There are dark clouds gathering on the horizon of BOOM! Studios’ Animal Pound. The first pages show us a rabbit running from a hungry dog. In the face of starvation, the order the animals have fought so hard for begins to crumble. Writer Tom King, artist Peter Gross, colorist Tamra Bonvillain, and letterer Clayton Cowles present pages drenched with both hope and dread in this week’s Animal Pound #2.
Writing
As previously discussed, Animal Pound is an homage to George Orwell’s classic novel Animal Farm. King shows us in this issue that he’s making big changes to the source material to tell his own version of the story. For one thing, the hierarchy of the animals is more immediately obvious than it is in Orwell’s tale. The dogs are the largest animals in the pound, the cats the most cunning, and the rabbits the most vulnerable. The dwindling of food supplies begins earlier in the plot than it did for Orwell’s livestock friends. Yet there’s plenty more to make Animal Pound nuanced in ways that its spiritual parent was not.
The unofficial leaders of the pound are Fifi the cat and Titan the dog. With this, King adds a layer of tension. Orwell’s story featured two pigs who were at odds with one another. They may have differed ideologically, but they were still the same kind of animal. With this change, King questions what it means to have power. The dogs can physically overpower any of the others, yet the cats seem like they could outsmart any of the animals. And as the animals realize that they need to find a solution to their diminishing resources, King introduces one final, brilliant element to the story that plants us firmly in the modern era. You’ll have to read it to see exactly what I mean. In Animal Pound #2, King pairs a poetic, metered, and eloquent writing style – which echoes Orwell’s own voice so gracefully – with contemporary themes to show us that we are still wrestling with the same obstacles Animal Farm warned us about so many years ago. Animal Pound suggests that the enemies are the same; it’s only their weapons that have changed.
Art
Gross’ art is incredible in its ability to convey details through such subtlety. Despite the fact that Gross’ subjects are all animals, and it ought to be complicated to show their expressions, he has no trouble clueing us in on what they’re feeling. In one of the first pages, when a dog chases a rabbit into a bush, Gross draws several cats and dogs who are slowly making their way over, curious about what’s going on. Through their understated body language, he begins to build the panic that must be spreading through the pound, as in each passing panel they realize their dreams of an ordered society might be slipping away.
Gross also brilliantly depicts time passing in one particular scene. As nine animals gather to discuss things, he uses the De Luca effect – drawing the same characters over and over again in the same two page splash – to show us how long their deliberations must be. Government, Gross points out, takes a tremendous amount of patience and willpower.
Coloring
Bonvillain’s use of colors is unbelievably brilliant. The scene of the dog chasing the rabbit, which ought to seem terrifying and ominous, Bonvillain colors brightly. When the dog holds the rabbit’s dead body in his mouth, the straightforward palette almost seems to ask the question “Isn’t this totally normal for dogs to do?” As the story progresses, we get plenty more scenes where Bonvillain seems to underscore the imminent doom in the text. Dark blues, deep purples, and intense greys surround the hushed conversations of characters who are trying their best to stop everything from falling apart. And yet, after Bonvillain sets us up with that very first scene being so innocently colored, there’s almost a sense of more dread every time the panels return to a brighter tone.
Bonvillain is asking us to look at the storm that’s brewing beneath the surface. When things look normal, are they? Or are the characters just getting better at convincing themselves they’ve fixed the problem?
Lettering
There are so many wonderful things that Cowles does with the lettering in this issue. For one thing, every growl, bark, and cry has a specifically designed sound effect for it. Each follows its own bumpy trail across the page, sometimes with the letters tilted in italics or stretched in an apparent panicked scream. You can hear the timber and rhythm of every sound. One of the best moments of Animal Pound #2, however, is when a rabbit is given the floor to speak to a group of other animals. The rabbit breathlessly and endlessly goes on about some problem that they have. Cowles letters the character’s word balloons so that its edges actually cut off the words they’re saying. It’s just a mass of unorganized text, blathered out as word vomit by an overeager bunny. It’s a great choice that lends itself to the story, while also giving you a moment to chuckle.
Verdict
Animal Pound #2 is another home run for this creative team. It differentiates itself even more from its spiritual predecessor, while keeping the soul of Animal Farm intact. This is not a simple rehashing of George Orwell’s tale. This is a comic for us, for now. In many ways, it feels like Orwell is still with us — he’s just changed his medium so as to appeal to the true intellectuals of our generation. Check out Animal Pound #2, out from BOOM! Studios this week at a comic shop near you!
The team behind Hotel REM is reuniting for SMALL TOWN SPIRITS, an all-ages original graphic novel exploring the origin of Halloween (and hitting stores just in time for the holiday).
The Dark Horse graphic novel is by writer Zack Keller, artist Gabriele Bagnoli, colorist Valerio Alloro, and letterer Frank Cvetkovic.
About SMALL TOWN SPIRITS: There’s a town in Ireland where people still do Halloween the old-fashioned way: an
annual sporting competition to honor the Spirits. Every year, the prestigious O’Dell
family makes an absolute mockery of the lovable but laughable Flanagan family at The
Spirit Games, dashing their dreams of winning. But this year, teenage troublemaker Pad
Flanagan plans to change everything. He tricks the Spirit of an ancient Celtic hero into
training his family for the big event and accidentally opens a supernatural floodgate of
mischief, magic, and monsters that threatens to destroy his town.
On SMALL TOWN SPIRITS, Keller said, “When I found out that Halloween came from Ireland — just like my family, the Fitzgeralds — I jumped at the opportunity to get reacquainted with my roots by writing this book full of charm, cheer and maximum spooky chaos.”
“Ireland is one of the places I love the most,” added Bagnoli. “With this script, Zack made me discover Irish traditions that I knew nothing about. I also got to draw lots of spirits, monsters and mythological creatures — great fun!”
Get your first look at the cover for SMALL TOWN SPIRITS right here:
SMALL TOWN SPIRITS hits comic shops on October 30th, and bookstores a day earlier on October 29th. The 88-page graphic novel is currently available to preorder.
Are you picking up SMALL TOWN SPIRITS when it hits shops this Halloween? Sound off in the comments!
Whenever a new comic, film, or TV series is announced, there is always an element of nervous anticipation. Many factors can influence the level of anticipation, and when it comes to remakes, reboots, or adaptations, no matter how hard you try, there will always be those who instantly dislike what has been announced. Luckily, for Mad Cave Studios, fans of Dick Tracy tend towards the positive—largely because there is a lack of new new stories, so any new product is a welcome one. Yes, it is always a gamble, but no matter what you thought of the previous incarnations of the great American detective, whenever anybody works on a title like this, you know they are putting 100% of themselves into it. The one thing that unites people who have worked on Dick Tracy in its near 100 years of existence is that they have a strong passion for the character and the world created by Chester Gould’s.
Gould was committed to producing the best comic strip week after week for decades. Warren Beatty had a concept for a movie version as early as 1975, with his passion for the project keeping him obsessed with it into the 1990s. And the new creators working on the Mad Cave comic all have exciting things to say about their work. In the press release for the comic, Michael Moreci said “We’re approaching it with great care – we don’t want to make a new Dick Tracy; we just want to make a Dick Tracy.” From a fan’s point of view, that is exactly what you want to hear.
Dick Tracy #1 (Alternative Cover by Shawn Martinbrough) Credit: Mad Cave Studios
Summarizing the plot of Dick Tracy #1 is difficult to do without spoiling some of the excitement of reading the comic and encountering the Dick Tracy treats that are included within its pages. We shall try our best: The story opens with <redacted> having a secret meeting with a journalist, dishing the dirt in an attempt to clear his conscience. The rendezvous is broken up by <redacted> who <redacted>, and leaves chaos in his wake. This brings <redacted> into the picture who teams up with Dick Tracy to bust the case open wide.
Clawing at the origin story originally penned by Chester Gould in 1931, this new Dick Tracy comic combines the soap opera narrative style of Gould’s early stories with the outlandishness of his creative pinnacle in the 1940s, the era that influenced the 1990 movie. It is fast-paced and action-packed, with a surprising amount of plot development in the first issue. There are a lot of exciting and compelling moments that come with a post-Tarantino cinematic feel. This is a modern day crime story owing as much to John Wick as it does Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal series. From the opening shootout to the closing reveal, this comic grabs hold of you and drags you along. This is how Junior must have felt in those early strips.
Dick Tracy #1 (Alternative Cover by Dan Panosian) Credit: Mad Cave Studios
Alex Segura and Michael Moreci are on writing duties, crafting a tale that is both new and old; a postmodern pastiche of Gould’s creation and subsequent offspring. It is a modern take on the early stories with a heavy leaning towards the noir, pulpy aspect of the characters and stories. The violence inherent in the narrative might seem more excessive spread across these glorious pages, but it is only the modern comic book artistic style that creates this impression. Chester Gould’s stories were packed with cruel, harsh violence that, at times, is shocking even to a modern audience. Warren Beatty’s take opened with the bloody massacre of a rival gang all in front of a young child’s eyes. There is no holding back and, like a runaway tram careening down a busy street, the story stops for no-one.
One of the most exciting aspects of the narrative are the recognisable characters that make welcome appearances. With a host of villains and companions to draw from, it is the choices that the writers have made that are intriguing. There are obvious characters in there (you can’t have Superman without Lois Lane, or Batman without Alfred), so one or two of the appearances in Dick Tracy will come as no surprise. However, some of the other choices are brilliant and get the fan juices flowing—a turn of phrase I won’t be using again. Talking about them, even who they are, verges on spoiler territory and, if nothing more, ruins the surprise, so their involvement will have to be examined at a later date. Just be reassured that if you are a Dick Tracy fan, this story delivers.
The Brazilian artist Geraldo Borges is drawing this new interpretation of Dick Tracy and has instantly created the perfect aesthetic for the noir detective story. Comic books are different to comic strips; the layouts are obviously different, with much more space to use, but also the pacing and storytelling are different. With a daily strip, there is so much that has to be crammed into a few panels, catching up readers from previous episodes and moving the story forward; the reductive nature of the art form plays a much bigger part. With a monthly comic book, there is a bit more space to breathe, especially in today’s market where story arcs are told over numerous issues and the one and done comics of yesteryear have mostly disappeared.
With that said, Borges has still embraced the urgency and straight forward storytelling of the comic strip in his work. There are panels comprised of simple forms denoting the characters, and he is not afraid to use blacked out foregrounds that cut a large hole into the page. These moments draw the eye and shape the page. They remind the reader of the nature of the story being told but also recall the black and white newspaper strips that birthed this franchise.
Dick Tracy #1 Credit: Mad Cave Studios
One of the defining qualities of Warren Beatty’s movie was the colourisation. Bright and bold, the movie went out of its way to capture a comic book colour scheme, turning its back on the realist aspects of cinema. Even though the movie gets a lot of negativity, that colourful aspect has become synonymous with Dick Tracy. This is something that colorist Mark Englert has clearly picked up on. The backgrounds reflect the mood of the scene and the costumes are garish and delightful. Tracy’s infamous yellow coat has not been dulled in the slightest. It blazes like a beacon on the page and, as a fan, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
The bright colours also serve a storytelling purpose, as they lead the reader through the page. Your eyes are drawn to the brightest colour, which is always the central character in that scene, and naturally follow that character across the page, from panel to panel. The focus remains constantly on the character that the writers want you to follow, with the extras almost becoming background. There is a reason why superheroes wear brightly coloured costumes, and this crime comic demonstrates that reason better than a lot of recent superhero comics.
You know you are in good hands when a speech balloon with two words in it can give you goosebumps. Letterer Jim Campbell’s recreation of the Dick Tracy title, which is used to announce the titular character’s first appearance, says everything you need to know about this comic. It calls back to the 90-year history of the character and the multiple media tie-ins, while also finding fresh, new ground to cover. Campbell is an expert at what he does, which is classic comic book lettering, and for the most part the speech drifts into the background. Visible but not noticeable. However, there are moments, especially with the sound effects, where the lettering takes center stage. There is one moment in particular, in the opening scene, that contains some astonishing lettering built into the fabric of the image. Again, it draws on the history of the character, referencing the opening sequence from the 1990 movie, but it is also new, a modern take on a classic idea. It’s just a shame that to talk about it too much would spoil the moment, spoil the excitement the reader will get from it.
And that is at the heart of this Dick Tracy comic: the excitement readers will get from this comes from the history of the character and the genre, and how the creators have lovingly used these elements to produce an homage to a great comic strip, but also all of the tie-in media that has followed since. Dick Tracy #1 does all these amazing things while also carving out its own modern story and style. It is both old and new.
Dick Tracy #1 Credit: Mad Cave Studios
It has to be said that I am a fan of Dick Tracy. Reading this comic is an absolute dream. It is everything that I want from a modern version of the character told in a comic book format. Each of the creators captures elements of the characters’ history and brings it together to tell a story that is captivating, compelling, and packed with sweet, sweet Easter eggs. Plus one of my favourite characters is central to the plot. I clapped my hands with joy at the mere mention of his name. However, if you are not a Dick Tracy fan, you will just have to enjoy the superb artwork, the loving homage to noir narrative, and the complex character interactions. Because that’s the real beauty of this comic, it is first and foremost a work of entertainment that anyone can pick up and read. The character archetypes and plot mechanics are so much more than Dick Tracy related throwbacks, the comic embraces the entire pulp noir genre. It is a very modern comic, using elements of storytelling that any comic book reader will recognise and understand. This has definitely been created by people who have a passion for Dick Tracy but it is not aimed just at that small fandom. You need to know nothing of the character or his history to read this. You can simply pick it up and enjoy it straight out of the gate.
Hopefully, this comic will be a gateway for a host of new fans, who can become lost in the history of the character and its creator Chester Gould. And, fingers crossed, it will bring new eyes to the 1990 movie, a new generation who can seek it out and agree that it is the greatest comic book movie ever. (This is a hill I am willing to die on.)
Dick Tracy #1 Credit: Mad Cave Studios
Dick Tracy #1 is published by Mad Cave Studios and goes on general release on April 24th.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL (2024) #1 hits your local comic book store on February 21st, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you!
About the issue: Groot has been on a journey for the past year, and all the growth and loss and heartache have been for this moment. Can the Guardians confront their pasts to ensure their family has a future? Grootfall comes to its triumphant conclusion!
The issue is by writers Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing and artist Kev Walker, with colors by Matt Hollingsworth, and letters by Cory Petit. The main cover is by Emilio Laiso and Bryan Valenza.
Check out our GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL (2024) #1 preview below:
Have you been following the story of “Grootfall” in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY? Sound off in the comments!
From writers Ryan Parrott (Power Rangers, Rogue Sun) & Noah Gardner, along with artists John J. Pearson (Mindset, Department of Truth) and Lola Bonato, comes a pre-apocalyptic tale of succession and the antichrist in The Infernals #1. Featuring letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, this opening issue starts us off with a unique premise and surprising character dynamics that bring this new series to us with a strong start. With a clever script and remarkable visuals, The Infernals is an easy recommendation for readers who like a splash of demonic prophecy in their crime comics.
“Abraham “Abe” Morgenstern, the son of Satan, has one month to live. Before he dies, he must decide which of his three wayward children—volatile narcissist Nero, conflicted field operative Jackal, or troubled schoolgirl Bee—will inherit his shadowy empire. But will Abe ever be able to truly cede control of the Apocalypse? Or does the Antichrist have something else up his sleeve…”
Writing & Plot
Ryan Parrott and Noah Gardner have come up with a really fun formula for The Infernals #1. The son of Satan himself Abe Morgenstern, in charge of starting the apocalypse, just found out he has terminal cancer. In order to ensure the plans of the great adversary are still carried out, Morgenstern summons his three children – psychotic businessman Nero, conflicted arms dealer Jackal (feels like a little Far Cry 2 reference), and mass shooter in training Baphomet. Along with his advisor, the goat-headed Sam, the group begin to figure out who should take the reigns of both Abe’s criminal empire, and the duties of overseeing the end times. The entire premise is fantastic, but what really brings the idea home is how casually most of the comic plays out. The conversations between Morgenstern and Sam (again, an actual goat-headed demon) switch between boring boardroom speak and the words of a man speaking to his closest confidant. The scenes that introduce the kids and their unique devil-given abilities are great flavoring, but it’s the quiet moments with the patriarch that are the best here. There’s a great moment of catharsis where Morgenstern tells off a prospective new project manager, and she’s a stereotypical silicon valley tech-bro type. Even Satan-born mega-criminals can’t stand tech millionaires. The character dynamics are very engaging as well, with the whole cast having distinct personalities. It’s hard not to keep comparing the story to Succession, but the similarities are all so obvious. The Infernals is off to a sharp, clever start with a very fun opening script.
Art Direction
The Infernals #1 is also infernally blessed with the unmistakable art work of John J. Pearson. His unique use of pencils and color art, with the help of Lola Bonato, creates a deeply atmospheric artistic experience akin to the work of Bill Sienkiewicz and Dave McKean. With this style, Pearson maintains an unsettling tone throughout the entire issue. Another highlight is how he frames characters during important dialogue scenes. As I mentioned earlier, the conversations between and Morgenstern and Sam are some of the best parts of the book just by how plainly they’re presented. The close-ups on Sam’s face as he advises his charge come off as a bit funny because of his appearance, but at the same time the reader is seriously drawn to these conversations. The sequences where we meet the siblings are great as well, as Pearson directs the reveals of their powers with a sense of suspense. Haunting close-ups mix with moments of twisted familial humor, all at a steady pace that lets each sequence breathe. The lettering from Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou is another visual highlight. His work here is also reminiscent of the Vertigo era work of Clem Robins and Todd Klein, but with some modern flourishes. His hand-drawn lettering takes harsh turns where is expands into massive red scrawling during screams of pain or one of the siblings using their devilish abilities. Overall, The Infernals is a stunning work of visual storytelling with a unique stylistic approach in every respect.
Verdict
The Infernals #1 is an engrossing, fun take on both the biblical apocalypse and crime storytelling. Ryan Parrot and Noah Gardner’s script is compelling from page one, and uses great dialogue and characterization to sell readers on this unholy enterprise. The visuals from John J. Pearson are stunning and atmospheric, with his use of pencils and shading making for one of the most unmistakable comic books on shelves today. Be sure to grab this issue when it hits shelves on February 14th!
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #4 hits your local comic book store on February 14th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!
About the issue: Superior Spider-Man’s greatest foe has always been Peter Parker’s own memories. With Anna Maria’s life at stake, Otto seeks to not only be the Superior Spider-Man but the ONLY SPIDER-MAN.
The issue is by writer Dan Slott and artist Mark Bagley, with inks by John Dell, colors by Edgar Delgado, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Bagley and Delgado.
Check out our SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #4 preview below:
Are you reading SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN? Sound off in the comments!
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #16 hits your local comic book store on February 14th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: Hobgoblin. Only one can win the Gang War raging across Brooklyn. But Hobgoblin’s master stroke is about to fall, and if it does, he’ll be the most powerful super villain in all of New York City. A traitor is in their midst – and this single betrayal could define the rest of Spider-Man’s life!
The issue is by writer Cody Ziglar and artists Federico Vicentini & Federica Mancin, with colors by Bryan Valenza, and letters by Cory Petit. The main cover is by Vicentini and Richard Isanove.
This story is a part of Marvel’s “Gang War” crossover that is happening across the Spider-Man books and other tie-in titles.
Check out our MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #16 preview below:
Are you reading MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN? Sound off in the comments!
WHITE BOAT #1 is out March 27th, and thanks to DSTLRY, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive first-look at artist Ryan Stegman’s variant cover for the book!
About WHITE BOAT #1: From the acclaimed team behind Detective Comics and Night of the Ghoul comes a modern horror classic! White Boats are the mega-yachts that the super-rich use to traverse the globe—floating islands where your every desire can be fulfilled. And getting invited on board one should be a dream come true…that is until the crew traps and transports you to a remote island where secret cults have existed for millennia, working on something called “The Human Project.” Does the White Boat ship you to paradise or sink you into hell on earth?
WHITE BOAT reunites Scott Snyder, the visionary writer who redefined comic book dread with Wytches and introduced Batman into a terrifying, cerebral era, with modern noir master Francesco Francavilla for a white-knuckle descent into Lovecraftian maritime madness!
As stated in the solicit, the series is by Scott Snyder and Francesco Francavilla.
DSTLRY is a new publisher, having launched last year with THE DEVIL’S CUT one-shot. Creators not only own their own work published through DSTLRY, but they also own a piece of the company itself. The publisher also allows readers to resell their digital copies on the DSTLRY marketplace. You can read more about DSTLRY and what sets them apart from other publishers here.
Get your first look at Stegman’s cover for WHITE BOAT #1 right here:
Are you picking up WHITE BOAT #1 when it hits shelves? What’s been your favorite book from DSTLRY so far? Sound off in the comments!
Marvel Comics’ Avengers: Twilight isn’t just an exciting concept; it’s a complex and nuanced exploration of the times we live in. Writer Chip Zdarsky, artist Daniel Acuña, and letterer Cory Petit bring us yet another flawless, destined-to-be-classic issue in Avengers: Twilight #2. This is an issue that’s full of characters who are trying to convince themselves they can live life like they’re in a simple, straight-forward comic book world. But that’s not the world they live in now, and try as they might, things aren’t as simple as just hitting a reset button. This creative team dives deeper into their themes of nostalgia, control, and rebellion.
Writing
Zdarsky’s script continues to feel as multi-layered as real life. No one is fully right, no one is completely wrong — with perhaps only one exception (you’ll have to read it to see who I mean). The last issue showed us what it’s like for Steve Rogers to live and age — without the help of his Super Soldier serum — under an oppressive government. In Avengers: Twilight #1‘s final moments, he found a way to get his powers back, and joined the Defenders, a clandestine group of freedom fighters who rally under Luke Cage’s leadership. And while characters like Luke Cage and Steve Rogers seem to be paragons of virtue, Zdarsky shows us that their singlemindedness is not only naïve, but it fails to see what their war will cost other people.
Yes, they’re fighting a fascist government that’s brutally keeping its populace in line. And yet, after the events of Heroes’ Day, it makes an awful kind of sense that the nation would have to use extreme methods to keep its most powerful citizens in check. As we dive deeper into this story, we see that every character seems to believe they know what’s best for everyone, and all of them are wrong in some ways. Zdarsky’s world of Avengers: Twilight isn’t a world of primary colors and flashy action sequences. This is a world where moral stances lead to collateral damage. This is a world where fear radicalizes even the most well-meaning. This is a world where the wealthy elite dictate what the media puts out, and no one knows where to get trustworthy information. Avengers: Twilight is full of colors that have faded with time. Nothing is black and white. Everything is grey.
Art
There’s another reason that Avengers: Twilight feels so real, and it’s Acuña’s stunning artwork. Acuña straddles the line of detailed realism and stylistic minimalism with unmatched grace. At times, we see every wrinkle, scar, and mole. Acuña populates many of his backgrounds with meticulously rendered characters — who you have no trouble believing have full lives outside of their one panel. Other times, buildings, people, articles of clothing, or even details on someone’s face, are presented as a block of color. It gives this work an incredible dynamism and also shows us that the details that are there are there for a reason.
There’s a few places where it seems like Acuña has certain people in mind as he draws. Steve often looks like a haggard Robert Redford. Jarvis’ jowls and chin make him look a bit like Marlon Brando. Luke Cage gives us that same tired expression we see from Danny Glover. What this does, though, is it makes each character look distinct. And hopefully, somewhere out there, a Marvel exec will wonder if this would be a good movie. (Hint, hint. It would be perfect!)
Coloring
Acuña’s use of colors is impeccable. As you might expect, there are lots of reds and blues in this issue. In many ways, it comes to represent the resistance fighters. Their base is often shown in varying hues of crimson and cerulean. It’s in the glow of their screens and the gleam of their dull fluorescent lights. It shows up in their uniforms and battle plans. Their confrontations with others Acuña also colors this way. The brightness of the page accentuates the sudden influx of danger.
Yet, when we see the rest of the world, outside of the resistance’s hideouts and skirmishes, there’s not nearly as many primary colors. Instead, we see a lot of browns, greens, greys, and blacks. Maybe Acuña is suggesting that Steve, Luke, and the rebels are longing for a world that doesn’t exist anymore. They want to go back to the simplicity of the good old days. But simple isn’t the same as good. The intricate, gorgeous work that is Avengers: Twilight is surely proof of that.
Lettering
There’s so much to love about the lettering of this issue. Acuña seems to work a lot of the sound effects into the artwork himself. The CRACKs, POPs, THUDs and BLAMs of the issue all blend seamlessly into each panel. (If this is Petit’s work, that’s even more impressive! He compliments Acuña’s style perfectly.)
Petit’s work with the dialogue and captions is fantastic. Everything from character’s whispering in smaller font to their cries of surprise leaping out past the bounds of their word balloons. There are two points that Petit pushes the story forward perfectly, though. At one point, one character is faced with the fact that they could be doing more. They have their eyes closed, but their face is directed down and towards the words that beg for their help. Petit makes this connection between what we see and what the character hears by making it look like even they can’t bear to read those words on the page. Later, Petit gives us the sense that someone who is speaking through multiple mediums is everywhere. We see them say their first few lines with a word balloon coming from their mouth, but as they go on the balloons are instead coming out of screens elsewhere in the panel. It’s a brilliant way to drive home the point of that moment.
Conclusion
The first issue of this series flawlessly introduced us to a new world. Avengers: Twilight #2 picks it up from there and shows us that these characters want their old world back. Zdarsky, Acuña, and Petit leave us wondering if it’s really as uncomplicated as all that. You do not want to miss this issue, out from Marvel Comics now at a comic store near you!
The announcement of a new Dick Tracy comic coming out from Mad Cave Studios is an exciting one, especially for me. I’m a big fan of the Dick Tracy property, and the general scarcity of material fuels that obsession more than dampens it. When out in old book shops or antique stores, my eyes are constantly peeled for anything Dick Tracy related. It’s not often that you find something, but—occasionally—a sweet little gem shines from behind a mountain of old steel and chipped glassware. Is that a die cast 1990s scale model of the Dick Tracy movie car? Don’t mind if I do. Is that Dick Tracy Volume 1:The Collins Case Files hidden on a shelf of Marvel Essentials books? I think we’ll liberate that.
In essence, I look for Tracy everywhere. (Phew, managed to avoid a double entendre there.)
The problem, from a fan perspective, is that there has been very little new product featuring the American Detective. A new daily comic strip is still there, available to read. The current storyline involves a murderous magician with a cast of extras all apparently named after Doctor Who actors. But new comics, books, or other media are few and far between. The thought of an actual brand new comic is exciting, especially as the talent involved, and the preview material currently doing the rounds, appears to embrace the Dick Tracy look and tone.
There have been a couple of comics over the last few years, starting with Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive written by Michael and Lee Allred and drawn by Rich Tommaso. The colouring by Laura Allred was possibly the most interesting part of the comic, as the style and the tone of the comic seemed to stray too far from what makes Dick Tracy exciting. It’s important to experiment with a format, to push boundaries and try new things with old characters, but the flip side of experimentation is that not everything works. In my opinion, Dead or Alive was one of those that failed.
Dick Tracy Forever #4 Published by IDW Publishing
This was followed up by Dick Tracy Forever published by IDW, and written and illustrated by Michael Avon Oeming. Favouring a more traditional Tracy style story and presentation, Dick Tracy Forever had a very nostalgic feel to it. Each issue was packed with little extras that added a fun dynamic to the comic while also setting the tone. Ultimately, the mini-series ran out of steam, and the denouement was quirky but unsatisfying. Oeming, however, did demonstrate a love of the character and an understanding of the long history of the comic strip.
And then there was the Archie Comics Dick Tracy reboot written by Alex Segura and Michael Moreci. Except there wasn’t. A new monthly series from the writer of Roche Limit and due to be illustrated by Thomas Pitilli was devised and even announced but never saw the light of day, thanks largely to a legal dispute between the Tribune Company, home of the Dick Tracy comic strip, and Warren Beatty, who shouldn’t need an introduction. The court case ruled in Beatty’s favour, putting a stop to a whole host of Tracy related plans.
One of the reasons that I am such a fan of Chester Gould’s creation is that, despite the limited amount of material available, there is still a wide range of products to get your teeth into. The original comic strip started in 1931 and is still going, having been helmed by a number of different writers and artists, each giving their own stamp to the comic. Several film versions and a number of comics add to the stack of interpretations that you can digest and discuss. So, with that in mind, here are five things that I love about Dick Tracy. After all, everyone loves a listicle, don’t they?**
Painting of the Dick Tracy Rogues Gallery from the late 1940’s
The 40s Villains
When Chester Gould first created the comic strip, originally named Plainclothes Tracy, it was a little rough and ready. The story elements were there from the very beginning, as were a number of the characters who barely changed over the decades. However, the art and the storytelling was inconsistent, and some of the stories lacked momentum, which is especially noticeable when reading in a collected format. One strip per day over several months might have managed to hide some of these initial teething problems.
However, when Gould found his stride, the stories were magnificent. He created a wonderful cast to keep Detective Tracy company, and the villains… oh the villains. The last 90+ years of comic strips has produced the best rogues gallery of any comic, better than any superhero you care to mention. And it was in the 1940s where Gould’s brilliance for creating villains really came into its own. Most of the adversaries that people will know, and who appeared in the 1990 movie, came from this decade of the comic strip. Nicknamed “the grotesques,” the characters’ physical attributes mirrored their crimes or elements of their characteristics. This gave birth to a host of putrid, perfectly designed characters who chewed the panels up better than any hammy actor. Their appearances were disturbing but also compelling. It’s difficult to pick a favourite as they all have something going for them, either in design or narrative. However, if pushed, my personal favourites are Flattop, BB Eyes, Littleface Finney, the Mole, Crewy Lou (technically from the 50s). And we can’t forget Mumbles, a character designed not to be understood but given long conversations on a small, three panel comic strip. The audacity.
If you want to read Chester Gould at his best, read a chunk of the strips from the 1940s. You won’t be disappointed.
Dick Tracy (1990) Movie poster
The Best Comic Movie Ever
If you’ve read many of my previous posts, you may have come across some of my writing on adaptations, especially comic-to-film adaptations. And while everyone is talking about superheroes and anime, I will argue that 1990’s Dick Tracy is the best comic book adaptation. While others may translate the narrative of a comic to film more faithfully, the Warren Beatty Dick Tracy movie adapts the formal qualities of the medium from page to screen in a compelling, almost beautiful, way. The outcome is a movie that employs the properties of a comic while still maintaining the aspect of cinema.
Most movies try to provide the audience with a recognisable interpretation of reality. The images are based in photography, capturing the world as it is. Comics are based on reduction. The images are distilled and reduced to the bare minimum to tell the story. Every line matters, and nothing is superfluous. This is especially true of the comic strip where space is limited. What Warren Beatty does is take that limited space, that reduction of image, and create a cinematic version of it. Situated cameras that don’t move, limited colour sets and props, and a distinct lack of detail in the scenery. All of these things are inspired by the comic strip. Beatty bends over backwards to give the audience the experience of reading a comic.
For some, the film is a failure. They become hung up on the simple, fast-paced plot and seeming lack of character, but they miss out on the true spectacle of the movie. The attention to detail in the presentation and the design work on the sets, props, and make up is outstanding. The music is excellent and the actors are loving the opportunity to ham it up. Al Pacino is in his element, as are Beatty and Madonna. The cast list is superb, playing their parts as comic strip characters. I mean, one of the central characters, played by Dustin Hoffman, is designed not to be understood and he is given the talkative part of stool pigeon, ratting out the rest of the criminal organisation to the hard working police department. The audacity.
Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins
In the late 1970s, when Chester Gould decided to retire from writing and drawing the Dick Tracy comic strip, he passed the duties on to his then-assistant, Max Allan Collins. Collins immediately made the strip his own. He returned it to its heyday ethos of character-driven violence and adventure. He removed the links to Gould’s experimental space-age narrative in a single swift, brutal, strike: killing off Moon Maid, Tracy Junior’s wife, and daughter to the moon people’s Governor. This allowed Collins to write out the off-worlders, never to mention them again.
From there, Collins delved into the history of the comic strip, bringing back those villains who managed to avoid a violent death, or family members of the deceased, out for revenge. He streamlined the cast and put right the narrative mistakes of Gould’s later years.
Although the strips are harder to come by (here’s hoping that IDW can come to some sort of arrangement for publishing the Collins Years) they are worth finding. But, if you can’t, there are a number of other Collins scripted comics and novels worth reading. Any of the Road to Perdition comics or books are a must, and his collaborations with Mickey Spillane are wonderful.
Dick Tracy introduced me to Max Allan Collins, and for that I am eternally grateful.
A Script for the long running Dick Tracy Radio Play
A Face for Radio
I’m a fan of radio drama, and the blame for that rests with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. But of course, over the years, I’ve listened to—and enjoyed—the Dick Tracy Radio Show. The ability to capture the flair and spectacle of a visual medium like comics purely with sound is fascinating to me. There is something in the way that the visual characteristics are transformed into audible ones, and the reduction of the image translated into limited sound, that makes the adaption of a comic strip to radio intriguing and almost a natural step. Even more so than film or television, which is a strange thing to say. The two mediums complement each other and there is little concern for visual fidelity, which often hampers movies.
I don’t think that it is a coincidence that most of my favourite comics are just one part of a multimedia franchise. Planet of the Apes, Tales from the Crypt, Doctor Who, and of course Dick Tracy, all spread their wings across multimedia, transforming and growing with each iteration, The flow is very often never one way either, like with superhero comics, but each version feeds off the others, with design, narrative, and stylistic choices influencing future projects. There is one big, melting pot of a franchise where no part is more important than another. I rub my hands in excitement just at the thought of it all.
A Young Ned Flanders making friends in The Simpsons
My Favourite Simpsons Gag
In one of the earlier series of the hit cartoon The Simpsons, there is an episode that examines Ned Flanders’ childhood. The audience are introduced to Ned’s hopeless, beatnik parents who can’t bring themselves to discipline their child, who in turn runs riotous rings around them. In one scene a video is playing, it shows a young Ned run into a room and start to beat up the other kids, who were quietly playing:
“Whee! I’m Dick Tracy. Bam! Take that, Pruneface. Now I’m Pruneface. Take that, Dick Tracy. Now I’m Prune Tracy. Take that Di-”
The simple ones are the best.
New Dick Tracy from Mad Cave Studios
The Purpose
Anyway, the purpose of this post, and the impetus behind it, is that Mad Cave Studios are putting out a new Dick Tracy comic later this year. And from what has been released so far, it looks magnificent. Another spoke in the wheel that is Dick Tracy, and one that I can’t wait for.
*The article title is a quote from Now I’m Following You by Madonna
**No. No they don’t. Listicles are a lazy internet gimmick used to hide bad journalism behind click counts.
