North 40 #1

When I first heard about it at the Emerald City ComiCon, I thought it was “about folks with superpowers living in a rural county”, but it’s more horror-influenced than your usual superhero comic. (Which probably explains why it’s getting most of its good press from horror blogs; here’s one of the best reviews.) The premise is that a rural Midwestern town finds its inhabitants transformed by a Lovecraftian horror when two bored students open the wrong mysterious book.

The strength of this series is the characterization. Readers almost instantly understand the personalities due to the combination of well-chosen, uniquely voiced dialogue and the great art (especially the character designs). They start as stereotypes — the well-meaning country sheriff, the tyrannical town drunk, the young woman who wants to save the day, the mayor’s son on the make, the young waitress who dreams of more — but their familiarity serves to involve the reader quickly. And then they get tentacles or x-ray vision or fangs with a taste for human flesh or become zombies. Some become monsters, and others battle them.

My favorite part of the series is when the citizens try to keep on with their daily life, regardless of their new abilities. They still want to leave town — but now they can’t, due to a mystical barrier — or they stumble home hungover or they hold petty grudges they want to work out with their powers or the kids hold their weekend dance. Issue #4 is due out October 7, or you may want to wait for the likely collection at this point in order to get the whole story.

This issue was a bit too heavy on the “big action piece” for my tastes — I would have preferred more tackling of the weighty issues raised by the concept, a genius investigator coming to terms with her own mortality — but it makes sense as a punchy, fun-to-watch ending to this installment of the story. (I expected, given the premise, less of an ending that depended on physical strength, although it can be read as a visual symbol of the internal struggle.) There are some very nifty images and effects in the “trapped in the mysterious afterlife” section of the story, with near-wordless expressions of dread and fear that the reader will likely share. I hope the missed secret will be shared again, because I dislike “if only the characters had bothered to talk to each other!”-driven plots.

I liked the character work, and I look forward to seeing more of this team in the next story, The Devil Made Flesh, which starts next month. You can read the complete issue #1 online, or here’s an interview with Mark Waid about his goals for the series.

Artesia Besieged #3

by Mark Smylie, Archaia, $3.95 US
(Online version provided)

Hey, Artesia’s back! Issue #2 of this six-issue miniseries came out three years ago, and since then, the publisher has done some restructuring. Now, Smylie’s flagship series looks just the same as it did then, picking up without a hitch. Well, maybe the figures are a little rougher, a little less polished, as he gets back in the groove.

Artesia is on the brink of death from a poisoned weapon during battle. As her body lies nude in front of warriors and healers, her spirit is with her mystical guides, who talk over her possible futures. This is the best example possible of why I “wait for the trade”. Not only do I not know where my first two issues of this series are, I’ve completely forgotten the countries and sides and names of the players involved. But hey, the series has returned! That means the eventual collection is this much closer.

A summary and preview are available at the publisher’s website. This interview with Smylie talks more about the delays and his plans for the series.

Erstwhile: The Farmer’s Clever Daughter

by Gina Biggs, Strawberry Comics, $6 US

Ah, a one-shot, complete story! The artist of Red String takes a different tack by retelling a fairy tale in comic form. I wasn’t previously familiar with this fable, but I loved it for the same reasons the author chose it:

This story introduces some very rare aspects of fairy tales: A clever, self-sufficient female lead, no magical elements at all to help or hinder her, and very little violence.

Velinda, the farmer’s daughter, helps her father cope with the downside of unexpected good luck and winds up marrying a prince. That’s as all good fairy tales end, but that’s only the beginning here. I loved the way she was always true to herself. The colors are vibrant (although I sometimes wondered about the white faces), and the art dynamic with clear, simple figures. It’s a shame that the price has to be so high, but that’s self-printing these days.

The Frog Prince

by Lauren Skinner, Strawberry Comics, $4 US

Also from the same publisher, a translated retelling of the story of the frog prince in which the princess is the prettiest girl in high school and the frog the geek infatuated with her. It was fascinating seeing the story from his perspective, and I also appreciated the way she was given more character than just beauty. The art is sketchy and rough, more like preliminaries than finals, but it’s in keeping with the cast, who are also unformed and figuring out who to be. It’s not unattractive, and it captures emotion well.

Rostam: Tales From the Shahnameh #1

by Bruce Bahmani and Karl Altstaetter, Hyperwerks, $5.95 US

This comic series, with three issues out so far, adapts ancient Persian myths. Rostam is a traditional epic hero and warrior with problems like someone stealing his impressive horse and facing an unknown son in battle.

The adventure-style art is mediocre, with little sense of movement or flow, and while there are some nice faces, bodies and proportions change from panel to panel. The expressions don’t always match the text, being too exaggerated or otherwise ill-chosen. The writing is flat. With more of a sense of humor, it could be a parody of high adventure, but it’s intended to be taken straight. The story structure is lacking, since the author is stringing together incidents from myths. The result is a series of events instead of a well-paced story.

Those with an interest in the cultural history might find this an interesting alternative exploration of the material, especially if they’re already familiar with it.

But there’s a lot more to this story than just commentary on modern media marketing and the confusion between appearance and inspiration. Tom Taylor is a failure, reduced to signing his father’s books at conventions after dad’s disappearance. At one of his presentations, a woman points out that he might be a fake, not the author’s son at all. The resulting kerfluffle sends him on a quest to find out more about his missing father.

Writer Mike Carey and artist Peter Gross know the territory well and tell the story with admirable skill. The two previously worked together on Lucifer, although I remember Gross best from The Books of Magic, starring another boy wizard.

What tickles me most is Tom’s habit of literary geography, an ability drilled into him by his father. He identifies locations with books inspired by them, adding a new connection between stories and the real world. I also appreciate the way that Carey and Gross work in excerpts — of the Taylor books, obviously, but also of fan webpages and media coverage and the like. It feels more modern and relevant that way.

There’s also a villain, tracking Tom for yet unknown reasons, with the ability to decompose objects into their component letters, unwriting them. Issue #3 moves the story to the Swiss castle where Frankenstein was written, where a variety of horror writers are holding a workshop. That allows for heaping injections of atmosphere as well as an expanded cast for more creepiness and dark humor.

I’m fascinated by the multiple levels that this series works on, with plenty of ideas swirling around about the stories we tell ourselves and each other.

(My thanks to Greg McElhatton and Don MacPherson for pointing me toward this series.)

I’m frankly surprised I liked it as much as I did. It’s because of the character work. I really like Catherine. She’s brusque and impatient, with the best excuse possible for not wanting to waste any time. She’s brilliant, and everyone knows it. And she’s got that dramatic red scarf.

She’s trying to solve life’s last mystery, the one she’s going to face herself, but at the same time, she doesn’t want to succumb to mystical thinking. Finally, a woman who could stand up to, and likely best, Sherlock Holmes.

Due to the tumor, she’s seeing spooky men staring at her, so she enlists some help: a former bouncer with good ethics and the ability to read people really well. They’re off to Europe to recover the world’s most precise scale, which has been stolen. She suspects someone is trying to measure the weight of a soul.

While she’s seeking a rational explanation for the afterlife, creepy things begin happening. I’m reminded of Dr. 13, the comics pragmatist and debunker, only not quite so stubborn.

The dialogue’s great, and the art appropriately moody. It’s written by Mark Waid with art by Minck Oosterveer. You can read a preview of #1 online. Issue #4, the conclusion, is due out next month, with a hardcover collection following in September. The sequel miniseries, The Devil Made Flesh, also starts that month. (Complimentary online copies were provided by the publisher.)

Peter Blood was a soldier who choice to put away his sword to become a doctor. However, during the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion against King James II, Blood treats the town’s lord, who is an ally of the Duke. For this act of treason, Blood is sold as a slave to the plantations in Jamaica.

Captain Blood: Odyssey #1
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Captain Blood: Odyssey is based on the 1922 novel by Rafeal Sabatini. The book has been adapted into three Hollywood movies; the most famous is the 1935 Captain Blood, which made Errol Flynn a movie star. This, however, is the first comic adaptation of the novel. I haven’t read Sabatini’s novel so I can’t comment on how accurate an adaptation the comic is.

Captain Blood is an adventure story set against the backdrop of real events. I like the use of specific historical episodes to give the book a more tangible feel. This story doesn’t take place sometime in the 17th century; instead, the book opens in 1686. Knowing this means we already have an idea of the people we will encounter, the political climate of the time, and even the clothes they are likely to wear. Shepherd and Shoyket have chosen to make this comic as accurate to that section of the 17th century as possible.

Shepherd writes a sharply paced and engaging comic. I was impressed with how quickly he was able to tell Blood’s backstory. There is no excess in Shepherd’s writing. We are given the circumstances that lead to Blood being a slave in Jamaica and no more. Once we are up to speed, Shepherd keeps the narrative moving by focusing on key events. At the same time, the story doesn’t feel rushed or that we’re getting simply an outline of the events.

Shepherd also does a good job with the dialogue. We are spared tortured attempts at Shakespearean English loaded with ‘thee’, ‘thy’, and ‘thou’. Instead, the educated and aristocratic speak with an eloquence that sounds old-fashioned to modern ears. They are polite and use either suggestion or metaphor to make a barbed point. The working class speak plainly and directly. It’s a subtle detail, but it reminds the reader how important class distinction was during this period.

Shoyket’s artwork is superb. The use of sepia tone is perfect to give the book a historical feel. Shoyket’s work is loaded with details. I have two minuscule qualms with the art. Shoyket has chosen to give the comic a sketchbook look. This includes keeping the pencil stroke marks. I would have preferred the line work be blended to remove these marks. Second, there is a lot of shadow in this book, which is probably accurate to a time when the sun and candles were the only light sources. However, I would prefer less shadow so that more of the details are visible.

Caption Blood: Odyssey is a great comic. It’s everything you want from a good historical adventure book: it gets the historical details right and moves quickly. I look forward to each new issue and the eventual graphic novel. Go experience life on the high seas with a well-educated pirate. Previews are available at the publisher’s website.

(This review is based on a PDF copy of the comic supplied by the publisher.)

Undertow
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Ellen Lindner’s Undertow is a fascinating portrait of 60s Brooklyn. Rhonda and Estelle are bored young women, dating and drinking because they don’t know what else to do. Chuck, a Harvard man training to be a social worker, is looking to Rhonda’s brother Johnny for his entree into the group to study them after a tragedy. There’s some great atmospheric work here, establishing the feel of the urban setting and the lives of bored, crazy kids.

Marguerite Dabaie had the second volume of her Hookah Girl and Other True Stories, short stories about the cross-cultural struggle of being American Christian Palestinian. Subjects range from the minor and mundane — how to eat sunflower seeds — to the disturbing — reading scary editorial cartoons. I liked the historical and cultural ones best, such as her guide to the Arab-American lifestyle or the drawings of embroidery.

Peter Quach’s Transit, a well-illustrated, affecting piece about life in the big city, can be read in full online. It’s got good, realistic conversation and strong figure work.

Johnny Hiro
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Johnny Hiro, by Fred Chao, collects the three previous comics with more new material. It’s imaginative and inventive, as in the first story Johnny tries to rescue girlfriend Mayumi from Gozadilla, a dinosaur attacking Brooklyn. What’s striking is that Chao captures all the adrenaline of an adventure story but paces it with the meaningful flashbacks of a modern novel and weaves in the everyday reality of living in New York. It’s an outstanding approach that’s unique and yet seems perfectly natural and well-chosen. It’s also well-drawn.

In other stories, Hiro is sent to steal a lobster; gets attacked by samurai at the opera; catches a giant tuna with his boss; and goes to Night Court. Plus, there are cameos by Alton Brown and Judge Judy. I really like this book and I hope there will be more.

Molly Lawless gave me two samples of her Infandum comics. (Whereupon I learned that “infandum” is Latin for “unspeakable”.) They’re large-format, the size of a sheet of paper (unfolded), the better to show off her detailed pages. I don’t get her fascination with old-timey baseball, but otherwise, I enjoyed these glimpses inside her mind and what she finds interesting, including childhood memories and training for a marathon.

My favorite minicomic acquisitions were Ken Wong’s origami comics, three-dimensional paper creations that still told a story. Ed’s already praised them, and they’re much deserving. Ken developed them as a rejoinder to the idea that webcomics were superior to print — he wanted to show that paper comics could do something comics on the web couldn’t. And so he built a box to tell Pandora’s tale. (My version is flat, with instructions on rebuilding it, because I thought it was easier to travel with.)

But it’s the fortune teller that really captivated me. The idea of picking living or dead under one of the folded tabs is funny enough, but when you unfold the device and look at the opposite side, it’s the drawings of the various cats famous in comics and animation that really tickled me. It’s so multi-leveled: honoring different styles and characters while evoking the multiverses of DC and Marvel through each label: clones, irradiation, robots, manga stylings, comic strips… it’s a tiny little encapsulation of so much comic history, all on one page. He’s got a listing of the various earths on his website, but the list of cat homages is up to you. I know I’m missing a couple.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
(Manga Edition)
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Hyeondo Park, the artist on the webcomic Sam & Lilah, was kind enough to give me a copy of the manga adaptation of Huckleberry Finn, which he did the art for. It’s good storytelling, with plenty of adventure, but I look forward to seeing more individual work from him.

The last thing I’ll mention is the work of Sean Lynch. We had a great conversation about his sketchbook — he creates on the pages of an old programming book, the Borland C++ Programmer’s Guide to Graphics. It was bizarre to see art done with bits of sample code peeking through.

Whew! Some really neat work being done. Even with the issues with the show, I’m looking forward to going back next year.

To make the reviews more manageable, I divided the material I bought at MoCCA into floppies and books. Here are floppies; the book reviews will follow soon.

Doctor Canacki #1, 2
Art by Maaren Vande Viele, story by Stefan Nieuwenhuis, published by Bries
This book is in Dutch, which I can’t read. I picked it up because I loved the art and the retro 60s feel of the book. The interior art is gorgeous black and white. I love how Vande Viele has the foreground and background blend into each other at times to add to the psychedelic feel of the book. A preview of each can be seen here.

Human on the Inside
by Mike Zagari, published by comixels.com
This is a good opening chapter. I do have a problem with the character design of the lead male. The art reminds me of Paul Pope but with thicker lines and less detail. This definitely leaves me wanting more. Preview pages are available at comixels.com.

Robot13: Colossus! #1
story by Thomas Hall, art by Daniel Bradford, published by Blacklist Studios
The art and feel of the book is very similar to Mignola’s Hellboy. I’m a huge fan of Hellboy, so I’m already predisposed to like this book. The first issue didn’t disappoint. I plan to pick up future issues. A preview is available here.

Comic Book Comics #2,3
written by Fred Van Lente, art by Ryan Dunlavey, published by Evil Twin Comics
Action Philosophers made me a devotee of Evil Twin Comics. This new series is just as good. This is the best introduction to the history of American comics that I’ve come across. Highly recommended. Preview of #2 and note on sources here.

THB: Comics from Mars #1
by Paul Pope, published by AdHouse Books
This is my first exposure to Pope’s THB universe. I can see what the fuss is about. This book has great art and compelling stories. I’ll definitely be reading more THB stories. A preview is available here.

I Love Sex
by Martina Fugazzotto
Given their length, these comics can’t be a comprehensive guide to sex education. They’re excellent conversation starters. I do wish that sex was discussed more in the context of a committed relationship. At times, these books make sex appear as simply another recreational activity. Martina talks about her “hot boyfriend”, but he comes across as more sex toy than partner. You can read this series online at gurl comix.

Pandora’s Box (assembled)
by Ken Wong
This is a clever way to tell the myth of Pandora, and it’s an attractive desk item, too. It’s a comic in the shape of a box. Wong does a great job with the story and the design of the comic. When you get to the part where Pandora opens the box, you have to open the comic box to see what happens next. It’s getting the little details right that make this a wonderful origami comic. I highly recommend this.

Schrodinger’s Cat (assembled)
by Ken Wong
This comic is in the shape of those paper fortune tellers everyone my age made, and played with, in elementary school. This is actually two comics. One side is a brief explanation of Schrodinger’s thought experiment. Wong makes an excellent point on how comic readers will find theories of alternate universes familiar. The other side is a list of every animated or comic cat with a joke related to Schrodinger’s theory. Another highly recommended comic.

The Dollar Dreadful Library
by Tania Del Rio & Wilhelm Staehle
These are not comics, but rather illustrated short stories. They are a pastiche of the old Penny Dreadful tales. I bought all six of the available stories and enjoyed each one as a light read. Hopefully, Del Rio & Staehle will continue to add to this library. I would love to see them write enough stories to gather them into a nice trade paperback. Previews of the stories are available at Dollar Dreadful website.

The Unwritten
by Mike Carey & Peter Gross, published by Vertigo
This was the free comic given to all attendees of MoCCA. It’s okay. It has some good ideas and good art. I just didn’t connect with any of the characters. I definitely wouldn’t follow this monthly. The story pace is too slow. This is a series I might try the first trade to see if the ideas and characters become better developed. You can download a preview here.

Here I talk about comics from some of the Silver Sponsors. I previously covered Gold Sponsors.

Comics Festival! (Toronto Comics Art Festival) — Promoting the show that publishes it and independent creators in general, the biggest problem with this anthology is that a page or a half-page isn’t enough to give a real taste of many of the contributors, although cover artist Emmanuel Gilbert gets 10 pages for a Sardine story about throwing baked goods into the sky. I was glad to see favorites like Faith Erin Hicks and Tara Tallan included, but what I saw from the others, mostly unknown to me, wasn’t enough to make me want more. Success rate: Unsuccessful, unfortunately, because I like the intention.

FCHS (AdHouse Books) — A more mature take on high school with simple, open art and a wide cast of characters. The dialogue can be raw, and the situations more mature than the Archie comics which may have been part of the inspiration. (It also reminds me of a modern-day Dazed and Confused.) Unfortunately, there’s not a story here, just introductions to people and situations, and with so many in the cast, it can be hard to understand who’s who. I hope the graphic novel scheduled for the fall actually has a plot. This comic also has a simple-looking “danger pals” backup, but I don’t know who it’s by, and I didn’t find it a very good match for the cover story. Success rate: Marred by the delay and incomplete content.

Love & Capes #10 (Maerkle Press) — I expected to love it, and I did. But then, I’m already a very happy customer of the series. In preparation for their upcoming marriage, Abby takes on Mark’s Crusader powers for a short time, just to better understand that part of his life. It’s very clever reasoning to set up a classic comic girlfriend plot, and as usual, Thom Zahler handles it with a great deal of humor, depth, and emotion. As with most issues of this series, anyone can start reading here, since everything you need to know is covered, even though there’s an ongoing story. Planning a wedding and working out relationship differences are subjects almost anyone can relate to, even if there is a superhero involved. If I could find people to make up a group with me, I’d love to go to a convention as Charlotte, Abby’s snarky sister. Success rate: Fantastic! There’s information on what else is available and how to get it in the back of the issue, and the material is welcoming to everyone.

Nancy & Melvin Monster (Drawn & Quarterly) — Love the design-y covers and the faux yellowed pages. The first Nancy story, where she meets new friend Oona Goosepimple and visits her haunted house, isn’t at all what I expected. I found it very entertaining in an Addams Family style. I also liked the second, about a search for luck and money. The Melvin Monster was similar, like Little Lulu but with creepy creatures. Success rate: Great sampler for the upcoming collections, mentioned in an ad. I’d like to read more.

Owly And Friends (Top Shelf Productions) — Owly solves a gardening problem while caring for his plants and working with his friends. Korgi gets swallowed by some kind of giant creature (odd, but the monster looks like something out of a kid’s imagination). Johnny Boo is goofy weirdness. Success rate: Consistently charming, year after year. I always buy the new Owly books whenever they’re available. The other two aren’t so much for me, but I imagine kids enjoy Boo especially.

Overall, not a highly successful day for me — I found several comics I very much enjoyed, but they were titles I was already familiar with. I suppose I could have passed on some of those I already knew to try less familiar comics, but I didn’t want to miss out on what I already liked. I think that’s the problem that faces most comic customers, come to think of it, when it comes to trying new books.

Blue Monday: Thieves Like Us #1

by Chynna Clugston, Oni Press, $3.50 US
Preview pages and interview

It’s been four years since the last Blue Monday story, and I’ve missed these weird, wacky, wonderful teens.

When the gang goes to the zoo, Bleu is distracted by all the animals having sex. It’s almost spring, you see, but she’s also got sex on the brain because of her crush on Mr. Bishop. She’s hatched a plan to lose her virginity so he’ll be more interested in the “experienced” her, although she’s still creeped out by the idea of the mechanics. In other words, she’s a typical adolescent, racing to grow up but not yet ready to.

The characters haven’t aged, but the author has, which means the pages are less frantic and over-stuffed than they used to be. The cast is as active as ever, but they have more room to breathe. I like it!

I dunno what’s up with the other issues — #2 was due in January, when this came out, and #3 was scheduled for February (which would have been perfect, given the romantic aspect of the story), but this is the only installment to appear so far. Doesn’t matter, because I’ll definitely be buying the book whenever it’s available.

Love & Capes #9

by Thomas F. Zahler, Maerkle Press, $3.95 US

I am running out of ways to say how much I enjoy reading this superhero sitcom.

In the series’ first continuing story, Mark (the Crusader) has been replaced by a shapeshifter. The not-Mark has taken back up with Amazonia, his super-powered hot ex-girlfriend, while two-timing Abby. She’s a smart cookie, realizing right away that the man pretending to be her fiance … isn’t. That’s part of what makes this series so good, that Zahler doesn’t descend into the usual cliches, especially when they’re unrealistic. He’s also got a unique take on the Crusader/Darkblade relationship, when it comes to the upcoming wedding, that’s thought-provoking.

I love the look of the characters. They’re so distinctive! Zahler has been doing sketches of other people’s characters, and to me, they don’t look quite right, but when he’s drawing his own superheroes, they’re terrific.

The next issue will be out in early May for Free Comic Book Day. In that story, Abby gets powers in order to find out more about what Mark’s life is like every day. What a great idea!

Mysterius the Unfathomable #3

by Jeff Parker and Tom Fowler, DC/WildStorm, $2.99 US

I wanted more of what I liked about the first issue. The characters, especially the interaction of the two leads, are what interest me, but this issue is very plot-heavy, with too much exposition. I lost interest with all the talky-talky, although the concept, about hiding spells in Dr. Seuss books, is very funny. Explains a lot about the names he uses, doesn’t it?

The art is perfect for the story, caricature but not too exaggerated, fitting both people and mystical monsters together with a humorous overlay.

The Scrapyard Detectives #4

written by J.M. DeMatteis, drawn by Bill Galvan, inked by Rob Hawkins, The Diversity Foundation, Free

The neighborhood team of wannabe detectives are facing two challenges: First, Jinn, who’s in a wheelchair, is coping with the anniversary of the accident that put her there. Next, Raymond’s cousin Katie wants to join the group. I’m thrilled to see another girl show up, since before that it was Jinn and the boys, and I like the way Katie’s dialogue is printed in a font all smushed together to show her enthusiasm and fast talking.

Jinn confronts her past — and the person who ran her down — and Ray learns not to be a bully. Everyone learns not to jump to conclusions and let other people talk before they make up their mind about them. It’s obviously a didactic publication, an attempt to moralize through entertainment, but it’s readable and well-drawn.

I would be interested to know what people thought of the ending, where Jinn gets out of the chair. Is her recovery a good thing or the loss of a role model?

See preview pages and alternate covers (one each by Joe Staton and Shawn McManus). There is a collection of earlier issues.

The Wind Raider #1

written by Richard Finney & Dean Loftis, art by Gabriel Hardman, Ape Entertainment, $3.50 US

A post-apocalyptic wasteland where people drive buggies with sails. The opening, near-wordless sequence, showing the travels of one of these vehicles, is the most striking. Then people open their mouths and start speaking fantasy talk. “He’s here, I assure you.” “Then the sound of his pain will give him away.” Gag.

Various factions are fighting over something. There’s a town full of scoundrels and villains, and life is cheap. Oh, and mystic “ki warriors” can control the winds and do other mystical things as the plot demands. It’s overbaked, too caught up in its own mythology and world-building to tell a comprehensive story. Very pretty pictures, though. The artist has previously worked on storyboards for superhero movies.

There are two more issues in the miniseries, although none of them have come out yet. The book has its own website for more information.

Curse of the Were-Woman
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written by Jason M. Burns, art by Christopher Provencher, Devil’s Due, color graphic novel, $14.99 US

Patrick’s a self-obsessed, narcisstic babehound who sleeps with a different female every night. After using and dumping the wrong witch, she curses him to become a woman once the sun goes down. For those of you old enough to remember, yes, it’s a comic version of the movie Switch, liberally mixed with the lessons from What Women Want.

Those weren’t the only movies I was reminded of, though — the opening smacks of American Psycho, with the lead’s fetishized rituals and self-love. The book relies on stereotypes throughout, with the witch being drawn as a Death-like goth and no characters, male or female, having much depth.

Women in this comic are defined by their physicality, their breasts and menstuation and availability for sex. Patrick even hits on himself as Patricia! There are two female characters who are not characterized by their attractiveness; one is merely a symbol of Patrick’s change of heart, and the other is a harridan, Patrick’s former friend’s fat wife. Patricia doesn’t seem like a real woman, but a guy’s checklist of what women are like.

It’s ironic, because Patrick’s lesson is to learn that women are more than sex objects, but the writer doesn’t seem to have taken that message to heart, although the men fare no better. There’s no sense of what made Patrick the man he is beyond the most superficial: he likes women and sex. Has he ever loved or been hurt? I have no idea, which makes the long-expected happy ending less than satisfying.

The presentation is slick and professional, and the dialogue is snappy. You may laugh while reading it — although I found it often too predictable to be funny — but it won’t stick with you. I bet someone options it for the movies.

I don’t know when this is coming out — the publisher thought the end of March (too late), while Amazon says September. You can see preview pages in this interview at the Pulse.

Strongman

Strongman
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written by Charles Soule, art by Allen Gladfelter, SLG Publishing, black-and-white graphic novel, $9.95 US

I don’t get the attraction of the masked Mexican wrestler, or luchador. I’m also not attracted to the “washed-up alcoholic makes good one more time” story type (unless it’s Cat Ballou), so this book isn’t for me. I was taken in by the layouts of the first few pages, which use the page as a whole to create a graphic statement, but the art became much more standard after that, so I stopped reading.

Here’s a much better review than mine. The publisher has posted preview pages, which show you the layouts I was talking about. There’s also an online trailer.

Wise Intelligence #1

Wise Intelligence #1

written by Ryan McLelland, art by Adam Talley, self-published, black-and-white comic, part one of three-part miniseries, $4 US

As soon as I looked at the pages, I thought “looks like a (stereotypical) webcomic” — flat art, simple faces, lots of talking heads, dodgy grasp of character design, boring layouts, attitude substituting for wit. Lo and behold, it was. The inside front cover text is set in Comic Sans, another no-no for professional use.

I was also turned off by the promotion text, which talks about how it continues from an anthology I’ve never heard of. Made me feel like I was coming in late. But since it’s a story about college frat boys, I wasn’t too far behind, since the characters and situations are familiar.

Three upperclassmen are upset that one of them has accidentally been assigned to the freshman dorm. But since his roommate is the son of the university president, it’s not such a bad deal. Guys get laid, guys go to film class (and make Deep Throat jokes), guys play video games, one takes Feminist Theory to “mack chicks”. Someone’s watched Van Wilder too many times. There’s not much story, just a string of incidents. The book is available for order online.

(All reviews are based on complimentary copies, either print (Strongman) or PDF.)

As you’d expect from writer Mark Waid, The Incredibles #1 is everything it should be: a solid superhero adventure mixed with everyday humor.

First, the family team fights Futur10n, a robot villain who turns zoo animals into dinosaurs, leading to many dynamite, imagination-provoking visuals from artist Marcio Takara. Who can resist winged gorillas? Even scarier primitive tigers? An elephant with a brontosaurus head at the end of its trunk? The reader shares son Dash’s reaction: “Cooooooool.”

The characters are faithful to the movie, except that they’re not as fully three-dimensional. Instead of appearing as models, they look like typical 2-D drawn superheroes. I was a bit sad to see the guys get to jump into action while Violet and Mom work out the babysitting. I’m reminded of a former editor who said that this kind of problem is exactly why you don’t give heroes young kids, but I love Jack-Jack too much to wish him gone. It’s a shame that he gets very little screen time this issue.

I was also going to complain about being disappointed to see the typical “guys take the lead in fighting, girls hang back and protect the bystanders” plotting found in so many superhero comics, but then I read more closely and realized the women are the ones who save the day by hoisting the villain on his own petard, so to speak.

After that challenge is conquered, we see some quiet time at home during a barbecue with the neighbors, where everyone falls into familiar nuclear family roles. There is a bigger conflict, as well: Dad is feeling his age and worried about losing his authority as his kids grow up. This is the first piece of a four-issue miniseries, which lends promise to the idea that there will be a satisfying conclusion. This is exactly the kind of fun adventure read you want to share with your kids, although I suspect that maturing adults will relate more to the cliff-hanger.

The Muppet Show #1

Entertaining as that was, The Muppet Show #1 by Roger Langridge is even better. There are plenty of superhero stories, but this kind of hilarious comedy is rare in comics. (Many licensed titles are so safe that they’re boring.) Everything that fans remember is here, from the theater setting and recognizable background cameos to a Gonzo horn gag as part of the opening and Statler and Waldorf’s heckling.

The structure is familiar, but instead of scene cutaways, we get page turns to punctuate the short bits of humor. The pages mostly follow simple grid structures, easy to read and with plenty of room for the dialogue. The visuals are key, too, and impressively well-done. Langridge draws the characters beautifully like themselves. They’re fully realized, but they still resemble puppets. Rowlf even looks fluffy.

The jokes don’t talk down to the reader, and they’re layered for even funnier reactions. I’m highly impressed that they managed to do the Swedish Chef on paper. The sketches are oddly twisted in some ways, just like the original, plus there’s an ongoing storyline about Kermit pondering what home means. In short, I loved it! It’s also a very packed, rewarding read, providing a great value. You’ll find more to laugh at or think about every time you re-read it.

A Caveat: Variant Covers

2nd print cover of Muppet Show #1

I do wish that they didn’t do so many variant covers for these books. (I actually wish that they didn’t do any.) The Incredibles has four (which connect together to make a bigger team picture) plus a limited edition variant. The Muppet Show has two, plus two retailer photo covers at higher prices. Why encourage kids to chase the different pictures, especially at $3 or more a pop? I know Boom! has said that they intend to hold the line on pricing, and $3 is below the now-becoming-standard $4 for many superhero titles, but that’s still a lot of money for a 24-page story.

Update: Both issues have now sold out at the distributor level, although some stores may still have them available. Reprints (with yet more cover variants, so you can tell the first from the second printings) will be available in stores at the end of April.

Eureka #1

Written by Andrew Cosby and Brendan Hay
Art by Diego Barreto
Boom! Studios, $3.99 US

I hadn’t realized how I missed the TV show until I read this issue. It didn’t help fill that lack; I still miss the show, because the comic can’t capture the warmth of the performances, and instead of a quirky SF mystery, we get here something more “comic-booky”.

The sheriff’s daughter Zoe has been taken hostage by a crazy killer, who turns out to be an experiment with ties to Jo’s past. I like the idea of more focus on Jo, but “former Army sniper” doesn’t do much for me in terms of adding to her character.

The sheriff stops the threat, only for it to return. I’d say unexpectedly, but it’s not, not for anyone who’s read comics before. This story is less an ensemble, more a hero/vigilante piece, which is what I meant by “comic-booky”. Hero shows down against villain to protect his family, thinks bad guy is defeated, only to have him return — it’s all familiar. Especially since it all involves lots of guns instead of anything more clever or imaginative. This is an action comic, which isn’t part of the show’s appeal to me.

The likenesses are more reminiscent of the work of Don Heck than of the actors’ faces. They’re non-specific, just “blond hero guy” or the like. It’s not bad art, it just doesn’t really give me the feel of the show.

I see that a couple of intriguing cameos will be showing up in issue #2, which may get the story closer to what I’m looking for from a licensed title.

Blame

by Steve Butler
Henspace Comics, $3.95 US

A middle class couple’s child has died. The husband is having trouble coping, seeing his daughter everywhere, asking him whom he blames for her death. This stand-alone comic is an affecting piece exploring grief and other disturbing emotions.

For something that’s so focused on drawing real people and their reactions, Butler’s figures can have distorted heads and other anatomical shapes. I’m not sure that’s an effect that’s totally under his control; it may be a function of needing more practice with perspective, especially as it relates to faces. However, it also fits with the heightened emotions and hallucinations. That the wife sometimes resembles a skull-faced monster may be an effect demonstrating the husband’s perceptions, for example.

Butler explores the breakdown of what at first appears to be a normal man caught in the aftermath of a horrific accident, but his real theme is how far people are willing to go to lie to themselves. I don’t know that I buy the idea that life can be so casually violent, but I appreciated the way he follows through his assumptions to their ending.

Manly

Manly

written by Dale Lazarov; art by Amy Colburn
Bruno Gmunder, $28.99 US

Three silent stories about extraordinarily well-hung gay men getting it on make up this very explicit picture book for adults. A cop and his new friend play with handcuffs. Two boxers take their clinches out of the ring. Two guys meet at the library instead of a gay bar. There’s nothing to the stories beyond the sex acts: starting, engaging in, lots of spurting, and afterglow.

The cartooning is appealing and strong enough to support the lack of dialogue (which also has the benefit of allowing the book to sell internationally without translation costs).

As for the price, it’s hard to judge quality from an online file. $30 for an 80-page hardcover that resembles an art or coffee table book may be reasonable, especially if treated as a conversation piece and since the target audience is known for its disposable income.

I liked this setup — a grumpy real mystic in today’s society — and the characters, especially his assistant Ella, who’s a skeptic and yet three-dimensional and very cool. And I like the work of the creators, Jeff Parker and Tom Fowler, a lot. But these days, when I’m so far behind on my reading that I’m just now talking about a Christmas comic (below), why would I buy a six-issue miniseries? I’d much rather have the eventual book collection.

However, this is good enough to not want to wait. Magic is real, but unpredictable, and Mysterius’ motives are disconcerting at best, possibly uncaringly malicious. The dialogue is very strong and the art more than ably supports it. There’s a preview at the publisher’s website, and more information at the writer’s blog.

Hellblazer #250

Neat idea, to get some impressive creators to do holiday stories featuring the grand grumpy git of comics. And it’s the first Vertigo title to reach that milestone number, which roughly equates to over 20 years the series has been running. That’s pretty darn impressive.

It’s a shame that I just don’t like the character enough to truly relish seeing stories by writers Dave Gibbons, Jamie Delano, Brian Azzarello, Peter Milligan, and China Mieville and artists Sean Phillips, David Lloyd, Eddie Campbell, and others. I’m old-fashioned enough that I don’t want magic and demons and nasty people on Christmas. I know lots of people have a more jaded take on that time of year, and I hope they enjoyed this much more. There’s a preview at the publisher’s website.

Captain Britain and MI: 13 #9

The problem with big magical threats is that no matter how hard you work to make the ending seem meaningful, the likelihood is that it’s going to come across as “they all tried really hard and believed in themselves.” And so this does. I liked this book because of the characters, but when they’re all split up during most of the issue, that appeal is lacking.

The interesting part about this issue is foreshadowed on the cover, which would have been better suited to last issue. And the hint here is really just a repeat of what happened then. The new relationship feels rushed and presented ham-handedly, given Lady J’s “Doesn’t that make things more interesting?” It sounds as though she’s talking to the reader, which I didn’t care for. Then the final page is meant to be a cliffhanger, only it’s already been revealed in solicitation copy, and it’s perhaps the most over-used guest star ever. So I guess the bloom is off the rose for this series for me. I hope next issue sparks things up again.

Harry, the bartender, reveals his early days in the house in the company of Abel (and Goldie!) in a piece illustrated by Henry Flint (Haunted Tank).

I really love the way writer Matthew Sturges makes the smaller scenes interesting to read. I’m sure that they add up to a bigger picture (if I remembered everything from earlier issues, which I don’t) or provide interesting hints to future revelations, but even not grasping either of those, I still stay involved in them due to the dialogue and the characters. And then there’s the humor, like catching nightmares in a Bundt pan. (Well, why not?)

I know I’ll like this more when I read it in bigger chunks, so I can better follow the overall storyline of what actually is going on with the house, but it’s still one of the very few comics I get monthly because I appreciate the skill with which it’s told. I’m not left feeling left out, which is sadly rare these days.

I can appreciate that there’s an argument to be made that soldiers in war speak vilely, with profanity and vulgar concepts abounding, but I don’t want to wade through it. Especially when the interesting parts about the story are raised but not explored.

For example, Jamal Stuart gives JEB hell about slavery and the toll it took, condemning the Southern culture the ghost embodies. The next page, we’re back to talking about lineage without any response from Stuart on whether he did support that cause of the war.

Stuart rejects the idea that he’s a descendant and tells the ghost to get lost but later seems to have no problem with his help when he needs it and even accepts the presence of a Confederate flag. If I’m being generous, I can assume that he’s incredibly expedient in the face of life-or-death battle, but it feels like I have to provide too much of the explanation that’s not on the page.

I’m not familiar with the work of writer Frank Marraffino, but artist Henry Flint does a good job with the figures. The storytelling was a bit confusing at times, with the wordless battle panels, but I’m willing to attribute that to the havoc of war.

I came out of this issue liking JEB the best of any character. He’s got the most clearly developed sense of morality (even if it’s wrong), he’s defined briefly but strongly, and he’s visually compelling. I don’t think that was the intended response.

I’d love to see this fantasy concept used to explore the nature of militarism, unjust war, and racism in the military, but I don’t trust that, with only four more issues to go, that they’ll be approached in any depth. Especially after reading this uneven debut.

Plus, the press release that accompanied this complimentary copy had some awfully mixed messages. It’s captioned “the top reasons you should review Haunted Tank”, and the first one is

The first issue is entitled Shock and Awesome! Need I say more?

If you don’t need to say anything else, why are there five more bullets following? It also calls the ghost “silly” while trying to push the topicality and edginess of the comic, a somewhat confusing approach. That sums up the conflict here: they want to revamp a concept some find cool and others ludicrous into something more meaningful, but the question arises whether this is the best vehicle for realistic depictions of war.

In other reviews, Timothy Callahan loved it, Tom Spurgeon is apathetic, and Chris Sims loves the original concept. He also reminds us of Kurt Busiek’s attempt to recreate the idea in 2003’s Power Company, with a female soldier.

Last year, I recommended Gina Biggs’ Love of Sausage. The links are now broken at that post because she’s revamped the minicomic into a full-sized comic by adding another story and some bonus strips.

The first story is about how a couple gets used to a new dachshund puppy that has a tendency to hurt people in the cutest accidental ways. The way Biggs draws dogs doesn’t really resemble the actual pets, but they’re adorable little lumps.

The second story tells of a second dog and her unfortunate fate. It captures how the two pets relate to each other, and some of the struggles of pet owning, all abbreviated into too short a space. (That’s not an artist’s choice but a reflection of the events.) Given the pain, I’d have rather seen more of the short strips, although Biggs needs to work on her punchlines.

My favorite part was the final line of one of the bonuses: “Just shut up while I finish this comic about how much I love you!” That frustration is part and parcel of being a pet owner.

Hexed Cover B (OCT08 3925)
by Joe Pekar

It’s the story of Lucifer, shown on the cover, a young thief who deals in the enchanted, such as stealing a pair of angel’s wings. She’s double-crossed a bad guy, a previous client who wants his revenge by making her obtain something impossible for him. That showdown scene strongly reminded me of a similar one in Joss Whedon’s Fray, but it’s a convention of the genre, where the protagonist gets put into the conflict situation by facing off bravely against someone who seems to have more power and control, a villain she will eventually defeat. There’s also a mentor/boss/surrogate mother figure, an older woman with a smart wit.

(The previous doublecross happened in Clarksville, so every time someone mentioned it, I was thrown from the underworld to a mental picture of four happy lads in matching shirts singing and playing guitars.)

Hexed Cover A (OCT08 3924)
by Emma Rios

Some of it tries too hard — like the precious name given to the main character. More significantly, much of the issue is told through internal monologue, and I didn’t believe that Lucifer would be that chatty with anyone, even herself. If she’s that into self-analysis, it doesn’t match up with the type she’s shown to be through her actions. Instead, it comes across as a quick way to dump lots of background and exposition on the reader. A thief that skilled shouldn’t need to explain her techniques to herself, but it does help out someone new to this world.

The art is well-suited for the character. It’s easy to read but slightly edgy. The neon colors, by Cris Peter, all deep pinks and aquas, give an appropriately sickly, unnatural look that works for both demons and the underworld. The storyline’s familiar, but the magic gives it a fresh coat of paint. Four issues is probably just long enough for this caper: a couple more issues of plot and counterplot, and then the wrapup.

There’s an eight-page preview running along with an interview with the creators conducted by Boom! Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid at Newsarama. It’s interesting to hear the artist talk about her European influences; you can see them through her settings and sense of place in her drawings. Both the writer and artist talk about horror, violence, and disgusting things, but I didn’t see too much of it in this issue. Maybe it’s still to come. (A complimentary online copy for this review was provided by the publisher.)

Love and Capes

Ah, this makes me happy. Issue #8 is more great romantic superhero comedy. I was laughing from the cover, where Darkblade shakes down the artist to get featured on the cover. As the issue opens, Abby is having a hard time letting her sister Charlotte go study in Paris. Abby’s got her own concerns, though, as she’s planning her wedding to Mark, aka the Crusader.

It’s the little things that make this so funny to me. Like Mark telling Abby she should wear dresses more often, while she has to cope with the wind gusts his rapid flying departures cause. It’s those details of life with a superhero that the comedy stems from. And you can tell Thom Zahler has a deep knowledge of and fondness for the hero type, or he wouldn’t be able to highlight these details so effectively. Or come up with such a twist on a classic cliffhanger. (I have to wait until January for more?!?)

Mostly, though, the appeal for me is how realistic Abby and Mark’s relationship is. They act like two adults deeply in love and figuring out how to make their lives work together, with friends and family and occupations. I love it.

Find out more at loveandcapes.com.

Perhapanauts

Issue #3 has, within a framing sequence, three short stories featuring some of the best characters in the series — but then I realize that most of the characters are interesting to me, and I want to know more about all of them. So anyway… regular artist Craig Rousseau (Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane) draws the first one, about what sasquatch-man Big does on his week off. He’s accompanied this time by water-sprite Merrow, whom I don’t recall seeing before but quickly came to love, due to her quiet confidence and calm demeanor.

Kelly Yates then draws an origin story for her, a short but touching romantic piece that evokes ancient tales. That’s followed by comedy drawn by Tad Stones. Choopie, amusing in his own right, has been selected as king by a race of gremlins for no known reason. By the end, they turn out to have their own catchphrase and potential utility to the team. Funny, emotional, and significant, all in one issue, all written by Todd Dezago.

Issue #4 sets up the next issue conclusion of the first major storyline, as Arisa and MG get closer before the whole place bugs out. There’s more than one villain trying to destory the team, and a cliffhanger, of course, plus an action-packed backup with art by Jason Armstrong. It’s gonna be really hard to wait for #5.

Find out more at perhapanauts.com.

Supernatural Law

Issue #45 guest-stars the Toxic Avenger in a Tromaville comic crossover. I’ve never seen those movies, so I can’t speak to how faithful it is, but with “Toxie” on trial for being a public nuisance, the two properties blend well. After being a town hero, Toxie finds that the people have turned on him in a story narrated by “Judge” Lloyd Kaufman (real-life Troma President and jack-of-all-trades). Turns out that it’s really all a plot by an evil developer wanting to repossess his junkyard. So it becomes an almost-superhero tale, although with a different kind of fight for justice than usual.

Find out more at exhibitapress.com.

The 3 Geeks

I was stunned to see a special Baltimore Comic-Con edition of this title by Rich Koslowski, since I last saw an issue of it back in 2001. I’d enjoyed his humor about stereotypical comic fans, but he’s even funnier in public (and very nice to boot). This issue takes on the madness of CGC collectors, those who seal their precious comics up in little plastic slabs. The image of fanboy Allen building himself a kind of igloo out of all his slabbed comics was hilarious. And then it takes a more fantastic turn, to be continued…

Find out more at richkoslowski.com.

Page one features a naked man, for a nice, eye-catching change of pace. (See a preview at the publisher’s website that shows what I’m talking about.) He’s the President’s son, and he demands to be locked up before he changes into an animal.

The main character is Charlotte Springs, a UFO investigator who often ticks off the government. She recruits a lovable group of misfits and losers — a Vegas psychic, her tagalong younger sister, a geeky grad student — to rescue the son and find out what’s really going on.

The Fraim’s art can be stiff, and the writers are shoving way too much text into every panel, but I like this comic. The panel that won me over was the one where the straight-ass government guy tells the blonde sister, “I thought you weren’t paying attention.” She responds, rolling her eyes and making air quotes, “It’s called ‘multi-tasking’.”

The writing is dense, with plenty of wisecracks, which sometimes fit, sometimes don’t, and the exposition occurs in great lumps. The characters are inviting, though, and I want to know what’s up with the bee-woman (a striking visual). Plus, when the funny works, it makes me laugh.

It’s also refreshing to be complaining about too much going on in a comic instead of nothing much. It’s pretty clearly a movie/TV pilot in comic form, but I’d like to read more. The Fraims have more information at their website.