April 12th, 2023
I’m officially an Axol-Head.
I got introduced to the work of 14-year-old Landon Shepherd by his parents, Jennifer and Justin; he’s an incredibly talented artist and storyteller, and I couldn’t be more fortunate to have been able to feature some of his artwork in my graphic novel, Brushfire: Wave 1.
Not one to rest on his already impressive accomplishments, Landon has just released his first full-length comic book, Axol #1, and it is an absolute blast.
I’m a child of the 90’s, and the action and humor in this story brought me back to those golden Saturday cartoon mornings; the only thing missing from my experience was a bowl of candy-colored cereal.
Axol is a hero with snark, and his attitude comes in handy as he goes head-to-head with The Shark, a new supervillain.
The art in the book is vibrant, bursting with life; his pacing is light and right on, getting you to the action just a few pages in.
Landon himself sums up his new world best with a word he uses at the end of book (right before he gives you a preview of what’s to come): he describes Axol as having “gumption,” and it’s that personality trait that drives the character and makes for such an enjoyable read.
No matter what Axol decides (of course this ends on a cliffhanger!), I can’t wait to see what Landon Shepherd takes on next.
The Den 