Vorlage:Essay-like Vorlage:Infobox comic book title Sweet Tooth is an American comic book ongoing series written and drawn by Canadian Jeff Lemire and published by DC comics' Vertigo imprint. Dubbed by some as "Mad Max meets Bambi",[1] it takes place in a mostly rural post-apocalyptic setting where some creatures are human/animal hybrids. Although the story is initially set in Nebraska, the landscape is inspired by Lemire's past home of Essex County.[2]
Sweet Tooth, as a post-apocalyptic parable, is rife with influences such as Tim Truman’s Scout: War Shaman and the Winterworld three issue mini-series.[3] As well as art influence by Richard Corben's A Boy and His Dog written by Harlan Ellison and The Punisher: The End, written by Garth Ennis.[3]
Publication history
Twelve issues are slated for Sweet Tooth's first year (as part of Lemire's initial contract).[2] Because the nature of monthly comics is dependent on sales, not even Jeff Lemire knows how many issues Sweet Tooth will run. The main plot points were planned out with loosely 40 issues for DC/Vertigo.[2] In an interview for USA Today, Jeff Lemire was quoted: "Right now, I have it planned out to be 20 to 30 issues, but it could go even further depending on the response it gets." [4] Overall sales will determine if the series will run the full course or be cut short. Vertigo comics are known to be dependent on trade paperbacks, so monthly sales may play no part in the fate of this young series.Vorlage:Citation needed Editor Brandon Montclare says, "Sweet Tooth is taken down and rebuilt every issue—sometimes every page. And as far down the road as I can see, who knows where Gus’ journey ends. Not even Jeff knows yet, although it’s in his head somewhere."[5]
The fifth issue saw the end of the "Out of the Woods" storyline, which is collected in the first trade paperback.[6]
Characters
- Gus — A 9-year-old boy with antlers.[2] A rare new breed of human/animal hybrid. Raised within a belief in God he decides to leave his home, the Forrest, and explore the world his father forbade. On his journey many skills learned while in the Forrest, such as: treating a wound and using his slingshot have come in handy. It also seems that he can see into the future, although he has no control over what he sees. The future is fortold within his nightmares while he sleeps. These dreams seem help to drive the narrative. These dreams tell something that will happen soon, such as the dream he had before he met his travel companion Jepperd.
- Tommy Jepperd — A violent, hulking drifter who takes in Gus and promises to lead him to "The Preserve" (a fabled safe-haven for hybrid children). The character was based on an aged Frank Castle (Marvel's "The Punisher").[3] "Corben’s aging gray-haired Frank is an unstoppable force of nature and amazing to behold. This character design ended up being a huge influence on the design of Jepperd, the big bad ass in Sweet Tooth."[3] Jepperd is presented to us as a gray character. Not always shown bad or good. This former Hockey player (Refer to issue 6), is drive to do good by his family and stay true to his word that he has given them.
- Dr. Singh - The Mad scientist that handles the hybrid Human/Animals, much like Doctor Moreau from H.G. Well's story The Island of Doctor Moreau. [7]
Story Arcs
- "Out of the woods"
- This introduction arc flows fluidly between art and caption. The reader is left wanting to know whats next after each monthly issue. We are introduced to Gus (a young boy who his father has died and can no longer protect him.) and Jepperd (a huge tough guy who promises to protect Gus.), when they meet Jepperd promises Gus he will bring him to the "The Preserve". This arc is the adventure of these two males to the "The Preserve". The setting of the landscape and the world that they know is slowly but surely reviled to us readers.
- "In Captivity"
- Gus finally meets other Hybrids. Gus now parted away from Jepperd, see the horrors of being a Hybrid and why his father wanted to protect him. Jepperd away from Gus, get to reflect on his life choices.
Collected editions
The series is being collected into trade paperbacks:
- Sweet Tooth Volume 1: Out of the Woods (collects Sweet Tooth #1-5, May 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2696-5)
- Sweet Tooth Volume 2: In Captivity (Collects Sweet Tooth #6-11, December 14, 2010, ISBN-10: 1401228542)
Notes
References
External links
- Vorlage:Official
- Jamin Brophy-Warren: Tales of the Country: Jeff Lemire shrugs off comics' urban obsession In: Wall Street Journal, August 27, 2009
- ↑ Near Mint Podcast. "Episode 017 – “Nobody’s Business”" Near Mint, By Jeff Lemire, September 13, 2009.
- ↑ a b c d An Evening With Jeff Lemire part 3. In: An Evening with Jeff. The Comic Book Syndicate, 30. Juni 2009.
- ↑ a b c d Pamela Mullin: Jeff Lemire’s favorite post-apocalyptic comics. In: Graphic Content. DC Comics.com, 31. August 2009.
- ↑ John Geddes: 'Sweet Tooth' like Mad Max with antlers In: USA Today, November 19, 2009
- ↑ Brandon Montclare: From the Editor’s Desk: Brandon Montclare. "Sweet Tooth". In: Graphic Content. DC Comics.com, 2. September 2009.
- ↑ Jeffrey Renaud: Out of the Woods with "Sweet Tooth". Comic Book Resources, 5. Februar 2010, abgerufen am 5. Februar 2010.
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Doctor_Moreau The Island of Doctor Moreau. Wikipedia