Compass Comics; $75 (crowdfunded) 

 From his early days on The Micronauts to his work on such titles as Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, The Flash, Action Comics, DC/Marvel: All Access, Ruse, Winter Soldier, and Captain America, Butch Guice's art never stopped appealing to me.  

After working with him on a handful of Overstreet covers, it became clear that he was as intelligent and kind as he was talented. His unexpected passing left a hole in the industry. 

So, when Graham Nolan's Compass Comics offered this 144-page, hardcover collection of Storming Paradise, I was eager to back it. I'm so glad I did. 

A collaboration with writer Chuck Dixon, this WWII tale asks the question "What if all the scientists on the Manhattan Project were killed and we never developed the A-Bomb?" 

In the real world, all of the preparations for the invasion of mainland Japan were set aside when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, but in this "What if…?" scenario the scientists behind the Manhattan Project were killed in a disastrous testing accident. 

Instead of Japan surrendering after the bombings, many in their military stand ready to fight to the death and move to recruit civilians into the process. 

Dixon's always strong storytelling really shines here. He stays out of stereotypes and paints a picture of both sides in the conflict. There are those committed to their respective causes, but there are also those caught up in the swirl of events. 

The story matches well with the art. As Dixon details in the introduction, Guice was assisted by Rick Burchett, Eduardo Barretto, and Fernando Blanco in completing the art originally on a very tight deadline (Storming Paradise was originally a six-issue, creator-owned miniseries published by DC's Wildstorm imprint, so Dixon and Guice retained the rights). 

Not to dismiss the esteemed other creators, Guice's work shines as well. It's a shame he's not around to see this edition. The production on the is beautiful, as well.  

Thanks to Nolan for giving this work such a solid showcase. 

– J.C. Vaughn