Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Andrew's been a busy boy. So what are you doing reading this intro? There's a buttload of reviews here!! Get started!!
Hi Gang. Andrew from GrayHaven Magazine with another round of reviews. For those of you who missed it the first time around, here's the key to our new 'grading' system
Don't Miss- A flawless example of a comic book. From writing to art, there is nothing that could be improved upon.
Highly Recommended- While not absolutely perfect, a grade of Highly Recommended goes to books that are a cut above the rest. These are essential reading for any fan of comic books
Recommended- A book that is a bit better than average. A few shortcomings, but otherwise a very good effort.
Mildly Recommended- Average. Books with this rating aren't terrible but they may fall short in one area or another and while they aren't to be discounted, most likely these issues appeal to only the die-hard comic fans.
AKIRA vol. 6
Written and Illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo
Published by Dark Horse
Reviewed by Aaron "Vroom Socko" Button
After fifteen months, six volumes, and over a hundred and sixty dollars, AKIRA sits on my bookshelf in its entirety. Was it worth it? A thousand times yes.
At 434 pages, this is the largest of the AKIRA volumes. Just as in the film, the main focus of this final chapter is Tetsuo and Kaneda having it out in the Olympic stadium. Also as in the movie, Kaneda takes a trip inside Tetsuo's mind. This is where the similarities end, and I'd be a fool to spoil the differences for you.
What I will say is that this is the most visually stunning comic book I've read in my life. From the ruins of Neo-Tokyo to the out of control Tetsuo to the destruction of a U.S. Naval fleet, nearly every panel features jaw-dropping amazing artwork. Katsuhiro Otomo has now become the benchmark from which I will judge all other artists.
In my review of volume five, I said that AKIRA is the story of the danger of unchecked power, as well as its dehumanizing effect. Having said that, it becomes obvious why Kaneda is the protagonist of this story; he's the only person who has no desire for power. Kei, the Colonel, Lady Miyako, Tetsuo, all these people want to either possess or control the power of AKIRA. Kaneda has all the power he wants; he's the boss of a biker gang. In his eyes, the gang is all that matters. This is the only reason he gets involved in this whole AKIRA mess. Tetsuo is a member of his family, and it's Kaneda's responsibility to deal with him.
If you are a serious reader of comic books, you are doing yourself a disservice by not picking up this book.
Overall: DON'T MISS
Black Tide
Written by Debbie Bishop and illustrated by Mike S. Miller, Armando Durruthy, and Rick Ketcham
Black Tide is a science-fantasy series that may be the first in a wave of titles inspired by the CrossGen formula of fantastic settings, flashy art and a script heavy on reinventing ancient myths for 21st Century readers.
I read these three issues in one setting, and was a bit disoriented by the manner in which the tale begins right in the middle of the action. Justin Braddock is on a secret mission that goes wrong, and soon we learn that Justin is much more than he appears.
He is, in fact, a legendary resident of Atlantis who has lost his powers and his memory, but fate throws him into contact with some old acquaintances, and very soon he is back in the thick of political intrigue in Atlantis, which has been recreated and exists in the modern day.
The strongest things this book has going for it are the characters and the art. I liked Justin/Villonius, and I am a sucker for amnesia stories, so his dilemma of trying to deal with the people and power structure of an Atlantis he does not remember is intriging to me. His relationship with Kaila and Theros is interesting, and the conflict that is likely to come between the three of them is easily the most compelling aspect of the tale.
The art is, in places, reminiscent of George Perez, if a little slick in the generic way of many CrossGen titles. It's not overwhelmed by the colouring, as is often the case in such titles.
It's no surprise to longtime Galaxy readers that I am not a fan of science-fantasy in general, and I always feel obligated to point that out when reviewing such titles. Black Tide mostly manages to overcome my lack of interest in the genre by featuring a story set in the present day, with as scientific an explanation as can be expected for the goings-on.
My main complaint, then, is simply that the actual story and how the characters fit into it is not terribly easy to understand in the first issue. By #3 I think I had wrapped my brain around the characters and how they related to each other, and the hows and whys of an Atlantis in modern times. The characters themselves remain, for me, the strongest draw of the title, as I am curious to see what will become of Justin as he continues to interact with the people of Atlantis, some of whom very much want him dead.
I can most strongly recommend Black Tide to fans of CrossGen's science-fantasy titles like Scion. It's not something I would normally seek out myself, but I know many people enjoy such tales, and this one compares favourably with other titles in the same genre.
Overall: MILDLY RECOMMENDED
The Book of Leviathan
By Peter Blegvad
Here's a thick volume of strips that made it on to some "Best of 2001" lists, but that escaped my attention until I found it at the growing and increasingly diverse graphic novel section at the Albany, New York Borders store.
The Book of the Leviathan defies easy description, despite being heavily influenced by and evocative of some of the most important and inspired comics of the past 100 years, including Krazy Kat, Calvin and Hobbes, Maakies and ACME Novelty Library.
Here's a baby boy and his cat/spirit guide, now railing against the stifling nature of childhood, now going on a surreal journey beyond the panel borders of the strip, now mocking (or confirming?) pseudo-intellectual dissections of Comics Theory as proposed and promoted by Scott McCloud. In each page, the universe is reborn anew, a fresh chance for Blegvad to twist the conventions of the medium, to experiment with form, to laugh, to weep. A fresh universe on every page, one as subject to your interpretation and perception as much as it is to Blegvad's.
Some pages are more brilliant than others, although there is genius at every turn. "Two Views of Leviathan Taking His First Step" is a great example of the way Blegvad easily illuminates the struggle against maturity. The adult world, which begins with a step, is a sewer full of garbage and stinking waste, while Levi blissfully, trustfully steps away from a golden world of milk and honey and butterflies and contented kitty cats. This two-panel strip also highlights the great work Blegvad contrasting the universe through colour. Levi's illusion-packed fantasy world is in reassuring, beautiful colours, while the adult world is dank, black and white, grim.
Colour and design are a large part of the appeal of this book. Anyone who's been impressed by the recent design work of Chip Kidd will love Blegvad's use of clip art, and magnified, re-contextualized imagery; additionally, the overall production values of this hardcover will rethink the standards you usually hold strip collections to. This is, frankly, exactly how it should be done.
Those are some big expectations I set you up for in my second paragraph above, and I meant to set the bar as high as possible. The Book of Leviathan is a singular work of genius in the way of the strips that I invoked. Blegvad manages to convey a unique creative voice while recalling the mannered formalism of Tony Millionaire, the surreal inventivness of George Herriman, the base insights of Bill Watterson and the multi-dimensional methodology of Chris Ware. As you would imagine from such a wide range of influences, this is a work of genius, sometimes frantic, sometimes startlingly quiet, always astonishing to look at and take in and sink into.
I know I'm a little late to this party, as this book has been out for over a year. But the first time I saw it was just this past weekend, so I know it's out there waiting for you to discover it as well. The Book of the Leviathan is an important chapter in the history of comics, and one you shouldn't let get by you.
Overall: DON'T MISS
I Love NY Benefit Book
Written and drawn by Joseph Linsner
Joe Linsner is a fairly prominent independent writer/artist whose work I've somehow managed to avoid for many, many years.
His Dawn titles rose to prominence during the Image Era of Bad Girls, and I pretty much wrote him and his work off as likely being a part of that vacuous sub-genre, filled with tits-and-ass, and written by writers with the skill level of a particularly talented piece of belly-button lint. The fact that the most prominent part of most of the art I happened across for the character of Dawn always accented her breasts made it that much easier for me to dismiss.
I've still not read word one of any of Linsner's Dawn work, but a recent reading of Chris Staros's Staros Report magazines from the mid-1990s, in which he strongly recommend's Linsner's work, had me more open-minded about the subject, and then over the weekend I came upon the writer/artist's benefit book I Love NY.
Unlike Dawn, this is a mostly pen-and-ink affair, with Linsner doing his usual painted work only on the cover, a visually arresting image of Dawn herself turning away from the destruction of the World Trade Center. I much prefer actual penciled and inked comic art to painted work, and that was another reason I bought this after flipping through it. I can't say for sure what Linsner's goal was in moving away from his usual style, but if it was to de-glamourize his style and make a more personal statement, he succeeded admirably.
This story won't be unfamiliar to readers of other 11 September-related tales; it's yet another personal reminiscence about one of the most violent days in human history. I've found quite a few of these tales worthwhile, though, and Linsner's is a standout even among the best of the previous efforts I've read.
Taking an entire issue to tell his tale helps. This doesn't feel cramped or compromised, but rather Linsner takes as much time and space as he needs to begin to express his feelings about the attack on a city he loves. The script is blunt and honest, and the penwork is powerful and clear, especially for an artist known primarily for his painting. Perhaps the most affecting sequence, though, is in the middle of the tale, as Linsner brings in a mixed-media look to depict a long-ago trip he took to the top of one of the Twin Towers. "We were so high you could see the curve of the Earth," Linsner tells us, and the art masterfully conveys the awe he felt in that moment.
Linsner has a unique and visceral creative voice here, best summed up in the story's final words and images on the last page. He, like all of us, was left angry and confused by 11 September, and this book carries those emotions across simply and powerfully. I can't imagine anyone reading this and not being affected by Linsner's script and imagery. In my first encounter with his work, Linsner has convinced me that I need to take a look at what else he's done. Among the many comics stories to come out of 11 September, this is among the most personal, and therefore among the very best.
Overall: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
JLA #64
Written by Joe Kelly and illustrated by Doug Mahnke
Published by DC Comics
Reviewed by Drew Haverstock
Doug Mahnke's art is cool.
Maybe Mike Mignola by way of Richard Case is the best way to describe him, but in the end, the style is his. Along with inker Tom Nguyen, Mahnke's art helps elevate Joe Kelly's first major story arc to the next level. Dripping with detail and interesting impressions throughout, this trippy-tale to the land of Jarhanpur establishes Kelly and Co. as a creative force.
This issue serves as the satisfying conclusion to the "Golden Perfect" storyline, where the ambiguity of truth is discovered and perception truly does become reality. As Diana searches her soul for the reason why the accepted truths of the universe are no longer just that, the rest of the JLA fights to find a way to keep the world in one piece. And since reality is driven by the perceptions of the masses, things get that much more difficult. (Ever seen a 400 foot Vishnu? If so, what do you feed him / her / it?)
And even if Wonder Woman does figure out the how's and why's of it all, without her Lasso in functioning order, how can she rectify things? By the end of this issue, Rama Khan proves himself to be the ultimate utilitarian for his people. Tied into the land of Jarhanpur itself, his essence requires him to defend their way of life. The best thing about this character is that he's not a villain in the classic sense of the word. He's simply a man steeped in tradition -- a character so obsessed with his single purpose that all things that don't fall in line with his perceptions are ignored or eliminated.
Kelly and Mahnke show us how our heroes aren't infallible, and why even when these Gods walk among us, they have feet of clay.
And, oh yeah, I almost forgot one other thing?.Batman's back.
Overall: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Shades of Blue #6
Written by James S. Harris and Illustrated by Cal Slayton and Scott Story
Published by Amp Comics
Reviewed by Jeffery Stevenson
Prepare to enter into a realm of fantasy and wonderment. An incredible place filled with super-powered heroes and heroines. A place that is frightening yet also strangely fascinating in that odd, "curiosity killed the cat" kind of way. Welcome to the bedroom of a super-geek.
James Harris takes his teenage super-heroine, Heidi Paige, on yet another humorous adventure as she explores the bedroom of Marcus Duncan-geek extraordinaire and her self-proclaimed "sidekick". The story gets really interesting as Harris plays out a comic book written by the young geek. Basically, this story is just a filler piece to transition the readers from the first part of the series to the next, but it still had plenty of the dry humor that has made this series so interesting. The story inside the story delivers the nice, exaggerated feel you'd expect from a teenage geek. Marcus makes himself powerful and popular and lets his crush for Heidi play heavily into his little comic book tribute to her. True to form, this geek comic contains lots of action, flexing of fictional muscles and that classic gleaming superhero smile.
One thing that made this comic book within the comic book storyline work really well was the tag-team artwork by the regular series artist Cal Slayton and Scott Story. Switching over to Story's artistic style really set off the transition into the internal comic. Scott Story wound up doing a majority of the art for this issue and even though some panels here and there looked rushed, he showed some really good potential. It was also nice to see an artist go through such a wide array of facial expressions within a single book.
It's difficult not to enjoy a book that leaves you chuckling afterwards. I also enjoyed having a book that was suitable to read with my young son. It's not that common in comics nowadays, so money invested in a book that allows me to share smiles with my son is money well spent.
Overall: RECOMMENDED
Thunderbolts #62
Written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Patrick Zircher
Published by Marvel Comics
Reviewed by Aaron "Vroom Socko" Button
When Thunderbolts first started, the Avengers and FF were believed dead after the whole Onslaught mess. Now both teams are back on Earth, but the T-Bolts have been forcibly relocated to the home of the Heroes Reborn saga. Known as Counter-Earth, this is a planet in chaos. The team has to choose whether to find a way back home, or stay and help the beleaguered citizens fight against some very familiar tyrants. Oh, and Baron Zemo gets himself a new body.
What I love about this title is how unpredictable it is. A year ago the team was pardoned and disbanded, and now they're on the other side of the Sun. Fabian Nicieza is a writer known for bringing out characterization through the smallest of details. For example, Zemo, his mind trapped in the Fixer's tech-pack, refuses the first body made available to him, that of Makeshift. After all, no self-respecting son of Heinrich Zemo would willingly place his consciousness in the body of a black woman. The body he does end up with is, of course, not who you initially think.
This is something like the fourth issue in a row that ends with a splash page. Since they not only are well drawn, but also make the wait between issues a near agony. Patrick Zircher is at his best with big action panels. There's a terrific splash page about halfway through of the Fixer, everyone's favorite self centered jackass, laying into the Thunderbolts of Counter-Earth with a gun in each hand. Oh so very cool.
Starting with #65, T-Bolts is going to be biweekly. Jump on now while the getting's good.
Overall: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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