The Makers #3 Review
Writer: Dave Howlett
Artist: Dave Howlett
The last issue of The Makers ended with a big twist, the top five’s abductors had taken them to help them battle God. As cliff-hanger endings go, that one is right up there. The third issue carries on this storyline, while also continuing the storyline of the five artists leaving Miracle comics to form Attitude comics. Previously the parallel storylines mostly involved the comic artists work imitating their real life stories and focusing on their growing discomfort with working for Miracle comics. Now that the main storyline with their kidnapping has been explored a little more we have parallels between that storyline and the artists storyline, alongside the comic excerpts we get in each issue. Stories within stories, within stories, each telling the same parallel story. It sounds complicated but isn’t. Rather it’s an incredibly clever and effective way of exploring the same storyline through different mediums, while also exploring the main storyline.
Not only is it a really unique way to tell a story, the nature of the storytelling means that the story lingers on long after you’ve finished reading it. It’s a story that deserves to be read more than once, each subsequent read showing new intricacies between the stories, and noticing little nods and references, Easter Eggs, that previous reads missed. There is so much packed into this story it’s fantastic. Not only is it stories within stories within stories, these stories also reflect the real life story of Image comics as well.
It also gives the reader a bit of food for thought as well by following Chucks story in this issue. His biggest problem with the comic industry is that each job he had he’s been asked to mimic other artists style rather than his own. And rather than fans and critics being happy with his work all they do is criticize it. It’s an interesting look at the pressures of being a comic book artist, and how the work can be particularly thankless.
So far this review is perhaps a bit misleading. It discusses all the clever storytelling techniques which are going on but hasn’t discussed the main storyline very much. It’s also great fun, this idea of three alien creators hunting comic book artists to help them fight God is absolutely bonkers but told with an internal logic which makes it not only believable but incredibly good fun. Ignoring everything else it’s a good story in its own right.
Then we have Dave Howletts art. It’s cleverly done, with different styles for different parts of the story. The modern day segment is excellently done, a detailed sci-fi story. Then there are the flashbacks, which imitate some of the olderstyles of comics. Then each comic excerpt in each individual issue has its own style as well, cleverly imitating some of the real life comics that they imitate.
Available to buy at https://gumroad.com/paskettiwestern
Dave Howlett has clearly poured a lot of love and time into this story and it shows. Not only is it incredibly unique and well done, it’s format of stories within stories and the parallels between them, the way that fiction mirrors real life, a hard look at some of the less than great aspects of the comic industry, it’s also a rip roaring tale that will entertain readers. There is something in here for all comic book fans.
Artist: Dave Howlett
The last issue of The Makers ended with a big twist, the top five’s abductors had taken them to help them battle God. As cliff-hanger endings go, that one is right up there. The third issue carries on this storyline, while also continuing the storyline of the five artists leaving Miracle comics to form Attitude comics. Previously the parallel storylines mostly involved the comic artists work imitating their real life stories and focusing on their growing discomfort with working for Miracle comics. Now that the main storyline with their kidnapping has been explored a little more we have parallels between that storyline and the artists storyline, alongside the comic excerpts we get in each issue. Stories within stories, within stories, each telling the same parallel story. It sounds complicated but isn’t. Rather it’s an incredibly clever and effective way of exploring the same storyline through different mediums, while also exploring the main storyline.
Not only is it a really unique way to tell a story, the nature of the storytelling means that the story lingers on long after you’ve finished reading it. It’s a story that deserves to be read more than once, each subsequent read showing new intricacies between the stories, and noticing little nods and references, Easter Eggs, that previous reads missed. There is so much packed into this story it’s fantastic. Not only is it stories within stories within stories, these stories also reflect the real life story of Image comics as well.
It also gives the reader a bit of food for thought as well by following Chucks story in this issue. His biggest problem with the comic industry is that each job he had he’s been asked to mimic other artists style rather than his own. And rather than fans and critics being happy with his work all they do is criticize it. It’s an interesting look at the pressures of being a comic book artist, and how the work can be particularly thankless.
So far this review is perhaps a bit misleading. It discusses all the clever storytelling techniques which are going on but hasn’t discussed the main storyline very much. It’s also great fun, this idea of three alien creators hunting comic book artists to help them fight God is absolutely bonkers but told with an internal logic which makes it not only believable but incredibly good fun. Ignoring everything else it’s a good story in its own right.
Then we have Dave Howletts art. It’s cleverly done, with different styles for different parts of the story. The modern day segment is excellently done, a detailed sci-fi story. Then there are the flashbacks, which imitate some of the olderstyles of comics. Then each comic excerpt in each individual issue has its own style as well, cleverly imitating some of the real life comics that they imitate.
Available to buy at https://gumroad.com/paskettiwestern
Dave Howlett has clearly poured a lot of love and time into this story and it shows. Not only is it incredibly unique and well done, it’s format of stories within stories and the parallels between them, the way that fiction mirrors real life, a hard look at some of the less than great aspects of the comic industry, it’s also a rip roaring tale that will entertain readers. There is something in here for all comic book fans.
A Look Inside
