Vikings and Essex County

Hey folks,
How are you? It's been a very family oriented week as we kick off the holidays. Gentle readers I'm throwing out a small plea: Don't trample people in the name of cheap buys. Instead head down to your local bookstore and buy some books this year. Reading is good. Books can last a lifetime. Can you say the same thing about a $100 HDTV? Not necessarily. I'm just saying. Anyway Onward!

Reviews
Northlanders Vol. 1
This book is awesome. I never thought that writer Brian Wood, known for DMZ and Local, would do a series about Vikings. So I hesitated taking this series on but now I wish I'd been reading it since the beginning. This series begins with Sven returning to his kingdom which he's been exiled from to take on his evil Uncle. This isn't a new premise, but Wood throws us a curve. Sven actually accepts the idea that he has to earn the right to rule. Sven is obviously meant to be on a "heroes journey" but with a medieval brutality. This series is incredibly violent and the art reflects that. Artist Davide Gianfelice lends an original look and page layout to this series. The coloring and violence is very in-your-face. That exactly reflects the subject matter and tone that Wood writes in. These vikings are brutal and visceral. I can't wait for the next volume.

Other Reviews
i love rob liefeld|Comics Should Be Good|Pop Syndicate

Essex County 2 & 3
After reading Vol. 1 I had to check out the rest of the trilogy. Writer/Artist Jeff Lemire finished up the last of the series this fall so I read vol. 2 & 3 back to back. These books feature interlocking characters in the fictional world of Essex County, Canada. Each book features stories full of loss and regret. I have this to say: If these books don't effect you then you don't have a soul. Lemire creates an amazing group of realistic human characters who will break your heart. In my opinion the best book of the trilogy is Volume 2 subtitled Ghost Stories. It begins with 2 brothers, Lou and Vincent who end up playing hockey in Toronto. Lou, the older brother, loves Toronto and playing hockey, whereas his brother Vincent is intent on going back to the family farm. Is Lou selfish for wanting his independence? Perhaps, but it's realistic and creates a wedge between the brothers that lasts 30 years. This story is juxtaposed with Lou's present story where he is isolated and lost. He has gone deaf but his mind is still just as sharp. Lemire blurs the past and the present storyline in such a way that the reader can become as unsure as Lou is. These books should not be missed. They are masterpieces of the original graphic novel genre.

Past Review
Essex County 1


The Reading List
Magazines
Newsweek

Comics
Trinity #26

Books
In Our Time
Loser's Guide to Life and Love

Check Out Count: Heavy Loaded.

Comic Pull List:Batman #682, Criminal 2 #7, New Avengers #47, Secret Invasion #8, Trinity #27

Have a great week! Book Slave.