Hades Syndrome Part 1: Interface
Story & Art Michael Feldman
24 pages
Color
U.S. format
5.00 €
ISBN 978-3-939400-08-0
The year 2038. The 3rd World War is over, a new wall runs through Germany. On one side of the wall rules the last of the affluent societies, on the other, the third world. The storming of the fortress of the rich has already begun. This is the beginning of an odyssey through a post-apocalyptic world full of violence and death. Dodo and Nuke will find peace and security beyond the wall and also have democracy and freedom had its day and made room for a totalitarian regime?
Ahh, a breath of fresh air! Firstly, I have to say that the batch of comics I got from The NextArt Verlag are all printed and finished to a very high standard. The second thing I need to say is that with issues 1-5 I can give a good overall appraisal. It is very difficult to judge a series when you are sent issue nr.2 or 3.
The story idea is by no means 100% original -in fact, I once sat and debated with some comickers the fact that there were about 6-7 scenarios for comics whether super hero or sci-fi. The difference is how the writer characterises his “players” in the story and how well he has written that story.
Here we have Michael Feldmann writing and drawing his own series so there can be no “that bloody artist ruined it!” excuses. As a creator it is a great freedom if you write and draw a book yourself -and you also shoulder the blame if it stinks!
In fact the story and characterisation seem to be well paced and written with enough twists and turns to make it enjoyable (but not having read German comics for so long it gave me a headache -but I am getting old).
There is enough sex, violents, twists and turns to keep a comic reader happy. I have not seen Feldmann’s work before but I’m guessing this is all computer originated art.
There is a nice use of tonal colour: issue 1 is straight forward colouring as is issue 2 for the most part. Issue 4 uses almost a greenish-grey tone for the pages which could so easily go appallingly wrong and ruin things. Issue 5 has an almost khaki like tonal colour (if you are an artist you’ll know that there are set basic colours but when you come to tones few agree on what you call a specific tone -its very complicated). These tones really do set an atmosphere for the story so no problem at all.
What I did notice is the progression of Feldmann’s art. I think that, if he continues as he is doing, there is no reason why he should not become a more widely recognised comic artist. Yes, there are things that need tightening up but you have to remember that Germany had comic publishers but they were publishing Franco-Belgian and American comics in German. It is nice to see German creators finding their feet and creating their own industry.
How different things might have been had Ehapa, Williams or even Kauka verlag published books like this. Well, they never and I’m glad that I stumbled upon The NextArt Verlag.
If you can, please support them!
No excuses now, some art as well as covert art and book info. Remember to visit The NextArt at their website (I’ll add a blog roll link in a while).
http://www.thenextart.de/verlag/index.html
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Syndrome Hades # 2
Hades Syndrome, Part 2 “infiltration”
Author / drawings by Michael Feldman
Back Cover: Alexander Paskal
28 pages, color, U.S. comic format
Limited to 400
5.00 EUR
ISBN: 978-3-939400-16-5
Hades Syndrome Part 3 “ambush”
Author / drawings by Michael Feldman
28 pages, color, U.S. comic format
Limited to 400
5.00 EUR
ISBN: 978-3-939400-22-6
Hades Syndrome # 4
Hades Syndrome Part 4 “underground”
Author / drawings by Michael Feldman
36 pages, color, U.S. comic format
Edition 500
5.00 EUR
ISBN: 9783939400295
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Hades Syndrome # 5
Hades Syndrome Part 5 of “retaliation”
Michael Feldman
36 pages, color, U.S. comic format
Edition 500
5.00 EUR
ISBN: 9783939400295
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