On April 28th, Pawel got a phone call from a woman at TVN (the second largest TV station in Poland). She was asking about Harbor Moon, his work, and Ryan Colucci.
Turns out they want him to go to Warsaw in 2 weeks and talk about Harbor Moon on their Sunday Morning Program, which is transmitted throughout the entire country.
Pretty amazing. Star artist, to tv star.
A champion of the book since he first reviewed it, Steven was awesome enough to post the following at Broken Frontier:
Recall that original graphic novel about werewolves I enjoyed immensely back in the late summer of 2010, Harbor Moon? Well, it’s finally for sale on Amazon, and I still highly recommend it.
Ryan Colucci, the book’s co-writer and producer, had hoped his narrative treasure would have hit stores in December 2010, but if there’s one tragic consistency of small-press publishing, it’s the oxymoronic inconsistency of timelines and release dates.
Of the many points I made in my original review, this aspect of Harbor Moon is still what stands out to me:
“What’s so interesting about Harbor Moon is its successful usage of old formulas. It’s almost impossible to tell a story in the dark fantasy or horror genre without invoking the feelings of isolation and claustrophobia; that’s exactly why so many stories have lone and troubled heroes roaming around haunted houses and ghostly towns. They’re alone and susceptible to danger, and therefore, we as the readers are as well. Writers Colucci and Ornekian both flawlessly create this vital atmospheric element. Harbor Moon as a place is constructed from a classic formula, but one that exists on its own terms.
When Harbor Moon isn’t trying to invoke fear, it’s tapping into the instinctual nature of man. It’s no accident that Tim Vance is a former soldier, trained by the Special Forces and having completed three tours in the Middle East. He’s a tough and stoic guy, but soft-spoken and respectful of those around him. When he wanders into the town’s diner, Tim is confronted by Patrick, the local roughneck who does what he can to shake the newcomer up. These kinds of fights are common in Harbor Moon, but they’re not just bloody brawls, though many of them are, in fact, bloody brawls. They’re tests of sheer strength, will, and survival.”
I also voted Harbor Moon as my fifth favorite independent book of 2010, and included Colucci in a round-table discussion about horror and dark-fantasy themes as they appear in comics in the Halloween 2010 edition of the Frontiersman digital magazine.
Gordon Robertson from ComicBuzz says 'you won’t forget your first visit to the dark, unsettling world of Harbor Moon.' It's a great review, and definitely points out some of our weak spots (being able to tell main characters apart).
"Much traditional horror comes from the fear of intrusion. A settled, sedate village is shaken by the appearance of a stranger, someone they don’t know, and whose presence threatens to disrupt their placid existence. Vampires and werewolves find their prey amongst the buxom wenches of the superstitious hamlets, easy pickings for the bloodthirsty predator.
Or at least they did back in the days of Hammer. These days, more and more, this idea is being turned on its head. These places, hidden from view, may still be as superstitious as ever, but they are villages now populated by entire communities of those very creatures who used to prey on the innocent.
Whether vampires or werewolves, they choose to isolate themselves, fearful of persecution. They hide so they can live out their existence in peace and in isolation. Just such a community is the village of Harbor Moon.
That threat of the outsider still exists, but now it brings with it fear of discovery. Fear of the almost certain destruction of their way of life.
A stranger appears in the village. His name is Timothy Vance and he is looking for his father, Andrew Callaghan. At first no one has heard of him, but of course, it isn’t as straight forward as that. Further investigation brings at first hostility, then warnings, then violence and then something more, something altogether darker. Perhaps Timothy is not quite the stranger that everyone thinks he is.
It’s perhaps a familiar premise, but writers Ryan Colucci and Dikran Ornekian tell it well, and still manage to bring something new to it. It’s a deftly told tale and keeps you turning the pages as you never are quite sure where the storytelling is taking you. It’s a tribute to his skills that they keep the saga fresh and gripping. It never falls into the trap of being predictable.
The village’s inhabitants are particularly well written with Carlucci catching the mix of fear and anger being directed towards the intruder. The young men of the village, angry and restless, desperate to prove themselves and looking for conflict. The older villagers, scared of the consequences only want him to move on and forget he was ever there. This is a settled place, children have been raised here. They understand what it would mean if the rest of the world turned its gaze towards them.
These creatures are in hiding and the script captures well the sense of how far they would go to avoid discovery. It is this paranoia that underpins the claustrophobic world of Harbor Moon.
Pawel Sambor’s art, supported by Nikodem Cabala bring this world wonderfully to life. Dark brooding and intense, you find yourself lost in the shadows alongside Timothy; unsure of what’s out there beside you. The artists’ use of colour deserves special mention here, with some sections being given a distinct colour palette, reds, blues and greens given these parts a distinct feel. It’s a bold and effective technique. Particularly effective is the first glimpse of the werewolves. Rendered with deep blues and reds, it’s a wonderful few pages, as the wolves come out of, and return to the shadows.
If there is one criticism of the art, it is that the characters individuality sometimes gets lost in amongst the shadows and gloom. There is a similarity in each of the tough, square faces. It’s a small thing, but it does occasionally throw you off track."
