tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6988437154716587122024-03-13T01:36:15.007-04:00Comics are for readingLee Newman, a comic book journalist talks about the books that he likes, his reviews, and what books he is looking forward to.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-65920841017276502042014-09-30T16:57:00.002-04:002014-09-30T16:57:34.735-04:00Review Group #449: Roche Limit #1The review group has been around since the old talk@ days at Newsrama. Now it resides at <a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/">The Outhouse</a>. The premise is simple, a group of comic geeks and nerds review the same book.<br />
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<a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/forum/the-news-stand/review-group-449-roche-limit-t104279.html">Last week the pick was Roche Limit #1</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKv_rVcRpHjnkj6IfBXEIJWCHj6AHDViRxFbMjyCByHhmRWbClxf2w87k3ivlA5dOu6BYUP6TGlsBd4QC-hMSNFc_LkZUfeayrCXTB3ZKHcAotjbwcxGDBmOM5E8IA0BKyJO_Dp8l4af1Y/s1600/RocheLimit-01-1-f56fe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKv_rVcRpHjnkj6IfBXEIJWCHj6AHDViRxFbMjyCByHhmRWbClxf2w87k3ivlA5dOu6BYUP6TGlsBd4QC-hMSNFc_LkZUfeayrCXTB3ZKHcAotjbwcxGDBmOM5E8IA0BKyJO_Dp8l4af1Y/s1600/RocheLimit-01-1-f56fe.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></div>
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The following is an excerpt of my review for this week, the full text can be found <a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/forum/the-news-stand/review-group-449-roche-limit-t104279.html#p10409956">here</a>.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Roche Limit #1 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Written by Michael Moreci</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Art by Vic Malhotra</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Colors by Jordan Boyd</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Published by Image Comics</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">There is a difference between a tired cliche and nodding to a book’s influences. Sure, there may not be any more original thought, but you can certainly be creative in the way you package those thoughts. From a glance at the front cover of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Roche Limit #1</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">; it is clear that this book wears its influences with pride. That is a Hickmanesque cover if there ever was one. More than any other book I have read, this book directly owes a debt to the way Hickman tells his independent stories. In design and with the computer readout spread of the layout of the colony in which the comic is set, Hickman’s revolutionary style watches over the progression.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Feel free to join in the fun. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Roche Limit #1 came out Sept 24 and can be bought at your <a href="http://www.comicshoplocator.com/">local comic shop</a> or at <a href="https://www.comixology.com/Roche-Limit-1/digital-comic/146866">Comiology</a>.</span></div>
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<br />Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-47387230151851669672014-09-29T14:48:00.000-04:002014-09-29T14:49:43.478-04:00Review Group Pick 10/1/14: Men of Wrath #1Angus H had the pick and I think he picked a good book to cover, we'll find out on Wednesday. (Will post link to the thread then)<br />
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<span style="font-family: TradeGothicBold;"><b><a href="http://marvel.com/comics/issue/51035/men_of_wrath_2014_1" style="background-color: #073763;">Men of Wrath #1</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: TradeGothicBold;">Published:</span> October 01, 2014<br /><span style="font-family: TradeGothicBold;">Writer:</span> <a href="http://marvel.com/comics/creators/11463/jason_aaron" style="text-decoration: none;">Jason Aaron</a><br /><span style="font-family: TradeGothicBold;">Cover Artist:</span> <a href="http://marvel.com/comics/creators/120/ron_garney" style="text-decoration: none;">Ron Garney</a> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763;">Ever since Great Grandfather Isom killed a man over some sheep, a black cloud has hung over the Rath family. Now, over a century later, Ira Rath, the coldest hitman ever to walk on Alabama soil, has taken a job that will decide the fate of his cursed family once and for all. Writer Jason Aaron (Southern Bastards, Scalped) and artist Ron Garney (Weapon X, Thor: God of Thunder) team up once again, to bring you the story of a Southern family, whose only heirloom is violence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763;">Join in the fun on Wednesday at <a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/forum/the-news-stand/">The Outhouse</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763;">Find this book at your <a href="http://www.comicshoplocator.com/Home/1/1/57/575">local comic shop</a> or at <a href="https://www.comixology.com/">Comixology</a>.</span></div>
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Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-16322818945276574522014-09-29T10:14:00.001-04:002014-09-29T10:14:48.343-04:00COMIC HYPE: FICTION SQUAD starts Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have to admit, I haven't read <a href="http://www.boom-studios.com/fairy-quest-outlaws-tpb.html" style="font-style: italic;">Fairy Quest</a>, but this book still intrigues me. First of all, I dig the concept. "Humpty Dumpty as a Whodunit?" Yeah, sign me up. This will be my introduction to the Fablewood landscape and I hope I dig it as much as I think I will. Then I will have to check out where it all started.<br />
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<a href="http://www.boom-studios.com/fiction-squad-01-cover-a.html">Fiction Squad #1</a> is scheduled for release on October 1, 2014. Buy it at your <a href="http://www.comicshoplocator.com/Home/1/1/57/575">local comic shop</a> or at <a href="https://www.comixology.com/">Comixology</a>.<br />
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I will be reviewing this book this week at <a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/">The Outhouse.</a>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-79424170296603512192014-09-29T09:54:00.001-04:002014-09-29T09:54:37.033-04:00Milligan's The Names is not out to make one for itself...Hello old friends,<br />
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I'm back. "Sorry I left you without a dope beat to step to..."<br />
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Apologies accepted? Good, on to business...<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-names-2014/the-names-1">The Names #1</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The High Window Part 1</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Written by Peter Milligan</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Art by Leandro Fernandez</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Colors by Cris Peter</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Published by Vertigo</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">I've kind of always though of Milligan as the poor man's Morrison. It always seemed like he was following that cat around on books. Things like </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Greek Street</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Shade: The Changing Man</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> struck me as the kind of drug dream books people seem to think Morrison is only capable of these days. There are bright spots, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Human Target</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> is an amazing book.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Names</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> kind of feels like a Dan Brown thriller set on Wall Street. In fact, that's exactly what it is. Mysterious death uncovers a larger conspiracy (however, Milligan makes the mistake of showing us that the mysterious death, isn't so mysterious. In fact, this book would have probably faired better if it had started on page 4.), the wife knows something is wrong, messages are given, cryptic clues and the conspiracy starts to reveal itself. It feels by the numbers, which is fine if you are wanting to read a Dan Brown book, I just expected more from Milligan. At least the writing is a bit better.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">The art is a big old mixed bag.</span> </blockquote>
Read the rest of <a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/forum/the-news-stand/review-group-446-the-names-t103928.html#p10409488">the review at The Outhouse.</a> If you disagree, feel free <a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/forum/the-news-stand/review-group-446-the-names-t103928.html#p10399397">to chime in with the group.</a><br />
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<b>The Names #1 </b>is available now at your local comic book shop or <a href="https://www.comixology.com/The-Names-2014-1/digital-comic/135976">Comixology</a>. Issue #2 is scheduled for release October 1, 2014.<br />
Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-65863220418915782202009-09-19T00:48:00.001-04:002009-09-19T00:49:46.826-04:00A noteTo my faithful readers.<br />I have been ill for several weeks. This has set me back on almost everything. I apologize for getting this started and then letting it lay fallow, expect it to return at a less break neck pace in the following days. First up is the end of the series on McCloud.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-31327333544844539412009-08-08T14:00:00.002-04:002009-08-08T14:00:01.067-04:00From the Reading Pile - Little Nothings: The Prisoner Syndrome<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgZz4yPLvQ-bGetg7TU7Fmc5geGe46hPZdPGrf3IsEAVhUOjPsMn5VC1Iz38WmyQ_PS-GafSr5xdIJw5QHKbhoBWNMhmOU5l-5WCJs2QydBjpSIMREMst5XCoPvFHoHwY0bM4sLvHUMbR/s1600-h/little+nothings.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgZz4yPLvQ-bGetg7TU7Fmc5geGe46hPZdPGrf3IsEAVhUOjPsMn5VC1Iz38WmyQ_PS-GafSr5xdIJw5QHKbhoBWNMhmOU5l-5WCJs2QydBjpSIMREMst5XCoPvFHoHwY0bM4sLvHUMbR/s320/little+nothings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367468925643674914" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.nbmpub.com/humor/trondheim/oddballhome.html"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Little Nothings, Vol. 2: The Prisoner Syndrome</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />By Lewis Trondheim<br /><br /></span>Trondheim describes the prisoner’s syndrome as<br /><br /><blockquote>It’s when someone’s locked up and isn’t doing anything. By Not doing anything, he gets more and more tired and has less and less desire to do anything.</blockquote><br /><br />Fearing this phenomena, he decides to do more festivals around the world.<br /><br />The Prisoner Syndrome is like A Moveable Feast. It is very stream of consciousness oriented and almost diary like. When Trondheim notices something about a place that interests him or has a clever idea, he jots a cartoon of it down.<br /><br />As a result, there is no narrative here. It is like a hip version of Family Circus. There is an overall theme going on about his life, but there isn’t necessarily any causal connection between pages. The elapsed time and location vary wildly.<br /><br />It is an amusing book. Probably best read like a joke book, a little at a time. It is funny in places and heart wrenching in others.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-14950662253766801692009-08-08T10:00:00.000-04:002009-08-08T10:00:02.826-04:00A Reading Pile Special: Understanding Comics Day Five<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtSVD7adNeaLIR2EovImhhmugvFeShAbgtxNQ0ABOydf2-fDR99T5qjyS-lVMar35TiscpkMMmHDeHGmDkdnGWr-aDVANodSy6K7gPNwEej5Bu0kSqvmLz0QMOmnOiYRFI1XrmS-FX4m0/s1600-h/uctime.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtSVD7adNeaLIR2EovImhhmugvFeShAbgtxNQ0ABOydf2-fDR99T5qjyS-lVMar35TiscpkMMmHDeHGmDkdnGWr-aDVANodSy6K7gPNwEej5Bu0kSqvmLz0QMOmnOiYRFI1XrmS-FX4m0/s320/uctime.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367471043447173074" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding Comics: Chapter Four - Time Frames</span><br />By Scott McCloud</span><br /><br />In this chapter, our intrepid author talks about time and how it is utilized and conceptualized in comics.<br /><br />It is a whole lot of theory. To be honest there is nothing super revelatory in this one. To anyone who has read comics for as long as I have, this is old hack.<br /><br />It is interesting to see that the lingering moody panel is relatively new to western comics. As was his discussion on how the box of a panel can change time completely - its shape, size, content, and lines can be powerful indicators. The rest is all conceptual talk about composition. It is extremely important to anyone who may want to create comics in the future, but not very interesting for talking philosophically. It is hopefully just a breather after the beast that was Chapter Three.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-55777276791624573312009-08-07T14:00:00.002-04:002009-08-07T14:00:01.081-04:00Witchfinder: In the Sevice of Angels #2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QYSgkVN4u_ZmIBONWY2hZcVYQ6Lq7YcBgL__46vFV7UfV7VH-J6ydWPeXYbNOXAG35Dyif-AVjhdbSPVDRDuI4BNG_dEEXAxXVjOwlB92bpzZwsWoAQvxFzQR4zM-a_yczpzwnWQYzfC/s1600-h/witchfinder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QYSgkVN4u_ZmIBONWY2hZcVYQ6Lq7YcBgL__46vFV7UfV7VH-J6ydWPeXYbNOXAG35Dyif-AVjhdbSPVDRDuI4BNG_dEEXAxXVjOwlB92bpzZwsWoAQvxFzQR4zM-a_yczpzwnWQYzfC/s320/witchfinder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367238820734648706" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.brokenfrontier.com/reviews/p/detail/witchfinder-in-the-service-of-angels-2">Witchfinder: In the Service of Angels #2</a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Written by Mike Mignola<br />Illustrated by Ben Stenbeck</span><br /><br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Mignola is laying out a period mystery drama with a supernatural foundation. One would expect no less from him. What is astonishing is that he makes this London of 1879 just as real as the settings he places the BPRD in during the Forties or where Hellboy lives out his story in the present. It is a fertile mind that can handle such diverse locales and times so capably. The mystery is tense in this one, the stakes high, but as of yet there is not a lot of out and out action. This isn’t a bad thing by any means. He is doing solid character work and that is to be commended. This book is as much about mood as it is the horrible.</p> <p>Mignola is giving us background in his larger epic here. It is great to see how far back his story goes. That kind of world building is what makes such a complex concept work. Here we see Victorian London’s dark corners, its alleys and the men who would profit at the expense of others.</p></blockquote><p></p>RIYL: <span style="font-style: italic;">Hellboy, The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft, Proof, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-68055712681132093072009-08-07T12:00:00.001-04:002009-08-07T12:00:00.937-04:00Star Wars: Dark Times - Blue Harvest #0<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjq82mKI41LAZv0UtY7ma9134mCEKaLifzGd_4RKPjcTh77aBLuJTRAqIxbDm4QKUWouT594J5enz2YhqKKSKPIhl_ch0RKYfKhoRAIgOexdh5jkDrDMwGVe6GJRpzITyqpTtKkrYuDNrY/s1600-h/star-wars-dark-times-blue-harvest.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjq82mKI41LAZv0UtY7ma9134mCEKaLifzGd_4RKPjcTh77aBLuJTRAqIxbDm4QKUWouT594J5enz2YhqKKSKPIhl_ch0RKYfKhoRAIgOexdh5jkDrDMwGVe6GJRpzITyqpTtKkrYuDNrY/s320/star-wars-dark-times-blue-harvest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367237274330605426" border="0" /></a><a href="http://brokenfrontier.com/reviews/p/detail/star-wars-dark-times-blue-harvest-0"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Star Wars: Dark Times - Blue Harvest #0</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Written by Mick Harrison<br />Illustrated by Douglas Wheatley<br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><p>Dark Horse reprints the two <em>Star Wars</em> chapters from their online anthology, <em>Myspace Dark Horse Presents</em>. The story is set up for the "Blue Harvest "storyline that begins in <em>Dark Times</em> #13. Evidently, a large demand for this introduction caused this #0 to see print.</p> <p>It is easy to see why. Harrison’s dense script is epic and exemplary of the heights of storytelling for which this franchise is known. The scope is breathtaking here. It is almost as if there is an illustrated version of the famous vanishing scroll that introduces each of Lucas’s films and as the score of John Williams quiets down, you can almost feel the fade.</p></blockquote><p></p>RIYL: <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Wasteland</span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-14495594480593581702009-08-07T10:58:00.003-04:002009-08-07T10:59:48.546-04:00A noteI blame Doom Patrol, but the Review Pile Special on Understanding Comics will not be happening today, tomorrow it will continue.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-57722956260147680552009-08-06T14:00:00.000-04:002009-08-06T14:00:00.351-04:00From the Reading Pile: The Black Diamond Detective Agency<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS89Zn2uj-63dmh9w3U-JwI98t4GOAYyZTR71paLhk_2Mqn6tkpBOA7culDcxVCzyo3_eZHEkKQsCgqYDo9hJx2ok9GqcuDgPFyZ95V75fdpLLXbAWmfh3Ljs4G2n9q685awxEGUq9v1VU/s1600-h/black+diamond.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS89Zn2uj-63dmh9w3U-JwI98t4GOAYyZTR71paLhk_2Mqn6tkpBOA7culDcxVCzyo3_eZHEkKQsCgqYDo9hJx2ok9GqcuDgPFyZ95V75fdpLLXbAWmfh3Ljs4G2n9q685awxEGUq9v1VU/s320/black+diamond.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366858035502966866" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/blackDiamond.html"><br /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/blackDiamond.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Black Diamond Detective Agency</span></a><br />By Eddie Campbell (from the screenplay by C. Gaby Mitchell)</span><br /><br />When a train explodes at the turn of the century, a devious plot is unearthed and the Black Diamond Detective Agency are the only people who can solve it.<br /><br />Campbell hits everything perfect here. The story is a hybrid of a Western and a pulp noir. There are twists and turns, deceptions and mob wars. It is a thrilling and gripping read that will keep the reader at the edge of their seat.<br /><br />As solid as the story is, it is Mr. Campbell’s art that is truly special here. He captures the feel of the time and the chaos of the explosion perfectly. His use of reds to underscore the mayhem without resorting to graphic depictions of the blood shed contained is restrained and genius. He leaves the more gruesome details to the reader. In fact, much of the action happens off the panel, allowing the reader to determine how a gun fight plays out, where a mark is hit, and what a mess must look like.<br /><br />The painted style gives the book a kinetic flow that feeds in to the cinematographic feel of the piece. His thick chunky lines make it look animated and his detailed backgrounds give it more of a photo realistic feel. Buildings, trains, and other large objects fill up entire pages with great detail and lifelike recreations.<br /><br />This is an exciting and worthwhile read with stunning graphics that should entertain anyone who likes the Western genre or is looking for a decent mystery yarn.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-28511073343659247462009-08-06T12:00:00.001-04:002009-08-06T12:00:02.953-04:00Kaboom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSM63I71UlE2aFO81GPugiepVhtL-JQa4wXiKFMyuIDfNueRWcGXcoFa4K2hIuMAbXcJpVD7fW7ftLcORjSrO04bds70NY0kmwnKWYVg3XRHrohyphenhyphen1TxaJUBVqWZgegjHr1CJfggJBMmal/s1600-h/kaboom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSM63I71UlE2aFO81GPugiepVhtL-JQa4wXiKFMyuIDfNueRWcGXcoFa4K2hIuMAbXcJpVD7fW7ftLcORjSrO04bds70NY0kmwnKWYVg3XRHrohyphenhyphen1TxaJUBVqWZgegjHr1CJfggJBMmal/s320/kaboom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366847283880775122" border="0" /></a><a href="http://brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/p/detail/trading-up-kaboom-volume-1"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kaboom</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Written by Jeph Loeb<br />Illustrated by Jeff Matsuda<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:small;"><blockquote>This book was written after the success of <em>Heroes Reborn</em> at Marvel. Liefeld and Loeb branched out on their own and started Awesome Entertainment. This was the first time Matsuda and Loeb worked together. So the question is, is this a masterpiece, guilty pleasure or something else entirely? <p>This reviewer is going to have to say it is a guilty pleasure. There are lots of fun elements. In fact, it would be my guess that the fans of Giffen and Rogers’ reimagined <em>Blue Beetle</em> will find much to enjoy here. It is after all, a comic about a high school kid balancing his life at school and as a hero. For my money give me <em>Star and S.T.R.I.P.E., </em>but the kids seem to disagree these days. In fact, given the popularity of that book and <em>Young Justice</em>, maybe this book started something and if so, then maybe I am being too harsh in the following critical look.</p></blockquote><p></p></span>RIYL: <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates 3, Star & S.T.R.I.P.E., Impulse, Young Justice</span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-26461292368128128312009-08-06T09:14:00.004-04:002009-08-06T09:46:41.193-04:00A Reding Pile Special: Understanding Comics Day Four<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIURqFs8pcqJMj-LtYSCpXfFZM8D4or72qYk_cYqaC5gd7QpkVZylllZxObC6kndgS8nF6p1gM7IkNAUAOSsEAIbt7yStsxnZCGHbXco-iST6fAJrBJYEBIaF0ZnNMBHGmzxavWZ-c2AUn/s1600-h/Understanding_Comics+gutter.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIURqFs8pcqJMj-LtYSCpXfFZM8D4or72qYk_cYqaC5gd7QpkVZylllZxObC6kndgS8nF6p1gM7IkNAUAOSsEAIbt7yStsxnZCGHbXco-iST6fAJrBJYEBIaF0ZnNMBHGmzxavWZ-c2AUn/s320/Understanding_Comics+gutter.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366845026491125122" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Understanding Comics</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Chapter Three - Blood in the Gutter<br />By Scott McCloud<br /></span><br />Wow. Stunning. While I found chapter two a little hard to digest, Chapter Three exploded with information.<br /><br />Here, McCloud describes “the gutter.” That space between panels which can take up seconds, years, or no time at all. He breaks down the types of transitions that occur in graphic narratives. I won’t bore you with those details, they are in the book if you are truly interested. Through these methods he notices trends in comics. What is most surprising is the fundamental difference in how Eastern and Western creators craft their stories.<br /><br />The West tends to be concise, balancing what is needed with what can be left to the imagination. However, in the East, more emphasis can be placed on panels that relate the same point in time, creating a more detailed portrait of a moment. Most often this is used to evoke a sense of mood that can be missing in our traditional comics.<br /><br />He also discusses a work’s length and abstraction on its effect to synthesize panels. His final conclusion is that the magic of the gutter is what raises comics above the level of some bastard child of visual art and prose.<br /><br />It is the single most enlightening thing I have ever read about comics and explains many of my own preferences. In Manga, it explains why I enjoy the atmospheric nature of <span style="font-style: italic;">Vagabond</span> over the more dense and Western <span style="font-style: italic;">DragonBall</span>. It is key in understanding why I enjoy Jason and Seth, finding more meaning in their minimalism than in the static realism of someone like Alex Ross. Don’t get me wrong, I like Ross, but am more likely to appreciate a panel individually over the sequence of art as a whole. Most telling is why someone like Bendis, who I enjoy thoroughly, for other reasons, drives me mad with his penchant for confusing panel layouts.<br /><br />So much of why I enjoy the comics I do is illuminated in this chapter. I feel spent. With six chapters left. I fear for my tiny brain. At this point, a pantomime strip will be a different experience for me. Already McCloud is shaping my opinion and view of my favorite medium. It is revelatory; and to be honest, a little frightening as well. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-66248240106327353842009-08-05T12:15:00.003-04:002009-08-05T12:21:37.375-04:00Review Group Week 182 - Doom Patrol #1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTZ1ZrlN9Kbc0IvqVM87zkP9qJzGccKVJUANnc76ZC4_PamD16wM8kb61nvMTfHz92-iC64ikdapwroYdBsUNF6I9fBGbOWLhEbg6TcAJvVnkCv642R_7gvQHnw4n21uue9lWefz6OW1e/s1600-h/doom+patrol.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTZ1ZrlN9Kbc0IvqVM87zkP9qJzGccKVJUANnc76ZC4_PamD16wM8kb61nvMTfHz92-iC64ikdapwroYdBsUNF6I9fBGbOWLhEbg6TcAJvVnkCv642R_7gvQHnw4n21uue9lWefz6OW1e/s320/doom+patrol.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366514707147438642" border="0" /></a>Another week, another book... this week, I had the pick and did not love my choices so I opened up a poll on the outhouse and at Facebook to let the people decide. They spoke loud and clear and as a result...<br /><br /><a href="http://dccomics.com/dcu/comics/?cm=12457"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Doom Patrol #1</span></a><strong><br />Written by Keith Giffen; co-feature written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis; Art by Matthew Clark; co-feature art by Kevin Maguire; Cover by Matthew Clark; Variant cover by Matthew Clark and Kevin Maguire</strong><br /><br />Come one, come all! The world's strangest Super Heroes are back, and they brought those robot guys along with 'em! Thrill to the strange adventures of the Doom Patrol, with script by Keith Giffen and art by Matthew Clark! Whether you think you know 'em or you wouldn't know 'em if they bit you on the behind, this Doom Patrol's for you! But that's not all! Read all the way to the back cover for the all-new adventures of those elemental everymen, the Metal Men, featuring the triumphant return of the creative team that brought you JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL! That's 40 full pages of comic-bookery for just under four American dollars. So why not try some Doom Patrol with a side order of Metal Men today?<br /><br /><ul id="book-info"><li class="first">DC Universe</li><li>40pg.</li><li>Color</li><li>$3.99 US </li></ul><a href="http://www.theouthousers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27014">Come join the fun!</a>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-60831318359259168352009-08-05T12:00:00.001-04:002009-08-05T12:00:05.200-04:00From the Reading Pile: Little Mouse Gets Ready<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLPiAvEVNfJKrhenZ4gXO900acyCWFb9YwxgK6yjrKzxG-nfh4FypBEx-fvEjOcbWdw1j1WZnACrzUfpsq9Iyr02P_hlUSJLJSWaekE1sP6wS81F5bNY3k_YzFkWXht0gEquk0sjHT3_K/s1600-h/little+mouse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLPiAvEVNfJKrhenZ4gXO900acyCWFb9YwxgK6yjrKzxG-nfh4FypBEx-fvEjOcbWdw1j1WZnACrzUfpsq9Iyr02P_hlUSJLJSWaekE1sP6wS81F5bNY3k_YzFkWXht0gEquk0sjHT3_K/s320/little+mouse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366343253569745842" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Little Mouse Gets Ready</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />By Jeff Smith</span><br /><br />The genius behind <span style="font-style: italic;">Bone</span> writes his first book that is solely aimed at younger readers. It is short, to the point and thoughtful. Mostly it is just plum precious.<br /><br />Little Mouse is going to the barn with his family. He rushes to get dressed, but will his attire be appropriate?<br /><br />This is a great book for any reader starting out. It is cute and will appeal to some of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Bone </span>audience, but it is clearly meant to be a primer.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-80423935553026861682009-08-05T10:00:00.005-04:002009-08-05T10:00:05.839-04:00A Reading Pile Special: Understanding Comics Day Three<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDIy5rwxszkk97QG1_lHq3ib91srNz42X_k3Ncb9thMN976wnMVGXK_1eBSI500uno_UTha4zmxHuLePqgcZpPMNoE6oDwen5Boa201-6IOYSs1Y9lUv6Koomm64Redx9qE0DopngH8QJ/s1600-h/uc+serious.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDIy5rwxszkk97QG1_lHq3ib91srNz42X_k3Ncb9thMN976wnMVGXK_1eBSI500uno_UTha4zmxHuLePqgcZpPMNoE6oDwen5Boa201-6IOYSs1Y9lUv6Koomm64Redx9qE0DopngH8QJ/s320/uc+serious.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365946596698857186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Understanding Comics</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Chapter Two - The Vocabulary of Comics<br />By Scott McCloud<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span>In the second chapter, McCloud tackles a much more complex topic. It is deceivingly simple at first, but builds to a problem that is harder to express.<br /><br />Here, he starts out talking about the medium through its two major components - namely, pictures and words. The bulk of this part is devoted to pictures, or to be more precise, Iconography.<br /><br />McCloud defines an icon as "any image used to represent a person, place, thing or idea." The discussion then moves to the simplified abstraction of cartooning. He eloquently states something that I have been struggling with in my reviews for two years. The emotional power of an artist like Jason over that of one like Alex Ross is what is ultimately the foundation of this concept. The universally identifiable abstraction of a cartoonist is more relatable and more real than the detail of the photo realist.<br /><br />Of course, with comics, it is necessary to examine words as well. They are at once more simple and abstract than a regular icon, but they are reliant on outside information. They are infinitely more complex because of the process which is needed to perceive their message.<br /><br />This is all followed by a lengthy discussion of the various combinations employed by different artists. He is looking for a single vocabulary to describe the synthesis created by the received information of iconography and the perceived reality of prose. He is successful in as far as stating their iconic importance and differences, but the true complexity of the subject means that his final analysis is not as clear as he would probably like.<br /><br />It is not that he doesn't express his idea well. He does, but it is difficult to understand exactly what he is getting at. This is due to the headier nature of this topic, it is not as readily coherent as the first chapter. Abstraction is always difficult to define and his effort here is both valant and borders on the sublime. It is like Pirsig's struggle with the notion of quality, it is unattainable as the safe end to his motorcycle journey. It is a necessary step in McCloud's own philospohical journey and despite its awkwardness, it will enlighten the reader on why they may prefer Herge over Jim Lee (or vice versa).Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-87515221682049941052009-08-04T15:00:00.000-04:002009-08-04T15:00:02.526-04:00Incarnate #1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nC_bXmUEuk7azqCjcvjJwtXTrqE3CfIbv-3sizMbOHqFOQoOVD3EyHbizdMa_hhyphenhyphenYU28AQla8V6DYPX4nGOxTMBH0bZUvY_L3QznVogWo26LDYghmUTkPOS0uUuE8vEzcAKCj_CFoQaU/s1600-h/incarnate-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nC_bXmUEuk7azqCjcvjJwtXTrqE3CfIbv-3sizMbOHqFOQoOVD3EyHbizdMa_hhyphenhyphenYU28AQla8V6DYPX4nGOxTMBH0bZUvY_L3QznVogWo26LDYghmUTkPOS0uUuE8vEzcAKCj_CFoQaU/s320/incarnate-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366129067257008914" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://brokenfrontier.com/reviews/p/detail/incarnate-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Incarnate #1</span></a><br />By Nick Simmons<br /></span><blockquote><br />Nick Simmons branches out on his own in this title. Long under the shadow of his father, that member of an infamous band, his only previous comic credit is as a writer on his dad’s <span style="font-style: italic;">House of Horror</span>s. Here he not only writes the script, but does the penciling as well.<br /><br />Radical calls <span style="font-style: italic;">Incarnate</span> an American Manga and that description is somewhat apt. From a panel design and stylistic point of view, Simmons seems to get manga as much as Adam Warren does in Empowered. However, the storytelling, the actual prose of the comic, is more straightforward like most traditional US comics.</blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>RIYL: <span style="font-style: italic;">Vampire Hunter D, Locke & Key, Pixu, Empowered</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-88901979566184409152009-08-04T13:00:00.002-04:002009-08-05T01:18:09.740-04:00From the Reading Pile: Flight Volume 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi5CE2Wv-jtkNkiy89da9fN0-7q6H6zSYCQodYBtd1DEmAQjzBZlCfj9blN9L1SMJunxm5KQOKHWP8g2vfytSCju27Rga3CSncsMTCrMZLNmeFsMurmXVgW6GlFvTo93Dy81Ai-HWVB_n/s1600-h/flight.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi5CE2Wv-jtkNkiy89da9fN0-7q6H6zSYCQodYBtd1DEmAQjzBZlCfj9blN9L1SMJunxm5KQOKHWP8g2vfytSCju27Rga3CSncsMTCrMZLNmeFsMurmXVgW6GlFvTo93Dy81Ai-HWVB_n/s320/flight.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365954994216562210" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flight: Volume Six</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />By Various<br />Edited by Kazu Kibuishi</span><br /><br />It almost seems moot to try to review this book in light of the ongoing feature here on <span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding Comics</span>. To a certain extant, it seems pointless to be trying to review any comic at this point in time, but I will keep trucking forward.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Flight</span> has long been the acme of the comics anthology. It has soared us to the highest heights the format can possible have us expect of it. While I have not been a fan of every story in the five previous volumes, it is easy to say that the love and creative power on display in this series is a testament to comics as a medium.<br /><br />That being said. This one is the first to falter. It is not to say that the creative energy and effort was not put into this volume. It is as well crafted, beautifully illustrated and entertaining as any of the previous volumes. No, the problem here is content. With the debut of <span style="font-style: italic;">Flight Explorer</span> a couple of years ago, which was this reader's first foray into the series, <span style="font-style: italic;">Flight</span> became the property of the more mature reader. There have been stories that were not necessarily suited to an all ages audience in past volumes - be it through innuendo, drug use, thematics, or what have you. <span style="font-style: italic;">Explorer</span> opened a division in the franchise, a place for the child to revel in its delights but be shielded from what might be viewed as improper for younger readers. It seems now that maybe that was not the intent. Maybe, <span style="font-style: italic;">Explorer</span> was purely an effort in younger reader fare, not all ages content. The difference between Jeff Smith's <span style="font-style: italic;">Bone </span>and his <span style="font-style: italic;">Little Mouse</span>. This should not be problematic, but then why is so much of what was on display in <span style="font-style: italic;">Explorer</span> present in this volume?<br /><br />On to the actual stories. The return of Daisy Kutter is welcome here. We also have the best entry thus far in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Saga of Rex</span>. Other returning favorites include Jellaby and Fish N Chips. Some of the best Pantomine comics ever are presented in "Dead at Noon" and "Walters". "Mate" is the most stunningly inventive design work of the year. All in all it is an entertaining volume, it is just curious why this volume seems to be <span style="font-style: italic;">Flight Explorer</span> expanded, instead of <span style="font-style: italic;">Flight</span> proper.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-89129336126638422962009-08-04T10:00:00.003-04:002009-08-05T01:18:42.137-04:00A Reading Pile Special: Understanding Comics Day Two<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZ2jRAFNQIcikbFbnNYDBpG1ylbXrB8EmZEaIzk70G7w_w3rizlwZsFfdbU09XsbRF05ZaRxGNtZ5LxvBuoSP9ckWytTDGCd230-s0YbDKENUu2XQNJ-nmxAsI5Xm06vH71EmmLa5q3Ht/s1600-h/understanding+comics+dif.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZ2jRAFNQIcikbFbnNYDBpG1ylbXrB8EmZEaIzk70G7w_w3rizlwZsFfdbU09XsbRF05ZaRxGNtZ5LxvBuoSP9ckWytTDGCd230-s0YbDKENUu2XQNJ-nmxAsI5Xm06vH71EmmLa5q3Ht/s320/understanding+comics+dif.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365436966234166850" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chapter One - Setting the Record Straight</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">By Scott McCloud</span><br /><br />McCloud begins his journey into the deeper world of comics in a unique way. He starts by poking a bit of fun at them. The writer was not initially enamored with the medium, even though he would grow up to change the face of comics through his work.<br /><br />In the Eighth Grade, his good friend <a href="http://www.busiek.com/">Kurt Busiek</a> truly introduced him to the world of sequential art. Scott’s world was changed forever. He sensed something deeper in comics, but was met by scoffing of a familiar sort about these feelings. This set his motor running.<br /><br />Why did people think comics were kid’s stuff, silly superhero books with bad art? So, the first order of business is to define comics. Partly to do away with the stigma, partly to open the discourse of the book.<br /><br />The simplest definition would be <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Comics-and-Sequential-Art/Will-Eisner/e/9780393331264/?itm=1">Will Eisner</a>’s. He defined comics as “sequential art.” Unfortunately, McCloud thinks that definition might be a bit too broad. So he comes up with a more detailed definition:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">com-ics</span> (kom’iks) <span style="font-weight: bold;">n.</span> plural in form, used with a singular verb. <span style="font-weight: bold;">1.</span> Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or produce an aesthetic response in the viewer.</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Hc-lfYuTCRaHeQ2ghbiLSKAQntu2sAjkYK2LnemDRv2mHeDLbAtqdbAJV9agrWkd34vi5iI7BBeRJqrkwnWJW8fEPz9AsMkYrAvQVmxARRpn9kMs9HPPZXGqXWlwnfnScJKMx9dgf0WW/s1600-h/8+deer+tigers+claw.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Hc-lfYuTCRaHeQ2ghbiLSKAQntu2sAjkYK2LnemDRv2mHeDLbAtqdbAJV9agrWkd34vi5iI7BBeRJqrkwnWJW8fEPz9AsMkYrAvQVmxARRpn9kMs9HPPZXGqXWlwnfnScJKMx9dgf0WW/s320/8+deer+tigers+claw.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365436535576279122" border="0" /></a>Using this definition, the author proceeds to look at the history of comics. He reaches past <a href="http://www.neponset.com/yellowkid/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Yellow Kid</span></a> and the onset of modern comics and talks about Egyptian Hieroglyphics, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Deer_Jaguar_Claw">Mixtec Manuscripts</a>, the <a href="http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/">Bayeux Tapestry</a> and more. He doesn’t attempt to pinpoint the genesis of the medium. History is not his goal here.<br /><br />His goal is to get the narrow perception of comics recognized as the bunk it is. This is a medium that goes back centuries and has produced a <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ASajL1zsziAC&dq=maus&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=1O50SurSDtKptgegos2WCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6#v=onepage&q=&f=false">Pulitzer Prize winning tome</a>. It is not Kid’s stuff.<br /><br />McCloud throws the gauntlet down from the very beginning. He is going to explore the qualities and possibilities of comics in depth. If what you it is all Superman and Spider-Man, he wants your biases out of the way fast. An open mind is going to be needed, cause he intends to expand it.<br /><br />I hope you will join me tomorrow for day three of this special look at Scott McCloud’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding Comics</span>.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-40867651573074617442009-08-03T23:16:00.003-04:002009-08-04T00:24:53.411-04:00From the Reading Pile: Pixu - The Mark of Evil<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0Ye_9FXDSpuv69Qn2RK8O-VqxzA3RbqJ_VTEmsDAMDa5I3fMsm0MRKTJqrmwKtDZ-b-f_10HzAJbYTR3uvtCcgYO43iNkjI3GmnMQNtGb3oLCzcRBgZVGbRRR4QzXz2iknhGutN8Xfia/s1600-h/pixu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0Ye_9FXDSpuv69Qn2RK8O-VqxzA3RbqJ_VTEmsDAMDa5I3fMsm0MRKTJqrmwKtDZ-b-f_10HzAJbYTR3uvtCcgYO43iNkjI3GmnMQNtGb3oLCzcRBgZVGbRRR4QzXz2iknhGutN8Xfia/s320/pixu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365942647851083810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pixu: The Mark of Evil</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">By Gabriel Ba, Becky Cloonan, Vasilis Lolos, and Fabio Moon</span><br /><br />Four of comics most, for lack of a better word, avant garde artists team up for one creepy story.<br /><br />When a strange marking appears in their apartment building, five people begin to have their lives changed.<br /><br />The story here is not the easiest to grasp. The "monster" is not a physical beast but a plague of the mind. The abstraction that crawls from the walls and windows into the characters is a feeling of dread, confusion, chaos, etc. These various dark thoughts creep into each of the tenants and eats away at them.<br /><br />This is one of the more disturbing reads in quite a while. As the evil is mental, there is no beast to be slain, outside the apartment and its occupants themselves.<br /><br />What is most astonishing is that the styles of the four artists blend together. They are, of course, complimentary, but there are moments when it is as if one artist did it all, even though you can definitively say it was this one or that in a particular panel. Collectively, they create a new visual vocabulary that is not present when they work individually.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pixu</span> is a ground breaking work of horror that will set its seed in the reader, much as it has its players.<br /><br />RIYL: <span style="font-style: italic;">Locke & Key</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sin Titulo, Strange Embrace</span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-56882127864365837042009-08-03T10:00:00.001-04:002009-08-03T10:00:02.130-04:00A Reading Pile Special: Understanding Comics Day One<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUsLvxWFxMU8woL4Eb3wBu59HUiPLE65x4LxDZaYyZuDA6_Wwx2TQKs-4KWagOsLqx58xqGjgZqa3__amTeON4MZwCgZ__6U_UYxYI37mT0hoPUcUwqttPZqYw2SZSM1J70T9nDlnNxeK/s1600-h/understanding-comics.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUsLvxWFxMU8woL4Eb3wBu59HUiPLE65x4LxDZaYyZuDA6_Wwx2TQKs-4KWagOsLqx58xqGjgZqa3__amTeON4MZwCgZ__6U_UYxYI37mT0hoPUcUwqttPZqYw2SZSM1J70T9nDlnNxeK/s320/understanding-comics.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365167257114308850" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/index.html"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />By <a href="http://scottmccloud.com/">Scott McCloud</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span>Okay, so today, I came to a special book on the Reading Pile. One that is remarkably different from any of the other books I have discussed thus far. As a result, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Reading Pile Specia</span>l is born. In this, hopefully, recurring feature, I will take a deeper look at a book than any normal review can entail.<br /><br />The first book being covered this way is <span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art</span> by Scott McCloud. This book is considered a touchstone in comics. It’s a comic about comics. Not the history of comics (although there is a very impressive one of those, <a href="http://www.eviltwincomics.com/cbc.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Book Comics</span></a>). No, this book starts with a definition of the word comics and then goes into detail as to what comics are and what they as a medium mean or are capable of.<br /><br />I’m excited to read this book. It’s analysis is supposed to be profound and it is regarded as a game changer. <a href="http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/faqs/cv.html">Garry Trudeau</a> said, “When the 215 page journey is finally over, most readers will find it difficult to look at comics in quite the same way ever again.”<br /><br />So join me, as I spend the next nine days look at each chapter in detail. I’ll probably write a more traditional review at the end, but no promises.<br /><br />A word of warning, even though <span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding Comics</span> is itself a comic book, I will not be criticizing McCloud’s art in these pieces. I will probably rarely, if ever, mention the art at all. I am more concerned with the content and the theories of this book.<br /><br />I hope you will be here tomorrow for the discussion on Chapter 1.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-40136575281243793782009-08-02T12:00:00.001-04:002009-08-02T12:00:03.568-04:00Review Classic: Ultimates 3 #1<span style="font-family: verdana;">I recently reviewed a book by Jeph Loeb (as soon as it is live there will be a link blog). It inspired me to look up this old one from the pre Broken Frontier days. With the writer and the recent end of the Ultimate Universe, this one seems like a good one to pull up. Originally posted at </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.ultimatecomicsonline.com/?p=417">www.ultimatecomicsonline.com</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAT_Km8XZJrMRq8AxclmdW6K7QulJIiYKW0rPIBKwTWlahmeT1-g0T02oLEuHdw_wusz9_kNMs0KasOccf-A_AbxtwqtdErpvbqbfV9iTYTcP9N9zeVitvz99v9J2cy4yR526I9XajBE6H/s1600-h/ultimates+3%27.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAT_Km8XZJrMRq8AxclmdW6K7QulJIiYKW0rPIBKwTWlahmeT1-g0T02oLEuHdw_wusz9_kNMs0KasOccf-A_AbxtwqtdErpvbqbfV9iTYTcP9N9zeVitvz99v9J2cy4yR526I9XajBE6H/s320/ultimates+3%27.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365178740208917522" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates Vol. 3 #1</span><br />Written by Jeph Loeb<br />Art by Joe Madureira</p> <p>I have not been a big supporter of the Ultimate Universe. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimate Spider-man</span> just rubs me the wrong way, I could care less about <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimate Power</span> and let’s face it, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimate X-Men</span> is where great writers decide to write garbage. All that being said there have been a few titles I have enjoyed. Three to be exact. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimate Iron Man</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates</span>. I was a huge fan of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Ultimates 2</span>. I have yet to read <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates Volume 1</span>, I have it in hardcover somewhere, but volume 2 started when I was just getting back into comics and to me, it was everything I ever wanted an <span style="font-style: italic;">Avengers</span> comic to be. It was dark and seemed like it could be happening here.</p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates 3</span> seemed like a good idea. Jeph Loeb has always been hit or miss with me, although I really like his Batman and Superman books. However, his recent work has left me cold. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Fallen Son</span> series suffered from being incredibly uneven in it’s writing and in a couple of issues (yes I am looking at you Spider-Man) laughably bad. His recent stint on <span style="font-style: italic;">Wolverine</span> was so bad that after the second page of the second issue of the arc, I gave up until Loeb went away. This book is just nonsense. Am I to assume that Hawkeye’s new darker image is a result of the conclusion of the last series? Well, to drastically change a character like that needs some development and any attempt at actual characterization is absent here. Instead of getting to be introduced to Ultimate Black Panther, we get hints at a mystery. In an incredibly poor choice (that I can’t believe Marvel editorial let happen), Loeb decides to make the book more adult by introducing an incestuous relationship and then never bothers to show why the involved characters feel this way. The rest of the issue is a big fight with a villain that is just an obvious plot device to bring Spider-Man onto the team. All of this leads to what is supposed to be a shocking cliff hanger, but the problem is, I didn’t have any emotional investment in the characters so I didn’t care.</p> <p>Joe Madureira is the artist on this issue. I work in a comic store, so while I was not reading books when he was drawing them, I get to see the mad passion that people have for his art. The muddiness (that is cause primarily by Lichtner’s colors) and over boxiness of the charaters made me rush to the back issue bins. I had to see what all those folk see in <span style="font-style: italic;">Battlechasers</span>. Well, I lucked out and had an issue six in the regular runs here at the mall store (note Ultimate Comics no longer has a mall store - check the link above for locations). I took a peek, the lines were strong and the colors bright. There was some boxiness, but it just gave a distinctive quirk to the art in that book. I rushed back to my copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates 3</span> #1. Then I rushed to look at the sketches in the back of <span style="font-style: italic;">Iron & the Maiden</span> #0, they resembled the <span style="font-style: italic;">Battlechasers</span> work. I rushed back to my copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates 3</span>. I am not convinced these are the same artists. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates 3</span> is the work of a sloppy amateur. Sure he has been out of the game for a while, but why let the prototype sketches in the back of a book he let someone else draw be more polished then his hyped return to comics? Go back to games, I don’t need you. Your best work is on the cutting room floor and I get this garbage when I spend money?</p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">Ultimates</span> you are on notice, you have one more issue to stay on my pull list. I am even giving "One More Day" more of a chance then that. You better bring it next time.</p>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-61000638353967903492009-08-02T10:00:00.000-04:002009-08-02T10:00:00.183-04:00From the Reading Pile: Daybreak Episode One<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_ba-zlGQZRSiflh0Q8ksO3Hkxw0yQavhJao8CbUHm68ut24Y85DLr_4lLv9Fmo_sedGyy4dYvJEQdAXEBx8mAiL3_B2r77cNh4FV1BqdmLG1-FsuoSY9PohVVFuT-MepgSnG5yRm-McH/s1600-h/daybreak.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_ba-zlGQZRSiflh0Q8ksO3Hkxw0yQavhJao8CbUHm68ut24Y85DLr_4lLv9Fmo_sedGyy4dYvJEQdAXEBx8mAiL3_B2r77cNh4FV1BqdmLG1-FsuoSY9PohVVFuT-MepgSnG5yRm-McH/s320/daybreak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364662352922602994" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Daybreak Episode One<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">By Brian Ralph</span><br /><br />A zombie book with two very unique qualities - no zombies and it is told in first person. The first person stands out the most. I don't think I have ever seen a comic from that point of view before. As with all first person narratives (especially in a visual medium), it works to a lesser extant than one would hope. While it is on its surface an awesome idea, it becomes contrived as there is no way to truly make it seamless. No matter the conceit, it is impossible for the reader to interact in the environment of the graphic novel.<br /><br />The lack of zombies is nifty. This isn't a <span style="font-style: italic;">Walking Dead</span> type thing where you see them in the beginning and end or every once in a while, there are NO ZOMBIES in this zombie book. This forces Ralph to make his characters sympathetic and believable. It is just a tad drawn out in this volume, but it works.<br /><br />Art wise, the book has a Jeffery Brown type feel. It is a cartoon with rough lines that are surprisingly consistent. The designs work and the story telling is as fine as it can be for the concept.<br /><br />This is an intriguing idea. Only reading further volumes will declare whether or not it is a particularly successful idea. Unfortunately, I don't think I am ready to commit more time to this one as of now.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;">For anyone interested in the book, it is distributed by Bodega and first appeared as a webcomic at newbodega.blogspot.com.</span></span></span>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-20384103812027384452009-08-01T14:00:00.000-04:002009-08-01T14:00:00.393-04:00Worth a Second Look: The Mice Templar, Vol. 1: The Prophecy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRbYn8F5vF1tDz8uNaeWsxttn_EyI-DmoqlmS6RT2z-1lpNEu6a3ygdtsD-FXGGr1VW5GZmvtboYFU5S3NusIvkMbm9nIulm4KVbJtc1UOEsBxDIbQTrG_NIxoNm1D3N4BRKw0vbsT2KC/s1600-h/mt1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRbYn8F5vF1tDz8uNaeWsxttn_EyI-DmoqlmS6RT2z-1lpNEu6a3ygdtsD-FXGGr1VW5GZmvtboYFU5S3NusIvkMbm9nIulm4KVbJtc1UOEsBxDIbQTrG_NIxoNm1D3N4BRKw0vbsT2KC/s320/mt1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364475861930009042" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Mice Templar: The Prophecy</span><br />By Bryan J.L. Glass & Michael Avon Oeming</span><br /><br />The adventures are Karic are a special journey that begin here. Long enthralled by the local Blacksmith's tales of an ancient order of Mice who keep all of mousedom safe, Karic is a boy prone to fantasy day dreams and eager to play swords and sorcery. When a stranger comes to town with a tale no one will hear, a dark destiny is carved out for our young hero.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Mice Templar</span> is a love letter to fantasy. It throws in a tablespoon of <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span>, a cup of <span style="font-style: italic;">Redwall</span>, a knob of Nymh, and a dash of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lord of the Rings</span>, but manages to come off not only as homage, but as a unique entity. This volume deals almost exclusively with how Karic becomes the last hope for an ancient order and a dying religion. He is not the first choice of the masters who need to see the legacy carried on, but he is a choice and that is something that they have long searched for.<br /><br />Glass and Oeming's story is magnificent in its density and scope. The schedule of these first six issues was a bit of a problem, it seemed to come out almost haphazardly. The amount of story presented in each chapter and the unfortunate, yet incorrect, assumption that all the mice looked the same, made it hard to follow on a bi-monthly or longer schedule. The momentum of the book was lost in between chapters. The new volume which saw its first issue released this past Wednesday promises to be different with a new artist and its next issue shipping in a mere two weeks. <br /><br />As you can see below, the review for that first issue of Volume Two showed that there was no love lost to this reader during the wait. That love for the story sparked this rereading and short review of the first part of the epic and it was not time wasted. This is a great story that is massively entertaining. Like those Lucas films that it seems to admire, this is one worth enjoying time and time again.Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698843715471658712.post-83496243266172547182009-08-01T12:00:00.001-04:002009-08-01T12:02:37.937-04:00The Stuff of Legend Volume I: The Dark, Book I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEc5YI9Z7nqBd-cju5CAB5DHdyVn2RZLMDpmRrUCA8rAa8OZxbk6RGpHuXj9SDDqCPTTTYCXjXG7YR_sLxDzYh8MCpGmYIqD0Y74wJ6SP-7PXNCuDTm7L2VyHPG5WhQo40jATZgO95r2R/s1600-h/stuffoflegend1_072809.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEc5YI9Z7nqBd-cju5CAB5DHdyVn2RZLMDpmRrUCA8rAa8OZxbk6RGpHuXj9SDDqCPTTTYCXjXG7YR_sLxDzYh8MCpGmYIqD0Y74wJ6SP-7PXNCuDTm7L2VyHPG5WhQo40jATZgO95r2R/s320/stuffoflegend1_072809.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364473355242138418" border="0" /></a><a href="http://brokenfrontier.com/reviews/p/detail/the-stuff-of-legend-volume-i-the-dark-book-i"><br /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://brokenfrontier.com/reviews/p/detail/the-stuff-of-legend-volume-i-the-dark-book-i"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Stuff of Legend #1</span></a><br />Written by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith<br />Illustrated by Charles Paul Wilson III<br /><br /></span><p>Imagine if Andy in <em>Toy Story</em> was kidnapped. Buzz, Woody and the gang would run off to rescue him, right? Well, there would probably be a crazy committee meeting where Rex and Hamm tried to get out of it first, but they would man up eventually. That is how <em>The Stuff of Legend</em> begins. It quickly takes on a more serious, brooding and darker tone then the Pixar film though. It’s setting and less playful narrative add to this sense; but do not be mistaken, this comic is no less magical.</p> <p>The first thing that stands out about this book is the design. This 8 inch by 8 inch square book opens to reveal a wood grained scrap book. (It is flat and on glossy paper, but you get the idea.) It is tattered, aging - brittle at the corners - and the panels make up the pictures filling it. The muted coloring of the book adds to the feel, a monochromatic relic, an artifact is in front of the reader. All of this creates a sense of history unlike any graphic narrative this reader has ever seen.</p><p>RIYL: <span style="font-style: italic;">Toy Story, Mice Templar, Unwritten, The Iron Giant</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Fables</span><br /></p>Lee Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01007370679108250376noreply@blogger.com0