Fountain City

by Michael Chabon

Hidden somewhere deep inside me is the seed of a failed author.  I used to think that there were tons of novel or short story ideas growing like mushrooms somewhere hidden within my mind, and with age and very little perseverance, came the realization that I had not the slightest clue how one would go about becoming a writer.

The four chapters of Fountain City, released as part of the latest issue of McSweeney's, help illustrate the difficulties of the novelist's craft, and the lasting frustration it can hold for a writer.  Chabon worked on Fountain City for years before finally abandoning it as unworkable.  In this slim book, he has resurrected the first four chapters, and heavily annotated them with observations and reminiscences of his intent, antecedents, influences, and mistakes.  The work itself definitely had potential, but it quickly becomes clear that Chabon did not know where to take it, or at least, how to effectively get it where he wanted it to go.  The annotations provide valuable insight into his mindspace, and into the craft of writing in general.

I find it interesting that while I read about Harry Klezmer's search for a home, and lust for travel, I was engaged, but when I got to the end, I had no interest in continuing to read the story.  That, more than anything, is proof that Chabon made the right call in giving up on this book.  I am glad, however, that he has, like a terminal patient's physician in a teaching hospital, turned it into a good opportunity for others to learn.

No Time For Dreaming

by Charles Bradley

This album was another recommendation from my favourite music store, where once again I was happy to defer to someone with superior musical tastes.

No Time For Dreaming contains twelve tracks with vocals by Bradley (on most of them) and music by the Menahan Street Band .  Bradley looks to me a lot like Yaphet Kotto, had Kotto had a tougher life, and his lyrics on songs like "Why Is It So Hard?" echo that sentiment.

Many of the songs here, such as the title song, and 'The World (Is Going Up in Flames)' confirm the notion that life is difficult, but very much worth living.  Bradley's voice is soulful and rich, and this whole album sounds like it could have come from another era.

27 #4

Written by Charles Soule
Art by Renzo Podesta

This exploration of the fleetingness of creativity and talent has been a very enjoyable series.  Will Garland, in this issue, confronts the embodiment of the number 9, and the Erebus, which has been plaguing him.  His argument is that true creative genius - be it musical, artistic, or otherwise - can not be given or gifted, but must be earned through hard work and perseverance.  It's an interesting argument, especially when tossed in the face of an all-powerful entity that views itself as being responsible for the breadth of human creativity.

Twenty-Seven has been a very cool series.  When it started, I expected it was going to go in a different direction (although I'm not sure what that would have been), although I really enjoyed the track that it took.

On the back cover, there is an ad for Twenty-Seven: Second Set.  I'm not sure that there is a lot of room left here for sequels - to my mind, this is a very nicely self-contained story, but I'm curious to see where the creators move next with this.

The Li'l Depressed Boy #2

Written by S. Steven Struble
Art by Sina Grace

I'd had little intention to start reading this series, but the first issue was interesting enough that I thought I'd give the second and try, and the damn book is so beguiling and charming that I think I'm hooked.

The Li'l Depressed Boy is a strange series.  It's about the LDB, who is a rag doll (I think), but no one talks about that.  He also doesn't seem the least bit depressed; he seems more like the type of person that struggles with the simple mechanics of life, in the Scott Pilgrim vein (more on that in a moment).

In this issue, he realizes that he doesn't know the name of the girl that he met last issue (and has dated 1.5 times).  They play video games, go bowling (in a very funny scene that introduces the concept of style points), and eventually, have to confront the fact that he is still ignorant of how to refer to her.

The charm of this series really does come straight out of the Scott Pilgrim school, although Grace's artwork appears to be only slightly manga-influenced.  Maybe not a whole lot really happened in this issue, but enough happened that I want to read about what happens next.

iZombie #11

Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Michael Allred

This series has really developed a sitcom feel to it - one of those non-studio sitcoms like Dead Like Me I think.  In this issue, Gwen goes home and checks in on her little brother, who she is having trouble remembering.  They don't talk or anything - she just follows him around for a little while, while continuing to consider Amon's offer to help her keep her memories.

Amon, meanwhile, meets with Galatea, who outlines her intent to bring an ancient god into our world.  While this is going on, Spot introduces Ellie to his grandfather chimp, with the hope that she can help him to possess a more suitable body.  Also, Horatio negotiates a possible truce with the vampire paintball girls.

See?  Just like a sitcom.  I'm amazed at how many characters Roberson's managed to stuff this book with in such a short amount of time, especially considering how well-developed and fleshed out most of them are.  This is a great book, with fantastic Michael Allred art.  If you aren't reading it, you should check out the first trade, which comes out next week...

The Stuff of Legend Vol.2: The Jungle #4

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

This has been an interesting title, and with this issue, the writers really work at chipping away at the emotional bond between the main characters.

This group of toys (with a dog) have been through a lot since journeying into The Dark to search for the child that owns them, and to rescue him from the Boogeyman.  In this issue, the toys have been separated into animal and human factions, and the humans are on the run from the rest of the animal kingdom, which is hunting them.  They come across a subject of the Princess, who renders aid, and some of them decide to go back to help their animal friends.

Meanwhile, Max, the bear, has revealed his greatest shame and secret to the rest of the group, with the effect that their friendships are fractured.  Max takes on a leadership challenge against the King of the Animals, and in the Boogeyman's army, there are the first rumblings of discontent.  Meanwhile, the boy has escaped the Boogeyman's people, and is running free through The Dark.

The writers are giving this story a lot of time to develop - the next issue looks like it will focus on the Jester and be out in the summer, and I appreciate their slow burn approach.  While a number of the concepts at play here are none too original (The Indian in the Cupboard?), the depth of the characterization and the beauty of the artwork really make this series stand out.

Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #2

Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Shawn McManus

Roberson and McManus's second Cinderella series is a lot of fun.  Cindy is helping an old acquaintance, Ivan, escape from the crosshairs of Dorothy Gale, an assassin that has been sent by the leader of the Russian fables to kill him.  Their quest to take out Dorothy before she can kill Ivan takes them to Thailand, where one of the heads of the 'Shadow Fabletown' lives.

What makes this book work so well are the numerous flashbacks to previous missions where Cindy ran in to Dorothy.  The story of the Russian castle that began last issue is resolved, and an adventure from the 80s in Thailand is started.  As well, we get a glimpse of Dorothy's only visit to Fabletown in the 40s.

Roberson has a good handle on Cinderella, and writes her much as Bill Willingham does in the mothership title.  McManus's art is always great, and works very well on this book.

BPRD Hell on Earth - Gods #3

Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by Guy Davis

There are a couple of things that have happened in this issue of BPRD that I'm not sure how I feel about.  To discuss one would spoil the ending of the comic, so I'm not going to do that, beyond complaining about how it's going to be a few months before we find out what happens to a favourite character, as the next mini-series is going to spotlight Liz Sherman.

The other thing, that I know I don't like, is that Guy Davis is leaving this title with this issue.  Davis's art was part of the draw for me to become immersed in the Hellboy/BPRD universe last year, and I'm really going to miss his portrayal of these characters.  At the same time, I'm always excited to see how new artists interpret established settings and characters, so hopefully it will all turn out for the good.

As for the actual content of this comic that I will discuss, it's really quite good.  Abe and his BPRD team catch up with the Bedouin group they've been tracking, as they hunt for the mysterious young woman named Fenix.  Finding them involves dealing with some giant, bizarre monsters, and some surprising stuff happens in the end.  Mignola and Arcudi make good use of the rivalry between Abe and Devon, which is clearly not as resolved as the last issue led us to believe.  The silent scene with Devon and Fenix is a perfect example of why I'm going to miss Guy Davis on this book.

The Walking Dead #82

Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn

Well, here's another perfect example of why The Walking Dead is one of the two or three best comics being published on a monthly basis right now.

The wall protecting the community where Rick and company have been living for the last pile of issues has come down in one section, and walkers are starting to pour in.  Morgan's been bit, the small group of people trying to protect the neighbourhood are quickly overrun.  Like we see on the cover, Rick and the others are left to hide out inside their houses and give over the town to the roamers.

This leaves Kirkman plenty of room to explore some of the characters, as Morgan, having had his arm cut off by Michonne, has a heart-to-heart with Carl (who is only 8?  That's a little too young....), and Rick starts to make plans to get the people he's hiding with out of the situation.  I sometimes forget how mercenary he can be when Carl is threatened...

Also of interest is the way the group that had left the area yesterday to rescue Andrea react to what's going on.  Kirkman writes some very strong female characters, and Michonne and Andrea both get some great moments in this issue.  I'm constantly in awe of the level of emotion that Kirkman can squeeze out of me in this comic.

Elephantmen #30

Written by Richard Starkings
Art by Axel Medellin

I often find a new issue of Elephantmen contains something totally unexpected.  Starkings has often taken the plot of the series in wild new directions, or has introduced new and unforeseen elements into the story with little warning.  This issue marks another strange departure in the history of this comic, as Starkings and Medellin give us an extremely steamy and suggestive issue.

Hip Flask, who is basically the main character of the book, ends up mending things with Miki, the cab driver who has had a crush on him for ages, and has recently been very angry with him.  This leads to the two of them skinnydipping in Hip's pool, and getting up to much, much more (although, considering the size difference between them, I don't see how).

At the same time, Sahara and Panya share a partially clothed hug, and a strange guy named Mr. Apostrophe (really?) offers his services to the Information Agency to help deactivate the imperiumite implants that can control the Elephantmens' behaviour.

The story seems unconnected and random, but all complaints are easily ignored in the face of Medillin's amazing artwork on this issue.  He employs a couple of different styles, and his erotic scenes are indeed quite lovely.

Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island #3

Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Raulo Caceres

This comic was supposed to be out in May of 2010, and the last issue was released (also behind schedule) in July.  To be honest, I'd pretty much forgotten that it existed, so seeing it on the schedule for this week was a surprise.

It took me a little to get back into the story, as I had a hard time remembering where things had left off, but once it all came back to me, it was easy enough to get back in the swing of Ellis's Victorian electrical pirate story (pun intended).

At the heart of this story is a Peeler (a British proto-cop), who is in the middle of a conflict with a rival force of magistrates, to uncover the identity of the mysterious Captain Swing.  The Peeler has been taken to Cindery Island, and makes some good points about Swing's organization and the quality of his help.  At that point, the other guy shows up, and there is mayhem.

Ellis is plotting this one by the numbers, but it is still a very readable comic, with decent art.  I hope that the last issue comes out before I've completely forgotten about this one.

Timeless: Suite For Ma Dukes

arranged by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson

Alright, so I love Dilla, but somehow this project escaped me.  I got the first, four-track EP that Miguel Atwood-Ferguson put together with Carlos Nino, also called Suite For Ma Dukes, and thought it was lovely, and I knew that this concert had been held back in 2009, but the fact that this cd/dvd combo had been released never penetrated my consciousness until just recently. 

What we have here are fifteen tracks of a 60-piece orchestra playing some of Dilla's greatest songs, as arranged by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson.  Most of the pieces are composed of just the instrumentals, although later on the orchestra is joined by Dwele on 'Angel', and by Psdnuos and Talib Kweli on 'Stakes is High'.  A whole ton of people participate in 'Fall in Love', including Bilal, Illa J (Dilla's brother), Karriem Riggins, and Ma Dukes herself.

This is an absolutely beautiful cd.  Somehow, the act of having Dilla's wonderful beats played by so many people brings them a new intimacy, as they speak directly to the soul.

Were there just the cd in this package, I would have been happy with the purchase, but included in the pack is a DVD of the concert, shot in black and white.  It helps make it easy to appreciate the music and the power of Dilla's legacy.  This is an incredible project.

Fogtown

Written by Andersen Gabrych
Art by Brad Rader

I'm of two minds when it comes to this entry in the Vertigo Crime imprint.  There is a lot I liked about Fogtown, but there were also elements of the plot that I found pretty irritating.

Fogtown is about Frank Grissel, who is introduced as your typical genre hardboiled private detective, in San Francisco in 1953.  The thing is, Frank is a homosexual, and is very deep in the closet about the whole thing, which leads him to be a jerk to his girlfriend (and, we find out later, his family).  This is the interesting part of the book, as Frank has to navigate his own secrets in the course of solving a case.

The problem with this book is the case itself.  It's clear that Gabrych saw the actual crime part of the book as secondary to exploring Frank's character, and that's fine, but the main plot, with its dead prostitutes, weird priests, dead bookkeepers, gigantic bodyguards, and transsexual smuggling is too overly complicated and interconnected to really work.  I wish that Gabrych had tried for a less ambitious plotline, and spent more time just working on Frank and his family.

Brad Rader's art is pretty good, although there are a few scenes that are hard to follow.  In all, this is a middle of the road entry to the Vertigo Crime Library, but it definitely had the potential to be one of the most interesting.

The 'Nam Vol. 1

Written by Doug Murray
Art by Michael Golden, Wayne Vansant, Armando Gil, Pepe Moreno, John Beatty, and Bob McLeod

My experience of The 'Nam has been limited, until I read an older Marvel trade a few years ago, and realised that I'd missed out on a terrific comic in my early-teen fixation on superhero comics.

The 'Nam, the first ten issues of which are collected here, was an attempt to explore, within the boundaries of the Comics Code, a realistic view of the Vietnam War.  The stories were designed to play out in 'real time', so that one issue of the comic took place one month before the next one, and characters who survived got 'short' and went home at the end of a year.

The writing, by Doug Murray, a veteran, captured a number of aspects of the war that weren't usually seen in comics, from the graft of Top, a corrupt First Sergeant, to the random and unexpected violence of the war.  The book did not shy away from massacred villagers, or the lives of the VC (portrayed in one memorable issue in which a Kit Carson ex-VC shares his story).  Some issues end abruptly, or are hard to follow, but that helps add to the war's atmosphere.

The art for most of this book is by Michael Golden (the VC issue is by Wayne Vansant).  Golden has been a favourite artist of mine since I read his early Micronauts books as a kid, although the style he employs here is much more cartoonish than his usual work.  This volume has been retouched, so the colours are brighter, and in some places, downright bizarre.

This comic is an interesting contrast to the Vietnam Journal book I read last week, which was both darker and denser, but also was not constrained by the Code.  Together, the two books help construct a fuller picture of the War.  Now I need to get Volume Two, and hope that Marvel will continue to republish the rest of this series.

Sweet Tooth #19

by Jeff Lemire, Nate Powell, Emi Lenox, and Matt Kindt

Sweet Tooth often does something different (like last month's sideways issue), but it was a surprise to see that Jeff Lemire has invited a few other comics creators into his sandbox to play for a bit.

This issue has the three female characters that have joined Jeppard and Gus on their trip to Alaska wandering around in the woods and talking to each other, sharing parts of each of their stories.  Each story is written and drawn by a different cartoonist.

Nate Powell shares a little more about Lucy, who was a nurse in her previous life, before she was mysteriously abducted.  I've not read Powell's Swallow Me Whole yet, although it's been on my list of books I'm interested in for a few years now.  Emi Lenox, of Emitown, gives us a look at Becky and her memories from just before the plague.  This story follows her through a number of unfortunate events, as she's managed to survive where so many others didn't.

The final story is by Matt Kindt, who has done a number of books that I've read and enjoyed in the last year, and who I now consider to be a 'buy on sight' artist.  He shows us what life was like for Wendy, the pig-hybrid girl, before she was discovered by the militia.  His faded artwork is an interesting contrast for Lemire's pencils that follow it.

This issue is a very good place for a new reader to jump on the title, as it introduces these three characters very well, and leaves them hanging (literally) in an interesting position, which will help launch the next arc.  Sweet Tooth is one of Vertigo's better books, and is worth taking a look at.