ALEX TOTH - BRAVO FOR ADVENTURE

                                            ALEX TOTH - BRAVO FOR ADVENTURE

Written and drawn by Alex Toth

Legendary cartoonist Alex Toth (June 25, 1928 - may 27, 2006)'s magnum opus, Bravo for adventure, is the story of an ace pilot during the 1930s who doubles as a stunt pilot for the moving pictures and pilot for hire. A great concept that due to various publisher problems never really took off. Still, the stories that Toth got to produces are extraordinary both in it's story, pacing and art.

The stories are intricate but simply told, with various moving parts that flow with an ease that certainly couldn't have been easy to achieve. Toth was a well-known perfectionist, who only got more critical of his own work as the years passed by. The artwork is, simply put, masterful in its clear layouts and visual storytelling. Every line of ink is there for a reason and the fact that the work seems so restrained is deceptively perfect. This should be required studying for any would be comic book artist. It should also be in every serious comic book aficionado's library.

Out of print for 30 years, all of the stories were reprinted in an handsome, oversized hardcover by IDW which you can get here:

TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE #1

TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE #1 (IDW) 

Written by Joe Hill and Michael Benedetto, drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez, colours by Ryan Hill 

This miniseries reunites the creative team of the acclaimed Locke and Key series in what is essentially an adaptation of scripts that writer Joe Hill had done as a proposals for a revival of the anthology TV show Tales from the Darkside. 

In sleepwalker a young man who likes to party too much and works as a lifeguard just might be responsible for the death of a woman. Guilt and sorrow are water in the mill of cosmic balance as the fate of 4 people interlock. 

A well written tale that shows its TV origins in structure and inspiration. The art is quite attractive and shows good visual storytelling skills. It is also reminiscent of the work of classic comic book artist P. Craig Russell, with it's clean lines and detailed execution. 

First in a four issue miniseries that is well worth picking up. Available through your local Comic book shop or digitaly on Comixology: https://www.comixology.com/Tales-From-The-Darkside-1/digital-comic/389672