Okay … this might be a bit of heresy but I have never read a Terry Moore comic. There. I said it. I was aware of Moore’s Strangers in Paradise and could definitely identify his artwork but I was just never compelled to read an issue. Same with Echo and ditto Rachel Rising. My friends all tell me these are great comics and worthy of checking out. I just haven’t made the time.
And then my pal, Sam told me about the premise of Terry Moore’s latest comic book … Motor Girl.
“When Samantha’s junkyard is visited by a UFO looking for spare parts, she is only too happy to oblige. But when word gets out she is a reliable source; Sam’s booming alien business catches the attention of an Area 51 investigator determined to shut her down! Don’t miss the premier issue of Terry Moore’s fantastic new series!”
Plans for a Motor Girl comic started almost 10 years ago. According to Moore himself, “I wanted to do [Motor Girl] in 2007 when I finished Echo, but when I said ‘I’m going to do a story called Motorgirl,’ somebody else said, ‘I’m already doing that.’ So I just immediately dropped it and said, ‘Okay, I’ll do something else.’ But in all this time, they haven’t done anything with it, so I figure it’s mine now and I’m going to go do it.”
Well, what is Motor Girl all about? The Motor Girl in question is Sam, a mechanic that fixes cars at an old junk yard in the desert. Her best friend happens to be a talking gorilla and when a damaged UFO crashes nearby the pair quickly get to repairing. In future issues the premise is that the UFO’s occupants were so thrilled with the excellent service they spread the word and Sam’s repair shop becomes the go to place for other UFO travelers in need of a pit stop along their galactic journeys. The first issue introduces the cast, sets up the premise well and offers more than one little surprise twist to the tale.
Terry Moore is handling everything, the writing, the art and even the lettering. A black and white comic, Moore’s art has a bit of the comic con sketch quality. Clear and crisp lines but missing that final polish. There is no doubt this was a very conscious art choice for Moore as the cover is rendered beautifully in full colour. EDIT: Looking at it again I know why the interior art left me a tad bit wanting … colouring. Even if it was just ink washed we are so used to colouring adding depth and character to the line work that straight line art seems different.
Over all I enjoyed the issue thoroughly and am looking forward to the next issue.
Issue: Motor Girl #1 | Publisher: Abstract Studios
Writer: Terry Moore | Artist: Terry Moore
Price: $3.99
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