“Better Read than Undead”: A Review of: Sea of Red By Scott A. Wirth

"Sea of Red can be simply described as “what if Capt Jack Sparrow from the movie ”Pirates of the Caribbean 'met Dracula and his minions of the night.” While my taste in comics revolves around heroics……my taste in movies enjoys the horror and superstition genres as well as the fantasy of the open seas swashbuckler adventures. This comic has all that in just the first issue! -- The art of Salgood Sam is new to me but it is perfect for the comic. He not only does the pencils but the inks and colors for the book in a style which seems to fit the time period. His art reminds me of pictures one would find reading ”Treasure Island”…..giving you just a glimpse of the author's intentions……but here we have a wonderful array of art on every page. "

!! Right on right on, baby !! :D

Press Release Co IMAGE Comics

Readers stormed into their comic shops over the past several days, pillaging shelves in search of copies of Rick Remender, Kieron Dwyer and Salgood Sam's SEA OF RED #1. The lucky ones snared copies of the vampire pirate horror saga. The unlucky ones had to wait for new copies to be shipped from the Diamond warehouse.

Now word comes of a complete sellout of the debut issue, despite Image Comics' typically aggressive overprinting on the book.

Naturally, [rick] Remender is excited to see there's an audience for such a unique book.

"The response to SEA OF RED has been amazing," says the creator. "It's gratifying to see it as one of the best reviewed books of the year. We all did our best to make this a well drawn, genre defying, high seas-horror story with real characters. With the entire run from issue one now sold out it seems to have paid off."

The critical reception for the book has been as phenomenal as reader reaction, typified by Randy Lander of the Fourth Rail, in his "Best of the Week" review of the title:

"SEA OF RED is not just a really good pirate comic or a really good vampire comic, or even a really good fusion of two genres. It's just an example of excellent comics storytelling, and as a bonus, it is set in genres that don't get a lot of exposure in the medium."

Marc Mason, from the Movie Poop Shoot's Should It Be a Movie, raves:

"SEA OF RED is a striking piece of entertainment and should find a happy niche in the marketplace. If you like horror, vampires, pirates, or combinations thereof, pick it up and you'll be happy."

Image Comics Executive Director Eric Stephenson is glad to have Remender and crew on board.

"We were nothing short of thrilled when Rick, Kieron and Sam brought the book to us," says Stephenson. "We're even more excited all their hard work is being met with such enthusiasm."

In response to the rapid sales of the first issue, and in anticipation of continued swift sales, a trade collecting the first four issue of SEA OF RED is being rushed to press to coincide with the release of SEA OF RED #5. The collection, NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA, will retail for just $8.95, and will be in stores on July 27.

SEA OF RED tells the story of a young sailor turned undead by the crew of a cursed Pirate ship, his century-spanning search for revenge and the tricks that time plays on the mind. The series is monthly, with Remender and Dwyer co-plotting the book, and Sal providing art over Dwyer's breakdowns. Each issue is printed in a red ink, on special stock designed to approximate the look of a weathered treasure map. MORA artist Paul Harmon is stepping in as the guest artist on SEA OF RED #5.

SEA OF RED #4 is solicited in the April issue of Diamond PREVIEWS, and will hit stands on June 29. SEA OF RED #5 and SEA OF RED: NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA will be solicited in the May issue of PREVIEWS, and will both be in shops on July 27

Link

I’ve been slow to post an update on this; I wanted to point out a 3 part Cool Man interview with the Dancingmonkey’s, my mother Arna and her guy John, here here and here, conducted by Aron Simpson on coldhardflash.com

Comix kidz Quiz: what cool nior/horror comic did john work on? Hint: Leave It To the Twilight Beaver.

Movie Poop Shoot - Should It Be a Movie? : Grade: A- & a seven-figure option...? oh, well, I’m not going to get my hopes up none but that would be loverly, huhu...

…though I’m almost to pooped to appreciate it :P

But no, it helps keep me going that things are going well.

Ok, first at the beginning of this week I was notified that I’ve been nominated for the 2005 Doug Wright Awards for Canadian cartooning for my work in RevolveR One!! Very very cool, ‘BEST EMERGING TALENT’, along side of fellow montrealer and jamer, Alex Fellows [CANVAS], Rebecca Dart [RABBITHEAD] & Bryan Lee O'Malley [SCOTT PILGRIM VOL 1].

Nice! RevovleR is my personal baby, so getting this kind of support is really appreciated.

RevolveR Two is in the works, but way way behind due to a host of personal speed bumps I went through last winter. I’ve had to spend my time lately getting sorted and doing work that will pay the rent as I get re-stabilized. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back to it soon, the goal is to get two out for the fall.

Happily the rent paying work is also something I’m pretty happy about too.

Sea of Red came out this week, and we started getting positive letters and posts on the image message boards almost right away.

And now we have received a 10 out of 10 from Randy Lander at thefourthrail.com! Very cool.

So the book is bleeding out of the stores fast I hear, if you want to get your hands on one you’ll be happy to know we over shipped, but there are only so many, so if you want to get yours you might want to get it soon, before they is allllll goooonnnnneee.

After some delays and growing pains, we’zzz happy to present!
our fisrt issue, ant it cute!?
Weeoooooo, weee!
da da
:P

And while you consume this first tasty morsel of baby comic book flesh at your local burger joint, or wherever you practice your new comics reading ritual, Rest assured rare meat lovers that the second is at the printers and the 3rd on my desk and underway.
Order up!
So hit the comic shop, and get em while they is hot.

to wet your toung a wee bit more, there’s previews of the first two books on the Image site here to help in convincing that it’s worth your dime. I can promise you it’s worth the time.

For those who want more, you can see how the work brakes down, with Rick’s scripts, Kieron’s layouts, and my finished art for the same sequence here on CBR, And if you scroll down the page here you’ll find many more SOR tidbits.

max

So one of my co creators on Sea of Red, Mr Rick Remender, has got him self a new soap box to rant from. playing the lovable loudmouth here is his "Against The Grain"

“When James asked me to contribute to one of the new Isotope forums I was hesitant due to my amount of work and current level of exhaustion. But then my inner huckster shouted in his best Carney bark,”You could use a forum like his to help sell more books!”. “Yes”, I replied to myself, “I could…” Looking beyond the self promotion game I’m dialed into, I could also try and write about all the fucked up shit I’ve observed in this adult High School we call the comics industry. Not for the purpose of name calling or perpetuating pissing contests between drama queens, but to practice what I preach, to endeavor to be honest to myself and those around me. That and promote my books.

So that’s what I’ll do when I can. I’ll write about how I honestly feel with no regard to political posturing or consequence. As well as the original point of my writing this thing, I’ll show you art and previews of my new books in hopes you’ll be wowed by their inherent quality and purchase them. “

And so he has, with three now online for your consideration. + + +