This issue #301 of Heavy Metal Magazine comes in with 152 pages and the new cover price of USD$13.99, as of the stated aim of going monthly, announced in September 2020. I got this issue in November of 2020, from mycomicshop.com, where I also got the below cover image:
It has the Cover "A" by Issac Escorza. It's cool and silly at the same time, in some ways perfect for our favorite magazine. I'll give it a 7.
Again we get Editorials from Heavy Metal's "Big Three", I get a little bit more sincerity from these. Mr Seeley comments on older HM stories not having the context of our pandemic times. I see the converse, where I see the context of times past (especially mine) in my view of the present mag. It's likely unfair of me to compare today's HM with the past, for much the same reasons. I still do, it's my point of reference, but it helps to not take myself seriously.
The Contents page has a few more names, including Peter Kleinman credited for the logo again, and I am amused by the inclusion of Hannah Means-Shannon again, as a Contributing Editor, a year after her resignation. My hope is that they are at least giving credit where it's due, and perhaps patched things up somewhat.
A couple photos:
And to those Contents:
"Lucy: Hope - Chapter 2" by Patrick Norbert, Tanino Liberatore, Dan Berger. - 8 - With Frank Forte & David Erwin noted as Editors. Continuing with Lucy, after her clan deserts her, with harrowing drama and dramatic violence. I'm enjoying the brilliant artwork and exciting storytelling, which is good since we get over 20 pages of it.
"Dark Wing - Chapter 2" by Matthew Medney, German Ponce, Protobunker Studios, Bruce Edwards, Pete "Voodoo Bownz" Russo, Saida Temofonte - 6.5 - Continuing with many bright colorful images of blazing suns and energy surges and space 'splosions, and the made-for-the-screen storytelling, this picks up some speed, perhaps soon we'll see where it's headed.
Richard Corben Interview by Matthew Medney - 8.5 - Another fantastic score inteview by Heavy Metal of one of the Titans of Heavy Metal Magazine history, made even more precious by the tragic passing of the great creator, weeks after this publication. There is more to say about Mr Corben and his work in HM, than I can put into words. This interview is entertaining and informative, with moments of coy humor. It made me remember an earlier Corben interview in Heavy Metal. I looked it up, it's by Brad Balfour, credited as a Contributing Editor then, and it's in three parts over the June, July, and August 1981 issues! 19 pages including pictures! Even more, it's followed by a letter from Mr Corben to Mr Balfour, in the September 1981 issue, expressing some discontent with the interview, and his inability to see them until after they were published. A Classic Heavy Metal Magazine Moment. He may have a point. Most of these interview parts are informative and insightful, but there are parts where Mr Corben's statements can seem off-putting, which seems to come easily to him (I can relate). Several would be viewed negatively these days. I won't put up all the interview pages, since the good folk at MuutaNet have already done so (richard-corben-interview-part-1/, richard-corben-interview-part-2/, richard-corben-interview-part-3/, and the bonus letter), but I'll include a photo of his letter in my copy here:
Likewise in this interview in this issue #301, Mr Corben seems amiable but perhaps a bit prickly, very sure of his opinions, as much as he shares them. Clearly Mr Corben was still eagerly creative, he states "I have many projects I'd love to do. Retirement is not one of them." which makes his untimely passing an even greater loss for us.
"Murky World" by Richard Corben - 8 - Tugat's travails only continue, in this last installment of this lovely gift of Corben in today's Heavy Metal Magazine. A trite denouement ("It was me all along!") doesn't detract from the delight of this HM adventure. Corben's abilities of coloring and perspective and framing shine through the changes in technical tools and societal viewpoints over the 40 years since Corben's contributions to the first HMs, and this realization of the passage of time, puts a brighter light on my views.
"One Sole Love" by Diego Agrimbau, Pietro - 6 - A man, charged with preparing a new paradise for his brethren returning from war, laments his failures to complete his tasks, save one, the creation of android women for their companionship. Fortunately, the android Ingrids prove capable of righting his wrongs, save one. Some clever storytelling and comicing, but the mannish dumbness that's critical to the premise overshadows the otherwise well-told tale.
"Bigfoot Attraction" by Dwayne Harris - 7 - A Bigfoot Attaction operator tries a publicity stunt, and it goes predictably wrong. While the jokes are pretty obvious, I had a good time enjoying them, as well as enjoying the art, cartoony but energetic and descriptive. Dwayne Harris has been in HM at least a half dozen times, going back to 2014 it appears.
"Fear & Loafing in the U.K." An Interview with Dan Fogler" by Joshua Sky - 6 - I'm only familiar with Dan Fogler's name from his comic work being promoted by HM. He contributed to a story in #295, "The Ghoul Screamer", which I liked at the time, but nothing else in the mag I have seen since. But if it's not in the magazine I'm not likely to see his comics. Most interesting to me is that he is asked about celebrities getting comic work because of their celebrity, as he is one. That and the use of "turned onto" rather than "turned-on to", which is how I think of it, from the times of "turn on, tune in, drop out". Times change.
"Thirteen Deathless" by Charles Fetherolf - 6 - An assassin from The Nine trails his assignment, whose mistake does the assassin's work for him. This looked nice and was interesting to read, it works well. I could have used a bit more of the details and reasons the story hints at.
"Sun Eater" Chapter One by Dylan Sprouse - 5 - A continuation of the preview from the previous issue #300. I feel the same way about this installment as I did the last.
"Savage Circus" Chapter Two by Brendan Columbus, Al Barrionuevo, Candice Han, Dave Sharpe, Joseph Illidge - 6.5 - Well, the hoodlums manage to crash into the Savage Circus train while making their escape, loosing murderous circus animals on the town. Despite the story's efforts to personify characters, I'm not getting excited by what it's telling, but there's sure lots of action to be had.
"Invisible Touch" by Jok, Mey-Jok - 7 - An invisible guardian visits the Temple of Heaven, to protect order in the invisible world. Effective art with better writing. Cool story.
"Sunpot - Part Two" by Vaughn Bodē, Mark Bodē - 8 - With a brief editorial and a briefer letter from Harlan Ellison from 1995 to start, this is the finish of the "story" of Vaughn Bodē's Sunpot as resurrected by Mark Bodē. It's confusingly nonsensical, like shouldn't it be "Nectar Nipples"? but in a good way, and lots of fun.
"The Ancient" by Marko Stojanović, Milorad Vicanović Maza, Aljoša Tomić - 6 - An old warrior battles the ogres of an old enemy who narrates the scene. Pretty good art, and the story tries for profundity. It works, but I could have used more showing than telling.
Malcolm McDowell Interview by Geoff Boucher - 6 - This is described in a note at the end with "This article is comprised of commentary that Malcolm shared with Geoff for his new interview podcast MINDSPACE." It's mostly Geoff Boucher writing with bits of quotes from Malcolm McDowell, mostly about "A Clockwork Orange", and why not? It's a nice read for the mag, but I'm not likely to podcast much.
"Tuonela" by Hannu Kesola, Alex Medellin, Tatto Caballero, Jame - 6.5 - A Finnish warrior begs Tuoni the Ruler of the Underworld to let him return to battle against the blaspheming Christian crusaders. A nice little story with suitable art and writing.
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