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Review: GOSPEL – For the Love of Stories

Created by the omni-talented Will Morris and published by Image Comics, Gospel is a stunning achievement of sequential storytelling. This six-issue mini-series is the perfect blend of historical fiction and fantasy, making for a read that is just as enlightening as it is entertaining. With sharp, clever writing and staggeringly brilliant artwork, Gospel is undoubtedly one of the best comics of the last several years.

“When opportunity refuses to knock for restless hero Matilde the devil comes knocking instead. Thrust into action by the hellish arrival Matilde and storyteller Pitt will quest for renown the soul of their community and answers to the toughest question of all: “Who am I?”

Writing & Plot

Will Morris succeeds in making Gospel such a well-crafted, enjoyable story by taking a simple yet strong thematic core and wrapping it up in true religious history and a bit of clever fantasy. Matilde is a local hero looking for fame as the “Hero of Rumpstead.” She has to build her reputation on whatever small deeds she can accomplish in her tiny home village, and then have them embellished with the help of her friend & local bard, Pitt. Her job – and life in general, however – have just been made more complicated by the splitting of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. On top of this, the Devil himself has apparently come to Rumpstead, bringing explosions and tidings of doom. Everything Matilde and Pitt grew up with has come into question, and so this quest serves as a simple solution – and a distraction from – an increasingly complex problem. Complete with assassins, gentle giants, helpful ghosts, and extraordinarily long-lived bards, this story is a treasure trove of storytelling genius. The splitting of the Catholic church makes for a great plot device and historical backdrop to the core narrative. That same narrative is charged by thematic depth, complex character relationships, and constant internal and external challenges for the cast. Every story beat comes naturally, and the personal developments for each character are satisfying to watch. Even with the time period and sense of fantasy, Matilde, Pitt, and others feel like real people. The twist at the end of the comic isn’t wholly unsurprising – but its ramifications for Matilde are still heartbreaking. Morris mixes a sort of romanticized “olde English” with modern dialogue styles to create something that feels naturalistic and right for the story’s tone. From a writing perspective, Gospel is an absolute triumph.

Art Direction

As incredible as his plotting and writing are, Will Morris’s art in Gospel is somehow just as impressive. His thick penciling captures the unique designs and expressions of his cast of characters, as well as his sharp eye for historical detail. Everything from clothing and accessories to architecture shows a dedication to at least *some* level of historical accuracy – the kind I imagine involved a fair amount of looking at books on medieval fashion & housing. Morris’s sequential direction is equally impressive, with more conventional panel structure sometimes falling away to borderless, free-flowing events. His sense of visual pacing is excellent, as the whole story flows naturally with effortless form. His color art is stunning as well. Every panel shines with the gradients of natural light at different times of day or night. Each page is a vast array of color with shifting tones thanks to Morris’s staggering work with shadows and directional lighting, making for some of the most finely-tuned color art in a comic in recent memory. From the visual storytelling angle, Gospel is an incredible achievement.

Verdict

Will Morris’s Gospel is a phenomenal work of fantastical historical fiction. Every aspect of his writing, from his use of a major historical event as a backdrop to his thematic character work and Miyazaki-like sense of fantasy, adds up to a brilliant cohesive whole. His incredible visual style and flawless sequential direction goes on to make this mini-series one of the best comics of the last few years. Be sure to grab Gospel in its entirety when the collected trade paperback hits shelves on June 21st!

 

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Review: FRIDAY #7 — Let’s Do This Again, One More Time

Friday #6 was the first issue in this series that I didn’t write a review for, and that’s for a very simple reason: I couldn’t make up my mind about it. Did I love it or hate it? Friday #6 was a massive change in direction for the series. It sees the supernatural elements of the story — only hinted at in previous issues — take center stage. With monsters and time travel now in the mix, and what felt like a drastic change in tone, I just needed to see how it all shook out to know what I thought. Friday #7 shows how writer Ed Brubaker, artist Marcos Martin, and colorist Muntsa Vicente bring us back home. They prove to us that this change in tone does work for the series, and not only that, they show us that the supernatural elements have been there all along, hiding in the darkness.

Writing

Part of what makes Brubaker’s script work so well is that we’re not the only ones trying to wrap our heads around these weird new developments; Friday is too. Having hopped to the past, we see the events of the first issue but from a different angle. Friday tortures herself with questions of agency. Can she change the past now that she’s here? If she was here all along, does that mean things are destined to stay the same? This is a brilliant example of Brubaker not stopping at the usual superficial trappings of a time travel story. He isn’t interested in Friday’s journey back in time being simple set dressing. No, he’s immediately connecting us to the emotional ramifications of something like this. Friday has said goodbye to her best friend — it’s something she’s still processing. So how is she going to process seeing him alive again, unsure if she can do anything to save him? As always, Friday Fitzhugh stuffs the panic down and trudges on, which is what makes us feel for her and love her all the more.

Art

Martin makes you feel like you’re experiencing everything with the characters. It’s only when you hone in on Martin’s methods of storytelling that you realize why you’re so immersed. At one point, Friday hits her head and is slowly regaining consciousness. Martin shows the next page from Friday’s point of view and makes every other panel pitch black. You can feel the heaviness of her eyelids as she’s waking up. But what’s even better about this moment is that the panels aren’t the same size. The panels shrink as they go on, showing Friday pushing back against blacking out, her eyes closing for less and less time as she tries to get up.

And when things get more otherworldly, Martin’s linework becomes thicker and wavier, making you almost feel like another artist has stepped in. “These things don’t belong,” is your first thought, which is surely what Martin intends with this change of style. And speaking of Martin’s style, Friday #7 is chock full of style. Everything from a simple panel of Weasel holding the stone knife, his crooked shadow cast against a nearby wall, to Friday’s face split in two by a gutter, showing her struggle with agency and inability to move against the passage of time. Everything is picturesque, beautiful, and deeply effective. Martin absolutely shines in this issue, pulling you headfirst into this wild and twisting story.

Coloring

When you sit down to read Friday #7, bring a jacket. You’re going to need it. That’s because Vicente’s coloring actually has you feeling like you’re there, standing in the snow with Friday. You can feel the cold in the deep blues that are cast across each page, contrasted by the subtle, warm red glow of Friday’s cigarette. You’ll want to pull your collar up and you’ll find yourself blinking against the snowflakes that seem to fly off the page and into your face.

Just like with Martin’s change in style, Vicente highlights how jarring it is for Friday to be seeing what she’s seeing. The scene gets flooded with neon green and fluorescent purple. The cacophony of pink, yellow, and red that follows perfectly sums up Friday’s confusion and panic. What in the world is going on? Where did the comfortable world of soft blues and muted browns disappear to? As Friday runs in the opposite direction of everything, she dives back into that old, familiar world. But there’s a pink glow in her glasses, like she’s still seeing it all play out before her, even if she’s gotten away for now.

Lettering

From the warbled tails that lead to Weasel’s ranting dialogue, to the scratchy, primitive looking language of monsters, there’s so much to love about the lettering in this issue. As Friday is ducking through scenes we’ve seen before in Friday #1, trying to remain unseen and unheard, her dialogue often shows up through tiny letters on big white balloons. She’s hushed, often confused and even scared as she speaks. And as small and intimate as the lettering gets, it gets just as big and vibrant. The jumbled green block letters of a scream wrap around the source of the noise, tumbling down the page frantically. The language the monsters speak shows up on bright word balloons of different colors. Everything they say stands out as being strange, maybe even beautiful? Martin’s work on lettering is as stunning as his work on art, full of lovingly added details and exciting flourishes.

Verdict

If I’m completely honest, there was a part of me that didn’t want to like Friday #7. I had fallen in love with a vision of where I thought this series was going — a version of Friday’s story that felt incredibly subtle and kept the magical elements in the margins of the story, only appearing in ambiguous sequences that could all turn out to be dreams. But, damn it. I was wrong. Friday #7 shows me that all those things I loved, all the subtlety and emotional heart at the center of the story, are still intact. There might be ghosts and ghouls coming out of the woodwork, but the questions we’re left with are still all about the characters and their motivations. Friday #7 brilliantly marries the paranormal elements of this series to the poignant story of self-discovery that Friday has been on. You can find issues of Friday on Panel Syndicate where you can pay what you want when you download them. Check them out and give what you can — it’s more than worth it! Friday is a constantly evolving masterpiece. It’s one of those rare works that wants to “do everything” and somehow succeeds.

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Enjoy A 5-Page Preview: MURDER INC.: JAGGER ROSE #2 (Bendis & Oeming)

MURDER INC.: JAGGER ROSE #2

MURDER INC.: JAGGER ROSE #2 hits your local comic book shop on June 14, but thanks to Dark Horse Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a five-page preview for our readers. The book is written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Michael Avon Oeming, Taki Soma drops the colors, and you will read Carlos Mangual’s letter work.

About the series:
Master assassin Jagger Rose has forever turned her life and the life of everyone around her completely upside down. So much so that she finds herself invited to the Vatican for an audience WITH THE POPE. WTF? Ooh! What does the Vatican and the Pope look like in a world where the five families of organized crime never gave up their power? This and more shocking secrets will be revealed in this all new, gorgeously illustrated new chapter of MURDER INC.

This bold new vision of crime fiction gives you everything you expect from the creators of Powers, one of the most successful and longest-lasting independent comics in history. Fans of The United States of Murder Inc. this is the same series! New title. Better logo. All new stories!

Enjoy the preview below.

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SHAZAM! #2 – DC Comics Has Something Special Brewing In This book!

SHAZAM! #2 - DC Comics Has Something Special Brewing In This book!

SHAZAM! #2 hits your local comic book store today from DC Comics. The first two issues set the stage for an epic hero’s journey, and I couldn’t be more excited. Mark Waid’s story adds new twists to the mythos, every panel of Dan Mora’s art bursts with a spectrum of emotion, and Alejandro Sánchez keeps the series grounded with his color palette and brush stroke. SHAZAM! is a must-read. Check out my full review below.

About the issue.
Shazam versus S-H-A-Z-A-M! Billy Batson was given the powers of the gods by the Wizard Shazam—but Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury never gave the Wizard their permission. Displeased with how Billy is representing them, the disgruntled gods engage in a six-way fight for sole control of the World’s Mightiest Mortal…or, if they get their way, the World’s Mightiest Puppet. May the craftiest god win!

The book is written by Mark Waid, with art by Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez drops the colors, and you will read Troy Peteri’s letter work.

Enjoy a five-page preview of SHAZAM! #2 below.

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Exclusive Interview: Norse Horror in RATATOSK — Now on Kickstarter!

Are you desperately in need of a spine-tingling story? Do you wish someone could guide you through the shadowy realms of Norse mythology’s creepiest haunts? Well, you’re in luck, because a new project on Kickstarter called Ratatosk does exactly that!

Writer Grant DeArmitt, artist Armando Zanker, colorist Shan Bennion and letterer Lucas Gattoni have put together a book that’s sure to keep you up at night, and Monkeys Fighting Robots got the chance to ask them all about it.

About RATATOSK (from Kickstarter):

Ratatosk treads the misty ground between investigative thriller and folk horror. It’s a story for people who know not to go into the woods at night, but can’t help wondering why.

Book One is the first of three chapters; it introduces the main cast, central mystery, and the strange fictional town of Sturridge, Vermont. If you’re a fan of Twin Peaks, Picnic at Hanging Rock, or American Gods, we guarantee it’s a comic you’ll enjoy.

Interview

Monkeys Fighting Robots: What drew you all to Ratatosk in the first place?

Armando Zanker, Artist: I’ve been hopping between genres for a while, but I’ve been riding a horror wave lately and could not be happier. You pretty much just need to say ‘Monster’ to get my attention, and once I’d hear what Grant had in mind, it was a no-brainer.

Shan Bennion, Colorist: I love myths and legends, had been hearing about Ratatosk from God of War 2 funnily enough!! And as a colorist, you gotta appreciate the art you’re going to be playing with, and I love the shadow work!

Lucas Gattoni, Letterer: Half the mythological side of the pitch, and half Grant’s sizzling energy and push to get this one out!

MFR: What is it about the character of Ratatoskr that stuck out to you in all of Norse Mythology?

Grant DeArmitt, Writer: Armando and I wanted to do a story featuring a Krampus-like character – a creature from folklore that had a Green Man, wilderness god feel – that we could turn into a monster. Ratatoskr had that sense about it, and with very little actually written about the character, there was a lot of room to extrapolate, play, and rework, etc. And by the way, that last ‘R’ in the character’s name is left out on purpose. I promise it’s not just a spelling error I’m too proud to correct.

Not this time.

MFR: What would your elevator pitch be to readers? What’s the thing they shouldn’t miss that this book has?

DeArmitt: “Viking-flavored True Detective” is the elevator pitch. As for what’s unmissable about this book, I have to tout its atmosphere. Between Armando’s scene composition, Shan’s mood-setting colors, and Lucas’s eerie-sounding letters, this comic really does have more of a ‘feel’ than most of what you get on the shelves right now.

MFR: What comic book creators did you borrow tools from? Who influenced your work?

Zanker: Chief among all, Kirby– Grant are both big Etrigan the Demon fans, as I hope will be obvious if we can complete Ratatosk, and in the case of this particular comic, I’m always looking at my Eerie, Creepy and House of Mystery collections– that’s the spirit I hope to be channeling.

MFR: What works outside of comics — books, movies, TV — influenced your work?

Bennion: Ohh, hm. Definitely anything by Guillermo Del Toro, the exquisite joy and sadness so intertwined with horror and fantasy, that’s my alley! Terry Pratchett is also incredible, what a story teller! And so much animation right now, She-Ra, The Owl House and Over the Garden Wall are a few favs!

MFR: How did you folks find each other, as a creative team?

DeArmitt: I think Armando responded to a tweet I sent out a while ago, one about possibly making a horror comic. We started brainstorming soon after that and the idea for Ratatosk was born.

Once the idea turned into something we were both committed to making, I started hunting down the rest of the team. Out of a couple colorist options, Armando suggested Shan for their painterly style, which he knew the book needed. And then Lucas’s online profile is so extraordinary, I reached out expecting him to say no. By some miracle, he didn’t.

MFR: What’s your personal favorite part of this project (that you can share)?

DeArmitt: You mean besides talking to the hotties at Monkeys Fighting Robots?

Zanker: Monster design, absolutely– I really hope we get funded so we can share it with the world!

Bennion: We’ve only gone through a little of it so far, so I can’t go too deep but I love the vibe of it, the southern horror and deep colours I’m allowed to play with!

Gattoni: So far it’s been coming up with the lettering style for a certain group of characters that you can see right away in the preview pages.

MFR: How can we get you to work together a million more times? The pages I’ve seen are incredible, this feels like a creative team that makes pure magic.

Zanker: Oh damn, thank you! And it’s true, Grant has put together an incredible team– I love sending pages and seeing how Shan and Lucas take them to another level with their kung fu. Hopefully, the book is funded and we keep going from there!

Bennion: It always depends on the story! You gotta love what you work on, especially if you’re coloring the characters a hundred times through! And, you know, of course the support, a fella’s gotta eat!

Gattoni: Well, you have to support this Kickstarter, and tell ALL your friends they should tell ALL their friends to do the same, times a million!

Support Ratatosk!

The only way this amazing book can be completed is with your support. Check out the Kickstarter here, which is full of amazing tiers, rewards, and incentives. Ratatosk is a delightful treat for fans of mystery, horror, and folklore just waiting to happen!

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Project 365: One Comic Every Day, Week 22

The premise is simple: read one comic every day for the entire year. It seems like a simple task but there is no way that I read 365 comics last year, even if you count the individual issues in collections. So, this year, I am committing myself to this reading challenge, in the hope that I can broaden my reading habits and fully engage with my favorite hobby again.

It’s my third week of trying to read comics from a specific year. So far, it’s not turned out to be the most successful plan, mostly because I’m easily distracted. However, this week I’m heading back to 2007 when my buying was at a high (in the sense of number of comics), and my excitement for comics was being fueled by Marvel’s Civil War crossover event — one of the few events where I read 99% of the tie-in comics and I have a special box which contains only Civil War banner comics. There is some good stuff in that event. None of which I am reading this week.

Spawn #169
Credit: Image Comics

Comic Number 148: Spawn #169

I was a Spawn fan back in the day. I enjoyed the first extended story arc where Al Simmons had a countdown of demons to work through to reach salvation. After a while, I drifted away from McFarlane’s baby, but returned sometime in 2006 when I discovered different writers and artists working on the title.

Issue #169 is a stand-alone story written by David Hine and illustrated by Brian Haberlin. Yes, it helps to have some knowledge of the characters to really get the most out of the comic, but it can also be read as a single issue. A story with a start, a middle, and an end that doesn’t require additional reading. Hine masterfully creates an uncomfortable world for the characters to move through and the sense of tension and desperation inhabits the script.

Haberlin’s artwork is very dark, with shadows enclosing the characters and seeping out of the panels to infest the gutters. This creates a feeling of immersion as if you, poor reader, are being sucked into the magical world.

Andy Troy’s coloring is instrumental to the creation of this atmosphere. For the most part the colors are dark with faded tones but an occasional contrasting color draws the eye across the page. Constantly teasing the reader to jump ahead a number of panels to see what is happening.

Early Spawn is very much of its time, although some of the later stories are probably more accessible to new readers. The problem is that the continuing story aspect became increasingly complex and very difficult to follow for casual readers. However, there are moments of genius, like this one, that can be picked out of the greater mire of continuity.

Testament #17 and 18
Credit: DC Vertigo

Comic Number 149: Testament #17 and #18

Science fiction and fantasy is a hotbed of religious allegory and sneaky re-working of mythological or religious stories. In Douglas Rushkoff and Liam Sharp’s Vertigo title Testament, there’s nothing subtle about the religious undertones. In fact, the undertones are bubbling up all over the narrative, becoming the upper crust for large segments of the story.

In issues 17 and 18, the central characters are reaching a turning point in their lives and the supernatural beings, the Gods, are making themselves more prominently known. The comic raises questions of free will and the manipulation of characters by other worldly, and human, sources. Situation and society creates the rebels in the narrative but are their actions guided by fate (controlled by gods) or do they create their own mythology to justify their actions?

Rushkoff is a media theorist and the religion/technology comparisons are made at several points throughout Testament, however, in this two-part story, it is human nature that is under the spotlight. These issues are also drawn by Dean Ormston and have a different look to Liam Sharp’s usual interiors. The pages have a more rigid appearance with layouts that repeat from page to page. This helps to make visual links between different stories and characters. Ormston has an illustrative style that focuses on emotional representation. There is a mild expressionistic feel to the visuals but this allows Ormston to bring out the emotions of the characters.

With the color work by Jim Devlin and the lettering by Todd Klein, these two issues of Testament have some excellent visual storytellers working on the script. It almost goes without saying that the two-part Blood Brothers story line is an impressive and intriguing read.

Streets of Glory
Credit: Avatar comics

Comic Number 150: Streets of Glory #1-6

I was only going to read one issue of Streets of Glory because I think you can get everything you need to know about the mini-series from a single issue — however, the story pulled me in.

On the one hand, this comic is a typical, well-told western about the dawn of a new age and the retirement of the past. The two central characters represent the different era’s and the uncomfortable transition from one age into the next. Garth Ennis handles this metaphor with aplomb but parts of the narrative are marred by aspects of Ennis’ writing that have become known as his trademarks.

The violence is full on. It leans heavily into gross, over the top, exhibitionist blood thirst. A character doesn’t just get shot, parts of his body are torn apart as the bullets fly through them. The skin is stretched to tearing point and blood splashes across the page. In some cases less is more but that clearly wasn’t the brief for artist Mike Wolfer.

Wolfer definitely has a style that lacks character versatility, but this is made up by clear atmospheric pages and attention to detail. Granted, most of the detail is in the gore and violence but it proves that there is a deft hand at work with the pens and ink.

As you read through the series there are some questionable representations, especially in the blood lust of Red Crow. He is the only Native American in the comic, and is defined by uncontrollable violence but has no other characteristics. The female characters also lack any depth, although in the first couple of issues it does seem that Ennis was setting a number of them up for something. Unfortunately, nothing really comes of them.

Having said all of that, I enjoyed re-reading Streets of Glory. Partially because it was a pure western story, no mixed genre here, but also because Ennis is able to tell a good story. If you overlook the need for excessive violence, the central flow of the narrative is a strong and sturdy metaphor for the notion of changing times.

The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1
Credit: Image Comics

Comic Number 151: The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1

It’s New Comic Book Day, so I thought I’d try an actual new comic. Starstorm #1 (published by Image Comics) is a homage to the early days of the publisher, or so says Drew Craig, the creator, writer and artist for this comic. And in a lot of ways, he’s right. Unfortunately, not in a good way.

I had no expectations for this comic, and the cover does resemble some of those early Image books that launched the careers of a number of creators. I can see this comic finding an audience and some will rave about the rawness of the images and the straight forwardness of the narrative. The artwork has the appearance of a small press, photocopied amateur comic that has been hand stapled and sold for $1 at a small convention. This, generally, is not a bad thing and lots of fun can be found from this type of comic. However, this does not distract from the problems with this comic.

The characters are stiff and lifeless, with blank expressions and zero emotion. The script at one point mocks the clichés of high school while itself being nothing but layers of clichés from page one. The dialogue is also unwieldy and laughable in places. Is this an homage? A clever insider joke playing on the awkwardness of those early indie comics? Or is it just poor writing? If there had been any contrasting elements that demonstrated that the writer understood the medium and wasn’t just mimicking the superhero genre of yesteryear, then maybe we could give them some leeway. But there is nothing here that hints at a subtly pastiche with deeper meaning.

I don’t often write negative reviews, instead either look for the positive or ignore the work entirely, but somebody is going to pay $3.99 for this and, unless you’re a massive fan of the early, low-quality Image comics, it will be a waste of money. A few dynamic images do not make a good comic.

Planet of the Apes #2
Credit: Marvel Comics

Comic Number 152: Planet of the Apes #2

I’ve drifted away from 2007. How easy is it to distract me? Simple, give me issue 2 of Marvel’s new Planet of the Apes comic.

I found the first issue to be a touch lackluster, with nothing firm to hold on to, and I would say the same with the second issue. The artwork by Dave Wachter is good but the coloring for a lot of the story is quite bland. I understand that they are aiming for a realistic aesthetic, more in keeping with the recent films rather than the bright and boldness of the original apes. However, this creates an atmosphere that drowns the characters in the seriousness of the story making it difficult to engage with.

The backup story starting in this issue, “The Smartest Gorilla in the World,” has a more interesting visual. The short opening is steeped in conflict and is told like a myth, like one of the ancient scrolls from Ape lore. The coloring is more intense and reflects the exaggerated narrative. It is also reminiscent of Conquest for the Planet of the Apes by using a similar color scheme, which essentially boils down to the impression of the old world burning to the ground. This backup story has more going for it and represents the rebellion of the apes in a more engaging way than the lead story.

This Planet of the Apes hasn’t grabbed me yet. None of the characters are particularly memorable or can carry the story. I still believe it was a mistake to set the comic so close to the end of the third reboot movie. Maybe the creators don’t want to step on the toes of the forth movie or have been given a mandate to set all stories in this time period, but it seems a waste not to explore the future of this planet.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1
Credit: Marvel Comics

Comic Number 153: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1

For those who don’t know, The Dark Tower is a series of books by Stephen King that weave a very large web around the author’s entire back catalog. Characters from numerous different books turn up in one guise or another and there is a lot of hopping through time and space. Just like any long, self involved series of books, you tend to find people love or hate them. The Gunslinger (Book 1) is one of my favorite Stephen King books.

In 2007, Marvel began producing a series of tie-in and adaptations of The Dark Tower, all under the watchful eye of Robin Furth (King’s personal research assistant, and the author of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: A Complete Concordance). The comics are painstakingly researched to fit in beautifully with the novels, and as such, they could so easily pamper to the fans. But they don’t. The comics stand on their own and, as long as you start at the beginning, you don’t need to read the books.

The first issue of The Gunslinger Born introduces the hero, Roland Deschain, and tells a story of his early days as a child. The series is a journey into adulthood and sets Roland on his quest for the Man in Black.

It’s a coming of age story buried in a mix of western and fantasy tropes. There is some excessive violence but the visuals are not gore orientated. The way that artists Jae Lee and Richard Isanove portray the injuries is unsettling; you feel the pain that is inflicted. In contrast to the violence in Streets of Glory, there is a realism to the physical trauma which in turns makes it more psychologically disturbing.

Although this is issue one, there is a self contained story within these pages. There is a narrative dilemma and that dilemma is solved by the end of the issue. But at the same time, writer Peter David has filled the pages with a vast array of background and setting.

This comic is outstanding. It sucks you into the narrative and blows you away with the visuals. There is a page with twelve full-width panels, stacked like pancakes on the page and the golden colouring seems to drip down the page like honey. In describing the page it sounds like a bad idea: the panels are too thin, how can you start a confrontational gladiatorial action sequence in such a way? But the finished page is an absolute work of art. It creates a tension building back and forth between two characters and is clearly influenced by the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone.

This is easily the best comic I have read this week.

American Gothic
Credit: Rebellion

Comic Number 154: American Gothic

Finishing the week with more 2000AD reprints (see last week). American Gothic by Ian Edginton and Mike Collins fits quite nicely in with some of the other titles I have read this week. The western theme with an element of the supernatural squeezes it beautifully between Streets of Glory and The Dark Tower.

The story follows a group of misfits trying to find a place in the world away from the cruelty of humans. The metaphor is clear, and Edginton handles their blight with empathy. No explanation is given, or needed, about who the travelers are or where they came from. They are simply people who are different in appearance and beliefs. Their persecution at the hands of small minded, greedy people is the driving force of the story and leads to the violence against, and by, them.

The artwork by Collins is wonderful and looks stunning in black and white. Dark shadows fill the panels and the action breaks out to cross the gutters as if the ancient battle between the old world and the new cannot be contained. The theme of old versus new that was the backbone to Streets of Glory is again a significant theme in American Gothic, but there is an emphasis on the idea of stories — of myths and legends. As the new world begins to take hold, the old world is being lost. The stories are being pushed out to be replaced with something derogatory and lacking substance. A comment on popular culture of the time? Surely not.


This week I have read a number of comics, roughly from the same time period, that have dealt with similar themes but in very different ways. There is such a range of art and storytelling techniques in just these five comics (not including Planet of the Apes and Starstorm) that it goes to demonstrate that there are comics for everyone, whatever your taste in story. Three of these five are westerns at heart and each is very different despite being built around the same initial themes.

I’m not sure where my reading will take me next week but I intend to find a range of different comics to illustrate the breadth of the medium. Comics are often associated with the superhero but we all know there is more on offer. Why don’t you drop some examples below, and maybe I can give them a read in the future?

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Review: HITOMI – Vengeance & the Corruption of the Samurai

From writer HS Tak (Redshift; BOY-1) and artist Isabella Mazzanti comes the best samurai comic of the last 10 years with Hitomi. Featuring layouts from Nicoletta Bea, colors by Valentina Napolitano, and lettering by Rob Jones, this 5-issue mini-series about a young girl seeking vengeance on an old ronin far from his homeland is the greatest comic of its kind since Inoue’s Vagabond. With intelligent and poetic scripts and staggering visual work, Hitomi is one of the best comics of the past year and a must-read for fans of the genre.

“In Feudal-era Japan, a drifter with no prospects begins training in secret under Yasuke, a once-famous and now-disgraced warrior, as she struggles to find her place in a society entrenched in discrimination and violence. Combining the historical sweep and elegance of Kurosawa with the visceral action of Tarantino, this saga follows the trials and tribulations of a young female warrior who travels the country-side unendingly working to gain the rank of Samurai, a title no man, monster, or myth can give to her, but one that she will have to take.”

Writing & Plot

HS Tak mixes the classic tropes of a great revenge story with both wisdom and incisive political underpinnings in Hitomi. A young woman whose family was killed when she was young begins a journey to find and kill the samurai responsible for making her an orphan. That samurai? None other than Yasuke, the legendary African samurai of the 16th century. Yasuke has since become a ronin, giving up the blade and now only seeking passage back to his homeland. The girl manages to convince Yasuke to become her teacher (he doesn’t know who she is) with aims to betray him later, and that’s where our main story begins. Tak goes to great lengths to sow the general disregard the samurai have for regular people – and the internal class struggles that come with that. The comic has a slightly episodic structure, with each issue continuing the overall plot but having a distinct scenario that helps paint a larger picture of this setting. From being threatened for execution for stealing a small bottle of sake, to witnessing an entire culture of violent abuse towards women, Tak never takes his foot off the gas to show that the honor-focused way of the samurai is often grossly over-romanticized. Both of our protagonists in Yasuke and the angry young woman are unique, compelling characters with great arcs. Their flaws – the girl’s rash nature and Yasuke’s constant hesitation – make them feel more real. The rest of the cast is made up of memorable faces as well, as a variety of folks help or hinder the pair along their path. Tak’s dialogue is sharp and full of wit, with surprise hits of what feels like period accurate poetry. Tak makes his influences known for this mini-series, but keeps the entire experience feeling fresh. Hitomi has a sense of age and wisdom in the comic, as though it were a tale crafted during Japan’s feudal era – that’s just the magic Tak brings to the table.

Art Direction

Hitomi has the benefit of not only having a smart and timeless-feeling script, but the visual experience to match its story. Penciler Isabella Mazzanti and color artist Valentina Napolitano have created an art style that is as timeless as the book’s storytelling conventions. The pair of artists intentionally aim for a style that reimagines period-correct emakimono scroll paintings that bring the reader right into the setting. Mazzanti’s thin lines and attention to historical detail bring the pages to life with one of the most impressive representations of a realistic setting in recent comics. Her sequencing is also stellar, with the whole issue feeling well-balanced and expertly paced. There are some sequences that break panel structure, with borderless images stacked on top of each other. Every page has a spread or panel that is worthy of being in a gallery – or at least as a desktop background. Napolitano’s flat-style colors bring home the 16th century feel of this comic, with her tones having that scroll-printed appearance that makes this issue like nothing else on shelves today. The lettering from Rob Jones has a classical hand drawn look that matches the comic perfectly. His SFX work has a very distinct approach as well, with a sort of minimalist but noticeable punctuation of sound in each panel where he uses it. Overall, Hitomi is a stunning comic mini-series and an excellent representation of traditional Japanese styled art in a Western comic.

Verdict

Hitomi is a brilliant story of vengeance and political history from the eyes of regular people under the rule of the samurai. HS Tak pens scripts full of poetic wisdom, clever humor, and poignant storytelling to create an entertaining yet thoughtful story set in 16th century Japan. The visuals from Isabella Mazzanti and Valentina Napolitano look as though they were ripped right out of the time period they portray, but with a modern comic book-style creative approach that makes Hitomi one of the most unique comics in recent memory. This is a must-read for fans of samurai stories and revenge tales as a whole.

 

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Marvel Comics Trade Watch: June 2023 — Across the Spider-Verse!

spider-man dan slott mark bagley spider-verse marvel comics

We are here to tell you what trades and collections you should be looking out for this month from Marvel Comics!

With Across the Spider-Verse hitting theaters this weekend, Marvel is loading fans up on spider-related reading material, as well as some fan-favorite stories!

1. Spider-Man Vol. 1: End of the Spider-Verse

spider-man dan slott mark bagley spider-verse marvel comics

Dan Slott and Mark Bagley’s Spider-Man run gets its first collection this month. As the title suggests, the Spider-Verse is in danger, and Spiders are dropping like flies. It’s a big, sprawling, action-packed story featuring all kinds of spider-people from across the Spider-Verse (honestly didn’t intend the pun there), making this a great book to pick up following the new spider-movie’s release.

Slott’s Spider-Man stories can be divisive amongst fans, but Bagley’s art is always a delight, making this a story worth checking out on its own.

Release date: June 7th, 2023

2. The Hood: The Saga of Parker Robbins

marvel comics hood parker robbins

If you’re unfamiliar with The Hood, now is the time to jump in and learn why he is such a fan-favorite character. This new trade paperback collects the original six-issue MAX mini-series, as well as the character’s follow-up Dark Reign series.

Parker Robbins is designed to sort of be the anti-Spider-Man (even his name is a nod to Peter Parker). He’s a down-on-his-luck guy who has great power thrust upon him. But Robbins did not have the upbringing or the support system that Peter had, so he views his new abilities as an opportunity rather than a responsibility. The Hood’s story is a dark, gritty, compelling tale that continues to captivate readers. He’s become a major player in the Marvel Comics gang world, and he’ll be making his live-action debut in next year’s Ironheart show, making this a great time to catch up on his backstory.

Release date: June 7th, 2023

3. Star Wars: The High Republic — The Blade

marvel comics star wars high republic blade

Jump into the High Republic era with Charles Soule and Marco Castiello’s The Blade! Follow brother and sister Jedi Knights Porter Engle and Barash Silvain on an adventure set hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga. Porter is perhaps the greatest lightsaber of his era — a legend in the making — but he may meet his match.

The Blade is a gritty, thrilling Star Wars adventure. If you’ve been a fan of stuff like Star Wars: Visions, or you’re looking forward to The Acolyte, and you’re looking for more Star Wars content set outside the typical Republic/Empire/Resistance era, pick this up at the end of the month.

Release date: June 28th, 2023

4. Spider-Woman by Dennis Hopeless

marvel comics spider-woman dennis hopeless spider-verse

This fan-favorite run by writer Dennis Hopeless features Jessica Drew as a member of the Spider-Verse, a private investigator, and an expectant mother. That might seem like a lot of ground to cover, but Hopeless and company balance it all well and provide a captivating Spider-Woman story for fans new or old.

Issa Rae’s Jessica Drew in Across the Spider-Verse seems to borrow heavily from this run, so if you’re looking to read up on Spider-Woman after you leave the theater, head over to your local comic shop and pick this collection up.

Release date: June 7th, 2023

5. Captain America Epic Collection: The Secret Empire

captain america epic collection secret empire
Cover image from CAPTAIN AMERICA #176, one of the iconic issues featured within the new Epic Collection.

This landmark Captain America story by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema finally gets the Epic Collection treatment this month. In addition to classic stories featuring Doctor Faustus and Nick Fury, this collection is headlined by the Secret Empire Saga, a story arc that rattled Steve Rogers’ faith in his country and led him to give up the Captain America mantle for a time.

The arc includes political intrigue, espionage, action, and superhero cameos galore, making this a great Epic Collection to pick up if you’re looking to get into 1970s Captain America.

Release date: June 28th, 2023

6. Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt

marvel comics spider-man lost hunt kraven

J.M. DeMatteis — writer of the seminal Spider-Man story “Kraven’s Last Hunt” — is joined by artist Eder Messias to tell this new story set shortly after 1995’s Spider-Man: The Final Adventure. “The Lost Hunt” promises to reveal secrets and answer mysteries that Spidey fans have been waiting decades for, adding depth and context to one of the wall-crawler’s greatest tales.

And for all of you (very vocal) fans out there longing for the days Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson were married, this story just might scratch the itch you’ve been having!

Release date: June 28th, 2023


What trades and collections are you planning to pick up this month from Marvel Comics? Sound off in the comments, and we’ll see you back here in a month!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: VENOM #20

marvel comics exclusive preview venom

VENOM #20 hits your local comic book store on June 7th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!

About the issue:
THERE AND BROCK AGAIN!

Eddie Brock has fought and fought and fought some more to get back to the Marvel Universe and fight by his son’s side.

IN THIS ISSUE – HE SUCCEEDS! And the charred skeletal remains of Eddie’s physical body are REANIMATED by the King in Black incarnate! Wielding the very marrow in his broken bones, Eddie makes his presence in the present known in explosive fashion! Not that you’d expect anything less!

The issue is by writer AL Ewing and artist CAFU, with colors by Frank D’Armata, and letters by Clayton Cowles. The main cover is by Bryan Hitch and Alex SInclair.

Check out the VENOM #20 preview below:

marvel comics exclusive preview venom

marvel comics exclusive preview venom

marvel comics exclusive preview venom

marvel comics exclusive preview venom

marvel comics exclusive preview venommarvel comics exclusive preview venom

marvel comics exclusive preview venom


Are you reading VENOM? Sound off in the comments!

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Jeff Lemire & Andrea Sorrentino’s TENEMENT #1 Is Unsettling

Jeff Lemire & Andrea Sorrentino's TENEMENT #1 Is Unsettling

TENEMENT #1 hits your local comic book shop on June 21 from Image Comics. The book is written by Jeff Lemire, with art by Andrea Sorrentino, and Dave Stewart drops the colors. Image Comics describes the series as Dario Argento’s Inferno meets Rosemary’s Baby in a claustrophobic tale of terror, perfect for fans of atmospheric horror. The story follows seven residents in a building and the dark secrets that bind them together…beginning with a death that feels much more sinister than natural.

TENEMENT #1 is a slow burn that’s very unsettling and will have you at the edge of your seat. Sorrentino’s photo-realistic style and clean panel layouts create a bleakness waiting to be corrupted by Lemire’s story. In addition, Stewart’s color palette triggers haunting memories of watching horror films as a kid. The first issue leaves you wanting more which is always a good feeling.

Check out my full review below.

TENEMENT #1 Preview

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