Fell by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith is hands down my favorite artist.  Well, one of my favorites anyway.  With a hard boiled script by Ellis, Templesmith brings a touch of light to the destructive Snowtown where a private eye tries to survive.

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley

It’s hard to think of this as an indie comic, it’s gotten so much attention.  Still, it’s full of awesome.

American Splendor by Harvey Pekar

This pretty much defines “indie”.

Mouse Guard by David Peterson

It’s not just for kids.  Granted the characters may be cute little mice but the danger they face is intense.

Those are just a few of the great independent graphic novels.  What are some of your favorites?

Hot enough for you?

Here’s a Warren Peace Godland review that, because I’ve never read it, makes no sense to me.  Still, it sounds exciting.

If you’ve got kids obsessed with the Cirque Du Freak series then you might be interested in this look at the manga.

Kate Dacey, the Manga Critic, likes Canon.  I don’t particularly enjoy that series or the manga-ka’s other series Yurara but I’m beginning to think maybe it’s just me.

Want to learn a new skill, try the Manga Guides!

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 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.

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.

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.

My reaction – Batman is hot even when he’s not.  Watchmen is still being bought.   Marvel Zombies meeeeehhhhhh.  A Drifting Life – interesting.  Saga of Swamp Thing – there’s alway one surprise on the list and this is it.  Maybe it’s a generational thing but I really thought Swamp Thing had sunk back into the ooze a long time ago.

Manga  – what will happen when Naruto finally ends?  Will there be a giant black hole?  Will that be the end of the American manga industry?  I’m serious.

Panelmania: The Eternal Smile

It’s kind of awkward viewing but worth it.  The more I hear about or see of this title the more excited I am to read it.

What is it about Batman that makes me so sad?  The whole Dark Knight, troubled soul, citizens of Gotham – just brings me down.  Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, a lot of beautiful writing comes out of sadness.  Elie Wiesel’s Night comes to mind and of course there’s England’s version of the Bat, Hamlet.  But the level of sadness in Batman has really been cranked up hasn’t it?

Batman faces the Black Glove.  He’s on the Glove’s trail when his “love” Jezebel Jet betrays him, whispering the code word that shatters his psyche.  Luckily, he’s got a backup personality – I promise it’s much cooler than it sounds.  Together with Robin and Nightwing (who aren’t much help but what can you do) the new Zur en Arrh Batman continues his efforts to destroy the Black Glove even at the cost of what’s left of Bruce Wayne’s life.

Batman R.I.P. isn’t so much about Bruce Wayne’s physical death or even his psychological death (that happened a while back) but his emotional end.  I can’t decide if I think this is brilliant or cheap.  I’ve heard people argue that Bruce Wayne had it coming.  In fact, the book itself makes the point, in clue flashbacks from The Butler Did It, that Bruce Wayne has had numerous chances to take his pain and actually learn from it and doesn’t.   But to break him with a rumor?  Though it’s a pretty good one and I love the idea that maybe the Wayne’s aren’t the saints we thought – still…

There’s no beating Morrison’s feel for plot or timing.  I loved the second personality even if it came with some kind of freaky little batkid.  Actually, I became sort of attached to that Life with Louie looking sidekick.  There’s also the sad truth that no one  understands Batman except his worst enemy, who happens to be insane.  That’s when you know it’s all gone horribly wrong, when the Joker speaks reasonably about what the rational thing to do is and of course everyone ignores him.  It suggests that maybe the Joker is a twisted Cassandra, telling the sad fate of Gotham to power hungry villians and heroes.

I do have a few gripes though.  First, Arkham Asylum – when is this place going to get some better security?  I mean, really.  It’s just irritating.   Second, the artwork is too over the top.  I’m sure Morrison and Daniel were intending it to be this way.  A friend of mine told me the back story of the whole Zur en Arrh, explaining that Morrison is heavily influenced by past, campy Batman stories.  So the artwork reflects that but I don’t know if it needs to.  Joker looks too much like a monster, like Pennywise the Clown and the faces of Gotham citizens sit flat.  Finally, I always find myself wondering stupid things like where the Joker finds purple pinstripes on such short notice?  Does he have a special store that he stops by?  Do they let him keep some in Arkham?

That may just be the cough syrup talking….

Matthew Brady gives a thorough review of Swallow Me Whole.  I’m waiting for it to come in to check it out for myself.  I don’t normally go for mental illness books because I usually find them to be, well, almost exploitive.  Like using a trick to make a story – see? see?  how craaaaaazzzy the character is – that sort of thing but it sounds like Powell treats the subject honestly.

Melinda Beasi reads We Were There and it sounds like a good choice for the Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. (link via MangaBlog)

Ed Sizemore over at Comics Worth Reading had to suffer through two popular TV show adaptations to get these reviews.

Manga Recon offers up Manga Minis!  It’s sad when Claymore is gets the best score.  And, my god, it’s already up to volume 14?  How can there be 14 volumes of stuff to talk about/show in this manga???