Applegeeks, Volume 1: Freshman Year collects the first two years — February 10, 2003, to December 30, 2004 — of the popular Applegeeks webcomic.
Jayce, an introspective writer, and Hawk, an excitable artist and inventor, have unofficially taken up residence in the home of sweet and thoughtful Alice and hard-drinking, hard-smoking, hard-hitting Gina. The foursome’s busy trying to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives, and how the heck to fit their college classes in around marathon video-game sessions, visits to the comic shop, and offbeat road trips. But when Hawk gets fed up with constantly striking out with women and decides to create the perfect girlfriend in his basement lab, passing classes suddenly becomes the least of the group’s worries! If Hawk’s project is a success, will his creation be content to be the perfect girlfriend, or will she have dreams of her own? And… uh… how many more things is she going to blow up?
This trade paperback is a collectable retrospective for longtime fans of Applegeeks, and a perfect introduction for readers completely new to the series or webcomics in general. The online experience translates well to the printed page, and vice versa, with the full-colour comics faithfully reproduced on black pages that match the background of the comics on the website. The sleek, evocative design of the book makes reading Applegeeks, Volume 1: Freshman Year feel like sitting in front of a paper replica of a computer screen; even the fonts used support the illusion. The art on the book’s cover may confuse readers since it’s drawn in the current style of the comic, which bears little resemblance to artist Mohammad F. “Hawk” Haque‘s early work, but this variation is explained right up front in the illustrated foreword by Megatokyo creator Fred “Piro” Gallagher. Gallagher says, “What’s really impressive is that Hawk, much like Ananth, is not afraid to experiment and challenge his own creative boundaries. His sketchbooks show a remarkable diversity of technique and love of artistic expression.” Part of the pleasure of reading the first volume of Applegeeks is in watching this organic evolution.
Applegeeks, Volume 1: Freshman Year really shines, though, as a guide for anyone who aspires to create their own webcomics. Series writer Ananth Panagariya provides insider commentary on every page, his personal anecdotes addressing such creative and practical topics as character and storyline inspiration, story arc plotting, update schedule management, and fan interaction. The final section of the book, nearly a third of its pages, is filled with bonus material that will also open a valuable window into the webcomics business:
- Pinups — Single panels of stop-gap art that Hawk, and occasionally Ananth, published when regular comic production got sidelined by real life commitments.
- Fun with Fiction — Ananth’s short, alternate reality stories featuring Applegeeks characters.
- Convention Antics — Stories and artwork from convention appearances, with an emphasis on social and professional networking opportunities.
- Applegeeks_The Beginning Prequel Comic — A five-page, monochromatic comic that reveals the backstory of how Jayce and Hawk, the protagonists of Applegeeks, became best friends.
- Guest Pinups — Applegeeks fan art done by other webcomic artists and industry professionals.
- Hawk’s Sketchbook — A two-page spread of character studies.
If you just can’t wait for the second Applegeeks book, Applegeeks, Volume 2: Weird Science, to find out how the story continues, check out the Applegeeks Comic Archive. Of course, you’ll still need to read the print edition when it’s released on October 21, 2009, to get all the behind-the-scenes information and extras!
Recommended for ages 14 and up.
Order now at Amazon.com:
Applegeeks, Volume 1: Freshman Year
Pre-order at Amazon.com:
Applegeeks, Volume 2: Weird Science
Applegeeks, Volume 1: Freshman Year is distributed by Dark Horse Books, a division of Dark Horse Comics, in partnership with Applegeeks. For more information on Applegeeks, visit applegeeks.com.