Saga: Volume One

So comic books, err graphic novels, I don't know where to start... I want to love comic books the way that I want to love video games. I feel that both mediums have so much potential and yet in most cases, don't seem to follow through. Now, I'll be honest, I've played more video games than I've read comics. I like to read the Walking Dead, because I love zombies, and I've read the Watchman, because it's supposed to be the best comic ever. Both are good, but I wouldn't say great. That said, the Prez is always talking about comic books and how much he digs them. So I decided to get in on the ground level with a new(ish) series called 'Saga'. It's by the same dude who did 'Y: The Last Man', which I'm told by reputable sources, the Prez included, is incredible.

Saga is a sci-fi story about two warring planets of two different, for a lack of a better term, alien races. A couple (one from each planet) fall in love and have a baby. The main characters are looked upon as defectors, and are hotly pursued by both armies and some bounty hunters. The story is simple, but intriguing enough to keep me reading. The artwork is beautiful, and uncensored, which I can appreciate. 

I really enjoy science fiction when it's really well done. It's a genre that I don't think gets enough respect (Side note: I can't wait to see Elysium). And while Saga isn't the thoughtful, sophisticated sci-fi story I crave, it fills a void for me. This is the first comic that I've read where I'm invested enough in the characters to keep reading. I found this to be a fun read and I am looking forward to reading future volumes.

Criminal

How the hell did I forget to review this thing? I'm normally so bloody diligent about that. Damn.

Criminal: the Deluxe Edition. It's amazing. It's tremendous. It's worth every penny. Did I really miss reviewing it?

I read the first story (Coward) after Bad Eye loaned it to me. I waited around for the Deluxe Edition to come out, as it was a collection of all the books in the Criminal series (plus extras). Coward was amazing and I needed more.

Criminal is modern noir. But it's a little bit more on the realism tip than say Sin City. It's stylized in its own way. It's incredibly cinematic. There's a lot of humanistic aspects to the drawing, especially the postures and facial expressions, that really elevate the art past everyone else out there. It feels like you're reading a film, frame by frame, as opposed to reading a comic. The brilliant art and great writing just suck you into the Criminal word from the get-go. You're immersed. You live it.

All the stories are worth reading. Characters and places reoccur from story to story and it makes you feel like you're part of a Criminal universe. It makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Similar to Sin City in that regard.

I gotta look back, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was the best comic I read in 2012. It's essential.

Incognito

I read Criminal by Brubaker and Phillips and absolutely LOVED it. So I talked to my man, Sanguis, and he turned me onto Incognito by Brubaker and Phillips. It sounded weird, but I was more than willing to give it a shot based on the strength of Criminal. These guys are a brilliant duo.

Without giving it all away, the gist of the book is there's a dude with super-powers who used to be a "bad guy." He gets put in witness protection by the gov't and forced to lead a normal life. They use drugs to inhibit his super-powers, so he's just an average joe. Well, one thing leads to another and he ends up being a "good guy" and using his powers as a masked-avenger. But it's not quite as straightforward as all that. His past comes back to haunt him and you're sucked down a really fucking cool tunnel of heroes and villains.

The premise is novel, the writing is great, and the artwork rules from beginning to end. I love the colors, too. It's just a fucking great book to read. You blaze through it. I've immediately put it back on my "to read" shelf because I need to re-read it slower and scrutinize the art more. It's too damn good.

Top class. If you have eyes you should get this book (after you've read Criminal!).

The Walking Dead: Vol 17

Holy fuck! Remember when that fucked up shit happened to the Governor way back when? How you put the book down to digest what you just saw? You had to re-read it to see if your eyes were playing tricks on you. Well, issue 100 is contained within volume 17 and this is the second-most-fucked-up thing you've seen since the Walking Dead started. It's brutal as all hell. It's merciless. It's psychological. It's a bit of a bummer.

Anyway, we're introduced to some new characters and new threats. And some shit is really gonna go down in volume 18. I can't wait to see how this plays out. The ante has been upped. I think it's interesting how Rick is handling this. And I dig the Jesus character.

This is gonna be good.

The Walking Dead: Vol 16

I'd gotten behind on the Walking Dead. I cracked open trade 16 and it took me a little while to remember the bloody characters. Problem with the artist is that he kinda sucks. Half the time you don't know if it's a dude or a lesbian, or if the character has suddenly gotten Downs Syndrome. Wait, is that Maggie or Glen on this panel? He's terribly inconsistent in his physical portrayal.

Anyway, once I realized it was a dude and not a lesbian things started to fall back into place.

Overall, this volume seemed like a good little segue into volume 17, which is where shit REALLY hits the fan...

Northlanders 6: Thor's Daughter

When Conan runs dry there's fucking Northlanders.

Actually, that's not fair. That's implying that Northlanders is inferior. It's not. It can be just as good as Conan. Albeit in a very different way. Northlanders is definitely unvarnished. It's raw, gritty, brutal viking yarns set in many grim and frostbitten kingdoms. Awesome series.

Thor's Daughter isn't the best installment, though. And to me that's cuz the main story is illustrated by a new guy and his style clashes with what I love about the first 5 books: Realism. Normally I find the art sharper and more visceral. But that's alright, the other stories are illustrated with a style that's in keeping with the older books. This book ends up having some of my favorite and least favorite art in it.

But that's only a small hiccup. The stories are still awesome. The writing fucking rules.

Vikings tell the best stories.

Satan is Alive: a Tribute to Mercyful Fate

Finally sat down with my Satan is Alive playlist and listened/read my way through the book.

It's really pretty damn cool.

Lemme back up. I pre-ordered this mofo via Mark Rudolph's Kickstarter project as soon as I got the link. What a rad idea. Interpret the songs of Mercyful Fate in a comic book format? Fuckin' sign me up already. 

Mark actually hand-delivered the books to Ferndale, although I wasn't in when he stopped by. My first impression was actually, "holy crap, this is physically smaller than I anticipated." I was a bit let down with the small-ish size. I expected something akin to traditional U.S. comic books. This is more like a large postcard. It's a two color litho cover on matte uncoated stock (butcher paper-ish), with a one color text weight inside. Production value is pretty high. Definitely a quality product. 

The book is sandwiched with some forewords and afterwords by a lot of heavy hitters in the metal scene from "E" from Watain to Fenriz to Phil Anselmo. There's a lot of dudes throwing in their 2 cents about what Mercyful Fate means to them. Impressive roster, but nothing all that cool. It's straight. The meat and potatoes is yet to come. 

The book kicks off with the Mad Arab and I really dig the way the artist fills the frame. I don't know who it is because there's no attribution that I can see. No table of contents. If you catch a signature, cool, but if not, it's a bit of a guessing game for each installment. Anyway, whoever this is is one of my favorite contributors. I like the lettering and the frenzy in the art. It's just really well composed. 

Bruno Guerreiro is up next and paints a picture in stark contrast to the opener. His stuff is real cool, but it's more like a series of separate stills, rather than a continuous flow. Oh, before Bruno there's a one page entry by Tom Neely and it's fucking amazing. You'll see. It will be xeroxed and used for flyers from here til eternity. 

Rudoph is up next and pens a great installment, really giving life to a corpse with no soul. Then someone tackles Melissa with a quirky style that's a nice contrast to the slick work before him. It's cool to see so many takes on the same subject. 

Vasilis Lolos comes out of left field with some really angular shit. It's like the prog-rock of comic books. Really cool. Sandman-esque at times. Bizarre, but it keeps you coming back to his stark stylized visions. 

Ed Luce does Black Funeral next. I like how he didn't take it too literally or seriously and was able to just have fun and interpret the lyrics his own way. Hats off for the originality. 

Nick Green's story is a bit of a waste in my opinion. Immature and sort of pointless. But that's alright cuz Tom Neely gets back in the mix with my favorite artwork again. This dude rules. His art's got a painterly depth to it at times. Love it.

ChuckBB of Decibel fame delivers his installment after we get a visit from the Mad Arab again. Chuck's work is big and bold and really fits Evil well. It's just in your face and is a great complement to the song. I love the last frame. Fucking awesome. 

Rudolph pops up again with Satan's Fall and does an excellent job. It's like a freakin music video as you read along. He definitely has a great way of storyboarding a compelling narrative. All the frames fall right into place, you're singing along and reading the book...it just works. He could have done a whole album's worth of illustrations and you wouldn't be bored. Who knows what he has in store based on the success of this one? I'd like to see Misfits Earth A.D. illustrated from beginning to end...Mark?

Tim Sievert's installment is cool. I like his interpretation of the lyrics. Cool depictions. Most artists managed to infuse something original to take the concepts one step away from King Diamond's lyrics. One step beyond, but in a parallel path. So it's all good. 

Mark Thompson is up next and his last panel is like 2001 a Space Odyssey meets Anton LaVey. Sweet!

I'm not a fan of J. Bennett's writing. His story is pretty humorous for once. But again, sort of pointless. I can take it or leave it. 

There's a timeline and then the afterword by Phil Anselmo. All in all a really unique concept that we're lucky saw the light of day. It's a well-executed volume and I hope it's the beginning of something bigger. I'd love to see a series of books in the same vein. 

Pick it up! Ave Satanas!

Conan: Road of Kings

Bugger. The last book that's currently out. I had to pre-order the next one, which comes out in February I think.

Well, at least I can move on to the Criminal anthology, a new Northlanders, and 100 Bullets. I'm not lacking in the comic department. Shit, I've got some catching up to do on the Walking Dead, too. I might even be two TPB's behind at this point.

Road of Kings. Different artist. Very angular. This guy is more exaggerated and more "comic book-y" for lack of a better term. I prefer a bit more realism in their portrayal. This is a little more light-hearted and comedic. The blood is just a pool of red. It's not as visceral as it should be. Conan is a gritty character. He's not fucking Disney-fied.

Thievery. Piracy. Pubs. Sewers. Ale. Wenches. Jewels. Kings and Blood. Another tried and true Conan story. When's the dude ever gonna learn about women? They're always getting him into bloody trouble and it generally has to do with jewelry of some sort of another. Anyway, this is a good sprawling tale that takes Conan all over the place. He's hunted by some crazy Gestapo looking dude and he has a fair amount of encounters with crazy animals and insects along the way to saving a hot princess. Like he's prone to do.

You get used to the art. It's a good book. Story flows well. I'll look forward to re-reading these all over again. Maybe I should read Preacher again next year first, though...or Y the Last Man...Fuck, so many good books, so precious little time. I really need to reboot Walking Dead from the start. For sure.

Conan: Iron Shadows in the Moon

Almost done with the Dark Horse Conan series. Just one more book until volume 12 drops in February.

Iron Shadows in the Moon picks up with a few characters we've encountered in previous books. Story lines weave in and out from volume to volume. It's easier to keep track of when you're reading the books in relatively close succession. The main aspect of this journey is Conan's foray into piracy! The man commands a troop of free lancers on the battlefield one day and a sordid band of pirates the next. From field to sea and back again, Conan doesn't give a fuck. He'll decapitate at the drop of a dime.

This story seem a bit familiar. It doesn't stand out as a true Conan epic to me. Maybe it focuses on the action more than the drama, and I kinda like the dramatic aspects of Conan just as much as the bloodletting. Too much of that gets old. But it still has its twists to keep it interesting. A solid yarn with all the requisite attributes you'd expect.

The final third of the book is an additional story with a different artist. I just do no feel his style. It's sort of sloppy and organic, and demented in a childlike way. Not feeling it. But thankfully he didn't take over the main story. It's fine. Movin' on.

Yeah, another good read from Dark Horse.

Conan: Free Companions

This book is made up of some REH stories as well as some new yarns that are spun to help fill in some gaps. It's all handled equally well and I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the series.

The book revolves around Conan's acquisition of an army of free lancers, 5000 strong. We see them slay, conquer and slay again, with Conan calling the shots. Conan has the respect and loyalty of Amarlric's army at his disposal. We see the Free Companions come into some trouble, though... Yasmela...I knew she was hot as hell, but didn't expect her to be so fickle when it came to the Cimmerian. Anyway, Yasmela brings trouble and things go south really quickly. It sucks. But I can't divulge more cuz that's what you're supposed to find out when the read the damn thing.

The art and writing hold up. I've complained about the Truman/Griorello team before but once they found their stride things have been solid. We're good now.

Another good one. Fo' sho'.

Fungus the Bogeyman

I hate kids and I hate it when adults read shit that was meant for kids.

So it's a bit odd for me to write this review. See, I loved being a kid. Don't get me wrong about that. Being a kid had its moments. As a youth I was particularly fond of this book, Fungus the Bogeyman. I poured over every panel on every page in meticulous detail as I absorbed what it meant to live the life of a "bogeyman."

Somehow I saw someone recommending this book in my RSS feed and I knew I had to re-buy the thing. So I did.

Raymond Briggs, the Author, is probably most famous for his Snowman animation. You know the, "I'm flying in the aiiiiiir" thing with the choir of little boys... Anyway, it was massive in Britain. Fungus the Bogeyman is the darker side of Briggs. No little boys in robes flying across rooftops with friendly snowmen here. This is all snot, pus, and gnarly shit that gives you boils on your neck in the middle of the night. It's the life of a bogeyman.

The book is a documentary of a bogeyman named Fungus. It follows him throughout his daily routine of scaring people, tapping on windows, being creepy, giving people pimples, and so forth. But Fungus is having a bit of an existential crisis. He's questioning why. Why does he exist, why is he scaring vicars in the dark, why does he do what he does? Why?

So, Briggs goes in depth explaining everything from bogey anatomy to bogey passtimes to just anything and everything bogey. We follow Fungus, get inside his head, and get a pretty good understanding of what it means to be a bogeyman.

The book employs subtle British wit and humor throughout. As a kid I really liked scrutinizing the panels and squeezing out every last detail I could. The illustrations are great and fit the scummy subject matter to a T.

This books is great for children. It'll have them turning to their dictionaries frequently as they learn new words that their classmates wont encounter for  years. It asks a lot from the reader, but you get a lot in return.

As an adult I definitely enjoyed this. If you're a parent then I'd highly recommend this book for you and your kids. Well, your male kids. I don't think chicks would dig this at all.

Fungus rules. Get this book.

Conan: Black Colossus

A return to form.

Giorello and Truman finally find their groove. This book reads better than their previous efforts. The writing is just smoother. Less stilted. The illustration is brighter, bolder and sharper. Both seem more effortless and comfortable than previous outings.

Conan is growing up. Conan's becoming a wise man. Conan's travels are really shaping him up to be a more mature leader.

Black Colossus sees Conan meet his hottest squeeze yet...Princess Yasmela. Conan had it good, man. Conan had it good...

Anyway, the book has a lot of set-up. Almost cinematic in scope. There's a gnarly evil wizard, a hot voluptuous princess who needs saving, and many heads to be decapitated. It's a classic Conan yarn.

I believe the following book continues in the Yasmela/Conan relationship, so let's see where that takes our Cimmerian hero next...

Conan: Cimmeria

Truman and Giorello do better on their second collaboration.

I liked Cimmeria better than the the Hand of Nergal. The writing seemed more in line with traditional Conan tales and the art wasn't as murky. I still prefer Busiek and Nord, but this is still do-able. I still got into the tale...

And what an epic tale it is. We see Conan leave behind the Eastern cities filled with kings, whores, ale and adventure, and return northbound to the dark hills of his home town. It's a big deal for Conan. He meets up with some old characters we recognize from other tales, and things get shitty for a whole lot of people, including our dark-haired protagonist.

Conan's come full circle, but I'm excited to see him take off and head for the cities again. I see many more decapitations and many more curvaceous women in Conan's near future...

Conan: the Hand of Nergal

I guess I should temporarily rechristen the blög; Conan451, with the amount of Howardian reading I've been doing as of late. What can I say? Shit's dope.

Except for when it isn't. This was my first time reading the Hand of Nergal, and I was a bit disappointed for once. Based on this book I'd say that Busiek and Nord make a much stronger collaboration than Truman and Giorello. But things can change. We'll see what the next book has in store soon enough. I felt Truman's writing wasn't as personable or inviting as Busiek's. Not as relaxed. It felt more formal and more like what you'd expect to read as an REH adaptation, but not what you want to. It seemed less original and comfortable than the books I've been reading prior.

As for Griorello's art...it was one hell of a dense and dark book. The story was borderline horror and the art was heavy and brooding, too. It just didn't feel as sharp as I'd prefer. Too phantasmagoric overall. Too foggy and dismal.

I don't want to give away much of the plot. It's probably polarizing. Those of you who prefer a sword and sorcery thing won't like it as much (maybe), but those of you into Lovecraft may drool.

Why did Griorello seemingly model Lord Than after James Brown? That's what I wanna know... Bel, Mitra, and Ishtar!

Look at his pimp collar and that hair. Homie looks like James Brown.

I don't know karate, but I know k-razy! 

Conan: Rogues in the House

I read this one last night. I freakin flew through it. It just has a raw intensity to it. I wish I could slow down for a second and enjoy the art more, but the story just propels you forward.

The full time artist switches up with this book. I honestly prefer the original dude, but I'm not complaining about Giorello. He has a more painterly technique. It's deeper and looser. At times reminds me more of classic Hammer Horror (which is nostalgic in an appropriate way) and in a couple scenes even reminded me of Glenn Barr. Jiara just looked so angular and stylized. It's not a step forward, but we could call it a lateral move of equal quality. Just different.

This book takes some acerbic barbs against religion, as well as some critiques of modern man. It's typical Howardian commentary. I dig. We learn about trust and so-called barbarism.

I mentioned Conan picked up a couple characters in the last book that seemed to carry forth into the next adventure. In this book we get to see what fate has in store for the loyal Gunderman and the gold-digging Jiara. If people were appalled at how she was treated...fuck that...she got away with her life, which is plenty more than she deserved...

Anyway, I'm gonna end this here so I can tuck into the next installment the Nemedian Chronicles before I retire for the evening.

Conan: The Hall of the Dead

Finally, up to date on my postings. For now.

Conan's settled in for the time being in Zamora, the City of Thieves. And as such we see some characters sticking around for more than 5 minutes. Jiara is his his main squeeze at the moment, although she's causing him quite some aggravation. She keeps Conan happy in the sack as long as he provides plenty of shiny objects for her. Such is life.
And there's Nestor Gunderman, who's weaving in and out of Conan's adventures in Zamora.

We actually see the three of them riding off at the end of the book together. Nestor joining the duo for who knows what may lay ahead. But that's skipping ahead. The Hall of the Dead story is pretty cool. Very magical. Overall though, this book is more about the life of thievery in Zamora and the politics that go along with it, than out and out sword and sorcery. It's a bit more of a morality tale. Maybe slightly slower in pacing than some of the other books. But nonetheless, well worth the read and a great continuation in the saga of the Nemedian Chronicles.

Crom's balls!

Conan: The Tower of the Elephant

This book sees Conan's naivety come to light. He's interacting with "civilized man" and quickly learning their customs and ways of everyday life. It's all new to him and he makes some missteps along the way. He can't interact with these city-dwellers in the same way he interacted with his own townspeople. It doesn't take long to realize that civilization is sketchy as fuck.

There's a decent amount of Howard's social commentary on Barbarism vs. Civilization in this book. I really enjoy the way each story has its own personality and own point of view. Howard didn't just change the monster and change the wench and call it a new story, he changed perspective, too. And that's important for sustaining interest.

The Tower of the Elephant is a particularly good story. Lots of magic and fantasy. It's also depressing from an animal rights perspective, but retribution is delivered to those who deserve it, so it all works out in the end.

Lots of good lookin' ladies in this book. Conan's never short of a fine pair of breasts when he needs them. And of course, more gratuitous decapitation (which seems to be Conan's preferred method of dispatching his foes).

Another great book in a long line of great books about Conan the Cimmerian.

Conan: The God in the Bowl

Another stellar read in the Conan mythos.

The God in the Bowl was written with a different pace and a different perspective than most other Conan adventures. It's a bit slower and at times it unfolds like a murder mystery (because at the heart of it, it is). It's interesting to read and see how Conan reacts. Ultimately, that chapter ends with decapitations and blades of fury, just like it should. Justice is duly served. It's just more suspenseful than your average Nemedian yarn.

The story continues, Conan is introduced to a hot chick with swords, and he faces his most powerful and worthy adversary yet. Shit goes down and people die. It's a pretty freakin epic story.

Again, brilliant art and writing. Can't wait for the next one...

Conan: The Frost-Giant's Daughter

Like I said, I'm reading them all in chronological order. Conan's youth is interesting, but you really want to get into the meat-and-potatoes of what it is to be Conan the Cimmerian. And the Frost-Giant's Daughter takes you one step closer.

I think this one picks up with Conan around 18 years old and follows him on his journey away from his home and off into unseen territory. Conan is spurred on by his grandfather's stories and he wants to see the world. Bang chicks in far off lands. Decapitate scumbags in the North and eviscerate scumbags in the South. Steal money in the East. And do some more banging and decapitating in the West. It's a barbarian's life for me.

The art is amazing and the stories are just so freaking compelling. I can't wait to read the other books.

Another bonus to this series is the foreword and afterwords included in each trade paperback. You get some great knowledge about Robert E. Howard, as well as the creation of the comics in hand. It's a great package.

"You cannot escape me!" he roared. "Lead me into a trap and I'll pile the heads of your kinsmen at your feet! Hide from me and I'll tear apart the mountains to find you! I'll follow you to hell!"

Conan: Born on the Battlefield

I bought all the Dark Horse Conan books in the Nemedian Chronicles series. They're all sitting there, lined up on my shelf awaiting to be read.

I had read most of them already, but I picked up the few books I was missing and I wanted to go through the series chronologically. I kicked it off with Book 0, which charts Conan's birth through maybe his sixteenth snowfall (yuck yuck yuck). Conan's life reads like a Bolt Thrower album. It's fucking awesome.

I liked Born on the Battlefield more on the second reading. It gave me an appreciation for where Conan came from and what shaped him into the king he later became. The early years are probably the most "emotional," if that word is ever relevant to Conan. He feels pain from time to time, especially if a buxom harlot he was banging gets killed or something. But this pre-dates that sort of action. This is a young lad trying to navigate adolescence...all the while being CONAN THE CIMMERIAN. It's a gift and a bit of a curse, some may say.

I love this book and it gets you psyched for what's next to come. The art is top class. The story is well-written and enveloping. Dark Horse did good.