Creator: Emmanuel Guibert
First Publication: August 12, 2014
Graphic Novel Challenge Book #4
If you told me that I would enjoy reading a 160 page graphic novel about someone's pre-World War II childhood, I would have been suspicious. It is not the usual type of graphic novel I pick up. Guibert does a great job of telling the story of his friend's childhood.
One of the things that impressed me was the mixture of art styles. Guibert switches between photo realism and a cartoon style with all sorts of stops in between. The opening pages with the highway scenes sets the stage using the photo realistic style. As the story switches to Alan's life story the art becomes more cartoony. It is a difficult job changing styles within a story but Guibert makes it work. In some respects his art reminds me of Will Eisner's more personal work (see "Contract with God" and his later works). That is high praise. Very few artists are able to do this level of work in the same style as Eisner.
If you like biographical stories, or are a fan of Eisner's later work, I recommend picking this up when it goes on sale in August.
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Paul Pellitier and Sean Parsons
First Publication: 2014
Graphic Novel Challenge Book #3
Summary from Amazon: Unfolding out of the events of "THRONE OF ATLANTIS" comes a mystery that sends Aquaman to the ends of the Earth to solve an ancient murder--one that will reveal a horrific truth about Arthur Curry and threaten those closest to him today.
Also, as the Scavenger compiles more Atlantean weaponry and artifacts, Aquaman enlists the aid of The Others to help find one missing relic in the Southwestern United States before his enemies can get to it and possess untold power.
Collects issues #17-19, 21-25 of the monthly series.
I enjoyed the way Geoff Johns has introduced the Others. The idea that Aquaman headed up his own version of the Justice League appealed to me. Johns kept the suspense at a high level while building on the characterization of the many different players in this series. The mystery of the Atlantean artifacts is especially intriguing.
While Ivan Reis made this his series in the previous issues, Paul Pelletier was a solid choice to follow him. Pelletier started out following Reis' art style but has transitioned to his personal style as he drew more issues.
I highly recommend reading this series beginning with the first issue.
On a side note, it is hard to believe that the Scavenger first appeared in the original Aquaman series (issue #37) in 1968.
His first appearance featured art (including this cover) by the legendary Nick Cardy. Cardy was one of my favorite artists of that era and one of the best cover artists ever.
Creator: Martin Vaughn-James
First Publication: 1975
Source: Net Galley
Graphic Novel Challenge book #2
Summary (from Amazon):First published in 1975, The Cage was a graphic novel before there was a name for the medium. Cryptic and disturbing, it spurns narrative for atmosphere, guiding us through a labyrinthine series of crumbling facades, disarrayed rooms and desolate landscapes, as time stutters backward and forward. Within the cage's barbed-wire confines, we observe humanity only through its traces: a filmic sequence of discarded objects - headphones, inky stains, dishevelled bedsheets - scored by a deafening cacophony of breaths, cries and unsettling silence.
This book is very intriguing. The artist focuses on the cage while time might be flowing forwards...or maybe backwards around it. The lack of people, including a protagonist, makes it difficult to understand. Some people say that the author is not really sure what it is about. So if you are a reader who loves dialog and the interaction between people, avoid this book. In other words if you are someone who prefers the destination to the journey, this is not for you.
On the other hand, the "journey" of this story is amazing. The art varies in style but is very good. Martin Vaughn-James does a great job of using the items in and around the cage to show changes. I would like to see what the creator could do with a more traditional type of story. I give the art a higher grade than the story but the way it is done makes the art the focal point of the pages. Fans who enjoy good art will like this book.
Overall, I am glad I had the opportunity to read this novel. It is worth getting a copy.
Author: Chris Roberson
Artists: Alex Ross, Dennis Calero
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
I enjoyed this team up of many of the classic pulp characters. Most of my early pulp reading was in the Doc Savage universe but I also read some of the Shadow reprints with the Jim Steranko covers. This series brought back fond memories of those books. The villain was a surprise to me. I am anxious to start reading Roberson's "The Shadow" in that character's regular series. Recommended.
Writer: Michael Dignan
Artist: Kriss Sison
First Publication: 2005
Challenge: Graphic Novels Challenge (#16)
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Summary (from Wikipedia):
Do you believe in alternate dimensions? Ikuko, her friend Colleen, and Alvin at Hawaii's Maunaloa Institute for International Studies become believers when the class hunk, Hiro, confesses to them that he's really a prince from another world on the run from the evil Lord Kumagai! Now that they've been dragged into it, Hiro, Ikuko, and their friends must traverse countless alternate dimensions and survive the terrors they find there or die trying; whether at the hands of the ruthless Lord Kumagai or the alternate dimensions' hostile inhabitants.
Comments:
The art by Kriss Sison is fantastic. Combined with Michael Dignan's scripting, it makes for a very good manga book. I enjoyed the interaction of the various characters at the school. One of my favorite parts was the group traveling to an alternate reality version of the school. It brought back memories of the television show "Sliders". At first it seemed like they were back home but it soon became evident that this was a different reality.
In some respects, "Last Hope" reminded me of one of my favorite anime shows "The Vision of Escaflowne". Both feature a journey to a drastically different world, a mysterious hero of royal descent, and a normal Earth girl. Sison and Dignan channel the spirit (either intentionally or not) of "Vision" without copying it. They make it their own story.
Recommended to fans of manga. I downloaded the second book on to my Kindle Fire. From the Wikipedia article, it lists that the third book was delayed. Hopefully it will be out soon.
Writer: Eric Trautmann
Artists: Walter Geovani, Patrick Berkenkotter
First Publication: 2011
Challenge: Graphic Novel Challenge (#16)
Collects issues 51-55 of ongoing series.
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Summary:
From Comixology: Red Sonja is sent on a last-ditch, desperate mission across the border into Shem. Her mission is more than it seems, as Sonja leads her mercenary allies into a quest for a deadly secret hidden within the walls of the city-state, Persemhia. But others seek this mysterious prize as well, as the armies of Koth and Argos mass to crush Red Sonja's ragtag band. It will take more than skill with a blade for any to survive this deadly season of war...
Comments:
One of my best friends, Terry Kissinger, told me that this is one of the best Robert E. Howard comics ever. According to Terry, it is up there with the original Conan work by Roy Thomas, J. M. DeMatteis, and Jim Owsley. After reading this collection, I can see why he liked it so much. Trautmann is either a big Robert E. Howard fan or a very good researcher. He takes the time to use the countries, etc. already established in this universe. It seems like, in recent times, that the creators just make up names for the countries instead of using the ones that already exist. Trautmann takes the time to flesh out places from other stories. The way he writes the series, a new reader does not need to worry. All you need to know is on these pages. But if you are a fan of Red Sonja or Conan, you get the added pleasure of visiting places you have heard about in the past.
As far as characterization goes, Trautmann nails it. He gives different personalities to each of the members of her group. And he wrote the best Red Sonja I have ever read. I have quite the number of collections to enjoy since Trautmann stays on the titles until issue 75.
My favorite part was the epilogue which was issue 55 in the ongoing series. Sonja reflects on the events of the four part story arc. In this brutal universe, it is a chore just to survive. Many people do not make it out alive.
The pieces are in place. The reader gets a great story that actually has consequences. And, according to Terry, this story will have repercussions in future story lines. I can't wait to read more.
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham
First Publication: 2012
Challenge: Graphic Novels Challenge (#15)
Grant Morrison’s Batman is highly regarded by me. Some people don’t care for it. This collection starts the finale of Morrison’s Batman epic. The battle with Leviathan is heating up. I can see various plotlines from his early issues coming to bear in this series. When Morrison is finished with it, I plan on going back and re-reading his entire catalog of Batman stories. I think it will be even better the second time around. This is not a good place to start. I would recommend starting with “Batman and Son”. It is worth the effort to read all of Morrison's epic. One of the things I liked was all of the Batman stories are in continuity.
