It's a stunning study in contrasts, to see the current (not at all undeserved) atmosphere of doom and gloom that hangs over the comics industry, and then to witness the unbounded passion and enthusiasm for the artform on the part of some young creators who want nothing more than to be a part of comics.
Many of the contributors to Comic Book Galaxy are involved in comics in one way or another. We've got a comics retailer, an editor, and a number of folks trying their damndest to break into this "dying artform." One of those is Sal Cipriano, creator of the independent title Altered Realities.
The great thing about comics, of course, is the visceral communication between creator and reader that is possible. At its best, comics is an intensely personal experience, and in reading Sal's comics, I've come to the conclusion that his greatest strength is his ability to relate to his readers on a completely level playing field.
As you might guess from the title, Altered Realities deals in part with paranormal phenomena. "Funny Little Voices," is clearly the focus of the two issues of AR that have been released so far, and Sal recently confirmed for me my guess that there is some genuine personal experience at the heart of all the strangeness in this story.
The main problem with FLV is that we don't get a whole lot of the story between the two issues, and the ending of the second story indicates that Sal may be rethinking how he presents this material. I think that's a good idea.
He clearly has an idea about reality he wants to express, but early on he gets caught up in making it some sort of war between supernatural beings. I am intrigued by the situation presented, but I think it could be better grounded in a sympathetic character in a more naturalistic setting before laying all the cards out on the table. I'm much more interested in seeing what Sal has to say about how he sees the universe than in explosive battles and chase scenes.
Altered Realities is full of Sal and other creators trying to find their voices...you'll find humour, sword and sorcery, science-fiction and other genres represented. But the story that convinced me Sal has what it takes to really express his vision is a quiet little tale in the second of his comics, Altered Realities 2000. "Broken Donuts" (with artist Marco DiLeonardo) is a rumination on friendship and broken hearts that takes place in a donut shop. In the brief space of 8 pages, Sal and Marco introduce us to a compelling group of characters in an interesting setting, and Sal's story reaches down into the heart and grabs you with its genuine, natural look at the breakup of a relationship.
The art, as with most of the stories so far in AR, is a little rough, but Sal's script more than redeems it. His gift for character and dialogue mark Mr. Cipriano as someone to keep an eye on as comics continue to transform themselves over the next few years. The artform, more than anything, needs creators willing to put their heart and soul out there and take the chance that they'll get stepped on or laughed at. It's the ability of comics to reach into the reader's head and heart and make a connection that make the artform special, and that can help it find and keep a larger audience.
Sal's Altered Realities is a genuine step in that direction. I sincerely hope he continues down the road of self-discovery in his comics work. It's not as easy as fight scenes and cosmic sagas, but in the long run he and his readers will be the ones who benefit.