You've never seen a comic that looks like this! TRENCHER! Keith Giffen! Lobo! 1993! Image Comics!

[@MadCap2025]

The first time I read a Giffen comic was an issue of DC Comics Presents which was a Superman and Creeper team up during his Munoz era which so jarring for me. I hated it at first but eventually I started to love it. Giffen's a great artist.

[@ComicTropes]

Thanks, Ed.

[@lovernkindzierski8335]

It's actually not a Windows 95 font. It was the best I could come up with in a hurry. I'm not known for my lettering.

[@ScaryGarrySG1]

Man, Ed is SO right on...I don't know if anyone could understand this unless you were there in real time. 9th or 10th grade for me, and in a really, really small town with no LCS near by.....but suddenly, EVERYONE had comics underneath their arms in the hallways again. I couldn't believe what was happening. They were getting passed around the classroom and EVERYONE was interested, and most especially in the 2 most advant-garde books, Trencher and the Maxx. To this day I can't explain how comics hit again in High School in a big way. None of us had ever seen art that looked like this. I'm not kidding myself that the entire classroom was READING Trencher, but the art got everyone's attention. What great memories! I was grabbing Legion vol 4 before this, and I thought Giffen's art was wonderfully weird then, then just months later into took a quantum jump into Trencher!

[@lovernkindzierski8335]

I don't know if anyone replied to your comment, but Keith did draw these pages by skipping straight to ink.

[@mackcarter]

Wonderful episode. Exceptional artist. Also, I doubt we will see a quality KZbin channel that matches this brilliance for quite some time. I wish it could have gone on forever. Thank y’all.

[@markheyliger533]

Anyone remember Keith Giffen doing the last couple issues of Hex for DC in the late 80s? Hex brought the western character Jonah Hex into an apocalyptic future world similar to the Road Warrior. I remember Giffen’s art being so unique as a kid

[@ScaryGarrySG1]

Yes, those issues were great! Only 4-5 at the end of the Hex run but man, the Future world of Hex had never looked as weird, it was awesome!

[@jlolsson2]

Oh! I have been waiting for you guys to do this one! This is one cool and original comic…I wish KG had done more of these. Artistic freedom at its best. Thank you guys for taking us back!!

[@1971thedoctor]

I recommend Ambush Bug, it’s a wild crazy comic that has so many references that even the hardcore fan couldn’t keep up with it

[@Ontonaut]

I love Giffen and loved Trencher. I bought it every month and was SO disappointed when it was cancelled. Giffen is definitely my favorite creator, through all of his styles and all of his roles: drawing and writing. A scary creative talent

[@Thierrothierro]

Lovern Kindzierski is a terrific colorist. I've seen his work on Bisley's Lobo, the Quesada/Nowlan Azrael mini, and various P. Craig Russell books. Looks great on all of them.

[@briteboy6131]

oh shit Trencher!! I grew up reading second hand 90's comics, and always wanted to read this one, and I'd never heard anyone talk about it! The art definitely holds up!

[@andykuhn9798]

Trencher is big fun!!! This is my favorite of Giffen's many styles. Just pure cartooning. Jim, you missed one Trencher issue. Blackball Comics #1 has a full length Trencher, story which is also a silent issue. Definitely worth your time.

[@ScaryGarrySG1]

Any know of any other Blackball Comics titles? I have the Trencher issues, but don't know if they ever released anything else.

[@AlbertNickerson]

TRENCHER is one of my favorite comic book series. Now, you guys have to look at THE HECKLER.

[@empyreanvole]

He's in my top 5. he did some of the funniest comics-- Ambush Bug, The Heckler, Lobo, etc.. He actually created Lobo (and Lunatic, the Marvel character that Lobo is based off of)

[@phatcartoon]

Love these comics and this art style. These are the kind of comics the inspire me to make comics. You don't have to be perfect, you can experiment, and just have fun thoughout the process. I actually have a good size stack of Trencher comics. Any time I find one in a discount / $1 bin I always pick up a copy.

[@peybak]

More people need to see Trencher. Too bad it's never been on TB.

[@CountxZero]

Yeah! I knew it was only a matter of time before you guys hit this one. Super fun art!

[@astronomicafilms]

Luckily, the Lobo: Infanticide comics prepped my young brain for Trencher, otherwise I might not have gone for it. I reread Trencher (and Infanticide) every few years and still catch new, bonkers nuances in the art. Love these books.

[@matthewbecker7389]

Oh man, I completely forgot about this book! This is great!

[@vipersyndicate4124]

i love the silent Trencher vs Blitz the Manic mandrill story Giffen did in Blackball Comics #1

[@peterisnardi1197]

Don't forget the 'Images Of Shadowhawk' 3-issue series with a pretty decent Trencher vs Shadowhawk fight...

[@peterisnardi1197]

There was also a short-lived Valiant series from KG called PUNX that ran three issues in 1995...he was using the Trencher style for that one, but it wasn't as coherent a book...

[@EasterlyArt]

Agreed, it was such a shock to find that after getting into Trencher.

[@theflint7692]

I'm glad you mentioned Sergio Aragones; Trencher is kinda proportioned like Groo

[@johncarver9997]

Between this and your coverage of stuff involving First Comics, this has become by far my favorite comic channel.

[@kevlar2000]

This comic was my introduction to Giffen, and it blew my mind as a teenager, and when I started seeing any of the more "straight" work he did before this I was completely baffled that it could possibly be the same artist.

[@vanthdreadstar8039]

I wasnt a fan of Keith's work growing up but I have developed a great appreciation for his styles. His Kirbyesque work is my favorite. Loved his OMAC series and would love to see any new work he has out if anyone can point me in that direction?

[@gabrieljimenez9762]

Great to see such a positive reaction. These comics were a trip. I had no idea what I was seeing and steered clear of them for a while. Giffen is so varied.

[@CoachDale_TopNotchMuayThai]

Dudes ! Love your videos I’ve been watching for a couple months now, haven’t really commented much, but just wanted to say I love this channel and I have both your Hulk Grand Design comics. Love the style and the stories. Excellent work 👌🏼 I’m drawing right now watching your videos, just wanted to say thank you 🙏🏼

[@jonatsmorandarte3663]

first saw his drawing style in Shadowhawk, It`s mindblowing. Every line is not a single line. This style is out of the ordinary back then. My eyes are roving all over every frame trying to figure out the almost abstract artwork, a line and color fiesta!

[@hfos]

I love this style. I own two Trencher pieces by Giffen, including the cover art for Issue #4. Great stuff. I don't recall him doing another book like this after this run (excepting Shadowhawk of course)

[@elizabethessex7238]

I always saw the ads for this in my Image books, and it always intrigued me quite a bit. Never ran across one though.

[@GoldenChiild]

Nice to see Giffen get some love. He did a really cool graphic novel for DC in 1985 called Hell on Earth in his Jose Munoz style, (has a Bill Sienkiewicz cover ) still one of my favorites by him,. Please do an episode on that one.

[@joshuablaze9810]

This art blew my mind at 12 years old

[@trencher7]

Also Images of Shadowhawk # 3 has a pretty cool negative space cover that has become popular these days.

[@superlucfitness8118]

Lethargic Lad !!!Your comic knowledge never ceases to amaze me.

[@CMYKolours]

I was just looking at these books, gunna go back and read them now

[@jankobosch5667]

I was blown away the first time I saw this the first time in the 90s. One of my fav books.

[@progderrr5280]

Thus was my favorite book as a kid

[@russworks2882]

Reminds me of the old paint-by-numbers canvases. Thematically similar to the Marshall Law stuff, and Kevin O"Neill's very similar (and Wilder) John Pain stories ran alongside Trencher in some of the Blackball Comics.

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

This comic is like Blade Runner meets The Maxx. I picked it up randomly at my comic shop years ago based on the art style alone. Kinda hard to read, but fascinating to look at.

[@trencher7]

It's about time!

[@Therealmrmeow]

Dope as always. Thanks guys!

[@SavageMoments956]

I think I got #1 Trencher at Bill and Walts back in the day. I remember the art style blowing my mind as it was totally different from anything else in the shop.

[@jamesgildersleeve]

I only have issue #4 of TRENCHER, but it is a fun style to examine.

[@brendonohagan1946]

This is Lobo

[@oldmanbob417]

This is classic. Lobo: Infantacide had similar art, both miniseries are easy dollar bin finds

[@MrPJayres]

Love this run, and so depressing that Godden was slapped down for a glancing resemblance to Muñoz. Mick McMahon’s ‘Last American’ is worth a look if you like this - more controlled but simply gorgeous.

[@MrPJayres]

Giffen, not Godden!

[@NatsuMatto]

Link to the Comic Trops video about gimmick covers mentioned by Ed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGKzqmSapNSSqdE

[@tentringer4065]

16:24 Asterix and Obelix used pictographic word balloons a lot.

[@emptymountain]

You need to look at the Giffen Images of Shadowhawk miniseries

[@EasterlyArt]

That was a fun spin off to discover!

[@heavysystemsinc.]

Trencher, Infantacide and Images of Shadowhawk are my favorite books to look at of all time. I also love the humor that Giffen tosses into every panel that's inconsequential to the story, but just kinda there. I also really dug Giffen's kind of 'ugh, I'm stuck doing comics in an industry dominated by superhero gimmicks...' kind of middle finger to it all, but he never once is mean spirited in it as he always finds humor in that situation and it's on the page.

[@nmj1937]

I understand why he got hate for aping Munoz but I honestly like when his style shifts in that direction during his time on LSH. It’s some of the earliest stuff I found when I was getting into comics and digging through quarter boxes. And at that time I had no idea who Munoz was of course, so I was able to just appreciate it for how different it looked. And that’s not to say that I think his cleaner style on LSH is bad or anything, I enjoy that stuff too. The “Legion of Substitute Heroes Special” is a good one for looking at his Munoz-influenced style.

[@Napalm6b]

I loved this series when I was a kid. Now I'll have to snap it up before the prices shoot up

[@spiderphil]

Giffen is dope 🔥🔥🔥

[@4trym]

Covers remind me of James Stokoe.

[@florianneumann9441]

I really wanted to like this when I fished some (1-3?) out of $ bins - but first issue was just to confusing for me. So much color I just couldn't follow what was going on...

[@briangarber4232]

Blackball Comics #1 has another Trencher story. Check it out if you're looking for every appearance.

[@Eblis840]

Remember buying issue number 1 for 50 cents in like 2013 in St Marks comics (R.I.P) love the art style.

[@GenZod24]

St. Mark's re-opened in Brooklyn. I haven't been but it's at a new location with a different look

[@Eblis840]

@@GenZod24 Really?! Awesome!! Will have to check em out, Thanks for the heads up!

[@peterisnardi1197]

(Lobo X Hellboy) - Deadpool = Trencher

[@cjansenATL]

Can you do Giffen's run on Legion of Super Heroes, particularly The Great Darkness Saga?

[@Gootie29]

It really is an interesting style. I wonder why he retired it? Please look at more Giffen!

[@samankucher5117]

wow that looks like it was drawn by a teenager in the 90s a very skilled teenager :)

[@vanthdreadstar8039]

"A little fecal matter?" "Don't say that." Ha, ha, awesome.

[@blaynelangille6328]

Had never heard of Trencher until I watched this video today and then tonight I came across an issue at the local thrift store. Kismet

[@conroyjett]

How about Ambush Bug, the Heckler, and the March Hare, I think there was only one issue of that one.

[@GenZod24]

Keith Giffen has always worn his artistic influences and obsessions on his sleeve. His early work (The Defenders) was clearly influenced by Jack Kirby. But then again, who wasn't influenced by Kirby? When Giffen got on Legion of Super-Heroes in the early 80s, you could see a distinct amalgam of Jim Starlin and George Perez. His figures looked like Starlin and his backgrounds and debris/rubble looked like Perez. Then he discovered Munoz in the mid 80s and his style made another distinct shift. It was when Legion launched a second title on baxter paper than you can clearly see the Munoz influence that Giffen aped for a long time. In fact, Giffen admitted to looking at and copying Munoz work on a daily basis that he ended up cribbing/swiping panels and layouts. This was reported in The Comics Journal issue 105, with a list compiling other Giffen swipes. Giffen eventually commented on the article in a later Comics Journal issue saying basically, they were right and he took things too far in his study of Munoz. Giffen then worked with Kevin Maguire on the late 80s Justice League relaunch, and you can note Giffen's art style absorb Maguire's, especially regarding facial expressions. You can see this change in Giffen's return to the Legion (baxter series issue 54) the Invasion miniseries and the Legion "5 Years Later" relaunch. This Lobo/Trencher/Shadowhawk style from the early 90s is very unique, because there is obviously Simon Bisley's influence in there, but a lot of Sergio Aragones too. No more focus on facial expressions, but the line work and backgrounds had a sense of motion and chaos. By the time Giffen returned to DC in the late 90s his style now absorbed the Bruce Timm aesthetic. Less chaotic backgrounds. Figures and backgrounds are all shapes and angles, mostly squares and triangles. If you look at his sporadic art contributions in the 21st century (on Legion *again* and Image comic's Dominion) you can see this toning down. If you get a chance to check out his layouts for the DC series "52" you see that it's pure Bruce Timm. Giffen hasn't drawn in a long time so it's hard to say what's influencing him these days. He tends to be influenced by who he works with or who the "hot" artist of the time is. Regardless, it is always with a Giffen flair and modification.

[@randalwung8715]

Thanks for saving me from saying the same thing, lol. There was a period-I think before the Munoz one-where he was aping Alex Toth, paring all the background details and such to a minimum and making extensive use of blacks (might’ve been around the same time Trevor Von Eeden was doing the same thing on Thriller and Green Arrow). Speaking of Munoz, I remember that Journal article and two panels where they showed how Giffen had swiped from a drawing of eggs, lol. Oh, and he was the first guy I saw, aside from Walt Simonson, who was borrowing from Philippe Druillet; you can see it on early Legions and especially in his short-lived Claw the Unconquered run. These days where he’s penciling stuff sporadically he seems to have settled on a Kirby amalgam style, hearkening back to his foundational influence. In some ways, his artistic shifts remind me of Rich Buckler who recycled Kirby at Marvel and Adams at DC (I think Dick Giordano said how much he liked inking Rich because he was so reminiscent of Neal, RIP), and was known for drawing in whatever style a company asked for or fit in with the book he was assigned (War book? Lemme do it like Kubert).

[@alo2328]

Finally!

[@pdirestajr]

The coloring probably wasn't as hard as it looks. It always looked to me like he "closes" every line and shape which would make it easy to just magic wand and fill each section of white with a flat color. Or I used to do a style back in the day where I would use a program called STREAMLINE- which would vectorize the image. Then just fill in the shapes with flat colors or gradients in Adobe Illustrator. Trencher was one of my first comics, and probably first image purchase when I first stepped into a comic store as a kid. The style just stood out to me.

[@makoseda]

BLOONT! an underwater sound effect

[@danielvalleduarte]

TRENCHER!!!

[@briangodinez6267]

Whew! I am so happy that my copies are on the way. The kayfabe effect is real!

[@briangodinez6267]

Let the bidding begin!

[@chibodeecrocket9394]

Is the letters page of issue 1 doing a weird callout? The army green plus the manila dossiers makes it look like they were aping the GI JOE: ORDER OF BATTLE profiles, plus Giffen being proud of the fact he never uses ninjas (which JOE was hip-deep in at the time)... some kind of rib at Larry Hama? Not that TRENCHER wasn't slinging a bunch of potshots at people, that one just felt particularly random if it's intentional... Also: one comparison that I haven't seen mentioned, but parts of this style feel very Peter Chung/Aeon Flux to me. The original shorts would've been out two years in '93.

[@lovernkindzierski8335]

Guys! The character's name is the Nasal Python he has super powered nose hair.

[@bihansiceclone]

I didnt even have to ask if it was simon bisley

[@garykuzminski7969]

I've been waiting for this one!

[@chartreuseninjano.7762]

Yeah saw it all the time in dollar bins

[@neuromantikz]

reminds me of kevin o'neil meets simon bisely - wild

[@SGTDave]

I thought I was the only one who bought Trencher. The Nasal Python still resides in my pantheon of favorite villains. I will say some of the visual storyteller got really difficult to follow. You left out Classic Geffen on Ambush Bug and Kevin Maguire Geffen on Legion of Superheroes.

[@freeradiomars]

Juan Jose Ryp also has a similar style, but it leans a bit more towards Geoff.

[@skylabnewyork]

I have this actually. Is it worth anything?

[@Just.Jamie.Comics]

What!? I literally JUST bought TRENCHER #1 the same day I flipped through those bland WARRIORS OF PLASM comics I commented about on that old Wizard video. TRENCHER is the level of visual batshitery that a comic about slime-based superheroes should've been aiming for!

[@Eblis840]

"Warriors of plasm" by defiant comics was so original, I have the first couple of issues but yeah something about it felt so bland, I also have plenty of Valiant comics.

[@timothyburns227]

Nasal python, he had prehensile nose hair. Lol

[@backintheroom3830]

HECKLER HECKLER HECKLER HECKLER.....HOW ABOUT SOME HECKLER....YUMMY YUMMY HECKLER....PLEASE....HECKLER