Often, Biff Bam Pop’s Editor-In-Chief, Andy Burns, and I, converse about all things pop-culture. Music. Movies. TV. Books. You’d expect that of a couple of pals who contribute in various ways to a pop-culture website like Biff Bam Pop!
It’s pretty much a multiple-times-a-day occurrence, our discussions. And there have been times, amidst deep and worthy conversations, that I have called comic books “sequential art”. When I do, for some reason known only to him, Andy Burns gives out a heartfelt laugh in my direction.
He might give another today, when I say that Intersect #1 is a visually stunning and thought provoking addition to the world of sequential art and that it stands boldly amongst all other “comic books” released on the shelves today.
Find out why after the jump!
Intersect #1
Written and Illustrated by: Ray Fawkes
Published by: Image Comics
In general terms, sequential art, for me, is not only the root term for all comic books but also, in a sense, the highest form of artistic praise and merit that I can give the art form.
I do the same for music. In Rainbows by Radiohead isn’t just a great “record” – it’s a great “album”.
Do you see what I mean? “Album” and “sequential art”, for me, are terms spared for artistic statements that reach for, and often achieve, something greater than their brethren. They are bold words, used for bold projects.
And that brings us to Intersect #1, a new monthly series written and lavishly painted by Ray Fawkes (The People Inside, One Soul, Batman: Eternal, Constantine) and published by Image Comics. Yes, it’s Image Comics making excitement in the industry again – something the company seems to be able to do on a fairly regular occurrence in this weekly column.
But it’s Fawkes that has me engaged.
With the release of his One Soul graphic novel a few years ago, Fawkes showed himself to be an experimental writer and artist venerable to the art form. The story of eighteen lives played out simultaneously over different time periods was poetry put to visuals. Almost two years ago, he took the founding Vertigo Comics character of John Constantine and firmly put him in the New 52 DC Comics universe while still trying (despite a number of superhero crossover stories) to keep the ragged, roguish mage, true to his sophisticated origins. You can read part one and part two of our interview with the writer about this difficult endeavor here and here.
With Intersect, Fawkes returns to creator-owned territory, focusing on personal interests of horror, psychology, philosophy and the shifting forms of body and environment. Everything here is lavishly painted as well. Intersect promises to be something experienced by both sight and mind – a story that reaches to be something greater than the norm.
At the corner of sequential art and you, make the run to your local shop today and pick up Intersect #1.
hahahahah! 🙂