It's time for the Graphic Novel Round Up. Been reading a lot of other things, like "fiction" and "non-fiction", but I enjoy reuniting with a constant companion.
Enjoy meta-commentary + literary satire? Then The Unwritten is for you.
The Unwritten follows Tom Taylor, the orphaned only son of a famous children's author. It is presumed that Tommy was the basis for his father Harry Potter-like children's classic. Having failed miserably in the real world, Tommy now lives off his father's legacy at depressing fanboy conventions. Then his parentage is questioned, and Tommy is threatened by a manifestation of his literary archenemisis. This story is wonderfully meta as the writers and artists explore literary culture while also skewering it. Unfortunately it was Issue #5 of the first trade where the action took over the story. It's too bad that the author's step away from what made this story unique and turned to slasher/horror plot conventions.
Want to know what it would be like if Super-man snapped? Then Irredeemable is for you.
I've discussed Irredeemable before, but I did pick up the second trade of this wonderfully evil series. Comic writer Mark Waid goes dark and twisty as he explores what would happen if a super-man like character decides to become the bad guy. After killing 2 billion people he goes after his fellow superhero teammates, who are desperately scrambling to figure out what went wrong. This series is so wonderfully well-written and horrifyingly evil. Waid doesn't hold back, but rather than say Warren Ellis, we can see the psychology behind the Plutonium's change. He doesn't just try to shock you. Continuing in vol. 2 Waid continues to explore the metamorphosis that led a man to become what he abhored.
Like time travel, Back to the Future, 17 Again-like realizations about your teenage years? Then Too Cool To Be Forgotten is for you.
This stories premise is in no way original. In fact we've seen it multiple times ever since the idea of time travel was born. If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently? Everything? Nothing? And is the past only nostalgic in retrospect? Robinson asks all these questions as Andy Wicks, a middle-aged family man, goes to a hypnosis clinic to break a 25-year smoking habit. He ends up traveling back 25 years, inhabiting his high school body but maintaining 25 years of experience. Gradually throughout his journey in the past he at first focuses on the superficial (asking out his highschool dream girl) but ends up finding an emotional regret that he had buried deep. Robinson does an amazing job of mixing humor with real emotional weight. His cartoon-like style belies a mastery of graphic storytelling. He uses intricate lettering and paneling design to visually cue the reader into what the characters are feeling emotionally. It is just as striking when he abandons the panel altogether, creating a visually arresting story.
Have a Great weekend! Book Slave.
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