Third Eye (Third Eye)

    (Third Eye, 2003)
™ and © Third Eye Publishing

Billed as a “comic writers collective,” Third Eye Publishing has put out a second compilation of short stories from newer and lesser-known talents. And as is often the case with these small-press anthologies, it’s a pretty hit-or-miss effort.

The book opens with Michael Patrick Sullivan’s pointless “TV Cops,” followed by the equally meaningless “Magenta Rose” by Mark Robert Bourne. Neil Kleid’s congested “Secret Agents” is the book’s low point, but things begin to pick up with Kimo’s artistic “Small Noises.” Ben Miller’s dreamlike text story “Winter Mother” and A. David Lewis’ mythological “Threnody’s Coda” are among the book’s most professional and well-written efforts.

Oddly enough, the most powerful story is not one of the main features. The one-page “Bear Thoughts” by Bourne, which was written shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, are the unheard comforting words of a child’s long-abandoned teddy bear (yes, teddy bear) during this tragic time.

Artwise, the various pencillers and inkers are all promising at worst, and decent at best. None of the stories are badly illustrated, which in and of itself puts this volume a notch above its peers. It’s not the greatest, but at least it’s a slightly above average example of newer creative talent.

— Jim Johnson
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist