Spine Chilling Survival

NEVER AGAIN...

We return to the mind of Caleb Thusat and experience the grim times of World War II. We enter the world of Nook, a creepy ghost story but a chilling reminder of those who attempt to escape the grasps of Nazi Germany. From what history tells us, the war started in 1939 and Britain and France just declared war against Germany. Taking place during that year, we find a family of three fleeing to France to escape the gruesome reality of what is happening in their German homeland. Once at their new but dilapidated home, the daughter Avery's spots a cat. Constantly chasing after the cat, Avery's innocence will soon disappear as everything goes amiss. Noises and shadows around the home appear to be an omen at first, but the true horror drives up to the house instead of coming from within. But there is more than there seems to appear with Nook the cat as it is accompanied by the soul of a young girl that hides in the spandrel room under the stairs. Only time will tell what will occur with this girl and which direction it takes the story.

Released in 2018, Nook issue one is a 32-page black and white story that oozes a sorrow and woeful atmosphere from every angle. Written and created by Caleb Thusat, Nook's writing has accomplished its purpose and swallowed us into its domain. Thusat has the ability to merge sinister events with the innocence of a young child exploring a new home. Nook Issue One brings many questions to the table as it feeds the readers with just bits of information throughout the dialogue. The art by Marcello Biott complements the story in every way. It not only shows the sorrow the writing already provides but increases it with its art style, use of shadows, and the placement of the narrative and ghostly child throughout the issue. Readers can check out Village Comics' Patreon page and/or grasp a copy of Nook Issue One at Village Comics. On March 3rd, Caleb Thusat will be running the Kickstarter for the complete hardcover trade, so make sure to save it and keep an eye out!

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Everything is Possible

SLIGHTLY MAD

Imagine encountering an infinite moment where death is constant, only to live another moment shortly before the following death. What if every time you die, you actually experience another version of yourself in an Alter-life? Comic Unknown returns to Caleb Thusat's mind-bending series known as Alter-Life. Looking for answers, Jake wanders through the deaths looking for a possibility of finding a life with his deceased wife and child but begins to notice he is being followed. Missing a face and dressed in a suit, Jake sees this mysterious man following him across the lives and deaths. After a specific death where he always wakes up again in his apartment, he experiences something different: someone knocking. Jake peers through the peephole only to see the mystery man once again and freaks out only to accidentally kills himself, momentarily of course. 

While Alter-Life issue two did answer a few questions, it brought us even more than before. The storytelling done by Caleb Thusat is not only an amazing encounter but also a frustrating one. We trench through this unique world with only a touch of knowledge forcing us to claw for more information. The more pages that are turned, the more the art absorbs the readers into the Alter-Life world. With  Katrina Kunstmann on the helm for the art, the shading and coloring start to show the gloom in Jake's inescapable life or lives. Alter-Life is a five issue mini-series that slowly creeps to the final answer of Jake's life and his mind-bending experience.  The best way to get ahold of Alter-Life is via Issue's Four current Kickstarter that can include issues 1-4! Alter-Life Issue two can also be purchased digitally via Comixology and Village Comics' Store or you can support their work on its social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

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Stiched Together

THE MORTICIAN AND THE ICEMAN

Welcome to another tailored review at Comic Unknown. We return to the creative team of Caleb Thusat and Katrina Kunstmann for another series known as Zed. Unlike Alter-Life, Zed is a gray scaled story that follows a duo (one alive, the other not so much) in search of a scientist for answers. Set at the end of a zombie outbreak, our main character Zed was involved in an experiment that caused him to become a zombie but somehow manage to stay with his humanness. As Zed and his mortician Bill locate the hospital where he might find some answers, they stumble their way to get in. Fighting the zombie hunger, Zed gets flesh hungry when more infected are around him, Zed manages to get some unnecessary attention and get injured long the process.  Fortunately for him, Bill manages to sow him back together when needed and build him anew. The story has these two fighting their way through zombies and government officials as if it is just another Tuesday. They trek through the city as if it is just another mundane trip to god knows where.

Written by Caleb Thusat, Zed Issue One takes a different turn than the usual zombie book. Allowing Zed to keep his humanity, intelligence, and some sanity, Thusat's storytelling is highly entertaining. The story launches the readers into a buddy adventure with the zombie twist and the complimentary art style can make the series comparable to an old-fashioned sci-fi cartoon. Katrina Kunstmann's art style creates a world that is attempting to restore from the zombie plague. Its grayscaled color scheme fits perfectly as it sets the tone for the post-apocalyptic story and allows the reader to project themselves into a zombie environment without any bites. If readers need an arm or any other limb to find Zed Issue One, they can be purchased as a physical copy or digital copy at the Village Comic site with a Halloween Variant that is still available. The Zed-iverse can be followed on Facebook as well as Village Comic's site for any news and updates. You can check the Village Comics Patreon for a lot of awesome perks including Instant Access to Issue #1 of both Alter-Life and ZED and even find Zed on Webtoons for free!

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Alter-Interview

WELCOME BACK TO AN AWESOME INTERVIEW HERE AT COMIC UNKNOWN!

We had the opportunity to ask Caleb Thusat the creator of Alter-Life a few questions on his book and himself! So sit back and enjoy this awesome interview with Caleb.

Comic Unknown: What made you want to work in the comic book industry?

Caleb Thusat: I came to comics later than most people do. I didn’t think much of superhero stories other than the ones I saw in movies in the 80’s and 90’s, but I watched a lot of the X-men cartoon while growing up. My passion for comics didn’t come until I read The Watchmen. Alan Moore opened my eyes and imagination to what the comic medium could be. I worked in independent film for a number of years, and ideas are limited by budget and physical restraints. My ideas were too large for indie film, so I decided to bring them to an artist and create comics instead.

CU: How did you come up with the story line of Alter-Life?

CT: Alter-Life is sort of a combination of stories I have been toying with since I was in college. I knew I wanted to write something about alternate existences and the mystery of human consciousness. The story is rooted in some of my personal experiences and some of my fears. Death is a universal topic of fear and mystery, and I am always exploring new ways of writing about it. I also had some rough years where I felt trapped and needed an escape from my job. Alter-Life was born out of all of this.

 

CU: Were any of the characters inspired by another character or person? 

CT: Jake in Alter-Life is loosely based on Rob Gordon from High Fidelity with pieces of me thrown in here and there. He’s a bit quirky and obsessed with music and video games. But he is a broken man, seeking answers and redemption for past regrets.

CU: How many issues do you have in mind for the series? 

CT: This is going to be 5 issues. I’m actually in talks right now to get the full series made as a complete graphic novel and sidestep the whole issue by issue process.

CU: Will the comic's universe continue after the series? 

CT: There is definitely a universe being created here, but it’s not what is seems to be in issue #1. There are many twists and turns, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say Jake’s story is just the beginning.

 

CU: What was the most difficult part in the production of Alter-Life? 

CT: I’m just a writer and creator. I came into this with zero connections in the comic industry, so I would say the most difficult part is finding an Artist who, not only can give you want you want, but is willing to work with someone new to the comic world. I was fortunate to find Katrina Kunstmann. I think she lives inside my brain because every time she sends me a page it is almost exactly what I had pictured. Running a Kickstarter is hard too. It requires your full attention for the length of the campaign, and you can hardly think of anything else, but if you’re willing to put in the time, you can be successful at it.

CU: Are you planning on any new series after Alter-Life? 

CT: Well, ZED issue 1 has just been released. I have been working on completely writing issues 2-5 of Alter-Life, and I wanted to keep readers happy, so I decided to start ZED. It’s way different than Alter-Life, and is much more fun and comical. I also wanted to show people that I have some depth and can write both deep and serious and fun and humorous. After ZED and Alter-Life I do have a number of other stories I am working on, but they are early on at this point. For now, I am working to get the Alter-Life graphic novel produced and will continue to write ZED and release it issue by issue on Kickstarter.

CU: Who is your favorite all time super hero/villain? Why?

CT: Superman is one of my favorites. I love characters that have been adapted to reflect the times, and Superman has one of the most versatile stories. It’s simple, but can be used to tell such diverse and interesting stories.

 

CU: What is the best way readers can find Alter-Life? 

CT: Right now you can only buy Alter-Life off my website www.villagecomicbooks.com. However, issue #1 will be up on Comixology very soon.

THANK YOU SO MUCH CALEB FOR THIS AWESOME INTERVIEW!! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW COMIC UNKNOWN'S FACEBOOK AND AND TWITTER FOR UP TO THE MINUTE UPDATES AS WELL AS READERS CAN NOW SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL NEWSFEED FOR REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS AND GENERAL BADASSERY ON ALL THINGS INDIE COMICS!

Sweet Nothingness

WELCOME TO AN ALTERNATE REALITY AT COMIC UNKNOWN!

It's never about the destination but about the journey that brought you to it. In Alter-Life, we see Jake at what he assumed was the end of his road.  Widowed and without with daughter due to a car accident, Jake merely travels through what is left of his existence until he stumbles onto something beyond his control.  When he dies, he is just put back into the world as if nothing happened with minor difference around him. Things will never be the same for him but almost nothing has changed. Created by Caleb Thusat and art by Katrina Kuntsmann, Alter-Life Issue One is a beautiful science fiction that makes us ponder on whether there are alternate realities 99.99% similar to our current reality. It is definitely a fresh story that hasn't been seen in the comic world recently.  

The art fits the story perfectly with its unique style for a comic book. It sets the mood of what is going through our protagonist's mind as he ventures through each life he lives through. If Jake continues his voyage between realities, can he find the reality he is looking for or is he stuck forever in what could be his own hell? Could he become something more than a mourning widower, maybe someone elses savior? Only time will tell with future issues on what can Jake is destined for. Successfully funded through Kickstarter back in March 2016, you can now purchase a copy of Alter-Life Issue One at Village Comics' site for $1.99 digitally and $4.99 for a physical copy. If you want to know more on Jake and his journey, make sure to follow Alter-Life's Facebook page and Twitter.

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