Verl Holt Bond is an extraordinary, to-the-point artist. Bizarrechats readers were introduced to his astute abilities through Main Enterprises' The Adventures of Clay Hitchens, where Bond rendered detailed, western illustrations for Jim Main's engaging script.
Recently, Bond sent me a set of another of his creations, one that he both wrote and illustrated, Galactic Diaries #1 & #2. I figured the contents would be good, but holy smokes, they're really on a whole other, breathtaking level.
Much of Bond's success comes from the seamless way he tackles variegated topics. As such, he sometimes shoots for the stars, and in other instances, shoots straight from the hip. Either way, the results are grandiose. (FYI: Though this post features veritable pages from the Galactic Diaries, it also includes bonus imagery, which further flaunts Bond's wide range.)
As irrefutable proof of Bond's eclectic inclinations, Issue #1 offers a Twilight Zone-ish tale with a startling, Neanderthal twist; a tribute to a famous, flying reptile; a protective amazon who confronts alien invaders; an EC-imbued cemetery where love unexpectedly blooms; a devilish outcome for an on-the-lam Nazi; and a Robert E. Howard/Jack Kirby-esque, post-holocaust exploit, featuring the courageous Wolf McKinzie, a hero who's a clever cross between Conan the Barbarian and Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth.
Issue #2 continues McKinzie's nomadic, "Post Apocalyptic Blues," as the warrior and his beautiful companion, Jenny, embark on more rough-and-tumble sojourns, battling glabrous Cutthroats across a dystopic landscape. They even sail far beyond the sea with a convivial band of mercenaries for additional, survivalist undertakings. We're talking quite a roving mythology in this regard, and it all works with a distinct, unapologetic swagger.
To Bond's credit, his artwork is uncluttered yet involved. His storytelling is trim yet profound. I appreciate his McKinzie romps the most, in that they hold a staunch virility that goes against today's voguish grain of spineless compromise and over-drenched sensitivity.
On every front, Bond knows the score and gets it right. I'm thankful to have absorbed his fables, and you will, too.
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Copies of Galactic Diary #1 & #2 are $5 each ($10 for the set), which includes postage. If interested, send a check or money order for the designated amount to Mr. Bond at 1663 Blue Heron Lane, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250. Be sure to list your precise, mailing info, so that the issue(s) get to you in a first-class snap.
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