Exploitation fiction seems common place in comic books with two creators carving out their niches. On the one hand is Dan Mendoza, an artist whose entire brand revolves around grind house cinema styles. On the other is Jason Martin whose use of comic book tropes evokes pulp magazines. With both creators heading their own companies after making news at Action Lab: Danger Zone, it’s time to see what drives them.
Dan Mendoza: A Rodriguez-like Approach
Dan Mendoza is a California Arts graduate with a love for exploitation films like Friday the 13th and Ichi The Killer. Now exploitation films have somewhat of a bad reputation. As the name implies, it exploits the shock and awe of its content. Whether it’s gore, sexual innuendo, or hard-core action, they always have the audience’s attention. Sometimes it’s at the expense of a good story or making their character portrayals flat. This was the purpose of the grindhouse, theaters that double feature these movies back-to-back. Often they feature posters advertising their movies, ironically being more impressive than the actual film; at least according to Robert Rodriguez. Yet it’s seeing that Gonzo style of complementary insanity that almost everybody can have a good time with.
All of these influences eventually give rise to Mendoza’s breakthrough in comics, Zombie Tramp. Similar to its inspirations, this series features the shock and awe of zombies and violence on women. The original Zombie Tramp, Janey Belle, uses her “condition” for payback on everyone who abused her. All while delivering some form of retributive justice on sex traffickers to just messing around for fun. The adventures range from different forms of exploitation genres including slashers and prison films. Some have acclaim others have less success due to arc fatigue. Yet the earlier adventures actually feature the inclusion of what completes this grindhouse experience.
Jason Martin: The Pulp In The Blood
Dan Mendoza actually has a collaborator in some of these interim adventures with Zombie Tramp. This was in the form of Jason Martin, an artist who also serves as both a publisher and editor. Prior to Zombie Tramp, the two met during a project of Martin’s, Super Real. In this series, Martin employs a satire of the entertainment industry. Anything from superheroes, reality TV, to Hollywood lifestyle gets played for laughs in the most gonzo ways. Even after the original webcomic ends with the graphic novel release with artwork including Mendoza’s this didn’t stop. Night Of The 80s Dead features most of the celebrity life satire from Super Real. But the series that takes Martin’s exploits even higher is Vampblade.
This series exists in the same universe as Zombie Tramp not unlike Quentin Tarantino’s movies. Yet this isn’t just complementary grindhouse that fills the other side of Mendoza’s ideas. It’s here that Martin develops a style that’s a different breed of exploitation. Comics before their current incarnation have history in pulps. These stories with great illustration feature evocative imagery to get people’s attention. While the aesthetics of Vampblade are a bit of satire on 90s comics and horror anthologies, the influence remains. This includes how it’s often the covers that tell a story’s main idea in pulps. Something that continues over to comic books, but are for the most part gimmicks until something sticks.
How Not To Be Exploited
In either case of Dan Mendoza and Jason Martin, they use these styles of exploitation fiction to spearhead an entire shared universe. One full of equally gonzo titles like DollFace, Danger Doll Squad, and Amalgama. But while it’s nice to do something with friends, the publisher Action Lab still calls the primary shots. This naturally includes the money. Mendoza, having a lot of ideas that don’t make Action Lab: Danger Zone’s cut decides to go into Kickstarter. Founding his own studio, Still Ill Princess with Las Vegas production company Knightmare Lynch. Considering his three series under the label, I’d say they’re doing well. It’s really no wonder either, grind house presents an energy that produces ideas based on any kind of interest. One idea takes form, a new one gets some development alongside it. The absurdity makes it all up as things go.
Martin in the meantime has similar feelings, something that he‘s been planning since the 2010s. Unlike Mendoza, Martin has experience in publishing prior to Action Lab. His time in Action Lab however gives him notoriety to provide cost effective marketing for his Pulp Girls franchise. Every crazy idea gets put onto display from a parody of Leia Organa to a skier with Swiss Army peg leg. Featuring the balls to the walls energy of past exploits and pulpy sensations, the campaigns practically fund themselves. Because if there’s one thing that pulps do right, it’s getting people’s attention through first impressions. Especially if it can get attention away from competitors.
Pick Your Poison: Dan Mendoza or Jason Martin
Dan Mendoza goes all in with whatever crazy idea comes up and takes the time to listen to his audience. That’s how grind house works, following trends and smashing them together with other stuff to create sensational pieces. Jason Martin meanwhile has ideas that go through journeys. At one point they begin simple but eventually develop into something new. First all while previewing a moment for everyone to see that gets their attention. That is essence of pulps, first impressions that characterize and develop over time. Exploitation media might sound a little bad but there’s an art to the madness. And these two are headlining it.
Thanks for coming to the end, and as always remember to look between the panels.