford Theater. After the traumatic events Megan survived in the last story, we next find her as the sole employee at a run-down arthouse movie theatre tucked way up north in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lost in her own head, she joins the small but loyal crowd of patrons that gather each night for the second-run films, learning that the stories of the moviegoers themselves can, more often than not, rival what's up on the big screen.

32 pages, black and white, $2.99.

Richmond Magazine talks to me about Local

2006-01-05T15:09:00.000-05:00

brian_richmond
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

my local-Ryan Kelly

2006-01-05T09:32:00.000-05:00

For the creation of Local #2: Polaroid Boyfriend I found it necessary to snap a few instant photos to reduce the dependence on my weak scatter-brained memory. I have trouble remembering simple tasks like locking the doors and taking my shoes off inside so I can’t waste any urgent brain cells on mustering up the exact visual shape of the Wedge Logo in my imagination. But, yes I have been here a long long time, and I have been to Hum’s.

If for some same strange reason you happen to wander into Minneapolis, there are many places to go when you need “something to do”. And be aware of your exact location at all times. As we stated in the back of the book, Minneapolis is medley of construction zones, architectural disasters, strip malls and suburban “lifestyle centers” that spread across the land like those bloody tentacles in War of the Worlds (not like I like Tom Cruise or anything). And don’t forget Saint Paul, My current residence, which is the Capulet to Minneapolis’ Montague. You can’t just leap into Hilltop or Richfield like a blind gazelle and call it “Minneapolis”. You’re likely to get chased down the street by an angry mob. Bloodhounds and pitchforks and everything. In Minneapolis, you can go Downtown, Uptown, Northeast, the Warehouse district, West Bank, Lake Street, and so on and so on. There is so much to do and see if you really put your mind to it. But I chose Lyndale Avenue as the main location to stage my scenes with Megan’s romantic adventure in Minneapolis.

So, I went to Lyndale and snapped some photos. I didn’t want to be a poseur so I used a genuine Polaroid instant camera because I am, of course, the original “Polaroid Boyfriend”. Looking Clockwise from left, we see The Wedge co-op (www.wedge.coop). After I snapped photos that day I went in to grab some hummus and a root beer for lunch. Mpls-St. Paul Magazine ranks The Wedge as #22 (a grocery store!) in the Best 100 Things About the Twin Cities. It is an excellent full service grocery store that has stood its ground against national chains and has earned the loyalty of neighborhood residents. But I only seem to buy hummus and a root beer. A friend told me the other day his mom designed the Wedge logo we see there on the building. That friend is in a band called CAPITAL SONS (www.capitalsons.com) and their record is shown in the hand of the record store clerk as she scolds Megan on page 16.

In the next photo we see the 22nd street side of Hum’s as it leads up to Caffetto and the hair studio with my favorite name: Curl Up and Dye. The Caffetto coffee shop is one of the first places I showed my paintings way back in the day. That is where I met Christian Johnson who was pouring joe there at the time. He decided to strike out on his own and opened his own coffee shop, The Spyhouse on Nicollet Avenue, which runs parallel to Lyndale a few blocks East. The Spyhouse is a stylishly mod coffee shop that is a preferred hangout for art school students, laptop tappers, hipsters, and just your average dude off the street. Megan’s stalker is sipping a Spyhouse cup on page 2. Christian has just opened a new diner down the street called the Bad Waitress Breakfast Joint & Coffee Shop. Who doesn’t want to eat at a place called “the Bad Waitress”?

In the next photo, we see Hum’s. They deliver and they have one of the most gorgeous art deco style storefront signs in town. If you live in Florida or something, please don’t call the number in the comic book and request a case of MGD to be delivered to your home. I will get mad at you. In the last photo, we see the door for Megan’s apartment. It is on the Lyndale avenue side and sits in between Hum’s and the Red Dragon bar. An artist I have been drawing with on a monthly comic for DC just told me his old girlfriend once lived in that exact apartment above Hum’s. I don’t know who lives there now. Don’t go there and ring the buzzer and ask for Megan McKeenan.

Well, that’s it. I hope you liked Lyndale avenue and I hoped you liked Local #2: Polaroid Boyfriend. In closing, I want to assure everyone that I DO know that the Soviettes LP2 and Low’s Great Destroyer was not released in 1995. Sometimes when you’re frantically trying to get a book done in time, you have to just put your head down, clench your fist, and tell your intern to grab something off the web and paste it in the artwork. Now I’m going to go flog myself in shame.
Love, RKelly

Minneapolis!

2005-12-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

Michael Drivas of Big Brain Comics in Minneapolis sends me the following message:

"I just counted the local #2's and as of this moment you are outselling Infinite Crisis at Big Brain."

--

local05_coverfile

2005-12-23T11:59:00.000-05:00

local05_coverfile
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

LOCAL #5 - "The Last Lonely Days at the Oxford Theater"
(w) Brian Wood
(a) Ryan Kelly

After the traumatic events Megan survived in the last story, we next find her as the sole employee at a run-down arthouse movie theatre tucked way up north in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lost in her own head, she joins the small but loyal crowd of patrons that gather each night for the second-run films, learning that the stories of the moviegoers themselves can, more often than not, rival what's up on the big screen.

Mark Fossen on Local #2

2005-12-22T14:38:00.000-05:00

Focused Totality:

"What really strikes me about this... is that it feels a bit like life. Removed from the superpowers of Demo, Wood is showing he can write simple naturalism that manages to be more dramatic than a pure slice of life... an excellent balance here of showing us real life, but only showing us the bits that matter.

"...a story of two people who obviously have deeply embedded relationship shrapnel, but try to make a connection. Only a year earlier Megan ended a very abusive relationship, so the idea of a "Polaroid Boyfriend" must be attractive: a man that sneaks into her house, leaves pictures of himself, then disappears before she gets home. She never sees him, never speaks to him, but he's always there at the end of the day... all the caring, none of the messy reality.

"In various hands, this scenario could either be the basis for a horror tale, or a romance... Wood realizes it's both. He doesn't shy away from the fact that it's damn weird, and possibly unhinged ... but he ends the issue on a note of romantic hope. Megan herself runs through the gamut of reactions, but finally seems to realize that she needs to make a human connection...

"Ryan Kelly again gives the book an emotional depth past the bare bones of the script. Both his environments and characters are flawed and look "lived in", and that realism heightens the balance that Wood is trying to achieve... Wood mentions in the backmatter that silent scenes (which make up the bulk of this issue) can be tricky, as it takes an accomplished artist to slow the eye down and not let the reader rip through the book in 30 seconds. Kelly's most amazing feat in this issue is just that: his silent panels are highly compressed and rich with information. This reads like a long book, and the silent scenes are the ones that take the longest and are the most rewarding."

--

CJ Christy on LOCAL #2

2005-12-22T09:58:00.000-05:00

She likes the mixtapes:

"The music they chose is really great stuff-daily indie viewers would love it. So we chose a song from their playlist to play. We chose the CURE song "Pictures Of You" used in illustrating pages 7-9 within the most recent issue (#2 Minneapolis).

As we played the video, I read along in the comic book. As the lyric "whiter than snow" was sung, I looked at page 8, panel 1 -- and there was the heroine looking out her window at the snow. I freaked out, and muted the video and went on air to describe what had happened. I'm a dork, but it was super awesome. SO if you check out LOCAL and download the songs, I guarantee the experience will be worth it. I seriously heart this comic. PS: How lame is the phrase- "seriously heart"."

---

LOCAL #2 - "Polaroid Boyfriend" out today

2005-12-14T10:32:00.000-05:00

Let us know what you thought!

-The Management

minneapolis_poster_rough2

2005-12-12T10:31:00.000-05:00

minneapolis_poster_rough2
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

rush rush rush. that time of year.

so this week, in sunny Minneapolis, Ryan Kelly and I will be the guests of Big Brain Comics, who are kindly hosting a signing and a party for the release of LOCAL #2. see the poster here for details.

if you're nearby, I hope you'll come say hi.

-bri

Sequential Tart on Local #1

2005-12-06T10:48:00.000-05:00

so says Katherine Keller:

"On the cover there's a blurb quote from Warren Ellis calling Local #1 "The perfect three-minute single." Ellis is wrong. This is the coolest short film never shown on the IFC or Sundance channels."

---

Local #4 cover and solicits

2005-11-30T09:02:00.000-05:00

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.

--

A couple new reviews of note

2005-11-30T08:58:00.000-05:00

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."

--

my Local - Kathleen Robbins

2005-11-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

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

2005-11-21T20:03:00.000-05:00

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

2005-11-20T12:06:00.000-05:00

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

2005-11-18T07:58:00.000-05:00

That's how we do.

- Seth Hurley, Rhode Island native.

my Local - Tina Treason

2005-11-18T07:53:00.000-05:00

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?

2005-11-17T17:27:00.000-05:00

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

thx!

-The Management

Some people talking...

2005-11-17T07:52:00.000-05:00

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."

--

Local #1 Out Today - Official Comment Thread

2005-11-16T06:42:00.000-05:00

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

2005-11-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

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

2005-11-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

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)

return of the funwrecker

2005-10-18T09:08:00.000-04:00

Richmond, VA resident Sean Kennedy's been invaluable, sending me CD mixes, local papers, and reference pics for Local #3. So here's a plug for his radio show:

The Funwrecker Ball with Sean Kennedy
Richmond Indie Radio, WRIR-LP 97.3 FM
Thursdays, 9 to 11 PM Eastern

Listen online. Here's a sample track list from a previous show.

-bri

Attention: Minneapolis

2005-10-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

oar
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

from Local #2 and days gone by.

LOCAL wallpaper!

2005-10-05T19:51:00.000-04:00

Whipped these up when I should be busy making dinner. Made them to the large monitor spec (1920x1200 for cinema/landscape, 1600x1200 for regular screens)

download landscape (1920px wide) / normal (1600px wide)

download landscape (1920px wide) / normal (1600px wide)

download landscape (1920px wide) / normal (1600px wide)

Enjoy!

-bri

2005-09-28T18:31:00.000-04:00

Here is a step-by-step post detailing Ryan Kelly and my creative process on the cover for Local #3.

I seriously love this cover.

-bri

The 4th Rail

2005-09-25T12:32:00.000-04:00

Snap Judgments, Randy Lander:
" Local is an exceptional read, a great start to a new series with an impressive pedigree, and a jaw-dropping performance from an artist who clearly has "clicked" with this project like no other..."

Mike Sterling

2005-09-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

Progressive Ruin:

"Anyway, from my brief glances at other people's reviews (which I'd been trying to avoid as so not to spoil anything for myself), most everyone is recommending this to the folks that read and enjoyed the excellent Demo, Wood's prior project. I can't disagree...like most issues of Demo, Local has a gimmick driving the story, but the gimmick is there to teach us more about the characters involved, to bring emotional depth rather than some improbable plot contrivance.

"It's involving and it's beautifully drawn, and it sticks with you after you've read it. That's a good way to spend three bucks..."

---

Brian Wood/Local interview on Newsarama

2005-09-20T12:36:00.000-04:00

"My only criteria was to get away from the larger cities I always set stories in, like New York City, and other places commonly seen in comics like Los Angeles or San Francisco or Washington, DC. I noticed that with Demo, when I would create these settings for the stories, in my notes to Becky [Cloonan, artist/co-creator of Demo] I was always naming certain places as reference, even though in the final product the locations would be generic. I would write something like "a small college town, similar to Boston's Jamaica Plain", or "a modern upper middle class suburb in the southwest - google Scottsdale for ref". Why not just go the extra step and actually use these locations? It would add a whole other layer of detail and authenticity.

"Picking them was easy. In fact, I have a list of about 30 locations that I need to edit down to the final twelve. I wanted them to be small, but vibrant, with college scenes and good indie comic shops. I wanted to make sure that locals would actually be reading Local."

Read the rest here.

local1_promo

2005-09-19T08:13:00.000-04:00

local1_promo
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

This is what great artists like Ryan Kelly do in their spare time and surprise grumpy writers with first thing on a Monday morning.

Brill!

2005-09-17T08:20:00.000-04:00

Brill Building:

"Wood and Kelly are brewing up something that could remind people of Adrian Tomine’s Optic Nerve. Comics that take advantage of the pamphlet form by using short stories paced just so delicately and able to tell readers of the people all around them. It doesn’t hit you how powerful a comic like this is until you’ve finished it and absorbed every well constructed panel spread and every natural sounding bit of dialogue."

Johnny Bacardi on Local #1

2005-09-16T19:45:00.000-04:00

Comic Book Galaxy:

"According to Wood, she's going to be a recurring character in each issue, and presumably we'll be privy to her growth and maturation as a person, and that's intriguing because even though she's certainly no sweetheart, Megan is likeable and interesting enough to take the series on her shoulders and invite us along for the ride... A promising beginning, for sure.
Grade: 4.5/5"

my Local - Adrian Brown

2005-09-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

The Constitution is in Pimlico on Churton Street, just three doors down from The Mekong restaurant where Cindy and Howard host the finest Vietnamese cuisine in London. But that's later, after the pub.

When we first lived here, The Constitution was run by an Irish couple, whose St Patricks Day treats of Colcannon and whiskey made the place a star among the hotel district tourist pubs and the Cockney Geezer football pubs. No music either. They left under a cloud of gossip.

In over a decade, there's only been one fight (two months ago - drunk chap fights his drunk friend, less drunk regulars hold him down until the police arrive within ten minutes). There's a bunch of regulars that have been going there for years, but it doesn't feel like an old folks pub either. There's the woman who looks like Dot Cotton out of Eastenders, who'll tell you where the secret chairs are kept. Then the chap who once came to see me at work about this supposed alcohol problem that his doctor told him he had, but he did not believe me either. William Burroughs used to drink here. Although it was actually an eighty-something Irish guy in a hat like Burroughs used to wear.

There have been a few fly-by-night tenant landlords/landladies since the Irish couple left, but the current one has given us back the same local crowd feel. This Summer, they installed a TV, and it's the most pleasant place to watch a rubbish football match - which is a staple service of the Local these days. There's a discreet music policy - not too loud, unlike the other pubs in the area - mostly the VH1 television or the indie/ soft rock tastes of the predominantly Eastern European female bar staff. And you can sit outside on a nice quiet side road.

Since I left Birmingham twenty years ago, it's the first pub where I might pop out for an hour to drink a pint while I read a book. Or wait for a take away.

Adrian Brown - Birmingham native

Brian and Sherman weigh in

2005-09-14T17:46:00.000-04:00

Pop Culture Gadabout:

"Judging from an advanced copy of the premiere ish of Brian Wood & Ryan Kelly's Local (Oni Press), it looks as if Wood has another A-Grade character-driven series in the works."

PopImage:

"I can't talk about LOCAL without talking about Ryan Kelly. I know Kelly's work from GIANT ROBOT WARRIORS and as half the 1/3rd of the art team of LUCIFER, but it's here that he really takes off. His work is expressive and dense, a perfect fit for what Wood is doing here. And yeah, I see some similarities to people like Paul Pope, Troy Nixey and Farel Dalrymple, but Kelly is an artist in and to himself. He might just be next year’s artist to watch."

--

Sean Maher's turn now

2005-09-14T16:35:00.000-04:00

Quality Control:

"The economy of the storytelling is great. Few creative teams in comics today are able to really put together a solid single-issue story, and it's nice to see that Demo wasn't a fluke in Wood's repertoire, and that other artists can similarly respond to the demands of such a story. The premise of this story is clear after the first page-and-a-half... His desperation and her conflicted response to it are crisply scripted and drawn in an evocative, almost melodious style - Kelly really seems to be swinging across each page, creating a visual mood that keeps my eyes moving briskly across the page while nailing me with a haunting image every now and then to punctuate the flow. Crafty, concise stuff."

--

Steve Pheley on Local #1

2005-09-14T08:46:00.000-04:00

GUTTERNINJA!

"...Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly’s Local, a twelve-parter that’s kinda-sorta-but-not-entirely a followup to Wood’s much-praised Demo. Fans of that series should feel right at home with this debut, but the format of this series – each issue will be self-contained and take place in a different city, but this issue’s protagonist Megan will appear throughout to tie it all together – may please people who prefer a longer narrative with more room to develop the lead character as well.

"...the weak spot would just be that I didn’t really get much of a feeling for this issue’s location (Portland, Oregon), but possibly that’ll work itself out as the series progresses and gives us more to compare it to."

---

I will interject a little commentary, as that particular criticism has come up a few times. I really don't want LOCAL to be an alienating experience for those poeple who don't live in the cities featured in the stories. I don't want in-jokes or references that would fly over the heads of non-locals. The stories have to be universal, easily understood planet-wide, and the bonus to readers who DO happen to live in these cities will be what I casually refer to as the "oh, shit!" factor: Oh, shit! Look, she's working at Treehouse/Oarfolkjokeopus Records! (Local #2, Minneapolis) I think a degree of detail like that adds a real sense of authenticity to a story.

And on an even more practical tip, I know many of these cities, some more than others, but I am not THAT well traveled that I can write travelogue-style books dedicated to each of them (although I wish I was).

-bri

Local #2

2005-09-13T22:33:00.000-04:00

LOCAL #2 (of 12) - "Polaroid Boyfriend"
by Brian Wood & Ryan Kelly

While Megan’s at work, he finds her hidden key and lets himself in to her apartment, spending the day reading her books, rummaging around, and relaxing on her bed. He’s gone when she comes home, leaving behind short love notes scrawled on the backs of the photographs he takes of himself. Is this just sick, twisted stalker games, or is he Megan McKeenan’s new "Polaroid Boyfriend"? The second issue in this new series of stand-alone stories brings us to Minneapolis, Minnesota, LOCAL artist Ryan Kelly’s hometown.

32 pages, black & white
Contains harsh language and mature situations.
In stores: December 14, 2005
$2.99 US, $4.50 Can

Johanna talks Local #1

2005-09-13T22:30:00.000-04:00

Cognitive Dissonance:

"Kelly's art is accomplished yet roughly emotional. Megan has a consistent look with habitual traits already apparent. I wouldn't think there were that many possibilities for her portrayal, but in these four scenes, she demonstrates (both textually and visually) vulnerability, toughness, uncertainty, contempt, and self-reliance. And as needed for this series, Kelly can draw places and backgrounds."

--

Old Pharmacy Cafe

2005-09-13T05:14:00.000-04:00

Old Pharmacy Cafe
Originally uploaded by kmikeym.

So almost right after we immortalize Portland's Nob Hill Pharmacy in the pages of Local #1, it shuts down. This is what's opening up in its place.

(Thanks, Mike)

Shelf Life!

2005-09-12T20:55:00.000-04:00

James W. Powell previews Local #1:

"I'm one of the unlucky few to have skipped Wood's Demo, choosing to wait for the collected version instead. But I won't be doing that here. Now that I've sampled the goods, I'm hooked. There's no way I'm waiting to expose myself to more of this gripping storytelling...

"Yet the story couldn't be told without the masterful black and white imagery by Ryan Kelly. Filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock was a master of pulling at an audience's emotions by showing his characters thinking, and Kelly does it masterfully here too. While there is a healthy dose of action and twists, the true heart of this story comes in the girl's emotions and thoughts, which are perfectly conveyed through Kelly's pencils.

"If Wood and Kelly produce 12 issues that equal this one, they'll have a blockbuster on their hands."

--

Thanks, James!

-bri

Hovy reviews LOCAL #1

2005-09-12T14:23:00.000-04:00

Gotham Lounge:

"...normally you either have first person narration describing what's going on... or clunky expository dialogue coming from the cast to fill the reader in on the who, what, where, when, and why of the story. Wood instead ignores pretty much all of that and instead opts to drop the reader right smack in the middle of Megan's ten thousand thoughts per second. Once you realize what's going on, you just ride with it and quietly hope Megan figures out what she really needs to do. And once Megan does, you just let out this sigh of relief and you're glad that she has picked the best course of action for the situation. Now all you have to do is wait for the second issue to see where Megan goes from there.

"The art by [Ryan] Kelly is similar to Paul Pope's: Loose, fluid, energetic, and just full of life. A book like LOCAL, from what I've read in just the first issue, needs an artist like Kelly. Kelly breathes so much life into this story that I'm already giddy with anticipation at the prospect of eleven more issues to come.

"LOCAL's the real deal. A solid, quality comic that holds your interest for all 24-pages. Frankly, it's your loss if you don't pick this up."

---

Chris Tamarri advance-reviews Local #1

2005-09-11T12:59:00.000-04:00

Chris Tamarri advance-reviews Local #1:

"It’s hard to talk about Local without referencing Demo... But from what [#1] suggests, Local should have a conceptual leg up. Both series are about the everyman, characters empathetic not because of their commonalities, but because of their shared idiosyncrasies. Local’s different in that it doesn’t give you a way out. If a character in Demo did something you’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t, or couldn’t, or did something you could never do, or wouldn’t, it was easy to draw a line between the character and the reader. That line was the subtle element of the fantastic—increasingly subtle as the series progressed—that prevented complete identification. This girl in Local, she does what she does, and it may or may not be what you would’ve done, but it’s up to you to figure out where and why the difference lies.

"Local is exactly the sort of work Brian Wood should be creating. His voice is perfectly suited to this sort of Carver-style accidentally-on-purpose insight. It’s a sort of sleight-of-hand really, almost as though he’s trying to see how high he can get the ratio of information presented to affection earned. This girl is defined in negative; we have to figure out who she is by taking note of who she’s not.

"Ryan Kelly, who’s good enough to make me almost forget to miss Becky Cloonan. Kelly’s line reminds me of Paul Pope’s, that same sort of blunt grace that makes the unattractive appealing. There are certain shots of the girl where I fell in love with her, in that embarrassing way we all do with fictional characters. And then there are other shots where she’s almost repellent, where, God help me, I almost understand why her boyfriend’s such a dick. It’s not that the quality of art dips. It’s that the presentation of the girl is supposed to be more of a report of her self-image than strict portraiture; If I don’t find her attractive, it’s because she doesn’t want anybody to. In both praise of Kelly’s work and his girl’s, though, I’ll say that the last panel of the story made me want to blast “Thunder Road” and give somebody a high-five.

"(Sorry. I’m from Jersey. Springsteen means “happy.”)

"(Except for Nebraska.)"

-bri

another advance review

2005-09-11T12:29:00.000-04:00

Laura Gjovaag advance-reviews LOCAL #1:

"Let's start out this review by saying: If you liked Demo, then you will like this book. It's got the same pacing and story style. It's very much its own story, but readers of Demo will slip comfortably into the pages... like curling up with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book. It's the comfort food of comic books, and that's a good thing.

"If you haven't read Demo, then I think it's safe to say that this is a very good book to give a try. Brian Wood has a solid sense of storytelling, and his characters manage to come alive with just a few lines of dialogue... although I'm not yet keen on Kelly's style [as Becky Cloonan's on Demo], the background detail is excellent. The Portland train station is instantly recognizable...

"Like Demo, each issue of this series will stand alone, but unlike Demo, certain characters will reappear, so if you read the whole 12 issue run, you'll get more out of it. Again, the first issue is a good one for a tryout."

Thanks Laura!

-bri

my Local - Elizabeth Genco

2005-09-08T11:20:00.000-04:00

I don't know what the population of Orono is these days, but it was
under ten thousand back in my day, doubling in size between the months
of September and May with the student population. I doubt that it has
grown much in the last fifteen years.

There aren't many places to beat a hasty retreat in a town that small.
When it's 1989 and things get a little too "under the microscope",
staring back at the world with a shit-eating grin is a solid coping
strategy. So is good pizza. Rx: lace up your Bean boots, grab your
best friend, and slide into a wooden booth at Pat's for some laughs
and a pie from heaven. Make up stories about the truckers and logging
men bellied up to the counter. Smile at C.D., your classmate and the
son (or is it grandson?) of Pat, as he throws the dough under the
cracked neon checkout sign. Plot your world domination (or just your
great escape).

You say you're in the mood for Mexican? Well, Margarita's is just
next door. The food's good and greasy (heavy on the cheese). They're
liberal with the chips and salsa. And for peoplewatching, you might
catch a glimpse of some of Orono High School's finest faculty,
stringy-haired and reeking of nine kinds of booze, pontificating about
the Homer and odes to Grecian urns. (That's to impress the ladies,
you understand.)

When you step on to the snow-covered sidewalk, slightly sleepy from
all that cheese gumming up your stomach, day will have turned to a
clear Maine twilight. You'll take a breath of crisp air, tinged
slightly with pine trees and exhaust, and downtown Orono will look a
little bigger, somehow.

And later, snuggled under flannel sheets topped with your favorite
brown sleeping bag, you'll feel a little less alone.

- Elizabeth Genco: Orono, Maine native

my Local - Shelby Cinca

2005-09-07T08:43:00.000-04:00

Black Cat Club opened in 1994 (or maybe it was 1993).. I was in High School and I saw the first show at the club... a little-known Dischord band called Severin and some other bands I don't remember. It was quite the solace as one took the "big" trek from my hometown suburb of Springfield, VA into the big city to get some good music and feel at place in the world. The 'burb I was from was what one may call "home" but in the strange netherworld sense that most suburbs with maybe one hangout that is open late at night is. Most times were spent in a friend's basement listening to records or dreaming about some other land or looking at Encylopedias. Being local in the Washington, DC area is basically being metro-accessible into DC which extended even into the most phantom-like and twilight zone like 'burbs in this weird transient city and it's surrounding tendrils.

- Shelby Cinca, Washington DC
The Cassettes frontman

Ryan Kelly's LOCAL/DEMO samples

2005-09-06T15:51:00.000-04:00

A page from Demo #5, drawn by Ryan Kelly.

Several months ago, Ryan did a bunch of sample art for me in preparation for taking on LOCAL. I gave him some script pages from Demo #5, an issue he hadn't seen before, and it was fascinating to see his version of the story, which was eerily similar to Becky's.

Here are Ryan's thumbnail sketches for the first 5 pages of Demo #5:

page 1
page 2
page 3
page 4
page 5

Local #1, Previews review, 4th Rail

2005-09-06T10:05:00.000-04:00

RANDY'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Local #1

Local #1 (Oni Press) - RANDY: Usually, January is the month that AIT/Planet Lar has declared Brian Wood month, but this time out, Brian Wood month is in November, with the release of two new Brian Wood books, Vertigo's DMZ and Oni Press's Local. Both look great to me and were my potential picks of the month, but Local slightly edges out DMZ. This looks like a sequel of sorts to Demo, the critically lauded series of one-shots from Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan. Only this time out, Wood is teaming up with artist Ryan Kelly (half of the Lucifer team) and the stories are about people faced with life-changing decisions, with the setting as much a character as the people in it. Sounds great, the cover for the first issue is beautiful and the art looks really good as well. Oh, and there's an Austin, Texas issue coming up at some point, which is icing on the cake for me. (page 312)

DAVE: I agree, this looks terrific. How stunning is that art?

RANDY: Oh, by the way, there's a workblog for Local that features art updates, comments on "My Local" by a variety of folks and other cool stuff. And it's got an RSS feed, so just plug it into your RSS reader and you're good to go.

---

CBR reviews LOCAL #1

2005-09-06T09:37:00.000-04:00

Augie over on CBR talks about the advance copy of LOCAL #1 we gave him. Possible spoilers for those who care about such things.

Some snippets:

The first issue incorporates all of that into a plot that will seem semi-familiar to those who've seen cult favorite movie RUN LOLA RUN. It's time for one girl to make one choice that could affect the rest of her life. Actions have consequences, and we get to see what they would be in this issue... Wood and Kelly handle the transitions back and forth very smoothly. You'd think they'd need some extra captions to explain what's going on, but the storytelling segues perfectly without it. You'll see what I mean when the book comes out, but you shouldn't have a problem following it all.

Warren Ellis has already described the book as something akin to a three-minute single from the world of music. He's right. It's a quick read with a strong hook. You'll remember it for some time to come. And it's not a chore to get through. That's a very accurate accounting of the issue. It doesn't get all artsy-fartsy, either. This is very down to earth and straightforward in its narrative, aside from the one plot trick I talked about earlier.

The only failing I think the issue may have is its attempt to force a Real World Location (Portland, Oregon) into the story. Yes, it leads to a nice panel with an accurate representation of a local landmark building. I think, though, that this story could have been set up in a dozen other cities with similar results. The city isn't a character in this book, although it is nice to see a story not set in one of the usual locations that comic book writers tend to go for.

Ryan Kelly is the star of this book, though. Even if the story were complete trash -- and it's far from that -- Kelly's art would be worth paying the cover price for. It has a very inky independent feel to it. There's hints of Paul Pope in there, and even a few bits of Becky Cloonan. The impressive thing to me, though, is just how unrelenting the art is. There are no shortcuts in this book...

LOCAL #1 is a real winner. The story is a quick punch to the gut, with a nice hook and fantastic art from someone who knows how to create shadows and depth on his art using multiple tools. I was a bit hesitant about this series going in, but this issue sold me. It's due out in November, so retailers should still be accepting your pre-orders on it for another week or so. I'd recommend giving at least this first issue a chance.

--

local1_portland train station

2005-09-01T09:46:00.000-04:00

local1_portland train station
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

another gorgeous panel by Ryan Kelly, another Portland landmark.

-bri

LOCAL - the official press release

2005-09-01T09:10:00.000-04:00

Oni Press is pleased to announce the November debut of LOCAL, a new 12-issue series by Brian Wood, the Eisner-nominated creator of DEMO, POUNDED and THE COURIERS.

Everyone has a place they call home, whether they grew up there or not. What does it mean to be a “local”? Each issue of LOCAL will focus on life in a different town in the US, while looking at the lives of normal people facing extraordinary situations and choices. Crossing genres as it crosses the country, LOCAL examines how where you live impacts who you are.

"For a while now I've been a little obsessed with the idea of locations and hometowns and what that means to people,” Wood explained. “I explored it a little in DEMO, but the more I thought about it, the more ideas I had, and I thought they deserved a series. I'm deliberately staying away from larger cities like New York and San Francisco, and instead choosing smaller places, college towns with cool 'local' scenes. We start off in Portland, OR and move to Minneapolis, and so on. I'll probably break my own rule and set one in Brooklyn, though, as I've just moved back here and love it so much."

Like Wood’s critically acclaimed DEMO, each issue of LOCAL will stand alone, while tying in thematically with the other issues. They’ll also tie together in an additional way: a character named Megan McKeenan. Megan’s story begins in the first issue as she is faced with a life-changing decision. Her choice will change her future, and lead into the remainder of the series; in some issues she will appear as the focus, in others, simply a character in the background.

"The format I've created for these types of series is really important,” Wood continued. “LOCAL, being stand alone, single issue reading experiences, provides perfect accessibility for anyone to jump in at any point, and not feel like they're missing something. It also gives regular readers a great diversity of material, a surprise each month.

And I've decided to take this single issue format a step futher with LOCAL by creating a main character, one that will appear in each issue, and faithful readers will be rewarded with the overarching portrait of this character as she develops. But the single-issue structure will not be compromised in any way. This is just an added bonus for readers who pick up all 12 issues."

Wood is joined by artist Ryan Kelly, best known for his work on Vertigo’s LUCIFER. "I know Ryan's art from the graphic novel he did with Stuart Moore, GIANT ROBOT WARRIORS. He draws great people with great emotions; and after so many issues of inking LUCIFER under his belt, his professionalism and attention to detail is razor sharp," Wood added.

“I really can’t put into words how excited I am about LOCAL,” commented Oni Press editor in chief James Lucas Jones. “Brian is such a versatile storyteller; he’s able to move from horror to romance to action seamlessly, and Ryan’s able to adapt right along with him. They’ve both done their research to make these stories not only visually accurate, but emotionally resonant as well. Each town has its own vibe, and these guys capture that completely.”

"After a year of writing DEMO, I can look back and see what I did right and what I did wrong, and apply those lessons to LOCAL,” Wood concluded. “I'm really excited to work in this format again. One of the most rewarding aspects of writing these types of stories, ones that are designed to get deep under reader's skin and provoke an emotional response, is the feedback and letters we get. LOCAL, as it is being set in real life towns, is poised to connect with more people in an even more direct way, and that's important to me."

LOCAL #1 will feature 32 pages of black and white story and art, with a full color cover. It can be pre-ordered from your local comic store with the code: SEP05 3052. With a cover price of $2.99, it will ship to comic book stores in November 2005. Future issues will ship on a monthly basis.

my Local - John Cecil

2005-08-31T19:01:00.000-04:00

I’m broke and I want a pack of cigarettes. I spent all my money getting drunk at Rudy’s Bar and Grill on 9th Ave earlier in the afternoon. It occurs to me that I have a bag of quarters I use for laundry. I can bring that to the corner store and easliy buy a seven-dollar pack of smokes.

So I grab the bag of quarters, about the size of a small sock, and I shove it into the pocket of my coat. I’m walking down the street when I see, off to my left, a guy in a parka with his back to me. There’s a woman in front of him, and it looks like he’s holding her, wrestling with her. She’s saying, “Stop it, stop it!”

I look around. There’s no one out here on West 43rd street except me and them. No cops to call, no one to help. No one but me. So I run up to the son of a bitch and I hit him in the back of his head, as hard as I can. Trying to be a hero.

It was a guy with his wife. The wife was holding their two-year-old. The dad was tring to put the kid’s shoe on. The mom had been telling the kid to stop fighting. The dad wasn’t hurt at all - I imagine because of his parka’s protective coating - but now he’s pissed off.

The mom is screaming at me, the dad wants to kick my ass, and the kid is laughing. Out of nowhere a beat cop shows up and I’m on my way to jail for assault. The dad wants to press charges.

I shoulda hit him with the bag of quarters.

- John Cecil, Hell's Kitchen, NYC

Local #1 lettering maven

2005-08-29T17:11:00.000-04:00

Local #1 is nearly complete, thanks to the incomparable Hope Larson and her magic lettering skills.

Good letters are nearly impossible to find, and I can add Hope to my short list of superstars, up there with Ryan Yount and Jared Fletcher.

-bri

my Local - Brad Searles

2005-08-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

"When people ask where I grew up, I knee-jerk with 'Burlington, Vermont'. It's not technically true, and while I did do a lot of growing up on those small-city streets, I only answer that because there's a chance you might've actually heard of the place.

That's probably not the case with my real hometown, Essex Junction, a couple towns and a 30 minute bus ride away. So named for the intersecting railroad lines, and the main roads that come together in the center to form the Five Corners, it was a kind of transitionary place; It started with small-town suburbia on the western side, where I lived just a block from Mr. Wood, and ended with a few farms on the eastern side, where my grandfather raised cows and tended his gardens before being bought out by IBM.

My neighborhood was just a mile from the massive (well, for a Vermont kid)
Champlain Valley Fair, a week-long once-a-year gathering of shaky rides,
crazy carnies, farm animals, and tents full of video games. So many
memories made on that midway. Oh, and the music. The place is responsible
for my first ever concert, The Charlie Daniels Band, when I was 11 years
old. I'd blame my parents, but I'm sure I wanted to go. Coincidentally,
this year's fair kicks off this weekend, on August 27th. I may live in
Boston now, but I'm tempted to drive back up just for the one-two punch of
The Village People with K.C. & the Sunshine Band. Ok, maybe not that
tempted.

I love the Fair's new slogan at www.cvfair.com: "Redefining Awesome!". Of
that, I have no doubt."

- Brad Searles, Essex Jct, VT born and bred.

After the Oni Panel

2005-08-26T11:56:00.000-04:00

After the Oni Panel
Originally uploaded by Laurenn.

Me and editor James Lucas Jones, outfitted in standard convention gear.

Local #2 solicitation text

2005-08-26T09:42:00.000-04:00

LOCAL #2 - "Polaroid Boyfriend"

While Megan's at work, he finds her hidden key and lets himself in to her apartment, spending the day reading her books, rummaging through drawers, and relaxing on her bed. He's gone by the time she comes home, leaving behind short love notes scrawled on the backs of the photographs he takes of himself. Is this just sick, twisted stalker games, or is he Megan McKeenan's new "Polaroid Boyfriend"? The second issue in this new series of stand-alone stories brings us to Minneapolis, Minnesota, LOCAL artist Ryan Kelly's hometown.

Ryan's drawing this issue now. Here's a little promo art.

-bri

my Local - Molly Crabapple

2005-08-25T14:36:00.000-04:00

"This is the window of Jigsaw Gallery. The girl is Lady J, a gogo dancer of extrodinary suppleness and no less remarkable intelligence. The night steaming up those windows was my February art opening, which was the sort of success that makes me glad I live in New York.

"Lady J almost caused a brawl. The fire trucks circled the block five times honking. And people hung out all night chatting till the frigid February dawn. Praise Jigsaw, soon leaving. New York is so fine."

-Molly Crabapple, NYC local.
photo by Gary Winter

LOCAL #1 - solicitation up!

2005-08-25T10:38:00.000-04:00

in Previews now:

LOCAL #1 - "Ten Thousand Thoughts per Second"
story: Brian Wood
art: Ryan Kelly

A brand new 12-issue series from the co-creator of the critically acclaimed DEMO! We all come from somewhere, and whether it’s the big city or a small town, it’s part of what makes us who we are. Some people spend their whole life trying to escape, others never want to leave. Each self-contained single issue of LOCAL sees everyday people faced with life-changing choices that will affect not only themselves, but their friends, family, and the community they live in as well. Issue #1 introduces us to Portland, Oregon resident (and recurring character) Megan McKeenan as she finds herself in sticky situation she needs to get out of, fast. In that crucial split-second, Megan lives out the possible repercussions of the decision she makes.

The full Previews ad is here, which contains a lot of additional information about the series.

And finally, the order code: SEP053052 (stay tuned for a lot of me talking on the subject of pre-ordering :)

my LOCAL - Brian Wood, Brooklyn

2005-08-24T12:10:00.000-04:00

grandarmyplaza2
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

Grand Army Plaza, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

my LOCAL - Brian Wood, VT

2005-08-24T11:54:00.000-04:00

willard st
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

The Willard St. market in Burlington, VT. Typical stories accompany this, mostly involving cheap beer and fake ID's. Nothing else to see here, move along.

the house I grew up in

2005-08-24T11:53:00.000-04:00

the house I grew up in
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

Essex Juntion, VT. My parents bought it for a little over $20k in 1959. We moved away ages ago, and the new owners deforested much of the yard.

my LOCAL - Brian Wood, VT

2005-08-24T11:51:00.000-04:00

242 main
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

The alley next to the Burlington, Vermont Teen Center, also known as 242 Main, where local bands play. How many hours have I spent standing, skating, and stumbling around back there?

Who The Hell Is Ryan Kelly?

2005-08-24T11:19:00.000-04:00

Here's an article on the man himself, complete with 'portrait of the artiste', and a lot of info about his graphic novel Giant Robot Warriors. A snippet:

"Answering the door of his St. Paul house wearing a tan shirt with epaulets and a fedora, Kelly looks less like a political provocateur than a Pretty in Pink-era Jon Cryer. On the porch is an empty baby stroller and an overturned ashtray. Smiling sleepily, Kelly leads the way to his small second-floor studio, where he's just settled in for the day's work. The room is decorated with Kelly's paintings. One, which he made in art school, is of a bucolic suburban streetscape with an A-bomb looming overhead. There's also a Ringling Bros. calendar, and, taped to the wall above Kelly's drafting table, a cutout newspaper photograph of a grinning George W. Bush..."

(more in link)

People Have Fun In Minnesota

2005-08-09T16:59:00.000-04:00

People Have Fun In Minnesota
Originally uploaded by brianwood.

A little bit of teaser art for Local #2, courtesy of Local artist and Minneapolis resident Ryan Kelly.