by Graphic Guy (NWM Staff Writer)
The laws of TV-Land state: 99.9% of the time after you finish an uber-successful series, your next TV project almost always fails. Just ask the cast of Friends and Seinfeld (except Larry). I realize the parallels between that and the indie comic scene aren’t on solid ground. However, a case could be made for Mr. Terry Moore. After he finished his long running, well praised series STRANGERS IN PARADISE he followed it up with just as big of a hit (if not more) with ECHO.
Clocked in at about 90 issues and lasted from the mid-90s to 2007. The series simply revolved around the lives of two women (Helen “Francine” Peters and Katina Marie "Katchoo" Choovanski) and the relationships they had with their friends and lovers. Perhaps what Terry is best known for bringing to this series (and comics) was his realistic portrayal of women. These were not comic book, spandex, big chested babes. These were women of real life…feelings, scars, tears, cheers and all.
Here Terry ventures into the land of superpowers. Though again he still brings that “realistic/ flawed character” baggage along for the ride. This series too pretty much sticks to the two-character premise. Julie Martin and Dillon Murphy are thrust together through some government accident. Because of it, Julie is given these incredible powers that certain baddies would kill to have. The two wind up on the run and...well...that’s about all the spoilage I’m dishing out.
WRITING and ART:
Both duties are helmed by Terry, which is also an incredible feat in itself. As far as the writing goes…you pick up an issue GUARANTEED you put it down 3 minutes later, finished. It reads so face-paced and the dialogue is so real you almost feel like your watching it on the screen. Which I’m sure Hollywood has most certainly approached him about. Now when it comes to the art, brace yourself non-CB-readers, it’s in black and white (on the simple line drawing side.) You might be tempted to take that as a stumbling block. Thinking you’re getting jipped out of the pretty colors or dark inks. All I can say is trust me you're not. It’s actually a treat if you’re dealing with an incredible artist like Terry. You get to experience his work in its purest form. You can truly see the raw emotions on each page. Exploding guts and all (sorry, last spoiler, promise).
Right now Terry has 3 trades of the series out now for only 11 bucks each (on Amazon). The first volume collects 1 – 5. Definitely worth the read and a look.
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