Reviews of graphic novels and comic book collections every Tuesday and Thursday.


Please Note: All Amazon prices are current the day of the review. Prices may change without notice.

 
Hiatus
Thank you for supporting the Graphic Novel Journal during its first year of existence. Over 190 graphic novels and related books have been reviewed over the past year. Explore the archives to find a wide range of books in both subject matter and quality.

The Graphic Novel Journal will be on vacation for the next two weeks. Look for new reviews every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting January 5.

Enjoy the holidays.
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:54 AM

 
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Serial by Max Allan Collins
Comic books based on licensed properties are a hit and miss affair. Sometimes they can flesh out characters or a universe from film or TV. The artists and writers have an unlimited budget to bring the world to life within the pages. Elsewhere, these books trot over the same ground from the original medium. This could be that the owners of the property haven't given the comic creators freedom to do what they want, or that the creative team doesn't care. They just figure they can make a buck. While the comic book based on CBS' hit series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation doesn't break too much new ground (other than allowing a curse word that you won't hear on TV), it is faithful to the spirit of the series.

In CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Serial (2003, IDW Publishing, $19.99 from Amazon), Grissom and his team of forensic investigators are on the trail of a killer who is replicating the murders of Jack the Ripper. While it is normal for the team to track down who committed a murder, it isn't often that they are also actively trying to prevent the murderer from striking again. That gives the story a bit of urgency that is sometimes missing from the show. A secondary story features a woman who has been strangled, perhaps by her brother, or maybe by her boyfriend.

Max Allan Collins (writer of Road to Perdition) does a good job of capturing the feel of the series. He balances two stories, features all the characters from the show, and includes some smart forensics. It is a fast-paced story even though there is double the story from a regular episode. I don't like how Collins uses captions to over-explain scenes and situations. It ends up being stilted and I would rather have seen it either cut, or just handled by the artists. Also, by having a comic book story dealing with Jack the Ripper, even if it is brought up to date, he is asking for comparisons to Alan Moore's From Hell which is far superior. His ending comes up a tad short.

The main interior art, handled ably by Gabriel Rodriguez, replicates the feel of the seedier side of Vegas. The characters are immediately recognizable as the actors who play them on TV, if not quite as expressive. Rodriguez's art doesn't take any chances, but this is a good balance to the other art in the book. In an attempt to duplicate the alternate camera work used during the crime recreations, Ashley Wood illustrates those scenes in his own distinctive style. These painted expressive scenes add realism to the book and a bit of horror at the crimes being committed. Wood also does the cover art.

Fans of the television show should give the book a shot. Those who aren't fans, but like a smartly-told crime tale that has some great art (at least when Wood is in charge), should also pick it up.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Serial 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:49 AM

 
The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore Edited by George Khoury and The Comics Journal Library Volume Two: Frank Miller Edited by Milo George
Early this year, Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentlemen (reviewed June 23, 2003) was published as a tribute to Moore. Various writers and artists contributed works that praised Moore and his body of work, but overall the book didn't delve deep enough into the man and his writing. That problem is solved with the publication of The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore (2003, TwoMorrows Publishing, $24.95 from Amazon).

The bulk of the book is an interview with the man himself. While it could stand a bit of editing, it is informative, especially about Moore's life, his early and sometimes obscure work and his future plans. I would have liked to hear him expound more on Swamp Thing and Watchmen, but his discussion of the failed Big Numbers his work and experience with Image Comics, and the formation of the ABC Comics line more than makes up for any shortcomings. His discussion on the purpose of writing, his goals, and his understanding of audience shows that he has spent a great deal of time thinking about the medium of comics. Moore is as good of an interview as he is a writer.

Of interest to Moore completists is an extensive bibliography that attempts to catalog all of Moore's writing and drawings. The extent of his work that is unknown to most American mainstream readers is amazing. He is even more prolific that you think. There are also contributions by Moore's friends and collaborators that might have fit in well to the other book, but help to break up the lengthy interview. A number of Moore's scripts, personal photos, and rarely seen work are also presented.

A contemporary of Moore whose Dark Knight Returns is considered as important as Watchmen, Frank Miller is profiled in The Comics Journal Library Volume Two: Frank Miller (2003, Fantagraphics Books, $13.27 from Amazon). This beautifully designed, over-sized book reprints interviews with Miller ranging from his early days as artist and then artist/writer on Daredevil, to a new interview conducted specifically for this collection. Also, the book is filled with illustrations by Miller from most of his major works.

As you read the interviews spanning over two decades, the most interesting thing to see is how Miller�s views change over time. Other than censorship, a topic he feels strongly about, many of his opinions are contradictory from interview to interview. He moves to and from a desire to work on superheroes, changing positions on the state of comics, and various feelings towards other creators and the business of comics.

The interviewers all call Miller on his changing attitudes. While at times, the interviews aren�t friendly (Miller had an ongoing feud with Gary Groth, the Journal�s editor), they are all respectful and intelligent. Throughout the questioning, Miller reveals a great deal about his writing and artistic influences, his craft, themes, and opinions about the industry.

The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore 4 stars (out of 5)
The Comics Journal Library Volume Two: Frank Miller 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:29 AM

 
In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe by Jonathon Scott Fuqua
I consider myself a fan of Edgar Allan Poe. I have studied his stories and poetry and enjoyed his work, although I don't consider myself obsessed with his work. However, when I heard about a graphic novel covering his life, I had to check it out. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe (2002, DC Comics, $17.95 from Amazon).

My primary focus is always the writing. While a good writer, Jonathon Scott Fuqua's story just didn't do anything for me. A down on his luck scholar is given a diary purported to be written by Poe. In it, Poe describes how actual demons have threatened him and his family and given him the ability to write his stories. Fuqua has obviously done his research incorporating Poe's life and his works seamlessly into the story, but it never gained my interest. Whereas a good story would have made we want to go back and read Poe, this book most certainly did not.

Often, a well-illustrated story can become the saving grace of a book. But despite the unique look of the book, Stephen John Phillips take photographs of actors in costumes on sets and Steven Parke manipulates and illustrates the photographs digitally, the art fails to bring the story to life. As is often the case when using models (photographically or even as reference for illustrations), the photographs call attention to the fact that this is a staged production. They seem oddly static and not appropriate for the time period of the story. Parke's manipulations are too dark and aren't moody enough for the story. It is simply a style that doesn't work for the book.

The life and writings of Edgar Allan Poe are interesting enough. Rather than pick up this sensationalized, yet uninteresting, account, read Poe's work or a good biography of the man.

In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe 1.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:45 AM

 
Raymond Chandler�s Marlowe edited by Dean Motter
Three classic noir tales featuring detective Philip Marlowe are featured in Raymond Chandler�s Marlowe (2003, iBooks, $12.57 from Amazon). The adaptations are all well done, but at times, some strange artistic and lettering choices detract from the reading of the story.

The first story, �Goldfish,� (adapted by Tom DeHaven, illustrated by Rian Hughes, lettered by Willie Schubert) is the only one with a hint of color. Hughes doesn�t fully color his angular inkwork, but filters it with one color per page. In this way he is further able to set the mood established by his artwork. Marlowe is trying to recover some stolen pearls that have been missing for over 15 years. Of course, he isn�t the only one on the trail. It is the most artistically distinctive story in the volume.

In �The Pencil� (adapted by Jerome Charyn, illustrated by David Lloyd, lettered by Elitta Fell), Marlowe runs afoul of the mob when he tries to help a former member escape their clutches. As usual, double crosses abound but Marlowe ends up on top. Charyn�s adaptation offers more humor and sex than the others and seems to be the most rounded of the stories. Lloyd�s black-and-white art, at times clean and distinct, elsewhere intentionally muddied with the use of charcoal, is moody. He makes good choices in presenting individual panels, although in one or two places there is confusion on what is transpiring.

Finally, �Trouble is My Business� (adapted by James Rose, illustrated by Lee Moyer and Alfredo Alcala, lettered by Willie Schubert) has Marlowe involved with blackmail and murder. Rose�s adaptation works despite the convoluted storyline that makes it not a prime candidate to be adapted sequentially. The art, similar to Lloyd�s in the previous story, although not as distinctive, fails to provide all the details the reader needs to follow the story; scenes end too soon, characters disappear; panels seem static. Schubert�s lettering, both here and in �Goldfish,� can confuse the reader. The balloon tails don�t lend themselves for easy reading and even the locations aren�t always well considered.

The source material is what makes this a great collection. Chandler�s work is smart and terse. It lends it self well to the sequential medium with some interesting visual opportunities, colorful characters, tight dialogue, and lots of action. Look for the striking Steranko illustration on the cover.

Raymond Chandler�s Marlowe 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:12 AM

 
The Barefoot Serpent by Scott Morse
A unique mixture of biography and fiction highlighted by two different, but equally beautiful, styles of art are the hallmark of Scott Morse's The Barefoot Serpent (2003, Top Shelf Productions, $10.47 from Amazon). Although I can't claim to have gotten as much out of it as the author intended, I still enjoyed the work.

The book begins and ends with a short biography of film-maker Akira Kurosawa. I am embarrassed to say that I have never seen any of his films and know little about him, although enough to catch some (but probably not all) of the references Morse makes. Told with full-color, vibrant splash pages and short declarative sentences, the story has quite a punch, even if the language seems a bit stilted at times.

Sandwiched between the biography is a sad, but ultimately sweet story about a young girl who has traveled to Hawaii with her parents following the death of her brother. There the encounters that each family member has with the local culture affects how each works through the feelings about the brother's untimely death. The art in this section is more muted that in the Kurosawa section, but Morse is still able to portray emotion despite the deceptively simple nature of his ink strokes.

Morse explains in his afterward the influence Kurosawa's films had on the little girl's story, explaining some of the references and homages that he has made. I don't think that a knowledge of Kurosawa is necessary to enjoy the work, but it might make the work even more meaningful.

The Barefoot Serpent 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:56 AM

 
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow by Alan Moore
The best line in Alan Moore’s Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow (1997, DC Comics, Amazon listing) comes at the beginning as an introduction: “This is an IMAGINARY STORY...Aren’t they all?” What Moore says is true, but some are definitely better than others. This is one of the better ones.

The story is imaginary in two sense: first, as Moore states, all stories are imaginary, especially superhero; second, in a comic book sense, this story is imaginary as it doesn’t fit into the continuity of the Superman mythos. In the mid-80s, DC had a problem. The 50s years of continuity around their characters had become unwieldly and often contradictory. In an attempt to clear things up, DC launched The Crisis on Infinite Earths. The result for Superman was the elimination of characters, such as Supergirl, and situations, such as being Superboy in Smallville. The character was relaunched in John Byrne’s The Man of Steel. This gave DC the opportunity to “end” the existing character and continuity without any repercussions.

As such, Moore has free reign to do what he wants in the story, while at the same time not having it be considered merely an imaginary story since it fits into the continuity of the time. He brings together all the characters, all of Supes’ enemies, forgotten aspects of continuity, and even gets to kill off people. As to be expected though, he does it all intelligently and with a certain amount of grace, framing the story nicely 10 years after Superman’s death with an interview with Lois Lane.

Moore has stated that he intends to end his ABC line of comics in the next year. Like this Superman story, it will only partially be an imaginary story since it will be part of the actual continuity. With this experience under the belt, I’m certain that its finale will contain the same amount of dignity as Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.

Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:41 AM

 
Expo 2001 by Various
Every year, in conjunction with The EXPO (www.spxpo.com), a convention for small press and indy comic creators, an anthology featuring well and lesser known writers and artists is published. All proceeds from the sales of the anthology benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF, www.cbldf.com). I finally got around to reading the anthology from two years ago, Expo 2001 (2001, The EXPO).

The Daniel Clowes cover sets this book off on the shelf, although the image seems inappropriate. A robot creating comics on an assembly line is the antithesis of what The EXPO and this anthology is about. Rather, the cartoonists here are doing this for the love of the work. They get paid little for their efforts and nothing for this book. As can be expected from an anthology, there are both hits and misses, but there is probably something for everybody among the 50-plus works in the book.

Big names such as James Kochalka, Dean Haspiel, and Alex Robinson contribute good stories, but often it is the lesser lights that bring the best work. There are many experimental stories told in unique ways. Some work and some don�t, but the effort is apparent in each. Additionally, interviews with various creators conducted by Charles Brownstein provide some great insight into the atmosphere of The EXPO.

Expo 2001 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:29 AM

 
Promethea Book 3 by Alan Moore
Within the pages of Promethea Book 2 is a tour de force story by Alan Moore. Using no less than three levels of metaphor, Moore takes his science heroine on a journey throughout the universe. After reading that collection, I highly anticipated Promethea Book 3 (2002, America�s Best Comics, $24.95 from Amazon). But Promethea�s journey through magical levels of existence just doesn�t work here.

The current Promethea, Sophie Bangs, decides to search for her predecessor, Barbara, who has left this plane of existence to look for her husband. Before she leaves, Sophie has her friend Stacia appointed Promethea. This leads to some interesting side stories, but the main thrust is Sophie�s journey through the Immateria. The journey, which eventually has Sophie meeting up with Barbara, allows Moore to show off his knowledge of mysticism, the Kabballah, and ancient religion, but ultimately, isn�t as engaging as his previous stories. While interesting and well-told, Moore seems to be merely lecturing to his readers.

The art is once again fantastic. The covers by J. H. Williams III are each done in the style of a famous artist (Dali, Peter Max, Parrish) and the interior is well layed out. The very abstract nature of the book could have caused major problems, but Williams, along with inker Mick Gray and colorist Jeromy Cox have brought to life these immaterial ideas in a visually interesting way.

The collection ends without wrapping up either the main or secondary story. Moore is too good of a writer and the rest of the creative team is also too good for me to give up on the series, but I hope the next collection tones down the mysticism and brings back the action. Unfortunately, Moore's devotion to magic might mean more of the same.

Promethea Book 3 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:14 AM

 
Y The Last Man: Cycles by Brian K. Vaughan
Collecting the second story arc, Y The Last Man: Cycles (2003, DC Comics, $10.36 from Amazon) has the advantage over its predecessor, Unmanned (reviewed August 29, 2003), of already being deep into the story. There is no need for exposition here, just the continuing adventures of Yorick, the only surviving male on the planet after a mysterious plague.

Along with his companions, secret agent 355 and clone specialist Dr. Mann, Yorick and his pet male monkey, head to California to Dr. Mann's laboratory. They are quickly waylaid in a strange town in Ohio. There they must deal with the women of the town and the Amazons (a group of females who want all men dead, including Yorick), one of which is Yorick's sister, Hero. A fast-paced story with sparkling dialogue brings up some excellent points about what a world with no (or one) man would be like.

Brian K. Vaughan, like a good futurist, has clearly thought through the questions that we would all have: what would the women do? what would the one man do? what would happen to society? He has also set the stage for future story arcs with subtle hints and clues that never detract from the main story. The solid artwork by Pia Guerra clearly tells the story, but the covers by J. G. Jones are the real standout pieces.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite books. I think that the collected story arcs may be the best way to read it. It is too quick of a read with too much suspense from chapter to chapter to only get an issue a month.

Y The Last Man: Cycles 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 2:26 PM