June 26, 2009 • 9:32 am 0
Well I’m back. The ongoing saga of my life has been intruding as usual.
I would choose to blog about something topical that requires constant updates to be relevant.
Well ‘m back with a more rational publishing policy. That is I post when I damn well feel like it rather than trying to update on a regular basis.
If you like what I write then feel free to pop by, if not then I’m not going to worry.
Filed under: Comic Reviews , General Chatter
March 3, 2009 • 12:56 pm 2
Yon Kuma is the cracking new title by Josh Hechinger and Jorge F. Muñoz. It stars the unlikely hero Paul Bunyanson a twelve year old bear wrestler in his battle against four of the toughest beasts around.
This is an amazingly dynamic comic that doesn’t take it self seriously at all. Muñoz captures the speed and ferocity of the wrestling effortlessly. This is paired with Hechinger’s surreal writing to great effect. The Bear’s matter of fact attitude and accent crack me up. This is a funny book I’ll be keeping an eye on.
Filed under: Comic Reviews , comic
March 1, 2009 • 5:47 pm 0
I’ve been working my way through a massive stack of comics at the minute. It is essentially a huge back log of reading that I’m finally getting to grips with.
I’ve just finished the first two volumes of DC’s Countdown to Final Crisis. This mammoth epic calls on a huge range of DC’s top talent with Paul Dini at the helm. It is a cracking good read that is intriguing and exciting. I’m not usually a fan of big crossovers as I tend to cynically see them as a marketing ploy. However I enjoyed seeing the links between Will Pfeifer’s Catwoman dies and Superman 3-2-1 Action.
Which neatly leads me to Busiek and Evanier’s Superman collection. I quite like the aforementioned story even though they are more Jimmy Olsen stories. Though it is good to see the limelight cast on the supporting cast for a change so that they can demonstrate their own courage and heroism. It puts me in my of the Buffy the Vampire slayer episode the Zeppo which concentrated on Xander rather than the invulnerable hero. In the same way it is good to focus on Olsen and his developing relationship with superman and his attempts to come to grips with his strange new powers.
Redemption on the other hand deals with the theme of faith. It is quite mature examination of faith and its impact on society ranging as it does from Superman’s ability to inspire us to be better to a meta-human powered by faith acting sense of false righteousness and fanaticism.
Of the two collections Redemption edges it for me with its more sophisticated storytelling. 3-2-1 Action is just a little too pulpy for my taste.
Speaking of grownup storylines Catwoman dies has to be one of the most moving and effective I’ve read in a while. Selina Kyle has to make a particularly harsh choice after seeing her daughter’s life consistently threatened. Pfeifer and Lopez have created a heartrending masterpiece and it is a great read for any comic fan.
Catwoman: Catwoman Dies by Will Pfeifer (Author), David Lopez (Author), Alvaro Lopez (Author)
Superman: Redemption by Kurt Busiek (Author), Fabian Nicieza (Author), Walter Simonson (Illustrator)
Superman: 3-2-1 Action by Kurt Busiek (Author), Mark Evanier (Author), Steve Rude (Illustrator)
Filed under: Comic Reviews , Comic Reviews, Reviews
February 20, 2009 • 8:50 am 0
A problem that I often face as a reviewer is making sure I’ve got the right artist/writer credentials. You’d be amazed at how poorly creators credit their own work. With some artists I have to literally engaging in a bit of detective work and reseach just to give them credit for their work. If the creators names are there there is often no mention of who is responsible for what. This strikes me as bizarre. Yes your art speaks for itself but it is nice to have a little recognition for all your work. So here’s a plea to all you creative types please give yourself a clear and prominent byline. Then I can give you the Kudos you deserve.
Filed under: Comic Reviews
February 18, 2009 • 10:31 pm 1
I’m not generally that Keen on historical comics unless they have cracking artwork or splendid fictionalised characters added into the mix. Hence my love for SPQR Blues which uses a historical backdrop for its intriguing narrative.
Hannibal Goes to Rome on the other hand is purely historical but it is told with humour and flair. Brendan McGinley takes the dry as dust histories and pokes fun at the fantastical and ludicrous events that have passed down to the modern day. Now this isn’t a laugh riot, it is occasionally hit and miss in its humour. It has to be said some of the jokes are kind of in jokes for historians (Numidian cavalry is all I’ll say) Although I found McGinley on target more often than not.
Hannibal’s crossing of the alps is well known or should that be we’re all aware that it happened but we’re short on detail. Well Hannibal goes to Rome has the missing detail in spades without coming across as a textbook.
That said I found the first four pages or so quite confusing as either I’m being really dense or the grammar doesn’t quite work.
What made me stay the course was Mauro Vargas artwork which brings out most of the humour in the narrative and tells a visual story that either illustrates or parodies the historical. Some of the characters do have Asterix-esque noses but I found that strangely compelling. It is the artwork that also raises Hannibal above the humour to remain a dark and brooding presence, who is every inch the hero.
It’s an intriguing title and I’ll be keeping an eye on it to see how it develops and I may even learn something.
Powered by ScribeFire.
Filed under: Comic Reviews , Genre: Historical
February 14, 2009 • 8:13 pm 0
You may be wondering why there has yet to be an announcement. Well first off a big thank you to the 44 people who’ve voted so far. Secondly the result has been delayed due to a serious deterioration in my mental health. I’ve been off work with depression and stress and frankly posting to a blog was last on my list of priorities. But I’m back if a little shaky so I will be making an announcement, as to the winner, on Monday so get you votes in tomorrow.
Filed under: Comic Reviews
November 25, 2008 • 3:56 pm 0
I’ve been increasingly disillusioned with blogging of late. I started this blog to keep me writing when life and work threatened to overwhelm me. I’m finding the whole thing hard to do. Its got to the point when writing posts is a chore and I feel lazy when I haven’t produced anything. I did really love writing for this blog and it was really gratifying to see that people did actually read my reviews. It was also nice to chart the progress of some of my favourite artists and in a small way direct a teensy bit of recognition their way. I guess what gets me down is although the site gets visits I rarely get comments and without feedback what’s the point? The blog has been on an unofficial hiatus but this may become permanent.
Thanks for reading. Vileboy.
Filed under: Comic Reviews , Farewell
October 9, 2008 • 4:57 pm 0
Robert Deas’ Manga Macbeth is a refreshing change. For those of you who don’t know I teach English and I’ ve had to endure teaching Macbeth for years. So to say the play is a bit stale for me is an understatement. Deas has revitalised the story for me. To see such a familiar story alongside such vital art is a treat. Its a bit like waking up and re appreciating the view from your window. The violence and ambition of the story unfolds across the pages and Macbeth’s fall while totally re-imagined is at the same time completely authentic. I’ve waxed lyrical about Deas’ work before and I’m unashamedly a fan so I’m a wee bit biased. However, as I mentioned when I first reviewed a couple of the Manga Shakespeare titles, I wasn’t expecting to like them and I thought they’d just be a sales gimmick. Fortunately I’ve been proven wrong as this is a well considered project that has showcased some excellent talent. If your last experience of Shakespeare was being bored in a classroom this will change your mind. On the other hand if you like well executed manga from an excellent artist then you’ll like it too.
Filed under: Comic Reviews , Comic Reviews, manga, Shakespeare
October 7, 2008 • 3:38 pm 0
I’ve just finished my Hulk marathon and I’m blown away. Planet Hulk and World War Hulk made for an entertaining weekends reading. Greg Pak has revitalised the character for me. For a long time the mean green had become for me a disappointing comic that traded on past success. Well not anymore. The series blends what is best with the Hulk of old and throws in the good bits of Conan and John Carter of Mars. Its a rip roaring testosterone soaked adventure and I found myself loving every minute of it. Don’t get me wrong the writing had flaws ( you could tell that Hulk and Caiera would end up together from the clumsy tension when they first locked heads) but its the kind of story where you strap yourself in for the ride and ignore the occasional bump. World War Hulk just offers more of the same and it has to be said it was worth seeing all those overly smug heroes taken down by the ultimate grouch. Now it’s out in prestige format its worth shelling out to have it all in one place, your bookshelf.
Filed under: Comic Reviews , Comic Reviews, Genre: Super-hero
July 15, 2008 • 10:04 am 0
Bayou captures the sense of innocence and wonder of childhood, when magical worlds are just out of the corner of your eye. However this innocence cannot last and the stark horrifying reality of life in the deep south of Jim Crow laws and lynchmobs soon intrude. This story reminds me of Alice Wlakers short story The Flowers as it too captures a feeling of childhood innocence shattered by the discovery of the body of a lynched man. This comic reverse the idea, Lee the title character is searching for the body of a boy accused of ‘whistlin’ at a white woman’. That is not to say that this is simply a tale of black people as victims. Far from it, these characters have a strong sense of self and awareness of a family history of resistance to slavery and hatred. lee encapsulates this in her stubborn refusal to accept that this is the way things are and in her demand for justice. Into this horrifying example of racist hate the author interjects a vision from fairytale. The horror of this story is all the more terrible as we know that racist murders and terrorism like this happened. Juxtaposing this bleak reality with a fairytale world full of wonder and a fair amount of horror of its own is an incredibly effective technique.
Filed under: Best Art ‘08, Comic Reviews , Comic Reviews, Genre: Horror
Recent Comments