The Comics Column #6
DISCLAIMER: The below opinions are not
facts but simply very one sided, biased views from an aged and cynical seen it
all comics fan whose really trying to look on the bright side of things. That
the opinions expressed below happen to be the truth is merely coincidental.
Apologies for no
column last week but sometimes I gotta read myself a whole lotta comics and
that takes time, okay? I mean, I don’t want to do it; I do it for you all
because I love ya. Yep- I’m a comix martyr. So let’s cut the shit and get
straight down to it. Last week saw two of
my most anticipated comics of the summer SUPERMAN UNCHAINED and THE TRUE LIVES
OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS.
Blasting straight out
of the gate with detailed and intricate artwork SUPERMAN UNCHAINED is the big
bombastic superhero comic we need right now. In this first issue writer Scott
Snyder creates a mystery to be solved as we are introduced to the first... well that would be telling and I ain’t telling. On the artwork alone, it is
highly recommended (check out the huge fold out poster that is an actual page
of the story) but with Snyder at the helm you know that, like on his Batman
run, there will be twists and turns and he will be taking Superman into
uncharted territory.
It’s full of action
but still has time to build characters; Clark’s relationship with Lois Lane and
Jimmy Olsen is reintroduced and clearly set out as is his new job as a blogger
(he’s no longer at the Daily Planet-wooh, modern!) and we meet Lex Luthor in a
superbly humorous scene that fits the character so well. All in all a fantastic
place to jump into a new story about Superman especially if you enjoyed ‘Man of
Steel’ and want to get reacquainted with the comic book version.
But the best comic of last week has to be one that originated not from comics or film but music. Based upon My Chemical Romance’s last album- Danger Days: the True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys- (Lead singer) Gerard Way’s THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS is a slice of zesty sci fi futuro-punk and my life’s all the better for it. In the near future Battery City is run by a mega corporation-Better Living Industries- and proto superheroes hide out around the outskirts of the city. But who will save them? Will it be....? Well to get a better idea of the back story and more on the main character, simply called GIRL, get re-watching the videos for MCR’s ‘Na Na Na’ and ‘Sing’ on YouTube as they act as prequels. However don’t worry if you can’t as the world Way and his co- conspirators (incl. co- writer Shaun Simon) build in the first issue sets the scene perfectly.
But if you do want it to be a multimedia experience listen to the
album DANGER DAYS as a setup/chapter one/prequel to the comic as there is a
strong story line running from album to comic. The call backs to the album’s
concepts and characters does make the comic richer and more detailed but more
surprisingly the album’s lyrical content is used word for word at times, giving
it a an exciting familiarity- like you’re revisiting a mysterious place you’ve
been before- and real crossover appeal between comic and music fans; the whole
comic has a very sing songy quality to it, which gives it a poetic feel that is
quite unique. Becky Cloonan’s art is
clean and precise and pulls the story along nicely with Dan Jackson’s colours
making every panel pop of the page. Definitely one of the more interesting comics
to come along so far this year and at just six issues long it isn’t a huge
investment.
In Scott Snyder’s
other book BATMAN - with artist Greg Capullo - begins a twelve issue story arc
entitled ‘Zero Year.’ Ostensibly a retelling of the origin of the Dark Knight,
which has been done a 101 times before and in all media, however Snyder
promises he will be throwing new light on Batman’s past and bringing brand new formative
experiences, that helped shape Bruce Wayne, to the forefront. In the first
issue some bits do feel familiar whilst other sections are a little fresher, however
the art is spot on, the dialogue rings true and is that the hint of a certain bat-
villain or not?
However it’s not all
aliens from doomed planets and grim vigilantes there’s also the first issue of
SIX GUN GORILLA. Yeah, you read that correctly, SIX GUN GORILLA, and its
contents are exactly what it says on the front- so no false advertising there! Si Spurrier and Jeff
Stokely’s SIX GUN GORILLA is a sci fi western chock full of crazy creatures and
a beast with very big guns. It’s cartoony fun and like the Fabulous Killjoys
comic they’ve created a fully formed world on the page you can dive straight
into.
Now onto this week
and what’s available and worthy of slapping cash down at your local comic shop
and saying, nay, demanding ‘gimme my weekly dose!’
Becky Cloonan -artist
for The Fabulous Killjoys, reviewed above- self publishes and releases her own
DEMETER. Unofficially the third in a trilogy (that also includes ‘The Mire’ and
‘The Wolves’) DEMETER can still be read as a standalone story and is a
beautiful piece of storytelling. Loosely based on the ancient Greek myth,
Cloonan creates a comic with stark black and white art and a dense story with
multiple meanings. If your local comic shop hasn’t got it, order from Becky’s
website http://inkandthunder.blogspot.co.uk/-
you won’t be disappointed.
The first issue of
THUMBPRINT is out this week and an intriguing tale it looks. Based on a Joe
Hill novella (author of Horns and Locke & Key) a soldier recently returned
from her job as an Abu Ghraib prison worker starts to receive strange mail- is
that a... thumbprint? An intriguing
first issue that brings with it many questions but with no answers which is
exactly what you want from a mystery tale and certainly makes you want to pick
up the next issue , so-job done. BUT BUT
BUT.......
BUT if you’re really
tight for cash or haven’t got enough time for reading all of the above just buy
the collected edition of SAGA by Brian K. Vaughn. Volume 2 is released this
week so grab it (along with Volume 1) and eat up all its tasty comicy goodness.
Seriously, it’s the best comic available today bar none. I wouldn’t lie to you now would I?
Oh and the matter
about that little independent art house film that seems to be doing ok called
‘Man of Steel’- we’ll be getting into the nitty gritty of that next week as
well as Batman/Superman #1 that looks well-ahem-amazing; two words- Jae Lee. Google his name and look
at his artwork and you’ll see what I mean. Until then: ciao and happy reading.
