Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 5: Bonds #3

Several years ago, I presented my first paper at San Diego Comic Con. I shared a panel with comics theorist Neil Cohn and teacher/colorist/theorist/ all around nice guy Durwin Talon.
Shortly thereafter, I realized that Mr. Talon had edited a book on comics technique that I find indispensable, Panel Discussions.
So when the first book of his solo title BONDS was released from Image comics in later summer 2007, I was pleasantly surprised to find such a smart read.
Told in three movements, Allegro (book 1), Adagio (book 2), and Finale (book 3), this is the story of a woman avenging her father's death at the hands of his corporate masters. Said masters were hell-bent on using the father's invention for military purposes, anathema to his intent.
Unbeknownst to all, including Faith, our heroine, she is also heiress to an elemental power. She can move life energy. But that's all it does- it moves. Its previous inhabitant no longer lives.
Since Durwin teaches at various institutions (he was working in the much-debated comic art program at Savannah College of Art & Design at the time of our panel) and gave a paper on color theory in comics as his portion of our panel (mine was a structural analysis of the work of Vaughn Bode'), I was eager to see his colors applied to his own ideas. The book did not disappoint. It's visually stunning in a very precise way.
Issue 2 came out shortly thereafter.
Then nothing.
I ran into Durwin working a table at San Diego the following year. Eagerly, I asked about BONDS #3,  and was told that the work was not quite done, but would I like to see preliminary pages to date?
Trying not to drool on them, I eagerly lavished over the plastic-sleeved color prelims.
Fantastic work.
Late this summer, BONDS #3 finally surfaced.
Here's Durwin with the book, from his shared blog.
Did I mention he's very cute? Well, he is. 

And the cover of the book in question:

I love the design sense that Durwin brings to his work, and that he doesn't rely on line to define form. His use of color for narrative flow and psychological effect is amply effective.

And it's an exciting, smart story that does not lack for humanity.

 

 

 

 

I'm also delighted that Image is publishing such smart stuff now.

This one snuck under the radar of a great many people, probably due to the long wait for the final issue. But it's  worth a hunt. I hope it gets a proper collection at some point, and I'd love to see more!

Tomorrow: Best of 2009, #4, and all the tomorrows that implies.

 

Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 6: Sweet Tooth

Here's an odd little ditty.

The work of sort of indy creator Jeff Lemire, whose Essex county Trilogy won a Xeric Award and was nominated for an Eisner,  Sweet Tooth is a bloody, post-apoacylptic male-bonding Bambi of sorts.

It's got just the right blend of crazy, bloody and tender.

The title character, a mutant boy whose father sheltered him from a world that would hunt and capture him, is an innocent left to his own devices when the father apparently dies.

 

 

He's taken into the protection of the gruff man who saves him from these two poltroons.

The character design and line quality remind me of some aspects of BONE as well as Jason Asala's 90s book POE, which despite becoming a bit repetitive towards the end, was a bright, challenging book.

By turns melancholy, sentimental, brutal, and quirky, this is one of a handful of new titles from Vertigo that really shined this year. Great to see something fresh. Vertigo has been in a bit of a rut these past few years- carnal, decadent, carnal, decadent, blah blah blah. Great to see some fresh ideas surface. And they've mined some wonderful new talent, like Mr. Lemire here, and made great use of established creators. More on the latter later in this series.

Addendum to a past post: Black Jack Book 9 is scheduled for January 19.

Tomorrow: #5 of the year's top 10, if I'm not too tied up!

Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 7: Brave and the Bold #29

The Brave and the Bold was primarily a superhero team-up book of the 60s. Lots of slam-bang action and often some smart space opera plotting.  Currently, there's a series on Cartoon Network teaming the 60s Batman with other era heroes, that recaptures the fun but loses the smart. I saw a musical episode last week with Black Canary, a sort of superhero slugfest version of West Side Story.

Ouch. I'm almost sorry to share that.
This comic is the other side of the coin.
The book was revived a couple years ago, given a more serious direction than the TV series, and was  taken over a few issues ago by J. Micheal Straczynski. He's  a writer whose work on Babylon 5, Midnight Nation (a meditation on the value of life with overtones of Milton) and Rising Stars, not to mention his stint on the new Twilight Zone in the 80s and the series Jeremiah (based on a bande desinee' by Herman Huppmann, reprinted by NBM in the 90s- I've had no luck finding a copy), has impressed me so much that I'll give anything with his name on it a chance. He's got a novel out, a horror story that I gave as a gift a couple years back but have yet to read myself. His work in comics has been uneven but overall worthwhile.
His model in Brave and the Bold is consistent with the best of his other work. His template is consistent. Use the story as a vehicle for meditation on an aspect of the human condition.
This specific issue has an unusual co-star: Brother Power, the Geek. Created in 1968 by Captain america co-creator Joe Kubert, this rag doll symbolizing naive hope in the romaticized mainstream vision of the hippie world ran a scant two silly issues. Brother Power reappeared in a Swamp Thing annual written by Neil Gaiman and a Vertigo one-shot written by Tarot expert and novelist Rachel Pollack.
And then this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there this guy dressed like a bat, talking to a 40-year old rag doll between beating up criminals. Should be completely dismissible, yet it works.

What I love about this issue is what it says about the 60s. Rather than ridiculing the hippies as pathetic lost fools, as appears to have become the default, this book mourns the loss of optimism that is reflected in that attitude.

The nobility of silliness in the 60s. Wavy Gravy, Lord Buckley, the Firesign Theatre. A resurgence of mainstream interest in the Marx Brothers and Dali. Experiments in consciousness, some of them failures, but some glorious successes that opened us to the possibility of seeing life differently, as something always new.

And in the middle of it was this silly rag doll.

Way to go, JMS (as he is referred to by those in the comics world).

Tomorrow: something sweet for #6 of 2009.

Original Art Sundays, No. 23: A Private Myth, p. 1

Every now and then, I attempt a Magnum Opus, usually in comics form. My last one was a graphic novel about transsexual life (whatever that is) called Transcending.  I got the whole thing plotted and got about 20 pages into it when I ran out of steam.  Some of those pages have been posted in other locations a couple years ago (by me).
My most recent attempt was a screenplay that I wrote a couple years ago titled Private Myths.  I let a few people read it, but not much happened with it. As is my way, I was not particularly agressive in pursuing its marketing.
I toyed with  making it into a novel, pursuing a production company (I'm not all that connected but I do know a couple people), and getting a decent video camera and trying to film it myself.
I tweaked the title to A Private Myth. Then I threw the first page up on the board.
I completed page 1 in just a few days, and it stayed there for several months. Yesterday I moved on to the next page, and hope to use this forum as an excuse to prod myself to finish it, slowly, slowly, a page a week. 
This first page is from a digital photo, not a scan. It needs a few tweaks and tweakettes, which will be made in a couple weeks.

The storyline will not be apparent for the first few pages. But have faith. There's love, passion, magical realism, maybe mental illness, farming, dogs and cats, and lesbians. 
What more could you ask?
The title comes from Joseph Campbell:

Dreams are private myths, myths are public dreams....

 

Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 8: Black Jack Book 3, hardcover

It's more than a bit disingenuous to cite a work done more than 30 years ago as the best of last year, but Vizion's reprint of this fine series is, to many of us Gaijin, new work.
This is the first time Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack has been reprinted in its entirety. I believe 24 volumes are planned, a worthy companion to Dark Horse's Astro Boy series from a few years back. The first three books are distinguished by having hardcover editions (long out of print, sorry) containing material not reprinted elsewhere in the series. Hence, the choice of book 3 as a best of- I think they're on Book 8 now. I'm a bit behind!

As the cover implies, this series deals with medicine. The title character is a rogue doctor who freelances without a license for exorbitant fees, and who sometimes declines a case if it conflicts with his own morality. His back story is a mystery, revealed in dribs and drabs. Reminds me of some of the things I like about HOUSE.

Black Jack is action driven, soulful, and gives answers that pose new questions.

Tezuka cited this as his best work and his favorite. While I prefer his Phoenix saga, this work is on the same level.
Tomorrow: #7, all love and power, Brother!

Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 9: The Lone Ranger #18

How far have we come, if the most exciting books are about the oldest characters?
Dynamite's Lone Ranger series (and its offshoot mini, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, which had a very satisfying circus story for its last issue) have been full of sensitive, insightful writing by Brett Matthews, Joe Kubert-esque art by Sergio Cariello (a very nice guy I met  about 3 years back at San Diego- I'll post the Lone Ranger and Tonto sketch he did for me when I have scanner access again) and some of the best coloring I've seen in comics in a LONG time.

This story is the start of a new arc, and has the stuff in it I like about this comic, the thing that others seem to dislike. It's quiet. the characters have very real conversations about things, while things happen, before they happen, and afterward. The dialogue is sparse and heartfelt. The book takes its time making its points, which makes the ensuing mayhem all the more powerful, even if you do have to wait two or thee issues for it. To me, this is very pragmatic writing. In real life, things don't happen to people at a breakneck pace. With rare exceptions, something huge happens, you have some time to live and reflect on it, and something else happens. The accelerated cataclysms of the superhero world are rarities in human reality. And to see that reflected in contemporary narratives of a character created over 7 decades ago is quite refreshing.
And Tonto is an amazing character here. Centered, self-aware, skilled, and unwilling to suffer fools gladly, even the Lone Ranger himself, who is often a fool in this book- not in a mocking way,  but impetuous. In this storyline, the Lone Ranger is a driven young man whose impulsive nature befits his age. Strong character portrayals all around.
There are some elements of this book I'm not mad for. The romance involving the title character's brother's widow feels a bit forced, despite the new direction it was given in the issue following this one. And I'm so tired of multiple covers, which appear to be done for every issue of every Dynamite book (I couldn't say for sure, since I only read one or two other books of theirs- the Project Superpowers line leaves me cold).
But even with all that, this is a very strong book. I can easily see Matthews' Lone Ranger uttering one of my favorite Harlan Ellison quotes: "If you want consistency, look for it in the grave. I'm just a flawed, miserable human being, doing the best I can."
Tomorrow: #8 on the hit parade.

Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 10: ECHO

I'll post one of these a day until I've reached #1. That will give me a bit of time to think about my choices. I have them chosen, but I do want to review, since I can read a lot of comics in a year!
#10 is the most recent issue of Terry Moore's ECHO.
For those not in the know, ECHO is the story of a broke photographer who happens onto a weapon test site, and is deluged with refuse from said weapon. This refuse attaches itself to her skin, seemingly irrevocably. The material also contains some of the consciousness of its inventor. Many people are trying to kill our photographer. Alliances are formed and a chase ensues. Pieces of the puzzle are doled out to our heroine (and her reluctant partner, the boyfriend of the late inventor) on the run. That's a very stripped down version of the plot.
The current issue, #17, takes the storyline into uncharted territory as this smart, soulful adventure book delves into areas of physics, human evolution, philosophy, and tells us the connection between the hydrogen bomb and art forgery. All this happens in a cafe conversation over a salad and a glass of water.

I was so disappointed when I saw this cover. This has been an intriguing read, but I was starting to feel like  I did around the middle of Strangers in Paradise- great story, but get on with it already. And this cover looked to me like a good Marvel cover- lots of pyrotechnics, but not about anything, really. Boy, was I wrong! It's been a while since a comic was so good that I was frustrated to not be able to read the next issue right away. So it was with this one. So many ideas and emotions crammed into a scant 24 or so pages, and let's add, a backstory that pulls previous events together in a way that, while not completely unexpected, is at least unorthodox and so heartfelt.

I don't know if Terry Moore lost his steam for a while or I just got frustrated. Whichever it was, he's back in full force with this issue, and this book is a high point for the year.

Tomorrow, #9, with a silver bullet!

Next year, put your money where you live

This was posted on Huff today. Though my pointy-headed liberal leanings are obvious to anyone who's talked to me for more than 5 minutes, I don't talk politics here on Trosper very often.
But this isn't politics as much as it is in common sense.
I'm a huge advocate of shopping locally, supporting American made goods and services, and giving back to one's own community whenever possible. This is just a practical extension of that idea. A smaller bank is more likely to understand its customers' needs, and to reinvest in the community rather than engaging in spurious speculations designed only to maximize short-term profit without regard for the safety of investors and depositors.
So as we close out the year, think on Janus, the two-faced god for whom January is named, simultaneously looking forwards and backwards. And consider this new, old idea.

Original Art Sundays, No. 22: Cold fires, ice burns

To close out the year in Original Art Sundays, some random digital photography and Photoshop playfulness from the last few days.
Burning some scrap in the fireplace, I saw some patterns that fascinated me and grabbed the camera.

The burning shape in the center is a heart cutout.

On the drive back from family Christmas up North, I was amazed by the power of the snow on the trees off Highway 65. I was struck by just how irrelevant we humans are to nature and how oblivious we can be to that fact.

As I drove on after taking this shot, I toyed with the idea of "freezer burn" and the idea of "cold fire". Using  the Match Color command in PS3, I came up with a frozen winter fire of sorts.

I also tried for a fire of burning ice.

I'm not completely satisified with either one, but I think the ice burn is a bit more successful than the frozen tree fire.
I find the idea intriguing and will keep toying with it as time and concentration allow.
Next week (or next month or next year or next decade): fresh comics!

Lest we forget...

Ah, the classics.

Warm holidays to all!

Here we are at Christmas again. Much snow here, very quiet out in the so-called real world. Looking forward to finishing a couple little last-minute things prior to a drive North tomorrow for a slightly belated family holiday. I also plan on spending at least part of the day quietly enjoying a comic book or three. Been re-reading Bone of late, and enjoying it immensely.
Thinking of families and comics brings this image to mind:

This is a lovely prelim sketch of the comic book family of 'Mazing Man, one of my favorite superheroes. Much like The Spirit, 'Maze, as he is affectionately known, is a powerless superhero whose adventures are largely concerned with more mundane, populist matters- helping people change flat tires, watching out for the neighbors, and so it goes.

Unlike the Spirit, 'Maze is sort of nuts. But in a harmless, helpful way, not like the mania of The Badger, a comic that has a more cynical edge.

Therein lies the difference. 'Mazing Man is about hope and joy.

What better metaphor for the best of Christmas?

Original Art Sundays, No. 21: The World in Love, last page!

And so it ends, and so it begins.

After I finished this, I showed it to some people. I had a sense of what I hoped would be the meaning conveyed, that we can change the world if we see our fears for what they are and open ourselves to new possibilities.  I also wanted to invoke what small knowledge I hold of Hindu teachings, by using the third eye as a symbol for awareness.

So I asked my friend and former student Sean Lynch what he thought it was about. He simply said, "love is stronger than fear."

Can't argue with that.

Next week's post might be a bit late due to the holiday.

Original Art Sundays, No. 21: The World in Love, pp. 22 and 23

So close to the end of the story.
The big problem with these pages is that the grays are so soft.

The third eye stuff is a bit of a giveaway as to where I'm coming from on this, but it's more of a loose metaphor for awareness of one's own power.

Also, I know that it's tactless to laugh at your own lines, but the line "Oh, go eat a bug" just cracks me up.
I was a bit embarrassed by the rendering of the Mother figure in last week's pages, but then I was researching something else and was reminded of this Jack Kirby page.

Much as I love The Prisoner and Jack Kirby, looks like the arms get away from him from time to time too!

next week: The end of the beginning.