I heard a lot of folks talk about Tekkon Kinkreet by Taiyo Matsumoto, so I decided to pick up a copy. I pretty much buy any graphic novel that looks interesting, or is considered popular, and I put it on my pile of comics that I consider "research". Most of the comics in that pile simply make their way directly to my bookshelf, and sadly, I’ll admit that I don’t read all that many of them. For some reason it’s been difficult for me to find comics that inspire me as a comic creator, and this really amplifies the loneliness of being someone who draws cartoons for a living. It emphasizes the fact that so few people take a chance at doing this for a living. And hey, when there are so few people working in comics really taking the medium further, then it’s no wonder they don’t feel inspired to take a leap of faith, right? Oftentimes, I certainly don’t. That’s why I look to other media (movies, books, games) for creative fuel. And sometimes, as with old Jack Kirby/Stan Lee Fantastic Four comics, or Nausicaa, or Bone, I find material that I feel is innovative and fresh and, most importantly, inspiring. Of course, every now and then, a new comic book will come along and make me forget all those silly, morose thoughts, and light a fire in my heart and brain. Tekkon Kinkreet is definitely one of those books.
My impression of Matsumoto’s work was that it was probably a little too esoteric for my tastes, judging by flipping through the pages of this book and others by him. Then I read this interview that Chris Butcher posted, and it made me think differently about the creator. It sounded like this guy was making a serious effort to create something new and innovative, and approaching the medium from a different angle. So I gave the book a chance, and it blew me away. It’s a fantastic, punk rock, hip hop mashup of French sci-fi, Japanese manga action, Yakuza films, and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men! It’s a crazy mix of stuff, but Matsumoto has complete control of the chaos, and is able to bring it all together in a satisfying and emotionally affecting comic book that travels at the speed of a bullet train. This is simply amazing stuff, and it’s just what I needed to get me pumped to finish up Amulet 2.
Production on Amulet 2 continues at a steady pace, with about 100 pages thumbnailed, and the entire book in rough sketch form. I’m trying to wrap up thumbnails by the end of the month. Amulet 2 is also sharing time with Comic-Con preparations. I can’t believe the event is only one week away now! Okay, back to the drawing board… gotta thumbnail another handful of pages…
