Archive for category Book Of The Month
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Officer Downe
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on April 14, 2012
The Book of the Month for April 2012 is none other than Officer Downe: Bigger, Better, Bastard Edition (Image) written by Joe Casey and illustrated by Chris Burnham.
Bloody massacres in the name of the law!
Click here to read the written review!
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Captain Swing
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on March 14, 2012
Book Of The Month – March 2012
Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Raulo Caceres
When I first started reading comics and was learning of the different publishers, I came to the quick understanding that Avatar Press did not screw around with its content. I was also under the impression that Warren Ellis either co-founded Avatar, or owned stock in the company, because his name was on almost every title. Avatar opens its doors to comic book creators, giving them no restrictions on what they can or cannot create. It’s like a small floating utopia in the comics industry, where creators don’t have to worry about their ideas being smacked-down by editors, and there’s an endless supply of Johnnie Walker Black Label from the portal in the closet.
It was about the time Black Summer was coming out that I really started to take note of the different series Avatar was publishing. It felt like Warren Ellis in particular was in his element when writing at Avatar, producing some of his best stories in my opinion. Being the superstar writer that he is, there’s a reason he’s paired with some of the best artistic talent in the industry project after project. So ever since I fell head-over-heels in love with Black Summer, I made it a personal mission of mine to follow whatever new series or mini-series he was producing specifically at Avatar; the comic publisher that makes Ennis’ The Boys look tame on a daily basis. Let’s just say Warren hasn’t let me down with his imaginative stories yet, and I don’t foresee that happening any time soon.
Upon first hearing the title of his new series, Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island, it was already a must-buy for me right then and there. Learning that it contained bits of steampunk during the Victorian Era, and I just knew it was going to be the next big thing with steampunk cosplayers at the conventions that summer. Little did I know I would be waiting the span of a year for all four issues to eventually come out. However, that’s the nice thing about trade paperbacks and being able to read the entire thing in one sitting; you completely get lost in the brilliance of the story and art, and forget all your original woes.
Like I mentioned before, Captain Swing takes place in London around 1830. At that time, the Metropolitan Police Force was just being developed, and we follow newly-minted Peeler Charlie Gravel as he starts having regrets of the society he once knew. All in course of two nights he chases after a Spring-Heeled Jack (who may or may not have killed a fellow officer), gets in the middle of gunfights, and witnesses strange and incredulous sights. Any sane man would hit-up the pub immediately. Charlie Gravel on the other hand, wants to get to the bottom of things. The dashing Captain Swing goes by many names and aliases, and if the civilians want to believe he’s also known as the one and only Spring-Heeled Jack, by all means let them. Discovering how determined Charlie Gravel is in capturing him however, Captain Swing decides to let him join his merry electrical band for a night before sending him on his way.
Captain Swing’s of the mind that knowledge should be free, and it should be made available to everyone. Thanks to science and electricity it’s entirely possible to educate the masses, which is why every member of his crew are taught how things work, so they too can one day pass along their knowledge. Because of this, certain forces are at work to make sure Captain Swing’s vision never comes to fruition, and will do almost anything to stop it. With Charlie’s help, Captain Swing just might be able to bring their society out of the dark ages, and into the light.
Artist Raulo Caceres does a wonderful job bringing that dark and gritty tone of London in the 1830s, detailing every plank of wood to every stray strand of electricity. The action sequences were so much fun and exciting that I had to go back and re-read several sections throughout! I’ll forever have that last page from issue one burned into my mind; a pissed-off Captain Swing shouting “Fuck the law!” as he knocks out Charlie Gravel on his flying boat. Caceres was the one who did Ellis’ Crecy back in the day too, so it’s obvious why they make a good pairing.
If I had to describe this series to you, I’d say it’s like Peter Pan meets Nikola Tesla. While it’s electricity that keeps their ships afloat in the English sky and bullets consistently buzzing, I wouldn’t classify it as Steampunk in nature. That genre might immediately come to mind because of the setting and time period, but steam isn’t the substance they use. If you want Warren Ellis’ take on steampunk, do yourself a favor and checkout FreakAngels. With Captain Swing it’s an electrifying adventure that only Warren Ellis is capable of writing. Add in the magnificent woodcarving style of Raulo Caceres, and you’ve got yourself one mighty fine read on your hands.
I thought for sure there would be a second volume continuing the adventures, but alas, it seems to be only a one-time thing for now. Looking at the progress of Anna Mercury 2, maybe it’s good thing they’re only sticking to one volume. And to be perfectly honest, I’m surprised the cosplaying community hasn’t stumbled upon this goldmine yet; to create Captain Swing’s entire outfit would be a guaranteed First Place trophy at any Masquerade.
Pick it up today; you won’t regret it.
Click here for past Book Of The Month episodes!
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Baltimore: The Plague Ships
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on February 18, 2012
Book Of The Month – February 2012
Baltimore: The Plague Ships
Written by Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden
Art by Ben Stenbeck
When the name Mike Mignola comes to mind, one automatically associates him with the Hellboy / B.P.R.D. universe that he brought to life over at Dark Horse. Just upon reading a Mignola-penned comic, you’re transported to a gloomier cesspit of a world where monstrous machinations roam wild and free, and Armageddon is constantly creeping up around every corner. Mignola sets a certain tone with his stories, that even if two different works of his aren’t connected in the same universe, somehow in the back of your mind you know they are. It doesn’t hurt that Mignola has access to the best artists in the business, with each of them bringing their own style paired with that natural Mignola-feel to the characters. Throw in colorist Dave Stewart on every project, and it’s a comic book hit waiting to happen.
When I first heard of the character Lord Henry Baltimore, it was at Comic-Con International a few years ago. There was a poster of the first issue at the Dark Horse booth, and I instantly recognized Mignola as the artist. While everyone would love to see more Mignola art on his own stories, the man is obviously extremely busy building universes that he simply wouldn’t be able to keep to a schedule if he were illustrating as well. So the next best thing for us comic fans is to have him at least produce the covers of the comics he’s writing, and that’s the natural conclusion I came to when looking at the cover to Baltimore: The Plague Ships. Sure enough, he and Christopher Golden were the authors, and this guy I wasn’t that familiar with, Ben Stenbeck, was on art. It’s Mignola, it looks creepy, what have I got to lose?
Upon further research of this series, I discovered that Mignola and Golden originally wrote an illustrated novel about Lord Baltimore a few years earlier called Baltimore, or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire. While I still have not read it to this day, it’s not considered required reading if you were to dive-in to Baltimore: The Plague Ships, for the authors give his entire history within the miniseries. Lobster Johnson has a similar type of novel (The Satan Factory), so perhaps it’s just a thing for some comic writers to explore and experiment with their characters in different mediums.
In a nutshell, Lord Henry Baltimore is a veteran of World War I and was gravely wounded in battle. His entire company was slaughtered on the field, and when he awakes he discovers monstrous bat creatures feeding on his fallen brothers. Lashing out with a bayonet, he strikes and wounds one of the bats in the right eye, blinding him for the rest of its days. For that, the bat infects Baltimore’s wounded leg with gangrene and releases a plague onto all of Europe. Turns out these bats are actually ancient vampires, and the one that Baltimore wounded was an older and more powerful one named Haigus. Haigus has his revenge as he destroys everything Baltimore has ever loved, and after having his fun continues to plunder and kill across Europe. Losing the leg and replacing it with a wooden peg leg, Baltimore’s only mission in life is to get even with Haigus, and only then will he be able to rest.
Already finishing a second miniseries (The Curse Bells), this first volume really examines the effects of the plague across Europe, and shows Baltimore going to the extremes to hunt down and kill his winged foe. He gets sidetracked onto an island in this volume, filled with sunken plague ships and German submarines. The plague and vampires are connected, and whatever dead beings the plague touches can be brought back to life. This hardcover has page after page of action sequences, weapons galore (Baltimore is a one-man armory), and gruesome creatures aplenty. Even if not directly connected to the Mignolaverse, it certainly is a nice pairing for any horror comic fan.
Before Baltimore, I recognized the art team of Ben Stenbeck and Dave Stewart from another Mignola miniseries Sir Edward Grey: Witchfinder. Instantly I was hooked by Stenbeck’s smooth finishes, and uniquely dark and gloomy style. Stewart’s coloring choices were superb as well; setting the tone with dated, muted colors to fit the feel of that period. I was so happy to see both gentlemen back for the second volume The Curse Bells, for I cannot imagine a different art team for Baltimore now.
So if you like Hellboy and want something in that same vein from Mignola, I highly recommend checking out Baltimore: The Plague Ships. You’ll worship the art, fall head-over-heels in love with the story, and quickly choose Lord Henry Baltimore as the subject of your next commission at a convention.
Click here for previous Book Of The Month selections!
Cammys Comic Corner - Book Of The Month - Baltimore The Plague Ships Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadCammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Infinite Kung Fu
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on January 12, 2012
Book Of The Month – January 2012
Infinite Kung Fu
Created by Kagan McLeod
Although you may have never heard the name Kagan McLeod before, no doubt that you’ve seen his art somewhere. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was in love with his style before I ever discovered who he truly was, or the things he was capable of illustrating. If you read magazines such as Entertainment Weekly or the Hollywood Reporter, chances are you’ve stumbled across his work without even realizing it, for he’s frequently found in several different periodicals of that sort. What if you were to allow him to illustrate a story of his own? Well, then you would get the astounding story of Infinite Kung Fu from the fine people at Top Shelf.
Me personally, I’ve only seen a few of the classic martial arts movies (Enter The Dragon, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) compared to my friends, who are ga-ga for the genre. I know enough to get by, and recognize some of the standard archetypes and familiar storytelling that have been around for generations. Infinite Kung Fu on the other hand, hooked me from page one and kept me entranced all the way to page four hundred and sixty-four. Immediately afterward I wanted more; movies, books, comics, anything that would quench my thirst for martial arts and flying fists of fury. That’s the testament of a great graphic novel in my opinion; when I want to know more about the genre / universe / creator as soon as I’m done basking in all its glory. Thankfully, after the story is told, McLeod has a very handy illustrated history of kung fu in the final pages, and it helps the average schmuck like me figure out what movies or actors to check out. Because of this back-matter, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to watch more kung fu movies with friends, the more ridiculous they are the better! Do yourself a favor and checkout Jackie Chan in The Drunken Master if you haven’t already; it will be your new favorite movie.
Taking almost a decade to produce, you can instantly tell that McLeod loves all things martial arts and kung fu (as if the title alone didn’t tip you off). The entire collection is in black and white with beautiful greytone washes throughout, and for those who know me well, I’m an absolute sucker of washes done right. However it’s not all washes, for McLeod has two styles he plays with; washes, and then a kind of loose-yet-intense sketching of sorts. They mix together beautifully, and it reminds me a little of a similar style that J.H. Williams III plays with on Batwoman. I frantically looked for pieces of original art from the series after I had finished reading it, but alas, I was way too late to the party.
Every fighting style imaginable is thrown into this graphic novel, with a large helping of zombies, blacksploitation, and the supernatural thrown in for that hearty taste. McLeod was obviously that kid in high school who would rather stay at home on a Friday night watching old Hong Kong action flicks, than throwing-up cheap beer at the house party down the block with all the jocks and popular kids. He studied every pose, every killing strike, and even memorized the taste of kung fu (little-known fact; kung fu does have a flavor (the flavor is PAIN!)). Working feverishly on this graphic novel, he captured the pure essence of the genre, and made it an instant classic that people will be talking about for many a millennia. It would make for a fantastically whimsical Hollywood blockbuster, but I don’t think they would ever be able to transfer that same style and flavor that you get when reading this collection. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
If you were looking for me to spoil the story (as usual in these reviews) or tell you about the characters, I do apologize but I’m going to let you discover its beauty on your own accord. I was in a state of ecstasy after reading it, and it’s one of those feelings you don’t even want to attempt to try and describe in fear of tarnishing the memory. Reading Infinite Kung Fu is certainly an experience, and one you won’t soon forget. There’s a reason this was my Best / Favorite Graphic Novel of 2011, and it’s because of this; it’s an epic and beautifully crafted story that does great justice to both comic books and kung fu, while remaining completely accessible to every demographic of readers. Simple as that. I don’t know what masterpiece Kagan McLeod has lined-up for us comic fans next, but I’m perfectly willing to wait another decade for him to complete it.
Still not convinced? Go read the first 15 pages online for free, you cheap bastard.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Gladstone’s School For World Conquerors Vol. 1
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on December 18, 2011
Book Of The Month – December 2011
Gladstone’s School For World Conquerors – Vol. 1
Written by Mark Andrew Smith
Illustrated by Armand Villavert
You’d be surprised how many people have contacted me asking for a good ‘all ages’ comic book that I can recommend for their child. Now that’s always a tricky subject; how old are we talking? Are they enjoying titles like Dragon Puncher and Tiny Titans, or are they a little more mature and think Super Dinosaur is the bees-knees? You don’t want them to feel like you’re babying them by giving them a title like Owlie, when in fact they’re reading something like Runaways. It’s a fine line, and there are very few titles that will please everyone.
Imagine my sigh of relief when I picked-up the first issue of Gladstone’s School For World Conquerors earlier this year. From the get-go it read like a fun comic I could let my younger cousin borrow as soon as I was done reading it, and we could both talk about what we loved about the series. While other comics from Marvel and DC might have decades of continuity attached to the characters, with Gladstone’s you get a completely new universe to play in, with enough exposition to keep you interested and excited to find out more about the characters.
And talk about a batch of characters! While with other teen superhero teams, it’s all about training them to be the best they can be to take care of the supervillains, Gladstone’s is the exact opposite; the teen supervillains are in classes learning how to be the ultimate world conquerors (as the title suggests). We follow the team of Kid Nefarious, Ghost Girl, Martian Jones, Mummy Girl, and the Skull Brothers as they idolize their parents and supervillains of old, while accidentally discovering banned materials known as ‘comic books’, portraying their parents as bumbling morons. Infuriated, they then make it their mission to get revenge on those heroes who painted their parents in such a bad light. Little do they know however, that there’s been a treaty between heroes and villains, and all the fights they see on television are actually staged for entertainment. Will the students make a dreadful mistake that upsets the balance between good and evil that’s been protected for all these years? Well, you’ll just have to pick-up the trade and find out!
Gladstone’s School For World Conquerors is such a spectacular display of everything you could want in a teen supervillain book. The character designs and stunning visuals by Armand Villavert are such fun to look at, and this universe that Mark Andrew Smith has created is so magnificent to explore, that I can hardly wait for the next volume to start in 2012! If you’re looking for something fresh and new when it comes to superpowered beings, the first volume of Gladstone’s is definitely worth your money.
∞Click here to listen to the audio interview with writer Mark Andrew Smith∞
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Dan Dare Omnibus
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on November 15, 2011
Book Of The Month – November 2011
Dan Dare Omnibus
Written by Garth Ennis
Illustrated by Gary Erskine
A writer like Garth Ennis can be a bit of a sticky pickle for some comic book fans, for you sometimes can’t tell what you’re getting with him. Will it be something gruesome and disturbing like Crossed, or an action and adventure war story along the lines of Battlefields? One man’s bollocks is another man’s red velvet cupcake.
Me personally, I’ve been a fan of every genre he’s done, but especially love the war stories. That’s the argument I use when people tell me he’s just a one-trick pony; constantly churning out vile and over the top stories to the torture porn enthusiasts. While it sometimes may seem as such, there’s always another series, whether it’s licensed or original, that balances everything out and keeps everyone happy.
The Dan Dare Omnibus holds a special place in my heart for several reasons, and I’ve been meaning to talk about it for the longest time. When I first reviewed issue #5 back in Episode 22, it landed me on my very first press list with a comic book company. At the time Virgin Comics was publishing it, and was able to complete the first seven issue arc before the publisher went through a bit of a revamp, and sold the license to Dynamite Entertainment. In 2009 Dynamite republished the collection, and still holds the license to any future Dan Dare adventures to this day. So far, there have been no plans announced.
For those who don’t know, Garth Ennis is a World War II buff and can tell some amazing stories set in that time period. Dan Dare first appeared in the Eagle publication during the tail-end of World War II, and a lot of Brits still recognize the character today. Think of him as the British Buck Rogers, but much cooler. What Ennis was able to do in this relaunch was maintain the character’s science fiction roots, and at the same time update him for a more mature audience. I don’t mean explicit, I mean this is a war story, and it’s not how the cartoons make it out to be.
Since it’s a science fiction story involving aliens and spaceships, it takes a talented artist to infuse the World War II era look and feel to the setting. Gary Erskine does a wonderful job illustrating the different battleships and cruisers, and certainly excels at the terrifying aliens such as the Torr. The space battles and dogfights are rendered beautifully, and really excites the inner-Star Wars fan in me. The hero himself with his classic bombers jacket and lightning-bolt eyebrows truly is the cherry on top.
So if you like science fiction, if you like war stories, and you’re willing to give Garth Ennis a shot, you’ll definitely find yourself appreciating this collection. According to the internet there’s a movie in the works, so perhaps we will get a new ongoing from Dynamite somewhere down the line. Since Garth Ennis is their MVP over there, it’s only a natural fit to have him pen some new adventures, because he definitely proved himself worthy with this omnibus.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Hark! A Vagrant
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on October 1, 2011
Book Of The Month – October 2011
Hark! A Vagrant
Written & Illustrated by Kate Beaton
I have a confession to make; I came late to the Hark! A Vagrant party. My friends always talked about the webcomic with high praise, and how funny and genius it was. In my defense there are hundreds upon hundreds of great webcomics out there nowadays, and it’s so hard to remember to bookmark them all. Of the regular ones I visit, I know their schedules like the back of my hand (Penny Arcade and Gunshow Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Questionable Content and Our Valuable Customers Monday through Friday), but if you’re rather forgetful like I am, you tend to visit a new series if you suddenly remember and are near a computer, or if you’re bored at work and have a smart phone handy. My love of Hark! A Vagrant! blossomed after Comic-Con this past summer.
Jeremy Awesome (cameraman, cool dude) was picking up an advanced copy of the book (signed, limited to 300 mind you) for a friend who wasn’t able to make it. While lugging our camera equipment and spoils of the convention around throughout the weekend, I had a chance every now and then to sneak a peek at the book and see what all the fuss was about. Little did I know, but Kate Beaton would soon become one of those beautiful Geeky Goddesses that I worship (alongside Blair Butler and Felicia Day).
Just like xkcd is a webcomic for the nerds and science types to enjoy, Hark! A Vagrant is the same brand of catnip for the history and literature buffs. Myself being an English major, I was laughing my rump off comic after comic, and much like xkcd you don’t have to be a scholar of any sort to still have an enjoyable experience when reading it (but it certainly does amplify the effects).
The majority of the strips are in the standard three-panel format, with an extended six-panel layout sprinkled in here and there when required. The subject matter jumps from period to period, century to century without a linear timeline. Sporadic keeps things lively and interesting, and doesn’t feel like Beaton is only focusing on one period in time to find humor in. The humor in the strips ranges from sophisticated to just plain silly, with some slightly bizarre thrown in for good measure. There is also some superheroes present, and I must say Sexy Batman had me rolling on the floor for several minutes.
So whether you’re a fan of Shakespearean plays or ever wondered if it was possible to make jokes regarding The Great Gatsby, I highly recommend you check this collection out, then afterward go to her website and bookmark it for your viewing pleasure. It’s such a great looking hardcover, and to think this doesn’t even collect the entire archive! Leaves it open for much more goodness in another thick collection in the future, and I’ll definitely be picking up that one as well.
Click here for past Book Of The Month selections!
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Essex County
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on August 9, 2011
Book Of The Month – August 2011
Essex County
Written & Illustrated by Jeff Lemire
Wh
en one thinks of the country Canada, a few keywords that come to mind may include ‘polite’, ‘friendly’, and ‘hockey’. Some might say they’re a little too polite and friendly. They are right above us after all, sitting on prime location to strike at us if necessary with a Canadian blitzkrieg during a quiet winter evening. The only indication that we were taken over would be socialized medicine and the right to smoke the wacky-tobaccy in peace. But alas, Canada is more than just the prime exporter of maple syrup, Michael J. Fox and snow, it’s also the setting of Jeff Lemire’s imaginary hometown in Essex County in his first major graphic novel of the same name.
My first introduction to Jeff Lemire’s work was in fact Essex County, much like everyone else at the time. I remember listening to an episode of the podcast Around Comics (R.I.P.) where one of the hosts Chris was gushing about it, saying it was so much more than just a story about life on the farm. I mean, how do you try and sell a comic set in that landscape? Especially in an industry dominated by superheroes and events, the little independent guys don’t have any room to rise to the top like the exquisite crème that they are. After finally coming across a copy of the first trade paperback, Tales From The Farm, I was immediately hooked. His art style wasn’t conventional in the least; it was very loose, messy and bold, and I loved every single page because of it. His style was something I had never seen before, and yet it worked so well with the storytelling. The style and the story were a natural pairing. To even try and imagine another artist’s style for the series was ludicrous.
Eventually the Essex County Trilogy hardcover came out collecting all three volumes into one gigantic collection, and I naturally swooped-it up and devoured it all over again. Only this time I was in for a bit of a surprise; the collection had two unreleased stories in the very back along with production materials. I was so happy I cried tears of maple! 512 pages, all black and white, ready to be enjoyed all over again multiple times throughout the year (or maybe a tad-bit more spread out than that). If that wasn’t enough, the gargantuan trade paperback was just released earlier this year as well. It’s not as massive as the Bone trade, but it can still kill a small child just the same.
In the first story, Tales From The Farm, we’re introduced to Essex County and the main characters who live there. Lester, a boy who moves in with his uncle Ken after his mother died, has a big imagination and isn’t into farm life as much as he’s into playing down by the creek and creating his own comic books. His uncle doesn’t know how to connect with the boy, but the one thing that brings them together is their love of hockey. Lester starts hanging with the gas attendant Jimmy Lebeuf down by the creek, and enjoys their imaginary battles against aliens and share a love of comic books. Seeds are planted in this first story, and slowly you start seeing the rich history of the town and its inhabitants. It’s fun trying to connect the dots of who is related to whom, and how far back their family history goes.
Continuing on in Ghost Stories, you’re introduced to Lou Lebeuf who is a frail old man suffering from Alzheimer’s, going back and forth from past to present. This volume in particular is fertile with history and hockey, maintaining a perfect balance between the two throughout. Lou remembers fondly playing professionally with his brother Vinnie on the Toronto Grizzlies, until an unexpected love triangle blossoms between Lou, Vinnie, and Vinnie’s girlfriend, causing the brothers to not speak to one another for several decades. It truly is one of the saddest chapters I’ve ever read in comics, and I still feel the tears forming in my eyes when thinking about one panel in particular.
Finally, with The Country Nurse, we follow the daily routine of Nurse Annie, who travels across the county taking care of the patients in need of help. Her own grandmother helped bring orphans from the neighboring county to Essex County back in 1917 after their orphanage burned down one snowy night, further adding to the already rich back story of the place. The events of all three volumes wrap-up quite nicely in this last one, bringing families together, saying good-bye to some old favorites and even introducing a family tree for the reader to see the official history of those involved. From the first volume to the last, you do notice Lemire’s style progressing slow and steady right before your eyes, and yet it blends together quite smoothly for such a quirky style.
I’ll be bold and say Essex County belongs on your bookshelf next to Maus and Persepolis, because it is storytelling at its finest. It’s epic in scope for a graphic novel set in Canadian farm country, but it’s also something you’ll never come across again. If you do, it won’t be as good as this I can guarantee it. It brings me immense joy to see Lemire as a hot-shot writer at DC now, lending his talents to such high profile projects such as Superboy, Animal Man, Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE, and my personal favorite, Sweet Tooth. After reading Essex County, you’ll follow Jeff Lemire with such blind loyalty from title to title, publisher to publisher. He will be the Grant Morrison of a new generation, with his stories staying with us for a thousand years. He should be considered royalty in Canada, because he is hands-down my favorite export from that country.
Well played, Canada, well played.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Strange Science Fantasy
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on July 8, 2011
Book Of The Month – July 2011
Strange Science Fantasy
Written & Illustrated by Scott Morse
In my opening argument, I will prove to you that Scott Morse isn’t just a comic book creator, but a diabolical genius. The whole ‘I’m just a guy who draws pretty pictures’ excuse is nothing more than a cheap disguise, hiding the real brilliance of this man, this legend, this modern day Wizard of Oz. In this case you will want to pay attention to that man behind the curtain, because chances are that he’ll fill your mind with long lost stories of ancient times featuring gods, soldiers, and much more.
I remember reading the first issue of Strange Science Fantasy last year, and really liking the blend of both story and art. It was something unique, bold, and there was nothing else like it. Lo behold with the arrival of the second issue, and I had a gigantic hook simultaneously in my brain and heart, with Morse reeling me in one page at a time. To this day I still bear that hook, and it does make quite the interesting topic of discussion at cocktail parties. The whole concept of mash-ups is to take two or more already existing things, and combine them together to create something new. Music, comics, movies, you can see it thriving in this day and age, it still being a relatively new idea. I love music mash-ups, and have nothing but tremendous amounts of respect to the DJs who are able to create such wonderful new rhythms and beats. The same thing applies to comic book creators who are pushing the boundaries of different genres, creating something new and beautiful as the outcome.
With Strange Science Fantasy, you get exactly that; several different one-shots by Morse, each very unique with a blend of science and fantasy, action and science, etc. You can’t predict the outcome for any of the stories, you can only enjoy the ride from cover to cover. Remember those mash-up action scenes in the movie Sucker Punch? Think that, only good. Morse is throwing ideas at you that you wouldn’t have thought-up in a million years, and yet it feels like it could fit-in comfortably with any era in comic books. For all I know, Scott Morse is the incarnation of Jack Kirby, and he has unfinished story ideas. Now to compare someone to The King of Comics is quite bold, but Morse definitely shows respect to the stories and their creators of old, and you can see loud and clear in his work. His whole style of art is a fantastic pulp look, with beautiful coloring also done by him. Some of these characters he introduces us to are complex, simple, and original all rolled into one, that at times I find myself flabbergasted trying to figure out what his inspirations might have been. Drugs? Grant Morrison? Does he own a giant pop culture blender, and mixed-in a healthy dose of everything? The answer may hurt our mortal brains if we were ever to discover his methods of madness.
Each of these one-shots could easily be a mini-series of some sort, maybe spanning 5-6 issues per character. It’s the kind of collection you could pitch to a publisher, seeing what hits and what misses. I for one would love to see the continued adventures of the Shogunaut & Knucklehead, or see what’s next for the Projectionist. And what’s our old pal G.I. Gantic up to now that his mission is complete? I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but it does say ‘Volume 1’ on this trade, perhaps suggesting that more of these magnificent stories are on their way? One can only hope.
In closing, this is a ‘Must Own’ graphic novel for your bookshelf. It has something for everyone, and it’s not like any other comic that I can think of. This is the perfect trade for the one comic geek who has everything, or the one who’s just starting to get into comics. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll study this Grade-A eye candy for years to come. And did I mention as an added bonus you’ll get six pin-ups by artist extraordinaire Paul Pope? Yeah, it’s kind of awesome like that.
Go pick-up Strange Science Fantasy today, and thank me tomorrow.
Cammy’s Comic Corner – Book Of The Month – Blacksad
Posted by Cammy in Book Of The Month on June 7, 2011
Book Of The Month – June 2011
Blacksad
Written by Juan Diaz Canales
Illustrated by Juanjo Guarnido
Dark Horse
Last week when I reviewed Liar’s Kiss for the Top Shelf selection for the month of May, something happened to me; I was bitten by the Noir bug. Now this type of bug isn’t your typical damsel in distress, nor is it lethal, but upon being bitten you will find yourself craving more and more noir stories, whatever medium be damned. That bite definitely influenced my selection this month.
Blacksad isn’t anything new to you if you live in Europe. It was originally a graphic album made for the French comics market by two Spanish creators, and later collected by Dark Horse for the comic fans over here in the states to enjoy. It follows a run-of-the-mill detective, John Blacksad, as he rights wrongs and solves mysterious in 1950-60’s America, in three different stories collected in this volume. So how does this standout from the other pulps and noirs? Simple; anthropomorphic characters with the species based on their personalities. Blacksad is a black cat who always seems to land on his feet, and is very stealthy when he needs to be. A lot of the police are some sort of breed of K9, and the shadier characters and lowlifes tend to be reptiles or other sorts of vermin. Remember those old Disney cartoons, whether it be Ducktales or Rescue Rangers? Same sort of style we enjoy here, only think of this world as a lot more grittier and adult than what you remember. There are certain situations that are rather explicit at times, but don’t let that turn you away; nothing feels forced, it all flows very naturally.
In the first story, Somewhere Within The Shadows, Blacksad investigates the murder of an old flame who he used to be very intimate with. We discover the culprit is a few million dollars above his and the authorities pay-bracket, so John has to get his paws a little dirty to make sure justice has been served, caution to the wind. This first arc really helps introduce us to this world, and has us begging for more by the last page.
The second story, Artic Nation, is my personal favorite. It deals with racial segregation in the 1950’s between the black and white animals. The white supremacist casting is spot-on, and makes it feel that much more real and enticing. Blacksad has been hired to find a kidnapped little girl, with the local white authorities being his number one suspects. What follows is betrayal, deceit, and a whole lot of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.
The final story of this collection, Red Soul, focuses on the Red Scare of the 1960’s, with the famous witch hunts for communist sympathizers. When Blacksad discovers one of his old teacher / mentors is swept-up with the wrong crowd, he feels it necessary to become his guardian angel. A good thing too, because someone puts out a hit on his old friend, and the shocking reason of why causes Blacksad to question everything he thought he knew about him.
The art by Juanjo Guarnido is just absolutely gorgeous to look at. The man used to work in a few different animated Disney projects, so he obviously knows how to create anthropomorphic characters that feel so natural and relatable. His watercolor work really progresses each story, and is just mind-boggling to try and calculate how long each page must have took him to produce.
As for Juan Diaz Canales, the man obviously lives, breathes, and eats noir on an everyday basis to bring us such wonderfully suspenseful stories. To have a post-WWII era as the background for each story really brings a sense of nostalgia to the reader, despite what generation they might be apart of. We learned of these events throughout history class, so to see a different interpretation of each time period is something very special.
If you’re a fan of Parker by Cooke or the criminal Criminal by Brubaker & Phillips, do yourself a favor and add this to your Noir section on your comics shelf. It’s a natural fit, and you’ll find yourself wanting to learn French just so you can see what happens in the yet-to-be-released volume four.
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