iZombie #6

Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Michael Allred

I, Zombie has been a pretty entertaining series, introducing an interesting and novel approach to all sorts of revenants and monsters that has a very reasonable internal logic to it, and introducing a large cast of supporting characters that have been given very little screen time.

This issue addresses that imbalance some, by focusing on Scott, affectionately known as Spot, the Were-Terrier.  In this issue, Spot narrates his entire life story, from growing up with his grandfather who was a voice actor for cartoons, to how he became a were-terrier, to meeting Gwen, the usual star of this comic.

Spot has been a favourite character of mine since the book debuted, and I'm glad to see him get more of the spotlight.  He's usually portrayed as a pretty nice guy, although this issue reveals a level of self-centredness that I didn't expect.  Basically, he stopped speaking to his aging grandfather for years because they didn't always agree.  He comes around though, as his grandfather passes on.

The biggest draw for me, at the start of the series, had been Allred's art, and that continues to play a massive role in this comic's success.  In this issue, Allred plays with homages to old superhero comics (a little bit Doom Patrol, a little bit Legion of Super-Heroes), and the old Scooby Doo cartoon, as Spot indulges in a little positive visualization.

This is a really good book - if you haven't tried it yet, this issue would be a good place to jump on.

Baltimore: The Plague Ships #3

Written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Art by Ben Stenbeck

When this title started, I was impressed by the art and the strong storytelling, but I was pretty lost as to the character of Lord Baltimore, mostly because I'd never read the novel where he debuted.

Over the last two issues of this comic, the authors have filled in most of the important information about his character, and this issue contains a revelation about the genesis of the plague that has swept the world, effectively ending the Great War.

At first, I assumed that this comic would have Baltimore in conflict just with vampires, but Mignola and Golden are giving us a much wider range of creature than that.  This issue has strange floating jelly fish which are reminiscent of the War of the World Martian ships, as well as zombie-like creatures and creepy purple fungus.

Stenbeck's really hitting it out of the park with this title.  The scenes set amid wrecked submarines are seriously foreboding.  If you are not a reader of Mignola's other titles, this is a nice introduction to his aesthetic, as Baltimore is not a part of that shared universe.

Unknown Soldier #24

Written by Joshua Dysart
Art by Alberto Ponticelli

With only one issue left in this title, Dysart uses this month's installment to reveal all of the secrets surrounding the real identity of Moses Lwanga, and the source of the voice he's been hearing in his head since the first issue.  As it turns out, Moses's story is much more intertwined with the original, Joe Kubert 70s Unknown Soldier than I would have expected. 

I don't want to give anything away, except to say that I felt that Dysart has honored Kubert's character very nicely here, and in a way that I didn't expect.

As Moses has a lengthy conversation with himself, one riddled with flashbacks, he also approaches the camp of Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army, the real-life bad guys of this series.  That Kony is a real person, and that this series has been so grounded in the recent history of Uganda makes the conclusion to this series completely unpredictable.  I don't feel like Moses should be able to succeed in his mission, but at the same time, I'm rooting for him.

I'm really going to miss this series.

Meta 4 #3

by Ted McKeever

I'd have thought that, as McKeever's latest series moved past the half-way mark, that I'd start to understand what was going on a little better.

Instead, I found this issue more confusing than the first two, as the Astronaut guy talks to the kid was saw in the first issue, and finds a bullet that is broadcasting the police radio signals we've been reading.
Upon returning to Gasolina's tattoo shop, he finds she's burned it to the ground, and the two of them hop a freight car together.

I know that there is a message in all of this (the metaphor in Meta 4), but I have no clue what it might be.  So, why stick with a comic that I don't understand in the slightest?  Mostly because I love Ted McKeever's art, and find that even when I don't get the book, I enjoy his work.

If someone has a theory they want to share, or can lead me to a website written by someone more intelligent than myself, please let me know in the comments.  Maybe if I read the whole thing from the beginning again...

American Vampire #7

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Snyder has a lot going on in this second arc of American Vampire.  We learn a little more about how Sweet has established himself in Las Vegas, and we discover that he's not involved in the murder that set the arc off.

In addition to continuing to give us an interesting look at Vegas at the time of the construction of the Hoover Dam, Snyder also starts to structure the series for the long term, making reference to an anti-vampire group called the Vassals, which has at least one familiar member in it.  I'm sure we'll find out more about these people as the series unfolds.

Another point of interest is the way in which the Vassals, posing as FBI agents, appear to know Sweet, and have information about the different breeds of vampire, suggesting that it is not just the 'American vampire' that is unique in its abilities.

As usual, Albuquerque's art is great, although a couple of pages seemed a bit rushed.

Orc Stain #5

by James Stokoe

In terms of straight up originality, James Stokoe's Orc Stain is completely in a class of its own.  His story, about the machinations of Orcs, is moving along slowly, but a lot happens in each issue.

This time around, our one-eyed protagonist has been taken prisoner by the forces of the Orctzar, who has been told in a prophecy that a one-eyed Orc will be key to his plans.  To figure out which of the thousands they've captured is their target, the Orctzar's people are sending different one-eyes into a large creature that lives in a mountain (as with most things that happen in this series, this is not all that clear, but is visually very cool).

While this is going on, Bowie, the swamp-dwelling poison thrower we met last issue, is looking to avenger her burned-down hut by messing with the Orctzar's men.  She disguises herself, and infiltrates the Orc's town, causing no end of mischief.

Stokoe's storytelling is incredibly bizarre, but at the same time, there is a very consistent internal logic to this title that shows he's put a great deal of thought into how this story works.  The art and colours in this book are brilliant, and I hope it gets back to a more regular schedule.

Scalped #41

Written by Jason Aaron
Art by RM Guera

Scalped sometimes makes me wonder why I even bother with other comics.  I find that Aaron's writing is so good in this series that he manages to embarrass other writers, himself included (this is one hundred times better than his Marvel work).

The latest arc, Unwanted, has had most of the central characters reflect on parenthood, and the charged relationship between a parent and a child.  Each new issue starts with an abortion, sometimes completed, sometimes not, and the rest of the book, set in the current timeline, quietly examines the consequences of the choices made in the past, which reflect many of the choices the same characters must make in the present.

Dash wakes up in a hospital (after last issues drug-kicking escapade), to find his father standing over them.  Knowing Dash as we do, the reunion goes about as well as can be expected, although his father is pretty persistent.  At the same time, Lincoln tries to track down Gina, finally discovering that she is staying at Granny Poor Bear's, in a very emotionally wrought scene.

The high point for me in this issue came when Gina had a chat with Dino Poor Bear about his own role as a father.  Dino has been my favourite character in this book from the first time he appeared, and it made me happy to see how he has grown into himself through looking after his daughter.

I think, when I write about this comic, I don't give RM Guera enough credit.  His art is not particularly pretty, but neither is anything else on the Prairie Rose Reservation.  What stood out for me in this issue is the way in which he has gotten the hang of portraying the characters as Native American.  Dash's father (blanking on the name right now) has a very realistic look about him that I appreciate.

Tumor

Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art by Noel Tuazon

Tumor is yet another crime comic centred on a down on his luck private eye "with a twist."  The thing is, unlike many of the Vertigo Crime graphic novels, this particular twist works really well.

Frank Armstrong has a tumor in his head which is causing him to have intense flashbacks, or fall into short-lived comas.  Frank was never a particularly good PI (neither in terms of quality nor morality), and so at the end of his life, he has very little going for him.

He takes a job with a notorious drug lord, who is looking for his missing daughter.  As it turns out, the daughter had stolen money from him, and he is looking to have her killed.  When Frank meets the daughter, Evelyn, she reminds him of his deceased wife Rosa.  In fact, he frequently confuses the two, and he decides to help Evelyn in the one way he couldn't help Rosa.

The book is very tightly plotted, and Fialkov uses Frank's disease as a way of driving the plot, as it adds to his confusion, but also works to help us understand exactly what went down with Rosa in the first place.  There are some interesting tricks done with the timeline of the story at the beginning, but as the book progresses, that aspect of the storytelling calms down.

Tuazon's art is pretty nice.  It suits the story, and I like the way that the flashback scenes are drawn in what looks like charcoal (the book is black and white).  Tuazon makes Frank look old, and he seems to become more drained as the story progresses.

This story was originally sold as a webcomic on Amazon, but I think it works great in this nice thick little hardcover.  There is some supplemental material, including a prose story of Frank's first job as a PI.  This is worth checking out.

Madlib Medicine Show No. 8 - Advanced Jazz

mixed by Madlib

Following up on his impressive High Jazz compositions, Madlib has decided to take us all back to school with Advanced Jazz, an educational and entertaining survey of the history of jazz music.

Not being very knowledgeable on this topic, I don't feel I can speak with any authority on the decisions made with regards to who and what got included on this compilation, but what I can say is that this is an incredible musical journey, as Madlib spins 80 minutes of terrific music.  The fact that I didn't recognize a single piece means that he stayed away from the well-traveled paths through the Verve and Blue Note catalogues, instead choosing to grace us with some more obscure cuts.

As usual on a Madlib Medicine Show production, there are a number of strange vocal samples, encompassing such topics as weed (always) and blaxploitation films.

I know I keep saying this, but I feel this is the strongest entry in the Medicine Show to date (which I hope gets back on track soon).

Who Say I Tire

by Segun Bucknor

Among the classic Afrobeat artists that I have been discovering over the last year or so, the name that has consistently jumped out at me on compilations (after Fela Kuti's of course), has been Segun Bucknor's.  When I saw this double-cd release, I figured it was a good idea to grab it.

Who Say I Tire contains 16 tracks, and describes itself on the back as "the largest compilation of his music to have been released".  The two discs are packed with some wonderful music, as Bucknor moves from the classic, big-band sound of Afrobeat to some smaller, more intimate tracks.

Stand outs include the twelve plus minute long 'Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow', 'Gbmojo', and two different versions of 'La La La'.  There is a nice balance of instrumental tracks with songs.  A favourite of mine is the lovely 'Only in My Sleep', a love song.  I also like the very female-empowering 'Love and Affection'.

The most political song here is 'Son of January 15th', a reference to the coup that killed Nigeria's first prime minister in 1966.  Bucknor had a handle on the problems of his country, as evidenced in songs like 'Adebo', which is also a classic Afrobeat anthem.

I can't recommend this album enough to people looking to understand the diversity of Afrobeat music, and the contributions of this one man.  As with all of these types of releases, the liner notes are dense and scholarly.

Moving Pictures

by Kathryn and Stuart Immonen

I found this graphic novel from the Immonen's to be a big surprise.  I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from this book going in to it, as the creators are best known for their work in superhero comics (Patsy Walker: Hellcat and New Avengers, respectively).  Moving Pictures is a very literary book, concerning a young Canadian girl who had been studying abroad when the Second World War broke out.

Ila Gardner now works as a curator in occupied France, attempting to categorize and protect priceless works of art.  Rolf Hauptmann is with the German Military Art Commission, and he is also interested in these same works, although he is there to do the bidding of his masters in Berlin.  The two develop a conflict-ridden and largely unspoken relationship, their desire for one another smoldering beneath the constraints of their relative political and societal positions, the reality of their unequal footing, and their non-demonstrative personalities.

The story is told across two timelines, and the reader is left to draw his or her own conclusions about exactly what is happening between the two, as they each pursue their own agenda.  Paris is eerily peaceful, although Ilsa regularly reports on the sudden disappearances of her neighbours.  In many ways, the book reminded me, with it's unspoken emotions and temporal confusions, of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient.

Stuart Immonen takes a cartoonist's approach to the art with this book, rendering the story in minimalist figures and simple backgrounds (except for the scenes wherein works of art are discussed; in these cases, they are displayed behind the central figures).  Kathryn Immonen's writing is similarly stripped to the bone, leaving much more room than usual for the reader's imagination and musings.

I would much rather see the pair continue with works like this than their ventures at Marvel, and I appreciate the level of craft that was put into this book.

The Stuff of Legend Vol.2: The Jungle #2

Written by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith
Art by Charles Paul Wilson III

While this is a very good comic, it's clearly been written for the trade, as the issue just stops rather than build to a cliffhanger or appropriate chapter break.

Beyond that, we get another interesting chapter in this on-going story about a group of toys who have entered "The Dark" to rescue their owner from the Boogeyman.

When this chapter opens, the toys are trapped between the Boogeyman's forces, a huge cliff, and the Golems, which are Play-Do like creatures the boy used to use to squish his toys with.  Our heroes get separated, and the duplicitous Piggy Bank, Percy, has another run-in with the Boogeyman.  Later, Percy leads the group into the jungle, where they run into another group of cast-off toys.

What I like best about this issue is the flashback, which establishes the character of the knight who leads the Boogeyman's forces.  The boy himself makes another appearance at the end of the issue, although his story, and the identity of the other boy with him, interests me less than that of the toys.

As always, this comic is lovely, although I'm a growing a little tired of its sepia tones.  I feel like the flashbacks should have a different visual effect going for them - it would help to separate their place in the story, and the reality of The Dark.

Chew #14

Written by John Layman
Art by Rob Guillory

Another issue of Chew brings more revelations, both about the possible government conspiracy that underlies world anti-chicken legislation, and about Tony's past romantic ties.

As usual, Layman strikes the perfect balance between the on-going plot of the series with the small character moments that make this comic so great.  Tony having taken a night off from his surveillance has led to his partner Colby meeting his former partner, Savoy.  This leads to even more guilt for Tony, and more trouble for him with his boss, whose relationship with Colby is one of the funniest things in the book.

What I found most interesting in this comic though is the growing relationship between Tony and Amelia, and the strange revelation in this issue that could destroy it.

In the letters page, Layman mentions that with the next issue, Chew will be one-quarter finished.  I like that the series is plotted out to that length, and look forward to watching the rest of this story unfold.

Okko: The Cycle of Air #3

by Hub with Emmanuel Michalak

I never understand how books that have been published before in another country can run so late, but I am always happy to see a new issue of Okko, the French comic set in Medieval Japan.

This issue deals with the consequences of the last, which had Okko apparently slain by a Medieval cyborg monster-killer, who had been searching for his Okko's friend.  Now Okko's companions are in a state of disarray, and the drunken monk's attempt to exact revenge is ill-conceived.

The story in this series can get a little convoluted, but the appeal of the title is the wonderfully detailed art of Hub.  His depictions of the Valley of the Winds are gorgeous, and the book is lushly coloured by him and Li.

I hope that the conclusion to the cycle comes quickly.

Pinocchio Vampire Slayer Vol. 1

Written by Van Jensen
Art by Dusty Higgins

Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer.  Is there a simpler, yet more enticing high concept description than that?  It's one of those concepts that makes so much sense, it's hard to believe that no one ever thought of it before.  The wooden puppet whose nose grows when he lies uses those same long protuberances as a weapon in the fight against the undead.  Frigging brilliant.

And, in the hands of writer Van Jensen and artist Dusty Higgins, the concept really works.  In this book, they are working off the original story of Pinocchio, as written by Carlo Collodi in 1883.  This story picks up a while after that story ended, with Pinocchio seeking out vampires as a way to avenge the death of his "father" Geppetto at their hands (or would that be fangs?). 

Pinocchio is an angry little puppet, and he is assisted in his quest by a carpenter named Master Cherry, the Blue Fairy, and the ghost of the cricket that Walt Disney named Jiminy.  There are some cool action sequences, and many genuinely funny scenes where Pinocchio's nose betrays his bravado.

The art is pretty different.  Higgins makes liberal use of ziptones, which is cool, and has given the cartoonish characters a dark twist.  This is a quick read, but a rewarding one.  I look forward to the second volume, which is coming out soon.