Claw & Fang - A Review

Claw & Fang from Bluewater Comics streets this April. It is written by Michael Kutcher and drawn (well) by Matias Basla. The Rundown receives media for free for the purposes of review, but does not let this affect our reviews (we're pretty rough, usually); The Weirding is (barely) supported by advertisers, not studios or companies with any stake in the entertainment industry.

Let me start by saying that Claw & Fang is not a bad read, but it is done no favors by the weakness of the writing. Many of the current crop of comics writers are actually trying to use it as a springboard to a "more lucrative" entertainment career in other fields (namely Hollywood), which is as amusing as it is heartbreaking, because we comics fans are forced to suffer the kind of schlock, shit writing that should be reserved for independent films about gay relationships and hipster zombies - the kind your friend, who thinks he actually has a "career" makes with his equally untalented buddies, whom he pays in beer and bud, between shifts at Arby's, then forces you to watch when you're in too good a mood to say no. Ironically (well, maybe not), this project is actually written by established filmmaker, Michael Kutcher.

I may be in a bit of a bad mood, but I’m just tired of reading shit. Claw & Fang certainly isn’t as bad as a lot of the crap out there, but the writing actually insulted me. I’m not going to storm the box office (I got it free, after all), but I’m not sure I’d stick around for the second issue.

Scripting comics is far different from screenwriting, even though the two have many commonalities, and Kutcher obviously didn't take much time to research the medium before penning this work. I can let him slide to some degree because it's his debut, and Claw & Fang appears to have been done The Marvel Way (dialogue added after the artwork was completed) and I know he wasn't ready for that. With all due respect, if Claw & Fang was fully-scripted before the artwork was submitted, then it's simply a poor job.

I can't make my point clearly enough, so I'll restate it yet again: The sequential art medium is a medium unto itself. While it is very similar to other forms - film being the most obvious and similar - it is not "just like" any other medium (but with pictures, but with words, but with superheroes, et.al.). That said, we'll get into the finer points of the writing shortly, but Claw & Fang's saving grace is the artwork, which - though not without its own faults - is simply brilliant.

Sketchy, moody, evocative, most of the story could have been told by the artwork alone - maybe that’s why I’m so put-out with the writing - but its major flaw is in the action sequences. Tightly-paneled pages do suggest action, but only to a point; comics pages, like all art, rely on a bit of everything to convey their meaning, and paneling is only one aspect - albeit an important one. Most artists have only the single plane with which to work - landscape or portrait - so paneling, when properly used, can be an incredibly effective tool. While Basla seems to understand this, he either lacks the experience or fundamental connection to the concept to effectively harness it.

His layouts are actually very good, but - viewing the page as a piece - he seems to be missing the point of paneling in the first place: His paneling is composed in relation to the larger page, so there is a balance and harmony to every page, but the panels themselves are not approached as individual scenes. Basla has to forsake the page as the plane and focus on the panels and sequencing.

What defeats Basla’s panels are their centers of interest, which are simply confusing. The composition (of both panel and page) is always pleasant, but it’s hard to tell what’s happening, or to whom. One of the biggest challenges facing comic book artists is this very thing: How to not only tell a story, but tell it pleasingly - making every panel an individual picture plane in which its intent is clearly communicated - and each plane has to come together cohesively to communicate the actual story. It's what makes sequential art so much more difficult than traditional work - even illustration: Everything is a smaller piece of the larger puzzle, yet each piece demands total focus. Basla manages to convey the story, but more abstractly than most readers are willing to accept - including this one; it's sometimes a tough call, but story has to supersede artistic merit in sequential art, because that is the basis of the form.

Dialogue placement is nice, though; Claw & Fang is actually the first comic book I’ve read in the last year or so that didn’t have at least one confusing chain of direction. And as for overall quality, style, and design, Basla’s work on Claw & Fang flat-out rocks! I actually felt physically excited by some of the panels and spent a great deal of time simply enjoying his work - again, something I’ve done far too infrequently the last few years (with the exception of the work done by Land [Uncanny X-Men] and Coipel [Thor]).

The writing? ...

Let me preface this by admitting I got little sleep this week and Claw & Fang had the misfortune of being just the latest in a string of similarly guilty comic books, as far as my criticism of the writing goes, so I suppose I owe Kutcher an apology for what I’m about about to say (unless he's somehow related to Ashton Kutcher), because it isn’t very flattering. But, for what it’s worth, it’s only criticism and I hope he takes it to heart and uses it to strengthen his future work:

What is wrong with modern comic book writers? I can’t think of a single one who writes better than the accompanying artist draws, so why can’t any of them just STFU and let the art carry the story? Maybe there really is a generation of ADHD kids out there - the question is are they writing comics for these kids to read, or are they the ones writing comics?

The accompanying is page nine: Every, single, thing said on this page has been established earlier - all of it - so why is it being repeated? Absolutely every, singular word on this page could have - and should have been - excised. Not only would it have made for a better progression, both artistically and from a reader's perspective, it would have strengthened mood, atmosphere, and created tension. Basla's work alone successfully grants Claw & Fang the proper mood and atmosphere, but neither creator manages to create anything resembling tension.

See, that’s what comic books do: They literally "Show, not tell," so we don’t need to be informed as to what we are seeing. (Strictly speaking though, it would have been helpful in all of Claw & Fang #1's action scenes.) Kutcher - and everyone else - needs to stop illuminating the obvious and either let the art do its thing, or engage the reader with characterization, plot development, story insight - something not directly connected to the action literally taking place.

The following is page 10, which is a masterpiece compared to the preceding page, and indicative of the quality of which this creative team is capable. Unfortunately, the quality on page nine comprises the brunt of Claw & Fang #1. Still, the entire work would be at least three times stronger, had Justin's dialogue ("Work sucked") started the exchange. The artistic interpretation of the online exchanges are particularly inspired. But reading the first two blurbs - again, information already established - is slightly insulting and makes you want to rush through the page (we already know this!).

Even beyond this - all too common, these days - error in judgment, the writing is simply amateurish throughout most of the issue. It certainly isn't the worst debut I've read, but it's not up to snuff for work from a major house like Bluewater. The plot could have been sent by telegraph and would have surprised me more, so all the posturing and attempts at concealing the characters and concept did nothing to increase the tension or draw me into the story - it was just padding.

While Claw & Fang is worth the admission for the art alone, and this is only the first issue, this story would have been more effective as a one-shot. The confusing panelwork and belaboring of the obvious kill any attempts at pacing, and by the end of the first issue, I already know the plot (an 8-year old would know the plot by around page five), yet I have no idea what is going on, nor whom any of the characters are, so I've absolutely no connection to any of it!

This is, again, Kutcher's first work in the medium, so the guy has to get his feet wet; it isn't a total Fail, but it's lacking. He does show flares of inspiration though, and his exchanges (dialogue between characters) are strong, so I expect his work to improve - both in later issues, as well as in general (should he choose to pursue more work in the field). Maybe that is what frustrated me about Claw & Fang #1: I expect better from Kutcher, because those brief moments prove he's capable of delivering.

Were it not for Basla’s jaw-dropping artwork, I would not stick around for #2, but all things considered, I’ve certainly read worse lately! Hell, I've read worse from established writers whom I know are good, so all is not lost. Both Kutcher and Basla need to research their craft (that is, buy a shitload of good comics) and commit to bringing their A-Game, and Claw & Fang could feasibly become a fun read with a slow start.

Recommended - if you can afford another comic book next month, or are an artist.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010