WHAT DO YOU put in a magazine without advertisements? Fantasy adventure art, obviously.
Itās been two years since the release of Study Group Magazine #3, in all of its red-and-blue line, 3D glory (and easy-to-lose paper glasses). The long-awaited follow-up has a Dungeons & Dragons adventure theme and tons of stand-alone fantasy art by locals like Jennifer Parks and Study Group Co-Editor Zack Soto (The Secret Voice). Even more so than in past issues, SG #4ās main focus is on the critical analysis of comics as an art form. Thereās a six-page article about D&D and world-building by Dylan Horrocks (Hicksville) that draws from the history of Ed Greenwoodās Forgotten Realms campaign and Horrocksā personal dungeon master experiences.
James Romberger (7 Miles a Second) pens a thoroughly researched history of Hal Fosterās (Prince Valiant) influence on the legendary Jack Kirby. But the jewel of the issue is Milo Georgeās exhaustive, 16-page profile of Farel Dalrymple (The Wrenchies). Along with Soto, Georgeās also a co-editor of Study Group, and you see his name pop up several times in the nearly 100-page issue. The Dalrymple interview, which goes deep into the comics artistās processes and motivations, could have been dull in less accomplished hands, but Georgeās edits shave it into an easy, snappy read.
Compared to past issues, Study Group #4 is light on comics, perhaps because theyāre available on its website, which updates several comicsā storylines semiregularly on different days of the week. The comics that do appear in Study Group #4 come from Lark Pien, Levon Jihanian, Ian Chachere, and Patrick Crotty. In Pienās work, Shitbag, itās not immediately apparent if we are reading an actual comic or the artistās thumbnailing process. The drawings are far too pretty for traditional thumbnailing, but Pienās notes and placeholder āscene missingā boxes open a window onto a plotting process. The story remains strong and rewarding despite its lo-fi art, making it a perfect fit for a magazine obsessed with the nitty-gritty specifics of comics.
Study Group #4 is out now. You can pick up copies in stores or online, but the big release this week coincides with Floating World Comicsā 10th anniversary party, where many of the artists will be on hand to sign issues.