Old Comics: Incredible Hulk #316

Hey,
In an attempt to get rid of what's been lying around for far to long, I'm finally getting around to reading some of these old quarter-bin books that I've picked up here and there. So this week I picked up the delightful Incredible Hulk #316. Now I've never really been a Hulk fan but I thought that for a quarter it's worth checking out. I mean look at that cover!


So here's Five Things I Found Delightful About This Old Comic:
1. Opens With A Wonderful Dutch Angle Full Page With She Hulk. John Byrne does a wonderful job bringing us into this issue with a fun off-kilter beginning.
2. That John Byrne Really was great back in 1986. Mind you this was before his legendary "Man of Steel" re-imagining of Superman. Now I must read that series if it's better than this. This was fun.
3. Tony Stark's Wonderful Arrogance. Of course he can take on the Hulk alone. He tells other superheroes to hang back and then gets pummeled. It's great.
4. Namor saves the Day! Then gets his Ass kicked by Doc Samson. Yeah Namor and Doc Samson are also in this book! Also Hercules, Wonder Man and Betty Ross. This book is full of characters all in one issue!
5. First and Last Hulk Conference page. Rather than a letters page there is a delightful little one page which is a mixture of photo and comic. This one-pager stars a 1986 versions of Byrne, Denny O'Neil, Jim Shooter, and the Hulk with word balloons and sound effects. Delightful!

What a great surprise. Sometimes you get lucky. Have a great week. Book Slave.

I Don't LIKE Vampires, But I Liked This: American Vampire vol. 1

Hey,
Here's some thoughts on a book that I finally finished.

I Don't LIKE Vampires, But I Liked This: American Vampire vol. 1

Ever since it started coming out last year I've heard good things. American Vampire was not on my personal must-read list when I first saw it solicited. I had never heard of Scott Snyder. And just the idea of another vampire series made my throat fill with bile. The rise of the "sensitive" vampire has been a tough pill to swallow for me as a reader. This is not the kind of vampire that I want to read. While I will concede that vampires can be sexual, they should not be romanticized. Vampires are vicious violent parasites who prey on the vulnerabilities of those who are weaker than they are. This is the original template designed by Bram Stoker in the 19th century. There was no romance, or existential angst involved.

So whose to blame for this shift? It's the commercial economic power of the teenage girl. Teenage girls will buy into anything that plays on their own romantic notions. Having been a teenage girl myself, I can verify this as true. Shrewdly this vulnerability has been cultivated into a commercially viable source of income for a dying publishing industry. I don't blame them at all for getting what they can out of it. However this is not the kind of "vampire" that I am interested in reading about. Maybe it's my age, some jaded cynicism, what have you.

So when it came to American Vampire, I cast it aside. But then I started to hear that this series was good. It was cool. And it was different. Well I picked up the hardcover when I got the chance and found out that this series fulfills the hype. It delivers on the kind of vampire template that I want to read. How delightful! And surprising!

American Vampire is an original series that is set in LA in 1925. The main protagonist is a hard working girl named Pearl, who can barely make ends meet. She ends up trapped by a horrible group of European vampires, which leads to battle between "old school" vs. "new school." Pearl ends up being helped by a charming, slick, white trash vampire named Skinner Sweet. Sweet is the subject of an enjoyable backup story which is written by Stephen King.

I was delighted by the mix of terror and western that Snyder and King bring to the vampire genre. It feels fresh and new and unique. The western genre naturally lends itself to a harsh realism that fits my preference of the violent vampire. These writers have created a darwinist world with the violence to back it up. Praise is also due to brazilian artist Rafael Albuquerque with his bright reds, and monstrous depiction of these frightening supernatural beings. Vampires in this world are not "beautiful" and they don't sparkle. Thank God.

American Vampire is well worth checking out. I urge those who may have been turned off at first to check this book out.

Things I've Learned...Comics Edition

Hey folks,
So I finally had some time to sit back and get thru that comic stack that’s been mocking me. Comics yeah. My old friends.

Here’s some conclusions I came to.

5 Things I Learned from Comics this Week

1. Captain America is awesome again. I was very close to dropping the book after the last storyline. Brubaker brought me back with #606, which was the beginning of this new storyline with Baron Zemo. I love how this story delves into the complex psychology of Bucky Barnes. He's been through some stuff being the Winter Soldier and all. With Steve Rogers, the original Cap, back from the dead, Bucky really has to convince us that he has the mental stability to hold the Captain America mantle. Can't wait to see what's next. Still don’t care about the Nomad backup though.

2. Sadly I’m gonna pass on Birds of Prey. I want to love it, but I don’t. Maybe I’ll come back to it in trade.

3. Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark was awesome! C’mon They Get Mixed Up! I’ve loved Ottley’s art on Invincible and he’s a local so I picked it up just for fun. It was remarkably gruesome but hilarious. Ifanboy was right.

4. Fantastic Four is the best Marvel comic right now. It’s wonderfully consistent, smart, and dynamic, without relying on flash. Hickman has made me love a book that I never thought I would even read.FF is worthy of everyone’s attention.

5. The ending of Walking Dead #75 is wonderfully amazing. Kirkman is a magical SOB. You trade-waiters are missing out.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Time Travel & Booster Gold.

Hey folks,
A short return to a series I love. I love it so much I've talked about it here and here. Have I mentioned I also love time travel? Oh I do. I do.

Booster Gold Effs Up Everything, Again: Booster Gold Day of Death

I first met Booster Gold in the pages of 52. If you have not read that excellent series then I urge you to do so, especially if you are a DC fan. In 52 Booster emerged as the first character who tried to fill the superhero void when Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman decided to take a break after Infinite Crisis. However it turns out that Booster's major character flaw is that he will do anything for fame and fortune. He is a bit of a douchebag, but he does in the end want to do the right thing. It's just that occasionally he strays. Since the end of 52 Booster's been working with Rip Hunter in his own title Booster Gold. I've loved reading this series in trade paperback, so the moment I saw a copy available I had to snatch it up.

And it didn't disappoint. Time travel is a difficult gambit. It often becomes of question of whether you believe that one can change the future by manipulating a significant event or if you follow a philosophy that some events are just always going to happen. It's complicated. It can hurt your head if you think about it too hard. Booster Gold follows the idea that somethings are just "supposed" to happen, it's been deemed "solidified time." This is illustrated in Booster Gold #5 where Booster cannot stop Barbara Gordon from being shot. He desperately tries again and again but tragically it's just meant to happen.

This precedent regarding the rules of time travel, which was established by Geoff Johns, is key to the story arc in Day of Death. In this arc Booster is sent by Rip Hunter to get some info from the Bat Cave since Bruce Wayne has disappeared. But being Booster Gold, well he screws things up. This is not a spoiler-with Booster it's pretty inevitable. Thank God for Rip Hunter. Of course it is the pairing of these two men that makes this series wonderful. They are polar opposites in a "Odd Couple"-kind've way. It's very entertaining as written by Jurgens in this arc.

Back to time travel, writer Jurgens continues to use these issues to show us DC readers what parts of comic continuity are important. The DC universe needs Dick Grayson and the Teen Titans; Dick Grayson is supposed to become Batman and help Damian; these events are "solidified time." Without this series of events then the DC Universe will be in a bad place. Rip and Booster have to put things right. Will they? C'mon this is a comic book. While the ending was slightly predictable I still enjoyed this series because it doesn't wrap itself in convolution. It's still pretty simple to understand. Even for Booster.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

For the Love of Bendis.

Hey,
Enjoy the continuation of my love affair with the work of Bendis.

For the Love of Bendis: Alias
Jessica Jones is my version of a great comics character. She is tough, cynical, and humanly flawed. On the other hand she occasionally uses her super powers and knows a few costumed folks. She is the star of Brian Michael Bendis's series Alias which ran for 28 issues. Far too short a run in my opinion. Last June I fell in love with this series after reading the first 9 issues, and now I've finished the Omnibus which contains the rest of the series.

I am kicking myself that it took me this long. This series is post-modern, humanistic, and incredible. Bendis allows Jones to occasionally go off the deep end like anyone would in her circumstance. She drinks too much, sleeps around, and gets into fights. But at the core of her character Bendis can illustrate that she is a good person seeking redemption. The girl just has some issues is all.

This series showcases everything that I love about Bendis's work. He is a master of dialogue. Jones is a detective and has to listen to her client's stories, pick out the clues, and separate the truth from the lies. Bendis, aided by dynamic layout from artist Gaydos, illustrates this in scenes which cinematically juxtapose the speaker and Jessica. We see Jessica listening in panels placed above as the client/suspect/witness is speaking. It's a great effect that showcases Bendis's talent for character's voices. Like his other series Powers, Bendis loves to write vernacular dialogue. He's not afraid to have superhero characters speak like everyone else.

In comics there tends to be a need to portray characters as larger-than-life and squeeky clean. Marvel is known for portraying more humanistic characters, but even they have characters like Captain America and Matt Murdock. Cap, Matt Murdock, and even Cyclops are often really dull because they are so straight and narrow. Now don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for that, but I'm much more interested in Bendis's characterizations. Now while Cap and Murdock do make cameos in Alias they are much more real when in scenes with Jones. Bendis also excels in scenes between Jones and her off-again-on-again lover Luke Cage. You can feel the sparks fly between them on the comic page. Poor Scott Lang-the guy didn't have a chance really.

If you get the chance you need to read this book in hardcover omnibus because it showcases the beauty of Michael Gaydos's art. It is amazing and dynamic. I really love his use of panel design which is wildly cinematic. Oftentimes he'll cut conversations just like a film with a combination of close-ups and reaction shots. He's also willing to change it up, especially in the multi-media collage of Rebecca's journal. Now granted sometimes I did get lost and read the panels wrong. In this book that's just a give-in because Gaydos is intent on showcasing an independent spirit. Also I want to shout out Mark Bagley's art in the flashbacks. It was perfect to show Jones's origin in a traditional style considering she's being ret-conned into Marvel continuity.

(BTW I'm not really a continuity nerd, so I loved the idea that she went to school with Peter Parker. It's hilarious that Bendis links her to the very beginning of the Marvel Universe. Her crush on Peter Parker is cute.)

By finally giving the readers Jones's back story with The Purple Man, Bendis shows Johns-like mastery of revitalizing C-grade characters. In Bendis's hands a ridiculous character becomes a nightmare man. Considering how messed up Jessica is, it had to be something psychological. In the past the Purple Man has often been portrayed as foolish. Here he's a dangerous awful man. I understand that Purple Man is also used in Bendis's Daredevil run. If his characterization in this series is any indication, then I've got to read that. Like Now.

It's a crime that Alias ends so soon. Although I love how it ends, I would trade anything to bring it back.

Amazing! Thrilling Exploits! Glorious Nostalgia!

Retro Fun: The Rocketeer
At the end of the year I heard all this praise for a new hardcover collection of the series The Rocketeer. Apparently it had some amazing coloring work and was just a fun retro read. So when I saw it come through at the library I snatched it up.

My only knowledge of this character was from the movie that came out in 1991. I saw it in theaters during that summer, and remember liking it. I've revisited it a few times over the years since and I still think it's highly enjoyable. The film stars a young Billy Campbell, Alan Arkin, and Jennifer Connelly. Timothy Dalton does a fine job playing an Errol Flynn type actor, although at the time that I saw it originally I only knew him as James Bond. It's just goofy retro fun, and as long as you don't take any of it seriously, then sit back and enjoy.

However because of my limited knowledge I just thought that the Rocketeer was one of those old radio characters like The Shadow. Reading The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures I discovered that this character was created in 1982 by Dave Stevens. The comic series first ran in 1988 but then only sporadic since then. Stevens died in 2009 after a battle with leukemia.

Stevens meant Rocketeer to be a homage to the past pre-war heroes like Doc Savage and The Shadow. His art style is a complete reflection of that. I loved the painterly style and rejection of realism. There is a definite intent to use the art deco edges on the covers, but inside the pages all the characters have a glossy rounded sheen. Cliff is a scrappy guy, not your usual superman type hero. He is often his own worse enemy. I think that Cliff is caught up in that whole 30s-era pilot persona. He's cocky, romantic, and not afraid to throw a punch. Headstrong to a fault, he's just crazy enough to strap a rocket to his back.

(Side Note: Cliff Secord looks exactly like Yorick Brown of Y the Last Man. Of course without the monkey and gendercide. It was a little distracting and strange considering the series were released almost 20 years apart. Go ahead compare them, it's eerie.)

Secord's girlfriend Betty is a straight-up pinup. Obviously Stevens meant her to be Betty Page, whom he was friends with. It was nice to see a woman who was voluptuous but also loyal to her man. It doesn't feel exploitative because Stevens imbues her character with a genuineness. She is caught between love and money. I loved the panel where having been rejected by Cliff, she tells his New York buddy "You said you had a job for him...Make him take it!" It shows that she does care for Cliff, but also understands that he's self-destructive sometimes. Stevens really creates a sense of the old-time 30s romance between them.

In the end this was a wonderful surprise that I suggest to comic readers who like fun. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Nobody's Perfect. Even superheroes.

Hey,
Here's a short review, old school style.

Nobody's Perfect: Infinite Crisis

Infinite Crisis (IC) is a sequel to the legendary Crisis on Infinite Earths (CIE) from 1985. CIE was DC's attempt to clear up it's already convoluted continuity. Trust me there's been plenty of discussion on that event as it is. But the most important thing to remember about CIE is that it wiped out DC's multiverse, trimming down the universe to just Earth-1. Then in IC Batman, Superman and Wonderwoman are at odds with each other. These pillars of the DC Universe have each made choices that are ethically sketchy. It is because of the judgment that is laid down in IC by Alexander Luthor, Superboy Prime, and Kal-L, that these three take a year off.

I have been incredibly intimidated to read anything with Crisis in it's title. Final Crisis had been a very difficult read, and I was worried that Infinite Crisis would be the same. I was very wrong. I have a new motto: In Geoff Johns We Trust. He has the incredible ability of making Silver-Age retro concepts and making them accessible. Here he takes central characters from the original CIE and makes them understandable, even though I haven't read CIE. Superboy Prime is a great villian. He reminds me of every whiny teenager that I deal with on a daily basis. Unfortunately Superboy Prime could punch my head off.

Johns is great at taking superhero characters and giving them human vulnerabilities. I really enjoyed how he resolved the inner conflict of Batman's paranoia. Of course he would isolate himself and not trust anyone. Batman doesn't want to be vulnerable ever and the OMAC crises is the result. Wonder Woman has become a killer, and Superman has to fight his counterpart Kal-L from Earth 2. It's great to see these pillars of the DC Universe given the chance to fight for their existence while realizing that it's okay to be imperfect.

Of course this series requires a much more in-depth analysis but I don't feel like I have enough experience to do it justice. So here's some links where you can find more on Infinite Crisis:
Infinite Crisis
Annotated Infinite Crises
Newsarama
And I really suggest listening to the 7 episodes of coverage by Comic Geek Speak.
And I talk more about Infinite Crisis over at my new blog here that is focusing on the series 52. Have a great week! Book Slave.

Mark Millar, You Crazy: Superman Red Son

Hey,
Time for something crazy. It's Millar time baby!

Elseworlds: Re-envisioning Superman
Last weekend I finally read Mark Millar's mini-series Superman: Red Son. I've been waiting for it to get reprinted in a nice new format, so I was excited to get my grubby hands on the new hardcover Deluxe Edition. In typical Millar fashion he takes an icon and turns it on it's head in a shocking fashion. Superman: Red Son is an Elseworlds tale where Superman is born in the Ukraine, rather than Smallville. He grows up as a devout member of the communist party, is co-opted by Stalin, and becomes a totalitarian dictator.

In this alternate world we also get glimpses of Lois, Lex, and Jimmy. Millar has a great time playing around with characterizations. He does an amazing job in just 3 issues of hitting every part of the Superman mythology. The characterization I enjoyed the most was "Lex Luthor, obsessive mad scientist." It was fun to see Lex portrayed as a "Reed Richard"-type with Brainiac at his side. They even managed to get in Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. And it all works together seamlessly. Millar understands the Superman mythos, and he loves the characters. There is no sign of Millar's signature shock moments like you see in Wanted and Kick Ass. He wouldn't dare soil these characters. Even when Superman becomes a dictator, his actions are still in character. He does what he thinks will be best for his people, even though slowly he's crossing the line into villainy.

Making him communist adds a philosophical edge that bends his relationship with Lex Luthor. In this world Luthor has the support of the American government in his vendetta against Superman. His hubris and intelligence are working to stop the enemy of the United States. Millar is able to subvert our expectations by turning the reader against Superman. In the Orwell-esque communist state that Superman rules, he is not universally loved. Of course Superman's idealism can be twisted and morphed into something evil if he is not put in check by other superheroes. In the Justice League Superman has to answer to Batman, Wonder Woman, and even the Flash.

Though in this scenario Superman is forced into unlimited political power and it's not where he should be. Superman protects the earth by doing good deeds, serving as a symbol, and then letting people alone. Superman does not force his will onto the people that he protects. Millar does a great job showing the consequences of when Superman is co-opted by a particular ideology. On a metatextual level Millar is showing his disdain for whenever that occurs amongst politicians, pundits, or idealogues.

I highly reccommend checking this out in the deluxe hardcover so you can enjoy the art from Dave Johnson. Johnson, who is known these days for the covers of 100 Bullets, draws amazing interior pages. I loved every rendering of these classic characters in a completely different context. It's just as good as the recent work of Gary Frank and Frank Quitely.

Check this out. You won't forget it. Book Slave.

Zombies, Yes More Zombies.

Hello,
Playing a little catchup on trade reviews before the end of the month.

Continuing to be Awesome: Walking Dead vol. 9 & 10

I've caught up on my Walking Dead trades that continue the story after the shocking ending of vol. 8. Don't worry I wouldn't dare spoil this series for you all. Kirkman continues to be relentless with the tension and action in this book. No character is safe. This series takes me back to Y the Last Man and it's crazy cliff hangers. The reader is placed into the same mentality as this group of survivors. And it's great.

One of the major things I noticed about this series was how quickly I blew through these trades. Seriously I read these two trades which were 12 issues total in an hour. It was that literally that fast. Now this is not simply because of the graphic novel medium, which admittedly can be a quicker read sometimes. Other graphic novels can take much longer to get thru. And it's not a question of art vs. word balloons because Kirkman is not afraid to write the occasional "talking head" issue. I really think it's the continuous threat of violence that these character's exist under.

Also praise should be shown to the art team. Artist Charlie Adlard, who took over from original artist Tony Moore, does a great job setting up the chaos of this world. There always seems to be a zombie somewhere in the frame whenever our characters venture beyond their camp. Vol. 9 introduced the idea of a "zombie herd" which was terrifying due to it's stupifying power. These zombies are for the most part mindless but if there's thousands of them then they can overwhelm you by complete force. There is no way that our protagonist's can make it past these zombie things. Also Adlard is not afraid to use unique angles and splash pages to show the action. My favorite panel would have to be the page which showed Michonne killing a zombie with a sword from the back of the head, through the mouth, from the perspective of look up from below. It was awesome and sick.

Now I'm down to issues on this series so I look forward to being able to follow it month-to-month. Book Slave.

I shot a man in Reno.

Hey,
More comic thoughts. Well it is what I've been reading lately.

Sometimes it's hard to be a villian: Rogues Revenge & Sleeper Vol. 2

Every great writer (and reader for that matter) will tell you that a hero is only as good as his villain. This is especially true in comics. In the modern era writers such as Alan Moore and Frank Miller have taken the medium to a new level by blurring the line. Recently I picked up two books that expertly examined the psychology of villiany by featuring the bad guys at the center.

Out of the grand chaotic mess that was Final Crisis emerged a small gem of a mini-series called Rogues Revenge. This side trip from the main story focuses on the Rogues from Geoff Johns's run on The Flash. Led by Captain Cold this Rogue team is dealing with the crazy havoc being wrought by Libra. They also are feeling the consequences of their gang murder of Martian Manhunter. Of course this team of villains has it's own share of dysfunctionality.

Geoff Johns is one of the best writer's in comics. That's just a fact. This series was so much fun. He deftly makes Captain Cold a badass, while still revealing his humanity. I was particularly impressed by how Johns brought in Cold's relationship with his sister Golden Glider. Johns understands that even the bad guys are still human beings with human emotions. He finds a way to make them interesting and complex. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic art from Scott Kollins. His pencils are very clear and sharp. He sticks to the traditional panel style but has a great depth of field and detail. It's not photo-realistic though, but it still looks like comics.

While Johns is the perfect writer for the Flash, on the other side of the aisle Brubaker is the best noir writer in comics. I read Season 1 at the end of last year and loved it. You can find that review here. So I could not wait for Season 2 and it didn't disappoint. This series was fantastic. Brubaker masterly mixes the noir and superhero genre. He's not afraid to have his main characters do vicious evil acts. Sleeper centers around Holden Carver, a man who comes into contact with an alien substance and develops a resistance to pain. He is also able to absorb pain from others and then redirect it out towards his enemy. Carver is then recruited to go deep undercover with evil mastermind Tao, where he begins to lose perspective. By the beginning of Season 2 Carver is able to reconnect with his handler Lynch but he has turned double agent and is now morally lost.

This is all incredibly compelling because Brubaker is fearless. In fact my favorite character is Holden's girlfriend Miss Misery. I loved the issue where the reader follows Misery as she goes on a horrible tear through the city just killing people left and right. Miss Misery thrives off committing evil acts, otherwise she gets physically ill. If she is not evil, then she's an invalid. It's a fascinating irony that Brubaker explores. Sleeper is all about these kind of moral quandaries. As a reader I constantly questioned what I would do in the same situation. In this world the line between right and wrong is completely blurred. The dark ending is inevitable and expected, but still satisfying.

The art of Sean Phillips adds to the dark tone of this story. His muted colors are wonderfully noir. He also allows the color red to pop out from the page which emphasizes the horror of the violence in this world. Phillips never shies away from the blood and sex that is inherent in this book. Phillips is an incredible artist whose work I already admired from his work on Brubaker's Criminal. Noir and crime is definitely Phillips's wheelhouse.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Some Comic Talk.

Hey,
So I finally caught up on the most recent part of my comic pile. Here's some thoughts on those issues, as well as some Things I've Learned. Enjoy!

Comic Pile: Things I've Learned and Other Thoughts

1. New Avengers #61-Bucky should stay Captain America. Spider-man has no chance with Spider-Woman but I love to hear him try. Bendis needs to stay on this book Forever.

2. Fantastic Four #575-Jonathan Hickman has put the fantastic back in this book. This is becoming a consistent favorite due to it's great storytelling, characterizations, and "big idea" concepts.

3. Detective Comics #861-Jock is the perfect replacement for J.H. Williams III. Like Williams, Jock continues to use innovative sequential art in a way that only comics can do. Take a look at the strip to the left. Do you see Batman in each panel? I wouldn't have if someone didn't point it out to me but he's there. It's also great to still have Batwoman in the title because I love how dynamic she is as a character. Rucka is known for his ability to write strong messed up females who feel compelled to fight against evil. Can't wait for the next issue.

4. Green Lantern #50- What to say? It's still awesome. Doug Mahnke is killing it on the art. Fantastic splash pages and Black Lantern zombies are as good as Ivan Reis's work in Blackest Night. In fact I think Mahnke would have been great on Flash: Rebirth, and he would have gotten it out on time.

5. Blackest Night #4,5,6-As much as I'm loving this event I also see that this a very nihilistic books. Frankly it's more than just a zombie horror story. Geoff Johns is examining the nature of death in comics. It's hard to disagree with the Black Lanterns argument that death should be final. Although comic heroes like Batman, Superman, and the Flash have all overcome and come back. Due to these characters iconic status as a reader I always expect that they'll save the day. Superman always finds a way. However it could be argued that this takes away any suspense in the comic genre. So it's never about will he save the day but how...

Johns is deftly questioning this dynamic, however in a very dark scary way. These heroes keep trying to battle the evil zombie versions of there friends, family, and adversaries. And these Black Lanterns gain power thru emotional response so they say the most vicious things to get a reaction. So the only way to defeat them is by being an unemotional killer who tears these Black Lanterns apart. Is this really how we want our heroes to be? I'm not sure where Geoff Johns is going with this. And we're on issue #6 of 8! Still can't wait but I want to see some light at the end of this tunnel.

Oh comics. *sigh* Now it's time to attack the older issues. Book Slave.

Indie Spotlight: Chew

Hey,
Here's a spotlight on a fun new series.

Indie Spotlight: Chew Vol. 1

I've been waiting for this series to come out in trade since last summer. If you keep up on comics like I do then you've already heard of Chew. It was the surprise indie smash of last summer from writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory. Chew follows Detective Tony Chu who is a cibopath, a person who receives the history of anything he eats. Imagine the horror of biting into a hamburger and feeling the cow being slaughtered that you've just imbibed. Now you know a small portion of the hell that Tony Chu feels every time he sits down to eat.


This a world of big imaginative ideas. Layman doesn't shy away from creating an entirely new world and characters, but this isn't a superhero or horror book. Another interesting layer to this comic is that in this world poultry has been outlawed due to a bird flu epidemic. And as with all illegal substances that people really enjoy there's an underground blackmarket. Because of this the FDA has become the most powerful crime agency. So Tony Chu is recruited due to his cibopathy and detection skills in the first issue.

John Layman sets up these characters and world with such a great sense of humor and imagination. Tony Chu is smart and funny in a way that detectives should be. He isn't a gritty cynical cop yet. This trade pairs him with a mentor who is also wonderfully original and savvy. Chu has a unique super power but it makes him a miserable person. These first issues are about him discovering how to use these powers and what his morality is.

Now this should be boring and predictable but it's not. A major part of that is due to the art-style of Rob Guillory. He has a cartoony and hyper-exaggerated style that lends it an original look. I think this book would be a terrible experience if it was realistic. The cartoony look helps emphasize the humor and downplay the gross-out factor. It reminds me a lot of Humberto Ramos, who is another artist that started at Image. Guillory also does a great job with action which is essential since this is a crime comic, sorta.

I highly reccommend checking out this new book and I can't wait for the next arc.

Teach Me Comics, I'm Willing to Learn

Hello,
Today I decided to take a few hours and dive into my comic stack. It was an enjoyable time I have to say. It solidified my resolve that I need to get rid of things like TV, and make a solid decision to carve out reading time into my schedule. I am a chronic multi-tasker. It's not that I have ADD and can't focus. It's that I just strive to find the most effective way to make use of my time. However I'm slowly coming to the realization that maybe just focusing on one thing for a set amount of time may be more personally fulfilling.

So enough emo-introspection already! I haven't done one of these for awhile but I felt like it today so hell...

Lessons from Comic Literature
(These were curbed from the following comic issues: Amazing Spider-Man 615-617, Buffy the Vampire 31, Action Comics 885, Green Arrow Black Canary 28.)

1. Joe Kelly is the best writer for Spider-Man. He understands the humor, action, and attitude. I will always read a Spider-Man issue where he is the main writer. This is odd since I tried reading his critically-acclaimed series I Kill Giants and couldn't get into it.
2. Joss Whedon should always write Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8. I think one can trace the gradual decline of this series with lack of Whedon writing involvement. Whedon does the best job with characterization and dialogue. If you want to see the difference in quality just check out the difference between #31 & #30. Also I never want to see Jane Espenson write for this book again.

3. I like Action in my Action Comics. I don't know enough about Kryptonian lore to understand any of that hardcore nerdness. I really just like it when they're fighting.

4. Why am I still reading Green Arrow/Black Canary? I don't know.

5. Amazing Spider-Man has the best villian gallery. I really love how they are all getting featured in the latest "The Gauntlet" arc. We've gotten to see Electro, Sandman, and Rhino. Classic Villians are fun.

6. Comics! It's great to read fun superhero comics after reading nearly 50 issues of The Walking Dead. It was just what I needed.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Gaining Perspective & The Walking Dead

Hey,
So it's been a rough couple of days. Right now I encourage all that have the means to donate/buy/whatever to relief organizations like The Red Cross to help those suffering in Haiti. A catastrophic event like this helps you put life in perspective.

Speaking of putting life in perspective it is an utter coincidence that this week I finally digged into The Walking Dead. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 contains the first 48 issues, all written by Robert Kirkman. I wanted to read this series in one big chunk because of the reputation of this series. Kirkman is known for his unrelenting cliffhangers and I didn't want to have to wait for the next volume.

The Walking Dead begins when a police officer from Kentucky named Rick wakes up from a coma. He took a bullet for his friend/fellow officer Shane in a gunfight a month ago. Unfortunately it turns out that while Rick was sleeping the world went to hell. Zombie-esque creatures have taken over and society has fallen. Now I know this sounds just like 28 Days Later but other than this opening premise any similiarities end. Rick reunites with a group of survivors which luckily includes his wife and son. This ragtag group struggles with this new crazy world that tests everything they've ever known.

Now I wouldn't dare spoil what happens along that terrible road. Part of the wonderful horrible experience of this series is that the reader begins to understand that anything can happen. No one is safe. Anyone could die at any moment including the main characters. Kirkman does not hold back in any way. This book is as savage as the world it depicts.

It is a master stroke from Kirkman that this book is not really about the zombies. Sure the zombies are always there in the background. They are a relentless threat. However this story is fueled by the actions of the human characters. Kirkman examines how the continuous horror/violence/death is degrading to the human soul. All the characters are confronted with the darkness that is inherent when one is struggling just to survive. Kirkman doesn't spend any time trying to explain what happened and I hope he never does. It doesn't matter why zombies have taken over. That's just the cataclysmic event that has led us to this new world.

I completely understand how each character reacts but am also repulsed by a majority of it. Let's just say that this series is not for the weak. It makes Scalped look like a nursery rhyme. Reading 48 issues all in one go was a really depressing experience. The moment that you begin to love a character than something horrid happens to them. And I'm not even touching the character of The Governor. As a writer Kirkman puts the reader into the same position as the human characters. And even for this cynical hardened reader that was very difficult. However I don't think that I would want it any other way. To hold back or force a happy ending would lessen the experience. That would make this series just like any other zombie book around right now.

I'd be remissed if I didn't mention the great art from Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard, and Cliff Rathburn. Black and White is the perfect look for this series. It's the only way that the reader can deal with such horrific images. It also allows for the simplicity of the new world our survivors travel thru. With the loss of a societal structure I loved seeing a world where nature is reclaiming the earth. There are some amazing splash pages that showcase the landscape. Of course there's always a zombie tucked away in the background. This is in stark contrast to the prison which our survivors inhabit. It can't be a mistake that Rick, and others, seems to lose some of their humanity while recapturing their safety. In the prison they visit more violence upon each other than the zombies. Clearly this is intentional and the art reflects it.

It's one thing just to be able to survive. Rick and his family, including those who are not directly related, struggle with finding a way to finally start "living" again. This gives an incredible double meaning to the title of the series. Who are "the walking dead" really? Kirkman wants to confront his readers with that very question. Since this series is open-ended, I don't expect we'll get an answer until the end. Or when every human dies and the answer is moot.

With Great Power...

Hello All,
As a comic geek I've been thrown for a loop this week. In comic movie news it turns out that Sam Raimi & Tobey Maguire are leaving the Spider-Man movie franchise.
Now I've been a major fan of all three films, even the third one, although I admit it had problems. In my opinion Spider-Man 2 is the best superhero film ever made. It's great performances and script paved the way for movies such as The Dark Knight and Iron Man. I think a lot of credit goes to Raimi for capturing the fun, pathos, and humanity that can be found in this web-slinging hero. It's disconcerting to hear that he has left over "creative differences." What is with Sony Pictures? Don't they realize that Raimi is an able captain for this ship? Apparently not because here comes a reboot with Peter Parker going back to high-school.

In the last two years I've dipped my toes into the Spider-Man Universe. I enjoy the fact that while he's got super powers, he's also a real life guy who is just cannot catch a break. For spider-man if the going gets tough, well then it just gets worse. The best writers, such as Joe Kelly, Brian Michael Bendis, or even Dan Slott, understand that rather than cry over his bad fortune, Peter Parker will throw out a self-deprecating quip. This puts him at odds with the current skinny man-boy greyish brooders that are currently in mode at the cineplex. Peter Parker may be a nerd, but he's not conflicted about it. He's conflicted about where the next dollar is gonna come from, and how he's gonna take care of Aunt May.


So if Sony wants to re-boot Peter Parker back to high school than what source material should they draw from? Many have speculated that Sony will go to Ultimate Spider-man by Brian Michael Bendis. This would be an excellent choice. I've read the first few volumes of this series and enjoyed them immensely. Bendis has a great ability to capture the wise-acre sarcasm and his series features Parker in high school. However I don't think Bendis is interested in writing a Spider-man movie. He's too busy writing every book in the Marvel Universe. Well not really, but pretty close.





Well if I had the chance to bend Sony's ear I think that I have the perfect option: Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane. I devoured this series about 2 years ago and I love it. SMLJ actually focuses on Parker and MJ in high school, with their romantic travails. In fact Parker as Spider-Man is pretty much in the extreme background. The action focuses mainly on MJ's developing friendship with Peter, her dating Harry Osborne, and how her crush on Spider-Man is tested. It's a fun, adorable, teen series that anyone can read. It's easily adaptable and is already made for the teen market. If that's what Sony wants to focus on, then this is a great choice.

Are you listening Sony? Really all I ask: Don't Screw It Up. Choose great material: Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane is a winner.

City on Fire!

Hello friends,
I bring this post tonight to you from the sweatlodge that is my domicile. Look I know it's summer and I live in a desert, but man some of us don't have air conditioning. Please weather gods lighten up a bit. Also at the moment I'm doing some California Dreamin' as Comic-Con begins. Someday I'll convince the library I work for to front the money so I can go. Of course it'll be for "research". Yeah researching kick ass comics baby! Well every girl has her little dream.

Well Onward we go!

Reviews
BPRD: Plague of Frogs, BPRD: The Dead
If you want to know how I feel about this series, well check out last week's review here. In it's further volumes the story begins to open up as we meet new characters. We also learn more about Abe Sapien and Roger in a very unique style. This series doesn't settle for simple exposition, they do a great job of using sequential art to get us info. The personal dynamics between different characters are wonderful. It actually reminds me of the wonderful humor for League of Extraordinary Gentleman. I love it how these characters react to each other and to the crazy events around them. Great series.

The Reading List
Books
Citizen Vince
BPRD: The Black Flame

Magazines
Four Four Two

Comics
Blackest Night #1

Check Out Count: Improving.

Comic Pull List: Amazing Spider-Man #600, Dark Wolverine #76, Gotham City Sirens #2, Green Lantern #44, Outsiders #20, Runaways 3 #12, Wednesday Comics #3

Have a great week! Book Slave.

A Serious Obsession

Hello Literary cyber-world,
How are you all? Good I hope. I've been having a great summer lately. Have you ever all of a sudden become obsessed by a certain series? This weekend I did. All of a sudden I had to read every volume I could get. I usually have more self control, but every once and awhile...Well I'm sure you can see below what I'm talking about. Luckily I have a public library at my disposal. Otherwise I'd be poor.

I also feel compelled to put out a real full hearted cheer to the literary internet community. I love to read books, talk books, and push books onto others. I always worried that reading blogs would be just too voyeuristic and banal for me to deal with. It turns out to be completely opposite. There are book blogs out there that are interesting and generate stimulating talk. Want examples? Check out these posts and realize that these blogs are so much better than mine.

*Question of the Week: Which Books Would You De-Canonize?
*Olive Kitteridge
*Dickens for dyslexics
* Don Draper = America

Also to be completely random: I just re-watched my favorite original Star Trek episode "City on the Edge of Forever." I don't know why but I had forgotten that this ep was written by Harlan Ellison. It is so effing good! Also watching it in comparison to other Star Trek eps it was so well-plotted with a distinct character arc for Kirk. Makes me think that maybe I should give Ellison a try.

Well enough prattling on. Onward!

Reviews
Escapist Vol. 1
I picked this up due to it's high acclaim. I've always wanted to get into the literary work of Michael Chabon. Of course The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay sits on my shelf. So I picked up the Escapist and while I somewhat enjoyed it I think that it only works as a supplement to Kavalier and Clay. Having not read that book I was lost on the majority of the material. I did enjoy the experimentation with multiple comic styles such as Golden Age, manga, and Modern Age. My fave stories involved the character of The Escapist himself. The last story involving the Escapist and his possible female soulmate blew me away. I think I'll revisit this again after reading Kavalier & Clay. Unfortunately this book doesn't stand on it's own.

BPRD: Soul of Venice, BPRD: Hollow Men, BPRD: 1946
As stated above I became obsessed this weekend with the series BPRD. I just needed to consume every volume. BPRD stands for the Bureau of Paranormal Research Department and is a spinoff from Mignola's Hellboy. Funded by the government, this group of homegrown agents are sent to investigate when crazy shit goes down. Each volume contains a self contained 5 issue story arc so you don't have to worry about reading it in order or facing continuity issues. This is the ideal format for this series. Writer/Artist Mike Mignola has created a dark/gothic/steampunkish world that is so immersive. Reading it I can feel the same thrill that I had watching X-Files or Lost. Anything is possible. Vampire soldiers created by Nazis, Demon living underneath Venice that can take your soul, A Bad Ass named Lobster Johnson. Yes, yes, yes. I also enjoyed the character dynamics between the different characters. There's a level of comfort between these characters because they have worked together so long. Thrown into the mix is "the new guy" who of course gets teased by the veterans. It's fun see the origins of this team in the prequel book 1946 which takes us back to the beginning. It would be so easy to just make the Nazis the villian, but in the world of Mike Mignola we get cyborg gorillas & mechanical spiders with human heads. It's wonderful fun original work. I can't stop reading it.

The Reading List
Books
BPRD: Plague of Frogs
BPRD: The Dead
(see a pattern? I need serious help. I can't stop!)

Magazines
Vanity Fair

Comics
Action Comics Annual

Comic Pull List:Action Comics #879, Blackest Night #1, Captain America #601, Deadpool #12, Fables #86, Incognito #5, Rasl #5, Wednesday Comics #2

Check Out Count: Geez.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Take it Easy

Hello,
I hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend here in the states. I did. Good times, bbq, and family, were all available to be had. In the whereabouts that I reside it has become a sweat lodge and I've received my first major sunburn. Must remember to find the shady tree to read under.

So after last week's review-extravaganza today we are taking it easy. Recently I was captured by Newsweek's What To Read Now issue. I like to think of myself as a well-read individual but I was woefully humbled. I'll definitely be taking a look at some of these titles in the upcoming months. There's also some other cool essays and articles. I particularly enjoy the essays by Jon Meacham and David Gates where they extol the virtues of re-reading.

I wish I could re-read more often. It's great to be able to look at text from a new point of view based on life experience. I had this happen when I re-read My Antonia a while ago. As a highschooler I was caught up in the will-they or won't they romance between the lead characters. However 10 years later when I opened it again I was struck by how this story is more about the strong immigrant women who built their lives from nothing. I wonder what I will see in the text a few years from now, most likely something new. Gotta love a rich text. So it's definitely worth checking out the July 13 issue of Newsweek. Good job again editor Jon Meacham.

Well onward!

Review
Batman Private Casebook
This was a collection of issues from the latest run of Paul Dini's work on Batman Detective. This was a re-read for me because I had read the issues as they came out. I came back to it because lately I've been obsessed with Batman's female characters such as Cat Woman, Zatanna, and the Birds of Prey. These issues are so good, Dini is the best at writing stories that contrasts the differences between Bruce Wayne as a human vs. Bruce Wayne as Batman. In his interactions with Cat Woman and Zatanna as a reader Dini explores the loneliness of being Batman. Other than Alfred and Tim, Bruce is unable to lead a normal life due to his commitment to protect Gotham. Even when he's out "being Bruce Wayne" at a society party he is kidnapped. It is like the evil of Gotham is drawn to him no matter what. Dini gets that. Also want to throw some props out to artist Dustin Nguyen who is an incredible artist. I love his work on the Batman series.

The Reading List
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies
Escapist

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
Wednesday Comics #1

Comic Pull List: Batman #688, Bprd 1947 #1, Green Arrow Black Canary #22, Green Lantern #43, Red Robin #2, Stand American Nightmares #4, Superman World Of New Krypton #5, Wednesday Comics #1

Check out count: Eh?

Have a great week! Bookslave.

All Bendis, All the time.

Hello,
How are you all? I'm doing well. I am a year older having celebrated my b-day this week. It was a fun time. It's not bad being my age, if I can happy with who I am. My younger bro said something similiar to that & I could've kissed him. Also thanks mom for accepting & enjoying who I am. Even if sometimes it drives you crazy. We saw Up in 3D and man was it great.

I began this blog as a means to motivate myself to deal with my massive tbr pile. Now I'm working through it, but really it's like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the mountain. Thankfully I've been able recently to kick up the pace this month. I hope you guys enjoy graphic novels because there's going to be a few coming your way.

Reviews
Total Sell Out
Who is Brian Michael Bendis? Presently I consider him the crowned prince of Marvel. In the last few years he has earned the keys to the superhero kingdom with his work on series such as Ultimate Spiderman, New Avengers, and Daredevil. In Total Sell Out he shares with us a collection of his early work as a writer/cartoonist. I have to agree with him that some of this work is too cartoonish. He's also not all that great as an artist and I can see why he gave up drawing. On the other hand Bendis excels at being a smartass. He's damn funny. I enjoyed his characterizations of nerd culture, particularly a funny story about James Doohan, the original Scotty from Star Trek. Here we also see his trademark dialogue style. Bendis loves "talking head" moments with naturalistic/colloquial speech. He's great at it. As an early look at his style it was highly enjoyable.

Biographical Author Info: Brian Michael Bendis

Alias Vol. 1
Jessica Jones is a burn out, alcoholic, cynical superhero. She has hung up the spandex and become a detective. She'll help find out if your husband/wife/girlfriend is cheating, or if your sister's gone missing. Jones gave up on the believing in the good of humanity a long time ago. Alias is a strong mix of crime noir that exists in the same world as Captain America. Jessica Jones is a wonderfully flawed original creation from the mind of Brian Michael Bendis. Bendis expertly retcons Jessica Jones into the Marvel comic world by bringing in smaller B characters. Jessica's superhero powers are limited. She has super strength and can maybe "hover" but that's it. Jessica is more like us and would rather be normal. But try as she might she can't be. This first 9 issues was a great introduction to a new character that seems like she's been there all along. Bendis's classic dialogue-style is prevalent here. This is a comic that's much more about what a character says/doesn't say than kick ass fights. Much like an indie comic where Matt Murdock will show up as your attorney, I loved the mixing of sensibilities. I'll definitely be checking out the rest of this series.

Other Reviews
Avid Book Reader | Blogging Bendis

The Reading List
Books
Birds of Prey Vol. 2
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies

Magazines
Paste

Comics
Captain America #600

Comic Pull List: Daredevil #119, Detective Comics #854, Dynamo 5 #22, Gotham City Sirens #1, Green Lantern #42, New Avengers #54, Northlanders #18, Runaways 3 #11, Superman #689, Wonder Woman #33

Check Out Count: Multi-media-esque

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Killers! Star Trek! Batman! Invincible!

Hello,
Howse it going? I've been working hard, picking us extra cash & learning new things. Also have been having a killer reading week. Oh my gosh, so much fun. This week I'm bringing back a fun feature: Book Reviews in 12 words or less! Here we go!

Reviews
Star Trek: Countdown
Nero Backstory. Nice Next Generation Cameos. Poor Art.

Other Reviews
Bureau 42 | Pop Matters | Star Fleet

Torso
Serial Killer! Amazing black & White art. Crazy Bendis dialogue.

Other Reviews
Pop Matters
Biographical Info: Torso Killer, Eliot Ness

Batman: Long Halloween
Mafia murder mystery with Batman. Great story. Cool Art.

Other Reviews
IGN | Groucho Reviews | Coke and Comics

Invincible Ultimate Collection Vol. 3
More Superhero goodness. Some space adventure. Invincible grows up. Snappy Action Art.

Previous Volume Reviews: Invincible Vol. 1, Invincible Vol. 2

The Reading List
Books
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies
Total Sell Out

Comic
Northlanders #17

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic Pull List:Batman Streets Of Gotham #1, Captain America #600, Captain Britain And Mi 13 #14, Green Arrow Black Canary #21, Incognito #4, Outsiders #19

Check Out Count: Two steps forward, 3 steps back.

Have a great week! Book Slave.