Remembering Shooting Star Comics: Gone But Not Forgotten

Note: As we approach the 15th anniversary of Shooting Star Comics, the indie comics publisher I served as EIC back in the beginning of this century, we've relaunched a website to help archive info and announce new outlets from former SSC members. The following is from that website. Join the Facebook group and share your own memories at https://www.facebook.com/shootingstarcomics. 

In December 2001, a group of online friends, all aspiring comic book writers, came together to produce a showcase for their talents. As readers who love the medium of comic books, they also had a desire to see their scripts given visual form. Since they were serious about their ambitions in this particular field, they decided to pool their resources, find artists (or in some cases, do the art themselves), and publish their short stories (all of it creator owned, original material) together in one book – and then to send that book out into the world, into the hands of the comic book reading public during the summer of 2002.

These friends are also not the least bit reluctant to acknowledge some of the main influences on their own progress in the medium. As a consequence, they decided to ask a couple of those influences to contribute to the endeavor. Chuck Dixon, whose articles on writing for comic books are almost as good as a writing course, was invited to contribute a Western story. And another of those influences, the legendary Denny O’Neil, was asked to write a foreword for the book. He very graciously agreed. The first issue of SHOOTING STAR COMICS ANTHOLOGY was the result of those efforts.

From 2002 to 2006, Shooting Star Comics expanded and became an independent publisher committed to releasing a wide variety of genres and styles in our books. Including both new talent and longtime legends in the industry, Shooting Star Comics produced a high-quality anthology series for six issues and a variety of one-shots and mini-series.

As the 15th Anniversary approaches, this website will expand in the days to come to document the history of our small independent publishing house and serve as an archive that recognizes the body of work produced. This site will also serve as a present day guide pointing to where you can work of the original creators now.

The Best Graphic Novels Ever #28 -- Children of the Grave

28. Children of the Grave
by Tom Waltz and Casey Maloney
Published by IDW Publishing

I almost took this off the list because I'm a good friend of Tom Waltz, but in the end I just couldn't. It's that good, a fantastically creepy ghost story about military incursions, terrorism, and parental issues. And Maloney's art sets the mood perfectly.

Waltz's time as a soldier really lends a realistic tone to what would otherwise be a merely supernatural tale. Not only that, he has a way of pegging both the protagonists and antagonists (I dare not say good guys and bad guys for this one) with believable stories and motives and drives.

For the "rules" I'm using for graphic novel, check the original post.