Jeff Lemire's Blog

SWEET TOOTH 3 Review at IGN

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:07:00 +0000

Vertigo's latest keeps on going strong.
by Jesse Schedeen

November 4, 2009 - On a surface level, Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth seems to borrow from numerous sources. The basic concept of a young boy and his grizzled protector crossing a post-apocalyptic wasteland evokes images of Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Comics like The Walking Dead and Y: The Last Man also deal with similar subject matter. But the difference lies all in the execution. No matter how many times we might have seen the post-apocalyptic tale in comics, Lemire makes it seem fresh again.

The story might have moved a little slowly in the first two issues, but now that Gus and Jepperd are out on the road the pace picks up a bit. Lemire devotes some time to building on Gus' character this month, proving again that he's more than a simple country hick with no practical knowledge of the world. One positive quality this series shares with The Road is the slowly building sense of tension. Gus and Jepperd spend most of the issue alone, but it's difficult not to feel a growing sense of foreboding with each passing page. Lemire has established this world as a dark, scary place, and the reader is now left to wait and wonder when tragedy will strike again for Gus. It's tough to know whether to even accept Jepperd as a companion for Gus or just one more threat to confront. A powerful and haunting dream sequence certainly casts doubt on Jepperd's motivations and Gus' safety.

More than anything, though, it's the fusion of Lemire's art and writing that make this series function so smoothly and elegantly. The best writers and artists may achieve that long-sought creative synergy, but it's hard to top a creator who can do both and do them well. Lemire knows his craft well. There's never a case where the storytelling falters or Lemire's intentions become cloudy. Lemire is skilled at building mood and tension in his scenes, be they set in a barren room or in the tortured landscape of Gus' dreams. It's not the most detailed book in the Vertigo lineup, but I'd go so far as to say that Sweet Tooth is the best-looking one.

Vertigo has launched numerous books in 2009. Their track record with these new releases is very impressive. But as much as I'm drawn in by complex, winding projects like The Unwritten, the captivating, elegantly sparse world of Sweet Tooth represents one of Vertigo's finest new books in years.

THE NOBODY NOMINATED FOR YALSA AWARD!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:50:00 +0000

The Nobody has been nominated as one of The American Library Association's "Breat Graphic Novels For Teens"! Click here to see the entire list.

OUT TOMORROW SWEET TOOTH #3

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:08:00 +0000

By Pamela Mullin

Hunters, cultists, mutants and shantytown pimps all want a piece of Gus and all that stands between them, is Jepperd. As the little boy with antlers heads out into what’s left of the world, he’ll find out that no one is quite what they seem. Or are they? Jeff Lemire continues to amaze in SWEET TOOTH issue #3.

Noir Review

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:23:00 +0000

From The "BC REFUGEE BLOG":

NOIR: Crime done correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NOIR: A COLLECTION OF CRIME COMICS anthology, various writers and artists, trade paperback October 2009 (Dark Horse)

Wow!! This is extremely well done. If you were not exactly fond of crime comics before, you might be after reading this. It’s the best collection of any kind that I’ve come across in a good long time. All the stories are premium quality. All the art is deserving of your attention. Noir is “all thriller, no filler.” This is the kind of quality I was hoping to see in the new CREEPY series, which I gave praise to for it’s ambition but expressed disappointment for it’s execution. NOIR does not disappoint. It satisfies. Most of the stories have twist endings that you expect to see in the horror anthologies - - - and they are mostly clever and somewhat unexpected rather than predictable.

Dark Horse has assembled an army of stellar writers and artists to contribute to this anthology, of which I sincerely hope there are more to come: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Barreto, Ed Brubaker, David Lapham, Jeff Lemire, Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba, Dean Motter, Tom Orzechowski, Sean Phillips and Clem Robins. I’m also glad to see for my first time the works of Alex de Campi, Matthew & Shawn Fillbach, Stefano Gaudiano, Rick Geary, Paul Grist, Joelle Jones, Kano, Ken Lizzi, Chris Offut, M. K. Perker, Hugo Petrus and Gary Phllips. Every single one of them made a favorable impression on me. I kid you not. There is a baker’s dozen of stories in NOIR, and not a single one is a blank - - all silver bullets.

“Open The Goddamn Box’ opens the collection, and takes us to David Lapham’s world of Stray Bullets. Stray Bullets is one of those titles that I admire, especially for Lapham’s ability to portray all-too-realistically the degenerative side of human nature - - with grit and shocks galore and usually with a depressing ending. It’s that darkness that makes me avoid it and keeps me from being a regular reader. I’m relieved to report that this story at least ends in a positive fashion for the only character worth caring about. Two 15-year-old male perverts decide to kidnap, rape and kill a neighborhood female who they bear a grudge against for an incident in third grade. One is a budding psycho and the other is a common thug, content to be bossed around and always getting caught up in misdeeds. Credit Lapham for his disgusting but accurate portrayal of these characters - - they even remind me of some creeps I shared the same high school with. Sex is never about love or longing with these types - - it’s all about the machismo and domination, a real power trip. (For an audio-visual experience, read this story while listening to “Boys Who Rape Should Be Destroyed” by The Raveonettes.)

First with the new SWEET TOOTH series, and now with “The Old Silo” story in NOIR, Jeff Lemire impresses me with his ability to depict characters with seeming little effort. Just a few facial lines and angles and you get a clear impression of the struggling farmer that this story centers around. This story would have been a perfect selection for the recent CREEPY revival and seems more in tune with the spirit and tone of the original series than some of the actual features that made it into that first, disappointing issue.

“Yacht On The Styx” features Dean Motter’s creation, Mister X - - and this story is one of several featured in NOIR that really hits the mark in terms of paying homage to pulp fiction, classic detective yarns and the EC style of crime stories. Same goes for “The Last Hit” by Offutt & Kano/Guadiano about a veteran hit-man now entering his senior years and being set-up on his final mark. “Fracture” centers around a subway station encounter and is one of the more challenging stories in this collection, as it leaves the dialogue behind and resorts to caption-less mini-panels to move the story along - - albeit down several different paths leaving us to determine which is reality and which is fantasy. Very interesting.

That is just a small sampling of what’s in store in this collection. The art styles will remind you of many classic works from the past as well as classic illustrators, including Wally Wood and Jack Davis. There are a variety of stories and themes with no two stories seemingly alike. A night janitor stumbles across a suicidal accountant in the middle of taking down an entire office staff. A “playing-card” burglar picks the wrong household to steal from. A jealous man hires a hit-man to eliminate his wife’s no-longer-secret lover with an unintended outcome.

There’s a short and clever illustrated text piece in the center of the book that could easily be found in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. In “21st Century Noir” (a Criminal emission) Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips remind us that lonely men will always be persuaded by beautiful but bad women to do the wrong things. It’s all over in six pages as we meet The Lover, The Wife, and The Husband and then the surprise. I love all these tales, but my favorite is “The Bad Night”, the final story by Brian Azzarello with art by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba. A thug petitions to join a crime family and gets his audition, assigned to steal a valuable necklace. It’s the who, what, and when this occurs that will make you smile with appreciation for Azzarello’s creativity, especially the caption in the final panel.

NOIR is a keeper. Make a space on the book shelf.

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:25:00 +0000

This new painting of Wolverine will be part of an auctuion to help raise money for the SHUSTER AWARDS. Keep an eye on thier site for more details.

Cover Art for SWEET TOOTH #5 Revealed:

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:18:00 +0000

What could this mean for Gus!?

Sweet Tooth #1 Promotional Offer Now Over

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:14:00 +0000

The Sweet Tooth #1 Promotional Sketch offer has now ended. I would like to thank everyone who sent their copies of Sweet Tooth #1 along!

OUT THIS WEEK: DARK HORSE NOIR

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:08:00 +0000

This week sees the release of Dark Horse's NOIR anthology, featuring an brand new 10-page story, "THE OLD SILO" by myself as well as folks like Brian Azzarello, Ed Brubaker and many other top talents. Click here to Preview!

SWEET TOOTH 2 Review at IGN

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:04:00 +0000

http://comics.ign.com/articles/103/1032937p1.html

"It's always a pleasure to read a comic where the writer is drawing as well. There's a connection there that isn't often as tight in a team situation. Sweet Tooth #2 is proof of that, as Gus's overt horror and quiet fascination at basically everything Jepperd stands for is palpable on each panel with very little outright mention of it. By the same token, there's a begrudging affection for Gus that's born within Jepperd over the course of the issue, and even though he's mostly surly to the young boy, Lemire's artwork betrays the hard exterior. It also raises the question of why Jepperd may not want to get close to Gus, what his true intentions are, and whether the Preserve really is what he claims (or if it exists at all). These layers and opportunities to pick them apart only make Sweet Tooth a more enjoyable read.

DC's Vertigo imprint has gotten a big push lately, but Sweet Tooth has quickly become my favorite of the new offerings. Its deceptively simple premise is backed up by Jeff Lemire's entrancing vision for the title's world and complex, emotive artwork. If you were enticed by the $1.00 first issue, you'll be happy to know that the full-priced issue #2 is just as much of a bargain for all its fantastic material."

House Of Mystery 18 On Sale Today...

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

By Pamela Mullin

And for fans of Jeff’s work, he’s the artist on the insert story “The Tale of Brutus the Bold” in this month’s HOUSE OF MYSTERY #18 (also on sale 10/7). This issue also features guest artist Werther Dell’ Edera (DARK ENTRIES).

Two New Comics This Week!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:43:00 +0000

» View Larger Image

Written by Jeff Lemire; Art and cover by Jeff Lemire

"I would crawl over broken glass to read this." –Jason Aaron (SCALPED,Wolverine )

Vertigo's most unusual and terribly cool post-apocalyptic road-trip epic is unstoppable. The innocent deer/boy Gus is forced from his forest sanctuary into the almost annihilated world of men where he's desperately led by a different kind of force of nature: A cold killer who promises the only chance of salvation. Get onboard the buzz bandwagon with the ongoing series mash-up of horror, high adventure and friendship by Eisner-nominated storyteller Jeff Lemire (THE NOBODY, Essex County Trilogy).

Vertigo
32pg.
Color
$2.99 US
Mature Readers

On Sale October 7, 2009

» View Larger Image

Written by Matthew Sturges ; Art by Werther Dell'Edera and Jeff Lemire ; Cover by Esao Andrews

"The Beauty of Decay" Part 3! Fig, Peter and Jordan venture out into the city of ghosts to visit the long-abandoned Pathfinder's Academy where the most desperate specters wail and gnash. But the Pathfinder's Academy holds more than ghosts – it also contains ancient dark secrets that will change Fig's life forever. Featuring guest art by Werther Dell'Edera (LOVELESS) and a special tale of Fig Keele: "Teen Detective" by SWEET TOOTH creator and Xeric, Alex and Shuster Award-winner Jeff Lemire (THE NOBODY, The Essex County Trilogy).

Vertigo
32pg.
Color
$2.99 US

On Sale October 7, 2009

Essex County on "Attack Of The Show"

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:54:00 +0000

Video Games - E3 2009 - Attack of the Show

New Podcast Interview: INKSTUDS

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:36:00 +0000

I was recently interviewed on the Inkstuds podcast, check it out. Inkstuds Interview

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 3 STORY by MATT KINDT

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:32:00 +0000

3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man HC

By MATT KINDT

What would it be like to stand head and shoulders above everyone else -- and to keep growing? Unable to interact with a fragile world that isn't built to withstand your size? To live in a house that doesn't fit you anymore -- with a wife who doesn't either?

Craig Pressgang's life is well documented in his official CIA biography, Giant Man: Pillar of America, but the heroic picture it paints is only half the story. The continuous growth caused by Craig's strange medical condition brings a variety of problems as he becomes more isolated and unknowable. Told in three eras by three women with unique relationships with Craig, 3 Story follows his sad life from his birth to the present.

Top Shelf Sale!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:39:00 +0000

There is a big sale on over at Top Shelf, including slashed prices on a few of my books.

ZOMBIES ATTACK!!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:21:00 +0000

SWEET TOOTH: THE OFFICIAL BLOG LAUNCHES

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:42:00 +0000

The Official Sweet Tooth Blog is now up!

ANNOUNCING SWEET TOOTH: THE OFFICIAL BLOG!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Tomorrow I will be launching a seperate, official blog for all things Sweet Tooth!

It will be your place to check out all the latest news and reviews on my new monthly Vertigo series, Sweet Tooth.

In addition, every month, on the day a new Issue comes out, I will post exclusive, never before seen pencils, inks, design and developmental work for that issue!

I will also be commissioning a bunch of my cartoonist friends to create Sweet Tooth inspired artwork, and posting it here along with reader sketches! That's right, if you send me any of your artwork depicting Sweet Tooth characters I will post it on the new blog as well.

I also miss the old letter columns in comics, so I will be using The Sweet Tooth blog to post your letters as well.

So check back tomorrow for the official launch, and details on the Top Secret Sweet Tooth Fan Club!

J

Recent Commissions...

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:27:00 +0000

Sweet Tooth Promotional Offer Update

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:09:00 +0000

I seem to be getting a lot of the same questions thrown my way in regards to the Sweet Tooth 1 Sketch Promotion, so rather than respond to everyone individually, here we go...

1. I know it's impossible for U.S. and International readers to affix Canadian return postage, so just include $5 in the package along with a self addressed envelope, and I will use the money to affix the proper postage when I mail them back.

2. The sketches I will do will be quick head sketches of characters from Sweet Tooth. These are not full commissioned pieces, and I am not accepting character requests. As much as I'd like to do a fully realized piece for everyone, I just don't have the time.

3. There is no time limit on the offer, as long as you can find copied of #1, I'll be more than happy to sign them and send you a sketch. Also, many of you have asked about sending The Nobody as well, I'd be more than happy to sign those as well.

Thanks everyone, and thanks for supporting my work!

Sweet Tooth #1 Promotional Offer!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:42:00 +0000

In celebration of the launch of my new monthly Vertigo series SWEET TOOTH, I am offering a special promotional deal:

Anybody who sends me their copy (or copies) of Sweet Tooth #1 along with a self addressed return envelope. I will sign the book(s) and return it along with an original sketch! You will get a sketch for each copy sent, (so if you send 2 copies, you get 2 sketches back, 5 copies=5 sketches, 100 copies=100 sketches!).

Note: Please include money for the return postage with your package.
Canadian Residents include $2
U.S. Residents Include $5
International Residents$5

Send the books and return envelopes to:

Jeff Lemire
763 Craven Road
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
M4L 2Z7

Signed copies of Sweet Tooth 1

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Signed copies of Sweet Tooth #1 will be available at both The Beguiling and Comics N More in Toronto later today!

SWEET TOOTH 1 ON SALE NOW!!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:14:00 +0000

SWEET TOOTH #1 ships to comic book stores everywhere today and it is only $1, so get out there and grab a copy!

"From out of the deep woods and the mind of acclaimed indie cartoonist Jeff Lemire (THE NOBODY, The Essex County Trilogy) comes a new Vertigo monthly ongoing series like no other! After being raised in total isolation, Gus – a boy born with deer-like antlers – is left to survive in an American landscape devastated a decade earlier by an inexplicable pandemic. Even more remarkable is that Gus is part of a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid children who have emerged in its wake, all apparently immune to the infection.

Enter Jepperd, a violent, hulking drifter who soon takes in Gus and promises to lead him to "The Preserve," a fabled safe-haven for hybrid children. Along the way they'll have to contend with science militias, deadly scavengers, rival bounty hunters, and hybrid worshipping cultists as they fight to make it to safety and solve the mysteries of this deadly new frontier.

This bizarre and haunting new series is boldly written and illustrated by Eisner-nominated creator Jeff Lemire and elegantly colored by fellow Eisner nominee Jose Villarubia. A little boy with antlers, a big man with guns, a world without hope – SWEET TOOTH #1 ships in September for only $1.00!"

OUT TOMORROW SWEET TOOTH #1 ONLY $1.00!

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:56:00 +0000

I'm really excited for my first ongoing series SWEET TOOTH! (on sale this Wednesday).

And I'm not alone:

“Writer & artist Jeff Lemire has created the new ‘must read’ book with SWEET TOOTH. It’s a fairy tale turned on its ear-or antlers-that takes you on the road trip through an America slightly more fantastical and just as frightening as ours.” —GEOFF JOHNS (Blackest Night)

“I would crawl over broken glass to read this.” —JASON AARON (Scalped)

“Lemire’s next great work is a shockingly original cocktail of the surreal. A candy-colored nightmare of family, violence and the end of the world.” —MATT KINDT (Super Spy)

“Sweet Tooth is a dark, moving, and intriguing story, and Jeff Lemire’s gentle writing and raw, expressive art work perfectly together.” —FRANK QUITELY (Batman & Robin)

“A remarkably strange story, drawn in an appropriately expressionistic style. I need to know what’s going to happen to Gus!” —PETER BAGGE (Everybody is Stupid Except for Me)

"A cross between Bambi and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, it’s a post-apocalyptic journey full of quiet intimate moments, powerful emotion and an edge that is unlike anything you’ve ever read"

Today’s WALL STREET JOURNAL Weekend Journal Section features JEFF LEMIRE and SWEET TOOTH. Read the story and preview here.

Fan Expo Update

jefflemire171@gmail.com (Jeff Lemire) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Due to some last minute deadlines, I will not be able to attend Fan Expo on Friday. I will only be at the show on Saturday, so please come see me early if you want a sketch!