Let me start by saying that I've never read any of the Parker books by Richard Stark (aka. Donald Westlake), so I don't really have the ability to discuss this book in comparison to the source material. What I can say, however, is that it was an immensely enjoyable read, and it has encouraged me to seek out those original books. Darwyn Cooke's style makes his a perfect fit for a noirish tale. I really like the way he represented early 60s New York City - the exteriors are terrific, the interiors are well research and the fashions are precise and consistent. His character designs are good, if perhaps a bit generic. One might argue that the protagonist's single mindedness is a bit implausible, but I think it was makes him interesting as his actions come as a surprise to the mob and the reader alike. It was a bit misogynistic at times, but I can only imagine those are facets of the book. My only real complaint is that Cooke's storytelling gets muddled at times, and some sequences can be a bit tough to follow. I'll admit that I had to re-read the sequence at Rockaway station to sort out precisely what was going on. Overall, it was an entertaining read, beautifully rendered by one of today's great comic book auteurs. Trade Mark: B+
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Trade Marks: Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter
Let me start by saying that I've never read any of the Parker books by Richard Stark (aka. Donald Westlake), so I don't really have the ability to discuss this book in comparison to the source material. What I can say, however, is that it was an immensely enjoyable read, and it has encouraged me to seek out those original books. Darwyn Cooke's style makes his a perfect fit for a noirish tale. I really like the way he represented early 60s New York City - the exteriors are terrific, the interiors are well research and the fashions are precise and consistent. His character designs are good, if perhaps a bit generic. One might argue that the protagonist's single mindedness is a bit implausible, but I think it was makes him interesting as his actions come as a surprise to the mob and the reader alike. It was a bit misogynistic at times, but I can only imagine those are facets of the book. My only real complaint is that Cooke's storytelling gets muddled at times, and some sequences can be a bit tough to follow. I'll admit that I had to re-read the sequence at Rockaway station to sort out precisely what was going on. Overall, it was an entertaining read, beautifully rendered by one of today's great comic book auteurs. Trade Mark: B+
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4 comments:
Yeah, I really liked this too, Scott. I think Cooke's art really meshes well with the crime noir genre. I think he might have gotten excellent practice in his adaptation of The Spirit. If you haven't read that (I think it's in two trades), you might want to pick it up as well.
Hey Ray - thanks for the comments.
I actually reviewed both of those volumes (if you look back through the 'Trade Marks' section). I liked the first one a lot more than the second.
You might want to look at the issue of Solo that Cooke did (don't recall the issue number). I think the King Faraday story in there is as good as anything that Cooke has done. The coloring on it is absolutely incredible.
Having Darwyn Cooke live outside Halifax is pretty sweet for this fan. Cooke is truly a kind and generous man. He pays frequent visits to my LCS and shows up around the city for signings and various events. I have been the fortunate recipient of several nice Cooke sketches over the years. I attended a special book launch party for Parker, and he signed and sketched the inside covers and took the time out to engage in some great conversation. The man knows his stuff. He even furnished me with a special little artbook with "out takes" from the Parker book. And I echo Slam's endorsement of the Solo comic and its superb Faraday story. Craig
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