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summer comics showdown |
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Written by Larry Clow
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Wednesday, 27 June 2007 |
Summertime is an oasis for readers, replete with long days full of sunshine and lazy weekends on the beach, turning pages. But even with what feels like a limitless amount of time to lose yourself in a good book, there are only so many sun-soaked hours you can devote to the newest in comics and graphic novels. Here’s a brief list of what to pack in your beach bag this summer.
“Mouse Guard: Fall 1152”
Archaia Studios Press
A surprise hit in 2006, the first six issues of writer/artist David Petersen’s “Mouse Guard” have been collected in a handsome hardcover volume that’s perfect for taking to the beach. A far-reaching fantasy tale in the tradition of Brian Jacques’ “Redwall” series, “Mouse Guard” is about, well, mice. More specifically, it’s about the mouse civilization’s struggle to survive in the face of vicious predators, harsh conditions and internal strife. The story follows Kenzie, Saxon and Lieam, members of the elite Mouse Guard (a sort of kung-fu Secret Service for rodents) as they investigate rumors of rebellion against Lockhaven, the seat of government for all mice. Petersen’s artwork is gorgeous and the story is simple and engaging, with enough intrigue and action to make you forget that the protagonists are all cute mice. There’s a dearth of good fantasy comics that don’t retread ground already covered by “Lord of the Rings” and “Dungeons and Dragons,” making “Mouse Guard” a must-read for fantasy fans.
“The Black Diamond Detective Agency”
First Second Books
There’s something about late-19th century America that makes it ripe for gripping pulp fiction. Cities swollen with human fuel for the Industrial Revolution, political machines and the various skullduggery that accompanied them, and the rise of anarchists, socialists and organized labor combine for a thick stew of plots, counter-plots and mysteries. Writer/artist Eddie Campbell brings all those ingredients together in “The Black Diamond Detective Agency,” a fantastic potboiler set in fin de siècle Chicago. Adapted from a screenplay by Gaby Mitchell, “Black Diamond” starts off with a bang, as a train carrying precious cargo is sabotaged in a small Illinois town. The prime suspect in the bombing is John Hardin, and the men and women of the Black Diamond Detective Agency are hot on his trail. Hardin journeys to Chicago, both to clear his name and bring the real perpetrators—shadowy figures from his own past—to justice. Campbell fully paints his usual sparse black-and-white sketches for “Black Diamond,” and the result is as sumptuous and gritty as the Windy City where the book takes place. There are a few drawbacks—the cast is a bit too big, which results in confusion, and, like most mysteries, the plot is hopelessly complex—but “Black Diamond” is a solid summer page-turner.
“World War Hulk”
Marvel Comics
The Hulk has never been an easy character to keep new and fresh. Apart from a handful of brushes with intelligence in the last 20 or so years, the Hulk has mostly been a simple character—a brutish behemoth with anger issues who likes to smash things. Writer Greg Pak re-invented the Hulk in last year’s “Planet Hulk” storyline, a grand sci-fi epic in which Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic and other Marvel heroes shot the Hulk into space in the hope of preventing him from running amok on Earth. Instead, the Hulk landed on an alien planet, became a barbarian king and took a wife, only to see his spaceship explode and wipe out most life on the planet. The Hulk and a motley group of survivors return to earth for “World War Hulk,” a massive, five-issue slugfest that finds the Hulk seeking vengeance on the “heroes” that wrongly exiled him. Unlike recent offerings from Marvel and DC, “World War Hulk” doesn’t take itself too seriously or strive for an undue sense of importance. Instead, Pak keeps the action intense (the first issue is largely a massive fight between Hulk and Iron Man that wrecks most of Manhattan) and the tone firmly tongue in cheek. Even the most jaded comic fan will smile when the Hulk parks his spaceship in the middle of New York City and boldly proclaims, “Puny humans, I have come to smash your planet.” It’s big-time superhero action at its finest.
“Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus, Vol. 1”
DC Comics
In the mid-1970s, legendary comics artist Jack Kirby left Marvel Comics and the hundreds of characters he created for the company and ventured to DC Comics. It was a transition both personal and practical to Kirby—despite having co-created many of Marvel’s top-selling characters, such as the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, Kirby received no royalties for his efforts. But he was also looking to tell bigger stories, beyond the simple galaxy-hopping adventures of the Fantastic Four. During his tenure at DC, Kirby created the “Fourth World” saga, a meta-series that spanned four titles: “The New Gods,” “The Forever People,” “Mister Miracle” and “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen.” Using the then poor-selling Jimmy Olsen comic as the foundation, Kirby acted as writer, artist and editor, constructing an epic, far-ranging story that pits the mighty Orion and his compatriots from New Genesis against the deadly Darkseid and his demonic techno-slaves from the planet Apokalips. Mixing New Age mythology with hippy culture, operatic combat and outlandish science-fiction, Kirby makes Earth a battleground in the war between Orion and Darkseid, both of whom seek the dread Anti-Life Equation, which could subjugate all sentient creatures in the universe. Darkseid wants to use the equation to enslave all life, while Orion wants to destroy the equation before Darkseid can get it. It’s awesome, blockbuster-style action, with enough pseudo-mysticism and genius concepts to keep readers in awe of Kirby’s skills. This volume collects the first three issues of each title and includes essays by modern-day Kirby disciple Grant Morrison and Kirby collaborator and biographer Mark Evanier. The $50 price tag might be a little high, but it will be worth it for serious comic fans.
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