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A
Pleasant Surprise:
Shuck Comics #1-3
Review
by: Troy
Brownfield
By:
Rick
Smith and Tania Menesse
More Information: www.sulfurstar.com
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 When
I finished reading the first three issues of Shuck for the
first time, I was mildly shocked. Had I really read a charming
series of stories featuring a retired goat-headed demon, a
cute little girl and a talking cat? Did I see a well-drawn,
nicely produced story steeped in pagan mythos that came off
as very kind-hearted? And did all of the characters speak
in a dialect that is so internally consistent as to be somewhat
amazing? I read them again. And I was right.
Shuck Comics will likely wind-up being mentioned alongside
books like Bone as an under-the-radar success story. The production
is of high quality, the stories are thoughtful, and the art
is cleanly rendered. Rick Smith is a real talent. He both
writes and draws the book (Tania Menesse is credited as a
co-writer), and he does a fine job.
Shuck is a demon that apparently used to be in the business
of guarding souls. Wearing an old man mask to hide his goat-faced
nature, Shuck lives in a house next door to cute little Thursday
Friday, her mom and her talking cat. Shuck misses his wife,
Gaia, who apparently went away some time ago for reasons that
come to light as the story progresses.
Obviously, the two most unique traits of the book are its
dialectical dialogue form and the pervasive pagan imagery.
I had the opportunity to ask Rick Smith about these particular
influences:
On the dialogue, Rick says, "We had the plot down for
the story and wanted a way to distinguish Shuck's world from
our own. After a number of pints of beer I got frustrated
with the challenge at hand and just started writing Shuck's
and Thursday's dialogue as I heard it in my head. I finished
most of the story. The next day, while editing, I was able
to 'hear' the dialogue again. Finishing the story was a piece
of cake after that. In the issues since, entering their world
is as easy as picturing a conversation. People have said it
sounds like Cajun, Afro-American, Yankee Vermont - you name
it. Written slang often takes on a sound of its own in each
reader's mind. Until the animated special, each reader will
interpret and 'hear' the voices in their own way."
As far as the pagan themes, Rick noted, "I studied ancient
pagan mythology as a youngster and much of my graduate coursework
was focused on witchcraft and paganism. Shuck was invented
sometime during the dotcom meltdown of 2000. A retired devil
(horned god) functions well as an observer (and sometimes
reluctant participant) in stories of pagan festivals, holidays."
Appropriately enough, the first issue covers Halloween. Shuck
hosts a party for "deaduns" and there are quite
a few touching moments. Honestly, I don't want to delve too
much into the narrative of the issues, because they have a
real charm and emotional resonance that I don't want to cheapen
with rote plot explanations.
It's sufficient to say that Shuck deserves some wider attention.
This is the kind of book that can find a core audience and
thrive for years on simple stories, smartly told. Shuck Comics
are definitely worth a look.
Troy
Brownfield is the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews. His
dad tried to convince him that he's just wearing an old man
mask, but he ain't buyin' it. Email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com.
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