Considering my involvement with DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS, it should come as no surprise that I'm a fan of the anthology format. Anthologies let you take a little sample -- a "no thank you helping," even -- of many different kinds of stories. You might even be surprised and dig a genre you thought you hated.

If you've visited the Komikwerks site, you might be aware that's it's an anthology of online comics done by top-notch talent, both aspiring and professional. Founders Patrick Coyle and Shannon Denton have expanded into the print arena, offering a bi-monthly digest of various Komikwerks strips.

Each volume is 112 black-and-white pages, and at $9.95, a great deal. Both books contain a nice mix of styles and genres, although humorous tales are clearly a favorite amongst the creators.

My favorite story is "G.I. Spy," by Andrew Cosby and Matt Haley. Haley's long been a favorite of mine, and he and Cosby produce a slick action-adventure about an unlikely WWII operative. It's good stuff.

Ricky Garduno's "1920 Nightmare Theatre" is a truly offbeat homage to Hollywood's early cartoons, with whimsical art and an engaging dialogue style. "Forced Migration," by Steven Withrow and Vatche Mavlian, is a Western told from an unusual perspective and offers delicate artwork that's a treat to see. Will Meugniot's "Mary America" is a fun bit of retro action, and reminds me how much I loved Meugniot's work on DNAGENTS back in the 80s.

Several animation artists make their comic debuts here, providing polished art and in-your-face tales. Other notable stories in the first two volumes include "Cid & Cyn," by Anissa Dorsey and S.D. Lara; "Flap," by Shannon Denton; and "Power Lunch," by Patrick Coyle.

Truthfully, I found a couple of clunkers in the mix, but then again, some of the genres just aren't my thang. But overall, KOMIKWERKS is a marvelous smorgasbord of tasty tales, at an "all you can eat" price.

Reviewer: Doug Giffin

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Doug Giffin is the creator/writer of Harlow's End: Elijah's Tale (as previously seen in Digital Webbing Presents #3). To see more of Doug's work, visit his website at www.psychoengine.com

Any publishers that would like Doug Giffin to do a review, please feel free to contact him here or you can contact Ed Dukeshire on the contact page.

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