Black Guard #1
Produced By Brothers of Spontaneous
Combustion (BOSC) Comics
I know we have been saying that we were
going to start reviewing Independent comics and here we are in July
2012 and we haven't even done that. Well, we got one. I will say that
when I received Black Guard #1 in the mail, I felt like I was taken
for a ride. I didn't open the plastic yet but I assumed it was going
to be one of those informational issues that big publishing giants
such as Marvel throws out to cash in on fans who are eagerly awaiting
an upcoming story arc or series. So I sat on the issue for a few
days.
One evening, I had the chance to sit
back and give it the attention it needed. I don't regret ordering
Black Guard #1.
Let me be frank. I have met quite a few
black and brown folks who have started their own comic books and I
didn't review them because the quality was horrible on so many
levels. I am happy to say that the Brothers of Spontaneous Combustion
(BOSC) have outdone themselves.
What makes nerd/geek culture what it is
happens to be the cultural referencing made by the subject. Notice
that I did not say pop culture reference. Pop culture implies that it
was part of the mainstream culture. Check The Last Emperor's "Secret
Wars" to catch my drift. You are either in the know, or you
don't know. Black Guard is full of geek culture references. It's not
your run of the mill, Nineteen nineties X Men cartoon series
references either. That is what made me read the book over and over.
Eli Mercer, Black Guard's leader,
assembles a team of former mercenaries, villains, and not so savory
characters to attempt to "uplift the community."
Unfortunately, Mercer is in over his head as the fun begins. The crew
is well rounded with Sequoia, Melanin, Darius Doom, Odan, and FRO
Bot. I spent a large amount of time laughing as reread the stories in
the first issue.
If there was anything I enjoyed the
most is the colors. The colors literally float off the page. I did
not see that coming. It gives the indy comic the quality it needs.
Overall, I can't wait to cop the 2nd issue of Black Guard. I also
hope to see more from BOSC.
