by Jayden Leggett, Editor

Have you been pining for those classic short comic tales from yester-year? You know, the kinds of stories reminiscent of the days when comics were short, sweet and to the point, and contained numerous stories per issue? If that is in fact the case (and why the hell wouldn’t it be?), then only a fool would pass up the chance to check out the first couple of issues of Tales To Admonish.

Published by If? Commix (a company to definitely keep your eye on), these comic books feature the writing of Andrez Bergen and art by Matt Kyme. So far each issue (of which there are currently two, count ’em two) contains three short stories, spanning the genres of sci-fi, noir, horror, crime and good ol’ fashioned superheroes.

Issue 1 begins “innocently” enough with Sugar, Spice, Dice, a crime caper set in Melbourne with some witty tongue-in-cheek writing and even tonguier-in-cheekier visuals (I particularly loved the comic books in the background that paid homage to some other top-notch Aussie titles). Without giving too much away, the moral of this story is that if you ever attempt to rob a comic book store, make damn sure you don’t befoul any of the merchandise in the process.

The next yarn, Icing on the Cape, is an even shorter tale, featuring the flight (or should that be “plight”) of the great superhero Sir Omphalos, which I particularly dug because it shed some background on one of the characters mentioned in Bergen’s stellar novel Who Is Killing The Great Capes Of Heropa?

Closing off the first issue is Lazarus Slept, in which two “Investigators of the Paranormal and Supermundane”, Roy Scherer and Suzie Miller, have been hired to put to rest a resurrected being who is preying on livestock. Possibly one of the only stories I have read in which I actually sympathized for a zombie, and one that I sincerely hope receives follow-ups in subsequent installments of Tales To Admonish, as I really loved the unprofessional banter between the two hard-boiled investigators (well, one who at least looks hard-boiled, the other… not so much).

And wouldn’t you know it? Seems my prayers were answered post haste, as Issue 2 kicks off with Adam’s Ribs, another horror-themed romp featuring the paranormal investigators Roy and Suzie. This time around the artwork is much more scratchy in style and opts for a Sin City inspired color scheme of black and white with the occasional splash of color, with the story being laced with even more black humor and sarcasm than it’s predecessor. Once again, I loved Suzie and Roy’s exploits, and demand more. You hear me Bergen and Kyme? More!

Next up, All Fur Coat, No Knickers, another mini-adventure inspired by Who Is Killing The Great Capes Of Heropa? A short and rather punchy story that leaves the reader wanting more, which should inevitably result in more copies of Heropa being purchased. Pro tip: purchase a copy of Who Is Killing The Great Capes Of Heropa? if you have any level of love for super hero hijinks. ‘Nuff said.

Finally, we end Issue 2 with Salvation Nation. Two men are apparently the only survivors in a post-apocalyptic world in which their only hope of surviving the deadly radiation is via the help of a fantastical contraption named ‘The Salvation Device’. Extra points are awarded for the twist ending that shows why it isn’t wise to be selfish and greedy.

Playing a role equally as important as Bergen’s writing is Kyme’s stellar and varied art style. There’s the highly detailed painting styling of the front cover of Issue 2 that is in complete contrast to the much more sketched appearance of Adam’s Ribs. Sugar, Spice, Dice opts for an incredibly colorful yet more abstract aesthetic, which again contrasts against the more gritty and drab tone of the noir-infused Lazarus Slept. Both super hero exploits were drawn in excellent cartoon-comic styles, leaving me reminiscing about some of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons. Another touch I particularly enjoyed was how every story in the first book was in full color, while each tale in the second book uses the “black and white and the occasional color here or there” technique, resulting in an immensely enjoyable diversity between the two books that wasn’t at all alienating or disruptive. I wonder what the third book will look like?

To reiterate on my opening paragraph, if you have found yourself craving the sorts of comic books that will give you feelings of nostalgia and memories of your youth, but feature intelligent writing and beautiful art, Tales To Admonish Issues 1 & 2 will without a doubt be just the thing you need. Sure, this varied style of mix and match storytelling won’t cater to everybody’s needs, but I dare say that the vast majority of comic book aficionados will find a lot to love here, as I can personally attest to. To admonishment, and beyond!

Secure your digital copies of Tales To Admonish right here.

Rating:

ComicsOnline gives Tales To Admonish Issues 1 & 2 4 out of 5 exceptionally polite zombies.

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