CORPUS CHRISTI Comic Review Issues 1 and 2
I was fortunate enough to be approached by artist Trent Westbrook to do a piece of art that eventually became the cover art for Issue 2 of CORPUS CHRISTI. I was sent reference material and as usual my tendency to over commit had him waiting a while. I finally saw him at a con in Austin where he picked up the penciled piece in person. Trent, was gracious enough to hand me a copy of issue 1 of the book. I read it in the hotel room that night and to be honest the subtle impact of the book didn't hit me until I received and read issue 2 when it was mailed to me months later. Issue 2 has my art in varying covers. One is inked by Trent and another is my original penciled cover with no inks.
I chose to read both issues concurrently and found it to be consistent in pacing, design, art and style.
CORPUS CHRISTI is a book about a guy named Barry with strong ties to his brother and uncle that finds himself reluctantly fighting crime due to "visions" that appear to be hereditary. The visions show him crimes that will be committed so it's up to him to do something about it. In the first and second issues he saves would be victims who unlike other traditional books have a back story that's given to us in a concise paragraph, making them something more than just 2 dimensional plot devices used only to show the hero in action.
Another interesting aspect of the book is it's realism and the use of Corpus Christi the city as a character itself. I'm particularly fond of the latter because I'm happy anytime New York or L.A. aren't used. It's been done and this country has so many wonderful states and cities that characters can thrive. Corbin Douglas has written dialogue that really lends to the realism of the book as it is natural and doesn't sound like traditional comic book speak. My only criticism isn't the writing but the lettering could be a bit more professional. The flow of the lettering is nice however and doesn't obstruct the art.
Speaking of art, Trent Westbrook improves with each issue. His use of dramatic lighting and reference models makes the characters come to life in a stark noir-ish way. The panels flow and even though the line work and technique is rough around the edges, you forget about it because the overall impact is so cinematic and emotionally powerful.
Thanks to Corbin's writing and Trent's art the characters feel visceral and real.
The last obvious element of the book is the strong religious overtone. It suits the book well due to the city and it's citizens. The use of GUILT is appropriate and fuels the character to do what he does. Snippets of flashbacks reveal that perhaps the hero, Barry, failed to use his gift to save a loved one as a child. The religious infusion reminds me of why MARVEL's Daredevil was such a different and cool character.
If you're a fan a independent books and want something different to read, I suggest ordering a copy, it's a satisfying read.
Check them out on Facebook: Corpus Christi: The Comic Book
