RASL by Jeff Smith

TheAuthor · Site Admin Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 698

Jeff Smith is the rising star in the comic book world. And yes, he does comic books. Short, sweet, sometimes violent. He is most famous for his riveting opus BONE which you can now buy in a gi-normous complete collection and it's totally worth it. For more information about Jeff, you can visit him at www.boneville.com or find his butcherd bio on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Smith_(cartoonist)

Anyway, this isn't me reviewing him, this is about RASL.

I recently picked it up. One the first issue is out. Very short. That's my biggest complaint. But I love Smith's art and story so much, I'm willing to wait for it to happen. It's like striking a match, but knowing, somewhere, eventually, it will set off the pile of ACME dynamite.

It's the story of a yet-unnamed character who steals art and uses a strange suit that looks like a jet engine with an ancient mask on it to get back and forth through, what I assume is, time. But he talks about dimensions and worlds so I'm not too sure. He's also being persued and either has to get hammered or meditate to go in and out of this world/time frame he's in.

The background, the image background I mean, is a bit lacking. I came to accept that in BONE. I think he and I share the "I don't care what's going on behind him" gene.

There isn't much else to say about the series, since it's just starting and there are a lot of "Wait what?"s about, but if you feel like you want to get on a train to something most likely potentially amazing, grab a copy of RASL.

Oh and Smith's making BONE into a movie. SWEET.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RASL

Devilot · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 68

hmm... I'm a fan of phone bones and great red dragons. Nice to see Jeff Smith is back at it. I'll check it out. Thanks for the heads up, Rae.

KitFang · Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 286

This may be considered blasphemy--especially considering I'm a woman, and I guess the big shtick about Bone was that LiekOmgWomenCanReadComicsTooOmfg... But I borrowed the giant tome of Bone from a friend of a friend...like a year ago. And I still haven't finished it. Why? Because I just didn't care much about the characters or the storyline. I made it halfway through and was just like "Augh, I gotta finish this because everyone else loves it so much...what a chore." The only redeeming value I found was the comic-relief chatter between the two main stupid rat creatures. They also sport the only character design that I enjoyed. Other than maybe the dragon...there was a dragon, right?? (See? I told you I couldn't pay much attention to it...)
Sorry dudes, I guess I fail at being a female comic reader. ::shrug::

Devilot · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 68

TheAuthor · Site Admin Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 698

People are allowed to like and dislike things. Otherwise we wouldn't have anything to war, write, talk or art about. Peace is very, very dull.

Anyway, BONE is extremely long. I don't know why I read it all the way through. I know I liked it. I recommend it. Something must've affected me. Maybe it was the use of simple, cartoony characters in a very unforgiving, "real" world. A metaphor for childhood meets adulthood or some bullshit, who knows. Maybe he just likes angry Bones with star shirts.

Anyway, KitFang, you probably wouldn't like RASL, then, since it seems to have the pacing and overall feel that BONE did...plus a Mayan mask.

KitFang · Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 286

Thanks, Dev, but I really shouldn't get into more things at the moment. I just don't have time. :/

Yea, go go differences of opinion! lol