June 15, 2011

BROTHER NASH webcomic

Here's a webcomic I just learned about:

Brother Nash...a comic by Bridgit Scheide



More on the story:

Local comic creators to watch at HeroesCon 2011

By Carlton HargroBridgit Scheide: Known around town as both a musician and the writer/artist behind the fantasy-based comic Kindle, Scheide has most recently been scripting, drawing and coloring her creator-owned supernatural title Brother Nash. Starring a Native American truck driver, Nash started life as a Web comic (www.webcomicsnation.com/bridgitalldigital/brothernash), but according to Scheide, the book will soon take on a more tactile format—in the form of a physical one-shot comic book. And this fall, she's starting work on a project for the "visual and auditory art" company Westhavenbrook Productions.Comment:  I read as much of this as was online--about one comic book's worth. My thoughts:

I love the art, which you can see a sample of here. Nashoba (Nash) looks like a real person--a real Indian--down to the hair on his arms and the stubble on his chin. Nothing stereotypical here.

The story begins with Nash trucking across Arizona and talking to another trucker on CB radio. Then he picks up an undocumented worker who's hitchhiking. No big problem so far, although I was wondering where the story was going.

Then it veers into strange supernatural territory. Glowing green ghosts of old wagon trains appear, and telephone poles attack. Nash seems to know what's going on, and to be okay with it. He seems to be some sort of spiritual guide.

I often complain about supernatural elements in Native-themed stories. But this seems more like generalized supernaturalism rather than stereotypical Native supernaturalism. It doesn't seem like it'll be a problem.

But one demerit for the lettering's quirky mix of capital and small letters. It's suppose to look folksy, I guess, but it's a bit hard to read. Don't use lettering gimmicks unless they're critical to the story, people.

Overall, I found the webcomic interesting but not necessarily compelling. It's certainly different from the norm, which is something. Check it out and see what you think.

For more on Native-themed webcomics, see MUKTUK WOLFSBREATH Revived and Brave Play Comic Strip Debuts.

1 comment:

none said...

Supernatural? Yes, please. :)