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.

 
The Panty Killer by Rutu Modan
In the mid-90s, a group of Israeli cartoonists, realizing that comics weren't given the attention that they deserved, formed a group called Actus Tragicus (Web site). This group was formed with the intention of publishing comics with "no restrictions to commercial considerations." It is a lofty goal that allows the group to publish quality, mature works. No longer do the artists have to work for the Israeli version of Mad magazine.

Each year, the group members publish their own book under the Actus Tragicus imprint under a series name. The first book I've read by the group is The Panty Killer (2001, Actus Tragicus) by Rutu Modan, part of the Actus Box Series. Modan's 30-page book is about a serial killer who is murdering everyone who was present at a jazz club one night twenty years earlier. The killer leaves the person's panties on their head for the police to discover. Once the police discover the pattern, officers are sent to guard the surviving patrons. Sgt. Rami stays with Penina Kramer and her daughter, but when someone confesses, it looks like his mission is complete. But of course there is a twist.

Modan does quite a bit with the limited space. The story is a bit predictable, but the telling has enough quirks to make it interesting. Part of this may have to do with the translation into English. I'm curious to know whether there was a theme that the group members followed. Perhaps it will become more apparent in the other books.

Modan's artwork is a bit flat in a Pop Art sort of way. It almost gives the feeling of public works mural art from the inner city. The colors she uses are vibrant and give the book a unique look.

I'm looking forward to other books by the group, which I'm starting to think of as a Israeli PANEL. The books may be hard to come by. I found three at my library, but most are out of print according to the Actus Web site.

The Panty Killer 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:49 AM

 
Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar
Sometimes, a story premise comes up that seems so simple and obvious, you could kick yourself for not thinking of it first. Imagine if Kal-El's rocketship, landed on Earth twelve hours earlier. Rather than Superman being raised in the Midwest of the United States, he would have landed deep in Soviet Russia. From that premise, Mark Millar builds a reimagining of the DC Universe in Superman: Red Son (2004, DC Comics, Amazon listing), part of DC's Elseworlds series.

The story begins in the mid-50s with the Soviet Union coming to prominence because of their secret weapon, Superman. Despite the best efforts of America and Lex Luthor, communism becomes the dominant political system on Earth. America is in disarray, but the rest of the world, under the watchful eye of Superman, flourishes under socialism. Millar doesn't simple make Superman evil, but rather shows how his core values would still work in a communist system. Or do they work? That is the crux of the argument between Luthor and Supes throughout the book.

A DC reader will be able to spot a variety of cameos and references to regular DC continuity. Millar doesn't quite do a good enough job to explain how Superman's alternate landing changes the fates of other heroes and characters so much (Why is Oliver Queen working at the Daily Planet and not a superhero? Would a Russian Batman really happen?), but it is still a fun story.

Artists Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunket have a great opportunity to redesign Supes (and other characters) from a Russian point of view. The propaganda posters featuring Superman are well designed and sharp. The retro look of much of the art (think an Iron Curtin version of Max Fleischer's Superman) makes this a diverting read.

Superman: Red Son 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:19 AM

 
Cola Madnes by Gary Panter
At the recent lecture I attended at Ohio State, Gary Panter, in addition to Jessica Abel and Peter Bagge, spoke. I was familiar with Abel and Bagge and had read works by both prior to the lecture, but Panter was new to me. His bio described him as the Emmy-award winning set designer for Pee Wee's Playhouse. Of the three, he was the most consistently funny. Rather than give a straight talk about his life and work, Panter extemporized on the history of the earth and art. Strange, but hilarious stuff. He also took some time to discuss how the government is attacking Paul Rubens (aka Pee Wee), a week before Entertainment Weekly devoted an article to the same subject.

Like the author, Cola Madnes (2000, Funny Garbage Press, Amazon listing) is a strange piece of work. I'm not sure if I entirely "got it," but I could tell there was some sort of genius at work. The story, such as it is, deals with bizarre characters in alternately every-day and fantastic situations.

Panter is a skilled artist, but the line drawings here, using a standard width pen, two panels per page, seem primitive, which adds to the themes of the work. Yet, the detail he puts into the panels, transcends the style. It is a book you would have to check out. It is 200+ pages, but is a quick read because of the style. However it would take a couple of read throughs to glean all the themes and details.

Cola Madnes 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:44 AM

 
The Beast of Chicago by Rick Geary
The sixth volume in Rick Geary's Treasury of Victorian Murder, The Beast of Chicago (2003, NBM Publishing, Amazon listing), isn't a bad graphic novel, but suffers because it came out so closely to Eric Larsen's The Devil and the White City, a non-fiction bestseller.

Both books have as their focus H. H. Holmes, a man who is considered America's first serial killer. During the 1893 World's Fair (also called the Columbian Exposition) in Chicago. Holmes killed somewhere between 15 and 300 people, although that last number is probably exaggerated. His story doesn't need to be embellished though.

He was a master deceiver and conniver who used his charms to commit a number of horrible crimes. Holmes participated in insurance fraud, deception, and various scams to become a proprietor of a drug store and the builder of a strange building known as "The Castle." He drew young women to the building with the promise of work or lodging during the Fair. Little did they know that within the building, Holmes had built secret passages, gas rooms, torture chambers, and ovens for disposing of bodies.

His story is a gruesome one, but one in which Geary doesn't have the room to go into all the details. Although when I read Larsen's book, I didn't approve of the way that he handled some interior dialogue and description of events with no witnesses, his ability to put the events into the context of the World's Fair and turn of the century Chicago added atmosphere to the book. It is this atmosphere that Geary's book is missing.

Geary's art, which could be called whimsical if the subject wasn't murder, does add some of the atmosphere, but the telling of the story seems a bit dry. There is no dialogue, only an omniscient narrator relating the historical facts. Larsen's book created a story behind the facts. It isn't really fair to compare an 80+ page graphic novel to a 400+ page book, but it is inevitable in this case. Geary's book is a good introduction, but for the full story, go to Larsen.

The Beast of Chicago 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:18 AM

 
Fagin the Jew by Will Eisner
More interesting than the story that Will Eisner tells in Fagin the Jew (2003, Doubleday, Amazon listing) is the story of why Eisner chose to write the book. In his foreword to the book, Eisner explains how a supporting character he created for his comic strip The Spirit, Ebony, an African-American assistant to the classic detective, might, through the hindsight available to present-day readers, be perceived as racist. As a Jewish cartoonist who fought in World War II and has written about Jewish life in a number of graphic novels, Eisner was conscious of the effect that stereotypes. To be fair, Eisner didn't feel any guilt about the creation of Ebony, primarily because he grew as a character and was much more than a stereotype. But, Eisner wanted to do something about negative stereotypes.

The result is a retelling of Oliver Twist from the perspective of Fagin, the old Jew who corrupts young Oliver. Told by Fagin, the story gives more background on the character, his motivations, and the events portrayed in Dickens' book. It is a solid story and one of Eisner's best works over the past few years.

The book benefits from Eisner's stylistic line work. Presented in a two-tone format, the story features a number of memorable characters that Eisner is able to bring to life. A prior reading of Oliver Twist is necessary to get the most out of the book. For me, having seen Oliver and reading an abridged children's version of Dickens' book wasn't enough to remember all the subtleties of the story.

Fagin the Jew 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:32 AM

 
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 7: Irresponsible by Brian Michael Bendis
My guiltiest comic pleasure is Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man. Even though I'm no great fan of redoing series (especially when the original is still ongoing), I understand the primary reason for the book (tap younger readers who aren't reading comics) and enjoy it even though I don't necessarily want to. Bendis' smart dialogue and sharp story-telling, along with Mark Bagley's glossy, cartoonish art, make this a book worth picking up, but only in the collected trade paperbacks.

Volume Seven of the series, Ultimate Spider-Man: Irresponsible(2003, Marvel Comics, Amazon listing), is a perfect example of why it might be disappointing to read the book on a monthly basis as opposed to a collected story arc. The six issues collected here can be read in less than an hour and seemed stretched out over the book. Peter Parker, whose relationship with Mary Jane has taken a down turn, meets another super-powered teenager. But unlike him, Geldoff (created specifically for this series) doesn't have a sense of responsibility. Along the way, the X-Men make an appearance and Peter eventually gets back together with MJ.

Back in the old days of Marvel, within a span of six issues, there could be six classic Spidey stories, each featuring a different character from his rogue's gallery. Now, we are submitted to one lame villain over the same span. Granted, the writing is better and Bendis explores Peter's personal life while fleshing out some back up characters, but even condensing this by half would make the book interesting while picking up the pace a bit. As it is now, it just seems short, even if enjoyable.

Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 7: Irresponsible 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:17 AM

 
Mirror, Window by Jessica Abel
Hearing Jessica Abel speak at the Ohio State University a few weeks ago made me want to read and reread some of her work. It turns out I had read Mirror, Window (2000, Fantagraphics, Amazon listing) before, but it was a few years ago and I wanted to read it again and review it for this blog.

This collection is made up of four short stories and a number of shorter pieces, mostly non-fiction. The short stories are all good, although some, namely "As I Live and Breath" and "Chaine," are among the best of their kind by any artist. Abel has a knack for capturing the voice and mood of young adults as they make their way through the world. The young couple awkwardly starting a relationship in "As I Live and Breath" can easily be related to by anyone who has been on a date that hasn't quite worked out. And Abel's meditation on an artist's success and limitations is beautiful displayed through a dancer's life in "Chaine." The other stories don't quite work as well and seem to not deserve the full-length treatment they get.

My favorite Abel stories are her non-fiction. In this book, as well as in Soundtrack (reviewed November 14, 2003), the non-fiction shows an energy and immediacy that isn't always apparent in the fictional stories. Here, a short piece on unions and their affect on a local population, "Decatur, Il," is more successful than any documentary or news story I've seen about factories closing. One page pieces on an art show, a political convention, and even people reading on the beach showcase Abel's ear for realistic dialogue, and a sharp eye for details that engage the reader.

Abel's style has changed over the course of her career, but the work in "Mirror, Window" is probably her strongest. The characters show a full range of emotions and the art complements Abel's dialogue and story telling.

Mirror, Window 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:43 AM

 
Subway Series by Leela Corman
Leela Corman's Subway Series (2002, Alternative Comics, Amazon listing) follows Tina, a high school virgin, who is dating a college freshman, James, but really has a crush on Evan. Even though Evan has a girlfriend, he has feelings for her also. But, in typical teenage fashion, the characters aren't able to express exactly what they want or need and end up making their lives difficult.

Corman writes a smart story that touches on a number of emotions without any impending sense of disaster or doom. It is nice to see a book not try and exceed its narrative. Even small, some might say simple, stories like this can carry substantial weight. At times, Corman's narrative is a bit unclear (including the title), but even that allows the reader to do some interpretation. Her art is cartoony, but still is able to convey the necessary emotions. I like the use of big panels, often only three or four to a page. However that makes this 160 page book fly by and seem a bit light for the packaging.

Subway Series 2.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:05 AM

 
Transmetropolitan: The Cure by Warren Ellis
Volume nine of Warren Ellis' series about guerilla journalist Spider Jerusalem is Transmetropolitan: The Cure (2003, DC Comics, Amazon listing). Spider is still on death's doorstep, but with no editor to answer to and his impending death on the near horizon, all the shackles are off. He has turned his full attention and ire on the corrupt president and will stop at nothing to bring the president's sins to the people.

To this end, Spider and his "filthy assistants" hunt down a pimp and a prostitute who may have information on the president's misdeeds. The fact that they are the only two remaining witnesses after a host of others have been killed doesn't deter Spider. Meanwhile, the president has his own schemes in action to shut down Spider's remaining media outlets. The race is on.

Warren Ellis' series is at its best here. The story is fast paced, the characters are neatly delineated, and the dialogue is sharp. The art by Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos is filled with jokes and is more consistent than it has been over the last few issues. My only real complaint is that like the previous two entries in the series (volumes seven and eight reviewed October 6, 2003), Ellis seems to have stretched the story arc over too many issues. He could probably tell the same story much tighter in four issues rather than the six he uses. I'm afraid that suggestion is like the emperor's to Mozart in Amadeus: "Too many notes." But when Mozart asks which notes should be removed, the emperor has no answer. I'm not sure where I would tighten the story, but it could definitely be shorter.

Transmetropolitan: The Cure 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:46 AM

 
SPX 2002 and SPX 2003 by various
On Saturday, I attended SPACE, the Small Press and Alternative Comix Expo, a convention for independent- and self-publishers. Last year I was there to buy comics; this year I was an exhibitor selling my first comic, Jury Rigged Comics #1 (available to buy here). The convention is a one-day affair that gathers a wide range of comic creators, from first-time publishers like myself to well-known creators who have published with some of the big names in indy-publishing including Alternative Comics, Fantagraphics, and Top Shelf. It is the biggest indy-comics show in the Midwest, but nothing compared to SPX, the Small Press Expo, held in Baltimore each fall.

In conjunction with SPX, an anthology is published to benefit the CBLDF, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The SPX anthology is probably the most-respected story collection published. It draws submissions from relative unknowns and indy superstars alike and is of a consistent high quality. Each year the anthology contains solid stories with remarkable artwork.

In 2001, the theme of the anthology was robots and the stories were a mishmosh that didn't seem to have any unity (reviewed December 5, 2003). As a whole, the anthology didn't quite work although some of the works were quite good. The 2002 edition, Expo 2002 (2002, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund), raises the bar a couple of notches. The theme, biography, brings out the best in the creators. The narratives are told in a variety of manners, from straight biography, to anecdotes about people, to strange little stories. Pieces are often told about famous people, but it is the stories about less-known individuals, or even anonymous ones (see "Jane" by Laurenn McCubbin), that are some of the best.

The 2003 edition, Expo 2003 (2003, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund), continues the tradition of amazing cartoons. A travel theme is the basis of this anthology and gives the cartoonists freedom to tell a number of stories, some fictional, some non-fictional. Again, the anthology draws some of the best cartoonists.

I'm working on a story now for the 2004 edition (the theme is war). The competition to get in will be tough, but I think that a story with a unique slant and quality art by my collaborator might give us a good shot. Look for the book at the beginning of the fall.

SPX 2002 and SPX 2003 4.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:22 AM

 
100 Bullets: The Counterfifth Detective by Brian Azzarello
I devoured the first four books of the 100 Bullets series a little over a year and a half ago, but had to wait for months until my library received the fifth book 100 Bullets: The Counterfifth Detective (2003, DC Comics, Amazon listing). The vitality and originality that the series had shown in the previous books seems missing from this volume.

The premise of the series is intriguing: a man, known only as Agent Graves, approaches individuals with an attache case containing an untracable gun, one hundred bullets, and information about the person or persons who have done them wrong. The crux of the series is watching what the individuals do with this information and the weapon. As the series has progressed, Brian Azzarello has revealed that Graves may be doing this service for another reason involving a secret group he used to be a member of and a disservice done to him many years ago. Together, the premise along with the hidden story has made the series one of the better written of the past few years.

In The Counterfifth Detective, Agent Graves gives the attache case to Milo Garrett, a private eye who was recently in a horrible car accident that has cost him his face; his head is wrapped in bandages throughout the story. Graves lets him know that his accident might have been intentionally. Garrett doesn't quite buy the story and does some investigating on his own that, in conjunction with another case, takes him on a noirish adventure.

Azzarello is a bit too willing to show off his knowledge of noir tropes, characters and situations. His tough-talking characters with their puns and sexual innuendoes never seem realistic and often seem silly and forced. It doesn't work as an homage either. Azzarello isn't helped by the fact that the story is stretched over one or two too many issues and is more confusing than it needs to be.

Eduardo Risso's art is, as always, good, if not spectacular. It is a good fit for the series as Risso is able to capture the mood that Azzarello sets. I'm more impressed by Dave Johnson's work on the covers.

If Azzarello has gotten the noir out of his system, the series can get back to its strengths: the depiction of the moral dilemma that individuals face when they receive Graves' briefcase and the mysterious story behind the briefcase and Graves' past.

100 Bullets: The Counterfifth Detective 3 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:21 AM

 
Edge by various
The tenth anniversary book of Edge (2003, Vanguard Productions, Amazon listing) isn't quite as good as I hoped with the all-star lineup that editor J. David Spurlock has brought together: Neil Gaiman, Barron Storey, Dave McKean, Steranko, Bill Sienkiewicz, David Mack, and Dean Motter among many others. Too often the experimental nature of the stories and the art makes the works inaccessible.

Gaiman and McKean's Mister X story is among the best, but even it doesn't stand up to their other collaborations. Paul Theroux's "Endangered Species Cookbook" are travelogues and recipes about rare animals. Marshall Arisman adds illustrations. The other standout is Mack's "Self Portrait." He draws upon his upbringing to explain how he became an artist, especially a comic artist. Other works in the collection are a bit obtuse, or don't lend themselves to an easy explanation.

The saving grace of the book is the interviews and retrospectives of a number of the artists. In particular, the interviews with Mack and Sienkiewicz are revealing and offer a depth that isn't normally found in most comics interviews. A reader is better off picking up the major works by these artists rather than using this anthology to find out about their work.

Edge 2 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:25 AM

 
The Best of Ray Bradbury: The Graphic Novel by Ray Bradbury and various
Not to quibble, but The Best of Ray Bradbury: The Graphic Novel (2003, iBooks, Amazon listing) is not a graphic novel, but a collection of short stories. I know that this is coming from the writer of The Graphic Novel Journal which reviews all types of sequential art and not just graphic novels, but wouldn't it have been easier to just call this The Best of Ray Bradbury. Regardless, this is a strong collection bring together some of Bradbury's best-known fantasy tales (and some lesser-known) with the shining lines in the comics industry: Mike Mignola, P. Craig Russell, Dave Gibbons, Matt Wagner and Dave McKean among others (although McKean only does a full-page art and not a story).

The stories are reprinted from an early-90s comic series, "The Ray Bradbury Chronicles." The reprint is of varying quality. Some pages aren't as sharp as they could be and on a few others, the edges are cut off causing some text to be dropped.

The best pieces in the book are when the artists add to the story, rather than just illustrated Bradbury's words. Kent Williams and John Van Fleet's adaptation of "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" looks like a frontier family in the plains with Mars rockets and not a futuristic story that many might have pictured. Van Fleet's "Picasso Summer" likewise adds a dreamy, but photo-realistic interpretation of a man obsessed with Picasso who happens to run into him drawing on a beach.

Dave Gibbons gives "Come Into My Cellar" a retro-50s feel and has mostly uses 12 (!) panel pages. "The Foghorn" by Wayne Barlowe uses dark colors and full-page splashes to tell the story of a dinosaur in our world.

As a writer, Bradbury has perplexed me. Sometimes I can't get enough of his stuff and other times, he is too earnest for me. His introductions to each of the stories put me off a bit. When he analyzes what the story is about, it lessens the effect of the work. But when he sticks to discussing the writing and how he got the idea, it can be fascinating.

The Best of Ray Bradbury: The Graphic Novel 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:22 AM