Public Domain returns this week with issue #6 after a year-plus hiatus. After winning an Eisner for the first story arc, Chip Zdarsky returns to writing and drawing the adventures of comics creators who want to bring back their IP, The Domain, to the masses in comic book form. The question the first issue of the second story arc seems to be asking is: Are these old-timers with it enough to produce a comic for modern audiences?
Public Domain #6 opens with Dallas Comics now up and running with a staff surrounding Syd. They haven’t gotten the comic written or drawn yet, but they’re raring to go. Meanwhile, Jerry Jasper and his Singular Comics are also publishing Domain comics and are also at the starting stages. Zdarsky effectively shows readers two different angles on the comics business and how older creators navigate the new modern waters of pleasing fans of a different generation.
Enter Carter Dusk, a world-renowned British emo creator. He’s brought in to help Jerry co-write The Domain and has had so much success that one wonders why he agreed to do it. Comics fans will immediately ponder who this character might be referencing, which is part of the fun of this series.
The seriousness of making comics is apparent.
Credit: Image
While The Domain is fiction, it’s interesting to see a semi-realistic portrayal of the work creators are doing to ensure they’re satisfying their readers. An honest conversation about a hero coming back not as a white man but as a woman is made, and the result they seem to be coming up with is believable. Zdarsky is very good at showing these elements in a realistic way, including Syd’s dismay as he sees his baby being transformed by his coworkers. One can only imagine the wrinkles created when Syd’s desired editor comes on board the next issue.
The character drama is on point for most of these characters. From the siblings trying to work for their dad to Jerry trying to navigate a world that thinks a younger writer is necessary, there’s melodrama around every corner. I can’t say Syd’s relationship with his wife and her choice in this issue moved the needle for me, but maybe this will build toward further drama.
Zdarsky’s art continues to look great, too, with an unmistakable level of detail in the backgrounds and clothing. Panels are simple, especially with color choices, which makes the book clean and appealing. It’s realistic but also somewhat cartoony. It’s somehow charming in its ability to make these characters seem so real.
Public Domain #6 kickstarts a second story arc that will please anyone interested in comics. Right out of the gate, the politics of making comics and making general audiences happy is compelling. At the same time, old-timer creators attempt to balance their wishes with a world progressing ahead of them. This series skillfully captures the reality of making comics and the struggle between creative vision and commercial demands.
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