GALTOW # 2 ADVANCE REVIEW

[Andrea Speed]

Reviewer: Andrea Speed andy@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Picking Up The Gauntlets

Wu delivers a bloody warning to the Casida clan.

<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/10/galt2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/10/galt2.jpg"align="left" border="0"> </a>Writer & Creator: Robert Garrett
Artist: Patrick David
Cover Art: Patrick David
Publisher: Xmoor Studios



Review: This second issue of Galtow - now to be released in February through Comixpress - really surprised me, because it’s so concise, action packed, and yet still reminiscent of a samurai film in its complicated relationship between clans.

The opening of this issue establishes how this world fell into such violence and fragmentation, with a story of a President, from a family of presidents, who wasn’t up to the job but got it anyways, plunging an economically battered country into a downward spiral of war and totalitarianism. Any similarities between “Booth” and any other President are surely not coincidental. From there, we jump to the present day in this dystopia, where biomechanical enhanced fighters battle for territory and power, following codes of honor not only ancient, but strangely anachronistic, especially when compared to the futuristic wasteland.

This issue is a big improvement over the first in several ways. The cast in this story has been streamlined, so we stick to three main plots, the pacing is much better, and the action quotient has been amped, with an amazingly bloody opening action sequence that seems to marry mafia movies and Hong Kong action films into one neat package.

The art also looks much more polished this issue, with an effective use of greyscaling on black and white to add depth to the panels. If I have a complaint, it’s that most of the men in this issue are grotesquely muscular, in a way that is thoroughly unnatural, but, having said that, I suspect they’re supposed to look that way: they are engineered warriors, after all, and they’re supposed to be something other than a plain old human. In fact, any doubts are removed when you see clan Rynal at the end of the issue. The Rynals have almost completely given up their humanity for another look entirely, to be more physically intimidating warriors. The action scene that occurs in the clan Casida compound is fairly realistic in its violence - meaning graphic - but it’s done with great fluidity and grace, and David renders the scene with a kind of brutal beauty. It flows wonderfully, much like the writing this issue.

This shouldn’t be so complex that a new reader couldn’t get into it (to that end, there's a convenient Marvel like recap page in the beginning). And if you like martial arts comics with a futuristic touch, this is one you definitely want to check out. Bloody good fun. Look for it at Comixpress the first week of February.




Rating:

[Terry Verticchio]

So, Andy, is Patrick any relation to that other David? Just so I can brace myself for the fireworks.

The book sounds interesting, maybe I'll give it a peak.

[Andrea Speed]

I kind of doubt he's related, estee. Sorry.

But yes, you should give this one a look.

[Walt Kneeland]

Crud. They don't seem to have # 2 up to order/pay for now, even though it's not due yet til early Feb.

I'd like to, if I'm gonna randomly splurge, do so on both issues instead of just the one, especially if it'll streamline the shipping cost...

Sounds interesting; and an unlisted "new year's resolution" I've had in the back of my mind is to check out more of the "smallpress" stuff.

We'll see what happens.

~Walt

[Andrea Speed]

You know what you also need to check out at Comixpress? Lionxor - there's two issues out right now. It's a parodies of various '80's properties (Transformers, He-Man, Thundercats), and it's funny as hell.

(Plug, plug...)

[Walt Kneeland]

Yikes! What have I gotten myself into?

(I guess the delivery of a 'priority mail' shipment will answer that question...)

I'm holdin' you responsible (i.e. I'll blame you) regarding my liking these.

~Walt

[Galtow]

Hey guys Robert Garrett here, I just wanted to thank you for the great review!
Walt, I hope you like our little book... Pat and I are hard at work on the next issue.
And if you get the chance check out the website for some updates on upcoming projects. Including a fantastic looking KEYLON bust that's almost near completion
Rob

www.xmoorstudios.com

[Walt Kneeland]

Well, joking aside--based on the review and such, it's certainly quite worthy of an issue or two to check it out! (and that's at the very least!)

Seems this is a day of expansion for me...first this order, and out shopping with my roommate, came across the Scholastic edition of BONE vol. 1!

~Walt

[Andrea Speed]

Well, expanding your horizons is always a good thing, isn't it?

And thanks for dropping by, Robert! Looking forward to issue three.

[Walt Kneeland]

always good to expand one's horizons; part of my personal philosophy (probably aped from some comic along the line) is that the day I stop learning's gonna be the day I die. And if I'm KEPT from learning...well, you may as well put me in a box and stick me in the ground.

My big weakness is that I resist stuff for awhile--be it change, or new things, or whatever--but even if for just a brief time, once you get me over, I go in whole-heartedly. (Take, for example, my 500ish-card Yu-Gi-Oh collection)

But I think these'll be a couple good steps. And hey...with folks keepin' up good reviews, at least I'll know more what's out there, that EXISTS, even if I'm not reading it myself?

~Walt
<font size="-2">One danger of changing one's sleep-schedule and doing something earlier in the day than usual is that one might feel like it's much later than it actually is, and thus trick one's body into falling asleep a few hours too early. Then one wakes up with a definite pain in the neck from passing out on the floor watching tv.</font>

[Andrea Speed]

(Take, for example, my 500ish-card Yu-Gi-Oh collection)

Ahhh! When you get into things, you go whole hog, don't you?!

Well, independant comics are a good place to start ... although if you're on the verge of being crushed to death by your comic collection, rehab might be in order...

[Walt Kneeland]

Define 'the verge of being crushed to death by your comic collection'?

Last I counted, I'm up to about 22 or 23 longboxes, and it's so bad that I'll go out and buy NEW copies of older issues (such as a couple of the old Eclipso annuals) because it'd be far more hassle to attempt to dig the originals out of the closet 'n such.

A friend got me into GI Joe this past fall, after trying for the last 3 1/2 years--and that one is definitely not a passing phase (Yu-Gi-Oh, however, WAS "just a phase")

~Walt

[Andrea Speed]

Okay - I'm arranging an intervention as we speak....

[Galtow]

Okay there are some issues going on here... I see the medication has not been doled out!
Anyway, I thought you guys might get a kick out of the Bust we are making of Keylon it's done by a great guy named Eric Nocella Diaz, Aka: End- www.goldmane.net/

Xmoor Studios: www.xmoorstudios.com

[Andrea Speed]

Yes, sorry - we have many issues. Thanks for the medication.

And that's one damn cool looking bust! He looks like he jumped off the page.

[Galtow]

Hi, just wanted to let everyone know that GALTOW #2 is now available via Comixpress. If you haven't seen our latest issue check it out on our website: www.xmoorstudios.com
Thanks for reading
Robert

http://www.comixpress.com/catalog/pr...roducts_id=126