If you ask for my favourite genre in comics (or any part of the entertainment industry, really), the first answer you'll get from me is unlikely to beIf you ask for my favourite genre in comics (or any part of the entertainment industry, really), the first answer you'll get from me is unlikely to be "political spy thriller." It may not be the second one, either. But if you ask me if I appreciate a well-written, well-researched, and impressively well-drawn comic book, related to current world events, accessible to readers who've missed the initial 4 issues, you can count on a "Hell yea!"
Queen & Country: Operation Morningstar constitutes a perfect example of such a book. I have often felt the same frustration of being uninformed about political topics that Stuart Moore mentions in the introduction to this trade paperback, but it is clear that Greg Rucka, widely recognized as a master of his trade, has no reason to fear being caught with his pants down if it comes to a political discussion. Operation Morningstar deals with the Taleban (or Taliban, as it was referred to in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001). It was also written before most Americans removed their heads from the comfortable warm sand surrounding it and preventing them to look too far over their country's borders, after having one of their major cities attacked.
The art chores on Operation Morningstar are handled by Brian Hurtt, who has been cited as many a reader's favourite Queen and Country artist, with inks provided by Bryan O'Malley and Christine Norrie, both of them widely recognized for their own work for Oni Press (such as "Hopeless Savages: Ground Zero" and the recently published "Cheat", respectively).
Now, apart from a well thought out story and pretty pictures, what can you expect from this collection? Don't expect a Director's cut. There's a brief introduction and afterword with link providing more background info, plus illustrated creator bios. Considering the overall quality of the book, you shouldn't find it hard to deal with the lack of extras, though....more
Queen & Country delves into the world of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), or M16 as it is commonly known, the world of international secQueen & Country delves into the world of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), or M16 as it is commonly known, the world of international security and espionage.
Many people will know of the SIS because of James Bond or le Carre novels. Despite both franchises dating back to more than 40 years, the SIS has only been officially acknowledged publicly for 17.
It is a world still shrouded in mystery.
As for Queen & Country, it represents American writer Greg Rucka's idea of some of the inner workings of the SIS. This is the first collection in the series, containing the first four issues of the ongoing Oni series and a special short by Stan Sakai.
The story is centralized on the special operative Tara Chace. She is a minder, one of three deadly operatives put into play when there is a mess to clear up or when someone needs to be taken out of the picture.
This volume starts with the assassination of General Markovsky, a member of the Russian Mafia in war torn Kosovo. Following the assassination a price is put on Tara's head and the M16 headquarters in London is targeted by a rocket attack.
Can the service protect Tara? And can they find who is responsible for the attack?
Greg Rucka delivers quality writing. From start to finish you are drawn in, wanting to know the answers to all the unknowns.
It feels like it captures the political nature of international security in a realistic manner. The characters are written perfectly, their internal quibbles helping to increase the feeling of the overwhelming bureaucracy in the service.
Espionage is a hard subject to write about due to secrecy of the inner workings of the service and Rucka does very well. An American writing believable British dialogue is also impressive.
The art is drawn by Steve Rolston (The Escapists), except for the small introductory story drawn by Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo).
Rolston's artwork is entirely done without the use of colours and features clean lines with little shading, vaguely similar to some of Brian Bolland's work.
The artwork was heavily criticized when first released for being too cartoony. I would argue that Rolston's work is very well done and is realistic enough.
However the work by Sakai is very cartoony and feels out of place alongside the rest of the artwork.
My main criticism of the book is that it has an ending.
This may sound bizarre to hear at first but I can explain my reasoning.
Being a huge fan of John le Carre’s works, I just never expect a satisfactory ending to any story involving a secret service; it's in the nature of the genre to be inconclusive and I almost felt cheated when the story tied up.
On the whole, Queen & Country is one of the best comics produced by the smaller companies in a long time. Oni Press has done an admirable job publishing the individual issues and putting out these collections.
I would like to wrap this up with the blurb the SIS uses on its website:
“SIS works secretly overseas to make the UK safer and more prosperous. We obtain secret foreign intelligence to inform Government decisions. We disrupt terrorism and nuclear proliferation and our intelligence helps to prevent and resolve conflict.
“We work with our overseas agents, contacts and partner Services to shape developments and project the UK's influence… The secrecy of our operations, and the identity of those who work with us, is our foremost principles.
“SIS is a modern organization with sophisticated technology and a diverse workforce – all dedicated to protecting the UK and contributing to a more prosperous and peaceful world.â€
In Tara Chace we trust.
On the whole this OGN is very well written. The main artwork is of a good standard too. A comfortable 4 out of 5....more
This collection is masterfully crafted by writer Dennis Culver and brought to life by the talented artist Chris Burnham. In it, we get a thrilling expThis collection is masterfully crafted by writer Dennis Culver and brought to life by the talented artist Chris Burnham. In it, we get a thrilling exploration of the Doom Patrol’s core values and a visual spectacle that leaves a lasting impression. This comic explores themes of cooperation, self-discovery, and metahuman challenges all with impressive artwork and a color palette that breathe life into the story.
The highlight of this seven-issue series was how teamwork was a driving force behind everything. All of the main players strengths are emphasized, but they are also in concert with each other. The Chief comes up with a brilliant plan, but it requires lots of moving pieces and cooperation to work. Jane has to convince Quiz to help, and the only way she’s able to talk to her one on one is with the help of Negative Man transporting Quiz’s mind to the Underground. Larry also plays a crucial role convincing Mento to use his full telepathic abilities to stop the Brotherhood of Evil.
Even the typically physical characters need help from their teammates. There’s a great panel with a giant Elasti-Woman throwing Robotman right at The Eternal Flame, reminiscent of the old fastball special. And finally, it’s Quiz with the help of Mento that sends the big bad to the Bleed. Just when things are looking bright for the Doom Patrol, Peacemaker crashes the party with some huge US military robots. Degenerate shows his true colors though, and volunteers to stay behind to create a distraction so the rest of the team can get away. Once again, however, it’s not entirely on his own and teamwork is utilized. He uses the fight or flight power of Beast Girl to supercharge his own abilities and take on Peacemaker’s forces.
Dennis Culver does an excellent job balancing good exposition and explanation for new readers while not going overboard and getting too in the weeds for veteran fans. Culver also touches on some important themes of seeking help from others and not trying to go it alone.
The whole point of the Doom Patrol in this incarnation is to find metahumans that are insecure, troubled or just struggling with their new powers. In other words, saving the monsters to save the world. Jane’s conversation with Sachiko and Larry’s conversation with Mento are both great examples of what the Doom patrol stands for.
Chris Burnham’s artwork, as always, captivates the reader with its eccentric characters and mind-bending action sequences. The number of crazy characters and bonkers action sequences are a visual feast for the eyes. Brian Reber’s colors are also the unsung hero of the series. The contrast between the bright uniforms and often bleak backgrounds really makes the issue pop. The red and pink lightning shooting out of Quiz’s fingertips was executed particularly well.
This collection beautifully illustrates how each member of the Doom Patrol brings their unique strengths to the table, emphasizing that their individual abilities are most effective when they work in concert.
It not only showcases the power of teamwork but also delivers a satisfying blend of action, storytelling, and artwork. Fans old and new will find themselves immersed in a rich narrative that encapsulates the essence of what the Doom Patrol represents.
What most fans are probably itching to know is when we’ll be getting more Doom Patrol. According to the epilogue, the Doom Patrol will be returning, and there’s a surprise villain teaming up with the Eternal Flame that I don’t think anyone will see coming. ...more
This series, from writer Rob Williams and artist Pye Parr, could be another story about mankind living in domes, using robots (specifically in high stThis series, from writer Rob Williams and artist Pye Parr, could be another story about mankind living in domes, using robots (specifically in high stakes races) as another form of “bread and circuses.”
And yet it’s this very real sense of fire and chutzpah that takes this book from being yet another title that explores man’s hubris to a proper celebration of what actually makes our species worth celebrating. Also, bad ass race cars!
The energy and intent, of course, begins with Parr’s own art. The art has such a deep and prevailing sense of motion and intensity — it’s what makes everything from the daring races to the world-building stuff feel truly alive. And from a design perspective, Parr really does a great job of fluctuating and spinning in influences — certain robots have a really sleek look, while our titular hero looks more like a rusted B-52 bomber with Hulk-ian mitts.
That contrast, as it were, does a lot for balancing this book’s ideas and influences, helping fostering something organic and familiar and yet a world that’s just as much removed from our very own experiences. It’s that sweet spot, as it were, that plays with our sensibilities and has us grappling with the scope and development of this world. And it never feels any less deliberately fun even as we sense some larger currents beginning to take shapes.
There’s just so much force and liveliness across every scene, and we get the sense of a wholly-fleshed out world. It’s one that we can explore with every new page, and try to sort out how our own planet may have transformed into this hellish but also quite vivid new landscape. So in that sense, it feels even more playful than outright accusatory. And so much of all of that is Parr’s work with colour and shading — few people can bring this much heft and intensity, and it’s that commitment and a series of subtle choices that fleshes this world out so poignantly.
And in a decidedly similar sense, Williams’ writing is very much accomplishing the same kinds of goals. The aforementioned Petrol Head “hero” isn’t just designed really well, but that specific aesthetic, and his bridging of the human and “futuristic” elements, is really important to the grander narrative. But even more than that, he’s just a properly surly hero, and his movements through the world give us a chance to see the sheer multifaceted emotionality that defines this world — one of bleakness and despair but also something more hopeful as it, once again, still feels very much like our own world. That vivid struggle rings as quite important thematically — how can we prevent our own downfall, perhaps — while also feeling quite compelling in terms of creating a narrative framework that’s distinctly more nuanced than some similar titles.
Petrol Head is also a great foil for two human characters who 1) kick-off the story proper into some Smokey and The Bandit/Children of Men territory and 2) give us something to root for in terms of Petrol Head’s development and our own future as a species. Williams, much like his collaborator, came to the story with enough levity and intent to make it a textured journey, something with big odds but also just as much heart.
Yes, if you like fast cars and dope robots, you will love this book. But Petrol Head is so much more than what’s basically a rather gritty remake of Wacky Races; it’s a story of the pervasiveness of humanity (for better and worse), and how things are never truly clear unless you hit the gas and get moving.
It’s reminiscent of a lot of recent sci-fi that’s obsessed with our downfall and the ways we have failed as people. But it also gives us a road map to something more, and it makes the resulting journey feel like a proper thrill ride. ...more
At a glance, Classwar is a political-superhero-war story with a penchant for sex and ultra violence that can feel reminiscent of The Boys, but I wouldAt a glance, Classwar is a political-superhero-war story with a penchant for sex and ultra violence that can feel reminiscent of The Boys, but I would venture to say more thoughtful in its critique. American, a “hero” made to fight on behalf of American interests alongside other super soldiers on the team Enola Gay, sees the failures of America, and it shakes his patriotism to the core. American feels motivated to expose the evils of his country while still clinging to its ideals.
American is juxtaposed by his partner Isaac, a Black man who he is reluctant to work with but does so out of necessity. While Isaac is given the room to explore his motivations and story, he can feel at times like he has fallen into the “magical negro” trope. Isaac is already well aware of the failings of America as a Black man while American is being given Isaac’s insight and pointed in varying directions with Isaac’s knowledge. With the potential for this trope, it is understood that American is our protagonist, and as he wakes up to America’s many evils, he can function as a white saviour, taking it as his responsibility to right America’s wrongs. As the story explores the systems and ways in which they are utilized, it engages with race and class and can stumble a bit though it is apparent that writer Rob Williams was well intentioned as he crafted this narrative and the critiques made are valid as he critiques political positions, the drug epidemic, and foreign intervention in the name of “freedom.”
On American’s journey, he gets into violent interactions, one of which where he punches off the jaw of one of his former teammates who, like the others, are pretty content to abuse their power and do the bidding of the government. There is an inherent critique of power here through Enola Gay; these are people that feel a sense of entitlement and access, heightened by their powers and it feels telling that all but one of them are white.
This is elevated by the origins of the super soldier program here and it’s Nazis. Of course it’s Nazis. This works to the ideas of white supremacy that are at play in these racial critiques and power structures. Enola Gay’s power is affirmed by their superpowers and the feeling of superiority they have over “humans” as this difference is pointed out explicitly on page 74 during a tense exchange between Icon and her previous sexual partner. Capitalism and consequently white supremacy, as structures, only function when there is a hierarchy and in this, someone has to be on top.
The Black member of the team is characterized as a sellout. He is beyond the point of being in the struggle yet continues to oppress the Black community with crack and cocaine that he is responsible for moving and protecting on the government’s behalf. He holds himself out as someone that made it out but he only made it out through harm and violence and even after, continues to facilitate harm and violence not only within his community but on people of colour outside of America’s borders.
It is a challenge to tell an anti-war war story and further still, to utilize superheroes in this because there is supposed to be a spectacle to seeing them in action but, with this story being a critique it has to toe a line and visually, artists Trevor Hairsine (pages 3-82) and Travel Foreman (pages 83-154) deliver on blending the spectacle and horror in these obvious violations of the Geneva Conventions. Both artists bring something different to the art where Hairsine has a very heavy use of spot blacks, Foreman’s line work has a pencil quality and they both shine in different regards while approaching the story and its characters.
Across both, they give the room within their panels to sit with the carnage, placing their cameras intentionally to control mood and pacing even when we hit particularly grotesque and gruesome moments. The colour work of Len O’Grady is a testament to his versatility in being able to adapt to the styles of both artists while keeping the tone of the book. The colours elevate the art in Classwar across the board making the book a visual treat to read as long as you have the stomach for the violence and body horror.
Tying the words to the images are the letters of Eddie Deighton who gives voice to the characters and distinction between caption boxes and balloons. The balloons used for technological communication didn’t quite work for me as well as his other lettering work throughout but it was different and a clear visual indicator of where a voice was coming from. There wasn’t a moment of questioning who was speaking throughout the book and it helped keep a clear focus from moment to moment.
Classwar is a mature superhero story with a lot its trying to say about American institutions and the creative team works well together to play between horror and spectacle....more
Westerns, as a genre, are purely American. They almost always deal with the base concept of good versus evil. The good ones leave you with a sense of Westerns, as a genre, are purely American. They almost always deal with the base concept of good versus evil. The good ones leave you with a sense of mystery. Remember Who Shot Liberty Valance? We didn’t know until the end what had actually happened. Westerns bring about clashes of culture and the kind of justice that can only be administered with vicious brute force. It is men’s adventure. There’s no wokeness, no forced diversity. Good westerns simply tell incredible stories against the backdrop of one of an untamed frontier where law is driven more by reality than writ.
I enjoy good westerns, and despise bad ones. Naturally, when I saw this graphic novel, I picked it up.
RazörFist managed to avoid the first mistake of writing comics, which is writing too much. He lets the visuals tell the story, with his words merely guiding the reader along. This is tale of a man that makes the right decision at the right time, and becomes drawn into a larger battle between good and evil. The title is misleading in some respects. While the Ghost is omnipresent figure that guides the story, it is more about another character that is drawn into the world of the Ghost; where the coin of the realm is vigilante justice.
There are elements of religious mysticism in the tale as well, along with an almost V (from V for Vendetta) like character that is roaming the Arizona deserts, administering justice via hot lead and an eerie knack for delivering biblical verses that sends chills up your spine with almost pinpoint foreshadowing.
There’s a Shadow-esque slant to the Ghost that makes his time off-screen almost as frightening as when he appears. I have no doubt that was in influence here, making the book all the more better.
The flow of the story is perfect. There is a balance and pacing here that almost feels as if you are watching a movie.
The artwork – stunning. I like the fine lines that George Alexopoulos brings to the table. A lot of this story takes place in darkness and some artists struggle with portraying that. Alexopoulos has mastered it. My favourite image, is one where someone is shot in the forehead and you see the ripples of the impacting bullet. Absolutely vicious and stunning at the same time.
My only critique is a minor nit. There is a scene where a character is drinking and has ice cubes in his glass. This feels out of place, given that ice in the 1800’s was harvested out of frozen lakes and stored for later use. I don’t see that happening in the locale of this story. It had zero impact on the overall tale. Honestly, I almost missed it.
I purchased the black and white edition. I like having my imagination fill in the colours. In fairness, I’m tempted to pick up the colour version simply because I enjoyed it so much. ...more
Crossjack was once part of the superhero team Third Gen - now he’s simply Jack Xaver, washed up has-been back in his small town of Farmington, unemploCrossjack was once part of the superhero team Third Gen - now he’s simply Jack Xaver, washed up has-been back in his small town of Farmington, unemployed, broke and middle-aged. Coincidentally, Third Gen’s old villains begin getting murdered once Jack’s back in town - but whodunit?
Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley team up for this part-love letter to ‘90s Image superhero comics, part-murder mystery, that fulfills the former and doesn’t really deliver on the latter. The first volume of Local Man is instead a muddled, increasingly dreary comic that’s unclear on what it’s trying to say.
I only know the creators as writers so I was surprised that both could draw so well. Fleecs draws the Farmington/present day parts and Seeley draws the Third Gen/flashback parts and both look really good. Seeley in particular channels the art style of Jim Lee, The Rob, et al. - Third Gen could easily have been a real Image superhero series from the ‘90s.
That’s about it for the praise unfortunately. Superhero deconstruction stories aren’t new and Local Man doesn’t do anything different from what went before. I’ve only read Fleecs’ Stray Dogs but it was really well written, while I’ve read a number of Seeley comics and he’s never written anything even half decent so I’m wondering if the low quality of the writing and storytelling is down to Seeley’s influence.
It’s never really clear why Jack got kicked off of Third Gen. There’s something about him having an affair with Camo Crusader’s wife but we see in the flashbacks, or whatever those nostalgia comics backups were meant to be, that he slept with her with Camo Crusader’s consent, and it was years ago - so it’s just now become a problem why? Camo Crusader says some garbled stuff about kids in his confrontation with Jack but it’s a confusing mess.
And what Camo Crusader’s up to anyway is similarly baffling. I have no idea what all that secret stuff was and I’m not at all fussed in finding out in future volumes (assuming it gets picked up again).
The murder mystery element didn’t work because we know it’s not going to be Jack killing the villains (who, rather conveniently, happen to all live in the same area as Jack’s from) as that would be interesting and this isn’t that kind of comic. But we’re never given clues as to who the killer might be so it’s not something we can follow or become too invested in. It’s not clear why the murders are happening now either. And the killer turns out to be some rando we’ve never seen before anyway so it’s an underwhelming finale to say the least - nobody was ever going to figure that out.
I suppose, in addition to the art, the backups capture the vapid silliness of ‘90s Image superhero comics storytelling, where it was only about what the artist felt like drawing that day and the writing/characterization/story/etc. was a distant afterthought. But that doesn’t make those backups any more interesting to read - they’re still as dull as the real thing.
I got the impression the story was trying to be something more than it was - maybe some kind of mid-life crisis story told via nostalgic superhero comics? - but it never came together convincingly. As it is, Local Man, Volume 1: Heartland is quite a forgettable and weak postmodern superhero story that’s never all that entertaining to read, but quite pretty to look at....more
I've always loved the Fafhrd and Mouser tales which I discovered in the mid 70's. These adaptations are among my favourites. Howard Chaykin channels FI've always loved the Fafhrd and Mouser tales which I discovered in the mid 70's. These adaptations are among my favourites. Howard Chaykin channels Fritz Leiber like a kindred soul. Chaykin brings out the pairs' wit, arrogance, doubts and, ultimately their worldly humour as they wander through through their many adventures and misadventures. They're friends who do not need each other but love playing off of each other, as if together they are better than they are alone.
These are great buddy stories with a sword and sorcery world as the setting. Best of all is that these stories (all of them, not just those in this collection) are richly detailed, realistically powerful and memorable in a way few S&S tales are. It's easy to relate to these two scoundrels.
Couple this with the stunningly effective and distinctive art provided by Mike Mignola (inked by the always remarkable, fine line of Al Williamson, also proving there is no one Al can't ink and still look great) and colourist Sherlyn van Valkenburgh provides a great reason to shun digital colour. She's a gem and one rarely seen in comics anymore. Even Michael Heisler's lettering is worth noting for it's melding so well with the stories.
The stories selected for these adaptations give everyone a chance to shine. Mignola establishes himself as one of the more respected artists in the American comic scene by drawing everything under the sun on Newhon. ...more
I tend to have polarized reactions to Grant Morrison's work. I love Flex Mentallo and Doom Patrol, but I hate the self-indulgent weirdness of The InviI tend to have polarized reactions to Grant Morrison's work. I love Flex Mentallo and Doom Patrol, but I hate the self-indulgent weirdness of The Invisibles. Sadly, The Filth is utterly impenetrable weirdness for weirdness sake. I found it insufferably boring and self-indulgent.
There’s a man called Greg Feely a.k.a Ned Slade who seems like your average middle-aged guy, but secretly he’s a James Bond-type agent for a covert agency that saves the world on a regular basis from bizarre threats. There are cars with teeth, entire planets in airplane hangars, women in sexy tuxes living in comics, a Stephen Hawking version of Superman, a “Pornomancer” trying to impregnate Los Angeles, a naked Nixon floating in a fake womb, a city-sized boat where the President of the United States is given a boob job, and a talking Russian commie chimp who shot JFK. Good luck making any sense out of that - I know I completely failed to do so.
It sounds wacky and fun but it’s actually really dull. When you can’t understand what’s going on and why, when everything seems so arbitrary, it’s impossible to care about anything as none of it has any meaning. Plot and character: basically everything you’d expect to find in a book is sacrificed so that Morrison can do weird shit seemingly for the sake of it. Ugh, and I hated the Scottish character whose dialogue is written phonetically like she’s an Irvine Welsh character, which was a horrible chore to decipher/read.
Chris Weston goes above and beyond bringing Morrison’s fever dreams to life with some really imaginative and highly detailed art, but that’s the only aspect of the book I can say I genuinely enjoyed. Otherwise this is 13 issues of the most incomprehensible comics you’ll ever read that only super-fans of The Invisibles will enjoy. ...more
In December 2020, the Great Unplugging occurred which led to the end of the Internet and the spilling of secrets stored in the cloud. Four years laterIn December 2020, the Great Unplugging occurred which led to the end of the Internet and the spilling of secrets stored in the cloud. Four years later, Jack McGinnis is a paper jockey, a courier that is paid to get top secret information from one person to another, by any means necessary.
Written in 2018 with a look to the year 2024, some of the plot points in this volume draw upon some of the fears that are starting to manifest themselves in the real world today. A mogul that is looking to transform the world being courted by Russia. The rise of artificial intelligence and humanity’s reaction to it. Rising tensions among the human race and the escalation of hate and violence – a powder keg ready to explode. As I read this OGN, I was shocked to see how right on the nose Mr. Duggan was with some of his prophecies.
Duggan does a phenomenal job mixing genres like dime store detectives and elements of crime noir thrust into a futuristic setting. It’s like if Sam Spade was dropped into the world of Blade Runner. David O’Sullivan helps Duggan bring this world to life and I enjoyed taking my time seeing how the world has changed. My favourite part was in Chapter Four when Jack travels to Japan to drop off a briefcase and meets his contact, Hideki. Imagine if the Tokyo of today went back to its original roots and you’ll get an idea of the updated landscapes of the once and future city of tomorrow.
Analog, like any good mystery book or novel, has many twists and turns you never see coming. As soon as you get accustomed to the direction the story is going, the rug is pulled out from underneath you and you get sent for a ride head over heels.
Sadly, Analog only ran ten issues, that fill two TPB's. There are rumblings that this series will be making the leap to live action but I’m not sure if that is still the plan or if it is currently in developmental hell. ...more
Journey back the Hyborian Age of Man as Conan the Barbarian and Brissa of the Gurian Tribe aim to stem an onslaught of the damned and save Cimmeria f Journey back the Hyborian Age of Man as Conan the Barbarian and Brissa of the Gurian Tribe aim to stem an onslaught of the damned and save Cimmeria from a certain doom. The quest takes them into the heart of the Citadel of the Black Stone and brings them into the clutches of the cult that worship at the altar of the Black Stone. Along the way Conan learns about the origins of this curse and about the history of his land from ages past. Yet is the knowledge enough for Conan to free his land and prevent the Army of the Lost from overrunning the continent?
Conan The Barbarian – Bound in Black Stone is the first collected volume of Jim Zub’s run on Conan The Barbarian under Titan Comics. Titan’s Conan hems closer to the character’s pulp fiction roots with a hefty focus on capturing tone and aesthetics of the classic sword and sorcery comics from the Bronze Age. The collection contains the Free Comic Book 2023 story, issues 1-4 of the ongoing, and the various back matter of the respective issues including this beautiful Map that shows the world. Altogether, this makes for a hefty story with some fantastic art by Roberto De La Torre. This makes for a fun read for readers who prefer the pulpier side of comics over the superhero fare.
Jim Zub crafts a tale that pulls from various angles of the Robert Howard universe—Thalla Doom, the cult of the Black Stone, Brule, and Kull—and synthesizes it all into a solid jumping on point for anyone who is even the slightly bit curious about Conan of Cimmeria. This volume presents a story that is well constructed and well executed. The inclusion of the Free Comic Book Day special speaks volumes to the attempt to craft an excellent Conan trade that can be someone’s first exposure to the character as well as a satisfying experience for long time fans. The FCBD story is as much of a Conan origin as possible with a focus on the Sack of Venarium and young Conan’s call to adventure. It is an excellent introduction to the character.
The rest of the trade focuses on the Bound in Black Stone arc which seeks to build out the Hyborian Age’s world for the reader with a focus on the Picts and the world of the occult that surrounds them. There is lot of character moments from Zub that shows the depth of Conan and that he is not just some slab of man that can swing a big sword. We get to see Conan be smart and cunning as well as swing that big sword of his.
The Picts are a big part of the story as the Army of the Lost originated as a fallen Pict clan that sought to use the allure of dark magic to gain immense power. Zub presents the Picts as a diverse group though and not just the stereotypical savages that often framed the characters. This is done with the scout- Brissa.
She is a new character for this story and Zub uses her to inform the reader a lot about the world. She also serves as a contrast to Conan. For while Conan seeks adventure in the larger world around him, Brissa is reluctantly journeying across the Northlands and only doing so out of a sense of obligation. Often trying to serve as a herald of the Army of the Lost in a foolish attempt to spare the lives of the innocents that stand in Army’s wake. She is very much a foil to Conan and takes him to task for his sense of self-assurance. Zub’s dynamic between the two is pretty well written and the two work great together. Of course, with this being a Conan story, Conan and Brissa share the night together. This leads to one of the more unfortunate aspects of the comic, and the genre for that matter, but more on that later.
Zub weaves elements of the Howard stories in a seamless fashion that it helps give the world such a large scope. He pulls out Brule in a flashback sequence that helps not only explain the mysterious occult dealings of those who worship the Black Stone but fleshes out the world of Conan in a way that isn’t too heavy handed but also gives the reader the information they need to know. The flashback sequence is a strong moment for the trade and does a lot of the world building in interesting ways.
Additionally, Zub has a real knack for capturing the style of storytelling that best fits barbarian-style stories with his use of third person narration to set the tone and direction of the comic along with scripting some of the most violent bare-knuckle brawls this side of the Hyborian age. The third person narrative device does a lot of work here in putting the reader into the mindset of a fantasy bronze age comic. It provides flourishes to the world which in turn creates a much richer experience. It is much about setting a tone as it is about telling the story.
Roberto De La Torre’s art is phenomenal and the main selling point for the comic. While Zub’s writing is great here and captures the tone that works best for Conan, but it would be for want if there wasn’t art to complement it. De La Torre just hits it out of the park here. His style is reminiscent of classic Bronze Age art with heavy brushwork and just powerful energy in the page composition. The art is in the vein of Burne Hogarth and Frank Frazetta coupled with John Buscema. De La Torre just showing a masterclass in storytelling and energy.
Then there are action scenes that are positively breathtaking to read and detailed in a way that just makes it pure eye candy. For example, the Sack of Venarium is violent and bloody but well composed that you can easily make sense of the action. There isn’t a point in the action sequences where anything is misleading. Then there are these moments where Conan receives a vision that utilizes the double-page spread in a mesmerizing way that contrasts the relatively clear action sequences by being this collage of different visions that are dream-like in its mystery and confusion.
The colours complement De La Torre’s line work and page compositions by setting the mood and the energy of many pages. The colour Jose Villarrubia duties are split between (FCBD and Issue #1) and Dean White (Issues #2-4). Both artists have subtle differences in their colour palate choices with Villarrubia seemingly quicker to use stark contrasting colours for backgrounds such a fuchsias and yellows, and White more likely to favour more subtle colours or just stark white backgrounds in the form of negative space. Yet, the differences are subtle, and the overall colouring style is uniform across the 5 issues. They both employ a more gauche approach that gives the comic a more painterly look that elevates it to its classic sword and sorcery fantasy roots.
The use of stark white backdrops creates interesting negative space that Richard Starkings takes advantage of and letters straight onto the background and not in a caption box. This coupled with the font selection makes for a comic that looks and feels like it belongs in the bronze age. Starkings is a master at pulling the reader’s eyes across the page and the places he would put the narration was often inventive. Additionally, the caption placement provided a rhythm to the comic that gave it the feeling of being epic.
After saying all of this, there are some flaws with Conan The Barbarian – Bound in Black Stone. Most of these are endemic to the genre itself and trappings that just come with this type of story. The main one being how Brissa is written off. In most Sword and Sorcery stories (pulp stories in general, to be honest) you can’t have your leading male character settle down with a partner. The genre doesn’t lend itself to that as the lead is often wondering the countryside and acting like a male power fantasy in slaying monsters, righting wrongs, and sleeping with buxom babes.
Now, the usual way of resolving the conflict of not having your male lead settle down is by killing the love interest. Bound in Black Stone doesn’t do that, at least. Instead, Brissa is written off as having gone back into the Citadel of Black Stone to help Conan and the others escape. It is implied that she dies in the collapse of the Citadel, but there isn’t a body. It is likely Brissa will return when an adventure calls for it. That’s fine. It just annoyed me that she isn’t even shown going back into the Citadel. There is a moment where, after getting the prisoners to safety, she decides to return to the Citadel, but it isn’t shown. I am glad that Zub subverts the expectation here, but I would have liked to see more closure on her fate or at least certainty of her actions. This is admittedly a minor quibble, and the genre is known to do far worse with its female characters, but I wanted to see more.
Overall, Conan the Barbarian – Bound in Black Stone is a great entry point for anyone interested in reading Conan comics. The writing is extremely well done, and the art is stunning. Conan is a captivating character and the standard bearer of Sword and Sorcery stories for a reason. This is no exception. The flaws are along the lines of these types of stories, though. I highly recommend fans of Conan or Sword and Sorcery to check it out. It’s a violently good time....more
This book introduces most of the main characters who would appear throughout the first half of the Cerebus story line, and in some cases into the sec This book introduces most of the main characters who would appear throughout the first half of the Cerebus story line, and in some cases into the second half. They're almost all parodies of famous characters from other comic books, science fiction stories, films and even history. There's Red Sophia, a female warrior based on the comic book character Red Sonja. Captain Cockroach parodies a whole range of comic book superheroes. Elrod the albino looks like the Elric character from Michael Moorcock's fantasy books, but he talks like Foghorn Leghorn from the Bugs Bunny cartoons. President Weisshaupt is a version of George Washington (apparently the last name comes from a story that the real Washington was never actually president of the U.S., instead an imposter named Weisshaupt took his place). But the character who wins the parody sweepstakes is Lord Julius, the ruler of a city-state called Palnu. He's not so much a parody as he is a dead ringer for Groucho Marx, which usually makes him the funniest character of any issue in which he appears.
The first book also introduces Jaka, who is probably the longest running character besides Cerebus himself. She first appears in issue #6 as a tavern dancer (sort of a PG-rated version of a stripper) who Cerebus falls in love with while under the influence of a drug. The drug is given to him by criminals who hope to use his love for Jaka to get information out of him. The drug wears off, and Cerebus ends up leaving Jaka in tears, his memories of their romantic relationship gone. I get the impression that Jaka was intended as a one-time character when she first appeared, but later in the series when Sim needed a love interest for Cerebus, he brought Jaka back. Again and again.
We also start to learn the geography of Estarcion in this book. There are cities like Palnu and Iest, regions like the Red Marches, etc. We meet an underground civilization called the Pigts who worship a statue that looks a lot like Cerebus. We learn of beings like Clovis (who Cerebus frequently swears oaths by in the early issues, but who eventually disappears from the story) and Tarim (who is the story's original equivalent of a god).
All of these characters (and more) end up making reappearances in the following three books, so even though the real "meat" of the Cerebus story line doesn't begin until the second book, the first book is a must-read in order to set everything up. Plus, towards the end of the first book, the stories started getting longer and more advanced, running across multiple issues. We're not yet up to the stage where a book is one continuous story yet, but by the end of book one plot lines that take at least three issues to resolve are the norm, not the exception.
Another story element that is hinted at in the first book but never explicitly stated is that of Cerebus' "magnifier" nature. It is mentioned that in his youth (before the events of book one), Cerebus spent time as a Wizard's apprentice. Dave Sim has stated that some sort of magical "magnifier", possibly obtained accidentally during his apprenticeship, inhabits Cerebus. This causes many odd and amazing things to happen to Cerebus and to those around him during the course of his life. To me, this sounds like it may have started out as an excuse to explain away any illogical and supernatural plot points, but eventually Sim started using it as a plot device in later books. Or maybe he really did have it planned that way all along. Who knows?
In addition to introducing the characters and the world, the first book also has a bunch of good stories in it. It may be the most humour-oriented book of the entire series. It's a little tentative and even amateurish in places, obviously the work of a comic book artist who's just getting started. But it's a very entertaining read, and sets Cerebus apart from other comic books right from the start. ...more
For such a popular character, it’s a frustrating and troublesome process following Madman’s chronology over numerous different publishers and several For such a popular character, it’s a frustrating and troublesome process following Madman’s chronology over numerous different publishers and several books labelled ‘Volume one’. Well, this is the ur book, Madman’s first prolonged costumed appearances, combining what was previously issued as The Oddity Odyssey and Madman Adventures.
Laura Allred’s bright colours are such an integral constituent of Madman that it’s strange to crack this book open and discover that Frank Einstein’s first adventure was in black, white and grey. Other oddities that were wrinkled out include a costume hood that covers his entire head and a tendency toward the gruesome later completely excised. If you want to see Madman removing an eyeball and sticking it in his mouth, this is the one time only opportunity.
What’s astounding, however, is how much Michael Allred managed to hit the right note first time out. Despite the missteps into horror, the light and whimsical eccentricity is there, Madman conceiving unconventional solutions to dangerous situations, and the generosity of his spirit shining through. Allred the artist is also near fully formed. As with any top talent, he can surely point to a few panels that didn’t turn out as expected, and he hasn’t quite evolved the cartooning that would be associated with Madman, but for what was only his second long-form story, it’s some achievement.
Madman is never referred to as such. He’s Frank Einstein, returned to life by a nutty scientist, but left lacking any memory of his previous life, with a strange skin colour and a large scar across his forehead. In what’s unusual for the dramatic elements of superhero comics, his condition matters not at all to Joe Lombard, and for the remainder of the series theirs will be a mutual love untainted by tawdry soap opera plot considerations. Madman’s first outing requires he track down a Dr. Flem in order to save the life of Doctor Boiffard, the nutty scientist who saved him. It’s a discursive, but always entertaining mission.
The consequences of unfettered experimentation by visionary scientific engineers is a regular feature of the series, and results in Madman being deposited in prehistoric times. By the colour feature Allred’s made a few tweaks and the result is Madman as he’s been ever since. There’s the resolutely positive nature, colour pages and a joyful regurgitation of pop culture and scientific wonder. A final presentation sees Allred release his experimental side as dreams and hallucinations feature heavily in what’s an amazing artistic showcase, but less satisfying in story terms. It doesn’t matter in the greater context as Allred has now found his magical formula, and Madman has taken flight.
A fantastic bonus section should also be mentioned. Allred asked dozens of comic creators for a pin-up, and they responded incredibly enthusiastically. The roll call is a who’s who of comics. Genuinely. We have legends Jack Kirby, Alex Toth and Barry Windsor Smith, the hot turks of the early 1990s Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane and Marc Silvestri, the contemporary independent darlings Dan Clowes, Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez, the classical stylings of Frank Frazetta, Michael Kaluta and Charles Vess… and loads more people, equally good....more
Gerry Duggan and David O’Sullivan reunite after the excellent work on Analog for the story of Hector “Paladin” Gonzalez. A roadie/guitar tech for a beGerry Duggan and David O’Sullivan reunite after the excellent work on Analog for the story of Hector “Paladin” Gonzalez. A roadie/guitar tech for a beloved ’70s rock band, Hector dies in a plane crash — only to be reborn with a different job, collecting magical artifacts. There’s a whole grandiose mythos involved, but that’s sort of the gist of it all for the sake of this review. What also matters is that Hector is a really great intro into this world, and the kind of lovable loser who serves as the perfect foil for these weird magic and time-travelling shenanigans.
More than that, his life issues (never following his dreams) are a spark for a ghoulish tale that explores how we’re all on borrowed time and what we’re willing to do to make our dreams a reality. This book certainly operates in that The Twilight Zone-Tales from the Crypt realm of imagination, but it does so with way more heart and humour. It’s about building the same kind of story — life lessons learned harshly — and doing it in a way that feels grounded and approachable. It furthers a really great storytelling tradition with a character you actually want to root for (most of the time).
Of course, the connection we have with Hector isn’t just Duggan’s characterization; it’s the world O’Sullivan builds around him. Starting from the root of English/Irish farie stories and archetypes, this world is quickly forged into a kind of smorgasbord of horror archetypes. There’s black magic, zombies galore, portals and time travel, and much, much more — basically, a proper smattering of everything you’ve seen before from the best horror stories. The twist, then, is that O’Sullivan’s style and approach are novel and inventive; he brings the grit and whimsy in equal measure, and it makes for a world that feels fun to explore alongside Hector while adding some real terror to the story’s larger morale, “Don’t mess around with your life, dummy.”
Hector often feels like the centre of gravity in the book’s depiction, and that helps us gauge just how much of a bizarre turn we’ve made in this genuinely dark and unpredictable world (that is still very much about magic as this kind of glowing representation for life itself). It’s hard to truly explain the scope of this world, and there’s history baked into every weird gnome and freaky demon-person and haunted piece of machinery. But it’s always positioned to support Hector as he learns his ghastly lesson and tries to understand the gift (and curse) he may have been given. And if that ain’t life, then I don’t know what is.
This oversized single issue could have easily become a proper series — I’d have followed Hector for ages as he tracked down more magical artifacts and reflected on just how he is, or isn’t, living his best (after)life. But we just get the one, and we have to enjoy it for what it is. Which is a weird and wild modern fable, of sorts, and a tale to make us think about our own lives through the many wonders and horrors experienced by our solid hero. It’s like so many other seasonal tales, but it’s something all the more pointed and romantic, especially as it uses and uplifts art/music in its dissection of what it means to truly have purpose....more
Trifecta is unique among Judge Dredd graphic novels in switching between three separate features, all set in Mega City One, by three different creativTrifecta is unique among Judge Dredd graphic novels in switching between three separate features, all set in Mega City One, by three different creative teams. There’s a reason three seemingly disparate stories are not just gathered between two covers, but intermingled as the graphic novel proceeds. Spolier alert. Don’t want to know, don’t read beyond the fourth paragraph.
The Simping Detective and Low Life both feature judges undercover. Low Life’s Dirty Frank has been undercover so long his sanity had been discarded, and the Simping Detective’s Jake Point is equally damaged, still on the job, but alcohol soused and cynical, with Simon Spurrier’s first person narrative an effective 1950's tough guy fiction pastiche. Jake’s official back-up support mechanism appears to have cut him loose. Dirty Frank’s also in above his head among a group of predatory financiers as Rob Williams satirizes the single-mindedness of the few whose greed sent the world economy down the toilet in 2008. Meanwhile Judge Dredd is concerned about a power play taking place in the Council of Judges, those who set the tone and law for Mega City One.
Mirroring the noir narrative, Jake’s strip is well illustrated in shadowy style by Simon Coleby, primarily in black and white, but notable colour montages also feature. There’s a great contrast in the artistic styles, with the equally good D’Israeli almost channelling Kevin O’Neill with his spiky character designs for Low Life. Henry Flint is also on form for the Dredd pages.
Al Ewing’s good handle on Dredd is exemplified on the opening page. Back in the 1980's heyday of Judge Dredd writers John Wagner and Alan Grant regularly reminded readers of Dredd’s humourless intolerance and Ewing’s homage has a judge who apologies for excessive security methods curtly ordered to report for reassignment.
It’s a big surprise when Dredd storms into an apartment and straight into Jake’s strip. It takes a little longer for Low Life to connect, but when it does, it appears someone very highly placed in the Justice Department is manipulating matters to their own ends. Dredd has fingered the head of Black Ops division Judge Bachmann, with whom he’s had a previous run-in, and Ewing’s early episodes certainly indicate this is the case, with Bachmann a suitably sinister and manipulative presence. Ewing also makes good use of technology Wagner and Grant employed as the basis for single stories then discarded. Central to all three tales is a list revealing the identity of every undercover judge in the city, and someone taking the opportunity to eliminate them. It’s a threat concluding with a neat twist.
There are clever elements to all threads. Spurrier takes the opportunity to move his character forward, Ewing ensures Dredd is on top of his game and Williams’ knowing idiot savant dialogue for Dirty Frank transmits well: “Dirty Frank digresses due to psychic epiphany”. However, the over-arching plot of a grab for power among corrupt judges is something that’s better handled in the later Endgame, although its nefarious means of replacing what’s considered the outmoded society of Mega City One is suitably ambitious.
All three writers contribute to the conclusion, nicely illustrated by Carl Critchlow, and Trifecta is very tidily tied up via a shadowy background presence. Not as effective is the downfall of someone who’s been the very epitome of cool planning, undone by a moment of emotional impulse.
Trifecta is a bold statement that on balance is just about carried off.
Captain Benjamin Sisko (of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series) has returned from his three year entrapment in a different dimension with the mysterCaptain Benjamin Sisko (of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series) has returned from his three year entrapment in a different dimension with the mysterious ‘Prophets’. And with his return come some god-like powers. He’s now commanding the U.S.S. Theseus with a crew of mostly familiar set of faces:
Data, Beverly Crusher, Tom Paris, Worf, Lilly Sato, and even Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, as well as his son, Jake. But what good are god-like powers if they fail you when you need them most?
Someone is killing gods in the most remote parts of deep space and Sisko and his crew are tasked with uncovering the root of the matter and stopping the perpetrators. But what should be a slam-dunk for someone who is omnipotent becomes dangerous and potentially deadly. Sisko will need all the combined abilities of his team to survive.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a new Star Trek graphic novel and I was excited to get into this. While I initially had some doubt about the pulling together of these different crew members from the different television series’, I actually found it to be a bit fun. Still, despite how much I like Scotty and the original series, his inclusion here just didn’t feel right (yes, I understand he’s now in this era).
I do wonder if I’ve missed something with Sisko. Is there another book or series detailing Sisko’s abilities that I missed or don’t remember? What is the purpose of giving him his own god-like powers just to take them away in this series?
I found the story to be just a bit tedious. I think this is endemic to graphic novels that are put together from a regular comic book series, as opposed to a graphic novel written as a novel. When writing for a monthly (or bi-monthly, or quarterly, etc) series there’s a certain amount of reminders about what’s come before. It’s great when reading on a regular, delayed basis, but definitely slows things down when reading the story as a whole.
What works well is the contrasting story themes. On the one hand we have gods and godlike powers with battles and threats abundant. But the heart of the story is about humanity and the simple will of what’s important to humans … family and those close to us.
The artwork is decent but inconsistent. On one page we might get some really well-drawn characters (these are mostly very familiar figures to us all) and then the next page will feature the same characters but if not for an identifying feature (skin colour, hair colour, uniform, etc) we might otherwise not know who the characters are. This can sometimes be a real problem and since this is a graphic novel, where the art is part of the story, this definitely loses some points for me.
Looking for a good book? Star Trek: Godshock is a graphic novel assembling a variety of familiar Star Trek universe characters and putting them together to take on unknown dangers. Star Trek fans should enjoy it but non-Trek fans won’t find much of interest....more
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