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Today we're going to talk about an odd-sized trade called High Moon by David Gallaher, Steve Ellis and Scott O. Brown published by Zuda Comics. Now, Zuda Comics is DC's online branch, and I've never been too fond of online comics. I've followed a few over the years, but never for long periods of time because either they go away or I do. When I do, it usually isn't because the comics are bad — quite the contrary — I just don't have the time at work to devote to them sometimes, and let's face it, at work is when I squeeze in most of my online time.

Anyway, some of the Zuda concepts sounded interesting to me, and since DC/Zuda were kind enough to release their online product in these neat little 6 x 8.5 trades, I decided to give some of them a try. Bayou is actually the first Zuda trade I purchased, but it got tossed on the "when I get to it" pile and I simply haven't gotten around to trying it yet. High Moon is my second Zuda purchase and the plot combines werewolves and cowboys! It even throws in some vampires as bad guys. Vamps as evil and werewolves as good! C'mon, how could I pass that up?!? I'm the choir these guys are preaching to!

A former Pinkerton detective named Macgregor rides into the small town of Blest, Texas, tracking a fugitive. He finds the town with its sheriff missing and a small girl kidnapped. Macgregor suspects his quarry, Eddie Conroy, might have something to do with the kidnapping, but soon finds evidence that the real culprit(s) aren't quite human. Gunfights and supernatural goings-on combine for all three chapters of this first collection as the reader meets others in the Macgregor clan.

The trade reads smoother than some episodic web comics do when collected as recaps for a daily audience are kept to a minimum in this volume. There were a few spots where Ellis's art was a little hard to follow from one panel to the next, but he does a good job of drawing his figures as distinct individuals. And the few unclear passages become clear as you read on, so the reader isn't left behind.

Short post this time for a short book, but High Moon is well worth a read, if you have the inkling. I know I'm watching for a follow-up collection, myself.