Gideon's Army -- a western horror story

[whisperingloon]

Okay, here's another quick comic I thought some of you might like.

I'm writing a series of short comic stories (in different styles) called Gideon's Army, about a blind gunslinging Jesuit vampire hunter in the Old West.

His name is Gideon.

It will be an anthology series, essentially, with a number of different short stories that, collected together, will form a long narrative.

I'm just the writer (remember the stick figure graphic novel?), I didn't do the artwork. That was by my friend Joe Spicer.

So, anyway, as far as ratings . . .

RELIGION: There are some theological elements. Vampirism is evil. The cross is good. Nothing new there, although I do have a different take on the power of the cross. I'm pretty conservative, so I doubt it will offend anyone, but you never know.

VIOLENCE: Obviously, when you have a gunslinger there's going to be violence. So there is some shooting and an evil vampire doing evil vampire things.

LANGUAGE: One "damnation".

SEXUALITY: Does cleavage count? I know some people write vampires as very erotic, but I just . . . don't. Yuck.

But yeah, not for kids.

I wrote this a while ago. If this ever sees print again (it appeared in two different anthologies), I will change some of the dialogue. ("You blind fool!" "I may be blind, but it's you who cannot see!" True words . . . but can you get more cliche?)

Anyway, I think for what it is, it's fun. I like it, anyway.

For another western, check out "The Ballad of the Freak", a 24-hour comic I wrote and drew myself in 24 hours:

http://www.comicspace.com/benavery/comics.php?action=read&file_id=72496

No language. No sexual situations. Very little violence. It's more of a Jimmy Stewart western than a John Wayne one. But darned if I don't like to read it. It's one of the few projects I've worked on that I like to go back and look at, and not just for reference because I have to remind myself what happened in the earlier chapters.

~ Ben

[Esoteric]

Not bad. You're right, it is more of a Jimmy Stewart western. With the art style being reminiscent of certain comic strips, it never seemed very horror-ish. I will have to read some of the other stuff on your site. The artist you got for Thieves does look very talented. For some reason, your name sounds familiar to me, but I can't place it.

[whisperingloon]

Not bad. You're right, it is more of a Jimmy Stewart western. With the art style being reminiscent of certain comic strips, it never seemed very horror-ish.

Whoops! Maybe that's because that's not the horror comic!

The vampire one is here:

http://www.comicspace.com/benavery/comics.php?action=read&file_id=24139

Argh! Forgot to post the link.

Mentioning the "Freak" story was a afterthought . . . sorry!

~ Ben

[Maledicte]

I enjoyed it! (the vampire one) the images were a bit small for me though.

[whisperingloon]

I enjoyed it! (the vampire one) the images were a bit small for me though.

Thanks! I started reading YOUR vampire comic, which is what made me think to post my own! (I'll be posting about yours once I finish reading what you have up.)

I hope to have some new chapters finished in the near future. I've already got an artist lined up to do the next one.

The bad news: one of my chapter titles was going to be "High Moon". It was going to be about a werewolf coming into town on the midnight train. Then someone on Zuda had a comic called "High Moon" as well. A western with werewolves.

Argh.

Ah well, that's how it works. Any idea you don't get done is an idea someone else might do better!

I still may keep it, since it IS only a chapter title.

~ Ben

[Maledicte]

Yeah, just keep it. It shouldn't hurt

[Esoteric]

Whoops! Maybe that's because that's not the horror comic!

Ahhhhhh, that makes more sense now. Yes, that one's certainly a horror comic. Nice!