So, I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of anthologies in general. For some reason, what virtually always winds up happening is that I like some of the stories, and dislike some, and it leaves me with a bad overall taste for the product. In fact, I'd be surprised if even one of my favorite authors could write an anthology in which I like every entry. Crime Wave Anthology, vol 1, does not overcome this problem either, but it does do it better than most.
Crime Wave is mostly a "true crime" style book, featuring three stories of eight pages each. Indeed, this is a part of the problem, in that it's very difficult to tell a good comics story in so few pages. There were a handful of places where the story was, by necessity, a little rushed. Things that could have taken a page or two to show were afforded only a single panel, or maybe even shared a panel.
Herring and Ambruson make it work, though, as the stories themselves are pretty good, though I felt they were in declining quality. The first story, "Above the Law" was actually good enough that I went back and read it a second time, just so that the strongest of the stories was in my mind as I wrote this review. It was strong enough to have deserved 16 or 24 pages on its own, and probably would have been better for it.
Virtually every part of this book was professional quality, from the writing to the art to the color, and even the production quality of the finished product. I don't know if Mr. Herring is a fan of crime, or if he is using this to showcase his talents, or merely as an outlet for a vastly underserved market (crime comics.) But whatever the answer, this is the kind of book that I wish more indie publishers were putting out. Something different, of high quality, and very much worth your time.
One other note for other indie publishers. I want to know a little more about you, and for a book with a $5 price tag, I want a little more substance. I understand there are cost constraints to think about, but 1-2 pages of editorial or prose will really help me connect with your book. I figure I read Thieves & Kings for at least a year, just for his editorials. You would do well to do the same.
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