The Book I Would Like to Buy:
Off Road GN
by Se
an Murphy; IDW, $17.99
I don’t know very much about this graphic novel, except that it was previously published by Oni Press, and was one of those books that I always figured I’d run across at a used book store one day, and pick up. The Oni brand is one that I find usually pretty trustworthy, so long as the work doesn’t look like it’s going to be an all-ages title, which I usually don’t like.
What I hadn’t realized is that this book is by Sean Murphy, who did (technically is still doing, I suppose) such a great job on Grant Morrison’s Vertigo mini-series Joe the Barbarian. Murphy’s work on that title has been inventive and frequently stunning.
The book looks a little silly – something about a trio of kids who think they can fix life’s problems by off-roading their jeep for a while, but I’m sure it’s a good book.
The Books I Think You Should Buy:
Killer Vol. 3: Modus Vivendi HC
by Mat
z and Luc Jacamon; Archaia, $24.95
Archaia has been putting out a ton of quality work lately (I bought three comics just this last week, and their books show up twice in this column today). I do wish they would make it easier to locate the images of their books on-line though (what is pictured here is the first issue of the mini-series this book collects. I have no idea what the actual book will look like).
Anyway, The Killer is about a nameless French assassin who has settled in Venezuela with a girlfriend and his son. When the last volume finished, he had decided to retire, although now the quiet life is becoming just a little too quiet for him. He decides to do a job for people he is introduced to through his friend Marciano (whose padrino is a major drug lord). This job leads to trouble (imagine that), and our killer ends up traveling to such exotic locations as Cuba and Montreal to regain some control over events.
The book is suspenseful and taut, but what makes it really good is the way in which Matz works in a ton of political commentary. The Killer’s views on America, post-colonialism, and oil dependency are quite interesting, and instead of detracting from the momentum of the story, colour it quite nicely.
Artist Luc Jacamon has done an incredible job on this book. He makes as good a use of colour as any artist I can think of. Compare his Montreal pages to the ones set in the Venezuelan rain forest to see what I mean. He and Matz currently have a series out at Archaia called Cyclops that is well worth getting too.
This book can be read by a newcomer to this series, although it would have more meaning if you’ve read books one and two. You should be warned that this story doesn’t end with this volume, which is something Archaia kept to themselves when they published the comics.
Okko Vol. 3: Cycle of Air HC
by
Hub; Archaia, $19.95
Okko is a unique comic. It’s a French comic, translated into English, that is set in Medieval Japan, although one with fantasy elements such as half-demon ronin and silk cocoon cyborgs (I didn’t really get that either).
Okko is the leader of a ragtag group of people who seem to just wander Japan looking for something to do. They help a local monarch with a spirit problem, before Okko is confronted by a demon hunter looking to kill his friend.
This is a hard comic to explain – it’s make sense when you read it. Hub’s art is lovely, and the story is entertaining. It is somewhat new reader accessible – I still haven’t read the first volume, and seem to be managing just fine.
So, what would you buy Were Money No Object?
