By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Publication Date: March 27, 2019
Format: FC, 104 pages; HC; 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″
Price: $19.99
War Bears is a fond tribute to the comics of yesteryear and is, more importantly, a look at the troubled times which plagued smaller publishing houses. In a time when the war effort hurt the local economy, cutting costs and exports made life tougher. Enter Al Zurakowski, an artist struggling to make ends meet. He’s optimistic about the future and thinks achieving the American dream is possible. But hold on, this is Canada! Life is tougher and colder. The reality is that not every publisher struck gold with their comic book creations.
He has an idea to make a francophone heroine, Oursonette. I looked at the first issue and loved the world Margaret Atwood and Ken Steacy crafted. The era came alive with Steacy’s artwork. The attention to detail with the drab and the idealized romance was an easy sell.