Color of Earth review
There’s so much to look at in and say about Color of Earth that I’m not sure where to start. The relationship between Ehwa and her mother. Young Ehwa’s blossoming mind and body. The monk’s struggle with his emerging sexuality? All of this and more is set against a gorgeous Korean countryside. It is in nature that Ehwa defines herself, often as a flower. A fickle young girl turning into a woman, the flowers she prefers, like the way the rain falls – is constantly changing.
In some ways, the book is uncomfortable. The opening scene with two beetles mating and the young boys eagerly watching is both honest and almost too private. It’s like spying on a world that most adults would rather leave alone. Hwa handles this delicate transition through art. The boys and girls are drawn sparingly, almost like one line, the pen never leaving the paper. They are undefined though lovely. Nature, on the other hand, is exquisitely detailed. Nature is in control and humanity has no choice but to grow and follow the seasons.
Ehwa and her mother live alone. Her father has died and while it must have effected Ehwa greatly, there’s no mention of how. Her mother often hints at being lonely and uses Ehwa as her confidant, delighting in Ehwa’s growth because it gives her a reason to discuss her repressed sexuality. This relationship is all the two women have and they cherish it. Ehwa trusts her mother and believes her incapable of making any mistakes. At her mother’s encouragement, Ehwa begins to pursue innocent relationships. She and her mother string flowers outside their home and giggle at the prospect of romance. Of course, there will be a time when Ehwa’s simple longing becomes more intense but in this first, sweet volume she is a girl falling in love as quickly and as fleetingly as a butterfly chooses a flower.
I wish I had two copies of this book. One to read and one to cut out pictures to paste on boxes. It is not an easy or exciting read but there is something compelling in Ehwa and her mother.
Yen Plus review
Well, I completely forgot to bring the magazine with me so I don’t have much to reference. But I did want to talk about the latest Yen Plus issue.
I (finally) got my first issue right around the time my last issue of Shojo Beat came. So I was able to compare. While I’ll be sad that SB is gone, I actually enjoy the stories in Yen Plus a lot more. There’s more variety and I appreciate the edgier tone. Will it completely replace SB – I don’t know. It does what people have been suggesting which is combine shojo with shonen and more stuff for older teens. I’m still not convinced it works completely since, as a shojo lover, I kind of ignore the “boy” titles. I would much prefer a giant magazine of only stories *I* like to read. But who gets that?
Hands down my favorite story is Pig Bride. In this issue the gang goes to camp or something (missed the last few issues). Anyway, the pig bride is assaulted and has her mask stolen. The thief then ends up hurt and scared and our hero returns the mask. I swear they have names but without the magazine here I can’t remember them. This installment shows the dark side of all the characters. The pig bride is vengeful though it maybe a result of the curse. The hero is frustrated and lets it be his excuse to torment his stalker. All in all, it’s developing into a good character driven story.
I also enjoy Nighschool which is just good old fashioned, supernatural fun. Stock characters and the artwork has them all looking like fish with eyes on either side of the head but still, lots of fun. Plus the library comes to life and is a person made out of paper!
On the manga side, Soul Eater has won me over with its humor. I don’t get too into the fighting scenes but, like Naruto, there’s enough going on that I don’t get bored.
So in the end, despite all my irritation at getting the thing to my door, I’m super glad I did. I can’t wait for next month!
Drifting Classroom – Review
Nobody does horror like the Japanese. Nobody. I don’t care how creepy (and incidentally, well written) Stephen King’s Duma Key was, it couldn’t hold a candle to the nightmares that went into Uzumaki. Kazuo Umezu is the best of the best. His Drifting Classroom bothered me on a level I haven’t felt in years.
Basically, an entire grade school is mysteriously teleported to a strange desolate world. If they leave the school grounds they die. The teachers are barely suppressing a riot and the children are worried about their parents. At the center of the story is Sho, a 6th grader who’s at odds with his mother. After a particularly harsh fight, he’s left thinking his last words to her were in anger.
There is plenty of horror in this first volume. One child falls from the roof, a teacher cuts his own son in a desperate attempt to evoke order. But what really chills me is that the mangaka went there. To the forbidden place in horror – he put children (not teens) in danger. Alone. They do their best but spend most of the book crying, heartbreakingly, for their parents. To know that only more horror awaits them actually makes my stomach hurt.
Which isn’t to say that the book is bad. In fact, it’s excellent. I admire the skill with which Umezu handles his characters. Sho is trying his hardest but alternates between disbelief and anger. The children are not stupid and resent being lied to by their teachers, even when they willing participate in the lie to “protect the younger students”.
This is being afraid of the dark, the boogie man and the thing under the bed then calling for your mother and getting no answer.
Intellectual Property – where the Goth Girl goes mainstream
Then there’s this:
The L.A. Times Blog explains the controversy.
Comics Worth Reading has the follow up.
What are your thoughts?
I can’t believe that any judge will entertain a lawsuit to stop a lawsuit. What kind of precedent will that set? With the announcement of Sonia Sotomeyer as the new Supreme Court Judge, who has a background in intellectual property law, I wonder just how far this case can go?
I’m going to consult my lawyer and get back to this.
Popgun Vol. 1 – review
A 2008 Harvey Awards winner for Best Anthology, Popgun is packed with stories ranging from cute to sick to ow-ow-my-eyes. You know that sweet, beautifully illustrated anthology Flight?
Popgun is like Flight if someone kicked it in the balls. It’s a ramped up, unforgiving, onslaught of talent and storytelling. Featuring 52 stories it’s a lot to take in. I recommended going through slowly. Give yourself time to process – oh, and don’t be afraid to skip ones you don’t like. Trust me, there’s plenty for all.
Like most anthologies, not all the stories are great. Some like Cheeseburger-head try too hard. Others turn “experimental” into “unreadable”. For the most part though, the stories and the artwork are strong. One of my favorites was written by Aqua Leung author Mark Andrew Smith called New Brighton Archaeological Society. I also really enjoyed They Shoot Ponies, don’t They?
Described as a “graphic mixed tape”, there’s no running theme, nothing to tie these artists down. In some ways, this is a hindrance. It forces the reader to switch from noir to superhero with the turn of a page. Still this anthology, which is up to volume 3, is worth taking a look at. Plus in later volumes you get a story from an Oklahoma author!
The Eternal Smile review
In The Eternal Smile, Gene Yang and Derek Kirk Kim make an excellent team, expertly combining writing and artwork to put together three short stories that say a lot. I was really taken with Kim’s talent. I had read Yang before so I knew what to expect but the diversity of Kim’s drawings really impressed me.
The first story is by far the weakest. A young hero sets out on a quest to bring the Frog King’s head back to his love, the princess. Should he succeed he wins her hand and the kingdom. Though everything is not as it seems and in the end he must make a choice. The script is entertaining if predictable.
The last two stories are where these artists really show what they can do. In the title story, a greedy frog builds a church to an eternal smile in the sky. Layered in a funny, dime-store comic style is commentary on exploitation, religion, entertainment and power. The use of color in this story is especially impressive. I won’t spoil the ending but I will say that how Kim paints the final pages make for a beautiful ending – the type that’s leaves you with a smile.
As much as I enjoyed “The Eternal Smile”, the final story is the book’s best. In this story Yang and Kim show what a great team they make. Kim perfectly illustrates Yang’s brow-beaten secretary. Kim boxes her in her panels like she’s boxed in her cubicle. She is cherubic and small but an email from a Nigerian prince asking for money makes her bigger. She answers the email and complies with the requests. Just that simple concept alone makes me love this story.
Through each story could easily turn dark, Yang and Kim don’t let that happen. After a week of indie comics and a vampire book, I was happy to see an eternal smile.
Rainy Monday Randomness
Here’s a different review of Huntress: Year One – this guy (who was a fan previously) actually liked it. Maybe you will too.
The latest batch of Great Graphic Novels for Teens nominations are up. Now remember, these are nominations not the final list. So in other words, don’t freak out if you see something like Huntress: Year One on the list. It doesn’t necessarily mean it will make the cut. Then again, it might cause it’s the opinion of a whole committee and not just one person. *sigh* I guess that makes it fair.
What I want to read from the list:
Orange, Otomen, the Color of Earth, We Were There, Gunnerkrigg Court, Pluto
Almost all manga. There’s a few on this list that of course make me scratch my eyes out head but I know the committee will come up with an awesome list. If you want to nominate a title – go here.
Have a good reading week. It’s raining here (again). I think I’m going to have to break out the hot chocolate and The Eternal Smile to bring some light into my day.
Huntress Year One review
I like the Year One and Origin comics because they let me get to know a character that I might not be familiar with. Since they literally start from the beginning there’s no need for prior knowledge. So Huntress Year One sounded great. I was pretty excited about the cover – an angry woman with a crossbow. But you know what they say about judging a book by its cover….*sigh*
What I found inside was a cliched mess. Little Helena Rose Bertinelli watches as her family is murdered. Of course, she is inexplicably left alive, I think we are supposed to assume it’s because she’s a little girl. But still, sloppy work assassins. Helena’s family isn’t just any Gotham family; her father was the Don of Gotham. Helena is sent to live and hide out with a family in Sicily where she dreams of revenge. Naturally.
What follows is the story of a woman bent on revenge and falling in love and losing that love and we’ve seen it all before. The artwork is flat, failing to convey any kind of emotion besides anger. Luckily, Helena is angry a lot. The dialogue is stilted, full of conversations like this:
Huntress: Everyone thinks they’re the good guy.
Batgirl: Sometimes there really are good guys.
Huntress: You settle for being good. I’m going to be the best.
There’s also the issue of feminism which, like Helena’s “take it when it works” approach to faith, is constantly brought up. Yet, it’s hard to get into girl power when all the women are caricatures. Helena’s cousin is crabby and petty and jealous. Well, of course, she is – she’s fat! You can tell Helena is “feisty” cause she is rude – I mean, speaks her mind. Batgirl is good, we know this because she’s bubbly and tries to make friends. Catwoman on the other hand is dark and edgy, just look at her cigarette.
I’m not quite sure what the point of this was. To remake the character, (who has apparently had several incantations)? To explain why in later Birds of Prey the Huntress hints at being a lesbian? Cause you know, nothing will turn you gay like the guy you love turning into a jerk over something you (sort of) did. It’s that easy ladies!!!
In conclusion: cool cover, weak delivery.
Wolverine = Awesome
X-Men is hands down my favorite comic. I love mutants doing mutant stuff. I could talk about the ethical issues or the love triangles or the science but really? Mutants.
*spoilers* – this post is filled with them so just be warned
Wolverine delivers big time on the mutants. If I had one giant gripe it’s that there’s too much time spent on Logan being “human” and not enough time on Gambit. Let’s get the whining out of the way. Yes, the plot is full of holes and contrivances. Like any moronic villian, Stryker can build a multi-million dollar experimentation lab but can’t get decent security. Yes, the dialogue is kind of cheesy but what do you expect someone to say when he’s got the spine of another charater in his hand? Are there really elequent words for that? And yes, it is bizarre that Logan chooses the name Logan over Howlett seeing as he clearly views Howlett as his real, if not biological, father but a Wolverine named Howlett is just silly. Hee, see it makes me giggle just thinking about it. Finally, the nudity (and please don’t get me wrong, I appreciate nudity) was the sort where the character runs likes he’s trying to hide his junk and not like he’s fleeing for his life. If you aren’t going to commit then just skip it all together. Get a rubber speedo or something.
Let’s move on to talking about the good stuff. Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, was a nice surprise. He was funny and seriously worked his blades. He’s got one of the best scenes in the whole movie. He also made a formidable opponant as Weapon XI.
Sabertooth a.k.a. Victor Creed was also pretty damn scary. A definite far cry from the overly hairy, somewhat wussy Sabertooth in the first film. Some have complained that in the first film Wolverine’s relationship with Sabertooth isn’t acknowledged; I think you can explain that by saying that Wolverine’s memory is gone and Sabertooth had bigger things to worry about.
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is always good to see, even in the awful X-Men: Last Stand. Whoever cast him deserves a medal. He reminds me of Michael Keaton’s Batman. Jackman manages to be both large and ferocious in one minute then small and hurting the next. It would have been easy to cast someone like the Rock but Jackman brings a humanity and stillness to the character. It serves him well here where Logan experiences his long and painful life prior to joing the X-Men.
Then there’s Gambit. When he finally shows up he puts on a great show. I was really curious to see how they would make throwing cards look badass and the answer is – by doing it. They needed about 2 more hours of him though.
The only female presence in the film, Silverfox, was nice and perky and good storyteller. Kinda weak though. Her power was persuasian which isn’t nearly as cool as being able to BAMPF! I normally appreciate the time spent on developing relationships, especially romantic ones. But, hello? MUTANTS!
There’s a lot of fun mutant cameos (watch for a young Xavier) and if nothing else you can walk out knowing that poor Cyclops had a strong but limiting power, even as a kid.
Three Reviews
Reviewing is ultimately subjective. I can try and be objective but that would mean leaving out the emotional reaction I had to a work and well, isn’t that the whole point of reading? On the other hand, my tastes shouldn’t dictate trashing what is probably a quality story or artwork so I try my hardest to see what might be worthwhile there. Usually the two match up pretty nicely. Other times….
Eden: It’s an Endless World vol. 1
Objective review: In a creepy post-apocalyptic world, a dying scientist lives his final days helping two immune children grow up. The first half of the book is flashback, giving the reader a taste of the horror that came before the mysterious virus made everything go quiet. As with most manga, the first volume is mainly exposition and not a lot of action. The plot picks up once the story jumps 20 years into the future, as young Elijah and his robot struggle to survive and discover the secret of the controlling Propapeter.
Subjective review: In a story spanning several generations, a virus has taken out most of the population. Two immune children struggle to survive with their ailing mentor and robot. When a shadow government attempts to take them, the boy must fight and kill his previously-thought-dead-but-no-he’s-alive-and-the-enemy father. No, it’s not Star Wars. So much time is spent on flashbacks but little explanation is offered. The virus has creepy symptoms like the skin hardening and cracking which makes for some great visuals. The story could easily have skipped the backstory and just started with Elijah and his robot. I’ll stick with it to see if it improves but the cliches, predictable plot and silly looking mecha bore me.
Swallow me Whole
Objective review: In a beautifully illustrated, surrealistic style, Ruth struggles with schizophrenia at the height of adolescence. The pressure of her illness, school and family life collide with her joy at a budding romance and a great new job.
Subjective review: Yes, it’s got the prerequisite Alison Bechdel type artwork of slouching characters and smooth, wavy lines. Yes, it’s angsty. Yet, it’s missing a heart. I was excited to read this book because the previews made me think it was about a teen living with a mental illness but instead the focus seems to be on what weird thing can happen next. Which is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to mental illness books. The frog and the raining bugs certainly twist the page up but if they aren’t really giving me anything besides an “episode” then I lose interest. I wish more time had been spent showing Ruth’s interactions with those around her (her relationship with an understanding but frustrated teacher had the potential to be especially heartbreaking), and less time on trying to wow me with weirdness.
I Shall Never Return vol. 1
Objective: I can see why this is considered a modern classic. It has two flawed yet likable characters and leans hard on the drama. Though the artwork is not as polished as I like, it doesn’t stand in the way of the story. Risturo and Ken have always been best friends. Risturo helps Ken through his parents painful divorce and stands by him even after Ken takes up prostitution. There is an undeniable bond between the two and early in the first volume they give in. The drama doesn’t come from the will-they/won’t-they tension but rather can this relationship survive.
Subjective: I did like this yaoi a lot. However, I was somewhat annoyed at the dominating Ken causing heartache for Ritshuro and Ritshuro being even more taken with him each time. I realize this is where conflict comes from and that it gives room for the characters to grow but like Hot Gimmick, I’m not sure if I really want to watch it.
