posted
Astounding Wolfman was always one of those comics I wondered about because it was Kirkman but never pulled the trigger on. Like you said Lardy, it's pretty hard to find someone who reviewed it! Your review has done a great job at making me consider grabbing the first trade the next time I make a run.
PS - you were up pretty late last night! 3:37 AM?
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: Astounding Wolfman was always one of those comics I wondered about because it was Kirkman but never pulled the trigger on. Like you said Lardy, it's pretty hard to find someone who reviewed it! Your review has done a great job at making me consider grabbing the first trade the next time I make a run.
I'm glad you found it helpful! I try to give a pretty thorough accounting of a book, pro and con, when I review it, especially if it's not one that's gotten much press.
quote:PS - you were up pretty late last night! 3:37 AM?
That's because I'm on a mini-vacation. I say "mini" because it's seven days instead of about 10 or 11. Stupid boss wouldn't let me extend it thru the July 4th weekend...
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Very nice! Enjoy your vacay! Sucks about the stupid boss. My vacay is the week after next (so I also can't extend my vacay to the 4th) and will also be the same amount of time. Damn work!
And as you know, you're reviews are a major factor of what I may end up buying!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
As a long time major Spider-Man fan, it would seem like a no-brainer for me to pick up The Black Cat miniseries (four issue) which has recently come out, but I have to admit that I wasn’t immediately on board. These days I’m just more judicious in anything Marvel and DC put out that isn’t specifically one of those characters I’m 100% committed to.
Still, what sold me at first was I thought Amanda Conner was on art; I was wrong, however, but she did do the cover, which is simply gorgeous, with perhaps the best looking Black Cat I’ve ever seen EVER and a cool logo design very reminiscent of 1960’s cinema (which I bet was encouraged by writer Jen Van Meter given her inside script, which I’ll get to shortly). The actual interior artist, however, was Javier Pulido, which is even better for me, as I consider him currently one of my favorite artists currently working in comics. In Lardy’s Roundtable thread I listed him as one of the artists I would buy a comic book specifically for his work and I meant it; his recent Spider-Man and Marvel Zombies artwork is some of the best I’ve ever seen and I even mentioned my familiarity with him stemming from his Human Target days how good I think he’s gotten before on Legion World.
So I did buy the comic and I’m thrilled that I did. I liked it so much that rather than post about it in the Spider-Man thread where it might fit, I figured it deserved a post here in the “Any Recommendations?” thread. I’ve always considered the Black Cat one of my favorites, though I believe that (A) she works best as a supporting player for Spider-Man (like the Punisher) but with the caveat (B) she works best when she’s not a love interest for Spider-Man; I think she deserves to stand out on her own more than that. She’s one of the truly great Spider-characters after the end of the Silver Age. And here, in her mini, I think she gets the best treatment she’s gotten perhaps ever, or at least certainly since the early 80’s when she co-starred with Spidey in Spectacular Spider-Man.
She’s presented here as a strong lead that is intelligent, brave and above all, having fun. There’s a quirkiness to her that makes her more than just ‘attractive thief’ since fiction is littered with those. And she stands apart from Catwoman in more than just physical appearance, which is absolutely necessary in any Black Cat appearance.
But getting back to the art for a minute, which I feel is good enough to justify anyone to buy it. Pulido fits into the category I’ve been for several months calling the more ‘cartoonish style’ that Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale have helped re-popularize as comics move away from manga. Just yesterday Lardy called it more of a Batman: the Animated Series inspired style and I think he really nailed it on the head; whatever you want to call it, I’m a big fan of it, from Mike Avon Oeming’s very sharp, quirky style to Darwyn Cooke’s masterful style and now to my two new favorite artists (both Spider-Man artists): Marcos Martin and Javier Pulido.
Pulido stands apart from the rest due to several things. First, he has a very quirky, Steve Ditko-esque style that both ‘odd’ and also funny at times. It’s obviously intentional and I like it. When the Black Cat is talking to some of her fences about ‘Russians’, she’s also landing from the ceiling and the way Pulido draws her doing it makes it look like she’s doing a Russian dance. Subtle yet hilarious. Secondly, he has a very stylized composition and way of pacing the comic like Cooke does but in a completely different way. There is a big 1960’s cinema influence. The entire ‘other burgler’ breaking into the museum sequence is very referential to the movie “To Catch a Thief”, which is a very stylized Hitchcock movie (I just watched last year). Pulido also draws a very sexy Black Cat, as well as other attractive characters, which is very pleasant on the eyes. The sequence where the Black Cat and Spider-Man are dressing post-coitus is a brief yet incredibly sexy shot that leaves most of it to the imagination. But like Steve Ditko used to do, he liters his comics with very normal looking people which many artists fail to do.
Best of all is the little things Pulido does which shows that gives the reader little easer eggs. The hotel the Black Cat meets Spider-Man at is the “Pollard Hotel” and its sign along the side is the same exact way former Spider-Man (and other things, notably Thor) artist Keith Pollard used to sign his artwork. A nice tribute. The Black Cat is in stocking later on and rather than sheer or fishnet, they are spider-webbed. You can just tell Pulido puts a tremendous amount of thought into every panel which is also reminiscent of Cooke.
Getting more towards the script itself, I think Jen Van Meter did a terrific job. I admit I don’t really recognize her name, just having seen it before in passing and thinking her name made her sound really hot (as some names do ). What is noticeable right away is she is really good at snappy dialogue that is witty, charming and advances the plot. As I say time and time again in the Spider-Man thread, when people try to force Spidey to be funny it just comes across as lame (I’m looking at you Dan Slott) but when its seemless its just brilliant (take a bow, Joe Kelly). Here, Van Meter falls into the latter and even though Spidey is only in it briefly, he has a great line I’m surprised no one ever said before after Black Cat’s luck powers accidentally make him trip: “ouch, you’re the only woman I’ve ever fallen for” (and Van Meter realizing its so obvious even has the Black Cat mention how she bets he’s held his tongue for that one). Van Meter also introduces several very likeable Black Cat supporting characters, which is something she’s always needed.
Van Meter also does a great job with giving us this story, which just works for me. It starts as a thief vs. thief story but by issue’s end we see there is a much bigger story at work tying into the mythos of Kraven the Hunter and the Chameleon and their families, which is a mythos I’m fascinated by and have always loved. She seamlessly ties it all into Russian history and the history of the black market and I’m anxious to read more about it.
All in all, this was a fantastic first issue and I can’t wait for the rest and already want to read more miniseries like this or at least have Van Meter join the Spider-Man writing team and rejoin with Pulido for it.
I recommend this comic to anyone looking for a great artist, a great ‘smaller story’, a strong yet interesting female lead and anyone who loves the later Hitchcock films. Great stuff.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
This is something I'll definitely be on the lookout when it eventually gets put into trade form. I also like Javier Pulido's (and Marcos Martin's) work anytime I see it, and I have a great fondness for the days when Felicia was a regular supporting cast member during that era of Spectacular. In fact I'd probably buy this in singles if it weren't for that pesky $3.99 cover price. As quality as this sounds, I don't shell out $4 a pop for a Big Two book classified as a "smaller" story. (Quality Indies and Vertigos I make exceptions for.)
Anyhow, it's good to hear that our girl Felicia is getting some four-star treatment these days!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I can't blame you for the $3.99 price. FYI, it does include an 8 page "prologue" of the upcoming Spider-Man story 'Grim Hunt', but I can't tell if that is something reprinted elsewhere or specific to this issue. I know that doesn't help you much because you're not going to be picking up Spider-Man right now.
We might need to start a thread to discuss the current 'Batman: the Animated Series-inspired' style which you and I have talked about for months. And maybe create an actual name for it?
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
So who here collected Rocketo when it was coming out? Any one recommend it? I was looking at some of it online today and it looked pretty groovy!
Pov--I kind of remember you were maybe into this?
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
These days art that might be too abstract/atmospheric is right up my alley. I checked out some images online and I really was digging it. I think I might try to hit up the TPB's or dig for some back issues.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
(and leave it to you OM to fill me in on all the coolest, more obscure stuff!)
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: Astounding Wolfman was always one of those comics I wondered about because it was Kirkman but never pulled the trigger on. Like you said Lardy, it's pretty hard to find someone who reviewed it! Your review has done a great job at making me consider grabbing the first trade the next time I make a run.
PS - you were up pretty late last night! 3:37 AM?
Enjoy it while you can guys. The story comes to a close this summer. It had good potential, but I do think the lack of depth actually hurt the book. too often it came across as Kirkman's fun book, something he wanted to try. With each new issue, I was wanting less of the main character and more of the throways.
On the plus side, setting this book in the Invinceable-verse allows for more of a future, if not an actual ongoing.
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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posted
Des, ROCKETO was awesome! I recommend the two Image trades for Journey to the Hidden Sea, vol. 1 in particular-- Speakeasy went belly-up and there was never actually a fifth issue. Image picked up with issue #6 and included the unpublished #5 in the trade.
The next leg of the story, Journey to the New World, was announced as coming out in 2007 on the last page of the 2nd trade, but never materialized; Last I heard of it was in 2008 when Espinoza put up some gorgeous designs for the next volume. No further word has been forthcoming...
-------------------- "Anytime a good book like this is cancelled, I hope another Teen Titan is murdered." --Cobalt
"Anytime an awesome book like S6 is cancelled, I hope EVERY Titan is murdered." --Me
From: Up a Gumtree | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Groovy! I think I'm definitely going to buy next time I order up some trades (and once again, Image comes through in a big way for me!). I was checking out Espinoza's website and was really awesome stuff!
So I guess there are only 2 trades out there right now. I admit I was a little confused based on what was announced and what actually came out. At least this way I can get on the ground floor early and hope for more new material going forward.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I've begun my heavy travel season now, and so that means a ton of time on planes, where I'll be bored out of my mind. Luckily, I stocked up heavily on trade paper backs over the last few months (and regular books too) to kill the time. One of those which I read last week was so damn good, I felt it could only go in the "Any Recommendations?" thread.
This was Revolver by Matt Kindt, published through Vertigo. I originally became interested in the OGN when I saw a preview in the back of various Vertigo comics a few months ago. The premise was intriguing and very similar to the awesome movie Memento by Christopher Nolan. Upon reading the OGN, I now can say the premise is 'sort of' similar (but different), while the tone of Revolver is what is very close to Memento. Fans of that movie will know this is high praise.
Matt Kindt does just about every single thing in the OGN, from writing to penciling to coloring and it's a pretty amazing job. When one person controls every facet of the story is usually gains a little something extra in story-telling structure and that is certainly the case here: every panel has a little oomph to it in telling the overall story but having a deeper meaning. I think Kindt succeeded on every level here.
The story is about a man living a boring, drone-like life in one world. When he wakes up, however, he is in a post-Apocalyptic world where survival is the most important thing. When he wakes up the next day, he's back in his boring existence; and so on, back and forth. He is caught up in not only surviving and trying to figure out if he's insane, but deciding which of the two worlds is actually worse.
It's a great story about the lead character's personal struggle in getting some control over his life, while at the same time is a damn fantastic science-fiction story about a man stuck in two parrellel worlds.
The artwork is very stylized and packed with tension and thoughtfulness.
High recommendation!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Fat Cramer: The Secret History by Jean-Pierre Pécau, various artists Volume I (Archaia Press)
There was a review for this book that called it "one of those fancy-pants European comics..." - but there wasn't anything snooty about it. It's an engrossing, complex journey through history, primarily of Europe.
The Secret History follows four immortal siblings through time. They were the only survivors from an ancient village and each one was given a runestone by their dying shaman. Two tend towards the dark side and two tend towards the good, but all are master manipulators and the battles which they provoke are not only for power but against one another. The siblings (who call themselves Archons) are not so interesting character-wise; it's the games they play which hold one's attention.
The stories progress through time, from the Egyptian era (so favoured by Archaia) through the Middle Ages, up to World War I. Pécau takes real world events and retells them to show how they were influenced, if not instigated, by the four. Some poetic licence is applied to his portrayal of real historical people, which gives them a depth of character that the four Archons lack.
A number of different artists worked on the book, which was originally published as 7 individual issues. Beautiful and highly detailed artwork throughout, and the styles are not so different as to be distracting.
It's the perfect story for a secret society, wheels-within-wheels, conspiracy buff like myself.
This was a review posted by Fat Cramer in the "Random Review Corner" thread that inspired me to purchase The Secret History in trade format, and actually in hardcover at that (I almost never buy hardcover). I thought it was so damn fantastic that it had to be upgraded to the "Any Recommendations?" thread, because this is something anyone who likes good comic books should be buying.
FC's description above lays out the storyline, and I can only add that I think the story-telling and delivery is just so spot-on fascinating and engrossing that I couldn't put the series down. I know there are additional works (in French) and I'm going to go out of my way to start looking to see if they've been translated yet--if so, I'll buy them no matter what the price.
The story combines several types of things I like: historical fiction (real events with fictional tweaks), conspiracy/secret history elements and a bit of Dungeons & Dragons type elements (though highly realistic). There is so much information that it's almost impossible to keep track of it and all that does it just leave the reader wanting more, more, more! Some things are only barely ever hinted at, and you can tell Pecau has so much more he could get to.
The four Archons, as FC mentions, aren't the most in depth characters, though they certainly have firm personalities. But the series *is* loaded with some seriously great characters. Each issue is so damn dense that by the end, you feel as if there was more characterization for some characters than in 40 issues of your local superhero story. The next issue in the trade jumps often 100+ years and you don't see those non-Immortals again, so it's amazing they all still stand out so well in my mind.
The artwork was nothing short of tremendous. Various artists handle it, some I recognize, some I don't, and each individual chapter was amazing.
This was so different and stands out so well from everything else, I've immediately recommended my brother read this immediately before anything else I've recommended him in the past.
Great, great stuff. It was mind-blowingly good and reminded me that if I look hard enough, I can find comic books that hit me in the face like a bucket of cold water and remind me there are no limits to what can be done in this medium.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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