High Moon
Encyclopedia
High Moon is an award-winning werewolf western webcomic
series, developed in 2004 with a debut in 2007
as a part of Zuda, DC Comics
' webcomic
imprint
. The first season concluded on July 8, 2008. Season two ran from August 16 to November 25, 2008. Season three began its run on February 9, 2009.
High Moon was part of Zuda's initial launch in October 2007. In November 2007, High Moon was awarded a contract with DC Comics, where the strip was serialized on Zuda.com. Scott O. Brown
is the production artist and letterer.
town of Blest, where drought has brought famine and hardship to most of the town and surrounding ranches. Additionally, the nights are haunted by werewolves. While Macgregor, a former Pinkerton
detective, seeks to uncover the town's secrets, he tries desperately to keep secret his own past steeped in witchcraft
and the supernatural
. The second series finds werewolf-hunter Macgregor in Ragged Rock, Oklahoma
, investigating a series of murders following a bizarre train robbery, and finds himself caught in a vendetta and confronting a technological monstrosity. In series three, Macgregor helps a young woman and finds himself amid two warring factions in the Black Hills
of South Dakota
.
Print
In November 2008, DC announced that Bayou and High Moon will be the first two Zuda titles to be published as graphic novel
s, in June and October 2009, respectively.
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
series, developed in 2004 with a debut in 2007
2007 in comics
-January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....
as a part of Zuda, DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
. The first season concluded on July 8, 2008. Season two ran from August 16 to November 25, 2008. Season three began its run on February 9, 2009.
Publication history
Created by David Gallaher and Steve EllisSteve Ellis (comics)
Steve Ellis is an American comic book artist and illustrator who has worked for Wizards of the Coast DC Comics, Wildstorm, White Wolf, Moonstone Books, and Marvel Comics.-Early life and education:...
High Moon was part of Zuda's initial launch in October 2007. In November 2007, High Moon was awarded a contract with DC Comics, where the strip was serialized on Zuda.com. Scott O. Brown
Scott O. Brown
Scott O. Brown is an American writer, letterer, publisher, editor, and production manager. Scott has been responsible for publishing top-tier creators like Amin Amat, Mal Jones, Drew Gilbert, Antony Johnston, Steven Grant, and Jamie Delano....
is the production artist and letterer.
Synopsis
In the first series, a bounty hunter, Matthew Macgregor, investigates a series of strange happenings in the TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
town of Blest, where drought has brought famine and hardship to most of the town and surrounding ranches. Additionally, the nights are haunted by werewolves. While Macgregor, a former Pinkerton
Pinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...
detective, seeks to uncover the town's secrets, he tries desperately to keep secret his own past steeped in witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
and the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
. The second series finds werewolf-hunter Macgregor in Ragged Rock, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, investigating a series of murders following a bizarre train robbery, and finds himself caught in a vendetta and confronting a technological monstrosity. In series three, Macgregor helps a young woman and finds himself amid two warring factions in the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
Characters
- Matthew Macgregor: A descendant of Scottish outlaw Robert "Rob Roy" MacgregorRobert Roy MacGregorRobert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
, the protagonist is a stubborn and grumbly retired Pinkerton He first appears on page 3 of Season 1. As of page 17, he demonstrates a degree of ritual psychometry. He carries a pair of pistols with the words Gáe Bolga carved into the hilts. As seen on page 30 of the strip, his bullets of choice are Blaine Bullets. Mac's history shows a past with James Bowie, Abe Lincoln, Allan PinkertonAllan PinkertonAllan Pinkerton was a Scottish American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.-Early life, career and immigration:...
, and Marie LaveauMarie LaveauMarie Laveau was a Louisiana Creole practitioner of Voodoo renown in New Orleans. She was born free in New Orleans....
- Eddie Conroy: An African-American outlawOutlawIn historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
afflicted with the werewolf curse. After McGregor is killed Conroy assumes his identity. Seen on Page 5 in werewolf form, and again on Page 6 in human form.
- Tristan Macgregor: Member of the Macgregor family, an esoteric subset of the Pinkertons and brother of Matthew. He has a mechanical arm, conceals his face with goggles, and uses steampunkSteampunkSteampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
weapons invented by Nikolai Tesla
- Red: Conroy's loyal wolfdogWolfdogA wolfdog is a canid hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf and a dog . The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most of the animals' proponents and breeders because the domestic dog recently was taxonomically recategorized as a subspecies of wolf...
Supporting characters
- Tara Bradley: Daughter of legendary lawman Sheriff Patrick Bradley, Tara is a beautiful redhead who since moving to Blest has been working for the Sheriff's office. She first appears on Page 2.
- Deputy Jeb Garret: He first appears on page 2. He enjoys reading dime novels.
- Gabriel Hunter: The founder on Blest and father of the little girl who goes missing on Page 1 of the story arc, he first appears on Page 2.
- Margaret Hunter: Goes missing in Page 1 of the opening prologue.
- Mavis Hunter: Seen on Page 7, and recounts his story in a flashback on page 10.
- Sheriff Patrick Bradley: Mentioned on Page 2, does not appear in the prologue.
- Doc McNear: Appears on page 11, where he aids Mavis Hunter with her hysteria, and later is confronted by Conroy.
- Were-Bats: Strange, multi-eyed, multi-armed bat creatures, spawned from the Jim Bowie caves
- Miss Molly: Appears on Page 33. Owner of the Crabapple dance hall.
- Deirdre - Wife of Tristan
- Young Raven - A Red Indian mystic who becomes Conroy's lover. She is the grand-daughter of Raven the Trickster, a legendary Indian character
- Dr Bell - An English detective based on Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
. He is revealed to be the alter-ego of the vicious serial killerSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
Mr Hyde
- Others includes Ester, August, and Frederick Kittel, Vivian, and Egregore
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s, in June and October 2009, respectively.
Awards
- High Moon was nominated for two 2009 Harvey Awards, for Best New Series and Best Online Work, winning the latter award.
- High Moon was nominated for a 2010 Harvey Awards for Best Online Work.
External links
- Comixology.com New York Comic Con podcast
- D'Orazio, ValerieValerie D'OrazioValerie D'Orazio is an American comic book writer and editor.She formerly worked as an assistant editor at Acclaim and DC Comics. At Acclaim Comics she helped edit Shadowman and Magnus Robot Fighter and at DC Comics she assisted on such titles as Justice League of America and Identity...
. "Occasional Interviews: Zuda Artist Steve Ellis on High Moon, OccasionalSuperheroine.com, October 31, 2007 - "Last Minute Edition - David Gallaher on High Moon and Zuda.com", YourMomsBasement.com, October 30, 2007
- Kean, Benjamin Ong Pang. "The Opening Team: Talking to the First Wave of Zuda Creators", NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
, November 1, 2007 - DavidGallaher.com
- Hypersteve.com (Steve Ellis official site)