Friday's Fall Finale... concluded!
The last new column of 2007 is up and it's a doozy! Matt delivers a brand new FULL BLEED full of huge news: his book, STRANGEWAYS, will be in the new Previews! So pre-order that bad boy!
Also: the holiday hiatus announcement is now on the front page, along with links to those CWR writers who are blogging through the holiday... including ME!
/Mason
Friday, December 14, 2007
Friday's Fall Finale...
The main site will be shuttering for the holidays, but blogging will continue. However, before all that happens...
2007 IN REVIEW by yours truly, is now live, as I take a look at some of the year's better books... and a few you don't want anywhere near you...
Plus, Elliott ends 2007 by beginning his personal manifesto about comics and what they should mean to us all!
Go read, for Pete's sake!
/Mason
The main site will be shuttering for the holidays, but blogging will continue. However, before all that happens...
2007 IN REVIEW by yours truly, is now live, as I take a look at some of the year's better books... and a few you don't want anywhere near you...
Plus, Elliott ends 2007 by beginning his personal manifesto about comics and what they should mean to us all!
Go read, for Pete's sake!
/Mason
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Thursday... as tomorrow's main site holiday approaches, we still have plenty of goodies to come!
First... Vince delivers his final OMNIUM GATHERUM of 2007, wherein he takes on Ed Brubaker's CAPTAIN AMERICA OMNIBUS and finds it... boring...
Plus: I review J. Chris Campbell's very odd piece of cartooning, ZIG ZAG #2.
Click over and say hello, yes?
/Mason
First... Vince delivers his final OMNIUM GATHERUM of 2007, wherein he takes on Ed Brubaker's CAPTAIN AMERICA OMNIBUS and finds it... boring...
Plus: I review J. Chris Campbell's very odd piece of cartooning, ZIG ZAG #2.
Click over and say hello, yes?
/Mason
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Tuesday...
It's time for the December edition of JESS KNOWS BEST! This time around, she offers up some holiday gift giving advice for the geek set, plus provides some guidance in how gamer couples can keep their relationships fresh and free of burnout.
JESS KNOWS BEST also has its own MySpace page now, too!
/Mason
It's time for the December edition of JESS KNOWS BEST! This time around, she offers up some holiday gift giving advice for the geek set, plus provides some guidance in how gamer couples can keep their relationships fresh and free of burnout.
JESS KNOWS BEST also has its own MySpace page now, too!
/Mason
Monday, December 10, 2007
I just posted this bit of PR out to the news sites:
VIRGIN COMICS WRITER SAURAV MOHAPATRA JOINS THE
COMICS WAITING ROOM!
Up-and-Coming Talent is the Latest Addition to the Comics Columnist Community!
TEMPE, AZ, Monday, December 10, 2007-
The Comics Waiting Room (www.comicswaitingroom.com) is proud to announce the addition of comic book writer Saurav Mohapatra to the site. Mohapatra will be writing a column titled “NINE PANEL GRID” for the site and it will cover his trials and travails in making it in the comics business and the things he continues to learn along the way. Saurav is currently writing DEVI, THE SADHU, and DEEPAK CHOPRA PRESENTS: INDIA AUTHENTIC for the publisher, so you can see the results of his columns and the lessons he’s learned on the stands at your neighborhood comics shop!
“NINE PANEL GRID” begins today with an introductory and the first two lessons in scripting that he had to internalize in his early efforts. The column will then run on a bi-weekly to monthly basis as Mohapatra’s writing schedule allows. The column will be archived at www.comicswaitingroom.com/ninepanelgrid.html so that anyone who has missed an installment can easily catch up. Column one can be found at http://www.comicswaitingroom.com/ninepanelgrid1.html.
Comics Waiting Room owner and Editor-in-Chief Marc Mason had this to say about the addition of Mohapatra to the site: “Saurav is a terrific young talent, and I’m ecstatic to have him add The Waiting Room to his list of assignments. He brings a new, unique voice to the table, and his connection with Virgin Comics will help him see his work published across the world. I think he’s going to be able to help other writers trying to follow in his footsteps and give them the tools and the confidence they need to succeed.”
About The Comics Waiting Room:
Established by Marc Mason in July 2006, after working for a number of other comics-related websites, The Comics Waiting Room has consistently added new content five to six days a week. The site offers reviews of comics, graphic novels, and media, as well as occasional media and entertainment features. After producing 99.9% of the content himself in the first year, the second year has seen the addition of five new columnists to the site, with more to come!
Contact: Marc Mason
marc@comicswaitingroom.com
VIRGIN COMICS WRITER SAURAV MOHAPATRA JOINS THE
COMICS WAITING ROOM!
Up-and-Coming Talent is the Latest Addition to the Comics Columnist Community!
TEMPE, AZ, Monday, December 10, 2007-
The Comics Waiting Room (www.comicswaitingroom.com) is proud to announce the addition of comic book writer Saurav Mohapatra to the site. Mohapatra will be writing a column titled “NINE PANEL GRID” for the site and it will cover his trials and travails in making it in the comics business and the things he continues to learn along the way. Saurav is currently writing DEVI, THE SADHU, and DEEPAK CHOPRA PRESENTS: INDIA AUTHENTIC for the publisher, so you can see the results of his columns and the lessons he’s learned on the stands at your neighborhood comics shop!
“NINE PANEL GRID” begins today with an introductory and the first two lessons in scripting that he had to internalize in his early efforts. The column will then run on a bi-weekly to monthly basis as Mohapatra’s writing schedule allows. The column will be archived at www.comicswaitingroom.com/ninepanelgrid.html so that anyone who has missed an installment can easily catch up. Column one can be found at http://www.comicswaitingroom.com/ninepanelgrid1.html.
Comics Waiting Room owner and Editor-in-Chief Marc Mason had this to say about the addition of Mohapatra to the site: “Saurav is a terrific young talent, and I’m ecstatic to have him add The Waiting Room to his list of assignments. He brings a new, unique voice to the table, and his connection with Virgin Comics will help him see his work published across the world. I think he’s going to be able to help other writers trying to follow in his footsteps and give them the tools and the confidence they need to succeed.”
About The Comics Waiting Room:
Established by Marc Mason in July 2006, after working for a number of other comics-related websites, The Comics Waiting Room has consistently added new content five to six days a week. The site offers reviews of comics, graphic novels, and media, as well as occasional media and entertainment features. After producing 99.9% of the content himself in the first year, the second year has seen the addition of five new columnists to the site, with more to come!
Contact: Marc Mason
marc@comicswaitingroom.com
Manga Monday! Leading off the week, a review of the (now super-good) ES (ETERNAL SABBATH).
Plus a new columnist joins the site. Details to come shortly!
/Mason
Plus a new columnist joins the site. Details to come shortly!
/Mason
Friday, December 07, 2007
Thursday, December 06, 2007
DOCK WALLOPER #1
CWR BLOG EXTRA
Latest in Virgin Comics line of Hollywood director-created comics is DOCK WALLOPER, from the mind of Ed Burns and written by Burns and comics stud Jimmy Palmiotti and drawn by Siju Thomas. Burns has made his movie career based on films about schlub New Yorkers who can’t get their shit together when it comes to women and who need to drink and navel gaze a bit less. So the premise of WALLOPER comes as a bit of a surprise; set in Depression era New York, it follows the trials and tribulations of two unusual friends: John “The Hand” Smith, a bruiser whose right hand is much bigger than his left, and his best friend and fellow orphan, Bootsy.
In the first issue, the duo manages to fall under the good graces of an Irish gangster thanks to a timely bit of saving their own asses from a hit by a rival Italian ganglord. Thus, even though the Irish (being thorough racists) would prefer to not have Bootsy around, they are stuck with him for the moment thanks to Smith’s loyalty to his friend. But as the pair moves upward through the ranks, you can bet that temptations galore will work to tear the two apart, beginning with their first taste of actual money.
Actually, I suppose that could lead to Burns getting back to telling a tale about schlub New Yorkers who can’t get their shit together and need to drink less, but in a different format and era. But either way, this is actually quite a bit more appealing than a lot of his film work; the characters are interesting, the dialogue is crisp (something I’d bet good money is attributable to Jimmy), and Thomas does a nice job of depicting the era’s clothing, architecture, and colors.
Mind you, it isn’t a rocket science debut, but it is done well enough to merit a continued look (or at least a reading of the inevitable collection). If there’s one thing I know, it’s that Jimmy P. makes damned good comics, and his involvement here was reassuring from the time the book was announced.
/Mason
CWR BLOG EXTRA
Latest in Virgin Comics line of Hollywood director-created comics is DOCK WALLOPER, from the mind of Ed Burns and written by Burns and comics stud Jimmy Palmiotti and drawn by Siju Thomas. Burns has made his movie career based on films about schlub New Yorkers who can’t get their shit together when it comes to women and who need to drink and navel gaze a bit less. So the premise of WALLOPER comes as a bit of a surprise; set in Depression era New York, it follows the trials and tribulations of two unusual friends: John “The Hand” Smith, a bruiser whose right hand is much bigger than his left, and his best friend and fellow orphan, Bootsy.
In the first issue, the duo manages to fall under the good graces of an Irish gangster thanks to a timely bit of saving their own asses from a hit by a rival Italian ganglord. Thus, even though the Irish (being thorough racists) would prefer to not have Bootsy around, they are stuck with him for the moment thanks to Smith’s loyalty to his friend. But as the pair moves upward through the ranks, you can bet that temptations galore will work to tear the two apart, beginning with their first taste of actual money.Actually, I suppose that could lead to Burns getting back to telling a tale about schlub New Yorkers who can’t get their shit together and need to drink less, but in a different format and era. But either way, this is actually quite a bit more appealing than a lot of his film work; the characters are interesting, the dialogue is crisp (something I’d bet good money is attributable to Jimmy), and Thomas does a nice job of depicting the era’s clothing, architecture, and colors.
Mind you, it isn’t a rocket science debut, but it is done well enough to merit a continued look (or at least a reading of the inevitable collection). If there’s one thing I know, it’s that Jimmy P. makes damned good comics, and his involvement here was reassuring from the time the book was announced.
/Mason
Thursday... we're running a bit out of order this week, so you get a new COMIC CULTURE WARRIOR today instead of Friday...
This week, Elliott remembers the work of Elliott S! Maggin and how it influenced him, and points your way towards Maggin's congressional campaign for office.
Vote by clicking, won't you?
/Mason
This week, Elliott remembers the work of Elliott S! Maggin and how it influenced him, and points your way towards Maggin's congressional campaign for office.
Vote by clicking, won't you?
/Mason
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Today at the Waiting Room...
Matt Maxwell returns with a new FULL BLEED, dreaming of a Marvel Comics that never was and pondering the audience for big ticket comics like DC's Absolute editions.
You'll never look at Tom Spurgeon the same way again...
Plus: I take a gander at THE ART OF GREG CAPULLO
/Mason
Matt Maxwell returns with a new FULL BLEED, dreaming of a Marvel Comics that never was and pondering the audience for big ticket comics like DC's Absolute editions.
You'll never look at Tom Spurgeon the same way again...
Plus: I take a gander at THE ART OF GREG CAPULLO
/Mason
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
This lovely bit of PR just went out this morning:
COMICS WRITER BRANDON JERWA JOINS COMICS WAITING ROOM!
Infamous Comic Writer is the Latest Addition to the Comics Columnist Community!
TEMPE, AZ, Tuesday, December 4, 2007-
The Comics Waiting Room (www.comicswaitingroom.com) is proud to announce the addition of comic book writer Brandon Jerwa to the site. Jerwa will be writing a column titled “ANYTHING GOES WITH BRANDON JERWA” for the site and working to find out what’s on the minds of your favorite comic book, TV, and film professionals. Known throughout the industry as one of the funniest and most sarcastic writers currently sitting at the keyboard, he’ll use his sharp wit and conversational skills to get new and entertaining insights about those who feed our weekly habit.
“ANYTHING GOES WITH BRANDON JERWA” opens today with an introductory essay and will get into full swing as the calendar marks 2008. It’ll appear on a bi-weekly to monthly basis, and the column will be archived at www.comicswaitingroom.com/jerwa.html so that anyone who has missed an installment can easily catch up.
Comics Waiting Room owner and Editor-in-Chief Marc Mason had this to say about the addition of Jerwa to the site: “Seeing as how the big galoot is one of my good friends, I had no qualms about guilting him into doing something for the site. Fortunately, his original idea to be the site’s first nude centerfold fell by the wayside, and he came up with this one instead. Still, just to make sure he doesn’t get too cocky, I’ve decided to let my hair grow out and use it to remind him who’s boss. I’m just glad I didn’t have to threaten to withhold sex; his wife Jess writes for the site and she told me if I stopped putting out and she had to do it, she’d quit on me. The things I do to keep my columnists happy!”
About The Comics Waiting Room:
Established by Marc Mason in July 2006, after working for a number of other comics-related websites, The Comics Waiting Room has consistently added new content five to six days a week. The site offers reviews of comics, graphic novels, and media, as well as occasional media and entertainment features. After producing 99.9% of the content himself in the first year, the second year has seen the addition of five new columnists to the site, with more to come!
Contact: Marc Mason
marc@comicswaitingroom.com
What are you waiting for? Click over already!
COMICS WRITER BRANDON JERWA JOINS COMICS WAITING ROOM!
Infamous Comic Writer is the Latest Addition to the Comics Columnist Community!
TEMPE, AZ, Tuesday, December 4, 2007-
The Comics Waiting Room (www.comicswaitingroom.com) is proud to announce the addition of comic book writer Brandon Jerwa to the site. Jerwa will be writing a column titled “ANYTHING GOES WITH BRANDON JERWA” for the site and working to find out what’s on the minds of your favorite comic book, TV, and film professionals. Known throughout the industry as one of the funniest and most sarcastic writers currently sitting at the keyboard, he’ll use his sharp wit and conversational skills to get new and entertaining insights about those who feed our weekly habit.
“ANYTHING GOES WITH BRANDON JERWA” opens today with an introductory essay and will get into full swing as the calendar marks 2008. It’ll appear on a bi-weekly to monthly basis, and the column will be archived at www.comicswaitingroom.com/jerwa.html so that anyone who has missed an installment can easily catch up.
Comics Waiting Room owner and Editor-in-Chief Marc Mason had this to say about the addition of Jerwa to the site: “Seeing as how the big galoot is one of my good friends, I had no qualms about guilting him into doing something for the site. Fortunately, his original idea to be the site’s first nude centerfold fell by the wayside, and he came up with this one instead. Still, just to make sure he doesn’t get too cocky, I’ve decided to let my hair grow out and use it to remind him who’s boss. I’m just glad I didn’t have to threaten to withhold sex; his wife Jess writes for the site and she told me if I stopped putting out and she had to do it, she’d quit on me. The things I do to keep my columnists happy!”
About The Comics Waiting Room:
Established by Marc Mason in July 2006, after working for a number of other comics-related websites, The Comics Waiting Room has consistently added new content five to six days a week. The site offers reviews of comics, graphic novels, and media, as well as occasional media and entertainment features. After producing 99.9% of the content himself in the first year, the second year has seen the addition of five new columnists to the site, with more to come!
Contact: Marc Mason
marc@comicswaitingroom.com
What are you waiting for? Click over already!
Monday, December 03, 2007
Manga Monday! STRAY LITTLE DEVIL's forst four volumes were a treat...
Unfortunately, the final volume fails to stick the landing.
/Mason
Unfortunately, the final volume fails to stick the landing.
/Mason
Saturday, December 01, 2007
DYNAMITE: EXPLODO!
CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA
It’s been a while since I’ve sat down with a pile of goodies from those sexy beasts at Dynamite Entertainment. Let’s remedy that, shall we?
EDUARDO RISSO’S TALES OF TERROR is a collection of stories drawn by the great artist and written by his frequent collaborator Carlos Trillo. With eleven stories total, that’s so much gorgeous Risso art that you almost don’t need another reason to pick up the book. However, it turns out that the stories are generally pretty good as well. Most are meant to evoke some of the classic EC work from the 50s, offering a twinge of ironic horror in their denouements. Some, though, prove to have a wicked sense of humor, the best being the third chapter in the collection in which a man whose greatest attribute is his eternal apathy discovers that you can carry certain things beyond the grave after all. But my favorite is the final tale, which dissects the eroding marriage of a class-crossed couple. Again, it has a wonderfully snarky ending, and demonstrates an edge you don’t see enough of in comics these days. I love that Dynamite has been bringing more of Risso’s foreign work to the North American audience; his stuff is so damned good that it shouldn’t be missed. Buy this.
Brett Matthews and Sergio Cariello continue their excellent work on the LONE RANGER,
with issue 10 bringing the second story arc to a close. This fine closing chapter finds the Ranger wounded and having to test his faith in Tonto. There’s a killer still on the loose, and while the Ranger remains stridently opposed to killing, Tonto has never shared that particular value. He must also balance his own vow against killing against the idea of the justice system’s inability to protect prisoners. While you might normally expect a more action-packed resolution to an arc, the action here moves on a moral level and is shockingly gripping. The Ranger has never been portrayed, character-wise, any better than this, and you have to hope that the next Hollywood incarnation takes its cues from the best western to hit the shelves this decade.
WITCHBLADE: SHADES OF GRAY #4 is written by Leah Moore and John Reppion and drawn by Walter Geovani, and concludes DE’s collaboration on Top Cow’s flagship character. The story got off to a relatively decent start, and the writers seemed to be making a concerted effort to make a solid stab at putting together a non T&A book featuring the character. And even with some diversions along the way, they almost pulled it off. The actual plot required thought and movement, and through three issues, the art was fairly serviceable and never embarrassing (or, frankly, looked like a Top Cow book). Unfortunately, while Moore and Reppion do their best to deliver a tense climax, Geovani’s art just buries it. Bad anatomy, clothing on Sara that makes no sense, impossible spine angles and ass shots- I honestly felt bad for the writers. For the completists only, I’d think.
Finally, a look at Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s THE BOYS #12.
I’m not going to address the book’s contents so much; it’s another great issue in what has been a great series. Instead, I’d like to take a moment to disagree with a friend. He took offense to one of the characters in the book using the “N” word, and I get that completely. It’s a horrible word, one that should be expunged from the language. But the character isn’t using the term on Ennis’ behalf- he’s not speaking for Garth. Instead, the character that uses it (a Russian) does so as a bastardization of what he has learned and adsorbed from imported American popular culture. For better or worse, the prevalence of the term, particularly in music, has given the appearance of a cultural acceptance of the word in the United States. That isn’t true, but it is what we’ve put out there. Thus the character’s use of the word acts as a slam against the use of it in any sort of way. I think it shows Ennis as a sharp cultural critic, personally.
That’s it for this week. Friend us on MySpace and make sure you drop by here throughout the week for main site updates.
/Mason
CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA
It’s been a while since I’ve sat down with a pile of goodies from those sexy beasts at Dynamite Entertainment. Let’s remedy that, shall we?
EDUARDO RISSO’S TALES OF TERROR is a collection of stories drawn by the great artist and written by his frequent collaborator Carlos Trillo. With eleven stories total, that’s so much gorgeous Risso art that you almost don’t need another reason to pick up the book. However, it turns out that the stories are generally pretty good as well. Most are meant to evoke some of the classic EC work from the 50s, offering a twinge of ironic horror in their denouements. Some, though, prove to have a wicked sense of humor, the best being the third chapter in the collection in which a man whose greatest attribute is his eternal apathy discovers that you can carry certain things beyond the grave after all. But my favorite is the final tale, which dissects the eroding marriage of a class-crossed couple. Again, it has a wonderfully snarky ending, and demonstrates an edge you don’t see enough of in comics these days. I love that Dynamite has been bringing more of Risso’s foreign work to the North American audience; his stuff is so damned good that it shouldn’t be missed. Buy this.Brett Matthews and Sergio Cariello continue their excellent work on the LONE RANGER,
with issue 10 bringing the second story arc to a close. This fine closing chapter finds the Ranger wounded and having to test his faith in Tonto. There’s a killer still on the loose, and while the Ranger remains stridently opposed to killing, Tonto has never shared that particular value. He must also balance his own vow against killing against the idea of the justice system’s inability to protect prisoners. While you might normally expect a more action-packed resolution to an arc, the action here moves on a moral level and is shockingly gripping. The Ranger has never been portrayed, character-wise, any better than this, and you have to hope that the next Hollywood incarnation takes its cues from the best western to hit the shelves this decade.
WITCHBLADE: SHADES OF GRAY #4 is written by Leah Moore and John Reppion and drawn by Walter Geovani, and concludes DE’s collaboration on Top Cow’s flagship character. The story got off to a relatively decent start, and the writers seemed to be making a concerted effort to make a solid stab at putting together a non T&A book featuring the character. And even with some diversions along the way, they almost pulled it off. The actual plot required thought and movement, and through three issues, the art was fairly serviceable and never embarrassing (or, frankly, looked like a Top Cow book). Unfortunately, while Moore and Reppion do their best to deliver a tense climax, Geovani’s art just buries it. Bad anatomy, clothing on Sara that makes no sense, impossible spine angles and ass shots- I honestly felt bad for the writers. For the completists only, I’d think.Finally, a look at Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s THE BOYS #12.
I’m not going to address the book’s contents so much; it’s another great issue in what has been a great series. Instead, I’d like to take a moment to disagree with a friend. He took offense to one of the characters in the book using the “N” word, and I get that completely. It’s a horrible word, one that should be expunged from the language. But the character isn’t using the term on Ennis’ behalf- he’s not speaking for Garth. Instead, the character that uses it (a Russian) does so as a bastardization of what he has learned and adsorbed from imported American popular culture. For better or worse, the prevalence of the term, particularly in music, has given the appearance of a cultural acceptance of the word in the United States. That isn’t true, but it is what we’ve put out there. Thus the character’s use of the word acts as a slam against the use of it in any sort of way. I think it shows Ennis as a sharp cultural critic, personally.That’s it for this week. Friend us on MySpace and make sure you drop by here throughout the week for main site updates.
/Mason
Friday, November 30, 2007
DAN DARE #1
CWR FRIDAY BLOG EXTRA!
Chances are, if you like the work of a U.K. born comics writer or artist, they were at some point in their life a big fan of DAN DARE. Some have even taken that appreciation for the character a little further than most; what is Warren Ellis’ MINISTRY OF SPACE but a cynical tribute to the great space pilot? If you are a fan of BBC’s brilliant DOCTOR WHO spin-off TORCHWOOD, you can also see some of Dare in its main character, Captain Jack Harkness. Long a staple of the great comics magazines like EAGLE and 2000AD, Dare now makes his return thanks to longtime fan Sir Richard Branson and his involvement in Virgin Comics.
As written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Gary Erskine, Dare has retired and moved on from Earth’s International Space Fleet, enjoying the quiet splendor of a quaint English village where the pub is lively and the cricket matches amongst the local youth are carried out in the best of sport. But in space, trouble begins to brew- there are ominous signs of Dare’s old nemesis Mekon stirring in the distance. Thus must the Prime Minister, a somewhat corrupted version of Tony Blair, prevail upon Dare’s sympathies for his old home, in the hopes he will once again put on the uniform and fly under his planet’s flag.
DAN DARE reads much like a comic I would have devoured as a young boy. Ennis and Erskine eschew their Vertigo roots and do a very straight-forward and PG take on the character (as they should) and reintroduce him well to a new generation of readers. There’s nothing ponderous or deeply intellectual about any of it; there are space battles, character moments, cool technology, and a scary threat. The very things that capture a reader’s (young or old) heart. Ennis’s script is somewhat cynical, but not overboard, and you never stop seeing the hero beneath Dare’s beaten exterior. And Erskine simplifies his approach to the art; much of his work can be very complex on the page, but his pages here acknowledge how misguided that would be. Of all things, the work must appeal to a younger and newer reader.
Solid debut, and a book that looks to be a solid read for the time to come.
Friend us on MySpace and make sure you tune into this blog throughout the week for main site updates!
/Mason
CWR FRIDAY BLOG EXTRA!
Chances are, if you like the work of a U.K. born comics writer or artist, they were at some point in their life a big fan of DAN DARE. Some have even taken that appreciation for the character a little further than most; what is Warren Ellis’ MINISTRY OF SPACE but a cynical tribute to the great space pilot? If you are a fan of BBC’s brilliant DOCTOR WHO spin-off TORCHWOOD, you can also see some of Dare in its main character, Captain Jack Harkness. Long a staple of the great comics magazines like EAGLE and 2000AD, Dare now makes his return thanks to longtime fan Sir Richard Branson and his involvement in Virgin Comics.As written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Gary Erskine, Dare has retired and moved on from Earth’s International Space Fleet, enjoying the quiet splendor of a quaint English village where the pub is lively and the cricket matches amongst the local youth are carried out in the best of sport. But in space, trouble begins to brew- there are ominous signs of Dare’s old nemesis Mekon stirring in the distance. Thus must the Prime Minister, a somewhat corrupted version of Tony Blair, prevail upon Dare’s sympathies for his old home, in the hopes he will once again put on the uniform and fly under his planet’s flag.
DAN DARE reads much like a comic I would have devoured as a young boy. Ennis and Erskine eschew their Vertigo roots and do a very straight-forward and PG take on the character (as they should) and reintroduce him well to a new generation of readers. There’s nothing ponderous or deeply intellectual about any of it; there are space battles, character moments, cool technology, and a scary threat. The very things that capture a reader’s (young or old) heart. Ennis’s script is somewhat cynical, but not overboard, and you never stop seeing the hero beneath Dare’s beaten exterior. And Erskine simplifies his approach to the art; much of his work can be very complex on the page, but his pages here acknowledge how misguided that would be. Of all things, the work must appeal to a younger and newer reader.
Solid debut, and a book that looks to be a solid read for the time to come.
Friend us on MySpace and make sure you tune into this blog throughout the week for main site updates!
/Mason
Friday, and the living's easy...
Elliott returns with a new COMIC CULTURE WARRIOR and addresses a female reader's supposition that Tony STark's character can be saved only by sex at this point.
I also review the noir thriller NARCOLEPTIC SUNDAY, which features a man who wakes up next to his murdered girlfriend. Hard to believe something that crappy didn't happy on a Monday, isn't it?
/Mason
Elliott returns with a new COMIC CULTURE WARRIOR and addresses a female reader's supposition that Tony STark's character can be saved only by sex at this point.
I also review the noir thriller NARCOLEPTIC SUNDAY, which features a man who wakes up next to his murdered girlfriend. Hard to believe something that crappy didn't happy on a Monday, isn't it?
/Mason
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Today at The Waiting Room... Vince comes back from vacation with some interesting news: he's back to doing a little bit of comics retail work. What happens when you return to one of your old haunts after a long time away?
Read the new OMNIUM GATHERUM and find out!
/Mason
Read the new OMNIUM GATHERUM and find out!
/Mason
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Hitting the hump... comics get literary with Stephane Heuet's adaptation of Marcel Proust's REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST VOLUME THREE: SWANN IN LOVE PART ONE.
Kinda good, kinda not.
/Mason
Kinda good, kinda not.
/Mason
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Like a quality indy book? Me, too. One of the better ones over the last couple of years actually began as a minicomic and worked its way up to floppy format. I'm atlking about, of course, Joshua Cotter's excellent SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST.
Issue four, the conclusion, has hit shelves, and my review appears today.
/Mason
Issue four, the conclusion, has hit shelves, and my review appears today.
/Mason
Monday, November 26, 2007
Manga Monday! We're back from holiday with a look at volume two of STRAWBERRY 100%...
A panty obsession mixed with some self-awareness? What an odd little book...
/Mason
A panty obsession mixed with some self-awareness? What an odd little book...
/Mason
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