This ended up being another big week for me, as my store is now selling off recent DC overstock at $1 a book. I’m buying way too many comics lately.
Best Book of the Week:
Joe the Barbarian #1
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Sean Murphy
I’m not too sure how to respond to this first issue. I see from quickly perusing a few different review sites, that I’m not the only person to have found the beginning of Morrison’s newest Vertigo title to be a little problematic. Where some people are complaining that not much happens, I think my problem is more that a lot of stuff is happening that I can’t recognize or comprehend just yet. All I know is I want to know more, which I suppose is the hallmark of a good monthly comic.
The book is very decompressed, and things do move rather slowly, but this doesn’t bother me for two reasons: 1. I trust Morrison completely as a writer; if things are moving slowly, there’s a reason for it; and 2. Sean Murphy is an amazing artist, and I would gladly buy a whole book of his interior design ideas, if they looked as good as Joe’s house and bedroom look here.
The story takes its time establishing that Joe is your typical nerdy diabetic or hypoglycemic kid with an over-active imagination, good art skills, and slightly dysfunctional home life. He gets picked on by the school bullies, and rescued by the nice girl. Where some reviewers complain that the book is just trotting out old stereotypes, I think the fact that Morrison has Joe acknowledge this is proof that something more is going on. When Joe gets home, strangely leaving the front door open, he somehow gets transported to a fantasy world where his toys have come to life, and suffered some form of catastrophe. Or, he just goes into diabetic shock. I’m not really sure yet, and imagine I won’t be for a while longer.
Reading this comic brought to mind a few things: Th3rd World Studios’ excellent comic The Stuff of Legend was the first comparison I made, as it has similar content. I also thought of (or more like, remembered from somewhere in the depths of my memory) the CBC show The Odyssey, and the “Visions of Counterpane” stuff in William Vollmann’s first novel, You Bright and Risen Angels.
While I understand that some people may have been less than satisfied with this comic, I found it fascinating and rich, and look forward to reading the rest of the series. The fact that it only cost a dollar, in my mind at least, meant that it could be as decompressed as it wanted to be, I was getting my money’s worth regardless.
Other Notable Books:
Air #17
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art by M.K. Perker
Air continues to be an intriguing comic. This month, Blythe and Zayn spend more time together, as Blythe continues to recover from her addiction to anxiety medications. She somehow ends up sending Zayn into her past, to relive her job interview at Clearfleet, similarly to how she re-lived his life in a previous issue.
Their relationship is strengthening, which is providing a little more stability for Blythe and for the reader, as this is one of the more sedentary issues of Air. There are hints that big things are coming for Blythe, as she is expected to equal or surpass Amelia Earhart as a hyperprax pilot.
Wilson and Perker are putting out good work with this comic.
Battlefields #2
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by PJ Holden
When reading this latest Battlefields story, you can really feel Ennis’s affection for his characters. The Australian Wellington bomber crew this story is centred on consists of your usual assortment of characters: the earnest, talented newbie pilot, the irreverent, wise-cracking but skilled second pilot, and the other crew members who sort of blur together, but are all good chaps.
The story itself is pretty standard – the experienced crew is close to finishing up their tour, the Brits look down their nose at the guys from the colonies, etc., etc. Like I said, nothing you haven’t read before, if you’ve only just glanced at some previous war comics or stories. But, since it’s being written by Ennis, when he’s not just trying to shock you or gross you out, it’s pretty compelling and enjoyable stuff. I’m becoming quite fond of Holden’s work too, and would like to see more from him.
Cowboy Ninja Viking #3
Written by AJ Lieberman
Art by Riley Rossmo
I think I’m losing interest in this title. The ‘high concept,’ featuring government-sanctioned assassins who each have three separate, yet somehow contiguous, personalities is a cool one, but the storytelling in this series is messy.
Each of the Triplets, and this issue has three different ones, are constantly having conversations within their heads, and it’s not always clear what is being said out loud. Also, characters just pop in and out of this story, with no real explanation of who they are. The art is a little muddy, making it difficult to always recognize who is who.
This book has recently been made an on-going series, and this actually turns me off it. Were it only going to last for a few issues, I could see making the effort to understand and piece it together, but the on-going format means that Lieberman doesn’t have to restrict his story to something that can be logically explained in a short span of pages, and this makes me nervous that the present storyline might continue indefinitely.
Fables #92
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by David Lapham
Fables takes a break from its Mr. Dark storyline for a couple of issues, and takes us back to Haven, Flycatcher’s kingdom, in time for the championship baseball game between Fly’s team and the Goblin team. The first half of the book is written as an homage (or desecration) of the famous ‘Casey at the Bat’ poem, as mighty Weyland ends up letting down his king.
From there, we get some forward momentum in Fly’s relationship with Red Riding Hood (finally), and the Goblin pitcher (and hero of the day) commits a murder while deep in his cups.
This is a nicely-written comic, checking in on some neglected characters. The art is by David Lapham, which is always nice to see.
Hellblazer # 263
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini
More craziness in India, as Constantine is reunited with the wrong (if more interesting) girl, the Bollywood movie mogul gets what’s coming to him, and the Indian cops track down their serial killer.
This has been an enjoyable arc on this title, with only one issue left before its conclusion. Milligan’s doing a good job here, as are Camuncoli and Landini. I wish Vertigo would leave Simon Bisley on the covers only though, as I saw in Previews that he’s going to be doing interiors on the book again soon…
Rasl #6
by Jeff Smith
I think there is the potential out there for a really interesting cultural studies master’s thesis on depictions of Nikola Tesla in comic books. In the last few years, it seems he’s been popping up all over the place, including, now, Jeff Smit’s Rasl.
What sets this issue apart from other Tesla appearances (see Matt Fraction’s Five Fists of Science – it’s great) is that Smith is taking a very scholarly approach here, interspersing a history lesson on Tesla’s career and inventions, with Rasl’s story, as the title character returns to his life of art crime, at least until the lizard guy shows up again.
The delay between issues does make it difficult to remember exactly where this book last left off, but with this issue, it doesn’t matter, as this is an excellent starting point for new readers. Whatever has gone on before doesn’t really matter here, as the focus is on Tesla to a great degree.
In many ways, this might be my favourite issue of this title yet. I was contemplating making the switch to trade-waiting on this, but now I’m much more committed to the book. This is a very strong issue. Also, I get a kick out of seeing Smith draw such straight, realistic scenes. I enjoyed his work on Bone, but am impressed with his ability to draw the real world.
Young Men of a Certain Mind
by Lars Martinson
Recently I read and enjoyed Tonoharu, Lars Martinson’s first graphic novel. I decided to order his mini-comic as well, and it arrived this week.
It’s very similar to Tonoharu in format and structure. This book is about John, a recent graduate who can’t find work in illustration or design, and ends up working as a night-shift bellboy at a hotel. He quickly grows to hate the people he works with, if not the job itself, and begins to search for a means of escape.
When that escape does come, it is in the form of an opportunity to teach in Japan, thereby setting up the later book.
What is amusing throughout this comic is John’s difficulty in communicating with people. Their personal quirks become a constant source of annoyance, and yet he himself is almost paralyzed by his own apathy. This comic fits quite well within the ‘hater’ genre of independent comics.
Quick Takes:
Avengers Vs. Atlas #1 – 
So Agents of Atlas was canceled due to low sales, and now it has two mini-series, a back-up in a monthly title, and guest appearances all over the place. I don’t really understand the business model behind this, but I do like Parker writing the Agents, and so I’m not the least bit bothered. In this book, the Agents team up with the New Avengers, and then there’s some weird time stuff. Hardman’s art looks great, and there is a back-up drawn by Miyazawa. Good stuff.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #31 – Even with Joss Whedon writing, and news of the identity of Twilight, this season’s ‘big bad’ being purposely leaked recently, I find I care less and less about this title. It’s not bad, it just seems to be spinning its wheels.
Dark Avengers #13 – Marvel’s doing it again, as this ‘Siege Crossover’ has nothing to do (yet at least) with Asgard or even Norman Osborn, instead focusing on re-telling the Sentry’s story for like the fourth time, and bringing back the Void for like the eighth. It’s very familiar ground, but still tread on nicely by Bendis and Deodato. I hope Siege doesn’t affect the Avengers books the way Secret Invasion did – giving us stories that, on a DVD, would be in the ‘deleted scenes’ section.
Doctor Voodoo #4 – I want to like this book more than I actually do, not that it matters much with only one issue remaining. I wish they’d chosen a more interesting opponent for this title, as Nightmare is dull. I am enjoying Palo’s art quite a bit…
Green Lantern Corps #44 – This issue is an interesting contrast to this week’s Dark Avengers. This is the third-tier book in a major cross-over, and instead of fitting between the scenes, it’s instead dealing with its regular cast’s involvement in the story. This works much better I feel. Also, I like that Mogo finally does something more than just be a paradise planet. Why the Lanterns don’t all just move there is beyond me.
Incredible Hercules #140 – A pretty great issue, as reconciliations abound, and Hephaestus gets all creepy. Most importantly, Hercules uses the word ‘strategicalizing’ to describe Amadeus Cho’s usual role in their partnership. Brilliant stuff. Also home to Agents of Atlas appearance # 2 of the week.
Mighty Avengers #33 – This is another enjoyable issue. I could have done without a second comic featuring the Void this week, but it’s made up for with Pym’s approach to taking down Osborn.
Nova #33 – This current arc featuring the Sphinx and various characters displaced in time is not really doing it for me – it’s not at the usual level of quality for this book. The group of villains that show up at the end is just baffling in terms of selection, making this feel a little like fan fiction.
Phantom Stranger #42 – I picked this up as an impulse buy, and it was okay. I was never much of a Phantom Stranger or Deadman fan, and don’t really feel like this added much to either character, or to Blackest Night as a whole. Oh well…
Rapture #6 – This book ended up being quite a disappointment. I was interested in the beginning, but felt that the title really lost steam and lacked direction. The sub-plot with the cannibals went nowhere, and characters were just randomly removed from the story. The emotional heart of the book was strong, but I expect better from Oeming…
Spider-Woman #5 – Extreme decompression continues to be the order of the day for this book, as once again, very little happens. Were it not for Maleev’s gorgeous art, this would have been dropped a while ago.
Starman #81 – I’ve missed this title about as much as I’ve missed Suicide Squad, if not more, so it’s nice to see it return for an issue as part of the Blackest Night saga. This is still Robinson’s best work, and he demonstrates a continued affinity for these characters, even though this issue is populated by the Shade and various tertiary supporting characters (like the O’Dares) from the original run. It’s nice to return to Opal, and I’m glad he chose to leave Jack Knight out of things, as this seems more appropriate. The art is okay (thanks to Bill Sienkiewicz), but I would have been happier with Peter Snejbjerg.
Thunderbolts #140 – Agents of Atlas appearance #3 this week, as the busiest team in comics concludes their fight with the Thunderbolts. Lots of good character work all around, nice art, and a cool attempt to deal with Osborn by Jimmy Woo and Bob leads to a surprise ending. I know this book is going to get a make-over or a relaunch after Siege; I just hope Parker will still be writing it.
Uncanny X-Men #520 – Pretty much any comic with Fantomex in it is going to be good, even if it is drawn by Greg Land. This issue had some pacing problems, and was hampered by Land’s usual stiff artwork, but I did like the conflict between Cyclops and Magneto. I don’t understand why though, now that there are like 100 X-Men, they would only send three on a team to New York to fight Predators and other baddies. I thought that ‘strength in numbers’ was part of the Summers doctrine.
Books I Would Have Bought if They Weren’t $4:
Anna Mercury 2 #3
Farscape #3
Nola #3
Realm of Kings Inhumans #3
Wolverine Weapon X #9
Bargain Comics:
Action Comics #844-846, 851; Action Comics Annual #10 & 11 – These books contain the Last Son of Krypton story, which paired Geoff Johns with Richard Donner, and which was delayed to a ridiculous extent by Adam Kubert’s slow drawing pace being exacerbated by an injury or accident or something. It’s a good story when read in one sitting, and went a long way to setting up the stuff that’s happening in the Superman titles today. Kubert’s art looks great, and Christopher Kent is a likable kid.
Justice League: The New Frontier Special #1 – I still haven’t read The New Frontier (I know, I know), and found this one-shot to be heavy on charming, and a little light on substance.
Magog #2 – It’s like it’s not even written by Keith Giffen (and I mean the serious Giffen of books like Legion of Super-Heroes and Annihilation). What was the editorial meeting like? “We want to make a monthly book about a character people don’t like, and make him even more unlikable. Then, to help things along, make the story really hard to follow.” Sounds like a hit!
Modern Warfare 2: Ghost #1 – I don’t read video game comics usually, but it’s written by David Lapham, so I was very curious. It’s standard stuff, and could be an episode of The Unit. Oh wait, I think I saw that episode….
Ubu Bubu #1 – This is a bizarre little comic from Slave Labor about a demon that is inhabiting the body of a cute cat, and the difficulty it has with two ugly little children. This is not my type of thing at all, but it was free…..
War Story: Johann’s Tiger
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Chris Weston and Gary Erskine
As much as I’ve enjoyed a lot of Garth Ennis’s work, especially his war comics, I haven’t read most of his War Story comics for Vertigo. When the chance to grab a few of them for a ridiculously low price came along, I figured it was time to fix that.
This volume is all about a German Oberstleutnant and his Tiger crew, who have abandoned their posts during the tail end of the Russian campaign, with the intention of avoiding Russian forces and surrendering to the Germans.
Johann Kliest, the title German, was a real bastard in the early days of the war, before having an epiphany and realizing how wrong he was to mistreat people as he did. Now, in a quest for redemption, he hopes to rescue his tank crew, who he frequently refers to as ‘orphans’ that have been left in his care.
Of course, this is a Garth Ennis story, so such sentimentality has no hope of finding success. The art by Weston and Erskine is suitably gritty and grim, and the comic reads beautifully. It’s hard to make tank battles seem suspenseful in the comics medium, but they succeed here.
War Story: D-Day Dodgers
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by John Higgins
I’m really enjoying these stories, and am annoyed with myself for not tracking them down sooner.
This issue is about the Allied forces; mostly British, Irish, Scottish, and Canadian, that continued fighting in Italy during the D-Day campaign. As the world’s focus shifted to France, as did most of the Allied war material, public opinion painted those left in Italy as ‘dodgers’, the Lady Astor going so far as to say so in Parliament.
Ennis shows us the Italian campaign through the eyes of a replacement Lieutenant, fresh out of England, who has to earn the respect of his mostly Irish subordinates, and deal with a fatalistic Captain.
Higgins art is luminous, as he portrays the beauty of Italy, contrasted to the devastation of war. The book ends with a series of full-page spreads that are stunning.
War Story: Condors
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Carlos Ezquerra
I know very little about the Spanish Civil War, short of some George Orwell that I read in high school. Ennis’s story here provides a very rich portrait of that war, and the various level of involvement and motivation of many foreigners who felt that they needed to be involved.
Four men end up in the same foxhole during a long night of shelling. They tell each other their stories, and in the morning go their separate ways. It’s a simple story, but heavily nuanced in its portrayal of social classes and the nationalist, socialist, and fascistic sentiments of the time.
One man is a German fighter pilot who got involved because he loves to fly, and is already turning a blind eye to the militaristic extremes of the Nazi party back home. Another is a socialist Englishman of embarrassingly earnest ideals. The third is an Irishman with more balls than brains. The final member of the group is the only Spaniard, a survivor of Guernica.
Ezquerra’s art is tighter and grittier than usual, and perfectly suited to this story. This is a powerful work, and one I enjoyed a great deal.
The Week’s Graphic Novels:
Days Like This
Written by J. Torres
Art by Scott Chantler
This book is one of those delightful all-ages types that Oni used to put out, but has apparently stopped for the last couple of years.
Days Like This is a story set in the early 1960s, and focuses on the newly ex-wife of a recording executive, who decides to start up her own label. She meets Christina and her friends at her daughters’ school talent show, and forges them into ‘Tina and the Tiaras’, an up and coming new musical act. Mrs. Anna, the new record mogul, must deal with her ex, her neglected child, and Luther, Tina’s father, who does not approve.
The relationship between old-fashioned, church-going Luther and his daughter is at the heart of this book. He objects to her parading around on stage, he objects to her neglecting her church singing, and he objects to her taking ‘Christ’ out of her stage name, in the funniest scene in the comic. Really, this is a book about a teenager growing up and pulling away from her father. This thread doesn’t really get explored enough for me though, and the resolution of it is a little ambiguous.
In a lot of ways, I felt like the story here took the easy way around a number of issues that should be more relevant for this time period; race of course being the largest issue. This is early-60s America, yet there does not seem to be even a hint of racial tension throughout the book. As well, Mrs. Anna seems able to navigate the music industry without even an implication of chauvinism, which doesn’t ring true.
Chantler’s art is crisp and easy, and he and Torres have a nice energy together. This book is a good companion to their ‘Scandalous’.
Julius
Written by Antony Johnston
Art by Brett Weldele
In this graphic novel, Antony Johnston takes Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ and updates it, setting it amidst the organized crime world of modern-day London.
Julius is a crime boss, running the most powerful of the ‘companies’, and looking to unite all of the companies under his rule. Brett, Julius’s close friend, and other ‘gov’ners’, decide that Julius’s reach is beyond his grasp, and gun him down. From there, things take the predictable route, as the different bosses turn on each other, or descend into paranoia, culminating in a Scarface-like battle in a ritzy mansion.
Conceptually, the transfer from ancient Rome to modern England is a very appropriate one; however the writing is often stiff, as the characters seem to flit back and forth between contemporary speech and Shakespearian oration. It makes some scenes read tortuously stilted.
Weldele’s art has always been a bit of an acquired taste. I loved his work on The Surrogates, but found this earlier effort to also be a little stiff in places. This is a book that is almost six years old, and I’m glad to see that both creators have surpassed it in their more recent work, although it does showcase their creativity and their ingenuity.
Album of the Week:
Tumi and the Volume I really slept on this – it’s incredible! Best album of 2006 I waited three years to listen to.
