Archive for January, 2005
January 24, 2005 | Trades
Epileptic
David B.
Pantheon Books
$35 (Hardcover)
**** 1/2 (out of five)
There is nothing more painful than watching someone you love in pain.
If this person is family it compounds your suffering — and for a child doubly so.
Epileptic, by French writer/illustrator David B., is a moving reflection on a childhood and adolescence spent with his elder brother, Jean-Christophe, who is afflicted by this nervous disorder.
Through an intricately weaved series of black-and-white drawings, David (born Pierre-Francois Beauchard) depicts his feelings of confusion and helplessness when, as a child, the seizures took control away from his brother. While his parents feverishly take the family on a roller-coaster ride of medical and spiritual experiments, from macrobiotics (the consumption of certain foods to aid health) to magnetism, acupuncture, alchemy, voodoo, exorcism and many even more outlandish, David and his sister are swept along with them.
Exploring al ranges of the emotional scale, including sympathy, frustration, cruelty, fear, loathing, anguish, sadness and deepest of all hope, David deftly show how illness that afflict family members can be just as debilitating for those closest to them.
The use of illustrations, including the recurring depiction of Jean-Christophe’s disorder as an actual monster that lives inside him, adds a more personal, and often more painful, touch to David’s experiences than a simple written memoir might be able to capture.
A meaningful, moving and masterful work, Epileptic is a high-water mark in autobiographical comics.
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January 24, 2005 | Trades
Plastic Man: On The Lam
Kyle Baker
DC Comics
$22.95 (Plasticback)
**** (out of five)
Plastic Man’s new series starts out silly, turns wacky and wraps up over the top.
But in a good way.
In one of the most perfect fits of character and creator ever, the responsibility for penning and drawing the adventures of the original man of 1,000 shapes has been given to award-winning cartoonist Kyle Baker.
And Baker doesn’t disappoint.
On The Lam, which reprints the first six issues of Plastic Man’s ongoing monthly series features polished and colourful art that looks like it slipped right out of a classic Saturday morning cartoon. Baker displays great creativity in showing how a character that can mold himself into practically anything and has a great sense of humour might really enjoy his superpowers.
But this book is more than just a pile of pretty pictures.
On The Lam sees Plastic Man accused of a murder that even he himself isn’t sure he’s innocent of. With the help of his sidekick, Woozy Winks, the rubbery crimefighter sets out to clear his name and the story that ensues ranges from subtle to slapstick and truly displays the range of Baker’s skills.
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January 24, 2005 | Trades
Tales Of The Vampires
Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson, Ben Edlund, Tim Sale, Sean Phillips, Cameron Stewart
Dark Horse Books
$15.95 US (Paperback)
**** (out of five)
It’s been eight months since the cancellation of the TV show Angel and the future looks bleak for diehard fans of it and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
With no more TV shows and creator Joss Whedon busily working on his next project — the theatrical sci-fi release, Serenity — there isn’t much new for fans of the series to let them inside the world of the slayers.
But Tales Of The Vampires is the perfect salve for those in deep Buffy/Angel withdrawal.
Dark Horse Books scores again with another amazing anthology by pairing the staff writers from the TV series, including Whedon, Jane Espenson, Ben Edlund and others, with some of the top artists in comics, such as Tim Sale, Sean Phillips, Scott Morse and Canadians like Cameron Stewart and Vatche Mavlian.
Weaving together a series of vignettes showing the depths of character that fans of the two series have become accustomed to, Tales Of The Vampires is engrossing and intriguing.
Appearances by Angel, Spike and some other familiar vampire faces might just be enough to keep fans from going off the deep end and doing something they’ll regret — like watching reality TV.
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January 24, 2005 | Trades
Swamp Thing: Bad Seed
Andy Diggle, Enrique Breccia
Vertigo/DC Comics
$15.25 (Paperback)
*** 1/2 (out of five)
What’s big and green and apparently really pissed off?
The answer is the Swamp Thing in this collection of the first six issues of his new series.
Separated from all vestiges of humanity, the Earth elemental, who has also (in some manner not made clear to the uninitiated) gained the powers of fire, water and air, discovers his daughter, Tefe, in her brief role as Swamp Thing, has humanized his connection to the plant world.
While Swamp Thing’s wife, Abby, and the occultist John Constantine rush to try to connect the big vegetable to its former human spirit, Tefe learns of her strange connection to another element: flesh.
In fine fashion, Bad Seed both wipes the slate clean from past interpretations of Swamp Thing and sets the stage for future adventures.
Writer Andy Diggle and artist Enrique Breccia have put together a smart, complex horror book that could have a bright future.
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January 24, 2005 | Comics
Invincible #19
Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley
Image Comics
$3.65/$2.95 US
**** (out of five)
The overline on every issue of Invincible reads: “Probably the best superhero comic book in the universe.”
It’s hard to argue.
Writer Robert Kirkman and artist Steve Ottley have been pumping out some of the most engrossing and imaginative stories in comics over the past year and a half.
And the latest issue is no exception.
With the same terrific blend of characterization and dust ups that fans of this series have come to expect, we see Mark (A.K.A. Invincible), freshly returned from his trip to Mars, dealing with his neglected girlfriend, his alcoholic mom and a friend who has an important secret to reveal to him, mixed around trying to topple a crime boss protected by a small army of superpowered villains.
And amid all this, as usual, Kirkman is laying the foundation for upcoming storylines.
If you’ve never picked up Invincible, do yourself a favour and get one.
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January 24, 2005 | Comics
The Darkness/Superman #1 (of 2)
Ron Marz, Tyler Kirkham, Matt Banning
Top Cow/DC Comics
$4.60/$2.99 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
The Darkness has fallen on Metropolis and even the Man Of Steel may not be able to stop him.
The Darkness, in his human guise of Jackie Estacado is a mafia boss, is moving in on Metropolis. But when the locals don’t take too kindly to that, a gang war erupts, putting the city’s citizens in the firing line.
Enter Superman, who, thanks to his wife, the intrepid reporter Lois Lane, tracks down the crime bosses to try and end the feud. But The Darkness has an offer that Superman may find hard to refuse — and if he does there may be hell to pay.
While these inter-company crossover titles can often seem forced, writer Ron Marz does a nice job of creating a situation that is plausible for these characters to meet. Tyler Kirkham and Matt Banning do a solid job on art and all in all this pairing is pulled off nicely.
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January 24, 2005 | Comics
Breach #1
Bob Harris, Marcos Martin, Alvaro Lopez
DC Comics
$4.50/$2.95 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
In typical comic book fashion, the teaser on the front of the first issue of Breach reads: “Savior or Destroyer?”
But given that this is a new ongoing series, set in the DC Universe and written by veteran Bob Harris with art by the outstanding team behind Batgirl: Year One, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez, it’s obviously the former. Right?
Don’t be too hasty. Breach starts with a scene set 12 months from now with a very cold, costumed character, presumably Breach, acting very detached from humanity and actually very non-heroic. But we’ll give Harris the benefit of the doubt and say that this double-sized premier issue begins telling the origin of the DCU’s newest hero.
When a scientific experiment to “breach” the barrier between dimensions goes awry in 1983, an entire secret U.S. government facility is destroyed, killing everyone inside — except one. But what has this disaster done to this sole survivor?
An intriguing beginning to what one of Metro’s industry insiders says is a series that will have large ramifications in the DCU this year.
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January 24, 2005 | Comics
Star Wars: Obsession #1 (of 5)
Haden Blackman, Brian Ching
Dark Horse Comics
$2.99 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
The Clone Wars rage on in the Star Wars universe and one Jedi is becoming obsessed with a villain that may have returned from the dead.
Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have faced their toughest adversary yet in the dark Jedi Asajj Ventress.
While Anakin believes he killed Ventress (see the Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon series for that epic battle) Obi-Wan feels she is still alive, lurking in the shadows and continuing to do the bidding of the evil Sith.
How far will Obi-Wan go to prove Ventress’ resurrection? And will Anakin believe his elder when he comes looking for help?
Billed as the lead-in tale to the upcoming Episode III: The Revenge Of The Sith, Star Wars: Obsession is shaping up to be a series fans will not want to miss.
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January 24, 2005 | Comics
Superman: Strength #1 (of 3)
Scott McCloud, Aluir Amancio
DC Comics
$9.25/$5.95 US
* (out of five)
What is the true source of Superman’s strength?
Is it the sun? Well, yes, he does absorb solar energy and convert is into his superpowers. But his true strength, according to the supposition made in the first issue of this limited series, is that of his character — who he as a person.
Well that’s a fine idea, but the execution, so far, is terrible.
Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics, proves he can’t put his money where his mouth is. In a plodding, haphazard story, featuring some truly awful art by Aluir Amancio, the message of this series requires a pickaxe and a miner’s hat to find.
The one star is for the Alex Ross cover. The rest is not worth the dough.
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