SCRIBES PRESS ARTICLE
--SKETCH PAD--
______ by R. Ian Jane __
THE DYNA-POP REVOLUTION
~Subject: Tim Vigil
~Occupation: Artist
~Career Highlights: Faust, 777, Cuda, Eo
~First Published Work: Grips #1, SilverWolf Comics, 1986
~Current Projects: Faust/777: Darkness In Collision, Faust: Book of M,
Broken Halos, Cuda #0
Macabre Erotica, Satanic Euphoria. Tim Vigil is a mad genius either way
you look at it. The controversial and extremely underrated indy artist broke
into the comic book scene in 1986 with a little-known publisher called
SilverWolf Comics, penciling their flagship title, Grips. The comic was the
most successful of the SilverWolf line and managed to get Tim both fan and
industry acclaim, as well as serving as a foreshadow of what was to come.
Although he worked on a few other titles for Silver Wolf, it was his
early collaboration with acclaimed scribe David Quinn for Northstar's
short-lived (and never completed) Omen that would really prove his metal.
Quinn and Vigil worked well together. They understood each other, and didn't
want any compromises. Out of this bastard hybrid was born Faust, their most
famous work to date. This dark tale of a vigilante involved in a sexual
underground occult conspiracy shocked and amazed readers simultaneously with
it's no holds barred approach to comics storytelling. Vigil's pencils were
better than anything he'd done before. Quinn's story was tight, disturbing
and intriguing. And it sold well. It was reprinted numerous times. It made
them indy comic gods. Ten more issues of Faust would follow throughout the
next few years. It came out sporadically and irregularly but slowly garnered
them legions of loyal fans, eagerly waiting the next issues.
Northstar disappeared, and Rebel Studios was born. Vigil and Quinn
published the titles that they wanted to. They had no one to appease but
themselves, and they set the standards high. Raw Media Mags, Spring Heel
Jack, Gunfighters In Hell, and the extremely disturbing Eo were born, along
with a few other titles. During the same time Vigil worked for a few other
publishers, doing books like Badger and Zero Tolerance for First Comics,
inking Sam Keith on Marvel Comics Presents #100 (his only work for one of the
'big' publishers) to help Rebel Studios produce the best books they could. It
truly was a "Dyna-Pop Revolution."
Then the market collapsed, and comics went into a 'depression of sorts.'
Rebel studios stopped publishing with the release of 'Dark Utopia #2, the
second in a series of Vigil art books. He kind of disappeared for a while,
and fans rabid for new Vigil material were left wondering how Eo, and Faust
were going to end, or even if they were. But then two new publishing
companies picked up on this, and new Vigil material has recently started
appearing again, and for the first time, it was appearing regularly. Broken
Halos Publishing appeared, more or less out of nowhere, and Dark Utopia #3
saw print, with a preview for Faust #12 in it. The pencils were gorgeous and
look to be worth the wait. Broken Halos also published two issues of a tale
of an angel's fall, entitled, oddly enough, Broken Halos, soon to be
concluded, with the first two issues and final installments being reprinted
in color.
Fan interest was renewed. Avatar Press, another independent publisher,
released another much anticipated collaboration with David Quinn. A new
series, 777: The Wrath sold out and was successful enough to spawn a
crossover with Faust. 777/Faust: Darkness in Collision served as both a
prequel to the 777 three issue series and a sequel to the still unfinished
Faust. It concludes with issue four this month. Cuda: Blood & Magick appeared
shortly after, also doing well, bringing back one of Tim's oldest characters
and putting him through an adventure even Conan would be envious of. July
will see the release of the highly anticipated spin-off, Faust: The Book of
M, giving details of the background story of the mysterious antagonist from
Faust, the black magick devil himself, M. This time, in full gorgeous color.
And Faust will be finished. Quinn and Vigil have said so. When? "When it's
done" they've both been quoted as saying. It's also in the preproduction
fazes of a feature film, to be directed by Brian Yunza.
For the fine art connoisseur looking for some of the best art in the
industry, the discriminating reader looking for a story that dares to tell it
the way it needs to be told, check out some of these books. Definitely not
recommended for children, Faust has been critically acclaimed for a reason.
777 sold out for a reason. Broken Halos is being well received and critically
acclaimed, for a reason. You decide what those reasons are.
Web resources for these guys are not plentiful, but they do exist.
Broken Halos can be found at http://www.brokenhalos.com and features a
catalog of their books, rare back issues, an art gallery and more.
Avatar Press can be found at http://www.avatarpress.com and also
features back issues, preorders, current issues, cover gallery and an online
message board called 'The David Quinn Forum' where fans can interact with the
writer behind Faust, 777, Nighvision and more.
A Tim Vigil fan page can be found at https://www.angelfire.com/
id/darkutopia/index.html featuring artwork, a checklist, news, previews, and
more, and join the mailing list dedicated to the aforementioned creators and
titles.
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