Graphic Novels - Fit the Third Through Sixth

A quick note about the comics covered here. All are stand-alone graphic novels and can be read with a minimum of knowledge of any type of comic "continuity" usually found in monthly comics.

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In between finishing Heart-Shaped Box and starting Stephen King's Duma Key, I decided to take a break from all the "serious" comics and dive into some C&C comics (Capes & Cowels, as I've recently learned). So imagine my surprise when it turns out that my likely February Book of the Month is going to turn out to be a modest little graphic novel featuring everyone's favorite Metropolis hero. So, wedged in between epic Gears of War co-op play with my brother and chasing after my son and his new-found freedom I offer the following short summaries of four well-known self-contained graphic novels featuring some of the biggest names in mainstream comics (i.e. DC and Marvel). In order of my own preference:

Superman: For All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale - Imagine the warmth and nostalgia of a Norman Rockwell painting injected into a Superman story and it doesn't begin to describe the innocent wonder of this book. This single-handily restored my early childhood love for the Man of Steel. The book is divided up into different seasons of Superman's life, from his high school days in Smallville when he first begins to realize the vast potential of his powers to his battles with Lex Luthor and witty banter with Lois Lane at the Daily Planet.

Without giving away too much of the story, For All Seasons concerns Clark's growth into the Superman role and his eventual acceptance of both the limits of his power and his responsibility as a hero. Each "season" is narrated by a different character, and there are homages to the feel of Frank Capra's films and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE in particular. Tim Sale's artwork is incredibly rich and bold, accentuating the 40's feel and making this something special that everyone will love. Absolutely essential, in my opinion.

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross - From one perspective of Superman to another. Kingdom Come is an epic future look of the DC Universe where most of the classic superheroes have left the world in the hands of their descendants, who after stopping all the normal threats to Earth have become the threat themselves. After a nuclear bomb detonates in Kansas Superman, missing in action for almost 20 years, comes out of hiding to set things right according to his own view of right and wrong. Overseeing the events of Kingdom Come is a disillusioned priest who must ultimately act as judge and jury when the moment comes to decide the fate of the entire world.

Problem is, some people don't want the superheroes fulfilling their old roles, including Bruce Wayne, who leaves the vigilante justice to an army of Batman robots who patrol the streets of Gotham. A lot of Kingdom Come concerns the question of who should ultimately make choices - the humans or the meta-humans who consistently "save the day." Alex Ross is a giant in the field of comics, and his painted images are startling in how they can portray an equal amount of the familiar iconic imagery and a new-found darkness (check out the black that replaces Superman's usual yellow in his"S", as well as the bloodthirsty look of Wonder Woman) that perfectly matches the very dark morality tale told within the pages. Epic battles, new versions of old favorites, and stunning artwork makes Kingdom Come a modern comic classic.

Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Time Sale - The creators of Superman: For All Seasons bring a film-noir sensibility to the Dark Knight. The Long Halloween is essentially the story of the genesis of Harvey Dent into Two-Face, told over the course of an entire year. The artwork is very different from For All Seasons; Tim Sale opts for a darker, harder palette that fits the noir mood Loeb creates in his story of gangsters, murders, and madness. Almost the entire Batman Rogues gallery makes an appearance: The Joker, Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter...even Solomon Grundy makes an appearance. The main story follows Batman and Jim Gordon's attempts to find the Holiday killer, a mysterious figure who is murdering gangsters every month on a holiday. There's a twist ending that is satisfying, and I think that's the key word for this novel - it's satisfying. I think maybe after the thrills and high delivery of the previous comics, The Long Halloween feels at the end good, but nothing that was explosive or comes as an incredible surprise.

Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross - What Alex Ross did for DC with the amazing Kingdom Come he attempted first, with varying success, for the Marvel Universe in the beautiful if uneven Marvels. Using a similar conceit of having events witnessed through the eyes of a "normal" person - in this case a photographer for the Daily Bugle, Marvels is a look at some of the classic Marvel storylines as seen though the eyes of the people on the streets. Phil Sheldon, a great photographer who wants to tell the story of the "marvels" he witnesses and interacts with, provides a very human perspective as we re-live the first appearances of characters like Captain America and Namor, the almost-destruction of the earth by Galactus, the persecution of mutants and the heart-wrenching death of Gwen Stacy. Marvels works best when it's characters are directly involved in the events - the stories focusing on the mutants and the death of Stacy are so much richer than anything else in the book because of Sheldon's personal involvements as opposed to his more objective witnessing a la The Watcher. Ross's artwork is once again unequaled, but the story zigs and zags a little too much to put in in the first tier of some of the above stories.

I have one more graphic novel to cover, but considering there's only a few days left before we hit March it's going to have to wait a bit.

In the meantime, up, up and away!

Comic Interlude: 4 Superhero Books

A quick note about the comics covered here. All are stand-alone graphic novels and can be read with a minimum of knowledge of any type of comic "continuity" usually found in monthly comics.

----------

In between finishing Heart-Shaped Box and starting Stephen King's Duma Key, I decided to take a break from all the "serious" comics and dive into some C&C comics (Capes & Cowels, as I've recently learned). So imagine my surprise when it turns out that my likely February Book of the Month is going to turn out to be a modest little graphic novel featuring everyone's favorite Metropolis hero. So, wedged in between epic Gears of War co-op play with my brother and chasing after my son and his new-found freedom I offer the following short summaries of four well-known self-contained graphic novels featuring some of the biggest names in mainstream comics (i.e. DC and Marvel). In order of my own preference:

Superman: For All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale - Imagine the warmth and nostalgia of a Norman Rockwell painting injected into a Superman story and it doesn't begin to describe the innocent wonder of this book. This single-handily restored my early childhood love for the Man of Steel. The book is divided up into different seasons of Superman's life, from his high school days in Smallville when he first begins to realize the vast potential of his powers to his battles with Lex Luthor and witty banter with Lois Lane at the Daily Planet.

Without giving away too much of the story, For All Seasons concerns Clark's growth into the Superman role and his eventual acceptance of both the limits of his power and his responsibility as a hero. Each "season" is narrated by a different character, and there are homages to the feel of Frank Capra's films and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE in particular. Tim Sale's artwork is incredibly rich and bold, accentuating the 40's feel and making this something special that everyone will love. Absolutely essential, in my opinion.

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross - From one perspective of Superman to another. Kingdom Come is an epic future look of the DC Universe where most of the classic superheroes have left the world in the hands of their descendants, who after stopping all the normal threats to Earth have become the threat themselves. After a nuclear bomb detonates in Kansas Superman, missing in action for almost 20 years, comes out of hiding to set things right according to his own view of right and wrong. Overseeing the events of Kingdom Come is a disillusioned priest who must ultimately act as judge and jury when the moment comes to decide the fate of the entire world.

Problem is, some people don't want the superheroes fulfilling their old roles, including Bruce Wayne, who leaves the vigilante justice to an army of Batman robots who patrol the streets of Gotham. A lot of Kingdom Come concerns the question of who should ultimately make choices - the humans or the meta-humans who consistently "save the day." Alex Ross is a giant in the field of comics, and his painted images are startling in how they can portray an equal amount of the familiar iconic imagery and a new-found darkness (check out the black that replaces Superman's usual yellow in his"S", as well as the bloodthirsty look of Wonder Woman) that perfectly matches the very dark morality tale told within the pages. Epic battles, new versions of old favorites, and stunning artwork makes Kingdom Come a modern comic classic.

Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Time Sale - The creators of Superman: For All Seasons bring a film-noir sensibility to the Dark Knight. The Long Halloween is essentially the story of the genesis of Harvey Dent into Two-Face, told over the course of an entire year. The artwork is very different from For All Seasons; Tim Sale opts for a darker, harder palette that fits the noir mood Loeb creates in his story of gangsters, murders, and madness. Almost the entire Batman Rogues gallery makes an appearance: The Joker, Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter...even Solomon Grundy makes an appearance. The main story follows Batman and Jim Gordon's attempts to find the Holiday killer, a mysterious figure who is murdering gangsters every month on a holiday. There's a twist ending that is satisfying, and I think that's the key word for this novel - it's satisfying. I think maybe after the thrills and high delivery of the previous comics, The Long Halloween feels at the end good, but nothing that was explosive or comes as an incredible surprise.

Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross - What Alex Ross did for DC with the amazing Kingdom Come he attempted first, with varying success, for the Marvel Universe in the beautiful if uneven Marvels. Using a similar conceit of having events witnessed through the eyes of a "normal" person - in this case a photographer for the Daily Bugle, Marvels is a look at some of the classic Marvel storylines as seen though the eyes of the people on the streets. Phil Sheldon, a great photographer who wants to tell the story of the "marvels" he witnesses and interacts with, provides a very human perspective as we re-live the first appearances of characters like Captain America and Namor, the almost-destruction of the earth by Galactus, the persecution of mutants and the heart-wrenching death of Gwen Stacy. Marvels works best when it's characters are directly involved in the events - the stories focusing on the mutants and the death of Stacy are so much richer than anything else in the book because of Sheldon's personal involvements as opposed to his more objective witnessing a la The Watcher. Ross's artwork is once again unequaled, but the story zigs and zags a little too much to put in in the first tier of some of the above stories.

I have one more graphic novel to cover, but considering there's only a few days left before we hit March it's going to have to wait a bit.

In the meantime, up, up and away!

What's Your Comfort?

Every day the excellent House Next Door provides a series of links for essays, pictures, and articles that deal mostly with film, but sometimes cover other areas of interest. Yesterday I found this cool article from the UK Telegraph listing 50 Crime Writers to Read before You Die. The article reminded me of something I had been meaning to write about for some time: namely those authors or genres that provide us with comfort. Coming across the above link seemed too much like divine providence to pass up the chance to crow about a genre that has in recent years provided me with no end of "comfort."

Fill in the blank: "When I need a little pick-me-up I turn to __________."

I've heard a hundred different variations of the preceding sentence. Shakespeare, Dickinson, Stephen King...everyone has something they turn to when they need a break from whatever is stressing them in life, the universe, and everything. Recently after dealing for about two and a half hours with my son's refusal to go back to sleep I had an irresistible urge to sit downstairs on my couch with a copy of Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers. For two hours I completely forgot about the screaming, the crying, the lack of sleep as I read about the various misadventures of Mr. Pickwick and his merry band.

Excepting the above instance, my "comfort" doesn't align itself with a particular writer but instead with an entire genre. And that's the "crime" or "mystery" novel. From as far back as Arthur Conan Doyle to as recent as Dennis LeHane. When I was laid up after donating a kidney to my brother in 2006 it was Ed McBain and the 87th Precinct series that kept the pain and discomfort to a minimum (the painkillers didn't hurt, either). I keep piles of Agatha Christie and John D. MacDonald books around for trips to the beach, long train rides and quick business trips. Over the past few years Hard Case Crime has dedicated itself to renewing the fervor for the "hardboiled" crime subgenre by re-releasing lost classics as well as publishing new works by modern masters in the old style. Perhaps the biggest coup was The Colorado Kid, written by Stephen King especially for the series:

It's hard to readily explain what it is about the crime novel and the ongoing crime series that appeals so much to me. I think part of it is the same thing that draws people to the fantasy series of Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind - the chance to revisit a world we've come to know and love, and to stop by our favorite characters to see how they've been doing. I know that upon opening up a Parker or a Dortmunder novel by Donald Westlake (or his alter ego Richard Stark) that I'm coming across a compelling, complex character that inhabits a mirror image our own world - maybe the dirt's got more of a gloss to it, maybe the women are all full-figured, but it's a world I instantly recognize and relate to on a level that feels almost primal. Looking up from reading feels like coming up for air, only to want to immediately drown yourself again.

So check out the link above and discover some great writers. There's often a misconception that "genre" writers can't write, which frankly is ridiculous. Writers like McBain (who I keep coming back to because he's one of my favorites) tap into a poetry and language that is concrete and smeared lipstick, back alleys and fire escapes. It's a poetry and language I find myself coming back to time and time again.

Name That Subgenre

*NOTE:  This article was written for Monkey Reads a Book by Jason, a writer for said blog

Recently, when I was on a road trip with a coworker, Weezer happened to be playing in the car, and he referred to it as “Sarcastic Pop”, a musical genre or subgenre that he seems to have recognized and named all on his own. I’m not sure what other artists he puts into that category (I think Harvey Danger might fit), but it certainly is apt for Weezer.

I had a similar recognition several years ago when I coined- for myself anyway, I’m sure I’m not the only one to think of it- the phrase “Martial Art Flick” after seeing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for the first time. I define the Martial Art Flick as a kung-fu movie that is more about visuals and choreography than action and story. The fight sequences often resemble dance numbers from the golden age of musicals more than anything you ever saw from Bruce Lee, and much attention is paid to color and costume. Probably my favorite example is The House of Flying Daggers. (Many Martial Art Flicks also get bonus points for starring Ziyi Zhang!)

I’ve also recently discovered that I love documentaries about artists, especially borderline crazy outsider artists, like The Devil and Daniel Johnston, or In the Realms of the Unreal. Maybe there’s a term that fits here?

In the book realm, Norman Mailer coined the term “Nonfiction Novel” to describe his masterpiece The Executioner’s Song. Later works on Marilyn Monroe and Lee Harvey Oswald could be similarly tagged. To be fair though, the first example of the category is Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Capote just didn’t have the ego/audacity to call it a whole new genre of literature and take credit for inventing it. Author and essayist Tom Wolfe placed In Cold Blood in an altogether different sub-genre, "Pornoviolence", a bit unfairly I would say.

So what is my point in all this? I'm not sure really. I think my reading of Aristotle has put me in the mood for classification and categorization, something that, as a biologist first and political philosopher second, he loved to do. Anyway, there must be some other hidden genres out there just waiting to be named...thoughts?

The Morning After

Was it me, or was that one of the most boring Oscars to come along in years? I just looked back at my recap of last year's event, and now I'm longing for the days of silly circus performers and the 1-2 sucker punch of Jack Black and Will Ferrell. I'm thinking part of it is the weird in-between feeling due to the Writer's Strike looming over everything. Instead of a writer-less (and possibly super cool) Oscar night, or an overblown "break out the lasers" event like last year, we got a apprehensive, watered down montage-heavy evening that was the result of some last-minute scrabbling for material.

Semi-coherent musings below:

The Opening: A video collage featuring characters throughout movie history as an armored truck drives through a bad special effect of LA trying to get the statues to the awards on time. I admit to being intrigued by the match-up of Darth Vader and Spartacus. It's funny that the special effects for the Oscars are about on par with a direct-to-video action movie.

John Stewart: Two words. "Gaydolf Titler." I dropped my drink laughing and my wife almost had a bladder incident. You definitely have to like Stewart's brand of humor, but he had some great lines, including the hypocrisy of the Vanity Fair After-Party being canceled out of respect to the Writer's Strike, although writers are never invited to the party, and the "Thank God for teen pregnancy" quip in regards to the dour view of the majority of the nominated films. The lackluster feel of the evening had little to do with his performance and everything to do with the Academy's play-it-safe, bland way of running things. And after mocking films like NORBIT and the Academy's penchant for montages, they're probably not going to invite him back again. Which is a damn shame. Especially after the...

Coolest Moment of the Oscars: So the Academy want to spend four hours slapping itself on the back for how cool it is, but still only gives its winners 30 seconds to speak? This is consistently the stupidest, most embarrassing part of the awards, and it never changes. Which makes it particularly wicked awesome that Stewart brought the wonderful Marketa Irglova back out after she was rudely cut off from giving her speech after winning Best Original Song. Stewart, you are a cheeky monkey.

What Happened to the Best Picture Clips?: In a year when clips of past Oscars sprang forth like unsightly blemishes every five minutes, what the heck happened to the clips of each Best Picture nomination? Dear Oscars, if you were looking to pad out your time, wouldn't this have been an obvious keeper? Especially in a year where there were such strong contenders, this was a shame. Instead we get fond remembrances from Sir Elton John. Dude, I can't even remember that ridiculous song now.

And as for the awards themselves:

Chris Officially Apologizes to THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY: In my pre-game post I mistakenly said I thought it was only nominated for Best Director, but it had quite a few nominations (at least 3). This is one I can't wait to see.

Does Anyone Write Any Original Songs Anymore? Because really, three nominations for ENCHANTED? And they all sucked (at least as presented last night)? Over-bloated productions and the same de-clawed sentiment that has plagued Disney music for years. Original songs in movie are increasingly rare when more and more films are noted for their use of existing music to accentuate the performances and story. Although I've made no effort to hide my all-encompassing love for ONCE and for "Falling Slowly" in particular (hooray and congratulations!), I gotta admit the gospel song from AUGUST RUSH was pretty sweet. I suspect Aretha Franklin pulled that 11-year old girl out of her throat and plopped her down to sing. I'm sure ENCHANTED is a good movie, and the music works in the framework of the film, but alone they felt shallow and empty.

Oscar Goes International: If there's one thing I do give this year's awards credit for, it's the rich and diverse list of both nominations and winners. Acting, set and costume design, short features...the world is a wonderfully diverse place, and it was finally recognized this year.

Affleck Gets Shafted: It just bears mentioning again, but Ben Affleck did a superb job adapting and directing GONE BABY GONE. That movie should have gotten more love. Speaking of being shafted, how about that brief moment in the montages when we saw Issac Hayes performing the theme song to SHAFT? See, the Oscars used to be cool!

Predictability: No big surprises this year - everyone you though was going to win pretty much won. I loved that Marion Cotillard won for LA VIE EN ROSE, and the joy on her face as well as Javier Bardem when they accepted their awards was wonderful. The only real blip on my radar was Tilda Swinton winning Best Supporting Actress. her speech was great (George Clooney's nipples referenced), I think partially due to her being completely surprised by her win. Truth be told I was surprised, too: MICHAEL CLAYTON was a great film with amazing performances, but Swinton, who's usually spectacular, was merely OK in this one.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS OVER TRANSFORMERS? Huh? Look, I know that TRANSFORMERS gets a lot of crap from the fanboys and it was admittedly not a particularly deep film (like it was ever meant to be), but c'mon...those robots were INSANE. And to lose to a poorly rendered polar bear? This just didn't make any sense at all to me. Somewhere Optimus Prime is shedding a big, oily tear.

NO COUNTRY Wins Big: Was it four awards? The Coen Brothers have been excellent for so long, I'm glad they came and cleaned up this year. Best line of the night came courtesy of their win for Best Adapted Screenplay which they attributed to being very selective in their choice of adaptations: "Homer and Cormac McCarthy." It was great to see McCarthy in the audience smiling. Reading his novels I don't get the impression he's a big smiler. In any other year THERE WILL BE BLOOD would have swept everything. As it was it got two very much deserved awards (Best Actor and Best Cinematography), and the future isn't looking too shabby for Paul Thomas Anderson.

All in all, 2007 was a fantastic year for films. Even if the Oscars was a yawn.