On the Coffee Table: Far Arden

Title: Far Arden
Writer and Artist: Kevin Cannon

via Amazon

Kevin Cannon and I went to the same college, though not at the same time.  I know his business partner Zander Cannon (no relation) better as Zander was in my class.  However, I've gotten to know Kevin's work reasonably well over the past few years through the duo's collaboration on the online comic Double Barrel.  Kevin's primary story in that effort was Crater XV, actually a sequel to Far Arden. 

Also originally a web comic, Far Arden tells the story of Army Shanks, a pirate-ish guy who trolls the Canadian Arctic.  Far Arden is his quest: a mysterious tropical paradise hidden away somewhere in the frozen north.  He is joined by an old flame, an orphan in an arctic fox costume and two eager college students whose romantic involvement is not what it seems.  Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Arctic Navy (RCAN - is that really a thing?) is hot on his trail.

Kevin has developed a distinctive style.  His characters remind me of Don Martin of Mad Magazine fame but what sets Kevin's work apart is his use of sound bubbles.  Rather than the usual onomatopoeia - Pow! Wham! Kaboom! - he'll use more descriptive expressions: Listful Kick, Gesticulate, Hoodie String Pull, etc. 

I'll definitely be checking out more of Kevin's work and so should you - this is good stuff.  Far Arden is available in French, too.  The Cannons have done a fair amount of artwork for non-fiction graphic novels.  I think I'll try those next.