Crafty Dragons

Water Gypsy

By Leanne Williams

ork_fire@hotmail.com

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free ;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.

[Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge, 1798]

My relationship with our family’s boat has always been one full of friction: I would whine about the early mornings, the cramped spaces, about the wet cold days and mosquito-riddled nights, about the strange smell of damp and the slime-addled lock walls. And yet when we were out there on the rivers, with the cool air of an evening blowing gently across the water, or when we clung on and rode over the swells of the sea waves, or gathered around a smoking barbeque getting pissed on cheap larger, I couldn’t help but find a part of me that was content and happy – a little piece of my soul is out there on the water. Over time that part of me swells, and I have finally accepted that yes, it is a lot of hassle, it’s not pretty and not the most comfortable experience in the world, but boating and the water is for me. Secretly I love it and I accept myself for it.

However, there has never been any excuse for the terrible outfits that boaters wear. I refuse to wear the ridiculous ‘nauticula’ scarves and hats; the cream coloured, anchor-addled cardigans and the dorky ‘Helly Hanson’ coats. So I came up with this, to both keep me warm on the cold days and nights by the river, and to retain and little of my alternative side. If you also love knitting the Anticraft way, and need a simple scarf that is more practical to keep you warm, this is the pattern for you: The pretty short scarf is kept in place with handmade buttons, so there is no risk of it flapping around and getting caught in things. Plus I guarantee it will keep you snug on those boozy autumn nights.

It has cables, but since I never use a cable needle, the pattern is easy as pie to knit up with or without one. Check the note on how to knit the twist without a cable. I recommend using a nice durable chunky yarn to give you all the comfort a wizened old sea dog needs.

Reccomended Reading: Rime of the Ancient Mariner, By Coleridge

Reccomended Listening: The Siren, by Nightwish (Album: Once)

Reccomended Viewing: Master and Commander (2003)

Materials:

*6mm straight knitting needles

*1 Skein Katia Azteca – Aran 10ply (8wpi) in Purple-Grey

*2 large buttons

*One darning (or large-eyed) needle for sewing on buttons

Measurements:

18 x 62cm

Pattern:

This pattern is knitted up with a stitch called the ‘gingerbread’ cable. RS= right side, SL = slip stitch, instructions between *asterisks* should be repeated .

{Cable Twist} = do the directions below – alternatively do [sl 2 sts to cable needle, k2, k2 from cable needle]

How to knit without a cable needle:

I knit this up using a right-twist without a cable needle. On the pattern when it gets to the cable part you should do this. This was how I did it.

1-      Make sure your yarn is in front

2-      (with yarn in front) slip 2 stitches purl-wise

3-      Move your yarn across these stitches (so it is now at the back)

4-      Knit the next 2 stitches

5-      Take your left needle around the back of your knitting and pick up the 2 slipped stitched onto it(so now the slipped stitches are on your left needle and the knitted ones are on your right)

6-      Use your left-hand thumb to grip the 4 stitches. Gently slide the right needle backwards while gripping so that all 4 stitches are off the needle. The slipped ones remain  on the left-hand needle, while the knitted ones hang in midair

7-      From the front, gently take your needle over the top and thread your needle back through these hanging stitches (purl-wise). You’ll notice that your knitting has twisted. This is your cable.

8-      Knit the two stitches that are now on your left needle and you’re done

This process will hereby be referred to as {cable twist}

ie [sl 2 sts to cable needle, k2, k2 from cable needle]

Cast on 31 sts

Row 1 (RS): *P1, K4* [repeat until end]  end P1

Row 2: K1 *P1,K2,P1,K1,P4,K1* [repeat until end]

Row 3: *P1, {cable twist}, P1, K4*  [repeat until end] end P1

Row4: K1 *P1,K2,P1,K1,P4,K1* [repeat until end]

Row5: *P1, K4* [repeat until end]  end P1

Row6: K1 *P1,K2,P1,K1,P4,K1* [repeat until end]

Repeat this 6-row sequence X-amount of times until…

Row x: (buttonholes)

Then  continue until desired to finish.

I found this over at http://rogueknits.wordpress.com/ and because I am both bored and currently uncreative, I thought I’d give it a go ^_~
(cuz you know, blatant copying is yummy :p)

Basic Info
Name:: Leanne
Nicknames:: Dragontamer / DT / Lea
Gender:: Female
Hobbies:: Art, writing, roleplaying, the internet, knitting, jewllery, clothes, listening to music
Favorite drinks:: Tea, Earl Grey Tea, apple & blackcurrent juice, coca cola, archers&lemonade, cider
Favorite foods:: Chicken, Pizza, Rodeo Burgers, Fish&Chips, Jambalaya, Chocolate Fudge cake, gateaux
Favorite videogame character:: Tombi,, Axel (KH), Nitara (Mortal Kombat)
Favorite videogames:: Guitar Hero games, Tombi (1&2) Kingdom hearts (1&2) Tony hawk games, Animal crossing, Spore, Sims, Pokemon games
Favorite music:: Rock, Metal, Nu Metal, 80s cheese, Classical metal (eg Apocolyptica)
Favorite music band/artist:: Too many to choose from. Depends on my mood
Favorite game systems:: Ps2, Nintendo DS
Favorite country:: Mine – England!
Favorite TV show:: Too Many. Fantasy/sci-fi comedies – eg Pushing Dasies
Favorite movies:: Night at the Museum, Men in Black, The Matrix, Terminator 2, Pride and Predjudice, The Die hard series, The Green Mile, The Rock, Con Air, Austin Powers films, The Emperor’s New Groove, Hercules, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory….lots
Favorite TV show character:: J.D – Scrubs
Favorite movie character:: O.O No idea
Favorite colors:: Purples. Esp Red-Purples
Personality
Day or night:: Day
Darkness or light:: Natural Sunlight
Guns or melee weapons:: Melee..though I WOULD get killed XD
Swords or bows:: Swords.
Crossbow or normal bow:: Crossbow
In a zombie outbreak, would you travel alone or travel with friends:: Friends, though they’d both cover my ass and endanger it -haha
Where would you go in a zombie outbreak?: I’d keep moving and try and stay high up.
Action movies or comedy movies:: ooooh hard…comedy.
Action movies or romance movies:: Action
Comedy movies or romance movies:: Comedy
Horror movies or action movies:: Action
Horror movies or comedy movies:: Comedy
Horror movies or romance movies:: hrmm….if it’s romantic comedy – then romantic. Otherwise horror.
Cold or hot:: Can’t we have a middle ground? Hot.
Help injured friends or leave them to die:: Try and help.
Information
Dream job:: Umm……   Designing exhibitions in museums and shit. Or fashion designer. full time AUTHOR ^_^
What pet do you want:: A cat or two of my own. And a rabbit/chincilla.
Would you ever go to space:: I’d love to.
Would you ever fly in an airplane:: Yep, they’re awesome.
What car would you like:: Astin Martin *can’t spell*.
Who are your best friends:: Gem, Laus,Leni,Sophs,Rogue,Claire,Sarah,Louise,Mum,Dad,Sister.
What sport would you like to play:: Karate & Fencing
What sport do you like to watch:: Winter Sports (like figure skating, snowboarding etc), gymnastics, stock car racing, horse racing…I’d watch ‘em but i dont’ really wtach sports
Who do you want to be like:: Steven Fry (Tv intelletual/actor.comedian), Dean Koontz/Terry Pratchett/ or a talented artist
Do you hate or like celebrities:: meh.
What is your favorite snacking food:: Sweets/cake/cookie/biscuits…anything bad for me
What is your biggest fear:: Being left alone, wasps, spiders,losing people.
What is your favorite gun:: no idea. Don’t use ‘em or know about ‘em.
DVDs or video-tapes:: DVD.
Rap or rock:: ROCK.
Metal or rock:: Depends on the kind of metal. Nothin’ too screamy. A bit fo ‘Disturbed’ is good for the soul :3
This Or That
Hummer or Lamborghini:: Hummer.
Ferrari or Lamborghini:: Ferrari
Hummer or Ferrari:: Hummer
Football or soccer::  -ahem- you means RUGBY or FOOTBALL?  Rugby.
Baseball or soccer:: Never wtached baseball so let’s say ‘cricket’.  Football I guess.
Soccer or baseball:: Football
Football or baseball:: Rugby
Bowling or golf:: To play? hmm hard one. Golf…is it’s a nice day. I like both
Pizza or spaghetti::Pizza. but spaghetti is gorgeous.
Hamburgers or cheeseburgers:: umm what’s the difference? I want a beefburger without cheese.
French fries or mashed potatos:: *ahem* CHIPS.  Hard, but I’ll have homemade chips!
Milkshake or slushy:: slushy :3

You know, I hate secrecy, epsecially when it comes to crafty projects, but someties it’s necessary. If all goes well, hopefully I may be able to get a couple of craft patterns published over at the anticraft.com online zine. I flipping love that site – their forum is one of the friendliest i’ve ever been to and brimming with unique and nice people, all with their own alternative quirk and a love of craft. Anyways, i’m making a knitted pattern *sneaky sneaky zipped mouth* for it, that -to me- is awesome, but to other more experienced knitters is…well…probably boring.
*sigh*
I hope not anyway. The important thing is that I’m enjoying making it, and also that I have something cool and practical at the end of it
Even if it gets rejected, you guys wil end up with a patern published here, so hey-ho

The other project should be more arty, but i can’t do it until I’m back at home for the summer holidays.
*looking forwards to it*

One day work will be over…ONE DAY! -haha-

Hello, hello – has it really been that long since I posted?
Well, over at the real world camp things are hectic as ever. I got an ‘east and West germany’ essay handed in today, and I’m now working on the plodding task of reading for my next two essays. Kinda hard but nevermind. I thought I would post up a picture of the adorable knitted Norberta dragon doll I FINALLY finished. She’s called Jelly belly, and is majorly tatty, but i love her
I can’t wait until the summer holidays and I can throw myself into craft and art with more enthusiasm and dedication. But I’m not free until the 6th of June – so work work work!

My flatmate (who also knits a bit) spotted her and loves her! And here I was thinking she looks all scrappy and retarded. Yay!

Want to make your own little lizard? Check out this link:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTnorberta.html

Recently I’ve been searching around and trying o make a stitch encyclopedia on one of my OneNote Documents. Hopefully it’ll be worth it when I can make patterns of my own :3

Anyways, got to get back to work. This journal on the economics of tokugawa japan won’t read itself *emo sigh*
Lol
^_~

Today, Spring has finally showed her true colours. It was really warm – almost like a good summer’s day here in merry ol’ England (and you never get a lot of summer’s days). I walked to uni to watch the east&West Germany lecture’s film showing of ‘the lives of others’ – a genuinely good and interesting German film about the Stasi. I was wearing a little cami under a long sleeve top, my black skinny jeans and my plastic black ‘leather’ jacket over it. Gawd I was hot! When I got home I was all sweaty- not a pretty sight. The sun was blazing outside. We (as in me & my flat mates) were supposed to be going swimming, but the public time for the swimming baths closed too early, so we went out for a walk to the park nearer to town ( ‘officially’ known between us as the ‘rape park’) – it was absolutely beautiful down there. They had a pond full of ducks and pidgeons and little memeorials and flower gardens, a run-down Victorian greenhouse and lots of grass. I’d gotten change dinto a oriental-y pink&gold skirt and another white cami – much cooler!
Maybe I was over-summered up though – there was a noticeable divide between how people were dressed today. I figured i’d just grab the bull by the horns and wrangle every last drop of summer out of this day, just in case we don’t have another! They were lucky I didn’t wear flip-flops lol
Even better? Bertie II the giant spider of doom hasn’t been seen at all today. I think he’s figured out that we’re still around and crawled back into his hole. Let’s hope it’s permanent.

So. To the crafts. Crazy uni workload of HELL is slowing me down, but I’ve got a few things on the back burner. First of all my mum was lovely over the easter hols when I was bac at home, and bought me 2 skiens of this super-soft fluffy eyelash type wool:

I’m thinking a skinny scarf maybe? Hmm.. Something simple – it’s not the kind of wool which takes well to a pattern. Maybe straight garter or stockinette – quick n’ simple. Maybe I could taiper the ends to spruce ‘em up a bit.

Next up we have my sexy bead collection. They’re soo shiny! I love the little boxes you can get to organise them into compartments. I’ve got some beautiful metallic/rainbow beads here that are just a bit larger than seed beads. They have a nice weight and feel of quality to them.

Currently (well for ages if I’m honest) I’ve been leaving and coming back to making a copy of a beautiful bracelet kit Rouge [of RougeKnits] gave me. So far I’ half done – lookie!

Also, after finding my LYS and getting some wool and after running off with my sister’s drawing tablet, I decided to try out some new stitches by knitting fuzzy pocket for the tablet. Had to frog the sod a few times, but so far i’m happy. This is a roman column lace-stitch thingy for it’s edge. For the main body i’ll either go with a dragon-scale like pattern, if it works, or a twisted rib. At the moment it uses up too much concentration, so i’m shelving it til i have more free time:

And FINALLY I found a use for this funky green-mix yarn I used in part for my swamp-brat scarf, but had leftover siens for. I found a great stitch where you just garter stitch, but with one fat-ass needle and one normal one. It looks really good. I’m using a 6mm and a 15mm needle.

It feels divine. Sexy, ni?
Maybe if cold weather comes back it won’t be so bad – it gives me an excuse to wear it ^_~
Oh and Rouge- a funny thing happened when I was moving back in after the easter hols. My mum was rooting around my drawers (as mums are prone to do) and discovered the purple ponytail hat you made me. She let out and excited squeal and started wearing it posing in the mirror lol. After flashing me some goo-goo eyes and grinning at me like an adorable dork I decided that she can take it home with her to wear when she and dad go boating since it gets so cold and miserable. She wears hats more than I do anyway, especially in this weather. I swear, it doesn’t take much to please her -haha XD
So there you go – one very happy customer. Tee hee

Now I must get back to work. I need to read this thing about some dying 13 year old in the 12thc century who had a vision or whatever. Gotta get it done before I go to bed. I’m SUPPOSED to have an early night.

Yeah right :p

Love n’ skittles,
Lea

I’m just taking a quick break out of my homework to post up. I’m sat in the living room re-writing one sucks-ass essay, while managing bladder cramps because i’m too scared to jump of the BEAST of a spider in our kitchen to get to the toilet. I’d go to the one upstairs but the bloody flush won’t work. Methinks I’m going to slam on some shoes (so the spider doesn’t eat my toes) and make my quest to the bog.
Incidentally we tried to name the spider, to make him less horrifying (and make us less inclined to kill him iwth a blunt instrument). We decided in Bertie II since the mouse we had in the house months ago was called Bertie, and we killed him. So we hope that by naming said spider Bertie the curse of death will find him.
Unfortunately Bertie II makes me think of Little Shop of Horror’s Audrey II, -”FEED ME SEYMOUR,FEED ME!”
ugh…*shudders*
He so fookin’ FAST.
I think i’ll need a run up to clear that step with enoug distance to avoid him.

Anyways, where was I? Oh yes, work. This essay’s rewrite wasn’t nearly as traumaic as I thought. Hack out a few more words and I’m all done :3
I think i’ll treat myself by going upstaris, slamming on my music and drawing until dinnertime. Last night I was doing soem sketches using the amazingly useful site Posemaniacs.com. I’ll upload them into my scraps when I’ve done ‘m, I’m quite proud of them. trying to learn more interetsing poses, angles and foreshortening and all that jazz.
I think today I’ll work on :iconDieman’s: 7,777 commish. Sketches are fun. Can’t wait to get it figurd out and paint it – I hope it turns out nicely.
Ah well, hopefully he’ll at leats like the sketches – I wanna draw the dog! lol

I’m trying to figure out what semi-medieval Japanese people wear when in a mixed-gender hot springs. My initial reaction was ‘nothing’, but methinks that’s not what he wants -haha
hmmn…samurai bikinis?

lol Work in progress.

Today’s been a good day, I actually feel like I’ve got a lot done and I’m pretty happy
My essays and exams are starting to pile up on me. Unfortunately it’s inevitable, but this morning I literally spent half an hour in bed staring across at the wall-poster-calender across from me, looking at all the circles and zig-zagged dates all too close together. I wondered what the hell I was going to do.
But in the end I have no choice, so i’m facing it with a two-pronged attack: organisatation and multitasking. Hopefully i’ll get a lot done this easter holiday. I plan to finish off and rewrite one essay while writing and reading for another, while reading for the next one at my own pace and getting a headstart. Work work work, but it’ll be ok. I’m just glad to be going home, it’s been a long time and I really miss my family and home-friends.
Once I tootled off to my (pleasantly non stressful) seminar on king David the Scotland’s Deathbed, and my lecture on East-Germany’s Stasi, I headed off to get out a buttload of books to read on West Germany in preparation for an essay after easter. Hopefully i can gradually make some notes while I write the Death essay – i’ve been working hard to get most Death notes written before the holiday, which has given me a bit of a headstart.
After getting my library boos it was off to post Margo’s parcel. The post office is a long way down this huge straight road I rarely go down, so It was nice having a walk down and looking in all the shop windows. Plus the postage was cheaper than I thought (I’ve never posted a parcel to America before) so that was cool. If I ever get an etsy up and running it’s good to know I can easily post stuff of whatever size anywhere I like.
On the leisurely walk back I continued window shopping and found the yarn shop I’d spied when i was up this street last. As ever with me, I was too scared to go in because it was little. Today I was supposed to be checking out a local meditation centre, but to be honest I chickened out and didn’t really have time anyway. I’m saving it til after easter when there’s a new start. So, feeling a bit bad about that, I decided that I was going to take a leap somehow and forced myself to go in.
Huzzah! I have now found my LYS (little/local yarn shop!) The lady inside couldn’t have been nicer – she had a warm smile and was really helpful and when i chose my wool she showed me what it looked like knitted up and even advised me on what size needles to use. The shop was so small she didn’t have room for a till, so she went into the back to sort out the money and receipt lol.
It’s funny how little jumps and goals can make you happy, i had a big smile on my face when I left.
Deciding that i was on a roll, on the walk back home I also decided I’d go into the vintage/2nd hand shop I’ve been looking at all year but (again) was too scared to go into. Sure enough it was cool though a little awkwad) and the shop assistant was nice again. I found a cool silky scar for £3 and some white shoes I want to paint up for £6 – you can’t argue with that!
Even bigger grin on my face, feeling like some sort of explorer coming back with prizes of a hunt, I headed home and set about doing more work.
I tell you, the little things make all the difference. I don’t know if ayone else is like me, but if you are you’ll know what I mean for how it’s a significant goal to get over these little stumps in your confidence. Little victories.
Anyway, I decided i’d give Margo’s ‘Purple Monkey dishwater socks’ a go, and try out cabling. I had a chat to her and adjusted the sizes so that it would fit with my aran-sized yarn (as she uses worsted). Hopefully it’ll turn out the right size-haha

Anyways, I’ve got a 9.15 seminar tmrw, which means I’ll have to haul my arse out of bed at 7.30 if I want to have a shower and breakfast. So i’m off to bed soon i think.

‘night!

It’s late, I’ve just spent maybe 3 or 4 hours inking and colouring my newest sdl entry agaisnt Agent-ayu , not to mention the hour or so I spent drawing the thing.
Heck, why do the shoddy looking things take so long?
There’s elements I like in it definately, but…meh.
I don’t think I’ll be doing another chibi duel in a while, they don’t really excite me. In small doeses they’re cute and very cool.

Still one SDL down and now I’ve got another splash page to do (long deadline *phew*) and the 2 month duel with Dieman .
I’ve got two pages sitting and scanned in ready to put up, but it’s laaaaaate and I’m tired and cranky -haha
i need to attempt to screentone them, but I’m trying to make a quick job of ‘em so I can carry on.
In fact, I might just screentone the one that looks horrifyingly plain withouyt it. The second page fo teh two is my favourite. I let it in pencils (but touched up the pencils) because I’m fragging sick of my inks at the mo -haha. Anyways i’ll go back to that to screentone, but I’m moving forwards and keeping forwards. Got a LOT of pages still to to :3

So- I leave you to depart to bed. But One thought before I go:

Do all my characters have mullets?

Haha I was looking atpiccys fo Adam and Tyran and Okurina and the like, and it’s all pretty mullet-y. But i like ‘em and think they look good damnit. Juts not on REAL LIFE people lol
What do you think?

*snicker* Ah well, if so i’ll dub myself queen of the bad haircuts and deal with it graciously *waves septre*

booyah!

‘nighty night,

luv Lea

Hiya, I just thought I’d pop in again, before my laptop battery dies. As ever, it’s very late at nighta dn I’m not asleep yet, with my music happily playing
Been a decent day today. Though my essay on greek and roman technology if going terribly. I thought that it would go really well – I know a lot bout it- but the writing of it is a bitch.
But i got a little bit done, I guess that’s all you can ask.
Most importantly: I finished a beautiful hat Margo gave me the pattern for, that doens’t require you to be able to knit on the round in order to make. You can barely see the seam too, which rocks. I’m finally out of my knitting slump! The yarn is what Margo gave me and is sooooo soft.
I don’t exactly suit hats, but nevermind. Ugh terrible pic of me, but hey ho :p

I love lace knitting. I love fairisle stuff too. Things with detail.

Anyways, also today I went to go see Jimmy Carr today at the town hall. No-one else wanted to go with me, but i heard about him coming to Hull through a friend in my history class, so at least there wa someone i knew there. I’ve decided that I’m saying ‘screw it’ to having people with me. If theres something i really want to do i’m not going to be chicken and I’m just going to do it. Heck, i’m a proper adult now – I can do what i like. For example, Margo said that she might one day come to visit Ireland, which means she’s in Britain and I’d love to go meet her in person. The thing is I know my parents/friends/etc would be iffy – they don’t really get the penpal/internet friend thing. But I’ve known her for bloody ages. Now I’ve realised – you know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m old enough to make my own decisions (and take my own ‘risks’) so frankly, if she comes over and I decide to go say hi, i’m doing it. I’d be scared shitless (hell, I always am when i meet people XD) but it’s be awesome. Now me actually getting to Ireland under my won steam is a whole different level of shit-inducing-terror. It’ll involve timetables: trains, ferries or planes and hotels…ugh I can’t handle that. But i’ve got to figure it out one day, so why not?
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah – Jimmy Carr. He was awesome – very funny and the venue was small so while I was right at the back (I got the tickets late) i still got a great view and could hear everything. The downer was that apparently jade Goody’s died. We haven’t heard anything, but he knows/knew her. Guess we wait for the news tomorrow morning. Depressing, but inevitable I suppose.
Also, while I was wasting time because my bus got me into town early (the admitted disadvantage of being on your own is having no-one to procrastinate with), I headed off to the open-air shopping center for a wander round. I was amazed that the shops were still open! Now today (after maybe 5 years + of looking) I finally found a nice union Jack top! somehow managed to stuff it into the little bag I was carrying afterwards, so didn’t walk around the town hall with a bright pink shopping bag -tee hee.
It’s a lovely punky design and is knee length so I thought i could use it as a summer dress. On further inspection, it’s pretty see through at the back, so everyone would be able to see my pants, so i’ll have to wear it with leggings or little shorts.
Also, *omg yay!* it’s an off-the shoulder design! *dreamy sigh*. Seriously hard to find these types of things. Looks great with a waist belt too.

Very happy -haha

Also, next Friday I get to finally go home! I’ve been missing home so bad these last couple of months since I’ve been away so long. I can’t wiat to see my family and home-friends again
On Wednesday (if I can summon up the courage) I wnat to check out a local meditation centre. I’m shit-scared though! It should be interesting…i can pretend i’m an explorer or something. Haha
I need to do some SDl art too. I’ve got some ‘duel’ deadlines in for it, which means I need the art completed. Oi vey.
Ah well, I really should head off to bed.
Later, peeps ^_~

Name: Preacher – Gone to Texas (vol 1)
Type:Graphic Novel (West) – DC Comics ‘Vertigo’
Author/artists: Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon (with cover art by Glenn Fabry)
Certificate: 18 – (very adult with language and graphic violence )
Genre: Supernatural/ horror / ‘modern western’ / crime/thriller
DT’s Rating: 8/10 ~ {but looks very promising}

Review:
Recently I’ve been determined to get back into western comics. I used to read Spiderman very infrequently as a kid (I watched the cartoon mainly and got the comic-form stories via the yearly annuals), but since I moved into manga I haven’t looked back, since I was a little sick of common cheesy superhero stuff. But then someone on deviantart recommended Preacher, and then the new watchmen film came out, so i promptly decided to check them both out and ordered the graphic novels off amazon.
The first to arrive was Preacher, and I wasn’t disappointed.
The art is ,admittedly, as I had expected – your classic western Marvel/DC comics type stuff, so it’ll hardly inspire me to throw my love of the asian style to the wind – but it’s good nonetheless and particularily decent at dealing with the grotesque. The volume I got also had the great bonus of many cover pages done by the excellent artist Glenn Fabry – a comic artist you should defiantly check out for great style and use of colour. Yet again often gritty and grotesque, but brilliant.
And gritty and grotesque go with the plot. This is 100% an adult comic, with gratuitous and over-the-top violence, unsettling serial killers, more F-words than you can shake a stick at and (since this is set in deep texas) and good few of the big ‘N’s in there too. If you’re unused to it it [i]could[/i] put you off, but once you get used to it it still manages to shock without sending you snapping the pages shut. Plus it has the excellent prop of a great story and characters.
Now ‘gone to texas’ is the first in what I think is a 7 part series, so there’s only so much you can say about the plot and character at this early stage, but i will say that they’re defiantly a good read. The story blends very gritty realism and dark humanity with supernatural stories of Heaven, a demon-angel creature named ‘Genesis’ and a God gone missing. Humor is firmly laced thought, be it in the form of a jet black chuckle, a visually slapstick surprise or an ironic smirk. The script writing between the three protegonists -(jesse the fallen preacher and receptacle of ‘genesis’, tulip his ex-girlfriend and Cassidy the Irish vampire) – is excellent, and even the minor characters are well rounded and engaging. None of them are heroes, but they can be heroic, and the villains are truly scary.

This volume opens up many questions still to be answered, while having its own smaller plots that rise and conclude also.

It meshes various genres and storylines together into a compelling and entertaining read, and is defiantly worth a look if you’re looking for a more ‘grown up’ graphic novel. The more I re-read it the more it engages to me, and I’m looking forwards to when I save up my pennies to buy the next volume

8/10