Books: Tintin: The Seven Crystal Balls / Prisoners of the Sun

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The Seven Crystal Balls
By Hergé
1948





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Prisoners of the Sun
By Hergé
1949





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Ok - I'm gonna be honest - pretty much the only reason I'm writing about these Tintin books rather than any others is because they're (probably) going to be the ones that Peter Jackson's Tintin sequel is going to be based on (see: the internet). But - hey - it's all good right? And at least it's not Asterix! [1]

My main memory of reading this books the first time round is the fear. There's this one moment in The Seven Crystal Balls (as mentioned by Noah Berlatsky in that Hooded Utilitarian link below) that gave me the total and absolute creeps - even looking at it now in the daylight I can still feel a faint chill moving down my back - and I'm back to being 11 years old hiding over the covers and trying to erase the images from my mind as I try to get to sleep.

But all that's by the by - because it doesn't really matter how scary those few panels are - what about the rest of the books surrounding it?

My theory about Tintin (and I don't know if there's anything out there that backs me up on this) is that in some respects he's the proto-James Bond. To explain: As hard as it may be to believe nowdays in the world of EasyJet - but there was once a point when it wasn't possible for the average person to travel aboard to exotic and far-off locales and so - a big part of the thrill of Bond (the books and especially the films) was that it was the nearest that the man on the street [2] would get to seeing Jamaica, Hagia Sophia, Miami Beach or whatever. Looking over the Tintin books - it seems that maybe there was a lot of that sort of thing was going on with everyone's favourite boy reporter. I don't know of any other character that has travelled so widely: Russia! The Congo! America! South America! Nuevo Rico! Shanghai! Scotland! Syldavia! The Sahara! Morocco! The West Indies! Iceland! Khemed! The Moon! Tibet! The Red Sea! The Lesser Sunda Islands! San Theodoros! [3] and of course - Marlinspike Hall (which apparently exists in England, Belgium and New York).

In these two books (after some detectiving around and getting all the elements of the plot into place) the destination for our intrepid band of heroes is Peru. Of course to my jaded mind Peru doesn't seem much of a exotic destintion (hell - what is nowadays?) but I'm guessing for those good folks back in the late 1940s it was up there with space travel - whilst nowadays to my jaded eyes - hanging out with llamas and climbing mountains these feels a bit like hanging out with Michael Palin (albeit with a little more slapstick).

Of course - because this is Tintin I feel almost duty bound to mention racism - and yep - towards the end there's a big point twist that doesn't really scan [4] relying as it does upon the idea that non-westerns wouldn't have any idea about how astronomy works which - sorry Hergé - it's the kind of thing that passes you by as a kid but doesn't really past the plausibility test now.

So - all in all - I'd say that there's better Tintin books out there and definitely ones which will give you much more bang for your reading buck. Except - it does still have those creepy panels so maybe it's worth a little peek just for that? I'll leave it to you to decide.

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[1] Joke. I'm not going to wade into the whole Tintin versus Asterix thing because as a child I read and enjoyed both (altho - truth be told: I've read all the Tintins but probably only about 1 third of Asterix) and while - yeah - Asterix can be a lot more cerebral (all those references!) and the wit is a lot sharper (even back then it was always much more likely that I''d find myself laughing with an Asterix book rather than a Tintin one - because let's face it - slapstick just isn't that funny in cartoon form) Tintin just feels more streamlined and elegant and built for much more adventurous purposes - and if I have to choose between a horse and cart and a rocket then - sorry guys - I'm going to go with the rocket every time (it goes into space!).

[2] Ha. Everytime I think of the "man on the street" I think of the Sid Vicious line. I'm not linking to it - but feel free to google it.

[3] Some of these places may be made up.

[4] On the Adventures of Tintin wikipedia page it puts this down to the influnce of Mark Twain - and Hergé's attempt to protray "Incas in awe of a latter-day 'Connecticut Yankee'." But whatever.

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Links: The M0vie Blog Review of The Seven Crystal Balls / The M0vie Blog Review of Prisoners of the Sun, Hooded Utilitarian Article: Tintin and the Racist Dream, Sean T Collins Review of the Seven Crystal Balls.

Further reading: Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn / Red Rackham's Treasure, Tintin: Destination Moon / Explorers on the Moon, The Photographer.

All comments welcome.

Books: Smax

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Smax
Written by Alan Moore
Art by Zander Cannon and Andrew Currie
2005




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Something that gets a little lost what with his whole image as a spooky, shaman-like, magic-man with a long beard and intellectual pronouncements about how our culture is going to turn to steam (see here) and the like: not to mention all of his serious examinations of the nature of superheroes and how to deconstruct swamp monsters etc is that - Alan Moore is actually a pretty funny guy. And that's funny as in: "on-purpose funny" (which is - obviously - the best kind)

Back when he used to write for 2000AD he used to bring his droll wit to the short 4 - 6 pages Future Shocks stories - one of which ended up becoming it's own spin off series as D.R. and Quinch (which you should read if you haven't already). Since that point tho his public persona got steadily more serious as he went from V for Vendetta to Swamp Thing to Watchmen to From Hell.

It was nice to see then - in last days of the 20th Century - Alan Moore return to basics with his America's Best Comics - a comic's brand that included Tom Strong, Promethea, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Top 10. A line of titles that (in their early days at least) promised a return to the simple, slightly-goofy era of comics as pure fantastical escapism rather than say - the "grim and gritty" violence cess-pool they had become.

Smax is a spin-off from Top 10: a police series set in a city where literally everyone has super-powers. Jeff Smax - one of the cops in Top 10 and the star of Smax (obviously) - is the Top 10 embodiment of the moody, hard-bitten, trenchcoat-wearing no-nonsense-taking supercop who likes to keep himself to himself. In Top 10 you don't really learn too much about him other than how bad-ass he is - but in Smax: we've given the chance to look beneath his tough blue exterior and find out what lies beneath.

At this point I'll say that if you're intending to read Smax then please please pick up Top 10 first and read those before you start on this. It's not only that things will make more sense but also a lot of the jokes will be much funnier (and we all like funny jokes - right?). Plus also: Top 10 is totally amazing (and everyone likes stuff that is totally amazing - right?). Now know that Smax isn't really like Top 10: even tho it continues the story with a few of the same characters one of the thing's that kinda delightful about it is how it jumps from being a crime/super-hero/science-fiction thing into a comedy/fantasty/epic quest-type thing (or as it's more commonly known: "Terry Pratchett").

So - like I said at the start: this is Alan Moore in comedy-form and all the jokes are dead good. The character interactions are spot on. And it does the same thing as Top 10 with all it's easter egg goodness references to other stuff. I'd don't know what sort of fiend would not enjoy reading this book: but I guess it would be someone with a heart of stone, who hates to giggle and doesn't enjoy any type of sword and sorcery fun whatsoever (but that's their loss). For everyone else: this is the comics version of peaches and cream: sweet and delicious. 

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Links: Tor Article: The Great Alan Moore Reread: Smax, Burning Leaves Review, Jess Nevins Annotations on #1 / #2.

Further reading: Top 10, Top 10: The Forty-Niners, D.R and Quinch, The Complete Future Shocks, Tom Strong, Orc Stain, Joe The Barbarian, The Hobbit.

Profiles: Alan Moore.

All comments welcome.

Books: The Manara Library

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The Manara library
Volume 1
Written by Hugo Pratt and Milo Manara
Art by Milo Manara
2011



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Milo Manara is - apparently - a comics legend.

I hope that it doesn't count too much against me that I haven't heard of him before (expect in that he did the artwork for the Biffy Clyro album: the Vertigo of Bliss - which (as those of you who have seen it will know) is quietly filthy... filth being a recurring theme in his work as it says on his wikipedia page: "an Italian comic book writer and artist, best known for his erotic approach to the medium." oh-er!)

When I first saw this big handsome book (if it came up to me in a bar - I would be more than happy to let it buy me a drink) I was really excited to give it a try. Causally flicking through before I read it (which is an awful habit I know - like fast forwarding through a film before sitting down to watch it) the lush, pretty, beautifully drawn all sung to me: promising high adventures and sweeping romantical excitement.

Strangely on the cover it says: "Indian Summer and other stories" when more accurately it should say: "Indian Summer and The Paper Man." Of the two I much preferred The Paper Man: but (full disclosure) - and I feel like a failure admitting this - I just couldn't get onboard this comic: but there's just something with the stories  that just didn't give me enough to properly care: and instead of reading them - it was more like I was just watching myself read them (does that make sense?). Maybe this isn't the sort of book that you can just pick up at a lunch-break and easily slip into - maybe it needs proper care and attention and a certain level of respect and time. I'd be up for trying out anything else he's done (because yeah: the art is utterly fantastic): but the stuff here just didn't hit the mark. 

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Links: Comic Booked Article, Graphic Eye Review, Good Ok Bad Review.

Further reading: Corto Maltese, The Chimpanzee Complex, Blacksad: Somewhere Between the Shadows.

All comments welcome.

Books: Joe The Barbarian

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Joe The Barbarian
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Sean Murphy
2011

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Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

I've always had a theory that Grant Morrison doesn't really care about the art in comic books. Unlike say (plucking an example from the top of my head) Alan Moore whose books (whether you like them or not) are nearly always lavishly designed and constructed almost to be enjoyed even without reading the words in those little text ballons - Morrison seems more like he so enjoys the rush and joy and pulsating energy of the stuff he writes that it almost doesn't matter what the artist does when they bring them to life. And as much as I can appreciate Doom Patrol, Animal Man and - yeah I'm gonna say it: The Invisibles: a lot of the artwork in most of those books looks pretty - tossed off. I mean: I'd be happy to hang a print from Watchmen on my wall - and not because it's Watchmen or anything: but because it'd look nice - what with that 9 box grid and everything locking everything into place and stuff. But: most Morrison stuff: well. Not so much.

Which is what makes it super-fantastic when he does decide to team up with an artist that can actually keep up with his prodigious imaginations: Chris Weston in The Filth and The Invisibles, J. H. Williams in Seven Soldiers and Batman, and - hell - Frank Quitely in Everything.

Which brings us to the mighty Joe The Barbarian and the beautiful Sean Murphy.

I first heard of Sean Murphy when Jan - one of the Islington Comic Forum regulars - first started yelling  at me (in a nice way): "How have you not heard of Sean Murphy man? He's bloody amazing! How have you not heard of him? He's like the best artist since forever! He does all these amazing intricate drawing and they all look so beautiful and lovely man and he's just the greatest! How have you not heard of him already?!" He then googled images of his art and shoved them in front of my face: and - well - yeah. I had to admit: even tho I looking at it on a teeny tiny screen - guy's art did look pretty rad. "He's done a Hellblazer already and at the moment he's doing this thing with Grant Morrison: it's only 2 issues in - but it's really really amazing."

I'll wait for the library to get a copy I said.  

And so here we are:

Grant Morrison has described it as "It's like Home Alone meets Lord of the Rings." Which is pretty accurate - altho I'd throw in The NeverEnding Story in too - just to be sure.

So I hope that all the above makes very clear that I'd been waiting to read this book for a bit of a long while. I'm not the most steadfast Grant Morrison fan: I'm the guy that balks when he gets too much into his wild and lofty excesses: but I do love it when he's restricted to things that take up the space of just one book (see above). Also I think the fact that I starting reading this just after giving up on Jonathan Ross' comic Turf which is filled to the brim with words and words and more words made the clean, sparse opening of Joe The Barbarian feel like jumping into a clear lake: so very very refreshing.

My only issue was the one that I get with all good comic books which is trying to decide between the desire to wanting to read things it all very slow and pore over each and every panel - taking in all the small touches and details (which for this kind of thing is probably a pretty good idea) or doing the opposite - just running through it as fast as I possibility can in order to get to the end and find out what happens and how and why and when.

Unlike past Morrison stories which have always tended to go places more cerebral than soppy: Joe isn't afraid to hit a few fairly basic emotional beats and pluck some conventional tunes out on the old heart-strings: but to those who would grumble that it's a little low-brow I'd argue that sometimes it's cool to replay a story that you may have heard before ("Traditional Rules Apply!") retold with a new lick of paint and brand new engine. With Sean Murphy not being afraid to take his time and set things out or blow a page or two on some of the most epic vistas I've ever seen (I believe that at one point I may have even whistled to myself: "wow - that castle looks cool.")

There were some bits towards the end (even reading it the second time) that it did seem that some things got into a bit of a muddle (but maybe that's the point somehow?): but all-in-all I'd say that it gave me one of the most pleasurable reading experiences I'd had in a while: and even if it's not an out-and-out masterpiece - it is the perfect entertainment for a rainy Sunday afternoon. 

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Links: Comic Book Resources Grant Morrison Interview, The Comics Journal Review #1 / The Comics Journal Review #1-6,  Comic Book Resources Review #1 / #2 / #5 /  #6 / #7, Pink Kryptonite Review of #8, Comics Alliance Article: Joe the Barbarian: Reality vs Fiction in Grant Morrison's Comics / Comics Alliance Article: 2 Davids, 1 Book: Grant Morrison & Sean Murphy's Joe the Barbarian, Tearoom of Despair Article: Joe the Barbarian – Growing Up Is For Wimps, Mindless Ones Article: Joe The Barbarian – Fun Buy Apollo Geist, Comics Should Be Good Review #1, A Lay of the Land Review, Multiversity Casting Couch, IGN Interview with Grant Morrison.

Further reading: I Kill Giants, All Star Superman, We3, Promethea, Solanin, The Hobbit, Vimanarama, Smax, The Unwritten, The Filth, Hellblazer: City of Demons, Saga, Mazeworld.

Profiles: Grant Morrison.

All comments welcome.

Books: We3

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We3
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Frank Quitely
2005




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The pleasures (of which there are very many) of reading We3 are kinda hard to put into words ("experimental page dynamics" maybe?). I mean: yes - obviously all comics are visual - but We3 is way more visual than most and visual in a way that's way different to all the comics I've ever read and visual in a way that you just don't expect from a comic with Grant Morrison's name on (I'm not the only one to gripe that Grant Morrison comics have a definite tendency to short-change the pictures in favor for the words: or to put it another way - most of the comics he writes don't really look that nice [1].) The other day I watched Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Red Shoes (very much recommended) and was stunned into silence by it's grand 15-minute centerpiece (if you've seen it then you know which bit I'm talking about). What got me thinking afterwards was - how exactly did they manage to script it? Not that it's impossible to write down (I mean - obviously not) but just that all of the impact of how it works comes from - well - how it works as a film: and that if you tried to explain it with mere words - then you wouldn't get any sense of (well) the complete picture (is this making sense?). Same with We3. I could say that there are bits of this comic when the panels cut time into little slices of frozen time - or that there's a bit where the bullets explode from the page like they're 3D - but - hell - you just have to read it and experience it for yourself. Because - yeah - it's kinda hard to put into words. 

That's not to stay that it doesn't have a story that you can follow. In board strokes then: It's like Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey but with cybernetic weaponry (or as Morrison has referred to it: "Disney with fangs.") With none of the usual narrative gymnastics Morrison gets up to it's probably the best way in for new readers: and yeah - like I said: it's also one of the prettiest books he's ever written (see also: everything else he does with Frank Quitely).

Well worth trying out.

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[1] In fact - We3 is such a good response to the claim that Grant Morrison only makes ugly books that one commenter in the link above responded with nothing but images of pages from We3. Ha.

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Links: Jog - The Blog Review., Peiratikos Review, Comics Alliance Review.

Further reading: Superman: All Star Superman, Flex Mentallo, Joe The Barbarian, Vimanarama, Sebastian O, Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites, JLA: Earth 2, Mezolith.

Profiles: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely.

All comments welcome.

Books: Preacher

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Preacher
Vol 1: Gone to Texas
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion
1996



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Preacher
Vol 2: Until the End of the World
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion
1997



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Preacher
Vol 3: Proud Americans
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion
1997



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Preacher
Vol 4: Ancient History
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Richard Case, Carlos Ezquerra and Steve Pugh
1998



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Preacher
Vol 5: Dixie Fried
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion
1998



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Preacher
Vol 6: War in the Sun
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion and Peter Snejbjerg
1999



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Preacher
Vol 7: Salvation
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion
1999



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Preacher
Vol 8: All Hell's A-Coming
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion and John McCrea
2000



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Preacher
Vol 9: Alamo
Written By Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillion
2001



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Yeah. It's kinda hard for me to write about Preacher in a completely dispassionate way: I remember when I first read the first volume of Preacher way way back when I was a teenage boy (I'm sorry - these things happen) and I remember thinking that it was one of the most awesomely amazing things ever made. So it has this sorta strange dual position in my mind where on one hand it was one of the first comics that showed me what it meant to be kinda 'adult' whilst at the same time - when I look back over it - it feels like something a little bit childish and immature (which is because - it is eg. one character's entire arc is predicated on him looking like a giant penis - and believe that is by far the only example that I could use). But then I know that if I pick up and read Vol 2 "Until the End of the World" (by favourite book of the whole series) I'm going to be gripped and entralled and sold totally on it's massive dips and highs it's probably the best example I've ever come across of knocking a character down and then building him back up again: and one of the few times I've read a book and realised halfway through that I've made up a soundtrack in my head for it and am kinda singing it along to myself as I read: think big John Williams style strings and bombast (with added Hans Zimmerisms).

Packed full with violence, top swearing and over-blown situations of an adult nature Preacher is the far-reaching and groundbreaking saga of good old country boy Jesse Custer, his take no-prisoners ex-girlfriend Tulip (the best name they could think of?) and his best friend - the hard-drinking Irish vampire Cassidy (Favourite quote: "Awww fuckin' great... I mean... blessed are the meek"). Written by Garth Ennis (who at his point of his career was still writing like a really smart 16 year old boy) and taking in every single American archetype under the sun (cowboys, voodoo, astronauts, War War II, Vietnam, rock stars, Elvis, Bill Hicks etc) it's funny, thrilling and full of great over-the-top characters. Supposedly the big theme tying it altogether is "responsibility" - but it's really male-friendship that closest to it's heart and with it's sly caustic wit it will worm it's way into yours. And even if the big picture doesn't all hang together in the way you may hope [1] - there are countless scenes and moments of evil blaspheming brilliance.

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[1] I mean the end nowhere near as disappointing as Lost [2]: but you should know that (like Lost) it's more about the characters than the quest (and it's probably best if you don't think about how everything all connects together too much - just - you know - enjoy the memories of the journey along the way).

[2] And for more on that sort of thing then you should really check out this super-excellent Big Other essay: “The Ending as Wish-Fulfilment in The Tree of Life, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, and Lost.”

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Links: PopMatters Article: Crisis of Faith: The Struggle to Believe in Preacher, The 11th Hour Review of Vol 1, Walker of Worlds Preacher Re-Read Vol 1,  Grovel Review: Vol 1 / Vol 2 / Vol 3 / Vol 4 / Vol 5 / Vol 6 / Vol 7 / Vol 8 / Vol 9, Spill Review, Hooded Utilitarian Article: Garth Ennis: Anti-Messiah, Or Just A Very Naughty Boy?

Further reading: The Boys, Hitman, Punisher MAX, Chosen, Just a Pilgrim, Y: The Last Man, Scalped, The Sword.

Profiles: Garth Ennis.

All comments welcome.

Books: Marvel 1602

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Marvel 1602
Written by Neil Gaiman
Art by Andy Kubert
2004




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For me - personally - it's neck and neck between this and Mark Millar's The Ultimates for the best Marvel story of all time. Or to be precise: best cross-over Marvel story: i.e. one where all the heroes get together and have a big epic-type adventure (so you know - that excludes all the stories where it's just Spider-Man by himself or whatever).

But - yes - Marvel 1602 (or - as it was known when it was first published: "1602") is a rip-roaring, bodice-ripping extravaganza that transplants (nearly) all of the Marvel pantheon all the way back to the Elizabethan era - so instead of Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. there's Sir Nicholas Fury spymaster general and instead of Dr Strange Sorcerer Supreme we get Dr. Stephen Strange - Court Magician and so on. I'll admit now that a big part of the pleasure of this series is discovering all the ways the various Marvel characters have been "historicized" and which parts of their personalities have remained intact and which parts have been suitably altered. And - as it's from Neil Gaiman's bustling storytelling brain - you don't have to fret about it becoming an empty intellectual exercise - it's not just about changing the background and putting everyone into period dress - it's taking all the best elements of the Marvel Universe and making them feel - oh the irony - fresh and new and vital again.

For those of you expecting (hoping) for anything like The Sandman in terms of deep-thinking/complexity stuff - change your expectations. Neil Gaiman put it best saying that 1602 was a comic: "for summer, to be read under a porch or in a treehouse." Not so much a chess game - more a jumping around in the fields kinda thing.

If you're not up to date on your Marvel superheroes and don't know the difference between your Daredevils and your X-Men: I would strongly advise you initiate yourself with some general reading before dipping in (goodness only knows how much of it would make sense otherwise - or (more importantly) how many of the jokes you'll get) and - trust me: it's not going to be any fun if you have to look it all up on Wikipedia. The one thing I will say tho - seeing how I wish that someone had told me: Virginia Dare is not (as I guessed) an obscure Marvel character - but an actual historical figure - who is famous for being the first child born in the Americas to English parents and who disappeared in mysterious circumstances (I guess readers in the USA would know that anyway - but I had no idea).

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Links: The M0vie Blog Review, Bookslut Review, History for Kids Neil Gaiman Interview, Powells Review, Incommensurable Ontologies and the Return of the Witness in Neil Gaiman's 1602, Jess Nevins Annotations #1 / #2 / #3.

Further reading:S.H.I.E.L.D., The Ultimates, The Sandman, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, Marvel 1985, Marvel Zombies.

Profiles: Neil Gaiman.

All comments welcome.

Books: Marvel 1985

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Marvel 1985
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Tommy Lee Edwards
2009




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This feels like even-more of a Spielberg pastiche/homage than Super 8. But - hey - you know what? That's a good thing. Sleepy all American town? Check. Daddy Issues? Check. Teenage boy on the cusp of adulthood about to be thrust into a world where he's the only one who can save the day? Check. Check. And Check. And the added bonus: there's the whole of the Marvel Universe thrown into the mix as well. What's the Stan Lee catchphrase? (clue: it apparently means "Upward and onward to greater glory"!).

For once a story from Mark Millar that doesn't have horrific violent bits (electric shocks to the genitals or whatever) but actually maintains it's innocent (relatively speaking). That doesn't mean that it doesn't have scary bits - and it's pretty cool how much scary mileage he manages to get out of the B-list villains.

The artwork - by Tommy Lee Edwards - is very very nice - hitting that tasty little place between making things realistic - but also stylised (plus: he draws a mean Hulk - pun intended). If you know all your Marvel characters good guys and bad - then there's loads of treats and little jokes to enjoy. For any novices out there - there's probably some stuff that you're gonna miss out on if you don't know your stuff: so it might be wise to brush up a little beforehand if only to sort out your Doctor Reeds from your Doctor Dooms. But - all in all - this is a sweet treat for kids of all ages - with a story that trades on those that came before - but still manages to feel brand new.

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Links: Comic Book Resources Article, Popmatters Review, Read/RANT Review.

Further reading: Marvel 1602, Marvel Zombies, Chosen, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, Turf. 

Profiles: Mark Millar.

All comments welcome.

Books: Ronin

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Ronin
By Frank Miller
1984





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No. Shut up. Frank Miller is a stone-cold genius. And - damnit - one of the best story-tellers of recent times: (and I'm not just talking about comics). Ok?

(Reaches for the music metaphors) like Bleach was to Nevermind, Definitely Maybe was to What's The Story (Morning Glory) and Spice was to Spiceworld: this (Ronin) is to the ever-so mighty Dark Knight Returns - the plucky, noisey and rowdy predecessor that might not be as poised and polished as what came after: but is still infused with the same golden touch (and - obviously - a small sub-section of fans who mistakenly think that's it's somehow superior - but whatever).

A brilliant mash-up of samurais and science-fiction with a solid steel grasp of what makes a story pop and explode in all the right way (the first chapter is an absolute masterclass in how to set up a world in a fun, dynamic, no nonsense way: trimming out all the unnecessary expository fat and leaving only the lean, mean action muscle).

Oddly reminiscent (or is this just me?) of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics (who must surely owe this book's mix of the far east and evil cybernetic baddies (set in a sprawling and filthy modern day New York) a debt of gratitude): this has the rollicking action and extreme passion for moody sword -wielding heroes and verbose evil do-ers that burns in the heart of every teenage boy all over the world: but contained and directed in expert and precise blasts in everything from it's panel construction to it's wild use of colour (mainly - it must be said - in green, green and more green). A book that's basically a joy to read from start to finish with a particularly devilish sense of humour ("Give you... ...my hands?").

Like it says: "It's the twenty-first century. Try to have an open mind."

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Links: Comic Book Resources Article, 4thletter Review, An Existential Nightmare Review, Uncharted Territory Review, Sean T Collins Review, The Comics Journal Article: Run of the Miller.

Further reading: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Akira, Hard Boiled, The Life and Times of Martha Washington in The Twenty-First Century, 300.

Profiles: Frank Miller.

All comments welcome.

Books: Tintin: Destination Moon / Explorers on the Moon

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Tintin: Destination Moon
By Hergé
1953





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Tintin: Explorers on the Moon
By Hergé
1954





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Back when I was a kid there were two things I loved: Outer Space and Tintin. So it's hard for me to get any real objectivity when it comes to this book which - for a time - was simply the coolest thing that I'd ever read. The story of - just in case you couldn't tell from those titles - how that young boy reporter joins the crew (or - rather is the crew) of the first manned flight to the moon this is as epic as Tintin gets and the most cuddly depiction of Outer Space flight I've ever come across (although it does have plenty of nail-biting moments too).

Set in the fictional country of Syldavia (first established in Tintin: King Ottokar's Sceptre - which I would recommend you read before this to make sure you get all the proper background) Destination Moon is a relatively slow-moving prologue that does all the scene-setting - building up a convincing account of the ins-and-outs of how to send humans to the moon and back leaving the second book - Explorers on the Moon free to deliver all the suspenseful action and thrilling set-pieces (not to mention the slap-stick: gotta have some (ie lots) of slap-stick in a Tintin book).

Existing in a strange never never land between strict scientific accuracy (Hergé gets really stuck into the details of the nuclear powered rockets, spacesuits and effects of space travel) and the cartoony nature the already existing Tintin universe (when you're reading it you don't really think to question why they're sending Tintin and all his friends to the moon (including an old sea captain and a dog) - instead of - I don't know: trained astronauts): it exists in that strange ever-growing sub-genre of science fiction that tried to predict the future - but now reads like an alternative universe depiction of the past. Just in case you didn't see the dates up there - these book were written a full 15 years before mankind got there for real (Ho ho ho).

The artwork is - as always with Hergé - neat and orderly at all points and features some of his best design work (that red and white rocket is practically a knighted pop icon at this point). For a simple children's book it's uncommonly good full of wit, heart and lots and lots and lots of adventure.

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Links: The M0vie Blog Review: Destination Moon, The M0vie Blog Review: Explorers on the Moon, The Space Review Article: A Comic Book, the Cold War, and the Moon.

Further reading: Tintin: King Ottokar's Sceptre, Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn / Red Rackham's Treasure, Ministry of Space.

All comments welcome.

Books: Nikolai Dante: The Romanov Dynasty

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Nikolai Dante: The Romanov Dynasty
Written by Robbie Morrison
Art by Simon Fraser
2004




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Bojemoi! Welcome to the year 2666 - home to Nikolai Dante (thief, ladies man and general all round scoundrel) and the settings of some of the most rip-roaring, action-packed, swashbuckling space opera around. From the pages 2000AD (the must read for every British teenager) this a comic with no pretensions and no scruples: there's Abraxian Shapeshifters, gene-scans, triune armour, bio-weapons, nanotechnology and lots and lots of fighting. The artwork is very cool - drawn with plenty of lines that gives it a strange digital edge and all the Russian stylings give it a unique feel that you don't much get elsewhere - and as for Dante himself: well - everyone loves a lovable rouge and even if he's not the most three-dimensional character out there - at least he's got plenty of good lines to make up for it: ("I'm too cool to kill." being my particular favourite). If you're curious and want to join the fray this is the book where it all starts - so you don't have any excuses.

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Links: Tearoom of Despair Article: The Adventures of Nikolai Dante.

Further reading: Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 03, Just a Pilgrim, Saga, Sláine: The Horned God, Prophet, Thor: The Mighty Avenger.

All comments welcome.

Books: The Sword

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The Sword
Vol 1: Fire
Written by Joshua Luna
Art by Jonathan Luna
2008



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The Sword
Vol 2: Water
Written by Joshua Luna
Art by Jonathan Luna
2009



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The Sword
Vol 3: Earth
Written by Joshua Luna
Art by Jonathan Luna
2009



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The Sword
Vol 4: Air
Written by Joshua Luna
Art by Jonathan Luna
2010



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Do you like airport bestseller fantasy thriller cliff-hanger stuff? Or rather: is there anyone out there who doesn't? Sometimes all you ever want is some fast-moving frantic adventure that has nothing more on it's mind that keeping you hooked on reading to the next staggering revelation/impossible situation/cool climax. The Sword (written and drawn by The Luna Brothers - Joshua and Jonathan) is a comic that knows exactly how to fasten itself into your inside of your head and what sort of things to pump in there in order to keep you coming back for more. Breezy, light-footed and with snazzy fight scenes that would make even Neo go "whoa" it doesn't stop pulsing forward until the very last page. Yeah - A week after you've finished reading it you probably won't be able to remember a thing: the characters are two-dimensional, the dialogue perfunctory and it's as cheesy as several tons of gorgonzola but the artwork is precise and clean-cut and all it wants to do is show you sometime exciting and fun with lots of epic passion and bloodthirsty action.
 
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Links: Comic Book Resources Article.

Further reading: Echo, Ultra, Y: The Last Man, Preacher.

All comments welcome.

Books: Takio

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Takio
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Michael Avon Oeming
2011




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The adventures of two bickering sisters aged 7 and 13 (inspired apparently by Bendis' own kids) Takio is a delighful action adventure superhero thing that's as light, fun and bouncey as a room full of balloons. With artwork from his Powers buddy Michael Avon Oeming who refines his style slightly to something that feels a little more sophisticated with brighter colours that make it pop off the page - whilst retaining his crazy kenetic energy - and not forgetting Bendis' now trademark quick-fire whip-smart banter dialogue this is comic book that people of all ages can embrace. My only complaint? It's all over much too soon - especially when the set-up begs for a whole full-blown series... So guys - if you get a chance - could you write a few more books of this please? Thanks.

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Links: Weekly Comic Book Review Review.

Further reading: Powers, I Kill Giants, Scott Pilgrim, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man.

Profiles: Brian Michael Bendis.

All comments welcome.

Books: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Vol 1
Written by Alan Moore
Art by Kevin O'Neill
2002



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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Vol 2
Written by Alan Moore
Art by Kevin O'Neill




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If you're big on Victorian literature then The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - a "Justice League of Victorian England" - is going to leave you giggling like a baby. A superhero team made up from characters featured in Dracula, King Solomon's Mines, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, The Invisible Man and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde this is a comic mash-up of epic proportions for those who like their pulp adventures mixed in with classical references (and literally everything from the minor character to the street names features nods and winks to famous old books). If you wanna fully appreciate it then you're going need to have a good working knowledge of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs et al (or if you wanna use a shortcut: there's always this). But don't be too afraid it you don't know the difference between Professor Cavor and Professor Moriarty - as it's not just a game of "spot the reference" - there's still enough outlandish action and adventure to keep you entertained and Kevin O'Neil's jagged artwork is pretty swell - (but you will probably be missing lots of the jokes). Also - in my opinion - Volume 2 is much more fun and crazy with lots more cooler parts than Volume 1 - if if you don't get into it straight away - it's definitely worth persevering.

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Links: I Am Not The Beastmaster Review, Mindless Ones Article, The M0vie Blog Review of Vol 1, The M0vie Blog Review of Vol 2.

Further reading: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century, Promethea, Aetheric Mechanics, Heart of Empire or the Legacy of Luther Arkwright, Hellboy, Marvel 1602, DC: The New Frontier, Doom Patrol, From Hell, Planetary.

Profiles: Alan Moore.

All comments welcome.

Books: Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn / Red Rackham's Treasure

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Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
By Hergé
1943





Available now from Islington Libraries
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Tintin: Red Rackham's Treasure
By Hergé
1944





Available now from Islington Libraries
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I'm guessing that this is one of the few comic books written in the early forties that can still be read and enjoyed (with no need for disclaimers) by children and adults today. But then who doesn't enjoy rip-roaring adventure mysteries with the added bonus of unscrupulous pirates and the promise of buried treasure? Starring the angelic boy-scout Tintin and the dangerous alcoholic Captain Archibald Haddock (who's quite the storyteller) this two part story is the perfect place for newbies to begin: taking place relatively early in the Tintin mythology and featuring all the best characters: Thomson and Thompson (to be precise), Professor Calculus (best absent minded scientist ever?) - oh and Snowy the dog ("wooah!"). With artwork that is (as ever with Hergé) clean, clear, crisp and beautifully detailed - this is an easy, untaxing read that is full of small delights and clever touches (my favourite bit: the way that the Haddock poses transpose on each other across the centuries). Fun facts: written when Belgium was occupied by Nazi Germany - which is why in relation to other Tintin books it's "less political" and doesn't feature Tintin in his typical "nosy boy reporter" role.

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Links: The M0vie Blog The Secret of the Unicorn Review / The M0vie Blog Red Rackham’s Treasure Review.

Further reading: Tintin: Destination Moon / Explorers On The Moon, Tom Strong.

All comments welcome.

Books: Arrowsmith: So Smart In Their Fine Uniforms

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Arrowsmith: So Smart In Their Fine Uniforms
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Carlos Pacheco
2004




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The first World War as you've never seen it before: fought with magic, wizards, zombies, dragons, vampires and spells: hell yes. For someone like me who rarely ventures into the fantasy section of the library (old beardy guys with pointy hats? I dunno - it just seems a little bit too silly or something I guess) I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who enjoys a little bit of rip-roaring action adventure with a side helping of stomach-churning horrors of war (even tho it's got little magical sprites in it - that doesn't mean that it's all happy airy nonsense: I mean - stating the obvious here I know: but World War I wasn't exactly a picnic [1]).

(I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that The Lord of the Rings was Tolkien sublimating his wartime experiences into a more palatable form anyway (no?) [2]: so it makes a strange sort of sense to join the two previously very separate genres (war and fantasy) into the same exhilarating package).

Fletcher Arrowsmith (nice name [3]) is a young, innocent, fresh-faced, starry eyed farm-boy (like he says: "I'm a just a kid - a small-town kid who'll never be anything much - just one more nobody who'll never matter in the world."[4]) who dreams of one day taking to the sky and becoming a member of the Overseas Aero Corps: where - well - let's just say that they don't fly in planes - and instead of guns - everyone carries a sword. Obviously - as you can probably tell by now - it's not exactly the same World War that you might (should?) know from the history books (I'm thinking I could make a joke about Spitfires and dragons at this point but I don't quite know how to phrase it (because dragons spit fire - yeah? no?)) - and it's lots of fun noticing the things they're tweaked (Those damn Prussians!) and what things they've kept the same ("They want t'kill each other over a dead Nobleman or Two was never no use to anyone anyway, it's their business."): just try not to get too jealous when you see their Statue of Liberty.

The story itself is pretty conventional and hits all the usual beats that you'd expect from a bildungsroman [5] but because of the strange setting (for me) it all felt brand new and exciting and fresh in way that most of the time you just don't get anymore... And even tho I'm sure a kid could read it with no ill effects (and in fact - I think some of the libraries even have it shelved in the children's section) - it feels like you need to be a little bit more adult to get the full effect of the thing (like I said - I'm not really into fantasy - so I don't know if this a old cliché or whatever - but I liked the bit where Arrowsmith gets the hang of how a spell works and when asked to describe how it works comes out with: "Don't really know. I was too scared to think straight, and then I was just doing it, and it was working, but I got nervous, and..." [6])

But - yeah - ingeniously conceived and set in a enticing world full of magnificent sights and wonders (and yeah - Carlos Pacheco is totally great at drawing the panoramic vistas stretching out into the horizon, the hustle and bustle of busy streets and (best of all) Paris at night under siege (is that a dinosaur?) - and - well - because he always makes sure to have everything properly filled out and detailed and - you know - having stuff in the foreground to contrast with the stuff in the background: it always has this cool feeling of depth  - cinematic? Yeah ok then. That's a good word to use...) as well as awful unsettling nightmarish horrors [7]: this is a comic that begs for several volumes worth of adventures (shame that - so far - there's only been the one book). With un-fussy artwork [8] and lots of nice ideas and cool juxapositions of the world of dungeons and dragons with the world of battles and bloodshed - that can make you smile at the way it's mixed it's genres together ("My real name is not for humin t-roats. Chust call me Rocky.") and then use that same mixture to deliver the low emotional blows ("Breaks my vamily, too. Break dem dead.") this is a fine book: smartly told.

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[1] Obviously that's a major understatement - but I wasn't exactly sure how to phrase it without sounding totally glib. And in fact - one of the magical things about this book is how even tho what it seems to be doing is quite - well - disrespectful (telling a story about war - about adding dragons to it - I mean - that kinda sounds as ridiculous as writing a story about a murder or a sexual assault or whatever (something grim) and then adding leprechauns or some cartoon animal into it (you know - something a little bit childish) - but yet manages (through a few small displacements (notice that it's not really the same world as ours)) to make it reverential and (actually) quite serious: so - you know: it never really makes war seem like a fun thing to do (quite the reverse). Which is good for two reasons: one - there's no real problems with tone (see The Marvels Project (below) for the reverse of that) and two: it means that the story feels like it has real stakes. It doesn't feel frivolous - it's more like it's all (somehow) important.

[2] Isn't it supposed to be that the Hobbits are the nice, quiet, peace-loving English who want to do nothing more than sit in the countryside - sipping pints and smoking pipes - and the Orcs are the dirty nasty warmonging Germans? (Hey - I never said it was subtle).

[3] And "Mitch Taggart"? That's such a great name for a bully.

[4] With a winning sense of naïvety that (for better or for worse) just no longer seems possible in today's more bitter and cynical world: "People there deserve to live free of fear just as much as they do here. And someone's killing them, that someone's got to be stopped." (But - hey - we have ipods now so you know: swings and roundabouts).

[5] What a great word - right? For those of you that haven't heard it before: "In literary criticism, a Bildungsroman (German pronunciation: [ˈbɪldʊŋs.ʁoˌmaːn]; German: "formation novel") or coming-of-age story is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood (coming of age), and in which character change is thus extremely important."

[6] And then - a little bit later on: "It was only temporary. Only fifteen minutes."

[7] The Blood Emperor - any relation I wonder to the Crimson King from Stephen King's Dark Tower books? (You know - just a thought). Also - I like the way that at the start of the book everything seems pretty black and white - but towards the end Busiek starts to leaven things out with a few shades of grey and you start to reconsider whether The Blood Emperor really exists - or if he's just a product of propaganda...

[8] You've got to love a comic that takes the time to have wordless panels of the hero staring out into the middle distance (in fact for the first part of the book that seems to be all that Fletcher Arrowsmith does). Pay attention people: it doesn't all have to be bang!-bang!-bang! all the time. Plus: there is a danger that with all the fantasy figures floating around that you could lose the all-important sense of realism - but Pacheco is really good at making all the magical wonders peppered throughout seem believable and even (and I mean this in a good way) mundane. Plus: I'm usually pretty lousy when it comes to talking about the colouring of books - but Alex Sinclair does a really top notch job all through this book - there's a moment when we get a close up of Mitch Taggart's in Chapter two ("Won't be any women's skirts there to hide behind...") and the way that the colours fill out all the contours of his face is really cool: you can see that there's not that much in terms of the lines from Carlos Pacheco but with the addition of the toning - it makes it all look three-dimensional... (I mean - this could be totally wrong - but it kinda reminded me of the work Jamie Grant does on All Star Superman). 

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Further reading: Aetheric Mechanics, Smax, Saga, Battlefields, The Dark Tower, Astro City, Lucifer, The Arrival, The Authority, Orc Stain, Elephantmen, Grandville, The Hobbit, Joe the Barbarian, The Unwritten, The Twelve, The Marvels Project, Top 10: The Forty-Niners.

All comments welcome.