LOCAL #3
Written by Brian Wood and Drawn by Ryan Kelly
Published by Oni Press
The third episode in Wood and Kelly’s slice-of-life series is a quantum leap forward, as it relegates main protagonist Megan to a cameo and explores the featured locale’s population in an expanded role.
We find ourselves in Richmond, VA this time out, home of the band Theories And Defenses, which has broken up after a number of years together. After breaking out from the local music scene, they had hit the big time, left to find their fortunes, and have now returned not so much as conquering heroes, but as legends in exile. Wood’s story follows each band member on their separate journeys back into the community, showing the emotional toll and fallout from the end of such an enduring set of relationships.
Sex. Arrogance. Rampant egotism (there is a difference). No matter how much we love our friends and co-workers, in the end, many of their traits become things we ignore and tolerate, because that’s what love does, and that’s what it takes to make things work. But for Theories And Defenses, there was a breaking point, and while that moment is never defined in the story, it never feels like it needs to be. Wood’s script and subtext tells you everything you need to know, without ever coming close to being explicit. It’s obvious that these four people shouldn’t be together anymore at the point where the tale begins.
Of course, all that subtext would be for naught if Kelly’s expressive artwork weren’t working on all cylinders. As good as the first two issues looked, this is leaps and bounds ahead of them. Even Megan has a little more spring and verve to her body language during her brief appearance. Looking back at his work in GIANT ROBOT WARRIORS and comparing it to this stuff… it’s sick how good this guy is going to be over the span of his career. He’s gone from a question mark to a homerun hitter. Awesome.
I wasn’t sure after the first two issues if the title could sustain itself in the direction it was going, focusing solely on Megan and her travails. However, seeing how the creative team has mixed it up here shows that they’re aware of that limitation, leaving me excited to see how it will all play out.
/Mason
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
BETTER
This series got off to a damned shaky start. The first issue was bland, tired, and more than a little derivative. But as the book has progressed, each issue has gotten a little better. Issue five continues that trend.
SNAKE EYES: DECLASSIFIED #5
Written by Brandon Jerwa and Drawn by Emiliano Santalucia
Published by Devil’s Due
The credits page in each issue has been offering up a nod to the story being based upon the work of Larry Hama (in the original Marvel series), and that’s never been truer than in this installment. For those of us who were diehard JOE fans as a kid, we finally get the expanded version of the death of the Hard Master and Snake Eyes’ falling out with Storm Shadow and leaving behind his ninja training. Even though you know (if you were there the first time around) how it all plays out in the basic sense, Jerwa still manages to create a sense of tension, which genuinely surprised me.
What really gets you is how well Jerwa manages to tie together other elements, such as the real beginnings of what Cobra was meant to be. If the whopper of a reveal late in the story was covered in the classic series, it was after I stopped reading. On the surface, it seemed like a bit of a stretch, but after I mulled it over, I found that it worked for me, and fit perfectly with the soap opera underpinnings that G.I.JOE has always been constructed upon.
Unlike ORIGIN, another series that laid bare the background of a beloved character, DECLASSIFIED has played things a lot closer to the vest and been much more involved in delivering what the fans would want and be expecting. I wasn’t sure this would ultimately be the case, but the creative team has really come through with solid work. Throw in an outstanding cover, and this makes for a very good comic.
/Mason
This series got off to a damned shaky start. The first issue was bland, tired, and more than a little derivative. But as the book has progressed, each issue has gotten a little better. Issue five continues that trend.
SNAKE EYES: DECLASSIFIED #5
Written by Brandon Jerwa and Drawn by Emiliano Santalucia
Published by Devil’s Due
The credits page in each issue has been offering up a nod to the story being based upon the work of Larry Hama (in the original Marvel series), and that’s never been truer than in this installment. For those of us who were diehard JOE fans as a kid, we finally get the expanded version of the death of the Hard Master and Snake Eyes’ falling out with Storm Shadow and leaving behind his ninja training. Even though you know (if you were there the first time around) how it all plays out in the basic sense, Jerwa still manages to create a sense of tension, which genuinely surprised me.
What really gets you is how well Jerwa manages to tie together other elements, such as the real beginnings of what Cobra was meant to be. If the whopper of a reveal late in the story was covered in the classic series, it was after I stopped reading. On the surface, it seemed like a bit of a stretch, but after I mulled it over, I found that it worked for me, and fit perfectly with the soap opera underpinnings that G.I.JOE has always been constructed upon.
Unlike ORIGIN, another series that laid bare the background of a beloved character, DECLASSIFIED has played things a lot closer to the vest and been much more involved in delivering what the fans would want and be expecting. I wasn’t sure this would ultimately be the case, but the creative team has really come through with solid work. Throw in an outstanding cover, and this makes for a very good comic.
/Mason
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
NIFTY
Top Shelf, maker of fine graphic novels, has recently been increasing their web presence. Not only is co-publisher Brett Warnock blogging, but the company has also added a number of new webcomics to the site.
SUPER SPY WEEKLY
Written and Drawn by Matt Kindt
Chief among those is the new weekly effort from the creator of 2 SISTERS and PISTOLWHIP. Kindt’s espionage-drenched 2 SISTERS was a surprise hit with me, and seeing him return to the genre with this material was a welcome development. And much like that graphic novel, these smaller tales have plenty of character depth alongside the action and intrigue.
There are four stories in this mini-comic presentation, and the collection leads off with the strongest effort, simply titled “Super Spy.” A young woman who believes she’s found love in her dreary life is about to find out a horrible secret about the man she loves and the friends he keeps. It’s a haunting, dark tale that leaves you sad and grieving with the only ending that would be acceptable. Other stories in the book have a bit lighter touch, balancing out your emotions, but it’s difficult to put aside how you feel by the time you finish chapter one.
Kindt’s art is excellent, presenting the spies in a naturalistic element, and never making them seem anything other than grounded and human. I don’t know if there’s a mechanism in place to put together larger collections of Kindt’s weeklies, but it would be a damned shame if they weren’t. They deserve a place of honor on the shelf next to 2 SISTERS, more excellent work from a creator whose voice I have yet to tire of.
/Mason
Top Shelf, maker of fine graphic novels, has recently been increasing their web presence. Not only is co-publisher Brett Warnock blogging, but the company has also added a number of new webcomics to the site.
SUPER SPY WEEKLY
Written and Drawn by Matt Kindt
Chief among those is the new weekly effort from the creator of 2 SISTERS and PISTOLWHIP. Kindt’s espionage-drenched 2 SISTERS was a surprise hit with me, and seeing him return to the genre with this material was a welcome development. And much like that graphic novel, these smaller tales have plenty of character depth alongside the action and intrigue.
There are four stories in this mini-comic presentation, and the collection leads off with the strongest effort, simply titled “Super Spy.” A young woman who believes she’s found love in her dreary life is about to find out a horrible secret about the man she loves and the friends he keeps. It’s a haunting, dark tale that leaves you sad and grieving with the only ending that would be acceptable. Other stories in the book have a bit lighter touch, balancing out your emotions, but it’s difficult to put aside how you feel by the time you finish chapter one.
Kindt’s art is excellent, presenting the spies in a naturalistic element, and never making them seem anything other than grounded and human. I don’t know if there’s a mechanism in place to put together larger collections of Kindt’s weeklies, but it would be a damned shame if they weren’t. They deserve a place of honor on the shelf next to 2 SISTERS, more excellent work from a creator whose voice I have yet to tire of.
/Mason
Comic Bloggers' Poll 2005: Winners
Go take a look. I voted. It was fun.
Hats off to Chris Tamarri and friends for doing a kick ass job.
/Mason
Go take a look. I voted. It was fun.
Hats off to Chris Tamarri and friends for doing a kick ass job.
/Mason
Sunday, January 22, 2006
HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY LAYMAN
John’s a friend. So I have to admit that before discussing the book. I’m a full disclosure kind of guy.
SENTINEL SQUAD O.N.E. #1
Written by John Layman and Drawn by Aaron Lopresti
Published by Marvel Comics
Since their inception, the Sentinels have always been giant homicidal robots with only programming as their guide. Now, actual human beings pilot the new generation of killer bots. This is their story. SENTINEL SQUAD O.N.E. was described to me early on as “Band Of Brothers with giant robots” and that’s a fair enough angle. We’re introduced to the recruiting class for pilots, meet the movers and shakers behind the program, and get a general idea of where the series is going to go. One little tidy “pilot episode” package for your enjoyment.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t speed bumps along the way. With such a large cast, we don’t get much of a chance to develop a rooting interest in any of the recruits, because the exposition is so important to getting the plot moving. Plus, the fact that we need to learn about the recruits to a certain degree pushes the best character in the book to the wayside: James “Rhodey” Rhodes is the man charged with training the motley crew of pilots, and he’s a welcome sight, indeed. The period where I was a big IRON MAN fan coincides with Rhodey’s tenure in the suit back around issues #170-197 of the original series. Good times, happy memories.
What works? Layman does a good job of impressing upon you that his band of recruits are a bunch of body bags waiting to be used. Piloting a huge weapon like a Sentinel is as dangerous a job as you can find in the Marvel Universe, and there’s no room for malcontents or those who refuse to pay attention. He also presents a solid bit of intrigue as to one of the pilots, Lex, as he appears to be hiding his status of a still-powered mutant. But the star here is Aaron Lopresti’s art, which is just about perfect for the book. He excels in presenting all-out action between the robots and the Hulk, yet doesn’t phone it in when it comes time to working with the humans in the cast. Pretty, pretty stuff.
One thing I do need to mention is that there is one complete botch here: the logo. In a market where shelf space is life, this book has been saddled with one of the worst, most generic logos I’ve seen in ages. It’s terrible. If I hadn’t known to look for the title because of its writer, I’d have ignored it completely on the stands. Awful.
There’s a lot of cool stuff ahead in this book. Give it a read.
/Mason
John’s a friend. So I have to admit that before discussing the book. I’m a full disclosure kind of guy.
SENTINEL SQUAD O.N.E. #1
Written by John Layman and Drawn by Aaron Lopresti
Published by Marvel Comics
Since their inception, the Sentinels have always been giant homicidal robots with only programming as their guide. Now, actual human beings pilot the new generation of killer bots. This is their story. SENTINEL SQUAD O.N.E. was described to me early on as “Band Of Brothers with giant robots” and that’s a fair enough angle. We’re introduced to the recruiting class for pilots, meet the movers and shakers behind the program, and get a general idea of where the series is going to go. One little tidy “pilot episode” package for your enjoyment.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t speed bumps along the way. With such a large cast, we don’t get much of a chance to develop a rooting interest in any of the recruits, because the exposition is so important to getting the plot moving. Plus, the fact that we need to learn about the recruits to a certain degree pushes the best character in the book to the wayside: James “Rhodey” Rhodes is the man charged with training the motley crew of pilots, and he’s a welcome sight, indeed. The period where I was a big IRON MAN fan coincides with Rhodey’s tenure in the suit back around issues #170-197 of the original series. Good times, happy memories.
What works? Layman does a good job of impressing upon you that his band of recruits are a bunch of body bags waiting to be used. Piloting a huge weapon like a Sentinel is as dangerous a job as you can find in the Marvel Universe, and there’s no room for malcontents or those who refuse to pay attention. He also presents a solid bit of intrigue as to one of the pilots, Lex, as he appears to be hiding his status of a still-powered mutant. But the star here is Aaron Lopresti’s art, which is just about perfect for the book. He excels in presenting all-out action between the robots and the Hulk, yet doesn’t phone it in when it comes time to working with the humans in the cast. Pretty, pretty stuff.
One thing I do need to mention is that there is one complete botch here: the logo. In a market where shelf space is life, this book has been saddled with one of the worst, most generic logos I’ve seen in ages. It’s terrible. If I hadn’t known to look for the title because of its writer, I’d have ignored it completely on the stands. Awful.
There’s a lot of cool stuff ahead in this book. Give it a read.
/Mason
Monday, January 16, 2006
BLACK HARVEST #2
Written and Drawn by Josh Howard
Published by Devil’s Due
Howard’s new mini finds a pretty decent second gear with this issue. His DEAD @17 efforts had a tendency to start off really slow and pick up tons of steam at the end, but this shows more early plot movement than I was expecting.
When last we saw UFO writer Daniel Webster (and his name should tell you a bit about the kind of story this is going to be), he had picked up a girl from the edge of the highway named Zaya Vahn. It turned out that she had been missing for three years, and rather than being shown some gratitude, the local heat decided to make him a suspect. (Which frankly didn’t work as a plot point, because it assumes that the local law is so stupid and corrupt that they couldn’t find their asses with both hands and a flashlight.) Set free, he headed back to his hotel to begin to prepare for the reason he’s in Jericho, Texas to begin with: the mysterious and unexplained lights that periodically appear over the town. But what he doesn’t know is that Zaya has returned with vengeance in her heart and some strange powers…
Which makes it all the more interesting for us when she turns up at his motel and wants to make nice for his rescue.
BLACK HARVEST is traveling down a path that would have fit quite comfortably in an X-FILES episode, but so far, Howard is managing to maintain an interesting balance between the looming mystery, Daniel’s personal quests, and Zaya’s re-assimilation into the community and her apparent gift for brutal murder. It’s all very solidly accomplished.
One of the things about BLACK HARVEST is how you can look at it and see that Howard has found an identity for himself as an artist at this point. While others work in similar artistic styles, Howard has carved out a niche in that style and meshed himself with particular stories and storytelling devices to the point where he’s set himself apart. BLACK HARVEST looks to be exactly the correct step for him to have taken at this point in his career.
/Mason
Written and Drawn by Josh Howard
Published by Devil’s Due
Howard’s new mini finds a pretty decent second gear with this issue. His DEAD @17 efforts had a tendency to start off really slow and pick up tons of steam at the end, but this shows more early plot movement than I was expecting.
When last we saw UFO writer Daniel Webster (and his name should tell you a bit about the kind of story this is going to be), he had picked up a girl from the edge of the highway named Zaya Vahn. It turned out that she had been missing for three years, and rather than being shown some gratitude, the local heat decided to make him a suspect. (Which frankly didn’t work as a plot point, because it assumes that the local law is so stupid and corrupt that they couldn’t find their asses with both hands and a flashlight.) Set free, he headed back to his hotel to begin to prepare for the reason he’s in Jericho, Texas to begin with: the mysterious and unexplained lights that periodically appear over the town. But what he doesn’t know is that Zaya has returned with vengeance in her heart and some strange powers…
Which makes it all the more interesting for us when she turns up at his motel and wants to make nice for his rescue.
BLACK HARVEST is traveling down a path that would have fit quite comfortably in an X-FILES episode, but so far, Howard is managing to maintain an interesting balance between the looming mystery, Daniel’s personal quests, and Zaya’s re-assimilation into the community and her apparent gift for brutal murder. It’s all very solidly accomplished.
One of the things about BLACK HARVEST is how you can look at it and see that Howard has found an identity for himself as an artist at this point. While others work in similar artistic styles, Howard has carved out a niche in that style and meshed himself with particular stories and storytelling devices to the point where he’s set himself apart. BLACK HARVEST looks to be exactly the correct step for him to have taken at this point in his career.
/Mason
Sunday, January 15, 2006
LAST ONE OF THESE FOR A WHILE
I’ve been on a huge ESSENTIALS kick both here and at The Shoot over the last few weeks, but that will be curtailing now that I’ve reached the end of my huge pile of the things for now. Guess I’ll be back to floppies, etc, eh?
ESSENTIAL OHOTMU VOL.1
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Marvel Comics
THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE was no less than a revelation from the comics gods when presented to a twelve-year old when it hit the scene in 1982. As an avid Marvel kid, to have all these characters, all this information in one place… it was mind-boggling. My friends and I devoured each and every issue like they were made of chocolate-covered crack.
Blueprints of the Baxter Building? Check. Schematic of the Avengers’ Quinjet? Check. An explanation for how Colossus’ metal body worked? You betcha. An explanation of where Wolverine really came from?
Well, the book didn’t have quite everything. But it was enough.
Reading this material sent me back in time, and seeing the classic portraits and poses that so many great artists put together… what a priceless experience for me. John Byrne doing the entries for all the Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight characters. Mike Zeck doing the pieces related to Captain America. Walt Simonson tackling Thor and the rest of the Asgardians. Gorgeous. A reminder of my favorite era for comics, the one that sticks out the most in my mind.
I think most of us identify our love of the medium as stemming from the books that captivated us most, and it was here, this time, when the much-missed Mark Gruenwald was putting together this book and guiding a significant chunk of the Marvel universe that will always define how I feel comics should be. Whether that’s right or wrong is irrelevant; it’s mine, and nothing can take it from me. I know we can never really return to a simpler time, but thanks to series like the ESSENTIALS, I don’t have to.
Eventually those times return to me.
/Mason
I’ve been on a huge ESSENTIALS kick both here and at The Shoot over the last few weeks, but that will be curtailing now that I’ve reached the end of my huge pile of the things for now. Guess I’ll be back to floppies, etc, eh?
ESSENTIAL OHOTMU VOL.1
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Marvel Comics
THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE was no less than a revelation from the comics gods when presented to a twelve-year old when it hit the scene in 1982. As an avid Marvel kid, to have all these characters, all this information in one place… it was mind-boggling. My friends and I devoured each and every issue like they were made of chocolate-covered crack.
Blueprints of the Baxter Building? Check. Schematic of the Avengers’ Quinjet? Check. An explanation for how Colossus’ metal body worked? You betcha. An explanation of where Wolverine really came from?
Well, the book didn’t have quite everything. But it was enough.
Reading this material sent me back in time, and seeing the classic portraits and poses that so many great artists put together… what a priceless experience for me. John Byrne doing the entries for all the Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight characters. Mike Zeck doing the pieces related to Captain America. Walt Simonson tackling Thor and the rest of the Asgardians. Gorgeous. A reminder of my favorite era for comics, the one that sticks out the most in my mind.
I think most of us identify our love of the medium as stemming from the books that captivated us most, and it was here, this time, when the much-missed Mark Gruenwald was putting together this book and guiding a significant chunk of the Marvel universe that will always define how I feel comics should be. Whether that’s right or wrong is irrelevant; it’s mine, and nothing can take it from me. I know we can never really return to a simpler time, but thanks to series like the ESSENTIALS, I don’t have to.
Eventually those times return to me.
/Mason
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
BACK ON THE REVIEW TRAIN
Take a week off and the pile begins to get out of hand. What’s a poor bastard to do?
INTIMIDATORS #1
Written by Neil Kleid and Drawn by Miguel Montenegro
Published by Image Comics
I’ve been curious about this one since I first heard it announced. Kleid is a talented creator, and certainly has the ability to take this concept (which is sort of “what if you put Superman or Captain America in a group of super-assholes like The Authority?”) and run with it. And while this opening salvo shows promise, the pacing of the story doesn’t quite let Kleid stretch his wings.
The Intimidators are the supergroup of last resort for the American government, the ones they call on when absolutely no one else is available or when the threat level is so high that it requires a ludicrous bunch of idiots to solve the problem. The most competent of the group is Crash, a super-strong and super-fast fellow who also has a tendency to pass out in the middle of missions from the use of his powers. Then there’s Fetish, a homicidal teleporter who spends her off-hours as a dominatrix. Limit, another teleporter, who’s a bit of a pussy. And Firepower, an armored British drunkard. Quite the motley crew. The last member of the cast, Astroman, doesn’t show up until the final page, so basically, this issue is pure set-up and display, with the real plot to follow later.
Threatening the world this time around is a mafia goon with a nuclear weapon armed in downtown Detroit. Backing up his ploy is the goon’s robot mafia, so there are plenty of bad guys for the Intimidators to beat up on. The entire battle sequence is insanely over-the-top, and it does give Kleid a couple of moments in which to have his fun; Fetish’s treatment of a Mafioso opponent is a snicker-worthy exercise in black humor. But mainly, it exists to show us what these lunatics can do, because it will balance against the future behavior of Astroman. Fair enough. You have to get to the point where your story really begins.
Montenegro’s art serves the story well, eschewing fancy layouts and clipped poses in order to keep the story flowing in an organic fashion. That’s certainly a happy and satisfactory development. And again, there are some darkly amusing moments that kept my head in it along the way. I suppose what I’m saying is that INTIMIDATORS #1 didn’t quite give me what I was expecting out of the gate, but that doesn’t necessarily rank as a bad thing. I found plenty enough here to make me want to settle in and give it the time to grow that I think it needs.
/Mason
Take a week off and the pile begins to get out of hand. What’s a poor bastard to do?
INTIMIDATORS #1
Written by Neil Kleid and Drawn by Miguel Montenegro
Published by Image Comics
I’ve been curious about this one since I first heard it announced. Kleid is a talented creator, and certainly has the ability to take this concept (which is sort of “what if you put Superman or Captain America in a group of super-assholes like The Authority?”) and run with it. And while this opening salvo shows promise, the pacing of the story doesn’t quite let Kleid stretch his wings.
The Intimidators are the supergroup of last resort for the American government, the ones they call on when absolutely no one else is available or when the threat level is so high that it requires a ludicrous bunch of idiots to solve the problem. The most competent of the group is Crash, a super-strong and super-fast fellow who also has a tendency to pass out in the middle of missions from the use of his powers. Then there’s Fetish, a homicidal teleporter who spends her off-hours as a dominatrix. Limit, another teleporter, who’s a bit of a pussy. And Firepower, an armored British drunkard. Quite the motley crew. The last member of the cast, Astroman, doesn’t show up until the final page, so basically, this issue is pure set-up and display, with the real plot to follow later.
Threatening the world this time around is a mafia goon with a nuclear weapon armed in downtown Detroit. Backing up his ploy is the goon’s robot mafia, so there are plenty of bad guys for the Intimidators to beat up on. The entire battle sequence is insanely over-the-top, and it does give Kleid a couple of moments in which to have his fun; Fetish’s treatment of a Mafioso opponent is a snicker-worthy exercise in black humor. But mainly, it exists to show us what these lunatics can do, because it will balance against the future behavior of Astroman. Fair enough. You have to get to the point where your story really begins.
Montenegro’s art serves the story well, eschewing fancy layouts and clipped poses in order to keep the story flowing in an organic fashion. That’s certainly a happy and satisfactory development. And again, there are some darkly amusing moments that kept my head in it along the way. I suppose what I’m saying is that INTIMIDATORS #1 didn’t quite give me what I was expecting out of the gate, but that doesn’t necessarily rank as a bad thing. I found plenty enough here to make me want to settle in and give it the time to grow that I think it needs.
/Mason
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
MILE HIGH COMICS presents THE BEAT at COMICON.com: What it feels like for a girl
Heidi, as usual, is right. Go read it.
What stuck out to me most in the piece, is this snippet: "But the main thing that got me thinking is that sexual assault is not comics' problem; it's society's problem. While an examination of how comics treats women is always welcome, I was not convinced that this account had anything whatsoever to do with comics, or sexual harassment, based on the information given." She later goes in the direction that I'm about to, and I fully admit to hitching my wagon to hers, so I apologize in advance. But this stuff cannot be ignored.
It isn't a secret that assholes are a problem everywhere, regardless of where they're employed. I once had a former employee report to me that a man in a different department asked her about the events of her upcoming weekend while pretending to dry-hump a chair. Another male employee was let go because he wouldn't stop asking inappropriate questions about female employees' sex lives. It was maddening to me that this even needed to be done; who raised these morons? Who let them believe that was appropriate behavior? As Heidi says, this is a societal problem. But it's one we can address and absolutely do something about.
I am the (now former) step-father to three young girls. The youngest came into my life at the age of five, and even though she had never read a comic in her life, she already enjoyed tying a blanket around her neck, pretending to fly, and calling herself Supergirl. As quickly as I could find one (and they were damned rare), she got her first Supergirl action figure, and I encouraged her to start reading comics with me.
Start 'em young, right?
But I was also very aware of the fact that my hobby was one that was not as open and friendly to little girls as it needed to be. So I was very selective about what I showed her. And I kept her away from the local comics shops at the time, because they were unfit for her presence. Thanks to the terrific Brian Johnson and Khepri, I was able to find enough material to keep her interest moving along, though.
If you pull back and look at our society as a whole, the problems glare at you with eyes of steel. Poverty. Crime. Corruption. The list goes on. As an individual, it's easy to feel powerless when confronted with it all. The mountains are so large that the peaks seem out of reach. But you cannot let that powerlessness settle in to your soul. You just can't.
What you have to do, and as I said, Heidi's essay gets into this late in the text, is look at your neighborhood. Look in the immediate five foot radius. Make a difference. Then expand your reach a bit. Make it ten feet. Get the person next to you involved, either by spirit or by shame, and get them working on their own radius. And make it continue to spread.
Clean up your neighborhood.
That's what the brave young woman who was on the receiving end of that recent assault did. She drew a line in the sand and put the dirt on notice. Comics is no uglier a slum than any other, but it's the one we live in, because we love them. We don't love every resident or every house, but they're ours. Enough of us need to feel enough of a sense of duty and honor to each other that we start pressuring the other neighbors to paint their houses, cut the grass, and tow away the dead cars. It is shameful that we live this way. There's no reason we should.
We need to live in a place where I'm not afraid to take a five-year old girl inside without worrying about what she'll see or whom she'll meet. We need to gather on a block where a woman can walk down the sidewalk is seen as a creative spirit and collaborator, not as fresh meat. Yes, those problems will remain on the outside, where the rest of the crime and corruption have taken root. No question. In an optimistic world, we'll clean those neighborhoods someday, too. But for today, let's start at home. Don't patronize retailers who create that kind of environment. Don't buy comics from people known to be encouraging and participating in the worst behaviors. Support the works of those speaking out and those trying to make a difference.
Grab a broom. I've made a clean spot. Looks like I have to keep going.
/Mason
Heidi, as usual, is right. Go read it.
What stuck out to me most in the piece, is this snippet: "But the main thing that got me thinking is that sexual assault is not comics' problem; it's society's problem. While an examination of how comics treats women is always welcome, I was not convinced that this account had anything whatsoever to do with comics, or sexual harassment, based on the information given." She later goes in the direction that I'm about to, and I fully admit to hitching my wagon to hers, so I apologize in advance. But this stuff cannot be ignored.
It isn't a secret that assholes are a problem everywhere, regardless of where they're employed. I once had a former employee report to me that a man in a different department asked her about the events of her upcoming weekend while pretending to dry-hump a chair. Another male employee was let go because he wouldn't stop asking inappropriate questions about female employees' sex lives. It was maddening to me that this even needed to be done; who raised these morons? Who let them believe that was appropriate behavior? As Heidi says, this is a societal problem. But it's one we can address and absolutely do something about.
I am the (now former) step-father to three young girls. The youngest came into my life at the age of five, and even though she had never read a comic in her life, she already enjoyed tying a blanket around her neck, pretending to fly, and calling herself Supergirl. As quickly as I could find one (and they were damned rare), she got her first Supergirl action figure, and I encouraged her to start reading comics with me.
Start 'em young, right?
But I was also very aware of the fact that my hobby was one that was not as open and friendly to little girls as it needed to be. So I was very selective about what I showed her. And I kept her away from the local comics shops at the time, because they were unfit for her presence. Thanks to the terrific Brian Johnson and Khepri, I was able to find enough material to keep her interest moving along, though.
If you pull back and look at our society as a whole, the problems glare at you with eyes of steel. Poverty. Crime. Corruption. The list goes on. As an individual, it's easy to feel powerless when confronted with it all. The mountains are so large that the peaks seem out of reach. But you cannot let that powerlessness settle in to your soul. You just can't.
What you have to do, and as I said, Heidi's essay gets into this late in the text, is look at your neighborhood. Look in the immediate five foot radius. Make a difference. Then expand your reach a bit. Make it ten feet. Get the person next to you involved, either by spirit or by shame, and get them working on their own radius. And make it continue to spread.
Clean up your neighborhood.
That's what the brave young woman who was on the receiving end of that recent assault did. She drew a line in the sand and put the dirt on notice. Comics is no uglier a slum than any other, but it's the one we live in, because we love them. We don't love every resident or every house, but they're ours. Enough of us need to feel enough of a sense of duty and honor to each other that we start pressuring the other neighbors to paint their houses, cut the grass, and tow away the dead cars. It is shameful that we live this way. There's no reason we should.
We need to live in a place where I'm not afraid to take a five-year old girl inside without worrying about what she'll see or whom she'll meet. We need to gather on a block where a woman can walk down the sidewalk is seen as a creative spirit and collaborator, not as fresh meat. Yes, those problems will remain on the outside, where the rest of the crime and corruption have taken root. No question. In an optimistic world, we'll clean those neighborhoods someday, too. But for today, let's start at home. Don't patronize retailers who create that kind of environment. Don't buy comics from people known to be encouraging and participating in the worst behaviors. Support the works of those speaking out and those trying to make a difference.
Grab a broom. I've made a clean spot. Looks like I have to keep going.
/Mason
Sunday, January 08, 2006
REGAL
Wow.
Really. Wow.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve devoured these four volumes in succession, and I’m nothing short of blown away at how much I enjoyed them. In fact, I more than liked them; they were a revelation to me, and I cannot recommend highly enough that you check them out.
ESSENTIAL TOMB OF DRACULA VOLS.1-4
Written Mostly by Marv Wolfman
Drawn Mostly by Gene Colan
Published by Marvel Comics
I had never read a single issue of the comic as a kid, so I knew very little about what to expect in these pages. Dracula had shown up in UNCANNY X-MEN a couple of times, and later was killed for good by DOCTOR STRANGE, but the rich supporting cast and history were beyond my grasp at that point. I know now just how much I was missing.
These were, for the most part, simply brilliant comics. It took a few issues for Wolfman to come on board as the writer, but once he did, he never left the driver’s seat, toiling away on the title for over seven years and creating a distinct and indelible horror title in which he had to create enough of a threat to his main character to keep the audience in check, yet never forget that this was a comic about a villain (and if my memory tells me true, easily the longest running title of that nature). That meant tapping new levels of creative height in discovering ways to challenge the vampire and his pursuers, and Wolfman was always up to the challenge.
However, the real star of the show was the legendary Gene Colan. Colan drew all seventy issues of the main title, along with extra stories for annuals and the Dracula magazines, becoming the defining artist for the character and setting the bar at such a high level that others who drew stories featuring the vampire looked pale in comparison. What impresses you as you read these collections is the amount of detail that graces his pages, and the graceful storytelling that flows through his pages. Another legend, inker Tom Palmer, would do the blacks for the majority of the book’s run, making this one of comics’ all-time consistently great titles. Also, as you page through these, you feel fortunate to have these in this format. It seems damned near criminal that this work was originally printed in color; Colan’s art is so beautiful that the idea of ruining it with the old-time color process on newsprint is horrific. I’m sure it still looked wonderful, but not as good as it did when Gene turned in the work.
Wolfman gained most of his notoriety in comics for his collaborations with George Perez on TEEN TITANS and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, but TOMB OF DRACULA, taken as a whole, is the equal or better of those two titles. Of the four volumes, the third stands out most, as there is less extraneous material collected from magazines and such. Every story but one in volume three is written by Wolfman; every story but one is drawn by Colan. And by the way, the story not drawn by Colan? Drawn by Steve Ditko. It’s just that good, folks.
Of all the ESSENTIALS I’ve read over the last month or so, nothing else even comes close to just how excellent these four books are. I implore you: check out the finest work of Colan’s career and give yourself a different view of what Wolfman is capable of as a writer. You’ll be very, very glad you did.
/Mason
Wow.
Really. Wow.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve devoured these four volumes in succession, and I’m nothing short of blown away at how much I enjoyed them. In fact, I more than liked them; they were a revelation to me, and I cannot recommend highly enough that you check them out.
ESSENTIAL TOMB OF DRACULA VOLS.1-4
Written Mostly by Marv Wolfman
Drawn Mostly by Gene Colan
Published by Marvel Comics
I had never read a single issue of the comic as a kid, so I knew very little about what to expect in these pages. Dracula had shown up in UNCANNY X-MEN a couple of times, and later was killed for good by DOCTOR STRANGE, but the rich supporting cast and history were beyond my grasp at that point. I know now just how much I was missing.
These were, for the most part, simply brilliant comics. It took a few issues for Wolfman to come on board as the writer, but once he did, he never left the driver’s seat, toiling away on the title for over seven years and creating a distinct and indelible horror title in which he had to create enough of a threat to his main character to keep the audience in check, yet never forget that this was a comic about a villain (and if my memory tells me true, easily the longest running title of that nature). That meant tapping new levels of creative height in discovering ways to challenge the vampire and his pursuers, and Wolfman was always up to the challenge.
However, the real star of the show was the legendary Gene Colan. Colan drew all seventy issues of the main title, along with extra stories for annuals and the Dracula magazines, becoming the defining artist for the character and setting the bar at such a high level that others who drew stories featuring the vampire looked pale in comparison. What impresses you as you read these collections is the amount of detail that graces his pages, and the graceful storytelling that flows through his pages. Another legend, inker Tom Palmer, would do the blacks for the majority of the book’s run, making this one of comics’ all-time consistently great titles. Also, as you page through these, you feel fortunate to have these in this format. It seems damned near criminal that this work was originally printed in color; Colan’s art is so beautiful that the idea of ruining it with the old-time color process on newsprint is horrific. I’m sure it still looked wonderful, but not as good as it did when Gene turned in the work.
Wolfman gained most of his notoriety in comics for his collaborations with George Perez on TEEN TITANS and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, but TOMB OF DRACULA, taken as a whole, is the equal or better of those two titles. Of the four volumes, the third stands out most, as there is less extraneous material collected from magazines and such. Every story but one in volume three is written by Wolfman; every story but one is drawn by Colan. And by the way, the story not drawn by Colan? Drawn by Steve Ditko. It’s just that good, folks.
Of all the ESSENTIALS I’ve read over the last month or so, nothing else even comes close to just how excellent these four books are. I implore you: check out the finest work of Colan’s career and give yourself a different view of what Wolfman is capable of as a writer. You’ll be very, very glad you did.
/Mason
Saturday, December 31, 2005
POLISHED
I was going to put up one more review today, but I've changed my mind. It's been a long, strange year, I've reviewed a ton of books as of late, and I think I've ended the year on a high note. Thanks to all of you who stop by and read, and to each of you, I wish a happy and healthy 2006.
See you next week with more new reviews!
Marc Mason
somewhere in Arizona...
I was going to put up one more review today, but I've changed my mind. It's been a long, strange year, I've reviewed a ton of books as of late, and I think I've ended the year on a high note. Thanks to all of you who stop by and read, and to each of you, I wish a happy and healthy 2006.
See you next week with more new reviews!
Marc Mason
somewhere in Arizona...
Friday, December 30, 2005
ONE MORE IGNATZ
The first wave consisted of three books, this one actually being the first.
BAOBAB #1
Written and Drawn by Igort
Published by Fantagraphics
Igort’s entry into the Ignatz series is easily the most ambitious of the lot. Unlike the other two volumes, which focused on “one and done” stories, BAOBAB is a multi-chapter start to what appears will be a longer and more in-depth work.
The story takes place at the same time on two different continents during September, 1910. In the more focused story, we meet a young Japanese boy named Hiroshi and see him perform some of his youthful duties, which include visiting a sad woman who has lost her son and taking care of his grandmother. Across the world in South America, a man named Celestino begins working on his career as a cartoonist under the watchful eye of his depressed sister. There is only a thematic link between the two stories in this first section, but it allows Igort to spread his wings and show off his ability to adapt his art style to his characters.
Hiroshi’s story has a very distinct Japanese look to it, but not in the sense that it looks like manga; instead, it looks more like traditional Japanese art that you’d find in paintings from the late nineteenth century through the time period Igort is depicting. Celestino’s story has a much more European flavor to it with a dash to (the acknowledged on the back cover) Winsor McCay. What intrigues me is whether or not the two characters’ stories will merge somewhere down the road, and what those pages might look like.
Here’s where things get weird for me, though. While technically and artistically superior to the other two Ignatz books I’d read so far, I enjoyed BAOBAB the least. I never got as invested in the characters as I did in the other volumes, and I wasn’t yet compelled by anything in either storyline to see something transcendent somewhere down the road in the story. That’s obviously a function of this being a first chapter from a longer work, but it’s also a risk you take when you pace out your story as an artist and writer.
Now, let’s see where the second wave takes us.
/Mason
The first wave consisted of three books, this one actually being the first.
BAOBAB #1
Written and Drawn by Igort
Published by Fantagraphics
Igort’s entry into the Ignatz series is easily the most ambitious of the lot. Unlike the other two volumes, which focused on “one and done” stories, BAOBAB is a multi-chapter start to what appears will be a longer and more in-depth work.
The story takes place at the same time on two different continents during September, 1910. In the more focused story, we meet a young Japanese boy named Hiroshi and see him perform some of his youthful duties, which include visiting a sad woman who has lost her son and taking care of his grandmother. Across the world in South America, a man named Celestino begins working on his career as a cartoonist under the watchful eye of his depressed sister. There is only a thematic link between the two stories in this first section, but it allows Igort to spread his wings and show off his ability to adapt his art style to his characters.
Hiroshi’s story has a very distinct Japanese look to it, but not in the sense that it looks like manga; instead, it looks more like traditional Japanese art that you’d find in paintings from the late nineteenth century through the time period Igort is depicting. Celestino’s story has a much more European flavor to it with a dash to (the acknowledged on the back cover) Winsor McCay. What intrigues me is whether or not the two characters’ stories will merge somewhere down the road, and what those pages might look like.
Here’s where things get weird for me, though. While technically and artistically superior to the other two Ignatz books I’d read so far, I enjoyed BAOBAB the least. I never got as invested in the characters as I did in the other volumes, and I wasn’t yet compelled by anything in either storyline to see something transcendent somewhere down the road in the story. That’s obviously a function of this being a first chapter from a longer work, but it’s also a risk you take when you pace out your story as an artist and writer.
Now, let’s see where the second wave takes us.
/Mason
Thursday, December 29, 2005
DAY FOUR
Another in the line of “Ignatz” books from Fantagraphics. See yesterday’s review for details.
INSOMNIA #1
Written and Drawn by Matt Broersma
INSOMNIA brings together two stories; one short story, titled “Four Kings” and a longer story, “Eldorado.” “Four Kings” is an amusing little lark that brings together a few skeletal figures for a poker night. Like most poker nights, money is lost, lies are told, and bad jokes are exchanged. “Eldorado” is a far more serious tale, taking us on the journey of a man named Marco as he smuggles materials across the border into Mexico and attempts to take his own life in response to his life’s debts and doubts.
Broersma has a clean and simple style, though it falters at the moment where Marco makes the choice to try and end it all, because the resolution that the story gives only becomes clear through the text, not the art. Beyond that, this is earthy, atmospheric stuff, and the heavy paper stock absorbs the shading well. Mood is everything in “Eldorado,” and in that, Broersma excels.
However, it is the fantastical “Four Kings” that sells me on the book. While there is no actual need for the poker players to be skeletons from a story perspective, it enhances the dark humor of the tale and makes the jokes play more effectively. It also demonstrates an economy of storytelling, that he can get so much into four pages and leave the reader with a feeling of resolution.
So far, the “Ignatz” books are two for two with me. They have their flaws and problems, but they’re entertaining and ambitious ideas, and comics need more of those.
/Mason
Another in the line of “Ignatz” books from Fantagraphics. See yesterday’s review for details.
INSOMNIA #1
Written and Drawn by Matt Broersma
INSOMNIA brings together two stories; one short story, titled “Four Kings” and a longer story, “Eldorado.” “Four Kings” is an amusing little lark that brings together a few skeletal figures for a poker night. Like most poker nights, money is lost, lies are told, and bad jokes are exchanged. “Eldorado” is a far more serious tale, taking us on the journey of a man named Marco as he smuggles materials across the border into Mexico and attempts to take his own life in response to his life’s debts and doubts.
Broersma has a clean and simple style, though it falters at the moment where Marco makes the choice to try and end it all, because the resolution that the story gives only becomes clear through the text, not the art. Beyond that, this is earthy, atmospheric stuff, and the heavy paper stock absorbs the shading well. Mood is everything in “Eldorado,” and in that, Broersma excels.
However, it is the fantastical “Four Kings” that sells me on the book. While there is no actual need for the poker players to be skeletons from a story perspective, it enhances the dark humor of the tale and makes the jokes play more effectively. It also demonstrates an economy of storytelling, that he can get so much into four pages and leave the reader with a feeling of resolution.
So far, the “Ignatz” books are two for two with me. They have their flaws and problems, but they’re entertaining and ambitious ideas, and comics need more of those.
/Mason
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
DAY THREE
Today, I’m digging into the “Ignatz” series of books that Fanta launched this Fall. These comics are an interesting meld of European and North American formats; they’re thirty-two pages, saddled stitched, but they’re printed at a larger size, on sturdy, heavy paper stock, and have a secondary cover that acts as a dust jacket.
WISH YOU WERE HERE #1: THE INNOCENTS
Written and Drawn by Gipi
Young Andrea is on an outing with his Uncle Gil, heading for the funfair. But a voice from the past contacts Gil; his old friend Valerio is out of prison and would like to get back in touch with his childhood best friend, so there’s a diversion along the way. And during the trip, Andrea will not only learn about a boyhood far more different than his own, but he will get a first lesson in what happens to a man whose life is shattered beyond repair.
THE INNOCENTS is a quiet, subtle, character-based piece that does itself proud. The story here isn’t one of plot; it’s about the journey a man may or may not take as he grows through adolescence. Andrea is faced with two men who had similar paths for the most part; only his uncle, who was a far worse lad, was fortunate enough to avoid the innocent Valerio’s fate. And now, as Gil attempts to determine what exactly responsibility truly means, he must confront a dark and broken mirror before he can move forward.
Gipi’s art changes in style as he shifts into flashbacks, adopting a simplistic style as though drawn by a young child. It’s not as effective as it should be, but I understand the idea. I think he’d have been better off trusting his audience to follow his fine storytelling abilities, because the pages set in the present are simply lovely, and the flashback material sticks out badly.
Still, this is a solidly produced success that leaves me intrigued to see what else we’ll get from this excellent creator.
/Mason
Today, I’m digging into the “Ignatz” series of books that Fanta launched this Fall. These comics are an interesting meld of European and North American formats; they’re thirty-two pages, saddled stitched, but they’re printed at a larger size, on sturdy, heavy paper stock, and have a secondary cover that acts as a dust jacket.
WISH YOU WERE HERE #1: THE INNOCENTS
Written and Drawn by Gipi
Young Andrea is on an outing with his Uncle Gil, heading for the funfair. But a voice from the past contacts Gil; his old friend Valerio is out of prison and would like to get back in touch with his childhood best friend, so there’s a diversion along the way. And during the trip, Andrea will not only learn about a boyhood far more different than his own, but he will get a first lesson in what happens to a man whose life is shattered beyond repair.
THE INNOCENTS is a quiet, subtle, character-based piece that does itself proud. The story here isn’t one of plot; it’s about the journey a man may or may not take as he grows through adolescence. Andrea is faced with two men who had similar paths for the most part; only his uncle, who was a far worse lad, was fortunate enough to avoid the innocent Valerio’s fate. And now, as Gil attempts to determine what exactly responsibility truly means, he must confront a dark and broken mirror before he can move forward.
Gipi’s art changes in style as he shifts into flashbacks, adopting a simplistic style as though drawn by a young child. It’s not as effective as it should be, but I understand the idea. I think he’d have been better off trusting his audience to follow his fine storytelling abilities, because the pages set in the present are simply lovely, and the flashback material sticks out badly.
Still, this is a solidly produced success that leaves me intrigued to see what else we’ll get from this excellent creator.
/Mason
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
FANTA WEEK, DAY TWO
And now, something to savor…
THE COMICS JOURNAL LIBRARY #4: CLASSIC COMICS ILLUSTRATORS
Interviews and Essays by Various
Like the SPECIAL EDITIONS, these over-sized collections are packed so completely full of fascinating material and artwork that they take weeks to read thoroughly and enjoy. Produced at the size of a classic 33rpm record album, they sit on your shelf loud and proud, and this one has an amazing cover to boot.
The editorial hand of the great Tom Spurgeon lies behind this book, which brings together interviews of Burne Hogarth, Russ Manning, Russ Heath, Mark Schultz, and Frank Frazetta, and reproduces an enormous amount of art from these greats. From sketches, to paintings, to panels, to full pages of sequentials, the reader is guided towards a comprehensive look at the career of a giant as they pass through the articles.
But it isn’t only that there’s a ton of gorgeous art to look at; it’s that much of the material goes towards showing the versatility of these men. Hogarth is best known for his work on TARZAN, but we also get to see his adaptability into other styles and on other subjects, giving a more rounded idea of the man’s career. Heath is known for his war comics, but we get a glimpse of his humor material, and his ability to create works of horror.
The interviews are amazing, especially Frazetta and Hogarth’s, as both men engage in lengthy dialogues that peel back the layers of their lives and influences. It’s this kind of material that TCJ does best, and Spurgeon has done a nice job of finding a way to preserve some its best work in this format.
In a medium where the “kewl” factor reigns supreme, it’s nice to take a step back and be reminded of what really makes comics great and why. This one is truly a keeper.
/Mason
And now, something to savor…
THE COMICS JOURNAL LIBRARY #4: CLASSIC COMICS ILLUSTRATORS
Interviews and Essays by Various
Like the SPECIAL EDITIONS, these over-sized collections are packed so completely full of fascinating material and artwork that they take weeks to read thoroughly and enjoy. Produced at the size of a classic 33rpm record album, they sit on your shelf loud and proud, and this one has an amazing cover to boot.
The editorial hand of the great Tom Spurgeon lies behind this book, which brings together interviews of Burne Hogarth, Russ Manning, Russ Heath, Mark Schultz, and Frank Frazetta, and reproduces an enormous amount of art from these greats. From sketches, to paintings, to panels, to full pages of sequentials, the reader is guided towards a comprehensive look at the career of a giant as they pass through the articles.
But it isn’t only that there’s a ton of gorgeous art to look at; it’s that much of the material goes towards showing the versatility of these men. Hogarth is best known for his work on TARZAN, but we also get to see his adaptability into other styles and on other subjects, giving a more rounded idea of the man’s career. Heath is known for his war comics, but we get a glimpse of his humor material, and his ability to create works of horror.
The interviews are amazing, especially Frazetta and Hogarth’s, as both men engage in lengthy dialogues that peel back the layers of their lives and influences. It’s this kind of material that TCJ does best, and Spurgeon has done a nice job of finding a way to preserve some its best work in this format.
In a medium where the “kewl” factor reigns supreme, it’s nice to take a step back and be reminded of what really makes comics great and why. This one is truly a keeper.
/Mason
Monday, December 26, 2005
FANTA WEEK, PT. 1
Through the end of the year… some new efforts from Fantagraphics!
CINEMA PANOPTICUM
Written and Drawn by Thomas Ott
This lush hardcover graphic novel presents an unusual type of horror story: a young, impoverished girl finds her way into a carnival, and the only attraction she can afford is the panoptic cinema. There are five films for her to watch, and each gets progressively more disturbing, until the child succumbs to her own curiosity and places her final coin in the one titled “The Girl.”
There is an element of “The Twilight Zone” and of classic 50s horror comics at play here, but Ott’s subtlety of storytelling and his brilliantly detailed art lend an air of sophistication to the frights he presents. His work has a photo-realistic quality, adding a layer to the story; as a reader, you are placed into the position of watching the cinema yourself and awaiting her fate. When you lock onto this feeling, it provides a serious jolt, and enhances your enjoyment of the book.
Of the films she watches, none grabs you quite like “The Prophet,” which tells the tale of a man who has seen the signs of the coming apocalypse, but is thought to be mad. But madness is never more aptly described as an altered perception of reality by the time his tale plays itself out.
CINEMA PANOPTICUM is an arresting piece of entertainment that engages the mind and artistic interest in multiple ways. It is recommended for the more sophisticated and mature reader.
/Mason
Through the end of the year… some new efforts from Fantagraphics!
CINEMA PANOPTICUM
Written and Drawn by Thomas Ott
This lush hardcover graphic novel presents an unusual type of horror story: a young, impoverished girl finds her way into a carnival, and the only attraction she can afford is the panoptic cinema. There are five films for her to watch, and each gets progressively more disturbing, until the child succumbs to her own curiosity and places her final coin in the one titled “The Girl.”
There is an element of “The Twilight Zone” and of classic 50s horror comics at play here, but Ott’s subtlety of storytelling and his brilliantly detailed art lend an air of sophistication to the frights he presents. His work has a photo-realistic quality, adding a layer to the story; as a reader, you are placed into the position of watching the cinema yourself and awaiting her fate. When you lock onto this feeling, it provides a serious jolt, and enhances your enjoyment of the book.
Of the films she watches, none grabs you quite like “The Prophet,” which tells the tale of a man who has seen the signs of the coming apocalypse, but is thought to be mad. But madness is never more aptly described as an altered perception of reality by the time his tale plays itself out.
CINEMA PANOPTICUM is an arresting piece of entertainment that engages the mind and artistic interest in multiple ways. It is recommended for the more sophisticated and mature reader.
/Mason
Sunday, December 25, 2005
MERRY CHRISTMAS
I had some high hopes for this one. I should know better.
ESSENTIAL KILLRAVEN VOL.1
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Marvel Comics
KILLRAVEN has long been one of those “holy grail” sci-fi comics, a book pointed to as being an underrated and under-appreciated icon of the 70s. Upon reading this collection, I can officially say “NO” to that.
Yes, the concept was terrific: branching out from H.G. Wells’ WAR OF THE WORLDS, a second Martian invasion took place in 2001 that left the earth in ruins. As the series begins, it is 2018, and Killraven and his fellow rebels are on the run and making attacks against their evil Martian masters. Okee doke. There are plenty of cool, nasty creatures and mutants to fight, likeable characters in Killraven’s band, and exciting adventures.
But, my God… the writing. The horror. The horror!
KILLRAVEN was blessed to have some of the greatest artists ever work on his stories. P. Craig Russell draws the bulk of this book! Plus, you get efforts from Neal Adams, Gene Colon, Herb Trimpe, Sal Buscema, and Howard Chaykin! It is no lie to say that there is some truly brilliant artwork in these pages. But the writing ruins most of it, and you just have to shake your head, disgusted.
“But Marc!” you say. “Whatever could be so awful as to make those men’s work suffer?” And I give you two words: Don McGregor. Don “I never met a panel I couldn’t overcrowd with pointlessly turgid prose” McGregor. That would also be Don “I make Bill Mantlo read like he’s terse” McGregor. Which gets proved here, by the way, because Mantlo does a couple of the issues in this book, and they do read as terse compared to McGregor’s stuff! I’m telling you, it’s horrible. Tons of extraneous text that takes away panel space from the page. Long expository captions that crowd out the action. Dialogue that not only repeats the expository captions, but that also makes George Lucas sound like Mamet. Plus, some of the stories jump around so much that you can’t find the narrative line once it’s been dropped. One character seemingly dies or is injured horrifically during an attack that kills two others, and you don’t find out until two issues later that he survived, and he isn’t even injured at that point. It’s headache inducing.
So as pretty as this might be, there is no conceivable way in the world that I could ever recommend this. Too many flaws, and not enough payoff, makes my Christmas gift to you all the savings of the $17 you might have spent on this book.
/Mason
I had some high hopes for this one. I should know better.
ESSENTIAL KILLRAVEN VOL.1
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Marvel Comics
KILLRAVEN has long been one of those “holy grail” sci-fi comics, a book pointed to as being an underrated and under-appreciated icon of the 70s. Upon reading this collection, I can officially say “NO” to that.
Yes, the concept was terrific: branching out from H.G. Wells’ WAR OF THE WORLDS, a second Martian invasion took place in 2001 that left the earth in ruins. As the series begins, it is 2018, and Killraven and his fellow rebels are on the run and making attacks against their evil Martian masters. Okee doke. There are plenty of cool, nasty creatures and mutants to fight, likeable characters in Killraven’s band, and exciting adventures.
But, my God… the writing. The horror. The horror!
KILLRAVEN was blessed to have some of the greatest artists ever work on his stories. P. Craig Russell draws the bulk of this book! Plus, you get efforts from Neal Adams, Gene Colon, Herb Trimpe, Sal Buscema, and Howard Chaykin! It is no lie to say that there is some truly brilliant artwork in these pages. But the writing ruins most of it, and you just have to shake your head, disgusted.
“But Marc!” you say. “Whatever could be so awful as to make those men’s work suffer?” And I give you two words: Don McGregor. Don “I never met a panel I couldn’t overcrowd with pointlessly turgid prose” McGregor. That would also be Don “I make Bill Mantlo read like he’s terse” McGregor. Which gets proved here, by the way, because Mantlo does a couple of the issues in this book, and they do read as terse compared to McGregor’s stuff! I’m telling you, it’s horrible. Tons of extraneous text that takes away panel space from the page. Long expository captions that crowd out the action. Dialogue that not only repeats the expository captions, but that also makes George Lucas sound like Mamet. Plus, some of the stories jump around so much that you can’t find the narrative line once it’s been dropped. One character seemingly dies or is injured horrifically during an attack that kills two others, and you don’t find out until two issues later that he survived, and he isn’t even injured at that point. It’s headache inducing.
So as pretty as this might be, there is no conceivable way in the world that I could ever recommend this. Too many flaws, and not enough payoff, makes my Christmas gift to you all the savings of the $17 you might have spent on this book.
/Mason
Saturday, December 24, 2005
OKAY, I’M GOING TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THIS ONCE
This comic is actually a spin-off from a novel that won’t be hitting bookstores until Fall 2006. However, if I understand what I’m reading, it isn’t a prequel, so much as it is a companion piece.
HATTER M: THE LOOKING GLASS WARS #1
Story by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier and Art by Ben Templesmith
Published by Image Comics
The idea behind both the comic and future novel seems to be that, Lewis Carroll took liberties with the history of an actual place: Wonderland. And not only is that other-dimensional destination real, Alyss Heart originated from that place. She happens to be the crown princess. Her bodyguard is one Hatter Madigan, a man of deadly skill with the blade, whose hat becomes something of a flying guillotine when thrown properly. In HATTER M, he has slipped through a puddle to 1859, Paris, in search of the missing Alyss. His lack of understanding of our world, and the immediate disappearance of his hat, offer only the first of many obstacles he’s about to face.
Whew. Got that?
Now, that’s a lot to take on, especially right out of the gate, but once you settle in to the story and find its narrative logic, this becomes a nicely put together comic. Madigan is an amusing protagonist, and his lack of a grasp on our society leads to many amusing scenarios, not the least of which is that his efforts to defend himself leave him seen as one of the worst serial killers of the nineteenth century. But even more intriguingly, there does exist some magic in our world, in the person of an illusionist named Sacrenoir, and it will take all of Madigan’s skill and cunning to match wits against the man’s power.
The star of the show is Templesmith’s art. Continuing his breakout work post-30 DAYS OF NIGHT, he delivers some wondrous and whimsical work in depicting what is a world gone mad to Hatter. The first few pages are a bit shaky, but when he settles in to the story, this book takes off. Beddor is the novelist whose book comes next year, so I’m guessing that Cavalier’s role was one of perhaps working to adapt the concept to the comic book format. Whichever it is, this is solid entertainment, and it has done its work in making me interested in the prose to come.
/Mason
This comic is actually a spin-off from a novel that won’t be hitting bookstores until Fall 2006. However, if I understand what I’m reading, it isn’t a prequel, so much as it is a companion piece.
HATTER M: THE LOOKING GLASS WARS #1
Story by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier and Art by Ben Templesmith
Published by Image Comics
The idea behind both the comic and future novel seems to be that, Lewis Carroll took liberties with the history of an actual place: Wonderland. And not only is that other-dimensional destination real, Alyss Heart originated from that place. She happens to be the crown princess. Her bodyguard is one Hatter Madigan, a man of deadly skill with the blade, whose hat becomes something of a flying guillotine when thrown properly. In HATTER M, he has slipped through a puddle to 1859, Paris, in search of the missing Alyss. His lack of understanding of our world, and the immediate disappearance of his hat, offer only the first of many obstacles he’s about to face.
Whew. Got that?
Now, that’s a lot to take on, especially right out of the gate, but once you settle in to the story and find its narrative logic, this becomes a nicely put together comic. Madigan is an amusing protagonist, and his lack of a grasp on our society leads to many amusing scenarios, not the least of which is that his efforts to defend himself leave him seen as one of the worst serial killers of the nineteenth century. But even more intriguingly, there does exist some magic in our world, in the person of an illusionist named Sacrenoir, and it will take all of Madigan’s skill and cunning to match wits against the man’s power.
The star of the show is Templesmith’s art. Continuing his breakout work post-30 DAYS OF NIGHT, he delivers some wondrous and whimsical work in depicting what is a world gone mad to Hatter. The first few pages are a bit shaky, but when he settles in to the story, this book takes off. Beddor is the novelist whose book comes next year, so I’m guessing that Cavalier’s role was one of perhaps working to adapt the concept to the comic book format. Whichever it is, this is solid entertainment, and it has done its work in making me interested in the prose to come.
/Mason
Friday, December 23, 2005
WHEN DO WE GET A COLLECTION?
WESTERN TALES OF TERROR #1-5
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Hoarse And Buggy Productions
This five-issue anthology delivers precisely what the title suggests: a plethora of western-themes horror stories, visiting the modern day for only one brief story, and even that story harkens back to the nineteenth century.
WTOT brings together an interesting mix of established comics creators such as Phil Hester, Tom Mandrake, and Jay Faerber and newcomers putting together their first published work. Oddly enough, though, it is some of the newer creators work that really stands out, never dwarfed by the known talents. Generally, you’d easily expect quite the opposite.
There’s no shortage of humor in these anthologies, either. One story, about the “tryout” given to a fledgling prostitute, is so gruesomely funny that you might snort milk out of your nose. But, for the most part, the stories are all played pretty straight and seriously.
After these five issues, the book went on a hiatus, but I’d like to see it survive somehow in a different format. These sorts of genre tales never really go out of style, and a collected edition would surely do well on bookstore shelves in particular. There would likely need to be some legwork done to secure copyrights, etc., a second time around, but with a book that has this kind of perennial sale potential, it would be worth the effort.
A yearly graphic novel of new material wouldn’t be a bad idea, either, as it would keep the property visible, and insure a steady stream of revenue for this fine small publisher.
Not much else to really say about this one. I enjoyed it, it held my interest on a very bad day, and it deserves the kudos it received throughout its original publication schedule.
/Mason
WESTERN TALES OF TERROR #1-5
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Hoarse And Buggy Productions
This five-issue anthology delivers precisely what the title suggests: a plethora of western-themes horror stories, visiting the modern day for only one brief story, and even that story harkens back to the nineteenth century.
WTOT brings together an interesting mix of established comics creators such as Phil Hester, Tom Mandrake, and Jay Faerber and newcomers putting together their first published work. Oddly enough, though, it is some of the newer creators work that really stands out, never dwarfed by the known talents. Generally, you’d easily expect quite the opposite.
There’s no shortage of humor in these anthologies, either. One story, about the “tryout” given to a fledgling prostitute, is so gruesomely funny that you might snort milk out of your nose. But, for the most part, the stories are all played pretty straight and seriously.
After these five issues, the book went on a hiatus, but I’d like to see it survive somehow in a different format. These sorts of genre tales never really go out of style, and a collected edition would surely do well on bookstore shelves in particular. There would likely need to be some legwork done to secure copyrights, etc., a second time around, but with a book that has this kind of perennial sale potential, it would be worth the effort.
A yearly graphic novel of new material wouldn’t be a bad idea, either, as it would keep the property visible, and insure a steady stream of revenue for this fine small publisher.
Not much else to really say about this one. I enjoyed it, it held my interest on a very bad day, and it deserves the kudos it received throughout its original publication schedule.
/Mason
Thursday, December 22, 2005
REAL GENIUS
FLAMING CARROT COMICS #4
Written and Drawn by Bob Burden
Published by Image Comics
Few things make me more pleased than a new issue of FLAMING CARROT. Bob Burden’s long-running absurdist masterpiece is like nothing else you’ll find on the racks, full of ludicrous stories, silly art, and tons of laughs. Yet what makes it work is that all the nonsense… makes complete and total sense.
For example, this issue finds the Carrot having entered into a “zen stupidity” state of mind to help him fight crime. And in this state, he takes a bath, promptly loses his ducky soap out an open window, and winds up on an adventure. The adventure takes him through the city streets, first in search of his ducky soap, and then in search of his friend Sponge Boy, who owes him $400 (which the Carrot allows will help him buy new ducky soap. The search for Sponge Boy takes him to a strip club and to a haunted house, wherein he accidentally falls into a realm where he becomes real (and the art turns into photographs). And to top it off, he does the entire thing in his pajamas, and has a pie fight with the two coeds he lives with to start the story.
If you’re thinking that sounds insane, you’re perfectly right. But that’s what makes the CARROT such a terrific piece of work. In Burden’s world, it all makes perfect, unarguable sense. You’re so sucked into the lunacy of the characters that you can’t help but start thinking like them a bit. It’s almost enough to put you in therapy.
FLAMING CARROT most certainly isn’t for everyone. Some readers need a coldly logical and linear narrative to enjoy a comic, and this most assuredly would leave them sucking their thumbs and looking for a happy place. But for those with a taste for the different and unusual, I heartily recommend getting your proper dose of vitamins and minerals through this tasty vegetable.
/Mason
FLAMING CARROT COMICS #4
Written and Drawn by Bob Burden
Published by Image Comics
Few things make me more pleased than a new issue of FLAMING CARROT. Bob Burden’s long-running absurdist masterpiece is like nothing else you’ll find on the racks, full of ludicrous stories, silly art, and tons of laughs. Yet what makes it work is that all the nonsense… makes complete and total sense.
For example, this issue finds the Carrot having entered into a “zen stupidity” state of mind to help him fight crime. And in this state, he takes a bath, promptly loses his ducky soap out an open window, and winds up on an adventure. The adventure takes him through the city streets, first in search of his ducky soap, and then in search of his friend Sponge Boy, who owes him $400 (which the Carrot allows will help him buy new ducky soap. The search for Sponge Boy takes him to a strip club and to a haunted house, wherein he accidentally falls into a realm where he becomes real (and the art turns into photographs). And to top it off, he does the entire thing in his pajamas, and has a pie fight with the two coeds he lives with to start the story.
If you’re thinking that sounds insane, you’re perfectly right. But that’s what makes the CARROT such a terrific piece of work. In Burden’s world, it all makes perfect, unarguable sense. You’re so sucked into the lunacy of the characters that you can’t help but start thinking like them a bit. It’s almost enough to put you in therapy.
FLAMING CARROT most certainly isn’t for everyone. Some readers need a coldly logical and linear narrative to enjoy a comic, and this most assuredly would leave them sucking their thumbs and looking for a happy place. But for those with a taste for the different and unusual, I heartily recommend getting your proper dose of vitamins and minerals through this tasty vegetable.
/Mason
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