Panel Patter

Single Minded: Rex Zombie Killer #1

2012-01-29T09:45:00.001-05:00

Break out your shotgun shells, because today, Single Minded is wandering into to zombie territory!

Rex, Zombie Killer #1
Written by Rob Anderson
Illustrated by Dafu Yu
Big Dog Ink

Five animals band together to try and survive in this world of the walking dead. Rex, "a hyper-intelligent golden retriever", leads the group and plans strategy. Brutus is a brawling pit bull who won't give up. Buttercup, the corgi, doesn't quite understand what's happening. Snowball, a cat, would rather take a nap, but helps in a pinch. Finally, there's Kenji, a very large gorilla with a baseball bat and the heart of a pacifist.

Together, they must make their way across the zombie-torn land, hoping that a human doctor can save them and keep them safe. But with danger around every corner, from both the living and the dead, do these five creatures stand a chance? Find out in Rex Zombie Killer!

We always look at how a zombie apocalypse might affect humans, but rarely do we consider the plight of the poor animals of the world. They have brains, too, you know, and I cannot think of a single instance where the outbreak of the walking dead came as the result of an animal's actions. Effectively, they're screwed and it's all humanity's fault. The hurt and confusion and almost certain death for the rest of the mammals in the area would seem to make for a good story, but I'm not sure I've ever encountered it--until now.

Rob Anderson, who was one of the writers involved in the innovative Great Zombies in History, does a great job again of making the legion of the undead interesting to me despite their saturation in comics by pitting a band of creatures together in a story of hope, fear, and survival. The idea is brilliant, and I don't know why it's not been used before.* It would be extremely frustrating, for example, to be a dog surrounded by canned dog food and know you can't eat it. There's new horror to be mined in the idea of your best friend (humans) being turned into your enemy without warning. You can show what happens to human kindness in a crisis, as it relates to the creatures we are supposed to be caring for. A story like this has all kinds of potential, and I'm happy to report that Anderson is already mining that potential from the first issue.

A good zombie movie has a varied group of people who must work together to survive, and there's often a fair amount of conflict and doubt that goes into that process. In this case, Anderson uses different species of dog and the addition of a lazy but goodhearted cat and a gorilla to create his tension. Kenji, while not being the focal character, is perhaps the most interesting. He's a gentle giant, and really does not seem to be able to process what is going on. Without him, the others are almost surely lost, as they cannot wield the bat or open doors or do any of the things needed to survive in this world. If Anderson chooses to go down that road, a story where Kenji is out of the picture and the rest must fend for themselves would have a lot of high drama.

But even if he doesn't, a pacifist great ape doing his Mickey Mantle impression as the need arises is still pretty great, especially when drawn by a talented artist such as Yu. Yu was also a part of the Great Zombies in History project, and I praised his work there. His art here is top notch again, with several innovative panel designs (such as the one that opens the comic, set in an abandoned supermarket) and zombies that are terrifying without being needlessly gory. I like that Yu is able to show the terror and violence of the situation without splattering blood all over the page. I've complained in the past that horror too often equals blood and gore, when sometimes what you don't see is just as terrifying. Anderson and Yu get this, such as when a man is about to beat Brutus. We don't need to be shown the bloody dog to get the point. Our minds can do it for us.

The only weakness in the art are the faces of the animals. Yu is working hard to give them emotions, which is cool, because they are our focal characters. The problem is that sometimes the heads of the dogs, Buttercup in particular, look a bit off, as though they don't quite fit the rest of the body. It only bothered me in a few places, mostly towards the beginning of the story. The level of detail and ability to tell the story visually more than make up for this defect, however.

I really liked two things about the plot of this first issue. First, Anderson does not try to give us huge tracts of information in the opening pages. We get a good feel for the characters based on the supermarket scene, replacing the need to talk about their differences. There's no overlong explanation of why zombies exist. Anyone picking this book up is going to have a familiarity with the genre, and doesn't need yet another "alien artifact/experiment gone wrong/terrorist bomb/etc." set piece. He can do it later, if he likes, but I don't think this story would be hurt at all if we never knew why there were undead at the door. We see that some humans are alive in a way that drives the narrative, and the set piece that gives our pack a purpose is short and sweet. Anderson is not wasting time. This is an action-packed zombie story, which is my preference. Giving the reader time to think and logic things out is a bad idea in speculative fiction, at least in my opinion.

The second thing I like is that despite being a first issue, we get a really complete story. This is helped by having a fifty page start, but even if you split this book in two, the first issue would end with a dramatic decision of the animals to fight for the life of their friend. If you are going to write a serial comic, then it should be able to be read issue by issue, without feeling like it's a 100 (or 120) page story broken up arbitrarily. Anderson gets this, and it shows. While I am really looking forward to seeing how the animals deal with the big reveal that comes after the climactic battle with both humans and zombies, I still left this issue feeling like I got a narrative that works within its page count.

As we leave the pack, there's a lot of ground to cover, a map that's laughable in its vagueness, and danger behind every tree. Can these creatures survive? I don't know, but I certainly want to find out. I think anyone who reads this comic will want to find out, too.

Rex Zombie Killer is $3.50 for just over 50 pages of comics. You can order it now in the February Previews catalog, with order code FEB12 0806. Thanks to Rob Anderson for the review copy!

*Obviously, there's a good chance that it has and I just haven't seen it. However, given that I am inclined to horror fiction, you'd think I'd have at least heard about a book or comic or movie that used animals as the protagonist in a zombie story. Feel free to point me in the direction of something in that vein, as I'd be happy to read it.

Dust off the Panels: 3 More Matt Wiegle Minis

2012-01-28T13:30:00.001-05:00

Head to Head
Wiegle for Tarzan
The Ghosts
Written and Illustrated by Matt Wiegle
Self-Published

I thought I'd actually read all of my Matt Wiegle mini-comics, when I found this stash in one of our Ikea magazine holders that we use to keep all of our mini-comics and zines. I am a big fan of Wiegle's storytelling, so I was actually quite pleased to find these.

Wiegle is one of those creators who makes good use of the format in which he works. The stories play out well in quarter-page format, with each page being roughly a panel. The story (or joke, depending on the comic) turns on the idea of the reader seeing it one image at a time. I really like how these truly are mini-comics, not just stories cut down in order to offer them to the public in this format. So what did I think of these three "lost comics?" Find out below!

Head to Head is one of Wiegle's joke comics, featuring two characters who have a link in some way (angel and devil, whale and plankton, and so on) saying or doing something funny. For example, the biblical pair are playing Scrabble, with the angel coming up with Jesuits and the demon playing Vibrator across it. Others are paired due to their names, and one is just a funny picture set piece you might find in Reader's Digest. The ideas are clever at times, but I don't think this is Wiegle's best work.

Wiegle for Tarzan is far more like it. Matt Wiegle, in a comical self-portrait that shows he is by no means qualified for the job, is applying to be New York's State Tarzan, a job he maintains is held by a man who is resting on his laurels. What follows is a well-drawn and extremely funny sequence where Wiegle explains the role of the State Tarzan and why he would make a better choice. The whole this is done entirely deadpan, as though it made complete and logical sense, which is why it works so well. This is one of my favorite Wiegle comics.

The Ghosts is an Inuit tale, adapted by Wiegle into a modern setting. It's the story of a man haunted by the mental ghost of his wife, so he decides to leave everything behind him. Before he can do so, however, a more substantial ghost appears, and causes a most unusual jealousy. As I noted above, Wiegle uses the pacing inherent in a story you can only see two panels at a time to weave the reader further and further into the madness of the main character, until he inevitably snaps. The drawings also appear to alternate between black on white and white on black, which adds to the creepiness and gives the art a dimension it might otherwise have lacked. In addition, Wiegle's scratchy lines really highlight that there is something unearthly about the whole proceedings. It's great workmanship from a strong storyteller.

I am lucky enough to usually be able to get more Wiegle comics at SPX every year. If you aren't so fortunate, you can pick up copies of these and other Wiegle titles by clicking here.

The Bulletproof Coffin Volume 1

2012-01-26T19:40:00.001-05:00

Written by David Hine
Illustrated by Shaky Kane
Image Comics

Steve Newman has a very odd and macabre job. He tidies up after someone is dead, sending things off to the junkyard where they belong. But sometimes, things catch his eye. Little, kitschy things, mostly related to pop culture. The dead don't need them, so what's the harm? Steve keeps them in his attic, tucked away from two bratty kids and a wife he seems to dislike for unknown reasons. One night, Steve finds some comic books that shouldn't exist, and his life is immediately torn upside down. Faster than a golden age artist can ink, Steve is drawn into a world that involves the very characters he's reading on the page, as his whole life plays out in front of him in full four color insanity. Is Steve part of a desperate attempt to save the world, or just completely nuts? Only two old creators know for sure, and they may not be telling! Find out the truth in the story of the Bulletproof Coffin.

I'm really glad this was a part of Image's digital holiday sale on Comixology late last year, because I'm not sure that I would have picked it up otherwise. The idea is intriguing, but I have no experience with either of the creators, so without an incentive to try it, I might have taken a pass.

That would have been a big mistake, and I urge you not to do the same thing. This is exactly the kind of meta-textural comics homage that works so well for creators such as Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, and Alan Moore, and I think David Hine stands alongside them with this book in terms of crafting a tale that looks inward but manages to do so in a way that works. It's no easy trick, either. If you reference too heavily, then the reader is either confused (they don't get the references) or annoyed by how clever the writer is trying to be. If you don't reference enough, then it looks like a weak attempt to cash in on books that use an old-school feel in order to try to do the same thing that creators such as John Byrne or Kurt Busiek can manage effortlessly but are failing to replicate (or worse, trying to blatantly copy).

On top, you have the problem of trying to ensure that your plot makes sense, when it is weaving in and out of reality. Hine has to be very careful that his plot lines up neatly on all counts, because any mistake in this regard sends the entire story collapsing into chaos. He manages this very well, however, with only a few moments where the reader might have reason to question how something is possible. Like any good writer dealing with a complex subject that probably would not hold up to extreme scrutiny, Hine keeps the plot moving briskly enough that all but a few readers will happily accept what is happening, and not worry too much about things like how a wristwatch can exist without having a true starting point. After all, any time travel or alternative reality story, from Man in the High Castle to Dr. Who, has a hard time staying intact if you pick at it too long.

With a wave of his hand, and references/homages that extend into back page material and ads, Hine (along with his artist, Shaky Kane) keeps us bobbing about and looking at all the cool stuff while he skirts a few potential problems. There's so much about comics history that Hine uses in the story that even if you only know the barest of information about Western comics, you'll be able to get the point. We have previously unknown stories of Golden Age characters who are every bit as brutal or exploitative as their real-world counterparts. There's a dead cop exacting revenge, a buxom jungle girl who's often barely clothed and is constantly threatened by "natives", a mysterious figure, a cursed man--from an Egyptian source, of course!--who must help others, and the character Steve slowly gravitates towards, Coffin Fly. Each gets a brief outing as a comic book, with the stories increasingly involving poor Steve. They also start to become more modern, with things like zombies and Viet Nam playing roles. By the time Steve confronts the source of the comics, we even get a glimpse of modern re-imaginings for these characters--something long-time comics fans are all too familiar with these days.

The homages and little visual Easter Eggs are a credit to Hine and Kane. While Kane's artwork is almost primitive in nature, resembling a less refined Paul Grist or John McCrae, it works very well here, partly because Golden Age comics art is often quite primitive as well. The characters are almost flat at times, giving a sense of unreality to the proceedings that I think helps the reader know that something isn't quite right. While not possessing the technical skills of some of the artists I've seen to comics homage work (it's going to be really hard to beat Gene Ha or John Cassiday), Kane's variety is impressive. Characters in the book all get their own visual quirks that fit their role. I could easily imagine any of the Golden Age stories actually existing in a book akin to All Star Comics, and their odd shapes and violent acts play out vibrantly across the page, aided and abetted by the extremely strange choices in color, which appear to be done by Kane (I cannot find a separate colorist credit).

Though I really enjoyed this story and I liked how the ending fits the rest of the plot like a glove, there is a bit of a muddle at the end where Hine gets in his digs at the major publishers of comics. I don't think it was necessary to be as heavy handed as we see here in order to tell this story. I get that money can ruin comics, but I think the allusion is taken a bit too far in the final issue. It's brief, however, so it doesn't bother me enough to scare anyone away. Just be ready for a bit of muttering "I get it" under your breath as we approach the final pages of the story.

The Bulletproof Coffin is a solid mini-series that plays with reality and comics history in a way that any fan of those concepts should enjoy and people who like both should really love. There's a lot to like in this one, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it. I think you will be, too.

Single Minded: Dead Man's Run

2012-01-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's time to keep being Single Minded! While every other edition I've done so far of this feature have been in relation to a digital comic, this time I actually have a paper copy in my hands this time.

It feels weird!

Anyway, this time around, I'm examining Dead Man's Run, Written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Tony Parker. Aspen Comics.

Prison life can be hell, as anyone will tell you. It's not easy being the person guarding any powder keg, let alone one with a mysterious set of subbasements. When Captain Romero faces an outbreak at the prison, he learns the secret of his institution--it's literally got a link to the damned. Just how can you stop a riot in a place where corruption and evil are as common as the foul air that's found there? When the captain finds out he's just as damned as the rest, only an innocent soul can save the day, whether he wants to or not. With souls on the line and damnation at every turn, what will happen next in this Dead Man's Run?

Long-time Panel Patter readers know that I love Greg Pak's writing. He's good at long-term planning (witness his years on Hulk), creating new and engaging characters (both good and evil), witty dialog (Hercules, anyone?), and taking familiar concepts in new directions. In this case, Pak is working with all of the mythology surrounding our perceptions of hell, starting with Dante and working his way around others. In this case, Pak has pictured the land of eternal damnation as a giant prison, which is a brilliant idea. That in and of itself would make this comic worth reading. But Pak adds to the idea, by showing that it's a prison rife with corruption and problems, where anyone who gets there can use their evil nature to survive, and perhaps even thrive.

If it ended there, we'd be golden. Except that Pak raises the stakes even higher, by showing that good people end up in hell, too, often through no fault of their own. In such a terrible, hopeless place, how long can they hold out? We get the Cartographer, a young man who can work his way through any maze, and his sister, a young girl with full faith in her brother, trapped in this place through the mechanations of a flawed prison guard. Dead Man's Run looks to be a story about faith, redemption, and determination, with a huge possibility that all will be lost in the end. In just these two short pieces of story, Pak sets up so much, and does it all while giving the reader a good story that can be read issue to issue, which is no easy task these days.

Though it's early yet, I love the characterization. Romero is the bad guy we can sort-of like, who isn't about to go down easy. The cartographer is a good person who is about to be tried to his limits. Will he gain his sister but lose his soul? Or break open hell itself to the earth, damning all in an attempt to right the wrong of his and his sister's deaths? Is his sister as good as Pak is letting us believe? And what of the Warden of Hell, who seems like a vile person but might be just as trapped as the cartographer and his sister? So much is hinted at, giving this series huge potential that I can't wait to see developed as the story moves on.

I've never seen Tony Parker's work, but I really like the look he brings to the series. The character designs are crisp, with fine linework that appears to be a house style for Aspen, based on the other ads in these comics. He does a lot of good camera angle work, with characters reaching out to the reader at times, which makes for a creepy feeling, given they're pulling for you from hell itself. I wish there was a bit more emotion in his faces, and a few scenes were a bit hard to follow, but overall, it's very solid work that keeps the script moving.

Dead Man's Run looks like a great series, and I'm glad to have gotten a chance to read this one. My only complaint is that Aspen, despite having a digital presence on multiple platforms, is not offering this electronically. It's hard for me in my cramped space to keep single issue comics. I really wish that I could buy the next set of issues for my computer and iPad instead of in print. But since Pak is so good, I might just make an exception. If your comic store can get this for you, order it. Anyone who likes Pak needs to get on this series now, or they're going to regret it. Fans of conceptual comics will be damning themselves if they forget to grab this one as well. Dead Man's Run is going to make a good run of comics. Start reading now!

My thanks to Greg Pak for providing a review copy. If you are interested in having a comic reviewed by me, please contact me at trebro@gmail.com.

Saga of the Power Heroes Book One

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Derrick A. Rivers
Illustrated by Derrick A. Rivers
Self-Published

Titan is patrolling the streets when a mysterious beam transports him to a new location. He's soon joined by other heroes, who have been gathered for a noble purpose. Metal Hawk wants them all to work together--but can they? When a deadly foe puts the theory to the test, a new world of heroes is born in this opening issue from Derrick A. Rivers.

One of the great things about self-published comics is that if you have the time, inclination, and ability, you can create anything you want. Some people go for abstracts, others raw imagery designed to shock. There are people who write out their stories of personal pain and struggle while others build whole pages around a clever joke.

In the case of Derrick Rivers, this comic and the series that follows it is his love letter to Marvel Comics. Though the characters are modified, of course, it's clear that this series is designed to be an homage to the Avengers and a time when superhero comics were a lot clearer in terms of who were the villains and who were the heroes. As a person who grew up on the same comics that Rivers did, I can appreciate his desire to work within that mold, as there really are very few comics out there right now that follow those guidelines.

The story itself is a pretty familiar one to any longtime reader of superhero comics. A hero feels that teamwork is necessary, there's doubt and confusion, and ultimately, they pull together in the end. Each character gets to show off their powers and their value to the team, and it ends with the promise of more adventures against powerful foes.

While it's true that there's not a lot new to be had in Saga of the Superheroes, I appreciate its honesty in that regard. This is a man having fun with his work, creating characters from archetypes and giving them cool adventures. It's a bit like a visual version of playing with toys, and I don't mean that in a bad way. The artwork and character designs are better than average for this type of book, and it's amazing that a fan comic like this can have more diversity in one issue than DC and Marvel can manage in a year. Some of the dialog is a bit corny, but that matches up with the feel of the comics Rivers is emulating.

Overall, I had fun reading this. It was an enjoyable romp with likable characters and made me smile as I imagined Mr. Rivers acting out these ideas in his head before writing them, just like I used to think about the adventures I might create for my favorite heroes. This is a comic you can easily give a child with no reservations, or read to them with a knowing wink about the source material. Saga of the Superheroes is going to be of appeal only to a specific subset of comics readers, but for the right person, it would be the perfect fit. You'll know on a quick glance if it is for you. If you think it might be, don't hesitate to grab it. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy.

Single Minded: Newish #1s: Steed and Mrs. Peel, Fatale, and Memorial

2012-01-19T19:36:00.002-05:00

Welcome again to another edition of Single Minded, where I look at comics I'm reading in single issue form. This time around, I thought I'd examine three recent #1 issues for you, all of which come highly recommended.

Steed and Mrs. Peel #1. Written by Grant Morrison. Illustrated by Ian Gibson. Boom! Studios.

If you had asked me my favorite British television show of all time just a few scant months ago, I'd have named The Avengers without hesitation. Nothing else even came close, including Monty Python. Dr. Who has changed all that, of course, but that doesn't mean I haven't been looking forward to this one since Boom! announced it. Grant Morrison, the master of the twisted plot, writing a story for a show who reveled in being as weird as possible? This was a no-brainer for me, and it's definitely just as good as I'd hoped.

Morrison picks things up roughly where the show left off, but quickly makes it so that Emma has to return to Steed's side. There's a mole in the organization, and Steed must find out the culprit, with the help of his old ally. As our two characters weave their way through chess pieces with human heads, deadly blood drives, and houses shaped like ships, any fan of Morrison or the old TV series will be extremely pleased. Gibson is not the best at likenesses, but he does okay with Steed. (It would be very hard to capture Diana Rigg and do her justice, anyway.) He shines at the oddball sets, however, and creating a sense of creepy menace. My only complain is having to wait a month for issue two! Highest possible recommendation on this one!
(Thanks to Boom! Studios for the review copy.)

Fatale #1. Written by Ed Brubaker. Illustrated by Sean Phillips. Image Comics. A mysterious woman at a funeral leads a man down a path that includes a secret novel from a hack writer, people trying to kill him, and some truly gruesome murders. It all seems to center around her, a woman who can get men to fall for her a moment's notice. But she's clearly not the only thing that's distinctly...Fatale.

It's a little hard to describe this story so far because it's just getting started. Right now, it's a hard-boiled noir story with horror mixed in, which is almost as close to my wheelhouse as Morrison writing Steed and Mrs. Peel. Sean Phillips' art is as excellent as ever and the story felt complete to me, despite having quite a few twists and turns and mysteries to be revealed later. I love dropping magic into the world of corrupt cops and dangerous damsels, and I like this well enough that I plan to buy it day and date going forward. Recommended for anyone who likes noir or horror. Or preferably both. I have a feeling this is going to be on a ton of people's best of 2012 lists, including mine.

Memorial #1. Written by Chris Roberson. Illustrated by Rich Ellis. IDW.

Amnesia might be the worst kind of mental illness. Em has it, and nothing she does jogs the slightest bit of memory. But perhaps there's a key to her past life in the form of a magical shop she didn't even notice at first. When Em steps inside, a whole new world opens up, one that features talking cats, allusions to characters that are familiar yet strangely changed, and an evil villain that must be stopped before her power grows even further. But how in the world is Em going to manage this when she has no idea who or what she is?

I have become a huge fan of Chris Roberson and was excited to hear he was working on a new comic of his own making. This has all the hallmarks of other series I like, such as Fables, but does not feel like a carbon copy all, not even when there's a shared character (or at least an implied one). The world that Roberson and Ellis created here is fascinating, and I already want to know how it came to be and what is going to happen to it. I'm a sucker for a talking, sarcastic cat--call it the Garfield effect if you must--and I love that things only seem to be getting stranger as they go along. It's early yet, but the dialog is crisp, the pacing is fast, and if you love seeing writers play with archetypes and concepts from classic literature, this is going to be a treat.

All in all, it's a great time for new comics. All three of these are on my must-read list, and I think they'll be on yours, too, once you try them. Digital is opening new worlds for me in terms of my reading, and I couldn't be happier to be single minded right now.

Any other #1s I should be trying? Let me know in the comments!

Digging into Digital: Studygroup Opens Webcomics Portal

2012-01-16T09:23:00.003-05:00

The mini-comics publisher Studygroup debuted a webcomics portal today, promisingly free content from five creators every Monday through Friday, with additional one-off stories mixed in periodically.

The site consists of the content available to the reader on the main page, with links to contributor information, the webcomics themselves, information about Studygroup's print publications (along with a store where you can purchase them), and a blog. The editors of Studygroup are hoping for readers to make this a regular part of their internet routine, and have smartly included an RSS feed to make that job easier. (I have noted before that no matter how good your webcomic might be, if I can't put it in my RSS reader, I won't read it. I do not have the time or inclination to go hunting up your webcomic, not when there are so many out there to read.)

According to the blog entry that goes along with the debut, the tone is extremely light. They joke about having "too much free content" and encourage those who feel bad about this to buy their books, and even invoke the age-old chestnut about the site not being a library. Their plans to keep up daily content, both in terms of comics and the blog itself is extremely ambitious, and I wonder just how much lead time they have right now. I'm not familiar with their print comics, so I do not know if they are serializing older material or if these comics are brand new. (If you do know, please tell me in the comments.)

While things are early yet, this set of webcomics looks promising and the admittedly limited samples I saw were enough to convince me that I should add the site to my feeds. I like that the contributors appear to be a mix of comics veterans (including a person who worked with Jonathan Lethem), a few who may be new to the genre based on their bios, and people who might be better known for working in other artistic mediums.

I took an extended look at Danger Country from Levon Jihanian, the Monday comic and therefore the one most new visitors will see if they look today. The first set of pages (and yes, there's more than one page per week, at least for this comic) were intriguing to me. Someone is telling a story of what happens when the gods get angry, in the grand traditional of sages giving out the lore of their people. I am betting that the protagonist will try to do something to change the status quo, and I look forward to finding out what. The art on Danger Country is fairly pedestrian but gets across the information clearly. What stood out to me, however, was the coloring, which is varied and bright and brings the overall quality of the art up quite a bit, at least for me.

Studygroup editor Zack Soto provides a bonus comic, a short piece titled Day 34 that can be read in its entirety. From 2003 (if I am interpreting it correctly), the story is of a man lost at sea who finds a strange hole in the ocean. The hole has a set of stairs, which is a great gag, and leads to a deadly secret and a struggle for life. It's a very good one and done story and Soto's rough lines and imperfect style fit the tone just right.

The other comics, which start later this week, look interesting, with the possible exception of Yankee, whose premise of a dumb American doesn't really work for me. Lone Wolf appears to be a ghost story, while Titan has sci fi elements, and Mourning Star appears to be somewhat post-apocalyptic, if I am reading the description correctly. That's a nice variety of work, with a high likelihood of something for everyone.

If I have one minor complaint, it's that each comic does not have its own RSS feed. That's a curious choice, as it forces readers who like feeds to read all the comics or none of them in that way. I'd suggest giving the option to do individual feeds.

Overall, Studygroup looks to be a webcomics portal with a lot to offer fans of mini-comics. Definitely check it out and see what you think!

Dr. King, Comics, and Why Race Still Matters

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

My personal favorite Dr. King
biography.

Editor's note: This post is probably going to upset a few people. I'm sorry for that, because if you feel like the "race problem" is over in America (and elsewhere) and that there's no need to examine racism, intentional and otherwise, in the 21st century then you are either sadly naive or a bigot, depending. You won't like this post, and rather than curse my name, why don't you just move along?

Editor's note 2: I write this post with a bit of hesitation, not because I do not believe strongly in what I am about to say, but because I am white. I have privileges that I get just by being white. I can't know what it's like to be a minority in this country. But I try to look at this as objectively as possible, and I think I can speak, however distantly, on this subject. Please bear with me and forgive any missteps. They are made not in malice, but in an attempt to highlight what I consider to be real issues.

Today is the day in the United States where we mark the anniversary of the birth of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr., the face of the modern civil rights movement. It's not his actual birthday, mind you, but people like holidays at the end of weekends more than they like recognizing the sacrifices made by a great man. It's sad that having a three day weekend trumps the purpose of having the day off, but that's incredibly American.

Sadly, for a lot of people, today is just a bonus day to sleep in. Just as we like to pretend there's nothing wrong with so many other issues in America that aren't germane to comics, I think there are quite a few people who know that Dr. King fought against unjust laws in the South and now those laws don't exist, so everything is just fine.

Those people are wrong. Dr. King's Dream wasn't answered when Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. They didn't get fulfilled when an African American became President. Just because Eddie Murphy was the biggest name on Saturday Night Live and Oprah was the darling of white middle class soccer moms doesn't mean the problems he pointed out are over. In fact, they can be the exceptions that end up proving the very rules.

Rest in peace, and thank
you forever for
Justice League Unlimited.

While there are many issues relating to race in America, I want to specifically look at comics. Anyone who reads about comics and news of the industry knows that minority involvement in mainstream comics is shallow at best. It is difficult to name high-profile African American creators in comics, and we recently lost one of the best, Dwayne McDuffie. Even those who are fairly well known are not on the biggest superhero books, such as Justice League or Batman or Fantastic Four or the Avengers. Kyle Baker does an adults-only version of Deadpool, and while that character is popular, it's not like that book is selling in the top 25 of superhero comic books.

There are certainly others whose names are recognizable to those who read a lot of comics, but I don't think any of these creators who are household names, with no offense intended (and apologies if I am discounting them). Ron Wilson drew some of my favorite Thing stories, but that was decades ago. Brian Stelfreeze used to do Batman covers, but you have to go back to the Clinton Administration. Keith Pollard did Amazing Spider-Man around the time I was born. Christopher Priest once edited the wall-crawler, but I don't think he's written anything for Marvel or DC in about ten years now. I loved Darryl Banks' art style, but I wouldn't know the last time I saw it. There are a few others I could name-check here, but I think you get the point.

They meant well.
I think.

While we've come a long way in terms of portrayals of African American characters in superhero comics and have even progressed to the point where Luke Cage can be in charge of a group of Avengers (the cool one, if you ask me) and a Batman spin-off book features a hero from Africa, it's troublesome to me that the people working on DC and Marvel comic books are almost exclusively white. As I write this, DC does not have a single African American creator working on their books after recent changes.

Not one.

You can do all you can to improve portrayals of minorities in your books, but young African Americans reading these books need more than just characters that look like them (though that is a step in the right direction). They need to be able to read these books and say, "Hey, this is something I can do because there are people just like me already doing it!"

Love that belt buckle.

This is where we circle around to an argument that happens everywhere. I have heard more times than I care to count the "race doesn't matter" trope. That argument claims that it doesn't matter the race of the person involved, because we are all equal. It's further compounded by its odious counterpart, "only the best should be allowed to do it" followed closely by "you want quotas."

All of that is bullshit.

Let's start with the first one. I work with a large population of African American youth. As a consequence, when I'm not reading comics, I also read about how young minds operate. Guess what? Studies show that kids look around and notice who is just like them! And when they don't see people who are like them, they figure, perhaps even unconsciously, that the job in question is not for them. So when they read Green Lantern or Fantastic Four or Invincible, and none of the people involved are black, too many of them will think that they can't work in comics, either. It's not something you pick up on, until you're reading a student write "that person is just like me" on their paper.

And then you see it on a second paper. Then three, four, and five.

So don't tell me that having African Americans writing and drawing comics doesn't matter because race doesn't matter. That's just not the case.

The second argument, that only the best should be working in comics, is almost laughable. Go look at comic books with six inkers and try to tell me with a straight face that we have only the best working right now. I'm not even going to name check some terrible creators who have books right now with Marvel and DC. We all have our preferences, but to claim that these and only these people can work in the industry (some because they have for over twenty years and that is their only selling point) is a joke.

As for the third argument, no, quotas are stupid. No one is clamoring for quotas when they say that there need to be more minorities in comics. But when Ann Nocenti is only your second female writer, you have a problem. When you cannot find a single African American that you think could write a comic, that's a problem. This is not a case of asking for a percentage, this is a case of saying that you just can't ignore the fact that your creative teams are whiter than the poster board they're drawing on.

I'm not saying that Marvel or DC are trying to be racist. I think Chris Sims said it best when he felt the lack of African American creators is due more to a lack of thinking than thinking of discrimination. My point is that to try and claim that this doesn't matter is misguided at best and harmful at worst. We ignore diversity at our peril, all of us, whether we are readers, writers, bloggers, artists, editors, or publishers. We can keep chasing the same 100,000 aging readers who are overwhelmingly white by giving them a steady dose of Rob Liefeld, Howard Mackie, Brian Michael Bendis, and other familiar names or we can look at inspiring the next generation of creators, starting now.

Don't get me wrong. I love a lot of the creators working today, and I'm glad to see them working. I also want well written and well drawn books, regardless of the race of the creator. But I think that ignoring this problem is hurting the industry. I am a comics evangelist. I want more comics, and I want more people reading comics. One of the ways to do this is to have more people of different races working on superhero comics. While I love my indie comics and my self-published minis, their audience is limited. Only a book like Superman has the power to let young men and women like the ones I work with know that they, too, can work on a comic book.

Now that's a dream Dr. King could get behind.

Dust off the Panels: Accident Bear Goes Fishing and Rabbit Shadows

2012-01-15T17:22:00.003-05:00

I really enjoy buying mini-comics, but sometimes I don't always remember to read them as soon as I get them and they end up in my to-read magazine folder. Some of these will end up here in a Dust off the Panels post. The following are two minis that I believe we got at SPX 2010, but don't quote me on it.

Accident Bear Goes Fishing. Written and Illustrated by Jonathan Eaton.

In this short, silent comic, a black bear with really bad luck ends up having a series of increasingly comic misfortunes. What starts off by missing a juicy fish progresses from waterfalls to sharks to pulling a Wil E. Coyote.

It's a total joke comic that has all the hallmarks of a good comedy, with the timing and increased severity working in harmony with art that attempts to be as straightforward as possible. This isn't a comic for the ages, but it was a lot of fun to read. Eaton did a great job with this one, and I'd definitely read more from him. You can get a copy for yourself here.

Rabbit Shadows. Written and Illustrated by Jason Viola. An ordinary working class rabbit discovers the ability to manipulate its shadow into amazing shapes. He's the toast of high society--for a bit. Taste is fleeting, though, and soon the bunny will see the dark side of fame.

This is another wordless comic, but it's very different from Eaton's. Viola's protagonist is an everyman character who manages to find a way to make it big, doing something no one else can do. Most of the comic is showing the arc of success that the rabbit has, along with visuals that either mildly skewer the world of art or provide a few comic moments. There's no explanation of how or why the character can strip his shadow, because that's not the point. We are to look at how success can change a person and how losing it all can make them appreciate the little things in life.

I thought Viola's linework was great here, with quite a bit of detailing in the backgrounds, which is often lacking in mini-comics. The story follows a logical arc, and we're left understanding that this rabbit won't let the opinions of the art world ruin his life. As with Eaton, I'd be happy to read more Viola again.

If you want to read Rabbit Shadows, you can get a copy here.

Another Superhero "New Reader" Experiment: Witchblade 151

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I posted some thoughts about how it was cool to get a free copy of Savage Dragon 175, but the issue was so complexly structured and designed for established readers that I found myself leaving the comic with no desire to get #176--or go back and pick up the story from the beginning.

I figured I'd try again, this time with a comic I'd only read part of one issue of before, several years ago. I'd seen a lot of good press for Witchblade 151, the start of a new arc with a new writer and artist. I figured it would be interesting to see how it compared. The difference was like night and day, as you'll see.

Witchblade 151. Written by Tim Seeley. Illustrated by Diego Bernard. Sometimes, life sucks when you're a private investigator. That's what Sara finds out, as her move to Chicago has some serious consequences. When a case turns odd and she ends up framed for a death actually caused by a deadly mystical creature, Sara may have to decide if following the path of law and order is really possible for her after all. It's a new direction for the star of the title and the wielder of the...Witchblade.

This issue actually starts off with a weird interlude written by the outgoing creative team that explains that something big has happened and the world is not quite what it should be. I was intrigued, but at the same time, I don't see the link between it and the issue itself. However, as it is a self-contained interlude by a different writer, I'm not going to hold it against Seeley. In addition, despite being short, it actually told me everything I might need to know, should it be relevant later. There are some mystical items of great power that should never be together (a concept that's a staple of fantasy, so I can grasp that concept easily), and they got together, with big results that aren't going away quietly. Got it, Ron Marz. Good show in a few pages, and I could move on quickly. I just wonder if this was necessary or not, but again, not a huge deal because it was not confusing at all.

The main story, by Tim Seeley, holds up extremely well as a jumping on point. We start in the middle of a dramatic moment for the character. She's jailed. We immediately see she's got powers, but won't use them to break free, because she respects the law. I now know all kinds of things about Sara, and I'm barely at page 3. That's a great job of writing for a new reader in my opinion, because not only does it help me, the new guy, it establishes that something older readers are familiar with is not going to change. (Think of a new issue of Batman after a reboot that shows him not killing, when he could do so. Same concept.) After a few more pages, we know that Sara is a former cop, turned private eye. She's struggling. She's having trouble with this new life. She's getting older. However, through all this, she's not giving up. We see her push through these problems, and just as she tries to do the right thing, it all caves in on her by the end of the issue. We're now back to the beginning, giving a complete story. We know why Sara is in prison now. This issue sets the springboard for the strong narrative question of, "What will Witchblade do next?"

Despite referencing quite a bit of Witchblade's recent history, I never once felt like I didn't know what was going on. Seeley makes a point of keeping me informed, and doing it in a way that does not feel forced as a general rule. Some of the internal monologue might be a stretch, but other than that, it's all based on things that happen in-story. I have a pretty complete picture of Sara by the end, including the things she can do with her Witchblade powers. The way she discusses being a veteran hero is a nice touch, and I even liked that she's a bit concerned about growing older. It teeters on "woman worried about girl things" territory, but I thought it was appropriate. Maybe it's because I've been thinking a lot about getting older, but that moment really registered for me.

Now, I've said a lot of good things about this book, but there are some sticking points. The opening showing Sara in a ripped, short dress, is a bit off-putting, and kinda plays to the worst stereotypes of comics. The female characters are definitely drawn as sexy as possible, especially in the bar scene. However, it's not like the male characters in that scene are drawn as anything other than really attractive, so I think it's more a case of the artist wanting to draw hot people than being exploitative for exploitation's sake. Since Sara seems to have a good head on her shoulders, I can be more forgiving. It's not like she's waiting for a guy to save her or something. The artist definitely opts for going for poses that show off curves, but I have seen far, far worse.

Overall, I was intrigued. I don't know that I'd read this monthly as it comes out, but if Seeley keeps the strong storytelling going and the tone is one of heroic action, I would read more issues in the future. I think there's a potential for Sara to be a good heroine and treated better than the standard female hero by the current creative team. (Note: Not saying the old creative team treated her badly. I have no point of reference.) A new reader can definitely hook on to this one and if you like action stories with a bit of the supernatural and sexiness attached, it's worth trying to see if this is for you.

Witchblade 151 is exactly the kind of book you need to create if you are looking to hook new readers. If you had the right potential non-comics person (someone who likes cop movies with a bit of sexual chemistry, perhaps, or maybe private detective novels with a female lead, like Grafton's series), they could read this and not be ready to reach for a bottle of aspirin. They might actually reach for issue 152, and that should be the point. While certainly not perfect, this is the kind of book publishers need to do when they're making a push to gain new eyes on their title. My hat's off to Top Cow on this one. Good work to all involved!

Single Minded: Boom! Studios Titles for 1-11-12

2012-01-11T19:09:00.003-05:00

Welcome to another edition of Single Minded! Let's see what Boom! Studios titles are out there for the week of 1-11-12 that I thought were worth talking about...

Snarked! #4. Written and Illustrated by Roger Langridge. The unlikely fellowship has a boat and a plan, but can they escape the guard and the evil ~~Sam the Eagle~~ Gryphon? Langridge once again continues his amazing run on this series that embodies the spirit of his Muppet Show work, but gives him complete creative control and freedom. I think the most impressive part of the proceedings here is Langridge's ability to make this totally family-friendly, while also including elements that are clearly aimed squarely at the parents (and adult fans). It's times like this where Langridge shines, particularly in the allusions relating to a large stash of female clothing. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised to see the use of alcohol in a kid's comic, but it works perfectly. The art is as good as ever, and while we're finishing up the first story arc here, there's plenty more action to come, and I can't wait.

Operation Broken Wings, 1936, #3. Written by Herik Hanna. Illustrated by Trevor Hairsine. Our story of deceit within the early days of the Nazi regime comes to a conclusion as the major reveals what he's been up to all this time and we have an ending that shows money truly is the root of all evil. While I found the ending of this story a bit abrupt, I do appreciate that Hanna wraps up the story with an ending that was probably inevitable, and reminds me a bit of the days when anti-heroes weren't allowed to get home to kiss the girl. There is a good set-up to the finish, and Hairsine should be given a medal for his restraint in illustrating the scenes of torture. I knew exactly what was happening without blood and gore all over the place. This story was ultimately about corruption within corruption, and I think it held together rather well. As I mentioned previously, it should appeal to war comic fans, which is not me, though I can appreciate the craft involved.

That's it for this weeks Boom! titles. Thanks again to Boom! for giving me a chance to preview these comics. If you are interested in having your comic reviewed by me, please contact me at trebro@gmail.com.

Wandering Son Volume 1

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Shimura Takako
Illustrated by Shimura Takako
Fantagraphics

Shuichi is a young man with a big problem. Despite his best efforts, he is not like the other boys around him. While they move on to standard adolescent things, he has a deep secret: He'd rather be a girl.

Yoshino is a young woman with a problem similar to Shuichi. She's a young woman who would rather be a young man.

This is their story. It's painful, it's heartbreaking, and it's full of cruelty both intentional and otherwise. It's a journey of exploration that is different from most, because the world doesn't like it when people deviate from the norm. This is the story of Wandering Son.

The idea of gender swapping and queer issue is not new to comics or to manga. However, a lot of times the idea of a boy dressing as a girl is used for comic effect, or the queer characters are treated like plot point punching bags, always ready to be as stereotypical as they can so that the reader can feel better about themselves by laughing at them. It is not often that we see transgender issues taken seriously. I admit when I first heard about this manga, I was concerned. Would the author be respectful? The answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Takako sets this series during a big turning point in the life of any child--as they are going through puberty. It's a time of questioning and changing for any young man or woman, even if they have no sexual identity issues. Adding the possibility/probability of being queer--and the most easily discriminated against kind of queer to boot--really brings the characters into emotional conflict that makes for good storytelling. Rather than trying to go for an exaggerated accounting, Takako just plays the story straight (no pun intended) and lets genuine pain and realistic examples show the reader how hard it is going to be for Shuichi and Yoshino.

This is a very sensitive topic, and I think part of why this works so well is that Takako does not try to rush things. The story builds slowly, and at first, we don't even really get much in the way of identity issues. As things progress, however, incidents are created that put the characters into conflict and make them face decisions that have severe repercussions. I like that Shuichi and Yoshino are fleshed out a bit, rather than just thrown at the reader, "Hey, here's two transgendered kids!" Every person is so much more than just their sexuality, and Takako sees that and values it. We read Wandering Son because of the conflict of identity, but that doesn't mean it's the only thing that can happen in the story or that their gender questioning is the only kind of problems they may have.

I think the key scene in this volume takes place during the school play scenes, where Shuichi is teased and tormented into playing a female character in the drama. You can see the pain as he tries to get out of the situation but is trapped, and the inevitable conclusion of this set piece really shows just how hard his/her life is going to be.

Takako's illustrations are simple, as with a lot of manga-ka, but they do get the job done. I wish the characters had a bit more definition to them, but I think the ambiguities are on purpose and demonstrate that the two genders have more similarities than differences. I don't read manga for the art as a rule anyway, so it's not a problem for me, but readers should be aware that Takako's linework is serviceable but not earth-shattering. For most people who are used to reading Japanese high school dramas, it probably won't even be all that noticeable.

Fantagraphics does not publish a lot of manga, but the volumes they select are amazing. Wandering Son is a great series that I am looking forward to following in the years to come. Sensitive, heartbreaking, and very queer-positive, Wandering Son was one of my best manga of 2011, and I have no doubt that if volume three is released in 2012, that it will make my list again this year. Anyone who likes serious approaches to important topics that affect many people really need to check this series out. They won't be disappointed.

Dust off the Panels: Steve Ditko's 160 Page Page Package

2012-01-08T16:48:00.002-05:00

Written by Steve Ditko
Illustrated by Steve Ditko
Self-Published

Steve Ditko can be himself in this set of short stories where he's the writer, illustrator, letterer, and editor. From tales of good cops against corrupt police to horror stories of the psychological to rants of a grumpy, ultra-libertarian recluse, it's all here for you in Steve Ditko's 160 Page Package.

Though I am a big fan of Steve Ditko, I've actually never read any of his non work for hire output before, mostly because it's a tad difficult to find. I grabbed this some time ago, but had not gotten around to reading it until recently.

It's a very strange mix that I probably would not recommend to any but those who are hard-core Ditko fans. While there are flashes of brilliance, such as when Ditko slowly drives a protagonist insane or when his heroic creations leap into the battle against evil, a lot of the stories reflect his banal philosophy that I am firmly in disagreement with. Ditko is uncompromising and unwavering in his faith, and he shows anyone who disagrees with him in a bad light. They come off as fools who are blocking the guardians of true morality from their righteous anger.

For example, social workers are always protecting evil kids who cannot be redeemed, all while spouting the worst of straw men lines. Criminals can never reform. There are people who are innovative, but those with (ironically) selfish motives drag them down. The good of the many is always wrong. And so on. It grows very tiresome and overwhelms the good parts, at least for me.

Are there enough good parts to make this readable?

I would argue yes, but again, only for those who admire Ditko's technical skills, which he still has in abundance. The odd camera angles, the way characters are always reacting to one another (even if sometimes stiffly), and the pacing of the story are all vintage Ditko. And when he's working more in his classic horror-comic style, the results are actually fun to read.

The problem is that too much is just personal venting or bald expressions of philosophy. Also, Ditko's presentation of women here is borderline appalling, both visually and in terms of their character. This is one of those books you read once to examine its qualities, but don't really feel the need to return to.

I strongly admire Steve Ditko's work overall. He is arguably where a lot of the comic book styles we see today come from, though often they are several generations removed. I think he can still tell a good story when he tries, but without an editor to reign in his political inclinations, this is a tough read unless you are a member of the Tea Party (and if you are, I doubt you take much stock in me or what I have to say). I'm glad to see Ditko still working well into his advanced age (one of the few to do so) and I'm glad he's doing what he wants.

But these comics are a shadow of what the man used to do, with their fears and prejudices exposed much like the villains Ditko so loathes. The art is solid in most places but the stories just can't get over the biases of the man writing them. It's a great curiosity to observe, and one that can be marveled at (no pun intended) once or twice. After that, the flaws show all too well.

Those who are curious might want to find this, but I wouldn't look too hard. It's a 160 page package, alright, but one that comes with a hefty dose of extreme politics. As such, I can't recommend it.

Single Minded: Boom! Studios Titles from 1-4-12

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late getting to these this week, but the holidays threw off my schedule a bit. Here's my take on the latest round of Boom! Studios releases, which include the official debut of their Peanuts series and new issues of some of my favorite Boom! books on the shelf/computer right now.

Incorruptible #25. Written by Mark Waid. Illustrated by Marcio Takara.
This is a bit of a cheat, because it was one of the last releases of 2011, but I wanted to make sure I included it because of the ongoing storyline. In this issue, Waid takes us back in time to see just why Max is as angry as he is. The focus here is on the backstory of Max Damage, which was rather overdue. If he's going to be a character in the mold of the Sub Mariner--or to some degree, Doctor Doom--then we need to know he's worth caring about and is more than just a thug who decided to make good. In typical Waid fashion, we get a rather amazing revelation that not only gives the series a new dimension, it puts everything that's come before in an absolutely fascinating context--all without a retcon and without having a new reader need to read all that's come before. It's superb work, and if I have a quibble, it's that I'm still waiting on that big fight. Right now, I'm not seeing how these two stories link up, but I have a feeling they will.

Irredeemable #33. Written by Mark Waid. Illustrated by Diego Barreto. The third part of the crossover picks up where Irredeemable 32 left off, which strikes me as a bit odd. I still can't quite figure out how this is a crossover, but perhaps the final issue will clear that up, especially if it continues from where this one leaves off. The origin of the Plutonian continues here, and we see just why Tony hates Max Damage so much (a link to Incorruptible to be sure, but it's kinda weak). As Tony's parents move on, leaving the Plutonian to his fate, there's a chance that maybe, just maybe, he could be redeemed after all. But is he being approached by the right people? The twists and turns in this ongoing story continue, as Waid uses all his best plotting skills to keep the reader guessing, while playing as fair as possible. I'm hoping we get a huge resolution at the end of the month, but the bigger question right now is--how does the series keep going if Tony does get better?

Valen the Outcast #2. Written by Michael Alan Nelson and Illustrated by Matteo Scalera. Valen and his two companions continue their quest to take Valen's life back into his own hands, but they run into a snag when a bridge blocks their path (a nice trick, since a bridge should usually help a traveler). Caught between warring factions in the face of Valen's "death", can they make it across before the forces of death come calling for their lost soul?

I liked this issue a lot better than the first, as we got the setup mostly out of the way now and can concentrate on actually telling the story. Valen's determination is compelling and engaging, and the idea he develops to preserve his undead self is a great idea that I don't think I've seen before. I'm not as keen on the ending of this particular issue, as I think it's a little quick to move to that particular trope. Still, this is an enjoyable romp with lost of fighting, characters right out of the pulp mold, and a fast-moving story that scratches my itch for some good old fashioned hacking and slashing.

Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes #3. Written by Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Hardiman. Illustrated by Gabriel Hardiman. Prison fight! The danger for all who are on the wrong side of the conspiracy that's trying to make gorillas the top dog in the ape hierarchy really tip their hand in this penultimate issue of what has been arguably my favorite Boom! comic that I'm reading currently. As the forces mobilize for their final push for control, General Aleronis starts a counter-revolution, setting up a final battle royale for the fate of the planet. I love how this series works within the larger framework of the licensed property, creating a story that works without great knowledge but also finds a way to use its source material to great effect. I'll be sorry to see this finish next month, but I hear there's more good Apes comics on the way, so I'll be sure to read those when they come out.

Elric The Balance Lost #7. Written by Chris Roberson. Illustrated by Francesco Biagini. What started as a few isolated battles against law or chaos are swirling together in ways that our four protagonists can no longer control. The fight is far more complex than any of them could have imagined, and if the battle is not stopped soon, all may be lost as one side or the other may rule over all, destroying reality as we know it. Can even Elric, his battered friends, and the new companions stop things before it's too late?

Well, I have a feeling the answer will be yes in the end, but as with all good stories, it's not looking good right now. Roberson writes the heroes into a hopeless struggle and keeps the reader off balance in terms of who to root for, with some clever plotting that seems to put Elric right up against other characters we've been rooting for from issue one. It's great writing, and part of why Roberson is one of my new favorite creators. In addition, Biagini draws the heck out of yet another issue, providing as many weird creatures as Roberson asks for--and trust me, that's a lot. We're about ready to arc towards the final climax of this story, and I can't wait.

Peanuts #1. Written by Charles Schultz and others. Illustrated by Charles Schultz and others. The kids imprint from Boom! Studios, Kaboom!, finally brings this series to the comic shops and I'm really curious to see how it does. Mixing classic Peanuts strips with new stories that hew pretty closely to older Schultz ideas, it's an interesting idea that will seem sacrilegious to some and work perfectly for others. I think this issue does a pretty good job overall, though I think Lucy is coming out a bit badly in the deal, not unlike modern portrayals of Daffy Duck. Her meanness is a delicate thing, and here I think it's a bit too shrill, though I don't know that a younger audience will notice. The nods to the larger Peanuts world are great, and I thought having Lucy narrate the how-to section was a fun touch. This bears keeping an eye on, but I admit I'm not 100% sold on it yet. It's hard to replace the master, as we've seen constantly in other examples.

That was the week in Boom! for the start of the year. Did anyone get these? What did they think?

Why Superhero Comics Keep Small Audiences: Savage Dragon #175 as a Case Study

2012-01-06T17:48:00.001-05:00

I'd like to start off this commentary by thanking Graphicly and Erik Larsen for coming together to do something nice for those who have accounts with the digital comics provider. It's always nice to see creators and companies try to give something back, especially when it might lure additional readers.

However, I'm afraid that after reading Savage Dragon #175 twice, I left it feeling confused and not inclined to add the digital to my unofficial digital pull list. It, like so many superhero comics these days, has tied itself into knots of old storylines and makes it hard for anyone with a casual interest to jump in without a heavy investment of time.

If you'll indulge me, I'll explain why.

To make a few things clear before we proceed, I came into this comic with a few things that I think should have aided me in my reading, but did not. First, I actually enjoy Erik Larsen's work, which I know can be an acquired taste for some. I kept very few of my old paper comic books in the second move, but several Larsen-drawn arcs with Spider-Man and others were retained until I can get solid digital copies. My issues with Savage Dragon #175 have nothing to do with Larsen or his style.

Second, I am aware of who Savage Dragon is and have read a few comics in the past featuring the character. I like that he's a sarcastic and powerful being, and I thought the idea that he would be a cop is a great idea for the character. However, overall, I've not read a lot of the adventures, and my last Dragon comic was somewhere back in the George W. Bush administration.

I figured some things had changed, but I was not at all prepared for what awaited me in this issue. The Dragon was apparently dead, but then not dead, because of something with an alternative universe version? A villain brings him back, and now he's the leader of a homeless but ruthless people who want earth? And at some point, they took earth, but maybe it was an alternative earth?

As the Dragon himself basically says at some point along the line, "What the hell?"

Now I am no stranger to superhero comic books. I have been reading them for just about thirty years now. But the logic here was so twisted and so confusing that I had no ability to follow it, despite multiple tries. The whole thing is so far from where it started and so so convoluted that there seemed to be no ground to stand on. It felt like complications for complications' sake to a new reader. Why isn't Dragon, who claims to love earth, kicking people's asses and waiting to get home? Instead, he's making himself at home and I'm making for the door.

Now I understand that Savage Dragon is Larsen's creation, and he can do whatever he wants with the character. It's part of what sets Image apart, and I appreciate that. But what was presented to the digital readers of Graphicly is a story that's so far in the middle that there's no finding the start--at least not without a map, which Larsen doesn't give. (Compare this to the intro pages that Marvel uses frequently. They aren't much, but at least it's something.) I can't imagine very many people trying further issues, because new readers either have to suffer along and hope to catch up or spend a lot of money getting versed in the history.

The latter might be good for Larsen's wallet, but I don't see it as a viable plan to get additional readers.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think a reader should be able to jump in, tell at least some of what's going on, and be left wanting more. That's a key part of engaging new readers. I loved Black Panther: Man Without Fear because I got told what had come before and could enjoy what was there. I'm reading Wonder Woman and Batman because I barely need any knowledge beyond the basics. I dropped Swamp Thing because it made me know about Brightest Day and Blackest Night.

Too often, good comics writers--and I think Larsen is a good writer--think too much about what old readers want and not enough about telling good stories for readers new and old alike. There's a way to do both. I've read creator-owned stories like Concrete and Jon Sable from the middle, and became huge fans of both. I've read work for hire material in the middle and been intrigued.

There are also comics where I get an issue in-between and I'm left so lost as to never return. The creator or workers on the title play to those with long histories rather than all audience. They're shutting me (and others, I'm sure) out in the process.

That's their right, to be sure. Larsen doesn't have to write an oversized anniversary issue that's later given out free digitally to entice new readers. He can do just what he did--take the story in a new direction for people who have long histories with the creator-owned character. Scott Snyder, who I really like, can make Swamp Thing impenetrable by linking it to DC continuity with dubious origins. That's his (and DC's) right.

The thousands of people who have been along for the entire ride can talk about how awesome that is. But at the same time, that is why superhero comics have an ever-shrinking readership. At some point, people drift away from reading comics, either temporarily or permanently. At some point, potential new readers show up, especially if there's a reason to do so, like a revamp or a special issue. I just don't see why superhero comics are determined to keep new readers in the dark and why their supporters argue for new readers to go see wikis and other sites. Why can't the comic itself stand on its own?

I had almost no knowledge of Dr. Who. I watched one episode in the middle of 50 years of continuity and was instantly hooked, because all I needed to know was that it was a guy in a time-travelling space ship. I watched one episode of the character-continuity heavy Community and I was hooked, without needing to know much of anything at all.

If it can be done with other comics I referenced above and with other media properties, it can be done in superhero comics. Unfortunately, most seem to prefer going the Savage Dragon #175 route. And that's why a small audience will keep getting smaller. But hey, at least those 10,000 people will have all that complexity to themselves! I hope they enjoy it, because I don't. I'll be off reading comics that don't require so much explanation, having a good time.

Dust off the Panels: Superman Kryptonite

2012-01-05T18:36:00.002-05:00

Written by Darwyn Cooke
Illustrated by Tim Sale
DC Comics

It's early in Superman's career, and he's just as liable to make a mistake with his powers as he is in his interactions with Lois Lane. With Luthor sniping at his heels and a strange new economic power working its way into Metropolis with ties to the gangs in Las Vegas, can Superman survive when his very existence is threatened from an unknown source? Find out in the pages of Superman Kryptonite!

This is exactly the type of book I love to find at the library. Darwyn Cooke is one of my favorite creators, especially when he's working in the past, as he does here. Tim Sale can draw the heck out of anything he touches, in a style that's unique in that it avoids worrying too much about anatomy without making his creations seem like they were drawn in haste by a person without skill. Combined, I expect them to put together a great story that stacks up against anything else I've read involving the Big Blue Boyscout.

I was not one bit disappointed.

Cooke's story hits all the hallmarks of his work with DC, particularly New Frontier. Instead of trying to capture the modern zeitgeist, a nearly impossible task per Cooke's own admission, he opts to find a way to integrate the story into Superman's past, with elements that might be modern and might just be the 1950s with a lot of cool toys. Sale aids him in this regard, with character designs that could get away with being in today's world, but are just as at home in a black and white movie. Focusing on what makes Clark an iconic character, Cooke shows him as being just as human as the rest of us, with fears and anxieties and imperfections. At the same time, it's clear that this human-that-is-an-alien-too won't let his fears consume him. That's what makes him a hero, not his powers. Cooke gets that, and it shows in this story.

Cooke also does a nice job of capturing Lois's independence, Jimmy's undying energy, the jealousy of Luthor (regardless of the foe), and Perry's integrity. About the only characters who feel off to me are Clark's parents, who seem to act how Cooke needs them to, rather than as the strong, self-sacrificing parents that I prefer. It's a minor thing, but I don't like Pa's protectiveness or Ma's passive-aggressive nature here.

Story-wise, the big problem is the way in which Cook introduces the Kryptonite. I know he was trying to do something that was more culturally sensitive and modern, but the scenes in which the Kryptonite edges towards Superman drag down the rest of the scenes and I found myself wanting to leap ahead to get to the good, character-based parts of the story. Cooke's strengths lie in his dialog and characterization (and, when drawing, his art), not his plotting, and that shows a bit here.

If Cooke isn't going to do the artwork, Sale is a great fit for him. The story flows perfectly in Sale's hands, as he works his blocky figures and shadows and stark lines into a story where you might think they wouldn't work. On the contrary, despite the bright coloring we see here, Sale's work shines. He does great faces for all of the main characters, uses his exaggerations to great effect, and almost effortlessly makes the whole thing feel so big.

Reading Superman Kryptonite, like reading the Batman story where Bats and the Riddler must fight King Tut, remind me that it's quite possible for DC to commission stories that require almost no prior knowledge, are violent without being gratuitously gory, and best yet--the heroes do their best to never kill, no matter what the risk to themselves. What a crazy concept! After finding so much of the New 52 to be failing my expectations, books like this just make me sigh and shake my head. Superman Kryptonite would have a wide crossover audience, but I guess it's too old-fashioned to make it in the almighty direct market. That's a pity, because I'd even pay full price to read stories like this monthly.

I'm glad that DC collected this, and I highly recommend it for fans of Cooke, Sale, and Superman. Now if only we'd get more like this. I guess I can just keep hoping for collections.

Olympians 4: Hades

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by George O'Connor
Illustrated by George O'Connor
First Second

Journey with your nameless narrator as he (or she) takes you down the road to Hades and back, telling a story about the Lord of the Underworld, why Hades has so many names, some secrets of the afterlife, and how it's never easy to grow up, especially if you are an immortal girl. It's time once again to venture into the land of the Greek gods, as we move into the fourth book of George O'Connor's Olympians.

I've been looking forward to this book for a long time, and I was super-excited to get to read it. I even made it my first comic of 2012. O'Connor did not disappoint, as this book, which concentrates on one story and has a message that is sure to resound with young adult readers, might be my favorite so far.

For those who have never reader any of the other books in the series, O'Connor's Olympians is an attempt to view the Greek gods through the lens of a superhero comic. Each of the books features a different prominent member of the Greek Pantheon and tells a story or stories related to their legends, which O'Connor researches from sources beyond the usual suspects. I love that he is not afraid to look beyond the usual mythology books in order to find a story that not only might be different from the one we are familiar with, but has an angle that might more easily resonate for younger readers.

In this case, O'Connor starts off with a tour of Hades, giving us a sense of the ancient Greeks' view of the afterlife. This part is rather familiar, and I like how the tour includes some of the most exquisite tortures ever put into literature, without any of them feeling inappropriate for a younger audience. O'Connor's drawing skills are key to this section of the book, especially when drawing large, lifeless groups. The souls we see in Hades look lost and empty, but never once evoke zombies. A great touch.

The bulk of the book tells the story of Kore, who most readers, including me, know better as Persephone. In this way, O'Connor can show how the Greek gods work in a shared universe, with Hermes, Demeter, Zeus, and others in various supporting roles. (If you want to think of them as cameo appearances to keep up the allusion to superhero books, go right ahead.) This is another key to the success of these books, in my opinion. While other writers and artists have tried to write comics with the gods to various degrees of success, they do not give the feel of an organic world where the gods walked and interacted with each other as though it was perfectly normal. Everything in those books felt artificial to me. With O'Connor, when Demeter goes through the Olympian Universe he's made, it feels as natural as when Peter Parker asks to have coffee with Matt Murdock. Just as in a comic book world, there are references to past "issues" (in this cases, legends that O'Connor has told in the prior books or plans to tell later) and you can feel a continuity of legend.

We are blessed with a wealth of Greek myths that make up a story tapestry that is almost as rich as anything a modern writer can create. O'Connor uses that to perfect effect in this series, and particularly in this book. When we learn that Zeus has had a hand in Kore's abduction, it's not a shock, because we know he's slime. I love how that works, and I think that any young reader who's been reared on movies with sequels, young adult novels with series that take up a bookshelf, and maybe even a comic or two will appreciate it and be looking for that in a book.

The most interesting dynamic in this book is that O'Connor portrays Persephone as a young woman who lives under a domineering mother and the expectations of others who is then kidnapped by powerful men for their own purposes. Rather than allow her to be strictly a victim, however, O'Connor shows that maybe Persephone wants to make her own decisions, even under these circumstances. It's an interesting take that almost flirts with Stockholm syndrome, but ultimately shows that she is her own person by carefully changing one crucial part of the myth. This is not the first time O'Connor has used his own spin on the myth, but I think it works better here than in Hera, because it fosters a relation between the young woman and an audience made up of teens who are busy being told to do things while trying to form their own identity. I think a lot of young adults (and maybe some older adults) will relate to the idea of creating a new persona for yourself.

Obviously, the circumstances are not ideal, but rather than sugarcoat the myth, O'Connor leaves it intact and does his best to empower the main female character. I think that's a great way to look at the story of Persephone, even if I would prefer that O'Connor not refer to what is obviously meant to be goth culture as a "dark side."

Though Hades is the man on the cover, this is really the story of a daughter who wants her own life and a mother determined not to let even Zeus himself interfere with her life. It's the story of the changing of the seasons and of eternal punishment and pleasure. O'Connor uses a zest for life to contrast the realm of the dead, and manages to tell multiple stories of Greek legend within one overarching plot. Filled with great illustrations that show the emotions of the characters and makes great use of visual angles, facial expressions, and color schemes, Hades is an excellent addition to the pantheon of Olympian books by O'Connor. This is a great book and a solid series for any young adult interested in exciting stories that can springboard them into a world of literature. Hades is not only a comic I think you should visit--it also should be on your bookshelf and stay there!

Olympians 4 Hades will be available on January 31st, 2012. A big thanks to First Second for providing me with a review copy. If you are interested in having me review your comic, please get in touch with me at trebro@gmail.com.

A Bride's Story Volumes 1 and 2

2012-01-02T16:14:00.002-05:00

Written by Kaoru Mori
Illustrated by Kaoru Mori
Yen Press

On the Silk Road in the 19th Century, life can be difficult and short. Children are married at an early age, in order to have as many kids as possible. Alliances are formed and dissolved as quickly as the sands shift, and family members (particularly women) are told to accept things as they are, for to resist society leads to ruin. That's the setting for A Bride's Story, but it's not the message. Amir Hagal is an older bride, married off as a pawn of her powerful family. But she's entered into a family for whom there is more to life than just power and advantage. When push comes to shove, they accept her as family, regardless of the cost. This is the story of Hagal's life. It is...a bride's story.

I was a huge fan of Mori's series Emma, which came out from the late CMX manga imprint of DC Comics. Not only did it have a good story that progressed nicely while telling the details of the world, it was drawn better than just about any other manga I've ever read. Mori had a passion of the time period of late Victorian England, and used all of her skills and care to create an amazing comic that sucked the reader in from the very first pages. Even if you were not an Anglophile, it was hard not to get caught up in the wonder of the world Mori brought to the page in painstaking detail.

Everything that made Emma such a wonderful comic is back again in A Bride's Story. Mori, if anything, has gotten even better at making her story detailed. The clothing is meticulous. The interiors of the houses, huts, and other sets are crafted down to ensuring that the tile in the bathroom has etchings on it.

Let me repeat: The tile of the bathroom has etchings.

That's typical of Mori's work, and part of why I think an argument can be made that she is the best manga-ka working in the medium today. While she is certainly not prolific, Mori uses her time wisely to create a visual that matches the exotic settings she places the characters in. Reading her comics are a visual treat.

The story itself has some echoes to Emma, none of which are a bad thing. Mori brings up the power imbalance for her female characters because of the world they live in, but also shows how that imbalance can be fought, if there is a will to fight. I am not entirely sure how realistic the actions of Hagal's married family are, but I love that she has the woman expressing their opinion and is not afraid to have Hagal be more powerful than her younger husband. The idea that she is independent despite being in an arranged marriage is a nice (if perhaps a bit fanciful) touch.

The arranged marriage does make things a bit awkward, because of the age disparity of the characters So far, Mori is dancing around the objections that a modern reader might have to such an arrangement by not having anything happen (which in itself is now an important plot point). I do wonder how Mori plans to deal with this. While it made perfect sense for a Victorian-era story to avoid some frank discussions, I do not see that as a viable strategy here. I do trust Mori, regardless of her decision, to make it story-based, tasteful, and historically realistic.

One of the great things about Mori's mangas is that while they have an overall story, Mori always finds a way to tell us about the time period without it feeling like the plot is being ignored. For example, Hagal and her husband go off to find his relatives, who are nomads. It allows us to find out about what nomadic life is like on the Silk Road, which is awesome. But it also serves to allow the plot to move on with events that Hagal and her husband are not supposed to know about, so the story keeps moving even as the reader is the beneficiary of Mori's extensive research. It's a great touch that is a hallmark of Mori's storytelling, and part of why I had no problem naming this my best manga of 2011.

A Bride's story is head and shoulders above a lot of the manga published in English. It's intelligent, detailed, and willing to take the time to make the backgrounds the equal of the main characters. I did not start reading Emma until it was almost over. I am so happy to be a part of this ride while it comes out. If you are a fan of historical manga with strong female characters, you should be, too.

Reading Reflections for 2011

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Well, another year has come and gone, and I thought it might be interesting to reflect a bit on my reading from 2011. You can find my complete 2011 reading list here.

The first thing I noticed was the sheer volume of comics I read in 2011. Whether in collections, singles, or in digital form, I read very widely in 2011. This came at a bit of expense to my "book book" reading, which was down a bit this year (from 55 to 51 books). However, I've worked very hard this year to make Panel Patter a priority after my work and school obligations, and that means spending more time reading and writing about comics. I'm very proud of the blogging work I did this year, and I'm hoping to carry that into 2012 as I work ever harder to be a comic evangelist.

The other major thing that stands out is the way that acquiring an iPad has changed my reading habits. While I was already reading fairly heavily in digital form prior to getting the iPad, it's such a perfect comics reader that I found myself more and more attracted to reading comics online, often opting to snuggle up with my iPad rather than a paper comic. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues in 2012, or if I'll start to move back towards paper comics again.

I will say this: Given how expensive it is to self-publish a color comic, I do not understand why anyone would do that versus getting on Graphicly or Comixology. Okay, they take a percentage, I get that. But just how many copies of your $6.00, 32-page comic are you selling, how much did they cost you to make, and how many more could you sell for 99 cents or $1.99 online, where you can tap into the explosion of tablets and be a part of sales and things?

2011 was definitely the year of digital comics, and not just for me. Many publishers came on board or ramped up their digital comics presence. Some have been smart and aggressive about pricing, such as Top Shelf and Dark Horse, others have quietly followed a path that makes sense to me (Image and DC being the primary leaders by unofficially starting comics at full price and then reducing to $1.99 over time), and one company has notably been idiotic about their digital pricing strategy: Marvel, I'm looking right at you. I am very influenced by price when it comes to digital comics, and my reading is shifting away from my long-time love of the House of Ideas simply because I refuse to pay the price they're asking.

Speaking of pricing, Marvel is not the only comics source that is pricing its way out of my interest. While I love mini-comics dearly and will promote them every chance I get, I am really having an issue with the pricing of mini-comics. I know you worked hard, but $7.00, $8.00, and $10.00 for something that isn't even 30 pages long in some cases is just too much. I will always go to SPX while I live anywhere near it. I will always go to shows and events and try to get mini-comics from people. But at the rate things are being priced, I have a feeling I'll be reading less and less mini-comics as time goes on. What's wrong with $5.00 or less?

One of the things I discovered is that I am really gravitating to certain publishers. Many of my favorite books that I read in 2011 were from Fantagraphics, for instance. Manga probably will always be dominated by Viz, especially with Tokyopop gone. I read heavily from Boom!, mostly because of their solid quality, and I'm finding that Image comics has a lot to offer me that meets my taste. I read IDW comics for the first time this year (I think) and found Archaia was putting out a lot of books that interested me, though their pricing strategy makes it a bit hard to get too many at once. Heck, I even started getting new DC comics, which I had not done since 2008. This coming year I want to look more closely at which publishers I am reading most often. It will be interesting to see who is making an impression with me, as some of them this year were not who I initially thought would be on my best-of lists.

I made a point of trying to read more new comics in 2011, and that worked out extremely well for me. While I still read a healthy amount of older comics, I was happy to be reading books as they came out (or pretty close) via the library, making purchases, and in some cases, thanks to the publisher or creator. I'm hoping to continue that trend into 2012, as I think it makes for a better blog. It also means I can jump right into arguments on the internet! Who doesn't enjoy that?

If you look at my month to month reading, there are some interesting quirks. I apparently went on quite the manga binge from January to April, reading 58 of 96 manga titles in the first third of the year. I also increased my mini-comics reading before going to shows, whether it was Heroes in June or SPX in September. I also seem to get into certain reading grooves, as there are months when I forgot to read from a particular category. The significant dip in manga for the final eight months of the year makes me wonder if I'm starting to fall out of the genre a bit.

Breaking things down, I read 272 trades and graphic novels this year, which is a lot, let me tell you. 30% of them were indie, which matches last year pretty closely. Manga was 35% and Superheroes were the other 35%, which is so balanced I can hardly believe it. I had no idea I was reading that evenly! I wonder if that will happen again in 2012?

The split in singles is not even close, however. I read 196 mini comics/zines/indie single issues, compared to only 86 superhero singles. Take out Mark Waid-written comics and that ratio gets even larger. This category is most heavily influenced by my purchases instead of the library, and it shows. While I still like to read capes comics, I am not as likely to buy them, preferring to read mostly from the library.

For the first time in awhile, I don't think I'm setting any reading goals for 2012. I found that I didn't really use them in 2011, and I was very happy with what I read. I have a feeling that my reading in single-issue form will continue to increase and that I might read a bit more older comics this year, because I want to catch up on some series that I've been collecting slowly and just about have the entire run for, such as Lone Wolf and Cub and Usagi Yojimbo or have been dying to re-read, like Bone. I'm going to continue to explore the mid-range publishers like Image and IDW that I might have ignored before my digital revolution.

All in all though, my goal is to read good comics and tell you all about them here on Panel Patter, with some help from Erica and Sarah when they can. After all, what's more fun than reading a good comic?

Have a great New Year's Holiday, everyone! See you in 2012!

Panel Patter's Best of 2011: Mini-Comics

2011-12-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to the final of my 2011 Best of lists for the year, where I look at the seven best mini-comics that I read in 2011. Why seven? Why not?

This list should be read with the caveat that I am friends with three of the creators, so there may be a bit of bias involved in the creation of this list. I tried to be as objective as I could.

7. The Gay Kid Series

Katie Omberg continued her series of introspective comics dealing with learning to accept that she was gay in 2011, producing two issues of the ongoing mini-comic. While Omberg's illustrations are not as good as some of the other mini-comics I read in 2011, she does a great job handling the subject with care and honesty. I look forward to reading more in the series in 2012.

6. Wall Street Cat: Money Takes Naps

You guys should count yourselves lucky this isn't a list of seven cat-themed mini-comics, because I could definitely see myself doing that! I love stories about cats from cat owners, because they're always so devoted to their animals. In this case, Sara Lindo pretends her orange tabby has a job as a therapy animal on Wall Street, offering quiet advice to those in need. It's a sweet comic, drawn very well by Lindo, a long-time Panel Patter favorite. I hope she does another sometime, after finishing work on a new Lobotomy-themed book.

5. Tragic Relief 12 Drag Bandits

The second in new line of mini-comics published by Box Brown, Drag Bandits features the delightful story of a cross-dressing couple who thrill in the danger of being thieves who reverse gender expectations. It's a great comic that treats the protagonists with respect and thumbs its nose as society.

4. This Isn't Working: Comics About Ex-Boyfriends

I love anthologies, but good mini-comic anthologies are hard to find. They tend to go for as many contributors as possible, and don't give creators room to breathe. That's what's nice about this mini--it has several contributors, but each gets enough pages to tell the story they want to tell, not the one that will fit. I also like that each creator has her own style, so that there is a wide visual variety despite the tight theme. This was a great pickup in 2011.

3. Stickybeak

I love getting odd comics like this one at conventions, where you can find things you'd never see elsewhere. Stickybeak was like reading a storyboard for an old pre-movie cartoon, with two birds who have hoarding issues dueling for the affection of a less-than-impressed female. Sadly, I don't think very many people can enjoy this, as it was a college art project for the creator. But man, does he have a future if he keeps working in comics!

2. Dharbin! 1-2 Collected Edition

Dustin Harbin has some of the finest linework in the business, which makes sense considering he's also a letterer of some note. This book gives you two mini-comics in one and pages upon pages of Harbin's various musings, whether they are on trips to comics conventions, Presidents, philosophy, or other bits of history, here and there. Similar in theme (though not in approach or content) to Kate Beaton, Harbin is one of my favorites. He's also a great conversationalist, if you ever have the pleasure. I really liked this set of stories and I'm always eager to see more from him.

1. Indestructible Universe Quarterly

My choice for the number one spot is another anthology mini-comic, though this one is written entirely by one person, Morgan Pielli. I had the pleasure of starting to read this series after having it recommended to me by Sara Lindo, and I am very glad she did. Indestructible Universe features a set of stories each issue, some of which link to each other, and some of which are stand alone. There are a few links between issues, but it is easy to start at any point in the line. Drawn in a nice variety of styles and voices, Pielli has quite a bit of talent that I hope continues for many years to come. Indestructible Universe Quarterly is my Best Mini-Comic in 2011.

I know there are tons of mini-comics out there, and this is my limited sample. Are there any that you think I missed and should seek out? Any that I've overrated? Let me know in the comments!

Panel Patter's Best of 2011: Superhero Comics

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday was always the day I got my new superhero comics, so I figured it was the best day to feature this particular best of column. I don't read superhero comics like I used to. What I do read, I often read very much behind, either in library trades or on digital comic sales. As a result, I don't have a lot of 2011superhero comics to talk about. While I am reading more thanks to the New 52 initiative of DC comics, they're all only a few issues in, and I can't place them on a best of list just yet, though I expect Batman, Demon Knights, and maybe OMAC of all things will be contenders for 2012.

In this case, we'll go with a Top Five for my Best of Superheroes in 2011...

5. Captain America Man Out of Time

Mark Waid is still one of the best around at writing superhero comics, regardless of the character or publisher. This mini-series, targeted at people who might have just seen the Cap movie, is Waid at his continuity-knowing best. He manages to modernize Cap's appearance in the world while respecting all that has come before it. Had he chosen a different President, this would have been perfect. As it is, it was the best Cap story I've read in a long time and definitely a favorite for 2011.

4. Black Panther The Man Without Fear

While I don't like some of the things Marvel has done with T'Challa over the years, I really liked this book, which I think made the best of an awkward situation, using the rich history of Marvel's characters to contrast their current arrangements, rather than refuse to admit that past existed. The story is solid, the artwork is good, and I just wish people would start buying more of these kinds of comics so I could keep reading them. Don't dismiss this book because of the events surrounding it. It's worth reading.

4. Batman Joker's Asylum 2

The Joker takes on the role of Cain, the Cryptkeeper, or any other number of comic narrators you wish to name in this second anthology series of one-shots. Just as good as its predecessor, these stories aren't weighted down by continuity or Grant Morrison's ego. They're just good stories involving familiar characters, which seems like it can be too much to ask from DC or Marvel at times. I had a great time reading this, and I would love it if we get a third collection.

2. Ex Machina

Ex Machina's final trade came out this year, and I took that opportunity to read through the entire series. It comes to an awesome conclusion here, as Mayor Hundred goes quite far--but is he doing it for the right reasons? A lot of the ideas we see in the second half of the series come to roost here, and Vaughan is deliberately ambiguous about some of it. A great, self-contained series that was a bit difficult to classify, but I'll put it here for all the superhero comic book references. If you never read this, go for it!

1. Irredeemable/Incorruptible

I might be cheating a bit here by putting these two together, but Mark Waid's Irredeemable universe holds together so well that I think they should be considered together, not as individual comics. As I've mentioned in each review of the series, Mark Waid is at the top of his game in this series that asks what happens when Superman goes bad and we see that none of the world's protectors are above reproach. The ideas and concepts Waid creates are detailed, layered, and complex, and when you add them to what it's like for an ex-villain who wants to go straight, the combination is pure dynamite. Irredeemable and Incorruptible are tw0 of the best comics being made, month in and month out (though I think they read best in trade form) and easily were my best superhero comics of 2011.

I referenced why I did not include any of the DC New 52, but what did I miss in 2011 that you would have included? What am I totally wrong about? Let me know in the comments!

A Look at Fantagraphics' 40% Sale

2011-12-27T11:44:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year, where publishers try to clear out stock a bit and see what holiday money they can grab from their fans. Fantagraphics takes this very seriously, offering what I think is essentially an annual 40% off sale on a variety of their books. Most of them are older, but some are of a more recent vintage.

As a public service, since there are over 150 items on sale, I thought I'd offer some suggestions if you have money burning a hole in your pocket and are looking for some great independent comics. I've listed these in alphabetical order, just to make it easier. Happy Shopping!

For those who don't need their comics to follow conventional borders and agreed upon rules, Fantagraphics is a constant source of material. Abstract Comics is a collection of such work from a wide variety of creators.
You might not expect to find Barry Windsor-Smith in a Fantagraphics catalog, but here is with, with an independent work that was once an X-Men plot (three guesses with which character and the first two don't count, Adastra in Africa. Windsor-Smith's artwork is amazing, and this is a great price for a lesser-known work by him. There are also a pair of art books, for those who really, really like the talented creator.
Jason is one of my favorite creators, and if you haven't read any of his books yet (WHY THE HECK NOT?), this sale gives you a few changes. Almost Silent is a collection of several Jason books under one set of covers. There's also Hey Wait..., Sshhhh! and I Killed Adolph Hitler.
I used to love Zippy the Pinhead when the strip was mostly about Zippy commenting on pop culture, politics, and anything else that struck Bill Griffith's fancy. It was the comedy of the absurd mixed with pieces of Americana. Then Dingburg happened, and the thing went off the rails. You can get several Zippy collections on sale here. I recommend the early ones, which are Dingburg-free.
Artichoke Tales is the strange story of a race of people who look like walking vegetables and have serious family issues. I liked this one when I read it awhile back, and it's definitely worth checking out.
Jack Cole is best known for Plastic Man, but after walking away from the character and before his suicide, he also did a comic strip and work for Playboy, both of which are collected by Fantagraphics. It's not of huge interest to me, but I know there are folks who specialize in such books and now is a great time to grab them.
If you want some classic Tony Millionaire, Drinky Crow's Maakies Treasury will stick out on your comics shelf, but comes recommended from Erica.
Want more Roger Langridge? Fred the Clown is 40% off and likely to be a treat, based on all of Langridge's other works that I've read.
A long time ago, I read the first edition of Ho Che Anderson's King. If you've never had the pleasure, 40% of is a perfect time.
Missing some Love and Rockets? Volumes 19, 21, and 23 are available for those who need them.
If you like Jessica Abel and want to see her early work, Soundtrack has some of it for you. I wasn't overly fond of the collection, but I think it's worth reading if you follow Abel's work.
Richard Sala's The Hidden was my #2 Indie comic of the year, so I would be remiss if I didn't mention two of his other books are in this sale, The Chuckling Whatsit and Mad Night.
If you didn't already buy Fantagraphics' great Usagi Yojimbo delux hardcover, you can get the first few trades as part of the sale. Great stuff that's highly recommended by me.

Those are some of the highlights of the sale. There's definitely something for everyone and at those prices, it's a great time to sample good comics! Let me know what you decide to get!

Panel Patter's Best of 2011: Indie Comics

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another day, another Best of list! This time around it's the rather nebulous "Indie Comics" category, which I admit is rather ill-defined. Basically, I throw anything in this category that I don't consider to be a superhero or was not written to try and be a superhero comic. That means it has everyone from Adrian Tomine and his New Yorker stylings to Chris Roberson's latest edition of Elric. Who makes it into this category is rather arbitrary at times, but I hate playing with semantics overly much. I create a few categories to help myself see what types of things I read, and I don't worry much beyond that. Neither should you!

That all being said, this was a hard list to make. I had a lot of great comics to choose from in 2011, and a few favorites (Jeffrey Brown) just missed getting on the list while a few new favorites appear for what I bet won't be the last time. I leaned heavily on the side of things that really blew me away when making this list, which I think will show in the commentary.

With all that said, let's look at this Best of 2011 for Indie Comics!

10. Boom! Studios' Various Planet of the Apes Books

If you had asked me about where I'd rank Planet of the Apes comics at the beginning of the year, I might have actually laughed at you. I'm not a big fan of licensed comics in general (though my reading this year has changed that), and I have no love for the Planet of the Apes as a movie franchise. (Mom's the Apes fan.) However, having read a few different versions of the series as re-imagined by Boom! Studios, I was blown away by the quality of the storytelling and my interest in what is happening in these various stories. I think the primary reason is that all of the writers involved are working on telling good comics that feature movie characters, rather than trying to shoehorn movie characters into a comic. If you've stayed away from these, I strongly recommend you give them another chance.

9. Elric The Balance Lost

This was another comic, also from Boom! Studios, that really caught me by surprise. I really enjoy many of the people who have worked on Elric comics over time, such as Roy Thomas and P. Craig Russell, but I've never wanted to keep reading about the character--until now. Written in a style that takes a bit of the focus off Elric himself but places the character within a huge, worlds-ending concept, Roberson gives Elric a focus that I feel was lacking previously. There's a battle between the forces of chaos and order, and the balance between the two is completely skewed. I love the world-building and set-up going on here, and Roberson's artist does an amazing job of keeping up with the plot, done in a way that resembles but does not copy Russell. Great stuff that I look forward to continuing to read in 2012.

8. Baltimore Vol 1 The Plague Ships

The world of Hellboy expands again, with the addition of Lord Baltimore, a character who shows up around World War I and must face the horrible nature of war--and those who would profit by it via their unholy nature. It's another fight of good against supernatural evil, with Lord Baltimore serving this time as the person who must try and stop the madness before it infects the world further. Mignola once again creates a solid world for his characters to work in, and manages to keep the premise fresh despite some familiar themes. I've liked just about every Mignola comic I've ever read, and this is no exception.

7. FUBAR Empire of the Rising Dead

Continuing my theme of comics that surprised me is this anthology of zombie stories themed around the Pacific Theater of World War 2. These are better than the average zombie story because they use the theme so well, weaving the narrative of war and sacrifice into the idea of, well, undead legions. Not every story is perfect, but overalll, it's a very solid collection and one of the best anthologies I've read in quite some time. Like the Apes books, mot of these tales put the story first and the concept second.

6. Snarked!

Roger Langridge is no stranger to my end of year favorites lists, and it's no wonder given his immense comedic talent. While I will miss his Muppet Show terribly, I'm so glad to have Snarked! enter my comic-reading life. Snarked is Langridge's take on some Lewis Carol creations, where a band of good-hearted outcasts must save a kingdom. Filled with great verbal and visual gags, Snarked! is a pleasure to read each month, and comes highly recommended, either as a monthly or in the inevitable collection.

5. Zahra's Paradise

Though I do read mostly comics for entertainment and though most comics are written for entertainment, the medium has such a wide variety of offerings that not all comics feature dramatic stories or comedic stylings. In the case of Zahra's Paradise, Amir and Khalil work to tell a story of the recent uprisings in relation to the Iranian election, where corruption is rife and disappearances are common. This story will anger anyone who reads it and provides so much information in just a short package. It's a great work, and shows just what comics can do as an art form. I was extremely impressed, and you will be, too.

4. Blink So Far

Sometimes the best comics you read are those you find almost by accident. I was loitering around in artist alley and found this, entirely based upon Johanna Draper Carlson having a blurb on the back. (And this time, it was even a positive one.) Blink is the story of three friends who spend time together, living out life and discussing how the world works, from differing perspectives. Drawn in a soft style with gentle humor and a large touch of real-life experiences, Blink is a mature comic for those of us slowly growing up in a 21st Century world. There will be more Blink in 2012, and I simply can't wait.

3. Isle of 100,000 Graves

Jason seems to have roughly a new book every year, and that's just fine with me, as they're always a pleasure to read. This is yet another great book from him, in partnership with a collaborator. Isle of 100,000 graves has Jason's trademark deadpan humor, resolute protagonist, and ending that leaves the reader thinking. It's the first of my trio of Fantagraphics that continues with...

2. The Hidden

...this book, which of all the titles I read in 2011, might have held the biggest surprise for me as a reader. At first, The Hidden feels like a typical apocalyptic story, albeit one painted amazingly well by Sala. But as things progress, the tale morphs and twists into one of the best horror comics I've read, with a twist towards the end that I never saw coming. That's what makes a comic stand out, and puts it near the top of my best of list. In fact, I might have made this number one, except for...

1. Mark Twain's Autobiography 1910-2010

...what was far and way my favorite book of 2011, Michael Kupperman's Mark Twain Autobiography. I had a feeling I was going to like this book from the moment I first heard about it but I had no idea just how much I was going to like it. Kupperman, who might be the best satirist working in comics today, captures the cadence of Twain's authorial voice and blends it with the culture of the 20th Century in a way that many have tried but none have ever come this close to perfecting. I laughed out loud so many times over this mixture of text and illustration. It's a pitch-perfect book with almost no mis-steps, and I hereby call it my Best Indie Comic of 2011.

(Now if you'll excuse me, I have to collect my bribe money from Kupperman. Knowing him, he's trying to skip town in a passel of hobos at the railroad tracks. Stop the guy with the purple Cat in the Hat hat if you see him. I keep telling him it looks out of place but Kupperman insists it was a gift from his great-aunt and he can't bear to part with it.)

That's my best of the best for 2011 in indie comics. Did I miss anything? Did I over-rate something? Let me know in the comments!

Digging into Digital: Comixology's Holiday Small Publisher Sale

2011-12-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

Got some holiday money burning a hole in your pocket? Here's a great way to spend it!

Comixology, home of frequent 99 cent comic sales from a variety of publishers, most frequently Marvel and DC, is at it again with a holiday sale from small publishers Boom! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, IDW, and Oni Press, along with Image Comics.

The sale runs until December 30th at 11PM Eastern time and features a wide variety of comics from these five publishers, including a good chuck of stories from most of the publishers, allowing a reader to sample an entire story arc rather than simply an issue or two for a low entry price.

There's also a sale on more Batman Comics, but I did not find the offerings all that appealing--they are either comics most fans already own (Year One, The Long Halloween, etc.) or are early stories that only have historical value (Jason Todd's introduction, for example). Marvel is offering runs of some of its Avengers and X-Men comics for 99 cents as well, but as with the DC offerings, I've either already read them, or don't particularly feel like paying to read them because the premise isn't interesting enough to me.

If superheroes are your primary thing, however, it's nice to see that Comixology is doing all it can to help you find affordable comics. In the meantime, here are my recommendations from the Holiday sale, sorted by publisher. I hope you find some great comics now before the end of the year!

Boom! Studios

Regular Panel Patter readers know that I am a big fan of Boom! Studios and their wide variety of comic offerings. Their sale shows off their versatility, as you can find the first few issues of several titles for 99 cents. Erica and I strongly recommend Irredeemable and Incorruptible, the twin books in a universe created by Mark Waid to show off the worst that superheroes can be. Filled with great ideas and twists and turns, both series are well worth getting invested in and all issues are available digitally.
If your taste runs to noir, The Rinse is a great limited series that I finished recently. A man who launders money for only the right kind of thieves tries to stay one step ahead of the IRS and Vegas thugs. It's a very solid read and only four issues, two of which are on sale here.
Anyone who loves all ages comics and good humor should be reading Snarked already, but if you aren't, here's your chance to get the first two issues for 99 cents each. I can almost guarantee you'll be hooked!

Dynamite Entertainment

I'm not sure why a company that has Kurt Buseik and Alex Ross on the payroll opts to go with three licensed properties instead, but that's how it goes. I can't recommend anything from them that's on sale, but if you're so inclined, they have Kevin Smith's Bionic Man (I wonder if it has as many gay sex jokes as Smith's Batman did?) and Warlord of Mars, which actually manages to beat out Vampirella out for most exploitative covers. How do you do that?

IDW

IDW does the "only issue one is 99 cents" thing for this sale, which allows for a larger range of titles, but makes it hard for a reader to commit. Why buy issue one at 99 cents, when further issues are up as high as $3.99? I just don't see the logic in this decision. Like Dynamite, IDW leans heavily on their licensed comics, with three Transformers comics, two Dr. Who comics, two Star Trek properties, and some Ghostbusters, G.I. Joe, Ann Rice, and True Blood thrown in for good measure. I am not a huge fan of licensed comics, but I liked the IDW Star Trek books I've read so far. My advice is that if you are a fan of any of these in their movie/TV incarnations, give them a shot and see if you want to pay more than 99 cents going forward.

Image

If you only get one of the Image 99 cent titles, grab Elephantman, which author Richard Starkings correctly describes as trying to capture the magic and wonder inherent in the Marvel and DC comics of the 1960s and 1970s, where wild ideas are thrown out there with abandon and the story just flows from there. Great stuff that I am so happy to finally getting to read.
Bulletproof Coffin takes the idea of Elephantman's homage one step further and posits a lost set of comics that seem to have a deeper story to tell. I love this idea no matter how many times I've seen it done. This one is great, and I would never have tried it without the sale. Recommended.
Robert Kirkman is so prolific, you'd think he was working for the old page rates of the 1960s. Though we know him most often for bloody outings like Invincible or Walking Dead, Super Dinosaur shows his subtler side, proving you don't need blood to tell a good comic. The premise here are super scientists and talking dinosaurs and if that's not enough to get you interested, well, I just don't know what you'd actually like!

Oni Press

If you missed out on The Sixth Gun, here's your chance to read the popular western from Oni. I really appreciate that all of the issues were set at 99 cents, not just the first issue.
Simiarly, Oni also makes available Stumptown as part of the sale, which is cool because I missed it entirely despite liking Greg Rucka's work, especially when it's not involving superheroes.
Oni also has Spontaneous, which follows the story of those who are consumed by flame, and Wasteland, a book set in an apocalyptic time. Neither of those really wowed me, but I know they have fans, so this might be a good time to see if you liked them better than I did.

So that's what looks good or interesting to me. Happy shopping!

Panel Patter's Best of 2011: Manga Edition

2011-12-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello and welcome to the first of the four Best of 2011 Lists here at Panel Patter. Since it's Monday, we'll start with the manga. I have to admit, it was a bit harder to put this list together than some of the others. My manga reading decreased in 2011, including a period of time where I did not read any manga titles at all. I'm finding that over time, my taste in manga is getting quite specialized and I'm less inclined to take a chance on a series. Still, there were some very good mangas put out in 2011, and here are the ten I thought were the best.

10: I'll Give It My All...Tomorrow

A Story of a middle-aged salary man who decides to give up all his safety and security to follow his late-blooming dream to become a manga-ka. There's only one problem--he's not the most motivated person in the world. The protagonist struggles to try and find his way, despite the beratings of his father and the expectations of the world around him. It's a very moving, if sad, story, told with a good balance between comedy and seriousness.

9. Twin Spica

A young girl dreams of joining the new Japanese space program, even if the wreckage of the old program haunts her life. Fighting against the odds, she tries to do what few can hope to manage. Neither her size or the risks will deter her. A story of hope and never giving up, this is a classic story that I will miss when I'm finished with it.

8. Gen Manga Anthology

There are tons of Japanese comics out there, and the English-speaking world only gets to see a small proportion of it, made even smaller by Tokyopop's departure. Gen Manga is an attempt to create a monthly, digital anthology of Japanese creators who are working in the equivalent of Japan's smaller publishers. The comics themselves are solid, if not spectacular, and I'm glad to get to read more stories from sources other than the main publishers of manga here in the United States. They're definitely worth looking into, especially since the price point is aggressive for digital manga.

7. Natsume's Book of Friends

Natsume has a problem that leads to great storytelling--he can see spirits no one else can, thanks to a link to a relative who created a book of names that control different ghosts and other haunts. He only wants to set them free, but some of them want him dead for their pain at the hands of his relative. Watch as with the help of an evil demon trapped in a good-luck cat, Natsume tries to return every single name in this relaxed, Victorian-style vignettes.

6. 20th Century Boys

This sprawling story might be the most Western-feeling of all the manga I've read, as the plot and pacing remind me very much of Steven King and other similarly prolific writers. It's going to take me a long time to get to the end, but it's been a fun ride trying to figure out how the small band of friends can stop their rogue member from destroying the world. A great series, but I am a bit worried about the length.

5. Wandering Son

This is one of the most serious manga series I've ever read, and I finished it unable to come to grips with the best way to review it. Dealing with two children who come to realize they are trapped in the wrong gender, it's a story of secrets, revelations, understandings, and occasional cruelty. The book handles the topic with care and respect, however, which is part of why it is so good. Fantagraphics is extremely selective in its choice of manga to publish, and this one was a perfect fit for them.

4. Jormungand

As much I love serious and thoughtful manga, I also grew up on 80s Action movies and the A-Team, and Jormungand taps into that essence while also adding 21st Century cynicism into the mix. The adventures of Koko and her band of weapons dealers across the war-torn world is both big and bold and surprisingly deep at times. I liked this series on first sight and nothing has changed my opinion as we move into the seventh volume. A great action manga with teeth.

3. Stargazing Dog

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Don't let the cute dog narrator fool you. This is a serious and tragic story that uses the dog as an innocent narrator to the tragedy of his owner's life. It follows the classic drama structure and should bring a sniffle or two to your eye by the time the story reaches its inevitable conclusion. Drawn expertly by Murakmi and presented in left to right format by NBM, this is a manga that deserves a wide audience.

2. Karakuri Odette

I probably have an irrational love of this series, but I just think it's such a great example of what a coming of age story can be with a female protagonist who is not sexualized and deals with problems beyond just whether or not boys like her. Odette must find her place in a world where a strong female character is often told to mind her place. The series is complete in six volumes and every one of them was high-quality. I'd love this one to get rescued, but even if it does not, I'm happy to have read it. You will be, too, if you get the chance.

1. A Bride's Story

My favorite of the manga I read far and away this year was Kaoru Mori's A Bride's Story. Mori was behind the excellent Emma, a period piece set in late Victorian England. Here, she takes the same skill and care to detail the life of semi-nomads on the Silk Road during the 19th Century. It's absolutely gorgeous, with every panel featuring painstaking details that immerse the reader in the world. The themes are similar to Emma, as are the strong female leads. Just a perfect, perfect book.

That's my list of the 10 Best Manga for 2011. What did I overlook? What do I have no business including? Feel free to tell me in the comments!

Happy Holidays from Panel Patter!

2011-12-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM

THE PANEL PATTER TEAM!

SEE YOU ALL ON DECEMBER 26TH

FOR THE START OF THE

BEST OF 2011 LISTS!

Quick Hits: Bendis' Avengers Volume 1

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated by John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson, and Tom Palmer
Marvel

The Avengers are back, even though they never really left. Steve Rogers picks a team to be the face people look for in the Avengers family, and goes for a mixture of the classic (Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye) and the new (Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Bucky Cap). They don't have long to wait before an epic, time-spanning battle pits them against everyone from Kang to Apocalypse to Ulton to...their future?

I wasn't going to review this one, as I was reading it just out of curiosity. I'm generally inclined to like Bendis, despite his ability to tell a 5 issue story in 15 issues instead, but Secret Invasion was so bad, I gave up, and I lost touch with what he was doing.

This fresh start in the Heroic Age is much better. He still takes the story out longer than it needs to, but instead of filler page after filler page of talking, the characters are all on the move. There are battles all over the place, drawn extremely well by Romita and his constant companion, Janson. After years of butchering the work of others, it seems like Janson finally has learned how to do a better job of bringing life to the pencils he's working on. It only took what, thirty years? The dialog is sharp, with characters sounding like they are actually friends having deadly adventures together, rather than posing, posturing expositors of English. Bendis does a particularly good job with Spider-Man, of course, who has a longstanding history with so many of these characters. But I also like how his Tony is both a jerk and a good person at the same time (something we haven't seen in a long time), making mistakes while trying to do the right thing. Thor is noble, if single-minded. Wolverine's a bit harder to nail down, and is the only character who doesn't really feel like he fits in with this group. Overall, I liked how this team is set up, for however long it lasts.

As far as the story goes, well, I'm not big on time travel as much as I am alternative realities, because of the problems inherent in them. I like how Bendis taps into everything from Future Imperfect to Age of Apocalypse to the Marvel2 Universe, but I think everyone kinda forgets Marvel Universe 101 here, where each trip into the future creates a new reality. Maybe that's no longer true, but if it is, then the importance of this story is definitely dampened a bit.

Bendis' Avengers isn't deep. It's not the old, take-themselves-too-seriously Avengers, either, but I consider that to be a good thing. This is adventure comics by a man having fun using characters he likes. Fortunately for me, I like them, too, so I'm having fun reading this comic. It's not rocket science, even if there's pseudo-science involved in the story, but it's enjoyable comics. Sometimes, that's all I ask for. I'd definitely read a second volume, if I find it cheaply enough. If you aren't on Bendis burnout and like team books, it's probably worth seeing if this might be something you'd like. It was for me.

The Serial Squad!

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Paul E. Schultz
Illustrated by Paul E. Schultz
Self-Published (Bad Place Productions)

Six stars of the Silver Screen have worked hard to keep the spirits up of those facing the terrible consequences of war. When the President asks them to front an actual operation to increase morale, they do their civic duty. But what happens when the operation proves to be all too real? Soon these actors are fighting for their lives against a Nazi threat that could destroy the world. Like it or not, they're part of the Serial Squad!

I like to linger at conventions in the artist sections to see what I might find there. This was a great little pick-up that, while probably too expensive for most at the $5.95 price tag, would make a great digital comic, if the creators involved were so inclined. At 99 cents or even $1.99, I could see there being a market for a story set in the 1940s where heroes similar to the Shadow, the Phantom, and other pulp figures were put together to take down Nazi super-science.

Schultz does a really good job introducing the characters and giving them personalities, even within one issue. They have a familiar feel to them but do not feel like carbon copies of the heroes we already know, which is a nice touch. I love the idea that the Squad are not the only fictional elements blending into the real world, as hinted at by the cover. There is a progression from simple acting job to the realization that this is for keeps, and the characters act nobly, as befitting being members of the greatest generation. Some might find their self-sacrifice too unrealistic, but once in awhile, it's nice to read about characters who just want to do the right thing. These people become who they've been asked to portray in a nice piece of writing.

For a self-published comic, the production values aren't bad, although Schultz probably should look into getting an inker. The lines in Serial Squad are very thin, and sometimes almost disappear from the finished product. There could be more fluid movements in the characters as well, but the story is interesting enough to cover up that flaw. Schultz is clearly trying to put his best work forward here, and it shows.

I liked Serial Squad a lot, and I would get more issues if I found them, though I think that will depend primarily on if I'm at another convention where the creators are present. I definitely suggest they consider going digital. This is a good story that needs a wider audience and a lower price point--something digital can definitely do. If you like stories of heroism set in the past, give this a try if you can find it. I think you'll like the results.

Series Review: I'll Give It My All...Tomorrow Volumes 1 to 3

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Shunju Aono
Illustrated by Shunju Aono
Viz

What do you do when you're forty years old and realize you've been wasting your life? It's a question many people face, but few act on the impulse. Shizuo Oguro does, however. Quitting his solid job to become a manga-ka at an age when other artists consider retirement. But Oguro never was very good at self-motivation, and will his slacking nature take control and destroy his dreams of seeing print? Watch as Oguro tries to overcome his own many shortcomings, the brow-beatings of his father, and the doubts of those around him. He'll be sure to give it his all...tomorrow.

This is one of those books that probably is best served by reading the first few volumes together, as I did. If you only read the first volume, Oguro comes off as a loser who doesn't really want to work, so he ends up trying to be a manga artist with no discernible talent other than to be the Ed Wood of manga--using all sorts of genres to comedically bad effect. He's terrible at his fast food job and earns the scorn of those around him. We only get a glimmer of what's to come when Oguro wrestles with God in his mind and shows a flicker of the depth of character that's coming in the later chapters.

As our story moves forward, we learn a bit more about why Oguro is the way he is. Seemingly dumb things like having his entire soccer team look like (and be named after) him are not signs of being a loser, but an attempt to show that he's worth something. When that, too, is taken away, it's a powerful moment. We get more scenes in Oguro's head, too, as we see that he's always been a bit directionless, doing whatever was easiest for him and refusing to take chances. That's why this move is so important to him. Giving up on manga would be yet another defeat. Returning to the salary man job would be just as deadly as a knife.

Aono clearly dislikes the way society tries to make people conform. We see those who are able to make it in the business world are cruel and heartless, making fun of others and looking down on the less fortunate. Oguro's father, who made an impulsive decision of his own, now berates his child for doing the same. Oguro is not the only character unhappy with his lot in life, as we find out, especially in the third volume. In fact, ironically, it's Oguro himself who might have just inspired his way right out of the very chance he's dreamed of, depending on how things go in volume four.

It's always a bit weird for me when an artist writes about how others should follow their dreams and be an artist, too. Sure, you can say that, because you're in the industry and have steady work. But for every successful manga-ka, there's probably a hundred who can't make ends meet except by working at their day jobs. I found it a bit arrogant when James Kochalka put forth this argument, and I find it the same here. In order for your art to be supported, other people have to do the office jobs to get the money to buy them.

It's tricky territory, to be sure, and I'm not sure how I feel about the message being played here. It's clear that Oguro really isn't all that good, no matter how hard he tries. He has a good heart, but it's like watching a minor league ballplayer try to make it in the majors. They really aren't going to be successful. At what point should they hang up the spikes? At what point should Oguro give up? That seems to be the logical conclusion that follows, but I worry Aono might try to give this story a happy ending to back up his thesis.

Talent is in the eye of the beholder, and even Aono personifies that. His work is two-dimensional at times, with a rough hew we only see in manga that's offered in a non-traditional format, such as Viz Signature. He reminds me a bit of Jeffrey Brown, given the introspection of the main character and the less than perfect art. It's funny because you can't help but wonder how many of the comments thrown Oguro's way were first delivered to Aono. The big difference, however, is that while Brown, Aono, and others keep working through the odds, it seems like Oguro's dedication won't hold, no matter how hard he tries. The series title become a mantra, but it's not sticking very well. Time will tell if that continues to be the case.

I'll Give It My All...Tomorrow takes a character with not a lot of redeeming value and tries to make him sympathetic. We are meant less to feel sorry for him than to root for him to overcome his problems and finally reach his dreams. I don't think he should, but I'd be okay if he does. It's a story of exploration of the culture of success and how we define it. Aono wants us to see it's more than money that makes life worth living. In theory I agree, but in practice, the world is a far colder place. I'll be very curious to see how this story plays out over the rest of the volumes. Viz Signature has once again found a gem of a series that might not otherwise have reached Western eyes. I'm glad we got the chance to see if Oguro finally gets his.

Magic Bullet #3

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written and Illustrated by Various Creators, including Carolyn Belefski, Andrew Cohen, Danielle Corsetto, Matt Dembicki, Troy Jeffrey-Allen, Jeff McClelland, and Rafer Roberts
Self-Published (DC Conspiracy)

The group that brought you the first two issues of the newspaper Magic Bullet are back again with this third issue, the final one edited by Plastic Farm's Rafer Roberts. Watch as they terrify ordinary free newspaper readers and delight comic fans with one-page antics about everything from tooth-seeking rats to dinosaurs to life on Mars to a few last Sarah Palin jokes! It's all here--and if you find it locally, it's all free--in the form of a Magic Bullet.

I'm criminally late in reviewing this, as it came out during SPX this year, but better late than never. As with the prior issues, this is an eclectic grouping of short stories who work hard to tell a complete story in a small space that's roughly as big as a typical New York Times book review--except that it's a heck of a lot more interesting to read.

The stories which I enjoy the most tend to be those who take advantage over the oversize page space to try something new with the narrative. Matt Dembicki blends his panels together in the story of a Native American who views with horror the changes to America over time, The Island. There's a traditional flow to the panels, but it's blurred by how Dembicki structures it. Combined with his intricate working style, this is a great start to the tabloid. Mega Turg goes even further with the concept, drawing a huge robot across the entire page and allowing the story to flow through the robot itself and adding little touches based on where the story is taking place across the "page." Eric Gordon's work here is excellent, and I think it might be my favorite in Magic Bullet 3 because of the way he plays with the format.

While the majority of the stories in this anthology use a more traditional paneling that could be reproduced in other forms, it doesn't make them boring. Far from it! Dominic Vivona shows off some serious drawing chops in a battle of wills between a man and his raptor. Rafer Roberts continues his demented riff on Mickey Mouse, Nightmare the Rat, with a set of narrations that are probably the best of the bunch so far. I laughed out loud at the ending line, and I think you will, too.

If cankerous T-Rexes are more your speed, you'll love Art Hondros' Montana Rex Survives, where the last dinosaur matches wits with a reporter who thinks he's smarter than the King of the ~~Lizards~~ Birds. As with Roberts, Hondros does a great job of using the format for a big punchline at the end.

There are two stories that relate back to the industry, as Carolyn Belefski and partner Joe Carabeo use their Black Magic Tales to comment on artistic contracts, while Jonathan Case talks about being a cartoonist. This is a bit of a change for Magic Bullet, as most stories up to this time have all been purely fictional. I'll be curious to see if we get more personal stories in the future. I also noticed the political jokes were down a bit this time, with only Palin's outragous parody and Dale Rawlings' Obamaman fitting neatly into that genre. The Palin joke is a bit played, honestly, as the writer admits by the end, but Rawlings nails the entire problem of the Obama Administration in only 10 panels. He should keep it to pitch as the introduction to a history book, as I think it's a fitting commentary.

If Gordon's robot has a challenger for Rob's Favorite, it's Jeff McClelland and Jeff McComsey's The League of Obscure Historical Figures (two of whom I knew, just sayin'). Riffing on the many historical protagonists as heroes comics we see, the League fights another obscure figure, but tragedy strikes as one member is (gasp!) recognized! Of course, I also really liked Speed Dating of the Damned by Michel Brace, who points out the many romantic flaws of Frankenstein and his pals. Your favorite might be different.

Magic Bullet 3 closes with the poignant We Have All the Time in the World by Michael May and Jason Copland. A pair of robots show that love is not confined only to humans. It's such a great ending piece and Roberts places it in just the right location for it to have the most impact.

I admit that I am a bit biased, as I am friends with several of the people who work on Magic Bullet, but I still think it's one of the best anthologies of people working in the mini-comics field in the Washington, DC area (and a few outsiders). Every issue, I find a new creator to enjoy, and I look forward to that trend continuing with the next issue. If you can find a copy of Magic Bullet around (try a local comic shop on the East Coast), definitely grab one. It's worth every penny you'll pay for it--and more!

Isle of 100,000 Graves

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Fabien Vehlmann
Illustrated by Jason
Fantagraphics

A young girl's father went off to sea ages ago to find the legendary (and deadly) Isle of 100,000 Graves. She wants to find him, despite the protestations of her abusive mother and skeptical adults. With an unreliable crew and a bit of extortion, she finds the island--but is she prepared for the horrors waiting for her there? The island comes by its name honestly, and soon our heroine must fight for her very life and the truth she so desperately needs. Can she escape the Isle of 100,000 Graves?

I'm a huge fan of Jason's work, having read his comics for almost as long as I've been reviewing comics. It's a little strange to see him working with a collaborator here, but the combination works seamlessly. This book has the same feel of other recent Jason books, with an examination of the motivation of a central character who tries to challenge the prevailing worldview. In this case, it's Gwenny, a girl who is expected to accept that her father is lost forever, but refuses to do so. She manages to stay one step ahead of everyone else in the book, using her wits and never taking anything for granted. If I were the type of person to write thousands of words about a particular comic artist (I'm not), it might be fun to look at the heroes of, say, Jason's last five books and see what links them together.

I'll leave that to those with the time and inclination, however and return to this book. Vehlmann's script plays perfectly to Jason's strengths, mixing understatement with visual deadpan humor and dark comedy and adding a touch of action for just the right combination. The reader is amused, horrified, and captivated all at the same time as Gwenny tries to avoid death at the hands of those who run the island. The dialog that goes along with the terrible scenes of execution and the perfectly bureaucratic nature of the island's dedication to the arts of torture and murder are pitch-perfect. Jason and Vehlmann walk a delicate tightrope here and manage to get the balance just right. Make too many jokes and you devalue the terrible crimes committed and take away the danger needed for the reader to appreciate the lengths to which Gwenny will go to find the truth. Keep things too dark, however, and you end up with a book that would be okay, but missing the magic that we expect from Jason. We need a book that won't flinch from rending people limb from limb or burying them alive, but also can make botching an execution funny.

This book does that in spades. Take the one-panel gag about mass execution via cannon. That's amazingly funny, not just because of the idea, but in how the characters respond to it. When the ship's captain faces death in the torture room, it's both funny and tragic, because the explanation of how he's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't is presented in deadpan fashion, ala British comedy.

The book is full of moments like those, almost from start to finish. One moment you can be laughing at something really horrible, the next you might want to sigh, especially when Gwenny is dealing with her family. The ending of the book is particularly moving, with Vehlmann and Jason leaving us on an ending that can be read several different ways. That's another Jason trademark, and it's nice to see it again here.

Isle of 100,000 Graves is yet another great book in the prolific career of one of my favorite cartoonists working today. If you are a fan of his work, you need to add this to your collection. If you've only heard of him by reputation, then don't hesitate. Pick up Isle of 100,000 Graves today, and be ready to hope Jason writes 100,000 books, all of which are sure to be great comics!

Single Minded: Top Cow's Pilot Season 2011 Entries

2011-12-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's time to once again become single minded, as I take a look at some more comics in single-issue form. Today, it's the eight "Pilot Season" one-shot trial books from Top Cow, who runs a yearly contest based on fan voting to determine which series get a green light for a full run of issues. The idea seemed interesting to me, so I took advantage of a sale on Graphicly to check them out.

I admit that my history with Top Cow books is a bit mixed. Actually, that's probably being kind. I can't say that I've been fond of any Top Cow book I've read, other than Rising Stars. Part of this is because I often can't get past the cover of the books, which in my comic shop experience were always laughable attempts to see how close the artist could get women naked without ending up behind a brown wrapper. As a publisher, I tend to write them off.

Top Cow has worked hard to put that image to bed, though I admit it still lingers in my head. I'm trying to give them another chance, and this was a good way to see what Top Cow's editors think make up a potentially good comic. Since I was sick and am going to be too late to influence any of the voting, I thought it might be interesting to pretend to be an editor of comics myself, to see what I liked and did not like about these pitch issues. Has Top Cow progressed enough for me to start caring again? Let's see, based on these eight trial issues!

These issues are ordered by how I read them. I would have used more pictures, but at the time of this writing, the Top Cow website is down for exceeding bandwidth. I guess this Pilot Season promotion is proving pretty popular!

Anonymous Written by Alan McElroy and Illustrated by Michael Montenat
Plot: A black ops veteran is turned off by the corruption he sees in the system. Faking his own death, he's out for revenge against anyone doing wrong. He lives with the power of being Anonymous.
Initial Reaction: Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time getting into these clones of the Punisher. I feel like it has to be done just right to work, and a big part of it is finding a way to make the character interesting or different enough to be worth caring about. Failing that, the foe that the character faces needs to be big enough to make me stand up and take notice. Anonymous did neither.
Editorial Notes: A pitch story really shouldn't end in the middle of a story. We should know everything we need to know about this character or this world before finishing. The problem here is that the story is so lacking, there's nothing new we need to know. A guy wants to do the right thing, so he takes the law into his own hands. That's the same story for everyone from Batman to Spider-Man. He fights a stereotypical abusive and corrupt cop who's doing double duty as an evil step-father. The foes are right out of central casting in any story just like this one. Montenat does an okay job presenting the script, but the work feels flat to me, with no life. Which, given the script, doesn't tell me much about the artist other than he's working faithfully from the writer's notes. PASS.

City of Refuge Written by Morgan Davis Foehl and Illustrated by Dennis Calero
Plot: In a post-apocalyptic future, a city survives thanks to the implementation of chips that take away the desire for violence. Only a few select people are allowed to mute the chip's power. But when that power gets out into the general populace, what happens next? Can a fragile future artificially created survive?
Initial Reaction: Now this is more like it. Creepy, if well-used backdrop. A main character who desperately wants thinks to work but knows the whole house of cards is going to collapse around him. A mystery that might destroy everything. These are all really good hooks.
Editorial Notes: While this story ends by opening up a huge can of worms, it felt complete. We learned about the situation, the main character, and the huge issue he's going to face. Clues are planted, ready to be built upon as the story progresses. There's a real feeling that whatever this character does *matters* within the world he lives in. These are the types of things I want to see out of a story, especially since it's going to be hard to make the premise unique. Foehl's dialog is crisp and realistic, and the people involved don't all sound alike to me. Calero's artwork is a bit muddied, but it works well for the noir feel that City of Refuge is going for here. I'd definitely read more of this comic, and it gives me hope that Top Cow is progressing into new areas.

Fleshdigger Written by Shannon Eric Denton and Brad Keene and Illustrated by Alex Sanchez
Plot: A man is killed by a cult of Silver Surfer cosplayers in Colonial Rhode Island. Later, a good Samaritan dies at the hands of a gang. When a female associate of the gang says occult prayers, he's turned into a gruesome monster that avenges terrible wrongs and apparently eats rats. He is the Fleshdigger!
Initial Reaction: I wanted to like this one, but it's terrible. The writing is stilted, the scenarios are cobbled from any number of plots, and the hero of the piece is unnecessarily disgusting. I have a strong stomach and a love of horror, and I never want to look at the guy again. That's a problem.
Editorial Notes: What absolutely mystifies me is that this book looks like it's getting a huge push from Top Cow, which makes no sense to me because it's arguably the worst of the eight. It has a great cover logo, but nothing else, and yet gets a variant pin-up from Kelley Jones and Tim Seely. I don't get it. The book started off bad, with naked silver women, then just got progressively worse, as seemingly disjointed ideas merge together to try and form a story. Whoever thought a worm monster could carry a book either knows an audience of which I'm unaware or really needs to get back to the drawing board. From a beginning that doesn't directly tie to the rest of the plot in any way I can tell to an ending that apparently links all the evils to a group of men who hold power (because we've never seen that before), this is a mess. PASS.

Misdirection Written by Filip Sablik and Illustrated by Chris Dibari
Plot: A racecar driver opts to go out on the town and ends up wrecking his career, his care, and his life. A chance is presented to make things right, but the opportunity is even worse than being a disgraced drunken driver. It's going to take all of the driver's skills to survive in this fast-paced adventure.
Initital Reaction: A murdering drunk driver is your protagonist we're meant to side with? Seriously?
Editorial Notes: I don't think I can get past the idea that the center of our story is a drunk driver who killed his passengers. That's a shame, because had Sablik found another way to shame his protagonist (cheating to win gambling bets, shooting someone at a nightclub, or something similarly wrong but far less heinous), I would have liked this one. The driver is clearly meant to be a generally good guy who is about to get mixed up into things far worse than he ever imagined, and if he gives up, innocent people die. Chris Dibari's art works well with Sablik's script, and I know they are looking to tell a story of redemption. But you can't redeem a drunk driver, sorry. This one needs re-tooled a bit. The idea is there, but it's not quite ready yet.

Seraph Written by Phil Hester and Lance Briggs and Illustrated by Jose Luis and Sandro Ribeiro
Plot: A man who wants to end his life finds a new fate awaiting him, as he must use his new powers to save those who are trapped in the clutches of Satan and his minions. But is he on the right side of this Holy War, given his intentions? Find out in the pages of Seraph!
Initital Reaction: A good idea that seems a bit over-written. I like the idea that the hero might be on the wrong side due to meddling by an angel.
Editorial Notes: This comic feels like it's trying too hard to be an epic story, ramping up the drama and dialog before the story is ready to support it. In that way, it feels like an X-Men book, where characters act like every single thing is the biggest event ever to happen to them and talks in apocalyptic tones. Not sure if that's the fault of Hester or Briggs, but it really dragged down my enjoyment of the story. I was intrigued by the idea of a Holy War by proxy and fighting over who plays for what team. Like Misdirection, this one needs more seasoning before it's ready to be a series. If it did come out, I might see how the story plays out, at the right price.

The Beauty Written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A Hurley and Illustrated by Jeremy Haun
Plot: A strange STD causes people to be more attractive, but with little in the way of side effects. It's spread all over as a result, but some are wary of the consequences. When it looks like the disease might have a sinister side, the police are turned away. What do you do when you're a common cop told to back off, when the results of the investigation might affect your own life? That's the horror behind...The Beauty.
Initial Reaction: An interesting idea, with a good build-up and a complete story despite the twist on the final page. The premise is believable, too. Wouldn't many people seek beauty, even as a disease?
Editorial Notes: This was my other favorite from these eight titles, and for similar reasons to City of Refuge. We get a complete picture of the world, a character for whom the results of the story are going to be personal, and the possibility of world-changing results, depending on how the story plays out. The characters were a bit more play by number here, but the premise is solid and while Haun does draw people attractively, they aren't unrealistic. So maybe there's a new leaf at Top Cow after all, at least in some places. I'd definitely green-light this one.

The Test Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Illustrated by Rahsan Ekedal
Plot: A man wakes up in a strange situation, along with a few others. Guided by a strange female figure, they're told they are the new hope for humanity, selected for multiple genetic reasons. Just what are they being asked to do, and by whom? And what happens when not everything in this human petri dish works as planned? Find out in The Test.
Initial Reaction: Why are all the women in their skimpiest underwear while the men are modestly dressed?
Editorial Notes: I think I would have liked this story with less butt-shots on the women. I'm not a prude, but the examples here are just blatant, such as when a medium shot of David going into the house features a woman's thong as the largest item in the set piece or when another female character runs at us, butt-first. It feels like the team is using sexy times to gain readers rather than work on a decent story. That's a shame, because I think there's actually a story here. It's just buried too far in the bad art choices. I liked the idea of a test using humans and putting them through hell. I just would have liked it better without the need to add as many crotch-shots as you can, without even a pretense of needing to do so in-story.

Theory of Everything Written by Dan Casey and Illustrated by Thomas Nachlik
Plot: Has a way to other realities been found? It sure looks that way, when gold is stolen from a secure vault of a Swiss bank and the government wants the help of the one man who might know the secret. But can even a theoretical genius save himself from...himself?
Initial Reaction: Not a bad idea. We've seen the idea of multiple realities before, of course, but I like the idea of a successful version of yourself trying to kill off the rest.
Editorial Notes: While I did not enjoy this one as much as The Beauty or City of Refuge, it definitely has potential. There's dimensional trouble, a loser of a protagonist who must find redemption--and do it with the shadow of a more successful (if evil) version of himself looming over every part of the narrative. Charles is a man headed for devastating realizations about himself, and the reader is going to get to watch and see if he survives. With artwork that does not get in the way of the story, this could be a keeper. I'd be okay with seeing this story go the distance, too.

So there are my thoughts on the Top Shelf Pilot Season 2011. I think the company is trying harder to be more than just a set of cheesecake, though it's still failing now and again. I think two of these would make great series, two would be worth reading, two need to re-tool a bit, and two were absolutely terrible. That's not a bad mix, actually. I do wonder how well these sold at $3.99 for a paper edition, as I can't imagine paying that for any non self-published comic, let alone ones with possibly no future. At 99 cents, I was happy to experiment. Even at $1.99, I do not know that I'd have tried any of them. I'd also like to know what happens to the losers--can they try again somewhere else, or is it "go big or go home?" Anyone know? I'm extremely curious.

Did anyone else read these comics? What did you think? I'd like to know that, too!

Umbra

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Vikki Chu
Illustrated by Vikki Chu
Self-Published

A young woman explores space and ends up in extraordinary worlds and places in this very well-detailed mini-comic from artist Vikki Chu.

This is exactly the type of book that I might get a convention. While the cover is not very eye-catching (especially compared to the interiors), I was drawn to Ms. Chu's table by her other drawings. That caused me to page through this book and ultimately buy it.

I'm glad I did so, because the linework is simply astounding. I can only imagine the amount of time it takes Chu to create each page. There are simply so many lines on each page, which I wish were more easily portrayed by the cover. They are also quite varied, with only the recurring theme of the astronaut's lifeline or the space explorer herself to link them together. One page might be the ravages of space, shown with hundreds of little marks in patterns while the next features a planetoid filled with plant life and a few animals. In another sequence, the astronaut might bound away from demonic creatures or work her way through an underground tunnel. Each page or set of pages is just a bit different, showing off Chu's art skills and the varied world that is being explored.

My own issue with Chu's art is that her human figure is the worst part of the whole thing. The astronaut is a bit flat at times, lacking the feeling of being fully realized. I think some of that has to do with Chu's excellence at drawing shapes and lines. When the time comes for a less unified object such as a person, it's harder to shift gears. Because it's the only non-unified object, it shows up a bit more than in a story set with other humans around them.

Still, I was amazed by Chu's overall skills and the flatness issue is a minor one. If you like abstract comics that focus more on art than a complex plot and are a fan of artwork that stresses the importance of lines, Umbra is a comic you'll want to grab. Just don't judge it by its cover.

You can purchase a copy of Umbra from Chu's Etsy Store.

Pale Horse

2011-12-16T08:14:00.000-05:00

Story by Andrew Cosby
Written by Michael Alan Nelson
Illustrated by Christian Dibari
Boom! Studios

Cole was part of the Union Army in the early days of the Civil War. But something caused him to go out west, into the Indian Territories. When racism combines with violence against women, Cole takes revenge on those who killed his wife. As a fugitive he's even more deadly, however, with knowledge that could turn the tide of the war. As Cole fights his own personal war, will certain figures from history change his life forever? How long can you live on revenge? Find out in the story of Pale Horse.

This is another of those short series Boom! puts out on a regular basis that do not get a lot of discussion but are quietly quite good. Usually written by someone with ties to the publisher (I've read Nelson's work before in other Boom! books), they tell all sorts of short fiction, in a variety of genres. In an era where character branding is so important to the industry, I find it refreshing that a mid-level publisher like Boom! is willing to take chances with stories like these that are not likely to become household names but can find an audience that appreciates them.

In the case of Pale Horse, this book might as well been written for adult Rob, based on child Rob's long-standing interests that have stuck with him. Cole weaves his way in and out of the Civil War and the American West, two things that I have a continued fascination with. But instead of telling a tale of gallantry, as might have been given to child Rob, we have a more nuanced story that features the grim reality that an African American man might face in the 1860s. Cole is rejected because of his race no matter where he goes. His wife is treated like garbage and ultimately abused and killed because she's a Native American. He tries to do the right thing, and if he were white, there would be no issue with any of his actions. But since he's black, he's supposed to take it.

Cole does not, and that drives the narrative. Operating not unlike Lone Wolf and Cub, Cole takes his child with him against the protests of a bigoted minister and raises him to understand the ways of the world. Things go fine for awhile, but Nelson ensures that the peace does not last, which gives him the opportunity to work two very important historical figures into the narrative. (I won't use the name of either, because I think finding out is a nice surprise for the reader that I don't want to spoil.) From this point, the book shifts focus a bit, as Cole's recent past comes back and he has one last chance to impact on the events of the Civil War.

This is where I think the book has a particularly key moment. I'm not sure if it's Cosby's plot or Nelson's writing, but the book has an excellent mirror effect, because at the beginning and end of the book, Cole is unable to prevent the death of someone he considers to be worthy of life and must do the best he can to avenge the wrong. It's a nice touch, and I thought it was great storytelling.

Christian Dibari's artwork isn't bad, but I can't say that I loved it. It's rough, which fits with the gritty feel of the narrative, but the characters are often sketchier than they need to be and seem posed at odd angles just because, rather than for dramatic effect. Or rather, because they're all posed at odd angles, the dramatic effect is lost to the reader. I also feel like he missed out on nailing the setting. We get a few props to indicate the time and place, but so many of the backgrounds are sparse. This is the American West! Show us more about what it looks like! Again, the art doesn't hurt the story, but neither does it link up with the writing in the way that other books I've read recently do.

By the end of the book, Cole moves on, trying to live his life as best he can in a world that's far from perfect. That's so true for all of us, though hopefully no one will have as much tragedy as Cole gets in this book. Nelson had crafted a quality modern western, and fans of the genre (especially Jonah Hex) should look this up. I think they'll be happy with the results.

Single Minded: Sanctuary 1-4

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sanctuary Issues 1-4
Written by Stephen Coughlin
Illustrated by Stephen Coughlin
SLG

A group of seemingly innocent (if a bit sarcastic) talking animals live in a unique sanctuary where a set of scientists appear to be studying rare creatures. But things quickly turn ugly as a new arrival is found brutally murdered. Who committed the deed? Why are secrets being kept from both the animals and the scientists? Where do the spiders fit in to all this? And just who runs this place, anyway? It's quickly very easy to see that this place is anything but...Sanctuary.

I have to admit that my initial reaction to Sanctuary as I read the first few pages was not very positive. It really starts out as a standard talking animal book, and I'm just not a big fan of those. I was especially worried when the characters started acting like stereotypes of the kinds of talking animals we've seen so much of in both movies and comics. However, when we get to the final page, with its reveal of the murdered panda (shown on the cover, so I don't think I'm spoiling anything), I immediately stood up and took notice. By the time we get through issue two, where the mystery deepens, the characters take on additional complexities, and its clear that this is going to be a dark story with horror elements that go into the darkest places possible, I was happy that I had started reading the series.

I think the giraffe sequence in issue two is what I really got me. As she describes falls and mortally wounding a smaller animal, the exacting description of the experience, lacking completely in compassion, is eerie and terrifying. Once I read that set piece, I knew this was a series I was going to like.

Issue three gives us a bit more on the Sanctuary itself and shows clearly that all is not as it seems. There's trouble brewing among the humans, while the Tiger and his cub try to solve the mystery of the dead panda. Just as it seems like an answer is to be found, it's time for the Spiders to make their play. In an incredibly creepy sequence, especially if you have any fear of spiders whatsoever, there's a desperate fight that takes us to issue four. With no pun intended, by the time a reader is caught in the web of the plot.

We just got issue four, and I could not wait to read it. It picks up from the cliffhanger of issue three and deals with the aftermath of the battle between the Tiger and the Spiders. There's plotting and scheming going on all over, with careful references and allusions that take the reader on further twists and turns. By the end of the issue, I have no idea what's going to happen next. (As if to underscore that point, we end with two scenes involving cliffs, which I thought was a nice visual touch by Coughlin.)

I'm a big fan of mystery stories with a touch of horror, and Sanctuary fits that bill perfectly. After a rough opening, Coughlin winds the reader through many twists and turns, possible leads (or dead-ends), and opens up new questions just about every time he gives out a clue. Like any good mystery story, the reader is left guessing, time and time again. There are so many hints left out there for the reader, this story could go in any number of directions and still make sense based on what we've seen so far, which I think is incredibly cool.

My biggest concern on this one, however, is that while the overall story is really cool, the issues themselves don't read all that well on their own. While issue one feels like a complete story within a story, the following issue cuts off abruptly. Issue three is a good place to break, with the Tiger's fateful decision, but the end line for issue four doesn't hold up as well on its own as it should. I really like Sanctuary and I'm definitely going to keep reading, but anyone coming into the series should be aware that this might read better as a group rather than from issue to issue.

I haven't spoken much about Coughlin's art as of yet, other than some of the staging comments above. His linework reminds me a lot of the type of thing you might find in a book aimed at a young adult, with character designs that are not far removed from a modern Cartoon Network offering. Everyone has very expressive features, including the animals, and there is a lot of movement going on in every page. It definitely clashes with the story itself, as these slightly exaggerated characters move around in comic fashion yet deal with very deadly subjects and themes. Surprisingly, I actually like how that plays out on the page. Coughlin seems to get it just right, with the exception of the bulk of the first issue.

Sanctuary is like walking into a children's movie and finding Hitchcock actually directed it. I'm a big fan after reading the first four issues, and I think you will be, too. It's got a few flaws reading issue by issue, but not enough to keep you away from it. You can find it on Slave Labor Graphics' website in a variety of formats, depending on your preference. Check it out--the first issue is even free.

Stargazing Dog

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Takashi Murakami
Illustrated by Takashi Murakami
NBM

A beat-up station wagon is found abandoned, with its occupant very dead and unidentifiable. Nearby is the body of a dog. What brought them to this place? How did they die? How do you reach such a lonely end? Find out the truth behind the mystery in the hauntingly beautiful but sad narrative of Stargazing Dog.

I read all kinds of comics, as people who read this blog regularly know quite well. I read funny comics, serious comics, action comics, and some that are just plain bizarre. I can get very into a story, hanging on each volume as it comes out or I can feel quite passionately about the content of a book. It's rare, however, for a comic to make me cry.

Stargazing Dog had me teary-eyed in public, as I read the book at a McDonald's over lunch. This is not a book to be read if you are feeling emotionally fragile, as it is a tear-jerker almost from start to finish. In fact, had the protagonist been more sympathetic, I don't know that I could have finished without bawling. Only the idea that his problems stem from his actions early on in the narrative stopped a full on spectacle in a fast food joint.

In Stargazing Dog a young puppy is brought home to a family who has serious issues. The puppy narrates the action in a manner that initially is a bit saccharine but is eventually key to the story working as well as it does. The father lives in his own world and seems to take little notice of what happens to his wife and son. He does, however, show a great affection for the family dog. Eventually, the tables are turned, as the uncaring husband finds himself without a wife, a job, or a life. Left alone with just the dog and his memories, things slowly get worse and worse. Not even traveling can change the life of the dog's owner, though, as he falls further and further off the grid. By the time they reach an old camping site, it's time for the tears to form and prepare for the inevitable conclusion.

Like all of the best comics I read, Stargazing Dog has a strong story that forms a perfect arc from start to finish. Everything in this comic follows the dramatic form, from beginning to climax to the anti-climax of the second story, where a young man tries to piece together the tragic life of the dog and owner. Murakami doesn't try to drag the story out longer than it needs to be, and is perfectly happy with doing terrible things to his protagonists. This is a perfect tragedy, where the hero of the story brings about his own fall, not unlike King Lear, my favorite of the Shakespeare tragedies.

I'm not trying to say Stargazing Dog is worthy of being in the same conversation as Lear, but I really like how this comic follows the formula of good drama without feeling like it was written in a paint by number form. Murakami clearly understands dramatic structure and uses it to good effect. The set pieces, such as the early scenes between the husband and wife build to her departure, using his own words against him. The idea that a man who's been broken can be beaten down further and further just works so well for me, as we see him get ever more desperate while still trying to see the good in people. All of this is filtered through the lens of the dog, who has a child's perception of the world, further highlighting the cruel nature of the world.

In fact, the only thing I'm not comfortable with in the whole book is the idea that the reader might be supposed to feel sorry for the dad. The back cover copy implies this, but I did not get that at all from my reading. The father brought everything on himself, and if the reader doesn't key into that idea, the whole thing falls apart to me, as it then becomes a maudlin tale of the poor male character who can't fit in a world where women are allowed to leave them and jobs are taken by others. I'd hate for this comic to actually be about that (or intended to be about that) because it read so much better as arrogant indifference turned into a realization of just how fragile all our lives are. I guess it can be either, depending on the reader, but still, I don't think the back of the book blurb is the right spin at all. (Not that it would be the first time a book is marketed badly by back book blurb-ing. See Karakuri Odette.)

For this edition, NBM has opted to flip the art and have the book read left to right. It actually threw me a bit, because almost all of the manga I read these days are right to left. Given NBM is primarily a publisher of Western comics, I think the choice makes sense. This is a book that can be given to a non-manga reader without a single objection, showing them the quality of the genre and maybe getting them to overcome their objections to reading "the wrong way." It does not hinder the story or the artwork, which works primarily in small, editable panels as opposed to more complex designs. Murakami's style is also less stylized than most manga-ka, closely resembling the independent comics that a regular reader of NBM would be familiar with. Stargazing Dog has just as much in common with, say, Rick Geary, as it does with Ai Yazawa. This is a story that could easily be a Viz Signature book.

I'm really happy to see that we're getting more and more manga that is outside the typical boxes that came to dominate Tokyopop and Viz during the major manga boom. While I enjoy stories that are so shojo or shonen they scream it on every page, there is more to life than Mars, One Piece, and Fruits Basket. Murakami is a skills artist, providing strong backgrounds on every page, details that help ground the story in its setting, and a very subtle changing of the characters over time, so that their mental desperation is matched by visual degradation. It's a great combination that helps this become one of my favorite books from 2011.

If you were initially turned off the idea of Stargazing Dog because of the animal narrator, don't be. It's an excellent tragedy told from the only perspective that would make it work, with great pacing, excellent linework, and an ending that should melt even the hardest of hearts. It's a great gateway manga, packaged nice and at an affordable price point by NBM. This book gets a high recommendation from me. Just be sure you're nearby people you love when you read it. Trust me.

Single Minded: Boom! Studios Titles for 12-14-11

2011-12-13T19:14:00.001-05:00

Another week, another set of single issues from Boom! Let's see what looked interesting to me this week, as we check in with two issue #2s and the third from Roger Langridge....

Seven Warriors #2. Written by Michael Le Galli. Illustrated by Francis Manapul. The crack team of warriors charged with getting the prince out of the besieged city may be stopped before they can begin! If they can escape the deadly labyrinth, there's drama to be had on the high seas. As their number dwindles and the task increases in difficulty, can one new member make the difference?

After a really intriguing start, this one bogged down a bit here in the second issue. There's less political intrigue and more straight-up fighting, which gives it a bit less to distinguish itself from other comics with similar themes. I'm also a bit iffy on the idea of seeing the warriors die every time there's a fight. It would have been nice to change that up a bit. I do like that getting out of the city was only one of the problems, and I'm still curious to see where this goes. Manapul's art is a big draw here, as he really knocks the period feel out of the park. Hopefully next issue will have a bit more depth and some less predictable deaths.

Operation Broken Wings, 1936 #2. Written by Herik Hanna. Illustrated by Trevor Hairsine. Our imprisoned narrator continues telling his story, as clues to his treachery are discovered but the motive behind them remain unrevealed. What trips him up? Why does he want to stop working for the Nazis? What the heck is going on?

None of those questions are answered just yet in this second issue. The Major moves through his world, which he know he distrusts, trying to get enough time to do something--but what? And was he stopped before getting to do it? Hanna really has readers guessing, which is a good thing when writing a story like this one. It's a tale of espionage and one man's change of heart and the only problem I have is that the pacing is a bit on the slow side for a story like this. I expect to be leaping from page to page, but instead, I was needing to linger to read every dialog heavy panel.

It's a minor complaint in a story that interests me despite being set in an era I don't have a strong desire to read about, but I think its audience is limited. This is best for people who like reading Tom Clancy novels or are heavily into war comics. I'll keep reading to see what the finish is, though, which is definitely a good sign when it comes to any comic.

Snarked #3. Written and Illustrated by Roger Langridge. This continues to be a highlight of the Boom! titles currently on the shelves. Reminding me pleasantly of Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragones' Groo, the characters are preparing to set off for a voyage to save the King--but first they need a map. And a crew. And a prayer. Can this oddball collection of misfits, who gain only more misfits, get to sea before the evil powers behind the throne can stop them?

As much as I loved Langridge's Muppet Show, and as much as I could easily see this story with Jim Henson's creations dotting the characters (the Griffon reminds me of Sam cosplaying Nick Fury), I am rather tempted to say that this is even better than his work on the Muppet Show. The plotting and pacing are perfect, the dialog is exactly the combination of sarcasm and dumb jokes that seem to be Langridge's stock in trade, and the characters are either decidedly evil or decidedly good, in a way we rarely see these days. The art follows the story gleefully, with little gags in the background (a beaver's weapon of choice is a wooden plank) that are just as entertaining as the action in the foreground. I am so happy we are getting more work from Langridge and I hope this series (or ones like it) have a long life at Boom! While I encourage you to get the first two issues, Langridge nicely provides a witty "story so far" intro, so you can jump right in. Go do it!

Thanks as always to Boom! for providing review copies. If you are interested in having me review your comic, please get in touch with me at trebro@gmail.com. Have fun at the comic shops tomorrow!

Zahra's Paradise

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Amir
Illustrated by Khalil
First Second.

June 16, 2009: Iran rocks under a large protest that claims the presidency was stolen. The results are predictable, if tragic. People are killed, people are wounded, and people are taken away, never to be seen again. It's a sad story we've all heard before, but too many times, the people involved become nameless. They're statistics, not human beings, to be used as a human rights cudgel against a regime whose major difference from other brutal countries is their lack of cooperation with major Western corporations and a basis in the wrong religion.

Amir and Khalil force the reader to come to terms with abstract ideas by placing a name and a face one one such victim, the fictional Mehdi. Out to show his displeasure with his government, Mehdi is spirited away, and despite the best efforts of his mother and brother and their allies, appears to have disappeared without a trace. Join them in their struggle against a country that distrusts its people and will do anything to protect those in power. Can they at least bring him to the relative safety of a named grave in Zahra's Paradise?

Like other works in all sorts of mediums that cover difficult subjects, this book is hard to read. Whether it's watching the holocaust unfold on the movie screen or reading of the horrors of the South America dictators or now the visual depictions of torture of Zahra's Paradise, when you decide to portray human beings doing terrible things, it is quite the challenge to pull it off in a way that's respectable, frank, and leaves the reader thinking about the subject.

Zahra's Paradise manages all that quite well, as Amir and Khalil take us step by step through the madness of the current Iranian system that clings to revolution but refuses to allow its own people to do anything other than live in constant fear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or angering the wrong people. Sure, there are those who work against the system, but they live on borrowed time and are subject to death and torture. Our protagonists probably only make it through the book alive through the good graces of being fictional. In the hands of these authors, Iran is a shadow of what it could be, waiting for the day when the people can take real control from the powers that be. Unfortunately, it looks like that day is far off indeed.

There are a lot of coincidences and twists and turns in Zahra's Paradise in order to ensure that the authors are able to cover every part of the deception and lies that cover Iran's politics. Mehdi's brother and mother meet up with everyone from cab drivers to bureaucrats to those who fell from grace when the Shah was overthrown. A torturer's lover is the key to unraveling the mystery in the most unlikely part of the narrative. We need everything to work perfectly, so that we can see not only how the system works, but there's also a counter-system, just waiting for their chance.

In another context, I might find that things work out too neatly, but here, I see the necessity. Do it otherwise and the story becomes one where all of Iran is the boogeyman that religious bigots in the United States and other countries try to paint it. Without getting to find out the inner workings of Iran's hidden system of death, the reader ends up with yet another conspiracy story, with no depth. Amir and Khalil may have overplayed their narrative hand a bit, but that's okay. We're here to think about the political implications of the story, not whether or not it meets Creative Writing 101.

I really like how each episode in this story gets its own chapter. I needed the breaks between to catch my breath between the terrible things I was reading. It let me feel our blogger-narrator's pain more fully, because I was able to absorb it before moving on. I also appreciated that all of the characters, even those we meet briefly, feel extremely real to me. They might be there to advance the plot, but it's hard to notice. Only those in places of high power are one-dimensional demons.

Khalil is credited with the art in this book, and his work is solid and innovative. Reminding me a bit of Craig Thompson, the lines are thin but extremely detailed. Panel layouts go from standard grids to experimental layouts that cover the blogger's dreams or the nightmares experienced by the prisoners. Some visuals are particularly effective, such as when Khalil wants to show the complexities of life for ordinary Iranians or really amplify the terror of living in fear of making a mistake that could cost you your life. Almost every page is packed to bursting with details, leaving the reader with no doubt as to the world these characters live in. Not only does the book have an important verbal message, it carries important artistic weight as well.

Zahra's Paradise is one of those graphic novels that fits the term perfectly. It's a dense, important story told in pictures. I think we'll be reading about this book for years to come, either as a harbinger of what could be but never was or as a sign that change might be in the air for Iran, just as it has been in other countries. I wish I could be as hopeful as the afterwards in the book, but as I type this, Egypt's revolution is grinding under a military heel, pregnant protesters in America are being harmed to the point of miscarriage, England wants plans to shut down cell phone service at will, and bills are being passed in a "democracy" allowing for military detentions of citizens. At the rate things are going, the peace of the grave, such as we see at the end of this book, might be the only peace left for those not in power. If you are at all interested in social change, you must read Zahra's Paradise. Even if hope is faint, seeing a glimmer of it may be uplifting. Just be sure to bring the tissues if you're sensitive.

Sunday Readings 12-11-11

2011-12-11T08:13:00.000-05:00

Good Morning,

Start off your Sunday right with some links of interest and cool art...

First off, Brigid Alverson gives a good roundup of various goings on in the digital comics world. There's coverage of the Dark Horse day and date controversy, Viz's commitment to digital, and more. Definitely worth reading.

In more digital news, Johanna questions if the market is getting saturated with digital apps and ponders why a reader should use publisher-specific apps from Comixology when they can just use the main app instead. To date, I have yet to hear a convincing answer to the second question. Personally, unless you are *not* on Comixology or Graphicly, I see no reason why I should use your own app right now. It's not like they're giving you exclusives to do so. As to her first thought, I don't think the market is saturated so much as it's exploding, with not as much care taken to have a strong digital strategy in some cases. We shall see.

Image has big, big plans for 2012. Read a bit about them here, from publisher Eric Stephenson.

Never anger a turtle with your life in its hands.

Dr. Who pin-up in perfect time for the holidays? Sure!

And people wonder why I don't read X-Men comics.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

The Time Traveler's Guide

2011-12-10T10:49:00.000-05:00

Written by K. Sekelsky (With M. Bennardo, Jeff Huber, and Sanjay Kulkarni)
Illustrated by K. Sekelsky
Self-Published

You've got your time machine, but do you know the ins and outs of moving from era to era? Never fear, because this book can help. Of course, if you have a time travel machine, you're probably far more advanced than this blog (or this book), so I'm not sure how much help it can be, actually, so perhaps nevermind.

On the other hand, if you are one of the many, many (some might say everybody) who does not currently own a time machine, Sekelsky and company offer quite a few teasing hints of the many adventures awaiting you. Publishers should take note of the need to carefully design books so that they are not pirates across the centuries. Parents can thrill at the suggestions of which eras to visit based on the type of child they have. (Hint: Dinosaurs are a pretty big hit.) Anyone new to time travel needs to ensure they follow the rules, especially the one about Hitler. Plus, find out what to do for your short and long-term traveling needs.

The book itself is more of an illustrated novel than a comic, with Sekelsky placing well-timed and very funny drawings at appropriate moments. The bulk of the book is based on riffing on time travel tropes, such as meeting yourself in the past, going back to stop crimes, and avoiding getting caught up in disasters (unless you are the type of traveler who visits them like collecting postcards). There are skewering looks at what not to do to blend in and how to avoid changing history. Along the way, a few side stories are told, with each digression being laugh out loud funny.

There's definitely a concern in a book like this that the jokes are played out. After all, with so much time travel in popular culture by now, from Star Trek going to the 1930s to Back to the Future, it's easy to feel like we've seen this all before. The truth is, to some extent we have. However, I really like the spin that Sekelsky and Bennato in particular bring to the table. Yes, some of these jokes are nearly as old as the Mesozoic Era, but there's no harm in seeing a fresh take on an old chestnut.

But when a book includes two local references for Western Pennsylvania alums, a section on how best to make out with a celebrity before they're famous, and the creation of All Meme's Day, you're going to find yourself laughing and quickly forgetting if a few of the ideas are a bit overused by now. Sekelsky and company create enough new material for this to work as a book.

Written in the style of books like those of John Hodgman, The Time Traveler's Guide is a great mock-up of non-fiction works that try to take themselves too seriously. It would make a great companion for those who are fans of high satire, especially at this time of year. And if you do own that time machine, you can even go back and give it to someone for the holiday, regardless of when you read this!

Black Panther The Man Without Fear Volume 1

2011-12-10T07:45:00.000-05:00

Written by David Liss
Illustrated by Francesco Francovilla and Jefte Palo
Marvel

T'Challa, the once-proud King of Wakanda has made a desperate bid to save his country, that's cost him all he knows. Matt Murdock, the frequently disgraced Daredevil, has gone so far he might never come back. Their lives, so similar, intersect again as Murdock asks T'Challa to take over the guardianship of Hell's Kitchen. Can the former ruler be another Man Without Fear? Find out in these first issues of a new status quo for the former King.

When I first heard about this one, I was extremely confused. I don't really follow new Marvel comics these days, reading very behind in the occasional trade. I am so event fatigued with Marvel in particular that I have only the vaguest notions of which end is up with them. I guess at some point they took their strongest African America male character, who under Christopher Priest was smarter than just about everyone, and stripped him of all he had. Yes, I know that's done with white characters, too, but when you have so few black characters and can name the important ones on one hand (Luke, T'Challa, Ororo, Rhodey, and Sam), doing something like that raise red flags for me.

And let's not even get started on poor Matt Murdock, who ended up trying to run the Hand, who once killed the love of his life. What the hell?

Anyway, although it's hard to get past the poor character decisions that lead up to this point, I found myself really enjoying David Liss's take on T'Challa's situation. He finds a way to make it halfway believable that all this might happen, and shows that the Black Panther is a smart man who can find a way to overcome his obstacles. At the same time, the arrogance that sometimes gets him in trouble also shows up here, as he quickly discovers that some of the tricks other vigilantes have managed over the years aren't as easy as they look. There's chaos in the world of New York, and the sheer depravity of some of its occupants are enough to baffle even the best efforts of a King.

Just ask Wilson Fisk.

I really liked the way this story worked in terms of its structure. Liss shows T'Challa as feeling like he can do what others cannot, but quickly learning that the world of being a hero in the urban part of the Marvel Universe is far more complicated than he imagines. At the same time, his antagonist, the Romanian Vlad the Impaler, also intends to avoid the mistakes of his contemporaries, but soon sees that some force (fate, chance, arrogance?) compels him into the same traps that have felled many a villain in the mainstream Marvel Universe.

The plotting is just about perfect in terms of a comic book story arc. We quickly get the lay of the land, with one page of text explaining all a new reader like me needed to know. Once that's out of the way, Liss is free to tell his story, specific continuity be damned (Why has marvel wimp-ified Storm? WHY? WHY?). He cleverly points out that so much has changed, with T'Challa the outsider and Spider-Man the Avenger designated to ensure that he doesn't get out of line. There are elements set up at the beginning that pay dividends by the end of the story, with two plotlines working separately then together to provide a big, jolting climax. We even get a set up that furthers the Black Panther as classic urban vigilante, as a former foe of Spider-Man is called in at the end to set up the next arc. In between, Liss provides clever dialog, the right balance between action and build-up, and characters who work logically within their world.

In some ways, this is a classic noir story with technology that's above the usual ken of a detective tale. A man looks for redemption among the downtrodden, and finds it harder than he expects. Francavilla's artwork reinforces that idea, with everything dark and shadowy. He reminds me very much of Sean Phillips, though the detailing isn't quite there. I needed to re-read some sections to get a full idea of what was going on, which is not my preference, as it slows down the story. Still, the basic concept fit the text, which I guess is better than the alternative. My biggest complaint is that while Liss tries hard to make this a story about T'Challa, I feel like this could be any hero, with just a few tweaks. That's not his fault, that's just bad Marvel editorializing to water down the character in that way. It's good stuff, but it's not my T'Challa. Just like how Brubaker's Cap were great comics, but not my Steve Rogers.

Naturally, because this is something I like, it's not going to continue. From what I understand, the series was recently cancelled. However, if you like noir stories and are okay with more superpower than usual in such a tale, pick up this and give it a try. I think you'll like it. Just leave your vast years of experience in the Marvel Universe at the door, if you're not keeping current. Otherwise, you might get a headache.

Dust off the Panels Tales Designed to Thrizzle Volume 1

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Michael Kupperman
Illustrated by Michal Kupperman
Fantagraphics

Imagine what happens when you give a man with a talent for visual mimicry, withering sarcasm, and a generally insane sense of humor a 32-page comic format and no rules other than to be funny as hell in as many ways as possible before going on to the next issue.

If that sounds appealing to you, then you're in for a treat with the first volume of Tales Designed to Thrizzle, a collection of the first four of Michael Kupperman's irreverent issues of his ongoing comic.

If that doesn't sound appealing to you, then go read Chris Ware or something. I'm not going to be of any help to you here.

I first met Kupperman's writing in the hysterical Mark Twain autobiography, one of my favorite books of the year. The ability to make the outrageous understated by playing it straight is in full force here, from just about the first page onward. As with Twain, I was laughing out loud within the first few pages and did not stop right through all 160 pages of the book. (Well, 159. The page that said, "Rob McMonigal, you are a complete dick!" was a bit off-putting. And strange, given there was no guarantee I'd actually read it. And that no one had brought this to my attention before. But since that only impacts on me and some guy in Lancaster, it probably won't matter to you.)

While the Mark Twain was an awesome piece of cohesive joke-telling in the manner of a great satirist, Thrizzle is the scatter-shot patter of the Marx Brothers in comic form. One page might feature a crying octopus in a fire hat, complaining about no fires in the ocean (but great merchandising) while the next mocks back of the magazine advertisements, including a brochure on "Dogs and Inventions. When and when not to mix the two." The latter joke is typical of Kupperman. Dogs and Invention is funny. Use of the peculiar cadence of "when and when not to..." is hysterical. It shows Kupperman not only knows how to make a joke, but how to hone it until it's *really* funny. That's the type of craft that elevates this book above its peers and makes it far funnier than most humor comics I've read, which seem to be ready to take the first joke home to bed, rather than waiting to read the rest of the personal ads.

There are so many great bits in here, both visual and verbal. The Dick Tracy skewering, including "Have-You-Seen-This-Cat-Face" is a highlight. Indian Spirit chewing gum will haunt your funny bone. There's the silliness of Johnny Silhouette or the two-panel quick joke of "Prince Variant", which has almost nothing to do with its name. Don't for get the nods to childhood memories, such as the Choose Your Own Adventure parody, that crop up here and there. Some may love the dirty jokes, such as coloring book porn or nut bras. Kupperman even makes a toilet joke or two, but manages to do it in such a way that they're actually funny. I've got nothing against poop jokes--if they can make me laugh. Too often, they're the way to a quick gag that's not even remotely funny. Not so here, and I'll chortle at them almost as much as I might when reading the adventures of Snake and Bacon.

Kupperman has a lot to be proud of here beyond just the sheer volume of jokes per page (with some having half a dozen different gags on them). Not only do almost all of the attempts at humor work--no mean feat, in my opinion--but they come in so many different forms. Like the Twain book, Kupperman mixes prose and pictures, though here the mix is reversed, with visuals taking the lead. (Twain makes an appearance in this book, by the way, as a cop with rough edges and a familiar partner.) It's such a eclectic mix of genre mashups, silly puns, ridiculous ideas, and offbeat stories that I cannot even begin to imagine how it's all collected together in one place and by one man.

If men dressed as bears are stealing your homework or you can't find that mysterious fortune teller because you have a lousy sense of direction, Tales Designed to Thrizzle can help you. Just be aware that this book is as rapid-fire a comic as I've ever read and is an almost overwhelming experience. If you can hang on to enjoy the ride, and are a fan of the humor of webcomics like Wondermark or the prose stylings of John Hodgman, then you really need to find someone who already owns a copy of this book and kill them for it.

Or, you know, buy one for yourself. Either way, I'm good. And so is Tales Designed to Thrizzle.

Amelia Earhart This Broad Ocean

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Sarah Stewart Taylor
Illustrated by Ben Towle
Hyperion

Grace is a young lady in a small town trying to do something girls aren't supposed to do--write a newspaper. Amelia Earhart is a grown up woman trying do something women aren't supposed to do--fly across the Atlantic Ocean. When the two meet as Earhart is stalled trying to achieve her goals, the result is a touching story of hope and determination. Read on as Earhart tries to cross...This Broad Ocean.

This is a short biographical comic that, like its cousin about Houdini that I read earlier this year, picks a point in a famous person's life and uses it to tell an educational story (with a moral at the heart) to a young adult reader. Of the two, I think this one is far more effective in its goal, because of the clever link between Grace and Amelia. Taylor shows both trying to be someone society tells them they shouldn't be--and demonstrates that both can overcome the odds. With competition and obstacles ranging from an unreliable co-pilot to ridicule to others whose desire to be the first across the Atlantic is more of a lark than a blow for women's equality, Amelia Earhart is shown here as a real pioneer, inspiring the girl in the story (Grace) and hopefully, the young women (and men) who read the book.

I really like the plot and pacing of this book, which moves along just fast enough to tell the story while also showing the delays and frustrations for Earhart by making sure nothing happens too quickly. Taylor is aided and abetted in this endeavor by Towle, whose panels move just slowly enough to indicate the lack of action but never drag to a halt. His characters have a great small-town feel, looking like normal people who are a bit flummoxed by this intrusion by a woman trying too hard who should be at home, cooking and making babies. I love the way Towle expresses so much emotion on his characters' faces, even though they're drawn quite simply, with just enough lines to get the point across. He also quite neatly uses action lines to indicate surprise, without them feeling out of place in a non-manga, non-superhero story. Towle places all of this in a world that feels very real, with a higher level of period detail than you might expect from a book like this one.

Those looking for a complete biography of Earhart will leave disappointed, but I like this use of a moment of time to tell the larger concepts behind a figure that we often know more for her tragic death than for the struggles she overcame to become as big as Lindbergh (and without the antisemitism!). Taylor once again excels here in her script, bookending the story with related, yet very different tragedies that impact on Grace's life.

As with any good graphic novel set for young adult readers, this one ends with historical notes and places for the student to turn next. It's proven that students will move from comics to prose when given the opportunity, and I'm glad to see this book, like George O'Connor's Olympians, provides a means for them to do so. Amelia Earhart This Broad Ocean is an excellent historical comic that reads well for both an adult and youth audience. If you know a young adult looking to read about pilots and airplanes, this is a perfect fit.

Single-Minded: Boom! Studios Comics for 12-07-11

2011-12-06T21:59:00.001-05:00

Welcome to another "issue" of Single-Minded, looking at comics as they come out, rather than in trade form. I'm once again looking at some upcoming Boom! Studios releases, available on December 7th. Let's see what I think is worth getting...

Valen the Outcast #1. Written by Michael Alan Nelson. Illustrated by Matteo Scalera. Valen created by Ross Ritchie.

Valen leads his people in a desperate battle against the undead hordes of a mortal foe. Captured and turned against his own kind in a perverted revenge, Valen can only swear defiance--a defiance he finds with the help of a mysterious witch. But Valen's people have turned against him, seeing him as one of the many hated undead that plague them. Rejected by his former subjects and hunted by those whose control he's evaded, Valen is truly..an outcast.

I really love the premise of this series, because while it does wander into the zombie trope, the take on it is very different. The problem is that Nelson has so much to explain to the reader that it bogs down a bit, as we're told the things that we need to know to understand the story. I think that will change over time, however, as the issues progress. This is marketed with a special $1 issue, and I think it's worth the time of anyone who is a fan of Conan or similar stories in that vein., While there's more promise than execution right now, the promise is huge and I think it will be worth waiting for. If nothing else, it's nice to see a pulp-style comic that is NOT based on someone else's creation. It does need to move more into action and less exposition, however, as we move into issue two.

Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes #2. Written by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman. Illustrated by Gabriel Hardman.

General Aleron's trial begins, for the shocking murder of a fellow officer whose motives still remain in the dark. He's easily convicted, and sent to a prison camp, where terrible things await, especially at the hands of his enemies. Meanwhile, the human subject of Dr. Cato remains on the run, holding the key to everything--but how do you unlock the secrets from a savage animal? Someone doesn't want the truth revealed as we continue the Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes.

This continues to be the biggest surprise for me of all the Boom! comics I am reading right now. I mentioned last time my general wariness of licensed comics, but between this and some of IDW's Star Trek books, I'm slowly coming around to the idea. We don't get a lot of shocking revelations in this issue, but the pieces are starting to slide into place. Why must Alderon be taken off the board? What happens if Dr. Cato's secrets get out? How has Ape Law been perverted to the point? I can't wait to get the answers in the next two issues.

Hardman deserves a lot of credit for his work on this one. The flight of Alderon is a great set piece, as are the scenes in the prison, which looks positively terrifying from the outside when we first see it. There are a lot of little panel choices that drive the story in ways that compliment the text. Definitely a great mini-series that anyone who is a fan of mysteries should be reading.

Irredeemable 32. Written by Mark Waid. Illustrated by Diego Barreto

It's the conflict we knew was coming some day: Max versus Tony in a knock-down, drag-out fight. We got a hint of that in Incorruptible, but as soon as I found out the Plutonian was back, I knew it would come to this.

There's only one problem: As of the end of this first part of the crossover, Max is nowhere to be seen! What the heck, Waid? Instead of a battle of strength on strength, we get a battle of wills, as the Plutonian fights against two creatures who claim responsibility for his creation. Ordinarily, I'd be all over that, but right now, I just want a battle royale in the tradition of Hulk-Thing, Superman-Doomsday, Hal-Sinestro, and the like. I'm sure we'll get it, but man, this was such a tease on Waid's part.

The story itself provides a new wrinkle into Tony's life, and furthers my idea that Waid's premise is to show that not a single person in this book has any heroic qualities. It's not just the Plutonian that's Irredeemable, it's everyone in this entire universe. I love that Waid can seem to drag everyone down even further as the series progresses, but c'mon, sir--give us a battle in part two. Please?

The Rinse 4 (final issue). Written by Gary Phillips. Illustrated by Marc Laming.

The fire Jeff's been playing with is coming dangerously close to burning him, as the goons from Vegas ruthlessly scour San Francisco for Jeff and the money he's laundering, stopping at nothing to get their way. Meanwhile, the IRS wants their pound of flesh--or at least a legal cut of the action. Can Jeff pull off this difficult job without dying or sharing Al Capone's fate? Find out in the final issue of The Rinse.

One of the interesting things about Boom! as a publisher is not only do they do big name projects such as the Stan Lee books or Hellraiser or projects such as Irredeemable, they also find room for small series like this one that tell a complete story in just a few issues. I had the pleasure of getting to read all of The Rinse over the weekend, and I was impressed by what a solid modern noir story it was. Jeff is the perfect anti-hero, working against the law but also with a moral code that makes him better than the really evil people he must evade in the plot. He's a criminal with a heart of gold, which makes it okay if he escapes capture.

Obviously, starting with the final issue isn't the best idea. If you can, see if your LCS or digital provider of choice has the back issues available. I'm hoping Boom! gives this a trade, so I can give it a longer review. Fans of crime comics really need to look up this underrated gem.

Elric The Balance Lost #6. Written by Chris Roberson. Illustrated by Francesco Biagini.

As the balance between law and chaos continues to spiral out of control, with universes merging and collapsing due to the actions of the prior issues, our heroes start to center themselves at the heart of the issue, almost certainly ready to clash in the name of what they champion--or at least what they oppose. Is the balance lost for good? It sure looks like it!

I mentioned to Roberson over Twitter today that while I've tried to like Elric over the years, I never could get into the character. This time, it's clicking for me, perhaps because I find the premise of the Multiverse and its preservation by the balance of chaos and order far more interesting than moping about lost Kingdoms. The stakes are higher here and the reasons for the actions of the characters give me a better sense of investment.

This issue formalizes the ideas that Roberson has been working on in the past five issues, with Biagini providing cool--and sometimes creepy--visuals as we learn just how bad things are about to get. Biagini is clearly a big fan of P. Craig Russell, frequent adapter of Moorcock's work, and his linework shows that. The coloring also takes a page out of Russell's playbook.

I think you could jump on here and be fine, but if you want the first part of the story, Boom! is also releasing the first trade this Wednesday, which I hope to review soon. Anyone who likes Moorcock or stories involving alternative universes (with a touch of horror thrown into the fantasy) really needs to be reading this book.

That's what looks good to me from Boom! this week. How about you? Thanks again as always to Boom! Studios for providing review copies for me to read and talk about. If you are interested in having me read your comic, please don't hesitate to contact me at trebro@gmail.com.

Dust off the Panels: Star Trek Omnibus Volume 1

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

To Boldly Be Licensed Multiple Times!

Written by Various Writers, including Mike W. Barr, Tom DeFalco, J.M. DeMatteis, Dennis O'Neil, and Marv Wolfman
Illustrated by Various Artists, including Dave Cockrum, Gil Kane, and Klaus Janson
IDW (originally Marvel)

Space may be the final frontier, but the comics frontier is endless! Join the crew of the original series just after the first movie as Kirk, McCoy, Spock, Scotty, and the rest explore their universe with the help of whoever was around the Marvel Bullpen at the time! Read the entire run of the original stories developed for Star Trek by Marvel Comics in this omnibus by current Star Trek publisher IDW.

I'm not a huge science fiction person, but I absolutely love Star Trek. It is one of the few television series where I've actually read the licensed properties and the only one (so far) where I've wanted to keep reading them. Original series Star Trek might just qualify as my favorite television show, given how many times I've re-watched the episodes. Interestingly enough, however, this is my first time ever reading the comics. Given that some of my favorite writers (including Peter David) have worked on the comics over the years, this really surprises me. At any rate, it was high time to sample and this was just starting at me from the library shelf, asking to come home with me. (Perhaps it did a Vulcan mind meld.)

So what did I think of Trek transformed into a comic? Overall, I was happy with the results. They are definitely true to the feel of the original series, sometimes even echoing plots we saw on the television show. There's definitely a strong thematic link between the two, which I think is important when you are working on a licensed property. The same conflicts between saving people and following the Prime Directive come up, difficult choices are a matter of course, and the bonds of trust developed between the core crew members shine through here in page after page. Any one of these comics could easily be adapted to television and not lose anything in the translation. The authors generally even get the closing scenes right, ending with a wry joke or a serious commentary on the events of the issue. I'm happy to see that no attempt was made to Marvel-ize them, giving them additional hangups or problems beyond those already established. We do get some continued stories, but interestingly enough, these issues could be read in just about any order without disrupting continuity. That might be taking the television format a bit too far, actually. It would have been nice to see some layering, but perhaps I'm just too used to serial comics.

The writing changes radically from person to person, but that was also true on the original television show. Wolfman goes for horror, Barr writes a mystery (ala Batman), and DeMatteis is extremely philosophical. Tom DeFalco's story is a bit stranger than I'm used to from him, involving more complex sci fi issues than I'd expect from the writer of "ho-ha" fun. Martin Pasko writes the bulk of the series, and his are okay but show that he's not a Marvel regular. His comics read very much like comics, if that makes any sense. There's a lot of the 1970s DC tics of explaining everything in narrative boxes. He does, however, have one of the best Shaggy Dog stories I've ever read in comics, with Scotty as the protagonist of the joke. I also liked a lot of the conflict and grey morality that Pasko builds into his stories. With a bit more editing, they could have been the highlight of the book.

Where the series breaks down quite a bit, though not enough to disrupt a fan's enjoyment, is in the multiple artists. Klaus Janson wrecks the comics he's involved in, flattening the art and making some scenes almost indecipherable. He was about the worst choice to work with Cockrum. Gil Kane is usually an amazing artist, but his work here is not his best, aliens aside. Just about every artist struggled with the likenesses, with Shatner often looking like an older Peter Parker. Most of the artwork is muddied, which I think is partly due to the difficulty in reproducing comics people did not expect to be permanent. Some scenes lose their impact because it's distracting to notice just how off-model the characters are. Worst by far is the coloring, however, which has no consistency from issue to issue. The uniforms seem to change at will, with no explanation, sometimes following the movie and sometimes the old show and sometimes changing in the same issue! Honestly, the editing here on the art is quite poor, reflecting badly on Louise Simonson, Al Milgrom and Dennis O'Neil. I'm sure there's a reason, as all three are normally better than this.

While I wouldn't recommend the first Star Trek omnibus to a casual fan of the series, I think it's an excellent pick up for those of us who are still willing to sit for hours and discuss the evolution of Spock's characterization or how inconsistent Kirk is with the Prime Directive. These are good Star Trek stories, even if the art sometimes gets in the way. Any Trek fan really should track this one down, as any quality additions to the series are well worth it. The first Star Trek omnibus definitely qualifies.

Sunday Readings 12-04-11

2011-12-04T08:58:00.001-05:00

Good Morning,

As the whole world it seems starts to shop for the many December holidays, why not take a minute for some Sunday Readings?

First up, Alex Hoffman of Manga Widget offers his opinions on the idea of using the sometimes controversial Kickstarter for manga niche projects, finding himself firmly in favor of the idea. I don't see the harm in Kickstarter that others do, because all the participants know going in how much is going to be lost to taxes and overhead. I do find it a bit odd that a publisher would use it, however. I fund and support projects on there as they interest me, and I'm pretty sure I've done a few that would never have seen the light of day otherwise.

Speaking of things not seeing the light of day (or perhaps, more appropriately, the light at the end of the tunnel), Tom Bondurant of Robot Six discusses the nature of series cancellations in both the DC and Marvel Universes. Personally, I think there are too many varying factors to ever know for sure if a series is going to get cancelled. The only thing to be done is to buy it if you like it (which I hate saying because it feels like extortion) and hope others do too. With money, contracts, editorial pet projects, and other factors all included, trying to determine if a series is going to get the axe is about as easy as calculating quarterback ratings.

Johanna reports that Archaia is giving a free *hardcover* for Free Comic Book Day. That's just nuts. You're a smaller draw than DC and Marvel, you don't have an obsessive geek in like Star Wars, and comic book retailers have limited resources. I have a feeling getting that "issue" is going to be a big problem. Way to out think yourselves on this one, guys.

Speaking of marketing, Rusty Shakles updated his website. It looks pretty cool!

Gabe Ostley makes a monster out of Batman.

Erica Henderson gives the Blue and Gold some love. Literally.

Given I'm getting into my finals, I wholeheartedly endorse this comic by Liz Prince.

My friend Rafer Roberts plays with his...watercolors.

Finally, thanks to Robot Six for finding this awesome way to wrap up the Thanksgiving season, with the annual JSA Thanksgiving clean-up courtesy of Kerry Callen.

Have a great Sunday!

Hark! A Vagrant

2011-12-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Kate Beaton
Illustrated by Kate Beaton
Drawn and Quarterly

Long-time web cartoonist Kate Beaton gets the fancy hardcover treatment from Drawn and Quarterly in this collection of some of her funniest strips from the internet. Everyone from Napoleon to Nancy Drew to Batman and Wolverine get the Beaton treatment, as her love for comics, history, and literature combine to entertain--and sometimes educate the reader.

I probably don't need to say anything to my readers about who Kate Beaton is, but just in case, she is an incredibly popular creator who is receiving a huge amount of attention both from comics bloggers and the mainstream press. Starting off from a webcomic and a self-published mini-comic (which I am happy to say that we own), Beaton's rise in the comics world has been nothing short of meteoric. From the mini, Beaton moved on to a self-published book (Never Learn Anything from History) and now this hardcover from the well-known Canadian independent publisher.

In fact, Beaton's popularity is such that she wins every award she's nominated for, creates the longest lines at conventions, and is just absolutely huge. But do her comics match her fame? I'd argue yes, and this collection shows off the best of Beaton's work. If you are coming to her comics for the first time, this is going to be laugh out loud funny, over and over again. Discovering sexy Batman or her takes on Shakespeare or Canada's seeming inability to be able to be impressed by its heroes is a sight to behold. When Beaton points out the unfairness of history to women (to say nothing of the literary world), the comics are both witty and important. Just because Beaton is writing comedy doesn't mean she can't also have a point.

My only problem with this collection is that as a long-time Beaton fan, I've quite literally seen this all before. It's my main issue with collections of comics that were originally on the web: I'm happy the creator is getting paid and finding a new audience, but if you've read the RSS every day, there's nothing new here. I'm not much of a re-reader, so collections of webcomics I've already read recently don't do a lot for me. If you are of a similar nature, then this book might not be something you want to read right now.

To give you an example: I read Wondermark weekly. But the strip has been going for so long now, that the early books have strips I don't remember or did not read the first time. So when I buy and read those books, I'm entertained. The strips Beaton uses in Hark! are too fresh in my mind for me to enjoy all over again. I'm smiling at my memory of liking the strips more than the original gag. I know her later work is her best, but I did not love this book as much as I might, say, in a few more years, with time to let the memories fade.

I'm really happy for Beaton, because she's a talented female creator who makes a lot out of her creativity to make up for a lack of technical skill. We aren't going to be wowed by her period artistry when she discusses an obscure point of the French Revolution. We are laughing at her ability to make a joke from something only a handful of people might know. Even better, we are marveling at the fact that Beaton can make that joke in the first place.

Hark! A Vagrant is a great gift for a history fan who has a sense of humor and might be completely new to Beaton's comics. It's also a pretty darn good gift for anyone else. Whether you like Jane Eyre or Henry VIII, there's a joke for the history nerd in all of us. I hope there are many more collections to come for us to enjoy--once I put a little more time between me and the original postings. If you aren't a regular follower of Beaton (and why aren't you?), get this book now and enjoy!

Karakuri Odette Volume 6

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

All those disapproving
stares are for you,
Stu.

Written by Julietta Suzuki
Illustrated by Julietta Suzuki
Tokyopop

As Odette prepares for the next phase of her school life, forces threaten to take her away from everything she knows and loves! Can she escape the clutches of Dr. Owen while avoiding the love/hate relationship Odette is developing with Owen's robots? And how do Chris, Asao, and Dr. Yoshizawa fit into this picture? Growing up means all sorts of complications and they don't get much more complex than what you find in the final volume of Karakuri Odette.

I'm really sad to have reached the end of this series, but I guess I should just be thankful that I was able to reach the end, given Tokyopop's abrupt departure from the publishing world. I really liked his Suzuki was able to take the female android concept and turn it into something other than an adolescent fantasy. Odette had real emotions, real problems, and real proportions. Her emotions, while tinged with her robotic nature, felt real to me. Her striving for humanity and her place in the world, which carries on right up to this final volume, really spoke to me as a solid representation of what it's like to grow up--especially if you are different from your peers.

In this final volume, we get the resolution of the battle for Odette's body, as she dodges Dr. Owen with the help of her friends and family, even as she becomes more attached to Travis, who is the closest thing to Odette we see in the series. There is a lot of man vs machine vs emotional machine going on, and it probably stretches credibility just a bit too thin, but it's interesting to see how the various robots act in ways that fit--and yet contradict--their program. In some ways, they're more human than the humans who built them. Dr. Owen and Yoshizawa duel spar nicely about this, and the resolution is left just open-ended enough that it's ultimately up to the reader to decide the final outcome.

As with the prior volumes, Suzuki's artwork is top-notch. She's able to give each of the characters their own visual personalities and does things with the facial features of the robots that humanizes them without ever making the reader think they are anything but androids. It's subtle, but it works. There is a lot of dramatic tension built into the scenes of the climax, with characters positioned in ways that draw attention to the tension in the air better than any number of speed lines could present, although we get those, too. Suzuki's art nicely complements her plot and her dialog. She's definitely one of the better manga artists that I read.

Karakuri Odette's story doesn't end so much as its finishes. We see that she's got a lot of learning left to do, as do we all. No one will ever be entirely happy, but if you try hard and work to understand the life around you, you can have a good life. That's a message we can all learn from, I think. I loved this series, and it's one to keep. Find it as you can, and enjoy!

Incredible Change-Bots Two

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Jeffrey Brown
Illustrated by Jeffrey Brown
Top Shelf

The Incredible Change-Bots left earth to its own destructive devices--or did they? When Shooterbot returns, with no memory of his past or his evil nature, can the military leave well enough alone? Or will their manipulative schemes of world domination unleash a new reign of passive-aggressive hell on earth? If Shootertron returns, can the rest of the powerful yet emo robots be far behind? Can this paragraph stand one more question mark? Find out in...Incredible Change-Bots Two!

Jeffrey Brown returns to his loving yet skewering homage/satire of the Transformers franchise just in time to remind us that even a parody of the characters is better than the "real" portrayal of Bay's awful movies. Picking up where things left off last time, Brown gives potential new readers a brief glimpse of what has gone before and then rolls into new plotlines, meta jokes, and really withering remarks that were all hallmarks of the first book. If you were a fan of the first Incredible Change-Bots, you're definitely going to like this one.

In fact, the biggest change between the two books is Brown's artwork. While his verbal barbs and plotting remain the same (and that's a good thing), the prolific creator has worked very hard on improving his visual style. Long-time fans of Brown who've watched his career expand to licensed properties and even teaching art classes know that he's constantly working on his style. While it's still the same familiar framework of everything from Unlikely to Sulk, the proportions, depth, and skill are all significantly upgraded here. It takes an already fun idea and moves it from a cool project to something you can give a casual comics fan and not have them complain that "the art is too primitive." (I personally hate that comment, but I hear it a lot.)

Brown is never going to be mistaken for John Romita, Sr., but he's definitely moved past some of his autobiographical comic peers and into the realm of an artist that places emphasis on craft and storytelling.

The book itself has effectively three story arcs, each of which rise and fall into the next. First up is Shootertron as Clark Kent, a stroke of genius that manages to skewer both the Transformers and Superman at the same time. I love this section, and it was definitely my favorite part of the book. The second arc is Shootertron's rise while the rest of the Change-Bots stumble under Big Rig's continued arrogant ineptitude. This section features all sorts of improbable repairs and things to bring back familiar characters, which keeps the satire moving while the dialog freely riffs on ridiculousness of it all. In the third and final act, the robots go at each other in a battle royale, complete with a new set of Change-Bots (ala the many incarnations of Transformers) that set up a great one-shot joke.

By the (never) the end, we're back the status quo, like any good parody. We've had our fun, the joke has run its course (for now), and the characters are left to plot even more destructive insanity, should Brown decide to take up his ever-improving pen again with these characters. I really like how each of the two volumes of Incredible Change-Bots tell a complete story, yet leave room for more. You can tell Brown grew up on the same Marvel comics I did, where that was the rule and not the happy exception we see today.

If you have some nostalgic love in your heart for the Transformers, don't give Bay any more of your money. Give it to Jeffrey Brown instead. Despite making fun of the concept, Brown is far more loving and respectful to the material. Incredible Change-Bots Two is a worthy sequel, and should be a part of your Jeffrey Brown Library.* You can even get it digitally now, if you so choose. Make an incredible change to a digital copy!

*What, that's not something everyone has? Must just be us, then.

1,000 Posts! or, A Love of Comics Celebrated

2011-11-30T18:35:00.001-05:00

Good Grief!

Panel Patter has reached 1,000 posts, mostly by me with some help from Erica and Sarah as this year moved on. It's hard to believe I've been reviewing things for so long--or so many comics! I've done everything from the Avengers to Yotsuba&! and featured comics from major publishers, overseas, and some of my friends in the mini-comics scene, from Carolyn Belefski to Rob Ullman.

In that time, I've even progressed to having the pleasuring of working with several publishers and independent creators to see what's out there in the wider comics world. I have participated in ideas that crossed between blogs, and even hosted one. I've tried recurring features, some of which stuck around and others kinda fell flat. But that's the fun in running a comics blog for the joy of it--no one is there to get mad at you if you "fail" at something.

I'm a talker by nature. I'll talk your damned ear off. Always have, always will. Panel Patter is where I come to talk about the comics I love, the comics I think you should like, and now and again, the comics you need to stay away from. I'm very blessed to be living in an era where we can freely express our ideas about comics to anyone who cares to add you to their RSS reader. Anyone can do it, and anyone who wants to should.

I'm not in Panel Patter for the fame and fortune. I know I'll never reach thousands of people a day, but that's okay. I'm not here to try to snag a deal writing comics (and trust me, drawing them is NEVER gonna happen. I make Chris Sims look like Jack Kirby.). Getting paid might just give me a heart attack, if anyone ever offered. I write this blog because I love comics, and I want to share that love with anyone who wants to listen. I'm so happy when Sarah and Erica are up for sharing some of their love of comics here as well. I get a thrill when a creator e-mails me to say they've enjoyed a review or I see that a publisher picked up a review I did and is using it to promote a comic. It means that what I'm doing matters to someone who also loves comics.

I consider myself a comics evangelist. I want everyone to know how good comics are, whether they feature people in ridiculous spandex, read right to left, are photocopied at Staples, or feature the heartbreaking (or heartwarming) stories that are close to the hearts of the artist. No one genre of comics is better than another. There are great comics being made in all formats right now, on paper, on the web, in the hands of corporate conglomerates and at the smallest of publishers. They're on your screens, tablets and cell phones. They might be in your local paper. But they exist, and they need people like you and me to tell the world around us that there's so much to be found, if only they take the time to look.

I have no idea how many more Panel Patter posts are going to happen. Maybe it's another 1,000. Maybe it's 5,000. Who knows? (Please don't say the Shadow.) All I know is that I am incredibly blessed to be able to talk about a medium of entertainment I've loved since I could read. I may not be able to do whatever a spider can, despite the best efforts of my childhood self to get bitten by spiders. But if my younger self knew I'd be doing this, I have a feeling he'd have climbed the walls in joy.

Thanks to all of you who've shared the ride so far. Now stop reading this and go read more comics! And tell the world about them! Together, we can make the comics world a better, even more varied place!

All my best,

Rob McMonigal

Irredeemable Volume 7

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Peter Krause and Diego Barreto
Boom! Studios

The Plutonian is trapped in an intergalactic insane asylum! Kaiden is trapped with the tranformed and tortured zombie version of her old lover!
Qubit is trapped with Modeus, searching for the Plutonian!
It's Operation: Breakout for our players as certain plot threads weave together while new strands are formed and we get further confirmation that Tony is by no means the only character who is...Irredeemable.

First of all, I just want to say I love the idea of an intergalactic insane asylum. It's brilliant, allowing the writer and artist to tee off with crazy character designs, quirks, and traits. Waid and his pair of artists take full advantage, giving us everything from a Hulk-like creature with multiple personality disorder that has a physical manifestation to a "suicidal cutter with a telekinetic problem." That's a direct quote. It's exactly the sort of thing we've come to expect now in Irredeemable, where Waid takes the envelope, pushes it for a bit, then says "screw it" and throws the envelop out the window. It's great storytelling, using the fact that this world is entirely under Waid's control to do whatever he likes. It brings Irredeemable a level of unpredictability that most superhero comics can't match. After all, even when a character is radically altered (Ben Reilly, Az-Bats, Artemis as Wonder Woman, the dual Supermen, etc.), it never lasts if they're familiar or popular enough because the suits involved want them back to marketable normal.

For Mark Waid's Irredeemable universe, there is no normal. Just a playing field that shifts and alters beneath the reader's feet, making for a comic ride that is unique to creator-owned properties. (I should note here that I do not know if Waid owns these characters or if Boom! does, but right now, the series is being treated as though it were as creator-owned as Invincible or Hellboy.) I love that I never know what's going to happen, because this is a world where anything is possible.

Because of that freedom, Waid can do things like explain Tony's Superman-like powers in a way that would never fly for Clark Kent or have a homicidal robot persona express his love for the main character. He can even play with time itself, leaving a possible clue to how everything can be fixed.

Or maybe not! That's the fun of it all!

As with prior issues in the series, Waid goes to places you might not expect and shows that all of the characters in this drama are flawed, even the previously pretty clean Kaiden, who prefers the dangerous brother and ends up being part of the madness of Survivor, who is shown really off his rocker in his only scene in these four issues. Qubit is willing to kill indiscriminately to stop Tony, and his Faustian bargains appear ready to backfire on him. Meanwhile Tony has formed a new team of sorts, consisting of figures that are as ruthless and bloodthirsty as he is. He's just about hit his nadir...but I have a feeling Waid will find a way to sink him even lower, because that's what he's done in the prior six volumes. Why stop now?

The storytelling here is definitely old-school, with Waid giving new readers a brief re-introduction to the plot of Irredeemable, doing it via in-story narration rather than one of those annoying one-page plot summaries of which we've seen so many. I've gotten so used to the prose introductions that I couldn't figure out what Waid was doing at first! From there, he takes several long-standing threads and places them in a story arc that finishes some ideas and starts new ones. Some characters get only a few pages--just enough to tease future ideas. It's pitch-perfect comic storytelling from a master. Irredeemable is not only good--it's a clinic on how to tell a comic.

Waid is aided and abetted by Krause and Barreto, both of whom do a good job of illustrating the story Waid wants to tell. I still prefer Krause's work to Barreto, as his details are sharper and his characters better able to give clues to the story without dialog. However, I'm getting used to Barreto's lines and I think he is much stronger here than in the previous issues. I appreciate that the artist shift was done gradually and with two creators whose work complement each other, rather than conflict.

I think you can make an argument that Irredeemable is the best superhero comic book being published right now. It's intelligent, well-plotted, and keeps the reader on the edge of its seat. I cannot wait to keep reading more! If you haven't been reading this book, I strongly urge you to do so. This is a classic in the making, I think, and the sooner you read it, the better.

"21" The Story of Roberto Clemente

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by Wilfred Santiago
Illustrated by Wilfred Santiago
Fantagraphics

He's a legend in Pittsburgh and Puerto Rico. He's arguably the greatest Latin American baseball player to ever touch the field of play. He's hailed as a humanitarian and died in the service of his fellow man. He is Roberto Clemente, and this is his story, as written by Wilfred Santiago.

Santiago's Clemente comes from extremely humble beginnings and is haunted by the idea of death, right up until the end. He's always nervous about flights, as though something tells him they will be his undoing. He's watched oppression his entire life, but carries on regardless. This Clemente knows what others say about him, from the mild resentment of fellow players to the outright racism of those who don't like him or who root for other teams. This Clemente lives life as best he can, trusting in God and family and his abilities.

It's a very uplifting story, as Clemente rises in the baseball world to reach glory twice in the World Series and in making his 3,000th hit. Santiago spends most of the book outside the baseball field, however, which might disappoint some readers. I liked getting inside the home life of Clemente, but I admit, as a Pirate fan from a tender age, seeing less of the baseball side of Clemente's life did diminish my enjoyment of the book just a bit. I also think that Santiago is a bit unfair to the city, showing more of its problems than its triumphs and leaving Bob Prince out to dry by not explaining his verbalisms more and making the "Bob Clemente" thing more offensive than loving by leaving it out there on an island (no pun intended).

While I did enjoy this as both a fan of comics and baseball, I do wonder about its outreach. I'm not sure how many of Fantagraphics's usual readers are interested in sports, even if the figure was one of the early players to break the color barrier (and to do so in a way that far eclipsed Jackie Robinson in terms of talent and ability). On the other hand, the extremely stylized art style that uses exaggeration at every opportunity is likely to turn off anyone who likes sports but thinks that Hagar the Horrible is the height of comic storytelling. I think it's great that Fantagraphics gave this book a chance to exist for an American audience, but I'm just not sure there's a wide range of people looking for a sports biography via Scott Morse craft.

That being said, I was extremely impressed by Santiago's artistic abilities. He manages to shift the comic page in ways you'd never think of for a biography, using all sorts of layouts, from jagged panels to Family Circus ovals to standard grid formats. His characters wiggle their way through when in motion, show their feelings on faces that are slightly oversized and full of expression, and sometimes contort themselves into shapes that aren't quite natural. It's an artistic tour de force and shows that bio comics do not have to be the stolid, one step at a time narrative that we often see. The question is: Can the comics market support this sort of experimentation with a topic that's generally given to a conservative take?

I really hope so, because "21" is an excellent book that profiles the only man who entered the Hall of Fame without waiting the traditional five years and inspired an award named after him. Clemente is every bit the important figure in baseball history that Robinson was, and more people need to know his story. "21" is an excellent place to start, either for you or the baseball fan in your life.

Sunday Readings 11-27-11

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Good Morning! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Here are some Sunday Readings for your almost back to work reading pleasure...

First off, my friend Darryl has a few things to say in his continuing look at why comics are stuck in a rut. I still think that his argument has a major flaw, as it looks to newspaper/magazine comics as an entry point, which I think is just plain wrong. That time was great, but its time has past. The web and a larger, diffused audience reading what makes them happy is the future. Still, it's an interesting approach that I think is pretty unique.

Diesel Sweeties has the right idea...donuts!

Caleb of Every Day is Like Wednesday shares the Thanksgiving craft activities of the Marvel Universe.

A lot of my Twitter pals were either huge fans or made appearances during the DC Fifty-Too and Marvel What-If editions of this blog. I'm excited to see that it's joining Covered and Repaneled as a new, permanent blog!

Speaking of Repaneled, here's a great re-imagining of a scene as drawn by Jack Kirby by Jeff Potter and Wheeler Hall.

I just don't get the appeal of these heroic MMOs. Neither, apparently, does Wonderella.

Newsarama has a nice interview with Nate Cosby about the Jim Henson Storyteller comic, coming soon. I really hope this one hits digital.

J.M. DeMatteis is one of my favorite writers. Here's one person's appreciation of his long and prolific career and Dematteis' own take.

I think these scientists belong in Deep 13.

This is why *I* never get to run a restaurant.

Here's an awesome Usagi Yojimo by Ron Salas.

Ben Towle's not only a cool guy and a great conversationalist, he also points out great articles. Here's a Comics Journal piece on Steve Ditko's indie work. I should hopefully have some comments of my own soon, having finished one of his self-published collections. The short version is when his politics aren't overbearing, indie Ditko can be some of his best work.

Another one of my friends, Katie Omberg, draws Batman! (kinda)

Tradd Moore kills this Fin Fang Foom.

Graeme McMillan tries to establish the credentials of Dynamite as a comics publisher. For some reason, I just can't get into them, even after this plea. I think some of the problem is it seems like they're always working with someone else's ideas, even if the creators involved are cool. I'm just not all that interested in new Lone Ranger comics as I am in, say , Pale Horse from Boom! where a new character fights to stop John Wilkes Booth and the types of injustice the Ranger never seemed to find.

Finally, here's a reminder to always make sure your imaginary friends are cooler than you are.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

Hera The Goddess and Her Glory

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written by George O'Connor
Illustrated by George O'Connor
First Second

George O'Connor's story of the Olympians continues in this third book, which features the controversial figure Hera, wife of Zeus and frequent foil for many a Greek Myth. Read as her story unfolds in ways you might not expect, particularly her link to the demigod Heracles. It's an experiment in reputation repair as O'Connor brings us another member of the Pantheon here in...Hera!

When I heard that the third book in this excellent series from O'Connor would be Hera, I was really curious. Here is a figure that's been nothing but a figure of evil, in just about every portrayal I can think of, from the surviving original plays to the Kevin Sorbo television show to her recent appearances in Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente's excellent Hercules comics. She is always the one trying to thwart the noble male hero, making her just about everyone's stereotypical figure of the nagging wife or man-hater, depending on the situation. Hera is generally the embodiment of the you-know-what, mostly because she won't let Zeus sleep around. The nerve!

I simply had no idea how O'Connor was going to make that work in a book aimed at a younger audience.

Here's the thing with myths, though: There are plenty of them around, and not all myths tell the same stories the same way. Like accounts of a local legend at the corner bar, the tale changes depending on who's doing the telling. O'Connor took the time to look around for myths that give Hera a makeover, many of which do so just by changing a few of the details. The result is a strong, if vengeful, female figure who finds a way to make Zeus' many, many transgressions against her turn into ways to show her own power.

It's a subtle change, but one that allows O'Connor to tell the story of Heracles without making Hera look like a terrible person (and casting all women in a bad light in the process). Like his second book, covering the myths of Athena, Hera ends up as a strong figure that any girl reading this book can look up to. It also prevents young men from buying into the "nagging wife" stereotype by seeing Hera's side of the story (and also taking some of the rougher edges off her narrative.)

In some ways, this book is a retcon of Hera, especially given the superhero feel O'Connor gives this series. This is not the story of Hera we all grew up on, and for some, the change might just be a bit too much. I think at times he tries a bit too hard to place Hera in a good light, and it does make the narrative a bit more strained here than in the past books. O'Connor is more careful this time, and I think it makes for a less interesting book than Zeus and Athena.

That does not mean it's a bad book. I like that he's moving away from the negative portrayal of Hera (even if I think he went a bit too far). The link to Heracles is clever, and allows him to tell heroic, over-sized adventures in the same manner of the first two books. The little links between all of the stories we've seen so far (and the ones to come) give the Olympians series a feel of a cohesive universe, rather than as sterile historical texts. They live and breathe and interact in ways that other myth-based books for teens lack. I love the way that O'Connor creates this universe, making readers of all ages eagerly await the next installment. Like Stan and Jack and Steve did many, many years ago, O'Connor weaves us into a place that lives across books--complete with an index guide and notes to help us see all the links!

One of the best parts of the Olympians series for me is the point of the books. Not only are they meant to stand alone as cool comics, I like that the book is structured in such a way that anyone who finishes the book and wants more can move from visual texts to print ones, which is important from the perspective of an educator. A savvy librarian or parent can then move the young reader on accordingly, either with suggestions from O'Connor or their own books. (My only fear here is story whiplash because most other books are not going to be nearly so kind to Hera.)

Hera The Goddess and Her Glory is another great entry in the Olympians series. Drawn beautifully by O'Connor and filled with more details than you'd expect, it is a great book for any young reader. I cannot wait for the next entry in the series, Hades, to arrive!

First Second Books was kind enough to provide me with a copy of Hera. I apologize for the delay in getting this review together for them. If you are interested in having us review something for you here on Panel Patter, please contact me at trebro@gmail.com.

Panel Patter Goes to Super Art Fight 12 in Baltimore, Maryland

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, Erica and I had the distinct pleasure to take advantage of our proximity to the Charles Village part of Baltimore, Maryland to take in our first (but definitely not last!) viewing of a Super Art Fight.

Captain Caveman is the 1%!

I'd heard of Super Art Fight before, but hadn't really thought much about going to one of these events. I feared it might be too insular, one of those things you do as a cartoonist for other cartoonists. I was soon to discover that nothing could be further from the truth.

We almost didn't go at all, but when I heard that Adam Warrock was going to be the headline act, it sold me on the deal. If nothing else, it would be a good night of nerdcore rap. Warrock had been in Baltimore recently, but it was a weeknight, and those are a bit tricky on our work schedules. I'd been listening to his stuff for awhile now, so I was excited to get to see him in person.

For those who have never been to a Super Art Fight before, the idea is deceptively simple yet leads to all kinds of complex visual puns and other hilarity. A large canvas is draped across the stage, starting off with almost nothing on it, save some notations that it is from Super Art Fight. Then a certain number of creators are brought to the stage. These creators have twenty five minutes to duel on the canvas, trying to be the more popular cartoonist.

Adam Warrock closes the Super Art Fight

Now, if that was all there was to it, Super Art Fight would be fun. Watching two or more people quick draw for twenty five minutes with no room to go back and edit, limited space, and the pressure of a cheering (or jeering) audience is quite the challenge.

But the folks behind this event have built multiple ways to complicate matters for the wielders of the oversized Sharpies that are used to mark up the white paper.

First, each artist starts with their own topic. So far, so good. However, every five minutes, they must pull a lever and have a topic selected for them by the "wheel of death." These are not normal topics, either. You can have everything from "Occupy Sesame Street" to "Cute Animals on Fire" to "Calamari Damacy" to "Batman Arkham Horror." As if this were not bad enough, the contestants are encouraged to deface each others' art in the most hilarious ways possible, based on the new topics. As the time runs down and the canvas fills up, only those with the quickest wits can keep finding ways to add to the picture. It's easy to break when the pressure is on and your subject is "Tron Swanson."

Aww, Sad Pug is Sad

The whole thing is aided and abetted by two commentators, who doing running patter on what the artists are working on, even interacting with them, depending on who was on stage and what was going on. They arguably have the hardest role in the proceedings, because they have to keep the audience cheering and riff on the art, all without knowing exactly what is going to happen next. Their jokes and banter weren't all winners, but when you have to make commentary for over two hours, that's expected. I was impressed by just how funny they could be, especially since for the most part neither went in for lowest-common-denominator jokes, unless it was for the express purpose of getting a rise out of someone. They knew they had a smart audience, and made jokes accordingly.

A canvas, just about finished.

There were four matches on the night we attended. The opening bout had three contenders, including a crowd favorite, a former champion (and the ultimate winner), and one of Baltimore's own Charm City Roller Derby girls, who had great artistic skills but was unable to best her opponents. Next up was a tag-team event with one side featuring a ninja and a businessman and the other a Dr. Who from another dimension with a crossdressing Amy as a companion. The third bout had two very large gentlemen going at it, and while neither of them spoke, their antics were the highlight of the night for me. (I also think they turned in the best work.) The final bout was for the championship, with a dapper gentlemen going again a mock superhero who left little to the imagination. They also worked well, showing why they were up against each other for the title belt.

After the first two matches, Rare Candy came on to perform some video game music, and while I am not an expert in the field, I thought they did a great job with everything from Castlevania to Yoshi. They had a high energy that fit in well with the overall event.

It was very late by the time Adam came on, and I admit that I was not as hyped up as I might have been had he played at, say, 11PM instead of 12:30 at night. That was no problem for him, however, as Warrock practically lept unto the stage and gave his all to a crowd that was really into his music--if a bit tired. He debuted a few tracks he'd not performed live before, and showed that he's moving into areas of nerdcore that don't directly involve comic books, which I think is a good move for him. Sadly, I can't rock on to Dr. Who as much as I might have before, as I am no longer a heretic, having converted to the show in a big way a few weeks ago.

We had to leave before Adam's show was over, just out of sheer exhaustion. However, do not miss an opportunity to catch his act if you can--he's a great entertainer, and a cool person to talk to before the show.

Super Art Fight was a great time. We got to be out with people who are like us--lovers of things that are both cool and geeky at the same time. I was able to show off my one-liner chops (winning a Twitter contest in the process!) and display my penchant for hearty laughter. There were plenty of jokes, a ton of great art, and an environment that felt welcoming for old friends and new visitors alike.

Super Art Fight travels around the East Coast. If you hear about a show coming to town near you, don't hesitate...go learn just how fun competitive quick drawing can be!

Panel Patter's 2011 Manga Gift Guide

2011-11-24T15:16:00.001-05:00

Hello and welcome! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends! As I write this, my turkey is busy tempting my taste buds with smells from the downstairs kitchen!

As we transition from full bellies to shopping madness, it's time once again for the Panel Patter Manga Gift Guide, now in its third year. Started a few years ago on Twitter and now curated by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber of All About Manga, it's now just as much a part of my holiday tradition as torturing Panel Patter writer (and my long-suffering wife) Erica with the Chipmunk Song.

Here's the master link of all the 2011 Manga Gift Guides.
Here's the link for the Panel Patter Guide 2009 and Panel Patter Guide 2010.

As in past years here on the blog, I've tried to target gifts towards fans of particular things, to help people with which volume of right to left reading might be best for their friend or loved one. After all, a person who likes Time and Again (all three of you) might not care for the Victorian romance of Emma. I've also been careful not to duplicate anything from past years. This can make putting the list together tricky, but I think the exercise is worthwhile.

So, without further ado, here's my 2011 Manga Gift Guide. Happy Shopping!

For the Stephen King Fan

If you know someone who is into character-driven horror stories where the evil is positively sadistic, the plot is complex, and only a small gathering of Everymen can save the day, then you really need to get them started on 20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa. The thing is, though, while this series is excellent, it's also really, really long, to the point that I'm not even close to the most recent volume yet. Its author definitely is a comics cousin to Stephen King in that regard, making it perfect for fans of the master of modern horror. This is also good as a transitional book for those not used to manga, because while it does read right to left, the artwork shows at least some influence from western comic book artists, most notably John Romita, Jr., in my opinion. You can get 20th Century Boys from Viz, though unfortunately not in a digital format at this time.

For the Crazy Pirate Fan

If you're a fan of the Pittsburgh baseball team, I recommend alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. But if you prefer your Pirates to be roaming the seven seas instead of center field, and you enjoy your adventures to be romping, comedic events that spread across hundreds of pages, then One Piece is the book for you. This Shonen Jump title is lengthy, which might be a problem for some people, and it's not finished, yet, either. 100 volumes is a definite possibility, given that this book sells faster than jelly at a peanut butter sandwich convention. I know a lot of people that are absolutely in love with this series, however, given its plucky protagonist and cast of misfit who somehow manage to make it through, all while the main character never gives up on his dreams. I'm not a huge fan, but I've enjoyed it and seen the merits of the series. My biggest problem is just how much of the series exists. If you think the person on your swashbuckling list won't be intimidated by the weight of back issues, it's a fun book that's almost certain to be a winner. You can get One Piece from Viz, in both paper and digital editions. The digitals are cheaper, and don't take up any space!

For the Adolescent Narrative Fan

I've read a lot of back cover copy in my day, but I think an argument can be made that the late Tokyopop's decision to plaster "She's a hot robot in high school...what's the worst that can happen?" might be the worst copy of all time. While that might be appropriate for a sequel to Chobits, it's about as far from the inner workings of the excellent Karakuri Odette as possible. Written by Julietta Suzuki, I am forever grateful that those of us who read in English were able to get all six volumes before Stu Levy took his toys and went home, then keeps showing up asking for a cup of sugar (when all I'd give him is rat poison, which is effectively unfair to rats).

Odette is an extremely brilliant android, who decides she wants to experience life as a real human girl. This six volume series is the story of her growth as a person, learning who and what she is and where she fits in the world. She faces the same hopes and dreams of the real people around her, mixed with the problems of being a (nearly) unique being. It's all handled with skill, care, and excellent artwork by Suzuki. At times funny, at times heartbreakingly tragic, there's even a bit of danger to spice things up, as not everyone's intentions for Odette are honorable. This might be my favorite book on the guide this year. It's only sin is being out of print. It's definitely worth getting if you can find it.

For Fans of Stories of Hope

If you know someone for whom the glass is always half-full (or want to change the outlook of a perpetual pessimist), Twin Spica is the way to go. The story of a girl who's entirely too small to be an astronaut for a revived Japanese space program, she's linked in mysterious ways to the disaster that befell Japan years ago. Watch as she refuses to let anything stop her.

It's almost impossible to go wrong with someone from Vertical, as their limited resources lead to careful selections in what they license. I've yet to meet a book from that publisher that wasn't of high quality, even if I personally wasn't big on the story. Twin Spica is of medium length and won't be too large of an investment for your giftee. At the time of this writing, it is only available in a paper version.

For the Short Story Fan

One of the biggest issues with manga is that often the series are insanely long, which might not deter long-time comics readers (although I've oddly hear people who own damn near every issue of Batman say that) but can stop a newbie dead in their tracks. "What do you mean I have to read 30 plus books to know the story?" Leave it to Fantagraphics to solve this problem, with their (re)entry into the translated manga field with A Drunken Dream and Other Stories by shojo legend Moto Hagio. Collecting a series of well-curated works that show off both the range of the creator and the genre itself, this is one of the books I'd recommend to any non-manga fan to introduce them into the genre. These are classic tales that long-time readers will enjoy as well. There's always a place for Bleach but it's books like Hagio's that show what Japanese comics are capable of producing. This one, like all Fanagraphics offerings, is only available in paper form.

For Fans of the Familiar

I'm not trying to slag on Rumiko Takahashi here, especially since I hosted the Manga Movable Feast on the iconic manga-ka, but it's not like any new ground is being broken in her latest series, Rin-Ne. If you know a long-time manga fan who maybe fell out of the genre over time, this book, which features the adventures of a slightly clueless and fight-prone boy paired with a disbelieving girl as they go after supernatural foes and chase silly visual jokes should have them thinking fondly of the days when manga was published in America in the left to right format. It's a very comfortable book and reads rather like some of the DCnU comics: You know the ways these stories are going to play out, but it's an enjoyable ride watching characters you know (or their echoes) arrive at the final destination. Contrary to the beliefs of some, that's not necessarily a bad thing. You can read some of Rin-Ne online, but if you want complete volumes, then you need to get in book form from Viz, Takahashi's long-time American publisher.

For Fans of Action Stories with a Kick

If I were giving out awards, I think Jormundgand by Keitaro Takahashi might win for "manga Rob was most surprised to enjoy", beating out Raiders by a very narrow margin. It's the story of Koko, an arms dealer with serious personality quirks and a cast of characters who are as flawed as they are interesting, ranging from a boy who hates guns but has the accuracy of an NRA lifetime member to a lesbian commando with serious survivor's guilt to a field leader who might just be too practical for Koko's own good. Filled with intrigue, complex plots, and at time pitch-perfect black comedy, this was one of my most surprising finds of the year. While the level of violence is extreme, it's tempered by the humor and Takahashi's flat exposure of the back door deals that go on across the world every day, no matter how much we try to pretend they don't. It's a fun romp that is just savvy enough without getting preachy. Anyone who likes action movies and stories is going to dig this one, as it blends 1980s Stallone flicks with the reality of the internet age and imperfect protagonists. It's yet another Viz title on the list.

For the Soft Sci-Fi Fan

It's probably a little silly to place not just one but TWO out of print Tokyopop books on the Gift Guide this year, but it's possible you might be able to find a few stray volumes of Aqua/Aria out there, and part of the appeal of this manga is that you don't have to read it in order. It's easy enough to pick up what's going on by the main character's narration and be exposed to a world that would have made Ray Bradbury's heart sing, if he deigned to read comics. (From what I understand, despite allowing multiple comics adaptations of his work, the talented but often wrong-minded pillar of modern sci-fi does not approve of comics as a storytelling device.) In Aria/Aqua, Mars has been terraformed, but things went a bit too far and now it resembles Venice, Italy, with a long tradition of female gondoliers. These volumes follow the seasons of the year, as a transplant to Mars learns about the world around her, which is populated with sentient cats who run companies. It's a gentle ride of discovery and joy, and anyone who likes soft science fiction should find it perfect for them--if they can find it!

For the Fan of Heartwarming Ghost Stories

I read a lot of stories that feature all kinds of horror in them. Some are violent and bloody, some are creepy, and others look at the more tragic aspects of being a trapped spirit. That's the case in Natsume's Book of Friends, which features a book who's inherited a very special tome--it's got the names of trapped spirits within! The spirits aren't very happy about it, however, and plague his life, making it miserable. There's only one thing to do--give the names back. Every volume, Natsume encounters more sad figures who need his help to gain their rest, no matter how bad they've become over time. Natsume's kindness contrasts with his partner, a violent spirit trapped in the body of a good-luck cat who is just waiting for the chance to steal the book and gain its power. Natsume's Book of Friends is available in both paper and virtual forms from Viz, the primary provider of my manga reading habits these days.

For the Fan of Difficult and Complex Subjects

For publishing such a small portion of the manga available today in English, Fantagraphics makes a big splash here in my gift guide. The second entry is Wandering Son, which is an ongoing series that's just starting out here in America. The thing that makes this book compelling to those who want more than traditional conflict or romantic plots is that it involves young people who are learning about their sexuality--namely that one or more of the protagonists may in fact by transgendered. It could be played for laughs or or shame or any number of wrong-headed directions, but Shimura Takako is as respecful as I've ever seen about this sensitive subject. I read this book and thought it was excellent, but I was unable to put together a review for it because I had no idea how to give it justice. Wandering Son shows what the medium of comics can do for topics that are often left unspoken. In this case, a picture of a boy staring at a dress can actually speak a thousand words. You can get this in book form only, from Fantagraphics.

That's my gift guide for this year! I hope it helps you pick a book or two for the manga lover in your life!

Zig Zag Mish Mash

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

So weird that Minis are also Digital sometimes

Written by J. Chris Campbell
Illustrated by J. Chris Campbell
Self-Published

Are you a fan of J. Chris Campbell's comics but are tired of trying to find the various anthologies he's contributed to? Look no further than this collection of shorts from the distinctive illustrator, complete with an introduction that asks...why are you reading the introduction? There's a little bit of everything here in a big old...Zig Zag Mish Mash!

I'm not sure exactly where I first saw Campbell's work, but I'm sure it was in an anthology somewhere. His work is extremely easy to spot, due to its similarity to the 1950s art deco illustration style. Campbell also has a twisted sense of humor and eye for parody, which bears out in many of the works contained here.

In this collection, we get two stories of Orson and Greg, who are apparently evil and trying to take over the world--in as inept a manner as possible. Their misadventures are witty and use science fiction scientist tropes to good effect. Superheroics get the treatment in two adventures of Apple Dumpler, a Batman-like protagonist who apes Adam West and foils evil--sometimes without even trying. There's also a short Michael Jackson tribute, some robot fighting action, and a terrible, terrible set of puns in the final story.

These are exactly the type of stories I enjoy reading in an anthology: short, well-paced and plotted, with distinct beginnings and endings. They're clever and stand on their own, even apart from their brethren from the other creators. It's the kind of work that makes me want to seek out that particular creator, which I think is an important part of any anthology.

Part of what makes these stories work is Campbell's art style. Fitted together like storyboards from an animated sequence, they almost would work in a flip-book format, if repeated just a bit more than we see here. A lot of the movement happens between the panels, with action implied rather than seen. It's an efficient storytelling trick, but it might not appeal to some readers. I thought it worked perfectly here, given the brief nature of the tales in question.

Normally, I'd mention that you have to go to a show to find this mini. But we're in the 21st Century, and so is J. Scott Campbell. You can get a copy of Zig Zag Mish Mash at Comixology for only 99 cents! If you're looking to try something new, quirky, and fun, give this comic a try. You just might find a new favorite, and if you don't, you're only out 99 cents! Try doing that a comics show...

Dust off the Panels: All Flee!

2011-11-19T10:54:00.001-05:00

Written by Gavin Burrows
Illustrated by Simon Gane
Top Shelf

Monsters have to go to school, too, taught by the masters of the destruction genre. But has this new generation gone too far? Follow the adventures of a disgruntled old city-smasher as he works in a world that's no longer his. Can anything sooth the savage beast? Also, beware the musical stylings and rampage of The Dorks! Plus: Actual not-real ads! It's all here in...All Flee!

This is a fun little book that knows when to end a joke before it becomes tiresome. None of the stories last more than they should, and each one is filled with plenty of sight gags, verbal conflict, and just enough plot to stay interesting for the reader. There are little touches everywhere, from mini-Godzillas with nose rings and oversized guns to the casual destruction of cities as the monsters move through their daily lives. There are shout outs to movies and other cultural references. In the Dorks story, we get a vision of the world where unhipness takes over, rather than the punk invasion of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

These set pieces are deftly drawn by Simon Gane, whose work reminds me favorably of Jim Mahfood. There's an emphasis on the joke, rather than on technical drawing skills, and everything is angular in a way that's just about physically impossible. Characters flow all over the page in almost anarchy, but they manage to get the point across in a way that works better than those with superior drawing skills. Not a single inch of panel space is wasted, with action in every nook and cranny, making for some cool visual gags if you take the time to look.

All Flee! is a comedy with a bit of social satire, using big old monsters and social rejects to tweak the nose of the world we live in today. If you like reading satire, you'll enjoy this mini a lot. If you're a fan of Japanese horror monsters, so much the better. All Flee! is a hidden gem in the Top Shelf catalog, and I'd love to see it as part of the digital line. It definitely deserves a new set of eyes. Keep your eyes peeled for it, and enjoy!

Nola

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Story by Chris Gorak
Written by Pierluigi Cothran
Illustrated by Damian Couceiro
Boom! Studios

Nola was a happy, pretty young woman in the prime of her life, living large with the son of a rich man in the New Orleans area. She had everything she thought she wanted, until a night of drunken debauchery turns her into a liability. With Hurricane Katrina creating a convenient pretext, Nola is left to die for the sins of a privileged man. Now she's back, however, and looking to pay back those who wronged her--and maybe learn some truths to other deep, personal secrets as well. But revenge is a bitter dish indeed, and the truth can be even more sour, as we learn by following the story of...Nola.

If Dark Rain was the independent film that wins an award at Sundance, Nola is the action blockbuster revenge flick directed by Quinton Tarantino. They both have a similar backdrop, but the approach could not be more different. That doesn't make Nola a bad book--I enjoyed it quite a bit--but while it tries to show the hypocrisy and injustice that pervaded New Orleans at the time of the disaster, the plot is just too filled with explosions and shootings and typical action movie dialog to accomplish its task of a social message.

Part of the problem is that while Nola, like the protagonists of Dark Rain, are small-time people who made mistakes, Nola's seems far less forgivable. It's wrong that she is forced into a car with a drunk driver and left for dead multiple times, but she was living the high life before this all happened and saw no harm in Chevis' use of his power--until she is the victim of it. Once she's taken out of the circle of control, Nola is a victim like many of the lower and middle class residents of New Orleans, and she rises up as "the mummy woman" to avenge the wrongdoings, but even as the web of lies gets thicker, I had a hard time feeling like I wanted to be on her side. In a story like this, where the protagonist is killing off more people than a Robert Kirkman comic, I think it's important to be able to like the shooter. I just wasn't able to bring myself to do so.

That doesn't mean I did not like Nola the story. I just didn't feel much for Nola the character. I think that Gorak's plot holds up really well. There's an epic fall and rebirth for Nola, and the ending is bittersweet, as she finds that no matter what she does or who she kills, her life will never be the same again (a good metaphor for New Orleans, a city that's probably doomed to another Katrina some day). The mystery surrounding her burial alive merges seamlessly into a deeper issue with close ties to Nola. Cothran uses a wise older man as a foil for Nola's passion for revenge, and a lot of the dialog flows naturally, if a bit familiar at times. Each character does have a unique voice, which definitely helps the book along.

Couciero's artwork here is stronger than on the Barack Obama comic, with emotions more clearly expressed and panel stagings given more drama and impact. I like his eyes, which are very expressive. Nola is probably presented too attractively after her accident, but that's not unusual for comics or movies. I do think he could have done a better job painting a picture of post-Katrina New Orleans, especially since it's clear he's not afraid of photo-referencing a book. I was not a big fan of the muddled colors, which seems to be shorthand for noir these days. It's not, guys, please cut it out.

If you're looking for a deep story, Nola isn't going to work for you. But if you want a fast-paced action story that does a great job with the revenge plot, you'll enjoy Nola a lot. Just don't plan on giving it an Oscar or an Eisner anytime soon.

Show Report: Philly Zine Fest 2011 Was Awesome!

2011-11-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, November 13, Rob and I went to the Philly Zine Fest, only a short trip from our home in Baltimore. I was excited to go (even if I had trouble getting out of bed that morning), especially after the carnival of disappointment that was the Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo. I was hopeful that at least Philly would be a good time. I couldn't go through 2011 without attending at least one satisfactory zine fest! And PZF delivered.

Entering the Philly Zine Fest.

I was there with my distro, Black Light Diner, and my zine Breakfast at Twilight. Due to some cancellations (several of the distros and projects I mentioned in my preview post didn't make it, for whatever reason), there were free tables, so instead of setting up my collapsible table like I usually do I used one of PZF's tables near the entrance. All of the available tables filled up, although the space near the entrance was a bit more roomy than usual.

Strangely, there weren't any large distros in attendance other than Philly's own Wooden Shoe Books. While this was good, because it meant more diversity of creators, it also meant that some zines I intended on purchasing or trading for weren't around (but then, most distros still do have mailorder!). As far as mid-sized distros go, in addition to myself there was also Taylor from Parcell Press and Amy from twelveohtwo (no site, table only). I picked up several new issues of longtime favorites from the latter.

Most of the day was spent at my table, and unlike last year's Richmond Zine Fest (in which almost nobody came to my table for the first three hours, then bam!), it was hopping all day long. While I did get a few people who stood there and read a whole zine without paying (seriously, don't do this), in general everyone I met was super nice and some had even heard of my zine and were excited to meet me, which was really strange.

I wish zine fests (and Occupy events, and restaurants, and, well, everything... conversation is a much better soundtrack to our lives) wouldn't play music, but the New Wave tunes weren't overly distracting or loud. I didn't attend any of the panels because I wanted to stick by my table, but they seemed interesting enough, one of them being a movie I could hear bits and pieces of from my place on the ground.

Big crowd!

So, if you live on the East Coast or are passing through Philadelphia, definitely take the lead of the hordes of people in the above picture and come to the Philly Zine Fest! It's by far the most highly-attended zine/comix event I go to (excluding SPX), and takes place in a great space and there's a really nice mix of zines and comics without a lot of non-zine craft items (something I know larger zine fests have had problems with).

The things we got, whether with cash or with trades:
Deafula #2 and Give Me Hope or Give Me Death by thecityonfire
Into the Grid by Heather
Everyday Pants #1; So, This Is What It's Come To...; and From Everyone Who Loves Where They Are, to Everyone who Doesn't Feel at Home by Ramsey Beyer (and others, for the second title)
You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania #5 by Sari
Word on the Street: DC Sidewalks 2008-2011 by W.O.T.S.
Chalaza and It Works Because It's Dirty by jacklegsoapbox (very mini-comics)
Truckface #14 by Luran Barry
Ghost Pine #12 by Jeff Miller
OCD Throws Bows by Dirk Keaton
Shooting Wall by Jonathan Seidman and others
Matt Committed Suicide by Various
Young Woman by Shira Mario
Chasm #1 and #1 by Slugma Publishing
Hello Operator by Aaron Delarosa
Dumb Jersey White Boy #4 by Mark McMurray
There Is No Magnificent Creature/Your Secretary #4 (split zine) by Tricia Nowacki/Jami Sailor
Nonetheless/Nevertheless #1 by Aaron Weber
Karma Shmarma #1 by Mark Griffin
Burn Collector #15 by Al Burian

It's a pretty exhaustive list, and Rob and I are looking forward to reading through it.

Lastly, this one is for you, the comment section: I would really like to visit some different zine/comix fests next year. So far, the only ones I've attended (as a tabler) are PZF, the Richmond Zine Fest, and PIX. What are your favorites? East Coast preferably, and with tabling fees that aren't outrageous to me as a small distro/creator (so SPX, awesome as it is, is out). Thanks much!

Digging into Digital: Top Shelf Goes to the Top of the Digital Indie List

2011-11-14T18:11:00.001-05:00

While it's not news that Top Shelf, one of the larger names in the indie comics world, has gone digital, it was notable today that beyond their initial smattering of titles, the publisher has opted to get into the digital comics world in a big way, announcing today the launch of a much larger selection of titles over a much larger range of digital platforms. Instead of merely being on iVerse and Comixology, the long-time backer of comics from everyone from Jeffrey Brown to Alan Moore is now on Graphicly, the Barnes and Noble nook color, iBooks, and Google Books, providing a wide range of choices for their readers.

The launch comes with the creation of two new apps for the iPad, devoted to Top Shelf's adults and kids comics, respectively. Both new apps were developed by Comixology, who did the work on the redesigned Image website earlier this year. The apps look and feel quite similar to the other comic or publisher-specific apps on the iPad.

Top Shelf states in their release that they are the first indie or alternative comics publisher to "offer such a substantial catalog of digital graphic novels" but I think they've forgotten NBM, who is also on Comixology. Top Shelf has 15 titles listed on Comixology to NBM's 14. I would classify NBM as an indie comics publisher based on what I've read from them. Still, this is light years ahead of, say, Oni, Fantagraphics, or Drawn and Quarterly, who either have very few or no digital offerings. In addition, Slave Labor Graphics has 28 offerings in their Comixology selection, although not all of them are full graphic novels.

Regardless of how you slice it, I'm happy to see that not only is Top Shelf moving forward into the digital comics future (I would love to see them offer download codes at shows, maybe with a space for an autograph or quick sketch!) and doing it in a way that is multi-platform and offers different cloud options for those who have a preference. Obviously, we are not at the point of a PDF download (such as what Slave Labor offers on their website), but I like that Top Shelf did not lock themselves in to Apple or Windows or Android or Kindle or nook; you as the consumer are given the choice!

Perhaps the coolest thing Top Shelf did was add a "Buy Digital" link that opens to the different formats. One click from the website, and boom, you're ready to buy online. That was a great idea. Anything to make the purchasing process easier for the consumer is a good thing.

As part of this announcement, Top Shelf has the following titles on sale for "the rest of the week." If you are interested, I suggest you buy sooner rather than later:

Special launch week SALE PRICES - Top Shelf keystone books! Get all 5 for $9.95!
$1.99 for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: 1910 by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
$1.99 for Owly (Book 1) by Andy Runton
$0.99 for Johnny Boo (Book 1) by James Kochalka
$1.99 for Clumsy by Jeffrey Brown
$2.99 for The Surrogates by Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele
These prices apply in every digital store - try whichever you like!

I wish Top Shelf all the luck with this initiative, which definitely makes my life better, because I prefer digital for most comics these days. If I did not own a majority of their current digital titles, I would be participating more heavily in the sale. I can definitely recommend Clumsy, Johnny Boo, and the Surrogates, and Sarah is a big fan of Owly. I also hope that this makes the other major indie publishers stand up and take notice--it's time to get on board with digital. Top Shelf gets that, and I hope customers show their support.