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something which cannot be said of the by Mark Burbey comics industry at the present time. It is quite true that comics have come a long way since the 1960s when eginning in August 1988, Epic super-heroes gained dominance of the BComics will publish the first field, but we still find ourselves monthly issue of a 6-issue series titled hungering for books that do more than The Light and Darkness War. exploit and manipulate the medium Written by and illus- solely for its financial rewards: trated by Cam Kennedy, The Light and Fortunately, as in any creative field, Darkness War promises to be a story there are the workhorses and then that functions on several levels; it uses there are the artists. And as everyone Vietnam fatalities as its central knows: An artist can be a workhorse, characters, it examines the heroic war- but a workhorse can't always be an ar- rior, it explores an alternate afterlife tist. The workhorses may be the far removed from the established vi- backbone of any major comics sions of Heaven and Hell, it functions publisher, but it's the anists who pro- on a profoundly human level in terms duce the work of lasting merit. It's of both gritty action and emotional also the artists who handily and psychological interaction . . .and demonstrate that one need not be it does all this while telling a rollick- hamstrung by any particular genre; the ing good science-fantasy adventure secret is simply to have a good, solid tale. story to tell, and the gift to tell it in Sound interesting? Keep reading... an interesting and, yes, entertaining manner. The goal should be to pro- duce commercially appealing work 1m a stranger to these pages because that maintains 100 per cent of its ar- I generally write for that other maga- tistic integrity. Granted, it's a rather zine, Tfie Comics Journal, and you ingenious balancing act, but two men know what thai means—I tend to take have recently risen to the task: Tom comics seriously, perhaps a little too Veitch and Cam Kennedy. seriously. I tend to consider the graphic storytelling medium to be a genuine art form as opposed to a mere B'y the early 1970s, Tom Veitch had entertainment. Now, there's nothing already proven himself to be an wrong with merely entertaining original writer with a powerful ability people, but if entertaining people is to embue his gritty underground tales all you aspire to, you might as well with a pervasive yet understated sen- be in the soft drink business, or sitivity and worldly awareness. Team- producing sitcoms. ing with such artists as the late Greg Though closely related to other Irons (and later Rich Corben, Jaxon, visual storytelling media such as and others), he produced such under- television and film, comics is the one ground classics as The Legion of medium that, for reasons not particu- Charlies and Deviant Slice, where he larly pertinent to this article, limits was writing about Vietnam and its vets itself to a very narrow range of sub- long before it was in vogue to do so. ject mailer and expression. Imagine Before that, Veitch teamed with his a world in which 90 per cent of all brother Rick to excrete a little gem films and television programs were called Two-Fisted Zombies in answer costumed fantasy adventures; regard- to the question: What if Jack Kirby less of how good or bad the majority had drawn EC comics in the '70s of cinema and television may be, one while dropping acid? is afforded a virtual smorgasbord of Meanwhile, Veitch was publishing choices in terms of subject matter, poetry and short stories in various MAY 1, ms No. 140 AMAZING HEROES May 1st ly auspices of Steve Bissette. Cam remembers meeting Ste,ve "and his wife at a London convention. This would be about 3 years ago. We got on very, very well straight off," and Steve told Kennedy to look him up if he ever came over to the States. The following year, Kennedy did just.that after going to New York to get a final response regarding the Outcasts pro- ject, which had apparently stalled in mid-development. It was at Bissette's home that Kennedy met Tom Veitch. "Tom and his wife arrived about 7:30 at night, and Tom actually said, 'We're not going to stay long. We've got to get away pretty early.' Well, things went so well. . .we just sat and talked and talked... I think Tom left Steve's house at 3 o'clock in the morning! "We both had, along the same lines .. .this idea about a kind of time warp/warrior fantasy story, and I actually had been thinking along the lines of a WW2 situation." Veitch thought this was "pretty interesting, because I had in my pocket this brief proposal I had written up to send to Archie (Goodwin) for Tlie Light and Darkness War. The parallel idea to Cam's was right there —it was about these Vietnam warriors who are shot down in 'Nam and pass through to the afterlife dimension where this archaic war is being fought." The Vietnam element proved to be the unifying factor, because that's when Kennedy said, "That's it. . . we've got it."

A Cam Kennedy covers to The Light and Darkness War—real and fantasy weapons. • hough Veitch acknowledges that small press magazines, winning the son. . .about the second world war." The Light and Darkness War is an Big Table Award for Poetry in 1973. After returning to Scotland in 1978, outgrowth of "The Story of Vince He has three avant-garde novels and Kennedy got turned onto the British Shazam" in Deviant Slice tfl (1973), a poetry collection to his credit, as comics industry by a friend who this new series is not directly about well, but everyone except Rod directed him toward magazines like Vietnam. Superbly illustrated by Greg McKuen knows that poets earn very Battle and 2000 A.D. Consequently, Irons, "The story of Vince Shazam" little money with their work, so Veitch Kennedy contributed to Battle for specifically follows a returning vet turned to typesetting for his daily nearly 3 years before being invited to who soon learns that home ain't what bread. He now credits growing join 2000 A.D. (enjoying substantial it used to be, whereas their Epic book, development and acceptance of stints on such series as "The VCs" Tom explains, "is about the warrior, "intelligent adult comics" with luring and "") and Judge the heroic warrior. It's about resolving him back to the medium after nearly Dredd. thepa/n that's left by the Vietnam war. 15 years. His first American comics work It's about a veteran, Lazarus Jones, Cam Kennedy presently lives in his was DC's 12-issue Outcasts series, who is still being eaten up inside by native Scotland with his wife and written by and Alan that war. It's about him passing into children, but while Tom Veitch was Grant of fame. Kennedy another universe where this immense in California writing underground also illustrated a horror story for the 10,000 year war is being fought. And comix, Kennedy was living in France first issue of Taboo. the warriors who participate in this with every intention of becoming a war are undergoing a kind of purifica- painter "like Monet or Degas or tion process. They're being transform- somebody. I stayed in France for 7 or tike all good ideas inspired by ed, healed, ennobled. They are able 8 years, and during my stay in France, something besides deciding which to live out that basic impulse toward I started picking up some of the con- market one wishes to saturate, the heroic sacrifice—laying down your life tinental comic albums, and I thought birth and development of The-Ught for a just cause. Laying down your life (it was) really nice stuff and I'd like and Darkness War is a text book for your brother. to get into it, but maybe it's not my example of serendipitous synchroni- "We try to leave Vietnam behind, scene—although, I hod done probably city. however we later on bring in some of half-a-dozen (war) books for a Scot- As is often the case, Tom Veitch and the hardware. They're bringing a Huey tish company called D.C. Thomp- Cam Kennedy met through the friend- gunship over there, just like the one

HEROES #140 "—

VitiilteW'H-1" fj^• <••> ifejcj-, Vietnam was the unifying factor in Veitch and Kennedy's vision of the book. Above: Kennedy's pencils—the Vietnam Memorial wall.

they flew in 'Nam. So yeah, then fields of curiosity and imagination to universe, otherwise known as the we're reconnecting with 'Nam, com- harvest a few ripe ideas. Light Galaxy, which is ".. .the funda- ing full circle as Laz Jones' transform- For Tom Veitch, it may have been mental manifestation of energy/con- ation is completed." enough to wonder beyond the general sciousness. . .an untold number of In interviewing Tom Veitch for this conceptions of Heaven and Hell to star-systems whirling around a gigan- article, we talked about what has start his mind rolling toward that even- tic light-source. The galactic center, compelled him to write about Vietnam tually became The Light and Dark- called The Source.' represents God to -related subjects and characters since ness War. "Our hypothesis," Tom many of the inhabitants of the Galaxy. the early '70s. Veitch was actually explained, "is that Heaven and Hell But it is not God. It is simply Con- drafted in 1963, but he didn't pass the don't exist. What exists are alternate scious Light, an intense concentration physical. As one would expect, he felt universes that are actually created or of the stuff the Galaxy and the beings fortunate at the time, particularly imagined by the billions who have who inhabit it are made of. when the war kicked into high gear, died. This may seem kind of abstruse, "The Galaxy has probably been in but he went on to say that, "on the but the idea is that after people die, existence for thousands of aeons. Its other hand, there's a kind of guilt you they join these collective fantasies, multitudinous worlds are dotted with get, because your buddies went over collective dreamings of other worlds, ruins of long-gone civilizations. In and you didn't. You see what they other places. And you may have a general,.-the current inhabitants of the went through, and you realize, 'Hey, group that would be dreaming a very Galaxy are a fierce and uncomplicated I had it easy. I was back here being Heaven-like place—flowers, green lot. There is intelligence, but it is a hippie and those guys were over fields, etc.—but what I'm saying is that directed almost exclusively toward there getting their asses shot off.' And people who are warriors tend to military ends. there's a kind of guilt about that. So participate in a dream war after they Only one people—the Menteps— maybe The Light and Darkness War die! They basically dream up this have evolved beyond the rudimentary is connected to that—like trying to entire galaxy—this galaxy at war. And assumption that this is a concrete share what they went through and, at this dream is so old that warriors have place. They have awakened to con- the same time, trying to alleviate some been dreaming it for thousands and scious unity with their energy essence. of the damage the war did to the thousands of years." And they have learned something of American psyche. In other words, this Aspiring writers out there should their power to shape this place, to play is my way of participating." know that this amounts to a concept, its physics. In the warrior's realm they but it's just this sort of concept that are low-caste," but they play an provides the framework upon which integral part in the story. V*o many comic book series result to hang the ideas. Ideas are born as The Menteps are, by nature, seden- from such lame "ideas" as "Who's the questions—questions like: What tary beings, preferring to lay about strongest?" or "Let's see how many happens in this afterlife universe? How drinking their self-brewed Blue characters we can kill off so we can does it function? What are its politics? Lightning and reading the Mentep .bring them back six months later in If God isn't up there calling the shots, Bible. But by virtue of their intelli- deluxe format mini-series," that it's who is? Stuff like that. Adequately gence and their abilities to manipulate incredibly refreshing when something answering these questions will provide molecules and levitate objects, they like The Light and Darkness War one with a working environment, but find themselves in a position of comes along, prepared to tell a genu- before the actual story can be told, this virtually fueling the war effort. It was ine story with all the depth and environment must be peopled with Leonardo Da Vinci—known to be substance of a good novel. characters. . .characters who interact something of a military genius on Writers and artists are often asked with this environment, who affect it Earth—who, upon arriving in the where their ideas come from. Despite and who are affected by it. Galaxy in 1519, witnessed the Menteps being a rather silly question, a good In the lengthy and thorough "Back- performing seemingly magical feats of answer might be, "Wondering." ground Briefing" that Tom Veitch pre- levitation, which he soon exploited to Wondering about things is how many pared for his presentation of the pro- develop a means to power the Galactic creative ideas germinate; analysis, ject to ' editor-in-chief, Fleet's great stone ships. "Leonardo research, investigation—these are all Archie Goodwin, Veitch describes tested the Menteps' powers (and) things that result from the simple act both his stage and his cast in found that a Mentep could lift anv- of wondering. Wondering is the stock prodigious detail. The Light and thing. . .that Menteps could move and trade of the creative artist who, Darkness war that is the series' name- objects from place to place at the like a farmer, cultivates these vast sake takes place in this afterlife speed of light. . .that a Mentep was

, 1988 35 telepathic with anyone. Using those Darkness that appeared out of Infinity the Light," essentially prisoners of three Mentep powers (... by no means with the express intention of encom- war who have been raped of their the Menteps' only ones), Leonardo passing and eventually swallowing the souls, subsequently "appearing as a could lift a stone warship into space entire galaxy." kind of duplicate body (and) trans- and move it at close to warp speed ported. . .to regions beyond even the across the Galaxy!" A certain minor outermost lost worlds. What is left is detail, however, involved convincing I he opposing forces consist of the a 'Deadsider.' A kind of zombie, the a "... 15-year-old Mentep to agree to Galactic Fleet, "Which includes a shell of a nightmare, the remnant of allow himself to be sealed in the hold force of about 200,000 ships and an a living conscious entity. Perfectly of a warship for life, directed by a army of about 80,000,000 warriors" answerable to Darkness." helmsman, never leav-ing his post until —and the Deadsiders, "Warriors of At the center of this purely evil the ship was destroyed. the Outer Darkness." The Galactic onslaught is Lord Na—". . .the Dark- "To understand this you would have Fleet is an arm of Galactic Command, ness (has its) agents, geniuses of to understand the Menteps (who), for which "is charged with keeping track murder and enslavement, who were all their vaunted powers of conscious- of the total situation as the war once governors, warriors, and great ness, are part of the economic system progresses from day-to-day. This they philsophers on worlds that fell to the of the Galaxy. They have to eat. They do through the agency of Menteps, inexorable tide of Darkness," and Na have to endure physically, or else fall who function as telepathic scouts and is one such agent. "Little is known of into a disembodied state. And the observers, forming a Galaxy-wide his past, except that in legend his Menteps are not ready for disembodi- communications network among father was a Mentep and his mother ment. Not yet. themselves. Based on the information a sorceress from a fallen world." "Menteps are also very patriotic, supplied by the Menteps, the Galactic Readers are given only a single and enthusiastic supporters of the Command issues orders and sugges- glimpse of Na in the first issue, but policies of the Galactic Conference. tions. The orders are for its own in the script, Veitch describes Na for They hate and fear the forces of Dark- armies and special forces (and) the Kennedy thusly: "Exuding ominous ness which represent the extinguish- suggestions are for all relatively power, Na emanates total fearlessness, ment of Essence,; the victory of Un- autonomous combat groups. In power, possession, and authority. Na consciousness over Consciousness." general, everyone accepts the 'sugges- is no ordinary super-villain or dark And that, essentially, is the crux of tions' as if they were 'orders.' lord—he represents an unseen force, the conflict in this Light and Darkness However, the consequences of failing vaster than himself, that is absolute war. Raging for 10,000 years at the to follow a 'suggestion' are not the and unrelenting in its will to murder, start of the story, the Galaxy of Light same as the consequences of disobey- violate, desecrate, devour, and ex- has had to defend itself against the ing an order! tinguish the existence of free, luninous vanquishing encroachment of the "The Outer Darkness makes its consciousness and being. Even so, he Outer Darkness, ".. .a mysterious minions from the warrior peoples of is not above posturing melodrama— he loves the theater of it. If this were Leader of the Outer Darkness—Lord Na: "total fearlessness, power, and authority." a movie we would ask the actor to play Na with a certain humorous distance, as if he is always watching himself and silently laughing at everything he says. Since he is already a void, all action—indeed, all existence—is for him a joke." The war, however, wasn't progress- ing quite as rapidly as Na would have . liked. While the arrival of Leonardo • Da Vinci contributed greatly to the evolution of more advanced weaponry—the war had been fought with antique guns, mortars, cannons, primitive ships, vicious wraiths, etc., for aeons—"cultural and technologi- cal development in the Galaxy con- gealed at about the earth-equivalent of - 1700, (when) everything crystallized in an official edict from the (Galac- • tic) Conference, which said, in effect, 'what we have works, and obviously God, through his mouthpiece Leon- ardo, has given us all we need to push back the Darkness. Therefore let us not tamper with the will of God. Let us not endanger ourselves and the future of our Galaxy by importing strange and possibly evil ideas from - beyond death's wall. We have spoken." As the story begins, Na has already decided that it was "time to change the rules of the game. He looked down upon earth and was profoundly mov- ed by what he saw: the technology of death had continued to advance on

AH/UING HEROES H140 earth, even as the great Light and Darkness war remained locked in the ways of the past!" He put his necromancers to work searching for a way to breach the barrier between the two dimensions and import these incredible modern weapons and "they do not fail him." The solution to Na's dilemma is em- bodied in one Nick Tesla, imaginary descendent of the real-life Nikola Tesla, the revolutionary and contro- versial (i.e. eccentric) scientist, inven- tor and engineer who died in 1943. In addition to the many practical ideas Tesla had, he was obsessed with such ideas as communicating with other planets, and "an age-old wish to make concrete—and visible to others —the contents of the subjective mind. Thoughts, imaginings, dreams, and all the baggage of the unconscious psyche: the ideal electronic device Kennedy's sketches of the four vets who make up "The Light Gang" (from upper would make these visible to the naked left): Lazarus Jones, Jesus Munoz Slaw, Captain Archibald Engle, and Stevie Huff. eye and part of the cultural and make her an object of fascination to in part, an attempt to empower an historical record. The 'inner world' many. . .including Lord Na. By ancient weapon. would become as solid as the 'outer 'intuitive powers' we simply mean that "Odom's black magic ceremonies world,' undeniably present, in living she sees beyond the boundaries of or- (are what attract) Lord Na's color." Young Nick picks up where the dinary consciousness." She is also necromancers (as they scan) the elder Tesla left off, working most very adept at "channeling," i.e. speak- necro-frequencies for opportunities." specifically on a device he calls the ing with the spirits of previous incar- And so the link is made between "Tesla Machine," unwittingly creating nations, etc. "She lives in the mystery Earth, the Outer Darkness, and the the very device that Na rightly of the deep psyche. She is conversant rather reluctant and/or opportunistic believes will enable him to import all with the forces that shape our minds. participants. the weapons he can find on earth. She and a Mentep would 'recognize' each other, in that they would each sense the non-ordinary awareness in •he four Vietnam vets who are Bty, bringing in such "characters" the other. For Delpha, Na's very ex- drawn into the service of the Galactic as Da Vinci and old Tesla himself, istence, and all that he represents, is Fleet call themselves "the Light Veitch is carrying genuine history profoundly fascinating. She wants to Gang," three of whom passed over to beyond its known conclusion, lending know what its intentions are. A the Galaxy of Light immediately after not only further veracity to the work, psychic mystery, you see. And she's their Huey gunship fell during an but supplying an inner logic that is not a warrior—she's a psychic assault mission in 'Nam. "Lazarus crucial to any story. "Da Vinci explorer. Jones was Crew Chief on the Huey represents the old ways, the mechan- "She's also very good in bed." ... mechanic and gunner... respon- ics that became so successful they led The weapons Na intends to import sible for the maintenance of the to the petrification of a culture." from Earth are to be supplied by Niles helicopter.. .operated one of the M60 Beyond that, however, Veitch feels that Odom, the "earth-side equivalent of door-guns. Laz was the only crew "there's a kind of moral ambiguity in Na and the powers of Darkness. Resi- member to survive the crash of the Da Vinci, and I like that because it dent manager of Goliath Industries, a Huey (and) returned to America a brings some moral questions into our secret subsidiary of an American arms disabled and disgruntled vet. Both his story. I don't feel that the so-called manufacturing company, (Odom is) legs were gone. Bound to a wheel- light side is completely light. I want the modern archetype of evil, the guy chair, cared for by his devoted wife that element of shading to be in the with absolutely immense money and Chris, he sank into a ten-year story—the moral ambiguity of any power, the ego blown to its illogical alcoholic stupor. Underneath he boil- kind of war." In a similar way, Tesla infinity by the power of technology. ed, his warrior's spirit busing to get "represents the electrical age that He offers a flower daily to a out. During those 'lost years' he began in the 19tH century and reach- photograph of the Krupp Brothers," dreamed constantly of the war, and ed its turning point when Tesla in- arms manufacturers in Hitler's Ger- over time the dream-environment vented the alternating current motor." many. "Unbeknownst to his superiors, became strange, alien, and the The fictional Nick Tesla is "a gaunt, (Odom) has been brokering arms to weapons seemed to be relics of the young thinker, an all-night hacker of all kinds of middle-eastern and other distant past. A visit to the Vietnam ideas and machines, definitely not the third world countries, making millions Memorial in Washington, DC brings warrior type. He's moved by the on the side, using the factory and its everything to the surface.. .memories urgent need to do what's never been warehouse as his base of operations." of his- buddies.. .of the futility of done—to build the fantastic devices he He's also "obsessed with the idea that fighting a 'war of attrition' that could knows are possible.. .and it is old magical power attaches itself to never be won. Laz collapses there, Tesla's notebooks that give Nick the weapons, (and) he's gathered a collec- (later) insisting upon driving his clues to begin." tion of bizarre weapons and armor specially equipped station wagon as Nick's fiancee is Delpha Oracle, from all eras. He's spending big bucks they return to San Francisco. Some- ". . .a psychology major at Stanford. trying to locate the so-called 'spear of where between Amarilto and Albu- Her dark beauty and intuitive powers destiny,' (and) his 'Satan worship' is, querque he blacks out, crashes, and

MAY 1, im 37 is knocked into a coma from which wanted to hear (and) Slaw believed he might never awaken. As his wife them. That Frazetta picture of Conan, nurses his unconscious body back in with the half-naked Oriental girl cling- their San Francisco apartment, Laz ing to his ankles. . .that was Slaw's drifts into the warrior's afterworld. picture of himself. . .(and) he carried where 'he finds his lost companion-in- that image of himself into the afterlife arms, waiting for him to join them in and used it as a crowbar to motivate fighting the just war." He also happens himself in the war of Light and to get his legs back in the bargain. Darkness. Only gradually did he Laz quickly meets another woman uncover a deepter logic in himself, a in the Light Galaxy, as well, a warrior warrior's truth. One particular woman named Lasha. It's love at first moment, when he saved (the crew sight, both feeling a warrior's empathy member named) Arch Engle from a and an undeniable lust for the other. Deadsider's gun—and he saw that Lasha joins the aforementioned Engle loved him—he realized that he Delpha Oracle in adding a couple of too was driven by love. Not simply steamy subplots to the proceedings. macho pride, but love, the love of Not only that, but these women are brothers who stand together against not like the usual buxom bimbos one the darkness. tends to find in adventure comics; in- "Slaw was different after that. Still stead, Veitch has bestowed these two cool, seemingly emotionless. . .still characters with sharp minds, rich per- the flawless gunner.. .but he had sonalities, and independent spirits that broken through the mock-seriousness more than match any sexual allure of war. He had found the death- they may exude. •• transcending love of the warrior's heart." 66 I •-; %»esus Munoz'Slaw was 2nd gunner on the Huey. . .very intent on ^Jtevie Huff was "co-pilot and proving he could hack it with the best gunner. . .a black man.. .provided by . . .cool-headed guy who, if he had God with a sixth sense for unseen any emotions, never showed them. . . danger. They said he was born with The warrior woman Lasha—no bimbos. would man his gun with a vicious radar in his head. A great night flyer. precision that showed a total, Devoted to his mother and his fami- a mystic 'cept they don't know it.' She unobstructed faith in his own abilities. ly back home. .. unmarried. . . very gave him the clap. So much for being Slaw was very outspoken in his religious.. .claimed to have a mystic in a war. criticisms of those who outranked visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary— "Stevie's VD never progressed very him—especially when their blunders on the battlefield. . .said she pointed far, because he died about six weeks caused the deaths of others. (To) out hidden enemy positions. She was later, in the crash. Huff took to the protect himself from the loss of always right, too. He never consorted Light and Darkness war like a cat to morale that caused other men to shirk with the soldiers' women, except tunafish. It was his mystical meat. The their duty, he dehumanized himself in when he actually fell in love one time, Light, all the Light that flooded him his own way, playing out a kind of with a woman he met on R & R in inside, filling him with a warrior's fantasy war that was going on in his Bangkok. . .an innocent thing, with power. Only problem was (that) he head, a war in which he was every dark skin and bottomless dark eyes had his eyes blown out in death, and woman's hero and the 'gooks' all had that seemed to flood with happiness for some cosmic reason showed up slanty-eyed comic book faces and when she was introduced to Huff. blind—eyeless—in the afterworld. swastikas painted on their foreheads. 'You're a mystic," she said. 'Well, But...his 'sixth sense,' his inner The bar girls told every G.I. what they maybe a little," he said. 'Everybody's 'radar-vision' was amplified about a thousand-fold. He could 'see' a bat- One of the Warriors of the Outer Darkness, a.k.a. a Deadsider, a.k.a. a bad guy. tlefield from inside the atoms and molecules that composed it. He could pilot the Light Gang's stone gunship more accurately than a man with eyes could. He was also great at forming the necessary telepathic link with the Mentep-drive system. In fact, the Menteps had a great respect for Huff. They told him that in his next life he'd probably be born a Mentep."

Captain Archibald Engle (was) squad leader, pilot, (and) aircraft com- mander of the Huey that crashed. A helluva guy. Engle (was) a warrior through and through. . .intelligent, although he talked tough. . .studied books about the history of warfare. . . and books of philosophy—he was proud of the fact that he had read Nietzsche.

AHUING HEROES #140 "All it took to fully uncover his pure think we are trying to get into contact comics, in terms of "camera" move- fighting heart was death. Trouble was, with the spirit of the (Harvey) ments, splitting action up into quick, the death was partly his own fault, or Kurtzman war comics.. .trying to single panels/frames, etc. Hitchcock's at least he felt it was. As aircraft com- bring in psychological truth about the standing complaint, however, was that mander (and) squad leader, he was the war and the people involved in it." not many directors gave much thought man in charge. Engle's hatred of the to this language of film, and sadly, one enemy turned on himself as the ship can't deny that the same is true of went down. And that hatred still 1 find myself comparing Tom Veitch's comics. Recent examples of comics gnawed wjaen he transmigrated to the work not to other comics writers, but that have employed clearly cinematic Light Galaxy. The others forgave. to individuals completely outside the approaches are Watchmen and virtual- They were still alive, weren't they? realm of comics, such as the late ly anything by Richard Corben. Free of that screwed-up war, free to philosopher Krishnamurti and novelist Beyond that, much of what we see are fight the good fight, against a fierce Charles Bukowski, not so much in retread and inbred versions of ideas and dark opponent. But Engle blam- terms of influence but with greater that may have seemed fresh 50 years ed himself, and in so doing he lost regard to point of view and manner ago, but which have long lost any some of his e"dge. He tried to compen- of delivery and approach. Veitch's inherent potential for contemporary sate by currying approval from his style of writing has always been very appeal. 'superiors' in the Armies of the Light straight-forward yet multi-leveled. A cinematic approach might extend This ass-kissing had one positive He's not one to waste even a single only as far as the creator's general result: Engle and crew received a panel on things that add nothing to the overview and vision of a given work, commission from Galactic Command story at hand, relying instead upon the or it can be employed rather heavily to form a commando unit assigned to subtle power of nuance and inference. throughout the actual execution of the special missions on the perimeter From a personal point of view, I don't material. In either case, this kind of \. Only problem was, Engle was believe that this is something he does attention to the mechanics of storytell- then indebted to the man who gave on a particularly conscious level, ing has a habit of yielding some him the commission. And that man insofar as this special, almost sublim- intriguing innovations in terms of did not let Engle forget it. Not exact- inal quality that permeates his work devising new and different means of ly what you'd call a warrior's results. I believe, quite naturally from visual expression. For example, to freedom." his heartfelt choice of subject matter visualize how Huff "sees" things via Quite a cast of characters—George and his own innate manner of present- his sixth sense and enhanced "radar- Lucas should have been blessed with ation. He knows how to tell a story, vision," Veitch and Kennedy came up such a gift for creating an entire because he feels it and he knows how with the idea of inserting visual universe out of whole cloth, and had to make you feel it. caption boxes, showing how Huff something on his mind besides High Like not a few other comics people, might perceive things on a molecule Noon. It's the interaction between Veitch would very much like to try his level, as opposed to explaining it with these characters, however, that truly hand at filmmaking, and that's another words. To differentiate between the makes this story resonate with the perspective from which he approaches various locales and the generous genuine ring of human reality. So something like The Light and interspicing of flashbacks in the first many scenes make you wonder about Darkness War. Though there are issue, Kennedy is using varying tech- what Laz must be thinking, or what opposing schools of thought on this, niques and approaches as subliminal Chris would do if she knew this was and some may dispute it completely, "guideposts," if you will. "I'm going going on, because that's what this film techniques can be adapted to to do all the flashback scenes in Laz's series does: it makes you think. comics surprisingly well, and vice mind that concern Vietnam in what I To reveal some of the emotional and versa. It may be a cliche to say so, but call a burnt sienna wash—just using psychological surprises planted like Alfred Hitchcock's approach to one color but treating the drawings booby-traps throughout the story cinema involved what he called "the like a wash drawing. The scenes with would be to diminish their effect, but language of film," and so much of Laz and Chris, and the scenes with suffice it to say that readers can expect what he did on-screen runs parallel Laz in San Francisco will be just to be drawn fully into the proceedings with virtually identical techniques in ordinary box frames with fairly dull with the first issue, by the mere virtue of identifying so closely with one or Two war vessels: a sample of the cinematic approach Veitch and Kennedy are taking. more of the characters. And if you don't identify with them, you will at 5 least feel compelled to empathize with them, particularly Laz and his pitiful wife; Laz returns from 'Nam without legs, and she's eventually left with a comatose husband to pray for. Human pathos rarely comes this close to reality in fantasy comics; usually we're expected to worry about how some hero's gonna cope with a costume and a girlfriend. The catalysts for so many pivotal events and ingredients in The Light and Darkness War come very much from human experience, or purported human experiences such as the near- death phenomenon, which is precisely what made EC's Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales so affecting and so enduring. In fact, Veitch said, "I

MAY i, 1988 electronics technician gave him a definite edge, but he had to thoroughly familiarize himself with the technical specifics of helicopters and the like. As of this writing, he's "still research- ing (Tesla) to make sure we get the right feel to the visuals about him. His dialogue is not final yet. I'm reading a couple of books about him right now, and one by him." I feel compelled to point out that while quite a few creators devote themselves to this level of research, it is rather atypical when one con- siders the industry as a whole. Again, this is what separates the artists from the mere workhorses.

Wust about any comic book, no matter who the creators are, benefits in one degree or another from the involvement of a good editor, and they don't come much better than Archie Goodwin. He's able to combine a fine eye for storytelling details and methods of simplifying and streamlin- ing material toward greater flow and increased reader comprehension, with a humble confidence in his own abilities that allows the artist to pro- ceed with complete creative freedom. Instead of limiting his creators, he points them in directions of refinement which ultimately result in a richer flowering of their given talents. In a recent conversation with Goodwin on this very subject, he said, "Generally, as an editor, you go over the material with your creators and, in a creator-owned book especially, the whole idea is that you want them Kennedy's authenticity in weaponry and gear is essential to the book's verisimilitude. to be able to do their creations as they intended to do it. But I certainly, I blues and greens and flesh tones. The because there are a lot of people out think, made a lot of suggestions where flashback to 'Nam scenes and the there who (have) replicas of these things didn't seem clear to me, or scenes with Laz and Chris will all be things, like half-track tanks, Huey where I thought too much might be kept in a tightly set area; there'll be gunships and things, and if you sell going on and therefore would maybe no bleed on them. So, when I come them a comic and you say, 'Here's a confuse the reader and make it a little to the actual Light and Darkness comic—buy it. It's got Vietnam harder for the reader to accept points borders, the battles with Na, and Laz weapons in it,' and they buy it (but) they're trying to make with their own going over and meeting the rest of the you haven't drawn the weaponry pro- creation. gang, then I'll use bleeds and much perly, or you just haven't cared about "But basically, Tom has been brighter colors." doing any sort of research on it, then incredibly cooperative and receptive Authenticity is also a matter of great you're really ripping these guys off." to any suggestions, too. A lot of times importance. Kennedy's perspective on Beyond that, however, Kennedy I think the natural inclination, in fact, this stems from reading a lot of feels that if you want people "to spend with most people is that it's so tough American war comics as a boy and any money on you, you've got to give to come up with a sound concept or realizing that, "some of the artists, them quality. The days are long gone something like that that having once I won't cite any names, but some of where you could just produce shit and done it, this mind-set kind of comes the artists back in the late '50s-early people would buy it. Comics is my in and says, well, "I've done it—I '60s were trying to tell me that what whole life just now—it's what I make don't want to change it," and Tom they had drawn was a Messerschmidt my money from—it's how I feed my doesn't seem to have any hang-ups 109, and 1 knew it wasn't, because I kids, pay my mortgage, and I just feel about that. Again, though, with a had the model of the plane, and I'd that I've got to give value for money, creator-owned book, I really feel like seen it in books." In preparing for The or else I'm just cheating everybody." we make suggestions and we had talk- Light and Darkness War, Kennedy has Veitch's participation involved a ed things over and all, but ultimately, accumulated a virtual library of books comparable amount of research, if not I want them to do what they're happy on Vietnam and American weaponry, more, particularly in regard to Da doing." because he feels that "if I'm drawing Vinci and Tesla and the mechanics of When speaking about what had some kind of weapon or vehicle, 1 do the hardware. Prior experience as an originally interested him about The like to give a true rendition of it, auto mechanic and a self-taught Light and Darkness War, Goodwin

AMAZING HEROES #t40 said "The trouble with doing sword- For Kennedy, he's doing all the art issue #4 or 5, it's beginning to turn and-sorcery or fantasy, from my point and coloring and is receiving a co- quite tongue-in-cheek, but I think as of view, is that so often it falls into creator credit, making the project far as sales are concerned, it's far too either being a retread of Conan or a something of a vindicating showcase late; you've got to grab all those fans retread of Lord of the Rings, and I for him, insofar as Outcasts didn't right from tfl and keep them with you thought the Vietnam aspect gave it a turn out quite as planned. Outcasts right through the series." lot more human meaning in terms of went through three editors before get This js not a situation Kennedy how you feel >about the characters and ting off the ground, and Kennedy wishes to repeat. Demonstrating his why the characters wind up in this sort never felt that there was enough coor- singular dedication to his craft and this of fantasy situation. The idea that you dination between himself, the writers, series in particular, Kennedy plans to could fight a war that, in some eyes and an editor. Kennedy explained that make a return visit to the States and at-least, may not have been a worthy Outcasts #1 "gave the general impres- set up shop near Veitch's New England war and still, perhaps, have worthy sion that it was going to be quite a residence. He'll be in the United States qualities, but then (you could enter) heavy story.. .almost one of your for at least three months, during which this new universe where there is a usual post-nuclear stories. The time they'll "have a very close rela- worthy war to fight—I thought, you writers, John [Wagner] and Alan tionship for the last few books. It's a know, gave a nice aspect to the fan- [Grant], they're actually very tongue- very exciting time." tasy. If they'd just come to me and the in-cheek, humorous writers. What Ultimately, the goal is to put as idea had been, "We want to do The should have happened is that the four much into the series as possible, Light and Darkness Hfer.. .a guy from of us should have gotten together for insofar, as building toward a satisfying Earth is pulled into this universe and a few days in New York, and gotten climax and going "out with a bang," he helps fight this war," I probably to know each other's characters over as Kennedy put it, so that "all these wouldn't have wanted to do it. I a couple of beers. Then the editor nice people spending $1.95 buying it thought that the Vietnam aspects gave would have seen the humor coming will say, 'Well, that was real value for it some immediacy and a sensibility out, and I could have picked up on a money. That was a good story and that you don't see in a lot of fantasies." few things, and issue #1 could have good art, and that's what comic books When I asked him about how he been quite a funny book. From maybe should be about.'" • thought the series might be received, Goodwin said "I may be a poor one A Darksider rides a cannon carrying pack beast. The question of a "worthy war" to ask. Generally, any time I decide arises, even in the-afterlife. to do a book, it's going to be reason- ably well-received or I probably wouldn't do it. I don't set out to do anything that I think doesn't have an audience; it's just sometimes that you find a book that you thought would find an audience, but for some reason or another may not find it, either through some failure in execution or some misreading of the ability to reach (a given) audience." He went on to say, however, that he also thought that the combination of Veitch and Ken- nedy would give the series a very positive appeal. "Cam's work is really very good," he said, with regard to his ability to depict such seemingly dichotomous milieu with equal dex- terity, nimbly jumping from fantasy to the battlefields of Vietnam to real-life Earth. "The whole thing with doing fantasy," Goodwin continued, "is that every time you do something, you're creating a world for the reader; hopefully it will be an interesting enough world and a believable enough world that the reader will get drawn into it and can empathize and enjoy the adventures that you're presenting with that world. Tom has built up a very viable, logical fantasy world, and I think Cam's work will just bring it totally to life."

ihe Light and Darkness War is an important project for both Veitch and Kennedy. For Veitch, it's been a few years since he's published a major work, so this is his way of getting back into the fray.

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