Attempting to kick off a new version of this as Ben’s one disappeared.
A MW tradition, and the cause of many an empty wallet!
The Trades Thread
- This topic has 986 replies, 35 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 3 months ago by
.
Author
-
A couple more recent reads.
Ei8ht v.1: Outcast TPB
I bought this on recommendation from a friend and I didn’t regret it.
No, this is not the sequel to Se7en but a neat little time-travel-based sci-fi/fantasy yarn that plays with some interesting ideas and juggles story strands in multiple time periods, without the book getting so ambitious that it loses sight of its central characters.
Those characters might be a bit shallow and simple but they provide a decent heart for the story, and one that both anchors it and continually drives the action forward. There’s rarely a moment where the book feels like it sags or slows down, and Albuquerque’s art is pretty enough to keep you engaged even when the plot is following fairly simple or familiar beats.
There’s also a really nice trick here that involves using virtually monochrome art throughout the book, but with a different bold highlight/background colour to signify the four different time periods. It not only aids clarity of storytelling (always useful in time-travel stories) but also gives the book a great, distinctive visual identity that makes the pages really pop.
Batman: White Knight – The Deluxe Edition HC
Immediately after finishing off the sequel series, Curse of the White Knight, I decided to give the original a reread in the new deluxe hardcover format. And it blew me away all over again.
This time around I not only marveled at Murphy’s great art and design as I did the first time, but I also appreciated how tightly his story was plotted, how cleverly the various ideas were all weaved together, and how seeds sown early on in the mini come to bear fruit later.
As a Batman comic I think it’s simply one of the best there is. It genuinely rivals DKR in terms of how well it marries a story about an ageing and somewhat regretful Batman with some sharp contemporary political commentary (I’m sure those recurring talking heads on TV aren’t accidental), but it also has its own ideas to explore too, with a great, thoughtful and compelling take on the Batman-Joker relationship and some unusually deep treatment of Harley Quinn, who ends up in some respects the third lead of the book.
And that art! It’s really glorious in this deluxe HC, especially the knockout vehicular action sequences that build to a stunning fan-pleasing multi-Batmobile finale that’s worth the price of admission alone.
And Matt Hollingsworth’s colours do a great job in adding to the book’s atmosphere – although the uncoloured original art in the back pages is a great bonus, and makes me wonder what a black-and-white version of this series might have looked like.
Having bought the TPB and now upgraded to the deluxe HC of this series I’m not only expecting to follow that with a purchase of the seemingly-inevitable Absolute edition; I’m eagerly awaiting it.
-
-
And that art! It’s really glorious in this deluxe HC, especially the knockout vehicular action sequences that build to a stunning fan-pleasing multi-Batmobile finale that’s worth the price of admission alone.
There’s something special about Murphy and vehicles. He really gets their speed and trajectory translated into the art.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
How does Ei8ht work as a story on its own Dave? I know it says V1 but so many creator owned do that and then never do a second volume
There are a couple of plot threads left open for continuation (that never came), and it might have been nice to have a little more resolution there. But at the same time I’d say this trade forms a satisfying complete story in its own right. It doesn’t feel cut off in mid-flow – more like it’s been left open for a sequel.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Isn’t that by Nick ‘can’t-be-arsed-to-finish-his-stories’ Spencer?
Hail Hydra!
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Dealer Alert
Finally! For those in the UK:
Daredevil: Love & War: Gallery Edition – £19.59 – BooksEtc
Edit: Another find, price may decrease a little but for this I’m happy paying a bit more:
The Stringbags – £19.22 – BooksEtc
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Daredevil: Love & War: Gallery Edition – £19.59 – BooksEtc
I picked up the original printing Marvel Graphic Novel not long ago and it’s a unique book. I love the magazine size. Wish Marvel did more of those.
-
-
A few trades I’ve had time to read recently. Not getting monthly comics has actually been a blessing for my reading time (I might stop buying new comics completely, because I’m honestly not missing any of them.)
Master of King Fu Omnibus Volume 4
After 125 issues, this masterful (sorry!) tale comes to an end. It’s unfortunately a bit of a feeble ending, with the last few issues not written by Doug Moench and not really leaving any of the characters in satisfactory places.
Because this title has been all about characters. Moench, with various artists, spent 10 years slowly developing his cast, presenting a set of complex, layered characters and relationships that changed and grew over time. For all the credit that the likes of Chris Claremont get for character-driven ‘soap opera’ plotting, Moench did it first and best in a comic about, well, Kung Fu.
This whole series has been a joy to read, and I’m sorry it ended when and how it did.
5 users thanked author for this post.
-
Sláine Volume One
I was always a bit ambivalent about Sláine, as I didn’t think it really fitted 2000AD’s science fiction remit.
Reading it in a stand-alone collection, though, removes the comparison with the comic’s other strips and lets me assess it on its own merits. And it’s actually really good fun. It’s typical Pat Mills, treading a line between satire, black humour, and mindless violence. Taking Celtic myths as a loose staring point, Mills’ imagination runs wild and he builds a unique world that’s just packed with wild concepts. The comic’s main flaw is that none of the characters are remotely likeable, but that’s ok, you keep reading for the richness of the world they inhabit.
-
Strontium Dog: Traitor to his Kind
Johnny Alpha had already been established for over two decades when the four stories collected here came out: a bounty hunter, ex-soldier and hero of Earth’s mutant uprising, ruthless in the pursuit of villains but with a moral core that can’t permit the harm of innocents. Though he’s the best bounty hunter in the business, his soft heart means he’s constantly taking on hopeless causes and getting shafted, as shown in two of the stories in this collection, The Sad Case and A Shaggy Dog Story.
But the main story here, Traitor to His Kind takes that moral core and tests it to its limits. Johnny is called back to Earth and asked to take on the job of rescuing a human leader from a group of mutant freedom fighters. He’s going to be working directly against his own mutant-kind while helping their hated human oppressors; unthinkable for the ‘hero of the mutant uprising’. But if the mutant kidnappers should kill the human leader, the reprisals will be equally unthinkable. To save his people, he has to betray his people, and there’s a horrible sense of inevitability as he digs himself deeper and deeper into this catch-22 situation. There’s no way it can end well. It’s gripping, emotional stuff from John Wagner, one of his best ever stories. And Carlos Ezquerra’s full-colour art is just beautiful.
-
So I read The Long Halloween…
The artwork took some getting used to after reading Hush which was drawn by Jim Lee. All in all it was an OK story and some of the lines borrowed heavily from a famous mobster movie whose name I won’t mention. Loeb tried to shoehorn the Italian Mafia trope in Gotham which just didn’t work for me. Who makes up the Gotham underworld? Is it mobsters or costumed villains that make up the rogues gallery? What is the history of Gotham? To me it is old money/aristocratic families like the Waynes generation after generation. New York has the history of Italian immigration, not Gotham, so that is why the Mafia storyline did not work for me. Also, all this loyalty and allegiance to Gotham City (I believe in Gotham!) It is just a city with a lot of urban decay.
The trope that worked was the police noir and Gordon/Bats relationship. The Catwoman/Bats back-and-forth was done better in Hush and some issues of Tom King’s run.
But enough of that…. On to the Byrne FF omnibus.
-
Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus Volume 3
This volume collects all the Superman stories from Action Comics, Superman, and World’s Finest from the period 1942–43, mostly by Jerry Siegel with a variety of artists.
There’s an interesting evolution here from the earlier (1938–41) stories. It used to be that Superman was the only ‘fantastic’ element in his world, and his enemies were mundane criminals, slum lords, corrupt businessman, the occasional foreign dictator. In this volume of stories, Superman’s world suddenly gets more fantastical. His enemies are more likely to have powers themselves, and be aliens or wizards or super-scientists. It gives Jerry Siegel’s imagination free reign to go completely wild, but to be honest I preferred the earlier, more grounded stories.
Still, this is an interesting step in the evolution of Superman and his world, and as such it’s fascinating from a historical perspective even if the stories are not quite top-notch.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
I can’t see a way to delete the uploaded image from that double post, sorry. Anyway:
Nemesis the Warlock Volume 3
I enjoyed the early Nemesis stories, but with this volume it’s gone rather off the rails. I think Pat Mills is trying to hard to be ‘edgy’ here, and it results in stories that are more concerned with making clever points than being good stories. I like the exploration of the idea that Nemesis isn’t actually the ‘hero’ we thought he was (and never has been), but quite honestly I don’t need yet another thinly-veiled look at how awful Thatcher’s Britain was. At the same time as the plotting is becoming a convoluted mess, the art has gone all experimental and unpleasant to look at. I’m fine with experimental art in the right context, but comic art needs to tell the story and this really doesn’t do that very well.
I’m not sure if the series picks up with the next volume, but if not then I’m not sure I’ll bother reading it.
-
I’m not sure if the series picks up with the next volume, but if not then I’m not sure I’ll bother reading it.
The final volume of Nemesis really goes back to its roots as a crazy sci-fi story and is much better.
Pat Mills had a dodgy 90s period where his activism really took precedence over telling a good story. I generally agree with his political leanings (albeit he goes way further into David Icke territory than I would) but use a bit of allegory rather than whacking it over your head. He rails against editors rejecting his work but in all honesty a lot was his fault and it wasn’t very good. I stopped reading 2000ad around the time of his Finn character who was an environmental terrorist and it was very weak material.
When I came back though his stuff in the last decade or so finds that balance again. Things like Defoe and Flesh and Savage all have the same anti authoritarian leftist stance but remember that the primary goal is to tell a good story and leave that as subtext.
-
Ms. Marvel Omnibus
Considering the talent involved, this series turns out to be a bit of a disappointment.
Much as I love Gerry Conway’s writing, he doesn’t seem to have a clue what to do with this character. As if shackling the character’s origin to Captain Mar-Vell wasn’t enough, he then inexplicably gives her Spider-Man’s supporting cast. And, bizarrely, Carol Danvers has made a career change from head of security at Cape Canaveral to editor of a glossy woman’s magazine. As you do.
After two-and-a-half issues of floundering, Conway turns the book over to Chris Claremont, who then struggles to dig out of the hole Conway has dug. Things change, generally for the better, but so slowly that it’s exhausting to watch and to be honest you’re glad when it’s over. This isn’t a terrible comic, but it is a bland and pointless one.
And let’s not even mention the abomination of Avengers #200, also included here. It’s just horrendous.
-
Nicolai Dante Volume 3
It took me two whole volumes to warm to Nicolai Dante. He’s a reckless, partying, womanizing, arrogant, narcissistic rogue, and I think he’s supposed to be endearing, but frankly he’s not, he’s just annoying.
But the world, a futuristic Russian empire complete with competing noble families ruled by a despotic Tsar, hooked me, and as Dante is unwillingly drawn into the machinations of the world while trying to maintain his own sense of morality, he slowly won me over.Then along comes this volume 3, and completely pulls the rug out from under everything. The political skulduggery of the Romanov family we’ve watched over two volumes breaks out into all-out civil war with the Tsar, and Dante is stuck in the middle of it.
And it’s brutal. Morrison doesn’t shy away from showing how awful war is, and John Burns, who takes over on art, doesn’t pull any punches either. It’s grim stuff, but it’s gripping, and I can’t wait to see how the story evolves further in the next volume.
-
A Distant Soil Volume 1: The Gathering
I’ve wanted to read Colleen Doran’s legendary epic for a long time, and finally got the chance with this new(ish) collection.
It takes a while to get a handle on the story, simply because there’s so much going on. We start with a couple of super-powered kids escaping from a research lab, and you think, ok, it’s going to be a mutant super-hero kind of thing. Then the aliens turn up and tell them of their galaxy-saving destiny. Then Sir Galahad (on a horse) pops through a dimensional portal, just because. Then it gets really convoluted, as various people turn out to be not what you thought they were.
The writing is sometimes a bit clunky, with long passages of plot exposition that drag things to a halt, but the plotting of the various twists of the story is solid. And the art is gorgeous throughout. Black and white, superbly detailed, with dynamic action, beautiful characters, and some amazing set pieces (the design of the alien cruiser is superb).
By the end of this volume, you’re completely hooked by the characters and the setting and really want to read the next part.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Oh I love that you are reading Dante.
You are right that he starts out a real Flashman type character, very superficial and selfish, this whole saga is a journey for him and everyone and I think is a masterpiece. It’s rare you see a real time evolving world in comic with a proper conclusion. By the end nobody is the same as when it starts.
John M Burns is also astonishing, he alternates with Simon Fraser on the story. He’s 82 years old and still turns out regular work for 2000ad that puts most artists to shame.
-
A Distant Soil Volume 1: The Gathering
I’ve wanted to read Colleen Doran’s legendary epic for a long time, and finally got the chance with this new(ish) collection.
It takes a while to get a handle on the story, simply because there’s so much going on. We start with a couple of super-powered kids escaping from a research lab, and you think, ok, it’s going to be a mutant super-hero kind of thing. Then the aliens turn up and tell them of their galaxy-saving destiny. Then Sir Galahad (on a horse) pops through a dimensional portal, just because. Then it gets really convoluted, as various people turn out to be not what you thought they were.
The writing is sometimes a bit clunky, with long passages of plot exposition that drag things to a halt, but the plotting of the various twists of the story is solid. And the art is gorgeous throughout. Black and white, superbly detailed, with dynamic action, beautiful characters, and some amazing set pieces (the design of the alien cruiser is superb).
By the end of this volume, you’re completely hooked by the characters and the setting and really want to read the next part.
Bad news, I think it remains unfinished
-
It is but I believe not abandoned. Her Patreon is paying for new pages to be completed.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
It’s slow but it will get there. (I may have insider knowledge here
)1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Harleen HC
I just finished reading this series in hardcover, and if anything I think I enjoyed it more the second time around.
I’ve always been a little bit cool on Harley Quinn as a character (even the lauded Mad Love didn’t really do much for me), but this book brings her story to life in a really sympathetic and compelling way, laying out a backstory and motivation that makes perfect sense, and turning her relationship with the Joker into something a little more complex and nuanced than how it’s often portrayed.
It helps that the focus is always on Harleen herself, rather than just seeing her as an accessory to the Joker, who never threatens to take over as the star of the show here (even though he’s obviously a major presence). There’s a strong energy and chemistry between the two that almost strays into out-and-out erotica at points, but not for long – just enough to make you feel and understand the attraction between the two, even as we readers can see Harleen gradually sliding into a kind of madness as she’s caught in the Joker’s web.
And the art is wonderful too, with some great page layouts that really make the most of the larger square format – including one fantastic early spread that sees Harleen’s life flash before her eyes as she’s threatened by the Joker.
This is another triumph for the Black Label imprint, and up there with its best books like Batman White Knight and Wonder Woman Dead Earth.
I already liked Sejic from Sunstone but after this went down so well too I’ll have to check out his other books. I just ordered the new HC of his Aquaman run and a couple of his Suicide Squad backissues. Anything else he’s done that’s worth a look?
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Death Vigil is well worth a look, Sejic is working on the second volume.
Ravine I liked a great deal, but it didn’t take off, so likely stay incomplete – or be done as a webcomic.
If you like his work, also consider looking at Linda Sejic’s work too. Wildfire is a neat SF collaboration with Hawkins, while Blood Stain is comedy.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Cheers Ben. I know you’ve recommended Blood Stain before and it’s still in my Comixology wishlist waiting for a sale. I’ll check out those others.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Mignolaverse fans, there will be a BPRD: Devil You Know HC to complete the monster set, expected August:
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
This also turned up.
Just a few pages in and I’m already wowed by Sejic’s art. Beautiful.
-
This arrived today. What a big, beautiful book!
I’m hoping Gosh has got me one on the way, and hoping it fits in my shelf…
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Once & Future v.1 TPB: The King Is Undead
After buying this on recommendation I decided to try the first chapter with my morning coffee today, and ended up reading the entire TPB in one sitting. It was a blast, one of the best new series I’ve read in a while.
There’s snappy writing as you’d expect from Gillen, that sets the story up quickly and elegantly (in that same way that Gar mentioned earlier) and then has some real fun with it, with a great deployment of Arthurian legend that keeps a light touch but also makes the story very relevant to modern Britain.
And there’s some great, dynamic and detailed art from Mora with a definite Capullo vibe and some vivid, vibrant colours.
Also the lettering was really good, some subtle and smart effects there that aren’t showy enough to be distracting but really enhance the story.
So all round this was a great package, really impressive, especially with all the lovely bonus variant covers in the back. Can’t wait for the second TPB and might even have to start picking up the singles.
-
Oh, that one’s out? Will have to take a look.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Da Hen is back.
SpeedyHen have just despatched my copies of the Postal OHC and Black Science OHC3.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
American Jesus: Volume 2: The New Messiah
There’s some neat observations in here about the nature of faith and the perception of religion, but at the same time, it also reads like the work of an earlier Millar. Namely the Millar of Kick-Ass 2 and Nemesis, which for me isn’t a good thing. It comes across as being a bit too much button pressing.
If you do buy the trade, don’t look at it too closely, one of the images used is right from the end.
The main concept, that of telling a story that runs parallel to the first volume, with the ending being that both characters are set on collision course isn’t bad, but the execution weakens it.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Tokyo Ghost: Complete Edition HC
I recently reread Tokyo Ghost in this wonderful oversized hardcover edition, and enjoyed it even more this time around.
It’s a great east-meets-west cyberpunk story by Remender that’s packed with imagination and fun over-the-top satirical touches, but also deals with some difficult ideas around addiction and codependency honestly and movingly.
And it features some fantastic art from Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth that’s a major part of the draw of the book for me.
Just check out Murphy’s work in amazing layouts like this one – his work is so detailed but also incredibly dynamic, which is a tough balance to pull off.
And Hollingsworth’s colours on pages like this are just magic.
Here it’s almost like a special effect at times.
I also really enjoyed spotting Easter Eggs like this, which is made a lot easier by the oversized format.
A really enjoyable reread anyway. I read this partly to convince myself to back Murphy’s indiegogo project, and it worked!
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Faithless v.1 TPB
I picked up the TPB of this Boom! Studios series to refresh my memory ahead of the second mini starting, and actually enjoyed it more a second time.
Like so many minis, it hangs together better as a whole, not just because you can more easily make the issue-to-issue connections but also because the pacing builds better that way. Some of the issues I had thought worked less well than the others individually function much better as part of the whole here.
It’s an enjoyable supernatural erotic romp that plays things fairly seriously, to the point of po-facedness at times, but also finds room for a few laughs, particularly with the supporting cast. There’s also Azzarello’s trademark punning wordplay, which you either like or don’t but which I found less distracting here than usual.
It’s Maria Llovet’s art that really makes the book though, with a loose but still well-defined style that gives the book most of its energy, particularly when it comes to the sex and magic scenes (often both at once). After this I’ve sought out more of her work, including There’s Nothing There from Black Mask, and enjoyed it.
After this refresher I’m looking forward to the second series.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Has anyone seen copies of the John Byrne She Hulk Omnibus in the wild yet? With Coronavirus delays I’ve lost total track of when this should be out. About now, I think.
My copy arrived from Reed comics at the weekend but it looks as though they have already sold out.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Finally lucky enough to get hold of the hardcover of Loud! by Maria Llovet from Black Mask Studios.
What a great looking book! Cracking design on the covers and it looks just as good inside.
I know this sold out quickly but I gather a softcover reprint is coming soon.
-
-
-
This arrived today from Forbidden Planet. It’s a TKO tpb, so oversized in the same format as Sara. I never knew this even existed until it got a nomination for this year’s Eisners (I think it was). Fantastic creative pedigree and an interesting sci-fi premise. Had to get it. Look forward to digging into it soon. Anyone else read it?
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
This is the book blurb “From Eisner Award-winners Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer) and Gabriel Walta (The Vision). When an attack kills the adults on a colony ship, the on-board A.I. VALERIE must help the ship’s children survive the perils of space. Can Valerie rise to the task?”
Seems to have completely gone under the radar. I was honestly just as surprised that this existed. You’d have thought they would have made a lot more noise about this book.
-
I got that at the start of lockdown! It’s excellent.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
I also had no idea, but I would order that right now if I could. Seems to be unavailable right now from Amazon.ca.
Went to the TKO site and packaged it up with Sara (both TP’s $19.99) to get free shipping, but then an extra $20 dollars gets added on at checkout for shipping to Canada (so $60 and then a conversion to my money…).
I’ll pass on that, but I do want both and will watch for when they will be available.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
It’s the problem with the TKO model Sean. They want to operate outside the normal distribution channels, which is good for the bottom line and profit margin but it also means (often like Kickstarter) it makes everything unaffordable if you live in another country. Meaning only a digital offer can ever be value for money.
Unless they change their plan waiting probably won’t deliver a cheaper option.
3 users thanked author for this post.
-
It’s best to try and get them through a local comic shop. I don’t think I have seen them in any of the online booksellers here in the UK. The most cost effective route, I found, was buying them from Forbidden Planet. With slightly higher p&p due to the size, they cost about £18 each. For a six issue TPB that’s a little on the expensive side, but the creative team pedigree is worth the risk.
3 users thanked author for this post.
-
-
It depends who you’re trying to avoid, Ben.
If it’s only Allie, then you don’t need to get Hellboy & the BPRD. The end of Arcudi’s run on Hell on Earth is a hugely satisfying ending on its own; coupled with the ending of Hellboy In Hell, you could stop there and not be missing too much.
Hellboy & the BPRD was short, and didn’t really have the scope or the ambition of the earlier work. Whatever else Allie may be, he was never that good a writer, and it shows here. That being said, the series did have some great fanboy moments, and a pretty spectacular ending. Laurence Campbell’s artwork was amazing throughout. But, you can, and I mean this sincerely, pretend it never happened without disrupting your enjoyment of the earlier work.
However, if you’re annoyed with Mignola and Arcudi too, as some rightly are, you’re shit out of luck. There’s no way to perfume that pig.
Personally? I’d buy it. Yes, Allie’s scum. But, there’s Campbell, Fiumara and Mignola work here too. By all means don’t support Allie’s future endeavours, and he deserves to be punished for his historic transgressions. But, Hellboy & the BPRD already exists, and will likely bring you joy. You buying or not buying it will benefit or detrimentally impact no one, other than your own sense of honour.
-
Yeah it’s always a minefield of moral choices, especially when comics are such a collaborative thing. As I mentioned before it has echoes of the Alan Moore decision, he doesn’t want Marvel reprinting his work but it isn’t just him, it’s Garry Leach and Alan Davis etc. You may disapprove of Ellis but the majority of the time spent on his latest book was by Bryan Hitch, who by all accounts is a top bloke.
I think Vik is right though that whatever you buy Allie is now getting his punishment for his behaviour, he’s persona non grata in comics now and not getting hired by any significant player.
-
-
If it’s only Allie, then you don’t need to get Hellboy & the BPRD. The end of Arcudi’s run on Hell on Earth is a hugely satisfying ending on its own; coupled with the ending of Hellboy In Hell, you could stop there and not be missing too much.
Allie is probably a Dark Horse employee rather than a freelancer too, so it’s not like he’ll be getting a cut of the royalties if you buy the trade.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Allie is probably a Dark Horse employee rather than a freelancer too, so it’s not like he’ll be getting a cut of the royalties if you buy the trade.
Allie was fired as an editor in 2017 following the Joe Harris incident, but continued to co-write on the Mignola books as a freelancer. Most (if not all) of the upcoming TPB contains post-2017 material. Not sure how royalties are handled in this case, but assume it is based on whatever contract he signed with Mignola and/or Dark Horse.
I gotta say, I’m very disappointed if the rumors about Mignola and Arcudi are true.
-
I gotta say, I’m very disappointed if the rumors about Mignola and Arcudi are true.
What does this refer to?
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Extremity v.1 TPB: Artist
I picked up the first volume of this series, as between Space Mullet and Wonder Woman: Dead Earth I’ve been on a bit of a Daniel Warren Johnson kick lately.
I read it with my Saturday morning coffee today and thought it was pretty incredible. A powerful fantasy story about war, revenge, love and loss with some amazing designs and some of the most dynamic art I’ve seen in a long time.
Fight scenes like this one really carry weight:
But there’s a tender side to the book too, with a refreshingly sophisticated take on complex psychological concepts that are too often treated simplistically in comics.
Delving into the real impact of trauma and loss makes the story so much more powerful, and there are some beautifully sad moments like this – contrasting an earlier moment of innocent fatherly love with a much more sinister present-day scene – that really hit home.
But the book is no slouch when it comes to the action either. It’s big, operatic, epic stuff that is judicious with big splash images – but when they come, they really work, and pay off all the careful build-up of the panel-to-panel storytelling that comes before.
I also like that there’s room for experimentation like this – a charming surprise in the middle of the book that provides a great artistic flourish, in a story that’s partly about what art brings to the soul.
On finishing v.1 I immediately ordered v.2, and that should tell you everything you need to know about how highly I rated it.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
-
Loud! HC
This was an interesting book, albeit one that I felt didn’t entirely succeed. An OGN telling a tale that weaves together multiple different storylines that converge in a single night at a nightclub is ambitious enough, but telling that story almost entirely through art – with very little in the way of dialogue or text – is even more so.
The truth is that its reach exceeds its grasp a little, with the gimmick compelling up to a certain point, but falling down when it comes to conveying nuances of the story that are necessary for us to really invest in it, or in places to understand it at all.
That’s not to say that there aren’t some impressive aspects here, as there are standout artistic moments that provide visual flourishes that impress even without the additional story depth that text could provide – including one virtuoso sequence that tracks the spinning path of a bullet fired down a corridor.
And the art excels in other ways too, particularly the way the hand-drawn sound effects combine to crowd out the panels and create an oppressive, deafening soundscape in an entirely silent medium.
There’s also a definite sexiness to the book too – I know Llovet from her erotic comics Faithless and There’s Nothing There, and there are certainly elements of that sensual approach here – along with gangsters, vampires, and all manner of other creatures of the night.
But somehow it all ends up as slightly less than the sum of its parts, with elements of the climax generating shrugs where it seemed to be aiming for gasps. And that’s largely because we just haven’t grown to sufficiently understand the characters or the story.
It’s common for artists who turn to writing to over-write their comics, but less so for the opposite to happen as in this case. It’s a shame as there are moments of brilliance here, but a sense that a more fully-formed story could have been teased out by a more conventional writing approach, even if that might have come at the expense of the overall aesthetic.
-
DaveWallace wrote:
njerry wrote:
I gotta say, I’m very disappointed if the rumors about Mignola and Arcudi are true.
What does this refer to?
There were rumours a little while ago that John Arcudi and Guy David stopped working with Mignola because they felt they were being underpaid, not getting credit for creations, etc.
There was a Guy Davis tweet posted on another thread wherein he stated that he quit working at DH due to “toxic behavior of Allie, Mignola, Arcudi”. I (perhaps incorrectly) assumed he was accusing Mignola and Arcudi of the same things that have been alleged about Allie.
I hope I misinterpreted that post, because I am a huge fan of Mignola’s work and have found him to be very friendly in person.
Guy Davis @GuyDavisART
regarding DarkHorse/BPRD~ I quit the series in 2011 because of the toxic behavior of Allie, Mignola, Arcudi and cut all contact. In 2015 with news of Allie’s assaults and DH “response”, I cancelled The Marquis HC from DH (which never had a contract for them to solicit)
865
2:58 PM – Jun 25, 2020
Twitter Ads info and privacy223 people are talking about this
-
And this, from Mike Mignola:
http://artofmikemignola.com/?fbclid=IwAR22ZacftG5Zi4-YPF4Lu1U-ZrL4ckZjXMF_1dHLURBuA5vnGiDjZqwaeeQ
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
10 FOR £24.99 (£1.99 delivery) DC COMICS HARDCOVER GRAPHIC NOVELS
https://www.zavvi.com/home/books/dc-comics/offer.list?pageNumber=1
Not a massive selection. But might be of use to someone.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
I’d add The Return of Barry Allan, but I wouldn’t like to tell you what to drop for it.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
(Post better fit for the random comics related thread, so I’ll post it there. Ignore this one!)
But what if I don’t want to ignore this one?
-
-
-
Fare thee well little postie. Don’t fret, there’ll be other travellers by and by.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
I’ve been rereading Ed Brubaker’s Catwoman run. I still think it’s his best superhero work. It’s like Love & Rockets with action and costumes (I know there are sometimes costumes in L&R). Brubaker writes a great Selina as she tries to find a way of superheroing that fits her instincts and jaded worldview but it’s the supporting cast–Holly Robinson, her girlfriend Karon, Slam Bradley, Leslie Tompkins, Selina’s sister Maggie–that really makes the book stand out.
3 users thanked author for this post.
-
I grabbed those three Brubaker Catwoman collections on Comixology a while back but haven’t read them yet, I should get around to it.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
It is really good, although probably tarnished now by the Cameron Stewart association. Never quite the same when Gulacy takes over.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
Gulacy is my complete blindspot in comics. I know he’s highly acclaimed by almost everyone but I just can’t get past the weird way he draws lips and mouths.
It’s a thing with me, the style of an artist can swing from pure cartoon to retro to realistic to exaggerated but if the faces don’t look right within that context I’m done. When judging art here for the various competition there’d be a guy who drew an amazing motorbike chase and then it ends with a shot where the nose and eyes are out and then so was I.
It may be just my foible but in those lists of great artist he’s the one I don’t get.
-
Gulacy is my complete blindspot in comics.
He always struck me as “A poor man’s Steranko”; great at page layout, but limited in body language and facial expressions. On the other hand he was the best artist on Doug Moench’s early Shang Chi stories for Marvel.
-
-
On the other hand he was the best artist on Doug Moench’s early Shang Chi stories for Marvel.
That’s the one everyone loves, that looks stiff and with weird faces to me. There’s probably not much point examining it though, everything is subjective and I’ve just never liked it.
People have spent 30 years ragging on Rob Liefeld’s anatomy though and then you get stuff like this. In a weird turn of events number 4 in the row has a neck wider than her bust.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it. I like Gulacy – I’m very fond of his Batman work with Moench, for example – but it was a big chance of aesthetic on Catwoman. It was still a good book, except when it got embroiled in that “War Games” nonsense just before Brubaker leaves, but it felt like a different book than the one Cooke & Stewart drew for the first couple of years.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Got lucky on ebay and managed to snag this lot for thirty quid – a steal! Sara is the only one I’ve read before. Can’t wait to try Sentient.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Got lucky on ebay and managed to snag this lot for thirty quid – a steal! Sara is the only one I’ve read before. Can’t wait to try Sentient.
Lucky sod! That’s a bargain. Well jealous!
Let me know how that Goodnight Paradise book is. The creative team on that was pretty awesome on Vertigo’s Unknown Soldier back in the day.
-
So, I finally returned to reading stuff, having cleared the chair of the pile of stuff that was in it.
Batman: Universe
Wow, did this live up to its reputation.
Lighter Batman tales have been wanted for years, but there are quite few. Likely because it’s not that easy to pull off. The Miller Batman portrait still tends to dominate the perception, so going contrary to that takes a fair bit of skill, who expected Bendis to nail it? I didn’t but it’s certainly welcome.
It’s also a story that uses the rich backdrop of the DC universe and a huge array of guest stars to its advantage. You can feel the team of Bendis and Derington are enjoying themselves here. It’s not a grandiose epic, instead it’s more this insane caper of Batman chasing an egg across time and space. Yes, an egg. Look, just buy it and read it, OK? It’ll make sense.
Batman: Last Knight On Earth
There’s been a huge amount of chatter on this one, so much so I wasn’t sure how I’d get on with it.
I enjoyed this.
I think it is definitely a series that works best read in one piece. Waiting months between issues would hurt it considerably.
The whole broken world mystery works well, with little glimpses of apocalyptic super-horror, all brought to life by Capullo. The last Batman story? Well, it is the last for these two because after this? There’s nothing left for them to say.
It’s also a good showcase for the benefits of the Black Label, in allowing stories to be told that just can’t fit into the usual DC world.
_________________________________
What’s interesting about both of these books is, read in collected form, you would never know they came out as a set of individual issues. The one tells its story across 12 chapters, while the other spins its tale over 10 sections. Both therefore break away from the expected structure to embrace one more suited to the tale they wish to tell. It’s a very smart move and one I’d like to see other stories use.
3 users thanked author for this post.
-
Batman Universe was originally in the DC Walmart magazine and I think was originally presented in 10 page episodes, which would explain a slightly different structure.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
I couldn’t resist pre-ordering at that price. It’d be rude not too.
-
-
Picked up the first volume of the Predator Essential Comics when i was at the comic shop the other day. It collects three stories acting as a sequel to the first movie following a bad ass cop’s (Arnie’s character’s brother) encounters with the Predators. Big dumb schlocky fun. There’s also a comic adaptation of Predator 2 included but it’s a bit shit.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
Ordered TMNT Bodycount. Arrived today and man it’s an ugly book in looks and story. Heavily stylised Bisley inks (I naively hoped it may have been painted Bisley – boy was I wrong) and confusing layouts. There’s also a printing error in the middle of the book which makes it even more confusing. The story seems to be going for “mature” but it seems to think that means swearing and bloody violence.
The book that I bought (from Music Magpie) was heavily damaged too and I’m having nothing but ball-ache in trying to return it. I’m constantly being told to print the returns label despite me telling them repeatedly the messages are coming through without any attachments on them.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
The book that I bought (from Music Magpie) was heavily damaged too and I’m having nothing but ball-ache in trying to return it. I’m constantly being told to print the returns label despite me telling them repeatedly the messages are coming through without any attachments on them.
You’re obviously doing it wrong, Bruce. You’re too old; get your daughter to help you.
-
Got and read another Lemire book, the first trade of Family Tree. Jesus, that guy just keeps churning stuff out, and it’s always reliable good. This one seems a bit Swamp-Thing-like, really, with the premise being that members of a family have a tendency to turn into trees (I can spoil that much, it happens pretty much on the first page). There’s a psychedelic vibe to it, and there’s a doomsday cult trying to kill the tree girl and a grandpa who’s into violence. So it’s good. Also, Phil Hester art, which is always cool.
