There's sometimes a concern with independent comics that they might not survive beyond the first couple of issues, either due to lack of sales or creative disinterest. Fortunately for us, that's clearly not the case with Reverend Cross, which has recently reached its 7th issue and is still going strong.
Dubbed "the first ever female vicar action hero", Reverend Cross is fast-paced escapist entertainment. As with the previous issue, No.7 contains four short, self-contained stories. All are written by John A. Short, with artwork by Aaron Murphy, Andrew Richmond, Gabrielle Noble, and Richard Pester. The excellent cover art is by David Hitchcock.
This is an "Origin Special", giving us some details on Abigail Cross' backstory as well as stories set in the present. Publisher/writer John A. Short has chosen a good selection of artists for this issue, giving us a variety of styles. It goes to prove that the character is strong enough to still be distinctive even when illustrated by various hands, thanks not just to the artists but also to John's confident and professional scripts.
With a cover price of just £2.99 (plus postage), Reverend Cross No.7 is well worth your time. You can order it, and back issues, directly from the publisher Kult Creations at their web shop here:
http://reverendcross.blogspot.com
Reverend Cross is an enjoyable independent comic published by British company Kult Creations, founded by John A. Short. You've probably read my reviews of earlier issues such as here and here so you know I vouch for it as a fun strip.
The next issue, No.7, is currently on Kickstarter where you can pledge to fund it and support the comic. It'll bring us the origin of the world's first female vicar action hero with art by various creatives and a great cover by David Hitchcock!
As with most Kickstarter projects, the more you pledge, the more you gain, starting from just £3 for the PDF version, £4 for the print version, up to £85 for all seven issues, all alternative cover versions of No.7, and a signed page of original artwork!
Check it out here, where you can see a great little animated video of Reverend Cross strips past and present and also samples of art from the upcoming issue:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1336023535/reverend-cross-issue-007/posts
Funding for Reverend Cross No.7 ends on Monday 22nd April, so don't miss out!
I'd like to begin this review with an apology to John Short for taking so long to review comics that he sent me months ago. I've fallen behind with reviews but I'm aiming to correct that this week.
I was so far behind that I have two issues of Reverend Cross to review. Which means double the fun in this case, because John Short's comics are always good escapist entertainment. Issue No.5 has a full length story written by John A. Short and drawn by Gabriele Noble in which our vicar / special agent takes on two classic monsters in a frozen climate. (I won't spoil it!) Short's writing is sharp and well paced, and he tells a story clearly, better than some 2000AD writers whose work I've read. (John has been a professional writer on mags such as Toxic so he knows his stuff.) The artwork is a good match, complimenting the script with its no-nonsense approach and sequential clarity. I think this issue is my favourite of the run so far.
With issue 6, there's a change of pace as we get four short stories featuring Reverend Cross instead on one full length adventure. Nevertheless, John Short is experienced and skilled enough to carry it off with ease. There are some nice comedy moments amongst the perils too.
The big difference with issue 6 is that it features guest artists on three of the stories. I'd have preferred Gabrielle Noble's art throughout, but it's very interesting to see others portraying the character. Andrew Richmond, Richard Starzecki, and Richard Pester all contribute, and the differing styles provide a lot of variety. We also get two pages of character profiles, which is handy.
Reverend Cross is a good independent comic, and it's pleasing to see that it's reached six issues already. As it's published infrequently, John wisely makes each issue self-contained, which is always a big bonus! Another bonus is the very reasonable price of these comics. Some indie publishers charge far too much for their comics, and with digital printing being so affordable these days there's no need for it. If you're trying to attract an audience, £10 for a slim mini comic is not the way to do it. Reverend Cross costs £2.99 an issue (plus postage) for 24 pages, which sounds like a good deal to me.
Interested? Head over to the Kult Creations Reverend Cross blog to order your copies today!
http://reverendcross.blogspot.com
