The late Darwin Cooke is famous for his fantastic art style. He usually was called in for stories published by DC Comics, such as Catwoman and Batman Ego. In 2004, He was approached to make a Justice League story that would bridge the Golden Age of Comics to the Silver Age. He quickly got to work in creating this story, and soon DC: The New Frontier was born. How does this take on the transitional era hold up?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Due to the size of the story, focusing on the age, we follow three protagonists closely. The first is J’onn J’onzz, who, after being brought to Earth on accident, seeks to find his way home. With rising tensions of the Cold War, he worries he’ll be found out as he goes about his daily life. However, it’s not just J’onn as Barry Allen also tries to find a peaceful existence in a world where masks are frowned upon.
The last character we follow is Hal Jordan, a former air force pilot, as he is recruited for a space mission to Mars alongside Task Force X. The group learns of J’onn’s existence and worries his people will end up a threat to the world.
This story is big, and even that is an understatement. While the summary may focus on three characters, it truly focuses on the period between the Gold and Silver ages of comics. We see Golden Age DC heroes such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman adapting to a world that questions their intent. At the same time, the Justice Society of America is put on trial. It’s genuinely fascinating to see how this time period looked to their heroes as one war ended and a new one began.
Out of the three listed above, Barry’s story is shown the least, yet it is the most intriguing. While Jonn’s evolution from visitor to cop to hero is very well done, Barry goes through a bit of growth himself. He takes the name of The Flash and does his part to help Central City and is appreciated for it. When the government tries to capture him, Barry begins questioning his position. Should he continue down this path when the government would try to vilify him? While it’s obvious what he chooses, Barry’s story is a prime example of the real issues of this time.
Art:
Darwyn Cooke is well known for his fantastic art style, and it fits perfectly here. He captures an old school feel, calling back to the style of the legendary Jack Kirby. To keep up with the authenticity, he looked to design the heroes as close to their original looks as possible. Superman is designed to match his old cartoons, Batman and Jonn match their original comic appearance, even an explanation of why Hal wears his Green Lantern mask.
Cooke also manages to include a variety of references to the period. Television personalities, celebrities like Cassius Clay and Frank Sinatra, and even C-List heroes by the time the final battle comes around. This DC world of a time long past looks excellent even by today’s standards.
Conclusion:
DC: The New Frontier presents a fantastic recreation of a time long past. This world is full of references to the history of these characters we’ve grown to love. The art matches this world perfectly, calling back to the comics of yesteryear. The issue, sadly, is it’s too big to enjoy fully. The story is good, but the amount of hopping around we have to do detracts from the plot. Darwyn Cooke created more than just a story when he made this series. He made a world where legends were born.
Booster Gold may seem like a complete imbecile on the outside who’s only chasing fame, but Booster Gold (VOL. 2) #5 shows just how much of a hero he truly is.
To get the full story, we need to look back at Countdown to Infinite Crisis, 52, and the first few issues of Booster Gold (VOL. 2) #5; hereafter, dubbed Booster Gold #5.
Spoilers for issues leading to Booster Gold #5 and Countdown to Infinite Crisis, 52 follow.
BLUE AND GOLD
Ever since their meeting in the 80’s Justice League, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) became inseparable friends, dubbed Blue and Gold. The two went on to rely on each other for nearly everything, while completely understanding one another. When no one respected them or their opinions, they had their friendship—the type of friendship everyone wants. But during Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Blue Beetle learned of Maxwell Lord’s plans with the Omacs and went to stop him. Blue Beetle was shot dead. Booster Gold lost more than a friend.
Following this, Booster Gold went and saved the Multiverse in 52, but with such knowledge, he couldn’t tell anyone. This made him “The Greatest Hero You’ve Never Heard Of.” The second volume’s fantastic tagline. Nonetheless, he constantly had the death of Blue Beetle in the back of his mind, especially after learning it was a dear friend that killed him. These plot points become a driving force for the first few issues of his solo series, where he deals with the death of a friend.
Writing by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz. Art by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund. Colors by HI-FI, Lee Loughridge. Lettering by Nick J. Napolitano
BOOSTER GOLD VOL. 2
Now in his solo series, Booster Gold believes he deserves to be back in the spotlight after saving the Multiverse. He isn’t wrong. He spent most of the series fighting for and fixing the Multiverse in the background with Rip Hunter, another time traveler. The thing is the Multiverse is always in trouble and Rip returns needing his help. After all the Crises, some wormholes need to be closed, especially now that someone is trying to stop multiple heroes’ origins.
But the catch is he has to do it all in the background without others knowing. He has to continue to play the moron who only wants fame, riches, and fun. Having just received membership in the Justice League, he has to decline. He does this in a loud fashion saying he only did it so he can decline them. Granted, the readers know this isn’t true. After saving multiple origins, it’s finally time for Booster Gold to save his best friend.
Writing by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz. Art by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund. Colors by HI-FI, Lee Loughridge. Lettering by Nick J. Napolitano
A HARD LESSON LEARNED
Having told him from the start that messing with time could cause a Butterfly Effect and that he should know better, Booster Gold presses on. Seeing no other option, Rip lies and tells him that he needs to save Barbara Gordon. Supposedly she was never to be paralyzed inThe Killing Joke. Knowing after this he can get his friend back, he goes to save Barbara. What transpires is one of the best Booster Gold issues and a heart-wrenching look at time travel.
Writers Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz have Booster Gold repeatedly fail, just to get back up to try again. Although this could be seen as him only doing it so he can later save his friend, it isn’t. He constantly has tears in his eyes and a strained face trying to save Barbara from being shot. Throughout the series, humor has been added in with amazing fashion, per usual with the character. But for Booster Gold #5 Johns and Katz keep it a consistent tone throughout, showcasing how dire it is. You start to feel the pain Booster Gold does when all he wants is to save someone’s life. But, it all comes to a head when Rip tells him the truth.
Having lied to him, Rip explains Solidified Time and how Blue Beetle and others that are dead can’t come back. Seeing the usual cheerful, prankster Booster Gold defeated in such a manner hits hard from the story that transpires, but also from the art.
Writing by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz. Art by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund. Colors by HI-FI, Lee Loughridge. Lettering by Nick J. Napolitano
BOOSTERRIFIC ART
Joining on art is Booster Gold creator, Dan Jurgens who throughout the years usually has a hand with the character interpretations. Helping Jurgens on art is Norm Rapmund credited as finished art. Throughout the following issues, the team has kept consistent quality art that is realistic. The same can be said with Booster Gold #5, where it works perfectly with the story told. Their style compliment Brian Bolland’s from The Killing Joke. Even a few panels look straight from the original.
Nonetheless, the strongest point is the duos work on Booster Gold’s face and the pain he shows. While he is making his way to save Barbara and failing, there is a constant strain of pain on his face. This is due to him knowing he won’t make it. But, the strained face isn’t enough, as tears run down his face. Jurgens and Rapmund are able to portray such a horrid face in one panel, that makes you feel for the character. Then to rub salt in the wound they show a brutal fight between Booster Gold and Joker.
Writing by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz. Art by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund. Colors by HI-FI, Lee Loughridge. Lettering by Nick J. Napolitano
COLORS/LETTERS OF EMOTION
As Booster Gold #5 takes place in Gotham the colors are darker. This is mind, HI-FI, and Lee Loughridge, do keep the bright colors seen in the series for some moments, but for Gotham, they keep it dark. The contrast of a bright Booster Gold in a nasty looking Gotham is interesting and the team does it well. Yet, the highlight of the colors occurs towards the end. Walking away Booster Gold announces he is done helping Rip. But before he leaves, he grabs Skeets, cries, and declares, “All I wanted was my best friend back.” This is Booster at his lowest, just wanting a friend. HI-FI and Loughridge drop all the background and put Booster Gold in an ever encompassing black. The team even goes as far as to put him in a spotlight when a full shot is shown, so all of your focus is on him and his pain.
Writing by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz. Art by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund. Colors by HI-FI, Lee Loughridge. Lettering by Nick J. Napolitano
Letterer Nick J. Napolitano was at the top of his game with Booster Gold (VOL. 2) #5. Throughout, Napolitano adds in some great science fiction sound effects, yet when it comes to the fight, he adds in Joker’s constant laugh. Between these laughs and Joker taking pictures off-panel with a “FWASH” showing up, you can feel Booster Gold’s pain.
Writing by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz. Art by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund. Colors by HI-FI, Lee Loughridge. Lettering by Nick J. Napolitano
THE FUTURE, THE PAST
Booster Gold is an interesting character. In the DC-Universe, citizens and other heroes think he is an idiot who can’t do anything right and only wants fame. Then you have readers who’ve only read him in cameo instances or have seen him in media and think the same. Yet, this is what makes the character so great, the writers have done what they set out to do; make him such an idiot, you’d never believe his feats. Nonetheless, once you read the first few issues of Booster Gold (VOL. 2) you see a character with a lot more to give and love. This especially rings true in its fifth issue.
If you’ve never read the character before, Booster Gold #5 will change your mind on him. Plus, it may make you sad as hell.
Welcome to Self-Published Spotlight, a regular interview column where I will be highlighting self-published comics and the creators and small print publishers who make them.
This inaugural column is going to focus on Patrick Ian Rook and his mini-comic, The Celery Stalks. I discovered Pat’s work on his Instagram and was immediately taken by his linework and style; it’s equal parts indie comics (think Chester Brown), horror comics, romance comics, Steve Ditko and a whole lot more. It’s best to let the art and artist speak for themselves so read on for a chat with Pat and a look at some of the pages from The Celery Stalks.
Cartoonist Patrick Ian Rooks
Monkeys Fighting Robots: Okay, so first off Patrick thanks for taking the time to talk to us over at MFR. Patrick Ian Rooks: Glad to be here!
MFR: Just because I feel I have to ask everyone, how are you holding up during the Covoid 19 crisis? You and yours doing ok? Rooks: I’m well! It’s a cliche all the cartoonists are using, but quarantine is a lot like an average day for me haha! I’m not a huge fan of going out, so I’m not missing anything.
MFR: Ha. Very true. I’ve been talking to a bunch of cartoonists and they all seem to agree on that. Rooks: It’s tedious work. I’d say to anyone who wants to make comics the same thing people are saying in these trying times “stay home!”
MFR: That’s actually really solid advice! So now that we’re talking comics, why not tell our readers a bit about your latest, ‘The Celery Stalks’. Rooks: Yeah, so it’s the comic I serialize monthly. So far I’m focusing on doing about 6 a year. It’s sort of a B Movie horror/romance/adventure strip. Basically each issue is heavily influenced by whatever sort of story I want to tell that month, while still telling a big picture story over a bunch of years.
MFR: Oh I can totally see all those influences in there. Like the cover for issue 5 really made me think of ’50s romance comics. The interior of that issue too. Like with the heavy use of thought balloons and the narration. I loved it! Who would you say are some of your cartooning influences? Because I see a bit of Chester Brown in your work, a little Charles Burns too. Rooks: Ah, thank you! I’m pretty happy with issue 5, and I’m glad all of that translated. It’s funny you’d say that I come from more golden age/ silver age influence. My alt collection is pretty lacking. In fact, I just got my very first Robert Crumb comics like a week ago. I like what I’ve seen of Brown and Burns, but I’ve only read the latter once. Celery Stalks specifically has an unhealthy amount of Ditko influence. Specifically his work with Creepy & Eerie magazines and his Spiderman Run. Besides him would be your Romitas (Jr and Sr), Miller and Janson, Johnny Craig to name a few.
Cover to The Celery Stalks #1
MFR: Yeah, I can totally see the Ditko in your work. I feel like Ditko is a lot weirder of an artist that some people think. And a lot of the indie/underground artists always cite him as a big influence. So the edition I have of The Celery Stalks is the collected version. I absolutely love the size of the book. Were the comics themselves the same size and dimensions? I just love smaller formats like this. Rooks: Thanks. Umm right off I can’t think of the exact measurement, but the mini-comic versions were just a little bigger. I wanna say 7″ by 4.5″. I like small format stuff for sure. And I always had that small paper book size in mind when I started working on the collection. I love old sci-fi paperbacks a lot.
MFR: Do you also create at those dimensions, or do you draw bigger then scale it down? And speaking of process, what’s yours? Like do you start with detailed writing, sketches, layouts, thumbnails, or whatever? Rooks: I drew this stuff bigger and shrunk it down. The boards got bigger with each issue, but I’m shrinking them back to like 11″ by 7″ for the next run of issues. I can go a lot quicker at that size. So when I started Celery Stalks I just grabbed your classic college rule spiral-bound notebook and filled it with drawings until the story sort of became clear, at least what happens in that first and second issue. My process was different for pretty much each issue, but basically, I’ll write a script that’s really just dialogue-less layouts on folded graph paper and then go from there.
Page from The Celery Stalks by Patrick Ian Rooks
MFR: I take notes on graph paper too. I use these small ‘field books’. There’s just something about how they look. Have you always wanted to be a cartoonist?Rooks:Pretty much as long as I can remember. When I was like 16-17 I changed my mind and thought it would be a good idea to become a famous screenwriter and then use that to leverage my way into comics haha. Now I find that idea to be outlandish. After a year at film school, I pretty much decided comics was where I belong.
MFR: What made you decide to self-publish? Rooks: Well mainly because I wanted my stuff out and my work was not ready for major publication. In my opinion, it’s still not, but self-publishing gives me the opportunity to build an audience while I get better at the craft.
MFR: I think some of the best comics come from the self-published world these days and it’s on the rise like me, you’re sort of part of the whole Cartoonist Kayfabe community that has sprung up around CK podcast. I see so much creativity and support for each other coming out of that network. Why do you think a community like that resonates so much? Rooks: Hmmm that’s a good question. I’m not really sure how involved in that community I am. They’ve been supportive to me and I’ve done some promoting of my work through that network so that’s all positive! The way I look at it, Jim and Ed were on the shortlist of pros I was sending all my stuff to years before they had a youtube thing, but I like seeing that it’s gotten a lot of people talking about comics in a way that makes sense to me and not just about which superhero would win in a fight or something.
MFR: Yeah. It really is about a love of the craft, which is what I love about the underground/indie/self-published world. So where can people get your work? What’s the best outlet to check out what you are doing? Rooks: So you can buy whatever I have in print at patrooks.bigcartel.com and I’m about to launch a Patreon for issues 7-12 of Celery Stalks that’s gonna be the only place the minis will be available until they’re collected next year. You can find that athttps://www.patreon.com/patrickianrooks. I’ve got a really exciting artist doing the back cover to issue 7, so you don’t wanna miss that. If you just wanted to see what I’m up to my Instagram is patrickianrooks. That’s where I’m most active.
MFR: Awesome man. Now you’ve got me hyped and I can’t wait. Is there anything else you are working on you want to mention? Rooks: Nope! Just working hard on that new Celery Stalks run! I didn’t mention it but that starts in July!
MFR: And that’s right around the corner! Awesome! Anyway thanks again for talking to us Pat, let’s do this again when the new issues start to hit. Rooks: It would be my pleasure! Thanks for having me
SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #14, published back in February 2017, takes place in the midst of writer Joe Kelly’s Itsy Bitsy storyline. But unlike most mid-act story arcs, this issue cuts to the heart of the plot in grandeur. Spidey and Deadpool fans will remember the intriguing plot: an unknown antagonist used the two heroes’ cells to create Itsy Bitsy, a being more powerful than both of them. And the duo learns she could easily kill thousands of people. While Deadpool learns to seek alternative ways to combat the creature than his usual M.O., Spidey finds himself drawn to the ever-looming temptation of killing the menace.
Story
In order to prepare for the next Itsy Bitsy attack, Spidey and Deadpool meet with their X-Men ally Kurt Wagner, a.k.a. Nightcrawler. The webbed hero recently lost the ability to tap in his Spidey sense, so Kurt agrees to help him train. However, Kurt notices how much anger Spidey holds and attempts to get to the heart of his frustration.
Kelly’s narrative isn’t told in chronological order. Though the training with Kurt takes place first, the reader experiences these events as memories in Spidey’s head. These scenes are diagnosed by none other than Kurt himself, acting as Spidey’s personal priest for the issue. After some probing, we soon learn the hero is debating breaking his “no kill rule” due to the immense threat Itsy Bitsy poses. We get to see his personal rationalizations while receiving caring yet firm pushback from Kurt.
Readers find themselves contemplating the ethics of the right to take life alongside their favorite arachnid themed superhero. Kelly helps them get inside Spidey’s head through the confessional framework, showing him locked in a war against his very identity.
Artwork
Ed McGuinness’s penciling, along with Mark Morales’s ink work, Jason Keith’s coloring, and VC’s Joe Sabino’s lettering worked together beautifully. The characters are defined with solid borders, yet retain a sense of fluidity to create a sense of movement. In addition, the coloring gives readers a sense that our three heroes are connected through the use of similar red shading on their outfits. And, to top it all off, the lettering is placed in a way to compliment the action, giving the appearance that the characters are moving around the boxes themselves.
Conclusion
SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #14 did a fantastic job of pushing Spidey to his limits. But we, the reader, had the opportunity to join our hero in the emotional turmoil. We highly recommend revisiting this issue.
Did you enjoy Nightcrawler’s guest appearance? Let us know in the comments below!
Planet of the Apes Cataclysm #3 Cover Credit: BOOM! Studios
The Planet of the Apes franchise has achieved a lot considering the entire planet, and all of its inhabitants, was destroyed at the end of the second movie. In fact the entire series, books and comics included, is packed with violence and destruction.
Despite all of the devastation within the Ape stories, it is not necessarily this aspect that people associate with the franchise. People remember the Statue of Liberty, the Alpha/Omega bomb, the hoards of apes charging into battle against a militarised human outpost, however, it is the themes behind these sequences that resonate with the audience.
So, the question becomes, why so much destruction in the first place?
Beneath the Planet of the Apes Credit: Marvel Comics
Resolution on the Planet of the Apes
The ending of the second movie, Beneath, has the largest destructive force unleashed anywhere in the Ape Franchise but it is not the first example of utter destruction. That award would go to the ending of the first movie and the implications that the scene makes. As Taylor, the astronaut out of time played by Charlton Heston, rides into the wilderness looking for Truth he finds the remains of the Statue of Liberty and the remnants of his past.
The scene illustrates the destructive force of the Humans and annihilation that Taylor feared would come from the outset of the movie. Taylor was a pessimist, he was running away from his own kind because he saw nothing good in them. His journey across the Planet of the Apes rekindled some of his softer feelings for what he left behind. This made the shock of his true predicament that much worse. Taylor was in the process of being redeemed but it turned out to be too little too late.
The ending of the first movie was a warning against turning a blind eye, against hiding and hoping that someone else would clear up the mess. It was also about bringing a story to an end. The discovery of the Statue of Liberty closed the chapter on Taylor’s hope for the Human race. There was no saving his people, no redemption. The original ending, as written by Rod Serling, took this idea one step further.
Planet of the Apes Visionaries Credit: BOOM! Studios
Original Endings
In the original script, which was released in Graphic Novel form by Boom! Studios in 2018, the man Thomas discovered the same remains as his counterpart Taylor. The build up shows Thomas running through the fields, chased by Police Gorillas and followed by the Chimpanzees he had befriended. Suddenly he stops and stares into the foreground. Despite his friends shouting for him to run he simply stands still, in awe of something the reader can’t yet see. His last words “There’s no place to go,” signifies the remains of his hope leaving him and, with a tear on his face, he is gunned down. Only then is it revealed what he was staring at, the now famous Statue of Liberty remains.
This ending is in some ways more upsetting than the filmed version. This is partially because the character of Thomas is less pessimistic than his movie counterpart. He embraces his situation with more vigour and fights not only for survival but for his way of life. Therefore, when he comes face to face with the destruction caused by his own kind, his spirit is destroyed as completely as the world he came from.
In the graphic novel adaptation by Dana Gould, illustrated by Chad Lewis and David Wilson, Thomas is shown running into the wilderness, the ‘Thup thup thup’ of a helicopter in the background like the sound of a beating heart. This ominous air is replaced by a shadow falling across the panels, finally to cast Thomas in darkness while the background behind him is showered in light.
On the following two pages Lewis and Wilson depict a man losing his will to live. The panel with his last words is devoid of any background, the only panel in this sequence to be displayed in this manner, and it emphasises the moment. This is the point where the effects of all of the destruction is best realised. Even before the reveal, Thomas’ spirit is broken in that single moment. He gives up and almost welcomes the hail of bullets that end his life.
What Serling was suggesting here is that the cost of all of Human Kind’s hatred, greed and intolerance is the destruction of the soul, of the spirit. In the end, things come and go, but once Hope has been destroyed there is no redemption, no coming back, there is only the end.
Planet of the Apes Cataclysm Credit: BOOM! Studios
A New Cataclysm
It’s not just the Human’s who are victims of destruction, the Apes suffer too. Throughout the movies and the comic series, the Apes are often persecuted, hunted, and killed at the behest of the Humans.
In the Boom! Studios prequel tale Planet of the Apes Cataclysm, a biblical epic unfolds over the eight years before Taylor arrives from the past. Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman start their story off with the destruction of the moon and the events that follow read like the 10 plagues of Egypt. Meteor showers, floods, and starvation face the Apes as they try to adapt to their new climate.
The devastation and subsequent trials are merely plot devices, however, for Bechko and Hardman’s examination of Ape society and some of the characters that live within it. Cataclysm tells the backstory of the major ape players from the original film; Zaius, Cornelius, and Zira. It follows them through the turbulent times as they meet and get to know each other.
In contrast to the destructive ending of Taylor and the Human Race’s story, in Cataclysm, it heralds in the beginning of the characters so beloved of the franchise.
Planet of the Apes Cataclysm Credit: BOOM! Studios
Character Breaking
The tragic events depicted at the beginning of Cataclysm affect the characters featured in a number of different ways. Sometimes the result is for the better, others not so much. At times it leaves you wondering what would the characters have become under different circumstances.
Take Doctor Zaius as an example. The destruction of the moon has the greatest impact on his life. At the start of the series the orangutan is depicted as a loving father and husband. He shows compassion towards other Apes and extends the hand of friendship towards those who stand against him. In the opening issue Zaius sends his wife, Siena, to talk to the leader of The Anti-Vivisection Society as a way of appeasing an awkward situation instead of antagonising it.
This is when disaster strikes and over the course of the series, Zaius becomes more like the suspicious, keeper of secrets that we all know and love. Through the reign of destruction he is forced into the role of Leader of the Council when he witnesses the death of the other council members. He also loses his daughter, who dies giving birth in the middle of the chaos, and his wife is nearly killed.
As the new leader he has to make a number of decisions under difficult situations. Making this harder is a Brother of the Faith who turns out to be a human mutant in disguise, manipulating the Apes minds but also Zaius’ decisions.
Damien Couceiro’s depiction of Zaius changes across the run. To start with he is always shown in a positive light, standing up straight with his head in the air. The reader sees him as a strong, reliable figure of the community. As fire rains down and Ape City is torn apart, so too Zaius’ stature is diminished. He becomes down beat as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders. Colorist Darrin Moore uses darker tones and shadows creep across his face and body.
With each new disaster that threatens Ape City, Zaius is broken a little bit more. He soon becomes cynical, distant from family and the needs of community. Ultimately he becomes like Taylor at the start of the first movie: bitter and broken. The front cover of issue 6, drawn by Mitch Breitwiser, sums the character up perfectly. Zaius has become a mere reflection of his former self, lost in the debris of the once great city.
Planet of the Apes Cataclysm #6 Cover Credit: BOOM! Studios
Hope in the Chaos
Each of the major characters in Bechko and Hardman’s Planet of the Apes tale is directly affected by the violence and destruction around them. It is easy to argue that without the disasters the characters wouldn’t become who they are. The chimpanzees would not have a need to challenge the authority of the Council. Zaius would not have travelled the path towards a war of self-righteousness. Cornelius would not have met Zira.
The stories within the franchise are driven by the need for survival and striving against the odds. From the very beginning a destructive adversity has formed the foundations of Planet of the Apes. From Caesar’s parents being mercilessly gunned down by order of the American President’s Science Adviser, to the violent uprising of the Apes, and through to the mindless war with the mutants. But a foundation is all that it is: everything that makes the world and the stories so engaging are built upon the back of this. The characters grow and take their full shape in response and reaction to the very worst circumstances possible.
The history of literature is littered with violence and destruction with some of the most famous stories centred around these themes. As a species we are drawn to these types of stories so it goes without saying that Planet of the Apes would capture the imagination of fans for decades. However, the true brilliance of stories like Cataclysm is not the action or the devastation but the characters that grow and survive within the hostile environment.
Various volumes of BOOM! Studios’ Planet of the Apes comics are currently available to buy.
Planet of the Apes Cataclysm Credit: BOOM! Studios
David E. Russo’s music is featured in Gotham and its spin-off Pennyworth, and in the new filmWindows on the World from director Michael Olmos, the soundscape takes viewers along an emotional odyssey of lives changed by the horrific events of September 11, 2001.
Starring Ryan Guzman (9-1-1) as Fernando, Windows on the World centers on the character’s journey from Mexico to New York in search of his father. The latter may have died at ground zero. Fernando’s father, Balthazar, played by the legendary Edward James Olmos (Miami Vice, Battlestar Galactica), is an undocumented busboy working at Windows on the World, a complex of venues atop the north tower. The film is a journey full of hope, love, and hard lessons.
PopAxiom spoke with David E. Russo about Sicilians, the rise of technology, and underscoring the film Windows on the World.
Sicilian Sounds
David’s career spans three decades. His earliest IMDB credit is for fun alien comedy Spaced Invaders. How did music play a role in his life before it became a career? “I came from a family of disgruntled Sicilian immigrants, all of whom were musicians. My grandfather used to play guitar on the radio in the 1920s in New York. No one ever made any money, and it was never really possible as a career.”
David continues to share his early years. “I grew up in a house full of Sicilians singing, and there was always music and fighting and yelling, but it never occurred to me there was a living to be made at it.”
A realization later in life prompted David to start working on what would become his lifelong passion. “It wasn’t until after college, where I had no idea what I was going to do, that I kinda woke up and realized the only thing I had any ability in was music.”
Truer words are rarely spoken. “Fear is a tremendous motivating factor, and it got me moving.”
Beyond Belief
More films and TV followed, including scoring 28 episodes of the Beyond Belief: Fact Or Fiction. “That kept me afloat. In the early days, it’s pretty touch and go. That kept me alive.”
About Beyond Belief, David says it was “… an ultra low budget series. The options you had as a composer those days were very limited on a low budget. Now, we can do full orchestras, and it’s pretty convincing. Back then, it was heavy lifting to get things to sound decent.”
Like most artists, David is his own worst critic. “It’s really cringe-worthy when I look back on it. But I was fortunate to have the job.”
About Windows on the World
Windows of the World is available on streaming service Vix. The composer’s relationship with the film begins long before filming began. ”I’ve had a deep friendship with [writer/producer], Robert Anderson, for 15 or 20 years now. He’s a remarkable guy. He’d written this script with his cousin [Zack Anderson], and I had read it years before. It was a moving story.”
David heaps praise on Robert. “I’ve done one other film with him. I just love being around him and working with him. It’s incredibly creative.”
So, for David, he “… knew the story intimately long before I met Michael.”
Film-making is a massive collaborative artistic process. David says, “When Michael came in, he had a particular vision that was clear and emotional.”
The music for Windows on the World came about in a particular way for David. “For this one, I wrote an entire suite of pieces based on my feeling about the film. For me, it was clear from the beginning. It was a film about family. There was a theme for the family and a theme for the main character’s odyssey as he travels.”
A significant influence on a film and its score are the locations. “… the difference between going from Mexico to New York. Trying to musically express the differences in cultures and energy. How he comes to this foreign place and deals with the craziness of New York.”
David wrote, “… a bunch of pieces based on what I imagined.” So, how much of that music was in the final cut? “Almost all of it.”
However, David shares the story about one piece that didn’t make it to the end. “Robert has deep relationships with jazz musicians, he’s won Grammy’s for producing jazz albums … I did one piece for New York with saxophone and jazz that he hated. It was summarily trashed. He went to Grammy award-winning David Sánchez, who wrote a piece for New York that was far, far better than what I’d done.”
The script, the settings, the director, and producer all contributed to the energy David used to create the music. But there was one more influence with a significant impact. “The film has these interstitial paintings by artist Sandow Birk, those were really inspirational. The kid is reading Don Quixote, and it’s about this odyssey. There’s this little mythic element that undercuts the film that I was tapping into. I was trying to emotionally connect with what those drawings say and the idea of this journey.
Computers are now a vital part of the film scoring process. David shares his thoughts on the good and the bad of working with technology. “The challenge now is, if you’re working on TV … there’s a time crunch. You’ve got seven to twelve days to make music for an episode. Gotham, let’s say, was 42 minutes of the show after commercials, and we had 38 minutes of music every week. So, the computer enables you to physically get it down. The shows I’ve been doing involve full orchestras, which is impossible in the time frame to do it without these tools.”
The drawback to this technology is that “… everyone seems to have the same toolkit. So, the challenge is to create something that serves the story and is sonically distinctive in the time that you have. I’ve always struggled with the machines trying to bring life to them. That’s the biggest challenge, trying to create something that is true to the story and is not just generic.”
More tools never hurt, though, and neither does taking the time to blend the old and new school. “Computers are really good at taking a sound and manipulating it endlessly to become something else. I found that I spend much more time these days putting a microphone up and trying to record stuff; capture performances and sound.”
In the end, scoring a film or TV series requires an approach that’s “… essentially the same … it’s trying to get a feeling for what the spirit of the thing is and trying to come up with a sound palette to express that. And limiting yourself to a particular palette in a certain sense to find a unified expression for what this show is about.”
About his own process, David says, “I’m never theoretical about stuff. It’s always about emotion and what feels true. If I feel like I’m lying, I know it’s not true. It’s not an intellectual process at all.”
Wrapping Up
As humans, we acquire inspiration from all manner of sources. For an artist, being around other artists provides a creative energy boost, unlike anything else. “The first job I got out of college was at Paramount Studios as a secretary in the music department. At that time, this was in the early 80s, they had this recording studio, Stage M, that was really vibrant. I saw everybody work. John Williams, James Horner, Bill Conti, everybody who was doing big stuff. That was really inspiring to me.”
David reveals who is his personal number, one composer. “Ennio Maricon is the sensai. I love John Barry too. But Maricon inspires me more than anybody.”
In the age of remakes, what movie would David love to score? “There was a really cheesy movie from the 70s called Logan’s Run. That would be a great film. The story is pretty interesting and the dehumanization of society and over-population. It could be great.”
Windows on the World is available on Vix. What’s coming next from David? “I’m contributing to a documentary. It’s from Michael Webber, I scored something for him a few years ago called The Elephant In the Living Room. He’s been working on this new one called The Conservation Game. That’s going to be a good one.”
Is Windows on the World on your watch-list?
Thanks to David E. Russo and Costa Communications
for making this interview possible.
Want to read more interviews like this? CLICK HERE.
Writer Si Spurrier and Artist Bilquis Evely, along with colorist Mat Lopes and letterer Simon Bowland finally bring their saga to a conclusion with The Dreaming #20. Spurrier’s complex, intelligent, and emotional script collides with the jawdropping visual work of Evely and Lopes to craft not only an incredible ending to their story but one of the most memorable chapters in this universe’s entire publishing history.
“The citizens of the Dreaming make their final play against the artificial intelligence that seeks to replace them with cold rationality…and the fate of Dream is revealed!”
Writing & Plot
Si Spurrier‘s handling of interwoven plotlines both new and old are much of what carries the success of The Dreaming all the way to his final script. The outcome of every character plot, from Matthew the Raven, Cain & Abel, Lucian the Librarian, Wan, and of course the Dreamlord himself, are intertwined seamlessly and given proper attention to become weighty additions to the overall plot. The inclusion of Rose Walker is an element that not only works as a nostalgic throwback to classic Sandmanfans but as a brilliant subplot that effectively ends a plot thread some thirty years in the making. As is in keeping tradition with Gaiman’s Sandman universe, the manner through which this story resolves is somewhat vague and complicated, but it’s presented with such grace and emotion that this hardly hampers the experience. The dialogue and narration are as varied as ever, with some characters’ naturalistic dialogue blending with others’ more poetic prose-like speech as has always been done in great Sandman universe comics. Si Spurrier has proven himself a worthy custodian of what Neil Gaiman started back in 1987, and his work on this series will be missed.
Art Direction
Bilquis Evely‘s pencils have been an artistic wonder for each issue of The Dreaming she’s illustrated, but she’s saved her best for the final 20th issue. Her usual levels of immense character and dreamy environmental detail are here, but turned up to unbelievable levels. There a multiple two-page spreads of wildly unique and insanely detailed artistic vision that may be the most impressive work this universe has ever seen. Much of this beauty is the work of Mat Lopes’ colors, which once again bring this dream-world to life with blending tones from every piece of the color spectrum. Topping off the aesthetic is the lettering of Simon Bowland, who has had the unenviable job of maintaining the Sandman universe’s varied fonts and styles for each character. He has proven more than up to the task these past 20 issues and offered the exact voice that this comic needs to be read in seamlessly. The visual talent behind this series has been second to none, offering up some of the best artwork hitting stands for its entire duration.
The Dreaming #20 brings this stellar run to a poignant finish. Si Spurrier’s complex and emotional script is full of satisfying finishes and heartfelt goodbyes. Bilquis Evely and Mat Lopes saved their best work for last, adorning this issue with unbelievable visuals on a massive scale that still cater to the individual characters and their most intimate moments. This final chapter will go down as one of the most memorable comics in Sandman’s long history and caps off a brilliant run worthy of this wonderful universe. As sad as it is to see this top notch creative team leave the series, I’m curious and excited for what G. Willow Wilson and Nick Robles have in store for their follow-up. If you’re a Sandman fan such as myself, this issue will be a must-buy when it releases on 4/28 at your local comic shop.
Netflix’s Big Mouth returns for a third season, but it was not as impactful as the first two seasons.
After the events of “My Furry Valentine,” Andrew is ostracized for his meltdown at Lola’s party, and Matthew finds a guy he has connected with. Jay comes to terms that he’s bisexual, Nick becomes addicted to his smartphone and Missy, and Jessi continues with their struggles with puberty. And Andrew continues to act like a grotty little pervert because he falls for his cousin.
One of the best features of the first two seasons of Big Mouth was the likable characters. Nick, Andrew, and Jessi were good friends who supported each other, such as in episodes like “Everybody Bleeds” and “The Department of Puberty,” but they have degraded as the season progressed. In season 2, this was reasonable because Jessi was dealing with her parents’ divorce, and Nick and Andrew were influenced by their Hormone Monsters. However, in season three, Andrew and Nick get worst.
Andrew suffers the worst. In the first season was a good kid who’s Hormone Monster acted as the devil on his shoulder. In the second season, The Shame Wizard balanced out Andrew’s bad urges. But in this season, Andrew was unrestrained. In the episode “Girls Are Angry Too,” he starts to stream his toxic views about women because of his experience of rejection, leading him to meet some unsavory people. In the episode “Florida,” Andrew attempts to hook up with his cousin, and whilst she flirted with Andrew first, he didn’t have to reciprocate. Nor was it a case for Andrew that he hadn’t seen his cousin for a few years, so he changed a lot in the intervening years.
Nick’s big fault comes when he forms an unhealthy attachment to his sister’s phone. The phone acts like a Hormone Monster and corrupts him. One of Nick’s worst actions was recording an embarrassing video of his father and posting it online. When Nick got separated from his phone, he acts likes an addict trying to find her. Nick also grew jealous of Jay when his family takes him in. This was a continuation of the episode “I Survived Jessi’s Bat Mitzvah,” where Jay acted like the good son when Nick pushed his mother away.
The characters who grew the most in this season were Matthew and Nick. Matthew grew a bit in the second season, and the character continues to develop in this season. Outwardly Matthew is the sassy gay character who doesn’t let anything phase him, but due to his age, he has never had a boyfriend. Matthew was nervous around Aiden as he tries to get into a relationship: so standard teenage stuff. Matthew has the added complication that his dad is an army officer, and Matthew pretends to be straight for him.
In Jay’s case, he has to accept that he’s attracted to boys and girls and later outs himself to the school. Jay’s other storyline involved his family because he has a Home Alone situation, and he gets taken in by Nick’s family. Despite Jay trying to laugh off his family’s actions, he experiences being with a loving family when he stays the Birches and subconsciously doesn’t want to leave.
The best episode of the season was the ninth episode “ASSes.” In that episode, the students of Bridgeton Middle School have to undergo the standardized tests and the stresses that they cause. Jay finally gets medication for his ADHD, and he’s a business opportunity by selling his pills as study aids. But for the kids who take the pills, they suffer negative effects. Jessi gets to shine in this episode because her mother puts pressure on the girl to do well in the exams, and the stress and the pills lead to a relapse into depression. Jessi only snaps out of it because she has a heart-to-heart with her dad.
The weakest episode was “Duke,” where the ghost of Duke Ellington retells the story about how he lost his virginity and growing up in the early 20th Century. This episode was nothing more than a filler episode and felt like an outlier because it felt unconnected to the rest of the season.
Like the previous two seasons, the finale of season three was fantastical. In this finale, the students gain superpowers, and the characters find out some life-changing revelations. The best aspect of this episode was it showed the characters were graduating from the seventh grade, so it means the characters will age. The finale has a downbeat ending, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.
Fans of the previous two seasons will be satisfied with Big Mouth‘s third season, continuing the style of humor and the themes of the previous seasons. But the characters who I grew to like in the first season were starting to grate.
Dan Abnett is responsible for creating more than a handful of epic stories during his 30-plus year writing career. Over the past year, he has built out the Valiant Universe with the Fallen World mini-series and the relaunch of Rai. During this crazy time in history, a rainy Friday afternoon was a perfect time to chat with the writer via email. Below are Abnett’s thoughts on the future of the comic book industry, Juan José Ryp’s artwork, and hopes for a post-coronavirus world.
MFR: Dan, thank you for taking the time to talk with me. I hope you and your family are staying safe at this time.
Abnett:Thank you. All good here. Hope you are too.
MFR: How are you handling the lack of conventions and social distancing?
Abnett:Honestly..? I miss seeing people very much, but I am probably at my happiest at my desk, writing, so it’s just an opportunity to do that, but more. I’ve been training for this my whole career 🙂 But it’s hard to be “happy at home and in work” when so many people are suffering. I’m still stunned by what’s going on.
MFR: Last time we spoke, FALLEN WORLD was about to drop; now we have six-issues of RAI in the books. If you reflect on Valiant’s past year, what was the one moment that stands out the most to you, and why?
Abnett:Probably, getting the first pages of art in from Juanjo and realizing this was going to be an amazing book. I cannot tell you how stunned I was. I knew he was good, but…
So, generally, Rai as a series. I’ve written stories I’m pleased with, scripts I’m proud to send in, and I think it’s a damn good read… but Juanjo. Man! He’s just taken it to the level beyond next. My scripts work because Juanjo ‘gets’ it too, and invests so much effort in the storytelling, the detail, the design, and the ‘acting.’
MFR: For readers who are not familiar with Rai, what are the essential elements that make up the character?
Abnett:Far future, ‘post-apocalypse’ Earth. Rai is a noble, semi-synthetic super-warrior who protected the orbital city of New Japan, a utopia… until he realized that father, the AI that created him and New Japan, was a tyrant. Rai brought Father down, for the good of mankind… but the price was New Japan crashed on the mysterious and abandoned Earth (which has rewilded in the past few centuries). New Japan’s survivors have to rebuild…and though saved from Father’s cruelty, they kind of resent Rai for ruining what they saw as their utopian lives. Rai is now on a quest across the strange new world to finish his job by hunting down the last back-up parts of Father, called “Offspring”, which are scattered. If they reform, Father comes back. Rai will not rest until Father is absolutely finished. Rai is accompanied by Raijin, who is an earlier “Rai prototype.” Raijin is his older brother, but appears to be a young child. They have an odd relationship (Raijin being more’ human in personality).
MFR: How have you played with these elements to make them your own?
Abnett:Building the relationship and giving Raijin a key role, and also in creating (with Juanjo) the wild and crazy environments of the Earth they discover. Almost anything is possible… nature and rogue technologies have run wild since mankind last had a proper foothold here.
MFR: Juan José Ryp’s artwork is beautiful, and Andrew Dalhouse’s colors explode off the page. How would you describe the artistic tone for the series?
Abnett:World-class, and the main reason for following the series (okay, the story’s not bad, but that art….)
MFR: At the end of issue five, Rai says, “I’m trying to be human so that when the time comes, I know how to die.” Do you have an endgame for your run, or is this a sentence that you put out there for future writers to finish the tale?
Abnett:Now, I have an endgame. I have several. I hope to deploy them one after another 🙂
MFR: During the aughts, the superhero genre in comics was gritty, then over the past ten years, the film boom influenced the books, and there were more than a few reboots and relaunches – What are your expectations for comic books over the next ten years?
Abnett:I’m no prophet. I hope the good things continue and the best things get better. Right now, we have no idea what shape the industry will be in when this pandemic is ‘over’ (and it won’t ever be “full stop” over). There’s a lot of gloom and doom that comics are ‘finished.’ But I’ve already seen (and am involved in) some innovative new ways to make and deliver comics in unorthodox forms, and I can already see ingenuity and creativity flourish despite the situation. Maybe there’ll be an industry we recognize when we come out of this; maybe it will have changed dramatically, or been stripped right back. Maybe the mainstream won’t quite occupy the position of power it once did. But I believe there will be all sorts of other, new, innovative things: comics, projects, ideas, series, that will have arisen from this crisis and which will repopulate the industry in remarkable and unexpected ways. Varied, strange things that would never have happened if things hadn’t stopped. A bit like Rai’s Earth. A greater variety, and a renewed freshness and vigor, that may reshape the industry in very positive ways. Good out of bad.
MFR: The coronavirus has turned the world upside, and the loss of life is devastating. Once we get past this pandemic, what positives do you see coming out of this?
Abnett:I’m hoping that the sort of things I’ve just said about the comics industry may be true of society in general. It’s going to be tough. But this crisis has shown us the things that are truly important and “essential,” and they’re often things that were regarded as of low worth before, or we took for granted. We’ve also seen things working because they’ve HAD to work: the sorts of ideas for how we live that have often been voiced, but which have always been shot down as “they’d never work in practice.” Well look – they did and they have. The arguments are invalid. Some things need to change. Let’s just hope as many of us as possible are still here to appreciate that shift.
MFR: Comic book shops are drastically adapting during this time to sell comics by any means necessary. Are there any shops you want to give a shoutout to?
Abnett:All of them. My locals are Get Ready Comics in Rochester, and the American Comic Shop in Chatham (here in the UK). Both are great. But my support goes to all of them: those that are struggling to maintain a service, those who are innovating to mail-order to keep customers entertained, and those who have shut down, weathering the storm, ready to re-open when they can. Support your local comic shops. They may not be “essential” like the brave health care professionals and other vital services, who deserve unstinting praise, but comics, books, music, movies… art…. they’re important for our mental health while we shelter in place. Stimulation, entertainment, distraction, company, and escape.
MFR: Again, thank you for your time, best of luck with your Valiant books, and stay safe.
Abnett:Thank you – and stay safe yourself.
What are your thoughts on the conversation and Abnett’s career? Comment below.
Hexagon #2 is the issue where the series’ main plot truly begins. Whereas the previous issue is about character introductions, this issue highlights how their actions come into effect. Despite the series influences, this is about paying the price for wish fulfillment.
How HEXAGON #2 Defies Its Influences
Warning: Spoilers ahead
Hexagon #2 wastes no time in showing its creators’ knowledge of its source material. Opening with references of Back To The Future, a new character’s arrival reminds the reader that this is a different kind of story. The series’ plot is an inversion of The Last Starfighter, a movie deconstructing wish fulfillment. That movie however has a hopeful overtone of finding a better life through recognizing effort. Here, the choices that people make are a turn for the worse.
Protagonist Don’s success at the video game Crucible might seem good for the moment, but people have a right to be skeptical. Just one win doesn’t mean that he’s an ace. Don can’t even turn down the challenges that come his way – his choice is taken from him. That of course foreshadows Crucible’s true purpose, finding a “chosen one” to end an intergalactic war. Which is how the evil empire (the Lakenzi) finds Don.
Hexagon #2’s main strength is its self awareness, and not just for its 80s movie references, but its character interactions as well (something writer Michael Moreci has experience in previous work like Wasted Space). The so-far-unnamed new character is tough as nails, but not stupid enough to just take Don off the streets. She can tell just from the settings that this would be kidnapping. It’s also nice that Don’s relationship with his dad is stable and is willing to face the consequences. It’s what makes the issue’s climax so tragic when the Lakenzi show up. Unlike the deaths of Luke Skywalker’s aunt and uncle that starts Star Wars‘ hero’s journey, Mr. Van Vliet’s abduction isn’t liberation for Don; it’s his draft notice.
HEXAGON #2 Artwork
Jheremy Raapack continues to display great artwork with his character expressions and dynamic outlining accompanying cinematic widescreens. This allows a faithful tribute to many of Hexagon #2’s influences. As far as new character designs go, the Lakenzi and the new character feature video game aesthetics, such as simple helmet designs. The new character’s floating computer even resemble Ghosts, the drones from the video game Destiny. Along with their weapons’ simple designs, this shows how alien they are to Earth. What might look impressive from a reader’s point of view is terrifying to the characters.
The colorists David Kim and Nuo Xu (with help from Bryan Valenza and Marc Monroy) show a higher amount of color variation in Hexagon #2. The more mundane but important situations are practically gone, showing a shift in the series’ tone. The lights no longer even serve as a guide; they are now a warning of danger. The red illuminations are a clear sign of offense towards Don while yellow is a sign of warning.
To top it off, when the game Crucible is played, it now looks pixelated unlike in the previous issue. It doesn’t feel immersive anymore; it’s now just an arcade game with little importance. If that’s not Hexagon #2 transitioning from the opening to the main plot, I don’t know what is.
Finally, A Larger World Studios delivers lettering worthy of viewing this comic on a screen. With each word balloon fully contained within its panel, whether the reader views the comic on infinite scrolling or Comixology’s Guided View, they can read the comic without ever missing a beat.
Get Ready For HEXAGON
Hexagon #2 is the end of act 1 by setting up the plot. As the creative crew readies for the next level, the reader will have everything they need to see this act through. Even if people don’t understand the references, they can at the least see how entertaining playing them out is. Because as fun as the last issue was, it’s time for the real show to begin.
Finally, A Larger World Studios delivers lettering worthy of viewing this comic on a screen. With each word balloon fully contained within its panel, whether the reader views the comic on infinite scrolling or Comixology’s Guided View, they can read the comic without ever missing a beat.