This was better than I expected, but worse than I had hoped.
We begin exactly where we left off with Daigoro standing by the dead bodies of his fatherThis was better than I expected, but worse than I had hoped.
We begin exactly where we left off with Daigoro standing by the dead bodies of his father and Retsudo on the Hatcho strand. The first few chapters were quite good, showing Daigoro’s hopeless plight and introducing our new ‘wolf’ Togo Shigekata, a wandering samurai who finds the lone child in the midst of this strange plight and is destined to be the next warrior to take the cub under his wing. Understandably it takes some time for Daigoro to trust the new samurai and for his new guardian to appreciate the strange child he has stumbled upon, but in the end they come to an understanding.
We find that with the end of the Yagyu clan of assassins, the kogi kaishakunin of clan Ogami, and the official taster/poisoner Abe there remains but the Hattori clan of ninja spies in the hierarchy of special retainers to the shogun (a clan we’ve never heard of before and who didn’t play into the triumvirate of power behind the throne of the previous series at all) who hope to reap the benefits of the destruction of their rivals by both disposing of the wolf cub Daigoro and using the new wolf to further a plan of their own. They also hope to pillage the secret cache of Itto’s fee as an assassin (which I thought he had use as part of his plan to expose the Yagyu, but whatever) to further their place at the shogun’s court. They are led by an intriguing figure: an apparently hermaphroditic ninja counselled by an old crone.
Koike is obviously doing some ret-conning here to allow the story to continue, but unfortunately it’s starting to look like it will simply be more of the same with wave after wave of attackers beaten off by the consummate skill of our new samurai hero Shigekata as underhanded schemes dog the steps of our intrepid duo. So far our new surrogate Lone Wolf is once again forced to deal with the secret machinations of a deadly clan seeking power behind the scenes whose goal is to kill our heroes. Am I mistaken or does Koike have something new to say? I suppose only time, and a few more volumes, will tell.
So far the story has been a bit weird and may simply swerve back into more of the same, but there is enough to indicate it just might go somewhere unexpected to make me think it’s worth hanging on for a bit longer....more
The world of Monstress is an intriguing blend of fantasy, steampunk, and horror in which a cold war stalemate between the Human Federation and the ArcThe world of Monstress is an intriguing blend of fantasy, steampunk, and horror in which a cold war stalemate between the Human Federation and the Arcanic Empire (a fae-like group of semi-magical entities that seem the encompass both human and animal characteristics) threatens to heat up in a big way. We follow the arcanic girl Maika, whose appearance seems completely human aside from the strange tattoo-like marking on her chest, as she is sold into slavery to the Cumaens (a group of ‘witch-nuns’ that work as the Human Federation’s greatest weapons against the magical arcanics and who definitely have shades of the Bene Gesserit about them) and we see that far from being an unwitting pawn, Maika has her own plans that are only beginning to unfold. What follows is a short tour through the Cumaen citadel-laboratory showing us us the worst side of the Human Federation (arcanic body parts are used to power Cumaen magic and technology, primarily through the extraction of a substance called lilium), followed by a violence-filled jail-break that reveals Maika’s own dark secret, a secret that can make her the most valuable asset, as well as most feared menace, to both the human and arcanic camps.
This brings us to the menacing shadow that lies in the background of this world, for behind the petty wars of humans and arcanics there lie the ghosts of the unnameable old gods (well, actually they do have names, but you know what I mean). These vast creatures are Cthulhu-like entities that drift in aimless sleep, apparently dormant and harmless, and whose power each side covets. Maika, it appears, has a direct line to one of them, and neither of them is happy about the arrangement. As a result Maika is in search of answers: answers about how she became this way, what happened to her mother, and the truth behind the catclysm that brought about the present stalemate seven years earlier. Unable to find these answers in her ill-managed infiltration of the Cumaean citadel, Maika leaves with new enemies in hot pursuit, and some uncertain allies, put off by the arcanic girl’s surly manner and obviously dangerous nature, tagging along and helping when they can.
Despite the fact that the humans seem to be fairly solidly placed as the ‘bad guys’ at the start of the story it was nice to see that there was some level of complexity introduced to the picture of the war between humans and arcanics as we see that not only does the human race support some benevolent members, but that the arcanics themselves seem to operate under equally suspect moral grey areas as do the humans. Maika herself is not exactly the most likeable character, though she’s obviously got a lot going on, and her constant attempts to distance herself from others can be seen as much as acts of benevolence as ones of cruelty.
This comic has a lot going for it: beautiful art, a richly imagined world, a conflicted protagonist and complex characters, not to mention some powerful underlying themes contring around the horror of war, opression, and racial hatred. As long as you can stomach a good dose of bloody violence and lots of moral ambiguity then I’d definitely recommend Monstress as a compelling read.
Oh yeah...and sentient cats!
Merged review:
The world of Monstress is an intriguing blend of fantasy, steampunk, and horror in which a cold war stalemate between the Human Federation and the Arcanic Empire (a fae-like group of semi-magical entities that seem the encompass both human and animal characteristics) threatens to heat up in a big way. We follow the arcanic girl Maika, whose appearance seems completely human aside from the strange tattoo-like marking on her chest, as she is sold into slavery to the Cumaens (a group of ‘witch-nuns’ that work as the Human Federation’s greatest weapons against the magical arcanics and who definitely have shades of the Bene Gesserit about them) and we see that far from being an unwitting pawn, Maika has her own plans that are only beginning to unfold. What follows is a short tour through the Cumaen citadel-laboratory showing us us the worst side of the Human Federation (arcanic body parts are used to power Cumaen magic and technology, primarily through the extraction of a substance called lilium), followed by a violence-filled jail-break that reveals Maika’s own dark secret, a secret that can make her the most valuable asset, as well as most feared menace, to both the human and arcanic camps.
This brings us to the menacing shadow that lies in the background of this world, for behind the petty wars of humans and arcanics there lie the ghosts of the unnameable old gods (well, actually they do have names, but you know what I mean). These vast creatures are Cthulhu-like entities that drift in aimless sleep, apparently dormant and harmless, and whose power each side covets. Maika, it appears, has a direct line to one of them, and neither of them is happy about the arrangement. As a result Maika is in search of answers: answers about how she became this way, what happened to her mother, and the truth behind the catclysm that brought about the present stalemate seven years earlier. Unable to find these answers in her ill-managed infiltration of the Cumaean citadel, Maika leaves with new enemies in hot pursuit, and some uncertain allies, put off by the arcanic girl’s surly manner and obviously dangerous nature, tagging along and helping when they can.
Despite the fact that the humans seem to be fairly solidly placed as the ‘bad guys’ at the start of the story it was nice to see that there was some level of complexity introduced to the picture of the war between humans and arcanics as we see that not only does the human race support some benevolent members, but that the arcanics themselves seem to operate under equally suspect moral grey areas as do the humans. Maika herself is not exactly the most likeable character, though she’s obviously got a lot going on, and her constant attempts to distance herself from others can be seen as much as acts of benevolence as ones of cruelty.
This comic has a lot going for it: beautiful art, a richly imagined world, a conflicted protagonist and complex characters, not to mention some powerful underlying themes contring around the horror of war, opression, and racial hatred. As long as you can stomach a good dose of bloody violence and lots of moral ambiguity then I’d definitely recommend Monstress as a compelling read.
Not a bad story and a very creative re-envisioning of the world of Sherlock Holmes in the key of Lovecraft with an interesting, if not altoge2.5 stars
Not a bad story and a very creative re-envisioning of the world of Sherlock Holmes in the key of Lovecraft with an interesting, if not altogether unforeseen, twist at the end. That said, the story felt a little light, more like an introduction to a larger story, or set of stories, but somewhat slight on its own. The art in this graphic novel version was a little up and down, though the character designs were well done....more
My daughter is reading Maus for school and brought her copy home and somehow, despite being a comic reader of long standing, I hadn’t yet read it. I’vMy daughter is reading Maus for school and brought her copy home and somehow, despite being a comic reader of long standing, I hadn’t yet read it. I’ve certainly always been aware of it and its place in the pantheon of comics but it wasn’t until now that I took advantage of the opportunity and actually picked it up to see what all the commotion was about. I’m glad I finally did.
As I imagine everyone knows it’s an unflinching and moving depiction of the holocaust as recounted to the author by his father. Rightfully considered a classic, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this graphic novel was groundbreaking in its day and frankly still is. The depiction of the Jewish people as mice and Germans as cats may seem a little on the nose, but I think it expresses what it needs to as a metaphor and perhaps makes the story somewhat easier to approach for some without pulling any punches or lessening the harsh realities of this episode in human history.
I have to admit that I was a little surprised at Spiegelman’s depiction of his father, warts and all, but I don’t doubt its accuracy (at least as he remembers it) and it just goes to show the complexity of human nature. To be fair, the author himself (or his representation in the story) doesn’t exactly come off with an angelic lustre himself. I’m also curious why he chose to depict the Polish as pigs…not exactly what one might call a positive image, though one mustn’t be too surprised at any ambivalent feelings he, or his father, may have had given the circumstances. It’s definitely a story of many levels and no easy answers, but I must respect the fact of the author’s unflinching portrayal of the truth both he and his father witnessed.
So, it appears as though this how Vagabond ends. Despite the cliff-hanger it seems unlikely that we will have any more from Takehiko Ino3.5 - 4 stars
So, it appears as though this how Vagabond ends. Despite the cliff-hanger it seems unlikely that we will have any more from Takehiko Inoue’s interpretation of Miyamoto Musashi’s life since the series has been on hiatus since 2015. That’s really too bad as this was a great series. At first it seemed like little more than a carbon copy of the novel upon which it was based, but as the story went on Inoue introduced some significant differences in both character and plot that made his interpretation something new and interesting. Working with themes of the search for perfection, the interrelatedness of all human endeavours, and the dichotomy in the swordsman between the primal animal passions and the search for a refined, even pure, perfection he built something quite compelling.
Musashi was an interesting character from the beginning, if perhaps a bit simplistic. Beginning as a man that is little more than a beast whose primary claim to fame seemed to be his brute strength and unshakeable tenacity, he grew beyond this simplicity into quite an intriguing and complex character. Always fighting a battle within himself, and attempting to learn from both his mistakes and the many people he met in his travels, Musashi started to show how he might truly grow into the “sword saint” he is depicted as in popular legend. The varied supporting cast that filled out his story was also great from those who acted as friends, mentors, and pupils (primarily Otsu, Matahachi, Jotaro, and Takuan) to the many, many martial opponents who acted as both foils to Musashi’s quest as well as stepping stones on his quest to perfection. Each warrior faced by the legendary swordsman presented a slightly different perspective on the way of the warrior, sometimes even calling into question whether such a thing as a true ‘martial art’ (or violence that can lead to perfection) can even exist…an interesting possibility to be entertained by fiction based more or less on the pursuit of violence.
This final volume (so far at least…fingers crossed, right?!) sees Musashi take an abrupt left turn in his travels. Trying to escape form the confusion and shame he is beginning to feel as the target of every would-be fighter that wants to make a name for themselves by beating the great Musashi, he hides away in a back-water village where he befriends a young orphan and takes up residence in the boy’s dying farmstead. What ensues is a battle of wills between the swordsman and the land itself as he works tirelessly to try and turn a village dying by inches, and on the edge of starvation, into a living community once again. At first viewed with suspicion and fear by the villagers, he soon becomes a symbol of hope and tenacity in the face of nearly crushing obstacles as he refuses to be cowed by the harsh realities of weather and soil. Working against time, he slowly brings the villagers around to his perspective and they begin to work tirelessly in the hopes of saving the village. In the end they find that….
Well we don’t know what they find (at least in this version) and may never unless Inoue’s hiatus comes to an end and Vizbig is able to once again produce these omnibuses. It’s really too bad, but I’d still say it was well worth spending time with this series, even if it remains unfinished....more
Musashi continues to struggle with the demon of anger and pride that seems to lie behind his skill with the blade in search of something greater that Musashi continues to struggle with the demon of anger and pride that seems to lie behind his skill with the blade in search of something greater that he glimpsed in the placid prowess of old masters such as Yagyu Sekishusai and In’ei Hozoin. While he desires to escape from “the spiral of death”, Musashi still notes that he is “not gracious enough to give up [his] life” and reaches the compromise of drawing a circle on the ground, warning any would-be challengers that he will defend himself against those that enter it.
Takuan and Hon'ami Koetsu continue to try and bring Musashi and Kojiro together and attempt to make plans to fully integrate Musashi back into normal society, going so far as to plan a marriage between him and Otsu, though even as it looks as though their plans may bear fruit, Musashi further distances himself from the world by once again disappearing into the wilderness. He soon takes up with a poor farming family whose patriarch, a sculptor of statues of the Buddha, seems to have a valuable lesson for Musashi in his search for peace and perfection. Musashi also attempts to get to the root of Kojiro’s prowess with the blade by emulating his deafness and returning to the natural surroundings in which Musashi himself first learned to master the sword as a child.
Meanwhile Matahachi continues to struggle with the poor choices he has made and comes to (another) crisis point in his life. Inoue also throws a bit of a curveball at the reader by revealing that the story of Musashi as told thus far has in fact been recounted by a much older Matahachi to crowds of listeners. This doesn’t make a lot of sense given the number of storylines that would seemingly be beyond the knowledge of Matahachi, a fact that the character himself acknowledges to the chagrin of his audience. I’m not really sure what to do with this, and I don’t know if I love it, but I don’t hate the idea of Matahachi as the bearer of the fame of Musashi either.
I have to admit, though, that the high point of the volume for me is the return of Ito Ittosai, the sociopathic, yet charismatic, master of the sword who seems to be playing with the lives of both Musashi and Kojiro for his own amusement. A truly feral killer who has embraced the pride and anger that Musashi so desperately hopes to escape, he is nonetheless possessed of a certain strange harmony of soul, or at least an acceptance of the validity of his way of life in his own eyes. A purely self-centered individual who sees all others as belonging to one of two classes: either cattle that are beneath his contempt, or possible rivals to be challenged for his own amusement and advancement, he embraces all that Musashi hopes to avoid. He also seems to be virtually unflappable, seemingly taking everything in stride, and relishing those few moments when the unexpected manages to take him by surprise.
The Way of the Sword, an idea which obviously permeates this manga, has itself come to a crisis point of diversion. Ittosai demonstrates the old way of the sword that existed when using swords in actual combat was still their primary purpose, while Musashi seems to be the harbinger of a new Way, a truly martial “art” in which the sword becomes a vehicle primarily for philosophy as opposed to warfare in which self-control and character-building are more important than a body count. The paradox of utilizing a tool of violence in order to find peace is perhaps one of the most fascinating elements of the story of Musashi overall....more
This volume presents us with further journeys of self-discovery for the main characters of the saga as they reach crossroads and decision3.5 - 4 stars
This volume presents us with further journeys of self-discovery for the main characters of the saga as they reach crossroads and decision points in their lives.
Musashi recovers from his battle with the Yoshioka in a monastery where he is ostensibly being held prisoner, though it is really for his own protection as his fame and renown make him a target for every swordsman in the country looking to make a name for himself. Unable to stand due to an injured leg, Musashi begins to wonder what his future can hold if he is no longer able to fight. Setting off on an inner journey of further self-discovery, Musashi is counselled by Takuan who urges him to give up the way of violence that has dominated his life, while Otsu and Jotaro have finally caught up with him and wonder what the future may hold for them in their relationships with Musashi as a result of the recent changes in his life. For his part Kojiro faces yet another opponent and so impresses his adversary that he is offered the man's place as an instructor of swordsmanship to a high ranking clan.
Takuan and the master sword-sharpener Hon'ami Koetsu reflect upon the two young master swordsmen whose lives have crossed their paths: Musashi and Kojiro, and they begin to wonder if these two young men are not two halves of the same essence. Throughout the series Takehiko has examined the ways in which all of the various adherents to the way of the sword differ in significant ways, and yet also seem to partake of the same basic passions and predilections. He has also made no mystery of his fascination with the dichotomy inherent in the way of the sword: a pattern of intertwined violence and beauty that brings out both the best and the worst in those that follow it, seemingly based upon their attitude to the sword and its ultimate purpose.
Musashi, the man born with a savage heart, nearly wild and seemingly without the common restraints of society seems frightening, but for my money it is Kojiro, the deaf-mute man-child whose apparent innocence and simplicity disguise an almost purely instinctual devotion to violence-as-play who is the more dangerous, and certainly creepier, figure. Takuan and Koetsu's sense that Musashi and Kojiro must meet is no doubt an inevitability, but their thought that this meeting can be an inherently good thing, given their hopes that both young men can overcome the way of violence, is to me at least a questionable impulse....more
The volume begins with the end of the match between Musashi and Denshichiro in which the wandering ronin dispatches the last of the Yoshi4 – 4.5 stars
The volume begins with the end of the match between Musashi and Denshichiro in which the wandering ronin dispatches the last of the Yoshioka siblings, much to the shock and amazement of the rest of the clan. With his feud apparently over Musashi leaves the temple grounds in which they fought only to run into Matahachi on the streets of Kyoto. Musashi manages to force the unwilling Matahachi to join him for a drink and, upon seeing the successes of his former friend, the latter jealously lashes out with the only weapon he has: Otsu. Accusing Musashi of not only stealing his former fiancee, but using her as his concubine, Matahachi perhaps destoys one of the only friendships he has ever known.
Meanwhile the Yoshioka plan to overwhelm Musashi with all seventy of their remaining warriors ready to ambush him in the guise of another duel. The majority of the volume follows this carnage as Musashi harnesses his preternatural prowess and flows through the battle cutting down all who stand against him. For most of the Yoshioka this is a moment of hatred and vengeance, though others come to see Musashi as something of a saviour: the greatest challenge they could ever face, and a swordsman able to teach them the greatest of lessons even as he destroys them. Musashi himself inwardly thanks the Yoshioka for providing him with this opportunity to learn in the only real way for a swordsman: at the edge of a blade with the threat of death looming on all sides. This dichotomy in the relationship between antagonists in bushido has been commented on before, but I always find it intriguing. One’s enemy is also one’s greatest friend. They represent both the greatest opportunity, as well as the most powerful danger a swordsman can face.
In the midst of the carnage of the battle, as Musashi mows down his enemies like chaff, we learn some of the backgrounds of the leading Yoshioka warriors and how they came into the fold. Chief among these is the ranking swordsman Ueda Ryohei, who was like a third brother to the vanquished Seijuro and Denshichiro. I like how Takehiko weaves in these personal flashbacks even in the midst of his action segments, adding depth to the characters with minimal effort. We never see a great amount of Ryohei, but what we do see helps to define him and we come to learn much in the few glimpses of his life we are given.
I was a little less enthused with this volume than with some of the previous ones given that ¾ of it was given over to a somewhat repetitive battle, but it is still an excellent comic that I highly recommend, especially to enthusiasts of the martial arts, Japanese history, or the story of Musashi (legendary as this version may be in many respects)....more
Really a 2.5, but I'm rounding up because I like Forager (and have since I discovered him in Starlin's Cosmic Odyssey back in the day) and Allred's arReally a 2.5, but I'm rounding up because I like Forager (and have since I discovered him in Starlin's Cosmic Odyssey back in the day) and Allred's art is fantastic as always. Ultimately though, this wasn't really my cup of tea: the sheer silver-age style goofiness was just a bit much for me.
The last we saw Forager, a New God raised by the bug people of New Genesis, he had died heroically in the aforementioned Cosmic Odyssey saga. Now he appears to have come back to life (certainly not a novel experience in the world of comic book superheroes) upon emerging from a strange cocoon and proceeds to have a series of multiversal adventures in the company of a sentient teddy bear and a mute little girl with strange, and largely undefined, powers. Coming along for the ride are a host of characters created by Jack 'King' Kirby (as was Forager and the New Gods) including the Sandman (Garrett Sanford version) and his sidekicks Brute and Glob (perhaps familair to readers of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics that revolve around Morpheus the dreamlord), the WWII-era soldiers 'the Losers', Atlas, and OMAC (the One man Army Corps).
Forager is ultimately on a journey of self-discovery (coupled of course with once again saving the universe) and his adventurs are both implausible and zany. I know I shouldn't critique a comic book for its realism and plausability, but my suspension of disbelief generally takes a leave of absence once the adventures fall into the absurd/zany/this-is-way-too-silver-age spectrum. Great art though and I think kids would love it (I know mine did)....more
The second collection of the Sandman series, “The Doll’s House”, kicks off with a tale that will have repercussions for the larger arc of2.5 – 3 stars
The second collection of the Sandman series, “The Doll’s House”, kicks off with a tale that will have repercussions for the larger arc of Morpheus’ story, though of course we don’t know that yet if we’re a first time reader. I won’t spoil anything, but suffice it to say that the tale of Nada is an important milestone in the ‘life’ of Morpheus and his actions here will affect his ultimate fate. It also helps to reinforce the fact that Morpheus, while the titular ‘hero’ of the series, can be a real asshole when he feels that he’s been hard done by. He’s definitely someone that expects to get what he wants and woe betide the individual that stands in his way. In fact there are quite a number of elements in this chapter of the Sandman series that are very important as set-up for key plot elements of the larger story arc for Morpheus. These include the introduction of a few more of Morpheus’ siblings from the Endless, in this case the twins Desire and Despair, and their machinations; as well as the figure of Lyta Hall, an apparently minor figure in one of the stories in these issues, whose strange life in the Dreaming, and Morpheus’ actions taken against her family, will prove seminal as well. Given all of that, this is obviously an important chapter to Morpheus’ story, but even with this being the case I have to admit that I wasn’t super impressed with the main arc of the story which revolves around the life of Rose Walker.
Rose is a young woman who finds herself pulled into the strange world of Dream as she both finds a grandmother she didn’t know she had (Unity Kincaid, an important minor character from “Preludes and Nocturnes”) and goes on a search for her long-lost brother Jed, who has been separated from his mother and sister for years after their parents divorced. Rose finds herself living in a strange house peopled by what can only be called odd occupants (a literal Ken and Barbie couple, two veiled sisters with bizarre predelictions, and a G. K. Chesterton look-alike with delusions of knighthood who has deeper secrets of his own) that she uses as a home base while she searches for her brother. What at first seems like an easy task takes on a twisted and macabre turn as we discover not only that Jed has been living in an abusive home, forced to live locked away in the basement with a strange dreamworld (reminiscent of the ‘Little Nemo’ comic strip) acting as his only refuge, but also that the path to saving Jed leads Rose to a hotel at which a secret serial killer convention is occurring. Morpheus becomes directly involved in Rose’s family quest for two reasons: he has discovered that some of the inhabitants of Dream that escaped while the dream lord was imprisoned are now running amok in the mortal world and their paths lead him directly to Rose and her family; more importantly someone in Rose’s family proves to be a ‘dream vortex’, some kind of force, seen only once in an age, that can destroy not only the very fabric of the dream world, but the real one as well.
My favourite part of this chapter was actually the stand-alone segment not directlly related to the Rose Walker storyline in which Hob Gadling, a man from the late 12th century, happens to opine that death is rubbish and that he has no intention of following the mortal path of his fellow humans. It just so happens that Dream and his older sister Death are visiting the same pub and decide that it might be amusing to grant Hob his wish. So begins a strange story of friendship and the human condition as Hob and Dream agree to meet every hundred years at the same time and place to see if Hob is still content to live as an immortal.
As noted above I know that some very important seeds are being sown in this storyline, but I just wasn’t particularly inspired by the main story itself. It had it’s moments, but I know better things are on the horizon. I also think the art is still pretty sloppy, though it may simply be that the muted tones and blurred lines are purposefully recalling the style of older horror comics and help to reinforce the fact that the ambiguous world of dream is central to the series. It’s still not a style I’ve to appreciate much....more
This series continues to be awesome. The art is simply gorgeous and the story compelling and engrossing, whether we are experiencing quiet moments or This series continues to be awesome. The art is simply gorgeous and the story compelling and engrossing, whether we are experiencing quiet moments or violent action. I am constantly amazed at how Takehiko Inoue is able to repeat patterns and ideas, but does so in such a way that he always sems to be bringing something new to the page and never ends up appearing boring or redundant. We start off with a bang (that may seem in some ways a bit anti-climactic) as Musashi immediately kills Seijuro, the head of the famous Yoshioko school of swordsmanship and elder brother of Denshichiro, who is in the midst of preparing for the long arranged duel he had made with the wandering ronin a year earlier.
Immediately after this Musashi meets an old man who, sensing something special about the swordsman, invites him to his home as a guest. Unbeknownst to Musashi it is the great sword sharpener Hon’ami Koetsu who has intervened in his life. It appears that Musashi is not the only wandering master of the sword that has been taken in by the famous artisan, as we discover that Sasaki Kojiro is also staying as a guest of Koetsu and his wife and has developed quite a palyful bond with the elderly couple. Indeed, the two act as surrogate parents to the two orphans of the sword, providing them with an experience of family that neither of them had as a child. Just as Hon’ami sensed the powerful ki in both of them they each recognize a worthy peer in the other and, given the setting in which they find themselves, they develop an almost sibling rivalry as they size each other up while ‘playing’ in the snow with Musashi acting as the ‘elder brother’ often nonplussed and irritated at the seemingly childish actions of Kojiro. As the Yoshioka disciples, upon learning of Seijuro’s death, search relentlessly (though fruitlessly) for Musashi and hatch a plan to have a stand-in replace Denshichiro in the coming conflict in the fear that they will lose all, Musashi learns about himself from both his host and the child-like Kojiro and suddenly appreciates the need to let go of the seemingly limitless rage that has fueled him to this point in order to regain the natural affinity he had with the sword as a child; an affinity that Kojiro shows in spades.
Meanwhile both Matahatchi, Otsu and Jotaro come to Kyoto without knowing that they are once again fortuitously crossing paths with Musashi on the eve of his great duel. Matahatchi becomes embroiled in this when the Yoshioka, having heard rumours of his superlative skill, attempt to recruit Kojiro as their stand-in for the duel and Matahatchi happens to once again be in the right place at the right time (or is it the wrong place at the wrong time?) in order to try and manipulate circumstances to take advantage of the situation.
In the last few pages we finally come to the duel with Denshichiro which shows Musashi evaluating several attacks in his mind as the two face off in silence, appearing to the impatient crowd to be doing nothing. In the end we have a cliffhanger with Musashi making an almost fatal error as he finally runs forward to attack his foe. Has his new sense of ease and naturalness cost him his killing edge? Only time, and the next volume, will tell....more
They say we are what we are, But we don't have to be, I'm bad behavior but I do it in the best way, … 'Cause we could be immortals, immortals Just not for They say we are what we are, But we don't have to be, I'm bad behavior but I do it in the best way, … 'Cause we could be immortals, immortals Just not for long, for long “Immortals” by Fallout Boy
I think “high concept” and “sumptuous” are both fair assessments of this book. We find ourselves in a world where, once every ninety years, the spirits of the ancient gods possess some ‘lucky’ mortals who, for two years, are imbued with their power, abilities, and allure. After this brief shining moment they will expire in a blaze of glory acting as the ultimate, and divine, expression of living fast and dying young. It reminded me quite a bit of Daryl Gregory’s Pandemonium with less reliance on psychological complexity and more on the cult of personality. It is also more than a little Gaiman-esque with some shades of American Gods...at least as far as the intrusion of gods into the mundane modern world being central to the story goes. In this case,however, instead of ancient gods battling the new for supremacy we see how closely humanity’s apparent need to worship the gods mirrors the modern cult of celebrity. These gods are pop stars that, like Byron (perhaps the first pop star in a way that we would understand), are “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.” That of course doesn’t stop worshippers (or perhaps I should say fans) from flocking to them in the hopes of basking in their reflected glory.
Our main character is just such a fan. Laura is drifting aimlesssly, following the tours and shows of the newly recurring ‘gods’ and reveling in the residual glory and awe she feels when around them. But Laura is starting to feel the glow fade a bit and being merely a fan is no longer enough for her. Wanting to become a part of the inner circle of this new pantheon, Laura somehow finds herself catching the eye of Lucifer (yes, that one), who goes by ‘Luci’ now, and ends up being dragged into a murder mystery that threatens to bring down the gods themselves. Can even the divine act with impunity? How far will humanity let these gods go before they decide they have had enough? This first volume is largely set-up with a few of the main characters being introduced and the basic conflict established.
I found it enjoyable, but the concept of religion as celebrity (or perhaps I really should say celebrity as religion) isn’t exactly new ground.The main character is also not particularly interesting thus far and the in-world rationale for her inclusion, however cursory, in the world of the gods aside from authorial fiat isn’t immediately apparent. The art is gorgeous, but may perhaps help to emphasize the excess of sizzle with this title when compared to the relative paucity of steak. The central murder mystery does have some potential, however, and may lead to more than at first appears will be the case. The deeper question this story looks at, inasmuch as it does go deep, is perhaps why does humanity seem to need gods, or conversely why do the gods need us? Who’s even really in charge of this relationship? Are we merely spiritual batteries powering the self-love of the gods, or are they simply the catalyst for our own greater dreams and visions?
I wasn’t blown away, but there is definitely room for this title to grow so the jury’s still out. It’s definitely a beautiful piece of work visually with some interesting mysteries peeping out from a few corners....more
It’s obvious that Jeff Lemire has a great love for many of the classic characters and stories of Marvel and DC comics. In Black Hammer he does somethiIt’s obvious that Jeff Lemire has a great love for many of the classic characters and stories of Marvel and DC comics. In Black Hammer he does something I nearly always enjoy: he takes these classics and files off the serial numbers so he can take them for a spin outside of the confines of their home universe. There is a long and hallowed tradition of this. Moore did it with the Watchmen; Busiek did it with Astro City; Warren Ellis riffed on it all over the place with Planetary; you could even say it goes as far back as Mark Gruenwald’s ‘homage’ to the Justice League with his creation of the Squadron Supreme and Chris Claremont’s homage to the Legion of Superheroes with the Shi’ar Imperial Guard. Long story short: the world of comics is full of people admiring someone else’s creation and 'ripping it off' so they can play with the same toys. Often, when we’re lucky, this also means we are no longer restricted by decades of continuity and can actually bring some meaningful change to these characters…at least those are the times when I most appreciate this practice.
Lemire makes no bones about his inspirations. Abraham ‘Slam’ Slamkowski is obviously Captain America, Mark Markz aka Barbalien the Warlord of Mars is a ‘rip-off’ of J’onn J’onzz the Martian Manhunter, Golden Gail is a gender-swapped and reverse-changing Captain Marvel (er, that’s the Shazam one), Colonel Randall Weird is Adam Strange having a *really* bad day, and Madame Dragonfly is an homage to the horror comic anthologies of old with their creepy hosts merged with characters like Madam Xanadu.
As I noted above these homages allow the classic archetypes to get a chance to live and breathe more freely. Not confined to established continuity (outside of the general shape of their origins and features that make them who they are) they can grow and change and *gasp* even die (permanently I mean…no Barry Allen retcons here) so that their stories gain a real shape: a beginning, middle, and end. This is obviously something the parent corporations of their more famous, and trademarked, inspirations are generally loathe to allow. This is somewhat ironic in the case of the Black Hammer stories as the characters are permitted to live, breathe, and grow while living out a story in which they are as trapped in stasis in one way as are their famous inspirations (though this is not the four-colour prison of continuity, but rather an inability to leave the confines of a seemingly mild mannered country town in the middle of nowhere).
Volume 1 introduces us to the characters mentioned above: heroes apparently exiled to a quiet farmhouse after surviving an apocalyptic battle with a cosmic enemy know as the Anti-god. The heroes are living uneasily alongside their civilian neighbours. A few, like Slam, Gail, and the shapeshifting Barbalien, are more or less able to live a ‘normal’ life (whether they like it or not), while others are forced to live in hiding due to not being able to adhere to the human norm in appearance. Also, all of the heroes have discovered that none of them are able to leave the confines of the township in which their farmhouse resides, though the exact implications of trying to contravene this are not gone into explicitly; only the ominous absence of one of their number, the titular Black Hammer, provides any possible clue as to what the consequences of leaving might be.
I don’t want to go into too many details about the storyline itself. Suffice it to say that we come to learn about the backgrounds, powers, and feelings of each of the heroes in turn as they face the daily challenges imposed upon them by ‘normal’ life. I was at first less than impressed with the art of the series as it can look a little ‘messy’ (to me at least) at first glance, but the more I looked at some of the details, and considered the type of horror-in-real-life story being told, the more I came to appreciate it.
There’s really a lot for an old-time comic book fan to love in this series: great homages to classic characters that manage to capture the essence of their inspirations without being slavish and with the ability to move beyond the confines normally imposed upon their ‘funny book’ forebears. I particularly liked the nuanced Barbalien, a character whose inner conflicts due to his own identity go beyond being an alien on earth who has to hide himself via shapeshifting and Colonel Weird, who at first seems like nothing more than a crazy old coot who floats around and materializes at inopportune moments, but who proves to possibly be the one that holds the answers to the mysteries that confound his friends (and whose partial existence in a Lovecraftian side-universe really is creepy).
I definitely look forward to continuing with this series and seeing how the mystery of our heroes deepens....more
So I’m not sure if any of this book actually happened...in continuity I mean (I’m not crazy...like Scott Free might be). It’s a deep dive3 - 3.5 stars
So I’m not sure if any of this book actually happened...in continuity I mean (I’m not crazy...like Scott Free might be). It’s a deep dive into the psyche of Mister Miracle aka Scott Free, son of Highfather of the New Gods and ‘adoptive son’ of Darkseid demonic lord of Apokalypse. It’s understandably not exactly a pretty place...given he was raised in DC’s version of hell when his father gave him up in the name of peace and political expediency. Suffice it to say Scott’s got a few issues to work through. Thus it is not completely surprising (though it still kinda is) that the book opens with him lying on his bathroom floor after having slit his wrists and things get rolling from there.
The relationship of Scott and his wife Big Barda is squarely at the centre of the story. Two people that found each other after suffering the horrors of abusive childhoods (to put it mildly), they are trying to balance living a ‘normal’ life on earth (as celebrities which is, like, totally normal) with being superheroes who have the added burden of being gods from another world. They come to find that in the midst of their otherworldly adventures (that centre on the renewed bloody war between New Genesis and Apokalypse) their greatest trial will prove to be the birth of their son Jacob and trying to adjust to the role of new parents.
In the midst of everything Scott seems to be losing his mind and I’m not sure if any (or all) of the events of the story actually took place or were merely the delusional ramblings of Scott’s broken mind. Or did he even survive his suicide attempt? Maybe he is living out some kind of twisted after-life. It’s all pretty confusing.
There are a lot of big themes in this book: dealing with childhood trauma; coming to grips with being a father when your model(s) of fatherhood are less than ideal; accepting a less than ideal past while trying to make a better future; deciding what is most important in your life; and possibly even dealing with mental illness. I was constantly surprised by not only the events of Scott’s life, but how he chose to deal with them...this ain’t your run-of-the-mill DC superhero funny book. Given the relative paucity of other non-Fourth World DC characters (with the amusing exception of a guest appearance by Scott’s old JL buddies Blue and Gold) and the way the final pages resolved I’m pretty sure my initial feeling at the beginning of the review is correct: none of this ‘really’ happened (except possibly in Scott’s head) which would be a bit of a shame because if that’s the case then my ultimate question would be: what was the point? So, hopefully I’m wrong.
This was definitely an interesting read, but if you aren’t familiar with DC’s Fourth World, and aren’t in the mood for some bizarre events and heavy themes it might not be the best place to dive into it....more
I'm not quite sure why, but I enjoyed this volume much less than the previous one. It could be that the unsympathetic nature of the main 2.5 - 3 stars
I'm not quite sure why, but I enjoyed this volume much less than the previous one. It could be that the unsympathetic nature of the main character, Maika Halfwolf, is starting to grate on me, alternately while the art was still beautiful I found this to be an incredibly 'wordy' comic and felt this actually distracted from the story as a lot of info-dumping seemed to be going on, often via character dialogue.
Maika asks for the aid of some old friends (who knew she had any?!) and journeys to a mysterious and deadly Isle to which her mother had previously gone (and was one of the only people ever to have survived the venture) in the hopes that some of her unanswered questions about her origins can be resolved. The visuals, as noted above, are consistently stunning and many of the macabre ideas on display are interesting, but I am not finding Maika's personal story fully compelling. We get some more history of the 'old gods' and their relationship with this world, as well as details on the nature of Maika's relationship to the one that has possessed her. More political players also start throwing their weight around (adding to the confusion for me) in the hopes of obtaining/manipulating Maika and her unique connection in a bid for ultimate power.
All in all I will likely have a look at the next volume to see if I want to continue, but I hope it is more like the first one otherwise I might give the rest of this series a pass. ...more
The first two thirds of this volume complete our look back into the past specifically centring on Sasaki Kojiro and his actions after meeting the greaThe first two thirds of this volume complete our look back into the past specifically centring on Sasaki Kojiro and his actions after meeting the great swordsman Ito Ittosai and coming upon the site of the recent battle of Sekigahara. After being separated from Ittosai, his nominal new teacher, and the rough-around-the-edges fighter Gonnosuke, Kojiro finds himself hunted by a myriad of fugitive hunters, peasants who are searching for the remnants of the losing side in the hopes of killing them and gaining some measure of vengeance for the loss of their homes and livelihoods at the hands of these 'warrior elite' as a result of the battle. Wave after wave of opponents face the deadly blade of the deaf swordsman and we see that it was all part of Ittosai’s plan: the only thing that Kojiro lacked was the killer’s edge of fear that would make him a truly formidable fighter and so he has left the young man on his own in the knowledge that Kojiro will either learn the lesson he needs and emerge triumphant, or die a failure. In the former case Ittosai will gain the worthy opponent he so desires, in the latter it is no real loss to him. Gonnosuke is horrified at his putative teacher’s callousness, but he is getting a first-hand primer in the Way of the Sword and the brutal realities behind the glamour of his idolization of the sword.
While their sheer numbers and unorthodox methods count for much it is not the fugitive hunters that prove the true trial for Kojiro even though they drive him to the edge of exhaustion. The true test comes for him in the form of Sadakore, Koun and their group of fugitives from the battle. Ostensibly they are on the same side as Kojiro, runaways from the hunters hoping to get back to their lord (if he still lives), but Kojiro makes no distinction: all are opponents against whom he must test his skills. Again I found myself surprised at how quickly I came to learn and care about the lives of the new characters we meet in this small group and who quickly came to life with the details that Inoue deftly paints in quick and economical strokes. As the battle between Kojiro and this group of fugitives progresses we get something of a reprise of Ittosai's philosophy and come to see that the true fighter is the one that embraces the possibility of death and defeat, seeing in his greatest adversary the closest thing he will ever have to a true friend. Only those that can test one up to the point of death can allow a swordsman to reach his full potentail, and thus they are the relationship most to be desired. Kojiro comes to see this, as do several of his opponents, much to the shock of the more convential members of the group who cling more closely to life and see the way of the sword as a means to an end, not an end in itself.
The final third of the volume bring us back to Miyamoto Musashi as he prepares for his promised duel with Yoshioka Denshichiro. Before he can face the younger brother he comes face to face with his elder brother Seijuro, a man able to reconcile the seemingly contrary worlds of the way of the sword and that of dissipation. The elder Yoshioka sees a formidable change in Musashi at the same time as he sees even less to be impressed with in his brother. Meanwhile Musashi struggles to synthesize all that he has learned so far about the sword as he comes towards his final confrontation with the flag-bearers of the Yoshioka school of swordsmanship. Finally we are granted brief glimspes into the lives of Matahachi and Otsu, the former steadfastly refusing to learn from his previous experiences (no surprise there really) and the latter driven to an uncharacteristic murderous rage by the trials imposed upon her by the hatefulness of Mother Hon’iden. The story (and art) is as good as ever and comes highly recommended....more
Ok, this is more like it. The art takes a vast leap forward in this volume and the story tightens up quite a bit as well (perhaps because3.5 - 4 stars
Ok, this is more like it. The art takes a vast leap forward in this volume and the story tightens up quite a bit as well (perhaps because several of the main characters get killed off). Kevin and his team of 'white knights' have been making some in-roads in their battle against the Umbra Sprite and his minions of darkness. Despite this their gains seem to be rather small and they are ultimately not much closer to anything like a real victory.
In the midst of their plans disaster strikes and Kevin is forced to fall back on an old ally he thought gone and must finally face up to his identity and responsibilities. If he is able to embrace the reality of his position Kevin just might be able to overcome the vast forces that the Umbra Sprite has set against him in the hopes of destroying the Fisher King and bringing the victory of darkness that much closer.
All in all I liked this conclusion of Kevin Matchstick's inaugural arc as the superheroic incarnation of the Pendragon fighting once again against the forces of darkness. My main complaint might be that the story occasionally felt like it was on rails, with the conclusion already foregone and the final 'victory' of Kevin one that was not even brought about by his own hand. Still, I enjoyed what Wagner did here and think it's worth checking out if you're into urban fantasy...especially in its early incarnations in the funny books.
Matt Wagner is perhaps better known for his comics centred around the character Grendel (a masked assassin that ends up spawning something of a cult, Matt Wagner is perhaps better known for his comics centred around the character Grendel (a masked assassin that ends up spawning something of a cult, not the monster from Beowulf) and his work at DC, but for me _Mage_ is his defining moment and it's a comic I remember from way back. I think I had just missed out on its initial print run and for one reason or another I had never been able to find a full set to pick up, though I had leafed through several issues and knew the basic story. The 'urban fantasy' vibe of magic intruding upon the modern world, tied with the Arthurian theme that lay beneath the story was right up my alley, though, and the whole conept of 'heroes reborn' that gets played out even more in the second series (sub-titled 'The Hero Defined' that I *did* manage to pick up in full during its initial run) had a big influence on me.
I finally managed to track down a TPB set of the 'Hero Discovered' arc and sat down to traipse down memory lane. I gotta admit that in this day and age the book seems a little less ground-breaking than I remember it being. The art is a little shaky (at least here in vol. 1) and while the story is still good it does often come across as the work of a fledgling writer (which, to be fair, Wagner was at the time). That being said I'm definitely glad to finally have this one in my collection and I reserve final judgement on the story as a whole until I've read the next volume which completes this arc. The story, for those who don't know, is about Kevin Matchstick, a young disaffected man who stumbles into a war between the forces of darkness and light (a war whose existence he staunchly professes to disbelieve in even as strange people and events keep dogging him) and who comes to discover that he is to play a central role in its outcome.
Matchstick ends up becoming the centre of a small band of heroes that include the snarky world-mage Mirth, the devoted tough-girl with a magic baseball bat Edsel (named after her beloved car), and the non-plussed (view spoiler)[ghost (hide spoiler)] Sean Knight. They are set against the mysterious Umbra Sprite and his spawn of 'Grakleflint' sons who also call upon the eldritch forces to aid them in their battle against our heroes. This volume is largely concerned with setting up the background of the eternal war (though few real questions about it are answered...certainly not to Kevin's satisfaction) and getting all of the main players on the board. There are some nice moments in here, particularly Kevin's run-in with the Redcaps and the Leanan Sidhe, but most of it is build-up that I think will have a greater pay-off in the next volume.
So...is this a lesson in not re-visiting favourites from the past? I wouldn't go that far even if this doesn't quite break the 4-star barrier. I'd say it's still worth a read and I gotta say that I still desperately want my Mage T-bolt t-shirt...damned if I can find one though!...more
Moving the focus of the story of Vagabond from the trials and growth of Miyamoto Musashi to the youth and development of Sasaki Kojiro could have provMoving the focus of the story of Vagabond from the trials and growth of Miyamoto Musashi to the youth and development of Sasaki Kojiro could have proven to be a bad move for Takehiko Inoue, but I think this volume has proven that it has only deepened the story and made it a much more interesting beast. The introduction of what has in essence become a new, and parallel, protagonist to Musashi has expanded the story-telling reach of Inoue and given us yet another counter-point to the story of the growth and development of a master of the sword. Having seen the wild youth of Musashi and his journey towards self-betterment and being able to compare and contrast it with the story of a similarly wild, though wildly different, youth on the same path is fascinating and both tales unexpectedly merge when thery come together upon the desolate battlefield of Sekishūsai.
Before that happens, though, we start the volume with the end of Kojiro’s initial apprenticeship under his foster-father Kanemaki Jisai. I found Jisai to be a truly interesting character in a series replete with them. He at times seems pathetic and at others merely compassionate: a man at odds with his desires, a swordsman unable to fully devote himself to the violence of his calling. We are never quite sure if he is a failure or a man who simply fails to appreciate his own wisdom, and the pathos and ultimate vindication of his life are wonderful story elements. In the end he sees Kojiro as the fulfillment of his own devotion to the sword, a justification of the choices he had once regretted, and the pupil and ‘son’ who can carry on his legacy. His unorthodox apprenticeship over and his erstwhile mentor left behind him Kojiro now sets out on his warrior pilgrimage with Jisai’s former pupil (and source of his initial fall from grace) Yagoro, better known as Itto Ittōsai the creator of the famous Itto-Ryu fighting style.
Ittōsai, a man both jovial and bloodthirsty is another favourite for me. He is, like so many others in the story a warrior devoted to the sword, but one who, unlike many of the others, does not seem to see any conflict with also enjoying the other elements of the world around him. He is something of a breath of fresh air, a laughing killer who delights in subverting the expectations of others but who has a worldly wisdom of his own.
We are also introduced to a brand new character, the cocky blowhard Gonnosuke who came across, to me at least, as an ironic tip of the hat to more traditional manga ‘super martial artist‘ characters with his headband, spiky hair, painted face, and outlandish garb. He almost seems like a character who would be better suited to Dragonball Z than this title, and yet he’s also a fair bit of fun as he comes to see that his initial arrogance is unwarranted in the face of warriors such as Kojiro and Ittōsai.
I enjoyed seeing how Inoue has played with time in the past few volumes, moving forward and backward in his story’s timeline and his characters' lives to give us a richer experience. This has managed to strengthen his storylines with an intricate weave of connected people and events seen from multiple angles and points of view. One small example would be the development of the character of Tenki, Kojiro’s only real childhood friend, whose story (minor though it may be) is leading to a tragic end. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the young man, setting out hopefully on his first great adventure as he goes on the road in search of Kojiro with the last testament of Jisai in the certain that he will make a name for himself. The reader knows that his great hopes will all end in pointless bloodshed and, minor as this character may be in the grand scheme of things, his small tale is one of the many threads from throughout the series that are starting to come together weaving a greater whole out of its many parts.
As I have mentioned again and again in my reviews of these volumes all of the stories centre on the devotion of the characters to the way of the sword, but despite their commonalities how varied these characters are! I think, in the end, my great enjoyment of this title has come down most of all to that very thing: the characters. All of them could have been simply a ‘type’, but they instead seem to live and breathe on the pages, displaying the myriad of differences and complexities all humans express, even those with a shared driving obsession that ties them all together....more
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