Trista & Holt #12 Review

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Andrez Bergen, Bullet Gal, IF? Commix, Magpie #1, Small Change, Trista & Holt, Trista & Holt #12, Trista and Holt, Tristan and Iseult, Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa?

Trista & Holt #12

Review by Paul Bowler

Hot on the heels of the widely acclaimed Bullet Gal prequel series from IF? Commix and the imminent debut of MAGPIE, the newest release from IF? Commix is Trista & Holt #12, a hardboiled crime saga that mixes a wild disco-infused narrative with the old school medieval legend of Tristan and Iseult. Featuring story and art by Andrez Bergen, author of the superhero noir-detective novel Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa? , the graphic novel Tobacco Stained Mountain Goat, and new novel, Small Change, Bergen’s distinct vision continues to break new ground in Trista & Holt #12 as this modern homage of Trista and Holt’s crime-riddled pulp noir world spins a trippy mix of passion, violence, and intrigue.

Andrez Bergen’s Trista and Holt series is a heady blend of action, compelling characters, and stark noir-inspired atmosphere, one that provides an intoxicating throwback to the pulp legacy of yesteryear and splices it with modern sensibilities. Romance is in the air in Trista and Holt #12, and things are certainly hotting up for our erstwhile lovers, but the mood is soon tarnished when Trista learns about the Governal’s murder. There will be wedding bells to counterbalance the abundance of funerals that have rocked their world, but will that be enough, and we are left wondering if these nuptials are for the right people at the right time.

Trista and Holt #12 features some of the most striking art and imagery that Andrez Bergen has used on this IF? Commix series to date. The unique fusion of art, photos, digital imagery, and dada-inspired collage cut-ups which Bergen employs here is every bit as mesmerising and eye-catching as we’ve come to expect from his work. This issue really sees Bergen elevate the visuals in Trista and Holt to whole new level of sublime ingenuity. From the beautiful close up of an unblinking eye that mixes grief, retribution, and revenge, the smoky, often dream-like quality of the narrative unfolds translucently with the eventual wedding itself, and there is a brooding, almost sensual air of dread which builds to an absolute killer of an ending.

So, as Issy endures another death in his family and Trista mourns her mentor – they still find solace together – while Brangien encounters an unexpected twist of fate… Trista and Holt #12 is another fantastic issue in this IF? Commix series from Andrez Bergen. This outstanding pulp-noir saga effortlessly combines its moody visuals with the legacy of Tristan and Iseult, spattering the crime-ridden brutality with raw emotion to a punchy disco beat that will hone the senses and fire the imagination like nothing you’ve experienced before.

Trista & Holt #12 is available 1^st February 2016 / Hard Copy $5 & Digital $1

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Publisher: IF Commix

Writer: Andrez Bergen

Artist: Andrez Bergen

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Bullet Gal #11 Review

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Andrez Bergen, Bullet Gal, Bullet Gal #11, Bullet Gal #11 Review, Depth Charging Ice Planet Goth, Heropa, IF? Commix, Tales to Admonish, The Crime Crusaders Crew, Tobacco Stained Mountain Goat, Trista and Holt, Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa?

Bullet Gal #11

Review by Paul Bowler

After the release of the Bullet Gal trade paperback collection: It’s Not You It’s Me, the 12 issue arc by Andrez Bergen continues in Bullet Gal #11, the penultimate issue of this IF? Commix series – available digitally and exclusively published in Australia on July 1st 2015. Bullet Gal #11 sees our heroine, Mitzi, regaining consciousness in hospital after being shot – a hit ordered by crime boss Sol Brodskey and arranged by his personal assassin and lover; the psychotic French femme fatale Brigit. Now, as Mitzi recovers, her mentor, Lee, can finally reveal his plans to deal with his six remaining duplicates. Soon their lives will be changed forever, a new HQ will be founded, and the roll call of Capes surreptitiously altered – but what will the implications of the Reset mean for the noir-inspired pseudo digital reality of Heropa as the end draws near?

Following last issues debut of pint-sized new recruit, Little Nobody, this IF? Commix book prequel series from Australian author Andrez Bergen, writer of the noir-themed superhero detective novel Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa, along with IF? Commix series Tales to Admonish, Trista & Holt, the graphic novel Tobacco Stained Mountain Goat, and the new novel Depth Charging Planet Goth, delivers his most intricately structured issue so far with Bullet Gal #11 as the series builds towards its conclusion.

From the moment Mitzi arrived in Heropa, the gutsy 17 year old armed with her late fathers twin polished nickel 9mm Star Model B pistols, her self-styled mission against crime soon earned her a mentor, the enigmatic Lee, a man who has – until now – played his cards very close to his chest. He’s a character who is very much a quandary of his own making. Lee is not only the man who created Heropa, he also moonlights as Major Patriot (The leader of the Crime Crusaders Crew), and he’s one of eight identical doppelgangers which represented the fragmented persona of the man whose angst-ridden agenda to resurrect his wife actually engineered Heropa’s digital reality – Lee Denslow.

The way in which Andrez Bergen weaves the innumerable plot threads together here in this issue is simply sublime. Its spellbinding to watch as mentor and protégé ready themselves to face the uncertain future that will be forged of their own design, especially once the post-op histrionics have been cast aside, and each heartfelt scene between Mitzi and Lee is so intimately moving it will keep you hanging on their every word as the intense chemistry between them shimmers over the page like a haze of twirling cigarette smoke.

This more colourful side to Lee’s character brings even greater diversity to his partnership with Bullet Gal, and it even sees him impersonating one of his own duplicates over the course of this issue. As the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place all the grand schemes, organized crime, dark shadowy conspiracies, and even the legacy of Heropa itself are succinctly redefined as Lee explains his plans to Mitzi.

Andrez Bergen’s distinct art has constantly pushed the envelope with this IF? Commix series. Bullet Gal #11 is no exception to that rule: indeed the vivid pulp noir themes, Dadaist influences, and flourishes from the halcyon era of comics are all as prevalent as ever. With his stylish use of bold monochrome imagery, digital manipulation, and exquisite photomontages, Bergen adds an uncanny vibrancy to the cold sterility of Mitzi’s hospital room, while the flash back to Lee #3’s (That’s our Bullet Gal’s Lee) meeting with his cabal of duplicates is categorised more by the infamy of their brooding menace, it is the quieter, more subtle moments where something as simple as a hug, a sidewise glace, and the gentle simplicity of allowing the silence to say everything while Mitzi and Lee gaze out the hospital window at the sprawling metropolis of Heropa that really exemplifies the close emotional bond between these characters and the city they inhabit.

Ironically enough it is the agenda of Lee’s forebear, Heropa’s originator Lee Denslow, that has allowed Lee to ensure that his designs for a new HQ becomes an integral part of the Reset, which together with the help of Great White Hope, Milk Crate Man, and the Big Game Hunter will make certain their “get out of jail free” card will usher in a brave new world in which hope will always tower over crime, violence, and corruption.

Having ensured that anomalies – or “phonies” – like Bullet Gal, honest cop Bob Khan and his partner Irv Forbush, have been introduced to the mix, along with the help of his fellow Capes, and rookie Little Nobody, Lee #3 intends to usher in a new era for Heropa that will outmanoeuvre and defeat their enemies with his audacious gambit whilst also throwing in a wry tip of the hat to the Silver Age of comics just for good measure!

Along with its gorgeous cover by Andrez and Ding, this issue rounds off with a gallery of IF? Comic titles, there’s an edition of Soapbox D’Andrez, together with Post to Pistolero, along with a Bullet Gal Pin Up by Laksanardie, Catch Up image by Nicktribedesign, and a cover design by Martintheworld & Andrez.

With everyone believing that Mitzi is dead and the Reset of Heropa now imminent, this innovative prequel story arc has proven to be one of IF? Commix finest as Bergen steers the multiple events and characters towards Heropa’s augmented virtual future. Bullet Gal #11 establishes a new bar of excellence in terms of storytelling and art for this second to last issue. Indeed, the stage is now set for a thrilling finale to the series, and Mitzi brings Bullet Gal #11 to a close with a killer punch line that knowingly breaks the fourth wall with all her sultry aplomb. After all some rules, especially Heropa’s most cardinal; are made to be broken…

Bullet Gal #11 is available July 1st 2015 digitally ($1) and in print form ($5) by Australia publisher IF?

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Bullet Gal #10 Review

Tags

Andrez Bergen, Bullet Gal, Bullet Gal #10, Depth Charging Ice Planet Goth, Heropa, IF? Commix, Little Nobody, Major Patriot, Tales to Admonish, The Crime Crusaders Crew, Tobacco Stained Mountain Goat, Trista and Holt, Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa?

Bullet Gal #10

Review by Paul Bowler

Following the release of the Bullet Gal trade paperback, issue #10 of the 12-issue Bullet Gal arc by Andrez Bergen continues, and will be available digitally and exclusively published in comic book form in Australia. This month Bullet Gal #10 introduces another great character to this IF? Commix series, a new recruit called Little Nobody, who has been given an urgent mission by Major Patriot to find Mitzi’s would-be-killer. However, as Little Nobody quickly discovers, life as a superhero is fraught with oddball dangers and uncannily perilous situations – especially when you are an ant sized newcomer faced with an insanely gigantic world…

After last issues innovatively silent take on Mitzi’s adventures, Bullet Gal #10 brings us the debut of Heropa’s newest hero, the diminutive Little Nobody. This latest issue of the IF? Commix book prequel series from Australian author Andrez Bergen, writer of the acclaimed noir-themed superhero detective novel Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa, IF? Commix series Tales to Admonish, Trista & Holt, the graphic novel Tobacco Stained Mountain Goat, and his new novel Depth Charging Planet Goth, brings us his most quirky and off-the-wall adventure yet in Bullet Gal #10 – available May 1st 2015 digitally and in print mediums by Australia publisher IF? Commix.

Right from the get-go Bullet Gal #10 miniaturises us down to pavement level were Little Nobody is facing the thunderous challenge – and snapping mandibles – of a marauding ant. The flashback which follows quickly brings us up to speed, as we learn more about Little Nobody while he’s hanging out with his friends at the Teen Crusaders HQ, before a surprise call from Major Patriot gives our super-hero newbie the chance he’s been waiting for.

With his mission briefing providing only scant clues: the photograph of a beautiful woman, a scribbled pseudonym, and the address for Ray-Man Studios, Little Nobody is ready to set off. Andrez Bergen playfully eschews the characters similarities with Ant Man. Although Little Nobody obviously has the ability to reduce to tiny size, he’s certainly no Hank Pym, he can’t control insects as the antenna on his helmet are purely for show, and even his snazzy looking utility belt holds little more than a few chocolate snack bars. So, when the journey begins Little Nobody soon discovers how everything suddenly feels very small once the world becomes instantly vast and immense around him. The characters inexperience and the haphazard nature of his first mission are what really defines this issue, a simple trip across the city becomes a dangerous urban safari viewed from Little Nobody’s miniaturised perspective, and it is these qualities that make his adventure so engaging and fun.

As the writer and artist of this IF? Commix series, Andrez Bergen has constantly pushed the boundaries of storytelling and art with Bullet Gal, and this issue really highlights Bergen’s ability to fuse story and art in new and refreshing ways. Andrez Bergen’s art blends seamlessly with the clever amalgamations of photomontages and digitally enhanced black and white images, while the distinct noir-infused style of previous issues is defused somewhat, this issue boldly establishes a kinetically refined identity and pace all its own that ingeniously expands the scope of the Bullet Gal series as Little Nobody embarks upon his mission.

The perils and pitfalls of Little Nobody’s journey provide a startling insight into this miniature world. A series of stylish montages and uncanny perspectives catalogue events: from the spinning record that divulges how Little Nobody chose his unusual moniker, we follow his unique trek across Heropa almost as if we were waving a magnifying glass over the page, as scenes shift from the bizarre, to the horrible, and the even pleasantly unexpected. Little Nobody’s battle with the ant is actually quiet unnerving, the latter stages of the mission prove less fraught, and the secret meeting deftly spliced with its allusions towards The Seventh Seal is utterly sublime.

Fortunately the ant would much rather munch on something sweet and chocolaty than the wannabe Cape that’s currently trying to kick its ass; and our tiny hero is soon able to escape from his six legged friend and move on. Little Nobody still has to endure the indignity of being scooped up by a kid with a bug catching net before finally reaching his destination, a death defying acrobatic feat in itself, achieved via the hat of an unsuspecting officer of the law and a billowing line of laundry. After eavesdropping on a clandestine meeting its time to contact Major Patriot, however, finding a telephone to relay what he’s discovered soon proves to be another tall order for Little Nobody to accomplish – it’s a small world after all…

Little Nobody’s adventure in Bullet Gal #10 provides an extraordinary and fresh slant on the events following the attempt on Mizi’s life, it introduces us to a brand new hero, and takes the series in an entirely unexpected direction. Bullet Gal #10 is about as clear a homage to the writers and artists of yesteryear that Andrez Bergen has ever done in any of his works, his admiration for this halcyon era of comics shines though on every page, and this issues somewhat lighter, more off-beat tone, makes it a delight to read.

Along with the release of Bullet Gal #10 in May there’s also latest issue of Bergen’s new IF? Commix 70’s crime series, Trista & Holt #3, to look out for, and the new Bullet Gal trade paperback edition: It’s not you it’s me, which collects the entire 12 issue series, is also available now from IF? And Under Belly Comics. Bullet Gal #10 is another terrific issue in this IF? Commix series. Andrez Bergen raises the bar yet again with this pint-sized Die Hard mash-up with Tales To Astonish. With its hyper-stylish art and visuals, great characters, and strong plots, Bullet Gal is a series that continues to exceed all expectations. Little Nobody may be small but his fun personality is larger than life. His mission turns out to be one of this IF? Commix series’ most unexpected highlights and Little Nobody’s witty observations ensures a wry smile or two will also be had along the way.

Bullet Gal #10 is available May 1st 2015

digitally ($1) and in print form ($5) by Australia publisher IF?

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