‘Local' comic book highlights Norman landmarks in new issue

By Tami Althoff

Published: May 29, 2007

NORMAN — Whether they are comic book fans or not, Norman residents may want to pick up the latest issue of "Local,” a 12-part comic book series published by Oni Press.

Issue No. 9, titled "Wish You Were Here,” features the University of Oklahoma's Bizzell Memorial Library on the cover. Each issue of the series is a stand-alone short story set in a different town. Norman was chosen partly because of its strong support of the comic book industry, said Annette Price, owner of Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave.

"They were looking for a small-town setting, and being a college town helped,” Price said.

In addition to Bizzell on the cover, several other Norman landmarks, including The Mont and the OU Motel, appear throughout the issue as main character Megan McKeenan struggles to deal with her mother's death. After finding a 30-year-old photo of her parents in front of Bizzell, Megan and her boyfriend travel to Norman, the town where Megan's parents first met.

In order to pull off the 32-page, black-and-white book, Price worked closely with writer Brian Wood and illustrator Ryan Kelly.

"It was definitely a unique opportunity. It was interesting working with someone one-on-one to develop a comic set in your own hometown,” Price said. "It was like having guests in from out of town.”

The only difference, however, was that Wood and Kelly weren't in Norman at all. Their busy schedules prevented them from making the trip.

"Brian already had a good idea of the types of settings he wanted for his story,” Price said. "For instance, he wanted to use a restaurant or coffee shop where Megan's parents may have gone 30 years ago. The Mont worked beautifully due to its beautiful imagery, long history in Norman and proximity to campus.”

Price, who earned a journalism degree from OU in 1997, used her photography background to assist Wood and Kelly.

"I shot close to 100 photos of everything from can't-miss landmarks like Bizzell to subtle details like the foliage on Flood Street,” Price said. "From the moment when the main character breezes into town and sees the ‘Welcome to Norman' sign on Main Street, readers — particularly those who live or work in Norman — will connect immediately with this book.”

Although Price's store was not featured in the story, Wood extends his thanks at the back of the issue. Wood also commented on his Web site, www.brianwood.com, that No. 9 was his favorite issue in the series.

"Friends of mine have told me how sad this issue is,” Wood wrote on the Web site. "Certainly grieving the loss of a parent is not a happy thing, having done it myself twice, but I think this issue is bittersweet at worst, and quite uplifting at best.”

"Local” No. 9 is available at Speeding Bullet Comics and other area comic shops. It's intended for mature readers.