Writer: Atoll, Burning Fields, Curse, Enormous, Fissure, Spiritus, Skinned to name a few
Design: Alien Bounty Hunter, Zojaqan, Stalag-X, Vagrant Queen, These Savage Shores to name a few
Title: Reigning Emperor of Comic Book Design
Ok, that title may not be "official" but we said it, and we mean it. Much of what Vault Comics has been able to do in their very brief tenure as publisher comes down to the writing, design, and influence of TD. His hands are all over the work being put out by Vault and the overall look and feel of the books reflects Tim's absolute golden touch. The easiest thing to point to is the growing stack of trades heading to our shelves as many of the series are wrapping up or hitting the end of story arcs. To put it bluntly, Tim's design and influence have made absolutely beautiful damn comics and trade dresses. Arguably THE key element of a book is its ability to jump out at the potential reader and make them take notice. Every single Vault title does that in spades. The shelves can't hold these books (Wasted Space #1 on a 3rd print, #2 on a 2nd print - Deep Roots #1 on a 2nd print - Submerged #1 on a 2nd print). What do we get due to the books being so hot? MORE TIM! These BRILLIANT Vault Comics VINTAGE COVERS that pay tribute to iconic creators and covers from comic book history.
Yeah, it's ok. I'll wait. These are stunning. Take a minute.
This is just a taste of the brilliance that Tim is helping to grace our comic loving community with. Classic and undeniable images with new life breathed into them in a giving of thanks and showing of respect. We all owe so much to those that came before us and TD has managed to tip the cap with work that drips with class just as the originals did and still do. It is painfully obvious that the man has not only an eye for fresh elements, but an appreciation and ability to capture the essence of what has made comics great for decades upon decades. While the story within the pages MUST be captivating, it is the images that first conjure emotion with a book. So much is set up for a potential reader by the look, feel, and first impression that they get when searching for their next book. Certainly, we don't judge a book by its cover. However, great packaging sells. Great packaging with guts that sell the packaging just as much as the packaging sells the guts? Yup we've got a winner. Welcome to the world of Tim Daniel Comics ... WINNING. Oh, and just in case anyone was still wondering, here's a sampling of his design/influence on the collected editions:
I could literally go on and on and on about just how beautiful each and every single book is that Tim has touched. It isn't just Vault Comics mind you. He's got quite the collection of logo design to include quite a few that I guarantee you've seen and have helped you decide to give a book a try. I also guarantee that you're raising your eyebrow right now seeing the title in some of these logos. Yes, Tim has been kicking the teeth of comic book design down its throat for quite a while. We're looking at a decade of dominance from the man and the comic community is all the better for his influence.Through admission of his own, Tim has taken that eye for the awesome and helped get his other talent a foot in the door. That's right, not only is Tim the Emperor of Comic Design but he can also spin a damn good tale. If we're being honest here we almost want to hate the guy in the most loving way possible. An absolute wonder with design and can also write with the best of them. Curse, Burning Fields, and Enormous are some titles that might light up a bulb in the 'ol noggin. As a father myself I have to say that Curse resonated with me on a rather personal level. The werewolf story is a great read with horror tones, but a much broader and applicable story to tell. Burning Fields sees Tim give us vibes that make the creepy crawly uneasiness of The Thing wash over. The beauty of it isn't the supernatural/horror, but rather the very real political/military backdrop that story unfolds in. Enormous speaks for itself. The breakout hit is a fan favorite. In just these three examples we've got Tim giving us a very relatable real world story, an old school horror tale spun through the still current political climate, and a pop culture sensation. There's not a writer out there that wouldn't love to have those three books in their portfolio. That's just a sampling of what's on offer from Tim.
Though, let's try to do the impossible for a moment and remove ourselves from being awestruck by the beauty of the books Tim has helped design and write/co-write. Why? Because even more so than the immense talent that TD has with writing and design, he's a rare breed. This is coming from a place beyond his creative abilities. He's a rare breed because on top of everything he's capable of he's a good human being. Tim is a man you WANT to work with regardless of the fact that he's a 1% talent. I'm likely to get flack from TD for doing this spotlight of him and drawing a stink eye for giving him praise. I'll gladly take it as he is the first and most boisterous person when it comes to singing the praises of the people he works with. In every public forum he can and with every chance he gets he doesn't just promote the work of his fellow creators; he promotes the PEOPLE he works with first. He genuinely appreciates, acknowledges, and loves the interactions and relationships he forges through his collaborations and partnerships. It isn't just with his professional level interactions. Tim is open to us out here in the comic community on a level that usually isn't the case. Again, that interaction is genuine and not simply self-serving or promoting. It isn't about an image or a brand. For him, it's about US out here in the comic community and in the realm of fellow creators. THAT is the foundation upon which his multi-talented house of awesome is built.
For being a genuinely good person that, oh by the way happens to be an extremely gifted writer on top of being untouchable on comic design ...
TIM DANIEL IS OUR ROAR OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER 2018
Follow Tim: @TimDanielComics
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