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Dean Rankine: HOLY COW! Christian Comics
By Marc | February 6, 2009
Today there won’t be a comic, but I thought I’d take this time to talk about a creator who unknowingly inspired me to start “One of a Hundred”: Dean Rankine.
Take a little time and read through some of his stuff in the above link. There’s quite a lot there to peruse. Go ahead. I’ll wait right here.
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Alright, are we back? Good.
One of the first things you notice is the drawing style. Lots of flat coloring with only minimal shading when needed and abstract-looking people. Limbs seem boneless and the linework has no variation in thickness. I think it’s cool he always has both eyes fully visible no matter the angle of the head and mouths stretch across the face to almost slice it in two.
It reminds me of a cross between Rocko’s Modern Life, something by Mark Marek, and Picasso.
Aside from the style, read the stories. I think they effectively take parables and events out of Jesus’ life and puts them in a modern setting with modern language. Two of my many favorites are “Sticky Bunny” and “Soup Kitchen”.
He doesn’t require a working knowledge of the Bible or that you even follow Jesus to read his material. He tries to get people where they are rather than push them around with judgment and fear like a Jack Chick tract, and I think that’s where Christian comics need to be heading.
Before Dean, the only Christian comics I knew of were Chick tracts and the old Archie religious stuff. It shows we don’t have to be stuffy and uncreative. We can be really out there, make something fun, and still retain a message. We need more like him.
Topics: Art, Awesome People, Comic | No Comments »
