Roger, Author at Comic Book Informer

Fables Issue 100

Nominated for a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award in the Best Single Issue (or One-Shot) category, “Fables” issue 100 was the first title I read that I simply did not feel belonged on the list of nominees. I will readily admit to not having read any prior issues, however I do not believe that had any impact on my decision. Based on the fact that the series contains existing (well-known) characters, as well as the fact that it was nominated as a single issue, I feel that a sound opinion can be made having only just read this issue. “Fables” issue 100 contains several short pieces, as well as a puppet theater. Yes, you read that correctly. Here is a complete list of the contents: • Single Combat • Pinocchio’s Army • The Fables Paper Puppet Theatre • The Perils of Thumbelina • Celebrity Burning Questions • A Thing With Those Mice • Escape to Wolf Manor The issue begins with a lovely image of Three Blind Mice discussing the definition of the word “duel”, setting up the first, and main, story. The mice break the fourth barrier in this single panel, by making reference to the “issue” that they are in. “Single Combat” is written by Bill Willingham, pencilled by Mark Buckingham, inked by Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy and finally colored by Lee Loughridge. One would think that with so many people working on it, I would be more impressed. However, I am not. I’ll get to the story shortly, however in terms of the art, I must admit to being completely underwhelmed. Perhaps it was their intent to recreate a style reminiscent of old fable comics from decades ago, however I wasn’t a fan of that style then, and that opinion has not changed. The story contains several concurrent plot-lines, and though they converge at points, I still found the manner in which they were handled somewhat clumsy. The main part of the short story of course is the battle between the witch, Frau Totenkinder, and Mister Dark. Having once been contained within a box in issues prior, Mister Dark was unwittingly set free. Totenkinder intends to contain him again. The battle between the two is full of conjurations, be they shadows, boxes or fish (yes… fish), shapeshifting, and the likes. If you were reading this to a child, perhaps they would be entertained by Mister Dark being force fed sugar in such large amounts that it causes his teeth to fall out, however an adult may be far less interested. In the end, Totenkinder transmutes thousands of gold pieces into an armor meant to contain Mister Dark. Seeing as he is allergic to gold, it seems the smartest type of box to use. Would that this had been the true focus of the story, perhaps it would not have felt so disjointed. However during this fight, we have pages which flash to Fabletown, where the fight is being announced and discussed; we see “real” police in New York City preparing to take action if the fight spills outside of the old Fabletown area; and we’ve the sheriff’s wife who is having labor complications… not to mention the altercations with Nurse Spratt. Even when you think it’s all done, cracks begin to appear and Fabletown is turned on its head once more. Sadly, I just did not enjoy this story at all. Having spent countless hours reading fables to my children, I can honestly say that I’ve no prejudice against this type of story. However, they must be properly told, and in this case, I simply do not feel they were. Next we have the short story, “Pinocchio’s Army” which spans eight pages. It is written by Mark Buckingham with several illustrations by Bill Willingham. With lines like; “(Pinocchio) hew that Internet porn and an expresso machine were things he would have to live without for now”, you are not likely to read this story to your children any time soon. The story sees Geppetto’s creations (children) worried about the old man. He has grown quite sullen, and it is up to Pinocchio to cheer him up, which he does by presenting him with a suitcase full of toy soldiers, which Geppetto had once crafted years before. Once again, I’ve a problem with the writing in this short story. This may simply be a personal preference, however I found it far too descriptive. When you are limited by a restrictive word count, you don’t want to waste paragraphs setting the stage, when instead you can be furthering the story. Also, I found Buckingham’s pace extremely slow at times. For a story this short, I should have been able to easily read it through in one sitting, however I found myself “zoning” out often, and it took several readings for me to actually finish it. After this short story, we find the Puppet Theatre, where readers are encouraged to cut shapes out of the comic book. /gasp Seriously. I would not even advise a child to do this. I know what they are trying to do here, but dear lord… cutting into a comic book?!? “The Perils of Thumbelina“, written by Bill Willingham, with art by Chrissie Zullo, is a complete and utter waste of three pages. The vignette shows a boy trying to ask Thumbelina out on a date, only to have a hawk (or falcon) drop from the sky and grasp her in its talons. As she is being whisked away, she says; “Well… this is certainly turning out to be a lovely day”. No. Really. I’m not making this up. As disappointing as that was, it paled in comparison to the illustrated answers to reader questions, such as; Who makes the Fabletown comic books; Can I have Snow White’s phone number, and; Now that Baba Yaga is dead, how is Bufkin passing the time? The only story which I found mildly amusing was the last one; “A Thing With Those Mice“, also written by Bill Willingham, with art by Joao Ruas. As a point of interest, Ruas’ art is absolutely stunning, as opposed to most of the art in this issue. The vignette is quite simple, which is hardly a surprise. It depicts the Three Blind Mice who are on their way to see the King, in order to receive their knighthoods… among other things. They, of course, get lost and proceed to walk into the open mouth of a beast… whom you find out will in fact spit them out once he’s had a bit of “fun with them”. There’s really not much else to say. The issue ends with a board game entitled; Escape to Wolf Manor… yet another example of the writers misunderstanding the medium. Comic books are meant to be read, not cut apart and played upon. Some argue that this issue is meant for children, who are more likely to want to decimate their comic books for the sake of a few quaint moments with a puppet theatre. However to those I would argue, if this issue truly were meant for children, there would be no mention of pornography by Pinocchio, nor bestiality by Lily Martagon in the reader questions. I just don’t understand why this issue was nominated for an Eisner. In and of itself, it is not a good issue. I don’t feel it is deserving of a high review score, let alone an Eisner nomination. When compared to “The Cape“, I fail to see what was going through the judges’ minds when they agreed to give “Fables” issue 100 a nomination. I only hope it does not win, as that would be an insult to all the other nominees. “Fables” Issue 100 Vertigo/DC Stories: Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham Art: Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Dan Green, Lee Loughridge, Joao Ruas and others...

Fancy Meeting You

Yes… I loved Tangled. I am not too proud to admit it. I love watching animated movies with (or without) my children, and this was one of the best Disney’s to come out in quite some time (in my opinion). So when I spotted this illustrations, I just had to contact the artist and ask for her permission to display it on the site here. It’s just full of so much win. The artist is one Brianna Garcia. She does a lot of Disney illustrations, and is quite obviously good at them. I’d sure love to see her create more of these cross-over illustrations… maybe some Jack Skellington fighting off Batman or Beast (from Beauty and the Beast) squaring off against Wolverine. If you’re reading this, Brianna, consider it a personal challenge! Make certain to check out Brianna’s site for tons more illustrations....

I Am An Avenger – Post Mortem Short

Nominated for a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award in the Best Short Story category, “Post Mortem“, found in “I Am An Avenger” issue 2, is a powerful story about how Steve Rogers copes with the loss of soldiers under his command. The story was written by Greg Rucka, with the script being written by Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano. The rest of the issue is a complete waste of paper in my opinion… especially the pie eating short story. However “Post Mortem” is a very powerful story and I am glad it got singled out. “Post Mortem” is very light on dialogue and narrative. There are pages without so much as a spoken word, however in each panel, more is conveyed than any word ever could. There are emotions and situations which are better understood using art as a medium. Michael Lark’s art for this short manages to get across every hint of emotion, however his style is very reminiscent of old 80s and 90s comics. I’d have liked to have seen something far more intricate for a story of this caliber. This is not meant to insult Lark’s work, as it’s still quite good. However I believe the story warrants far more than he was able to produce. “Post Mortem” begins with Steve Rogers being informed that there was only one casualty from their last operation. Rogers gets the information regarding the whereabouts of the soldier’s service, and attends to pay his respect. During the scenes in the church and at the cemetery, Rogers must endure hateful glares from the soldier’s wife. He approaches her after the burial service, and asks her to tell him about Donny (the fallen soldier). He also says he would like to ask a favor or her, though the reader doesn’t get to know what that favor is until the last few panels of the short story. On the last page, we see Rogers unpacking from his trip, having returned home. He then stares at a single dog-tag, and then tosses it into a box full of tags worn by other fallen soldiers. In this powerful moment, we get to see that Rogers isn’t some heartless commander who sees his men only as pawns. Rather, he remembers every single soldier lost under his command. I really liked this short story a lot. There’s an artform to writing powerful short stories. You have so little space to work with, and must be able to convey so much in those few pages. Rucka, Lark and Gaudiano managed to pull that off with grace here. I’ve not yet read the other nominees for Best Short Story, however I can clearly see why this short was nominated. “Post Mortem” I Am An Avenger Issue 2 Marvel Story: Greg Rucka Script: Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano Art: Matt Hollingsworth, Travis Lanham...

Ultimate Spider-Man Gets New Costume

We still have three more Ultimate Spider-Man issues to go before we finally get to find out what is happening with Peter Parker. That said, Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso gave the New York Post a teaser/spoiler that very soon, Peter Parker won’t be wearing the Spider-Man costume. Just last week, we saw Parker take a bullet meant for Steve Rogers. We found out in “Ultimate Avengers vs New Ultimates” that the Punisher’s bullet was only meant to take out Rogers’ kneecap, however in the “Death of Spider-Man” issue, they made it seem as if it was going to be a head-shot. Parker quickly decided to take the bullet instead, which leads me to believe that he’s either going to truly be dead, or it will cause him to hang up the suit for good. However that still doesn’t explain the new webslinger. Now, I’m all for change in comic books. Changes that are permanent as well. I’m ok with Parker biting the big one and there no longer being a Spider-Man in the Ultimates Universe. But someone else as a new Spider-Man? That just isn’t sittin’ pretty with me, right now. I guess we’ll have to see how it’s handled. Official Press Release Marvel has announced that after the shocking events of Death of Spider-Man, the sold out storyline currently running through Ultimate Comics Spider-Man and Ultimate Comics Avengers Vs Ultimates, there will be a new Spider-Man and a new character under the mask. Something’s happened to Peter Parker and here comes an all-new Spider-Man…in an all-new costume! “We called this story Death of Spider-Man for a reason,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor In Chief. “This is a huge story that’ll have fans around the world talking for a long time as we set the stage for the debut of our new Spider-Man.” The Ultimate Universe is irrevocably changed with the conclusion to Death of Spider-Man in June’s polybagged Ultimate Spider-Man #160…...

Chew: Eisner’s “Taster’s Choice”

At last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, “Chew” was awarded the Eisner for Best New Series. This year, it’s nominated for Best Continuing Series, and I assure you, that nomination is very well deserved. “Chew” is going up against heavy-hitters like “Locke & Key“, “Echo“, “Morning Glories“, “20th Century Boys” and “Scalped“. “Chew” is published by Image Comics (who have racked up quite a number of Eisner nominations). The series is written and lettered by John Layman and drawn and coloured by Rob Guillory. The fact that so much of the series is handled by just these two guys astounds me… especially when you consider the caliber of the work. “Chew” is one of those rare series where the writing and art not only compliment each other so perfectly, but also that each is absolutely fantastic. Both are highly original, detailed and entirely full of life. For those who’ve never picked up an issue, “Chew” revolves around Tony Chu, the central character. Tony is cibopathic. Don’t bother looking that up in the dictionary. It isn’t there. A cibopath is someone who, with one bite of anything edible, gets a flash of memories in terms of that objects life, as well as its demise. Oddly though, he does not get this psychic sensation from beets… which is why he eats so many. Immediately you know that though this isn’t going to be a costumed super-hero series, it sure as hell is not going to be normal. That said, from the get-go, it seems very, very interesting… and that sense continues to grow as the series progresses. The first issue of “Chew” lays the groundwork for establishing the world; one where chicken has been outlawed and the F.D.A. (Food and Drug Administration) is one of the most powerful agencies in the world. The first issue also introduces several key characters who will play important roles throughout the series; John Colby (Chu’s early partner while he’s still on the police force), Agent Mason Savoy (F.D.A), Tony’s older brother who had a nervous breakdown on live television, and an F.D.A informer who’ll return to the series often, D-Bear. A lot occurs in this first of the series, however the issue never feels rushed. Considering how much has to be conveyed so that the reader doesn’t feel hopelessly lost, it’s a testament to Layman’s writing that he never loses us. And then there’s the aforementioned art. This is where Layman gets a helping hand, because so much of the story is conveyed through Guillory’s work. Facial expressions are insanely accurate and allow you to immediately get a feel for a scene. Guillory’s colors also speak volumes. He is able to control the emotional pacing of the story brilliantly through the palettes he uses. In the last panel of the first issue, we see Chu getting whisked away by the F.D.A. to work for them as part of their Special Crimes Division. It’s there that he discovers that he is not the world’s sole cibopath. Agent Savoy too is one, and he explains to Chu that as part of their job with the Special Crimes Division, they are asked to eat a great many disgusting things, however it is always for the greater good. Their boss, Mike Applebee, cares little for cibopaths, and so makes Chu’s life a living hell at the F.D.A. Each issue spotlights cases which Chu and Savoy work toward solving, however woven throughout are clues regarding the chicken prohibition, the avian flu which killed millions, and a conspiracy which would put any X-Files episode to shame. New characters are constantly being introduced, however it is always to further develop the story. By Issue 3, Chu’s found the love of his life in what is perhaps one of the funniest moments I’ve read in comics in a long time. Amelia Mintz will elude Chu as a love interest for several issues before finally they hitch up, however during that time, she’ll still manage to sneak into the occasional story-arc. Amelia is a saboscrivner; someone who can write about food so accurately that people who read her words actually get the “sensation of taste”. You may not have picked up on this yet, however food plays an integral role in nearly every single plot-line in “Chew“. That said, it’s all so damn original, quirky and drop-dead funny at times that you’re never bored. Layman’s managed to create gripping suspense using food as the main methodology. Layman and Guillory also keep the pages fun to read by inserting real world and cult references. You really get the sense sometimes that these guy are just having a lot of fun with this series. By Issue 5, more of Agent Savoy’s puzzle pieces come into play. He leaves the F.D.A., however remains a powerful force in the series. Issue 6 sees the return of Chu’s original partner, Colby, patched up from the butcher’s knife he took to the face, and reassigned to the F.D.A. as Chu’s partner. I loved the re-introduction of Colby in both the series and in Chu’s life. He’s the perfect counter-balance to Chu’s by-the-books mentality. Also, I love that Layman had the courage to make him gay. He sleeps with Applebee and then essentially blackmails him into being nice to Chu, which results in absolutely hilarious scenes. Whether we’re introduced to ninja-like U.S.D.A. agents or wanna-be vampires, the series never lets up for one moment. Each issue is intricately woven together, yet able to be appreciated on its own merit as well. The quirky conspiracies, insane characters and killer rooster always make for a fun issue to read that still manages to be suspenseful. Recently, Layman decides to turn the heat up on the series by putting the entire planet on red-alert. Alien writing has been blazing across the sky, and the last time we saw this, it lead to the destruction of an alien planet. This has thrown the series on its head. No longer is the F.D.A. all that concerned with black market chicken dealers. They’re too busy trying to decipher the message in order to save the world. Out of all the nominees in the Best Continuing Series category for the Eisner awards, of the ones I’ve read, I can honestly saw that “Chew” is by far my favorite. Of those which I intend to read, they had better bring their effin’ A-Game, because that is what they will need to top “Chew” as my current favorite in this category. “Chew” has also received the following nominations: John Layman for Best Writer, and Rob Guillory for Best Penciller/Inker. Go get ’em, boys. Chew Image Comics Story: John Layman Art: Rob Guillory...

Superboy Issues 1-5

When I’d read that this year’s Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nominations contained a lot fewer superhero titles, I expected that the few that had made the cut would really shine out as stellar examples of the genre in the past year. Taking that into consideration, I was quite surprised to see “Superboy” listed for Best New Series. “Superboy“? Seriously? I’d read the first issue, and having been somewhat underwhelmed, had not bothered keeping up with the series. Seeing as it was given a nomination, I figured I’d catch up with Connor Kent and see what he’s been up to. Turns out, he’s been having to deal with a lot… though nothing out of the ordinary for a DC superhero. So why the nomination… Allow me to shed some light on what has transpired in the first five issues, and from there, you may come to your own conclusions. However before we start, just so folks don’t think me overly harsh due to some pre-conceived opinion of the character, allow me to say that I’m a huge fan of the Teen Titans. We’ve also been watching Young Justice on TV, and I loved the introduction of Superboy in the series. I think the character has been very well handled in Young Justice, making him one of the more interesting ones to see develop. I can’t say the same for this comic book series, however. Issue 1 starts with a narrative from Connor wherein he states how he wishes he could have had a childhood. Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Pier Gallo go with a cliched image of a boy, garbed in a superhero outfit, running through a field of wheat in Smallville. I do like that Lemire didn’t allow Connor to wallow in self-pity, but rather is forcing the character to mature quickly, accept his creation, while still granting him a wide berth for self-discovery. Almost immediately, Superboy is visited by Phantom Stranger who informs him that great peril is coming to Smallville, and that Superboy should prepare. Despite the fact that Superboy makes light of the “ominous, cryptic shtick”, it’s still a lame setup. Being told that danger’s afoot isn’t really all that suspenseful. Trouble does in fact arrive, in the form of the Parasite… though not before we’re forced to endure several painful panels of Connor Kent interacting with Lori Luthor (Lex’s niece) and Simon Valentine, who has discovered that Connor is in fact Superboy. This revelation should have been quite shocking, however the manner in which it was presented instead made it feel as though it was just an unimportant plot-point to be skimmed over immediately before the Parasite’s surprise attack. That said, apparently Connor needs some tips on keeping his secret identity, well, a secret. Ripping off your shirt in a barber shop full of people, revealing your Superboy black T-shirt, will not help you toward that goal. Overall, Issue 1 feels rushed. Although I will admit that the Parasite fight was well choreographed… still I would be remiss if I did not point out how disgusted Vince was with the fact that the Parasite was defeated by wheat. If the same attention to detail could have been used with the rest of the script, we’d have had a great comic. Though even then, I would not have given it an Eisner nomination. So let’s move on to Issue 2. Poison Ivy made an appearance at the very end of Issue 1, and I was very curious to see how this would pan out. I love when villains travel to new cities, and seeing Poison Ivy out of Gotham seemed like it may be fun. Before we go further however, allow me to shake my head, ever so slowly, toward Pier Gallo, for catering to the lowest common denominator when drawing Poison Ivy. Congratulations. Those anatomy classes paid off. You know how to draw an ass. This is something which I’ve discussed at length in a feature for my personal site (and I may yet import that feature into this site to stir up some comments). I’m tired of these costume designs and virtual camera angles that are meant only to titillate. Honestly, grow up. We have. Luckily this is not the norm in “Superboy“, otherwise I’d have given up on the series entirely and chalked it up as a young, pubescent boy’s series. As for Gallo’s style as a whole, I know I haven’t discussed it yet, but that’s because I’m torn. There are panels which blow me away… followed by, well let’s be honest, tripe. Overall, I’m not a fan of the style, however I can appreciate the man’s talent. Getting back to the story, the Poison Ivy content was brief, and quite obviously, predictable. Though she pretended to want to ally herself with Superboy for a greater good, she of course turned at the end… only to then be defeated by parasitic frogs. Seriously. Apparently, this shit can be made up. This issue served to add more suspense to the ongoing mystery. The entire reason for Poison Ivy’s visit is explained in the final page of Issue 2, and you’re left to wonder how everything is going to tie in together. This issue also further defines the working relationship between Superboy and Simon. It becomes quite obvious that the two are going to be working together more closely, though it’s difficult to tell whether it will be as an equally ranked duo, or as lead and apprentice. And lastly, the issue lays the groundwork for Smallville… so to speak. The recent battles have ripped the crops apart and Superboy feels it is his responsibility to see to it that the farmers do not suffer needlessly because of it. Still with me? A’ight then, let’s flip through the third issue and see what awaits us. If you were expecting a rational splash page for the third issue, you will be seriously disappointed, as you may be with the entire issue. It seems there’s a force at work that is causing everyone but Lori Luthor to pass out; or in Connor’s case, struggle with consciousness, staggering around to find the source of the psychic assault. It’s during these first few pages that Lori discovers that Connor is Superboy. He decides to remove his plaid button-down in the hall, revealing his black Superboy T-shirt and she hides from him upon seeing this. Again… seriously Connor… secret identity. Hell, at least Superman found a phone booth. We’re three issues in, and already two of your classmates have discovered your identity. But I digress. Issue 3 was entirely character driven. We see Connor giving Bart (Kid Flash) a call to setup a fundraiser race to raise money for the local farmers. We also see Connor telling Simon Valentine that their friendship must come to an end if their superhero partnership is to continue. Apparently Connor’s worried about folks figuring him out if they see Simon with both Connor and Superboy. But ripping off his shirt in public, that’s cool. /sigh This issue also introduced us to the time travelling physic (responsible for the initial collapse of the schools population); Sajan Mehra, codename Psionic Lad. You’d think that by 2216, they’d have given up on calling teenage boys “lad”, but apparently they’re stuck with that stupidity for hundreds of years to come. I’d like to say I’m interested in Psyionic Lad, or the Hunting Party which followed him to Superboy’s time, however I simply am not. There is nothing original here. We’ve seen these tired scenes time and time again over the ages (pun intended). Issue 4 starts with Psionic Lad and Superboy tackling the Hunting Party, only for them to leave “mysteriously” when Simon happens upon the fight. Apparently a CODE-1 is pretty heavy. From that point on, the rest of the issue is entirely character and story driven. There is not one panel of action. We get more information about Psionic Lad, only to find out later that it’s quite likely all a lie (sorry, uh, spoiler?). We also get some melo-drama between Connor and Lori. I understand that in a series that revolves around a teenager, you will get drama. That is to be expected, and in the hands of a sufficiently talented writer, it can still be engaging for an adult. However there’s a fine line between drama and melo-drama… and you have to be very careful how you dance upon that line. Too much melo-drama will make the adults who are reading simply sigh and roll their eyes. This issue also cemented my opinion of Gallo’s panel pacing, and the verdict is not good. I simply do not like how he arranges his panels. In some instances, it’s painful and destroys the story’s pace. You only realize how important this is when you see it done so poorly. Although that said, having read Issue 6 with art by Marco Rudy, I can see that this will be a problem which plagues “Superboy” for some time yet to come. The panel placement in Issue 6 was absolutely terrible… however we’ll leave that for a separate review, as we’re only covering issues 1-5 in this feature. Let’s just skip to Issue 5, which actually was my favorite. This issue sees Superboy racing Kid Flash around the globe in an effort to raise money for the farmers whose crops were devastated by Poison Ivy. The question though is haven’t we seen this all before? Now, some may argue that “Superboy” is paying homage to the original “Superman vs The Flash” issues… but to them I would argue; enough is enough. There comes a point where you are no longer paying homage, but rather being a lazy writer. Ironically though, and I hate to say it, this was still my favorite issue of the five. I enjoyed the camaraderie between Connor and Bart. I enjoyed their stupid race, and I chuckled at the outcome. Still, I wish Lemire could have been more original. In addition to the race, we also got some brief relationship moments between Superboy and the Teen Titans. Not much else occurs in this issue. Lori jumps the shark in terms of potentially finding an excuse for shifting toward the “dark side”. Her emotions seem completely unreasonable, though Lemire may be relying on teenage drama as a justification… or the “mysterious” alien artifact upon which she’s been dropping her cigarette ashes during her midnight smoke-breaks away from her catatonic mother. We’ll have to see in future issues. Or rather, you’ll have to see in future issues. I feel I’ve given this series a very fair chance, and taking everything into consideration, I’ve little but disappointment when thinking of where it’s been and where it appears to be going. Not only did they not “hook” me from the beginning, but they didn’t hold me when I forced myself to read more than I otherwise would have. Also, I routinely felt as though I was being force-fed regurgitated, cliched scripts… and I don’t have the time for that. If I’ve already read the same concept several times over the years, I’m not likely to want to sit through it yet again… and I certain don’t want to lay down any bills to add further issues to my collection. Honestly, I don’t know why this series was selected as a nominee in the Best New Series category for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. I can think of many others, in the superhero genre, which have pushed the boundaries of what we have grown accustomed to. I strongly disagree with this nomination, and as a rating for the series as a whole, so far, the most I could give would be a 6/10. Perhaps a 6.5. I did not see any spark of potential, to tell you the truth. i imagined some, but that was from my own ideas of where the series should go…. not because of anything the writer created or suggested. Superboy (Issues 1-5) DC Comics Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Pier Gallo, Jamie Grant...

Looking for Group 452

I’ve never hidden my love for Ryan Sohmer and all of his comic strips. I follow them all religiously, never missing a strip. I’m especially fond of Looking for Group. It’s a gamer’s dream in beautiful illustrations (Lar Desouza, you’re a genius)… and the fact that the humor is so far bent out of whack appeals to me in my happy place. I’ve gotten used to the characters. I actually care about them. So imagine my surprise when I pointed my browser to the LFG site and found this! OMGWHA-?!? As I told Sohmer on Twitter, it’s not often that my eyes widen from reading a comic strip. They did with this one. That said, thinking back now, certain things make sense… especially strip 422. That one had started my mind wondering what was up with that look and statement, however enough time had passed that I’d kinda forgotten about it. Then this happened and now I’m shaking my open hands at my monitor screen demanding more information. Apparently though, it does not respond to, “Oh my effin’ god, what’s goin’ on?!?” We’ve talked about these guys on the podcast before. If you’re not reading their strips, do et. Nao!...

Joe the Barbarian

As with “The Cape“, I hadn’t heard of “Joe the Barbarian” until the list of nominees was released for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards that will be awarded at Comic-Con 2011. And just as with “The Cape”, I certainly am glad to have read this amazing title. You may be thinking that I’m being far too agreeable with the Eisner list of nominees, and I can assure you, that is not the case. Expect forth-coming, harsh reviews of titles which I feel have absolutely no business there. That said though, when I read something listed which so thoroughly impresses me as “Joe the Barbarian” has, expect that I’ll lavish all manner of compliments on the writer and artist responsible; Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy, respectively. At its heart (which it has an abundance of), “Joe the Barbarian” is the simple story of a diabetic boy who is going into shock. He must get from his bedroom in the attic of his home, to the kitchen on the main floor to get some form of sugar (he mentions having to get a soda often). During this tenuous journey, he experiences hallucinations. In Morrison’s adept writing hands, this simple premise turns into an epic 8-part mini-series which sees Joe joining imaginary beings in a life or death struggle. The story begins very slowly. Some people had a problem with the first issue, however I thought the pacing was actually spot on. We get to see Joe’s relationship with his mother, find out about the death of his father and the family’s financial troubles. We see the resentment which Joe holds toward his father, as well as see how this has affected his character and his ability to interact with other kids his age. All of this is done quite well, and you are able to read volumes between the lines. Morrison’s writing impressed the hell out of me in those early pages, as this is something which I work at in my fiction; the ability to impart so much more than the few words used. Then, Murphy took over, and completely blew my mind. Having seen that Joe is a very reclusive boy, showing his home in detail and his relationship to it was absolutely vital to the story… and Murphy handles this beautifully with silent panels of Joe walking through the home to his bedroom in the attic. These pages are draw in such intricate detail that the reader is able to recognize a variety of the objects in each room. This is so absolutely important, seeing as the house is also the setting for Joe’s hallucinations, though it is warped and skewed and misrepresented by fantastical settings. Some of the details change during the hallucinations, however not enough that you are ever lost. Morrison also makes certain to keep you from getting lost, by jerking Joe back and forth between his actual struggles and his lucid hallucinations. However the two are never entirely separated. Within his hallucinations, Joe keeps imparting how important it is that he get to the kitchen to get a soda. He is able to sometimes rationalize where he is in relation to where his physical body is in the actual world. Meanwhile within reality, Joe speaks to his pet rat, Jack, who plays a very important role in the story. Having lost his father, Jack is a life which Joe clings to. As you can see from this image, Murphy does not hold back on his 2-page spreads… and there are a great many of them in the 8-issue series, each as glorious as the next. Dave Stewart also deserves a lot of credit for his incredible coloring job. He seems to capture the mood of each issue… each panel so perfectly. Whether Joe is in his home, the colors fading over each issue with the passing of daylight (an integral part of the hallucinations, by the way), or he is in an underground sewer where the dwarves live, Stewart’s coloring of Murphy’s art always manages to impart upon you a sense of how you should be feeling. It’s not overpowering, however it does guide your emotions by means of visual cues. While the first issue was nearly all character and location setups, issues 2-8 are all action. As such, this would be a very difficult series to begin partway through. No mini-series is intended to be read out of order, however some are easier to pick up and try (leading to you to read the entire series if you enjoyed a single issue). That’s not really an option with “Joe the Barbarian”. You need that first issue to make sense of the whirlwind which ensues. Without that, you will most certainly be lost. That said though, I do not hold that against the series or Morrison. That’s like blaming a novelist because a reader has picked up their book, started a third of the way in, and complained because they didn’t understand what was happening. Crafting Insanely Cool Hallucinations As if dealing with so much innocence lost wasn’t enough, Joe is also forced to confront all of his underlying issues in the form of animated toys, a brother-in-arms who just happens to be his pet rat, and more importantly a long-standing prophecy which states he is the “Dying Boy”… complete with mosaic portrait. Despite simply wanting to get a soda so that he doesn’t die, Joe is thrust into a quest to save this fantasy world by defeating King Death. In the real world, the house’s electricity is off, and Joe must head to the basement to flip a breaker switch. Having lived in an old home, I can attest to having had to flip breakers on a regular basis. As the sunlight descends, it brings with it all manner of imaginary nightmares for the inhabitants of Joe’s hallucination to deal with. Some, like her Majesty, Queen Bree, rely on batteries to provide the light which they need, however even within the confines of his imagination, these characters know that the batteries will not last forever. Queen Bree is also known as the High Widow… Joe’s mother. I love how Morrison blended characters from Joe’s life, his imagination and his toys to produce such a vast, diverse cast. Among others, Joe crosses paths with a variety of his action figures, some pissing arms or legs. There is something unbearably hilarious about recognizing some of these, including ol’ Bats himself… whose head pops off during one of the epic battles which occurs later in the series. Nearing the end of the series, Joe is forced to decide whether he wants to leave the hallucination or save those within. He chooses to defeat the darkness first, which leads him to the basement where he comes face to imaginary face with King Death. What ensues is a battle which other comic book creators should look to for inspiration when crafting battle scenes. Jack, who had just recently gone toe-to-toe with an insane, feral dog… … and seriously… take a good look at this screenshot. Murphy and Stewart should win an Eisner based on this alone. Upon entering King Death’s lair, all seven of Jack’s slain brothers are resurrected to fight as King Death’s minions. I won’t spoil any more of the battle, as part of the excitement is reading it firsthand. That said, it is important to note that the true measure of how incredible the resolution is, is in the fact that it transcends both Joe’s hallucinations and his reality. In the end, it is simply a hallucination. He is fighting for his survival in both realms, however the very real soda in his hands is the only true resolution. Morrison understands that, and doesn’t treat his readers like idiots. Still, he finds a way to make what could be a very mundane ending into something which, if you’ve allowed yourself to get sucked into the series, will cause the hair on your arms to rise. You’ll let out a silent cheer for Joe, and feel truly satisfied with the manner in which it was handled. In real world terms, the resolution is actually immensely important to Joe. Joe the Barbarian is nominated in the Best Limited Series category for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. I will be reading several of the other nominees in order to assess which I believe was the strongest this past year. I can say with certainty that I am very glad it was nominated. It is a spectacular series which I am looking forward to seeing turned into a feature film. The rights were picked up last year and I can see how, in the right hands, it could produce an insanely cool movie. In addition to the Best Limited Series nomination for the series, Dave Steward was nominated for Best Coloring for his work on Joe the Barbarian as well as Hellboy, BPRD, Baltimore, Let Me In (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC); Neil Young’s Greendale, and Daytripper. Also, Jimmy Gownley was nominated for Best Lettering for his work on several titles, including Joe the Barbarian. I hate giving out arbitrary numbers for review scores, as they mean absolutely nothing, however just as a measure so folks can understand how much I appreciated this series, I would give it a strong 10 out of 10. And as much as I admit it’s an arbitrary number, I would not give it a perfect score unless it deserved it. I am very critical of that which I read and have no problems voicing my opinions. However when praise is deserved, I believe it should be given. Grant, Sean and Dave, thank you gentlemen for entertaining me last night, as I devoured every issue, unable to stop till the very end. And thank you for never disappointing me along that fantastic journey. Joe the Barbarian DC/Vertigo Story: Grant Morrison Art: Sean Murphy, Dave Stewart...

The Cape Issue 1

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominations were recently announced, and one of the titles that caught my eye in the Best Single Issue (or One-Shot) category was a comic titled “The Cape”. To be quite honest, this title had flown completely under my radar when released last year. That said, I am very glad the Eisner nominations cast a spotlight on it. “The Cape” is a mature title, and rightly so. It contains some harsh language, as well as drug use, however none of it is intended to shock the audience. The story and its characters are honest. “The Cape” starts as a flashback to when the central character, Eric, was a young boy. From the beginning, it’s hard to tell if the comic will be a stark drama or fantastical tale. As it turns out, it’s a bit of both. You find out that Eric’s father had been killed in Vietnam, leaving his mother to raise he and his brother Nicky by herself. The boys would play superhero games, and it was during one such escapade that Eric’s cape caught in a tree branch, causing him to fall quite some distance. From that point on, Eric is a different person. The fall, and its subsequent operations, cause him no relief. He turns inward, and loses all ambition. Whereas his girlfriend, Angie grows, matures and progresses with her life, Eric only sinks deeper into self-pity and anger. His relationship with Angie falls apart, leading back to his mother’s house, this time in a room in the basement. It’s there that he discovers that though his mother had said she’d thrown out the afore-mentioned cape, she had in fact simply stored it in the basement. While he sees this as her being cheap and never throwing anything out, the reader will know that the real reason is no doubt because of the Marine badge sewn on the cape which had once belonged to Eric’s father. By this point in the story, we begin to see a far harsher side to Eric. It’s in his thoughts, as well as his eyes. In this regard, penciler Zach Howard does a phenomenal job. Overall, the art in “The Cape” is quite good. Nothing extraordinary, but good. Its lines are hard, which suits the story. I also liked the old school pointillism style of shading. You may be wondering when the fantastical portion of comic begins, and that is the moment he puts on the cape as an adult and discovers that it grants him the power of flight. Due to the seriousness of the comic up until that point, it is easy to wonder whether or not Eric’s flying escapade is only occurring in his imagination. However you see shortly thereafter that the cape is, in fact, magical. “The Cape” is based on a short story by Joe Hill by the same title. Having read this comic now, I am very interested in finding this short story. I would love to read even more into the tale, as it would definitely lend itself well to further narrative. As a comic, it absolutely excels in every way imaginable. The story is tight, honest and gripping till the very last panel. It works very well as a single issue, however the fact that IDW plans on continuing the story this year makes me quite happy as well. Having not yet read any of the other nominees for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot), I can’t say whether it deserves to win. However I can say with certainty that it did deserve the nomination. The Cape Issue 1 IDW Story: Jason Ciaramella (based on the short story “The Cape” by Joe Hill Art: Zach Howard, Nelson Daniel...

Kapow: Cosplayers

What would a comic con be without cosplayers. This weekend’s Kapow Comic Con was no exception. This image, posted at CBR, caught my eye however. I count seven things wrong with it… however only one will haunt me. Can you guess which? /shivers...

Page 2 of 3123