By Eric Lustbader, Lee Moder & Scott Hanna (DC Comics)
ISBN: 1-56389-156-5
Great looking art from Lee Moder, but a rather disappointing tale from the acclaimed novelist. A Batman who’s much more welcome to the Gotham authorities hunts a killer, while crash victim Selina Kyle has bloody nightmares about being hunted by a jaguar.
As Catwoman she is obsessed and bored in equal measure, but with Gotham’s gangs seemingly at each other’s throats, a Mayan exhibition of the Bat God Balam is focusing everyone’s attention from where it needs to be. And her planned heist is just a catalyst for a repeat of the events that destroyed the Mayan Empire!
When the mask possesses Batman himself, Selina is forced into the uncharacteristic role of saviour…
With everybody playing a double game and such villains as Rupert Thorne and the Joker further muddying the waters, plus a lame subplot about Selina’s lost father, this overly-convoluted tale tries just a little too hard to be all things to all people, but it does have great pace and, as I’ve already said, a superlative art job from the under-appreciated Lee Moder.
By various (Marvel/Panini Publishing UK)
ISBN13: 978-1-90523-996-2
The British Invasion was a term coined in the 1980s to describe the influx and influence of a band of creators (most with 2000AD or Warrior credentials) that began working in and revolutionising the American comic-book industry. In this context, however, it’s simply a collection of work by British creators who have contributed to Marvel’s vast continuity.
This second volume of notable Bits By Brits has a much bolder and more varied selection than its predecessor (ISBN13: 978-1-933160-68-9), kicking off with an average tale illustrated by an unsung genius of the industry.
Lee Elias moved to America in 1925 (aged 6) and worked for all the major US publishing houses beginning in 1943 at Fiction House. With Jack Williamson he created the brilliant science fiction newspaper strip Beyond Mars (1952-1955) before returning to comic-books at National Comics/DC, most notably on the Green Arrow feature, although his runs on Tommy Tomorrow in Showcase (#41-42, 44, 46-47) and both Ultra, the Multi-Alien and Adam Strange in Mystery in Space (#92-110) are well-loved classics.
In the 1970s he moved over to Marvel before settling at Warren Publishing where he produced his best ever work on the Rook and the Goblin. From his time at the House of Ideas comes a capable psycho-drama from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #35 (1979) ‘Labyrinth’, scripted by Tony Isabella and inked by Mike Esposito.
John Bolton is a major creator who hopefully needs little introduction. His classically illustrative style added a fresh realism to the superhero genre in Classic X-Men as well as many Marvel Magazine and graphic novel projects. From the black and white magazine Bizarre Adventures # 32 (1982) comes ‘Sea of Destiny’, written by Alan Zelenetz, a mythical wonder featuring Mighty Thor and the Heroes Three, rendered in glorious wash tones.
Comics Renaissance Man Paul Neary began his career at Warren, art-directed and edited Marvel UK through its most creative years and illustrated a long run of Captain America and the landmark Nick Fury Vs S.H.I.E.L.D. miniseries before settling into a productive career as an inker. In 1986 he drew a solid superhero romp written by Bob Harras for Iron Man Annual #8, teaming the Armoured Avenger and the resurgent mutant Superteam X-Factor. ‘When Innocence Dies!’ is an effective and readable parable on intolerance, inked by Ian Akin and Brian Garvey.
Probably one of Britain’s most visible comics exports, Barry (Windsor) Smith made the jump straight to Marvel in 1969 after serving an apprenticeship producing pin-ups for the UK comics Fantastic and Terrific, published by Odhams Press and almost exclusively featuring Marvel reprints. After popping up all over the Marvel Universe he settled on the groundbreaking Conan the Barbarian title for a few years before beginning his own Fine Arts studio. On his return to comics he had his pick of projects and worked often with Chris Claremont on X-Men related tales. From Uncanny X-Men #214 (1987) ‘With Malice Towards All!’ stars Storm and Wolverine in pitched battle against a murderous disembodied mutant who can possess a victim’s body…
Alan Davis was discovered by Paul Neary, and his clean linear style captivated a whole generation of artists, just as he had in turn been galvanized by the work of Neal Adams. As well as a magnificent artist Davis is a superb writer, most often associated with Marvel’s X-books and has produced stunning work with Chris Claremont. One such example is 1987’s Uncanny X-Men Annual #11, inked by Neary. ‘Lost in the Funhouse’ features the mutant team (and Davis’ signature character Captain Britain) in combat with an omnipotent alien called Horde in a battle to save reality itself.
Comics Legend Dave Gibbons has done relatively little work for Marvel, but the Dr. Strange tale included here is possibly the best of them. Written by Walt Simonson, ‘Perchance to Dream’ from the experimental anthology title Marvel Fanfare (#41, 1988) finds the Sorcerer Supreme battling deadly dreams in an eerie netherworld. In this case, Gibbons also contributed a rare painted colour finish to the artwork.
Bryan Hitch also got his start thanks to Neary, graduating from Marvel UK’s licensed properties to the likes of StormWatch, the Authority, the Ultimates and Fantastic Four. Along the way he brought an elevated artistic standard to a few less well regarded titles. The Sensational She-Hulk volume 2, #24 featured the sometime Avenger in comedic combat with Freelance Peace-Keeping Agent (don’t call him bounty hunter) Death’s Head in an engaging little romp entitled ‘Priceless’, scripted by Simon Furman and inked by John Beatty.
Scottish superstar Frank Quitely has reached dizzying heights since he debuted in Glasgow adult comic Electric Soup, his lush, precise visuals and unique vision marrying the hyper-bizarre and ultra-mundane into an always credible graphic reality. Extracted here from a much longer saga – with concomitant loss of sense, regrettably, is ‘Imperial’ (New X-Men #122, 2002), scripted by long-time collaborator Grant Morrison, and inked by Tim Townsend, Perrotta and Florea. Pictorially stunning, this bridge between two much longer stories is virtually impenetrable to all but the most dedicated X-junkie, and commits the cardinal narrative sin of being a “middle†with neither beginning nor end.
The Punisher volume 4, #23 (2003) provides a fine example of the talented and inimitable Steve Dillon’s economical mastery of line, and as ‘Squid’ is written by fellow wise guy Garth Ennis there are plenty of the other sort of lines in this hugely funny revenge drama.
The volume concludes with one of the very best Spider-Man stories of the past decade, written by Paul Jenkins and illustrated in magical style by Mark Buckingham (with colours from old CCG comrade, D’Israeli), who’s equally at home with fights ‘n’ tights melodrama and cutting edge adult fare, such as the multi-award winning Fables. From Spectacular Spider-Man #27 (2005) comes a deeply moving moment as Peter Parker has a brief graveside conversation with his dead Uncle Ben; drawn as a tribute to the winter scenes of Bill Watterson’s legendary Calvin and Hobbes strip. Touching, illuminating and poignant enough to make a tombstone cry, this alone is worth the price of admission.
This collection is a much more balanced read and augmented by highly informative biographical features from Mike Conroy, is a Marvel primer that could win the company a lot of new fans, and even rekindle the lost magic for many older ones.
By Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, N. Steven Harris & various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-84576-785-3
One of Grant Morrison and Mark Millar’s rare failures-to-launch, this was an attempt to create a new super-hero rather than tinker with or reset a previously named property (an increasingly rare thing itself in modern comics publishing).
Aztek is a perfect physical specimen trained from birth by a hidden society in the Andes, outfitted with a technologically advanced outfit and sent into the world to defeat the prophesied menace of the mythical shadow-god Tezcatlipoca.
Arriving in the fairly typical US city of Vanity – the predicted site of the god’s return – the new hero begins to settle in. Stealing – say rather, co-opting – a doctor’s identity under fairly unique conditions Aztek becomes Curtis Falconer, and joins the staff of undermanned, overstretched St Bartholomew’s hospital, swiftly becoming a media darling in a city stuffed to the brim with wannabe super-villains.
In short order he meets Green Lantern, Batman and Superman, defeating up-and coming bad-guys and such established menaces as Major Force, the Joker, Parasite and Lex Luthor. On the way he discovers the dark side of his mission and his mentors, and eventually ends up in the Justice League of America.
By Bob Layton, with John Workman & George Roussos (Marvel)
ISBN: 0- 87135-397-0
One of Marvel’s earliest miniseries successes was an “out of continuity†saga featuring Greek demigod and occasional Mighty Avenger Hercules in a lighthearted action romp across the universe of the future. Carousing and combat were the order of the day (see Hercules, Prince of Power ISBN-13: 978-0-78510-555-8) and with comedy comrades the Rigellian Recorder (a po-faced, sentient robot programmed to acquire all knowledge) and a cheap ‘n’ sleazy Skrull named Skyppi, he had a fine old time until Zeus called him home to take over the family business. As the only remaining Olympian god on our plane of reality he was charged with settling down and creating his own pantheon…
Thirty years later on the planet Wilamean in the Andromeda Galaxy a supremely powerful dictator named Arimathes is Emperor of a rapidly expanding, aggressive interstellar nation. Incredibly strong, and boiling with indignant rage, he is hunting for the deadbeat dad who abused his mother and disappeared into the void…
Closing out this future saga was never going to be an easy task and this competent thriller sadly falls a little short of the mark set by its boisterous, exuberant predecessors. The laughs are fewer and seem a little forced when Hercules is put in the position of responsible adult, but the action is spectacular and the subplot of the Prince of Power’s one time paramour as embittered, spiteful Queen Mother adds some welcome balance and consequence to the immortal’s “love ’em and leave ’em†serial dalliances.
Less fun, more considerate but still full of mirth and mayhem, this is a solid end to a saga from an industry that doesn’t often do “closureâ€. Produced in the oversized 285 x 220 mm (rather than the now customary 258 x 168 mm) format this big story is – warts and all – still a big, enjoyable read well worth tracking down; and who knows, perhaps one day American publishers will revive the large-page format for our edification and their profit.
By Jim Butcher & Ardian Syaf (Titan Books/Dabel Brothers Publishing)
ISBN: 978-1-84856-208-0
Jim Butcher is a best-selling novelist and comics fan whose tales of a wizard-for-hire on the mean streets of modern Chicago have won him legions of fans, and even spawned a short-lived but excellent TV series.
In this tale set just before the first novel, Storm Front, Harry Dresden is an “unconventional†Private Eye who occasionally consults for the Chicago Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, walking a fine line as a specialist fighting supernatural menaces whilst trying to keep all things mystical a secret from the unsuspecting public.
When a Zoo keeper is torn to shreds he uncovers a plot by an ancient horror that will have catastrophic repercussions for frail humanity…
Exceedingly readable, the premise may not be fresh to fantasy fans but the characters and dialogue are top-rate and the art from Ardian Syaf and inkers Nick Nix, Joe Pimentel, David Rivera and Rick Ketcham is understated and highly effective.
This lush hardcover comes with a cover gallery, production sketches plus character studies and profiles. As well as being a great piece of comics storytelling, this book will hopefully entice a few more hold-outs into our magical world of pictures and words. A potential seasonal gift for your favourite comics-resister, perhaps..?
By Winsor McCay (Dover)
ISBN: 0-486-21347-1 ISBN-13: 978-0486213477
Born in Spring Lake, Michigan, on 26th September, 1869 (or perhaps 1871- records differ) Winsor McCay was a brilliant and hugely successful cartoonist and animator who worked on strips and political cartoons from 1903 until his untimely death in 1934. The first of these was Jungle Imps (1903), for The Enquirer, before moving to New York and creating Dull Care, Poor Jake, The Man from Montclair, The Faithful Employee, Mr. Bosh, A Pilgrim’s Progress, Midsummer Daydreams and It’s Nice to be Married for New York Herald publisher James Gordon Bennett between1903 and 1911.
He also originated Little Sammy Sneeze for the Herald in 1904 and Hungry Henrietta in 1905 before abandoning them for two much more important features. On October 15th 1905 the most important children’s strip in the world, Little Nemo in Slumberland, debuted in the Sunday Herald, but even before that McCay had created a version for adults entitled Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend for The Evening Telegram. The editor, wishing to distance the feature from other strips, asked McCay to use a pen-name, and he complied, signing the strips “Silasâ€, reputedly after a local garbage cart driver.
Where Nemo was a beautifully clean and surreal fantasy of childish imagination, Fiend was aimed at grown-ups and displayed a creepy, subdued tension that resonated with the fears and worries of its audience. Black, cruel and often outright sick humour pervades the series. Even the root cause of the otherworldly nightmares was salutary. Each self-contained episode, every disturbing sequence of unsettling or terrifying, incredibly realistic images was the result of overindulgence; usually in late night toasted cheese treats!
Every anxiety from surreal terror to social embarrassment became grist for the fantasist’s mill and the startling perspectives, bizarre transformations and uncanny scenes – always immaculately rendered – made Fiend a hugely successful and well regarded strip in its day.
In 1906 the American film pioneer Edwin S. Porter created a landmark seven minute live action special-effects movie entitled The Dream of a Rarebit Fiend and the Edison company created a cylinder recording with the same name the following year – played by the Edison Military Band. McCay himself produced four animated films in 1916-17: Dream of a Rarebit Fiend, Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend: The Pet, Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend: The Flying House and Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend: Bug Vaudeville.
This book is an almost exact reproduction of Rarebit Fiend, a collection of the first year’s strips originally released by the Frederick A. Stokes Company in 1905. The very last strip has been excluded from this edition however, due to its content being potentially offensive and at odds with modern views on race and ethnicity.
Although working more than a century ago Winsor McCay still affects every aspect of graphic narrative produced ever since. If you can’t afford Ulrich Merkl’s superb complete edition, reprinting everything from 1905-1914, this lovely package – still readily available from internet retailers – is a superb introduction to the darker side of an absolute master of our Art-form.
By the Deitch Brothers (Fantagraphics)
ISBN: 978-1-56097952-4
There must be something to this DNA stuff. Gene Deitch is an Oscar winning animator and cartoonist, his first son Kim has been at the forefront of comics’ avant-garde since the days of the Counter Culture and “underground commix†scene whilst his other two, Simon and Seth Kallen, have both made their mark in the popular creative arts.
In this bold new venture the Deitch boys have created a graphic narrative oddity that is both compelling and captivating. Combining heavily illustrated prose, comics, calligraphy, pictorial lettering, cartooning and plain old strips, the five tales blend into a tribute to the versatility of illustrated storytelling in all its variations.
Beginning with a captivating paean to bottle caps and the collecting bug entitled ‘the Sunshine Girl’, followed by an intriguing prose-ish fantasy, ‘The Golem’, the full range of tale-telling is explored. This leads into the disturbing ‘Unlikely Hours’, and a whimsical shaggy dog story ‘Children of Aruf’.
Wisely leaving the very best ’til last, the Pictofictorial fun concludes with the superbly engaging and informative ‘The Cop on the Beat, the Man in the Moon and Me’; an especial treat for anybody interested in the history of comics and music.
Once again I’ve been as vague as I can be, because this is a book that rejoices in storytelling, and half the art and all the joy comes from reading it for yourself, so if you’re an older reader you should do just that.
Edited by Vincenzo Mollica & Antonio Vianovi (Glamour International Productions)
No ISBN
Born on Christmas Eve 1946, Italian electrician Vittorio Giardino changed careers at age 30. Working for many European comics magazines initially, his first collection, Pax Romana, was released in 1978. He has worked slowly but consistently on characters like detective Sam Pezzo, saucy Winsor McKay homage Little Ego, the cold-war drama Jonas Fink and diffident super-spy Max Fridman as well as general fiction tales, producing over 35 albums to date.
In 1986 the Italian outfit which produced the stylish Popular Arts magazine Glamour Illustrated released a number of fabulous art-books collecting the works of some of the biggest names in European narrative storytelling, which had limited distribution in Britain thanks to the specialist importer Titan Distributors, and this is probably the very best of them.
This glorious 200 page tome (48 of them a full-colour high-gloss insert) simultaneously translated into French and English, displays the incredible ability and versatility of an incomparable creator, with excepts from printed works, extensive sketch and working drawing sections a full publication record to date, notes and an appreciation by Gianni Brunoro.
As you would expect there is a large amount of beautifully drawn flesh on display, as well as some of the most clean and sublime narrative art produced in the last half century. Extended excerpted sequences from Sam Pezzo, Little Ego, and Max Fridman show Giardino’s unique ability to inform and suggest with nuanced expression and gesture, and his scrupulous devotion to research and historical accuracy whilst his straight cartooning reveals a sly, dry sense of humour.
This is beautiful book desperately in need of updating and re-release, and Giardino is a world class storyteller that English speakers have too long been deprived of…
By Larry Hama, Michael Golden & Cory Adams (Continuity Publishing)
No ISBN: ASIN: B000E4SUCM
In the darkest depths of another kind of cosmos justice is upheld and right enforced by agents of S.P.A.C.E (Sentient Protoplasm Against Colonial Encroachment): the police arm of the United Animal Federation. The mammals of this Aniverse are at war with the amphibians of the Toad Empire, and their evil overlord the computer tyrant Komplex.
When a running battle forces the S.P.A.C.E Frigate Righteous Indignation to crack the walls of the continuum, captain Bucky O’Hare, Jenny the Cat, android Blinky, and Deadeye the four-armed duck end up in little Willie DuWitt’s closet in San Francisco. The ingenious Grade Schooler helps out the refugees from beyond, but is subsequently trapped in the Aniverse, becoming a crew member until they can find another portal to his home.
But meanwhile Willie’s got front row seats for the greatest adventure in two universes!
This fabulously cool and charming light-adventure began as serial segments in Neal Adam’s Continuity Comics anthology Echoes of Futurepast, before being collected into a great all-ages album, and for a brief moment was the toast of kids entertainment, spawning an animated TV series (1991-1992), computer games and action figures and toys, and a British company (DC Thomson if I remember aright) picked up the UK rights, publishing a dozen or so all-new adventures after reprinting the Larry Hama/Michael Golden mini masterpiece.
In 2007, Vanguard reprinted the original graphic novel and a couple of the UK issues in a manga format, black-and-white book collection, called ‘Bucky O’Hare and the Toad Menace’ (ISBN-13: 978-1-88759-196-6) but as both the hardcover and paperback originals from 1986 are still readily available and sparkle with Cory Adams’ vibrant, contagious colours, I’d advise you hunt either of those down as Golden’s incredible artwork is a tad to busy at the reduced size.
Hama reputedly wrote a second complete Bucky O’Hare tale which has never been published, so if I can do my bit to create an atmosphere where he can, maybe I can win a MMM (Muddled Mammal Medal) for services to Great Fun…
